Weekly Preview Showdown Time in the Commenwealth Avenue Rivlary

The time has come. The Commenwealth Avenue Rivalry (aka BC vs BU) has arrived. Both teams might not be playing their best hockey right now, but I promise you that this weekends home and home series between Boston College and Boston University will be the game(s) to watch this weekend.

BU forward Peter MacArthur (pictured above) had eight straight games without a goal until Tuesday night against UMASS-Amherst where he scored a power play goal in the third period. Expect MacArthur to be a key factor in this series.

The Terriers are curretnly on a four game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) after going 0-2-3 in their previous five games. Head Coach Jack Parker and the Terriers will have their hands full this weekend against the #7 ranked BC Eagles. The Terriers have to find a way to put the puck in the net and keep the pressure of goaltender John Curry.

For Boston College its simple, sweep BU and their back in the top five. After a 4-1 start, which included a sweep at Wisconsin, the Eagles have been struggling on offense. Sound familar to BU as well. In their last seven the Eagles are 3-3-1 with a 7-4-1 record overall. But motivation could be on the way as a new month approaches and the 6-3 loss to New Hampshire with a collapse in the third period could have some extra motivation in this series.

The Eagles have had a slow November. Senior Brian Boyle can't find a way to score lately and the defense has been a little shaky of late as the Eagles have given up 12 goals in their last three games. Goaltender Cory Schneider will need to play on top of his game in this series.

This is a series where both teams need at least one win. Expect a great atmosphere at Conte Fourm on Friday night and Agganis Arena on Saturday night. Should be a fun series to watch.

And after the game on Friday, hockeynuts will take you where you have never seen this blog before. The post-game comments. Look for an inside look on the Friday game on Saturday night.

In other action this weekend (the rest of the top five):

Denver and Colorado College renew their rivalry in a home and home series.

Alaska and Notre Dame will play two at South Bend in a key CCHA series.

Vermont travels to New Hampshire as the top two teams battle it out in Hockey East play.

And St. Cloud State will take on the surprising Michigan Tech Huskies for two at Houghton, Mich.

Other games to watch include:

Air Force and Sacred Heart
Yale vs St. Lawrence and Clarkson
Minnesota State and Minnesota
Michigan State and Ohio State

Tommorrow the Players of the month will be announced. So get ready for an exciting weekend in the world of college hockey.

Hobey Watch Nov 28

Some changes made in the Hat Trick so lets get right to it.

There are no significant changes to the top five, but there is some shuffling around, and a new face is being added this week.

For several weeks now Nathan Davis from Miami has had the top spot and that has continued, but the hat trick and the two top five spots have some changes. Enough has been said let's break it down.

Natahan Davis F Miami (JR): Davis is tied with Eric Ehn of Air Force for the top spot in scoring. This weekend Davis added a goal and two assists to his stellar season with a goal and an assist against St. Lawrence and an assist against Clarkson. Miami went 1-1 in those two games but they still hold their top five ranking. This weekend Davis and the Redhawks host a struggling Ferris State team who is 1-6-1 in their last eight. Expect some more points to come from Davis this weekend.

Season Stats: 13 g, 17 a, 30 p

T.J. Hensick F Michigan (SR): Out of the hat trick is teammate Kevin Porter, but the Wolverines are still well represented in the Hobey Watch. A six point week (3 g, 3 a) put Hensick in the Hat Trick. Not to forget that Hensick is leading the country in assists. There might not be a better line combonation than Hensick, Porter, and Chad Kolarik in the country right now. Combined the three have 30 goals and 44 assists which total 74 points, an average of a little over 24 points per player. This week Hensick and teh Wolverines have a home and home series with an improved Western Michigan team.

Season Stats: 7 g, 21 a, 28 p

David Brown G Notre Dame: For the second week in a row its a sweep of CCHA players in the Hobey Hat Trick. Brown gave up five goals this weekend, but the Irish salvaged a split against Nebraska-Omaha. Brown dropped to second in the country in goals against average, which might of dropped his stock a little bit, but he is still the best goaltender in the country right now. A huge series for Brown and the Fighting Irish this weekend as Notre Dame will face Alaska in South Bend.

Season Stats: 9-3-1, 1.45 gaa, .941 save pct, 2 shutouts

The rest of the Top Five

Trevor Smith F New Hampshire (SO): A two point weekend was just enough to move Smith up from number five to number four in the Hobey Watch. Six of his goals this season have come on special teams (4 power play, 2 shorthanded). Pretty Impressive. This week New Hampshire faces Merrimack and Vermont. Could see his stats go up against Merrimack, but Vermont is a good defensive team. Expect Smith's stats to go up at least in the Merrimack game.

