As the weather begins to get cold, revenge in college hockey continues to heat up en vogue.
Several schools and individuals earned some revenge over the weekend. Chris Bergeron, whose Bowling Green team's season ended in OT to Minnesota Duluth, defeated the Bulldogs with his new Miami team. The RedHawks entered Friday 2-5-2 and being handily swept by North Dakota, who earned a win and tie over a Denver team who ended the Fighting Hawks' 2018-19 season in the same building. Out East, Cornell defeated Clarkson in a battle of top-10 teams and rematch of the 2019 ECAC championship game.
Still, as fun as it can be to discuss teams and individuals earning revenge for what happened last season, the weather changing is a good time to remember how it's becoming more important to get revenge for what's happening this season. Records are being set. Identities are being formed. As the weather begins to get cold, 2019-20 has been heating up as a whole.
As always, here's what is going on throughout the college hockey landscape. This week's stock report recaps who is doing well, who is on their way down, and what trends should be followed.
Up: Michigan State
Picked to finish seventh of seven teams, the Spartans are getting off on the right foot with bragging rights to boot. Michigan State began Big Ten conference play 3-1 after sweeping in-state rival Michigan for the first time since October 2009. Danton Cole's team has shown flashes but is getting help from its depth that MSU missed.
Perhaps no game shows it better than Saturday's 3-0 win, in which Michigan State's John Lethemon earned his second shutout in as many weekends while the Spartans scored three goals from players not named Patrick Khodorenko or Mitch Lewandowski.
Down: The other Big Ten "M's"
Besides Michigan's follies against the Spartan, Minnesota was swept by Penn State at home. Both schools expected some early struggles. However, it's the way those struggles are happening that are worrying.
For Michigan, the Wolverines are dropping fast from the young team that beat Western Michigan. Mel Pearson's team has 1 Big Ten point in six games. Sure, injuries aren't helping, but it's concerning nonetheless. Four of those games came against the other teams picked to finish near the bottom while looking worse with each passing week.
(Heck, even Canisius is getting in on the Wolverines' style with throwback sweaters that look like the GLI love child of Michigan and Michigan Tech.)
For Minnesota, the Gophers turned a scoreless first period Friday into an 8-2 loss. Saturday's game featured 2-0 and 3-1 leads going away and losing 6-3. (One silver lining: Cullen Munson getting his first collegiate goal...as a junior.) Through six weeks, Minnesota has blown multiple tie games and third-period leads. Young team or not, that's not the identity any group wants yet one the Gophers, unfortunately, can claim.
Showing posts with label Cornell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cornell. Show all posts
Monday, November 18, 2019
Friday, September 20, 2019
60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Cornell
Cornell
2018-19 Record: 21-11-4 (13-5-4, T-1st in ECAC)
Head Coach: Mike Schafer, 25th Year
Top returning scorer: Morgan Barron (15G-19A)
Top returning goaltenders: Matthew Galajda (Jr.) and Austin McGrath (Jr.)
What's a bigger question mark than one goaltender returning after an injury ended his outstanding season? How about two goaltenders in the same situation.
That's the blessing and cursed predicament Cornell finds itself in 2019-20. Starter Matthew Galajda missed the 2019 NCAA Tournament due to an injury. Backup Austin McGrath, already scheduled to undergo surgery at the end of the season, came in and helped the Big Red defeat Northeastern before losing to Providence.
Both return, as do 7 of Cornell's top 10 scorers. The Big Red once again aims to be a beacon of defense, a year after tying with Quinnipiac for both the ECAC regular-season title and allowing the fewest goals (73) all season nationally. (Up from an insanely-low 52 in 2017-18.) To do so will require replacing half the blue line and getting back a healthy 2017-18 first-team All-American in Galajda (.939 and .921 save percentages his first two years).
What's New: A video scoreboard at Lynah Rink.
Fans will be able to see replays and all the modern amenities that come with video. No longer will newspapers be forced to be the only source of media during introductions. (Kidding. Seriously, please keep buying newspapers! Reading is important!)Board is coming along. Not many left to install. pic.twitter.com/MLB4sMuhAj— Cornell Video (@CornellVideo) August 13, 2019
Some simple graphical pieces on the boards just for now. Layout work for the season soon. pic.twitter.com/LAF4nKajiz— Cornell Video (@CornellVideo) August 28, 2019
Cornell's 2019-20 roster features nine first-year players. Forward Matt Stienburg, a 2019 third-round pick by the Colorado Avalanche, is the highest Big Red draft pick since Riley Nash after 59 points (19G-40A) in 57 games for Youngstown (USHL). Jack Malone, meanwhile, was selected in the sixth round by Vancouver. Other incoming players among the five forwards and four defenders include Lakeville native Sam Malinski and Schafer's fourth set of twins.
This season sees Cornell traveling to New York and next to New York, New York with November's Red Hot Hockey versus Boston University at MSG and January's Fortress Invitational in Las Vegas. The Big Red also head to East Lansing to take on a Michigan State team who swept CU last October.
Closing Thoughts: Of the teams who came within a game of the 2019 Frozen Four, Cornell could consider itself both the most disappointed and happy. 2017-18 was a nice surprise. The expectations were next season was the year built for a run. Instead, finishing 2018-19 with injuries throughout the lineup is a reminder that nothing is given or goes the way it should on paper. Making Frozen Fours is a difficult task where things need to go right at the right time of year.
It's a lesson most teams in this area of the series know all too well.
A healthy Galadja gives the Big Red a brick wall in net while young two-way blueliners find their footing (and if not, a healthy McGrath isn't a bad option). Travis Mitchell led all Omaha defenders in points. All except Malinksi are 6'3, nearly 200 lbs. Up front, Morgan Barron and Cam Donaldson returning along with incoming players like Stienburg and Malone add another element.
Cornell should be happy with its run, which looks to continue with a chance for a third straight ECAC title. Schafer's had the first stretch of three straight NCAA Tournaments since Ned Harkness coached. And yet there's always the curse of wanting more.
Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Notre Dame
AIC
St. Cloud State
Minnesota State
Every Team So Far
--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!
Thursday, March 28, 2019
2019 Women's Frozen Four Final Thoughts
This past weekend I went up to Hamden, CT to cover the 2019 women's Frozen Four for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Those articles can be found below, but I also wanted to add some thoughts on the weekend and experience. It was a fantastic experience catching up with old friends, meeting several people I've interacted with, and of course, getting to once again cover the University of Minnesota's run in person.
Nicole Schammel gets her Frozen Four moment as Minnesota shuts out Cornell to advance to the national championship game: http://www.startribune.com/gophers-women-s-hockey-tops-cornell-2-0-to-advance-to-national-title-game/507538602/
"It's fierce and special, mixed with a dash of familiarity." On the Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry being contested over a national championship: http://www.startribune.com/rivals-minnesota-wisconsin-to-play-for-women-s-hockey-championship/507572422/
"These years have been the best years of our lives." Why Minnesota was both disappointed to lose in the national championship game and grateful to get the opportunity: http://www.startribune.com/gophers-women-s-hockey-loses-2-0-to-badgers-in-national-championship/507591282/
An early look at the 2019-20 Gophers team: http://www.startribune.com/gophers-have-talent-to-rebound-from-ncaa-title-game-loss/507616532/
Some final thoughts that didn't fit into a story:
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)