Column

Columns, excluding “This Week” columns

This Week in D-I Women’s Hockey: December 21, 2009

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Time flies. Or maybe one’s sense of it changes with age. So it is with women’s hockey. The fight to bring the sport under the NCAA umbrella is still fresh in mind, but it’s been 10 years since that battle was won. And now we’re about to witness women’s hockey make its fourth appearance in … Read more

This Week in D-III Women’s Hockey: December 10, 2009

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Change of guard in the MIAC? The Gustavus Adolphus Gusties have been the premier team in the MIAC ever since the NCAA started sponsoring a Division III women’s ice hockey championship for the 2001-2002 season. The Gusties have won every MIAC Tournament since 2004 and a majority of the regular season crowns as well. However, … Read more

This Week in the ECAC East-NESCAC: Dec. 10, 2009

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With most teams playing around 24 games this season, for many they are at the one third mark of the season. Or, as coach Jim Ward from Connecticut College, describes it: “It’s the end of the first period.” The Camels break up their season into three periods of eight games each which seems apropos for … Read more

This Week in D-I Women’s Hockey: December 10, 2009

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Up in Orono, you use your snow tires for most of the hockey season because traction is always such a problem. Or at least it has been over the years for the UMaine women’s team. The Black Bears have been hard pressed to make the WHEA playoffs throughout their previous seven years in the league, … Read more

This Week in the NCHA/MCHA: Dec. 10, 2009

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As these are our last columns of 2009, it’s time to take a look at the USCHO.com Division III men’s poll for the final time this calendar year. This week’s edition wasn’t overly surprising, though there was certainly some movement amongst NCHA and MCHA teams. After going 2-2 in its last four games, St. Norbert … Read more

This Week in MIAC: Dec. 10, 2009

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Conference Roundup After all the unexpected results of the first two weeks of conference play, this past weekend seemed to finally answer some nagging questions. At the same time though, it did nothing to put any gaps between teams in the standings. Six teams are within four points of first place, meaning a great weekend … Read more

This Week in SUNYAC: Dec. 10, 2009

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A Rare Feat Scoring a hat trick is an accomplishment to be proud of. Scoring a natural hat trick (three consecutive goals without anyone on either team scoring during that time span, and some would say it has to happen in the same period) is an even greater achievement, though it does rely on a … Read more

This Week in the ECAC West: Dec. 10, 2009

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Back in the Groove? Hobart stumbled through the last two weeks of last month, starting on Nov. 14 when they gave up four one goal leads against Neumann. The bottom fell out the next weekend when Hobart dropped a pair of games against Elmira and the slide continued a week later out of conference with … Read more

This Week in D-I Women’s Hockey: December 4, 2009

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It seems to be the Golden Age of the young goalie. You’ve got Minnesota freshman Noora Raty, to whom every incoming puck must seem like a beach ball, because she’s stopping virtually every last one of them. And you’ve got sophomore Hillary Pattenden, whose parsimonious netminding (that means she’s really stingy) is a big reason … Read more

This Week in MIAC: Dec. 3, 2009

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Around the League While most students were home for Thanksgiving break, four MIAC schools saw action over the holiday weekend. St. John’s and Concordia (MN) traveled to Adrian, Michigan to face off against Buffalo State and Adrian College, St. Thomas hosted the University of Wisconsin-Superior for one game, and St. Olaf traveled to Illinois to … Read more

This Week in D-III Women’s Hockey: December 3, 2009

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ECAC West Rivals Heading In Separate Directions? Two weeks ago, Elmira and Plattsburgh met for their annual ECAC West conference games at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena in Plattsburgh. Although both games were tightly contested, Plattsburgh walked away with a sweep and four crucial ECAC West points against its arch-rival. On the first night, … Read more

This Week in SUNYAC: Dec. 3, 2009

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Unfamiliar Contempt Familiarity breeds contempt. Or so the saying goes. However, for Potsdam and Utica, two teams that haven’t played each other since Oct. 2005, they had no problems developing plenty of enmity toward each other. They played a two game series in central New York. A hard fought, hard hitting, highly emotional two contests. … Read more

This Week in the ECAC East-NESCAC: Dec. 3, 2009

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With the final two Division III conferences kicking off their campaigns, already there are some surprises. Some teams have already surpassed expectations, others who have fallen short. But there is the holiday break coming and then the grind of January and February that will determine where everyone lines up for the playoffs. So if your … Read more