Category Archives: WCHA News

Hoof Beats: Ref’s-eye view

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During one of UAH’s games in Fairbanks against the Alaska Nanooks, the referees wore helmet cameras. Below is how the officials saw and heard the game.

While it’s not one of the most fun videos to see if you’re a Charger fan (what with all the Nanook goal scoring), it is interesting to see the game from the referee’s point of view.

In case you missed it: Penalty Box Radio in Nashville was in town to catch the Chargers’ Saturday game against Lake Superior State. They have interviews with Coach Mike Corbett and goal-scorers Jeff Vanderlugt and Matt Salhany.

Save the date: The UAH Hockey Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, June 7 at 1 p.m. at Hampton Cove Golf Club. We’ll pass along further details for this important fundraiser as they become available.

Around the WCHA: If you’ve been following Geof’s WCHA projections, you already know that the race for playoff positioning is fierce.

Ferris State holds a four-point lead atop the standings after a sweep of Alaska-Anchorage at home while second-place Minnesota State was idle. Both teams have clinched the top two seeds with four games to go. Ferris State moved up to No. 4 and Minnesota State enters at No. 19 in this week’s USCHO.com poll.

With Michigan Tech’s home-and-home sweep of rival Northern Michigan, the third-place Huskies have secured a playoff spot as well (they can’t finish lower than eighth). Only seven points separate third from ninth.

Lake Superior State’s sweep of UAH propelled the Lakers into a tie for fifth.

WCHA Standings Conference Overall
GP W L T Pts W L T
y-Ferris State 24 18 4 2 38 23 7 3
y-Minnesota State 24 17 7 0 34 19 13 0
x-Michigan Tech 26 12 10 4 28 14 16 6
Alaska-Anchorage 26 11 11 4 26 15 13 4
Lake Superior State 24 12 12 0 24 16 15 1
Alaska 24 11 11 2 24 14 12 4
Bowling Green 24 10 10 4 24 13 13 6
Bemidji State 24 9 11 4 22 9 16 7
Northern Michigan 24 10 13 1 21 12 18 2
Alabama-Huntsville 24 1 22 1 3 1 32 1

x-Clinched playoff berth.
y-Clinched home ice in first round.

THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA
All times Central.
* WCHA game.

Friday, February 28
* UAH at Bemidji State, 7:37 p.m.
* Bowling Green at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Minnesota State at Lake Superior, 6:37 p.m.
* Ferris State at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.

Saturday, March 1
* UAH at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
* Bowling Green at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Minnesota State at Lake Superior, 6:07 p.m.
* Ferris State at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.

Hoof Beats: Checking on future Chargers

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Last week, we updated you on how some former Chargers are doing in the pros. This week, we’re have some updates on who will be donning the blue and white in the near future.

Max McHugh

Max McHugh signs his national letter of intent to play for UAH in 2014-15 (photo via Twitter).

The early signing period for 2014-15 concluded on November 20. We currently know of one signing.

Max McHugh is a forward for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League. The Edgewood, Wash. native scored 41 goals and 105 points over the last three seasons for the Wenatchee Wild of the North American Hockey League. This season he has five points in 17 games for the Fighting Saints, and helped Dubuque win the bronze medal at the Junior Club World Cup last summer.

UAH has picked up three more verbal commitments:

Josh Kestner, a Huntsville native, is coming to UAH next season. The Huntsville High grad is in his second season with the Sarnia Legionnaires of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. He is currently seventh in the GOJHL with 39 points in 25 games.

Joey Marooney, Cody‘s brother, announced he will join the Chargers in 2015. The Eden Prairie, Minn. native is a forward for Holy Family Catholic High School.

Ivan Bondarenko committed to UAH earlier this month, and is slated to become the Chargers’ first-ever Russian player in 2015. Bondarenko is tearing up the NPHL with the West Sound Warriors, with 15 goals and 17 assists in just 14 games this season.

For more information on UAH’s recruiting, visit the Commitments page. A reminder: The university and the coaching staff cannot officially comment on any player until he has signed an National Letter of Intent, and UAHHockey.com is not affiliated with the university or the coaching staff.

Happy Thanksgiving: In this week’s episode of Tradition Continues, the team would like to pass on their holiday wishes:

Up next: The Chargers make their first of two trips to South Bend, Indiana, this weekend. UAH plays host Notre Dame in the Shillelagh Tournament on Friday at 6:35 p.m. The Chargers play either Northeastern or Western Michigan on Saturday.

