First-round playoffs vs. Alaska-Anchorage

CC clipped through a series of transition drills two minutes at a time in a quick 45-minute skate Thursday.

From the notebook:
–The Tigers hit the post several times in shooting drills.
–Back-up goaltender Drew O’Connell looked confident and ready to go this weekend if needed.
–One of the funnier moments of practice this season happened towards the end of practice when coach Scott Owens told the top power-play unit to use the full ice to run the power play and “try to be really (bad) because they’re watching.” Alaska-Anchorage was in the stands near the visitors’ side. Defenseman Jack Hillen ripped a shot from the high slot which bounced off the right post, hit the left post and smacked against the back of the net — a gorgeous shot — to which Owens said with a grin: “What did I just say?”
–Defenseman/forward Brett Wysopal did not practice (sick-virus).
–Players were reminded to set their alarms and get up for breakfast Friday because they don’t have class. CC is on Spring Break until March 24.
–Right wing Derek Patrosso will play on the fourth line and goaltender Richard Bachman will be in goal on Friday, Owens said.
–Anchorage arrived in Colorado Springs on Tuesday, as it did in January’s series.

Projected CC lines for Friday:
21 Bill Sweatt–14 Chad Rau–25 Mike Testwuide
26 Scott McCulloch–19 Andreas Vlassopoulos–23 Jimmy Kilpatrick
10 Scott Thauwald–17 Tyler Johnson–22 Eric Walsky
18 Matt Overman–9 Brian McMillin–16 Derek Patrosso

Fun facts:
–The Tigers finished with a league-best 92.9 percent clip on the penalty kill in WCHA play (104 for 112). Their overall mark is 91 percent (131 for 144). CC allowed just eight power-play goals while scoring eight short-handed goals in 28 conference games.
–CC’s last home sweep against a WCHA team came against Anchorage in January. The Tigers split with their final two WCHA opponents at World Arena
–The last time CC gave up a shorthanded goal was against Anchorage on Jan. 12
–CC hasn’t won more than three games in a row since it put together a six-game winning streak between Jan. 4 and Jan.19, which ended with a tie at Michigan Tech on Jan. 25.

History:
–Alaska-Anchorage has only won once in 20 games at World Arena, a 5-4 overtime victory last season.
–Friday is the 60th all-time contest between CC and Anchorage, with the Tigers leading the series 45-11-3, including a 30-2 mark in Colorado Springs.
–In seven previous post-season games, CC swept the first-round series at home in 1995, 2002 and 2003, while Anchorage won the play-in Final Five game in 2004. Captain Scott Thauwald played right wing in that game as a freshman.
–During that 1995 series, CC set a school playoff record for goals in a game with an 11-3 win over the Seawolves on March 10, 1995. Eric Rud had five assists in that series, also a school playoff record.
–CC’s all-time record in WCHA playoff games is 42-56-1 (.429).
–Of the nine regular-season championships CC has won in its 70-year history, six have happened in the last 15 seasons and three in the last six seasons.

No. 5 CC 3, No. 7 Denver 0 (14:17 of the 2nd)

Well, a scuffle just broke out in CC’s defensive zone after Denver’s J.P. Testwuide rushed a puck barely covered by goaltender Drew O’Connell, so I’ll take a little time to brief you.

DU’s Tom May and CC’s Scott McCulloch were each given roughing and 10-minute misconduct penalties.

CC’s Brian Connelly, who pointed to the scoreboard when Denver players began hassling him, was sent to the box for instigating-roughing as was Pioneers left wing Stephen Cunningham.

Earlier in the period, CC took a 3-0 lead when referee Derek Shepherd upheld a goal by left wing Bill Sweatt. Goaltender Peter Mannino, who was pulled with 37:23 left in regulation, argued the call, pleading his case to Shepherd and the Denver coaches. The replay showed that CC right wing Mike Testwuide bumped Mannino before the goal, but it was not ruled interference.

