Beat Michigan 2-1 to win their pool in the ACHA Division 3 national tournament at Grand Rapids, MI. Hogs and Wolverines both advanced to the semis. Semifinal game will be Monday, opponent to be determined; I think it could be the mighty Missouri State Ice Bears. If they win, championship game is Tuesday night.
I think there will be streaming video at the ACHA website, achahockey.org
There were several questions on the hockey club’s Twitter and Facebook pages of the nature of “is there any sport Arkansas isn’t kicking butt in right now?” After the three pool wins in Grand Rapids, the Ice Hogs are now 15-0 against D3 teams and 18-1 overall on the season.
I also noticed the Ice Hogs had two Division 3 All-Americans. Defenseman Cameron McAtee was named to the first team and goalie Josef Dusenka made the second team.
It’s a club team, not varsity, but they’ve been doing well in ACHA play (which is comprised of college clubs around the country) for a few years now. They play at the Jones Center in Springdale. First time they’ve reached the semis though.
If we play Mo State in the semis, we already swept a three-game series with them in Springfield earlier in the season.
Confirmed. Ice Hogs play Mo State in the semis at 3:30 p.m. Monday. Michigan plays #1 ranked Hope College in the second semi. Championship game is at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Michigan was #2 in the rankings, Hogs #3. Mo State was ranked #8 and the last team invited to nationals but finished second in its pool to advance.
I’m told it’s a good brand of hockey. I wouldn’t know it if I saw it. Hockey just slides past me. I’ve seen 5-6 games in person including Red Wings and Stars. People all around me were excited. So it must be good stuff. I was told that the 5-3 game was high scoring but even the times without scoring seemed to be enjoyed by the fans.
A 5-3 game is pretty high scoring. I’ve been to two hockey games in person (minor league game in Houston, a Montreal-Anaheim game in Montreal). I was in the nosebleeds in Montreal where all the teenagers sit (cheaper seats). Pretty sure I was both the oldest one in my section and the only one who didn’t speak French. I was so far up I was looking down on the media balcony, which reminded me a little of the press box at Ray Winder Field.
After 2 periods of the semifinal, it’s Hogs 4, MoState 1. Looks like the Ice Hogs will be playing for the natty tomorrow night, barring a complete collapse. Hogs scored four goals in the first period, MSU got one back in the second. Forward Zach Wilson got two of the goals.
By the way, it’s octopus, and that only applies in the playoffs. The eight legs used to represent the number of playoff games you had to win to capture the Stanley Cup. Now it’s 16 but the octopus remains.