Sertich plans to psyche Huskies to regain Tech glory years

There are two types of media folks covering the WCHA these days – the ones who don’t quite get Mike Sertich’s deadpan humor, and those who thank their laptops that Sertie is still coaching, because he is certain to enliven every post-game discussion with a few barbs, one-liners, or clever metaphors.

In this age when coaches are concerned about their jobs to the point of being nervous about letting the media have free access to their players, it is no wonder that they choose their words carefully. Most of them select their own comments carefully, reverting to the Coach’s Cliché Book to talk about working hard, getting outworked; getting breaks, or not getting breaks; or about the need for players to “step up to the next level.”

And then there’s Sertich. He spent 18 years as head coach at Minnesota-Duluth before he “got resigned.” Not even a year later, he was hired in midseason to take over at Michigan Tech, and he now is in his third season of trying to lift the Huskies up through the rugged WCHA to respectability, on their way to contention. It’s been a tough rebuilding process, but through it all, Sertich’s collection of zingers has continued to expand.

Two weeks ago, the Huskies had to go to Grand Forks, N.D., to face a North Dakota team that had just been thumped twice at Colorado College to fall from the nationÂ’s No. 1 rating in the spectacular new Engelstad Arena. Almost predictably, the Fighting Sioux spent a stiff week of practice under coach Dean Blais, and came out firing on all cylinders. The result was an 8-0 rout of Michigan Tech.

After the game, a reporter asked Sertich if, out of such a drubbing, he could find anything to take away. Sertich shrugged and said: “I don’t know…I’m going to take a walk around the building and see if I can find something to steal.”

Sertich then was asked if the goal barrage was something like an avalanche, and he proceeded to verbally wander through a deadpan explanation of what an avalanche really was. It went something like this: “You may not understand what an avalanche really is, but it can begin when a mass of snow gathers on an esker,” he said. “After it builds to a certain point, a tiny bit of snow might start to fall, and it may gather momentum enough to overcome inertia. And you know, a body in motion tends to stay in motion, and due to the angle it’s falling, it accumulates mass, and speed, and that’s what does the damage…”

Uhhh, coach? What was my question?

“You know,” said Sertich, “I’m at a technological university.”
If the reporters wander off in a quandary, Sertich uses his own humor and some interesting psychological ploys to keep his youthful Huskies from getting too dismayed when things donÂ’t go their way. Obviously, it can work, because 24 hours later, Tech stunned North Dakota 5-2 in the rematch.

Without putting too much emphasis on it, Sertich explained that he had gotten to know Don Simila, a clinical psychologist who works at Marquette General Hospital, and used to play hockey. “We exchanged some ideas,” said Sertich. “He’s very laid back, but he’s dynamic and he observes everything. We brought him in as a sports psychologist, and we have a group meeting once a week.”

ItÂ’s not that Sertich didnÂ’t feel up to the task of psyching his troops. Far from it. But he knew that things had changed in the overall aura of Michigan Tech hockey, from the glory days of John MacInnes, back when Sertich was a player at UMD.

“I think our meetings have addressed what was wrong,” said Sertich. “We had developed an attitude where maybe even coming here there was an expectation of losing, it had permeated the program for a long time. We’re kind of isolated up here at Houghton, and it’s a tough school. We felt we had to redefine our culture. I think they’ve learned some things about the program, some values, and we empowered them to create their own standards.

“The meetings have been pretty much the players’ meetings, and it’s fun to watch their success grow.”

The victory at North Dakota was a shocker, but it gave the Huskies another step on their climb. Picked for last in the WCHA by the coaches in the preseason Grand Forks Herald poll, the Huskies had climbed to eighth, putting some distance between themselves and Wisconsin and Alaska-Anchorage with a 6-11-3 record. That is nowhere near where Sertich wants them to be, but it also represented the benefits of a six-week stretch of 6-5-1.

