Bracketology: Why Your Team Deserves To Make The 2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament (Or Not)

For the first time in a generation, NCAA hockey teams need to showcase their body of work and sell accomplishments to the selection committee. 

It's new. It's different. College hockey coaches on the NCAA Tournament bubble have stopped being polite and started using postgame pressers to stump for why their team is worthy and their opponents should be sitting at home eating popcorn and watching TV. 

And honestly? Not every team knows how to do it.

Take this attempt by Bowling Green, one of several WCHA teams fighting for 1-2 NCAA Tournament spots.

𝙉𝘾𝘼𝘼 𝙏𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚

🏒Bowling Green rosters four of the nation's top-12 active scorers and are the only team in the country with four 100-point scorers (Kruse, 142 - Johnson, 122 - Ford, 114 - Wright, 101)! #AyZiggy pic.twitter.com/9kM9KZEjEj

— Bowling Green Hockey (@BGFalconHockey) March 17, 2021

Active scorers? The NCAA Tournament does not constitute a lifetime achievement award. This isn't the Hobey Baker. 

C'mon Bowling Green, lead with the fact the Falcons beat Quinnipiac twice at Quinnipiac! Lead with the 20 wins, or the 10-4-1 road record, or the sweep over Michigan Tech, or the 3.48 goals per game and +10.03 shot differential that is second in the WCHA behind Minnesota State! Don't bring up active scorers. It helps BGSU as much as bringing up the 6-8-1 finish, first-round series loss to Northern Michigan, and losses to nearly every WCHA team in the hunt. You need to sell yourself, Bowling Green. NCAA Tournament bids are not just handed out!

As a public service, I am going to help 14 other teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble with their resumes. Unlike the rest of these programs, I come with plenty of experience writing resumes. #HireNate

In alphabetical order:

Army: 

Point out: Atlantic Hockey has won three straight first-round series. In a year where there are few true non-conference games and a limited ECAC, why shouldn't Atlantic Hockey get a second bid? The league has proven itself in the NCAA Tournament. The Black Knights are 15-5-0 this season, a better win/loss record than many on the bubble, and help shore up the East-West split if the team beats Canisius and proves it is the second-best AHA team. (This blueprint can also be used for Canisius if the Golden Griffins beat Army Friday.)

Avoid: Discussing the 1-3 record against AIC, who hasn't played since January, or the loss to a first-year LIU. The Sharks did not exist this time last year. Maybe the committee does not know about Long Island in the way the Hobey committee (but not Toronto fans) do not about Colin Bilek.

Bemidji State:

Point out: Of all the WCHA teams fighting behind Minnesota State for a spot, Bemidji State has the best record. Of the Mavericks' three losses, two came against Bemidji, who also went 3-1-0 against Bowling Green. The win total is not boosted by Division III wins or four games against Ferris State and Alabama Huntsville. It is a legit WCHA strength of schedule. Maybe sweeten with Zach Driscoll's performance in the net or the fact that the state of Minnesota has never gotten all five schools in the men's NCAA hockey tournament.

Avoid: Being swept by Northern Michigan, or losing two of three in March to Lake Superior State if the Lakers go on to win Friday in the WCHA Conference Tournament semifinal. Or that one of those Minnesota State wins saw the Beavers outshot 36-10 and score 4 goals on 10 shots against not Dryden McKay.

Boston University: 

Point out: How the Terriers' lack of experience is not a detriment. Boston University only played 15 games this season and was without key players for several. Finishing 10-4-1 with wins over UMass and Boston College helps immensely. Plus with that record and results, which also includes a sweep of Providence, who else out East deserves a spot over Boston University? Hockey East is not getting only two teams.

Avoid: Discussing the Hockey East tournament loss to UMass-Lowell. Even though rival BC also lost, it's not a good look. Nor is the -7.47 shots on goal margin per game (43rd of 51 teams). BU has won yet those wins come at the expense of a possession stat that sees the Terriers surrounded by bottom feeders.

Connecticut:

Point Out: The better Hockey East record and wins in regulations. All 10 victories came in regulations. The Huskies have a 0-3-2 record in overtime and a 1-1-1 record against Boston College. Against Providence in the regular season, Connecticut went 2-1-0. Maybe also bring up the season Jonny Evans is having since it flew a little under the radar.

Avoid: Saying anything about the 6-1 Hockey East quarterfinal loss to Providence, who is in position with the Huskies to take a fourth Hockey East bid. Or how it dropped UConn below .500 this season while UMass Lowell sits above .500 even with a loss in the Hockey East championship game. 

Denver:

Point out: Head-to-head matchups. If the NCHC deserves four teams, and the argument comes down between Denver and Omaha for that fourth spot, well the Pioneers went 3-2-0 against Omaha. DU also won at the most important time, playing with 16 skaters in the NCHC Conference Tournament. Add two wins over North Dakota and no one being quite sure how overtime losses work - Denver is 0-3-1 with the extra period - and DU can punch above its weight to try and extend the nation's longest NCAA Tournament streak. It would not be the first time someone gets a job without the qualifications.

Avoid: Bringing up the full sub-.500 record or the bad with the good. Say nothing about how the two North Dakota wins can be contrasted with losses to the two worst NCHC teams, Colorado College and Miami. Same with the 0-4-0 record against Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State. A lot of teams just missing the NCAA Tournament in a normal year look to be among the top-16 best teams while ending up on the outside, a bad loss or two away from being a No. 3 seed. That is exactly where Denver sits, but this is a year where Pairwise does not make the math rules.

Lake Superior State:

Point out: Play down the stretch. The Lakers are 11-1-0 in its last 12 games. While that is technically not a part of the criteria, the subjective human element seems to be a fan of how teams leave last impressions. Not only that, but the Lakers can avenge the one loss by defeating Bemidji State in the WCHA semifinals. Doing so might be enough to end one of the longest NCAA Tournament droughts, as Lake Superior State has not been in since 1996 when Jeff Jackson still coached.

Avoid: Discussing how the 17-6-3 record looks better on paper than in reality. Two of those wins come against Division III Adrian. Four came against Alabama Huntsville and three more were against Northern Michigan. The Lakers did not play Minnesota State on the road and went 1-2-1 against Bemidji State. LSSU did play well against Bowling Green, but so did several other teams. Not that Lake Superior State needs someone to tell the Lakers, but avoiding a loss Friday would help the resume stand out big time.

Massachusetts Lowell:

Point out: How things are coming up Milhouse for the RiverHawks. The new skill of upsetting Hockey East teams named Boston (University and College) when it matters makes UMass Lowell an at-large spoiler for a potential fourth Hockey East bid. One more win over Massachusetts and it's a guarantee. If last impressions make a difference, playing while Providence and Connecticut sit at home make a final statement.

Avoid: Making comparisons. No matter what happens Saturday night, UMass Lowell finishes above .500, doing so with a lineup without a double-digit goal scorer, and in a time where the options for Eastern teams are limited. If the RiverHawks lose, there are plenty of comparisons that put Providence ahead of UMass Lowell for a fourth Hockey East spot. Asking for a fifth might be a bridge too far for the RiverHawks.

Northern Michigan: 

Point Out: Multiple wins against Bowling Green, Bemidji State, and a win over Lake Superior State. Sing the praises of that 2021 WCHA conference tournament semifinalist appearance (at worst) in the "accomplishments" section.

Avoid: Losing? Honestly, the Wildcats sit in a spot where the team needs an automatic bid to get in the NCAA Tournament. Losing to either Minnesota State or the Bemidji State/Lake Superior State winner does very little to help those options. 11-17-1 will not put Northern Michigan in an at-large bid 

Notre Dame:

Point out: It's been a good year for the Big Ten and the Fighting Irish, with a 14-13-2 record, end the season with a good record. Notre Dame swept Minnesota and Michigan on the road. None of the wins in OT while several losses did. If finishing strong matters, Jeff Jackson's current team ended the year 4-1-1 with dominating wins. If location matters when deciding whether a fourth Big Ten team makes sense in an NCAA Tournament searching for eastern teams, Indiana is further east than Nebraska or Colorado.

Avoid: Bringing up why there is a mid-March gap in accomplishments, or why there is a gap in accomplishments at home. Minnesota ended up with as many wins (5) in Compton Family Ice Arena this season as Notre Dame. Luckily, there is no regional in South Bend. The 9-2-1 road record helps, however, an extra home win or two would make an easier argument for a fourth Big Ten team.

Omaha:

Point out: The record. The Mavericks sit above .500 and have a better record (14-10-1) than Denver and several teams on the bubble. Perception matters and it helps UNO. Outside of an early 1-0 loss to Miami, Omaha has a consistent season with only the one bad loss, going 6-0-0 against Colorado College. The Mavericks also took two wins against North Dakota, going 2-4-0 in six games against the Fighting Hawks. UNO also has a higher goal margin than DU. Many of the arguments for the Mavericks are also the same ones that the women's hockey committee saw in Minnesota Duluth's favor. Maybe bring that up?

