Michigan's playing that school that's really close to Russia, in the CCHA semifinals at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, I would post a picture of Sarah Palin on this blog, but my parents read it and I don't want to offend them. I'll have a more in-depth preview up later in the week, because i've had a busy week and i need some relaxation to catch up on.
FINALLY!!!!!!!!! Here's the video i promised of fan interviews at Yost Ice Arena which I said I was going to do last year.
Check out the old guy i interviewed.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Showing posts with label hockey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hockey. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
A Michigan hockey fan's longest week of the year.
With the bye week going on there has been plenty to occupy the mind of the typical obsessive Michigan hockey fan for the week. Namely the fact that Michigan has gotten not one but two outdoor hockey games next year. On top of the fact that Red Berenson will be back for at least one more season. And this doesn't take into account the fact that the Michigan basketball team is playing their biggest game in years on saturday, which i will get back to later.
The Michigan hockey team itself aside from dealing with post break stresses of every other student in Ann Arbor is also wondering who they are going to be playing next week at the great cathedral of college hockey, Yost Ice Arena. There is a possibility that the winged helmets on ice will be playing the now extremely hated Michigan State Spartans. However it is a remote possibility because the Spartans are the No. 11 team in the conference which would mean in order for them to play the Wolverines they would not only have to beat Northern Michigan in Marquette, they would also need Bowling Green to upset Ohio State.
The former might actually be possible, MSU got three points against the Wildcats in October, but that was before a wave of injuries and suspensions swept over the Spartans and reduced them to the laughingstock of the CCHA. The latter is highly unlikely due to the fact that the only quality win BGSU has had all year is against Michigan on a friday which shouldn't count because at that point in the year it seemed unlikely Michigan wanted to play anybody on friday at home for some strange reason.
The realistic teams that Michigan could face are Northern Michigan, Western, and Nebraska Omaha (UNO to those who care). They could also face Ferris State and Lake Superior State, but i'm not going to talk about them because it would involve some really weird upsets.
Northern and Western are the most realistic teams that the Wolverines will face next week, and they lost to both teams earlier in the year. In both games they lost with Billy Sauer in goal when the team was refusing to give him goal support. If Bryan Hogan is in goal they should have no such problem and advance to Joe Louis Arena with goals to spare.
Go Blue.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
The Michigan hockey team itself aside from dealing with post break stresses of every other student in Ann Arbor is also wondering who they are going to be playing next week at the great cathedral of college hockey, Yost Ice Arena. There is a possibility that the winged helmets on ice will be playing the now extremely hated Michigan State Spartans. However it is a remote possibility because the Spartans are the No. 11 team in the conference which would mean in order for them to play the Wolverines they would not only have to beat Northern Michigan in Marquette, they would also need Bowling Green to upset Ohio State.
The former might actually be possible, MSU got three points against the Wildcats in October, but that was before a wave of injuries and suspensions swept over the Spartans and reduced them to the laughingstock of the CCHA. The latter is highly unlikely due to the fact that the only quality win BGSU has had all year is against Michigan on a friday which shouldn't count because at that point in the year it seemed unlikely Michigan wanted to play anybody on friday at home for some strange reason.
The realistic teams that Michigan could face are Northern Michigan, Western, and Nebraska Omaha (UNO to those who care). They could also face Ferris State and Lake Superior State, but i'm not going to talk about them because it would involve some really weird upsets.
Northern and Western are the most realistic teams that the Wolverines will face next week, and they lost to both teams earlier in the year. In both games they lost with Billy Sauer in goal when the team was refusing to give him goal support. If Bryan Hogan is in goal they should have no such problem and advance to Joe Louis Arena with goals to spare.
Go Blue.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
A mixed weekend
The first game was one of the best Michigan hockey game i've ever seen. They went on the road into a hostile environment into probably the worst arena in the CCHA, according to my friend Shaun, and they beat the number one team in the nation.
Not only did they do that they beat them on some incredible skilled goals from two undrafted seniors in Travis Turnbull and Tim Miller.
Although the first game was a masterpiece the second one is more likely to be on ESPN classic, as if they ever show a college hockey game, due to their general disdain towards all things at the University of Michigan, and love of all things Notre Dame. The first period featured a goal that is appropriate in the world's greatest game on grass, futbol, but should not be even considered legal in hockey.
I was at center ice and even i could clearly see from where i was standing that the goal shouldn't have counted. His foot was going forward as it hit the puck, and it went in the net. On top of that, if i saw it, how did the ref who was standing behind the net and called it a goal not see it. Was he looking away? Distracted by the crowd? Distracted by a player? Because if he saw the whole play he would not have called that a goal. I didn't make that big a deal of it at the time though, mainly because i thought that Michigan was going to come back and win it.
I knew Notre Dame had a great defense and was worried when they got that first "goal" but when the first period ended without another one, i felt confident that the wolverines would at least tie it.
This kinda summarizes how i felt after a penalty shot goal and another goal in the second period. (NSFW)
The so called "Irish" fans sitting in the student section proceeded to rub it in our faces that they were "the better team" so they claimed. Tensions and tempers were running high when i took my place in the dance for "Can't Turn You Loose."
Getting that first power play goal from Aaron Palushaj was just what the doctor ordered. Hope was restored, there was a flash of light towards the end of the metaphorical tunnel. Then Robbie Czarnik ended his 21 game goalless streak and the light was becoming more visible. Then with about half a minute to go and an extra attacker on the ice, after a lengthy scrum around the net a goal had been scored, and the winged helmets on ice had made it. They had gone into a series with the number one team in the country and were going to come out of it with at least three points.
But hold the phone.....
What was this? The refs were going into the booth to have a look and determine whether they had blown the play dead before the shot was released. They ruled it to be not a goal from their overhead camera, and the puck luck of the Irish prevailed once again to the general disdain of the thunderstick wielding Yost crowd, who proceeded to pop those balloons in disgust afterward. Michigan has retained their place in the top four in the CCHA and are four points, and two games behind second place Miami, but they would prefer to be four points and zero games behind Notre Dame.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Not only did they do that they beat them on some incredible skilled goals from two undrafted seniors in Travis Turnbull and Tim Miller.
Although the first game was a masterpiece the second one is more likely to be on ESPN classic, as if they ever show a college hockey game, due to their general disdain towards all things at the University of Michigan, and love of all things Notre Dame. The first period featured a goal that is appropriate in the world's greatest game on grass, futbol, but should not be even considered legal in hockey.
I was at center ice and even i could clearly see from where i was standing that the goal shouldn't have counted. His foot was going forward as it hit the puck, and it went in the net. On top of that, if i saw it, how did the ref who was standing behind the net and called it a goal not see it. Was he looking away? Distracted by the crowd? Distracted by a player? Because if he saw the whole play he would not have called that a goal. I didn't make that big a deal of it at the time though, mainly because i thought that Michigan was going to come back and win it.
I knew Notre Dame had a great defense and was worried when they got that first "goal" but when the first period ended without another one, i felt confident that the wolverines would at least tie it.
This kinda summarizes how i felt after a penalty shot goal and another goal in the second period. (NSFW)
The so called "Irish" fans sitting in the student section proceeded to rub it in our faces that they were "the better team" so they claimed. Tensions and tempers were running high when i took my place in the dance for "Can't Turn You Loose."
