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Roman Augustoviz spends Minnesota's winters covering college hockey, specifically the Gophers, and other University of Minnesota sports. During the summer, he writes about the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, with a dose of U sports sprinkled in. Follow him on Twitter @RomanStrib.
Posts about Wisconsin
Badgers beat Alabama-Huntsville to stay on a roll
Posted by: Roman Augustoviz Updated: December 15, 2012 - 1:13 AM
Alabama-Huntsville on the schedule has helped a lot of teams this season.
Wisconsin is the latest. The Badgers beat the Charges 4-1 on Friday at the Kohl Center for their first series sweep this season. The win also gives UW a six-game unbeaten streak after a 1-7-2 start.
UAH (3-14-1) is an intriguing story. The Chargers, whose program was given the death sentence for a while last season, is in the midst of a brutal schedule, playing 20 of its 22 Division I opponents on the road or at neutral sites.
The Chargers' next stop is at the Mariucci Classic, where they play No. 1-rated Boston College on Dec. 29 in a special game. A BC win would put Eagles coach Jerry York at the top of the list of coaches with the most career victories.
Yikes.
Friday the Badgers (4-7-5, 2-5-5 WCHA) were too much for the Chargers. They lost to Wisconsin 5-0 in the first game of the series.
"I saw a few comments from their coach, he was pretty disappointed in them,” Badger Ryan Little said. “I think he got them fired up a little bit.”
UAH took a 1-0 lead in the opening period on a five-on-three power play. Michael Webley scored the goal. It was just the fourth time the Chargers had a 1-0 lead.
“I think tonight we might have tried to rush things a little bit early, maybe thinking that it was going to be a little easier to score a lot of goals like the night before,” said Badgers forward Derek Lee, according to a UW news release. “But, we re-grouped, played hard and we went back to our systems and kept it simple and it was good to get the sweep this weekend."
Lee had one of the Badgers' goals and an assist.
UAH had three other power plays, including one for five minutes in the third period, but could not score again.
Joe LaBate, the former Holy Angels forward from Eagan, scored his second goal of the season at the 2:25 mark of the middle period to tie the score at 1-1. The goal, which beat Chargers goalie John Griggs, came on a rebound.
Freshman defenseman Kevin Schulze, of White Bear Lake, became the eighth Bdgers in the last five games to score his first goal at 13:14 of the second period. It came on the backdoor and gave UW a 2-1 lead. It also was the game-winner.
Derek Lee made it 3-1 Badgers in the middle of the third period. The senior forward stole a pass by the UAH defense in the defensive zone, then went right to the net for an unassisted goal.
Brendan Woods, a the sophomore forward, later scored the Badgers' fourth goal on a two-on-one. Ryan Little and goalie Joel Rumpel each were credited with their first assists this season.
“We [gave] ourselves a real nice gift here as we get ready for the holidays,” Badgers coach Mike Eaves said.
Badgers flatten Alabama-Huntsville; WCHA picks without the Gophers
Posted by: Roman Augustoviz Updated: December 14, 2012 - 2:39 PMThe Gophers are off for a couple of weeks. But most WCHA teams are playing this weekend.
Wisconsin got off to a good start on Thursday, beating vagabond Alabama-Huntsville 5-0 for the Badgers' first win at the Kohl Center this season. Hard to believe.
The Badgers are playing a day earlier than other teams because the Kohl Center is being used for graduation ceremonies on Sunday morning and Saturday night is used for set-up purposes. Academics getting in the way of athletics, what a unique concept.
US is 3-7-5 overall now (2-5-5- in the WCHA).
“I think that’s the first night we’ve been able to use our sound system to the fullest,” Badgers forward Sean Little, referring to the team's new locker room.
“[We] finally [got to] celebrate a win at home,” Little said, according to a UW news release.
Freshmen forward Nic Kerdiles, a hot prospect who was suspended the first 10 games by the NCAA for amateur rules violatoins, scoring his first college goal four minutes into the game.
“I’m happy to finally get the monkey off my back, as I would call it, and finally get that goal,” Kerdiles said. “At the end of the day, I’m just excited for the way our team played tonight.”
The Badgers tied their season-high in shots on goal with 37, set a season-high for goals in a game and set a school record for fewest shots allowed in a game with nine.
The caveat there has to be that the opponent was the Chargers. An independent team that was given the death sentence last season -- several top players left -- before getting a reprieve. UAH is 3-13-1, one of the worst teams in the country. Sacred Heart (0-14-2) might be the only team worse.
UAH plays 20 of its 22 Division I opponents on the road or at neutral sites.
Kerdiles got his second goal of the season in the third period.
Junior Michael Mersch also had two goals. Little, a freshman, also got the other goal, his first of the season.
Mersch has 11 goals this season.
“We were talking about it a little bit before the game to get the fans the ice cream,” Mersch said. “A lot of guys contributed tonight, and that’s pretty big for us.”
Fans at a five-goal get free ice cream; the Gophers have a similar promotion with Culver's and yogurt.
BIG WCHA WEEKEND
Ten of the 12 WCHA teams play conference games this weekend. So the Gophers' stay all alone at second place in the conference standings won't last long.
Two teams are just one point behind them, two are two points back and one is three. If results break a certain way, the Gophers (6-3-3, 15 points) could fall to a tie for fourth place with three other teams, or they could drop as low as a tie for fifth with one team.
Here's a look at the WCHA series this weekend:
Minnesota State (9-5-2, 7-5-0) at Nebraska Omaha (10-5-1, 6-3-1): The Mavericks have won six conference games in a row. Freshman Stephon Williams has been in goal in all those games and in that stretch has a 1.00 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage. Junior forward Eriah Hayes ia on an eight-game points streak. MSU has killed 27 of 29 opponents' power plays in the past eight games and is outscoring opponents 21-12 in the third period. ... UNO split at St. Cloud State last weekend, winning 6-5 in the first game, losing 2-1 in the second. The red Mavericks are 7-0-1 on the first night of series. Junior forward Ryan Walters has eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points, one shy of his total last season. The junior class is the highest scoring in the nation with 89 points and 33 goals. Picks: Split
Colorado College (8-8-2, 5-4-1) at St. Cloud State (9-7-0, 7-5-0): After playing nine of 11 games at home, the Tigers are on the road for nine of their next 11 starting with this trip. Senior forward Rylan Schwartz (10-14-24) is tied for the WCHA scoring lead. CC is coming off a loss and a tie with the Gophers. They trailed the U 4-1 going into the third period Saturday, but rallied for a 4-4 overtime tie. Captain William Rapuzzi has scored in nine consecutive games for the Tigers. In those games, he has six goals and 16 points. ... The Huskies split with UNO last weekend. They have two of the WCHA's top scorers in Drew LeBlanc (5-16-21) and Nic Dowd (8-12-20), a senior and junior, respectively, but Huskies freshmen have scored 11 of the team's 12 goals the past four games. Kalle Kossila, a freshman from Finland, has eight goals. SCSU is 10th in the nation in scoring, averaging 3.38 goals per game; CC is second, 3.61 per game. Picks: Split.
Denver (9-5-2, 7-3-2) at Bemidji State (4-8-2, 3-7-2): The Pioneers were cruising along until they hit a bump. They are winless in their last six games. Last weekend they tied North Dakota 2-2 and then lost to UND 6-3 on Saturday at the Ralph. DU is 10-1 against BSU all-time. Denver is sixth in the nation in scoring at 3.56 goals per game, but has fallen to a tie for 24th in defense, giving up 2.62 goals per game. DU is 3-1-1 on the road. The Pioneers' line chart has 10 forwards and six defensemen. DU's blue-line corpts had 52 points, an NCAA best. ... The Beavers split at UMD last weekend, winning the second game 2-1 behind goalie Andrew Walsh's 33 saves. That win ended a three-game losing streak and gave coach Tom Serratore his 199th career victory. Jordan George (5-6-11) leads the team in scoring. BSU is being outscored 15-7 in the third period of conference games. Pick: DU wins and ties
North Dakota (8-5-3, 5-2-3) at Michigan Tech (4-8-3, 3-6-3): UND is 12-0-2 in its last 14 games against Michigan Tech. Last weekend at the Ralph, the team formerly known as the Fighting Sioux got a 2-2 tie and a 6-3 win. Senior forward Corban Knight has an 11-game poitnts streak during which he has three goals and 12 assists for 15 points. ... The Huskies are coming off 1-1 and 3-3 ties with Wisconsin. They remain pretty banged up. Last weekend five players were out with injuries and four remain questionable for this weekend. Tech is 0-7-2 when the opponent scores first. Defenseman Steven Seigo has four goals in the past seven games. Picks: UND wins and ties
Minnesota Duluth (5-8-3, 3-6-3) at Alaska Anchorage (3-7-4, 1-6-3): UMD is 15-13-6 against UAA in Alaska. Mike Seidel has 10 goals, six on the power play, and eight assists for a team-high 18 points. The freshmen have 43 points, tied for fourth in the nation. UMD has scored 19 power-play goals, only Union with 20 has scored more. The Bulldogs are 0-6-2 on the second night of series. ... The Seawolves were swept by Minnesota State last weekend, losing 3-1 and 3-0 even though goalie Chris Kamal had a season-high 37 saves the first game and 32 the second. The Seawolves have given up one or more power-play goals in each of their last seven games. Pick: Split
Badgers name assistant coach, sign three, including Benilde's Besse
Posted by: Roman Augustoviz Updated: November 23, 2012 - 1:44 PMWisconsin has hired Matt Walsh as an interim assistant coach, starting Friday.
