I guess all good things DO need to come to an end. BSU didn't play very well against Ohio State, but let's put things into perspective.

Through 14 games (not quite half-way through the season)...

- BSU has 11 wins (2nd best winning percentage in the country)

- BSU is averaging 3.79 goals per game...7th in the country. More than half the teams in the country don't score more than 2 goals a game!

- BSU is best in the country by giving up just 1.71 goals per game. Twenty teams give up more than 3 per game.

- Matt Read has 1.5 points per game

- Brad Hunt (who didn't score this past weekend!) is scoring 1.14 points per game...4th in the country for defensmen.

- Jordan George is scoring 1.21 points per game...4th in the country amongst freshmen.

- Dan Bakala has the 4th best GAA in the country...at 1.68...and he has the 4th best save percentage in the country at .935

- and most importantly...the Beavers have a NINE POINT LEAD in the league.

One loss to Ohio State doesn't mean impending doom. Two wins this weekend is all that matters right now.

BSU Lines (*=starter)

Ohio State Lines (*=starter)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
First Period

5:00 OSU PENALTY Matt Bartkowski (tripping)
17:29 BSU Aaron McLeod (Darcy Findlay, Ryan Adams) 5x5 1-0
19:38 OSU PENALTY C.J. Severyn (hooking)

BSU Shots - 5 Ohio State Shots - 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Second Period

17:39 OSU Ian Boots (Devon Krough, Sean Duddy) 5x5 1-1
18:19 BSU PENALTY Kyle Hardwick (holding)
19:40 OSU PENALTY Devon Krough (tripping)

BSU Shots - 7 Ohio State Shots - 9
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Third Period

8:29 BSU PENALTY Jamie MacQueen (hooking)
14:54 OSU PENALTY C.J. Severyn (holding)
18:45 BU PENALTY Chris McKelvie (cross checking)

BSU Shots - 8 Ohio State Shots – 8

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Overtime

0:48 OSU Kyle Reed (John Albert, Sean Duddy) 5x5 2-1

BSU Shots - 1 Ohio State Shots - 4

PP - BSU 0-for-4 OSU 0-for-3
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I won't lie. After Miami scored to tie it yesterday, I really thought that they would win the game. Like Tom Serratore says, though, your best players have to play like your best players. Matt Read set up the game winner, and Chris McKelvie used his speed (for the second time in the game) to make a play.

Miami played well...but so did BSU!

As for Ohio State, they have to be concerned with how they've played lately. They've lost three in a row, and only have five wins all season. It's a game that BSU should win...but that's why they don't play the game on paper.

The Buckeyes are led by Zac Dalpe. He's scored five goals in the last three games (not counting last night's 4-1 loss to UND). The top line for OSU has scored 51.6% of their points this season. Look for Chris McKelvie's line to match up with them.

HERE ARE THE OHIO STATE GAME PREP NOTES

Enjoy the game!

BSU Lines (*=starter)

Miami Lines (*=starter)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
First Period
BSU 8:37 Darcy Findlay (Aaron McLeod) 5x5 1-0
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Second Period
BSU 6:02 Tyler Lehrke (Chris McKelvie) 5x5 2-0
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Third Period
MU 5:21 Carter Camper (Curtis McKenzie, Joe Hartman) PP 2-1
MU 5:21 Carter Camper (Curtis McKenzie, Cameron Schiilling) 5x5 2-2
BSU 16:41 Chris McKelvie (Matt Read, Dan Maclntyre) 5x5 3-2
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Shots- BSU 2-6-7=15 MU 7-10-5=23
PP - BSU 0-for-4 MU 1-for-3
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I've started to post my notes for the broadcasts...might give you something to read during the game.

Here are the Miami Notes

Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving!

From the Marqutte Rangers website

Marquette Rangers forward Garrett Ladd has become the first player from this years' squad to make a commitment to play college hockey next season. Ladd will skate next year for the Bemidji State (Minn.) Beavers of head coach Tom Serratore.

