This Week in … columns; weekly columns on a league, region or gender-division
Army finished last season 4-23-7, including 3-19-5 in Atlantic Hockey, averaging only 1.91 goals a game in the process. This season the Black Knights are off to a much-improved 2-3-1 start, averaging 3.33 goals scored per game. “It’s early, but it’s encouraging,” said Army coach Brian Riley, who recorded his 100th career victory last Saturday … Read more
We’re about a month into the Hockey East season, which means that new league coordinator of officials Dan Schachte has had equally as much time to evaluate the league. And while he certainly likes what he sees from his crew of officials, saying he “couldn’t be happier with what these guys bring” to the table, … Read more
This weekend, Western Michigan opens its CCHA season and defense of the Mason Cup against Notre Dame. Even though the Broncos are 3-1 in nonconference play, second-year coach Andy Murray isn’t sure yet of what this year’s team can do. “I really don’t know,” Murray said. “I think we need to play some games within … Read more
It will go down as a tie in the record books, but last Friday’s opener against Yale in the Ivy Shootout has to be satisfying for Dartmouth. The Big Green advanced to the championship game via shootout, snapping a 10-game skid against the Bulldogs dating to 2008. Dartmouth won Saturday’s game against Brown to take … Read more
For the third consecutive year, Kreitzberg Arena in Northfield, Vt., is the place to be the last weekend in October for Division III women’s college hockey, as Norwich University hosts the annual East/West Hockey Classic. In just three years, the East/West Hockey Classic has established itself as one of the premier, if not the best, … Read more
Over the years, many talented players have skated for the Mercyhurst Lakers, particularly at the forward spot. Teresa Marchese, Samantha Shirley, Julia Colizza, Stefanie Bourbeau, Valerie Chouinard, Meghan Agosta, Vicki Bendus, Jesse Scanzano, Bailey Bram, Kelly Steadman — the list goes on. Of that group, only three were able to reach 100 points by the … Read more
There was much hand-wringing by the North Dakota faithful in fan forums following last Saturday’s 2-1 loss to host Alaska in the championship game of the Brice Alaska Gold Rush. It is rather silly, even if the Nanooks are picked to finish last in the CCHA. If anything, the suspensions and injuries (seven Friday, six … Read more
Air Force usually plays state rivals Colorado College and Denver around the midpoint of the season, a good gut-check for the Falcons, who have won their share of those contests and built on them going into the Atlantic Hockey stretch run. This season, because of scheduling necessity, the games were played early in the season … Read more
We’re a few weeks into the season and there’s only one Hockey East team that remains undefeated and untied: New Hampshire. Its three wins are a far cry from last year when the Wildcats buried themselves with a poor start that began with four losses and extended for much of the first half. “It feels … Read more
That sophomore slump? You’d better believe it. Last season, Notre Dame finished tied with Ohio State for eighth place in the CCHA, one year after taking a team laden with a dozen freshmen to the Frozen Four. The Fighting Irish began the first half of 2011-12 with shaky goaltending; the second half of the season … Read more
No one’s sewing Frozen Four patches onto their sweaters yet, but solid starts out of St. Lawrence and Quinnipiac have the respective regions rumbling for more. Each squad is exhibiting a new twist or two this year. Let’s start with the Skating Saints and first-year head coach Greg Carvel. No cupcakes for hungry Saints “I … Read more
No team has been better over the last couple of seasons than the Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin dominated the top spot of all polls and rankings on its way to reaching the NCAA title game in both 2011 and 2012, winning the former to take its fourth NCAA crown before falling a couple of goals short … Read more
As mentioned in Monday’s recap of the first full weekend of play for Atlantic Hockey teams, there was marked improvement for the league, going 4-8-2 in non-conference play compared to 1-14 last season (with that one win coming in a non-conference matchup between two AHA teams). All the games were on the road or at … Read more
WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod left Alabama-Huntsville last weekend with a clearer picture of the commitment made to its team. The independent program, now coached by Kurt Kleinendorst, added a full-time assistant coach, a hockey-only equipment manager and a director of hockey operations recently. The Von Braun Center, the Chargers’ home rink, also underwent considerable renovations. … Read more
I wasn’t even able to write my first column of the season before the league proved once again parity will be its middle name. Whether it be Northeastern’s upset of No. 1 Boston College, last-year’s cellar dweller Vermont’s ability to grab a road tie with No. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell or New Hampshire’s early season sweep of … Read more
Earning a win and a tie against last year’s national runner-up will certainly open some eyes. But Rensselaer coach Seth Appert is more pleased with the way his team played against Ferris State as opposed to the final scores, a 3-1 win and a 2-2 tie against the Bulldogs at Houston Field House last weekend. … Read more
Thank you, Notre Dame. Thank you, Miami. Thank you, Northern Michigan. I know you three programs didn’t win this past weekend to make this girl reporter happy — Walt Kyle told me as much — but the sweeps of Colgate and Wisconsin along with the Icebreaker title helped to soften the blow of writing this … Read more
The Colgate Raiders begin their 12th season as a member of ECAC Hockey, the previous 10 with Scott Wiley as head coach. Under Wiley, the Raiders performed at a fairly consistent level, always managing double-digit wins. In Wiley’s first eight seasons, Colgate qualified for the postseason every year, finishing as high as fifth in the … Read more
The Hockey East season is down to three games that will decide the league playoff champion. Jim Connelly has a preview and a look at his selections for league awards in This Week in Hockey East.
Michigan Tech and St. Cloud State may be underdogs in the quarterfinals, but they haven’t been pushovers against their opponents. Tyler Buckentine and Brian Halverson preview the WCHA Final Five in This Week in the WCHA.