With the holidays over, it’s time to get all “Hee Haw” and do some pickin’ and grinnin’.
And, what’s there to smile about? While my overall 13-16 prognostication record is barely enough pull my neck upwards from looking down on my Chuck Taylor’s in shame, I am (albeit slowly) approaching the .500 mark. Hey, Division I football programs get invited to bowl games with that type of record.
This weekend dishes up some sumptuous match-ups.
Jan. 7
St. Thomas at Wisconsin-Eau Claire: Due to the holidays, both teams have been on hiatus for three weeks after suffering losses. The Blugolds (8- 5, 4- 4) were cooking before the layoff, winning five-straight before their 3-2 loss to Wisconsin-Stevens Point Dec. 11. As MIAC leader, the Tommies (8- 5, 4- 2) have been nothing if not consistent. The question is: Who will start in goal? Tyrone Simcoe is 3-0 since taking over for freshman Geoff Sadjadi in the second period during the team’s 8-6 victory over Wisconsin-Superior Nov. 27. Sadjadii (5-5, 2.96 goal-against, average, .894-save percentage) was tagged with the loss in the Tommies’ last outing, a 5-4 overtime setback to No. 11 Milwaukee School of Engineering on Dec. 11. Home-ice advantage favors the resurgent Blugolds. Wisconsin-Eau Claire 5, St. Thomas 3
St. Olaf at Gustavus Adolphus: The No. 5 Gusties (9-3-1, 3-2-1) are poised to overtake first-place St. Thomas in the MIAC regular-season standings as they have won five of the last six. The team’s top line of Brian Wieck (2-10-12), Ross Ring-Jarvi (4-7-11), and Dane Erickson (4-5-9) produces consistently, accounting for 42 of the team’s 108 points this season, while goalie Josh Swartout (5-3-1, 2.64 goals-against, .905-save percentage) remains a rock in net. St. Olaf (4-5-3, 0-3-3) has had difficulty sustaining anything resembling a winning streak (The Oles won back-to-back games against Lake Forest Nov. 26-27). In their last game before the break, the Oles held a short-lived 4-3 lead against Hamline on Dec. 4 only to surrender the tying goal a minute later to chalk up a league-leading third draw of the season. Gusties have too much firepower to let this one slip away. Gustavus 5, St. Olaf 2
Adrian at Buffalo State: The No. 9 Bulldogs (9-3, 7-1) continue their eastern swing as they earned a split at the Northfield Bank Tournament, defeating Nichols, 7-3, in the third-place game Jan. 1. Senior goalie Brad Fogal turned away 27 of 30 shots to earn the win after being pulled during the third period in the 6-2 loss to Manhattanville Dec. 31. Offensively, Adrian continues to roll with seniors Brad Houston (7-11-18) and Shawn Skelly (7-11-18) leading a six-pack of Bulldog scorers in double-figures. Meanwhile, the Bengals (6-5-2, 4-2-2) have been on a three-week layoff after a losing their straight in a 3-2 setback on the road to Utica Dec. 11. During the three-game skid, Bengal leading scorer Trevor McKinney (7-8-15) has been held scoreless. Adrian won’t be buffaloed in the Bengals backyard. Adrian 6, Buffalo State 3.
DIII men's picks Jan. 7-8
Worcester State looks to build on 2010 finish
One of the most historic weeks in the history of the Worcester State men’s ice hockey program was followed by….nothing. The Lancers started their final week of play in 2010 by knocking off Fitchburg State, who they hadn’t beaten since 2003. Following that was a 4-1 win over Westfield State, who swept the season series last year by an aggregate score of 19-10. The week ended with a wild 5-4 win over Salem State, who hadn’t lost to Worcester State since 1971, a span of 44 games.
The Lancers’ hottest week of the year was followed by their longest break of the year, as the team was off almost four weeks for winter vacation.
For coach John Guiney, the almost month-long layoff allowed Worcester State to savor the wins and serve as a reminder of the level they needed to get back to once 2011 rolled around.
“It was nice to have a month to enjoy what happened,” Guiney said. “It’s nice to enjoy, but if we had played [following Salem State] and lost, it would have been forgotten. But we’re able to build on [the hot finish] and see how we need to get back to where we were [prior to the break].”
That three-game stretch to close the first semester helped Worcester State, a team which hasn’t had a winning record since the 1997-98 season, end 2010 with a 5-2-3 record, including a 4-1-1 mark in MASCAC play that was good enough to secure a first place tie with Massachusetts-Dartmouth.
“From a coaching standpoint, entering that week, we had just lost to Mass.-Dartmouth but were down 2-0 and ended up making it 3-2,” Guiney said. “We said we couldn’t end the semester 0-4 but we tried not to put too much pressure on the kids. I was hoping to finish out going 1-1-1.”
With a 6-3 win over Becker on Thursday to start the 2011 slate, it appears any the Lancers have shaken off any rust from the long break.
“I went to [Becker] a little concerned,” Guiney said, noting that it was Becker’s fourth game since the break while Worcester State had only had two practices.
“Our first run through the league went very well,” he said. “We have a lot of new players, 13 or 14 new kids. To be honest, a lot has to do with the recruits from the Western States Hockey League. The kids came out with a desire to play. They have no idea who these teams are, no clue of the history. It doesn’t really matter to them.”
The new group’s resiliency was apparent against the Hawks. After going up 1-0 and then falling behind 2-1, the Lancers showed little panic, scoring three unanswered goals to take charge.
“From a coaching staff, its so nice just to stand on the bench and have players with a will to win and play so hard,” Guiney said.
That work ethic started early, and transcends the whole team, even those who don’t dress on game day.
“Even at the start of the year, when the trainer was working with these kids, he was telling me how hard these kids work and how he hadn’t seen a group like this in a long time,” Guiney said. “Even the kids that don’t play aren’t a problem. We just got off the bus [from Becker] and when the game ended, all the kids that weren’t playing were in packing up and getting shirts. You don’t see that in every program. [With kids] that aren’t playing, there’s usually some moaning, but we don’t have that. They know if they work hard, they will get an opportunity.”
Guiney said the program had a contact in the Western States Hockey League who asked them to come out and check out players in the league. While he wasn’t sure at first how the league and players compared to the Eastern junior leagues, their adjustment to college hockey on the East Coast has been essential for Worcester.
“The kids are very mature and easy to coach,” Guiney said. “The best part is that they’re all nice kids; there’s no problems, and that has a lot to do with our success.”
While Guiney admits Worcester State’s work ethic outshines it talents, the Lancers have had several individual standouts up to this point.
Senior captain Chris Wallin is having a career year, already surpassing his season best in goals, averaging just over a point per game. All this comes after playing mostly at forward after shifting between defense and the front line his first three years. Wallin, the team’s best skater according to Guiney, still will move to defense at key moments late in games.
“Chris is a great, great captain,” Guiney said. “He’s been able to talk to every kid at every level. He’s the right arm of the coaching staff.”
In net, freshman Bryan Kalcynski (2.63 GAA, .934 save percentage) has been a key cog after coming to the Lancers from Erie Community College.
“He does a great job,” Guiney said of Kalcynski. “It’s an old cliche, but every time he plays, he gives us a chance to win. He gives the team so much confidence.”
While Guiney doesn’t believe any team took them lightly in the first half (Worcester State played in only one game that wasn’t a goal or closer), the target is on the Lancers back heading in the second half.
“Our conference is just strong,” he said. “Whether it’s strong in relationship to other conferences doesn’t matter.”
Even with increased pressure, Guiney is looking forward to the second half.
“It’s been enjoyable,” he said. “It’s fun right now, especially with all the new young kids.”
Elsewhere in the ECAC Northeast and MASCAC
Bit of a quiet week, as teams are still getting back into the swing of things following the break and holiday tournaments.
Salem State pushed its record to 9-3 with a pair of nonconference wins over Colby on Monday and New England College on Wednesday. Monday’s win was a 5-4 affair that saw Salem State rally from being down 2-0.
Wentworth fell to No. 4 Bowdoin, 5-3, on Tuesday, while Westfield State’s struggles continued with a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Assumption. The Greyhounds rallied from a late deficit and scored the game-winner with 2.6 seconds left.
In the day’s other overtime action, Fitchburg State used a Billy Pescosolido goal at the 4:53 mark in overtime to emerge with a 3-2 win over Becker.
Loose Pucks
I’ve said it before, but I think now is the time when the real season starts. With just under two months left and schedules starting to slant toward conference games, every point becomes crucial. And with the top four teams in the MASCAC and ECAC Northeast separated by one point and two points respectively, it should be another good finish.
Candace’s Picks: January 7
Well, I finished the first half strong, going 8-2-1 (.772). Overall on the season, I am 72-29-13 (.688). Almost all of the top teams are in action this weekend, so let’s get right back to it.
