By Nate Ewell

Note of the Week

Simpson responds to rare scratch – One of last year’s surprise Frozen Four participants, Union looks to keep its NCAA hopes alive this weekend as it hosts Dartmouth in ECAC Hockey’s 4 vs. 5 matchup. Senior Wayne Simpson (15 goals) leads the Dutchmen, but he was a healthy scratch two weeks ago (Feb. 23) after scoring just once in six games. It was the first game the Boxborough, Mass., native missed in his college career. He rebounded with goals in each of the next two games and Union will look to his leadership to help extend the season this weekend.

Must Read/See/Hear Material

Infographic: Conference Tourneys at a Glance
Badgers’ slow start a distant memory – Wisconsin State Journal
As Black Bears emerge from hibernation, look out! – Portland Press-Herald
Like Fathers, Like Sons – College Hockey News
Miami’s Kennedy embraces dirty work on ice – Hamilton Journal News
True to his roots – USCHO.com
Parker meant a lot to all of college hockey – College Hockey News
Old friends take a turn at being foes – Boston Herald
Brendan Whittet interview (.mp3) – Hockey This Morning

Five More Notes No One Should Be Without

Harris soaring for UConn – Brant Harris has been an impact player since his arrival at UConn, but the junior from Saskatchewan struggled early this season, recording just one goal and one assist through Christmas. Since the holidays he shares the national lead with 28 points in 23 games, a remarkable turnaround that has helped assure the Huskies of their first winning season since 1999-00. At 4-0-1 in their last five, Brant and his teammates welcome the team with the nation’s longest active unbeaten streak to Storrs this weekend – Robert Morris (5-0-2).

Unlikeliest upset – The unlikeliest of upsets in the start of last weekend’s playoffs had to belong to Michigan State. MSU made its second visit to Fairbanks, Alaska, in a three-week span and came away with a three-game series win. The Spartans, who finished 11th in the CCHA after losing a solid senior class and two-year captain Torey Krug to pro hockey, now travel to the CCHA’s Southern-most school, regular-season champ Miami. Freshmen and sophomores have accounted for 60% of MSU’s goals, including 5 of 7 on the visit to Alaska.

Seniors lead CC – Denver recaptured the Gold Pan this season and, in the process, helped send Colorado College on the road for the first round of the WCHA Tournament. The Tigers now make the short trip up the Front Range to face their archrivals, led by a senior class motivated to continue its season – and avoid CC’s first losing season since 1992-93. Those seniors are a talented group, too, accounting for 65 goals – the most of any senior class in the country. Rylan Schwartz (15 goals), William Rapuzzi (15), Mike Boivin (14) and Scott Winkler (13, DAL pick) lead the way, with senior Joe Howe boasting a .910 save percentage in goal.

Improving rookies have Maine rolling – Maine earned the final spot in the Hockey East playoffs but enters as one of the hotter teams, thanks largely to the maturation of a freshman class that started its college career 1-9-0. Among the best in that group is 6-foot-3 defenseman Ben Hutton (VAN pick). Hutton has been paired with senior captain Mike Cornell for most of the season and seen extensive special teams duty. The numbers show his development: the Ontario native has 8 points (2g-6a) in his last 7 GP, more than half of his season total.is