It is an end of an era back in the State of Hockey, as it has been announced that Frank Mazzocco and former Golden Gophers coach Doug Woog will not be apart of the Fox Sports Net-North broadcast for next season. Woog and Mazzocco have been the TV voice of the Gophers for over 10 years as a tandem, while Mazzocco has been doing the play-by-play since the late 1980’s starting with the rogue network KITN-Channel 29. In those early days, Mazzocco was the play-by-play man and current Gophers radio play-by-play man Wally Shaver was his commentator and together they were high energy that reflected some of the best of the Doug Woog-era of Gophers hockey. I can vividly remember those early broadcasts from “the Barn” of old Mariucci Arena, and they were fantastic and Mazzocco’s voice always helped add a bit more drama to Minnesota’s “Pride on Ice.” It will be sad not to hear his voice on the broadcast. Why was he replaced is sort of a mystery at this point, but there is speculation the move was due to some of the percieved ‘favortism’ the duo showed towards the Minnesota Gophers during their broadcasts. I must admit, the line of neutrality for Woog and Mazzocco was steadily being blurred the last few seasons as they were notorious for critiquing WCHA officials, especially in calls and non-calls going against the Gophers but if that’s true why not just tell them to cut it out instead of replacing them? It has been said Woog will be retained as a part of the broadcast, but not in a commentating capacity. Replacing Mazzocco will be FSN’s Anthony LaPanta who has some experience providing play by play for high school games, including some at the Minnesota State tournament and he is very capable broadcaster who has a good grasp of the subtleties of the game. They have not announced who will be a replacement for Woog, although I would have to believe Darby Hendrickson and Tom Chorske, two former Gophers who have been used on both Wild and Gopher broadcasts will likely get the job.
So how do I segue this to tonight’s Wild game? Easy, when Mazzocco was still doing play-by-play for KITN-29, one of the Gophers’ whose name he spent a lot of time saying was none other than Wild Head Coach Todd Richards who is still the all time leading scorer amongst Gophers’ defenseman which is no small feat when you consider some of the other great blueliners that have donned the maroon and gold. Minnesota is hoping to recreate some of the persistence of 3rd period in last night’s game against Philadelphia where they battled back from a 3-1 deficit to earn a 4-3 victory without its captain Mikko Koivu in the lineup. Koivu will be out of the lineup again for the Wild, so Minnesota will again have to find some inner strength as they battle in against a surging Red Wings squad. Will Minnesota find its inner “Rudy” and beat the odds and earn another win or will the Red Wings stamp another victory at the Wild’s expense?
I really thought the Wild did an outstanding job in the first period of staying with Detroit and helping out Josh Harding by sweeping away the loose pucks. The Red Wings were able to work the puck down deep in the Minnesota end but the Wild were able to challenge their attempts to move the puck to the scoring areas. Detroit was controlling the play but Minnesota was taking a few chances of its own as Casey Wellman continued to be a sparkplug dangling the puck around defenders and anticipating the play well. The Wild then came close to cashing in as Martin Havlat managed to push a shot by Jimmy Howard but the puck would straddle the goal line and even though it was called a goal it was easily overturned by video replay. Minnesota gambled a bit by giving Detroit 3 power plays to work with but they did a nice job of denying the cross-ice pass from just above the goal line, and forced the Red Wings to settle for shots from the perimeter. Detroit dominated the play, but Minnesota weathered the storm and it was perfect road period for a team playing the 2nd game of a back to back.
