Thursday reading: CC, TV, WCHA, UAA, CCHA, Hockey East, Army

CC fans: Please remember to bring a new or gently used stuffed animal for Saturday’s Teddy Bear Toss during first intermission of the Minnesota game.

Here are the preview notes for CC, including news that ROOT Sports will broadcast Friday’s game as will FS North and FS Southwest.

UM freshman goalie Adam Wilcox is the national Rookie of the Month for November. UNO’s Ryan Walters (15 points) was the player honoree, beating out a strong candidacy for CC senior Scott Winkler (14 points).

Minnesota closes out the first half of the season in Colorado Springs. Here are the preview notes.

Here is this week’s USCHO column on the WCHA, including a short feature on UND captain Andrew MacWilliam.

Bowling Green’s struggles are the subject of this week’s CCHA column.

Alaska-Anchorage lost a little-used walk-on player to Canada or the Division III ranks, where he can play more often.

The Hockey East coaches’ letters to Santa were intercepted once again by the USCHO columnist.

The Army captain is a Rhodes finalist.

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.

More Friday reading: Colorado College at Wisconsin TV/video stream options, McElhinney, Denver, Air Force, North Dakota, predictions

Photo: Kyle Daudelin

A tape-delayed free streaming option for any CC fans who don’t have access to Altitude2 (6 p.m. Mountain) is available for the Tigers at Wisconsin game Friday night. Wisconsin Public Television will broadcast the game at 9 p.m. Mountain on The Wisconsin Channel  at http://wpt.org/wisconsinchannel/ .

Colorado College is sixth in the WCHA in scoring at 3.17 goals per game but has struggled on the power play. The Tigers have not converted on their last 12 power-play chances and are ninth in the league at 13 percent (4 of 30).  Senior forwards Andrew Hamburg (four goals, one assist), William Rapuzzi (two goals, three assists) and Scott Winkler (three goals, two assists) are tied for the team lead in points at five.

Former Tiger goalie Curtis McElhinney, pictured, of the Springfield Falcons is the AHL Goaltender of the Month for October. In six appearances during the month, McElhinney went 5-1-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average, a .949 save percentage and two shutouts, helping the Falcons to the best record in the Eastern Conference. Here are the rest of the details.  Former Wisconsin standout Justin Schultz was named as player of the month suggesting that all the summer hype was not too overblown.

Here is the Denver Post’s preview for all three Front Range schools.

No. 12 Boston University is playing at No. 5 North Dakota for the first time since December 1996. Expect more such nonconference match-ups with the new league alignments forcing more nonconference games. Expect more such trips for the Terriers and Boston College, including to the state of Colorado. Fun fact: The last time UND and BU played in Grand Forks, both teams played in the national championship game (UND won 6-4 in spring 1997).

Here is Western College Hockey blog’s weekend preview and the USCHO predictions.

Friday reading: CC on TV, Duluth, AFA, CC and Denver previews

From CC sports information …

Altitude Sports & Entertainment, which announced last month that it would televise Colorado College’s game against the University of Denver live from the World Arena on Friday, Nov. 16, has further expanded its coverage of Tiger Hockey this season.

The Denver-based network announced this week that it will air live telecasts of CC’s games at the University of Wisconsin on Friday, Nov. 2, as well as at the University of North Dakota on Friday, Jan. 11, on Altitude 2, the network’s secondary channel.

The telecasts start at 6 and 6:30 p.m. MT, respectively, and will be available on Comcast Entertainment Television (CET/channel 105 throughout the state of Colorado), DirecTV (channel 682) and Dish Network (channel TBD).

Here is the rest of the article.

No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth 3, No. 9 Notre Dame 1

SOUTH BEND — After Notre Dame gave up a power-play goal late in the opening period and two goals in the middle period, junior forward Bryan Rust scored the Irish’s lone goal on the power play in the second period in a 3-1 loss to Minnesota Duluth.  Junior defenseman Stephen Johns and junior forward T.J. Tynan earned assists on the goal.  Notre Dame junior goaltender Steven Summerhays made 17 saves in the loss.

Freshman forward Cal Decowski had a goal and an assist and freshman netminder Matt McNeely stopped 29 shots to lead Minnesota Duluth

Here is the Denver Post’s take on the “Colorado state championship” and the Gazette’s preview.

Sunday reading: WCHA, Behrend, Howe, BC, North Dakota, schedule

The WCHA, not just CC, needed William Rapuzzi‘s goal on Saturday night. The league went 3-4-2 on Saturday and 9-6-2 on the weekend, not counting the two exhibition games.

Former Tiger Ted Behrend did not make the opening night roster for the CHL Denver Cutthroats.

Joe Howe picked up his first win since the 4-3 OT home win on Dec. 2, 2011 against Denver (Alexander Krushelnyski penalty shot) with a scoreless third period. Here is hoping he and Josh Thorimbert can build off the opening weekend. Giving up eight goals (certainly not entirely the goalies’ fault; CC’s unforced turnovers set Clarkson up well) and getting two wins will not happen often, especially in WCHA play.

