tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199920552024-03-15T01:29:31.206-08:00UAA Seawolves Hockey Fan BlogNow Dedicated To The Memory of Dr. Steve CobbDonald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.comBlogger1216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-70932979504925911752016-01-04T19:52:00.000-09:002016-01-04T19:52:15.478-09:00An Unexpected Journey<div style="text-align: justify;">
Fate is an undeniable force in our lives. Rather than having some supernatural basis, our fate is guided by our circumstances; genetics, environment, nature, nurture and all that. In my case, genetics and probably environment blessed me with two cancer diagnoses in the 2nd half of 2015. First it was malignant melanoma. A weird mole thingy on my back which I had excised and after it was confirmed malignant I had a surgery to excise lymph nodes. 36 stitches later and I got the good news. It hadn't spread.</div>
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Meanwhile, I'd been suffering from seemingly various urinary tract issues. Spent 12 weeks on antibiotics last summer at one point and after some (months long) struggle finally managed to get a urologist and he diagnosed a tumor in my bladder on my 2nd visit. After removal it was found to be cancerous. And after a single dose of chemo (6 hour infusion), I became lost as to how I could support myself during treatment (should I be able to actually arrange treatment) when it put me in bed for nearly 5 days and I had two more surgeries to go through along with 4 more weeks of chemo.</div>
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Then my emergency medicaid ran out (when I stupidly thought that I was ON regular Medicaid) and I had no more doctor appointments. So 10 days into December, I was mentally lost. Governor Bill Walker and his right-wing ilk refusing to implement expanded Medicaid had won. I gave up. Fuck it. That was my attitude. I'll just fucking die since that's what assholes like Walker really want to happen.</div>
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I have managed to moderate that state of mind and have found an alternative where I will hopefully be able to get treated (at least 3 billion other people on this planet have easier access to health care than I do ... yay 'Murica). I leave January 18th for Massachusetts where I'll have the support I need to become well.</div>
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Never vote for Walker again please; just as a favor to me. </div>
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I doubt I can keep lots of my readers from voting for their various republican asshole legislators with this post but you should. Their attitudes toward the working poor (<b>me</b> ... who works close to 40 hours per week and was working 65 hours per week often in the summer on two jobs) makes them unworthy of your vote.</div>
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I'll turn in my media credentials this Friday and will just be a fan in a seat for my last two Seawolves games.</div>
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I think we've got a good team (with lots of future potential) and I'm sorry really that I don't have the where-with-all, motivation and/or mental focus right now to spend any time writing about them. I'll be watching every game and who knows at this point if I'll have anything to say here.</div>
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At this point, I don't envision moving back to Alaska (I said that before though). I love the state, but honestly (and I mean this sincerely) there's so many fucking fascist-loving ignorant dumb asses here that even the lowest population density of all 50 states doesn't spread them thin enough for me.</div>
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I hate that this sounds a bit like I'm whining. I don't mean it that way. There are shit-tons more people in worse circumstances than I. Show some empathy for them. Steal something from WalMart for them. Give them a couple of dollars when you see them in need. Volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen. Most of those people have nowhere to go or people that they can turn to in their time of need. I do.</div>
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Look me up this weekend at the Bemidji games and say hi/bye.</div>
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I love my Seawolves (and all my hockey friends). Go get em the rest of the way. Start with 4 points this weekend please. Thanks.</div>
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Peace Out.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com112tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-48863602552649496032015-12-16T17:20:00.000-09:002015-12-16T17:20:02.985-09:00So There's That<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com143tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-9032110931812275462015-12-13T01:11:00.000-09:002015-12-13T01:11:13.191-09:00History Defines Seawolf Futility On This Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since the 2002-2003 season, the Seawolves are 4-17-5 on the weekend before leaving for the holiday break. In 03-04, we swept Colorado College; then in 2011-2012 we split with Colorado College; then in 2013-2014 we split with LSSU. In 8 of those seasons we got swept by the opponent.</div>
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UAF has 14 wins on their last weekend before the holiday break since 2002-2003. </div>
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Seems to me every year on this last weekend before the holidays that I'm always thinking that our boys are looking past the game to their break and the data above sure seems to be evidence of that. I can find nothing else (imaginary or concrete) to explain this futility.</div>
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At least this weekend, 2 of our 3 local players got goals. I guess they weren't really looking past the games to their break? Someone might keep track of TOI (time on ice) and I'd sure like to see those numbers from this weekend. I saw Connor Wright on the ice once in the third period tonight. Maybe Coach Thomas forgot who scored the only goal?</div>
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I don't know this 100% but, I'm fairly certain that neither Alex Jackstadt or Connor Wright are on scholarship. That says something to me about the players who are on scholarship and makes me question Coach Thomas' in-game tactics.</div>
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Last night, the Seawolves were flummoxed in the 3rd period by a neutral one trap. It wasn't a fancy trap with some sort of gimmick ... just a straight up trap for which the Seawolves had no answer. Tonight, we just got mostly outworked. When we did have the proper effort, the execution was horrible. If bad passes were a metric the Seawolves set a world record for most bad passes in one period over the last 20 minutes tonight.</div>
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I can't find much good to say about this tie. Yay, we got a point?</div>
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Let's hope all the guys use the break to look into the mirror and question themselves. Let's hope that injuries heal. And let's hope the coaching staff finds something to improve consistency.</div>
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Between now and the beginning of the 2nd half, don't expect to find much here. I will probably write a couple of times but at minimum I'll have some sort of post examining each individual player's performance (my least favorite type of post ... but something that I think is very necessary at this point).</div>
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Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com58tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-68328559783008039352015-12-11T23:17:00.001-09:002015-12-11T23:44:00.998-09:00A Fine Game; Less Than Fine Result<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tonight we got most everything you'd expect from a rivalry game. Lots of passion. Good chances thwarted by good goaltending. And a penalty shot game-tying goal from local kid; Alex Jackstadt. Good on Alex for finishing the penalty shot like a pro.</div>
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I'm happy as I can be for Alex. He's a walk-on that is getting ice time primarily because other forwards are out injured. I've liked most everything I've seen from him in the games he's played. He's quick and tenacious but maybe needs to learn how to best utilize his size disadvantage. I don't know if there's anyone on the squad quicker than him over 50 or 75 feet.</div>
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Unfortunately for UAA nobody else managed to get a puck across the Nanook goal-line. You hate to lose but if you lose a close game to a rival and both teams played well, then you've got to live with it.</div>
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And now for something I don't think we have to live with. I know I sure don't want to. There are few truths in the world which cannot be questioned. Stuff like ... Water is wet; Ice is slippery; Nobody gets out of this life alive and MOST IMPORTANTLY ... <b>A radio DJ trying to induce a hockey crowd to cheer is effing bush league</b>. It's embarrassing. It's against the WCHA and NCAA rules regarding arena conduct. And worst of all, it's annoying.</div>
