Friday, January 6, 2012

Weekend Breakout: Jan. 6-8

Weekend Breakout: Jan. 6-8

College hockey is in the spotlight this weekend, and deservedly so. Our friends at insidecollegehockey.com noted that this weekend “is arguably, from top to bottom, the best weekend of college hockey to date.” A few of the highlights are noted below.

Fenway foursome – Boston’s “lyric little bandbox of a ballpark,” as John Updike called Fenway Park, hosts four of New England’s state universities Saturday in the 2012 installment of Sun Life Frozen Fenway. Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont all occupy the bottom half of the Hockey East standings at the moment, so Fenway’s bright lights offer the perfect setting to start the second half of the season on a positive note. The games, at 4 p.m. (UMass vs. UVM) and 7:30 p.m. (Maine vs. UNH) will air live on NESN and on replay Sunday on the NHL Network.

Also On TV – Friday: Dartmouth at Rensselaer (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network), Minnesota Duluth at Western Michigan (7:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network), Lake Superior State at Michigan (7 p.m. ET, Fox College Sports), RIT at Wisconsin (8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network). Saturday: Notre Dame at Minnesota (8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network).

Hope Springs – Two top-15 teams meet up in Colorado Springs this weekend as Colorado College hosts Cornell for two games. It’s the final opportunity for both to prove themselves outside of their conferences and pits the nation’s No. 3 offense (Colorado College) against the No. 3 defense (Cornell). The Tigers bring back Jaden Schwartz from the Canadian junior team, with he and brother Rylan leading a group that averages nearly four goals per game.

Northern Exposure – North Dakota and Clarkson take our game across the border Saturday night for what’s been dubbed the U.S. College Hockey Classic at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre. The event allows Winnipeg fans to get a first-hand look at two top programs. In addition, College Hockey, Inc. will conduct a presentation for young players and their parents prior to the teams’ morning skates to introduce them to the U.S. college route.

Future watch – With Don Lucia facing his alma mater shortly after the passing of legendary Notre Dame coach Lefty Smith, Saturday’s Minnesota-Notre Dame game will have a sense of nostalgia. NHL fans can tune in to the Big Ten Network with an eye to the future, however, as 27 NHL Draft picks will suit up for the two teams representing 17 NHL franchises. Columbus, with Jake Hansen, Seth Ambroz and Anders Lee, has the most prospects taking part.

In the show – They Stanley Cup rematch is the headline when Boston hosts Vancouver Saturday at 1 p.m., but the game has a number of college storylines as well. An unsung hero in Boston’s incredible run is Rich Peverley, who was acquired at the trade deadline last season and became the first St. Lawrence alum to have his name inscribed on the Stanley Cup as a player. Peverley has 27 points in 33 games for the Bruins and has demonstrated a versatility that allows head coach Claude Julien to utilize him at different positions or on different lines and in all situations. The eighth-year pro is on pace to surpass his career high of 55 points recorded with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009-10.