A shillelagh is a wooden club or cudgel associated with the Irish. Is that what Notre Dame calls their hockey sticks?

Another shutout for Talbot: Cam Talbot was back in the South on Saturday night, and he earned his second shutout in as many starts. The former Charger and current New York Ranger made 17 stops in a 2-0 victory over the Predators at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The Rangers have won in Talbot’s last five starts.

Final Movember/Nike fundraising reminder: Movember ends Saturday, so please consider donating to the Chargers’ team to help fight prostate cancer.

Also, the UAH hockey Nike gear fundraiser also ends Saturday. A portion of the sales go straight to the UAH hockey program.

Around the WCHA: Ferris State remained undefeated in league play after a sweep of Alaska in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs are 7-0-1 in the WCHA, leading Bemidji State (which split at home with Lake Superior) by four points despite playing two fewer conference games. Bowling Green split with Minnesota State in Mankato to stay in third place with nine points.

Ferris State moved up four spots in this week’s USCHO.com poll to No. 6, and earned a first-place vote. Lake Superior State is the WCHA’s other ranked team, staying at No. 16. In the USA Today/USA Hockey poll, Ferris is ranked seventh.

WCHA Standings Conference Overall
GP W L T Pts W L T
Ferris State 8 7 0 1 15 10 2 1
Bemidji State 10 5 4 1 11 5 7 2
Bowling Green 8 4 3 1 9 6 5 3
Northern Michigan 6 4 2 0 8 6 5 1
Alaska-Anchorage 8 3 3 2 7 6 4 2
Lake Superior State 6 3 3 0 6 7 4 1
Minnesota State 6 3 3 0 6 5 7 0
Michigan Tech 6 2 3 1 5 4 8 2
Alaska 6 2 4 0 4 5 5 2
Alabama-Huntsville 8 0 8 0 0 0 12 0


THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA
All times Central.
* WCHA game.

Friday, November 29
UAH at Notre Dame (Shillelagh Tournament), 6:35 p.m.
* Ferris State at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Bowling Green at Lake Superior State, 6:37 p.m.
* Alaska-Anchorage at Minnesota State, 7:37 p.m.
* Michigan Tech at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.
Miami at Bemidji State, 7:37 p.m.

Saturday, November 30
UAH vs. Northeastern or Western Michigan, 3:05 or 6:35 p.m.
* Ferris State at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Bowling Green at Lake Superior State, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska-Anchorage at Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
* Michigan Tech at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.
Miami at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.

Around the WCHA: Ferris remains undefeated in league play

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Ferris State earned three points at home against Bowling Green and remained undefeated in league play and atop the WCHA standings.

After a win and tie at home against Alaska-Anchorage, Bemidji State jumped ahead of BG and into second place.

UAA is now in fourth place, and there’s a five-way tie for fifth.

Next weekend is the first time this season where all 10 WCHA teams are in conference action. The Chargers visit Northern Michigan, Minnesota State will try to right its ship at Bowling Green, Ferris State hosts Alaska, Lake Superior goes to Bemidji, and Michigan Tech heads north to Anchorage.

Here’s what happened around the WCHA this weekend. UAH lost to No. 3 St. Cloud State in non-conference play, 10-0 and 4-3.

Bowling Green 3, No. 14 Ferris State 3 (OT)
No. 14 Ferris State 4, Bowling Green 2

At Big Rapids, Mich., Ferris State’s Cory Kane scored with nine seconds left in regulation to force a tie Friday. The Bulldogs rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the final two minutes of regulation. Ferris State had another big third period rally on Saturday with three goals, two in the final four minutes.

No. 15 Lake Superior State 5, Michigan Tech 3
Michigan Tech 2, No. 15 Lake Superior State 1

At Houghton, Mich., the Lakers scored three in the second and two in the third Friday to hand Michigan Tech its first loss at home this season. On Saturday, Kevin Kapalka stopped 45 of 47 shots for Lake State, but goals by Alex Petan and Ryan Furne gave the Huskies the split.

Bemidji State 4, Alaska-Anchorage 1
Alaska-Anchorage 4, Bemidji State 4 (OT)

At Bemidji, Minn., the Beavers scored for unanswered goals and Andrew Walsh made 26 saves in Friday’s victory. Scott Allen scored the hat trick Saturday for UAA, and Phillip Marinaccio had two goals for BSU in the draw.

