The Rink Live

he college hockey season came to a screeching halt when the NCAA cancelled the rest of the season on March 12.

The Rink Live podcast found a new way to get together (zoom) and discuss some of the news that has happened since it ended. Jess Myers and Mick Hatten discuss which of the four area college teams that appeared headed to the national tournament — North Dakota, Bemidji State, Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota State University-Mankato — they feel the worst for.

They also discuss the retirements of longtime coaches Mike Gibbons (St. Cloud State assistant) and Scott Owens (head coach Sioux Falls Stampede) and some of the hockey news that has broken since the last podcast on March 11.

PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Before the NCAA's big announcement that it was cancelling its postseason games, Jess Myers and Mick Hatten of The Rink Live did a video podcast.

The duo took a look back at some of the highlights of last week's Minnesota boys high school state hockey tournaments, some of the key players and about the Mr. Hockey award that was given to Hermantown's Blake Biondi.

The reporters also talked about the University of Minnesota men's hockey team's opening round series win over Notre Dame and looked ahead to the Gophers' semifinals game at Penn State.

St. Cloud State needs a series win this weekend at Western Michigan to keep its season alive. A look at that series.

PLYMOUTH, Minn. — There were some technical challenges with this week's podcast, but The Rink Live's Jess Myers and Mick Hatten powered through for a couple segments at Plymouth Ice Center.

The reporters talk about the tight race for the Big Ten Conference men's hockey title. Penn State leads the race with 41 points, but is idle this weekend, so the Nittany Lions will watch to see where they end up, but have secured home ice. Ohio State and Minnesota are both four points behind Penn State. The Gophers play Michigan in a series this weekend at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

This is not the first time that Gophers coach Bob Motzko has been through a tight playoff situation. Hatten talks about how Motzko was coaching St. Cloud State in 2012 and was trying to get home ice on the final game of the regular season. It made for an interesting anecdote. Hatten also talks about the Huskies' battle for home ice this season and this weekend's series against Denver.

All this and a lot more.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Some people can seemingly fill a room with their personality. Nate Schmidt is one of those people.

The 28-year-old former St. Cloud Cathedral (Minn.), Fargo Force and University of Minnesota defenseman joined The Rink Live video podcast on Tuesday, Feb. 11. The Vegas Golden Knights were back in his home state to play the Minnesota Wild and Schmidt brought his humor, insight and memories to the podcast.

The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Schmidt first met after Cathedral defeated Hermantown for the Section 5A title on March 4, 2009. Schmidt's memory for the location of that game was better than Hatten's because Schmidt pointed out that it was at Cloquet Area Recreation Center. After further research, the NHLer was correct.

After a fun talk with Schmidt, talk turned to the Minnesota Wild trading Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the University of Minnesota men's hockey team's roller coaster weekend, St. Cloud State's Jack Ahcan reaching a milestone, a big NCHC series this weekend between Denver and North Dakota, some interviews with 1980 Olympic heroes and more.

MINNEAPOLIS — As youth hockey in the state of Minnesota nears the beginning of its playoffs, Minnesota Hockey executive director Glen Andresen joins The Rink Live video podcast.

Andresen talks about a couple unique youth hockey tournaments sponsored by Minnesota Hockey, including one in which parents from opposing teams had to sit together and shake hands after the game and the head referee talked on the public address about why he officiates.

He also talked about different ways that kids of varying ages (not just 5-year-olds) can try hockey, how his organization is trying to get more people involved in officiating, getting more diversity in youth hockey, hockey family mentors, the growth of the sport in new areas in the state and what is a fair play point?

Body checking has been taken out of peewee boys hockey (12-and-under) in recent years. Will body checking be taken out of bantams (14-and-under) anytime soon? A look at the Minnesota Hockey Coach Development Program and more.

MINNEAPOLIS — When college hockey gets toward the end of January, there can be a lot of questions that come up after a weekend of games.

For instance, is the University of Minnesota men's hockey team starting a charge? The Gophers are 5-2 in their last seven games, including a sweep last weekend over Ohio State, which went into the series leading the Big Ten standings.

Here's another question: Can the St. Cloud State men's hockey team find some more consistency with its play? A week after giving up one goal in a series sweep of two-time defending national champion Minnesota Duluth, the Huskies gave up 12 goals in getting swept at Western Michigan.

Oh and this tidbit off the beaten path — voters have approved a $34 million, 5,500-seat capacity arena that the University of Georgia club hockey team will play in. Doesn't that seem like a lot of money and a large arena to house .... only a club team.

We ponder all of this and more in this week's episode of The Rink Live video podcast.

MINNEAPOLIS -- As part of Hockey Day Minnesota, The Rink Live did a number of interviews of people involved in the event.

The Blake School boys hockey coach Rob McClanahan talked the day before his team played in an outdoor game at Parade Stadium.

McClanahan talked about his coaching philosophies. Not surprisingly, he's carried a number of things he learned from playing for Herb Brooks for the Gophers (1976-79), U.S. Olympic team (1980) and the New York Rangers (1981-84).

He shares a number of memories from the Miracle on Ice and the movie it inspired.

PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Less than a week after Hockey Day Minnesota, The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers discuss several things in college and high school hockey in this week's video podcast.

St. Cloud State snapped a three-game losing streak with a home series sweep against Minnesota Duluth, holding the Bulldogs to one goal. A look back and a look ahead o the Huskies' series this weekend at Western Michigan.

The Golden Gophers had the weekend off ... sort of. Minnesota lost 2-1 in an exhibition game the US Under-18 National Development Program team. A look ahead to this weekend's home series for Minnesota against Ohio State.

The two reporters also share some of their favorite moments from last weekend's Hockey Day Minnesota festivities and talk about some of their favorite interviews leading up to the event.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Rink Live reporters Mick Hatten and Jess Myers talk about the University of Denver's consistent excellence in the 2010s and the Pioneers going into this weekend's NCHC series against St. Cloud State coming off a big nonconference series sweep.

The Huskies are coming back after a bye week with the return of head coach Brett Larson, who spent the last few weeks as an assistant coach for Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championships. St. Cloud State did not start David Hrenak in goal either of the two games he was absent. Will that trend continue?

The Gophers are also coming back after a bye week after winning the Mariucci Classic. But Minnesota has some health concerns going into this weekend's series at Michigan State.

Yes, this is the first video podcast of the new year, but see how far off Myers is on what year it is as well.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Mariucci Classic wrapped up with the University of Minnesota men's hockey team defeating St. Cloud State 4-1 in the championship game on Sunday, Dec. 29, at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

The Rink Live reporters Jess Myers and Mick Hatten recap the championship game. Was this the best performance of the season for the Gophers (7-9-4)? One day after blasting second-ranked Minnesota State University-Mankato 7-2, what happened with the Huskies (6-8-4)? A big weekend for Gophers coach Bob Motzko, who got his 300th career win on Saturday and then beat his former team on Sunday.

Among all of the analysis, Myers addresses fans who were texting and tweeting things to him about attendance at the tournament. He pulls few punches in his answer to them.