By Nate Ewell
College Hockey Note of the Week
Family ties lead SLU – One of college hockey’s best rivalries takes place in the North Country of New York this weekend as Clarkson and St. Lawrence face off in a home-and-home. Saints forward Matt Carey (Hamilton, Ont./Toronto-OJHL) will get his first look at the rivalry, but he’s got a good role model to help guide him – older brother Greg (Hamilton, Ont./Burlington-OJHL). Those two rank 1-2 on the team in scoring and Greg leads the nation with 29 points, as his decision to return for his senior season and play alongside his brother is paying off for him and the Saints. They enter the rivalry weekend at 8-6-2 overall (2-2-2 ECAC Hockey) and Greg has points in 14 of 16 games, including the last 11.
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Brothers aim for Governor’s Cup – Another older brother providing an introduction to a big college rivalry occurs in Alaska this weekend, as Nanook sophomore Tyler Morley (Burnaby, B.C./Surrey-BCHL) introduces younger brother Brandon (Burnaby, B.C./Coquitlam-BCHL) to the Governor’s Cup. Alaska Anchorage hosts the weekend series, which will conclude in Fairbanks on the final weekend of the season. The two Morleys have both played center for most of the year but were united on a line Saturday night, a 2-1 loss to Michigan Tech. Tyler is following a standout freshman season with 6-6—12 in 14 GP.
Worcester’s hockey family – Among the stars of Holy Cross’s 5-4 upset of Boston College was sophomore forward Castan Sommer (Shrewsbury, Mass./Bismarck-NAHL), who doesn’t need to make a name for himself in the Worcester, Mass., hockey scene. Sommer’s father, Roy, is the longest-tenured head coach in the AHL with the Worcester Sharks. Castan had a goal and an assist against the Eagles, his first multiple-point game in more than a year. He and the Crusaders host Air Force for two games this weekend, but dad won’t be in attendance – the Sharks host games across town both nights.
Like father, like son – Josh Manson (Prince Albert, Sask./Salmon Arm-BCHL/ANA) is just a junior, but the Northeastern captain is leading the Huskies to new heights. The championship at Notre Dame’s Shillelagh Tournament helped NU match last season’s win total (9-5-2) entering Friday’s showdown with No. 4 Providence. The son of longtime NHLer Dave Manson (and one of 42 sons of NHLers in college hockey), Josh is a big (6-3, 220), physical presence on the blueline, much like his dad, despite playing forward until junior hockey.
Boston Herald: Huskies carry big Shillelagh
Linebacker U starts Big Ten play – Penn State makes history this weekend as it visits Wisconsin for its first Big Ten series. Freshman forward Zach Saar (Richland, Mich./Muskegon-USHL) has family roots with Nittany Lion athletics, but they pre-date the school’s Big Ten history – his father, Brad, was a linebacker for PSU’s 1982 national championship football team. Zach, who scored his first collegiate goal Sunday against Union and has four points on the year, brings a linebacker’s frame to the ice, checking in at 6-4, 236 pounds.
GoPSUSports: Saar’s Penn State connection starts at home
UND’s Schmaltz family – The past, present and future of North Dakota athletics resides in the Schmaltz family, where Mike played football a generation ago. Now son Nick (Verona, Wis./Green Bay-USHL/STL) patrols the UND blueline as a sophomore and one of five first-round NHL Draft picks in college hockey. Next year he’ll be joined – at North Dakota and, likely, as a first-round pick – by younger brother Nick, a flashy forward who is committed to play for North Dakota.
NHL Note of the Week
Updated NCAA alums in the NHL, by school:
18 – Boston College
17 – Michigan, Wisconsin
16 – Michigan State
15 – Minnesota
12 – Boston University
10 – Denver, North Dakota
Fries at the Bottom of the Bag
From Nov. 26 through Dec. 8, a span of 13 days, only two days – Thanksgiving and Wednesday, Dec. 4 – will have had no Division I games … The U.S. Under-18 Team makes its annual visit across town for an exhibition against Michigan Thursday … Quinnipiac has scored three or more goals in each of its last 16 games … Denver has the nation’s top PK unit and No. 3 PP, the only team in the top 10 in both categories.