Getting that first power play goal from Aaron Palushaj was just what the doctor ordered. Hope was restored, there was a flash of light towards the end of the metaphorical tunnel. Then Robbie Czarnik ended his 21 game goalless streak and the light was becoming more visible. Then with about half a minute to go and an extra attacker on the ice, after a lengthy scrum around the net a goal had been scored, and the winged helmets on ice had made it. They had gone into a series with the number one team in the country and were going to come out of it with at least three points.
But hold the phone.....
What was this? The refs were going into the booth to have a look and determine whether they had blown the play dead before the shot was released. They ruled it to be not a goal from their overhead camera, and the puck luck of the Irish prevailed once again to the general disdain of the thunderstick wielding Yost crowd, who proceeded to pop those balloons in disgust afterward. Michigan has retained their place in the top four in the CCHA and are four points, and two games behind second place Miami, but they would prefer to be four points and zero games behind Notre Dame.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Friday, January 30, 2009
Looking out for the no. 1
Jeff Jackson's Irish fighters have finally discovered the keys to having a good offense in college hockey, getting lots of shots on goal and having goal scorers. With guys like Christian Hanson (son of one of the infamous Hanson Brothers of Slap shot) and Calle Ridderwall, the second and fifth leading goal scorers in the CCHA. On top of that they still have the second best goaltender in the conference in Jordan Pearce.
Notre Dame is not ranked No. 1 for nothing they haven't lost since before Halloween, and the only blemishes on their record since then have been three shootout wins against Lake Superior State and Western Michigan. Granted the most challenging teams they've beaten are an overrated Boston College team and an Alaska squad who have traditionally had problems winning on the road.
That being said this is going to be the toughest home and home for the Wolverines all year. They have to beat a team that has a strategy that has frustrated them two years in a row, and now they've added something extra to that strategy, goal scoring. Michigan has to score first in each game they can't afford to fall behind against them in any case, playing behind a Jeff Jackson team is always costly. In this case they absolutely have to come out aggressive and alert at the same time. They can't afford to make mistakes, something that the Irish thrive on making their opponents do. Last but not least the winged helmets on ice have to be confident that when the going gets tough their tough get going. If they have to play without Kampfer use him as an inspiration for a victory do not let him be hurt in vain.
And where do you go when it's all done?
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Notre Dame is not ranked No. 1 for nothing they haven't lost since before Halloween, and the only blemishes on their record since then have been three shootout wins against Lake Superior State and Western Michigan. Granted the most challenging teams they've beaten are an overrated Boston College team and an Alaska squad who have traditionally had problems winning on the road.
That being said this is going to be the toughest home and home for the Wolverines all year. They have to beat a team that has a strategy that has frustrated them two years in a row, and now they've added something extra to that strategy, goal scoring. Michigan has to score first in each game they can't afford to fall behind against them in any case, playing behind a Jeff Jackson team is always costly. In this case they absolutely have to come out aggressive and alert at the same time. They can't afford to make mistakes, something that the Irish thrive on making their opponents do. Last but not least the winged helmets on ice have to be confident that when the going gets tough their tough get going. If they have to play without Kampfer use him as an inspiration for a victory do not let him be hurt in vain.
And where do you go when it's all done?
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Downer on a great day
Everything was going so well that evening for the Michigan athletic department. The basketball team had beaten Northwestern and pulled even in their conference record making their case for the NCAA tournament selection committee stronger. The hockey team was playing a great game against their arch rival Michigan State, they were up by two goals with less than a minute to play, thank you.
The Wolverines were about to wrap up their sixth straight victory over their little brothers the Spartans. The latter were not pleased about this outcome, but what could they do? A lot of damage that's what.
Steve Kampfer had a so so game, he assisted on an early goal in the first period and then he got juked in the second period on State's first goal later on in that period he had been playing either lethargic or tired, depending on your definition. But he was playing hard in the third period when he made a clean open ice hit on Corey Tropp in order to separate him from the puck. From my understanding of the rules of hockey there is nothing wrong with doing that, as long as the guy has the puck you can check him. Kampfer didn't have the puck, but that didn't stop Andrew Conboy from clotheslining him. As if that weren't enough, Tropp decided to get in on the action and hit him on the head with his stick, i guess it was for "good measure."
The melee that ensued was not as noteworthy, the fans got upset and started chanting "**** you State" and "sore losers." I was told later in the game that Kampfer's dad found out it was his son who had just been the victim of the on ice assault, he ran out of the parents section of the arena and started screaming at Rick Comley from behind the bench, and later allegedly stormed into the visiting locker room to confront Conboy, Tropp and Comley.
Profanity and chants and open ice hits are all part of hockey at Yost, but what Conboy and Tropp did was not normal. Personally i'd go so far as to call it aggravated assault, a felony under state law. I think that not only should Rick Comley move to expel those two players from the team the Washtenaw County prosecutor Brian L. Mackie should start drafting charges for aggravated assault on them as well.
What could have been a great day for the Michigan athletic department turned into a day of great shame for college hockey in general as we see it's greatest rivalry devolve into senseless violence. Hopefully somebody will make some sense out of this and see that Kampfer returns to the ice and to the classroom where he is working on a bachelor's in political science like me.
It's times like these when we realize how vulnerable we are as human beings.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
The Wolverines were about to wrap up their sixth straight victory over their little brothers the Spartans. The latter were not pleased about this outcome, but what could they do? A lot of damage that's what.
Steve Kampfer had a so so game, he assisted on an early goal in the first period and then he got juked in the second period on State's first goal later on in that period he had been playing either lethargic or tired, depending on your definition. But he was playing hard in the third period when he made a clean open ice hit on Corey Tropp in order to separate him from the puck. From my understanding of the rules of hockey there is nothing wrong with doing that, as long as the guy has the puck you can check him. Kampfer didn't have the puck, but that didn't stop Andrew Conboy from clotheslining him. As if that weren't enough, Tropp decided to get in on the action and hit him on the head with his stick, i guess it was for "good measure."
The melee that ensued was not as noteworthy, the fans got upset and started chanting "**** you State" and "sore losers." I was told later in the game that Kampfer's dad found out it was his son who had just been the victim of the on ice assault, he ran out of the parents section of the arena and started screaming at Rick Comley from behind the bench, and later allegedly stormed into the visiting locker room to confront Conboy, Tropp and Comley.
Profanity and chants and open ice hits are all part of hockey at Yost, but what Conboy and Tropp did was not normal. Personally i'd go so far as to call it aggravated assault, a felony under state law. I think that not only should Rick Comley move to expel those two players from the team the Washtenaw County prosecutor Brian L. Mackie should start drafting charges for aggravated assault on them as well.
What could have been a great day for the Michigan athletic department turned into a day of great shame for college hockey in general as we see it's greatest rivalry devolve into senseless violence. Hopefully somebody will make some sense out of this and see that Kampfer returns to the ice and to the classroom where he is working on a bachelor's in political science like me.
It's times like these when we realize how vulnerable we are as human beings.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Friday, January 23, 2009
Coming back from the worst week ever
Aside from the winged helmets on ice's absolutely unacceptable loss to Bowling Green AT YOST on Friday. Michigan also suffered greatly at the hands of the hoops teams of Illinois, that school in Columbus, and the cherry on top of this sundae of vomit was a fifteen point loss to Penn State, one of the Big Ten's perennial cellar dwellers.
