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CCHA Changes Scheduling, Playoff Format

USCHO Staff Report
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The CCHA has changed its postseason tournament format to include all 12 of the conference’s teams, starting with the 2001-2002 season.

The top six finishers during the regular season will host a first-round, best-of-three series. The winners of the six first-round series will then advance to Joe Louis Arena for the CCHA Championship where they will be re-seeded based upon their regular-season finish. The top two remaining seeds will receive quarterfinal-round byes while the No. 3 seed will face the No. 6 seed and the No. 4 seed will take on the No. 5 seed.

The two new quarterfinal-round games will take place on Friday, pushing the semifinals and championship game back to Saturday and Sunday. The lowest seed to advance from the quarterfinals will take on the No. 1 seed in the semifinals, while the No. 2 seed will play the other remaining team. The winners will then advance on to the CCHA Championship. The winner of the CCHA Tournament will receive the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, beginning in 2002-03, a new scheduling format will include placing schools into “rivalry pairings” when creating the schedule clusters.

The following will be used as the rivalry pairs:

Alaska-Fairbanks / Nebraska-Omaha
Bowling Green / Notre Dame
Ferris State / Western Michigan
Lake Superior / Northern Michigan
Miami / Ohio State
Michigan / Michigan State

The conference will continue to use the 28-game three-cluster format that was implemented two years ago to determine its regular-season champion. The teams will be divided into three clusters made up of two of the above pairings with each team playing the other three members of its cluster four times (twice at home and twice on the road).

Each team hosts two teams and visits the other two from each of the other clusters. While the schedule is esigned for two-game weekend series, some teams have taken advantage of the option to play home-and-home series when geographically possible.

The CCHA’s 2001-02 regular-season schedule will be announced later this spring.

Both formatting issues were passed unanimously by the league’s executive council, comprised of the CCHA athletic directors and faculty academic representatives, during the Spring Meetings this week in Naples, Fla.

Serratore Accepts Bemidji Coaching Job

USCHO Staff Report
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Tom Serratore was named as men’s hockey coach at Bemidji State.

Serratore, an associate head coach at Bemidji since 1998, succeeds Bob Peters, who retired at the end of the 2000-01 season following 35 years at the helm of the Beavers.

Serratore is a 1987 graduate of the school and helped the Beavers to the 1986 NCAA Division III Championship. Prior to joining the Bemidji staff in 1998, he served as associate head coach at St. Cloud State, which has earned a bid to each of the last two NCAA Division I tournaments. Serratore recruited many of those players while at St. Cloud.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to coach the Beavers and continue the work of building a Division I program at Bemidji State, and to compete in the College Hockey America conference,” Serratore said in a release issued by the school.

“I hope to continue the tradition of Beaver Hockey that Coach Peters built during his many years at BSU.”

Peters retired as the second-winningest coach in NCAA history with 744 victories, 702 of those at Bemidji.

“Tom will bring continuity to the men’s hockey team and continue our development in Division I hockey,” said Dr. Jim Bensen, BSU president. “He is familiar with the team and the CHA, and knows what is needed to be successful as a head coach.”

Bemidji began transitioning to Division I in 1998 and became an inaugural member of the CHA the following year. The Beavers finished last in the CHA in 2000-01 with a record of 4-12-3, 4-26-4 overall.

Later Start Date Gets Preliminary Approval

USCHO Staff Report
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The NCAA Division I Management Council has given preliminary approval to a proposal that would establish a uniform start date for preseason practice and the first contest date in men’s and women’s hockey.

The measure, passed by the Council during its meeting April 9-10, would prevent schools from playing their first game against outside competition before the 23rd full weekend back from the first round of the sports’ respective NCAA tournaments. The first preseason practice could not be conducted prior to the Saturday of the 25th full weekend back from the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The effective date of the proposed change is August 1, 2002.

The legislation has been a source of controversy in the college hockey community. The proposal is officially sponsored by the MAAC and ECAC; however, the ECAC has withdrawn its support since originally asking the MAAC to put forth the legislation last year.

According to Joe Bertagna, commissioner of Hockey East and president of the American Hockey Coaches Association, the change in the proposed playing season start time is opposed by five of the six men’s Division I leagues, the AHCA, and the American Women’s Hockey Coaches Association.

In approving the proposal, the Management Council has established a 90-day comment period from NCAA members expiring August 24, 2001.

If the legislation is adopted, Division I men’s programs could not begin play in 2002-03 before Oct. 19, 2002, nor practice before Oct. 5, 2002. Currently, NCAA rules allow practice and play on Sept. 7 or the school’s first day of classes for the fall term, whichever is earlier.

This past season, the first outside game was played on Sept. 30, an exhibition between Michigan and Waterloo, with the first games between NCAA schools held on Oct. 6. The proliferation of early-season tournaments in recent years has led to schools starting play earlier than ever before.

The MAAC has another proposal entered as alternative legislation. It would effectively leave in place the proposed change concerning the start of practice but not change the date of the first contest. That legislation has also been approved by the Council and will undergo the same comment period, with an effective date of August 1, 2004.

Peters Officially Named CHA Commissioner

USCHO Staff Report
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What was rumored following his retirement from coaching, officially came to fruition today when College Hockey America named former Bemidji State coach Bob Peters its new commissioner. The announcement was made at the annual American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) in Naples.

Peters replaces Bruce M. McLeod, who had been the commissioner the past two
seasons, and is also the full-time WCHA commissioner. Peters will assume the role of commissioner of the CHA effective July 1, 2001.

PETERS

PETERS

“We are very excited to have a person of Bob Peters’ stature take over the league and lead us into the foreseeable future,” said Steve Rackley, executive committee chair and athletic director of the University of Findlay. “Bob is very well respected among his peers and he has tremendous vision and foresight.

