Hoof Beats: Other contenders lose while Chargers rest

The Chargers were idle this past weekend, but everything went UAH’s way among the teams battling them for a WCHA playoff spot.

Heading into Friday, UAH and Lake Superior State were tied for eighth in the WCHA standings with 12 points, ahead of last-place Alaska-Anchorage with 10. After Saturday’s action, it’s still the same. The top eight eligible teams qualify for the WCHA playoffs, and with Alaska ineligible, the goal is to not finish last.

Lake Superior State was swept by Alaska in Fairbanks. Alaska-Anchorage was swept by Minnesota State in Mankato.

The teams ahead of the Chargers, Ferris State and Bemidji State, tied for sixth with 16 points, also didn’t fare too well. Ferris was swept at Bowling Green, and Bemidji was swept at Michigan Tech.

Of course, with UAH heading up to Lake Superior State this weekend in a crucial series, we may see some movement. Unless there’s a split, in which case we won’t.

While UAH and LSSU are going head-to-head, Alaska-Anchorage hosts Michigan Tech, Ferris State plays Bowling Green again (this time in Big Rapids), and Bemidji State is at Northern Michigan.

Talbot watch: With starting goaltender Henrik Lundqvist out with an injury, UAH alumnus Cam Talbot will be the top goaltender for the New York Rangers. Lundqvist will be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks after being hit by a puck near the throat area last week.

Talbot has made three starts since Lundqvist’s injury. He stopped 18 of 20 shots Wednesday as the Rangers won at home over Boston 3-2.

On Saturday, Talbot was back in the South to take on the Nashville Predators. Nashville won 3-2, with all three goals being bombs through traffic. He made 20 saves.

I'm as close as the restraining order allows me to be, @ctalbot33. 😉 pic.twitter.com/Lex0wkuUsi

— Geof Morris (@gfmorris) February 7, 2015

Sunday, Talbot made 22 saves, but the Rangers fell 3-2 in overtime to the Dallas Stars at Madison Square Garden.

For the season, Talbot has a .918 save percentage and a 2.25 goals against average in 12 starts.

Skapski to back up Cam: With Lundqvist on injured reserve, the Rangers called up MacKenzie Skapski to serve as backup to Cam Talbot.

Skapski, 20, has one tie to UAH. His father, Denis, played for the Chargers from 1987-91.

Denis was a defenseman at UAH, and had 18 goals and 35 assists for 53 points in 92 games. He also accrued 241 penalty minutes, the sixth-most all-time among defensemen at UAH.