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Behind the Mask is the only podcast devoted entirely to MSU men’s hockey. Impact 89FM hockey beat reporters talk about the latest in Spartan hockey and give their weekly game picks.
Gonna record here in three, two. Welcome back to episode four of behind the mask, our Thanksgiving episode here as we get ready to leave and have some Thanksgiving festivities here after this. I know I am ready to go back home and enjoy some turkey, enjoy some gravy, enjoy some lions football too on Thursday, MSU basketball as well. But we're gonna get into some MSU hockey as well that will be going on over the weekend. I'm your host, Oscar Henderson, alongside Gabe Sousa and Jack Volwinkel.
Speaker 1:Guys, how are we doing? How was it this weekend? I know a little bit of a tough weekend for us, but how we've been so far? A little bit of a pick me up today too with the basketball win.
Speaker 2:Sure. I mean, you're absolutely right. We're gonna enjoy a lot of things this week, whether it be the food, the basketball, the hockey, the football. Maybe not so much. Maybe not so much.
Speaker 2:But those are gonna be a fun week. I'm a gravy connoisseur. I love gravy. So, this is one of my, favorite holidays of the year.
Speaker 3:There you go. Yeah. No. I love Thanksgiving. It's great.
Speaker 3:Family, food, football. Can't go better than that. And basketball too. I love it. The back this is the best part is that lions play at 12:30 and the Spartans play at 04:30 in basketball.
Speaker 3:I mean, talk about just like a straight eight hours of sports. It's gonna be awesome, and I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1:I was gonna say, I gotta find some time to throw that onto my television. I got a Wolverine family, full Wolverine family, two parents who both went to U of M. So good luck trying to convince them to throw that game on the television during Thanksgiving. But we're gonna give it a shot. I got a good plan to try try and kinda sell them on it.
Speaker 3:Here you
Speaker 1:go. Hopefully, we can get that done. But, yeah, it's gonna be an exciting Thursday. Gonna be an exciting week as well with MSU hockey facing Colgate. We're gonna talk about that series in a little bit here.
Speaker 1:We're gonna first recap, though, the series that happened over this weekend as MSU faced off against the seventh and eighth ranked Wisconsin Badgers, and it was a tough weekend out here for Spartiate. Lost both games. We're gonna talk about this first game here in which they lost four to five. It was a great start for them to get going in that first period, scored two unanswered goals. First Russell scored it, getting, gave his first hot stick points of the season for Daniel Russell on that goal.
Speaker 1:Was very excited for that. And then, of course, Martone followed up with his goal again, but a brutal second period right there for Michigan State. Four unanswered goals in that second period came from Fitzgerald five seconds into a power play, then it just poured on from there. Montgomery, Patila, and then Dick all scored in that fourth period to give Wisconsin that four two lead. They responded quickly.
Speaker 1:However, Michigan State in the, excuse me, halfway through the third period with a record league goal, but then again quickly answered by Wisconsin about five seconds afterward to put that back up to a two goal lead. It was another quick answer by Martone after that one though, but they could not unfortunately close out that one lead or that one goal lead that Wisconsin had. So ended up losing four five. What are your some of your guys' thoughts on this game? Gabe, I know you were there in attendance.
Speaker 1:You got to be there. Jack, I know you were also
Speaker 3:I was there end.
Speaker 1:Plus as well. So in the studio. So they're in spirit technically. You also got to watch a lot of the game live, though. So what are your guys' thoughts on the game?
Speaker 1:What went wrong for Michigan State in this one? And more specifically, what went wrong in that second period more likely where they just gave up four unanswered goals for the Badgers?
Speaker 2:Well, I'd to start off by saying, unfortunately, I did not go to that game because I was board hopping the men's
Speaker 3:basketball game. You went to the second game, though?
Speaker 2:Yes. I did. Okay.
Speaker 3:Okay. Yes. Okay. But still nonetheless, give us your thoughts.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Well, Michigan State outshot Wisconsin. They won the face off battle. They had less penalties, and Martone had a three point night. Fortunately fellas, I think, you know, I think Trae Augustine just had a down night.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Ultimately, you could point that at that. Wisconsin, I have that they were suffocating on both ends of the ice. Dunningdale said afterwards that they matched up very well, better than expected, throughout this series, especially the first game. But honestly, Augustine, 29, 34, he looked very human out there.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I agree. And I think the biggest thing was, like, that first period, it looked like they came out in the second and it just settled. Like, it was like they're up to nothing and just seemed like everybody was just kinda, like, going with the motions, going with the and then I think the biggest thing was Wisconsin's power play is next level. I mean, it's number one in the country, not just in the conference.
Speaker 3:And so coming into the series, that was the biggest thing that coach Lane going. Everybody around the program wanted to, you know, you know, hammer home. I was like, don't let them get on the power play. Well, they didn't in the first period, took a two goal lead, and then literally not even ten seconds into the second, they got on the power play, and then they scored right out right off the bat. So I think that Wisconsin power play was lethal, then that kinda like the wheels came off after that.
Speaker 3:And then it was just like, the Spartan defense just wasn't wasn't that good. Like, it wasn't it's been good the whole year. Up to that game, it was like, okay. What what are we doing here? Wisconsin was able to get into the lane, penetrate the defense super well.
Speaker 3:And Augustine, yeah, he had an off net, but the defense just let him get in there too. So it wasn't it wasn't just like it was Augustine's fault, because the tray is the last line of defense. I said that on the show, you know, if Trey's Trey is your last line of defense, so don't you know, the goal of the defense is to not let him be the last line of defense, and and he was, and it, it was the amount of shots at Wisconsin. Even though Michigan State out shot Wisconsin, Trey still had night, but shout out to Wisconsin goaltender though. Was his first first ever two starts of his career already.
Speaker 3:Sweeps the number one team in the country, so I'm sure we'll get into that later, but, that was a great series. Yeah. We've
Speaker 2:seen that a couple times this year where where teams will start the more experienced goaltender or their older goaltender against Michigan State because it is their Super Bowl Yeah. As we've said
Speaker 3:multiple times.
Speaker 1:I was gonna say, I don't even think Pulver was necessarily older than Hauser, though. I think they're both freshmen coming into the season. Pulver's
Speaker 3:well, he's a Roger. I believe he's a richer freshman or sophomore. Something like that. Think it was
Speaker 1:his first
Speaker 2:collegiate game, though.
Speaker 1:Game. Yeah.
Speaker 3:But still nonetheless, I mean, he hadn't played a game the whole season. They had Howser the entire year, and he comes in and makes 30 plus saves on back to back nights. That's super impressive. Obviously, he let up four goals. That's still not the best performance, but the offense was able to do that.
Speaker 3:And then the next night, he played super good. It wasn't for Martone getting that goal late, he woulda had to shut out for himself and
Speaker 2:just would've been great.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Definitely. I I think I think you mentioned it. It was a story of support between the two teams. I think Wisconsin did a really great job even though he gave up four goals of supporting their goaltender who was new.
Speaker 1:This is, you know, the craziest environment he has been in, you know, in his collegiate career. Like you mentioned, one of his first collegiate starts going up against the number one team in the country, the unanimous number one team in the country at that in their own arena. It is a tough, a tough bail, a tough order to ask, for a new goaltender. And I think, like you guys mentioned, Wisconsin just did a better job, I think, supporting their goaltender and making him a little bit more comfortable and giving him more of a cushion than I think this MSU team did for Augustine in that game, as you mentioned. Just gave up a lot of leaky goals, a lot of rush opportunities in that first one.
Speaker 1:But I I talked about this on our green and white show this Sunday. The thing that's really scary to me about this team and I I mean, we're gonna go into this in their second period a little bit too. No. MSU is that the second period for this team and, you know, throughout the season has just been really not good so far from this team. Very disappointing.
