D-III Championship Notebook

Going Out On Top After today, the NCHA men’s hockey will be no more. What better way to close out the conference than with a national championship. “We talked about that the first day of practice,” Wisconsin-Eau Claire coach Matt Loen said. “It would be really cool winning it for the NCHA for the last … Read more

Wisconsin-Eau Claire goalie Stephenson named NCHA men’s player of the year

The NCHA announced Thursday that Wisconsin-Eau Claire senior goaltender Brandon Stephenson has been named the 2012-13 player of the year and UW-Eau Claire’s Matt Loen is the league’s coach of the year. Stephenson is 17-3-2 with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage heading into the Peters Cup playoffs. He went undefeated from … Read more

Granato to be One of First Two Women in Hall of Fame

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

Rule Book Headed for Change, But by How Much?

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

2006-07 Wisconsin-Eau Claire Preview

As Luke Strand and the Blugolds enter their second season together, it’s apparent that they have nowhere to go but up. In what is certainly good news, the rebound may have already begun last season. Word around the league is that although their play did not translate into wins down the stretch, they became a … Read more

Preview: St. Olaf vs. Wisconsin-Superior

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

This Week in West Region DIII – March 3, 2006

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

This Week in West Region DIII – Feb. 23, 2006

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

This Week in West Region DIII – Feb. 16, 2006

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

This Week in West Region DIII – Feb. 9, 2006

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

This Week in West Region DIII – Feb. 2, 2006

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

This Week in West Region DIII – Jan. 26, 2006

Big Weekends in the West The next two weekends feature some of the most exciting match-ups and biggest rivalries in the West that will have serious playoff implications. The MIAC and NCHA races look like they will come to down to the wire, while MSOE is getting closer and closer to locking up the MCHA. … Read more

This Week in West Region DIII – Jan. 19, 2006

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

This Week in West Region DIII – Jan. 12, 2006

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