Huskies Hockey Insider

Bemidji State men's hockey head coach Tom Serratore discusses how his team played in the first half — strengths, things it needs to work on, playing St. Cloud State, how former Huskies assistant coach Mike Gibbons came back for another season and more in this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten Here's the time stamps: :45 The first half for Bemidji State 2:50 The Beavers power play 3:19 2 underclassmen seeing time in goal for BSU 5:00 Scouting SCSU 6:50 Tough nonconference schedule 7:20 Former SCSU assistant Mike Gibbons on staff for a second season.

If you had asked St. Cloud State men's hockey fans before the season which player would lead the Huskies in scoring at the holiday break, it is fair to say that Kevin Fitzgerald would not likely have been the first pick. But the graduate student has 21 points (already a career high) through 16 games. Fitzgerald talks about his fast start, takes a look at where the Huskies are, discusses teammate Jack Peart, how he got started in hockey, playing Tier III junior hockey, being a walk-on for SCSU. Discover all this and more in this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten. Podcast Timestamps: Final exams, degree he is working on and teammates in classes to open 4:05 hearing from people "you play on the hockey team?!" 5:05 his quick start to the season 6:45 Matt Cullen coming in to teach session on faceoffs, how Cullen treats others 11:05 assessing the Huskies at the holiday break 17:35 Jack Peart being named to USA roster for world championships, having him as a teammate 23:10 playing pro an option? 25:15 starting out playing hockey, his winding junior hockey career 27:50 playing junior hockey for the Aberdeen Wings 30:10 how he ended up walking on at SCSU 35:00 playing in 38 games as a freshman walk-on 

Former Gophers All-American and TV analyst Pat Micheletti breaks down last weekend's NCHC series split between North Dakota and St. Cloud State. He also takes a look at the the Huskies 16 games into the season. He also discusses the play of Kevin Fitzgerald, Veeti Miettinen, Jack Peart, Micah Miller, Seamus Donohue, David Hrenak more in this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

In a trial format, Mick Hatten discusses the St. Cloud State men's hockey team with WJON-AM's Dave Overlund on this week's episode. The Huskies are preparing to play the University of North Dakota in a series at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. Hatten discusses the team, the rivalry with UND, Jack Peart and more on this episode.

The No. 5/6-ranked St. Cloud State men's hockey team has a bye week, but head coach Brett Larson said his team will not be taking it easy in practices after getting swept last weekend at Western Michigan. Larson discusses the series against Western Michigan, some lineup changes, recruiting, gives an update on Sam Hentges and the former USHL head coach gives some perspective on the Omaha Lancers situation with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

Forum Communications announced this week that it is partnering with athletes to expand The Rink Live brand as the go-to destination for North Dakota and Minnesota hockey coverage. In the 2020 NHL draft, Jake Sanderson was selected fifth overall by the Ottawa Senators. Welcome to The Rink Live Team Jake. A sophomore studying kinesiology at the University of North Dakota, Jake is an assistant captain and plays defense for the Fighting Hawks. This season, he leads the team in points.

Goalie Maddie Rooney backstopped the U.S. to the 2018 Olympic gold medal. Welcome Maddie to The Rink Live Team as the U.S.  aims to repeat as gold medalists at the 2022 Winter Olympics in February. Forum Communications is excited to partner with like-minded athletes to expand The Rink Live brand as the go to destination for North Dakota & Minnesota hockey coverage.

St. Cloud State men's associate head coach Dave Shyiak has coached college hockey since 1995. He is in charge of the Huskies defensemen and he talks about where the defensemen are at, discusses newcomers Jack Peart and Josh Luedtke 1/3 of the way through their freshman season and playing at Western Michigan where he coached for six seasons. Shyiak also discusses the recruiting process, how they find players, how often they typically see players, how video and the pandemic has changed it and more in this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

Former St. Cloud State men's hockey captain and defenseman Geno Parrish discusses his former teammates who played on the 2001 WCHA Final Five team that will be honored Saturday and talks about his impressions on this season's top-ranked Huskies team to open. Then we get to the meat of this podcast: he shares memories of playing with the infamous Danbury Trashers of the United Hockey League in 2004-05. The Trashers are the subject of a Netflix documentary called "Untold: Crime and Penalties.

