David H. HendricksonWhen Cam McCormick is in the nets, the UNH fish-tossers are in for a smelly evening. Since the early 80’s, the Theta Chi fraternity has thrown a fish onto the ice at New Hampshire home games upon the Wildcats scoring their first goal. Only four times in the history of the Whittemore Center have the … Read more
UNH’s top line of Darren Haydar, Sean Collins and David Busch were all New Hampshire needed Friday, totaling 10 points as the Wildcats stayed on top in Hockey East with a 5-2 win over surprising UMass-Lowell.
Maine’s Mike Morrison gets his turn in net; teammate Tom Reimann defines “two-way player”; Hockey East cracks down on hitting from behind; the Most Sadistic Trivia Question Ever; and guess who has his own radio show? Dave Hendrickson rounds up the week.
Based on the preseason projections, this was Hockey East’s top team against its bottom one. On the ice, however, it was anybody’s game. UMass-Amherst gave Providence everything it could handle until Jon DiSalvatore’s goal with 5:10 remaining provided the final margin in a 3-2 win. The victory came just five days after the Minutemen had … Read more
Providence and UMass-Lowell exchange places; Boston College raises the banner; TV confusion; and one writers’ mea culpa. Dave Hendrickson covers the week in Hockey East.
After bending but not breaking for two and a half periods, Merrimack finally succumbed to Boston University, 4-0. The undefeated Terriers broke open a 1-0 game with three goals from defensemen in less than three minutes, two on the power play by Chris Dyment and the other by John Cronin. Merrimack goaltender Joe Exter, who … Read more
About the only thing UMass-Lowell didn’t do in convincing fashion for the first 39 minutes was perhaps sell enough popcorn. After seizing a 4-1 lead, however, the River Hawks surrendered a late-second period breakaway goal and enough penalties in the third period to make an eventual 4-3 win over Providence a dramatic one. Even so, … Read more
It’s a new year in Hockey East as Dave Hendrickson picks his preseason all-league team; also, trivia returns!
UMass-Lowell senior defenseman R.J. Tolan returned home from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton after treatment following a throat injury in Friday night’s game at Boston College. Tolan Contrary to earlier reports, Tolan did not suffer a cracked larynx, but rather excessive swelling in the throat and blood blisters on his vocal cords. A tracheotomy was … Read more
A big win for Northeastern over defending national champions Boston College, but head coach Bruce Crowder would hear none of it. All he wants to know is how his team will keep improving.
Enough is enough. That might have been the theme in the UMass-Lowell locker room prior to meeting Boston College in the Hockey East opener for both schools. BC had defeated the River Hawks in 15 straight games dating back to Jan. 3, 1997, outscoring them 74-35. Lowell broke the streak in convincing fashion, however, taking … Read more
It was an up-and-down start to the season for Hockey East teams, but fighting a different battle is Merrimack coach Chris Serino, who remains in good spirits trying to fight cancer. Dave Hendrickson gives his take on this and other matters.
Blaise MacDonald returns to Hockey East and to Lowell, bringing with him a set of standards and goals that are new for River Hawk hockey, but tried and true for MacDonald himself.
Given recent events in college hockey and around the world, Dave Hendrickson holds out hope that the new season can provide a much-needed concept: fun. Also: good news for PC’s Matt Curran; tidbits around the league; and Dave offers further anecdotes on the life of Shawn Walsh.
Last April, a lot of coaches and fans could probably have filled in Boston College as Hockey East’s favorite for 2001-2. But that was before massive losses of underclassmen added to the sting of graduation for the Eagles, leaving Maine and Providence as contenders on at least an equal footing.
Over the last 12 years, BU hockey has experienced only two losing seasons. Unfortunately, those have come in two of the last three years. Has the Terriers’ reign of dominance come to an end or only hit a couple bumps in the road? Or something in between? Most likely something in between. It’s hard to … Read more
When you finish in last place and then graduate your top goaltender, one of your top two scorers and four other forwards, you’d better have a vision for where the program is going because there may not be a lot of instant gratification in the offing. Fortunately for UMass-Amherst, second-year coach Don “Toot” Cahoon has … Read more
It’s anyone’s guess how well the Maine team will cope with the death of its long-time leader, Shawn Walsh. “It’s a huge impact,” says assistant coach Grant Standbrook. “We loved the guy. [Anyone who] saw the team at the funeral would know what I was referring to. They were all in tears and devastated by … Read more
Amidst all the preseason focus on expected wins and losses, the one W the entire league hopes for is in coach Chris Serino’s battle with throat cancer. If Serino defeats the disease, it will be a successful season no matter what the standings say. That said, Merrimack fans can hope for a huge victory off … Read more
The biggest change in Lowell, of course, isn’t the usual departure of graduating players and influx of freshmen, but rather the arrival last spring of new coach Blaise MacDonald. Arguably, former coach Tim Whitehead should have been treated better and still be at the River Hawk helm. He was, after all, a finalist for national … Read more