He played for the Badgers from 1982-86. He was a freshman defenseman on UW's 1983 NCAA title team.
“I’ve gotten to know Matt a little bit through Wisconsin hockey," Badgers coach Mike Eaves said, according to a UW news release. "He’s been very involved in high school hockey and has coached in Wisconsin. Being an alumni, he’s got deep roots. He’s very excited about coming to this program and helping us move forward.”
Walsh has been Coach-in-Chief for USA Hockey’s Central District since 1995, meaning he runs seminars for USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program over a six-state area.
“This [hire] has been a process,” Eaves said. “It was not done overnight. We had a lot of phone calls. We had a lot of emails. We went through our entire list, scoping it down to a group and then talking in person, or via Skype or travelling somewhat and meeting with the people we thought would be serious candidates.
“I think we’ve moved diligently, but at a good pace to get this done because we can’t have this hole exist too long. We need to get another coach in here so we don’t fall behind in any of the areas we do as coaches.”
Walsh is hired through the end of April, when the position will reopen for a national search to find a permanent assistant coach. He replaces Bill Butters, who resigned abruptly earlier this month.
BADGERS SIGN THREE
Wisconsin has signed forward Grant Besse, of Plymouth, a forward for Benilde-St. Margaret's, and two other players, forward Corbin McGuire of Ridgefield, Conn., and defenseman Tim Davison of De Pere, Wis.
The 5-10, 175-pound Besse has 169 points (96 goals, 73 assists) in 75 prep games. He had 52 goals and 93 pooints as a junior in 31 games. He scored all five goals, three short-handed, in Benilde’s 5-1 victory over Hill-Murray in the championship game of the Class 2A state tournament.
"He is very skilled, sees the ice well, can shoot, handles the puck and has great vision," Badgers coach Mike Eaves said of Besse. "He’ll bring a lot of offensive tools to the shelf.”
McGuire, 5-9, 175, plays for the Jersey Hitmen of the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL). So far in the 2012-13 season, McGuire has two goals and eight points in nine games.
Davison, 5-10, 169, plays for the Chicago Steel of the USHL. Through 10 games, Davison has two goals and three points.
SCSU ON TV
Comcast will air 11 St. Cloud State hockey games in the Twin Cities later this season. They will be Cable channels 13 (St. Paul area) and 23 (Minneapolis area).
The schedule:
Dec. 14 - vs. Colorado College - 7 p.m.
Dec. 15 - vs. Colorado College, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 27 - vs. RPI, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 28 - vs. RPI, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 4 - vs. Northern Michigan, 7 p.m.
Jan. 18 - vs. Denver, 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 - vs. Denver, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 8 - vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Feb. 9 - vs. Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 1 - vs. Michigan Tech, 7 p.m.
Mar. 2 - vs. Michigan Tech, 6:30 p.m.
SHORT SHOTS
* UMD center Tony Cameranesi, who like teammate Mike Seidel will bring a five-game scoring streak into this weekend’s series with St. Cloud State, currently is tied for third in points among all NCAA rookies (4-6-10). The Toronto Maple Leafs draftee has taken the second most shots (3.70) of any WCHA newcomer. North Dakota’s Rocco Grimaldi is averaging the most, 3.80, among conference freshmen.
* Denver sophomore Joey LaLeggia is the top scoring defenseman in the nation (5-7-12). The Pioneers (9-1) are getting a lot of offensive production from their blue line.
* WCHA teams are 21-15-3 in nonconference games, a .577 winning percentage. They are 3-4-0 vs Hockey East, 3-2-1 vs ECAC Hockey, 7-9-0 vs the CCHA, 5-0-1 vs Atlantic Hockey and 3-0-1 vs independend Alabama Huntsville.
Butters leaves Wisconsin's staff to return to family in Minnesota
Posted by: Roman Augustoviz Updated: November 7, 2012 - 2:03 PMBadgers assistant coach Bill Butters, in his third year there, is leaving the program and a search for a replacement has begun.
"I can't thank Bill enough for the time he spent with our program," Badgers head coach Mike Eaves is quoted as saying in a UW news release. "He has decided that it is in his best interest to return home to Minnesota to be with his family and to pursue other passions in his life.
"Bill is a good friend and a great hockey man. He has had a long and successful career in the game and, though I'm sad to see him go, I'm happy he will be able to move onto this next chapter in his life."
Butters' roots are in Minnesota. He played and coached at the University of Minnesota. He was the Gophers co-captain in 1972-73. He played two seasons with the NHL's old Minnesota North Stars. And from 1985-95 was a Gophers assistant coach.
Said Butters, "It's time for me to move on from coaching. I have appreciated Coach Eaves' support and friendship as I have come to this conclusion. Mike and I believe it will be in the best interests of both myself and the program if I take this step and return to my family and continue to develop the other pursuits on my horizon. It has been a fantastic opportunity to coach our players and work with the staff at Wisconsin."
The timing of this move has to raise questions. Not many teams change head or assistant coaches in the middle of the season. The Badgers are coming off a tough series at Kohl Center.
Colorado College swept them last weekend 5-4 in overtime and 3-0. The Badgers are off to a disappointing 1-4-1 start.
Butters and his wife, Debby, have been married 39 years. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
MSU Mankato's top returning scorers not scoring goals
Posted by: Roman Augustoviz Updated: October 31, 2012 - 2:23 PMThe Gophers plays Minnesota State Mankato this weekend in a home and home series.
The Mavericks are off to a 2-2-2 start after being swept by St. Cloud State last weekend in two 5-1 games. The scores were the same, but the games not.
On Friday at the National Hockey Center, St. Cloud State took a 3-0 lead in the first period. On Saturday, it was a 1-0 game into the third period when the Huskies scored two quick goals in the third period.
Hopes were high in Mankato for this team, loaded with young, promising forwards. But two of them are not scoring goals.
Matt Leitner, a sophomore center from Los Alamitos, CA., led the Mavericks in assists and points last season. He had 11 goals, 18 assists and 29 points. But in six games so far, he has one goal and five assists for six points.
Jean-Paul LaFontaine was a member of the WCHA all-rookie team last season and tied for the team lead in goals and was second in points. He had 13 goals -- eighth on the power play -- 15 assists and 28 points. He has one assist this season. He was the left wing on the Mavericks' second line in their last game.
LaFontaine's uncle Pat was an NHL Hall of Famer, he played for both New York teams and Buffalo. So he has the blood lines.
Another intriguing prospect up front is freshman Teddy Blueger, from Riga, Latvia. He has one goal and two assists and is a plus-4. Pittsburgh took him in the second round of the 2012 NHL draft.
The two goals last weekend MSU scored were both by senior defenseman Evan Mosey, one was short-handed.
First-year head coach Mike Hastings was the associate head coach at Nebraska Omaha the past three seasons and before that was a Gophers assistant for one season. ... Eight of his 27 players are from Minnesota.
* The Gophers lead the all-time series with MSU 30-7-6, but the Mavericks were on a 5-1-0 roll until losing twice to the Gophers last season.
* The Mavericks have outshot opponents 218-169. Last weekend the Huskies had a 28-23 edge in shots the first night, the Mavericks outshot SCSU 38-30 the second. ... MSU has outscored opponents 10-8 in the third period.
* Special teams is one problem area for Hastings. Opponents are eight for 28 on the power play, or 28.6 percent. Too high. The Mavericks are four for 27 with a man advantage, 14.8 percent. Too low.
* Leitner's wings are sophomore Chase Grant, who has three goals and two assists, and freshman Bryce Gervais, who has one assist. Gervais was a teammate of Gophers Mike and Ryan Reilly on the Penticton Vees in the BCHL last season. The Vees won the Junior A national title in Canada.
WISCONSIN FORWARD HURT
Wisconsin freshman Nic Kerdiles was given permission to play for the under-18 U.S. national development team even though he was under NCAA suspension for 10 games for violating amateur rules.
That looked like a big positive for him. Well, it has not turned out so well. Kerdiles played against the Gophers in a 2-2 overtime tie, but sprained one of his knees the next night in an exhibition game against the University of St. Thomas. So he won't be skating for a while but probably should be ready when the Badgers play at Denver on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and his suspension is lifted.
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