College Hockey   CC Tigers and USAFA Falcons Hockey

U.S. coach Scott Gordon named Atlanta defenseman and former Tiger Mark Stuart as team captain.  The U.S. opens tournament play at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships against Austria at 8:15 a.m. MT Saturday on Versus.

“I’ve known him since my days at Providence in the Boston organization and the people at USA Hockey know him,” Gordon told USA Today on Friday. “We know him and how he carries himself. … he represents what you want your players to be like.”

Mike Komisarek (Toronto), Mike Brown (Toronto), Jack Johnson (Los Angeles) and Paul Gaustad (Buffalo) are alternates.

USA HOCKEY EXPERIENCE:

2007-08: Made first appearance on the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men’s Championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Quebec City, Quebec.

2003-04: Captained U.S. National Junior Team to its first-ever gold medal at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship in Helsinki and Hameenlinna, Finland … Skated in all six games and recorded two assists.

 2002-03: Appeared in all seven games for the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2003 IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia … Notched one assist.

2001-02: Skated in 61 games for the U.S. National Under-18 Team, part of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program … Totaled 20 points (9-11) … Played in all eight games for the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that captured its first-ever gold-medal at the 2002 IIHF World Men’s U18 Championship in Piestany and Trnava, Slovakia … Served as team captain … Tallied one goal and two assists.

2000-01: Competed in 64 games for the U.S. National Under-17 Team, part of USA Hockey’s NTDP … Led all defensemen with 19 points (3-16).

Boston College’s fan blog finally seems to be over the Eagles’ loss to the Tigers in the NCAAs and removed CC hockey from its hate list, left, from a week earlier.

Minnesota announced its 2011-12 schedule, which confirms the Jan. 20-21 home dates against CC. Bemidji State did the same, confirming the Feb. 10-11 home dates against the Tigers. There’s hope the Tigers will make their annoucement next week.

Nonconference foe Union added a goalie recruit.

Former Tiger Guy Gadowsky is already reaching out to Penn State hockey alumni. He’s no dummy as proven by his quote praising Joe Paterno. Here’s a video interview from earlier this week.

Eric Rud said a decision on a hire at Michigan Tech would happen in two to three weeks after they interview a few more people. In the read-into-it-what-you-will department, that timeframe would be after the USHL playoffs may be over for Rud’s Green Bay Gamblers.

Scott Winkler’s progress at CC is reviewed in a piece on the Stars’ college prospects by Hockey’s Future.

North Dakota’s beat writer (one of the best around) looks ahead to the incoming recruits and theorizes about the top two lines. Wisconsin’s fan blog looks at returning defensemen.

Former Tiger Brian Swanson scored in a 4-3 OT win over Victoria in the ECHL playoffs.

Although not college hockey-ralted, news that this rapper and Swedish Idol reject — think William Hung — signed with the Leafs is worth this link. Enjoy the music.

The AHCA meetings are now fully underway as of this morning in Naples, Fla. I’ll keep the best track of any big developments I can from here.

The Gazette started its series on concussions. Here’s a CC story about dealing with the injury with interviews of former Tigers Nate Prosser and Mike Testwuide and a general piece that includes some hockey info. More will be published online and the dead trees edition over the next couple days.

Former Tiger Brian Swanson scored with 8.9 seconds to lift the Alaska Aces to a 1-0 lead in its ECHL playoff series with Victoria. He is the last former Tiger left playing the ECHL playoffs after Jimmy Kilpatrick’s Greenville Road Warriors lost in Game 7 to Wheeling Wednesday night.

Derek Patrosso’s future in Fort Wayne is unsettled, as is the CHL and the Komets franchise.

Here’s an interesting column from the Sioux beat writer about the NCAA Tournament format.

Former Tiger Mark Stuart, who is in Slovakia playing for Team USA, took part in a Q&A with the Atlanta newspaper.

Here’s the stats from an exhibition game Stuart played in today:

Scoring By Period

First Period – Scoring: 1, AUS, Latusa (Welser, Trattnig), 8:35; 2, AUS, Raffl (Unterluggauer, Raffl), 12:48. Penalties: USA, Stapleton (high-sticking), 2:52; AUS, Werenka (hooking), 15:35; USA, Komisarek (cross-checking), 17:20.

Second Period – Scoring: 3, USA, Wilson (Shattenkirk, Miele), 13:04 (pp). Penalties: USA, Stuart (checking to head and neck area), 3:24; USA, Stuart (10-minute misconduct), 3:24; AUS, Unterluggauer (tripping), 10:22; AUS, Hundertpfund (hooking), 12:13; AUS, Lakos (hooking), 17:34.

Third Period – Scoring: 4, USA, Kreider (unassisted), 3:58; 5, USA, Stapleton (Wilson, Porter), 7:27. Penalties: AUS, Philippe (interference), 8:37; USA, Fayne (interference), 11:51; USA, Fayne (tripping), 11:51; USA, Stuart (interference), 18:04.

Former Tiger Brian Swanson’s Alaska Aces opens its Western Conference Finals series tonight against the Victoria Salmon Kings. Here’s a series preview.

Jimmy Kilpatrick, Greenville’s leading scorer during the regular season, sat out Game 6 but his teammates forced a home Game 7 tonight against Wheeling.

