Bemidji State’s Sillinger, Northeastern’s Levi, Minnesota Duluth’s Fanti take home national player honors for November

The Hockey Commissioners Association announced Thursday its three men’s college hockey players of the month for November. Bemidji State senior forward Owen Sillinger is the player of the month, while Northeastern sophomore goaltender Devon Levi is the rookie of the month and Minnesota Duluth junior goalie Ryan Fanti is the goaltender of the month. Sillinger … Read more

This Week in CCHA Hockey: Lethargic early season in rear view mirror, Northern Michigan picking up offense as ‘buy-in on some of the small details has really gone up’

When the season started, Northern Michigan had something of a defensive crisis. The Wildcats barely had enough healthy bodies to field a full defensive unit. At one point, they had just four regular blueliners. Adding to that, the team’s No. 1 goalie, Rico DiMatteo, wasn’t 100 percent after recovering from surgery. “We played a series … Read more

RIT’s Wayne Wilson talks this year’s Tigers, 400 win milestone: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 9

USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Rochester Institute of Technology head coach Wayne Wilson. The conversation includes Wilson’s milestone 400th victory at RIT achieved last weekend at Princeton, this year’s Tigers and how they are benefitting from the return of four fifth-year players, pending NCAA legislation that would allow RIT (and Union) athletic scholarships for D-I teams, and the 3v3 overtime rule.

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Bemidji State’s Sillinger suspended one game by CCHA for head contact penalty against Arizona State

The CCHA announced Monday that Bemidji State sophomore forward Lukas Sillinger has been suspended for one game stemming from an incident at 9:55 of the third period on Friday, Nov. 26, against Arizona State. The on-ice call was a five-minute major and game misconduct penalty for contact to the head. The suspension will be served … Read more

This Week in CCHA Hockey: Bowling Green on pace for another solid season as Falcons aiming to ‘maintain that standard and play to that standard’

Before the season started, outsiders weren’t quite sure what to make of Bowling Green. After all, the Falcons had lost 11 players to either graduation or the transfer portal. It would have understandably been hard to predict how losing so many key contributors would affect a program that has won 20-plus games for seven straight … Read more

CCHA announces one-game suspension to Bowling Green’s Collin for head contact penalty against Lake Superior State

The CCHA announced Sunday a one-game suspension for Bowling Green sophomore forward Chrystopher Collin. The suspension stems from an incident at 15:06 of the third period on Saturday, Nov. 20 against Lake Superior State where Collin was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct penalties for contact to the head. After further league review, the … Read more

This Week in CCHA Hockey: Bemidji State mixing youth, experience to perfection early in 2021-22 season

A quick look up and down Bemidji State’s roster would reveal a lot of familiar names: Ethan Somoza. Owen Sillinger. Alex Ierullo. Tyler Kirkup. All have been contributing to the BSU program consistently since their freshmen seasons, and their presence in the lineup this year — a few back for an extra year of eligibility … Read more

Michigan’s Mel Pearson on this year’s Wolverines, coaching a young, talented team, roster management: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 8

USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Michigan head coach Mel Pearson. The conversation includes the Wolverines’ strong start, the unique aspects of coaching a team loaded with top NHL prospects, roster management and recruiting, facing teams with older players, and this weekend’s games with Notre Dame.

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This Week in CCHA Hockey: After ‘rough’ 2020-21 season, Ferris State ‘a superior team from what we were a year ago’

Losing isn’t usually the norm for a Bob Daniels-coached team. The Ferris State head coach has been behind the bench for 29 seasons. He’s guided his Bulldogs teams to three conference titles, four NCAA tournament appearances and one Frozen Four in that time frame. The usual expectation for the Bulldogs is to be competitive at … Read more

Northeastern’s Jerry Keefe on the Huskies, transition to head coach, Hockey East: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 7

USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Northeastern coach Jerry Keefe. The conversation includes the season this far, his transition from assistant to head coach this summer, navigating the transfer and fifth-year player situation, Hockey East, and the venerable Matthews Arena.

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This Week in CCHA Hockey: With experienced lineup, Michigan Tech ‘can compete with most anybody in the country’

When members of the media were looking at the teams in the newly-reconstituted CCHA this fall as we started to do our preseason picks and previews, one team made it easiest on everybody. And maybe it wasn’t the team you think. Have your guesses in? It might shock you to know that it was Michigan … Read more

Penn State’s Guy Gadowsky on this season’s Nittany Lions, Big Ten hockey, D-I expansion: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 6

USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky. The conversation includes a review of this year’s team, the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame game win over North Dakota last weekend in Nashville, getting fans back into Pegula Ice Arena, and expanding the Big Ten and D-I hockey in general.

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This Week in CCHA Hockey: Dealing with key player departures, Lake Superior State finding new players stepping up to fill roles

It might have been reasonable to assume at the start of the 2021-22 season that Lake Superior State might have some issues scoring goals this year. After all, the Lakers lost four of their top five scorers (Ashton Calder, Pete Veillette, Hampus Eriksson and Will Reidell) either to graduation or the NCAA transfer portal (in … Read more

Providence’s Nate Leaman on the Friars’ early going, transfers, mentoring coaches: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 5

USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Providence head coach Nate Leaman. The discussion includes a look at the Friars’ 5-2 start, how transfers and fifth-year players are affecting college hockey, mentoring assistant coaches, and this weekend’s games with New Hampshire.

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This Week in CCHA Hockey: Blasi ‘extremely happy with the progress we’ve made’ at St. Thomas in first weeks on ice as D-I program

After some time away, there’s one thing Rico Blasi noticed about the familiar rinks of the CCHA. “The smell is still the same,” the first-year St. Thomas coach joked in a phone interview Tuesday, reflecting on his team’s recent road trips to Northern Michigan and Lake Superior State. Blasi, who played at Miami in the … Read more

Bentley’s Ryan Soderquist on this year’s Falcons, transfers, Atlantic Hockey: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 4

USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Bentley head coach Ryan Soderquist, fresh off the Falcons’ 6-2 win over then-No. 6 Boston College. Topics include how this year’s team is coming together, the transfer portal, Atlantic Hockey, and the overall college hockey landscape.

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This Week in CCHA Hockey: Minnesota State finding way through tough early-season schedule with nationally-ranked teams

During this season’s CCHA preseason conference call, Minnesota State coach Mike Hastings was asked about the fact that his team is set to play six consecutive games against top-ranked teams to start the new season. Hastings joked that he wanted to throw former assistant coach Darren Blue under the bus but couldn’t because he also … Read more

Michigan Tech’s Joe Shawhan on this year’s Huskies, transfer rules, the new CCHA: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 3

USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Michigan Tech head coach Joe Shawhan joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger to talk about his Huskies team, which swept then-No. 13 Wisconsin on the road last weekend. The discussion includes this year’s MTU squad, frank opinions about transfer rules, and the new CCHA.

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Minnesota State gets 17 first-place votes, remains top-ranked team in USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll

Minnesota State is again the No. 1 team in the latest USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll, garnering 17 first-place votes in this week’s rankings. St. Cloud remains No. 2 and picked up 14 first-place votes and 945 voting points, just four behind Minnesota State. Michigan (16 first-place votes) stays No. 3, while No. 4 Minnesota … Read more