“At the same time we would like to thank Bruce McLeod for his leadership and dedication in getting the CHA started. Bruce led the league with the utmost integrity and he is one of the most respected members of the college hockey community. What he has done for us is immeasurable. We are extremely grateful to the WCHA for letting Bruce assume the responsibilities he has the past two seasons.”

Peters, a native of Fort Frances, Ont., who retired from Bemidji State this past March, had been the Bemidji State head hockey coach since 1966 and earlier this year became the first coach on the collegiate level to win his 700th game with a single school. He came to Bemidji State after spending two years as the head coach at North Dakota.

“It is with great enthusiasm that I look forward to extending my commitment to the growth and development of collegiate hockey,” said Peters. “This is the fourth conference that I have been involved in as a founding member and I will look to draw upon those past experiences, which will prove invaluable in the future as the CHA evolves.”

During his tenure at Bemidji State, he guided the Beavers to 13 national championships. He has won 744 games as a head coach on the university level, and is the only coach to lead a team to a national championship final four in four divisions of college hockey. He currently ranks second on the all-time win list among college hockey coaches.

“Being named the CHA commissioner is a very exciting new aspect of my college hockey career,” said Peters. “We have an enthusiastic membership group with a tremendous vision and a very strong understanding of Division I hockey.”

While Peters has retired as the head hockey coach, he remains on staff at Bemidji State University under a program that will allow him to ease into full retirement over a period of years. He will also be associated with Bemidji State hockey in an administrative capacity acting as the school’s director for hockey operations.

The athletic directors also approved the recommendation by the coaches to name the regular-season championship trophy in honor of Peters as the R.H. “Bob” Peters Cup.

Q&A: Anchorage Coach Promises His Team Won’t Be Conservative

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John Hill more or less said things will be different at Alaska-Anchorage.

Hill

Hill

The former Minnesota assistant coach got right to work on Tuesday, the day he agreed to a three-year deal to coach the Seawolves. He said he starting thinking immediately of what needed to be done before the 2001-2002 season begins.

He had time Tuesday for a question-and-answer session with U.S. College Hockey Online, from his hotel room in Marco Island, Fla., where the WCHA is holding its offseason meetings.

He knows that under former coach Dean Talafous, Anchorage was known for playing a conservative style.

“We’re not going to be conservative,” Hill said.

The text of the interview follows:

Q: Can you express your feelings right now?

A: I don’t know if it’s really sunk in yet. I accepted the job this afternoon, and right away I started thinking about all the things I’ve got to do. I feel like there’s a lot of work that needs to be done right now. I need to, well, heck I’ve got to get up there and sit down and meet with the kids individually and get them squared away for the summer. For me, the most pressing issue right now is recruiting, and I’ve got to be on the phone an awful lot in the next few days and couple weeks to try to get that shored up.

I’m happy to have the opportunity to go back to the University of Alaska-Anchorage. I played there from ’80 to ’84 and I’m very passionate about it. I’ve been in the league now as an assistant at UAA and Colorado College and Minnesota, and I had hoped that the opportunity would come about for me one day. Now that it has, I’m happy and I’m proud to be going back.

Q: What’s it going to be like for you in the next couple of weeks, dealing with recruits?

A: Right now they’ve got two kids committed: Lee Green, a defenseman from Alaska who plays for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL; and Ryan Young, a right winger who plays for the Lincoln Stars, and Ryan’s from Anchorage. I know both Lee and Ryan, I watched them play when they were young kids, and I know them both personally. I guess I’m fortunate in that regard that I know those two young fellows already. What I’m going to have to do is try to plug some holes, and obviously it’s a late date to get started trying to do that.

The most important thing, I think, is to get up there and talk to the kids that are coming back and find out what they think their strengths are. I know what Lee and Ryan can do, I know what they bring to the table. I’m trying to get a feel for the kids that are returning and the two that are coming in … and try to base the remaining recruits on what we have and what I feel we need.

Q: Speaking of recruiting, will being in Minnesota for a couple of years be an advantage to you in getting some of those players, who would have gone to Minnesota or St. Cloud State, to come to Anchorage?

A: To be honest with you, I don’t think any of the kids from Minnesota right now would look at Alaska-Anchorage over the schools in the area. There’s some kids I’d like to touch base with. I think those kids are always going to want to go to the schools that are closer to home and the schools that they’ve got more recognition with.

I’m going to talk to some kids that played in the USHL, from other states, and I’m going to talk to some kids from western Canada.

Q: Do you also hope to keep the kids from Anchorage at UAA as opposed to going somewhere else or to major juniors?

A: I think for the program to be successful up there, it’s very important that the top Alaskan kids stay home. If you can do that, you’re going to have a chance to be real competitive and maybe make some noise once in a while. I think if we fail to do that, it’s going to be a struggle.

"I want to play up-tempo hockey, I want to give the kids the green light when they’ve got the puck."

— Alaska-Anchorage coach John Hill

The top priority for me is going back home and establishing a relationship with the coaches, and I know all of them, and then the kids up there — getting a feel for the talent we have up there, and then establish a relationship with them and their families.

Q: Do you see yourself bringing in a new style, one different than the one former coach Dean Talafous employed?

A: I know the kind of hockey I like to play, and I know the kind of hockey I like to watch on TV. And I know the kind of hockey I like to coach. The last six years, at Colorado College and Minnesota, we played an up-tempo, puck-possession game based on speed and guys with stick skills. That’s what I hope our hockey team will resemble when we start play next October, and I know it’s the kind of kids we’re going to try to recruit.

I want to play up-tempo hockey, I want to give the kids the green light when they’ve got the puck. Obviously, that doesn’t mean running around and getting caught out of position when you don’t have it, but I want to put pressure on the puck to try to create turnovers. I hope we can recruit kids with speed and skill and play an exciting brand of hockey up there because I think that’s what people want to see.

Q: Do you hope that will free up some of the current players to take more chances, where in recent years they’ve been thinking more defensively?