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This is Anchorage. It's a hockey town. We don't need some rube with a microphone telling us when to cheer. I used to go to Aces hockey almost as much as Seawolf hockey. Until they brought in Bob Lester from KWHL as their arena announcer. Granted, the ECHL is the epitome of "bush league" and throughout the league various teams do stupid crap to engage their fans and promote themselves. I still won't go to an Aces game ONLY because Bob Lester is their announcer.</div>
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NCAA Division I hockey is not bush league. We don't need someone with an overdriven microphone yelling crap into it that we cannot understand at random times. We had a decent crowd tonight and they were well into the game; starting chants and cheers without any prompting from someone who apparently cannot go 10 minutes without hearing his own voice.</div>
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Write letters to Keith Hackett. Let's nip this noise in the bud before the rubes in the crowd who like that sort of nonsense get their way. I've got no real beef with the various little segments (or whatever they call them) giving out stuff for answering easy questions etc. That's all good. But this crap about "make some noise" and whatever other mostly unintelligible stuff the guy yells into his mic needs to end. Let them do that stuff in other rinks and other leagues.</div>
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<b>Let's have some class</b> and not bow to the desires of the uninitiated mob who think that loudmouth radio DJ's are a cool thing at a hockey game.</div>
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Lastly, those refs were an abomination tonight. They missed most of the actual infractions but called a lot of ticky-tack nonsense. Big Shep has some work to do. He needs to dump this idiot Lukkason who came to the WCHA from bush leagues; and it shows.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-16574463558249207022015-12-10T23:00:00.002-09:002015-12-10T23:00:28.451-09:00KTUU's "Checking in with the Seawolves"Beth O'Donnell is doing a good job with these.<br />
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Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-75642550909572299822015-12-10T14:24:00.002-09:002015-12-10T14:26:19.005-09:00Rivarly Week Press Conference<center>
<a class="neulion-video" data-height="400" data-media-id="4796699" data-oem="13400" data-width="600" href="http://www.goseawolves.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=13400&catid=NaN&id=4796699">Video</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://nmnathletics.com/oemjs/0/media/widget/widget.min.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","neulion-wjs-vc");</script></center>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-70219420765000435422015-12-09T20:07:00.000-09:002015-12-09T20:07:30.849-09:00Random Thoughts About the UAA/UAF Rivalry<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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What is the UAA/UAF rivalry about? It's about 2 days away from renewing itself. That's what. In case you missed it, since the first day of 2006 the Seawolves are 16-11-2 against them. Apparently, UAF has won six Governor's Cups in that time. Or maybe it's seven or only five? You tell me cos I don't really care. I think the majority of the cups they've won were awarded by virtue of winning a shootout.</div>
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So what? I don't personally care about that trophy. I care about the record. If some rubes want to run around thumping their chests because they won 3 or 4 shootouts then who am I to shit on their stupid parade? Someone decided the trophy must be awarded every season. So we have shootouts for it sometimes. YAWN.</div>
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The UAA/UAF rivalry is akin to the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames rivalry. The battle for Alberta and the battle for Alaska. I tend to relate UAA to Calgary though that won't probably fly with a certain UAA player and his pops. Oh well, Fairbanks isn't really like Edmonton. Cos, Edmonton is a nice city. But for the sake of the comparison, I have to go with it. </div>
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Calgary hosted the Olympics. Anchorage was the USA's bid for the Olympics a couple of times. Fairbanks wasn't and Edmonton didn't host the Olympics. Also, the Oilers traded for Curtis Glencross and then didn't keep him ... guess who they sent him to? Calgary where he flourished against the Oilers and became somewhat of a fan favorite.</div>
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If you don't already get it, this rivalry is as much about the two cities as it is about hockey teams. Anchorage is just better in every way than Fairbanks. It starts with the name. Anchorage is an accurate representation of the function of this locale when it was first explored by westerners. It was a good place to drop the Anchor and check things out. </div>
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Conversely, Fairbanks was named for a dude. He wasn't even that cool of a dude. Also, the Chena River which meanders through the town categorically doesn't not have banks which are fair. They are muddy and gross and stupid. Don't even get me started about the mosquitoes up in that joint ... nightmarish I tell you. </div>
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Most people that leave forsaken Fairbanks but stay in Alaska end up living where? Yeah ... Anchorage. Cos it's better. Subjectively or objectively ... it's just better. Oh, except Fairbanks has a better large scale composting facility than Anchorage. Seriously, they're excellent at turning excrement into something useful. Good on Fairbanks.</div>
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That's what this post is really all about. Fairbanks deals with shit quite well. So there's that. Let's heap some on the Nanook hockey team this weekend.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DeezGuys like the dump<br /></td></tr>
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Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-34932349290929334872015-12-09T01:57:00.000-09:002015-12-09T03:29:20.888-09:00Commentary: Doyle Woody on USCHO Live<br />
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So I don't get to see/hear/read media coverage about UAA usually until late at night. Such is the case tonight as I just listened to this USCHO interview. Their last guest in this podcast is Doyle Woody. There are some things which must be addressed. Now that I've finished listening and had a nice ham and cheese sammich ...</div>
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Begin listening at 41:50.</div>
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I categorically think that Doyle has a right to his opinions. I just don't think he understands the context of college sports. Context is important even in the world of journalism. The context here is that UAA Hockey is a public institutional asset of the local community (UAA college sports belong to all of us). The community can and does derive pride from the accomplishments. It is valued by the members of the public.</div>
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Newspapers are a private institutional asset of the local community. Community newspapers are self-mandated to act as good stewards of the happenings, public information, news, entertainment and sports. Purposeful negativity does not serve that righteous ethical standard. It is also valued by the public.</div>
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These facts deserve consideration.</div>
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A natural synergy exists between these two institutions but it's being needlessly poked and prodded and derided by one of it's components.</div>
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I'd add that the UAA Seawolves hockey team is made up of amateur players. The same standard that one applies to a professional player (someone getting a paycheck in their pocket) categorically does not apply to a college player.</div>
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Is that enough context?</div>
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Now onto my specific beefs ... When asked about the recruiting dynamic for UAA, Doyle completely left out the one actual advantage that UAA has over 57 other Division 1 programs. You're in Alaska. Hey prospect ... you like hunting? Fishing? Hiking? Outdoors anything? Um ... well we have the best outdoors anywhere. Instead, we got some droning about how nobody but a bender would come to UAA. </div>
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My other main beef ... When asked about the UAA/UAF rivalry. Doyle explains how in the last ten years UAF has "certainly had the upper-hand." Reality? Well, in the last 10 years ... (since January 1st, 2006) ... the Seawolves are 16-11-2 versus UAF. End of story.</div>
