It Ain't Exactly The SI Cover Jinx, But ...

The combined record of college hockey teams this season after being named the College Hockey News "Team of the Week" is 6-7-3 for the games immediately following the announcement. 

Here's this year's history of the award ... BU tied UMass a couple of days after being named; then UNO split a pair with Michigan; then Maine escaped with a 3-2OT win versus Vermont; then Western Michigan split a series with Ferris; then Providence beat Army; then UMD split with DU; then Dartmouth lost to Vermont; then Bemidji got swept by Wisconsin; then Minnesota State swept AIC; and finally Ohio State lost to Western and tied them the next night.

To say it another way; CHN "Team of the Week" winners not playing the 56th KRACH ranked AIC have won a grand total of 4 games immediately after being named.

So now with UAA named as CHN's "Team of the Week" today there is some additional adversity that the Seawolves must face.  Would it have been been that much of a struggle to come up with some other team upon which to bestow this "honor"?  Is there another equally deserving team? Sure there is ... Merrimack would have been clearly a better choice.  They're a resurgent Hockey East team and much closer to CHN HQ.  They swept Alabama Huntsville in Nashville on the weekend and then turned around and beat BU 3-2 on Tuesday with just a couple of days rest.

UAA likely got the selection because everybody here out west moans and whines constantly about the "eastern-centric" national hockey press.  So CHN picks UAA in order that they won't have to hear the moaning and whining.  And now our boys have to overcome this demi-curse?  Just so Adam Wodon won't have to open emails from UND bitchers?

Naturally Dan Myers wouldn't write paint the Seawolves in the best possible light.  Instead of using the .923 saver percentage over the last 8 games that has been floating around the internet for 2 weeks he goes with Gundy's official .902 while leading off that paragraph with negative shit like "...UAA with it's first consistent goaltending in years".  Not necessary to paint that picture that way.  Anyone with a mild interest in writing such an article would take a positive tact.  Leaving the job to a Mankato fan means a less than positive/optimistic tone.

Next when referencing UAA's leading scorer Myers goes out of his way to announce that to find Tommy Grant on the league table "you might scroll for a bit ..." For fucks sake, Wodon might have just as well hired Doyle Woody to write this hit piece.  Sigh ... another straight-up put-down from an article that is intended to highlight the teams accomplishments.

Anyway ... here's some quotes from Shyiak ...

On Gunderson ...

"We started with a rotation early in the year, but when we went with Rob on a back-to-back nights, he took that opportunity and has performed quite well.  He's become more aggressive getting out of the paint, he's a lot more confident making reads on the rush and anticipating plays. I think it's just been time and experience. He's making a good transition to the college game and has learned what it takes to have success at this level."

On the team and what's ahead ...

"Our puck movement throughout the year on the power play has been pretty good," said Seawolves head coach Dave Shyiak. "Unfortunately, early in the season, we weren't finishing our chances off. Now, the guys are certainly being rewarded for their efforts by finding ways to finish these chances off."

"It starts with our seniors and upperclassmen ... our leaders. A lot of your success is based on your upperclassmen and veterans who have been through the trials and tribulations of the game. They have led our young guys the right way."

"Guys are working hard, just playing the system and paying attention to detail."

"We're trying not to get too far ahead of ourselves. We need to take things one game at a time, get some points and let everything else fall where it may. If we get points, that other stuff will take care of itself."

It's frustrating to me for the team to grab a bit of press because of their performance, yet see that press essentially treat them negatively.  In this case, I blame Adam Wodon.  He picked UAA the "Team of the Week" when at least one better choice was available.  Then he asked Dan Myers to write the piece.  Oh well, time to listen to INCH's Podcast and listen to them talk for an hour about some shitty AHA and ECAC teams.