Chris Lerch

Chris Lerch has been writing for USCHO since 1999, first as D-III columnist, then covering Atlantic Hockey for the past 19 seasons.

The Week in Division III – January 26, 2006

by

It’s Upset City as St. Olaf, Tufts and Cortland rise up to beat their higher-ranked rivals. But is this a trend that will last? Chris Lerch takes a look at these upsets and breaks down the initial 2006 USCHO.com Pairwise Rankings.

The Week in Division III – January 12, 2006

by

At the beginning of the season, Norwich looked to be just another average team after years of being among DIII’s best. Now on a nine-game win streak, the Cadets seem to be heading back to their winning ways. Chris Lerch finds out how the Cadets got back on track, and gives us some players to watch for in the second half of the 2005-2006 season.

The Week in Division III – January 5, 2006

by

While playoff contenders shake off the holiday rust, Chris Lerch profiles two teams-Neumann and Wisconsin-Stout-who have surprised most observers with their strong starts. Can they keep up their momentum and compete for a playoff spot?

The Week in Division III – December 15, 2005

by

As the holiday break approaches, Chris Lerch hands out his midterm grades to leagues all across Division III-from the expected powerhouse performance of Middlebury to the sudden downfall of Minnesota-Crookston.

The Week in Division III – December 8, 2005

by

First, the bad news. Two teams in DIII are under fire for discipline and eligibility issues. However, some struggling programs are starting to put the pieces together. Chris Lerch will tell you who’s up and who’s down in this edition of This Week in DIII.

The Week in Division III – December 1, 2005

by

Chris Lerch takes a look at everything that happened over Thanksgiving weekend, including disappointments and surprises in the NCHA, officiating and the latest kick in the guts, courtesy of (who else?) the Boston Bruins management.

The Week in Division III – November 17, 2005

by

Chris Lerch looks at the start of the ECAC East and NESCAC seasons, while looking ahead to the Thanksgiving tournaments ahead. Plus, you’ll get an exclusive look at the advent of the Division III College Hockey Showcase.

2005-06 RIT Season Preview

by

As RIT enters its first season in Division I, more things have remained the same than have changed. For example, the roster includes 17 players from last season’s team. “We did bring in what I think are a lot of players — nine,” said RIT coach Wayne Wilson. “I didn’t want to get on a … Read more

Panthers Claim Seventh Title

by

Middlebury won its second straight national title and seventh in 11 seasons with a 5-0 victory over St. Thomas in the 2005 Division III national championship game. John Sales scored twice for the Panthers, who opened a 2-0 lead after one period, and made it 4-0 after two thanks to a smothering defense and an … Read more

Categories Uncategorized

Championship Game: Middlebury 5, St. Thomas 0

by

Middlebury won its second straight national title and seventh in 11 seasons with a 5-0 victory over St. Thomas in the 2005 Division III national championship game. In a penalty-filled first stanza, the Panthers got their first goal at 9:25. After a scramble behind the Tommie net, Eric LaFreniere won a battle for the loose … Read more

Semifinal Notebook: Middlebury 5, New England College 2

by

Coming Up Short New England College had staged some big comebacks in their Cinderella-esque post season run, but this one came up short. The Pilgrims never gave up, though. “We battled right to the end,” said coach Tom Carroll. “Because of all the comebacks we’ve had, there was no doubt on the bench that we … Read more