Colorado College threatens early end to WCHA title race

It’s been a year of surprises in the WCHA. North Dakota, Minnesota State-Mankato and Minnesota-Duluth all have made surprisingly strong runs at contention, but all of those teams could become “other” surprises while being outdistanced by Colorado College. The Tigers have lost just two of their first 28 games overall, and only one of 20 WCHA games while claiming the top rung in the WCHA and the nation.
Last weekend was the most recent example. North Dakota was ranked No. 1 in the nation when it came to Colorado Springs last weekend (Jan. 31-Feb. 1), even though CC stood two points ahead of the Fighting Sioux in first place in the WCHA, and had skated the Sioux to a pair of ties in Grand Forks.
No respect.
When the Sioux jumped ahead 3-0 in the first period of the first game, it looked like the bubble might be bursting for Colorado College. But the Tigers stalked back, cutting it to 3-2 by the second intermission, then becoming the first team all season to sting the Sioux when Dakota led after two periods, winning 5-3 on an empty-net-goal finish.
The Tigers won 4-1 the next night, and found themselves remarkably alone atop the WCHA standings. At 14-1-5, the Tigers have 33 points, leading second-place Minnesota State-Mankato by six, and Mankato has played two more games than CC. The challenges keep on coming, however, and as soon as CC finished whipping North Dakota to supplant the Sioux as No. 1, they find defending NCAA champ Minnesota coming to Colorado Springs this weekend (Feb. 7-8).
CC coach Scott Owens admitted that even he is surprised at how his team has run up a 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3), taken over the No. 1 ranking in the nation, and threatening to turn the rest of the WCHA into a race for second.
“I’d have to say I’m surprised at our record,” said Owens, after his Tigers climbed to the 14-1-5 WCHA record and a stunning 21-2-5 overall mark. “We’ve found different ways to win. Sometimes it’s the Clark-Sertich-Sejna line, sometimes it’s the power play, or the freshmen. And out goaltender has played exceptionally well.
“We’ve also gotten some help, because some people are beating each other.”
However, nobody is beating the Tigers these days. Owens and the Tigers point to great chemistry, that elusive quality of togetherness and mutual respect that teams either have or wish they had. They also, however, have some exceptional individuals.
In Peter Sejna, the Tigers might have the best individual player in the country, a cinch All-America and Hobey Baker candidate. They also have Tom Preissing, quite possibly the best defenseman in the WCHA, the country, and in the minds of Hobey Baker voters.
Sejna, a junior winger from Slovakia, got lucky last weekend, assisting on an empty-net goal, before notching a goal and two assists in the second game to run his point-scoring streak to 29 games and give him 19 multiple-point games. He has 18 goals and 20 assists in league games for 38 points – second only to Minnesota State-Mankato’s Shane Joseph, who has 40. Overall, however, Sejna has 28-29—57, which not only leads all WCHA scorers, but outpaces runners-up Grant Stevenson of Mankato and Zach Parise by eight points.
If Sejna is the ignition for the offense, linemate Noah Clarke is fourth in league scoring at 8-23—31, and an overall season of 12-34—46, where his 34 assists leads the nation. Three of Clarke’s 12 goals and five of his 34 assists have been game-winners. Centering Sejna and Clarke is Marty Sertich, a freshman who has shown all sorts of flashes rarely seen since his dad, All-America and Olympian Steve Sertich, patrolled center-ice for Colorado College a couple of decades ago.
“Marty Sertich has been very good,” said Owens. “He has good hands, and I guess you could say he has good bloodlines.”
Meanwhile, Preissing, the captain, is a big and tough leader who has been equally amazing back on defense. He has 18-15—33, which ties him for the most goals ever by a CC defenseman, and gives him the most points of any defenseman in the nation. Preissing is eighth in WCHA scoring with 11-12—23.
“Sejna and Preissing have both been good, especially offensively,” said Owens. “They’ve got the numbers to back them up. Preissing is very improved both offensively and defensively.”
If that means the offense and the defense are in capable hands, what about in goal? It was there that Jeff Sanger graduated, leaving what appeared to be a gaping hole. Curtis McElhinney stepped in, however, and has a 16-2-5 mark, and with his 12-1-5 WCHA ledger, McElhinney is second only to DenverÂ’s Wade Dubielewicz in goals-against with 2.28, and tied for third with a superb .911 save percentage. McElhinney has lost only two of 30 games over two seasons.
“We thought he’d be a good goaltender,” Owens said. “But I’m surprised me by being so far up in all the numbers.”
Colorado College has had the tools for all three of OwensÂ’ years as coach, but the Tigers have fizzled, either a lot or a little, at the start of those last three seasons. In 1995-96, the last year of Don LuciaÂ’s reign, the Tigers started out 16-0-2 and kept up the tempo all the way to the Frozen Four. But when Lucia left for Minnesota, and Owens took over, the Tigers started 3-4 and came in fifth at 14-11-3. In his second season, the Tigers started 6-0 but then lost three in a row and improved just one notch, to fourth at 17-11. Last seson, CC started 0-5 and came on strong to finish fourth again at 16-10-2.
This season, however, things have been different, right from the drop of the first puck.
“This year, we’ve just gotten off to a good run at the start,” said Owens.
But for those who like statistics, CC has compiled some eye-poppers. Consider that the Tigers have scored 90 goals in league games, a 4.5 average, which easily outdistances MankatoÂ’s second-best average of 3.86. The Tigers have scored 60 more goals than last-place Wisconsin. More than that, the 90 CC goals are almost perfectly apportioned, with 30 in the first period, 29 in the second and 31 in the third.
They also lead in goals-allowed – 16-10-20 by periods – for an average of 2.3 per game. That’s sharply better than second-best UMD’s 2.61, and it means the Tigers have given up 34 fewer goals than Alaska-Anchorage.
CC also has the best power play, with 29 goals in 99 chances for 29.3 percent effectiveness, while the Tigers have killed 94 of 108 penalties, for 87 percent efficiency. St. Cloud State is second at 81.7 percent. The penalty-killing unit is another surprise.
While those numbers leave the rest of the WCHA behind, perhaps the most surprising thing is that on paper, the Tigers look like a rebuilding team. “We play at least six freshmen every game,” said Owens. “Five of our 12 forwards are freshmen, and one or two of our defensemen are freshmen.”
Those freshmen include players like Sertich, and center Trevor Frischmon, who, Owens said, “continues to play very well. He can scoot, and he’s a great penalty-killer.”
On paper, the Tigers figured to be rebuilding, and to strive to compete in the middle of the WCHA pack. But these are far more than “paper” Tigers.

