Paula C. WestonXI They rode from South BendIn their custom coach.Once, a fear pierced them,In that they mistookThe shadow of their equipageFor the foreshadowing of potential victory. Do the Notre Dame Fighting Irish fear success? How else can you explain a team that looks so darned good on paper never living up to its potential? This second … Read more
Some things change (the conference playoffs, for instance), while others remain the same — such as defending CCHA champion Michigan State, Paula C. Weston’s pick to top the conference again. But don’t count out ever-renewing Michigan, or no-longer-surprising upstart Nebraska-Omaha.
III Mike Cammalleri flew threw the autumn night.He was a large part of the pantomime. How do the Wolverines do it? Back in 1998, one year after graduating the fabled Michigan Nine, Michigan was a rookie-heavy team with an experienced goaltender, expected to have a respectable rebuilding season. Instead, Michigan won the NCAA championship in … Read more
VI Icicles filled the long windowWith barbaric glass.The shadow of the WildcatCrossed it, to and fro.The moodTraced in the shadowAn unpredictable cause. Rick Comley has commented in the past about his recruiting disadvantages. As the most remote team within the state of Michigan, Comley knows that he’s not likely to lure someone away from Michigan … Read more
IX When the Bronco skated into the box,He marked the edgeOf one of many circles. What to say about a team that flew out of the gate last season, only to stumble through January and limp through February and March? When 2001 began, the Broncos were 14-3-2, and seemed to be riding the hot sticks … Read more
X At the sight of LakersFlying across their home ice,Would the bawds of euphonyCry out sharply? Too esoteric for you? Try this: Who will fear the Lakers? The Scott Borek era is over, and so returns to Sault Ste. Marie the legendary Frank Anzalone, who will attempt to resurrect the Laker days of old. Here’s … Read more
The dismissal of senior-to-be Nick Ganga from the Ohio State program sent shockwaves through the CCHA, and touched off some heated rhetoric. OSU athletic director Andy Geiger has now spoken out in defense of his head coach, John Markell, who made the decision.
The Curse of 1949 ended Saturday with Krys Kolanos’ game-winning goal in the national championship game, giving Boston College its first NCAA title in over half a century. Chuck Kobasew was named tourney MOP, and Scott Clemmensen made 34 saves to backstop the Eagles’ title win.
Boston College continues its quest to exorcise all demons. The Eagles have made trips to the Frozen Four the past three years, and now have defeated the team that knocked them out the first two times. By advancing to the title game with a win over Michigan, BC can complete the trick by defeating North Dakota in a repeat of last year’s final.
Bob Mancini, recently mentioned as a candidate for the UMass-Lowell coaching position vacated by Tim Whitehead, denied interest in the job Thursday. “I was asked to call the [athletic director] … and I did,” said Mancini. “We talked about it. He asked me if I was interested to send a resume. I didn’t. “I’m not … Read more
With the Frozen Four and the Hobey Baker Memorial Award in sight, even temperate men and women can lose their composure debating the relative merits of Eastern vs. Western hockey. With tongue firmly in cheek, Paula C. Weston offers a simple solution to a vexing problem.
A day earlier, Michigan was nearly miraculously upset by Mercyhurst. Now, the Wolverines move on to Albany after defeating St. Cloud, winners of the WCHA tournament and the only bye team not to advance. For Michigan, the much-maligned senior class came through for three goals.
Some thought if Mercyhurst kept Michigan under 10 goals, it would be an accomplishment. Instead, midway through the third period, the Lakers led the mighty Wolverines. A late rally saved Michigan, but little Mercyhurst proved it, and its league, belonged.
Ryan Miller has picked up plenty of accolades over the past two seasons, and Saturday he earned his second straight CCHA tournament MVP award, shutting out rival Michigan. The Spartans enter the NCAA tournament as the top seed, and look to end their recent bad luck there.
After scoring three first-period goals to take a commanding lead, the Michigan Wolverines earned their 3-2 victory over the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks the hard way — they worked for it. Craig Murray, Mike Cammalleri, and Joe Kautz, all tallied in the opening stanza to give the Wolverines a 3-0 lead after one, but the Mavericks fought … Read more
Record-shattering netminder Ryan Miller walked away with CCHA Player of the Year honors as his Michigan State Spartans continued its prominence at the league’s annual awards.
Sean Patchell notched both Michigan State goals as the Spartans advanced to the CCHA championship game with a 2-1 win over Bowling Green. The close, defensive game showcased the goaltending of both Ryan Miller and Tyler Masters, who kept the game tighter than it might otherwise have been. Miller had 28 saves in the match, … Read more
The nation’s number-one team; the squad with the longest current streak of appearances; the upstarts with title-game experience; and the history-making underdogs are the suspects at Joe Louis Arena this weekend. Paula C. Weston previews the action.
After Ohio State’s 5-4 overtime upset in the first game of this best-of-three series and Nebraska-Omaha’s 2-1 rebound Saturday night, only a double-overtime game could end this hard-fought, closely contested battle. In the end, the hero was UNO’s Billy Pugliese, who backhanded one into the OSU net at 7:31 in the second overtime to give … Read more
When Paula C. Weston headed out to Omaha, Neb., for the Mavericks-Buckeyes CCHA series, she got more than she bargained for. Follow USCHO.com’s CCHA correspondent through one of the Midwest’s hidden jewels.