Men’s D-I in general
With just a couple of shopping weeks left until Christmas, perhaps the smart CCHA shopper should be considering what to give to his or her favorite team. After consulting statistics, game performances, and Santa’s little helpers, the CCHA Gift-Giving Committee has come up with these helpful suggestions. The No. 4 Michigan Wolverines sit atop the … Read more
With the recent weather in the Northeast, one would think that March, the playoffs and Lake Placid were just around the corner. They’re not — there are still a few months to go, and with the first part of the hectic schedule in the books, we can report on highs and lows. The young season’s … Read more
So you want to go to the New Hampshire vs. UMass-Amherst games this weekend? Good idea, since the Wildcats are one of the top teams in the country and the Minutemen have been a very pleasant surprise to date. When are the games? Well, you go to the USCHO schedules first, of course, but until … Read more
On Friday, Quinnipiac president John L. Lahey and athletic director Jack McDonald announced extensive plans to upgrade the Braves’ hockey program. Quinnipiac’s commitment comes in the form of a new hockey arena, implementation of women’s ice hockey at the varsity level, promotion of part-time men’s coach Rand Pecknold to full-time status, the addition of U.S. … Read more
As the Western Collegiate Hockey Association schedule enters December, teams start to look at their positioning in the conference — and what they can do about it before the end of the year. With only a couple weeks of play before teams break the conference schedule for the holidays, the WCHA standings are shaking out … Read more
After watching the Governor’s Cup this past weekend, I’ve decided to institute the Hendrickson Forget-The-Box-Scores Player of the Week Award to be given to the player whose contributions other than goals and assists I found particularly impressive. Unfortunately, not everyone will have an equal chance at this award. After seeing all the teams at least … Read more
CCHA fans, you have spoken–and I have heard. Ever since taking a puck to the head, my predictions have been terrible. I admit it. Now, I’m not saying there is any kind of cause-and-effect going on here, but the timing is interesting, n’est-ce pas? So, I’ve decided to seek professional help. I’ve consulted a Web … Read more
This is it — the final set of ECAC league games until the new year is upon us. There are eight games on tap for this coming weekend, and all may shake the standings heading into exams and the holidays. Last weekend there were only two ECAC matchups on the slate. Harvard got its first … Read more
The email came first in a trickle, then in waves. “What do you have against UConn?” demanded angry Huskies fans. “Why do you keep picking them to lose?” Several pointed out that I had picked UConn to be swept three weekends in a row. And for the record, the stretch in which I predicted UConn … Read more
With just under nine minutes left in Boston University’s spirited 4-2 victory over hated arch-rival Boston College, the superfan known as Sasquatch is getting restless. The whistle blows, and he jumps up, gesturing to the BU band across Walter Brown Arena. They miss the cue and break into “Louie, Louie”; Sasquatch whips off his hat … Read more
The object of the two games is the same — to score goals. One is played on a sheet of ice, the other on a pitch. Canisius College junior Ryan Puntiri excels at both. On the soccer field, the midfielder is one of the leading playmakers in the nation. Puntiri was named second-team All-Metro Atlantic … Read more
It’s that holiday time of the season once again. Colgate will enter it with the lead in the ECAC as the only undefeated and untied team in the league at 4-0-0. Princeton is also undefeated, but its record is 3-0-1. It’s way too early to judge the standings, so let’s just wait until sometime in … Read more
The good name of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association is on the line this weekend as Minnesota and Wisconsin square off with Big Ten rivals Michigan and Michigan State in the College Hockey Showcase. Make a note of this, ladies and gentlemen: For once, Minnesota and Wisconsin and Michigan and Michigan State will not be … Read more
In late-breaking news, Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna has outlawed midweek nonconference games after the league went 0-for-3 against the ECAC on Tuesday. And not that anybody really cares, but should it be the Governor’s Cup or Governors’ Cup? Singular or plural? It is, after all, a competition between four state universities. There are, therefore, … Read more
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. As chestnuts roast, turkeys baste, and everyone avoids Aunt Almira’s Jello mold, it’s time to take a look around to ponder blessings and be thankful for what we all have. The laughter of children, the warmth of a smile, that special glow you get whe– Oh, forget … Read more
There’s a new man in charge in Schenectady, New York, these days. Well, “new” if you consider that it is his first head coaching position in college hockey — not so new if you know that he had been the top assistant at Union for the last five years. Kevin Sneddon, named Union head coach … Read more
When he was a little boy, he watched hockey on TV and dreamed the dreams of so many kids his age. Could that be me? Could I do that? For Michael Filardo, though, the challenges of seeing those dreams reach fulfillment extended beyond the usual ones of size, skill, quickness and agility. He faced the … Read more
Have the first few weeks of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association schedule just been a little bit of a tease? Some big matchups, but always pointing to this weekend in November when No. 1 North Dakota faces No. 3 Colorado College in a struggle for control of the conference? If so, it sure was worth … Read more
The human skull can be shattered by an impact at 7-10 kilometers per hour. When stationary, however, it can apparently survive blows from faster-moving objects with such little consequence as a bump, loss of blood, and a couple of staples to the scalp. It’s estimated that head injuries occur with the frequency of 610 per … Read more
After three weekends of Metro Atlantic play, it’s clear there are two major surprises in the conference. The first is Canisius, predicted to finish second in the MAAC preseason poll. Despite the hype, the Ice Griffins are on an 0-7-1 skid and find themselves in sixth place. The second is Iona. The freshman-laden Gaels, a … Read more