Cammi Granato, three-time ECAC Player of the Year, two-time Olympian and 15-year member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, was today announced as one of the first two female members in the 65-year history of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Granato will be formally inducted into the Hall on Nov. 8 as part of the … Read more
The NCAA men’s and women’s ice hockey rules committee gets this chance only once every two years, so there’s a little more emphasis to get it right. In the next month, leading up to and through the committee’s meeting June 8-11 in Indianapolis, the dialogue about potential rules changes will lead to debate and then … Read more
After taking over an undermanned program three years ago, head coach Jasen Wise has been able to turn the Sabres into one of the most formidable teams in the MCHA. With no losses to graduation following last season, it’s reasonable to assume Marian may continue their climb up the MCHA ladder. Leading the cast of … Read more
First Round, First Times It’s been three years since Wisconsin-Superior has played in the NCAA Tournament. It’s the first time St. Olaf has ever played in the NCAA Tournament. Fittingly, those two teams will square off in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The Yellowjackets stunned St. Norbert in the NCHA Playoffs to … Read more
NCAA Tournament Bids on the Line March Madness is upon us. No, not the men’s basketball NCAA Tournament, but the MIAC and NCHA championship games. If anyone from the MIAC wants to be playing in the NCAA Tournament, they will have to win the conference tournament. It doesn’t look as if any team has played … Read more
Coming Down to the Wire After one round of the NCHA playoffs, three teams made it through as expected, but one did not. I’ll give you a preview of the semifinals and what you can expect from the four teams vying for the Peters Cup. The MIAC has one weekend of play remaining and while … Read more
It’s Go Time The postseason is upon us, at least in the NCHA. And how about that nagging question-will MSOE make the NCAA Tournament? I’ll give a quick rundown of the first round matchups in the NCHA tournament and make a case for why the Raiders are for real. NCHA Playoffs No.8 Wisconsin-Eau Claire (2-19-4 … Read more
Changing of the Guard It’s no surprise that St. Norbert is leading the NCHA with one weekend to play, but it may be a surprise to see the Green Knights in the top spot in the recent USCHO.com poll. St. Norbert stole the number one ranking away from defending champ Middlebury after the Panthers lost … Read more
Critical Weekends Last weekend was huge in the NCHA as the top two teams squared off for conference supremacy. The MIAC has its own version this week as two of the top teams battle for the conference title. The St. Norbert Showcase One point separating them. Two critical points on the line. Three weeks left … Read more
The Calm Before the Storm While hockey in the West has hardly been smooth sailing this season, one player has had a calming influence on his team this year, and throughout his career. Johnnie on the Spot For three years, Adam Hanna has been St. John’s saving grace. The senior netminder has posted a 46-9-3 … Read more
Holiday Happenings While most teams had a lengthy layover for the holiday break, there were a couple of teams in the West that played some rather important games-games that could be pivotal in determining where they wind up at season’s end. Surprising Results in Vermont Expectations were high for St. Thomas when they began the … Read more
Midway Madness It’s the holiday season once again and the teams in the West have wrapped up an exciting first half of hockey. After a bumpy start to the season, things have started to smooth out and the perennial powers are sitting on their lofty perch atop the NCHA, MIAC and MCHA. But none of … Read more
The Western Jinx Only one thing is relatively certain in Division III West Region hockey; if I write about a team in one of my columns, odds are they are going to have a terrible weekend. This theory does not apply to the conference previews, but to my first two columns. In the first column, … Read more
Unrest in the West It can arguably be called the most exciting region in Division III college hockey. For the past few weeks, the teams in the West have proven the old adage true-anybody can beat anybody on any given night. In the annual NCHA/MIAC battle, Wisconsin-Superior was upset by Bethel, St. Norbert lost to … Read more
In 2004-2005, the Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles saw their hopes of a MCHA tournament three-peat get swept up in a pair of losses to the Raiders of the Milwaukee School of Engineering. While the Raiders have all the tools necessary to repeat as champions, there are plenty of teams looking to snatch away the Harris Cup. … Read more
The MCHA has appointed Terry Brand as league commissioner. The six-team league, which enters its eighth season of play in 2005, had been headed by Northland College athletic director Steve Wammer, who served as league president for three years, succeeding Milwaukee School of Engineering athletic director Dan Harris, the league’s founding president. Brand is the … Read more
Hamline University has tapped Minnesota standout Scott Bell as its next head men’s hockey coach. Bell replaces Chris Brown, who stepped down earlier this month after coaching the Pipers for one season. Bell served as an assistant coach at St. Thomas from 2003-04, where the team won the MIAC playoff championship, and coached high school … Read more
Recent changes behind the bench at a pair of Western schools have kept the Division III coaching carousel in motion. St. Scholastica head coach Cory Borys resigned after three seasons behind the Saints bench, where he accumulated a 16-59-5 record. The school said that Borys cited personal reasons for his departure, and is moving back … Read more
Chris [nl]Brown has been named head hockey coach at Hamline University. He succeeds Pat Cullen, who stepped down in June after four seasons. [nl]Brown moves from Marian College, where he compiled a record of 65-36-7 in four seasons. The Sabres were MCHA champions in 2001 and 2002 and captured the league’s regular season titles in … Read more
Paul Caufield, who resigned his head coaching job at Marian last season in the wake of a hazing incident, has returned to his alma mater, Wis.-Stevens Point, to become an assistant coach. Caufield is the all-time scoring leader at Stevens Point with 254 points. He also holds Pointer career records with 126 goals, 19 game-winning … Read more