Seawolves vs Ugly Dogs

The Seawolves record versus the incoming and defending national champion UMD Bulldogs in the last twelve contests is 5-5-2.  Past records of course don't really mean anything on the ice this coming weekend.  What might matter a wee bit more is that UMD is 17-5-4 and UAA is 6-16-2 so far this season.  They come to town after getting only one point on their home rink versus MTU last weekend.  The Seawolves lost a pair to them back in November; 5-0 and 3-1.

Pictures From The Weekend

Post Game Interviews vs Denver 1-28

The Seawolves lose tonight to Denver 6-3. The Seawolves suffered what is becoming an all too familiar start giving up 4 goals in the first period and one in the second to go down 5-0. The Seawolves came back and made a game of it by scoring three straight goals to make it 5-3 with Naslund, Sproule, and Gellert scoring. But a late 5 minute major by Brad Gorham knocked off any chance of a comeback and DU added a PP empty netter.

7 straight losses will not do anything positive to the psyche. The Seawolves are a desperate, young team in dire of a win but, wins do not come easy at this level. The team is not playing terribly overall but, like I said last night, momentary lapses can kill you. The question remaining is whether the players can step up and gut out some points.

Post Game Interviews vs Denver 1-27

The Seawolves are, as Coach Shyiak puts it, in a "tough spell". 6 losses in a row can generally put a damper on things and it seems UAA may just be playing for not finishing in 12th. The Seawolves are not playing terribly. It is a matter of defensive lapses costing goals and not enough scoring punch. The mistakes seem small but in the unforgiving WCHA even small mistakes will be punished. UAA is young team that, to a certain extent, needs to find itself and do some growing. But in this league, it's not easy for team that needs to do it.

Interview tonight with Coach Shyiak.

54 Days, 21 Hours and 34 Minutes

Such is the number representing the amount of time between the end of the last home game on December 3rd, 2011 versus UND and this coming Friday night's game versus DU.  That's 4,742,440 seconds.  Four-million, seven-hundred forty-two thousand, four-hundred and forty seconds.  

Or seven weeks if you prefer simplicity.

That's a long time since we've been at the Sully.  And now of course there's three home series in a row.  That feast or famine cliche seems obvious but nevertheless appropriate.

Wisconsin 4 - Seawolves 0

Being outscored four to nothing doesn't necessarily mean you were outplayed by that much.  I thought tonight's game was closer than the score would indicate.  The difference to me was that once the Badgers got up by 2 goals they really played well in the neutral zone and in their own end.  The Seawolves were hard pressed to manufacture scoring chances.  

Not Time To Scream

Just a quick review of the this past weekend at MTU and a short look forward to this coming weekend at Wisconsin.  Obviously, Friday night was pretty brutal.  Sounded like there was some good play by the team but the breakdowns were too much to overcome.  Giving up quick multiple goals is always a killer.  Good on Dusan Sidor for his play on Friday which was good enough to get him the Saturday game.

Game Day: Seawolves @ MTU

There is no TV.  You can purchase a video stream at Michigan Tech's website.  Gametime is 3:07 Alaska time.  

I have confirmation that Rob Gunderson's absence from this trip has nothing to do with academics.  He was one of the players who missed practice on Dec 28th coming back late from break.  

Feel free to pop into the Chatango Room ... that chat box on the right column... over there ----> .. ya know?  I should be in there and listening to Kurt's call on the radio.

I'm Back ... But Everyone Else Isn't

Blog vacation over.  Bummer sorta for me.  But hockey this weekend against MTU should get me back into the required mode.  There is more to touch on than I hoped there would be.  Mickey Spencer is no longer on the team.  Everyone always wants to know the background when one of these departures occurs.  I'm not privy to any details.  Nor should I be.  Here's a fact about college hockey; players leave their teams sometimes.  And it's for a variety of reasons.