Niche to know ya

As I’ve mentioned many times before, being a sportsfan in the state of Minnesota, and Twin Cities in particular, offers more than its share of negatives. Our NFL team has one of the most cursed existences in all of professional sports, and the college version just fired their coach after the latest chapter in a half-century of hopelessness (Well, perhaps it hasn’t all been hopeless, but that has been the default setting). The baseball team is a plucky, overachieving bunch, but becomes increasingly irrelevant with each first-round playoff exit. The NHL and NBA teams have potential to improve, but that’s about it. The college hoops team is an enigma, entertaining to be sure, but offering little hope of any great accomplishments. Fortunately for us, there’s a silver lining in this winter of discontent, known as college hockey.

Now I know that many people would scoff at that notion, given that the college game is a fringe portion of an already fringe sport, but for my money there’s nothing more entertaining than the return of college puck to the sports scene. For full disclosure purposes, I root for the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux, it is my alma mater and the place where I first got into college hockey. If you can overlook the fact that they will no longer be called ‘Sioux’ in the next few months, it is a good time to be a Fighting Sioux fan. The same cannot be said for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. I won’t belabor the point, as it’s already been addressed in these annals, but the normal enthusiasm greeting a new season of Maroon N Gold hockey had sadly waned to a whisper.

But even if your squad is struggling, there’s still plenty to love about each new season, namely roadtrips!  It's an intensely-loved, highly regional game, and one of the beauties of being headquartered here in the MSP is 7 WCHA arenas within 5 hours.

Personal faves:

1) Grand Forks – Yes it’s far away, yes many of you hate the team that plays there, yes it’s a whole new kind of cold when the wind is blowing in January. But until you’ve eaten wings at the Parrot’s Cay and had a grinder from the Red Pepper, you are not qualified to offer an opinion. Plus the Sioux rock and our arena is the s**t, so GFY, hater.

2) Mankato – Surprise pick! Proximity from my south metro base of operations is great, as is the typical comp burger from the Tav on the Ave, courtesy of my good friend John Spillers (be seeing you in December John). Throw in the near certainty of victory by the opposing team (sorry Mavs fans), beers in the arena and the hotel/arena/excellent bar scene all encompassed in a 100-yard radius, and I’m on cloud nine.

3) Madison – More fun than should be allowed by law, and it probably is, but fortunately you’re in Wisconsin. Bit of a trek from here, but unlike any other drinking scene I’ve encountered on Earth. The locals don’t give you too much crap either, they don’t really follow hockey.

4) Duluth – Very similar to Mankato, compact and convenient. Quality fans, quality city, just a good time all-around.

5) St. Cloud – Loses points for an arena that looks like crap and is not near anything. Gains points for shuttles from a bunch of great bars and a drink called the Hairy Buffalo at MC’s Dugout. Don’t have more than one.
6) Bemidji – Made my first trip last weekend and had a lot of fun, only problem is it’s just not that big a town and you have to take a lot of two-lane highway to get there. Ease of return drive after a college hockey weekend is crucial, interstate is your friend.

7) Denver – Gotta get on a plane, and this is much more than just a college hockey trip, but a nice arena (good seats usually available, unless there are Sioux fans sitting in them), fun downtown and hey, my brother lives there. Hit up The Bank Bar & Grill, order the nachos, thank me later.

Haven’t been, but will be going: Houghton, Colorado Springs

Haven’t been, probably won’t be making it: Anchorage, Omaha

I live here, but if I didn’t, I’d go: Minneapolis


So enough with talk of past futilities, because it’s the kickoff to the season, when every team has a chance! (Except the Wolves of course, they’re terrible) This really should’ve been up last week, prior to the start of conference play, but I have a good excuse for why the WCHA conference preview is late: Like I said, I was on the road in Bemidji watching WCHA hockey. Not surprisingly I didn’t find the time to post, given what I didn’t have (computer) and did have (mean hangover) during the day Saturday. As it is, my order of finish was locked down last Thursday, and wasn’t altered based on last weekend’s games. Although there a few things I’m thinking a bit differently on, changing them after a week would probably just be reactionary, so better to roll with initial thoughts.


1.) UND Fighting Sioux
Last Season’s Record - 25-13-5

Can’t tell you how much it pains me to put my favorite college hockey team in this spot, due to my own paranoia about expecting good results and the fact the MacNaughton Cup has proven to be a gigantic hex the past few years. Denver won it last season, then immediately went in the tank during the postseason. Ditto for North Dakota and Colorado College the two years before that. In fact the last team to find the WCHA champ with the last decent postseason run, you need to go back to 2005, when Denver split the title with CC and both made the Frozen Four, with Denver winning it all. Plenty of carnage before that as well, including two of my favorite Sioux teams (1999 & 2004) rampaging through the league, only to be derailed in the playoffs. The 2006 Gophers squad ripping off a 20-game unbeaten streak, then losing to the Team That Shall Not Be Named. Wisconsin’s 2000 team turning in a 23-5 mark with one of the best college players I’ve ever seen (Dany Heatley) leading the way, then totally rolling over. Yeah, it’s not a good history. But with the Sioux loaded and last year’s best teams suffering big losses, I have to put them here.

Returning players – UND
Forwards: Jason Gregoire (20g-17a—37pts) Jr, Danny Kristo (15g-21a—36pts) So, Evan Trupp (8g-26a—34pts) Sr, Brett Hextall (14g-12a—26pts) Jr, Brad Malone (11g-14a—25pts)Sr. Matt Frattin (11g-8a—pts) Sr.
Defense: Chay Genoway (4g-6a—10pts) Sr, Derrick LaPoint (2g-20a—22pts) Sr, Jake Marto (5-13—18) Sr, Ben Blood (5g-9a—14pts) Jr.
Goalie: Brad Eidsness (24-10-4, 2.11, .914).

Key Loss(es): Darcy Zajac, Chris VandeVelde.


2.) UMD Bulldogs
Last Season’s Record - 22-17-1

Maybe I’m getting a bit too enamored with the offense here, and it’s causing me to overlook what could be significant defensive issues. Reiter was solid in net last season, but it’s never exactly certain what will happen when a time share ends, and the defense doesn’t blow me away. But this team might have the best line in college hockey with Fontaine and the two Connollys (The ConTaine line? As in you can’t stop them, you can only hope to ConTaine them?) so they’re getting my respect. One thing you can say for sure, no one will be getting up to head to the bathroom when this squad is on the powerplay, only question is how much opposing fans will be able to say the same.

Returning players - UMD
Forwards: Jack Connolly (18g-31a—49pts) Jr, Mike Connolly (14g-26a—40pts) Jr, Justin Fontaine (21g-25a—46pts) Sr, Travis Oleksuk (10g-14a—24pts) Jr.
Defense: Brady Lamb (11g-13a—24pts) Jr, Mike Montgomery (2g-15a—17pts) Sr, Dylan Olson (1g-11a—12pts) So.
Goalie: G Kenny Reiter (13-10-0, 2.36 GAA, .912 SV%) Jr.

Key Loss(es): Jordan Fulton, Brady Hjelle, Rob Bordson.


3.) SCSU Huskies
Last season’s Record - 20-11-5

Farewell Ryan Lasch, little pest that you were, you will be missed. A lot of people are pegging this team to do big things, and while I do agree they are good, I’m not sure they’re Top 3 in a stronger WCHA field. Normally it would be ridiculous to have neither Denver, nor Wisconsin represented here, but with the losses those two teams suffered and the players the Huskies return, they’re getting the nod. And there are a lot of things to like here. The forwards are veterans (though it should be said their best scorer is gone), the goaltending should be good-to-dominant. Problem is I just flat-out don’t like they’re defensemen. Lauridsen is big, but not exactly smooth, and most of the rest just don’t just out at you. Losing Raboin, their captain last season, could also create a leadership void, and I’m not sure the best player on the team, Roe, will be a guy to fill it. You want your leaders to stand up for you, and in Roe’s case, he’s got some issues with standing in general.

Returning players - SCSU
Forwards: Garrett Roe (20g-29a—49pts) Sr, Tony Mosey (14g-26a—40pts)Sr, Drew LeBlanc (6g-25a—31pts)Jr, Ben Hanowski (9g-10a—19pts) So, Aaron Marvin (5g-11a—16pts) Sr.
Defense: Oliver Lauridsen (6g-6a—12pts) Jr, Chris Hepp (0g-2a—2pts) Sr.
Goalies: Mike Lee (12-9-3, 2.80 GAA, .917 SV%) So. Dann Dunn (12-5-2, 2.80 GAA, .917 SV%) Sr.