With St. Cloud State about to honor its 2001 WCHA Final Five champion men's hockey team on Nov. 13 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, the insider catches up with Mark Hartigan. Hartigan, the program's career leader in goals (86) and is fifth in points (165), was the WCHA Player of the Year and a top three finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2001-02. He discusses his playing career, life since hockey, living in Fort McMurray, Alberta, and more in this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten. There are two parts to this podcast due to some technical difficulties. This is Part 2.  

With St. Cloud State about to honor its 2001 WCHA Final Five champion men's hockey team on Nov. 13 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, the insider catches up with Mark Hartigan. Hartigan, the program's career leader in goals (86) and is fifth in points (165), was the WCHA Player of the Year and a top three finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2001-02. He discusses his playing career, life since hockey, living in Fort McMurray, Alberta, and more in this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten. There are two parts to this podcast due to some technical difficulties.  

Matt Hendricks has been an assistant directory of player development for the Minnesoa Wild since June 2019. In his position, he is a liaison between the organization and players that the team has drafted. Hendricks discusses two Wild draft picks playing for the Huskies (Jack Peart and Sam Hentges), duties involved in his job, how much travel is involved and more. He also discusses his playing career from leading Blaine to the Class AA state title in 2000, playing on a talent-laden St. Cloud State team that won the WCHA Final Five title in 2001 and about his playing career on this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.  

Allie Cornelius grew up in St. Cloud, dreaming of playing in the WCHA. When she graduated from Cathedral High School, she was the all-time leader in goals for the St. Cloud Icebreakers and ended up accepting an offer to play for St. Cloud State. She became friends with her three teammates from Finland and is trying to learn the language from them. Cornelius was also a soccer player at Cathedral. She discusses all these topics, her progression as a player and more in this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

It is homecoming week at St. Cloud State and it will be a homecoming for University of Minnesota men's assistant hockey coach Garrett Raboin. Raboin played for the Huskies from 2006-10 and was an assistant coach for SCSU from 2012-18 before leaving to take his current job with the Gophers. He discusses the Gophers, answers some submitted questions from Twitter, playing for the Huskies, how he is helping honor Mack Motzko and more in this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.  

Hard to believe, but Nick Oliver is beginning his fourth season as an assistant coach for the St. Cloud State men's hockey team. Oliver talks about the excitement surrounding this weekend's nonconference series at Minnesota State University-Mankato, keys for the Huskies, discusses last weekend's sweep over St. Thomas, assesses the four newcomers and gives you a couple of goal scorer terms that get used in the locker room. Discover all this and more in this podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

When the NCAA announced that athletes who competed in the 2020-21 school year could have another year of eligibility because of the pandemic, Emma Polusny took her time to make her decision. During that last school year, she finished two undergraduate degrees and helped the St. Cloud State women's hockey team triple its WCHA win total from the season before. The senior and Mound-Westonka High School graduate decided to return and pursue an MBA. Polusny discusses her academics, discusses this season's team, her time with the USA women's national team and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten. Because of some internet issues, the podcast is in two parts. This is Part 2. The Huskies open their season at 6 p.m. Friday with a nonconference game against Lindenwood at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.

When the NCAA announced that athletes who competed in the 2020-21 school year could have another year of eligibility because of the pandemic, Emma Polusny took her time to make her decision. During that last school year, she finished two undergraduate degrees and helped the St. Cloud State women's hockey team triple its WCHA win total from the season before. The senior and Mound-Westonka High School graduate decided to return and pursue an MBA. Polusny discusses her academics, discusses this season's team, her time with the USA women's national team and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten. Because of some internet issues, the podcast is in two parts. This is Part 1. The Huskies open their season at 6 p.m. Friday with a nonconference game against Lindenwood at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.

Blake Winiecki did not know much about the ECHL when he left St. Cloud State to join the Florida Everblades. But having recently re-signed with the team for his fourth full pro season, he clearly enjoys playing for the team, which plays its home games in Estero, Fla., a suburb of Fort Myers. Winiecki discusses what it was like to back at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center last week for a pro camp, shares some of his experiences in pro hockey, talks about working in real estate, having a wife who is a former college hockey player and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.  