Speaker 1:You know, they're being outscored right now in the second period, 11 to seven right now, by teams. And look. I, you know, I I obviously, it has been much of a problem. They're outscoring their opponents 16 to two in the first period. But when you have, you know, those teams that are able to bounce back and really, you know, explode on offense like a Michigan, like a Wisconsin who can just score goals at will, you're not gonna be able to, you know, win with only a forty minute, you know, game of hockey.
Speaker 1:You had to play all 60. And right now, we haven't really seen this team play a full 60. Not that they really had to necessarily, but now they're in a situation where they had to, and they just did not respond in that second period. And, I mean, that was the story of the game for the the second one as well, which we'll get into. But I I think that's really been alarming is just how how bad the second period has looked from this team at times and just how inconsistent they look coming into second periods.
Speaker 1:And, again, I think some of that does have to do with just the amount they have been up coming into those. But a a lot of that too, I think, is just having a young team and just them not being, you know, fully consistent yet because they just don't have that experience yet.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I think I think the thing that I noticed, like, noted I noted earlier was, like, the the it just looked like they settled. And then my my my my key coming into the game on the show on Friday and on Saturday was don't settle for either team. Like, if you have to just keep the pedal or, you know, your pedal to the metal, I mean, because, like, you you talk about you know, I but for Wisconsin, they had a lead on the number one team in the country in the second game, and they played well. But for MSU, they had a two goal lead.
Speaker 3:They said don't settle, and it just looked like like I said, the defense just settled. Got just, like, the sat bag, weren't aggressive. The forecheck was not nearly as good, and Augustine wasn't able to have to have the support that he needed. But it's like you mentioned, I think they get up a lot in the first period, and I just think that they've been able to settle. I mean, we saw that Notre Dame.
Speaker 3:Right? It was Mhmm. Was it was two nothing or three nothing after the first period? It was two nothing after the first period. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And Notre Dame scored, it was a two one game going into the third, it was automatically a new hockey game. So, like, this team does settle, albeit it was Notre Dame, and they didn't have to necessarily care about that. But now that you mentioned Wisconsin, Michigan coming up, a Minnesota team that's been playing really good for us of late coming up, those teams can score. And, you know, if if if you get up in that first period, you have to better believe you need to do the exact same thing in the second and third or else they're gonna come back to bite you.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I mean, I don't really have much else to add. You mentioned that they get off to a hot start. It a 16 to two without touring.
Speaker 3:Which is ridiculous.
Speaker 1:It's insane. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So and I guess I guess if there is a bright side to it, if your worst period is the second, it's not the end of the world. Right. If it was the third, now that could be
Speaker 1:an issue. That's fair.
Speaker 2:Right? But obviously, you know, they're getting comfortable, like you guys said multiple times, getting off to those hot starts. They need to play a full 60 like you've said multiple times.
Speaker 1:Yeah. And I mean, are outscoring their opponent 17 to seven in the third period too. So it it it is, you know, not and, of course, outshooting their opponents too in the second period and all throughout the game. They haven't I mean, this was the first weekend in which they allowed opponent to score first on them too.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Which is crazy.
Speaker 1:It's insane. And, I mean, they still have not gotten shot by an opponent yet in this game. So there is still a lot of things to like about this team, going in. But like you said, I think this was just one of those games where, you know, we talked about it last week. This team is so good that it only feels like the ones who are going to be able to beat them is themselves.
Speaker 1:And I think this was just a prime example here this weekend of a team that just really did, I think, everything they could to beat themselves and make the game as hard as possible on them, going against a quality opponent too in Wisconsin who did a absolutely great job of taking advantage of it, I thought.
Speaker 2:Well, I think you're absolutely right. I think going into the second game a little bit here, if you guys don't mind. They're they had first of all, Manisto has had a great year. Obviously, he's taken a huge step up, but, man, he's had he had two or three opportunity breakaway opportunities. I don't know if you guys saw it, but I can't remember who dumped in, but someone just, like, lobbed a puck like it was a through ball in soccer.
Speaker 2:And Manisto was first there because he out hustled everyone and just can't finish. And, obviously, he had the game on his stick in overtime, and so did Riker Lee as well. So
Speaker 3:Yeah. They had plenty of opportunities Yeah. Than the second game specifically. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Right? So I I don't think they should've they didn't deserve to win the game, but they should've won the game if you guys get what I'm saying.
Speaker 3:I do.
Speaker 2:So I think that Michigan State almost shot themselves in the foil a little bit here because they're not able to capitalize on their hustle plays and their breakaway opportunities. And also, I mean, their their offense was so frustrating to watch. I think that Wisconsin did a great job of suffocating them. Michigan State would work hard to get the puck out of their own zone, and then they would just, you know, skate and dump it out. And then Wisconsin, the badgers would just just take care of it.
Speaker 2:Like, it was no issue. And I'm not used to seeing that out of this Michigan State squad. So I think that they're gonna figure it out. M Nightingale, obviously is a great head coach, and he's gonna get the boys right. But if, you know, was who was it who had the delay of game penalty?
Speaker 2:I'm sorry. I forgot, guys.
Speaker 3:Oh, I did. I believe.
Speaker 1:Oh, I can't even remember who did for one second. It was
Speaker 2:that was believe that was their only penalty of their game besides they might have had a they they had another penalty earlier in the game, but that didn't matter because they were already on
Speaker 3:And you mean and this is you're talking about the first game?
Speaker 2:Second game.
Speaker 3:Second game.
Speaker 2:Yes. Yeah. But what my point is regardless is that Wisconsin was very disciplined, and you have to have a lot of
Speaker 3:respect It for was five two. They had five power play opportunities. We had two.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 3:Yeah. And then it was both were in the third period. Yeah. Didn't even give us a shot on the power play until the third.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So so yeah, that first one, they were that penalty was they were already on the power play. So that ended up being four on four.
Speaker 3:And then the last penalty was like a it was like a it was the guy oh, who was it? Was Dexheimer was laying in the goal, but it was think it was number 15.
Speaker 1:It was either Jack Corbac.
Speaker 3:Oh, Corbac delayed. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And he
Speaker 3:and he like lodged the puck between his arm and the goal. Yeah. And that's why that's actually what put us on six four for Lamar Tom to score that goal.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And I was gonna say if they you know, if that doesn't happen, Michigan State likely loses that game.
Speaker 3:So Right.
Speaker 2:That was a bit lucky, but Michigan State, I just thought was very diff disappointing. I thought the second game defensively, obviously, they played a lot better. Augustine had a great game, but offensively, they have lost
Speaker 3:a lot That's an interesting thing to note too because if we don't get that six four if we don't get that six four advantage, you probably don't score that score that goal. Excuse me. We don't score at all, and it's it's a it's a shutout for and that's our only actual offensive, you know, sort of firepower or chance happened in the last minute of the game being six on four. That was a pretty poor offensive performance.
Speaker 1:It was a it was a really ugly goal for Martone that had scored. Yeah. As you mentioned, it was you know, he just found himself space. And if there was an extra skater on that ice, he would not have been at he would not have had that open space whatsoever. So it really was a lucky break from them.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna go over the game a little bit here. Nothing happened in the first period. Obviously, the only goal that was the opening goal happened in the second period. Again, the first time this season MSU has not scored the opening goal in a game was the Saturday game. Wisconsin scored in the in second period on the power play.
Speaker 1:Montgomery was able to get that one in for the badgers. As we mentioned, just such a lethal power play for this Wisconsin team. First in the nation, first in the big 10, and that is nothing to scoff at considering, you know, you're going against Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State in that consideration. So it it it is really, you know, it is really impressive to me that they are able to get the number one power play in the nation right now. But, again, I thought they just really beat themselves up with those dumb penalties in the third period.
Speaker 1:Obviously, Daniel Russell got that game misconduct that was just absolutely unacceptable at the time. Still down one nothing, and you make a you make a choice like that. And especially coming from a guy who has been around for as long as Russell has, someone you look at to be a leader for him to sort of make that mistake, I thought was just very unacceptable. He'll tell you it too. But it it just it was, yeah, just dumb penalties in the third period.
Speaker 1:Nathan Mackey had the interference too. Again, as you guys mentioned, they were lucky enough to get that six three four on the delay of game by Jack Horbach, and then Porter Montone got that extremely ugly goal right in front of the net to tie it up with thirty nine seconds remaining. Yeah. They go into overtime. And unfortunately, after a missed opportunity on the rush, Ben Dexheimer comes back down for Wisconsin and scores the game winning goal.
Speaker 1:A really impressive game winning goal too for anyone who got to see it. I mean, he was a mid mid trip, and he ended up getting the shot on the glove side of August Augustine too, which, you know, the fact that he was able to get that pass on the glove side in that position was just insane and goes to show why he's been one of the best defensemen so far in all of college hockey.
Speaker 2:Well, that's why that's why you pick players like that to be your captain of your hockey team. Right? I mean, he's laying out. He's putting his body on the line. Yeah.
Speaker 2:He's winning the game for against the number one team in the nation. So, I mean, I thought, obviously, it was tough to see being, you know, a spartan guy and all that, but, I thought it was, one of the best game winners, especially in college hockey I've seen in a little while. Definitely.
Speaker 3:How how about this, Wisconsin? Last year, thirteen, twenty one and three, a losing record, seven and sixteen in the big 10, and, you know, your program is kinda down. Your start of the year in the top 10 last year, completely falter. Your coach in the second year was supposed to be a great year, and it falls apart. Some players leave.
Speaker 3:They rebuilt. Danny Hauser is a great goaltender. He didn't play, but he's great. Aidan Dubinsky has been great for this team. And then the returners, Simon Tassi, Quinn Finley, Christian Fitzgerald, like you mentioned, Ben Dexheimer.
Speaker 3:All those guys coming back believing in this program
Speaker 1:Mhmm.
Speaker 3:And creating this team right here that looks like I mean, their their chemistry on the ice is not exist. Oh, I know. It's next level. I mean, they they all know each other like the back of their hand, and it it was really special to watch. So kudos to Wisconsin for coming on the road.
Speaker 3:You know, not not just because we were the number one team, but on the road in the big ten series and sweep in is a hard thing to do, and they and they really did it, and they did it aggressively. It was a two one game, but they dominated that two one game. I agree. I agree. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Absolutely
Speaker 1:agree. It was a it was an impressive performance from Wisconsin. I think a statement series finally for the badgers. You know, they did go into the Ann Arbor and end up splitting that series with Michigan. But this
Speaker 3:But you're splitting Michigan. Michigan's Michigan right now is the best team in the in
Speaker 1:the Yeah. Entire And that's nothing to scoff at, but I feel like this really was one of the most impressive series for them in the in in the year so far. And definitely, I think the statement that they needed, and obviously, the polls agreed. They jump up all the way to number two in the country now right in between Michigan State and Michigan who is now the new number one team in the country. I, you know, I I don't know what else we wanna say about the thoughts on this game.
Speaker 1:Anything else that we wanna point out? Again, Michigan State, they did out shoot Wisconsin like we said. So, again, something that they have not done yet is get out shot in a game, which is still good. But, again, just squandered opportunities, I feel like, like you guys mentioned and just couldn't capitalize. And like you said, Manisto, you know, he's been really good at finishing those plays this season and, you know, just sort of felt like it reverted back to Manisto of last year where he had those plays and just couldn't quite finish them off as well as he has been this season.
Speaker 2:Well, we knew we knew that Michigan State couldn't win every game Yeah. For the remainder of the year, and we knew that they weren't gonna score the first goal in every game for remainder of the year. And so it makes sense that it comes against a good Wisconsin team. Obviously, you don't expect Wisconsin to come here and sweep Michigan State, but, you know, you figured that these games would be close and maybe a split, but, yeah, props to Wisconsin because I don't think anyone had them sweeping it on the bingo card. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I I had us like I said in the last episode, last week, I had us losing the night and then winning the second night, and that almost happened, really. But
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah. No. I think my one key takeaway from Michigan State is the fact that you still outshot him. You still had the chances. It wasn't like they didn't have the chances or weren't giving themselves the opportunity to do so.
Speaker 3:They just didn't. So at least you don't have to work on two things. The only you to work on is converting the chances, not getting not giving themselves the chances. And the other thing is you won the face off battle too, Wisconsin's face off percentage is the best in the entire country as well. So, I mean, they converted almost 60% of their face offs.
Speaker 3:It's absurd.
Speaker 1:That's what's
Speaker 2:out here.
Speaker 1:Second best face off
Speaker 3:guy Exactly. So, I mean, it's it's that's some silver lining to take away from mission to say is you still outshot the guys even though you're disrupting. You still won the face off battle. So even though there are some things to work on, at least it is just it's all all it is is just execution. They did everything except for execute, and they only they lost both games.
Speaker 3:It wasn't like they got blown out. Lost it in overtime two to one, and then lost an absolute barn burner five four, and, you know, had multiple chances to win both of those games. So they weren't blown out. It wasn't you know, the wheels didn't completely fall off. There's still things to work on, but there's still things to take take away from it too.
Speaker 1:So I wanna look at the conference or the division standings a little bit here. I should say the conference standings actually. There is no not enough teams out of Big Ten division, in college hockey. But, you know, Michigan sitting at the top right now with 17 points. Wisconsin at 16 right behind them.
Speaker 1:Obviously, they had that series split, so they split those three game or those six points, three apiece. Penn State still at third. We're talk about them a little bit. Had an interesting series against Minnesota. Michigan State sits at fourth right now with 12 points.
Speaker 1:Two games in hand, though, or behind those three teams. They said at six games played in the conference. Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan sit at eight games in the conference. So something, good to look at is that they definitely have games in hand right now even though they are behind. But now, I mean, you find yourself behind the eight ball, it feels like, in a position where Wisconsin has found themselves at the top of the big 10.
Speaker 1:We thought it was probably gonna be us, Michigan, and Penn State who were gonna find ourselves at the top three. So you thought those were gonna really be the important series that you win. But now Wisconsin seems like have just barged in and entered the party, and now you find yourself behind five or six points to this Wisconsin team. I I wanna I wanna ask you guys, do you guys still feel confident about this team going out and winning the regular season title again in the big 10, or do you think the fact that Wisconsin was able to get the sweep in Mundt too, the only other time we're gonna play Wisconsin is now at Madison. Do you think that's gonna be enough, you know, for them to make up that, margin, or is Wisconsin now a little bit too much out of advantage with that sweep a
Speaker 2:little bit? No. I think I think Michigan State absolutely controls their own destiny because I think if they win three out of four against Michigan and then they sweep Wisconsin in Madison, I think that they're gonna take this. And then especially since Michigan State already swept Penn State, we're gonna have a chance to play them again. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:And so I think they control their own destiny. They got Notre Dame again, obviously, Ohio State a couple times. So but I think three out of four against Michigan and then sweeping Wisconsin in Madison is gonna be enough to get the job done.
Speaker 1:I think
Speaker 3:something key to note is that they beat us in overtime.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 3:So so it wasn't like it wasn't like they they they took all six rounds.
