Welcome to our weekly college hockey roundup looking back at the world of Division I hockey around the state.
This will be where you can find Saint Cloud State, UMD, Minnesota State, and Bemidji State men’s hockey results and analysis each week throughout the college hockey season.
In the first edition of 2014, we take a look at where teams stand heading into the meat of their schedule, and for those that were in action, what they were able to accomplish over the weekend.
WCHA MINNESOTA STATE: An important conference series for the Mavericks saw them come out of the weekend with a split against lowly Alaska.
The Nanooks came into the weekend above only Alabama-Hunstville in the WCHA standings, but they didn’t lay down for Minnesota State, who checked in at second-place in the conference.
Alaska took the first game of their home series 4-2, with Tyler Morey scoring U of A’s first two goals, and Cody Kunyk logging three points on the night.
The next night, the Mavericks desperately needed a win to keep pace with the league’s top teams, and got an offensive explosion to ensure they’d come out of the weekend with points, a 6-4 victory the final.
J.P. Lafontaine and Chase Grant each recorded three points for Minnesota State in the win, and they now sit two points behind No. 2 Ferris State in the WCHA standings.
WCHA BEMIDJI STATE: The Beavers leave the weekend how they entered it, stuck on 14 points in the conference after two losses to WCHA-foe Northern Michigan, who now sit a point behind them.
Despite coming out ahead or tied heading to the first intermission both Friday and Saturday, BSU couldn’t find their offensive stride the entire weekend, scoring just once in each of the two defeats.
NMU outscored Alaska 6-0 after the first period on the weekend, and after coming up short in two games the Beavers really could’ve used, they head into the stretch run of their schedule behind the eight-ball, as they haven’t won a game since Nov. 23.
UMD and ST. CLOUD STATE both played the U.S. under-18 national team this past weekend, defeating the youngsters 7-0 and 8-0 respectively.
The Bulldogs currently sit 10 points behind SCSU in the NCHC standings, with the Huskies leading the conference and holding the No. 3 ranking in the country.
The Gophers split the weekend, taking a consolation game win in the Mariucci Classic against RPI after dropping a shootout to Colgate Friday night.
Here are full recaps of both of those games, and we’ll be back with you next week when all these teams resume their regular season schedules.
