Niagara Moves Forward With Rink Improvements

Niagara University has announced a $2 million capital improvement plan for its on-campus facility, Dwyer Ice Arena. The project coincides with Niagara’s recent application for admittance into the ECAC and is scheduled to begin at the end of the 2004-05 season. The ECAC is hearing proposals from five schools, including Niagara, this Wednesday, and expects … Read more

Pecknold Gets Contract Extension

Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold has agreed to a four-year contract extension that will run through the 2007-2008 season. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. In Pecknold’s 10 seasons at Quinnipiac, he has become the all-time winningest coach in Quinnipiac hockey history, won two MAAC regular season titles, one MAAC tournament title and guided the … Read more

Sabres Contact Vanek

The Buffalo Sabres have contacted Minnesota star Thomas Vanek to open contract talks, the Associated Press is reporting. Vanek, the 2003 NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player, just completed his sophomore season for the Gophers. He was the No. 5 overall pick of the Sabres in the 2003 NHL Draft. Sabres general manager Darcy Regier told … Read more

Atlantic Hockey Stands Pat

Though the winds of change are blowing for Atlantic Hockey, for the present time things will stay the same. Commissioner Bob DeGregorio confirmed today that the league has chosen not to make any increase in scholarship monies given by member schools for the 2004-05 season. This comes after the athletic directors voted against the increase … Read more

CHA Tournament Finds New Home

The CHA tournament is moving to the IRA Civic Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USCHO.com has learned. Bemidji State will be the host school. The last two years, the tournament was held in Kearney, Neb., but was looking for a new home after that deal expired. The tournament was sparsely attended in Kearney. Green Bay, … Read more

Seize the Momentum

First, everyone looked at each other and made sure what they thought they heard was true. Steve Hagwell is being made ECAC commissioner? Haven’t we heard this before? Wasn’t he named associate commissioner in 2000 with the intention of giving him the authority to make the necessary decisions that commissioner Phil Buttafuoco, either because of … Read more

At Least Five Apply to ECAC

The ECAC deadline for applications to enter its league, passed on Saturday, with at least five schools known to have applied. Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, Mercyhurst, Niagara and Sacred Heart are all looking to join the ECAC, which opened up an application process because of the impending departure of Vermont. The Catamounts will join Hockey East … Read more

Providence Dismisses Goepfert From Team

Providence coach Paul Pooley has dismissed goalie Bobby Goepfert from the team for “violations of team rules.” No further details were given by the school. Goepfert, a native of Kings Park, N.Y., recently completed his sophomore season. He posted a 21-15-4 record, .921 save percentage and a 2.46 goals against average in 41 career games … Read more

Montoya Tops CSS Goalie Rankings

Michigan goalie Al Montoya is the top rated goaltender on the Central Scouting Service’s end of season North American rankings, the first such distinction for a college player since Rick DiPietro in 2000. Meanwhile, North Dakota forward Drew Stafford tops the list of current and incoming college hockey skaters on the CSS rankings. Stafford, who … Read more

Penner Splits Maine for NHL

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks have snagged Dustin Penner away from Maine, signing the forward to a three-year contract. Contract terms were not disclosed. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Penner came alive in the postseason for Maine, attracting a lot of attention. His loss will leave a huge void, and came as a surprise to the Black Bears. … Read more

Q&A With Princeton AD Gary Walters

Gary Walters seemed elated Friday as he introduced Guy Gadowsky as the new head coach of the Princeton men’s ice hockey team, believing he found a special personality to lead the embattled program. The Princeton athletic director spent two months searching for someone to replace Len Quesnelle, someone who had been a player, assistant and … Read more

Stafford’s Attacker Earns Record Suspension

Alexander Perezhogin, the American Hockey League forward who sent Garrett Stafford to the hospital with a concussion and other injuries after a stick-swinging incident in an April 30 AHL playoff game, has been suspended for the rest of the postseason and the entire 2004-05 season. The league announced the penalty Friday after completing its review … Read more

MacMillan Steps in at UAF

Alaska-Fairbanks wasted no time filling its head coach opening, tabbing former assistant and UAF alum Tavis MacMillan. He succeeds Guy Gadowsky, who was named the new coach at Princeton earlier today. “I have such mixed emotions about this opportunity,” said MacMillan. “Guy has been an instrumental part of my coaching career and I have been … Read more

Princeton Snatches Gadowsky

After an eight-week search, Princeton named Guy Gadowsky its new head coach today. The announcement leaves a hole at Alaska-Fairbanks, where Gadowsky has been the head coach for five years. Gadowsky will be formally introduced at a news conference, Friday at 11 a.m. at Princeton. “We are delighted to appoint Guy as our new men’s … Read more

Morris Lands at Northwood Prep

Mark Morris, fired as head coach at Clarkson near the beginning of the 2002-03 season, has been named the new coach at Northwood Prep school, a historically strong feeder program for college hockey. Morris was fired at Clarkson following a November 2002 investigation into an alleged physical confrontation between himself and player Zach Schwan. He … Read more