Friday-Saturday, January 7-8
Syracuse at Mercyhurst: Syracuse has scored some decent wins this year, showing signs that they may be ready to start challenging better teams on a more regular basis. However, Mercyhurst is simply too strong, and after a tough loss against Wisconsin last week, I expect the Lakers to come out firing. Mercyhurst 5-2, 5-1
Wisconsin at Ohio State: The Badgers erupted for 14 goals last weekend, including seven against Mercyhurst. It looks more and more like the Badgers are the team to beat this year. Ohio State is a good squad, but they don’t have the guns to hang with Wisconsin for 60 minutes. Wisconsin 4-2, 5-2
Minnesota State at Minnesota: It used to be that the Gophers only had to worry about Duluth in the battle for top squad in Minnesota. The Mavericks however, have shown great signs of improvement, including a win against North Dakota and a one-goal loss to Wisconsin and a one-goal loss earlier in the year to the Gophers. I expect this to be a battle, but the Gophers should sweep. Minnesota 2-1, 3-1
North Dakota at Vermont: On paper, this is a mismatch. The Sioux, led by the Lamoureux twins, have way too much firepower, and Vermont has struggled all season. The Catamounts will probably play the Sioux tough, and one tie is possible, but I’m calling a Sioux sweep. North Dakota 3-1, 3-2
Friday, January 7
Quinnipiac at St. Lawrence: The rising new star meets one of the old establishment in this game. The Bobcats are led by freshman Kelly Babstock, one of the leading scorers in the country. St. Lawrence scored a surprise upset of Mercyhurst right before the break. This is a tossup, but I’m going with the Bobcats. Quinnipiac 3-2
Cornell at Yale: The Big Red are the team to beat in the ECAC, and so far are undefeated in conference play. That is unlikely to change this weekend. Cornell 4-1
Saturday, January 8
Boston College at Maine: The Eagles were just stunned by Princeton on New Year’s eve, getting shut out, but they rebounded to beat Yale. BC is undefeated in Hockey East, and I expect them to start the second half strong. Boston College 4-2
Sunday, January 9
Providence at Boston University: The Terriers need to start with a bang to keep pace with arch-rival Boston College. Providence is looking to get untracked against the better schools. These teams played twice earlier in the year, with one tie and a BU win. I’m going with the Terriers on home ice. Boston University 4-2
Finding the bright side at Sacred Heart
A more positive thinker in college hockey than Sacred Heart coach Tom O’Malley, you’re just not gonna find.
Rain pours in through a leaky roof, and he’s likely to collect the drips to water the office plants.
That wellspring of optimism has carried him well through his coaching career, which is a darned good thing.
He’s needed that sunny side to endure the start up headaches produced during his stops at Wayne State, Boston College (his alma mater), and for the past eight years, Sacred Heart.
Some campaigns have been more trying than others, but with his Pioneers struggling to a 3-14-0 mark — largely against D-III competition — this one has tested O’Malley in a big way.
“It’s been a tough year,” he sighed, moments after watching his charges blow a lead with 12 seconds to play against Southern Maine and wind up suffering a 5-4 overtime loss.
“It’s hard sometimes. We have some very good players on this team. But (sometimes) our best players struggle. You’re never going to hear me make excuses. But it’s been that type of a year. I’m doing my best to keep them focused.”
There is no crying in hockey, of course, and the Pioneers aren’t asking anyone to shed any tears for them.
However, they are the lone independent Division I program in the sport, which means they are truly in a league of their own. A league with no champion.
“We’re not in a league,” said O’Malley, “which means we’re playing Maine one weekend, and we’re playing (a club team) the next weekend. We have ‘D-I’ next to our name. It doesn’t mean we play as a ‘D-I’ team all the time. And we don’t.”
Heck, even giving another D-I team a decent test would be a victory of sorts.
As it is, the Pioneers have played seven games against D-I opponents and have lost them all, by a whopping 51-2 margin. Even Job’s patience would have been tested to the limit.
Little wonder then, that O’Malley blew his stack after the loss to Southern Maine, a fair to middlin’ D-III outfit.
“I just let them have it,” said O’Malley, “because we gave that game away. I can’t be fake with them.”
The dose of reality proved to be helpful the next day, as Sacred Heart turned the tables on USM and took home a 2-1 win.
One win over a D-III doesn’t represent a corner turned, and for the Pioneers, being truly competitive as a D-I seems to be something of a pipe dream.
Finding their way into a conference, even if it means another round of lump taking, would be a great first step. If only they could take one.
“I keep hearing (things), like we’re going to form Atlantic Hockey for women,” said O’Malley. “But it hasn’t happened. It’s something I’d love to do. We had an opportunity to join College Hockey America, two times. And it didn’t happen for us. Whatever the reasons. I’m all for it.”
What can be said for the Pioneers is that they are all in the program by choice. No guns held to anyone’s head. Each player has her own reason for playing hockey at Sacred Heart, which is reason enough.
“We’re out looking for the best possible players we can get,” said O’Malley. “But I’ll be honest with you. The BC’s and the Providences and the UConn’s are going to get their players. I mean, we’re going for their players. But when it all comes down to it, facilities and scholarships are going to play into it. A ‘D-I’ player is worthy of a ‘D-I’ situation. I try to provide that for our team.
“We do the best we can with what we have.”
Ah, there’s that sunny side, again. Poking through the clouds.
Games Jan. 7-8
First of all, I’d like to apologize to Tyler because I apparently forgot his picks for the Mariucci Classic. So, before I get into the results, he had picked Minnesota to lose to Union and beat Ferris State and for Bemidji to do it the other way around.
Now, results! Remember, though: for non-fixed tournaments (so Shillelagh, GLI, Florida), only successful picks count. For everything else, losses count against.
Last … month Theresa: 12-5-2
Season Theresa: 75-48-13
Last … month Tyler: 12-3-2
Season Tyler: 74-31-9
Friday, January 7 and Saturday, January 8
Michigan Tech (3-13-2, 1-10-2 WCHA) at St. Cloud State (7-11-2, 3-8-1 WCHA)
Theresa: This one’s tricky. True, SCSU is coming off of a great win at the Florida College Classic; however, they might be reeling due to losing several players off their roster. MTU, on the other hand, played some tough games at the GLI but couldn’t break through with a win. Do I give SCSU the benefit of the doubt? Or do I call a split, picking Tech to finally break their winless streak? I think I’ll go with the latter – SCSU Friday, MTU Saturday.
Tyler: David Eddy had a hand in three of SCSU’s eight goals (1 goal, 2 assists) at the Florida College Classic so his addition to the team could be a huge plus for the Huskies in the second half. Eddy will be a scratch this weekend, according to Mick Hatten of the St. Cloud Times. SCSU will ride the momentum coming off their FCC title and sweep Tech.
Robert Morris at No. 2 North Dakota (14-5-2, 11-3-0 WCHA)
Theresa: How can you NOT pick the Sioux right now? Theoretical second half team aside, UND is rolling. Sioux sweep.
Tyler: It’s the second half of the season, which means it’s time for the Sioux to roll. UND sweep.
Canisius at No. 13 Wisconsin (12-7-3, 6-6-2 WCHA)
Theresa: Canisius is one of the better Atlantic Hockey teams this year, but that’s not saying much as a good chunk of the league is muddled together. The Badgers, on the other hand, seem to be gaining their footing so I think I have to go with a UW sweep.
Tyler: Another East Coast mid-major for the Badgers to beat up on in Madison. UW sweep.
American International at Minnesota State (8-8-4, 4-8-2 WCHA)
Theresa: The Yellow Jackets are typically one of the bottom-feeder Atlantic Hockey teams, but have been doing fairly well lately (3-2 in their last five). However, so have the Mavericks – 6-2 in their last eight. In this situation, I’ve got to go with MSU – ‘Kato sweep.
Tyler: The Mavericks have won 6 of 8 and should win 8 of 10 after this weekend. MSU will continue to roll against one of the nation’s worst defenses but should look out for the Yellow Jackets’ power play (24.4 percent). MSU sweep.
Bemidji State (7-10-1, 4-9-1 WCHA) at Alabama-Huntsville
Theresa: I’m trying to think here. The obvious choice here is a Beaver sweep, given that UAH is pretty terrible and BSU is coming off of a “sweep” at the Mariucci Classic. However, these are old conference rivals and both teams are very familiar with the other. Therefore, I think I’m going to go a bit daring and call a split – BSU Friday, UAH Saturday.
Tyler: Both of these teams have a lot of trouble scoring but Huntsville can’t keep the puck out of their own net. BSU sweep.
Minnesota (9-8-3, 6-6-2 WCHA) and No. 5 Minnesota-Duluth (14-4-3, 9-3-2 WCHA) vs. the U.S. Under-18 Team
Theresa: The future stars of tomorrow can sometimes surprise current D-1 clubs, but I see no reason why either WCHA team should have a problem here. Both Minnesota schools win.
Tyler: Also has the Minnesota schools winning.
Hockey East picks – January 7-12
Dave remains in the witness protection program and now trails me in both the wins column and in winning percentage. Going to take a second-half rally (that and a return to society) for him to be the winner this year.
Dave last week: Did not pick
Jim last week: 4-2-1
Dave’s record-to-date: 49-21-18 (.659)
Jim’s record-to-date: 53-17-16 (.709)
Here are this week’s picks:
Friday, January 7
Providence at BC
Jim’s pick: It’s been an impressive year for the Friars thus far but BC, with its World Junior players back, should win this one.
BC 5, PC 3
Northeastern at UMass
Jim’s pick: Both of these teams were beginning to look decent heading into break. I think home ice will be the deciding factor.
UMass 3, NU 2
Massachusetts-Lowell at New Hampshire
Jim’s pick: Lowell is picking the wrong time to play a UNH team ticked off at its loss to St. Lawrence.
UNH 6, UML 2
Saturday, January 8
Boston College at Providence
Jim’s pick: Eagles finish the sweep on the road.
BC 3, PC 2 (OT)
Maine at Merrimack
Jim’s pick: Promised I wouldn’t pick against Merrimack at home until they lost. Well, they did just that against NU and now, suddenly, I’m picking against the Warriors again.
Maine 4, MC 2
New Hampshire at Massachusetts
Jim’s pick: Even though UMass often gives UNH fits, I’m going with the Wildcats in this one.
UNH 4, UMass 3
Massachusetts-Lowell at Northeastern
Jim’s pick: Huskies get back in the win column
NU 5, UML 2
Sunday, January 9
Boston University at Vermont
Jim’s pick: It’s about time for BU to begin its rebound from its holiday tournament letdown.