Speaker 1:We get we did get
Speaker 3:one of the points. In point, which is key because let's say we do go sweep him on the road and we beat him both times in regulation, that's six points for us. So technically, we still have more points than they did against us, let me say. So and, like, it's three three or four of Michigan is is completely doable. You know, I think that we just have to take advantage of the fact the the bummer is is that there's only one in Mon.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. So there's there's two at Yosta, one in Detroit. The Michigan fans, they travel well down there to Detroit. So it's gonna be tough, but and and again, not not I I am confident that we can do it, but, I mean, you take a look at these. Mean, you take look at Ohio State.
Speaker 3:They played Michigan tough, and Minnesota played Penn State tough. Yeah. Like, mean, all these games are gonna be tough. I don't wanna say except for Notre Dame, but we didn't really struggle with them. But I'm confident, but it really has to be this series against Michigan is extremely crucial in
Speaker 1:two weeks. Yeah. Now I like I I was just about to mention, yeah, the weight of that Michigan game, I mean, it already had an insane amount to it. But
Speaker 3:now The Friday games home game against Michigan is crucial because it's the only one we have of the year.
Speaker 1:Yep. You have to it feels like you really do have to win that one. And, you know, it is so hard for this team to go into Yost and win. I, you know, I remember last year at this team had no business, I feel like, losing that game against Cameron Corpy. No.
Speaker 1:No. That Michigan squad, lo and behold, they end up going into that barn and losing that first one. So it it is hard for them to win at Yost, man. It's just sort of like a Jordan Hare situation for Alabama a little bit. No matter how good the team is or how unfairly even some of it may be, It's just a little bit of magic, a haunted magic that comes in that state
Speaker 3:or in that arena. One loss at home. Who is it this year so far? I forget.
Speaker 1:I believe that would be Wisconsin.
Speaker 3:Oh, it was Wisconsin. Okay. Because that game was at Michigan. Okay. Yep.
Speaker 3:That's right.
Speaker 1:It is a it is a hard place to Yeah. Play Wisconsin. It's a hard place to play in. But before that Michigan series, they do Michigan State does take on Colgate this weekend. Actually, not this weekend.
Speaker 1:It will be this week technically as it is a Wednesday, Friday series interesting enough. Gonna skip that Thursday in between, obviously, for Thanksgiving. Colgate, you know, struggling a little bit this season, not one of the better teams obviously in the country in terms of college hockey. So this is gonna be a good opportunity, I feel like, for the Michigan State team to, you know, really get back to where they are. Obviously, being at home is big.
Speaker 1:But, you know, really just tune fine tune things that didn't work well in Wisconsin. But I I wanna ask, what do you guys think gonna be the most important point of focus here, a point of emphasis from Nightingale going into this series against Colgate this weekend?
Speaker 2:Well, I thought that, before the Wisconsin series, I thought that this was gonna be not a trap series, but one you had to take more seriously because you figured that, alright, you sweep or you split against Wisconsin, and then, oh, you're looking forward to Michigan the, you know, the following weekend. I think I don't think there's a chance of that happening just because, you know, the guys are coming off two straight losses. And, obviously, Nightingale, we know that he doesn't look overlook any opponent, but especially now since they lost two straights. So I think not taking them lightly. I think that in every every single line that Michigan State outmatches Colgate, and that's just how it is at Toothpaste University right now.
Speaker 2:But, I think, obviously, you know, taking them seriously, but just playing your game, you know, don't don't try and, you know, reinvent the wheel if you're Adam Nightingale. Just keep playing your game. I think that they just struggle a little bit. Maybe some bad puck luck against Wisconsin as well, but just keep playing your game. Don't try
Speaker 3:to reinvent the wheel. Yeah. If I had to pick if you had to pick, I guess I should phrase it as a time in the year to get swept by a conference opponent, it's right now because you can come back and have two games against a lesser opponent to get back on track. Like, you think about, like, this is a perfect opportunity for the guys to get two wins and then come right back out against Michigan because let's say that we didn't have the Colgate game in the next series is Michigan, then right after that is another conference series. That's tough.
Speaker 3:But now you have this not again, not to, you know, discredit Colgate. They're an opponent that we have to take on twice.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 3:But if there had to be a time where we either get swept or lose to really crucial good conference opponent, it's right now because we have this series to bounce back with. And so I I I confident absolutely. 100% confidence booster. And, you know, if I had to pick a thing for Michigan State to kind of work on or or or look forward to in this series, It is don't take them lightly. And I I really wanna say this with all due respect.
Speaker 3:Destroy them in all facets of the game. I mean, realistically. They run 10 goals in this series. Yeah. Like, it is it is balls to the wall, sixty minutes of hockey.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. Out shoot them. Out out out defeat them on the face off dot, you know, everything. Get on the power play a 100,000,000 times. It is everything that you can possibly do because like you said, this isn't just like a trap game because you're coming off of a split or a sweep.
Speaker 3:You're coming off of a reverse sweep of the other team. So this is this is this is a a game specifically Wednesday, but also for Friday to just hammer it home, before the Michigan series starts. And also to get statistical, get your goals up a little bit if your Michigan's did on the season. They only have they've only scored 42, which is fifth in the conference, but Michigan scored 85. So so it's it's it's also like say.
Speaker 1:They had a bunch of them
Speaker 3:this weekend. Don't give anybody a reason to say that you're gonna get swept against Michigan. Prove that you're still top three team. Prove that you're still worthy of that number one ranking even though you fell down, and, just come out and hammer it against Colgate because, you know, sometimes you wanna just kinda take take it lightly, you know, maybe rest some players because it doesn't matter. No.
Speaker 3:I say you just hammer it home.
Speaker 1:Yeah. I agree. I think this is the worst situation that Colgate could have found themselves coming into this series. So I think they would have hoped that MSU was still fat and happy during this one. And, obviously, like you said, either coming off a split or a sweep of Wisconsin and not taking them as lightly and, you know, looking forward to Michigan a little bit more.
Speaker 1:But now it feels like this Colgate team is gonna get MSU's full attention now that they Yes. Are in danger of possibly losing three or four straight games if they drop one here to Colgate, and that's something that Adam Nightingale is not gonna want from this program. So it's going to be, an interesting series here this weekend. I am so intrigued that they decided to play this on Wednesday, Friday this week and not Friday, Saturday. You know?
Speaker 1:I I I figured would have been nice to maybe give the guys a break maybe for Thanksgiving. Yeah. But, it looks like they're gonna be up here in East Lansing for the, break and having some turkey with, the boys, it seems like. Yeah. Even for Colgate too.
Speaker 3:I mean, And that's something we didn't talk about either is Martone's just overall production the whole year. And you mentioned you thought he was gonna be what what was your prediction at the beginning of the year?
Speaker 2:Yeah. The episode that never saw the light of
Speaker 3:day. Was like, oh, he has a
Speaker 2:chance to lead the nation in points. Yes.
Speaker 3:And you were like kinda doubting that a couple of weeks ago, but now
Speaker 1:He's getting Yeah. He's getting up there.
Speaker 3:So I
Speaker 2:believe he's at 18. Yep. And one of the Plant brothers is at
Speaker 1:Highest is 26.
Speaker 2:Okay. Yes.
Speaker 3:Okay. So Wednesday, Friday, he's got a couple let's say, nets three more. Boom. Right there with him.
Speaker 1:He's right in there. With him. I mean, he's in conversation right now.
Speaker 3:I think he's got does he have six goals in his last four games?
Speaker 2:Something. Seven goals
Speaker 3:in his last
Speaker 2:four games. Something like that.
Speaker 3:Okay. Yeah. But, anyway, ridiculous.
Speaker 1:He's insane. Yeah. I I it's really unfortunate that we probably only have him for this season. It's looking like, it looks like Philadelphia is gonna give him that call as soon as, our season is over and get him up there in Philly as soon as possible because this kid is an absolute wagon as you guys mentioned. So we unfortunately will not be able to broadcast this weekend for the Colgate game as we will all be with our families enjoying some Thanksgiving Wednesday.
Speaker 3:I'm I'm on the call.
Speaker 2:Yes. Big
Speaker 3:ten plus.
Speaker 1:So Big ten plus, you
Speaker 3:can listen Wednesday. To
Speaker 1:Yes. You can listen to Jack Volwinkle on there. Gabe Suso will have a recap on the impact89fm.org website. Potentially. Potentially.
Speaker 2:You know,
Speaker 1:it's like you might, maybe not, maybe we'll see. But you can definitely take a look at the website there and check out if he has any recap whatsoever of the Colgate series. We're gonna now take a look at some other happenings in college hockey. We had a crazy weekend go on here. We're gonna first look at some other teams happening in the big ten and one that we have talked extensively about it feels like this season, but the Penn State Nittany Lions had another, it feels like disastrous series against the Minnesota Golden Golfers having to split that series against them.
Speaker 1:Again, just a weird series for Penn State, only scored four goals in the entire series, did not get over three in a single game. They won the last one two one, but lost that second or that first one, three to two, giving up three unanswered goals after scoring the first two in the first period. This offense right now is not looking good for the Nittany Lions. As I mentioned, just not the goal production that you thought we were gonna get from this team desperately missing Aiden Fink. But the good news, depending on how you look at it
Speaker 3:Yep.
Speaker 1:Is that this was their last series of the calendar year as they do not play for, I believe it's forty another forty days Yep. Until they have another collegiate series.
Speaker 2:It's January 3.
Speaker 1:January 3 I will be their next believe it's a series it's a conference series.
Speaker 3:Oh, it is. Okay.
Speaker 1:I believe it's
Speaker 2:I I don't know what this team is, guys.
Speaker 3:I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 1:It's RIT.
Speaker 3:So it's
Speaker 1:Rochester Institute of Technology.
Speaker 3:Oh, okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah. RIT. They have
Speaker 3:a home
Speaker 1:and home, it like against RIT.
Speaker 3:RIT's RIT's RIT's good. Hey. Speaking of our common opponent, they beat Colgate. They swept them earlier in the year. So
Speaker 1:There you go.
Speaker 3:RIT is, at least at least better than Colgate. So
Speaker 1:But, yeah. I mean, how do you guys think about this scheduling here for Penn State? Do you think this is sort of a relief for them that they're getting this sort of month break right now, especially considering that Aiden Fink is supposed to come back around Christmas time, so he will probably be back for this next series against RIT? Or are we thinking that this is sort of something right now that we're seeing from this team that they just need to play out and that this rest is sort of just gonna rust them a little bit more and sort of, I guess, exacerbate these problems that they're having on offense right now?
Speaker 2:Well, I think that, obviously, that they've been quite disappointing. Even though they're the number nine team in the nation right now, they're still disappointing compared to the, you know, national championship aspirations they had going into the year. And I think this break's gonna be very important for them. I think it's gonna be a good thing. Obviously, you mentioned getting Aiden Fink back.
Speaker 2:He's out. I haven't seen any updates. It said foreseeable future early November, And, you know, like you said, projection wars, late December, whatever, and that works out because they don't play until early January. So and if he
Speaker 3:needs
Speaker 2:to, he maybe doesn't need to play in this series against RIT. Right? Just, you know, if they don't wanna push it either. But then they come back out and they have a chance to sweep Minnesota. That's the ninth and the January 10 after splitting before, which they shouldn't have done.
Speaker 2:I mentioned, I think a week ago or whatever, I was like, it'd be so funny if they drop one to Minnesota. They did. And I'll you know? And, you know, we we've hated on the Golden Gophers couple times on this show, but I'll credit to them, you know. And even that game that they won, it was three two.
Speaker 2:That was a close game. So so I think this break's gonna be very important, obviously, getting Fink back. They haven't looked the same without him, and it's gonna be good. They can take kind of a reset, you know, and hopefully well, I I don't know if I want them to do well, but, you know, for the sake for the sake of Penn State as a program and their fans, hopefully, they'll do well.
Speaker 3:Yeah. If you would have told me at the beginning of the season, hey. You know, how do you feel about the 40 game rest in between December and I would have told it's terrible. I would have told you it's the dumbest thing ever, you know, especially because I'm a I I would have imagined this team, you know, would have probably swept Minnesota, would probably be on some sort of ridiculous winning streak, probably only have one or two losses on the entire year, and but now I think it's the best thing that could possibly happen because, you know, they're they're reeling a little bit. They have some injuries.
Speaker 3:The guys are tired, and they have some real things to figure out, whether it be, you know, their offensive strategy. Goaltending has been kinda lackluster. So they they really have some things to figure out, and, you know, it is more in my opinion, the Penn State problem is more of a strategic slash coaching slash figure it out off the ice problem than just play through it. Mhmm.
Speaker 1:And so
Speaker 3:I think that this break comes at a really nice time. It's a little long. Don't get me wrong. Forty days is a long time, but that is not it's not gonna be forty days of sitting around lounging around. You know?
Speaker 3:It's gonna be coaches in the offices strategizing, okay, how do we approach New Year? How do we get ourselves back into the top of those conference standings? And also for the players, how do we rebound? How do we how do we reset and learn how to execute? And with Fink back, like you mentioned, Gabe, it it'll be easier for them to kinda get their groove back because they did look good with Fink.
Speaker 3:Mean, McKenna wasn't playing Gavin McKenna has been a real I'm sorry. But he's been a real real disappointment. He's a good player. Great you know, don't get wrong. Great player.
Speaker 3:But but in terms of where I thought he would be, you know, in sort of everywhere, he's been outplayed even by two or three guys, not only on his line on his team. So, I'm I'm I'm I'm really interested to see how the New Year shapes up, what their resolutions are gonna be when the ball drops, and to see if Penn State can, can can rebound. But but but I really do think they can because they have the talent. They really do.
Speaker 2:And McKenna will still go first, by the way, in this draft. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's just, I think, you know, interesting to see, you know, McKenna is not obviously the biggest guy in the world. He hasn't faced, you know, the biggest amount of talent in the CHL. I know when you talk about how the CHL is one of the best minor league, you know, conferences or, you know, leagues in the in the world, but, you know, it still does not really match to the talent that or the size that you'll see from these collegiate guys. And, you know, him coming in at six foot one seventy, you know, it's not exactly the biggest kid. And I think that has been the biggest adjustment for him that he just hasn't, you know, has really struggled to make, I think, is just the physicality of college hockey and, you know, having to face, you know, most of the time much bigger guys than him.
Speaker 1:He's not really able to speed past these guys a lot of the time either like he used to in the CHL. So it it is, you know, a bit of an adjustment. I think this was something that, you know, Bedard had to go through, I think, in the NHL his first season too. Like, this it was a you know, he was a smaller kid coming out of the CHL too. A lot of people knew that.
Speaker 1:And there was a lot of talks of, you know, moving him the forward a lot because they thought he was a little too undersized to play center. And right now, he's absolutely torching the league. So it it is, you know, it is interesting to see how it has been hard for him to adjust to that, and it, you know, has been a very hard adjustment. Like you mentioned, he's minus five right now and plus minus, which you do not want from your guy, but he is still scoring. He's at a point per game pace right now.
Speaker 2:So Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, he is putting up stats in different ways, but it it does you know, it is interesting to see what he can add to a team in terms of value if he cannot fix this plus minus situation and, you know, being able to really keep up with the physicality of some of these guys.
Speaker 2:Well, he did when I believe he won freshman of the month in October. Correct. Yeah. And so, you know, people were saying he was like gravy. Like, oh, he makes everything around him better.
