This is a rare second-edition-in-one-week for The Update, but I thought it would be worth it for two reasons:  1) To have a brief, and first-ever, discussion of the CCHA, ECAC, Hockey East, and WCHA tournaments — specifically on the subject of upsets this weekend; and 2) To post and make available to you all John McLean’s first-hand account of that great game last Friday night, in which St. Cloud State upset Minnesota-Duluth (and St. Cloud went on to tie UMD Saturday night as well!).  At the end of John’s article, he provides a link to a wonderfully rich piece on the history of St. Cloud State hockey, and I have to encourage you to read it — it is really a deep hockey piece that you are bound to love reading, and I’d like to thank John here for thinking of adding/providing it for all of us.  So let’s get to John’s aritcle first — John McLean writes:

Huskies Hang on to Defeat Minnesota Duluth 2-1, Secure Home Playoff Ice

In a game between two teams who most hockey experts, at least those from Minnesota, outside the Twin Cities, pick to play for the NCAA title (each year), the St Cloud State University Huskies held on to defeat Minnesota Duluth 2-1 behind the stellar 34 save performance of US National goaltender Mike Lee.  It was a special day all the way around in St Cloud as earlier in the day ground was broken by Coach Bob Motzko and President Earl Potter on the renovation and expansion of the National Hockey Center located prominently on Herb Brooks Way.

SCSU scored single goals in the first and second period to take a 2-0 lead, on goals by Brooks Bertsch and the ultimate game winner off of a power play blast by Travis Novak, into the 3rd when UMD finally awoke. The duo of Hobey Baker finalist Jack Connolly, who’s older brother Chris is not only one of Boston University’s captains, but quite likely their smartest student ever as well, and JT Brown, buzzed SCSU for 14 shots in the 3rd with Keegan Flaherty beating Lee for the only Bulldog score of the night.  St Cloud has been heavily hit by injuries and played the game with 3 defenseman playing forward including 6’1” 238 pound freshman Jarrod Rabey on the first line who, while looking a bit sluggish in the first two periods, was particularly effective digging the puck off the boards and clearing in the last few minutes. Lee received significant help from LA Kings draft choice Kevin Gravel, son of former Husky great Jim, who made 2 key blocks in the last minute of play.

St Cloud’s win helped secure home ice for the WCHA playoffs where they will host Dean Blais and the dangerous Nebraska-Omaha Maverick this coming weekend.  Any true college hockey fan will want to read the attached look back on the roots of St. Cloud State hockey, which featured two NHL Hall of Fame goaltenders who played all of their games outside. All of this right along the shores of the great Mississippi River.
http://jaysonhron.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/iron-men-how-seven-imports-from-ore-country-forged-the-greatest-forgotten-season-in-minnesota-hockey-history

Thanks, John!

Tournament Weekend Preview

Now here’s something we’ve never done before, but why not?  I’ll stick my neck out and let you know what I think you should be looking for in this weekend’s CCHA, ECAC, Hockey East, and WCHA tournaments, specifically as regards upsets.  In the CCHA, Bowling Green was a big surprise winner over Northern Michigan last weekend, but #1 seed Ferris State should have no problems with #11 seed Bowling Green; #8 seed Notre Dame has been on a slide for some time now, but rallied well last weekend to sweep Ohio State — with a lot of pride on the line, look for them to greatly upset #2 seed Michigan (you read it here first); #3 seed Western Michigan should have no problems with #7 seed Lake Superior State; and while these teams are closely matched, #4 seed Miami of Ohio should prevail over #5 seed Michigan State.  In the ECAC, #1 seed Union College should have no problem with #10 seed RPI; but look for a huge upset in #9 seed Dartmouth taking down #2 seed Cornell; and another upset should be #6 Yale knocking out #3 seed Harvard; again, two closely matched teams, but #4 Colgate should prevail over #5 Quinnipiac.

In Hockey East, #8 seed UMass-Amherst has been hot, but nothing is hotter than #1 seed Boston College, which has won eleven games in a row, and is looking better than last year’s team which also ended hot, but lost to Colorado College in round one of the NCAA’s — look for BC to take this series; #2 seed UMass-Lowell has also been hot lately, and should have no problems getting past #7 seed Providence; #3 seed Boston University has not been hot and is a team under investigation for player culture and conduct, by the Boston University Administration, after two players were arrested this year on sexual assault charges (can you say team in turmoil?) — BU should get by #6 seed New Hampshire, but things could be quite difficult for them after that; #4 seed Maine has been hot, but look for the upset here by #5 seed Merrimack.  In the WCHA, #1 seed Minnesota should have no problem with #12 seed Alaska-Anchorage; #2 seed Minnesota-Duluth will take down #11 seed Mankato; and again, you read it here first, look for lately hot #10 seed Wisconsin to upset #3 seed Denver; #4 seed North Dakota should dispatch #9 seed Bemidji State; #5 seed Colorado College should handle #8 seed Michigan Tech; and while closely matched, #6 seed St. Cloud State should get by #7 seed Nebraska-Omaha.  There, done, first-time-ever predictions!

This provides the top twelve teams, rankings, records, and this weekend’s opponent:

[table id=42 /]

That’s all for now.  Stay tuned, and go Terriers!