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I started this blog a decade ago in large part because Doyle's default style is negative. I'd happily return to private fandom if we had someone at ADN whose default style wasn't negative. I'm not hoping for a cheerleader like me. Just someone that understands context and allows such to moderate their writing process.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-33807443306727653782015-12-08T19:52:00.001-09:002015-12-08T19:52:07.199-09:00Nanook Hockey: An Unwanted and Unneeded Comparison<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is an examination of the ways in which the 2015-2016 UAF Nanook hockey program is like the 1936-1944 German National Socialist Party. Yes, seriously. I'm going to compare the two. Fine, I violated Godwin's Law. My only defense is that without criminals like me there'd be no sweet prison guard jobs and pensions.</div>
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Nazi's liked to pose for pictures with polar bear mascots. Fairbanks fans do too. Here's the proof.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3TLrcY5rUk/VmeejDCoNaI/AAAAAAAACKE/a8lLpNCQ85s/s1600/nazibear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3TLrcY5rUk/VmeejDCoNaI/AAAAAAAACKE/a8lLpNCQ85s/s400/nazibear.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3s6Hl5hk2Q/VmefnKuW5tI/AAAAAAAACKM/-yL9n4tmmeQ/s1600/yetinazis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3s6Hl5hk2Q/VmefnKuW5tI/AAAAAAAACKM/-yL9n4tmmeQ/s400/yetinazis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">That's pretty irrefutable. Google "Polar Bear and Nazis"" to see for yourself. This was an actual thing back then. Frigging Aryans are weird. Also, people from Fairbanks are weird. So, Nazi's ... yep.</span><br />
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President Harry Truman hated Nazis. President Harry Truman avoided going to Fairbanks during his lifetime. You may think this is a coincidence, but the truth about the universe is there are no coincidences.</div>
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I know I'm not supposed to post pictures of hot chicks anymore. But, my research shows that these two attractive ladies live in Fairbanks. You can't argue with a picture of hot chicks in leather.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xqFnW7PuzCw/VmekrZQU4MI/AAAAAAAACKc/UVBLqqVFink/s1600/fairbankshotties.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="337" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xqFnW7PuzCw/VmekrZQU4MI/AAAAAAAACKc/UVBLqqVFink/s400/fairbankshotties.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Only a Nazi would design a wide roadway through the middle of town and then put up a ridiculous fence on both sides for the entire length of the road. And worse, only Nazis wouldn't change that.</div>
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In 1935 an Anchorage hockey team headed up to Fairbanks to play a game. In 1935, the Nazis were playing hockey. The evidence is undeniable.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QrX1YdfNaW0/Vmet_tlax3I/AAAAAAAACKs/qxLDTTGmOUs/s1600/uaa_uaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QrX1YdfNaW0/Vmet_tlax3I/AAAAAAAACKs/qxLDTTGmOUs/s400/uaa_uaf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ngdkfPpjSgc/VmeuMkfXe3I/AAAAAAAACK0/ryGTr4r-or4/s1600/the-swastikas-hockey-team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ngdkfPpjSgc/VmeuMkfXe3I/AAAAAAAACK0/ryGTr4r-or4/s400/the-swastikas-hockey-team.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Admittedly, that's a team of female Nazi's. UAF's modern hockey team is often compared favorably with women's hockey. So there's that. I think my comparison is starting to hit home.</div>
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There is a wealth of comparisons one might make between this year's UAF hockey program and the Nazis. Tons of stuff even. So much stuff, that I have to stop here. I'm sure I've made my case. The UAF Nanooks are just like the German National Socialist Party of the 30s and 40s. Just like them. Almost exactly like them.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-52563655562483106692015-12-07T21:17:00.002-09:002015-12-07T22:34:06.881-09:00Some Standings Implications To Consider<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Seawolves are currently tied for 6th place in the league table with Lake State at 11 points each. I thought it'd be interesting to take a look at how the top half of the table will be effected by this weekends various series. </div>
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And trust me, there's a ton of implications on what is certainly the WCHA's most important weekend so far this season.<br />
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WCHA Games</div>
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Overall</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Pts</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">W</span></div>
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</td><td style="padding: 3px;" width="18"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
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</td><td style="padding: 3px;" width="18"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">GF</span></div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;" width="18"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">GA</span></div>
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<tr bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="left" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Minnesota State</span></div>
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12</div>
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7</div>
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1</div>
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4</div>
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18</div>
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35</div>
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25</div>
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8</div>
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6</div>
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4</div>
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40</div>
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43</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Bowling Green</span></div>
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12</div>
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6</div>
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2</div>
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4</div>
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16</div>
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26</div>
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23</div>
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9</div>
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3</div>
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5</div>
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41</div>
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34</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Michigan Tech</span></div>
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14</div>
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8</div>
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6</div>
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0</div>
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16</div>
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39</div>
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30</div>
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9</div>
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6</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
1</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
48</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
38</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="left" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Ferris State</span></div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
14</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
6</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
6</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
2</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
14</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
33</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
39</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"></td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
7</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
7</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
4</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
43</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
49</div>
</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="left" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Northern Michigan</span></div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
12</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
4</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
4</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
4</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
12</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
27</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
25</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"></td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
5</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
5</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
6</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
38</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
37</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="left" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Alaska Anchorage</span></div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
10</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
5</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
4</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
1</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
11</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
25</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
24</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"></td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
8</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
6</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
2</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
43</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
43</div>
</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="left" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Lake Superior State</span></div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
10</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
4</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
3</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
3</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
11</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
19</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
20</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"></td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
6</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
9</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
3</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
37</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
45</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="left" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Bemidji State</span></div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
12</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
4</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
6</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
2</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
10</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
28</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
24</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"></td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
5</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
7</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
3</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
37</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
35</div>
</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="left" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Alabama Huntsville</span></div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
12</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
2</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
8</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
2</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
6</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
29</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
36</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"></td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
3</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
9</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
2</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
36</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
43</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="left" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Alaska</span></div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
12</div>
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2</div>
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8</div>
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2</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
6</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
26</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
41</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"></td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
4</div>
</td><td style="padding: 3px;"><div align="center" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
10</div>
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2</div>
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38</div>
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50</div>
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NMU sitts just above UAA with 12 points. This weekend they match up against Ferris State who sits 3 points in front of UAA. Notice here that UAA has two games-in-hand on Northern and 4 games-in-hand on Ferris Wheel. I'm going to assume a split in this series which combined with UAA's sweep this weekend of UAF puts the Seawolves above NMU at 15 points to 14 (still with two games-in-hand). Ferris would be one point above at 16.</div>
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The other important series to UAA is Lake State versus MTU. Tech isn't going to get swept two weekends in a row so let''s call another split. That would bump LSSU to 13 points and keep them nicely in the mix and MTU goes to 18 points ... 3 more than UAA will have after we sweep UAF. And again, we have 4 games-in-hand on Tech.</div>
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Obviously, the most important thing for UAA this weekend is to get the 4 points on our sheet. The rest will fall into place as long as we get positive results from the games-in-hand we have at our disposal. Not getting four points against our arch-rival on our home ice when they've won exactly HALF AS MANY games as us this season is unacceptable. </div>
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If a young season full of potential is going to move forward then it's going to be on the heels of sweeping UAF this weekend. Doing less doesn't mean doomsday, the season's not quite half gone. But meeting that goal puts this team in a strong position for the 2nd half where we play at home more than we play on the road and we play more opponents that are below us in the current standing than we play who are above us.</div>
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Bemidji gets Bowling Green at home this weekend. Don't be surprised to see them take four points from the Bowlers. And they're just a single point back as of today. UAA also has 2 games-in-hand on Bemidji.</div>
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This is as good a potential position (standings-wise) as I can remember for a long time (regardless of league composition or head coach). The Seawolves have an early season opportunity here to define themselves for the rest of the season.</div>
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Let's hope they take advantage of that.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-39044897485034194452015-12-07T18:27:00.002-09:002015-12-07T18:27:31.109-09:00Mantha Gets WCHA DPOTW Award<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B9OH2c3R6ok/VmZNg802anI/AAAAAAAACJ0/rjRW7sMYndM/s1600/manthapotw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B9OH2c3R6ok/VmZNg802anI/AAAAAAAACJ0/rjRW7sMYndM/s640/manthapotw.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Olivier Mantha's 62 save performance this weekend versus MTU earned him the nod for WCHA Defensive Player of the Week award. Congratulations to Olivier for receiving this weekly recognition. Sean "Scottie" MacTavish was nominated for the Rookie of the Week award but that went to some guy with a goal and two assists against UAF.</div>
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This is Mantha's second weekly honor this season. Here's the text of <a href="http://www.wcha.com/men/pres1516/201512/dec7wpm.php" target="_blank">the WCHA release</a>:</div>
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<i><span style="color: #444444;">Mantha backstopped Alaska Anchorage to an impressive road sweep at then-No. 17 Michigan Tech, negating the Huskies' overall 66-45 advantage in shots by making 62 saves in a pair of 3-2 Seawolves' victories. Friday night, UAA was outshot by a 34-18 margin; however, Mantha turned aside 32 shots. The sophomore from La Tuque, Quebec followed that up with a 30-save effort Saturday as UAA completed the sweep. The Seawolves erased 2-1, third-period deficits in both games by twice scoring a pair of final-stanza goals; Mantha stopped all 17 third-period shots he faced Friday and Saturday to help propel and maintain the UAA comebacks.</span></i></div>
</blockquote>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-21633718777654982922015-12-05T18:17:00.002-09:002015-12-05T18:17:22.511-09:00How Sweep It Is, Huskies Taste Broom 3-2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7cm_zgEKuAg/VmOoZtO839I/AAAAAAAACJk/tEYuWRVNHjY/s1600/huskiebroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="513" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7cm_zgEKuAg/VmOoZtO839I/AAAAAAAACJk/tEYuWRVNHjY/s640/huskiebroom.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
A 4 point weekend versus the 2nd place team in the conference is a worthy of celebration. It'll definitely make the long trip home go faster. The 4 points put UAA temporarily tied for 5th with 11 points. None of the other WCHA Saturday games are in the books as I type this so that may change.</div>
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In any case, all the teams above UAA in the standings have played 2 or 4 more league games than the Seawolves. At this point of the season, the Seawolves have a 1.1 league point per game average. If that average were to hold for the season then we're looking at our team finishing somewhere around 29 points. That's likely to be right in the 4th/5th place area, so home ice for the playoffs sure seems to be in play for this squad.</div>
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The remaining schedule has 10 home games and 8 road games with only 6 of those road trips leaving the state. That's pretty favorable when you consider that 8 of those 18 games are going to be against teams that are currently below UAA in the standings.</div>
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It's always good when guys that haven't been scoring or that aren't generally recognized as snipers contribute to a win. And this weekend, we saw lots of that between "Scottie" MacTavish on Friday and tonight with Jarrett Brown, Chase Van Allen and Brad Duwe notching the goals.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Brad Duwe has two goals on the season and both of them game winners. Unless there's some other performance in the league that I haven't noticed I'd expect MacTavish to be a good candidate for WCHA rookie of the week and Mantha is a great candidate for WCHA defensive player of the week.</div>
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Congrats to the boys on the big weekend. Be confident but not cocky. Next weekend is pretty easy to get motivated for against our biggest rival. It's the last games before the break as well. Another 4 point weekend is very doable against UAF.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-55877548178622255832015-12-04T18:24:00.000-09:002015-12-04T18:33:24.358-09:00"Scottie" MacTavish's 2 Goal Night Sparks Seawolf Win; 3-2 over MTU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hh90RgFalIE/VmJX71uuNMI/AAAAAAAACJU/ZfJIJUB9bxs/s1600/government%2Bflag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hh90RgFalIE/VmJX71uuNMI/AAAAAAAACJU/ZfJIJUB9bxs/s640/government%2Bflag.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Tonight against Michigan Tech <i><span style="color: #444444;">(apparently the 17th best team in the country -- according to "polls")</span></i> the Seawolves got on the board first when Sean "Scottie" MacTavish scored his 1st collegiate goal at 5:41 of the opening period.<br />
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They held the lead until around the midpoint of the 2nd. Tech bracketed the 10:00 mark of the 2nd by scoring a goal a minute or so before it and adding a 2nd a minute or so after. That 2-1 lead held until 11:49 in the 3rd when Sean MacTavish scored his 2nd collegiate goal.</div>
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Then with 81 seconds left in the game Tad Kozun chipped in the game winning goal. And do I have to say that Mantha anchored this win with a solid 32 save night? Ok, I'll say it; Mantha was on.</div>
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This is a very nice win for the Seawolves. Rather than very nice ... I should say it's an important win. Obviously, the 2 WCHA points are important but moreso the lift that this will give some confidence to a team that has some injury issues and who haven't gotten the results they might have otherwise deserved lately.</div>
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Good for the guys. They should be happy with themselves and this should spark the sort of effort tomorrow night to give them a shot at earning more of those always needed league points.</div>
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Congrats to the team. Do it again on Saturday!</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-29067465508537996952015-11-28T18:35:00.001-09:002015-11-28T20:10:32.462-09:00Seawolves Win 2nd and 3rd Periods, Get Blown Out 6-2<div style="text-align: justify;">
Chris Williams scored his first collegiate goal tonight. It was a nice one. I'm sure he'd trade it for a win. But by the time Willie got the monkey off his back the game was over.</div>
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I'm not happy and probably should wait to write about his debacle. But I won't.</div>
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The Seawolves need to just start playing with 4 skaters instead of 5. Really. I'm not kidding. This isn't some joke. I'm not suggesting it because the penalty kill is good or whatever. I'm suggesting it so the referees will stop with the bullshit calls against us while never calling the bullshit calls against the other team. If we start the game with 4 skaters then the zebra mindset will be to feel sorry for us. And they won't whistle so much bullshit against us.</div>
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Secondarily, if we skate four guys for the rest of the season by the time the playoffs get here we should be the absolute most fit team in the country. </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
That's what I say. And there's not much else to discuss about this ugly mess of a loss. I'm done.<br />
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<b>Addendum:</b> (8pm) ... Mason Mitchell, Anthony Conti and Dylan Hubbs all get an extra point in my book tonight for showing their pride when it was called for. Yeah, with that and 5 bucks they can buy Starbucks.<br />
<br />
<b>2nd Addendum:</b> (8:10pm) ... The referees for tonights game? Brady Johnson from Roseau, Minnesota and Bobby Lukkason from East Grand Forks, Minnesota. So there's that.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-67687539503402892522015-11-27T20:18:00.001-09:002015-11-27T20:18:56.693-09:00What Would You Do?<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tonight I saw a Seawolf hockey team playing not to lose. I suspect that was in part by design. Coach Thomas watched Mankato tape and is familiar enough with them over the last two years to know that UAA would be facing one of the best all around squads he has faced during his tenure. And fresh off a successful defensive effort vs Penn State he set out with a similar strategy tonight.<a name='more'></a></div>
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But while the Seawolves were able to muster some offense against Penn State, tonight they weren't able to muster more than a dozen shots on the night. Twelve.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Playing defense first against a team who's game plan is to make you go 200ft isn't going to result in a flurry of offensive opportunities. And when that team is as offensively talented as Mankato, even Olivier Mantha isn't going to stop everything. And when that team gets 7 power plays, well you're going to be on your heels with the PK for a full quarter of the game and ain't nobody's legs got time for that.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Maybe Olivier Mantha deserves a rest. Jared D'Amico has to play. Mantha is the man but the guys up front (and perhaps the coaching staff too) may be taking him for granted a bit. I don't mean that they are consciously doing so, but just knowing so well that Mantha is going to play at that high level has got to have an unconscious effect.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
How about some high zone trapping against these guys? Make them go 200ft and in the process force turnovers in their half of the ice and capitalize? Our guys always look good attacking in transition and pressuring Mankato when they have the puck deep in their end ought to create some chances. We've got quickness up front to do that (Jackstadt and Hubbs) as well as smart players (Anholt, Tatchell) to forecheck effectively on their own while the holding/locked players wait to pounce.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, that's what I'd do. What I think we'll see instead is Coach Thomas do everything he can to open up the game. I imagine we won't see the same sort of patient defense-first team effort and that we'll just try to run and gun with Mankato. That might not be a bad way to go. We've got enough talent to pop in 4 goals on any team on any given night. That's what I expect to see since nobody but me likes the Neutral Zone or High Zone Trap.</div>
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You be the coach. What would you do?</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-83248674094086350252015-11-26T22:48:00.001-09:002015-11-26T22:48:33.872-09:00KTUU Checking In<center>
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Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-91369007600425956442015-11-26T13:58:00.000-09:002015-11-26T13:58:06.722-09:00You Can Get Anything You Want, At Alice's Restaurant<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E1RnIDb7OAA/VBxnasrps4I/AAAAAAAAeHc/dDOqxY2bdYE/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E1RnIDb7OAA/VBxnasrps4I/AAAAAAAAeHc/dDOqxY2bdYE/s1600/1.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A better purple Maverick ...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm pretty sure I've written more previews for the Seawolves playing Mankato than any other team. The Mavericks used to be UAA's "designated rival" in the old WCHA (as assigned by Minnesota Gopher Coach Don Lucia; Don't ask what that was about ...) so it was 4 games against them every year for a few years.</div>
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<a href="http://uaafan.blogspot.com/search?q=mankato" target="_blank">Just search the blog for Mankato</a> and give the results a quick peruse. You'll see early on how much I don't really give a crap about Mankato, Minnesota or it's college hockey team. You'll see lots of my disdain and sport's hatred for the purple Mavs and their forlorn nearly homogeneous and insipid community. But this year's edition of Minnesota State University, Mankato is a good one.</div>
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The Seawolves face having more than their hands full this weekend. They better get up on their horses and corral these Mavericks if they want to take advantage of having 2 to 4 games in hand versus the rest of the league. UAA has 7 points and sits in 6th place. A 4 point weekend could vault them up to 3rd place. That seems unrealistic yet if our boys play 60 minutes (or more as required) of focused hockey they're completely capable of getting four points.</div>
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There is another good hockey team on the ice though this weekend. A team that looks on paper to be very similar to UAA. But, I have much worry for the results this weekend. This isn't the first roadtrip of the season but it's a long one staying over in the lower 48 and going to Houghton next weekend. How will our guys do on the road?</div>
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Complicating matters for the Seawolves is that the Mav's are damn sure to be ready to play. Their season hasn't had the sort of start they were expecting/hoping for and this weekend in the comfort of their own barn they'll be focused like a laser to get as many as the 4 points as possible.</div>
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I hate to say the same thing every week but here goes. Can our guys apply the lessons learned from the last three series for this weekend? Stay outta the box; Play 60 minutes; Support Mantha and get some rubber on the opposition net, eh?</div>
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What can I say? Not much else ... Here's a couple of things I said back in the day which might be mildly entertaining.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><i>I would be remiss if I didn't mention how in 1862 the fine citizens of Mankato (who by the way misnamed their own town when it was founded ... the name was supposed to be Mahkato but the only dolt with a pen in the town wrote it down wrong when it was founded) wanted to string up 303 Native Americans in retaliation for a minor uprising. Abe Lincoln pardoned 265 of them though so the fine Mankato gentry had to be satisfied with hanging only 38 of the savages. They made a big day of it and hanged them all at once. Woohoo! A world record!</i></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><i>Mankato is every bit the match for Grand Forks in terms of level of futility for human entertainment and/or distraction. There is literally nothing to do in the place. Unless you consider picking up a venereal disease at one of the local bars something to do which is the commonly accepted state of things according to the knowledgeable travelling hockey fan contingent at USCHO.</i></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: justify;"></span><br />
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Happy Thanksgiving to all. As for me, I'm waiting til Sunday to be thankful for a 4 point weekend. Isn't this something like the 12,000th time we've played in Mankato on Thanksgiving?</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-74798638098599150652015-11-22T16:46:00.000-09:002015-11-22T16:46:25.708-09:00Nuffin But WCHA Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn3.bgsuhockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/wcha-new-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn3.bgsuhockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/wcha-new-logo.png" height="132" width="400" /></a></div>
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This weekend marked the end of UAA's non-conference schedule for the season. From here on out it's nuffin but WCHA opponents. The non-conference record for this year ... 3-2-1. That's not horrible, and it's not stellar either. It's not likely to be a great help should our boys be on the bubble of the NCAA tournament at season's end.</div>
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After the brutal loss on Friday night the team did come back out on Saturday and played with renewed vigor and focus for 60 minutes. It didn't result in a win obviously but they led the game for a solid 50 mins or so and held onto that lead. It took a bad call to make the difference; let's talk about that bad call.</div>
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A five minute major for interference that the referee described he called because the PSU player was in a vulnerable position. There was no vulnerability due to his position on the ice. He was in the middle of the circle; his vulnerability was that he was going for the puck with another UAA player. Interference is called when the player checked doesn't have the puck. In this case, the puck was in the PSU players feet. There was no contact to the head, though Austin Azurdia did use his elbow in the commission of said felony. Then the PSU player dropped to the ice like a flopping sack of potatoes and stayed down just long enough to influence the referees call.</div>
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When the referee that called that looked at the replay he surely must be embarrassed by his ineptitude. Coach Thomas as generally gracious about the call in the post-game interview with Tuttle but it was a really bad call. The result of the play should have been Azurdia getting 2 mins for elbowing and the PSU player getting 2 for embellishment.</div>
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The thing that really bothered me from Saturday night though was the number of times PSU players made contact with Mantha. FOUR separate times Mantha was taken out and the net dislodged. How many times did UAA players run over the PSU netminder? ZERO ... the PSU net wasn't dislodged all night. The one instance of contact between a UAA player and goaltender Skoff resulted in the absolute most hilarious full-twisting double-flip I've ever seen a goalie attempt. Should have been a diving call on that one.</div>
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The referees on the weekend made about an equal number of stupid calls for each side so mostly it was a wash except for the aforementioned 5 min major debacle.</div>
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And what the hell was with that linesman? Haven't seen that sort of ridiculous mismanagement of face-offs since Jeff Cooper stopped being an official. Anyway, it was good to see Coach Thomas give that crew a piece of his mind a couple of times. The linesman were two guys that we often have ... so I dunno what was up their butt this weekend.</div>
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Now it's on the road to Minnesota and Michigan to face what's certainly the best two teams in the WCHA: Mankato and Tech. There's 8 league points available and getting any of them isn't guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination. It'll take 60 minutes every night, an appropriate game-plan AND lots of guys having their best games ... they know this now, right? Any slack play will cost us WCHA points.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-78685353249078267132015-11-20T22:10:00.001-09:002015-11-20T22:10:45.733-09:00Seawolves Play Like Crap, Lose 5-2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/kyssfm.com/files/2012/12/Moose-Poop-630x420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/kyssfm.com/files/2012/12/Moose-Poop-630x420.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's clear to me that lessons from earlier in the season haven't been learned. The Seawolves played like crap in the loss to BG a few weeks ago. It wasn't that every player on the team that night played like crap. But enough guys played like crap to cause the loss.</div>
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I hate to say it. I really do. But the same thing happened tonight. It'd be counterproductive for me to sit here and name players that had an "off night" (but I could). The thing is though, with 34 games on the schedule playing like crap and losing even just one game during the season isn't acceptable. And at this point in the season, this isn't the only stinker of an outing.</div>
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I don't have any doubts about our guy's ability to bounce back tomorrow night and beat a team that they should beat. </div>
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This loss hurts. There's no conference points lost but letting this marginal team beat them on our home ice after they traveled so far to get here just shouldn't happen. A sweep of Penn State would have garnered some notice and people around the country would have been thinking about the Seawolves as a legitimate ongoing threat this season. Losing tonight kills that. Even a win tomorrow night won't bolster the team's reputation like a sweep would have.</div>