The Huskies went back home for their legendary Winter Carnival series, against Minnesota-Duluth, and the Bulldogs – on the rise to contention themselves – smacked the Huskies twice. “They came in here very well prepared and certainly took it to us,” said Sertich. “They’re pretty good. I was impressed.”

As for the record, Sertich said: “I don’t pay much attention to that. We’ve still got a way to go, but we’re at the point where we can make it miserable for somebody else.

“We only have two seniors in the lineup, Greg Amadio and Chris Durno, and four juniors, so we’re extremely young,” Sertich added. “Our scoring has been pretty well spread around. We don’t have a big scorer, but we have a line of Jon Pittis, Colin Murphy and Chris Connor. They’re fun to watch, and they’re pretty intimidating – Pittis is 5-5, Murphy 5-10 and Connor 5-6.

“Back on defense, Justin Brown is a junior, and Clay Wilson is a sophomore, and the rest are freshmen. All of them have had their moments in the sun…and in the doghouse.”

Wilson, a smooth puck-handling defenseman, has shown signs of true stardom. And another sophomore, goaltender Cam Ellsworth, has been the key figure in TechÂ’s rise, giving the Huskies consistent play that often tends toward spectacular.

With Tech somewhat secured in eighth place, thatÂ’s better than ninth or tenth, and it also puts the Huskies in position to cause some grief in the playoffs. Up above them, the race for everything from second through seventh is a scramble, with six teams separated by eight points, with six games remaining. Minnesota State-Mankato has a two-point edge in second place, but has played two more games than its pursuers. After Colorado CollegeÂ’s pace-setting 37 points, Mankato has 31, Minnesota 29, North Dakota 28, UMD 25 and both Denver and St. Cloud 23. So UMD, Denver and St. Cloud are all battling to claim the fifth and final home-ice position.

As for the Huskies, there is no reason to look ahead to a potential playoff rival. There is, however, considerable evidence that they will be “psyched up” to make things difficult for every team they might face. And while the present looks good for Tech, the future only looks better.

