DULUTH, Minn. – Wisconsin sophomore goaltender Joel Rumpel was good when he had to be in the Badgers’ 2-0 conference win against Minnesota Duluth, stopping all 29 shots he faced – including 12 in the final period – for his fourth collegiate shutout. Mark Zengerle (goal, assist) and Jake McCabe (two assists) led UW (1-2-0 overall, 1-0-0 WCHA) offensively. Rookie goalie Matt McNeely was solid for the Bulldogs (2-3-0 overall, 0-1-0 WCHA), turning away 24 shots in the losing effort.

What I saw

– Wisconsin’s defense was in complete control the game, even when the Bulldogs put on a late-game charge; the unit got the puck out of the zone quickly, limited their mistakes and chipped in offensively. Through two periods, UMD had only managed a handful of shot attempts from anywhere close to Rumpel, and once the Bulldogs woke up and started pressuring in the final period, UW’s blue-liners blocked shots and made simple, smart plays to clear any danger.

– Zengerle was great all night, and he probably could have had four or five points. There were several times when Zengerle gained control of the puck, changed speeds to create time and space, and then sauced a pretty pass into an area that only a teammate could get to. He also took advantage of shot opportunities (he threw nine pucks at the net in all) and it paid off with a snipe on the power play.

– Rumpel made some giant saves in the third to preserve the shutout and keep the Bulldogs frustrated. There was one save in particular – a sprawling backdoor stuff of UMD’s Joe Basaraba – that probably sealed the deal.

What I thought

– The Bulldogs have either played really well or really terribly in their first five games, and they need to find a way to play consistent hockey on a night-to-night basis. Several players – McNeely, Tony Cameranesi, and Drew Olson – played well tonight, but many other Bulldogs didn’t. Coach Scott Sandelin expected some growing pains, but, based on his emotions after the game, he’s not expecting anything like what we saw tonight out of UMD.

– Wisconsin responded very well to the adversity they faced, both coming into the series and during the course of the game. Obviously, losing a key player to injury is something that most teams deal with throughout a long season, but the Badgers didn’t miss a beat without center Derek Lee in the lineup. And when UW took a major penalty with the game still in question, it buckled down and killed it off thanks to some great efforts up and down the bench.

What they said

UMD coach Scott Sandelin: “Our energy level was good; our execution was not. We again dug ourselves a hole, and if Matty McNeely hadn’t been very good, it could’ve been more of a hole. Wisconsin played good, tight defense. We have to get into the tough areas and stay on pucks.”

UMD forward Tony Cameranesi: “We came out right away and then we kind of went on the brake pedal. We weren’t ready to play the whole game. Wisconsin is a good team, and you can’t just come out there and expect to win. It’s a team game, and they outplayed us in that category. We just got to do the little things. I think we have to go out there and work hard, get in the corners and do the little stuff. Hopefully the goals will come.”

Although no one moves more than one spot this week, everyone came a little closer together. The teams at the top aren’t running away like we thought they might, and the teams at the bottom are certainly holding their own. The best illustration of this tightness is that only one team is under .500 right now.

1. Minnesota (3-1-0, 1-1-0 WCHA) — Last week: 1
The Gophers faced much stiffer competition than the weekend before, losing 5-3 at Michigan Tech on Friday before rebounding with a 3-2 win Saturday. Michael Shibrowski got pulled from net Friday after giving up four goals on 14 shots. Adam Wilcox fared better on the weekend, stopping 27 of the 30 shots he faced. The third line of Nate Condon, Travis Boyd and Seth Ambroz came to life with three goals and five assists on the weekend.

2. Denver (2-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) — Last week: 3
The Pioneers opened their season in impressive fashion, beating Massachusetts-Lowell 5-1 on Friday and Air Force 5-2 on Saturday. Daniel Doremus tallied two goals Friday and Nick Shore recorded a hat trick Saturday, while freshman defenseman Nolan Zajac opened his career with a goal and three assists on the weekend. Sam Brittain stopped 37 of 38 shots Friday and Adam Murray stopped 22 of 24 Saturday. (more…)

Up

Andrew Hamburg, Forward, Colorado College

Hamburg’s four-goal performance on Friday night against Air Force – making him the first Tiger since 2008 to strike four times in a game – is more than enough to warrant a spot on this list, but the feat is even more impressive when you consider the fact that it equaled his goal total from all of last year.

Andrew Walsh, Goalie, Bemidji State

Walsh knew he had to be good coming into the year, especially with the increased role following the departure of Dan Bakala. This weekend, he was great. In a pair of games he saw 64 shots, stopped 63 of them and helped the Beavers get off on the right foot.

Nic Kerdiles, Forward, Wisconsin

This is probably the only time that a player who hasn’t actually played will be featured here, but college hockey fans – no matter their allegiance – have to tip their caps at Kerdiles, who decided to stick it out at Wisconsin rather than bolt for the WHL. It’s a good move for him, it’s a good move for Wisconsin and it’s a good move for college hockey.

Down

Rylan Schwartz, Forward, Colorado College

While Hamburg was lighting it up, Schwartz was quiet in a pair of games this weekend. He did have an assist and five shots, but the Tigers will need him to be at the top of his game all the time to battle their way into the top-half of the WCHA.

Caleb Herbert, Forward, Minnesota Duluth

Herbert took a nasty hit to the head on Thursday night against Notre Dame, which could play into why he didn’t have a great weekend in South Bend, but he must be better. An assist and two shots for UMD’s top returning forward isn’t going to cut it.

Mark Alt, Defenseman, Minnesota

For a guy that had an absolute rock-solid campaign last winter, Alt had high expectations entering this year. Against Michigan Tech, he looked like a rookie. Alt wasn’t sharp all weekend, made some plays that turned into Tech goals and finished a minus-two on the weekend.

After this past weekend, every team in the WCHA has played at least one game that’s counted in the standings. Most, including an Alaska Gold Rush contest between Alaska-Anchorage and part of North Dakota, have been non-conference yet there was something sweet about the way the conference kicked off the last season as we know it.

The single opening series last weekend was between two teams in Michigan Tech and Minnesota who go back to the original 1951 founding of the league. They have a history that heated up in the 1970s with both teams being national title contenders and with the uncertainty of the future, the Gophers going up to Houghton may be a thing of the past. While the rivalry may have cooled off since, having a series between the home of the MacNaughton Cup and the team currently holding it is a good treat for fans who like tradition. (more…)

I tried not to overreact to one weekend. Yet some of the rankings this week absolutely look like overreactions. Truth is, I had teams 3-9 so close before the season that it opened the door for teams that earned sweeps to jump a few spots and teams that got swept to fall a few. In theory, these rankings will become a little less volatile over the next few weeks.

1. Minnesota (2-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) — Preseason: 1
The Gophers really couldn’t have started any better. They totally demolished Michigan State in a weekend sweep, winning 5-1 on Friday and 7-1 on Saturday. The most ridiculous stat of the weekend is that Minnesota had 17 players record at least one point. Zach Budish led the way with four, while Nick Bjugstad, Erik Haula, Kyle Rau and Christian Isackson all had three.

2. North Dakota (0-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) — Preseason: 2
North Dakota hasn’t played a regular-season game yet, so naturally it’s staying second. UND has won a pair of exhibition games, though. In Friday’s 6-4 win over the U.S. Under-18 Team, a line of Rocco Grimaldi, Corban Knight and Danny Kristo combined for four goals and four assists. (more…)

Ahh, college hockey season. Finally. Almost all WCHA schools were playing games that counted this weekend, meaning we have a very, very small sample to use when judging individual performances. Even so, here are some payers that stood out, and some that disappointed.

Three Up

1. Christian Isackson, Minnesota

When Minnesota’s lines were announced for its exhibition against Lethbridge last week, many pointed straight to Isackson, who’s name sat next to Nick Bjugstad and Kyle Rau on the Gophers’ top line. Following the Lethbridge game and a weekend series against Michigan State, it looks like he’s a perfect fit. Last winter as a freshman, Isackson only skated in 11 games and didn’t record a point. Counting the exhibition, he now has four goals and two assists in three games as a sophomore.

2. Milos Gordic, Michigan Tech

Last season was a disappointing one for Gordic, who saw his scoring production drop from the previous winter. Apparently, he used that as motivation this summer. Gordic posted a four-point weekend (two goals, two assists) in a home-and-home series against Lake Superior State, showing that he might be the guy to step up and fill the void left by the departure of Brett Olson.

