Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Notes: New Face Leads U-M into Big Ten

Freshmen starring at Michigan, Sacred Heart top the news in this week’s notebook.

Notes: New Face Leads U-M into Big Ten
Zach Nagelvoort has started seven of the last eight games for Michigan.

By Nate Ewell

New face in U-M nets – The puck drops on Big Ten conference play this weekend, including a Michigan-Ohio State home-and-home surrounding the two rivals’ meeting on the football field. As a new conference era begins, a new face has been leading the Wolverines in goal – freshman Zach Nagelvoort (Holland, Mich./Aberdeen-NAHL/Draft eligible). The rookie, whose grandparents have had season tickets at Yost Ice Arena for years, leads the NCAA in GAA (1.48) and ranks second in save percentage (.950).
Friday’s game is on BTN; Monday’s is on Fox Sports Detroit

Last Night: Cornell goaltender Mitch Gillam (Peterborough, Ont./Chilliwack-BCHL) makes history by scoring a goal in his NCAA debut.

Must Read/See/Hear Material
Irish Illustrated: Rudy on skates
St. Cloud Times: SCSU senior fishing for more goals
Mining Journal: Surprise impact of fourth liners helping NMU
B.G. Sentinel-Tribune: Fourth line helping Falcons
NHL.com: Simpson sheds shadow at North Dakota
CHI: Hockey Now Features NCAA Goalies

Five More Notes No One Should Be Without

Youth leading Pioneers – Sacred Heart snapped a seven-game losing streak with a home-and-home sweep of Army over the weekend, improving to 4-8-0 and doubling last season’s win total in the process. Freshman Justin Danforth (Oshawa, Ont./Cobourgh-OJHL) is one of only six first-year players nationwide to outright lead his team in scoring (see stats, below) and he added four assists last weekend. Danforth came to the Pioneers with some significant pedigree – after he earned MVP honors representing the OJHL in the Central Canada Cup last year his jersey was displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Freshmen Leading Teams in Scoring Outright
UAH: Regan Soquilla, 1-3—4
LSSU: Alex Globke, 7-8—15
UMD: Alex Iafallo, 5-5—10
N. Dame: Vince Hinostroza, 3-9—12
QU: Sam Anas, 10-10—20
SHU: Justin Danforth, 2-10—12

Big man on the big stage – Matt O’Connor (Toronto, Ont./Youngstown-USHL), the towering 6-foot-6 sophomore goaltender who has split most of his time in the BU nets with classmate Sean Maguire, has started three straight games for the Terriers and seems to be thriving with the workload. He heads into “Red Hot Hockey” at Madison Square Garden against Cornell after a career-high 55-save effort Saturday night against North Dakota and a .960 save percentage in the last three games.

A.A. for effort – Princeton is just 3-8-0 and has missed senior leader Andrew Calof (Nepean, Ont./Nepean-CCHL) due to injury for much of the season, but got a jolt Saturday with a third-period comeback that halted Quinnipiac’s 13-game unbeaten streak. Calof’s classmate, Andrew Ammon (Aldie, Va./Lincoln-USHL), scored the game-winner, his second GWG in four games and team-leading sixth goal on the year. Ammon, who hails from just outside Washington, D.C., took part in the Washington Capitals’ development camp this summer and worked out in August with another local product – Princeton legend Jeff Halpern, now of the Phoenix Coyotes. The Tigers travel to Michigan State for two games this weekend.

Commitment paying off at WMU – Western Michigan senior Shane Berschbach (Clawson, Mich./Indiana-USHL) is the reigning NCHC Offensive Player of the Week and enters this weekend’s Shillelagh Tournament at Notre Dame just one point shy of his total from all of last year, leading the Broncos with 6-11—17. Last season was a down year for Berschbach after averaging more than 30 points in his first two seasons, but he’s better than ever now thanks to bulking up in the offseason and renewing his commitment to being a leader for the Broncos.
Mlive.com, Nov. 11: Berschbach committed to being a leader, contributor for Broncos

Staying close at BG – Despite missing top player Ryan Carpenter (Oviedo, Fla./Sioux City-USHL) due to injury for the entire season to this point, Bowling Green is hanging around the top of the WCHA standings. The Falcons have played nine one-goal or tie games through 14 games this season, including six OT appearances. Sophomore Mark Cooper (Toronto, Ont./St. Michael’s-OJHL) has scored five of his six goals when the Falcons have been tied or trailing, including all three goals in his first college hat trick Friday night vs. Minnesota State. He finished that game in OT and added another goal on Saturday.

NHL Note of the Week

Torey Krug (Michigan State) scored in overtime Monday, giving him 7 goals on the year. That is tied for the lead among all NHL defensemen and ranks third among all NHL rookies.

Fries at the Bottom of the Bag

RIT scored twice in nine seconds in its upset of St. Lawrence Saturday, a Division I school record … Tonight’s Providence-Quinnipiac game features two of the nation’s top four teams in winning percentage and goal differential … Ferris State takes its national-best nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1) on the road, where it will play its next eight games, including visits to Michigan, Michigan State and Minnesota.