NCHC Begins as UMD Travels to Colorado College

Bulldogs look to Build on Recent Successes in Colorado Springs

Bottom line, short and simple, it is a new year and CC has yet to play a game that counts.  In their exhibition outings this year, the Tigers have had success scoring, but have also given up a fair number of goals.

UMD came into their non-confernece weekend last after scoring big in exhibition, but then hitting a wall against MTU scoring just three goals in two games.  UMD needs to find that scoring touch and keep up their defensive play to have success this weekend at Colorado College.

Picks by @afiskness.  Last weekends' outcomes with NCHC teams did not have many big surprises.  Based on the conferences results against the other conferences it looks like the NCHC may be the top conference.  These non-conference wins will go a long way when March arrives and the NCAA tournament is being decided.

Minnesota Duluth @ Colorado College:  Last weekends games against Michigan Tech were two low scoring games.  It is hard to say if this was good defense or poor offense.  This weekend games are likely to be higher scoring.  I will go with a split.  You can watch Friday's game on CBS Sport network. 

North Dakota @ Miami:  Miami had no problems scoring last weekend.  It is likely that North Dakota will be a strong foe than the Buckeyes were.  It is hard to pick anything other than a split. 

Nebraska Omaha @ Northern Michigan:  The Wildcats had a couple low scoring losses last weekend and are looking to bounce back.  The Mavericks split against the Falcons from Maltham, Mass. in a disapointing home opener.  Safe pick is a split.  

Alaska Gold RushWestern Michigan vs. Alaska Anchorage & Alaska:  The Seawolves have two wins and would like to keep there hot streak going.  These would be some slow paced low scoring games.  I will go with a Western Michigan tie and win. 

Denver vs. Alaska &  Alaska Anchorage:  Denver looks to keep their winning streak alive.  I will go with a Pioneers sweep and the tournament win. 

UMD and MTU: Up, Down, Neutral

Little Scoring = Good Defense?

Good question, is low scoring due to good defense?  This weekend may be proof positive that it may be just a lack of strong offense.  To that point it was Bulldog play-by-play announcer Bruce Ciskie who said the Saturday game looked like a Bemidji State - Alaska Anchorage game.  Not high praise, but an indictment of the boring, lock-down style of play.

• One of the struggles of the 2012-13 Bulldogs was the five on five goals.  Friday night saw two UMD goals both with teams at full strength.
• Penalty kill was up to the task going a strong 11 for 11 for kills on the weekend.

• A college football coach once asked "Are you hungry, or are you starving?"  The Bulldogs could be asked the same taking a 1-0 lead into the third period both nights only to allow MTU to tie the score.  Friday UMD did answer with a winning goal.
• Whereas the penalty kill is rolling, the power play is struggling going 1 for 9, BUT giving up a shorthanded goal in the process.

• Defense and goaltending is still in the neutral category.  If the difference between win, tie, and loss will be as razor thin as it was this past weekend, wins will be rare unless the defense can really lock it down.  The new motto and mantra may have to be "If they don't score, we don't lose."

Next Up.  The Bulldogs find themselves in Colorado Springs next weekend for their first series of the NCHC.  CC has played just one game, an exhibition 8-4 win over the US U-18 Developmental team.  The score is impressive and reminds me of the 1980's college hockey.  UMD is young again this year and will be tested on the road to open up the new conference schedule.

Bulldogs and Huskies Meet Again

UMD and MTU Continue Rivalry

It is just like old times for the Bulldogs.  Starting in a new conference may be daunting and unfamiliar, but UMD will start with a known opponent, Michigan Tech.

UMD has played Tech more times than any other team in program history. A total of 223 time with Tech holding the decisive edge 119-84-20.

The Huskies and Bulldogs have faced each other at least four games per season since the WCHA instituted the rival and pod system of scheduling.

The teams are no longer in the WCHA together, but the partnership lives on.  This time it is a warm up for each team as they prepare to enter their respective conferences.

The facts are that UMD historically doesn’t do well on opening weekends/series.  Their last sweep of one opponent on opening weekend was back in 1995 with a series win at the Maverick Stampede Tournament in 2002.

Without much to say about teams that have a new season in front of them we will go onto the picks.

Picks by @afiskness.  I would like to say that this past summer I spent hours watch film from last years games to make this first week's "real" college hockey picks, but I didn't.  I don't have too much knowledge of some of the teams and will be learning a lot more about them as the season progresses.  So here are this weeks NCHC picks:

Western Michigan vs. Notre Dame (home/home series):  I will go with the safe pick and say a split series.

Michigan Tech @ UMD:  I like Duluth more in this series but UMD historically struggles opening weekend.  Split.

Bently @ Nebraska Omaha:  The Mavericks should be too much Falcon's, UNO sweeps.

Vermont @ North Dakota:  Vermont wasn't very good last year and being on the road to start this season will be tough.  North Dakota sweeps.

Bemidji @ Saint Cloud State:  The new fight anthemfor the Huskies should really get the players pumped for the game, Huskies sweep. 

Merrimack @ Denver:  I think Jim Montgomery will be able celebrate his first win as the new coach for the Pioneers against the Warriors this weekend, but only one win.  Split.

Miami vs. Ohio State (home/home series):  Miami should be the better team, but I will go split with the home/home series.

UMD and Lakehead UDN

UMD Get Offensive in 7-1 Win

This season we will be looking at the games as a simple Up, Down, and Neutral summary.

Up first was Canada's Lakehead University.  The exhibition game was our first look at the 2013-14 Bulldogs and the show they put on was very good.  Still there is some discussion as UMD looks forward to opening the season with a non-conference weekend at home with Michigan Tech.

