Season previews for teams
“It’s a competitive league,” says Miami head coach Enrico Blasi. “You have to be consistent on a daily basis. You can’t get too high, and you can’t get too low. You could throw all the teams up in the air and you never know who is going to finish first or 12th and that’s a … Read more
The most interesting thing about the Broncos so far this year are the preseason remarks of head coach Jim Culhane. “It’s an exciting time at our university; it’s our centennial anniversary. We were founded in 1903, and it’s a very exciting time for us on campus.” Okay. “We have a new president, Dr. Judith Bailey, … Read more
Scott Paluch has a daunting task. The second-year Falcon head coach has to rebuild a program that once defined a league. “This is an important year for Bowling Green hockey. We’re celebrating a 20-year anniversary of our first national championship for the CCHA. We know we have to bring that flavor back to the ice. … Read more
Once again, Michigan tops the preseason coaches and media CCHA polls, and the Wolverines are right behind the defending national champion Minnesota Golden Gophers in the USCHO Men’s Division I preseason poll. Michigan’s 2003-04 senior class has never seen a season end prior to the Frozen Four, and even though Ferris State sneaked up the … Read more
Ohio State is one of two teams — Alaska-Fairbanks being the other — that returns this year loaded with upperclassmen. Nine seniors will return, and eight of them will play in nearly every game. It’s a position that head coach John Markell relishes. “You want them to lead both on and off the ice. I … Read more
In March, after winning the CCHA 2002-03 regular-season title, the surprising Ferris State Bulldogs lost the Super Six Championship game to the Michigan Wolverines in a 5-3 decision. Assured of an NCAA berth with 31 wins, the Bulldogs were miserable. “We really wanted this,” said FSU head coach Bob Daniels. “For us, the NCAA tournament … Read more
“We are all in a situation where we control our own fates. The answer is simple: win.” So says Walt Kyle, NMU head coach and believer in the league title. In a time when many coaches begin checking their Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) and PairWise Rankings midseason to determine whether or not they may be … Read more
In 2002-03, Bob Daniels took the Ferris State Bulldogs to a place they’d only dreamed about — the top of the CCHA standings. The first 30-win coach in FSU history, Daniels says that things have changed a bit in Big Rapids, Mich., since April. There’s been “a little bit of a raise,” says Daniels, who … Read more
Entering the third season of his second stint as Lake Superior’s head coach, Frank Anzalone is enthusiastic, sincere, and intense. His Lakers, picked last in both the preseason coaches and media polls, are more stable, he says, and that may lead to improvement in this season’s performance. “I think that right now for the first … Read more
The 2002-03 season was something of a disappointment for the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. Picked to finish fifth in both the coaches and media preseason CCHA polls, the Mavs finished 10th and ended their season with two quick losses to Ohio State in the opening round of league playoffs. “Certainly, we underachieved last year tremendously,” says head … Read more
“It’s a huge, huge part of our game, probably a bigger part of hockey than any other sport, that chemistry in the locker room. This is a sport that if you have the right mix of people, you can compete at any level.” Notre Dame head coach Dave Poulin knows this as well as any … Read more
Two seasons ago, Alaska-Fairbanks head coach Guy Gadowsky publicly thanked two beat writers for being the only members of the media not to pick the Nanooks last in the CCHA preseason media poll. This year, UAF is picked ninth by the press, eighth by the coaches, and Gadowsky knows that this represents real progress. “We … Read more
It’s impossible to think of Rick Comley as a sophomore coach. After 26 years behind the bench as Northern Michigan’s first head coach, Comley is seventh on the NCAA’s all-time win list. As he follows in the footsteps of his mentor, the legendary Ron Mason, Comley is poised to add to his own legend at … Read more
As much of a surprise as Yale was last season in finishing third in the ECAC, the Bulldogs remain one of the mysteries of the upcoming 2003-04 campaign. The biggest question is: How will they make up for the loss of Chris Higgins, who left to sign with the Montreal Canadiens? Higgins’ 20 goals and … Read more
The bulk of the team that produced a 25-loss season in 2002-03 returns this season. That’s not exactly a good thing. Granted, the Engineers will look to build off the tough lessons of a year ago, but it’s hard to imagine them making much of a run in the standings. A continuation of Ben Barr’s … Read more
When the Saints decided to begin offering scholarships to recruits a few years ago, it seemed like a step that would position them for long-term success. They enjoyed back-to-back ECAC tournament titles in 2000 and 2001, but are coming off a pair of 21-loss seasons with little hope for a return to glory anytime soon. … Read more
With Brown another up-an-coming program, Roger Grillo has done a fine job assembling talent for a run deep into the postseason. First things first, of course, and that’s challenging for the top of the ECAC. It may sound far-fetched considering the strength of Harvard, Cornell and Dartmouth, but the Bears have the great equalizer … … Read more
They looked unbeatable for most of the season, having lost only five times, while winning 30. They were 19-2-1 in the ECAC and a perfect 15-0-0 at home. They captured their second consecutive ECAC Regular Season title, the Tournament championship and made it to the Frozen Four. All in all, it was very successful season … Read more
When you win only three games almost anything is an improvement. Unless, of course, you manage to win less often. That shouldn’t be an issue, however, for this Princeton squad. The Tigers are far from moving up the standings, but they should manage a few more wins and could be dangerous if taken lightly — … Read more
All signs point to this being the year the Crimson fulfill their potential. This is a loaded team full of veterans, as evidenced by the 16 juniors and seniors that will skate for the club each week. More importantly, though, is that there isn’t a glaring weakness on a team that features a whopping 12 … Read more