Wednesday Morning Coffee

• The USOH is keeping a close eye on Team USA's top candidates for the World Junior Championships, and yesterday North Dakota freshman forward Rocco Grimaldi was in the spotlight. Grimaldi leads the team with four points (2G, 2A) in four games, and he has a six game point streak (3G, 3A) dating back to last season.
• Through four games, North Dakota has a four-way tie for the team lead in +/- rating, and all four leaders are freshmen. Grimaldi, Colten St. Clair, Jordan Schmaltz, and Drake Caggiula are all +4.
• North Dakota forward Brendan O'Donnell is one of several Tampa Bay Lightning prospects looking to have an impact season in the NCAA. Tampa Bay selected O'Donnell in the 6th Round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
• Jonathan Toews participated in Chicago's successful "Champs for Charity" game, which was played before nearly 12,000 fans, while Minnesota's Defending the Blueline charity game, which included Zach Parise and Chris Porter, was also deemed a success. As NHLers remain locked out, star-studded charity games are one way for players to remain active. Matt Greene is scheduled to take part in a charity game in California while Travis Zajac will do the same in Winnipeg.
• Zajac and his agent are evaluating several opportunities for the former Sioux centerman to play overseas and he might be headed to Europe within a few weeks (Zajac info at the very end of the post).
• Former Sioux captain Adam Calder suffered a fractured hip last Sunday in an English Premier League game. He underwent surgery Monday, and no further details have been released.
• Matt Frattin returned to Toronto Marlies practice last week, and he is no longer wearing a no-contact practice jersey. Marlies head coach Dallas Eakins said earlier this week that Frattin is about two weeks away from returning to game action.
• North Dakota recruits Adam Tambellini and Wade Murphy are currently at the Canada West World Junior A Challenge Selection Camp, where they are teammates on Team Blue. They played their first game last night, with Murphy scoring his team's lone goal in a 2-1 loss. The camp concludes tonight when Team Blue takes on Team White. Luke Johnson will participate for Team USA in the WJAC, which begins next Monday in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. All tournament games can be viewed online at no charge through Fast Hockey. 

North Dakota vs. UAA/UA: Goal Rush Notes & Links

North Dakota vs. Alaska-Anchorage/Alaska - Brice Alaska Goal Rush Notes & Links

• Gametime: Friday vs UAA 8:05 CDT/Saturday vs. Alaska 10:05 CDT
• Both games will be broadcast on regional radio across the UND Radio Network as well as across the web via UND Insider. Webcasts for the games are available for purchase on a single game basis or as a four game package.
• Series Notes (PDF): North Dakota and Alaska-Anchorage and Alaska
• Brice Alaska Goal Rush Tournament Central
• Brad Schlossman's Friday Morning Reading
• Anchorage Daily News: UAA Brimming With Confidence
• Anchorage Daily News: North Dakota to be Seriously Shorthanded vs. UAA Friday
• Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: North Dakota in Town for Goal Rush
• Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Seawolves Aim For Third Brice Goal Rush Prize
• Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Nanooks Vie For Third Goal Rush Crown
• Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Teams Make Big Trips For Goal Rush
• TOE: Corban Knight is a Center of Attention
• Alaska Nanooks Hockey Blog: A Look at the 2012 Goal Rush
• Senior Danny Kristo, who will not be playing this weekend due to suspension, is the lone active member of the UND Century Club with 109 career points. Corban Knight could join the club with a big night Saturday. Knight, who will be sitting out Friday's game due to suspension, enters the season with 97 career points. Carter Rowney is third on the active list with 46.
• Michael Parks will not play this weekend due to a lower body injury suffered in the exhibition game against Manitoba. As for the full list of suspensions, sitting out Friday's game against Alaska-Anchorage are Kristo, Knight, Rowney, Andrew MacWilliam, and Brendan O'Donnell. Saturday's absentees will be Kristo, Connor Gaarder, Stephane Pattyn, and Andrew Panzarella.
• UND freshman Jordan Schmaltz is a highly-touted offensive defenseman who should see a lot of special teams play. Nick Naumenko's UND record for points by a freshman defenseman is 34, set in 1992-93, and that's a number Schmaltz could approach this season. Naumenko, Jason Herter, and James Patrick all hold the freshman defenseman record for assists with 24, and that's a number Schmaltz could challenge as well.
• Alaska-Anchorage's roster features Hayden Trupp, the younger brother of former Sioux star Evan Trupp.
• A player to watch during Saturday's matchup against Alaska-Fairbanks is Andy Taranto. Taranto, who starred for the Fargo Force in 2008-09, is a senior who has been one of Alaska's top offensive threats throughout his career in Fairbanks.
• USCHO's This Week in the WCHA
• USCHO's Weekend Picks Thursday Edition and Regular Edition
• CHN's Tale of the Tape vs. UAA and Tale of the Tape vs. UA
• CHN's WCHA Power Rankings
• CHN's WCHA 3 Up, 3 Down
• CHN: WCHA's Final Regular Season As We Know It Begins Tonight
• WCHB Weekly WCHA Preview
• WCHA Weekly Press Release
• The Hockey Writer's Combine: Brice Alaska Goal Rush Game Notes
• Sioux Sports Weekend Preview
• Episode 2.03 of Through These Doors:

Thursday Morning Coffee

• North Dakota sophomore forward Brendan O'Donnell played in just 17 games as a freshman before suffering a shoulder injury that would keep him out of the lineup for the remainder of the season. Inside College Hockey featured O'Donnell as part of their INCH A-Z series, and despite his abbreviated freshman campaign, he will be counted upon to contribute key minutes this upcoming season.
• Former Sioux Adam Calder expects his new MK Lightning team to achieve big things this season. Calder joins the Lightning after leading the Slough Jets to the English Premier League's playoff championship a year ago.
• The New York Hockey Journal featured New Jersey Devil centerman Travis Zajac as part of their 2012-13 player preview series, saying that he and teammate Ilya Kovalchuk have the potential to become one of "the best center-wing punches in the NHL."
• The Colorado Avalanche recently named 19 year-old Gabriel Landeskog team captain, making him the youngest player in NHL history to wear "the C." Landeskog replaces Jonathan Toews as the youngest current captain in the league, and Rogers Sportsnet put together a collection of the league's youngest leaders. Toews also recently sat down with Blackhawks TV to recount scoring his first NHL goal:

Thursday Evening Post

A fun weekend of hockey in The Zenith City followed by being a bit under the weather during the week has led me to fall behind on disseminating Sioux hockey news. Also, due to the fact that the half-marathon and marathon training season is once again upon me, I'm going to start posting the links without as much personal commentary, as that will help utilize my time more efficiently. Continue to expect the Series Notes & Links, Recruit Profiles, etc., but I don't plan on doing the Series Recaps any longer. There are usually at least 3-4 good game stories written after every game (GF Herald, UNDsports.com, USCHO, opponent's beat writers, etc.), so there is more than enough fodder out there for you Saturday and Sunday morning readers. I also hope to start doing more original writing, so please bear with me as the blog continues to evolve. Without further stalling, here's what's been going on in the world of Sioux hockey:

• Sioux winger Brendan O'Donnell impressed enough during his injury shortened season to be ranked among Tampa Bay's top prospects.
• As Tradition of Excellence blogged about last October, next season's Nebraska-Omaha vs. North Dakota outdoor game was made official this week. Here is the Omaha World-Leader's take on the weekend. Tickets go on sale October 1st.
• Head coach Dave Hakstol says the legislation mandating the use of the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo creates "insurmountable challenges" for North Dakota athletics.
• Travis Zajac's checkup showed that his Achilles tendon is healing as it should, and he should be able to resume skating by the end of the week.
• Zach Parise is feeling great and is focused on the present. New Jersey's captain also says he does not want to talk contract during the season, but keeping Parise is a matter of dollars and sense for the Devils.
• Former Sioux player and current Lincoln Star coach Chad Johnson is loyal to his players.
• Hunter Bishop was recently named a co-recipient of the Hamilton Bulldogs' Community Player of the Month Award.
• Leaf's TV asks Matt Frattin 20 Questions:

• Frattin also did an interview with Leafs Nation.
• Jason Blake's presence in the Anaheim Duck lineup seems to have a significant impact on the team's success.
• David Toews (Toledo-ECHL) and Brian Lee (Ottawa-NHL) both recently returned to their respective lineups after sitting out with injury.
• Tony Hrkac's NCAA single season scoring record could be unbreakable.
• Evan Trupp was named the ECHL's Player of the Week. The following goal certainly helped his case:

 

• Aaron Schneekloth recorded his 300th point as a member of the Colorado Eagles (ECHL).
• Rastislav Spirko and Team Slovakia recently won the BellSwiss Bank Championship. In the four-team knockout format Spirko notched a goal in two games.
• Keaton Thompson and the Team USA Under-17 team recently swept all three of its games at the Vlad Dzurilla Tournament in Slovakia. Thompson recorded one assist during the tournament.
• Miles Koules and the Under-18 team finished in third place at the Five Nations Tournament in Finland. The Americans won two and lost two as Koules produced one assist in four games.
• North Dakota landed another recruit for its Class of 2014. Brendan Lemieux of the Toronto AAA Red Wings has given a verbal commitment to the Fighting Sioux. He is the son of former NHLer Claude Lemieux.
• Recruit Zane Gothberg is keeping a level head.
• Recruit Drake Caggiula was named to the OJHL's All-Prospect 1st Team.
  

Thursday Morning Coffee

• Brad Schlossman of the GF Herald wrote an article last weekend featuring Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol's thoughts on the CHL-NCAA recruiting battle, and yesterday Rogers Sportsnet's Patrick King issued a rebuttal. King's response is noticeably one-sided, and Chris Peters of The United States of Hockey does a great job of breaking it all down.
• Yesterday it was announced that freshman Brendan O'Donnell will soon undergo season-ending surgery, relegating North Dakota to 18 available skaters, just enough to field a full lineup. If anyone else is forced to miss time from here on out, the Sioux will be forced to skate with a short bench. O'Donnell joins Derek Rodwell and Rocco Grimaldi on UND's season-ending surgery list.
• Evan Trupp had his first career three point game as a professional last night, popping in a goal to go along with two assists as the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) knocked off Utah 4-0. He now has seven points (1G, 6A) in 10 games since being traded from Cincinnati. His former Pony Express linemates Brad Malone and Matt Frattin also contributed to their teams' wins yesterday. Malone had a goal and an assist in helping Lake Erie (AHL) to a 4-3 win over Rockford while Frattin scored the game-winner in a 4-3 Toronto Marlie (AHL) victory over Rochester.
• Portland's (AHL) UND connection of Matt Watkins and Brett Hextall produced a goal and two assists Tuesday night as the Pirates defeated Manchester 4-2. Ryan Duncan has been out of Portland's lineup recently.
• In infirmary news, Kyle Radke is on Rio Grande Valley's (CHL) 30-day IR while Joe Finley has been out of Rochester's (AHL) lineup with a lower body injury that head coach Ron Rolston terms as being "somewhat long-term."
• Finley and fellow Rochester American Corey Fienhage were recently a part of HF's Buffalo Sabre prospect breakdown.
• Darcy Zajac is the most recent Albany Devil (AHL) to be featured on Devils Insider.
• Travis Zajac had his Achilles tendon re-evaluated in Winnipeg yesterday. The Devils are not expected to release details of the evaluation and Zajac's status until later today, but leading up to the doctor visit New Jersey's staff was optimistic that the news would be favorable and that their top center would be able to resume hockey activities soon.
• Former Sioux Ryan Johnson was recently featured at Livestrong.com.
• Recruit Jordan Schmaltz came in at #34 in TSN's 2012 NHL Draft Midseason Rankings.
• Yesterday Jordan's younger brother and fellow Sioux recruit Nick Schmaltz committed to rejoining the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers for next season, effectively turning down an offer to join the USNTDP Under-17 team. Nick, who is currently with the Chicago Mission U-16 team, played 11 games with Green Bay earlier this season, thus they retain his future USHL rights. Sioux recruit Chris Wilkie is also a potential invitee to USA Hockey's 40-player U-17 selection camp.
• Sioux recruit Keaton Thompson and the Team USA U-17 squad opened the Vlad Dzurilla Tournament today in Piestany, Slovakia by knocking off Switzerland 6-1. Their next action will come bright and early tomorrow morning when they take on Germany at 6:30 AM CST.

Fighting Sioux vs. St. Cloud State: Notes & Links

UND (12-9-2, 8-8-0 WCHA)  vs. St. Cloud State (9-11-4, 6-7-3 WCHA) - Series Notes & Links:

