Meanwhile, in Fargo on Saturday, the Green Bay knotted the Clark Cup championship series with the Fargo Force (or as one blogger called them, the MSU-Mankato JV) to force a decisive Game 5 on Wednesday night in Green Bay. Not only does it appear that Mankato's Corey Leivermann will miss the game but so will another MSU recruit and Force captain Chase Grant, who suffered a knee injury early in Game 4.
Monday, May 10, 2010
St. Louis is done; one more game for Fargo
Tyler Bruggeman's St. Louis Bandits didn't make it to the finals of the Robertson Cup championship over the weekend in Wenatchee, Wash. The Bandits lost on Saturday to Wenatchee, however, Bruggeman did not play in (and did not appear to dress for) that game after starting St. Louis' first three games in the tournament. The North Mankato resident and West graduate went 1-2 in those games, allowing 10 goals (including four power-play goals) and stopping 86.8 percent of the shots he faced.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Saturday morning stuff
PucKato took Friday off but there was quite a bit of hockey news over the last few days that deserves mentioning ...
Former Mavericks forward Ryan Carter scored the lone goal for Team USA in a 2-1 loss to Germany in the first game of the World Championships in Germany. The game was played in front of a record 77,803 people in an indoor soccer stadium. Carter, whose third-period goal tied the game 1-1, has some interesting comments about the experience in this USA Today account, calling the German crowd "the seventh man." Up next for Team USA is a game against Denmark on Monday.
The Green Bay Gamblers defeated the Corey Leivermann-less Fargo Force 4-3 in triple-overtime to stay alive in the USHL's Clark Cup finals on Friday night. Leivermann has been ruled out for the rest of the season. However, MSU recruits Chase Grant (two goals) and Matt Leitner scored Fargo's three goals. The Force will get another chance to close out the series at 7 p.m. tonight.
In Wenatchee, Wash., goalie Tyler Bruggeman and the St. Louis Bandits had Friday off after falling 4-3 to Fairbanks on Thursday in the NAHL's Robertson Cup playoffs. Bruggeman stopped 18 shots in that game, as St. Louis fell to 1-2. The Bandits will play Wenatchee at 7 p.m. tonight. According to the NAHL website, Bismarck is already in Sunday's final (the top two teams will advance out of round-robin play). St. Louis needs a win and a Bismarck win over Fairbanks today to have a tiebreaker chance (if my fuzzy, Saturday-morning math is right).
Ohio State's new coach Mark Osiecki (the former Badgers assistant) hired Minnesota Duluth assistant Steve Rohlik as one of his assistants. It will be interesting to see the domino effect of these hirings. Wisconsin has two assistant spots to fill, and now Duluth has an assistant opening.
In North Dakota, team captain Chay Genoway announced on Thursday that he will be returning next season, getting a medical hardship waiver after missing most of this past season with post-concussion issues. Genoway played in just nine games but was still named third-team all-WCHA because of his impact over that stretch.
In women's hockey, the Minnesota State women announced three new recruits who signed national letters of intent this month. That will bring coach Eric Means' first full recruiting class to a whopping 10 players for next year (seven players signed during the early period in November). The latest group includes goaltender Danielle Butters from London, Ontario, whom Means said will be competing for the No. 1 spot next fall.
In women's hockey, the Minnesota State women announced three new recruits who signed national letters of intent this month. That will bring coach Eric Means' first full recruiting class to a whopping 10 players for next year (seven players signed during the early period in November). The latest group includes goaltender Danielle Butters from London, Ontario, whom Means said will be competing for the No. 1 spot next fall.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Mouillierat named Mavs MVP
Minnesota State unveiled its men's hockey postseason awards on Thursday, and senior Kael Mouillierat was voted the team's most valuable player. Ben Youds, Evan Mosey, Jerad Stewart and Rylan Galiardi were also award winners.
Mouillierat had 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points last season. Ten of his goals and 18 of his points came in the final 22 games. He finished his career with 92 points, ranking 10th on the Mavericks' Division I-era scoring list. He also scored nine game-winning goals in his career, which put him seventh on MSU's all-time list.
