We’re underway with the 2009-2010 season (at least most of the teams are by now). It’s going to be tough to top last season. Neumann College, the last team into the NCAA tournament, a team that finished fourth in the ECAC West and had to play a play-in game to get into its conference playoffs, stunned the Division III world by defeating Gustavus Adolphus, another Cinderella team, to win the national title. It seems like just a couple of weeks ago that I was in the press box at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, covering the Atlantic Hockey championships but watching in amazement the Division III games from Lake Placid over the internet.

This season looks to keep the craziness going. From Bishops in net to the USCHO.com Division III men’s poll, wackiness is in the air.

Preseason polls tend to be unsettled. Teams that finish at or near the top last season are shown respect irregardless of what their teams may look like this season. Up and coming teams get their due, and then you have the perinnial powers who tend to reload and not rebuild.

This year’s first poll is exceptionally diverse with eight teams getting at least one first place vote and a total of 27 squads getting a mention.

Stay tuned for regular weekly polls beginning November 9.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading. If next year’s NCAA has half the excitement as this season’s, it will be a dandy.

Have a great summer and we’ll see you in the Motor City.

Sometimes you get them, sometimes, they get you. Colby Cohen’s shot was partially blocked by Kevin Roeder, but the puck floated into the back of the net.

RedHawks coach Enrico Blasi was asked about the tough bounce after the game.

“Are you talking about those bounces I talk about all the time?,” he said. “What do you do, Kevin makes a great play, sacrifices his body. Goes over Cody’s head and into the net. That’s what happens in overtime, you know? And you give — let’s not take anything from BU’s win, too. They played great. They executed when they had to. And the game in overtime could have gone either way.”

Miami has the best record in Division I over the past five seasons. They probably had a better team last season, but got farther than any team in any sport in school history. The RedHawks will be back.

An amazing comeback caps an amazing tournament. Colby Cohen’s shot from the near faceoff circle is deflected by a diving Miami defenseman, floating past Reichard on his glove side at 11:47 of overtime.

Boston University — your 2009 National Champions.

The view from the pressbox, six stories up:

The overtime starts with a few (IMHO) non-calls. BU’s had the better of things early in the ot.

So far in this tournament, the team with the late heroics has gone on to win. Can Miami collect itself after blowing a two-goal lead in the final minute?

Terriers tie it up with 18 ticks left! Nick Bonino wrists one home from the far faceoff dot past Reichard to knot the score at 3-3.

And we have overtime. Unbelieveable.

BU gets one back with 59.5 seconds to play. Consistent pressure in front of the Miami net results in a Zach Cohen backhand goal.

46 seconds left and the BU net is again empty.

BU pulls Millan with 3:32 to play.

He has to return with a Miami offsides with 2:02 left, then back to the bench with 1:35 to go.

3-1 Miami!

A turnover at the blueline and a nice give and go between Brian Kaufman and Trent Vogelhuber winds up in the back of the net as Vogelhuber beats Millan glove-side.

TV timeout with 3:32 to go.