Speaker 2:Right now he's a little bit like cranberry sauce. You know? He's like he's like, you know, he has his own role and but, you know, he's not he's not the, you know, the best on the plate, if you will, right now. But, yeah, think this month break is gonna be good for them. They'll come back and they'll be fine.
Speaker 1:Yeah. I agree. Gonna be interesting to see. I mean, look. Their, you know, most successful season in their, you know, in their school's history for college hockey, they did not have a great second half either.
Speaker 1:No. That's just what we're talking about last year when they were able to come back and go all the way to the frozen four after being sub 500 for a majority of the first half of the season. So this is something that they're kinda used to right now and maybe territory that they like to find themselves in because, like I said, I guess backed into a corner, they're really great at making those adjustments.
Speaker 2:And in still third in the big 10 right now.
Speaker 1:Yes. So they're still comfortable.
Speaker 3:Forget when they they swept us last year.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Exactly. That was that was the that was the igniter for them too. That was that was what got them going and all the way to the all the way to the Frozen Four is where that took them. So we'll see if that could happen for them this year.
Speaker 1:Again, not out of the realm of possibility for the Penn State Nittany Lions, but we're gonna now move down an hour to an hour down the road, excuse me, and look at the new number one team in the country. The, you know, the college hockey still runs through Michigan, but unfortunately, just not the place in which we would hope it would as the Michigan wolverines have now jumped to number one in the country after a just a dominating performance against the Ohio State buckeyes this weekend. I mean, they destroyed Ohio State. Ohio State scored three goals all weekend, two in the first game, one in the second. They lost eight to one in that second game, lost five to two in that first one.
Speaker 1:I just wanna give some of the stats from this Wolverines team right now. TJ Hughes, right now, he has been phenomenal. Not a lot of people thought he was gonna be the best player on this team. Turns out he has been outperforming Haguey in phenomenal fashion as he's right now fifth in Hobie Tracker, behind, of course, the Plant brothers who have been dominating at UMD. But he has been phenomenal so far for the Wolverines, really the leader of this team, leads the team in points as well, and is second, I believe, now in points in the nation right now with 24.
Speaker 1:Not to mention, he has also joined alongside Haguey and Will Horkhoff with top six in points for the Wolverines. So three of the top six in points in the country Mhmm. Reside in Ann Arbor. And, of course, we can't we can't forget the real, I think, improvement from this team and the real reason why they are the number one team in the nation right now is Jackie Bonkovich, who right now leads the big 10 in goal saved above expected. Really, I think the stat that can tell you how well a goaltender is playing, I think, at the best.
Speaker 1:And he, again, leads to big 10 in goal saved right now, again, in front of some of the best goaltenders in the country. So this Wolverine team, I know we talk a lot about how there is such a wow factor with this MSU team, but looking at this Wolverine offense and looking at the goaltending they have right now, they really do have that wow factor on that team. I mean, it is just a offensive machine to watch, and now they finally have that anchor in the back that can really hold down this defense. And they they just look like such a wild warrior machine right now, it feels like.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm you know, first of all, I'm so happy for this University of Michigan team. You know, I just love watching them. But, of course, they got they got their hundredth win in this rivalry against Ohio State all time, so that's pretty cool to see, I guess. Good for them. Ivankovich had his career high in saves.
Speaker 2:It's 38, and they're eight to one. Eight to one victory over Ohio State. Seven different players scored on those eight goals.
Speaker 3:It's like Wisconsin, honestly. Yeah.
Speaker 2:In terms of the Hobie Baker, the it's kinda crazy that the Plant brothers have combined 50 points right
Speaker 3:now.
Speaker 1:I was gonna say, we're gonna talk about those two in a little bit because that story is phenomenal, and those two are so exciting to
Speaker 2:watch. But TJ Hughes has been obviously a a key role in this Michigan Michigan hockey team. He has 15 assists and nine goals through 16 games. He's almost averaging assists in the game, which obviously very impressive. He had a five point series against Ohio State, and he's a very disciplined player.
Speaker 2:Think that's the most impressive thing about him. He only has two penalties against him this year. Yeah. And one of them were was against Ohio State, so that doesn't really count because that's fueled by hatred. So he's been very impressive, and, yeah, this Michigan team is, quite scary.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I'll give Michigan the whole university credit. Talk about the women's basketball team, the top five, men's basketball team, the top 10, football team, hosting Ohio State. You know, hockey team, number one. My brother's going there, so I gotta give him some love.
Speaker 3:Hey. But and your parents too, Oscar. So we do have people that do listen to this that are supporters of U of M. So but I just look at this box score of the second game and just think, what the hell? Ohio State outshot them by 10.
Speaker 3:They won the face off battle to the buckeyes. Yeah. They had less penalty minutes. Michigan had 28 penalty minutes. Ohio State had six, and Michigan still won by to eight eight to one.
Speaker 3:Like, what in the what in that world? Like, they're like, what? I just wanna they they just get it done. Right? You know, this team gets it done.
Speaker 3:When they have opportunities, they capitalize. You know, capitalization was a big problem for MSU in the last series. It has not been a problem at all this year for Michigan. Anytime there's a loose puck, anytime there's an open lane in the slot, they take advantage of it, net it, and it's, it's been exciting to watch. And this eight one victory seems oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:It's crazy. But there's a reason they have 80 what? 80 what did I say earlier? Eighty eighty three, 84 goals on the year. Yeah.
Speaker 3:It's because they win every game by six. So, like, I mean, obviously, it's gonna be you're gonna have all those goal. They have double the amount of goals we have in the same amount of games, which is just absurd. But, they have a series coming up against Harvard that's really gonna give them a boost. They they they sure need it.
Speaker 3:But those poor Crimson, it's really gonna be tough. It's the the Harvard of the Midwest versus the Harvard of Harvard of actual. The Harvard of Harvard. The Harvard of Harvard. So like I said, I give Michigan credit by no means in my happy form, them, but I, I I give them credit for, what they're doing, not just in hockey, but in their, athletics situation
Speaker 2:right now. Has the same amount of goals as Michigan State and Minnesota combined.
Speaker 3:That's that's that's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. Was just
Speaker 1:It's insane. The the offense is, like you guys said, wall
Speaker 3:oriented Yeah. We thought if we thought Wisconsin's offense was gonna be tough. Wait wait till
Speaker 1:you see this one.
Speaker 3:Right. Exactly. Like, that's not and not I don't know if we wanna get into, like, keys for the mission because we'll have another, you know, show Yeah. Before that. But, I mean, just think about the Wisconsin office times it by five and then practice from that.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Mean, realistically, realistically,
Speaker 1:like I mean
Speaker 3:I mean, offense is is so good. Trey's gonna have to literally play the best two games of his entire life.
Speaker 1:Ralph and Barnhill are gonna have to erase Right. At least 50 at least 50 times. We're gonna have to hit someone on the
Speaker 3:wall 50 times. Because they we need to just, you know, hit hit him in the mouth. You know, I want not not not literally, but figuratively. And and just, you know, defensively, MSU against Colgate too, but against Michigan. Not to look ahead because, jeez, I told the team not to do that, but I guess I am too.
Speaker 3:Not but but it just gonna be I I don't wanna say I'm nervous, but but the boys better come out, and they better play, you know, hundred and eighty minutes or hundred and twenty minutes, I should say, of complete hockey Yeah. The entire time.
Speaker 1:Yeah. It is going to be a tall task for this Michigan State team having to face this lethal Wolverines offense. This is probably Brendan Naruto's best team that he's had. Yeah. I think in in in his time here at Michigan, obviously.
Speaker 1:Only his third season here, I believe, right now. No. His fourth season right now in the green and white. And that's saying that as a guy who has gone to the final four twice in his first two seasons. Like, he has not had, you know, he has not had, you know, slackers of a team.
