Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Notes: SLU’s Scratch Scorer

Marnell heads back across the pond – this time with skates instead of clubs – plus more.

Notes: SLU's Scratch Scorer
St. Lawrence’s Mike Marnell is one of three players nationally with a four-goal game this year.

By Nate Ewell

St. Lawrence arrived in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2), including a four-goal game from junior Mike Marnell (S. Huntington, N.Y./Des Moines-USHL) Saturday vs. Brown. Marnell – one of three players nationally with a four-goal game this year – is no stranger to the other side of the Atlantic. An avid golfer, Marnell has played St. Andrews and told his USHL team web site “it was actually pretty easy.” He shot a 75. The Saints face Quinnipiac Friday in a conference game featuring the top two teams in the ECAC Hockey standings and either Massachusetts or Vermont on Saturday. | The Friendship Four is on American Sports Network, NESN and TSN

News this week: TSN schedule announced


Must Read/See/Hear Material

Bemidji Pioneer: Versatile Arentz breaks scoring drought for BSU
Pucks & Rec: Family & a Tanzanian experience at core of John Wiitala
SBN College Hockey: Rookie Davies shining on Northeastern blue line
SBN College Hockey: From hockey dad to going viral to back to work
College Hockey News: Freshman goaltending duo boosts Michigan
IIHF.com: Demko to keep promise

Listen to “Surging Teams and Thankful Things” on Spreaker.

Five More Storylines No One Should be Without

Home for Thanksgiving – The Thanksgiving holiday rarely offers hockey players – at any age – a chance to go home. Holy Cross’s Scott Pooley (Granger, Ind./Muskegon-USHL) not only heads home this weekend, but will play against his father – Notre Dame associate head coach Paul Pooley – in the Irish’s Shillelagh Tournament. Pooley has been a point-per-game player as a senior for the Crusaders, who have already knocked off Providence and Union this season.

Turnaround at BGSU – Bowling Green’s 0-6-1 start is a distant memory thanks to a 6-1-0 run. Mitch McLain (Baxter, Minn./Langley-BCHL) has 10 points in that stretch, including a hat trick on Saturday, to fuel an offense scoring 4.42 goals per game in that time. McLain was a three-sport athlete at Brainerd High School in Minnesota (football, baseball) and a two-year captain with the Langley Rivermen. He and the Falcons host Alaska Anchorage this weekend hoping to extend their four-game winning streak.

BGSURecordGF/GPGA/GPPPPK
Thru 10/280-6-12.004.4310.0%67.3%
Since 10/286-1-04.431.8621.1%83.3%

Kunin leading Wisconsin – Of 49 teams with a single captain, Wisconsin’s Luke Kunin (Chesterfield, Mo./U.S. NTDP/MIN) is the only sophomore (St. Cloud State co-captain Jimmy Schuldt is also a sophomore). Kunin brings a combination of leadership and tremendous skill to the Badgers, who are 6-4-0 after an 8-19-8 season last year. Kunin leads the team in goals (6) and shots (33) heading into visits to Colorado College and Denver this weekend.

Denver’s do-it-all captain – Denver remains unbeaten in NCHC action and ranked second nationally entering a non-conference weekend against in-state rival Air Force and former WCHA foe Wisconsin. The Pioneers are led by a Wisconsin native in senior defenseman Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis./U.S. NTDP/COL), a returning All-American and one of the top offensive defensemen in the nation. Butcher has points in 8 of 12 games on the year, including 5 of the last 6.

Unbeaten Teams in Conference Play
Bemidji State (11-0-1)
Boston College (6-0-1)
St. Lawrence (5-0-1)
Denver (3-0-3)
The Big Ten conference schedule begins Dec. 1

Darrar develops at UVM – Vermont enters the Friendship Four boasting seven wins and a breakthrough season from leading scorer Rob Darrar (Monroe Twp., N.J./Dubuque-USHL), a junior who already has career highs in goals (5) and points (8). Darrar’s father, Kevin, played college football but it’s certainly a hockey family now. His older brother Mike played at Western New England and his younger brother Kevin is a freshman at Holy Cross. Rob leads a balanced offense for the Catamounts, who have goals from 17 players through 12 games. | The Friendship Four is on American Sports Network, NESN and TSN


Fries at the Bottom of the Bag

Boston College will retire Hobey Baker Award winner Mike Mottau’s jersey at Sunday’s game vs. Minnesota … Tuesday Sacred Heart’s Justin Danforth (Oshawa, Ont./Cobourg-OJHL) became the 11th active player to top 100 points; St. Lawrence senior Gavin Bayreuther (Canaan, N.H./Fargo-USHL) is the highest scoring active defenseman and next in line with 98 career points … Penn State (11-1-1) is outshooting opponents by 23.69 shots per game, more than double the next-closest team (RIT, +10.08).