Key Loss(es): Ryan Lasch, Garrett Raboin.


4.) DU Pioneers
Last Season’s Record - 27-10-4

Decimated by departures, but every good team has been there at some point, it’s the price of watching great players. This could be a bit high for the Pios, given a whole lotta question marks up and down the lineup, but George Gwozdecky is a great coach, and I think he’ll get things figured out. If I had to peg one “middle of the pack team you really don’t want to see in the playoffs”, this would be it. Could be that a slow start pushes them into the bottom half, then they show up in March and drill somebody.

Returning players – DU
Forwards: Anthony Maiani (8g-26pts--34) Sr, Sr. F Kyle Ostrow (16gt-10a—26pts) Sr, Jesse Martin (14g-8a—22pts) Sr, Drew Shore (5g-14a—19pts) So.
Defense: Matt Donovan (7g-14a—21pts) So, John Lee (2g-10a—12pts) Jr, William Wrenn (0g-7a—7pts) So.
Goalie: Adam Murray (3-4-1, 3.79 GAA, .874 SV%) So.

Key Loss(es): Joe Colborne, Patrick Wiercioch, Marc Cheverie, Rhett Rakhshani, Tyler Ruegsegger.


5.)UW Badgers
Last Season’s Record - 28-11-4 overall

Ditto to Denver, although I like the Badgers goaltending more, so it’s odd I have them a spot lower. I guess at the end of the day it comes down to coaching, Mike Eaves teams have slipped at times in the past, never for long, just a season every so often. Gwoz rarely seems to have that happen, so I like his chances a tad more.

Returning players – UW
Forwards: Craig Smith (8g-25a—33pts) So, Jordy Murray (12g-9a—21pts) Jr, Derek Lee (1g-8a—9pts) So.
Defense: Jake Gardiner (6g-7a—13pts), John Ramage (2g-10a—12pts), D Justin Schultz (6g16a—22pts)
Goalie: Scott Gudmandson (20-5-4, 2.34, .913) Sr., Brett Bennett (8-6-0, 2.82 GAA, .885 SV%) Sr.

Key Loss(es): Cody Goloubef, Brendan Smith, Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Davies, Blake Geoffrion.


6.) UMN Golden Gophers
Last season’s Record - 18-19-2

Kind of regretting this after last week’s sweep at the hands of UNO, but I had the Gophers pegged for the top half of the league before, can’t back off now. Another team here undergoing a youth movement, difference being that has seemingly become an annual occurrence in Minneapolis.  The good news is they seem to have scoring punch that's been lacking the last couple of seasons, bad news is the young defensemen are worse than expected at this point, and need to get better in a big hurry.

Returning players – UMN
Forwards: Mike Hoeffel (14g-10a—24pts), Jacob Cepis (7g-12a—19pts) F Zach Budish (7-10--17)
Defense: Cade Fairchild (4-17--21), Sr. F), Aaron Ness (2-10--12) So, Seth Helgeson
Goalie(s): Alex Kangas (16-15-1, 2.60 GAA, .911 SV%) Sr., Kent Patterson (2-4-1, 3.10 GAA, .901 SV%) Jr.

Key Loss(es): Jordan Schroeder, Josh Birkholz, Nick Leddy.


7.) CC Tigers
Last season’s Record – 19-17-3

Gotta give the returning league member the nod over the newbies, like what they’re returning and thinking that thin air in the Springs gets them a couple extra points.

Returning players – CC
Forwards: Rylan Schwartz (6-22--28), Tyler Johnson (14-9--23), Stephen Schultz (5-15--20)
Defense: Gabe Guentzel (3-20--23), Sr. D Ryan Lowery (4-14--18)
Goalie: Joe Howe (17-15-3, 2.80, .907).

Key Loss(es): Bill Sweatt, Mike Testwuide, Nate Prosser.


