This Week in … columns; weekly columns on a league, region or gender-division
After starting the second half of the season with a three-game win streak, Miami seemed to have come crashing back down to earth Friday night against North Dakota, trailing the Fighting Hawks 3-1 entering the third period. North Dakota hadn’t lost a game it was leading entering the third period since 2013, a streak of … Read more
Here we are in mid-January, and the hottest Big Ten match of the weekend is between No. 1 Penn State and No. 13 Ohio State. Let that sink in for a second. Along with the Nittany Lions and the Buckeyes, Minnesota is among the top 20 teams in the nation, ranked No. 7 this week. … Read more
Every program feels the pressure to win. Every player is hoping to be a national champion. Few programs have the urgency to win right now that Adrian does. Two seasons ago, they went undefeated in regular season conference play. They set a record for the longest unbeaten streak. They held opponents to just 33 goals … Read more
In looking only at the results, Michigan’s first half of the season can only be described as ho-hum. With a few exceptions, if the Wolverines played two games in one weekend, chances are they won one and lost the other. “The Friday game has been a bugaboo for us,” head coach Red Berenson said. “We’ve … Read more
Taking over a program, installing your systems, and creating a new culture take time. St. Cloud State coach Eric Rud has patience. And the work he and his team have put in since he took over as head coach before the 2014-15 season is starting to show results. Despite heading into the winter break on … Read more
The North Dakota-Omaha rivalry isn’t exactly as old as time. The teams’ first meeting came in November of 2010, during their first season together in the WCHA. The series quickly picked up steam, though, and has been known over the last six-plus years for tight, entertaining games. Imagine, then, a two-game set in which one … Read more
Ask Bob Kinne if there is anything special he does on the ice that makes him such a great scorer and you will quickly discover the answer is no. “It’s just about being at the right place at the right time,” said Kinne, the leader in points for the Saint Mary’s Cardinals. “I do whatever … Read more
Last season saw the Hamilton Continentals playing some of their best hockey of the season in the month of January, where they went 8-1-1 and had an 11-game unbeaten streak stretching back into December. February was not that successful, as the team finished 1-4-2 over their final seven games and saw a first-round exit from … Read more
With the new 2017 calendars ripped open and on display, Michigan Tech finds itself in an enviable position — second place in the WCHA with 36 points. Plus, they have four games in-hand over first-place Bemidji State. Still, if given a hypothetical choice to switch bodies with the Beavers, Tech coach Mel Pearson knows which … Read more
Before the season started, Air Force coach Frank Serratore told me that this year’s team may be the deepest he’s had in his 20 years behind the Falcons’ bench. It looks like he was right. Despite a rash of injuries, Air Force swept Mercyhurst last weekend to move into first place in Atlantic Hockey, holding … Read more
It was a homecoming for Union’s Mike Vecchione last Thursday when the Dutchmen traveled to Boston to take on Boston University. The 23-year-old, who hails from nearby Saugus, Mass., has been leading the Dutchmen in scoring 18 goals and 21 assists and his linemates Spencer Foo and Sebastian Vidmar have been the offensive catalysts this … Read more
For American hockey fans, last Thursday night was a very special one. A group of 23 players under the age of 20 – with 20 of them coming from U.S. college hockey – withstood a tournament filled with future NHL talents and brought home the gold medal from the World Junior Championship. For Hockey East, … Read more
Marc Michaelis finished 2016 with a bang. The Minnesota State freshman forward had 12 points in six December games. Was named the WCHA rookie of the month and grabbed national honors when he was named the Hockey Commissioners Association Division I College Hockey Rookie of the Month. In 2016’s final month the freshman from Mannheim, … Read more
The increased depth and parity in women’s hockey — especially in the NCAA — can be a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, there are more talented players available for a wider array of teams and, as Clarkson proved in 2014, the National Championship can be won by any team, from any … Read more
“A single snowflake does not make a blizzard,” stated Southern New Hampshire head coach Ken Hutchins. “That is a quote from ‘Snooks’ Kelley back in the 1950s, and it is our motto for the second half coming up where we are not taking anything for granted after a good first half.” A good first half … Read more
With a second-place finish last season and third-place finishes each of the two seasons before that, Wisconsin-River Falls has established itself as the program to beat from the west. Despite the fact that their conference (WIAC) does not receive an autobid to the NCAA tournament, the Falcons have earned themselves a spot each of the … Read more
Mac Jansen is in the midst of a breakout season at Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and is actually the leading goal scorer in the WIAC. Talent has something to do with it. So does timing. “It’s just about being at the right place at the right time,” Jansen said. “I’m having a lot of success and credit … Read more
Harvard’s last two seasons haven’t been lacking for accolades, as the Crimson made two NCAA tournament appearances, won a league championship, and had the ECAC’s first Hobey Baker winner since 1989. But this year appears to be building towards something bigger for the Crimson, who is currently tied for fourth in the PairWise. “I thought … Read more
For college hockey, holiday time is usually something of a cut scene. Conference regular seasons, most of which are starting to kick into gear, abruptly stop, allowing coaches, players, fans, and even us journalists a chance to catch our respective breath. It allows for the time-honored holiday tournament tradition and an opportunity for teams of … Read more
Starting the second half playing Merrimack in the Florida College Hockey Classic, there wasn’t much reason to think Colorado College could have success. The team was near the bottom of the country in power play, penalty kill and team defense, and had only won three games in the first half of the season. Instead, the … Read more