3. Mike Seidel, Minnesota Duluth

Seidel had a breakout season in 2011-12, notching 17 goals – six of which came on the power play – while taking on an increased role in the UMD lineup. It looks like he’s picked up right where he left off. Seidel netted not one, not two, but three power-play goals for UMD this weekend and added an assist to go along with it, giving him his most productive weekend as a Bulldog to date.

Three Down

1. Mark Zengerle, Wisconsin

Although Zengerle had a goal and an assist this weekend, the less noticeable aspects of his game weren’t up to par. As the top center on the Wisconsin roster, Zengerle was a minus-two and won just 37 percent of his faceoffs (13-of-35 on the weekend). Everyone expects him to put up numbers, but he must be better all-around.

2. Ben Hanowski, St. Cloud State

You can’t be too hard on a guy who had a shorthanded goal and 11 shots in a weekend, but Hanowski was a minus-three against New Hampshire. Finding a way to get some of those shots past opposing goalies will obviously help that stat, and Hanowski’s offensive abilities will soon pay dividends for St. Cloud State.

3. Josh Thorimbert, Colorado College

Thorimbert was pretty dang good last season, and he posted a .924 saves percentage to show for it. But in his only action last weekend, he wasn’t impressive. Thorimbert gave up four goals on only 25 shots (an .840 saves percentage) in a winning effort against Clarkson. With some stiff competition on the horizon, he better find his game.

The six month wait from April’s Frozen Four in Tampa to this weekend is always long. Sure, it pales in comparison to the short seasons of other college sports and yes, being a fan of a baseball team pushing 100 losses for the second straight year can’t help but college hockey’s first weekend of 2012-2013 is a date I’ve been waiting for ages.

And I know I’m not alone.

Thousands of fans filled arenas from Anchorage to Houghton to Kansas City (okay maybe not Kansas City) to witness dozens of freshmen make their debuts and the beginning of a dream. While Denver was off and North Dakota and Bemidji State played exhibition games against the United States U-18 development team, nine of the twelve WCHA teams made their regular season debut against non-conference foes.

For some like Minnesota and Colorado College, the weekend proved to be a success with sweeps over Michigan State and Clarkson, respectively. Others such as Wisconsin and St. Cloud State found roadblocks in the way of Northern Michigan and New Hampshire, respectively.  It’s easy to look at these early results now and start crumpling the dark horse preseason picks but it is one weekend. Dozens of teams have overcome poor starts to make a deep NCAA tournament run (see: North Dakota under Dave Hakstol) and today’s fast start is tomorrow’s disappointment.

It will take time for those in Colorado Springs and Minneapolis to figure out the quality of last weekend’s opposition. There isn’t much to take away from opening weekend but with hockey back on campus does it really matter? (more…)

Minneapolis, MN- A slow start by Michigan State ended up haunting the Spartans Friday night as three goals by the Gophers in the season’s first 13:38 fueled the #1/2 team in the country to a 5-1 win that was as close as the final score.

WCHA preseason player of the year Nick Bjugstad scored a goal and added an assist while freshman Mike Reilly and redshirt junior captain Zach Budish each had two assists. Tanner Sorenson scored the lone Spartan goal with 4:01 left as Minnesota goaltender Michael Shibrowski made 25 saves en route to his first win as a Gopher.

Ben Marshall, Christian Isackson, Erik Haula and Travis Boyd also scored for Minnesota. MSU goalie Will Yanakeff made 37 saves in defeat.

What I saw:

-The Spartans were one of two teams last year (Denver was the other) to hold Minnesota without a win in a two-game series and much of it was thanks to their defense containing the Gophers’ potent offense.  This year, however, it was the Gophers who used their speed advantage over the Spartans to beat them to pucks, out-muscle their defense and spend entire shifts in the MSU zone. While the top line of Bjugstad, Kyle Rau and Christian Isackson ran wild, the Spartans’ top line of Kevin Walrod, Lee Reimer and Greg Wolfe could not get anything going. (more…)

Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota’s return to the rink went according to plan Saturday night as the Golden Gophers defeated the University of Lethbridge 7-0 in an exhibition game at Mariucci Arena.

The defending WCHA champions, who led college hockey last year in goals per game, didn’t take long to get going. A five minute major to Lethbridge forward Mark Hall for checking Zach Budish from behind 4:17 into the game proved to be the catalyst for two of sophomore Christian Isackson’s three goals. He completed the hat trick 1:08 into the second period while fellow sophomore Sam Warning added another goal 25 seconds later to make it 4-0 Minnesota.

Not to be outdone, the Gopher defense got involved in the scoring five minutes later. Freshman Mike Reilly set up junior Mark Alt at the top of the point and the Carolina Hurricane prospect slapped a one-timer past Lethbridge goalie Dylan Tait. The third period saw emotions escalate on both sides, amounting to 31 minutes in penalties between the two teams. It didn’t change Minnesota’s momentum, however, and two goals by Ben Marshall and Seth Ambroz completed the scoring barrage.

What I saw

-With everyone except for defenseman Blake Thompson (who the team is thinking about redshirting) and backup goalies Ryan Coyne and Matt LaPrade dressing, University of Minnesota head coach Don Lucia unveiled new line combinations. Isackson, who was pointless in 11 games last year, was on the first line right wing alongside Kyle Rau and Nick Bjugstad. Last year’s top right winger, Zach Budish, was instead slotted into the second line with Sam Warning and Erik Haula.

On defense, all three pairs from 2011-2012 were split up while Lucia tries to figure out how to fit eight defensemen into six spots. Freshmen Brady Skjei, a 2012 first round pick by the New York Rangers, and Mike Reilly, who led all BCHL defensemen in points last year, join the six defensemen from last year’s squad.

The power play, meanwhile, looked similar to last year with Bjugstad, Rau and Budish reunited and Haula once again finding himself on the point.

– Skjei had a “welcome to college hockey” moment after getting caught looking at a pass by Lethbridge’s Kyle Mclachlan that he could have gotten away on the USNTDP. He also wasn’t afraid to dish it out and the 6’2”, 197 lbs freshman came to the defense of Nick Bjugstad in the third period.

What I thought

-Lucia mentioned after the game that he believed to the key to this season would be a few of the sophomores stepping up and specifically named Christian Isackson, Travis Boyd and Seth Ambroz. All three did that Saturday but no one more than Isackson. Although the Buffalo Sabres prospect was given a great opportunity playing on the first line, Isackson proved to hold his own. Each of his first two goals was set up Boyd and Ben Marshall rather than Bjugstad and Rau. He had two more great chances to score in the first that were stopped by Tait; however, like Boyd at the end of last year and Nate Schmidt (who went from 1 point as a freshman to 41 as a sophomore) it looks like the sophomore may have turned a corner in his development.

-While Gopher goalies Mike Shibrowski and Adam Wilcox combined for a shutout, neither was tested much. Lethbridge struggled to create offense when they were at even strength and ended up being out-shot 65-16. Shibrowski, a junior who played twenty minutes last season behind the departed Kent Patterson, and freshman Wilcox each made eight saves in their 30 minute stints although Shibrowski faced the tougher chances of the two. It was only an exhibition but having two goalies stand tall and not give Lethbridge rebounds in their few scoring opportunities is big for a team whose biggest question mark coming into the season was goaltending.

What they said

-Christian Isackson on his summer between freshman and sophomore year: “I talked to (Nate Schmidt) a lot. I worked hard. I really put my head to the grindstone over the summer and came in trying to be as positive as I can.

-Nate Schmidt on Mike Reilly: “He’s an ‘Alex Goligoski-type’ player.”

What else you should know

-Minnesota’s 7 goals were scored by five players who combined last year to score 20 goals or five less than Nick Bjugstad. On the other end of the spectrum, the top 5 returning scorers (Erik Haula, Bjugstad, Kyle Rau, Nate Schmidt and Zach Budish) from 2011-2012 combined for four assists Saturday.

-Saturday’s game was the first time someone other than Kent Patterson started for Minnesota in goal since December 3, 2010.

-Defenseman Justin Holl took a vicious hit at the end of the game but appeared to be fine and in good spirits after the game.

-Mariucci Arena received a few cosmetic changes in the offseason with a new HD scoreboard and sound system.

-Attendance was announced as 7,283.

The Minnesota State coaching job is officially open for business after the school reassigned Troy Jutting Sunday evening. At a press conference this morning, Athletic Director Kevin Buisman said people have already inquired about the position. He says they will move quickly to fill the position.

I have no reason to think otherwise. Shane Frederick of the Mankato Free Press, who is the man to follow in this pursuit (@puckato on Twitter), also thinks it would behoove the Mavericks to move quickly on this. And if there really is a shortlist, this thing could get done by the end of the month.

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