Season Stats: 11 g, 10 a, 21 p

Kevin Porter F Michigan (JR): Although he had a five point weekend, Porter slips to number five. Porter though should not be taken lightly just because he is out of the Hobey Hat Trick. His play so far will keep him in the top five for awhile and playing on the top line helps.

Season Stats: 12 g, 15 a, 27 p

This weeks darkhorse:

John Curry G Boston University (SR): Curry only played in one game this week, but he had a solid 22 save performance against Harvard. If the Terriers can find a way to score, then they would be a top five team right now. Curry has been the backbone of this team and will need some help from the Terriers offense to relieve some pressure off of him. But for now Curry is this weeks darkhorse and his stats prove it.

Season Stats: 4-2-4, 1.94 gaa, .924 save pct, 1 shutout

For this week two more blogs will be published on Hockeynuts including the weekly preview and the players of the month for November. So make sure to check it out as we near the midway point of the season.

Weekly Wrap-Up Minnesota Showcases It's Talent

The Minnesota Golden Gophers proved that they are still the number one team in the country with a sweep in the College Hockey Showcase.

A thrilling 5-4 victory over Michigan State helped kick off this weekends showcase which also featured Michigan (more on the Minnesota Michigan game later) and Wisconsin. Gopher Defensemen Alex Goligoski scored the game winner against the Spartans on the power play with 8:40 left in the game. Goligoski also added two assists in the victory. Michigan State only had 17 shots on goal but beat Goaltender Jeff Frazee four times, including two goals from Tim Kennedy. But it was Minnesota who had 33 shots on goal and the better scoring oppurtunities throughout the game.

The other game on Friday night was in Madison where the Wisconsin Badgers fell to Michigan in a third period collapse by the Badgers. Wisconsin had a 2-0 lead going into the second and a 3-2 lead going into the third. However, two goals in a span of 27 seconds helped the Wolverines get the victory on the road. Goaltender Billy Sauer of Michigan stopped all 15 Wisconsin shots on goal in the third period.

Saturday Wisconsin ended their six game losing streak with a victory over Michigan State 2-0. Goals were scored by Andrew Joudrey and Ben Street. And in goal was Shane Connelly, who made only his second start on the season, but nevertheless was solid stopping all 19 shots on goal by the Spartans in route to his second career shutout.

But the night, and the Showcase belonged to the Golden Gophers of Minnesota who put on a shooting clinic against Michigan with 52 shots on net. But it was the score that surprised everyone as the Gophers Offense scored five goals in the third period in the 8-2 victory of the Wolverines. Jim O'Brien and Mike Carmen led the way with two goals each. Kellen Briggs had a solid night in goal as he stopped 22 of 24 Michigan shots on goal.

So now you know the results, here is the hockeynuts all Showcase team:

G- Kellen Briggs, Minnesota
D- Alex Goligoski, Minnesota
D- Kyle Klubertanz, Wisconsin
F- Blake Wheeler, Minnesota
F- Andrew Cogliano, Michigan
F- T.J. Hensick, Michigan

In other college hockey action from this past week:

New Hampshire kept its first place standing in Hockey East defeating Boston College and Northeastern by a combined score of 9-4.

Notre Dame and Nebraska-Omaha split their series in the CCHA.

Boston University escaped with two wins in their two games against Harvard and Yale

Maine continues to struggle as they lost their third game in a row as the Black Bears fell to Vermont.

And Clarkson defeated Miami in non-conference play.

This weeks top five games include:

Boston College and Boston University in a home and home series
Denver and Colorado College in a home and home series
Notre Dame and Alaksa in South Bend
Cornell and Rensselaer
Michigan Tech and St. Cloud State in a key WCHA series in Houghton, Michigan.

So this is the 200th blog in its second year of existince. And more to come this week including players of the month, the Hobey Watch, and the weekly preview. For those of you who have commented or put in a good word about this blog, I would like to say thanks for your support and to keep checking as more updates will be on the way.

Hobey Watch Nov 22

Some changes have been made to the Hobey Watch this week so lets get to the top three first.

The top spot will remain the same but players are inching closer this week to the top spot which could change any week.

So you got the explination now lets see who else is in this week.

Nathan Davis F Miami (JR): A five point weekend against Nebraska-Omaha not only kept Davis in the top spot, but it moved the Redhawks up in the rankings. The top player so far in the CCHA has been in the Hobey Watch for awhile and he has held the top spot for the third week in a row. In his last three games, Davis has three goals and three assists. Overall Davis is still the best player out there in the country.

Season Stats: 12 g, 15 a, 27 p

David Brown G Notre Dame (SR): The Irish lost their first game since early October this past weekend. However, Brown still had a great weekend and is still leading the country in goals against average. Brown stopped 41 of 44 Michigan State shots on goal this past weekend and Brown has only allowed six goals in his last five games. Notre Dame has all sorts of weapons, but Brown has been the best player on the team. This weekend the Irish will travel to Omaha where they will face Scott Parse and the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.

Season Stats: 8-2-1, 1.26 gaa, .950 save pct, 2 shutouts

Kevin Porter F Michigan (JR): With 13 points in the Wolverines last six games, Porter moves up in the Hobey Hat Trick this weekend completing a CCHA sweep of the Hat Trick. Over the last six, Porter has six goals while adding seven assists. The only game in which Porter did not recieve a point was 10/20 against Miami. With the College Hockey Showcase this weekend, expect Porter to showcase his game against Minnesota and Wisconsin.
(By the way I made an error in the preview yesterday the game was at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor. My Appologies.)

Season Stats: 11 g, 13 a, 24 p

The Rest of the top five

Michel Leveille F Maine (SR): Although Maine has lost their last two games, Leveille still is playing well. After being held scoreless against Boston University, Leveille has had two plus points in his last three games. Leveille moves down a little bit but expect him to continue his strong play. With a tough game against Vermont on the road on Saturday, Leveille and the Black Bears will should be at their best after losing their last two at home.

Season Stats: 11 g, 8 a, 19 p

Trevor Smith F New Hampshire (SO): Smith has already matched his goal total from last season and is having a breakout year. With seven points in his last three games, Smith will take those stats tonight against Boston College at The Heights against a squad who is starting to click on all cylinders. Should be an exciting game tonight at Chestnut Hill.

Season Stats: 10 g, 9 a, 19 p

This weeks darkhorse:

Joe Fallon G Vermont (JR): The all time shutout leader in school history finally gets some recognition as he is this weeks darkhorse. Fallon and the Catamounts have won four straight and will look to make it five in a row this Saturday against Maine. In his last five, Fallon has only allowed five goals and added a shutout against UMASS-Amherst last night.

Season Stats: 6-3-1, 1.49 gaa, .933 save pct, 2 shutouts.

This is the last blog before next week. I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and hockeynuts will be back on Monday with the weekly wrap-up.

Weekly Preview It's Showcase Time

Yes it is that time of year again. The college hockey showcase featuring Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Michigan.

So here is the tale of tale of the tape:

Minnesota: The Golden Gophers are coming off a sweep in the Border War against Wisconsin at Marruci Arena. Minnesota has not lost a game since the first game of the year against Maine. Their 10-1-2 mark in their first 13 games is one of their best starts in team history. And to prove how good Minnesota is, six players are averaging more than a point per game and eight players already have 10+ points. As a team the Gophers have scored 55 goals, averaging more than four goals per game. And not to forgett that their defense and their goalies have been outstanding as well. The defense has only gave up 25 goals all season, and the goaltending between Senior Kellen Briggs (pictured above) and Sophomore Jeff Frazee has worked out. Minnesota is unquestionably the favorite to win both games in the College Hockey Showcase against Michigan and Michigan State.

Wisconsin: After winning the National Championship last season, the Badgers came in as the number two team in the pre-season polls. But the slow 4-8-2 start has knocked the Badgers out of the top 20. The Badgers are winless in their last five games and have only scored six goals in that span. The only positive is that the Badgers defense has been keeping them in games. While goaltender Brian Elliott has a 2.02 goals against average, the offense has not been showing up. In fact only one player has 10 points and that is Senior Forward Andrew Joudery. Granted the Badgers have had a lot of injuries, and players such as Jack Skille and Ross Carlson are coming back, however, they need to get back in rhythm in order for the Badgers to make a run. Expect the Badgers to play with a lot of desperation this weekend.

Michigan State: The Spartans are coming off a split against Notre Dame over the weekend. A solid start has the Spartans in the top 10. Jeff Lerg is has two shutouts in three games and is one of the reasons why the Spartans are playing better defensively. Offensively the trio of Tim Kennedy, Tim Crowder, and Bryan Lerg could be the most leathal weapons in the country. Though they have two tough games on the road in the Showcase, the Spartans could be the team who knocks off Minnesota at their home ice.

Michigan: This could be the best offense in the country. The Wolverines have two players with 20 points already in Kevin Porter and T.J. Hensick. While their defense has been questionable at times, it seems like Michigan is starting to gel on D. Michigan has won five in a row and are looking to extend that, but it will be tough with Minnesota and Wisconsin on the road. Expect role players such as defensemen Jack Johnson to step up in the Showcase.

And do not forget before the Showcase, Michigan and Michigan State will face off at the Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. This will already be the third meeting between the two teams and could meet again in the Great Lakes Invatational and the two teams have another meeting later in the year.

In other college hockey action this weekend:

After a huge win against Maine, Boston College is right back in the top five. Can they keep that ranking with a win against number eight New Hampshire at Conte Forum?

Colorado College and North Dakota will play two in Grand Forks for two huge games in the WCHA? Both teams have had an up and down season and will need victories at this point of the season.

And the last of the top five games of the week has Clarkson and Miami facing off against each other in upstate New York.

Other games to watch out for include:

Nebraska-Omaha and Notre Dame
Boston University and Yale
Dartmouth and Quinnipiac
The RPI holiday tournament featuring Rensselaer, Ohio State, Niagara, and Colgate

Don't forget to check out the Hobey Watch tommorrow exclusively on hockeynuts.

Weekly Wrap-Up Gophers sweep Badgers in the Border War

Tony Lucia (pictured above) and the Minnesota Golden Gophers had a great weekend against rival Wisconsin with a weekend sweep of the Badgers. Lucia got his first goal on Sunday, a go-ahead goal that put Minnesota ahead 2-1.

The first game however was a offensive struggle for both teams. Wisconsin goaltender Brian Elliott made 35 saves while his counterpart Kellen Briggs stopped 25 shots on goal. Defensemen Alex Goligoski got the game started with his fourth goal on the season scored on the power play. After a scoreless second period, the teams came right back on the ice for a solid third period. Jay Barriball scored his ninth on the season as the Gophers took a 2-0 lead. Wisconsin made it 2-1 late in the third with a goal by Ross Carlson his first of the season, but it was not enough as the Gophers took a 2-1 victory.

The next game saw Wisconsin take to a 1-0 lead at the 14:37 mark of the second period with a goal by Ben Street. Wisconsin who outplayed the Gophers for 2/3 of the game but could not hold their one goal lead. Minnesota tied it at one with a goal from Ryan Stoa on a breakaway. After back and forth action for over nine minutes, Tony Lucia, the son of Gopher head coach Don Lucia scored his first goal of the year and the game winner at the 14:17 mark. Blake Wheeler added an empty netter as the Gophers took the second game and a weekend sweep against the Badgers 3-1.

While Minnesota is on a roll, the Badgers are struggling and have now lost five in a row, a totaly unexpected start by the defending National Champions.

The other big series this weekend was Notre Dame and Michigan State in a CCHA battle. The Irish took the first game against the Spartans. Three goals by Notre Dame in the second period help the Fighting Irish get a 4-1 victory. Notre Dame goaltender David Brown made 26 saves in the victory. Michigan State took the second game to gain a split in a battle of top five teams. Bryan Lerg and Tim Crowder scored the only two goals of the game. Goaltender Jeff Lerg stopped all 25 Notre Dame shots on goal as the Spartans gained a victory at Munn Ice Arena.

In other college hockey action this past weekend:

Boston College defeated Maine 4-3 in overtime at Orono. BC forward Joe Rooney scored two goals including the game winner. BC will move up this weekend while Maine will probably move down a few spots after they lost their second in a row.

Quinnipiac got a weekend sweep of upstate New York teams Colgate and Cornell.

Miami swept Nebraska-Omaha

And the big surprise of the weekend was Alaska-Anchorage who swept #3 North Dakota.

This upcoming slate of the top five games include:

The College Hockey Showcase featuring Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Michigan State
Michigan State vs Michigan tommorrow night
Boston College vs New Hampshire Wednesday night
Dartmouth vs Quinnipiac
Clarkson vs Miami

Since games are happening all week the weekly preview will come out tommorrow and the Hobey Watch will come out on Wednesday (one week only). More exciting action coming up as we inch closer to the halfway mark on the college hockey season.

Weekly Preview David Brown and Irish look to extend unbeaten streak against conference rival

Goaltender David Brown and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the biggest surprise so far in the first half of the college hockey season. The Irish are 8-1-1 and are unbeaten in their last 10 games. This week Notre Dame will look to extend its unbeaten streak to 12 as the Irish and the Michigan State Spartans will battle it out in a home and home series.

When mentioned in the pre-season most of the country were talking about the great play of Cory Schneider from Boston College, Ben Bishop of Maine, John Curry of Boston University, and Brian Elliott of Wisconsin as great goaltenders returning. There are more goaltenders on this list that were mentioned well before Notre Dame's David Brown. Well this year, Brown has been the best goalie in the country.

