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College Hockey Landscape Changes Again

Aug 28

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

So far in the year 2011, college hockey has been shaken up more than the Shake Weight. The conference hit hardest was the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). It had members Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State announce plans to depart the conference in 2013-14 to form the Big Ten hockey conference with Minnesota, Wisconsin and 2012-13 newcomer Penn State.

That in itself set off a domino effect with members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) and CCHA getting together and forming the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) in July. That conference will also begin play in 2013 and consist of North Dakota, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha, Miami (Ohio), Denver, and Colorado College. Every school with the exception of Miami are members of the WCHA while Miami is a member of the CCHA. The seven teams who have departed the conference finished in the top seven in the 2010-11 WCHA regular season standings.

The WCHA had to do something to add to the five remaining schools and what they did was raid the CCHA cabinet and extend invitations to Ferris State, Alaska, Western Michigan, Northern Michigan, Lake Superior State, and Bowling Green. Northern Michigan accepted the invitation to join the WCHA last month while Ferris State, Alaska, and Lake Superior State accepted and will join the conference in 2013 in the last week. Bowling Green has not made a final decision and will make one before the 30-day acceptance deadline according to an August 25 press release by the WCHA. The only school still in conference limbo is Notre Dame, and it is speculated they could either join Hockey East or NCHC if invited, or become an Independent like Alabama-Huntsville. The “new” WCHA will have 10 teams and can move up to 11 depending on Bowling Green. The NCHC will have six teams, the same number as the Big Ten.

It looks like the CCHA as we know it could cease to exist. Every conference member (sans Bowling Green and Notre Dame) will depart to a new league in 2013. The CCHA could remain and expand to smaller schools out east, including members of Atlantic Hockey and ECAC. That could happen but it is still to be determined. The CCHA is headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. And without any Michigan-based schools in the conference, it will be difficult to attract schools in states such as Pennsylvania, New York, etc. The CCHA and WCHA had a series of meetings last week in Chicago. The leagues will continue to meet and discuss logistical issues such as by-laws, scheduling, tournament scenarios, finances and adding additional members.

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Wolverines and Buckeyes Take Rivalry Outdoors

Aug 13

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

From this vantage point, one would be looking at center ice this winter for the Frozen Diamond Faceoff.

For those who aren’t from the midwest, Michigan and Ohio have a fierce rivalry. Ohioans and Michiganders hate each other with a passion. It goes as far back as 1835 when Ohio took Toledo from Michigan during the Toledo War. The war has since progressed into one of the greatest rivalries in college football between the University of Michigan and Ohio State University, that featured two of the legendary coaches in college football in Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes. Currently, one of the hottest division races in Major League Baseball is between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians.

And coming this winter, the rivalry will be played on ice under the bright lights and falling snow as the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes will take part in the Frozen Diamond Faceoff at Progressive Field. The game between Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) members will take place Saturday, January 15, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.

An NHL-sized rink will be setup down the first base line stretching in the infield from home plate to the outfield. The two teams are no-strangers to playing outdoor hockey in recent years. Going back to The Cold War versus Michigan State in 2001, the Wolverines are 1-1-1 in outdoor games while the Buckeyes are 0-1. Both have a common opponent in outdoor games as both played University of Wisconsin in separate games at Lambeau Field (vs Ohio State in 2006) and Camp Randall Field (vs. Michigan in 2010). The Badgers defeated the Badgers in both games.

This is the third consecutive game Michigan has played outdoors. Last season they set a world hockey attendance record when they defeated Michigan State in The Big Chill at The Big House. Specifics about ticket availability have yet to be announced and will be announced in the coming weeks.

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My Day With 113,410 of my Closest Friends

Dec 14

Posted by Eddie in Soap Box | No Comments

Saturday afternoon was unlike any other in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sure they are used to having over 100,000 fans jammed into popular tailgating spots such as Pioneer High School, U of M Golf Course, and parking lots in the athletic complex. This was unlike any other because instead of seeing football jerseys and footballs being thrown around, you saw makeshift hockey games with garbage cans as goals. You also saw hockey jerseys and other cold weather apparel being worn. At The Big Chill hockey game at Michigan Stadium, it was truly a once in a lifetime event.