A: I hope it will. I told the kids when I was up for my interview that I’m a real believer in playing puck-possession hockey. I believe in giving kids the green light. You’re going to make mistakes, and sometimes it’s going to result in turnovers, but I want them to play with confidence when the puck’s on their stick. I told them that every time they step on the ice, they’re trying to score goals, and that’s how you win hockey games.

I’m going to give them the freedom and I’m going to encourage them to go with the puck when we’ve got it, and we’ll see what happens from there. I’m familiar with some of the kids because I watched them in the USHL. I know they’ve had a conservative style, but we’re not going to be conservative.

Q: You mentioned your interview. Part of that was an open house with the public. What was that like for you?

A: I was fortunate because I grew up in Anchorage, played and coached there. So I knew the majority of the people who attended both of those sessions, so I was very comfortable. I will say this: If I was going into a situation where I didn’t know anyone, it may have been a little unnerving. For me, I was comfortable with everybody in the situation so it didn’t bother me one bit.

I actually looked forward to it because I wanted to express to people the type of hockey I wanted to play and the type of person that I am and the coach that I hope to be.

Q: You’ve been in the WCHA more than 10 years total, starting as a player. How’s that going to help you, knowing the personalities and the teams you’re going to be going up against?

A: I certainly know the personnel on the opposing teams, and I know the style that all the coaches like to play. So I think those things can only help you because you’ve got a certain level of confidence in those areas. But you still have to get on the ice and get your team prepared and hope that they execute.

Like I said, there’s a level of comfort, but at the same time I have a great deal of respect for our league and the coaches in our league. So there’s quite a challenge preparing to beat them.

Walsh Returns to NIH Next Week

USCHO Staff Report
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Maine coach Shawn Walsh will return on Monday to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md., where he will undergo outpatient tests for one week in preparation for a stem cell transplant. He will then receive week-long chemotherapy treatments designed to suppress his immune system so that his body will accept the stem cells.

Walsh was diagnosed with kidney cancer last summer after which his left kidney was removed. He then went through two rounds of immunotheraphy treatments in August and October. However, tumors had spread to his left lung and under his breastplate, prompting the removal of that lung and “debulking” of the remaining tumors at NIH on Mar. 29.

In the upcoming transplant, Walsh will receive stem cells — immature cells that will develop into blood cells — from his brother Kevin. If the transplant is successful, the new cells will grow, multiply and attack the cancer cells.

The actual transplant is expect to occur in mid-May, after which Walsh will remain in the hospital for the rest of the month during which his doctors will monitor his body’s acceptance of the stem cells. He will stay in Maryland with his brother through mid-July for continued tests.

(Check back for a detailed interview with Walsh in the next few days.)

Army Player Killed After Being Struck by Train

USCHO Staff Report
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Army freshman John Heinmiller died early Sunday morning after being struck by a train in Garrison, N.Y. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Heinmiller was standing on the tracks when a northbound Amtrak Express train hit the 19-year old about 30 miles north of New York City.

There were no indications of foul play or suicide, said Tom Kelly, a spokesperson for the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority.

Heinmiller played in only one game last season for the Black Knights, after graduating a standout two-sport varsity athlete and honor student from Eden Prairie (Minn.) High School in 2000.

Services for Heinmiller will be held on Thursday at the Pax Christ Catholic
Church in Eden Prairie.

Komisarek, Umberger Head Final Central Scouting List

USCHO Staff Report
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Michigan’s Mike Komisarek and Ohio State’s R.J. Umberger are the top two rated skaters among U.S. college players eligible for this year’s NHL Entry Draft.

This year’s crop will have a hard time living up to last year’s, when a record seven collegiate or college-bound players were selected in the first round, including the top two — Wisconsin’s Dany Heatley, and the history-making No. 1 overall selection of BU goalie Rick DiPietro by the New York Islanders.

The 2001 NHL Entry Draft will take place June 23-24 at National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Fla.

The Central Scouting list features the top 180 skaters in North America, top 30 North American goaltenders, as well as the top 129 European players and top seven European goaltenders. The complete list is available on the Entry Draft section of NHL.com.

Other likely first-round selections are David Steckel of Ohio State — rated No. 16 by Central Scouting — Chuck Kobasew (20) of Boston College, and Minnesota State-Mankato forward Tim Jackman (21). Edward Caron (29) is the highest-ranked North American college-bound forward who isn’t already enrolled. The Phillips-Exeter center will attend New Hampshire in the fall.

Other prominent forwards are Michigan’s Mike Cammalleri (40) and Colorado College’s Colin Stuart (52).

The highest-ranked college or college-bound goalie is Jason Bacashihua, who committed to Michigan in the fall. Bacashihua will only be 18, howver, by the Sept. 1, 2001 cutoff date, and would have to opt-in to the draft in order to be selected. Doing so, would disqualify him from any NCAA eligibility, so he is unlikely to do so.

Boston University’s Sean Fields was ranked No. 19 among North American goalies, followed by Findlay’s Kevin Fines (23).

UAA Turns to Hill for Change

USCHO Staff Report
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Alaska-Anchorage needed a new direction. To get there, the school has turned to an old name.

John Hill, a former Seawolves captain and assistant coach, was hired Tuesday as the school’s third hockey coach, replacing Dean Talafous, who was reassigned at the end of the 2000-2001 season.

Hill

Hill

“I am excited and feel very privileged to accept the position of head hockey coach at UAA,” said Hill, who spent the last six seasons as Don Lucia’s right-hand man, first at Colorado College and then at Minnesota.

“This has always been a goal of mine, and I look forward to the challenge of restoring the pride in the Seawolf hockey program.”

The Seawolves finished ninth in the 10-team WCHA last season and posted a 7-24-5 overall record. From Nov. 18 to Feb. 16, they went 0-19-1.

Talafous was reassigned in the Anchorage athletic department on March 23. UAA athletics director Steve Cobb headed a three-person committee charged with hiring a replacement.

