Salem State and Massachusetts-Boston in action Tuesday night as part of Frozen Fenway (photo: Joseph Beitz).
Say what you want about outdoor games.
While the Winter Classic, Frozen Fenway and the Frozen Frontier are made-for-TV events showcasing the NHL, Hockey East and the American Hockey League at a national and regional level, these events do provide an opportunity for other programs to get some exposure.
The average fan just sees the main event in these events, but with Frozen Fenway and the Frozen Frontier this year, the undercard to these events put Division III on the big stage that isn’t normally seen.
Frozen Fenway was the first to showcase a Division III game in 2012 with an ECAC East matchup between Babson and Norwich (the same two teams met Thursday at Fenway with Norwich winning 1-0).
On Tuesday, the MASCAC got its chance to bat as Salem State took on No. 15 Massachusetts-Boston in the first game of Division III doubleheader.
Williams defeated Trinity 4-2 in the nightcap.
It was the MASCAC’s chance to show off its skill and while they didn’t draw the supposed 31,569 fans for the second game of last week’s Hockey East doubleheader that featured the Holy War between Boston College and Notre Dame, the 1,133 was the biggest crowd they have seen this year.
If the Green Monster wasn’t the background, do you think most of those people would have taken time out of their day to catch a Division III game? Probably not.
“It was a terrific experience, we all enjoyed the game and everything that went into it,” Salem State coach Bill O’Neill said. “The Fenway group went out of their way to make it a first-class event and I think everyone who went to watch and everyone who was a part of it was overwhelmed on how great a night it was.”
O’Neill saw first-hand two years ago on how the Fenway staff prepared for the event as he saw his son, Will O’Neill, play for Maine as the Black Bears took on New Hampshire with Maine taking the game 5-4 in overtime.
Now you can say the Red Sox ownership or anyone else that’s putting on an outdoor game is really just looking at the almighty dollar. Most likely you are correct because I don’t think John Henry, Tom Werner, Larry Lucchino – the Red Sox owners – could name five players on the four Hockey East schools that have or will take the field – I mean ice – the last two weeks, let alone any of the six Division III teams.
In their quest to make a quick buck, they instead created memories that will last a lifetime for any of the players whether they are Division I, Division III, prep or high school players. Most likely, those Division III and high school kids will never play on a bigger stage in their career.
When talking to O’Neill, it was obvious in his voice that despite losing 4-2 to UMass-Boston, you could hear the joy just to be a small part of the event.
“Our school has been involved and in communication with the Red Sox group for over a year now,” O’Neill said. “The communication and everything that goes with it, our administration, our athletic department, it was preparing like a [college football] bowl game. The amount of effort of putting together [press] releases and creating a team that would market it the best way possible to touch base with our alumni. The end result was a perfect night Tuesday night, other than the result.”
For the last few years, I have won the picks race, usually edging Arlan out by a couple of games. The way things are shaping up right now, Arlan is winning in a walk. Last week, I went a respectable 17-4-1 (.795) to move to 155-54-21 (.719). Arlan however, went 19-2-1 (.886) to move to 164-45-21 (.758). Maybe I should invoke the mercy rule.
I’m going to try to chip back at this just to make my humiliation more acceptable.
Friday, Jan. 10
Yale at Dartmouth Candace: Can the game against Boston University be a turnaround for Dartmouth? Dartmouth 3-2 Arlan: I’m assuming Phoebe Staenz will be back with the Bulldogs after playing for her country last weekend. Yale 4-3
Brown at Harvard Candace: I’m assuming that like against Cornell, Brown will keep it close. Harvard 3-1 Arlan: After falling to struggling Colgate on home ice, the second half looks bleak for Brown. Harvard 3-0
Quinnipiac at Rensselaer Candace: Rensselaer is an enigma, but Quinnipiac has usually won when it should. Quinnipiac 3-0 Arlan: These are the type of road games that the Bobcats have lost in past years. Quinnipiac 2-0
Princeton at Union Candace: Union has been better than last year, but it’s not enough. Princeton 3-1 Arlan: The Dutchwomen are improving, but their gains are more evident out of conference. Princeton 3-1
Syracuse at RIT Candace: I’ll go with home ice and hope RIT doesn’t disappoint. RIT 2-1 Arlan: RIT went winless versus the Orange last year with a tie and three one-goal losses. Syracuse 2-1
Friday-Saturday, Jan. 10-11
Clarkson home-and-home with St. Lawrence Candace: Last year, Clarkson lost its chance at a season sweep in the final game between the two. I don’t see it happening this year. Clarkson 3-1, 3-2 Arlan: It’s never over; the Saints have scored five extra-attacker goals this season. Clarkson 2-1, 3-0
Connecticut at Vermont Candace: Connecticut has been better this year, but home ice should be worth a sweep. Vermont 3-2, 2-1 Arlan: Catamounts have played eight straight decided by a goal or less; Huskies have lost their last seven. I sense overtime — each team has six OT games this season. Vermont 4-3, 1-0
Providence home-and-home with New Hampshire Candace: Providence may have gotten over its dreadful November. New Hampshire 3-1, Providence 3-1 Arlan: After losing seven, winning three, and losing three, PC won on Sunday. UNH’s win on 12/8 broke a six-game skid. New Hampshire 3-1, 4-3
Minnesota State at Minnesota-Duluth Candace: Minnesota State has the misfortune of playing in the WCHA. In other conferences, I think their record would be better. Minnesota-Duluth 3-2, 3-1 Arlan: The Mavericks should be able to hold the score down, but their offense has been struggling to post big numbers. Minnesota-Duluth 2-1, 3-1
Ohio State at Minnesota Candace: The Gopher train starts 2014 off golden. Minnesota 4-1, 4-0 Arlan: Look for the Buckeyes to score more often and commit fewer penalties in 2014. Minnesota 3-2, 4-1
Cornell at Mercyhurst Candace: Mercyhurst really needs one of these games. Cornell 3-1, Mercyhurst 3-2 Arlan: The Lakers play possum so convincingly that even though I know they are going to win, I still can’t pick them. Cornell 4-3, 3-0
Saturday, Jan. 11
Brown at Dartmouth Candace: Brown has trouble scoring. So does Dartmouth. Dartmouth 2-1 Arlan: Six weeks ago, I’d have gone with Brown. Dartmouth 2-1
Yale at Harvard Candace: I’ll take Emerance. Harvard 3-1 Arlan: Harvard’s power play will be a factor in this one. Harvard 3-1
Princeton at Rensselaer Candace: Can home ice pull RPI through? I’ve picked against Princeton at my peril this year. Princeton 3-1 Arlan: On home ice, RPI should come closer than the first meeting, although likely not close enough. Princeton 2-1
Quinnipiac at Union Candace: The Bobcats keep the pressure on the conference leaders. Quinnipiac 3-1 Arlan: The Bobcats have let a few ECAC points slip away, so they’ll need to secure these two. Quinnipiac 2-0
Boston University at Maine Candace: Hockey East’s worst team should give BU a chance to get back to its winning ways. Boston University 3-1 Arlan: If the Terriers’ skaters don’t make more of an effort to defend their own net than they made at home versus BC, then they’ll lose at Maine as well. Boston University 3-2
Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 11-12
Northeastern home and home with Boston College Candace: The Eagles look awfully good on Wednesday against BU. They need to continue that level of play. One of these will be close. Boston College 4-1, 3-2 Arlan: It’s been a few years since Northeastern defeated BC outside of tournament play. Boston College 4-1, 5-3
North Dakota at Wisconsin Candace: I’d like to pick North Dakota in one of these, but history says I’d be wrong, especially in Madison. Wisconsin 3-2, 3-1 Arlan: Can UND stop an unbeaten streak that is almost three months old? Even if they are without Alex Rigsby for another week, it’s tough to score on the Badgers. Wisconsin 3-2, 2-0
Wednesday, Jan. 15
Northeastern at Connecticut Candace: The Huskies will win. Oh, you want me to pick one? Northeastern 3-1 Arlan: Games played in 2014 are adding up quickly for UConn. Northeastern 4-3
I picked up a single game on Jim last week. I don’t know whether that’s good news because it’s improvement or bad news because I needed more.
