CC Cutthroat Trout? Better Than Tigers

In the past I've asserted that the CC Tigers had the absolutely stupidest nickname in the WCHA.  That's saying quite a bit with as much as I hate UND.  Of course, Mavericks and Bulldogs are pretty close contenders for the stupidity crown.  College sports team's nicknames should reflect some geographic attribute or regional cultural or something with some sort of local interest.  With Tigers being no closer than about 8000 miles to Colorado Springs it gets the retard crown.

Designated Rivalry Weekend Preview Extravaganza

It's a big "WCHA Designated Rivalry" week for the Seawolves as they head down to Mankato to face the purple Mavericks.  Of course, that really means nothing other than it's the one team that UAA faces 4 times year in and year out.  It's hard to say if that familiarity has bred any dislike between the squads over the years.  I have no sense of such a thing for whatever that's worth.

Goal Gophers: Dave Shyiak Talks to Roman

Roman Augustoviz on the Star Tribs Goal Gophers blog talked with Coach Shyiak today and has this entry regarding the series.  Dave talks about the differences in the two teams and UAA's strengths such as the Seawolves doing "everything by committee" and how the Seawolves are "strong defensively".  

What's a Gopher? Spermophilus Tridecemlineatus

Otherwise known as the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel, Gophers can be pesky buggers.  This weekend the Seawolves will need to find ways to overcome that peskiness in order to win their best 2 out of 3 WCHA playoff series at The John in Minneapolis.  And much as is true when trying to rid these rodents from your garden; a multi-pronged strategy will be the most effective method.

Mankato Series Made Simple

As I mentioned earlier in the week, this weekend the Seawolves both have and don't have their fate in their own hands.  A four point weekend will go a long way to creating a good matchup for the WCHA playoffs.  And with any lesser accumulation of points, the Seawolves could make their playoff task proportionally more difficult.  And nothing about getting 4 points out of Mankato is going to be easy.

Dallas Baldwin: The Best SID In The WCHA

Each week here I try to provide some sort of preview of the upcoming series.  With the last regular season series upon us, I think it's time once again to give credit for this to whom the credit is really due.  UAA SID Dallas Baldwin is without equivocation the engine that makes my previews go.  Her timely efforts each week are nothing short of rich with excellent information.  I'd completely be just a mouthpiece flapping in the wind without them.

I have little doubt that SID's at other schools work hard and provide quality information to the media but I'd put Dallas' contributions up against any of them for comparison anytime.  Steve Cobb should give her a raise.  The best SID in the WCHA deserves it.

If you don't visit goseawolves.com and read the weekly releases already then start doing it.  Send her an email expressing your thanks.  Send Steve Cobb an email telling him to give her a raise.  

The whole staff of UAA's Athletic Department are certainly underrated for their efforts.  I really only see what they do for the hockey program but I'm often aware of exactly how busy they all are supporting all the fine sports.  Good on every single one of them.  Again, show your appreciation to them soon eh?

How To Play UNO

Skip-Bo > Uno ... just sayin.

Importance Quotient: High This Weekend

I often prattle on here about how important the upcoming series is.  Same thing this week.  Even moreso.  If the Seawolves want to remain contenders for a home ice playoff series then they will benefit that goal by coming home from Grand Forks with some points.  Plural.  Remember my "step one" and "step two" posts last week?  Well there's another step to be taken this weekend.

Beating The Huskies: Reader Contributed

It would be an exaggeration to use the phrase exponentially more important when talking about this upcoming weekend as compared to last weekend.  It isn't like points in February have any more real value than points in October.  But when there are so few remaining chances to get those valuable points then it sure seems exponentially more important than last weekend.

How To Beat Gophers

College Hockey News has apparently abandoned it's awarding of Team of The Week honors after being the impetus for UAA's two losses versus DU last weekend.  I have to say apparently because there is no big announcement with regard to their weekly award's demise.  They just haven't given one.

