Two Wolverines will miss the Great Lakes Invitational Tournament because they’ll be representing the U.S. in the IIHF World Junior Championship tournament Dec. 26-Jan. 5. Freshman defenseman Jon Merrill (5-7–12) and sophomore forward Chris Brown (2-8–10) are the only players from the CCHA on this year’s roster, which features 14 collegians: seven from the WCHA, four from Hockey East and one from the ECAC.
Both Merrill and Brown have earned gold with U.S. teams before. Merrill, who is tied for fourth among Wolverines in scoring this season, played for Team USA when it won the gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. Brown did the same thing in 2009. Both will be missed at the GLI, as Michigan is a team that very much plays as a team this season.
Kyle Palmieri, who would have been a sophomore had he remained with Notre Dame, is back to defend the gold medal he earned with Team USA last year. Palmieri has nine goals and four assists with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) this season.
The CCHA will also be represented on the coaching staff. Mark Osiecki, in his first year as head coach at Ohio State, is one of the assistants for Team USA this year. Two other names familiar to folks in the CCHA are also connected to the team. Joe Exter, the goaltending coach for the National Team Development Program, and Jason Hodges, the head athletic trainer for the NTDP, are on board as well.
If you get a chance, you absolutely want to watch this tournament. Not only is it amazing hockey, but it’s in Buffalo, N.Y., this year, a great hockey town. The NHL network is carrying the tournament again this year (here’s the schedule), and once again USCHO staffer and my good friend Dave Starman is part of the crew. Last year, Starman was the highlight of the broadcast team. Joining him this year will be CCHA Associate Commissioner Fred Pletsch, long-time hockey broadcaster Gary Thorne, and former Wolverine and all-around good guy (and great broadcaster), Billy Jaffe.
Last year’s run to the gold medal was magic. I’m still a little bitter about Port Huron, Mich., native Jack Campbell, the goaltender who originally committed to Michigan but who instead opted for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL, but I’m happy he won his gold and I’m happy he’s back to defend it.
Two Wolverines on the 2011 U.S. National Junior Team Roster
The weekend that was: Week 12
On the fly
Saturday, December 18
Vermont 4 at St. Lawrence 6
Frosh Greg Carey scored two power-play goals – including the game-winner – as the Saints took an early lead and held on in a wild non-conference affair. Senior Nick Pitsikoulis also buried a pair, and rookie Kyle Essery and junior Rick Carden added goals in support of a pair of goalies: junior Joe Spadaccini (starter, seven saves) and rookie Matt Weninger (relief, nine stops). SLU scored twice in seven power-play opportunities to win for the second time in three games.
Colgate 2 at Robert Morris 3 (ot)
The Colonials scored twice on seven power plays to down the Raiders, whose recovery from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits proved to be in vain. Junior Austin Smith and senior Francois Brisebois scored for Colgate, while freshman Eric Mihalik stopped 39 of 42 in defeat.
Union 1 at Western Michigan 2
Freshman Daniel Carr’s second-period power-play goal wasn’t enough to lift the Dutchmen, who scored 14 goals in two games the weekend prior. Sophomore Keith Kinkaid made 17 saves on 19 shots in the first of Union’s four straight western non-conference games.
Sunday, December 19
U.S. Junior Team 3 at Rensselaer 3 (ot)
Exhibition
Colgate 1 at Robert Morris 3
The hard-luck Raiders mustered only a single goal on 41 shots as the Colonials swept the weekend. Senior Brian Day put Colgate ahead 1-0 in the first, but Mihalik’s save rate was decidedly more mortal on Sunday with 24 stops. The result proved to be the Raiders’ third straight loss and 10th in 11 games (1-10-0).
Union 1 at Western Michigan 3
Much like the night before, Union fell into a multi-goal hole where a single strike failed to make up the difference. This time, soph Wayne Simpson was the Dutchmen’s lone scorer while Kinkaid stopped 22 of 25 shots. Union went scoreless on four power plays (and 1/9 on the weekend) as WMU grounded its high-scoring unit. The defeat gave UC its first consecutive losses of the season, as well as the first consecutive games in which the Dutch failed to score multiple goals.
In retrospect…
Prediction precision: Me: 3-2-0 this week (WMU!). 64-31-11 (.656) overall.
Benjamin Davis: 4-1-0. Kudos to the Clarkson kid!
Guest guessers: 42-32-6 (.563)
Head to head: Sullivan 5, Guests 3*
Bring it: [email protected] for your shot.
It’s one of those times of year that my tweets may not be 100 percent college-hockey related. I’ll try my best to at least make them interesting, at SullivanHockey on Twitter.
Weekend work-up: Dec. 20, 2010
Christmas came early for the CCHA in the form of three nonconference wins. Northern Michigan beat Michigan Tech, 6-2, and Western Michigan swept No. 12 Union, 2-1 and 3-1.
The Wildcats netted four second-period goals in their win, two from sophomore defenseman Wade Epp, his first two collegiate tallies. Epp told USCHO arena reporter Daver Karnosky that he hadn’t even realized that he’d scored his first goal until his teammates grabbed the puck for him. “To chip in offensively feels great,” said Epp.
Epp also has four assists through 18 games and is +1 in overall play.
In the Broncos’ sweep of the No. 12 Dutchmen, senior Jerry Kuhn earned both wins, stopping 41 shots. Freshman Shane Berschbach had both goals in the 2-1 win.