Dave last week: 7-3-4 Jim last week: 6-4-4 Dave’s record-to-date: 92-51-19 Jim’s record-to-date: 96-47-19
Here are this week’s picks:
Friday, Jan. 10
Providence at Boston College
Dave’s pick: Jon Gillies may be back, but the Friars have hit a few potholes. BC isn’t the right team to be facing now. BC 3, PC 1
Jim’s pick: Home ice may be the deciding factor here. BC 3, PC 2
Merrimack at Clarkson
Dave’s pick: Clarkson is 12-2-1 against everyone else, but 0-4-1 against Hockey East. That would argue for picking the Warriors, but they’re still winless on the road. Clarkson 3, MC 2
Jim’s pick: Clarkson has just enough talent to beat the offensively-challenged Warriors. Clarkson 3, MC 1
Massachusetts at Cornell
Dave’s pick: The momentum the Minutemen had been picking up before the holiday break seems all gone now. Cornell is just too good, especially at Lynah. Cornell 4, UMass 2
Jim’s pick: If this was a home game for UMass, I’d be tempted to pick the Minutemen. The fact is, it’s not. Cornell 3, UMass 2
Alabama-Huntsville at Notre Dame
Dave’s pick: It’s great that the Chargers kept their program alive, but at 1-21-0 they’re easy pickings for the Irish. ND 5, UAH 1
Jim’s pick: No brainer here. ND 6, UAH 2
Saturday, Jan. 12
Frozen Fenway: Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Northeastern
Dave’s pick: Both teams are coming on strong now, but the River Hawks are the stronger of the two. UML 3, NU 2
Jim’s pick: This is a tough one to pick given that NU won the first meeting. I assume Lowell won’t hit four posts this time. UML 4, NU 2
Frozen Fenway: Maine vs. Boston University
Dave’s pick: The Terriers just lost at home to a 2-11-2 Dartmouth team, running their winless streak to five games. Maine 4, BU 1
Jim’s pick: This one shouldn’t be close. Though it likely will be. Maine 3, BU 2
Boston College at Brown
Dave’s pick: Brown has played .500 hockey this year. That ain’t good enough against the Eagles. BC 5, Brown 2
Jim’s pick: Agree. This is BC’s game to lose. BC 3, Brown 2
Dartmouth vs. New Hampshire
Dave’s pick: UNH may be going places this year; Dartmouth isn’t. UNH 4, DC 2
Jim’s pick: Very tough pick given that Dartmouth made BU look bad at home. Manchester has rarely been kind to UNH either. I’m going Green. DC, 3 UNH 2
Merrimack at Clarkson
Dave’s pick: I’d be picking the Warriors to split at home, but not on the road. Clarkson 3, MC 2 (OT)
Jim’s pick: This is one good, and very hungry, Clarkson team. Clarkson 4, MC 1
Vermont at Colgate
Dave’s pick: The Catamounts are 8-1-2 over their last 11. I’m lumbering onto that bandwagon. UVM 4, Colgate 2
Jim’s pick: I’d feel better if this was in Vermont. No sure the Cats can handle a tough road game against a team that just tied and beat No. 1 and No. 2. Colgate 3, UVM 2
Alabama-Huntsville at Notre Dame
Dave’s pick: Anything I say at this point would seem like picking on the Chargers. So I’ll just list the score. ND 6, UAH 1
Jim’s pick: Second night is typically a lot tighter for the Chargers. Doesn’t mean it’s a win.. ND 3, UAH 2
Tuesday, Jan. 14
American International at Massachusetts
Dave’s pick: UMass has struggled in its last few games, but the Yellow Jackets are 1-10 over their last 11. UMass 4, AIC 1
Jim’s pick: Western Mass. battle goes to the hosts. UMass 4, AIC 2
Chris Leone is part of a stingy defense corps in Adrian that has allowed just a shade over one goal per game this season (photo: Adrian College Athletics).
Adrian was voted the top team in the nation in this week’s USCHO.com Division III Men’s Poll for the first time in program history.
And who can argue?
The Bulldogs remain unbeaten in regulation on the 2013-14 season and they are outscoring their opponents 63-16.
Essentially, the Bulldogs have flattened their competition in the first half of the season.
“It is nice to be to be recognized,” said Adrian coach Ron Fogarty. “It is a reflection of our record the first half of the season, but by no means does it mean that we are the best team in the country. There are probably 10 teams that are worthy of being the top team right now.”
Success is no stranger to the Bulldogs’ program, which captured all six MCHA regular-season titles since joining the Division III ranks in the 2007-08 season. They also won the MCHA playoff championship five times, earning the historic Harris Cup nearly every season.
However, the Bulldogs have yet to capture the ultimate goal, a national championship. A loss, to now-conference foe St. Norbert, in the 2011 national championship game was as close as the program has been to undisputed measure of success.
“You look at a team like St. Norbert and the success they have had, or [Wisconsin-]Eau Claire, there has been a tremendous amount of effort on defense, translating to national championships,” said Fogarty. “That’s a big component for our program, that’s something we want.”
Junior forwards Josh Ranalli (16 goals, 23 points) and Justin Basso (6-13-19) have combined for nearly a third of those goals. Add in senior forward Josh Cousineau (0-15-15) to that line and the Bulldogs’ top line is dangerous offensively. Cousineau is second in the country in assists, while Ranalli currently leads the country in goals.
“They have been playing great, they have been feeding off each other,” said Fogarty. “Ranalli and Cousineau have been playing with each other for a couple of years, so there is great chemistry.”
The fact that the Bulldogs are third in the country for team offense is no surprise. However, leading the nation in team defense, allowing an average of just 1.23 goals a game, is something new for the team.
“The low goals-against has been different for us compared to previous years,” Fogarty explained. “We have always had high scorers, but this is very different than any other team we’ve had.”
Fogarty and the Bulldogs aren’t looking past this weekend when the 12-0-1 Bulldogs take on St. Olaf (3-8-2) and Gustavus Adolphus (7-3-2) in a pair of road games against MIAC opponents.
“We have a long road ahead to accomplish our goals that are more important than being recognized as the top team,” said Fogarty.
Rensselaer at Princeton
This has the makings of a low-scoring affair: RPI hasn’t scored three goals in four games; Princeton, six. That said, the last time the Engineers mustered more than two scores, it was in a 5-2 home win over the Tigers. Princeton hopes the strong defense it exhibited in British Columbia (two goals against in two games) will carry over to NCAA action, but I’m leaning toward RPI in this one. 4-2 ‘Tute.
Union at Quinnipiac
The Game of the Week pits the first-place Dutchmen – owning the longest unbeaten streak (10 games) in the nation – against Quinnipiac, which leads the country in wins (15, tied with Ferris State). Union hasn’t played a game in nearly a month, while QU is already 2-0-2 since Christmas. Will Union’s rust give the Bobcats the edge, or will its fresh legs carry the day? One thing to look for: QU and Union lead the conference in third-period scoring (16 and 15, respectively). I’m taking QU on revenge alone, as this one could be a real toss-up. A real entertaining toss-up, but a coin flip nonetheless. 4-3 Bobcats.
Merrimack at Clarkson
I admit, I’m wondering how accurate my post-break analysis of Clarkson will be, though I don’t expect the Knights to regress against Merrimack… The Warriors are averaging fewer than two goals a game, and have only managed three or more four times (thrice against Atlantic Hockey opponents). Golden Knights defend Cheel, 4-1.
Massachusetts at Cornell
UMass is a bottom-third team in scoring and team defense, and is 3-10-1 on the road. This is Cornell’s only game of the weekend, and Lynah will be rocking as usual. This would be a deflating loss for the Big Red, but not one I’m predicting. 4-2 Red.
Saturday, January 11
Union at Princeton 4:00
Despite the marquee matchup on Friday, I don’t see Union letting down its guard enough to be caught by surprise in the Garden State. 3-1 Dutch.
Boston College at Brown 5:00
Much respect to BC for scheduling this meeting, as Bruno has had a hard time drawing major programs to Providence for a while now. Hopefully Brown and coach Brendan Whittet’s anywhere, anytime mentality has begun earning enough respect among his colleagues that we will see more of these visits from other top teams in the future. That said, BC is the favorite, and Bruno will have all it can handle at Meehan on Saturday. 4-1 Eagles.
Dartmouth vs New Hampshire 5:00 Verizon Wireless Arena; Manchester, N.H.
Dartmouth just beat BU on the road… yet has only three wins on the season. A sign of a turnaround, or simply a dead-cat bounce? (I’ve always loved that phrase.) Until the Green start establishing some kind of offensive or defensive trend, I’ll have a hard time looking past their record… Wildcats, 4-3.
Rensselaer at Quinnipiac 7:00
I’m picking the Bobcats in this one – I’ll give that away up front – but if RPI hopes to finish the season resembling even a shadow of their preseason expectations (yes, I am aware that Jason Kasdorf is a big missing piece), the Engineers have to start winning now. QU, 4-2.
Merrimack at Clarkson 7:00
Why would my predictions change with the day? These teams do not strike me as inhabiting the same plateau… ‘Tech, 3-1.
Vermont at Colgate 7:00
Time to see what the Raiders are made of. Vermont is Colgate’s first opponent since it’s stunning Mariucci Classic championship, and the Catamounts are no walkover. The Cats are 8-1-2 since mid-November, including wins over St. Lawrence (twice) and Clarkson and ties against Yale and Dartmouth. Colgate is 3-7 at home this year, and 1-5 against out-of-conference visitors. Time to put up or shut up. 3-2 Catamounts, tentatively.
Yale vs Harvard 8:00 Madison Square Garden; New York, N.Y.
Bright, Ingalls, MSG or the moon, Yale is the better team than Harvard. The Crimson scored a goalie-assisted (shots were 54-27 Yale) draw in New Haven in the first week of December, and frankly, Harvard’s only impressive win this season (5-7-3) was a 6-3 win over horrendously streaky New Hampshire… in which the Crimson were out-shot 36-21. Bulldogs 4-2.
A number of high echelon clubs look to get their postseason run-up in focus this week. An ECAC East-West perspective gets things underway Friday in New York, with No. 3 Norwich and No. 4 Elmira.
