Dear Huskies,
DO NOT LET ME DOWN TONIGHT. I haven't had time to post this earlier, so I'm just going to do this now. UMD fan Biddco and I have a bet going on tonight's game. If UMD wins at Tech loses, then I will wear a UMD jersey to the game on Saturday. If Tech wins and UMD loses, then Biddco will be wearing my Michigan Tech jersey... specifically, my game-worn Geoff Kinrade jersey.
OH PLEASE, HUSKIES.... do NOT let me down tonight!!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Twitch Boy's Weekend in Colorado Springs
Well, here it is Thursday. I have a special treat for all of the THB readers! Michigan Tech alumnus and creative mastermind best known as "Twitch Boy" agreed to write a recap of his weekend. He is employed in Wyoming and he made the drive to Colorado Springs last weekend. Here was his experience:
Twitch Boy Attends a Puckkake Session in Colorado Springs
by Twitch Boy
Hi. I'm Twitch Boy. You may know me as that really loud guy with a clarinet who wears a hot dog on his head. I was the first person with enough geek cred to make a giant sign that says “pwn3d” and wave it around whenever Tech scored.
Somehow, through some miracle, I managed to escape Houghton with a degree and at least a portion of my sanity, and in my attempts to GTFO made several wrong turns and eventually gave up in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Naturally, I was keen to make the 3-hour journey down when I found that Tech was visiting CC, and some short girl who probably has a restraining order against her from the whole SCSU team started biting my ankles and asking me to write about my experiences. Seeing as how it's this or kill my brain with more Geometry Wars, here we go!
The ride down was uneventful, except when I hit Denver. It's 1:30 in the afternoon. The left lane is stopped. That's right, the fast lane. The lane meant for passing slower traffic to the right. That's Denver's response to anything unorthodox happening on I-25: stop. Massive accident on the side, stop. Someone merging on, stop. No reason at all, stop. A Denver driver wouldn't last 30 seconds in Detroit. And they love to congregate around trucks doing 60 and block traffic.
Pre-game. Don't mock my crappy cell phone camera
This is the place to hit in C-Springs. Just down the street from the Broadmoor Hotel, the Golden Bee is an English pub. Not a recreation of one, an actual English pub disassembled and shipped piece by piece over here. Upon sitting down, your server greets you by presenting you with a cool embroidered bee sticker as a souvenir of your visit – by tossing it so it sticks to your shirt.
...get your mind out of the gutter.
What they don't tell you is that the bee clings to dazzle cloth like a CS major clings to his 1-terabyte server of anime pr0n. If you get one on your jersey, forget it. It's there for life. I sadly wasn't able to visit in the evening and see the ragtime piano player. I wonder if he knows Journey. He better.
With that said and done, it was game time. I really wished it wouldn't have been. Yes, we have no penalty kill. 3 PPG for CC, 2 of them within ten seconds of the power play starting. I think we know what we need to work on in practice.
FINAL: 4-1 CC.
The next morning, I then proceeded to make the single biggest mistake of the trip. Some forklift jockey who is a Minny fan despite attending UMD recommended I check out the arcade in nearby Manitou Springs. I'm a Techie, I loves me some video games, this is a slam-dunk, right? I pull into Manitou Springs and it is a zoo. Apparently there is some kind of Halloween festival in town. People are everywhere, and Main Street is blocked off because they're running coffins down the street or something. I tried two pay lots, which turned out to be full, wasting me a good ten bucks total.
After finally finding what I thought was a parking spot, I went in to get my pinball on. Overall, the arcade wasn't terrible, though I've seen bigger and better. Some of the machines were in questionable shape, as I discovered upon plunking 50 cents into Lord of the Rings pinball to discover the left flipper didn't work.
I think this game was my favorite:
That's right, tSBFitW was in the parlor game business for a while.
After blowing a good $20 in quarters, I return to my car and there's a parking ticket, despite me being parked in a completely legal spot in front of a store. Squee.
Game number two. Holy crap, Tech showed up. They scored 4 goals within five minutes of each other in the second period. They're up 4-2 on CC. Even the Other Siders are going bonkers. I even got to bust out the “high school goalie” chant.
And then the PK happened.
Penalty.
4-3 Tech.
Shortie.
4-4 all.
Penalty.
5-4 CC.
Kivisto gets bounced for CFB.
6-4 CC.
Penalty.
7-4 CC.
Argh. My final thoughts on this game: bukkake. Bukkake bukkake bukkake bukkake bukkake. And finally, bukkake. (That oughta cause some interesting Google results.)
FINAL: 8-5 CC.
What worries me the most about that big ocho underneath CC's name? Tech's wins recently have usually come in the same manner: take a 2-goal or so lead by hook or by crook, then go into lockdown mode, sit on the lead, and drive Boosh insane. That's not happening now. This does not bode well.
One more thing I learned on my way back: if you are ever on I-25 north through Colorado and need to make a gas/food stop, DO NOT PICK EXIT 161. It's a maze. Total time to fill up, order a 10-piece McNugget, and get back on the expressway: 45 minutes.
In summary, there's a bee stuck to my weiner, I got a parking ticket, Tech went splat, and I probably caught swine flu from being around the crowds of crotchfruits dressed as Bella Swan at the arcade and just don't know it yet. FML.
I have no idea what else to talk about, so here's a YouTube video of Japanese Ronald McDonald dancing around like an idiot:
http://www.youtube.com/v/Q16KpquGsIc&hl=en&fs=1
by Twitch Boy
Hi. I'm Twitch Boy. You may know me as that really loud guy with a clarinet who wears a hot dog on his head. I was the first person with enough geek cred to make a giant sign that says “pwn3d” and wave it around whenever Tech scored.
Somehow, through some miracle, I managed to escape Houghton with a degree and at least a portion of my sanity, and in my attempts to GTFO made several wrong turns and eventually gave up in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Naturally, I was keen to make the 3-hour journey down when I found that Tech was visiting CC, and some short girl who probably has a restraining order against her from the whole SCSU team started biting my ankles and asking me to write about my experiences. Seeing as how it's this or kill my brain with more Geometry Wars, here we go!
The ride down was uneventful, except when I hit Denver. It's 1:30 in the afternoon. The left lane is stopped. That's right, the fast lane. The lane meant for passing slower traffic to the right. That's Denver's response to anything unorthodox happening on I-25: stop. Massive accident on the side, stop. Someone merging on, stop. No reason at all, stop. A Denver driver wouldn't last 30 seconds in Detroit. And they love to congregate around trucks doing 60 and block traffic.
Pre-game. Don't mock my crappy cell phone cameraThis is the place to hit in C-Springs. Just down the street from the Broadmoor Hotel, the Golden Bee is an English pub. Not a recreation of one, an actual English pub disassembled and shipped piece by piece over here. Upon sitting down, your server greets you by presenting you with a cool embroidered bee sticker as a souvenir of your visit – by tossing it so it sticks to your shirt.
...get your mind out of the gutter.What they don't tell you is that the bee clings to dazzle cloth like a CS major clings to his 1-terabyte server of anime pr0n. If you get one on your jersey, forget it. It's there for life. I sadly wasn't able to visit in the evening and see the ragtime piano player. I wonder if he knows Journey. He better.
With that said and done, it was game time. I really wished it wouldn't have been. Yes, we have no penalty kill. 3 PPG for CC, 2 of them within ten seconds of the power play starting. I think we know what we need to work on in practice.
FINAL: 4-1 CC.
The next morning, I then proceeded to make the single biggest mistake of the trip. Some forklift jockey who is a Minny fan despite attending UMD recommended I check out the arcade in nearby Manitou Springs. I'm a Techie, I loves me some video games, this is a slam-dunk, right? I pull into Manitou Springs and it is a zoo. Apparently there is some kind of Halloween festival in town. People are everywhere, and Main Street is blocked off because they're running coffins down the street or something. I tried two pay lots, which turned out to be full, wasting me a good ten bucks total.
After finally finding what I thought was a parking spot, I went in to get my pinball on. Overall, the arcade wasn't terrible, though I've seen bigger and better. Some of the machines were in questionable shape, as I discovered upon plunking 50 cents into Lord of the Rings pinball to discover the left flipper didn't work.
I think this game was my favorite:
That's right, tSBFitW was in the parlor game business for a while.After blowing a good $20 in quarters, I return to my car and there's a parking ticket, despite me being parked in a completely legal spot in front of a store. Squee.
Game number two. Holy crap, Tech showed up. They scored 4 goals within five minutes of each other in the second period. They're up 4-2 on CC. Even the Other Siders are going bonkers. I even got to bust out the “high school goalie” chant.
And then the PK happened.
Penalty.
4-3 Tech.
Shortie.
4-4 all.
Penalty.
5-4 CC.
Kivisto gets bounced for CFB.
6-4 CC.
Penalty.
7-4 CC.
Argh. My final thoughts on this game: bukkake. Bukkake bukkake bukkake bukkake bukkake. And finally, bukkake. (That oughta cause some interesting Google results.)
FINAL: 8-5 CC.
What worries me the most about that big ocho underneath CC's name? Tech's wins recently have usually come in the same manner: take a 2-goal or so lead by hook or by crook, then go into lockdown mode, sit on the lead, and drive Boosh insane. That's not happening now. This does not bode well.
One more thing I learned on my way back: if you are ever on I-25 north through Colorado and need to make a gas/food stop, DO NOT PICK EXIT 161. It's a maze. Total time to fill up, order a 10-piece McNugget, and get back on the expressway: 45 minutes.
In summary, there's a bee stuck to my weiner, I got a parking ticket, Tech went splat, and I probably caught swine flu from being around the crowds of crotchfruits dressed as Bella Swan at the arcade and just don't know it yet. FML.
I have no idea what else to talk about, so here's a YouTube video of Japanese Ronald McDonald dancing around like an idiot:
http://www.youtube.com/v/Q16KpquGsIc&hl=en&fs=1
Monday, October 26, 2009
Meet Your Freshmen 2009-2010: Anthony Schooley
Next up in the slow process of Meet Your Freshmen 2009-2010, I have for you Anthony Schooley. For as long as I can remember, it seems that Schooley had been a recruit. It seems that we've had to wait years and years for him (kind of like the waiting period between each of my blog posts). Well, we will wait no more! He's here... Schooley's in session!Number: 14
Position: Wing
Hometown: Gaylord, MI
Last Team: St. Louis (NAHL)
THB: Why did you choose Michigan Tech?
Anthony Schooley (AS): It was in my home state and they were the college that was most interested in me. [It's nice to have some Michiganders on the team!]
THB: How long did you know you wanted to go to Michigan Tech?
AS: I really didn't know until they started recruiting me. [They must've done a great job selling Tech. A lot of guys don't like to go there because of the girl situation.]
THB: What's your favorite type of music?
AS: Pop. [Not a bad choice. You've got a few of your teammates beat.]
THB: Who is your biggest influence in hockey?
AS: My father.
THB: Tell me about your best moment in hockey so far in your career.
AS: Scoring a penalty shot goal in a national championship game. [Let's see if you can repeat that this season, eh?]
THB: What is your major at Michigan Tech?
AS: Business Management.
THB: What's your favorite form of precipitation?
AS: Snow. [You came to the right place!!]
THB: Were you happy when the Lions broke their long losing streak? Were you secretly disappointed?
AS: Extremely happy. [Oh, I suppose... but it's kind of sad having that long streak end. That was pretty cool.]
THB: I have two coins totaling fifteen cents. One is not a dime. What coins do I have?
AS: A dime and a nickel. [A+ for you, Anthony!]
THB: Be honest, how many times have you heard that previous question?
AS: Never heard it until I told my roommate the question but he had heard it before. [Ah hah, we have a cheater. You get an F now.]
THB: If I send out all the freshmen surveys to you guys at the same time, who will be the last to return their survey to me?
AS: Witter. [Good try. He was the second one to return it to me though. There are a couple of guys who have not yet returned it........]
THB: What road trip are you most looking forward to?
AS: North Dakota. [You must have heard about the Red Pepper? It's really the only reason to go to Grand Forks.]
THB: What older Husky is your role model/mentor?
AS: Olson. [Excellent choice. He will serve you well as your role model!]
THB: Michigan or Michigan State?
AS: Michigan. [I like you. I like you a lot!]
THB: What can you tell me about Mitch's Misfits?
AS: No clue. [I'm sure if I asked you now, you could tell me plenty!]
THB: How did you enjoy the Ripley Run? Tell me a little bit about it.
AS: Haha, it was pretty tough but great team bonding.
THB: Does the energy and noise level of the crowd affect the way you play?
AS: Yes, very. [Mitch's Misfits will keep that in mind this season!]
THB: What kind of toothpaste do you use?
AS: Crest. [Great choice! Herbal Mint for the win!]
THB: Where is your favorite place to eat in the Houghton/Hancock area?
AS: Anywhere but the dorms. [FALSE, as Dwight Schrutte would say. Dorm food is GREAT! :)]
THB: What would you like to tell all the Michigan Tech fans that will be supporting the team all season long?
AS: We are going to have a great season and always cheer as loud as you can!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Meet Your Freshmen 2009-2010: Kevin Genoe
Sorry for the long delay between these posts. The busyness never ends! But I cannot deprive my fellow Tech fans for of meeting a new freshman for another day!Kevin Genoe is new guy between the pipes. Coach Russell gave him the nod against LSSU. Kevin had 29 saves on 32 shots that he faced, which is good for a .906 save%, not too shabby!
Number: 35
Position: Goalie
Hometown: Qualicum, BC
Last Team: Prince George (BCHL)
THB: When did you know that you wanted to be a goalie?
Kevin Genoe (KG): I knew I wanted to be a goalie since I was eleven years old.
THB: When did you know that Michigan Tech was the place for you?
KG: I knew Michigan Tech was the place for me after I had ly visit. [You and me both! Once you make your first visit to Tech, you know exactly where you want to be.]
THB: What do you think of your teammates so far? Are you ready for lifelong brotherhood with them?
KG: I think my teammates so far are great guys; hard working and dedicated. I am definitely ready for the lifelong brotherhood with them. There are a lot of fun guys in the locker room and hopefully we will remain close long after our time at Tech ends.
THB: When was the first time you were dressed in full goalie equipment?
KG: The first time I was dressed in full goalie equipment was when I was eleven years old.
THB: Do you ski?
KG: No, I have never tried, too risky for me.
THB: Do you look both ways before crossing the road?
KG: I probably look both ways three or four times. [You could teach Ricky Doriott a thing or two. :)]
THB: Are you familiar with Mitch's Misfits? Can you tell me anything about them?
KG: Unfortunately I am not very familiar with Mitch's Misfits. [You best familiarize yourself with them! Trust me, you'll learn to love them.]
THB: What are your favorite television shows?
KG: My favorite TV shows would be The Hills, Two and a Half Men, and Fantasy Factory. [I've heard of one of those!]
THB: Even though you're not very far into it yet, what's your favorite part about being a Michigan Tech hockey player?
KG: My favorite part about being a Michigan Tech hockey player is when we go on the ice before a game and our crowd is so loud that we can't hear our own thoughts. [Remember those "Mitch's Misfits" that you claimed to not know much about? I think they're behind that. :)]
THB: Who is the craziest guy on the team?
KG: The craziest guy on the team would be Seth [Soley].
THB: Can you juggle?
KG: Yes. [You are my first yes!! You'll have to show my sometime!]
THB: What is your favorite piece of goalie equipment? Why?
KG: My favorite piece would be my glove, because when the puck is in my glove I have total control of the game.
THB: Do you get nervous before games?
KG: Nervous no, I get anxious to get going.
THB: Are they working you hard at Tech?
KG: Yup I am working hard here at Tech.
THB: Paper or plastic?
KG: Plastic
THB: Are you a person who will break out into movie quotes randomly or if the situation calls for it?
KG: No. [That is unfortunate! You should try it sometime. It's fun.]
THB: Where is your favorite place to go out to eat in Houghton?
KG: The Library.
THB: Who is your all-time favorite hockey goaltender?
KG: Patrick Roy.
THB: What kind of music do you like?
KG: Everything but mostly country. [Oh, Kevie! You're killing me here!]
THB: Is there anything you'd like to say to all of the Michigan Tech fans out there?
KG: Thanks for the support and Husky fans are the greatest!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Meet Your Freshmen 2009-2010: Aaron Pietila
And finally! It's that time of year again! Actually, I normally do this in August, but I've been fairly busy this year. Lots of new freshmen for you Tech fans (and other faithful THB readers) to get to know! But I'd like to start with Aaron Pietila.Let it be known that Aaron was the first of the guys to get back to me! Also, Aaron got the game winning goal at our exhibition game against Ryerson and has his first collegiate point against NMU.
Well, let's get on with it, shall we?
Number: 13
Position: Wing
Hometown: Brighton, MI
Last Team: Marquette (NAHL)
Tech Hockey Blog (THB): Pietila, eh? Any relation to former Michigan Tech Husky Phil Pietila?
Aaron Pietila (AP): Yep, Phil's my first cousin.
THB: Why did you choose Michigan Tech for your education and to continue your hockey career?
AP: I've always wanted to play for Tech ever since I was young. I have a lot of family and friends from the area.
THB: Who are your biggest influences?
AP: I would have to say my dad.
THB: Another question about relatives. Michigan Tech has had a few poeple from the Brighton area in the past few years who have all been related. Being from Brighton, are you any relation to them?
AP: Yeah, I have some counsins and a brother who go to Tech from down there.
THB: What size skate do you wear?
AP: Left 7.5, right 6.5.
THB: Where is your favorite place to spend your time in Houghton?
AP: On the water. [Ah, great answer. Houghton is a good place for that! Just wait until you turn 21 though. That answer may change!]
THB: Tell me about the best moment in your hockey career thus far.
AP: Scoring my first college goal last weekend versus Ryerson. [I think you're off to a great start so far! This best moment will soon be replaced with something even better if it hasn't already been.]
THB: Are you going to playing against any of your former teammates this season? If so, who are they and where do they play now?
AP: I played with my cousin Chad Pietila last season who is playing for Northern this season. [You and Phil are obviously the smarter hockey players in your family!]
THB: What's your major at Michigan Tech?
AP: Marketing.
THB: What other sports besides hockey do you enjoy?
AP: Golf and baseball. [I smell a Tigers fan!! Woot!]
THB: Michigan or Michigan State?
AP: Neither. [Well, the good news is that you're not a Michigan State fan. The bad news? You're not a Michigan fan either. What would Dwight Helminen (who is most likely your cousin, no?) say?]
THB: What do you think of the skating treadmill?
AP: Probably my least favorite thing to do. [I think that's a good thing! I think it means that it's working!]
THB: Who is your roommate this year? Tell me a fun fact about him.
AP: My brother. [He] will be graduating this semester. [That isn't a fun fact! It's a sad one. Leaving Michigan Tech is not easy.]
THB: How is the dorm food treating you?
AP: I live off campus, but I do eat there with the guys often. I think it's pretty good. [I'm going to have to agree. Michigan Tech has some damn good dorm food!]
THB: What series are you most looking forward to this season?
AP: Northern. [Good call. Beat up your cousin for being so silly.]
THB: How do you feel about BSU and UNO joining the WCHA next season?
AP: Should be a nice addition. Both [are] good programs. [Disagree and disagree. :)]
THB: Has your family bought their tickets to the Frozen Four this year?
AP: Of course. [Excellent! Maybe I will see them there.]
THB: What is your personal goal on the ice this season?
AP: Just to play every game and contribute any way I can.
THB: Do you look both ways before crossing the road?
AP: Usually.
THB: What do you want to say to all the Michigan Tech fans out there?
AP: Thanks for allt he support! That first game was pretty cool playing in front of a full house.
Thanks for taking the time to talk, Aaron! Oh, and if I ever call you Phil, I'm sorry in advance.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
PACK YOUR BAGS! You're going to...... DULUTH?!
Freshmen interviews are coming soon, I promise! But right now I want to make a Tech Hockey Blog entry directed to MITCH'S MISFITS.
Due to the Tech @ NMU series falling on Christmas vacation, Mitch's Misfits president Scott Yager will instead be going all out this year for the UMD trip! The previous record of Misfits brought to UMD is only a mere 34. Yager will be shooting for SIXTY this year!
Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14... MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Here's a rough itinerary of what to expect:
Friday throughout the day: Tech vans leaving at different times to accommodate different schedules.
Friday 8:00 Eastern: GAME TIME; cheer Huskies to victory
Friday after game: Hotel/food/Duluth shenanigans
Saturday during the day: Duluth shenanigans
Saturday 8:00 Eastern: GAME TIME; cheer Huskies to sweep
Saturday post-game: Head back to Houghton
Pretty simple... and it's a great time too!! And if you're wondering how much it'll cost, wonder no more, because I'm about to tell you!
