PAPILLION, NEBRASKA – The CCHA came back from its Christmas break in non-conference form. The schools of the CCHA would venture into play of five different tournaments beginning just a couple of days before New Years and running through January 3rd. While many schools would take to the tournament ice, Western Michigan and Lake Superior State would play in two-game non-conference series. Miami, Alaska, and Ohio State took the extra weekend off and will resume play on January 8, 2010.
Great Lakes Invitational in Detroit, Michigan (Michigan State, Michigan)
December 29, 2009
Michigan State verse Michigan Tech
The Spartans scored early and often against the Huskies as Michigan State would rout Michigan Tech by the end of the first period. Michigan Tech would tie the score at the 11:02 mark before Michigan State would open the game up with nine unanswered goals. Michigan Tech has struggled all season with a 3-15-0 record, while Michigan State is 13-6-2 and is second in the CCHA.
In an on ice battle of two of the finer engineering schools, Rensselaer edge the Michigan Wolverines near the midway point of the third period. Rensselaer jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period, but would slowly give it back with Michigan tying the game at three at 12:04 in the third period. It would be less than one minute later when Marty O’Grady would score his fourth goal of the season for the Engineers, giving RPI the win.
December 30, 2009
Michigan verse Michigan Tech
Brian Lebler and Lindsay Sparks led the Wolverines to a third place finish defeating the Huskies 5-3. Both Michigan left wingers scored twice with center Matt Rust adding the fifth goal. Wolverine netminder Bryan Hogan stopped 20 shots in the win.
Michigan State verse Rensselaer
The Spartans defeated the Engineers by a score of 6-1 to win the Great Lakes Invitational. Defeating their opponents by a score of 16-2 allowed Michigan State to prep themselves for a wonderful new year as they storm in to 2010. Drew Palmisano stopped 19 shots on goal in the winning effort and Torey Krug, Daultan Leveille, and Trevor Nill each has two assists apiece. Also recording multi point nights for the Spartans were Andrew Rowe, Brett Perlini, and Dustin Gazley. The victory is the 12th Great Lakes Invitational title for the Michigan State Spartans.
Denver Cup in Denver, Colorado (Nebraska-Omaha)
January 1, 2009
Nebraska-Omaha verse Denver
Joe Colborne, Rhett Rakhshani, and Tyler Ruegsegger led the Pioneers in the blowout victory recording three points apiece. Not to be out done, Mark Cheverie stopped 29 shots for the shut out win and Patrick Wercioch and Anthony Maiani both recorded two points. To give the number two Pioneers their thirteenth win this season.
January 2, 2009
Nebraska-Omaha verse St. Lawrence
Eddie Del Grosso led the Mavericks to a bounce back tie against St. Lawrence with two assists. The Mavs fired 39 shots on goal in frustration to finish out their holiday tournament in Denver. Meanwhile in net, John Faulkner stopped 23 shots in effort to shutdown the Saints in the tying endeavor.
Dodge Holiday Classic in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Northern Michigan, Bowling Green)
January 2, 2010
Clarkson verse Northern Michigan
The Wildcats scored twice in each of the first two periods to advance to the championship game of the tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Left winger Justin Florek recorded two assists to lead Northern Michigan and Brian Stewart stopped 29 pucks to record his sixth win of the season.
Bowling Green at Minnesota
The Gophers rallied for three unanswered goals in the third period to come back and erase a 1-0 deficit for the win. Minnesota, led by Mike Hoeffel and Mike Carmen, wore Falcons goalie Andrew Hammond down with 38 shots on goal.
January 3, 2010
Northern Michigan at Minnesota
The Wildcats used a three point second period to defeat the Minnesota Gophers on home ice and capture the title for the Dodge Holiday Classic. Ray Kaunisto scored two goals, Mark Olver had three assists and TJ Miller recorded two points to lead the Northern Michigan Wildcats to the title.
Bowling Green Verse Clarkson
Kyle Page scored a goal and an assist for the Falcons who skated to a third place finish in the Dodge Holiday Classic by defeating Clarkson. Bowling Green also received one point from each of their centers; Josh Boyd, David Solway, James Perkin, and Cameron Sinclair.
Badger Showdown in Madison, Wisconsin (Ferris State)
January 2, 2010
Ferris State verse Yale
A Bulldog of a matchup occurred in round one of the Badger Classic when Ferris State met Yale. While Ferris State kept close with Yale through the first two periods, it would be a four goal third that would become the end of Ferris State’s Badger Title hopes. Denny Kearney’s fifth goal of the season opened the floodgates for Yale in the third to seal the win for the Bulldogs. Rightwing Sean Backman led the way for Yale with three points in the contest.
January 3, 2010
Ferris State verse Merrimack
Riley Blair and Casey Haines logged two points apiece to lead the Bulldogs over Merrimack. Not to be outdone, Pat Nagle stopped 22 of 23 shots to help the Ferris State Bulldogs to a third place finish at the Badger Classic. The win is the fifth of the season for Bloomfield, Michigan junior.
Shillelagh Tournament in Hoffman Estates, Illinois (Notre Dame)
January 2, 2010
Notre Dame verse Colgate
Billy Maday scored twice and Kevin Deeth and Brett Blatchford contributed a pair of assists each to lead the Irish over Colgate. Freshman goaltender Mike Johnson stopped 21 of 23 shots to earn his sixth win of the season. The Verona, Wisconsin native has now started 13 games this season.
January 3, 2010
Notre Dame verse North Dakota
Notre Dame won the Shillelagh Tournament this weekend after tying North Dakota 3-3 and winning the fifth round of the shootout 2-1. The Irish came from behind in the second period to tie the game at three apiece after starting the period down 3-1. Kevin Deeth and Billy Maday scored in regulation for the Irish to round out their great tournament by defeating the sixth ranked Sioux.
Non-Conference Series (Western Michigan, Lake Superior State)
January 2, 2010
Bemidji State at Western Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan – Riley Gill of Western Michigan and Dan Bakala of Bemidji State went 65 minutes and three shoot out rounds to a tying effort the ended in favor of the Broncos. J.J. Crew had the winning overtime goal to give the Western Michigan Broncos the win.
Lake Superior State at Robert Morris
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – The Lakers held onto the win by scoring once more in the third period and holding off the hard charge by Robert Morris for the win. Will Acton, Zach Trotman, Fred Cassiani, and Pat Aubry each had two points apiece. Not to be overshadowed, Ben Power had three points despite a -2 rating for the night.
January 3, 2010
Bemidji State at Western Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan – The Beavers finished an incredible weekend against the Western Michigan Broncos by not allowing a single goal. Yet they managed to have a 1-1 record to show for it. Dan Bakala was back at it again in net for Bemidji State as he would stop 26 shots for his second scoreless night in a row. The tenth ranked Bemidji State Beavers are 14-4-2 on the season while Western Michigan has struggled at the bottom of the CCHA with a 6-10-4 record.
Lake Superior State at Robert Morris
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Lake Superior completed their sweep over Robert Morris this weekend by defeating the Colonials 2-0. Matt Cowie and Rick Schofield scored for the Lakers to give them their twelfth win this season. Pat Inglis did his part in stopping 30 pucks for the Lakers to collect his second win this season in three starts. Schedule Results: December 29, 2009 Michigan State 10, Michigan Tech 1 Rensselaer 4, Michigan 3 December 30, 2009 Michigan 5, Michigan Tech 3 Michigan State 6, Rensselaer 1 January 1, 2010 Denver 7, Nebraska-Omaha 0 January 2, 2010 Nebraska-Omaha 2, St. Lawrence 2 OT Clarkson 0, Northern Michigan 4 Ferris State 1, Yale 6 Colgate 2, Notre Dame 5 Lake Superior 7, Robert Morris 6 Bowling Green 1, Minnesota 3 Bemidji State 0, Western Michigan 0 OT January 3, 2010
You may contact the author at: John.Strathman@prohockeynews.com
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