No. 1 Minnesota 4, Minnesota State 1
No. 1 Minnesota 3, Minnesota State 0

At Minneapolis, the Gophers took a 3-0 lead after two periods and cruised to victory on Friday. Michael Shibrowski made 25 saves Saturday to give Minnesota the sweep over the Mavericks.

WCHA Standings Conference Overall
GP W L T Pts W L T
Ferris State 6 5 0 1 10 8 2 1
Bemidji State 8 4 3 1 8 4 6 2
Bowling Green 6 3 2 1 6 5 4 3
Alaska-Anchorage 6 2 3 1 4 5 4 1
Lake Superior State 4 2 2 0 4 6 3 1
Alaska 4 2 2 0 4 5 3 2
Northern Michigan 4 2 2 0 4 4 5 1
Minnesota State 4 2 2 0 4 4 6 0
Michigan Tech 4 2 2 0 4 4 7 1
Alabama-Huntsville 6 0 6 0 0 0 10 0


THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA
All times Central.
* WCHA game.

Friday, November 22
* UAH at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Minnesota State at Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
* Lake Superior State at Bemidji State, 7:37 p.m.
* Michigan Tech at Alaska-Anchorage, 10:07 p.m.

Saturday, November 23
* UAH at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Minnesota State at Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
* Lake Superior State at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
* Michigan Tech at Alaska-Anchorage, 10:07 p.m.

Around the WCHA: Ferris races into first

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Ferris State remained the only WCHA team undefeated in conference play this weekend after a sweep of Bemidji State in its first WCHA series at home.

Meanwhile, preseason league favorite Minnesota State had some struggles but earned a split with a game Bowling Green squad in Mankato.

And Michigan Tech had a nice non-conference sweep at home, taking down Michigan State, while Northern Michigan got a win and a tie at Western Michigan.

The featured showdown this coming weekend is again in Big Rapids, where old CCHA rivals Ferris State (4-0 in conference) and Bowling Green (3-1) will clash for the top spot.

Here’s what happened around the WCHA this weekend. UAH was swept in Anchorage, losing 3-1 and 6-1.

Ferris State 5, Bemidji State 4 (OT)
Ferris State 5, Bemidji State 3

At Big Rapids, Mich., Jason Binkley’s overtime goal Friday gave the home Bulldogs a win against the Beavers. On Saturday, Scott Czarnowczan scored twice as Ferris State built a 4-0 first-period lead and held on to sweep Bemidji and stay undefeated in league play.

Bowling Green 4, Minnesota State 3
Minnesota State 1, Bowling Green 0 (OT)

At Mankato, Minn., Dan DeSalvo and Adam Berkle netted short-handed goals as the Falcons took a road win Friday over the Mavericks. Minnesota State salvaged the split as Johnny McInnis scored the only goal 1:11 into overtime and Cole Huggins had a 33-save shutout.

Lake Superior State 4, Alaska 1
Alaska 3, Lake Superior State 2 (OT)

At Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.,  Alex Globke scored twice Friday as the Lakers won their first-ever WCHA game at home. Globke scored another Saturday, but the Nanooks’ Joey Davis got the game-winner in overtime for the split.

Michigan Tech 3, Michigan State 0
Michigan Tech 3, Michigan State 2 (OT)

At Houghton, Mich., the Huskies stayed perfect home with a sweep of the Big Ten Spartans. Phoenix Copley got the shutout Friday with 19 saves, and Alex Petan scored the game winner at the 3:52 mark of overtime on Saturday.

Northern Michigan 5, Western Michigan 4
Northern Michigan 2, Western Michigan 2

At Kalamazoo, Mich., the Wildcats rallied from a 3-1 first-period deficit and withstood a 45-shot barrage Saturday and beat the NCHC Broncos on the road. On Sunday, Northern rallied from another two-goal deficit for the tie. Stephen Vigier scored his league-leading 10th goal of the season with 2:47 left in regulation.

WCHA Standings Conference Overall
GP W L T Pts W L T
Ferris State 4 4 0 0 8 7 2 0
Bowling Green 4 3 1 0 6 5 3 2
Bemidji State 6 3 3 0 6 3 6 1
Alaska-Anchorage 4 2 2 0 4 5 3 0
Alaska 4 2 2 0 4 5 3 2
Minnesota State 4 2 2 0 4 4 4 0
Northern Michigan 4 2 2 0 4 4 5 1
Lake Superior State 2 1 1 0 2 5 2 1
Michigan Tech 2 1 1 0 2 3 6 1
Alabama-Huntsville 6 0 6 0 0 0 8 0


THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA
All times Central.
* WCHA game.

