Jim ConnellyA year ago, the voices say, Bentley simply overachieved. Having finished in or near the cellar of the MAAC for three straight years, a fifth-place finish, a first-round upset of Sacred Heart and a berth in the MAAC final four was a dream come true. Overachieving? Maybe, though not in the eyes of head coach … Read more
Hockey East announced today a new television agreement with New England Sports Network (NESN) beginning in January 2004. The deal, announced at the league’s annual media day, will move Hockey East coverage from rival Fox Sports Network to NESN, the home of Boston Bruins hockey. It is the second stay for Hockey East with NESN. … Read more
As the Holy Cross seniors return to the ice for their final season as Crusaders, there’s no doubt that the last two years were memorable. Top-four finishes in MAAC play, home ice in the playoffs and a berth in the final four last year: these players have plenty to be proud of. But when memories … Read more
Last year, it was boys against men. A lineup filled with freshmen and sophomores meant growing pains from day one. Add to that the fact that Canisius put together one of the toughest nonleague schedules in the MAAC and you had the recipe for disaster. [The Griffs] are no longer wet behind the ears. The … Read more
Many in Atlantic Hockey feel that Quinnipiac suffered the least in terms of losses to graduation. Head coach Rand Pecknold disagrees. “I’m a little concerned about losing three defensemen,” said Pecknold of the departed Dan Ennis, Wade Winkler and Matt Erhart, along with forward Brian Herbert, from last season’s roster. “I thought they were three … Read more
Mercyhurst head coach Rick Gotkin has gotten used to having a bullseye on his chest. Having won the last three regular-season titles in the MAAC and two of the last three tournaments, his team can’t be overlooked. “Everyone asks about the bullseye, but that’s the way it’s been for 10 years,” said Gotkin, who has … Read more
After five years of living under someone else’s rule, the nine remaining members of the MAAC hockey league became independent this summer. The resulting conference — Atlantic Hockey — is set to take its first leap as its inaugural season commences. No venture of this sort comes without headaches. Even the simple stuff, such as … Read more
Many thought that if Sacred Heart ever could make a run at a title, last year was the year. That was until the Pioneers ran into a postseason steamroller named Bentley College, bowing in the first round for the fourth time in five seasons. Then graduation took its toll on Sacred Heart, and even home … Read more
There has to be a point at which things get frustrating. Despite constantly improving from year to year, it seems American International and head coach Gary Wright can’t make a move up the standings. The Yellow Jackets have, over the past three seasons, added solid players at all positions. Unfortunately for AIC, though, the skill … Read more
A year after posting an 8-23-3 record and missing the MAAC playoffs for the first time ever, Connecticut head coach Bruce Marshall knew it was time for a change. The Huskies mentor did what he called an “evaluation,” but what most call “housecleaning.” The result: 12 of the 24 players scheduled to return to the … Read more
Holy Cross head coach Paul Pearl, who last week announced that he would leave his alma mater to become director of admissions at a local prep school, today says that he’s had a change of heart. The eight-year veteran head coach of the Crusaders has decided to stay on as head coach at Holy Cross … Read more
This past year’s MAAC Hockey championship tournament at West Point, N.Y., was the league’s most successful. If your ear was to the ground, though, that tournament weekend, you might have left with a strong impression that it would be the league’s last. In confirmation of the rumblings that existed three months earlier, the league’s nine … Read more
The MAAC Hockey League is no more, though the nine member schools will continue to compete together.
The nine MAAC schools claimed their independence. Two former chairs of the Men’s Ice Hockey Committee lead the way.
Holy Cross coach Paul Pearl has resigned to become director of admissions and head hockey coach at Milton (Mass.) Academy, a top-tier prep school. Pearl was the head coach at Holy Cross for eight years, guiding his team to a 116-114-19 record. His brightest moment came in 1998 when Holy Cross captured the inaugural MAAC … Read more
A season filled with great highs, and some amazing lows for BC freshman Pat Eaves. But looking back, he says it was all worth it.
Minnesota’s Thomas Vanek did a lot more than win a championship last April in Buffalo. He also swayed the hometown scouts. Vanek, who scored the game-winning goals in the national semifinal and championship games at Buffalo’s HSBC Arena, became the first college player taken in the 2003 NHL Draft when the Buffalo Sabres selected him … Read more
You can look through every Central Scouting Service (CSS) ranking. You can study for weeks, even months. But the reality in hockey is that the NHL Entry Draft could be one of the toughest events in sports to handicap. The NHL is absent of names like LeBron James. The league takes players before and during … Read more
Minnesota rookie Thomas Vanek made his mark early in his first year in college hockey, proving before the holiday break that he was one of the nation’s top freshmen. But it wasn’t until the Frozen Four when Vanek scored game-winning goals against Michigan and New Hampshire to give Minnesota its second consecutive national title that … Read more
If there’s one common theme that will run through the early rounds of this year’s NHL Entry Draft, it is family impact on the collegiate draftees. In a year that could easily see a record number of collegiate first rounders, almost all of the top college picks are second generation hockey players. The talk of … Read more