While I have nothing against the Dutchmen, I’ve found it amusing that Union (10-5-3, 3-2-1 ECAC) has been ranked consistently this season while Western Michigan (10-6-4, 4-5-3-2 CCHA) has been struggling for recognition. Full disclosure: In last week’s poll, I voted Union No. 16, WMU No. 20. This Bronco sweep feels like a little validation. I’m sure that it feels even better than that for the Broncos, who end the first half with three consecutive wins.
Northern’s win over Tech helps the Wildcats end the season on a high note, as the Wildcats had lost the previous Saturday in a two-game split against Notre Dame. NMU also bookends its first half with games against NTU; the Wildcats opened their season with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Huskies in the Superior Showcase.
There were no picks for this past weekend. There will be for the various holiday tournaments. I’ll update my first-half picks percentage with that blog.
You can catch me during the holiday break on the CCHA blog. The weekly columns resume the first week in January.
Happy holidays!
ECAC Northeast and MASCAC First Semester Review
Johnson & Wales closed out first semester action in the ECAC Northeast and MASCAC with a 10-2 thrashing of Southern New Hampshire Thursday night. With that in mind, here’s some quick hits on each team and a brief outlook for the remainder of the year.
Teams are arranged by current conference standings.
ECAC Northeast
1. Wentworth (5-3-2, 3-1-1)
SKINNY: With only seven seniors on the roster, it took a bit for the Leopards to gel. An injury to sophomore goaltender Mike Jarboe could have spelled disaster, but freshman Chris Azzano stepped in and Wentworth hasn’t lost a game in the last month.
OUTLOOK: With strong goaltending and a horde of talented skaters, expect Wentworth to compete for another regular season title or home ice at the very least.
2. Becker (4-4-1, 2-0-2)
SKINNY: The Hawks have been a tough team to get a feel for in the early going. They’ve played some of the conferences top teams well (win against Nichols, and ties against Curry and Wentworth). But they haven’t had much success out of conference, and their two game winning streak to close the first semester marks the longest of the season.
OUTLOOK: Balanced scoring (six players with at least six points) and a strong effort from goalie Jake Rosenthal should keep the Hawks in the home ice mix.
3. Johnson & Wales (3-0, 4-4-1)
SKINNY: A weekend sweep by Fredonia set them back before a 10-2 thrashing of Southern New Hampshire Thursday, but the Wildcats are the only ECAC Northeast team to grab two points in every conference came, checking in with a 3-0 mark in ECAC play. Junior Jermiah Ketts (9-10) leads a potent offense that features four players who have already reached the ten point mark. Newsflash: The Wildcats can skate and score with the best of them.
OVERLOOK: The offense is there, but if Johnson & Wales is going to grab home ice, they’ll need either Matt Cooper or Jake Menzel to get hot in net. But as last year showed, this is a dangerous team once the playoffs roll around.
4.Curry (2-1-1, 4-2-1)
SKINNY: It’s a bit odd to see Curry in fourth place. Like Wentworth, the Colonels got off to a bit of a rough start, but have won four in a row. They couldn’t hold the lead in games and it cost them in the opening month. But they’ve rebounded since then, and given their out-of-conference schedule, their record is impressive. Freshman Travis Owens is 4-0 with a sparkling 1. 97 GAA since taking over the starting goalie job.
OUTLOOK: This is a team that has rebounded from a rough start and is in a very good position. Look for them to be in the mix for the regular season title and conference championship
5. Nichols (1-3, 5-4-1)
SKINNY: Finally healthy entering the year, the Bisons looked primed for big things. While their conference record is 1-3, its fair to note that all three losses have come to the three top teams in the league (Wentworth, Becker, Curry). But those are the teams Nichols will need to beat if it wants to get home ice. This is a good skating team that ranks second in the nation in scoring, has a deadly power play, and is tied with Fitchburg State for most shorthanded goals in the nation.
OUTLOOK: Despite the early struggles in conference, the Bisons should be in a mix for home ice. It’s going to be an uphill battle, but Nichols has the talent to do it.
6. Salve Regina (1-3, 1-7-1)
SKINNY: They can score ’em and they can give ’em up. The Seahawks have been in some shootouts in the season’s opening portion, but have been competitive in some games in head coach Andy Boschetto’s first season.
OUTLOOK: They’ll need to shore up the defense and goaltending, as well as cut back on the penalty minutes if they want to sneak into the playoffs.
7. Suffolk (1-3, 4-7)
SKINNY: Bit a of a disappointing start for a team that was expected to be in position to compete for home ice and enters the break on a four game skid.
OUTLOOK: They’ll need a rebound from the conference’s top goalie of a year ago, Jeff Rose, in order to make some noise, but look for the Rams to be in the playoff race.
8. Western New England (1-3, 3-6-1)
SKINNY: A hot 3-0 start culminating with a thrilling overtime win against Curry had things look up for WNEC in mid-November. They’ve hit the skids since then, but have played some tough teams and also had the misfortune of catching Wentworth right when the Leopards were starting to heat up. Depsite the skid, they’ve already matched their win total of last year by the end of November.
OUTLOOK: The Golden Bears can score, but have also given up some goals over the past few weeks. This is a different team then in years past, so expect them to sneak into the final playoff spot over Salve Regina.