Brown's stats has been amazing through his first nine games that he has started in net. The Irish netminder is off to a 7-1-1 start and has only allowed 11 goals all season. Thats right, 11. And not to forget, Brown has a 1.20 goals against average, a .953 save pct, and two shutouts, all tops in those statistics.

While Brown has been the best player on the Irish, there are other players who have done well. In fact four players from Notre Dame have 10 or more points. Mark Van Guilder leads the way with 14 points and has been the best Notre Dame skater on the ice. Kevin Deeth and Ryan Thang, both Freshman are also playing well for the Irish.

I can go on and on about Notre Dame but let's talk about Michigan State, another top five team.

While Michigan State is only 3-2-1 in conference play, the Spartans are still one of the toughest teams in college hockey. It is true that Jeff Lerg has been shaky this year in between the pipes, but the Spartans offensive attack is helping him out. Sophomores Tim Kennedy and Tim Crowder are leading the team in scoring with a combined 21 points between the two of them. Lets not forget about Bryan Lerg too who is second on the team in goals scored. Overall the Spartans have a solid team. If the goaltending and the defense step it up then this will be a team to watch this weekend and throughout the season.

Other must-see games include:

Two Hockey East powers collide on Sunday in Orono as Maine and Boston College will battle it out. Maine is coming off a shalacking against New Hampshire at home while BC at 6-3-0 are still trying to find its identity for the season. This is a huge game for both teams with Maine's #1 ranking on the line.

Nebraska-Omaha and Miami, two high powered offenses will battle it out in Oxford.

Minnesota and Wisconsin will renew its rivalry at Marruci Arena in Minneapolis. Wisconsin can not afford a sweep while Minnesota will look to get the #1 spot in the country.

Quinnipiac and Cornell will face each other in ECACHL play.

And other games worth watching include:

Army and Holy Cross
Niagara and Bemidji State
Yale and Dartmouth
Clarkson and St. Cloud State

Who will prevail this weekend? Check out the weekly wrap-up to get all your college hockey needs on this big weekend.

Hobey Watch Nov 14

This weeks Hobey watch has a lot of changes so lets get right to it.

The top spot is still the same for the second week in a row but there are new players in the top five so lets take a look, beginning with the Hobey Hat Trick.

Nathan Davis F Miami (JR): Although Davis only got one point this weekend against Lake Superior, he still holds the top spot in the Hobey watch. In his last five games Davis has six goals and four assists for 10 points, averaging two points per game. This weekend Davis and the Redhawks will host Nebraska-Omaha in which both games could be a shootout. Expect his numbers to go up in these next two games against the Mavericks.

Season Stats: 10 g, 12 a, 22 p

Michel Leveille F Maine (SR): Although the Black Bears lost their first game of the season against inter-state rival New Hampshire, Leveille had a goal and an assist against the Wildcats, to go along with his two goals against UMASS-Lowell two nights before. With seven goals in his last six games, Leveille has become a big time player for the Black Bears who are still the number one team in the country. A big game this Sunday for Leveille and the Black Bears as they host Hockey East favorite Boston College.

Season Stats: 9 g, 7 a, 16 p

David Brown G Notre Dame (SR): Brown has been stellar so far in the early season. He is leading the country in almost every goaltending stat there is. A shutout this weekend against Bowling Green helped Brown jump from being a darkhorse to being one of the top three players in the Hobey watch for this week. Brown and the Fighting Irish are in the top five for the first time in school history. Big test for the Irish this weekend as Brown and company faces Michigan State in a home and home series.

Season Stats: 7-1-1, 1.20 gaa, .953 save pct, 2 shutouts

The rest of the top five

Kevin Porter F Michigan (JR): Porter has been on a tear the last five games for the Wolverines. In those games he has scored seven goals and added four assists for a total of 11 points. Michigan travels to Ferris State this weekend and expect Porter to be a big factor this weekend.

Season Stats: 10 g, 9 a, 19 p

Alex Goligoski D Minnesota (JR): Goligoski who is usally known for his offense has been getting it done on defense this season and his stats show. He might not be a prolific scorer but he is a key factor on this Gopher team and could be one of the better defensemen since the time that Jordan Leopold won the Hobey Baker award in 2002. This weekend the Gophers host the defending National Champion Wisconsin Badgers.

Season Stats: 3 g, 9 a, 12 p

This weeks Darkhorse:

Trevor Smith F New Hampshire (SO): Smith is closing in on his goal total last year already. He has become a key offensive threat to the Wildcats who just blewout Maine this past weekend. The only game Smith has been scoreless in was against Boston University on Saturday night. Expect bigger things from Smith as the season goes on.

Season Stats: 9 g, 6 a, 15 p

There you have it, the Hobey Watch for this week November 14th, 2006. Big weekend coming up with some huge games so make sure to catch the weekly preview coming up in the next couple of days.

Weekly Wrap-Up Maine and Cornell unbeaten no more

For the first time this season, Maine and Cornell both lost on a toss up weekend in college hockey.

Maine did get a victory on Friday night against UMASS-Lowell 4-1, but on Sunday the New Hampshire Wildcats dominated play against the Black Bears on Sunday afternoon in Orono.

New Hampshire jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead thanks to the play of Mike Radja, who earned two goals and an assist in the first period. Maine would score first in the second period and tried to make things intresting. However, the Wildcats quickly had other plans after two power play goals by Maine. And finally in the third period, UNH went back to their ways in dominating play like they did in the first period. Two quick goals by Chris Murray and Matt Fornataro in 25 second (and a goal by Trevor Smith a few minutes later) sealed the deal as the UNH Wildcats gave Maine their first loss of the season. Final score UNH 8-2. Kevin Regan stopped 33 of 35 Maine shots on goal including an 18 save second period performance.

The night before saw Cornell go into the game unbeaten. The Big Red had momentum after coming from behind in the third period against Harvard on Friday to give Cornell the 3-2 win. But Dartmouth came into the game with a lot energy after a 6-3 win against Colgate the night before.

The first period saw Dartmouth scored two power play goals in the period one by Ben Lovejoy and the other by T.J. Galiardi gave the Big Green a 2-0 lead over Cornell in the first period. Cornell took 16 shots on goal in the first but were denied on every angle they took against goaltender Mike Devine. After a scoreless second period, the Big Green opened up the lead to 3-0 when Tanner Glass scored an empty net goal with 2:22 left in the game. Cornell however made it close at the end scoring two goals in 20 seconds (both four on four), but it was too late for the Big Red to climb out of the hole they created as the Big Green won 3-2 giving Cornell their first loss of the season.

In other college hockey action this weekend:

Denver swept Wisconsin in Madison. The defending National Champion Badgers have lost five out of their last six and are now 4-6-2 heading into their next series at Minnesota. Denver has won their last three games all on the road and are looking to climb up the WCHA standings.

Notre Dame continues its unbeaten streak as it is up to eight games (7-0-1) as the Irish swept Bowling Green. The Irish next have Michigan State on their schedule which should be exciting to watch.

Sacred Heart swept Holy Cross in Atlantic Hockey action.

And Minnesota and St. Cloud State could not settle a score in this rivalry as the Gophers and the Huskies tied in both games.

This coming week the top five games include:

Michigan State and Notre Dame
Boston College and Maine
Nebraska-Omaha and Miami
Minnesota and Wisconsin
Cornell and Quinnipiac

All of these great games and more will be mentioned in the weekly preview coming up later this week.

Weekly Preview Toss Up Weekend

This weeks slate of games are indeed a toss up, starting with #2 Minnesota where the Gophers have a home and home series against St. Cloud State.

Tyler Hirsch (pictured above) is the leading scorer on the Gophers with two goals and 12 assists for 14 points. After being a medical redshirt last season, Hirsch has picked up where he left off two years ago where he had 44 points (11 g, 33 a). While Hirsch is leading the team in scoring, the team has six other players who have 10 or more points and we are just nine games into the season.

After the loss to Maine, the Gophers have not lost a game since. In the last eight games, the Gophers have outscored the opposition 41-12. While you got the goal scorers in Kyle Okposo, and Jay Barriball one of the best one two Freshman punches in the country, the goaltending has the same type of one two punch. Senior Kellen Briggs has only allowed four goals and has a shutout to his credit. While Sophomore Jeff Frazee has played in more games and is doing quite well, expect to see both goaltenders this weekend.

On the other side St. Cloud State has started off a little slow at 2-3-1. Bobby Goepfert has not regained his game yet, but again we are still early in the season. This team could give Minnesota fits like they have in years past. Expect St. Cloud to play with a little desperiation and don't be surprised if the Huskies get the offense going against Minnesota.

Other Big Games include:

Maine will face New Hampshire on Sunday. The inter-state rivals will play their only meeting at Alfond Arena this Sunday. Both teams have important games before Sunday UNH has Boston University at the Whittemore Center, and Maine hosts UMASS-Lowell. Expect this game to be fast paced with a lot of oppurtunities.

After their first win of the season, the Harvard Crimson will look to get a hot streak going, but they will have to do it on the road as Harvard goes to upstate New York to face Cornell and Colgate.

Denver and Wisconsin will face each other as both games will be held at the Kohl Center in Madison.

A key CCHA series will feature Alaska and Northern Michigan (both games at Northern Michigan).

