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Northeastern’s time for Beanpot? ‘It’s been too long’

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It’s been nearly two years since Greg Cronin coached arguably the biggest game of his career.

This wasn’t an NCAA tournament game or a Hockey East title game.

Northeastern salutes its fans at the 2009 Beanpot. (Melissa Wade)
Northeastern salutes its fans after a semifinal win over Boston College at the 2009 Beanpot (photo: Melissa Wade).

Rather, it was the 2009 Beanpot championship game, when Cronin’s Northeastern Huskies faced off against the Beanpot’s royalty, Boston University.

The stage was set for the ultimate showdown. The Terriers entered the game ranked No. 1; Northeastern was enjoying its best ranking in school history, sitting No. 3 in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll. The two teams were in a battle for the top spot in the Hockey East standings and both were considered possibilities to win the NCAA championship.

On this night, Feb. 9, 2009, those similarities ended. This was the Beanpot, the tournament that BU owned. Entering that game, BU had won the Beanpot title 28 times, including 14 times since Northeastern last hoisted the trophy in February 1988. Northeastern was the picture of Beanpot futility with just four titles in the tournament’s history, all coming in a nine-year span between 1980 and 1988.

Northeastern, though, was full of hope. It was in the midst of one of the best seasons in program history. It had absolutely destroyed Boston College, the defending national champion, 6-1, a week earlier in Beanpot semifinals.

For nearly two-and-a-half periods, the 2009 championship game lived up to all the hype. Every BU punch was met with a Northeastern counterpunch, and vice versa. The Huskies trailed, 3-2, in the third but were in position to tie the game on the power play with less than seven minutes remaining.

And then the Beanpot gods, the same gods that had thrust years of frustration of the Huntington Avenue campus, struck.

“In the third period we controlled that game and we got a power play. Everybody was anticipating a tie because it was 3-2,” said Cronin. “And in that minute they scored two short-handed goals.”

Two shorthanded goals. As rare as one might be, two on the same two-minute minor penalty is seemingly unheard of. But that’s exactly what BU did. David Warsofsky provided the first one, sniping a perfect shot on a two-on-one. Then 30 seconds later, Kevin Shattenkirk skated on an identical odd-man rush and this time decided to pass to Colin Wilson, who buried a one-timer.

Game over. Hopes dashed. Futility continues.

For both teams, the 2009 Beanpot final was a harbinger of things to come. BU went on to win the Hockey East regular season title, edging out Northeastern by a single point in the final standings. The Terriers captured the Hockey East title and then, as some may recall, rallied from two goals down late in the NCAA title game to win the national championship for the first time since 1995.

Northeastern followed up its Beanpot final loss with a loss on the final night of the regular season to fall short of the Hockey East regular season title. It then fell short in the Hockey East semifinals, surrendering a late lead to an upstart Massachusetts-Lowell team before losing in overtime.

And the curtains fell on what once felt like the season of destiny for Northeastern in the opening game of the NCAA tournament when it surrendered two goals in the final four minutes against Cornell to lose, 3-2.

Rough roads getting smoother

Since the 2008-09 campaign came to an end, it’s been rough riding for the Huskies. Goaltender Brad Thiessen left at the end of the season to sign a professional contract. The standout rookie on that team, Steve Quailer, missed all of last season with injury and thus far this year hasn’t come back to his game.

Northeastern finished last year’s campaign just four points out of third place but at the same time missed the playoffs in arguably the most competitive Hockey East race ever. This season began with more bumps in the road that one could imagine, capped off by three straight losses at home to Atlantic Hockey teams, games usually put on the schedule to build the team’s confidence.

By Nov. 12, the Huskies compiled a 1-5-2 record and were about to travel to Maine, which one weekend earlier had thumped one of the nation’s top teams, North Dakota.

When the Huskies boarded the bus back to Boston after two losses to the Black Bears, one might have thought things had grown worse. Not so, though, said Cronin, who counts the Maine weekend as his team’s turnaround.

“When we went up [to Maine] we lost but they began to realize that if we do a couple of things right, we could be a pretty good team this year,” said Cronin. “We just played well [in that series]. We played hard. We seemed to get an identity that weekend.”

Cronin credits his top line of Wade MacLeod, Tyler McNeely and Steve Silva for helping turn things around. They never let things become negative in the locker room, according to Cronin, and they did their best to lead by example.

“They’re pretty battle-tested guys. They were recruited when the team wasn’t very good. They’ve had a real belief in what they’re doing,” said Cronin. “They were angry at the outcome of the [early] games. But they never lost any hope that we were going to be OK.”

Since that weekend in Maine, the Huskies have lost just four times, three of them by a single goal, including Friday’s overtime loss to Merrimack. As they enter Monday’s Beanpot, this is hardly the team that skated on the TD Garden ice on the second Monday of February 2009. Yet, still, for a team that hasn’t won this tournament in its last 22 tries, the Huskies may be the team that no one wants to face.

The path to return to the final is by far the easiest. Northeastern faces Harvard — statistically much preferred to No. 1 Boston College or No. 14 BU — in Monday’s first semifinal at 5 p.m. EST. The Huskies beat the Crimson 3-0 earlier this year.

The Crimson comes into the Beanpot with just four wins on the season and an offense ranked dead last in the nation, scoring just 1.86 goals per game.

And as anyone familiar with Beanpot history knows, if you can get to the finals, anything can happen.

Path to redemption?

As ugly as the Beanpot has been to the Huskies, this year’s edition comes at a crossroads of Northeastern’s season. The confidence that could come from winning on such a big stage isn’t lost on Cronin.

“[The Beanpot is] unlike anything these kids face,” said Cronin. “We played in the NCAA tournament in Grand Rapids, Mich., and it was like playing at Arlington High School. There was nobody there. It’s a letdown. The Beanpot, though, is its own tournament. There’s so much energy, so much history.”

The energy behind the Huskies is amplified most Beanpot Mondays because of the team’s struggles in the tournament. Generally, all of the fans, excluding those cheering for NU’s opponent, pull for the Huskies.

“Whenever Northeastern plays in [the Beanpot] there’s a lot of support for us, a lot of energy directed at us,” said Cronin.

Cronin hopes that the support and positive energy can translate onto the ice, particularly for the plethora of young players on this year’s Huskies team.

“I think the formula [for winning] is managing the magnitude of the game. You have to focus on what you have to do to be successful,” said Cronin. “You can say that to them a dozen times, but usually the young guys get really affected by the event. That’s where you just have to do a good job coaching.

“It’s like boxing. You fight through the first round and then you’re back to being a human again. You’re so jacked up and you’re so nervous, so when everybody gets through their first shift, they settle down. Those feelings, though, are amplified in the Beanpot and it’s just something you have to manage.”

Twenty-two years is a quite a long time for a team to go without winning the Beanpot. It’s the second-longest streak of futility in the tournament behind the 27-year run Northeastern suffered before winning its first Beanpot title in 1980.

That hasn’t stopped Cronin from imagining what a Beanpot win could mean to this school.

“I think it would be like when the Red Sox won the World Series [in 2004],” Cronin said. “A real Mardi Gras celebration took place. I think the same celebration would take place on campus. You can’t describe it. The school wants to win it right from the president down to the guy playing the tuba in the band. We want to win it. It’s been too long. Myself, I’m tired of hearing about it. We just want to win the thing.”

And if the Huskies hoist the Beanpot around the TD Garden ice two Mondays from now, there is one more thing that will be certain: Greg Cronin will have coached and won the biggest game of his career.

Gallery: Rensselaer at Princeton

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Photographer Shelley M. Szwast captured these images Saturday at Hobey Baker Rink, where Rensselaer beat Princeton 5-2:

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The case for Miami’s dynamic duo

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In a recent post I pointed out that Miami’s Andy Miele and Carter Camper are having great seasons, but if the RedHawks don’t make the NCAA tournament, they probably won’t win the award.

Last night, I had a chance to see them play against Michigan on CBS College Sports, and I would like to add a related comment:

If the RedHawks DO make the NCAA tournament, my vote almost certainly goes to one of the two.

One of the things that I noticed watching the game last night is the way that Miami goaltender Cody Reichard seemed to be fighting the puck at times, despite finishing with 30 saves on 32 shots. A look at the RedHawks’ goaltending numbers indicates that it wasn’t just last night, and it’s not just Reichard.

The 2010 Hobey Baker Finalist and reigning CCHA Player of the Year, who posted a .914 save percentage as a freshman and a .921 save percentage last season, has a .902 save percentage this year, 51st in the country, and by far the worst of his career. His partner in Miami’s goaltending tandem, Connor Knapp, had a similarly rough freshman year (.904), but after stopping 92.1 percent of opponents’ shots last season, is back down to .901, 56th in the country.

But here’s where things get interesting.

While Reichard and Knapp are 51st and 56th in the nation, respectively, in save percengtage, they’re 20th and 18th, respectively, in goals-against average (2.27, 2.26).  Overall, Miami ranks 15th in the nation in scoring defense at 2.41 goals per game, which is a drop from last year’s best-in-the-nation 1.95 (or even the 2.17 that had them eighth two seasons ago).

How is that happening? Hard work, a staple of Miami’s success in recent years.