BU 3, UVM 1
Wednesday, January 12
Boston University at Merrimack
Jim’s pick: Here’s my upset pick of the week, even if the upset is a minor one.
MC 4, BU 3
Revisiting the 25, Part II – The East
…and we’re back.
So yesterday, I looked at 11 players from the CCHA and WCHA that I’d identified before the season as Hobey Baker contenders, and narrowed them down to 6 potential finalists, with one or two who could contend for the award.
Now, it’s over to the east, and the 14 players from Atlantic Hockey, ECAC Hockey and Hockey East that I thought worth keeping an eye on before the season.
Jacques Lamoureux, SR, F, Air Force – Lamoureux was the nation’s leading goal-scorer and a Hobey Baker finalist two years ago, and that generally commands a bit of attention before every season that follows. This season, however, he has just five goals and 10 assists in 17 games. That does put him among the top 100 scorers in the country, and Air Force is contending again in Atlantic Hockey, but I think that we’ve more or less heard the last of him as a Hobey contender.
Cory Conacher, SR, F, Canisius – Conacher was No. 2 in the nation in points per game a year ago, and when he started the season with a hat trick at Western Michigan, it looked like he was going to pick up where he left off. At mid-season, though, he’s 59th in the country in points per game with an even 18 points in 18 games. That’s a solid season for the Golden Griffins, who are tied for fourth in Atlantic Hockey, but again, it’s not going to impress Hobey voters.
Chase Polacek, SR, F, Rensselaer – Polacek was the nation’s No. 6 scorer last season, and made the laudable decision to return for his senior year. It was uncertain how the early departures of Jerry D’Amigo and Brandon Pirri would affect Polacek. As it turns out, Polacek’s points-per-game average (1.39) is higher than it was at the end of last season (1.33), although his goal-scoring has dropped. He’s 15th in the nation in PPG right now, and I think that if RPI continues to play well and make a run at returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995, Polacek’s stock will rise. He remains a player well worth keeping an eye on.
Broc Little, SR, F, Yale – Before the season, I wrote “Keep your eye on Little first, but don’t be surprised to see a number of Yale forwards earn consideration.” I think that turned out to be a solid call, although I certainly didn’t expect Yale to have four of the nation’s top seven scorers. Little, however, is the goal-scorer – to the tune of 12 in 13 games for a national-best average of .92 goals per game – and it’s pretty clear that as the top scorer on the nation’s No. 1 team, Little is a serious contender for the Hobey.
Cam Atkinson, JR, F, Boston College – Speaking of goal-scorers, Atkinson is fifth in the country in goals per game at .83 (15 goals in 18 games), and No. 12 in overall points per game. His six goals in last year’s NCAA Tournament en route to a national championship told us to keep an eye on him this year, and he hasn’t disappointed. As the leading scorer for a Boston College team that is once again a top squad in Hockey East and a national contender, Atkinson is a very likely Hobey finalist, but after that, the outlook is murky. When you think about players like Brian Gionta, Nathan Gerbe, Chris Collins, Pat Eaves and other BC forwards who have had similar success under Jerry York, you can’t help but wonder if BC’s playing style – which enables this kind of scoring – works against those forwards when the votes are counted. Will Atkinson do what those others didn’t and hoist the Hobey? Stay tuned.
Brian Gibbons, SR, F, Boston College – Gibbons was on the Hockey East First Team last season, not Atkinson, but as we know, Hobey Likes Goals. Gibbons has lit the lamp 10 times this season as part of his 25 points, but Atkinson is ahead of him in both goals and overall points, and that makes him BC’s leading contender for the Hobey. I think Gibbons has a chance at a finalist nod of his own, but I’d expect to see BC’s eggs go into the Atkinson basket when it comes time to promote Hobey contenders. A return to the Hockey East First Team is quite possibly in the cards, not to mention All-American honors, but when it comes to the Hobey, Atkinson is BC’s man.
Gustav Nyquist, JR, F, Maine – Nyquist, to his credit, had announced his return to Orono before the Hobey ceremony last year, and there’s no doubt that the Black Bears are glad to have him back. They’re fourth in Hockey East and contending for a return to the NCAA Tournament, but Nyquist has not been the same prolific scorer that he was a year ago. Six goals and 16 assists is nothing to shake a stick at, but in terms of the Hobey race, it’s not going to impress. Nyquist is worth keeping an eye on in the second half for a possible finalist berth if he and the Black Bears turn it on, but it’ll take some doing.
Stephane Da Costa, SO, F, Merrimack – I went to watch Da Costa myself when the Warriors played Army last week, and watching him, it’s hard to believe that he only has 12 assists this season. His passes are crisp, and often creative, and he’s clearly legit. Unfortunately, he’s not going to make much of a move in the Hobey race sitting 34th in the country in points per game, although again, if he and the Warriors make a move in the second half, there’s an outside chance that Merrimack could have its first Hobey finalist.
Evan Stephens, SR, D, Dartmouth – This is one pick that just plain hasn’t worked out. It’s not that Stephens is doing anything badly, it’s just that he’s not scoring all that much. He’s got two goals and four assists in 13 games for a Dartmouth team that’s having an okay year. I said before the season that he had an outside chance at a finalist berth if the breaks went his way, and they haven’t.
Taylor Fedun, SR, D, Princeton – Fedun is having a very fine year with the Tigers. He’s No. 8 in the country in defenseman scoring, while the Tigers are 10-5-1 and contending for an NCAA tournament berth. Does it translate to a Hobey finalist nod? Only if Princeton makes it back to the NCAAs, and maybe not even then. Still, he’s doing exactly what they need him to do.
Jeff Dimmen, SR, D, Maine – Dimmen hasn’t played since November 19 due to an ankle injury, but even before he was sidelined, Dimmen had not enjoyed the kind of success he did in his junior season, when he scored 12 goals and handed out 18 assists. He could prove a valuable contributor down the stretch for the Black Bears – which I’m sure is what really matters to him – but the whole possibility of a Hobey finalist bid really didn’t work out.
Blake Kessel, JR, D, New Hampshire – Ask Kessel, and I’m sure he’ll say that the important thing is that New Hampshire is tied for the Hockey East lead, and in contention for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament (and while play regional games at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester if and when they make the tournament). However, he’s another blueliner who hasn’t delivered on his scoring promise this season. He’s having a good enough year, with three goals and nine assists in 17 games, but I don’t see him in the Hobey picture at all. Could he turn it on in the second half? Sure. Would he be able to get into the Hobey picture? I doubt it. Does it matter to him? Probably not.
Allen York, JR, G, Rensselaer – I think it’s safe to say that this one has worked out so far. Second in the nation in goals-against average, sixth in save percentage, playing for an RPI team that’s seventh in the Pairwise and making a strong bid to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 16 years. He stopped 28 of 29 shots in a win over Boston University, and stopped 20 of 23 shots in 4-2 loss to Yale. That last stat might not sound terribly impressive, but when you consider that the .869 save percentage in that game is a good bit higher than the .855 that opposing goaltenders average against Yale, it adds a bit more context. Look for York to make a strong push for Hobey finalist consideration during the second half of the season. Whether he gets more than that remains to be seen, but given goalies’ history with the Hobey, it doesn’t look good.
Keith Kinkaid, SO, G, Union – Kinkaid has been solid for a Union team that is contending again in ECAC Hockey and looking for that elusive first NCAA Tournament bid. Solid, but not spectacular. Of course, Kinkaid and the Dutchmen have 16 of their 22 ECAC Hockey games left to play, so there’s time for him to make a push, but I see him as a finalist at best.
So, in the East, we have a couple of true contenders out of my preseason list in Atkinson and Little, some strong finalist candidates in guys like Gibbons, York and Polacek, and a bunch of outside chances.
All I can say is that this definitely beats “casting” for roles.
ECAC East/NESCAC Game Predictions – 1/7 – 1/12/2011
The holidays are over and now it’s moving time. Moving as in up or down in the league standings as it’s back to conference play this weekend in January. Four points on the line and each of them very valuable based on happenings in both conferences so far this season. Time to get it going boys!
Picks are just on the plus side of .500 and with another 28 games to pick this week hopefully the percentages go up a bit.
Last Week - 11-11-5
Overall Record - 45-44-11 (.505)
Winners in bold
Friday, January 7, 2011
Bowdoin @ Norwich – The Cadets are coming off two sub-par performances against Manhattanville and Plattsburgh. Bowdoin and their offense won’t make it any easier for the Cadets – Bowdoin 4, Norwich 3.
Colby @ St. Michael’s – Colby seems to play much better when they are not at home so this road trip may be a welcome event – Colby 4, St. Mike’s 1.
Castleton @ Trinity – After a weekend of ties, the Bantams would like to discover two points but this isn’t the team to expect it from. The Spartans top line will get attention from the Bantams so look for some other scorers in green – Castleton 4, Trinity 2.
Skidmore @ Wesleyan – Both of these teams want to pick it up in the second half and this one may be just the basic formula of who wants it more. Skidmore does – Skidmore 4, Wesleyan 1.
Conn College @ UMass-Boston – A new year for the Beacons who want to put the Codfish Bowl and 2010’s last game behind them. Nothing better than a first win in 2011 to start things off – UMB 5, Conn Coll 3.
Tufts @ Babson- Paging Dr. Jekyll, paging Dr. Hyde… Who knows which one of these teams will show up with their A game as both had seen promising glimpses but not enough to be consistently in the win column. With or without Barchard in goal, the Jumbos have the jump – Tufts 3, Babson 2.
Middlebury@ Hamilton – Interesting match-up of teams trying to really rev it up and move up in the league standings. Hamilton has played well in the New Year but so have the deeper and more experienced Panthers – Middlebury 3, Hamilton 1.
Williams @ Amherst – This may be the match-up of the weekend for a lot of reasons. Williams has not played since the break so this is the first time out in 2011 and against a tough team. The Ephs haven’t given up more than a goal a game average but do here – Williams 3, Amherst 2.
St. Anselm @ Southern Maine – The Huskies certainly have some firepower and this one could be a pretty wide open affair on the big sheet. It comes down to one big save and USM gets it – USM 5, St. A’s 4.
NEC@ UNE – If someone, anyone other than a Uola scores for NEC then this game should be a lock. Meanwhile not many people have stopped Niko Uola this year and UNE won’t either – NEC 4, UNE 2.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Bowdoin @ St. Michael’s – The Polar Bears won’t let down here as they stay right in Williams’ rear view mirror. Bowdoin 6, St. Mike’s 2.
Colby @ Norwich – Don’t know and can’t remember the last time the Cadets dropped three in a row and definitely not three in a row at home – Norwich 4, Colby 2.
Castleton@ Wesleyan – The Spartans won’t take their foot of the gas on the road and Wesleyan already has trouble in the goal scoring department – Castleton 5, Wesleyan 2.
Skidmore @ Trinity – A home split for the Bantams isn’t great but certainly beats no points on the weekend. Another close affair in Hartford – Trinity 3, Skidmore 1.
Tufts @ UMB – This is a backyard brawl that will see special teams be a big part of the outcome. Would predict a tie here but think a lucky bounce throws it to the Jumbos – Tufts 4, UMB 3.
Conn College @ Babson – Splits seem to be the call in a lot of rinks and that is not hedging any bets on my part. Competition is just that close and little things make the difference. Terry Woods is the difference here – Babson 5, Conn Coll 3.
Middlebury @ Amherst – Two teams that always seem to have a tight battle and the magic number seems to be 4. Whoever can score that usually wins but no one gets there on Saturday – Amherst 3, Middlebury 2.
Williams @ Hamilton – This is likely the trap game of the weekend just based on the schedule and travel from Friday. That said if you can’t score on them you can’t beat them – Williams 2, Hamilton 1.
NEC @ USM – The second half is traditionally where Jeff Beaney’s team kicks it into gear. A four point weekend has them on the right path – USM 5, NEC 3.
St. Anselm @ UNE – League play continues to plague the Nor’easters who are getting more competitive every time out but close isn’t good enough here – St. A’s 5, UNE 3.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Babson @ Suffolk – A mid-week non-conference game is just what the Beavers need to start a second half winning streak – Babson 5, Suffolk 1.
Castleton @ Potsdam – An easy one to look past for the Spartans but this team seems to be all business every time out on the ice and Coach Todd is loving it – Castleton 4, Potsdam 1.
Fitchburg State @ NEC – The Pilgrims have been very inconsistent and Fitchburg will bring a very physical presence to the game. Robert Vorse has been out with a concussion but Bobby Leiser has been a very solid replacement in the Falcon net. No easy ones for NEC – FSU 4, NEC 3.
Hamilton @ Amherst – This travel partner game definitely finds the advantage with the home team based on not having to take the long bus trip and find their legs. Always close but Cole Anderson is the difference maker here – Amherst 4, Hamilton 2.
Conn College @ WNEC – Here the road team just has too much depth for the Golden Bears. Andrew Margolin has proved to be pretty consistent in goal for the Camels and he shines in this one – Conn Coll 5, WNEC 2.
Johnson & Wales @ Tufts - This is a rivalry game that goes back to old ECAC days and still plays like a conference game. The Jumbos are the more talented team and it shows here – Tufts 6, J&W 1.
Trinity @ Westfield State – Wins against any team can help to build some momentum so the Bantams aren’t likely to take this trip to Massachusetts lightly. Frustrations from the weekend go away here – Trinity 5, Westfield State 1.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Franklin Pierce @ UNE – The Nor’easters have shown steady improvement and have had their best successes this season against other ECAC Northeast and NE-10 teams. The storyline is similar in this one – UNE 5, Franklin Pierce 4.
We are back to the full grind of the season. Teams looking to avoid the injury bug, flu bug, travel issues, weather issues and overall just about anything that would have an impact on not playing their best every time out. The race is on and January is where we start separating the contenders from the pretenders.
4 points up for grabs – drop the puck!
AHA picks 1/7
It’s all two game series this weekend with some AHA teams looking to slay some Goliaths.
Friday, January 7 and Saturday, January 8
RIT at Army – Neither the Tigers nor the Black Knights usually come away with four points in series played at West Point, and I think this weekend will be no exception. RIT 3, Army 2; Army 2, RIT 1.
Niagara at Holy Cross – Holy Cross is winless in its last seven games, while Niagara has been off since Dec. 11. But I like the Purples Eagles to shake the rust off and pick up a road sweep. Niagara 5, Holy Cross 3; Niagara 4, Holy Cross 2.
Air Force at Sacred Heart – This is a rematch of last year’s AHA semifinals, where the Pioneers came out on top. But Air Force is clearly the better team so far this season. Saturday’s game will be played at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, where the Falcons played in a memorable NCAA Regional two years ago. Air Force 4, Sacred Heart 2; Air Force 5, Sacred Heart 2.
Mercyhurst at Connecticut – I’ve been picking against the Huskies a lot this season, and they’ve been making me look bad. I keep waiting for Mercyhurst to pull things together offensively, and it looks like it may be happening after some high scoring games of late. . But I’m not going against UConn at home. UConn 3, Mercyhurst 2; UConn 4, Mercyhurst 3.
AIC at Minnesota State – The Mavs are tough at home and should prevail. Minnesota State 4, AIC 2; Minnesota State 5, AIC 3.
Robert Morris at North Dakota – The Colonials have had the most success of any AHA team out of the league, but I don’t think they’ll be able to steal a win at the Ralph. North Dakota 4, Robert Morris 2; North Dakota 5, Robert Morris 2.
Canisius at Wisconsin – Another tall order for an AHA team, and the Griffs have had trouble scoring goals. Wisconsin 5, Canisius 2; Wisconsin 5, Canisius 3.
Guest Analyst
The guest picker is back after a holiday break. Next up is Eric Richardson, who does color for AIC’s radio broadcasts. Here are his picks, in his own words:
RIT @ Army
While Army is a good team, RIT’s stats are much higher, I predict a sweep
by RIT. 3-1, 4-2
Niagara @ Holy Cross
This is a good matchup, and I predict a split, Holy Cross in the first
game, Niagara in the second.
2-0, 3-1
Air Force @ Sacred Heart
Air Force is flying high, and I think they will sweep the series. 5-1, 4-0.
Mercyhurst @ Connecticut
Mercyhurst hasn’t won an conference game since they played Sacred Heart,
and I believe that will continue. I predict that the Huskies will sweep
them
3-2, 3-0
American International @ Minnesota State
I think this will be an interesting matchup, I think AIC will be able to
pull an Air Force style upset the first game, and then Minn. State will
get angry at them. Split.
AIC 3-1, MN 5-0
Robert Morris @ North Dakota
North Dakota is absolutely hot this season, and I think they will defeat
RMU for a sweep
5-2, 4-3
Canisius @ Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a better team this year, but I think Canisius might surprise
them. I think this will be a split
3-2 CAN, 4-1 WIS
Saves For A Cure
Todd Sheridan’s playing days at Brockport may be over, but that hasn’t slowed him down when it comes to his charitable foundation, Saves For A Cure. In fact, he is expanding the effort.
A cancer survivor himself, he got a second chance to play college hockey as the goaltender for Brockport. He rewarded the team with some of the best hockey years ever seen at the school. He didn’t forget about his illness, especially those of the children he saw going through treatment.
“These kids are some of the toughest people I have ever met,” Sheridan, who is now the goalie coach at Brockport, said.
Thus, he started Saves For A Cure, not just to help battle cancer, but to help ease the experience as much as possible for children fighting the disease. He got people and companies to pledge money for each save Brockport goalies made. For the past two years, a game at Brockport was designated to raise funds. Special uniforms were made up, and they were auctioned off afterwards.
Now, Sheridan has gotten other teams to commit to the effort. This year, there will be three SUNYAC schools who will host a Saves For A Cure game, wearing special uniforms to be auctioned off. Naturally, Brockport is one of them, which will be on January 29 vs. Neumann. Morrisville has also signed on for their February 5 game against Plattsburgh.
First up is Oswego this weekend on January 8, as they host Curry. It’s no surprise Oswego jumped on board as their assistant coach, Mark Digby, used to play with Sheridan at Brockport. Digby then became the assistant coach for the Golden Eagles before moving to Oswego.
“With the help of the Oswego Athletic Department and coaching staff, assistant coach Mark Digby made this early expansion of Saves For A Cure happen,” Sheridan said.
Bids are already being accepted for the auction(/), and so far every gold jersey has at least one bid. Bidding ends at 6:00 p.m. on January 9, with the winners announced the next morning.
Game of the Week
Obviously, off the ice, the Oswego Saves For A Cure game against Curry is the Game of the Week. Even on the ice, the game is intriguing. Curry has a bunch of new transfers this semester, and even though they did not fare well against Plattsburgh, the more they gel, the better they should get. I still see Oswego winning this game, but it could be interesting.
On the ice, I like two contests. The first is this Friday and once again provides us another look at Adrian against a team outside the MCHA and outside of the West Region. The Bulldogs travel to Buffalo State. The Bengals have lost three in a row and haven’t won in their last four, but two of those losses were close contests against Utica.
Buffalo State is still a much improved team over last year, and Kevin Carr is still the real deal as the freshman goaltender. However, being a young team, they will have their ups and downs as the season goes along. I expect Buffalo State to break out of their slump and beat Adrian, but it won’t be easy.
The other game is Saturday, and consists of the old bitter rivalry between Elmira and Plattsburgh. This series has way too much history to go into now. However, with all sorts of rumors concerning league realignment and Utica already applying to the SUNYAC, this game takes on a certain ironic twist to it.
After all, it was an incident many years ago down in Elmira that was the final straw for the SUNYAC to once and for all completely breakaway from the ECAC West. Could we see down the road these teams once again together in a new New York State super league? Or will the wedge between these conferences get dug in deeper up in Plattsburgh Saturday night?
The Cardinals have been playing extremely well lately, but so has Elmira. This is a tossup. Since I know my esteemed colleague, Scott Biggar, will most likely pick Elmira, I’ll have to play the bias role also, and stick with the SUNYAC team to take this showdown.
Slew of Nonconference Games
Since the last time we checked back in early December, I went 13-3 in the games I picked, for a season total of 43-16-4 (.714)
There are a whole bunch, a whole bunch, of nonconference games this week. Sixteen in total, and that’s just through Tuesday. So, let’s run through the rest of the games quickly.
First the weekend contests. Geneseo will sweep Franklin Pierce. Neumann will sweep Potsdam.
Manhattanville will sweep their SUNYAC opponents, first beating Cortland and then taking Morrisville.
Brockport and Western New England will split their two games. Cortland will lose to Utica while Fredonia will drop their game to Hobart.
On Tuesday, Castleton will beat Potsdam, Hobart will beat Buffalo State, and Elmira will beat Fredonia. However, if I had to take an upset special, it would be Fredonia beating Elmira.
Revisiting the 25, Part I – The West
This morning, as I was working on my NCAA.com column on Michigan and the balanced scoring the Wolverines have enjoyed this season, I couldn’t help but remember the column on my pre-season blog entry challenging the absence of Carl Hagelin from the list.
Well, Hagelin is having a fine season, and is certainly a big part of why Michigan has the best winning percentage in the CCHA, but at the midway point of the season, I’m just not seeing him as a major Hobey contender. However, it did give me an idea: as we wade through the early stages of the 2011 portion of the season, it’s probably about time to check in with the 25 players I identified before the season, and see who’s truly in the mix.
So, we started this in two parts – a group of forwards and a group of defensemen and goalies – and I figure that’s a good way to continue. Except that we’ll split it into East and West, and in case it will do anything to hold off the “East Coast Bias” accusations, I’ll even start with the West. How ’bout that?
Andy Miele, SR, F, Miami – I had wondered before the season if Miami’s depth would again get in the way of a RedHawks forward earning Hobey consideration, but Miele and Carter Camper (more on him in a second) are standing out from the pack. They’re picking up the slack from the graduation of Jarod Palmer and the pro signing of Tommy Wingels, and leading a Miami team that may not be riding high like recent editions of the RedHawks, but should still be in the mix down the stretch. However, while you probably don’t have Camper’s outstanding success without Miele’s – the success of both centermen stops opponents from focusing on just one line – Camper’s the leading scorer in the nation right now, which means a finalist spot is probably the ceiling for Miele.
Carter Camper, SR, F, Miami – Every time I talk about Camper in connection with the Hobey, I’m reminded of how I heard about him during his freshman year. At the time, some of the broadcasting folks who were voting for him in the CSTV Hobey Watch (especially those with less hair than the rest of us) were talking about how great his name sounds on TV. These days, however, it’s clearly more about his game than his name. He’s knocking on the door of two points per game, he’s the captain of the RedHawks (and when you’re selected as the leader by a locker room like Miami’s, I think that says something), and he’s the nation’s leading scorer. I think it’s fairly obvious that Camper is very likely for a spot in the top 10 and the Hobey Hat Trick, and with a good performance down the stretch by Miami as a team, it’s easy to see Camper hoisting the Hobey in April.
Matt Read, SR, F, Bemidji State – Read made noise early last season as a Hobey candidate, but faded down the stretch among the nation’s scoring leaders. Now, he’s not the top scorer on his own team (that’d be sophomore forward Jordan George). The move to the WCHA has not been kind to the Beavers, and barring some sort of unheard-of second half run, I think it’s safe to say that Read is a non-factor in the Hobey race.
Jack Connolly, JR, F, Minnesota Duluth – Connolly enters this weekend’s exhibition against the US Under-18 team as the No. 10 scorer in the nation, and No. 2 in the WCHA behind Colorado College freshman Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz, of course, broke his ankle at the World Junior Championship (and Hobey tends not to like freshmen anyway), so it’s safe to say that Connolly is the premier Hobey candidate among forwards in the WCHA. That makes him a very likely finalist, with the potential for more depending on what the Bulldogs do down the stretch in the WCHA. Unless, of course, the guy is…
Justin Fontaine, SR, F, Minnesota Duluth – Fontaine has three more goals and six fewer assists than his linemate Connolly, which leaves him as No. 2 in the WCHA in total points and No. 3 in points per game. He’s got more goals, which could very easily come into play if and when things get close between the two. Again, another strong contender for a finalist spot, with the potential for growth pending the Bulldogs’ play in the next couple of months.
Garrett Roe, SR, F, St. Cloud – Unfortunately, I don’t get to see teams the way I used to, which is a shame, because you can’t really figure out what happened to Garrett Roe without seeing it in person. What I do know is that Roe is on pace for his worst statistical year as a Husky, on a team that sits an astonishing 11th in the WCHA. Hopefully, he’ll have better things in store as a pro – I’ve liked Roe’s game for a while – but for now, it looks like he’s getting a hearty, “Thanks for playing.”
Zach Redmond, SR, D, Ferris State – Well, let’s start with the good news: Redmond is the Bulldogs’ leading scorer with 13 points (5g, 8a) in 15 games, and the Bulldogs are one of three teams tied for fourth place in the CCHA. Now, here’s the bad news: that leaves him fifth in the nation among defensemen in scoring, with Wisconsin’s Justin Schultz the top scoring blueliner from a “Big Four” conference. If Redmond and the Bulldogs make a run into the NCAA Tournament, I could see Redmond getting a finalist spot. However, I think that’s as far as it goes.
Chay Genoway, SR, D, North Dakota – Genoway isn’t on the point-per-game pace he had set before his 2009-10 season ended in injury, but he is tied for third on the Sioux in scoring, and is sixth in the country among defenseman. He’s also the captain of a North Dakota team that’s as hot as any team in the country right now, and a senior who came back for a fifth season when there would have been pro opportunities. That all works in his favor. The other thing that has to be considered, however, is that Matt Frattin is third in the country in goals per game, and if there’s only one North Dakota player who gets Hobey consideration, it might be him. For now, though, I think Genoway is a strong contender for a finalist spot.
Cody Reichard, JR, G, Miami – Reichard did an outstanding job last season as one half of Miami’s two-headed goaltending monster, but I think the general consensus was that the lack of a single standout scorer in Miami’s balanced and dangerous lineup was a major contributor to Reichard’s CCHA Player of the Year selection and Hobey finalist nod. That’s not an issue this year, partly because Carter Camper and Andy Miele are two of the nation’s top five scorers, and partly because Reichard’s season has been, well, underwhelming. In fact, Reichard is having his worst statistical year as a RedHawk, which, combined with the breakout years by Camper and Mile, renders him a non-factor in the Hobey race. Didn’t exactly see that one coming.
Brad Eidsness, JR, G, North Dakota – Like Reichard, Eidsness has tumbled from the ranks of the top goaltenders in the country, logging an .805 save percentage and a 4.12 goals-against average in five appearances this season. Aaron Dell is the man in net for the Sioux now, so it’s “see you next year…maybe” for Eidsness.
Mike Lee, SO, G, St. Cloud – If you’re looking for a reason why a team that was picked to finish in the top three in the WCHA is sitting in 11th at mid-season, goaltending is a good place to start. Lee has outplayed senior Dan Dunn, but not by much: his .891 save percentage and 3.24 GAA aren’t much of an improvement on Dunn’s .883 and 3.36. Call it a sophomore slump? Sure. That may mean we haven’t heard the last of Mr. Lee, but in term’s of this year’s Hobey race, we certainly have.
So, out of 11 players in the CCHA and WCHA I identified before the season as candidates, we have six potential Hobey finalists to keep an eye on in the second half.
Tomorrow: The East.
The End of The Interlock — ECAC East and NESCAC to go separate ways in 2011-12
“It’s a done deal,” stated Bowdoin coach Terry Meagher. “The league approved the change last fall and the schedule has just been finalized for next season, with the NESCAC becoming a separate playing conference and the ECAC East mirroring the change. This will be really exciting, playing everyone at home, and should make for a very competitive league.”
Both conferences officially will move to a home-and-home format, with each team playing each other twice during the regular season and travel partner alignments remaining intact for at least the first two years in the new schedule. This means that 18 games of a 24-game regular season schedule are accounted for in league play, leaving six remaining games for nonconference match-ups or tournaments which traditionally take place over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
So how did we get here?
Over two years ago, USCHO broke the story about the likely defections from existing conferences in New England to create the current MASCAC Conference, comprised of Massachusetts-based state schools and members of the Little East Conference. The first attempt to form the new league failed based on the allegiances of Salem State, Massachusetts-Boston and Southern Maine to the ECAC East. Eventually, due to political and economic pressures, the league was formed and Salem State did leave the East, only to be replaced by the brand new varsity program of the University of New England in the ECAC East. This was the wake-up call that all leagues across the Northeast took note of with regards to wondering just what did the future look like in D-II and D-III hockey, in light of the fact that alignments like MASCAC were trending towards playing conferences. Proactively, the discussions at the time moved towards identifying measures to act in the best interests of the member institutions and playing conference alignments.
