However, his impact to the Tri-City lineup can’t be measured by his stat line alone.

Roed is wearing a letter, setting an example as a second-year player and has blossomed into one of Tri-City’s most dependable forwards, and he’s centering the top line as a result.

“I think I’ve been playing the right way, and I’m just trying to do whatever my team needs me to,” Roed said. “I’d say my skating is probably my best attribute, so I’ve just tried to use my legs and play fast and play a 200-foot game, and that’s what’s been working so far.”

Whatever Roed has been doing through the first three months, he better not change a thing, and he’s continuing to look more comfortable and confident in a league as talented as the USHL.

Roed played in 25 USHL games last season, along with six in the playoffs. He appeared in 16 of those games before returning to Minnesota in November, where he eventually captained White Bear Lake to a Class 2A state tournament appearance – an experience he called one of the best of his life.

Roed returned to Kearney after his high school season, too, playing in nine more games for the Storm and those above-mentioned six playoff contests.

While it was a lot of hockey, and an adjustment at times, it provided plenty of valuable experience along the way.

Nolan Roed racked up 15 points (6-9-15) over 25 games for the Storm last season, along with six points (4-2-6) in six playoff games. “If he keeps doing what he’s doing on the defensive side of the puck, I think everything else will take care of itself and he’ll keep getting rewarded (offensively),” said Tri-City coach Marco Trevino. “He comes to work every day and he practices how he plays, and he’s always excited to be at the rink. He’s usually one of the first guys here and last ones to leave, and he has all the habits you want to see in a young player.” (Photo courtesy of Tri-City Storm / Eldon Holmes)

“Last year was huge, and honestly, coming into the (USHL) was really eye-opening,” Roed said. “It showed you how fast the pace is and how strong guys are, and how much work you have to put in if you want to be on top of your game. So coming into this year when you look back at (last season), that experience really helped.

“You kinda know what to expect, and I spent the summer trying to get faster and stronger, and you really try to learn from everything you go through and come back better.”

That difference is showing.

“Nolan’s skating is so good, and he creates a lot of opportunities for himself and space for others because of it, and he’s a really smart player,” said Tri-City head coach Marco Trevino. “He’s really developed into a true No. 1 center for us, but even last year when he was with us before and after his high school season, he played second-line center as a rookie – which isn’t easy to do.

“Even when there’s tough matchups, he’s been able to be responsible defensively and he’s continued to produce offensively too, and he’s done everything that we’ve asked. I just think we’ve seen a ton of growth with Nolan since he first got here, and he’s put such an emphasis on improving his overall game.”

Chris Anderson coached Roed for three seasons at White Bear Lake, with the first two as an assistant coach and last season as the head coach.

“He’s just a tenacious kid, and he’s really solidified himself as a 200-foot player,” Anderson said. “Obviously, he’s not the biggest kid size-wise, but he never gives up on pucks and is always willing to go into corners or battle, and he’s got a scoring touch to his game too.”

Nolan Roed scored 33 goals and added 25 assists over 30 games last season for the Bears. “He’s a gamer and it doesn’t matter if he’s in the offensive zone or his own zone, he plays hard all the time,” said White Bear Lake coach Chris Anderson. “He plays the game the right way and, don’t get me wrong, he was good when I first saw him. But he improved his game so much here and he’s such a mature kid, and goes about everything the right way on and off the ice. He’s such a good leader and he’s someone I just have so much respect for.” (Photo courtesy of Brennan Schachtner Photography)

Roed, who turned 19 this past October, enjoyed a tremendous high school season last winter, netting 33 goals and racking up 58 points. Roed captained the Bears to 20 wins, including a win over Hill-Murray in the Section 4 championship game.

While Roed said the decision to return for his high school senior season was a “no-brainer” and he’ll forever cherish playing with his childhood friends, it was difficult leaving Tri-City.

His older brother, Lleyton, played for the organization during the 2021-22 season, and Nolan “appreciated the opportunity” he was getting with the Storm, and he enjoyed the challenge that comes with playing in the USHL.

However, he didn’t accomplish what he wanted over his first two high school seasons, and it’s safe to say his decision has paid off.

Roed still spent almost half of last season with the Storm, too, and for a roster that featured so many new faces and a new head coach, he was looking to earn a leadership role this season, as well as contributing on the ice.

Roed was named one of Tri-City’s assistant captains earlier this month, and Trevino – who replaced Mark Abalan as Tri-City’s head coach on Dec. 3 – called him a “big leader” and “great kid.”

“We didn’t have many returners coming into this season, and obviously a new coach on top of it, so I knew as a second-year guy I could play a big role from a leadership aspect,” Roed said. “I’ve really tried to take that on and lead by example with the young guys, and getting named an assistant captain was really special.

Nolan Roed (right) alongside his older brother Lleyton (left), who currently plays for the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. “We still talk pretty close to every day whether it be about life, hockey or whatever,” Nolan said. “He’s been the guy I’ve looked up to my whole life and he’s gone through kinda the same path I’m on right now, so he’s really helped me. He’s always there to answer questions or give me advice, and he’s playing pro hockey now. He’s someone I’ve been able to learn so much from.” (Photo courtesy of Nolan Roed)

“Especially for an organization with the culture we have here, it’s a huge honor and I’m glad to see that everything is paying off.”

His work is paying off on the score sheet, too, and more people are certainly taking notice.

“I don’t think many people understand how talented and smart of a player he is, and to be honest, I don’t understand how he wasn’t an NHL pick (last summer) after how he did with us and in his high school season,” Trevino said. “I’m sure someone will nab him this year though and it’s a no-brainer for me.”

Roed hopes to make that come true, and the St. Cloud State commit wants to finish this season strong before joining the Huskies.

Roed’s goal is to continue focusing on the fine details of his game and simply “keep playing the right way,” especially defensively. The adjustment to the USHL was “eye-opening” at first, but he’s used the experience to his advantage and is quickly proving himself this season.

