Jim ConnellyFor the second time in two years, the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet has given preliminary approval for expansion of the men’s Ice Hockey Championship bracket from 12 to 16 teams.
The MAAC standings have never been this tight so late in the year. Though Mercyhurst is well out front, the next six positions are up for grabs among a host of contenders. Jim Connelly reports — then muses on the possibility of two league representatives in the NCAAs.
John Sabo scored two goals, including the game winner, and Boston University pulled away from a determined but depleted Boston College squad Monday night at the Beanpot. The Terriers, making their 41st title-game appearance, will meet Northeastern.
A relatively new league, has relatively new rivalries. But they are more and more heated every year. Jim Connelly tells us more.
Chris Legg’s goal at 7:40 of the third period broke a 1-1 deadlock, as Brown skated to a 2-1 upset of the River Hawks in front of a sparse crowd at Lowell’s Tsongas Arena.
Resurgent Iona — keyed by Ryan Carter’s return to offensive fireworks — gets its sternest test against MAAC-unbeaten Mercyhurst this weekend, Jim Connelly says. Also: Connecticut looks to carry nonconference momentum back into league play.
With the MAAC unlikely to cause a stir in this season’s PairWise Rankings, the league’s representative to the NCAA tournament will be its automatic qualifier. 1999 champion Holy Cross has its sights set there, as Jim Connelly reports.
The game lived up to every ounce of its billing. No. 10 Boston College gave No. 5 UMass-Lowell everything it could handle, but still couldn’t muster a victory as the River Hawks squeaked by BC, 3-2, in a hard-checking, tight defensive affair. The victory for Lowell and defeat for Boston College came amidst locker rooms … Read more
Canisius returns from a longer-than-expected break, thanks to Mother Nature; Rand Pecknold and Quinnipiac review the weekend at Michigan State; and AIC netminder Chad Davis makes Jim Connelly look good.
At the beginning of the season, AIC’s coaches thought they had recruited a solid goaltending duo. Half of that expectation has already been supported; now the other half may be tested. Also: the MAAC suffers through a tough tournament season, partly thanks to an old nemesis. Jim Connelly reports.
Whether it’s surprising Holy Cross or underachieving Bentley, Jim Connelly takes a look at the high-flyers and the bottom-feeders in the MAAC at the season’s halfway point.
Jim Connelly sorts through the week’s news in the MAAC, including the Quinnipiac name change — well, half a change; and letters to Santa are intercepted.
One season ago, Brian Gionta practically rewrote the Boston College record books. Fast forward a year, and you can get a bit of a feeling that sophomore Ben Eaves would like to follow in Gionta’s footsteps. If that’s the case, in the month of November, Eaves has succeeded. Since Nov. 8, Eaves has recorded multiple … Read more
Two struggling teams in Merrimack and Providence met Friday night, and the result was the Warriors’ first Hockey East win.
The scholarship issue is on the back-burner for now, but everyone is still talking about it. How necessary is a scholarship increase for the MAAC’s long-term survival. Also … Justin Eddy challenged to step up for Quinnipiac.
Tim Kelleher stood strong in the net for the Boston College Eagles as he shut out the Harvard Crimson, 1-0, who also saw a strong effort from their goaltender, Will Crothers. The Eagles are now winners of five straight, while the Crimson suffer their second straight setback.
Mercyhurst returns to familiar territory, while Sacred Heart has its up and downs, and Fairfield pulls its colletive hair out after an unusual sweep by American International. Jim Connelly reports.
Providence College’s Jon DiSalvatore had a major objective entering this season — to become more of an impact player. He also had a desire coming into Saturday night’s game at Northeastern to quiet the Matthews Arena faithful — better known as the “Dog House.” Mission completed. On a career night, DiSalvatore scored four goals, including … Read more
In a league known for developing young talent, it’s the goaltenders who stand out this season in the early going. Jim Connelly IDs the underclass powers in net, and congratulates a certain Canisius head coach.
There’s not a struggling hockey team in the country that won’t take an ugly win — even if you’re defending national champion Boston College. Thanks to a three-goal effort by sophomore Tony Voce, including two of the shorthanded variety, BC survived against a pesky but sloppy Merrimack team, 6-4 Thursday night in front of a … Read more