October 1, 2007
Niagara Chosen Tops in CHA
CHN Staff Report
DETROIT — Defending 2006-07 regular season champion Niagara was voted by the College Hockey America (CHA) league coaches as the preseason favorite to repeat as conference champion.
Robert Morris was a close second, receiving two first-place votes with 13 overall points. Bemidji State came in third receiving one first place vote with 12 points while Wayne State finished fourth with six points.
Niagara junior forward Ted Cook was an unanimous selection as the preseason Player of the Year. Last year, Cook led the conference in points (26), goals (20), power-play points (17) and power play goals (16) and was a First Team All-CHA selection.
Joining Cook on the Preseason All-CHA Team is teammate Les Reaney along with Bemidji State junior forward Travis Winter and senior forward Ryan Cruthers from Robert Morris. Reaney played in all 20 league games last year for the Purple Eagles and ranked third in conference points (24) and fourth in assists (15) earning Second Team All-CHA honors as a sophomore. Winter was a First Team All-CHA selection leading the Beavers in overall scoring with 12 goals and 29 points in 33 games. Cruthers led the Colonials with 17 goals and 37 points, ranked second in the CHA with 11 goals and third with five power play goals.
On defense, Robert Morris senior Chris Kaufman, Alabama-Huntsville junior Scott Kalinchuk and Bemidji State senior goalie Matt Climie rounded out the selections. Kaufman led the Colonials’ defensemen in league scoring with nine points in only 14 games. Kalinchuk ranked fourth among conference blueliners with 13 points on five goals and eight assists. Climie led the CHA last season with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .583 winning percentage in league play earning him First Team All-CHA accolades.
The season will conclude March 14-16 with the 2008 CHA Tournament hosted by Niagara University at Dwyer Arena.
2007-08 CHA Coaches' Poll
1. Niagara (2)
2. Robert Morris (2)
3. Bemidji State (1)
4. Wayne State
5. Alabama-Huntsville
2007-08 Preseason All-CHA Team
F Ted Cook, Niagara, Junior
F Les Reaney, Niagara, Junior
F Travis Winter, Bemidji State, Junior
F Ryan Cruthers, Robert Morris, Senior
D Chris Kaufman, Robert Morris, Senior
D Scott Kalinchuk, Alabama-Huntsville, Junior
G Matt Climie, Bemidji State, Senior
