The CCHA on Saturday suspended Lake Superior State forward Will Acton for one game after a major charging penalty in Friday’s game against Notre Dame. The junior was not eligible for Saturday’s game against the Fighting Irish. Related link: Will Acton’s player page Acton was called for a hit on Notre Dame’s Ian Cole, a … Read more
The good news for Lake Superior State is that the Lakers return seven of eight defensemen and three of five double-digit goal scorers from a season ago. The bad news for Lake Superior State is that the Lakers return seven of eight — oh, do I really have to say it? “We have not been … Read more
The CCHA’s coaches and media both picked Michigan to win the league championship this season, but both polls had Notre Dame and Miami nipping at the Wolverines’ heels. Michigan got five of the 12 first-place votes in the coaches poll. Second-place Notre Dame had four, third-place Miami had two and fifth-place Northern Michigan got one. … Read more
The CCHA is changing its standings point structure to allot the same number of points for each conference game. That means regulation and overtime victories will be worth three points. If a game goes to a shootout after the NCAA-mandated five-minute overtime, the winning team will get two points in the standings and the losing … Read more
In 2007-08, Lake Superior State showed the league what a Laker team was without superstar goaltender Jeff Jakaitis — a team that went from 11 league wins and eighth place in both 2005-06 and 2006-07, to a 10th-place team with seven conference wins and a 12-game winless streak to bookend the midseason break. “We hope … Read more
If the 2006-07 Lake Superior State Lakers could be defined by just two things, they would be these: 1. Jeff Jakaitis. The senior goaltender finished the season with the 19th-best goals-against average in the NCAA (2.31), but the second-best save percentage (.931). 2. Injuries. The Lakers were so beaten up by the end of the … Read more
Alabama-Huntsville announced Saturday the five finalists to replace retiring head coach Doug Ross. In alphabetical order with their current school affiliations, they are Tom Carroll (New England College), Tim Christian (Lake Superior), Danton Cole (Bowling Green), Doc DelCastillo (Nebraska-Omaha) and Lance West (Alabama-Huntsville). Ross, who announced his retirement plans in January, led the Chargers to … Read more
There is something about Jim Roque that is quintessentially endearing. “I’ve only got 25 guys this year. Last year we carried 29,” said Roque. “I couldn’t, in my heart, cut anyone who wanted to put in the time — there’s no way.” Ah. That’s it. ROQUE Last year, Roque replaced Frank Anzalone as Laker head … Read more
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
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
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
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
Midway Madness It’s the holiday season once again and the teams in the West have wrapped up an exciting first half of hockey. After a bumpy start to the season, things have started to smooth out and the perennial powers are sitting on their lofty perch atop the NCHA, MIAC and MCHA. But none of … Read more
The Western Jinx Only one thing is relatively certain in Division III West Region hockey; if I write about a team in one of my columns, odds are they are going to have a terrible weekend. This theory does not apply to the conference previews, but to my first two columns. In the first column, … Read more
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
History is not melodrama, even if it usually reads like that. — Robert Penn Warren Ah, Frank. Why did you have to go? We hardly knew ye. So it took a few years for CCHA fans to adjust to the unique coaching and public speaking style of Frank Anzalone. It certainly took this writer more … Read more
The Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL) named Frank Anzalone as its new Head Coach. Anzalone becomes the sixth Head Coach in team history. Anzalone, 51, comes to the Chiefs after spending the last four seasons with the Lake Superior Lakers, his second head coaching stint with the school. Anzalone, a Brooklyn N.Y. native, is no stranger to … Read more
Frank Anzalone, recently fired as head coach at Lake Superior State, has begun pursuing action in regards to his termination. Anzalone forwarded to USCHO a statement by his attorney, James P. Lambros, which read as follows: “Head Coach Frank N. Anzalone has been wrongfully terminated pursuant to the terms of his contract with Lake Superior … Read more
The rumored firing of Lake Superior State head coach Frank Anzalone became reality today as Lake State has relieved him of his duties and appointed assistant Jim Roque as its new head hockey coach. Roque assumes duties immediately, and fourth-year assistant coach Tim Christian will remain in that capacity. “We believe that there is a … Read more
Controversy has struck Laker hockey once again, as three players, junior Mark Adamek, sophomore Barnabas Birkeland, and freshman John Nogatch, were kicked off the team for “violating team policy,” according to Director of Athletics Bill Crawford. Crawford declined to further discuss the situation, saying on his Rock 101 radio pre-game show last Friday, “That’s all … Read more