$24 + food. $24 is the cost of two game tickets. So by my math, that would mean that transportation and hotel are both free! They're provided by Mitch's Misfits.
Is there a reason to NOT go? No. Only if you're dumb, to be honest. So don't be dumb. There are two ways to be dumb: (1) not emailing Yager (sryager@mtu.edu) to reserve your tickets and spot on the trip and (2) waiting too long to email Yager only to find out that all sixty spots are taken.
Please come along and be a part of the next post-victory picture:
After the game on February 4, 2005. Michigan Tech won in OVERTIME and you're looking at a huge reason why. The next night, Michigan Tech completed the SWEEP!
This picture was taken after Michigan Tech completed the SWEEP of the Bulldogs for TWO YEARS RUNNING at the DECC on January 14, 2006.
Now why wouldn't you want to be a part of that?? The players, coaching staff and hockey parents talked about it for weeks after. The Misfits were KEY in sweeping the Bulldogs. We were SO LOUD that entire weekend and it made a huge difference and definitely got the guys going.
And on a personal note, I have been on a TON of hockey road trips supporting the Huskies. I've seen them play in every WCHA arena, along with many other places. With all of those road trips under my belt (an estimated THIRTY-TWO trips, plus three random Frozen Four trips), the UMD trips are right up at the top for the most fun. Hopefully after this series, you can all say the same.
JOIN US IN DULUTH, MINNESOTA on NOVEMBER 13 and 14!!!
Due to the Tech @ NMU series falling on Christmas vacation, Mitch's Misfits president Scott Yager will instead be going all out this year for the UMD trip! The previous record of Misfits brought to UMD is only a mere 34. Yager will be shooting for SIXTY this year!
Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14... MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Here's a rough itinerary of what to expect:
Friday throughout the day: Tech vans leaving at different times to accommodate different schedules.
Friday 8:00 Eastern: GAME TIME; cheer Huskies to victory
Friday after game: Hotel/food/Duluth shenanigans
Saturday during the day: Duluth shenanigans
Saturday 8:00 Eastern: GAME TIME; cheer Huskies to sweep
Saturday post-game: Head back to Houghton
Pretty simple... and it's a great time too!! And if you're wondering how much it'll cost, wonder no more, because I'm about to tell you!
$24 + food. $24 is the cost of two game tickets. So by my math, that would mean that transportation and hotel are both free! They're provided by Mitch's Misfits.
Is there a reason to NOT go? No. Only if you're dumb, to be honest. So don't be dumb. There are two ways to be dumb: (1) not emailing Yager (sryager@mtu.edu) to reserve your tickets and spot on the trip and (2) waiting too long to email Yager only to find out that all sixty spots are taken.
Please come along and be a part of the next post-victory picture:
After the game on February 4, 2005. Michigan Tech won in OVERTIME and you're looking at a huge reason why. The next night, Michigan Tech completed the SWEEP!
Now why wouldn't you want to be a part of that?? The players, coaching staff and hockey parents talked about it for weeks after. The Misfits were KEY in sweeping the Bulldogs. We were SO LOUD that entire weekend and it made a huge difference and definitely got the guys going.
And on a personal note, I have been on a TON of hockey road trips supporting the Huskies. I've seen them play in every WCHA arena, along with many other places. With all of those road trips under my belt (an estimated THIRTY-TWO trips, plus three random Frozen Four trips), the UMD trips are right up at the top for the most fun. Hopefully after this series, you can all say the same.
JOIN US IN DULUTH, MINNESOTA on NOVEMBER 13 and 14!!!
NMU Game Recap/Scoring Roundup
F2B&G here. So as everyone knows by now, the Huskies got the year off to a good start with a 5-3 victory over rival Northern Michigan.In an effort to further my hockey knowledge, I'm going to try something new this year (new for me anyway) and give a play-by-play of how each goal was scored. These reports will be based on what I am seeing/hearing via the Huskies Live feed and may not be 100% accurate, but should give readers the gist of the action.
First Period
NMU-1: Fernandez kept the puck in the Tech zone after Doriott sent the puck around behind the net, and passed up the boards to Olver. Olver weaved around a defender to the top of the right circle, and found Gustafsson wide open at the top of the left circle, madly tapping his stick for a pass. Olver quickly made the pass, and Gustafsson moved in and wristed the puck low stick-side past Robinson, who was at least partially screened by his own defender. Gustafsson (1) from Olver (1) & Fernandez (1). 7:26, 1st period. 1-0 NMU.
MTU-1: Pietila entered the NMU zone and fired an easy shot on Stewart, who made the save and pushed the rebound to the corner. A poor passing attempt allowed Pietila to get the puck back, so he darted behind the goal and attempted the wraparound, but Stewart was up to task. The puck drifted to the left boards, where Olson battled for and won it, skating back behind the net and tried to pass to the front while under pressure. A crazy deflection caught Stewart by surprise as the puck skittered five-hole, bounced off his right pad, and slipped into the net. A sievetastic goal by the drama queen. Olson (1) from Pietila (1). 9:18, 1st period. 1-1.
MTU-2: With NMU's Kaunisto and Fernandez off for interference and tripping respectively, and Tech's Gwilliam also off for interference, the Huskies had a 4x3 power play opportunity. They did a good job of maintaining possession and shooting. Olson moved the puck out of the right corner to Seigo, who was waiting in the high slot and one-timed it on net. Two NMU defenders went down to block, but the puck squirted loose, bouncing directly into the low slot right in front of the crease. Baker pounced on the opportunity to clean up the trash and backhanded the puck past a butterflied Stewart's stick-side, off the post and in, before he could react. Baker (1) from Seigo (1) and Olson (1). 13:36, 1st period. PPG. 2-1 MTU.
MTU-3: Doriott forced a turnover in the neutral zone and attempted to pass up the left boards. Gwilliam pinned Fernandez to the boards long enough for Olson to pick up the loose puck. He skated into the NMU zone 2-on-1 with MacLeod, but recognized there was no time to setup a passing play, moved in, and blasted a quick shot past Stewart to the low stick-side. Olson (2) from Gwilliam (1) and Doriott (1). 17:42, 1st period. 3-1 MTU.
NMU-2: An awkward rebound off the post forced MTU's Kattelus to trip an NMU player in the low slot, sending him to the box for an NMU power play. The Wildcats won the ensuing draw and worked the puck around the perimeter briefly. Butcher passed out of the right corner and up the boards to Hanson, who moved into the right circle and fired a wrister just under Robinson's glove on the short side. Hanson (1) from Butcher (1) and Gustafsson (1). PPG. 19:45, 1st period. 3-2 MTU.
Second Period
No scoring
Third Period
MTU-4: Tech began the third period with 1:48 of power play time after NMU's Cherniwchan was whistled for hooking near the end of the second. After a minute or so of Tech's usual coffee break, Cousens and Seigo worked the puck back and forth between them a couple of times, then Seigo passed to Olson in the left circle. Olson one-timed the puck high glove-side on Stewart, who was partially screened on the play and a bit overcommitted, positionally-speaking. Olson (3) from Seigo (2) and Cousens (1). PPG, HTG, GWG. 1:10, 3rd period. 4-2 MTU.
MTU-5: NMU's Follmer went off for interference at 12:58. Seigo worked the puck to Olson at the left circle, who passed to Gwilliam waiting down low near the left side of the net. Gwilliam started to switch places with Olson, but ended Stewart's night when he quickly spun around and fired the puck through the tired/lazy drama queen's gaping five-hole. Gwilliam (1) from Olson (2) and Seigo (3). PPG. 14:12, 3rd period. 5-2 MTU.
NMU-3: Kyle elected to pull backup goalie Reid Ellingson for the extra attacker with 4:22 to play. Tech's Gwilliam took a holding penalty at 16:53 (3:07 to play). NMU worked the puck back to the blueline, where Cherniwchan made a pass to Spady, who moved in towards the right circle and fired a slapshot. The shot went wide to the right, but unfortunately caromed off the end wall and quickly popped out in front and to Robinson's exposed right, where Nugent seized the opportunity and buried it. Nugent (1) from Spady (1) and Cherniwchan (1). EAG, PPG. 18:12, 3rd period. 5-3 MTU.
Final
NMU 3
MTU 5
Links
University Recap
Mining-Gazette Recap
USCHO Recap
I will have a similar post for the LSSU game within the next day or two. Michigan Tech already has its first bye weekend of the season, so naturally there will be no analysis of the upcoming weekend's series. The Huskies will make their first roadtrip of the season to take on the Colorado College Tigers at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, October 23/24.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Getting Things Started the RIGHT Way!
Five to three. FIVE TO THREE. Tech scored FIVE goals in ONE game. This is definitely a great way to start the season!! It's great to be 3-0 against NMU in the last three games. :)
BRETT OLSON HATTY. I'm especially liking that, as Brett is on my WCHA Fantasy Hockey team. Hopefully he keeps this good stuff up!
Ahh, what else? Oh, Lake Superior State tonight. Let's take this great start to the season even further!
For those of you wondering WHERE the freshmen interviews are, they will start rolling in soon! I'm waiting for a couple more responses, but I can start getting them prepared for posting. What I will say right now is... Evan Witt for the win so far!!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
What's This?! A Post?!!
Yes, a post. But don't get too excited just yet. It's just me to tell you that I haven't died or abandoned the Tech Hockey Blog. Been a busy offseason though!
So I bet you're all wondering where the freshman interviews are. I can tell you that I have completed the questions for each of our eight freshmen. I'm currently just waiting on contact information for them. So it might be a while, BUT THEY WILL COME!
Almost time for the season to begin. Exhibition play starts this weekend. Has anyone heard of Ryerson before seeing them on the schedule? I haven't. I'm hoping for better exhibition results than we had last year... Captain Gwilliam will lead the way!
Let's go TECH!
So I bet you're all wondering where the freshman interviews are. I can tell you that I have completed the questions for each of our eight freshmen. I'm currently just waiting on contact information for them. So it might be a while, BUT THEY WILL COME!
Almost time for the season to begin. Exhibition play starts this weekend. Has anyone heard of Ryerson before seeing them on the schedule? I haven't. I'm hoping for better exhibition results than we had last year... Captain Gwilliam will lead the way!
Let's go TECH!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Screwed Again
Unsurprisingly, the hockey gods have again conspired to deny the Michigan Tech Huskies a highly-touted recruit, this time via the temptations of post-lockout NHL rookie contracts.So if this is true (and there's no reason to believe it's not), Jake Hauswirth, the son of Michigan Tech alumni and owner of some nice USHL stats (28-24-52, +16), will be off to the minor leagues without ever setting foot in Houghton.
