Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the week. They discuss Michigan State's successful weekend against No. 1 Minnesota, likely placing them at the top of the rankings. They also explore North Dakota's turnaround after sweeping St. Cloud State and their challenges to move up in the PairWise Rankings. The episode highlights the intense rivalry between Colorado College and Denver, and praises Wisconsin's performance against Michigan. Additionally, the hosts analyze Hockey East's strong presence within the PairWise Rankings, with seven teams in contention for the NCAA tournament, despite potential cannibalization in the second half of the season. The hosts discuss the most surprising NCAA hockey teams from the first half of the season, highlighting standout performances from Long Island, Stonehill, Bentley, Lindenwood, and Augustana. They also preview upcoming holiday tournaments, including the Great Lakes Invitational, Kwik Trip Holiday Face Off, Ledyard Bank Classic, Coachella Valley Cactus Cup, and Desert Hockey Classic. Times are approximate: 00:15 Introduction and hosts 00:25 Michigan State vs. Minnesota Recap 02:32 Minnesota's shootout struggles 04:49 North Dakota's comeback 08:05 Colorado College vs. Denver in the Gold Pan 11:27 Wisconsin's resurgence 14:19 Hockey East PairWise dominance 15:30 Biggest surprises of the season 21:37 Upcoming holiday tournaments 32:15 Final thoughts and holiday wishes Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts
