Game day: CC 0, North Dakota 3 (end of 1st)

Goals:
1. Colorado College 0, North Dakota 1: T.J. Oshie (Robbie Bina, Taylor Chorney), 3:29, pp. Left wing Scott McCulloch took a hooking penalty to prevent an open shot by Evan Trupp in the slot. Just 26 seconds into the ensuing power play, Bina’s pass from the far side of the right circle sailed across the slot to Oshie, who finished top-shelf and backdoor on goaltender Drew O’Connell.
–Assistant coach Joe Bonnett stressed one thing to his penalty killers this week: don’t let them get “inside.” To interpret hockey-speak, he meant that CC players shouldn’t let North Dakota’s forwards get between them and the goal. When he got the puck, Oshie had the inside position on defenseman Nate Prosser, so there was no chance of recovering. Easy goal.

2. Colorado College 0, North Dakota 2: Ryan Duncan (T.J. Oshie, Chris VandeVelde), 4:19. Only 50 seconds later, another goal was in the back of the net. North Dakota’s top line created a three-on-two rush and O’Connell, without another option, came out to challenge Oshie. The right wing sent the puck to the left post and Duncan, who had beat recovering CC players down the ice, redirected it into the net.
–Defensive breakdown.

3. Colorado College 0, North Dakota 3: Derrick LaPoint (Ryan Duncan), 10:27.
Another 3-on-2 rush, this time against defensemen Jack Hillen and Brian Connelly. Even though they protected the inside, LaPoint nudged in Duncan’s pass into the crease, sneaking in his stick from behind Connelly.
–Connelly might have thought the shot had crossed the goal line? Mental error? Still befuddled. Connelly should have had a stick on it.

Notes:
–Sioux scored on first three shots of the game, but don’t be fooled–goaltender Drew O’Connell had zero support.
–CC outshot North Dakota 9-6, its best chance coming on the Tigers’ second power play when right wing Eric Walsky and left wing Scott McCulloch created a 2-on-1 rush. McCulloch’s shot required a full split from goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux.
–Defenseman Nate Prosser has not reappeared on the bench after Oshie checked him into the boards behind the net about six minutes into the first period.

Gameday Final: CC 3, Minnesota 1

Looking back at the Three Keys:
1. Limit neutral-zone turnovers: The Tigers spent all week in practice preparing for the odd-man rushes that Minnesota generates out of the neutral zone. Even though the Gophers had more odd-man rushes than assistant coach Joe Bonnett would have liked, and scored on one, the Tigers’ defensemen and backchecking forwards did a good job of funneling the puck to one side so that goaltender Richard Bachman could have a clear shot.

2. Defensive effort/physical play: See above. Also, as he did often last year, right wing Cody Lampl made several back-cracking checks to set the tone for the Tigers. Left wing Billy Sweatt, defenseman Jake Gannon and defenseman Nate Prosser also showed some tenacity.

3. Limit excessive penalties: CC took one fewer penalty than the Gophers (six total, including two roughing penalties). Bachman and the penalty killers were exemplary, holding Minnesota to just five shots on four power plays. Scott McCulloch’s near-shorthanded goal in the second period, which hit the left post, was a pure hustle play.

Goals:
First Period
Colorado College 1, Minnesota 0: Bill Sweatt (Andreas Vlassopoulos, Jack Hillen), 12:28, pp. Vlassopoulos collected the puck off the back wall and sent a pass to Sweatt, who one-timed it past Frazee and inside the right post for the Tigers’ first goal of the year.
“For me, it was an amazing feeling, especially coming in a big game like this and against a team like the Gophers,” Sweatt said.
Colorado College 1, Minnesota 1: Cade Fairchild (Blake Wheeler, Ben Gordon), 13:07. Just 39 seconds after CC scored, Minnesota’s classic odd-man rush came out of the neutral zone and did a nice tic (Gordon) -tac (Wheeler) -toe (Fairchild) around defenseman Jake Gannon and inside the right post.