• Gametime: Friday 7:37 CST/Saturday 7:07 CST
• As always, the games will be broadcast over the radio airwaves via the UND Radio Network, but there will be no television coverage regionally. In the St. Cloud area the games will be broadcast on Charter channel 87, while in the Twin Cities Comcast will carry the series on channels 13 (St. Paul) and 23 (Minneapolis). The game is also available via webcast at B2Live for $8.00.
• Series notes in PDF: North Dakota and St. Cloud State
• Brad Schlossman's Friday Morning Reading
• The big news that came out Thursday afternoon was that much-heralded freshman Rocco Grimaldi will have season-ending knee surgery. Grimaldi's two month shutdown was not enough for the knee to heal on its own, leading to the decision to move forward with the surgery. He joins Derek Rodwell as Sioux who have had their seasons ended prematurely, and freshman Brendan O'Donnell (out against SCSU) will know more on the severity of his injury next week. Derek Forbort is also out this weekend, while Michael Parks is traveling with the team and will be a gameday decision.
• While St. Cloud State goaltender Mike Lee is close to returning from a lower-body injury, it won't happen against North Dakota. The Huskies will continue to rely on freshman Ryan Faragher in Lee's absence. Faragher, of course, played a gem of a game against the Sioux back in October, making 44 saves in a 4-0 SCSU win. Drew LeBlanc, SCSU's offensive leader, is also out this weekend.
• This is a mighty important series in the fight for first round home-ice. North Dakota currently sits in seventh place with 16 points while SCSU sits one spot behind with 15. Michigan Tech, currently in sixth place with 17 points, plays Saturday night in a non-conference game against Northern Michigan.
• Jordy Christian has taken on a blue-collar role for the Huskies. Christian is the son of former Sioux Ed Christian and is the cousin of Brock Nelson. 
• Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol will be looking to pick up career victory number 200 this weekend. If he does, he will join Gino Gasparini and Dean Blais as the only coaches in program history to achieve that mark.
• Danny Kristo is closing in on the Fighting Sioux Century Club. He currently has 89 career points.
• The St. Cloud Times chronicles what is most likely to be the final time the Fighting Sioux jersey will be worn on the ice at the National Hockey Center.
• From the For What It's Worth Department, UND is not the only school engaged in a nickname controversy. This story is almost too rich to make up.
• Inside College Hockey says emotions were running high around the WCHA last weekend.
• UND Athletic Dept. Travel Blog
• St. Cloud Times Series Preview
• USCHO's This Week in the WCHA
• USCHO's Weekend Picks
• CHN's Tale of the Tape
• CHN's WCHA Power Rankings
• INCH's First Shift
• INCH's Friday Four-Cast
• WCHA Weekly Press Release
• Inside Hockey Series Preview
• Sioux Sports Series Preview
• Lastly, here's Episode 11 of Through These Doors:

Wednesday Evening Post

• Here's the latest Fighting Sioux injury update: Derek Forbort, Brendan O'Donnell, Rocco Grimaldi, and Derek Rodwell are all out for this weekend. Michael Parks hasn't officially been ruled out but more than likely will not see action against St. Cloud State. Don't expect any sympathy from the Huskies, however. Number one goaltender Mike Lee and their top forward Drew LeBlanc have both been sidelined for long stretches due to injury, while forwards Cam Reid and Mitch MacMillan both left the team over the holiday break. MacMillan, of course, has since joined North Dakota but will not be able to play until next January.
• Former Fighting Sioux All-American & assistant coach John Marks was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame tonight. Marks, who currently serves as head coach of the USHL's Fargo Force, is the ECHL's all-time leader in games coached, wins, and seasons spent behind the bench. ECHL Press Release
• Earlier this week it was announced that Brandon Bochenski was named to the KHL All-Star Game. He's having a strong season for Barys Astana as his 42 points currently rank sixth in the league while his 19 goals are fourth best. For those of you not familiar with the Russian "super-league," here's a not-so-glamourous look at the top hockey league not based in North America.
• Want a great stat line? Here is Jason Blake's from Sunday's victory against Vancouver: 2 goals, 1 assist, +3, and 10 shots, all in just 13 minutes of ice time. After missing 34 games this season, it seems he's doing all he can to make up for lost time. The Ducks are hosting Dave Tippet's Phoenix Coyotes tonight.
• TJ Oshie of the high-riding St. Louis Blues took part in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch fan Q&A session today. Much like I was during my days at UND, Oshie fesses up to being quite the collector of campus parking citations.
• Though he was recently sent down to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, Matt Frattin certainly got his licks in while playing with the Maple Leafs. He makes two appearances in the NHL's 25 Biggest Hits from the first half of the season.
• With two goals in the Blackhawks' 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres tonight, Jonathan Toews extended his point streak to five games. During the streak he has produced four goals and three assists in leading Chicago to a 4-0-1 record
• As Buffalo continues to struggle amid high expecations, speculation says both Derek Roy and Drew Stafford could be on the trading block. The Edmonton Journal asks whether Stafford would be a good fit for the Oilers.
• Russia handed Team USA a 7-1 defeat today in the final game of preliminary round play at the Youth Olympic Games. The good news (or bad news?) is that Nick Schmaltz and the Americans will have a chance to exact their revenge on Russia as the two teams meet again on Friday in the tournament semifinals. In four preliminary games Schmaltz produced a team-leading four points (1G, 3A). His three assists also lead Team USA.
• Nothing official has been reported in terms of Luke Voltin's move to the Chicago Steel. My guess is that it's a paperwork thing and that it is just a matter of time before it is announced.

