The No. 2-ranked Minnesota Wilderness of Cloquet were beaten by No. 1 Brooks (Alberta) Bandits 6-3 Sunday in round-robin play of Canada’s Royal Bank Cup in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Brooks is 2-0 in the five-team tournament and Minnesota 0-2.

A game story from the tournament web site is here.

Minnesota plays Truro (Nova Scotia) on Tuesday.

In the World Championships in Finland and Sweden, the United States (5-1) next faces Slovakia (2-4) Tuesday in Helsinki.

The International Ice Hockey Federation has world rankings based on tournament play here.

The United States defeated Germany 3-0 Sunday before 11,057 fans at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland. Defenseman Justin Faulk had an assist. The U.S. continues to lead Group H at 5-1.

The International Ice Hockey Federation has a game story here and video highlights here and post-game interviews here.

Defenseman Brenden Kotyk of Regina, Saskatchewan, after a year at St. Scholastica, is transferring to Minnesota Duluth with hopes of playing for the Bulldogs. A News Tribune story is here.

The Syracuse Crunch beat Springfield 5-3 Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in an American Hockey League Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series. J.T. Brown had an assist. The Syracuse Post-Standard has a game story here.

Todd Mileweski of U.S. College Hockey Online has an update on what was on the agenda a week ago as college hockey coaches gathered in Florida here.

Alex Iafallo scored a goal Saturday night, yet the Fargo Force lost 4-1 at Dubuque to fall behind 2-0 in the U.S. Hockey League’s Clark Cup final. A game story from the Dubuque Telegraph Herald via the Fargo Forum here.

The Minnesota Wilderness, the first U.S.-based team to compete in Canada’s Royal Bank Cup, opened play Saturday with a 5-1 loss to host Summerside in Prince Edward Island. The tournament web site has a recap here.

The United States defeated France 4-2 Saturday in the World Championships before 7,458 fans in Helsinki, Finland. The U.S. leads Group H at 4-1. Tim Stapleton, Drew LeBlanc and Justin Faulk all had assists.

Updates from USA Hockey, with video, here and the International Ice Hockey Federation here.

Dubuque defeated Fargo 4-1 Friday night in Dubuque, Iowa, to open the U.S. Hockey League’s best-of-five championship playoff series. A game story from the Dubuque Telegraph Herald via the Fargo Forum here.

The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Springfield Falcons 5-2 Friday night to take Game 1 of the American Hockey League Eastern Conference semifinals at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Mass. Winger J.T. Brown had a goal for Syracuse.  game story from the Syracuse (N.Y.) Post-Standard here.

The NCHC announced a board of directors this week for 2013-14, led by board chair Brian Faison, athletic director at North Dakota. Minnesota Duluth’s new athletic director, Josh Berlo, is also on the board. A news release is here.

The Minnesota Wilderness of the Superior International Junior Hockey League has become the first U.S.-based team to qualify for Canada’s Royal Bank Cup, which opens Saturday. The News Tribune has a Wilderness update here.

Star defenseman Gage Ausmus of East Grand Forks, Minn., who had made a commitment to Denver, will now join North Dakota’s program (following the firing of Denver coach George Gwozdecky). Ausmus has played with the U18 team and his dad, Troy, played football at UMD. The Grand Forks Herald has an update here.

Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves has named Matt Walsh as a full time assistant. A Wisconsin State Journal update is here.

The Omaha World-Herald has an update on Nebraska-Omaha’s roster, including the release of forward walk on Joe Krause of Hermantown. The story is here.

The International Ice Hockey Federation has an update that it appears the NHL will participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in a story here.

The IHHF also has world rankings here as the U.S. prepares to meet France on Saturday in Helsinki, Finland, in the World Championships.

Junior winger Joe Basaraba of Fort Frances, Ontario, and junior winger Adam Krause of Hermantown have been named Minnesota Duluth men’s co-captains for 2013-14, the school announced Thursday.

Basaraba had 10 goals and seven assists for 17 points in 37 games last season, and has 20 goals and 28 points in 113 career games. He’ll be part of a four-player senior class next season.

Krause had two goals and two assists for four points in 2012-13, and has seven points in 66 career games. His brother, Joe, was a sophomore forward at Nebraska-Omaha in 2012-13.

Minnesota Duluth recruit Alex Iafallo had a third-period goal Wednesday as Fargo (N.D.) defeated Sioux Falls (S.D.) 7-4 in the deciding game of the U.S. Hockey League’s Western Conference final series before 4,348 fans in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Fargo advances to the league championship playoff series for the third time in five years, and begins a best-of-5 Clark Cup meeting against Dubuque on Friday in Dubuque, Iowa.

Fargo trailed 2-0 before rallying. UMD recruit Dom Toninato had an assist in the game. UMD coach Scott Sandelin said he was expecting to be in attendance.

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader has a game story here.

The University of North Dakota is expected to make bids for an NCAA men’s regional for 2015 or 2016 (to be hosted at Scheel Arena in Fargo) and for an NCAA women’s Frozen Four for 2015 or 2016) to be held at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks). Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald has an update here.

Mike Cavanaugh was named University of Connecticut coach Wednesday. The school has a news release here.

The International Ice Hockey Federation has video highlights from Wednesday’s U.S. 4-1 win over Finland here and USA post-game interviews here.

Former Minnesota Duluth forward and athletic director Bruce McLeod has indicated at various times over the past year that he’s looking at 2013-14 as his final season as commissioner of the WCHA. And apparently he’s moving toward that end, confiding his intentions to the league during last week’s annual WCHA meetings in Florida, according to Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, in a blog post here.

McLeod, 66, who lives in Denver, is entering his 20th year as league commissioner.  It’s also likely supervisor of officials Greg Shepherd is entering his final season.

The WCHA is also debuting a new web site here.

The plight of NCAA regional tournaments was discussed during NCAA meetings in Florida. And while it is unlikely that NCAA would ever go back to teams hosting at campus sites in the first round, it was talked about, said UMD coach Scott Sandelin. One plan had eight best-of-three first-round series with the eight winners advancing to two Super Regionals.

However, there is no movement to change the present format. Reducing ticket prices and being vigilant about choosing hockey-friendly regional sites were among the main talking points, said Sandelin.

The United States defeated Finland 4-1 Wednesday in the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. USA Hockey has an update here.

The Big Ten Conference released its inaugural conference schedule Wednesday here. Many games will be on the Big Ten Network, significantly reducing the number of games on regional network FS North in the case of the University of Minnesota, according to Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. FS North may have as few as 10 Minnesota games in 2013-14.

The San Jose Sharks and assistant coach Jim Johnson (dad of UMD defenseman, Derik Johnson) finished a first-round NHL sweep of Vancouver on Tuesday night, 4-3 in overtime at home. A story from the San Jose Mercury News is here.

Now that the Houston Aeros have ended their American Hockey League season, a number of players are being added to the Minnesota Wild’s extended roster for the NHL post season. Winger Justin Fontaine was among six players recalled Tuesday.

Fontaine, 25, led Houston in regular-season scoring with 23 goals and 33 assists for 56 points in 64 points. Last season he had 16-39-55 in 73 games.

The Wild news release:

ST. PAUL – Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today Tuesday the National Hockey League club has recalled the following players from the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League: F Zack Phillips, F Justin Fontaine, F Brett Bulmer, F Chad Rau, D Kyle Medvec and G Jeff Deslauriers.

Russia defeated the United States 5-3 Tuesday in the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

Boston College assistant Mike Cavanaugh reported to be front runner for Connecticut job, according to the Hartford Courant via College Hockey News here.

J.T. Brown’s dad, Ted, a former North Carolina State and Minnesota Vikings star running back, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The St. Paul Pioneer Press has a story here.

Boston Herald reporter Katie Eastman ran in the 117th Boston Marathon, yet was unable to finish because of the bombings at the finish line. Her 4-minute video account, via Runner’s World, is here.

Now that the Houston Aeros have ended their American Hockey League season, a number of players are being added to the Minnesota Wild’s extended roster for the NHL post season. Winger Justin Fontaine was among six players recalled Tuesday.

Fontaine, 25, led Houston in regular-season scoring with 23 goals and 33 assists for 56 points in 64 points. Last season he had 16-39-55 in 73 games.

The Wild news release:

ST. PAUL – Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today Tuesday the National Hockey League club has recalled the following players from the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League: F Zack Phillips, F Justin Fontaine, F Brett Bulmer, F Chad Rau, D Kyle Medvec and G Jeff Deslauriers.

Boston College assistant Mike Cavanaugh reported to be front runner for Connecticut job, according to the Hartford Courant via College Hockey News here.

J.T. Brown’s dad, Ted, a former North Carolina State and Minnesota Vikings star running back, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The St. Paul Pioneer Press has a story here.

Boston Herald reporter Katie Eastman ran in the 117th Boston Marathon, yet was unable to finish because of the bombings at the finish line. Her 4-minute video account, via Runner’s World, is here.

Winger Tim Stapleton had a goal and an assist Sunday as the United States defeated Latvia 4-1in the World Championships before 5,048 fans at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.

Stapleton, 30, played this season for Minsk Dynamo in Kontinental Hockey League based in Russia. He had 24 goals and 16 assists for 40 points in 52 games.

The Americans (2-0) next face Russia on Tuesday in Helsinki.

A U.S.-Latvia summary is here and a game story from the International Ice Hockey Federation here and post-game video interviews from USA Hockey here.

The IIHF has world rankings with Russia No. 1 and the USA No. 4 here.

Fargo Force forward Dom Toninato of Duluth had a goal Sunday, yet Sioux Falls defeated Fargo 5-3 to force a deciding Game 5 in the U.S. Hockey League’s Western Conference Finals. The game was in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The deciding game is Wednesday in Sioux Falls. The Sioux Falls Argus Leader has a game story here.