Whoever uses the "Richard Bachman is a freshman" argument to deny him of post-season accolades would be a fool. Among his many accomplishments this season, Bachman became the first CC goaltender to shutout a series on the road Saturday, when he saved 29 shots in the Tigers' 4-0 win over Duluth. Bachman ranks first in the nation in both goals against average (1.71) and save percentage (.935).
But as Bachman himself pointed out after the game, he had some help.
"I thought tonight the team played very well," Bachman said. "I didn't think they had too many grade-A shots. Even compared to last night, I thought our 'd' stepped up bigger, so that really helped a lot. ...They did their job, which enabled me to do mine."
Several of Tigers' defensemen also played their best series of the season.
--Senior Jack Hillen, who had three assists Saturday, was mentioned several times among press-box members as the following: "best player on the ice," "first-team All-America" and "best defenseman in the league."
Duluth coach Scott Sandelin agreed after the game. "I like the way Jack Hillen plays," Sandelin said. "He's arguably one of the top defensemen in the league. Some people might not like the way he plays, but I do. He's involved a lot in the play. I like his skating ability and he sees the ice." Hillen, who leads WCHA defensemen in scoring and is tied for second nationally in that category, now has 28 points (3 goals, 25 assists), making him one of the top-scoring defensemen in recent CC history. (He needs 12 points to draw even with Brian Salcido, who had 40 points in the 2005-06 season.)
--Coach Scott Owens mentioned the series as Kris Fredheim's best in 2008.
--I can't begin to list the number of key blocked shots by the defensemen or the odd-man rushes they thwarted, but Nate Prosser, Brian Connelly, Ryan Lowery and Jake Gannon all did an excellent job of keeping the play to the perimeter and chipping the puck up, off the glass, and out of the zone.
--Team defense was also at a premium. The ability of the Tigers' forwards to keep the puck in the offensive zone could only be topped by that of the Clarkson series, but CC had more depth to work with that weekend.
**I didn't get a chance to speak with him in the hustle and bustle that occurs after a game, but I spotted left wing Addison DeBoer (shoulder) with his left arm in a sling. I'll catch up with him this week.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
No. 4 CC 3, No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth 0 (end of 2nd period)
The second period was much more defensive. CC struggled to maintain pressure in the zone, both on even strength and on the power play. But with the clock winding down on the Tigers' second power play of the period, defenseman Brian Connelly sent a pass across the top to defenseman Jack Hillen, who again set up a one-timer for center Chad Rau.
Goaltender Richard Bachman's shutout streak over the Bulldogs extended to 177 minutes, 46 seconds, but could have seen its end when the puck took a strange bounce off the back wall at 12:20 of the second. Just as Bachman went to retrieve the puck, it bounced back into the slot, but defenseman Ryan Lowery managed to get there in time.
Goaltender Richard Bachman's shutout streak over the Bulldogs extended to 177 minutes, 46 seconds, but could have seen its end when the puck took a strange bounce off the back wall at 12:20 of the second. Just as Bachman went to retrieve the puck, it bounced back into the slot, but defenseman Ryan Lowery managed to get there in time.
No. 4 CC 2, No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth 0 (end of 1st)
Colorado College owns a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission Saturday against Minnesota-Duluth.
Right wing Eric Walsky and left wing Matt Overman executed a textbook give-and-go around Duluth defenseman Travis Gawryletz. Walsky finished inside the right post to put CC up 1-0 less than nine minutes into the game.
Then, the Tigers got their first power-play goal in 16 tries when center Chad Rau one-timed a pass from defenseman Jack Hillen under goaltender Alex Stalock.
CC goaltender Richard Bachman stretched his shutout streak against the Bulldogs to 157 minutes, 46 seconds.
Right wing Eric Walsky and left wing Matt Overman executed a textbook give-and-go around Duluth defenseman Travis Gawryletz. Walsky finished inside the right post to put CC up 1-0 less than nine minutes into the game.
Then, the Tigers got their first power-play goal in 16 tries when center Chad Rau one-timed a pass from defenseman Jack Hillen under goaltender Alex Stalock.
CC goaltender Richard Bachman stretched his shutout streak against the Bulldogs to 157 minutes, 46 seconds.
No. 4 CC vs. No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth
Lines:
Colorado College
21 Sweatt--14 Rau--25 Testwuide
26 McCulloch--19 Vlassopoulos--23 Kilpatrick
18 Overman--17 Johnson--22 Walsky
27 Wysopal--9 McMillin--12 Quilico
8 Hillen--15 Prosser
7 Fredheim--4 Gannon
11 Connelly--24 Lowery
30 Bachman
31 O'Connell
Minnesota-Duluth
10 Gergen--15 Bordson--19 Kemp
23 Fulton--13 McKnight--37 Fontaine
20 Carroll--8 Akins--16 Greer
11 Schmidt--18 Sharp--27 Curry
14 Cascalenda--17 Meyers
4 Oberg--22 Gawryletz
5 Palm--26 Huttel
32 Stalock
34 Ziegelmann
1 Reiter
Colorado College
21 Sweatt--14 Rau--25 Testwuide
26 McCulloch--19 Vlassopoulos--23 Kilpatrick
18 Overman--17 Johnson--22 Walsky
27 Wysopal--9 McMillin--12 Quilico
8 Hillen--15 Prosser
7 Fredheim--4 Gannon
11 Connelly--24 Lowery
30 Bachman
31 O'Connell
Minnesota-Duluth
10 Gergen--15 Bordson--19 Kemp
23 Fulton--13 McKnight--37 Fontaine
20 Carroll--8 Akins--16 Greer
11 Schmidt--18 Sharp--27 Curry
14 Cascalenda--17 Meyers
4 Oberg--22 Gawryletz
5 Palm--26 Huttel
32 Stalock
34 Ziegelmann
1 Reiter
Friday, February 22, 2008
No. 4 CC 3, No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth 0 (final)
Colorado College didn't played well on the NHL-sized sheet at Michigan Tech a month ago and Minnesota-Duluth's surface is even smaller.
But the Tigers were able to match Duluth's physicality at moments and got clutch saves from goaltender Richard Bachman whenever they had breakdowns.
CC took advantage of two Duluth miscues midway through the second period, with centers Chad Rau and Andreas Vlassopoulos, and got a crucial third goal from Vlassopoulos less than 5 minutes into the third period. Getting the three-goal lead has typically proved elusive for CC.
Short two players for the final 40 minutes, CC was able to earn two points and sole possession of first place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. (North Dakota is playing a series against Bemidji State this weekend.)
See shot chart here.
--CC and Duluth showed why their penalty kills are ranked first and second, respectively, in the nation. The Tigers edge Duluth by .1 percent with a 90.2 percent clip.
--The Tigers' centers had one of their best nights on faceoffs. Rau was 11 for 22. Vlassopoulos was 8 for 16. Brian McMillin was 6 of 10. Tyler Johnson was 6 of 12. (Left wing Scott McCulloch was 0 for 1.)
--McCulloch was scoreless on five shots, including three point-blank opportunities. He should be fired up tomorrow.
--Rau and Vlassopoulos each snapped eight-game scoreless streaks.
But the Tigers were able to match Duluth's physicality at moments and got clutch saves from goaltender Richard Bachman whenever they had breakdowns.
CC took advantage of two Duluth miscues midway through the second period, with centers Chad Rau and Andreas Vlassopoulos, and got a crucial third goal from Vlassopoulos less than 5 minutes into the third period. Getting the three-goal lead has typically proved elusive for CC.
Short two players for the final 40 minutes, CC was able to earn two points and sole possession of first place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. (North Dakota is playing a series against Bemidji State this weekend.)
See shot chart here.
--CC and Duluth showed why their penalty kills are ranked first and second, respectively, in the nation. The Tigers edge Duluth by .1 percent with a 90.2 percent clip.
