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Star Tribune September 30, 2003, Tuesday, Metro Edition Minneapolis: SPORTS; Pg. 2C GOPHERS HOCKEY NOTES 'U' skaters are No. 1 in two national polls Rachel Blount, Staff Writer selected by panels of Wisconsin freshman defen- coaches and media members, seman Ryan Suter was picked Good thing the Gophers have chose Michigan No. 2, Boston as the WCHA's preseason been skating so hard in their College No. 3, New Hamp- rookie of the year in fractured captain's practices. Monday, shire No. 4 and North Dakota voting. Suter earned five they accepted a rather heavy No. 5. votes, followed by Sioux for- mantle of expectation as they ward Brady Murray (three). were picked first in two na- Other WCHA teams in the na- Gophers forward Ryan Po- tional preseason hockey polls tional polls are Colorado Col- tulny and MSU, Mankato for- and the WCHA's annual sur- lege (No. 11 USCHO/10 USA ward David Backes of Blaine vey of league coaches. Today), Denver (13/12) and each received one vote. Minnesota Duluth (15/15). The U.S. College Hockey On- Most games on TV line and USA Today/American The Gophers compiled 81 Hockey Magazine polls points in the WCHA poll. Lucia Fox Sports Net will televise 32 named the Gophers the na- picked the Sioux to win the of the Gophers' 39 regular- tion's preseason No. 1 for the title, and they stand second season games, beginning second consecutive year. with 73 points. Last year's with the Oct. 10 season Nine of the WCHA's 10 regular-season champion opener against No. 13 Maine. coaches _ the Gophers' Don Colorado College tied Minne- Lucia couldn't vote for his own sota Duluth for third place (58 The cable sports network is team _ picked them to win the points), followed by Denver the Gophers' only television league title. (48), Minnesota State, outlet this season. It will Mankato (46), Wisconsin (31), broadcast all games except The WCHA poll, administered St. Cloud State (28), Michi- those on Oct. 25 (Minnesota by the Grand Forks Herald, gan Tech (17) and Alaska- Duluth), Nov. 22 (Michigan also named Gophers forward Anchorage (10). Tech), Dec. 5-6 (Alaska- Thomas Vanek the league's Anchorage), the Latvian na- preseason player of the year. Vanek, who last spring was tional team (Dec. 11), Prince- voted the league's top fresh- ton (Dec. 20) and Denver The Gophers return all but man and the most valuable (Feb. 27). three key members of last player of the NCAA Frozen season's team, which won the Four, received six votes for --- school's second consecutive preseason player of the year. NCAA hockey title. They re- North Dakota's Zach Parise Rachel Blount is at ceived 25 of 34 first-place finished second with three [email protected]. votes in the USA Today poll votes, and Gophers defen- and 25 of 30 in the USCHO seman Keith Ballard got one. tally. Both polls, which are CompetitivEdge 1-888-881-EDGE www.clipresearch.com Electronic Clipping The Denver Post September 29, 2003 Monday FINAL EDITION SPORTS; Pg. C-14 No longer led by Sejna, CC reloads with youth Mike Chambers Peter Sejna. Last season's the power play for a third sea- Denver Post Sports Writer NCAA scoring champion, who son. was brilliant in registering 36 In discussing the prospects of goals and 82 points, left 'We've got a nice D-corps, a Colorado College making a school a year early to sign with nice blend,' Owens said. third consecutive appearance the St. Louis Blues. Fellow 'We've got seasoned veter- in the NCAA hockey playoffs, All-Americans Noah Clarke ans in Mark Stuart, Petiot and coach Scott Owens hardly and Tom Preissing graduated, Canzanello. And Weston exudes confidence. But he's along with Joe Cullen, the Tardy played 19 games (as a not complaining. 2003 WCHA co-defensive freshman) and (sophomore player of the year. transfer) Brady Greco played With a school-record nine at (Michigan) Tech his NHL draft picks on his team, The Tigers, who came within a freshman year.' Owens expects to have a victory of the Frozen Four, pretty good team come tour- represented half of the first- Sophomore Jesse Stokke nament time. team JOFA West All-America and freshmen Lee Sweatt and squad. But while those three Brian Salcido will vie for the Until then, Owens could players have moved on, sixth spot. spend much of his time Owens has a guy to build grinding his teeth. He has 17 upon in junior goalie Curtis Up front, sophomore Brett underclassmen, including McElhinney, a second-team Sterling is the Tigers' biggest eight freshmen, and just four All-American. threat, and a feared player seniors who played regularly throughout the country. The on CC's 2002-03 squad that McElhinney, last season's diminutive 165-pounder won the Western Collegiate WCHA goaltending cham- scored 27 goals en route to Hockey Association regular- pion, will be pushed by being named a unanimous all- season championship and freshman Matt Zaba, who was WCHA rookie performer last finished 30-7-5. a middle-round draft pick of season. the Los Angeles Kings in 'Who's going to be our go-to June. 