Paula C. WestonAt 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.
Michigan State’s loss at the West Regional sent Ron Mason out a loser in his last game. But Paula C. Weston says the new MSU AD is able to focus elsewhere — and there’s plenty to see.
Minnesota advanced to the Frozen Four in St. Paul after defeating Colorado College, 4-2, in NCAA West Regional play, but Minnesota head coach Don Lucia said his team’s victory was bittersweet. “I know for me, personally, it was a very difficult game,” he said. “I’m the coach of Minnesota, but you recruit a couple of … Read more
Eight freshmen. Three seniors. One loud, happy home crowd. When Jed Ortmeyer drove home Eric Nystrom’s cross-crease pass at 18:39, the junior forward did more than make the best of a feed few rookies would have the presence of mind to make; he illustrated the reason for Michigan’s success this season. Nystrom, a freshman, notched … Read more
Michigan’s freshmen played like seasoned veterans, accounting for three of four UM goals as the Wolverines defeated the St. Cloud State Huskies in the second NCAA West Regional game, 4-2, in front of nearly 7,000 rabid fans in Yost Arena. Rookies Jason Ryznar, Milan Gajic, and Dwight Helminen tallied for Michigan, as did senior Craig … Read more
Ron Mason’s coaching career came to an end, as his Spartans failed to muster any offense against Colorado College in a 2-0 NCAA tournament first-round defeat.
Michigan got two goals from Jed Ortmeyer, and defeated Michigan State, 3-2, to take the CCHA tournament title, adding it to its regular-season crown.
Two years ago, Notre Dame was out of its depth at the CCHA tournament. Not any more.
The CCHA honored its league award winners at the 2002 CCHA Awards presentation Thursday night in Detroit’s historic Fox Theatre. For the second straight year, Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller was named the league’s Player of the Year. Alaska-Fairbanks head coach Guy Gadowsky is the 2001-02 Coach of the Year, and Western Michigan’s Pat Dwyer … Read more
Adam Hall and Brad Fast each netted a goal and Ryan Miller stopped 23 pucks as Michigan State beat Northern Michigan 2-1 in the second CCHA Super Six Semifinal game. There were no surprises in the contest, except perhaps for how hard NMU goaltender Craig Kowalski had to work. Kowalski kept the game close, turning … Read more
Ohio State came together just in time to challenge for the CCHA title.
When Mike Cammalleri scored at 5:23 in overtime to give Michigan a 2-1 win over Ohio State in the first semifinal game of the CCHA Super Six, the story of this hard-fought, gritty game became as much about officiating as it did about the tenacity of the Buckeyes and the perseverance of the Wolverines. Cammalleri’s … Read more
Notre Dame jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first, but Chris Gobert registered an unusual hat trick to spearhead the Wildcat effort as Northern Michigan beat the Irish 3-1 in the first CCHA Quarterfinal game. “Obviously, it’s a win we’re very happy with,” said NMU head coach Rick Comley. “Notre Dame is the … Read more
The CCHA debuts its new Super Six format this weekend, and Paula C. Weston is there to check it out. Also: parity achieved, all-conference rumblings, the NCAA tournament, and more.
Ohio State kept the faith, and came up with a stunning overtime win to keep its Cinderella hopes alive.