2023-24 NCAA Hockey

[SW_Mustang]

Augie got the road sweep AND Coach Rabs got another gold medal with with the World Junior team. Augie is in prime position to host a CCHA Tournament game or two, that would be awesome.

Should be a good battle in Mankato in the nextmonth. I might go check that one out.

[Augieholic]

Old News at this point but Augie swept Colorado College. Huge series. I knew that program would be up to par quickly.

Augie got the road sweep AND Coach Rabs got another gold medal with with the World Junior team. Augie is in prime position to host a CCHA Tournament game or two, that would be awesome.

[SW_Mustang]

Old News at this point but Augie swept Colorado College. Huge series. I knew that program would be up to par quickly. Great time to be a hockey fan in SF - Augie and the Stampede are winnin'.

Speaking of the Stampede, they scored 10 goals against Madison Saturday night. Good for TWO chicken sandwich vouchers!

[crixus]

Alaska Anchorage broke a six game losing streak by spliting a pair of games at Niagara this weekend. UAA won tonight, 3-1. Winning on the road against a good team is a big deal.

Go Seawolves!

[crixus]

My favorite college hockey team Alaska Anchorage lost two at Western Michigan, last night and this afternoon. That's five losses in a row for the Seawolves. Up next: Two games at Niagara, Jan. 10 and 11.

Go Seawolves!

[SW_Mustang]

Santa delivered me a present over the holidays - well, really it was USPS but that's the same idea.

Puck #4 arrived. My beloved Minnesota State University Mavericks. The back appears to be signed too - possibly by Campbell Cichosz, but I can't tell for sure.

Absolutely love the program, and both the MSU official people I've met as well as the fanbase at large has been super welcoming. I've never lived there but feel at home when I visit the barn - so I'm super excited to add this to my shelf.

[SW_Mustang]

Thoughts on UNLV beating Denver? I know technically it was a tie with the Rebels getting the unofficial shootout win, but since the entire game was unofficial - UNLV won in my book. The highlights are unreal. Vegas wearing down a Pioneer squad in front of a big yet silent crowd, with the announcers clearly unable to understand what they are seeing. It's wonderful.

That being said - UNLV isn't quite the David vs. Goliath story that sounds nice on TV. They'd probably be a competent DI team themselves.

It would be cool if UNLV considered joining the NCAA after this too. That's a longshot, but I have to wonder if the thought hasn't crossed their minds after this weekend. With the CHL ruling, I think this was a great thing for college hockey.

Also - I don't buy the "it's an exhibition, it doesn't matter" excuse. Denver had to have known that a loss would be national hockey news, especially after the first few goals were scored. At that point, if they chose not to take it seriously, then it's their own fault.

[crixus]

The 2025 Cactus Cup will be held in my part of the world (SoCal) this coming weekend, January 3rd and 4th. Hope to see ya' there!

https://www.therinklive.com/mens-col...prings-in-2025

[crixus]

Alaska Anchorage lost a roadie to Dartmouth today, 5-4. The Seawolves have lost a lot of games by one goal this season. It's very frustrating to watch, but when it's your team you hang on tight.

[SW_Mustang]

Your bucket list sounds great. I've been to Alaska a couple of times already and I saw the Ice Dogs play when I was in Fairbanks but I didn't think of getting a puck. It's brutally cold there, but this SoCal boy survived, so it should be fairly easy for a Minnesota boy like you. I also went to Ketchikan, but it was in the summer and I don't think they have a hockey arena...at least I did'nt see one. I saw a lot of bears though. People pay a lot of money to have tour guides take them to see grizzly bears in the wild. I was told by a local to just go to the dump and I can see them for free, so I did and they were there chowing down. There's a hill nearby where you can watch the bears without them noticing.

I've been to some other minor league hockey games during my travels where I didn't get pucks either: the Steelheads in Boise, Idaho - the Wildcats in Wichita Falls, Texas (that team has since gone defunct) and the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Palm Desert, CA. So I guess you could say that I only buy pucks from teams that I'm a fan of. I think it was on Halloween night in 2014 that I saw the game in Fairbanks and the snow outside was already pretty deep. From there I took a tour up the infamous Dalton Highway seen on Ice Road Truckers to see the Northern Lights in Coldfoot, Alaska (which is waaay up north above the Arctic Circle). We could see them that night, but not real good because of cloud cover. But it was good enough to make them out so the tour guide made sure that we all got official certificates from the state of Alaska which was nice. But I'd rather have a great picture. Oh well, maybe it will happen when I go to Anchorage next year? Let's Go Seawolves!

I wouldn't mind making it up to Alaska some day! Fairbanks moved to Marshall temporarily during the pandemic because of travel restrictions. It's a much smaller barn, but they basically sold out every game. The town loved having them and they loved being there - so when it was time to move back to Fairbanks, they arranged for one series a year to be played in their "other" home.

