Grand Forks Herald hockey scribe Brad Schlossman has some time on his hands since the Sioux aren't playing this week (I thought he was on vacation!). So he put together a interesting blog post about WCHA teams' records against ranked opponents. North Dakota has the league's best record against ranked teams. The worst? Michigan Tech. But Minnesota State is 11th in that category. You can read Schloss' blog for complete results (and other great college hockey fodder), but here's what it says about the Mavericks:
• MSU has played 13 games against teams in this week's USCHO top 20. Only Alaska-Anchorage (15) and North Dakota (18) have played more. Bemidji State and Tech have also played 13.
• MSU's record against ranked teams is 2-10-1 (.192).
• The Mavericks' record against unranked opponents is 9-1-5 (.766), which bodes well for this weekend against Bemidji State. BSU is 5-6-0 against the unranked.
What does it all mean? It means that MSU is a .500 team that has been close but also has trouble closing out the better teams -- something we've known for awhile. Of the 10 losses to ranked teams -- all WCHA opponents -- six were one-goal losses and a seventh was a one-goal game until an empty-netter was added late in the game.
6 comments:
I think it all starts with winning in your own building. It doesn't matter who you are playing. You need to win at home and we've struggled at that recently (except with unranked opponents).
It looks like the Mavs have found their next starting goalie, once Cook and Lee move on. Sioux Falls Stampede netminder (and an awfully good one at that) Stephon Williams has committed to Mankato. I've seen this kid play a few times and he looks pretty special, even more so when you consider he's only 17.
Sam, is Williams a senior or Jr. in high school? When is he coming?
williams is 17 years old right now and he is ranked 32nd for north american goalies for the 2011 NHL entry draft for the midseason rankings. he's a very good goaltender and is one of the best goaltenders in the USHL. very good pick up for the mavs. he is a 2012-2013 recruit unless phil cook leaves as a free agent.
http://community.adn.com/node/148247
http://www.sfstampede.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=32&pid=25
Some more information on Williams, including a blog entry by Doyle Woody. Hopefully Williams works out better than the last highly touted goaltender the Mavericks brought in.
hockeyfan,
Williams is a senior this year. It looks as though he'll play one more year with the Stampede, and then join the Mavs for the 2012-13 season.
Considering this is his first season in the USHL, I think one more season will be great for him. He's a talent already. I've got to believe another season of juniors will only make him even more impressive.
VOR, who is the last highly touted goalie you speak of? Kevin Murdock? I still think Murdock will have a solid college career. He was good in juniors, but the Lincoln Stars teams he played on were very good. I'm sure that only helped improve his stats.
I worked for the Stampede when Murdock was in Lincoln the first time around, and I saw him play quite a few times. He looked good, but to me he was not even on the same level as Stephon Williams seems to be. Not even close. I could certainly be wrong, but I think Williams could become a star in the purple and gold.
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