ECAC Hockey teams were involved in ten games this weekend, and four went to overtime. On Friday, Connecticut and Colgate tied 4-4, while Maine beat last year’s national runner-up Quinnipiac 4-3.
The Bobcats came back Saturday with a 3-2 overtime win against the Black Bears, while Union relinquished a two-goal third period lead and settled for a 4-4 tie at Sacred Heart.
While it’s unlikely that 40 percent of the league’s conference games will head to overtime, this weekend was a good test for several ECAC Hockey teams. With so many key departures in the league, the competition should be especially tight when league play picks up in January and February.
Road Warriors
Just over one minute separates Union from a 3-1 start on the road. Leading 4-2 in the final period at Sacred Heart Saturday, the Dutchmen allowed two quick goals to the Pioneers en route to a 4-4 tie.
Still, a 2-1-1 start away from home is solid for a team that that was 6-7-2 on the road last season. Union has its first home games this of the year this weekend, hosting RIT and Niagara at Messa Rink before starting league play with a home-and-home series with travel partner Rensselaer.
North Country teams looking formidable
Merrimack and New Hampshire might not be Hockey East powerhouses this season, but that shouldn’t take away from impressive home weekends by Clarkson and St. Lawrence. The North Country teams went 3-1 at home this weekend, with Clarkson’s 5-3 loss to the Wildcats Saturday the only setback on the weekend.
It’s early, but St. Lawrence appears poised to keep on rolling with first-year coach Mark Morris. The Saints are 3-1, and have outscored their opponents by two goals per game. Junior Kyle Hayton is already the best goalie in the league, and while St. Lawrence likely won’t continue to average four-and-half goals per game, it should generate enough offense to win most nights.
Don’t discount Clarkson, either. The Golden Knights are 2-2, but freshman goalie Jake Kielly was a highly touted recruit who should improve on his .900 save percentage thus far. Senior goalie Steve Perry was injured for the first weekend of the season, according to a team press release, but should provide depth once he is back.
The Golden Knights have also been without defenseman Terrance Amorosa for the first two weekends of the season. His return will improve the defense and also provide some offense as well; the junior led all Clarkson defensemen in points per-game last season.
No. 1 Wisconsin at No. 7 Clarkson
The Badgers skated to a weekend sweep in Potsdam thanks in part to Emily Clark’s overtime winner Friday afternoon. Wisconsin trailed 2-1 heading into the third period, but Sam Cogan’s power-play goal forced the extra period and the Badgers won 3-2 in overtime. The Badgers seemed to find their stride on Saturday, winning 4-1 and securing coach Mark Johnson’s 400th career win. Johnson is only the third head coach in NCAA Division I women’s hockey reach that milestone and is the first WCHA coach to do so.
No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth at No. 3 Minnesota
Sarah Potomak’s third-period goal gave the Gophers a 4-3 victory on Friday night. The Gophers, who were just one-for-10 on the power play entering the weekend, scored two goals with the extra attacker. Minnesota-Duluth also scored twice on the power play and had a chance to tie the game with a man advantage with less than two minutes to play, but the Gophers held on. On Saturday, it was Potomak again that scored the go-ahead goal, this time in overtime to secure the sweep for Minnesota with a 3-2 win. The goal was her 100th career point. UMD’s Lara Stalder had both the Bulldogs’ goals.
Ohio State at (8) Bemidji State
Ohio State continued to defy expectations as the Buckeyes earned a split at Bemidji State. The Beavers outshot OSU 36-22 in Friday’s game, but two first-period goals by the Buckeyes proved too much for Bemidji to overcome as the Beavers lost, 3-1. On Saturday, the Beavers netted three power-play goals in the second period on the way to a 4-1 victory. Ohio State had killed 24-of-26 penalties prior to Saturday’s game.
How the rest of the top 10 fared
Fifth-ranked Boston College scored three third-period goals to take down New Hampshire 4-1 on Friday night. On Saturday, the Maine Black Bears upset them 3-2 with their own third-period flurry. Maine, who had played to one-goal losses against Quinnipiac and BC earlier in the season, got the game-winning goal with just 37 seconds left in the game. The Eagles’ loss snapped the team’s 52-game undefeated streak in Hockey East play that dated back to February 2014, and its 27-game winning streak in league play that dated back to October 2015.
The Quinnipiac Bobcats suffered their first loss of the season Friday night at the hands of Mercyhurst. It was the Lakers first win of the season. They relied on a stifling defense to keep the Bobcats in check, allowing them just one shot on goal in the first period. On Saturday, Quinnipiac needed an overtime goal from Taylar Cianfarano to salvage the weekend sweep.
North Dakota dominated Minnesota State on Friday night, 6-0. Charly Dahlquist and Emma Nuutinen each potted two goals on the way to the victory. On Saturday, MSU gave the Fighting Hawks a scare and it took an overtime goal from Nuutinen to preserve the win. Mavericks sophomore defenseman Megan Hinze had two goals in the losing effort.
Bruce Marshall coached Connecticut from 1988 to 2013 (photo: UConn Athletics).
Franklin Pierce coach Bruce Marshall, who led Connecticut from 1988 to 2013, died in his sleep early Saturday morning. He was 54.
The cause of death had not been determined Sunday, according to a release by the Franklin Pierce athletic department. An autopsy was planned.
Marshall played at UConn before taking over as the program’s third head coach. In 25 seasons, he transformed the program from the Division III level to Division I and laid the groundwork for the team’s move to Hockey East in 2014.
“I knew Bruce for 25 years and saw his passion for the game and coaching,” said Mike Cavanaugh, who replaced Marshall on a full-time basis in 2013. “He was a great mentor for many young men who came to Storrs and wore a UConn jersey. His passing is a loss for UConn and the entire hockey community. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marshall family.”
In 2015, Franklin Pierce hired Marshall as its head coach. He was 4-15-3 in his only season with the Ravens.
“Bruce was a great friend, mentor and colleague in his time at Pierce,” Ravens women’s hockey coach David Stockdale said. “I learned a great deal from him and enjoyed interacting with him every day. He was supportive of our entire department and was usually the first guy to call or text his congrats after a win, or his support after a rough day.”
Born July 23, 1962, in West Boylan, Mass., Marshall was a four-year letterwinner for the Huskies. He was a co-captain as a senior in 1984-85, when UConn went 14-10 and earned the school’s first ECAC playoff berth.
After being named the Huskies’ coach in 1988, he guided the program through a move to Division I and the MAAC in 1998.
The hockey world lost a great coach and better man yesterday. Bruce Marshall will always be remembered by the many lives he touched. #RIP
Denver rebounds
After losing twice on opening weekend, once to Ohio State, once to Boston College, and struggling to get scoring from their top two lines, the Denver Pioneers figured to have trouble heading into this weekend against No. 2 Boston University. The task got taller when it was announced star sophomore forward Dylan Gambrell had gotten hurt and would be unavailable for not only the BU series, but the next four-to-six weekends.
Instead, the Pioneers rallied impressively. Coach Jim Montgomery decided to go with Tanner Jaillet as his goaltender in both games, and Jaillet delivered, making 23 saves Friday in a 4-3 win and following it up with 24 saves Saturday in a 3-1 decision. Friday’s scoring came by committee. Evan Janssen notched two in the second period, including the game-winner, and sophomore forward Troy Terry got his first goal of the season early in the second to give Denver a 2-0 cushion. The Terriers came out firing in the third, getting two goals and closing to within one, but Jaillet stood strong for the last nine minutes to get the win.
Saturday, freshman and NHL first-rounder Henrik Borgström finally got some points, scoring the first goal of the game, as well as his first college goal, just 1:37 into the second on an off-angle shot, and then getting the game-winner with a nifty power-play goal at 10:23 of the third to break a 1-1 deadlock with a quick move from the left circle toward the net, lifting the shot top corner. Borgström also got an assist on classmate Tyson McLellan’s empty-net goal to seal the win. Denver travels to East Lansing next weekend to face Michigan State.
Western Michigan opening strong
Broncos coach Andy Murray would probably be happy to play the No. 20 team in the polls every week, especially if that team is from the WCHA. After sweeping then No. 20 Ferris State to open the season, the Broncos followed with a tie Friday on the road at No 20 Bowling Green and a thorough 8-2 win Saturday in the home end of a home-and-home with the Falcons.