“It’s been a good year so far, but I want to come back from the break and keep working on my game and preparing myself (for the next level),” Roed said. “(Doing something with) hockey has honestly always been my plan, and I’ve just tried to keep pushing every day.

“I’ve always had the mindset that if I keep doing things the right way, things will work out in my favor, and I’ve always wanted to play college hockey and then see where that takes me. There really hasn’t been a backup plan, and I just want to keep working every day.”

The post Making His Own Roed appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

However, another set are hoping to add their names to the list next season in Tanner and Ty Henricks.

Tanner, an 18-year-old defenseman, is currently in his second USHL season with the Lincoln Stars and is a St. Cloud State commit. Ty, a 19-year-old forward, is one of 10 freshmen on Western Michigan’s roster and has played in 12 games this season – scoring once and adding a trio of assists.

While both are focused on their current seasons, they’d be lying if either said the thought of a sibling showdown hasn’t crossed their minds.

“Me and my brother have been dreaming about this since we first touched the ice, and I feel like it’ll be a dream come true,” Tanner said. “We got to play twice last year (in the USHL) and it was great, but we’ve both always wanted to play college hockey and to hopefully play against each other the next few years will be awesome.”

Added Ty, who is the older brother by 13 months: “It’ll be exciting, and I know we’re both looking forward to it. Obviously, you love competing with your brother, and I’ll probably give him a couple tough hits – But in all seriousness, it’s going to be special for our family.”

Ty Henricks made his NCAA debut on Oct. 11 against Ferris State and has played in all 12 of Western Michigan’s games. “I could not be more excited to have Ty Henricks as a Bronco,” said Western Michigan coach Pat Ferschweiler. “Ty has size, hands, hockey sense and is taking steps every day toward becoming a great college player. His coachability and work ethic will allow him to live his dream of playing pro hockey.” (Photo courtesy of Kayla Schuberth / Western Michigan Athletics)

California natives moved to the State of Hockey
It’s a matchup that’s played out countless times in the backyard and on youth hockey rinks, along with numerous summer skates.

As Tanner mentioned, the two played last season in the USHL, too. Tanner and Ty were with Lincoln and Muskegon, respectively, and split their two-game set in late January.

Both look forward to competing again, this time at college hockey’s highest level. But while they’re fierce competitors, the reality is they’re also each other’s biggest supporters.

“I love him to death, and I wouldn’t want anyone else as my brother,” said Ty, who added the two usually talk at least four times a week. “He’s a great player, great person, and I couldn’t be happier to see where he’s at in his career.

“He’s followed what I’ve done for a long time, but he’s also got his own path and works really hard. I know we’re both happy to see each other succeed and be where we are today.”

The two grew up in California, playing roller and ice hockey, before moving to Minnesota in 2016. They played baseball and flag football back home before focusing predominantly on hockey.

The brothers were 10 and 11 at the time of the move and spent roughly six years living in the State of Hockey, and both echoed how thankful they are to their parents for the experience. Tanner is looking forward to returning to the state at SCSU too.

Tanner Henricks played in 59 games during his USHL rookie campaign. “It was a big jump last season, especially with the speed and strength of guys, but I feel like my teammates and coaches really helped me and pushed me to get better,” he said. “They didn’t take it easy on me, and I’m really thankful for that, and I think that’s helped me a lot this season.” (Photo courtesy of Brandon Anderson / Lincoln Stars)

Although their father, Scott, grew up watching hockey in Chicago, Tanner and Ty are the first two members of their family to ever play the game. Ty started skating at age 5 and Tanner followed suit just a few weeks later, as he joked he “got jealous” and wanted to try the sport himself.

Their careers have eerily similar paths, too, from Shattuck-St. Mary’s back home to the Anaheim Ducks AAA program and into the USHL. Both are also now NHL Draft picks – Ty going in 2023 (New York Rangers, sixth round) and Tanner following this past summer (Columbus, fourth round).

They’ve been there for each other every step of the way and Ty will once again get to play the role of big brother next fall when it’s Tanner’s turn to make the jump to college.

“I think it’s been a big thing for both of us, because we’ve been able to lean on each other not just as brothers, but also hockey players,” Ty said. “Tanner talks to me all the time and we can ask each other questions when we’re struggling or just want to talk about games and bounce stuff off each other, and I think that’s part of why our relationship is so good.

“We can talk hockey and we can talk life, and at the end of the day, we’re brothers and best friends.”

Leaning on each other
Having someone in your corner with first-hand experience is never a bad thing either – especially leading up to something like the NHL draft.

“He was a big help and we talked a lot throughout the process,” Tanner said. “There’s stuff during the season we talked about, but even after a few (pre-draft) interviews, I asked him a couple of the questions to see if he got asked anything similar or what he’d say. He was just always there if I needed him and really helped me through the process.”

Tanner Henricks has two goals, five assists and is a minus-4 to open his second USHL season. “I thought he played his best hockey of the year last year in the playoffs, but he’s playing with a lot more confidence this year,” said Lincoln coach Rocky Russo. “His gaps have gotten better, he’s trusting his feet more and as a second-year player, it’s hard, because you put more pressure and expectations on yourself. But I think Tanner’s done a good job of handling everything. (Photo courtesy of Sammy Miller / Lincoln Stars)

While they might not have thought much of it over the years, the brothers playing different positions from each other has also been a blessing in disguise.

“It’s nice because with me being a forward and him being a (defenseman), we’ve always been able to go one-on-one and go against each other,” Ty said. “I think that brings out the competitive side of us, but it also helps each other, and I think we’ve been able to work on things and help each other out.”

As the holidays creep closer and both the USHL and NCAA seasons near their break, the two are looking forward to getting back together. Tanner and Ty last saw each other in early September but will get a chance to head home for Christmas.