Game day: No. 4 CC 4, Alaska-Anchorage 1 (final)

Three thoughts:
1. The Tigers must be more determined about getting shots on net. Last night’s total of 16 simply isn’t enough. CC was outshot 46-36 overall with the breakdown like this:
–Shots blocked by defense: CC 10, UAA 12
–Shots off target: CC 9, UAA 6
–Pipes: CC 1, UAA 0
–Shots on target: CC 16, UAA 28
How CC fared Saturday: The Tigers were outshot 25-23. Early in the game, Anchorage was doing a great job of blocking shots, especially from CC’s defensemen. But the game opened up once the Seawolves scored and the defensemen started to change the shooting angle. CC ended up taking 52 shots total to Anchorage’s 42.
The breakdown:
–Shots blocked by defense: CC 17, UAA 10
–Shots off target: CC 10, UAA, 7
–Pipes: CC 2, UAA 0
–Shots on target: CC 23, UAA 25

2. Anchorage came off of a bye week. CC is heading into one. Who wants it more?
How CC fared: The Tigers got great goaltending from Drew O’Connell Friday and Richard Bachman Saturday. The pair combined to hold Anchorage by saving 52 of 53 shots. CC allowed its first power-play goal since Nov. 2, but has killed 34 of the last 35 penalties. The power play, thanks to opportunistic play from the Kilpatrick-Rau-McCulloch-Connelly-Lampl group, regained its somewhat shaky footing with two goals Saturday. All in all, CC gained some confidence heading into its next road series at St. Cloud State, but could stand to up the ante on offense after scoring just four power-play goals in the last three games.

3. Can the Tigers earn a road sweep? North Dakota beat Denver 3-1, meaning CC could pull six points ahead of the Pioneers, who have two games in hand, in Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings.
How CC fared: The Tigers proved they could get gritty on the road and rose to the occasion over the last 30 minutes of Saturday’s game. With Denver’s loss, the two points proved to be quite important. As right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick pointed out after the game, Anchorage hadn’t been swept by any team home or away this season. Even though the Seawolves are in last place in the WCHA, they are much more disciplined than in years past and if they can get a few more goals, could be a dangerous team. Could be interesting in mid-January when the teams meet again.

Briefly:
–There was a brief moment with two minutes left — after left wing Cody Lampl was checked from behind by Anchorage’s Chris Tarkir and defenseman Kris Fredheim went for retaliation — where it looked as if the series might end with a brawl as it did last December at World Arena.
“I must say I had a little flashback,” coach Scott Owens said. “But (coach) Dave (Shyiak) did a good job of getting everyone settled down.”

–Best fashion statement: Defenseman Ryan Lowery, inspired by classmate Brett Wysopal, was sporting some moccasins he bought Saturday in Anchorage with his CC windsuit.

Colorado College
10 Thauwald–14 Rau–23 Kilpatrick
21 Sweatt–19 Vlassopoulos–25 Testwuide
26 McCulloch–17 Johnson–22 Walsky
2 Lampl–9 McMillin-18 Overman

8 Hillen–15 Prosser
7 Fredheim–4 Gannon
11 Connelly–27 Wysopal

30 Bachman
31 O’Connell

Alaska-Anchorage
21 Lunden–20 Crowder–9 Clark
24 Tassone–37 Cartwright–18 Tarkir
8 Selby–17 Parkinson–7 DayChief
28 Haddad–34 McCabe–16 Grant

4 LaFranchise–33 Robinson
13 Backstrom–23 Vidmar
10 Lovdahl–22 Tuton

30 Olthuis
39 Gordon
21 Mayo

Game day: CC 1, North Dakota 4 (end of 2nd period)

Goals:
4. Colorado College 1, North Dakota 3: Bill Sweatt (Chad Rau), 1:06. Sweatt blew past defensemen Robbie Bina and Taylor Chorney and put the puck underneath sliding Jean-Philippe Lamoureux.

• One of the Tigers’ only productive line rushes of the game was textbook. Sweatt used his speed while center Chad Rau and right wing Eric Walsky forced North Dakota’s defensemen and goaltender to make decisions by skating hard at the net.

5. Colorado College 1, North Dakota 4: Ryan Duncan (Robbie Bina, T.J. Oshie), 11:07, pp.
North Dakota went a two-minute five-on-three when Kris Fredheim took a holding penalty during the delay after Scott McCulloch‘s holding call. The Tigers did a nice job killing for the first minute of the penalty, avoiding a close call when Duncan bobbled a cross-slot pass from Oshie. Duncan didn’t botch his second chance from the right circle, made simple when goaltender Drew O’Connell dropped into a crouch too early. Duncan held the puck and finished top shelf.

