December 11-12 St. Paul Pioneer Press game recaps

Last weekend I covered Minnesota's split with Michigan in Ann Arbor for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

The story of the weekend was the Gophers, in their words, beating themselves in an 8-3 loss Friday before coming back to win 3-2 Saturday.

You can read both recaps above. Going out to Ann Arbor and seeing Yost Arena in person was on my college hockey bucket list and the building, a structure seemingly stuck in time, met every expectation.

Longform: Where Minnesota's Best Women Play After College (Wild Xtra)

There may be no more under-reported, intriguing story than what is going on in women's post-collegiate hockey in Minnesota.

If you're an elite hockey player in the Midwest, it is a tough go after college despite there being more options than ever. Two leagues, one in Canada and one in the northeastern United States, are currently playing. Both are very hyperlocal, however. Most players live in the area first rather than relocate. Neither has a Midwest team although both have made halfhearted gestures to Minnesota.

The number of Minnesotans and Midwest natives playing in either league are few compared to the proportion of United States national team players and collegians. 16.4% of all women's college hockey players come from Minnesota yet there are 4 in either the NWHL or CWHL. In comparison, three are playing overseas in Europe.

(Not even the #2 overall pick in the NWHL Draft would commit to playing in that league. That could change and is something to keep an eye on down the line. For now, a Minnesotan playing in the Northeast is the equivalent of playing overseas.)

The Minnesota Whitecaps exist as an independent team, featuring two of the top 10 players in the world and several Olympians. (While I hate to make equivalents to other sports, can you imagine that being a non-story anywhere else?) It allows those players, and other Minnesotans, a chance to keep in shape between international tournaments and Olympics.

Their schedule consists of mostly Midwest college teams with the rest being Shattuck and the NWHL teams in exhibitions. Not being in a league hasn't helped, but it also allows extra benefits. It didn't hurt either that the Whitecaps were able to do things either league has tried by having its game with the Boston Pride last weekend be available over the air on TV.

And it's a team that has floated under the radar. Not even one of the players knew anything about the Whitecaps until she started playing.

It's a long feature and focuses on the players being on the outside of what is going in women's hockey, but more than worth the read.

Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog, among others, linked to it, with several high-profile writers sharing the article to their followers.

http://wildxtra.com/articles.html/_/minnesota-wild-news/where-minnesotas-best-women-play-after-college-r1038

(Wild Xtra)

November and December SB Nation College Hockey Features

Some recent features on the Minnesota men's and women's hockey teams that I wrote over at SB Nation College Hockey. These are highlights. There are several more that are over on the site that were not used.

Before heading to his second WJC camp, Ryan Collins had another reunion

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/12/18/10589556/gophers-hockey-ryan-collins-billet-family-world-juniors-2016

December is a busy time of the year for Minnesota men's hockey defenseman Ryan Collins.

The sophomore has finals, his second straight World Juniors camp, the tournament itself if he makes Team USA, and is trying to help lead the Gophers to a fast start in the Big Ten conference standings. Collins also was able to meet with his billet family who housed him in Ann Arbor for two seasons, a moment that was very important to him.

This was a fun story to write because it came naturally and was able show the importance billet families play and the person behind the equipment.

High school linemates Kelly Pannek, Caitlin Reilly showcase Minnesota's offensive depth

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/womens-hockey/2015/12/4/9849226/gophers-hockey-kelly-pannek-caitlin-reilly-offensive-depth

One aspect of the Minnesota women's hockey team that has led the Gophers well in recent years has been its offensive depth. Behind the team's top line, which features three of the top-five scorers in college hockey this season, are two talented ones beneath it.

I spoke with high school linemates and sophomores Kelly Pannek, who was riding an 18 game point streak at the time (it ended that weekend as the Gophers got swept by #1 Wisconsin), and Caitlin Reilly, about the importance of the team's depth, Reilly joining Minnesota after transferring, and more. Pannek centers the team's second line while Reilly, who gave up special teams play and playing time at Penn State to return home, is on Minnesota's third line.

Also this might be the first-ever interview with one of the Reilly siblings - of which there have been 4 at Minnesota in the past 4 years - to not ask a question about the others.

Michigan native Brent Gates Jr. returns home this weekend

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/12/11/9893204/gophers-hockey-michigan-native-brent-gates-jr-returns-home-minnesota-anaheim-ducks

Michigan native Brent Gates Jr. returned to his home state in December when the Gopher freshman faced the Wolverines. Gates is the first Michigander to ever play for Minnesota in its 95 year history. The Grand Rapids, MI native regularly spent his development going from the western side of the state to the eastern side (Detroit area) of the mitten.

It's not a short stretch either, as I learned doing the drive from Ann Arbor to Grand Rapids and back to Detroit last weekend. Gained a ton of respect for Gates' dedication after the fact.

A secret college hockey doubleheader

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/11/25/9801390/a-secret-college-hockey-doubleheader

College hockey struggles for TV attention. The sport doesn't help itself when five of the six games in my market one weekend were unable to be found on a TV listing.


Game recaps:

And lastly, here is a pair of different game recaps. The first comes from Minnesota's 3-2 overtime win over Ohio State on December 4th where the Early November references run high. The second is more of a column, as the Gophers fell 3-2 in overtime to Minnesota State on November 14th when leading 2-0 with 4 minutes remaining.

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/12/4/9852910/big-ten-hockey-minnesota-ohio-state-final-score-3-2-hudson-fasching

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/11/14/9737354/gophers-hockey-on-losing-nonconference-momentum-and-a-two-goal-lead

November 13-14, 2015 Bemidji Pioneer coverage

This past weekend I covered the top-5 Bemidji State women's hockey team for the Bemidji Pioneer when the Beavers came to town to face #3 Minnesota.