There was yet another opening weekend surprise: Three freshmen scored goals as Northeastern beat Boston College 3-1 in a Hockey East game. Ryan Belanger, Kevin Roy and Colorado Springs native Colton Saucerman scored goals for Northeastern, which had been 0-1-8 against the Eagles in the past nine games.

Here is how Saucerman’s goal developed according to Hockey East: Boston College attempted to clear the puck, but the disc bounced off of Darcy’s skate and Saucerman collected it in the neutral zone, just a few feet before the blue line. Milner was out of position and Saucerman knuckled a slap shot to the right side of the net to give Northeastern the two-goal cushion, 3-1.

The Eagles won their last 19 games last season. Their last loss was on Jan. 21 to Maine 7-4.

Here is North Dakota’s TV schedule and this weekend’s league schedule:

Thu	10/18/12	Minnesota Duluth	at Notre Dame	7:35 p.m. ET
Fri	10/19/12	Minnesota	at Michigan Tech	7:07 p.m. ET
Fri	10/19/12	Minnesota Duluth	at Notre Dame	7:35 p.m. ET
Fri	10/19/12	Lake Superior	at Bemidji State	7:37 p.m. CT
Fri	10/19/12	Rensselaer	at Minnesota State	7:37 p.m. CT
Fri	10/19/12	Alab-Huntsville	at St. Cloud State	7:37 p.m. CT
Fri	10/19/12	Northern Michigan	at Nebraska Omaha	7:37 p.m. CT
Fri	10/19/12	Colorado College	at Air Force	7:05 p.m. MT
Fri	10/19/12	North Dakota	vs Alaska Anchorage	5:05 p.m. AT
Fri	10/19/12	UMass Lowell	at Denver	7:37 p.m. MT
Sat	10/20/12	Minnesota	at Michigan Tech	7:07 p.m. ET
Sat	10/20/12	Merrimack	vs Alaska Anchorage	4:05 p.m. AT
Sat	10/20/12	Lake Superior	at Bemidji State	7:07 p.m. CT
Sat	10/20/12	Rensselaer	at Minnesota State	7:07 p.m. CT
Sat	10/20/12	Alab-Huntsville	at St. Cloud State	7:07 p.m. CT
Sat	10/20/12	Northern Michigan	at Nebraska Omaha	7:07 p.m. CT
Sat	10/20/12	UMass Lowell	at Colorado College	7:07 p.m. MT
Sat	10/20/12	Air Force	at Denver	7:07 p.m. MT
Sat	10/20/12	North Dakota	at Alaska	7:05 p.m. AT

Tuesday reading: Guentzel, Civitarese, Labosky, CC radio show, MSU Mankato, Western Michigan preview, national TV schedule

Former Tiger Gabe Guentzel will be playing for the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL after the Anaheim organization switched affiliates. He signed an AHL contract on Sept. 21.

David Civitarese will get some extra coaching with Capitals coach Adam Oates working for AHL Hershey during the NHL lockout.

CC commit Daniel Labosky (2013 or 2014) is tied for fifth in points (15) in 11 games in the Upper Midwest Elite League.

The monthly Coach Scott Owens Show will be broadcast live from McCabe’s Tavern, 520 S. Tejon St., from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays on Oct. 9, Nov. 15, Dec. 4, Jan. 15, Feb. 5 and March 12. Schedule is subject to change, of course.

Western Michigan has the Mason Cup on display in Andy Murray’s office and the Broncos are not about to let it leave.

Minnesota State Mankato single-game tickets went on sale on Monday.

Here is the national and regional TV schedule. The first game broadcast will be the Manitoba at North Dakota exhibition (really) on Saturday night.

Altitude set to televise Denver at CC game Nov. 16

From CC sports information …

It’s official. Altitude Sports has a special treat on tap for hockey fans in Colorado and nine other western states this fall.

The Denver-based network announced this week that it will televise Colorado College’s game against the University of Denver from the World Arena on Friday, Nov. 16.

The scheduled telecast starts at 7:30 p.m. MT and features the initial meeting of the season between the archrivals, who battle four times annually for the coveted Gold Pan.

“Given the storied hockey history of Colorado College and DU,” said Doug Ballmer, senior director of programming for Altitude, “We are thrilled to be able to bring our viewers the season’s first match-up between these two longtime rivals.”

Seen in more than 3.1 million homes in its 10-state territory, Altitude is the television home of the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Mammoth, Colorado Eagles, Denver Outlaws, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, ESPN Syndication (including Big 12 Conference and Western Athletic Conference events,) as well as other local and regional sports, entertainment and public service programming. Its programming also is available nationally to DirecTV and DISH sports package subscribers.

The Tigers, who went 2-1-1 against Denver last season, claimed possession of the Gold Pan for the 11th time in 19 years since inception of the trophy in 1993-94. The teams have played each other 283 times since the rivalry began more than 60 years ago. Colorado College owns a 19-8-4 edge, including a 4-3 overtime victory and 2-2 tie in 2011-12, in 31 all-time meetings at the World Arena.