Clark Kuster, in a way, came back home when he accepted a job as an assistant coach with the North American Hockey League's St. Cloud Norsemen. Kuster was a member of the St. Cloud State men's hockey team from 2015-20. Kuster spent last season as a defenseman for the Pensacola Ice Flyers in the Southern Professional Hockey League and was again a teammate of former Huskies forward Jake Wahlin. But about midway through this summer, he decided he wanted to start a career as a coach and got help from SCSU assistant coach Nick Oliver to hook up with the Norsemen. Kuster discusses his playing career, his start to his coaching career, the first few games for the Norsemen and more. The Norsemen have their home opener at 7 p.m. Friday against the Bismarck Bobcats.

Blake Winiecki did not know much about the ECHL when he left St. Cloud State to join the Florida Everblades. But having recently re-signed with the team for his fourth full pro season, he clearly enjoys playing for the team, which plays its home games in Estero, Fla., a suburb of Fort Myers. Winiecki discusses what it was like to back at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center last week for a pro camp, shares some of his experiences in pro hockey, talks about working in real estate, having a wife who is a former college hockey player and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

Former St. Cloud State and Moorhead High School defenseman Will Borgen is preparing for fall camp for the expansion NHL Seattle Kraken. Camp begins on Thursday, Sept. 23. Borgen discusses spending time in Seattle for the first time, what it was like finding out he had been selected in the expansion draft, leaving the Buffalo Sabres organization, his memories of winning a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships, joining the Huskies out of high school and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.  

R.J. Enga was born in Germany, where his father was stationed in the U.S. Air Force, and he speaks fluent German and played a lot of soccer in his early years. When his family moved to Colorado Springs, he went to an Air Force hockey game, fell in love with hockey and started playing. He went on to play soccer, hockey and baseball for Culver Military Academy (Ind.) before playing hockey for Colorado College (1991-95) and then professionally until 2007. Enga coached in the NAHL for the Topeka Roadrunners and in the USHL for the Chicago Steel before being an assistant coach at Colorado College from 2014-21. A conversation on the 3.3 degrees of separation in hockey with the St. Cloud State men's hockey team's new director of operations and video coordinator.

Since finishing his career with St. Cloud State in 2019, Jacob Benson has played in the ECHL for Jacksonville and Tulsa and the majority of the last two seasons for the Knoxville Ice Bears in the Southern Professional Hockey League. He led the SPHL in scoring last season and recently signed a contract to play for the Fife Flyers (Scotland) in the Elite Ice Hockey League (Great Britain). Benson talks about his time in the minors and then takes a look at his Huskies teammates from 2015-19 and tells you who was the the best cook, biggest neat freak, funniest, most intense, most laid back, loudest, quietest and most underrated and a surprise category with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.  

As promised in an earlier podcast, former St. Cloud State captain Jimmy Schuldt makes a return appearance to the Huskies Hockey Insider podcast. Schuldt talks about his time with the Black Aces for the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming a free agent and then takes a look at his Huskies teammates from 2015-19 and tells you who was the the best cook, biggest neat freak, funniest, most intense, most laid back, loudest, quietest and most underrated and a surprise category with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.  

Zack Fisch was a mass communications major with a broadcast journalism emphasis when he attended St. Cloud State University from 2008-12. Since leaving the university, he's gone on to do play-by-play for the Dubuque Fighting Saints (2012-15) of the United States Hockey League, the South Carolina Stingrays (2015-16) of the ECHL and has been with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League since October 2016. He's also been able to do some substitute announcing for the Washington Capitals of the NHL. He shares memories of his career with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.  

Former St. Cloud State women's goalie Julie Friend talks about her new position with the University of St. Thomas, which included being on the search committee for the head women's hockey coach for the Tommies. She also discusses her playing career, which included winning a state title with Minnetonka High School, playing four seasons at St. Cloud State, playing one season in Europe and winning the NWHL Isobel Cup with the Minnesota Whitecaps. Friend, who graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism, also discusses doing work for FOX Sports North and the state high school hockey tournament's TV broadcasts. All this and more on this episode.  

Robby Jackson got caught in a tough spot this season. The American Hockey League team he was supposed to play for opted out of the season due to the coronavirus pandemic. So he ended up on the roster of the Utica Comets in the AHL, a team that included prospects from the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues organizations. He talks about his season in the AHL, his time with the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL, being a free agent, getting to know @GOHUSKIESWOOOOO from Twitter fame and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.  

This is a big offseason for Blake Lizotte on a lot of fronts. The former St. Cloud State All-American center is a restricted free agent after spending the last two full seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. He also recently got engaged, will get married this summer and is in the market for a house. Lizotte takes a break from all of that to discuss watching his former teammates play in the national championship game and takes us through his tough decisions from Chisago Lakes High School to the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL to the Fargo Force of the USHL to St. Cloud State and signing his first contract with the Kings. All of this and more on this episode.

Defenseman Jimmy Schuldt talks about his unique second season of pro hockey, playing for the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League with a number of restrictions because of the lingering pandemic. The Silver Knights are playing a modified playoffs in a three-game series for the Pacific Division title against Bakersfield. Schuldt talks about his development, discusses his time at St. Cloud State, what it was like to see the Huskies reach the NCAA Division I championship game, gives scouting reports on former Minnetonka stars Joe Molenaar and Josh Luedtke and more in this episode.  

Mick Hatten finally gave in and did a podcast with @GOHUSKIESWOOOOO. Some of the reason for the initial apprehension for Hatten was because the two had actually never spoken to one another, despite Twitter direct messaging since 2013 when he started his account. So there's some getting to know one another on this podcast, but we also go through a lot of St. Cloud State men's hockey history, answer some Twitter questions and give Huskies fans some things to think about. To use a term that @GOHUSKIESWOOOOO would use, grab several victory drinks and take a listen. Link to last season's Huskies Hockey Happy Hour episodes

Since the first season of the NCHC in 2013-14, the conference has established itself as arguably the most consistently outstanding of the six in NCAA Division I men's hockey. The eight-team conference has had at least one team reach the national championship game in each of the last five seasons that there has been an NCAA tournament and won four national titles. In the eight seasons that the Frozen Four has taken place since the NCHC began, the conference has had 12 teams make the Frozen Four. For comparison, in that span, Hockey East has had seven teams reach the Frozen Four, the Big Ten has had five, the ECAC three and the WCHA one. During an #AskWellensAnything for the weekly Bulldog Insider Newsletter, a reader submitted a question to Matt Wellens of the Duluth News-Tribune and The Rink Live, asking him to pick an All-NCHC team for the first eight seasons and also to pick an All-UMD team in that span. Wellens reached out and asked me to do the same and pick an All-SCSU team. My All-NCHC team ended up being heavily influenced by the four teams that have dominated the conference: Denver, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota and St. Cloud State. Those four teams have combined to win five of the seven NCHC Frozen Faceoff titles and all eight of the NCHC Penrose Cup (regular season) titles.

Josh Luedtke decided to go back to his second full season of junior hockey and the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League. Luedtke, a 20-year-old defenseman from Minnetonka, Minn., was the captain of the Buccaneers and had 18 assists, 22 points 59 penalty minutes and was a plus-12 in 48 games. Luedtke talks about his season, knowing Huskies freshman forward Joe Molenaar since squirt hockey, playing lacrosse and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.    

Former St. Cloud State captain and All-America defenseman Jack Ahcan has seen three levels of pro hockey this season as a rookie. He has played for the Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL), Providence Bruins (AHL) and the Boston Bruins (NHL). The 23-year-old from Savage, Minn., talks about some of the adventures during his rookie season. He also talks about watching his former Huskies teammates reach the NCAA Division I championship game for the first time, a friendly wager with a Bruins teammate, a few of his first purchases as a pro and more.  

Jim Erickson has experienced a lot of cool events during his career as a play-by-play announcer. He's worked in the minor leagues, the Minnesota boys state tournament and with the St. Cloud State men in hockey. He will work at his first Frozen Four on Thursday, April 8 (96.7 FM) when the Huskies (19-10-0) plays Minnesota State University-Mankato (22-4-1) at 4 p.m. in Pittsburgh. Because of an internet issue, there are two parts to the interview. This is the Part 2 of 2.

Jim Erickson has experienced a lot of cool events during his career as a play-by-play announcer. A few examples: He's worked in the minor leagues, the Minnesota boys state tournament and with the St. Cloud State men in hockey. He's about to experience something for the first time professionally: he will work at his first Frozen Four on Thursday, April 8. Erickson will work the game for 96.7 FM when the Huskies (19-10-0) plays Minnesota State University-Mankato (22-4-1) at 4 p.m. (ESPN2) in Pittsburgh. Erickson discusses this year's unique state tournament and this season's Huskies with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten. Because of an internet issue, there are two parts to the interview.

The last time that Nick Oliver took part in a Frozen Four, it was 2013 as a sophomore forward for the St. Cloud State men's hockey team in Pittsburgh, Pa. Next week, he will be an assistant coach for the Huskies when they take part in the 2021 Frozen Four in Pittsburgh. Oliver shares his memories of that magical run to the program's first Frozen Four and takes a look ahead to this year's Frozen Four with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

Jared Cockrell grew up in Maine and played four seasons for Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. Despite being about a two-hour drive away from Colgate, Cockrell said he has never been to Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. That is where the NCAA Division I Northeast Regional men's hockey tournament will be played on Saturday and Sunday. Cockrell, a senior forward, will be playing in his first NCAA tournament game for the St. Cloud State men's hockey team when the Huskies play Boston University at 5:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPNEWS). A graduate transfer, Cockrell is looking forward to playing in front of family members in the regional and add the national tournament to his new group of experiences in his hockey career. He also discusses playing for his father at Kents Hill Academy (Maine), playing for the Brooks Bandits in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, his decision to transfer to St. Cloud State and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

There will be a new format to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff this year with the conference tournament going to a single-elimination, one location look this season due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Rink Live beat reporters Brad Schlossman, Mick Hatten and Matt Wellens discuss the new format, who it might favor and take a look at the first-round matchups for the eight-team tournament that will be played March 12-16 in Grand Forks, N.D.

St. Cloud State's Steve Macdonald had quite the second season as the team's women's hockey head coach. Like everyone, he had to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. But he also had to deal with two pauses because of positive COVID-19 test results on his team, a game that the referees got the rules wrong in a shootout, a number of players trying to travel in and out of the country and then finding out late in the season that only the top four teams in the WCHA would be eligible for the conference playoffs this year. Despite all of the challenges, the Huskies won three times as many WCHA games (6-12-1) as they did in his first season. Macdonald talks about the challenges of the season, trying to recruit players to come back for another season of eligibility, how he and his staff are dealing with recruiting new players and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

It could be a good test of your demeanor: Have a conversation with David Hrenak and see if you are not smiling for most of it. The St. Cloud State senior goalie from Považská Bystrica, Slovakia, has an upbeat and infectious personality. That is on full display in this podcast with the Los Angeles Kings draft pick. Hrenak discusses his life growing up in Slovakia, his hockey-loving family, playing for national teams in Slovakia, how he ended up playing junior hockey for the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League and, of course, his time with the Huskies in this episode of Huskies Hockey Insider podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

You know it is been brutally cold when Easton Brodzinski has not even thought about going ice fishing. The senior from Blaine, Minn., is an avid hunter and fisherman. He talks about the two teammates he has gone hunting and fishing with this season, gives updates on his three hockey playing brothers, how often his dad asks him to help out working at their hockey equipment store, his season and career with the St. Cloud State men's hockey team and more on this episode with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

Brendan Bushy is from a hockey family in Thief River Falls. His dad, Jon, played college hockey for Minnesota State University-Mankato. His younger brother, Evan, is a St. Cloud State commit and is playing juniors for the Minnesota Wilderness in the North American Hockey League. They also have a younger brother who is playing at the bantam level of youth hockey. Brendan's grandfather, Joe Bushy, was on the committee to get the Ralph Engelstad Arena (The Mini Ralph) built in Thief River Falls in 2003. Bushy talks about his hockey-rich family, growing up in Thief River Falls, playing junior hockey for the Dubuque Fighting Saints and playing in the state hockey tournament in St. Paul.