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The players looked as disappointed as you and I feel. Let's hope that's enough for them to find the 60 minutes of effort they'll need tomorrow night.</div>
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Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-36540893099401068802015-11-20T02:11:00.001-09:002015-11-20T02:11:58.576-09:008 Uncommitted 97+'s From The BCHL and AJHL<div style="text-align: justify;">
While the team focuses on beating PSU this weekend, we fans can still think about the future. The fall signing period is coming up soon and so I've been rolling through some junior stats trying to get an idea of what's going on. Here's a list of 8 uncommitted players in the B and the A. </div>
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These guys are all 18 or younger and they're all contributing important numbers for their teams. I have exactly zero clues as to whether the Seawolves have viewed, contacted or otherwise been associated with any of these guys. They're just some good ones I saw.</div>
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Click the links to see their stats ...<br />
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<a href="http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1413&teamID=440067&leagueID=2393&playerID=1214291" target="_blank">Colin Grannary -- Merrit -- 6ft 175lb -- 18 years old September 24th, 1997</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1413&teamID=440066&leagueID=2393&playerID=1323883" target="_blank">Nick Halloran -- Trail -- 5ft 10in 170lbs -- 18 years old May 13th, 1997</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1413&teamID=440055&leagueID=2393&playerID=1348280" target="_blank">Jared Domin -- Cowichan -- 5ft 11in 190lbs --18 years old March 3rd, 1997</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1413&teamID=440059&leagueID=2393&playerID=1121385" target="_blank">Ty Westgard -- Surrey -- 6ft 180lbs -- 17 years old May 21, 1998</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1413&teamID=440054&leagueID=2393&playerID=1263788" target="_blank">Jordan Sandhu -- Alberni Valley -- 5ft 7in 153 --16 years old May 13th, 1999</a><br />
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<a href="http://ajhl.esportsdesk.com/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1705&teamID=439965&leagueID=3464&playerID=1106388" target="_blank">Logan Ferguson -- Canmore -- 5ft 11in 180lbs -- 18 years old April 18th, 1997</a><br />
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<a href="http://ajhl.esportsdesk.com/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1705&teamID=439966&leagueID=3464&playerID=1245075" target="_blank">Chase Olsen -- Olds -- 5ft 11in 165lbs -- 18 years old July 2nd, 1997</a><br />
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<a href="http://ajhl.esportsdesk.com/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1705&teamID=439965&leagueID=3464&playerID=1347638" target="_blank">Coy Prevost -- Canmore -- 6ft 1in 177lbs -- 18 years old August 14th, 1997</a>Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-70341829815526513272015-11-19T02:26:00.000-09:002015-11-19T02:26:19.959-09:00Playing For the Front of The Sweater<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SrW8qxpQuX4/Vk2qOCPNT8I/AAAAAAAACJE/TJolxNdFIcI/s1600/logo2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SrW8qxpQuX4/Vk2qOCPNT8I/AAAAAAAACJE/TJolxNdFIcI/s400/logo2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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What you're looking at is absolutely one of the most distinctive and unique logos in North American sports. And by distinctive and unique I just mean ... BEST. I like how this year's team is representing it. That's all.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-46857048810692439072015-11-17T18:25:00.000-09:002015-11-17T18:25:08.647-09:00What's A Nittany? Clap Clap ... Clap Clap Clap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ALnBUXysSxg/VkvtApKVDfI/AAAAAAAACI0/CUj-qdOG95g/s1600/williamsaction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ALnBUXysSxg/VkvtApKVDfI/AAAAAAAACI0/CUj-qdOG95g/s400/williamsaction.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The BIG Ten team with the best overall record among it's conference mates comes to Anchorage this weekend. It's not Minnesota or Michigan or Michigan State or Wisconsin and of course it's not Ohio State. It's the Penn State Nittany Lions and UAA has never beaten them.</div>
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What's a Nittany? It's some little hill in Pennsylvania that someone called Mt. Nittany; where there were once Mountain Lions. Yeah sure ... ok. Mountain Lions ... in Pennsylvania. When? 8000 years ago? Maybe. Anyway, the Seawolves have never lost to Penn State and I think there's no reason for that to happen this weekend. The Seawolves are a better team on paper and have shown on the ice they're capable of beating anyone.</div>
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Penn State is 6-2-2 at this point in their season. They beat Canisius, then split with Notre Dame then beat AIC twice before tieing and losing to St. Larry, tieing Niagara and then wholloping Sacred Heart for two games. Their strength of schedule is currently 51. </div>
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They've got 44 goals in those ten games. 4.4 goals per game is effing massive in this day and age. Massive. We're pretty excited about our 3.2 goals per game so ... you get it. But putting up a couple of 8 spots against AIC and Sacred Heart? I don't want to say they aren't offensively talented but the context gives one pause.</div>
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The Nittany's have a coupla/three freshman who are definitely bringing it in their 1st year of college hockey. Chase Berger (8g), Alec Marsh (5g) and Andrew Sturtz (4g) have contributed 17 of the teams total goals. Berge and Marsh have real nice shooting percentages in the low 20s. </div>
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More importantly than these freshman contributing to PSU's success this season are three veteran players. Senior Curtis Loik (3g-9a), junior David Goodwin (3g-8a) and senior Kenny Brooks (3g-7a) are players who will have to be watched.</div>
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Coach Guy Gadowsky has two goaltenders playing in a rotation (Eamon McAdam and Matthew Skoff). They've each played 5 games and have a combined goals against average of 2.78. I'd expect he'll use the rest of his non-conference schedule for one of these two guys to emerge as a number one.</div>
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Roster surfing and statistics research gives me no real pause or overriding concern about matching-up against this PSU team.</div>
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But this week there's one reason the Seawolves will get two more important wins. Defenseman <b>Chris Williams</b>. He's from eastern Pa and so I'd imagine he isn't any sort of PSU fan. That'd be like living in Anchorage and being a Nanook fan ... that's just all sorts of messed up.</div>
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Senior Chris Williams has zero goals in his college hockey career. That <b>will change this weekend</b> as he and his teammates dispatch the team with the best record in the BIG Ten.</div>
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November is Men's Health Month and the organization Movember needs your help to fund and advance Men's health issues. Each November across the US lots of guys grow various facial hair in support of the effort. You already know that Chris Williams has <b>THE EPIC</b> beard in Division 1 hockey ... Now you know the reason UAA wins twice this weekend and Willie gets the goal monkey off his back. The Beard. Go to <a href="https://us.movember.com/" target="_blank">the Movember website and contribute</a>.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-45617742279805900122015-11-15T16:50:00.000-09:002015-11-15T16:50:17.710-09:00Sunday Hockey Potpourri<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2-6f2vIMuFQ/Vkk1h_5AxyI/AAAAAAAACIk/R-iKXngi1qE/s1600/latuque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2-6f2vIMuFQ/Vkk1h_5AxyI/AAAAAAAACIk/R-iKXngi1qE/s320/latuque.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Win at home and split on the road. That's the WCHA mantra for finishing high in the standings. We didn't do that either of the last two home weekends, but the offsetting value of the very different lessons learned versus Bowling Green and Ferris cannot be denied.</div>
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On Friday night our boys made themselves victims of referee who was already geared up to make a role for himself in the game. It happens, refs have egos. But I suspect the bigger factor in all those calls against UAA were the UAA players. Coach Thomas made it pretty clear that Seawolf players put themselves in the position to get called and told how they reviewed each of the penalties with the players. That turned out to be a perfect coaching strategy for Saturday. It's a lesson well-learned that shouldn't be forgotten over the course of the season and possibly making Friday's OT loss more important/valuable than Saturday's impressive win.</div>