For NESCAC, the move is certainly an obvious one, with the conference already playing full schedules in all intercollegiate sports and including Hamilton as a universal competitor across all sports within the conference last year. The conference is now positioned with 10 member institutions (11 schools overall, but Bates does not have a hockey team playing at the varsity level) playing each of nine opponents twice during the regular season – once at home and once away – and maintaining the playing conference status enjoyed across all of the other sports.
For the ECAC East, the logical move was to match the NESCAC change which has been approved and the master schedule created for next season. What will be interesting to note is the dynamics which in many ways have not changed on the ECAC front and may impact the future direction of the league.
Today Mass.-Boston and Southern Maine are both members of the conference, with alignments in all other sports in the Little East Conference. Fellow members are now associated with MASCAC and there may be increasing alignment and financial pressures exerted on the schools to make the move for consistency in league competitors across all sports.
Also, the D-II status of St. Michael’s and St Anselm may force changes similar to what was seen in the NE-10 teams being ousted from the ECAC Northeast and being required to play a complete nonconference schedule outside of the six conference games with the fellow D-II institutions that create the seeding for the end of year NE-10 conference.
Like the ECAC Northeast, opponents that are D-III level teams ca not count any victory against a D-II program as part of their overall record in consideration for making an at-large NCAA berth. With criteria so tight and the margin for getting into a limited field so selective, many schools do not want to lose the opportunity for additional wins to bolster their chances at national tournament play. Add in uncertainty for the ECAC West and Skidmore’s proximity in New York, and there are lots of considerations that will be open to discussion and consideration for future league alignments. If all of these things happen, and four or five schools are impacting the members of the ECAC East conference, there may likely be more re-alignment across the ECAC member schools in the forseeable future.
Overall, this is a much bigger shift for the East schools than the NESCAC conference. Likely a surveillance or evaluation period will be used to evaluate the changes, schedule, and impact on competition within the leagues. Additionally this may trigger other changes in the ECAC profile in New England.
Of course, there are other questions that still remain on the table and unresolved. Currently the playoff format is expected to remain the same, but ongoing dialogues have covered a format where the playoffs would include all teams in NESCAC and top-ranked teams would receive first-round byes as rewards for their position in the standings. Moreover, the overall competitiveness of the conferences may necessitate the inclusion of all the teams in the post-season based on the overall level of competition.
What are the negatives here with the split? What about the long-standing rivalries?
Certainly the rivalries within the conferences will only be enhanced by the home-and-home format of play and meeting teams twice per season as part of the new alignment. So how do the long standing match-ups like Middlebury/Norwich and Bowdoin/Babson stay alive? It’s likely that many of the long-standing rivalries will remain intact in the next couple of years, based on the desire to keep the rivalry games in some format and maintain the long-term rivalries that go back decades. So whether it is a tournament of nonconference game, it is highly likely that many of the long-standing rivalries will not be lost in the for the next two to four years.
So what does this mean for the future of D-III hockey in New England?
It means that schools and conferences are looking out for their best interests in aligning all of their sports programs within particular budgetary constraints and playing conference alignments.
So what are the positives for the fans?
This writer sees many options, including the development of more intense rivalries within the conference as well as the ability to maintain those special match-ups that have meant so much to the flavor of the game in New England. There is sure to be more news on the league alignments, schedules and impact to the programs over the next remaining months of the season, and USCHO will be updating the fanbase as new information becomes available from the conferences.
So during one of the most entertaining seasons in recent memory, we are clearly off to a flying start with the competition on the ice and the proactive management of the conference alignments for the best interest of the schools and partner institutions.
The interlock is soon to be gone, so make sure you check out some of the upcoming match-ups remaining on this year’s schedule, since some will for sure be gone next year. Drop the puck!
Nichol’s departure
Wisconsin-Stevens Point coach Wil Nichol’s announced departure this week left a few lingering questions, notably the timing.
Nichol is leaving June 1 to take an unspecified operations job with an unnamed NHL team. A national search for Nichol’s successor will start in spring, with the intent of having a new coach in place by July 1, according to a statement released by the university.
What role, if any, the pending job switch has had in the team’s sagging fortunes this season was unclear. Attempts to reach Nicol and Athletic Director Frank O’Brien by phone were unsuccessful.
In four seasons, the UW-Stevens Point alum has amassed a 46-44-7 overall record (20-32-4 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association), which includes this season’s bumpy 5-10 run.
After a robust 4-1 start, the Pointers hit the skids, losing nine of their next 10 games. Losses to Hobart, 6-3, and Oswego, 6-1, in the Pathfinder Bank Oswego (N.Y.) Hockey Classic Dec 30-31 didn’t make this week’s announcement any easier to digest.
The Pointers host Concordia (MN) on Friday and St. John’s on Saturday in nonconference action. The team renews league play with a pair of home games against Wisconsin-River Falls Jan. 21-22.
“Right now, the 2010-11 team is my focus, and I will continue to give everything I’ve got to this team and program,” said Nichol in a statement released by the university. “We have 10 regular-season games left to get us ready for the Peters Cup.”
The Madison, Wis., native played for UW-Stevens Point from 1994-98 and served as a student assistant during the 1998-99 season. In 2007, Nichol was named Pointers head coach, succeeding Joe Baldarotta (265-171-32 from 1991-2007).
Nichol’s previous head coaching experience included tenures with Stevens Point Senior High, IMG Academy AAA midget team and the United States Hockey League Chicago Steel.
“We are grateful for the four years Wil has been our head coach,” said O’Brien in a statement. “He has been a part of our hockey family as a player, assistant and head coach, and we are thankful for his efforts. We wish him the best in his new endeavor.”
Gusties frosh fly
While No. 5 Gustavus Adolphus was expected to be a contender for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s top spot, the team’s superlative freshmen play has been a nice bonus.
Left wing Gustav Bengtson (6 goals and 6 assists for 12 points) and right wing Adam Smyth (4-8-12) are tied with senior Brad Wieck (2-10-12) for the scoring lead this season. Upfront, the team has also received solid contributions from debutantes right wing Zach May (3-3-6), left wing Shael Hechter (3-1-4) and right wing Ryan Townsend (0-1-1) while frosh defensemen Ilya Kravtchouk (2-2-4) and Patrick Hurley (1-0-1) are holding their own.
The Gusties (9-3-1, 3-2-1) host St. Olaf on Friday and travel to Wisconsin-Stout on Saturday in nonconference action. The team resumes conference play with a home-and-home series against Augsburg Jan. 14-15.
Gustavus trails first-place No. 15 St. Thomas by a point for MIAC stewardship.
First Half Review and Mid-Season All-Americans
Halfway through the 2010-2011 season we’ve seen two teams rise above the rest so far to establish themselves as the teams to beat at the moment.
In the East, RIT has rolled through the first half of the its schedule to the tune of a perfect 13-0-0 record with impressive wins over Norwich and two-time defending national champion Amherst (2).
In the West, Wis. River Falls has been the top dog so far as the Falcons are 10-0-0 with wins over Lake Forest (2) and MIAC powerhouse Gustavus Adolphus.
Amherst has played an absolutely brutal schedule so far and the Lord Jeffs emerged from the gauntlet with a 4-3-2 record and were just crowned the Cardinal/Panther Classic champions on Monday at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena after downing Elmira 1-0 in the championship game.
In their last seven games, Amherst has played RIT (2), Trinity (2), Elmira, Plattsburgh, and Norwich. The combined record of those teams is 46-9-3 (.819 winning percentage) and every team is ranked in the top 10 of the latest USCHO.com Poll, including three in the top four.
Also, if that wasn’t already impressive enough, every single one of those games was on the road. The schedule eases up considerably for the defending champs from here on out. They only play six more road games and have nine at home, including hosting arch-rival Middlebury at Orr Rink on Jan. 14 and 15.
Outside of Wis. River Falls and RIT, a log jam is starting to form as teams start to jockey for position in their respective conferences and the coveted at-large Pool C bids that inevitably some of the top teams will have to turn to in order to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
In the ECAC West, as usual it’s a three-horse race between RIT, Elmira and Plattsburgh. RIT has established itself out of conference, but the Tigers still have work to do in the ECAC West to cement home-ice advantage for the first time as they still have two meetings each with Elmira and Plattsburgh. The Soaring Eagles and Cardinals split their season series and Elmira also has a tie against Oswego that could come back to bite them.
In the ECAC East, Norwich is the only team with an unblemished record at the moment as Manhattanville tripped up against New England College after the Valiants had downed Holy Cross to give the Crusaders their lone loss in league play. Norwich controls its own destiny if it wins out, but more than likely the league regular season crown will come down to the Feb. 19 showdown with the arch-rival Valiants.
In the NESCAC, Middlebury currently holds the top spot with a 5-0-0 record. However, the Panthers have yet to face Trinity and Amherst, who should be the chief challengers for the crown. Amherst took three points from the Bantams earlier this season and were 10 minutes away from a sweep of all four points before two late goals helped Trinity salvage a point out of the weekend.
For the second straight season it looks the MIAC could provide the most interesting battle for playoff positioning. Every team has played six games so far and six points separates first from eighth place. Gustavus Adolphus, as usual leads the pack currently with 10 points. But, the Gusties split with St. Thomas. There is a three-way tie for second place between St. Thomas, St. Catharine, and St. Mary’s, who all have nine points. St. Mary’s is actually the lone unbeaten team left in MIAC conference play as the Cardinals are 3-0-3 so far. The Cardinals traveled East over the holiday break but returned home without a point as they dropped a pair of 3-1 contests to Trinity and Bowdoin.