Friday-Saturday, Jan. 10-11
Gustavus Adolphus at Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Both teams have performed strikingly away from home. In that vein, the Golden Gusties and Pointers are a combined 9-0-2 on the road. The Pointers have lost twice on their home sheet, most recently in a 3-1 defeat against St. Norbert last Saturday. Given the emphasis on taut defensive play, the two-game series could hinge on the production of special teams. Coach Mike Carroll’s Gusties are ranked ninth with the skater advantage and fifth nationally on the PK. However, Gustavus Adolphus is yet to secure a triumphant outcome against a WIAC club this season (0-2-2). Wisconsin-Stevens Point has a clean 4-0-0 slate in matchups with MIAC entities. Wisconsin-Stevens Point over Gustavus Adolphus, Gustavus Adolphus over Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Colby at Amherst
A sweep would propel third place Colby past their hosts in the conference. Directed by first-year coach Mallory Young, the Mules have hit a few flat spots in the early portion of the schedule, as in not closing out winnable contests. Colby, 3-2 in one-goal affairs, will need to take advantage of any and all opportunities afforded them while skating with the power play. The Mules have the sixth-ranked PP setup in the nation at 25.0 percent. Still, a tall task looms for Young’s charges in pursuit of success against the Jeffs. Amherst has been the lone club to score on No.1 Plattsburgh in a 1-1 deadlock in November at the East/West Classic. Amherst over Colby (both)
Rutland Herald Invitational
Host Castleton (7-5-2, 3-2-0 ECAC-East) has yet to taste team victory in the Invitational, now in its fifth edition. The Spartans invite Salve Regina (6-4-2, 2-3-0 ECAC-East), the University of New England (5-5-3 D-III Independent) and Holy Cross (6-5-0, 3-2-0 ECAC East) to Rutland’s Spartan Arena. Sophomore Taylor Steadman, a Vermont native, formerly of last season’s national championship Elmira squad, has entered the program at Castleton for the second half of the campaign. Steadman finished with seven goals and 11 points in 30 games along with a pair of game-winning goals a year ago. Along with Spartans forward Nicoline Jensen (7th in the nation in scoring), the Castleton offense is bound to witness a positive spike. Championship Game: Castleton over Holy Cross
Friday, Jan. 10 Castleton vs. University of New England, Holy Cross vs. Salve Regina Saturday, Jan. 11 Consolation Game, 12:00 pm, Championship Game 3:00 pm
Friday, Jan. 10
Norwich at Elmira
The Cadets reversed poll spots with the Soaring Eagles this week in moving into third. At the East/West Classic last November, Norwich fell behind early before responding with three consecutive goals in the opening period en route to a 3-2 win. The Elmira camp will be eager to play in a friendly setting, given that only two of its 11 games thus far have been at home. Coach Dean Jackson’s crew last suited up at the Murray Athletic Center on Nov. 23 in a 5-1 victory over Williams. Norwich’s lone loss on the road came against No.1 Plattsburgh. Both teams are capable of generating quick-paced offense. Norwich’s Tori Charron and Elmira’s Ashley Ryan are both embedded among the nation’s top 10 scoring leaders, and there appears to be little wiggle-room, talent wise, between Cadets’ goalie Taylor Fairchild (1.48) and Elmira senior Lisa Marshall (5-2-1, 1.48). The Soaring Eagles make the most of a home date. Elmira over Norwich
Eight of the 10 WCHA teams are involved in league contests this weekend while Alabama-Huntsville heads to Notre Dame and Northern Michigan plays pond hockey during its bye week. Here are the picks.
Alaska at Bowling Green
Matt: I may have called a split for the Nanooks a week ago — though I had the winners flipped — but I was still impressed Alaska was able to take two points from a red-hot Minnesota State. Because of that, I like Hockey Bear’s boys to steal one on the road. Falcons 4-1, Nanooks 3-2
Shane: This is a big weekend for both teams. Bowling Green is trying to keep pace with Ferris State and Minnesota State, despite playing 16 league games already. Alaska, after splitting with MSU, has to feel like it’s better than a bottom-two team. So, yeah, a split. Falcons 4-3, Nanooks 3-2
Michigan Tech at Ferris State
Matt: Colgate the giant killers stole their second win of the season over Ferris State a week ago. That should only fire up, if not anger a Bulldogs team that is set to play in front of a sold-out Ewigleben Ice Arena on Friday and Saturday. Bulldogs 2-1, 3-1
Shane: Like everyone else, I’m curious to see how the Bulldogs bounce back from that rare loss. Suddenly, they have a lot to prove. Being at home in front of those sold-out crowds ought to help. I keep thinking Tech is better than its record, but I’m not sure the Huskies will win this weekend. Bulldogs 4-2, 4-3
Bemidji State at Lake Superior
Matt: LSSU is the last team to lose to the Beavers back on Nov. 23 in Bemidji. Since then, BSU has gone winless in its last eight games, going 0-4-4. It needs a win badly, probably more than the Lakers, who have played more games than the Beavers. Lakers 3-2, Beavers 2-0
Shane: After that strong start, the Lakers have been a steady .500 team. Meanwhile, the Beavers’ scoring seems to have run dry. I’ll take the team with the better goaltending. Lakers 3-1, 2-1
Minnesota State at Alaska Anchorage
Matt: So the Mavericks have become the home team after the Seawolves got stuck in Minneapolis until Thursday night. They don’t get to practice on their own rink until today — game day. I like the Mavericks to take advantage of a weary Seawolves team. Mavericks 4-2, 3-2
Shane: Minnesota State’s Alaska grind certainly doesn’t seem so bad compared to Anchorage’s travel woes. On a normal week, I’d probably pick a split, especially with Anchorage being so good at home. But I like an MSU sweep. Mavericks 5-2, 4-2
Alabama-Huntsville at Notre Dame
Matt: I thought the Chargers did an admirable job against Wisconsin two weeks ago, but took a step back in getting routed by Bowling Green. Fighting Irish 5-1, 4-0
Shane: Huntsville’s going to get another win this year, maybe more than one. As usual, they’ll make it close on Saturday, but I don’t see a win this weekend. Irish 4-0, 3-2
Last week: Shane 9-3; Matt 8-4. Overall: Shane 88-35-17; Matt 80-43-17.
With rain in the forecast for Saturday night, organizers of the day’s Frozen Fenway games have moved up game times. Massachusetts-Lowell and Northeastern will play at noon EST, while Maine and Boston University will play at 3 p.m. The games were originally scheduled for 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively. Fenway Park gates are scheduled to open at 11 a.m.
Forward Tyler Beasley has emerged as one of many leaders and skilled players in Nichols’ sophomore class. (photo: Jill Souza).
Nichols coach Kevin Swallow has big expectations for his sophomore class.
And that’s saying a lot with a slew of leadership in the junior and senior classes.
“Our sophomores are looked at as leaders on our team,” Swallow said. “They are definitely our go-to guys and guys to rely on to put the puck into the net.
“We have great leadership from our older guys. Both of our captains are seniors and some of our juniors are leaders on this team. I think it’s a great thing when you have sophomores who you can look at as leaders. I definitely see Tyler Beasley as a leader, I think Paul Prescott and Frank Butler are looked upon as leaders as well.”
One of the reasons for those expectations is because the sophomores were Swallow’s first recruiting class with Nichols and have answered the bell.
“We all came in and it was Coach Swallow’s first class that he was going to have for all four years [and] he put a lot of pressure on us,” Beasley said.
The dreaded sophomore slump was talked about by Swallow and his players, but not much stock has gone into proving the issue.
“Everyone has been warning of us of a sophomore slump,” said goaltender Alex Larson. “Maybe we had an overachieving year a little bit last year [where] not a lot was expected of us as freshman or the team in general.”
Swallow met with Beasley, Prescott, Butler and Larson before they left school last summer to tell them the first year was a success, but that it won’t get any easier going forward.
“I spoke with all those guys and I was pretty hard on them,” Swallow said. “I expected a lot out of them over the summer and to come in, in good shape and elevate their games. I challenged all of them and all four of them accepted the challenge.”
Swallow believes his words stuck with the players because he’s a young coach and saw first-hand in his playing days at Dartmouth and Maine of players not backing up a good season the following fall.
This year, Beasley leads the team in points with seven goals and 10 assists. His linemates, Prescott and Butler, have 10 points and 14 points, respectively.
Swallow said Beasley came back to school in great shape and put on some muscle over the summer and that has allowed him to be stronger on the puck this year.
All three players complement each other as well.
“Frank Butler just has the knack of scoring goals,” Swallow stated. “He’s probably one of the more complete players I have coached in my career. He’s a guy that kills penalties for us and plays on the power play. Paul Prescott is a very skilled kid and he’s more of the playmaker out of the three as he looks to pass more than anything. He has great hands and great vision out there.”
All that said, the biggest reason to the Bisons’ 8-2-2 record this season could be Larson. The Madison, Ala., native is 7-2-2 with a 2.39 GAA and a .926 save percentage.
The numbers are very similar to his freshman campaign where he was 10-7-1 with a 2.32 GAA and a .928 save percentage.
“For me it wasn’t being content where we were at,” Larson said. “Coming into this year, people were talking about Wentworth – the defending [ECAC Northeast] champion – everyone was talking about Salve [Regina] and the team they have. We felt like a lot of people weren’t respecting up as a team or as a group.”
Larson also said he didn’t feel any extra pressure to repeat the numbers he put as freshman this season. He knew he could trust his teammates as they only lost two players from last year’s squad. He said he knows if he can make the first save that his defensemen will clear the pucks away from the crease.
“He’s the backbone of our team, I would say,” Swallow said of his goaltender. “He was our team MVP, First Team All-Conference, All-Rookie Team, goalie of the year for us last year. He was definitely a huge part of our success last year and this year has been no different.”
On top of all that, forward Sean Flemming has been the most improved sophomore this season, according to Swallow, and has three goals and six assists in 11 games.
“He was a guy last year that came in and didn’t play a whole lot the first half of the year,” said Swallow. “Down the stretch run last year, he played every game for us and found a role on our third line blocking shots and doing a lot of little things. He came back this year, didn’t play the first game this year and ever since then, he’s been a go-to guy for us.”
Oswego defenseman Bobby Gertsakis is one of just a handful of Lakers’ players with a wealth of college experience (photo: Dan Hickling).
Like that of Mark Twain, the demise of SUNYAC power Oswego may have been greatly exaggerated.
Such a prediction may have been understandable, of course.
The Lakers came into this season having lost 14 members to graduation, stalwarts that had carried the club to four consecutive league titles, as well as the past two national championship games.
That’s a whole lot of holes to fill.
It appears that Oswego coach Ed Gosek has managed to do that, though, thanks to a bang-up freshman class and at least one transfer – junior Mike Montagna – who has stepped in to the No. 12-ranked Laker lineup nicely.
Up front, the newbie donation to the offense has been invaluable.
Oswego’s top three scorers – Kenny Neil (4-9-13), Matt Galati (8-4-12), and Alex Botten (3-8-11) – are all freshmen, with Montagna, a transfer from Vermont, matching Botten’s numbers.
In fact, of the team’s top six point-getters, only junior defenseman Bobby Gertsakis (1-7-8) is a truly familiar face.
Montagna, who hails from nearby Fulton, N.Y., helped his new club win the PathFinder Bank Hockey Classic by leading them to wins over Curry and Utica (in a shootout) and in the process, he was named the SUNYAC’s player of the week.
The “kiddie kontribution” isn’t limited to the attack, however.
Freshman goalie Matt Zawadzki has muscled his way into the Oswego crease and put up stellar numbers (1.34 GAA, .994 save percentage). He’s also undefeated (4-0-2) to date in his young collegiate career.
Suffice to say, times are not tough at all in Oswego.
In fact, they may be better than ever before long.
Commitments rolling in
With SUNYAC coaches having wound up their mid-winter recruiting trips, expect a steady stream of commitment announcements over the next few weeks.
The most recent inking is that of blue liner Brendan Pascarella, who will head to Cortland next year.
Pascarella, who hails from Sloatsburg, N.Y., toils with the Hartford WolfPack of the Eastern Hockey League.
Another “Pack-man,” lanky 6-foot-1, 175-pound forward Dylan Vander Esch out of San Jose, Calif., had previously committed to Potsdam.
Meanwhile, the trail from Wilkes-Barre to Fredonia just got a little busier.
The Blue Devils have landed Swedish center Oskar Gerhardsson, who is currently toiling for Wilkes-Barre in the EHL.
Gerhardsson, who is in his first season of North American hockey, will join three other WB Knights (freshmen Marcus Ortiz, Hunter Long and Erik Moburg) in Fredonia.
Blizzard causes game reschedule
Winter in the Northeast being what it is, it still comes as a surprise when games are whited off of the college hockey schedule.
One casualty of the “Blizzard of ’14” that slammed into Western New York was Tuesday’s interconference tilt pitting Elmira at Fredonia.
It has been rescheduled to Jan. 21 at Steele Hall.
Thanks to picking the UNH sweep of Nebraska-Omaha and the Brown win over Colorado College, I now have a three-game lead over Matthew in our picks race. Last week, I went 3-0-1 (.875), moving to 58-37-13 (.597) on the year. A couple more good weekends and I’ll be above .600! Matthew went 1-2-1 (.375) to move to 55-40-13 (.569).
Of course, there’s a lot to go in the season, and it was only a month ago that Matthew had a three-game lead on me, so I better be extra psychic if I want to hold my lead.
Friday-Saturday, Jan. 10-11
No. 2 St. Cloud State at No. 17 Denver Candace: St. Cloud had an outstanding first half, and this will be a key series for them to get off to a good start in the second half. Denver gets Will Butcher and Quentin Shore back from the World Juniors, and should be better than it was last week against Brown. However, Denver has struggled offensively all year. Both Denver and St. Cloud have outstanding defenses, ranking third and fourth respectively, but St. Cloud has better forwards. St. Cloud State 2-1, 3-1 Matthew: SCSU is the more complete team here, if we’re honest. However, I’m sticking with my prediction that Denver’s in for a big second half of the season, and I think they’ll get something out of this weekend. Only getting a tie last time out against Brown wasn’t so great, but I think the Pioneers will pick up a split here. St. Cloud State 3-1, Denver 2-1
Colorado College at North Dakota Candace: CC is having one of its worst seasons ever, and the scoring continues to be nonexistent. North Dakota has been streaky at times, and freshman forward Adam Tambellini just left to play for the Calgary Hitman in the WHL. Tambellini only had four points though, so I don’t think North Dakota’s offense will suffer. North Dakota 3-1, 4-2 Matthew: UND ended the first half of the season very well and I think they’ll carry on that form this weekend. CC’s first road win of the season has to come somewhere, but I don’t see it coming in Grand Forks. North Dakota 4-1, 3-1
Minnesota-Duluth at Nebraska-Omaha Candace: The Bulldogs have been the split team of the season, splitting almost every series. Picking the right night is difficult in this one though. Usually, UMD wins on Saturday, but with UNO missing coach Dean Blais and defenseman Jaycob Megna, I’m thinking it will be the opposite. Minnesota-Duluth 3-2, Nebraska-Omaha 3-2 Matthew: This has “split” written all over it. These are two fairly even teams – and especially Friday with Mavericks coach Dean Blais and defenseman Jaycob Megna still out with suspensions – and I don’t see UNO sweeping the Bulldogs like it did at CenturyLink last season. Minnesota-Duluth 3-2, Nebraska-Omaha 4-2
No. 13 Miami at Western Michigan Candace: Western Michigan did well in winning the Great Lakes Invitational, but I don’t know if the Broncos can stop the high-flying Miami offense. This will most likely be a split, but I’ll go opposite Matthew and pick Miami to sweep. Miami 3-2, 4-2 Matthew: It feels a bit like going out on a limb, but I’m taking Western Michigan to sweep here. The Broncos looked good in winning the Great Lakes Invitational after Christmas, and Miami has underwhelmed all season so far. Western Michigan 5-3, 3-2
Western Michigan’s Josh Pitt celebrates his overtime goal against Michigan in the Great Lakes Invitational semifinals (photo: GSPhoto/WMU Athletics).
Not a whole lot has gone right on the ice over the holidays for NCHC teams — more on that later — but unquestionably the best news came out of Detroit and the annual Great Lakes Invitational.
It was an edition of firsts for the GLI, held every year between Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech and a fourth team invited in for the competition. It was held outdoors this year for the first time at Detroit’s Comerica Park baseball stadium, and Western Michigan’s triumph meant an NCHC team won the tournament in the league’s first try.
The Broncos came into the tournament unfancied, especially as then-No. 3 Michigan was favored to not only beat Western in their semifinal on Dec. 27 but to also win the GLI title for the 16th time.
That wasn’t to be, though. In the dying seconds of overtime with the score locked at 2-2, Western Michigan forward Josh Pitt went coast-to-coast and surgically moved through the Wolverines’ defense before burying surely Western’s goal of the season to date to give the Broncos the 3-2 upset win.
More overtime heroics came the following night in the tournament final, with forward Justin Kovacs firing home 2:01 into the extra period to give the Broncos a 1-0 win over defending GLI champion Michigan Tech.
Western still sits at the bottom of the NCHC standings, but its win Dec. 28 in the GLI final bumped its overall record to 9-8-3. The victory also marked Western’s second GLI title in four attempts, with the Broncos last having won the tournament in 1986.
Maybe the most impressive cog in Western’s system over those two games in Detroit was sophomore goaltender Lukas Hafner. He posted a .969 save percentage in the tournament and was awarded the Jack Tompkins Trophy as the tournament’s most valuable player.
Hafner was named onto the GLI all-tournament team alongside teammates Kovacs — who also was named the NCHC’s player of the month for December – Pitt and defenseman Jordan Oesterle.
Junior goaltender Frank Slubowski had been seen going into this season as potentially one of Western’s leading lights, but while Slubowski has still played the lion’s share of the games this season, Hafner is giving the incumbent stiffer opposition all the time.
Through eight appearances this season, Hafner is 4-2 with a .947 save percentage and a 1.26 GAA. Nobody can argue with his MVP performances in the GLI, either, and nor is there any doubting that with his recent form comes a lot of confidence.
“It’s pretty good right now,” Hafner said after the GLI tournament final. “The team is playing really well.
“It makes my job a lot easier. I’ve been playing since I was 5 years old so I just try to not get too nervous out there and go out and have fun.”
There seems to be quite a bit of that going on these days, as Hafner has backstopped Western to three wins in its last four games.
Will that form continue? Watch this space.
Denver’s David Makowski celebrates a goal against Brown (photo: Candace Horgan).
CC, DU and UNO falter
Western’s GLI triumph was just about the only big positive for NCHC teams playing over the holiday break. The three other league schools in non-exhibition action weren’t quite so hot.
Colorado College, Denver and Nebraska-Omaha combined for an 0-3-1 record against ECAC Hockey’s Brown and Hockey East’s New Hampshire since Christmas.
UNO was accountable for two of those three loses. The rusty Mavericks, who hadn’t played a game in nearly a month and were without coach Dean Blais and defenseman Jaycob Megna — both suspended — opened the scoring both nights but lost both games to the homestanding Wildcats, 6-3 and 5-2.
Colorado College and Denver were both at home last weekend to Brown, but the Tigers and Pioneers might not want to remember their meetings with the Bears for long. Brown battled back from three one-goal margins last Friday at Denver before forcing a 3-3 tie, and the Bears won 4-2 over CC the following night in Colorado Springs.
Going into this weekend, NCHC teams are only 34-29-10 in nonconference play this season, good for a .534 winning percentage. St. Cloud State (5-1-2 in nonconference play) is helping the league out the most in that regard, whereas CC (0-8) is helping the least.
The league’s teams weren’t altogether unstoppable in exhibition play over the holiday break, either.
The best news there was that St. Cloud State won 8-0 last Saturday over the U.S. Under-18 Team, a club Miami to which dropped a 4-2 decision at home on New Year’s Eve. Minnesota-Duluth also had its way with the U-18s Friday night, winning 7-0.
What’s more important is that nonconference record, though, especially as St. Cloud State is the only NCHC team that would make its way into the NCAA tournament if that were to start this week.
That record might not improve a whole lot the rest of the way, either. There are only six nonconference games left for NCHC teams — Colorado College, Denver, Nebraska-Omaha, Miami and Western Michigan have only league games remaining — and St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth could face each other in the Minnesota Cup Jan. 25 in what wouldn’t count toward the NCHC standings.
Penrose Cup set to go on tour
In brighter news, as the NCHC prepares for its first full weekend bill of the 2014 half of its inaugural season, the trophy its first regular season champion will receive is getting ready to go on tour.
The Julie and Spencer Penrose Memorial Cup will spend much of the second half of this season on display inside each of the eight NCHC teams’ arenas. Starting this weekend and running through March 1, the three-foot tall trophy will spend at least one night in the home venue of the teams vying to win it ahead of the conference playoffs.
