Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

[Bronzebacks]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

Our bench is pretty thin right now. Good chance we will continue to see Zabs at forward. He indeed looked lost last weekend in that position. Hope he adjusts quickly.

Congrats to Kevin. One of my favorite hockey tournaments to watch.

[scsutommyboy]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

MacMillan had played in 14 of 20 games and in 28 last year, so he was playing.
However he wasn't going to get top 6 or PP minutes when he has zero goals, and especially not over Hanowski, Dowd, Reid, Eddy, Novak & Festler.
It seems very selfish to leave, had he waited he likely would have been a top 6 forward next year.

I don't dissagree it was selfish, but he had not been playing as much the last few weeks since Oliver and Bertich have been in the line up and doing better than he was doing. Motzko has been stressing hard work and rewarding players who are busting their butts for the team. I have no idea what really happened, but seems like sour grapes on his end.

[First Time, Long Time]

I don't dissagree it was selfish, but he had not been playing as much the last few weeks since Oliver and Bertich have been in the line up and doing better than he was doing. Motzko has been stressing hard work and rewarding players who are busting their butts for the team. I have no idea what really happened, but seems like sour grapes on his end.

Sad.
Guy sees others working harder and that hard work paying off for them on the scoresheet and instead of racheting up his own work, he bails.
He could even see his own linemate, Thorson's work paying off as Thorson is 2nd on this team in conference goals behind Hanowski.

[Husckey Domi Nation]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

Our bench is pretty thin right now. Good chance we will continue to see Zabs at forward. He indeed looked lost last weekend in that position. Hope he adjusts quickly.

Whether it was a good or bad decision to leave, apparently starting defensemen Zabs after being a healthy scratch for two games to a freshman Milan was the last straw for MacMillian.

[SCSU Euro]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

Whether it was a good or bad decision to leave, apparently starting defensemen Zabs after being a healthy scratch for two games to a freshman Milan was the last straw for MacMillian.

If I sat for Zabs, especially not even his regular position, would make me wanna quit too.

It sucks to lose MacMillan, especially when I think he had much brighter days ahead of him than what we got to see, but what can ya do? Thorson should be a poster-child for college hockey players; yeah, you're probably the best kid on the team at every point until now, but you get thrown into an area where everybody's ungodly good talent-wise and it comes down to smarts, work ethic, and fitness, and Thorson went out to prove how good he is and he's done that. Too bad more kids don't pick up that kinda attitude, but no hard feelings towards Mitch from this Husky fan, only wish him the best from here out.

[bronconick]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

Haven't seen/heard/followed WMU this year, but it looks like they've had a solid season thus far. 9-4-5 overall with a 7-4-3 CCHA record, good enough for a share of 2nd place with Notre Dame as it stands. SCSU has a 1-2-0 mark against common opponents UAF and NMU, while WMU is 3-0-1 against said schools. (Oh, and that tie is was actually a shootout win for the Broncos, but that's dumb as hell so I marked it accordingly.)

Sorry for the hockey talk fellas. Any WMU fans out there care to comment on what we can expect from the Broncos?

I'd agree with BII that this team is at its best when they're concentrating on team defense. In that NMU series sweep earlier this season, they allowed 29 shots in 123 minutes that weekend. Odds are you'll see freshman Frank Slubowski in net, who tends to be solid, though has given up a couple of odd goals where the pucks come off the back wall and come in off behind him, and has had a tendency to shut a team down, give up 2, even 3 quick goals in a few minutes, and shut them back down.

Balisy, Walters, and Berschback are the forwards to watch. Balisy was an all-CCHA freshman last year, and Walters leads the team with 9 goals.

[Bronzebacks]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

There was talk on Sat that he may be leaving. Zabs likely played Sat. because of MacMillan being a healthy scratch on Friday set him off.

Too bad. I had high hopes for him here. He played a lot of games his Freshman year. If he was not earning his time through working hard in practice, what is Motzko to do. I can't blame Mitch for wanting to be a top 6 Forward and getting the big minutes. But, I sure can't blame Motzko for making him earn it. There are players willing to pay their dues.(See Cory Thorson, Maybe the best example would be Barta his Sr. year).

[scsutommyboy]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

There was talk on Sat that he may be leaving. Zabs likely played Sat. because of MacMillan being a healthy scratch on Friday set him off.

Too bad. I had high hopes for him here. He played a lot of games his Freshman year. If he was not earning his time through working hard in practice, what is Motzko to do. I can't blame Mitch for wanting to be a top 6 Forward and getting the big minutes. But, I sure can't blame Motzko for making him earn it. There are players willing to pay their dues.(See Cory Thorson, Maybe the best example would be Barta his Sr. year).

I don't know for sure but if I had to guess I doubt it had anything to do with how he did in practice. The fact is he wasn't producing in games and the team was losing. so Motzko had no other choice but give other guys playing time to see if that helped the team play better. When he put those other guys in the line up the team played better and the players produced on the ice better than he did...... If you want playing time at this level you have to earn it. It doesn't matter if you are more talented if the other guys work harder than you and produce more than you do.

[scsutommyboy]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

Congrats to Kevin Gravel on making the US National team for the world junior championships next week! Its always nice seeing a Husky make the team. Not sure how much he will play, but he made the final roster.

[Husckey Domi Nation]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

Odds are you'll see freshman Frank Slubowski in net.

Really, the Big Slubowski? St. Cloud takes on The Dude.

[johnnyredshoes]

Odds are the 150 people in attendance for a Thursday night, Christmas break non conference game will see freshman Frank Slubowski in net.

Fixed your post.

We played on the main ice the Friday after Thanksgiving for open hockey. Without a crowd in there, that place is big, gray, and quiet. Hopefully some people decide to come out, although I'd expect less than the Denver crowds. Which is too bad, cuz I think these have the potential to be 2 entertaining games.

[scsutommyboy]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

Fixed your post.

We played on the main ice the Friday after Thanksgiving for open hockey. Without a crowd in there, that place is big, gray, and quiet. Hopefully some people decide to come out, although I'd expect less than the Denver crowds. Which is too bad, cuz I think these have the potential to be 2 entertaining games.

I have a really bad feeling you are going to be right.

[Pump It Up]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

Students will be non existent. If I was a St. Cloud local or home for the holidays this would be a great opportunity to show up and choose your seat.

[scsutommyboy]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

Is the team all back from break now? Did they practice today?

[johnnyredshoes]

Re: Western Michigan @ SCSU December 29th & 30th

From what I've read on Twitter they were heading back to town this morning, don't know if there was a practice today.