Avoid: The record. The math is closer than it seems because four of the wins came in overtime (compared to zero OT losses), leaving Omaha with 10 regulation wins. Denver, as mentioned previously, has the better head-to-head record with the Mavericks. Conference tournaments continue to be a thorn in the Mavericks' side, as an NCAA Tournament bid would be the fourth for Omaha since its last conference semifinal appearance two conferences ago. Two players on this year's Omaha team were not even born when the streak began (s/t Chris Dilks for this tidbit).

Penn State:

Point out: The Big Ten conference tournament results like this week is the only thing that matters. Hammer that home. Say nothing else. Just point out that and how the Nittany Lions beat Wisconsin the time before losing in OT. That Notre Dame win showed Penn State can play when healthy and not missing a month of play. If you guilt the committee about 2020 and say the Big Ten deserves four teams, and that the Nittany Lions are the fourth-best, maybe it will work? Stranger things have happened.

Avoid: Mentioning the 0-5 start, being swept by a combined 12-3 score to Notre Dame the week prior to the Big Ten conference tournament, the sub-.500 record, the fifth-place finish, the six regulation victories, and...at this point I've said too much. Brevity is key.

Providence:

Point out: How head-to-head put the Friars ahead. Against UMass Lowell, Providence won the only game. That helps when the two teams are competing for what might be one at-large bid. PC would also have a better record and zero OT wins compared to the RiverHawks. Against UConn, the Friars split the series, but took the all-important Hockey East conference tournament game and finished with the better record. While it does not need to be pointed out, PC has made its brand on finding ways in the NCAA Hockey Tournament.

Avoid: Bringing up weaknesses like bad losses. Math and RPI only care whether a win or loss occurs, but a human selection committee might look at 9-0 and 8-1 losses to BC and UMass, respectively and ask a few extra questions. At the same time, it would help if Massachusetts wins the Hockey East championship after defeating PC in the semifinals. Not much the Friars can do there besides pray and hope an at-large spot remains for Providence. It's just best to avoid. 

Quinnipiac: 

Point out: Of the remaining ECAC teams, Quinnipiac is by far the most deserving to make the NCAA Tournament. Even without an automatic bid. QU's 17-6-4  record stands out in most conferences. Leaving the Bobcats out if St. Lawrence wins pushes the boundaries of how many Eastern teams can make the 16-team NCAA Tournament.

Avoid: Mentioning that Bowling Green sweep. Yes, it keeps coming up, but the Bobcats are one of the few teams who played a true non-conference schedule, which includes a two-game sweep over three-loss AIC. Normally, that would be a good thing. This year? Take the gift and discuss the ECAC.

St. Lawrence:

Point out: A top-two ECAC conference tournament finish for future generations. The ECAC automatic bid if the Saints defeat Quinnipiac for its fifth win of the season. 

Avoid: Failing to win the ECAC automatic bid. Yes, it's a weird year. No, it's not that weird.

Related: 

2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Bracket 3.0

Bracketology 101: Five More Selection Questions + NCAA Tournament Locks & Bubble Teams

Bracketology 101: How Many Teams From Each Conference Make The Men's NCAA Hockey Tournament?

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Who should be the first St. Thomas D1 men's hockey head coach? A name no one has brought up.

Who will be the first D-1 men's hockey head coach for St. Thomas?

A few days ago, The Rink Live's excellent group of writers tackled this question. They came up with a variety of names who should and likely will be considered, including Northern Michigan head coach Grant Potulny, Minnesota State associate coach Todd Knott, former University of Minnesota assistant coach Scott Bell, former UMD associate coach Jason Herter, and Bemidji State assistant Travis Winter. Other names who get brought up usually have a Minnesota tie in one way or another, such as former longtime Minnesota assistant Mike Guentzel.

Reading their answers got me thinking not just who would be a good fit, but who is someone who would be a good fit that no one has brought up yet. I quickly came up with an answer.

Taking the St. Thomas job presents an intriguing challenge as the Tommies enter the D-1 world in 2021-22, joining seven other teams in (re-?)forming the CCHA. Very few coaches get to put their stamp on a program by building from the ground up and pouring the foundation. 

With that in mind, I am going outside the box with someone who understands that all too well in Penn State associate coach Keith Fisher.

Why Fisher? 

The Rink Live writers bring up several fantastic points. St. Thomas can use someone who knows the state of Minnesota, who knows how to recruit, and who knows how to win and compete against some of the top teams in the country by being directly thrown into the CCHA. Names brought up all hit on those points.

The coach also needs to promote a culture and program that is looking to grow, eventually getting a new rink and being competitive as the sixth Minnesota Division 1 school. Whoever does will also have six months before opening puck drop to do so.

Getting someone like Fisher, who as Guy Gadowsky's assistant and recruiter played a major role in creating the Penn State program, from scratch, can be a major help for the Tommies. Unlike others, he has that experience. The Nittany Lions went from a non-entity at the beginning of the 2010s to NCAA Tournament appearances, a Big Ten regular-season and conference tournament title, and a national title contender at the end of the decade. PSU got to that point by building on each recruiting class, getting higher quality players from all over the world, and building a unique culture that works with players buying in.

All of that would be worthy of taking a look on its own, but Fisher also checks off the all-important Minnesota boxes. He is a Minnesota native who graduated from St. Cloud State and served as an undergrad assistant coach for Craig Dahl. Before working with Gadowsky at Princeton, he helped recruit a number of future NHLers to the USHL's Omaha Lancers (then coached by Minnesota State head coach Mike Hastings). At Penn State, the Nittany Lions have found its share of Minnesotans between Nate Jensen, Eric Scheid, Vince Pedrie, and currently with Xander Lamppa and former Gopher Clayton Phillips.

A program like St. Thomas, entering a crowded Twin Cities and Minnesota pipeline, will need to both scour the state and look elsewhere for diamonds in the rough. Getting someone like Fisher who can recruit all over, understands the challenges which come from coaching college hockey in the state, and knows how to build a successful program from scratch seems like a home-run hire.

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Thirty-One Seconds: Honoring An Unfinished 2019-20 Season

Thirty-One Seconds. The time it takes for one shift in a hockey game, a single 31 second stretch shaped the 2019-20 Big Ten regular season.

Trailing Minnesota 2-1 in the third period, Penn State’s Nikita Pavlychev tied the February 22nd game with his 7th goal of the year. The roar from the goal announcement had yet to linger before Pavlychev found freshman Kevin Wall and put the Nittany Lions ahead 3-2.

Penn State’s ensuing win and six-point swing put the Nittany Lions three ahead of the Gophers, Ohio State and Michigan when the following weekend and February came to an end. One shift made a world of difference. For the first time in program history, the Nittany Lions, who began the 2010s by announcing a men’s hockey program, were regular-season champions.

****

Outside of October’s eternal new season hopes, perhaps no month springs college hockey optimism quite like February. A number of teams find themselves hitting their stride after taking some lumps in slow starts. Others spent months building up to this point, being the best of the best and willing to prove it each weekend. With conference tournaments ahead for all but a small handful of teams, almost every team believes in its heart of hearts that it has a shot.

March and April get championship credit. February, the culmination of five months of the regular season, sits home to many more championship dreams.

Some of the best college hockey teams I’ve seen are ones who ran into a hot goalie with the game of his life, or had a single off night and did not make the Frozen Four. A nearly six-month grind that begins when leaves change colors and ends when flowers begin to bloom, the regular season does not get enough love.

Champions walk together. Even regular-season champions. However, the ones remembered more end up being the ones surviving the quick, short second season.

Let’s be honest. College hockey history gets written by those who have two fantastic weekends in March and April.

Game Stories: Minnesota at Penn State, February 21-22 (Zone Coverage)

In late February, I went out to State College and covered Minnesota's Big Ten regular-season road finale series against Penn State for old friends Zone Coverage. (I was planning on covering the Gophers' Big Ten conference semifinal return for the Minneapolis Star Tribune before it and the rest of the college hockey season was canceled due to coronavirus.) Pegula Arena has not been kind to Minnesota as of late, and that streak continued for the young Gophers.

Minnesota showed heart Friday, coming back from a 2-1 deficit to lead in the third period despite being outshot 57-25, before tying 3-3 and losing the extra Big Ten conference point in 3-on-3 OT. The Gophers led 2-1 on Saturday before Penn State came back with two goals in 31 seconds to take the lead, the game (and a week later the Big Ten regular-season championship).

Both recaps can be found below.

Friday: https://zonecoverage.com/2020/gophers/gophers-nittany-lions-skate-to-a-3-3-tie-in-battle-for-big-ten-supremacy/

Saturday: https://zonecoverage.com/2020/gophers/golden-gophers-squander-2-0-lead-dim-big-ten-title-hopes-in-loss-to-nittany-lions/


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College Hockey Stock Report: November 18, 2019

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.

College Hockey Stock Report: November 4, 2019

Welcome to November where the Ivy League men's teams finally play.

Seriously, it will be good to not need to bring up that fact each week. Everyone is underway. Everyone! The Dartmouth men's hockey Twitter is now back up to 80-20 hockey versus dog content just in time as teams are already tossing teddy bears.

And there will be plenty to discuss as conference play begins in full. With a last-minute goal, Ohio State opened its Big Ten slate by sweeping Michigan to advance to 6-1-1 on the season. Notre Dame sophomore defender Nick Leivermann continued to score at Mariucci and nowhere else. The Boston College men's and women's teams each beat Providence. Army upset AIC. Long Island University got its first program win ever by defeating St. Michael's 5-2 on Friday.

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.

College Hockey Stock Report: October 21, 2019

Another weekend gone answered some questions.

We learned Wisconsin can win defensive battles. We learned the Stefanos Lekkas and Jeremy Swayman experiences continue on for another season. We learned it's never too early for a players-only meeting, as was the case after Penn State followed up a 7-0 shutout win with a 4-0 shutout loss. (We're also learning that Hockey Bear is taking no prisoners this year.) We heard the Battle Hymn in Minneapolis, had an amazing matchup in Mankato, first wins for Merrimack and Colgate, and upsets in Columbus and Boston.

We saw the first-ever instance of 3x3 OT in women's D1 hockey when Minnesota State "defeated" Ohio State to take the extra conference point. Once again, Robert Morris took it to a perennial powerhouse, tying and falling 6-5 to Clarkson.

All in all, it was a quality weekend. Here's what is going on throughout the college hockey landscape as this week's stock report recaps who is doing well, who is on their way down and what trends should be followed.

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Penn State

Penn State

2018-19 Record: 22-15-2 (11-12-1, 4th in Big Ten)
Head Coach: Guy Gadowsky, 8th Year Varsity
Top returning scorers: Alex Limoges (23G-27A) and Evan Barratt (16G-27A)
Top returning goaltender: Peyton Jones (Sr.)

Penn State, for my money, was college hockey's most entertaining team. No matter what happened, there was bound to be a spectacle in a season filled by Sportscenter Top 10 goals. No lead was safe. No red light or Coach's Challenge went unused.

The Nittany Lions put up a goal-scoring bonanza, leading the nation with 4.54 goals per game. Midway through last season, Penn State averaged a total (5.22) on pace to be a 20 year high. PSU ended with more than half a goal on average than the second-place team and over a goal than the fourth-place team.

Penn State historically has never been afraid to shoot. Adding in players who can build upon the mantra and create offensive chances, PSU has multiple weapons throughout its lineup.

🚨 LIMOOOOO 🚨

Off the rebound from Barratt and Sucese!! Penn State leads 4-0 at 1:35 of the second period!! #WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/tJhdjsB2Ee

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) January 27, 2019

All three return, BTW.

What's New: Stability to end its first decade. Six of Penn State's seven players with 14 or more goals return. Several could have left. Among the 11 returning forwards are Limoges, who after 12 goals in his final 14 games, had some buzz as an undrafted free agent. (Nate Sucese and Brandon Biro each had nine during that stretch.) Barratt is a Chicago Blackhawks draft pick back for his junior season.

Guy Gadowsky also gets back forward Aarne Talvitie. Talvitie, who had 16 points in 17 games, missed the second half after getting injured captaining Finland to a WJC gold medal.

Of PSU's nine newcomers, Kevin Wall was drafted by Carolina in the sixth round of June's NHL Draft. Wall had 31 goals for Chilliwack (BCHL). Clayton Phillips transfers in from Minnesota.

Closing Thoughts: So far this has been positive. So it's time to put a big "but" to Penn State being college hockey's most entertaining team.

The offense is historically fun to watch. But the reason PSU is entertaining has to do with no lead being safe. On either side.

The Nittany Lions were an elite offense mixed with one of the nation's worst defenses (56th of 60 teams - only Western Michigan and them had a positive goal differential among the bottom 20). Goalie Peyton Jones barely was above .900%. On multiple occasions last season PSU blew 4-1 third period leads. Opponents scored 5+ goals 13 times. Remarkably, Penn State won three of those.

Any team who is the last one out can point to a number of factors (both internal and external) that barely kept them out of the NCAA Tournament. That's true with Penn State, who had an opportunity to win an automatic berth against Notre Dame.

A healthy Talvitie adds an important element. Limoges is the nation's leading returning scorer. However, whether it's Jones rediscovering his end-of-year freshman form or an older blue line improving vastly defensively, the Nittany Lions, returning the nation's top offense, is a respectable defense away from being a title contender. Seven D return, led by the Cole Hults-Paul DeNaples pairing.

While Penn State missing the NCAA Tournament was lost entertainment, it fits in with college hockey in 2019. The teams on ESPN in April weren't the ones on Sportscenter during the regular season. They were the ones who defensively were responsible and limited opponents opportunities and goals.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Western Michigan
Union
Minnesota
North Dakota
Every Team So Far

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NHL Draft 2019: The Rest of The Big Ten and Upper Midwest

Friday's first round was a big night for the Big Ten.

Five of the nine players with college ties selected in the 2019 NHL Draft's first round will be attending Big Ten programs this fall. That total includes two players apiece from the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin, which had the highest drafted player in forward Alex Turcotte, chosen 5th overall by the Los Angeles Kings.

Overall, 19 players at or heading to Big Ten schools were drafted this weekend as all seven programs had at least one player hear their name called.

Additionally, 11 players either attending Upper Midwest schools or from Minnesota and attending schools outside the region were drafted this weekend.

All can be found below. For a summary of the University of Minnesota's NHL Draft weekend, click here.

BLOG: Analyzing the Big Ten's 2019-20 Non-Conference Schedule

Wednesday (June 5, 2019) saw most of the Big Ten teams announcing full 2019-20 schedules.

I already wrote some thoughts on Minnesota's schedule, but one that continues to stick is the Gopher non-conference schedule. From a name value and competition standpoint, Minnesota's foes outside the Big Ten hit on both. The Gophers will be tested.

So with the idea that, on (digital) paper, Minnesota's non-conference schedule should be tough, I wanted to see how it compared to the rest of the conference.

Turns out, of the six Big Ten schools who ended up releasing full schedules, Minnesota faces the toughest set of teams based on last year's Pairwise. That makes sense. The Gophers play two of the top three overall teams and are the only school who released a schedule to not play a team finishing in the bottom-10.

Minnesota's schedule also falls in line with other Big Ten trends, however. The Gophers scheduled nearby schools and old foes. There's little traveling - several schools only take one trip outside its home state - and a slant towards home games in the home/road split.

Each Big Ten non-conference schedule can be found below:

Podcast: That Gopher Hockey Puckcast Episode 23

On episode 23 of That Gopher Hockey Puckcast, it only seems like a repeat.

Once again the Gophers headed out to State College, PA. Once again the Gophers were swept by Penn State, only this time it came in the Big Ten conference tournament quarterfinals.

Nate Wells, Drew Cove and producer Tom Schreier dive into the weekend that turned Minnesota's two-game losing streak into a four-game losing streak. They discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of the series, which saw Minnesota lose 5-3 and 6-5. Nate also shares how the games got on FSN as well as NCAA Tournament discussion given the Gophers are likely in the field of 16 in two weeks (from air date).

Those stuck in the midst of pothole season can directly download here.


As a reminder, if you subscribed to our old podcast, that feed will no longer work. You need to subscribe to the 'Cast In Gold feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Here it is on iTunes.

Plugs and stuff:

-Drew can be found on Twitter @covedrew and covers Minnesota men's hockey, football and softball for the Minnesota Daily.

-Nate can be found here on this website and at The Athletic (as well as every other website if the various links here don't make clear). You can follow him on Twitter @gopherstate and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. His latest Gopher hockey feature was on the Gopher women's team winning the WCHA Final Faceoff.

Game Story: Penn State holds on, knocks Gophers out of Big Ten Conference Tournament (Zone Coverage)

The Gophers, having likely done enough over the first 34 games to earn an at-large bid when the 16 team field is announced on March 18, will enter the NCAA Tournament on a four-game losing streak, all to the Nittany Lions and all at Pegula Arena.

The latest loss came Saturday when Penn State came out ahead 6-5 in a game which saw Minnesota (19-17-2) explode for four goals in the second period and four lead changes.

Evan Barratt scored twice Saturday, including the game-winning goal with 8:35 remaining in regulation.

“We were a little sluggish in the first and then after that I thought we played hard and fought right until the end. It’s just disappointing we didn’t get that final goal,” Minnesota head coach Don Lucia told reporters after Saturday’s game. “The guys had a great push in the second and third period and showed a lot of who they are coming back from 3-1 on the road.”

Combined with Friday’s 5-3 victory, Penn State won the best-of-three quarterfinal series 2-0 and will advance to next week’s Big Ten semifinal.

Click here to read the rest!

Game Story: Penn State takes Game against Minnesota (Zone Coverage)

Fifty-five seconds near the end of the second period changed the course of Friday’s Big Ten quarterfinal opener.

With the game tied at two and 1:12 remaining, Penn State’s Denis Smirnov and Andrew Sturtz each scored before the second-period buzzer sounded to leave the Gophers in a two-goal hole entering the third period.

It was enough of a cushion for the Nittany Lions to hold on in a 5-3 win in the best-of-three series and put the Gophers on a three-game losing streak.

“When you get into a game like that I thought both teams competed hard,” head coach Don Lucia told reporters after the game. “We battled back to tie it 2-2 and the next turning point for me was the last minute of the second period.”

Special teams played a major role for both teams in the third consecutive game against one another at Pegula Arena. Freshman Casey Mittelstadt got his first multi-goal game for Minnesota (19-16-2) with both markers coming on the power play.

Click here to read the rest!

Podcast: That Gopher Hockey Puckcast Episode 22

On Episode 22 of That Gopher Hockey Puckcast, all goodwill went out the window.

After a trip to Penn State ended in the first-ever sweep for the Nittany Lions, Minnesota will go back next weekend in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament. Nate Wells, on the scene last weekend, Drew Cove and producer Tom Schreier lead the post-mortem over what went wrong. They touch on Friday's 5-1 loss and embarassing performance, Saturday's 5-2 loss and much more before turning attention towards next weekend's opponent...Penn State.

Plus: Mailbag questions and Nate breaking news that this weekend's games would be on TV!

Those who think Drew looks like a lost Reilly brother can directly download here.


As a reminder, if you subscribed to our old podcast, that feed will no longer work. You need to subscribe to the 'Cast In Gold feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Here it is on iTunes.

Plugs and stuff:

-Drew was on assignment, but he can be found on Twitter @covedrew and covers Minnesota men's hockey, football and softball for the Minnesota Daily.

-Nate can be found here on this website and at The Athletic (as well as every other website if the various links here don't make clear). You can follow him on Twitter @gopherstate and like/subscribe to his Facebook page.

Game Story: Minnesota loses game, series & home ice to Penn State (Zone Coverage)

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA- Losing a shootout last Saturday turned out to be the difference for Minnesota.

Or it could possibly be a blown 3-0 lead to Michigan in November that resulted in a loss in overtime.

The 4-0 lead the next night which resulted in two points rather than three comes to mind. Maybe Wisconsin or Ohio State finding a way to win tied games in the third period did it. Maybe being shut out at Notre Dame despite 44 shots on Cale Morris.

Then there’s this weekend. After 24 Big Ten league games, Minnesota fell one point short of home ice.

“It’s tough. It’s not the weekend that we wanted,” Gopher junior forward Brent Gates Jr. said.

Needing a single point on the road in either of the two games against Penn State, the Gophers got swept at Pegula Arena for the first time in program history. Despite a better start Saturday a night after handily losing 5-1, Minnesota could not find a way early past Peyton Jones.

The Nittany Lions scored twice in the opening 10:48 to go on and win the regular season finale 5-2. Celebrating with streamers from the student section, PSU finishes with 34 points compared to 33 for the Gophers.

“We didn’t play as we needed to yesterday, as the shots and score showed. You can’t leave the second game to chance,” said Mike Szmatula.

Click here to read the rest!

Game Story: Minnesota embarrassed in Happy Valley (Zone Coverage)

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA- Before the game the Roar Zone, Penn State’s student section, unveiled a giant banner that showed a Nittany Lion chasing a Gopher and said “Ski-U-Meh.”

Photo credit: Nathan Wells

“Meh” might be kind.

Alex Limoges was able to tap a Roar Zone poster of an “easy” button against the glass when he scored his team’s fifth goal in a move which summed up the night for Penn State.

Facing a desperate Penn State team needing wins to keep its NCAA Tournament chances alive, the Gophers were anything but Friday night. The Nittany Lions defeated Minnesota 5-1 in front of 6,171 fans, leaving an embarrassed Gopher squad angry at their own effort.