‘Forgotten’ senior seizes chance to bolster surging UMD

Rob Anderson has no illusions about regaining the No. 1 goaltending slot for Minnesota-Duluth. He knows freshman sensation Isaac Reichmuth has that pretty well wrapped up. But Anderson, a Bulldog senior who had more than paid his dues the past three years, also found it distasteful to trade his hopes for “All-WCHA goaltender” for qualifications of “forgotten man of the year.”
If one game could count as the comeback of the year, Anderson pulled it off, making 33 saves for a 2-1 victory over Denver that might have been UMDÂ’s biggest victory of the season, because it vaulted them from seventh place, past Denver and into a tie for fifth with St. Cloud State as the battle intensifies for a top-five finish and home ice in the playoffs.
Anderson did his best to help UMD rebuild from last place during his first three seasons, and he finished last season with a strong 9-11 record, including a 4-2 finish with a 2.45 goals-against mark in his last seven starts. And he didnÂ’t play poorly to start this season, but while he gave no reason to lose his position, Reichmuth took over the job with a flourish and Anderson has had to admit he, too, has become a fan.
“Isaac Reichmuth is the best goaltender I’ve ever seen play,” said Anderson. “He’s constantly been standing on his head, and for three months he never let in a bad goal. He’s a great kid, too, and I like him a lot. But no matter how well he’s playing, it doesn’t mean I don’t want to get in there now and then and show that I’m still part of the team.”
Reichmuth was playing for the Trail Smoke-Eaters in the British Columbia junior league the past two seasons, while Anderson was toiling to become the mainstay in the UMD nets while a new coaching staff under Scott Sandelin tried to redesign the Bulldog program.
Anderson, from Superior, had backed up Brant Nicklin as a freshman, then, when Sandelin took over as coach, Anderson had to prove himself all over again and alternated with freshman Adam Coole in the UMD nets. The pair split the goaltending duties last season, too, but the UMD coaches gave a scholarship to Reichmuth, and even though the Anderson-Coole duo played well down the stretch, CooleÂ’s scholarship was pulled and he transferred to St. Cloud State.
So when the season started, Anderson was the senior veteran and Reichmuth the freshman flash who was Trail’s most valuable player two years in a row, with over 90 percent saves and a goals-against average of 3.63 last season. Anderson opened the season with a 2-2 tie against Notre Dame, and Reichmuth played a 4-3 loss to the Irish the next night. Anderson played both games against Colorado College, a 4-4 tie and a 4-3 loss to the eventual league-leaders. Then the ‘Dogs went to Alaska-Anchorage, and Reichmuth needed only 15 saves to win 3-2, and Sandelin gave him the start the next night, too, and UMD tied the still-winless Seawolves 2-2.
Sandelin continued to go to Reichmuth, who rose to the top of the WCHA goalie statistics while starting 21 of 22 games, with Anderson starting only an exhibition game against Bemidji State on Dec. 2. Reichmuth started 12 straight games after that, although at Minnesota State-Mankato, Reichmuth gave up all the goals in 5-3 and 4-1 losses. Anderson relieved with five stop in the second game.
Anderson had waited patiently, but he had no animosity.
“I’ve never been through anything like that,” said Anderson. “I kind of wondered if I’d ever get a chance to play again. I had lost a game by a goal to the No. 1 team in the country (CC) and then I went through a frustrating time. I was showing up for practice every day and working hard, but not playing. There was really nothing I could do, or say, because it wasn’t about me, it was about the team. And he was playing well.”
When Denver came to Duluth last weekend, Reichmuth faced Adam Berkhoel, but instead of a goaltending duel, UMD outgunned the Pioneers 6-5. Sandelin decided to give Reichmuth a break, and started Anderson in the Saturday Denver game.
Anderson responded with eagerness, but he tried to temper it. “I was pumped up to play, but I didn’t want to be too high,” Anderson said. “It was fun to finally get back in there.”
UMD struck first, with rookie flash T.J. Caig pulling a corner faceoff to Jesse Unklesbay, who scored at 8:19 of the first period. Less than five minutes later, the Bulldogs gave the speedy Pioneers a 3-on-1 break, and Connor James raced up the left side and drilled a hard shot for a 1-1 tie. But that was it. Anderson dueled league-leading goalie Wade Dubielewicz the rest of the way, with a busy night, because Denver outshot UMD 34-21.
“Denver is really good,” said Anderson. “They never give you an easy shot, and everyone in their lineup goes 90-frickin’ miles an hour.”
But Anderson was quick and poised, and stopped everything. With only 3:27 remaining in the third period, Luke Stauffacher spun free and scored on Dubielewicz, and Anderson held firm through a wild, six-attacker finish to claim the 2-1 victory.
“Based on all that has happened, this was the biggest win for me ever,” said Anderson. “I have no idea if I’ll get the chance to play at Michigan Tech this weekend, or when I’ll get another start. Isaac is the most skilled and best goalie I’ve seen in the league, but I may have to give a little wave and say, ‘Hey, coach! I’m still here!”

MSU-Mankato surge to contention eliminates sympathy

The WCHA menÂ’s hockey chase has been filled with turbulent ups and downs all season, but in the midst of all the surprises, the most enormous understatement is that the sympathy for Minnesota State-Mankato has ended.

Two very elusive guys named Shane Joseph and Grant Stevenson stand 1-2 in league scoring for the “Alberta Clipper” line, igniting an 11-game unbeaten streak that might be titled “Tie one for Troy” for the ride to third place, which has left the whole league shaking its collective head.

There’s not a lot of time wasted in sympathy by WCHA men’s teams for others in the highly-competitive league. But Minnesota State-Mankato was the recipient of a lot of league-wide sympathy last summer, when Tim Jackman in late July and Jimmy Cunningham in August decided to leave school and sign pro contracts. The Mavericks had made some strides to get up into the middle of the WCHA picture, and the loss of those two players – both among the top three of the team’s returning scorers – would undoubtedly doom them to a plunge to the lower reaches of the WCHA this season.