"I am excited about the chance the coaching staff at Bemidji is giving me," said Ladd after making his decision. "Like all of us who play Juniors, it has been a lifelong dream of mine and my family to play DI hockey; and I am going to make the most of this great opportunity."

Bemidji State is in their final season as a member of College Hockey America, the Beavers will join the Western Collegiate Hockey Association starting with the 2010 - 11 season. The Beavers are currently ranked #6 nationally and sport a 10-1-1 record on the season.

Ladd, a downstate Fenton native and team captain, leads the Rangers in scoring so far this season with 22 points on eight goals and 14 assists in 18 games. Ladd is also ranked in the top 20 in overall scoring among all 19 NAHL teams through this week of action. For his career in Marquette, Ladd has 34 goals and 65 assists for a total of 99 points in just over two full seasons.

Ladd is also the first Michigan native to sign with BSU since the program achieved Division I status 10 years ago.

For all of his scoring numbers, Rangers head coach Kenny Miller says Ladd has also become a true leader in the locker room as well as on the ice.

"Garrett is the type of player that every coach loves to coach," Miller said. "Garrett competes in every way possible both on and off the ice, he is a tireless worker and he deserves this opportunity. As an organization we couldn't be happier for Garrett and his family; his hard work these past three seasons both on and off the ice have really paid off for him. Not only is Bemidji State getting a top recruit as a player they are getting an even better young man."

Just saw on Brad Schlossman's UND blog that there are tickets available for this weekend's games. They are available in a 2-game package (one ticket for both games that day) for $45 (includes the Ticketmaster handling fee).

You can also call 800-745-3000

This is starting to get crazy. BSU received TWO FIRST PLACE VOTES this week...

USCHO

1. Miami (37) 9-1-4
2. Denver (9) 8-3-1
3. UMass-Lowell (2) 8-2-1
4. North Dakota 7-4-1
5. Colorado College 9-2-1
6. Bemidji State (2) 10-1-1
7. Cornell 5-2
8. Michigan State 9-3-2
9. Quinnipiac 10-1
10. UMass 8-2
11. Yale 3-2-2
12. Alaska 8-3-1
13. Notre Dame 6-5-3
14. Minnesota-Duluth 9-4-1
15. Wisconsin 7-4-1
16. Boston College 5-3-2
17. Ferris State 9-3-2
18. Vermont 4-4-1
19. Nebraska-Omaha 5-4-3
20. Colgate 6-3-4

USA Today

1. Miami (26)
2. Denver (6)
3. UMass-Lowell
4. North Dakota
5. Colorado College
6. Bemidji State
7. Michigan State
8. Cornell
9. UMass
10. Quinnipiac
11. Yale
12. Alaska
13. Minnesota-Duluth
14. Notre Dame
15. Boston College

INCH

1. Miami
2. Denver
3. UMass-Lowell
4. North Dakota
5. Colorado College
6. Cornell
7. Bemidji State
8. Michigan State
9. Quinnipiac
10. UMass
11. Yale
12. Alaska
13. Minnesota-Duluth
14. Notre Dame
15. Vermont
16. Wisconsin
17. Boston College
18. Ferris State
19. Nebraska-Omaha
20. Colgate

For the third time this season, the Bemidji State Beavers have swept the College Hockey America Player of the Week awards after a strong weekend against Alabama-Huntsville. Junior forward Ryan Cramer earned Offensive Player of the Week honors for his four point weekend, while blueliner Brad Hunt earned Defensive Player of the Week honors after notching a hat-trick against the Chargers on Saturday night. Bemidji rookie Jordan George picks up his third consecutive Rookie of the Week award after scoring five points in Bemidji’s sweep of Alabama-Huntsville.

I need your input. I'd like to know what kinds of things you'd like to see on this blog. I've added the audio of each goal from this past weekend. That's something that I can do after a game...but will be hard to do during a game.

The problem that I have with updating the blog during the game is that I'm kinda busy talking about the game. It's hard to have time to update the scores (and highlights) during the game. A 2 minute break during the intermission isn't much time to update a blog!

So, let me know what you want to see on this blog, and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks!