I’m en route to Minnesota and thought I’d pass along some reading material for those of you looking for a brief respite from productivity.

– CC alum Trevor Frischmon was featured on ahl.com. Since graduating from CC in 2006, Frischmon has spent time in the ECHL and the American Hockey League, playing the bulk of the time with the Syracuse Crunch, where he’s developed a reputation for his relentless effort.

–Former Tiger defenseman and Colorado Springs native Brandon Straub was called up from the ECHL to the Quad-City Flames, the AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames.

–Speaking of the Calgary Flames, former CC goaltender Curtis McElhinney finally got his first NHL action of the season on Monday (it wasn’t pretty). He’s playing back-up to Miika Kiprusoff.

And the flight is boarding… more later.

I was curious if anyone stopped by captain’s practice Monday night. How was it? Any first impressions? Which players look like they worked hard this summer? Post a comment or e-mail me at kate.crandall@gazette.com.

I’ll be posting blogs on captain’s practices starting next week. I’m doing one last out-of-state assignment (Tour of Missouri cycling race) before coming back to CC hockey. Hope you’ll introduce yourself if you see me at Honnen or post your thoughts and questions here.

See you next week,

Kate

P.S. Just so everyone is on the same page — players aren’t REQUIRED to attend captain’s practices, so if they’re not there, there’s not necessarily a need for concern (you better believe I’ll follow up on it, though!). Also, some of the practice times I posted below might need updating. I’ll post any updates for next week on Monday.

Check out a capsule on junior center Andreas Vlassopoulos on Inside College Hockey’s College Hockey A-Z season preview. He spent the summer playing with former Tigers and current American Hockey League stars Brett Sterling and Brian Salcido.

The season will be here before you know it.

Colorado College players and staff held their first meeting of the year Tuesday, the second day of school.

Captain’s practices at Honnen Ice Arena start next week:

Monday, Sept. 8 at 9:45-10:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 9:15-10:15 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 11 at 10:30-11:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 12 at 9:15-10:15 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 15 at 9:45-10:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 9:15-10:15 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 19 at 9:15-10:15 p.m.

Colorado College now lists former player and Colorado Springs native R.J. Enga as a volunteer assistant coach on its roster. Enga, who has been Colorado Springs Amateur Hockey Association’s director for six seasons, is tied for 36th on the career scoring list (61 goals, 81 assists) and skated in 158 of 159 games in four years for the Tigers (1991-1995). Enga also played for the Colorado Gold Kings, a WCHL team based in Colorado Springs, from 1998 to 2001, scoring 387 points in that span. Enga has coached the Pikes Peak Miners U-18 team.

The Colorado Avalanche will play its Burgundy and White Game at Cadet Ice Arena on September 22 at 6:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale August 18 at 9 a.m. through the AFA box office and prices range from $12 to $20. Proceeds support military families and the Colorado Avalanche youth hockey program. Held at Cadet Ice Arena for the second consecutive season, the Avalanche players will compete in a three-period, intra-squad scrimmage with a shootout at the end of regulation.

Cammi Granato, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Mike Richter were selected as the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2008, USA Hockey announced today.

The Hall of Fame Induction Dinner will be held Friday, October 10, at Denver’s Magness Arena. The Pioneers host Notre Dame in the Hall of Fame Game on Saturday, October 11, at 7:07.

Hull, who played for Minnesota-Duluth from 1984 to 1986, scored 52 goals in his final season as a Bulldog and was a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist. No college player has scored more goals in a single season since. Hull is third all-time in NHL history with 741 goals.

Richter played two seasons (1985-87) at Wisconsin before embarking on a professional career that included 666 games in 14 seasons, all with the New York Rangers.

Granato is the younger sister of Colorado Avalanche coach Tony Granato.

Colorado Springs native and CC alumnus Scott Polaski will play a fourth season with the five-year-old Colorado Eagles, based in Windsor, Colo. Polaski could see more time at defenseman this season, Eagles GM Chris Stewart told the Loveland Reporter-Herald. Former CC goaltender Ryan Bach will be the Eagles’ goaltending coach this season.

DENVER — Colorado College’s Jimmy Kilpatrick and Air Force’s Eric Ehn played together with the Green Bay Gamblers (United States Hockey League) and on Friday helped the West Men’s squad to a 13-6 victory over the East squad at the 2008 Frozen Four Skills Challenge.

In the first event, the Puck Control Relay, Ehn’s three-skater team lost their first heat, but Kilpatrick’s team (he was joined by Nino Musitelli of Miami (Ohio) and Lake Forest’s Courtney DeHoey). After winning the heat, Kilpatrick was interviewed on ESPNU by former Colorado College player Jim Paradise.

In the fastest skater competition, Kilpatrick edged out Musitelli with a time of 4.67 (from goal line to offensive blue line), but finished third behind Denver’s Andrew Thomas (4.61) and Providence’s Jon Rheault (4.65). Ehn faced off against Thomas and it was clear he is still coming back from his left fibula injury.

Thomas was edged out by Rheault, but Denver coach George Gwozdecky protested the false start. WCHA head referee Greg Shepherd jokingly came over to the West bench to quiet Gwozdecky and Thomas couldn’t beat Rheault the second time around.

Neither Kilpatrick or Ehn competed in the hardest shot competition.

Kilpatrick tapped Denver goaltender Peter Mannino’s pads — Mannino saved seven of eight shots –before facing off against East goaltender Justin Mrazek of Union in the rapid shot competition, which involves pass from the goal line and tests the goalie. Kilpatrick scored on two of eight shots.

Kilpatrick faced Mrazek again in the penalty shot competition (one point for each made), as did Ehn, and wowed the crowd with a move that involved bouncing the puck on his stick and shooting it as it hit the ice.

Objective version:
It was an ending no one expected, especially not the 25 players in Colorado College’s locker room.
After a scoreless first period, Michigan State’s second-period scoring came swiftly: three goals — two power-play goals and a quick strike off of a faceoff — in a span of 10:24.
But the Tigers had their chances, too, racking up a 42-23 advantage in shots for the game.
Left wing Derek Patrosso, CC’s only player from Michigan, spoiled Michigan State goaltender Jeff Lerg’s shutout bid with 8:53 left in the game, but the Tigers couldn’t inch any closer, even with goaltender Richard Bachman pulled for the final two minutes.

Subjective version:
It’s the kind of loss that sucks the breath out of you.
I wasn’t sure what to expect as I walked into the locker room for the first time ever — reporters are only allowed in locker rooms after NCAA Tournament games — but the scene is one I will never forget.
The Tigers’ faces were tear-stained and pained. Some hugged. Some sat, their heads cradled in their hands, while others’ stares were so intent, they seemed ready to play 60 more minutes.
At that moment, it was hard to remember the trophy-hoisting of early March and the whoops and hollers that accompanied many a cutthroat three-on-three game at practice.
But the Tigers’ silence spoke volumes about how much they cared for one another and for the shared dream of winning a national title, which slipped from their grasp tonight.
And captain Scott Thauwald and senior Jack Hillen explained the meaning behind that silence in the press conference next door. It was less about the loss itself and more that the loss cut short the experience of a lifetime.
Said Thauwald: “In the last five years, I have developed unbelievable friendships with these guys that I will have for the rest of my life. This team is a special team and the friendships and relationships are something I will take with me. You will never have a close group like a college hockey team.”
Added Hillen: “It’s tough right now. The only thing I can say is that I have played with some incredible hockey players that came through here in my four years. I will never forget the players I played with… . I’ve made some unbelievable friendships and it’s just tough because I will never sit in the locker room again with those guys and those friendships, it will never be the same.”