This weekend, the Nanooks take on a team who spent last year losing a lot and getting busted. If that wasn't enough, the freshmen initiation must have been to imitate the upper-classmen. Probably didn't take long for ND bench boss Jeff Jackson to reign in the team and get them turned around.
Last season, the Hunchbacks had an admittedly down season, but with a stellar freshmen class they're back firing and leading the conference in almost everything. Their power play is pretty good, but their penalty kill is absolutely ruthless. They kill 86.2% of the penalties they take, but whats more impressive is the 11 shorthanded goals they've put up this year, the most in the nation. 4 more than BC, who is sitting in 2nd with 7 shorties. That's nuts.
ND scoring leader TJ Tynan has been tearing it up his freshman year with 15 goals and 33 points. He's leading the nation in rookie scoring, and likely has no intentions of falling out of that position. What's funny though, is when you look at his mug shot he looks like a transplant from a 1980's sitcom, a la Happy Days.
Senior Ryan Guentzel is trailing just behind with 26 points, and he's a dynamic forward that can take control of a game when others get bottled up. After a close loss to Bowling Green in the first half of the season, Ryan responded in the second game with a 3 point performance in a 6-3 win. Ryan's brother Gabe made the trek to Fairbanks with Colorado College back in October who made a name for himself, earning All-Tournament honors.
Since the emotional split with Miami on the road, the Nanooks are 2-3-3. In the same timeframe, the Hunchbacks have gone 4-2-1. Out of the break, the ND found themselves in a hostile environment in Marquette, Michigan in the den of the Wildcats. Turns out it wouldn't matter, as the Hunchbacks pounded the Wildcats like battering rams 8-1, 3-1. Some may argue that Notre Dame stepped over the line last Friday, but mark it 8, Dude. (NSFW)
The 'Nooks need to hit the road running with this series. With school still yet to start, they got out early this week to have more time to get ready. Notre Dame is not Western. As good as the Broncos have gotten, and they proved that last weekend, points will be harder for the Nanooks to take out of this series, especially on the road.
These games can be streamed live online for free through UND.com. Friday's game is at 3:35PM, and Saturday at 3:05PM.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Nanooks Blanked 0-2
You could tell both teams came ready to play for the second game. The game was a lot more even in terms of skating and shooting.
Western got themselves on the board at 18:56 into the 1st period ... and the 2nd period. Both on the power play, both on one-timers from same side. Kind of eerie.
Not really much to say. Nanooks got 33 shots on goal, yet, couldn't get any of them past Kuhn. Some good scoring chances, and obviously none went in. That's how the night went.
This game was Kuhn's first career shutout in a Broncos jersey.
Tough fought game but the 'Nooks will have to swallow this weekend and start prepping for the big two week road trip, taking on Michigan and the Hunchbacks from Notre Dame. The 'Nooks get just one of the six points out of the weekend going forward. Points are at a premium, but fortunately, most of the remainder of the schedule will be in the friendly confines of the Carlson Center.
Western got themselves on the board at 18:56 into the 1st period ... and the 2nd period. Both on the power play, both on one-timers from same side. Kind of eerie.
Not really much to say. Nanooks got 33 shots on goal, yet, couldn't get any of them past Kuhn. Some good scoring chances, and obviously none went in. That's how the night went.
This game was Kuhn's first career shutout in a Broncos jersey.
Tough fought game but the 'Nooks will have to swallow this weekend and start prepping for the big two week road trip, taking on Michigan and the Hunchbacks from Notre Dame. The 'Nooks get just one of the six points out of the weekend going forward. Points are at a premium, but fortunately, most of the remainder of the schedule will be in the friendly confines of the Carlson Center.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Game Day Saturday
Tonight, the 'Nooks look to get back in it. Ohio State has officially swept Miami, and Ferris State swept Bowling Green.
Not much has changed for the lines tonight. A bit of the way through the game yesterday, coach Ferguson shook up the Taranto line with Carlo Finucci and Jarret Granberg. The fourth line has been ratcheted up as well, with Henderson and Hohl, so look for some extra physicality there...