The trophy has already been on display twice before at NCHC venues. It made its first public appearance — not including the league’s preseason media day in Minneapolis — Oct. 18 in Colorado Springs when Colorado College hosted Minnesota-Duluth, and the trophy showed up at Denver’s Magness Arena Nov. 9 when the Pioneers hosted CC.
Speaking of Duluth, meanwhile, the Penrose Cup has seemed to follow the Bulldogs around this season, and it will continue to do so.
The trophy will be at Omaha’s CenturyLink Center this weekend during UMD’s series at Nebraska-Omaha, and it will be at Western Michigan’s Lawson Arena Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 when the Broncos host UMD. The trophy will finally visit the Bulldogs’ own arena Feb. 21-22 during UMD’s home series against North Dakota.
The copper cup will be in the Broncos’ midst in back-to-back weeks. A week after the Penrose Cup visits Kalamazoo, Mich., it will follow Western Michigan to Oxford, Ohio, for the Broncos’ series at Miami on Feb. 7-8.
The same deal applies for the RedHawks, as the trophy will be in Grand Forks, N.D., on Feb. 14-15, one week after it goes on display at Miami’s Steve Cady Arena.
Denver will play host to the Penrose Cup once again Feb. 21 during the Pioneers’ home game against CC, and the trophy will be back in Colorado Springs the following night when the Tigers get to host the Pioneers.
Finally, the trophy will visit SCSU’s Herb Brooks National Hockey Center Feb. 28 and March 1. Perhaps that’s a bit convenient as the Huskies are many prognosticators’ favorite to win the Penrose Cup this season, but there’s a chance it could actually be awarded the following week when St. Cloud State visits UND.
Players of the week
Offensive player of the week — Josh Archibald, Nebraska-Omaha: In UNO’s pair of losses last weekend at New Hampshire, Archibald’s play was one of the few positives the Mavericks had going for them. The junior forward picked up three goals and an assist against the Wildcats on UNH’s ice, and he leads the NCHC in goals with 14.
Defensive player of the week — Nolan Zajac, Denver: Although the sophomore picked up four assists over two games in the holiday break against Massachusetts and Brown, Zajac picks up the honor this week for what he did for the Pioneers in their own end of the ice. He blocked two shots in DU’s win at Massachusetts, and he aided the Pioneers’ penalty-killing units as they killed six of the two opponents’ nine power-play opportunities. Zajac wasn’t on the ice for any of those three goals his team conceded.
Rookie of the week — Trevor Moore, Denver: Moore has been in great form lately for the Pioneers, and he picked up two goals and a plus-3 rating against the Minutemen. His second goal of the night, coming late in the third period, proved to be the game-winner in what ended up as a 5-3 road win. He leads all NCHC rookies with eight goals and 16 points.
Goaltender of the week — Lukas Hafner, Western Michigan: The sophomore Broncos goaltender came up huge for Western at the Great Lakes Invitational just after Christmas, making 63 saves in two games against Michigan and Michigan Tech. He also helped kill all 10 of WMU’s opponents’ power-play opportunities on the weekend.
Bowling Green made the 700-mile trip to Minnesota State in sleeper bus in November (photo: Jim Rosvold).
It didn’t take long to see that one of the challenges of the new-look WCHA was going to be travel.
With both Alaska teams, three schools from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and one in Huntsville, Ala., all in the same conference, coaches have had to get creative to keep their teams from being too travel weary.
Some teams, including Bowling Green and Minnesota State, made sure they had sleeper buses available for long road trips in which wheels made more sense than wings. Each of the teams mentioned already made the 700-mile trek to play the other this season.
Both Michigan Tech and Minnesota State, meanwhile, were able to schedule back-to-back weekends in Alaska, allowing them to stay in state rather than make two separate trips to play Alaska and Alaska-Anchorage, who were in separate conferences before this season.
The Huskies made that trip in November, going 2-1-1. Minnesota State is in the middle of that trip this week, splitting their series at Fairbanks last weekend. On Sunday, the Mavericks made the seven-hour bus trip to Anchorage, where they are spending the week.
“It’s been real positive up to this point,” Mavericks coach Mike Hastings said, adding that — at the halfway mark of the trek, anyway — he’s glad his team was able to schedule both series on one trip over the winter break.
Two other league teams are playing both Alaska teams in Alaska this season but are making separate trips, one during each half of the schedule. Northern Michigan played at Alaska on Nov. 1-2 and will play at Anchorage on Jan. 24-25. Alabama-Huntsville played Anchorage on Nov. 8-9 and will play in Fairbanks on Jan. 31-Feb. 1.
Mavericks players have spent a lot of time together on the trip, gathering together to watch former teammate Eriah Hayes’ NHL debut on TV Sunday night and the BCS National Championship game on Monday. Besides practices and workouts, there have been other team functions, too, Hastings said, as well as time for individual meetings.
“The way we look at it, part of our responsibility as a program is the student-athlete experience,” Hastings said.
Perhaps the most-tired traveler for Minnesota State is freshman forward Zach Stepan, who played for the U.S. at the World Junior Championship in Sweden. Crossing 10 time zones, he met up with his team after Friday’s game in Fairbanks and was in the lineup and scored a goal on Saturday.
Ironically, the Mavericks will have the comforts of a home team this week, considering the Seawolves’ own travel troubles.
Anchorage has been stuck in Minnesota and practicing in the Twin Cities since Sunday after missing a connecting flight home after their nonconference series split at Wisconsin last weekend. They’re scheduled to return to Anchorage on Thursday night and not get a practice on their home rink until Friday morning.
“It’s been an interesting few days with all the hurdles we have faced, but sometimes these situations help a team come together,” UAA coach Matt Thomas said in a press release. “We have had plenty of opportunity to prepare for the weekend, and we are very excited to get home to the Sullivan Arena and in front of our fans.”
Hastings said the long trips do make him appreciate what the Alaska schools do so often throughout the season.
“The respect factor for what Anchorage and Fairbanks do … it’s just impressive,” he said. “Going back and forth, there are challenges dealing with that, and the challenges are real.”
Road wins haven’t been easy to come by for WCHA teams this season. The 10 teams are a combined 40-62-14 away from their home rinks. Just two have winning road records: Ferris State (9-2-2) and Lake Superior State (5-4-1). The next-best road record is Alaska’s 4-5-1 mark.
Bowling Green’s Ralfs Freibergs (left) is headed to Sochi, Russia, for the Winter Olympics (photo: Adelle Whitefoot).
WCHA crashing Sochi Olympics
The 2014 Winter Olympic men’s ice hockey tournament will feature 29 former collegiate players and one current collegian in Bowling Green sophomore defenseman Ralfs Freibergs, who was named to Latvia’s team on Tuesday.
Freibergs will be the first current NCAA player to appear in the Winter Olympics since four players did so in 2002, according to College Hockey Inc.
The 5-foot-11, 191-pound, 24-year-old Freibergs is second to junior teammate Dan DeSalvo in the WCHA in assists with 15 — DeSalvo has 16. Freibergs’ 16 points leads all WCHA defensemen in scoring.
The Falcons will be without Freibergs starting Feb. 2 after a home series against Michigan Tech. Falcons coach Chris Bergeron told the Sentinel-Tribune he hopes to have Freibergs back in time for the Feb. 28-March 1 series at Northern Michigan.
Very happy and grateful for the opportunity to play for my country #Latvia in the Olympics! Thanks for all the good wishes!
In addition to BGSU’s Freibergs, former Ferris State forward Chris Kunitz (1999-2003) of the Pittsburgh Penguins will play for Canada.
Kunitz scored 99 goals and 76 assists in four years at Ferris, including 35 goals and 44 assists his senior season (2002-03) to be named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. That same season was when the Bulldogs won their first of two CCHA titles and made their first trip in school history to the NCAA tournament, falling in the regional finals.
Kunitz has won Stanley Cups with the Anaheim Ducks and Penguins.
Around the WCHA
• Bemidji State, which was swept by Northern Michigan last weekend, is on an eight-game winless streak (0-4-4). The Beavers’ last win came on Nov. 23 at home against Lake Superior State. They will face the Lakers again this weekend in Sault Ste. Marie. BSU had a 12-game winless streak last season (0-9-3).
• Ferris State goaltender CJ Motte was named national college hockey player of the month for December by the Hockey Commissioners’ Association. Motte went 3-0-1 with a .952 save percentage and 1.47 GAA that month.
• Lake Superior State had three firsts during its Jan. 3 victory over Michigan Tech in Sault Ste. Marie. One, junior defenseman Kevin Czuczman scored the Lakers’ first short-handed goal of the season. Two, senior goaltender Kevin Kapalka was credited with his first collegiate assist. Three, sophomore forward Austin McKay’s game-winner was his first collegiate goal.
• To say Michigan Tech has had a tight season is an understatement. The Huskies have been involved in 18 games this season that ended in a tie or were decided by one goal. They’re 5-7-6 in those games after splitting a pair of one-goal games at Lake Superior State last week.
• Northern Michigan is on a bye this weekend for the final time before closing the season with eight consecutive weekends of WCHA play. Following a sweep at Bemidji State, the Wildcats sit in seventh place with 13 points, but are above .500 at 6-5-1 and will have the most conference games in hand the rest of the way, having played only 12 WCHA games. League-leading Ferris State is playing its 13th and 14th conference games this weekend at home against Michigan Tech.
• This week’s WCHA players of the week are Alaska forward Colton Beck (offensive), Northern Michigan goaltender Mathias Dahlstrom (defensive) and Michigan Tech forward Reid Sturos (rookie).