It didn't go too well for BSU. After being shut out 4-0 on Friday, Bemidji State gave up 8 goals in an 8-3 loss. All four of the team's losses have come to the two teams ahead of it in the WCHA standings, Minnesota and #1 Wisconsin.

The series had more to do with how Minnesota, its offense and power play against the outstanding Beaver defense is another tier above the rest than BSU's play. The margin is thin. Both nights Bemidji State forward Stephanie Anderson had two breakaways that would have made it a 1-1 game, but Gopher goaltender Amanda Leveille saved both. Once it was 2-0 the hill was that much steeper for a team whose calling card is its defensive play.

You can read both recaps below. Thanks goes out to Jack Hittinger for giving me the opportunity.

Friday's 4-0 loss - http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/sports/beavers/3882908-womens-hockey-gophers-blank-bemidji-state-4-0

Saturday's 8-3 loss - http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/sports/beavers/3883162-womens-hockey-bsu-falls-minnesota-8-3-series-finale

On Minnesota sports and the rough week, Parts I-IV

Good grief Charlie Brown, this was a rough week for Minnesota sports.

Emotions were put through the ringer. There were victories on the court, gridiron and rink. There were losses, both real and imaginary. There were tears shed for the fallen and lost.

Over the past seven days, the Minnesota sports landscape has seen its most successful NBA coach in Timberwolves head coach/GM Flip Saunders succumb to cancer and its lone Division 1 football coach step away from the game he loves less than a year after leading Minnesota to its first New Year’s Day bowl in over 50 years for health reasons. 

Nate Appears on The Pipeline Show (or) Bad Timing, Fed Ex

You can meticulously prepare notes for five minutes, five days, or even five years and it doesn't matter. When the Fed Ex guy rings the doorbell right as the radio show you're appearing on comes back from commercial, all that preparation goes out the window.

It is time to prove yourself and call an audible.

That scenario happened on Saturday when I appeared on TSN 1260's The Pipeline Show in Edmonton to preview and discuss the Big Ten hockey season. I've been a long time listener of the show dating back to Nick Bjugstad appearing in 2010 or 2011. Here's a 2012 blog I wrote about Charlie Coyle's TPS appearance. Few cover prospects and junior/college hockey in such depth and I was more than honored to be a guest.

So of course Murphy's Law strikes. I'm sitting in my office-that-is-really-the-kitchen with a couple notes written for reference. The dog is put away in the furthest room from said office-that-is-really-a-kitchen. Unless the door bell rings, which happens at best once a week, there is no way the on again, off again barking at those poor citizens who have the guts to walk on his street can be heard from one side of the house to the other.

So of course the door bell rings. And of course my dog's barking is turned up to 11.

I spent the first 30 seconds of this interview learning Fed Ex will deliver on Saturday, signing for 3 packages before heading for my new office-that-is-really-a-car. In hindsight multi-tasking wasn't as big of a deal as it was in my head. The radio interview went well. Scrambling while trying to listen and avoid unleashing all of Edmonton to a barking dog wasn't the end of the world.



This ended up being more fun, and a lot more genuine than having notes and answering questions with stats.

Plus it makes a good story.

Thanks Guy and Taylor for having me on the show. If I get the opportunity next time I'll be sure to have someone cut off the Fed Ex guy just in case.

Hannah Brandt and Lee Stecklein Feature

Hannah Brandt and Lee Stecklein are the captains of the top-ranked and undefeated (as of this writing) University of Minnesota women's hockey team. Both have been successful on the ice, winning two national championships and representing the United States in several competitions. Stecklein was one of the youngest players to play in the 2014 Olympics.

This season the two captains are taking their on ice and off season experiences and turning them into leadership, which I wrote about last week for SB Nation.

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/womens-hockey/2015/10/16/9544905/gopher-hockey-lee-stecklein-hannah-brandt-minnesota-captains

(SB Nation College Hockey)

October 18, 2015 Star Tribune Article

Last weekend I went to Duluth as part of a separate feature and ended up also covering the Gophers' 3-0 loss Saturday for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. You can check out the story below.

http://www.startribune.com/change-of-venue-no-help-as-gophers-swept-by-umd-for-0-3-start/333718321/

Traveling, and writing about my travels, is something I hope to do more this year.

Nate appears on Keystone Sports Beat

On Thursday I appeared on the Keystone Sports Beat in Central Pennsylvania to talk Big Ten hockey, the state of the conference, which schools could join the Big Ten in hockey, how teams look in the preseason, and Penn State's outlook for the season. You can listen below.


Big thanks to Brian Tripp, who calls Penn State games in addition to his radio duties, for having me on his show.

It was fantastic to get a little more experience on radio. Speaking on the air or on a podcast is a different experience than having the opportunity to write. The only way to get better is to do more repetitions. I hope to do more to change that this year.

2015-16 Big Ten Media Poll

Once again I was in charge of compiling the Big Ten Hockey Preseason Media Poll.

Michigan, which barely missed out on the NCAA Tournament a season ago, is picked by the 16 voters to win the six team conference. It's a small margin. Only three points separated them from 2014-15 regular season and conference champion Minnesota.

This is the second consecutive season where I put the poll together. I like doing it. Being able to talk with writers, radio, TV folks throughout the conference helps form a more educated opinion.

Best of all, I get to meet so many great people.

You can look at the full results here:
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/9/28/9409569/2015-16-big-ten-hockey-preseason-media-poll

Introduckling

Look at that, another vanity site.

After years of freelance writing for dozens of websites, magazines and newspapers, maybe it would be a good idea to have a place for all my writing and audio in one spot. To be able to link across websites. To showcase pieces. To actually write some non-hockey or even first-person pieces.

I can talk about myself? I think it will take some time to feel okay saying "I" all the time.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy.