Fillion Reportedly Suspended for Six Games

Martin Fillion, UMass-Lowell’s pre-season All-Hockey East goaltender, has been suspended for six games for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, according to an article in The Lowell Sun. Lowell coach Tim Whitehead confirmed after his team’s exhibition win over Concordia that he had banished Fillion to the stands for disciplinary reasons, but declined to elaborate. When asked if … Read more

Fairbanks Player Recovering after Surgery

University of Alaska Fairbanks defenseman Erik Drygas is recovering in the Intensive Care Unit at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital after suffering a serious neck injury resulting from a head-first collision with the boards during practice on Monday, October 7, 1996. On Oct. 10, Drygas underwent surgery to repair a severe fracture to his fifth cervical vertebra. … Read more

Hockey East Announces Preseason Picks

Hockey East announced its preseason picks during its Media Day held today at the Fleet Center. Boston University took the top spot in the Coaches’ Poll, in which a first place vote is worth one point, second place two points, and so on. They were also the only team to place three players on the … Read more

Howell’s Pre-season Picks for 1996-97

1) Michigan: Like you thought it would be Princeton? 2) Minnesota: A little young, perhaps, but good depth and the Wooger seems pretty optimistic. 3) Vermont: I can think of three reasons to justify this selection … 4) Michigan State: A very tough team with slight worries on D. 5) Denver: Last year’s late season … Read more

Tigers Top WCHA Pre-season Poll

WCHA coaches, in their annual poll, have tabbed Colorado College to win its fourth straight regular season league championship. The Tigers got seven first-place votes. Minnesota, Denver and St. Cloud State, which finished behind CC in that order, each picked up one first-place vote. North Dakota was fifth followed by Minnesota-Duluth, Michigan Tech, Wisconsin, Alaska-Anchorage … Read more

WCHA Commissioner Charged with Felony Theft

WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod was charged Friday with felony theft and theft by swindle, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Allegedly McLeod, the former athletic director at Minnesota-Duluth, used money from the university to pay off personal expenses. According to the Star Tribune, the criminal complaint accuses McLeod of depositing over $2,800 of university money … Read more

Lovell To Decide By December

Senior forward Tim Lovell will decide by December whether he will join the UMass-Amherst Minutemen in mid-season. Lovell, a Norwood, Mass. native, left Maine, where he compiled 21 goals and 40 points statistics last year en route to a selection to the All-Hockey East team. Lovell will choose between two options. He may sit out … Read more

Michigan Tops CCHA Preseason Polls

The defending 1996 NCAA Champion Michigan Wolverines are the runaway favorite to win the Central Collegiate Hockey Association again in 1996-97. Michigan garnered all of the possible 9 first place votes in the coaches’ poll, while gaining 33 of 34 possible first place votes in the CCHA media poll. Michigan State was the consensus second-place … Read more

Vermont Picked to Win ECAC

Vermont is the preseason number one team in the 1996-97 ECAC men’s ice hockey coaches poll, according to USA Today. Vermont returns virtually the same lineup that led it to a 27-7-4 record last season and a berth in the NCAA semifinals against Colorado College. The Catamounts received 11 of a possible 12 first place … Read more

1995-96 WCHA Year in Review

The 1995-96 WCHA season was another thriller. The Final Five had two overtime games and another one-goal game in the semi-finals. The Broadmoor Trophy made the University of Minnesota, winners of the Trophy in 1993 and 1994, its 1996 resting place. After that Minnesota and MacNaughton Cup champions Colorado College advanced to the NCAA championships. … Read more

Now You See Them, Now You Don’t

In a direct about-face from previous comments that they were staying for their senior years at Maine, Blair Allison and Jeff Tory have now decided to try out for the Canadian National Team. Both players have been All-Hockey East selections the past two years. Tory was also a First Team East All-American in 1995-96. Both … Read more

Nothing Will Ever be the Same Again

Tonight in Montreal, Team USA defeated Team Canada, 5-2, in Game 3 to take the inaugural World Cup. Over the history of the sport of ice hockey, very few international tournaments have ever been held that qualify as true world championships involving the very best each country had to offer. For the first time ever, … Read more

The Kid Who Wore Number Three

He began playing hockey at the age of two. A natural athlete, he competed primarily against older players until he was selected to the national Select-16 and Select-17 teams, beginning a streak during which he made every national team he tried out for. Recruited by all the top schools, he selected Boston University, in part … Read more

Maine Hockey Loses Three, Retains All-Americans

Maine lost three players this week in the wake of NCAA sanctions against the program, but reportedly will keep two important All-Americans on the roster, according to the Bangor Daily News. Brad Mahoney and Tim Lovell, both seniors, transferred to rival Hockey East schools this week. Mahoney transferred to Northeastern to play for Bruce Crowder. … Read more

Duluth AD McLeod Resigns

Bruce McLeod resigned his position as University of Minnesota-Duluth athletic director Wednesday, citing personal reasons, according to USA Today. Minnesota-Duluth officials named Dr. Patricia Merrier, Duluth’s faculty athletics representative, as interim athletic director for the remainder of the summer. An acting athletic director will be named this fall. “My decision to resign was all mine,” … Read more

O’Sullivan Signs with Calgary

Boston University’s Chris O’Sullivan has signed a pro contract with the Calgary Flames, forgoing his senior year. O’Sullivan was drafted as a defenseman on the second round in 1992, prior to his attending BU. In 1992-93 he redshirted after a neck injury felled him after only five games. The following year he was one of … Read more

CCHA Accepts Northern Michigan

The CCHA unanimously accepted Northern Michigan University’s application to return to the conference Monday. The Wildcats entered the CCHA in 1976-77, before leaving for the WCHA. “We are very pleased to be accepted back in the CCHA for the fall of 1997,” said NMU athletic director and head hockey coach Rick Comley. “We [our administration … Read more

Maine To Keep ’93 Championship

The NCAA Executive Committee announced today that the University of Maine will retain their 1993 Ice Hockey National Championship. Amid numerous NCAA violations, the one pertaining to Dunham was his acceptance of a stipend when he was the U.S. Olympic tean. The goalie was a member of the 1993 national champions. The Executive Committee met … Read more

1995-96 ECAC Year in Review

The 1995-96 ECAC season had all the elements that you would expect: surprises, disappointments, sadness, and of course jubilation. Before the 1995-96 season began just about every team had a lot to look forward to. Perhaps the Catamounts of Vermont had the most to look forward to. They returned 3 of the best players not … Read more

Watters Named MTU Coach

Michigan Tech named former Boston Bruins assistant coach Tim Watters to the vacant head coaching position Thursday. Watters, a 13-year National Hockey League veteran, replaces Bob Mancini, who accepted a job at USA Hockey on July 14 after four years behind the Huskies’ bench. “We’re very excited that Tim has chosen to move from the … Read more