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Over the last two series this Seawolf team should have learned that they can go toe-to-toe with anyone. They have no reasons to be less than confident in themselves and their teammates. In three out of four games they outplayed two teams who were more highly regarded. I'm not one to place a lot of stock in who the unwashed college hockey pollsters prefer as top teams but that aside, the Seawolves got it done against expectations. </div>
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A disciplined approach to preparation which keeps a focus on the lessons learned will allow application of those lessons which in turn will build success over time. In other words, knowing how to avoid taking penalties, knowing the necessary effort one must give to get a win in this league and practicing your ass off with those lessons in mind will equal a winning record this season.</div>
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Believing in oneself and one's team is the preferred state of mind for success. There's lots of signs that the Seawolves are strongly trending toward that state. </div>
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Let's talk a bit about the league. UAA sits in a 4th place tie with NMU ... behind MTU, Mankato and Ferris. Tech has played 10 games for their 12 points. Mankato has played 6 games for their 10 points. Ferris has played 8 games for it's 8 points and both UAA and NMU have played 6 for their 7 points.</div>
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Mankato was the preseason favorite and they sure look to be the strongest team in the league. They've had some out of conference woes but are 5-1 in league games. Count on them to win the league, count on them to be in the top 10 poll-wise as the season progresses. After them, I think it's really pretty wide open. MTU isn't as good as they were billed ... perhaps I could have said "yet" and I'm going to guess they'll be in the mix at the top come season end. As for 3rd through 8th? It's really just guessing at this point. The Seawolves are currently well positioned but Ferris, BG, NMU, UA_ and UAH are far from out of the race for home ice (there's lots of hockey to be played obviously).</div>
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UAA's good showing in non-conference is already and looks to continue to be a boon for it mathematically. RPI and St. Cloud (maybe the best team in the country so far) have both played strong in the early season and our games against them have UAA's strength of schedule in a good place. In another month or so the number of iterations necessary to make KRACH valid will have occurred. It's early to attach any mathematical significance to UAA's current #16 position. The games against Penn State this weekend will factor heavily into the equation and we'll start to see more meaning in the numbers.</div>
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Blake Tatchell leads the WCHA in scoring with 4 goals and 9 assists. Matt Anholt, Jeremiah Luedtke and Tad Kozun are all in the top 15 league-wide. Tad Kozun's six goals is tied for 1st in the league though when measured as gpg he sit's in 4th while leading the league in power play goals with 4.</div>
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3 of the top 5 scoring freshman in the WCHA are Seawolves. Jeremiah Luedtke, Mason Mitchell and Wyatt Ege have all produced nicely. Before the season started, it was clear to me when reading various previews that nobody had done their homework on UAA's rookies. In my book, I had us as one of the top classes of freshman ... I think now we clearly have the best freshmen in the league.</div>
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Isn't it fun to see Wisconsin sucking eggs? The amount of over-pumped chest-thumping noise out of Madison over the last 15 years was pretty tiresome. So excuse me if I revel in their horrid play and misery. I don't feel bad for them or their fans. BIG Ten hockey is a bit of a joke all around at this point. </div>
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CC looks to be well on their way to permanent misery. Do I feel sorry for them? Nope. Let them sit in last place forever in the Butt Hurt Hockey Conference. Won't bother me. In. The. Least. </div>
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Time to finish up by singing the praises of a Seawolf player that I've already not mentioned enough this season and that I'll probably continue to take for granted at times. Olivier Mantha is one of the best goaltenders in Division 1 hockey. Other guys get more press and there's even a bit of "journalisitic hyping" of certain goalies. I did say at the beginning of the season that much of UAA's success will be directly related to Mantha's performance. And so far, that's holding up. </div>
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This team though is capable of winning games without Mantha in the net and/or if he has a bad night. Still though, the guy is so super steady that it's easy to overlook his contributions. He's at .914 with 2.4ga ... and that's with the team playing a couple of stinkers in front of him this season. I love that he's from a place called "La Tuque" (and that there's a place in Canadia called "La Tuque"). </div>
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I think the next time Olivier gets a shutout we fans should litter the ice with our wool knit caps. It could be the start of a cool tradition. He'll be the first NHL'r from La Tuque and when he gets his first NHL shutout it'll be cool to see all the tuques tossed in his honor and know we started that.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-46573528331229523432015-11-13T21:42:00.001-09:002015-11-13T21:42:41.448-09:00Stay Outta The BoxI'm at home sick. Only listened. Stay the eff outta the box, eh? End of story.Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992055.post-19673079517920095682015-11-09T18:20:00.001-09:002015-11-09T18:20:08.035-09:00Ferris State > BGSU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yvssoUVQ8HQ/VkFg8uDW5QI/AAAAAAAACIU/kqcrikZTz3Y/s1600/327925-ferris-wheel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yvssoUVQ8HQ/VkFg8uDW5QI/AAAAAAAACIU/kqcrikZTz3Y/s400/327925-ferris-wheel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Last series split against BGSU was a bit unfortunate for the Seawolf hockey team. It was unfortunate that everyone wasn't really on the same page effort-wise on Sunday. If that's the case this coming weekend then UAA will be lucky to get 2 points because Ferris State is clearly a better team than BG.</div>
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The Ferris Wheels (4-4-2) opened their season against the NCHC's Western Michigan (4-4-1). They lost a close game the first night and tied the next. Their next series was against MTU (5-3-0) and they got a split; though they lost 5-1 in the first game. </div>
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Then they beat and tied Wisconsin (3-4-3) before pairing up again with MTU and collecting another split in two one goal games. Then this past weekend they split with Mankato.</div>
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Here's the one thing that stands out to me from their schedule: Ferris has played 7 of it's 10 games in it's own rink. Still though, I think they're as underrated as I think BGSU is overrated.</div>
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Ferris is averaging 3 goals per game. They have given up 3.1 goals per game. Their power play and penalty kill percentages aren't high. None of these statistics matter much to me. What get's my attention is that they've got 7 guys who have scored 3 or more goals. 6 other players have scored at least one goal for them.</div>
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This is a team with two strong scoring lines so far this season. They're better than BG and our boys had better fully recognize that. </div>
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Here's what else our boys better fully recognize. This is the team that beat the Seawolves in the 2013-14 WCHA Final Five. And let's not forget losing to them 10-2 on their ice in what was as brutal a meltdown/non-effort as I've ever seen a Seawolf team exhibit. I didn't even mention that as far as I can tell UAA has never beaten this school (unless it was ages and ages ago).</div>
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There is plenty to motivate our boys this weekend. The staff will certainly be reminding our guys about the less than full effort in the Sunday game against BG which should help players manufacture the necessary effort this weekend. Of course, the revenge factor is a plus for UAA. There's plenty of guys on our roster that remember losing to this team in the Final Five. So, yeah ... there's plenty of motivation to have our guys play their best this coming weekend.</div>
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I'll have a more detailed breakdown of this opponent later this week.</div>
Donald Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157861465464109957noreply@blogger.com6