LOOKING BACK at the Minnesota-Duluth series last weekend.

1. How does CC respond to its bye week?

A bye week cuts both ways. It’s good for healing, but it can also disrupt the rhythm of a 4-1-1 start. How do the boys respond? Will they come out flat or playing hard? The players say they’re anxious to get going.

No. CC came out flat in the first period Friday and went into a defensive shell in the third period which helped Duluth rally for the road win. On Saturday, CC played very well, putting together 60 solid minutes.

2. Does CC win the battle of special teams?

The CC penalty kill (88.6 percent) takes on a potent Duluth power play (23.7) that looks as sharp as the one that knocked the Tigers out of the league playoffs last season. CC has the league best power play (32.4 percent) while Duluth has a good penalty kill (82.7). The difference could the number of power plays the Tigers could draw with Duluth called for the most minutes per game in the WCHA (22.9).

Yes. CC’s power play improved to 34 percent with 16 man advantage scores on the year.

3. Does CC win the battle when the game is 5-on-5?

With plenty of penalties being whistled for and against both teams of late, which team has the edge when neither has the man advantage could be the difference.  The Tigers must get back to cycling down low to generate quality scoring chances.

It showed a lot in the first and second periods Saturday. CC played well early in the first period when it was 5-on-5 and controlled play.

LOOKING FORWARD

Three things for Colorado College to focus on headed into its road Western Collegiate Hockey Association series at Minnesota State-Mankato this weekend.

Re-establish the road-game mentality

In short, play smart. The Tigers (5-2-1, 4-1-1 WCHA) need to play a solid game defensively by avoiding turnovers and penalties. Nothing would get the crowd in the 4,500-seat rink roaring better than a home power play. Avoid those and you have a chance to take the crowd out of the game.

Be ready to play another physical series.

The Mavericks (3-4-1, 1-4-1) would be hard pressed to match the physical play of Minnesota-Duluth (nation’s worst 24.6 penalty minutes), but MSU-Mankato is known for its aggressive style of charging the net. CC must move its feet on the big sheet (almost Olympic sized) to stop the charges without reaching and drawing bad penalties.

Establish the forecheck to keep pressure on the Mavs defense.

CC could disrupt the Mankato transition into offense and generate some turnovers in the home team’s end. It could help the Tigers play more of the game in the Mavericks’ end, allowing the visitors to establish its cycling down low for quality scoring chances in 5-on-5 play.

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