In the 2nd period the wheels would fall off, as one mistake seemed to balloon into 3 more. A lazy play by Marek Zidlicky to sweep away a puck won off the faceoff transformed into a turnover for Johan Franzen who skated in while Harding moved out to challenge and the ever patient Mule widened his angle and fired an easy sharp angle shot on the gaping net to give Detroit a 1-0 lead. From here the Wild started to get into penalty trouble, and it was only a matter of time before the Red Wings made Minnesota pay for these mistakes and it was a blast from Nicklas Lidstrom that was deflected into the back of the goal perfectly by Tomas Holmstrom who tallied his 100th career power play goal. A Wild power play, which would turn into a short 5-on-3 did not bring anymore luck to Minnesota. After creating one quality shot early on in the power play, Minnesota would appear to recieve another fortunate blessing when Detroit was called for delay of game giving the Wild a 5-on-3 for just over 30 seconds. Todd Richards could sense an important opportunity and called a timeout to talk things over. Well the talk didn’t work too well as Detroit’s penalty kill was extremely aggressive for a 5-on-3 and the Wild couldn’t even get the puck in the Red Wings’ zone let alone get anything set up. Jonathan Ericsson would leave the penalty box and with the game back to 5-on-4 the Wild were immediately put on their heels as Detroit continued to be aggressive and they immediately moved the puck into the Minnesota zone where some lazy puck pursuit set up Lidstrom who hammered another shot that was just touched by the stick of Ericsson and by Harding to lift the Red Wings to a 3-0 lead on the shorthanded tally. It was an amazingly embarassing goal as Minnesota had its whole power play unit in the Wild zone. If this goal was not embarrassing enough, just 1:23 later the Red Wings would light the lamp on an even more pathetic goal. As Detroit bottled Minnesota up in its own zone with a good forecheck, and 3 forwards down beneath the goal line, Pavel Datsyuk would fling a shot on goal from near the boards and the puck would carom off the skate of Greg Zanon and in lifting the Red Wings to a 4-0 lead. It was a total Murphy’s Law type goal for the Wild and just a signature of Minnesota’s night at this point in the game. Minnesota would answer back with a power play goal late in the period as Andrew Brunette shoveled home what was left over from a point shot by Zidlicky to cut the Detroit lead to three, 4-1.
In the 3rd period the Wild would be forced to send out Niklas Backstrom because Josh Harding suffered an injury during the period. Minnesota would have a little puck luck of their own early on as a weak dump in attempt taken from the blueline by Owen Nolan would bounce around on the ice and it eluded Jimmy Howard to cut the Red Wings’ lead to two. Minnesota’s energy level was now up and for a short time they looked as though they might be able to rally back but those feelings of “comeback” would evaporate quickly as Detroit responded with another goal from Johan Franzen as he tapped home a puck behind Niklas Backstrom after a flurry near his crase. The goal clearly deflated Minnesota and the overall level of fatigue really started to show. Drew Miller would rip a wrister by Backstrom off the rush and that really was the coup-de-gras. Minnesota showed some hustle late as they tried to put another goal back up for pride reasons but they just didn’t have enough and they fell 6-2.
Casey Wellman showed tremendous hustle all game long and deserves the increased ice time he saw tonight, as he even got some time on the power play. He is really showing me he should be with the Wild next season. His creativity and hockey smarts really shine and is looking more and more poised each game. Justin Falk looked ok in his first full game with the Wild, as he used his frame a few times to punish the Red Wings and he also demonstrated some of his excellent mobility for a big man but he still needs to fill out that frame. Yet some of vets looked as though they mailed it in. Antti Miettinen looked apathetic all game long and seems to be lost and disinterested if Mikko Koivu is not in the lineup. Owen Nolan and Derek Boogaard did the best they could with limited ice time. Yet Andrew Ebbett and Chuck Kobasew who would be ‘hurt’ later were complete non factors. Nick Schultz continues to be a detriment when he jumps into the play as he moves in and just throws fires the dump in too hard preventing his team from getting the forecheck going or just thowing the puck away all together.
Minnesota’s chances to win this game were slim to none to start, but taking penalty after penalty only served to exhaust an already tired team. The Wild ended up expending too much energy in the first period and as the legs stopped in the 2nd the Red Wings pounced and the game was over in a matter of about 10 minutes in the 2nd period. The Wild will take a day off to relax and rejuvenate tomorrow and then head back to practice on Sunday to prepare themselves for what will be another tough game against Los Angeles. Will the Wild have any gas in the tank by then and if they don’t, what will the excuse be then? Only time will tell…
Wild Notes:
~ The Wild roster tonight is as follows: Antti Miettinen, Owen Nolan, Andrew Brunette, Martin Havlat, James Sheppard, Andrew Ebbett, Derek Boogaard, Kyle Brodziak, Cal Clutterbuck, Chuck Kobasew, Guillaume Latendresse, Casey Wellman, Justin Falk, John Scott, Nick Schultz, Greg Zanon, Marek Zidlicky and Brent Burns. Niklas Backstrom shared goaltending duties with Josh Harding. Nate Prosser was the lone healthy scratch. Cam Barker, Shane Hnidy and Clayton Stoner are out with lower body injuries while Pierre-Marc Bouchard is still battling post-concussion symptoms.
