Column

Columns, excluding “This Week” columns

This Week in the ECAC East and NESCAC

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Staying Loose Last week was all about the NESCAC conference, so this week we focus on the ECAC East. The league is extremely tight. In fact, just three points separate third from 10th place, so each of the five remaining weekends are important. Also, it seems like every match-up down the stretch has potential post-season … Read more

Off The Beaten Path

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At Miami, a top-notch program has arisen outside of the well-worn corridors of college hockey. Dave Starman evaluates the RedHawks while also taking a look at the prospects for Michigan State.

This Week in SUNYAC

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The Final Month From January 23 to the final contest on February 21, there are 40 games left on the SUNYAC composite schedule. Of those 40, three are non-conference games and one is an exhibition. Thus, this is the final push to the regular season crown and playoff spots. No more breaks. No more excuses. … Read more

This Week in the NCHA/MCHA

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With finally a full slate of NCHA and MCHA conference games once again on tap, there is little to do other than to cut to the chase and get on with the show. The current version of the NCHA-MIAC Interlock has come to an end for the season, with the NCHA dominating the meetings. Overall, … Read more

This Week in D-I Women’s Hockey: Jan. 22, 2009

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UNH coach Brian McCloskey said a mouthful the other day when he uttered these six little words. “Welcome to women’s college hockey, 2009.” What McCloskey was opining on was the 8-3 waxing applied last week by his team (ranked No. 8 at the time) to then-No. 7 Dartmouth. That’s Dartmouth, which had whacked Providence which … Read more

This Week in the ECAC West

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Ready for the Grind Five weeks, that is all the time that the ECAC West teams have left to make or break their season. With the exception of two non-conference games, all of the remaining contests on the schedule are within the league. The stretch run begins now. With the non-conference part of the schedule … Read more

This Week in the ECAC Northeast

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Hawks in the Hunt Sitting in the middle of the pack right now are the Becker College Hawks, with a 5-5 record that puts them right in the thick of the playoff hunt, which seems to be getting tighter and tighter according to coach Steve Hoar. “I think outside of the big four — Curry, … Read more

Bracketology: Jan. 21, 2009

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Week two of Bracketology doesn’t require a lot of head-scratching — though the geographic-proximity proposal still lurks. Jayson Moy lines up the 16 teams in the NCAA tournament as of now.

Tuesday Morning Quarterback: Jan. 20, 2009

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In this week’s installment, Jim Connelly and Scott Brown discuss top teams and leagues in the polls and the PairWise, strenuous objections by Boston University coach Jack Parker, the sudden fall of Air Force and more.

This Week in D-I: Jan. 15, 2009

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All season long, teams have been racking their brains in search of a sure-fire way of beating Wisconsin. Leave it to Minnesota-Duluth to come up with a fool-proof plan: don’t do anything different. The defending national champion Bulldogs worked that method to near-perfection last week, when they swept their two-game set with the Badgers, 4-0 … Read more

This Week in the NCHA/MCHA

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Well, finally back from holiday break, though a week later than anticipated. My apologies for my absence last week but a couple unexpected trips to the doctor are never convenient. All is well now, and though it’s been awhile not a whole lot has changed on the national scene. The NCHA still has five teams … Read more

This Week in the ECAC Northeast

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Most coaches with a team in the thick of the hunt would be content in that position, but for veteran University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth coach John Rolli, who fully understands the depth of talent in the ECAC NE, he’s a bit pragmatic. “Well, we’re just hanging in there, literally. Last night against a very game Worcester … Read more

Playing It Tight

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In college hockey as in other sports, wins in tight contests are often thought to be an indicator of a team’s heart or mettle. But do the statistics bear out the idea that good teams win the close ones? Brian Sullivan examines the facts.

This Week in the ECAC East and NESCAC

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This week we’ll focus on the NESCAC from top to bottom and a couple of stops in the middle of the standings as things are heating up in conference play and one school begins a new era with the opening of their new campus rink. Next week we’ll repeat the favor with an ECAC East … Read more

This Week in D-III Women’s Hockey: Jan 15, 2009

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The Day Hockey Took a Backseat Sunday January 11, 2009 started out just like any other road-trip for the UMass-Boston women’s hockey team. The Beacons were headed to Castleton State for a 2 p.m. league contest against the Spartans. However, as their bus traveled north farther on Interstate-93 crossing into New Hampshire the weather worsened. … Read more

This Week in SUNYAC

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Midseason Awards What better time to present some midseason awards than a few games after the midseason? Better late than never as they say. Not all these awards are going to be traditional. After all, it’s the middle of January, and when this column gets published, it’s going to be below zero in Rochester, N.Y. … Read more

This Week in the ECAC West

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A Bump in the Road Prior to the holidays, the Neumann Knights were rolling along, enjoying a five game unbeaten streak. Despite a hiccup against Elmira and an overtime loss to Hobart, Neumann rebounded to go 2-0-1 against Manhattanville and solidify its position as a contender in the league. Then came the Times-Argus tournament on … Read more

Bracketology: Jan. 13, 2009

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The PairWise Rankings are out, and USCHO.com readers know what comes next. Jayson Moy debuts Bracketology for 2008-09, including a look at the potential ramifications of the geographic-bracketing proposal on the table at the NCAA.