2008 Collegiate Roller Hockey National Championships

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

I'm at the Colorado Sports Center and Central Florida (Division I) is now on the rink practicing. I will be going back and forth from here to Tour Inline Hockey Arena whenever I can hitch a ride. (Hint, hint.) ;)

Here's the latest official news from the National Collergiate Roller Hockey Association:

***

The NCRHA would like to announce the internet audio broadcast schedule for Bill Courtland, the official voice of the NCRHA!

*Broadcasts can be accessed from the schedule page, available on www.ncrha.org/championships, then click on the date (in yellow section of page) and on the Radio text to the right of the proper game. It is recommended that you test this prior to the game, to make sure your experience is seamless and you don't miss anything! Should there be no game going on, it is likely that you will hear nothing, so test it during another game!

*Links to the audio can also be found on IBSU's homepage, at www.ibsu.net (http://www.ibsu.net). Also here you can find troubleshooting tips.

*All games broadcast LIVE from the Tour Inline Arena!

Wednesday, April 9
9:45pm - Rhode Island vs. UC Irvine
10:45pm - Washington (STL) vs. Neumann College

Thursday, April 10
11:00am - Michigan State vs. Central Florida
1:15pm - Cal Poly Pomona vs. Louisiana Lafayette
3:15pm - Truman State vs. CSU San Bernardino
5:30pm - UC San Diego vs. West Chester
7:30pm - Buffalo vs. Michigan
8:45pm - Missouri St. Louis vs. Stony Brook

Friday, April 11
10:00am - Cal Poly Pomona vs. SIU Carbondale
11:00am - Truman State vs. Maine
1:15pm - Division I Playoffs
3:15pm - Division I Playoffs
4:30pm - Division I Playoffs
6:30pm - Division II Playoffs

Saturday, April 12
10:00am - Division II Playoffs
11:00am - Division II Playoffs
1:15pm - Division II Playoffs
4:30pm - Division I Playoffs
5:30pm - Division I Playoffs
7:30pm - Division II Playoffs

Sunday, April 13
9:00am - Division II Semifinals
10:00am - Division I Semifinals
12:30pm - Division II Championships
2:00pm - Division I Championships
7:30pm - Division III Playoffs
8:45pm - Division III Playoffs

Monday, April 14
9:00am - Division III Semifinals
10:00am - B Division Semifinals

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

I'm now at the Tour Inline Hockey Arena, and Lindenwood and Rutgers have just begun to play. Fast and furious start, with Lindenwood getting some close chances.

Any questions? ;)

[5280]

Hi Folks,

I'm now at the Tour Inline Hockey Arena, and Lindenwood and Rutgers have just begun to play. Fast and furious start, with Lindenwood getting some close chances.

Any questions? ;)

Any snow at Monument? :cool:

[RichardGraham]

Lindenwood on the scoreboard first, on a nice backhander. Thirty seconds later, Rutgers draws a penalty, but it's Lindenwood that capitalizes, shorthanded. 2-0 Lindenwood with 7:30 left in the first period. The stands are about 75% full, with several other college teams in attendance to watch this game.

[RichardGraham]

Hey 5280,

It's raining here in the lowlands; snow is expected tonight. It FEELS like an ice hockey rink in here. ;)

(I'm currently in Colorado Springs; I'm sure the weather's the same 20 miles north at the Colorado Sports Center.)

[5280]

Hey 5280,

It's raining here in the lowlands; snow is expected tonight. It FEELS like an ice hockey rink in here. ;)


Tell Bill M to turn off the heat and sell some coffee!:cool:

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

The live boxscore for this game can be found at:

http://www.ncrha.org/game.php?game_id=74891

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

Lindenwood's wins 7-0, outshooting Rutgers 33-19. Various attendees include John and Yvona Pellegrino of Ace (those IHC jerseys will be shipped out Friday, I've learned), Nabeel Gerges of Revision Wheels, NCRHA Marketing Director Nanette Houser, Colorado Rolling Thunder's Brian Yingling, and more.

The Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators game is playing on a TV next to the concession area. They're up 1-0 in the first, and there have only been 11 shots in the game... ;)

[indiangoalie33]

go RRCC

:D:D

[RichardGraham]

In the second game at the Tour Inline Hockey Arena, Missouri-Columbia has a 3-1 lead over Ohio State with 10:45 left to go in the second period. Shots favor Mizzou 20-8.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

It's now 4-2, an Ohio State powerplay, with 7:53 remaining in the game... Ohio State hits the post... it's still anyone's game. 7:21 left, Ohio State pulls within one, making it a 4-3 game. Ohio State has another power play, with 3:20 left in the game, but Mizzou-Columbia's goaltender is doing a great job to keep the puck out of the net. Ohio State couldn't score on the power play, but seconds later, they do score, and tie it up 4-4. Great game! Final score, 4-4.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

Now it's Eastern Michigan vs. UM St. Louis and UM already has two short-handed goals with 8:18 left in the first period. Wait. I wrote too soon -- two men down, now, UM 's #47 scores again. It's 3-0 UM St. Louis, with 8:02 left in the first. Hold the phone, #28 for UM makes an incredible individual effort and scores... 4-0 for UM. If Eastern Michigan can come back from this breakdown, it will say volumes about their team character.

Eastern Michigan's goalie must be a bit shell-shocked right now. It's 6-1; the wheels are falling off for Eastern Michigan with just under three minutes to play in the first period. 17 shots for UM, 9 for EM, end of the first, score still 6-1.

[showtime89]

UM St. Louis' goalie must be a bit shell-shocked right now. 6-1; the wheels are falling off for UM St. Louis with just under three minutes to play in the first period.

I hope they can find their axles so they can put the wheels back on.

[MBurke]

Do you have the teams mixed up, Rich?

http://www.ecrha.net/game.php?game_id=74893

[RichardGraham]

Hey Mike,

I was just checking to see if anyone was really reading my stuff. I haven't even had a beer yet!

[showtime89]

Is that UM-St. Louis/Eastern Michigan game in a rain delay? The boxscore stopped with 4 something left in the 2nd.

[RichardGraham]

The final score of the game was 12-5 in favor of UM St. Louis. This writer was just as shell-shocked as Eastern Michigan, as he was trying to re-post Stony Brook's Jim Tamburino's great "Remember Why You Play" Forums' post as a Central Square column at the same time he was ostensibly writing about the game. A beer can only help at this point.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

In game four at Rink 1, the Tour Inline Hockey Arena, it's Colorado State vs. Stony Brook University. With 6:29 left in the first, it's a tight 1-1 game.

Ace Jersey's John Pellegrino says, "It's wide open, but both both teams are playing tight when they need to; they're playing the game the right way, and it's an exciting game. They're opening up when it's time to open up, and they're not taking unnecessary risks. They're playing sound hockey. It's great goaltending down on this end, as the shots favor Stony Brook, 11-3."

Stony Brook power play: Jim Tamburino (http://www.inlinehockeycentral.com/article.php?article_id=52526) sets up the power play from the left point. Bouncing puck, Tambo flattens it out, only 11 seconds left in the PP. Tamburino gets a shot after the penalty is over, but it's deflected into the netting.

With 1:34 left in the first, Colorado State gets a close chance, but Stony Brook shuts the door. Tamburino skates down the rink with speed and lays a soft pass at the edge of the net as he's skating behind it, but his teammates can't convert on the play. At the end of the first, it's a 1-1 tie, with a 13-5 shot advantage for Stony Brook.

[RichardGraham]

No rain delay... brain fade. ;)

[RichardGraham]

In the second period, Stony Brook's Dan Castellano scores on a nice individual effort to make it 2-1 in favor of the Sea Wolves, as Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" plays on the sound system. Nice timing!

