Nazareth Claims First-Ever ECAC West Win

The wait is finally over for Nazareth College.

The Golden Flyers earned their first-ever ECAC West conference win on Friday night when they defeated visiting Manhattanville, 6-4, at The Sports Centre at MCC in Rochester, N.Y.

In a season of firsts for the nascent Division III program, this may have been one of the best.

Sophomore forward Julius Tamasy scored twice and set up another goal to garner ECAC West Player of the Week accolades.

Entire column can be found at USCHO.com.

Nanooks Ranked 20th Nationally After Sixth Straight Win

Who's won six straight conference games and vaulted itself into the thick of the final CCHA race? The University of Alaska (Fairbanks), of course, now ranked 20th in NCAA Division I by USCHO.com.

The Nanooks (12-8-4 overall) have opened the calendar year by sweeping Michigan and Notre Dame on the road, and Northern Michigan at home, to improve to 10-7-3-1 in the CCHA, where they currently sit in fourth place with 34 points. They're just two points behind third-place Notre Dame, four points behind second-place Western Michigan, and five points behind league-leading Miami, whom they will visit this Friday and Saturday in Oxford, Ohio.

It’s been a bit of tightrope act this season for Alaska, which has averaged 2.71 goals per game and surrendered 2.58 goals per outing so far. The Nanook penalty kill, though, is ranked eighth in the nation, and has eliminated 100-of-113 opponent power plays (88.5 percent) while also scoring four shorthanded goals.

They're also getting things done by committee, at least scoring-wise. Senior forward Jarrett Granberg leads Alaska with five goals and 12 assists for 17 points, and had a game-winning goal with three seconds left at Notre Dame. Senior classmate Andy Taranto is right behind him with 7-9—16 points, and recently passed the century mark for career points. They're just two of nine Nanooks in double figures this season, with Trevor Campbell the highest-scoring blueliner for the Blue and Gold to date with 1-14—15 points.

In goal it’s been a different story, as freshman John Keeney has firmly taken the reins in the Nanook net, and played in 15 of UAF's 24 games. The California native has gone 8-4-3 with a 2.30 goals-against average and .914 save percentage, and has been in goal for the last six games/wins.

Following the Miami series, coach Dallas Ferguson’s club will host Ohio State at the Carlson Center, visit Lake Superior State, and host Michigan State before concluding the regular season with a home-and-home series with in-state and future WCHA rival Alaska Anchorage for the annual Governor’s Cup.

Following the last-ever CCHA Tournament in Detroit in March, the Nanooks hope to be one of 16 teams in the nation left standing, with their second-ever berth to the NCAA Tournament and second such selection in four years.

Go, Go Gophers - 33 Wins in a Row

 

The University of Minnesota women’s hockey team improved to 25-0-0 overall this season (19-0-0 WCHA) after defeating rival Wisconsin, 2-0, on Friday night in Madison, Wis. The win also marked the Golden Gopher’s 33rd consecutive victory dating back to last season, when they won the Division I national championship over the Badgers.

Minnesota’s 33 straight wins set a new NCAA record, and the streak was stretched to 34 victories on Sunday after Minnesota posted a 5-1 win at Wisconsin to conclude the two-step sweep.

The Gophers (26-0, 20-0 WCHA) haven’t come up short on the scoresheet since a 2-1 OT loss to North Dakota on Feb. 17, 2012. Minnesota then won its last eight contests of the 2011-12 campaign, including a 4-2 victory over Wisconsin in the national title game at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn. to claim its third NCAA title, and first since 2005.

The Gophers will get back to work and put their streak on the line again on Feb. 1-2 when they host in-state rival Minnesota-Duluth at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.

A Split Between Two States

Michigan State defeated Penn State, 5-3, on Friday night at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Mich. in the first-ever varsity hockey meeting between the two future Big Ten opponents. Tanner Sorensen scored twice for the host Spartans, including the game-winner, while Jake Hildebrand made 27 saves. My recap can be found here.

The visiting Nittany Lions earned a series split with a 3-2 win Saturday, as Taylor Holstrom notched the winning goal with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. Max Gardiner figured in all three goals as Penn State (10-13 overall) bounced back from a 2-0 deficit after 20 minutes, and finished with 50 shots on goal in all.

MSU (7-16-3 overall) has a home-and-home series with Bowling Green next week, perhaps the final time they will meet as CCHA foes, while PSU will battle longtime club rival Ohio University in a pair of exhibitions in University Park, Pa.

Irish Seek to Bounce Back Against Ferris

 
Notre Dame has been sailing along pretty smoothly this season in this, the final campaign of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

UND is 15-9-0 overall, ranked No. 7 in the nation, and is tied with Western Michigan for first place in the CCHA with an 11-5-0 league mark.

So what if the Irish are winless in their last four games?

Entire story can be found here.

Pioneers in Second Place

This week's ECAC West column at USCHO.com looks at Utica College and its rise to second place in the conference. The Pioneers are 14-3-0 overall and ranked eighth in NCAA Division III, and last week beat league frontrunner and No. 3 Hobart, 5-3, to improve to 5-2 in ECAC West play. Story can be found here.

Knuble Joins AHL's Griffins

Former University of Michigan forward Mike Knuble, a 16-year NHL veteran, has signed a 25-game professional tryout contract with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins after being recently released by their parent club, the Detroit Red Wings, according to the Grand Rapids Press.

He will be free to sign with any NHL club that may come calling for his services while he is with the Griffins.

Knuble played at Michigan from 1991 to 1995, and scored 103 goals and added 72 assists. He had three 20-goal campaigns and two 30-goal seasons with the Wolverines, while helping them to four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths.

Born in Toronto, Knuble, 40, grew up in Michigan in the Grand Rapids suburb of Kentwood, and was a two-time 50-goal scorer at East Kentwood High School. The 6-3, 230-lb. winger began his NHL career in 1996-97 with Detroit, earning a Stanley Cup championship ring with the Red Wings the following year after appearing in 52 regular-season games.

He has also played with the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals. In 1,040 NHL regular-season games to date, Knuble has tallied 274 goals and 266 assists for 540 points while collecting 621 penalty minutes. In 65 Stanley Cup Playoff outings, he has recorded 14-16—30 points and 38 PIM.

He spent last season with Washington, collecting six goals and 18 points in 72 contests. His best NHL campaign came in 2005-06 with Philadelphia when he registered 34-31—65 points, all career highs, in 82 appearances.

Knuble is expected to skate on Wednesday when the Griffins take on the Oklahoma City Barons. He previously played two seasons in the AHL with the Adirondack Red Wings, and tallied 50-58—108 points in 148 AHL games from 1995 to 1997.