MASCAC
1. UMass Dartmouth (7-2-1, 4-1-1)
SKINNY: A return to form for the Corsairs after a subpar 2009-10 season. Typically one of the dominate teams in the region, UMD has brought a gritty lunch pail style of play to go along with a career year by senior goalie Collin Tracy, who ranks among the national leaders in several categories despite barely seeing the ice for his first three seasons. The Corsairs success comes despite suffering injuries to several key players over the last month.
OUTLOOK: A very solid team that can win the close ones and also has some firepower. The play of Tracy will be key. Look for UMD to be there at the end, with home ice a minimum and the league crown a very real possibility.
2. Worcester State (5-2-3, 4-1-1)
SKINNY: Without a doubt the surprise team in either conference during the first semester. Picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll, the Lancers have ridden a large freshman class led by goalie Bryan Kalcynski (4-1-1, 2.63). Junior forward Nick Asterito ranks among the national leaders with an average of 1.6 points per game.
OUTLOOK: A thrilling 5-4 win over Salem State to close the first semester sets the stage for what should be a good second half. At this point, there’s no reason to doubt the Lancers, so look for them to compete for a playoff spot and home ice.
3.Plymouth State (5-1-2, 3-1-1)
SKINNY: A very solid first semester under first year head coach Craig Russell. The Panthers have gotten a great effort from sophomore Jack Astedt (1.65 GAA, .940 save percentage), who has started every game this year. Sophomore Alex Cottle leads the team in scoring and is on pace to shatter his 21 point freshman campaign.
OUTLOOK: Another team that should be in the muddled picture for home ice in the MASCAC. Despite being in third, it’s hard to argue the Panthers have done much wrong this year.
4. Salem State (6-3, 4-2)
SKINNY: The Vikings’ once solid grasp on first place was upset with losses to UMass Dartmouth and Worcester State. The offense has been there, but Salem State gave up five goals in three straight games (two losses) to close the first semester.
OUTLOOK: They’ll open 2011 conference play with a rematch against the Corsairs. Salem State was the favorite entering the year to capture the MASCAC title. It’s a tossup right now, with the decision likely coming down to the final weekend.
5. Fitchburg State (5-3, 3-3)
SKINNY: A 4-1 win over UMass Dartmouth helped the Falcons even their conference record at 3-3 to close out the first semester. All of their losses have come to teams above them in the standings. The Falcons are tied for the national lead in shorthanded goals with four and have gotten solid goaltending from senior Robert Vorse and Bobby Leiser, and rank ninth in the nation allowing just 2.12 goals a game.
OUTLOOK: Don’t count the defending MASCAC regular season champions out yet. If the goaltending can keep up, they’ll be right in the thick of things for home ice.
6. Westfield State (2-8-1, 1-5)
SKINNY: A shaky start for the Owls, who rank second in the nation in penalty minutes. 44 goals allowed in eight games isn’t going to get it done, so these are two areas Westfield State will need to iron out over the break.
OUTLOOK: It’s going to be a long road to try to climb back up in the standings. It’s likely they’ll be out Framingham State for the final playoff berth, but with this deep of a hole home ice seems unlikely.
7. Framingham State (0-9, 0-6)
SKINNY: The Rams rank last in the league in scoring and goals allowed, which is never a format for success. Freshman forwards Eric Ward and Daniel Miressi have been a few of the bright spots for Framingham State. Each produced at a point a game pace so far.
OUTLOOK: Framingham State is an underclassman heavy team so things can only go up in the second half. They are only two points out of a playoff berth. Grabbing that last spot would be a huge lift for the Rams, given the way things unfolded in the first half.
Weekend of Dec. 18-20
Not much action this past weekend, so obviously this is going to be fairly short.
– Oh Michigan Tech … I wish you could turn things around. I’m also pretty sure your fans weren’t happy seeing you fall 6-2 to your UP rivals.
– With the loss, the Huskies saw their losing streak extend to 11 games.
– From the sounds of things, Brad Eidsness played pretty solid in UND’s exhibition win over the U.S. Under-18 Team.
– It is kind of amusing that his shutout bid was ruined by future Fighting Sioux J.T. Miller.
– Much as I expected would be the case, CC and UNO split their weird Saturday/Sunday series.
– CC’s winning streak extended to six games on Saturday, thanks in part to a hat trick by Omaha native Nick Dineen.
– Then, their winning ways were stopped thanks in part to John Faulkner’s shut out on Sunday.
That’s all from me for now. However, if you’re looking for some holiday hockey reading this week, I’ll be back … either Wednesday or Thursday with my annual midseason WCHA report card, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Weekend wrap up 12/20/10
There were just five games in the week leading up to the Christmas break, but two teams picked up big non-conference sweeps.
Robert Morris continued its best start ever with a home sweep of Colgate. The Colonials got a goal from Nathan Longpre in overtime to win 3-2 on Saturday, and then came back with a 40 save performance by Brooks Ostergard to clinch the sweep with a 3-1 win on Sunday. Robert Morris is now 12-4-2 on the season, including a perfect 5-0 out of conference.
Mercyhurst found its offense on Thursday with an 8-3 win over Alabama-Hunsville, and then needed overtime on Friday to triumph 4-3.
In the only conference action, Rochester Institute of Technology scored four third period goals to erase a 1-0 deficit and defeat Canisius 4-1. The Tigers go into the Christmas break in first place in the AHA.
Happy Holidays
The picks had the weekend off, and will resume on Jan. 7, 2011. There’s some good hockey to be played in the meantime, though:
- RIT and Robert Morris square off at the Consol Energy center in Pittsburgh on Dec. 30 as part of the NHL Winter Classic. It’s more than just another AHA game with first place on the line.
- Connecticut hosts the UConn Holiday Classic on Dec. 29 and 30, featuring Holy Cross, Bowling Green and Princeton. The semifinal game between UConn and Holy Cross doubles as an AHA conference game.
- Army participates in the Catamount Cup with host Vermont as well as Harvard and Ohio State. The tournament is Jan 1 and 2.
- Mercyhurst travels to Dartmouth for the Ledyard Bank Tournament on Dec 30 and 31. Boston College and Colgate are also in the mix.
- Three non-conference games round out the schedule, with Merrimack traveling to Army (Dec. 30) and RIT (Jan. 1), and Sacred Heart hosting St. Lawrence on Jan 3.
Have a great holiday and catch some action if you can.
WCHA Picks Dec. 17
Last week Theresa: 6-4-2
Season Theresa: 61-41-11
Last week Tyler: 9-1-2 (!)
Season Tyler: 60-26-7
Not a lot of games this weekend, as schools gear up for the holiday break. Therefore, not a lot of insight, either, to make this quick and simple (though we may edit more in later).
Friday, December 17 through Sunday, December 19
Michigan Tech (3-10-2, 1-10-1 WCHA) at Northern Michigan
Theresa: Northern is actually doing pretty well this year and as much as I love MTU, I think I’ve got to go with their CCHA rivals. NMU wins.
Tyler: MTU wins. Tech’s season has gone sour since the Huskies beat NMU in October. The Wildcats have played well since their 1-4-1 start but I’ll take my chances.
No. 8 Nebraska-Omaha (11-4-1, 8-3-1 WCHA) at Colorado College (10-7-1, 7-5-0 WCHA)
Theresa: I’d like to call a Maverick sweep here, but CC has been playing pretty well lately. Therefore, I’m going to go with a split – UNO Friday, CC Saturday.
Tyler: The Tigers are without their offensive cornerstone, freshman Jaden Schwartz, until early January while he plays for Canada’s U20 team in the World Junior Championships. CC doesn’t have the firepower without him. UNO sweeps CC on the road.
No. 3 North Dakota (13-5-2, 11-3-0 WCHA) vs. U.S. Under-18 Team
Theresa: North Dakota has been doing too well this season to think that they’ll fall to the U-18 team this year. UND wins.
Tyler: These are the best hockey players in America under the age of 18, but they face the Sioux, another group of talented players from 18-years-old and up. I’ll take the Sioux in this exhibition.
A pro for one night
Former American International goaltender Tom Fenton got to suit up for the Phoenix Coyotes last night. You can read about his experience here.
Women’s D-I first half review
With half the season over, it’s time to take a look at some trends and see where we are for this season. Though there have been some occasional hiccups, it seems the reigning hegemony in women’s D-I hockey is still in place. However, the competition, particularly in the west, has never been fierecer.
After making four straight NCAA championship games from 2006-2009 and winning three of them, the Wisconsin Badgers didn’t even make the tournament last year. Of course, part of the problem was that coach Mark Johnson, as well as leading scorers Hilary Knight and Meghan Duggan, were off with Team USA at the Olympics, winning a silver medal. With the return of those three, as well as the continued strong play of assistant captain Mallory Deluce and sisters Brooke and Brittany Ammerman, Wisconsin is back on top, and has spent most of the season ranked No. 1.
Wisconsin’s only losses have been to WCHA opponents Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth. Coincidentally, those two schools are the only ones besides Wisconsin to win an NCAA Women’s Hockey Championship. Defending champion Minnesota-Duluth currently sits in second place in the WCHA, and while they have played strong for much of the season, they have also suffered some bouts of inconsistency.
The real story of the first half, aside from Wisconsin’s return to strength, has been the overall level of competition in the WCHA. No longer is the conference about the big three. North Dakota, led by twins Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux, has wins against all the top schools except Wisconsin, and sits in a third place, just ahead of Minnesota, who, led by freshman Amanda Kessel, is as dangerous as ever. Right behind the pack are Bemidji State, Minnesota State, and Ohio State, who have all scored big wins this season and could, on any given night, play spoiler. The only WCHA team not in the race at all is St. Cloud, who remain winless on the season.
What of the East? Last year’s NCAA runner-up and current No. 1 Cornell is running away with the ECAC. They are undefeated in conference play, and have rarely been challenged. Though Cornell is playing well, their only game against a nonconference top-10 school is also their only loss on the year, a 4-3 overtime loss to No. 4 Mercyhurst. Aside from a January 18 rematch against the Lakers, the Big Red have no out-of-conference games the rest of the way. The lack of tests could hurt them come tournament time.
The other big story in the ECAC is the emergence of Quinnipiac, who currently sits in second place in the ECAC, just ahead of traditional ECAC powers Harvard and Dartmouth. The Bobcats are led by freshman phenom Kelly Babstock, who is tied for second in the nation in points with 36. Babstock has already set school records for goals, assists, and points in a season, and is averaging a torrid 1.80 points per game.
Mercyhurst, aside from an inexplicable loss to Niagara and surprise losses to Bemidji State and St. Lawrence, has looked very good this season. With the return of Meghan Agosta from gold-medal-winning Team Canada, the Lakers have a lethal 1-2 punch of Agosta and Vicki Bendus. Agosta currently leads the nation in scoring, averaging 2.53 points per game, while Bendus is sixth with 31 points, averaging 2.07 points per game.
