Faceoff

This guy could be coaching your kids

FELDY: This dude isn't really a criminal, but I'm posting this under the "Stupid Criminals" category because maybe, just maybe he should be locked up.

I'm not even sure where to begin or end with this, so I'll just say:

READ THIS LINK!

College hockey: What the ...???

FELDY: What in the name of Holy Cross is going on in college hockey? Two No. 4 seeds advance to the Frozen Four and a third No. 4 seed went to double OT in its region final. It's probably appropriate that this is the year when all of this craziness is happening in the national tournament.

And, by the way, I was told at Mariucci Arena on Saturday night that this will be the first time since 1999 that the WCHA hasn't had a team in the Frozen Four. That year Maine won its second national championship by beating New Hampshire, the school that knocked off my Sioux in a wild finish on Saturday afternoon, and had Phersy singing this (...he loves to rub it in when UND loses).

So, now we have the No. 1 overall seed (Boston U.) facing a No. 2 seed (Vermont) in the Frozen Four on April 9 at Washington DC, while two teams that were the lowest seeds in their regions (Miami of Ohio and Bemidji State) will face off in the other national semifinal. How crazy is that? We'll have either Miami or BSU playing for a national championship.

Once I got over the shock of UND's wild loss to UNH, I got to thinking that it's actually a great thing for college hockey to have some of these other programs all of a sudden become relevant on the national picture. And, with fourth-seeded Air Force taking second-seeded Vermont to double OT in their regional final, we could have had three No. 4 seeds in the Frozen Four. Stuff like this can only help college hockey grow on a national level, and Lord knows we college puck fans need this sport to grow. I was about ready to blow up the enitre ESPN campus on Saturday when, instead of cutting to the start of the UND-UNH game they stuck with a regular season college lacrosse game that went 7 OTs.

Anyhow, it's now time to root for Bemidji. And, while on that subject, how can the WCHA not accept BSU into the league. I know WCHA commisioner Bruce McLeod has said an 11-team schedule just won't work, but, man, BSU would be a great addition to the league. Let's go BSU!

One last skate with the Hawks

PHERSY: The Rochester Ice Hawks announced today that they will hold one final skate with the Hawks.

Fans can come to the Rochester Recreation Center and celebrate another successful season with the 2008-09 Ice Hawks on Thursday. Players will be there for one final skate with the Hawks from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Bush Cup champions and national tournament entrant Ice Hawks will be available for pictures and autographs. The event is free and open to the public.

The Ice Hawks are currently on the bus, headed back to Rochester after going 2-1 at the national tournament.

ICE HAWKS: Season comes to an end

PHERSY: The Ice Hawks season came to an end today. Unfortunately, the Ice Hawks lost their game 5-1, then they had to sit around and wait for other games to finish to see if they received the wild card. The Ice Hawks needed two things to happen ... they needed New Hampshire to beat Helena by at least two, and they needed the Granite City Lumberjacks to lose to the Northern Cyclones. Well, the first one happened ... New Hampshire beat Helena 6-3. But the second one didn't happen, and it was a heart-breaker. The Lumberjacks rallied in the third period and tied the game late to send the game to overtime. Then they scored, with their goalie pulled in OT, with just 20 seconds left on the clock. The Lumberjacks' win eliminated the Ice Hawks from the wild card spot, and it gave the Jacks a spot in the semifinals.

It was a crazy game. Everyone out here is pretty crushed right now.

But it sure was an amazing season. I really will miss this team ... such a great group of kids. It was a blast being along for this ride!

ICE HAWKS: A win away from the semis!

PHERSY: Hey all ... just got done writing up my game story for tonight. It should be up on postbulletin.com shortly with a few photos from the game.

No official word yet on Danny Grady. He took a puck off the ankle today, and he did not skate in the third period of today's 2-0 victory over the Phoenix Polar Bears. I've heard several rumors, some saying Grady is OK, others saying the foot is broken. But I just talked to coach Fatis again, and nothing is official yet. He said he'll let me know when he hears something, and I'll pass it on to you all. Korby Anderson might need stitches on his upper lip, but I'm sure he'll battle through it and be ready to go tomorrow.