The penalty kill is 6th in the country, stopping 86.9 percent of opposing power plays. The PK is one of my favorite stats for showing you how hard a team is working, especially in front of goalies who aren’t having great seasons. It’s clear that Miami is working as hard as ever, and that’s the sort of thing that starts with the leaders (Camper’s the captain, with Miele as one of his assistants) and spreads throughout the entire locker room.

If Miami can overcome  the less-than-stellar play by their goaltenders this season and make the NCAA tournament – and make no mistake, they’ll need better performances in net down the stretch – it will be a testament to the performance this season by Camper and Miele, both as high-powered point-producers at the offensive end and as leaders of the RedHawks’ all-out defensive effort.

Dave Starman asked on his Twitter page last month (@DaveStarmanCBSC) if the Hobey Baker Award is Carter Camper’s to lose. With Miami in danger of missing the tournament, I’d have to say no…and having Miele as a fellow front-runner doesn’t help, either.  However, the fact that Miele and Camper have been able to keep Miami in the mix despite the RedHawks’ goaltending issues almost makes me think they DON’T need to make the NCAA tournament to win the Hobey.

Of course, knowing Miami, I don’t think the Hobey will be much consolation to either RedHawk if their season ends before the tournament begins.

However, if Miami is still playing at the end of March, I think it’s very likely that some kind of hardware comes back from St. Paul in April.

Gallery: St. Cloud State at Nebraska-Omaha

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Photographer Michelle Bishop captured these images Friday at Qwest Center, where Nebraska-Omaha blanked St. Cloud State 3-0:

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ECAC Northeast and MASCAC Weekend Preview: Feb. 5

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Ask any one around me, and they’ll tell you of my organization and attention to detail. So then, there’s no reason I’d lose track of my picks record? Right? Wrong.  I’ve hopelessly lost track of where I stand, which was getting better down the stretch run.
Anyway, here’s  a Saturday morning preview of the weekend. With more snow expected for the New England area, it’s a possibility some of these games will join their midweek counterparts in the cancellation column. More on that after the predictions.
Saturday, Feb. 5
ECAC Northeast
Becker at Western New England: WNEC has gone up against the best of the conference, facing Johnson & Wales, Nichols, Wentworth, and Curry over the last four games, all losses. Becker is a tad below those four, and they’ve only won once in their last seven outings, but I think they’ll get the win in the Golden Bear’s second to last home game of the year. Becker 5, Western New England 3
Wentworth at Nichols: While Wentworth has pieced it together slowly, Nichols has been on an outright hot streak lately.  The Bisons have won four in a row and have quickly put to rest their slow start in conference play.  Both teams are neck in neck, with the Leopards hold a game and one point advantage over Nichols. Look for Nichols to extend their winning streak to five in what should be a fast paced contest. Nichols 5, Wentworth 4
Curry at Suffolk: The Colonels’ out of conference schedule is in the past, and a league title is possibly sitting in their future.  Curry is tied with Johnson & Wales for the top spot and hasn’t lost in six games. Meanwhile, instead of competing for home ice, Suffolk is simply trying to keep their playoff hopes alive, as they are two points ahead of Salve Regina for the last spot. A stark contrast to last year, when the Rams where in the thick of things. Curry 4, Suffolk 1
Salve Regina at Johnson & Wales: The aforementioned Seahawks have run the gauntlet lately against some of the conference’s toughest teams. They’ve played well in spurts against Curry, Nichols, and Wentworth, but head coach Andy Boschetto said Salve Regina has to avoid momentarily lapses that cost them the game.  Can that happen at JWU, they of the 7-2 conference record, the most wins of any team in conference play?  The Seahawks will have their hands full with the Wildcats’ offense, which has been spectacular this year, which is something Salve Regina hasn’t  been in their own end, yielding a conference-worst 121 goals on the year overall.  Johnson & Wales 6, Salve Regina 2
MASCAC
Salem State at UMass-Dartmouth: Another weekend, another new leader in the MASCAC, as UMD claimed the top spot with a win over Fitchburg Thursday. Salem State kept pace, breaking away from a pesky Worcester State on Thursday as well. This is the rubber game of the season series and could have an implication for tiebreakers down the road. Tough one to call, but I’ll take the home team. UMass-Dartmouth 3, Salem State 2 (OT)
Framingahm State at Westfield State: This game has playoff implications, but not in the way you’d have thought prior to the year. If all held, the Owls would be looking to move up the ladder and secure home ice, as they were in the thick of things in the MASCAC last year. Instead, they’ll be looking to stay out of the basement, as they are currently tied with the Rams for the last playoff spot. But Westfield did shock Plymouth State Thursday, so there could be momentum to be  had from that.   I think they’ll get by in a slugfest. Westfield State 7, Framingham State 6
Worcester State at Plymouth State: What a difference a month can make. The Lancers have lost four of their last five, and tumbled down the standings. Fortunately, they have enough of a gap between the last playoff spot that they shouldn’t have to work about falling out of the postseason.  Meanwhile, Plymouth State doubled their loss total on the year with two defeats in the last week.  A three game losing streak? Seems doubtful. Plymouth State 4, Worcester State 2
Midweek Report
Salve Regina lost a pair of games to the weather last week, with games at Assumption and Suffolk being postponed. No makeup date for the Assumption game has been posted, while the trip to Suffolk will be made up at a later date. Also, Nichols pushed their home game against Becker from Wednesday to Monday at 8:10.
Scores
Thursday
Johnson & Wales 3, Wentworth 2
Curry 9, Western New England 4
Salem State 5, Worcester State 3
UMass-Dartmouth 3, Fitchburg State 1
Stonehill 4, Framingham State 1
Westfield State 4, Plymouth State o

ECAC East/NESCAC Game Predictions – 2/4 – 2/8/2011

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The official countdown has begun with just three weeks remaining in the regular season. While everyone makes the playoffs in the ECAC East the competition on the ice isn’t going to be any less fierce as teams fight for seeding positions and potentially home ice in the opening round. Over on the NESCAC side of things two unfortunate teams are going to have their season end without entry into the conference tournament so we are getting to desperation time.
Not so desperate in the prediction side of things as I have picked up the pace a little bit but this pundit is not going to be resting on any laurels as the season winds down.
Last Week: 12-9-1
Season Record:  93-81-16 (.532)
Winners in bold.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Bowdoin @ Amherst – The Lord Jeffs have been struggling having lost three of their last four games while Bowdoin continues to beat teams up on special teams.  Situational play used to be Amherst’s strong suit but not in this match-up – Bowdoin 4, Amherst 2.
Colby @ Hamilton – While one likely All-conference defenseman is playing against Amherst the other, Joe Houk will be leading his Continentals to keeping their current second place position – Hamilton 5, Colby 3.
Castleton @ Southern Maine – The Spartans could get used to being in the number one spot but know they need to continue their hot play to stay there.  The Huskies continue to struggle despite the efforts of defenseman Paul Conter who leads the team in scoring – Castleton 6, USM 2.
Skidmore @ UNE – The Nor’easters broke into the win column last week with a solid effort against Amherst.  Skidmore still has a shot at a home playoff berth which means a lot – Skidmore 4, UNE 3.
Conn College @ Trinity – These two teams played a 2-2 tie in the McCabe Tournament to start the New Year.  Trinity won the shootout but won’t need any overtime in this one.  It’s still close – Trinity 3, Conn College 2.
Tufts @ Wesleyan – The losing streak is at 10 for the Jumbos who at least mathematically aren’t out of the hunt for the playoffs yet.  Wesleyan needs to bounce back after a tough road weekend.  Home ice suits the Cardinals – Wesleyan 3, Tufts 1.
NEC @ Babson – No matter where the early part of the season has gone for the Beavers, you can count on Jamie Rice’s troops picking up their game when it is getting close to playoff time.  No exception this season – Babson 5, NEC 4.
St Anselm @ UMB – January came to a screeching halt for the Beacons as the offense could only muster one goal in two games on the road.  Won’t expect such a power outage this weekend at the Clark Center – UMB 5, St. A’s 3.
Middlebury @ Norwich – Always a great match-up and truly one of the best rivalries at any level in college hockey.  Each team really gets up for this one but the second half has been stronger for the Panthers – Middlebury 3, Norwich 2.
Williams @ St. Michael’s – The Purple Knights have been able to surprise quite a few teams this season but usually after the team faced Norwich the night before.  Williams is the better team wearing purple – Williams 5, St. Mike’s 2.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Colby @ Amherst –The White Mules have really picked up their game going 5-1 in their last six games entering the weekend.  The Lord Jeffs have been struggling offensively and defense has been a hall mark of Colby teams – Colby 4, Amherst 2.
Bowdoin @ Hamilton – Top two teams in the conference should be a great game.  Expect a lot of offense in this one that may be decided with an extra five minute session if anyone has any gas left in the tank – Bowdoin 6, Hamilton 5.
Castleton @ UNE – The Spartans have too much riding on taking this game lightly and won’t let up on the Nor’easters from te opening drop of the puck – Castleton 6, UNE 1.
Skidmore @ USM – These two teams always seem to play a one goal game or games that involve an empty net goal to decide it.  Don’t see any difference in this one with a late goal deciding it – Skidmore 4, USM 2.
Conn College @ Wesleyan – The Cardinals have been stronger at home and have definitely been scoring more goals.  Conn College has a great group upfront and that’s the difference in this one – Conn College 3, Wesleyan 1.
Tufts @ Trinity – Nothing like a four point game against a team you are trying to keep behind you and out of the playoff picture.  Tufts playing for pride at this point but that’s not going to be enough – Trinity 4, Tufts 3.
NEC @ UMB – The Pilgrims are 1-5-1 in their last seven games entering the weekend and really struggle away from the cozy confines of Henniker, NH.  The Beacons are more than happy to accommodate another “L” – UMB 4, NEC 3.
St Anselm @ Babson – Jason Schneider has found his form and if Terry Woods can get it going Babson is going to be a contender in late February. Still looking for a two win weekend but this one should start a trend – Babson 5, St A’s 3.
Middlebury @ St. Mike’s – Yup, you are probably thinking that I am going to the trap game pick here since the Panthers will have such an emotional game on Friday night at Norwich.  One word – nope – Middlebury 5, St. Mike’s 2.
Williams @ Norwich – The Cadets will bounce back here to keep Castleton in their sights before next week’s showdown.  It will be a low scoring affair – Norwich 2, Williams 1.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Williams @ Middlebury – The Panthers have rallied to get to .500 at home where they usually have an advantage playing on the big sheet.  Williams has struggled on the road.  This is the game in hand for both teams that make a move while nobody else is playing – Middlebury 3, Williams 2.
It is still probably all going to come down to the final weekend to have a clear picture but this weekend could start clarifying a lot in both conferences.  In coach speak it’s all about controling what you can and that means just win your game and see what happens.
It’s February and the unofficial playoffs have begun – drop the puck!