Frankly, this irks even more than the CPZ debacle, because up until this wonderful little news announcement, Jake had given just about every indication that he was planning to attend MTU. As I said, his parents are even alums. In his case, it did not sound like academics would be a problem as they ultimately were for Zabotel. So I get the feeling that the Capitals simply convinced him and his family that because he is 21 and has already impressed Caps scouts, they're willing to gamble on a contract right now to lock him up, get him developing in the minors, and have him for as long as possible before he becomes a free agent.
Really, I can't blame the guy for taking the money, but assuming I'm correct, this is yet another unfortunate case of the post-lockout NHL screwing college hockey out of potentially good players. Now, it's happening before some of these guys even make it to campus.
I'll tell you one thing though - that's the last time I will take the word of any recruit regarding enrollment until I actually see them in a Husky sweater. I definitely feel like we were being led on here, and it disappoints me greatly.
On a team as starved for offense as Tech is, my expectations for the next couple of seasons just dipped a notch.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Michigan Tech Players Recognized on All-WCHA Hottie Teams
That's right, Tech fans. Some of our very own guys were honored on the RWD's prestigious All-WCHA All-Hottie Teams. Although these awards mean less because UW's Podge Turnbull totally got SNUBBED! Seriously... how can you possibly snub THIS:
YUM!! Makes NO SENSE if you ask me! But sadly, no one asked me. :(
Anyway! If you're curious to see who got what and on what team they were placed, you might want to go HERE. Now.
Here are the Tech guys that received honors: Coach Russell, Robby Nolan, Geoff Kinrade, Malcolm Gwilliam, Jordan Baker and Drew Dobson. And in speaking with RWD, she also wanted to honor Bennett Royer and Alex Lord... but there was just no room. So with the power vested in me (which is essentially none), I place them on the honorable mention list! Along with Brett Olson and Alex Gagne. Yep, I just did that.
ANYWAY, our very own Robby Nolan received a lifetime achievement award for being honored EVERY SINGLE YEAR of the All-Hottie teams. Congratulations to him!
YUM!! Makes NO SENSE if you ask me! But sadly, no one asked me. :(Anyway! If you're curious to see who got what and on what team they were placed, you might want to go HERE. Now.
Here are the Tech guys that received honors: Coach Russell, Robby Nolan, Geoff Kinrade, Malcolm Gwilliam, Jordan Baker and Drew Dobson. And in speaking with RWD, she also wanted to honor Bennett Royer and Alex Lord... but there was just no room. So with the power vested in me (which is essentially none), I place them on the honorable mention list! Along with Brett Olson and Alex Gagne. Yep, I just did that.
ANYWAY, our very own Robby Nolan received a lifetime achievement award for being honored EVERY SINGLE YEAR of the All-Hottie teams. Congratulations to him!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Minnesota Series Recap!
Better late than never, right? :)
So I've been busy! What else is new, right? Well, I think you all deserve a recap of Gopher weekend... senior weekend at Michigan Tech. If you remember back to 6-7 March of 2009, the Gophers came to town to try and clinch home ice. Sadly, they succeeded, but it came only with the help of UAA and MSUM taking more points than expected from UMD and SCSU.
Oh, before I go on... I'm just going to tell you that I lied. I will not be recapping the whole series against the Gophers, but just Friday night. What else matters?
What a crazy game that was! At one point, one-WCHA-win Michigan Tech was up 4-1 against Minnesota. It was like it wasn't even real. Reality did set in a while later though... as UMN quickly came back and tied it up... Stoa had two goals within 16 seconds of each other. But man... the goaltending for UMN that night was WEAK. Really weak! Tech had 4 goals on some 13 shots. In the second period, our first three shots on goal all went in!! Like I said... crazy! But alas, it didn't last long.
So along comes the third period. We're tied, but Tech pulls away by a goal. This goal was also Drew Dobson's hat trick goal. HOW ABOUT THAT! There is very little that feels as good as a Michigan Tech hat trick goal.
Eventually Patrick White scores the equalizer. Dammit. Then we have ourselves some OT.
Now, forgive me for not having much faith in my team. If you lived through a season like I just did though, you would understand. The guys NEED to believe in themselves. I do not, however. I've had my heartbroken enough this past season. No need to get my hopes high just to have them crushed....again.
Well somehow... with about 2 minutes left in the extra session, Deron Cousens pulled through and got the job done. It was just a regular season win. It was just 2 useless points in a lost cause (our standings in the WCHA). IT WAS JUST AWESOME!!!
The celebration the guys had was as if they'd won the whole shabang. And boy did they need that! And boy did they DESERVE that! It had been a rough season. Finally there is something to celebrate!
Seeing the guys THAT HAPPY made me even happier. Seeing the Gophers that UPSET was the icing on the cake. :)
You know, after the season from hell, it's moments like these that just make it all worth it. Makes it all so very worth it.
And to finish off the rest of the season: The next night sucked against the Gophers and then we played at #1 UND... lost a couple there... BUT! I went to Red Pepper three times within 24 hours... so it was all good!
So I've been busy! What else is new, right? Well, I think you all deserve a recap of Gopher weekend... senior weekend at Michigan Tech. If you remember back to 6-7 March of 2009, the Gophers came to town to try and clinch home ice. Sadly, they succeeded, but it came only with the help of UAA and MSUM taking more points than expected from UMD and SCSU.
Oh, before I go on... I'm just going to tell you that I lied. I will not be recapping the whole series against the Gophers, but just Friday night. What else matters?
What a crazy game that was! At one point, one-WCHA-win Michigan Tech was up 4-1 against Minnesota. It was like it wasn't even real. Reality did set in a while later though... as UMN quickly came back and tied it up... Stoa had two goals within 16 seconds of each other. But man... the goaltending for UMN that night was WEAK. Really weak! Tech had 4 goals on some 13 shots. In the second period, our first three shots on goal all went in!! Like I said... crazy! But alas, it didn't last long.
So along comes the third period. We're tied, but Tech pulls away by a goal. This goal was also Drew Dobson's hat trick goal. HOW ABOUT THAT! There is very little that feels as good as a Michigan Tech hat trick goal.
Eventually Patrick White scores the equalizer. Dammit. Then we have ourselves some OT.
Now, forgive me for not having much faith in my team. If you lived through a season like I just did though, you would understand. The guys NEED to believe in themselves. I do not, however. I've had my heartbroken enough this past season. No need to get my hopes high just to have them crushed....again.
Well somehow... with about 2 minutes left in the extra session, Deron Cousens pulled through and got the job done. It was just a regular season win. It was just 2 useless points in a lost cause (our standings in the WCHA). IT WAS JUST AWESOME!!!
The celebration the guys had was as if they'd won the whole shabang. And boy did they need that! And boy did they DESERVE that! It had been a rough season. Finally there is something to celebrate!
Seeing the guys THAT HAPPY made me even happier. Seeing the Gophers that UPSET was the icing on the cake. :)
You know, after the season from hell, it's moments like these that just make it all worth it. Makes it all so very worth it.
And to finish off the rest of the season: The next night sucked against the Gophers and then we played at #1 UND... lost a couple there... BUT! I went to Red Pepper three times within 24 hours... so it was all good!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
What's a Tech Fan To Do?
NOTE: This is F2B&G, not Bethlyn. I do not want to read any comments addressing me as Bethlyn or MEg. I'm male, thank you very much. :p
After watching BU win the national title in OT, the 2008-2009 college hockey season is now officially over. Thus, I feel like making a post on the state of Tech hockey. It's not like I have anything better to do, since no one has anything planned this weekend and my roommate is currently boning his fiance in some Houghton hotel room (just kidding Mike!), so I have the apartment and a bottle of decent gin to myself.
I'm not going to dwell too much on the season, because everything that happened has already been whined about. Injuries and youth plagued us all the way to the basement, but not without a few bright spots. We did sweep our bitter archrivals eNeMa U during our December showdown, salvaged third place at the GLI in a 2-1 win over the Fighting Sue, beat the Goofers in a 6-5 OT firehouse during our final regular season series, and pulled out a 3-2 road victory over Soo Tech to avoid Superior Showcase embarassment (which also happened to be the first road win I've been in attendance for). I thoroughly savored all of those, because I knew our victories would be few and far between this year.
That said, why should I be excited about Husky hockey next season? I'm graduating and won't be anywhere near campus, so I will not get to see most of the games in person. We finished tenth this year, scoring a measly 62 goals. For comparison UAA, the ninth place team, managed 95 goals, and eighth place Mankato managed 117. UAA finished with 23 conference points, 12 more than Tech's 11. *sigh*
Why? Well, let's look on the bright side. No one left early to join the pros (duh), which means we only lost our eight seniors. Some things will be missed from that class, such as Schwarz's steady defense, Kinrade's point shot, Angelow's faceoff skills, and Kitti's workhorse attitude. However, we don't lose anyone capable of scoring a lot of goals. We retain our top two scorers, junior-to-be Jordan Baker (16-11-27) and sophomore-to-be Brett Olson (10-13-23), who were easily the most offensively skilled duo on the team. Drew Dobson (5-14-19) will be back for his senior year, whether he stays at forward because of his results up there, or goes back to defense because of his veteran presence on a defensive corps that will be a tad thin, IMHO.
Junior-to-be Deron Cousens (5-11-16) was the unsung hero of the second half, finally coming into his own as an offensive defeseman during the later part of his sophomore campaign. Super duper senior Malcolm Gwilliam should be back for a sixth year of eligibility, following a successful medical redshirt of his fifth year after a bizzare mini-stroke incident (his true sophomore season was also spent recovering from an injury). He will pursue an MBA and potentially wear the C.
Other players to keep an eye on include junior-to-be Bennett Royer, who is basically Alex Lord or Derek Kitti with just as much energy, but more offensive skill. A great third or fourth line surprise for opponents. There is also Peter Rohn, who had the game-winner against eNeMa U in a 1-0 nailbiter back in December. The very small forward, who is probably about 5'4" and maybe 150 lbs, has some surprising speed and is tenacious on faceoffs. Once he adds some more muscle, he will be another trick up Jamie Russell's sleeve.
I also like Alex MacLeod, who finished the year 6-4-10, with all six of his goals coming on the powerplay. The question is whether or not the 6'0", 210 lb sophomore-to-be will learn how to take fewer penalties, or whether he will be the next Jimmy Kerr. Time will tell, I suppose.