St. Cloud State men's hockey forward Zach Okabe discusses his strong start to the season, how his offseason work has helped, living in five countries, scoring four goals in a game with his dad and sisters in attendance, what it is like to play on a line with two players from Finland, his family's history at SCSU and more.

Nolan Walker thinks his last four-goal game happened in youth hockey. But the junior center from Anchorage, Alaska, had four in a game Saturday in a win over Miami and is the reigning NCHC Forward of the Week. Walker has bounced back from a challenging sophomore season and already has more goals (7) and points (14) than he had last season. He discusses some keys to the turnaround, how he spent the offseason and also discusses his career from growing up watching Alaska-Anchorage games to playing for Culver Military Academy and the Sioux Falls Stampede before joining the Huskies.

Eric Rud spent four seasons (2006-10) as an assistant men's hockey coach for former St. Cloud State head coach Bob Motzko. Rud returned to be the head coach for the Huskies women's hockey team from 2014-19. His wife, Amy, and son, Max, are still living in St. Cloud as Max plays for the St. Cloud co-op boys hockey team. Their daughter, Gabbie, was supposed to be playing her freshman season of college hockey at Cornell University, but their season got cancelled because of COVID-19 concerns. Their son, Sam, is living in an apartment with Eric and is working in Oxford, Ohio. Rud talks about that juggling act as a parent as his team prepares to play St. Cloud State this weekend at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. Rud also discusses recruiting during the pandemic, his experiences in the NCHC Pod, progress the RedHawks are showing and what they expect when they play the Huskies. He does all of this as he is driving through Indiana to get back to St. Cloud with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

On Jan. 8, Chase Brand scored on a set play off a faceoff to snap a 15-game streak without a goal. Brand talks about his season to this point with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten. He also discusses his winding road to get to the St. Cloud State men's hockey team: four junior teams in two leagues, de-committing from Miami and going through the recruiting process a second time. He also talks about fun subjects like who the Huskies' best golfer is, some of the intricacies of fly fishing, his athletic family (mom and dad were college athletes, his sister plays in the NWHL), his love of baseball and what it was like growing up in Nevis, Minn.

Former St. Cloud State captain and current Huskies assistant coach Nick Oliver discusses his experiences of working in the NCHC Pod, getting to know new assistant Dave Shyiak and recruiting during the pandemic. Oliver also gives a scouting report on recent Huskies signees Jack Peart, Mason Salquist and Josh Luedtke, previews the second straight series against Minnesota Duluth and discusses how a Fathead of him keeps popping up in new places of the two-part podcast with the Rink Live's Mick Hatten.

The sixth-ranked St. Cloud State and fourth-ranked Minnesota Duluth men's hockey teams' next four games against one another. So The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Matt Wellens take a look at how the teams match up, what we saw out of both teams in the NCHC Pod and also take a look at the second half of the NCHC season in this episode.

OMAHA, Neb. — Joey Lamoreaux joins the podcast and talks about the St. Cloud State men's hockey team bonding over his decision to bring a puzzle down to the NCHC Pod and he describes what his experience has been like in the first two weeks. He also discusses his first college start on Sunday, growing up in Wisconsin and playing for the Milwaukee Jr. Admirals and then the Madison Capitols of the USHL. One of Lamoreaux's Jr. Admirals teammates was Grant Cruikshank, who is the son of two four-time Olympic speed skaters. Cruikshank's mother is Bonnie Blair and Lamoreaux shares a couple of fun anecdotes about the five-time gold medalist.

The good news is, Brady Ziemer's arm is feeling a bit better a day after blocking a shot in a game against Western Michigan. The freshman from Caver, Minn., said that he skated on Thursday and plans to be ready to play when the Huskies Ziemer talked about a variety of subject on this episode of the podcast, including his college debut, his unusual first college goal, playing for former Huskies forward Noel Rahn at Holy Family in high school, playing for the Merritt Centennials in the BCHL and the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL.

OMAHA, Neb. — St. Cloud State men's hockey forward Micah Miller discusses what may have been a key to his quick start in the season-opener, his background growing up in northern Minnesota, his track and field career, who his roommate is during the three-week NCHC pod and what they are doing to pass their down time. All this and more on this week's podcast with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten.