Videos for Your Viewing Pleasure

Here are a couple Ice Breaker Tourney videos courtesy of College Hockey Inc.  The first video features all goals from all of the games.  The second video are highlights of the Notre Dame–Nebraska-Omaha championship game.  Enjoy!

Question: At about :52 seconds of the above video, why do the college officials have to go ALL THE WAY into the timekeepers' bench to watch a video replay?  That's terribly inconvenient.

Since the tournament:

Army 2-3-1 overall, 4th in Atlantic Hockey

Notre Dame 6-2 overall, 1st in CCHA

Nebraska-Omaha 4-3-1 overall, 3rd in WCHA

Maine 1-8 overall, last in Hockey East.  Only victory against Army in Consolation Game.

The Ice Breaker Tournament: A Superficial Review



You are winner.

Disappointment was my initial feeling.  Then sleepy.  Then apathetic.  Then...meh.  Go hockey.
I hope this isn't true, but there were only 2,254 at the Sprint Center (according to the box score) last weekend for the Ice Breaker tournament.  That can't be right, can it?  Last year, on a college campus of a school in the finals, 9,000+ people attended.  Surely KC could have gotten half of that number to show up.  Either way, bully for those of you who got to see the games in person.

Before we freak out too much, it's worth a look at the attendance numbers when the Ice Breaker was in St. Louis, a neutral site, two years ago.  The final featured Boston University and Notre Dame, and only had just over 2,000 people attend (again, according to the box score).  The tournament was also in an NHL-sized arena -- Scottrade Center -- so, yeah.  Don't feel too bad, Kansas City hockey fans.  We beat the average!

But, I for one hoped more people would attend, especially for a televised event.  But, we can't always get what we want.  That didn't take away from the good times had by those in attendance, I'm sure.  Alas, there are other things to do on a Friday and Saturday night in Kansas City, despite popular belief.  The only real issue with people not showing up to the Ice Breaker is that hockey folks around town assumed people would pack the house for the Rangers-Avalanche game scheduled for the Saturday before.  Of course, the NHL is different than the NCAA for a variety of reasons, so fans found something else to do or went on living their lives instead of exchanging their tickets.

Introducing the Unscientific, Arbitrary, Favorite College Hockey Team Deciding Flowchart

YOU MUST CLICK THIS TO EMBIGGEN UNLESS YOU CAN READ 2 POINT FONT

Click to embiggen, just like it says above, or click here and use the zoom in tool you resourceful Internet user.  Or click here.  Or perhaps here.  CLICK HERRRREEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Do you not have a favorite college hockey team?  Well, you came to the right place, champ.  All 59 NCAA Division 1 hockey programs represented in the preceding flowchart.  SCIENCE was not used in determining this chart.  EMOTION was though, so that's good.  College sports fandom is based on EMOTION.  The green arrows are 'yes' answers to the questions presented.  The red arrows are 'no' responses.  Yes, the flowchart looks like Africa and southwestern Asian continent.  Yes, that is a coincidence.

Remember: THE ICE BREAKER TOURNAMENT IS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY!!!!

The schedule is as follows:

All games will be televised on NBC Sports Network.

Check out each school's primer for the Ice Breaker while you are here:

Army Opens Season At Ice Breaker

Maine: Men's Ice Hockey Travels to Kansas City, Mo. for 2012 Ice Breaker Tournament

#13 Irish to Face Off Against Maine in Opener of 2012 Ice Breaker Tournament

Nebraska-Omaha doesn't not have a story on the tournament

Check out PucKChaser's much more detailed preview of each squad.

Once again, click here to check out the flowchart's full size.

Oh, also, look at that post below.  Nutbush's first post.  Welcome, Nutbush.

Something Called the NHL Cancels Entire Preseason

Sprint Center remains empty...

ICE BREAKER TOURNAMENT OCTOBER 12-13 AT THE SPRINT CENTER!!!! COLLEGE HOCKEY DOESN'T LOCKOUT!