Power play goal, as Stony Brook bats puck out of the air and into the net; it's 3-1. Colorado takes another penalty with a little more than 7 minutes left in the second period... and the Tamburino makes them pay; 4-1. Shots favor the Sea Wolves, 21-8.

With 1:57 to go in the second, the Rams draw blood, making it 4-2. A minute later, however, the Sea Wolves get that goal back with a short-handed goal; it's 5-2 at the end of the second period. Stony Brook has one particular fan whose scream cuts through the rink noise. Ear plugs may be in order. ;)

[RichardGraham]

Early in the third, Tamburino gets in on the Rams' goaltender but can't tuck it in the corner. A few seconds later, Tambo gets another chances, dekes several times, and roofs one over the goaltender's shoulder; 6-2 in favor of the Sea Wolves. Then #27 makes a great individual effort and scores 'tweeners; 7-2. This one could be over.

Two-man advantage for Colorado State; can they get back in the game? They score one; make it 7-3. There's 31 seconds left on the second penalty, so Colorado can tighten the gap even more. Time out. With resumption of play, Colorado State does just that; it's 7-4 with 6:19 left in the game. The Rams look like they have new life.

Time is ticking away though, and the Rams' take a penalty to stop a two-on-one by Stony Brook. With 3:53 left, time is the enemy for the Rams. Now down a man with 2:23 to go, Colorado State needs puck possession, but Stony Brook mostly controls the play. A hooking penalty gives the Rams a penalty they don't need, and time ticks away on their first game. Final score, 7-4, Stony Brook wins.

[RichardGraham]

Now it's game 5 at Rink 1; the Towson Tigers vs. the Michigan State University Spartans. MSU has the game's first power play early, but fails to score. With 6:20 to go in the first, it's a tightly played game, with Towson's goaltender Matt Vensel playing an aggressive poke-check style in net. MSU has the shot advantage, 10-5.

An interference penalty on MSU's Tony Ascenzo gives Towson a one-man advantage with a little more than four minutes left in the first period, and Ryan Cowdell makes him pay with 2:58 left on the clock. 1-0 in favor of the Tigers.

But 24 seconds later, the Spartans draw even, 1-1, on a goal by ... you guessed it, Tony Ascenzo.

The tie doesn't last, as Josh Stein scores to make it 2-1 for the Tigers with 1:34 left in the first period. The Tigers make one last rush in the period, but don't score, and it's 2-1 after one.

[RichardGraham]

Less than a minute into the second, MSU draws even on another goal by Tony Ascenzo. Another poke check by Matt Vensel keeps MSU from taking the lead. Shots favor MSU, 19-13 with 7:31 left in the second period.

A penalty called on MSU's Evan Pomish is followed quickly by another by Kyle Steinberg, two-man advantage, Towson. Close misses by the Tigers; one-man advantage as the first penalty expires. MSU steals the puck and effectively kills the penalties.

1:30 left in the second period, penalty on Towson's Brett Boss gives MSU a chance to take the lead, but the period ends with 29 seconds left in the penalty. Score at the end of two; 2-2.

[RichardGraham]

News flash: Rink manager Bill Mulhern delivers me a pizza and a Pepsi. Great service!

At the start of the third, MSU scores quickly to take a 3-2 lead. Another power play for MSU... nine minutes left in the game... bouncing puck leaves the zone. Shot deflected over the net... :43 left in the penalty to Dane Houser of the Tigers. Just 12 seconds later, MSU scores after a nice pass through the crease.. 4-2 in favor of MSU; goal by Jim Goodliffe.

Shots favor MSU 31-22 with 7:35 left in the game. Another penalty to Towson and MSU quickly makes them pay -- 5-2, MSU. With less than four minutes to go, it would appear that the Spartans are in control.

Perhaps I spoke too soon... MSU takes a penalty, gives the puck away in a danger zone, avoids paying for it. Just 2:19 left, and Towson takes a penalty -- three-on-three action on the rink now for another 40 seconds... unless another infraction takes place...

MSU plays keepaway... this one's in the vault.

