As No. 6 North Dakota’s last glimmer of hope to win the MacNaughton Cup fades, the focus turns to the national tournament picture with three weeks to go. Tied for fourth place in the WCHA standings, UND is sixth in the PairWise Rankings, where a team’s rating is more meaningful as March nears. No. 10 … Read more
Sunday will see outdoor college hockey move from the River City to the Windy City as Chicago takes the baton and hosts the OfficeMax Hockey City Classic at Soldier Field, home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears. Just as Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota took part in the Mutual of Omaha Battles on Ice last weekend, two … Read more
The Mankato Free Press reported Friday that the WCHA’s future playoff format starting in 2014 was approved by conference athletic directors late last week. Reportedly, an eight-team format will be used in the first four years of the league, meaning two teams will not qualify for the postseason. The format still must be approved by … Read more
One team will look to prove it’s worthy of its No. 1 ranking and put itself back in position to challenge for the WCHA regular season championship by winning in a tough environment. The other team sits in first place, and will hope to hang on for its first MacNaughton Cup and garner respect as … Read more
Former Denver forward Joe Casey passed away Monday night in Jackson Hole, Wy. Casey was just 37. According to a school-issued press release, the cause of death is still to be determined, but Casey reportedly felt ill over the weekend with what was described as flu-like symptoms. “It is with shock and great sadness to … Read more
Even in Atlantic Hockey and ECAC Hockey where the leader is running away, the next nine spots are tightly bunched. Jim Connelly and Todd D. Milewski have more in this week’s edition of Tuesday Morning Quarterback.
With 30 first-place votes this week, Minnesota, despite being idle last weekend, remains the top-ranked team in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll. Quinnipiac, currently riding a 19-game unbeaten streak after tying Brown and beating Yale last weekend, garnered the other 20 first-place votes and is again No. 2 this week. Miami jumps one to … Read more
Think of this weekend’s series between No. 10 Denver and Minnesota-Duluth as a crossroads. After bye weeks for both teams, Denver and UMD are at a similar spot in the standings coming from different directions. The Pioneers have traveled downward in the WCHA standings while the Bulldogs have been hot in the WCHA lately, looking … Read more
Five North Dakota players – captains Andrew MacWilliam, Danny Kristo, Carter Rowney and Corban Knight and senior Joe Gleason – were charged in Grand Forks District Court Monday with “unlawful delivery to certain persons” for providing alcohol at a team party last September, a Class A misdemeanor, according to a report Tuesday in the Grand … Read more
In a very close vote, Minnesota edged out Quinnipiac for the top spot in this week’s USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll. Minnesota, which split with Minnesota State last weekend, earned 28 first-place votes and 975 points, compared to QU’s 22 first-place votes and 967 points. Quinnipiac was idle last weekend. New Hampshire jumps one to … Read more
In a league race where first and sixth place are separated by only three points, a series between WCHA co-leading St. Cloud State and third-place North Dakota in Grand Forks looms large this weekend. “We’re still fighting hard for points,” North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol told the Grand Forks Herald after last Saturday’s 4-4 tie … Read more
In a near-unanimous vote this week, Minnesota retains its top spot in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll. The Gophers received 48 of 50 first-place votes and Quinnipiac, up two spots to No. 2, garnered the other two first-place nods. Boston College is down one to No. 3, New Hampshire drops one to No. 4 … Read more
Alabama-Huntsville’s long drive for conference affiliation ended Thursday when the WCHA voted unanimously to admit the Chargers to the league, with the move coming at least in part next season. The Chargers have been an independent since College Hockey America folded after the 2009-10 season, and it appeared at one point that the 2011-12 season … Read more
The series circled in red on most every WCHA fan’s calendar is finally here and as usual, the league title may be determined by its outcome. No. 1 Minnesota hosts No. 6 North Dakota in the final WCHA series between two fierce rivals who are tied for third place in points but tied for first … Read more
With 47 of a possible 50 first-place votes, Minnesota retains the top spot in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll this week. No. 3 New Hampshire received one first-place vote and No. 4 Quinnipiac earned two first-place nods. Boston College is No. 2 this week, up from No. 3 a week ago. Notre Dame falls … Read more
No. 13 Nebraska-Omaha made history last weekend by taking over first place in the WCHA. It was the first time the Mavericks have led their league in the second half of the season, and they’re not ready to give that spot up. The No. 1 slot in the WCHA likely will be held by a … Read more
In a report Tuesday in the Omaha World-Herald, goalie Ryan Massa is returning to the Nebraska-Omaha team after announcing last summer he was sitting out the 2012-13 season. This comes on the heels of UNO freshman goalie Anthony Stolarz leaving this week for the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights. Massa, who led UNO goalies in … Read more
According to the Duluth News Tribune, Minnesota-Duluth will have three regulars out of the lineup for Friday’s home game against Michigan Tech due to one-game suspensions stemming from a violation of team rules. Senior forward and captain Cody Danberg, senior defenseman Wade Bergman and freshman forward Austin Farley will sit for the unspecified violations.
The disorderly conduct charge against WCHA referee Peter Friesema for causing a bomb scare at the Anchorage International Airport last October has been dropped, according to the Grand Forks Herald. Alaska court records and the office of Friesema’s attorney confirmed the situation to the Herald on Monday. Allegedly, Friesema made joke about a bomb, causing … Read more
The Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights have added their second collegiate player in a week as Nebraska-Omaha announced Monday that freshman goaltender Anthony Stolarz is leaving the Mavericks to play for the OHL-leading Knights. “I’m obviously disappointed by Anthony’s decision,” said UNO coach Dean Blais in a news release. “He has been making a very … Read more