Bulking Up for the Brice

After teams around the country get a hold of the video from the North Dakota game, you can imagine other teams will be gunning for us just like they did. Responding to physical play, and even using a little of our own will go a long way this weekend. Although I haven't been to a practice yet this week, I can imagine the intensity.


I did stop by the Carlson Center to check out Union's practice yesterday. I caught a glimpse of the new glass and dasher boards and holy cow does it look nice. Here is a picture of Colorado College's practice, shot through the glass. Look at those seams (or lack there of)!

Photo courtesy of mmf.

Not really much of a preview this weekend. Hopefully we can get that many pucks past Colorado College's goaltender on Saturday. Something tells me that might not happen though. This has been quite a crazy week, and I haven't had a lot of free time to put stuff up here this week. I figure though, since my cohort to the south was kind enough to plagiarize me with my post about the Kendall, I figure that's a free ticket to do the same for his post for the Brice. As much as I don't like his team for obvious rivalry reasons, I do like Donald's UAA blog. However, one could call his puck shooting skills into question...

[Union] is in Schenectady, New York.  They play on an NHL sized rink (200x85).  Collective pollster wisdom puts them at 16th currently.  They are led offensively by a couple of former BCHL'rs in Kelly Zajac (Mrs. Zajac was a hockey player factory) and Adam Presizniuk and the current ECAC Rookie of the Week Jason Jooris who has 3 goals and 2 assists.  Their roster looks much like a typical UAA or UAF roster with good representation from the BCHL and AJHL.  

They went 21-12-6 last season finishing 3rd behind Yale and Cornell.  Significant wins came against Maine (2 wins); they tied (3-3) and lost (3-1) to St. Cloud early last season.  The rest of their wins came against ECAC and Atlantic Hockey teams.  None of that means they won't be a tough opponent for the young Seawolves.  They're neither a big nor small squad.  I'll assume that they're a competitively skating team.  They'll likely work hard.

[snip] 

As for CC, this season it looks to be the Schwartz show.  Sophomore Rylan is joined by phenom brother freshman Jaden.  Additional threats will come from Gabe Guentzel and Anchorage boy William Rapuzzi.  They'e currently ranked 18th.  Last year virtually everyone figured CC would have a down year.  They didn't.  This year virtually everyone figures CC will have a bit of a down year.  So who really knows?

Tonight's games feature UAA and Colorado College (WCHA foes playing a non-conference game, just like UND last week), and Union taking on the Nanooks. Games will be at 5:05PM and 8:05PM tonight respectively. You can stream video from the games through AmericaOne (formerly B2). There is a fee, but its much less than buying a plane ticket to watch the games here, but likely more than your latte you would buy in the morning. 


I'll have lines posted for UA and Union before the game. See you at the Carlson Center.