Friday reading: Holmstrom, WCHA column, predictions, Kerdiles

Colorado Springs native Ben Holmstrom will miss much of the season with a knee injury.

Here is this week’s WCHA column from USCHO and my and Tyler’s predictions.

CC hopes the road proves kinder than its recent homestand.

Puckato’s Morning Skate provides links to previews from around the league.

Wisconsin 5, Alabama-Huntsville 0

MADISON — Junior forward Michael Mersch and freshman forward Nic Kerdiles each scored two goals to lead Wisconsin to a 5-0 victory against Alabama-Huntsville on Thursday night at Kohl Center. It was Kerdiles’ first college scores after a tough offseason.

Friday reading: Video, columns, predictions, features, previews

North Dakota released its weekly preview video:

Here is this week’s USCHO column on the WCHA. I wrote about CC’s defense, Mark Zengerle, the players of the week and provided the quick hits.

Here are my predictions for this weekend.

Here is the Gazette’s preview for the North Dakota at CC series. The Grand Forks Heralds says UND wants to generate greasy goals and keep an eye on senior Rylan Schwartz, who leads a potent Tigers offense. You may recall he had hat tricks two nights in a row at Grand Forks last Thanksgiving. Those links and plenty of others are provided here. More links including info on video streaming is included in links found here.

Puckato provides links to preview from all around the WCHA on his morning blog post. Check it out.

Here is a preview of the Wisconsin at Denver series focusing on the college debut of freshman Nic Kerdiles tonight, which will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network at 8 p.m. Mountain. Goalie Juho Olkinuora will start for Denver on Friday with Sam Brittain slated for Saturday, the Denver Post reports.

Here are capsules previews for all three series being played along the Front Range this weekend and a more detailed DU preview with an injury update on Josiah Didier.

Here is the NBC SN schedule this weekend:

Nov. 30 – Boston College vs. Boston University, 7:30 p.m. Eastern, Wisconsin vs. Denver, 10 p.m.

Dec. 1 – Boston University vs. Boston College, 7:30 p.m.

The NBC executives certainly picked the right games: BC coach Jerry York is one win away from tying Ron Mason for most Division 1 wins all time.

Thursday reading: Injuries, weekly poll, Tech, previews, schedule

Michigan standout defenseman Jon Merrill, pictured during a recent Devils camp, is out for six weeks with a broken neck vertebrae suffered in an exhibition game. It will not require surgery.

Two North Dakota players are battling injuries already.

I am one of the voters in the weekly WCHA web media poll, a mix of beat writers and bloggers organized by the Tech Hockey Guide.

Here is recent news of the Nic Kerdiles saga and the latest update: According to Andy Baggot of the Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin officials said the NCAA will not hear their appeal to the year-long suspension of Kerdiles. There is no timetable for when they will hear that appeal.

Michigan Tech will induct the entire 1961-62 NCAA championship team into its Hall of Fame, a first at the school. Here is the Houghton sports editor’s take on the upcoming season.

Here are links for the weekly previews:

Alaska Anchorage; Bemidi State;  Colorado College; Denver, idle; Michigan Tech; Minnesota;

Minnesota Duluth;   Minnesota State; Nebraska Omaha; North Dakota; St. Cloud State; and Wisconsin.

Here is this weekend’s WCHA schedule:

hu	10/11/12	Michigan Tech	at Lake Superior	7:35 p.m. ET
Fri	10/12/12	Michigan State	at Minnesota	6:07 p.m. CT
Fri	10/12/12	St. Cloud State	at New Hampshire	7:30 p.m. ET
Fri	10/12/12	Minnesota State	at Alab-Huntsville	7:00 p.m. CT
Fri	10/12/12	Wisconsin	vs Northern Michigan	7:05 p.m. CT
Fri	10/12/12	Ohio State	at Minnesota Duluth	7:07 p.m. CT
Fri	10/12/12	USA Under-18 Team	at North Dakota	7:37 p.m. CT
Fri	10/12/12	Clarkson	at Colorado College	7:37 p.m. MT
Fri	10/12/12	Army	vs Nebraska Omaha	9:00 p.m. CT
Fri	10/12/12	Canisius	at Alaska Anchorage	8:07 p.m. AT
Sat	10/13/12	Notre Dm/Maine	vs Nebraska Omaha	3:30/6:30 p.m. CT
Sat	10/13/12	St. Cloud State	at New Hampshire	7:00 p.m. ET
Sat	10/13/12	Lake Superior	at Michigan Tech	7:07 p.m. ET
Sat	10/13/12	Minnesota State	at Alab-Huntsville	7:00 p.m. CT
Sat	10/13/12	Wisconsin	vs Northern Michigan	7:05 p.m. CT
Sat	10/13/12	Ohio State	at Minnesota Duluth	7:07 p.m. CT
Sat	10/13/12	USA Under-18 Team	at Bemidji State	7:07 p.m. CT
Sat	10/13/12	Clarkson	at Colorado College	7:07 p.m. MT
Sat	10/13/12	Michigan State	at Minnesota	8:07 p.m. CT
Sat	10/13/12	Air Force	at Alaska Anchorage	7:07 p.m. AT

Tuesday reading: Crabb, UND injury, Mankato, Tech, Hockey East

Former Tiger Joey Crabb will be in Colorado to take on the ECHL Eagles this weekend. Tim Hall should be making the trip as well. The Eagles include Arthur Bidwill.

No update available yet on Michael Parks‘ injury on North Dakota’s exhibition game on Saturday.

A new line centered by freshman Bryce Gervais has Mankato coach Mike Hastings talking about considerable depth. Here are more details.

This might be a good idea from Michigan Tech for CC to consider at Honnen Ice Arena: a short intrasquad scrimmage that serves as a fundraiser for a charity.

Here is more on the Nic Kerdlies‘ suspension.

Here are capsule previews on Hockey East which includes future CC foes UMass-Lowell and New Hampshire.

From the CCHA …

Miami- Sophomore forward Austin Czarnik scored twice and four other RedHawks added single goals in a 6-2 exhibition win over Western Ontario on Sunday. Miami opens the regular season on Friday against Colgate at Steve Cady Arena.

Western Michigan- The Broncos fired 46 shots on goal and freshman forward Nolan LaPorte and senior forward Dane Walters scored in a 2-2 exhibition tie against Western Ontario on Saturday. Western Michigan opens the regular season by hosting St. Lawrence in non-conference action this weekend.

This Week in the WCHA …

Games for Thursday, October 11: Michigan Tech at Lake Superior (NC), 7:35 pm ET.

Games for Friday, October 12: Michigan State at Minnesota (NC), 6:07 pm CT; St. Cloud State at New Hampshire (NC), 7:30 pm ET; Minnesota State at Alabama-Huntsville (NC), 7:00 pm CT; * Wisconsin vs Northern Michigan (NC), 7:05 pm CT; Ohio State at Minnesota Duluth (NC), 7:07 pm CT; USA Under-18 Team at North Dakota (EX), 7:37 pm CT; Clarkson at Colorado College (NC), 7:37 pm MT; # Army vs Nebraska Omaha (NC), 9:00 pm CT; & Canisius at Alaska Anchorage (NC), 8:07 pm AT.
* Resch Center (Green Bay, WI); # IceBreaker (Kansas City, MO); & Kendall Hockey Classic (Anchorage, AK)

Games for Saturday, October 13: * Notre Dame/Maine vs Nebraska Omaha (NC), 3:30/6:30 pm CT; St. Cloud State at New Hampshire (NC), 7:00 pm ET; # Lake Superior at Michigan Tech (NC), 7:07 pm ET; Minnesota State at Alabama-Huntsville (NC), 7:00 pm CT; & Wisconsin vs Northern Michigan (NC), 7:05 pm CT; Ohio State at Minnesota Duluth (NC), 7:07 pm CT; USA Under-18 Team at Bemidji State (EX), 7:07 pm CT; Clarkson at Colorado College (NC), 7:07 pm MT; Michigan State at Minnesota (NC), 8:07 pm CT; % Air Force at Alaska Anchorage (NC), 7:07 pm AT.
*IceBreaker (Kansas City, MO); # Hall of Fame Day; & – Resch Center (Green Bay, WI); % Kendall Hockey Classic

Here is a college hockey teaser for NBC Sports Network that may get your blood pumping.