In the NCHA, Wis. Superior leads the pack with 16 points and a 7-1-2 record. However, the Yellow jackets have played more games than everyone else so far. Adrian sits in second with 13 points and eight games played. Wis. River Falls is a perfect 6-0-0 with 12 points and six games played. Lake Forest and Wis. Stevens Point, the other two prime challengers for the title have also played six games and have seven and eight points respectively. There is still plenty left to be decided in the NCHA in the second half with most of the matchups between those five teams still to come.
Games starts to pick up this weekend with a majority of the country returning to action. Wis. Stevens Point travels to Wis. River Falls for a pair of league games, RIT tries to stay perfect as the Tigers travel to Adrian to take on a Bulldogs squad that is notorious for splitting series. On Saturday, Plattsburgh travels to Manhattanville and Trinity faces Middlebury in crucial single-game matchups.
This is long overdue and I had originally wanted to post these before Christmas, but here are my picks for mid-season All-Americans.
1st Team East:
F. Sophie Leclerc, Norwich
F. Katie Stack, RIT
F. Steph Moon, Plattsburgh
D. Kara Beuhler, Plattsburgh
D. Traci Galbraith, RIT
G. Laura Chamberlain, RIT
2nd Team East:
F. Kim Weiss, Trinity
F. Tori Charron, Elmira
F. Sarah Dagg, RIT
D. Sarianne Lynn, Norwich
D. Stephanie Clegg, Amherst
G. Emi Williams, Oswego
1st Team West:
F. Allie Tanzer, Stevens Point
F. Kait Mason, River Falls
F. Jenn Paul, Superior
D. Lauren Conrad, River Falls
D. Kirstin Peterson, Gustavus Adolphus
G. Danielle Justice, Gustavus Adolphus
Hobart starts second half strong
Hobart hit the road on December 30, straight up Route 14 to the Pathfinder Bank Oswego Hockey Classic tournament.
The Statesmen opened the tournament against Wisconsin-Stevens Point, giving them a rare opportunity to measure themselves against a respected Western team. Despite being outshot 18-7 in the first period, Stevens Point built a 2-1 lead in the opening period. Hobart rallied with three goals in the second period and then skated to a 6-3 victory.
The first minute of each period saw fireworks as Stevens Point scored a goal in the opening minute of the first and third periods while Hobart did the same to start the second.
“I liked how we persevered and came back to beat Point,” said Hobart coach Mark Taylor.
Senior Matthew Wallace, who leads Hobart in scoring, tallied the eighth short-handed goal of his career with four minutes left in the third period. This ties Wallace for the school record in short-handed goals with Nick DeCroo.
Hamilton dispatched host Oswego in the late semifinal game so Hobart faced the Continentals for the championship. The teams exchanged power-play goals in the second period and then Hamilton poured it on in the third, outshooting Hobart 11-3 in the final stanza. Senior Christopher Bower came through with the game-winning goal at 13:17 of the third period to give the Statesmen the tournament title. Bower’s goal came shortly after Hamilton’s John Ogden dinged a shot off the Statesmen cross bar. Bower was named tournament MVP for his game-winning goal and two assist performance.
“Give credit to Hamilton,” said Taylor. “I thought they showed up playing the best execution of everyone. Our guys did a great job of staying to the plan. We got a break at the end and scored.”
After averaging 11 points through each of his first three seasons, Bower got off to a slow start this year, tallying only a goal and an assist in the first half, but he has come back for the second half with a hot hand and has already contributed a goal and three assists in three games since the holidays.
“So many guys come into their senior year and are thinking of so many things they haven’t been thinking of for three years,” said Taylor. “Those aren’t the things that will get you going. [Bower] and Tommy Capalbo are new linemates and they are coming on at the right time.”
With a 5-2 win at Brockport on Tuesday, Hobart is in the middle of seven straight road games. The Statesmen are spending most of the second half of the season on the road, with only four home games sprinkled amongst the final 16 contests of the season. The only home game this month at The Cooler is January 22 against Morrisville.
“We’ve done a good job of taking care of games that are important to us,” said Taylor. “We know how important these games are now. I was told once ‘don’t worry about rankings, don’t worry about what you can’t control, just win hockey games.’ Just win the hockey game that comes up next.”
Even though eight of those games are outside the ECAC West, Hobart can’t let up, as it is very likely that the nonconference games will decide who advances to the NCAA tournament.
Call of a Lifetime
A week and a half before Christmas, Manhattanville goaltender coach Tom Fenton received the phone call that all hockey players dream about. The NHL was on the other end of the line asking if he could play.
The Phoenix Coyotes were in the middle of an East Coast trip when goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov came down with the flu. Needing a backup goaltender on short notice before playing the New York Rangers, the Phoenix staff contacted Fenton, who played collegiately in net for D-I AIC.
Fenton quickly retrieved his pads from Playland Ice Casino and arrived at Madison Square Garden in time to sign a one-day contract before warm-ups started. While Fenton held down the end of the bench during the game, there were a couple of nervous moments when starter Jason LaBarbara tweaked his groin making some saves.
“I wasn’t even trying to think about that,” Fenton said. “I was just trying to take everything all in. There was one point Barbs came across and made a pretty good save and he was kind of favoring his groin and I immediately started sweating on the bench.”
To remember his brush with the NHL, Phoenix gave Fenton his game-worn jersey, a puck signed by captain Shane Doan, as well as a copy of the official scoresheet and lineup card.
Phoenix lost the game to the Rangers, 4-3, in a shootout after overtime.
World Junior reality: Even when it’s in U.S., it’s Canada’s party
Those who tuned into any of the United States’ preliminary games at the World Junior Championship saw a half-full HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y., with an upper deck that was mostly vacant. The seats were full in America’s semifinal game Tuesday — full of people wearing cardinal red and cheering for Canada.
It’s easy to call it embarrassing, bringing back memories of 2005 when Canadians invaded Grand Forks, N.D., filled Ralph Engelstad Arena and won the first of five straight gold medals. It’s the fifth time in 34 years the tournament took place on U.S. soil and the Canadians dominated Americans in attendance.
Slow down. Anyone who thought Tuesday would see a bipartisan crowd with stars and stripes matching the number of maple leafs in the seats isn’t doing his or her homework.
Buffalo is a border city, close enough to home for some Canadian fans in attendance that a hotel reservation wasn’t necessary. Canada’s largest city, Toronto, is a two-hour drive to Buffalo. Winnipeg residents had to travel just three hours to attend the 2005 tourney.
It’s not to say Western New York and New England don’t appreciate hockey, but it’s tough to round up casual American hockey fans from the region and get them to descend upon Buffalo for a hockey tournament many casual hockey fans don’t know exist. Canada, on the other hand, doesn’t have too many casual hockey fans.
In America, the WJC takes a back seat to the NFL playoff race, college bowl games and “Seinfeld” reruns.
The first experience many fans have with the WJC is when they notice certain players missing from their favorite college hockey team’s roster for a couple weeks. It doesn’t help that the only TV coverage of the tournament U.S. fans get is available only on the NHL Network, which is only available through certain cable and satellite packages.
The opportunity to see the WJC would be especially entertaining for fans who follow WCHA teams. Former Minnesota-Duluth defensive partners Justin Faulk (U.S.) and Dylan Olsen (Canada) were on opposite sides Tuesday just like Minnesota teammates Nick Bjugstad (U.S.) and Erik Haula (Finland) were last Sunday.
Canada had high hopes for Colorado College’s Jaden Schwartz to be a star at the WJC before an ankle fracture ended his tournament. Five other WCHA players participated in the tournament.
WCHA country, namely the state of Minnesota, is an ideal setting for the States to host the WJC with rabid college hockey fans who can watch their favorite college team’s recruits, current players and in some cases, players a season removed from the program.
That, and the proximity to the border, is why Grand Forks worked out so well.
The Xcel Energy Center seems like the perfect venue to host the WJC. It’s a beautiful arena and has done a great job hosting hockey competitions at the collegiate, high school and amateur levels.
The problem is that it’d be hard to fill 18,000 seats or any number close to that with Winnipeg a good five hours away.
Hockey fans have also suggested the tournament should experiment with non-traditional hockey markets like Southern California, citing the growth of hockey’s popularity. No doubt, hockey is growing in America, but we’re not to that point yet.
The only way for the U.S. to host a successful WJC is to set the tournament in a hockey-savvy U.S. city within a drivable distance from the Canadian border.
There are horror stories of 1996 when Boston hosted and attendance flopped. Montreal was the closest large Canadian city, five hours from Boston. Midwest metro areas like the Twin Cities, Milwaukee and Chicago are all farther from the border than that.
Fans need to understand Canada will always outdraw America at the WJC no matter where the tournament is and the tournament has to be near the border when the U.S. hosts. Detroit, anyone?
Dispelling the myth of the midseason hardware in the CCHA
It’s a familiar refrain. You can fill in the coach or player following in a press conference following a midseason tournament win. “Winning this year’s Fantastico Tournament will help us in the second half of the season. Our goal is the league championship, and this is a step in that direction.”
But is it?
After Michigan battled Colorado College to win the Great Lakes Invitational last week — having to come from behind late in the third for a 6-5 win — Wolverines forward Carl Hagelin said that the victory was indicative of Michigan’s “character.” I can’t disagree. That ability to come back and keep competing — what CC coach Scott Owens called his team’s “compete level” — is a characteristic of a winning team, or at least of a team that strives to win.
Hagelin followed that comment, though, with this: “We have a lot of great players and we have great depth, and from now on we’re just going to keep rolling here.”
Again, I can’t disagree with Hagelin about the players and depth of Michigan’s roster. Circulating among the media and fans is that Michigan is without a standout player this year, but I disagree; I think the Wolverines have several game-changers, Hagelin included. There’s no question about the Wolverines’ depth.