First Michigan hockey. The icers are in a mini goal scoring slump that they had better break out of quickly, because they are going into the coldest of all wars. They have to beat Jeff Lerg who despite having less support from his teammates is still a great goalie. The Wolverines have to score plenty of goals against MSU to win this one, they have to maintain the pressure they got on him earlier in the season and they have to get over the godawful performance of last Friday, in which i might add it looked like Chris Summers was playing like a bored drunk and was leading his team by example into a loss.
Michigan cannot afford another loss to another down team with upcoming games against Notre Dame, Nebraska Omaha and Ohio State, all of whom are in the top four in the CCHA. There is no excuse for them not getting four points out of this weekend series, if they want to have a first round bye in the conference tournament they have to start with a sweep of MSU.
Turning our attention to the hardwood, the loss to Penn State was the worst loss i've ever seen the Michigan basketball team play in, and i've seen a few. It was so painful to watch that i watched most of TNT's new show Leverage instead, primarily because i couldn't deal with the fact they were losing to the Nittany Lions.
They lacked the will, swagger, and the never say die attitude that i saw in the non conference schedule and in the Indiana game recently. They didn't just play tentatively, they played as if they had loss that sense of urgency that drove them to upset Duke and UCLA, as if that was enough to make the NCAA tournament all on their own.
What i have to say to that is, WAKE THE HELL UP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Wolverines still have a shot at making the Big Dance due to the absolute insanity that is going on in the Big Ten tournament this year, if they can still squeak out a .500 record and make it out of the second round of the conference tourney they should be going to the dance. But they have to finish the regular season with the same intensity they started it with in order to get into the madness of March. They can start by beating Northwestern the team that just beat seventh ranked Michigan State at the Breslin Center for the first time since 1984.
p.s. those of you who actually watched the game this is what you're missing.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
First Michigan hockey. The icers are in a mini goal scoring slump that they had better break out of quickly, because they are going into the coldest of all wars. They have to beat Jeff Lerg who despite having less support from his teammates is still a great goalie. The Wolverines have to score plenty of goals against MSU to win this one, they have to maintain the pressure they got on him earlier in the season and they have to get over the godawful performance of last Friday, in which i might add it looked like Chris Summers was playing like a bored drunk and was leading his team by example into a loss.
Michigan cannot afford another loss to another down team with upcoming games against Notre Dame, Nebraska Omaha and Ohio State, all of whom are in the top four in the CCHA. There is no excuse for them not getting four points out of this weekend series, if they want to have a first round bye in the conference tournament they have to start with a sweep of MSU.
Turning our attention to the hardwood, the loss to Penn State was the worst loss i've ever seen the Michigan basketball team play in, and i've seen a few. It was so painful to watch that i watched most of TNT's new show Leverage instead, primarily because i couldn't deal with the fact they were losing to the Nittany Lions.
They lacked the will, swagger, and the never say die attitude that i saw in the non conference schedule and in the Indiana game recently. They didn't just play tentatively, they played as if they had loss that sense of urgency that drove them to upset Duke and UCLA, as if that was enough to make the NCAA tournament all on their own.
What i have to say to that is, WAKE THE HELL UP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Wolverines still have a shot at making the Big Dance due to the absolute insanity that is going on in the Big Ten tournament this year, if they can still squeak out a .500 record and make it out of the second round of the conference tourney they should be going to the dance. But they have to finish the regular season with the same intensity they started it with in order to get into the madness of March. They can start by beating Northwestern the team that just beat seventh ranked Michigan State at the Breslin Center for the first time since 1984.
p.s. those of you who actually watched the game this is what you're missing.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Michigan vs. Miami series hype blog.
Disclaimer: i'm kinda drunk right now, so please excuse the way i might come off here.
The winged helmets on ice are going into what seems like the most important series of the regular season. They're coming into it pretty pumped up from winning their second straight GLI with Inside College Hockey's new hidden Hobey Louie Caporusso. Judging from that and the "Hobey Baker" chants i heard at the Joe after the death of the Spartans it wouldn't surprise me if he got some consideration for the hockey version of the Heisman trophy.
The Wolverines are hoping to capitalize off a win two weeks ago against a team that was limping through their season. Miami is hoping to recover from a loss to a team that hadn't won in 56 days. Ironically, or perhaps fittingly Michigan ended that team's season last year in the game that sent them to the frozen four.
There are many factors in this game, not the least of which is vengance. Last year that was a big enough factor in getting the Wolverines over the Redhawks in Miami with three hard earned points, especially considering how crazy that second game was.
Other than that there are the scorers. Michigan boasts two 25 point getters in Aaron Palushaj (who played in the World Junior Championship) and Louie Caporusso (who did not). Miami has the leading scorer in the CCHA in Carter Camper with 27 points 12 of them from goals. Louie trails him in points but is considered more deadly with his shooting as 18 of his points come from goals. He will probably start and he will probably get the old Bobby Hull treatment, wherever he goes, the Redhawk defenders go with him. With him and probably Camper being constantly trailed both teams will have to look to other options that are more likely to be open.
Special teams will also be a factor, Miami has a decided advantage in that department with three of the top seven power play goal getters in the CCHA. Staying out of the box will be absolutely crucial for the Wolverines if they want to win. They have to be able to play the type of disciplined hockey that Red Berenson has been preaching since he came back to Ann Arbor from the pro ranks in 1984. They need to play like they are ready to give their coach a championship in his last season. In order to execute that latter statement they have to get at least two points out of this series in order for them to be taken seriously by the selection committee, and that will also go a long way to get the team to make a first round bye in the CCHA tournament for the umpteenth year. They need all the help they can get they can get it from everybody who's available.
ahhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
The winged helmets on ice are going into what seems like the most important series of the regular season. They're coming into it pretty pumped up from winning their second straight GLI with Inside College Hockey's new hidden Hobey Louie Caporusso. Judging from that and the "Hobey Baker" chants i heard at the Joe after the death of the Spartans it wouldn't surprise me if he got some consideration for the hockey version of the Heisman trophy.
The Wolverines are hoping to capitalize off a win two weeks ago against a team that was limping through their season. Miami is hoping to recover from a loss to a team that hadn't won in 56 days. Ironically, or perhaps fittingly Michigan ended that team's season last year in the game that sent them to the frozen four.
There are many factors in this game, not the least of which is vengance. Last year that was a big enough factor in getting the Wolverines over the Redhawks in Miami with three hard earned points, especially considering how crazy that second game was.
Other than that there are the scorers. Michigan boasts two 25 point getters in Aaron Palushaj (who played in the World Junior Championship) and Louie Caporusso (who did not). Miami has the leading scorer in the CCHA in Carter Camper with 27 points 12 of them from goals. Louie trails him in points but is considered more deadly with his shooting as 18 of his points come from goals. He will probably start and he will probably get the old Bobby Hull treatment, wherever he goes, the Redhawk defenders go with him. With him and probably Camper being constantly trailed both teams will have to look to other options that are more likely to be open.
Special teams will also be a factor, Miami has a decided advantage in that department with three of the top seven power play goal getters in the CCHA. Staying out of the box will be absolutely crucial for the Wolverines if they want to win. They have to be able to play the type of disciplined hockey that Red Berenson has been preaching since he came back to Ann Arbor from the pro ranks in 1984. They need to play like they are ready to give their coach a championship in his last season. In order to execute that latter statement they have to get at least two points out of this series in order for them to be taken seriously by the selection committee, and that will also go a long way to get the team to make a first round bye in the CCHA tournament for the umpteenth year. They need all the help they can get they can get it from everybody who's available.
ahhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Michigan: 5, Michigan State: 1
The score says it all doesn't it?
