Tag Archives: hockey

28 January 2016

Wells Fargo Arena

By icefogger

Des Moines, Iowa

Wells Fargo Arena

We took in an AHL game on Tuesday in Des Moines at the Wells Fargo Arena. The Iowa Wild was hosting the Chicago Wolves.

Wild vs Wolves
Wild take on Wolves at WFA

With the Iowa Wild being an affiliate of the Minnesota Wild, I did enjoy watching some of the NHL club’s prospects, including: Mike Reilly, Christian Folin, and Jordan Schroeder. Folin would go on to score a goal, while Reilly & Schroeder would tally assists.

The third period would end tied at 3, but the Wolves’ Pat Cannone would score his third goal of the night 41 seconds into the 3 on 3 overtime period. It was the first time I have seen the 3 on 3 OT, but it ended so quick that it was hard to really make an opinion. There’s a lot of open ice out there during the 3 on 3.

WFA: Wild vs Wolves

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in sports

25 January 2016

Baxter Arena

By icefogger

Omaha, Nebraska

Baxter Arena
Heading into Baxter Arena

The Curator and I made the trek across Iowa to see some weekend hockey in Omaha. This is the inaugural season for the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Baxter Arena. The UNO Mavericks were hosting the Miami of Ohio Redhawks, for a two game series in an NCHC matchup.

Baxter Greeter
The Baxter Arena Greeter

The $81.6 million Baxter Arena is a very nice hockey facility. With great sight lines throughout the arena; there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. I have no doubt that the rink will really rock during big games with the Mavericks’ devoted and rabid fan base. A wider concourse would have been nice, since it can be a challenge getting around the corners during the intermissions, but other than that, the Baxter is a beautiful new rink.

UNO & Miami during warmups
UNO & Miami during warmups

The Friday night game started out slow, with UNO seeming to be a tad flat. Still, the game was even-played with the first period being scoreless, and an 8-7 SOG advantage for Miami. The second period Miami really dominated play, with UNO still playing sluggish. Miami had a 15-6 advantage in SOG for period two, and took the lead on a Kiefer Sherwood goal. The Mavericks came out much stronger in the third, and Austin Ortega tied the game up on a shot assisted by Luc Snuggerud & Jake Guentzel. Ortega, the junior forward from Escondido, California, already holds the school record for game winners and the NCAA single season record for GWG’s, and is quickly closing in on the NCAA career record for game winning goals.
Tonight, however, Matthew Caito of Miami would net the GWG with just over two minutes to play. The Redhawks would also add an ENG for a 3-1 win.

Jay Williams made 27 saves for Miami and freshman Alex Blankenburg, in his first home start, made 31 saves for UNO. There were 6793 in attendance.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in sports

22 January 2016

1979 Border Battle

By icefogger

A Flashback Friday Edition:

1979 goal against Wisconsin

Minnesota vs Wisconsin: Williams Arena, 1979

Photo courtesy of Golden Gopher Hockey

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in sports

16 January 2016

Berry Events Center

By icefogger

Marquette, Michigan

Home of the Wildcats
Center ice

Alaska was playing Northern Michigan this weekend, so I made the short drive from Houghton to Marquette. Built in 1999, the Berry Event Center (BEC) is one of the few Olympic sized rinks in the WCHA. The Carlson Center in Fairbanks is another, so there would be no advantage there. The single bowl rink seats 3802 for hockey.

Nanooks during warmups
The Nanooks during pregame warmups

Alaska came out flying tonight, after winning in OT on Friday. In spite of that, NMU’s Denver Pierce opened the scoring. Fairbanks native, Alec Hajdukovich, scored a power play goal to tie it off of a deflection. Tyler Morley of the Nanooks then scored off of a Hajdukovich assist to take the 2-1 lead into intermission.

The Nanooks’ deep seeded and unnatural desire to spend time in the penalty box then took over. They had five penalties in the second period (six if you count the boarding penalty at the end of the first – which I do). Alaska did a great job on the penalty kill, but they were still lucky to give up only one goal to Dominik Shine, and went into the second intermission tied at 2.

Alaska came back out flying in the third, and really dominated play. Justin Woods sniped a shot from the point for a PPG early in the period, but that was the last opportunity the Nanooks’ capitalized on. Ryan Trenz would tie the game up for NMU, and Barrett Kaib put the Wildcats in front. Brock Maschmeyer added an empty net goal for NMU.

A missed opportunity for Alaska to get a road sweep in Marquette.

Jesse Jenks had 31 saves for Alaska, and Mathias Dahlstrom had 35 for Northern Michigan. Attendance was 2120.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in sports

16 January 2016

The Mac

By icefogger

Houghton, Michigan

MacInnes Student Ice Arena
John MacInnes Student Ice Arena

Up in Houghton on Friday to watch the Minnesota State Mavericks take on the Michigan Tech Huskies. A lot of history with the MTU program, including some epic battles against Minnesota during the Herb Brooks era.

Center ice at The Mac
Action at center ice at MacInnes

Minnesota State came out flying in the first period, out shooting MTU 16-6, but Jamie Phillips was outstanding in net for the Huskies, and the game was scoreless after one.
Play was even in the second period, although MSU found the back of the net twice, with Zach Stepan and Jordan Nelson scoring. Sandwiched in-between the Maverick goals was one by Alex Petan for MTU. 2-1 Mavs after 2.
Tech came out flying in the third, Phillips remained strong in net, and Mark Auk scored half-way through the period for the Huskies.
The game went into OT, with both teams having scoring chances, and the momentum seemed to be with Michigan Tech. Still, the extra period ended without a score, and the game goes into the record book as a tie.

Phillips made 30 saves overall for MTU and Jason Pawloski made 27 for MSU. Attendance was 3060.

East end of MacInnes

I have to admit, I really enjoyed the experience at “The Mac”. Home of the Huskies since 1972, and named after famed Husky coach John MacInnes (yrs:1956-1983), the arena has some of the most engaged fans in D-1 hockey. I saw some of that at The Joe in Detroit during the GLI, but it’s a completely different experience at MacInnes. The Husky Pep Band can really get the place rocking too. During the second intermission, there is a long time tradition of the Copper Country Anthem, which is a complete bastardization of the Polka song: Blue Skirt Waltz. Fans stand up and sway in unison to the rather somber rhythm.

All in all, one hell of a place to see a hockey game.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in travel

31 December 2015

The Joe

By icefogger

Great Lakes Invitational
Detroit, Michigan

Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena

The venerable Joe Louis Arena has only one year left, before it’s replacement is ready to drop the puck. Completed in 1979, Joe Louis Arena, the home of the Detroit Red Wings, is the third oldest venue in the NHL, behind Madison Square Garden and Rexall Place. JLA, along with MSG are the only two NHL arenas without a corporate sponsor name.

Tunnel to The Joe
The tunnel from the parking garage to The Joe

I had never seen a hockey game at Joe Louis; my chance to see the Frozen Four there in 2010 was scuttled by the NCAA when they held the tournament at the football stadium – Ford Field.
Since I’m basically in the area right now anyway, I figured the Great Lakes Invitational was a great way to see some hockey at The Joe.

Ted Lindsay Sculpture
Ted Lindsay sculpture near one entrance

The NCAA screwed up back in 2010. The Joe is an old rink, to be sure, but it’s still a great home for hockey, and the history throughout the building is staggering. Everywhere one looks, is a piece of the Red Wing’s storied history.

Red Wing Banners
Red Wing Stanley Cup Banners

The Great Lakes Invitational also has some great history. The tourney started in 1965 with Michigan Tech as the host school, since then the GLI has grown into one of the premier tournaments in Division 1 hockey. Michigan was added as a co-host in 1976.

Home of the Red Wings

Due to the weather, I didn’t get to Detroit in time to see the games on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Michigan State was to take on Northern Michigan in the third place game. The Spartans scored early in the first period, and took that 1-0 lead late into the third, when NMU tied it up and sent the game into OT. Robbie Payne scored in the extra period to give Northern the win.

MTU & UM warming up
Michigan Tech & Michigan warming up

In the title game, Tech came out flying and took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. The Wolverines woke up in the second period, scoring 3 goals, as their offense took over the game. MTU went skate to skate with Michigan in the third, with both teams having several scoring chances. Michigan iced the game with an empty net goal with less than a minute to play, to give Michigan it’s third consecutive GLI title.

A fun tourney and I really had a blast in Detroit.

Soapbox Moment:

To the NCAA:
I paid $25 for a two day pass to attend four games at the GLI. The attendance for Tuesday was just short of 16,000, and on Wednesday it was 16,571. When the B1G Championship game was at The Joe last March, attendance was dreadful, just like it is for almost every single Regional. Take a page out of the 51 year old Great Lakes Invitational, and stop gouging people on tickets. There were a ton of families taking in the GLI, because they could afford to go, you knuckleheads.

To hockey fans everywhere:
When the puck is in play, don’t get up for the tenth time in the period for ice cream. Please wait until the whistle. I realize that stadium etiquette is a dying art form, but the GLI title game takes the top spot for the worst I have experienced.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in sports

23 December 2015

“In the State, The State of Hockey”

By icefogger

Minnesotans love their hockey tradition. My visit to The X was the first time I had heard the Minnesota Wild anthem. A lot of history in the 2 minute plus video.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in video

16 December 2015

The X

By icefogger

St Paul, Minnesota

Xcel Center - exterior
St Paul’s Xcel Energy Center

Hockey returned to the schedule Tuesday night. This time for an NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and the Vancouver Canucks at the Xcel Energy Center in St Paul.

