Matt MackinderNot one game has been played, yet Niagara has already been picked as the favorite to repeat as CHA champs in the annual league poll. This comes on the heels of the Purple Eagles graduating co-captain and 39-point producer Matt Caruana, seeing big forward Kyle Rogers give up his senior season to sign with the … Read more
With 21 freshmen and sophomores on the roster this season, Robert Morris is in for one of two scenarios this year, according to head coach Derek Schooley. “If we play well, we’ll be reloading,” Schooley said. “And if we don’t, then we’re rebuilding.” The Colonials graduated their first senior class last spring, a class that … Read more
According to Bemidji State head coach Tom Serratore, the Beavers have a lot to prove this season. “We’re young, we have depth and we play 19 games on the road,” said Serratore. “We’ll find out what we’re made of early on against Mankato and Air Force.” Goaltender Matt Climie graduated last spring and used his … Read more
College Hockey America will operate for the 2008-2009 season, but beyond that is anyone’s guess. Even interim commissioner Ed McLaughlin doesn’t have all the answers. He has ideas and questions, but nothing concrete. Yet. “We’re at the mercy of the NCAA,” said McLaughlin. After Wayne State eliminated their program at the conclusion of this past … Read more
Shayne Baylis knew that playing college hockey came with its perks, most notably a chance to complete a four-year degree that he could parlay into a career down the road. Baylis entered Niagara University as a freshman defenseman in 2001 and played 83 games, amassing 16 points and 42 penalty minutes over his career. He … Read more
Niagara head coach Dave Burkholder said last fall that the NU class of 2008 was the only senior class never to get to the NCAA tournament. He said the No. 1 goal this season was to win the CHA tournament on home ice and move on to the NCAA round of 16. Talk can be … Read more
No lengthy intro needed this week — it’s tournament time! Let’s see what the crystal ball reveals this year. The one used last year was sent back to the manufacturer labeled “defective” as it failed to predict an Alabama-Huntsville championship run. Here are the facts: The winner of the tournament this weekend at Niagara gets … Read more
This is it, folks. This weekend, the Wayne State hockey program makes its final on-ice appearance in Detroit before jaunting to the CHA Tournament next weekend at Niagara. Can’t believe it’s been nine years, can you? That first game, albeit an exhibition against Western Ontario, back on Nov. 5, 1999 had glitz, glamour — and … Read more
Bemidji State traveled to North Dakota last weekend looking to end a horrid losing streak against the Sioux and nearly did. Though BSU came away with two defeats against the second-ranked team in the country, it could easily have been a split. In the finale on Sunday afternoon, Bemidji State nearly pulled it out, but … Read more
And the parade of CHA players to the NHL continues. Niagara junior Les Reaney left the team last week, signed a two-year rookie deal with the Edmonton Oilers and was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. Reaney had been a healthy scratch for NU this season, but still piled up 15 points in … Read more
Niagara and Robert Morris each won their CHA series last weekend with the Purple Eagles getting a win and a tie at home against Alabama-Huntsville and RMU sweeping Wayne State in Detroit. As it stands going into this weekend, NU and Robert Morris are tied for second place in the CHA, each five points back … Read more
It looks like the new arena to be built in Pittsburgh has the potential to showcase the Frozen Four five years from now. Robert Morris University and VisitPittsburgh, with help from the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, are reportedly getting together a bid to play host to the 2013 event. “It would be a great thing for … Read more
Niagara may be peaking at just the right time. Just a week after sweeping Wayne State, the Purple Eagles roared into Quinnipiac and swept the then-12th-ranked Bobcats out of their own rink. And rather convincingly, too, in busting the nation’s longest unbeaten streak at 10 games. QU hadn’t lost since Nov. 30. NU took a … Read more
Wayne State has never had a true home rink and last weekend added to the list of places it has called home with a game at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Located 45 minutes north of Detroit, the Palace houses the NBA’s Detroit Pistons and WNBA’s Detroit Shock and is more of a concert venue … Read more
If Wayne State wants to go out with a bang, then maybe last weekend was the fuse being lit. Making the trip to Northern Michigan for a nonconference in-state series with the Wildcats, most saw the series as two notches in the win column for NMU, this writer included. But as we all know, games … Read more
There is still hope in Bemidji. All the Beavers need now is a rink. Or so it seems. Bemidji State president Jon Quistgaard will still go through with his presentation to the WCHA on Jan. 13 with hopes of being admitted to the conference, even though a couple snags have hit the proposal for the … Read more
Make that two former CHA skaters to don NHL colors. On Dec. 26, the Columbus Blue Jackets added ex-Bemidji State forward Andrew Murray to the roster on emergency recall from the Syracuse Crunch, Columbus’ American Hockey League affiliate, and Murray made his NHL debut the next night, finishing minus-1 with 12 shifts in a 4-3 … Read more
Each CHA team has a need as the second half will be here soon enough. What better time to wish for something than the holiday season? Alabama-Huntsville — Some wins would be nice to keep coach Danton Cole with a full head of non-gray hair. Maybe the talent is there for the Chargers, but no … Read more
Tom Balog says he’s “just†the Wayne State public address announcer, but he’s one of a small handful of people that has been involved with the Warriors’ hockey program since its inception back in 1999. He’s seen the ups and downs, the championships and the rash of recent downfalls that concluded with the program shutting … Read more
First off, Happy Thanksgiving! Everyone starts to reflect this time of year and begins to realize what they are most thankful for. Maybe it’s health, a new job or even additions to the family. Heck, even the CHA has lots to give thanks for this time of year, even if the league may go kaput … Read more