Season previews for teams
As the 2002-03 season begins, there are two things you should know about Laker hockey: Frank Anzalone is in charge, and Matt Violin is for real. When Anzalone returned to Lake State, several players found the atmosphere suddenly inhospitable — which was just fine with Anzalone, who did some housecleaning of his own. “I think … Read more
At a school where Touchdown Jesus shines His blessings upon the football faithful, it’s time Notre Dame hockey fans were rewarded for their loyalty as well. And after years of saying that the Irish hockey program is on the verge of arriving, the Notre Dame coaching staff may just be telling the truth this season. … Read more
After last year’s end-of-the-season run, many wonder what other tricks are in the Crimson’s back pocket? A mediocre regular season was followed by one heart-stopping show after another as Harvard battled and fought its way back to the NCAA tournament — a place where they enjoyed so much success during the late ’80s and early … Read more
Last year the Tigers needed a strong end-of-the-season surge to earn a berth in the ECAC playoffs. Once there, the toll of the late-season run — including victories in four of the last five regular-season games — came back to haunt the Orange and Black, who were easily downed easily by Rensselaer in the first … Read more
The Bulldogs were heavy underdogs when they gave Cornell — the ECAC regular-season champions — everything they could handle in the first round of the ECAC playoffs last year. Dan Lombard stopped 45 shots in that series, while Chris Higgins netted his team-leading 14th goal of the season. Higgins The good news is that Higgins … Read more
Roger Grillo is entering his sixth year as head coach of Brown. With a contract extension in hand and the go-ahead to build a program for years to come, Grillo is ready to embrace the new role that his team has been earning over the past two years. “The expectations are higher. I think that’s … Read more
Many have waited with bated breath for the Big Green’s big breakthrough. Over the past four years, talk has been of the program’s turnaround and head coach Bob Gaudet’s recruiting prowess. But after finishing last season just over the .500 mark in league play and then losing to Rensselaer in the play-in game in Lake … Read more
The Union Skating Dutchmen were in great shape as February started. They were sitting pretty for home ice for the ECAC playoffs and on — sort of — a roll. Five weekends later, the Dutchmen had broken hearts, one point shy of making the playoffs at all. Part of the irony is that in the … Read more
The Saints went into last season as the two-time defending ECAC champions, but with heavy graduation losses few expected the Saints to repeat. Indeed, St. Lawrence went through a tough year and finished in a tie for ninth. Key differences from the previous year: a scoring dropoff of just about a goal per game, a … Read more
Judging from preseason media releases, the Catamounts are focusing on the future. There is no rehash of the past two seasons, nor an analysis of why the former ECAC regular-season champions won only three games last year. Instead, there is talk of a strong nonconference schedule, a solid returning crew and a promising group of … Read more
It was a tale of two seasons for the Rensselaer Engineers in 2001-2002. Towards the end of January, the Engineers were in last place in the ECAC, sparking questions about the state of the program. But at the end of the season, the Engineers had reached 20 wins, finished third in the ECAC tournament, and … Read more
The Golden Knights of Clarkson are where they usually are at the beginning of the season — among the league’s best in the polls. This season the Knights are ranked third by both the coaches and the media. With 19 lettermen returning to a team that finished second last season, at full health and strength, … Read more
Everything old is new again — not least in the ECAC, where a new playoff system and some new scheduling issues mesh with the same old down-to-the-wire mentality in Division I’s most unpredictable league. Jayson Moy and Becky Blaeser preview the season.
Head coach Don Vaughan prepared himself last season. He had 10 freshmen and six sophomores, and the year didn’t start very well. The Raiders went 3-11 before gaining an overtime win at Iona the first weekend of January. Then, things started to turn around. After losing twice to Cornell, the Raiders went on a 6-0-2 … Read more
The Big Red came oh-so-close to advancing to the Frozen Four last season. A furious comeback against New Hampshire fell just short, but this season brings the same determination. The team that went to the quarterfinals returns 14 players, including its top five scorers. That brings expectations to Mike Schafer’s squad this season. “We had … Read more
College hockey in Houghton, Mich., might be entering a critical stage. Michigan Tech, mired in a long stretch of disappointing seasons, knows it can’t afford to lose the support of its students, its fans and its community. As the Huskies have found in the last few seasons, losses have a way of multiplying. To avoid … Read more
Denver or Minnesota? The USCHO.com preseason poll voters see it one way, the WCHA coaches another — perhaps with good reason. Todd D. Milewski previews the Pioneers and Gophers, not to mention the Tigers, Sioux, Huskies (both of them) and the rest of the conference.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither, surely, was Anchorage. But today, immediate results are a desire, if not a demand, especially in the sports world. The long, slow rebuilding process is about as popular as a toll booth. So, as first impressions go, John Hill’s was seemingly right on target. In his debut … Read more
St. Cloud State has been to the NCAA tournament three seasons in a row, but … St. Cloud State has finished second in the WCHA two seasons in a row, but … St. Cloud State has the longest streak of appearances in the Final Five with seven, but … St. Cloud State is starting to … Read more
Funny how the significance of the national championship trophy flips, just as the calendar flips into October. Starting one Saturday night in April and continuing through September, it’s a celebration and a sigh of relief — no use for lingering regrets from the last season. It’s the sign that you’re the tops in college hockey. … Read more