View from my seat as the third period began at The Big Chill

When I attended college at Ferris State University, I attended sporting events in a media capacity during my four years. I never had the opportunity like my friends who went to schools such as Michigan, Michigan State, and others and enjoy the complete tailgate experience. This was my first time arriving at the venue several hours prior to kickoff or the puck dropping to hang out, chat, and enjoy a beverage of choice. When I attended games, I would usually show up 30 minutes prior to the game starting, head straight to the press box and kept my nose in front of media guides, a laptop computer, or various pregame statistical information before the game starting. It was something that I really enjoyed doing, I hope to do the tailgate thing before a Michigan State football game next fall.

I tailgated at Pioneer High School, across the street from Michigan Stadium. There was an interactive Fan Fest for the fans as well. They had several activities for both children and adults. They had activities such as a shooting net, concerts, contests, and mini hockey games going on. The presenting sponsor of the game, Arby’s, was also giving out free roast beef sandwiches to fans.

Inside the stadium, there was a B-2 Stealth flyover after the national anthem. I had never seen one in person, and they are truly amazing to see. You won’t know it flew over you unless you looked up and seen it. They were that quiet. One of the first things that I noticed about the ice was that it looked bigger than what I seen in Madison, Wisconsin for the Camp Randall Classic. At most other non-traditional hockey games, they used the regular NHL sized rink. But for The Big Chill, they used the wider Olympic sized rink to make the size of the rink look larger on the football field. Good decision by the planners because it didn’t seem as small and allowed the fans to feel a few feet closer to the action. Another positive for the game was putting fireworks around the perimeter of the rink that was set to go off before the game, after Michigan goals and during the post-game fireworks display.

Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of post-game fireworks. It’s similar to things like a parade, the Detroit Auto Show, and Dick Clark’s New Years Eve: Once you’ve seen it once or twice, you’ve seen enough of it. But never before at Michigan Stadium had there been fireworks placed and set off atop of the east and west sides of the stadium where the press box and club seating is located. I loved the use of various colors, patterns and how it was set to accompanying music.

I don’t know if I will attend another outdoor hockey game of this magnitude again. But I do know, organizers of future games will have a difficult time matching the experience I enjoyed Saturday at Michigan Stadium.

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Frozen Four Championship Drops Tonight

Apr 10

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Will Boston College or Wisconsin hold the trophy tonight? Tune to ESPN2 and watch the Frozen Four Championship

Will Boston College or Wisconsin hold the trophy tonight? Tune to ESPN2 and watch the Frozen Four Championship

The point of the year that players have been looking forward to since the beginning of the season is tonight as Boston College and Wisconsin face-off in the national championship game. The puck will drop at 7:00 at Ford Field in Detroit. Thursday was the semifinals and some surprising things happened while I was there.

1. The ice was in better shape than I thought. I’ve attended outdoor games and played outdoor hockey myself. Setting up the ice in a non-traditional hockey venue has a lot of challenges. One differences I did see between the Camp Randall Classic and the Frozen Four is that the ice didn’t have to be worked on as frequent as it did during the Wisconsin-Michigan outdoor game. If you recall, the net where Bryan Hogan had to defend for two periods caused a lot of stoppages to apply dry ice as it appeared to constantly break loose and crack. At the Frozen Four, I believed only one stoppage occurred to repair the ice and that was late in the Miami-Boston College game. Another fact, is the rink used in the NHL Winter Classic is the same one used at the Frozen Four as I seen the refrigeration truck in the loading dock outside Ford Field.

2. The letdown that was both semifinals. I had a hunch that RIT would be a little over matched against Wisconsin. Wisconsin didn’t let RIT in the game at all as they scored quickly and often. Wisconsin did what Denver didn’t do and that was come out scoring from the start. I was hoping Miami-Boston College would be a good game, but a span of 4 minutes between the end of the first and beginning of the second periods is what turned this game around. BC scored late in the first and twice more in the first three minutes of the second period to take a 3-0 lead. Desperate times called for desperate measures and Miami tried to attack and press on offense which backfired as BC scored three more times in a 1:35 span in the third period to take a 6-1 lead with 8 minutes left in the game.

The crowds at Ford Field was very exciting. It was cool to see college hockey jerseys from all over the country, as some of my favorites included Boston University and Maine.

The key for Boston College to win is for them to stay out of the penalty box. Wisconsin is a deadly team on the power play as they scored three power play goals in a nine minute span. Including two five-on-three goals as RIT took too many bad penalities including a game-misconduct for checking from behind.