Friday, the Broncos had to rally from two goals down three times. Bowling Green jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first, getting a goal from Mitchell McLain just 48 seconds into the game and then making it 2-0 with a short-handed goal at 3:34. However, Wade Allison got a power-play goal at 18:47. Bowling Green again made it a two-goal game with a power-play strike at 5:48 of the second, but Sheldon Dries answered with an extra-attacked power-play goal at 14:37, but just three minutes later, Bowling Green again scored to take a two-goal lead in the third. However, Colt Conrad scored at 10:18 and Allison got his second of the night on a power play just 36 seconds after to tie it. Trevor Gorsuch made 15 saves in relief of Ben Blacker, coming on after the third Bowling Green strike.
Saturday, Western struck first on a power play, and though Bowling Green tied it up at 15:45 on a five-on-three power play, that was as close as they got, as Matheson Iacopelli scored at 16:34 and Chris Dienes scored a power-play goal at 18:13 of the first, which turned out to be the game-winner. Iacopelli also scored at 58 seconds of the second, and scored a power-play goal on a five-on-three at 5:58 of the third to notch the hat trick. Gorsuch made 18 saves in the 8-2 win.
Western Michigan’s offense is currently ranked fourth in the country, scoring at a 4.75 goal-per-game clip, and its power play is also fourth, clicking at 30.77 percent.
St. Cloud struggles defensively
You knew St. Cloud might have some issue on the back end this year after losing senior defenseman Ethan Prow and starting goalie Charlie Lindgren, who departed early for the pros. However, opening weekend was not kind to the Huskies, who got swept by Minnesota State 4-1 and 6-4. The Mavericks jumped out to a 3-0 lead by midway through the second period Friday night, scoring early in both the first period and second period, with the game-winner coming at 1:46 of the second on a power-play strike by C.J. Franklin.
Saturday, the Huskies again fell behind 2-0 before taking a 3-2 lead by 10:56 of the first. Minnesota State tied it at 2:26 of the second, but St. Cloud again took the lead on a goal by Daniel Tedesco. However, the Mavericks scored three times in a 7:38 stretch on the middle of the second period to take a 6-4 lead, which held up. Freshman Jeff Smith played Friday, giving up four goals on 24 shots, and freshman Zach Driscoll started Saturday, giving up five goals on 22 shots before Smith came on in relief.
Here’s a look back at the weekend that was in Atlantic Hockey. It’s brought to you, today, by the letter “W.”
Wins!
It always feels like Chris and I talk about a need for non-conference wins. We talk about how teams iron out some of their issues and pick off a win here or there. Everything is indicative of the future, while at the same time remembering that Atlantic Hockey’s postseason race is an 11-car demolition derby fighting for one spot.
In the season’s first couple of weeks, Atlantic Hockey schools are 6-7-5 against non-conference opponents. Of those seven losses, two came against the defending national champions. One of those ties is an unofficial win since Air Force defeated Ohio State in a shootout to win the IceBreaker Tournament.
It’s come at nearly every league’s expense. This past weekend, Union (ECAC) struggled to put away AIC, then tied Sacred Heart. Air Force split with Arizona State (independent). Canisius went to Alaska and beat the Nanooks (WCHA) before dropping a 1-0 loss to Alaska-Anchorage. Holy Cross took down Hockey East’s Providence in overtime, and Bentley tied the defending conference champions before Northeastern rallied for a win at home on Saturday.
I know it’s only mid-October, but it’s incredibly rare to see AHC teams trending the way that they are. With four teams inside the top 20 of the Pairwise Rankings this early, things are almost certainly going to even out. But for now, it’s okay for fans to savor the moment.
Whistle While You Work
Jim Connelly and Paula Weston talked about the added emphasis on officials to call penalties in last week’s edition of TMQ. It piqued my interest, so I kept an eye on the number of calls made.
Officials whistled AIC for 10 penalties against Union, including six hooking calls. That included four in the first period.
Mercyhurst and Penn State took 23 penalties for 65 minutes combined. That included over 40 minutes against the Lakers, who were playing in their first game of the year.
Then there’s Bentley. The Falcons combined with Northeastern for 30 penalties and 79 minutes. Bentley took 19 penalties on their own, including two in overtime. On Saturday, the Falcons took 10 more penalties.
Sacred Heart was last year’s most penalized AHC team, drawing 14.9 minutes per game to rank second nationally, behind only Alaska-Anchorage’s 15.3. Last year’s Pioneers would rank 30th nationally as of Sunday night.
It’s hard to tell how this will shake out, especially since of those series mentioned above, there was only one 5-on-3 goal scored. Three Atlantic Hockey teams are averaging over 30 minutes in the box per game already. Seven of the league’s 11 teams are ahead of that Pioneer pace.
With such a small sample of games, the numbers are going to skew, but at the same time, there’s no questioning its early impact. This past weekend is proof.
West Point’s Brick Wall
Army West Point shut out Sacred Heart this weekend, the second consecutive goose egg posted against the Pioneers. With their two-game series now complete, the Black Knights outscored their opponent by a 7-0 margin. Three games into the season, their 9-2 scoring differential is tied with Holy Cross for seventh nationally.
They’re currently second nationally with a 0.67 goals against average. Parker Gahagen’s .977 save percentage is tied with Bemidji State’s Michael Bitzer for second in the country with two shutouts.
Consider yourselves warned – early returns show Army West Point is for real.
Final Note
Former Connecticut head coach and current Franklin Pierce head coach Bruce Marshall passed away this weekend at the age of 54. Although the Huskies are now in Hockey East, Marshall served as the head coach when the program transitioned into Division I, leading them through the MAAC/Atlantic Hockey era before he stepped down in 2013.
Please join me in extending condolences to his family, friends, and all those who had the good fortune to come into contact with one of the game’s great ambassadors.
With Hockey East going a collective 7-9-3 this weekend in non-league play, the league’s early-season collective struggles continue. While March seems so far away, might the results this month rear their ugly head come March? That leads the three things I learned this weekend.
1. Non-league woes could translate to thin NCAA representation come March
Sure, the leaves in New England are just turning, but Hockey East teams have already painted themselves into a collective corner with struggles against non-league opponents. As a group, Hockey East teams are now 18-16-6 against the rest of the nation. While there is time to make up ground, particularly throughout the rest of this month, this ugly start has the potential to lower the overall conference RPI.
We’ve learned often in recent years that conference RPI almost directly aligns with the number of NCAA tournament participants from that conference.
I know what everyone of you might say: “Let’s worry about this in March.” But by then it may be too late.
Thus, it shouldn’t be surprising that the team sporting the nation’s best power play – the UMass Lowell River Hawks – is one of just two teams in Hockey East without a loss (Connecticut is the other).
The River Hawks are now 9-for-22 with the man advantage, good for a 40.9% efficiency. This past weekend, the River Hawks potted five power play goals on 11 chances in a two-game sweep of Colorado College.
3. It “ain’t over ’til it’s over” for Maine
We are learning one very obvious things about Maine early in this season: never count them out. For three straight games, the Black Bears have rallied in the third period from deficits. Last weekend, they scored three in the third to overcome a 2-1 hole on Saturday to sweep Rensselaer.
Friday night, the Black Bears took “cardiac kids” to a new level. Trailing 3-1 to No. 3 Quinnipiac, Maine score twice in the final 6 minutes, 55 seconds to force overtime. Then rookie Mitchell Fossier netted the game-winner at 2:08 of OT.
A night later, Maine did it again, this time rallying from a 2-0 deficit in the second to score once in the middle frame and again with 4:23 to go to again force OT. But this time Quinnipiac spoiled the comeback when Craig Martin scored at 1:15 to earn the 3-2 OT victory.
Still, know that this year’s version of the Black Bears is ready to battle until the final buzzer.
According to the Union Leader out of New Hampshire, dozens of student-athletes peacefully protested potential changes to the St. Anselm hockey teams’ future conference affiliation during the school’s groundbreaking ceremony for a new student center on Thursday.
Currently, the men’s team plays against both NCAA Division II and Division III teams. The Hawks are scheduled to play 25 regular-season games this season, including contests in the NEHC, a conference of mostly Division III schools with 10 men’s members and 14 women’s members.
The college’s contract with the NEHC has not been renewed for next year, according to the protesters. It’s unclear whether that’s because of the Hawks’ continued Division II status, which it confirmed last May after previously announcing an intent to move to Division III.
School officials did not comment to the Union Leader.