The Anchorage Daily News reported the school got at least nine applications, from which the committee named two finalists — Hill and Northern Michigan assistant Dave Shyiak.

“It became apparent during the search process that John has prepared himself for this opportunity through his varied experiences and hard work,” Cobb said, “and we believe he is more than capable of assuming the leadership role of Seawolf hockey.”

Hill is the first former Seawolves player to coach the team. Brush Christiansen coached UAA from the program’s inception in 1979 until 1996, when Talafous took over.

An Anchorage native, Hill played for UAA from 1980 to 1985. He was named the team’s most inspirational player in 1982 and 1984 and was the captain on the 1983-84 team.

He is ranked No. 10 on the school’s goalscoring list, with 60.

Hill was an assistant coach for Christiansen from 1991 to 1995, following a stint as the head coach of the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League.

He left Anchorage for Lucia’s staff at Colorado College, and spent four years with Lucia in Colorado Springs, Colo. When Lucia took the top job at Minnesota, Hill followed him.

He’s at the helm for the first time in 10 years, but he said his experience will pay off.

“The WCHA is an outstanding conference, and I look forward to going head to head with the coaches that I have established relationships with over the years,” Hill said.

Panzer Sings the Blues

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The road to the 2001 Frozen Four for Jeff Panzer went through Worcester, Mass.

Now the former North Dakota star’s road to the NHL goes through the same place.

Panzer, the WCHA player of the year and Hobey Baker Award runner-up, signed a two-year contract on Monday with the St. Louis Blues, who assigned him to the Worcester IceCats of the American Hockey League.

Panzer, who said he hasn’t skated with a team since the Sioux lost the national championship game to Boston College on April 7, could be on the ice for Game 3 of Worcester’s second-round AHL playoff series against Providence on Tuesday.

There, he could be playing against former teammate Lee Goren, who skates for Providence.

“[St. Louis] is a great organization, dedicated to winning,” Panzer told Virg Foss of the Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald. “It’s the kind of place I’d like to go.”

The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Grand Forks native scored 228 points in four collegiate seasons.

But his senior season was the one he’ll be remembered for. He led the nation with 81 points on 26 goals and 55 assists. He centered one of the best lines in the country, alongside Ryan Bayda and Bryan Lundbohm.

At the NCAA East Regional in Worcester, he assisted on all four goals — two by Bayda and two by Lundbohm — in a 4-1 victory over Colorado College that sent the Sioux to the Frozen Four.

He finished tied for second with BC’s Brian Gionta in the Hobey Baker voting, behind winner Ryan Miller of Michigan State.

In Worcester, he’ll be coached by Don Granato, a former Wisconsin player and a coach in the United States Hockey League when Panzer was a junior player.

He won’t be the only former WCHA player on the IceCats’ roster. Forwards Mike Peluso (Minnesota-Duluth), Darren Clark (CC) and Mark Rycroft (Denver), and defenseman Dan Trebil (Minnesota) all play for Worcester, which is down 2-0 in the series with Providence.

This Season In Division III: 2000-2001

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It’s time to close the books on another season of Division III hockey, and what a season it’s been. There are too many highlights to name them all, but here are some of the ones that reminded me why I love this sport.

Highlights (and one lowlight)

Plattsburgh weathered mid-season adversity to win the 2001 crown.

Plattsburgh weathered mid-season adversity to win the 2001 crown.

1. Plattsburgh State’s head coach Bob Emery said after winning the national championship, “I’m gonna live this one. If you don’t believe me, come up to Plattsburgh in the off season.”

And live it he should. It was a storybook season for the Cardinals, or maybe a soap opera script would be more like it.

The season opened with a hazing scandal that resulted in the suspension of several players. Senior forward Eric Weidenbach never got out of the doghouse and was removed from the team at mideason.

The Cards, depleted by injuries, went just 3-3 between December 5 and January 13, including an embarrassing 8-2 loss to RIT in the championship game of their own tournament.

But Plattsburgh turned things around with a 3-0 win over Middlebury on January 16, which kicked off an 18-1 drive to the national title. In the NCAA tournament, the fourth-ranked Cardinals defeated the number three team (Middlebury), the number two team (Wisconsin-Superior) and the previously undefeated and number one team (RIT).

2. RIT was a game away from accomplishing what no other Division III has ever done – cap off an undefeated regular season with a national title. The Tigers ran out of gas in the national championship game, but what a season it was. RIT, picked sixth in the USCHO.com pre-season poll, wound up 27-1-1.

In two seasons at RIT, Wayne Wilson is 49-8-2. He recently won the ACHA’s Edward Jeremiah Award for Division III coach of the year.

3. New England College had a storybook season as well. The Pilgrims started out 0-2 and outscored 20-1 in their season-opening trip to Norwich and Middlebury. They returned to Norwich for the ECAC East finals and defeated second seeded Salem State and the top-seeded and defending national champion Cadets to take the league title and advance to the NCAA tournament.

4. Another Cinderella season occurred at Bethel, where the Royals qualified for the post-season for the first time in 15 years, and came within a goal of making the nationals.

Bethel beat out Augsburg on the last day of the regular season to advance to the MIAC semifinals, where it split with top-seeded St. Thomas, and then won the minigame to advance. The win over St. Thomas snapped a 33-game losing streak dating back to 1987.

In the MIAC finals, the Royals tied St. John’s twice before finally bowing out in the minigame, 1-0. Amazing.

5. Two other programs made waves in just their third year of varsity play. Lebanon Valley won the ECAC Northeast championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament, and Manhattanville made it to the ECAC West title game, upsetting Elmira in the conference semifinals. It really wasn’t much of an upset, however, since the Valiants split with the Soaring Eagles during the regular season.

Watch out for both these teams next season!

6. I’ve documented some of the biggest surprises this season, and here’s one of the biggest disappointments — Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The Pointers nearly edged out Plattsburgh for the top spot in the USCHO.com pre-season poll, finishing second by a single point.

But Point could never pull it together, finishing 17-12 and never stringing together more than three wins in a row after November. UWSP failed to sweep any weekend regular season NCHA series (I don’t think that’s ever happened before) and finished in fifth place.

Mr. All-Everything

Norwich’s Keith Aucoin is going to need a U-haul to cart away all the awards he’s won during his four years as a Cadet. The senior from Chelmsford, Mass., is the all-time leading scorer in Norwich history with 240 points. He’s USCHO.com’s Division III Player of the Year, recapturing the award he also claimed as a sophomore. His junior season, Aucoin helped lead the Cadets to their first NCAA title.

Aucoin was also named Division III Player of the Year by the American Hockey Coaches Association, was ECAC East Player of the Year, and won the inaugural Joe Concannon Memorial Award, to be given annually to the best American-born Division II-III college hockey player in New England.

Quite a haul.

All-Lerch ™ Team

Here they are — one man’s opinion of the best D-III had to offer this season. It was quite a task this year, as I had a great deal of trouble getting my list down to a final six. But here they are:

Forwards:

Keith Aucoin, Senior, Norwich University — The consensus best player in the nation, he tallied 56 points this season.

Derek Hahn, Junior, RIT — On a team filled with stars, he was the most valuable player. Hahn had 61 points this season and helped quarterback the most lethal power play in college hockey.

Ivan Prokic, Senior, Wisconsin-Superior — I only saw him play during the Division III Frozen Four, but he was one of the best forwards I saw all season. He scored eight game-winning goals to lead the nation, and had 38 points overall.

Defensemen:

Adam Kragthorpe, Sophomore, Wisconsin-River Falls — The first defenseman ever named NCHA Player of the Year (sharing the award this season with St. Norbert’s Adam Sedgwick), he had 28 points.

Jerry Galway, Junior, RIT — The runner up to Aucoin in this year’s USCHO.com Player of the Year balloting, he scored 58 points and was an amazing +32 on the season. He helped run an RIT power play that scored over 40% of the time.

Goaltender:

Niklas Sundberg, Junior, Plattsburgh — The Cardinals rode Sundberg to the national championship, as he shut down the top three teams in the nation, outdueling some outstanding netminders in the process. He finished with a .926 save percentage and a 2.27 GAA.

Underrated

Here are some guys who were high on my list, but failed to claim the national recognition they deserved:

Mike Bournazakis, Sophomore, RIT — Playing in the shadow of big brother Peter, who was a first-team All American and ECAC West Player of the Year, all Mike did was lead the nation in scoring this season with 71 points.

Jason Boudrow, Junior, Tufts — He led the nation in scoring virtually the entire season, finishing with 68 points. Boudrow lost out on the scoring title when his team was upset in the ECAC Northeast playoffs, denying him the opportunity to play a few more games.

Ryan McIntosh, Senior, Augsburg — He saw more shots (779) than any other leading goaltender. His .910 save percentage was as good or better than the two western goalies named All-American.

Next season?

As I write this, the Division III college hockey season is a mere 189 days away. Who are the leading contenders to win it all in 2002?

As Plattsburgh Coach Bob Emery told me in his press conference after wining this year’s crown, “I guess we’ll be the front runners next season.”

Who can argue with that?

But watch out for Wisconsin-River Falls, who had 18 underclassmen this season and made it to the national semifinals. RIT returns most of the key components that led it to the best record in college hockey. Middlebury, Wisconsin-Superior, St. Norbert and a half dozen other traditional powerhouse programs will be in the running, plus a dark horse or two.

Can we drop the puck yet?

Thanks

I’ll keep this short and sweet this season, as opposed to the misty farewell I wrote last year. Thanks to:

  • The coaches and players for a fantastic season
  • The staff at USCHO.com
  • My family for their support
  • And, most importantly, the Division III readers and fans for your enthusiasm for the greatest game on the planet.

Have a great summer!

Conklin Signs 3-Year Deal in Edmonton

USCHO Staff Report
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Former New Hampshire goalie Ty Conklin has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. The 6-foot, 180-pound Conklin was a Hobey Baker Award finalist this past season as a senior.

Conklin, 25, was a First Team All-American in 2000-2001 as he led all Hockey East goaltenders with a 1.83 goals against average and .930 save percentage in 22 conference games. It was the second straight season that Conklin had earned All-American honors.

Overall, Conklin appeared in 34 games for the Wildcats this season, compiling a 17-12-5 record with a 2.05 GAA and .920 save percentage. In three seasons (1998-99 to 2000-01) as New Hampshire’s No. 1 goalie, the Anchorage, Alaska native appeared in 93 games and compiled a career record of 57-23-12 with a 2.17 GAA and .915 save percentage to establish school records for GAA, wins, save percentage and games played. His 1.64 GAA in 1999-00 stands as the best single-season mark in conference history.

Conklin was also co-winner of the 2000-01 Walter Brown Award, which is given annually by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston to New England’s outstanding American-born college hockey player. The Brown Award is one of several that Conklin was awarded during his career at New Hampshire. In 1999-00 he was named the co-winner of the Hockey East Player of the Year Award.

Merrimack Rink Renovations on Track for 2003

USCHO Staff Report
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Merrimack will open its renovated rink in October, 2003, according to athletic director Bob DeGregorio. DeGregorio made the announcement at the Hockey East school’s annual awards banquet.

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The 2001-02 season will be Merrimack’s final one in the 29-year old Volpe Center as it currently exists. Construction inside the rink on campus will begin in June, 2002, and run through the entire 2002-03 season, DeGregorio said. During construction, the Warriors will play a majority of their games on the road, with 10-12 “home” games to be played at off campus local sites to be determined.

The renovation will include tearing out the bleachers and pouring a solid concrete foundation in an oval shape surrounding the ice surface. Three thousand individually-backed seats will then be installed on top of the foundation. The current configuration has bleachers on both sides of the ice with no seating behind either net, and a walkway between the bleachers and ice surface.

A new lobby will also be built, enabling fans to enter the facility directly from the parking lot and walk down through the arena to their seats.

The major part of the work will follow the completion of a new two story addition, currently under construction and slated to open in August, 2001, according to DeGregorio. The first floor of the addition provides the team with a new locker room, lounge and training room, and the team will enter the ice in the fall of 2001 from the new addition underneath the stands.

The second floor of the addition will include a team club room and four new luxury boxes, all of which will be available for use in 2001-02. Several more luxury boxes will be added during the major renovation for a total of 6-8 boxes.

Many have considered Merrimack’s Volpe Center to rank at the bottom of Hockey East facilities since the school joined the league in 1989. The renovation is intended to bring the arena closer in line to those other facilities.

The school originally announced the renovation plans in August, 1999, with a completion date of December, 2001, but was forced to reschedule several
phases of construction due to the harsh New England winter this past year and plans for other projects also under way on campus.

Niagara Tabs Burkholder as Second Head Coach

USCHO Staff Report
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Former assistant coach David Burkholder has been named the new head coach at Niagara. Burkholder, who signed a four-year contract, replaces Blaise MacDonald, who accepted the head coaching position at UMass-Lowell last Friday.

“I am honored to have been selected as the next head coach and continue along our path of success,” said Burkholder. “Our culture and standards have been established through Blaise MacDonald’s tenure and will continue to be the foundation of who we are in our program. My family and I are so excited with this opportunity to be part of the Niagara University community for many years to come.”

Dave Burkholder speaks at Thursday's news conference to announce his hiring as Niagara's new coach. (photo by Janet Schultz)

Dave Burkholder speaks at Thursday’s news conference to announce his hiring as Niagara’s new coach. (photo by Janet Schultz)

Burkholder served as the assistant to MacDonald for the last five seasons. He was named associate coach last summer.

Though Burkholder and MacDonald are both graduates of Division III RIT, MacDonald had a lot of connections through his time as a Division I assistant with Dartmouth, Princeton and Boston University. That enabled him to quickly establish quality non-conference games, that helped him grow the program.

But Niagara athletic director Mike Hermann said he wasn’t concerned with Burkholder’s inexperience at the “major” Division I level.

“Dave was a part of that [growth],” Hermann said. “Our best chance not to take a step back was to bring Dave on board as head coach. … David has been with our program since its inception and has played a major role in developing the culture of the team.”

Hermann said he spoke with other candidates, though did not mention which ones.

“We talked to some other people. We talked about candidates with some other people in the last 10 days,” said Hermann. “We talked to them about Dave. None of the others have the elements we’re looking for. We do not miss a step, we can move forward very quickly.”

Burkholder joined the Purple Eagles in June of 1996 after spending three seasons with the former Niagara Falls Thunder (now Erie Otters) of the Ontario Hockey League. While with the Thunder, Burkholder was the team’s assistant general manager and assistant coach.

“Dave will provide a seamless transition into this new era of Niagara hockey because he is already one of us,” said Rev. Joseph Levesque, president of Niagara.

“He knows the program, having played a key role in its development. … He knows the players because he has recruited many of them. And he shares in our desire to maintain a quality program that will continue to compete at the highest levels of collegiate hockey.”

The native of Welland, Ontario, began his coaching career with the St. Catharines Falcons of the Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey League (GHJHL).

As a player, Burkholder was an All-American goaltender at RIT in the early ’80s. He was a teammate of MacDonald on the 1983 Division III National Championship team and earned Most Valuable Player honors at the 1983 Final Four. He was a three-time ECAC First Team All-Star and garnered his All-American status in 1984.

“It became clear during the search process that Dave has been preparing for this opportunity, not just over the last five years, but throughout his hockey life,” said Hermann. “Blaise MacDonald did a lot of terrific things as our head hockey coach, but one of the best may have been selecting Dave to be on his coaching staff five years ago.”

MacDonald Addresses Lowell Media, Fans

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New UMass-Lowell coach Blaise MacDonald outlined his vision for the River Hawks in front of a collection of media and fans inside the Tsongas Arena. The native of neighboring Billerica, Mass., apologized for being short of sleep due to the birth of his third child before proceeding to be sharp as a tack. He pushed all the right buttons in praising both the local political leaders in attendance and former coach Tim Whitehead while also exhorting the fans to help him fill the empty seats.

MacDonald

MacDonald

“This is a dream situation for me,” he said. “I have a real unconditional passion for Lowell hockey. I used to go up to Skate 3 in Tyngsboro and was fortunate enough to see Lowell win some [Division II] national championships. That sense of pride — of unconditional love for the school — started at that point in time.”

MacDonald also announced that Ken Rausch, an assistant coach at Niagara for the past three years, will join him on the River Hawk bench. Rounding out the UML coaching staff will be John Hynes, who has been an assistant at Lowell for the past year. Pertti Hasanen will not return.

MacDonald, Rausch and Hynes were all members of Boston University’s 1995 national championship team. MacDonald served as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, while Rausch and Hynes were both players.

With the Lowell recruits for the upcoming season already in place, the 2002-2003 freshman class will be the first upon which MacDonald, a highly-regarded recruiter, will make his mark.

Mindful that many in the audience still support Whitehead, MacDonald was careful to praise the former coach.

“Tim Whitehead put his heart and soul into the program for 10 years,” said MacDonald. “Tim Whitehead brought us into the Tsongas Arena and did a terrific job. It’s hard for me because I’m coming in and taking his place and there are some people who feel very strongly, and rightfully so, about Tim’s ability and certainly Tim’s character. I’ve always thought that he’s one of the class guys and will always be one of the class guys in the business.

“But sometimes organizations need to make progress. … Sometimes you need to embrace change. The success we [will] have can be directly attributed to Tim Whitehead’s team as well.”

MacDonald addressed head-on what has been the school’s biggest challenge since moving into the spacious confines of the Tsongas Arena.

“The one thing that is missing that I’m desperate to try to capture is the fan support,” he said. “You look at Shawn Walsh when he took over the Maine program years ago. Maine struggled for a few years, but they always had packed houses there. They always had passionate fans. … If we can do that, the sky’s the limit.

“I feel very good about us challenging to get into the NCAA tournament this year. [But] my challenge is not so much hockey. It’s to really reach out and connect with the community. … I’ll do whatever it takes to get people to support this team. This team is worthy of it and they deserve it. When we come out here, I don’t want to see a lot of blue seats.

“I told the team that I’ll be standing on Route 3 where a lot of the construction is going on with signs at 3 o’clock. I won’t be at the pre-game meal on Friday, because I’ll be out [with a sign]: GAME TONIGHT. Whatever it takes, I’ll do.”

The diminutive coach then quipped, “SUVs will be going right over my head.”

He rejected the notion that at a commuter school, the students would be tough to get to the games.

“If their car can drive them to the campus, their car can drive them to the Tsongas Arena,” he said. “That can work to our advantage. We’ve got mobile fans.”

Beyond the challenge of marketing the River Hawks, MacDonald stressed the need for the same culture that he considered a key in Niagara’s success.

“One of my major goals is to bring a very detailed, structured and high-performance culture here,” he said. “Duke basketball has a pretty strong culture there. North Carolina basketball when Dean Smith was there did cultural things to develop a tight bond that is unique.

“It’s as silly as: I don’t let guys wear hats indoors. I don’t let guys have their shirts untucked. When we go on the road and eat, we bus our own tables. It’s things like that that create this culture.

“My biggest mission is to instill this culture. I feel very strongly about that. It’s a culture I’ve played in and coached in.

“Culture drives behavior. Behavior drives how things get done. And how things get done drives performance.”

If the seniors in attendance were representative, MacDonald sold the River Hawks in his Wednesday evening team meeting.

“Coach MacDonald just blew me away,” said Dan Fontas. “I love it. He’s got so much enthusiasm.

“We had a pretty good year last year and we want to take it to the next level next year. He’s the right guy that’s going to do it for us.”

Aucoin Named USCHO D-III POTY

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U.S. College Hockey Online has selected Norwich forward Keith Aucoin as Division III Player of the Year.

The senior from Chelmsford, Mass., had 26 goals and 30 assists to lead his team in scoring. He is the all-time leading scorer in Norwich history with 240 points, and was an integral part of Norwich’s 1999-2000 Division III national championship.

“Keith Aucoin has been one of the most dominant players in Division III for the past four years,” said Norwich head coach Mike McShane. “What is most special about Keith is how his personality and work ethic has carried over to the other members of the team.”

This has been a year of accolades for Aucoin. His honors include:

  • American Hockey Coaches Association Division III Player of the Year
  • The Joe Concannon Award for the best American-born Division II-III player in New England
  • First-team All-American
  • ECAC East Player of the Year

    • This is the third season that USCHO.com has honored a Division III player, and Aucoin has won the award twice. He captured Player of the Year honors after his sophomore season in 1999, and was runner-up last year to St. Thomas’ Steve Aronson.

    “I would like to thank everyone who voted for me to receive such a prestigious award,” Aucoin said. “It is really exciting to win this award for the second time and I will accept this award on behalf of my team because hockey is a team sport and without them this award would not be possible.

    “I had the opportunity to play with so many great players here at Norwich. I would like to thank Coach McShane and his staff and also thanks to my parents for all their support.”

    Ballots from a committee of USCHO.com staff, plus input from a fan poll similar to USCHO.com’s highly successful “Vote for Hobey,” were used to select the winner.

    This year’s runner up was junior defenseman Jerry Galway from RIT. Other finalists included, in alphabetical order, Jason Boudrow (Tufts), Peter Bournazakis (RIT), Brendon Hodge (Plattsburgh), Ivan Prokic (Wisconsin-Superior), Jeff Rowe (Stonehill) and Niklas Sundberg (Plattsburgh).

    UAA Narrows Coaching Field to Two

    USCHO Staff Report
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    Minnesota assistant John Hill and Northern Michigan assistant Dave Shyiak are the two finalists for the vacant head coaching position at Alaska-Anchorage, according to athletic director Dr. Steve Cobb. The vacancy was created when Dean Talafous was fired last month, after five years at the helm.

    Cobb, chair of the three-person search committee, received at least nine applications, according to the Anchorage Daily News. The committee met to narrow down the choices to a final two; each will be interviewed on campus during the next week.

    Hill is a former Seawolf team captain, and was an assistant coach under UAA’s first head coach, Brush Christiansen, from 1991-95. Hill went on to become an assistant at Colorado College from 1995-99, before following head coach Don Lucia to Minnesota. Hill’s only head coaching experience came with Dubuque of the USHL from 1989-91.

    Shyiak has been an assistant at Northern Michigan under Rick Comley for seven seasons. He has head coaching experience in the British Columbia Junior A Hockey League and the Rocky Mountain Junior A Hockey League. Shyiak was co-captain of Northern Michigan’s 1991 National Championship team.

    Hill is scheduled to interview in Anchorage next Monday and Tuesday. A reception for Hill will be held on Monday evening and will be open to the public. Shyiak will be on campus Wednesday and Thursday, April 18-19. The public is invited to meet Shyiak at a reception on Thursday evening.

    Christiansen, who coached for 17 years, and Talafous are the only two head coaches the UAA program has ever known.

    Other applicants for the opening, according to the Anchorage Daily News, included St. Cloud State assistant Doc DelCastillo; former Seawolf captain and successful area high school coach Dennis Sorenson; former UAA assistant Mark Ostapina, the head coach at Division III New England College; and Wisconsin assistant Pat Ford.