I'd love to see some minor pro hockey. We don't have any in Minnesota - there's a team in South Dakota in Rapid City, one in Des Moines and one in Kansas City. Kinda long drives on all of them - but some day I'll go.

I'll post a picture of Los Alamos when I get a chance, but the rink predates the Manhattan Project. It's crazy to think they've had hockey there for that long. In fact they bought one of the first Zambonis ever made which is now in a museum in Minnesota. Absolutely gorgeous scenery.

[crixus]

Nice! I actually despise winter so being a hockey tourist gives me something to do instead of just sitting at home for six months. My goal is to see as many high school and above arenas as I can. Unfortunately I won't see many this year because of car issues - so hopefully next year.

#1 on my bucket list is to see a game in Los Alamos, New Mexico - though it's not an arena, just an ODR. Ideally I'd go if the Ice Wolves play there again, but that might have been a one-off ordeal. I'll probably add the Watertown Shamrocks this year, and if I go to Weiner Dog night in Sioux Falls I'll get a puck for them too.


I added a Fairbanks Ice Dogs puck last week. I stopped at their game on my way to Mankato. Kinda cool that an Alaskan team calls Marshall home for one weekend a year.

Your bucket list sounds great. I've been to Alaska a couple of times already and I saw the Ice Dogs play when I was in Fairbanks but I didn't think of getting a puck. It's brutally cold there, but this SoCal boy survived, so it should be fairly easy for a Minnesota boy like you. I also went to Ketchikan, but it was in the summer and I don't think they have a hockey arena...at least I did'nt see one. I saw a lot of bears though. People pay a lot of money to have tour guides take them to see grizzly bears in the wild. I was told by a local to just go to the dump and I can see them for free, so I did and they were there chowing down. There's a hill nearby where you can watch the bears without them noticing.

I've been to some other minor league hockey games during my travels where I didn't get pucks either: the Steelheads in Boise, Idaho - the Wildcats in Wichita Falls, Texas (that team has since gone defunct) and the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Palm Desert, CA. So I guess you could say that I only buy pucks from teams that I'm a fan of. I think it was on Halloween night in 2014 that I saw the game in Fairbanks and the snow outside was already pretty deep. From there I took a tour up the infamous Dalton Highway seen on Ice Road Truckers to see the Northern Lights in Coldfoot, Alaska (which is waaay up north above the Arctic Circle). We could see them that night, but not real good because of cloud cover. But it was good enough to make them out so the tour guide made sure that we all got official certificates from the state of Alaska which was nice. But I'd rather have a great picture. Oh well, maybe it will happen when I go to Anchorage next year? Let's Go Seawolves!

[SW_Mustang]

The only hockey pucks I have are a Ontario Reign (LA Kings AHL team) puck from their inaugural game. And one from the San Jose Sharks (my favorite NHL team). I'm $aving to make the trip to Anchorage to go sight seeing by train to Seward and back, hiking and to take in a Seawolves game. I hope to buy a UAA puck then.

Nice! I actually despise winter so being a hockey tourist gives me something to do instead of just sitting at home for six months. My goal is to see as many high school and above arenas as I can. Unfortunately I won't see many this year because of car issues - so hopefully next year.

#1 on my bucket list is to see a game in Los Alamos, New Mexico - though it's not an arena, just an ODR. Ideally I'd go if the Ice Wolves play there again, but that might have been a one-off ordeal. I'll probably add the Watertown Shamrocks this year, and if I go to Weiner Dog night in Sioux Falls I'll get a puck for them too.


I added a Fairbanks Ice Dogs puck last week. I stopped at their game on my way to Mankato. Kinda cool that an Alaskan team calls Marshall home for one weekend a year.

[SW_Mustang]

Ebay has this one for St. Cloud, but I wouldn't pay that for one. UGH!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18349435517...Bk9SR-KNlJz4ZA

Ha, I saw that. Not to mention that thing is ugly. C'mon NCHC! The design on the front of that thing looks like St. Cloud's football team - non existent. Commissioner's choice, perhaps?

I suppose I could just email athletic departments. It's what I'm going to have to do for the USHL teams (hopefully Omaha hasn't hired their email guy as HC yet). Offer to buy one outright or make a donation to the school.

[crixus]

Friday night final - Augustana beat the UAA Seawolves 3-2 in overtime. UAA doesn't play again until Dec. 28 & 29 when they face Dartmouth in New Hampshire.

[crixus]

The only hockey pucks I have are a Ontario Reign (LA Kings AHL team) puck from their inaugural game. And one from the San Jose Sharks (my favorite NHL team). I'm $aving to make the trip to Anchorage to go sight seeing by train to Seward and back, hiking and to take in a Seawolves game. I hope to buy a UAA puck then.