Seawolves Go To The John

The University of Minnesota Golden Gopher hockey team is quite probably the premier outfit in all of college hockey.  Their rich history and tradition are shared by few other teams.  Countless alumni have achieved fame and even glory in their post-Gopher hockey lives.  They've probably won double the number of WCHA championships to the number of years that UAA has been in the league.  They are dynasty-like.  Other programs in the NCAA might be offended and feel the need to defend their perceived status in any discussion of this sort.  It's understandable, they're jealous.  

Craig Parkinson, "We're ready to play Denver Tomorrow ..."

"You talk to most guys .. we're excited, we want to play ... Denver tomorrow. We're ready to go. We're exicted to get down there and start Friday night; certainly." said Craig Parkinson in the UAA Hockey Fan Blog interview from Saturday night following the sweep of Colorado College.  That anticipation is certainly shared by me.  I've been looking forward to this rematch since the previous one finished just before the Seawolves holiday break.  

You Need To Know Stuff

The UAA Hockey Alumni Association is hosting it's annual Youth Skills Competition (Skate, Pass & Shoot!) this Saturday afternoon (January 15th, 2011) at the Sullivan Arena.  The competition is open to boys Mites, Squirts and Peewees and to girls 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U.

UAA and CC: More Alike Than Different?

In the last 3 WCHA seasons UAA and CC have had quite the battle.  They have played each other 9 times.  CC has won 5 games.  UAA has won 4 games.  2 of UAA's wins have come in OT with CC getting 1 OT win.  7 of the 9 games have been essentially one goal games.  UAA has won 4 of those 7 games.  The remaining two games were 5-0 and 6-1 wins by CC.  I can't imagine another UAA series over three years that had much tighter results.  Can't help but think that this weekends games will live up to that history.  

The Holiday Break Is Finally Over

Friday night is the 4th of 5 total games the Seawolves will face the Colorado College Black Bears this season.  CC has a 2-1 record coming into the series and sits exactly 4 points above the Seawolves in the standings.  UAA has 10 points and is tied with Mankato for 8th while CC is one of three teams with 14 points tied for 5th.  So this weekend is kinda of a big deal points-wise for the Seawolves.

DU: Smoke and Mirrors?

George Gwozdecky is a head games artist.  I should say artiste actually.  He's the consummate subtle spin doctor of the WCHA.  Almost nothing that George says can or should ever be taken at face value.  If he's answering a question about Jesse Martin's injury progess you'll likely find a subtle reference sandbagging his team's chances or if he's talking about a just concluded hard fought win he'll slip in some sort of inference about his team's luck.  He's a misdirector.

Thoughts Going Into Friday

I've been thinking a bit about how big a factor things like motivation and confidence actually play in sports.  We've all seen a sports documentary or two with the great insightful scenes where a group of athletes transition from showing limited confidence to a belief that they can't be defeated.  There are subtle signs that this years Seawolves seem to have made some measure of this sort of positive transition.

Seawolves Go Up To The Springs

This weekend the Seawolves for the first time this season face an opponent that they've already played this season.  And will face two more times after the conclusion of this weekends series.  That's right when you add it all up ... the Seawolves play CC a total of five times this year.  The normal regular season maximum between two teams in the WCHA is 4.  But CC was an invitee to the Brice Goal Rush tournament and UAA faced them in their first game there taking the 4-3 loss.

Crucial Series With Huskies Looms

It's time once again for me to verbosely reiterate the most redundantly repetitive palavering (and now cliched) phrase to flow from this keyboard over the past five years regarding the an upcoming WCHA weekend series; this weekends games with St. Cloud are the most important of the season to date.

What Is Mankato All About?

The Seawolves first WCHA home series of the season is nearly upon us.  But you already knew that.  What neither of us know at this point is what Mankato is all about this year.  Of course, that's aside from them being all about getting home on Sunday with zero WCHA confernce points out of the series.