It goes to 11: New faces, questions part of CCHA landscape in 2010-11

“It’s one louder, isn’t it?” asks Nigel Tufnel in “This Is Spinal Tap.” “It’s not 10.” Perhaps it’s just a personal perversion, but every time I think of the CCHA as an 11-team entity, I think of Nigel Tufnel’s magic amp, the one that is one louder. Michigan’s Louie Caporusso scored 10 of his 21 … Read more

Faltering finish all the motivation Michigan State needed

“We’re coming off a second-place finish and a team that obviously did not perform well in the playoffs,” Michigan State coach Rick Comley said. “That was a disappointment.” That was an understatement. After a hugely disappointing, next-to-last-place finish in 2008-09, Michigan State rebounded last year, earning a bye for the first round of the CCHA … Read more

Wisconsin’s Fast Start Sparks Frozen Four Rout of RIT

Wisconsin pressured early, made the most of second-period power plays and spread the goals around in an 8-1 win over RIT in Thursday’s first Frozen Four semifinal game at Ford Field, giving the Badgers the chance to play for their seventh NCAA championship on Saturday night. “It was one of our emphasis to get off … Read more

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Frozen Four Preview: Miami Pushes Forward

By now, everyone knows the personal tragedy that Miami hockey endured this year. In early February, team manager Brendan Burke, the 21-year-old son of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, was killed in an auto accident on an icy road near the Indiana-Ohio border. It’s the reason the RedHawks wear the shamrock patch on … Read more

Hirschfeld Goal in Second Overtime Sends Miami To Second Straight Frozen Four

For Miami, the second time against Michigan this post-season was the charm, and the one that means that the RedHawks continue to play. One week after losing a CCHA semifinal game to the eventual Mason Cup-winning Wolverines, the RedHawks earned their first-ever playoff victory over Michigan when Alden Hirschfeld scored 1:54 into the second overtime … Read more

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Hagelin’s Two Goals, Timely Scores Send Michigan Past Bemidji State

Two goals by Carl Hagelin — one a quick back-breaker to answer Bemidji State’s lone tally — helped Michigan advance past the Beavers, 5-1, to face CCHA rival Miami in Sunday’s Midwest Regional final. “I don’t think that was a 5-1 game,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said. “They were always in the game, when you … Read more

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Caporusso Scores 2, Michigan Earns Spot in NCAA with CCHA Final Victory

For Michigan, winning the CCHA playoff championship isn’t something new. For this Wolverines team, however, doing so after a seventh-place finish in the league — with a junior goaltender making his seventh career start — is something of a novelty. “It’s not where we are now,” said coach Red Berenson, “but how we got here.” … Read more

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Lynch, Unsung Cast Help Michigan Drop Miami for Spot in CCHA Final

They weren’t playing with desperation, said Red Berenson, but they were playing with urgency. With two goals from Kevin Lynch and a smothering defensive effort that limited the Miami offense to 22 shots, the Michigan Wolverines upset No. 2 Miami to play their way into the CCHA championship game — and their only chance to … Read more

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This Week in the CCHA: March 17, 2010

The Name of the Game Quick, what’s the bigger surprise? Michigan sweeping Michigan State in Munn last weekend, or ABBA being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame before Patsy Cline? Before KISS? Before Heart, for the love of all that’s holy? Let me make this clear: I am not anti-ABBA. In fact, … Read more

Brown Scores Game-Winner as Michigan Sweeps Michigan State

They played like they couldn’t lose. Even after they watched their early two-goal lead evaporate at the end of the first, the Wolverines were relentless in this 5-3 win over Michigan State, guaranteeing Michigan’s advancement to the CCHA championship tournament, UM’s only shot at sustaining an NCAA tournament appearance streak that now spans 19 years. … Read more

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Wolverines Maul Spartans

The Wolverines came into their biggest rival’s rink and made themselves right at home, scoring three statement-making, first period goals en route to a 5-1 win over Michigan State to take the first game of this best-of-three series. “We made some breaks and we put our chances in,” said Michigan head coach Red Berenson. “I … Read more

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