Colorado College, which was held to a single goal in Friday's overtime loss to Minnesota, has a lot riding on today's game against North Dakota. CC is ranked fourth in the PairWise rankings, while the Fighting Sioux are ranked fifth. The winner of today's game is projected to be the top seed in the NCAA West Regional at World Arena, while the other is expected to be the second seed.
Coach Scott Owens said after Friday's game that he and his staff would have a lengthy discussion about whether to play starting goaltender Richard Bachman. It seems the CC coaches decided playing for that top seed was worth it because Bachman is listed as the starter.
As I mentioned above, CC was held to a single goal Friday--that's the first time the Tigers haven't scored at least two goals in a game. Owens made the first significant change to the top three lines since January, moving left wing Scott McCulloch to the fourth line and shifting Derek Patrosso, who typically plays right wing, to the second-line left wing spot. This is similar to the lineup CC went with in November's split with North Dakota (here).
A few comments:
--Minnesota goaltender Alex Kangas was as good as advertised. The 20-year-old freshman (a couple months older than Richard Bachman) is on a hot streak. How will CC do against North Dakota's Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, who took his second loss in three games after leading the Sioux to an 18-game unbeaten streak? Should be another goaltending battle.
--Minnesota's defense was much improved over October. The Gophers kept CC's shots to the outside and did not allow the Tigers to get rebounds. To get prime scoring opportunities against North Dakota, CC has no choice but to be gritty.
Lines:
Colorado College
21 Bill Sweatt -- 14 Chad Rau -- 25 Mike Testwuide
16 Derek Patrosso -- 19 Andreas Vlassopoulos -- 23 Jimmy Kilpatrick
10 Scott Thauwald -- 17 Tyler Johnson -- 22 Eric Walsky
26 Scott McCulloch -- 9 Brian McMilllin -- 5 Addison DeBoer
8 Jack Hillen -- 15 Nate Prosser
7 Kris Fredheim -- 4 Jake Gannon
11 Brian Connelly --24 Ryan Lowery
30 Richard Bachman
31 Drew O'Connell
1 Tyler O'Brien
North Dakota
16 Ryan Duncan -- 7 T.J. Oshie -- 14 Brad Miller
20 Matt Watkins -- 29 Chris VandeVelde -- 17 Rylan Kaip
10 Andrew Kozek -- 8 Ryan Martens -- 22 Brad Malone
26 Kyle Radke -- 11 Darcy Zajac -- 21 Matt Frattin
4 Taylor Chorney -- 28 Robbie Bina
2 Joe Finley -- 5 Chay Genoway
6 Zach Jones -- 25 Jake Marto
1 Jean-Philippe Lamoureux
30 Aaron Walski
Showing posts with label patrosso. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patrosso. Show all posts
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
First-round playoffs vs. Alaska-Anchorage
CC clipped through a series of transition drills two minutes at a time in a quick 45-minute skate Thursday.
From the notebook:
--The Tigers hit the post several times in shooting drills.
--Back-up goaltender Drew O'Connell looked confident and ready to go this weekend if needed.
--One of the funnier moments of practice this season happened towards the end of practice when coach Scott Owens told the top power-play unit to use the full ice to run the power play and "try to be really (bad) because they're watching." Alaska-Anchorage was in the stands near the visitors' side. Defenseman Jack Hillen ripped a shot from the high slot which bounced off the right post, hit the left post and smacked against the back of the net -- a gorgeous shot -- to which Owens said with a grin: "What did I just say?"
--Defenseman/forward Brett Wysopal did not practice (sick-virus).
--Players were reminded to set their alarms and get up for breakfast Friday because they don't have class. CC is on Spring Break until March 24.
--Right wing Derek Patrosso will play on the fourth line and goaltender Richard Bachman will be in goal on Friday, Owens said.
--Anchorage arrived in Colorado Springs on Tuesday, as it did in January's series.
Projected CC lines for Friday:
21 Bill Sweatt--14 Chad Rau--25 Mike Testwuide
26 Scott McCulloch--19 Andreas Vlassopoulos--23 Jimmy Kilpatrick
10 Scott Thauwald--17 Tyler Johnson--22 Eric Walsky
18 Matt Overman--9 Brian McMillin--16 Derek Patrosso
Fun facts:
--The Tigers finished with a league-best 92.9 percent clip on the penalty kill in WCHA play (104 for 112). Their overall mark is 91 percent (131 for 144). CC allowed just eight power-play goals while scoring eight short-handed goals in 28 conference games.
--CC's last home sweep against a WCHA team came against Anchorage in January. The Tigers split with their final two WCHA opponents at World Arena
--The last time CC gave up a shorthanded goal was against Anchorage on Jan. 12
--CC hasn't won more than three games in a row since it put together a six-game winning streak between Jan. 4 and Jan.19, which ended with a tie at Michigan Tech on Jan. 25.
History:
--Alaska-Anchorage has only won once in 20 games at World Arena, a 5-4 overtime victory last season.
--Friday is the 60th all-time contest between CC and Anchorage, with the Tigers leading the series 45-11-3, including a 30-2 mark in Colorado Springs.
--In seven previous post-season games, CC swept the first-round series at home in 1995, 2002 and 2003, while Anchorage won the play-in Final Five game in 2004. Captain Scott Thauwald played right wing in that game as a freshman.
--During that 1995 series, CC set a school playoff record for goals in a game with an 11-3 win over the Seawolves on March 10, 1995. Eric Rud had five assists in that series, also a school playoff record.
--CC's all-time record in WCHA playoff games is 42-56-1 (.429).
--Of the nine regular-season championships CC has won in its 70-year history, six have happened in the last 15 seasons and three in the last six seasons.
From the notebook:
--The Tigers hit the post several times in shooting drills.
--Back-up goaltender Drew O'Connell looked confident and ready to go this weekend if needed.
--One of the funnier moments of practice this season happened towards the end of practice when coach Scott Owens told the top power-play unit to use the full ice to run the power play and "try to be really (bad) because they're watching." Alaska-Anchorage was in the stands near the visitors' side. Defenseman Jack Hillen ripped a shot from the high slot which bounced off the right post, hit the left post and smacked against the back of the net -- a gorgeous shot -- to which Owens said with a grin: "What did I just say?"
--Defenseman/forward Brett Wysopal did not practice (sick-virus).
--Players were reminded to set their alarms and get up for breakfast Friday because they don't have class. CC is on Spring Break until March 24.
--Right wing Derek Patrosso will play on the fourth line and goaltender Richard Bachman will be in goal on Friday, Owens said.
--Anchorage arrived in Colorado Springs on Tuesday, as it did in January's series.
Projected CC lines for Friday:
21 Bill Sweatt--14 Chad Rau--25 Mike Testwuide
26 Scott McCulloch--19 Andreas Vlassopoulos--23 Jimmy Kilpatrick
10 Scott Thauwald--17 Tyler Johnson--22 Eric Walsky
18 Matt Overman--9 Brian McMillin--16 Derek Patrosso
Fun facts:
--The Tigers finished with a league-best 92.9 percent clip on the penalty kill in WCHA play (104 for 112). Their overall mark is 91 percent (131 for 144). CC allowed just eight power-play goals while scoring eight short-handed goals in 28 conference games.
