Up today a collection of links and news leading into tomorrow’s opener.

UMassathletics has its game notes up for this weekend’s games.

Matty V of the Gazette previews the team and the games.  He reports that Troy Power is out, though my sources says there’s an outside chance he could play.  Sadly, he also reports that Joel Hanley will be out as he has returned to Ontario due to a death in his family.  Certainly the thoughts of Minuteman fans are with him and his family at this time.

ed – Late breaking news, now Guzzo is out for the weekend as well.  That makes Guzzo, Olczyk, Hanley, and likely Power all out.

The Collegian previews the Minnesota games.  Their notebook covers the homecoming for Anthony Raiola and the Gopher forwards.

According to Dick Baker, Blaise McDonald says the big difference between UMass and Lowell is found in net. 

Baker also has a post about, thanks to Raiola’s father, a Pond Club fundraiser out in Minnesota that will feature two time grammy winner Lee Ann Womack.  Now I can’t say I really know Womack’s music, as I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of country music, but this is extremely cool.  Maybe this will start a trend and we can get UMass bands like the Pixies or Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers to do future hockey fundraisers.

Gopher coach Don Lucia doesn’t seem to be a big fan of scouting.

And apparently being #15 in the country qualifies as “untouted“.

New England Hockey Journal has their Hockey East preview where UMass is surprisingly picked 5th, citing the school’s strong recruiting class for its success.

Hockey’s Future has their Hockey East preview as well, focusing in more on the individual players.

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The ECHL website has a profile of former UMass captain Dean Stork, the newest head coach of the Greenville Road Warriors (do they not play home games?)

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The CCHA put out a good synopsis of this year’s rules change.

If you can’t make it to Minnesota or can’t find Fox College Sports on your TV this weekend, why not head down to the Cape and watch some college hockey?

And lastly, Vinny Saponari will be taking the Green Line up Comm Ave to the Heights next season.  The former BU forward who was kicked off the team by Jack Parker will play for Boston College in what’s one of the more bizarre player movements I’ve ever seen.