But as the month of January hurtles toward a conclusion, the Mavericks have ridden an 11-game unbeaten streak (6-0-5) – and overtimes in seven of the last nine games – to third place in the WCHA, behind only the sizzling pace being set by Colorado College and North Dakota. Behind them are preseason co-favorites Denver and Minnesota -– the two teams MSU-Mankato just played, with one victory and three ties – as well as St. Cloud State and resurgent Minnesota-Duluth. Minnesota-Duluth is a team that would be the league’s biggest surprise if it weren’t for MSU-Mankato’s amazing season, and the Bulldogs are the next foe for the Mavericks in a battle for home-ice hopes.

Mankato coach Troy Jutting faced two questions: Is he surprised by the MavericksÂ’ third-place stance? And, is it mathematically possible to tie all the rest of their games and still finish third?
“I knew we were going to have a great group of guys,” said Jutting. “But to say we’d be in third place at this point in the season…I’d have to say I’m surprised. I knew we’d work hard, and right now, we’re playing together really well. We’re getting great leadership, and they’ve got a lot of pride.”

“We knew Shane would score. He came in here after a big year in junior and broke his leg in one of the first couple of games and redshirted all year. He had a little trouble adjusting to the pace of the game in his freshman year, but then he comes back and scores 20 goals as a sophomore. Grant Stevenson had scored only 16 points, but we thought he had a lot of skill.”

Shane Joseph and Grant Stevenson fit together like a hand in a glove on an all-Alberta line, where left winger Joseph is from Brooks, center Stevenson from Spruce Grove, and right winger Dana Sorensen is a junior from Beaumont. As a tandem, Joseph and Stevenson have proven unstoppable for Maverick foes. Joseph, a 5-foot-9 scooter, has 17 goals, 19 assists for 36 points to lead the WCHA, and 20-24—44 overall; Stevenson, a 6-0 playmaker, has 14-21—35 to trail Joseph by one point in league scoring, and 18-28—46 to lead his linemate by two points overall.

As for the ties? Jutting laughed and admitted he hadnÂ’t done the math yet. At 7-5-7 in the WCHA, and 10-7-9 overall, the Mavericks have gone into overtime for a record 12 times, with two victories, one loss and nine of those games unresolved. But as long as junior Shane Joseph and sophomore Grant Stevenson keep up their torrid scoring pace, and veterans like junior Cole Bassett and B.J. Abel keep chipping in timely goals and bolster the leadership, the Mavericks keep rolling along, win or tie.
“We’re young, and we’ll learn,” said Abel. “Our unbeaten streak is great, but we have a goal of making it to the national tournament. We’ve done a lot of conditioning, and maybe that’s helped get us ready for so many overtimes. We knew we’d have a team that was close, and right now, we all do our jobs and everybody is pulling for everybody else.”

Jutting would seem to be a shoo-in for coach of the year in the league. He not only has taken what was basically a no-name outfit and prodded them into contention, but he has combined some neat tactics along with some great team chemistry to guide the Mavericks into a position to be reckoned with. The Mavericks are likely to send a winger or two all the way to the far blue line to stretch out an opponentÂ’s defense and facilitate a breakout, and their quickness makes them dangerous everytime they gain possession and turn to their transition game.

In goal, Jensen, a junior from Twin Cities suburb Apple Valley, was the No. 1 netminder, and Volp, a sophomore from Eden Prairie, was a distant No. 2. Jensen played 11 straight games at one point, but when he faltered, Jutting went to Volp and liked what he saw. Even though neither has league-leading statistics, both have been outstanding since Jutting started alternating them.