--CC's last home sweep against a WCHA team came against Anchorage in January. The Tigers split with their final two WCHA opponents at World Arena
--The last time CC gave up a shorthanded goal was against Anchorage on Jan. 12
--CC hasn't won more than three games in a row since it put together a six-game winning streak between Jan. 4 and Jan.19, which ended with a tie at Michigan Tech on Jan. 25.
History:
--Alaska-Anchorage has only won once in 20 games at World Arena, a 5-4 overtime victory last season.
--Friday is the 60th all-time contest between CC and Anchorage, with the Tigers leading the series 45-11-3, including a 30-2 mark in Colorado Springs.
--In seven previous post-season games, CC swept the first-round series at home in 1995, 2002 and 2003, while Anchorage won the play-in Final Five game in 2004. Captain Scott Thauwald played right wing in that game as a freshman.
--During that 1995 series, CC set a school playoff record for goals in a game with an 11-3 win over the Seawolves on March 10, 1995. Eric Rud had five assists in that series, also a school playoff record.
--CC's all-time record in WCHA playoff games is 42-56-1 (.429).
--Of the nine regular-season championships CC has won in its 70-year history, six have happened in the last 15 seasons and three in the last six seasons.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Patrosso Returns Today
Suspended for three months for an undisclosed student-conduct violation, senior right wing Derek Patrosso will practice today for the first time since he suffered a high-ankle sprain in late November and will join the Tigers in the locker room for the first time since he was suspended in late December.
Here are some of Patrosso's comments that didn't make the story:
Q: What have you been doing to stay in shape?
A: I'd wake up and have an intense bike workout. Then, I'd skate with that midget team (Detroit Little Caesar's AAA) if they were skating. If there was open ice, I would just skate myself. I also did some power skating with a former figure skater. At the end, she'd condition me as well. I tried to do as much skating as I could and I think it's helped a lot. ...I lifted too.
Q: For those of us who aren't into ice skating (maybe if I'd tried it with padded shorts and knee pads, I'd feel differently), can you explain power skating and the purpose of the workouts with the figure skater?
A: She works with a lot of hockey players in the Detroit area. She corrects your skating and your form. She watches you skate and looks at your form to make some corrections. It's an hour-long conditioning skate. At the end of it, my legs are just killing. It's a lot of one-legged skating and that one leg gets really tired. Basically, it's designed so you can push off stronger and so you can recover quicker when you're skating. That's the stuff that gets the legs and the lungs going. I've had help from her in the past, but it's the first time for a conditioning reason.
Q: How long do you think it will take for you to regain "game shape"?
A: I think all of the conditioning will help me get there much quicker. You've got to be realistic with yourself, too. I haven't played in three or four months. I definitely think all of the stuff will help me be able to compete and play and help the team when I get out there. It's probably going to take a game or two.
Q: Was it hard to miss senior night (last Saturday) and the presentation of the MacNaughton Cup?
A: Yeah, it was tough. But I've just tried to focus on the positives. I get to join the team again (today). All I've done is concentrate on preparing myself to be the best I can for that, rather than sit and dwell on what I'm missing.
Q: How much did you follow the team while you were home in Michigan and what do you think of how they've done?
A: Not too much really. I didn't really talk to any of the guys. I kind of did my own thing. I'd listen to a few games here and there. I had a good idea 10 games into the year that we'd be able to compete for the national championship. It was hard to listen to. It made me focus on negative things. I just chose not to. I tried not to dwell on what I could have done differently and what I was missing out on and watching them made me do that. I chose to worry about myself and think of the positive things. If the team was 5-25, I still would have joined them (today).
Q: So, final thoughts before practice? Nerves? Excitement?
A: I'm just excited to join the team. The team's done so well. I'm excited to get back in the locker room and be around the guys and try to be an older guy. I've been there. I haven't been in this position exactly before, so I'm a little bit nervous too. But for the most part, I'm excited to be back for the most exciting time of year. ...I'm just trying to make the most of it while I can.
Here are some of Patrosso's comments that didn't make the story:
Q: What have you been doing to stay in shape?
A: I'd wake up and have an intense bike workout. Then, I'd skate with that midget team (Detroit Little Caesar's AAA) if they were skating. If there was open ice, I would just skate myself. I also did some power skating with a former figure skater. At the end, she'd condition me as well. I tried to do as much skating as I could and I think it's helped a lot. ...I lifted too.
Q: For those of us who aren't into ice skating (maybe if I'd tried it with padded shorts and knee pads, I'd feel differently), can you explain power skating and the purpose of the workouts with the figure skater?
A: She works with a lot of hockey players in the Detroit area. She corrects your skating and your form. She watches you skate and looks at your form to make some corrections. It's an hour-long conditioning skate. At the end of it, my legs are just killing. It's a lot of one-legged skating and that one leg gets really tired. Basically, it's designed so you can push off stronger and so you can recover quicker when you're skating. That's the stuff that gets the legs and the lungs going. I've had help from her in the past, but it's the first time for a conditioning reason.
Q: How long do you think it will take for you to regain "game shape"?
A: I think all of the conditioning will help me get there much quicker. You've got to be realistic with yourself, too. I haven't played in three or four months. I definitely think all of the stuff will help me be able to compete and play and help the team when I get out there. It's probably going to take a game or two.
Q: Was it hard to miss senior night (last Saturday) and the presentation of the MacNaughton Cup?
A: Yeah, it was tough. But I've just tried to focus on the positives. I get to join the team again (today). All I've done is concentrate on preparing myself to be the best I can for that, rather than sit and dwell on what I'm missing.
Q: How much did you follow the team while you were home in Michigan and what do you think of how they've done?
A: Not too much really. I didn't really talk to any of the guys. I kind of did my own thing. I'd listen to a few games here and there. I had a good idea 10 games into the year that we'd be able to compete for the national championship. It was hard to listen to. It made me focus on negative things. I just chose not to. I tried not to dwell on what I could have done differently and what I was missing out on and watching them made me do that. I chose to worry about myself and think of the positive things. If the team was 5-25, I still would have joined them (today).
Q: So, final thoughts before practice? Nerves? Excitement?
A: I'm just excited to join the team. The team's done so well. I'm excited to get back in the locker room and be around the guys and try to be an older guy. I've been there. I haven't been in this position exactly before, so I'm a little bit nervous too. But for the most part, I'm excited to be back for the most exciting time of year. ...I'm just trying to make the most of it while I can.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Game day: No. 7 Colorado College 6, No. 9 Wisconsin 1
From the notebook
Third period:
13:26-- Wisconsin defenseman Brendan Smith gets his own rebound and wraps around the net, only to be denied again by Bachman.
12:01-- Bachman saves a doorstep attempt from center Blake Geoffrion
10:04-- Bachman displays the full split to save center Andy Bohmbach's shot.
3:42-- Defenseman Jack Hillen drives the net and picks up his second goal of the season. (CC 6, Wisconsin 1)
0:45-- Wisconsin left wing Josh Engel's shot from the slot is rebounded out to Patrick Johnson, who slaps the puck from the right circle faceoff dot past Bachman. (CC 5, Wisconsin 1)
Second period:
17:46-- Vlassopoulos' pass from the bottom of the right circle sets up a one-time goal for Patrosso. (CC 5, Wisconsin 0)
14:34-- Patrosso comes out of the penalty box and has a one-on-one opportunity scooped up by Connelly.
About 13:45-- Kyle Turris' shot from the slot was gloved by Bachman.
Midway through the second-- On CC's first of four power plays, Bill Sweatt's pass that seems to skip across the goal line eludes Eric Walsky, who was waiting for it on Connelly's doorstep.
5:34--Sweatt makes a pass from the outside of the right circle, which Vlassopoulos finishes backdoor on Connelly. Wisconsin asks for video review of goaltender interference, but the goal stands. (CC 4, Wisconsin 0)
First period:
19:15-- Patrosso's pass from the top of the left circle meets Vlassopoulos in stride. Vlassopoulos faked with his body as if he were going to shoot right and then finished to the left of Connelly. (CC 3, Wisconsin 0)
Less than four minutes to go-- Bill Sweatt makes a huge defensive save with Bachman sprawling to cover a shot by Wisconsin's John Mitchell.
12:38-- Wisconsin's Patrick Johnson tries to make a cross-ice pass, but Chad Rau steps into the passing lane and goes hard to the net, pulling left and the finishing on his forehand for his second short-handed score in as many nights. (CC 2, Wisconsin 0)
12:15-- With CC on the penalty kill, Bachman makes a punch save, knocking the puck out of dangerous traffic.
9:02-- CC cycles the puck and defenseman Jack Hillen shoots from the top of the left circle. Goaltender Shane Connelly thinks he has the puck smothered, but right wing Derek Patrosso is there to tap it across the line. (CC 1, Wisconsin 0)
8:55-- Bill Sweatt gets to a loose puck and spins, sending a pass toward the crease. Center Andreas Vlassopoulos knocks the puck just wide of the net.
7:45-- Richard Bachman saves Blake Geoffrion's shot from the wing and a follow from Ben Street.
With a career-high four points, Derek Patrosso says:
“Any time you get a chance to sweepWisconsin
Lines
Colorado College
10 Thauwald--14 Rau--23 Kilpatrick
21 Sweatt--19 Vlassopoulos--16 Patrosso
26 McCulloch--17 Johnson--22 Walsky
28 Schultz--9 McMillin--2 Lampl
8 Hillen--15 Prosser
7 Fredheim--4 Gannon
11 Connelly--27 Wysopal
30 Bachman
31 O'Connell
1 O'Brien
Scratches: Healthy--Addison DeBoer, Matt Overman, and Ryan Lowery. Injured--Mike Testwuide (ankle), Dan Quilico (ankle).
Wisconsin
22 Street--19 Turris--9 Davies
6 Engel--5 Geoffrion--10 Johnson
24 Mitchell--16 Dolan--14 Grotting
15 Gorowsky--11 Bohmbach--8 Turnbull
7 Smith--20 Klubertanz
4 Drewiske--27 Goloubef
17 McDonagh--2 McBain
35 Connelly
1 Gudmandson
Third period:
13:26-- Wisconsin defenseman Brendan Smith gets his own rebound and wraps around the net, only to be denied again by Bachman.
12:01-- Bachman saves a doorstep attempt from center Blake Geoffrion
10:04-- Bachman displays the full split to save center Andy Bohmbach's shot.
3:42-- Defenseman Jack Hillen drives the net and picks up his second goal of the season. (CC 6, Wisconsin 1)
0:45-- Wisconsin left wing Josh Engel's shot from the slot is rebounded out to Patrick Johnson, who slaps the puck from the right circle faceoff dot past Bachman. (CC 5, Wisconsin 1)
Second period:
17:46-- Vlassopoulos' pass from the bottom of the right circle sets up a one-time goal for Patrosso. (CC 5, Wisconsin 0)
14:34-- Patrosso comes out of the penalty box and has a one-on-one opportunity scooped up by Connelly.
About 13:45-- Kyle Turris' shot from the slot was gloved by Bachman.
Midway through the second-- On CC's first of four power plays, Bill Sweatt's pass that seems to skip across the goal line eludes Eric Walsky, who was waiting for it on Connelly's doorstep.
5:34--Sweatt makes a pass from the outside of the right circle, which Vlassopoulos finishes backdoor on Connelly. Wisconsin asks for video review of goaltender interference, but the goal stands. (CC 4, Wisconsin 0)
First period:
19:15-- Patrosso's pass from the top of the left circle meets Vlassopoulos in stride. Vlassopoulos faked with his body as if he were going to shoot right and then finished to the left of Connelly. (CC 3, Wisconsin 0)
Less than four minutes to go-- Bill Sweatt makes a huge defensive save with Bachman sprawling to cover a shot by Wisconsin's John Mitchell.
12:38-- Wisconsin's Patrick Johnson tries to make a cross-ice pass, but Chad Rau steps into the passing lane and goes hard to the net, pulling left and the finishing on his forehand for his second short-handed score in as many nights. (CC 2, Wisconsin 0)
12:15-- With CC on the penalty kill, Bachman makes a punch save, knocking the puck out of dangerous traffic.
9:02-- CC cycles the puck and defenseman Jack Hillen shoots from the top of the left circle. Goaltender Shane Connelly thinks he has the puck smothered, but right wing Derek Patrosso is there to tap it across the line. (CC 1, Wisconsin 0)
8:55-- Bill Sweatt gets to a loose puck and spins, sending a pass toward the crease. Center Andreas Vlassopoulos knocks the puck just wide of the net.
7:45-- Richard Bachman saves Blake Geoffrion's shot from the wing and a follow from Ben Street.
With a career-high four points, Derek Patrosso says:
“Any time you get a chance to sweep
Lines
Colorado College
10 Thauwald--14 Rau--23 Kilpatrick
21 Sweatt--19 Vlassopoulos--16 Patrosso
26 McCulloch--17 Johnson--22 Walsky
28 Schultz--9 McMillin--2 Lampl
8 Hillen--15 Prosser
7 Fredheim--4 Gannon
11 Connelly--27 Wysopal
30 Bachman
31 O'Connell
1 O'Brien
Scratches: Healthy--Addison DeBoer, Matt Overman, and Ryan Lowery. Injured--Mike Testwuide (ankle), Dan Quilico (ankle).
Wisconsin
22 Street--19 Turris--9 Davies
6 Engel--5 Geoffrion--10 Johnson
24 Mitchell--16 Dolan--14 Grotting
15 Gorowsky--11 Bohmbach--8 Turnbull
7 Smith--20 Klubertanz
4 Drewiske--27 Goloubef
17 McDonagh--2 McBain
35 Connelly
1 Gudmandson
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Patrosso Suspended For Tonight's Game
I asked about this after Friday's game, but apparently the decision was made today.
See the WCHA's release below:
MADISON, Wisc. – The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced Saturday that senior forward Derek Patrosso of Colorado College has been suspended for one game as the result of a checking-from-behind incident that occurred in a game against Minnesota-Duluth on Friday.
The supplemental disciplinary action was taken by WCHA Supervisor of Officials Greg Shepherd after a review of the incident that occurred at 3:35 of the third period and resulted in the player receiving a major penalty for checking from behind and a 10-minute game misconduct.
Patrosso will be required to serve this suspension during Colorado College’s game against Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday.
See the WCHA's release below:
MADISON, Wisc. – The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced Saturday that senior forward Derek Patrosso of Colorado College has been suspended for one game as the result of a checking-from-behind incident that occurred in a game against Minnesota-Duluth on Friday.
The supplemental disciplinary action was taken by WCHA Supervisor of Officials Greg Shepherd after a review of the incident that occurred at 3:35 of the third period and resulted in the player receiving a major penalty for checking from behind and a 10-minute game misconduct.
Patrosso will be required to serve this suspension during Colorado College’s game against Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Game day: No. 9 CC 5, No. 15 Minnesota-Duluth 3 (final)
Second period
Goals:
3. Colorado College 2, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Steve Schultz 1 (Jack Hillen 6, Andreas Vlassopoulos 4), 5:28, pp.
After turning over the puck and allowing some shorthanded shots, the Tigers regained possession in their offensive zone. Center Andreas Vlassopoulos passed to Jack Hillen, who was in the high slot, not more than five feet in front of the blue line. In his first stint on the power play this season, freshman Steve Schultz tipped Hillen's wrist shot past goaltender Alex Stalock for his first career goal. Hillen went to retrieve the puck for Schultz after the play, which was reviewed for a possible high-sticking call on Schultz. The goal was upheld (clearly).
4. Colorado College 3, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Derek Patrosso 1 (Andreas Vlassopoulos 5, Bill Sweatt 5), 8:52.
Vlassopoulos took a pass from Bill Sweatt off the back wall and fed Derek Patrosso, who was trailing in the slot. The trio nearly scored a minute later, but Sweatt's pass was just behind Patrosso.
5. Colorado College 3, Minnesota-Duluth 2: Jordan Fulton (unassisted), 9:57.
Fulton got an isolated moment with goaltender Richard Bachman who was protecting the left post. Fulton stuffed the puck five-hole just as the announcer listed off CC's scorers.
6. Colorado College 4, Minnesota-Duluth 2: Chad Rau 3 (Jack Hillen 6, Richard Bachman 2), 10:19.
After Bachman made a save, Hillen retrieved the rebound and sent a long pass up the middle of the ice to Chad Rau, who had snuck behind Duluth's defense and was idling at center ice. Rau converted the one-on-Stalock by first pulling the puck to his left foot -- prompting Stalock to shift -- and then with one flick of the stick, finishing inside the right post.
7. Colorado College 5, Minnesota-Duluth 2: Brian McMillin 1 (unassisted), 19:06, sh.
Another great play by center Brian McMillin on the penalty kill... McMillin, who had an assist on Scott Thauwald's shorthanded goal against North Dakota last Saturday, created yet another penalty-kill turnover. McMillin's shot sailed wide of the left post and banged off the boards. Not deterred, McMillin hammered his own rebound past Stalock for the score.
Goals:
8. Colorado College 5, Minnesota-Duluth 3: Justin Fontaine (Jordan Fulton, Matt McKnight), 2:14.
Coach Scott Owens on the time-out before the five-minute power play:
We were trying to set up what we were going to do on the 5-on-3 and hopefully, (the play) was going to go into the 5-on-4. But we never really got it set up. That was probably one of the things that disappointed me the most tonight was the fact that it was a little bit scrambled in the beginning and we never really settled down and had composure. We were turning the puck over and making behind-the-back blind passes and it was a situation where we could have put the game away and we didn't. ...We're still waiting on that a little bit.
Asked if the back-and-forth, wide-open game might cause him to juggle lines tomorrow, Owens said:
Part of it was our defensive mindset. It wasn’t just all of the forwards. I would guess that Prosser will play tomorrow and maybe that will help a little bit getting an older guy in there. We tightened it up a little in the third. We didn't run and gun so much. We're in a pretty good rhythm with our forward lines, so I think we'll just make some minimal changes.
Center Andreas Vlassopoulos on his line's momentum:
We've just got to concentrate on keeping it simple and working hard and things will fall for us.
Vlassopoulos on the power play:
We have it, we're going to create chances, it just seemed like -- whether somebody fell or the puck went off somebody's heel -- I think we just need to bear down a little bit more and things will happen for us.
Right wing Derek Patrosso on his line:
I think our line talks pretty well on the ice and that helps us out a lot. We were just having fun. That's the main thing.
Patrosso on keeping things relaxed, even when the line wasn't scoring goals (the trio combined for one goal against Minnesota on Oct. 19):
I think when you're getting those chances, it's when you shouldn't be gripping your stick. When you don't get those chances, that's when you start gripping your stick a little tight. We've been happy with the way we've been playing as a whole. I think the last three teams we've played have prepared us pretty well and we're developing chemistry as we go along.
Left wing Bill Sweatt on the line:
We've been sticking with our line for almost a month now. I think like Dre said, we're just feeding off of each other and we have a lot of chemistry going right now. Say if Dre chips the puck, Derek and I know that we've got to bust a seam and go get the puck and one of us is going to the net. We just sort of feel each other out there.
Sweatt on developing consistent five-on-five scoring:
It was good that our power play was clicking so we could survive in (the first six) games, but maybe tonight will take momentum into the rest of the season for getting five-on-five goals. We can't just be a one-sided team, where we just score on the power play. We've got to be very diverse and score on the power-play and five-on-five. Hopefully, we took a good step toward that tonight.
Goals:
3. Colorado College 2, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Steve Schultz 1 (Jack Hillen 6, Andreas Vlassopoulos 4), 5:28, pp.
After turning over the puck and allowing some shorthanded shots, the Tigers regained possession in their offensive zone. Center Andreas Vlassopoulos passed to Jack Hillen, who was in the high slot, not more than five feet in front of the blue line. In his first stint on the power play this season, freshman Steve Schultz tipped Hillen's wrist shot past goaltender Alex Stalock for his first career goal. Hillen went to retrieve the puck for Schultz after the play, which was reviewed for a possible high-sticking call on Schultz. The goal was upheld (clearly).
4. Colorado College 3, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Derek Patrosso 1 (Andreas Vlassopoulos 5, Bill Sweatt 5), 8:52.
Vlassopoulos took a pass from Bill Sweatt off the back wall and fed Derek Patrosso, who was trailing in the slot. The trio nearly scored a minute later, but Sweatt's pass was just behind Patrosso.
5. Colorado College 3, Minnesota-Duluth 2: Jordan Fulton (unassisted), 9:57.
Fulton got an isolated moment with goaltender Richard Bachman who was protecting the left post. Fulton stuffed the puck five-hole just as the announcer listed off CC's scorers.
6. Colorado College 4, Minnesota-Duluth 2: Chad Rau 3 (Jack Hillen 6, Richard Bachman 2), 10:19.
After Bachman made a save, Hillen retrieved the rebound and sent a long pass up the middle of the ice to Chad Rau, who had snuck behind Duluth's defense and was idling at center ice. Rau converted the one-on-Stalock by first pulling the puck to his left foot -- prompting Stalock to shift -- and then with one flick of the stick, finishing inside the right post.
7. Colorado College 5, Minnesota-Duluth 2: Brian McMillin 1 (unassisted), 19:06, sh.
Another great play by center Brian McMillin on the penalty kill... McMillin, who had an assist on Scott Thauwald's shorthanded goal against North Dakota last Saturday, created yet another penalty-kill turnover. McMillin's shot sailed wide of the left post and banged off the boards. Not deterred, McMillin hammered his own rebound past Stalock for the score.
- CC's highest one-period output of the season
- Responded promptly to a quick goal by Duluth
- Second line has seven points (two goals and five assists) and both goals are even-strength
- Two shorthanded goals in two games...the penalty kill is back
Goals:
8. Colorado College 5, Minnesota-Duluth 3: Justin Fontaine (Jordan Fulton, Matt McKnight), 2:14.
- Patrosso took a checking from behind/game misconduct five-minute major penalty at 3:35, but the Tigers got quality penalty killing with saves from Bachman and blocked shots by Scott McCulloch. Thanks to a high-sticking penalty by Trent Palm, CC went back to even strength (4v4) with 1:12 to go in the five-minute major.
- With 1:02 left in Palm's penalty, Duluth's Josh Meyers picked up a checking from behind/game misconduct five-minute major at 8:21 for checking McCulloch into the boards. But CC had just two quality scoring chances despite the 5-on-3 (1:02) and 5-on-4 (3:58).
- CC killed all four of Duluth's power plays.
Coach Scott Owens on the time-out before the five-minute power play:
We were trying to set up what we were going to do on the 5-on-3 and hopefully, (the play) was going to go into the 5-on-4. But we never really got it set up. That was probably one of the things that disappointed me the most tonight was the fact that it was a little bit scrambled in the beginning and we never really settled down and had composure. We were turning the puck over and making behind-the-back blind passes and it was a situation where we could have put the game away and we didn't. ...We're still waiting on that a little bit.
Asked if the back-and-forth, wide-open game might cause him to juggle lines tomorrow, Owens said:
Part of it was our defensive mindset. It wasn’t just all of the forwards. I would guess that Prosser will play tomorrow and maybe that will help a little bit getting an older guy in there. We tightened it up a little in the third. We didn't run and gun so much. We're in a pretty good rhythm with our forward lines, so I think we'll just make some minimal changes.
Center Andreas Vlassopoulos on his line's momentum:
We've just got to concentrate on keeping it simple and working hard and things will fall for us.
Vlassopoulos on the power play:
We have it, we're going to create chances, it just seemed like -- whether somebody fell or the puck went off somebody's heel -- I think we just need to bear down a little bit more and things will happen for us.
Right wing Derek Patrosso on his line:
I think our line talks pretty well on the ice and that helps us out a lot. We were just having fun. That's the main thing.
Patrosso on keeping things relaxed, even when the line wasn't scoring goals (the trio combined for one goal against Minnesota on Oct. 19):
I think when you're getting those chances, it's when you shouldn't be gripping your stick. When you don't get those chances, that's when you start gripping your stick a little tight. We've been happy with the way we've been playing as a whole. I think the last three teams we've played have prepared us pretty well and we're developing chemistry as we go along.
Left wing Bill Sweatt on the line:
We've been sticking with our line for almost a month now. I think like Dre said, we're just feeding off of each other and we have a lot of chemistry going right now. Say if Dre chips the puck, Derek and I know that we've got to bust a seam and go get the puck and one of us is going to the net. We just sort of feel each other out there.
Sweatt on developing consistent five-on-five scoring:
It was good that our power play was clicking so we could survive in (the first six) games, but maybe tonight will take momentum into the rest of the season for getting five-on-five goals. We can't just be a one-sided team, where we just score on the power play. We've got to be very diverse and score on the power-play and five-on-five. Hopefully, we took a good step toward that tonight.
Game day: CC 1, Minnesota-Duluth 1 (end of 1st)
Goals:
1. Colorado College 1, Minnesota-Duluth 0: Andreas Vlassopoulos 1 (Derek Patrosso 1, Bill Sweatt 4), 14:07.
Bill Sweatt took the puck full-speed toward the wall and made a spinning pass to Derek Patrosso. Patrosso passed the puck behind Duluth goaltender Alex Stalock and Andreas Vlassopoulos knocked it into the upper left corner of the net for his first goal of the season.
2. Colorado College 1, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Matt McKnight 1 (Nick Kemp 3), 17:28, sh.
On the only power play of the period for either team, CC right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick turned the puck over at the left circle, sending Nick Kemp off to the races. In a 2-on-1 against defenseman Brian Connelly, Kemp made a cross-slot pass onto the stick of Matt McKnight, who finished inside the right post for the shorthanded score.
1. Colorado College 1, Minnesota-Duluth 0: Andreas Vlassopoulos 1 (Derek Patrosso 1, Bill Sweatt 4), 14:07.
Bill Sweatt took the puck full-speed toward the wall and made a spinning pass to Derek Patrosso. Patrosso passed the puck behind Duluth goaltender Alex Stalock and Andreas Vlassopoulos knocked it into the upper left corner of the net for his first goal of the season.
2. Colorado College 1, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Matt McKnight 1 (Nick Kemp 3), 17:28, sh.
On the only power play of the period for either team, CC right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick turned the puck over at the left circle, sending Nick Kemp off to the races. In a 2-on-1 against defenseman Brian Connelly, Kemp made a cross-slot pass onto the stick of Matt McKnight, who finished inside the right post for the shorthanded score.
- Bachman has 10 saves, while Stalock has 11
- CC outshot UMD 12-11 for the period, but the Bulldogs had several second-chance shots. Stalock is not giving up rebounds.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Gameday Final: CC 3, Minnesota 1
Looking back at the Three Keys:
1. Limit neutral-zone turnovers: The Tigers spent all week in practice preparing for the odd-man rushes that Minnesota generates out of the neutral zone. Even though the Gophers had more odd-man rushes than assistant coach Joe Bonnett would have liked, and scored on one, the Tigers' defensemen and backchecking forwards did a good job of funneling the puck to one side so that goaltender Richard Bachman could have a clear shot.
2. Defensive effort/physical play: See above. Also, as he did often last year, right wing Cody Lampl made several back-cracking checks to set the tone for the Tigers. Left wing Billy Sweatt, defenseman Jake Gannon and defenseman Nate Prosser also showed some tenacity.
3. Limit excessive penalties: CC took one fewer penalty than the Gophers (six total, including two roughing penalties). Bachman and the penalty killers were exemplary, holding Minnesota to just five shots on four power plays. Scott McCulloch's near-shorthanded goal in the second period, which hit the left post, was a pure hustle play.
Goals:
First Period
Colorado College 1, Minnesota 0: Bill Sweatt (Andreas Vlassopoulos, Jack Hillen), 12:28, pp. Vlassopoulos collected the puck off the back wall and sent a pass to Sweatt, who one-timed it past Frazee and inside the right post for the Tigers' first goal of the year.
"For me, it was an amazing feeling, especially coming in a big game like this and against a team like the Gophers," Sweatt said.
Colorado College 1, Minnesota 1: Cade Fairchild (Blake Wheeler, Ben Gordon), 13:07. Just 39 seconds after CC scored, Minnesota's classic odd-man rush came out of the neutral zone and did a nice tic (Gordon) -tac (Wheeler) -toe (Fairchild) around defenseman Jake Gannon and inside the right post.
Second Period
Colorado College 2, Minnesota 1: Eric Walsky (Scott Thauwald), 0:25. Defenseman Nate Prosser created a turnover in the Tigers' defensive corner. Thauwald scooped up the loose puck and fed Walsky who sliced through the Minnesota defense and beat Frazee.
Here's how he described it: "I was really looking for the pass the whole time and then I saw that the goalie was cheating. I kind of shot mid-stride and wasn't planning on it, so...I got a lot of crap from the guys."
Third Period
Colorado College 3, Minnesota 1: Derek Patrosso (Vlassopoulos, Sweatt), 11:04. Sweatt sent a pass along the back wall to Vlassopoulos, who fed Patrosso on the right side of the crease. Frazee covered low so Patrosso went high.
"When you're young, you're taught that when you're in close like that to try to go upstairs," Patrosso said. "It was a natural instinct to wait it out and wait for him to go down and then go upstairs."
Extra Stats:
--CC's penalty kill: 4 for 4
--CC's power play: 1 for 5
--Faceoffs: Minnesota 27, CC 25
CC's top faceoff man: Chad Rau 13/25
Minnesota's top faceoff man: Blake Wheeler 10/15
1. Limit neutral-zone turnovers: The Tigers spent all week in practice preparing for the odd-man rushes that Minnesota generates out of the neutral zone. Even though the Gophers had more odd-man rushes than assistant coach Joe Bonnett would have liked, and scored on one, the Tigers' defensemen and backchecking forwards did a good job of funneling the puck to one side so that goaltender Richard Bachman could have a clear shot.
2. Defensive effort/physical play: See above. Also, as he did often last year, right wing Cody Lampl made several back-cracking checks to set the tone for the Tigers. Left wing Billy Sweatt, defenseman Jake Gannon and defenseman Nate Prosser also showed some tenacity.
3. Limit excessive penalties: CC took one fewer penalty than the Gophers (six total, including two roughing penalties). Bachman and the penalty killers were exemplary, holding Minnesota to just five shots on four power plays. Scott McCulloch's near-shorthanded goal in the second period, which hit the left post, was a pure hustle play.
Goals:
First Period
Colorado College 1, Minnesota 0: Bill Sweatt (Andreas Vlassopoulos, Jack Hillen), 12:28, pp. Vlassopoulos collected the puck off the back wall and sent a pass to Sweatt, who one-timed it past Frazee and inside the right post for the Tigers' first goal of the year.
"For me, it was an amazing feeling, especially coming in a big game like this and against a team like the Gophers," Sweatt said.
Colorado College 1, Minnesota 1: Cade Fairchild (Blake Wheeler, Ben Gordon), 13:07. Just 39 seconds after CC scored, Minnesota's classic odd-man rush came out of the neutral zone and did a nice tic (Gordon) -tac (Wheeler) -toe (Fairchild) around defenseman Jake Gannon and inside the right post.
Second Period
Colorado College 2, Minnesota 1: Eric Walsky (Scott Thauwald), 0:25. Defenseman Nate Prosser created a turnover in the Tigers' defensive corner. Thauwald scooped up the loose puck and fed Walsky who sliced through the Minnesota defense and beat Frazee.
Here's how he described it: "I was really looking for the pass the whole time and then I saw that the goalie was cheating. I kind of shot mid-stride and wasn't planning on it, so...I got a lot of crap from the guys."
Third Period
Colorado College 3, Minnesota 1: Derek Patrosso (Vlassopoulos, Sweatt), 11:04. Sweatt sent a pass along the back wall to Vlassopoulos, who fed Patrosso on the right side of the crease. Frazee covered low so Patrosso went high.
"When you're young, you're taught that when you're in close like that to try to go upstairs," Patrosso said. "It was a natural instinct to wait it out and wait for him to go down and then go upstairs."
Extra Stats:
--CC's penalty kill: 4 for 4
--CC's power play: 1 for 5
--Faceoffs: Minnesota 27, CC 25
CC's top faceoff man: Chad Rau 13/25
Minnesota's top faceoff man: Blake Wheeler 10/15
Friday, October 5, 2007
Scuffles Solidify CC Squad?
As defenseman Jack Hillen took a swing at classmate Derek Patrosso at Thursday's captain's practice, I couldn't help but wonder if what Hillen had just told me about "great team chemistry" was null and void.
Part of it is that I grew up in basketball country. If one Tar Heel were to lash out at another like that, Roy Williams would probably have to resign.
Also, as a veteran of female teams, I can say unequivocally that if the same physical manifestation of frustration were to happen, the grudges would never dissolve and the group would quickly become fractured into cliques.
But I guess it's different for men, as I have been learning in my second season of spending every day watching and talking to the Colorado College hockey team.
Thursday's practice had more scuffles than in all of last season's practices combined.
"Way to stay intense," said senior Scott McCulloch, who had to pull apart Hillen and Patrosso, before reminding the Tigers of some basic ground rules. "Make sure, if you're going to fight, that you take off your helmets so we're not breaking hands."
When I asked players about fighting with their teammates, they smiled forgivingly at me and explained what is an obvious concept to them.
"We're just ready to play," said defenseman Nate Prosser, who got chippy with freshman Stephen Schultz during the Tigers' short-sided 3-on-3 game. "That's just us being competitive.... It happens every day in juniors."
Eric Walsky, who is more apt to stand to the side and watch after nursing his right wrist back from a potentially career-ending injury, said fighting is a "good thing."
