UMD Sweeps Another Doormat, Bring on the Beavers

No updates this weekend because my laptop was on the fritz. Now it is off the fritz, so let's all hope it stays that way...

UMD was locked in a close one on Friday, but I never felt like we were going to lose it. In fact, with about 7-8 minutes left in regulation my buddies and I all bet on which Bulldog would score the game-winner . I took Oleksuk, who ended up assisting JT Brown to get the win about 30 seconds into OT.

Brown looked amazing again last weekend. His style of play is somewhat similar to Jack Connolly, only he's not as good as good with the puck and hits harder and more often. He's fast, exciting and always looking to make a play. He's our 4th or 5th best guy already as freshman, and will be a fan favorite by the time we move into Amsoil Arena.

Saturday's game against Alaska-Anchorage was similar to the Saturday game against Providence: UMD dismantling a sub-par squad in business-like fashion. Bemidji will be much tougher than anyone we've faced this year, especially after spending last week idle, licking their wounds from North Dakota's sweep of them in the ever first series in the Sanford Center.

A couple of quick thoughts before I go:

• Drew Olson logged some minutes at wing on Saturday. With how deep our blue line is and four freshman fighting for minutes (Brown, Faulk, Tardy, Basaraba) it will be interesting to see who makes the trip to Bemidji and who is left home.
• One guy who helped his cause was Dan DeLisle, who banged home his first career goal in Saturday's romp. His size makes him hard to keep off the ice, especially with our relatively undersized squad, but he still has a ways to go.
• Aaron Crandall got a shutout in his second career start on Saturday and looks to be a competent backup for Reiter. We'll see if Sandelin trusts him enough to play him at Bemidji or North Dakota next week.
• I won't be making the trip to Bemidji this weekend, but Kriz and I are planning on making our annual trek to Grand Forks next weekend for a weekend of mayhem in Sioux Country. 
• If we can get through the next two weekends with a .500 record, I'll be plenty satisfied. That being said, it really feels like the Bulldogs got some good mojo going right now, and Bemidji is 0-4-2 in their last six games dating back to last season. We'll know a lot more about our squad after this weekend. Weekly Links tomorrow, barring any unforeseen computer breakdowns.

SWEEP! UMD Sends Providence Packing with 7-1 Victory

Too easy. Providence College sucks and we dispatched of them with ease. Good to see the boys take of business. I think we're more than ready for the WCHA. Some random notes from last night:

• Dylan Olsen got in two (minor) fights this weekend. Good to see him mix it up. That feistyness combined with his hard slapshot from the point make him one of my favorites.
• I wish they kept stats for time on attack. The Bulldogs were pretty much on a perpetual powerplay for the entire game.  Especially the Connolly-Fontaine line, they absolutely dominated play all weekend.
• Speaking of our first line, Providence head coach Tim Army compared them to the Atkinson-Gibbons-Whitney line on Boston College. Pretty lofty comparison when you consider those three combined for 148 points on their way to a national championship last year. Connolly-Fontaine line has 25 points through four games this year.
• Dan DeLisle doesn't do anything for me. I was excited to see him last year, considering his size, (6-4, 225) the fact that he came to UMD right out of HS, and that he was deemed talented enough to be drafted in the third round by the Blackhawks, but he literally contributes nothing while he's out there. Such a waste of size.
• Jack Connolly told me after the game that the ice was terrible this weekend. I couldn't really tell, but Kevin Pates apparently noticed. I guess it was due to the unseasonably warm October weather.
• I called the blowout. Not a terribly difficult thing to foresee, but I'm bragging anyway.

That's about it. After facing two inferior squads I'm ready for some WCHA action. Unfortunately UMD has Alaska-Anchorage at home this weekend, and won't face a true test until they travel to Bemidji's new arena 10/29-30.

Make sure to check out the Maroon Loon Thursday at nine pm on 103.3 KUMD. We're gonna have a great show this week, packed with plenty of soundbites and shenanigans. Also follow me on Twitter. Please? I'm an incredibly entertaining tweeter. One of the best.

UMD 5, Providence College 3

Well, that was fun.  UMD took care of business in their home opener, getting contributions from a number of guys. Lemme open my notebook pour some knowledge on yall:

• Travis Oleksuk scored on a penalty shot at the end of the second period. This was the first penalty shot I've ever seen in person and it was EXCITING.  After the game Oleksuk sported a wide smile when he rehashed his goal, we'll have the audio of the goal and his post-game interview for you guys on Thursday at nine pm, on 103.3 KUMD.
• Two guys that had really good games: JT Brown and Brady Lamb.  JT Brown got his first collegiate goal at the beginning of the second period, and could've had a few more.  He was flying around making nifty plays and jacking people up.  But the biggest hitter on the ice Friday night was Brady Lamb.  He added two assists to his impressive physical play.
• I still think Kenny Reiter is a little shaky.  He got better as the game went along, but he's still a ways from looking confident in net.
• The Bulldogs' special teams look good.  They notched two powerplay goals and displayed a little creativity, as evidence by the Mike-Jack-Fontaine tic-tac-toe goal in the first period. Although they allowed a goal on the penalty kill, the Dogs were solid when they were a man down.
• There were a TON of freshman fans in the student section, which was both annoying and encouraging. It's cool that the incoming class is into hockey, but goddamn, freshman are stupid. I wish I had a video camera last night... Also heard that all student tickets are sold out until we move into Amsoil Arena, which is crazy. 
• Dick Stewart looked especially spry after the 'We Love Dick' chant during the third period.  He stood for an extended time, alternating waving his windsock and his cap.  The fact that this year's squad is good enough to excite even the oldest, most iconic of Bulldog fans is a good sign.