Atlantic Hockey Picks 2/4/11

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Last week: 4-3-4
On the season: 80-47-20 (.612)

This week features home-and-home series with one exception – it’s a long commute between Rochester and Colorado Springs.

Air Force at Rochester Institute of Technology – These games are usually close with 14 of the last 18 meetings decided by two goals or less. Air Force holds a 9-8-1 advantage in those games, but RIT is 6-2 against the Falcons at Ritter Arena. That said, I’m thinking split. RIT 3, Air Force 2; Air Force 4, RIT 3.

Holy Cross vs. American International – Both teams swept their opponents last weekend, setting up an interesting series. Holy Cross won 3-2 in the only other meeting between the teams this season. I’m picking the Crusaders to win a close road game on Friday and then get a victory on home ice on Saturday. Holy Cross 2, AIC 1; Holy Cross 4, AIC 2.

Connecticut vs Army – UConn won the first meeting between the schools this season 2-3 back in October. The Black Knights host on Friday, and, assuming there’s not still too much ice at Freitas Forum, the action moves to UConn on Saturday. Again, I’m going with the home team(s). Army 4, UConn 2; UConn 5, Army 4.

Mercyhurst vs. Niagara – The Purple Eagles are very tough at home, so that’s an easy call. But what about Saturday? The Lakers are 1-6-1 all-time against Niagara, but I think they rally for the split. Niagara 4, Mercyhurst 2; Mercyhurst 4, Niagara 3.

Sacred Heart vs, Bentley – I’m thinking that the Pioneers’ woes continue. Bentley 4, Sacred Heart 1; Bentley 3, Sacred Heart 2.

Robert Morris vs. Canisius – This is a Thursday-Saturday series and the Golden Griffins have already held serve by winning 5-4 last night. I think the Colonials come back with a win on Saturday. Robert Morris 3, Canisius 2.

Guest Analyst

This week’s guest analyst is Matt Garver, who played three years at RPI before tranferring to RIT for his senior season in 1998. Here are his unedited comments. Matt gives us bonus picks all the way to the NCAA tournament.

Thank you for having me as your guest analyst Chris.  I will start by saying that I quit gambling long ago because I am no good at picking winners.  Now that I have laid out my excuse for losing to Lerchy before we have even started, here are my picks.

Holy Cross vs. AIC

In front of 17 fans (including the press box) AIC will squeak out a tie after Holy Cross comes out flat.  They tie 2-2 Friday night.  Holy Cross wakes up on Saturday night at home and wins big, 5-1.

UCONN vs. Army

Speaking from personal experience, Army is a tough place to go play.  They will be physical and have ZERO quit in them.  Army wins Friday night in a tough game, 3-2.  UCONN will rebound on Saturday night, skating to a 4-1 victory at home.

Sacred Heart vs. Bentley

Sacred Heart is just not very good this year.  Their losing streak continues this weekend.  Bentley sweeps 3-1 and 4-2.

Mercyhurst vs. Niagara

Simply put, I just do not like Mercyhurst.  There are many reasons for my feelings, some personal, some being rivalry related.  Without going into depth about that baggage, Niagara sweeps.  Honestly this is probably the only time I will ever be happy giving Niagara a sweep.  Niagara 5-4 and 3-1.

Robert Morris vs. Canisius

Robert Morris is one of the best 4 teams in the AHA.  I see no way that they lose in a crucial game.  Robert Morris wins at home 5-3.

RIT vs. Air Force

The Ritter is such a cool place to have played.  Great fan support and the crowd is right on top of the rink.  In 1998-1999 we were 15-0 at The Ritter.  Since that season RIT is 135-40-13 at home.  Many of those losses came during the transition period to Division I, 20 losses in a three year span.  Those are the positives.  RIT plays a man down for 1/3 of their games this season.  This is just not going to work against the top end teams in the league.  Air Force comes east and wins on Friday night 3-2, handing Madalora his 1st loss of the season.  RIT rebounds on Saturday night winning 3-2 in a huge game.

RIT, Niagara, Robert Morris, and Air Force.  One of these teams will represent the AHA in the NCAA’s.  RIT takes too many penalties and simply has a terrible time with Niagara.  I pick Niagara to win the AHA tourney and go to NCAA’s this year.

MCHA, MIAC and NCHA picks for Feb. 4-5

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After another weekend of ties, the season prediction record of 25-19-4 remains on the sunny side of .500. Hamline and Augsburg’s 4-4 deadlock coupled with St. Norbert’s 3-3 draw against Wisconsin-Eau Clare put the kibosh on what would have been a perfect prognostication weekend as No. 10 Milwaukee School of Engineering swept Lawrence and the No. 8 Pipers complied by beating the Auggies at home.
As the regular season winds down, conference games take on special significance as teams vie for higher playoff seeds to sweeten their chances at an NCAA tournament invite.
Friday
Feb. 4
Wisconsin Superior at St. Norbert: This clash between the NCHA’s first and second place teams might have more penultimate value if the Yellowjackets (12-8-1, 9-5) weren’t coming off a pair of 1-0 losses to Wisconsin-River Falls and Wisconsin-Stout last weekend as the team’s offense inexplicably went into the Witness Protection Program. Until then, the Yellowjackets were averaging 4.66 goals per game in their last six outings (4-2), which included a 3-0 victory over No. 2 St. Norbert Jan. 20. The Green Knights (17-3-1, 11-2-1), which shook off that road loss with a 5-4 win over UW-Superior two days later, are 6-1-1 in the new year. In its last outing, Tim Coghlin’s team surrendered a late goal and settled for a 3-3 draw with pesky Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Leading scorer Johan Ryd (8-14-22) has three-game goal scoring streak. The host Green Knights get the green light to victory. St. Norbert 4-1
Friday and Saturday
Feb. 4-5

Northland at Lawrence: The Vikings were cruising along at a 3-1 clip in the new year until they encountered then No. 8 Adrian and then No. 11 Milwaukee School of Engineering in successive weeks. Four losses later, Lawrence (9-9-1, 7-7) tries to get back on form at home hosting a Northland team that is unbeaten in its last four outings (2-0-2). The Lumberjacks (6-11-2, 5-7-2) possess some offensive heft in junior Colin McIntosh (13 goals, 13 assists, 26 points) and senior Chad Moore (10-12-22), but have a propensity to surrender goals in alarming numbers. (4.79 goals per game). Lawrence is a little less leaky (3.37 GPG) and has show it can eek out games when necessary. At stake for both teams is a chance to make a run for first place in the Northern Division, which would mean a No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the Harris Cup playoffs. This series has the makings of a split. Lawrence 3-2, Northland, 5-3
Gustavus Adolphus at Concordia (Minn): The host Cobbers (9-8-4, 5-3-4) have strung together a five-game unbeaten run highlighted by four one-goal wins. That newly found vigor has seen Concordia surge into second place in the MIAC. Last weekend, Concordia players showed considerable resolve by erasing two-goal deficits to earn a win and a tie against St. John’s. Gustavus, which was idle last weekend, sits two points back in fourth behind St. Thomas. The Gusties (11-6-2, 5-3-2) are a spotty 2-3-1 in the new year after going 9-3-1 in the first half. The Gusties’ offense went missing in its last outing, a 3-1 loss at St. John’s on Jan. 22, as leading scorer Ross Ring-Jarvi (7-10-17) was held pointless. That short-term goal drought might be hard to shake as the Cobbers have yielded a meager 1.8 goals in its last five outings. Concordia has home ice and momentum. Concordia 3-1, 4-2

Ice, snow force closure of UConn’s rink; Saturday game moved to Hartford

USCHO Staff Report
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According to an NBC affiliate in Connecticut, Connecticut’s home rink, the Freitas Ice Forum, has been closed due to an over-abundance of snow and ice on the roof of the arena.