'I think we should be good,' guys, and if they're sopho- Sterling said. 'We have a lot of mores, are they old enough to 'We're pretty solid there,' talent. If everything comes be able to get it done?' said Owens said. together like it should, we'll Owens, who is missing four of have a great team. We're go- last season's top five point McElhinney and Zaba will be ing to surprise some people.' producers. 'I think we have a protected by a strong blue- nice team, but I just don't line nucleus. Sophomore de- Besides Sterling, CC doesn't know how far you can go with fenseman Mark Stuart be- have another player who has that young of a club.' came CC's first first-round scored more than 13 goals in NHL draft choice in June (go- a season. To rival last season's squad - ing No. 21 overall to Boston), which would mean CC would hard-hitting junior Richard 'Our question is going to be play at its World Arena-hosted Petiot provides an imposing scoring-wise offensively, regional - Owens realizes he presence and senior Andrew who's going to generate and must find a way to replace Canzanello might be the consistently put the numbers three All-Americans, including team's most gifted puck- up,' Owens said. Hobey Baker Award winner handler. He will quarterback CompetitivEdge 1-888-881-EDGE www.clipresearch.com Electronic Clipping The Tigers will often look for men. But when you've got Sterling and Stuart, team- Sejna, Preissing and Clarke, "They've all got skill and tal- mates on the 2001-02 U.S. it's a lot easier.' ent," he said. "They just need under-18 team. They played time to get used to the at a similar level last season as If any newcomer catches on speed." when Sejna and Preissing quickly, Owens said it's likely were freshmen. to be Braydon Cox, who last GRAPHIC: PHOTO: Associ- season registered 82 points ated Press/Dawn Villella Min- 'They're very good players, in 63 games for Sherwood nesota's Grant Potulny slips but are they mature enough Park of the Alberta Junior the puck past CC goalie Curtis and old enough to be go-to Hockey League. McElhinney in the WCHA Fi- guys?' Owens said of his nal Five championship game sophomore stars. 'They were But Sterling said plenty of last season. Mike Chambers good support guys and very other newcomers could have COLORADO COLLEGE solid contributors as fresh- the same impact. CompetitivEdge 1-888-881-EDGE www.clipresearch.com Electronic Clipping Grand Forks Herald September 29, 2003 Monday North Dakota: SPORTS MEN'S HOCKEY: Gophers begin at No. 1 UND is a solid second in preseason poll By Kevin Fee, Herald Staff Writer area of concern. Weber, a junior, with 58 points in the preseason decided not to return because of poll. Denver University is fifth Back-to-back national titles. The personal reasons. That means with 48 points. The second five is preseason most valuable player. junior Justin Johnson and a headed by Minnesota State- freshman Kellen Briggs will battle Mankato (46). Wisconsin is sev- Is there any question which team for the top spot. enth, followed by St. Cloud State, is the favorite is in the Western Michigan Tech and Anchor- Collegiate Hockey Association Lucia said the Gophers were just age. this season? hoping for home ice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs last Duluth, coached by former UND Nope. February. "We got hot at the end assistant Scott Sandelin, made a of the year," he said. big push at the end of last sea- The University of Minnesota, son. which lost only three players off One of the players who got hot last year's NCAA Division I was Vanek, who finished with 31 "If there is a potential darkhorse, championship team, is as unani- goals and 31 assists for 62 it could be Duluth," Blais said. mous a pick as one can be in the points in 45 games. Another was preseason poll. former Grand Forks Red River Wisconsin's Ryan Suter is the player Grant Potulny, who re- preseason rookie of the year. The Gophers received nine of 10 turned from an early-season in- first-place votes in the 33rd an- jury to help lead the Gophers' Suter will be the fourth member of nual Grand Forks Herald WCHA postseason run.