    Gotkin Gets Contract Extension

    USCHO Staff Report
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    Mercyhurst coach, Rick Gotkin, already the longest serving full-time head coach in the school’s history, was granted a three-year contract extension today, taking him through the 2003-04 season.

    “We wanted to reward Rick for what he’s done with the men’s program over the years and, particularly, for his team’s accomplishments in the 2000-01 season,” said athletic director Pete Russo. “Perhaps more importantly, we wanted to maintain the continuity of the program and to serve notice to potential players that our head coach will be staying at Mercyhurst.”

    Gotkin came to Mercyhurst when it was a Division III program, leaving RPI, where he was an assistant. Over the next 13 years, Gotkin compiled 232 wins, incuding the MAAC tournament championship this past season, which gave the Lakers the MAAC’s first-ever automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Once there, Mercyhurst pulled off a near-miracle upset, losing to eventual-Frozen Four participant Michigan, 4-3.

    “I’m very excited to have been given this vote of confidence by the administration,” said Gotkin, who was a finalist for the 2001 Penrose Award as Coach of the Year. “The program’s reputation has grown by leaps and bounds since joining the Division I MAAC Hockey League. My staff and I want to build on what the team accomplished this season.”

    Mercyhurst made the switch to a Division II non-scholarship program in 1993, though still competed in the Division III ECAC West, which it won in 1995.

    The Lakers made the switch to Division I in 1998-99 and eventually joined the fledgling Division I MAAC Hockey League in 1999. In just two seasons in the MAAC, Mercyhurst has gone a combined 38-12-3. In 1999-2000, the Lakers finished second in their inaugural season in the 10-team league, then lost to eventual playoff champ, Connecticut, at Connecticut in the conference semifinals.

    This year, Mercyhurst won the regular season title before defeating Quinnipiac in the MAAC tournament final, 6-5. Gotkin was named MAAC Coach of the Year.

    Gotkin’s Laker squads made a Division III NCAA appearance in 1991, and played in the Division II tournament in 1993 and 1995. He is the only coach ever to take the same program to the NCAA playoffs at all three levels.

    Blais Takes Penrose Award as Coach of the Year

    USCHO Staff Report
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    For the second time in his seven years at the helm of the North Dakota Fighting Sioux, Dean Blais has been named the Spencer Penrose Award recipient as the nation’s top collegiate hockey coach.

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    Blais

    With a final record of 29-8-9, Blais and the Sioux fell just short of a fifth consecutive 30-win season in 2000-2001, losing in the NCAA Championship game to Boston College, 3-2, in overtime.

    A .750 winning percentage in conference play (18-4-6) enabled the Sioux to capture the WCHA regular season title for the fourth time in five years.

    Blais’ accomplishments are that much more noteworth when considering the adversity he faced this season; his daughter Mary Beth was diagnosed with a form of leukemia in December.

    Blais’ coaching expertise — and confidence — was on display at last weekend’s Frozen Four in Albany, N.Y., as the Sioux defeated top-ranked Michigan State in the semifinal by a 2-0 score, giving them a chance to defend their 2000 title. Down 2-0 late in the third period against BC with a power play upcoming, Blais removed his goaltender, Karl Goehring, in favor of an extra attacker with over four minutes remaining. The Sioux scored to pull within one, and then scored again in the final minute to send the game into overtime.

    Blais first won the Penrose Award following the 1997 season, when he took a team that had finished just over .500 in the 1995-96 season to its sixth NCAA championship and first in 10 years. He was again a finalist the following year.

    A native of International Falls, Minn., Blais was a four-year letterman at Minnesota and received his Master’s Degree in Education at UND in 1982. Following a nine-year tenure as an assistant coach at North Dakota, Blais spent time coaching with the U.S. National Program before returning to the Sioux at the head coach in 1994.

    The runner-up in this year’s Spencer Penrose Award balloting was Paul Pooley, head coach at Providence. College hockey’s Coach of the Year recipients are chosen by members of the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). Winners will receive their awards at the annual AHCA Coach of the Year Banquet, held in conjunction with the AHCA Convention in Naples, Fla., later this month.

    This year’s banquet, which celebrates 50 years since the inaugural Coach of the Year Award in 1951, is scheduled for Saturday, April 28.

    (Complete list of past winners)

    Mistake Forces Michigan to Cancel 2 Games

    USCHO Staff Report
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    Michigan has been forced to cancel two games for next season because of a mistake made in scheduling during the 2000-2001 campaign.

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    As a result, cancelled were two non-conference games against Merrimack, scheduled for October at Yost Arena.

    A misinterpretation of NCAA rules regarding exempted games led to the scheduling error, resulting in Michigan playing one more game than was allowed. Teams can play 34 games, but are exempted for certain tournaments and games played in Alaska against Alaskan schools.

    Michigan hosted last season’s exempted Icebreaker Cup and also played in another exempted tournament in Anchorage, Alaska, the Johnson Nissan Classic. Both tournaments are considered once-in-four-years exemptions by the NCAA, but the rules state that a team can only take an exemption for one such tournament per season. Michigan was able to exempt its game against Alaska-Anchorage under the rule regarding playing Alaskan teams in Alaska, but when Michigan played Merrimack in the tournament, it counted against the team’s limit.

    When the mistake was discovered last season, the NCAA thought about cancelling one of Michigan’s remaining 2000-2001 games, but that would have impacted a league game and caused havoc to the CCHA standings.

    Instead, Michigan was forced to eliminate a game in 2001-2002, plus an additional game as a penalty. The two Merrimack games for October, 2001 were deemed expendable.

    “When this finally surfaced, we talked to the NCAA and asked them for a waiver to play one extra game this year,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said to the Ann Arbor News. “There wasn’t any intent to play an extra game. We thought it was fine.”

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