“It’s really disappointing. When you lose a game because you didn’t bring your effort, that’s on you,” sophomore defenseman Ryan Lindgren said. “When you get outshot (61-15) it’s flat out embarrassing. When you don’t bring the effort that’s on us.”

Click here to read the rest!

Podcast: That Gopher Hockey Puckcast Episode 21 (With Ben Jones)

On episode 21 of That Gopher Hockey Puckcast, Nate is in two places at once.

Joining Drew Cove and Tom Schreier from New York City, the trio discuss Minnesota's win and tie over then-No. 6 Ohio State. They touch on Mat Robson's performance, Senior Day, the Gophers being one point away from clinching home ice and much more.

Afterwards Ben Jones of State College.com comes on the show to help break down the Nittany Lions' season a year after making the NCAA Tournament for the first time. He also explains the growing college hockey culture in State College with one of Division 1's newest programs.

Those who have heard of more than one student newspaper can directly download here.


As a reminder, if you subscribed to our old podcast, that feed will no longer work. You need to subscribe to the 'Cast In Gold feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Here it is on iTunes.

Plugs and stuff:

-Ben is the editor at StateCollege.com where he also covers football, basketball and hockey. He wrote the book "Happy Valley Hockey" on Penn State's first five years of Division 1 men's hockey. It can be ordered on Amazon and other places books are sold. You can follow him on Twitter @ben_jones88.

-Drew was on assignment, but he can be found on Twitter @covedrew and covers Minnesota men's hockey, football and softball for the Minnesota Daily. His latest story is on goaltenders Eric Schierhorn and Mat Robson being in new territory.

-Nate can be found here on this website and at The Athletic (as well as every other website if the various links here don't make clear). His feature on Minnesota's seniors celebrating Senior Day and eyeing one more home series can be read here. You can follow him on Twitter @gopherstate and like/subscribe to his Facebook page.

That Gopher Hockey Puckast: Episodes 2 & 3

Because there was so much to discuss this week we did something different: We split everything into two podcasts.

Twice as much content. Twice as much college hockey in your ears!

As a reminder, if you subscribed to our old podcast, that feed will no longer work. You need to subscribe to the 'Cast In Gold feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Here it is on iTunes.

And leave us a review and five stars while you're at it.

Pregame Blog: Gophers without 3 top-9 forwards, Peyton Jones' Sportcenter save + More

#11 Penn State (2-1-0, 1-0-0-0 Big Ten) at #7 Minnesota (1-2-0, 0-1-0-0 Big Ten)

Date: October 15, 2017
Time: 3:00 pm CT
Place: 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, MN
TV: Fox Sports North (Doug McLeod, Ben Clymer and Krissy Wendell-Pohl)
Stream: BTN2Go/Fox Sports Go
Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM (Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco)
Nate is covering for today: The Athletic

Among the many things Minnesota failed to do in Friday's 3-1 loss was test Penn State sophomore goaltender Peyton Jones.

"Not at all," junior forward Darian Romanko said. "We got zero shots in the first ten minutes and 16 on the game, I think (Note: It was 21). That's not good enough for Gopher hockey."

The slow start was Minnesota's second consecutive Friday night opening the game being outshot over the first ten minutes. The Gophers didn't have a shot stopped by Jones until the 12 minute mark. He was barely tested as the Nittany Lions forced Eric Schierhorn (making his record-breaking 79th straight start Sunday) to stop 2 breakaways during that stretch.

Leon Bristedt suspended for Sunday's game

University of Minnesota senior forward Leon Bristedt will miss Sunday's game against Penn State after being suspended by the Big Ten for one game.

Bristedt, who is without a point in three games this season, was assessed a game misconduct for checking Nittany Lions forward James Gobetz from behind into the wall during Minnesota's 3-1 loss Friday. The conference determined it was aggregious enough to earn supplementary discipline.

The play came with his team on the penalty kill 8:47 into the second period.

Gopher head coach Don Lucia was okay with the checking from behind call when asked after Friday's game.

"That's a safety issue. You don't go into the boards and push a guy in his numbers, putting him in a really vulnerable position. I have no problem with the call," he said. "(Leon) knows better. He's a senior. You wrap up a guy in that situation, but you don't check him from behind."

This is Bristedt's second career suspension. He missed one game in March 2016 for spearing Michigan State captain Michael Ferrantino in a play that did not earn a penalty.

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