So here is our first edition of Up, Down, and Neutral (UDN):

 The Offense is definitely on the Up side with their seven goals.  Output from freshmen Carson Soucy, Kyle Osterberg, and Dom Toninato tallying goals is promising for the new season.

Power play is the area of concern form the exhibition game.  Bulldogs went 0 for 6 on the man advantage, a marked departure from their recent years' successes.  Give them time to get it together?  Yes, but power play is an important source of scoring.

Defense and goaltending are still areas of question.  With Lakehead mustering only 23 shots on goal and two in the third period, there was not a large enough body of work.  Matt McNeely opens as the heir apparent as opening night starter, but he saw the least work, playing only the third period.

Season Starts Tonight - Three Questions

Minnesota Duluth starts their hockey schedule tonight with a non-conference game at home against Canada's Lakehead University.  As the season starts we have three questions that need answers:

1.  Who will be the goalie who steps up to be a reliable number one?

Aaron Crandall and Matt McNeely are the candidates and neither looked like they could be the backstop a contending college hockey team needs.  One of them needs to step forward and take the job.

2.  Will the offensive potential output outgun the defensive potential struggles?

The Bulldogs can and will score.  The struggles will likely be if the young defensive corps can keep the scores against in the 3-3.5 range instead of the 4-4.5 range.  Tim Smith and Andy Welinski will be key mainstays of the defense.

3.  Is the NCHC the best conference and will the high caliber teams keep each other out of the NCAA Tournament?

The NCHC is a great conference, arguably the best top to bottom.  But in the end, will the "better" teams beat each other up and ultimately keep some high end teams out of the NCAA is a concern.  Stack a league, decrease chances for their NCAA chances?  Quite possibly.

For now, we have to wait to see what the expectations look like on the ice starting tonight at AMSOIL Arena.

NCHC Blog/Web Media Preseason Poll

Miami Tabbed for Tops

The first annual NCHC Blog/Web Media Preseason Poll is now up.  With little surprise Miami occupies the top spot with UMD coming in at 5th in the new eight team league.

Our ballot looks like this:

Order of finish:

1. Miami
   
2. North Dakota
3. Denver
4. Saint Cloud State
5. Minnesota Duluth
6. Western Michigan
7. Colorado College
8. Nebraska - Omaha

All Conference Team:

F:  Riley Barber - Miami

F:  Austin Czarnik - Miami

F:  Tony Cameranesi - UMD

D:  Joey LaLeggia - Denver

D:  Andrew Prochno - SCSU

G:  Ryan Faragher - SCSU

Player of the Year: Barber

Defensive Player of the Year: LaLeggia

Rookie of the Year: Toninato - UMD

Breakout Player of the Year: Caleb Herbert - UMD

Our pick of Herbert as a "breakout" maybe a mislabel, but after the season that he had, a turnaround would be a breakout. 

Arrivals and Departures

Gwozdecky Dismissal Heads List of Departures

Much of the smoke has settled and now before the start of the Frozen Four it is a good time to take a look at the state of college hockey.

Conferences Build.  Arrivals are plenty in the world of college hockey.  As teams see their seasons end, the ranks of the New World of college hockey grows.

The Bi6 Ten has seen the most growth with all six teams now official members.  The WCHA and NCHC are close behind.  The transition will not be complete until Saint Cloud State loses and thus leave the WCHA for the NCHC.  The Huskies play today in the Frozen Four.

Gone For Now.  Departures have been more surprising in some cases.

Most surprising here is the release of George Gwozdecky as head coach from Denver.

Gwozdecky coach the Pioneers for 19 seasons including two national championships and at least 20 wins in each of the last 12 seasons.  He remains the only college hockey coach to win a national championship as a player (Wisconsin 1977), an assistant coach (Michigan State 1986), and head coach (Denver 2004 and 2005).

Denver cited this is a good time to make a move leading into the transition into the NCHC.  I think it would be an important time to keep a well respected and successful coach and recruiter.  But here we are, with George Gwozdecky out of hockey for the time being.

Gwoz is one of the Miami University “Cradle of Coaches,” but he is most noted in the west as a coaching product from Wisconsin – River Falls, a Division III team 45 minutes east of the Twin Cities.

At one time three UWRF former coaches where head coaches in the WCHA, George Gwozdecky at Denver, Craig Dahl at Saint Cloud State, and Dean Talafous at Alaska – Anchorage.

I have called him the Mad Hatter of college hockey with his unorthodox methods at times with pulling goalies and sitting players.  He always gave great interviews with real information when I talked to him.  I certainly hope he can stay in the college hockey ranks.

Go, Go Gophers.  Minnesota Twin Cities finished their season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament playing much like a group NHL free agents brought in to a team, a collection of talent who cannot click together.  Now many of the big names have moved on to what they hope will be NHL careers.

Next season’s Gopher senior class will be small as current juniors Mark Alt, Nick Bujugstad, Zach Budish, Eric Haula, and Nate Schmidt have all left the program for pro contracts.

It may be a rough start to the Bi6 Ten for Lucia and company, but they usually have players to reload with when departures occur, but is this too much?  It very well may be too big of a loss.

Dog Departs.  Chris Casto, a two year starter on the blueline for UMD, has opted to forgo his remaining two years to go pro.

We wish the best to Chris who was likely signed for his size and potential as he did not light it up while at UMD.  His first season was on a NCAA qualifying team where it was expected he learned the college game and could step up this past season.  That wasn’t so much the case when his offensive numbers went down and his overall play in the UMD zone was hit and miss much of the time.