“This essentially takes the competitiveness out of our team,” said men’s senior C.J. Blaszka to the paper. “We are not out here to make a stink. We want to save our programs. We will do what it takes to get at the table.”
The St. Anselm women’s team may also be affected by the potential changes, according to senior Savannah Poole.
“We may not even have a league at all next year,” Poole said in the report. “The NEHC wants to be strictly a Division III conference next year.”
Dan Allen has been named the top assistant coach for the St. Michael’s men’s team.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to work at Saint Michael’s alongside Coach [Damian] DiGiulian,” said Allen in a statement. “I am looking forward to developing my coaching skills while also growing and advancing the men’s ice hockey program at Saint Mike’s.”
After completing his playing days with the Western Connecticut State club team in 2013, Allen returned to the program as an assistant coach for the following two seasons. His passion for the game extended off the ice when he became a member of the NCAA Division III Hockey Committee, where he consulted and collected information as he and others attempted to bring Western Connecticut State to the varsity level at Division III.
“We are thrilled to name Dan Allen as an assistant coach for the men’s ice hockey program,” added DiGiulian. “Dan has already proven himself to be a tireless recruiter and a respected member of our organization. He has big shoes to fill with the departure of Casey Fratkin, but I am confident that he will work hard to represent our program and Saint Michael’s College with class and dignity.”
Allen also served as a coach for a New York Rangers youth camp in Tarrytown, N.Y., between May and August of 2014.
As an undergraduate, Allen competed in one season of Division III hockey at Salve Regina in 2008-09 before finishing his playing career at Western Connecticut State, where he served as an assistant captain for two years and captain as a senior.
Here’s a look at the games for the second full weekend of ECAC Hockey’s non-conference schedule. All games start at 7 p.m. unless noted.
Merrimack at Clarkson
Merrimack lost its season opener 2-1 to Sacred Heart last weekend, while Clarkson split a home-and-home series with Vermont. The Golden Knights were especially tough at home last season, finishing 15-2-2, and that trend should continue against the Warriors. Clarkson wins
New Hampshire at St. Lawrence
The Wildcats lost 5-1 to Bentley last weekend, while St. Lawrence split at Penn State. New Hampshire might be able to keep it close against St. Lawrence, but I don’t see it pulling out a road win against the Saints. St. Lawrence wins
Union at American International
Union is 7-0 all-time against American International, and won 8-0 the last time these teams met at the Yellow Jackets’ home rink. The Dutchmen aren’t quite the juggernaut they were that season, but Union should able to keep its unbeaten streak against the Yellow Jacket alive. Union wins
Connecticut at Colgate
The Raiders lead the all-time series 6-2, but the teams haven’t played since 2007 when Connecticut won 2-1 in overtime. It’s the third straight home game to start the season for Colgate, but the Raiders are 0-1-1 thus far at the Class of 1965 Arena. I don’t think Colgate will get that first home win just yet. Connecticut wins
Quinnipiac at Maine, 7:30 p.m.
After sweeping Rensselaer at home last weekend, the Black Bears will host Quinnipiac for a pair of games this weekend. The Bobcats have some more punch in their lineup compared to the Engineers; I don’t see another Maine sweep happening again. Quinnipiac wins
Saturday, Oct. 15
Union at Sacred Heart, 2:05 p.m.
This is a game the Dutchmen should win, but it’s tough to get a gauge on teams this early in the season. Still, I’m going predict a four-point road weekend for Union. Union wins
Connecticut at Colgate
Colgate bounces back for a series split and its first win at the Class of 1965 arena. Colgate wins
Quinnipiac at Maine
Bobcats with the sweep. Quinnipiac wins
Merrimack at St. Lawrence
The North Country is shaping up to be a tough road trip for opposing teams this season, but I’m having a hard time seeing the Warriors heading home without at least one win on the trip. Merrimack wins
New Hampshire at Clarkson
Clarkson snapped a five-game losing streak to New Hampshire with a 4-3 win last October, but I think the Wildcats get one back this time around. New Hampshire wins
Rensselaer at North Dakota, 8:07 p.m. (U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game)
The Engineers had a tough opening weekend against Maine last time out, losing both games to the Black Bears. It doesn’t get any easier against No. 1 North Dakota, the defending national champions. As a side note, Engineer goalie Chase Perry’s father Craig played collegiately for North Dakota and was later an assistant coach from 1991-94. RPI has stymied good skating teams in the past, but I don’t see it happening this time out. North Dakota wins
Nicole and I both did pretty well last week. I went 18-5-3, while she went 17-6-3. On the year, I am 38-10-5, while she is 37-11-5. Perhaps I can build on my slim lead in our season race.
Friday, Oct. 14
Merrimack at Maine Candace: The Warriors got a good win last weekend, but I like home ice in this one. Maine 3-2 Nicole: Maine’s at home and has a few more games under their belt, so I’m picking the Black Bears. Maine 3-0
Boston College at New Hampshire Candace: New Hampshire has often stole a win from the Eagles at home in past seasons, but I’ll go with the visitors. Boston College 3-2 Nicole: I have no idea what to think of BC yet, but I think they take this one. Boston College 4-1
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 14-15
Ohio State at Bemidji State Candace: Two teams that did well last weekend. I’ll go with a home sweep. Bemidji State 2-1, 3-1 Nicole: Both teams have performed well out of the gate and I expect a split. Bemidji State 3-2, Ohio State 3-1
Minnesota-Duluth at Minnesota Candace: This one will be close once again. Duluth is currently flying high, but I have a hard time betting against the Gophers until proven otherwise. Minnesota 3-1, 3-2 Nicole: It’s difficult to pick against the Gophers at home, but UMD has the momentum and the desire to prove themselves. It won’t be easy — I think Minnesota will be smarting to erase last weekend’s loss, but I’m going to say a split, winning first. Minnesota 3-1, Tie 2-2
Minnesota State at North Dakota Candace: North Dakota is at home, and Minnesota State hasn’t won in the WCHA in a while. North Dakota 3-2, 3-1 Nicole: NoDak will be fired up after the St. Cloud loss and looking to prove it was a fluke. They sweep. North Dakota 4-2, 3-1
Wisconsin at Clarkson Candace: Clarkson isn’t quite there yet, and I just think the Badgers are stronger. Wisconsin 3-1, 3-2 Nicole: As Arlan said on Wednesday, I think the early-season difficulties will only make the Badgers stronger. They’re liking the view from the top and they don’t want to jeopardize it. Badgers sweep, but it’s not easy. Wisconsin 2-1, 2-1
Quinnipiac at Mercyhurst Candace: Look for the Bobcats to continue winning. Quinnipiac 2-1, 3-1 Nicole: I don’t foresee the Bobcats getting their first loss this weekend. Quinnipiac 3-1, 2-0
Syracuse at Northeastern Candace: In retrospect, maybe the losses to St. Lawrence weren’t as bad as they first appeared. Northeastern 2-1, 3-2 Nicole: It’s a bounce back opportunity for the Huskies — they’ll win. Northeastern 4-1, 3-1
Boston University at Penn State Candace: After last weekend, I don’t see the Nittany Lions getting a split. Boston University 3-1, 3-1 Nicole: A tighter series than a few years ago, but I think BU sweeps. Boston University 2-0, 3-2
Union at RIT Candace: RIT looked terrible again last weekend, while Union is riding high after finally getting a win. The Tigers should at least score this weekend. Union 2-1, 2-1 Nicole: I expect Union to continue to build on last week’s win. Maybe not too much of a flyer, but my big gamble is on Union sweeping. Union 2-1, 3-0
Vermont at Robert Morris Candace: Vermont surprised last weekend against Boston University. I’ll take a split. Robert Morris 2-1, Vermont 3-1 Nicole: This should be a good barometer of Vermont. I have high expectations for Robert Morris, but am hedging my bets and calling for a split. Vermont 2-1, Robert Morris 4-1
Connecticut at Rensselaer Candace: I’m taking a gamble and going with the a visiting team sweep. Connecticut 2-1, 3-1 Nicole: I’m excited to learn more about both of these teams from this meeting, so I’ll say split. Rensselaer 3-2, Connecticut 2-1
Saturday, Oct. 15
Boston College at Maine Candace: Maine gave BC fits last week, but I like the Eagles once again. Boston College 3-2 Nicole: The Black Bears almost stole one in Boston last week, but I have a hard time picking against BC here. Call is close. Boston College 3-2
Merrimack at New Hampshire Candace: Like Nicole, I think home ice matters here. New Hampshire 3-1 Nicole: Giving UNH the home-ice advantage for a win. New Hampshire 2-1
Tuesday, Oct. 18
Boston University at Northeastern Candace: Hard game to pick. I think the Huskies are still finding their footing more than BU thought. Boston University 4-2 Nicole: I think the goalies are going to be crucial to this one and I’m putting my money on Brittany Bugalski. But I think it’ll be high scoring. Northeastern 5-3
Union at Providence Candace: Union shows signs of improvement, but I think home ice does it. Providence 3-2 Nicole: Providence is at home and it’ll be Union’s third game in five days, so I’m going with the Friars. Providence 3-1
Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15 Northeastern vs. Bentley Dan: Bentley’s sweep of Northeastern shocked the college hockey establishment last year. It’s also an interest underwrite for the Huskies, who went onto capture the Hockey East championship. Friday’s game will have a distinct advantage for Bentley, who opens their final full season at the venerable JAR, and I think that the gritty nature of that rink can provide a surprise or two. Bentley wins on Friday, Northeastern on Saturday. Chris: With several non-conference games again on the schedule, it will be interesting to see if the league can keep the momentum going and pick up some more non-league wins. In this case, I agree with Dan. Northeastern will be taking nothing for granted after getting swept last season. I think the teams will split with Bentley winning at home on Friday and Northeastern returning the favor on Saturday at Matthews Arena.