MSU-Mankato needed a break at Minnesota, and got it in the first game, when the Gophers found themselves in a rare predicament of having Troy Riddle, Paul Martin and Matt DeMarchi all in the box together after flagrant, close-order penalties late in the second period. Abel smacked in a 2-man power-play goal with 1:15 left in the period to tie the game 1-1, and with Minnesota still two skaters short, Bassett smacked in another 2-man power-play marker for a 2-1 lead. Jerrid Reinholz tied it 2-2 with 2:57 left in regulation, then the teams played a scoreless overtime.

Minnesota outshot Mankato 36-21, and hit four pipes as well, but Jon Volp was brilliant in goal for the Mavericks, and 10,060 fans went away puzzled.

The next night, Mankato spotted Minnesota leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but fought back for ties on goals by Stevenson and Bassett, then Brad Thompson gave the Mavericks a 3-2 lead in the third period. When Keith Ballard and Jon Waibel scored midway through the third, Minnesota was back on top at 4-3. But Jutting pulled goaltender Jason Jensen in the final minute, and Jeff Marler scored with 26 seconds left for a 4Stevenson and Bassett, then Brad Thompson gave the Mavericks a 3-2 lead in the third period. When Keith Ballard and Jon Waibel scored midway through the third, Minnesota was back on top at 4-3. But Jutting pulled goaltender Jason Jensen in the final minute, and Jeff Marler scored with 26 seconds left for a 4-4 tie.

Again Minnesota outshot the Mavericks, this time 47-30, but the Mavericks extended their unbeaten streak to 11. The week before, at Denver, Mankato led 3-1 until Denver pulled its goaltender and scored twice in the last minute for a 3-3 tie against Volp. In the second game at Denver, Joseph, Abel, Bassett and Joseph again scored and Jensen stymied the Pioneers for a 4-2 victory. That means in a four-game stretch against the WCHAÂ’s co-favorites, the Mavs took five points and didnÂ’t lose.

The Mavericks donÂ’t discriminate, playing close and dramatic games with every foe. Before Denver, MSU-Mankato claimed 4-2 and 5-4-overtime victories over Michigan Tech, after starting January with a 3-2 victory and 4-4 tie against Wisconsin. That makes a 4-0-4 record since the first of the year, and six of those eight games required overtime.

While there is a lot of the season remaining, the Mavericks have played more games than hot-pursuers like St. Cloud, Minnesota, UMD and Denver, which makes their hold on third place tenuous. But creative scoring, strong defense, solid goaltending and a lot of chemistry make them a threat the rest of the way.

OSU women’s coach Barto regroups after UMD series

Ohio StateÂ’s womenÂ’s hockey team held on stubbornly before falling 5-2 at Minnesota-Duluth, but the dam burst the next night, when the Buckeyes were the victims of an 11-2 drubbing by the Bulldog powerhouse.

If it felt good to return home Sunday to Columbus, coach Jackie Barto and her Buckeyes didnÂ’t have much time to regroup. Four days later, they would be heading for Minneapolis, and the second half of the WCHA-WomenÂ’s grind against Minnesota. Both UMD and Minnesota have been ranked among the nationÂ’s top three all season, a position the rest of the leagueÂ’s teams continue to strive to achieve.

While UMD and Minnesota are dueling for the WCHA and possible NCAA laurels, Barto and the Buckeyes have set more modest objectives, with the league in its fourth season since bursting upon the scene. Minnesota was the only one of seven teams that had a Division I varsity womenÂ’s hockey program when the WomenÂ’s WCHA was formed. UMD beat Minnesota for the first title, then Minnesota won the second and third, with UMD advancing the past two seasons to win the first two WomenÂ’s NCAA national championships.

“No question, Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth have set the bar pretty high for our whole league,” said Barto. “The others want to continue to improve, and I definitely think there is good progress. Minnesota and UMD have a lot of very talented players out there, but the younger players on other teams are getting exposure to the game. With the resources available to all of us, obviously growth was going to happen. And it’s happened quickly.

“Our objective is to work hard and keep the games close against teams like Minnesota and Duluth. We want to qualify for the WCHA tournament and give it our best shot.”

Barto established herself as a force in womenÂ’s hockey coaching during five years at Providence, where she had been a star athlete. Her first team, in 1994-95, was 18-9-4 and won the ECAC championship. The next year the Friars lost to New Hampshire in the title game, but only after five overtimes. When the WCHA started in 1999-2000, Barto joined the new frontier and moved to Columbus, where her teams showed steady improvement through her first three years, going 8-26-3 with all-rookies, then 18-16-3 as WCHA runner-up, and last year fashioned an 18-15-4 mark.

This year has been more of a struggle, as OSU takes an 8-16-2 record (5-9-2 in the WCHA) to Minnesota.

“I feel that our program can compete with anybody, we just need some confidence,” said Barto. “The trouble is, teams like Minnesota and UMD don’t allow your confidence to grow, and confidence is such a fragile element.”

Both hope and that fragile element of confidence were the keys to Ohio State’s first game in Duluth, which was played in Pioneer Hall, adjacent to the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center main arena, because a “monster truck” show was roaring its way through the big hall both nights. Barto is not likely to soon forget the monster that struck her team suddenly, late in the first game.

The Buckeyes came in 5-7-2 in WCHA games, while UMD was 14-1-1. With both senior April Stojak and freshman Natalie Lamme playing well in goal recently, Barto decided to start Lamme in the first game, because she is from Minnesota’s Iron Range, and her Hibbing roots might help her take hold of the situation. Meanwhile, sophomore Jeni Creary, from Shell Lake, Saskatchewan, came in with 14 goals through OSU’s first 24 games – more than any other two Buckeye skaters combined.

Things were going along according to plan. When Krista McArthurÂ’s power-play goal put UMD up 1-0 during a 15-3 shot barrage in the first period, Creary got lucky and scored late in the opening period when UMD goaltender Patricia Sautter skated to the sideboards but misfired on a clearing attempt, leaving Creary with an empty net from 40 feet for her 15th goal and a 1-1 tie.

The mighty Bulldogs, who finished the weekend 16-1-1 atop the WCHA and 22-2-2 overall to defend their No. 2 national rank, stormed ahead when Hanne Sikio scored shorthanded, Jenny Hempel finished a 3-on-2 rush, and Nora Tallus connected on a power play. But Jana Harrigan knocked in a Jeanne Chapple feed with 5 seconds left in the second period, and despite being outshot 21-3 in the period and 36-6 for two periods, the Buckeyes trailed only 4-2 at the second intermission.

It stayed 4-2 for 12 minutes, which was to Ohio State’s benefit. One more goal – nice set-up, fluke or whatever – and the Buckeyes would be right on the cusp of a major upset bid.

Instead, everything came undone. After making her 40th save, Lamme, who was clearly the star of the game, was down when a teammate blasted UMDÂ’s McArthur down on top of her. The two exchanged words as they got up, and, while still debating, Lamme spit at McArthur. It was an outrageous act, Lamme would agree afterward, a terrible reaction to the pressure and frustration of the moment, and she seemed contrite. But she was gone, nonetheless, as referee Brad Shepherd gave her a game misconduct at 12:24 of the third period. In a moment, she had gone from star of the game to social outcast.

It was still 4-2, and Stojak came in cold and played well. But exactly two minutes later, Creary checked UMDÂ’s Joanne Eustace from behind, headlong into the corner boards. Shepherd had no choice but to hit her with a 5-minute major and game disqualification for checking from behind.

In the closing minutes, Hempel deflected in one more goal for the 5-2 finish, which still wasnÂ’t bad, considering UMDÂ’s 54-15 edge in shots. That left a moment of truth for Barto and the Buckeyes. They had suffered from a steady stream of penalties, and a perceived lack of discipline might have been worse than the outcome. And for the second game, the Buckeyes would be without Creary, who would have to sit out for the disqualification.

Barto chose to not dress Lamme for the second game, getting special permission from the league to go with only one goalie. But even without their top scorer, the Buckeyes responded to BartoÂ’s demand and simply tried to play the powerful Bulldogs heads-up. The result was the 11-2 rout, as Caroline Ouellette scored three goals and Sikio, McArthur and Tricia Guest scored two each, with the irrepressible Jenny Potter adding six assists. Sikio reached the 200-point plateau with her game-opening goal, and she had her two goals and an assist while UMD took a 4-0 lead in the opening session.

While UMD was outshooting the overmatched Buckeyes 33-5 in the first two periods and 51-18 for the game, Jenny Hempel and Guest scored the sixth and seventh UMD goals in a school-record 9-second burst, with Eustace setting up both goals. On top of that, UMD was without Maria Rooth – who reached 200 points two weeks earlier – and Erika Holst, both of whom were skating for Sweden’s National team in a four-game upset victory over Finland, which included UMD defenseman Satu Kiipeli, and Ohio State star Emma Laaksonen.

The Buckeyes obviously depend on CrearyÂ’s offense and LaaksonenÂ’s skills on defense, and Barto points to freshman Jana Harrigan, and sophomores Jennifer Desson and Meaghan Mulvaney to improve the teamÂ’s scoring ability. Laaksonen has proven that more than just UMD can attract top student-athletes from Sweden and Finland.

“The players have to be the right fit for us, though, they have to be players whose highest goal is to graduate from Ohio State,” said Barto. “Scholarships are available, and the talent pool is growing, so the opportunities are definitely there.”

With the trip to Minnesota looming, Barto will leave Lamme at home with an indefinite suspension. “We hold our athletes to the highest standards,” said Barto. “Natalie is disappointed it happened, and she will work hard to get back into the lineup, but it was definitely an act that was unbecoming of an athlete in our program. We all need to be held accountable. The game is all about respect – respect for the game, your team and your opponent.”

Zach-attack sets blistering tempo for Fighting Sioux

Zach Parise is only a freshman, but he has taken the WCHA, and the nationÂ’s college hockey scene, by storm this season, while helping North Dakota vault back from a rare noncontending season into the thick of the title chase.
In fact, while going into an idle weekend (Jan. 24-25), the Fighting Sioux (10-1-5) are tied for first place in the WCHA with Colorado College (11-2-3). And Zach Parise shares the national collegiate scoring lead with Colorado College star Peter Sejna at 47 points. Sejna (25-22—47) is matched by Parise’s 18-29—47, although Parise took three weeks off to star for the U.S. Junior National team over the holidays. Parise’s 29 assists are one reason why Brandon Bochenski, his sophomore linemate, has 28-18—46, third in the nation in points, and first with 28 goals.
“I’m having a great time, and the season is going great,” said Parise, an unassuming young man who just scored four points or more for the fourth time this season with a hat trick plus one assist in the 11-2 Sioux romp at Alaska-Anchorage last Friday. He added an assist in Saturday’s 3-0 sweeper, to extend his point-scoring streak to 12 games.
As if leading the nation in scoring wasn’t enough, the versatility of Parise’s play is underscored by breaking down his goals and points. In all games, he is fourth in the WCHA in goals with 18; he is second in assists with 29; he is fifth in power-play points with 6 goals, 11 assists and 17 points; and he is first in shorthanded points with 3-2—5.
Beyond the points, however, Parise is a complete player already, covering his man and finishing his checks on defense, even though those acts are overshadowed by his offensive skills, where he is always moving, always in the right place, and a compelling figure to command the attention of teammates, foes and fans every shift.
While his scoring touch seems heaven-sent, Parise can trace his work-ethic to his father.
Jean-Paul Parise played most of his NHL career with the Minnesota North Stars, where he became a fan favorite because of his constant hustle and irrepressible work-ethic. Tough in the corners, constant in his conscientious backchecking and always alert for any opportunity, J.P. Parise scored a lot of goals – and a lot of big goals, after which he was at his best in the dressing room after games.
“What about that goal, J.P.?” one of the gathering of reporters would ask.
“Well,” Parise would start, a serious look on his face, “I saw a small opening on the short side, so I dipped my shoulder and looked to the far side and then I shot for the opening…”
As reporters would feverishly write down J.P.’s carefully detailed description of his key goal, he would let a sly smile spread across his face, then he’d laugh heartily. “Are you kidding?” he’d say. “I just put my head down and shot and it went in.”
That routine would reoccur every time Parise scored, because scoring goals was always a bonus with J.P. Parise.
A couple of decades later, when Parise had chosen as his retirement occupation the opportunity to lead the entire hockey operation at Shattuck-St. MaryÂ’s prep school in Faribault, Minn., he has guided a program that is unique among Minnesota high schools. Shattuck doesnÂ’t play in the vaunted Minnesota state high school structure, but instead plays nationally and internationally in an elite schedule, at the top youth age groups as well as high school.
The program has developed many outstanding prospects, but the one who has made the greatest impact at the next level is Zach Parise, J.P.Â’s oldest son. And while J.P. observed and nurtured ZachÂ’s developing talent from the start, there is no question that Zach will never adopt the familiar routine J.P. used to pull on the media when he scored. When Zach lets fly with a shot, he seems to know where the openings are and he hits them with great precision.
In fact, meaning no disrespect to his dad, Zach Parise is being compared to current NHL standouts.
“People say Zach plays a lot like Paul Kariya,” says Dean Blais, North Dakota coach. “But I think he’s more like Peter Forsberg. Kariya and Forsberg are both great offensively, but Zach is more like Forsberg – first on the forecheck and he finishes every check.”
Before going to Alaska, Zach Parise and the Fighting Sioux faced a huge test at Minnesota. With both teams ranked among the top five in the nation, North Dakota beat the Gophers 4-2, with Parise getting the gameÂ’s first goal and assisting on two others. The next night, the Gophers shut down the Sioux 6-3, although the score doesnÂ’t indicate that two late Minnesota goals were empty-netters when Blais gambled to try to maintain North DakotaÂ’s unbeaten streak, which ended at 16 games.
It was a huge weekend for Parise, who was returning close to his Bloomington home for the first time as a collegian, and the Gopher fans were primed and ready. Parise had passed up Minnesota when he chose North Dakota, which has been the source of a curious, ongoing controversy. After he made his decision last year, former Gopher and later North Stars player and general manager Lou Nanne, and Glen Sonmor, current Gopher announcer and former coach, as well as a coach of the North Stars, drove to Faribault to try to convince Parise to change his mind and go to Minnesota. That was an NCAA violation that caused the Gophers to self-report.
This season, word spread that Herb Brooks, another former Gopher coach, had advised Parise to go to North Dakota to join the best program with the best coaching staff. Brooks said the report was taken out of context, and that he had answered J.P. Parise’s question by suggesting various colleges for various reasons – including Harvard or Yale for academic emphasis, Notre Dame for prestige, Big Ten colleges Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota for a strong combination of hockey and academics, and North Dakota for its emphasis on a strong hockey program and its great coaching staff.
Regardless, the fans were ready to let Parise have it in the first game, but Parise got the last laugh.
“It was awesome, I can’t even describe it,” Parise said afterward. “I had about 30 friends and family here. It was very emotional. The fans cheered when I got a penalty and booed when I got a goal. But I expected it. I thought it would be like Keith Tkachuk going back home to Phoenix.”
Those NHL comparisons just keep on coming. Kariya, Forsberg and Tkachuk are all worthy parallels, but for the present – and the future – Zach Parise being just Zach Parise will be all the Fighting Sioux want and need.

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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.
  
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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.