(John Gilbert has covered the WCHA for over 30 years. He just completed a book, “Return to Gold Country,” about last year’s Minnesota NCAA title team. He can be reached by e-mail at: jgilbert@duluth.com.)

Chelsey Brodt steps up, helps Gophers gain split at UMD

The University of Minnesota rose up from being flattened and gained an unlikely split against Minnesota-Duluth in what was a battle of national, as well as WCHA, womenÂ’s hockey titans. Neither team had ever been ranked lower than third in the nation, but beyond league title overtones, the series was all about footsteps, about having big skates to fill, about stepping up to a higher level, and about taking a bold stride forward in a critical situation.

Many of those steps were taken by Minnesota freshman Chelsey Brodt, who scored the clinching goal in the Gophers 4-2 reversal in the second game. But that stride didnÂ’t come until many other footprints had been made at Mars-Lakeview Arena, where the first steps were required to move up the hill. The usual harborside DECC site was housing a boat show, so the series was shifted to Mars-Lakeview Arena on the Marshall High School campus. ItÂ’s a cozy little arena, bright and shiny with good ice, but with only 1,000 seats.

The Gophers had been swept by UMD 4-3 and 6-5 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on Nov. 30-Dec. 1, and had battled to stay in hot pursuit of the Bulldogs ever since. But Minnesota had suffered a huge loss when Krissy Wendell was knocked out of the lineup the previous weekend. Wendell had centered Natalie Darwitz, and sophomore Kelly Stephens on Minnesota’s top line all season, and Wendell and Darwitz – both freshmen and both U.S. Olympic teammates – were the top two Gopher scorers and the keys to Minnesota’s title hopes.

Wendell scored the winning goal to give Minnesota a 2-1 victory for a sweep over Ohio State, and with only seconds remaining in the game, a Buckeye player knocked Wendell down at center ice and she was knocked out for the rest of the regular season with a broken clavicle. She went out with 26 goals and 27 assists for 53 points, while Darwitz had 26 goals, 28 assists for 54 points through 23 games, leaving the Gophers 15-2-1 in the WCHA and 22-3-1 overall, good for the No. 3 rank in the country.