Structural concerns led the school to move Saturday’s game against Army to the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. It will start at 7 p.m. EST, and admission will be free.

Freitas rink also serves as the home rink for E.O. Smith, Tolland and Windham high schools co-op team and the Northeast Ice Dogs youth hockey program.

Maine’s Diamond suspended one game

USCHO Staff Report
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Hockey East suspended Maine sophomore forward Joey Diamond for Friday night’s game at New Hampshire.

The league said the suspension was levied after a review of contact with Boston University goaltender Kieran Millan in last Friday’s game at Alfond Arena.

Paula's picks: Feb. 4, 2011

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I don’t know what the weather was like this week in your part of the world, but here in Flint, Mich., we got a real winter storm, part of what the meteorologists are calling an “inland hurricane.” When I was growing up in Syracuse, N.Y., we just called it “winter.” I hope you are all safe and looking forward to some potentially season-changing hockey this weekend.
Last week I fell under .500, leaving me feeling a little like Dr. Zachary Smith.
Last week: 2-5-2 (.333)
Season to date: 85-53-25 (.598)
Here are my picks for games this week. It’s a full slate of CCHA action, with Notre Dame watching – probably anxiously – from the sidelines. Start times are noted.
I’m not in any rink this weekend, a rarity for this time of year, but I’ll be watching the Michigan-Miami and Michigan State-Ohio State series Friday, as well as Michigan-Miami Saturday. Run into me virtually on Twitter: @paulacweston.
BGSU at WMU. Much will be made about this match between first-year head coaches Chris Bergeron and Jeff Blashill, who both served as assistants under Enrico Blasi at Miami. The most important thing about this series, however, is the points on the line – for Western Michigan. The Broncos, who take the country’s best 11-game (7-0-4) unbeaten streak into this weekend, are in fourth place and face all three teams ahead of them in the standings for the remainder of the season – and only those teams. Getting points out of Michigan, Notre Dame and Miami will be especially tough when those three teams are keen to take the regular-season title. For the last-place Falcons, an unlikely six-point weekend wouldn’t even them with 11th-place Michigan State, so they’re playing for all the other reasons tough competitors play. There’s a lot of hockey left, too, so statistically BGSU has a chance to climb out of the cellar. Last season, BGSU tied and defeated WMU at home (Jan. 22-23), but the Broncos beat the Falcons when they last met in Lawson Arena (Feb. 27-28, 2009). 7:35 p.m. both nights. WMU 3-2, 4-2.
FSU at UAF. The Bulldogs trail the fifth-place Nanooks by one point in the CCHA standings, and the teams have played the same number of games, so this is a head-to-head match for position – and you can bet that each team is eyeing fourth-place Western Michigan, given the Broncos’ final three series. Ferris State last played a Thursday night game (Jan. 27), a 2-1 win over Michigan State. Alaska swept Ohio State in two home games last weekend. In this series, two of the best and most consistent goaltenders in the CCHA square off, FSU’s Pat Nagle (1.96 GAA, .922 SV%) and UAF’s Scott Greenham (1.98 GAA, .927 SV%). The teams split a pair of games earlier this season in Big Rapids (Dec. 3-4), with the Bulldogs taking the Friday game and the Nanooks winning in OT on Saturday. That Friday victory was the first for FSU over UAF since the Bulldogs beat the Nanooks Jan. 2, 2004, also in Big Rapids. Alaska is 13-1-2 against Ferris State from that weekend in 2004 through this season, and the last time FSU won in Fairbanks was Nov. 2002, when they swept. I can’t bet against Greenham, especially when Ferris State has the 54th-best offense in the country. 7:05 p.m. AT both nights. UAF 2-1, 3-2.
LSSU at NMU. There’s hardware and the pride of the Upper Peninsula on the line this weekend as these two rivals meet for the second time this season. The Cappo Cup is decided on total goals, and the defending champion Lakers are behind in this year’s series, 5-4, having split with the Wildcats at home Nov. 5-6. More recently, the Lakers split in Bowling Green last weekend (4-2, 2-1), while the Wildcats lost two on the road to Western Michigan, outscored 11-3 in two contests. In seventh place with 29 points, the Wildcats are four points ahead of ninth-place Lake Superior and yet tantalizingly close to sixth-place Ferris State (32), fifth-place Alaska (33) and even fourth-place Western Michigan (35). NMU also has two games in hand on FSU and UAF. The Wildcats appear to have a problem finishing what they start, outscoring opponents 24-21 in first periods this season but being outscored 37-21 in third periods. The last time the Wildcats lost to the Lakers at home was Dec. 2, 2006. 7:35 p.m. both nights. NMU 3-2, 3-2.
MSU at OSU. Last weekend, the Spartans played their best game of the season and beat Michigan, 2-1, in front of nearly 18,000 fans in Joe Louis Arena. The Buckeyes, on the other hand, went to Alaska and lost a heart-breaking overtime game, 1-0, allowing the game-winner 20 seconds into OT on Friday before losing 6-2 Saturday. Talk about a long trip home. The Saturday loss gave OSU sophomore goaltender Jeff Michael (who?) his first collegiate playing time, as Cal Heeter – who had played every single minute of the Buckeyes’ season – left after allowing five goals. In eighth place with 28 points, OSU is five points and two places ahead of MSU; the Buckeyes are a point behind NMU, four behind FSU, five behind UAF, so like most of the other series this weekend, this is a big one. These teams are 3-3-0 in their last six games and split a pair in East Lansing earlier this season (Nov. 12-13), with the Buckeyes winning 4-3 in overtime and Spartan Drew Palmisano earning his third career shutout, 4-0, the following night. Watch for Will Yanakeff in net, though – and he’s fun to watch. Former Buckeye Paul Caponigri will be calling the game with Dan Kelly for the Big Ten Network Friday night. 7:35 p.m. Friday, 7:05 p.m. Saturday. OSU 4-2, MSU 3-1.
UM at Miami. As big as are the other series this week, this one is perhaps the biggest – especially as it can redefine the top tier in the league. Right now, Notre Dame is in first place with 44 points, Michigan in second with 43 and Miami in third with 39. The Fighting Irish are idle this weekend and the Wolverines have two games in hand on both the Irish and the RedHawks … and I am stuck in Flint this weekend and haven’t seen a game in Steve Cady Arena in three seasons! But I digress. Last weekend, all three teams at the top combined to decide, well, very little. Notre Dame and Miami split six points evenly with two ties (5-5, 2-2) and an extra shootout point for each, while Michigan lost a single game to Michigan State. The RedHawks under head coach Enrico Blasi are 9-21-1 against Michigan, but in recent regular-season games dating back to 2007-08, Miami has a 4-3-1 edge, and the RedHawks swept the Wolverines in Oxford Nov. 21-22, 2008. That is not, as every fan of each team knows, the whole story. It was Miami that ended Michigan’s incredible post-season run in 2009-10 with a 3-2 win in double overtime in the NCAA Midwest Regional final. Alden Hirschfeld had the game-winner in that one, and Connor Knapp made an amazing 55 saves – and nothing less than an effort like that would have stopped the steam-rolling Wolverines at that point. UM defeated Miami in the CCHA semifinal game in JLA last year and beat the RedHawks for the CCHA title in 2008. A lot of history here and a good rivalry. UM hasn’t lost two in a row this season. 7:35 p.m. Friday, 5:05 p.m. Saturday. UM 3-2, Miami 4-2.

UPDATE: North Dakota’s Kristo sidelined indefinitely by frostbite on toes

USCHO Staff Report
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North Dakota forward Danny Kristo is out indefinitely after suffering frostbite on the toes of his right foot Sunday, the school announced Tuesday.

In an update released by the school Thursday, Kristo remains in fair condition at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn, and maintains full use of all of his extremities and is in the early stages of recovery.

“I’m doing fine (and) I’m planning on recovering as safely and as quickly as possible,” Kristo said in a statement. “I’m just trying to get better day by day. I’m doing better today than I was yesterday and I was doing better yesterday than I was the day before. I’m feeling a lot better than I was the first two days.

 ”I definitely feel fortunate, I definitely feel lucky. I want to say thanks to the fans and friends and family members who have prayed for me.”

Kristo, a sophomore who is seventh on the Fighting Sioux roster with 22 points, was being treated at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn.

“We have been in close contact with Danny’s family,” North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol said in a statement. “My concern is with Danny’s health and his full recovery.”

The school said Kristo suffered frostbite due to exposure to extreme cold while walking near campus Sunday evening. The National Weather Service reported a temperature of minus-11 in Grand Forks, N.D., around that time.

North Dakota, which does not play again until Feb. 11 against Alaska-Anchorage, also lost captain Chay Genoway to a leg injury in last Friday’s game at Colorado College. The defenseman, who is tied for third on the team in scoring, did not play Saturday and no information on when he’ll be able to return has been released.

Kristo was a second-round pick by Montreal (No. 56 overall) in the 2008 NHL entry draft. He was the WCHA’s rookie of the year last season after 15 goals and 36 points in 41 games.

