All-Tournament Teams: Go Figure

All-tournament teams are dicey things. Guys who get multiple points often get on the squad, even if they really didn't play that great overall. The votes are usually tabulated with 10 minutes to go in the final game, so the Most Valuable Player or Most Outstanding Player awards are especially a crapshoot, particularly if the final game is tied or close with those 10 minutes to go. The media vote -- and, frankly, sometimes we don't do that great a job.

The Brice Alaska Goal Rush tournament that concluded Saturday in Fairbanks contained some curiosities.

First, UAF center Dion Knelsen was named MVP. He had one assist in two games and had the winning shootout goal after a 1-1 tie with Rensselaer on Saturday, but was also -3 in two games, albeit with 10 shots. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported Knelsen wore an "expression of shock'' when his award was announced. I'll bet -- the players know as well as anyone who deserves hardware.

UAF defenseman Joe Sova was named to the all-tournament team, and -- granted, I wasn't there, so I obviously didn't see how anybody played for 120 minutes or more -- seems like he might have been a decent pick for MVP. He scored UAF's late, late power-play goal to force overtime Saturday. He had an assist Friday in a 4-2 win over Robert Morris and was +2 with seven shots in the tournament.

Robert Morris defenseman Denny Urban, named to the all-tourney team, was no slouch -- one goal and one assist in each game and +2 with seven shots in two games.

UAF goalie Scott Greenham didn't make the all-tourney team, despite going 1-0-1 with a 1.44 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. Granted, he faced just 42 shots in 125 minutes played.

Also on the all-tourney team was UAA goalie Jon Olthuis, who pitched a 25-save bagel in a 3-0 win over Rensselaer on Friday but surrendered five goals on 31 shots in a 5-3 loss to Robert Morris on Saturday.

The other picks: Rensselaer goalie Allen York, who went 0-1-1 with a 1.92 goals-against average and .934 save percentage; and UAF forward Jarret Granberg, who scored two goals Friday, but apparently wasn't even in the lineup Saturday.

Two weeks ago, at UAA's Kendall Hockey Classic, I thought Ron Meyers was clearly UAF's best forward (and UAF won the Classic), so I voted for him. He had a point in each game, was tremendous on the penalty kill and made his presence felt on most shifts. But he didn't get named to the team. Oh, well.