THE SKINNY

With all the conference realignments that have taken place in recent years, Atlantic Hockey has been able to maintain its lineup … that is, until the 2014-15 season when Connecticut bolts for Hockey East. It’s been a good, stable run for Atlantic Hockey, with a recent influx of good goaltending making the members just a bit more competitive.

Atlantic Hockey is coming off perhaps the tightest finish in college hockey history (certainly over the last dozen years) with the top five teams separated by only two points and the top seven by just five. Expect more of the same, though some graduation losses will shake down a few teams.

In a continuing sign of the increased level of talent coming into the league, top talents in Cole Schneider (Connecticut) and Scott Arnold (Niagara) left early to sign pro contracts. Likewise, a number of Atlantic Hockey alums continue to join the minor pro ranks.

The playoff format will remain the same this season, which is a nice change from the previous five seasons. The Atlantic Hockey Final Four remains at Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena.

The league has still not secured an adequate television package, especially given the footprint of the circuit, so avid followers must go the subscription route to get a taste of action. Army, with its national brand, has secured the only three national cable appearances, with Air Force and Robert Morris.

PRIMED FOR A FALL

Holy Cross finished in a three-way tie for third place just two points from the top. The Crusaders lost a tough three-game quarterfinal series with Mercyhurst, but the biggest losses came later. Holy Cross graduated eight players, including four defensemen, and more than a third of its potent offense. Paul Pearl has brought in 11 freshmen, four of whom were junior hockey all-stars, so the bottom isn’t likely to drop out but it’s sure going to get harder.

Likewise, Robert Morris lost 10 players, including top two point-getters Trevor Lewis and Cody Crichton and No. 3 goal scorer Nick Chiavetta—that’s almost 40 percent of the Colonials’ offense—and starting goalie Brooks Ostergard (2.43 GAA) is gone, too.

PRESSURE TO PERFORM

Kyle De Laurell led Air Force in scoring with 38 points last season.

Air Force is still the team to beat in Atlantic Hockey despite losing top defensemen Scott Mathis and Tim Kirby. The Falcons lost only four players and return all-star netminder Jason Torf, who bounced back from a severe groin injury last October. Air Force has won all but one of Atlantic Hockey’s playoff tournaments, and coach Frank Serratore believes he has another solid team this season.

TOUGHEST ACT TO FOLLOW

Niagara made a tremendous run for the regular-season title, coming up a point shy of Air Force. The Purple Eagles reached the semifinals only to lose to Rochester Institute of Technology in overtime.

Admittedly, the Purple Eagles may be best situated for another run with the loss of just four players and the return of 12 of its top 13 scorers. However, the one critical loss is goaltender Chris Noonan, who established league records for goals against average (1.61) and save percentage (.944). That leaves the position to juniors Cody Campbell (21 career games) and Carsen Chubak (10 career games) and sophomore Colby Drost (six career games). If one of this trio can even come close to Noonan’s form, then Niagara should remain a contender, but history has proved only teams with top-flight goaltending win championships.

BEST PLAYER

Junior Brett Gensler of Bentley is coming off a breakout 50-point season with 23 goals (20 at even strength) and 27 assists. The Gridiron Club of Boston honored Gensler with its Walter Brown Award as the best American-born college hockey player in New England. Gensler ranks fifth among active Atlantic Hockey players with 74 points (36 goals). He doesn’t have blinding speed, but he gets the job done by playing smart positional hockey.

IMPACT NEWCOMERS

Atlantic Hockey teams have plucked a pair of players from the United States Hockey League: Air Force’s Christian Neumann (Chicago Steel) and Taylor Fleming (Fargo Force). RIT newcomer Anthony Hamburg, a Colgate transfer, was a 2009 pick of the Minnesota Wild.
Connecticut and Holy Cross signed a combined seven division all-stars from the North American Hockey League. The Huskies added forwards Joe Birmingham (St. Louis Bandits) and Joe Kalisz (Bandits), defenseman Joe Schmitz (Alaska Avalanche) and goalie Robert Nichols (Wenatchee Wild). The Crusaders added forwards Castan Sommer (Bismarck Bobcats) and Brett Lubanski (Kenai River Brown Bears) and defenseman Karl Beckman (Amarillo Bulls). Mercyhurst picked up forward Kyle Cook (Springfield Junior Blues).