Hockey East is led by the big Boston squads. No. 6 Boston College, who also had a down season during the Olympic year with top forward Kelli Stack and goalie Molly Schaus off playing for Team USA, are back to their winning ways. Stack is currently fifth in the nation in scoring with 32 points, while Schaus is fourth in goaltending.
The Eagles sit one point ahead of No. 3 Boston University in the Hockey East standings. The two squads split their first home-and-home series, and in addition to another two conference games face each other in the first round of the Beanpot on February 8. Whoever wins that will be favored in the championship against Harvard or Northeastern.
Northeastern and Providence have both emerged this season as dangerous opponents, and sit in a three-way tie for third with Connecticut in the Hockey East standings. While the Eagles and Terriers should be on top of Hockey East at the end of the season, they must be prepared every night the rest of the way, or the Huskies and Friars could play spoiler.
The second half of the season has some excellent games on tap, starting January 2, when Mercyhurst will face Wisconsin in the Easton Showcase. Minnesota-Duluth starts their second half with a bang, traveling to Minnesota for a pair on January 14-15 and then hosting Wisconsin the next weekend for a pair, followed by a pair at home against Bemidji State.
Ultimately, while Cornell, Boston University, Boston College, and Mercyhurst are strong squads and can beat anybody, looking ahead to March, I expect either Wisconsin or Minnesota-Duluth to be hoisting the hardware once again.
ECAC Hockey picks: Week 12
This week, we welcome yet another victim to the slaughter: Mr. Benjamin Davis. A former equipment manager at Clarkson (class of ’03), Davis feels he has the hockey savvy to take down your loyal puck pundit.
We’ll see about that.
Prediction precision
Last week: 8-1-0 (.889)
Season record: Me: 61-29-11 (.658)
Guest guessers: 38-31-6 (.547)
Head to head: Sullivan 5, Guests 2*
Keep the challenges coming; who’s next? [email protected] for the chance to submit your own picks.
This week
All times Eastern
Saturday, December 18
Vermont at St. Lawrence – 7:00
Vermont hasn’t been having a strong year, or really a strong couple of years since they made the Frozen Four in ’09. At 2-8-4 overall, the Catamounts are the second-lowest-scoring team in the country (beating Harvard by a significant margin nonetheless) with 2.07 goals per game. Their defense is in the bottom 10 nationally as well (3.43 goals against/game), they’re falling short of 15 percent on the power play and well short of 80 percent on the ‘kill. All that said, SLU resides in the bottom half of all of the same national categories except on the PK (85.7 percent, tied for 12th), and the Saints’ 3-8-3 record isn’t exactly putting Vermont’s results to shame. UVM just won a thriller at Dartmouth, so they might be riding a lap-pool wave, but I’ll give the edge to the team that has been a little bit better (and is playing at home, of course): 3-2 SLU.
BD: Both teams are struggling the first half of the 2010-11 season. Vermont did come off a huge road win at Dartmouth but St. Lawrence is always tough at home. I don’t really want to choose it this way but St. Lawrence in a close one 3-2.
Colgate at Robert Morris – 7:05
Colgate beat Army, but The Brown Rule hangs above them like the Sword of Damocles. This is not your run-of-the-mill ECAC-AHA matchup, either: Colgate is obviously struggling, but Bobby Mo’ is leading the Atlantic in league points as well as overall record (10-4-2). The way this season is going – for each side – I’m picking RMU, 4-2.
BD: Colgate only being winners of 1 in their last 9 are up against a tough Robert Morris squad. If the Raiders want any chance in winning they need to keep the Colonials under control in the 3rd period where the Colonials are outscoring their opponents by 13 (and the Raiders are a -6). Robert Morris in this weekend’s opener 6-2.
Union at Western Michigan – 7:30
WMU is having a pretty average season in almost every sense: they’re mediocre in every statistical category, including record. Union is clearly having an exceptional season, though there’s always more to be done. The one thing that gives me pause is that this is a home game for the Broncos, who are 5-3-1 in Kalamazoo, while the Dutchmen are a mere 2-3-1 on the road. I’m going to give Union (and it’s drool-inducing power play) a shot in this one: 4-2 in Game 1.
BD: A 720 mile bus trip will take a toll on any team no matter how good they are. Union can only hope for some penalties against Western Michigan to put the nations best power play on the ice. I still have to go against Union. Western Michigan in the opener 4-2.
Sunday, December 19
U.S. National Junior Team at Rensselaer – 4:00
Exhibition
Union at Western Michigan – 4:00
Round 2: Do I pick a split? If so, did I pick it the right way? I am going to put my faith in Union to do right by the ECAC and prove some of the haters wrong. (Not that they’ll admit it, of course.) 5-3 Dutch in the matinee.
BD: Union gets its legs back in this one and will not get swept on the weekend. Union 4-1 winners.
Colgate at Robert Morris – 4:05
Now that I think about it, I don’t have any hard-and-fast rules about how a team gets out from under The Brown Rule… all I’ve ever said is that they have to prove that they can win with some consistency. The Raiders have certainly not achieved that yet (though Bourdon, Day, Smith and Larkin are giving it their best shots). 3-1 Colonials.
BD: This game is a little closer then Friday nights blowout but the Raiders are swept again on the weekend. Colonials 3-1
If you like the Ottawa Senators… and/or hate NESN’s Jack Edwards… we should talk. Find me on Twitter at SullivanHockey.
