Top teams shake off the rust in holiday tourneys
From Florida to Detroit, the top teams will be preparing for the second half of the season by competing in holiday tournaments this weekend.
To get you prepared for the many holiday hockey tournaments, INCH previews a sampling from around the country. For more information, visit InsideCollegeHockey.com.
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit
Friday, December 29
Michigan State vs. Harvard
Michigan vs. Michigan Tech
Saturday, December 30
Consolation game
Championship game
Last Season
Colorado College coasted to its first GLI title, jumping to a 6-0 lead in beating Michigan State 6-3 in the championship game. The Tigers thrashed Michigan 6-1 on the first day, and Joey Crabb won tourney MVP honors with his seven-point effort.
The Spartans beat Michigan Tech 3-2 in overtime in the first round, then the Wolverines bettered their tournament co-hosts 5-3 in the consolation match.
Interesting Historical Facts
Michigan has lost its last eight GLI games to teams other than Michigan Tech, dating back to a 1999 win over Lake Superior State. The Wolverines are 5-1 against Tech during that span. … History suggests that the winner of the MSU-Harvard game will take the tournament crown. Since 1997, the GLI has been won by either the Spartans or the "guest" participant. … Harvard captain Dylan Reese and MSU captain Chris Lawrence were teammates on the Pittsburgh Forge's 2003 NAHL championship squad. … This is Harvard's fifth GLI appearance, and first since 1991.
What to Watch
The best bet for thrill-a-minute hockey would be keeping an eye on the Michigan tandem of T.J. Hensick and Kevin Porter. Hensick might be the best playmaker in the college game, and Porter has made a living as the marksman at the other end of Hensick's passes.
Speaking of slick playmakers, MSU's Tim Kennedy has emerged as a highlight generator this season, showing quick feet and even quicker hands as he has jumped to the top of the Spartans' scoring chart.
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INCH's previews: • Dodge • UConn • Denver • Ohio • Ledyard • Badger • Vermont |
The Crimson, who have played just one game in the last month, are led by senior center Kevin Du and senior defenseman Dylan Reese. Neither is spectacular in the jaw-dropping sense, but both are spectacular in terms of playing hockey the right way.
How We See It
This might be the toughest GLI to call in years, with all four entrants capable of winning the thing. Michigan and Michigan State are far from invincible, Harvard is supposed to be better than its record, and Michigan Tech is better than it has been. The Huskies, who haven't won the event since 1980, are the only team not shorthanded because of the world junior tournament. Michigan is missing defenseman Jack Johnson and forward Andrew Cogliano. MSU is short forward Justin Abdelkader. Harvard is without forward Jimmy Fraser. Might that open the door for Tech?
First, the Huskies will have to get past the mighty Wolverines … and we'll say they do. Tech's defense has tightened significantly this season, and Michigan has not played well without Johnson in the lineup. In the other semi, we'll take MSU over rusty Harvard and former Spartans goalie Justin Tobe. That sets up an intriguing final between Michigan Tech and Michigan State -- one that could go either way. Though we'd love to see the Huskies end their quarter-century-plus GLI drought, we'll take MSU on the condition that goalie Jeff Lerg continues his improved play. (And for the other guys, we'll go with Michigan over Harvard in overtime in the consolation game.)
Florida College Classic
TECO Arena, Estero, Fla.
Cornell vs. New Hampshire
Saturday, December 30
Third-place game
Championship game
Last Year
Senior forward Cam Abbott scored Cornell's only regulation goal and potted the game-winner in the Big Red's 3-2 shootout victory over Minnesota Duluth to win the Ned Harkness Cup. Goaltender David McKee was named MVP after allowing one goal in 125 minutes. Cornell breezed past Northeastern in the opening round with a 3-0 victory. McKee only needed to make 13 saves to preserve the shutout.
Maine knocked off Hockey East foe Northeastern 4-2 in the consolation game. The Black Bears' big names -- Greg Moore, Michel Léveillé and Derek Damon -- each scored a goal while Moore also added an assist. Ben Bishop stopped 16 shots to earn the win.
Minnesota Duluth smoked Maine in the opening round by a 4-1 margin and outshot the Black Bears 42-23. Michael Gergen scored two goals for the Bulldogs, including an empty-netter, and Justin Williams added a goal and an assist. Matt Lundin made 38 saves in the loss while his brother, Mike Lundin, scored Maine's only goal.
Interesting Historical Facts
Maine and Cornell have played in every one of these tournaments since the inaugural one in 2000, which was then called the Everblades College Classic. The Black Bears and Big Red have each won two tournaments. Maine won two of the first three, including the first, and Cornell has won two of the last three, including the last. The Black Bears and Big Red share identical 6-6 records in the tournament's six-year history.
The two have only met in the finals once -- the inaugural event -- with Maine winning 2-1. They have only met in the first round once, also, with Maine winning 3-2. The Big Red came away victorious in their only consolation round meeting, 4-3. Each team has one consolation round win.
After reaching the final in the first three years, the Black Bears have lost in the opening round of the tournament three years in a row. Last year's 4-2 win over Northeastern in the consolation round ended Maine's five-game losing streak in the Classic. After Cornell won its first ever game in the tourney -- a 6-5 overtime decision over Ohio State -- it went on a five-game skid of its own.
Who to Watch
The first game looks like a bit of a mismatch on paper with Western Michigan stacking up against Maine. The Black Bears got off to an immaculate start before fading a bit, losing three in a row and going winless in four out of five games. They have since gone 2-0-1 in their last three. Offensively, Léveillé leads the charge with 12 goals and eight assists, but freshman Teddy Purcell has been extremely fun to watch with five goals and 13 assists. Bishop has a .927 save percentage and 1.75 goals-against average for the Black Bears. Mark Letestu (9-10--19), Jeff Pierce (5-11--16) and Brian Bicek (8-5--13) lead the Broncos attack.
The second game is a little more of a premier showcase. New Hampshire (second in the INCH Power Rankings) and Cornell (12th) are both playing solid defense. The Wildcats are fourth in the country in scoring defense, allowing a stingy 1.94 goals per game, while Cornell is 12th (2.33). UNH is back to its old ways on offense, scoring 4.38 goals per game, which ranks second in all the land. The Big Red rank 13th at 3.5 per game.
Trevor Smith is making an early push for Hockey East Player of the Year with a conference-leading 24 points. Matt Fornataro, Mike Radja, Jacob Micflikier, Jerry Pollastrone and Brett Hemingway all have at least 16 points, making UNH's top two lines as dangerous as any in the country. Kevin Regan has a .925 save percentage and 2.22 goals-against average for the Wildcats.
Topher Scott leads the Big Red in scoring with 15 points, while Jared Seminoff, Tony Romano and Mark McCutcheon are all in double digits.
How We See It
Though Maine hasn't been immune from the upset this season, the Black Bears should be a little too strong for Western Michigan. On the other side of the bracket, UNH will have too much offense for Cornell to handle, which is something a lot of quality teams are finding out this season. That sets up a great Northeast rivalry in the backdrop of a Floridian sunset for the championship. The Wildcats traveled to Orono earlier this season and slapped Maine around by an 8-2 clip on Nov. 12, which marked the Black Bears' first loss of the season. It was also the first of three losses in a row for Maine. More importantly, it jump-started UNH to its current nine-game winning streak. These aren't just small wins, either. Three of those victories have come by two goals, while the rest have come by three or more. The Wildcats will dance in Estero on Saturday night as 5-3 winners.
Check out insidecollegehockey.com for more college hockey information.
