Paula C. WestonAn up-and-down week for the CCHA included Michigan’s injuries, Miami’s flying start and Michigan State’s shutout loss. Paula C. Weston rounds up the action, including the start of full-scale league action this weekend.
Last weekend, Miami got the CCHA off on the right foot with a tournament title; this weekend, the rest of the conference gets into the act as regular-season play arrives in earnest. Also: the Games of the Week; the Voros Watch begins; and — could there be an upset in St. Paul, Minn., Saturday? Read on…
The Ferris State Bulldogs had a surprising 2001-02 season. The last-minute departure of stalwart goaltender Phil Osaer appeared to leave FSU in a tight spot, but two rookie goaltenders, Mike Brown and John DeCaro, picked up the slack nicely. Then there were Rob Collins and Chris Kunitz. Collins led the league in scoring, and Kunitz … Read more
In all seriousness, Michigan’s loss is the CCHA’s loss. When a player the caliber of Mike Cammalleri leaves a program early, the entire league feels the absence. Yes, some folks may be happy about the departures of Cammalleri, Mike Komisarek and Michigan State’s Ryan Miller, thinking that this somehow levels the playing field for the … Read more
No one is looking forward to the start of the 2002-03 season more than Mike Kemp. When the season begins, after all, the offseason is officially over. “It’s been an interesting summer for us in Omaha,” said Kemp. “We started out the summer with seven surgeries — four knees, three shoulders — added two new … Read more
The Western Michigan Broncos continue to be a league enigma. During the 2001-02 season, Lawson Arena was one of the fiercest places to play in the CCHA, and the Broncos defeated six nationally ranked teams at home last year. But early in January, WMU was swept by Ohio State at home — and then the … Read more
Rick Comley is gone, but Walt Kyle has returned. And make no mistake about it: Northern Michigan is still the hardest-working team in college hockey. One-Step Success How do you replace the man who built your hockey program from scratch, the only coach in the team’s 29-year history? Well, you don’t. You can’t. But you … Read more
Columbus, Ohio, may be in for a treat this fall. There just may be a team — or two — playing good hockey in Cow-lumbus. Heresy, you say? Blasphemy, you cry? No, really, it could happen. Honest. In the CCHA’s only NHL-Division I college hockey city, both the Blue Jackets and the Buckeyes could be … Read more
Here’s a riddle for you. What happens when the winningest coach in college hockey history steps aside, and you lose the best goaltender the CCHA has ever seen? Why, continued success, of course — if the new head coach has a track record like Rick Comley’s. Denial: Not Just A River In Egypt If you’re … Read more
Thanks to key losses — some expected, others not so much — some are expecting Michigan and Michigan State to retreat, making the CCHA a free-for-all. Not so fast, says Paula C. Weston, who runs down the year that will be in her 2002-03 season preview.
What do you do when your team perennially underperforms while your fanbase grows increasingly restless? Hire a dynamic alumnus of your program who, as an assistant coach with another successful program, made four straight trips to the Frozen Four which culminated in a national championship. Good work, Bowling Green. Very good indeed. A former All-American … Read more
There is nothing like a little recognition to make you feel good. So for that, my sincere thanks to Guy Gadowsky. “This is the first time ever that UAF has not been picked by the media to finish dead-last,” said Gadowsky at CCHA media day. “So with the exception of Paula Weston and Eric Olsen, … Read more
In Oxford, Ohio, the first RedHawk (nee Redskin) alumnus to return as head coach is preaching a sermon he’s justifiably perfected during his brief tenure. “I think for us consistency has got to be number one,” said Enrico Blasi. “In this league, you can’t go three to four games without winning. It just puts you … Read more
As the 2002-03 season begins, there are two things you should know about Laker hockey: Frank Anzalone is in charge, and Matt Violin is for real. When Anzalone returned to Lake State, several players found the atmosphere suddenly inhospitable — which was just fine with Anzalone, who did some housecleaning of his own. “I think … Read more
At a school where Touchdown Jesus shines His blessings upon the football faithful, it’s time Notre Dame hockey fans were rewarded for their loyalty as well. And after years of saying that the Irish hockey program is on the verge of arriving, the Notre Dame coaching staff may just be telling the truth this season. … Read more
Frank Anzalone’s long, successful career as a coach has brought him full circle to Lake Superior. But as Paula C. Weston notes, not everyone agrees with his methods.
In the end, it was the kid from North Dakota who ended 22 years of Minnesota’s unrequited pursuit of postseason happiness. At 16:58 in overtime, in St. Paul, in front of a partisan crowd of 19,324 fans, Grant Potulny capitalized on a power play to deliver the 2002 NCAA championship to the Minnesota faithful. Matt … Read more
Minnesota built a 3-0 lead early in the third period, then held off a Michigan rally to reach the NCAA title game. Grant Potulny scored two goals, Jeff Taffe had the eventual winner, and Adam Hauser stopped 27 shots in the win.
“It seems like Michigan goes every year, but the rest of us don’t.” That’s Minnesota head coach Don Lucia on the only repeat team in this year’s Frozen Four. It does seem as though the Wolverines are in the postseason mix yearly, so to those outside the CCHA, Michigan’s appearance in St. Paul may have … Read more
Michigan overcame youth and early-season struggles to reach St. Paul. Paula C. Weston reports on the accomplishments of a maturing squad.