Around WCHA: St. Cloud State breaks NoDak home streak

Here is a slightly edited WCHA roundup compiled by the league, my comments in parentheses:

MADISON, Wis. – Colorado College and Wisconsin were the big gainers in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association over the weekend as the Tigers won twice on the road over Minnesota State, Mankato to take over sole possession of first place while the Badgers swept visiting Alaska Anchorage to climb into a share of third.

(CC was picked to finish in the middle of the bottom five teams by the coaches and media. Tigers lost a lot of key players.)

Colorado College 3, MSU Mankato 2

After a 1-0 overtime win over the Mavericks on Friday, CC claimed another one-goal victory on Saturday to complete the sweep and improve to 6-1-1 in league play.

At Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato, defenseman Nate Proesser scored a game-winning power-play goal at 3:55 of the third period and Joe Howe stopped 28 of 30 shots on goal to lead CC. Also for CC, defenseman Ryan Lowery had two points (1g, 1a) while for the Mavericks, winger Mike Louwerse and defenseman Channing Boe netted goals and blueliner Kurt Davis had two assists.

(Howe is a freshman who played for Wayzata High for two years as a ninth-grader and sophomore. CC seems to have good luck with freshman in the nets. Remember Richard Bachman two years ago. He was league MVP.)

The Badgers followed a 5-1 triumph over the Seawolves Friday with a four-goal romp on Saturday at the Kohl Center to gain four points. Center Ben Street scored twice and assisted on another and 14 players had points. Center Derek Stepan and defenseman Cody Goloubef added two assists each while winger Patrick Johnson scored the game-winner at 2:32 of the third period. The Badgers outshot the Seawolves, 42-13, with UAA getting a pair of goals from center Josh Lunden.

(This sweep is as convincing as the Gophers over the Seawolves two weekends ago at Maroosh.)

St. Cloud State 3, North Dakota 2

At the Ralph in Grand Forks, visiting St. Cloud State rallied behind a 47-save effort from goaltender Dan Dunn and the game-winning goal from defenseman Craig Gaudet at 0:14 of the second period to upend the Sioux and gain a split of their league set before a sellout crowd of 11,782. The Huskies, who were outshot 49-28, led 3-0 after Gaudet's tally before the Sioux got on the board at 1:23 of the second on center Brad Malone's goal. Both teams went scoreless on the power-play (SCSU 0-of-7, UND 0-of-6).

(Dunn was supposed to be the odd-man out in the nets at St. Cloud in a three-man battle. Freshman Mike Lee was supposed to come in and take the job. But then Jace Weslosky transferred to Bemidji State and Dunn saw more of a chance to play. The Sioux wish he would have left.)

At the DECC in Duluth on Saturday, Minnesota Duluth received five-point nights from wingers Justin Fontaine (4g, 1a) and Mike Connolly (1g, 4a) and four assists from winger Rob Bordson and hit on 4-of-8 power-play chances to rout Michigan Tech before 4,478 and gain a series split. Fontaine's power-play goal at 2:43 of the second period proved to be the game-winner. For the Huskies, center Brett Olson scored at 13:11 of the third to break up the shutout

TIGHT RACE

Just four points separate the top five clubs in the WCHA. Colorado College (7-2-1, 6-1-1 WCHA) is out front with 13 points – seven of which have come on the road. Defending MacNaughton Cup champion North Dakota (7-2-1, 5-2-1 WCHA) is second with 11 points, followed by a three-way tie for third place with nine points between idle Denver (6-3-1, 4-1-1 WCHA), Minnesota Duluth (7-4-1, 4-3-1 WCHA) and Wisconsin (6-3-1, 4-3-1 WCHA).

St. Cloud State (4-4-2, 3-2-1 WCHA) and Minnesota share sixth place with seven points each, although the Huskies have played the fewest league games of any team with six. Alaska Anchorage (4-8-0, 2-6-0 WCHA) and Michigan Tech (3-7-0, 2-6-0 WCHA) are tied for eighth with four points each while Minnesota State (3-6-1, 1-6-1 WCHA) is 10th with three points.

In non-conference play this weekend, Minnesota opened a Saturday-Sunday home series against Bemidji State of College Hockey America with a 4-1 victory Saturday, moving the WCHA's collective non-conference record in 2009-10 to 17-9-1 (.648).

Next weekend there will be four WCHA series. Minnesota hosts Minnesota Duluth, Wisconsin visits St. Cloud State, Denver hosts North Dakota, and Alaska Anchorage entertains Minnesota State. In non-conference play, the CC Tigers host Robert Morris of College Hockey America.


Results Friday

Alaska Anchorage 1 at Wisconsin 5

Michigan Tech 3 at Minnesota Duluth 2

Colorado College 1 at Minnesota State 0 ot

St. Cloud State 2 at North Dakota 4

Alaska Anchorage 2 at Wisconsin 6

Colorado College 3 at Minnesota State 2

Michigan Tech 1 at Minnesota Duluth 8

St. Cloud State 3 at North Dakota 2