Game day: New Hampshire 4, CC 2 (final)

Third-period goals:
Colorado College 1, New Hampshire 2: Brad Flaishans (Craig Switzer, Matt Fornataro), 4:33, pp.
Just 35 seconds into a 101-second five-on-three scenario, Switzer’s pass from the point was one-timed by Flaishans from the top of the left circle. The slap shot beat Bachman inside the left post.
“There was a power-play blast and there was a lot of traffic,” coach Scott Owens said of the goal.

Colorado College 2, New Hampshire 2: Scott McCulloch (Jack Hillen, Andreas Vlassopoulos), 9:52, pp.
Hillen ripped a shot from the point and McCulloch and Bill Sweatt crashed the net, punching the rebound past goaltender Brian Foster.

Colorado College 2, New Hampshire 3: Paul Thompson (Danny Dries, Joe Charlebois), 10:08.
Sixteen seconds after CC’s game-tying score, Charlebois’ slap shot from the outside edge of the right circle was tipped by Dries on the near post and batted in by Thompson backdoor.

Colorado College 2, New Hampshire 4: Peter LeBlanc (Jerry Pollastrone), 19:53, en.
After a neutral zone turnover created a 2-on-1 rush, defenseman Brian Connelly overcommitted to LeBlanc, who drove past him and finished in the empty net.

Post-game quotes:
Coach Scott Owens
–On the two-referee, two-linesman system
“The two-man system is something that’s being experimented with this year, I thought it went reasonably well. I would give it a thumbs-up based on this weekend.”
–On goaltender Richard Bachman
“You know what? Three goals against in a road game, his first road game, five goals in three games against teams rated top-six in the country, you know, that’s a good start for the young man.”
–Concerned about CC’s penalty kill, which gave up three goals on 10 power plays?
“I’m not concerned. I just hate putting so much pressure on our special teams by not generating a goal or a goal and a half a game on five-on-five and that’s an area we’ve really got to get better at here.”

Defenseman Jack Hillen
–On what the Tigers learned this weekend
“What it takes to win on the road. Obviously we’re not good enough right now. You can’t just come into a barn, especially a team that’s as good as UNH, and not put a full road game together. We made too many mistakes. We did a lot of good things right, you can certainly take those away. But as a senior and a veteran on this team, I’m looking at goals after we just get one. …It’s a whole different atmosphere coming into a place like this than playing at home and w e’ve got to learn and we’ve got to learn pretty quick or it’s going to get away.”
–On playing from behind on the road
“It’s hard. It’s harder to come back on the road because you don’t get that momentum from the crowd. You feel like you’re on your own and you don’t get the breaks from the refs. I’m not saying that’s what caused the game, I’m just saying you’re not going to get anything going your way, you’ve got to make your own momentum and it’s that much harder on the road. If you’re playing catch up, it’s not a good recipe for road wins.”

Left wing Scott McCulloch
–On what CC’s 5-on-5 offense needs
“I think that’s just not playing in the tough areas. We’ve got a lot of skilled forwards but it’s getting the puck to the paint and being there and getting traffic in front of the goalie. I think that’s an area we need to improve on, especially being an older team, it’s something that we should already be doing. I think we need to improve big-time on that. Usually we do a good job down low, but it’s taking the puck to the net with authority and having bodies there and that’s where it’s tough to play, it’s in front of the net. That triangle in front, that’s where the goals are scored and I think we need to do a better job of getting there.”
–On why the Tigers’ forecheck struggled to contain New Hampshire
I think we had a few turnovers, just not taking care of the puck and maybe missing a few lanes. But they’re a great team, they move the puck really well through the neutral zone, that’s their strength. You’re not always going to be able to stop that team, but I think in all areas, bearing down would help out.

Inside the stats:
–New Hampshire had the faceoff edge, 39-32. For CC, Chad Rau won 12/20 faceoffs and Vlassopoulos earned 11/22 wins.
–CC scored on two of seven power plays, as did the Wildcats, but had 16 shots to New Hampshire’s seven on the man-advantage.
–In the first and second period, Bachman faced just seven shots from the slot. By contrast, in the third period, eight of UNH’s 12 shots came from the slot.