Alaska
F1 Carlo Finucci - Jarret Granberg - Andy Taranto
F2 Kevin Petovello - Cody Kunyk - Nik Yaremchuk
F3 Colton Beck - Derek Klassen - Ronnie Meyers
F4 Ryan Hohl - Adam Henderson - Justin Filzen
D1 Joe Sova - Aaron Gens
D2 Bryant Molle - Michael Quinn
D3 Kaare Odegard - Scott Enders
G1 Scott Greenham
G2 Colin Rundelll
G3 Steve Thompson
Western Michigan
F1 Trevor Elias - Max Campbell - Greg Squires
F2 Shane Berschbach - Chase Balisy - Dane Walters
F3 Ryan Watson - Ian Slater - Mike Leone
F4 Derek Roehl - Ben Warda - Kyle O'Kane
D1 Danny Dekeyser - Luke Witkowski
D2 Dennis Brown - Matt Tennyson
D3 Mike Levendusky - Ross Henry
G1 Jerry Kuhn
G2 Matthew Federico
Not much has changed for the lines tonight. A bit of the way through the game yesterday, coach Ferguson shook up the Taranto line with Carlo Finucci and Jarret Granberg. The fourth line has been ratcheted up as well, with Henderson and Hohl, so look for some extra physicality there...
Alaska
F1 Carlo Finucci - Jarret Granberg - Andy Taranto
F2 Kevin Petovello - Cody Kunyk - Nik Yaremchuk
F3 Colton Beck - Derek Klassen - Ronnie Meyers
F4 Ryan Hohl - Adam Henderson - Justin Filzen
D1 Joe Sova - Aaron Gens
D2 Bryant Molle - Michael Quinn
D3 Kaare Odegard - Scott Enders
G1 Scott Greenham
G2 Colin Rundelll
G3 Steve Thompson
Western Michigan
F1 Trevor Elias - Max Campbell - Greg Squires
F2 Shane Berschbach - Chase Balisy - Dane Walters
F3 Ryan Watson - Ian Slater - Mike Leone
F4 Derek Roehl - Ben Warda - Kyle O'Kane
D1 Danny Dekeyser - Luke Witkowski
D2 Dennis Brown - Matt Tennyson
D3 Mike Levendusky - Ross Henry
G1 Jerry Kuhn
G2 Matthew Federico
WMU Takes Game One 3-2 Through a Shootout
A very interesting game to watch, to put it simply. A lot of scoring chances for Western were flubbed, but with the Great Wall of Greenham in net, he stopped the rest. Scotty literally played one of the best games I've ever seen a goaltender play. He was sharp, composed, and stayed in front of the puck. My pre-game analysis was pretty much right on in terms of Westerns goal production. They really take every chance they get to put the puck on the goaltender looking for a rebound or a good bounce, and they do very well maintaining puck possession in the offensive zone. 38 shots on goal kind of proves that. But a lot of things went wrong for Western, and for Alaska on the same note. The Broncos had chance after chance in odd man rushes and open back doors, and a lot of them were shot wide, or the forward fanned on the shot. The first period alone, Western could have put up 4 or 5 goals. You'll see that in the video recap. A lot of those chances drew the 'Nooks to take some penalties, finding themselves shorthanded for 6:00 of the first period. The Nanooks penalty kill remained solid and did a good job limiting their chances, only allowing 7 shots to reach Greenham, who stopped them all.
As coach Ferguson claimed, the first period got off to a bit of a sloppy start. A couple of guys took some penalties, some warranted more than others, but thats how it goes. Western dominated the stat sheet, outshooting the 'Nooks 14-6, and were 10-7 in faceoffs. Both sides had some quality scoring chances, but no goals on the board. Andy Taranto had the highlight of the period though, snatching a puck out of mid-air with the glove on the forecheck, and found himself all alone with Bronco netminder Jerry Kuhn, who found himself in a situation he probably didn't want to be in. Kuhn came out like a theif though, robbing Taranto's chance through the five hole. The first period alone, Western could have put up 4 or 5 goals. You'll see that in the video recap. A lot of those chances drew the 'Nooks to take some penalties, finding themselves shorthanded for 6:00 of the first period. The Nanooks penalty kill remained solid and did a good job limiting their chances, only allowing 7 shots to reach Greenham, who stopped them all.
The second period I thought got off to a much quicker start. Both teams were skating a bit faster, and more fundamentally sound. I didn't think the 'Nooks were quite on their game yet, but from the first period they were heading in the right direction. Thanks to a high sticking penalty taken by WMU's Luke Witkowski, the door of power play opportunity had opened for the 'Nooks, and they took no time to go through it. Just 27 seconds after the penalty box door closed, the puck was in the net, and the door opened again. Sova and Gens kept the puck at the point, looking for a lane to shoot it through. Gens found Taranto perched just behind the goaltender, who took no time getting it off his stick, hitting Jerry Kuhn in the back of his left leg, Gretsky-style, and in the net. A bit later, a huge opportunity came for Western as Nanook defeseman Michael Quinn's stick collapsed in his hands, which resulted in a 3 on 1 opportunity in the wrong direction. The shot however, went wide. WMU forward Greg Squires found an opportunity a bit later through traffic, and got the puck through and just under the crossbar to beat Greenham to tie the game just 1:43 after Taranto's power play tally.
