In case you missed it, here’s a wrap-up of news and notes around UAH and college hockey in July, as the summer off-season drags on.
WCHA gets to keep OT format: The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panels approved a proposal that will allow conferences to use 3-on-3 and shootout formats after the regular 5-on-5 overtime period to award points in league standings.
This allows the WCHA and NCHC to continue its format of the past two seasons. Each conference game is worth three points, and a game is officially a tie if no one scores during the 5-on-5 overtime, with each team getting a league point. A 5-minute, 3-on-3 sudden death overtime period is played, and if the game is still tied, a sudden death shootout determines which team gets a second league point.
Alternatively, conference may use just a shootout without the 3-on-3 period. The Big Ten uses this format.
Neither format can be used for non-conference games. Only the mandatory five-minute, 5-on-5 overtime is allowed, although 20-minute sudden death overtimes can be used for regular-season tournament games that require a winner.
Earlier this summer, a proposal was pushed to eliminate all formats following the 5-on-5 overtime. Eastern leagues (Hockey East, ECAC, Atlantic Hockey) do not have extra overtime procedures for conference games.
Other NCAA rule updates: The panel also approved the following rule changes:
- Officials can now review video to determine whether a player may be ejected.
- Slashing has been redefined: “Any forceful or powerful chop with the stick on an opponent’s body, the opponent’s stick, or on or near the opponent’s hands that, in the judgment of the referee, is not an attempt to play the puck, should be penalized as slashing.”
- A player coming off the ice must be within five feet of the bench before a substituting player hits the ice.
- Each team will have one timeout in overtime, regardless of whether a team used its timeout in regulation.
- Teams can now dress up to 19 skaters, up from 18.
- A player who catches the puck must place it on the ice for play to continue legally. A minor penalty will be assessed if the player conceals or throws the puck after catching it.
- Coaches must use a challenge to review goals scored where a potential high stick is involved or if the puck might have touched the netting out of play and leads to a goal.
Beaulieu, Teets named All American Scholars: Sophomore forward Austin Beaulieu and junior defenseman John Teets were named Krampade All American Scholars on Monday by the American Hockey Coaches Association.
All American Scholars earned at least a 3.6 grade-point average each semester and played 40 percent of their school’s games last season. Beaulieu and Teets played all 37 games for the Chargers in 2017-18, each scoring three goals and six assists.
Adeniye commits: Ayodele Adeniye announced his commitment to UAH on July 12. The Columbus, Ohio defenseman is expected to join the Chargers in 2019.
Last season, Adeniye had eight points in 33 games for the Ohio Blue Jackets U18 club. He will play for the Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL), which had current Chargers Andrew Dodson and Connor Merkley and will have UAH commits Peyton Francis and Ryland Mosley.
Neutral Zone has a 3.5-star rating on Adeniye: “[Adeniye] uses his 6’5” frame to defend. Takes good angles and gets sticks on pucks. Hits and hits often. Smart positionally and makes simple outlets. Athletic player with a solid upside. B grade at NHL Cup.”
Schedule changes: Three home games had their start times changed. The Jan. 19 game against Alaska Anchorage will start at 3 p.m., and the Feb. 8-9 series against Northern Michigan will have the puck drop at 6 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Club team schedule released: The re-launched UAH club hockey team released its 2018-19 season schedule on Monday.
The team, which will compete in ACHA Division 3, will play 17 games. The Chargers will play four home games at the Huntsville IcePlex, opening the season on Oct. 26-27 against UAB. UAH will host Middle Tennessee on Feb. 15-16.
Zirnis joins Nanooks as assistant: Alaska is going from one UAH alum to another on its coaching staff. Karlis Zirnis joined the Nanooks as an assistant for first-year head coach Erik Largen.
Zirnis, who scored 119 points for the Chargers from 1999-2003, was most recently the head coach at Shreveport of the NAHL, leading the junior club to the Robertson Cup championship. He coached for his native Latvia at the 2014 and 2015 World championships and at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.
Alaska had former Charger Lance West as interim head coach last season and as an assistant coach for nine years prior. West joined Mike Corbett’s staff at UAH in June after Alaska hired Largen as head coach.