Tyler BuckentineWCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod left Alabama-Huntsville last weekend with a clearer picture of the commitment made to its team. The independent program, now coached by Kurt Kleinendorst, added a full-time assistant coach, a hockey-only equipment manager and a director of hockey operations recently. The Von Braun Center, the Chargers’ home rink, also underwent considerable renovations. … Read more
Minnesota’s balance on offense was the most thoroughly-documented strength going into the season. How balanced? Seventeen different Gophers recorded at least one point as the team scored 12 goals over the weekend and No. 2 Minnesota swept No. 16 Michigan State with a 7-1 win Saturday at Mariucci Arena. “I like the balance,” said Gophers … Read more
No. 16 Michigan State at No. 2 Minnesota Joe: Mariucci should be a loud place for the MSU rookies (12 on the roster) to handle with Gopher fans excited about this UM squad. Goalie Will Yanakeff (.922 save percentage) gives the Spartans a chance against Minnesota’s offensive firepower, led by Nick Bjugstad, the media and coaches’ … Read more
No. 16 Michigan State at No. 2 Minnesota Joe: Mariucci should be a loud place for the MSU rookies (12 on the roster) to handle with Gopher fans excited about this UM squad. Goalie Will Yanakeff (.922 save percentage) gives the Spartans a chance against Minnesota’s offensive firepower, led by Nick Bjugstad, the media and coaches’ … Read more
The 2012-13 season will be bittersweet for the teams leaving the WCHA, especially for Colorado College coach and alumnus Scott Owens. “For me, it is,” Owens said. “I have been connected to the WCHA as a player and coach for 22 years. I will miss being part of the WCHA. On the other hand, I … Read more
The surge St. Cloud State made at the end of the regular season and into the WCHA playoffs last season had people who follow the league wondering how good the Huskies could be if they had a full and healthy lineup. But the injury bug took just one hour into the first official day of … Read more
Welcome to year No. 2, Mel Pearson. Michigan Tech surprised everyone last season when it went from a 26-game winless streak and a 4-30-4 finish in 2010-11 to a spot in the WCHA Final Five last season under first-year coach Pearson. The vast improvement landed Pearson the WCHA coach of the year award but the … Read more
Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore said it best: “I don’t know who our goalie is going to be and we’re going to need secondary scoring.” Those are the issues the Beavers face heading into this season off an eighth-place finish in 2011-12. Jordan George, a senior with 101 career points who hasn’t notched fewer than … Read more
There were skeptics before the 2011-12 season started who doubted that Minnesota-Duluth could come close to the success it had a year earlier. The Bulldogs won the national title in 2011 but Jack Connolly lost the wings of his high-scoring top line. Still, Connolly won the Hobey Baker Award, UMD managed to take second in … Read more
A new coach and a crop of talented underclassmen have Minnesota State excited to take a big step in 2012-13. Mike Hastings was hired in April to replace long-time coach Troy Jutting, who was fired after the worst season (12-24-2) in his 12 years leading the Mavericks. “It’s a privilege to be back with a … Read more
Last season was one of resurgence and a return to relevance for Minnesota. Considering what the Gophers have coming back at forward and defense, Minnesota is built for another run to the Frozen Four. Minnesota’s win against Boston University in the regional semifinals was the first career NCAA tournament game for last season’s seniors. The … Read more
It’s the second week of October, which means the WCHA is back. Opening weekend features nine teams back in action and we’ll have the full picks edition up Friday morning. Here’s an appetizer to chew on for now. Joe Paisley, former Colorado College beat writer for the Colorado Springs Gazette, replaces Brian Halverson as a … Read more
It’s the second week of October, which means the WCHA is back. Opening weekend features nine teams back in action and we’ll have the full picks edition up Friday morning. Here’s an appetizer to chew on for now. Joe Paisley, former Colorado College beat writer for the Colorado Springs Gazette, replaces Brian Halverson as a … Read more
Tyler Buckentine looks at Minnesota as it heads to the 2012 Frozen Four in Tampa, Fla.
When Minnesota got up three goals on North Dakota just past the midway point of Sunday’s West Region final, the Gophers kept their foot on the gas pedal. Unlike the WCHA Final Five semifinal, in which the Gophers blew a three-goal lead to UND, Minnesota finished the game and went on to win 5-2 at … Read more
Jake Parenteau, Seth Helgeson and Nico Sacchetti had a total of eight goals for the season entering the NCAA tournament, but they combined for three against Boston University. Tyler Buckentine reports from the West Regional.
Through the first three minutes of the second period, Western Michigan dominated North Dakota with the first five shots on goal in the period as the Broncos poured it on to erase a one-goal deficit. But all that was erased was WMU’s momentum. Corban Knight scored on a lucky bounce at the 3:16 mark of … Read more
The Sioux will try to make it eight straight wins at the tournament when they play Denver on Saturday for the title. Tyler Buckentine reports from the WCHA Final Five.
Minnesota-Duluth couldn’t win a faceoff and Denver couldn’t get anything past Kenny Reiter. That was the theme in the opening minutes of overtime when the Pioneers had plenty of chances to put the game away. One period later, Denver finally got the game winner. It was backhander by Zac Larraza, who was on the doorstep … Read more
No. 9 Denver (24-12-4) vs. No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth (24-8-6) Tyler: UMD is going to reverse its fortune from last season’s early exit in the Final Five. Denver has let a lot of games go down to the wire lately against team’s they should put away and that’s not going to work today. UMD wins. Brian: … Read more