"It's all subconscious," he explained. "Nothing personal." Walsky added that when a little fighting doesn't happen, those frustrations can boil over in the locker room and destroy team chemistry. So, it's like a safety valve? "Yep," he said.
I'll admit it: my brief tutorial on the subject of intrasquad fighting still left me somewhat flummoxed, especially as the players left the locker room laughing and talking as if they'd spent their practice sharing their feelings or doing team-bonding activities.
But I guess, as they explained to me, that's exactly what they were doing. I think I just had a breakthrough.
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about fighting within a team.
***
Mark your calendars:
CC's 2007-08 TV Schedule
(All Times MT)
Day & Date Opponent Network/Channel Time
Fri., Oct. 19 Univ. of Minnesota FSN Rocky Mountain 7:30 pm
Sat., Oct. 20 Univ. of Minnesota FSN Rocky Mountain 7 pm
Sat., Nov. 3 @ Univ. of North Dakota The CW (KXTU) 6 pm
Fri., Nov. 23 Univ. of Denver CET Network (Comcast) 7:30 pm
Sat., Dec. 1 @ Univ. of Alaska Anchorage The CW (KXTU) 9 pm
Fri., Jan. 4 @ Univ. of Wisconsin Big Ten Network 6 pm
Sat., Jan. 5 @ Univ. of Wisconsin CSTV 6 pm
Sat., Mar. 8 Univ. of Denver CET Network (Comcast) 7 pm
***
Articles off of the WCHA conference call, held Wednesday morning:
--Shane Frederick of the The Free Press (Mankato) writes about the WCHA's youthfulness.
--Elliott Olshansky of CSTV quotes Scott Owens and George Gwozdecky's takes on the Rockies' late-season surge. Previously, Olshansky says the Tigers are overrated. What do you think?
***
Tiger Tracks:
Four former Tigers made opening-day NHL rosters: Brett Sterling (Atlanta Thrashers), Mark Stuart (Boston Bruins), Curtis McElhinney (Calgary Flames) and Tom Preissing (Los Angeles Kings).
--Will Stuart stick on the Bruins' roster?
--Sterling gets love from readers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Thrashers blog. Also: makes Burnside's watch list and earns a new nickname around Hotlanta.
It looks as though Brandon Straub will start his professional career with the Johnstown (Pa.) Chiefs (ECHL).
And what a lucky guy Matt Zaba is: he will begin with the Charlotte Checkers, an ECHL team in gorgeous North Carolina!
Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald asked Marty Sertich to give advice to Sioux senior Ryan Duncan about how to avoid a Hobey hangover.
Trevor Frischmon gets a shot to play another season in Syracuse (AHL).
Mike Stuart lands offer in Austria, while Peter Sejna's status remains unknown.
Part of it is that I grew up in basketball country. If one Tar Heel were to lash out at another like that, Roy Williams would probably have to resign.
Also, as a veteran of female teams, I can say unequivocally that if the same physical manifestation of frustration were to happen, the grudges would never dissolve and the group would quickly become fractured into cliques.
But I guess it's different for men, as I have been learning in my second season of spending every day watching and talking to the Colorado College hockey team.
Thursday's practice had more scuffles than in all of last season's practices combined.
"Way to stay intense," said senior Scott McCulloch, who had to pull apart Hillen and Patrosso, before reminding the Tigers of some basic ground rules. "Make sure, if you're going to fight, that you take off your helmets so we're not breaking hands."
When I asked players about fighting with their teammates, they smiled forgivingly at me and explained what is an obvious concept to them.
"We're just ready to play," said defenseman Nate Prosser, who got chippy with freshman Stephen Schultz during the Tigers' short-sided 3-on-3 game. "That's just us being competitive.... It happens every day in juniors."
Eric Walsky, who is more apt to stand to the side and watch after nursing his right wrist back from a potentially career-ending injury, said fighting is a "good thing."
"It's all subconscious," he explained. "Nothing personal." Walsky added that when a little fighting doesn't happen, those frustrations can boil over in the locker room and destroy team chemistry. So, it's like a safety valve? "Yep," he said.
I'll admit it: my brief tutorial on the subject of intrasquad fighting still left me somewhat flummoxed, especially as the players left the locker room laughing and talking as if they'd spent their practice sharing their feelings or doing team-bonding activities.
But I guess, as they explained to me, that's exactly what they were doing. I think I just had a breakthrough.
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about fighting within a team.
***
Mark your calendars:
CC's 2007-08 TV Schedule
(All Times MT)
Day & Date Opponent Network/Channel Time
Fri., Oct. 19 Univ. of Minnesota FSN Rocky Mountain 7:30 pm
Sat., Oct. 20 Univ. of Minnesota FSN Rocky Mountain 7 pm
Sat., Nov. 3 @ Univ. of North Dakota The CW (KXTU) 6 pm
Fri., Nov. 23 Univ. of Denver CET Network (Comcast) 7:30 pm
Sat., Dec. 1 @ Univ. of Alaska Anchorage The CW (KXTU) 9 pm
Fri., Jan. 4 @ Univ. of Wisconsin Big Ten Network 6 pm
Sat., Jan. 5 @ Univ. of Wisconsin CSTV 6 pm
Sat., Mar. 8 Univ. of Denver CET Network (Comcast) 7 pm
***
Articles off of the WCHA conference call, held Wednesday morning:
--Shane Frederick of the The Free Press (Mankato) writes about the WCHA's youthfulness.
--Elliott Olshansky of CSTV quotes Scott Owens and George Gwozdecky's takes on the Rockies' late-season surge. Previously, Olshansky says the Tigers are overrated. What do you think?
***
Tiger Tracks:
Four former Tigers made opening-day NHL rosters: Brett Sterling (Atlanta Thrashers), Mark Stuart (Boston Bruins), Curtis McElhinney (Calgary Flames) and Tom Preissing (Los Angeles Kings).
--Will Stuart stick on the Bruins' roster?
--Sterling gets love from readers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Thrashers blog. Also: makes Burnside's watch list and earns a new nickname around Hotlanta.
It looks as though Brandon Straub will start his professional career with the Johnstown (Pa.) Chiefs (ECHL).
And what a lucky guy Matt Zaba is: he will begin with the Charlotte Checkers, an ECHL team in gorgeous North Carolina!
Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald asked Marty Sertich to give advice to Sioux senior Ryan Duncan about how to avoid a Hobey hangover.
Trevor Frischmon gets a shot to play another season in Syracuse (AHL).
Mike Stuart lands offer in Austria, while Peter Sejna's status remains unknown.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Gutbuster
Apparently, the five "too many men on the ice" penalties that Colorado College took during the 2006-07 season was five too many.
At Tuesday's practice, which was sparsely attended because the Tigers are ending their first block of classes this week, strength and conditioning coach Mark Stephenson made a point to address those five penalties.
The players, listed below, started practice with no sticks, which I took as an ominous sign. I was right. Just 15 minutes long, the workout had most of the team doubled over.