~ The 3 Stars of the Game were: 1st Star Johan Franzen, 2nd Star Pavel Datsyuk, 3rd Star Johan Holmstrom
NCAA Men’s Tournament Report:
It may be ‘March Madness’ for Men’s College basketball, but the Men’s Hockey Tournament started today and will no doubt provide plenty of excitement. Here is a preview of some of the games involving WCHA teams and one soon-to-be in Bemidji State. I plan on sitting back and watching the terrific action this weekend which is going to be on both FSN-North and ESPN-U.
Denver Pioneers (27-9-4) 1 vs. RIT Tigers (26-11-1) 2
The Denver Pioneers could use some redemption after a half-hearted performance at the WCHA Frozen Five last week that saw the team earn 4th place after being blitzed by Wisconsin 6-3 despite having the best record in the league up until that point. When playing well the Pioneers are a potent combination of speed, grit and goal scoring that often puts the opposition on their heels. Perhaps most disheartening from Denver’s poor WCHA Frozen Five performance was the lack of fire shown by team leaders, especially senior forward Rhett Rakhshani (leading the team with 21 goals and 50 points, New York Islanders prospect) and junior goalie Marc Cheverie (17-4-3 record, 2.05 goals against and a .934% save percentage and Florida Panthers prospect) who both seemed distant in both of the games. The Pioneers will be hoping that senior Tyler Ruegsegger (Toronto Maple Leafs prospect) who was also fairly quiet during the tournament and budding power forward, sophomore Joe Colborne (Boston Bruins prospect) can elevate their game. Denver faces a hard-to-measure RIT squad that has proven it can surprise any team from the ‘elite’ conferences, but they still look to be the underdog in this game. Led by sophomore Cameron Burt (15 goals, 45 points) and junior Andrew Favot, the Tigers hope they can counterpunch well enough to keep the Pioneers at bey. The Tigers have one of the best goaltenders in the NCAA in senior Jared DeMichiel (25-9-1 record, 2.00 goals against average and .922% save percentage) who must be stellar if RIT hopes to pull off an upset. While it is perhaps not the best indicator, the Tigers were swept by Minnesota State through the middle part of the season, a team that Denver had little trouble with. Prediction: Denver wins in a 2-1 nailbiter as DeMichiel keeps RIT close. (I had correct score but RIT pulls off the big upset as DeMichiel delivers 39 saves and shuts down Denver, first win in NCAA tournament action for the Tigers. I wonder if there will be some “RIT, RIT” cheers from WCHA schools next year when Denver comes to town.)
Northern Michigan Wildcats (20-12-8) 3 vs. St. Cloud State Huskies (23-13-5) 4 ~ 2OT
St. Cloud State is in for a tough challenge in a very potent and well-coached Northern Michigan squad. The Wildcats Head Coach Walt Kyle is an excellent tactician and his teams always battle hard and this year’s team has the speed to be dangerous. Northern Michgan juniors Mark Olver (29 goals and 48 points prospect of the Colorado Avalanche), and along with fellow junior Greger Hanson (16 goals, 38 points) make for a very potent 1-2 punch for the Wildcats. St. Cloud State is coming off a solid performance at the WCHA Frozen Five where it finished runner up to tournament champion North Dakota. The Huskies are led by the small but dynamic duo of junior Garrett Roe (19 goals, 46 points and a prospect for the Los Angeles Kings) and senior Ryan Lasch (19 goals, 46 points). St. Cloud does not have a tremendous amount of secondary scoring but freshman David Eddy seemed to be hot hand at the tournament scoring 3 goals in 2 games. The toughest decision for St. Cloud will be who to go with between the pipes; freshman Mike Lee has been very solid but Head Coach Bob Motzko seems to like junior Dan Dunn in big games. The Wildcats have a very capble netminder themselves in senior Brian Stewart who has a 2.40 goals against average and a stingy .927% save percentage. This game could quickly turn into a shootout as they both are known for their collection of great skaters which means this will probably be a very exciting game to watch. Prediction: Look for St. Cloud to have a home ice advantage as the game is being played in St. Paul which could be an x-factor as the Huskies prevail 4-3. (ahh, this prediction feels good as the Huskies dug deep and willed their way to a 4-3 double overtime victory on Tony Mosey‘s goal just 23 seconds into the 2nd overtime. Brian Stewart did all he could to stave off the defeat but the Huskies just had more depth and better legs down the stretch.)
Vermont Catamounts (17-14-7) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (25-10-4)
Vermont is hoping to make their 2nd trip in as many seasons to the Frozen Four but they have a very steep hill to climb with their first opponent the Wisconsin Badgers. The Catamounts go into this game with a significant disadvantage in terms of offensive firepower as they have a very modest offensive attack led by seniors Brayden Irwin (15 goals, 34 points) and Colin Vock (11 goals, 28 points) and they will have a hard time navigating the Badgers zone which is patrolled by one of the deepest bluelines in the college hockey led by junior stud Bendan Smith (15 goals, 45 points and a Detroit Red Wings prospect). The Badgers can really stifle you with grit along the boards and the smallish Catamounts will have to make short quick passes to elude the Wisconsin forecheck or they could find themselves bottled up in their own zone for a long time. Seniors Michael Davies (18 goals, 50 points) and Blake Geoffrion (25 goals, 43 points and a Nashville Predators prospect) mean the Badgers have a formidable offense which will test sophomore stopper Rob Madore (13-12-7 record, 2.65 goals against average and a .907% save percentage) early and often. Since this game is being played in St. Paul it will be a rare opportunity for Wild fans to see former Apple Valley star Kyle Medvec in action as he makes his Xcel Energy debut in a Catamounts uniform, and at 6’6″ the big blueliner will be hard to miss. Prediction: I expect Wisconsin to overwhelm Vermont, and the Catamounts simply do not have enough firepower to match the Badgers goal for goal as they pull away for a 6-2 victory.
Yale Bulldogs (20-9-3) vs. North Dakota Fighting Sioux (25-12-5)
Hopes are high for the WCHA Frozen Five champions, as the Fighting Sioux seem to be firing on all cylinders playing a game that is physical and intense at both ends of the ice. Yet the Fighting Sioux would be wise not to take the Yale Bulldogs lightly. The Bulldogs have proven they are quite resilient as they held Wisconsin to a 2-2 tie through the middle portion of the season. Yale has an above average offense and led by junior Broc Little (26 goals, 40 points) and senior Sean Backman (21 goals, 35 points). Where North Dakota lacks one offensive dynamo it makes up for it with waves of offense coming from talented forwards; senior Chris Vande Velde (16 goals, 41 points and an Edmonton Oilers prospect), junior Jason Gregoire (20 goals, 37 assists and a New York Islanders prospect) and the dynamic freshman Danny Kristo (15 goals, 36 points) will give the Bulldogs a lot to handle. Between the pipes, sophomore Brad Eidsness was rock solid last weekend and not many pucks get by him as his 24-9-4 record, 2.09 goals against average, and .915% save percentage attests. The Bulldogs favor a trio of goaltenders but senior Billy Blase will likely get the nod (7-2 record, 2.37 goals against average, .901% save percentage) and he will have to be very sharp if Yale is to pull off the upset. Expect Dave Hakstol‘s squad to really be physical and don’t be surprised if North Dakota’s depth is where they find their offense as juniors Evan Trupp and Matt Frattin were very pesky offensively last weekend. Prediction: The Fighting Sioux will have too much depth and be too physical for the Bulldogs to handle as they wear Yale down in a 4-2 victory.
Bemidji State Beavers (23-9-4) vs. Michigan Wolverines (25-17-1)
The Bemidji State Beavers surprised many teams last year coming out of the fading College Hockey America Conference to make it to the Frozen Four. Beavers’ Head Coach Tom Serratore will have his team prepared to battle Red Berenson‘s squad which has struggled a bit this season. Bemidji State is led offensively by junior Matt Read (19 goals, 40 points) and freshman Jordan George (13 goals, 34 points) and the Beavers will have to make the most of their opportunities as they try to counterpunch against a deep Michigan team led by juniors Carl Hagelin (17 goals, 47 points and a prospect of the New York Rangers) and Louie Caporusso (20 goals, 41 points and an Ottawa Senators prospect). The Wolverines have two solid scoring lines, and that will put a lot of pressure on the Beavers’ blueline, led by sophomore Brad Hunt (7 goals, 35 points) and goaltender Dan Bakala (19-7-3) record 2.27 goals against average .919% save percentage. Bemidji State can take some solace that the Wolverines’ starter Bryan Hogan has been rather ‘human’ this season with (18-15-1) record, so the Beavers have a good chance if they keep it a low scoring game. The Wolverines may be fired up by the fact as they’re a talented team one could argue has a lot to prove considering they have 11 NHL draftees on their roster, while the Beavers have just one. Prediction: Bemidji State edges Michigan 3-2 as they hold onto an early lead.
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