Cardinals climb from base camp

Whenever one attempts to ascend the highest of peaks, there is usually an acclimatization period and central staging area commonly referred to as base camp. For Wesleyan coach Chris Potter and all of the seniors who have helped build the program’s success, this year represents yet another assault on the summit that is the NESCAC … Read more

RIT enduring rare tough times, especially at home

Rochester Institute of Technology is in uncharted waters so far this season, off to its worst start since joining Atlantic Hockey in 2006. After a season-opening win at Michigan, RIT has won just one game since (2-7-2) and is 0-3 at home in conference play, the first time the team has lost more than one … Read more

After shutouts, Rensselaer takes a step in the right direction

In its first games since Adam Oates’ induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Rensselaer manufactured some of Oates’ (class of ’85) favorite product: offense. On the heels of consecutive shutouts at Dartmouth and Harvard (each 4-0 losses), the Engineers quietly dismissed Atlantic Hockey foe Mercyhurst by 4-2 and 4-1 margins. The victories were RPI’s … Read more

Homegrown talent key to Blugolds’ success

The Wisconsin-Eau Claire men’s hockey team is off to its best start in four years, due in large part to the play of three Eau Claire natives. Senior forward Isaiah Bennis, junior defenseman David Donnellan, and senior forward Andrew McCabe have all stepped up to lead the Blugolds to a 6-0 start. Wis.-Eau Claire is … Read more

Middling teams battle it out

  No win comes easily for building teams. With a slowing of the action due to the Four Nations Cup, only four games were played in Minnesota last weekend. I was able to catch the front end of a series bringing Maine to Bemidji State, as well as game two of Lindenwood visiting St. Cloud … Read more

Offense keys resurgence at St. Mary’s

St. Mary’s was down and out a year ago. The Cardinals won just five games, including only two in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. No wonder they were picked to finish last in the preseason conference poll. The thing is, St. Mary’s has looked nothing like a last-place team lately. It has won three consecutive … Read more

Lockhurst leading the way at Brockport

Anyone who wants to describe the term “textbook goaltender” is probably talking about some fantasy tale. There are as many ways to play the net as there are those willing to fill it, which is to say, “If it feels good, do it.” Or maybe, “Don’t mess with success,” which is the story being crafted … Read more

New coach, same expectations at Amherst

When Amherst hits the ice this weekend to open up its 2012-13 season with a home-and-home against Hamilton, the Lord Jeffs will be doing so without the signature fedora hat donned by Jim Plumer. Over the last nine seasons, Plumer took the Amherst women’s hockey program from a below .500 team to a national powerhouse, … Read more

Plymouth State looking to build on success

The Plymouth State Panthers put themselves on the hockey map after winning the 2011-12 MASCAC championship, which also helped secure a first-ever trip to the NCAA D-III tournament. Opponents are now taking a closer look at the Panthers when the program pops up on their schedule. However, it is not just other teams that are … Read more

Concordia’s young team is fighting to compete

For the past three seasons, the Concordia Falcons were at the bottom of the conference, unable to get more than two wins in any of those seasons. That all turned around last spring when the team began its first step in a complete overhaul. Last March, Jasen Wise was hired as the new head coach, … Read more

Fleming takes charge of Manhattanville crease

Brian Fleming could tell you what watching and waiting is like. The Manhattanville College sophomore goaltender spent last season observing former Valiants netminder Pierre Olivier-Lemieux start all but three games during the 2011-12 campaign. This year though, the workhorse from Quebec wasn’t between the Manhattanville pipes to start a season for the first time since … Read more

New players key turnaround at Suffolk

Chris Glionna speaks with tremendous pride and passion when he talks about taking part in the evolution of freshmen, not only as athletes, but as students as well. That’s a good thing, especially this season, considering he has 15 of them on his roster. After a season to forget last year, when Suffolk stumbled to … Read more

OJT for young Beacons

Just three games into the 2012-13 campaign and already the Massachusetts-Boston Beacons have seen a lot of different situations to chalk-up as learning experiences. With 13 freshmen on the roster, everything is new at the college hockey level, and at 2-1-0 entering this weekend, coach peter Belisle likes a lot of what he has seen … Read more

Hockey, family, school make for a balancing act for Bemidji State’s Wacker

Playing college hockey is challenging enough. Factor in a wife, Jyllisa, and their daughter, Raya, who is in kindergarten, and 5-foot-7 Bemidji State defenseman Brady Wacker’s contributions on the ice and success in the classroom are all the more impressive. The 24-year-old business major from Jansen, Saskatchewan, is a WCHA Scholar Athlete and one of … Read more

Atlantic Hockey talking with four schools interested in joining, commissioner says

Atlantic Hockey commissioner Bob DeGregorio is comfortable with an 11-team conference if it comes to that, but he would like to see a full complement of 12 schools after Connecticut departs for Hockey East after the 2013-14 season. DeGregorio said the league is currently in contact with four schools that have expressed a recent interest … Read more

Notre Dame gives Hockey East a taste of what’s to come

Hockey East fans who were at Kelley Rink last Friday night got a glimpse of just how great it may be to have Notre Dame in the league beginning next year. The Fighting Irish, from the opening faceoff, went toe-to-toe with No. 1 Boston College, finally falling 3-1. Fans were treated to some back-and-forth action … Read more