Friday, November 15
St. Cloud State at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
* Bowling Green at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
* Lake Superior State at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska-Anchorage at Bemidji State, 7:37 p.m.
Minnesota State at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Saturday, November 16
St. Cloud State at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
* Bowling Green at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
* Lake Superior State at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska-Anchorage at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
Minnesota State at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Around the WCHA: The comforts of home

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Last week, the WCHA went a combined 6-11-3 in non-confernece play, with many WCHA teams on the road. This week, with many WCHA teams playing at home, the trend reversed. The WCHA was 11-7-2, including a 8-4-1 mark at home (and two of those losses were by Bemidji State against third-ranked Minnesota, and can’t seem to beat the Gophers anywhere).

On Tuesday, Ferris State won at Mercyhurst 3-2, and Bowling Green rallied from 3-0 down at home to beat Ohio State 4-3.

Here’s what happened around the WCHA this weekend (all series were Friday and Saturday unless otherwise noted). UAH was idle. Next week, conference action begins with the Chargers hosting Bemidji State and Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan playing a home-and-home.

Connecticut at #18 Minnesota State

Minnesota State 2, Connecticut 1: The WCHA favorites got goals from Teddy Blueger amd Dylan Margonari to win a close affair in their home opener. MSU’s Stephon Williams stopped 16 of 17 shots.

Minnesota State 6, Connecticut 1: Six different Mavericks scored in the romp. Casey Nelson, Jordan Nelson, and Bryce Gervais each had a goal and an assist. MSU outshot Uconn 48-17.

No. 3 Minnesota at Bemidji State

Minnesota 6, Bemidji State 3: Large crowd with the Gophers in town for BSU’s home opener, but Minnesota continued its mastery of the Beavers. Sam Warning had a goal and two assists.

Minnesota 5, Bemidji State 1: As in Friday’s game, Bemidji took an early 1-0 lead. But also like Friday, the Gophers caught up and pulled away. Warning scored two more goals as Minnesota is now 16-1-1 all time against the Beavers.

Michigan Tech at No. 4 Notre Dame

Notre Dame 3, Michigan Tech 2: Goals by C.J. Eick and Ryan Furne rallied the Huskies from a 2-0 deficit, but T.J. Tynan scored with 7:01 left as the Fighting Irish avoided the upset in South Bend. Phoenix Copley made 40 saves for MTU.

Notre Dame 7, Michigan Tech 3 (Sunday): Three Irish goals — two on the power play — in a 1:46 span broke a 2-2 tie and doomed Tech in the second period.

Alaska Goal Rush (Fairbanks)

Western Michigan 6, Alaska-Anchorage 2: The Broncos scored twice in each period to hand the Seawolves their first loss. Matt Bailey had both goals for UAA.

Alaska 3, No. 12 Denver 2 (OT): Garrick Perry’s goal with 26 seconds left in overtime gave the Nanooks an upset win at home against the Pioneers. Alaska rallied from a 2-0 deficit.

Alaska-Anchorage 3, No. 12 Denver 2 (OT): The Pios lose another lead and are again stung in overtime, this time by Matt Bailey with 1:15 left.

Alaska 3, Western Michigan 3 (OT): The third overtime game in the Alaska Goal Rush was a back-and-forth affair. Tyler Morley’s goal tied the game for the Nanooks with 1:09 to go, just 32 seconds after the Broncos took a 3-2 lead.

Lake Superior State at No. 16 Union

Lake Superior State 6, Union 5 (OT): Stephen Perfetto’s goal at 1:16 of overtime gave the Lakers a wild road win over the Dutchmen. Perfetto had three assists for a 4-point night.

Lake Superior State 3, Union 2: Union had a 48-17 shots advantage, but Kevin Kapalka’s 46 saves helped the Lakers remain the WCHA’s lone undefeated team.

Colgate at Bowling Green

Bowling Green 1, Colgate 1 (OT): Bryce Williamson scored for the Falcons in the first period, but that was the only time they solved Colgate’s Eric Mihalik, who made 38 saves.

Bowling Green 7, Colgate 0: Ben Murphy and Brent Tate each scored twice as BSGU fired 50 shots on goal against the Raiders. Dan DeSalvo had three assists, the Bryce Williamson had a goal and two assists.