Family man Berenguer enjoying his last season at Hamline
Hamline senior defenseman Chris Berenguer admits his last season is turning bittersweet.
First, there’s a sense of accomplishment of being a cornerstone in the school’s hockey resurgence under six-year coach Scott Bell. Then the two-time All-American realizes his prolific collegiate career is drawing to a close.
No. 12 Hamline (6-3-1, 3-0-1) was a preseason favorite to win the highly competitive MIAC. Berenguer is eager to make the prognostication a reality.
“I’m loving every minute of it so far,” said Berenguer, who has five goals and five assists for 10 points in nine games this season. “We’re very limited in terms of the amount of games we have.
“So, I’m trying to have as much fun as I can every day when coming to the rink.”
In the past four years, the highly decorated 6-foot-2, 205-pound rearguard has matured on and off the ice. During his sophomore season, he married his girlfriend, Nicole Larson. A daughter soon followed.
Since then, Berenguer’s adroitly juggled parental duties, school work (he’s a double major in business management and accounting) and a stellar collegiate hockey career.
Typical day
The senior’s typical day starts at 7:15 a.m., with breakfast and time with 19-month-old daughter Stella before embarking on a 45-minute commute to Hamline’s St. Paul, Minn., campus.
After attending three classes, he heads to the rink for an hour-and-a-half afternoon practice. He arrives home about 6 p.m., has dinner and plays with Stella until her bedtime at 8 p.m.
Berenguer hits the books for a couple of hours until 10 or 10:30 p.m. He and Nicole spend an hour together before heading to bed, only to repeat the process eight hours later.
“It’s a lot, I guess,” said Berenguer, 25.
Such responsibility once would have been unthinkable for Berenguer, who conceded he “liked to have a good time.” Then he met his future wife.
“She is my rock,” said Berenguer about Nicole, who he met seven years ago when she used to cut his hair. The couple celebrates their second anniversary in February.
Stella’s arrival transformed their lives, he said.
“I just try to make sure I do everything well and everything right, so I can provide for not only her but my wife,” he said.
Pro stock
His father, Juan Berenguer, provided for his family by pitching for 15 years in the Major Leagues, including pitching for the 1984 Detroit Tigers and 1987 Minnesota Twins World Championship teams.
Coincidentally, his father’s Tigers teammate, Dan Petry, also has a collegiate hockey-playing defensive standout as a son. Jeff Petry, an Edmonton Oilers draft pick, starred at Michigan State from 2007 to 2010 and plays with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons.
Berenguer (Sioux Falls) and Petry (Des Moines) played against one another as juniors in the USHL. Both were selected to play in the 2005-06 USHL All-Star Game, where they talked about their shared backgrounds, Berenguer said.
Despite his Major League lineage, the younger Berenguer didn’t feel pressure to follow his dad into the diamond game.
“I think he kind of knew baseball really wasn’t my passion,” said Berenguer, whose parents are Karen and Jerry Martin, as well as Juan Berenguer. “I enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as I enjoyed hockey.”
Like his father, the younger Berenguer wants to pursue a pro career in his chosen sport. Undrafted, he plans to try out for a minor league team as a way to gain entry to the NHL.
Berenguer attended a Chicago Blackhawks prospect camp last summer where he received some positive feedback. He’s known for his wicked shot from the point and skating ability.
His off-season regimen will include a cardio-based program to increase leg power and speed, “so I can keep up with the guys who are faster than me,” he said.
Reality check
His family supports his post-collegiate plans. The husband and father is realistic, though.
“If you are doing something like that, it has to be able to pay bills,” he said. “If I can I do it and it can support our family, that would be great.
“If not, it’s to the workforce.”
The road from Division III college hockey to the NHL is not well-traveled. He harbors no regrets by going the D-III route.
Initially, Berenguer was committed to D-I Northern Michigan, but encountered a snag during the NCAA Clearinghouse process.
Rather than wait to be eligible to play at NMU, he enrolled in Hamline and joined the Pipers midway through the 2007-08 season. In 18 games, he still scored four goals and 12 assists for 16 points and landed on the MIAC All-Rookie Team.
As a sophomore, he led the team in scoring with 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points while earning first-team All-American and All-MIAC honors. Next season, he became the first two-time All-American at Hamline while scoring six goals and adding a team-leading 22 assists for 28 points.
“He’s the best player in the school’s history,” coach Scott Bell said. “It’s nice to have him here. It makes me a better coach with him on our team, that’s for sure.
“He’s poised, in control, he’s confident — all those intangibles — and he’s very talented.”
Berenguer also leads by example.
After a 4-1 loss to No. 7 Adrian Nov. 27, the defenseman stood outside the team’s locker room with ice packs strapped to both shoulders. He remained upbeat despite the prospect of a 10-hour and 632-mile bus ride back to St. Paul, Minn., ahead.
Of course, the beaming 19-month-old daughter ready to greet him at the end of that arduous journey takes the sting out of any hockey setback.
“When I come home, she will come running to the door screaming and gives me a big hug,” he said. “Everything is good after that.”
Hockey East pick – Dec. 18
Jim had another excellent week, perfect until Vermont toppled Dartmouth, while Dave was mediocre.
Just one game on tap until the holiday tournaments.
Happy Holidays to all!
