WCHA Christmas wishes left over
[John Gilbert viewpoint…12-30-98…]
‘Twas the week after Christmas, and on Santa’s special list
is a not from WCHA coaches, a wish-list that was missed!
All of the preseason WCHA prognostications are distant memories, but they were right on in some ways. It was suggested that North Dakota and Colorado College not only would be the best two teams in the WCHA, but perhaps in the nation. Don’t look now, but the two of them have run away from what is otherwise a very balanced race. For third.
Meanwhile, here is the secret list of what each of the nine WCHA coaches asked for at Christmas time. It’s alphabetical, because Santa always goes in alphabetical order:
Dean Blais, North Dakota—A history book, so he can read about how, once upon a time, a long, long time ago, he didn’t have success with every move he made on every team he coached. He can read it between games, while his Fighting Sioux cruise to a third straight WCHA championship.
Craig Dahl, St. Cloud State—Continued solid goaltending to support an offense that has been surprisingly productive so far.
George Gwozdecky, Denver University—Completion of the new rink, so the Pioneers will have a home for their home games.
Don Lucia, Colorado College—A healthy Toby Petersen, whose return might allow the Tigers to prevent North Dakota from duplicating CC’s unprecedented feat of three straight WCHA victories.
Jeff Sauer, Wisconsin—A few goals, because the Badgers give up the fewest goals in the league but are still struggling for .500.
Mike Sertich, UMD—A new playbook: “Nice Guys Don’t Have to Finish Last,” which was needed since Sertie tossed the one he used the first half of the season into the bay. That one was: “How to Win the Title While Scoring Only Once Each Game.”
Dean Talafous, Alaska-Anchorage—Official documentation that the Seawolves won’t have to give back the four points they swiped from UMD at the DECC. They could prove critical.
Tim Watters, Michigan Tech—A second half that proves his Huskies can live up to the class and humility of their coach.
Doug Woog, Minnesota—Complete isolation to concentrate on videotapes of successful, well-coached and innovative teams, even if their talent was less than his current team. But wait! Those videos are of the Gophers during Woog’s first five years, ‘way back when they were stylish, cohesive over-achievers, who showed individual improvement from year to year, and actually had fun playing the game and being in the program.
Bulldogs hang on to top Denver 4-3
Denver University coach George Gwozdecky called Minnesota-Duluth “the best last-place team I’ve seen.” And that was BEFORE the Bulldogs rose up to bite the Pioneers 4-3 before 3,798 fans at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center.
Afterwards, there could be no doubt. The Bulldogs led 2-0 early, saw the Pioneers rally to gain a 2-2 tie in the third period, but battled back themselves. Jeff Scissons set up the tie-breaking goal by Derek Derow and then Scissons scored himself for a 4-2 UMD cushion, which was entrusted to goaltender Brant Nicklin. He came through, his fourth breakaway chance in the final minute, amid 30 saves.
“They played well, and Nicklin played very well,” said Gwozdecky. “They took advantage of some of our breakdowns early in the game. But we had our chances. I can’t remember many games where we’ve had so many breakaways that we didn’t score on.”
The Pioneers (6-8-1) hadn’t won in Duluth since Dec. 3, 1933, but the Bulldogs (3-10-2), languishing in last place, have scored the fewest goals in the league, and hadn’t won a WCHA game in five tries at the DECC until Friday.
“That was a good hockey game,” said UMD coach Mike Sertich. “And that’s a pretty good hockey team Denver has. We moved the puck well, and we came up with some big goals when we needed them.”
Freshman defenseman Kent Sauer got UMD started when he moved in boldly from the point to put away a pass from behind the net by Ryan Homstol after only 2:19 had elapsed. “I got there just at the right time, and I didn’t aim, for once,” said Sauer, a 6-1, 225-pounder, who scored his first college goal to celebrate homecoming for his older brother, Craig Sauer, who is a linebacker with the Atlanta Falcons, who are in Minnesota to play the Vikings in the NFC title game on Sunday.
