Jim ConnellyDreams simply don’t come true enough in real life. The movies write great scripts, but everyone knows fantasy, storybook endings are reserved for Hollywood. Certainly St. Paul, Minn., is not the stage where one would expect one of these Hollywood-like segments to be filmed. But if I were a producer, I might want to hop … Read more
Head coach Don Lucia has instilled a sense of unity in Minnesota, one reason the Gophers play for the championship Saturday.
It seemed fitting that on the same day the largest crowd in history witnesses an NCAA ice hockey tournament game, NCAA President Cedric Dempsey all but guaranteed the tournament field will expand next year from 12 to 16 teams. It will be the first expansion of the tournament since 1988. “The [NCAA] Management Council will … Read more
For Maine, reaching the Frozen Four produced a sense that 2002 almost seems like 1999. Jim Connelly reports.
A fourth-line forward? Jim Abbott made his presence felt in New Hampshire’s run to the Frozen Four, as Jim Connelly notes.
In a not-too-common occurrence, Tim Horst left Minnesota to play hockey. Now, Jim Connelly reports on the UNH sophomore’s return.
Lucas Lawson entered the year with high expectations. Meeting them was neither easy nor quick, but the junior forward helped get Maine to the Frozen Four, Jim Connelly notes.
His more famous teammate attracts most of the attention on and off the ice, but Colin Hemingway is a critical piece of the UNH puzzle.
Quinnipiac, like every other team in the NCAA tournament, only dressed 18 skaters in Saturday’s game with Cornell. Unfortunately for QU, it was the 19th man — named Murphy — who showed up on the Quinnipiac bench; but instead of carrying his stick and helmet, he brought his law. Entering the game as one of … Read more
Seventeen thousand, one hundred twenty-two fans — most of them dressed in Granite State garb to signify their loyalty — witnessed history on Saturday night as New Hampshire finally got the postseason monkey off its back, beating North Country rival Maine, 3-1, to capture its first-ever Hockey East championship. Sophomore Steve Saviano scored what just … Read more
If you watched 40 minutes of the MAAC Championship on Saturday, you never saw the game. Trailing 4-0 through two periods, Mercyhurst made a furious comeback, pulling within a goal at 5-4 with 4:03 remaining in the game. The Quinnipiac defense bent in the final period, but thanks to some timely saves by goaltender Jamie … Read more
UMass-Lowell coach Blaise MacDonald knew one thing facing top-ranked New Hampshire in the Hockey East semifinals — his River Hawks could bend but not break. And though early in the second it looked as if Lowell had a stronghold on control in the game, a quick UNH rally not only broke the Hawks’ backs but … Read more
Come along as the MAAC’s top teams square off Saturday.
Youth was no barrier for Quinnipiac in the MAAC semifinals.
Every dog has his day, but it was a short one for the UConn Huskies.
Holy Cross cleaned up in the awards, as senior captain Patrick Rissmiller, the MAAC’s regular-season leading scorer was named Offensive Player of the Year and head coach Paul Pearl was named Coach of the Year.
One year ago Mercyhurst captured the MAAC’s first-ever NCAA bid, going on to put a scare into Michigan in the big tournament. Can the Lakers repeat, or will Cinderella candidate UConn end their dream run? And what about four-time MAAC semifinalist Quinnipiac, which faces off against rival Sacred Heart? Jim Connelly breaks down the weekend’s action.
Bentley says it’s making more of a commitment to hockey. It’s first move was to replace Jim McAdam with 25-year old alum, Ryan Soderquist, who says he’s up to the challenge.
A word to the wise — if you’re having a big party, you might want to think twice before inviting Connecticut’s Kurt Kamenski. The junior right wing provided Saturday night that he is an expert at spoiling a good time. After host and number-three seed Holy Cross made a remarkable rally from a 5-1 deficit … Read more
Don’t bet against the favorites in the opening round of the MAAC playoffs. Jim Connelly says that while upsets may happen, the top seeds have all the advantages.