The key for Wisconsin is to avoid the trap of Boston College’s scoring. The Eagles scored often against Miami but they were in bunches. The Badgers have to not get too down when the Eagles score because they can come right down the ice and score again. Wisconsin has to continue to use their defenseman to create scoring chances. They looked really good with traffic in front of the net and you never know what can happen with deflections of pucks in the slot.

This is a rematch of the 2006 championship, where the Badgers defeated the Eagles 2-1. That Frozen Four was played in their home state, only down the road from its home campus in Milwaukee. In this game, I like both teams. This should be an exciting game that could even go into overtime. I think I like Wisconsin a little more than I do Boston College.

In you cannot watch the game on ESPN2, be sure to follow Hockey World Blog on Twitter for live updates.

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And Then There Were Four

Apr 8

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

2010frozenfourThe Frozen Four is here and upon us. Fans will enter the gates of Ford Field this Thursday and Saturday for two semifinal and the national championship. I will be one of the 37,000+ fans in attendance for both games Friday and the championship Saturday. I’m hoping to see three exciting games between four deserving teams. Here’s a preview of each team and what to expect at Ford Field.

We saw Duke having their One Shining Moment on Monday when they won the men’s basketball Frozen Four. Which team will have theirs come Saturday night?

Miami Redhawks

Why they will win it: This team has been on a mission for the last 360+ days. What team wouldn’t after what transpired against Boston University.

Why they won’t win it: Just like how they could win it, they could simply try too hard and press too much if it’s less than 5 minutes and they are trailing by one.

The Redhawks are a team that’s been on my radar all season. I’ve watched them play in the CCHA semifinal and consolation game and they looked like two different teams. The defeat against Michigan only a few miles away from Ford Field was one of their worse performances all season. But it was the Redhawks who won the more important game against the Wolverines at the Midwest Regional in Fort Wayne, Ind. They are a strong team with plenty of solid players on both sides of the puck. And in goal, they have two equally competent goalies who each had what it takes to win the championship. On offense they don’t have one go-to player or line, but a corps of players who each can light the lamp. The only problem is if they end up in a bind, who can you count on to create scoring opportunities?

Boston College Eagles

Why they will win it: They led hockey East in team defense. They can slow it down and have a low scoring game or rev it up and have a high scoring shootout.

Why they won’t win it:The high scoring shootouts isn’t what you want in the national semifinal and national championship. If Miami has a two or more goal lead after two periods Thursday night, I don’t know if a team that allowed six to Miami and seven to Yale in postseason play can come back from that.

The Eagles have not experienced a loss since February 19. During that stretch, they have gone 10-0-1. In addition, they have trailed for a grand total of 55 seconds. Coach Jerry York is one of the legends of the college game, and he has been to the Frozen Four in four of the last five seasons. He will have his troops ready and prepared for Miami come 8:00 Thursday night. Similar to Wisconsin this year, the Eagles should adjust to the massive environment of Ford Field faster than RIT and Miami, as they played at Fenway Park in January.Look for Boston College to play a puck movement style of hockey, as York doesn’t like to see the puck on a players stick for too long. Keeping the puck moving and looking for the open man is what will be key to lighting the lamp.

Wisconsin Badgers

Why they will win it:Experienced team of mostly upperclassmen. They are also a team with a powerful offense from the forwards and defensemen and the team has lots of tournament experience.

Why they won’t win it:They don’t have the solid goaltending you’d like to have this late in the season. RIT had no problem standing up and punching a WCHA opponent, like what they did to Denver in the regional.

The 2006 and 2010 seasons have very similar comparisons for the Wisconsin Badgers. 2006 was the last time they won a national championship and they are two wins away from the same feat this weekend. 2006 was also when the Badgers played in a football stadium and they did so in February. Coach Mike Eaves has to take a K.I.S.S. approach with his team and that is to keep it simple and do what they have done all season up to this point. At this point in the season, coaches have to be careful and not over coach on the bench. The players know the systems and assignments and they have stick to the game plan and make adjustments only when necessary. The Badgers have to focus on things they can control, such as having a strong presence in the slot on both sides of the ice. For Wisconsin to advance and move on, goalie Scott Gudmanson needs to have a solid game and knock away any loose pucks near the net.

Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers

Why they will win it: They have nothing to lose. No one outside their dressing room thought they would be here. They proved they can play with the big boys after upsets of Denver and New Hampshire.

Why they won’t win it: They are a #4 seed and would have to defeat three #1 seeds in four games up capture the championship. That’s a tough task for any team.