On the goaltending front, sophomore-to-be Josh Robinson had four of Tech's six wins this past season. Even if his stats look shaky, let's keep in mind he played in front of an equally shaky team this year. He was the first MTU goalie to blank NMU in the history of the rivalry, allowing just one goal on 37 shots in the Friday game that weekend, and earning a 20-save shutout over the Mildcats on Saturday to take the season series for Tech, two games to one. While I don't expect him to dominate right away, he should be a good goalie for us by the end of the season.
The Techies most primed for a breakout seasons are Royer and Eric Kattelus; book it.
As for recruits, the crown jewel in the 09-10 class is probably Jake Hauswirth, who finished 28-24-52 and +16 for the Omaha Lancers in the regular season of the USHL. The Capitals are somewhat excited about him as a free agent prospect, and he's already got great size at 6'5", 216. I expect him to be next season's Brett Olson, but perhaps with more goals instead of assists.
Other notable recruits include Steven Seigo, a 6'0", 180 lb. offensive defenseman from Edenwold, SK who spent two seasons with the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL, finishing with a 14-25-39 line and 8 PPG this season in 47 games (registering only 19 PIMs). As previously reported on this blog, he spent last summer practicing with an Austrian Elite League team with the NC$$'s permission (though he was not allowed to participate scrimmages), and it is felt that the experience was very good for him.
Milos Goric has averaged over a point per game in the BCHL for the last two seasons. He put together a 46-35-81 line this year, which works out to 1.4 PPG.
Recruit Tommy Brown was the only SJHL defenseman chosen to represent Canada West in the WJAC for two years in a row. In that tournament, he has played with BCHL goalie recruit Kevin Genoe (thanks to Prince George head coach and former Techie Ed Dempsey, and the success of former Spruce King Michael Lee Teslak for selling him on MTU).
The middle of the WCHA (spots 3-8) should naturally be a meatgrinder again. Based on how things are looking, I don't think an 8th place finish and a chance for a WCHA first round upset are unreasonable expectations for the 09-10 team, barring another injury riddled season.
With that, there's not much else for me to do except root for the Red Wings and wait for October.
After watching BU win the national title in OT, the 2008-2009 college hockey season is now officially over. Thus, I feel like making a post on the state of Tech hockey. It's not like I have anything better to do, since no one has anything planned this weekend and my roommate is currently boning his fiance in some Houghton hotel room (just kidding Mike!), so I have the apartment and a bottle of decent gin to myself.
I'm not going to dwell too much on the season, because everything that happened has already been whined about. Injuries and youth plagued us all the way to the basement, but not without a few bright spots. We did sweep our bitter archrivals eNeMa U during our December showdown, salvaged third place at the GLI in a 2-1 win over the Fighting Sue, beat the Goofers in a 6-5 OT firehouse during our final regular season series, and pulled out a 3-2 road victory over Soo Tech to avoid Superior Showcase embarassment (which also happened to be the first road win I've been in attendance for). I thoroughly savored all of those, because I knew our victories would be few and far between this year.
That said, why should I be excited about Husky hockey next season? I'm graduating and won't be anywhere near campus, so I will not get to see most of the games in person. We finished tenth this year, scoring a measly 62 goals. For comparison UAA, the ninth place team, managed 95 goals, and eighth place Mankato managed 117. UAA finished with 23 conference points, 12 more than Tech's 11. *sigh*
Why? Well, let's look on the bright side. No one left early to join the pros (duh), which means we only lost our eight seniors. Some things will be missed from that class, such as Schwarz's steady defense, Kinrade's point shot, Angelow's faceoff skills, and Kitti's workhorse attitude. However, we don't lose anyone capable of scoring a lot of goals. We retain our top two scorers, junior-to-be Jordan Baker (16-11-27) and sophomore-to-be Brett Olson (10-13-23), who were easily the most offensively skilled duo on the team. Drew Dobson (5-14-19) will be back for his senior year, whether he stays at forward because of his results up there, or goes back to defense because of his veteran presence on a defensive corps that will be a tad thin, IMHO.
Junior-to-be Deron Cousens (5-11-16) was the unsung hero of the second half, finally coming into his own as an offensive defeseman during the later part of his sophomore campaign. Super duper senior Malcolm Gwilliam should be back for a sixth year of eligibility, following a successful medical redshirt of his fifth year after a bizzare mini-stroke incident (his true sophomore season was also spent recovering from an injury). He will pursue an MBA and potentially wear the C.
Other players to keep an eye on include junior-to-be Bennett Royer, who is basically Alex Lord or Derek Kitti with just as much energy, but more offensive skill. A great third or fourth line surprise for opponents. There is also Peter Rohn, who had the game-winner against eNeMa U in a 1-0 nailbiter back in December. The very small forward, who is probably about 5'4" and maybe 150 lbs, has some surprising speed and is tenacious on faceoffs. Once he adds some more muscle, he will be another trick up Jamie Russell's sleeve.
I also like Alex MacLeod, who finished the year 6-4-10, with all six of his goals coming on the powerplay. The question is whether or not the 6'0", 210 lb sophomore-to-be will learn how to take fewer penalties, or whether he will be the next Jimmy Kerr. Time will tell, I suppose.
On the goaltending front, sophomore-to-be Josh Robinson had four of Tech's six wins this past season. Even if his stats look shaky, let's keep in mind he played in front of an equally shaky team this year. He was the first MTU goalie to blank NMU in the history of the rivalry, allowing just one goal on 37 shots in the Friday game that weekend, and earning a 20-save shutout over the Mildcats on Saturday to take the season series for Tech, two games to one. While I don't expect him to dominate right away, he should be a good goalie for us by the end of the season.
The Techies most primed for a breakout seasons are Royer and Eric Kattelus; book it.
As for recruits, the crown jewel in the 09-10 class is probably Jake Hauswirth, who finished 28-24-52 and +16 for the Omaha Lancers in the regular season of the USHL. The Capitals are somewhat excited about him as a free agent prospect, and he's already got great size at 6'5", 216. I expect him to be next season's Brett Olson, but perhaps with more goals instead of assists.
Other notable recruits include Steven Seigo, a 6'0", 180 lb. offensive defenseman from Edenwold, SK who spent two seasons with the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL, finishing with a 14-25-39 line and 8 PPG this season in 47 games (registering only 19 PIMs). As previously reported on this blog, he spent last summer practicing with an Austrian Elite League team with the NC$$'s permission (though he was not allowed to participate scrimmages), and it is felt that the experience was very good for him.
Milos Goric has averaged over a point per game in the BCHL for the last two seasons. He put together a 46-35-81 line this year, which works out to 1.4 PPG.
Recruit Tommy Brown was the only SJHL defenseman chosen to represent Canada West in the WJAC for two years in a row. In that tournament, he has played with BCHL goalie recruit Kevin Genoe (thanks to Prince George head coach and former Techie Ed Dempsey, and the success of former Spruce King Michael Lee Teslak for selling him on MTU).
The middle of the WCHA (spots 3-8) should naturally be a meatgrinder again. Based on how things are looking, I don't think an 8th place finish and a chance for a WCHA first round upset are unreasonable expectations for the 09-10 team, barring another injury riddled season.
With that, there's not much else for me to do except root for the Red Wings and wait for October.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Playing Ketchup
Alright, I know I've been slacking lately... and I apologize for that. Work and road tripping have pretty much taken over my life as of late and there is time for little else.Let's see... where did I leave off at? Woah... at UAA?! UAA, Rohn interview, Huskies Pep Band at the Final Five and whining about the Misfits. This is more serious than I originally thought.
The hell with my recaps. I think they're pretty boring anyway and you can read better ones anywhere. We all already know that Carnival didn't exactly turn out like we hoped, but we did achieve our SEVENTH WCHA tie of the season, which ties a WCHA record and makes a new Michigan Tech record. UMD Bulldogs blogger RWD has coined the phrase "Tech win" for a Michigan Tech tie. It has certainly reached the point for many Tech fans that when we get a tie, it's pretty much a win. On the other side of the spectrum, when a team ties us, their fans feel as though their team has lost the game. So let's see... this team has had seven Tech wins this season and one real one in the WCHA. Cool. That sounds better than "Tech has one win in the WCHA this season."
You know what I just realized? I'm not really playing catch up in this post. I'm completely just rambling. Oh well, I guess. Hard to know where these blog entries are going to go once I start typing. Not like anyone reads them anyway though.
So we have the Gophers coming to town next weekend. Awesome. The Gophers are currently tied for 5th place or something in the WCHA? Ugh. They're out for blood next weekend, I'm sure. I'd love to be the team that takes away their home ice. How amazing would that be? Oh yeah, and winning on senior night would be nice too!!
Have I already complained about Mitch's Misfits lately? I have? Well... I feel the need to do it more. LOOK at this:
This picture was taken AFTER the game has already started.against UMD. Absolutely FRUSTRATING!! What happened to the days when Section L would be flourishing even during a losing season? I realize that Tech hasn't seen a season like this in quite some time... but come on now. With senior weekend coming this next weekend, I'm pretty sure it's going to be even WORSE. First of all, it falls on spring break. No one is going to stay for the games, especially on Saturday night... even if the games are against the Gophers. The MacInnes will truly be Mariucci North this weekend as the Gopher fans should have NO problem taking over the building to cheer on their team as they fight for home ice. I'm calling on the Husky parents to be ROWDY this weekend! Make some noise to make up for the terrible students at Michigan Tech. Let's try to get some atmosphere in the MacInnes because we know the guys just love that. Sadly, this season's team has experienced very little of it, at least at home (and UAA).
One more home stick salute left in the 2008-2009 season.
Next season will be better. So much better!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
MISSING - Please help!
Once crazy Michigan Tech hockey fans who called themselves Mitch's Misfits... Last seen in full force early during the 2008-2009 hockdy season. They have been dwindling down in numbers ever since. Now they are nearly all gone.
They are pictured above in a game on 10 October 2008 at the Berry Events Center.
Please, if you find any of them wandering about on Friday 6 March and Saturday 7 March 2009, return them safely to the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena so that they may cheer on the Michigan Tech Huskies against the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers and crush their chance of getting home ice.
Mitch's Misfits will also be needed in attendance for a proper farewell to eight amazing seniors: Ryan Angelow, Alex Gagne, Geoff Kinrade, Derek Kitti, Alex Lord, Rob Nolan, John Schwarz and Justin St. Louis.
They are pictured above in a game on 10 October 2008 at the Berry Events Center.
