#7/8 St. Cloud State Men's Hockey opens regular season at Bemidji State
10/9/2019 9:38:00 AM | Men's Hockey
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The #7/8 St. Cloud State University men's hockey team (0-0-0, 0-0-0 NCHC) will open the 2019-20 campaign with a pair of non-conference road games at Bemidji State University (0-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) on Friday, Oct. 11 at 7:07 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 12 at 6:07 p.m. Both games will be played at the Sanford Center (4,700 cap./200x85) in Bemidji, Minn.
SKATE WITH THE HUSKIES: The Skate with the Huskies open skate event will take place after the SCSU-Northeastern game on Saturday, Oct. 26 on the main rink at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The game that night begins at 6:07 p.m. and Skate with the Huskies will start immediately after the conclusion of the men's hockey game. Skate With the Huskies is free and open to the public. Fans can bring their own skates to the event or you can also rent skates at the HBNHC Pro Shop. Players from both the SCSU men's and women's hockey teams will be on the ice in their skates to meet fans, sign autographs and take photos. For more information on this fun-filled event, please call the SCSU Athletic Ticket Office at 1-877-SCSUTIX.
CONNECT WITH THE HUSKIES: Fans can follow their Huskies this week by listening to the live broadcast on The River 96.7 FM (www.river967.com) out of St. Cloud with Jim Erickson & Dave Reichel providing the call. Fans can also listen on KVSC FM 88.1 (www.kvsc.org).
WATCH THE HUSKIES: Fans can watch the games vs. BSU on flohockey.tv - this is a PPV service.
TICKET TIME: Great seats are still available for home games throughout 2019-20. For complete details on all 2019-20 home games at the Herb Brook National Hockey Center, please call 1-877-SCSUTIX or visit www.scsutickets.com
SCSU STUDENTS GET IN FREE: All SCSU students with a valid ID card will be admitted FREE to all regular season home games in 2019-20. Just show your ID card at the gate and you get in FREE...it is that easy!
EXHIBITION VICTORY: SCSU opened its 2019-20 season on Oct. 6 with a 4-2 exhibition win over Alberta at the HBNHC. SCSU's Easton Brodzinski had two PPGs in the contest, while Jack Ahcan and Jami Krannila also had PPGs to seal the victory. SCSU is now 2-2-0 in the all-time series vs. Alberta. SCSU outshot the Golden Bears 40-19 in the game and was 4-of-9 on the power play in the match.
A FEW NOTES ABOUT BSU: SCSU owns a 49-45-5 record vs. BSU in the all-time series that dates back to a 14-2 win by SCSU during the 1947-48 season...at the DI level, SCSU owns a 22-4-2 record against the Beavers...in games played at the Sanford Center, SCSU is 5-1-0. The last time, SCSU played games in Bemidji, the Huskies charted a 6-3 win on Nov. 28, 2014 and a 4-1 loss on Nov. 29, 2014...last year, SCSU posted a 2-0 win on Nov. 16 and a 7-4 win on Nov 17 at the HBNHC. Brett Larson is 2-0-0 vs. BSU during his career as a college head coach...SCSU owns a four-game win streak vs. BSU and is 4-1-0 in the last five meetings vs. BSU. In the last 10 meetings between these two clubs, SCSU owns an 8-1-1 record.
NHL STARS: A total of seven former SCSU players were listed on starting night rosters in the NHL this week. This list includes Jimmy Schuldt (Las Vegas), Patrick Russell (Edmonton), Nic Dowd (Washington, Nick Jensen (Washington), Blake Lizotte (Los Angeles), Jonny Brodzinski (San Jose) and Dennis Cholowski (Detroit). Kalle Kossila was listed on Toronto's injured reserve list. Both Lizotte and Schuldt played at SCSU in 2018-19.
INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW: SCSU is 15-15-2 in regular season openers since moving to the DI level in 1987-88. This marks SCSU's 33rd season as an NCAA DI program. The Huskies consistently started playing intercollegiate hockey in 1931-32 and made the move to the NCAA DI level after placing third at the NCAA DIII tournament in 1986-87 under the leadership of head coach Herb Brooks. Sam HentgesOPPONENT NOTES: Former SCSU assistant coach Tom Serratore is in his 19th season as head coach of the Beavers. His career record stands at 297-287-84...current SCSU assistant coach Mike Gibbons played college hockey at Bemidji State from 1975 to 1979. Gibbons later served as an assistant coach for the Beavers and was BSU's head coach for one season in 1982-83...of note, in their final game as an NCAA Division III affiliate, the Huskies posted a 6-4 win over Bemidji State in the consolation game at the 1987 NCAA DIII championships...In the teams' last meeting, SCSU gained a weekend sweep at the HBNHC on Nov. 16-17, 2019 with a 2--0 shutout win and a 7-4 win...Kevin Fitzgerald has scored three goals and one assist in action against the Beavers during his career with the Huskies...Charlie Combs is BSU's top returing point man with 11g/11a and Adam Brady had 8g/13a to rank second on the team's returning scorer list...in the nets, former Husky Zach Driscoll led the Beavers in 2018-19 with a 10-11-4 record (2.32 GAA and a .909 save rate). Driscoll played for the Huskies in 2016-17 before making the transfer to BSU in 2017-18. Driscoll was 6-6-1 with a 3.18 GAA during his season with the Huskies. He has a shutout for SCSU in play against Western Michigan that season...Henry Johnson also had time in the nets for BSU in 2018-19 with a 5-5-2 record and a 1.96 GAA.
IN THE POLLS: The Huskies received a #8 ranking in the USA TODAY/USA Hockey weekly poll. In the USCHO.com poll this week, the Huskies earned a #7 ranking.
NCHC CHAMPS: The Huskies claimed the 2018-19 NCHC championship with a 5-0 win at Omaha on Feb. 23. This marks the third time the Huskies have won the Penrose Cup, which is the most of any team in the NCHC. SCSU also won the NCHC regular season title in 2014, 2018 and 2019.
LEGACY HUSKIES: Newcomer Zach Okabe's dad is a grad of SCSU...freshman Henry Enebak is the son of Becky Anderson Enebak, who was an All-American track and field performer for the Huskies. She still owns the team's outdoor long jump record at 19-4.75 set in 1992.
NATIONAL LEADERS: The following is a rundown of where the Huskies ranked during the recent 2018-19 season: Individual Points Per Game: Patrick Newell (7th/1.21 ppg) and Blake Lizotte (15th/1.14 ppg); Goals Per Game: Patrick Newell (10th/0.54 gpg) and Robby Jackson (12th/0.51 gpg); Assists Per Game: Blake Lizotte (12th/0.76 apg) and Jack Ahcan (21st/0.72 apg); Game Winning Goals: Patrick Newell (3rd/6 GWGs); Points Per Game Defenseman: Jimmy Schuldt (10th/0.90 ppg); Points Per Game Freshman: Nolan Walker (11th/0.75 ppg); Goalie Winning Percentage: David Hrenak (1st/.800); Shutouts: David Hrenak (10th/4 shutouts); TEAM - Scoring Offense: SCSU (2nd/4.00 gpg); Scoring Defense: SCSU (11th/2.18 gapg); Scoring Margin: SCSU (1st/1.82 gpg), Power Play: SCSU (7th/24.0%); Penalty Kill: SCSU (6th/86.7%); Team Winning Percentage: SCSU (1st/80.8%). SCSU was the NCAA stat champion for Team Winning Percentage and Team Scoring Margin. SCSU's David Hrenak was the NCAA stat champion for Best Goalie Winning percentage.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Huskies finsihed the year unbeaten at home with a 17-0-1 record last season. SCSU was also 19-2-1 in games played in the state of Minnesota. This marked the first time in the team's DI era that SCSU has gone undefeated at home during its season. Of note, SCSU's best record at home in a single season was a 14-1-3 mark in 1993-94. SCSU was 16-3-1 at home in 2001-02 and 16-3-1 at home in 1996-97. In addition, SCSU was 16-3-2 at home in 2017-18 and 13-3-0 at home in 2013-13. On the road this season, SCSU owned an 13-6-2 record.
BEST EVER IN THE NCHC: SCSU's 19 wins in the NCHC last year is the most of any team in the history of the NCHC, and our 62 league points is also tops in the NCHC recordbook...the 30 wins last winter ranks third for most wins in a season by the Huskies. SCSU set a team standard with 31 wins in 2015-16 and 2000-01.
FEWEST LOSSES: With just six losses, SCSU set a new team record for fewest losses in a season (at the DI level). The Huskies previous season best was nine losses in 2000-01 (31-9-1), 2015-16 (31-9-1) and 2017-18 (25-9-6). .
DEFENSIVE PROWESS: SCSU allowed just 85 goals (2.18 goals allowed per game) this season in 39 games played. This surpasses the old team record for fewest goals allowed in a season of 90, which was set in 2015-16 over 41 games (2.20 goals allowed per game). On the other hand, SCSU scored 156 goals last year (4.00 goals per game). The Huskies set a team record in 2001-02 with 179 goals scored (4.26 goals per game).
RETURNING POWER: SCSU will return nine of its top 15 point producers from 2018-19...this group includes team assist leader Jack Ahcan, who tied Blake Lizotte for the team assist lead at 28 apiece last winter...Easton Brodzinski also returns after leading the Huskies last year with seven power play goals...Ahcan enters 2019-20 with 78 career points...last year 3 SCSU players joined the 100-point club (Schuldt, Jackson and Newell).
FACT CHECKING: The Huskies ended the 2018-19 season with a #5 ranking in the final USCHO.com poll...SCSU has qualified for the NCAA tournament six times since 2013 (2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013)...the Huskies have won 20-plus games seven times since 2009-10
...and the Huskies have won 30-plus games twice since 2015-16.
NEXT UP FOR THE HUSKIES: St. Cloud State University will enjoy a bye week on Oct. 18-19 before getting back to action at home on Oct. 25-26 with a two-game set against Northeasten. Tickets for these games are available at scsutickets.com or by calling 1-877-SCSUTIX. Of note, Northeastern is currently ranked #15 in the nation in this week's DI college hockey poll. SCSU will be seeking revenge after dropping a close 3-2 match at Northeastern in Boston during the 2018-19 season. This marks the first trip to St. Cloud for Northeastern in the all-time series, which Northeastern leads 2-0-0.
