Sponsored By
An organization or individual has paid for the creation of this work but did not approve or review it.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Weekend Rewind: The playoffs are upon us

Huskies vs. Bulldogs and Fighting Hawks vs. Mavericks are both set for rematches in the playoffs. Gophers women win WCHA Final Faceoff.

SCSU vs UMD_0574.jpg
St. Cloud State goaltender Jaxon Castor (40) catches a shot by Minnesota Duluth forward Tanner Laderoute (13) in the first period Friday, March 3, 2023, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.
Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

Lots of similarities occurred in last weekend's NCHC series between St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth. UMD had leads after the first period in both games, but SCSU scored two goals in the second period in both games and each ended up one-goal games. Matt Wellens and Mick Hatten break down last weekend's series and the rematch in the opening round of the NCHC playoffs this weekend in St. Cloud.

In Grand Forks, North Dakota picked up five out of six points against Nebraska Omaha, which ended up finishing third in the NCHC. Brad Schlossman talks about that series and this weekend's rematch between the two teams in the first round of the NCHC playoffs, this time in Omaha.

In the Big 10, top-seeded Minnesota took an interesting approach to the off week and Jess Myers discusses what the Gophers did with the absence of games. Myers also talks about the Big 10 playoffs, which saw Michigan sweep Wisconsin and Ohio State beat Penn State in three games and Michigan State beat Notre Dame in three games.

In the WCHA, Ohio State beat UMD in the semifinals, but the Buckeyes ended up losing the Final Faceoff championship game to Minnesota. The Gophers beat Wisconsin in the semifinals. UMD and Minnesota are in the same regional for the NCAA tournament and that regional will be played at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. Myers and Wellens discuss the outlook for the Gophers and Bulldogs, respectively.

Host Sydney Wolf also talks about the boys state hockey tournaments, which will be played this week in St. Paul.

ADVERTISEMENT

The question of the week is: Who is your vote for MVP of the league(s) you cover for the regular season?

Mick Hatten is a reporter and editor for Forum News Service and helps manage TheRinkLive.com, a website dedicated to hockey. He began working for Forum Communications in November 2018 and has covered St. Cloud State University hockey since 2010. A graduate of St. Cloud State, he has more than 30 years of experience as a journalist and has been a youth hockey coach since 2014. mhatten@forumcomm.com

For more coverage of St. Cloud and the surrounding communities, check out St. Cloud Live.
What to read next
A look back at the NCAA women's Frozen Four; Michigan beating Minnesota for Big 10 playoff title; SCSU beating UND, Colorado College to win NCHC. Also a look ahead to NCAA men's regionals
Nadine Muzerall has won a national championship as a player and as a coach. On The Rink Live podcast, she talks about the challenges for her top-ranked team and previews the national semifinals game
A look at how UND, SCSU got to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, the Gophers chances in the women's Frozen Four and the men's conference title game and our panel makes predictions for this weekend's playoffs
Mick Hatten and Jess Myers talk to today's newsmakers about the State of Hockey
Get Local

ADVERTISEMENT