Dean Blais still refers to North Dakota as “we.” And why not? He only won two national championships, went to another title game, and built the team that plays in this Saturday’s final before handing the reins to long-time assistant Dave Hakstol. And this is all he has right now, ever since the NHL season … Read more
Colorado College junior forward Marty Sertich is the winner of the 25th Hobey Baker Memorial Award, presented annually to college hockey’s top player. Sertich, the nation’s leading scorer this season with 64 points on 27 goals and 37 assists in 43 games, led the Tigers to a share of the MacNaughton Cup as the WCHA’s … Read more
If you score a highlight-reel goal in the national semifinals, you expect to turn the TV set on later to relive your moment of glory. Your buddies will congratulate you on a truly “sick” move while the sportscaster extols your virtues for millions of viewers. So imagine Luke Fulghum’s surprise when ESPNews didn’t show him … Read more
It takes six and a half hours to fly from Anchorage, Alaska, to Grand Forks, N.D. If you add in connections, plus the time it takes to get to the airport and home again, you’re looking at a 12-hour trip. On February 20, those 12 hours must have felt like an eternity for the North … Read more
In the first half of the season, Minnesota was flying, piling up goals, getting great goaltending, and ripping through the schedule. North Dakota, a big, strong team, was seeing its senior leaders play undisciplined, and its goaltending situation up in the air. A team built for the NCAAs was unlikely to get there. But by … Read more
As a hockey coach, you hope to rely on what is expected: that your top scorers will create offense, and that your goaltender can play steady, if not pace your club’s defense. Thursday night, North Dakota got those things in beating Minnesota, 4-2, to advance to the national championship game. The Sioux got solid goaltending … Read more
If the decision backfired, the negative headline was already written: It Wasn’t Broke. All season long, Denver coach George Gwozdecky had employed as pure of a goaltending rotation as possible. Sophomore Glenn Fisher would take the opening game of a weekend and freshman Peter Mannino would follow the next night. Heading into the Frozen Four, … Read more
During the regionals, ESPN analyst Barry Melrose likened Denver’s power play to taking a pretty girl on a date. It looks good, he said, but in the end, you still didn’t score. After Thursday’s NCAA semifinal, you can call Denver’s power play Don Juan. The six power-play goals it scored was an all-time single-game NCAA … Read more
Sometimes, someone just has your number. For the 2004-2005 Colorado College Tigers, the team that held all the right numbers at the right times was the Denver Pioneers. Thursday’s 6-2 Pioneers win was the third straight decision in Denver’s favor against CC, and that streak represented three of the biggest games of the season for … Read more
Letting bygones be bygones. That’s Robbie Bina’s approach this weekend, as he roots on his teammates in the NCAA Frozen Four. The North Dakota sophomore defenseman saw his season come to an end last month when he was hit from behind by Denver freshman Geoff Paukovich during the WCHA Final Five semifinals. Robbie Bina watches … Read more
A very different team produced a familiar result for Denver, which has a shot at a second straight NCAA title this weekend.
When the chips were down in the regional final, Mark Stuart led Colorado College out of the wilderness.
Barry Tallackson has shouldered the weight of expectations for four years at Minnesota. Will he repeat his regional heroics at the Frozen Four?
Never underestimate the power of inspiration. That’s what Robbie Bina’s Fighting Sioux teammates got from him just before they left for the NCAA East Regional playoffs in Worcester, Mass., last weekend. Five days after suffering a broken neck during the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul and two days after surgery to repair a shattered … Read more
When Colorado College completed a comeback from a three-goal deficit to win the Midwest Regional Saturday evening, a WCHA representative remarked that at least the league was guaranteed of having one team in the Frozen Four. Twenty-four hours later, the WCHA had taken the other three spots, too. Denver, North Dakota and Minnesota will join … Read more
Two weeks ago, St. Cloud State dismissed assistant coach Brad Willner. But according to school athletic director Morris Kurtz, the job of head coach Craig Dahl is safe, at least for now. “I just want to let everyone know that Craig will be back in the fall, that I appreciate his tireless efforts and, after … Read more
Margaret (Peg) Bradley-Doppes has been named the new director of athletics and recreation at Denver. Doppes, who coached for 11 years and has been in administration for the past 14, will take over July 1. “Peg Doppes shares the University of Denver’s values: quality, excellence and integrity in all that we do,” said Denver chancellor … Read more
Minnesota’s season began auspiciously. Despite the loss of several of its top players, including the early departures of Thomas Vanek and Keith Ballard to the pro ranks, the Gophers cruised through the first half of the season, racking up a 15-4-0 record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking at the Christmas break. Not bad for … Read more
Colorado College players wanted to celebrate early. Scott Owens waited until he heard the horn. After the Tigers sent the puck out of the zone one last time to seal a 4-3 victory over Michigan Saturday and a trip to the Frozen Four, the CC players started jumping up and down on the bench. Some … Read more
When North Dakota forwards Brandon Bochenski and Zach Parise went pro early after last season, fans of the Sioux had to wonder if the team’s offensive punch would leave town with them. After all, the two scored 50 of the team’s 182 goals last season. Throw in graduating senior David Lundbohm, who added 15 lamplighters, … Read more