White Sweatt
Red McCulloch--Johnson--Testwuide
Blue DeBoer--Rau--Schultz
Maroon Lampl
Gold McMillin--Patrosso
Defensemen Hillen, Lowery, Gannon
Goalies O'Connell, Bachman
It began with a series of sprints from the goal line through the blue line. Then came the bench drills. For the first one, Stephenson divided the team in two and put each group in a box. The players had to clear the boards, skate from goal line to goal line and get back over the boards as fast as possible. The other team would go once the first team had finished and the Tigers did two sets of four or five "suicides." Then, Stephenson had the players jump over the boards, touch the opposite wall, and get back in the box as quick as possible. Each set took about two minutes, but to the players it was probably an eternity.
After Stephenson was done with the Tigers, they did a few shooting drills and played 3-on-3 in the north end of the rink. In one sequence, goaltender Richard Bachman got caught out of position on the right side of the net and managed to come across the entire face of the goal to rob Bill Sweatt on a wrist shot. Goaltender Drew O'Connell made a nice save of his own less than a minute later, when Jack Hillen skated around the back of the net, planning on stuffing it inside the left post. But O'Connell made a backhanded snag to thwart the score. With the defensemen-plus-red-line team up 2-1, Hillen yelled, "Next goal wins" and Derek Patrosso scored the game-winner, beating Bachman over his right shoulder.
I chatted with Stephenson after practice and he said, of the four CC teams he has coached, this season's squad is the fittest and also the most focused. Stephenson coached for seven years at Providence College before joining the staff at the National Strength and Conditioning Association's headquarters next to World Arena.
***
The Grand Forks Herald released its annual preseason coaches' poll and the Tigers were picked no. 3. A closer look at the votes shows that Denver and Wisconsin were just two and three votes behind, respectively, meaning that the Western Collegiate Hockey Association coaches think it will be a dogfight for spots 3-5. A little research by Herald reporter Brad Elliott Schlossman shows that, in the five times CC has won the MacNaughton Cup since the 1990-91 season, the Tigers were not tabbed to finish first place. Look for more in tomorrow's Gazette.
37th Annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA preseason coaches poll
Rank School Points
1 UND (7) 79
2 Minnesota (3) 74
3 Colorado College 55
4 Denver 53
5 Wisconsin 52
6 St. Cloud St. 43
7 Michigan Tech 41
8 Minn.-Duluth 23
9 MSU-Mankato 19
10 Anchorage 11
Tiger Tracks:
Former CC defenseman Brandon Straub began training camp Tuesday with the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) this week and encountered a familiar face among the defensive corps: Colorado Springs native Preston Briggs, older brother of former Minnesota goaltender Kellen Briggs (who has landed with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL), by the way).
What are the odds? The Briggs', Straub and former CC player Scott Polaski are the only Colorado Springs natives I'm aware of who are playing professionally. If you know of more, please drop me a comment or an email at kate.crandall@gazette.com.
UPDATE: Colorado Springs native Luke Fulghum, a former Denver player, agreed to terms with the Stockton Thunder (ECHL). Another Springs product, former Mitchell High student David Hale is a near-lock to make the Calgary Flames' roster. That brings the grand total of Colorado Springs natives in professional hockey to six players, but please contact me if there are others I am missing.
At Tuesday's practice, which was sparsely attended because the Tigers are ending their first block of classes this week, strength and conditioning coach Mark Stephenson made a point to address those five penalties.
The players, listed below, started practice with no sticks, which I took as an ominous sign. I was right. Just 15 minutes long, the workout had most of the team doubled over.
White Sweatt
Red McCulloch--Johnson--Testwuide
Blue DeBoer--Rau--Schultz
Maroon Lampl
Gold McMillin--Patrosso
Defensemen Hillen, Lowery, Gannon
Goalies O'Connell, Bachman
It began with a series of sprints from the goal line through the blue line. Then came the bench drills. For the first one, Stephenson divided the team in two and put each group in a box. The players had to clear the boards, skate from goal line to goal line and get back over the boards as fast as possible. The other team would go once the first team had finished and the Tigers did two sets of four or five "suicides." Then, Stephenson had the players jump over the boards, touch the opposite wall, and get back in the box as quick as possible. Each set took about two minutes, but to the players it was probably an eternity.
After Stephenson was done with the Tigers, they did a few shooting drills and played 3-on-3 in the north end of the rink. In one sequence, goaltender Richard Bachman got caught out of position on the right side of the net and managed to come across the entire face of the goal to rob Bill Sweatt on a wrist shot. Goaltender Drew O'Connell made a nice save of his own less than a minute later, when Jack Hillen skated around the back of the net, planning on stuffing it inside the left post. But O'Connell made a backhanded snag to thwart the score. With the defensemen-plus-red-line team up 2-1, Hillen yelled, "Next goal wins" and Derek Patrosso scored the game-winner, beating Bachman over his right shoulder.
I chatted with Stephenson after practice and he said, of the four CC teams he has coached, this season's squad is the fittest and also the most focused. Stephenson coached for seven years at Providence College before joining the staff at the National Strength and Conditioning Association's headquarters next to World Arena.
***
The Grand Forks Herald released its annual preseason coaches' poll and the Tigers were picked no. 3. A closer look at the votes shows that Denver and Wisconsin were just two and three votes behind, respectively, meaning that the Western Collegiate Hockey Association coaches think it will be a dogfight for spots 3-5. A little research by Herald reporter Brad Elliott Schlossman shows that, in the five times CC has won the MacNaughton Cup since the 1990-91 season, the Tigers were not tabbed to finish first place. Look for more in tomorrow's Gazette.
37th Annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA preseason coaches poll
Rank School Points
1 UND (7) 79
2 Minnesota (3) 74
3 Colorado College 55
4 Denver 53
5 Wisconsin 52
6 St. Cloud St. 43
7 Michigan Tech 41
8 Minn.-Duluth 23
9 MSU-Mankato 19
10 Anchorage 11
Preseason rookie of the year Kyle Turris, UW, 9; Evan Trupp, UND 1
Preseason player of the year Ryan Duncan, UND, 5; T.J. Oshie, UND, 3; Taylor Chorney, UND, 1; Kyle Okposo, Minn., 1
Tiger Tracks:
Former CC defenseman Brandon Straub began training camp Tuesday with the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) this week and encountered a familiar face among the defensive corps: Colorado Springs native Preston Briggs, older brother of former Minnesota goaltender Kellen Briggs (who has landed with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL), by the way).
What are the odds? The Briggs', Straub and former CC player Scott Polaski are the only Colorado Springs natives I'm aware of who are playing professionally. If you know of more, please drop me a comment or an email at kate.crandall@gazette.com.
UPDATE: Colorado Springs native Luke Fulghum, a former Denver player, agreed to terms with the Stockton Thunder (ECHL). Another Springs product, former Mitchell High student David Hale is a near-lock to make the Calgary Flames' roster. That brings the grand total of Colorado Springs natives in professional hockey to six players, but please contact me if there are others I am missing.
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