RIT is the team that was supposed to be playing golf this weekend instead of strapping the pads at Ford Field. Now that they are here, they have to focus on the task at hand and not get too happy just by being here. You’ll see this with Cinderella teams that advance in the NCAA hockey or basketball tournaments: a team that was still on such a high when winning the regional that by the time the Final/Frozen Four rolls around they aren’t ready to play because they “were just happy to be here”. When doing my research, this same topic was covered when RIT coach Wayne Wilson sought advice from Bemidji State bench boss Tom Serratore about “the small school dealing with big time distractions that come with advancing to the Frozen Four”. Serratore sent Wilson an email that said  “By the time we got to D.C., the game might have been secondary from the experience we had from winning [the regionals] .” Wilson posted that warning in the RIT locker room last week, and that’s enough bulletin board material to drive it home to his players.

The rink setup at Ford Field for the Frozen Four

The rink setup at Ford Field for the Frozen Four

The Picks

RIT vs. Wisconsin:

The first semifinal could be the more interesting match up. RIT has nothing to lose while Wisconsin is a favorite to win it all. The Tigers could be dangerous for the Badgers simply because they have defeated top teams just two weekends ago. Similar to Butler in the NCAA basketball tournament, the small school knows how to play with the big boys and they aren’t afraid to crash the party. The Tigers have won 12 straight games and have allowed 14 goals in its last 11 games. College hockey media guides normally list the NHL teams that have draft rights to its players. RIT’s media guide list players favorite teams because none are draft picks of NHL franchises. Compare that to 11 picks of the Badgers including Hobey Baker Award finalist Blake Geoffrion could be too much for the Tigers to tame. I like RIT to keep it close till midway through the third period before Wisconsin scores a couple goals to advance to the championship.

My Pick: Wisconsin

Boston College vs. Miami: 8 p.m.

This could be the best game of the weekend. Boston College and Miami are two teams who know how to get to this point in the season and how to play in pressure situations. Like I have said all season, Miami is a team on a mission ever since they walked off the ice at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. last April. Compare that with the tragic death of manager Brendan Burke, Miami has a few things on their mind to play this championship for. Boston College could be the team that can spoil the party but don’t expect that to happen. If the Redhawks don’t come out and get a 2-3 goal lead after 40 minutes then they could be in trouble. I don’t foresee another performance like they had in regulation against Michigan, but rather a team that’s on a mission and nothing will derail that.

My Pick: Miami

Check back before Saturday’s game for recaps and photos of the action at Ford Field, as well as a preview and picks of Saturday’s national championship.

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NCAA Tournament Preview and Picks Part 2

Mar 27

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

ncaaYesterday I didn’t do so hot with the picks. I went 1-4, with only Wisconsin coming through and beating Vermont. Let’s hope I do a little better today as today’s picks will feature the Northeast and Midwest Regions. Yesterday’s picks featured the East and West Regions.

Note: Seeded teams are overall tournament seeded teams.

Northeast Regional- Worcester, Mass.

(4) Boston College vs Alaska: Saturday 1:30 p.m.

Boston College got here because they won the Hockey East. The Eagles have been peaking at the right moment, as they have been unbeaten in over six weeks. The Eagles has had solid goaltending between John Muse and Parker Milner. It was Muse who backstopped the Eagles to the national championship two seasons ago. What could scare the Eagles was his performance last weekend in the conference title game against Maine when he allowed six goals.

Alaska is closer to the North Star than the rest of us in the lower 48, and they should be thanking their lucky stars as they earned the fourth CCHA bid despite getting bounced in the quarterfinal round against Northern Michigan. The Nanooks have played very polarizing hockey this season. They would get hot and play stingy defense, then they would get cold and not put the puck in the net. Another question of note is where will the offense come from? Only three players have over 10 goals this season, which can help because BC won’t know which player to shut down. I like Boston College to win this match up.

North Dakota vs Yale: 5 p.m.

North Dakota got here  because they pulled off the difficult task of running through the gauntlet that is the WCHA Final Five and won three games in three days. Not to mention they played 6 games in 9 days dating back to the first round of the WCHA playoffs. They are on a hot streak in the last two weeks, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be successful in a one-and-done format. Whats made this North Dakota so unique is they are very young and don’t have that one go-to player, but several players playing really good hockey this time of the year.