UMD, however, was 18-1-1 atop the WCHA and 24-2-2, and ranked No. 2 behind only Harvard.

While the Stephens-Wendell-Darwitz line had scored 67 of MinnesotaÂ’s 127 total goals for the season, replacing Wendell on the line was no small matter. Coach Laura Halldorson pulled freshman Chelsey Brodt up from defense and put her at right wing, shifting Darwitz to center. Minnesota hockey fans recognize Darwitz as perhaps the most explosive center in girls high school hockey history from her days at Eagan, but Brodt had always followed in the footsteps of her sister, Winny Brodt, a senior on the Gopher squad.

The difference is that Winny Brodt has scored 11-18—29, while her little sister had 0-4—4. Putting her 0-4—4 stats up with Darwitz (26-28—54) and Stephens (15-12—27) made the line look a little lopsided, but Chelsey made the best of it.

“I had never played forward, and I didn’t know how I’d do,” said Chelsey Brodt. “Especially playing with Darwitz and Stephens and their speed.”

The experiment appeared a small matter when Minnesota-Duluth came out flying and hammered the Gophers 7-1 in the stunning first game. Hanne Sikio, Larissa Luther, Maria Rooth and Krista McArthur scored for a 4-0 first-period lead, and Halldorson pulled goaltender Jody Horak for Brenda ReinenÂ’s relief. Darwitz scored her 27th goal just 10 seconds into the second period, and the Gophers held at 4-1 until late in the middle period, when Rooth and Erika Holst scored for a 6-1 cushion, and Nora Tallus completed the romp in the third.

That victory moved UMD forcefully to within Saturday nightÂ’s game of clinching the WCHA title. And the lopsided nature of the score made things look bleak for the Gophers in the rematch.

First, there was the matter of the goaltending. Halldorson said she had a brief conversation with Horak, her sophomore ace who had clearly been off her game – 1.72 goals-against and .928 save percentage – when she allowed four goals on 16 shots in one period of the Friday game. Horak wanted to get back in there, and Halldorson sent her to the net. It was a far different first period, although Erika Holst’s 28th goal, on a power play, staked UMD to a 1-0 lead with three minutes left in the opening session.

While UMD kept attacking, while also defusing the Darwitz line, Minnesota’s supporting cast stepped up. Allie Sanchez scored her sixth goal of the season with a backhander at 4:35 of the second period, and Winny Brodt rushed up the left side from defense and fired her 12th goal of the season past Patricia Sautter at 13:50 to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead – its first lead of the weekend. Hanne Sikio, however, tied it 2-2 with her 19th goal before the period ended.

The third period was a matter of survival. Kelsey Bills was penalized for cross-checking, but Horak and the Gophers withstood UMDÂ’s 30-percent power play. Bills, a junior from Alberta who grew up playing on boys teams, came out of the penalty box and moments later raced up the right side, turned the corner beyond the defense, and cut to the net, where she scored at 7:01 to break the 2-2 tie.

Exactly 1:38 later, the spotlight turned directly onto Chelsey Brodt, unlikely though that seemed. She had spent most of the two games skating hard and hoping she wouldnÂ’t look out of place with her more-accomplished linemates. And when her big opportunity came, it first appeared she might have blown it.

Brodt carried the puck up the right side, with a step on the defense. As she rushed, she saw an opening as she got to the faceoff circle, and she pulled the trigger. Instead of sailing into the mesh, as might have happened in a normal Cinderella story, BrodtÂ’s shot flew over the net, high and wide by a couple of feet over the crossbar.
“She looked like me on that one,” laughed her sister, Winny Brodt. “I’m the one they’re always accusing of shooting high.”

Nobody accuses Chelsey of shooting AT ALL, but after her shot missed, and the puck zipped around the boards in the right corner, Chelsey Brodt alertly went to the front of the UMD net. Darwitz had sped in and gathered up the puck, then curled off the boards, looking for an opening as she crossed the slot, 40 feet out. Darwitz shot and the puck wound up behind Sautter at 8:39, giving the Gophers a 4-2 cushion. But the Gophers didn’t all rush to Darwitz for their congratulations – they went to Chelsey Brodt. Sure enough, she had deflected the puck in.

“My first goal!” Chelsey gushed. “And in my first series up front. All I did was go in front, and I had my stick down. The puck went right off the blade of my stick. Last night, we didn’t play that bad but things didn’t bounce our way. Tonight they did, and this was exciting, especially against Duluth.”

The Bulldogs intensified their attack through the final 10 minutes, but Horak came up with 13 saves for 33 in the game, many of them while surrounded by all five UMD attackers at close range. When it was over, the Gophers celebrated, then they all skated over to the corner and celebrated again, high-fiving through the glass to a smiling young woman wearing street clothes. It was Krissy Wendell.

The loss of her presence was pivotal for Minnesota, but the Gophers came back to forestall UMDÂ’s championship celebration by a week, at least. The Gopher comeback came because other players stepped up, Chelsey Brodt filled some big skates as a forward, and the Gophers took a major stride after three straight losses to UMD to maintain the No. 3 national rank, and to reinforce their hopes should the teams meet again, in the WCHA playoffs, or possibly in the NCAA Frozen Four.

Anoka rallies to beat Duluth East in AA puck quarterfinals

SAINT PAUL, MN. — Respect and admiration for their opponent, a good memory, and a goal by a sprawling Ben Hendrick with 18 seconds remaining gave the Anoka Tornadoes a 4-3 victory over Duluth East before 16,714 fans at Xcel Energy Center Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the boys Class AA state hockey tournament.

The victory puts Anoka up against defending champion Holy Angels in SaturdayÂ’s late semifinal. Holy Angels whipped Moorhead 5-2 in the opening game of the quarterfinals.

AnokaÂ’s collective memory was from January 11, when Anoka (23-4-1) lost for the third of only four times this season. It was in Duluth, and East stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to outshoot the Tornadoes 31-11, tying the game 3-3 with 2.4 seconds left, and then beating Anoka 4-3 in overtime.

“This wasn’t really revenge, but we knew what to expect,” said Hendrick, a senior whose critical game-winner was his 27th goal of the season. “When we were down 3-2 after two periods, all the coaches really talked about was how the third period has been our best all season, when we’ve scored the most.”

Junior Andrew Johnson scored the tying goal at 5:44, skating up the slot to take a neat drop pass from Zach Nelson, then firing high into the left corner of the net over goaltender Jake Maida.

After that, EastÂ’s Greyhounds were on their heels as Anoka outshot them 11-4, but the game seemed to be broiling along toward overtime during the final minute of the third period. An East defenseman circled back into his own end and flipped the puck up the left boards, but it slid all the way down to the Anoka end for icing. With the faceoff in the right corner of EastÂ’s zone, Hendrick nudged the puck forward, tried to step through but fell to the ice, swatting at the puck as he landed.

“I pushed it through their center’s legs,” said Hendrick. “He got a piece of my leg and I was on my knees. As I went down, I chopped at the puck and it hit the goalie and went through his legs.”

The goal came with 17.1 seconds remaining, which registers officially as 18 seconds. Whatever, it tolled the end of an 11-2 surge that had carried East (14-11-4) to the Section 7AA title, and the momentum to take control of the game after two highly entertaining periods.

East struck first, when John Jacques blasted a shot from the right point that Rob Johnson tipped ever so slightly to beat goalie Kyle Olstad for a power-play goal at 6:00. Craig Chapman tied it for Anoka at the right edge of the crease, redirecting a perfect power-play pass from Hendrick, who had rushed in from the left side before zipping his pass to Chapman.

Sean Fish put Anoka ahead 2-1 with a goal at 5:38 of the second period with an opportunistic goal after Maida had uncharacteristically wandered out of his net. The usually cautious junior netminder went back to play the puck, then wound up misfiring on it when he tried to ring the boards through the left corner. Andy LaHoud picked it off and alertly sent a soft pass across in front of the goal, and Fish closed in to deposit it in the unguarded net.

The Greyhounds bounced back immediately, and Andy Sternberg snapped a 35-footer past Olstad at 5:59 – regaining the tie at 2-2 after just 21 seconds.

When Derek Johnson was penalized for Anoka, the Greyhound power play clicked as Rob Johnson deflected in his second goal of the game, this time after a Chris Johnson shot at 7:34. The 3-2 lead looked impressive, particularly when East outshot Anoka 18-10 through the first two periods. But the Tornadoes recalled the game at Duluth, and the coaches were well aware of their inability to beat East in their annual rivalry.

“We haven’t beaten those guys since 1986,” said Anoka assistant coach Rick Wesp. “And when we lost to them in Duluth this year, they really took it to us. Mike Randolph is one of the best coaches in the state, so we knew they’d come with their ‘A’ game.”

Randolph was philosophical afterward. “We had a couple of breakdowns,” he said. “We were in pretty good position in the third period, up by one. But we just did not finish the game. Their big-time players stepped up at a big time.”

Eden Prairie hangs on for first-ever state tournament victory

SAINT PAUL, MN. — As long as its been a season for eliminating unflattering stereotypes, Eden Prairie wiped out the most nagging accusation Thursday by beating Lakeville 3-2 in the first round of the boys Class AA hockey tournament at Xcel Center.

True, 3-2 isnÂ’t exactly a show of domination, but it was enough to vault the Eagles (22-3-3) into the semifinals, where they have never ventured.

“Eden Prairie has been here four times, and I’ve been with ‘em for three of those,” said coach Lee Smith. “This was our first win in the state tournament.”

Now, that doesnÂ’t count the odd consolation game, but the Eagles, with an emerging powerhouse program, had never won a first-round game, and therefore never advanced beyond one-and-done status.
“We’ve heard it all, though,” Smith added. “These guys had been told we couldn’t get by Edina in Section 6, but we did it.”

They did it by blitzing top-seeded Edina 6-0 in the section final, but once in the state field, the challenge was larger.
And they blitzed Lakeville, too, but it didn’t show on the scoreboard. In fact, the Panthers almost succeeded in prep hockey’s version of “rope-a-dope,” falling behind 2-0, then 3-0, then somehow finding a way to stay in proximity of upsetting Eden Prairie – without shooting, difficult as that may seem.

Aaron WeberÂ’s goal at 11:36 of the second period gave Lakeville life, and Adam Davis scored a power-play goal at 3:36 of the third to make it 3-2, and even though the Panthers wound up with only 11 shots on goal for the game, to Eden PrairieÂ’s 26, Lakeville was always just one turnover away from the equalizer.

Ryan Hawkins admitted to some relief after the game, but mostly for the sake of the program.

“For our program, it’s the biggest thing ever done,” said Hawkins. “It’s great for our program, our coaches and the guys. Nick Peters, Chris Berg and I are all seniors who were on the 2000 state tournament team as sophomores. We played Greenway in the first game, and we were ahead, but they scored with two seconds left, and beat us in overtime. That’s all I could think of, when this game got down to the last few minutes. We don’t usually let that sort of thing bother us.”

Hawkins helped see to it that the Eagles would get off to a strong start, but he gave credit to Dave Watters. “Twenty-two is the big-gamer on our team, and when he came out and buried his first shot, we knew we were going to be OK,” said Hawkins.

Watters scored on a game-opening rush, knocking in a rebound at the left edge at 0:53. At 5:00, Brady Miller got the puck in the left corner and found Hawkins in the slot. Hawkins shot quickly and put the puck in off the right post for a 2-0 start.

“Brady saw me after he was mucking it out in the corner,” said Hawkins. “I don’t even know where it went, I just tried to get it off quick.”

Lakeville, outshot 12-3 in the first period, was outshot 8-4 in the second, but goaltender Brandon OÂ’Brien held the Panthers in the game. It didnÂ’t seem to be enough, though, when Nate Hanson scored on a rebound at 10:07 of the second session.

But a minute and a half later, LakevilleÂ’s Weber scored from the slot, and it was 3-1. The third period opened with successive penalties to Eden PrairieÂ’s Chris Berenguer at 1:12 and Joe Beck at 2:02, leaving the Eagles two men short for 1:10, and Lakeville on an extended power play with the overlap.

Davis came through with his power-play goal at 3:36, the Panthers were within striking distance.

“We had to kill the 5-on-3,” Smith said. “Then when we got one guy back, we iced the puck and the ref blew his whistle. We were shorthanded, so it should have been OK, and when they realized that, they faced off at center ice, instead of the puck being down at their end. That’s when they scored.”

But no amount of odd calls or close calls could matter. Eden Prairie is now 11-0-1 in its stretch run, and, biggest of all, the Eagles have won a game that mattered at the state tournament. “I really think this will put us over a big hurdle,” said Hawkins.

Simley ‘rope-a-dope’ entraps Rochester Lourdes in A semis

SAINT PAUL, MN. — Simley will be given almost no chance to upset powerful, No. 1 ranked Warroad in the Minnesota state high school Class A hockey championship game, but the case could also be made that the SpartansÂ’ upset status might mean they are right where they want to be for their Saturday high noon appointment in the title game at Xcel Energy Center.

If it werenÂ’t so ironic, you could say that Simley (18-10-1) already has proved that lightning can strike twice in the state high school hockey tournament. The irony is that Simley, from Inver Grove Heights, is not particularly quick, and is the opposite of a fearsome offensive power. Instead, they seem to prefer a rope-a-dope style of containing powerful opponents with a stubborn defense and the goaltending of Troy Davenport, and hanging around just close enough to steal a victory. Or, victories.

Otherwise, the cliché fits. Simley upset Rochester Lourdes 3-2 Friday, on a goal by Adam Hoaglund at 8:00 of the second sudden-death overtime, to gain Saturday’s Class A championship game against powerful Warroad. Close followers of the Class A segment of the tournament can be forgiven if they are consumed by a feeling of déjà vu about that result.

In Wednesday’s opening round, Simley was given little chance against St. Louis Park, but despite being outshot 30-16, Simley held on and then upset the Orioles 2-1 on an overtime goal by – guess who? – Adam Hoagland.

So in FridayÂ’s semifinal, Simley was given even less chance against Rochester Lourdes, but the Spartans, and Hoaglund, did it again.
Lourdes (22-3-3) jumped ahead when John Brunkhorst scored at 12:12 of the first period, but Simley struck back when Mike Bailey countered at 14:29.

In the second period, Bailey scored again, and the Spartans had a 2-1 lead at 5:58.

Lourdes responded with a determined increase in pressure through the third period, outshooting Simley 9-4, but it took until the final minute, with a six-man attack that the Eagles were able to notch the equalizer. Jamie Ruff got the goal, with 29 seconds remaining, to force overtime.

Lourdes dominated the first overtime, outshooting the Spartans 11-1, but with no success in puncturing DavenportÂ’s stout goaltending. After the first extra session, which was for eight minutes, the teams lined up for a 15-minute session, and halfway through, Adam Hoaglund got free in the slot for an instant, and put his shot past Ben Alker to give Simley its 2-1 victory despite being outshot 32-24.

So, after having no little chance against St. Louis Park, and almost no chance against Rochester Lourdes, Simley is in the championship game with – allegedly – no chance against Warroad.

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• About the Author

  John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
  
  For those who want to keep up with John Gilbert's view of sports, mainly hockey with a Minnesota slant, click on the following:
  
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• Exhaust Notes:

  PADDLING
  More and more cars are offering steering-wheel paddles to allow drivers manual control over automatic or CVT transmissions. A good idea might be to standardize them. Most allow upshifting by pulling on the right-side paddle and downshifting with the left. But a recent road-test of the new Porsche Panamera, the paddles for the slick PDK direct-sequential gearbox were counter-intuitive -- both the right or left thumb paddles could upshift or downshift, but pushing on either one would upshift, and pulling back on either paddle downshifted. I enjoy using paddles, but I spent the full week trying not to downshift when I wanted to upshift. A little simple standardization would alleviate the problem.
  
  

  SPEAKING OF PADDLES
  The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has the best paddle system, and Infiniti has made the best mainstream copy of that system for the new Q50, and other sporty models. And why not? It's simply the best. In both, the paddles are long, slender magnesium strips, affixed to the steering column rather than the steering wheel. Pull on the right paddle and upshift, pull on the left and downshift. The beauty is that while needing to upshift in a tight curve might cause a driver to lose the steering wheel paddle for an instant, but having the paddles long, and fixed, means no matter how hard the steering wheel is cranked, reaching anywhere on the right puts the upshift paddle on your fingertips.
  
  

  TIRES MAKE CONTACT
  Even in snow-country, a few stubborn old-school drivers want to stick with rear-wheel drive, but the vast majority realize the clear superiority of front-wheel drive. Going to all-wheel drive, naturally, is the all-out best. But the majority of drivers facing icy roadways complain about traction for going, stopping and steering with all configurations. They overlook the simple but total influence of having the right tires can make. There are several companies that make good all-season or snow tires, but there are precious few that are exceptional. The Bridgestone Blizzak continues to be the best=known and most popular, but in places like Duluth, MN., where scaling 10-12 blocks of 20-30 degree hills is a daily challenge, my favorite is the Nokian WR. Made without compromising tread compound, the Nokians maintain their flexibility no matter how cold it gets, so they stick, even on icy streets, and can turn a skittish car into a winter-beater.