College Hockey   CC Tigers and USAFA Falcons Hockey

Be sure to join me and AFA beat writer Frank Schwab for the weekly online chat at gazette.com at noon Mountain.

Denver’s Beau Bennett was featured by College Hockey News.

The Friday Denver at CC game will be on the CBS College Sports Network (Comcast 170, DISH 152  and DirecTV Dish 613) at 8:07 p.m.

Former Tiger Trevor Frischmon returned from injury for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the Islanders.

This Week in the WCHA

Games for Friday, December 2:Minnesota Duluth at Michigan Tech (WCHA), 7:07 pm ET; * Nebraska Omaha vs Alabama-Huntsville (NC), 7:00 pm CT; Minnesota State at Minnesota (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Bemidji State at St. Cloud State (WCHA), 7:37 pm CT; Denver at Colorado College (WCHA), 8:07 pm MT; North Dakota at Alaska Anchorage (WCHA), 7:07 pm AT.  * Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, TN).

Games for Saturday, December 3: * Nebraska Omaha vs Alabama-Huntsville (NC), 1:00 pm CT; Minnesota Duluth at Michigan Tech (WCHA), 7:07 pm ET; Bemidji State at St. Cloud State (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Minnesota State at Minnesota (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; North Dakota at Alaska Anchorage (WCHA), 7:07 pm AT.  * Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, TN).

Former Tiger Mark Cullen's scoring production with AHL San Antonio earned him a spot on tonight's lineup at Carolina.

Former Tiger Mark Cullen was called up (bottom of link) to play for the Florida Panthers tonight at Carolina at 5 p.m. Mountain.

Here’s the game preview from nhl.com and the roster report, showing Cullen (No. 36) will play center tonight.

Former Tiger Joey Crabb scored for the Leafs while Nate Prosser was sent down to the AHL.

Coach Don Lucia was happy with Minnesota’s effort in a loss and tie at Michigan State this past weekend.

Here’s the INCH power rankings and a look back at the Mankato-Anchorage series.

Here's Rylan Schwartz's second goal against North Dakota in last season's WCHA Final Five semifinal loss. COURTESY USCHO

After recording two hat tricks in as many games this past weekend, Colorado College junior center Rylan Schwartz was named as Inside College Hockey’s national player of the week and co-offensive player of the week by the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

He shared the league honor with North Dakota’s Brock Nelson (six points, four assists), who scored the game-winner on Friday against CC and assisted Saturday’s game-winner. It is Schwartz’s second weekly league offensive honor this season and his first national award.

“It’s good to be recognized as one of the top players in college hockey this week,” Schwartz said.

Denver goalie Juho Olkinuora was named as WCHA rookie of the week while Wisconsin junior defenseman Justin Schultz was defensive player of the week.

Here’s USCHO’s look back on this past weekend, mentioning both Schwartz brothers, and a look ahead.

CC marketing said less than 500 tickets remain available for the Denver game at 8 p.m. Friday at  World Arena.  To buy tickets, go to the World Arena box office, CCTigers.com or call 719- 576-2626 or World Arena Box Office.

Fans are encouraged to wear black to show support for the Tigers that night. The game will be broadcast live on the CBS College Sports Network

Colorado College sophomore left wing Jaden Schwartz was invited to the Hockey Canada world juniors championship selection camp for the 2011-12 tournament, which begins Dec. 26.

The camp is Dec. 10-14 in Calgary.

He is one of three returnees from the Canadian national team that garnered silver at last year’s championship.

A story and the full roster is here.

An injury to goalie Kari Lehtonen has opened up a spot for former Tiger Richard Bachman on the Dallas Stars’ NHL roster tonight at Colorado. He won’t start. That nod goes to veteran Andrew Raycroft.

Here’s a feature on Bachman pointing out that he is ready to stay for awhile in the NHL

Two road losses at North Dakota dropped Colorado College (7-4, 5-4 Western Collegiate Hockey Association) from No. 4 to eighth in both major polls announced Monday.