Carlo Finucci had a very pretty goal on the rush that had some extra meaning to it. About half way through the period, a WMU player got away with throwing an elbow into Carlo's face after he took a shot. Carlo went down, and off the ice for a short while but he wouldn't miss his next shift. Rushing up the ice with Granberg, Jarret left the puck for Finucci just inside the blue line. Carlo took it just above the faceoff circle to the right of the goal and sniped it top shelf glove side to go up 2-1. Keep your eyes peeled in the video, you'll be impressed.
In the third period, I thought the 'Nooks got back on their game. They really took it to Western and started generating some quality scoring chances. But a hooking penalty on Cody Kunyk seemed to take the momentum away, and Western capitalized. Max Campbell had an impressive shot of his own on the rush from the high slot area to tie the game, where it would end. "Moving forward in the third period, we gave up that goal but I thought it was probably our best period of the night. Where we started to do some things, simplified our game, started to win some more battles, got some pucks in deep, started to forecheck, and creating scoring chances." Ferguson said after the game, and I couldn't agree more. He had also mentioned Western getting a better start, which is what I would like to see change the most in game two tonight.
And on to the video... Big kudos to Jaime Schwartzwald and the guys at TVTV for getting this put together so quickly. At about the 40 second mark, Kaare Odegard rocks Mike Leone's world with a beautiful open ice hit.
As coach Ferguson claimed, the first period got off to a bit of a sloppy start. A couple of guys took some penalties, some warranted more than others, but thats how it goes. Western dominated the stat sheet, outshooting the 'Nooks 14-6, and were 10-7 in faceoffs. Both sides had some quality scoring chances, but no goals on the board. Andy Taranto had the highlight of the period though, snatching a puck out of mid-air with the glove on the forecheck, and found himself all alone with Bronco netminder Jerry Kuhn, who found himself in a situation he probably didn't want to be in. Kuhn came out like a theif though, robbing Taranto's chance through the five hole. The first period alone, Western could have put up 4 or 5 goals. You'll see that in the video recap. A lot of those chances drew the 'Nooks to take some penalties, finding themselves shorthanded for 6:00 of the first period. The Nanooks penalty kill remained solid and did a good job limiting their chances, only allowing 7 shots to reach Greenham, who stopped them all.
The second period I thought got off to a much quicker start. Both teams were skating a bit faster, and more fundamentally sound. I didn't think the 'Nooks were quite on their game yet, but from the first period they were heading in the right direction. Thanks to a high sticking penalty taken by WMU's Luke Witkowski, the door of power play opportunity had opened for the 'Nooks, and they took no time to go through it. Just 27 seconds after the penalty box door closed, the puck was in the net, and the door opened again. Sova and Gens kept the puck at the point, looking for a lane to shoot it through. Gens found Taranto perched just behind the goaltender, who took no time getting it off his stick, hitting Jerry Kuhn in the back of his left leg, Gretsky-style, and in the net. A bit later, a huge opportunity came for Western as Nanook defeseman Michael Quinn's stick collapsed in his hands, which resulted in a 3 on 1 opportunity in the wrong direction. The shot however, went wide. WMU forward Greg Squires found an opportunity a bit later through traffic, and got the puck through and just under the crossbar to beat Greenham to tie the game just 1:43 after Taranto's power play tally.
Carlo Finucci had a very pretty goal on the rush that had some extra meaning to it. About half way through the period, a WMU player got away with throwing an elbow into Carlo's face after he took a shot. Carlo went down, and off the ice for a short while but he wouldn't miss his next shift. Rushing up the ice with Granberg, Jarret left the puck for Finucci just inside the blue line. Carlo took it just above the faceoff circle to the right of the goal and sniped it top shelf glove side to go up 2-1. Keep your eyes peeled in the video, you'll be impressed.
In the third period, I thought the 'Nooks got back on their game. They really took it to Western and started generating some quality scoring chances. But a hooking penalty on Cody Kunyk seemed to take the momentum away, and Western capitalized. Max Campbell had an impressive shot of his own on the rush from the high slot area to tie the game, where it would end. "Moving forward in the third period, we gave up that goal but I thought it was probably our best period of the night. Where we started to do some things, simplified our game, started to win some more battles, got some pucks in deep, started to forecheck, and creating scoring chances." Ferguson said after the game, and I couldn't agree more. He had also mentioned Western getting a better start, which is what I would like to see change the most in game two tonight.
And on to the video... Big kudos to Jaime Schwartzwald and the guys at TVTV for getting this put together so quickly. At about the 40 second mark, Kaare Odegard rocks Mike Leone's world with a beautiful open ice hit.
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