St. Lawrence at Ferris State

St. Lawrence 3, Ferris State 2: The Saints scored three straight goals, including the game winner with 6:24 left, to spoil the Bulldogs’ home opener.

Ferris State 5, St. Lawrence 3: FSU rebounded with five unanswered goals over the second and third periods to erase a 2-0 deficit and gain the series split. The Bulldogs had three power-play goals and C.J. Motte made 31 saves.

Nebraska-Omaha at Northern Michigan

Nebraska-Omaha 2, Northern Michigan 1: Brock Montpetit spoiled NMU’s home opener with the game-winning goal with just under three minutes remaining. Stephan Vigier scored for the Wildcats.

Northern Michigan 6, Nebraska-Omaha 3: NMU scored four times on the power play to rebound and split the series.

WCHA Standings Conference Overall
W L T Pts W L T
Lake Superior State 0 0 0 0 4 0 0
Alaska-Anchorage 0 0 0 0 3 1 0
Alaska 0 0 0 0 2 1 1
Bowling Green 0 0 0 0 2 1 2
Ferris State 0 0 0 0 3 2 0
Minnesota State 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
Northern Michigan 0 0 0 0 1 3 0
Michigan Tech 0 0 0 0 0 2 1
Bemidji State 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
Alabama-Huntsville 0 0 0 0 0 2 0


THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA
All times Central.
* WCHA game.

Friday, October 25
*Bemidji State at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
*Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
Mercyhurst at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.

Saturday, October 26
*Bemidji State at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
*Northern Michigan at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Mercyhurst at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.

Around the WCHA: Getting to know the league

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Mondays throughout the season, we’ll have a recap of what happened throughout the WCHA, and a preview of the week ahead.

Since the only regular-season action involving WCHA teams over the weekend was Ferris State’s split with Colgate (along with a ton of preseason exhibitions), we’re starting with a look at the rest of the WCHA as we start the season.

 

uaf_logo_150Alaska Nanooks

Location: Fairbanks, Alaska

Last season: 17-16-4 overall, 12-13-3 CCHA (6th place). Lost to Michigan State in the  first round of the CCHA Tournament.

Program accomplishments: NCAA Tournament participant in 2010.

Famous alums: Shawn Chambers.

Series with UAH: Alaska leads 12-6-1, with the last meeting coming in the 1992-93 season.

Predicted WCHA finish: 3rd (media), 5th (coaches).

Players to watch: Cody Kunyk, Sr., F (11 G, 17 A, 28 Pts in 2012-13); Colton Parayko, So., D (4 G, 13, A, 17 Pts).

 

uaa_logo_150Alaska Anchorage Seawolves

Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Last season: 4-25-7 overall, 2-20-6 WCHA (12th place). Lost to St. Cloud State in the first round of the WCHA Tournament.

Program accomplishments: NCAA Tournament participant 1990-92.

Famous alums: Mike Peluso.

Series with UAH: Alaska-Anchorage leads 15-2, with the last meeting coming in the 1992-93 season.

Predicted WCHA finish: 9th (media), 9th (coaches)

Players to watch: Blake Thatchell, So., F (9 G, 16 A, 25 Pts in 2012-13); Matt Bailey, Sr., F (7 G, 12 A, 19 Pts).

Side note about the Alaska teams: UAH played both Anchorage and Fairbanks, both home and away, with regularity from 1987-93. Four times the Chargers played both schools twice in a five-day span (a single trip), and in two seasons they traveled to Alaska twice in the same season.

 

bsu_logo_150Bemidji State Beavers

Location: Bemidji, Minnesota

Last season: 6-22-8 overall, 5-16-7 WCHA (11th place). Lost to Minnesota in the first round of the WCHA Tournament.

Program accomplishments: 13 National Championships: 7 NAIA, 5 NCAA Division II, 1 NCAA Division III.

Famous alums: Joel Otto, Matt Read.

Series with UAH: Bemidji State leads 38-28-4. Split four Division II national championship series.

Predicted WCHA finish: 8th (media), 7th (coaches)

Players to watch: Brendan Harms, Fr., F (70 Pts with USHL’s Fargo Force in 2012-13); Matt Prapavessis, Jr., D (2 G, 9 A, 11 Pts).

Side note about Bemidji State: UAH has faced the Beavers 70 times, more than any other opponent thanks to the battles in Division II and the CHA.

 

bgsu_logo_150Bowling Green Falcons

Location: Bowling Green, Ohio

Last season: 15-21-5 overall, 10-15-3 CCHA (9th place). Lost to Notre Dame in the quarterfinals of the CCHA Tournament (defeated Lake Superior State in the first round).

Series with UAH: Bowling Green leads 7-2-1.

Program accomplishments: 1984 National Champions, 9-time NCAA Tournament participant.

Famous alums: Rob Blake, Brian Hollinger (Hobey Baker winner), George McGhee (Hobey Baker winner), Nelson Emerson.

Predicted WCHA finish: 4th (media), 4th (coaches)

Players to watch: Ryan Carpenter, Jr., F (18 G, 15 A, 33 Pts in 2012-13); Mike Sullivan, Jr., D (1 G, 15 A, 16 Pts).

Side note about Bowling Green: Longtime UAH coach Doug Ross was an all-CCHA forward at BGSU, and the late Jim Harris, UAH athletics director, graduated from BGSU. Bowling Green is the closest conference opponent UAH has as a varsity program.

 

fsu_logo_150Ferris State Bulldogs

Location: Big Rapids, Michigan.

Last season: 16-16-5 overall, 13-12-3 CCHA (5th place). Lost to Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the CCHA Tournament.

Series with UAH: Ferris State leads 7-2.

Program accomplishments: 2-time NCAA Tournament participant (2003, 2012). Reached the Frozen Four in 2012, losing to Boston College in the national championship game.

Famous alums: Jason Blake, Dave Karpa, Chris Kunitz.

Predicted WCHA finish: 2nd (media), 2nd (coaches)

Players to watch: Jason Binkley, Jr., D (2 G, 8 A, 20 Pts. in 2012-13); Garrett Thompson, Sr., F (11 G, 15 A, 26 Pts); Scott Czarnowczan, Sr., D (5 A); CJ Motte, Jr., G (2.19 GAA, .927 SV%).

Side note about Ferris State: FSU was UAH’s first opponent as a varsity program. The Chargers lost 7-2 on Oct. 25, 1985, in Big Rapids.

 

lssu_logo_150Lake Superior State Lakers

Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Last season: 17-21-1 overall, 11-16-1 CCHA (8th place). Lost to Bowling Green in the first round of the CCHA Tournament.

Series with UAH: Lake Superior State leads 3-2-1.

Program accomplishments: 3-time NCAA National Champions (1988, 1992, 1994), and 2-time NAIA National Champions (1972, 1974).

Famous alums: Jim Dowd, Doug Weight, Brian Rolston.

Predicted WCHA finish: 7th (media), 8th (coaches).

Players to watch: Kevin Czuczman, Jr., D (2 G, 9 A, 11 Pts in 2012-13).

Side note about Lake Superior State: UAH’s lone Division I win last season was at LSSU.

 

mtu_logo_150Michigan Tech Huskies

Location: Houghton, Michigan.

Last season: 13-20-4 overall, 8-16-4 WCHA (10th place). Lost to North Dakota in the first round of the WCHA Tournament.

Series with UAH: None. This season will be the first meeting.

Program accomplishments: 3-time National Champions (1962, 1965, 1975).

Famous alums: Tony Esposito (Hockey Hall of Fame), Paul Coppo

Predicted WCHA finish: 5th (media), 3rd (coaches).

Players to watch: Alex Petan, So., F (15 G, 19 A, 34 Pts in 2012-13); Brent Baltus, Fr., F (24 G, 28 A, 52 Pts with Trail Smoke Eaters of the BCHL).

Side note about Michigan Tech: MTU is one of four current Division I teams that UAH has not played (Boston University, Union, and Dartmouth are the others).

 

msum_logo_150Minnesota State Mavericks

Location: Mankato, Minnesota.

Last season: 24-13-3 overall, 16-11-1 WCHA (6th place). Lost to Wisconsin in the quarterfinals of the WCHA Tournament (beat Nebraska-Omaha in the first round).

Series with UAH: Tied 19-19-5.

Program accomplishments: 1980 NCAA Division II National Champions, 2 NCAA Division I tournament appearances (2003, 2013).

Famous alums: David Backes, Ryan Carter, Tim Jackman

Predicted WCHA finish: 1st (media), 1st (coaches).

Players to watch: Matt Leitner, Jr., F (17 G, 30 A, 47 Pts in 2012-13); Zach Stepan, Fr., F (4th round pick by Nashville in 2012); Zach Palmquist, Jr., D (7 G, 18 A, 25 Pts); Stephon Williams, So., G (2.00 GAA, .924 SV%).

