Paula C. WestonThe 2008-09 CCHA: A Numbers Game “Coincidence,” says science fiction and fantasy writer Emma Bull, “is the word we use when we can’t see the levers and pulleys.” On April 12, 2008, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame played the Eagles of Boston College for the NCAA men’s ice hockey championship. Notre Dame was the … Read more
Quick: What do you think of when you think of Alaska hockey? Hard-hitting, up-and-down action that results in tough competition? A community that’s over the top about its local Division I team? A very long road trip for a weekend series, no matter your home base? Sure, the Nanooks can be a handful for CCHA … Read more
Michigan head coach Red Berenson has something he wants you to know. “Even though our team finished in first place and we won the CCHA championship and we got to the Frozen Four, we still have something to prove this season,” says Berenson. “We won everything but the national championship.” Ah. That little piece of … Read more
There’s nothing complicated about the Ferris State Bulldogs. They play hard. They win games. They have depth and good special teams. They’re well coached. It’s just that a Chris Kunitz doesn’t come along very often for a team like Ferris State. At the CCHA media day this year, head coach Bob Daniels was keenly aware … Read more
It’s a fact that hockey players don’t like to be referred to as elfin. It’s a theory that’s been tested on several players from Parma, Ohio, and word that was bandied about among the local reporters in the press room at the 2006 Frozen Four in St. Louis. Still, if you play for Rick Comley, … Read more
“As far as our club,” says Bowling Green head coach Scott Paluch, “we’re going to get going.” Paluch, now entering his seventh season behind the BG bench, is a sincere and genuinely optimistic guy. It’s hard not to respond to the earnestness of his voice when he talks about his team’s future — and last … Read more
For the Fighting Irish, a one-goal performance was a familiar narrative that they would have preferred to tell in past tense. At the end of the first half of the season, Notre Dame was averaging 3.50 goals per game; going into their 4-1 title game loss to Boston College, the Irish were averaging 2.93. “We’ve … Read more
Not Your Local Hero Swedish native, freshman Calle Ridderwall, had two goals in Notre Dame’s 5-4 win over Michigan in the semifinal, the opening goal for the Irish and the game-winner in overtime. In 37 previous games, Ridderall had netted just two and was playing on the fourth line in Thursday’s game. After the win, … Read more
This season’s Michigan squad took a different path to success, courtesy of the blending of young and old. Paula C. Weston reports.
One Last Time This is the third straight Frozen Four appearance for Boston College, and the fourth for North Dakota. Every senior on the ice tonight has had his season ended, at some point in his career, by the seniors on the other side of the puck. This is the third year in a row … Read more
In their first-ever Frozen Four appearance, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are heading to the championship game. At 5:44 in overtime, Calle Ridderwall picked up Dan VeNard’s rebound and sent it past Michigan goaltender Bryan Hogan to give the Irish a 5-4 win over the Wolverines. The game was tied 4-4 after the teams exchanged … Read more
In their first-ever Frozen Four appearance, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are heading to the championship game after defeating the No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines, 5-4, in overtime. Freshman Calle Ridderwall — Notre Dame’s fourth-line left winger — was the OT hero, picking up senior defenseman Dan VeNard’s rebound at 5:14 and one-timing it past … Read more
Michigan vs. Notre Dame Thursday, 7 p.m. MT, Pepsi Center, Denver Michigan Wolverines Record: 33-5-4, 20-4-4 CCHA (first) Seed: No. 1 overall, No. 1 East Road to Frozen Four: Beat Niagara 5-1; beat Clarkson 2-0 2007 NCAA tournament: Lost in regional semifinal It’s hard to think of the Wolverines as anybody’s Cinderella, but given the … Read more
Notre Dame has reached new heights since Jeff Jackson’s arrival as head coach, and the Fighting Irish owe much to an old hand on the bench in Andy Slaggert. Paula C. Weston reports.
“If you’re going to win hockey games, you need good defense … but this has been a total team effort. You’re looking at a real team.” So said Michigan coach Red Berenson, from the ice, just after the Wolverines beat the Miami RedHawks, 2-1, to become the 2007-08 CCHA Mason Cup champions. This is Michigan’s … Read more
After playing the first 59:56 without a goal, the Miami RedHawks found the net with 3.4 seconds remaining in regulation to send the first CCHA semifinal into overtime, where Alec Martinez’s high shot from the top of the slot gave the No. 3 RedHawks a 2-1 win over Notre Dame. “I thought the guys did … Read more
Torn There are times when a woman has to say what’s on her mind, even though she knows how much it’s gonna hurt. I am elated that Northern Michigan is heading to Joe Louis Arena this weekend. I am saddened, however, that the Wildcats’ trip comes at the expense of Michigan State. Here I sit, … Read more
The Real Hardware This week the CCHA named its all-league first, second, and academic teams and its finalists for Player of the Year. While every player honored by the league this year is worthy of praise, I wonder about two things — and the public wondering will probably get me into trouble with someone, somewhere … Read more
Congratulations, Wolverines! Picked fourth in the preseason league coaches and media polls and third preseason by this reporter, the Wolverines surpassed all expectations by capturing their 10th regular-season league title last weekend. Upon winning, head coach Red Berenson said that his young team “found a way to win games night after night, home and away, … Read more
Virtual Hardware, Part 2 I’m limiting each all-league team to six players. The Girl Reporter All-CCHA Team Ryan Jones (F, Miami) Chad Kolarik (F, UM) Kevin Porter (F, UM) Kevin Roeder (D, Miami) Brock Sheahan (D, ND) Billy Sauer (G, UM) Porter and Roeder earned this last season as well. Porter, who got my nod … Read more