Wisconsin’s Kerdiles suspended for season; appeal planned

Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves announced today that Nic Kerdiles has been ruled ineligible for one season by the NCAA, and that Wisconsin will be appealing the suspension, according to beat writer Andy Baggot of the Wisconsin State Journal.

The ruling requires the freshman, picked 36th overall in 2012, to serve the suspension while enrolled in Madison.

That greatly increases the likelihood the Ducks draft pick will head to the Kelowna (B.C) Rockets of the Western Hockey League to avoid missing out a year in his development.

Monday reading: Kerdiles, Schwartz, Air Force, BGSU, Mankato

Here is the possible cause for Wisconsin freshman Nic Kerdiles problems with the NCAA. Here is another blogger with more details.

This Gophers blog made its WCHA preseason picks, straying from previous polls by picking CC 6th and Mankato 7th. Rylan Schwartz was named as a second team forward.

Unlike the other hockey conferences, Atlantic Hockey is enjoying some stability, for now, with Air Force favored as usual. Here is a season preview on the Falcons.

The Bowling Green coach received a two-year contract extension today.

Here is more info on Mankato’s 7-1 exhibition win ahgainst Lethbridge Sunday night. UL travels to Nebraska Omaha for the final exhibition game tonight.

More Sunday reading: Benik, Kerdiles, Denver, Mankato, UAA

St. Cloud State freshman Joey Benik, pictured,suffered a broken leg during the first hour of official practice on Saturday. Here are some more details.

Wisconsin freshman Nic Kerdiles was held out of Saturday’s exhibition win over questions concerning his NCAA eligibility.

Here are more details and reaction from the Denver-British Columbia exhibition tie.

Here is a look at Mankato coach Mike Hastings‘ journey to the head coaching job at Minnesota State.

Alaska Anchorage 3, Regina 1

Sophomore defenseman Austin Coldwell had a goal and an assist to help lift Alaska Anchorage to a 3-1 exhibition win against Regina on Saturday night at the Harry J. McDonald Center.

CC picked 7th, Thorimbert shares goalie honor in WCHA media poll

Compiled and written by Bruce Ciskie, KZIO Radio/Bulldog Radio Network …

A year after surprising many by winning the WCHA’s MacNaughton Cup Championship, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are a nearly-unanimous pick of WCHA media to win the league. The annual 94X WCHA Preseason Media Poll, released Wednesday, shows the Gophers easily outdistancing the rest of the league.

A panel of 25 members of the WCHA media voted on a predicted order of finish, along with a handful of individual honors.

Minnesota received a whopping 24 of 25 first-place votes. Defending WCHA playoff champion North Dakota had the other first-place vote and finished a distant second. Denver came in third, followed by Wisconsin and Minnesota Duluth. St. Cloud State claimed the final “home-ice” position in the preseason balloting.

Minnesota junior forward Nick Bjugstad, pictured, was a runaway choice for the Preseason Player of the Year. He also anchors the media’s second annual Preseason All-WCHA Team, where he is joined at forward by Wisconsin junior Mark Zengerle and St. Cloud State senior Ben Hanowski. The defensemen on the team are Denver’s Joey LaLeggia and Nick Jensen of St. Cloud State. Sam Brittain of Denver and Josh Thorimbert of Colorado College tied for the goaltending nod.

For the second straight year, the media chose North Dakota’s Rocco Grimaldi as Preseason Rookie of the Year. Grimaldi took a redshirt after an injury-ravaged season, and he is again eligible for rookie honors.

Teams were scored under a standard system of 12 points for a first-place vote, 11 for second, and so on. The number listed with each team is the number of points that team averaged per vote.

94X WCHA PRESEASON MEDIA POLL

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. Minnesota (24 first place votes) … 11.92 poll average

2. North Dakota (1) … 10.76

3. Denver … 9.92

4. Wisconsin … 7.8

5. Minnesota Duluth … 6.88

6. St. Cloud State … 6.84

7. Colorado College … 6.08

8. Nebraska Omaha … 5.48

9. Michigan Tech … 5.2

10. Minnesota State … 3.6

11. Bemidji State … 2.48

12. Alaska Anchorage … 1.04

PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Nick Bjugstad, forward, Minnesota (16 votes)

Others receiving more than one vote: Erik Haula, forward, Minnesota (4); Mark Zengerle, forward, Wisconsin (3)

PRESEASON ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Rocco Grimaldi, forward, North Dakota (8 1/2 votes)

Others receiving more than one vote: Nic Kerdiles, forward, Wisconsin (5); Jordan Schmaltz, defenseman, North Dakota (2 1/2); Brady Skjei, defenseman, Minnesota (2); Andy Welinski, defenseman, Minnesota Duluth (2)

PRESEASON ALL-WCHA TEAM

Forwards

Nick Bjugstad, Minnesota (20 votes); Mark Zengerle, Wisconsin (17); Ben Hanowski, St. Cloud State (8)

Others receiving more than one vote: Danny Kristo, North Dakota (7); Erik Haula, Minnesota (6); Rylan Schwartz, Colorado College (5); Corban Knight, North Dakota (3)

Defensemen

Joey LaLeggia, Denver (20 votes); Nick Jensen, St. Cloud State (9)

Others receiving more than one vote: Nate Schmidt, Minnesota (7); Wade Bergman, Minnesota Duluth (3)

Goalie

Sam Brittain, Denver and Josh Thorimbert, Colorado College (7 1/2 votes each)

Others receiving more than one vote: Juho Olkinuora, Denver (3), Joel Rumpel, Wisconsin (2)

The following media members took part in the 94X Preseason Media Poll:  David Ahlers, KKAR Radio/University of Nebraska-Omaha; Stephen Anderson, Daily Mining Gazette; Andy Baggot, Wisconsin State Journal; Tyler Buckentine, USCHO.com; Mike Chambers, Denver Post; Bruce Ciskie, KZIO Radio/Bulldog Radio Network; Chris Dilks, Western College Hockey; Shane Frederick, Mankato Free Press; John Gilbert, WCHA.com; Kurt Haider, KENI Radio; Mick Hatten, St. Cloud Times; Dirk Hembroff, WKMJ Radio; Jack Hittinger, Bemidji Pioneer; Ken Landau, 103.9 FM The Eagle Radio; Don Lyons, Leighton Broadcasting/St. Cloud; Todd Milewski, USCHO.com; Dan Myers, Minnesota Hockey Magazine; Jess Myers, 1500ESPN.com; Joe Paisley, Colorado Springs/Colorado College; Kevin Pates, Duluth News Tribune; Chris Peters, United States of Hockey; Brian Posick, WIBA Radio/Badger Radio Network; Chad Purcell, Omaha World Herald; Brad Schlossman, Grand Forks Herald; Jay Stickney, 102.3 ESPN Radio.

Monday reading: CC revenue, USA Hockey, NCAA Division III, UW

The Colorado Springs Business Journal produced a strong article detailing how CC hockey ticket sales support the other Tigers programs, how much money is brought in by sponsors and other financial details.

The article also talks about how having the headquarters for the National Collegiate Hockey Conference located in Colorado Springs further boosts college hockey’s profile in the area. Definitely worth a read.

USA Hockey’s coaching education program gets well-deserved praise. Former Minnesota-Duluth assistant and current USHL Sioux City head coach and general manager Brett Larson will coach the U.S. team at the world juniors tournament in Nova Scotia.

The NCAA Division III championship committee is weighing the option of holding its championship game during the Frozen Four festivities.

Wisconsin freshman forward Nic Kerdiles is featured.

Former Northeastern forward Rob Dongara explains why he transferred to UMass. Merrimack is considering adding a women’s hockey program.