At 6:21, freshman center Tom Nelson stationed himself in the slot while Colin Anderson passed in from the right boards to Curtis Bois behind the net, and Nelson quickly deposited the relay from Bois to the lower left for a sudden 2-0 headstart. It was his first goal, too. “I feel relieved,” said Nelson, who is from across the bay in Superior, Wis., where he led his team to three consecutive Wisconsin state high school hockey titles. “We had some nice plays, and played well overall. And it’s a good thing Nicklin stood on his head.”
The Bulldogs kept the pressure on, generating a half-dozen other promising scoring chances that either misfired or were stopped by goaltender Stephen Wagner. But after 15 minutes of being dominated, Denver got its offense untracked.
Nicklin had stopped Mark Rycroft on a 3-on-2 rush midway through the period, and also saved a Kelly Popadynetz breakaway later in the period. It took the Pioneers fourth line to connect for a goal when Bryce Wallnutt fed out from behind the net and Joe Ritson scored while being checked at 15:52.
Denver had the edge in chances in the scoreless second period, as Rycroft couldn’t quite reach a late return feed from Paul Comrie on a 2-on-1, and Gavin Morgan zoomed in on two successive breakaways, only to be foiled by Nicklin. Jon Newman just missed on a power play when his shot from the left circle glanced up and away off the crossbar.
The Pioneers got the equalizer at 7:46 of the third period, with each team a man short. Comrie made use of the extra portion of room on the ice, carrying from the right boards across the slot, holding the puck patiently until he could use a defender as a screen and then drilling his shot into the lower right.
At that point, it looked a lot like a number of UMD games where the ‘Dogs played well enough to win, but found a way to lose. But Derow’s goal rejuvenated the ‘Dogs. And Scissons exchanged passes with Ryan Coole, 1-timing the return to score the ultimate winner.
Comrie waltzed in from the right to score his second goal with 1:44 remaining, but Nicklin and the Bulldogs managed to hang on. Of course, it took one more breakaway, when Bjorn Engstrom intercepted Mark Carlson’s pass and sailed in alone. Nicklin stood his ground, gave him nothing, and Engstrom’s shot missed the net.
“Everyone thinks I saved it,” said Nicklin. “I’ll take it.”
Denver University 1 0 2 — 3
Minnesota-Duluth 2 0 2 — 4
First Period: 1. UMD–Sauer 1 (Homstol, Derow) 2:19. 2. UMD–Nelson 1 (Bois, C. Anderson) 6:21. 3. DU–Ritson 2 (Wallnutt, Veres) 15:52. Penalties–Sauer, UMD (hooking) 2:28; Engstrom, DU (hooking) 10:48; Coole, UMD (hooking) 18:13.
Second Period: No scoring. Penalties–Kidd, DU (high-sticking) 6:01; Coole, UMD (roughing) and Ritson, DU (roughing) 9:41; Patterson, DU (roughing) 13:01; Coole, UMD (interference) 15:25; Rycroft, DU (roughing) 20:00.
Third Period: 4. DU–Comrie 11 (Rycroft, Kurulak) 7:46. 5. UMD–Derow 7 (Scissons, Coole) 12:00. 6. UMD–Scissons 12 (Coole, Bois) 16:33. 7. DU–Comrie 12 (Hacker, Morgan) 18:16. Penalties–Pogreba, UMD (holding) and Patterson, DU (roughing) 7:28; Pogreba, UMD (high-sticking) and Kurulak, DU (high-sticking) 15:19.
Saves: Wagner, DU 8 11 8–27; Nicklin, UMD 8 12 10–30 . Attendance–3,798. Referee: Mike Riley; assistant referees: Brett Klosowski, Marco Hunt.