One thing I've noticed so far -- all the games have been pretty much run-and-gun -- the way the sport should be played. Bravo to all teams so far.

Final score, MSU 5, Towson 2.

[BLIZARD_HOCKEY]

UC-Irvine - 3
Rhode Island - 0

1st Intermission

1st Period Goals
UCI - Alex Frecker (Charlie Middleton, Mike Tasch)
UCI - Mike Tasch (unassisted)
UCI - Jeff Pollock (unassisted)

1st Period Penalties
Rhode Island - Chris Manchester (Tripping)

[RichardGraham]

OK, Folks,

Here we go. Tour Inline Hockey Arena: Rhode Island vs. UC Irvine.

I get my first close glimpse of Charlie Middleton as he makes a great cross-crease pass to Alex Frecker for a 1-0 UC Irvine lead. The announcer gives the assist to Mike Tasch, but I believe it was Middleton. Heads will roll!

UCI has the shortest bench I've seen at the tournament yet, with one sub, and no coaches on the bench. Coaches? We don't need no stinkin' coaches!

Tasch scores to give UCI a 2-0 lead with 4:16 to go in the first. Chris Manchester takes a tripping penalty for Rhode Island, Tasch makes some great moves down the slot but is stopped before getting off a shot. It's Jeff Pollock who makes Manchester pay, scoring with 1:40 left in the period; 3-0, UCI. Seconds later, Bord snuffs a breakaway by Middleton with a big save. Shots on goal favor the Anteaters, 11-10. The period ends, 3-0, UCI.

[BLIZARD_HOCKEY]

UC-Irvine - 4
Rhode Island - 1

2nd Intermission

1st Period Goals
UCI - Alex Frecker (Charlie Middleton, Mike Tasch)
UCI - Mike Tasch (unassisted)
UCI - Jeff Pollock (unassisted)

1st Period Penalties
Rhode Island - Chris Manchester (Tripping)

2nd Period Goals
Rhode Island - Bryan Eriksen (unassisted) (PP)
UCI - Charlie Middleton (unnassisted)

2nd Period Penalties
UCI - Fabian Mueller (Hooking)

[MBurke]

UCI/URI game is on internet radio if you're interested...

http://www.ncrha.org/page.php?page=ibsu

[RichardGraham]

Rhode Island almost gets on the scoreboard early in the second period, but the puck is deflected high and wide. Hooking penalty on UCI's Fabian Mueller; can Rhode Island convert? Yep. With 57 ticks left on the penalty, Bryan Eriksen scores; it's now 3-1 in favor of UCI.

With 6:14 left in the second, UCI regains its three-goal lead on a goal by Charlie Middleton; 4-1, Anteaters. That's the way the period ends.

[RichardGraham]

AJ,

Where are you? Come on down to the rink level near the Ace Jersey booth. Then you can blog and I can have a brew. ;)

[RichardGraham]

Third period action... shots favor Rhode Island, 25-21, but it's the scoreboard that counts. Quick wrister by Middleton goes 'tweeners; 5-1 UCI with about 7:30 left to go in the game.

A power-play goal UCI by Jeff Pollock widens UCI's lead to 6-1. Less than five minutes remain in the game. Another pp chance for UCI... three minutes and counting remain. Tic-Tac-Toe passing = goal! 7-1, Anteaters. Mike Tasch rags the puck, killing time off the clock. The Rams have 31 shots, but somehow it feels like few were real scoring chances. 7-1, Anteaters in a walk.

[RichardGraham]

My first Division 2 game of the day -- Neumann vs. Washington University, St. Louis. With 8:03 left in the first, Neumann draws first blood on a goal by Victor Scotto. With 6:54 remaining, Scotto gets another, and it's 2-0 in favor of the Knights.

***

Here are some scores from the games held so far at the Colorado Sports Center in Monument:

DII Shippensburg - 0, Cal Poly Pomona - 5
DII Maine - 7, CSU San Bernardino - 7
DI North Texas - 2, Florida - 9
DI Central Florida - 7, Long Beach State - 6
DII Albany - 4, Missouri State - 5
DII Temple - 3, Grand Valley State - 6
DII Sam Houston State - 2, Elon - 2

***

Back to the Neumann/Washington game, there are four minutes left in the first period, and Neumann has a 17-2 advantage in shots. As the period winds down, the score remains the same; 2-0 in favor of the Knights.

[RichardGraham]

Second period: Penalty on Neumann's Mike Klenk ... short-handed goal by Scotto; and that's a hat trick if I was accurate in accounting for his two previous goals. 3-0, Knights, 2:28 to go. No rest for Washington; Neumann scores another short-handed goal -- 4-0, with 2:17 left in second... and that's how the period ends.

[RichardGraham]

Early in the third period, Neumann has a stunning 36-8 shot advantage. Washington is as close as they are thanks to their goaltender Craig Markovitz, who has already made 32 saves. Of course, as soon as I write that, Neumann scores its fifth goal; 5-0.

4:50 to go in the game, 5-minute major penalty on Washington's #15 (not listed on NCRHA site's roster) for boarding... Markovitz continues to stand on his head -- 39 saves so far -- and 2:30 left to go.

Neumann penalty on Dan Valenti opens up the rink as the teams go three-on-three. Can the Bears break the shutout? Less than a minute remains...

Theh Knights' Anthony Casale makes toe-drag move, Mike Klenk follows up the rebound and scores on the rebound. -- 6-0. And that's the final score.

Kudos to Markovits -- 43 saves to make the game look much closer than it was.

One more game to go at this rink tonight... coming up, Western Carolina vs. Truman State.

[RichardGraham]

Truman draws first blood with 8:29 left in the first period. The Western Carolina Catamounts (http://catamountsports.cstv.com/genrel/011205aag.html) have some speed and move the puck quickly down the wings, but Truman State seems to have better positioning and passing so far. The Catamounts are the first team I've noticed not to have all matching helmets.

Truman gets the game's first power play, and with 5:36 to go in the first, they set it up... but Truman's Truman (really!) Patterson gets nabbed for goaltender interference. No matter, Truman's Jim Dougherty quickly scores in three-on-three play. 2-0 Truman State. With a little more than three minutes remaining in the first, Truman Captain Dane Moody scores a shorthander to put Truman State up 3-0. The bounces appear to be going Truman's way at the moment... End of the first, shots 10-4 in favor of Truman State, the score is 3-0.

[RichardGraham]

The Catamounts get a good scoring chance very early in the second period, but can't convert. Already on the power play, the Cats get a break, as Truman's Neil Bales takes a slashing penalty. However, Truman gets possession of the puck, and the Catamounts take a high-sticking call as the first Truman penalty expires. How quickly things change -- now Truman State has the power play! And they score. 4-0 with 8:27 left to go in the second period.

Western Carolina needs a goal to bring up their confidence level, and they need it now. Here's their chance; penalty on Truman's Zach Rhone. Passes are just not connecting for the Cats, and Truman makes them pay, as Dane Moody scores another shorthander for the Bulldogs. 5-0 Truman State.

Another missed connection on a two-on-one for Western Carolina, then a misfire in the slot. The Catamounts are snake-bit at the moment. With 90 seconds left in the second, the game's getting a bit physical. Shots favor Truman 20-12. A penalty on the Cat's and Truman fires off several more shots.

[Off-topic: Back-up bartender Teresa is working hard, stocking the upstairs bar. Give this woman a raise!]

[RichardGraham]

Final period of hockey tonight at the Tour Arena. Penalty on Truman, and the Catamounts finally make them pay. 5-1, Truman leads with 10:32 to go, but Western Carolina breaks the shutout. With 9:51 left, the Cats score again, Terry Munroe getting the goal. What's going on here? Is Truman human? 5-2, Truman.

With 7:57 left, the Bulldogs score to make it 6-2. Big collision between Truman's big (6' 4", 200 lbs.) Drew Vandas and Cats' goalie Clark Colosimo. Vandas goes off for goaltender interference with a little more than seven minutes remaining.

It's almost 1 a.m., for those keeping track. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... ;)

Another penalty on Truman, this time on Nick Blechle, and Western Carolina has a two-man advantage with 6:25 to go. But a puck gets deep into the Cats' zone, and there's another collision with Cats' goalie Colosimo and a Truman player, as Colosimo plays the puck in the corner. Colosimo might have some bruises after this game.

On the other end, John Pecher has made 20 saves and most of them in the second half of the game. With 3:45 to go, his 6-2 lead looks fairly safe. But you never know...

[The Colorado Avalanche/Minnesota Wild NHL game is being replayed, so the Avs' fans get to enjoy their win twice.]

Shots favored Truman by quite a bit earlier, but now the Cats' have crept up in that category, and have 24 to Truman's 25. With 1:28 left in the game, Drew Vandas scores to make it 7-2. It's over but for the shouting.

See you folks tomorrow. Wait a minute. In a few hours. It's already "tomorrow."

Good night, and good goals.

[BLIZARD_HOCKEY]

Richard,

I'm at home listening to the game online.

[MBurke]

Technical issues at the rinks seem to be out of the way and scoring's back on track and live at both facilities.

Internet radio broadcasts start at 1:00PM Eastern (11:00AM local).

Click below for details and to follow along:

http://ncrha.org/schedule.php?playoff_id=149&event_id=796

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

My technical issue (getting out of bed) has been solved, and I'm back at the Tour Inline Hockey Arena. Missouri St. Louis just defeated Colorado State, 7-2. I'll start a new thread for today's action.

[RichardGraham]

Now you tell me. ;)

[BLIZARD_HOCKEY]

UC-Irvine - 7
Rhode Island - 1

Final

1st Period Goals
UCI - Alex Frecker (Charlie Middleton, Mike Tasch)
UCI - Mike Tasch (unassisted)
UCI - Jeff Pollock (unassisted)

1st Period Penalties
Rhode Island - Chris Manchester (Tripping)

2nd Period Goals
Rhode Island - Bryan Eriksen (unassisted) (PP)
UCI - Charlie Middleton (unnassisted)

2nd Period Penalties
UCI - Fabian Mueller (Hooking)

3rd Period Goals
UCI - Charlie Middleton (unnassisted)
UCI - Jeff Pollock (unassisted) (PP)
UCI - Mike Tasch (unassisted)

3rd Period Penalties
Unknown

[JLambertUMSL]

Hi Folks,

Now it's Eastern Michigan vs. UM St. Louis and UM already has two short-handed goals with 8:18 left in the first period. Wait. I wrote too soon -- two men down, now, UM 's #47 scores again. It's 3-0 UM St. Louis, with 8:02 left in the first. Hold the phone, #28 for UM makes an incredible individual effort and scores... 4-0 for UM. If Eastern Michigan can come back from this breakdown, it will say volumes about their team character.



That was actually #38 (PJ Tallo), not 28. He scored three of the four shorthanded goals.

Video of the four shorthanded goals can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJGoQex6MCQ

[Alex Kozik]

Does anyone know what was wrong with EMU goalie that game? I mean he couldn't have done any worse if he tried. Was that a player dressed in goalie stuff for the first time?

[osu_buckeyes]

Does anyone know what was wrong with EMU goalie that game? I mean he couldn't have done any worse if he tried. Was that a player dressed in goalie stuff for the first time?

Their 3rd string goalie played because Diamond was injured I believe.

[RichardGraham]

Hi James,

Thanks for the heads-up. I was watching closely, but sometimes I couldn't see the numbers of the goal scorers OR hear the appropriate announcement (inline hockey arenas don't have the greatest acoustics), so I'm sure I made a lot of mistakes. However, my goal is always to be as accurate as possible, so I appreciate your post.