Thursday, November 10, 2016

Notes: Bobcat Brothers

Cliftons fuel Quinnipiac at both ends of the ice, plus much more.

Notes: Bobcat Brothers
Tim Clifton (left) celebrates a Quinnipiac goal in the 2016 NCAA semifinal (Photo by Larry Radloff).

By Nate Ewell

Quinnipiac is once again in the nation’s top 10, entering a home weekend with Dartmouth and Harvard at No. 7 or 8 in the polls. A pair of senior brothers are leading the Bobcats at the two ends of the ice – top scorer Tim Clifton (Matawan, N.J./Jersey-EJHL) and stalwart defenseman Connor Clifton (Matawan, N.J./U.S. NTDP/ARI). Both could have left school for NHL contracts after leading Quinnipiac to the national title game last season, but returned to complete their degrees and pursue that title again. | Saturday’s game is on SNY


Must Read/See/Hear Material

Wisconsin State Journal: Pro projection leaves Frederic with something to prove
Pucks & Rec: Devin Buffalo’s experience in ‘a completely different world’
Lowell Sun: Smith feels need for speed
Duluth News Tribune: Popularity of SCSU’s Peterson on the rise
Cronkite Sports: Brotherly bond brings out the best in Pasichnuks
SB Nation College Hockey: BC’s Joe Woll | BU’s Jordan Greenway
College Hockey News: Grasso already writing a great story
Washington Post: Chorney, Oshie visit alma mater

Listen to “Can’t Miss Viewing & the Week Ahead” on Spreaker.

Five More Storylines No One Should be Without

UAH’s 1-2 punch – Alabama-Huntsville is 4-3-1 in the WCHA and just one win shy of its conference victory total from a year ago following a weekend sweep at Alaska Anchorage. Junior Max McHugh (Seattle, Wash./Dubuque-USHL) leads the team in scoring for the third straight year. He is bolstered by linemate and hometown hero Josh Kestner (Huntsville, Ala./Sarnia-GOJHL), who is enjoying his best season. That duo has accounted for nearly 25% of the Chargers shots. | College Hockey News: Team of the Week

Future Ranger savers – Freshmen goaltenders are having a big impact in the early going – six of the top 10 nationally in save percentage are rookies – including two New York Rangers draft picks shining in Hockey East. UMass Lowell’s Tyler Wall (Leamington, Ont./Leamington-OJHL/NYR) and UConn’s Adam Huska (Zvolen, Slovakia/Green Bay-USHL/NYR) both have save percentages north of .930, boding well for the future at those schools and – perhaps – in the Madison Square Garden crease someday.

Best Save Percentage, Freshmen
.946 – Francis Marotte, Robert Morris
.944 – Hayden Lavigne, Michigan
.941 – Jake Oettinger, Boston University (Draft elig.)
.936 – Jack LaFontaine, Michigan (CAR)
.935 – Adam Huska, Connecticut (NYR)
.932 – Tyler Wall, UMass Lowell (NYR)

MSU’s young guns – Michigan State has gotten an offensive spark from a first line featuring a sophomore – Mason Appleton (Green Bay, Wisc./Tri-City-USHL/WPG) – and two freshmen – Taro Hirose (Calgary, Alta./Salmon Arm-BCHL) and Patrick Khodorenko (Walnut Creek, Calif./U.S. NTDP). Hirose, who ranked fourth in the BCHL in assists last year, has points in three straight games. He is a relatively small (5-foot-10, 160 pounds) but crafty playmaker who has a fitting favorite NHL player – former Hobey Baker Award winner Johnny Gaudreau.

Transfer of power – Graduate transfers are relatively rare in NCAA hockey, but Canisius goaltender Charles Williams (Canton, Mich./Lincoln-USHL) – who has a degree from Ferris State – is one making a big impact. Williams spent four seasons with the Bulldogs but did not play in 2014-15, giving him a year of eligibility while he pursues his master’s in sport administration. Williams has 40-plus saves in three straight games, including back-to-back wins vs. RIT last weekend. His .944 save percentage ranks fourth nationally.

Mason building upon freshman year – Colorado College split its opening NCHC weekend at Omaha and the incredibly young Tigers – who played 17 freshmen and sophomores last weekend – host St. Cloud State for their first conference home games this weekend. Sophomore Mason Bergh (Eden Prairie, Minn./Chicago-USHL) is nearly halfway to his point total last year (13) and leads the team with four goals, three of which came last weekend. Bergh, who won a state championship at Eden Prairie High School and then starred for the USHL’s Chicago Steel, has the potential to be a star for CC as head coach Mike Haviland’s young team continues to develop. | Friday’s game is on ASN


NHL Note of the Week

Rookie defenseman Zach Werenski, who spent the past two years at Michigan, is one point shy of the NHL lead in defenseman scoring. The two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection scored in overtime Wednesday, his first NHL game-winner.

Fries at the Bottom of the Bag

Three teams are in the top 10 nationally in both power play and penalty kill: Bemidji State, Wisconsin and Yale … ECAC Hockey travel partners Dartmouth (2-0-1) and Harvard (3-0-1) are the last two remaining teams without a loss … Through nine games, Penn State (7-1-1) has outshot teams by an average of 20.67 shots per game.