As long as I have time, I’ll try to do a rundown each Tuesday of 10 things that have caught my eye around the country. Here are my ten thoughts for this week:
1. Minnesota Duluth took over the No. 1 ranking after sweeping North Dakota over the weekend. The Bulldogs are really set up to make a run at trophies this season. They figure to only get better once Omaha transfer Avery Peterson becomes eligible at semester time and first-round NHL draft pick Riley Tufte adjusts to college hockey. The Bulldogs are in St. Cloud this weekend. St. Cloud State has only been swept in the National Hockey Center twice in the last two years: Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota Duluth.
2. The early Hobey contender watch is starting to take shape after just a month, because some of the nation’s leading scorers are guys who you would expect will be able to continue keeping this up. Notre Dame junior Anders Bjork has 16 points in 8 games (7-9–16). Union senior Mike Vecchione also has 16 points in 8 games (10 goals). UND’s Brock Boeser has 12 points in 7 games. You’d have to think they will be in the mix. Bjork is a Bruins draft pick. Boeser is a Canucks draft pick. Vecchione is expected to be one of college hockey’s coveted free agents.