Dave last week: 4-3-0
Jim last week: 6-1-0
Dave’s record-to-date: 48-21-18
Jim’s record-to-date: 48-15-15
Here are this week’s picks (oops, make that pick):
Saturday, December 18
Vermont at St. Lawrence
Dave’s pick: Both teams have gotten off to slow starts (UVM: 2-8-4, SLU: 3-8-3) so home ice is looking like the deciding factor.
SLU 2 UVM 1
Jim’s pick: I think that Vermont is playing better, but this is the end of a long road swing for the Cats, so, like Dave, I like the home team.
SLU 4, UVM 2
Double trouble
There are plenty of good combinations in the world; duos that, together, are so much better than the sum of their respective parts. Ivy Leaguers and Sperry Top-Siders. Ebony and ivory. Foie gras and Sauternes. (Who am I kidding? Sauternes would be great with Raisin Bran.)
And so it is in hockey, too. Gretzky and Kurri. Gretzky and Messier. Gretzky and just about anything with a pulse. Unfortunately, the Great One doesn’t play in ECAC Hockey, but nonetheless there are a few especially dynamic duos that have really paced their teams thus far: Chase Polacek and Tyler Helfrich at RPI, Jeremy Welsh and Daniel Carr at Union, and Yale’s Broc Little and Denny Kearney.
So what does it take to be a hot item on the rink? Surprisingly, perhaps, it’s less about camaraderie than it is about cohesion.
“I think sometimes it matters more than others,” said RPI coach Seth Appert. “I’ve coached and been around guys that weren’t great friends… but had great chemistry on the ice. I think it really depends on the twosome. I do think playing together for an extended period of time helps, because you gain trust and you gain a comfort level with what the other’s going to do… but more than anything is the style of play, and do they complement each other? Some people might be great players, but if they do nothing to complement the other, then they’re just two great individual players, playing separate from each other.”
Yale head coach Keith Allain agreed, putting a bit of a different angle on the nature of the beast.
“I think it’s about that they read the game the same way. A lot of players see the game in different ways, and you’ve got to find guys that see the game the same way and put ’em together.”
These tandems are clearly reading from the same pages, and writing their own record books. They’ve each combined for eight goals, which is to say that one player was a first assist on the other’s goal, or vice-versa. (Yes, there are such things as second assists, but those are far less indicative of a player’s role in a score, and are notoriously inaccurate to boot.)
Let’s get in close for the poke-check on these potent prospects.
Capital District connection
The Engineers haven’t bullied their way through their six ECAC games just yet, but their 9-4-3 record has them ranked 14th in the nation after a big-time bashing of former leaguemate BU. A big source of RPI’s offensive production has come from seniors Polacek and Helfrich, as the former (and perhaps again?) Hobey Baker candidate Polacek has put up eight goals and 15 helpers, while Helfrich has nine goals with eight assists. Together, the pair has combined for the direct assist on half of its 17 combined goals, and is averaging one goal-connection every two games.
“They’ve had great chemistry together, no question about it,” said Appert. “They played together for most of their first two years, and then last year they didn’t play together that much. Those two have always had a good amount of chemistry together, and an ability to find each other.”
Great teammates and clearly gifted icers, this pair has matured together, learning and adjusting with each other’s strengths and weaknesses to become one of the most fearsome duos in the league.
“I would say earlier in their career, it was Tyler carrying the puck and holding the puck, and then finding Chase somewhere for a back-side one-time goal because of how good Chase shoots the puck,” recalled Appert. “But as they’ve matured, that’s changed a little bit: Chase’s assists are up dramatically this year in comparison to goals, and certainly part of that is because of the attention that’s been put on him by opponents, and I think that now this year it’s as often that Tyler is getting a pass from Chase – like against BU down by the side of the net – or Tyler’s going to the net to get a rebound goal or a chip-goal off a Chase attack. So it’s really evolved over its four years. Although Chase is a shoot-first player, and Tyler is a pass-first player, they’ve both added other dimensions to their game which have continued to complement each other.”
With so much attention on Polacek – and rightly so, he’s been the team’s top scorer three years running – it’s easy to lose Helfrich in the mix. All for the best, as far as the Engineers are concerned: Helfrich, for those of us who didn’t remember it off the bat, led ‘Tute in points as a frosh, while Polacek was second.
“Chase is Chase, you know, he’s our best player, and he’s continued to be that this year. I think everybody kind of thought that, well, Pirri and D’Amigo are gone, and how’s he going to continue to score? And yet, I think he’s on the same pace – if not higher – than he was last year.
I think the big element to our offensive success, and also to the duo of them working together, is how well Tyler has done this year. Tyler had a great freshman year, he had some adversity the last two years… but Tyler has been very very good the first half of this year. He’s played hard, he’s won puck battles, and he’s always had a really good ability to see the ice and distribute the puck. His goal totals have increased this year, and I think that’s because of his willingness to pay the price to have the puck more, and to go to those hard areas.”
Going Dutch
Up the road in Schenectady, Welsh and Carr are also connecting with each other at a rate of a goal every two games for the 12th-ranked Dutchmen. Unlike the other two tandems, however, these players are each underclassmen: Welsh, a sophomore, has already surpassed his 10-9-19 line from all of last year, scoring 11 goals with 12 assists in 16 games this fall. The rookie Carr is up to 19 points as well, by way of 10 goals and nine helpers. So far this year, they’ve fed each other four times apiece, accounting for 40 percent of their total production.