No it doesn't. Actually what really helps to understand is the difference in shots on goal between the two teams. Michigan had 54 throughout the whole game, fairly well distributed throughout each period. State had 20 for the whole game and five of them were in the last two periods. On top of that as my friend who was sitting next to me throughout that second day at Joe Louis Arena was telling me the score should be 7-1 at least. There were several missed opportunities in which a guy was out of place with a wide open net on one side.
Truth be told, the score should have been at least 7-0 because when you take into account the fact that there were a couple of wide open nets that were missed by the Wolverines, one should also think of Michigan State's goal and how it was scored. The Spartans had a two man advantage when they should have been merely playing on the power play.
The tripping penalty that Carl Hagelin was called for seven minutes into the game was one of the worst missed calls i've ever seen in hockey. He merely lifted his stick up and Brandon Gentile took the most blatant dive this side of Christiano Ronaldo. What really got people riled up was when the replay was shown on the video board at Joe Louis Arena, after the goal was scored and the announcer was announcing who assisted on the goal every Michigan fan in my area was yelling,
GIVE AN ASSIST TO THE REF!!!!
All in all the tournament was very good. Michigan showed that they could dominate on offense and on the scoreboard as well. However this weekend should not be seen as a marker of things to come just yet. They did not play the best competition that college hockey has to offer. The real test of this team's metal will be on January 9-10 against Miami, the top team in the CCHA whom they have already been swept by in Oxford. Hopefully for the winged helmets on ice their luck and the results of the two contests will be in their favor next time around.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Friday, December 26, 2008
GLI Preview
North Dakota: No Oshie, no Lamorreux, no Ryan Duncan, no problem for the Sioux right?
Wrong. Without those four major stars in the lineup for the men in Grand Forks, hockey season has been a disappointment by their normal standards. Prior to December the Fighting Sioux had not swept a single series, been swept in the season starting Icebreaker by Boston University and UMass. On top of that they had serious problems with every conference team they had played. Prior to a sweep of St. Cloud St at home December 12-13 they had gotten either one or two points in every series for over a month, including a home loss to Alaska-Anchorage, the perennial bottom feeders of the WCHA.
Unfortunately for the Michigan teams in the Great Lakes Invitational, the Sioux might be finding a way out of that slump. They have won four straight games, two on the road against Harvard, somewhat atoning for their poor performance in Boston at the beginning of the season, in addition to the aforementioned sweep of St. Cloud St. However, neither one of these teams is a true power this season. What is apparent, however is that the Sioux will have some confidence to try and carry them through what is expected to be, two tough games.
With the lack of star power the Fighting Sioux have started to spread the puck around more and get as many players on the score sheet as possible. This seems to have worked because they do not have a single player in the top twenty in scoring in the WCHA, but have still managed to have a record above .500, albeit barely at 9-8-1. Whatever travails North Dakota are facing, however, must seem trivial to what are facing their opponents in the semifinal, the Michigan State Spartans.
Michigan State: The Spartans clearly believed that Jeff Lerg would not fall victim to Kasey Keller syndrome, in the sense that he could win games on his own as a goalie. This has not been the case all year, it was most dramatically demonstrated in their most recent home-and-home series against the Michigan Wolverines, in which they got a goal in the first period and their defense proceeded to drop the soap in the second and third periods giving up six goals and more importantly, failing to support Lerg in anyway.
The Spartans are coming into this game on the lowest of lows, not only did they just get swept by their archrivals, they haven't won a game since Halloween. If they want to prove that they are still a capable team in the CCHA this year the GLI could be the shot in the arm the team is looking for, and even if it isn't, they could use it as added incentive to play like more of a nuisance later on in the schedule.
Overall, the MSU-NoDak game looks like it could be one sided, but probably won't be.
Michigan Tech: The Huskies have had it almost as bad as the Spartans, they have won twice since Halloween, but their problems have been compounded by replacing Rob Nolan at goaltender. Nolan, who put on one of the greatest performances i have ever seen in the GLI last year, has been replaced by Josh Robinson who has had a decent showing especially in the last three games in which he has given up a mere two goals.
The Huskies like the Fighting Sioux might be on their way back up again. This past weekend they swept Northern Michigan in a home and home series in which they gave up a single goal. One problem with that is, Northern Michigan has not been known for scoring goals this season, they have tended to rely more on their defense. Tech knows they will be in for an offensive assault from the Wolverines tomorrow at 3 regardless of the fact that Aaron Palushaj and Matt Rust are playing in the World Junior Championships. They had also better be prepared for a Michigan defense that might be revitalized from the return of Steven Kampfer.
Michigan: Woo hoo, Kampfer's back and blonder than ever. After losing two of their top defensemen, the winged helmets on ice have struggled to find the right combination of blueliners to go with Chris Summers. Scooter Vaughn and Chad Langlais have played admirably in the absence of Kampfer and Mark Mitera, but they have also succumb to fatigue at times due to the lack of depth the injuries have caused. Would they have beaten Miami, Western Michigan, and Wisconsin if one of them had been healthy, maybe, maybe not.
What is true about this team is that they are coming in having won three of their last four, they beat the top ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers at Mariucci Arena and swept their bitter in state rival the Spartans three weeks ago. They have had plenty of rest and are looking to justify their place in the pantheon of the gods of college hockey with or without their leading scorer.
Even without Palushaj and Rust, they still have Louie Caporusso, Carl Hagelin, and Travis Turnbull who scored the tournament winner last year in the dramatic double overtime win against Tech. They have Bryan Hogan, a goalie, who may not be the best, but somehow manages to inspire his teammates to score goals for him, something Billy Sauer seems to be incapable of doing in his senior year.
I expect Michigan vs. Michigan Tech to be a good competitive game with the good guys coming out on top.
ahhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Monday, December 8, 2008
If you can't play hockey right, go to state.
(clap, clap)
I had heard that the school in East Lansing was having trouble with their hockey team this year, but i had no idea how bad they were until i saw it with my own eyes at Yost on Friday. After getting a goal on weird breakaway, (highlights coming soon) their offense died and gave up several breakaway opportunities in which Michigan was able to shift the puck to the open side of the net away from Lerg and score. Not only did they do that, they seemed to be doing it at will by the end of the game.
A 6-1 win is great for any team, but when that team is Michigan and that win is against Michigan State after struggling to put goals in the net against Wisconsin can be a momentum builder for a team like the Wolverines. The momentum they got eventually carried them as they got three goals in the last two minutes to beat the Spartans at Munn.
Apparently State's team is young, but they won't admit it, my friend from the good guys went to the game on Saturday and remarked to one of the female students of the other school that Michigan was a young team last year too. She responded with a "ghetto head roll" and threatened him with physical harm, my friend, an occasional commenter on this blog told me his brother had to intervene to keep him from getting hurt. I guess not everybody loses graciously, or is willing to accept their own problems with their team.
The winged helmets on ice now look to get that momentum going against Michigan Tech on Saturday December 27 at Joe Louis Arena in the Great Lakes Invitational where they hope to retain the Macinnis Cup for the second year in a row after not winning it for nearly eleven years in a row.
If Michigan's offense is going to improve it will need to be much better than it was against WCHA competition last time it played them (Wisconsin). If they're not expect a defensive struggle with Bryan Hogan in net, something he's not accustomed to yet. More on Hogan later, but first here's my first experimental youtube video.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
I had heard that the school in East Lansing was having trouble with their hockey team this year, but i had no idea how bad they were until i saw it with my own eyes at Yost on Friday. After getting a goal on weird breakaway, (highlights coming soon) their offense died and gave up several breakaway opportunities in which Michigan was able to shift the puck to the open side of the net away from Lerg and score. Not only did they do that, they seemed to be doing it at will by the end of the game.