Sure, some friendly jabs and banter will be thrown back-and-forth. At the end of the day, it’s what comes with being brothers. But the time also gives them a chance to bond and reflect on where they’re at in their budding careers.

No matter what happens the next few years and beyond, the two will forever be linked by the name on the back of their jerseys, and they wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Every time I step on the ice I’m doing it for my family, and I know Ty has the same mindset,” Tanner said. “Our parents especially sacrificed so much and put us in a position to be where we are today, and I know we’ll forever be thankful for that.

“They gave everything for us, so we want to do the same and make everyone in our family proud. And I know both of us have put in a lot of work to get where we are and we’re always rooting for each other.”

The post The Henricks Connection appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

However, the 20-year-old goaltender took a visit to St. Cloud State last season and the rest is history, as Shostak is slated to join the Huskies next season.

“That was my first college I visited, and I didn’t really know much about the different colleges, but I really liked the coaches and (the campus),” Shostak said. “I remember when I got to the rink they had a big picture of me on the scoreboard, and I just really liked St. Cloud.

“So, I talked to my coaches (in Lincoln), and my agent said this was the best choice in the NCAA, and I thought so too.”

It’s been a whirlwind 14 months for Shostak as last season was his first in North America.

He made the 5,100-mile trek to Lincoln and spoke barely any English, but he still turned in a solid rookie season with the Lincoln Stars. Shostak finished the 2023-24 campaign with a 20-18-2 record, .902 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against average, along with a pair of playoff wins. Yet he still felt there was more to prove.

Welp… so far so good, as Shostak is off to a red-hot 5-1-0 start and has been arguably the USHL’s best goalie through five weeks.

He was pulled after 17 minutes last Saturday in Youngstown with a lower-body injury, which both Shostak and head coach Rocky Russo said was out of precaution. Had it been a late-season or playoff game, Shostak would’ve “100% been in the net.”

However, he had posted back-to-back shutouts before that start and has made 148 of a possible 156 saves this season, giving himself a .949 save percentage and 1.28 goals-against average – both of which rank second among USHL goaltenders.

Yan Shostak committed to St. Cloud State last April. “We loved Yan’s athleticism and compete level,” said St. Cloud State coach Brett Larson. “He never quits on a puck and plays to win. His technique is very solid and he shows poise under pressure, and we’re excited that he’s a future Husky!” (Photo courtesy of Sammy Miller / Lincoln Stars)

Strong Shostak effort, strong start for Lincoln Stars
Shostak also has a pair of shutouts, which is tied for the league lead. He turned aside all 36 shots Waterloo fired his way on Oct. 12 and went a perfect 13-for-13 on Oct. 18 in Youngstown.

“We’ve got a really good team and I’m just working hard and feeling way confident,” Shostak said. “We’ve just got to keep working and keep it going.”

Lincoln currently owns the USHL’s best record at 8-1-0, and the Stars hold a four-point lead atop the Western Conference. It’s Lincoln’s second-best start in franchise history.

Make no mistake, it’s been a complete team effort as Russo’s club has allowed the USHL’s fewest goals (17). Lincoln has also scored the USHL’s second-most goals (36) and has one of the league’s top defensive corps, too, but Shostak deserves plenty of credit.

“This team is built from the net out, and it’s no secret Yan is a big part of that,” Russo said. “He’s always been an athletic goaltender, but he’s done a good job of making saves and managing rebounds, and he’s done a good job of settling the situation down when we need him to. He’s just been rock-solid for us.”

Yan Shostak is 5-1-0 to open his second USHL season. “I’d say the biggest difference is he’s staying more patient,” said assistant coach Artt Brey. “He’s such a strong skater and too much movement puts him out of position at times, but I think he’s done a good job this year of slowing things down and his movements are really sound.” (Photo courtesy of Sammy Miller / Lincoln Stars)

At the same time, Shostak’s “rock-solid” play didn’t happen overnight, and he’s continued to develop in Nebraska’s capital city.

“He’s just got such a consistency to his approach on a daily basis, and he’s elevated everything from the time he got here,” Russo said. “He honestly wasn’t very good when he first got here, and it’s not because he wasn’t talented, but it was all those adjustments – learning to manage living away from home, not being able to speak the language and adjusting to a new league.

“So, there were a lot of challenges and it took some time, but he was willing to battle regardless of the situation. He always had that worker’s mindset and once he settled in, he had a tremendous second half. He’s carried that into this season.”

Added assistant coach Artt Brey, who primarily works with Lincoln’s goalies: “He’s a great kid and he’s such a hard worker. He’s ultra-competitive, he hates to lose and he hates to get scored on. I think that mentality and demeanor has transformed him into the goalie he is today and we’re seeing that confidence in him.

“He didn’t get here by chance or by luck, and he had to overcome a lot last year after moving here from overseas. Especially early, and we struggled as a team in front of him. But he’s persevered through a lot of ups and downs and he’s earned all the success that he’s had.”

Yan Shostak started playing hockey as a 5-year-old defenseman in Belarus and did that for two years before shifting to goalie. Shostak’s older brother, Konstantin, also played goalie in the KHL. (Photo courtesy of Sammy Miller / Lincoln Stars)

This season’s success also coincides with another factor, both on and off the ice: Comfort.

“It’s been a lot better this year,” Shostak said. “I know the guys better, I know the coaches, the staff and what (the USHL) is like. The people here are all so nice and helpful too, so I’ve felt a little bit more (comfortable) now.”

On top of that comfortability, the other difference is Lincoln’s play, as the Stars got off to a dismal 3-12-0-2 start last season. Lincoln was outscored 68-31 throughout that 17-game stretch but has outscored its opponents by a 19-goal margin (36-17) through its first nine game this this fall.

Shostak said his goals this season are to simply win the Clark Cup and be the league’s best goalie – the latter of which he’s well on his way to accomplishing.

He now hopes to keep it up and eventually continue building on it at SCSU.

“I’m really excited to be a Husky,” Shostak said. “It’s going to be a new challenge for me, but I’m just really excited to play there.”

The post Saves By Shostak appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Ryan Stieg recaps the 2023-24 season for the St. Cloud State Huskies men’s hockey team.

This story was originally published in the April 2024 Year In Review College/Frozen Four digital issue.

The post St. Cloud State: ‘Thick-Skinned’ Huskies appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

The post Gallery: NCHC Frozen Faceoff Semifinals appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

There have been times when Xcel Energy Center has been abuzz with activity with three or four of the nation’s top-ranked teams gathering to fight it out for a guaranteed bid into the NCAA tournament. This spring, league champion North Dakota and pre-season favorite Denver are among the nation’s elite, while Omaha and St. Cloud State are battling for that level of prestige.

At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, St. Cloud State — which is on the outside of the NCAA’s PairWise-based top 16 — will take on powerful Denver in the second NCHC semifinal, after North Dakota takes on Omaha in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. at the NCHC Frozen Faceoff. The two winners will advance to Saturday night, where they will clash for the playoff title and the automatic NCAA berth, and will have the unique benefit of playing after the Minnesota Wild play at 1 p.m. that afternoon at the X.

They will all want to get comfortable in the home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, because the NCAA Frozen Four will be held there April 11-13.

The UMD Bulldogs had both the highest of hopes and the longest of long-shots as they headed west to contend with a mountain snowstorm and get to Denver’s Magness Arena, where the powerful Denver Pioneers had no mercy and not a lot of patience in whipping the Bulldogs 4-0. The next game was closer than the final score of 5-2 indicated but still a Denver victory, ending the Bulldogs’ season.

St. Cloud State had to go to Sunday and win the third game of a best-of-three series to subdue Western Michigan, leaving behind NCHC rival Minnesota Duluth, along with Minnesota State Mankato. St. Cloud State will serve as Minnesota host for the NCHC Frozen Faceoff.

Beyond the NCHC
Bemidji State still is in good position to advance, having beaten Lake Superior State 4-1 on Saturday to gain the CCHA championship playoff game against Michigan Tech, which eliminated MSU Mankato with a 4-3 Tech victory. 

Minnesota had high hopes of repeating as Big Ten tournament champion but first had to get past Michigan, its quarterfinal foe, and the rival who had knocked out the Gophers in the two previous seasons. The Wolverines, who had beaten the Gophers two weeks earlier in a wild 6-5 overtime battle, gained a 1-0 lead and stretched it to 2-0 in the second period, then held off the Golden Gophers 2-1 after Jimmy Snuggerud scored to cut into the deficit in the third.

In normal circumstances, that defeat would have ended Minnesota’s season, but the Gophers have managed to hold their high rank in the PairWise and in the national rankings even while falling in the Big Ten standings. So, while Michigan advances to face league champion Michigan State this weekend, with the tournament winner getting an automatic invitation to the NCAA party, the Gophers are virtually certain to be awarded an NCAA at-large bid and sneak in the back door.

The four NCAA regionals are scheduled for Sioux Falls, S.D., Maryland Heights, Mo., Springfield, Mass., and Providence, R.I. Undoubtedly, if the Gophers get an at-large invitation, they will be sent on the road to an Eastern regional, or get a lower seed to stay in the west, both of which will be more difficult to win.

Much as all of us in Minnesota would love to see another playoff match with Minnesota against anybody, and things won’t seem normal to have NCAA tournaments without UMD or MSU Mankato, you have to consider the big picture and know that if you’ve ever been anywhere between East Lansing and Ann Arbor, Mich., then you have some idea how every sports competition between Michigan and Michigan State becomes the biggest rivalry in the country.

With Michigan State as big a surprise conference champion as Michigan was finishing fourth, the single-game elimination between the Spartans and Wolverines will be well worth watching on t he Big Ten Network, when they collide at a sold-out Munn Arena in East Lansing on Saturday night.

When the shooting finally stops in each conference championship, the survivors will be scattered among four regionals around the country, each playing semifinals and finals to determine one Frozen Four team for the NCAA semifinals and finals back in St. Paul at Xcel Energy Center.

“Go, Buzzy, Go!”
Back in 1966, I had recently pulled out of the University of Minnesota to accept a sportswriting job at the Duluth News Tribune. It was a fascinating time, because UMD had just made the move to begin shifting to Division I in hockey and into the WCHA as a conference. Ralph Romano was coach, athletic director, ticket manager and sports information director at UMD, and he did an amazing job of manipulating all of those tasks at once.

My wife, Joan, and I found an apartment that could house us and our young son, Jack, and we were very close to Romano and his operation. So, when he invited us to meet him for a recruiting rip to his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario, it was high adventure. We drove up the North Shore, got a hotel room, and met Romano at the arena to watch a junior hockey game where a young prospect named Ron Busniuk was the top attraction.

A stocky counterman with quick moves and a hard-nosed willingness to mix it up in the corners, Busniuk — universally called “Buzzy” in the region — caught our attention right away. Our toddler son chanted “Go, Buzzy, Go…” every time Buzzy touched the puck. Romano was successful in recruiting Busniuk, who came to UMD and never forgot our closeness. Freshmen were ineligible to play varsity hockey in those days, and we had Buzzy over to our apartment for dinner. Joan remembers him with a tiny souvenir hockey stick, playing floor hockey with Jack on the living room floor.

Busniuk stepped in and led the team in goals and points as a sophomore and junior. When he was a senior, Romano shifted him back to defense, where he not only led the Bulldogs in goals and points but also earned All-WCHA and All-America honors in 1970.