Yale on the other hand, is a team that’s had a season quite different than most teams in the tournament. Some teams such as Cornell was low scoring but had solid goaltending. The Bulldogs led the nation in scoring as they averaged over four goals per game. But their goaltending is what’s let them down as they were eighth in goal differential. They can succeed in one of two ways: have the defense step up or simply make the game into a track meet and put up 5-6 goals per game on the scoreboard. With those two factors in mind, I think North Dakota has the opportunity to stop Yale’s offense and put up a few goals of their own. Expect the Fighting Sioux to fight another day in the regional final.

Regional Final: 5:30 p.m. Sunday

Advancing to the Frozen Four: Boston College

Midwest Regional- Fort Wayne, Ind.

(1) Miami vs Alabama-Huntsville: Saturday 4:00 p.m.

Miami is the overall top seed in the tournament. The Redhawks have played stellar hockey all season, with the exception being the drubbing they received from Michigan in the CCHA semifinals. This team is really deep, talented, and they are on a mission with the final 75 seconds of regulation in the national championship last season. This season, they have a little bit of everything: powerful offense, a vacuum defense, and solid special teams. What could bite them in the regional final is simply trying too hard to get back to the Frozen Four.

Alabama-Huntsville was one of the bracket-busters as they won the CHA tournament despite having a losing record. The CHA was supposed to be a one-bid league (Bemidji State) but earned themselves two. Whats working in their favor is some players do have NCAA tournament experience with a double overtime loss to Notre Dame in 2007. Whats also working in their favor is three of Miami’s seven losses this season came against CHA teams. UAH will have to play a perfect game and have a few bounces go their way if they want to beat Miami. As we saw yesterday with RIT beating Denver, anything can happen.

We’ve seen this situation before. Holy Cross over Minnesota in 2006. Bemidji State over Notre Dame in 2009. Those are the only 1-16 or 2-15 upsets in the modern 16-team NCAA tournament. Can lightning strike three times in five years? I don’t think so. Expect Miami to win by at least three goals.

Michigan vs Bemidji State: 7:30 p.m.

I knew this would happen. Michigan was sitting at 4-7 on November 20. Things in Ann Arbor wasn’t very good. The streak of 19 straight tournament births would be in doubt. But something happened. The Wolverines were able to turn things around and got hot at the right time as they are 8-1 since February 20. What they have been riding nearly since then is a third year walk-on goalie in Shawn Hunwick as he’s posted a 7-2 record in relief of the injured Bryan Hogan. Not bad for someone that’s seen less ice time than it takes to drive to the grocery store before stepping between the pipes.

Bemidji State is in gut-check mode. After running through the CHA regular season and playing solid hockey, they puked on themselves in the conference tournament with a loss to Niagara and a tie against Robert Morris. They have had two weeks to think about what didn’t go right in the CHA tournament. That combined with them not being able to sneak up against opponents this time around could spell trouble for the Beavers.

The Wolverines caught a favorable match up in the NCAA tournament. They have the potential to reach the Frozen Four and if they do, it can turn Ford Field into Michigan Stadium East. But first things first, expect them to beat Bemidji State before setting up a rematch of the CCHA semi’s with Miami for a chance to reach the Frozen Four.

Midwest Regional Final: Sunday, 8:00 p.m.

Advancing to the Frozen Four: Miami

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NCAA Tournament Preview and Picks Part 1

Mar 26

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

The road to the Frozen Four starts tonight

The road to the Frozen Four starts tonight.

Well ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the point where every team wanted to be at the beginning of the college hockey season. Beginning tomorrow and ending Sunday afternoon, we will wind our way down from 16 teams to the Frozen Four. So enough with the cliches and metaphors and let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this blog and get down with regional breakdowns and picks. Today’s picks will feature the East and West Regions. The Northeast and Midwest Regions will be featured tomorrow.

Note: Seeded teams are overall tournament seeded teams.

East Regional- Albany, N.Y.

(2)Denver vs RIT: 3:00 p.m Friday

Denver qualified for the NCAA tournament as an at-large bid out of the WCHA. Denver was thought of as not only the WCHA tournament champion but also as one of the contenders to win the national championship. The Pioneers had not lost consecutive games all season until losing two games at the WCHA Final Five last weekend. Not a good sign if you’d think teams want to be playing peak hockey going into the NCAA tournament.

You would think Denver has a favorable match up in the first round, but they should be on upset alert as they go up against RIT. RIT won the Atlantic Hockey Conference tournament and is third in the nation in wins with 26. Only Denver and Miami have more than the Tigers at 27. They dominated the competition last weekend as they outscored their opponents 10-1. The Tigers are making their first appearance in the tournament and could shock the entire tournament if they upset the Pioneers. What could work in their favor is defense and goaltending as they are third in the nation as they allowed 2.08 goals per game.