Minnesota Recap

North Dakota was looking to exact a measure of revenge this weekend after being swept by the University of Minnesota earlier this season. After producing a thrilling 2-1 victory Friday night in an electrified Ralph Engelstad Arena, UND's hopes of a sweep were dashed by way of Saturday's 6-2 Minnesota win. Here are a few thoughts:

• Aaron Dell played very well Friday night, but he allowed some goals Saturday that we've come to expect him to save, eventually being replaced by Brad Eidsness to start the third period. Minnesota goaltender Kent Patterson also didn't seem to be himself early on Saturday, but he settled down and was solid down the stretch.
• Outside of Danny Kristo's checking from behind penalty, the Sioux played with a lot of poise Friday as the young lineup did not seem to have any problem adjusting to the intensity of the rivalry. Saturday was a different story however, as North Dakota suffered let downs in several key areas. The passing was not as crisp, the power play struggled in maintaining possession, there were too many odd-man chances, and, as mentioned earlier, the goaltending was not as solid. Ups and downs tend to happen on a night to night basis, and Minnesota did what good teams do, which is to capitalize on the opportunities presented to them.
• Minnesota's fifth goal on Saturday, coming late in the second period, was a back-breaker. After falling behind 4-0 the Sioux were able to scratch back to within a couple of goals, and in doing so they brought the crowd back to life, which seemed to rattle the Gophers. A third unanswered goal by North Dakota would have blown the roof off the place, but Minnesota was able to stymie the comeback with a deflating goal that came with under a minute to play in the period.
• Brendan O'Donnell skated off the ice Saturday night with what appeared to be an upper-body injury, but no update on his status has been reported. 
• Brock Nelson was a treat to watch this weekend. His hands and instincts are tremendous, and he has a deceptively quick shot that he can release from a variety of angles. 
• Things got ugly at the end of Saturday's game as Ben Blood was tripped while the teams mingled in front of the benches after the final horn sounded. Then, in the handshake line Blood took a shot at Minnesota's Kyle Rau and eventually wound up engaging in a brief tussle with Seth Ambroz. The teams were eventually separated and ushered into their locker rooms with no further issue. The intensity of the series and the agitating style with which Rau chooses to play obviously spurred Blood, and it is unfortunate that a handshake skirmish was the end result. Here's to hoping these two teams meet again in this year's Final Five.

Harvard Recap

The Fighting Sioux entered a non-conference series needing a big weekend to bolster their national tournament hopes, and with a short bench they took three out of four points against a solid Harvard Crimson squad. Friday night saw the two teams battle to a 4-4 draw, while the Fighting Sioux sent their revered nickname out in style New Year's Eve by blowing by Harvard 7-3 in the final game in which a North Dakota athletic team will officially be known as the Fighting Sioux.

• Friday night the Sioux started out slow, played a good second period, and finished with an uncharacteristic third period in which they relinquished a two goal lead. Saturday night was a different story, as they had jump from the get-go and played a strong 60 minutes. There appeared to be some tired legs late Saturday, but considering the injuries this team is dealing with, that is very understandable.
• The freshmen are really starting to come into their own. A lot of very young players are playing an awful lot of minutes, and they are performing admirably. The team has had an awful lot of personnel issues this season and a lot of players have been thrust into roles that were not expected of them, and they have risen to the occasion and then some. Already short on skaters when fully healthy due to the pre-season eligibility issues of Colten St. Clair and Michael Di Puma, North Dakota played every healthy player on their roster and still was short a forward and a defenseman due to the unavailability of Corban Knight, Mario Lamoureux, Derek Rodwell, Derek Forbort, and Rocco Grimaldi. The fact that the shorthanded Sioux were able to post a seven-spot on a respectable Harvard team is a testament to this team's ability to adapt and evolve when faced with difficult situations. Saturday's victory was a signature win, and it could become a defining moment for this team.
• Scoring came from all over the lineup this weekend, with the top line not getting into the scoring column until Saturday night. Freshmen Nick Mattson and Brendan O'Donnell provided some spark Friday while Connor Gaarder continued his strong play by scoring his first collegiate goal Friday and following it up with a big three-point night Saturday. Six freshmen produced points in the Saturday night victory.
• On the injury front, it sounds like Grimaldi is still a couple weeks away from knowing how well the shut-down helped his knee heal. Knight, Lamoureux, and Forbort will be evaluated as the week goes on and may or may not be ready for the Clarkson game Saturday night while Rodwell is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.  
• In browsing through some stats New Year's Day, a few interesting numbers jumped out. I sent them out yesterday via Twitter as I came across them, but here they are for those of you who do not use Twitter: 
• Freshmen accounted for 16 (8G, 8A) of the 30 points the Sioux tallied this weekend
• The Sioux are 8-2-1 with Connor Gaarder in the lineup, 2-6-1 with him out.
• Dillon Simpson had 0 points the first nine games of the season. He's now had at least one point in eight of his last 11 games.
• Danny Kristo has factored in on seven of UND's ten game-winning goal this season.

Fighting Sioux vs. Nebraska-Omaha: Notes & Links

North Dakota vs. Nebraska-Omaha - Series Notes & Links:

• Friday 7:37 CST/Saturday 7:07 CST
• The games will be broadcast on a variety of media outlets across the region. Here's the standard Broadcast Information.
• Series Notes in PDF: North Dakota and Nebraska-Omaha
• Most everyone is well aware of the obvious UND connection with Nebraska-Omaha head coach Dean Blais. But through Blais' recruiting, that connection is even stronger this year as the Mavericks' roster features the sons of three former Fighting Sioux standouts.
• UND's top centerman Corban Knight doesn't do it with a lot of flash, but he is once again having a tremendous season.
• UND's back-to-back series sweeps are the direct result of the red-hot production from Brock Nelson, Knight, and Danny Kristo, and the Mavericks are well aware that they will have to account for the Knightline.
• Nebraska-Omaha is coming off a non-conference series split with Alabama-Huntsville, and following the Mavericks' Friday night loss head coach Dean Blais said he was "embarrassed" by his team's performance.
• Matthew Semisch of Radio Free Omaha put together a nice Q&A with GF Herald beat writer Brad Schlossman.
• Last weekend the Fighting Sioux put together another great team effort, which paved the way to WCHA individual recognition for the second consecutive week. Brock Nelson has earned back-to-back Offensive Player of the Week honors after recording 5 points (4G, 1A) against Alaska-Anchorage. Meanwhile, freshman Brendan O'Donnell earned Rookie of the Week honors after his two goal performance in the far north.
• Derek Forbort was named to Team USA's World Junior Championship preliminary roster Monday afternoon, and joining him at the Team USA camp later this month will be UNO's Josh Archibald. Mav's coach Dean Blais will be Team USA's head coach.
• Brad Schlossman put together a list of nicknames for this year's Fighting Sioux players. Also from his blog is the Friday Morning Reading.
• Sioux freshman Connor Gaarder is the subject of this week's GF Herald Four Questions.
• Zach Parise discusses North Dakota's predisposition to second half surges in USCHO's This Week in the WCHA.
• Andrew MacWilliam, who was recently featured by UND Sports Spotlight, says he was a better football player than he was a hockey player:

• USCHO's Weekend Picks
• CHN's WCHA Power Rankings
• CHN's Tale of the Tape
• WCHA Weekly Press Release
• Inside Hockey Series Preview

Week 9 Recap: Sioux Take Two From UAA

One week after its offensive coming out party, the Fighting Sioux men's hockey team traveled to the far north to take on the University of Alaska-Anchorage. In what is always a very difficult road trip, the Sioux were able to return to the lower 48 with a second consecutive 4 point sweep, a sweep that has propelled them into a fourth place tie in the WCHA standings. Friday night saw North Dakota jump on the Seawolves early and often, busting out to a 3-0 lead within the game's first 10 minutes en route to a 5-2 win. The Sioux were unable to replicate the explosive first period Saturday night, opting instead for a three goal second period that keyed a 4-1 victory. Some observations:

• This was obviously a significant sweep, as the team was focused on avoiding a let-down following a raucous and wildly entertaining sweep against Colorado College the weekend prior. The mantra of "no more steps back" was certainly adhered to in Anchorage.
• Even though the team sits in a tie for fourth in the conference standings, both CC and Denver have two games in hand on the Sioux. That being said, the consecutive sweeps have brought North Dakota back into the top 6, thus positioning itself for home-ice in the 1st round of the WCHA playoffs.
• I feel like I'm repeating myself (and I promise I'm not just doing the old cut and paste from previous recaps), but the top line was outstanding yet again. Brock Nelson continues to rack up the goals at a pace even quicker than Matt Frattin did a year ago, and Danny Kristo demonstrated how to effectively turn a 2-on-5 rush into a goal for the good guys. Also, the New York Islanders' statistician took a closer look at Nelson's productivity this season.
• Freshmen Mark MacMillan, Brendan O'Donnell, and Michael Parks were on the same line again this weekend, and they accounted for two of Friday's five goals. Even strength goals from lines two through four will be a very significant factor in the team's success this season, and consistent production from the freshman line would be invaluable. 
• Brad Eidsness and Aaron Dell split the goaltending duties, and both responded with solid performances. Dell appeared to be a bit sharper than Eidsness, but by no means is that a knock on Eidsness' performance; Dell was just really, really good Saturday.
• The defensive corps, led by a dominant Ben Blood, is really coming into its own. It is quickly becoming the unit everyone thought it would be heading into the season.
• Mario Lamoureux is about as tough as they come. His ability to play through pain is definitely part of the reason he wears the C.
• And last but not least, how about that power play unit? The Sioux converted five of their eleven man-advantage opportunities, good for a sizzling 45% clip.

Other Tidbits:

• Derek Forbort was named to Team USA's World Junior Championship preliminary roster. Team USA's camp will run from December 16-22 in Camrose, Alberta, while the tournament itself runs from December 26 through January 5 in Calgary and Edmonton. Forbort was a member of last year's bronze medal winning team, and that experience makes him a likely candidate to make the final roster again this year. A healthy Rocco Grimaldi would have been a virtual shoe-in to make the team, but he is still several weeks away from returning to action.
• I have started posting recruit profiles under The Recruits page. Drake Caggiula, Paul LaDue, and Geoff Crisfield have been profiled thus far, and I will continue posting the profiles in reverse chronological order of their commitments, as time allows. There are ten more recruits to go, with USNTDP Under-17er Luke Voltin next on the list.

Week 8 Recap: Sioux Sweep Colorado College

This is the first weekly recap I've done in a few weeks due to an off-week and a non-televised series (the split at Bemidji State). The plan is to get caught up with all the happenings of Sioux men's hockey over the course of the week, including a host of future and former Sioux updates. Today I offer up the recap of this weekend's Fighting Sioux series, while the updates pertaining to the former Sioux and Sioux commitments will come over the course of the next few days.

North Dakota entered the weekend looking to shake itself of the offensive funk it had been in, and they did just that by scoring 11 goals en route to a sweep of the #4 ranked Colorado College Tigers. Friday night saw the Fighting Sioux hang a touchdown on the Tigers in a wildly entertaining 7-6 victory, while Saturday saw the team complete the sweep with a solidly played 4-3 victory. It was a much-needed conference sweep for the Sioux, and here are a few observations:

• The top line of Brock Nelson, Corban Knight, and Danny Kristo was phenomenal, accounting for 16 points (7G, 9A) on the weekend. Kristo was electrifying all weekend, making plays all over the ice, while Nelson continued his breakout sophomore season with a 6 point (3G, 3A) weekend, showing very nice hands both offensively and defensively. Knight won 35 of 57 faceoffs (61.4%), which was big considering the proven ability of the Tigers to quickly turn faceoff wins into offensive chances.
• Brendan O' Donnell, who I heard was very active during the Bemidji State series, continued his strong play since his return from injury. He was very noticeable this weekend, as was fellow freshman Michael Parks, and the line of O'Donnell-Mark MacMillan-Parks looked very good Saturday even though they were held off the scoresheet. Offense from these three freshman will be key with Rocco Grimaldi sidelined until at least January.
• Derek Rodwell got his first goal of the year Saturday night by deflecting a Ben Blood point shot past CC goaltender Joe Howe with under 18 seconds left in the first period. Rodwell is a tireless worker and it was very nice to see his effort rewarded with a momentum swinging goal.
• Even though CC scored 9 goals this weekend, I didn't think the goaltending of Aaron Dell was all that bad. The goals CC scored were, for the most part, goals you can't always expect a goaltender to stop. That being said, Brad Eidsness relieved Dell after CC's 6th goal Friday night and he helped stymy the Tiger attack. 
• Derek Forbort, with some crisp passing and sharp stick work, was solid this weekend and Joe Gleason continues to put forth strong efforts, whether it be as a forward or a blueliner.
• Some of the opportunistic goals opponents were scoring on the Sioux earlier in the year started going North Dakota's way. The team capitalized on several opportunistic chances this weekend and those goals went an awful long way in securing the sweep.
• As for the Tigers, Rylan Schwartz stole the show with back-to-back hat tricks, but younger brother Jaden was equally fantastic. His puck possession and passing skills are elite, making CC's top line a real treat to watch.

