More Than a Win Despite what had to be a crushing defeat, being so close to a Frozen Four berth and coming up empty-handed, Cornell head coach Mike Schafer saw more significance to Bemidji State’s triumph than just a ticket to Washington, D.C. “A big congratulations to Bemidji and Tom Serratore and their whole team,” … Read more
When Bemidji State opened its 5-1 win over Notre Dame with a goal just 1:42 in, the Beavers may have taken the Fighting Irish and many college hockey fans by surprise, but nobody who has seen the Beavers play in the second half would have thought it out of the ordinary. That’s because a strong … Read more
Don’t Mess with the CHA The Beavers came into this NCAA tournament as the CHA playoff champions in the league’s second-to-last season, and Bemidji head coach Tom Serratore wants the conference to get respect come tourney time next year. “I’m hoping that we get our automatic bid next year,” said Serratore. “I think it would … Read more
The 2009 NCAA Tournament field was announced on Sunday morning and the overall number one seed was awarded to Boston University. The Terriers won the Hockey East Championship and finished the season with a 31-6-4 record. The Terriers will be the number one seed in the Northeast Regional in Manchester, N.H. Boston University will be … Read more
The field of 16 teams for the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship was announced on Sunday with Hockey East regular and post-season champion Boston University taking home the number one overall seed. The Terriers were joined by Michigan, Notre Dame and Denver as the tournament’s top seeds. Overall, the seedings were as expected, though that … Read more
Perhaps the third time is the charm for Bemidji State. After winning the CHA tournament title in 2005 and 2006, the Beavers are once again champions after their nail-biting 3-2 overtime win over Robert Morris last Saturday night on home ice. Tournament MVP Matt Read scored 8:05 into the extra session to send the 1,962 … Read more
It’s go time in the CHA. Tournament time. March madness in northern Minnesota. For all the marbles. An NCAA bid on the line. Insert any old cliche here and it probably fits what’s going down this weekend with the four CHA teams vying for a spot in the NCAA tournament. The past three years have … Read more
Even though there is still one week left in the regular season, the CHA tournament pairings are already set for next weekend in Bemidji. Entering last weekend with a four-point lead over second-place Niagara, Bemidji State needed a loss by the Purple Eagles to clinch at least a share of the regular-season conference championship and … Read more
It’s essentially down to a two-team race for the CHA regular-season title. After sweeping Niagara in western New York last week, Bemidji State can clinch at least a tie for the title with one win in its season-ending series next week at home against Robert Morris. A sweep would give the Beavers the championship outright … Read more
Three weeks to go until the CHA community converges on Bemidji, Minn. Three weeks until we find out the CHA representative in the NCAA tournament as the league’s autobid is used for probably the last time. Three weeks until more banter begins about the futures of Bemidji State and Alabama-Huntsville. Three weeks until “next season” … Read more
Andy Williams was off by about two months when he said, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” The middle of February always gets both casual and diehard college hockey observers in the mood to figure out the standings and probable playoff matchups. Even in the four-team CHA, this happens. Bemidji State and Niagara … Read more
Robert Morris made it official on its end with a press conference Wednesday announcing its admittance to Atlantic Hockey two years down the road. Gary Heeman, USCHO’s arena reporter for RMU home games, talked exclusively with Robert Morris head coach Derek Schooley and athletic director Dr. Craig Coleman about the jump to the AHA and … Read more
Now the NCAA just has to find new homes for Bemidji State and Alabama-Huntsville come 2010. With reports confirming that Atlantic Hockey voted this week to bring Niagara and Robert Morris aboard in two years when the CHA officially crumbles, and NU and RMU both accepting the invitations, the onus is now on the WCHA … Read more
Sources within Atlantic Hockey have confirmed to USCHO.com that Niagara and Robert Morris will join the league as full members beginning with the 2010-2011 season. The schools will be affiliate members of Atlantic Hockey next season, using league officiating crews. An official announcement from the league detailing the decision will be released within the next … Read more
Okay, we know the WCHA lifted the moratorium on expansion and that everyone and their extended families has Bemidji State winding up there two seasons from now. Fine. That will probably happen. It makes the most sense and it would help keep BSU’s hockey program afloat. But what about the remaining three teams — Alabama-Huntsville, … Read more
To some, this time of year may be the dog days of winter, but for College Hockey America, the opposite couldn’t be truer. With just seven weeks until the CHA tournament in Bemidji, teams have already started jockeying for position to finish the season on a high note. Last weekend’s series between Robert Morris and … Read more
The WCHA lifted its moratorium on expansion in a unanimous vote Thursday, and it didn’t take long for Bemidji State to put itself at the front of the line among applicants. The league’s vote, taken during league meetings at the NCAA convention in Washington, D.C., means that it will accept applications until March 31. Bemidji … Read more
Happy New Year! It’s 2009 and time for resolutions. Ask any CHA coach, though, and their obvious answer to be successful this year is to get as many wins as possible, win the CHA tournament and get into the NCAA round of 16. For one team, that will be the case. But as to which … Read more
Happy Thanksgiving, one and all! As is the theme each year with this column, we’ll go over what each team has to be thankful for any why. As is also a recurring theme, the number of teams in the CHA since this writer took over the league beat has been cut almost in half, so … Read more
Last weekend was a slow one for College Hockey America with just a single game on the schedule, but as famed WWE broadcaster Jim Ross would say about this weekend, business is about to pick up. Niagara hasn’t seen any CHA action yet, but will host Bemidji State Friday and Saturday night in a rematch … Read more