Mariucci Arena (Minneapolis, MN)- With two weekend days off from games, two of the Timberwolves top amateur scouts and the general manager made a trek to the States to get a firsthand look at some of their U.S college prospects.
-Chief Amateur Scout, Tony Hrkac traveled solo to Grand Forks, North Dakota to watch Colin Greening's Cornell Big Red take on David Toews' and Ben Blood's North Dakota Fighting Sioux.
-General Manager, Blake Wendt and Amateur Scout, Norm Maciver headed to Minneapolis for the 'College Hockey Showcase' at Mariucci Arena. Featuring the hometown Minnesota Golden Gophers, their WCHA-rival Wisconsin Badgers, and the CCHA's Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans.
-"It's no secret we heavily scout the NCAA ranks," said Wendt. "With twelve of the eighteen active players playing between these two towns this weekend. These were trips we basically had to make."
-In Grand Forks, Cornell came to town with a red-hot junior goaltender and their captain, Colin Greening leading their team in points.
-NoDak freshmen, David Toews and Ben Blood are still trying to earn their ice time on a struggling Sioux team. Toews has two assists in nine games and Blood doesn't have a point in twelve games.
-"The last time we seen these guys was in June at our Prospect Camp," said Hrkac. "Greening had the leadership qualities and skill to get noticed then. Toews ('08 draftee) was someone we watched alot of last year at Shattuck St Mary's and in camp. He shows flashes of the Toews genes (younger brother of Jonathan), but is still rough around the edges. Blood ('07 draftee) is a man-child. He's huge and still growing. We're not concerned about his lack of points right now. It's not his game. We came here to see if he can keep pace with bigger, stronger and faster players as opposed to what he was used to in the USHL last year. Like David, Ben's still got a lot of work. But we're completely comfortable with them developing in a program like North Dakota." Hrkac was a Hobey Baker winner (top US college hockey player) for North Dakota in 1987.
-UND won 7-3 on Friday. Cornell won 2-1 on Saturday. Greening was the only Timberwolves prospect with a point. Scoring a goal on Friday and the game-winner on Saturday.
-In Minneapolis, on the campus of the University of Minnesota, Wendt and Maciver were set to watch ten of their prospects from the four schools at the tournament. While also eyeing possible future draft picks.
-"This is a great tournament," said Maciver. "All four of these schools are renowned for their history and championships and the players that come through their ranks and go onto stellar pro careers. To have all four under one roof in two nights is outstanding from a scouting perspective. Plus with the economy the way it is, this is a bargain."
-Gophers and Thunder Bay prospects, Cade Fairchild ('07 draftee), Jay Barriball and Aaron Ness ('08 draftee) all had assists in a shocking 6-3 defeat for #1 ranked Minnesota to Michigan. Aaron Palushaj and Chris Summers each had an assist in the Wolverines win on Friday.
-Fairchild and Ness added an assist each on Saturday in a 4-4 tie with Michigan State. Forward prospect, Pat White ('07 draftee) scored a goal.
-Also on Saturday, Michigan was shutout in the first place game against Wisconsin. Derek Stepan ('08 draftee) had an assist in the game.
-Other prospects picking up points with their respective NCAA team:
-Patrick Weircioch (Denver), goal and assist in 6-1 win vs Colgate
-Ryan Thang (Notre Dame), goal in 3-3 tie vs Western Michigan
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