Finish the Sweep!

That is the way you do it! It may not have been really pretty Saturday night, but the good teams get the job done against the lower half teams. That is exactly what happened in Duluth again the MSU Mavericks. Good play all around, but the goals not going all around. If your last name is not Connolly or Fontaine for UMD, then you did not score one of the eight goals this past weekend. To compliment the good goalie play by Hjelle, the offense needs to start spreading it around before the Bulldogs meet a team that can shut down those names. As mentioned, Hjelle had a good weekend as well as most of the UMD defensive corps. Let that be a trend that continues!

Fontaine named Red Baron WCHA Offensive player of the week. As posted on wcha.com:

University of Minnesota Duluth winger Justin Fontaine, who scored four goals and set up another while helping the Bulldogs to a two-game conference sweep over visiting Minnesota State, Mankato last weekend, is the Red Baron® WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for Oct. 20-26, 2009.

A 5-11, 175-pound junior from Bonnyville, Alberta, Fontaine scored twice - including the game-winning goal - and assisted on another goal in leading UMD to a 5-2 win over Minnesota State last Friday (Oct. 16) at the DECC in Duluth. He then had a pair of tallies the following evening (Saturday, Oct. 17) as Minnesota Duluth rallied past the Mavericks 3-2 to complete the series sweep.

In addition to his five scoring points in the series, Fontaine put a team-high seven shots on net Friday and scored with 7:37 to play in the third period Saturday to break at 2-2 tie and seal the UMD victory. Three of his four goals in the series came on the power-play.

Fontaine now leads the nation in both points with nine (he shares that honor with line mate Jack Connolly) and goals with six. He was a 2008-09 All-WCHA Second Team selection.

Wrong Call on CC. Maybe they do have life after Bachmann, as noted by the three point weekend in Madison. Joe Howe, the freshman net minder, stopped 65 of 68 Badger shots on his way to being named Red Baron WCHA Rookie of the Week.

Special Teams on Tap. This next weekend at Saint Cloud State, UMD will pit its power play against the Huskie’s. Both teams posted all three of their team’s goals on the power play in their respective Saturday wins. Might be a shootout, or an even strength grind it out kind of games. More to come Friday.