While I would love to take RIT because the numbers don’t lie and they also feature Detroit native and longtime personal friend Cameron Burt, I like the Pioneers in this game.

Cornell vs New Hampshire: 6:30 p.m.

Things must be going pretty good over in the Cornell athletic department. The Big Red hoops team won two games in the basketball tournament and is in the Sweet 16. The hockey team won the ECAC tournament and is playing not far from home in the NCAA tournament in Albany. Ben Scrivens is one of the hottest goalies in the country as he is riding a three-game shutout streak. The Big Red doesn’t score in bunches but their forecheck is so strong that by the time the opponent has to dump-and-change.

New Hampshire has to play a near perfect game if they want to advance in the tournament. It’ll be a tremendous feat to make it all the way to the Frozen Four because if they get past Cornell, they will have another stellar goalie between the pipes in Denver’s Marc Cheverie. They will have to possess a strong forecheck against Cornell and try to keep the turnovers to a minimum. They will also have to keep Cornell to under one, maybe two goals and hope the game will come down to overtime where anything can happen.

I like Cornell in this match up because of their stingy defense and the ability to keep the opposition out of its zone.

East Regional Final: Saturday, 6:30 p.m.

Advancing to the Frozen Four: Denver

West Regional- St. Paul, Minn.

St. Cloud State vs Northern Michigan: 5:00 p.m.

In a regional where we are guaranteed to have an at-large team reach the Frozen Four, this match up features teams playing in the NCAA tournament for the ninth time. The difference is that the Huskies of the WCHA are 0-8 while the Wildcats of the CCHA are 10-9 in the tournament. The Huskies will have the “home ice” advantage as the crowd will be pro-St. Cloud State, but I have seen Northern Michigan and they could have the opportunity to travel especially since it is a drivable distance from Marquette to St. Paul.

St. Cloud State has to keep this game low scoring for them to have a chance. When I saw Northern Michigan against Ferris State in the CCHA semi’s last weekend, Northern can fire a lot of shots and as what we saw in the 63 second span in the second period, score quickly and in bunches. Northern Michigan is the team that’s playing better as of late, but what Wildcats team will show up: the team that can score two goals and win, or the team that can score four goals and lose?

If you think a three-over-two seed is an upset, then you will see it here. I’m going with Northern Michigan advancing to keep the tournament losing streak going for St. Cloud State.

(3) Wisconsin vs Vermont:

The Badgers is a team I had the opportunity to watch at the Camp Randall Classic in February. While they are the third seed nationally in the tournament, this team can scare me in this region. Wisconsin does have the offense and the power play (as demonstrated in the Camp Randall Classic) to win the national championship. But what can keep the Badgers away from Ford Field is goaltending. If they run into a hot goaltender during this weekend, I don’t believe Wisconsin’s own backstop Scott Gudmanson can be as equal.

Vermont is the team looking for the upset special in this match up. They reached the Frozen Four last season but they will be on everyone’s radar this time around. They even needed help to even reach the field when Boston College defeated Maine in the Hockey East title game. At 17-14-7, did they even belong in the tournament as a 21-13-6 Ferris State team stayed home? I guess you can thank their “quality of victories” over Denver, Boston College and two victories over New Hampshire in the conference tournament. The Catamounts struggled this year as they finished eighth in league play and have struggled to light the lamp.

The Badgers are the better team on paper, but the Catamounts did post several quality victories over top ranked teams this season. In one game tournament, the cream rises to the top and that cream just happened to be colored red. Wisconsin over Vermont in this regional semifinal.

West Regional Final: Saturday, 9:00 p.m.

Advancing to the Frozen Four: Wisconsin

Check back Saturday for previews and picks of the Northeast and Midwest Regions.

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Previewing The College Conference Tournaments

Mar 12

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

This weekend and next weekend, college hockey teams from all over the NCAA map will be vying for conference championships and NCAA tournament births. While conferences such as the CCHA has already started (their first round was last weekend), the other tournaments will begin first round/quarterfinal action tonight.

College Hockey America

Well, this is the last hurrah for the CHA. With only four teams in the conference, the teams will go their separate ways after this season. Niagara and Robert Morris will head to Atlantic Hockey next season. Bemidji State will join the Nebraska-Omaha (who is leaving the CCHA) to make the WCHA a 12-team conference. Alabama-Huntsville applied for admission to the CCHA but was denied. UAH will compete as an independent for 2010-11.

