There have been quite a few rumors spreading on various sites over the past few weeks about the future of the CHA and its teams. Now here are a few facts.
Atlantic Hockey voted to suspend its moratorium on expansion. Robert Morris and Niagara expressed interest in joining and AHA Commissioner Bob DeGregorio has visited both sites with the Niagara visit happening this past Friday when RIT was at Dwyer Arena.
“It would be disingenuous of me to say that we have not had any discussions,” said College Hockey America interim Commissioner and Niagara Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin. “I hate clichés, but it seems that there is a thawing in hockey and it’s a major step that at least someone is looking at expansion.”
Not determined should this scenario unfold is the fate of Alabama-Huntsville and Bemidji State.
In Wednesday’s Bemidji Pioneer, “WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod confirmed Tuesday that the WCHA executive committee will decide next week if a vote to repeal the existing moratorium should be taken during the NCAA Convention on Jan. 14-17 in Washington, D.C. We’d like to give Bemidji State a definitive answer, yes or no, about the possibility of joining our league,” McLeod said from his Denver office. “It would be in their best interest to know our intentions so they can make plans for their future.”
“Our ultimate goal is to be in the WCHA,” Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore said in the Bemidji Pioneer article. “With our present league down to four teams, going to the WCHA would be a logical step for us. It would be good timing. [College Hockey America] might only have one more season as a league after this year.”
“As a league representative and even as an Athletic Director, it is a concern to me because, not only are they a founding member of the league and good league partners, but we can’t afford to lose any more college hockey teams,” said McLaughlin. “We’ll do anything we can to support them even if we are in a different league.”
“Niagara needs to look out for Niagara, but from a global perspective, we can’t afford to lose any more teams. It’s a concern that is not on the periphery for me. We’ve (the sport) lost 10 teams in the last 20 years and we don’t want to go the way of men’s gymnastics or wrestling.”
2009-10 scheduling has been completed for most teams with work already starting on the 2010-11 campaign, so a quick decision needs to happen to allow time for any schedule tweaking—next season or the one after.
Consider the Corner Turned
One week after seeing two 2-0 leads evaporate in a tie and a loss against Robert Morris to open the conference schedule, Alabama-Huntsville found itself hosting rival Bemidji State for a pair of games.
The Beavers took 11 of 12 points from the Chargers in their three series last season, but Bemidji head coach Tom Serratore referred to the Von Braun Center as “going into a hornet’s nest” the week prior to the series and that held true as the young UAH squad dictated much of the play over the two games.
Matt Sweazey scored the first two Charger goals with Andrew Coburn and Neil Ruffini also netting goals in the first game win.
Joey Koudys teamed with Kevin Morrison and Mike Ward to stake UAH to a 1-0 lead into the third period of the second contest before Matt Read tied the game and Brandon Marino won it for the Beavers in overtime.
The Chargers received stellar goaltending form both Blake MacNicol, who made 13 saves, and Cameron Talbot who stopped 31 shots.
Niagara Finally Finds Its Power Play & Penalty Kill
They finished last season third in the nation with the extra man on the ice, but the Purple Eagles power play has struggled to find its rhythm this season; that is until RIT came for a visit to Dwyer Arena.
The Purps scored four goals on eight chances with sophomore David Ross netting two for his first points on the season and Chris Moran also scored two in the 6-2 trouncing of the Tigers.
“We’ve been waiting eight games for that,” said Niagara head coach Dave Burkholder after the game.
“We got a couple early and they were the right guys who got it going for us early. We got it in zone and moved the puck around, which wasn’t happening. We worked on it all week in practice except for yesterday (Thursday), because guys were starting to squeeze it. We added up our players’ points in juniors and said ‘enough said’—our five against their four and go out and play and try to take some pressure off.”
“It was only a matter of time and tonight was hopefully the starting point of our season,” said senior captain Vince Rocco, who had three assists on the power play as well. “I couldn’t tell you what the difference was because we didn’t score a goal all week in practice on the power play.”
Moran is off to the best start of his career in the goal scoring department with six through nine games with his previous best of 9 goals coming during his freshman season.
“Playing with Rocco helps obviously, but a lot of the goals I’ve scored have been just getting open and guys getting me the puck and I put it in where last year I would hit the post or miss the net completely,” Moran said.
The Purps followed that performance with one for the record book and ESPN. Already leading cross-town rival Canisius 2-0, Niagara scored three short-handed goals on the same two minute minor against two different goaltenders.
It is believed to be a record, but is unconfirmed as this is written.
The record for short-handed goals in one game is six set by Wisconsin in 1967. Colorado College once scored five in a game while Cornell and Alaska-Anchorage each had 4. Along with Minnesota State, who had one player score three shorties in a game earlier this season, Niagara becomes the 12th team to score three short-handed goals in one game.
“We gave up two on the same penalty once, but I’ve never been a part of anything like this,” Burkholder said.
The event was the #2 “Plays of the Day” on ESPN SportsCenter Tuesday night.
Robert Morris Plays Ohio State
The College Hockey Showcase game at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh features the Colonials and Ohio State for the second year in a row. In a previous year Robert Morris has played against Bowling Green.
Last season, RMU was down 5-2 early in the third period before getting three goals over the final 11 minutes from freshman defenseman Denny Urban (his first collegiate goal), Chris Margott and Ryan Cruthers to skate away with an unexpected 5-5 tie.
It’s a much different Colonials squad this season with 12 freshmen and three Wayne State transfers, and this game could speak volumes about the resolve of the unit after dropping a pair of games at last place WCHA member St. Cloud State last weekend including being shutout in one game and outscored 11-1.