A 6-1 win is great for any team, but when that team is Michigan and that win is against Michigan State after struggling to put goals in the net against Wisconsin can be a momentum builder for a team like the Wolverines. The momentum they got eventually carried them as they got three goals in the last two minutes to beat the Spartans at Munn.
Apparently State's team is young, but they won't admit it, my friend from the good guys went to the game on Saturday and remarked to one of the female students of the other school that Michigan was a young team last year too. She responded with a "ghetto head roll" and threatened him with physical harm, my friend, an occasional commenter on this blog told me his brother had to intervene to keep him from getting hurt. I guess not everybody loses graciously, or is willing to accept their own problems with their team.
The winged helmets on ice now look to get that momentum going against Michigan Tech on Saturday December 27 at Joe Louis Arena in the Great Lakes Invitational where they hope to retain the Macinnis Cup for the second year in a row after not winning it for nearly eleven years in a row.
If Michigan's offense is going to improve it will need to be much better than it was against WCHA competition last time it played them (Wisconsin). If they're not expect a defensive struggle with Bryan Hogan in net, something he's not accustomed to yet. More on Hogan later, but first here's my first experimental youtube video.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Friday, November 28, 2008
Hockey update
Note: i couldn't think of anything better for a title for this one.
With the exception of the Saturday game against Western, the winged helmets on ice have been having a huge problem. They can't score goals. They've scored two goals combined in three of the last four games against Western Michigan and Miami. This is not only unacceptable it's a travesty for any Michigan hockey team, who pride themselves for their ability to put the puck in the net, maybe there is a lack of senior leadership out there, maybe they are missing Chad Kolarick and Kevin Porter, but they still have great potential goal scoring threats on this team and they're not doing what they're supposed to.
Michigan is taking on Minnesota and Wisconsin this weekend and if they want to beat them they better hope that turkey they had was packed with some kind of scoring magic because boy do they need it now.
ahhhhhhhhh
c-ya
With the exception of the Saturday game against Western, the winged helmets on ice have been having a huge problem. They can't score goals. They've scored two goals combined in three of the last four games against Western Michigan and Miami. This is not only unacceptable it's a travesty for any Michigan hockey team, who pride themselves for their ability to put the puck in the net, maybe there is a lack of senior leadership out there, maybe they are missing Chad Kolarick and Kevin Porter, but they still have great potential goal scoring threats on this team and they're not doing what they're supposed to.
Michigan is taking on Minnesota and Wisconsin this weekend and if they want to beat them they better hope that turkey they had was packed with some kind of scoring magic because boy do they need it now.
ahhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Friday, November 14, 2008
A season lof AUUUUUUUUHGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH on the ice too.
Football has been having a terribly excruciating season this year and it has put every person who bleeds Maize and Blue this year through a lot of pain.
But what happened today with hockey was just ridiculous. I don't understand how you can out play a team like Western like that and still lose. They had twice as many shots, applied almost constant pressure to Riley Gill throughout the first two periods and yet they only got one goal. On top of that, you really have to convince me that Gill had that good of a game and is that good of a goalie, a lot of time their opportunities were good it's just that either the passes out in front ended up untouched or they shot the puck into traffic and it ran into a guy in the wrong jersey. Granted he came up big when he could, but you can't tell me Michigan's ineptness was not the cause of several fans in the student section angrily screaming obscenities after the game.
I thought hockey was supposed to be a diversion from the crap that has been going on the gridiron this year. But the winged helmets on ice are disappointing too at this point as well, Michigan just had their first home loss to a team that prior to tonight hadn't won a game in conference play. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. You can't go to Michigan and lose a home game to WESTERN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On the subject of Billy Sauer i am truly torn, i have to ask, WHAT HAPPENED???????
Last year he was standing on his head to get the Wolverines to the frozen four. Now? He let's in a slap shot in that he apparently doesn't see. I don't get it what is it with him this year. Last year he didn't have many problems and aside from the Notre Dame game in the Frozen Four last year he had an excellent year, and in my opinion was the comeback player of the year, but this is just bizarre and i am swallowing my words as far as Billy Sauer is concerned.
And for those of you naysayers who say that the defense is depleted without Mitera and Kampfer, yes those losses are crucial, but that's no excuse for losing to WESTERN AT HOME!!!!!!!!!!!
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
But what happened today with hockey was just ridiculous. I don't understand how you can out play a team like Western like that and still lose. They had twice as many shots, applied almost constant pressure to Riley Gill throughout the first two periods and yet they only got one goal. On top of that, you really have to convince me that Gill had that good of a game and is that good of a goalie, a lot of time their opportunities were good it's just that either the passes out in front ended up untouched or they shot the puck into traffic and it ran into a guy in the wrong jersey. Granted he came up big when he could, but you can't tell me Michigan's ineptness was not the cause of several fans in the student section angrily screaming obscenities after the game.
I thought hockey was supposed to be a diversion from the crap that has been going on the gridiron this year. But the winged helmets on ice are disappointing too at this point as well, Michigan just had their first home loss to a team that prior to tonight hadn't won a game in conference play. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. You can't go to Michigan and lose a home game to WESTERN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On the subject of Billy Sauer i am truly torn, i have to ask, WHAT HAPPENED???????
Last year he was standing on his head to get the Wolverines to the frozen four. Now? He let's in a slap shot in that he apparently doesn't see. I don't get it what is it with him this year. Last year he didn't have many problems and aside from the Notre Dame game in the Frozen Four last year he had an excellent year, and in my opinion was the comeback player of the year, but this is just bizarre and i am swallowing my words as far as Billy Sauer is concerned.
And for those of you naysayers who say that the defense is depleted without Mitera and Kampfer, yes those losses are crucial, but that's no excuse for losing to WESTERN AT HOME!!!!!!!!!!!
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Changing of the Guard part 1
As the winged helmets on ice struggled on the road against Sarah Palin's money at work. I read the score in the game tracker that said that Michigan State lost 3-0 to that school in Columbus. This came as an absolute shock to me because normally the Spartans would take apart a team like the Nuts. But not only did the Bucks beat MSU on the scoreboard, they outshot them 49-21. While outshooting opponents has never been State's mantra, this was still pretty jarring, even with as good a goalie as Jeff Lerg is in goal, Michigan State let the Bucks let loose on him and eventually he let three in. On top of that, the next day OSU completed the sweep with a 3-1 victory in a much more even handed game.
This plus the fact that the Nanooks played Michigan ridiculously close in both games despite the fact that the Wolverines outshot them in both games, cause me to wonder whether there is going to be a changing of the guard in the CCHA. It makes me wonder if the intra state rivalry is going to carry as much weight as it has in the past. With the emergence of Notre Dame in the last two years under Jeff Jackson questions have been raised and a new quadrumvirate has arisen in Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Miami (Ohio). Now with State starting to falter and Michigan having playing under .500 hockey on the road it raises questions about who the State of Michigan's top two college hockey programs are.