And Sacred Heart will face Holy Cross in an Atlantic Hockey showdown for a two game home and home series.

These games and more will be featured in the weekly wrap-up. But until then enjoy this toss up weekend in the world of college hockey.

Hobey Watch Nov 7

More changes this week in the Hobey Watch that we should get to including a shake up in the Hobey Hat Trick. There is a new top player and some more changes that will be discussed in this edition of the Hobey Watch.

Here are the Hobey Hat Trick players for the week of Nov 7.

Natahan Davis F Miami (JR): A seven point weekend for Davis against Northern Michigan, including a five point night on Friday (3 g, 2 a) put Davis number one for this week. It also helps that Davis has now become the leading scorer in the country and the fact that he is the only player so far with 20+ points in the country bolts him to the top spot which was held last week by Michigan Forward Chad Kolarik.

Season Stats: 9 g, 12 a, 21 p

Ben Bishop G Maine (SO): Bishop moves up one from number three to number two this week. The fact that Bishop has only allowed more than one goal in two games this weekend is amazing. He came up big on the road in the 2-2 tie against Boston University making 29 saves. Bishop is using all of his size (6"7) well and is inching closer to the top spot.

Season Stats: 7-0-1, 1.41 gaa, .942 save pct.

T.J. Hensick F Michigan (SR): After only a one point night against Michigan State on Friday, Henisck and the Wolverines stormed back on Saturday night as Hensick scored a goal and added three assists. Hensick may not be a goal scorer, but he sure knows how to dish out the assists. A second CCHA player will cap off the Hobey Hat Trick.

Season Stats: 4 g, 12 a, 16 p

The rest of the top five

Michel Leveille F Maine (SR): Leveille was in the hat trick last week as the number two guy, but a one point weekend put him out for this week.

Season Stats 6 g, 6 a, 12 p

Jack Johnson D Michigan (SO): After a great Freshman season, Johnson has really improved his game. Although Johnson only had one goal this weekend, he is still making noise around the country as a solid two way player.

Season Stats: 5 g, 3 a, 8 p

This weeks Darkhorse:

David Brown G Notre Dame (SR): For the second week in a row, a CCHA goaltender has been the darkhorse. So far on this years resume, Brown has had some big games, including a 7-1 thrashing of then number one Boston College, where Brown stopped 26 shots on goal. In his last five Brown has only allowed six goals as he and the Irish are off to one of their best starts in school history.

Season Stats: 5-1-1, 1.26 gaa, .950 save pct, 1 shutout.

So there you have it for the Hobey Watch. This weeks games promises to bring excitement, so keep your eyes open for the weekly preview as we will get to all the exciting action in the world of college hockey.

Weekly Wrap-Up Michigan finally gets one over arch-rival

After being winless in their last nine games against Michigan State, Michigan finally defeated their archrival for the first time since the 2004-2005 season on Saturday night earning a split with the Spartans, who defeated the Wolverines on Friday night.

What looked like a Michigan victory in the first period on Friday night sooned turned into a defensive breakdown for the Wolverines. With a 3-1 lead after the first period, Michigan seemed to have the upper hand until the second period. A four goal second period for the Spartans helped Michigan State get the upperhand in a 7-4 final in East Lansing.

The second game Michigan came in with more desperation. With a nine game winless streak against the Spartans, the Wolverines came out looking sharp. With Jack Johnson back in the lineup, everything was clicking for the Wolverines. A two point first period by T.J. Hensick helped Michigan get the team rolling as Michigan went into the first period ahead again 2-1. Like the night before where Michigan State scored four goals in the second, it was Michigan's turn to get some offense. Sophmore Tim Miller scored his first goal of the season shorthanded to give the Wolverines a 3-1 lead early in the second period. Tim Kennedy scored 51 seconds later and kept the Spartans alive with a power play goal making it 3-2. However the Wolverines would not be denied scoring the next three goals in 5:11. Kevin Porter who scored one of the goals in that span got his seventh goal of the season. T.J. Hensick added two assists one of them to Porter, the other to Jack Johnson, giving him four points on the night (1 g, 3 a). Michigan won the game 6-2. Michigan Goaltender Billy Sauer played his best game of the season making 34 saves, the most he has had all season.

In other College Hockey action from this past weekend:

Alaska got three points on the road against Nebraska-Omaha.

After a loss on Tuesday to Providence, Cory Schneider and the Boston College Eagles rebounded on Saturday as Schneider got his 11th career shutout in his college career, as the Eagles won 1-0 over Vermont.

UMASS-Amherst swept Providence in a home and home series.

Boston University survived with two ties against UMASS-Lowell and Maine. The Terriers now have more ties than wins on the season (2-1-3)

And Colorado College got back on the right track sweeping #18 Michigan Tech in a great defensive effort by the Tigers allowing just one goal in both games.

This coming weeks games include:

Harvard and Boston College. The Eagles will come in facing another desperate team in Harvard who hasan't won a game yet.

A key WCHA series between Denver and Wisconsin. Wisconsin could not get past .500 this weekend with a split with Alaska-Anchorage, and Denver is coming off a week where they didin't play. The Pioneers are at .500 too so everything is at stake here.

Maine will host New Hampshire on Sunday giving the Black Bears their first big test at Alfond Arena.

And Quinnipiac travels to upstate New York to face Clarkson and St. Lawrence.

All of these games and much more (except for the BC-Harvard game) will be featured in the weekly preview so don't miss out as another week of exciting college hockey action awaits us.

Weekly Preview Michigan and Michigan State one of many games on this weekends slate

This weekends big series between Michigan and Michigan State is the top series in this weekends slate of games.

Chad Kolarik and T.J. Hensick one of the best one two punches in the country will give a tough task for Michigan State this weekend. With a struggling defense so far for the Spartans, who have given up 12 goals in their first four games, the Spartans will need to step up their play especially after last weekend where the defense allowed eight goals in two games. Henisck and Kolarik could have a couple of field days against the Spartans if the defense does not step it up this weekend.

Another story this weekend in this series is that Michigan Defensemen Jack Johnson has been suspended for Friday's game. Senior Forward Tim Cook will move to replace Johnson's spot on defense and Morgan Ward, who has only played in two games this year, will fill in the vacant forward spot held by Cook.

Overall expect a tough gritty series between these two teams. Michigan is coming off a split at home against Northeastern and will look to start November off with a bang. While goaltender Jeff Lerg and the Spartans will look to forget about giving up eight goals this weekend and start playing defense.

In other action this weekend:

The surprising Michigan Tech Huskies will take their 5-1-0 record on the road against Colorado College.

Boston University will look for revenge at UMASS-Lowell before their showdown with #1 Maine at Agganis Arena on Saturday night.

Northern Michigan will go on the road against Miami in another CCHA series.

And Boston College will look to rebound from its loss on Tuesday night against Providence as the Eagles take on Vermont at The Heights.

These games and much more will be covered next week in the weekly wrap-up.

Players of the Month October

Here are the players of the month for the month of October.

Atlantic Hockey: Eric Ehn F Air Force (JR)- The nations leading scorer has scored multiple goals in four out of his first eight games. A six point night against Alabama-Huntsville helped his status this week on becoming the Nations leading scorer.

Season Stats: 10 g, 8 a, 18 p

CCHA: Chad Kolarik F Michigan (JR)- Kolarik is already approaching his goal total from last year in which he scored 12. Kolarik has two hat tricks already and is an early sleeper in the Hobey Baker race. Kolarik and linemate T.J. Hensick are tied for the team in points and I can't see why this duo shouldn't be the best one two punch in the nation.

Season Stats: 8 g, 3 a, 11 p

CHA: Ted Cook F Niagara (SO)- Cook has scored a goal in six of his first eight games, including a three goal performance this past weekend against Bemidji State. He is one of the players who could be recognized around the country by the end of the year if he keeps his stats up. Don't forget he scored 20 goals and added 20 assists as a Freshman.

Season Stats: 8 g, 7 a, 15 p

ECACHL: Jared Ross D St. Lawrence (SO)- Ross is a solid two way defensemen. He has the most points on the team and is averaging a point per game. There were not many teams who started in early October from the conference, but Ross is taking advantage of the games he has played. Expect Ross to improve on his numbers from last year. He is close to that now in fact.

Season Stats: 3 g, 2 a, 5 p

Hockey East: Michel Leveille F Maine (SR)- When he decided to return for a Senior season, that sparked the Black Bears and so far he is the key factor in Maine's potent offensive attack. Leveille has scored at least one point in every game so far, and if the season ended today, he would be near the top of the Hobey Baker race. I think it will happen this year, Leveille is one of the better talents in College Hockey.

Season Stats: 6 g, 5 a, 11 p

WCHA: Jay Barriball F Minnesota (FR)- Barriball is making an immediate impact for the Gophers and is quite a surprise so far. With a tough task to replace someone like a Phil Kessel and a Ryan Poltuny, Barriball has stepped up to the task. Currently, Barriball is the leading Freshman scorer in the country and deserves recognition for that which is why he is the hockeynuts WCHA player of the month.

Season Stats: 6 g, 5 a, 11 p

NCAA Player of the Month: Michel Leveille, Maine (pictured above)