So, the Ice Hawks are 2-0 at nationals, and they're a win away from making the national semifinals. Of course, there's a monster in their way ... the New Jersey Hitmen, the top team out of the Eastern Junior Hockey League. The Hitmen have eight players who already have committed to play Division I hockey ... the Ice Hawks have zero! But I'll tell you what, after watching the Hitmen play today, the Ice Hawks can beat that team. There's no doubt in my mind. The Hitmen are super skilled. They're very slick with the puck on their stick. But the Ice Hawks are as fast or fast, and they're certainly more physical. If the Ice Hawks give the same effort they're put out the first two games out here this weekend, I see good things happening for this team tomorrow.

This has just been a dream run so far. In three years, I haven't seen this team put together back-to-back efforts like they did Friday and Saturday. What a great thing for these vets! They deserve this!

Bjerk has been unreal out here. If he doesn't get Division I looks from his performance, these scouts are blind. I have not seen a better goaltender take the ice at the national tournament. And there is at least one goaltender here (Monarchs) with a D-I ride already lined up. While Bjerk has played well, those guys in front of him have been amazing, too. Just all around, top to bottom, the Ice Hawks are getting it done right now.

I know some people are wondering about tiebreakers. And really, there's no point in speculating right now. The Ice Hawks need to win tomorrow, and then we won't have to put our hopes in someone else's hands. A win and we're in. A loss and we have to worry!

At any rate, I should get some rest. I'm so excited and nervous for tomorrow's game.It's going to be crazy. I hope you'll all join me on the live blog tomorrow, and then again Monday and Tuesday for the semis and finals (wink, wink)! Go HAWKS!!!!!!

Ice Hawks: A quick update

PHERSY: I just finished up all of my writing from Day 1 at the national tournament. Let's just say I did a lot of typing today! In tomorrow's P-B, there will be a feature on Alex Bjerk, a front-page (of the whole paper) short story on the Hawks, a game story and a notebook. Plus pictures. Should be a nice Ice Hawks spread.

I also have an update for you on Granite City Lumberjacks defenseman Steve Mlodozyniec. Mo, as they like to call him, was apparently the victim of a violent elbow on Friday. Mo was down on the ice for a very, very long time. There were reports at the rink that he had no feeling in his legs, but I just spoke with coach Fatis, and he said those reports were not true. They took Mo to the hospital, and he's doing well. He was knocked completely unconscious, but he's doing fine now. I can't imagine he'll play again here at nationals, but this is definitely great news, especially considering what the first reports were.

By the way, the Lumberjacks' game today against Dubuque ended in a 2-all tie! Yes, there are ties at the national tournament. On another side not, the player who elbowed Mo was given a five-minute major penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct. I can't say if it was dirty or whatever because I did not see the hit, I'm just glad Mo is doing well.

OK, that's enough typing for me for one day! I'll be back tomorrow with the live blog. Hope you'll all be there! More than 400 unique users checked in today and watched the blog. Good stuff! Thanks all.

Congrats to Serratore, Kirby; Stoa signs with Avalanche

FELDY: One game into the NCAA Division I hockey tournament and we have our first upset -- and my bracket has already burst, as I had Michigan winning it all. Instead, the Wolverines were beaten -- shut out -- by Air Force, 2-0, in a first-round game at Bridgeport, Ct.

Michigan outshot the Falcons 43-13, but Air Force star goalie Andrew Volkening stopped all 43 shots he faced. Congrats to Air Force coach Frank Serratore (a former Rochester Mustangs coach) and Austin native Tim Kirby, a defenseman for the Falcons. This is the Falcons' first-ever NCAA tournament win. They'll face either Vermont or Yale at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow with a trip to the Frozen Four at stake. How about that, folks: Either Vermont, Yale or Air Force will be in the Frozen Four.

* * *

In other news, Ryan Stoa is leaving the Gophers to sign with Colorado. From everything coach Don Lucia has said, he expected this, so it's not a surprise, but still it hurts to lose your leading scorer and your team leader. I guess,with the state of college hockey these days, the Gophers should feel fortunate to have had Stoa for three seasons (four, if you count last season, which he missed with an injury). ... Dallas newspapers have also reported that Colorado College goalie Richard Bachman may soon sign with the Stars. Bachman would be the sixth WCHA underclassman to leave early for the pros if he signs. The others: Minnesota's Stoa; F Paul Crowder from Anchorage; D Brian Connelly from CC; D Jamie McBain of Wisconsin and F Trevor Bruess from MSU, Mankato.

