Buddy Powers has a way with words. “I feel overall in the league…goaltending, staying healthy, and getting a break here and there is going to determine an awful lot of the final standings. Depending on those three categories, [especially] who stays healthy, and who gets the hot guy in the net.” If those are the … Read more
The top two teams in the 1999-2000 CCHA standings have been picked to repeat those positions in 2000-01, as Michigan and Michigan State earned the top spots in Wednesday’s preseason coaches and media polls, respectively.
Michigan forward Mike Comrie, a Hobey Baker Award finalist and the team’s leading scorer last season, will not return for his final two seasons as a Wolverine, according to the University of Michigan Athletic Department.
Mike Van Ryn, the former Michigan defenseman and 1998 first-round draft pick of the New Jersey Devils, won an arbitration case on Thursday granting him unrestricted free-agency, a decision that could have a great impact on college hockey and the NHL Draft.
“Hey, buddy, you’re outta here!” ECAC partisans were dying to say that after Saturday’s Michigan-Colgate clash. Passions run high in any postseason, but even more so in this CCHA-ECAC tilt. Michigan coach Red Berenson and his colleague at Michigan State, Ron Mason, created a stir this past week, complaining about their seeding in the NCAA … Read more
After Shawn Horcoff picked up conference honors in an unprecedented five categories, Billy Jaffe quipped, “Thank you for coming to the 2000 Shawn Horcoff Awards–I mean, CCHA Awards Banquet.” Horcoff could be a household name around the CCHA, but the rest of the nation may be asking: Shawn who? Horcoff, the Spartan senior captain from … Read more
After 13 years as both athletic director and head hockey coach for Northern Michigan University, Rick Comley will dispense with the AD role effective July 1 and concentrate on running the Division I hockey program he established at Northern in 1976. Comley and NMU President Judi Bailey announced the change at a press conference Thursday … Read more
Dave Poulin is fond of talking about little steps. When his Fighting Irish took Michigan to three games in Yost during the first round of the CCHA playoffs to cap the 1997-98 season, that was a significant little step. When the Irish captured home ice at the end of the 1998-99 season and lost in … Read more
Michigan State senior Shawn Horcoff won an unprecedented five laurels to highlight the 2000 CCHA Awards, presented Thursday, March 16, at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Horcoff Fellow Spartans Joe Blackburn, Ryan Miller, and Mike Weaver, who picked up two plaques, accompanied Horcoff as Michigan State led all CCHA teams in postseason accolades. Michigan’s Jeff … Read more
It’s not your typical Cinderella story. First of all, there’s no glass slipper. Twenty or so pairs of skates, yes, but not a slipper in the bunch. And make no mistake: there’s no rags-to-riches theme here. And there is no Prince Charming. Two dozen Princes Charmed, absolutely. Nebraska-Omaha goaltender Kendall Sidoruk has been a big … Read more
Goin’ To The Joe This year’s CCHA championship tourney includes two perennials, one old friend, and one newbie. Congratulations to Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Nebraska-Omaha. Between them, Michigan and Michigan State have 20 more wins in overall play than do Notre Dame and UNO. Both Michigan and Michigan State are ranked; the Irish … Read more
Win, Maybe Place, But Probably No Show Congratulations to the Wolverines, regular-season champions of the CCHA. That’s one team going to the NCAA tournament. Where does that leave the rest of the conference? At number 12 in the Pairwise, Michigan State is on the proverbial bubble to make the NCAA tourney. Next after the Spartans … Read more
Northern Michigan and league newcomer Nebraska-Omaha each placed two players on the 1999-2000 Bauer/CCHA All-Rookie team, as announced by the league Monday. The team, selected by a vote of the conference’s coaches, is led by Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller, who topped all CCHA netminders in save percentage and goals-against average, setting or tying league … Read more
Obligatory Playoff Talk Ten teams are in. Two are out. What more do you need to know? Most of the drama of the playoff race has ended. Unless Bowling Green sweeps Michigan and Northern sweeps Lake, the Wolverines have the regular-season title. Northern, Michigan State, and Lake jockey for position near the top; Miami, Western … Read more
Who Loves Ya, Baby? In South Bend, they’re nuts about the Nanooks. Up in Kalamazoo, they’re crazy about the Falcons. Everyone in Columbus loves the Lakers. The RedHawks are lucky. The outpouring of love from both Ann Arbor and East Lansing is overwhelming. It’s the home stretch, and as much as each coach likes to … Read more
The Player Makers So, you want to be Player of the Week? Make sure your team plays Ferris State. Or Western Michigan. Or–better by far–Ohio State. After last week’s examination of the Player of the Week selection process, I thought it might be interesting to see which teams are regularly picking up awards. Turns out … Read more
The Pick of the Litter "It’s not an exact science," says Sherry Skalko. "Actually, I wish it was." Skalko, in her second season as Director of Communications for the CCHA, laughs as she explains the selection process for league Players of the Week. "There are a lot of factors, when you’re dealing with positions across … Read more
The View From Below So, you’ve slept through your alarm and you’re running late for work. You’re the last one to the shower, and there is no hot water left. The coffee’s all gone, and you’re having difficulty locating a clean pair of anything. Last night’s snowfall adds another ten minutes to your morning routine, … Read more
It’s Lonely at the Top…and the Bottom Perhaps it’s the same every year, in every league. A couple or several teams stand out, look to make a run for the regular-season title, and leave everyone else in the dust. Then there are programs that can’t get their feet out of the mud, perennially anchoring their … Read more
Act I With a two-game sweep over Miami, Michigan moved into sole possession of first place last weekend, leaving Michigan State and Northern Michigan deadlocked for second, and once again the CCHA looks like a three-tier league, with three teams on top, a bunch of teams in the middle, and several teams struggling to grab … Read more