Friday, October 14 and Sunday, October 16 Air Force at Arizona State Dan: Arizona State is intriguing, but after the Falcons won a trophy last week, I think they hold serve. Interesting to note that these games will be played at Gila River Arena – the home of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. Air Force sweeps. Chris: Air Force is flying high after winning the IceBreaker tournament and making the USCHO.com Top 20 for the first time since 2012. I think the Falcons keep it going and sweep.
Friday, October 14 Sacred Heart at Army West Point Dan: In a rematch from last week, the Black Knights host the Pioneers for a second time. I think Sacred Heart keeps this one closer, but Army is pistol hot to open the season (pardon the pun). Army West Point wins. Chris: This is a strange series, spread across consecutive Fridays. Sacred Heart lost the first meeting but comes back to Tate rink having beaten Merrimack last Sunday. I think this one will have a different outcome. Sacred Heart wins.
Union at American International Dan: Union opens the MassMutual Center era for the Yellow Jackets, who are looking for their first ever win against the Dutch. They’ve had success against AIC, scoring no less than four goals and tallying six or more in five of their seven prior meetings. Everyone knows I have a soft spot for AIC, but I’m taking Union in this one. Union wins. Chris: While it would be great to the Yellow Jackets to pick up a win in their new home, I think the Dutchmen will spoil the party. Union wins.
Penn State at Mercyhurst Dan: In a huge early season non-conference game for the Lakers, they’ll play the Nittany Lions for the first time ever in the Erie Insurance Arena for the Snowtown Throwdown. With eight of their ten top scorers returning, it’s hard to overlook one of the league’s most traditional teams. I think the Lakers can pull this one out, but it’s not going to be easy. Mercyhurst wins. Chris: It’s always tough to predict games like this early in the season. Penn State has a pair of games under its belt (a split with St. Lawrence) so I’m going with the Nittany Lions. Penn State wins.
Canisius at Alaska Dan: 4,064 miles separates Buffalo from Fairbanks. If you were driving it, that’s approximately 66 hours in the car. On the bright side, at least the sunset and sunrise times aren’t within an hour of one another. Alaska wins. Chris: While the competition won’t be as tough for the Golden Griffins, it’s still a tough trip to the Last Frontier. I’m going with the host Nanooks. Alaska wins.
Saturday, October 15 Providence at Holy Cross Dan: When I talked to him this week, David Berard complimented the rest of the league on their big non-conference wins. He then reiterated how his team desired to add to that total. They get a great opportunity at the DCU Center against Providence (his alma mater and former employer), but in a one game series, I know how hard it is to beat a team that talented. Providence wins. Chris: Holy Cross hosts two ranked Hockey East schools over consecutive Saturdays, starting with the No. 11 Friars. Like Dan, I’m going with the favorite. Providence wins.
Connecticut at Rochester Institute of Technology Dan: Go crazy, Rochester! It’s Brick City Homecoming weekend. Blue Cross Arena is going to be blanketed in orange. If this game sells out, can we dye Chris’s hair orange? Asking for a friend. RIT wins. Chris: Orange might be an improvement for my gray that’s spreading at an alarming rate, Dan. RIT coach Wayne Wilson probably added a few grey hairs of his own watching his team blow a four-goal lead to Robert Morris last Saturday. RIT should respond with a better effort, but I think UConn comes away with the victory. UConn wins.
Union at Sacred Heart Dan: Union opens their second Atlantic Hockey arena of the weekend when the Pioneers return home to debut their tenure at Webster Bank Arena. As much as I have a soft spot for AIC, I might have a softer spot for Sacred Heart. I love the way they play, and I love their attitude. I think they’ll give Union a run for their money, just like they did a year ago in their 1-1 tie. But I also can’t pick ties, so in a coin flip type game, I’m picking with zero confidence. Union wins. Chris: When Union scheduled these games, it expected to be playing AIC at the Olympia Ice Center and Sacred Heart at the Milford Ice Pavilion. Instead both schools have new homes in AHL rinks. I think SHU will be a contender this season, but I’m going with the visiting team here. Union wins.
Canisius vs. Alaska-Anchorage Dan: The Seawolves were outscored 10-1 last weekend, losing to Minnesota before dropping a 4-1 decision to their hated rival Nanooks. After playing Omaha on Friday, I think they pick one off in what will wind up being a defensive battle. Alaska-Anchorage wins. Chris: On paper, this is a better matchup for Canisius, and I think they’ll be acclimated by Saturday. Canisius wins.
Tuesday, October 18 Niagara at Mercyhurst Dan: Put this one in your back pocket. I have a feeling there will be some solid midweek fireworks. Mercyhurst wins. Chris: Niagara was a much better team on Saturday in a tie with Holy Cross vs. Friday’s 8-2 Crusaders romp. I think they’ll be somewhere in the middle here, but not enough to pick up a road win. I’m going with the Lakers at home. Mercyurst wins.
It’s taken three weeks, but we’ll finally have all of the WCHA teams with a game under their belt when Lake Superior State battles Michigan State.
The Lakers are the last team to open their season, and it comes in a weekend that features a couple sneaky good matchups between Northern Michigan-Bemidji State and St. Cloud State-Minnesota State.
Alabama Huntsville at Michigan Tech
Jack: Will the Huskies finally get back on the right foot? They’re 0-4 right now and haven’t looked particularly good. Huntsville looked OK in their sweep against Ferris, but was shut out in two games against UConn. I think Tech gets back on track. Huskies 4-2, 3-1
Sean: Pair of teams trying to turn things around here. The Huskies still need that first win and the Chargers need to prove the losses against UConn were a minor bump in the road. Michigan Tech is staring 0-6 in the face with a bad weekend, but they won’t let that happen. Huskie 3-1, 2-0
Bemidji State at Northern Michigan
Jack: The Beavers looked very good last weekend against Bowling Green. NMU, meanwhile, had a bonkers series split against Wisconsin. It looks like the Wildcats might be able to score this season. I think a split seems likely. Beavers 4-2, Wildcats 4-1
Sean: Northern Michigan played a pair of back-and-forth games with Wisconsin and Bemidji put together a nice sweep against a deflated Bowling Green team. I think this series has sweep written all over it. Beavers 4-3, Wildcats 2-1.
Western Michigan at Bowling Green
Jack: It’s another chance for the WCHA to bolster its nonconference resume against the NCHC. WMU swept Ferris, but I think BG finally gets the job done against their MAC brethren. Falcons 5-3, 4-1
Sean: Bowling Green coach Chris Bergeron was furious with his team last week and didn’t like how they fought while getting swept by Bemidji. The Falcons better get the message against Western Michigan, but it could take one loss before they turn things around. Broncos 3-2, Falcons 5-1.
Michigan State at Lake Superior State
Jack: Fifteen years ago this would have been a marquee matchup. Now it’s two struggling programs looking to rebuild. LSSU hasn’t played yet this season — which is its 50th as a program. It would be nice to see them start their milestone season with at least a split with their former league rivals. Lakers 4-2, Spartans 4-1
Sean: Lake Superior State gets a late start to the season and it’s a chance build against a struggling Michigan State team. The Lakers should be ready to go, the opening night nerves might exist — but they should be part of a sweep. Lakers 3-2, 5-4.
St. Cloud State at Minnesota State
Jack: This should be fun. The Mavs went 0-3 against the Huskies last season — the Huskies shut out MSU in both games of their early-season series before beating them 5-4 in the North Star College Cup. Think the Mavs want to get a little revenge? Mavericks 5-4, Huskies 3-2
Sean: I don’t know why, but I see a lot of goals getting scored in this series. Last team with the puck wins. HUskies 6-5, Mavericks 5-4.
Brice Alaska Gold Rush
Friday: Alaska Anchorage vs. Omaha, Alaska vs. Canisius; Saturday: Alaska Anchorage vs. Canisius, Alaska vs. Omaha
Jack: Both Alaska teams were beaten by Minnesota last weekend. The Nanooks, however, looked better — they got three goals against the Gophers. The Seawolves didn’t score any. It may be a tall order for either to beat Omaha, but I can see both teams beating Canisius. Mavericks 3, Seawolves 1; Nanooks 5, Griffins 3; Seawolves 3, Griffins 2; Mavericks 5, Nanooks 3
Sean: The Alaska teams are looking for gold, er, goals after both lost to Minnesota last week. I think they each show up against Canisius, but Omaha could be heading home with a bigger bounty. Mavericks 4, Seawolves 2; Nanooks 4, Griffins 3; Seawolves 2, Griffins 1; Mavericks 3, Nanooks 0.
The Big Ten had a decent opening weekend. So did Drew Claussen and I, although we were each bitten by picking splits the wrong way.
Drew: 5-4-1 (.550) Paula: 6-3-1 (.650)
This week
All six B1G teams are in action this weekend, although Minnesota plays the U.S. Under-18 team in exhibition tonight. Michigan State and Wisconsin each play two-game series; Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State each have single contests against in-state foes. All times are local.
Boston College at Wisconsin
Drew: The Badgers did take a step forward last weekend when they came back to split with Northern Michigan. However, Boston College is on another level. Tony Granato can use last year’s victory over North Dakota to rally the troops, but I can’t pick anything other than a BC sweep.
Paula: Last week, the Eagles lost 2-1 to Air Force before beating Denver, 3-1, in last week’s IceBreaker. BC and UW last met Oct. 16, 2015, a 6-0 home win for the Eagles. Friday’s game begins at 7:00 p.m. and is televised by Fox Sports Wisconsin; Sunday’s 3:00 p.m. tilt is carried by ESPSNU.
Drew’s picks: Boston College 5-3, 4-2. Paula’s picks: BC 4-1, 4-2.
Michigan at Ferris State
Drew: Ferris State has a tough building to play in for opponents, and I can only imagine that it’ll be rocking with Michigan coming to town. I say that fact gives the Bulldogs the edge.
Paula: I love this rivalry and am missing this trip to Ewigleben only because I’m doing something foolish early Sunday morning in Detroit. Michigan is 69-30-7 against Ferris State all-time, and the Wolverines won the last meeting between the teams last season, a 5-2 game in Yost Ice Arena (Feb. 19). This Saturday game begins at 7:07 p.m.
Drew’s pick: Ferris State 4-3. Paula’s pick: Michigan 3-2, perhaps in overtime.
Michigan State at Lake Superior State
Drew: This being Michigan State’s first two contests and having to play the Lakers on the road doesn’t help the Spartans. I admit that I see the Spartans having a very down year, but I think they can split with the Lakers.
Paula: This opens the season for both teams. The Lakers are picked to finish seventh in the WCHA this season. These teams are old in-state rivals as well, with the teams having met a total of 120 times, including three times last season. The Spartans beat the Lakers, 4-1, in last year’s IceBreaker and the teams split a pair of games in Munn Ice Arena with LSSU taking the 4-2 opener (Oct. 22, 2015) and the Spartans winning 2-0 the following night. Friday’s game begins at 7:37 p.m., Saturday’s at 6:07.
Drew’s picks: Lake Superior 4-2, Michigan State 4-3. Paula’s picks: MSU 3-2, LSSU 3-2.
Ohio State at Miami
Drew: Ohio State quieted a lot of “slow start” talk last weekend with an impressive win over Denver and a comeback-tie against Air Force. I like the Buckeyes to keep it rolling with a close road win.
Paula: I love Drew’s faith in the Buckeyes. This is another old CCHA, in-state rivalry — one of my favorites and every bit as intense as any other fabled hockey rivalry. While the Buckeyes were in Denver for the IceBreaker last weekend, the RedHawks were splitting with Providence on the road. Miami leads this series 75-62-3 overall, with a 45-22-4 record against OSU in Oxford, Ohio. The RedHawks swept a home-and-home series last October, wining 3-2 in Columbus and 3-2 in Oxford. This Saturday game begins at 8:05 p.m.
Drew’s pick: Ohio State 3-2. Paula’s pick: Miami 4-3, perhaps in overtime.
Penn State at Mercyhurst
Drew: I liked what I saw from the young Nittany Lions in their split with St. Lawrence last weekend. This will be a nice opportunity to see how that group handles themselves away from home.
Paula: This is the first-ever meeting between the Nittany Lions and Lakers since PSU became a Division I team. Two weeks ago, Mercyhurst dropped an exhibition game to Guelph, 6-2. I do not think this will be an easy contest for either team. This Friday game begins at 7:05 p.m.
Drew’s pick: Penn State 5-2. Paula’s pick: Penn State 3-2, perhaps in overtime.
The Twitters
Drew (@drewclaussen) and I (@paulacweston) each post about hockey on Twitter, although I don’t think either of us is attending in person this weekend. I also chat about other stuff on another account (@PaulaBonaFide).
Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna says games will be called tighter, and penalties will be aplenty in this early-season adjustment period (photo: Melissa Wade).
The groaning started in many arenas by 7:30 p.m. local time, and grew into a firestorm of frustration soon after.
A monsoon of penalties was turning five-on-five play into an endangered species.
“This is awful!”
“Let ’em play!”
“Put away the whistles!”
Have patience, folks. There’s a method to the madness.
The next month or so may not be pretty, but it should lead to a better game, according to Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna.
“The NCAA Rules Committee has instituted, and not for the first time, an increase focus on ‘standard of play,’ ” Bertagna, a member of the committee, says. “That’s another way of saying how tight are we going to call the game? The feeling was in recent years the little hook on the elbow, the hook on the glove or on the hip has been creeping into the game.
“We had a referee at our meetings in June and we showed a clip and he said, ‘I work the AHL and I work college hockey, and in the AHL that’s a penalty and in college hockey it isn’t…. I’m not told to call that in college hockey.’ It led us to a discussion of what we allow and what message are we sending?
“You’d hear from an official who didn’t call these things saying, ‘Well, I thought he fought through the hook, or he got a shot off, or there wasn’t a change of possession.’ So we had a really good conversation and said, ‘Wait a minute, if a guy had a step on somebody, you either have to catch up to him or lift his stick, but you can’t negate his advantage by illegally slowing him down and compromising him.’ We specifically said, ‘It doesn’t have to have a change of possession to be a penalty. If he gets a shot off, maybe it’s not as good of a shot as it would have been if he wasn’t hooked.’ So the language is that if an illegal action compromises the offensive player, you have to call it.”
Which isn’t to argue that the result was aesthetically pleasing this past weekend. One could argue, however, that it could have been better. Teams, with one exception, knew this was coming.
“Even though all the teams saw videos and there were clinics, there is an adjustment period,” Bertagna says. “So there were a lot of calls, and there will probably be a lot of calls this week.
“We did have one situation out in South Bend, [Indiana, home of Notre Dame]. Most of this information is disseminated through the conferences and from the conferences to their teams. Well, Arizona State is not in a conference, and on Friday night there were a ton of calls and it turned out that they knew nothing about this ‘standard of play.’ Our supervisor of officials, [Dan Schachte], was out there and met with [Arizona State coach] Greg Powers and showed him the tape, and he was appreciative, and the game on Saturday was a lot different.
“So there will be growing pains. And unfortunately when there are a lot of calls under the new standard, and then there are a few bad calls –calls where there were good defensive plays and they were called penalties — it makes people [even more frustrated]. If just the ones that should be called are called, were going to have some long games [until teams adjust]. You don’t need those three or four mistakes. I think this past weekend, we probably had a few mistakes.”
If you’ve been around for a dozen years or so, you’ve probably got a feeling of déjà vu right now. That’s because you have seen this movie before. Following the 2004 national championship game in which Denver beat Maine, 1-0, the Rules Committee first tried to solve the ‘standard of play’ problem.
“If you look at the tape of that game, there was so much holding along the boards, the bottom hand would come off the stick and get around the guy, the stick went between the legs,” Bertagna says. “That game, as much as anything, led to a huge discussion and we did clean up [the game]. As soon as you saw the guy’s bottom hand come off the stick, it was a red flag [for the referee] to watch where the hand went. If the hand went around the body, a penalty was called.
“The last couple of years, the chip-and-dump where it’s one-on-one and the guy chips it off the boards, it used to be that you had two seconds to pin the guy against the boards. Now, unless it’s a bang, bang play, the defender immediately has to turn and play the puck. You can’t interfere.
“Once we focused on that and guys got it, you could see players start to make the hit and realize, ‘Oh, I can’t do that!’ and he’d make the turn. So when we do focus [on fixing a problem], as long as we stay with it, we can change behavior.
“They’re not new rules. They’re the same rules. It’s just a focus on actually calling them. When we did this in 2004-2005, it took about a month for everybody to get on the same page. We changed behavior, but over the 10 years or so, I don’t think we stayed with it.”
Surprises on the Weekend
Longtime Hockey East followers might have thought this weekend’s results were a call to run for the hills. The barbarian horde had crashed through the city gates.
Hockey East went 0-for-3 against Atlantic Hockey.
0-for-3?
Ironically, Hockey East posted a winning record against every other conference (except the Big Ten, which it hasn’t yet played), but struck out against The Little Conference That Could.
So the reference above to The Little Conference That Could isn’t meant as belittling, but rather reflective of how its teams haven’t been skating on a level ice surface. It’s been tilted against them and yet they’ve piled up so many successes. (For those with short memories, Bentley swept eventual Hockey East champion Northeastern last year, Sacred Heart tarnished UMass-Lowell’s banner raising three years back, and then there’s Atlantic’s wins in the NCAA tournament.)
But three-for-three against the league that likes to pride itself as the best in college hockey, top to bottom? (Air Force 2, Boston College 1; Bentley 5, New Hampshire 1; Sacred Heart 2, Merrimack 1)
“From where I sit, we had a great weekend,” Bertagna says. “We ended up with a 60 percent winning percentage.”
But the three losses to Atlantic Hockey?
“It’s not the first time,” he says. “These are important games for these schools. They don’t often get them in their building, so they have to go on the road; they’re the underdogs. It’s a credit to the teams that win those games.
“Especially Sacred Heart [this weekend]. The power-plays were 14 to 5 [against]. They stuck it out and it’s a nice win for their program.
“They’ve got good coaches in that league. There are no gimmies anymore. When we talk about our strength top-to-bottom, it’s not to say that the other leagues aren’t strong or college hockey itself isn’t growing. We’re happy with the different strengths in our league, but the other leagues are building at the same time.”
How ‘Bout them Black Bears?
The most stunning surprise of all this past weekend was a very pleasant one. Maine, picked in the league coaches’ poll to finish last, swept Rensselaer, a better-than-.500 team last season.
Especially promising is that the Black Bears engineered the sweep in two very different ways. On Friday night, they jumped out early and won going away, 5-1. One night later, however, they dug themselves an early hole, giving up two shorthanded goals, but still came storming back for a 4-2 win.
“We played pretty well overall, though not perfectly by any stretch,” Maine coach Red Gendron says. “We played pretty well and got off to a great start Friday night, but on Saturday, RPI pushed back in a big way. Full marks to them for elevating their intensity and the quality of their play, and we didn’t play nearly as well.
“But we got very good goaltending from Rob McGovern. Otherwise the deficit could have been more, and we found a way to carry the play in the third period and score a couple of goals.”
Perhaps most promising of all is how much of an impact several freshmen made. Mitchell Fossier had four goals, Chase Pearson had two goals and an assist, Patrick Shea had a goal and an assist and Ryan Smith had two assists. And according to Gendron, Pat Holway, a 6-4, 200-pound defenseman, also played well without scoring any points.
“We’re pretty excited about our freshman class, but we’re not naive to think that they’re going to have multiple-point weekends every weekend,” Gendron says. “It’s hard. College hockey is hard.
“But at the same time there are only two ways you can get confidence. You’ve either done it before so you know that you can do it again, and that gives you a reason to feel confident. Or you’ve worked as diligently as possible to prepare yourself in practice, and [you’ve paid attention] to how you eat and how much rest you get and all of those kind of things. That’s how you earn the right to be confident.
“The bottom line is a lot of our freshman — the freshmen who were in the lineup over the weekend — they’ve done it now so they know they have the right to be confident moving forward.”
As for Maine and its projected cellar-dwelling finish, Gendron is having none of it.
“Nothing that other people think about us matters to us,” he says. “My job is to try to get us better every day. We play inside the glass, not in the media, not with the opinions of any outside sources. Games are going to be played at Alfond and on the road, and it’s what we do with those games that’s going to [decide] what our season ultimately looks like.
“I knew the quality of the players that we had returning. You never fully know what your incoming players are actually going to be able to do right away, but I feel pretty strongly that they’re going to be good. You hope the period of adjustment that’s inevitable isn’t overly painful.
“But our freshman played well and our veterans played well, regardless of whether or not they ended up on the scoresheet. We got good goaltending from somebody who’s been there in the past, and we got excellent defensive play from people like Rob Michel and Mark Hamilton and Eric Schurhamer. We got great weekends out of people like Nolan Vesey, who struggled for a lot of last year to put up numbers, and he had four assists on the weekend. So that’s pretty good.”
But it’s only a start. And second-ranked, perennial power Quinnipiac looms on Friday.
“It’s one weekend,” Gendron says. “Whatever it was that happened against RPI, none of that matters against Quinnipiac.”
But for a league that had grown accustomed to see the Black Bears in NCAA tournaments and their fans flocking into the TD Garden for Hockey East champions, last weekend certainly caught people’s attention.
“I think certain programs are really important in certain leagues to be good,” Bertagna says. “I think Maine is one of those programs that if they’re good, it’s good for Hockey East, because of the potential and what the experience at Alfond is like and the tradition up there. So for Maine to start off with two wins, it’s huge for them and I think it’s a good thing for the league.”
It’s hard to believe Jim opened the season by going .500 and… taking the lead!
Dave last week: 7-9-3 Jim last week: 8-8-3 Dave’s record-to-date: 7-9-3 Jim’s record-to-date: 8-8-3
Here are this week’s picks:
Friday, Oct. 14
Merrimack at Clarkson
Dave’s pick: When you open the season with a 2-1 home loss to Sacred Heart despite getting a 14-5 advantage in power plays, it’s hard to predict a road win at Clarkson. CU 3, MC 1
Jim’s pick: I agree. I like this Clarkson team a lot and, even though I know Merrimack will be hungry, it’s difficult to pick them just yet. CU 3, MC 2
New Hampshire at St. Lawrence
Dave’s pick: If I had questions about Merrimack following its loss to Sacred Heart, those doubts are quadrupled for UNH in light of its 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Bentley. SLU 4, UNH 2
Jim’s pick: I had legitimate concerns about the UNH offense coming into this season. After the Wildcats scored just once against Bentley and gave up five goals, I have even more concerns. SLU 5, UNH 2
Northeastern at Bentley
Dave’s pick: Bentley did impress with its win at UNH, but I’m thinking Northeastern coach Jim Madigan reminds his Huskies that Bentley swept them early last year. I don’t see a repeat. NU 4, Bentley 2
Jim’s pick: Even though Northeastern only took a tie out of Quinnipiac last weekend, I heard a lot of good things about their Friday night performance and have plenty of reason to believe this team will be ready for Bentley this year. NU 6, Bentley 3
Connecticut at Colgate
Dave’s pick: This will be a tougher test for UConn than last week’s opponent, Alabama Huntsville, which the Huskies swept and collectively outscored, 10-0. I should probably go with Colgate as the home team even though it got spanked by BU, but I like UConn’s chances here. UConn 3, CU 2
Jim’s pick: I like a lot about this UConn team and, even though Colgate is at home in its new barn, things haven’t exactly gone as usual for ‘Gate. UConn 4, CU 1
Quinnipiac at Maine
Dave’s pick: Maine was the most pleasant surprise last weekend with its sweep of RPI, but I’ll be stunned if the Black Bears reprise that feat against Quinnipiac. QU 4, UM 2
Jim’s pick: Five straight where Dave and I agree. After how bad we both were last week, I feel like I should intentionally disagree with Dave here. But my mind just can’t. QU 5, UM 3
Notre Dame at Minnesota Duluth
Dave’s pick: These two teams are so evenly matched, I’ve got to go with home ice as the deciding factor. UMD 3, UND 2
Jim’s pick: Okay, here is a chance to disagree. I liked a lot about Duluth’s heart against Lowell last weekend, but the Bulldogs never led and Notre Dame’s offense seems ready to fire. UND 4, UMD 3
Boston College at Wisconsin
Dave’s pick: BC may be very young this year, but Wisconsin (8-19-8 last season) should be easy pickings even in its own barn. BC 4, UW 1
Jim’s pick: Both teams bounced back on Friday night last weekend, but BC did it against a tougher opponent. BC 3, UW 2
Boston University at Denver
Dave’s pick: Even at home, I see Denver dropping to 0-3. BU is just too good. BU 4, DU 3
Jim’s pick: I’m not sure I see this game this close. Denver is a good team but didn’t impress last weekend and BU has impressed through exhibition and it’s first game. BU 5, DU 2
Massachusetts-Lowell at Colorado College
Dave’s pick: The Tigers have fallen on tough times (6-29-1 last year), so this should be a cakewalk. UML 4, CC 1
Jim’s pick: I don’t see either game as a cakewalk because CC did put up seven goals on UMass after being shutout. But Lowell should prevail. UML 3, CC 2
Saturday, Oct. 15
New Hampshire at Clarkson
Dave’s pick: I was taken aback by UNH’s 5-1 loss to Bentley, so I expect Clarkson to decisively defend its home ice. CU 3, UNH 2
Jim’s pick: I don’t think UNH will be a bad team from beginning to end. No Dick Umile coached team ever is. But I need to see proof before I begin picking them. CC 3, UNH 1
Quinnipiac at Maine
Dave’s pick: Maine comes back to Earth this weekend, but there’s no shame in getting swept by a mega-power like Quinnipiac. QU 4, Maine 1
Jim’s pick: Listen, given Maine’s ability to score last weekend, I’m not shocked if they pull off an upset in one of these two games. I’m just not picking said upset. QU 4, Maine 3
Bentley at Northeastern
Dave’s pick: The Huskies pay back their sweep at the hands of Bentley last season. NU 4, Bentley 2
Jim’s pick: Home ice for Northeastern; let’s hope for the energy to be there against Bentley. NU 4, Bentley 3
Merrimack at St. Lawrence
Dave’s pick: The Larries are the better team and at home to boot. SLU 4, MC 2
Jim’s pick: There is just a gut feeling for me that Merrimack wins one of these games on the road, so I’ll go with this one. Count on a defensive struggle, though. MC 2, SLU 1
Providence at Holy Cross
Dave’s pick: Providence takes on one of Atlantic Hockey’s top teams, but I still believe in Hockey East’s superior overall strength. PC 3, HC 2
Jim’s pick: Providence has to control the Holy Cross offense that exploded last weekend on Niagara, but I think this Friars team has the ability to do so, even on the road. PC 4, HC 3
Connecticut at RIT
Dave’s pick: If UConn were playing at home, I’d pick the Huskies to win. But with RIT the hosts, it’ll be tough sledding. RIT 4, UConn 3
Jim’s pick: I know this is always a big game for RIT, playing at Bleu Cross Arena in front of 10,000-plus orange-clad fans. But I think UConn will hold its composure and improve to 4-0-0. UConn 3, RIT 1
Notre Dame at Minnesota Duluth
Dave’s pick: As noted above, I’m just going with home ice in this even matchup. UMD 4, UND 3 (OT)
Jim’s pick: After picking the first five games on list list the same as Dave, we have a lot more differences as we go along. UND 4, UMD 2
Boston University at Denver
Dave’s pick: Can BU stay undefeated and leave Denver winless? Yes. BU 4, DU 2
Jim’s pick: Agree with this one. Tough 0-4-0 start for Denver, but BU makes it highly likely. BU 5, DU 4
Massachusetts-Lowell at Colorado College
Dave’s pick: A second easy win for the River Hawks over a program far, far removed from its past glories. UML 3, CC 0
Jim’s pick: I think this game could be easier than night one for the River Hawks, but I still see CC being competitive. UML 3, CC 1
Sunday, Oct. 16
Boston College at Wisconsin
Dave’s pick: Speaking of teams far removed from past glories, Wisconsin is no match for the Eagles. BC 4, UW 2
Jim’s pick: BC makes it three straight after the opening night loss to Air Force. BC 5, UW 1
Wednesday, Oct. 19
Connecticut at Quinnipiac
Dave’s pick: As a reminder, Quinnipiac went 32-4-7 last year while advancing to the national championship game. UConn isn’t at that level yet. QU 5, UConn 2
Jim’s pick: This is a great in-state rivalry game. Both team will be coming off long bus rides from the weekend, so I think home ice matters here. QU 3, UConn 2
Thanks to correctly picking the Colorado College-Massachusetts split, I have a two-game lead on Matthew in our annual picks contest. Last week, I went 6-4-2, while Matthew went 4-6-2. On the year, I am 8-4-2 while Matthew is 6-6-2.
Let’s see if I can widen the lead this weekend.
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 14-15
Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green (home-and-home) Candace: I thought I should have picked Western to sweep last weekend. I’ll do so this week and probably get it wrong, but what the heck. Western Michigan 3-2, 3-1 Matthew: I want to go with a Western sweep here but I think the home teams will win. Bowling Green 2-1, Western Michigan 2-1
Massachusetts-Lowell at Colorado College Candace: CC rallied and scored a bunch of goals last Saturday against UMass, but Lowell is a way different Massachusetts team. Lowell 4-1, 4-2 Matthew: CC had a good first weekend, but I’m not sure if the Tigers pick up a win here despite being at home. Lowell 3-2, 2-1
Boston University at Denver Candace: Even with Dylan Gambrell in the lineup, I think I would have picked Boston University to sweep. Boston University 3-1, 3-2 Matthew: How different will Denver look with Dylan Gambrell projected to be out injured for around a month? This series is tougher for DU without him. Boston University 3-2, Denver 3-2
St. Cloud State at Minnesota State Candace: This could be a really interesting series, and will probably be a split, but I’m going with the league homer pick. St. Cloud State 3-2, 3-1 Matthew: I’m sort of surprised that this isn’t a home-and-home, but SCSU will be glad for the road experience against a tough opponent. St. Cloud State 3-2, Minnesota State 2-1
Notre Dame at Minnesota-Duluth Candace: It’s hard to know what to make of Notre Dame from a sweep of Arizona State. On paper, the Irish look really deep and experienced. I was impressed by Duluth’s performance in Lowell though. I’ll pick an NCHC sweep and hope I get one of the games right. Minnesota-Duluth 3-2, 3-2 Matthew: Maybe the nation’s series of the weekend. It’s the safe choice, but I’m going to take a split here. Notre Dame 3-1, Minnesota-Duluth 3-1
Omaha at the Alaska Goal Rush (Alaska-Anchorage Friday, Alaska Saturday) Candace: I was a little surprised to see Omaha lose its exhibition game. I’m not completely sold on Alaska, but I’ll pick a split. Omaha 3-1, Alaska 3-1 Matthew: UNO has room for improvement after dropping its exhibition game against Alberta. I think the Mavericks pick up their first win of the season here but I don’t know if they win the tournament. Omaha 3-1, Alaska 3-2
Ohio State at Miami (Saturday) Candace: Ohio State looked really good last weekend in Denver, but I think the RedHawks get the win. Miami 3-1 Matthew: Miami did well last weekend on the road against Providence, but they’ve got another tough test Saturday against a good Ohio State team. This game will be close. Miami 3-2
Saturday, Oct. 15
Rensselaer at North Dakota Candace: I don’t see North Dakota having much trouble at home against the Engineers. North Dakota 4-1 Matthew: This ought to be a fairly easy win for UND at home. North Dakota 4-1
The Middle Atlantic Conferences announced Thursday that the conference will sponsor three new varsity sports beginning the 2017-18 season, including men’s and women’s hockey.
Conference bylaws require that at least five of the conference’s member institutions offer a particular sport before it may become a conference-sponsored sport.
“The MAC is committed to being a national leader in expanding student opportunities for sport participation,” said Dr. Kent C. Trachte, chair of MAC Executive Committee and president of Lycoming College, in a statement.
The Middle Atlantic Conferences is comprised of three conferences known as the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC), Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth (MAC Commonwealth) and Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom).
Men’s and women’s hockey will compete in the MAC for a conference title.
The five institutions set to sponsor men’s and women’s hockey for the 2017-18 inaugural season are King’s, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Stevenson and Wilkes.
Manhattanville has sponsored men’s and women’s hockey since the 1999-2000 season, with the men competing in NCAA Division III since 1999 and the women joining during the NCAA Division III’s inaugural season of women’s hockey in 2001-02.
The Lebanon Valley men’s program also began in 1999-2000 competing in NCAA Division III until the 2009-10 season. The Dutchmen will move back into NCAA Division III during the 2016-17 season after competing as a club team in ACHA Division I from 2010 to 2016. Lebanon Valley’s women’s program opens its inaugural season in 2016-17.
Stevenson’s women’s program began competing in 2012-13 in NCAA Division III. The Mustangs’ men’s program begins its inaugural season in 2016-17.
King’s and Wilkes both officially announced the addition of men’s of women’s hockey during the 2016 calendar year, and will both play its first season in 2017-18.
Atte Tolvanen helped Northern Michigan to a split last weekend with Wisconsin (photo: Jim Rosvold).
When Northern Michigan coach Walt Kyle thinks about the WCHA, he thinks about quality goaltenders.
“I think everyone has a guy that is a real go-to guy, really we have six or seven that could be first-team all-league in any league,” Kyle said. “I really think whichever guys stays healthy and consistent will really be a difference in the race and help their team come out on top.”
With that in mind, Kyle is happy he has sophomore goalie Atte Tolvanen.
The Finnish goalie made his mark this past weekend in a nonconference tilt with Wisconsin. Tolvanen stopped 27 of 29 shots in a 3-2 win on opening night, he then made 13 saves in relief during a 6-5 loss — finishing with 40 saves on 44 shots this weekend.
“He really is a game changer for us,” Kyle said. “We learned last year he was ready for this level and I think he’s ready for the next step this season.”
While Tolvanen is from Finland, Kyle said the goalie has fit in well in Marquette.
“He played in the NAHL and he’s always been interested in playing college hockey,” Kyle said. “He’s fit in well with our team and he really helped us solidify the position when he came in as a freshman.”
Tolvanen and Northern Michigan will host Bemidji State this weekend in its WCHA opener.
Bowling Green looking for fight
Bowling Green head coach Chris Bergeron isn’t happy after his team lost a pair of games on the road against Bemidji State.
The Falcons scored just two goals in the weekend and in both games Bergeron felt like his team didn’t look like it wanted to be on the ice.
“That’s the most concerning part,” Bergeron said. “I think we got outcompeted for six periods.”
It made it even more frustrating that the Falcons were missing players in the season opener because of suspensions.
“That was an opportunity for other guys to play and that should have nothing to do with the level of competition,” Bergeron said. “Obviously this time of year, you’re going to make mistakes, but we should be able to control our competition level, and what we saw is not acceptable.”
Bergeron said he wants the players to lead a change and make the opening weekend an exception, not the norm when Bowling Green plays a home-and-home series with Western Michigan this weekend.
“I need them to be the catalyst,” Bergeron said. “I can yell and say what I want to happen, but it really needs to happen with the players. They need to know that and step up.”
Penalties pile up, for the better
During the league’s annual conference call at the beginning of this season, league supervisor of officials Greg Shepherd said that officials were going to start cracking down hard on interference and obstruction.
The reason for this: The perception that the WCHA was just a “clutch-and-grab” league. The general thought is that this allowed the less-talented teams to win more often.
And it’s true that scoring was down for the league last season — only Michigan Tech averaged more than three goals per game. WCHA league games averaged just 4.97, according to BGSUHockey.com.
This season, officials are going to better police things like hooking and holding along the boards. And although the new mandates for obstruction aren’t confined to the WCHA — Shepherd said it’s an NCAA point of emphasis for everyone — the league seems to be the one that needs it most.
So far, it has resulted in a ton of penalties two weeks in. There have been just six total league games played so far this season but a total of 80 penalties. That’s 13.3 penalties per game, and if we’re rounding up to 14, that’s seven per team per game.
In Northern Michigan’s series with Wisconsin — not a conference game, but one judged by WCHA referees — the Wildcats and Badgers combined for 33 penalties alone. Wisconsin had eight power-play chances in each game.
In Bemidji State’s series with Bowling Green last weekend, there were “just” 25 penalties.
BSU head coach Tom Serratore said the new points of emphasis are a positive, and will force teams to either get better on special teams or play better during 5-on-5.
“I don’t think it’s easy for the referees either,” he said. “Sometimes there’s going to be some calls where you’re standing there saying, ‘What? That looked extremely harmless.’ But for them, they need to call the standard, and they’re going to get the feel down in the first month or so. They’re going to have a feel for what they should call — is that a stick infraction? Or maybe it didn’t have any bearing on the play. They’ll figure all that stuff out. Everybody right now is trying to figure that stuff out. The best thing for the players is just to try and keep your stick on the ice.
“Also the referees need to coach the players, talk to the players the whole time. I think that’s going to be very beneficial for both the referees and the players.”
Thompson too much
Connecticut sophomore Tage Thompson was the difference maker as Alabama-Huntsville beat was swept and outscored by a combined 10-0 in two games this weekend.
Thompson, the 26th pick in the 2016 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues, had five points (three goals, two assists) in two games.
“Tage Thompson is my eyes is one of the best players in college hockey,” Huntsville coach Mike Corbett said. “We had no one to match up. There aren’t going to be too many guys better than Tage out there. He’s one of those kids that everyone needs to watch, he’s good as advertised.”
While Huntsville lost both games to Connecticut, the Chargers are still undefeated in the WCHA and return to league play this weekend with a road trip to Michigan Tech.
“We’re in a good spot still, we’ll take what happened this weekend (in Connecticut) and we’ll move forward on this trip to (Michigan) Tech,” Corbett said.
Ice Chips
— Alaska started its season with a non-conference road game against instate rivals Alaska Anchorage The Nanooks took the game 4-1, and both Justin Woods and Ryker Leer both had a goal and an assist to keep the Nanooks’ three-game winning streak against the Seawolves alive. They also lost to Minnesota 6-3 the next day; the Nanooks will now host UAA, Omaha and Canisius this week in the annual Brice Alaska Shootout.
— Alaska Anchorage opened the season with a 6-0 loss against Minnesota and the aforementioned 4-1 loss to Fairbanks. Jarrett Brown was the lone goalscorer for the Seawolves, who at 0-2 are off to their worst start since 2000-01.
— In Bemidji State’s season-opening sweep of Bowling Green, the Beavers found scoring from all across the lineup. Six different Beavers scored all six of BSU’s goals in the series (forwards Charlie O’Connor, Brendan Harms, Gerry Fitzgerald and Myles Fitzgerald and defensemen Zach Whitecloud and Brett Beauvais). In all, nine different players recorded at least a point for BSU.
— Ferris State is still looking for its first victory after dropping back-to-back games against Western Michigan. The Bulldogs are 0-4 and 0-2 in the WCHA after losing to Alabama-Huntsville the prior week.
— Lake Superior State is the lone conference team which has yet to play a regular-season game. The Lakers open their season this weekend with a home series against former Central Collegiate Hockey Conference rival Michigan State.
— Michigan Tech’s 0-4 start is their worst since 2004-05. However, the Huskies host Alabama Huntsville this weekend hoping to turn things around in their home opener. Tech is 10-0 all time against the Chargers, including 6-0 at MacInnes Ice Arena in Houghton, Mich.
— Minnesota State’s 2-0 start has been propelled in part by senior netminder Cole Huggins. He stopped 45 of 46 shots last weekend against Michigan Tech, including a 4-0 shutout in Saturday’s game. The shutout was the 11th of his career — a school record — and gives him 40 career victories.
Players of the Week
This week’s players of the week are: Northern Michigan junior forward Robbie Payne (offensive), Minnesota State senior goaltender Cole Huggins (defensive) and Bemidji State freshman defenseman Zach Whitecloud (rookie).
