October 15, 2009
CHA Preview 2009-10
The Last Hurrah For the Conference
by Becky Ebert/CHN Reporter
All CHA teams have played non-league games so far. This is the last season for the conference, before it disbands. Three teams will join new conferences, while Alabama-Huntsville currently plans to continue playing as an independent.
The league will continue to receive its automatic NCAA bid in its last season, despite having just four teams. Last year, that led to Bemidji State making an unprecedented run to the Frozen Four.
Alabama-Huntsville
Coach: Danton Cole
2008-09 Record: 5-20-5
Conference Finish: 4th
Changes: The Chargers will lose five of their senior players, including the team’s top scorer, Matt Sweazey. Among the other players leaving due to graduation are Derek Conter, Joe Federoff, Scott Kalinchuk and Josh Murray. Alabama-Huntsville will add six freshmen forwards to their roster, along with Curtis DeBruyn on defense and John Griggs as a backup between the pipes.
Strength: Junior Goaltender Cameron Talbot is expected to continue improving his game after posting a 2.95 GAA and a .907 save percentage last season. Talbot was named to the Preseason All-College Hockey America team. He started out strong, with 39 saves in last week's win at Notre Dame, and 48 saves in a subsequent loss. Chargers’ Forward, Cody Campbell, will return for his sophomore year after recording 21 points in 30 games during the 2008-09 season.
Weakness: The Chargers closed the season out with a 14 percent success rate on the power play and displayed struggles to rally back when trailing after the first and second periods.
Outlook: In a poll voted on by CHA Coaches, UAH is expected to finish fourth in the league race.
Bemidji State
Coach: Tom Serratore
2008-09 Record: 20-16-1
Conference Finish: 1st
NCAAs: Lost in a 4-1 loss to Miami in the National Semifinals
Changes: Sophmore goaltender Matt Dalton will no longer be making saves for the Beavers. Dalton signed an entry level contract with the NHL Boston Bruins. Chris McKelvie (Sr., New Brighton, Minn.), Kyle Hardwick (Sr. Warroad, Minn.) and Matt Read (Jr., Ilderton, Ontario) were selected as captains for the 2009-10 season. The Beavers will become apart of the WCHA for the 2010-11 season.
Strength: The Beavers’ top scorer, Matt Read, will return for his junior year. During the regular signing period, Bemidji signed Jake Areshenko (D), Brance Orban (F) and Brady Wacker (D).
Weakness: With the loss of goalie Matt Dalton, the Beavers hope to find someone within the club to continue such notable goaltending. Dalton closed out his sophomore season with a 2.19 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Outlook: Bemidji State is predicted to finish 1st in the league for the second season in a row. The team got off to a good start, winning two games against fellow NCAA upstarts Air Force last weekend.
Niagara
Coach: Dave Burkholder
2008-09 Record: 16-14-6
Conference Finish: 2nd
Changes: Niagara has inked nine new additions: Jason Beattie, C.J. Chartrain, Jeff Hannan, Andrew Hare, Giancarlo Luorio, Tyler Matthews, Brent Vandenberg, Danny Weiss and Marc Zanette. “Recruiting is the lifeblood of college atheletics and I’m excited about the incoming class,” said head coach Burkholder, “All of the recruits have good character and other intangibles that will allow them to do well on and off the ice.”
Strength: Chris Moran (Sr. Forward) was named to the Preseason All-CHA team by the conference. Moran tied for the Purple Eagles lead in scoring last season with 31 points. Senior Egor Mironov set a career best in 2008-09 season with 16 goals and 28 points.
Weakness: Niagara losses Goaltender Juliano Pagliero to graduation, along with Vince Rocco. The former captain posted a total of 120 points in 142 games as a Purple Eagle and will continue his hockey career in Italy.
Outlook: The Purple Eagles are projected to finish 2nd in the CHA conference, followed behind Bemidji State.
Robert Morris
Coach: Derek Schooley
2008-09 Record: 10-19-7
Conference Finish: 3rd
Changes: The 2009-10 roster includes nine freshmen. The Colonials lose their top scorer, Chris Margott, to graduation. Margott ended the season with 21 goals and 23 assists.
Strength: The Colonials came close to representing the CHA in the NCAA tournament. Robert Morris lost to Bemidji State, 3-2, in overtime in the CHA tournament final. Out of the 20 players who represented Robert Morris in that game, 13 will be returning to the ice for the 2009-10 season.
Weakness: The Colonials consist of 21 players who are either in their freshman or sophomore years. “We’re still a very young hockey team, but we have a lot of game experience,” said head coach Derek Schooley.
Outlook: Robert Morris was picked to finish 3rd in the preseason poll.