ECAC Hockey picks: Week 18

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Prediction precision

Season record: 106-50-18 (.661)

On the fly

All times Eastern

Friday, February 4

Rensselaer at Quinnipiac – 7:00

While RPI will surely be the popular pick – especially in light of yesterday’s column – QU isn’t exactly folding up shop: The Bobcats are 5-1-3 in their last nine and are looking to solidify a home-ice spot in the first round of the upcoming playoffs. That said, many of the Q-Cats’ wins are of the 3-2 variety, whereas the Engineers have pinned five goals on foes in three of their last seven games. RPI in a squeaker, 3-2.

St. Lawrence at Colgate – 7:00 TV: Time Warner Sports

I’m getting tired of pulling The Brown Rule out week after week, but sobeit: Colgate has to win before I can give them any real consideration. 4-2 Saints.

Dartmouth at Brown – 7:00

Don’t look now, but add the Big Green to the list of streaking squads: It’s 5-1-1 in its last seven, and the goals are coming in heavier than a Nor’easter (27 scored in that time). Brown has struggled lately, loser of three straight and finding only 11 goals in its last seven outings. Add a touch of performance anxiety at home, and you’ve spelled another Dartmouth win: 4-2.

Harvard at Yale – 7:00

This is not the way to start Beanpot Week. I can’t imagine Yale dropping three straight, and certainly not losing Game 3 at home. Harvard may finally be discovering something tangentially related to “form”, but it won’t do them any good in New Haven. 5-1 Bulldogs.

Clarkson at Cornell – 7:00

Clarkson looked like one of the surprise teams of the year rolling into the holiday break, but as breaks are wont to do, the Golden Knights lost their momentum and have staggered to a 2-6-0 record in 2011. The Big Red has played its season in reverse, bolting into contention with a 5-1-2 record since the Florida College Classic. Clarkson is struggling, without question, but this should be a very hard-fought contest: 3-2 Red.

Union at Princeton – 7:00

Princeton: 14-3-1 in its last 18, 9-1-1 in 11, and on a four-game winning streak. Union: 7-1-0 in eight, with three W’s strung together right now, and 4-2-1 on the road in ECAC Hockey. Who’s it going to be? It’s a real tough call in a game for second place. I think the Tigers are the hotter team, but in a playoff-type game, I’m going to give the slightest of edges to the more experienced Dutchmen… in no small part because of Princeton’s somewhat surprising 3-3-1 home record. 3-2 UC.

Saturday, February 5

Rensselaer at Princeton – 4:00

This is the difficulty of picking games: I’d be stunned if Princeton got swept at home, but individually, I think Union and RPI hold edges over the Garden Staters. I suppose all I can do is fall back on my old line – prove me wrong, Tigers. 4-3 RPI.

Dartmouth at Yale – 7:00 TV: YES

This is one of Yale’s final significant challenges en route to the regular-season title; after the Big Green, the Bulldogs’ most formidable foes will be Princeton (on the road) and Cornell (at home). It’s where the rubber meets the road, as well as any number of other valuable well-worn adages. If the Blue fashions itself a national contender, it’s time to start proving it… and I think it’s up for it. 5-3 Yale.

St. Lawrence at Cornell – 7:00

The Saints are 0-6-1 in their last seven league games… that’s not a good sign for a team that’s six points back of a home-ice seed and fading fast. Cornell is squarely in the middle of that hunt, and indeed has a first-round bye only two points ahead. 4-2 Big Red in what amounts to a mismatch, for this conference.

Union at Quinnipiac – 7:00

The Dutchmen have the mojo working, while QU has struggled to establish a home-ice advantage this year. Looks like a safe bet to say Union, 5-3.

Clarkson at Colgate – 7:00 TV: Time Warner Sports

Brown Rule… Clarkson, 5-3.

Monday, February 7

Harvard vs. Northeastern – 5:00 Beanpot @ TD Garden, Boston; TV: NESN

Sure, Harvard beat Colgate… but in a matchup of Brown Rule teams, can the winner really escape Rule purgatory? Even I haven’t decided. In any case, the nightcap – BU-BC – is the big show; this is the opening act for a late-arriving crowd. Fortunately for both teams, really, they get to play each other and therefore have a very real shot at playing in the late game next Monday. Who do I think will make it happen? I’m hoping Harvard, of course, but to hedge my bets, I’m going to predict the Huskies by a much closer 4-3 score than the 3-0 shutout they pitched at Matthews a few weeks back.

Hockey East picks – Feb. 4-7

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I suppose I should wave the white flag at this point.  I only got one game wrong last week, but Jim went 7-0-2.  The one game I got wrong was in the Maine-BU series, which we both picked as a split.  One game finished as a tie, Jim’s version of the split left him undefeated for the week.

But in the immortal words of John Belushi, “Did you say over? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?”

Dave last week: 6-1-2
Jim last week: 7-0-2
Dave’s record-to-date: 69-28-21
Jim’s record-to-date: 82-21-19

Here are this week’s picks:

Friday, February 4

Merrimack at Northeastern
Dave’s pick: This week, I’m picking first so do I try to go against what I think Jim will pick regardless of the choice?  Might the weasel go into a Four Corners Offense and just duplicate my picks?  I don’t think so.  He’s too cocky for that right now (witness his snarky comments at the end of this week’s column).  I’m going with an upset here, Northeastern parlaying its strong play of late into a big win going into the Beanpot.
NU 4 Merrimack 3 (OT)
Jim’s pick: I won’t go into the Four Corner offense, but in this game, at least, I’m with Dave. I think Northeastern is playing as well as any team in the league and, on home ice, I think they can handle Merrimack.
NU 3, Merrimack 2

Massachusetts at Boston College
Dave’s pick: Is BC looking ahead to its marquee matchup against BU in the Beanpot?  Only a little and not enough. 
BC 4 UMass 2
Jim’s pick: Rare is the day that BC has overlooked it’s pre-Beanpot game. Won’t happen this year either.
BC 5, UMass 1

Massachusetts-Lowell at Boston University
Dave’s pick: The River Hawks are playing better but in this case they still fall short. 
BU 4 UML 2
Jim’s pick: Lowell hasn’t had much success of late versus the Terriers. That won’t change.
BU 5, UML 2

Providence at Vermont
Dave’s pick: As I wrote in this week’s blog, this series could very well dictate who finishes eighth and who’s out in the playoff cold. I picked the Catamounts in the blog and will follow through here.
UVM 2 PC 1
Jim’s pick: I feel a split here, which should mean picking Vermont in the opener, as they’ve played much better on Fridays than Saturdays. That said, I’ll go against common wisdom, if for no reason than to give Dave a chance.
PC 4, UVM 2

Maine at New Hampshire
Dave’s pick: UNH is nicely placed in the standings with its two games in hand over BC, but those could slip away fast as the Wildcats have six games remaining against nationally ranked opponents.  This is the first.  In the immortal words of Elmer Fudd, “White out the Whitt wields a Wildcat win. ”
UNH 4 Maine 3 (OT)
Jim’s pick: Touhgest game and series to pick of the weekend. I think Maine takes points, but think UNH comes out with all the momentum in the opener.
UNH 4, Maine 2

Saturday, February 5

Maine at New Hampshire
Dave’s pick: Jim’s probably going to pick a split here and it would be hard to argue against that if you knew whether the Maine version of Jekyll or Hyde were going to show up.  But I’m going with UNH’s consistency.
UNH 5 Maine 4
Jim’s pick: Dave is right. Split it is for me.
Maine 4, UNH 3

Massachusetts at Merrimack
Dave’s pick: The Warriors get right back to form after Friday’s loss to Northeastern. 
Merrimack 4 UMass 2
Jim’s pick: Tough weekend for the Minutemen. Merrimack wins at home.
Merrimack 5, UMass 2

Providence at Vermont
Dave’s pick: As I said before, I’m going with the Catamounts sweeping this series to stake a serious claim on eighth place. 
UVM 3 PC 2
Jim’s pick: UVM rebounds for the rare Saturday win.
UVM 2, PC 1

Monday, Feb. 7

Harvard vs. Northeastern (Beanpot)
Dave’s pick: Unless the Huskies get spooked by a cavernous, empty Garden all the way into the second period, they’re going to win this one going away.
NU 4 HU 1
Jim’s pick: Don’t even think this one will be close.
NU 5, HU 1

Boston College vs. Boston University (Beanpot)
Dave’s pick: This should be the proverbial bahn-burnah.  The Garden will be rocking and so will the checks.  I’m picking the Eagles in a see-saw event that goes to overtime (making all the sportswriters on deadline groan insufferably). 
BC 4 BU 3 (OT)
Jim’s pick: It’s hard to pick against BU in this tournament, but when BC wins the first three games of the season series, I can’t pick against the Eagles.
BC 4, BU 2

Games Feb. 4-5

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Last week Theresa: 6-3-1
Season Theresa: 103-61-17

Last week Tyler: 6-3-1
Season Tyler: 105-42-13

I’m regretting not going with my initial thought of a split in the CC/UND series. Also, stupid UAH for throwing a wrench in things.

This week: five conference series abound with North Dakota and Wisconsin getting some rest.

No. 2 Denver (16-5-5, 12-3-3 WCHA) home and home with No. 20 Colorado College (15-12-1, 9-9-0 WCHA)
Theresa: In which we have a rivalry series, meaning most logic is thrown out the window. If CC goaltender Joe Howe doesn’t play, that could mean a sweep for the Pioneers, who will likely retain hold of the Gold Pan regardless (they need just two points to do so). However, these teams typically like to split and lately, it’s been each team on its home ice. So, I’ll go with it … even though it undoubtedly means they’ll do the opposite this time around. CC Friday, DU Saturday.

Tyler: History tells you to pick a split when these teams get together. Neither team has been able to sweep since 2008. Many of the games since finished in ties. These are big games for each team this weekend. Denver is in contention for first place in the WCHA and CC is trying to gain ground on home ice in the playoffs. It’s been hard to tell which CC team will show up lately but they’ll always show up when the Gold Pan is on the line. Split.

Bemidji State (9-13-2, 5-11-2 WCHA) at Minnesota State (11-11-6, 5-11-4 WCHA)
Theresa: This is a tricky series to predict because, in terms of league standing, this series is HUGE for both teams. The Mavericks currently sit just two points above the Beavers in the standings and you know both teams are going to want to better their position. BSU’s coming off a bye while MSU’s coming off a three-point weekend against St. Cloud. While my gut says a split is the likely result, I’ll gamble on the Mavs. They were finally able to get some offense going against SCSU and the team will probably want to keep it going. MSU sweep.

Tyler: The Mavericks have had BSU’s number in recent years and MSU’s record is not indicative of the level it competes at. It’ll be one of those weekends where Phil Cook shines against a struggling offense. MSU has had multiple opportunities to beat good teams at the Verizon Wireless Center but couldn’t haul in wins. The outcome will be different against the Beavers. MSU sweep.

Michigan Tech (3-20-3, 1-16-1 WCHA) at Alaska-Anchorage (8-13-3, 7-11-2 WCHA)
Theresa: Tech rule. UAA sweep.

That, and the Seawolves only swept one series last year and that was Michigan Tech. This year’s UAA team is arguably better and not just because it already has a sweep under its belt. That being said, we also have the possibility of seeing what happened in January ’09 happen again – two ties. Still, I maintain my above pick.

Tyler: The Seawolves aren’t much to talk about statistically but have taken some by surprise with big wins, especially at home. One wonders when the bleeding will stop but Tech’s miserable season will continue with two losses in Anchorage. Two losses in Anchorage means history for Tech. It would tie Colorado College for most consecutive losses in league play. UAA sweep.

Minnesota (11-10-3, 8-8-2 WCHA) at No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth (17-5-3, 12-4-2 WCHA)
Theresa: I’m sounding like a broken record here, but this is another huge series in terms of possible points gained, despite these teams not being near each other in the standings. With UND idle, the Bulldogs can fight it out with Denver for the top spot in the league. The Gophers, on the other hand, are fighting for that last home playoff spot and we know from earlier this season that they are very capable of beating UMD, despite Duluth being the on-paper favorite … which they are here, once again. Still, I think a split here is probably the likely result – UM Friday, UMD Saturday.

Tyler: It’s hard to picture the Gophers doing any damage in Duluth this weekend after their uninspired performance at home against Anchorage last Saturday, but this in-state rivalry brings out the best in each team. Minnesota followed a one-point weekend in Mankato with a three-point weekend against the Bulldogs back in December. Split.

St. Cloud State (11-12-3, 7-9-2 WCHA) at No. 18 Nebraska-Omaha (14-10-2, 10-6-2 WCHA)
Theresa: Both teams are coming into this weekend slightly reeling from the last time they hit the ice. SCSU managed only one point from MSU while the Mavericks surprisingly split with Alabama-Huntsville. Obviously both teams will be looking for a little redemption. These teams are also, in a way, on opposite trajectories right now. SCSU’s stock is rising compared to earlier this year while UNO’s is falling. In the Huskies’ first trip to the Qwest Center, I think we’ll see a split – UNO Friday, SCSU Saturday.

Tyler: The Mavericks are not happy about Saturday’s loss to Alabama-Huntsville  and after one goal on a 59-shot night, UNO will make the most of its opportunities from now on. SCSU was hot going into last week but played completely lackluster at home against MSU. Saturday’s loss for UNO was a fluke, especially with Terry Broadhurst’s offensive abilities back in the lineup. UNO sweeps this one, putting the Mavericks back in the NCAA playoff picture and in contention for a home playoff series.

A year after his death, Brendan Burke’s legacy widens

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Editor’s note: On Friday’s telecast of Michigan at Miami, CBS College Sports will air a special feature paying tribute to the late Brendan Burke. In a piece written and produced by Alexis Arguello Jr. and Shireen Saski, the network will mark the one-year anniversary of his passing and the legacy he left behind. CBS College Sports analyst and USCHO national columnist Dave Starman read through the interviews they conducted and takes a look at how Burke’s life has made Miami even more unified in its support of who Brendan was and what he created in his short time in Oxford.

* * *

On a remote patch of Indiana highway there is a small cross on the side of the road. It is white, one part is in the shape of a hockey stick, and it reads “BURKE.”

En route to their games in the Fort Wayne regional last season, the Miami RedHawks “Brotherhood” stopped there in memoriam to a fallen teammate, Brendan Burke, their student manager who died in car accident there a couple of months before.

There was still some debris from the accident on the ground but that could not compare with the mental mess that the RedHawks still endured in the aftermath of Brendan’s tragedy. What made it so hard for them was what Brendan was creating in his courageous admission to being gay and involved in what is considered a testosterone-laden world where homophobia still runs rampant due to either ignorance or stereotypes that have long since been discredited.

Brendan is gone but his memory is very much alive in the hockey world and outside of it. His legacy has reached far beyond the confines of a 200-by-85 rink in Oxford, Ohio.

“I always say, ‘Don’t judge because you don’t know,'” said Miami coach Enrico Blasi. “That’s probably the one thing hopefully Brendan has brought forth, that people can look at themselves and be comfortable with who they are and know that people will be comfortable with you if you are. It is almost like Brendan was put on this Earth for that message and it is like if this didn’t happen maybe people wouldn’t garner that much attention to it.”

Brendan Burke carried what many felt would be a huge burden. He was a gay male college student working in a culture where that lifestyle could make people very uncomfortable. The son of the president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and a high-profile personality in professional hockey, Brendan went about his life as many other college kids did but also knew one day he had to tell people who he really was.

The results of the admission, shared slowly with his teammates two years ago, were remarkable at Miami. With the way Blasi has created “The Brotherhood” in Oxford the impact and acceptance shouldn’t be that surprising. In announcing to his other family, the RedHawks players and staff, Burke entrusted a tight-knit group of friends with a life-altering announcement. Like a teammate who had to get something out to another teammate, he sat down with Pat Cannone for a discussion that wasn’t easy.

Like it goes with all groups of guys, it started with a simple question from Cannone to Burke following Miami’s 2009 regional final victory in Minneapolis that led them to the Frozen Four in Washington, D.C. Cannone and Burke were out afterwards and Cannone asked him if he had an eye on any special lady. At that point, Burke came out to Cannone. Soft spoken and possessing a deep sense of compassion for others, Burke couldn’t have picked a better kid to tell than Cannone.

“I was the first one on the team that he told. And, you know, he didn’t want it to become a distraction,” said Cannone, now a senior co-captain. “I didn’t have any judgment at all. I still looked at him the same. I was like, ‘Yeah, Burkie, I don’t care at all. I don’t care. You’re a great friend. You know, it’s no bearing on anything or how we feel about you.'”

What impacted Cannone most was that Burke went to him first, something Cannone is reluctant to mention as a badge of honor publicly but takes deep pride in privately.

Following his disclosure to Cannone the news slowly started to filter out to a couple of teammates like Justin Vaive and Tommy Wingels. Wingels and Vaive were roommates last season and Burke would come over most every Sunday to watch football. Vaive admits that when he found out, he was worried about how the news would be received outside the dressing room.

“During the time I definitely did have a little bit of fear for him just because it’s such a shocking thing,” said Vaive, also a senior. “In a sense of our team and our school, I knew that everybody would be supportive of him and everybody wanted him to share his story and kind of let everybody else know what he was going through.”

Blasi, in a conversation with Alexis Arguello Jr. of CBS College Sports, took a unique look at it when he found out. In a way, his reaction set the tone for much of the good that came out of Brendan’s decision later on.

“He asked me to go have coffee with him at one of my favorite places; I figured something was wrong,” said Blasi. “When he told me basically his secret I was like, ‘Thank goodness it’s nothing serious!'”

Blasi, who last season also was forced to deal with some personal family issues, was the perfect coach for this situation to make sure Burke knew this was not an issue within “The Brotherhood” but also not an issue in life.

“The way I approached it, I think it really kind of eased the moment for both of us,” Blasi said. “I told him I really didn’t care, and he was part of our family and that was his choice and it doesn’t change the way we feel about him. And I think that gave him an opportunity to tell the guys and I think the guys reacted in the same way.”

Burke carried on as always in his role as student manager. The RedHawks were dominating the league when that fateful day occurred as he and a friend headed back to Miami from Michigan. The Miami community was devastated. Like they did after the shocking loss to Boston University in the national title game the season before, the RedHawks picked up the pieces, regrouped from within and carried on. This time, they went ahead with Brendan in their thoughts, and a cause in their actions. What Brendan meant to them, what he had so bravely faced, what he and they had created in the hockey community in terms of acceptance of a gay teammate was too strong to let die along with Brendan.

“Simply put, our program is really about being the best you can be in all aspects of your life, and I think he defined that. He was a perfect example of that,” said Nick Petraglia, an assistant coach and the member of the staff that worked as closely with Brendan as anyone. “Great student, great person and he cared about everybody, so he had all of the values and morals that we try to live by in this program. He was a perfect example of it and he lived that every day.”

What lives is the legacy. When the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, Brent Sopel took the Cup to the Chicago Gay Pride Parade and marched in it with Lord Stanley to show his support for the gay and lesbian community.

“One of his biggest impacts on this program with what we went through and him coming out is he really opened our eyes to the language that we use and the types of words we use around the locker room. The gay slurs are, I think, a pretty common part of sports,” said Petraglia. “It is a pretty common part of the hockey culture and he changed that here. You won’t hear our guys use those words, and if you do, if it slips every once in awhile there’s always someone that says, ‘Hey, don’t say that.’ We think about him every day. We still miss him. There’s no question.”

Miami will honor Brendan with the Burke family in attendance this weekend. On Saturday they will wear special sweaters in Brendan’s honor.

“We wanted to do something,” Blasi said. “The Burke family created a scholarship here at Miami in Brendan’s name and we wanted to do our part. Feb. 5 is going be a tough day but making sure that we respect Brendan for who he was and what he meant to us is very important. I asked Brian Burke and his family [about the special sweaters] and they thought it would be a great idea. The jerseys are going to look great and we’re going to raise some money by auctioning off the jerseys for his scholarship.

“We’ll all be together, which will be very important and hopefully we can get through it and then continue to push his message forward. That’s what Brendan would want and that’s what the family wants. They want to make sure that everybody gets on with what they need to do. Hopefully we can do that and always keep Brendan in our hearts.”

An unfamiliar position

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The Concordia (Wis.) women’s hockey program has gone through the growing pains of a young program.

In their first varsity season in 2007-2008, the Falcons went the whole season without a win. Fast forward to the present, Concordia is having its best season yet and currently sits in third place in the always-competitive NCHA conference with an 11-8-2 overall and 9-5-2 league record.

“We had goals going in when we started the program four years ago,” Concordia coach Jim Ingman said. “The first year, we wanted to just get through it. The second year we wanted to win 20-30 percent of our games. Last year, we wanted to be around .500, which we were, and this year we wanted to be above .500 at the end of the year and so far, we’ve attained that goal with four games to go.”

Ingman said that steady progression the Falcons have had from zero wins to six wins to nine wins, and then 11 so far this season, is because of two main things.

“It’s a little bit of recruiting stronger players and experience for returners,” Ingman said. “You can win games, but when you get into close games, you’ve got to have seniors to lead the team. I give a lot of credit to our current senior class. When they started as freshmen, there were 18 of them, and we’ve still got 11 from the original recruiting class.

“They stuck through all four years, including a season of no wins, and all 11 are going to graduate in the spring. That’s a testament to their character and shows how hard they have worked over the last four years to improve themselves and the team from a club that couldn’t win a game to one that can win on any given weekend now.”

This season hasn’t been completely roses though for Concordia. The Falcons started the season 0-5 and got outscored by Wisconson-River Falls and Gustavus Adolphus, 22-3, in four games.

“It was just getting them to believe they are a good team,” Ingman  said. “After the 0-5 start we had, we were still trying to do too much individually. We had a real heart-to-heart team meeting talked about how we needed to come together and play as a team and then we could beat anybody. It was from that moment on we started winning. It’s really team hockey, we have different players stepping up every game, whether it be putting points on the board or going down to block a shot late in a game.”

In their last 12 games, the Falcons are 9-2-1, with wins over Adrian, St. Norbert, Lake Forest, and Wis.-Superior. Last Friday’s 2-1 win over Superior was the first time the Falcons had beaten the Yellowjackets in program history.

Two key players that have emerged as leaders for Concordia this season have been senior forward Sarah Luberda and sophomore forward Sam Meuwissen.

Luberda leads the team with seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points, while Meuwissen has 11 goals and 11 assists for 21 points.

“Sarah has worn the ‘C’ on her jersey for us for all four years,” Ingman said. “She’s very calm on the ice, has a great set of hands, and her vision is unbelievable. I only wish she would shoot a little more because she’s got a great, accurate shot. She’s a perfect team player.”

Meuwissen’s arrival at Concordia is a little bit ironic, considering originally Ingman was after Sam’s twin sister, Tam.

“Sam was a unique situation because when we get her we were actually recruiting her sister Tam, who plays for Gustavus Adolpus,” Ingman said. “We were recruiting both, but Tam showed more interest in us initially and wanted to come on a visit to campus. Halfway through the tour though, Sam was the one at the front by my side. A week later, she called and said she didn’t know what Tam was doing, but she said she was going to come play at Concordia the next year.”

Meuwissen is tied for the team lead in goals with Alisha Java, with both having 10 tallies on the season.

“She’s just a naturally gifted player and has everything Division I caliber, except for her size,” Ingman said about Meuwissen. “She’s one of the fastest players in D-III and has a top end D-I shot, but she’s just under 5-feet tall. She plays with an edge and will go into corners and dig the puck out, so she compliments Sarah really well.”

In goal, junior Lea Jondal has been the workhorse for the Falcons and has compiled a 9-6-2 record with a 2.23 goals against average and a .912 save percentage.

“Lea is an exceptionally talented goaltender that plays a unique style,” Ingman said. “She’s not your typical butterfly goaltender, and I think that throws a lot of teams off. She can be intimidating as a six-foot-goaltender playing up high.”

This weekend, Concordia will get a stern test as it tries to hold onto third place in the NCHA standings with the Wis.- Eau Claire Blugolds. The Falcons have 20 points and are ahead of Adrian by one point and Eau Claire by two.

“If a team wins this series this weekend, they have a great chance at hosting in the playoffs,” Ingman said. “There are nine teams right now that can make the playoffs, and any one of them could beat any of the other teams on any given day during the week. It makes it fun, makes the hockey exciting, and it keeps you on your guard.”

The Falcons will have their hands full trying to contain All-American Kristin Faber, who has torched Concordia for six goals and four assists against them in her career.

“When we have lost against Eau Claire, it’s been Faber torching us,” Ingman said. “She has something you can’t teach, and that’s a tremendous scoring touch. She’s a great hockey player and has a smell around the net to know when to put the puck in. Taylor Jenkins is a great setup player for them. They have a similar setup to our one-two scoring punch. It’s going to be a lot of mismatch to who can shut down each team’s top line.”

Volatility on the edge of TUC

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Robert Morris’ loss Thursday night to Canisius had a big effect on North Dakota’s PairWise ranking. The Colonials dropped as a Team Under Consideration (TUC) when their RPI fell below .500 in the 5-4 defeat. That cost the Fighting Sioux two wins against TUC (causing them to lose that comparison against Denver) and a few decimal points in RPI (causing them to lose the RPI comparison vs. Boston College), moving North Dakota to fifth in the PairWise and out of an NCAA regional No. 1 seed.

Why does this matter now? Because it has implications for the final few games of the season. Robert Morris is likely to stay right around .500 in the RPI as it battles for its first AHA title. The Colonials could return as a TUC with a decent regular-season finish and a successful Atlantic Hockey playoff run.

North Dakota fans may find themselves keeping tabs on Atlantic Hockey playoff results to see whether those two wins against RoMo at the Ralph in January will help the Sioux or not.

Hardy enough for a Bowdoin winter

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This year’s edition of the Bowdoin Polar Bears has really not shocked anyone with their level of play and current position at the top of the NESCAC standings. At 13-4-0 overall and 9-4-0 in the league, Bowdoin has really shown off its offensive prowess this season behind big numbers from sophomore forward Daniel Weiniger (16-17-33) and senior forward Jeff Fanning (14-6-20). The two have combined for 30 of the team’s 89 goals so far this season, but if you ask anyone who makes the Polar Bears go, you’ll get one answer: Kyle Shearer-Hardy.

Listed on the roster at just 5-foot-6-inches and 155 pounds, the diminutive defenseman doesn’t quite match the profile of his teammates’ size or bulk, but in terms of playing the game, Hardy is a giant talent whenever he steps out on the ice.

“He is one of the special players in this league,” noted coach Terry Meagher. “It was nice to see him get recognized for his level of play last season, and so far this year he has been a dominant player on the ice. He is such a pure skater, and that enables him to create space for himself and his teammates in any situation we play. He is a terrific quarterback on the power play and has great recognition skills in putting himself in the right place to make good decisions in both the offensive and defensive ends of the ice. He is the guy that makes us go for sure.”

So far this season, the senior who hails from Montreal, Que. has been very efficient in making plays by contributing 21 assists, which leads the both team and conference.  His eight goals have largely come on the power play, where Bowdoin has enjoyed an almost ridiculous success rate at 37.4 percent, which leads the NESCAC conference and is the top-ranked power play in the country.

“Yeah, it is pretty amazing,” laughed Meagher. “I think back to the Dave Taylor days at Clarkson where they had some obscene number like 44 percent and remember thinking that it’s just not possible to be that good against the level of competition being played every night. We have been really good on specialty teams, and the three guys you are talking about are a very big part of that if you just look at their stats. That said, you need the decision-maker out there that controls the tempo and sets up the best scoring chances, and we have Kyle,who is clearly one of the best around at making people on the ice play better.”

