You Want Answers?! 11.07.08

PucKato is not on the trip to Anchorage this week and will be tuned in to the radio broadcast like lot of you. I'll try to post anything I can over the weekend.

Not a lot of questions this week, but lets get started ...

From Sam: Can you explain why the Gophers mascot, cheerleaders and pep band were at the Xcel Center on Saturday for the Mavericks "home" game? I didn't see any SCSU cheerleaders/etc. in the early game against Duluth. It was Duluth's "home" game and only their cheerleaders were there. The fact that the U of M's full crew was there, along with their pep band that constantly played their school song, really upset me as a "home team" Maverick fan:
Sam, I heard this from a few people. The fact that the Gophers' band was there didn't bother me. I likened it to college football when schools take their bands on the road with them. It happens all the time. I think, however, that MSU could have done a better job trying to make that into a home event. They did have their rink announcer, cheerleaders and promotions. One big element that was missing, however, was the "Ole" song. That's become a real signature at MSU games after goals. If you don't believe me, ask every other WCHA beat writer. The song's been stuck in Grand Forks' Brad Schlossman's head for three years. As for the MSU band, they don't play hockey games anymore, according to AD Kevin Buisman.

From Hagar: I think MSU is going to have to spring for a new strap for Zach's helmet. Or maybe we should start a Helmet Counter and keep a tally of how many times it comes off throughout the year. From what I can remember,I think we may be up to 5, maybe even more:
Hagar, I hope they get that fixed, too. It's just too dangerous. Zacharias seems to have a habit of losing his helmet when he gets hit in the head with a puck. I remember it happening last year, too. Gophers coach Don Lucia looked like he thought something was fishy when the mask came off again on Saturday. If you saw the replay, though, it was a freak accident where Channing Boe's stick blade slipped under the back of the helmet as he skated by and popped the helmet off. Two things need to happen: Zacharias needs to strap that helmet a little tighter, and the Mavericks defensemen need to watch their sticks!

From Alexander Parker: Any insight on Youds's play? It seems the veteran-like demeanor and poise that made him good last year has completely vanished. He seems to be playing very emotionally and frustrated. I'm guessing his performance Saturday (2 or 3 of those goals were partly or mostly his fault, and Zacharias saved him on a couple other give-aways) will warrant another benching... maybe both games next weekend.
A.P., Youds isn't going to sit this weekend -- at least not tonight. But he does seem to be having a bit of a sophomore slump. He took a very dumb penalty against North Dakota that ended up costing his team and paid for it by being benched last Friday. Youds was too good last season as a freshman to think he's lost it. He is +2 this year, although +/- doesn't factor in power-play goals. He also has seven penalties after committing just 17 all of last year. All of the players need to get used to the new rules quickly or the Mavericks will be in trouble.

Friday morning reading

The Mavericks will be without one of their top scorers this weekend in Anchorage, as Jason Wiley is staying back in Mankato with an injury suffered last Saturday against Minnesota. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are third in the WCHA in goal scoring, despite having no goals from captain Mick Berge and a power play that has just five goals -- including three 5x3s -- in six games.

In Anchorage, goal scoring is not a problem this season, and they have one of the top snipers in the WCHA right now in sophomore Tommy Grant.

Grant is tied for the league lead in goals with Minnesota captain Ryan Stoa, who leads the fourth-ranked Gophers into this weekend's matchup with fifth-ranked New Hampshire.

In Colorado Springs, CC goalie Richard Bachman, the reigning WCHA MVP is picking up right where he left off. The No. 1 Tigers will host an "inconsistent" North Dakota team this weekend.

Wisconsin, coming off its first win of the season, is hosting Michigan Tech, and goalie Shane Connelly seems to be having a season unlike any of the Badgers' previous goaltenders.

The St. Cloud State Huskies, who are 0-3 in the WCHA, are hoping a nonconference series with Robert Morris can cure what ails ails them.

WCHA previews and notebooks from INCH, USCHO and the WCHA blog.

More recognition for Harrison

Mavericks forward Zach Harrison got some more recognition for his short-handed hat trick this week, as Sports Illustrated put him in its Faces in the Crowd feature. According to Minnesota State sports information, Harrison is the fourth MSU athlete in four years to end up in the magazine, joining basketball player Jamel Staten, high jumper Jim Dilling and pole vaulter Amanda Frame.

Vote.

That is all.

Mavericks drop a spot (or two)

After tying then losing to fifth-ranked (now No. 4) Minnesota, the Mavericks fell to No. 13 in both major polls Monday. They were no. 12 in the USCHO rankings and No. 11 in the USA Today poll. Here are this week's rankings:

USCHO.COM/CBS COLLEGE SPORTS
1. Colorado College
2. Boston College
3. Boston University
4. Minnesota
5. New Hampshire
6. Denver
7. Michigan
8. Miami
9. Princeton
10. Northeastern
11. Michigan State
12. Notre Dame
13. Minnesota State
14. Air Force
15. Clarkson
16. Vermont
17. Cornell
18. Harvard
19. UMass
20. Minnesota Duluth
Others receiving votes: North Dakota, St. Lawrence, Alaska-Anchorage, Nebraska-Omaha, St. Cloud State, Colgate, Union, Dartmouth, UMass-Lowell, Northern Michigan, Yale, Wisconsin, Ferris State, Alaska, Bemidji State, RIT

USA TODAY/USA HOCKEY
1. Colorado College
2. Boston College
3. Boston University
4. Minnesota
5. New Hampshire
6. Denver
7. Michigan
8. Miami
9. Princeton
10. Northeastern
11. Michigan State
12. Notre Dame
13. Minnesota State
14. Air Force
15. Clarkson
Others receiving votes: UMass, Vermont, Cornell, Minnesota-Duluth, North Dakota, St. Lawrence, Union, Harvard, Alaska-Anchorage, Yale, UMass-Lowell, Nebraska-Omaha St. Cloud State.

Still alive -- and other stuff.

Sorry I didn't wrap up the post Saturday night. It was a scramble to get to the post-game press conferences and write the newspaper story before deadline. Then I just got the heck out of St. Paul and onto my second-straight late-night drive back down 169.

Monday's paper did have a post-mortem on the College Hockey Showcase. It drew just 10,500 or so, which was below what expectations certainly were when the event was announced last March. The theme of the night seemed to be that, in theory, the Showcase is a great idea. But there are a lot of bugs to figure out. The story has more.

As much as I also like the idea of the Showcase, I couldn't help but think, while watching MSU play Minnesota, how fun it would have been to have that game at the Alltel Center, especially after Friday's 3-3 tie and last March's playoff series. I think it would have been a raucous atmosphere.

The Mavericks will be heading to Sarah Palin country this week, so it's probably a good time to field some of your questions. Post them in the comments section before, and I'll put up a You Want Answers post later this week.

MCHS: Gophers 3, Mavericks 2 - end of two

Mike Louwerse scored two goals for the Mavericks, including a 5x3 power play. But the Gophers got three power-play goals in the period (including one 5x3) to take the lead into the third period. The Gophers outshot the Mavericks 17-8 in the period.

***

No scoring in the first period. The Mavericks are outshooting the Gophers 9-6, so it's a better start than last night. MSU is 0-2 on the PP.

It's a small crowd. I'll be curious to see what they announce. Looks like less than 10,000 but I'm a bad judge of crowd size.

***

Updated with starters ...

****

Duluth won the first game 5-1.

***

Greetings from St. Paul where, right now, Duluth has a 4-1 lead on St. Cloud in the third period. It's kind of sparse crowd here right now. Think of the Final Five third-place game and subtract a couple thousand. Hopefully things pick up for the nightcap.

Here are the Mavericks' lines for tonight. As expected defenseman Ben Youds and forward Mike Louwerse are back in the lineup. Youds is in for Canzanello and Louwerse is in for Jokinen. The first move is not a shocker, especially after Cameron Cooper scored the game-tying goal last night. Jokinen out is a bit of a suprise, considering coach Troy Jutting had high praise for Jokinen after last night's game.

MINNESOTA STATE
Mouillierat-Bruess-Berge
Gaulrapp-Harrison-Stewart
Irwin-Sackrison-Wiley
Thompson-Galiardi-Louwerse

Davis-Kilburg
Cooper-Boe
Friesen-Youds

"Six Stitches" Zacharias
Tormey
Lee

MINNESOTA
Stoa-Schroeder-Barriball
Lucia-Carman-Flynn
Hoeffel-WHite-Sacchetti
Hansen-Matson-Bostrom

Fairchild-Fischer
Ness-Anderson
Wehrs-Lofquist

Kangas
Patterson

Check back often for updates ...