Matt Mackinder

It’s go time in the CHA. Tournament time. March madness in northern Minnesota. For all the marbles. An NCAA bid on the line. Insert any old cliche here and it probably fits what’s going down this weekend with the four CHA teams vying for a spot in the NCAA tournament. The past three years have … Read more

Even though there is still one week left in the regular season, the CHA tournament pairings are already set for next weekend in Bemidji. Entering last weekend with a four-point lead over second-place Niagara, Bemidji State needed a loss by the Purple Eagles to clinch at least a share of the regular-season conference championship and … Read more

It’s essentially down to a two-team race for the CHA regular-season title. After sweeping Niagara in western New York last week, Bemidji State can clinch at least a tie for the title with one win in its season-ending series next week at home against Robert Morris. A sweep would give the Beavers the championship outright … Read more

Three weeks to go until the CHA community converges on Bemidji, Minn. Three weeks until we find out the CHA representative in the NCAA tournament as the league’s autobid is used for probably the last time. Three weeks until more banter begins about the futures of Bemidji State and Alabama-Huntsville. Three weeks until “next season” … Read more

Andy Williams was off by about two months when he said, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” The middle of February always gets both casual and diehard college hockey observers in the mood to figure out the standings and probable playoff matchups. Even in the four-team CHA, this happens. Bemidji State and Niagara … Read more

Robert Morris made it official on its end with a press conference Wednesday announcing its admittance to Atlantic Hockey two years down the road. Gary Heeman, USCHO’s arena reporter for RMU home games, talked exclusively with Robert Morris head coach Derek Schooley and athletic director Dr. Craig Coleman about the jump to the AHA and … Read more

Now the NCAA just has to find new homes for Bemidji State and Alabama-Huntsville come 2010. With reports confirming that Atlantic Hockey voted this week to bring Niagara and Robert Morris aboard in two years when the CHA officially crumbles, and NU and RMU both accepting the invitations, the onus is now on the WCHA … Read more

Okay, we know the WCHA lifted the moratorium on expansion and that everyone and their extended families has Bemidji State winding up there two seasons from now. Fine. That will probably happen. It makes the most sense and it would help keep BSU’s hockey program afloat. But what about the remaining three teams — Alabama-Huntsville, … Read more

To some, this time of year may be the dog days of winter, but for College Hockey America, the opposite couldn’t be truer. With just seven weeks until the CHA tournament in Bemidji, teams have already started jockeying for position to finish the season on a high note. Last weekend’s series between Robert Morris and … Read more

Happy New Year! It’s 2009 and time for resolutions. Ask any CHA coach, though, and their obvious answer to be successful this year is to get as many wins as possible, win the CHA tournament and get into the NCAA round of 16. For one team, that will be the case. But as to which … Read more

Happy Thanksgiving, one and all! As is the theme each year with this column, we’ll go over what each team has to be thankful for any why. As is also a recurring theme, the number of teams in the CHA since this writer took over the league beat has been cut almost in half, so … Read more

Last weekend was a slow one for College Hockey America with just a single game on the schedule, but as famed WWE broadcaster Jim Ross would say about this weekend, business is about to pick up. Niagara hasn’t seen any CHA action yet, but will host Bemidji State Friday and Saturday night in a rematch … Read more

Even with just a single game on the docket this weekend, there is no shortage of news in the CHA. Here are the nuts and bolts of this week’s column: last weekend’s action down south was competitive, attendance in Huntsville is among the nation’s best, Bemidji State may have a shot at the WCHA after … Read more

If last weekend was any indication as to how this year’s College Hockey America season will go, let’s bust out the clichés and buckle up because it should be a wild ride from here on out. The spotlight series last Friday and Saturday was Robert Morris hosting Alabama-Huntsville in a very even matchup that, if … Read more

With Halloween upon us, scary times have hit College Hockey America. But it’s not all bad. Seriously. On the opposite end of the league’s well-documented uncertainty for the future, look to the present and many positives came out of last weekend’s nonconference games, including one upset, one near-upset and a 13-0 drubbing of an exhibition … Read more

Niagara enjoyed its last moment of last season’s championship glory last Friday night, but leave it to St. Lawrence to spoil it. The Purple Eagles unveiled two new banners at Dwyer Arena commemorating their CHA tournament win and NCAA tournament appearance only to then go out and get smoked, 5-1, in front of 1,805 fans, … Read more

There’s an old quip that can now be applied to each CHA school. Beer will not be served at any of the schools’ games this year because they all lost their openers. Groan. Heck, even a double groan with debris tossed in the direction of this writer. It would be well-deserved. Alabama-Huntsville and Bemidji State … Read more