ICE HAWKS: At the rink, ready to go

PHERSY: I'm here, and I'm ready to go! I've got a table set up, along with Doc Fatis and his lovely wife, and we're all set for the Ice Hawks game against the St. Louis Jr. Blues. This will be my last post here, and the rest of the stuff I do will be on the live blog.

I just spoke with coach, and I have the lines and starting goalie. I also did a pregame interview with coach, and the audio from that interview will be on the live blog as soon as I start it up.

So that's it. Nothing big here. I did learn that Cory Volk will miss the game due to an ankle injury. It's hoped Volk will be back tomorrow for the game against the Polar Bears. They're a huge, physical team, so it would be nice to have Volk back for that one.

The countdown is on ... I'll start the live blog shortly. Thanks for reading!!!

TWO national hockey tourneys start today

FELDY: Hawks fans, and other fellow hockey rubes, while you're waiting for Phersy's live blog to start from Massachusetts, I'll be hitting the road shortly for Mariucci Arena and the Gopher-less NCAA West Regional. I'm hoping to get set up at the Mooch in time to check Phersy's game blog, which you can find at this link, or by going to www.postbulletin.com and clicking on the Ice Hawks logo near the top of the page.

If I can get set up at Mariucci, I'll pass along some notes from there to Phersy, in case anyone's interested in our WCHA teams in the regional. Phersy's game blog will probably be done by the time Denver plays Miami (Ohio) at 4:30 p.m., and UM-Duluth plays Princeton at 8. You can catch the DU-Miami game on ESPN2, and if you have ESPNU, you can watch the UMD-Princeton game on that station.

Isn't this another "most wonderful time of the year?" 

I always love digging up old memories such as this one. And, of course, this one. I know, I know, Gophers fans, you always come back with this one, which is one of the more incredible goals I've seen scored in person. But then again, there's this. And this.

Anyhow, the 2009 Faceoff college hockey bracket pool has about 20 entrants from around the P-B this year. Boston U. seems to be the consensus. Surprisingly, neither I nor Mrs. Feldy picked the Sioux to win. Toddler Feldy showed how much of a homer she is, though, by picking UND.

I'm one of the few going with Michigan. Even though the Wolverines lost to Notre Dame in the CCHA title game, they have a great chance to win. They've found a goalie (soph. Bryan Hogan) that has allowed them to not have to play Billy Sauer, and they have some depth at forward.

I'll fully admit my Sioux might not make it out of the opening round this season. Then again, they might win the whole thing  though that's a tall order with BU in their region and, if they get past BU, Michigan likely awaiting them at the Frozen Four. The Sioux are so in-and-out this year -- like most of the 16-team field, actually -- that it's hard to say from game to game which Sioux team will show up. 

Duluth also seems to be a trendy pick to at least reach the Frozen Four, if not the title game, but the problem I have is that the Bulldogs have also been one of those up-and-down teams. They have played very well two weekends in a row; how long can they sustain that level of play? Certainly playing in Minneapolis this weekend should help, and if goalie Alex Stalock plays like he did a week ago, the 'Dogs won't be stopped. 

By the way, former Rochester Mayo hockey player Chris Garner is the head equipment manager for the UMD men's team. I'll have a story on him in tomorrow's P-B. Garner played on Mayo's great 1997 state tourney team with Leimbek, Buskowiak, Notermann, et. al. He's also good friends with Mayo football coach Kevin Landherr, who played on that state tourney hockey team, too. Garner's job is pretty cool; he does all the little things behind the scenes that people don't see. Good stuff, and, an aside, Chris's sister, Anna, was a standout cross-country runner at Mayo a few years ago and is now at South Dakota State.

ICE HAWKS: Countdown is on

PHERSY: The countdown to game time is on. I'll be heading over to the New England Sports Center shortly to find a seat for the Ice Hawks game against the St. Louis Junior Blues. Here's a link to the live blog, which I'll activate at about 1:45 your time. It can also be accessed through the www.postbulletin.com main page. Just look for the Ice Hawks logo.

I'm going to speak with coach Fatis shortly, and I'll put up an audio interview with him on the live blog as soon as I go live. And I'll post Ice Hawks line and defensive pairings and the starting goalie.

That's it for now. I hope you'll all join me for the live blog. Go Hawks!!!