When Niagara from newly-formed College Hockey America beat regional number one seed New Hampshire in the 2000 NCAA Tournament after gaining an at-large bid, some observers called it a one-in-a-hundred occurrence.
Fast forward to 2006-07, when Robert Morris pulled out a 3-2 win against traditional powerhouse Boston University in Alaska to open the season.
While these upsets were few and far between, the teams in College Hockey America seemed to turn the credibility corner in spring 2009 when upstart Bemidji State beat Notre Dame and Cornell in the NCAA Regional round to advance all the way to the Frozen Four.
And now, in 2009-10, it seems CHA teams upsetting the hockey powerhouses has become a bit ho-hum. It began with Alabama-Huntsville opening the season with a 3-2 victory at top-five ranked Notre Dame. Then followed another 3-2 win over then number one Miami Thanksgiving weekend at the hands of Bemidji State.
But last weekend provided yet another milestone in the leveling of the Division I hockey world.
Robert Morris not only won a pair of games against top-ranked Miami, but did so while limiting the RedHawks to just a single power-play goal in each game.
“Anytime you beat the number one team in the country it’s a big deal,” Robert Morris head coach Derek Schooley said. “Some CHA teams have done it before once, but what happened (Saturday) is validation.”
Brooks Ostergard
“We came into the game having allowed at least two goals in every game, but we held them to one goal per game on consecutive nights.”
It also should be noted that the Colonials entered the weekend with a grand total of three wins.
“We got great goaltending, we executed, blocked shots, killed penalties and got a few bounces. Friday night (Brooks) Ostergard played well especially early making some key saves. Then Saturday, we weathered the storm early and they hit a few posts.”
Also key for the Colonials was the return to the lineup of senior captain Dave Cowan on defense after a five-week layoff due to thumb surgery. And the experiment of moving freshman forward Andrew Blazek back to defense for the last five games has proven a successful one.
“You still have the elite programs, but the bottom is closer to the top than it ever has been,” Schooley said about the balance in Division I hockey.
“Bemidji State last year validated the quality of the programs in CHA and what Alabama-Huntsville did earlier this year and Niagara playing Michigan close and taking down Colgate among other teams is further proof. Our records don’t always reflect it, but we have some quality programs.”
CHA teams have eight more non-conference games this season to provide any further validation needed.
FRIES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG
• For just the second time this season, all four CHA teams will be playing each other this weekend. Bemidji State travels to Niagara having not allowed a goal over their last 137:26 of play while Alabama-Huntsville makes their second trip of the season to Moon Township to battle the Colonials. The Chargers earned three of four points during the first trip in early December.
• Since opening the season 0-8-2, Niagara has quietly gone 5-4-0 while averaging over three goals scored per game. Sophomore Chris Noonan has started the last six games in goal.
• Alabama-Huntsville has also found the win column with a 2-2-2 record in their last six. Freshman Keenan Desmet scored his first collegiate goal with 29 seconds remaining in regulation to help the Chargers earn a 3-3 tie at Clarkson last weekend.
