MAC Hockey Open Thread: From Lawson Arena

So we are going to try something out tonight, and I personally hope it sticks. We are going to open this up and let you comment freely about everything and anything about our MAC Hockey programs. If you want to comment about the game, or about the way the season is going, feel free. I'll be in the booth answering any questions you may have.

This is the 3rd meeting between Alaska-Fairbanks (or Alaska to college hockey people) and Western Michigan. Earlier this year, WMU took 5 points from the Nanooks (yeah, that's their name) with a 4-1 win then a 2-2 win, with a shootout victory (2-1 in 4 rounds). In the Saturday game, Alaska came from 2 goals down in the 3rd to tie the game.

For a live radio feed of the game, click here. There is no free video, but if you want to pay, I'll put up the links in the comments if you ask for them.

More notes and stuff after the jump

Last week, we were going to run this same thing for the Bowling Green-WMU game on Friday. Unfortunately, I had a set-back with my computer in the repair shop, and was unable to acquire another device to run this on. Nevertheless, we are here now, and this might work better since we can monitor the other two MAC schools and comment on them in their games.

One note we should quickly hit on is the "Tri-MAC-a" competition. Miami is our top school this year going 3-0-1 against the two MAC schools, but it should be noted that all 4 of their games were at home. Western went 2-3-1 and Bowling Green went 1-3-2, both getting 2 home games.

Now for tonight's games.

We'll start with the Falcons who head to Notre Dame for a two game stint in South Bend. The Falcons are dead last in the CCHA, with no ray of hope to climb out of the cellar for the 2nd straight year. Their special teams have been horrid, as has their offense in general. If there could be one bright spot for them, it would be goalie Andrew Hammond who has stood on his head at times to try to keep BGSU in it.

Now we head to Ann Arbor where the Miami RedHawks will take on the Michigan Wolverines in a huge match-up between two teams in the hunt for a top 5 seed. In the CCHA, the top 5 seeds get a first-round bye, with the top 4 seeds getting to host the lesser teams via reseeding (lowest seed plays the top seed, etc). Both teams have been red-hot lately, so this should be a great pair of games. This game will actually be on FSD+, with tomorrow's being on CBS Sports Network. You're welcome

Now for this game. Western enters near the top of the CCHA, while Alaska is near the bottom. Western had the lead in the CCHA for one night before dropping Saturday's game at Bowling Green. Alaska isn't a bad team, sitting 4 points out of 9th, so they can move up before the play-offs. This weekend is Hockey Cares weekend at Lawson. It is WMU's annual breast cancer awareness/fund-raising weekend, with Saturday's game-worn jersey's up for auction with all profits going to cancer research. If you want to check out more info, just click here.

WMU's captain Ian Slater will not play with an upper-body injury suffered in the first minute of last Saturday's loss against Bowling Green. Full starting lines and other notes as we go, so chime in as you feel like it.