Okay, I hear you: “Coming up with a best-of-2014 list is easy when they won just four games in the calendar year.”  And, well, it is, especially when you’re the guy that wrote all four of those recaps (sorry, Michael).  But let’s do it anyway and then talk about a couple of other things.

5.  UAH 4, Air Force 2.  UAH’s first win in 2014-15 came a full month earlier than it did in 2013-14, and it was the first two-goal win over a Division I foe since December 2011 (#ClarkeSaundersForever).  The Air Force game has the classic blueprint for 14-15 Charger success: strong goaltending, a solid PK, and good puck possession.  UAH can win with just the first two, but having all three really helps.  That Air Force game always felt like a UAH win.

4.  Carmine Guerriero v. the world against Mankato.  Some of those saves were Bill Brasky quality.  I mean, this is my favorite tweet about that game:

https://twitter.com/BravesSwearJar/status/434906353786580992

3.  UAH 2, Bemidji 1.  The rivalry comes back when you start winning, especially when you win in their barn.  The minus here is that we settled on “#UnionJack” for tweets about Jack Prince when, well, “#ElloGuvnah” was the better choice.

2.  UAH 3, Ferris 2.  UAH led for the entire game, controlled it for long stretches, and took down a 2014 Hobey Baker finalist on his home ice.  That game may have been UAH’s most complete effort of the year, especially considering the quality of the opponent (even though Ferris is a step worse than ’13-14).

1.  UAH 5, LSSU 2.  I mean, it was a) the first UAH home win in nearly four years b) UAH hadn’t won by that kind of margin in quite some time c) IT WAS AT HOME.  That game was a domination with a perfect special teams night in the midst of the crazy run that the team had.  Plus …

@weloveuahhockey I love the idea that the Chargers were in some way responsible for the decline of Justin Bieber's career.

— Jack Hittinger (@jackhitts) November 17, 2014

I mean, we’re not Beliebers.

Here’s the favorite things that I liked for this year:

5.  The class of 2018 is solid, with players that could be on most any WCHA team.  This hasn’t been the case of late, and you can’t blame the kids.

4.  Everyone still works their butts off, even as the talent level rises.  Just ask Mel Pearson, who’s still pissed that the Bulldog Line of Doug Reid, Craig Pierce, and Brent Fletcher shut his top line down all weekend.  Keep complaining, Mel: the boys’ success is directly proportional to their effort, and locking lines down is a part of that.

3.  The coaching staff has been really great this year.  This is the first season that the Chargers have kept a consistent three-man group since 2008-10 (Danton Cole with Chris Luongo and John McCabe as assistants).  Mike Corbett looks to have taken all of last season’s lessons to heart and is even better than he was last year as a coach.  Gavin Morgan has yet one more year under his belt and damn well better be a head coach someday (but not anytime soon, Morgee).  Matty Thomas busts his butt on the recruiting trail (though the other two go out as well).  It seems like I’m always getting texts from Matty in a different town each weekend.

2.  Brandon Carlson is one hell of a hockey player.  The Chargers’ strength runs from the goal line out, but big #6 seems to be the cog to me.  We all know that he’s a ham, too.  USHL guys like Carlson, Max McHugh, and Jordan Uhelski choosing to come to Huntsville make the program better.  The US league is clearly the best Tier I junior league in the US, and in my book it’s right up there with the BCHL.

1.

The man, the myth, the legend. (Credit: Todd Pavlack)

It’s Carmine Guerriero’s world, and we’re just living in it.

Things that I don’t like (and they’re not all UAH-related):

5.  I don’t like the fact that people still dog on the WCHA.  The league looks set to put three teams in the NCAA tournament after Tech, Mankato, and BG fight it out for the McNaughton Cup — four if the boys pull a 2010 rocketship ride behind a blazing hot goaltender.  (You laugh, but wouldn’t that be a hell of a story?)  That’s pretty good for a league full of teams that nobody wanted to confer with.

4.  WCHA.tv has been a bit of a mess this year, but it’s getting better, and half-season passes at $69.99 are very much worth it.  The WCHA’s Matt Hodson has assured me that “[w]e’ve been able to successfully implement multi-bit rate functionality, which minimizes buffering and enables HD-quality feeds (even with a less-than-optimal in-venue bandwidth), for 8 of our 10 venues. We are working hard with both of those institutions, and on the America One/Akamai back-end, to find a solution for the other two.”  There’s a longer bit from my conversations with Matt on the USCHO forum (done a few weeks ago).

3.  Giving is up, but attendance is flat.  I get that people like to see the home team win, and that it will take some wins to get more fans.  UAH has some very winnable games coming up, including this weekend’s contests against Anchorage.  It’s not unrealistic to think that UAH could split their remaining league slate at home — maybe it’s laughable, but it’s not unrealistic.  But will anyone be there to watch?  I’m hopeful that the usual up-tick in attendance comes now that pigskin has gone to hibernation.

2.  I don’t like the penalties, especially the majors.  UAH is fourth in the nation at 16.9 PIM/G, less than 1.0 PIM/G behind #1 Alaska.  With all the things to love about certain players’ games, the propensity to take bad penalties — especially two majors in the same game — really dims that for me.  Brennan Saulnier (67 PIM in 18 GP, 20% of the team total) and Chad Brears (41) could easily take 100 PIM this year.  Saulnier’s mark already eclipses all sinners’ PIM totalw from 2013-14 (Cody Marooney led the parade with 52).  No Charger has broken 70 since Graeme Strukoff (71) in his freshman year, and no Charger has broken 100 since Sebastian Geoffrion (115 in 2010-11).  Yeah, the UAH special teams units are the best in the nation, but when penalties cost Jack Prince ice time, we have problems.

1.  It’s freaking impossible to get a good UAH jersey.  This has been a complaint for years, and it just won’t go away — and now it’s worse now that UAH is in the WCHA and starting to play better.  People love the underdog!  People love the road blues!  And you just can’t get them.

Now, Michael made the case last year for more blue on the home jerseys, and I stand with him.  I know why this is the case, too: UAH uses black pants to keep from “looking like Smurfs” (no attribution) on the road, but we aren’t so flush with cash that we use blue pants at home.

All you can get on the concourse are the inferior home whites.  Some people have had access to the special grey jerseys that the ended the season with last year — I know this because I’ve seen “KESTNER 26” in the stands — but these aren’t generally available to the public.  You can get jerseys from Anchorage, Bemidji, BG, Ferris, and Mankato at the league shop, but the other half of the member schools don’t take advantage of this.  Furthermore, the UAH bookstore only sells what Athletics gives them, and it’s not been road blues.

UAH is leaving money on the table.  Hockey fans love jerseys (although few as much as Ryan Johnson).  We like wearing them to our team’s games.  We like wearing them to other teams’ games.  When I go to Nashville in February to watch the stRangers play the Preds, I will be proudly wearing my Cam Talbot black third from the Yale series his freshman year.  I paid $300 for that jersey.

I know that game-level jerseys run in the $70 range; sell at $200 and you’re making a great profit, and you could go cheaper on the quality and drop the cost.  We should be doing 2-3 special jerseys a year and doing an auction/purchase for each one: with 26 players and a profit margin of at least $130, that’s almost $9,000 if you’re just moving them for $200.  We should be selling old jerseys on the concourse during games, too, and we definitely should be selling the road blues both in person and online.

Now, I know that this doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and I know that UAH is a Division II school with a proportionally-sized athletic department.  Michael and I both know this because we’ve worked in Sports Information at different times.  We get it.  It would be unfair to overload anyone in the hockey office with this, because they have a lot going.  These kind of things would be so simple for a student worker to do — especially a student-athlete who is working on fifth-year money or work-study or what-have-you.  Design work requires professionals, but execution is grunt work.

Get on it, UAH.

Opponents may still scoff at UAH’s record, but they’re also finding out that when Carmine Guerriero is between the pipes, you’re going to have a tougher time than expected.

College Hockey News recently did a profile on Guerriero, who was an emergency recruit to fill UAH’s need for a third goaltender. Now the Chargers’ No. 35 is their No. 1.

Guerriero stopped 58 of 63 shots at 12th-ranked Omaha on Dec. 20-21 as the Chargers lost a one-goal game and notched a tie. The sophomore from Montréal has been in net for all three UAH wins and two of the three ties. He had a 54-save performance at Minnesota State, and a 44-save game in the overtime loss at Alaska on Dec. 12, where he stone-cold stopped a two-on-none breakaway.

This season, Guerriero has a 2.44 goals against average and a .932 save percentage. That save percentage, which puts him on pace to break Derek Puppa’s UAH single-season record, is good for fourth in a goalie-loaded WCHA. It’s also tied for 11th in all of Division I, all this while facing over 36 shots per game, the most in the WCHA among goaltenders who have played the most minutes for their teams.

Blazers for Chargers: A contingent of green and gold is expected at the Von Braun Center this weekend, but they won’t be cheering for Alaska Anchorage.

The movement #FreeUAB is encouraging Blazer fans, angry at the announced elimination of the UAB football program, to make their voice heard at the UAH hockey game Friday night against the Seawolves.

Former UAH Pep Band member Elliot Brindley, who also played in the UAB Blazer Band, is organizing the gathering. Blazer faithful are asked to wear UAB gear, cheer loud for UAH, and bring signs that say ‪#‎FreeUAB and ‪#‎FreeUAH‬ to hold up during stoppages in play.

Part of it is to show solidarity with fellow University of Alabama system member UAH. The announced cut (and later saving) of UAH hockey in 2011 raised questions about how UAH and UAB sit in the system compared to the main school in Tuscaloosa.

For more information, visit the Facebook event page.

This week’s promotions: The first 500 fans to Friday’s game receive a free set of UAH hockey trading cards. On Saturday, the first 500 fans get a free UAH hockey T-shirt.

As always this season, kids 12 and under get free admission courtesy of Huntsville International Airport.

Blue Line Club luncheon: Before every home series, come meet and greet with the coaches at the Blue Line Club luncheon. This Friday at noon at the Varisty Room, Alaska Anchorage head coach Matt Thomas and UAH head coach Mike Corbett will speak.

Terranova’s is catering. Tickets are $8 at the door, and free for Blue Line Club members.

The programs have had a year to get accustomed to the new-look Western Collegiate Hockey Association. As we head into year two, here’s how we think the teams will finish in the race for the MacNaughton Trophy.

The player statistics listed are for last season’s WCHA games only. Teams are listed in order of finish in the Bemidji Pioneer preseason media poll, and they include how we at UAHHockey.com voted. We’ll have a full UAH preview next week.

1. Minnesota State

Last season: 26-14-1 overall, 20-7-1 WCHA (2nd place). Won WCHA tournament championship. Lost to UMass-Lowell in the NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal.

Top returning players: Matt Leitner (Sr., F, 8-25-33, All-WCHA 1st team), Zach Palmquist (Sr., D, 3-16-19, All-WCHA 1st team), Jean-Paul Lafontaine (Sr., F, 16-16-32, All-WCHA 2nd team), Cole Huggins (So., G, 1.73, .927, All-WCHA 2nd team, WCHA goaltending champion).

Key losses: Zach Lehrke (F, 10-10-20, All-WCHA 3rd team), Johnny McInnis (F, 7-11-18, All-WCHA 3rd team).

Geof (1st): Not to be too reductionist here, but you win hockey games by scoring often and keeping the puck out of your net.  The Mavs have two of the best scoring forwards in the league in Leitner and Lafontaine — who just might net 20 PPG this season if the Mavs maintain their aggressive ways — some shut down defensemen who can also move the puck out cleanly, and both Huggins and Stephon Williams, who was fantastic as a freshman, in net.  Will they miss McInnis and Lehrke up front?  Sure!  But after a tough start to 2013-14, the Mavs caught up to Ferris State and nearly pulled away with both cups.  Anyone who says that Mankato is #2 is crazy.

Michael (1st): Minnesota State seems to be the most complete team in the league. I have three Mavericks on my preseason all-WCHA team, including the player of the year in Matt Leitner, and Cole Huggins was stellar in his freshman campaign. With the recruits coming in, they should contend for the MacNaughton for a while.

2. Ferris State: 

Last season: 29-11-3 overall, 20-6-2 WCHA (1st place). Lost to Minnesota State in the WCHA tournament championship game. Defeated Colgate in the NCAA Northeast Regional semfinal, lost to North Dakota in the final.

Top returning players: C.J. Motte (Sr., G, 2.29, .927, All-WCHA first team), Jason Binkley (Sr., D, 2-16-18, All-WCHA 3rd team), Kyle Schempp (So., F, 6-12-18, All-WCHA rookie team), Justin Buzzo (Sr., F, 6-11-17).

Key losses: Garrett Thompson (F, 11-7-18, All-WCHA second team), Scott Czarnowczan (D, 4-13-17, All-WCHA 2nd team), Cory Kane (F, 10-10-20)

Geof (2nd): IN MOTTE WE TRUST.  The Bulldogs were a balanced team last year, and while it hurts to lose a leader like Czarnowczan, the thing is that most leaders like him leave someone behind to carry the torch.  Bob Daniels is a fantastic coach, and his team will be ready to carry on.  Will they be as good as they were last season?  Probably not, and they did fade a bit as the season went on.  (Remember, there was a time that it looked like they wouldn’t lose a league game.)

Michael (2nd): Ferris State lost some talent, but they have so much to spare. And they have C.J. Motte. I can’t wait for their four games against Minnesota State in January.

3. Bowling Green

Last season: 18-15-6 overall, 13-11-4 (tied 3rd place). Lost to Minnesota State in the WCHA Tournament semifinals.

Top returning players: Dan DeSalvo (Sr., F, 5-15-20), Mark Cooper (Jr., F, 12-7-19), Ben Murphy (Jr., F, 8-5-13), Tommy Burke (Jr., G, 2.40, 9.12)

Key losses: Bryce Williamson (F, 5-11-16), Ralfs Freibergs (D, 3-14-17)

Geof (3rd): This might UAH-BSU pairing end up turning into a rivalry after all (especially if I keep getting into it with a certain writer from BG).  The Falcons don’t lose a ton and have some good talent coming in.  Add in Burke and they’re an easy pick to be a home playoff team.  I’m sure that Chris Bergeron would love a little more scoring, though.

Michael (4th): The Falcons return a solid core up front, so there isn’t any reason why they should not be hosting a first-round playoff series again.

4. Michigan Tech

Last season: 14-19-7 overall, 12-11-5 WCHA (5th place). Lost to Bowling Green 2 games to none in the WCHA Tournament first round.

Top returning players: Shane Hanna (So., D, 4-18-22, All-WCHA rookie team), Blake Pietila (Sr., F, 7-14-21), Tanner Kero (Sr., F, 13-7-20), Alex Petan (Jr., F, 7-13-20)

Key losses: Pheonix Copley (Jr., G, 2.59, .900)

Geof (4th): I freely admit my affinity for Tech: one of my best friends is an alumnus, and Tech is probably closest to UAH in terms of school profile.  MTU definitely showed their support for Mel Pearson by giving him a big contract extension, and even by losing assistant Damon Whitten to become the new head coach at Lake State, they seem pretty settled.  Losing Copley hurts, but Jamie Phillips was solid as a freshman and could bounce back — and there’s another Kero (Devin) in town to compete for time in net.  I think that the bunching that’s endemic to the WCHA will start with the Huskies, but they’re the best of that lot.

Michael (6th): I’m probably not giving the Huskies enough credit with my vote, or maybe I’m giving the departed goaltender Pheonix Copley too much. Considering how bunched the middle of the league was last season, it won’t take much to go either way. Tech has enough firepower to prove me very wrong.

5. Alaska

Last season: 18-15-4 overall, 14-12-2 WCHA (tied 3rd place). Lost to Alaska-Anchorage 2 games to 1 in the WCHA Tournament first round.

Top returning players: Colton Parayko (Jr., D, 4-14-18, All-WCHA 1st team), Tyler Morley (Jr., F, 15-14-29, All-WCHA 3rd team), Marcus Basara (So., 9-12-21), Sean Cahill (Sr., G, 2.28, .906)

Key losses: Cody Kunyk (F, 17-17-34, WCHA player of the year and scoring champion), Colton Beck (F, 11-19-30, All-WCHA 2nd team)

Geof (6th): Okay, so Parayko apparently grew to 6’6″ over the summer, a fact that has every WCHA forward wincing.  Morley was my third forward pick for the WCHA preseason team.  I like Cahill in net — college seniors with an established record sometimes really take off in their last season.  But losing Kunyk and Beck really hurts, and that’s a big hole to fill.  The Nanooks just have a tough, tough schedule: four each against Mankato, Ferris, and BG; a trip to UAH (which they didn’t take last season); and a trip to Western Michigan as their only NC road trip.

Michael (3rd): I have Alaska being 3rd again, even though the lost the player of the year Kunyk and Beck. I really like returning all-WCHA players Parayko and Morley, and Sean Cahill put up some good league numbers in his junior year. Add my pick for newcomer of the year in Peter Krieger and the Nanooks will be up there again.

6. Alaska-Anchorage

Last season: 18-16-4 overall, 12-12-4 WCHA (6th place). Lost to Ferris State in the WCHA Tournament semifinals.

Top returning players: Blake Tatchell (Jr., F, 4-17-21), Scott Allen (Sr., F, 14-11-25), Brett Cameron (Sr., F, 8-9-17)

Key losses: Matt Bailey (F, 12-15-27, All-WCHA 1st team), Jordan Kwas (F, 9-13-22), Rob Gunderson (G, 2.30, .910)

Geof (5th): Glory be, the Seawolves finished about .500 for the first time since the first year of the Bill Clinton Administration.  It’s just hard to see that momentum going with Bailey and Gunderson gone.

Michael (8th): I can’t help but think the losses of Matt Bailey and Rob Gunderson in particular will bring back the Seawolves a bit after their surprise run last season.

7. Northern Michigan

Last season: 15-21-2 overall, 13-14-1 WCHA (7th place). Lost to Minnesota State in the WCHA Tournament first round.

Top returning players: Mathias Dahlstrom (So., G, 2.34, .917), Reed Seckel (Sr., F, 9-11-20), Mitch Jones (Sr., D, 2-11-13), Dominik Shinne (So., F, 6-7-13)

Key losses: Stephan Vigier (F, 8-12-20)

Geof (7th): The Wildcats won nine non-UAH league games in 13-14: v. Tech, @ Alaska, @ Bemidji twice (LOL), v. Alaska, @ Anchorage, v. Mankato, v. Lake, and v. BG.  Lesson: they do okay in the Berry and not as well elsewhere.  Losing Vigier means that they’re really just treading water, and I don’t see where they’re magically going to jump higher given the pack that they’re in.  If they do jump up, it’s because they don’t travel to either Ferris or Mankato.

Michael (7th): Dahlstrom will keep the Wildcats in some games, but I’m not sure they’ll have enough to get out of 7th again.

8. Bemidji State

Last season: 10-21-7 overall, 10-14-4 WCHA (tied 8th place). Lost to Ferris State 2 games to 0 in the WCHA Tournament first round.

Top returning players: Matt Prapavessis (Sr., D, 5-12-17, All-WCHA 3rd team), Cory Ward (Jr., F, 13-9-22), Markus Gerbrandt (Jr., F, 13-7-20), Andrew Walsh (Sr., G, 2.55, .916)

Key losses: Radoslav Illo (F, 3-6-9)

Geof (8th): I hate Bemidji State.  I hate that everyone is going to talk about their stupid triplets all season.  If they really were baby geniuses, they’d be at UAH, the school for brainy kids in the WCHA.  The Beavs don’t lose a lot from last season, but the simple fact is that there are way too many teams for the Green to hurdle.  (But I love Tom Serratore.  I just need to get that out there.)

Michael (5th): Geof might consider taking my web site privileges with this pick. I think Walsh will have a good senior season, and maybe I’m influenced by the arrival of the Fitzgerald triplets. I really don’t know any more.

9. Lake Superior State

Last season: 16-19-1 overall, 12-16-0 WCHA (tied 8th place). Missed WCHA playoffs.

Top returning players: Alex Globke (So., F, 9-12-21, All-WCHA rookie of the year), Stephen Perfetto (So., F, 6-6-12)

Key losses: Kevin Kapalka (G, 2.62, .924, All-WCHA 3rd team), Kevin Czuczman (Jr., D, 6-8-14, All-WCHA 2nd team), Colin Campbell (Sr., F, 11-12-23), Dan Radke (Sr., F, 5-14-19)

Geof (9th): Okay, so when you 1) change coaches, 2) have all-new goaltending, 3) lose your best player a year early, and 4) come off of a season where you lost 60% of your league games, you’re going to be hurting.  Damon Whitten has a lot to do in the Soo.

Michael (9th): Lake State is in rebuild mode right now. Not UAH-level rebuild mode, but this was a ninth-place team that lost a lot, including their head coach. It shall be interesting to see what Alex Globke does after his rookie of the year campaign.

We’re coming up to two weeks remaining until the Chargers’ 2014-15 season home opening series with Bowling Green.

UAH announced the promotional schedule for the season on Wednesday. Here are the highlights. All games start at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Oct. 17 vs. Bowling Green – Alumni Night: Homecoming returns to hockey! Friday night is Alumni Night, as all alumni and their families will receive free admission to the game by presenting your Alumni Association card at the ticket booth. (Don’t have a card? Call 256-824-6549 or email alumni@uah.edu to get one.) A tailgate party begins at 5:30 p.m. at the corner of Church Street and the VBC. Former Charger hockey players will be recognized during the game.

Oct. 18 vs. Bowling Green – Posters & Magnets: The first 500 fans in attendance for Saturday’s game will receive official Charger hockey schedule posters and magnets.

Nov. 14-15 vs. Lake Superior State – Military Appreciation Weekend:  Veterans and active miliatry personnel will receive free admission. At Saturday’s game, the first 500 fans will get free camo rally towels.

Nov. 28 vs. Michigan Tech – Hockey Sticks: The first 1,000 fans receive a UAH mini hockey stick.

Jan. 3 vs. Alaska-Anchorage – T-Shirts: The first 500 fans receive a free UAH hockey T-shirt.

Jan. 17 vs. Northern Michigan – Pucks: The first 1,000 fans get a free puck with the official UAH Chargers logo.

Jan. 25 vs. USA Under-18 (2 p.m.) – Team Photos: The first 1,000 fans get a free Chargers team photo, and a player autograph session will follow the game.

Feb. 21 vs. Ferris State – Thunder Sticks: The first 500 fans receive UAH thunder stick noisemakers.

Feb. 28 vs. Alaska – Mini Space Shuttles: Welcome home UAH alum Lance West, an assistant coach for the Nanooks. The first 500 fans receive a free mini space shuttle, courtesy of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

At all home games, UAH Charger player trading cards will be given away.

For season and group tickets, visit the UAH Athletic Office or call 256-UAH-PUCK. Get more information on our ticket page.

WCHA TV returns: The Western Collegiate Hockey Association on Tuesday announced this season’s online video package, WCHA TV, for the 2014-15 season.

With WCHA TV, fans can watch all conference games from all schools, including non-conference games at WCHA member rinks. Feeds are available in high definition on PCs, tablets, and mobile phones for both iOS and Android platforms.

Available plans include the full-season pass ($160), monthly pass ($50), day pass ($12 regular season, $15 playoffs), and tournament pass ($60).

Visit WCHA.TV for more information.

It’s not a surprise, considering last season. Coming off a two-win campaign, UAH was picked by the WCHA media and coaches to finish in last place again this season.

For us, it doesn’t really matter. To paraphrase Mystery Science Theater 3000, “It’s just a poll. We should really just relax.” Right now our focus is building the program and getting better, and hopefully surprising some folks along the way.

Meanwhile, Minnesota State is the odds-on favorite to take the MacNaughton Trophy as the regular season champions. Last year’s winner, Ferris State, is second in both polls, and it should be another interesting race between these budding rivals. Michigan Tech and Bowling Green are expected to follow close behind.

Here’s the full release by the WCHA. Geof and I voted in the media poll, and we will provide our rationale in our WCHA preview coming later this week. The regular season starts for three teams this Saturday, with Michigan Tech visiting Lake Superior State to kick off conference play and Ferris State hosting Michigan.

2014-15 Mankato Free Press WCHA Men’s Hockey Preseason Coaches’ Poll:

1. Minnesota State (9 1st place votes), 81 points
2. Ferris State (1), 67
3. Michigan Tech, 64
4. Bowling Green, 57
5. Alaska, 44
6. Northern Michigan, 40
7. Alaska Anchorage, 38
8. Bemidji State, 33
9. Lake Superior State, 17
10. Alabama Huntsville, 9

Preseason WCHA Player of the Year: C.J. Motte, Sr., G, Ferris State

Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year: C.J. Franklin, F, Minnesota State and Brad McClure, F, Minnesota State (4 votes each)

Preseason All-WCHA Team:
Forwards: Tyler Morley, Jr., Alaska; Jean-Paul LaFontaine, Sr., Minnesota State; Matt Leitner, Sr., Minnesota State
Defensemen: Colton Parayko, Jr., Alaska; Zach Palmquist, Sr., Minnesota State
Goaltender: C.J. Motte, Sr., Ferris State

2014-15 Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Men’s Hockey Preseason Media Poll:

1. Minnesota State (23 1st place votes), 256 points
2. Ferris State (4), 226
3. Bowling Green, 180
4. Michigan Tech, 178
5. Alaska, 163
6. Alaska Anchorage, 128
7. Northern Michigan, 112
8. Bemidji State, 101
9. Lake Superior State, 60
10. Alabama Huntsville, 26

Preseason WCHA Player of the Year: Matt Leitner, Sr., F, Minnesota State

Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year: Mark Friedman, D, Bowling Green

Preseason All-WCHA Team:
Forwards: Tyler Morley, Jr., Alaska; Jean-Paul LaFontaine, Sr., Minnesota State; Matt Leitner, Sr., Minnesota State
Defensemen: Colton Parayko, Jr., Alaska; Shane Hanna, So., Michigan Tech
Goaltender: C.J. Motte, Sr., Ferris State

UAH’s Max McHugh received a vote for Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year, and Joseph Kestner got a vote for the Preseason All-WCHA Team.

And now, our occasional reminder about 2014-15 season tickets and the Blue Line Club. UAH Director of Athletics Dr. E.J. Brophy sent out this email to Charger fans last week, and I think it sums it up nicely:

Dear Charger Fan,

As our UAH Hockey team enters year two in the prestigious Western Collegiate Hockey Association, we hope you will strongly consider purchasing season tickets for the upcoming campaign.  Your support is vital to our program.  Click here for your season ticket/Blue Line Club brochure.

As a season ticket holder, your attendance and monetary commitment tremendously assists the program as we strive to climb the ladder of the WCHA.

As a member of the Blue Line Club, your monetary contributions go directly toward enhancing the collegiate athletic experiences of UAH Hockey student-athletes.  Your gift makes a big difference in the collegiate careers of these young people, and helps insure steady growth within the UAH Hockey program.  Season tickets are also included with your membership in the Blue Line Club.

We invite you to purchase your season tickets today or join the Blue Line Club at the level that is right for you. We need you now more than ever, as we continue this new era of UAH Hockey.

GO CHARGERS!

Sincerely,

E. J. Brophy, Ph.D.
Director of Athletics
The University of Alabama in Huntsville

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again:  Even if you can’t donate the minimum to enjoy the perks of the Blue Line Club, the program will gladly accept any amount of contribution. If you can’t get full season tickets, get those FlexTix packages and cheer your Chargers whenever you can. Every little bit helps as we strive to build a championship contender in the Hockey Capital of the South.

The home opening series is against Bowling Green on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17-18, which also happens to be homecoming! Individual game ticket and promotion information will be available in the coming weeks. Follow @weloveuahhockey and @uahhockey on Twitter, and like UAH Hockey on Facebook to keep up to date.

Thanks, and go Chargers!

Summer news and notes as we are fewer than 60 days from the start of the 2014-15 season. Season tickets are on sale now!

Craig Bushey played for the Chargers from 2001-05.

The Point Mallard Ducks’ first ever home game will feature former Charger teammates behind the benches.

Karlis Zirnis, who was an assistant coach on the Latvian team at this year’s Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, was named the head coach of the Nashville Jr. Predators on August 5. The Predators will face the Ducks at the Point Mallard Ice Complex on September 27.

Zirnis had 119 points for UAH from 1999-2003, 14th most in school history and 2nd in UAH’s modern Division I era. His 46 goals is third in UAH’s modern Division I era, and his 73 assists is second.

The Point Mallard Ducks, Alabama’s first Junior ‘A’ team going into its inaugural NA3HL season, will be led by Craig Bushey, who was hired in May. The Ducks were formally introduced to the city of Decatur with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 8.

Bushey, who played for the Chargers from 2001-05, is 17th on UAH’s all-time scoring list (and 3rd in the modern Division I era) with 112 points. He was fifth in the D-I era with 46 goals and third with 67 assists.

Seabass down under: Former Charger Sebastian Geoffrion played for the United States team that headed down to Australia for a five-game exhibition series against a team representing Canada. The International Ice Hockey Australia event, which had sellout crowds in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, benefitted the Stop Concussions Foundation.

Penalty Box Radio caught up with Geoffrion to talk about his experience in Australia, where the U.S. team defeated Canada in three of the five games to claim the Douglas Webber Cup. The Brentwood, Tennessee, native spent most of the 2013-14 season with the Arizona Sun Dogs of the CHL.

NCAA rule changes: Last month, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved new rule changes for the 2014-15 season. The rule changes include:

• Video replay can be used to determine if a goal was scored before a penalty occurred. Replay can be used to review a goal if it appears offsides or a too many men on the ice penalty should have been called (and the puck doesn’t leave the offensive zone). Replay can now be used from all video sources (not just the TV/Internet broadcast).
• Major penalty for intereference (to assist officials in penalizing for blindside hits or other significant contact not to the head or neck.
• For faceoffs, playing the puck with the hand now results in a minor penalty. End zone faceoffs now require the defending team to put their stick down first instead of the attacking team. The visiting team will continue to put their stick down first in neutral zone faceoffs. Faceoffs will now stay in the offensive zone if the attacking team attempts to score and the puck goes out of play.

Charger Blue does the Ice Bucket Challenge: Unfazed.

We are the Chargers who wear blue and white. It’s the first line in the UAH fight song.

But why? The origins of UAH’s athletic identity are not widely known.

To learn how The University of Alabama in Huntsville got its colors and team nickname, you have to go back to 1969, the year UAH became an independent institution instead of an extension of The University of Alabama. The university’s first intercollegiate athletic team, eight-man crew, had already been established by Dennis Kamrad in 1968, and now students were looking to form a basketball team.

Dr. Bernie Loposer, who became UAH’s Director of Student Affairs in 1969, was asked to be the basketball team’s coach. Loposer scheduled competition against junior colleges and other teams such as Athens College, Shorter College, St. Bernard College, Oakland City University, and the 101st Dvision in Fort Campbell, Ky. There was no budget outside of a little support from Kamrad, who was also the director of the student union, to obtain uniforms. All other expenses (such as travel and meals) were paid for by the players themselves.

With Kamrad growing the crew team into a competitive program, Loposer putting together the basketball team, and Dr. Ostap Stromecky starting the soccer club, it was apparent that there was enough student support for an official athletic program at UAH. That meant choosing a nickname and team colors.

The (Uhlan) Chargers

The earliest known logo for what was the UAH Uhlan Chargers. (courtesy UAH Athletics)

Students conducted contests to decide the school colors and the nickname. There were many suggestions considered, but one immediately stood out: The Uhlans.

Uhlans were cavalry originating from Poland in the 18th Century. The riders were armed with lances or sabres.

The name, submitted by a popular, liberal history professor, was different and non-traditional, and it resonated with the students at a time when different and non-traditional was embraced (it was the late 1960s, after all). Plus, it had the letters U, A, and H in it.

But was it too different?

“Almost immediately, I was struck by the possibility that the Uhlan name was so different that it was bound to invite invidious comments and potential ridicule and heckling from those campuses who were more traditional and conservative than our own student body,” Loposer said. “Therefore, I persuaded the proponents of the name to amend the mascot to be called the Uhlan Chargers, using the reasoning that the Uhlans were cavalry warriors on horseback.

“I also pointed out that we were in the Tennessee Valley (TVA) where electricity was produced, which meant that a team called the Chargers would honor our region.”

The addition of “Chargers” was pivotal, as “Uhlans” could have been problematic. While the Uhlans originated in Poland, the term was used for calvary units throughout eastern Europe, including Germany during both World Wars. This was why Valparaiso University changed its nickname from the Uhlans to the Crusaders in 1942, during World War II.

However, Loposer says such connotations were neither considered nor mentioned. “My long-range thinking was that the liberal bent of students would eventually run its course and that an ambiance of normalcy would eventually return, and with it a more traditional name, i.e., the Chargers, would end up being the name for the teams when they took the floor. Fortunately, it turned out as I hoped it would be.”

Intentional or not, it didn’t take long for “Uhlan” to fade into history.

Blue and white

The reasoning behind the colors was simple: Get away from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

The students again wanted UAH to stand apart from establishment. They didn’t want to do what UCLA had done, which was adopt the colors (blue and gold) and similar nickname (Bruins vs. Bears) of its parent (University of California, Berkeley).

“As for the colors, the only reaction I recall was that the students wanted to be a far as possible from the crimson and white used by UAT,” Loposer said. “That’s when the suggestion of blue and white became the odds-on favorite and was eventually selected.”

A separate contest was held by administrators of the student union to select cheerleaders, who made their own uniforms and footed the bills for travel when they accompanied the team at away games.

By 1973, UAH had established an official athletic department with athletic teams at the varsity level, led by the sports of crew, men’s basketball, and men’s soccer. Today, there are 14 teams who call themselves the UAH Chargers who wear blue and white.

* * *

Author’s note: A special thanks to Dr. Bernie Loposer for providing insight into the origins of UAH athletics. UAH Charger records and history have been fascinating to me from the time I worked in the UAH sports information office as a student.  All I knew, however, was that we were once the “Uhlan Chargers,” and we didn’t have any documentation prior to 1973. Loposer did say that “some of the facts I have cited may get challenged.” If you want to challenge (or even better, add more detail to the story), please send me a message at m@uahhockey.com.

Photo courtesy UAH Sports Information

It’s 100 days until the Chargers’ 2014-15 season home opener against Bowling Green on October 17 — a nice round number to announce the availability of season tickets! UAH will be playing its 30th varsity hockey season and 36th all-time, and its second in the WCHA.

You can get reserved lower level seating to all 16 home games for $192 — the same rate for the same number of home games as last season.

FlexTix packs also return. For $99, you’ll get 10 tickets to any 10 games. Take a group of 10 to one game or yourself and a friend to five games — the choice is yours.

Blue Line Club information was also released today. Consider making a tax-deductible donation to Charger hockey and get many great benefits. In addition to receiving multiple season tickets and FlexTix packs, you’ll get VIP parking, VBC hospitality room access, coaches’ luncheons, special events, and more. Your donations help continue the dreams of the student-athletes and the traditions that come with being the Hockey Capital of the South.

For more information, order tickets, or join the Blue Line Club, call 256-UAH-PUCK (256-824-7825). Or, download and return the Blue Line Club and season ticket brochure.

Tickets to individual games will be available through Ticketmaster and the Von Braun Center box office at a later date. Check back on our tickets page for updates.

Let’s go Chargers!

Press release from UAHChargers.com

Cam Talbot warms up for the Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final. (Photo by David Washburn)

Could we see the first UAH alumnus to have his name on the Stanley Cup?

The New York Rangers earned a spot in the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday, beating the Montreal Canadiens in six games to claim the Eastern Conference championship.

Cam Talbot (’10), the Rangers’ backup goaltender, could have his name etched in one of sports’ most iconic trophies should the Rangers defeat either the Chicago Blackhawks or Los Angeles Kings in the NHL’s championship series.

Talbot hasn’t seen much ice time during the playoffs. He’s been in two games, both times relieving top goaltender Henrik Lundqvist with the Rangers well behind.

He saw his first postseason action in Game 6 of the first round series at Philadelphia, starting the third period with the Rangers down 4-0. He stopped all five shots he faced as New York went on to lose 5-2.

Talbot made his second relief appearance in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final. He entered about halfway through the second with the Rangers down 4-1. New York rallied to tie the game, but Montreal retook the lead and added two third-period goals to win 7-4. Because Talbot allowed the game-winner, he took the loss.

For the playoffs, Talbot has played 46 minutes, allowing two goals on 13 shots for a 2.61 goals against average and an .846 save percentage.

Talbot contributed to the Rangers’ success in the regular season. Talbot played in 21 games (starting 19). He had a 1.64 goals against average, a .941 save percentage, and three shutouts.

UAH represented at worlds: Davide Nicoletti (’10) played for the Italian team at the IIHF World Championships. Nicoletti played in all seven games as Italy finished 1-6 in round-robin group play.

As he was during the Olympic Games in Sochi, Karlis Zirnis (’03) was back behind the bench as an assistant coach with the Latvian team. Latvia was 3-4 in round-robin action.

Golf outing reminder: The Frenchy Open golf outing is in eight days! Get the details and register online today!