Speaker 1:And for me to say that this is probably the best team he's had is really impressive for this Wolverine squad. Maybe a bit of an illusion too to what's happening gonna happen this weekend in Ann Arbor with that Michigan Ohio State series with Michigan coming out with both of those games. Interesting that that series happens right before the game, of course. Yeah. The biggest game for both of these teams on their football schedule.
Speaker 1:Going to be a fun one down there in Ann Arbor to watch and definitely a fun team in Ann Arbor to watch. But we're gonna talk about a completely different conference now that has just been phenomenal and has really, I think, you sort of usurped the Hockey East this year as maybe the second best conference in all of college hockey. I am talking about the National Collegiate Hockey Conference right now. Have four teams in the top ten, four teams that could honestly realistically win a national championship if we are being if we're being honest here, I mean, we talk about the former national championship winners of last season, Western Michigan, off to a bit of a slow start, but, of course, still have a lot of talent on that team. Still a great squad, nine and five right now on the season.
Speaker 1:Of course, you have Denver who is just a perennial powerhouse year in and year out. One of the better one of the blue bloods of college hockey. Of course, the national champion from two years ago now. So crazy that the National College Hockey Conference, two straight national champions. Look at that.
Speaker 1:A little bit of a big 10 football vibe right there for that conference. Sure. But, also, you mean, you know, we wanna talk about some other blue bloods in college hockey right now. You have North Dakota who went through a coaching change this last season. A lot of people didn't know how they would look after that.
Speaker 1:It was a little bit of a down year for them last year, and now they're looking right back to the North Dakota that we know, and they have been phenomenal to start the year. But, of course, another team that has been really good and a great story overall in college hockey has been UMD. I mean, we wanna talk about these guys. They are led by I don't think they're twin brothers per se, but they are two brothers who play on the same line for this Minnesota Duluth Team. But not only do they play on the same line, they also lead they're both top three in the nation in points with Max leading the nation in points and Zam being right behind him in third place.
Speaker 1:TJ Hughes just took him over for that second place spot. This has been such a fun conference to watch. I mean, we looked at the standings. The top of them are fully lodged. Both all of them are about a point behind each other right now.
Speaker 1:And the crazy part is it sort of has an ACC vibe to them. Yeah. Because a bunch of these guys only play each other for one series at a time. UND and Denver only play one series against each other. UND den UND or North Dakota only plays Denver and Western Michigan once.
Speaker 1:So a lot of the top of this conference that we're looking at right now, not to mention Colorado College who was ranked earlier in the season. They've sort of fallen off because of, you know, how insane this conference has been. Arizona State is also a really great team.
Speaker 3:St. Cloud State. St. Cloud State's got the second best power play
Speaker 1:in the country. Look. Yeah. And I mean, you know, Arizona State just pulled up an off set against Denver last weekend as well. So this has just been such a fun conference to watch.
Speaker 1:It's such an exciting conference, especially because this feels like the one that is the has the potential for expansion. Obviously, we already saw the two seasons ago with them adding Arizona State to this conference and them just being such an exciting team to watch in a very brand new region for college hockey that really has not been explored before by the sport. This conference is just so much fun, and it it really, again, feels like they are making a claim for possibly the second best conference in all of college hockey. Unfortunately, nothing is gonna usurp the big 10, it feels like. There's just a different amount of money in there right now.
Speaker 2:But Well, you mentioned how the Plant brothers are kinda on top of the world right now. According to the CHN Hobie tracker, Ty Hanson is the fourth favorite right now for the Hobie Baker award. Of course, he plays for Minnesota Duluth as well. So they have they have of course, you have the jump jumpscare from Boston University, Cole Hudson, number two right there. They have their own issues.
Speaker 2:They gotta work out right now. But I think the biggest takeaway from this conference is I don't really think that there's a bad team in this conference. Omaha may be slacking a little bit, but they actually upset UMD this year. So I don't think that there's a single team in here that you can't not take seriously. Colorado College isn't having a great year, but they also beat UMD.
Speaker 2:So this conference is very fun to watch. You have a lot of good teams. I think all the teams, in fact, are very good.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I I have nothing else to say but the fact that they're just I'm just looking at these standings right now. Sorry. Was just kinda locked in and looking at it. I mean, the worst team in the conference, Miami, Red Hawks of Ohio Yeah.
Speaker 3:Played Western Michigan tough, and the worst team in the conference, you know, their overall record's eight and four. Like, that's that's, you know, like, you just think about that. The worst
Speaker 1:How do you even think the
Speaker 3:Denver. Denver. Denver. Denver. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Right. Not not Duluth, but Denver. Yeah. So, I mean, like and Denver's leading the conference. So I'll take that, as the the the worst team record wise in the conference beat the best team.
Speaker 3:Well, then there you have it. All every single one of these teams is good. Yeah. And, and if MSU, you know, finds their way through the, national tournament come March, April, one of these NCHC teams will most definitely be on that schedule, and it is a completely different brand of hockey out there. And they beat up each other, and it's very good preparation, might I add, for all these teams to do well in the national tournament because of all the competition that they have.
Speaker 3:Because they get if they go to the comp if they go to the national tournament and play teams, you know, from the Big Ten that aren't used to just getting they're used to beating up on not getting beat him up on, that can be, that can prove to be, costly for them
Speaker 2:as well. Yeah. So seven out of the nine teams have at least a 500 record.
Speaker 3:Okay. Seven. Oh, who's the other one then?
Speaker 2:Omaha. Omaha. Five five and seven. Yeah. So and then but then you look at the conference play.
Speaker 2:Obviously, they had to play each other, so some of them were gonna have losing records. But this this conference as a whole is very good. And, you know, there's a lot of hype over Minnesota Duluth right now. Obviously, that might be because the Golden Gophers are underperforming. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:I keep I keep hating on them every episode. But it's true. You know, they've been disappointed, but you can't you can't overlook what Western or Denver are doing right now. Obviously, these teams are very good in Western. Everyone's talking about them regressing.
Speaker 2:You know, they don't have a great series against Michigan, but, you know, they're number two in this good conference right now. Yeah. So you can't overlook what those two teams are doing either.
Speaker 1:Yeah. That team could very well, I think, make another deep run-in the tournament. I think they brought a lot of talent back. Obviously, they did lose a lot from that national championship team, but Yeah. There is just a lot of boosting going into that program right now.
Speaker 1:And so I think they are going to be a force to be reckoned with reckoned with for a long time there in Kalamazoo. I have an interesting question to ask you guys. I sort of asked Gabe this, I feel like, on Sunday. We talked about, you know, the frozen four and how sort of what we sort of expected maybe the conference, shake up to look like in the frozen four. I mentioned that there is probably a pretty high chance right now, obviously, looking at the top three teams, that there will be three teams from the big 10
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:In the Frozen four. So now looking at how the National Inclusion Hockey Conference has also performed, I wanna ask you guys this. Do you think it is more likely that there will be three big ten teams in the frozen four if there even is a a way to get three teams in this comp from the same conference in the frozen four right now? We'll see how the scheduling and the seating shakes up. But do you think it's gonna be the big ten or the national collegiate hockey conference that could be more likely to get those three in?
Speaker 2:I mean, I think the Big Ten's more likely, but I I just think that it's really tough because, obviously, like, the teams have to play each other Mhmm. Which is gonna hurt both of their profiles going in. I just have to give a quick shout out to Dartmouth. Their six and o, I think that they could be sneaky sneaky sneaky in this year because they they have a ranked win already.
Speaker 3:In the ECAC?
Speaker 2:Yes. I was gonna
Speaker 1:say they play in a they play in a soft confidence, dude.
Speaker 3:Know. Go get some of ECAC.
