Minnesota State is heading back to Mankato today after their NCAA Midwest Regional loss to Miami on Saturday evening. I'm in Toledo until Sunday so will be working on some season wrap-up stories and posts and probably watching the St. Cloud State-Miami game.
I'm probably not the only one from south-central Minnesota State still hanging around. (Read my other Free Press stories on the MSU vs. Miami game here and here. ... More coverage from the Toledo Blade, including a photo gallery, and the Hamilton Journal-News.)
St. Cloud State remains the only WCHA team in the tournament after it started with six. Minnesota, Wisconsin and Denver were knocked out on Friday, and Minnesota State lost on Saturday. North Dakota also lost on Saturday after surviving their opening game against Niagara, UND melted down against Yale 4-1, allowing four goals in the final 7:35 of the third period.
So Yale and UMass-Lowell (a 2-0 winner over New Hampshire on Saturday) punched their tickets to the Frozen Four. Today will be St. Cloud State vs. Miami in Toledo and Quinnipiac vs. Union in Providence.
Quinnipiac, the tournament's overall No. 1 seed, overcame a 3-1 deficit in the third period to defeat Canisius. Union demolished Boston College 5-1.
I wonder how the MSU guys feel about that Boston College result. BC was put in the Providence regional to try to boost ticket sales, which the committee can do, as long as it keeps 1 seeds vs. 4 seeds, 2 vs. 3, etc. However, going down the line 1 through 16, Boston College was sixth and Minnesota State was 11th, so they were the natural pairing. Instead, the Mavericks got the fifth overall team, Miami. I wonder if the Eagles would have been a better matchup. Then again, if Zach Lehrke's shot early in Saturday's game is a millimeter lower and goes in the net rather than off the crossbar, perhaps that game takes a turn.
Ifs and buts, right?
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Redhawks 4, Mavericks 0
Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...
1. Blocked from advancing: The Mavericks hadn't been shut out all season, and they've been a strong third-period team — one of the best in terms of goals scored — all year as well. So when they were down 1-0 after two periods, it was easy to think they were in the game. But coach Mike Hastings has praised Miami's defensive play all week, and the Redhawks were stifling. Blocking 28 shots for the game, Miami shutdown MSU's high-flying forwards and prolific power play, and Ryan McKay became the first goalie to shut out the Mavericks in nearly 13 months. McKay saw just four shots in the final period, and the first didn't get to him until the frame was 12 minutes old.
2. Major pain: Sometimes a team can gain a bunch of momentum from killing off a five-minute major. Other times, it comes with a cost. Coach Mike Hastings said the first-period kill of Evan Mosey's kneeing penalty "sapped some of our energy." The penalty ended up injuring Miami's Jimmy Mullins, perhaps badly, but it was more misfortune than anything. A minor for interference maybe? But not a major and certainly not a game misconduct. Mosey got the gate, and the Mavericks played with five D the rest of the way. That was the Mavericks' only penalty of the game. Speaking of special teams, Minnesota State finished 0 for 4 on the power play but got just two shots to McKay.
3. Senior salute: More on this to come down the line (Monday's paper), but it's amazing what a difference a year makes. One year ago this weekend, Troy Jutting was dismissed from coaching at Minnesota State, reassigned to another department. On Saturday, the Mavericks were playing in the national tournament. Hastings is a big reason for that turnaround, but the job the seniors did in turning things around can't be overlooked. Eriah Hayes and Tyler Elbrecht, especially, put the team on their backs and should be proud of their final season. I liken it to the old camping motto: Leave it better than you found it. They did that this year.
Read The Free Press game story (and more) here.
1. Blocked from advancing: The Mavericks hadn't been shut out all season, and they've been a strong third-period team — one of the best in terms of goals scored — all year as well. So when they were down 1-0 after two periods, it was easy to think they were in the game. But coach Mike Hastings has praised Miami's defensive play all week, and the Redhawks were stifling. Blocking 28 shots for the game, Miami shutdown MSU's high-flying forwards and prolific power play, and Ryan McKay became the first goalie to shut out the Mavericks in nearly 13 months. McKay saw just four shots in the final period, and the first didn't get to him until the frame was 12 minutes old.
2. Major pain: Sometimes a team can gain a bunch of momentum from killing off a five-minute major. Other times, it comes with a cost. Coach Mike Hastings said the first-period kill of Evan Mosey's kneeing penalty "sapped some of our energy." The penalty ended up injuring Miami's Jimmy Mullins, perhaps badly, but it was more misfortune than anything. A minor for interference maybe? But not a major and certainly not a game misconduct. Mosey got the gate, and the Mavericks played with five D the rest of the way. That was the Mavericks' only penalty of the game. Speaking of special teams, Minnesota State finished 0 for 4 on the power play but got just two shots to McKay.
3. Senior salute: More on this to come down the line (Monday's paper), but it's amazing what a difference a year makes. One year ago this weekend, Troy Jutting was dismissed from coaching at Minnesota State, reassigned to another department. On Saturday, the Mavericks were playing in the national tournament. Hastings is a big reason for that turnaround, but the job the seniors did in turning things around can't be overlooked. Eriah Hayes and Tyler Elbrecht, especially, put the team on their backs and should be proud of their final season. I liken it to the old camping motto: Leave it better than you found it. They did that this year.
Read The Free Press game story (and more) here.
MSU vs. Miami — Midwest Regional live blog
Lines posted below the chat box ...
To see live stats and other info on the entire tournament from the NCAA go here.
MINNESOTA STATE
21-Grant ... 18-Leitner ... 9-Gervais
MIAMI
16-McKenzie ... 7-Czarnik ... 11-Barber
10-Wideman ... 9-Kuraly ... 27-Hagel
18-Doherty ... 22-Morris ... 19-Cook
14-Murphy ... 25-Coleman ... 20-Mullin
44-Spinell ... 8-Caito
26-Hartman ... 5-Joyaux
24-Kennedy ... 2-Richart
35-McKay
1-Williams
Scratches: Mooney, Gacek, Paulazzo, Mason, Paulides, Jacaruso
To see live stats and other info on the entire tournament from the NCAA go here.
MINNESOTA STATE
21-Grant ... 18-Leitner ... 9-Gervais
26-Margonari ... 23-Blueger ... 25-Hayes
24-Knowles ... 12-LaFontaine ... 19-Lehrke
22-McInnis ... 14-Herndon ... 8-Gaede
16-Elbrecht ... 17-Mosey
27-Stern ... 7-Palmquist
27-Stern ... 7-Palmquist
28-Jutzi ... 2-Nelson
35-Williams
30-Cook
31-Karambelas
31-Karambelas
Scratches: Buchanan, Burkemper, Knoll, Thauwald, Zuck
MIAMI
16-McKenzie ... 7-Czarnik ... 11-Barber
10-Wideman ... 9-Kuraly ... 27-Hagel
18-Doherty ... 22-Morris ... 19-Cook
14-Murphy ... 25-Coleman ... 20-Mullin
44-Spinell ... 8-Caito
26-Hartman ... 5-Joyaux
24-Kennedy ... 2-Richart
35-McKay
1-Williams
Scratches: Mooney, Gacek, Paulazzo, Mason, Paulides, Jacaruso
Midwest Regional morning skate
It's gameday in Toledo with Minnesota State taking on Miami at 4 p.m. (CDT), following St. Cloud State vs. Notre Dame at 12:30 p.m.
Lots of coverage from this tournament, starting with The Free Press ...
For the Mavericks, they hope they got their postseason jitters out of the way at the Final Five last week, and despite all of the pomp and circumstance in Toledo (Tyler Elbrecht said the team is being treated "like royalty"), they're trying to approach this like any other game. Meanwhile, even before the upsets and near-upsets were taking place in the other regionals, many were thinking the Midwest might be the toughest of the four. That story leads off a regional notebook.
While MSU is making its first NCAA appearance in 10 years, Miami is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its first national-tournament game. St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko was an assistant coach on that team. Both Miami and Minnesota State will start freshman goalies today, but the Redhawks have two to choose from.
Good coverage from the Toledo Blade today, including an overview of the tournament, the teams' thoughts at the Huntington Center and a look at the two Hobey Baker Award finalists in the field.
Of course, I can't forget the coverage of my friend Mick Hatten at the St. Cloud Times. He found a couple of St. Cloud superfans and also wrote about the Huskies' task of trying to break through Notre Dame's defense.
The tournament got off to a crazy start around the country as Yale stunned Minnesota 3-2 in overtime and UMass-Lowell cooled off red-hot Wisconsin 6-1. Denver was a third WCHA team to fall, as New Hampshire knocked out the Pioneers 5-2. North Dakota fended off an upset attempt by Niagara to win.
Finally, there will be a new coach in the WCHA next season as Alaska-Anchorage's Dave Shyiak was fired on Friday.
Come back to the blog later today for a live chat.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Practice day (will be updated)
The four Midwest Regional teams got a taste of the Huntington Center in Toledo on Friday in preparation for Saturday's games.
Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson said the event might be the toughest of the four regionals with his top-seeded Irish having to play the WCHA co-champion in St. Cloud State. Notre Dame won the CCHA tournament title, but Minnesota State's opponent, Miami, won the CCHA regular-season title.
"We know how tough Miami is," Jackson said. "And ... Minnesota State and St. Cloud had great years. Obviously with the number of WCHA teams (six) in the the tournament, it's indicative of the strength of that league."
Said MSU coach Mike Hastings: "It's not a cakewalk."
***
There continued to be lamenting of the changes coming to college hockey after this season.
St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko, whose team is going from the WCHA to the NCHC said, "Maybe I'll figure it out one day, that we are going in a different direction that's going to be better for college hockey. We're going to have to wait and see, but I don't think it's crystal clear right now. It's spooky which direction we're heading in the West." Motzko also spent time in the CCHA as an assistant at Miami for six years.
Said Jackson, whose team is going from the CCHA to Hockey East: "It's disappointing. Really, my whole career has been based on the CCHA. (Jackson was also at Lake Superior State). I'm going to miss the opportunity to play in some of those venues, and the relationships that you establish with people at some of those schools are going to be a little bit harder to continue."
Miami coach Enrico Blaisi said the CCHA gave Miami a chance to be a Division I program but also noted the changing landscape of college athletics. "We aren't going to forget. We aren't getting rid of any CCHA banners or anything like that. It's part of our history and part of our program. At the same time we are excited about moving forward as well." Miami will go to the NCHC with St. Cloud.
Hastings noted the turnaround that future WCHA foe Bowling Green (the host school for the Midwest Regional) made this season. "I think the WCHA has a pretty proud, rich history. And we're going to try and continue to build on that in the new WCHA, and that's no disrespect to the NCHC or Hockey East or the Big Ten. The game that we're playing is pretty special."
***
Asked to compare Miami to other teams they've played this season, and Eriah Hayes said Providence. "Providence was a really fast team; they could push the pace."
***
Mavericks senior forward Eli Zuck did not make the trip to Toledo due to the lower-body injury he suffered in the Final Five. Taylor Herndon appears to be back in the lineup on the fourth line, as he was in the seven games before the Final Five when Zuck was out with an unrelated injury.
***
There was plenty of praise all around for the 4-year-old, 8,000-seat Huntington Center here in Toledo. Players said the ice was good (although MSU players added that it was a little beat up; they were the third team to use it), and they raved about the spacious locker rooms. The arena is the home of the Toledo Walleye ECHL team. Former Maverick Ben Youds plays for that team. He visited some of MSU's party on Thursday night and plans on attending Saturday's game.
Said MSU coach Mike Hastings: "It's not a cakewalk."
***
There continued to be lamenting of the changes coming to college hockey after this season.
St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko, whose team is going from the WCHA to the NCHC said, "Maybe I'll figure it out one day, that we are going in a different direction that's going to be better for college hockey. We're going to have to wait and see, but I don't think it's crystal clear right now. It's spooky which direction we're heading in the West." Motzko also spent time in the CCHA as an assistant at Miami for six years.
Said Jackson, whose team is going from the CCHA to Hockey East: "It's disappointing. Really, my whole career has been based on the CCHA. (Jackson was also at Lake Superior State). I'm going to miss the opportunity to play in some of those venues, and the relationships that you establish with people at some of those schools are going to be a little bit harder to continue."
Miami coach Enrico Blaisi said the CCHA gave Miami a chance to be a Division I program but also noted the changing landscape of college athletics. "We aren't going to forget. We aren't getting rid of any CCHA banners or anything like that. It's part of our history and part of our program. At the same time we are excited about moving forward as well." Miami will go to the NCHC with St. Cloud.
Hastings noted the turnaround that future WCHA foe Bowling Green (the host school for the Midwest Regional) made this season. "I think the WCHA has a pretty proud, rich history. And we're going to try and continue to build on that in the new WCHA, and that's no disrespect to the NCHC or Hockey East or the Big Ten. The game that we're playing is pretty special."
***
Asked to compare Miami to other teams they've played this season, and Eriah Hayes said Providence. "Providence was a really fast team; they could push the pace."
***
Mavericks senior forward Eli Zuck did not make the trip to Toledo due to the lower-body injury he suffered in the Final Five. Taylor Herndon appears to be back in the lineup on the fourth line, as he was in the seven games before the Final Five when Zuck was out with an unrelated injury.
***
There was plenty of praise all around for the 4-year-old, 8,000-seat Huntington Center here in Toledo. Players said the ice was good (although MSU players added that it was a little beat up; they were the third team to use it), and they raved about the spacious locker rooms. The arena is the home of the Toledo Walleye ECHL team. Former Maverick Ben Youds plays for that team. He visited some of MSU's party on Thursday night and plans on attending Saturday's game.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Travel time
Preparing for transit to Toledo ...
Be sure to go to The Free Press website for pre-tournament coverage. It includes an MSU-Miami preview story from Thursday and, on Friday, a long piece on Mavericks coach Mike Hastings.
Then come back to the blog on Friday afternoon for updates from the Midwest Regional. I'll be attending MSU's practice and press conference and will be working on stories from there.
Along the way, of course, I'll be on Twitter.
See you in Toledo.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Going to Toledo? Or not?
Hey Minnesota State hockey fans, if you're going to Toledo this weekend, leave me a comment here on the blog. ...
Single-game tickets are now being sold at the Huntington Center for $45 (!), while three-game packages, which get you the MSU-Miami game, the St. Cloud State-Notre Dame game and Sunday's Midwest Regional championship go for $75 ($65 for students).
Besides the Huntington Center, tickets are also available through Ticketmaster and the Bowling Green athletic department (future WCHA member Bowling Green is the host school for the regional).
The Minnesota State game is at 4 p.m. CDT. You can watch it live online on ESPN3 (it will be televised on tape delay at a later time).
UPDATE: Fox Sports North will show Saturday's game live.
UPDATE: Fox Sports North will show Saturday's game live.
The Mankato Buffalo Wild Wings announced that it will show the games:
Mankato locations will have the Maverick hockey game on big screens this Saturday! #MavNation
— Buffalo Wild Wings (@bwwkatohutch) March 26, 2013
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