Please, if you find any of them wandering about on Friday 6 March and Saturday 7 March 2009, return them safely to the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena so that they may cheer on the Michigan Tech Huskies against the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers and crush their chance of getting home ice.
Mitch's Misfits will also be needed in attendance for a proper farewell to eight amazing seniors: Ryan Angelow, Alex Gagne, Geoff Kinrade, Derek Kitti, Alex Lord, Rob Nolan, John Schwarz and Justin St. Louis.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Damn, They're Good!
The Huskies Pep Band is returning to the WCHA Final Five as the Official Band once again!!
Yes, it's true! Unless someone lied to me... So, to my hockey team: now that the band made it, you guys should too!
Yes, it's true! Unless someone lied to me... So, to my hockey team: now that the band made it, you guys should too!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Meet Your Freshman 2008-2009: Peter Rohn
I know you have all been waiting a long time. At long last, the time has come. The Tech Hockey Blog would like you to get to know the newest addition to our Husky Hockey team.Peter Rohn had to sit out some 17 games because the NCAA is dumb. His first NCAA game came during the Saturday night game at Minnesota-Duluth. His fellow teammates made him take the ice first for warm-ups. It was a big moment for him. Soon after Peter started playing games for the team, we swept NMU for the first time in.....forever. Peter was key!
So here's some info on Peter, followed by the interview. ENJOY! And don't forget to comment. :)
#25
Position: Forward
Last Team: Green Mountain Glades (EJHL)
Hometown: Vettre, Norway
Birthday: 1/4/88
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 165 lbs
Tech Hockey Blog (THB): How the heck did we find you? Which coach saw you first?
Peter Rohn (PR): It started in '06, when I was first looking to come over to the US to play college hockey. Coach Mikesch was the first one I talked to and the main reason I'm here now.
THB: Why did you agree to come to Michigan Tech?
PR: Well it was between St. Lawrence and Tech for 08/09, and some other Hockey East/ECAC schools for 09/10 but I really wanted to get going with my college career so when it came down to the WCHA and the ECAC the choice was easy for me.
THB: Tell the Michigan Tech fans a little bit more about your background. Steve Vlaisavljevich mentioned how you've lived in a few places around the world and are very familiar with at least 4 cultures.
PR: Hah, Steve is the man by the way. [Yes. Yes he is.]
I was born in Oslo, Norway. My father is Norwegian and my mother South Korean. They met when my father worked in Seoul in the 80's. We lived in Nairobi, Kenya from 92-97. My father worked in a branch of the UN called the Norwegian Peoples Aid, and they worked mostly in Sudan. My mother ran her own help organization and did missionary work building schools, hospitals etc in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. They have different jobs now, but both of them are still active down there.
THB: All the websites say that you're 5'7". Tell me the truth, Peter. How tall are you actually?
PR: 170 cm tall. [Cute. Alright, I'll convert that for my readers. Let's see... 170 cm comes out to be....5.577427821517 ft... or 5' 6.9291336". No way!]
THB: What has been your greatest moment thus far in your early career as a Michigan Tech Husky?
PR: Scoring the game winner against Northern felt pretty nice.
THB: Are you starting to become a Red Wings fan yet by living in Michigan?
PR: I was a Red Wings fan before I came to the States, and I've always been one! [Wow... that caught me off guard. Peter, you're such a smart guy!!]
THB: How is Wadsworth Hall treating you? Do you enjoy the dorm food?
PR: Good! I love the dorm food... [I agree. Wads food is delicious. Wads rocks! I miss dorm food... =( ...]
THB: Who are you rooming with this season? Tell me something interesting (or embarrassing!) about your roommate.
PR: I'm rooming with Michael Meads. He is a mechanical engineer major. He has a huge tattoo of Saint Michael slaying the devil on the side of his upper body.
THB: Which of the three Husky jerseys is your favorite?
PR: The black jerseys no doubt.
THB: Who do you think is the funniest guy on the team?
PR: Tough one, there are several candidates. [What a cop out! But I'm not surprised. There are a lot of comedians on the team.]
THB: Are you any good at rubbing your tummy and patting your head at the same time?
PR: Yeah, I can even do it with my hands tied behind my back. [Okay.... that's called talent!]
THB: How many national anthems do you know the words to? Which is your favorite?
PR: I only know the Norwegian national anthem by heart, but I do know parts of the Swedish, American and Canadian anthems. The Norwegian national anthem is my favorite, but I also like the Russian one.
THB: I realize you haven't yet taken many hockey trips, but of those few that you have taken, which was your favorite and why?
PR: The Denver trip. Nice city, nice weather and nice rink. Plus one of my best friends and my neighbor from back home in Norway plays for them, so it was really great to see him!
THB: How is the female situation looking for you?
PR: Come on get real...it's Michigan Tech. Does it look good for anyone? [Peter, you're avoiding the question. :) But yeah, it's a rough place.]
THB: If you could be any height, how tall would you want to be?
PR: 6'0" is a good height. [Don't you mean 182.88 cm? =P]
THB: How does the crowd's energy and noise level affect the way you play?
PR: It certainly fires me up and gets me going. I love it when it's loud and intense!
THB: Do you ever see a Norway flag in the crowd at your games?
PR: I do and I love it! Reminds of where I am from, and it makes me proud. I appreciate it! [I'm glad you like it, Peter! It will be at all of the remaining games this season.]
THB: How many hours in the average day do you think you spend at the MacInnes?
PR: Too many. But it's all good since that's where I prefer to be!
THB: Do you prefer cats or dogs?
PR: Dogs. I hate cats, especially wildcats! [You. Are. Amazing!]
THB: Peter, I was there for your first game at UMD on Saturday night. When you guys were heading to the ice for warmups, the team was going to make you go first. You very shy and hesitated for a while. Why was this? :)
PR: The guys wanted me to go first since it was my first game. I thought they were messing with me so I hesitated since I was sure they were going to let me skate out there all alone and embarrass myself. And sure enough...
THB: And when you finally stepped onto the ice for the first time that night, how did it feel?
PR: It felt amazing. I waited a long time for that.
THB: Lastly, what would you like to say to all of the Michigan Tech fans out there (or at least the 10-20 of them that read the Tech Hockey Blog)?
PR: Thanks for the support and loyalty, you guys are great. Hopefully we can finish the season strong, make it to the Final Five and give you guys what you deserve! It's time to make Tech a national powerhouse once again!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Saturday @ UAA; Brett Olson as WCHA co-Rookie of the Week
Here it is Wednesday and at last I will finish writing up on the weekend. Hey, I'm getting better and less lazy at this!
The WCHA basement brothers shared yet another tie last weekend. And again, UAA dominated most of the game. They of courre went up early on us, 2-0. That was a bummer, but at least they were doing something to help us out: taking penalties. Before the third had ended, we tied the game 2-2 from two power play goals by none other than BRETT OLSON. This brings Brett's point count for the weekend to 3-1--4. What a great weekend for our awesome freshman.
Those two power play goals also brought our power play to 4 for 8 on the weekend. HOW ABOUT THAT?! Good stuff right there. Not to mention our penalty kill going 100%. Those two factors definitely had a hand in our two earned points this weekend.
Michigan Tech took their first lead in the longest time during the third period thanks to our new guy in up front--Drew Dobson. We were only able to enjoy this lead for a whopping minute and a half as UAA answered back almost immediately. Bummer.
But hey, a tie may not be a win, but it's not loss. I 'm happy with the point. Putting that point with the one from Friday night is like a win. Baby steps.
Hey you know, speaking of Brett Olson, he is not surprisingly WCHA Co-Rookie of the Week, along with RWD favorite Jack Connolly from UMD. Congrats to both Brett and Jack for great wekeends and a great honor. As I have mentioned before, I look forward to each and every week when Mr. Olson is on the ice. Oh geez, I just thought of something gay... but I will share it with my readers. It'll be a last thought type of thing. Here it goes -
The future looks very nice
When Brett Olson is on the ice
The WCHA basement brothers shared yet another tie last weekend. And again, UAA dominated most of the game. They of courre went up early on us, 2-0. That was a bummer, but at least they were doing something to help us out: taking penalties. Before the third had ended, we tied the game 2-2 from two power play goals by none other than BRETT OLSON. This brings Brett's point count for the weekend to 3-1--4. What a great weekend for our awesome freshman.
Those two power play goals also brought our power play to 4 for 8 on the weekend. HOW ABOUT THAT?! Good stuff right there. Not to mention our penalty kill going 100%. Those two factors definitely had a hand in our two earned points this weekend.
Michigan Tech took their first lead in the longest time during the third period thanks to our new guy in up front--Drew Dobson. We were only able to enjoy this lead for a whopping minute and a half as UAA answered back almost immediately. Bummer.
But hey, a tie may not be a win, but it's not loss. I 'm happy with the point. Putting that point with the one from Friday night is like a win. Baby steps.
Hey you know, speaking of Brett Olson, he is not surprisingly WCHA Co-Rookie of the Week, along with RWD favorite Jack Connolly from UMD. Congrats to both Brett and Jack for great wekeends and a great honor. As I have mentioned before, I look forward to each and every week when Mr. Olson is on the ice. Oh geez, I just thought of something gay... but I will share it with my readers. It'll be a last thought type of thing. Here it goes -
The future looks very nice
When Brett Olson is on the ice
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Playing Catch-Up
I apologize for my absolute laziness going on lately. What can I say? I've been busy. Let's recap the last few weekends starting with where I left off --
Saturday night in Denver... Tech played hard. It was another absolutely solid game from them in the mile high city. Number 10 was with Number 1 for the entire night. Geoff Kinrade scored his SECOND goal (of the powerplay sort, 4x3) of the weekend to tie it up, 1-1 after 1. DU's Ostrow scored in the second however and DU took the lead. The final blow came with 3.2 seconds left in the game as DU was able to put one in our empty net. The result was obviously a bummer, but man... I was so proud of the guys for how well they played. It was wonderful hockey to watch with sadly nothing to show for it... but such is the story of Michigan Tech Hockey.
The next weekend, we allowed the hostile and abusives into our ice arena as we hosted the Sioux. Friday we gave two up power play goals in the first period. Boo! It seems that UND was out to seek revenge for the defeat at the GLI. They DOMINATED that first period, 15-4 SOG. We were probably lucky to be down by only 2. Second period was rally time. The hardest working guy of the weekend, Alex Gagne, put Tech on the board within the first five minutes of the second. Four minutes later, freshman Brett Olson (who is going to be OUTSTANDING in the years to come), tied up the game. Brett Olson is quickly becoming among many Tech fans' favorite. He's definitely another hard worker for the Huskies and I'm really excited to watch him play in the upcoming years. I can definitely see him wearing the "C" in two years.
The third period on Friday -- another one dominated by the Sioux. Finley fired a rocket into the back of the net. Even if Nolan had gloved it, the sheer energyof that thing probably still would've forced Robby's glove back behind the goal line. It was THAT good. The Sioux outshot Tech 18-6 in that period, but Robby played like a champ. And everyone's favorite little Norweigan, Peter Rohn, tied up the game just a minute and a half after Finley's goal. Tech managed to hold on to the tie, despite the Sioux's utter and complete domination. The Sioux probably deserved more in this game, but oh well. They can get points in other games. The hell with them.
Saturday night versus the Sioux.... yeah.... So what if we lost 5-0? A win is a win and a loss is a loss. We're 1-1-1 against the Sioux this season. I'll take it. =)
Okay, so that brings us Anchorage! Finally. God, what an amazing city this is. I am glad to be back here. So this year, there are four other Misfits and myself that made the trip. We came prepared to take over the Sullivan. I know the five of us can easily dominate in that arena, and sure enough, we did. We started out cheering loudly at the beginning of this game. This was annoying some UAA fans. They spent more time and energy yelling at us to shut up than they did to support their team.
Dear UAA fans sitting around us:
We're not here to annoy you. We have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars and traveled across the continent to support our team, so dammit, that is what we will do. I'm sorry if you don't like it when people cheer for their hockey teams, but it will not stop us.
Our cheering and support makes the guys want to play harder and more desperate hockey. We were rewarded for our time and money spent last night by coming back from a 3-goal deficit.
My advice is to stop directing your energy toward us and focus on your team. The Seawolves need you.
When we went down 3-0, I saw Jamie in front of me point to the net and yell at Nolan, "Robby, GO." That was during the second period, a period that the Seawolves completely dominated. The second period wasn't a total loss though as Jordan Baker was able to at least get us on the board.
It was like music to my ears to hear these high school-aged Seawolves fans saying, "3 to 1, 3 to 1" in such a taunting way... and I knew then karma would run its course. Sure enough, it did.
In the third, Brett Olson put us to within one goal. What a PLAYMAKER he is! He also assisted on Baker's goal in the previous period. The future of this team looks bright with Brett. I can't wait!
The time's ticking down... and then with 2:15 left in regulation, Baker gets a penalty... one that I believe was for retaliation, but I can't comment too much on it. According to one of the Tech fans that did see it, I guess UAA's Clark was hitting at Baker's facemask and Baker was getting sick of it, so he tried to move him over, and Clark dropped like the pansy he is. When Baker got that penalty called on him, he was SO ANGRY. I watched the look on Clark's face as he skated away and it was a look of accomplishment and pride. According to one UAA fan, whose identity will be kept secret, "Clarky is a sneaky bastard." UAA fans know what's up! I hate cheating in hockey, but hey, I guess you need to do what you need to do for you team and to get the win.
If it's one thing I believe in though, it's KARMA. Clark's little stunt didn't pay off for UAA as Tech was able to score shorthanded with about 28 seconds left in regulation...!!! Derby Kitti of all guys! Absolutely perfect. Derby works hard day in and day out... He is FINALLY rewarded and rewarded with something great.
Tonight's game is going to be an absolute battle. The Seawolves are very frustrated, understandingly so, and are in need of giving to their fans who are all on the brink of insanity. If Tech wants to win tonight, they're going to have to turn it up a few notches from their play last night.
Man, this is a long blog entry.... Sorry if you actually read this.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Big News About Big Changes
Today marks a pretty huge change in this website.
Last October, the company SportsBlogs Inc., creators of the blogging network SB Nation got a pretty nice chunk of investment money from a venture capital firm to try and expand their sports blogging network. One of the areas SB Nation has tried to jump into is hockey, and more specifically, college hockey.
I was offered the chance to move my blog to SB Nation last December and decided to accept. So from now on, WCH can be found at http://www.westerncollegehockeyblog.com/
Why make this move? I have received several different blogging offers of varying quality over the years and have been reluctant to change how I do things. But there were a couple different reasons I decided to make this move.
1. I get to maintain complete editorial control. This was my first question when I was approached about signing on. This is always been a hobby for me, and if it ever stopped being fun, I'm not sure how much longer it would last, so it's best that I keep writing what I enjoy. So basically, the content is going to be the exact same as it is here(except I'll probably start posting nothing but funny YouTube videos and embarrassing pictures of celebrities. Super sorry.) It's still going to be the WCHA, CCHA, recruiting, HS hockey, USA hockey, whatever I feel like. So from that aspect, nothing is really changing.
2. A more interactive community for readers. This is actually something I've wanted for some time, but never had the technical acumen to pull off. Most newspapers in the country are in serious financial trouble at least in some part because they've failed at making the transition to the internet. The thing they've missed, at least in my mind, is that the internet was practically built on people being able to interact with one another. The problem with the comments section on most blogs or newspaper articles is that they get so cluttered with noise that there's little room for quality discussion. SB Nation has some tremendous opportunities for user-generated content that I outlined in the new blog's first post that should make this blog even better.
3. It's good exposure for college hockey. Even in the occasional emails I get from hockey people telling me what an a-hole I am, most are at least polite enough to thrown in a "While I appreciate what you do to promote college hockey..." before it. Being part of such a major network allows a different set of people to experience and learn about college hockey, who might not have otherwise, especially since there are many NHL blogs and blogs for other major college sports.
4. They have a pretty nice support staff with people that understand more about computers than I could hope to know. So now WCH will have, like, a logo, and a nice site design, and some colors that aren't a hideous shade of orange.
So overall, I feel like there are a ton of benefits to this move, and no real downsides. I'm pretty excited about it, and hope that the people who frequented this site will enjoy the new site even more.
Once again, you can find the new site at http://www.westerncollegehockeyblog.com/
Last October, the company SportsBlogs Inc., creators of the blogging network SB Nation got a pretty nice chunk of investment money from a venture capital firm to try and expand their sports blogging network. One of the areas SB Nation has tried to jump into is hockey, and more specifically, college hockey.
I was offered the chance to move my blog to SB Nation last December and decided to accept. So from now on, WCH can be found at http://www.westerncollegehockeyblog.com/
Why make this move? I have received several different blogging offers of varying quality over the years and have been reluctant to change how I do things. But there were a couple different reasons I decided to make this move.
1. I get to maintain complete editorial control. This was my first question when I was approached about signing on. This is always been a hobby for me, and if it ever stopped being fun, I'm not sure how much longer it would last, so it's best that I keep writing what I enjoy. So basically, the content is going to be the exact same as it is here(except I'll probably start posting nothing but funny YouTube videos and embarrassing pictures of celebrities. Super sorry.) It's still going to be the WCHA, CCHA, recruiting, HS hockey, USA hockey, whatever I feel like. So from that aspect, nothing is really changing.
2. A more interactive community for readers. This is actually something I've wanted for some time, but never had the technical acumen to pull off. Most newspapers in the country are in serious financial trouble at least in some part because they've failed at making the transition to the internet. The thing they've missed, at least in my mind, is that the internet was practically built on people being able to interact with one another. The problem with the comments section on most blogs or newspaper articles is that they get so cluttered with noise that there's little room for quality discussion. SB Nation has some tremendous opportunities for user-generated content that I outlined in the new blog's first post that should make this blog even better.
3. It's good exposure for college hockey. Even in the occasional emails I get from hockey people telling me what an a-hole I am, most are at least polite enough to thrown in a "While I appreciate what you do to promote college hockey..." before it. Being part of such a major network allows a different set of people to experience and learn about college hockey, who might not have otherwise, especially since there are many NHL blogs and blogs for other major college sports.
4. They have a pretty nice support staff with people that understand more about computers than I could hope to know. So now WCH will have, like, a logo, and a nice site design, and some colors that aren't a hideous shade of orange.
So overall, I feel like there are a ton of benefits to this move, and no real downsides. I'm pretty excited about it, and hope that the people who frequented this site will enjoy the new site even more.
Once again, you can find the new site at http://www.westerncollegehockeyblog.com/
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
New Commits
UAA picked up a commitment from BCHL forward Chris Crowell.
AJHL forward Carter Rowney committed to North Dakota after visiting during North Dakota's series against Minnesota.
AJHL forward Carter Rowney committed to North Dakota after visiting during North Dakota's series against Minnesota.
Friday, January 16, 2009
UNO Isn't Moving
Nebraska-Omaha head coach Mike Kemp spoke Alaska's hockey luncheon this afternoon, and had some interesting things to say about some future conference realignment.
Incidentally, the Mavericks lost 2-0 to Alaska tonight, and had to wear Fairbanks Ice Dogs jerseys, because United Airways lost their jerseys while rerouting the Mavericks a couple times turning their trip to Fairbanks into a 24-hour journey.
Anyway, Kemp said that Nebraska-Omaha had been approached by the WCHA about the possibility of applying to join the conference, but made it pretty clear that UNO had no interest in switching conferences.
One of the big reasons why is that even though the WCHA may have more traditional hockey powers, Nebraska is football territory and names like Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State are going to resonate more with local fans than a school like Denver or North Dakota. Even MAC schools like Western Michigan, Miami, and Bowling Green carry more cachet than some of the D-II football schools in Minnesota.
Kemp did mention the advantage of being able to bus to most games in the WCHA--and I'm sure avoiding the air looked especially tempting after the fiasco getting up to Fairbanks--but also said that the CCHA has been good to UNO, and they have no interest in moving.
So UNO is out in terms of a 12th WCHA team, but Kemp did mention, however, that Northern Michigan has been approached by the WCHA about potentially joining the conference as well. Would they be interested? I'm not sure.
Still, it probably has to be considered a good sign for Bemidji State that the WCHA is at least looking to add a 12th team. Twelve teams would help out with scheduling a little bit, because it would allow the league to use a "cluster" format like the CCHA has the past couple of years. Scheduling with 11 teams would still be workable though. In any case, things this summer could be very interesting as some major changes could be coming.
Incidentally, the Mavericks lost 2-0 to Alaska tonight, and had to wear Fairbanks Ice Dogs jerseys, because United Airways lost their jerseys while rerouting the Mavericks a couple times turning their trip to Fairbanks into a 24-hour journey.