The Tigers host No. 10 Denver (6-4-3, 4-2-3) at 8 p.m. Friday.

A loss and tie for Minnesota dropped the Gophers to fifth and allowed idle Minnesota-Duluth to move past them to No. 4 and become the highest-ranked WCHA team.

Air Force received votes in both polls as did North Dakota.

U.S. College Hockey Online

Team (1^st-place votes)              Rec.                 Pts.      Prev.

1. Merrimack (48)                     9-0-1             997      1

2. Boston College (2)                10-4-0           902      5

2. Notre Dame                         10-3-3             902      2

4. Minnesota-Duluth                 9-3-2               814      6

5. Minnesota                            11-4-1             803     3

6. Ferris State                           10-3-1             705      7

7. Ohio State                            10-3-1             700      9

8. Colorado College                 7-4-0               649      4

9. Union                                   7-3-3               489      13

10. Denver                               6-4-3               480      10

11. Lake Superior State                        10-4-2             462      13

12. Western Michigan                           6-4-4               429      12

13. Boston University               7-4-1         417      15

14. Yale                       5-3-1               352                  8

15. Colgate                              9-4-1   348                  18

16. Michigan State                    8-5-1               263      20

17. Cornell                   6-3-0               215                  17

18. Miami                     8-6-2               174                  NR

19. Michigan                7-7-2               159      11

20. Michigan Tech                    8-5-1             95          18

Others receiving votes: Nebraska-Omaha 94, UMass-Lowell 17, North Dakota 11, Northern Michigan 8, Air Force 6, Clarkson 5, St. Cloud State 3, Harvard 1.

USA Today/USA Hockey

Team (1^st-place votes)              Rec.                 Pts.      Prev.

1. Merrimack (34)                    9-0-1               510    1

2. Notre Dame                         10-3-3             448      3

3. Boston College                     10-4-0              439      5

4. Minnesota                     11-4-1             396      2

5. Minnesota-Duluth                 9-3-2   366      6

7. Ohio State                10-3-1             292      10

8.  Colorado College                7-4-0   257      4

9. Union                       7-3-3   185      12

10. Denver       6-4-3   181      9

11. Lake Superior State            10-4-2             142      14

12. Western Michigan               6-4-4               139      13

13. Boston University               7-4-1               111      NR

14. Colgate                              9-4-1                           98       15

15. Yale                                   5-3-1               86        8

Others receiving votes: Michigan State 43; Miami 23; Cornell 16; Michigan 14; Nebraska-Omaha 12; Air Force 2; North Dakota 2.

No. 19 Nebraska-Omaha 2, St. Cloud State 2

OMAHA, Neb. – The No. 19 UNO Mavericks skated to a 2-2 tie with St. Cloud State on Sunday afternoon at the CenturyLink Center. The tie gave UNO three of four points from the two-game WCHA series according to UNO sports information.

The Mavericks improved to 7-6-3 overall and 6-3-3 in the WCHA, moving into a tie for second with idle Minnesota Duluth. The Huskies are now 6-7-3 overall and 4-4-2 in league play.

Here’s Goon’s World’s WCHA rankings for this week.

Wisconsin has the top two scorers in Division I after beating up on Mercyhurst this past weekend.

It’s not getting any easier for CC. No. 13 Union knocked off No. 11 Michigan at Yost arena on Sunday.

Alaska-Fairbanks’ Scott Greenham recorded its first shutout road sweep at Bowling Green this weekend.

Toronto Maple Leafs right winger Joey Crabb (46) makes a shot through his legs against Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (32) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Former Tiger Colin Stuart credited good home cooking to a Rochester win.

Mark Cullen recorded two assists.

Brett Sterling is scoreless in two games for the Blues, who play at Columbus tonight. With all the injuries, he should have a chance to play tonight.