How ’bout them Alabama-Huntsville Chargers? Paying attention, CCHA? UAH is off to a 3-1 start. Yes, you read that correctly. Three wins and just one loss. Granted, we’re only two weeks into the season, but to put this into perspective, the Chargers won just five games all of last year. What makes the CCHA cringe … Read more
Maybe it was ironic that mere months after the CCHA chose not to accept Alabama-Huntsville into the conference, UAH opened its season on the road at Notre Dame. Most figured it would be a cinch for the Irish to get four points from the Chargers, but “most” didn’t include the Chargers themselves as UAH earned … Read more
This season, Alabama-Huntsville will be a member of the CHA, but next year is anyone’s guess. The Chargers prefer to focus on this season, however, and let next year sort itself out when that ship comes to port. “We’ve had a lot of distractions this summer and I think all of us are happy to … Read more
No matter who graduates, who gets hurt, or who the unproven freshmen are, Niagara is always at or near the top of the CHA standings. Niagara expects that. Most years, Niagara succeeds and this year, the expectations are the same as they always are. “I’m happy with the depth we have at each position,” NU … Read more
Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore is done talking about last season’s Cinderella run to the Frozen Four. Believe it or not, he’d rather talk about this season and the Beavers’ chances. “There never really was a hangover,” said Serratore, whose squad also won the CHA regular-season and playoff titles. “We shouldn’t even be talking about … Read more
What can one say about College Hockey America that hasn’t already been said? This is the final year of the conference? Check. Niagara and Robert Morris are off to Atlantic Hockey next season? Check. Bemidji State finally got into the WCHA starting with next year? Check. Alabama-Huntsville doesn’t have a home yet for 2010-11? Check. … Read more
This is Robert Morris’ last chance to win a CHA championship. And with a 1-in-4 chance, those are pretty good odds. RMU made the CHA finals last spring after upsetting defending champion Niagara in the semifinals. The Colonials hope to go farther next spring. “Everyone wants to look toward the end and hope to be … Read more
The first-place votes were split between Bemidji State and Niagara in the final CHA preseason coaches poll, but the Beavers earned more points to take the top spot. Bemidji State and Niagara each earned two first-place votes, but the Beavers had eight overall points while the Purple Eagles had seven. Robert Morris came in third, … Read more
So, what’s it going to be? The Alabama-Huntsville Chargers, or the Lake Superior State Lakers? Alabama-Huntsville, or Ferris State — or St. Cloud State, or Minnesota-Duluth, or everybody’s current darling, the Bemidji State Beavers? How would you like to have to make that choice? After the CCHA rejected UAH’s application for admission to the league, … Read more
The CCHA told Alabama-Huntsville to point its charge toward respectability elsewhere. That’s interesting. More than a few former college coaches (now coaching professionally) have mentioned on many occasions that the appearance given by the college hockey world is that there is no urgency to grow Division I college hockey. Yes, there are Web sites and … Read more
It appeared to be one of the best-laid road maps. The solution that seemingly was brokered between all college hockey conferences and the 58 member institutions that would find homes for the four “homeless” members of the CHA looked almost too good to be true. Thanks to the CCHA, looks certainly aren’t meant to be … Read more
The CCHA has denied Alabama-Huntsville’s application for admission, putting the program’s future in even more jeopardy. The Chargers are members of the CHA, which is set to disband after the 2009-10 season. The three other members have found other conferences, and UAH targeted the CCHA. But the CCHA Council, a body made up of athletic … Read more
Niagara will host the final CHA tournament at Dwyer Arena on March 12 and 13, 2010, the league announced. The CHA is disbanding after the 2009-10 season. Niagara and Robert Morris are moving to Atlantic Hockey; Bemidji State is moving to the WCHA; and Alabama-Huntsville has applied for admission to the CCHA. Dwyer Arena also … Read more
As anticipated, the WCHA voted Friday to admit Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha beginning with the 2010-11 season, making the conference a 12-team league. The expansion is the league’s first since Minnesota State joined in 1999-2000. The vote, which puts the Bemidji State program back on solid ground only months after it became the first No. … Read more
The NCAA tournament and Frozen Four exposure was valuable for Bemidji State, but it also lost its starting goaltender after everything settled down. The Boston Bruins confirmed Wednesday that they have signed goaltender Matt Dalton to an entry-level contract. Dalton, who had two years of eligibility remaining, held Notre Dame and Cornell to one goal … Read more
For a Bemidji State fan in the nation’s capital, the sights and sounds must have been awe-inspiring. Said to a fan wearing an Alaska Anchorage jersey and a North Dakota hat: “Hey WCHA! Root for the Beavers!” A sign near the Bemidji State student section: “SIOUX FOR BEAVERS” The George Mason pep band adopted Bemidji … Read more
If there was an undoing for Bemidji State this season, it was exactly what played out Thursday on the Verizon Center ice. Not being outplayed, like coach Tom Serratore and his players said they were in a 4-1 loss to Miami in the Frozen Four semifinals. Not a shortfall of scoring like the Beavers experienced … Read more
Colors Both games, for all intents and purposes, feature teams with the same color schemes (green for Bemidji and Vermont, red for Miami and Boston University. Fours This game marked the first time two number four seeds met in the Frozen Four. The only other four seed to make the Frozen Four was Notre Dame. … Read more
In the growing tale of how Bemidji State got here to be the darlings of the Frozen Four, don’t forget how close the Beavers got to having their season end. In the CHA tournament’s championship game, Robert Morris took the Beavers to overtime before succumbing on Matt Read’s second goal of the night. One bad … Read more
Miami vs. Bemidji State Thursday, 5 p.m. ET, Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. Miami RedHawks Record: 22-12-5, 17-7-4-2 CCHA (t-second) Seed: No. 13 overall, No. 4 West Road to Frozen Four: Beat Denver 4-2, beat Minnesota Duluth 2-1 2008 NCAA tournament: Lost in Northeast Regional final A month ago, the Miami RedHawks were reluctant spectators. Having … Read more