Ice Breaker Tournament Games To Be Televised on NBCSN

Are you going to the Ice Breaker Tournament games at the Sprint Center on October 12th and 13th?  Well, you should, because aside from the Mavericks, that may be the only non-rec league hockey we get to see in our fair metropolitan area this fall/winter.  But, if you can't make it out, don't worry because NBC Sports Network has you covered.

Three of the tournament games – including the tournament championship – will be shown on NBCSN.  Here is the schedule, via SBNation:

So, this is nice.  Every team gets at least one game on television.  For Army, this will be their only NBCSN televised game.

This will not only give Kansas City hockey fans a nice change of pace from the NHL exhibition games every year, but also expose the Sprint Center ice its first television audience.  The barn may not be completely full for these games, but this will give a section of the national hockey-loving public a taste of what Kansas City has to offer as a hockey town.

To the best of my research, other than Mavs and Blades games that have been televised locally on MetroSports, I cannot find the last actual nationally televised hockey game in Kansas City history.  Has there been one?  My knowledge of the 1970s is a bit fuzzy, but television coverage for the Scouts may have been minimal, if not nonexistent (just ask Aaron over at the NHL in KC).  Please correct me if I'm wrong, though.

Go be a part of Kansas City hockey history and sit in the stands, or watch, the first (maybe) nationally televised hockey game in Kansas City history!

NBCSN channels in KC:
Time Warner: 55, 323, 1323
U-Verse: 640, 1640
Dish: 159
DirecTV: 603

NBCSN channel page

Getting to Know U: Comparing and Contrasting NCAA Football and Hockey

Remember, the NCAA Hockey Ice Breaker Tournament is this October 12-13 at the Sprint Center.  Yay!  It's a two day tourney to – more or less – open the NCAA Hockey regular season featuring four teams from four different conferences (cool!).  We should be so honored to host this here in our fair city, so don't take it for granted.  Heck, the NHL season might not get under way for a while (please play please play please play), so you may not get a chance to go to a preseason game this year at the Crystal Kool-Aid Bowl.  There is a host of reasons why a lockout might be detrimental to KC hosting a preseason game in the future, but let's not get into that right now, 'k?

Here's the schedule of the tournament, by the way:

I think Saturday's schedule means any one of those teams could play any of the other teams at any given time.

Anyway, this tournament is sure to get lost in the shuffle among KC sports fans more interested in the world of college football that will be well underway once the Ice Breaker rolls around (even though, y'know, Kansas...).  Since no area schools have an NCAA hockey program (although club teams abound – look to the links on the right), it may take more of an understanding to help get you emotionally invested in something you don't understand but totally should because I said so.  So, let's compare the two sports, shall we?  Oh, we shan't?  No no, that won't do, for you see, knowledge is power. Open your mind, mofo.

Jump for learning.

How About These Puckin' Links Right Here: "This Isn't Baseball"

I got my picture taken with this yesterday.  I don't know what it is.

Here is some light reading somewhat relevant to Kansas City area hockey.  Enjoy, even if you are wrapped up in All-Star fever.  And if you aren't, well, enjoy anyway.

Mavericks Re-Sign Smith and McCready, Add Forward LeBlanc

It's that time again!  The Mavericks are signing guys, so that's fun.  This, of course, is just the beginning, as many of the players from last season will most likely sign over the course of the next few weeks.  A schedule for next season has not been released yet.  So far, the Mavs have seven players signed up for next season.

Forwards:
Derek LeBlanc – signed from ECHL's Idaho Steelheads
John-Scott Dickson – re-signed
Colt King – signed from Elite Ice Hockey League's Sheffield Steelers

Defensemen:
Matt McCready – re-signed
Brandon Smith – re-signed
Dave Pszenyczny – re-signed
David Simoes – re-signed

Head Coach Scott Hillman also signed a two year extension back in May.

Lewiston Sun Journal: UMaine Black Bears hockey schedule released

The University of Maine Black Bears hockey schedule has been released, and for the first time EVER, Kansas City is a destination.  Just another reminder that you can still buy tickets to the two-day Ice Breaker Tournament at the Sprint Center on Friday and Saturday October 12th and 13th.

LA Kings Insider: The quotable Darryl Sutter, 2012

Not KC related, but Rich Hammond over at LA Kings Insider put together a collection of the best quotes from everyone's favorite crazy, mumbly grandfatherly figure Darryl Sutter from this season.  Good for a chuckle or two.

The Arizona Republic: Shane Doan deserves better ending to free agency

The title here is a bit misleading to the juicy, dripping nuggets buried beneath.  Basically, more Coyotes ownership news.  So, here is the Arizona Republic summing up Coyotes Ownership Saga Episode XXXVIIII: The Never Ending Story:

Bross and Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney speak almost daily. Doan had set a deadline for Monday to make a decision, but that could change as the team's ownership issues grows more complicated. 

Monday is the day Glendale said signatures are due for a petition to make potential owner Greg Jamison's lease agreement a referendum on the November ballot. However, organizers now say they have until July 16 to submit the signatures. 

Further clouding resolution is a sales-tax initiative petition recently presented to the city to make it a referendum on the November ballot. The fear is if the tax hike doesn't go through, the city might not be able to finance the Jamison deal. 

How much more patience can Jamison exercise? 

What is the Goldwater Institute's next move?

And how much more can the city of Glendale withstand? 

Meanwhile, a group of citizens known as "Glendale First!" has formed to help educate the public about what they believe is "misinformation and exaggerated numbers" being distributed by the petition gatherers, according to its website, and to get the word out about the positive impact a professional sports team has on a city.

So, we may know more about this by tomorrow, we may not.  It doesn't seem to matter for Kansas Citians anyway since apparently Toronto's David Shoalts from the Globe and Mail claims Seattle and Quebec City are the front runners for a team (even though Quebec City and Quebecor never formally mentioned their intentions to have a team and Seattle's Chris Hansen really seems to want an NBA team before an NHL team).  But, y'know, this is the same old story.  Remember, "2b clear, nothing even close."

College Hockey This Friday at IEC

Just a reminder that this Friday, January 20th, the University of Missouri and University of Kansas club hockey teams are holding their annual Independence Events Center Border War game at 7:05.  You can get tickets here.

According to the Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association website, Mizzou hockey is 9-2-1 so far this season, while Kansas hockey is 0-14.  So, come on out and see if Kansas wins their first game of the season...or see how badly Mizzou beats the Jayhawks into submission.  The choice is yours, really.  Just GO!  (Plus, if you are into fights, hhhoooooooo boy let me tell you, these teams fight!  It's all in good fun though, so just sit back and enjoy the carnage.  You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn something about yourself.)

Speaking of collegiate hockey, as explained by pucKChaser, tickets to the October 12th-13th IceBreaker Tournament are ON SALE NOW.  I think he explains the fun and importance of the tournament in KC better than I could, so just click on that hotlink at the top of this paragraph.  You can also learn more about the tourney and get your tickets here.

Also, just a personal note, I am humbled to be mentioned by two KC hockey blogs that have been at it for a long time and have done and continue to do awesome jobs.  Aaron Stilley at the NHL in Kansas City and pucKChaser's blog ("blogger" sounds so formal) both know their KC hockey history and understand the current climate of not only NHL hockey, but local hockey too.  Please read these folks if you have not already.  Read their archives, read any other stuff they do.  They know what they are talking about.  It's like I'm Charlie Brown and they are two different "little red-haired girls" that just noticed me...um, not saying that they are little red-haired girls or anything, err, nor does that imply they are two-dimensional cartoon characters... umm...yeah, disregard that last comment.

But, really, it is a thrill to be a part of the volatile but hopeful Kansas City hockey online community.  Please, if you have opinions, comments, suggestions, etc. please do not hesitate to post them here.  All suggestions are welcome.

Here is a picture of Craig Anderson looking at ice girls as a thanks for your patronage:

Kansas City is Abuzz With Hockey-Related News

A day after the EPIC Kings-Pens overtime game that decided the best hockey team in the history of the world (or something), Kansas City has even more hockey news.  Even the KC Star is getting into the act, after the jump of course: