Matt Mackinder

It’s not often Steve Kovalchik gets noticed on the ice, but in his case, that’s a good thing. The Wayne State senior defenseman quietly goes about his business and has been a stalwart with the Warriors since his freshman campaign in 2002-03. Kovalchik isn’t a player who will put up points, but rather a steady, … Read more

Ted Cook had a choice this time last year — Quinnipiac or Niagara? Needless to say, the New York native picked his home-state Purple Eagles. Cook’s hometown of Hogansburg, N.Y., is 5 1/2 hours from the Niagara campus and even further from Nebraska, where he played in juniors a season ago with the Omaha Lancers. … Read more

Being a senior, Bemidji State defenseman Andrew Martens wants to finish his abbreviated college career on a high note. And with the cast he’s joined with on the Beavers, few will argue that success is out of their range. Martens leads all BSU defensemen in scoring with five goals among 18 points this season and … Read more

Better late than never for Bruce Mulherin. The senior forward with Alabama-Huntsville scored 24 goals a year ago, playing on the dominant line with Jared Ross and Craig Bushey. But Ross and Bushey graduated to the pro ranks this year, leaving Mulherin in a foggy haze for the first semester. And it showed. Through UAH’s … Read more

Eric Ehn bounced around the Michigan minor hockey ranks and then through two junior leagues before landing in Colorado Springs with the Air Force Academy. It’s a journey Ehn laughs about. “I pretty much played for every AAA team in Michigan growing up,” said Ehn, a native of Dexter, Mich., just five miles north of … Read more

In the short two-year span Robert Morris has had a Division I team, the Colonials have recorded just 12 wins. But one thing all those dozen wins have in common is goaltender Christian Boucher. Boucher, a 22-year-old sophomore from Orleans, Ont., has been in net for each win in RMU’s history. He came in as … Read more

Even though Alabama-Huntsville defenseman Mike Salekin had his career-best four-game point-scoring streak snapped Saturday, all that means is Salekin is looking to start a new streak the next time UAH steps onto the ice. Salekin is seeing an upgraded role on the Chargers this season after a 10-point campaign a year ago. That was after … Read more

Having a player come home to play college hockey is becoming commonplace in the game these days, and it’s on display twice as much in Detroit as Adam and Matt Krug are teammates on Wayne State. Adam, a sophomore forward, and Matt, a freshman defenseman, haven’t been teammates since the 1999-2000 school year when both … Read more

Now in its seventh season, the CHA has a not-too shabby 214-297-44 record against nonconference teams, (.425 winning percentage), including this season’s 15-26-2 mark. Not bad at all for a league that has its share of critics who continually say the CHA is a pseudo-league and the sixth-best of the six Division I leagues. League … Read more

Being that it’s Thanksgiving and all, the six teams that comprise the CHA all have much to be thankful for. First off, they have a league and that in itself has been a topic of choice the past several weeks. Will the CHA exist next year? How can it operate with five teams? What school … Read more

Les Reaney is quickly becoming a household name in western New York. The Niagara freshman led the [nl]Williams Lake TimberWolves and the entire British Columbia Hockey League in scoring last year with 38 goals and 100 points and through eight games this year is tied for the NU scoring lead with senior Randy Harris. Both … Read more

Looks like the Serratore brothers get to divide bragging rights at the family table this Thanksgiving. Last weekend, Air Force, coached by Frank Serratore, upset then-No. 15-ranked Bemidji State and brother Tom, 4-3, on Friday night in Colorado Springs. The following evening, the Beavers rebounded for a 2-1 win. Even with the loss, the Beavers … Read more

Perhaps it’s taken longer than he expected, but Kurt Wright is finally a senior and on schedule to graduate in May. Wright’s travels have been well documented. He started with New Hampshire in 2001, but redshirted and left after that year to transfer to Findlay. The Oilers then folded amidst budget concerns, and Wright latched … Read more

While certain College Hockey America teams are making a big splash on the ice during this young season, it’s what’s happening off the ice that has many raising an eyebrow or two. With Air Force jetting (pun intended) for Atlantic Hockey next season, the CHA is in need of a replacement school to keep the … Read more

College Hockey America is funny like that. Then again, college hockey in general is funny like that. It’s the old adage that a team’s preseason outlook always includes a postseason title and chance at NCAA glory. If that’s now at the top of teams’ preseason “to do” lists, they shouldn’t bother showing up. Last weekend … Read more