Second Period
Colorado College 2, Minnesota 1: Eric Walsky (Scott Thauwald), 0:25. Defenseman Nate Prosser created a turnover in the Tigers’ defensive corner. Thauwald scooped up the loose puck and fed Walsky who sliced through the Minnesota defense and beat Frazee.
Here’s how he described it: “I was really looking for the pass the whole time and then I saw that the goalie was cheating. I kind of shot mid-stride and wasn’t planning on it, so…I got a lot of crap from the guys.”

Third Period
Colorado College 3, Minnesota 1: Derek Patrosso (Vlassopoulos, Sweatt), 11:04. Sweatt sent a pass along the back wall to Vlassopoulos, who fed Patrosso on the right side of the crease. Frazee covered low so Patrosso went high.
“When you’re young, you’re taught that when you’re in close like that to try to go upstairs,” Patrosso said. “It was a natural instinct to wait it out and wait for him to go down and then go upstairs.”

Extra Stats:
–CC’s penalty kill: 4 for 4
–CC’s power play: 1 for 5
–Faceoffs: Minnesota 27, CC 25
CC’s top faceoff man: Chad Rau 13/25
Minnesota’s top faceoff man: Blake Wheeler 10/15

Speed, Defensive Systems Are Focuses Monday

With less than two weeks until Colorado College’s first hockey game, coaches Joe Bonnett and Norm Bazin began implementing defensive systems on Monday night. As in seasons past, the Tigers will play a man-to-man defense and minimize switches–when one player trades his defensive assignment to another player–which Bonnett said promotes an aggressive mentality.

During one-on-one defensive drills in the corners, defenseman Brett Wysopal was a standout. Even though he is the shortest player at 5-foot-7, Wysopal uses his lower center of gravity to his advantage. Against left wing Scott McCulloch, Wysopal was a downright pest with his stick and not afraid to check McCulloch whenever possible.

Bazin also had the forwards practice backchecking by having them sprint down the ice, take a shot, and sprint back.

Fitness in the form of cross-ice sprints and serpentine skating patterns was integrated throughout the practice to Bazin’s and Bonnett’s chorus of “speed, speed, speed!” and “go, go, go!”

All together the practice laid out the ingredients of success for the Tigers this season. They’ll be going all-out up the ice, generating shots with their speed. With the forwards backchecking aggressively, they’ll try to create turnovers in the neutral zone and keep the puck from even reaching the young defensive corps and untested goaltender. When the puck gets into the defensive zone, each player will play in-your-face defense with the hopes of never giving their opponents an open look or an easy lane to drive the net.

Of course, all of this is easier said than done.

Only 11 days left until the season-opening exhibition against Calgary and 24 until the first game against Minnesota.

***
Here were Monday night’s lines:
White Sweatt–Vlassopoulos–Walsky
Red McCulloch–Johnson–Testwuide
Blue DeBoer–Rau–Schultz
Gold Overman–McMillin–Patrosso
Maroon Thauwald–Lampl

What are your thoughts about these combinations? Post a comment.

***
An interesting article on the utility of face shields, which features the contrasting stances of Boston Bruin and former CC defenseman Mark Stuart, and his father, Michael Stuart, who is USA Hockey’s Chief Medical Officer. It mentions Stuart’s older siblings and former Tigers, Colin and Mike Stuart.

Tiger Tracks:
–Mark Cullen assigned to Grand Rapids (AHL).
–Marty Sertich reports to Iowa Stars (AHL) training camp.

Coaches Emphasize Precision

With assistant coaches Norm Bazin and Joe Bonnett running practice Monday, the speed was cranked up a notch. Colorado College players spent most of the 90-minute practice split into separate groups: the forwards worked with Bazin and the seven-man defensive unit worked with Bonnett. No special teams work as of yet.

Among the forwards’ focal points were precision passing and toughness. One drill was devoted to taking hits along the glass while protecting the puck.

On the defensive end of things, senior Jack Hillen and junior Jake Gannon took charge, setting a hard-working pace in footwork drills.

Alternate captain Jimmy Kilpatrick (hip) and reserve sophomore Dan Quilico (ankle) watched practice from the bench.

Coach Scott Owens and athletic director Ken Ralph observed practice.

***
Both members of the St. Louis Blues’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen, last season, Peter Sejna and Mike Stuart remain on the free agent list. Although I never saw Sejna play for CC, I can’t imagine that many predicted he would be on the outside looking in at 27 years old. See Sejna’s career numbers here. Sejna won the 2003 Hobey Baker Award.

In reference to his bad-luck injury, former CC goaltender Curtis McElhinney says he is still adjusting to the NHL.

Recent CC grad Matt Zaba was released from New York Rangers training camp and will report to Hartford (AHL). Defenseman Brian Salcido will report to Portland (AHL).

Also, Thrashers win 4-3 in OT with two goals from Joey Crabb, one from Brett Sterling and an assist from Colin Stuart. Crabb, one of 13 players reassigned from training camp, will return to Chicago (AHL).

Kilpatrick Named Alternate Captain and Other Notes

Senior right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick (New Prague, Minn.) will serve as alternate captain to senior forward Scott Thauwald (Rochester, Minn.) for the 2007-08 season. Kilpatrick led the Tigers in scoring last season (7 g, 25 a) and played on the first power play unit. An outspoken critic of the team’s late season performance, Kilpatrick is a leader by example. After two defensemen, Lee Sweatt and Brandon Straub, served as captains in ’06-’07, it will be interesting to see what changes, if any, happen to team dynamics with two offensive players as declared leaders.

Do you have any thoughts? Post a comment.

Speaking of Captains
CC’s first captain’s practice will be held Sunday, Sept. 9, at Honnen Ice Arena, which is found on the northwest corner of W. Cache La Poudre and N. Cascade.

Coaches met with the team Tuesday. The Tigers’ first game, an exhibition against Calgary on Oct. 6, is just more than a month away and will occur on the first official day of practice. With the first three series against NCAA heavyweights Minnesota (Western Collegiate Hockey Association), New Hampshire (Hockey East) and North Dakota (WCHA), every day counts.

Straub To Attend Avalanche Rookie Camp

Stay tuned to The Gazette this week for more coverage as former CC defenseman Brandon Straub tries to make his mark at Avs Rookie Camp, which starts Saturday, Sept. 8, and lasts until Tuesday, Sept. 11, in Centennial, Colo. Straub will join former WCHA players J.D. Corbin (Denver) and Nigel Williams (Wisconsin) at the camp.

Tickets
Season tickets are still available and individual tickets go on sale Saturday, Sept. 8, at the CC athletics website, the World Arena Box office or TicketsWest at 719-576-2626.

Radio Show Returns to McCabe’s

Coach Scott Owens’ weekly radio show will again be broadcast live on FM 103.9 from McCabe’s Tavern every Tuesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m., starting Oct. 2.

Owens will also be on the air (FM 103.9) Friday mornings at 7:30 starting Oct. 5.

Save The Date

Here are some future CC hockey events that you might want to mark on your calendar:

Skate With The Tigers

–The biannual fan-friendly event will take place on Sunday, Nov. 18, from 12:15-1:45 p.m. at Honnen Ice Rink and again on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008, from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at Sertich Ice Center. Players sign autographs and talk with fans.

CC Hockey 70th Anniversary Celebration

–Events are scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 1-2, when CC hosts Clarkson.

Fun Fact

Both assistant coaches, Joe Bonnett and Norm Bazin, had family additions during the offseason.

–Coleston Bazin was born March 23 to Michelle and Norm Bazin.

–Sam Bonnett was born June 25 to Laura Hines and Joe Bonnett.