After leaving UMD, Busniuk signed with the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL, and after two seasons, he signed with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, where he was a highly valued asset as a puck-moving defenseman. for two seasons. He later played several more years with the New England Whalers and Edmonton Oilers of the WHA, before retiring back home to Thunder Bay, where he coached the Thunder Bay Twins to two Allan Cup national senior men’s championships.

I had lost touch with Buzzy, after writing about him for most of a decade, and I never heard that he was ill. So it was a jolt to me when I read that Ron Busniuk had died earlier this month at age 75 at a residence in Thunder Bay.

They’ve already held the services up there, and while it may be traditional to wish “Godspeed” to a close and highly respected friend who has died, our family prefers to send him off with one final “Go, Buzzy, Go!”

The post A Pause In Puck Playoff Frenzy appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

The scattering of various college conferences has made it more difficult to keep track of all the action, but this is the week when it blossoms. And it happens among both the men’s and women’s leagues.

The disparity in how leagues run their playoffs is a drawback, because they don’t all do the same thing to get to the same objective — which is the NCAA tournament itself.
‘
For example, the NCHC has had a long, rugged season. But in the closing weeks, North Dakota captured the championship, finishing 15-8-1, to narrowly edge preseason favorite Denver (15-7-2), season upstart Colorado College (14-8-2) and sputtering but potent St. Cloud State (11-9-4).

To end the regular season, fifth-place Omaha swept North Dakota, while seventh-place UMD swept St. Cloud State and Western Michigan secured sixth place ahead of UMD. But NCHC plays its quarterfinals as a best-of-three series, which pretty much assures upsets will be at a premium, if evident at all.

Winter wonderland in Denver, not Duluth
One of the most ironic parts about the system is that UMD — from the usual winter wonderland of Northern Minnesota — has not had a single snowstorm this year and the brown grass and fields look more like mid-October than March. So, as the Bulldogs gathered for their flight to Denver to play the team that looked like the NCHC’s best when they swept UMD in Duluth a few weeks ago, they were unprepared for an 11-hour delay and an overnight stay in a Minneapolis hotel before finishing their trip.

The reason was a near-foot-deep snowstorm that hit Denver recently, closing businesses, closing freeways and shutting down the airport. In a normal season, the Denver players and staff may look apprehensively to an upcoming trip to Duluth because of possible blizzards, but this time, it is the Duluth traveling party that had to fly to Denver in order to experience winter!

UMD’s sweep of rival St. Cloud State may have been more timely than the snows of Denver, because UMD snapped a losing streak in the process and seem poised to prove that if they are on their game they can beat anybody.

North Dakota shouldn’t expect any problems with last-place Miami, and could easily prove their last-series losses were just resting up their top guns for this weekend’s series at Grand Forks. Omaha, which has been tough to beat for all NCHC foes all season, is also fighting this week’s wintry weather to make it to Colorado Springs for the three-game series against CC. And the most competitive and intriguing series of the whole first round could well be Western Michigan’s trip to St. Cloud to play the Huskies.

The winners of those four NCHC series will advance to St. Paul and take over Xcel Energy Center — home of the Minnesota Wild — for the last convening of the Final Faceoff for NCHC semifinals and finals before the teams scatter to play at higher home sites. There are some who already miss the chance to show their stuff to the major Twin Cities media and population centers, which have proven so popular over the years.

Big Ten, CCHA playoff status
The Big Ten has only Minnesota among state teams, and the Gophers face a major challenge in a one-game showdown against Michigan. After winning the last two titles, Minnesota finished third (13-7-4) behind Michigan State (16-6-2) and Wisconsin (16-7-1), and ahead of fourth-place Michigan (11-11-2), which has a disappointing record for such a talent-laden team. It is Michigan that returns to 3M Arena at Mariucci to face Minnesota this weekend, and the Wolverines blew a big lead before subduing Minnesota in overtime two weeks ago in the second game of their season.

The strange thing is that Minnesota-Michigan is a one-game showdown, just as the other semifinal series when Ohio State plays at Michigan State, having already upset second-place Wisconsin, although the Badgers will surely get voted back into the NCAA field. Instead, the Badgers get a week’s rest.

The biggest turmoil is happening in the CCHA, where the whole season has been a wonderful, storybook twist. Bemidji State won the league (15-7-2) ahead of St. Thomas (12-11-1) and the deadkick for third between Michigan Tech (12-10-2) and Minnesota State Mankato (12-10-2). Lake Superior State finished seventh at (11-12-1), tied with Bowling Green, before the Lakers went to St. Thomas and ruined the Tommies season by splitting 4-1 victories in their best-of-three and then Lake Superior State stunned St. Thomas 3-2 in overtime in game 3.

That reversal sends Lake Superior State to Bemidji State, while MSU-Mankato plays at Michigan Tech.

When all the league playoff shooting subsides, we can dust ourselves off, put the snowshovels aside, and get ready for what is certain to be controversial NCAA selections.

But for now, the league playoff theory remains intact as the most exciting, we just have to stay alert to find out if our favorite league playoff ends this week, or ends net week, or overlaps to encompass both this weekend and next. All we know is they will be exciting.,

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That, and the advancement of the concept that you should never pick against Patrick Mahomes when the Super Bowl itself comes down to the closing seconds with everything on the line. Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs — for those who might have been in seclusion for the last week — came through with a vital little touchdown pass with 3 seconds left in overtime to beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in a game that droned on as a defensive showdown for three quarters.

Showdowns will become more prevalent in men’s college hockey in the next few weeks in the Big Ten, NCHC, and CCHA. But the future is now for the WCHA’s women, who have only two weekends remaining before league playoffs.

WCHA women’s hockey battles down the stretch
The University of Minnesota is in the thick of two huge rivalries to end the regular season, as they battle to find consistency against the top contenders. Ohio State continues to dominate the standings with a leading 23-1 record, good for the runaway No. 1 rank in the nation as well. Wisconsin is second with a 20-4 record that would be spectacular if the Buckeyes weren’t around. The Golden Gophers are third at 18-5-1.

The spotlight of the weekend, though, finds Minnesota at Wisconsin, with a shot at sneaking past the Badgers with a sweep. If that wasn’t enough drama, the Gophers return home next week and face Minnesota Duluth, which is not in contention but is perhaps Minnesota’s most fierce rival.

UMD has its own mini-drama, because the Bulldogs are battling to move into contention but also to free themselves of the new threat to their status of fourth-best in the league, coming from St. Cloud State. The Huskies lost two tough games to Minnesota last weekend, while UMD swept two games at St. Thomas, which vaulted UMD ahead of the Huskies and into a five-point lead for fourth place and the final home-ice spot in the first round of the WCHA tournament.

This weekend, St. Cloud State goes to Duluth to face the Bulldogs, and the interesting thing about that series at AMSOIL Arena is that one victory by UMD will assure them of the fourth spot and home-ice advantage. But in the first round of playoffs, the fourth-place team plays fifth place, so after this weekend’s series, both teams know they are going to be facing each in the best-of-three first round, with the only question being which will be the home team. On the final weekend next week, UMD goes to Minnesota while St. Cloud State plays at Bemidji State, and the highlight series will be Ohio State at Wisconsin.

The WCHA Women’s tournament is always a season treasure with close, tough, single-elimination games — usually an overtime of two — at Ridder Arena on the Gophers campus in Minneapolis. So, after all the posturing for playoff position, whoever wins between UMD and St. Cloud State gets the honor, undoubtedly, of taking on No. 1 Ohio State in the league semifinal.

Hunt has productive weekend vs. UST 
Last weekend, UMD’s sweep at St. Thomas was pretty much because of the presence of Reece Hunt. She played four years at Bemidji State, and with no sniff of playoff advancement, she jumped into the transfer portal and went to UMD as a graduate student for her fifth year.

How effective was she at St. Thomas last weekend? Well, completed a natural hat trick and scored all four UMD goals by the second intermission in the eventual 4-1 victory. Rylee Bartz scored the UST goal in the second period. 

The next night, Hunt scored to open the second period and break a 1-1 tie, with what stood up as the game-winner in a 5-1 victory. For the weekend, Hunt scored five goals and she also assisted on Olivia Wallin’s third-period goal for a six-point series.

“Reece Hunt is a massive addition to our program, and a great person,” said UMD coach Maura Crowell. “I never care who scores; whoever scores, I’m happy. But Reece always knows where to go and how to finish.”

Hunt was asked which of her four Friday goals was her favorite.

“The first three, because all three of us on our line were involved,” Hunt said.

UMD stands 1-1 against St. Cloud State this season, and the Bulldogs have a perfect 12-0 record against the bottom three teams in the league, but are 1-9 against the top three — Ohio State, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

As compelling as the UMD-St. Cloud State series is, both games will start at 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at AMSOIL Arena, because the prime-time night schedule has the UMD men hosting preseason-favorite Denver both nights at AMSOIL.

High school sections, St. Scholastica splits, Rivalry Series
It’s altogether fitting and proper that we watch the girls high school hockey sections get decided this week with some outstanding games, and their ever-increasing skill level makes the games and the sections more competitive than ever. The same holds true for Division III college hockey, where St. Scholastica split two captivating games against St. Mary’s last weekend. Despite the heavy emphasis on Division I college hockey, the caliber of Division III has risen amazingly, both in skill and tempo.

The Saints split two games with St. Mary’s, losing 2-1 in overtime Friday after the Saints saw a 1-0 lead disappear with 1:19 remaining. But then the Saints came back against the favored Cardinals on Saturday night at Mars-Lakeview Arena. It was a tough game, and thankfully the Saints had sophomore Makenzie Cole, from Grand Rapids-Greenway, in the nets. She stopped 60 shots in the first game, and was just as spectacular in blunting the St. Mary’s attack on Saturday afternoon. The Saints won a highly emotional shootout victory.

After the series, which drew a hearty and loud crowd, Saints coach Julianne Vasichek, who is originally from Montana, made a quick trip to St. Paul to watch former teammates play on both sides in the seventh and deciding game of the Rivalry Tour, won 6-1 by Canada over Team USA at Xcel Energy Center. The United States won the first three games in the series, but Canada stormed back to win the next three, including the game seven blowout.

It was a deserving celebration for Vasichek. It was her birthday, as well as nine years since she survived a liver transplant at the Mayo Clinic. Last week, she was announced as a member of UMD’s all-time 25-year all-star team. Vasichek was a two-time NCAA champion and All-America for the Bulldogs and remains in contact with former UMD coach Shannon Miller, who now lives in Palm Springs, Calif.

Not a bad way to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports week.

UMD men’s coach looking for urgency vs. Denver
Denver is not exactly dominating NCHC after a strong start. The Pioneers have slipped to fifth behind North Dakota, St. Cloud State, Western Michigan and Colorado College in the tightly bunched NCHC.

“Denver has strong lines, and they play with continuity and don’t give up the puck,” said UMD coach Scott Sandelin. “We have to take care of the puck because they’re a good transition team, and a strong defensive team. They don’t turn pucks over, and if you’ve got the puck, they get on you and can frustrate you.

“Just like every team in our league. We’ve got eight games left, and we need some guys to play better. I’ve been waiting for that for quite a while now. We need overachievers, not underachievers, and any contributions we get from anybody means a lot.

“If you don’t have urgency now, you’ll never have it.”

In the Super Bowl, Mahomes won the MVP award, for the back-to-back Super Bowl wins. But despite the assembled gang of television analysts that insisted on spewing endless superlatives as if they were unique in their opinions, they all agreed that a victory would mean the Chiefs were a dynasty. But let’s get one thing straight: This modern-day NFL doesn’t have room for dynasties. Parity dominates, and on any given Sunday, any team can beat any other, and even the Vikings could take down the 49ers in the right circumstance.

