Chris Lerch takes a look at everything that happened over Thanksgiving weekend, including disappointments and surprises in the NCHA, officiating and the latest kick in the guts, courtesy of (who else?) the Boston Bruins management.
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
Chris Lerch previews all the tournament action in This Week in Division III.
Surprised? Join the Crowd The first few weeks of hockey in the West can be summed up with two words: what happened? The MIAC and the NCHA have been battling for supremacy in the West for years, with the NCHA sitting atop the mountain. But the past few years have seen the MIAC climb further … Read more
Chris Lerch looks at the start of the ECAC East and NESCAC seasons, while looking ahead to the Thanksgiving tournaments ahead. Plus, you’ll get an exclusive look at the advent of the Division III College Hockey Showcase.
Chris Lerch looks at the rise of the MIAC in This Week in Division III for November 11, 2005.
Chris Lerch looks at This Week in Division III
With three teams in the top 15 of the preseason USCHO.com poll and seven members of the Preseason All-USCHO first and second teams, the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association is arguable the strongest conference in Division III hockey. King of the Hill Even though St. Norbert won their fourth consecutive NCHA regular season title and third … Read more
In the second half of his D-III season previews, Chris Lerch takes a look at teams 9-15 in the USCHO preseason poll, and some other teams to watch.
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
Chris Lerch takes a look at the top 15 teams in the USCHO.com preseason poll in the first half of his 2005-06 D-III season previews.
Players from teams in the preseason USCHO Division III poll dominate the list of all-stars on the 2005 Preseason All-USCHO Team. Preseason No. 1 Middlebury placed two players on the East team, while second-ranked St. Norbert and No. 5 St. John’s dominated the West, placing four and three players, respectively. Sixth-ranked Trinity has two players … 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
Wisconsin-Eau Claire alumnus and USHL Green Bay Gamblers assistant coach Luke Strand has accepted the position of head coach at his alma mater, replacing Jean-Francois Laforest, who stepped down in June to take a job in minor league hockey. Strand, a native of Eau Claire, played college hockey for the Blugolds from 1993-1997 under Ian … Read more
Wisconsin-Eau Claire men’s hockey coach Jean Laforest has resigned to become the first head coach and director of hockey operations in franchise history for the new Youngstown SteelHounds of the minor league CHL. Laforest leaves the Blugolds after three years as the head coach. In his second season, the Blugolds achieved their first winning campaign … 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
USCHO.com’s Men’s Division III All-USCHO Team has been announced. Norwich’s Kurtis McLean has been selected the USCHO.com National Player of the Year and was named to the East First Team. Coaches of the year are in the East, Utica coach Gary Heenan, who in four years took the Pioneers from a fledgling program to the … Read more
Tickets for the 2006 NCAA D-III Men’s Hockey Championship will go on sale Friday, April 1. Elmira College will serve as the host institution with the tournament to be held at First Arena in Elmira, N.Y., home of the United Hockey League’s Elmira Jackals. The NCAA has also changed the semifinal and championship games from … Read more
Thirteen coaches who have enjoyed on-ice success in 2004-05 have been named finalists for the Edward Jeremiah Award, given annually to the College Division (NCAA Division III) Men’s Ice Hockey Coach of the Year. Named in honor of the former Dartmouth head coach, the Jeremiah Award will be presented at the American Hockey Coaches Association … Read more
At the beginning of the season, very few people expected to see either Geneseo or Trinity in the NCAA playoffs. Even fewer, if any, would have selected them to face off against each other in the quarterfinal round. Yet, here they are, and both plan on making the best of it. “They are on a … Read more