CCHA PREVIEW: Feb. 13-16, 1997 CCHA Preview: Feb. 13-16, 1997 by Paula C. Weston With just a few weeks left in the CCHA regular season, the question of which team will finish eighth is as interesting as which will finish first. "With only four games to go," says Michigan State head coach Ron Mason, "every … Read more
WCHA Preview: Feb. 14-15, 1997 by Scott Brown North Dakota refused to yield ground to its pursuers over the weekend. The first-place Fighting Sioux, edging ever closer to the MacNaughton Cup, swept last-place Michigan Tech to maintain a three-point lead in the standings over Minnesota. The Gophers, for their part, took four points against ninth-place … Read more
Welcome to U.S. College Hockey Online’s roundtable discussion. We’ll be debating a college hockey topic each week in this space, where various members of our staff meet to argue. Sometimes serious, sometimes silly — but either way, watch the feathers fly: no punches will be pulled, and no quarter given, when these people face off. … Read more
Hockey East Preview: Feb. 14-18, 1997 by Dave Hendrickson After a scintillating Beanpot championship game, the return to league play this week will be hard-pressed to maintain either the excitement level or the quality of play shown at the FleetCenter. The jockeying for third to sixth place continues, with Providence potentially starting yet another late-season … Read more
Red Lines Cornell head coach Mike Schafer continues his reputation as a “stickler” for the rules. Once again, Schafer caught an opponent using an illegal stick, and in fact did it twice in an attempt to comeback against Vermont during last Saturday’s battle for first place. It almost worked, too, as the Big Red rallied … Read more
The NCAA has denied the University of Maine’s appeal of postseason sanctions on the Black Bears hockey program, the university announced Thursday. In a written statement, Maine President Frederick Hutchinson said that the decision “brings to an end a very difficult period for the entire university community.” He said the decision “adds nothing new to … Read more
Two proposals aimed at easing recruiting restrictions on ice hockey coaches passed at the recent NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tenn. Propositions 102 and 103 were hockey-only proposals that passed with little difficulty in a vote by school presidents. All presidents were allowed to vote, but, for the most part, only the presidents of hockey-playing schools … Read more
ECAC Preview: Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 1997 by Jayson Moy The color red. On this weekend of Chinese New Year, it symbolizes good fortune. One wears red to bring good luck to oneself and one’s family. Oh yes, one more thing. Red is also the primary color of the two teams situated in first place in … Read more
He broke in on the goaltender. Mano a mano. He dipped one shoulder. The goalie reacted in kind. His head and shoulders moved the other way. The goalie fought to recover. The dekes came in layers. The puck danced. The hands moved like a pickpocket’s. Head and shoulders dipped first one way and then the … Read more
WCHA Preview: Feb. 7-8, 1997 by Scott Brown The playoff picture in the WCHA is simultaneously a little clearer and a little muddier than it was last week. The North Dakota Fighting Sioux staked their claim to the top spot in the conference, sweeping the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Grand Forks, ND, 6-4 and 6-2. … Read more
CCHA PREVIEW: Feb. 7-8, 1997 CCHA Preview: Feb. 7-8, 1997 by Paula C. Weston It’s crunch time in the CCHA, and each game this weekend will be an exciting game to watch. Michigan held on to first place, easily defeating Ohio State and Bowling Green last week. With 34 points in 19 games, the Wolverines … Read more
Hockey East Preview: Feb. 7-10, 1997 by Dave Hendrickson It’s another dream matchup for the Beanpot — Boston University and Boston College in the title game. Even the moribund Fleet Center might hear some noise for that one. Lost in the Beanpot publicity bonanza has been the resurgent play of not only a dominating UNH … Read more
Hockey East Preview: Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 1997 by Dave Hendrickson The Beanpot dwarfs all remaining Hockey East action this week. Northeastern, Boston College and Boston University will all need to avoid looking past their Friday contests and ahead to the biggest college hockey event in the East. Aside from the Beanpot, however, there remain many … Read more
ECAC Preview: Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 1997 by Jayson Moy The number five plays a large role in this week’s ECAC Preview. There are five weeks to go in the ECAC season, and things are still up for grabs. Teams have almost caught up in terms of games played, and it’s time to settle in for … Read more
CCHA PREVIEW: Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 1997 CCHA Preview: Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 1997 by Paula C. Weston The University of Michigan Wolverines showed why they’re ranked first in the nation last weekend. They put some distance between themselves and the rest of the CCHA, taking two games from Miami at Yost Arena. With 30 points in … Read more
As the 1995-96 season got started, Denver was expected to be one of the heavies in the WCHA. After all, the team had 14 of its top 17 scorers, along with the arguably-better half of a sterling two-man goalie rotation, returning from a team that finished third in the conference last year. With graduation decimating … Read more
WCHA Preview: Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 1997 by Scott Brown The WCHA now officially enters the stretch run for the playoffs. With St. Cloud’s visit to Notre Dame out of the way, only WCHA league games remain for the ten teams in the conference. That means undiluted entertainment for fans, as no fewer than seven teams … Read more
The dumb jock. Chiseled physique meets bovine stupidity. Few stereotypes appear more consistently in our culture. Four Hockey East players — Maine’s Dan Shermerhorn, UMass-Lowell’s Craig Lindsay, and Merrimack’s Rob Beck and Tom Johnson — are the league’s prime examples that athletes need not be morons and top students don’t all wear pocket protectors. Those … Read more
CCHA PREVIEW: Jan. 24-28, 1997 CCHA Preview: Jan. 24-28, 1997 by Paula C. Weston Things are thick at the top in the CCHA. Three teams — Michigan, Miami and Lake Superior — are tied for first, each with 26 points. Last weekend, Michigan gained three points and Miami none, setting up a potentially spectacular weekend … Read more
ECAC Preview: Jan. 24-25, 1997 by Jayson Moy There’s one thing to be said about having games in hand: when you win ’em, you move up the standings very quickly. Cases in point are Clarkson, Vermont and RPI. Clarkson was a huge winner this weekend, sweeping Dartmouth and Vermont. Vermont gained two points, as did … Read more