Shearer-Hardy is fourth in the nation overall in points-per-game and first among all defensemen in the country. While his offensive contributions have been stellar, don’t short change the defensive game Shearer-Hardy brings each and every game.

Like other defensemen who play at a high level without being six feet and 200 pounds, Shearer-Hardy does not get taken advantage of in his end of the ice. He plays with a bit of an edge, and is not afraid to go to the tough areas in the corners or in front of the net to make plays. His 18 penalties are second on the team, but also speak to his toughness in handling the extra attention he receives against each and every opponent.

“Kyle reads the play as well as anyone we have had here in recent memory,” stated Meagher. “He does take some risks in our system and most often times gets rewarded for his reads and transition game. His skating and speed can cover up for mistakes that other players may not get away with. He brings a definite sense of excitement to every shift he plays, and his teammates definitely benefit from his quick transition game and strong puck movement.”

The nation’s leading offense, at 4.88 goals per game, has carried the Polar Bears to their current perch atop the conference standings, but everyone knows things get tight at this time of the year because the games and points are so important. Weiniger, Fanning and Shearer-Hardy are clearly the leaders and top performers on the team, but the supporting cast has also improved and become bigger contributors in the second half of the season.

Freshmen Colin Downey (6-11-17) and Harry Matheson (10-6-16) have become big contributors and Matheson has chipped in with 6of his 10 goals on the power play.  More chances to play in key situations and with the talented upper classmen that are leading Bowdoin will surely have a positive impact as the regular season winds down and focus on the playoffs begins later this month.

The next two weeks find Bowdoin facing key NESCAC opponents that are right behind the Polar Bears in the standings.  Match-ups this week with Hamilton and Amherst will be key road games that will either tighten the race for the regular season top spot or create some breathing room heading into the final two weekends of the season.  Bowdoin’s final home stand will include games with Trinity and Wesleyan before closing out the regular season at New England College and St. Anselm College.

On the road this season, Bowdoin is 4-3-0 and just 3-3-0 in conference play, while at home, the team is 8-1-0 at “The Sid,” having lost their only home game last weekend to Middlebury in a tough 4-2 loss that was a replay of the NESCAC tournament final last year.

For most of the team, Bowdoin would certainly like to get another shot at winning the league crown, and of course nothing could be better than doing it front of their home fans. The senior class is celebrating its final season as members of the Bowdoin squad, and while individual achievements like reaching the 100-point plateau are within sight, this team has designs on a bigger prize.

“I have always contended that if you can play at least .500 hockey on the road against this level of competition and dominate at home, you will be playing some meaningful hockey at the end of the regular season,” stated Meagher. “This team had a strong taste of that last season, losing in the conference final and playing in the NCAAs. Obviously we just need to focus on the next game and playing our game to the best of our ability and everything else will take care of itself. We certainly have the group of guys who can stay that focused and bring it all every game.”

The season is quickly winding down, but the action is certainly not. Skilled players like Shearer-Hardy will not go unnoticed by opponents looking to slow down the Bowdoin offense, but not many have been successful this year in shutting him down. He has proven to be a leader, and would like nothing better than to lead the Polar Bears to a winter celebration and NESCAC championship.

The snow has stopped in New England, I think — drop the puck!

Down the Stretch

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Although this season has certainly seen it’s share of exciting games, surprising results, and competitive hockey, the races for positions have not been as riveting as the past few years.

Oswego took off from the start and has never looked back. Their magic number to clinch first place is two points. The only way they can blow their lead is if they lose the remainder of their games and either Geneseo or Morrisville win out.

Here’s a little betting tipster on that scenario — not going to happen.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the league, Brockport never recovered from losing Todd Sheridan, and are now two points away from being eliminated from the playoffs. This after hosting a playoff game two years in a row.

With three weekends of conference play to go and the top and bottom virtually settled, one would think there isn’t much excitement left. On the contrary, the fights for many of the other key positions — a bye in the first round, home ice for the play-in games, and just getting into the playoffs — are far from decided.

“Obviously, this time of year, the writing is on the wall; every point counts,” Morrisville coach Brain Grady said.

The Mustangs are in the driver’s seat for home ice with a decent chance at that last bye position. They sit one point ahead of Plattsburgh, but have two games in hand. They are two points ahead of Buffalo State and three points ahead of Fredonia with a game in hand on each of them. They are two points behind Geneseo with a game in hand, but they currently lose the tiebreaker to the Ice Knights, so would need some help.

Geneseo will have to work to maintain second place. They can’t hiccup with Morrisville on their tails. They may feel a bit safe having a game in hand and three points on Plattsburgh, but then no one should ever feel safe with Plattsburgh in the rearview mirror.

Speaking of the Cardinals, there they sit in fourth place, having played an extra game on their two pursuers. Buffalo State is one point behind and Fredonia is two points behind. That’s a trip Plattsburgh will have to deal with next weekend.

Fredonia is one point ahead of Cortland for the last playoff spot, but has to be feeling relatively comfortable. Well, at least as comfortable as one can feel. They have a game in hand on Cortland, win the tiebreaker against them, and one of Cortland’s remaining games is against Oswego. But then, just ask Plattsburgh about Cortland.

Potsdam might be four points behind Fredonia and five points behind Buffalo State, but they get to play those two teams in a week. However, the Bears appear to be imploding, and the question is whether they will finish out the season with any pride, or simply play out the season in humiliation.

Three weekends left. Four, five, or six games remaining on team’s schedules. Some spots may be set, but you shouldn’t take your eyes off the SUNYAC standings just yet.

Pretzel Report
We haven’t had a pretzel report in a while.

Two weeks ago, I was in Potsdam for the first time since 2004. When I was there last, I thought I remembered they sold pretzels at the Maxcy Hall concession stand. Not so this time. In fact, their hot food selections were very limited, similar to Cortland. You could have a hot dog, a hot dog, or a hot dog. And if you wanted something else, there was always a hot dog available.

They did have excellent prices for combination meals, and the hot dogs were very good. After all, they were Hebrew National hot dogs. But, no pretzels.

Horrifying. Just horrifying.

I did, however, discover they sold pretzels in the College Union. They were pretty good. Not up to the standards of Brockport (but then, who is?), but better than a Fredonia or Geneseo pretzel.

The problem is, they weren’t sold at the rink. So, they really can’t be entered. It’s like trying to play hockey when coolant is leaking all over the ice.

Oh, wait. Never mind…

Last week, I found myself in Ithaca. Thus, I looked for a hockey game and found the Cornell women were playing. Lynah Rink was full of pretzels — at the main concession stand, at the portable concession stand, and if it was a men’s game, there were multiple portable concession stands ready to sell them.

Yet, despite being an Ivy League school with an endowment larger than most Third World country’s GNP, the pretzel was disappointing. Not bad, but not fully cooked. I did hear a fan say to her friend it was the best pretzel she had. So, maybe there is a consistency problem there. Or, maybe Cornell fans have no taste buds.

Game of the Week
Of all the games this weekend, the one that matches the closest two in the standings is Plattsburgh at Morrisville. There is a caveat to that, as Morrisville first plays Potsdam, so the current one-point difference could change before the Cardinals come to town.

“Potsdam is scratching and crawling for every point they can get to get back into it,” Grady said.

I expect Morrisville to get by Potsdam, and thus with a three-point lead and a game in hand, the Saturday contest becomes huge for Plattsburgh. A must-win situation.

“Plattsburgh is trying to get back to their way,” Grady said. “I’m sure they would love to run the table for the rest of the season. We have our work cut out for us.”

One area Morrisville needs to work on is to string two wins in a row. For the past 10 games, they followed a win with a loss, which was always followed by a win. They haven’t strung two victories together since November, and only did it twice. On the flip side, they never lost two games in a row against Division III competition.

“It’s been frustrating,” Grady said. “We have struggled to score goals. We’ve been in a lot of games. We’re still trying to find a way to be successful. As a young program, we are still looking for consistency.”

The game against Plattsburgh will not only be an important game in the standings, but also off the ice. It’s the third installment of Todd Sheridan’s Saves for a Cure tour. Like Oswego and Brockport, Morrisville will be wearing special uniforms to be auctioned off.

“Todd Sheridan has done a great job with his Saves for a Cure,” Grady said. “He and [our goaltender] Caylin Relkoff are very good friends. He brought the idea to Caylin over the summer, and I said sure. He was looking to expand his efforts. We’re happy to be involved with it, and glad we can help out.”

If you go by the pattern in the last 10 games, Morrisville will beat Potsdam and lose to Plattsburgh. However, with the special game and an expected packed house, I’m going to jump on the Mustangs’ bandwagon and pick them to sweep the weekend and gain a firm foothold on a home ice playoff spot.

Other Picks
Thanks to Cortland’s historic sweep in the North Country, I only went 5-3-1 last week. Overall, that makes me 78-23-8 (.753).

Buffalo State and Fredonia visit the Rochester area. I see the same scenario playing out for both. The Western New York teams will both beat Brockport but will both lose to Geneseo.

Oswego will have no problem against Cortland. Elmira will also beat Cortland, but I see the Red Dragons putting up a bit of a fight in the only nonconference game of the weekend.

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