Wednesday Women: Inside tracks

Gracen Hirschy of North Dakota (Tim Brule)

Candace and Arlan ponder whether new top 10 team Princeton can return to the NCAA tournament, what North Dakota’s win over Minnesota means, Wisconsin’s defense, whether anyone in Hockey East can push Boston College and Northeastern, and the Four Nations Cup.

Wednesday Women: Searching for Answers

Jenna Dingeldein of Mercyhurst (Tim Brule)

Traditional powers like Mercyhurst and Boston University are struggling after one month, Cornell and Harvard are winless after one weekend CHA teams are heading toward mediocrity, several squads are trying to figure out their goaltending, and the second tier of the WCHA is in a battle. Candace and Arlan look at teams searching for answers.

Wednesday Women: State of Defense

Denisa Křížová of Northeastern (Northeastern Athletics)

Candace and Arlan ponder the state of defense and goaltending on some teams, compare this year’s iteration of Clarkson with the championship team of two years ago, wonder about Boston College’s offense, who has the inside track in the CHA, and look at Bemidji State and North Dakota.

Hamlen putting pieces in place at first-year Merrimack

The chorus of the Imagine Dragons song “Warriors” contains the line, “We are the warriors that built this town from dust.” While things aren’t quite as bleak as all that at Merrimack — there was an entire college campus and a perfectly good arena with an ice sheet and everything so nobody had to skate … Read more

Merrimack looks to gel in first season

Merrimack Warriors USCHO prediction: Ninth Coaches’ prediction: Ninth Last season: This is Merrimack’s first season as a varsity program The names Merrimack becomes the latest school to join the list of full-time Division I programs, bringing the number to 35. “I had a lot of conversations with different coaches that have started programs, including BU … Read more

Young team at Providence looks to men’s squad as inspiration

Providence Friars USCHO prediction: Eighth Coaches’ prediction: Eighth Last season: Eighth (6-25-4, 5-15-1 Hockey East) The names Last year, I didn’t have much confidence in Providence, having failed miserably in picking them to finish an overly-optimistic second in 2014, so I slotted the Friars seventh. Even that proved to be too high. “Last year was … Read more

New Hampshire looks to freshmen, new culture

New Hampshire Wildcats USCHO prediction: Seventh Coaches’ prediction: Sixth Last season: Sixth (10-23-3, 6-13-2 Hockey East) The names A lot of teams start the season with similar goals, but this year, only New Hampshire knows that it will be hosting the Frozen Four. “I think there’s a lot of reasons to be excited about the … Read more

Loss of proven performers challenges Vermont

Vermont Catamounts USCHO prediction: Sixth Coaches’ prediction: Seventh Last season: Seventh (15-19-2, 6-14-1 Hockey East) The names “We’re still in the building process here, and I think in a lot of ways, we had high expectations for last year and coming off our record-breaking season the prior year,” coach Jim Plumer said. “It’s difficult to … Read more

Defensively strong Connecticut looks to build on semifinal appearance

Connecticut Huskies USCHO prediction: Fifth Coaches’ prediction: Fifth Last season: Fifth (11-18-8, 5-11-5 Hockey East) The names Connecticut closed the regular-season with a sweep at Maine, and then the Huskies reprised that performance in a Hockey East quarterfinal. “It was a nice run at the end, advancing in the playoffs,” coach Chris MacKenzie said. “People … Read more

Maine looks to build on heartbreaking loss

Maine Black Bears USCHO prediction: Fourth Coaches’ prediction: Fourth Last season: Fourth (10-20-3, 9-11-1 Hockey East) The names Both the league coaches and I underestimated Maine last year. The Black Bears may fail to reach the fourth spot, but it won’t be for lack of effort. “I think for the coaching staff, it was a … Read more

Terriers still strong without Poulin

Boston University Terriers USCHO prediction: Second Coaches’ prediction: Second Last season: Second (25-9-3, 15-5-1 Hockey East) The names Marie-Philip Poulin is gone and is impossible to replace in the short term, so a team has to find other recipes for winning hockey games without her. Minus her firepower, one approach would be to find ways … Read more

High-powered offense should put BC on top again

Boston College Eagles USCHO prediction: First Coaches’ prediction: First Last season: First (34-3-2, 20-0-1 Hockey East) The names Not long ago, Boston College had never won the Hockey East season trophy. Now it has claimed two straight and is a huge favorite to make it three in a row. To some extent, the Eagles are … Read more

New Hampshire promotes Jones to women’s associate head coach

New Hampshire announced Tuesday that Stephanie Jones has been promoted to women’s associate head coach for the upcoming 2015-16 season, her 10th season with the program in a coaching capacity. Jones, a 2005 UNH graduate, joined the New Hampshire coaching staff as an assistant coach in the 2006-07 season and retained that position until assuming … Read more

Former assistant Berman named interim head coach for Massachusetts-Boston women

Massachusetts-Boston has named Lindsay Berman the interim women’s coach. Berman replaces Colleen Harris, who stepped down earlier this summer due to “health reasons.” “Lindsay Berman spent time on our coaching staff in the past, and she worked extremely hard for us,” said UMB vice chancellor for athletics and recreation, special projects and programs Charlie Titus … Read more

Former Connecticut women’s player Godin sues coach MacKenzie, alleging hazing, bullying

According to a published report in the Hartford Courant, former Connecticut women’s player Shannon Godin has sued coach Chris MacKenzie, accusing him of “allowing hazing, talking about his European-style underwear and being a bully.” MacKenzie is entering his third season with the Huskies and declined comment to the Courant through a university spokesman. Godin is … Read more