Well rest assured dear readers one of them is undoubtedly still Michigan, they just need to adjust to playing on the road better. This year they've been letting the Yost crowd carrying them through the early part of their home schedule. I understand that this has been the way it's been done in the past, but they'd better snap out of it by now because otherwise they're not going to get very far in the season if they can only win half their games on the road. It's a tough conference to play on the road in, but this is a problem that needs to be addressed and soon, and hopefully they will when they face the Lawson Lunatics this upcoming saturday after my dear friend Peter Saul will try to attempt the impossible and get a one camera broadcast of a hockey game this Friday against Western Michigan.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
C-ya
This plus the fact that the Nanooks played Michigan ridiculously close in both games despite the fact that the Wolverines outshot them in both games, cause me to wonder whether there is going to be a changing of the guard in the CCHA. It makes me wonder if the intra state rivalry is going to carry as much weight as it has in the past. With the emergence of Notre Dame in the last two years under Jeff Jackson questions have been raised and a new quadrumvirate has arisen in Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Miami (Ohio). Now with State starting to falter and Michigan having playing under .500 hockey on the road it raises questions about who the State of Michigan's top two college hockey programs are.
Well rest assured dear readers one of them is undoubtedly still Michigan, they just need to adjust to playing on the road better. This year they've been letting the Yost crowd carrying them through the early part of their home schedule. I understand that this has been the way it's been done in the past, but they'd better snap out of it by now because otherwise they're not going to get very far in the season if they can only win half their games on the road. It's a tough conference to play on the road in, but this is a problem that needs to be addressed and soon, and hopefully they will when they face the Lawson Lunatics this upcoming saturday after my dear friend Peter Saul will try to attempt the impossible and get a one camera broadcast of a hockey game this Friday against Western Michigan.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
C-ya
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I guess he wasn't blonde enough
It really must suck to be a starting Michigan defenseman this year. First captain Mark Mitera takes a skate to the knee, now a fellow political science major Steve Kampfer has been allegedly bodyslammed out of the season just in time for the Northern Michigan game. And that's not all, as i'm sure everybody who's read the Daily or MGoblog now knows the alleged assailant was a football walk on (undoubtedly a third or fourth string fullback) and ex-wrestler Mike Milano.
If Milano did assault Kampfer at 2 in the morning on sunday i'm curious to know why. Maybe he was frustrated that Kampfer's team was winning and his wasn't. Maybe they had different political views, or maybe Kampfer just wasn't frickin blonde enough.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Relief from the frozen front at Yost.
One of the greatest goals in Michigan history was scored by Aaron Palushaj this past weekend. I was in the stand watching it instead of looking at it from a media perspective as i could have been but i saw it nonetheless and it was glorious. Taking on three defenders is dangerous in hockey and he got mugged on the way to the goal, so much so that the ref was going to call a penalty before the puck went into the net, by which time he had waved it off. It could be a season changing moment for the winged helmets on ice.
After Fridays game there were undoubtedly a group of bloggers who would be willing to write off Michigan as unable to compete without Mark Mitera in a tougher more physical CCHA compared to years past. However the St. Lawrence Saints came out with the same game plan that NMU came into Yost with last year and got out played at their own game by the maize and blue. Palushaj's goal aside this game was determined in the corners, by the hits who was tough who could endure more of the beating, clearly by the end of the game the answer was overwhelmingly clear. This year's Michigan hockey team is incredibly well conditioned and is ready for a hard hitting season this year.
Goaltending looked good, the team as a whole was imperfect, but perfection is a hard thing to ask for, especially so early in the season. The first line looked good with Hagelin, Rust and Palushaj. It seems clear to me that Carl Hagelin has been lifting some weights this past summer because he was not merely toughing it out in the corners and in front of the net, he was giving it back to the opposing defenders. Watching this team play last weekend makes one wonder if the hockey conditioning coach could work with Barwis on the football team.
The only things in the immediate future that i am regretful of is that Michigan's next two games will not be televised from Marquette, and that WOLV will not be able to present anything to you hockey related until November.
Stay tuned for a preview of Northern Michigan.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
After Fridays game there were undoubtedly a group of bloggers who would be willing to write off Michigan as unable to compete without Mark Mitera in a tougher more physical CCHA compared to years past. However the St. Lawrence Saints came out with the same game plan that NMU came into Yost with last year and got out played at their own game by the maize and blue. Palushaj's goal aside this game was determined in the corners, by the hits who was tough who could endure more of the beating, clearly by the end of the game the answer was overwhelmingly clear. This year's Michigan hockey team is incredibly well conditioned and is ready for a hard hitting season this year.
Goaltending looked good, the team as a whole was imperfect, but perfection is a hard thing to ask for, especially so early in the season. The first line looked good with Hagelin, Rust and Palushaj. It seems clear to me that Carl Hagelin has been lifting some weights this past summer because he was not merely toughing it out in the corners and in front of the net, he was giving it back to the opposing defenders. Watching this team play last weekend makes one wonder if the hockey conditioning coach could work with Barwis on the football team.
The only things in the immediate future that i am regretful of is that Michigan's next two games will not be televised from Marquette, and that WOLV will not be able to present anything to you hockey related until November.
Stay tuned for a preview of Northern Michigan.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Saturday, September 20, 2008
And now for something completely different.
HOCKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOCKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOCKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT'S ALMOST HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, a little overboard with the caps and exclamation points, but still. Season starts in a few weeks, TV schedule comes out next week and WOLV overtime will have interviews that week as well. Not only that, the hockey team releaseda temporary depth chart. With a major shocker.
Now i know that Brian at mgoblog and the house that yost built have probably already talked about this, but Chris Summers moves to forward and Scooter Vaughn is now a starting defenseman. Woo hoo!! Way to go Scoots.
I think moving Summers to forward is a suitable move because he is definitely a much more offensive minded player than a normal defenseman should be. Which is also why i think Scooter is a great choice as a starting defenseman. How many breakaways or two on ones did he break up this past year, by hanging back and reading the forward's stick daring him to shoot the puck right into him? How many times have we seen him go to extreme lengths to get the steal and get the puck out of the zone make the extra stretch, the extra nudge?
I think Scooter Vaughn, while he may not be the most talented or skilled defenseman on the team, he makes up for it with sheer determination, which is all you can ask for out of a player like him.
And just to get you further in the mood.
Blatant rip off, eh Mister Cost?
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
HOCKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOCKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT'S ALMOST HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, a little overboard with the caps and exclamation points, but still. Season starts in a few weeks, TV schedule comes out next week and WOLV overtime will have interviews that week as well. Not only that, the hockey team releaseda temporary depth chart. With a major shocker.
Now i know that Brian at mgoblog and the house that yost built have probably already talked about this, but Chris Summers moves to forward and Scooter Vaughn is now a starting defenseman. Woo hoo!! Way to go Scoots.
I think moving Summers to forward is a suitable move because he is definitely a much more offensive minded player than a normal defenseman should be. Which is also why i think Scooter is a great choice as a starting defenseman. How many breakaways or two on ones did he break up this past year, by hanging back and reading the forward's stick daring him to shoot the puck right into him? How many times have we seen him go to extreme lengths to get the steal and get the puck out of the zone make the extra stretch, the extra nudge?
I think Scooter Vaughn, while he may not be the most talented or skilled defenseman on the team, he makes up for it with sheer determination, which is all you can ask for out of a player like him.
And just to get you further in the mood.
Blatant rip off, eh Mister Cost?
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Thursday, July 17, 2008
AAAAUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH
Today is a sad day for Michigan hockey fans across the world as we say goodbye to the last member of one of the greatest lines in the storied history of Michigan hockey under Red Berenson, Max Pacioretty. He has signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens for a three year entry level contract, and i would not doubt it if he ended up getting brought up to the big leagues at some point during next season.
In foresight it's obvious why the Habs signed him, they're trying to get duplicate the success that the Red Wings have had with Thomas Holmstrom by signing a guy who specializes in screening the goalie, something he did to perfection here in Ann Arbor. However it is Michigan who is on the very short end of a deal, i highly doubt Coach Berenson was prepared for this and now he has to re-analyze his team for next year's depth chart at forward, and although this team is incredibly deep it hurts to see a dependable star player like Patch leave so early.
Prior to him leaving the first line would have probably been Patch, Carl Hagelin, and either Travis Turnbull or Aaron Palushaj, now you will probably see Turnbull definitely starting as the grinder forward that normally would have been taken up by Patch. The problem however is that although Turnbull has been known to play the grinder well, can he protect Carl Hagelin from getting pummeled every time he gets into the corners, because it seemed that in every game in the NCAA tournament the opposing defensemen would just let the Swede have it. So now either the Swede has to really tough it up and start hitting back against some much bigger defensemen in some cases, or Turnbull or someone else is gonna have to step their corner game up. In any case we will need the swede to show the flashes of greatness that he showed in the postseason everyday this upcoming season.
If Chris Summers is moved up to forward, which i doubt will happen, but is entirely possible, that might help but it would leave an incredibly large gap on the defensive end of the ice. Hopefully Scooter Vaughn can step up into a role if he needs too this year, to truly prove his worth to the NHL scouts, which he apparently was unable to last year.
All in all we are going to need ten of the fabulous twelve freshmen to become super sophomores.
aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Thursday, June 26, 2008
weekly update 6-26-08
Sorry i haven't posted in a while i've been at work.
The winged helmets on ice just released a new schedule for the 2008-2009 season. As you already know, what i would like to talk about here is what games are likely to be covered by WOLV.
October 10-11 vs. St. Lawrence
This series rests on the same weekend as the Toledo game and will not likely conflict as far as time is concerned with that game. However if the athletic department is interested in getting us to cover the saturday game we may have trouble finding a crew who will be ready that day. If we do, we may have to bend a few rules regarding dress code, to enable our crew to not have to go home and change before the game like we normally do. However it would be a great honor for us to do the opening two games of the regular season, especially if, as rumored, this turns out to be Red Berenson's last season at Michigan.
Thursday October 23 vs. Niagara.
This game is an anomaly because: a.) it's a game on thursday. b.) it's right before Michigan makes a trip to Boston to play BU. I'm not sure what the chances are of CBS college sports coming into to broadcast this game, but something tells me they may not be likely. However stranger things have happened and i'm not going to assume anything at this point. This game should be a great matchup with Niagara facing off against a Porter-less Wolverine team, considering that Porter scored four of Michigan's five goals, it should be a much more interesting game compared to in the NCAA tournament.
October 31-November 1 vs. Ohio State
The only reason why WOLV has a shot at broadcasting this game is because Ohio State is not that good of a hockey team, and not that big of a following compared to ours. I would love nothing more than to broadcast a game like this. However it is highly unlikely because of FSN Detroit's interest in the CCHA and the Big Ten Network's potential interest in doing hockey in the stead of Comcast Local.
Friday November 14 vs. Western Michigan
This will probably go to us because the simple fact is there probably won't be much interest from other networks to do this game, it should be a good game to watch though. Michigan will undoubtedly be the favorite in this game, unfortunately it is highly unlikely that we will get to interview Rich Rodriguez this year because he will probably be preparing the team for the Northwestern game the next day.
Friday January 16 vs. Bowling Green
The reason why you won't see Hockey Night on WOLV TV via Mgoblue for two months is because the college hockey showcase is the last weekend in november, and the last series in before the GLI is a home and home against Michigan State, which will obviously be on television. This is all sandwiched between two series with Miami (Ohio) which will undoubtedly be televised. Bowling Green will come into this game with a lot of questions concerning their offense considering that they lost Dereck Whitmore to graduation this past season. They will however be much tougher defensively which could make this a battle to watch.
February 6-7 vs. Lake Superior State
Given the decline of Laker hockey in the last couple of years i would not be surprised to get one of these games, but not both. It is likely that FSN Detroit will probably broadcast one and we at WOLV will do the other. This will be kind of sentimental for me, because the first hockey broadcast i worked was an overtime loss to Lake St. So for sentimental reasons, i hope the maize and blue redeem themselves against Team Sweden.
February 13-14 vs. Nebraska-Omaha
Yes, this time you'll hear "Charles in Charge the sideline reporter" as the announcer, i guarantee it. If the folks at WOLV don't let me do play-by-play for this one the critics would have won a decisive battle.
I didn't include any road games or games against Miami, Michigan State or Notre Dame, and for good reason, there is no way in heaven or hell that WOLV will do any of those games this season unless some divine miracle happens.
With the end of comcast local it is highly possible that you might see a substantial amount of Hockey Night on WOLV TV presented by Host Communications this upcoming season.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
The winged helmets on ice just released a new schedule for the 2008-2009 season. As you already know, what i would like to talk about here is what games are likely to be covered by WOLV.
October 10-11 vs. St. Lawrence
This series rests on the same weekend as the Toledo game and will not likely conflict as far as time is concerned with that game. However if the athletic department is interested in getting us to cover the saturday game we may have trouble finding a crew who will be ready that day. If we do, we may have to bend a few rules regarding dress code, to enable our crew to not have to go home and change before the game like we normally do. However it would be a great honor for us to do the opening two games of the regular season, especially if, as rumored, this turns out to be Red Berenson's last season at Michigan.
Thursday October 23 vs. Niagara.
This game is an anomaly because: a.) it's a game on thursday. b.) it's right before Michigan makes a trip to Boston to play BU. I'm not sure what the chances are of CBS college sports coming into to broadcast this game, but something tells me they may not be likely. However stranger things have happened and i'm not going to assume anything at this point. This game should be a great matchup with Niagara facing off against a Porter-less Wolverine team, considering that Porter scored four of Michigan's five goals, it should be a much more interesting game compared to in the NCAA tournament.
October 31-November 1 vs. Ohio State
The only reason why WOLV has a shot at broadcasting this game is because Ohio State is not that good of a hockey team, and not that big of a following compared to ours. I would love nothing more than to broadcast a game like this. However it is highly unlikely because of FSN Detroit's interest in the CCHA and the Big Ten Network's potential interest in doing hockey in the stead of Comcast Local.
Friday November 14 vs. Western Michigan
This will probably go to us because the simple fact is there probably won't be much interest from other networks to do this game, it should be a good game to watch though. Michigan will undoubtedly be the favorite in this game, unfortunately it is highly unlikely that we will get to interview Rich Rodriguez this year because he will probably be preparing the team for the Northwestern game the next day.
Friday January 16 vs. Bowling Green
The reason why you won't see Hockey Night on WOLV TV via Mgoblue for two months is because the college hockey showcase is the last weekend in november, and the last series in before the GLI is a home and home against Michigan State, which will obviously be on television. This is all sandwiched between two series with Miami (Ohio) which will undoubtedly be televised. Bowling Green will come into this game with a lot of questions concerning their offense considering that they lost Dereck Whitmore to graduation this past season. They will however be much tougher defensively which could make this a battle to watch.
