Men’s D-I in general
Most of Hockey East starts NCAA play this weekend — but BC has already started strong, and UMass is preparing for rivalry games already. Amid the anticipation, Dave Hendrickson examines the value of exhibitions, and salutes a certain other New England sports team.
St. Lawrence and Vermont kick off the NCAA season with mixed results; Harvard takes a new tack to keep home-ice advantage against Cornell; and sad news strikes Rensselaer and all of college hockey. Juan Martinez opens coverage of the 2003-04 ECAC season.
Findlay takes on host Michigan State at the season-opening Ice Breaker; Wayne State ventures east for a pair at St. Lawrence; and Mike Volonnino talks to commissioner Bob Peters about the past, present and future of College Hockey America.
The CCHA starts 2003-04 with a bang, as two tournaments and four league series dot this weekend’s slate. Michigan State hosts the Ice Breaker; Nebraska-Omaha counterprograms with a tough group at the Maverick Stampede; and Michigan-Miami highlights league games. Paula C. Weston unveils all the action.
The city of Omaha welcomes college hockey to its brand-new $291 million building, the Qwest Center. The building was christened with the Maverick Stampede, one of the top-notch early-season tournaments.
Former Wisconsin forward Alex Leavitt has sued Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves and three others over the fallout of his dismissal from the team last season. Leavitt claims that his hockey career has been derailed by the situation, and is asking for $250,000 in damages each from four defendents, including Eaves, Wisconsin athletic director Pat Richter, … Read more
Boston College senior defenseman J.D. Forrest missed his team’s opening game of the season at Vermont and is out indefinitely pending resolution of an unspecified academic eligibility issue. Forrest, a second-team All-American and Hockey East All-Star last season, is not expected back at least until the team’s fourth game of the season and possibly longer. … Read more
A personal reflection on the loss of two hockey friends.
Minnesota State received a double dose of bad news after a pair of veteran defensemen, Matt Paluczak and Jon Dubel, appeared likely to miss the entire 2003-04 season due to injury, according to the Mankato Free Press. Paluczak, a senior alternate captain for the Mavericks, had surgery in the spring for a shoulder injury that … Read more
At this time last year, Alabama-Huntsville took its standard preseason excitement on the road — to Wisconsin. Then Denver. And then Minnesota. Six losses later, by the time the Chargers had returned home to face Air Force, an already veteran team had aged a generation. UAH would lose just one of its next 16 games, … Read more
From the moment that the CHA met the requirements for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament the whining began. This upstart, diminutive division with barely six teams to its name, could now keep one team from a major conference out of the postseason, while providing nothing more than cannon fodder for a team on … Read more
It is a sure sign that a team is a longshot when its coach cannot name the team’s best player. Air Force managed just two conference wins last year despite featuring second-team All-CHA Andy Berg (22g, 18a). With three of its four top scorers graduated, the Falcons will need all the mettle a service academy … Read more
At the end of last season, Iona and Fairfield dropped hockey as a varsity program. When the only coach Findlay had ever had, Craig Barnett, left for a position at a prep school this summer, some wondered if a similar fate was in the offing for the Oilers. It seems like the Findlay rumors were … Read more
Tops among the preseason priorities for Wayne State coach Bill Wilkinson was finding a replacement for goaltender David Guerrera, who backstopped the Warriors for his entire four years at the college. Fortunately, WSU is located in Hockeytown, USA, and Wilkinson thought he could give a fellow Detroit club a hand with its roster problems. “We … Read more
With a trip to the NCAA tournament on the line, Bemidji defenseman John Haider, killing a five-on-three disadvantage, stole the puck and raced in on Wayne State goaltender David Guerrera for a critical insurance goal in last year’s CHA finals. Veteran teams seize such moments. Unfortunately for the Beavers, Haider was only a sophomore and … Read more
In Joe, Niagara trusts. The Purple Eagles have a high-flying attack that is poised to challenge for the CHA crown. The reason for the optimism reads like this: 26 goals, 29 assists, 55 points. The returning CHA Player of the Year makes Niagara the most explosive team in the conference. “We will be an even … Read more
After losing 11 players a year ago, Massachusetts-Lowell said good-bye to another 10 heading into this season. With a roster of only three juniors and just one senior, the wild cards of freshmen and sophomores will dictate whether the River Hawks sink or swim. “Reality TV seems to be the big fad,” coach Blaise MacDonald … Read more
Beginning in 1996-97, Providence has earned home ice every other season. Flip the calendar and if the playoffs are in an odd-numbered year, then we’ll see you at Schneider Arena in March. Unfortunately for Friar fans, however, this is the 2003-04 season. Which means, for the non-math majors in the crowd, that PC is due … Read more
In recent years Boston University hasn’t possessed the dominating offense of its early- and mid-nineties predecessors. There’s been no updated version of a Chris Drury on the fourth line as a freshman nor a trio as imposing as Tony Amonte, Shawn MacEachern and Keith Tkachuk. The Terriers have instead won with stellar defense and goaltending. … Read more
It won’t be a shock if the Black Bears finish second in the league. It also won’t be a shock if they fall out of home ice. At the same time that there are major strengths there are also significant questions. The strength begins in goal where Jimmy Howard and Frank Doyle rank as the … Read more