Where Will the Big Ten Stack Up in Hockey Conferences?

By Jessi Pierce

So we've looked at the ins and outs and the odds and ends of the Big Ten Conference. Now it's time to see where these teams, and overall this conference, will rate against the more established Hockey East, and equally new National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

This conference has pulled in some of the greats who have showed their prowess in the former Western Collegiate Hockey Conference. Team's that have squared off numerous times throughout the year in the past will now have -- as announced last week -- a 24-game league schedule among its eight members, meaning each team will square off four times against five opponents, leaving just twice for the other opponent.

There's no doubt the NCHC has strength on a variety of levels. With 17 NCAA National Championships among them, many of these teams are no stranger to winning seasons and the big dance on ice at the end of the season. In turn, the NCHC boasts some of the top-recruiters in the nation in North Dakota and Denver with Colorado College and University of Minnesota-Duluth nipping at their heels.

As any WCHA loyal knows, it's a conference that has dominated college hockey for decades and with the meat of that conference now in the NCHC, it as well will be a force to be reckoned with starting in 2013-14.


The Hockey East is one of the top conferences not really affected by the "B1G Shakeup", keeping all of their original members and adding another hockey powerhouse in Notre Dame. Like the NCHC/WCHA, Hockey East has shown tremendous winning power with 10 NCAA National Champsionships and likewise, some of the top college hockey programs in Boston University and Boston College.

Always a power-struggle between Hockey East and WCHA, I can only expect the struggle continue with the NCHC when the 2013-14 season rolls around. Adding Notre Dame will only increase its number of dominant teams.


The conference we've all been waiting for -- and the one that started teams scrambling for a new home. The Big Ten Conference has some of the most well-known and dominant teams in hockey college history. Topping both of the aforementioned conferences with 23 NCAA Championship titles between them, in addition to an up and coming Ohio State program and an ACHA dominant Penn State, I am excited to think that this will be one of the top hockey conference beginning in 2013-14.

Ok, I know it sounds a bit biased, and maybe it is, but breaking it down, there is little reason to doubt that assumption. Even financially, these programs are the most stable, drawing a huge fanbase from each respective school which I anticipate will only continue into the new conference.

It can be argued that its schedule -- formatting only six teams compared to the NCHC's eight and Hockey East's 12 -- is weak, but with only 20 league games for each team, it also allows the team's to get creative with their out of league opponents.

Take Minnesota for example. Not only will the Big Ten format allow the Gophers to maintain the rivals created in the WCHA (Lucia has already announced that the Gophers will play eight games against Minnesota teams each year), it leaves room to not only include famed rival North Dakota, but get creative and draw in opponents from Hockey East -- something that in the past has typically only been left for tournament play.

It's hard to not look at this conference and see the powerhouses. Elite status? maybe, time will tell folks. But a conference with plenty of power to establish themselves as a top conference on the college hockey landscape.

The B1G Scoreboard (1/27/12-1/29/12)

(Articles are linked once available)

Men's Scores from 1/27/12:

• Michigan State 1, Ferris State 2 - Spartans Tipped at Ferris State 2-1
• Ohio State 0, Lake Superior 1 - No. 6/7 Buckeyes Fall to Ferris State 1-0
• St. Cloud State 1, Minnesota 2 - Gophers Close Out St. Cloud State
• Wisconsin 3, North Dakota 5 - Badgers take UND to the wire, fall in the last two minutes
• Penn State 2, Ohio 1 - Holmstrom hoists Icers to victory over Bobcats

Women's Scores from 1/27/12:

• Minnesota 6, Minnesota State 3 
• North Dakota 2, Ohio State 6
• Bemidji State 2, Wisconsin 3 OT 

Men's Scores from 1/28/12:

• Michigan State 3, Ferris State 4 - Spartans Fall, 4-3, at Ferris; Suffer Sweep
• Ohio State 4, Lake Superior 4 (OT Lake Superior) - McCormick's Hat Trick Leads Buckeyes in 4-4 Tie at Lake Superior
• Minnesota 3, St. Cloud State 2 - Warning's Late Goal Lifts Gophers
• Wisconsin 2, North Dakota 4 - Badgers drop 4-2 decision to UND
• Penn State 4, Ohio 1 - Saad's Two Scores Help Icers Defeat Ohio

Women's Scores from 1/28/12:

• Minnesota 4, Minnesota State 1
• North Dakota 5, Ohio State 2
• Bemidji State 0, Wisconsin 1

The B1G Scoreboard (1/20/12-1/22/12)

(Articles are linked once available)

Men's Scores from 1/20/12:

• Lake Superior 2,  Michigan State 4 - Wild Final Stretch Yields 4-2 Win for MSU
• Michigan 1, Notre Dame 3 - U-M's Nine-Game Unbeaten Streak Halted at No.6 Notre Dame
• Ferris State 4, Ohio State 3 - Comeback Falls Short as No.5 Buckeyes Fall to No.13/14 Ferris State, 4-3
• Colorado College 1, Minnesota 2 - Colorado College Clips Minnesota, 2-1
• Alaska Anchorage 0, Wisconsin 4 -  Rumpel records second shutout in 4-0 Badger win
• West Virginia 0, Penn State 8 - Icers Make it a Dozen Straight at Home

Women's Scores from 1/20/12:

• Minnesota State 1, Ohio State 3
• Bemidji State 2, Minnesota 3
• Minnesota-Duluth 0, Wisconsin 2

Men's Scores from 1/21/12:

• Lake Superior 2, Michigan State 2 - Spartans Tie 2-2, Lose Shootout to Lake Superior
• Michigan 2,  Notre Dame 1 - Michigan Clips No.6 Irish to Pick Up South Bend Split
• Ferris State 3, Ohio State 3 - No.5 Buckeyes Skate to 3-3 Tie with No.13/14 Ferris State
• Colorado College 1, Minnesota 2 - Gophers Rally, Beat Tigers 2-1
• Alaska-Anchorage 2, Wisconsin 3 - Late goal lifts Badgers to 3-2 win over Seawolves
• West Virginia 1,  Penn State 6 - Icers Dominate

Women's Scores from 1/21/12:

• Minnesota State 2, Ohio State 4
• Bemidji State 3, Minnesota 3 (Minnesota wins in SO)
• Minnesota-Duluth 3, Wisconsin 4 (OT)

Something in the Water at Penn State?: Former Gopher Max Gardiner Heads to Penn State

By Jessi Pierce

Maybe it's the allure of a brand new arena. Or maybe it's the appeal of putting an unknown team on the map as they forge ahead into unchartered waters in a teams history. Whatever it is, Penn State's doing something right, tabbing their first ever NHL draft pick yesterday with the announcement that Max Gardiner (St. Louis Blues, 2010 3rd Rd.) has committed to PSU.

The highly sought-after recruit has already had a taste of NCAA Div.I action, suiting up with his hometown--and future Penn State Big Ten rival--Minnesota Gophers for the 2010-11 season.

But limited playing time with the Gophs caused the Minnetonka, Minn., native to rethink his options and the forward decided to leave Minnesota in favor of the USHL, where the Dubuque Fighting Saints wasted no time nabbing his rights.

"We had a good conversation and he was disappointed in the ice time he received last year and was concerned about playing time in the upcoming season," said Minnesota coach Don Lucia in a released statement to the press last May. "Leaving assures him of the ice time he is looking for. I am disappointed he is leaving, but I understand his decision and wish him the best of luck."

Seeing action in only 17 games and registering one goal and two assists for Minnesota, the USHL has been a much better option (as the Minnesota program has often be heavily criticized in recent years for grabbing players directly from high school without allowing development in juniors) for the former Skipper who helped lead his team in the 2010 Minnesota State High School Championships.

Now in 21 games, the left-hander has tallied 11 points and has certainly come into his own as of late this season.

Will he make an immediate impact for Penn State? Maybe. Is it a great lock for the Icers/Nittany Lions? Absolutely.

I say only maybe because, while an excellent player in high school, Gardiner really has yet to prove himself at a level beyond that. Struggles at Minnesota didn't necessarily disappear while in juniors as the once power forward still needs time to gain his footing.

Despite that, there is no doubt in my mind, or I am sure many others, that Gardiner will be a sensation on the ice for this Penn State team. Already drawing on the talent of Taylor Holmstrom (Mercyhurst transfer),  Bryce Johnson (St. Cloud State transfer who, like Gardiner opted for USHL after freshman campaign), Gardiner will be able to move around with these two and plenty of others.

The Gardiner news, while not quite on the hot news circuit yet, is sure to gain attention and shift focus on to recruits entering the  PSU hockey organization. The forward committing to Penn State also speaks volumes on this program, with Gardiner being heavily recruited by other Div. I schools such as North Dakota and Western Michigan.

All in all another shocking, and impressive, move for Penn State as the program continues to develop into an elite Div. I contender.

For even more on Max Gardiner, check out the Thank You Terry site. Some great stats and breakdowns.

B1G Player in the Big Leagues: Jack Skille

By Jessi Pierce

There’s no sweeter story than going to play college hockey for your hometown team. It’s the team you grew up cheering for and the team who’s posters and banners most likely hung on your bedroom wall. That’s exactly the sentiments that Jack Skille echoed when I had a chance to chat with the Madison, Wis., native last year.

“Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be a Badger,” said Skille, who now suits up for the NHL’s Florida Panthers. “My dad was a Badger and I used to fall asleep at the games when I was a little kid. It was a dream come true the day they offered me that full scholarship and I jumped on it.

"Being able to go home and play in front of my family friends was something truly great."

Making an immediate impact in his freshman campaign, Skille's most noteable impression was seen in the NCAA tournament when his triple-overtime game-winner pushed Wisconsin into the Frozen Four and the enivitable 2006 NCAA Championships.


"That was surreal," Skille said on winning the NCAA title. "I couldn't have asked for a better group of guys. It was a fun team to be a part of and the way [the tournament] was laid out, Green Bay and Milwaukee [for Regionals], if we were going to win a championship, that was going to be our year."

Injury sidelined the dominant forward for the 2006-07 season and following his sophomore year he turned his attention to the pros.

Drafted with the Blackhawks first pick in 2005 among an elite draft class including Sidney Crosby, Bobby Ryan and Jack Johnson, Skille saw ups and downs, jumping between Chicago and its affiliate in Rockford, Ill.

While it looked like Skille may have found his groove with the Blackhawks, even earning a spot on a line between Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews before rostering a permanent spot on the 4th line, a trade sent him away from the Midwest and down to Miami with the Florida Panthers where he currently has registered just six points (2G, 3A) in 31 games.

Check out my previous story and video interview with Jack Skille in USA Hockey Magazine.