Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback.
Ed: What a fun season this has been already, Paula!
Probably the biggest story so far has been Wisconsin. I know just about everyone around college hockey has had high expectations for Wisconsin under its first-year head coach Mike Hastings. I came into this season thinking, “Just give Mike a couple of seasons behind the Badgers bench and he’ll have them back in the mix.”
Boy, was I wrong. And I’m not alone.
Wisconsin sits at No. 5 in this week’s USCHO Division I men’s ice hockey poll, up from No. 14 the previous week when the Badgers re-entered the top 20 for the first time in two years.
I did not predict a weekend road sweep at then-No. 1 Minnesota, but two wins at Mariucci have the Badgers at 7-1.
I watched Thursday’s game and thought afterwards, “Wow, watch out for the Gophers tomorrow.” And then the Badgers did it again.
What is the magic formula, the special sauce, the secret recipe here – or is it several items from the Hastings cookbook?
Paula: There’s no question that Hastings and his staff are bringing something unique to Wisconsin and the Badgers are clearly cooking, but I think we have to step out and look at a bigger picture. There’s so much that Hastings does well – has always done well – that it doesn’t surprise me that the Badgers are finding a lot of early season success.
One of the things that Hastings does particularly well is credit the team he’s working with – and that’s an additional ingredient here that can’t be overlooked.
Early on, Hastings himself said that the Badgers’ cupboard isn’t bare – I like that he’s kitchen-minded too – and that he signed on with a program that already has significant talent.
Wisconsin’s top two scorers from last season, Cruz Lucius and Mathieu De St. Phalle, return and are again leading the team. And goaltender Kyle McClellan, who played just 12 games last season, has shown a significant improvement in his game with an eighth-best GAA nationally (1.62) and a solid .933 save percentage.
Hastings used the portal well, too, bringing sophomore forwards Simon Tassy and Christian Fitzgerald from Mankato. Tassy played 15 games last season because of an injury, but he already has three goals through eight games, two on the power play. Fitzgerald had 16 goals last season for the Mavericks, and he has a goal and six assists through the first eight games.
Given that Hastings has never had a losing season in his long career as a head coach, I’d say it’s a combination of things – whatever methods he and his staff have for success plus his ability to gain the confidence of the Badgers’ team and help develop the talent that’s already there.
Whatever it is, it’s impressive.
I absolutely did not expect the Badgers to sweep the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis. There were more than a few things that I didn’t expect this past weekend, including how unpredictable the outcome among top 10 teams continues to be.
You’re right: this is fun. It may give coaches heart attacks, but I’m loving it.
While it’s early, it’s a pattern that we’ve seen for the first month of the season. Do you think this is something that we’ll be lucky enough to experience for at least a little while this season?
Ed: After all the seasons I’ve been around college hockey, I’ve learned that every season has its surprises. So I expect there will be a lot of unexpected turns to enjoy.
On the east coast, Boston College has taken the mantle as No. 1 in the USCHO poll this week, a spot that its Battle of Commonwealth Avenue arch rivals Boston University started with during the preseason. The Eagles are not unblemished on the season, with a loss on a late power play goal to Denver on Oct. 21, but they have taken down Quinnipiac and won the pair of games against Michigan State last weekend.
Probably no team has a better freshman class – though DU and the aforementioned BU might argue – so the performance of the underclassmen that coach Greg Brown has gotten thus far isn’t a surprise or unexpected. Led by rookie and fourth overall NHL draft pick Will Smith, the top six BC scorers are all freshmen or sophomores. (And I’ll bet some suffering Sharks fans wish Smith was already in San Jose.)
Meanwhile in net, freshman Jacob Fowler has been solid with a .919 save percentage and 2.15 goals-against average. He capped off the weekend allowing just one goal on 44 shots against the Spartans on Saturday.
Hockey East is not going to be easy for any team, and we may see some twists and turns along the way. I think you can make a case for every team in that conference being better. With Maine and New Hampshire entering the USCHO poll this week, that means – at least in the minds of voters – that more than half of that conference is in the top 20 in the country.
The other team in the east that has caught my attention is Cornell. It’s frustrating to fans – and I know for certain it’s frustrating to more than a few of the Ivy League coaches – that Cornell, Harvard, and the other Ivies get started later. I know it has only been one weekend, but do you think that Cornell could be in the Frozen Four mix for the first time in two decades?
Paula: Well, I’ve shaken the Magic 8 Ball a couple of times, Ed, and the response is consistently, “Ask Again Later.”
It’s way too early to say who is going to be in that specific mix come March, especially with so much volatility among top 10 teams – and really solid play deep into the poll field. This week top 10 teams that played against opponents ranked No. 10 or lower – including opponents not ranked at all – went 7-3-4. That’s a lot of unpredictability, even for this early in the season.
Cornell has a big freshman class, so that may be a factor, and the Big Red play a rigorous schedule in the early going, with games against Quinnipiac and Boston University in the first half. Then facing Massachusetts and potentially facing Arizona State in the Adirondack Winter Invitational, Cornell has a road series against the Sun Devils.
Ian Shane had a phenomenal opening weekend against Duluth, and that may be a good omen. That first-half schedule will certainly season the young Big Red team, so let me repeat — ask again later.
Speaking of Arizona State, the Sun Devils are looking good early in the season and they’re not the only independent team that looks tough. Both Alaska teams are very competitive this season, and just look at Augustana. After not registering a goal in their opening weekend against Wisconsin, the Vikings have gone 3-0-1, with that tie against Denver and their latest win over a hot Colorado College.
It’s good to see more independent teams joining Arizona State in making some noise.
Ed: Although Arizona State ended up with an overtime loss and a tie at future NCHC foe Miami, I think the Sun Devils have an excellent shot at the NCAA tournament in their swan song as independents (Magic 8 Ball notwithstanding). And I agree about the other independents you mentioned.
I’m sorry to steer the rest of our discussion to a somber topic, but tragic news broke on Sunday about the freak on-ice accident that happened to Adam Johnson, a former star at Minnesota Duluth. Johnson led the Bulldogs in scoring as a sophomore and scored the overtime winning goal against BU in 2017 to send UMD to the Frozen Four. He also had a stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and that team paid a stirring and heartfelt tribute to him before their game Monday night.
As most are aware by now, after colliding with one of Johnson’s Nottingham Panthers teammates, a player from the Sheffield Steelers, Matt Petgrave sliced Johnson’s throat with his left skate in a fast-moving and improbable way. Johnson died from the injury.
I watched the video several times, including in slow motion, and I find it appalling that there are people in the media (and “media”) who are stridently demanding murder or manslaughter charges in this case.
Local police Monday said they were continuing their investigation.
I used the word improbable above; the timing and physical movements that would have to be involved to deliberately slice Johnson’s neck are nearly impossible outside of Hollywood CGI. (And maybe that’s where talk show wags and social media loudmouths learned physics and biomechanics.)
But this horrible situation also brings up the question about whether neck guards should be required, or at least encouraged. Reports on Monday were that several NHL and AHL players were considering trying them out in the wake of Johnson’s death and the English Ice Hockey Association will make them mandatory as of December 31.
USA Hockey recommends neck laceration protectors for all players, but does not require them. Nor does the NCAA.
While such injuries are rare, they still do happen.
I’m not going out on limb to say that we both love the sport and that we both want player safety to be of first importance. Even before a requirement to wear them happens, if it does, I think we’ll see more of them worn.
Paula: Yes, safety should come first. I am glad to see players opting for neck guards.
Ed, I’m so glad you said something about the calls for criminal charges against Petgrave. The loud voices – some of which are undoubtedly rooted in racism, as Petgrave is black – add even more heartache to an already unthinkable situation. I do not understand people who traffic in such misery. I can’t imagine what Petgrave will be living with for the rest of his life. My heart goes out to him, as it does to everyone in the arena.
I will always remember Johnson for that goal against BU.
I am so sorry for his family and all who loved him, for the entire hockey family that he built along the way, for the fans whose lives he touched. It’s a tragedy, in the truest sense of the word.