On the season:
Dan: 95-43-13 (.672)
Chris: 94-44-13 (.666)
This Week’s Picks
Thursday, Jan 9 and Friday, Jan 10: Robert Morris at UConn Dan: Robert Morris got back on track last week with a pair of wins against Sacred Heart. But that UConn team is firing on all cylinders; they can taste the top two in the league after it looked like Bentley and Mercyhurst were runaways. Even with a Bentley split against RIT, UConn can take second place. That opportunity is going to be huge for a very talented Huskies squad at home. UConn sweeps. Chris: This is a rematch of a quarterfinal playoff series last season, won by the Huskies. UConn is 4-1-1 against teams from the Western scheduling pod so far, 7-1 at home this season and 5-1 in their last six, overall so I’m going with the homestanding Huskies. UConn sweeps.
Friday, Jan 10 and Saturday, Jan 11: Air Force at Army Dan: I love it when the service academies play against one another. I have a feeling Saturday will be closer than Friday’s national television game. I think the goaltending situation for Air Force is still a little hairy without Jason Torf, and I keep waiting for Rob Tadazak to steal a game from someone. I think it happens this weekend; Army played to a 3-3 tie last year after losing big on Friday. And everyone knows I love making a couple of bold picks. Air Force wins on Friday. Army wins on Saturday. Chris: Expect a pair of intense games. as has been the case in most of the 59 previous meetings between the schools (Air Force has the edge 32-22-5). Friday’s game is going to be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network, and Saturday’s contest is already sold out. A split wouldn’t surprise me, but I’m going with the visiting Falcons to sweep a pair of close games.
Rochester Institute of Technology at Bentley Dan: This is one of my favorite, more recent rivalries in the AHA (mostly because it’s the USCHO Bowl between Chris and me this year), with the two teams’ having an intense respect and desire to beat one another. This gets goaltender matchup of the week awards with Mike Rotolo against Branden Komm. The difference is Bentley’s offense – RIT only scored 12 goals over their last five games, eight of which came against AIC, while Bentley’s notched 19. Still, there’s no way Wayne Wilson lets his team lose four in a row in league play. Bentley wins on Friday. RIT wins on Saturday. Chris: Both teams are looking to rebound after disappointing weekends. Recent meetings have usually resulted in a split, but I like Bentley to sweep if it can win the battle of special teams, which I think the Falcons will do on home ice. Bentley sweeps.
Mercyhurst at Holy Cross Dan: Mercyhurst might not be able to win non-conference games (going 2-8-1), but they’re 9-1-1 against the AHA. This is a big opportunity to continue separating themselves from the rest of the league. Holy Cross might get a point, but they’re 0-3-2 in their last five league games (0-3 in their last three). Mercyhurst sweeps Chris: This series is a tossup for me, as both teams have been hot and cold in recent weeks. That means a split. Mercyhurst wins Friday; Holy Cross wins Saturday.
American International at Niagara Dan: AIC can’t rely on late-game collapses every week, scoring two goals in the last couple of minutes to tie Air Force on Friday, then win in OT. Top to bottom, Niagara isn’t great on an individual level, but they’re big, strong, and when clicking, they’re are a lot better team than their record indicates. Last week’s tie and win at Bentley wasn’t an aberration. Niagara sweeps. Chris: The Purple Eagles shouldn’t take AIC lightly in their exuberance to play on home ice for the first time since Nov. 16 (they went 1-5-2 since then in eight road contests). I think one game will be close and one won’t, but both to go in Niagara’s favor. Niagara sweeps.
Saturday, Jan. 11 and Sunday, Jan. 12 Sacred Heart at Canisius Dan: If the Canisius team that pounded Army, 8-2, and swept Holy Cross last week shows up, the Golden Griffins will take an easy four points. But Sacred Heart is sneaky not bad, and Canisius did lose the second game of that Army weekend after their six-goal win. Don’t be shocked if the Pioneers get points out of this. Canisius sweeps. Chris: Canisius scored a pair of big wins at Holy Cross last weekend to regain the momentum it had in late November and early December. I think the Golden Griffins will keep it going against the Pioneers. Canisius sweeps.
Tuesday, January 14 American International at Massachusetts Dan: UMass is not a particularly good Hockey East team, and the AHA has had that league’s number at times for whatever reason. Still, it’s in the middle of a brutal stretch for the Yellow Jackets. If nothing else, this is AIC’s shortest road trip, going 23 miles from West Springfield to Amherst in that mythical land of Western Massachusetts, so the lack of bus lag will keep it closer against a Minutemen team coming off games at Cornell and against the US U-18 team. Very reluctantly, UMass wins Chris: The Minutemen are finishing up a stretch where they’ve played mostly ranked teams, while AIC has just one win in its last 11 games. That’s a recipe for a UMass win.
Forging into summer training camp, Manhattanville coach David Turco’s vision of the upcoming season was one of clarity: build on a solid 18-win season, remain active in the top 10 rankings, and most importantly, challenge conference rival Norwich for the ECAC East title.
For the Valiants however (6-5-1 overall, 4-2-0 ECAC-East), who spent the first six weeks in the top 10 before slipping away, Turco’s preferred scenario has taken a slightly different path: a loss to unranked conference foe St. Anselm, a sobering defeat at home to Nichols (3-8-0), and a number of results that lacked the punch of the 2012-13 season in many aspects of the game.
Going forward in 2014, the Valiants are undoubtedly still in the mix for the top slot, but Southern Maine and a much improved Castleton team are well within reach of them. Norwich leads the conference, and while St. Anselm is currently in second, the Hawks play in the ECAC Women’s Open playoffs with Holy Cross, St. Michael’s, and Sacred Heart.
A year ago, the Valiants concluded with a 14-3-1 conference mark, while Norwich topped the standings with a 16-2-0 record. Castleton placed sixth and Southern Maine followed in 7th, with both teams finishing under the .500 line.
While the preseason predictions stating that the status-quo was intact at Manhattanville, the internal changes said otherwise.
“We lost nine seniors and my starting goaltender didn’t return, and I didn’t know that till the end of the summer,” said Turco. “We were scrambling, and were still trying to find out who our starter was, so there were some difficulties at the outset.”
Junior goalie Kirsten Shaughnessy has seen the most action in the Valiants’ net (2.26, .915). Freshman Dana DeMartino has shown promise in backing up Shaughnessy, starting in four contests with a 3-1-0 record and a 2.25 GAA.
Among the seniors that Turco alluded to are forwards Katie Little, Mary Lynn Morrison, and Alyssa Taylor, who finished as the top trio of scorers last season. In all, they combined for 68 points and 25 goals. Now, Turco, who is in his third season with the Valiants, looks to juniors Sydney Asselstine, Alla Traun, and Michele Meggiolaro to provide the bulk of the offensive push. All three are on pace for career-best seasons.
“We are just so young that we are running into consistency problems,” said Turco. “One day we are raring to go, and the next, we don’t seem like we are ready to play. Even now at this point in the season, we are still struggling to find our identity.”
Senior defenseman Caitlyn Beauvais agreed with Turco’s assessment of the volatility of going into the grind with unknown parameters, saying, “A lot of the freshmen have picked up on it. We’re gradually finding out who we are. We had a little downfall, but we are all committed to changing that.”
Manhattanville returns to conference play Jan. 17 with a home game against Holy Cross. Before that occurs however, they’ll get their second look at No. 1 Plattsburgh. The Cardinals took a slim 1-0 victory in the first meeting between the two clubs at the East/West Showcase, last November.
Turco’s squad opened the second half of action with a 4-1 road loss to Bowdoin before whitewashing Stevenson, 4-0, last Tuesday afternoon at the Reisterstown Sportsplex.
“I think if we’re winning games they are going to be the scrappy, one-goal type,” said Turco in relation to challenging for the conference title. “We will build where we can. It’s a confidence thing with a young team. The better they are feeling, the better they play. We have that opportunity, no doubt. Hopefully the tough (nonconference) schedule will warm us up once we get back to conference.”
Jamie Lee Rattray (Clarkson – 26). ((c) Shelley M. Szwast 2013)
Grace Potter says, “Life is a record, playing on repeat.”
Followers of women’s NCAA hockey would have little reason to dispute that. The same teams keep winning conference titles. It is a small pool of teams that go to the national tournament, advance to the Frozen Four, or emerge as champion year after year.
In the case of the Patty Kazmaier Award, the names of the recipients change, but the schools they represent are quite familiar. Of the 16 Kazmaiers awarded, 10 have gone to two schools, Harvard and Wisconsin. The winners share other traits, such as playing in close proximity to population centers or at least good-sized cities, and playing for traditional powers that are often ranked No. 1.
Clarkson doesn’t really fit any of those descriptions. Potsdam, N.Y., is a small city, and isn’t close enough to any large ones. In their 11th season, outside of a couple of trips to the NCAAs, most of the Golden Knights’ history is yet to be written.
One player doing her share of authoring that history is forward Jamie Lee Rattray. A past nominee for the Kazmaier, the Kanata, Ont., native has the type of resume that will garner notice by those involved in the selection process. A senior and an assistant captain, her 30 points rank her sixth in points and seventh in points per game nationally. She’s tied for second with 15 goals and is third in goals per game.
For her career, Rattray has 145 points, only three shy of the program high that Britney Selina established in 2010, and her 63 goals for the Golden Knights leave her four behind Melissa Waldie’s Clarkson record.
“To even get to those kind of numbers that the girls have done before is pretty crazy,” Rattray said. “I owe a lot to my teammates for that, because without them I wouldn’t be even close. I think that’s the type of thing you definitely think about after [your career is over].”
In addition to obvious talent, Rattray also has had opportunity at Clarkson. After the Golden Knights graduated a large senior class that led them to their first NCAA appearance in 2010, she and her classmates were asked to fill big shoes when they arrived in the fall.
“Starting off with that big class and the role we had to play at first, we had to mature a little faster than a lot of classes,” Rattray said. “It definitely helps now that we’re in our senior year; we kind of have to carry that weight again. I think it’s helped us a lot to kind of stay together as a group, too, through our four years. Now we can set an example for the next class coming in.”
When it’s time for others to replace Rattray, it will take more than raw numbers.
“She’s kind of the heartbeat,” co-head coach Shannon Desrosiers said. “She definitely brings energy every day — practice, weight room, game. Our team goes kind of as she goes.”
The results bear that out. Clarkson (14-4-2, 5-2-1 ECAC) has eight wins and two losses over its last 10 games. Rattray accumulated nine goals and nine assists in those wins; she was held off the score sheet in the losses.
“The games we lost, we lost to all top-10 teams,” Desrosiers said.
For the most part, those losses were caused by the team’s offense going into hibernation, scoring one goal combined in losses to Mercyhurst, Harvard, and North Dakota.
“Even in the games we lost in the first half, we put up quite a few shots, had a bunch of chances,” Desrosier said.
The outlier in the first-half results was a 6-3 defeat at Cornell, the only time all season that the Golden Knights have surrendered more than a pair of goals in a game.
“Even in the Cornell game, we played really well, we just didn’t play as well defensively as we’re known for,” Desrosiers said.
That defensive game, a staple at Clarkson, is one area where Rattray has made strides throughout her college years.
“Our coaches have done a good job of preaching that, and I think as a player they’ve helped me develop that side of my game, and it’s made me a more rounded player,” she said.
Both Rattray and her coach say consistency will be key for their team going forward.
“I think lately we’ve been getting to the net harder, less perimeter, less trying to be fancy,” Desrosiers said. “I think now we’re just getting more and more confident. Other kids are chipping in. As a team, we’re getting to the dirty areas and getting some of those ugly goals as well.”
And nobody chips in more often than Rattray.
“She’s a threat every time she’s on the ice,” Desrosier said. “I don’t even think she’s peaked yet. I think she’s just getting better, so I even expect a better second half from her.”
That second half begins with a home-and-home series with neighboring St. Lawrence.
“It’s probably one of the best rivalries in college hockey,” Rattray said. “You don’t really realize it as a freshman when you come in, but then when you start playing those games, it’s unbelievable the atmosphere, here and at their rink. Some of the most fun games I’ve ever played in my career have definitely been against them. We got the opportunity to play them four times this year, which is nice, two in conference and two out of conference. It’s always a battle. I love it. It doesn’t get any better than that in college hockey, I don’t think.”
Clarkson has some ground to make up, sitting in a tie for third in ECAC winning percentage and a precarious eighth in the PairWise Rankings.
Rattray’s class won 14 games as rookies, jumped to 22 wins in their sophomore season, and set a new program high with 28 victories in reaching the NCAA tournament last March.
“I can’t wait to see what our team has in store for the second half,” Rattray said. “We kind of hit a peak there at the end of the semester, so I think we’re looking to kind of build off that.”
Those positive feelings are felt throughout the roster, despite the earlier losses to top teams.
“For us this year, I don’t think it’s a belief thing; I think our kids definitely believe,” Desrosiers said. “It comes down to execution, and we’ve got to bury our chances when we’re given them, too.”
Later in the month, the Golden Knights get a key rematch with league-leading Cornell.
“It’s execution and it’s not taking any shifts off, because a team like a Cornell can hurt you if you take a shift off, so it’s just like a total focus for 60 minutes,” Desrosiers said.
This second meeting comes on home ice.
“The last three or four years, we’ve played really well against Cornell at home,” Desrosiers said. “I don’t know what’s the reason, but we’ve had a tough time in their barn, and they’ve had a tough time in our barn, so that’s a good matchup for us. There’s a few key games this semester that we’ll be able to build into and focus on, but with the parity this year, every game matters. There probably are some bigger games in our kids’ eyes, but we prepare for the games exactly the same.”
And who knows, if Clarkson executes and can turn the tables on Cornell and Harvard in the second half, while Rattray shows the continued development that her coach expects, her name may emerge from the Kazmaier voting. Not that she is concerned with that possibility any more than setting records.
“I think that’s something that you just don’t really worry about,” Rattray said. “I would much rather win a championship with my team. I think as long as we’re successful as a team, those things will come. I’ll be more than happy with my career if we’re successful and win a championship.”
Hobart netminder Lino Chimienti earned both wins last weekend against Williams and then-No. 1 Plattsburgh (photo: Dan Hickling).
Perhaps it was because they had a month to stew about the way they skidded into the Christmas break.
Or maybe it was a case of talent rising to its proper level.
No matter.
Hobart gave evidence that the woes of the first half of the season are truly a thing of the past, after vanquishing a pair of top-10 teams – including top-ranked host Plattsburgh – to win the Buck Supply Winter Classic.
Sophomore goalie Lino Chimienti played the hero for the Statesmen by backstopping both wins, including Friday’s 3-2 overtime win over Williams, then ranked No. 7.
The next night, the young Montrealer pulled off a career-high 39 saves to help Hobart upset the previously-unbeaten Cardinals, in their own rink no less.
The effort earned Chimienti MVP honors of the tournament, as well as laurels as the ECAC West goaltender of the week.
The wins snapped a rough, six-game winless streak for the Statesmen that extended back to Nov. 6.
Hobart had been ranked No. 8 by USCHO.com at that point, but had fallen off the national radar until this weekend.
Utica finding its way
League leaders Utica, now ranked No. 8, picked up where it left off before the holidays with a strong showing at Oswego’s Pathfinder Bank tournament.
The Pioneers slipped by Wisconsin-Stout 4-2 in its opener, then fought the No. 12 Lakers to a 2-2 draw.
Utica’s effort was led by senior forward Jon Gaffney and freshman forward Luc Boby.
Gaffney scored three times during the weekend, including twice against Stout. He scored again against Oswego, a third-period tally that was poised to hold as the game winner until the Lakers’ Kenny Neil scored his second of the game to deadlock the affair.
Gaffney earned the ECAC West player of the Week award, while Boby, who figured in on five of the six goals scored by Utica in the tournament, was named the loop’s rookie of the week.
Local talent Bartell staying close to home
The midseason break now having passed, it’s worth noting that the ECAC West’s coaches were anything but idle while their charges were away.
Indeed, they put away their whistles and take out their notebooks as they hit the road on recruiting trips that take them to all corners of the hockey map.
One prospect who will be staying close to home is forward Max Bartell, a Rome, N.Y., native who will head to nearby Utica next year.
Bartell has spent the past two seasons with the Walpole Express in the Eastern Hockey League.
Elmira at Fredonia rescheduled
Winter in the Northeast being what it is, it’s a wonder that Mother Nature doesn’t take more delight in undoing the work of the college hockey schedule makers.
Still, a casualty of this week’s “Blizzard of ’14,” which slammed into Western New York, was Tuesday’s interconference tilt pitting Elmira at Fredonia.
It has been rescheduled to Jan. 21 at Steele Hall.
Massachusetts-Lowell’s run last season ranks among Dave Hendrickson’s top 15 memories from covering Hockey East for USCHO (photo: Melissa Wade).
This will be my final column for a while. In about two weeks I’ll be undergoing heart surgery.
No, I didn’t see it coming, even though I’ve known about my congenital defect for over 25 years. It’s just that previous ultrasounds showed no immediate threat. I ran five miles a day, at least three days a week, and felt healthy.
However, the latest “routine test” resulted in the following words from my cardiologist: “You need heart surgery. Absolutely no exercise. No lifting heavy objects. Just relax.”
Connecting the dots between heart surgery and relaxation makes me think of those blindfolded contests during intermission. A lot of groping around in the dark.
I’m scheduled to be in Mass General for seven days, with three months after that to a full recovery.
So I’ll see you all at the Frozen Four, at the Northeast Regional in Worcester and almost certainly at the Hockey East championships.
However, I’ll miss my first Beanpot since USCHO’s inception in 1996. And I’ll miss a lot of other games, too.
But I’ll be back.
Almost certainly.
Or at least I sure hope so. Time to address the elephant in the room.
The odds of death or stroke during my surgery are about 1 percent. Now I’d like to think that at Mass General I’m in the best possible hands, and I’m also in better health than the typical heart surgery patient. So I think those odds improve for me. Not to mention that anyone facing The Big C or other life-threatening diseases would happily swap their odds with mine.
I understand that. I feel very confident that I’ll be back with my patented boyish charm and screwball humor (even though my boyish days are behind me and I’ve never had much charm).
But I do have the occasional bout with morbid thoughts, so let’s get this out of the way.
If by chance the 1 percent possibly becomes my reality, I want to thank all of you for reading me. I hope I entertained and informed you. I want to thank my wonderful USCHO friends, especially Jim Connelly, with whom I’ve shared this space the last few years and a room at the Frozen Four for a dozen or more. Thanks to all the Hockey East administrators, SIDs, coaches, players and people in other roles. You’ve been great to work with.
And not to be totally maudlin, but the Mr. Morbid part of my personality insists. If you ever have a chance to do something nice for my wife Brenda, my daughter Nicole or my son Ryan, then you’ll be doing me a favor. I’ve been blessed, blessed, blessed with that most amazing hat trick a guy could ever hope for. (Nicole’s husband, Greg, and Ryan’s fiancee, Stephanie, are included, but I wanted to stick with the hat trick motif.)
OK, end of the morbid talk. Back to the fun. Onward to a stroll I’m going to take you down my memory lane.
I’m going to list my favorite 15 memories since I first started writing for USCHO in May 1996. I’m sure I’ll overlook some whoppers and you’ll let me know about them. Maybe I’ll even miss so many that I’ll need a “Top 10 that I overlooked” column when I return.
Without further ado, here’s my personal top 15.
15. The pastoral setting outside many Whittemore Center games
When I was 12, my family moved from Maine, where I could run for miles through the woods in back of our house, to Lynn, Lynn, the City of Sin. Talk about contrasts. As a result, I enjoy pastoral settings.