But full credit wouldn’t be due without also accounting for the third member of the line, freshman Josh Jooris. Jooris’ 13 assists lead Union, and the trio has made life very hairy for the Dutchmen’s 13 opponents.
“The chemistry on that line is between all three players,” stated coach Nate Leaman. “Josh has tremendous vision, Dan and Jeremy both can make plays and they both have real good releases on their shots. They’re a dynamic line and they work hard too, so that’s a good combination. They work extremely hard.”
Like Appert and Allain before him, Leaman dismissed the idea that off-ice cohesion factors into on-ice results. Heck, these players barely knew each other’s names as the red lights flashed.
“Dan and Jeremy and Josh didn’t meet until they got on campus this year, until that first practice where they played together, so I think it’s an on-ice thing,” observed the coach. “I think it’s more about complementing each other’s style, but it’s also about working hard enough. I just know in our case, those three guys all work extremely hard to get the puck back, they’re kinda puck-hounds. That’s what makes their skill and their talent level come out, and what makes them productive: It’s more about how they work to get the puck, how they work when they have the puck, and it enables their talent and their skill levels and their playmaking ability to come out.”
Through genius or luck, Leaman found a good thing from Day 1 in assembling this lethal line.
“They were together the first game of the year. I think I might’ve broken them up for one game… but I went right back to it,” he said.
“I feel they can produce on the rush, or from offensive-zone play. I think they’re a good line in transition off turnovers as well. They have the ability to find one another, they move the puck well, and that creates even more speed. Dan and Welshy, they have pretty good releases, so they have the ability to score goals from maybe a little bit further out than other guys.”
The finishing ability was never clearer than on October 8… and December 10… and December 11. Those are the three dates in which Jooris, Welsh, and Carr, respectively, buried hat tricks.
“All three of them have had hat tricks at different times, so that’s pretty extraordinary. I don’t think I’ve ever had a line at Union where every player’s had a hat trick at different points in the season,” Leaman mused.
“I think it’s a three-person thing; it really is. Especially when you watch us play our last four or five games, those three guys can find one another so well on the ice, and they can deliver the puck to one another right on the tape in tight areas and make tight-area plays. I think that’s what makes them a little bit unique: They can do things quickly, they all think the game quickly, and they work to get the puck back.”
Leaman focuses on the unit’s ability to play as a singularity, but he admits that there are, of course, some individual differences between its components.
“Welshy is a little bit more of a physical presence at 6’3″, but Josh and Dan are really good at hounding the puck and forcing teams out of their comfort zone,” he assessed. “Because of that, I think think Welshy might be more of a physical presence, but it’s really all three of them that can create a turnover or make a play when we get in [the offensive zone].”
Pack mentality
Yale is blessed with the Little-to-Kearney connection, but it must be said, there is more in the Bulldogs bullpen than that explosive pair. Sophomore Andrew Miller has built quite a rapport with not one, but two teammates in junior Brian O’Neill and senior Chris Cahill.
“I think one of the things that makes us good as a team is that we get production from more than one place,” said the head coach of the nation’s No. 1 team – as well as its national World Junior team – Keith Allain. “Broc and Denny have played together since they came in the door, I think they played a little bit in midget hockey together too, so I think there is a definite chemistry there. Andrew Miller’s such a great playmaker, he and Brian played together last year, so I’m not surprised at that; Chris is learning more and more how to read off of Andrew, so you’re seeing some production there as well.”
As for Yale’s spotlight subjects, Little and Kearney have 16 goals and 37 points between them, including eight goals scored in tandem. To be more specific, Little has scored on five direct feeds from Kearney, and three the other way around.
“They are dangerous in a couple of ways. They’re dangerous in the transition from our zone to neutral-ice, I think Broc reads when Denny’s about to recover the puck, Denny knows where Broc is so he starts to jump to space, but they also make some nice plays in the offensive zone together,” Allain described. “I think Broc’s real good at jumping into space, and Denny’s real good at finding him. Whether it’s back-door or net-front or low in the offensive corner or in the neutral zone, I think that’s what makes them good, is it’s not one thing.”
The top offense in the country, with 4.92 goals a game (and let it be said, second-best D with 2.08 goals against), is a bottomless well of production. Miller-to-O’Neill and/or Cahill is just one (or two?) more example, but considering the numbers, these are examples worth noting: Miller/O’Neill have paired up for five goals, while Miller/Cahill boast four.
“Andrew’s really good at controlling the pace of the game when he has the puck, so if he needs to play a quick game, he can; if he needs to slow things down and wait for his linemates to get open, he has that ability as well, so that makes him dangerous,” praise Allain of his developing star.
“One of the things I really like about our team is that I think we do play a good team game. We work at it on a daily basis, and we get some results as a result of that.”
Clearly: They’re running away with No. 1 for a reason.
The other dangerous duos
Brown: Jack Maclellan-Dennis Robertson – five goals
Clarkson: Brandon DeFazio-Louke Oakley – four goals
Colgate: Robbie Bourdon-Corbin McPherson – four goals
Cornell: John Esposito-Joe Devin – two goals
Dartmouth: Nick Walsh-Eric Robinson – four goals
Harvard: Michael Biega-Alex Killorn – three goals
Princeton: Mike Kramer-Taylor Fedun – four goals
Quinnipiac: Yuri Bouharevich-Spencer Heichman – four goals
St. Lawrence: Kyle Flanagan-Greg Carey – three goals