February 6-7 vs. Lake Superior State
Given the decline of Laker hockey in the last couple of years i would not be surprised to get one of these games, but not both. It is likely that FSN Detroit will probably broadcast one and we at WOLV will do the other. This will be kind of sentimental for me, because the first hockey broadcast i worked was an overtime loss to Lake St. So for sentimental reasons, i hope the maize and blue redeem themselves against Team Sweden.
February 13-14 vs. Nebraska-Omaha
Yes, this time you'll hear "Charles in Charge the sideline reporter" as the announcer, i guarantee it. If the folks at WOLV don't let me do play-by-play for this one the critics would have won a decisive battle.
I didn't include any road games or games against Miami, Michigan State or Notre Dame, and for good reason, there is no way in heaven or hell that WOLV will do any of those games this season unless some divine miracle happens.
With the end of comcast local it is highly possible that you might see a substantial amount of Hockey Night on WOLV TV presented by Host Communications this upcoming season.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Red Wings give something for the state of michigan to cheer about.
I seriously wish i didn't have to work the day we won the cup because i felt like really celebrating. Seeing all the videos on the free press website it really means something. I was at the celebration in 2002, watched the game at the Fox with my dad, and the rest of the night turned out to be really special because when we went outside it was as if the whole town had shown up in solidarity with the team. This year it had to have been different, there were fans outside of hockeytown cafe chanting Detroit Hockey as a tribute to the Pistons who got the Murphys Dropkicked out of them by the Celtics. I was really hoping for two championships this year because lord knows this city needs them in these times.
As i've said before i'm not rich, i'm not benifitting from this economic situation. And i have to tell you it's damn hard to sell anything when it seems like half the town is either taking the buyout and moving or is looking for a new job. Then there's the mayor, who's making the city look so bad he gets booed at a celebratory parade.
HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO TEL YOU KWAME?????
RESIGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But i'm not here to dwell on politics i want to talk about happy times and how the Wings won the cup. They won it with a true showing of teamwork and not depending on one single man to win the game. They won every game as a team and they celebrated as a team, that's what Pittsburgh is going to have to learn.
Hey Crosby may be the face of the league, but if the Pens want to get over that hump to kiss Lord Stanley's Cup they have to invest in the same type of team that the Red Wings have.
Also, anybody who doesn't thing the Wings play physical enough hockey clearly didn't see game two of the finals in which Pavel Datsuyk jumped on top of a Penguin player and started pounding him.
P.S. Wings fans should start incorporating some of the Yost chants at the Joe, it would really do something for the atmosphere.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
c-ya
Monday, May 5, 2008
AND NOW FOR THE RETURN OF ANGRY CHARLES
Anger trigger number one: Ekpe Udoh is transferring.
To Ekpe i have nothing but questions:
Ekpe, Why did you decide to leave? Doesn't Michigan count as part of your family, weren't you concerned for your teammates? Don't you value a world class education while being able to attract NBA scouts? Was the weather in Michigan really that bad? Was it Beiline's fault?????
To Beiline i have very little other than rage:
Dang you Beiline, why couldn't you convince Ekpe to stay???? Are you still oblivious to the way big ten basketball is played??? Do you realize what position this puts the basketball team in, we have no defense or inside presence without him!!! Do you realize that or are you so obsessed with getting a good outside shooter that you would sacrifice our only great defender???
Do you plan on recruiting guys who can play defense to play with Manny and Wright, because if you do you'd better get them now!!!!
Anger Trigger Number Two: Big Ten softball championships.
I understand that Michigan and Northwestern ended both of their regular season's tied for the big ten championship. What i really don't understand is how they ended up deciding the host of the big ten tournament by flipping a coin. I'll admit i wouldn't be ranting about this if the coin had landed in favor of Michigan, but shouldn't the host spot go to the team that had the better regular season record. If that were the case then the Wolverines would have hosted because they have only lost five games all season compared to the Wildcats eleven. Michigan is also the sixth ranked team in the country they went 5-1 against ranked non-conference opponents before splitting with the 12th ranked Wildcats. I highly doubt Northwestern's record is nearly as impressive.
Anger Trigger Number Three: No Original Six Stanly Cup!!!!
With both Montreal and the New York Rangers falling in five games in their second round playoff matches the only original six team left standing is my own home town Detroit Red Wings. While i love the Detroit Red Wings a lot, i feel that i am an old time hockey fan more. I hate the fact that all these teams started migrating south under Gary Bettman's leadership of the NHL, it just made no sense to me.
THERE IS NO ICE DOWN SOUTH, WHY WOULD YOU PUT A HOCKEY TEAM THERE!?!?!?!?!
This year i thought that things would be different, i thought that if two northern teams were to play for the Cup hockey would at least have a return to some of the former dignity it used to have. And i thought what better way than to have two original six squads duke it out. As of yesterday, it is no longer meant to be and i am sad for it. While i remain happy that the Red Wings are still in the hunt for the Cup and i also am glad to see two northern teams in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia fighting for the Eastern crown, i cannot help but despise the presence of the Dallas Stars in NHL's final four.
How is it possible to play hockey in Texas?
Gary Bettman
To Ekpe i have nothing but questions:
Ekpe, Why did you decide to leave? Doesn't Michigan count as part of your family, weren't you concerned for your teammates? Don't you value a world class education while being able to attract NBA scouts? Was the weather in Michigan really that bad? Was it Beiline's fault?????
To Beiline i have very little other than rage:
Dang you Beiline, why couldn't you convince Ekpe to stay???? Are you still oblivious to the way big ten basketball is played??? Do you realize what position this puts the basketball team in, we have no defense or inside presence without him!!! Do you realize that or are you so obsessed with getting a good outside shooter that you would sacrifice our only great defender???
Do you plan on recruiting guys who can play defense to play with Manny and Wright, because if you do you'd better get them now!!!!
Anger Trigger Number Two: Big Ten softball championships.
I understand that Michigan and Northwestern ended both of their regular season's tied for the big ten championship. What i really don't understand is how they ended up deciding the host of the big ten tournament by flipping a coin. I'll admit i wouldn't be ranting about this if the coin had landed in favor of Michigan, but shouldn't the host spot go to the team that had the better regular season record. If that were the case then the Wolverines would have hosted because they have only lost five games all season compared to the Wildcats eleven. Michigan is also the sixth ranked team in the country they went 5-1 against ranked non-conference opponents before splitting with the 12th ranked Wildcats. I highly doubt Northwestern's record is nearly as impressive.
Anger Trigger Number Three: No Original Six Stanly Cup!!!!
With both Montreal and the New York Rangers falling in five games in their second round playoff matches the only original six team left standing is my own home town Detroit Red Wings. While i love the Detroit Red Wings a lot, i feel that i am an old time hockey fan more. I hate the fact that all these teams started migrating south under Gary Bettman's leadership of the NHL, it just made no sense to me.
THERE IS NO ICE DOWN SOUTH, WHY WOULD YOU PUT A HOCKEY TEAM THERE!?!?!?!?!
This year i thought that things would be different, i thought that if two northern teams were to play for the Cup hockey would at least have a return to some of the former dignity it used to have. And i thought what better way than to have two original six squads duke it out. As of yesterday, it is no longer meant to be and i am sad for it. While i remain happy that the Red Wings are still in the hunt for the Cup and i also am glad to see two northern teams in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia fighting for the Eastern crown, i cannot help but despise the presence of the Dallas Stars in NHL's final four.
How is it possible to play hockey in Texas?
Gary Bettman
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