Ten WCHA Member Men's Teams to Hit the Ice for Series of Exhibition
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Western Collegiate Hockey Association Bruce M. McLeod Commissioner Carol LaBelle-Ehrhardt Assistant Commissioner of Operations Greg Shepherd Supervisor of Officials Administrative Office September 28, 2011/For Immediate Release Western Collegiate Hockey Association 2211 S. Josephine Street, Room 302 Denver, CO 80210 Ten WCHA Member Men’s Teams to Hit the Ice for Series p: 303 871-4491. f: 303 871-4770 [email protected] of Exhibition Matchups Sept. 30-Oct. 3 Doug Spencer Alaska Anchorage Skates First Friday vs NAIT; Michigan Tech and New Coach Mel Associate Commissioner for Public Relations Pearson, Minnesota Duluth to Host Lakehead Univ.; Nebraska Omaha, Minnesota, Western Collegiate Hockey Association Minnesota State Take on Univ. of British Columbia; Colorado College, Denver Entertain 559 D’Onofrio Drive, Ste. 103 Madison, WI 53719-2096 McGill Univ.; North Dakota, Bemidji State Host Univ. of Regina; 94X WCHA Media Poll p: 608 829-0100. f: 608 829-0200 [email protected] Selects Denver to Prevail in WCHA … Pioneers’ Jason Zucker Tabbed as Preseason Player of the Year; WCHA to Host Media Teleconference with Head Coaches Oct. 4; Home of a Record 37 Men’s Seven WCHA Teams Ranked in Sept. 27 USCHO.com Div. 1 Poll … UND No. 3, DU No. National Championship Teams Since 1951 4, CC No. 7, UMD No. 8, UNO No. 14, UW No. 17, UM No. 19 … SCSU Receives Votes 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, MADISON, Wis. – The first on-ice action of the 2011-12 season in the men’s Western Collegiate Hockey 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1974, Association (WCHA) will occur over the upcoming period of Friday, Sept. 30 thru Monday, Oct. 3 as ten 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, of the league’s 12-member teams engage in a series of exhibition contests against Canadian-based 1982, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1997, opponents. 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, Alaska Anchorage, coming off an appearance in the Red Baron WCHA Final Five last March, will get 2011 things started by playing host to Northern Alberta Institute of Technology on Friday evening in Wasilla, Men’s Conference Members con’t University of Alaska Anchorage Bemidji State University 2010-11 WCHA Men’s Final Standings Colorado College University of Denver Conference Only Overall Michigan Technological University Pts GP Record Win% GF- GA GP Record Win% GF- GA University of Minnesota 1 North Dakota* 43 28 21- 6- 1 .768 112- 62 44 32- 9- 3 .761 178- 94 University of Minnesota Duluth 2 Denver 37 28 17- 8- 3 .661 93- 75 42 25-12- 5 .655 136-113 Minnesota State University 3 Nebraska-Omaha 36 28 17- 9- 2 .643 94- 69 39 21-16- 2 .564 128- 99 University of Nebraska Omaha 4 Minnesota Duluth# 35 28 15- 8- 5 .625 91- 73 42 26-10- 6 .690 143-108 University of North Dakota 5 Minnesota 31 28 13-10- 5 .554 91- 78 36 16-14- 6 .528 113-102 St. Cloud State University 6 Colorado College 28 28 13-13- 2 .500 83- 84 45 23-19- 3 .544 143-131 University of Wisconsin 7 Wisconsin 27 28 12-13- 3 .482 75- 72 41 21-16- 4 .561 129- 98 8 Alaska Anchorage 26 28 12-14- 2 .464 62- 78 37 16-18- 3 .473 89-106 2012 Red Baron™ St. Cloud State 26 28 11-13- 4 .464 84- 80 38 15-18- 5 .461 112-113 WCHA Final Five 10 Bemidji State 21 28 8-15- 5 .375 62- 78 38 15-18- 5 .461 89-102 March 15-17 • Xcel Energy Center 11 Minnesota State 20 28 8-16- 4 .357 67- 90 38 14-18- 6 .447 105-116 Saint Paul, MN 12 Michigan Tech 6 28 2-24- 2 .107 49-124 38 4-30- 4 .158 75-169 * WCHA regular season champion/WCHA playoff champion; # NCAA champion wcha.com This Week in the WCHA Games for Friday, September 30: * Northern Alberta Institute of Technology at Alaska Anchorage (EX), 7:07 pm AT. * at Wasilla, AK. Games for Saturday, October 1: Univ. of British Columbia at Nebraska Omaha (EX), 7:07 pm CT; Lake- head Univ. at Michigan Tech (EX), 7:07 pm ET; McGill Univ. at Denver (EX), 7:07 pm MT; Univ. of Regina at North Dakota (EX), 7:07 pm CT. Games for Sunday, October 2: Univ. of Regina at Bemidji State (EX), 5:07 pm CT; Lakehead Univ. at Minnesota Duluth (EX), 6:07 pm CT; McGill Univ. at Colorado College (EX)6:07 pm CT; Univ. of British Columbia at Minnesota (EX), 7:07 pm CT. Games for Monday, October 3: Univ. of British Columbia at Minnesota State (EX), 7:37 pm CT. WCHA Men’s Release • 092811 with face-off set for 7:07 pm AT. WCHA to Host Media Teleconference with Men’s On Saturday (Oct. 1), there will be four exhibition matchups, including Michigan Tech and new head coach Mel Pearson skating Head Coaches on Tuesday, Oct. 4 against visiting Lakehead University of Thunder Bay, Ont., at John MacInnes Student Ice Arena at 7:07 pm ET. Nebraska Omaha will host The Western Collegiate Hockey Association will conduct a 2011-12 University of British Columbia at CenturyLink Center at 7:07 pm CT, season-opening teleconference with Commissioner Bruce McLeod defending WCHA regular season and playoff champion North Dakota and the 12 conference-member men’s head coaches on Tuesday, will entertain University of Regina at Ralph Engelstad Arena at 7:07 October 4 at 11:00 am CT (12 Noon ET, 10 am MT, 8 am AT). pm CT, and Denver will go up against visiting McGill University out The teleconference will include remarks from the Commissioner, of Montreal, Que., at 7:07 pm MT at Magness Arena. a rules update from the Supervisor of Officials, and a question and Sunday (Oct. 2) brings four more exhibition games to the table, answer session with the men’s head coaches. The coaches portion of with Bemidji State hosting Regina at Sanford Center at 5:07 pm CT, the teleconference will proceed east to west to best accommodate the Minnesota Duluth hosting Lakehead at 6:07 pm CT at AMSOIL Arena, five time zones. Each coach will give a brief synopsis of the upcoming Minnesota facing-off against British Columbia at Mariucci Arena at season, followed by questions from attending media pertaining to 7:07 pm CT, and Colorado College taking on visiting McGill at 6:07 the 2011-12 season only. pm MT at the World Arena. The tentative schedule for the Oct. 4 teleconference is as follows: Then on Monday (Oct. 3), Minnesota State will see their initial ac- 11:00 am CT Commissioner Bruce McLeod tion when the Mavericks host British Columbia at Verizon Wireless Supervisor of Officials Greg Shepherd Center at 7:37 pm CT. 11:08 am CT Michigan Tech coach Mel Pearson The first regular season games of the 2011-12 campaign for WCHA- 11:16 am CT Wisconsin Head coach Mike Eaves member teams will occur the weekend of Friday-Saturday, Oct. 7-8 11:24 am CT Minnesota Duluth coach Scott Sandelin while the first conference activity is set for the weekend of Oct. 14-15. 11:32 am CT Minnesota coach Don Lucia The league schedule consists of 168 games, with each member team 11:40 am CT St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko playing 28. 11:48 am CT Minnesota State coach Troy Jutting In non-conference play on Oct. 7-8, Alaska Anchorage will host 11:56 am CT Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore Alaska Fairbanks, Clarkson and St. Cloud State in the Kendall Hockey 12:04 pm CT Nebraska Omaha coach Dean Blais Classic, Minnesota State travels to Rensselaer, Bemidji State heads to 12:12 pm CT North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol Miami, Michigan Tech hosts American International, Wisconsin enter- 12:20 pm CT Denver coach George Gwozdecky tains Northern Michigan, Minnesota Duluth welcomes Notre Dame, 12:28 pm CT Colorado College coach Scott Owens North Dakota hosts Air Force, Boston College and Michigan State in 12:36 pm CT Alaska Anchorage coach Dave Shyiak the Ice Breaker Tournament, Minnesota takes on visiting Sacred Heart, and Nebraska Omaha hosts Colgate, Mercyhurst and Robert Morris WCHA member team head coaches and staff should phone in to the in the Mutual of Omaha Stampede. Denver and Colorado College, Tuesday, Oct. 5 teleconference by 10:59 am CT. Coaches and staff meanwhile, take turns hostings the U.S. Under-18 Team in exhibition call-in number is: 1 888-245-7014. Passcode is 729388#. action. The call-in number for the media on Tuesday, Oct. 5 is: 973 935- The Western Collegiate Hockey Association, home to a record 37 2025. Passcode is 729388#. national championship teams since it’s founding in 1951 – including the most recent NCAA Frozen Four title won by Minnesota Duluth in 2011 – proudly marks it’s 60th season of on-ice competition in 2011- 12. WCHA Men’s Release • 092811 September 27, 2011 Preseason WCHA Coach of the Year Scott Owens, Colorado College (9 votes); Mel Pearson, Michigan Tech Denver, Colorado College Top 94X WCHA (5). Others receiving votes: Dean Blais, Nebraska Omaha; George Preseason Media Poll for 2011-12; DU’s Zucker Gwozdecky, Denver; Don Lucia, Minnesota; Dave Shyiak, Alaska Anchorage. Chosen as Player of the Year Preseason All-WCHA Team Courtesy Bruce Ciskie, Sports Director, Red Rock Radio Forwards: Jack Connolly, Minnesota Duluth; Jaden Schwartz, Colo- rado College (unanimous selection); Jason Zucker, Denver.