Youds, a junior, was named the Mavericks' unsung hero award winner. He led MSU in scoring and assists with three goals and 23 assists, all career highs. He is the program's fifth defenseman to lead the team in scoring. Kurt Davis led the Mavs in 2009-10.
Mosey, a freshman defenseman, was named most-improved player. He finished the season with five points in 20 games but went from a player battling for the sixth D spot to a regular and a power-play member by the time the playoffs came around.
Stewart was got the Mr. Hustle Award as the team's hardest worker. He had career highs for goals (13), assists (12) and points (25) during his senior year. He played in all 39 games and scored three game-winners.
Galiardi was the Buffalo Wild Wings Star of the Year, earning the most points in the three-stars-of-the-game voting during home games. The junior forward had 16 points in his last 19 game and finished with 11 goals and 25 points.
Mouillierat had 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points last season. Ten of his goals and 18 of his points came in the final 22 games. He finished his career with 92 points, ranking 10th on the Mavericks' Division I-era scoring list. He also scored nine game-winning goals in his career, which put him seventh on MSU's all-time list.
Youds, a junior, was named the Mavericks' unsung hero award winner. He led MSU in scoring and assists with three goals and 23 assists, all career highs. He is the program's fifth defenseman to lead the team in scoring. Kurt Davis led the Mavs in 2009-10.
Mosey, a freshman defenseman, was named most-improved player. He finished the season with five points in 20 games but went from a player battling for the sixth D spot to a regular and a power-play member by the time the playoffs came around.
Stewart was got the Mr. Hustle Award as the team's hardest worker. He had career highs for goals (13), assists (12) and points (25) during his senior year. He played in all 39 games and scored three game-winners.
Galiardi was the Buffalo Wild Wings Star of the Year, earning the most points in the three-stars-of-the-game voting during home games. The junior forward had 16 points in his last 19 game and finished with 11 goals and 25 points.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Bruggeman, Bandits bounce back
The St. Louis Bandits rebounded from Tuesday's tournament-opening loss and defeated the Traverse City North Stars 4-1 on Wednesday, the second day of the North American Hockey League's Robertson Cup championship in Wenatchee, Wash.
North Mankato's Tyler Bruggeman stopped 20 of 21 shots, allowing only a first-period goal that put St. Louis down 1-0 midway through the period. The Bandits responded and tied the game 62 seconds later, scoring the first of four unanswered goals.
St. Louis will play Fairbanks on Thursday before getting Friday off. The Bandits will play Wenatchee on Saturday. The round-robin tournament's top two teams will meet for the title on Sunday.
North Mankato's Tyler Bruggeman stopped 20 of 21 shots, allowing only a first-period goal that put St. Louis down 1-0 midway through the period. The Bandits responded and tied the game 62 seconds later, scoring the first of four unanswered goals.
St. Louis will play Fairbanks on Thursday before getting Friday off. The Bandits will play Wenatchee on Saturday. The round-robin tournament's top two teams will meet for the title on Sunday.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Bruggeman, Bandits fall in opener
The St. Louis Bandits' Tyler Bruggeman stopped 28 of 33 shots in a 5-3 loss to the Bismarck Bobcats in the first game of the North American Hockey League's Robertson Cup championship Tuesday afternoon in Wenatchee, Wash. Three of Bismarck's goals were power-play goals, as St. Louis was in the box for 18 minutes. St. Louis will play Traverse City on Wednesday, the second day of round-robin play. Bruggeman, a North Mankato resident and Mankato West graduate, faced 11 shots in each period.
(A little) more on Murdock
I received an e-mail from Kevin Murdock this week confirming that he is indeed going back to junior hockey next season, specifically the USHL's Lincoln Stars, where he played for two seasons before going to Minnesota State -- "unless something changes."
Asked if he would be coming back to Mankato or transferring to another school after a year away from college, he wrote: "as far as coming back to MSU or not, I'm not 100 percent sure ... what I will be doing."
He is finishing the semester (this week is finals week at MSU), which shows that he's at least serious about keeping his college eligibility intact.
My Free Press column today (Tuesday) is about the Murdock situation, playing off a quote of his from the beginning of the 2009-10 season.
Although Murdock came in to MSU fairly highly touted, coach Troy Jutting made no promises and had a wide-open competition for the top spot. Murdock got an early chance, starting five of the first 12 games and splitting time with Austin Lee. Phil Cook got some mop-up duty early and finally got into the starting mix in December. By then, Murdock was at the bottom of the ladder, and, by playoff time, Cook was the Mavericks' go-to guy.
Some have argued that Murdock deserved another chance to play after November. Perhaps. But I compare the situation to Vikings training camp, which I've covered many times in Mankato. When there's an open spot for a job, you have to take advantage of your reps. Play well, and you move up the depth chart. Fumble the ball, and you move down -- sometimes enough rungs down that you're watching from the sidelines.
That seems to be what happened to Murdock. His last start on Nov. 21 at Alaska-Anchorage was a rough one. Lee was pretty consistent all season, and Cook went on a nice run once he got a chance to start. By January, the order was pretty well set, and, right or wrong, neither Cook nor Lee played poorly enough to create another opening for Murdock to get another stab at the job.
Murdock could have come back and competed for the job again in the fall. Perhaps he would have pulled a Mike Zacharias and eventually grabbed the No. 1 job despite not getting it as a freshman. Then again, he might have remained buried on the depth chart behind Cook for three more years.
Time will tell if the right decisions (by Murdock, by the coaching staff, etc.) were made.
Asked if he would be coming back to Mankato or transferring to another school after a year away from college, he wrote: "as far as coming back to MSU or not, I'm not 100 percent sure ... what I will be doing."
He is finishing the semester (this week is finals week at MSU), which shows that he's at least serious about keeping his college eligibility intact.
My Free Press column today (Tuesday) is about the Murdock situation, playing off a quote of his from the beginning of the 2009-10 season.
Whoever plays the best is going to play. Whoever works the hardest is going to play.
Although Murdock came in to MSU fairly highly touted, coach Troy Jutting made no promises and had a wide-open competition for the top spot. Murdock got an early chance, starting five of the first 12 games and splitting time with Austin Lee. Phil Cook got some mop-up duty early and finally got into the starting mix in December. By then, Murdock was at the bottom of the ladder, and, by playoff time, Cook was the Mavericks' go-to guy.
Some have argued that Murdock deserved another chance to play after November. Perhaps. But I compare the situation to Vikings training camp, which I've covered many times in Mankato. When there's an open spot for a job, you have to take advantage of your reps. Play well, and you move up the depth chart. Fumble the ball, and you move down -- sometimes enough rungs down that you're watching from the sidelines.
That seems to be what happened to Murdock. His last start on Nov. 21 at Alaska-Anchorage was a rough one. Lee was pretty consistent all season, and Cook went on a nice run once he got a chance to start. By January, the order was pretty well set, and, right or wrong, neither Cook nor Lee played poorly enough to create another opening for Murdock to get another stab at the job.
Murdock could have come back and competed for the job again in the fall. Perhaps he would have pulled a Mike Zacharias and eventually grabbed the No. 1 job despite not getting it as a freshman. Then again, he might have remained buried on the depth chart behind Cook for three more years.
Time will tell if the right decisions (by Murdock, by the coaching staff, etc.) were made.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Bruggeman is in the zone
Bruggeman, a goalie from North Mankato and a 2009 West graduate, has been on a tremendous playoff run. But it didn't start out so hot, he said, after a rough outing in the Bandits' first game. For more, read today's story on Bruggeman in The Free Press.
“I couldn’t even tell you what changed,” Bruggeman said. “I just didn’t want to come home and play golf. I just relaxed and let it all happen.”
The Robertson Cup tournament will take place Tuesday through next Sunday. Other Mankato connections in the tournament include: defenseman Josh Nelson, an MSU recruit who plays for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs and Ryan McKelvie and Chris Clark, who are on the coaching staff of the Wenatchee Wild.
(Photo by Ryan Casey)
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