October
25, 2006
Wayne
State Rallies for Split in Huntsville
By
Warren Kozireski
One night after losing a 4-2 game against
Alabama-Huntsville and trailing the next night 3-1 early
in the second period, the visiting Warriors from Wayne State
scored five unanswered goals and went on to win 8-6 to earn
a split.
CHA
Notebook
Alabama-Huntsville senior defenseman Shaun Arvai is
tied for the team lead with five assists on the year,
but the Chargers only managed a split against Wayne
State. It was the Warriors' first win in league play
after losing six straight CHA games.
Senior forward Nate Higgins netted a hat trick
in the win and finished the weekend with four goals and
an assist and was named the CHA Offensive Player of the
Week. Derek Bachynski scored the empty-netter and added
two assists while Mike Forgie, Matt Krug, Jared Katz and
Mark Nebus were the other Saturday goal scorers. The Chargers
peppered freshman goaltender Brett Bothwell, who picked
up his first collegiate win, with 59 shots on goal.
The win broke a six-game conference losing
streak for the Warriors dating back to Feb. 18, when they
defeated Niagara 3-2.
The offensive outburst marked the most goals
Wayne State has scored in a non-exhibition game since the
Warriors netted nine goals at Bowling Green Nov. 20, 2004.
It also was just the fourth time in the team’s history
it has scored eight or more goals.
SEEN AND HEARD IN THE CHA
Looking forward to 500: UAH
head coach Doug Ross could pick up his 500th career victory
if the Chargers win the Lightning College Hockey Classic
in Tampa this weekend. UAH plays former CHA foe Air Force
in the first round and either Army or Notre Dame on Saturday.
On the road, but not to ruin:
Give credit to Robert Morris for creating a very manageable
non-conference schedule for itself. The Colonials have already
played at Canisius (a 4-2 season-opening win) and lost twice
at Quinnipiac. Thursday's trip to newly-renovated Lynah
Rink could prove to be difficult, as a boisterous crowd
will be sure to welcome its beloved Big Red back to the
ice for their first official game of the season.
The non-conference slate for the Colonials
also includes two games each against Merrimack and Notre
Dame, a road trip to Princeton, and a Colorado trip where
they will likely be huge underdogs against Denver, but match
up well with former CHA team Air Force — the second
opponent on that late-November trip. A home-and-home against
Miami concludes the non-league schedule, and it's a good
one for RMU, as most trips reasonably fit the school's location
and are winnable.
FRIES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG
Great Weekend Getaway
Bemidji
State at Niagara (Fri.-Sat.) Bemidji State travels to Niagara in a matchup
of the top two teams in the CHA preseason coach’s
poll. It is the first time the teams have met in October.
The Beavers finished last season 1-3 against the Purps
in the regular season with the win coming at Dwyer
Arena before defeating Niagara 4-2 in the playoff
finals.
While You’re There: Just down
the road from Niagara on Saturday is the Halloween
Spooktacular from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the New York
Power Authority Power Vista Visitor's Center. Say
that five times fast.
Stick
Salute
Wayne State’s
Jason Bloomingburg set the mark for the second-fastest
goal in school history when he scored 12
seconds into Friday’s game against Alabama-Huntsville.
The mark is held by Jason Baclig who scored just nine
seconds in against Michigan State on Oct. 8, 2005.
Bench
Minor
In just the sixth game of his collegiate
career, UAH freshman defenseman Brandon Roshko was
on the ice for three of Wayne State’s five
even-strength goals against in an 8-6 Warrior
come-from-behind victory Saturday.
• Wayne State assistant captain Nate
Higgins played in the 100th game of his collegiate career
Friday and scored a goal in a 4-2 loss to UAH.
• Bemidji State junior netminder Orlando
Alamano started his first game in a Beaver uniform Friday
against Regina and registered the shutout in a 2-0 victory.
• Staying with the goaltender theme,
Niagara senior Allen Barton played in his first game since
the 2004-05 campaign and stopped 24 of 29 shots over the
last two periods in the 10-1 loss to Nebraska-Omaha.
• All four goals in the Chargers' win
over Wayne State Friday night came on the power play as
Alabama-Huntsville was 4-of-15 with the man advantage.
• Niagara’s 10-1 loss to Nebraska-Omaha
Friday was the worst loss in the 10-year history of the
program and the first time the Purple Eagles have allowed
10 or more goals in a game. The previous record was an 8-1
loss at Bemidji State in December 2005.
• Saturday’s consolation game
with UMass Lowell marked the fourth consecutive game Niagara
played against an opponent looking for their first win.
A variety
of sources were utilized in the compilation of this report