Fighting Sioux vs. Bemidji State: Notes & Links

North Dakota vs. Bemidji State - Series Notes & Links:

• Gametime: Saturday 7:07 CST/Sunday 5:07 CST
• The game will broadcast on The Minnesota Channel & Lakeland Public Television, and in some areas, Midcontinent digital will carry the games (Grand Forks channel 597, not sure elsewhere-check your listings). America One will also be streaming the games (for a fee). The radio crowd can find its local Fighting Sioux Radio Network member via the standard broadcast information, and if you're out of the FSRN's range, you can listen online.
• Series Notes in PDF: North Dakota and Bemidji State
• The biggest news heading into the series is the injury status of Sioux freshman Rocco Grimaldi. It was learned Friday that Grimaldi will be out 6-8 weeks due to a knee injury suffered in the preseason. The injury has limited Grimaldi to just three games this season, and it will now keep him out until at least January, a stretch that also includes the World Junior Championships. The Sioux are hopeful, however, that freshman forward Brendan O'Donnell will be able to return to the lineup this weekend.
• Even with the rough start and the Grimaldi injury news, this season is far from over.
• With the injury bug continuing to bite, expect freshman Dan "Jim" Senkbeil to continue to see time on the wing, a position he had never played until this season.
• The off-week came at a good time, and the team had a productive two weeks in that they were able to heal up some nagging injuries.
• Bemidji State is also off to a slow start, and they are looking at getting things revved up against the Sioux, a team they have yet to beat in nineteen (0-18-1) Division I meetings (BSU beat writer Eric Stromgren's series preview blog entry includes the article as well as some video).
• Beaver junior defenseman and alternate captain Jake Areshenko has a Fighting Sioux connection.
• Inside Hockey's series preview
• USCHO's Weekend Picks
• CHN's WCHA Power Rankings
• CHN's Tale of the Tape

Fighting Sioux vs. St. Cloud State Notes & Links

North Dakota vs. St. Cloud State - Series Notes & Links:

• Gametime: Friday 7:37 CDT/Saturday 7:07 CDT
• The games will be broadcast on a variety of media outlets across the region. As always, here's the standard broadcast information.
• Series notes in PDF: North Dakota and St. Cloud State
• There are some family ties being renewed this weekend. Mark MacMillan will be playing against his big brother Mitch, a Husky sophomore. The St. Cloud Times has a take on the MacMillans, as does The Dakota Student. Meanwhile, Brock Nelson and Jordy Christian, a Husky senior, are cousins. Jordy's father, Ed, played for North Dakota from 1980-84.
• Rocco Grimaldi's status for the weekend is doubtful, while fellow freshman Brendan O'Donnell will not be available. Both players have lower body injuries. 
• The Fighting Sioux received word today that the NCAA has ruled Colten St. Clair ineligible to play this season. No specifics have been released as to why he did not make it through the NCAA Clearinghouse, but there have been rumblings that there is some online coursework that has come under scrutiny.
• Due to injury St. Cloud State's junior goaltender Mike Lee did not make the trip with the team this weekend. The Huskies will likely rely on freshman goaltender Ryan Faragher in net. Faragher spent the last two seasons playing just down I-94 West for the NAHL's Bismarck Bobcats.
• Danny Kristo is becoming a complete player as the team's top offensive threat. He was also named 2nd Star by Habs Future for his play last weekend at Wisconsin.
• St. Cloud State senior forward Drew LeBlanc is approaching 100 career points. Let's hope it doesn't happen this weekend.
• This is the first series of the season in which the Fighting Sioux will face a future NCHC foe.
• GF Herald's Ice Time
• USCHO's This Week in the WCHA
• USCHO's Weekend Picks 
• INCH's This Week in the WCHA