Season previews for teams
Attention, Minnesota-Duluth defensemen. Your coach will be watching you closely this season. Scott Sandelin missed working with blueliners, something he did regularly when he was an assistant coach at North Dakota. When Mark Strobel, who worked with the UMD defensemen, left Sandelin’s coaching staff for Nebraska-Omaha, it gave the third-year head coach his opportunity. So … Read more
Last season left the Colorado College Tigers with a wealth of things to ponder over the summer. How did they get off to such a bad start? Why could they score eight goals one night and struggle to put in a couple the next? And the biggest: Is it going to be the same way … Read more
Wisconsin fans with a sense of history may tell you the last time the Badgers had a coaching change, the new coach won the national title in his first season. Reality will tell you Ronald Reagan isn’t in the White House, new episodes of M*A*S*H aren’t being produced and this isn’t a spinoff of the … Read more
Zach Parise is good. Really good. Maybe that’s even underselling one of the most anticipated incoming freshmen in years. He’ll get his share of goals, do his share to help the North Dakota offense and maybe even be the WCHA’s rookie of the year. But, at last report, he can’t play goaltender. He’s not going … Read more
A year’s worth of great tactical preparation, following the course that was expected and, sure, a little bit of luck came crashing down in one period in April. Everything had gone as planned. Two titles and a bye. Everything they had hoped for. Gone in 20 minutes. NCAA hockey is cruel. But the Denver Pioneers … Read more
Maybe getting to the WCHA Final Five in its first season as a full member of the league wasn’t the best thing that could have happened to Minnesota State-Mankato. The expectation was, if the Mavericks could be that good in their first season in the league, they’d always be that good. What many people didn’t … Read more
Though sporting a new mascot, the Quinnipiac Bobcats are likely to worry about an old-time sports problem: the sophomore slump. It was just a year ago that Quinnipiac entered the season with a rookie-filled lineup but shocked the league and the nation when the young class gelled late and carried the club to the MAAC … Read more
As the youth movement rips across the MAAC, one coach isn’t overly thrilled. And Canisius coach Brian Cavanaugh won’t pull any punches when he tell you. “We’re a young team,” Cavanaugh said very matter-of-factly. “We graduated pretty much all the name players that people are familiar with and gave us a lot of wins and … Read more
Mercyhurst’s Rick Gotkin got a surprise a week or so ago when he saw the league’s coaches’ poll. His team was once again listed first. “I thought that Quinnipiac, because they were the defending champions and they returned so much, that they’d be favorite,” said Gotkin. Somehow, the other coaches in the league disagreed. “I’m … Read more
A season ago, Holy Cross shocked much of the hockey world by finishing tied for third place, just one season removed from missing the MAAC playoffs entirely. Though eyes were opened by a team that scored at will, particularly on the power play, and shut down opponents with what once was considered a nonexistent defense, … Read more
Shaun Hannah has always been one of the calmest-looking coaches in the MAAC. Though young in age (replaced as the league’s youngest coach this year by Bentley’s Ryan Soderquist), Hannah’s composure has always been his trademark. But talk to Hannah as this season approaches and it’s almost impossible for him to contain his enthusiasm. “Looking … Read more
It seems that whatever question you ask American International coach Gary Wright these days, you get the game answer. What aspect of AIC’s game most needs improvement? “Goal-scoring.” What will it take to get out of the nine through 11 spots and make the playoffs? “Goal-scoring.” Can AIC be effective from the beginning of the … Read more
After a last-place finish in the MAAC for two consecutive seasons, Bentley needed one thing more than anything else: a fresh start. And though you can look to the cliche that every team begins the year with a clean slate, the Falcons knew after last season they needed a little more than that. soderquist Thus, … Read more
The 2001-02 season ended with both a flourish and a whimper for Connecticut. After winning an unlikely game at Holy Cross on a last-minute goal to advance to the MAAC final four for the third time in four years, the Huskies were shut out by Mercyhurst in the league semifinals. But though that was likely … Read more
When the MAAC began four years ago, Iona came into the league with diminutive expectations. The club was winless in the season prior, so head coach Frank Bretti did what he felt was necessary: clean house. As a result, the recruiting class of the 1998-99 season became essentially a new team: 18 freshmen. Attrition claimed … Read more
If a year can be dubbed important to the success of a veteran Army program, it is the present one. A club that showed plenty of bright lights a season ago, the Black Knights will have a little extra to play for this upcoming season — home ice in the playoffs. Though Army has never … Read more
Entering its fifth season, the MAAC looks to improve its national profile with aggressive nonconference scheduling. Foremost in carrying the banner for the league will be defending regular-season champion Mercyhurst and 2002 NCAA entrant Quinnipiac. Jim Connelly previews the new year.
The Wonderland of Ice arena in Bridgeport, Conn., isn’t the greatest of buildings for a college hockey team to call home. It’s a bit dark and plenty dingy, and in the last few years even had poor enough ice to halt a college game played there. Maybe that’s part of the reason that Fairfield had … Read more
The CHA takes its place alongside its five Division I brethren this year. With the advent of an NCAA autobid for the conference tournament champion, conference members now have something to play for on a national level, and don’t think they don’t know it. Geof F. Morris previews 2002-03.
Brockport had a season last year that Brian Dickinson would just as soon forget. “We were in such disarray with attitude problems. Last year was not what our coaching philosophy is about,” said the sixth-year coach. On top of that, a number of injuries depleted the Brockport roster, and still other players left the team … Read more