And no place in Hockey East has done that for me more often than outside the Whittemore Center before a New Hampshire game. With snow filling the air and crunching beneath my feet, the air crisp and clean, and church bells ringing, I feel transported back to my childhood and a smile creeps over my face.
(Note: if those bells aren’t church bells, don’t tell me. I like it better this way.)
14. Northeastern fans call me out
Before the latest renovation at Matthews Arena, I’d sit in the press box overlooking the ice quite close to the student section at one end. Back in those days, a photograph accompanied the column so a lot more people recognized me by sight.
On this night, the second period was almost over and I began to write about how the Huskies were en route to an upset. (I’d picked them to lose by more than a goal.)
My subconscious suddenly picked up on a chant coming from the student section.
“Dave …
Dave …
Dave Hendrickson, you suck!”
My head shot up and I looked across to my “tormentors.” I stood, laughing uncontrollably as were the fans, and bowed in respect.
It doesn’t get much better than hearing a chant that you suck.
13. Appearing in the Garden’s “Ring of Honor”
OK, if I’m going to be accused of being self-indulgent, I might as well get it over with right away.
One year at the Garden during the Hockey East championships, someone programmed the Garden’s scrolling message board that circles the arena with the names of “Hockey East Legends.”
My name was included because I won the Joe Concannon Hockey East Media Award in 2001. Although I most certainly didn’t deserve to be grouped in with the likes of Brian Gionta, Chris Drury, Jason Krog and all the others, it was still a stunning thrill, one of the most surreal moments of my life.
12. Getting the freedom to write an occasional off-the-beaten-path piece
Kind of like this one.
I’ve written many, many traditional columns and features for USCHO and overall, I’m proud of my work. Occasionally, I might not be happy with a piece that simply must be finished before I leave the rink. But in general, I put everything I’ve got into what I do.
That’s led to some memorable (at least to me) traditional pieces as well as some that might well define the term unconventional.
Unconventional?
I’m thinking of my piece which took Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on first?” routine and applied it to Hockey East. Or “The End of a Rotten Day.” Or the series I was given latitude to write about my son Ryan’s hockey career: “Hendu’s Story” (parts I, II, III, IV, V and VI).
I’d like to think that I earned a good deal of that artistic freedom, but I certainly have appreciated it.
11. Getting the opportunity to write a unique traditional piece
When no Hockey East team reached the Frozen Four in 2011, I felt a bit like a kid whose puppy had been stolen. League schools hadn’t just reached the Frozen Four, they’d advanced to the championship game 13 of the previous 14 years.
Thanks to some work done by my USCHO friends — and due in no small part to the reputation USCHO had accumulated — I got the ultimate lemons-into-lemonade opportunity. I was given access to the Hockey East officiating crew that finally got its opportunity to work a title game.
The resulting piece is a traditional one, but at the same time, very unique.
I’m glad I got the chance to write it.
10. Watching the growth of USCHO
I’ve been here since the beginning.
I can recall one mystified coach who hadn’t yet been introduced to the concept of websites saying, “So is this like email or something?”
I can recall press boxes that we weren’t worthy to enter and coaches that didn’t really have time for us.
Until, that is, the size of our audience and the quality of our work dictated the respect we’ve now earned.
It’s a transformation I view with pride.
9. Merrimack’s emergence from doormat status
Starting with the 1997-98 season, these were Merrimack’s Hockey East records: 4-20, 7-16-1, 6-12-6, 7-14-3, 6-16-2, 7-13-4 and 6-16-6.
Then things got bad.
This bad: 1-22-1, 3-19-5, 3-22-2, 6-18-3.
Some Hockey East fans just wished Merrimack would go away … go back to Division II.
The Warriors have gotten off to a slow start this year, but that program’s emergence under coach Mark Dennehy has to warm the cockles of all but the most hardened cynic’s heart.
8. Boston University’s 1997 upset of the unbeatable Michigan Wolverines
My first Frozen Four for USCHO sure got that event off on the right foot. Michigan had pretty much gone wire-to-wire as the consensus No. 1 team that year. The Wolverines were viewed as unbeatable.
Hockey East’s lone representative, Boston University, was viewed by most as mere cannon fodder for the mighty Wolverines. I was told by one WCHA fan, a total stranger, that BU would have been lucky to finish sixth in his conference.
Hello, regional rivalries.
As it turned out, the Chris Drury-led Terriers stunned Michigan 3-2. They fell in the championship game, but what a great start to a great event.
7. Massachusetts-Lowell last year
Lowell, then known as the Chiefs, enjoyed a couple Frozen Four near-misses in the mid-1990s. Both times, the Chiefs had to go out west to play Michigan State on its own ice. Both times it won, but then fell the next day to a rested foe, a less-than-ideal aspect to the 12-team tournaments of the day.
But that proved as close as Lowell would come until last year. Not far removed from the potential elimination of the program, the River Hawks enjoyed their first regular season Hockey East title, first Hockey East tournament championship and first trip to the Frozen Four.
That was great to see.
6. BU’s incredible Beanpot run
This doesn’t rank higher because it came at the expense of two other Hockey East teams, Boston College and Northeastern.
No matter how you slice it, BU’s Beanpot success from 1995 through 2007 was astounding. The Terriers won nine of 11 Beanpots, winning even in years like 1999 when BC was bound for the Frozen Four.
Of course, it’s no coincidence that the only two goaltenders to post .950 career Beanpot save percentages were Terriers netminders from that era (Michel Larocque and John Curry), and Sean Fields (.937) wasn’t far behind.
But watching Terriers players go to the podium as victors year after year was an impressive sight to behold.
5. Maine’s 2002 run to the national championship game
The Black Bears felt they had an extra man on the ice that year, riding the spirit of their beloved coach Shawn Walsh, who died on the eve of the season.
Walsh certainly had his haters, but I loved his enthusiasm for the game and how he would call me just to shoot the breeze about the sport he loved. I’m not stupid; I knew he was also fishing for some nugget of information that would give him an edge. But he sure loved the game.
A family friend played on that team and Walsh’s positive influence showed through.
The Black Bears lost in a controversial overtime to the hometown Minnesota Golden Gophers. But one of my all-time favorite images from that game endures: After Maine’s Mike Schutte scored, stunning the crowd into silence, he held his index finger to his mouth in a shushing gesture.
4. The 1999 Frozen Four in Anaheim and the Maine-UNH title game
I certainly beat my chest that year, with three Hockey East teams in the Frozen Four. And it felt good, in those relatively early years of USCHO, to look down in the press box at all the California writers, who wouldn’t have known how to spell Hobey Baker much less know what he represented, scouring printouts of the USCHO previews, like deadbeat students cramming for a final exam.
The only thing that keeps this event ranked lower than the other national championships won by league teams is that it came at the expense of another league brother.
UNH fans have a right to agonize over this result as much as Maine fans have to exult over it. The contest went into overtime and truly came down to a bounce of the puck. Either team could have won it.
Euphoria and agony rolled into one.
3. Hockey East wins four NCAA championships in five years
It’s easy to forget how many years the league came up as bridesmaids until BC kicked off the string in 2008 (followed by BU in 2009 and BC again in 2010 and 2012). But from USCHO’s first Frozen Four in 1997 through 2007, Hockey East was in the title game 10 of 11 times but won only twice, with one of those the 1999 all-Hockey East final. For the non-math majors out there, that means Hockey East lost to some other league eight of nine times.
“Why can’t your guys win the big one?” I kept hearing at the parties after the championship game.
I don’t hear that anymore.
(And as an aside, I still get a kick out of the teasing I got from the 2010 BC team, which I had picked to finish seventh in Hockey East because I was convinced John Muse’s hip surgery would make him as inflexible as Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell and doom the team. With a smile, BC coach Jerry York reminded everyone of my prediction from the podium after the title game.)
The Terriers were so good that year, one league coach referred to them as “the only professional team playing college hockey.” But in the national championship game, they trailed Miami 3-1 as the seconds ticked away.
BU coach Jack Parker pulled goaltender Kieran Millan with 3:32 remaining, but still no goal. Then with less than a minute remaining, lightning struck. Twice.
Zach Cohen scored with 59 seconds remaining and Matt Gilroy’s great feed to Nick Bonino resulted in the tying goal with 17 seconds left.
Colby Cohen scored in overtime to win it all.
I always hope a Hockey East team wins, but a key member of that Terriers team played on a line with my son in prep school. I really liked the kid, so that miracle felt even better than others.
The close-but-no-cigar disappointments had almost become sadistic. But it threatened to get even worse for Boston College. In their fourth Frozen Four in as many years, the Eagles led North Dakota 2-0 with five minutes left until …
… BC’s too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty led to a power play and with the goalie pulled, a six-on-four goal. Then in the final minute, North Dakota added a second extra-skater goal to send the contest into overtime.
Fortunately for BC, Krys Kolanos broke the shackles for the Eagles in a goal for the ages, and the excruciating drought dating back to 1949 was over.
And finally, not that it has anything to do with anything, but …
Pentucket Publishing released my latest novel “Body Check,” a hockey romance, just before the holidays. It’s proving to be a very popular item. Published under the name D.H. Hendrickson, this novel is definitely R-rated for the spicy you-know-what scenes. (Hey, they’re a requirement for a contemporary romance.) Here’s a description.
Sportswriter Olivia Turnbull covers the Blades, Boston’s professional hockey team. She’d never break the taboo against dating one of the players. The temptation never even crosses her mind.
Until, that is, the Blades trade for Chad Finnegan. She and Chad enjoyed a torrid love affair during their college days and when he arrives, one look dooms them both.
Their love breaks all the rules, but the forbidden fruit tastes too sweet until they learn that it could cost them everything.
Body Check provides an insider’s view of newspapers, sports writing, and hockey, but most of all, it tells a captivating tale of star-crossed lovers.
