{"id":29386,"date":"2007-10-18T17:10:50","date_gmt":"2007-10-18T22:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2007\/10\/18\/this-week-in-the-wcha-oct-18-2007\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:57:05","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:57:05","slug":"this-week-in-the-wcha-oct-18-2007","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2007\/10\/18\/this-week-in-the-wcha-oct-18-2007\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in the WCHA: Oct. 18, 2007"},"content":{"rendered":"
Hi, my name is Theresa and I’m a hockey dork.<\/p>\n
With that out of the way, I’d first like to thank the powers that be at USCHO.com for giving me the opportunity to cover the WCHA this season. If I can do half as well as those before me, I’ll count this season a success.<\/p>\n
Now, so you know a little of the background of the person who will be covering the “best conference in college hockey,” here’s a bit about me.<\/p>\n
A native Coloradoan, I attended Boston University, where I played four years on the women’s club ice hockey team (forward and defense; mostly the latter) as well as becoming a certified official, so I’d like to think I know what I’m talking about most of the time. You may disagree, faithful readers, and if you do, let me know about it.<\/p>\n
In regards to my hockey play, many joke that I’m a hack in the Freddy Meyer mold (I’m not) and fellow columnist — and goaltender — Brian Sullivan (ECACHL) will point out that I have a notable inability to score on him … to which all I have to say is “Fiiiiiiive-hooooole.”<\/p>\n
As for hockey analysis, I did radio play-by-play and color in college and USCHO.com is the fourth hockey publication I’ve written for.<\/p>\n
But enough about me — let’s get down to business.<\/p>\n
The story of the Colorado Rockies (baseball team; not the 1970s hockey team) this fall has been an inspirational story to many — including the University of Denver hockey team.<\/p>\n
Coach George Gwozdecky has been a fan of the Rockies since the team honored the Pioneers after their championship seasons and is acquaintances with Rockies manager Clint Hurdle (the two go to the same Starbucks).<\/p>\n
“They have inspired many of us,” Gwozdecky said on the WCHA media teleconference call. A few days later, after his team’s 5-1 exhibition victory over the University of Calgary, he expanded on the reasons why.<\/p>\n
“The thing that really shows me is the esprit de corps, the togetherness, the chemistry, the care they have for each other,” he said. “They’re an inspiration to us all. I mean, here we go, same old Rockies — and they’ve been magnificent.”<\/p>\n
For a Pioneers team that struggled with cohesiveness and arguably leadership at the end of last season, Gwozdecky can hope his team takes a few pointers from the 2007 edition of the Rockies. If the Pios do, they have a good shot at getting to — and winning — the Frozen Four, being held at Pepsi Center, a mere 1.08 miles from Coors Field.<\/p>\n
Although the Minnesota Golden Gophers main holes this season may be on defense, the offense just gained a small one with the loss of junior forward Ryan Stoa, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first period of Saturday’s 4-3 win over Michigan.<\/p>\n
“We’re going to miss him as a leader and a person this upcoming season,” said coach Don Lucia.<\/p>\n
The Gophers, who had a slow start in the Ice Breaker Invitational, scored three power-play goals to overcome a 3-0 deficit against Rensselaer to win 4-3 and then followed it up by beating the Wolverines by the same score in front of basically a home crowd at the Xcel Energy Center.<\/p>\n
And while I don’t particularly believe in conspiracies, it sounded like RPI head coach Seth Appert thought there was a bit of unfair dealings in his team’s loss to the Gophers, thanks to his team’s five power plays compared to Minnesota’s 11.<\/p>\n
“You don’t expect to get any calls coming into this rink, playing Minnesota with WCHA refs,” said Appert after the contest. “We came out on the short end of some unfortunate calls in the third period.”<\/p>\n
There were no such problems in Saturday’s game, however, with both the Gophers and the Wolverines recipients of four power plays during the contest.<\/p>\n
Before I was a college hockey fan, I was a fan of the National Hockey League. Since becoming a college hockey fan, however, I’ve started to notice the number of former college players in the pros and specifically the number of WCHAers. As a result, I’d like to start a weekly bit that keeps up with former WCHA players who are now in the professional ranks somehow, somewhere.<\/p>\n