Season previews for teams
The 80 goals of production lost will be hard to replace. So will the experience of the four departed defensemen out of the regular lineup. But the way the Denver Pioneers have taken care of things in the last two seasons, those might turn out to be merely minor inconveniences. En route to back-to-back NCAA … Read more
The next Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner won’t likely come from the U.S. Air Force Academy. But in listening to the Falcons’ coach and key players talk, this year has the potential to be an all-out “ultimate team” on the ice in Colorado Springs, with no single player taking the spotlight. After a first-round overtime … Read more
As you look back at last year’s Holy Cross team, you have to think that the 2004-05 edition of the Crusaders was one of the better teams to play in either the MAAC or Atlantic Hockey and not take home any hardware. It would seem like last year’s ‘Cross club had everything — two solid … Read more
When Tim Olsen arrived on the UConn campus four years ago, no one knew the impact he could have. Having transferred from Division III Augsburg, head coach Bruce Marshall knew he had a talented player but didn’t know he’d watch Olsen net 100 points in his three seasons in Storrs. Now for the first time … Read more
Bentley joins a handful of bottom-half preseason picks in wondering what things between the pipes will look like this season. With the graduation of Simon St. Pierre, who recorded all but six decisions last season, the Falcons will hope to answer the goaltending question immediately with the addition of Ray Jean, a transfer from Maine. … Read more
Wayne State’s senior class was its freshmen class back in 2002-03, when the Warriors earned their third straight College Hockey America title and their first NCAA tournament automatic bid. The past two years have yielded little as far as postseason play, but the class of 2006 has aspirations of returning to the winner’s circle this … Read more
And then there were eight. In a year of transition, Atlantic Hockey still has hopes for growth. After losing Quinnipiac at the end of last season to the ECACHL, the fledgling league will play with eight member clubs for the first time since most of the remaining members established themselves as a Division I conference … Read more
As a rookie head coach, Brian Riley found out what it’s like to be challenged. Besides the fact that Riley’s brother Rob, his predecessor, had left him one of the youngest lineups in the country last year, an early-season injury to goaltender Brad Roberts really put Riley behind the eight-ball in season one. One year … Read more
Not a single regular-season game has been played in College Hockey America, but already teams are being hyped, promoted and readied for the opening of conference play. Bemidji State won the regular-season title and tournament championship last year and nearly advanced in the NCAA tournament only to go down in overtime to eventual champion Denver. … Read more
Last year was supposed to be “the year” for Sacred Heart. Everything had fallen into place for the Pioneers and, without any doubt, everyone in the Sacred Heart locker room felt poised to finally take the next step and make it to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. Sometimes, though, even … Read more
Barret Ehgoetz and Ryan Gale have moved on and left Niagara with gaping holes up front. But coach Dave Burkholder isn’t one to panic, and in fact has high optimism as his Purple Eagles start their 10th season of college hockey. Ehgoetz, NU’s all-time leading scorer, was Mr. Everything for Niagara a year ago, including … Read more
The colors of Robert Morris are red, white and blue — and after last season’s surprising inaugural season with a cast of freshmen, the Colonials are hoping for an all-American turnaround in 2005-06. Last year, RMU featured a lineup of 18 freshmen, a sophomore and a junior and though the Colonials finished in the CHA … Read more
If there’s any theme to the 2005-06 hockey campaign for Canisius, it would be new beginnings. A year ago, despite having wonderful on-ice success, the Griffs took a major black eye when head coach Brian Cavanaugh was fired after a player revolt. With Cavanaugh out, multiple disciplinary problems ensued that led to the resignation of … Read more
As you look around Atlantic Hockey, a lot of teams are faced with the issue of not having a goaltender to turn to. That said, it almost seems unfair that Mercyhurst has four. That’s right, the defending champs, who this year were picked along with Holy Cross to repeat as champions, have four different goaltenders … Read more
The defending CHA champions, the Bemidji State Beavers, lost some of their firepower from a year ago, but still should post big numbers and finish near the top of the conference standings. Andrew Murray, last season’s CHA player of the year, graduated and then signed an NHL deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Brendan Cook … Read more
Alabama-Huntsville senior captain Jeremy Schreiber said it best. “Every year since I’ve been here we’ve been saying, ‘This is the year, this is the year we go all the way.’” So far, postseason tournament heartbreak has been the common season-ending theme for the Chargers. They’ve been to the finals of the CHA Tournament as recently … Read more
AIC head coach Gary Wright is a hard-working man. Not only does he coach hockey for the Yellow Jackets, he’s also the school’s golf coach. So when the Atlantic Hockey coaches’ poll picked his Yellow Jackets to finish last this season, he was a bit humbled. “I’m just glad I don’t coach three sports,” said … Read more
Women’s Hockey East had no shortage of positive developments leading up to its third season. The NCAA tournament expanded from four to eight teams and the league was assured its first bid ever for 2005. The three Hockey East Beanpot schools all turned a corner as Boston College had its best recruiting class in years, … Read more
Quick! Name six members of the 2003-04 Northern Michigan team. Tuomas Tarkki, Darin Olver, and Nathan Oystrick don’t count. Gotcha. If the Wildcats weren’t voted so high in the CCHA coaches and media preseason polls, they might seem like a league darkhorse. NMU returns just one double-digit conference goal scorer from a year ago, and … Read more
Editor’s note: this is the second half of USCHO.com’s CCHA season preview, including team previews for Michigan, Michigan State, Northern Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Miami. Included in Part I are a league overview and previews for the remaining six teams. The air is crisper but the debate is still hot, and isn’t it … Read more