Season previews for teams
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
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