An especially good year passes
[1998–a very good year/john gilbert upnorth viewpoint…]
As years go, the just-passing 1998 was more than just special to me, because I hopped on board the Up North Newspaper Network in midyear. That also means some of the highlights of my sports year had a different scope. While everybody runs retrospective columns when the year ends, here are some events that missed the mainstream lists.
* Frigid winter weather notwithstanding, 60,000 fans paid their way into the Metrodome to watch Jeremy McGrath return to the pinnacle of motocross racing at the annual Supercross.
* There were four sides to a bizarre high school hockey story in Elk River: 1. Coach Tony Sarsland threatened one of his players during a game and was suspended for four games. 2. Several players from past teams contacted a reporter to say they had been similarly abused, verbally and/or physically, by Sarsland over the past 3-20 years, although some didn’t want their names used. 3. Damage control by a small group of Sarsland’s personal boosters insisted the accusations were only malcontents out to get Sarsland. 4. An “impartial” three-man panel investigated and determined it was a one-time incident, so Sarsland should resume coaching. Incredibly, the committee refused to interview any past accusers because they might be “prejudiced.” (That’s like having your store robbed, but the police only want to interview those clerks who weren’t robbed!) I always enjoyed dealing with Sarsland, and his Elks are currently No. 1 in the state, even though legal action is currently being pursued against Sarsland and the school by the family of one of the team’s top players.
* The state hockey tournaments were filled to the brim with thrills by Up North teams. In the girls tournament, Hibbing beat Bloomington Jefferson, then upset No. 1 Roseville, before losing a 1-0 overtime thriller to Apple Valley in the final. In boys play, Edina won a state-record six-overtime 6AA playoff final against Eden Prairie, but at state, Duluth East beat Hastings, Bloomington Jefferson (3-2 on Kevin Oswald’s overtime goal) then stopped Anoka with a 3-1 defensive masterpiece in the final. Eveleth-Gilbert beat Hermantown in an all-Up North Class A final, after Hermantown upset No. 1 Red Wing.
* I missed what undoubtedly was the biggest single sports event in Duluth during 1998 — UMD’s hockey victory over Minnesota in the third and deciding playoff game, and coach Mike Sertich’s celebratory grand slide into the goal. I did, however, see Tony Gasparini’s first goaltending start, in the WCHA Final Five, end when he was held down in the crease by a St. Cloud State player while the Huskies scored the tying goal in the final seconds, then beat the Bulldogs in overtime.
* Simon Peter of Tanzania made his move going up Lemon Drop Hill — where most runners falter — and emerged from the North Shore fog and drizzle to win Grandma’s Marathon in a record 2:12:47.
* The Duluth-Superior Dukes struggled all summer, but Ila Borders proved she could pitch, and handle an overload of national media, which was the thing she wanted least.
* The Trans-Am auto race on the streets of Minneapolis was befouled by several weird rulings by officials, as reported in the Up North Network if not elsewhere. A month or so later, Sports Car Club of America officials cited that race and others while dismissing those same officials. Sadly, Minneapolis officials have decided to discontinue the unique charity race.
* Iron Range native Warren Johnson dominated Pro Stock drag racing, and the Line family, from the Cloquet “suburb” of Wright, stood out at the August BIR drag races. Incomprehensibly, the chief shareholder of the public track made the rest of 1998 stormy by firing and/or prompting resignations from loyal, long-standing BIR workers. If the track runs in 1999, it will be after hiring an entire new staff.
* More hockey news was huge: Duluth East senior-to-be Patrick Finnegan passed up his senior year to play Major Junior at Windsor, Ontario…NHL star Brett Hull, a summertime Duluthian, left St. Louis to sign with Dallas…Cloquet’s Jamie Langenbrunner missed the start in a contract dispute but now is flying for the same Stars…And UMD is starting to build an on-campus arena for its new women’s hockey program, which will be easily expandable to be a state-of-the-art home on the hill for the Bulldog men as well.
Ah, but now we’re into pre-retrospection, which will have to wait for a future year.
Comrie, DU gain split with UMD
DULUTH, MINN.
Paul Comrie didn’t get a goal Saturday night, but his stickhandling, passing and puck-swiping touch seemed to mesmerize the UMD Bulldogs and was the key to Denver’s 4-2 victory for a split in the weekend WCHA series.
After Comrie scored two goals in UMD’s 4-3 first-game victory, Bulldog coach Mike Sertich marveled at the Pioneer captain’s skills. “I’d say he and Brian Swanson of Colorado College are the best two players in the league,” said Sertich.
And while Comrie didn’t get a goal, his line had three of the Denver goals, and, naturally, he had two dazzling assists, giving him four points out of the seven DU goals for the weekend.
When told of Sertich’s assessment, UMD captain Bert Gilling said: “Personally, I’d say Comrie is the best player in the league. I’ve got the utmost respect for him. He’s got speed, agility, great hands and great imagination. And he’s a competitor too; when he gets agitated, he just turns his game up a notch.”
The split sends Denver home 7-8-1, tied suddenly by Michigan Tech in challenging Alaska-Anchorage and Wisconsin for third place in the WCHA, with Anchorage at Denver next weekend. UMD dropped to 3-11-2, deeper in the cellar, but only four points behind St. Cloud State, next weekend’s foe, which dropped into eighth by losing twice at Michigan Tech.
With 3,991 fans at the DECC Saturday night, Comrie set up the first of two goals by Mark Rycroft to open the game, and he made a big play to set up James Patterson’s clinching goal, when it was 3-2 midway through the third period.
“I thought Comrie had a lot more support tonight,” said DU coach George Gwozdecky. “Rycroft and Patterson played much better tonight. Last night, Paul was all alone.”
As big a factor as their offense was, the Pioneer penalty killers shared the spotlight, because Denver was almost equally adept at taking penalties and killing them. But they shackled the Bulldogs to 1-for-9 on the power play while Denver was 0-for-2.
The first period was the reversal of Friday’s 4-3 UMD victory, when UMD took a quick 2-0 lead, only to have Denver cut it to 2-1 and later tie it 2-2. This time, it was the Pioneers who jumped off to a 2-0 lead, and the Bulldogs who cut it to 2-1 before the first period ended.
UMD goalie Brant Nicklin made 39 saves as Denver outshot the Bulldogs 43-29, but Nickli.n couldn’t hold off the Pioneers indefinitely. After 11:28 had elapsed in the first period, Rycroft scored at the crease when Joe Ritson and Comrie collaborated to lure Nicklin to the right side and isolate Rycroft.
Four minutes later, Veres had the puck along the boards, deep on the left side, and spotted defenseman Erik Adams moving in from the right point. Veres fired a hard pass across the slot, Adams caught it and zipped a 30-footer past Nicklin for the 2-0 lead.
Just 52 seconds later, UMD got back in the game when they got the puck in deep on the left and a forechecker helped spring the puck free to the slot. Ryan Homstol lunged to pick off the puck and shot immediately, getting the puck up and into the short side on Stephen Wagner from the right.
That aroused the Bulldogs, who almost tied it when Jeff Scissons tried a wraparound. They did get the 2-2 tie at 4:25 of the second period when freshman defenseman Mark Carlson strolled in from the left point and shot through a screen of bodies on a UMD power play.
UMD had a 2-man power play for a 1:23 span later in the middle period, but Wagner and the penalty killers avoided danger. “Right there, if we could have scored we could have changed the momentum,” said Sertich.
Instead, it stayed 2-2 until Rycroft broke the tie at 3:08 of the third period with his second goal of the night when he slipped behind the defense to the far blue line to catch a 100-foot pass from defenseman Ryan Hacker, a senior from Alexandria, Minn. Rycroft skated in on the left side and beat Nicklin low to the far side.
The Pioneers killed off another penalty, then Comrie came up with his coup de gras play, at 8:12. UMD defenseman Jesse Fibiger got possession behind his own net, but as he whirled to escape, Comrie was coming from the other direction and swatted the puck right off his stickblade and onto the blade of Patterson, out front. The play happened so suddenly, that Nicklin was completely relaxed, unaware that Patterson had the puck. As Patterson teed it up, Nicklin tried to recover, but too late, and the senior from Wayne, Mich., had his 16th goal of the season.
UMD was not helped when Derek Derow missed the game with a flu-like infection, and Tommy Nelson left midway through the game with a possible concussion.
Denver University 2 0 2 — 4
Minnesota-Duluth 1 1 0 — 2
First Period: 1. DU–Rycroft 10 (Ritson, Comrie) 11:28. 2. DU–Adams 2 (Veres, Popadynetz) 15:34. 3. UMD–Homstol 7 (unassisted) 16:26. Penalties–Kidd, DU (holding) 4:47; Pogreba, UMD (slashing) 5:26.
Second Period: 4. UMD–Carlson 3 (Medak, Gunderson) 4:25, Power play. Penalties–Wallnutt, DU (cross-checking) 2:54; Kidd, DU (high-sticking) 4:25; Newman, DU (roughing) 11:36; Patterson, DU (cross-checking) 12:13; Newman, DU (slashing) 14:54; Fibiger, UMD (interference) 17:25.
Third Period: 5. DU–Rycroft 11 (Stauss, Patterson) 3:08. 6. DU–Patterson 16 (Comrie) 8:12. Penalties–Morgan, DU (hooking) 4:43; Popadynetz, DU (high-sticking) 9:08; Patterson, DU (cross-checking) 13:48.
Saves: Wagner, Denver 9 13 5–27; Nicklin, UMD 9 8 12–39. Power plays: Denver 0-2; UMD 2-9. Referee: Mike Riley; assistant referees: Marco Hunt, Brett Klosowski. Attendance–3,991.
Injuries rock top-rated hockey teams
At its best, hockey is a game of speed, finesse and precision, punctuated by some jolting bodychecks now and then. Hibbing beat Eveleth-Gilbert last week in an overtime thriller in a perfect example, which also had the Up North Regional No. 1 rating riding on it.
At its worst, hockey can be reduced to a continuing series of rollerball-style hits, where any semblance of skill and finesse winds up under a pile of bodies. There have been more than a few examples of that recently, where “finishing their checks” and crashing opponents into the boards at every opportunity becomes the priority.
During holiday break, most teams, such as Greenway of Coleraine, are ultra-busy in tournaments. Duluth East, on the other hand, is taking time off for a midseason break. Opposite approaches to the holidays, maybe, but East and Greenway share the pain of having players sidelined with serious injuries.
Ross Carlson, East’s star junior forward, is out with a third-degree shoulder separation after one of a long series of heavy hits when the Greyhounds won 6-3 at Edina last week. He will be out another two weeks, and East coach Mike Randolph could only express relief that his team — ranked No. 2 regionally and No. 4 statewide — had almost two weeks off, from last Tuesday until this Saturday.
“Ross was the fifth shoulder injury we’ve had this year,” said Randolph. “I don’t know if there’s more running, or more checking from behind, but there are a lot more high hits. I can’t remember us having many shoulder injuries over the years, but we’ve had Eric Johnson, Mark Anunti, Jon Hedberg, Pat Brannan and Carlson all suffer shoulder injuries this year.”
Greenway’s injuries started in the preseason IRC Jamboree and hasn’t let up.
“What bothers me most is the number of checks from behind,” said Pat Guyer, coach at Greenway of Coleraine. “When I played, I don’t remember players hitting from behind. If a guy had his back turned, you pulled up. Nowadays, you see hits from behind all the time. Kids aren’t invincible, but a lot of players have absolutely no respect for other players. In my mind, when a player is knocked out with an injury, the player who injures him should be thrown out for just as long.”
Greenway is fifth in the Up North regional ratings and ninth statewide, despite playing without its two best defensemen. Adam Johnson, a 6-foot-6 star, was hit from behind against Grand Rapids and has been out for a full month. Bo Geisler is out with a separated shoulder from a late hit against Warroad that splattered him into the end boards. Also, sophomore Joe Badavinac returned to the lineup after a hit from behind against Virginia provided a scare in the Jamboree.
Guyer doesn’t blame other coaches, or specific players, so much as what he sees as a reckless style that appears the result of a direct influence by pro hockey. Players become so eager to deliver a crushing hit that they fail to consider the consequences.
“When I’m holding a kid’s head in my hands for 20 minutes, waiting for an ambulance in Virginia, that’s a nightmare,” said Guyer. “I’ve known the kid [Badavinac] all his life, I know his family, and he was afraid to move because of a neck injury. It turned out not to be too serious, but I had to wait until I got a call from his mother that he was OK before I could relax.”
Amid the flurry of holiday tournaments, Hibbing and Greenway played a unique North-South event against Burnsville and Eden Prairie to open this week. The two IRC teams played the two Twin Cities teams and then switched partners the next night, with all four games featuring 20-minute periods, according to the high school league’s allowance for holiday-time experimentation.
The tournament scene had two notable exceptions: Duluth East and Grand Rapids, both of whom took a break after games on Dec. 22, and not playing again until the New Year.
East’s 6-3 victory at Edina on Tuesday of last week was the Greyhounds sixth straight victory, and after a few days off, and a few days back practicing, the ‘Hounds will play Apple Valley on Saturday at the DECC. That game is sure to rekindle memories of the five-overtime state tournament game, 93-minute, 12-second epic that stands as the longest game in Minnesota prep history. This week’s game will also consist of 20-minute periods.
Hermantown, Denfeld, Marshall, Proctor, Minneapolis South and Buffalo conclude a three-day tournament with Wednesday’s pairings of Marshall-Minneapolis South at 10 a.m. and Hermantown-Buffalo at noon, both at Hermantown, while Proctor plays Denfeld at Proctor, also at noon.
Hermantown is another team that has been successful without being at full strength. The Hawks, ranked eighth in the state and fourth regionally, lost 6-3, 220-pound defenseman J.R. Bradley to a dose of mononucleosis. Bradley scored two goals and two assists in the season-opening game against Chisago Lakes, then was knocked out by the mono, which also caused him to miss three weeks of school. He could be back within a week, pending a visit to the doctor and his return to conditioning.
[week 6..]
Up North Hockey Ratings
BOYS/STATE
1. Elk River, 7-0
2. Hill-Murray, 6-0
3. Hibbing, 7-1
4. Duluth East, 8-2
5. Hastings, 6-1
6. Eveleth-Gilbert, 6-1
7. Eagan, 8-0
8. Hermantown, 7-1
9. Greenway of Coleraine, 4-2
10. (tie Roseau, 6-1
and Warroad, 6-1
BOYS/REGIONAL
1. Hibbing, 7-1
2. Duluth East, 8-2
3. Eveleth-Gilbert, 6-1
4. Hermantown, 7-1
5. Greenway of Coleraine, 4-2
6. Silver Bay, 7-1
7. Cloquet, 4-3
8. Superior, 4-3
9. Duluth Denfeld, 4-3-1
10. Duluth Marshall, 5-4-2
GIRLS/STATE
1. Roseville, 10-0
2. Park Center, 11-0
3. Eagan, 11-1
4. South St. Paul, 11-0
5. Bloomington Jefferson, 9-1
6. Rosemount, 9-2
7. Duluth Dynamite, 8-3
8. Burnsville, 7-1-1
9. Henry Sibley, 8-1
10. Edina, 7-4
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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