--The Tigers' centers had one of their best nights on faceoffs. Rau was 11 for 22. Vlassopoulos was 8 for 16. Brian McMillin was 6 of 10. Tyler Johnson was 6 of 12. (Left wing Scott McCulloch was 0 for 1.)
--McCulloch was scoreless on five shots, including three point-blank opportunities. He should be fired up tomorrow.
--Rau and Vlassopoulos each snapped eight-game scoreless streaks.
No. 4 CC 2, No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth 0 (end of 2nd period)
Colorado College centers Andreas Vlassopoulos and Chad Rau scored two goals within 25 seconds to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead heading into the final 20 minutes.
CC managed to kill three penalties in the final 10 minutes of the period, thanks to nine saves by goaltender Richard Bachman, who had 15 saves in the frame. Bachman's best sequence came when he made three consecutive saves on shots by Duluth's Michael Gergen and two from Drew Akins.
After left wing Scott McCulloch missed his third breakaway of the game, Bachman preserved the 0-0 tie with a chest save on right wing Justin Fontaine.
A minute later, CC's Jimmy Kilpatrick dug the puck out of the right corner and passed to Vlassopoulos in the right circle. Vlassopoulos' shot beat goaltender Alex Stalock five-hole to give CC the 1-0 lead.
Just 25 seconds later, right wing Mike Testwuide caused Duluth's Josh Meyers to turn over the puck at the blue line. Testwuide skated hard into the offensive zone and made a cross-slot pass to Rau, who finished gloveside on Stalock.
**Addison DeBoer has not returned to the bench after leaving the ice midway through the first period with an unknown injury.
CC managed to kill three penalties in the final 10 minutes of the period, thanks to nine saves by goaltender Richard Bachman, who had 15 saves in the frame. Bachman's best sequence came when he made three consecutive saves on shots by Duluth's Michael Gergen and two from Drew Akins.
After left wing Scott McCulloch missed his third breakaway of the game, Bachman preserved the 0-0 tie with a chest save on right wing Justin Fontaine.
A minute later, CC's Jimmy Kilpatrick dug the puck out of the right corner and passed to Vlassopoulos in the right circle. Vlassopoulos' shot beat goaltender Alex Stalock five-hole to give CC the 1-0 lead.
Just 25 seconds later, right wing Mike Testwuide caused Duluth's Josh Meyers to turn over the puck at the blue line. Testwuide skated hard into the offensive zone and made a cross-slot pass to Rau, who finished gloveside on Stalock.
**Addison DeBoer has not returned to the bench after leaving the ice midway through the first period with an unknown injury.
No. 4 CC 0, No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth 0 (end of 1st)
Tied 0-0 after a period, two unfortunate plays will make the going tough for Colorado College over the next two periods against Minnesota-Duluth.
Midway through the period, left wing Addison DeBoer took a blind-sided open-ice check and was able to drag himself to the bench, where he gripped his left shoulder, grimaced and rocked back and forth. When a penalty was whistled less than two minutes later, DeBoer and trainer Jason Bushie left the ice. DeBoer has not returned.
Then, DeBoer got some company in the locker room when defenseman Nate Prosser checked Duluth's Andrew Carroll into the boards and was called for checking from behind and the accompanying game misconduct, which will make him ineligible for the last 40 minutes tonight. Duluth didn't get much off of the subsequent five-minute power play, but still has 2:15 left in the man-advantage.
Midway through the period, left wing Addison DeBoer took a blind-sided open-ice check and was able to drag himself to the bench, where he gripped his left shoulder, grimaced and rocked back and forth. When a penalty was whistled less than two minutes later, DeBoer and trainer Jason Bushie left the ice. DeBoer has not returned.
Then, DeBoer got some company in the locker room when defenseman Nate Prosser checked Duluth's Andrew Carroll into the boards and was called for checking from behind and the accompanying game misconduct, which will make him ineligible for the last 40 minutes tonight. Duluth didn't get much off of the subsequent five-minute power play, but still has 2:15 left in the man-advantage.
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