8.) UNO Mavericks
Last Season’s Record - 20-16-6 (First Year WCHA)

Think I’ve watched this team play twice in my life, so no grounds for thinking they can walk in and finish top half of the league. But if anyone can make it happen, a Dean Blais team can, my new second-favorite WCHA squad.

Returning players – UNO
Forwards: Rich Purslow (14g-13a—27pts) Sr, Joey Martin (10g-16a—26pts) Sr, Alex Hudson (14g-11a—25pts) Jr, Terry Broadhurst (13g-11a—24pts) So, Matt Ambroz (10g-14a—24pts) Sr.
Defense: Eric Olimb (2g-18a—20pts), Jr, ( Kyle Ensign (0g-8a—8pts) Jr.
Goalie: John Faulker (13-10-4, 2.60 GAA, .905 SV%).

Key Loss(es): Eddie Del Grosso, Nick Fanto, Mark Bernier, Jeremie Dupont, Jeric Agosta


9.) BSU Beavers
Last season’s Record - 23-10-4 (First Year WCHA)

Saw a scrappy bunch last weekend in their first games of the season, and if I hadn’t put them 9th before I left town, probably would be bumping them a couple spots higher right now. But as is, I’m giving the WCHA grind a lot of respect, and doubting the new teams ability to handle it week in and week out.

Returning players – BSU
Forwards: Matt Read (19-22—41) Sr, Jordan George (13-21—34) So, Ian Lowe (21-10—31) Sr.
Defense: D Brad Hunt (7-26—33) Jr, Brady Wacker (1g-10a—11) So.
Goalie(s): Dan Bakala (19-8-3, 2.32, .917) Jr, Mathieu Dugas (4-2-1, 1.93 GAA, .918 SV%) So.

Key Loss(es): Tyler Lehrke, Chris McKelvie.


10.) UAA Seawolves
Last Season’s Record - 11-23-2

A perennially confusing team that pulls upsets when it should get drilled and gets drilled in games it seems in a good spot to win. Week-to-week it’s a mystery, year-to-year not so much, they find their way to the bottom.

Returning players – UAA
Forwards: Tommy Grant (9g-17a—26pts, Sr. F Sean Wiles (9-8--17), So. F Daniel Naslund (3-10--13), Jr. Jade Portwood (3g-2a—5pts)
Defense: Curtis Leinweber (4g-8a—12pts), Kane Lafranchise (3g-12a—15pts), Luka Vidmar (2g-10a—12pts).
Goalie: Dusan Sidor (0-0-0 6.00 GAA .846 SV%) So.

Key Loss(es): Lee Baldwin, Bryce Christianson, Kevin Clark, Josh Lunden.


11.) MSUM Mavericks
Last Season’s Record - 16-20-3

For the first time in several years, Mankato isn’t a trendy sleeper pick. Since they’ve never really lived up to those expectations, maybe this is the year they finally break out? Doubtful.

Returning players – MSUM
Forwards: Rylan Galiardi (11g-14a—25pts) Sr, Michael Dorr (5g-11a—16pts) Jr, Eriah Hayes (8g-6a—14pts) So, Mike Louwerse (7g-6a—13pts) Jr.
Defense: Ben Youds (3g-23a—26pts) Sr, Kurt Davis (5g-18a—23pts) Sr, Channing Boe (2g-5a—7 pts) Sr, Ben Youds (3g-23a—26pts) Sr.
Goalie(s): Phil Cook (8-6-2, 2.59 GAA, .908 SV%) So, Austin Lee (7-11-0, 2.85 GAA, .907 SV%) Jr.

Key Loss(es): Zach Harrison, Geoff Irwin, Kael Mouillierat, Tyler Pitlick, Jared Steward, Kevin Murdock.

12.)MTU Huskies
Last Season’s Record - 5-30-1

Only difference is they’re now 12th instead of 10th

Returning players – MTU
Forwards: Brett Olson (18g-12a—30pts), So. F Jordan Baker (9g-9a—18pts), Eric Kattelus (2g-8a—10pts), Bennett Royer (4g-6a—10pts)
Defense: Steven Seigo (4g-15a—19pts), Deron Cousens (1g-7a—8pts)
Goalies: Kevin Genoe (4-18-1, 3.54 GAA, .904 SV%) So, Josh Robinson (1-12-0, 4.68 GAA, .876 SV%) Jr.