The big comeback? Is this in fact the great resurgence of the University of Minnesota? Maybe that’s a little too dramatic. But then again, it’s been a while since the Gophers have been golden at Engelstad Arena. Time and time again they would go into Grand Forks, come close to beating North Dakota but still … Read more
This hasn’t happened in a while This is a weird situation. Not many times in the last few years have we been forced to give credit to North Dakota for a great effort … in a losing cause. Most of the time, when the Sioux give that kind of performance, they win. But as hard … Read more
It’s the end of the world as we know it … or is it? Dean Blais isn’t mincing his words this week. Flat-out, undeniably, he knows exactly what this weekend means. "This," Blais said, "is the MacNaughton Cup." When presented with Blais’ remarks, Wisconsin coach Jeff Sauer was a bit more diplomatic about the situation. … Read more
University of Alaska Anchorage athletic director Harry Larrabee and hockey head coach Dean Talafous announced Thursday that freshman goaltender Cory McEachran has been reinstated for competition. McEachran was suspended Dec. 3 after his involvement in an incident that included the discharge of a fire extinguisher in the UAA residence halls over the Thanksgiving holiday break. … Read more
When is a tie and a loss … better than a win and a loss? When historians look back at the 1999-2000 Denver Cup, they will see the hosts came away with a tie and a loss and finished ahead of a team with a win and a loss. As improbable as it seems, Denver … Read more
On this hallowed ground Milwaukee’s Bradley Center is just a building. Seats nearly 18,000 for hockey, pretty nice-looking from the outside, has received a facelift on the inside. But, oh, the memories. Like that one weekend back in 1997 when North Dakota breezed past Colorado College and held off Boston University to win the national … Read more
Ralph Engelstad, a 1954 alumnus of the University of North Dakota, announced Thursday a gift of $100 million to his alma mater. The donation, which is one of the largest private gifts to any U.S. university in history, will partly be used to build a new, state-of-the-art hockey venue. Engelstad, who owns the Imperial Palace … Read more
The state of Minnesota is apparently down two collegiate players, as Shawn Roed of Minnesota and Matt Noga of St. Cloud State have decided to leave their respective teams, local reports indicate. SCSU senior center Noga has left the program for personal reasons, according to the St. Cloud Times. Noga, who missed last weekend’s series … Read more
Breaking news Before we get to this week’s column, here’s an update on some news — some surprising, some not-so-surprising. St. Cloud State senior forward Matt Noga has decided to leave the team for personal reasons, according to the St. Cloud Times. Minnesota freshman forward Shawn Roed, who was on suspension because he was behind … Read more
Alaska-Anchorage freshman goaltender Cory McEachran has been suspended for an indefinite period of time, according to coach Dean Talafous, for what the Minneapolis Star Tribune is reporting as punishment for setting off a fire extinguisher in a dormitory. McEachran, a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder from Thunder Bay, Ont., has a 5-4 record in his first season with … Read more
Sleepless in Grand Forks? Dean Blais can usually sense a problem before it happens. Not that he’s one of those Tarot readers on the 1-900 lines. Rather, he seems to be able to sense problems in the dressing room before his North Dakota team takes the ice. When they’re not mentally prepared, he knows it. … Read more
Things are just not going well in Minnesota athletics, as far as academics are concerned. Less than a week after the report documenting improprieties in the Gopher men’s basketball program was released, hockey coach Don Lucia has suspended freshman forward Shawn Roed for missing classes and falling behind in course work, the Star Tribune of … Read more
Assessing the freshmen It may still be early in the season, but it’s a good time to look at the impact the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s crop of freshmen has made on the teams. There may be little question as to whom the dominant rookie has been so far this season, but as a team, … Read more
Climbing the ladder When Wisconsin beat Michigan Tech at home, it could have been called expected. When it split with Minnesota-Duluth at home, it could have been called a setback. When the Badgers swept non-conference foe Northeastern, it was — interesting. But with a 5-1 record through six games, the question of the Badgers’ opponent … Read more
We don’t want to gloat, but… With all due respect to my colleagues from the East, for those of us who, in the past, have been accused of the so-called Western bias in college hockey, this weekend is going to remain in memory for quite a while. Minnesota knocks off No. 1 Boston College, despite … Read more
Sertich day-to-day And we all thought the health concerns at Minnesota-Duluth were for goaltender Brant Nicklin and forward Jeff Scissons. Those pale in comparison to what coach Mike Sertich has been going through. Sertich missed both games at Wisconsin last weekend with pneumonia. Sertich made the trip to Madison for the series but got very … Read more
Coaches trying to fit in Little things always make the biggest difference. For some, it’s a different practice time. For others, it’s a difference in scheduling. And then there’s getting used to the team on the ice. A coach coming into a new situation has a lot to learn. Quickly. And in the Western Collegiate … Read more
Denver’s Dream Home Opens You can tell the athletics department at the University of Denver has been looking forward to this weekend for quite some time. On the cover of last season’s hockey media guide, where the school most often showcases its premier player or group of players, Denver had a picture of construction workers … Read more
Wisconsin blueliner Dave Tanabe has turned down the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes’ contract offer, the Raleigh-Durham News & Observer reported Tuesday. Tanabe, the team’s first-round (16th overall) draft pick this year, rejected a three-year deal including a $500,000 signing bonus, which was reportedly roughly half the value of the contract signed by 17th pick Barret Jackman … Read more
Following a freshman season in which he was named to the WCHA’s all-rookie team, Wisconsin defenseman Dave Tanabe has opted to sign with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, the school announced. In doing so, Tanabe becomes the first true freshman to leave the Wisconsin program and the second to leave after one year of play. The … Read more