Warmups at The X
Warmups at The X

Ryan Miller would be starting in goal for Vancouver. I have watched Miller play since he was a Spartan, in fact I’ve been at more games when he was in net for Michigan State, than I have seen him play as a pro.

It would be a tough night for Miller, as his teammates seemed to do a lot of standing around and watching the Wild skate.

Thomas Vanek, the former Golden Gopher, opened the scoring with a power play goal. Jason Zucker followed with an even strength goal to go up 2-0 after one period.

The second period was all Minnesota, as the Wild scored four more goals, throwing a total of 36 shots at Miller. Vancouver did get one behind Darcy Kuemper, who started his fifth consecutive game in place of the injured Devan Dubnyk. The score was 6-1 after two.

Going into the third
Players taking the ice for third period

Ryan Miller was mercifully pulled for the third period, and the Canucks managed to get one more behind Kuemper. However, at this point, both teams seemed to just be trying to wind down the clock and get out of the arena.

Final score: 6-2 Wild win. Vanek had his first 4 point night as a member of the Wild. Captain Mikko Koivu also had a 4 point night, with Zach Parise picking up 3 points. Those were the three stars of the game. Attendance was 18,804.

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in sports

15 December 2015

Glen Sonmor

By icefogger

Glen Sonmor 1929-2015
Courtesy of The Daily Gopher

Minnesota hockey legend Glen Sonmor passed away on Monday at the age of 86. Sonmor, a native of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, had a pro career in the AHL and played 28 games with the NY Rangers before his career was cut short when he was hit in the eye by a snapshot from teammate Steve Kraftcheck.

Glen_Sonmor_NYR
Glen Sonmor as a New York Ranger

After Sonmor lost his left eye, John Mariucci hired Sonmor to coach the freshman hockey team at the University of Minnesota, eventually becoming the Golden Gophers’ varsity head coach in 1966 after Mariucci left the program. Sonmor led Minnesota to the WCHA title in 1970, becoming the conference coach of the year that season. In 1971, despite a 14-17-2 record, Coach Sonmor led Minnesota to a runner up finish in the NCAA Tournament.

In 1972, Herb Brooks took over the Minnesota program, when Sonmor left the Golden Gophers to become the coach & GM of the new Minnesota Fighting Saints.

Glen Sonmor-MN North Stars
Sonmor as the North Stars’ head coach. Photo credit: Minneapolis Tribune

In 1978 Sonmor took over as coach of the Minnesota North Stars, leading the team to their first Stanley Cup finals in 1981 against the NY Islanders.

In the late 1990’s, Glen Sonmor returned to the Golden Gophers, when he teamed up with Wally Shaver for radio broadcasts of Gopher hockey. Sonmor was 81 when he retired from the airwaves in 2011 after 15 seasons of broadcasting.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in people

5 December 2015

Mariucci Arena

By icefogger

Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

Mariucci Arena Gophers

 

The Golden Gophers hosted Ohio State University at Mariucci Arena to open Big Ten Conference play on Friday. I love the fact that the Gophers play on campus in one of the top arenas in division one hockey, but the drive to Stadium Village on a Friday night from the suburbs is a nightmare. The fact that I am not used to seeing more than ten cars on the road at a time only complicates the issue. Starting the drive almost 90 minutes before puck drop, I walked into the arena as the National Anthem started.

Starting play at Mariucci
Start of first period at Mariucci

I was not the only one to fight traffic and go into combat for a parking spot. It took much of the first period to fill the arena.

Second row seats

Play was fairly even in the first period, with Minnesota having the edge in shots on goal, but OSU led on a goal by Josh Healey. In the second, Minnesota put on a clinic on how to dominate play yet trail. Nick Schilkey scored a power play goal to increase the Buckeyes lead to 2-0, even though the Gophers kept much of the play in the Ohio State end. Since that was the end of the rink my seats were at, I enjoyed a thrilling period of hockey.

Minnesota came out and dominated the third period with a 15-6 SOG advantage. Two PPG’s by Tyler Sheehy and Tommy Novak, both freshmen, tied the score up and the game went into overtime. OT started and the Buckeyes were defending the end I was at. Sitting in the second row, I had a great view of Tommy Novak’s feed to Hudson Fasching for the game winner.

Minnesota's Godfather
John Mariuuci and other Golden Gopher greats

The win was the 400th for Gopher coach Don Lucia at Minnesota. Tommy Novak and Hudson Fasching both had 2-point nights. Attendance was 9296.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in sports