The Mavericks are back in action after a weekend off and will host Alaska Anchorage in a WCHA series. The break came at a good time for No. 1 MSU as it used the time off to get healthy and work on a few things, such as its power play, Mike Hastings said.
Indeed, Jake Jaremko should be back in the lineup this weekend, and the Mavericks had all of their players on the ice for practice this week for the first time since the season started. Kind of amazing that they're 8-1-1 while missing Jaremko for eight games, Dallas Gerads for four, Chris Van Os-Shaw for four, Nathan Smith for two and Parker Tuomie for one.
Their depth clearly has carried them, as has their defense and goaltending. In goal, sophomore Dryden McKay is off to a great start to the year. While you could say he picked up where he left off last year, he used the offseason to commit himself to eating right and getting fit.
As for Anchorage, it appears to be improved from last year, so the Mavericks need to take this weekend seriously with some big series looming on the schedule after this weekend.
The Seawolves are thinking about their future, too — long-term. According to the Anchorage Daily News, UAA and Alaska Fairbanks are in talks with Alabama Huntsville about preserving the WCHA beyond 2021 after Minnesota State and six other depart, even with Huntsville giving its notice to the league recently.
Going around the WCHA ...
Northern Michigan at/vs. Michigan Tech: The UP rivalry renews with a home-and-home weekend between the Wildcats and the Huskies. After a 6-1-1 start, No. 19 NMU has one once in its last four games and hopes to get back on track this weekend. Tech, meanwhile, got a much-needed sweep against Lake Superior State last week after losing six of its previous seven games.
Lake Superior State at Bowling Green: The aforementioned Lakers have lost four in a row and surprisingly have just four wins this season — albeit amid a tough schedule. That slate gets no easier this weekend with a road trip to face the No. 17 Falcons, who have won three of four and six of their last eight.
Alabama Huntsville at Bemidji State: The Chargers, winless in 10 games this season, go on the road after a week off to face the Beavers, who have won three of four and four of six. The Bemidji Pioneer features BSU's Aaron Miller, who is a gamer on and off the ice.
Ferris State at Alaska: The Bulldogs snapped a six-game losing streak last weekend in the first game of a split with Bemidji State, getting a win in goal from Princeton transfer Austin Shaw, and now head north to face the Nanooks, who are tied with Minnesota State and Northern Michigan for first place in the league standings. The Daily News-Miner features a story on UAF sophomore Caleb Hite, who also played junior hockey in Fairbanks.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota State women's team returns home to face Bemidji State this weekend. On Thursday, Mavericks goaltender Abigail Levy was named to USA Hockey's women's winter training camp next month.
No comments:
Post a Comment