Thought some of you might enjoy this podcast with defenseman Brian Connelly, who also appeared on 103.9’s Scott Owens show Tuesday. Connelly chats with Tony D, who is foraying into internet radio after the demise of the Springs’ only sports talk station (how a city of 400,000 doesn’t have sports talk is confounding…). Check it out.
CC moved to 2-0, but Alabama-Huntsville didn’t make it easy. Despite being outshot 41-20, the Chargers were tied with CC through 42 minutes. But two power-play goals within 78 seconds, one by defenseman Gabe Guentzel, the other by Stephen Schultz, put the Tigers on top. Both were assisted by defenseman Brian Connelly. Center Chad Rau scored the empty-netter with 10 seconds to go to give CC a 5-3 win.
Unfortunately for Guentzel, his dad, CC assistant coach Mike Guentzel, was in Denver watching his eldest son, Ryan, play for Notre Dame against Denver in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame game. In a plan formed prior to Mike’s hiring at CC in August, both sets of grandparents, Mike and his wife watched as the Irish fell 5-2. In the words of Homer Simpson: D’oh.
Here’s what Gabe had to say after the game:
On his first career goal: It was incredible, you know? It was a bit of a competition between me and my brother. He didn’t score last year in his first year, so I was hoping I’d get one before him. He was playing tonight, so I’ll have to go home and check and see if he got one. (Author’s note: He didn’t.) He’ll probably be proud of me, but at the same time he’ll probably be a little bitter.
On fitting into the defensive corps: It’s been great. We’ve got great leadership: Gannon, Prosser, Connelly, Freddy, you look up to those guys.
On shooting from the point on the power play: You just try to get it past the first guy. You don’t want your shot to be blocked.
On having Dad as a coach at CC: It’s going all right. It’s a little different. We kind of stay away from each other during practices. He’s with the forwards and I’m on D, so it’s going all right. He coached me all the time (growing up) — baseball, hockey, I’m used to it. … I wanted to do my own path. I just want to be a normal college kid, but at the same time, it’s his job — he’s got to do what he’s got to do.
After Alabama-Huntsville goaltender Blake MacNicol made several eye-popping saves, the Tigers finally cracked him when right wing Eric Walsky passed to center Chad Rau at the bottom of the left circle. Rau’s wrist shot whizzed between MacNicol’s left ear and his glove and hit the top shelf to give CC the lead it had been fighting for. The Tigers outshot the Chargers 44 to 16.
Key points:
–As predicted, the rules changes resulted in more penalties. CC had nine power play opportunities to Huntsville’s five. Both teams were scoreless on the PP. The bulk of the penalties were hooking, but a couple interference calls were whistled on faceoffs. With the increase in offensive-zone faceoffs and the 2-and-2 referee system, there’s increased scrutiny on contact between the wings during the faceoffs. It’ll take some getting used to.
–The defense was much, much tighter tonight after a weak first period in Monday’s exhibition. I thought defenseman Brian Connelly demonstrated confidence as the de facto leader of the defensive corps (after the graduation of Jack Hillen). I think the Tigers got a great pick-up in freshman Gabe Guentzel, who is playing point on Rau’s power-play unit. Of course, Richard Bachman was a sponge in net. Will Drew O’Connell play tomorrow? That’d be my guess.
–As for the offense, there was far too little possession in the first period and far too many unnecessary backhand passes and shots. If the Tigers keep their game simple on Saturday, they should score quite a bit. I’ll be interested to see what changes are made to the lines for Saturday’s game. I thought CC missed Scott McCulloch’s maturity on Friday; he was out with a strained hip flexor. “Nothing serious,” he said.
–The Tigers start 1-0 at World Arena, where they were 12-2 last season.
**Kurt Russell was rumored to be at Friday’s game. His son, Wyatt, with long-time partner Goldie Hawn is a sophomore goaltender for the Chargers, but was scratched for Friday’s game in favor of junior Blake MacNicol and sophomore Cameron Talbot, the starter.
**Check out this sweet photo of Jack Hillen in Newsday. As one of the earlier links stated, Hillen’s spot on the New York Islanders’ roster comes with a timestamp. He and fellow rookie Josh Bailey are expected to be demoted just as soon as veterans Chris Campoli and Andy Sutton are healthy. This will be a good chance for Hillen to gain some experience. Unfortunately, the Islanders start 0-1.
**CC named a ‘team to watch’ by the Boston Globe. But the Tigers’ situation is better than Marrapese-Burrell indicates: CC only lost 2 of 6 top scorers since McCulloch was granted an extra season of eligibility.
Well, a scuffle just broke out in CC’s defensive zone after Denver’s J.P. Testwuide rushed a puck barely covered by goaltender Drew O’Connell, so I’ll take a little time to brief you.
DU’s Tom May and CC’s Scott McCulloch were each given roughing and 10-minute misconduct penalties.
CC’s Brian Connelly, who pointed to the scoreboard when Denver players began hassling him, was sent to the box for instigating-roughing as was Pioneers left wing Stephen Cunningham.
Earlier in the period, CC took a 3-0 lead when referee Derek Shepherd upheld a goal by left wing Bill Sweatt. Goaltender Peter Mannino, who was pulled with 37:23 left in regulation, argued the call, pleading his case to Shepherd and the Denver coaches. The replay showed that CC right wing Mike Testwuide bumped Mannino before the goal, but it was not ruled interference.
At the start, Colorado College just wasn’t clicking against Minnesota State-Mankato.
Heck, 90 seconds into the game, already trailing 1-0, center Andreas Vlassopoulos found right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick at the top of the crease with goaltender Mike Zacharias down and out of position, but Kilpatrick’s shot on the open net was inexplicably wide right.
Then, something happened not too long after Mankato took a 2-0 lead at 13:42.
Defenseman Jack Hillen began breaking the puck out of CC’s zone with aplomb, taking it deep into Mankato’s zone to start the cycle and open up space. The Tigers began to finish checks and connect passes.
And then came the comeback:
–CC drew within a goal before the period was out when it clicked on its go-to power-play set with Hillen sending a pass from the high slot to center Chad Rau in the left circle. Against Minnesota-Duluth, Rau had one-time slap shots. Friday, Rau collected the puck and rocketed a wrist shot past Zacharias. It was the third power-play goal in a row to be scored in that fashion.
–Just 25 seconds into the second period, Hillen’s slap shot from the top of the right circle tied the score.
–A series of saves by goaltender Richard Bachman while the Tigers killed a 5-on-3 situation–including a windmill denial of right wing Kael Mouillierat destined for a gazillion hits if it ever makes YouTube — would preserve the tie long enough. Bachman won the praise of the crowd through the 20-save period about 90 seconds later when he spent about 10 seconds trying to figure out where in his pads the puck was hiding.
–A minute or so later, defenseman Kris Fredheim put the puck into a Mankato player’s feet as CC’s Bill Sweatt emerged from the box. Fredheim recollected the puck and fed left wing Scott Thauwald for a breakaway during which he was hooked by Mankato’s Mick Berge.
CC again went on the power play after 43 seconds of 4-on-4. Hillen slid a pass across the top to defenseman Brian Connelly whose wrist shot was tipped by left wing Scott McCulloch past Zacharias to put CC ahead 3-2.
Hillen scored with less than seven minutes left in the third when he crashed the net and the puck passed by Eric Walsky slid down the shaft of his stick, over Zacharias’ left shoulder and into the goal.
By the numbers:
–20: Shots in the second period for Mankato. Surprisingly, that exorbitant number has been topped by another CC opponent this season. Minnesota launched 21 shots on goal in the third period of CC’s 2-1 overtime win on Oct. 20.
–33: Faceoffs were dead even at 33 apiece. Rau won 14 of 23. Vlassopoulos won 8 of 15.
–If you’re counting: Bachman gets better as the game goes on. And as the Tigers allow more shots.
In 28 games this season:
195 first-period saves–17 goals allowed = .919 save percentage
260 second-period saves–18 goals allowed = .935 save percentage
234 third-period saves–13 goals allowed = .947 save percentage
5 overtime saves–0 goals allowed = 1.000 save percentage
Whoever uses the “Richard Bachman is a freshman” argument to deny him of post-season accolades would be a fool. Among his many accomplishments this season, Bachman became the first CC goaltender to shutout a series on the road Saturday, when he saved 29 shots in the Tigers’ 4-0 win over Duluth. Bachman ranks first in the nation in both goals against average (1.71) and save percentage (.935).
But as Bachman himself pointed out after the game, he had some help.
“I thought tonight the team played very well,” Bachman said. “I didn’t think they had too many grade-A shots. Even compared to last night, I thought our ‘d’ stepped up bigger, so that really helped a lot. …They did their job, which enabled me to do mine.”
Several of Tigers’ defensemen also played their best series of the season.
–Senior Jack Hillen, who had three assists Saturday, was mentioned several times among press-box members as the following: “best player on the ice,” “first-team All-America” and “best defenseman in the league.”
Duluth coach Scott Sandelin agreed after the game. “I like the way Jack Hillen plays,” Sandelin said. “He’s arguably one of the top defensemen in the league. Some people might not like the way he plays, but I do. He’s involved a lot in the play. I like his skating ability and he sees the ice.” Hillen, who leads WCHA defensemen in scoring and is tied for second nationally in that category, now has 28 points (3 goals, 25 assists), making him one of the top-scoring defensemen in recent CC history. (He needs 12 points to draw even with Brian Salcido, who had 40 points in the 2005-06 season.)
–Coach Scott Owens mentioned the series as Kris Fredheim’s best in 2008.
–I can’t begin to list the number of key blocked shots by the defensemen or the odd-man rushes they thwarted, but Nate Prosser, Brian Connelly, Ryan Lowery and Jake Gannon all did an excellent job of keeping the play to the perimeter and chipping the puck up, off the glass, and out of the zone.
–Team defense was also at a premium. The ability of the Tigers’ forwards to keep the puck in the offensive zone could only be topped by that of the Clarkson series, but CC had more depth to work with that weekend.
**I didn’t get a chance to speak with him in the hustle and bustle that occurs after a game, but I spotted left wing Addison DeBoer (shoulder) with his left arm in a sling. I’ll catch up with him this week.
The second period was much more defensive. CC struggled to maintain pressure in the zone, both on even strength and on the power play. But with the clock winding down on the Tigers’ second power play of the period, defenseman Brian Connelly sent a pass across the top to defenseman Jack Hillen, who again set up a one-timer for center Chad Rau.
Goaltender Richard Bachman’s shutout streak over the Bulldogs extended to 177 minutes, 46 seconds, but could have seen its end when the puck took a strange bounce off the back wall at 12:20 of the second. Just as Bachman went to retrieve the puck, it bounced back into the slot, but defenseman Ryan Lowery managed to get there in time.
Goals:
1. Colorado College 1, Minnesota-Duluth 0: Andreas Vlassopoulos 1 (Derek Patrosso 1, Bill Sweatt 4), 14:07.
Bill Sweatt took the puck full-speed toward the wall and made a spinning pass to Derek Patrosso. Patrosso passed the puck behind Duluth goaltender Alex Stalock and Andreas Vlassopoulos knocked it into the upper left corner of the net for his first goal of the season.
2. Colorado College 1, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Matt McKnight 1 (Nick Kemp 3), 17:28, sh.
On the only power play of the period for either team, CC right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick turned the puck over at the left circle, sending Nick Kemp off to the races. In a 2-on-1 against defenseman Brian Connelly, Kemp made a cross-slot pass onto the stick of Matt McKnight, who finished inside the right post for the shorthanded score.
Goals:
2. Colorado College 1, North Dakota 1: Matt Watkins (Joe Finley), 5:52.
Joe Finley slung a pass from the Sioux’s left corner all the way to Matt Watkins, who caught it at the blue line. Watkins had CC defenseman Ryan Lowery beat when he got the pass and took goaltender Richard Bachman one-on-one, beating him inside the right post.
3. Colorado College 2, North Dakota 1: Scott McCulloch (Brian Connelly, Cody Lampl), 9:54, pp.
Eight seconds into the Tigers’ second power play of the night, Brian Connelly’s knee-height slap shot from the blue line was tipped past goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux by Scott McCulloch. It could be McCulloch’s second game-winning power-play goal at Ralph Engelstad Arena in as many seasons (his redirect gave CC a 4-3 win in the last minute on Nov. 24, 2006).
4. Colorado College 3, North Dakota 1: Eric Walsky (Tyler Johnson, Bill Sweatt), 10:43.
For once, CC answered its own goal within a minute. Bill Sweatt made a centering pass out of the right corner, which Tyler Johnson redirected across the crease. Eric Walsky was there and ready to knock it inside the left post, past defenseman Taylor Chorney and Lamoureux.
I would add that the Tigers need to be wary of the precarious two-goal cushion, which has given them a false sense of comfort in the past (New Hampshire). CC needs to show it can put a game away and play a strong third period (New Hampshire, both games). I’m adding a fourth key, which would be score first in the third period.
Goals:
1. Colorado College 0, North Dakota 1: T.J. Oshie (Robbie Bina, Taylor Chorney), 3:29, pp. Left wing Scott McCulloch took a hooking penalty to prevent an open shot by Evan Trupp in the slot. Just 26 seconds into the ensuing power play, Bina’s pass from the far side of the right circle sailed across the slot to Oshie, who finished top-shelf and backdoor on goaltender Drew O’Connell.
–Assistant coach Joe Bonnett stressed one thing to his penalty killers this week: don’t let them get “inside.” To interpret hockey-speak, he meant that CC players shouldn’t let North Dakota’s forwards get between them and the goal. When he got the puck, Oshie had the inside position on defenseman Nate Prosser, so there was no chance of recovering. Easy goal.
2. Colorado College 0, North Dakota 2: Ryan Duncan (T.J. Oshie, Chris VandeVelde), 4:19. Only 50 seconds later, another goal was in the back of the net. North Dakota’s top line created a three-on-two rush and O’Connell, without another option, came out to challenge Oshie. The right wing sent the puck to the left post and Duncan, who had beat recovering CC players down the ice, redirected it into the net.
–Defensive breakdown.
3. Colorado College 0, North Dakota 3: Derrick LaPoint (Ryan Duncan), 10:27.
Another 3-on-2 rush, this time against defensemen Jack Hillen and Brian Connelly. Even though they protected the inside, LaPoint nudged in Duncan’s pass into the crease, sneaking in his stick from behind Connelly.
–Connelly might have thought the shot had crossed the goal line? Mental error? Still befuddled. Connelly should have had a stick on it.
Notes:
–Sioux scored on first three shots of the game, but don’t be fooled–goaltender Drew O’Connell had zero support.
–CC outshot North Dakota 9-6, its best chance coming on the Tigers’ second power play when right wing Eric Walsky and left wing Scott McCulloch created a 2-on-1 rush. McCulloch’s shot required a full split from goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux.
–Defenseman Nate Prosser has not reappeared on the bench after Oshie checked him into the boards behind the net about six minutes into the first period.