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: CC 3, New Hampshire 5

Goals:
First period
Colorado College 1, New Hampshire 0: Eric Walsky (Tyler Johnson), 2:12. Johnson put the puck on net from the left circle, making goaltender Kevin Regan stop it with his body first. Walsky slid the puck under Regan as he tried to smother it with his body.

Colorado College 2, New Hampshire 0: Jimmy Kilpatrick (Chad Rau), 9:40. Less than 30 seconds into a four-on-four situation, Rau wins the puck in the neutral zone and Kilpatrick joins for a two-on-one rush. Kilpatrick catches Rau’s pass in the slot and slings the puck over Regan’s blocker, just inside the left post, to score on his first shot of the season.

Colorado College 2, New Hampshire 1: Bobby Butler (Brad Flaishans, Mike Radja), 9:48. On the subsequent face-off, won by Mike Radja, Flaishans collected the puck and passed to Butler, who caught O’Connell moving and finished with a low wrist shot. The announcer had not finished saying the previous scoring line, marking the second time this season the Tigers have given up a goal within a minute of scoring.

Colorado College 3, New Hampshire 1: Jack Hillen (Bill Sweatt), 15:10, pp. CC earned its second power play of the game when New Hampshire defenseman Craig Switzer flipped Kilpatrick, who was posted up in front of the Wildcats’ net. Just 32 seconds into the man-advantage, Sweatt passed to Hillen on the point. Hillen leaned as if he would make a pass to Nate Prosser at the left circle, but got the New Hampshire penalty kill to shift and ripped a wrist shot past Regan.

Second period
Colorado College 3, New Hampshire 2: Matt Fornataro (James vanRiemsdyk, Flaishans), 0:15. Flaishans created a turnover at the blue line, passed to vanRiemsdyk who found Fornatero in the right circle. On the first shot of the second period, Fornatero had plenty of time to pick his spot. His wrist shot sailed in over O’Connell’s glove hand to draw the Wildcats within a goal.

Third period
Colorado College 3, New Hampshire 3: Jerry Pollastrone (Butler, Peter LeBlanc), 9:45. Walsky’s pass out of the defensive zone went straight to Pollastrone, who ripped a shot through traffic from the top of the slot to tie the score.

Colorado College 3, New Hampshire 4: Pollastrone (LeBlanc, Butler), 17:29, pp. With 21 seconds left in the Wildcats’ third power play of the night, LeBlanc banged the puck hard off of the back wall and Pollastrone backhanded it through O’Connell’s legs. The puck hit the left post and bounced out, prompting a video review, but it was ruled it crossed the goal line, upholding the original call.

Colorado College 3, New Hampshire 5: Fornataro (unassisted), 19:50, en. CC was only able to pull O’Connell for the last 20 seconds because the Wildcats had pinned them in so well with their forecheck. Fornataro created a turnover and finished in the empty net.

Inside the stats:
–The Wildcats did not allow a shot over the final 10 minutes.
–CC had the edge in face-off wins, 34-32. Chad Rau led the Tigers, winning 15 of 25 attempts.
–UNH goaltender Kevin Regan, who will be replaced tomorrow with sophomore Brian Foster, coach Dick Umile said, allowed three goals on eight shots in the first period.

Gameday: CC at New Hampshire

Notes:
1. G Drew O’Connell gets his first start of the season.
2. RW Jimmy Kilpatrick returns to action after an August hip surgery, a full week before scheduled.
3. D Ryan Lowery makes his CC debut.
4. W Addison DeBoer and W Matt Overman are healthy scratches.
5. Sell-out home-opener crowd at the Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H.

Lines:

Colorado College

10 Thauwald–14 Rau–23 Kilpatrick
21 Sweatt–19 Vlassopoulos–16 Patrosso
26 McCulloch–17 Johnson–22 Walsky
2 Lampl–9 McMillin–25 Testwuide

8 Hillen–15 Prosser
7 Fredheim–4 Gannon
11 Connelly–24 Lowery

31 O’Connell
30 Bachman
1 O’Brien

New Hampshire
21 vanRiemsdyk–22 Radja–39 Fornatero
11 Pollastrone–9 LeBlanc–12 Butler
8 Collins–17 Forney–14 Sislo
15 Dries–23 DeSimone–20 Thompson

4 Switzer–19 Flaishans
2 Fritsch–7 Charlebois
18 Krates–5 Kapstad

32 Regan
29 Foster

Gutbuster

Apparently, the five “too many men on the ice” penalties that Colorado College took during the 2006-07 season was five too many.

At Tuesday’s practice, which was sparsely attended because the Tigers are ending their first block of classes this week, strength and conditioning coach Mark Stephenson made a point to address those five penalties.

The players, listed below, started practice with no sticks, which I took as an ominous sign. I was right. Just 15 minutes long, the workout had most of the team doubled over.

White Sweatt
Red McCulloch–Johnson–Testwuide
Blue DeBoer–Rau–Schultz
Maroon Lampl
Gold McMillin–Patrosso
Defensemen Hillen, Lowery, Gannon
Goalies O’Connell, Bachman

It began with a series of sprints from the goal line through the blue line. Then came the bench drills. For the first one, Stephenson divided the team in two and put each group in a box. The players had to clear the boards, skate from goal line to goal line and get back over the boards as fast as possible. The other team would go once the first team had finished and the Tigers did two sets of four or five “suicides.” Then, Stephenson had the players jump over the boards, touch the opposite wall, and get back in the box as quick as possible. Each set took about two minutes, but to the players it was probably an eternity.

After Stephenson was done with the Tigers, they did a few shooting drills and played 3-on-3 in the north end of the rink. In one sequence, goaltender Richard Bachman got caught out of position on the right side of the net and managed to come across the entire face of the goal to rob Bill Sweatt on a wrist shot. Goaltender Drew O’Connell made a nice save of his own less than a minute later, when Jack Hillen skated around the back of the net, planning on stuffing it inside the left post. But O’Connell made a backhanded snag to thwart the score. With the defensemen-plus-red-line team up 2-1, Hillen yelled, “Next goal wins” and Derek Patrosso scored the game-winner, beating Bachman over his right shoulder.

I chatted with Stephenson after practice and he said, of the four CC teams he has coached, this season’s squad is the fittest and also the most focused. Stephenson coached for seven years at Providence College before joining the staff at the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s headquarters next to World Arena.

***
The Grand Forks Herald released its annual preseason coaches’ poll and the Tigers were picked no. 3. A closer look at the votes shows that Denver and Wisconsin were just two and three votes behind, respectively, meaning that the Western Collegiate Hockey Association coaches think it will be a dogfight for spots 3-5. A little research by Herald reporter Brad Elliott Schlossman shows that, in the five times CC has won the MacNaughton Cup since the 1990-91 season, the Tigers were not tabbed to finish first place. Look for more in tomorrow’s Gazette.

37th Annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA preseason coaches poll

Rank School Points
1 UND (7) 79
2 Minnesota (3) 74
3 Colorado College 55
4 Denver 53
5 Wisconsin 52
6 St. Cloud St. 43
7 Michigan Tech 41
8 Minn.-Duluth 23
9 MSU-Mankato 19
10 Anchorage 11

Preseason rookie of the year Kyle Turris, UW, 9; Evan Trupp, UND 1
Preseason player of the year Ryan Duncan, UND, 5; T.J. Oshie, UND, 3; Taylor Chorney, UND, 1; Kyle Okposo, Minn., 1

***
Tiger Tracks:
Former CC defenseman Brandon Straub began training camp Tuesday with the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) this week and encountered a familiar face among the defensive corps: Colorado Springs native Preston Briggs, older brother of former Minnesota goaltender Kellen Briggs (who has landed with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL), by the way).

What are the odds? The Briggs’, Straub and former CC player Scott Polaski are the only Colorado Springs natives I’m aware of who are playing professionally. If you know of more, please drop me a comment or an email at kate.crandall@gazette.com.

UPDATE: Colorado Springs native Luke Fulghum, a former Denver player, agreed to terms with the Stockton Thunder (ECHL). Another Springs product, former Mitchell High student David Hale is a near-lock to make the Calgary Flames’ roster. That brings the grand total of Colorado Springs natives in professional hockey to six players, but please contact me if there are others I am missing.