Madigan, Northeastern put focus on improving game to game
Jim Madigan got his first victory as Northeastern’s coach, but the more important result to him was getting back to .500. Jim Connelly has This Week in Hockey East.
Men’s D-I: Hockey East
TMQ: Some underappreciated teams find themselves on the U.P. and U.P.
Teams from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are a combined 11-1 so far this season, and could it be because of what happened in the offseason? Jim Connelly and Todd D. Milewski discuss in this week’s edition of Tuesday Morning Quarterback.
Scheduling flexibility allows Hockey East teams big-game opportunities
In recent years, the Hockey East schedule has opened slowly with few league games and then built to a climax. The Ice Breaker kicked off the season with a Hockey East team typically playing other elite teams from around the country, but the league schedule saved its bullets. Heavyweights like Boston College and New Hampshire … Read more
Boston College’s Dumoulin consistent to the highest degree
The junior defenseman returned to school despite being told he was ready for the pros. Mike Scandura reports.
TMQ: After chaotic offseason, new season brings fresh start for some
Colgate is 2-0 to open the season after winning just seven games all of last regular season. That’s among the topics in this week’s edition of Tuesday Morning Quarterback.
After Notre Dame move, ‘nothing else is in progress,’ Hockey East commissioner says
Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna said Wednesday was a very historic day with the announcement that Notre Dame will join the conference in 2013. It turned out to be another day where realignment rumors were confirmed, but is this it for how Division I college hockey conferences, at least Hockey East, will look two years … Read more
Return of capable core has Connecticut eyeing a move up standings
The Connecticut Huskies are coming off a breakthrough season that saw them advance to the Atlantic Hockey semifinals for the first time in five years. Coach Bruce Marshall said now that his team, which returns a strong nucleus from last season, including eight of its top 10 scorers, has gotten a taste of winning, it’s … Read more
Maine optimistic it can replace lost scoring, improve goaltending
Maine had one of the top three offenses in Hockey East last year, but lost 121 points of production from just three forwards. Can the Black Bears fill those holes and retain their elite goalscoring status? Well, they certainly have a good start in seniors Spencer Abbott and Brian Flynn, who both finished in the … Read more
Bazin, Massachusetts-Lowell turn to experience at forward
Norm Bazin knows what it is like to face challenges. As a player at Massachusetts-Lowell in the mid-1990s, he transformed from a role player to one of the leading scorers on one of Lowell’s best teams ever. As an assistant at Colorado College, Bazin successfully recruited some of the game’s top players — including Hobey … Read more
Early exits last season fuel Hockey East teams for 2011-12
When the books were closed on the 2010-11 season for Hockey East, few would say it was one of success. Coming off three straight national titles — Boston College in 2008 and 2010, Boston University in 2009 — there were inflated expectations that this league was poised to become the dominant conference in college hockey. … Read more
A year older, Boston University seeks to shake inconsistencies
Last year’s Boston University squad — the youngest ever in coach Jack Parker’s 38 years — displayed an inconsistency that befitted its youth as much as it frustrated its fans. The Terriers started and finished strong (at least until the playoffs) but struggled in the middle. “The best thing that could possibly happen to our … Read more
New Hampshire sees opportunities, not questions, with key player losses
Many people see New Hampshire as a team of question marks. Having lost their top four scorers — the entire first line of Paul Thompson, Mike Sislo and Phil DeSimone, all of whom graduated, along with top-scoring defenseman Blake Kessel, who signed an NHL contract — there is reason for concern of where the offense … Read more
Northeastern, like first-year coach Madigan, trying to catch up
Northeastern’s first-year head coach Jim Madigan uses the word whirlwind to describe the last eight weeks of his life. Named the replacement for Greg Cronin late in the summer, Madigan has done everything in his power just to try to get acclimated. “I finally feel like we’re getting into a routine,” Madigan said. “The last … Read more
Merrimack expects to have to change style, but not ‘blue-collar’ ways
Stephane Da Costa, Stephane Da Costa, what’ll Merrimack do without Stephane Da Costa? The refrain has been repeated so many times, it sounds like schoolyard singsong performed while jumping rope. Yet the fact is that Da Costa scored all of one goal after the first weekend in February last season. He drew attention, to be … Read more
Providence gets a fresh start with new coach Leaman
Last year’s national coach of the year, Nate Leaman, built Union into an ECAC Hockey regular season champion and an NCAA tournament team. He’s got his work cut out for him, though, at Providence, which missed the Hockey East playoffs the last two seasons. “Right now we’re focused on building our program one day at … Read more
Vermont motivated to move past disappointment of last season
Coming off back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances, including a Frozen Four berth in 2008, last season was, in an understatement, disappointing for Vermont. The Catamounts struggled to an 8-20-8 regular season record and were swept out of the Hockey East quarterfinals by New Hampshire. Thus, for coach Kevin Sneddon, the 2011-12 season is as much about … Read more
Goaltending the biggest unknown facing Massachusetts
Whether Massachusetts can crack the top half of Hockey East comes down largely to one position: goaltender. Prior to graduating, Paul Dainton played almost every game in the Minutemen nets and played well. Freshmen Kevin Boyle and Steve Mastalerz may be well regarded, but that’s no guarantee of success. Sophomore Jeff Teglia struggled in his … Read more
After falling short, Boston College regroups with holes to fill
When Boston College was upset by Colorado College in last year’s NCAA tournament, there was not only a sense of shock for the Eagles but also, quite possibly, one of unfinished business. The Eagles had very high expectations for last year’s club, particularly given that they had captured the Hockey East regular season and postseason … Read more
Ten to watch: Picking college hockey’s top defensemen for 2011-12
Who will be the standout defenseman in college hockey in 2011-12? Jason Karnosky has a list of potential stars.
Boston College the favorite in Hockey East coaches poll
Boston College has been picked to finish first in Hockey East, according to the annual preseason coaches poll. The Eagles earned seven first-place votes with a total of 88 points. Boston University, with 83 points, was chosen second in the poll and garnered the remaining three first-place votes. New Hampshire took third, Maine fourth and … Read more