***
Tiger Tracks:
Tonight’s American Hockey League showdown between the Lake Erie Monsters and the Iowa Stars was a CC-studded affair. Defenseman Brandon Straub helped the Monsters to a 3-2 win, in which Stars captain Toby Petersen had a goal and Stars alternate captain Marty Sertich was held to a single shot.

Bachman Racks Up Honors

Goaltender Richard Bachman was named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week (see release below) and Inside College Hockey Player of the Week (here).

Also, a week after Denver was named “Team of the Week,” College Hockey News passed the honor to CC.

WCHA Defensive Player of the Week
Richard Bachman
Fr., G, Colorado College

MADISON, Wis. – Richard Bachman, a freshman goaltender at Colorado College, has been named Red Baron® WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for Oct. 23-29 as a result of his outstanding play in a weekend sweep of two-time defending conference champion Minnesota.

A 5-10, 172-pound freshman from Highlands Ranch, Bachman stopped 61 of 63 shots on goal (.968 saves percentage) and posted five shutout periods, including one overtime, while backstopping the host Tigers to a 3-1 victory over the Golden Gophers last Friday (Oct. 19) and a 2-1 overtime win last Saturday (Oct. 20). They were his first two collegiate starts.

Bachman had 23 stops in the series opener and then came back with 38 saves in the series finale as CC swept UM at home for the first time since Feb. 5-6, 1999 and handed UM its first road sweep since Feb. 27-28, 2004 at Denver.

In addition, Bachman, an NHL draft choice of Dallas, also played a key role in the Tigers’ success on the penalty-kill against Minnesota, as CC held its opponents scoreless on all 11 power-play opportunities over the weekend.

Also nominated this week were: Michael-Lee Teslak, G, MTU; Alex Stalock, G, UMD; and Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, G, UND.

***
Recruiting Round-up
There’s a possibility Rylan Schwartz, a recruit originally slated for 2009, could join Colorado College next season.

***
Tiger Tracks:
Brandon Straub was recalled to the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) yesterday to replace Kyle Cumiskey, who was recalled by the Avalanche (it didn’t hurt that Dale Purinton was suspended for 25 games for this).
Straub signed a two-way AHL contract, which means he gets paid an AHL salary for any games played on that level. Straub was minus-3 with no points in three games for the Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL). Straub’s first AHL game could be against former Tigers Marty Sertich and Toby Petersen of the Iowa Stars on Oct. 27.

Matt Zaba will have a buddy in Charlotte; Trevor Frischmon signed with the Charlotte Checkers (ECHL).

Apparently, Brian Salcido took a bit of a beating on an East Coast swing with the Portland Pirates (AHL).

Curtis McElhinney made his NHL debut, but it wasn’t his strongest showing.

Scuffles Solidify CC Squad?

As defenseman Jack Hillen took a swing at classmate Derek Patrosso at Thursday’s captain’s practice, I couldn’t help but wonder if what Hillen had just told me about “great team chemistry” was null and void.

Part of it is that I grew up in basketball country. If one Tar Heel were to lash out at another like that, Roy Williams would probably have to resign.

Also, as a veteran of female teams, I can say unequivocally that if the same physical manifestation of frustration were to happen, the grudges would never dissolve and the group would quickly become fractured into cliques.

But I guess it’s different for men, as I have been learning in my second season of spending every day watching and talking to the Colorado College hockey team.

Thursday’s practice had more scuffles than in all of last season’s practices combined.

“Way to stay intense,” said senior Scott McCulloch, who had to pull apart Hillen and Patrosso, before reminding the Tigers of some basic ground rules. “Make sure, if you’re going to fight, that you take off your helmets so we’re not breaking hands.”

When I asked players about fighting with their teammates, they smiled forgivingly at me and explained what is an obvious concept to them.

“We’re just ready to play,” said defenseman Nate Prosser, who got chippy with freshman Stephen Schultz during the Tigers’ short-sided 3-on-3 game. “That’s just us being competitive…. It happens every day in juniors.”

Eric Walsky, who is more apt to stand to the side and watch after nursing his right wrist back from a potentially career-ending injury, said fighting is a “good thing.”

“It’s all subconscious,” he explained. “Nothing personal.” Walsky added that when a little fighting doesn’t happen, those frustrations can boil over in the locker room and destroy team chemistry. So, it’s like a safety valve? “Yep,” he said.

I’ll admit it: my brief tutorial on the subject of intrasquad fighting still left me somewhat flummoxed, especially as the players left the locker room laughing and talking as if they’d spent their practice sharing their feelings or doing team-bonding activities.

But I guess, as they explained to me, that’s exactly what they were doing. I think I just had a breakthrough.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about fighting within a team.

***
Mark your calendars:
CC’s 2007-08 TV Schedule
(All Times MT)

Day & Date Opponent Network/Channel Time
Fri., Oct. 19 Univ. of Minnesota FSN Rocky Mountain 7:30 pm
Sat., Oct. 20 Univ. of Minnesota FSN Rocky Mountain 7 pm
Sat., Nov. 3 @ Univ. of North Dakota The CW (KXTU) 6 pm
Fri., Nov. 23 Univ. of Denver CET Network (Comcast) 7:30 pm
Sat., Dec. 1 @ Univ. of Alaska Anchorage The CW (KXTU) 9 pm
Fri., Jan. 4 @ Univ. of Wisconsin Big Ten Network 6 pm
Sat., Jan. 5 @ Univ. of Wisconsin CSTV 6 pm
Sat., Mar. 8 Univ. of Denver CET Network (Comcast) 7 pm

***
Articles off of the WCHA conference call, held Wednesday morning:
–Shane Frederick of the The Free Press (Mankato) writes about the WCHA’s youthfulness.
–Elliott Olshansky of CSTV quotes Scott Owens and George Gwozdecky’s takes on the Rockies’ late-season surge. Previously, Olshansky says the Tigers are overrated. What do you think?

***
Tiger Tracks:
Four former Tigers made opening-day NHL rosters: Brett Sterling (Atlanta Thrashers), Mark Stuart (Boston Bruins), Curtis McElhinney (Calgary Flames) and Tom Preissing (Los Angeles Kings).
–Will Stuart stick on the Bruins’ roster?
–Sterling gets love from readers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution‘s Thrashers blog. Also: makes Burnside’s watch list and earns a new nickname around Hotlanta.

It looks as though Brandon Straub will start his professional career with the Johnstown (Pa.) Chiefs (ECHL).

And what a lucky guy Matt Zaba is: he will begin with the Charlotte Checkers, an ECHL team in gorgeous North Carolina!

Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald asked Marty Sertich to give advice to Sioux senior Ryan Duncan about how to avoid a Hobey hangover.

Trevor Frischmon gets a shot to play another season in Syracuse (AHL).

Mike Stuart lands offer in Austria, while Peter Sejna‘s status remains unknown.

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.

Tiger Tracks

Tracey Myers of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram asked Marty Sertich about his penchant for pingpong.

Former CC goaltender Curtis McElhinney experienced an unfortunate setback in his bid to become backup to Calgary Flames starter Miikka Kiprusoff.

***
Colorado Avalanche Official Release
AVALANCHE REDUCES ROSTER TO 38
Nine Players Reassigned

DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has reassigned nine players, reducing its roster to 38.

The Avalanche has reassigned the following players to its American Hockey League affiliate training camp (Lake Erie Monsters):

J.D. Corbin, LW
Dan DaSilva, RW
Brent Kelly, C
Mitch Love, D
Victor Oreskovich, RW
Andrew Penner, G
Brandon Straub, D
Michael Vernace, D

The Avalanche also has reassigned defenseman Nigel Williams to his junior team, the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.

Straub To Report To Lake Erie Monsters (AHL)

Former Colorado College defenseman Brandon Straub learned Sunday afternoon that he will be sent to the American Hockey League affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, the Lake Erie Monsters (Cleveland, Ohio).

Once the Avalanche returned from the Burgundy and White scrimmage, held at Cadet Ice Arena in Colorado Springs, a cut list was posted. Straub estimated he was among “four or five” defensemen, one goaltender and “a bunch” of forwards who did not make the Avalanche roster for Monday’s exhibition game at Phoenix, he said.

In his meeting with the Avalanche coaching staff, Straub received positive feedback about his performance during four days of rookie camp, two days of training camp and the scrimmage, in which he had two assists.

“They said they were happy with me, especially because I came out of nowhere as an undrafted free agent,” Straub said. “They thought I was a pleasant surprise.”

Straub’s report was consistent with coach Joel Quenneville’s comments after the game.

“He got our attention in rookie camp,” Quenneville said. “I thought that he’s done a nice job here. Not everybody had that opportunity to come to training camp . . . I didn’t know that much about him but he showed his versatility and he was being active in the game.”

Although he was disappointed that he didn’t make the roster, Straub made a point to stress the positive.

“About a month ago, I didn’t have a camp to go to,” Straub said. “Now, I have a week off and I can go in there with an edge, having gained experience here.”

During Sunday’s scrimmage, Straub was mostly paired with John-Michael Liles, who was also his partner throughout the two-day training camp.

“I thought he did great,” Liles said. “There’s a reason why he’s here.”

Liles said he had to remind Straub not to apologize for mistakes.

“He’s very humble,” Liles said. “I told him, ‘Don’t worry about it.’”

Straub said being paired with Liles helped ease his nerves.

“I could ask him for pointers,” Straub said. “He was really helpful and told me about their systems and where to be on face-offs and stuff like that. . . . With some guys, you’re on edge and afraid to make mistakes. With him, it’s the opposite. He encouraged me to take chances. As long as I was working hard out there, he was happy.”

A contract still hasn’t materialized and the organization can continue to evaluate Straub until the end of the month, per the terms of Straub’s amateur tryout contract.

Straub said he will spend the week in Colorado Springs, training, skating and lifting. Tigers strength coach Mark Stephenson, who was in attendance Sunday, is directing Straub’s lifting program.

When he reflected on the experience of taking the ice at Cadet Ice Arena in an Avalanche uniform, Straub called it “one of the most fun times I’ve ever had playing hockey.”

“I could do it in my hometown and next to NHL players and I was right there playing well and contributing,” he said. “It was very exciting.”

***

Former CC defensemen Richard Petiot and Tom Preissing are among 39 players and 13 defensemen left in the Los Angeles Kings’ training camp. Preissing scored a goal for the Kings in Saturday’s preseason game against the Ducks. The Kings play the Avalanche at Pepsi Center at 7 p.m. Sept. 19.

This writer called former CC defenseman Mark Stuart a “virtual lock” to make the Boston Bruins’ final roster.

Former CC forward Aaron Slattengren signed on for another season with the Augusta Lynx (ECHL). Lynx training camp begins October 5 and former CC right wing James Brannigan will be bidding for a roster spot.

CC recruit David Civitarese (Calgary, AB), who is slated to join the Tigers in 2008, scored his first goal of the season Saturday.

Tiger Tracks and Practice Notes

After watching classmate Brandon Straub compete Sunday at Avalanche rookie camp in Centennial, former Colorado College goaltender Matt Zaba boarded a plane bound for New York on Wednesday. According to Newsday’s New York Rangers beat writer, Zaba is displaying his Tiger pride at Rangers training camp.

Former Tiger Mark Cullen (1998-02) signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings in July. He’s one of 68 players on the Red Wings’ training camp roster.

This is a little old, but better late than never: Tyler Liebel, a right wing who played for CC from 2000 to 2004, will return to the Wichita Thunder of the Central Hockey League this season.

***

Some notes from captain’s practice (Tuesday, Sept. 11)

The Tigers didn’t scrimmage, aside from a chippy game of continuous 3-on-3 hockey at the north end of the rink. Freshman Tyler Johnson, who is listed as 5-foot-8, 155 pounds, caught some glass-bending checks from junior defenseman Jake Gannon. Johnson’s hands are as quick as advertised. A few of Johnson’s shifty moves to goal prompted ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from the onlooking players, so maybe Gannon was hoping to toughen Johnson up for significant minutes this season. I will look into this at the next practice.

Aside from the 3-on-3, CC did tons of skating, shooting and conditioning drills. I happened to be sitting at the south end of the rink during one round of 4-on-goal. Freshman goaltender Richard Bachman stopped eight or nine shots and rebounds during one impressive succession, which left some of the forwards shaking their heads in disbelief. The drill was not intended to be a “goalie success” drill.

Injured alternate captain Jimmy Kilpatrick (hip labrum) appeared in sweats and watched practice from behind the glass with trainer Jason Bushie and strength coach Mark Stephenson. The practice was scheduled from 9:15-10:15, but Stephenson put the Tigers through a few extra conditioning drills at the end.

Lastly, it took me about 10 minutes to figure out that sophomore forward Addison DeBoer was on the ice because I simply did not recognize him. In a few months time, DeBoer is taller, his neck is thicker and his shoulders are broader — all indications that some hard work occurred over the summer. After the skate, I spoke with him about his summer training regimen.

In addition to skating “a lot” and training six days a week, DeBoer also worked 40 hours a week for the City of Spring Lake Park (Minn.), his hometown, picking up trash, landscaping and working on other public works projects.

DeBoer added at least 10 pounds and “an inch or so,” which puts him at 6-foot, 190 pounds, he said.

“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” DeBoer said of his growth spurt.

He said he can tell the difference on the ice. So can I.

***

Other notes:
–Some might have missed the audio slideshow that Gazette photographer Todd Spoth and I produced about Straub’s experience at Avalanche rookie camp. Check it out here.

–For those of you that will be out of the area over the Thanksgiving weekend, it might behoove you to know that Denver’s new Webcast service will carry the Nov. 24 CC-DU matchup at Magness Arena. It’ll cost you $8.95, but you know how the Visa commercials go.

Straub Makes Avs Training Camp Roster

CENTENNIAL — Former Colorado College defenseman Brandon Straub inched closer toward his goal of signing a professional contract Tuesday.

On the last day of the four-day Colorado Avalanche rookie camp, after a 90-minute practice session, a list was posted of players who would not be invited to the regular training camp, which starts at 9 a.m. Friday at South Suburban Family Sports Center.

Straub’s name was not on the list, meaning he has at least one more day to make his case for a contract.

“I was pretty nervous, but I was curious to see if I had made it,” said the 6-foot-4, 230-pound native of Colorado Springs. “I’m pretty excited. I’m excited to get back at it again.”

Comments from Avs Rookie Camp Day 1

Former CC defenseman Brandon Straub, who co-captained the Tigers in 2006-07, took his first step toward a professional hockey career today at Avalanche rookie camp., held at the South Suburban Family Sports Center in Centennial.

At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Straub was the biggest (edged out 19-year-old ex-Wisconsin player D Nigel Williams by 4 pounds) and among the oldest players on the ice. Only C Brett Kelly (12/01/81) – who recently signed a contract with the Avs’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters – and G Andrew Penner (12/12/82) were older.

Straub played solid defense throughout the scrimmage, but it was interesting to see how his style – Straub considers himself a “defensive defenseman” – differed from the others. His defensive partner for two periods, former Ohio State player Kevin Montgomery (left midway through last season after 17 games to play for London of the Ontario Hockey League) was quick up the ice and created a ton of offensive opportunities.

Straub’s team, dressed in black jerseys with white numbers, lost 6-3 and Straub’s plus/minus was even. Straub’s most noticeable lapse was during a 3-on-2 situation when he failed to track forward Dan DaSilva to the weak side, resulting in a goal. But most of the time, Straub broke up streaking players’ momentum or went unnoticed, which is the sign of a good defensive defenseman.

The camp is chock full of former college players, including notables such as Michigan’s C T.J. Hensick (the Avalanche’s no. 1 prospect, according to Hockey’s Future online magazine), New Hampshire’s RW Brett Hemingway and Denver’s LW J.D. Corbin. Both Hemingway and Corbin, like Straub, are participating with amateur tryout contracts. The camp also had three Ivy Leaguers, Dartmouth’s RW David Jones and LW T.J. Galiardi, and Cornell’s C Mark McCutcheon.

It is worth noting that Hensick, who inked a three-year entry-level contract in April, was mouthing off to the officials. You would think Hensick would have learned his lesson after Michigan’s national championship loss to North Dakota. To his credit, Hensick was easily the most explosive player on the ice and he was tripped a few times as he wove through defensemen. But it was a scrimmage and only two penalties were whistled, both resulting in penalty shots.

As for Straub, he has only three days left to prove his mettle to coach Joel Quenneville and general manager Michel Goulet. Welcome to the real world.

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.