Bemidji State is fresh off its fifth College Hockey America regular-season crown and looking for a return trip to the NCAA playoffs. But for the first time in CHA history, should the Beavers be upset in the playoffs, they could earn an at-large berth for a second conference entry.
Who could pull the upset over the Beavers, rated tenth in the most recent INCH Power Rankings? Last-place Niagara won one of two games against BSU at Dwyer Arena this season—site of this year’s conference tourney. Robert Morris has beaten the Beavers in consecutive games, one in Minnesota and one in Pennsylvania. And Alabama-Huntsville finished the regular season last weekend with a 2-2 tie versus the green and white.
In a four-team conference, it takes just two wins to earn a ring. And as Chargers head coach Danton Cole said in this space last week, “We saw it with Bemidji last year—you go in and play hard and anybody can beat anybody. I know we say that a lot, but it can happen. A guy makes two or three good saves over a weekend and all of a sudden you’re moving on. … If you win one game you’re playing the next game for the championship.”
Let the final postseason in College Hockey America history begin …
THE FAVORITE
Bemidji State freshman Jordan George, the league's top scorer among rookies, scored 33 points in 33 games for the Beavers.
Have you been paying any attention at all? Bemidji State won more games this season than any other two CHA teams combined, and the Beavers were ranked as high as seventh in the nation at various points this season after their run to the Frozen Four a year ago.
The question heading into the season was goaltending, and Dan Bakala has more than replaced Matt Dalton in net. He came into the season without a minute of NCAA playing time, but has a 2.13 goals against average, which places him tenth in the nation.
Three of BSU’s of eight losses and one of their three ties have come in the last nine games. But they’ve allowed more than two goals in a game just once in their last seven. If they are going to be upset, it will take a stellar defensive effort in a low-scoring contest.
THE GATE CRASHER
This is about as even as you can get.
The three teams not named Bemidji State (Robert Morris, Alabama-Huntsville, Niagara) finished with the same number of conference wins and within one win of each other in all games. The Colonials were hot in January and early February, but have dropped four of their last five. The Chargers are 1-4-1 over their last six, though two of the losses were by one goal. The Purple Eagles have won four of their last five and three of their last four at home.
With four of their top five scorers knowing this is their final go-round as seniors and the home ice crowd behind them, the Purps might be worth taking as an underdog. But the RMU-UAH season series was only 3-2-1 advantage for the Colonials … well, you get the picture.
INCH’s ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
G – Dan Bakala, Bemidji State. For those who think the CHA is a weak conference for building stats, probably his most impressive number is his .925 save percentage in all games (sixth in the nation) versus his .929 save percentage against conference opponents.
D - Brad Hunt, Bemidji State. Despite increased attention from opposing defenses, the sophomore came within one point of matching his freshman total. He netted seven goals—five on the power play—with 24 assists while being paired with a freshman defensive partner most nights.
D – Denny Urban, Robert Morris. Ten goals and 24 points put him third on the Colonials’ scoring list this season, and his three game-winning goals led the team. He saw an awful lot of ice time when the Colonials blueline was hit with injuries in December.
F – Matt Read, Bemidji State. See below for more on Read.
F – Chris Moran, Niagara. The Buffalo native once again started the season slow, but came on like gang-busters in the second half. He finishes his college career as Niagara’s all-time assists leader and fourth on the school’s points list with 138. His 31 assists this season were sixth best in the nation.
F – Nathan Longpre, Robert Morris. The junior obviously missed former linemate Chris Margott as his assist numbers were off from a year ago, but he still finished with 13 goals, his highest single-season goal total.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Bemidji State’s Tom Serratore isn’t one for self-promotion or giving away much information to the press. Most of his interview answers contain the phrase, “You know what”, and are stream-of-consciousness responses. But he has made believers of so-called small-town college hockey doubters by taking his Beavers to a third consecutive CHA regular season title.
There was doubt that BSU could return to their lofty level of a year ago after losing starting goaltender Matt Dalton to the pros and senior defenseman Cody Bostock to graduation, but that question was more than answered in the form of an eight-game unbeaten streak to open the season and a 14-2-1 record through the first weekend of December.
And don’t for a moment think their schedule was soft. They were 9-5-2 out of conference including 4-4 against current and future WCHA opponents.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Junior Matt Read of Bemidji State matched his point total of last season with 40 while setting a personal best with 19 goals. The Ilderton, Ontario, native was a focal point of the opponent’s attention among the forwards, but would still emerge just about every game to contribute.
In three seasons, Read has a plus-minus rating of +59 and the Beavers are 31-7-2 when he scores a goal, which included a 14-2-1 mark this season. In 107 career games, he has piled up 107 points and sits alone in fourth place on the BSU scoring list; he is also fourth in assists (64) and seventh in goals scored (43). A return visit to an NHL rookie camp this summer is a given.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Bemidji State newcomer Jordan George is listed at 5-8 and 155 pounds, but he tore through the conference, just as teammate Read did in his first year when he scored nine goals and 18 assists. The Madison, Wis., native netted 13 goals and added 20 assists. Only three of his goals were on the power play and one was shorthanded. He finished fifth in the nation in rookie scoring. George’s point total is almost double that of the next highest scoring conference freshman, Matti Jarvinen of Alabama-Huntsville, who was also named to the CHA All-Rookie team.
BREAKTHROUGH PLAYER
When Bemidji State lost more 40 percent of its scoring to graduation last season, questions were aplenty as to whom, if anyone, would fill the void. With four career goals in 57 games, Ian Lowe did not appear to be a candidate. Lowe helped give the Beavers the scoring depth they needed. Playing on a line with Read and George, Lowe scored 19 goals, a conference-best eight power-play markers, a team-high four game-winning goals, and a career-high 10 assists.
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