The first semi-final features Robert Morris vs. Alabama-Huntsville. The Colonials are already celebrating in Pittsburgh as it’s men’s basketball team earned a NCAA tournament birth. Could the hockey team accomplish the same feat? I think so.

The second semi-final puts Bemidji State vs. Niagara. Niagara as the no. 4 seed would shake up the entire tournament if they win. But the Beavers are just too good. If the Beavers just get to the championship and perhaps lose to the Colonials, they could still make the tournament at the expense of bumping out a power conference team.

Championship Pick: Bemidji State over Robert Morris

CCHA

Michigan State, Miami, Ferris State and Northern Michigan all had the weekend off last week as the other eight teams played in the first round. The first round went chalk as each team recorded sweeps. While the Redhawks is the only team guaranteed a NCAA tournament birth. The Spartans and Bulldogs are currently “in” but can be “out” if each team loses this weekend. The Spartans play host to the Michigan Wolverines. Good thing the series is in East Lansing because something isn’t right with the water in Ann Arbor. The football team stinks, the men’s basketball team stinks, and the hockey team has had it’s worse season in nearly two decades. Can the 19-year NCAA streak come to an end? The only way Michigan makes the tournament is if they run the table.

Having their best season since the 2003 regular-season championship year, the Bulldogs play host to Nebraska-Omaha. The teams are meeting for the second consecutive season in the playoffs as the Mavericks swept the Bulldogs in Omaha. UNO is 7-6-3 all-time in Big Rapids, and I anticipate two or three close games this weekend. If the Bulldogs win this series, they are in the NCAA tournament provided they don’t get blown out in the semi’s at Joe Louis Arena. The question of thought is if UNO win’s the Mason Cup, do they keep it and take it to the WCHA with them? Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Miami is playing host to Ohio State. When ever these two teams square off, it’s either Miami blowing Ohio State or the teams play a close game. Miami is the no. 1 team in the country. They still have the final minute of the national championship in the back of their minds and they are on a mission this season. Expect two blowout games this weekend as Miami expects to make two trips to Detroit this postseason.

In Marquette, we will see two teams that are on a hot streak. The Wildcats haven’t lost at home in the 2010 calendar year, while the Nanook’s are 8-0-2 in their last 10 games. Alaska has already taken out one Michigan directional school as they swept Western Michigan. Can they make it two-for-two?

Advancing to next weekend’s semi-finals: Miami, Michigan, Ferris State, Northern Michigan

WCHA

The Final Five in St. Paul is always one of the best conference tournaments. The 10 teams will all compete this weekend in hope is advancing to the Xcel Energy Center.

Denver plays host to Michigan Tech. The Pioneers took both matchups this season and don’t expect anything different to happen. Expect the Huskies to compete and give it their all, but MTU has won only four games in-conference this season. Don’t expect them to capture two this weekend.

I had the pleasure of seeing Wisconsin play this season. They have been playing well and steady all season. This is a NCAA tournament team for sure, and it will be great seeing them play again at Ford Field in the Frozen Four. Their opponent this weekend is Alaska-Anchorage, and the Seawolves will have their hands full in Madison is they want to cause an upset.

Other matchups in the WCHA include St. Cloud State vs. Minnesota State, North Dakota vs. Minnesota, and Minnesota-Duluth vs. Colorado College.

Advancing to St. Paul next weekend: Denver, North Dakota, Colorado College, St. Cloud State, and Wisconsin.

Other Conference Tournament Picks:

Hockey East: New Hampshire, Boston College, Boston University, Maine

ECAC: Yale, Cornell, Quinnipiac, St. Lawrence

Atlantic Hockey: RIT, Sacred Heart, Air force, Mercyhurst

Next weekend will feature previews of the semi-finals as well as picks for all conference championships.

 

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My Time At The Camp Randall Classic

Feb 9

Posted by Eddie in News | 5 Comments

Over the weekend I had the pleasure to embark on a “Guy’s Weekend” as I traveled to Madison, Wisconsin to attend the Michigan-Wisconsin hockey game dubbed the Culver’s Camp Randall Classic.

This was my view from my seat at Camp Randall. We were originally located near the giant tunnel on the right in the first row of people but we moved to enjoy a better view.

