As I await the Snows of Doom ™ here in Flint, Mich., a few things – some random, some not so – pop out at me from this past weekend’s CCHA action. Worthy efforts in losing games Spartan Drew Palmisano’s 27-save performance in a 2-1 loss to Ferris State Thursday night. Wolverine Shawn Hunwick’s 28-save … Read more
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the CCHA this season, it’s that league play in any given weekend is unpredictable. This week, no one knows that better than I. Last week: 2-5-2 (.333) Season to date: 85-53-25 (.598) Ouch. I knew the Lakers and Falcons would split, but I thought each team would win … Read more
What a week. Rick Comley announces his retirement at the end of the season, Jim Roque is fined on top of his one-game suspension from last weekend. And I am barely above .500. Last week: 5-3-2 (.600) Season to date: 83-48-23 (.614) Here are my picks for games this week. I did not pick for … Read more
Well, I suppose I knew this was coming. I guess I’m just a little surprised that it’s happening now. Michigan State is 10-12-4 this season. Last year, the Spartans finished second in the CCHA with an overall record of 19-13-6, but their season ended when they were swept in two games at home in the … Read more
Goaltending in the CCHA and college hockey in general fascinates me this year. Twenty-two goaltenders, nationally, enter this weekend’s play with save percentages of .920 or higher. Granted, that number is inflated by three goalies who haven’t seen significant time this season. At the end of then 2009-10 season, however, only nine goalies nationwide had … Read more
This is a season through the looking glass, isn’t it? I’ve been saying all along that Michigan State doesn’t look like a second-to-last place team. It’s hard to argue against parity when the 10th-place team beats the ranked third-place team and the seventh-place team knocks the first-place team out of the top spot, in the … Read more
Another weekend slightly above .500. I should be grateful. Why don’t I feel grateful? Last week: 5-3-2 (.600) Season to date: 78-45-21 (.615) Here are my picks for games this week. There’s a full slate of CCHA play. Bowling Green is the team on the sidelines this weekend. All games are Friday-Saturday. Start times are … Read more
As the second half of the season begins to simmer and the nature of the league’s real parity begins to emerge, I found the reactions to last weekend’s games especially interesting. My favorite quote isn’t from a player or coach, but from an impassioned sports writer at Western Michigan University’s student paper. Here is some … Read more
Given the state of college hockey this season, perhaps I should be grateful for any week I pick that’s over .500. Last week: 5-3-2 Season to date: 78-45-21 No. 8 Notre Dame remains in first place in the CCHA by a point because of a split with No. 20 Alaska and No. 7 Michigan’s sweep … Read more
Nothing like a weekend slightly above .500. Given the nature of the CCHA, my success rate from last week may be as good as it gets for me from here on out. Last week: 5-4-1 (.550) Season to date: 73-42-19 (.616) Here are my picks for games this week. There’s a full slate of CCHA … Read more
The new year is here and I already feel as though I’m behind. With Mott’s semester ending Dec. 22, the very quick holiday break – and delightful stay at Hacienda Weston in frigid (no kidding) Florida – and the quick return to classes at MCC, there have been a few things that I’ve missed in … Read more
Now that was a weekend of CCHA hockey. Two intense rivalries, four definitive series. Ohio State Arguably the biggest story of the weekend in D-I hockey, period. The Buckeyes swept the RedHawks for the first time since 2004, and in doing so became the first team to shut out Miami since Feb. 27, 2010, when … Read more
Monday’s blog chronicled how the CCHA teams fared during holiday play. For those of you wondering, the Lakers swept their way through Canada, winning all five games they played against Canadian university squads. Their most recent victories were a 3-0 win over Ryerson (Jan. 5) and a 3-1 win over York (Jan. 6). How did … Read more
Forget resolutions. Chronicling what a team should resolve to do or not to do is a popular thing for writers to present at this time of year, but I just don’t care. We’ve watched the CCHA and college hockey for half a season, and by now every fan’s an expert in what needs to be … Read more
Happy 2011! If you had a break from work, I hope it was restful. If you celebrated anything, I hope that was enjoyable. Two teams in the CCHA are entering the first week of 2011 and the second half of the season with something to celebrate, and one of them blows my little mind. Congratulations … Read more
Happy holidays and welcome back to college hockey action. If you celebrated Christmas, I hope you laughed as much as I did with my family in Florida. If you’re stranded somewhere because of the storm on the East coast, I hope you’re safe and warm and have access to both the Internet and the NHL … Read more
Two Wolverines will miss the Great Lakes Invitational Tournament because they’ll be representing the U.S. in the IIHF World Junior Championship tournament Dec. 26-Jan. 5. Freshman defenseman Jon Merrill (5-7–12) and sophomore forward Chris Brown (2-8–10) are the only players from the CCHA on this year’s roster, which features 14 collegians: seven from the WCHA, … Read more
Christmas came early for the CCHA in the form of three nonconference wins. Northern Michigan beat Michigan Tech, 6-2, and Western Michigan swept No. 12 Union, 2-1 and 3-1. The Wildcats netted four second-period goals in their win, two from sophomore defenseman Wade Epp, his first two collegiate tallies. Epp told USCHO arena reporter Daver … Read more
What struck me this week in the CCHA was the minutiae, the things that don’t draw a lot of attention but that matter in small ways. Perhaps it’s a Big Chill hangover – so much of it seemed ridiculous and overblown to me – but I found hockey beauty in the little things last weekend. … Read more
Thank you Nanooks and Bulldogs. Thank you. While I realize that neither of you is entirely pleased with last weekend’s split, you did win on the nights that I picked for each of you to win. Two other series split with each team winning on nights opposite of my picks for their wins. You’d think … Read more