Anyway, Kemp said that Nebraska-Omaha had been approached by the WCHA about the possibility of applying to join the conference, but made it pretty clear that UNO had no interest in switching conferences.
One of the big reasons why is that even though the WCHA may have more traditional hockey powers, Nebraska is football territory and names like Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State are going to resonate more with local fans than a school like Denver or North Dakota. Even MAC schools like Western Michigan, Miami, and Bowling Green carry more cachet than some of the D-II football schools in Minnesota.
Kemp did mention the advantage of being able to bus to most games in the WCHA--and I'm sure avoiding the air looked especially tempting after the fiasco getting up to Fairbanks--but also said that the CCHA has been good to UNO, and they have no interest in moving.
So UNO is out in terms of a 12th WCHA team, but Kemp did mention, however, that Northern Michigan has been approached by the WCHA about potentially joining the conference as well. Would they be interested? I'm not sure.
Still, it probably has to be considered a good sign for Bemidji State that the WCHA is at least looking to add a 12th team. Twelve teams would help out with scheduling a little bit, because it would allow the league to use a "cluster" format like the CCHA has the past couple of years. Scheduling with 11 teams would still be workable though. In any case, things this summer could be very interesting as some major changes could be coming.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Step 1 for Bemidji
The ten teams in the WCHA today voted to lift the WCHA's moratorium on league expansion.
This was the first step towards getting Bemidji State out of the dying CHA and into the WCHA. Now that the expansion moratorium has been lifted, teams can apply for conference membership until March 31st of this year, and a final vote will take place during this spring at the conference coaches' meeting.
The Bemidji Pioneer ran an editorial on BSU's credentials.
This was the first step towards getting Bemidji State out of the dying CHA and into the WCHA. Now that the expansion moratorium has been lifted, teams can apply for conference membership until March 31st of this year, and a final vote will take place during this spring at the conference coaches' meeting.
The Bemidji Pioneer ran an editorial on BSU's credentials.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Linkorama
Don Lucia doesn't have cancer, which is certainly good news.
A feature on Bowling Green's Dan Sexton. Sexton had actually committed to a school out east before decommitting and taking his chances at getting another offer, and eventually got one he liked from BG.
Former St. Cloud State forward George Awada is a hockey star in Ireland. There's a lot of interesting stuff in there about hockey culture in Ireland.
The OHL is instituting an automatic one-game suspension for playersthat remove their helmet prior to fights. Clearly no such rule exists in the WCHA.
Brandon Burlon looks poised for a big second half for Michigan.
Who would have guessed that getting swept by a weak Northern Michigan team would have negative consequences. It would be a funny coincidence if Northern Michigan kept Wisconsin out of the NCAA tournament this year, given that it was a weird comparison between Minnesota State and Northern Michigan somehow won by NMU that put Wisconsin into the NCAA tournament last year.
A feature on Bowling Green's Dan Sexton. Sexton had actually committed to a school out east before decommitting and taking his chances at getting another offer, and eventually got one he liked from BG.
Former St. Cloud State forward George Awada is a hockey star in Ireland. There's a lot of interesting stuff in there about hockey culture in Ireland.
The OHL is instituting an automatic one-game suspension for playersthat remove their helmet prior to fights. Clearly no such rule exists in the WCHA.
Brandon Burlon looks poised for a big second half for Michigan.
Who would have guessed that getting swept by a weak Northern Michigan team would have negative consequences. It would be a funny coincidence if Northern Michigan kept Wisconsin out of the NCAA tournament this year, given that it was a weird comparison between Minnesota State and Northern Michigan somehow won by NMU that put Wisconsin into the NCAA tournament last year.
New Commits
The next stop on the Mike Dorr WCHA Tour will be Minnesota State.
Jacob Cepis decided on Minnesota after also taking a visit to Boston University.
North Dakota picked up commitments from AJHL forward Corbin Knight and Winnipeg Midget forward Brendan O'Donnell.
Jacob Cepis decided on Minnesota after also taking a visit to Boston University.
North Dakota picked up commitments from AJHL forward Corbin Knight and Winnipeg Midget forward Brendan O'Donnell.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Bad Call 2: Electric Siouxgaloo
Or...Dude, where's Zach Jones' suspension?
Eleven months ago, some North Dakota player dropped his gloves and got into a fight with a guy from Denver. Referee Marco Hunt gave said North Dakota player a double minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.
Later that week, WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod decided Hunt "under-called" the fight and gave suspensions to the players.
That brings us to Saturday night. Same team. Same official. Zach Jones clearly drops his gloves and takes off his helmet with the intention of fighting Tony Lucia. The referee's intervene before Jones can reach his target(something the referees were reprimanded for not doing last year in another, different North Dakota fight, BTW), but it's pretty clear that Jones wasn't trying to shake Lucia's hand.
And for that, Jones received a two-minute minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct. Incidentally, that marked the fourth time in Jones' career that he got two minutes for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct rather than getting tossed for fighting. But the question is: why? If you're going to give a guy a penalty for whatever he intends to do after he drops his gloves and takes off his helmet--and then wrestles with the officials to break away, but that's a different discussion--how can you give him anything other than a fighting major?
Last time, that mistake got corrected. This one probably should be too.
Eleven months ago, some North Dakota player dropped his gloves and got into a fight with a guy from Denver. Referee Marco Hunt gave said North Dakota player a double minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.
Later that week, WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod decided Hunt "under-called" the fight and gave suspensions to the players.
That brings us to Saturday night. Same team. Same official. Zach Jones clearly drops his gloves and takes off his helmet with the intention of fighting Tony Lucia. The referee's intervene before Jones can reach his target(something the referees were reprimanded for not doing last year in another, different North Dakota fight, BTW), but it's pretty clear that Jones wasn't trying to shake Lucia's hand.
And for that, Jones received a two-minute minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct. Incidentally, that marked the fourth time in Jones' career that he got two minutes for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct rather than getting tossed for fighting. But the question is: why? If you're going to give a guy a penalty for whatever he intends to do after he drops his gloves and takes off his helmet--and then wrestles with the officials to break away, but that's a different discussion--how can you give him anything other than a fighting major?
Last time, that mistake got corrected. This one probably should be too.
CSB Mid-Term Rankings
NHL Central Scouting released their mid-term rankings, which is the first list they put out that ranks each North American player.
You can view the list for North American skaters here, and North American goalies here.
As always, some very interesting choices from the NHL CSB, but overall, they seem to like the American players this year, especially as you move down the list, you start to see a lot of American players eligible last season that weren't selected.
You can view the list for North American skaters here, and North American goalies here.
As always, some very interesting choices from the NHL CSB, but overall, they seem to like the American players this year, especially as you move down the list, you start to see a lot of American players eligible last season that weren't selected.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Vote for Hobey
The online fan vote for the Hobey Baker Award began last week without a lot of fanfare. The past few years, the fan vote has been plagued by automated voting giving certain players a bazillion votes. This year, the Hobey committee offers this stern warning:
Second, is there an emptier threat than saying you're going to cut the fan vote out of the award? The fan vote counts for 1% of the final vote total, making it essentially meaningless already. Has the fan vote ever made a difference in the voting? It seems that most years, the recipient of the fan vote doesn't even make the top ten. Would anything really change if they stopped bothering with the fan vote?
Of course one thing that amuses me in all this is that they supposedly picked the 50 top players in college hockey this year. The most notable omission from that list of 50 is the guy that was allegedly the best player in college hockey two years ago. Either college hockey has come a long way over the past two years, or the committee's mistake in 2007 is becoming more apparent. Maybe they would be better off giving the fans more power.
"Automated or programmed voting is not allowed. In the spirit of Hobey Baker himself, all voting should be conducted in an honest and ethical manner. If further automated voting is evidenced, then the fan vote will not be included in this year’s selection process. We thank all college hockey fans for participating in this year’s Vote For Hobey."OK, first off...in the spirit of Hobey Baker himself? Back before the delightful Fire Joe Morgan gave up blogging to focus on a new TV show starring Amy Poehler (*shudder*), they had an interesting observation on the evolution of video technology in baseball:
"If you could go back in time and take Nap Lajoie into a room after Rube Waddell K'd him on three pitches and show him a glowing box with a video replay of the at bat, he would call you a demon, slit your throat, tear out his eyes, and generally freak the f--- out."I feel pretty much the same way re: Hobey Baker and computer voting fraud.
Second, is there an emptier threat than saying you're going to cut the fan vote out of the award? The fan vote counts for 1% of the final vote total, making it essentially meaningless already. Has the fan vote ever made a difference in the voting? It seems that most years, the recipient of the fan vote doesn't even make the top ten. Would anything really change if they stopped bothering with the fan vote?
Of course one thing that amuses me in all this is that they supposedly picked the 50 top players in college hockey this year. The most notable omission from that list of 50 is the guy that was allegedly the best player in college hockey two years ago. Either college hockey has come a long way over the past two years, or the committee's mistake in 2007 is becoming more apparent. Maybe they would be better off giving the fans more power.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Denver - Night One
16.8 seconds. SIXTEEN POINT EIGHT SECONDS.That was rough. Very rough. First and foremost, I must say that I am ABSOLUTELY SO PROUD of my team. Michigan Tech played SO WELL in the Magness. I know I've said this before, but I will say it again because it applies here: the Huskies deserved better.
There is pretty much one picture that can sum up the game -
It was up... then it was down... then up again, then down and down further. Then it was the top... The top is the point where one's FAVORITE player scores to tie the game with less than one minute left. Then with 16.8 seconds left, the roller coaster went down down down. Down to China! Ugh. This is probably the most depressed I've been this season... or at least close. It's tough for a game to end like that though. So heartbreaking. It was like the oxygen was just removed right from my lungs.. and that's a huge bummer because being up here in the mile high city, there's not much there to begin with.
I'm sure the team is heartbroken tonight... but let that be a reason for them to come out and play hard tomorrow... throughout the entire game. They're going to steal one somewhere if they keep playing like they did Friday night in Denver.
On a side note, Denver fans are amazing... amongst the best in college hockey.
That is all.
EDIT: No wait. That's not at all. Michigan Tech beat UND in the third place game at UND! Okay, now that's all.
I'm sure the team is heartbroken tonight... but let that be a reason for them to come out and play hard tomorrow... throughout the entire game. They're going to steal one somewhere if they keep playing like they did Friday night in Denver.
On a side note, Denver fans are amazing... amongst the best in college hockey.
That is all.
EDIT: No wait. That's not at all. Michigan Tech beat UND in the third place game at UND! Okay, now that's all.
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