The best College Hockey coverage is at CollegeHockeyNews.com http://www.collegehockeynews.com Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:24:02 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/images/design/chn2006-text-180px.gif http://www.collegehockeynews.com College Hockey News http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/20_hunwick.php On paper, in experience, and in height, Michigan junior goaltender Shawn Hunwick just didn’t match up in the Wolverines' CCHA semifinal appearance against No. 2 Miami. Hunwick was giving up almost a half goal more per game than the RedHawks’ Cody Reichard, the CCHA Player of the Year. Hunwick had played in just seven games all season while Reichard had played in 24. And the 5-foot-7 ... Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/20_trupps.php Standing just 5-foot-8, it’s hard to be noticed on the ice. Couple that with a 20-game goalless streak, and you are virtually invisible. Through two games of the WCHA Final Five tournament, however, North Dakota’s Evan Trupp has stood tall and shown up in a big way. The Alaska native scored two goals and assisted on the eventual game winner in a 4-3 win against No. 1 Denver in the semifinals ... Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/20_denver.php Things just never seemed right for No. 1 Denver in its 4-3 loss to North Dakota on Friday in the second semifinal game at the WCHA Final Five: Passes weren't crisp, pucks seemed to roll of sticks and shots seemed to sail high and wide. Credit North Dakota for some of that. But according to Pioneers Rhett Rakhshani and Tyler Ruegsegger, most of that blame falls on DU's shoulders. "I ... Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/20_wilson.php Seven days ago, Maine goaltender Dave Wilson didn't have the fondest memories of the Hockey East Tournament. The last time he took the ice for the Black Bears in the postseason was 2007 against Massachusetts in Amherst. Wilson, standing in for injured starter Ben Bishop, struggled to develop any rhythm in the pair with the Minutemen as they promptly from the playoffs. The week before that, it ... Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_reichard.php Sophomore goaltender Cody Reichard of the regular-season champion Miami RedHawks was named CCHA Player of the Year at the annual CCHA Awards banquet on Thursday, March 18. Reichard finished the regular season as the CCHA leader in goals-against average (1.23), save percentage (.950), and shutouts (5). He also leads the nation in overall GAA (1.48) and winning percentage (.841). Alaska forward Andy ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_leecomes.php Wisconsin goaltender Scott Gudmanson was good today, but St. Cloud State’s netminder was just a little bit better. Freshman Mike Lee came up huge in a 2-0 win against Wisconsin in the WCHA Final Five semifinals, stopping all 38 shots he faced, including 20 shots in the third as the Huskies upended the Badgers to reach the title game. “Overall I think the type of game we played was sound ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_brown.php If anyone epitomized Brown's return from the scrap heap this season, it was senior captain Jordan Pietrus. Two months ago, he thought his season was over thanks to an abdominal muscle tear. But when No. 11-seed [[Brown]] won its first two playoff series, in three games each, to reach the ECAC final four, Pietrus decided it was time to join the fun -- pain be damned. Pietrus came out for the game ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_cornell.php At the first intermission of Friday afternoon’s ECAC Hockey semifinal it looked as though No. 7 Cornell was going to fall victim to what has become an all too common mistake during these playoffs: overlooking the Brown Bears. “Give credit to Brown,” said Cornell head coach Mike Schafer, now in his 15th season behind the Big Red bench. “They came out and did a lot of good things ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_northern.php Four goals, 60 minutes and 38 shots couldn’t get the monkey off Northern Michigan’s back Friday at Joe Louis Arena. But the 39th, coming in overtime, finally won the game for the Wildcats and sent them into unprecedented territory. Junior Gregor Hanson took those matters into his own hands. Just 1:07 into the first overtime, Hanson picked up the puck in the neutral zone and as the Bulldog ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_ritbreaks.php RIT goalie Jared DeMichiel knows all about the Tigers’ rather gory history at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial, because he’s lived through most of it. Entering Friday afternoon’s Atlantic Hockey semifinal tournament game against New York Thruway rival Canisius, RIT had lost in its last five trips into the big barn downtown. And in the last two defeats, to Colgate earlier this ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_dramatic.php It's been quite the adventure this season for Sacred Heart, so what's one more wild ride? Sacred Heart coach C.J. Marottolo said before the weekend that the road to a championship would still have to go through Air Force, the three-time defending Atlantic Hockey tournament champions, until someone knocked the Falcons off. Sacred Heart was that team. Whether it leads to a championship, remains ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_moresleeper.php In Boston College’s 3-0 win against Vermont in Friday’s first Hockey East semifinal, goaltender John Muse stonewalled all 30 of Vermont’s shots. And each member of the Eagles' second line -- Ben Smith, Jimmy Hayes and Chris Kreider -- was responsible for one of the night’s goals. But from goal line to goal line, a young Boston College defense, led by lone senior Carl Sneep ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_hockey.php There's no question who Boston College's No. 1 goaltender is after John Muse's 30-save shutout of Vermont in the first of two Hockey Easy Semfinal games Friday night at the TD Garden. The win clinched BC a spot in the Hockey East Championship game Saturday night against Maine. In the first game of BC's quarterfinal series against Massachusetts, freshman Parker Millner made the start ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_firstthings.php Earlier this afternoon, [[Union]] was preparing to play in the program’s first-ever ECAC semifinals game. Now, after strong goaltending from freshman Keith Kinkaid fueled a 3-1 victory over St. Lawrence (19-15-7), the Dutchmen are preparing for yet another first. “We’re one step closer to accomplishing the goal that we set out at the beginning of the year,” said Union head ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_five-year.php Five years after Vermont left the ECAC to join Hockey East, it's hard to look at the move as anything other than a great success. The northern New England school had been a part of the ECAC since 1974, moving up from the ECAC Division II, and advanced as far as the NCAA semifinals in 1996. But Vermont had fallen on hard times since the year after that appearance. Seven losing seasons preceded ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/19_butler.php New Hampshire captain Bobby Butler was chosen the Hockey East Player of the Year, it was announced today, headlining a trio of Wildcats named among the first-team All-Stars. Butler dominated all Hockey East scorers with 21 goals and shared the lead with 41 total points in just 27 league games. Only slightly off Butler’s pace was Merrimack rookie Stephane Da Costa, who was an easy selection as ... Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_miamihas.php Pick a hand. Both have all the right digits and all the makings and markings of hard work. Each one is strong enough to pick up and carry the heaviest of things. You're ambidextrous; somedays you're a righty, and other, a lefty. Such is a dilemma faced by Miami RedHawks coach Enrico Blasi with his sophomore goalie tandem of Cody Reichard and Connor Knapp. Both were key cogs in last season's ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_finalhobey.php With the announcement of the 10 Hobey finalists set for today, not much has changed since our Hobey Handicapping article from mid-February. There are four new names added as "tops," the four at the bottom, in addition to the six already named as locks before. Check out that article, where I opine about the attrition of talent overall in college hockey the last couple of years. But don't ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_embracing.php This has been a strange year for Sacred Heart coach C.J. Marottolo. And now, with his team ready to play in the Atlantic Hockey tournament championship weekend, he is trying to cap off the year by making it a unique one as well. Sacred Heart, which faces defending champion Air Force in the semifinals Friday at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, has never made the NCAA tournament before. To do so, it ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_gwozdecky.php The five nationally-ranked teams that make up the field for this week’s WCHA Final Five championship all had at least two players named to an all-league team, while MacNaughton Cup champs Denver led with four individual award winners. Denver junior goaltender Marc Cheverie was named the WCHA Player of the Year, Michigan Tech senior defenseman Eli Vlaisavljevich is the WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_dalpeleaves.php Two days after it was announced that his head coach, John Markell, would not be returning, Ohio State sophomore forward Zac Dalpe signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. Later in the day, Ohio State also learned it lost junior free agent Hunter Bishop to a pro deal with the Montreal Canadiens. At the NHL level, Dalpe will be paid $550,000 in 2010-11, $600,000 in 2011-12 ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_wisconsin.php Three goaltenders are on the list of 10 finalists for this year's Hobey Baker Award, it was announced today. Also see: Hobey Handicapping The goalies include WCHA Player of the Year Marc Cheverie from Denver, ECAC Goaltender of the Year Ben Scrivens, and Miami sophomore Cody Reichard, who helped take the Red Hawks to the Frozen Four last season. Joining that group is another Denver Pioneer ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_ecacfinal.php The road to this weekend's ECAC Championships has been fraught with more twists and turns than an M. Night Shyamalan film. And indeed, only an impressive sixth sense could have led anyone to predict the final four combatants descending upon the village of Albany, N.Y., this weekend. Here's 'the happening' at the Times Union Center on Friday: Ivy foes Cornell and Brown face off in the ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_atlantic.php The Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y., hosts the Atlantic Hockey Association Final Four this weekend. In the first semifinal on Friday afternoon, top seed RIT faces Canisius, and the evening game pits defending champion Air Force against Sacred Heart. The league's championship -- and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament -- will be on the line on Saturday night. The only team remaining that ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_hockey.php If you were surprised by anything that happened in the Hockey East Quarterfinal last weekend, then maybe it's time for another look. The league's finish featured the most tightly-compacted standings in history, top to bottom, so there were no jaws agape when three of the four best-of-three first-round series went the distance, saw the top seed fall to the eighth, saw underdogs push things ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_cchafinal.php Miami was the anointed team this year, running away with the regular-season crown early. But there are so many factors at play this weekend, including just how hungry the other three teams here are, still scratching and clawing for NCAA bids, among other things. No. 3 Ferris State vs. No. 2 Northern Michigan Ferris State earned a first-round bye and took on Nebraska-Omaha in round two. They defeated ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_eidsness.php This story wanted to be written after two periods, but North Dakota and its goaltender Brad Eidsness wouldn’t let it happen. After two scoreless periods, [[North Dakota]] tallied two third-period goals, one shorthanded, en route to a 2-0 win in the play-in game of the WCHA Final Five in a battle of sophomore netminders, Eidsness and [[Minnesota-Duluth]]’s Kenny Reiter. “I listened ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_waiting.php Entering the WCHA Final Five this weekend, Minnesota Duluth had only one thing in mind. "It was live or die," said senior forward Drew Akins. "We were thinking if we lost this game, our season's over." While a win over North Dakota could have cemented the Bulldogs' place in the NCAA tournament beginning next weekend, their 2-0 loss Thursday in St. Paul pushes UMD even ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_wchafinal.php With Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha joining the fray next season, this season's version of the WCHA Final Five will be the final tournament of its kind. Beginning next season, the Final Five will no longer consist of the final five teams -- rather the final five games ... at least in theory. That won't be decided for sure until after this season. The league couldn't have picked a more ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_polacek.php RPI junior forward Chase Polacek has been named ECAC Hockey Player of the Year. Teammate Jerry D'Amigo, a member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. World Junior Team last January, was named the league's Rookie of the Year. Polacek led the league in goals (17) and points (35) in conference play. Overall, Polacek had 26 goals and 26 assists, and was named Thursday, as well, as one of 10 finalists ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_conacher.php Canisius' Cory Conacher, whose 53 overall points are second in the nation, was named Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year today. Canisius is set to play RIT in the AH semifinals Friday in Rochester. C.J. Marottolo, who took over Sacred Heart just before the start of the season when Shaun Hannah stepped down, and led the Pioneers to the league final four, was named Coach of the Year. First Team ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/18_pop-ko.php When [[Boston University]] and Maine touch the TD Garden ice for the first Friday night, the eyes of most will turn toward Maine's No. 89 -- sophomore Gustav Nyquist. One day after his selection as a Hockey East First Team All-Star and a finalist for the Hobey Baker award, the Swedish sniper will rightfully be the focus of all the media types who start paying attention right when everything gets ... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/17_schroeder.php Minnesota sophomore Jordan Schroeder has signed an NHL contract with the Vancouver Canucks, the team that drafted him in the first round last June, No. 22 overall. Minnesota just finished its first sub-.500 season (18-19-2) since Don Lucia took over as head coach in 1999-2000. After a tremendous freshman season, where Schroeder 13 goals and 45 points in 35 games and won CHN's Rookie of the Year ... Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/17_dacosta.php Hockey East announced its 2009-10 All-Rookie Team today, with Merrimack forward Stephane Da Costa leading the way as the only unanimous selection. Among the other individuals to be honored at Thursday’s tournament banquet will be Mass.-Lowell co-captain Ben Holmstrom, the Best Defensive Forward. Another team co-captain, Massachusetts’ Justin Braun was chosen as the Best Defensive Defenseman. ... Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/17_vermeulen.php ECAC Hockey today announced Travis Vermeulen from [[St. Lawrence]] has been named the winner of the league’s 2009-10 Best Defensive Forward Award. Vermeulen, the Saints’ captain this season, was outstanding on faceoffs, undoubtably the best penalty killer on the team, and played on both the power play and team’s top line. The Centerville, Minn., native led the Saints in scoring with ... Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/16_whatnow.php With the departure of John Markell at Ohio State, there are now three head coaching openings in college hockey -- all in the CCHA. This is very unusual, because being a college head coach these days is almost as secure as being on the U.S. Supreme Court. We recently looked into the possibilities to fill the opening at Western Michigan. There are many good names on there, and most of them are alumni. ... Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/16_cahoon.php As the final seconds in Massachusetts' 5-2 loss to Boston College last Saturday night fell from the clock, UMass coach Don "Toot" Cahoon understood that captains Justin Braun and Brett Watson, among others, had played their final college hockey game. Replacing Braun and Watson will be especially difficult for Cahoon, who often praised the pair for their excellence on the ice and the way ... Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/16_markell.php Ohio State has decided not to renew the contract of head coach [[John Markell]], sources have confirmed to College Hockey News. Also see: Interview with Ohio State assistant AD And: Column: What Next for OSU? Markell has coached Ohio State for the last 15 seasons, compiling a record of 280-267-56. Markell has brought the program to unforseen heights since taking over, reaching the NCAA tournament ... Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/16_hockey.php The annual exodus of college underclassmen to the pro ranks has begun in full force; Hockey East will lose Northeastern defenseman Jake Newton and Massachusetts forward Casey Wellman. Both were undrafted free agents. Wellman, a sophomore for the Minutemen, has signed the maximum entry-level NHL deal with the Minnesota Wild, with maximum performance bonuses allowed. Wellman is flying to Minnesota today ... Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/16_osuwe.php All season, Ohio State coach John Markell did his job in the last year of his contract, uncertain if he'd be renewed. This week, he found out that he would not be. Ohio State let Markell go because it decided it the program was as successful as it could be. Also see: Column: What Now for OSU? "Our goal for our program is to have a men's ice hockey program that's consistently ... Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/gamegab.php Wrapping up the latest games, with summaries of the results, and analysis/insight from the CHN staff. roundup Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/15_ncaatournament.php And down the stretch we come ... The Best-of-3 series are over, the CHA has its automatic bid -- with Alabama-Huntsville mucking things up for a myriad of bubble teams by getting the autobid away from Bemidji State, which qualifies anyway -- and the conference tournament championship weekends are upon us. On Sunday, the NCAA will officially announce its selections. But, if you understand the process ... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/15_vermont.php It was a strange year in Hockey East throughout. Call it parity or call it mediocrity, but this weekend's result between [[Vermont]] and [[New Hampshire]] was indicative of the whole thing. For the second straight game, Vermont defeated top-seeded UNH 1-0. The Catamounts became the first team in the 86-year history of the UNH program to shut out the Wildcats in their own building in back-to-back ... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/15_hockey.php Boston University coach Jack Parker credited his penalty kill with the Terriers' victory over Merrimack in the Hockey East quarterfinals. BU clinched the victory Sunday night with its 3-0 win over the Warriors. In the victory, the Terriers held MC scoreless on its seven power plays and, for the weekend, BU successfully killed 17 of the 18 Warrior power plays. The teams entered the series as the ... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/15_wchasuspends.php North Dakota forward Matt Frattin has been suspended by the WCHA for one game, for a hit on Minnesota's Kevin Wehrs during Sunday's Game 3 between the two teams. As a result, Frattin will have to sit out Thursday's WCHA Final Five play-in game against Minnesota-Duluth. He would be eligible to return for the semifinals, or, if North Dakota loses, for the first round of the NCAAs. The hit ... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/15_unions.php Union's Nate Leaman has been named the league’s recipient of the Tim Taylor Award for Coach of the Year. Under the direction of Leaman, Union’s 20 overall victories and 12 in-conference this year are the most in program history. Selected to finish sixth in both the coaches’ preseason and media polls, the Dutchmen earned a No. 3 seed in the league’s postseason tournament. Leaman ... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/15_youare.php There was a database glitch of some kind last night, that caused 4 scores from Sunday to be copied to Saturday. We have fixed this. But in the last 12 hours, that caused our Pairwise to look wrong. Anyone who ran You Are the Commitee scenarios in the last 12 hours, should do them again. Our apologies for the error. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/14_alabama-huntsville.php It’s was a story book ending for Alabama-Huntsville freshman Keenan Desmet. His goal in overtime, coming on a controversial power play no less, gave the Chargers the win the final CHA Championship Game, and the conference's final automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The first CHA championship was played in 1999 between these same two teams, Niagara and Alabama-Huntsville. The Purple Eagles ... Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/14_yaleupset.php Who's to say what happened to Yale on Friday. The bye week caused some rust; the loss of 21-goal scorer Sean Backman temporarily demoralized them; Brown took advantage of a team still adjusting to a new configuration caused by Backman's absence. Any of those could've been true. But when top-seeded Yale blitzed No. 11 Brown on Saturday, 6-3, in a game not nearly as close as the final score ... Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/14_chns.php With the weekend's games complete, and five conferences headed to their respective final championship weekends, it's time to get serious about seeing which teams will be in the NCAA tournament. The teams that make the 16-team field are determined, in college hockey, by an objective and deterministic process commonly known as "The [[Pairwise]]." Because this process is known, we can ... Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2010/03/13_quinnipiac.php Only two games in NCAA history have gone to five overtimes. Union has played in them both, and hosted them both. And now lost in them both. Quinnipiac's Greg Holt scored at 10:32 of the fifth overtime Friday, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 advantage in the Best-of-3 ECAC quarterfinal series. The 150:32 total time featured 130 shots, including a school-record 75 by the Dutchmen. Quinnipiac goalie Dan ... Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100