Speaker 1:Quinnipiac I is in the way
Speaker 2:will say they started off the year six o no. They're still undefeated. I believe they're the only undefeated ranked team right now. I believe so.
Speaker 3:They're ranked thirteenth.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And and fellas, they have a cupcake schedule. Mean I mean, the toughest team that they have to play maybe oh, it's gonna be Quinnipiac.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 2:But other than that, you know, Harvard, Clarkson, and, you know, no no discredit to these teams, especially like Colgate or Union's ranked twentieth right now, believe. But I think that they could be a sneaky good team this year, but I'm sorry to get you guys off track.
Speaker 3:It's okay, man. Was just
Speaker 2:I was at I was just looking at Dartmouth because I want these smaller schools to do well, of course. But, yeah, it's just tough. It's tough for three teams like Big Ten no matter the conference to get in, but I think the Big Ten would be more likely just because the well, first of all, the name power we've talked about in the past. But second of all, I just I I do think that these three teams are better than, you know, the other conference.
Speaker 3:I'm actually gonna disagree.
Speaker 2:Oh.
Speaker 3:Not just not
Speaker 1:be Go ahead.
Speaker 3:Not not because the Big Ten how do I wanna word this? Not because the big ten, you know, doesn't has the has the or not not Jesus. Not because the NCHC has worse teams or better teams, but just because of the way that it's gonna be seeded. And I do think that there might be more NCHC teams in the tournament than the big 10 teams. So they'll definitely have more chances to because I can see at least Denver, Western Michigan, Minnesota, Duluth, North Dakota, Saint Cloud State, and Arizona State all making the national national hockey tournament.
Speaker 1:Yeah. I mean So and for the
Speaker 3:from the from the big 10, I can see Wisconsin, MSU, and Michigan.
Speaker 1:And Penn State
Speaker 3:will be but, like, OSU, Notre Dame, Minnesota They got a lot of
Speaker 2:ground. I do think I do think you're right. There could be more teams from the sorry. What's the N NCAA? NCAA.
Speaker 2:Yes. Yeah. That make it, but I think that it's more likely that three big 10 teams make it to the frozen four than
Speaker 3:the NCAA. That's fair. But I also think that, like, having the more teams gives them
Speaker 2:Yeah. No.
Speaker 3:I I can see I can see, like, a a North Dakota or a a or a Saint Cloud State getting in the tournament as a lower seed and beating a team like Wisconsin because it's only one game. Like, that's the thing. It's not it's not like it's a series anymore. It's one game. And so I think that if one I have a couple predictions.
Speaker 3:I think that your I like your point of the three big 10 teams making it their better teams, but I have a prediction that if one of those teams gets knocked out, I can wholeheartedly see three of these teams make it because if Denver and Western Michigan have cupcake brackets and a team like Duluth or Dakota or Arizona State beats a Wisconsin or a Penn State, I can easily I can Dartmouth. I can totally see one of these or three of these teams getting in there. But I do think that it is very high possibility, however, for it to be two and two. I think that I think that the fours and four can be both split between the big ten and the NCAA.
Speaker 1:It's so interesting too because all of these schools, you know, play a really similar brand of hockey too. I mean, all of them, very high scoring teams. Obviously, Michigan, the highest scoring team in the country right now, but you look at the rest of the top 10. It is filled with NCHC teams. We mentioned Miami who's in the bottom of the conference, but they averaged 3.9 goals per game.
Speaker 1:They are one of the best offenses in the country. Western Michigan, still a top 10 offense. Denver, North Dakota, I believe, they have Minnesota's aloof just right out there in the top 20. Saint Cloud State right behind them. Like, they all play very similar brands of hockey, it feels like.
Speaker 1:So it'll be interesting to watch when these two conferences match up in the tournament if they get, you know, potential seating matched up with each other. And, you know, it it is shaping up to be, like, it looking like it's gonna be a crazy 16 tournament that we have with this NCAA and a lot of these high powered teams from these two conferences gonna be meeting each other in that 16 team tournament, it looks like.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's so tough to say right now. Obviously, you have a lot of hockey that's left to be played, and unfortunately, injuries are a part of the game, so you never know how that's gonna shape up. Right. But, you know, teams will go up and down.
Speaker 2:The Spartans, I think that they might be down right now, but now is not a bad time to be down. Like you mentioned, you have a, you know, a weaker opponent coming up, and then you have the conference opponent, obviously, in Michigan. So I think there's you know, all these teams, whether in the big ten or the NCHC keep forgetting how to say that. I think that they're all gonna go up and down throughout the year, but, you know, obviously, it just matters when you play in your conference tournaments. And I think teams like Michigan State that have a lot of great players and experienced players like Augustine are gonna prevail.
Speaker 3:Yeah. And it I mean, there's also the thing going back to back to back is so hard. I mean, for the for MSU to win both the conference and the conference tournament, for for three years in a row is just a that'd an unbelievably ridiculous feat. And I don't think if Michigan State doesn't win the conference regular season or if Michigan State does and doesn't win the tournament, it's something to be like, ugh, it's a disappointment. Like, it's not.
Speaker 3:You still have you still have the national tournament, and it is a tough conference.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You know, two years ago, know, you it was an it's two years ago, the Big Ten was easier even last year. The last year is the Big Ten was easier than it is this year. Wisconsin, down last year. Michigan, down last year. We, up last year.
Speaker 3:So we won. And even Penn State down for majority of the year
Speaker 2:last year. So the
Speaker 3:top four teams our top three teams besides Michigan State last year had down years. Mhmm. And so this year, everybody's playing well. You know, it it is a much tougher conference this year than it was in years past. And so I I think that MSU is alright to be down right now, as you said, Gabe, and have has a lot of time to go and a lot of time left to figure it out.
Speaker 1:I've been giving a lot of college football, similes, I feel like, for this, but it is sort of like, you know, the SEC in a way where
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's a little
Speaker 1:bit harder to win the SEC championship sometimes some seasons Yeah. Than it is to win a national championship. I mean, you see a lot of those teams where they just, you know, it it is a tough conference. You have to play some of those teams, and a lot of those teams that you play consistently are gonna be better than some of the teams you see in the tournament. So like I mentioned
Speaker 3:Like a six and six team, again, not to go college football. A six and six team in the SEC is probably better than an eight and four team in the Big Ten.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Well, also, have you have Penn State last year. Right? You know, they're fighting for lives in the Big Ten, then they play SMU in the college football playoffs. Right?
Speaker 2:And it's kinda like it's like, oh, it's like a bye week.
Speaker 1:Right. So it is it
Speaker 3:is a conference. Sometimes your conference can be harder than it is to win on a
Speaker 1:national one. Yeah. And I think that is definitely the case right now with this big ten and how amazing some of these teams have been and obviously the money that a lot of these teams can bring into their programs too. Just a lot of high end or high end spenders in there, and it is definitely the reason why it has been one of the best conferences in the nation for college hockey for the last couple of years. So that'll do it for us here for this Thanksgiving edition of behind the mask.
Speaker 1:Again, Michigan State plays this Wednesday and Friday against Toothpaste University. Cole Gate will have Jack Volwinkel on BTN Plus on Wednesday, I believe. Correct? Yes, It'll be on Wednesday, so you can watch him there calling the game. Gabe Sousa may may not again have a recap I promise a preview.
Speaker 1:Series. He promises a preview, however, so you can read that before the game on Wednesday. Take a look at how we match up against Colgate. That'll do it for us here on behind the mask. Thank you all so much for listening.
Speaker 1:We will see you guys next weekend recapping the Colgate series and, of course, talking about the big one, the series against the Michigan wolverines. We will see you guys next weekend. Have an amazing Thanksgiving. Goodbye, and see you later.