Will Michigan keep rolling? Most recently, the Wolverines won the GLI in 2007 and 2008. In 2007-08, Michigan tied Miami for first in the CCHA; 2008-09, Michigan and Miami tied for second. In each year, however, the Wolverines were already on their way to those positions. I guess they kept rolling.
Michigan State took the GLI title most recently in 2006 and 2009. The Spartans finished fourth in the CCHA at the end of the 2006-07 season, but won the national championship that year. That’s a pretty good roll. Last year, MSU was second in the league — far behind Miami, as was everybody else — and Michigan, the third-place team in last year’s GLI, ended MSU’s season in the second round of the CCHA playoffs, beating the Spartans in two games on the road.
The other CCHA team to win hardware this year was Ohio State. The Catamount Cup is the first midseason hardware that the Buckeyes have earned since 2008-09, when they captured the final Ohio Hockey Classic. That victory propelled the Buckeyes to a fifth-place finish in the CCHA.
Here’s how other CCHA teams have fared after earning their most recent holiday hardware:
- Alaska. The Nanooks most recently won the Governor’s Cup at midseason in 2005-06, sweeping Anchorage after splitting a series earlier in the season. UAF went on to finish the season tied for sixth place in points (with Notre Dame), won its first-round home playoff series against the Irish, and then lost a second-round road series in three games to Michigan State.
- Bowling Green. The Falcons won the Connecticut Hockey Classic in 2005-06, beating Massachusetts and Connecticut to do so. BGSU finished in last place in the CCHA that season, going 6-10-1 to end the regular season before being swept by Nebraska-Omaha in two games in the CCHA playoffs.
- Ferris State. The Bulldogs won the Connecticut Hockey Classic in 2007-08, beating Brown and Connecticut to do so. FSU went on to finish fifth in the CCHA with a .500 league record that year, beating Western Michigan at home in the first round of the CCHA playoffs before losing to Notre Dame on the road in three games in the second round to end the season.
- Lake Superior State. The Lakers’ last midseason success came in the Sheraton/Howard Bank Hockey Classic in December 2001. LSSU beat Vermont and Dartmouth in the tourney, which helped it to one more regular-season win that year; the Lakers went 1-13-2 for the second half of the season before losing to Michigan in three games in the CCHA playoffs.
- Miami. The RedHawks took the Ohio Hockey Classic in 2007-08, beating St. Cloud State and Ohio State to do so. Miami finished one point behind Michigan in the CCHA standings that season and went on to the NCAA tournament, losing 4-3 in overtime to Boston College in the Northeast Regional final. BC would go on to win the national championship that year.
- Northern Michigan. Last season, the Wildcats took the Mariucci Classic, beating Clarkson and Minnesota to do so. NMU finished the season fourth last year, finally played in the CCHA championship game (a 2-1 loss to Michigan), and ended the season with a 4-3 overtime loss to St. Cloud State in the NCAA West Regional.
- Notre Dame. Also last season, the Irish won their own tournament, the Shillelagh Tournament, by beating Colgate outright and winning a shootout following a tie with North Dakota. Notre Dame finished the 2009-10 season in ninth place in the CCHA and lost in two games to Ohio State on the road in the first round of the CCHA playoffs.
- Western Michigan. The Broncos won the Silverado Shootout — remember that? — in 2000-01, beating Colgate and Merrimack in the process. WMU finished that season tied for fifth place, and the Broncos lost to the Wildcats in three games on the road in the CCHA playoffs.
Then there’s the case of Lake Superior State’s Badger Showdown near-miss. In 2008-09, the Lakers beat Harvard, 6-2, in the opening round of the Showdown before tying host Wisconsin, 1-1. In the deciding shootout, the LSSU bench argued that the Lakers’ Troy Schwab had actually scored a goal that was disallowed, but the replay officials had already turned off their equipment and couldn’t review the play.
Said Lakers coach Jim Roque after that game: “They never left [the equipment] on for the shootout. That just tells you how it’s going for us this season.”
LSSU went on to compile a 5-10-1 record in the second half of the regular season before losing to Western Michigan in three games in the CCHA playoffs.
Coincidence? Why, yes, I do believe it was.
A different kind of midseason experience
While many teams in the CCHA played in a variety of holiday tournaments, providing fans with great opportunities to see inter-conference play, Lake Superior State opted for a different road — quite literally. To fill a void in their schedule and continue playing, the Lakers scheduled four games with three Ontario collegiate teams.
The Lakers swept the Nipissing University Lakers Jan. 1-2, winning 7-3 and 6-1, and LSSU beat the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, 11-1, Jan. 3. LSSU is scheduled to play the Ryerson University Rams Jan. 5 and the York University Lions Jan. 6.
In previewing the series between LSSU and Nipissing, Ranjan Rupal had a look at Lake State from the Canadian point of view in the North Bay Nugget. In the article, Roque said, “These games give us a chance to look at our lines and it’s good for team-building.”
Hats off to the Nugget for excellent coverage. Kevin Pagan had a game story and photo gallery following the 7-3 game between the Lakers squads and some nice video highlights along with a game story from the second contest.
GLI quotes too good to forget
“Our team is a team that really thrives on good starts.” — Michigan coach Red Berenson, after the Wolverines won the title game. Ben Winnett scored 39 seconds into that contest.
“It’s an NHL building and even though there’s not a crowd — I don’t know if it’s the smell of the building or what it is — but it’s an NHL building. It’s what these kids aspire to do. They’re very excited every opportunity they get to play here.” — Michigan State coach Rick Comley, on why so many players achieve firsts at the GLI.
“This was a big-time tournament. The whole thing was wonderful. We enjoyed participating. We thought the attendance was very good. It was well run. For us, it was a very, very good growth opportunity and we appreciated being here, quite honestly.” — Colorado College coach Scott Owens, after losing a close one to Michigan in the title game.
For the record, it’s always a pleasure to cover a game that Scott Owens coaches.
Air Force taking full advantage of Atlantic Hockey games in hand
The number of league games played for each Atlantic Hockey team is starting to even out as schools put their non-conference games behind them and begin to focus on the home stretch.
Air Force has been cashing in its games in hand, taking seven points in its last four league contests. After an 0-4 start, the Falcons are 8-3-2 since, including a pair of 3-2 wins at Bentley that required a comeback in the first game and then a 39-save performance by rookie Jason Torf to repel a comeback bid by Bentley on Saturday.
“I can’t remember two more character wins on the road than this weekend,” coach Frank Serratore said after the game on Saturday. “That’s doing it the hard way. You get dealt these situations in hockey and in life and you have to deal with it and overcome it. Then you become stronger. Bentley just wouldn’t go away but when it gets right down to it, our guys did a terrific job.”
The Falcons have moved from seventh to a three-way tie third in the standings in the past four games and are tied with Niagara for the second-best winning percentage in the league (.636). Air Force still has games in hand on three of the top four teams in the conference.
Tough matchups
If you don’t follow Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley on Twitter (@derekschooley), you should. Here’s a gem from earlier this week:
“Preparing for the long trip to Grand Forks..HUGE challenge this weekend against NoDak Fighting…whatever they are called now.”
It will indeed be a huge challenge for the Colonials, facing off against the No. 2 team in the nation. But Robert Morris is 4-2-1 in its last seven games against teams in the top 10, including a sweep of top-ranked Miami last season.
Another team with its hands full is Canisius, which is coming off a tough 10-2 loss at 11th-ranked Notre Dame last week and faces No. 13 Wisconsin for a pair of games this weekend. But there’s also some positives for the Golden Griffins, who had won three straight against ranked teams prior to the game at Notre Dame.
After this weekend, the AHA plays just a total of five non-conference games for the rest of the season. The conference is currently 17-42-8 in non-league games.
“Even though I juggle things with our non-conference [games], I don’t want to diminish how much we want to win those games,” Rochester Institute of Technology coach Wayne Wilson said after a 5-3 loss to Merrimack. The Tigers went 1-5-1 in non-conference play.
“But we do want to experiment, and knowing that we’re a one-bid league and it will come down to conference games and playoffs, this is a good chance to evaluate ourselves and see where we’re at.
“You’re in first place and everything seems good, and then you get put in your place by another team and see that you have things to work on … lots of things to work on.”
Packing them in
It’s been a banner year so far attendance-wise for three AHA teams. Robert Morris’ game against RIT at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh on Dec. 30 set a record for the largest home crowd to ever see the Colonials: 6.987.
Earlier this season, RIT sold out the Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester, N.Y., drawing a school-record 10,556 fans. The Tigers are averaging 1,984 fans per game at on-campus Frank Ritter Arena, capacity 2,100.
Air Force is averaging a sellout of 2,613 fans at Cadet Ice Arena. The place has been sold out for 23 of the Falcons’ last 31 games.
Glad to be back
Sacred Heart’s defense has struggled this season, allowing more than five goals per game. The Pioneers are bolstered by the return of blueliners Mitchell Stretch and Neil Fachini, who have both been sidelined with injuries. Sacred Heart hosts Air Force this weekend in a rematch of last year’s AHA semifinals.
Enough already
Another NHL Winter Classic is in the books, and by most measures it was a success (rain, rain, go away). The same can be said for the Big Chill at the Big House held at Michigan a few weeks ago, which set a record for the most people ever to see a hockey game (although the Guinness people are still sorting out exactly how many).
But can we stop now? It’s not like this record will be broken in the future, unless they hold the game in the Grand Canyon. Or maybe to keep up the gimmick appeal, how about a game on the moon next time?
Yes, I know hockey is awesome outdoors. It’s called pond hockey and it’s great. To play. Not to watch. Hobart had the last semi-enclosed college rink, and “The Cooler” was finally enclosed in 2007.
Stop the insanity that is outdoor games. Like the Glow Puck, here’s hoping the fad fades.