This was my view from my seat at Camp Randall. We were originally located near the giant tunnel on the right in the first row of people but we moved to enjoy a better view.

I had a great time experiencing a Big Ten college town, with all the features that come with it such as bars, restaurants, and people supporting their team.

My friends and I had no problems in terms of weather on the drive there. It snowed a little while passing through Chicago but nothing too severe. We arrived in Madison around 8:00. After some relaxing and getting a few necessary party supplies, we ventured out in our Michigan jerseys and sweatshirts as we went to check out the nightlife that Madison had to offer.

We encountered some playful heckling from the Wisconsin fans but we did take over the second floor of a bar with a rendition of Hail to the Victors with other pockets of Michigan fans. I also had the pleasure of hanging out with an alumni of my college (Ferris State) and saw three other Bulldog alumni that live in Madison. So my night went pretty good and made me more excited to attend the game Saturday afternoon.

When game day arrived Saturday, we decided to bar crawl around the State Street bars prior to the game. We eventually settled at State Street Brats, which is one of the best college-town sports bars in America from what I’ve heard and the plaques on the wall said. The food there was very good, as well as some of the local Wisconsin brews they had on tap.

The action at Camp Randall began with the Wisconsin women’s team taking on Bemidji State. The Badgers lit the lamp a lot as they won 6-1. I heard the goal horn several times as I was walking outside Camp Randall taking pictures and walking around.

Then, just as sunset occured, 55,000 fans packed themselves onto the lower bowl of Camp Randall, the men’s game was played. Before the game, there was a flyover of fighter jets. It was one of the first times I got to experience a flyover in person. It was pretty awesome!

My friends and I had tickets in Section A, row 21. If you look at the photo above, row 21 was among the first rows of people you see that’s closest to the ice. We were near the Zamboni entrance, by where Michigan entered the ice. We didn’t have that good of a view as we could only see from the waist-up of Michigan goalie Bryan Hogan. We couldn’t even see the first Wisconsin goal scored by Jordy Murray at the 3:04 mark of the first period.

During the first TV-timeout, we decided to “seek higher ground” to the place that wasn’t full: by the scoreboard on the other side of the stadium. The view was amazing, with the crowd in front of me and the Fieldhouse in the background.

The coolest part of the game was at the first stoppage of the third period when House of Pain’s “Jump Around” played. I was just about to take a picture on my phone when it blared through the stadium. I switched to video and shot some video footage. It’s a tradition that the crowd does at Badger football games. It looks good, so look for it on the Hockey World Blog page on YouTube.

Unfortunately the Wolverines couldn’t hold on to the lead as Detroit Red Wings prospect Brendan Smith scored two copy-cat power play goals late in the game. Both goals came in the same fashion when Michael Davies fired a pass from the left side to Smith, a left-handed shooter fires a shot from the point past Hogan. The first goal came at 14:28 while the game-winner came with 1:22 left in the game.

Overall, it was a great atmosphere and a great game to attend. I’m looking forward to attending the Frozen Four in Detroit this April as well as attending The Big Chill: a game featuring Michigan State and Michigan in December at Michigan Stadium.

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Camp Randall Hockey Classic Drops Saturday

Feb 4

Posted by Eddie in News | 1 Comment

A football stadium that is used to kickoffs, touchdowns, and field goals will play host to goals, checks, and saves as Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin will play host to the Culver’s Camp Randall Hockey Classic on Saturday.

Both the Wisconsin Badgers men’s and women’s hockey teams will take the ice in front of thousands of fans in an outdoor setting. The women’s team will host Bemidji State as part of it’s weekend series at 2:00 p.m. while the men’s team will take on the Michigan Wolverines at 5:00 p.m.Camp Randall in Madison, Wisconsin will host two outdoor hockey games Saturday afternoon.

This season, the Badgers are currently in a tie with Colorado College for fourth place in the WCHA. Overall, Wisconsin has a 15-7-4 record. Michigan had a slow start to the season, but has caught fire in the 2010 part of their schedule. The Wolverines are 6-2-1 since December 30 and currently has a 15-12-1 overall record.

In the national polls, Wisconsin is currently third in the USCHO.com poll while Michigan is ranked 19th.  This will be the second outdoor game for the Wolverines in the 2010 calendar year, as it was announced last week that they will host rival Michigan State in the Big Chill at the Big House with a 3:00 p.m. schedule start on December 11.

Eddie will be at the game this weekend and will bring the Hockey World Blog readers insight and a recap of the festivities next week.

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