Former Tiger Eric Rud interviewed for the Michigan Tech job on Tuesday according to the Green Bay Gamblers beat writer’s Twitter account and this article.

Richard Bachman made 47 saves for Texas in a 2-1 2OT loss to Milwaukee earlier this week. The loss eliminated Texas from the AHL playoffs.

The rumors about former CC assistant Greg Cronin leaving Northeastern has been refuted.

I missed this story on renovations at SCSU but I expect little has changed since publication. I do love the posed photo with the story.

Wisconsin’s Jordy Murray left early. It was made official earlier this week. The Badgers have since added a goalie from Toronto.

The Gophers defensive corps for 2011-12 has gotten a bit bigger. Mankato added a big Latvian for 2012.

The annual American Hockey Coaches Association meetings in Naples, Fla. Wednesday through Sunday promises to be a busy time.

The incoming Big Ten league will be the discussion in every seminar and meeting official and unofficial to be held.

The six members of the Big Ten will officially meet together to map out the steps up to the league’s debut in 2013. The other five leagues will spend their time trying to figure out how best to adjust to the changing landscape.

Does the CCHA-WCHA merge into a superconference or develop a more formal scheduling arrangement?

Does the WCHA try to absorb Notre Dame and/or Miami and leave the CCHA to make do? By the way, talks have been reported between the WCHA and Notre Dame.

And no doubt NCAA independent Alabama-Huntsville officials will be there looking for a conference to call home.

Also the three remaining coaches openings – Clarkson, Michigan Tech, Princeton — will be shopped as well. Expect current assistants to use some of their time to feel out those three schools’ administrators with a fourth job (Northeastern) rumored to be opening soon. That’s a lot with only 58 programs. Don’t be surprised for some news in that regard coming soon.

As expected, CC will travel to MSU-Mankato for league games Dec. 16-17. The Mavs announced their 2011-12 schedule.

Here’s the league’s 2010-11 season in review.

Thanks to Goon’s World for finding Bemidji State’s well done  promotional video. CC fans may not enjoy all the highlights, but it is worth a look.

The NCAA continues to come under fire for its handling of the North Dakota nickname situation. Former Sioux player signs with Swedish pro team.

Courtesy Thank You Terry, a Penn State fan blog

It’s an exciting time for former Tiger Guy Gadowsky, who started his run through the media gauntlet Monday afternoon with his official press conference in Happy Valley, Pa. and an interview beforehand.

Gadowsky stressed the emphasis on graduation rates as an appealing part of the new job along with the community.

“We understand that,” he said. ” But aside from that, we’re going to stick to the values and the foundation that Coach (Joe) Paterno started and the whole athletic department follows through with, and we’re going to have perfect graduation rates.  That’s the goal.”

The student body support shown to the club and the excitement about the varsity program —illustrated by a local headline “Welcome to Hockey Valley” – was also a selling point.

“I just love the spirit,” Gadowsky said.  “My sister‑in‑law, Kelsey, that’s the reason she came here, is because of the school spirit.  She said she wanted to go to the school that had the best spirit in the nation, and she chose here.”

He will take over as coach of the club team this season.

“I’m really excited to get that going and to get to know them because they’re my guys,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know them and put the system in place.”

All that will build toward preparing the Nittany Lions for when they open play as an independent in 2012-13 and presumably (nothing official yet) join the Big Ten league in 2013-14.

He knows joining the Big Ten league so soon after starting as a varsity program will be tough.

“I think we’re going to look back at those years when we’ve only been a few years in, and we’re getting possibly shellacked by one of the Big Ten schools that have had championships and a lot of success, and they’re going to enjoy that time because I think they know that payback’s going to be coming,” he promised.

The addition of the Nittany Lions has given the Big Ten the six schools required to form a hockey league. The formation of that league — Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin — will force some reorganization for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, which includes member Colorado College.

Familiar foes: Former UND standout Brad Malone checks former Tiger Bill Sweatt into the boards earlier this weekend.

Former Tiger Bill Sweatt scored the tying goal in Manitoba’s 3-1 win at Lake Erie in Game 6 of the AHL first-round series. Game 7 is Tuesday night in Winnipeg.

Milwaukee’s overtime win aganst Texas goalie Richard Bachman on Friday forced Monday’s Game 6. The Stars must win two road games in as many nights (Game 7 is Tuesday) to advance.

Hamilton eliminated former Tiger Richard Petiot and the Oklahoma City Barons in their series on Sunday.

Colin Stuart recorded an assist on Saturday as the Portland Pirates eliminated the Connecticut Whale. 

The Binghamton Senators eliminated the Manchester Monarchs in OT in Game 7 on Saturday. A double overtime win in Game 6 by the Sens forced the decisive game. Colorado Springs defenseman David Hale is on the Sens active roster but has not played in the Calder Cup playoffs yet because of an undisclosed injury. Binghamton plays at Portland on Wednesday.

The WBS Penguins, which includes leading scorer Brett Sterling, won their fourth straight to finish off Norfolk on Saturday.

Nate Prosser and Chad Rau’s Houston Aeros swept Jake Gannon’s Peoria Rivermen early last week.

In the CHL, Rapid City routed Fort Wayne 6-1 Sunday to eliminate the Komets in Game 6. Former Tiger Derek Patrosso scored for the Komets. The Rush now take on the Colorado Eagles.