Side note about Minnesota State: Despite never being in the same conference until now, UAH has faced the Mavericks 43 times – the fourth-most in UAH history.

 

nmu_logo_150Northern Michigan Wildcats

Location: Marquette, Michigan.

Last season: 15-19-4 overall, 9-15-4 CCHA (10th place). Lost to Michigan in the first round of the CCHA Tournament.

Series with UAH: Northern Michigan leads 3-0-1.

Program accomplishments: 1991 National Champions, nine NCAA Tournament appearances.

Famous alums: Steve Bozek, Dallas Drake, Tom Laidlaw.

Predicted WCHA finish: 6th (media), 6th (coaches).

Players to watch: C.J. Ludwig, Sr., D (4 G, 11 A, 15 Pts in 2012-13); Reed Seckel, Jr., F (13 G, 12 A, 25 Pts), ; Stephan Vigier, Sr., F (7 G, 14 A, 21 Pts).

Side note about Northern Michigan: UAH and NMU haven’t faced each other since 2004.

LAST WEEK IN THE WCHA:

Friday, October 4:
Alaska-Anchorage 2, British Columbia 1 (exhibition)

Saturday, October 5:
Ferris State 7, Colgate 4
Michigan Tech 3, Laurentian 2 (exhibition)
Northern Michigan 3, USA Uder-18 1 (exhibition)
Bowling Green 7, Wilfrid Laurier 1 (exhibition)
Alaska 8, British Columbia 1 (exhibition)

Sunday, October 6
Colgate 1, Ferris State 0
Northern Michigan 3, Laurentian 2 (exhibition)
USA Under-18 3, Lake Superior State 2 (exhibition)
Minnesota State 7, Lethbridge 1 (exhibition)

THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA:
All times Central.

Friday, October 11:
UAH at Northeastern, 6 p.m.
Minnesota State at Providence, 6 p.m.
Bowling Green at Union, 6:30 p.m.
Robert Morris at Lake Superior State, 6:30 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
Bemidji State at St. Cloud State, 7:30 p.m.
Air Force vs. Alaska at Kendall Classic (Anchorage), 8 p.m.
Quinnipiac at Alaska-Anchorage (Kendall Classic), 11 p.m.

Saturday, October 12:
UAH at Northeastern, 6 p.m.
Robert Morris at Lake Superior State, 4 p.m.
Minnesota State at Providence, 6 p.m.
Bowling Green at Union, 6:30 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
Quinnipiac vs. Alaska at Kendall Classic (Anchorage), 7 p.m.
Bemidji State at St. Cloud State, 7:30 p.m.
Air Force at Alaska-Anchorage (Kendall Classic), 10 p.m.

Hoof Beats: The buzz is rising…

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It’s October! It’s finally here!

Now that we’re in October, the buzz for the new season is cranking up. “Buzz” is an interesting word as we close in on the home opener against Bemidji in only three weeks: On the WCHA coaches conference call last week, the Von Braun Center was referred to as a “hornet’s nest.”

That means expected high decibel levels, people. Get your tickets now. And if top-level college hockey isn’t enough…

Promotions: UAH released the 2013-14 promotional schedule on Tuesday, and it’s the biggest in Charger history. T-shirts, pucks, bobbleheads, thundersticks — even mini toy rockets (we are Huntsville after all) will be given away at the 16 home games. Plus, there will be many in-game activities and opportunities for free admission for kids. We’ve added the promotions to our own schedule page.

Snag one of these posters at the Madison Street Festival on Saturday.

Snag one of these posters at the Madison Street Festival on Saturday.

Posterized: The boys will be at the Madison Street Festival on Saturday. Meet the team and get this lovely schedule poster.

Preseason: The Chargers still have a week before their season opener at Northeastern, but the rest of the WCHA will be action this weekend. Ferris State travels to Colgate to get the college hockey season officially under way, while the rest of the league is in preseason exhibitions.

The preseason poll was released by USCHO.com on Monday. The only ranked WCHA team is conference favorite Minnesota State, which starts at No. 11. Other league teams receiving votes are Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Alaska, and Bowling Green.

Professional: The latest pro signing of a former Charger is Sebastian Geoffrion. After his tryout agreement with Nashville, Geoffrion signed with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Former UAH players Davide Nicoletti and Jeff Winchester played for Cincinnati last season.

To check out how our alumni are faring in professional hockey all around the world (and we mean all around the world), visit our In the Pros page.

Podium: Head coach Mike Corbett spoke to the Huntsville Rotary Club on Tuesday, and the program got a Twitter plug from Mayor Tommy Battle.

Predictions: You’ve seen the WCHA preseason poll by the media. The coaches poll isn’t much different (although by my math, one coach doesn’t have us last). It is what it is. We’ve got a lot of lost time to make up. But it’s going to be fun to watch this program grow and rise again thanks to the renewed support of the university and its fans.

Hoof Beats: Corbett and identity

  • Coach Mike Corbett continues to make the media rounds in his first weeks as head coach. He was featured on USCHO.com, with the main theme of establishing UAH’s identity as a hockey program. Corbett also touched on this in his recent interview on Penalty Box Radio in Nashville.
  • The Bemidji Pioneer takes a look at UAH as it begins its series on the teams in the reconstructed WCHA. We plan to post a retrospective of the 20-year UAH-Bemidji rivalry in time for the home opener on October 25.
  • The WCHA on Wednesday released its full 2013-14 composite schedule.

Hoof Beats: Frenchy Open recap, plus a WCHA media deal?

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Four months to go. Here’s some news and notes as we head into the long, Southern summer.

Frenchy Open: Thank you to all who participated and donated to the 2013 UAH Hockey Golf Tournament, also known as the Frenchy Open. The annual summer fundraising event, held at the Hampton Cove Highlands Golf Course on June 8, was a huge success.

Participants and volunteers for the 2013 Frenchy Open.

Participants and volunteers for the 2013 Frenchy Open.

Eighteen teams participated in this year’s tournament, won by the team from SportsMed. Second place was a team familiar to most Charger hockey fans, as Jared Ross, Keith Rowe, Craig Bushey and Todd Bentley finished one stroke behind the winners. Assistant Coach Bruce Garber celebrated his first year in Huntsville by taking home third place along with UAH professor Les Brol.

WCHA officials meet in Bemidji: With three months left until the first puck drop, presidents, athletic directors, and officials from the 10 WCHA programs met in Bemidji, Minn., on June 17 to discuss many of the outstanding issues facing the revamped league.

One of the main topics was a league-wide media deal. The WCHA will be working with Fox Sports Go, Fox Sports’ Internet streaming answer to ESPN3. Each school would still have its own productions, but they would all be available on one source. In recent years, UAH has had internet streaming deals with America One.

Officiating and budgets were also discussed. Jack Hittinger of The Bemidji Pioneer has more details from the WCHA meetings.

Harris a Hall of Famer: Jim Harris, UAH’s athletic director from 1995 until his death in 2010, was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame on June 14. As A.D., the Charger hockey program won two Division II national championships, two College Hockey America regular-season championships, and two CHA Tournament titles. More information from UAHChargers.com.

Hoof Beats: Tourney tidbits, Chargers join the pros

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News and notes from around the WCHA and college hockey. I call them “Hoof Beats.”

  • Remember that the 2013 UAH Hockey Banquet is Friday, April 5! Reservations must be received by next Monday (April 1).
  • The WCHA also unveiled an updated logo to go along with its updated roster of teams.

    The WCHA also unveiled an updated logo to go along with its updated roster of teams.

    The WCHA confirmed its postseason tournament plans starting next year. The top eight teams in the 10-team league will make the playoffs. Higher seeds will host lower seeds (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, etc.) for the quarterfinals in best-of-3 series. The single-elimination semifinals and championship, which will retain the name “WCHA Final Five”, will be held at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2014 and 2016, and the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2015 and 2017.

  • The NCAA Tournament field has been announced. Soon-to-be league foe Minnesota State earned an at-large bid as the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Region in Toledo and will face No. 2 seed Miami on Saturday. Minnesota State is one of four teams in the tournament UAH played this season (St. Cloud State, Wisconsin, and Boston College are the others).
  • Chargers join the pros: Sebastian Geoffrion has four goals, an assist, and 25 penalty minutes in eight games with the Arizona Sundogs (CHL). Justin Cseter has a goal and an assist in six games with the Huntsville Havoc (SPHL). John Griggs stopped 31 of 32 shots in his pro debut with the Pensacola Ice Flyers (SPHL) on Sunday.
  • As posted on Twitter this week: If you want some more hope for the UAH future, look at UMass-Lowell: 5-25-4 two years ago, 26-10-2 this year and 2013 Hockey East champions.