“We are thrilled to partner with Altitude for one of our biggest games of the season,” said Scott Lowenberg, associate athletics director at CC. “The production with top announcers and a network available throughout the United States is huge for Tiger Hockey. Having the opportunity to televise this game from our home arena is a reflection of what head coach Scott Owens and his team have accomplished on the ice.”

The 2012-13 season opener is just 10 days away, as the Tigers play host to the University of British Columbia in a single exhibition game at 6:07 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7.

A full list of Altitude programming and other information can be found at www.altitude.tv.

CBS Sports Network announces WCHA-free schedule

From CBS …

Starting on Nov. 15, CBS Sports Network will be kicking off its 10th season of college hockey coverage that will feature some of the top teams across the country from the Hockey East, CCHA, and Atlantic Hockey conferences.

No WCHA games are scheduled.

The slate features three games between top-15 teams, including the debut game between Notre Dame and Michigan.

Other key games include Western Michigan (No. 11) taking on Michigan on Dec. 14, as well as Ferris State (No. 14) taking on Notre Dame (No. 10) on Jan. 25.

The complete 18-game schedule of games as as follows:

Nov. 15: Notre Dame at Michigan (7:30 p.m. ET)

Nov. 30: Vermont at Maine (8 p.m. ET)

Dec. 8: Maine at Boston University (8 p.m. ET)

Dec. 14: Western Michigan at Michigan (7:30 p.m. ET)

Jan. 4: Robert Morris at Army (7:30 p.m. ET)

Jan. 5: Merrimack at Vermont (7:30 p.m. ET)

Jan. 12: Army at Air Force (6 p.m. ET)

Jan. 19: Alaska at Notre Dame (7 p.m. ET)

Jan. 25: Ferris State at Notre Dame (7:30 p.m. ET)

Feb. 8: Michigan at Notre Dame (7:30 p.m. ET)

Feb. 10: Providence at New Hampshire (4 p.m. ET)

Feb. 15: Notre Dame at Miami (7:30 p.m. ET)

Feb. 22: Notre Dame at Western Michigan (7:30 p.m. ET)

Feb. 23: New Hampshire at Vermont (4 p.m. ET)

Feb. 24: Boston College at Merrimack (4 p.m. ET)

Mar. 1: Ferris State at Michigan (7 p.m. ET)

Mar. 3: UMass-Lowell at Merrimack (4 p.m. ET)

Mar. 8: Boston University at Northeastern (7:30 p.m. ET)

Along with the 18-game TV schedule, CBSSports.com will also be releasing a College Hockey Power 10 ranking the top teams in the country and a Hobey Baker Award watch.

Friday reading: Hillen, Michigan Tech, Alaska-Fairbanks, DU student assistant, Bemidji State, Minnesota-Duluth, NHL lockout

Former Tiger Jack Hillen’s future with the Capitals (assuming lockout ends fairly soon) is predicted by this Washington blogger. Hillen is pictured last season playing for Nashville.

Here is a feature on a Michigan Tech freshman goalie from North Pole, Alaska, just outside of Fairbanks. UAF had its first practice recently.

Denver player Wade Bennett has retired due to injuries and will return as a student assistant coach according to DU’s Twitter feed.

Bemidji State home games will be broadcast on the regional Lakeland TV Network. This does not affect Colorado College

The NHL lockout is giving these five AHL teams a serious boost in starpower and talent. What does that mean for some former Tigers? It may be difficult for the unsigned free agents to make some AHL teams during training camp, which could lead to a trickle-down effect that may boost some ECHL franchises. Or they may consider the stability of playing overseas, if spots are available.

Once the NHL lockout ends (I remain hopeful), rosters will shift and a number of promotions from the ECHL to the AHL will return things to normal for most former Tigers.

Tigers on TV schedule update

The TV schedules continue to trickle in as October approaches. Here is the latest I have gleaned from what I have read concerning Colorado College games on TV.

Both Minnesota at Colorado College games Dec. 7-8 will be broadcast on FSN Plus according to the Gophers beat writer. The Golden Gophers will have 34 of 36 regular-season games on the tube as usual.

Both CC at Denver games will be broadcast by ROOT Sports on Nov. 17 and Feb. 8.

CC at Nebraska Omaha on Jan. 4, 2013 will be broadcast by NBC Sports Network.

The CBS Sports Network and Big Ten Network schedules should be announced soon.

I know the pickings look slim, but based on past seasons I predict a couple more TV dates to be announced soon (I have heard nothing remotely official, so take this guesswork with a huge grain of salt): at least one of the Denver at CC nights (CBS SN), one or both of the CC at Wisconsin games (FSN Wisconsin, CBS SN or Big Ten) and the CC at Alaska-Anchorage games Feb. 1-2 by a local station (Alaska cable feed). Duluth and St. Cloud State at CC are outside possibilities but not likely since CC would have to pony up money. We will see.