But while I thought the Detroit Lions lost to the 49ers in a day of botched officials calls, and Baltimore, Buffalo and Dallas were all extremely strong, we can declare that the Chiefs and the 49ers were the best two survivors, and when the big trophy was on the line, Mahomes proved again that he is the best survivor of them all. Very Brett Favre-like.

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Timing couldn’t be better, because girls playing high school hockey in Minnesota are just starting their sectional playoffs ahead of the girls state tournament. And we can dedicate the whole week to those girls and young women advancing to play for any of the six Division I college hockey teams that make up a sizable segment of the WCHA — the best women’s college hockey conference in the country.

The stretch drive in the WCHA is well underway, with Ohio State the runaway No. 1 seed with its No. 1 national ranking and a 21-1 record atop the WCHA. The battle for second place rages with Wisconsin second at 18-4 and Minnesota third at 16-5-1, while the struggle for the fourth and final home-ice slot for the WCHA tournament is the tightest in the league.

St. Cloud State is making its strongest bid for contention and held third place until last weekend, when the Huskies lost 5-2 and 2-1 in overtime at Wisconsin. At the same time, Minnesota-Duluth was at home, beating sixth-place Minnesota State Mankato 3-0 and 2-1. Those two victories lifted the Bulldogs by six points, to a 12-10 record worth 35 points, vaulting ahead of St. Cloud State’s 10-11-1 for 33 points.

Duluth women’s team looking for home-ice in playoffs
UMD coach Maura Crowell laughed about the coaching cliche of playing “one game at a time,” and acknowledged that if there ever was a time when she’d like to be able to demand “two wins at a time,” this would be the weekend.

UMD women’s hockey coach Maura Crowell said she’s felt like her team has been in playoff mode since returning from the holiday break. (Photo courtesy of UMD Athletics)

“Ever since we came back from Christmas to play at Quinnipiac, we’ve felt like we had to be in playoff mode,” Crowell said. “The players just need to play and not worry about the standings and all these things the media talks about. We know the pressure is on us, but when there’s pressure, you know you’re playing for something.”

This weekend is the perfect opportunity for UMD to pad its new-found edge for the fourth and final home-ice spot in the playoff tournament, where first-round winners advance to Ridder Arena on the University of Minnesota campus for the Final Faceoff. The Bulldogs play at eighth-place St. Thomas on Friday and Saturday and are heavily favored to sweep both games — while St. Cloud State has a huge challenge with a home-and-home series against Minnesota, where the Huskies are underdogs but have proven competitive.

After this weekend, only two weekends remain in the regular WCHA season, with St. Cloud State at UMD for a showdown series that could determine fourth place. Or, maybe not. On the final weekend, UMD is at Minnesota in what could project as a battle for the Golden Gophers to try for second place while UMD will need to hold onto fourth. St. Cloud State finishes at Bemidji State, where the Huskies will be favored in a closing series that could vault them back into fourth place.

The classic, of course, is that the fifth-place team plays at the fourth-place team in the first round of WCHA playoffs, which seems destined to throw the Bulldogs and Huskies into what indeed might be a classic dogfight for survival, and home ice could be pivotal.

Goalie Hailey MacLeod has a 1.23 goals-against average in 13 games this season. (Photo courtesy of UMD Athletics)

“I really like the way we’ve been playing,” Crowell said of her Bulldogs. “We’ve played a lot of games under pressure, and we’ve made some mistakes along the way, which gives us things we can work on in practice to improve our play.”

The sweep against Mankato was vital for UMD, because the Bulldogs had just finished losing four straight to Ohio State and Wisconsin. The disparity in the WCHA means that the top teams regularly beat up on the bottom three, with Minnesota State, Bemidji State and St. Thomas clustered at the bottom.

UMD, for instance, is 11-1 against those bottom three, but 1-9 against Ohio State, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Bulldogs stay in the fight with close games
That is not to say the wins have been blowouts and the losses have been equally lopsided. Many of the games have been nail-biters, and the Bulldogs have needed timely scoring and the consistently brilliant goaltending of the previously untested tandem of freshman Eve Gascon and sophomore Hailey MacLeod. In the first game against Minnesota State, MacLeod stopped all 16 shots she faced to get the shutout, her fourth during an 8-4-2 rookie season. Gascon just missed her fifth shutout of the season and is 7-7-1 for the season.

Crowell played Gascon most in the early going, but went to an alternating plan she has followed since January started.

“Both have been playing great,” Crowell said. “They have both settled in, and that allows both of them to focus on one game, which is nice mentally and physically for both. They work hard every game, but also every day in practice, which makes it hard on our players to score in practice.”

The biggest difference between the two is that Gascon, who is from Mascouche, Quebec, is 5-foot-8, while MacLeod is a 6-foot rookie originally from Abbotsford, British Columbia.

UMD goaltender Eve Gascon has alternated time with Hailey MacLeod. (Photo courtesy: UMD Athletics)

MacLeod said one of the strengths of both of them is their close friendship.

“Being good friends with each other is important, because we always support each other,” MacLeod said. “When Eve plays her best, it makes me want to play my best.

“Competing with her has pushed me out of my comfort zone. When I have a bad game, I always make sure to be physically prepared for my next game. If I could have any game to play over again this season, it would be the game I played at St. Cloud.”

There’s that name again. The Bulldogs went to St. Cloud in December and won 2-1 in overtime, but then got shelled 5-1 in the second game. Maybe that will add a bit of a revenge motive for MacLeod and the Bulldogs in two weeks. But for now, it’s time to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, and weekend.

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This is the 18th Hockey Day Minnesota, and it makes you wonder what it took those who make such decisions so long before going to the northernmost reaches of the state to select Warroad as the host. The town population is about 1,800, which is only a percentage of those inside Warroad Gardens, the perfect indoor arena that fills up for every home game of the Warroad Warriors.

The town also boasts some of the greatest iconic players of Minnesota’s long hockey history, and is half of the state’s most intense hockey rivalry. The other half is Roseau, which is about 20 miles to the west of Warroad. Travel five miles east to find Baudette, another small town that would rather boast about its walleye fishing than its hockey. 

Warroad, located on the southwesternmost tip of Lake Of The Woods, a huge, sprawling lake that stretches into Canada and houses various resorts and cabins and countless of the delectable-eating walleyes, would never shrug off its fishing heritage, but it also would never let it intrude on its love of hockey.

If you go back in the annals of state hockey, you find legendary names such as Max Oshie, the Marvin family, brothers Gordon, Roger and Billy Christian, Henry Boucha, Alan Hangsleben, Gopher All-America Larry Olimb, and on up to the modern era, when T.J. Oshie of the Washington Capitals and Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders carry the torch for Warroad’s current presence in the NHL.

The Marvin family owns Marvin Windows, the largest employer in the area and the builder of classic windows and doors for home building. Cal Marvin, meanwhile, managed the Warroad Lakers, a senior men’s team that lured outstanding ex-college stars to Warroad to work, make a living and play for an amateur team that was the only American senior team to win Canadian amateur senior championships.

The Christian Brothers ran the Christian Brothers Hockey Stick factory, which once filled the stockrooms of all the top area Division I colleges. They played at North Dakota, and the three brothers all played together on the National and Olympic teams including the 1960 gold-medal U.S. Olympic team that beat the Russians and won Gold at Squaw Valley, Calif.

So, the subtle highlight of Hockey Day Minnesota, with games televised by Bally Sports North, is that there are great high school games. That includes the 4:30 p.m. Saturday-afternoon battle between the Warroad and Roseau boys’ teams. But at 8 p.m. Friday, there will be a Warroad-Roseau alumni game — which could be a classic, depending on who can round up more alumni.

Otherwise, an almost constant flow of strong high school games, a men’s college game with Concordia College-Moorhead facing St. Olaf, a high-ranking Wayzata-Moorhead boys’ high school game, plus high school girls’ varsity and JV games will run throughout the days on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The climax is supposed to be the Saturday night game with Anaheim facing the Wild at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. 

UMD women’s team in midst of tough stretch
All of that doesn’t mean the college hockey teams entering both the men’s and women’s stretch drives are relaxing for the weekend. Hardly.

“Every weekend feels like playoff hockey,” said Maura Crowell, coach of the Minnesota-Duluth women’s hockey team. “I’m lucky to have 20 players who can play at such a high level.”

The Bulldogs are in the midst of a tough couple of weekends. They traveled to Ohio State to face the No. 1 Buckeyes and lost 3-0 and 1-0. That means for the month of January, the Bulldogs lost 2-1 and tied 2-2 at No. 8 Quinnipiac, then swept Bemidji State with a pair of shutouts before suffering the two shutout losses at No. 1 Ohio State. Instead of a rest, the Bulldogs are back home at AMSOIL Arena to take on No. 2 Wisconsin.

“I’m happy with how we’re playing, especially last Saturday night, when we lost 1-0,” Crowell said. “I thought Saturday night was one of the best games of the year. Ohio State is No. 1 — by far, in my opinion right now — and we’re No. 7. I’ll take that for now.”

Crowell’s optimism has infested her players, who seem to have shrugged off the obvious fact that you don’t win many when you get shut out for a whole weekend.

“We played one of our best games Saturday at Ohio State,” said Bulldogs senior forward Clara Van Wieren. “It was good to see us implementing all the things our coaches have been telling us.

“Yes, I’d love to get into a high-scoring game, but the WCHA is so tough, and there are such good goalies that it’s hard to score.”

UMD’s women are 10-8 in the WCHA, fifth behind Ohio State (17-1), Wisconsin (14-4), Minnesota (12-5-1) and St. Cloud State (10-7-1), and being pursued by the rest of the league, Minnesota State-Mankato (4-14), Bemidji State (2-16) and St. Thomas (2-16). The Bulldogs are buoyed by the fact that after losing 3-0 at Wisconsin on Dec. 1, they upset the Badgers 3-2 the next night, but that second game has also probably caused Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson to circle this weekend’s dates.

College men’s hockey teams with their own Hockey Days this weekend
UMD’s men also return home this weekend after a weird series at Western Michigan. The Bulldogs broke open a tight 2-1 game Friday by scoring five third-period goals for a 6-3 win in a rare outburst, with all four lines contributing for a team that has had trouble getting any goals. The Bulldogs lost 5-2 the following night.

In the NCHC men’s race, St. Cloud State (7-2-3) is tied with North Dakota (7-4-1) for first place, with Denver (8-3-1) third. St. Cloud State is home against seventh-place Omaha this weekend, while a major showdown series has Denver at North Dakota. Minnesota-Duluth, sixth with a 4-7-1 record, is home against eighth-place Miami.

“They’re a big, heavy team,” UMD coach Scott Sandelin said of Miami. “When we played in their building, we were ready one night, and not ready enough the other. They’re a good hockey team, and we’ve got to approach them that way. They’re behind us, and we want to keep them there.”

Minnesota teams stand 1-2-3 atop the CCHA, with upstart St. Thomas first at 10-6, followed by Bemidji State (8-7-1), and Mankato (8-5-1). With a light slate this weekend, Mankato is at home against Northern Michigan with a chance to rise.

Minnesota has struggled to move into contention in the Big Ten, and this weekend may be the Gophers’ turning point. Standing third with a 7-4-3 record, the Gophers play at second-place Michigan State (10-2-2) for two games, while first-place Wisconsin (10-2) plays at fifth-place Michigan (4-6-1).

Not all of Minnesota’s teams are celebrating Hockey Day Minnesota, but they might as well be.

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