Intrigue abounds in this, the season’s first full weekend of the regular season, assisted by the 2009-10 debuts of some familiar teams.

Jay Barriball and Minnesota open the 2009-10 season at North Dakota this weekend.

1. Minnesota at North Dakota (Friday-Saturday): Beyond the rivalry, this series intrigues me because I have no idea what to expect from the Golden Gophers. I wouldn’t be surprised if North Dakota beat ‘em by six goals, nor would it shock me if Minnesota won by six (on second thought, that would shock me just a little). There are so many questions-Who replaces Stoa? How will the heralded newcomers fare? Which Alex Kangas shows up this season?-that anyone who says he or she has a handle on the Gophers is lying.

As was mentioned in this week’s INCH Podcast, North Dakota may not have the one dominant, dynamic forward like a Zach Parise or Jonathan Toews, but the balance across all four lines is impressive. Brad Eidsness is a capable goalie, but he seems like the college hockey version of Kyle Orton-you don’t have to win the game for us, but don’t lose it.

2. Miami at New Hampshire (Friday-Saturday): The RedHawks’ month-long death march continues this weekend with a pair at the Whitt. On paper, it seems as if UNH, which dropped a 3-1 decision at Rensselaer last Saturday, doesn’t match up well with Miami-the RedHawks should be able to wear the Wildcats down with their superior depth-but I’m more interested Miami’s focus. My feeling is the RedHawks are really locked in on a) putting April’s NCAA championship game loss behind them and b) proving to everyone that it’s behind them. That said, since Dick Umile has been behind the Wildcat bench, UNH has never started a season with two losses.

3. Michigan State at Maine (Friday-Saturday): Yeah, we know Maine isn’t what it once was. But did you see Michigan State last season? There were times the Spartans barely resembled a hockey team. These are important games for MSU if it wants to continue rebuilding its confidence-winnable road matches against a quality opponent in a hostile environment. The Black Bears, meanwhile, need to bounce back after two losses to a better-than-you-think Union team last weekend. The return of no. 1 goalie Scott Darling from a two-game suspension for violating the school’s student-athlete code of conduct will provide a boost.

4. Boston College at Vermont (Sunday): Even though Denver rallied in the third period to win, Vermont was impressive in its season opener at Magness Arena Friday, then beat our preseason no. 1 team the next night. The Catamounts’ top two lines, in particular, looked very sharp. How they match up against a relatively untested BC defensive corps will likely decide the game. Also, John Muse, the Eagles’ goaltender, took a step back last season after an outstanding freshman campaign. His return to form is critical to his team’s success.

Also: Former BU goalie Brett Bennett makes his debut for Wisconsin against Colorado College tonight … high-scoring forward Mike Connolly returns from a two-game suspension for Minnesota Duluth in its series with Minnesota State … can Union get a win at St. Cloud State? … fresh off wins against Army and UMass Lowell at home, Nebraska-Omaha visits Colgate … Alabama-Huntsville can pull off another road upset when it visits Air Force.

Feels good to be back, doesn’t it?

We’re trying something different this season in order to get more of a national feel to our early-week coverage before delving into the conference stuff as the weekend nears. Every week, the First Shift will feature INCH’s national Player of the Week, Stick Salute, and Bench Minor. We’ll also take a lighter-hearted look at the weekend that was in our Say What?, Rankings Outrage, and Tweet of the Week segments.

This is a work in progress, to be sure. But unlike Phil Cuzzi, we promise not to miss anything.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
RICH PURSLOW Nebraska-Omaha Jr. | F | Greenlawn, N.Y.His Statistics: 2 GP, 2-2-4, +3 vs. Army and UMass LowellHis Impact: If the results from this past weekend’s Icebreaker Tournament in Omaha are any indication, Dean Blais’s tenure as the Mavericks’ head coach should be, at the very least, exciting. UNO, which ranked 42nd in the country in scoring offense last season with an average of 2.45 goals per game, exploded for 10 goals in wins against Army and UMass Lowell.Purslow, the Icebreaker MVP, led a balanced scoring attack with a goal and an assist in each of the Mavs’ two wins. He helped set up Terry Broadhurst’s game-winning goal in Friday’s 6-4 decision against Army and sparked UNO’s come-from-behind triumph against the RiverHawks Saturday with a first-period goal less than three minutes after UML jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage. His Runners-Up: Dan Bakela (Bemidji State); Mike Cichy (North Dakota); Scott Greenham (Alaska); Brayden Irwin (Vermont); Dan Morrison (Canisius); Eric Lampe (Quinnipiac); Cameron Talbot (Alabama-Huntsville). The INCH Player of the Week is presented by The INCH Shop
STICK SALUTE	Good on the hockey fans in the Rochester area (7,421 of them, to be exact) for showing up at Blue Cross Arena for Saturday’s Colgate-RIT tilt. The game turned out to be a real treat—the Raiders’ Austin Smith scored a shorthanded goal in the third period to give his team a 3-2 victory. The building’s primary tenant, the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans, averaged a little more than 4,000 fans in 40 home dates last season.
BENCH MINOR	The opening weekend wasn’t a high-water mark for the CCHA’s upper echelon. Most notable (and by notable, we mean cringe-worthy) were Notre Dame’s 3-2 loss to Alabama-Huntsville at the Joyce Center Friday, Michigan’s shutout loss to Alaska in Anchorage that same night, and Ohio State’s pair of losses to visiting Quinnipiac, a team picked to finish in the bottom third of ECAC Hockey.
SAY WHAT?	“I’m not one who’s going to make a lot of changes when things are working.” — UNO coach Dean Blais to the Omaha World-Herald’s Chad Purcell following the Mavs’ Icebreaker Tournament championship game win Saturday. But when things aren’t working—especially for a goaltender—Blais gets out the hook quicker than Tony LaRussa. UNO senior Jeremie Dupont learned as much against Army and UMass Lowell, allowing six goals on 20 shots in just under 54 minutes of work. Sophomore John Faulkner earned both wins in relief.
RANKINGS OUTRAGE	It’s early and it’s gonna take a while for the national polls to sort themselves out. That said, we’re not sure how Boston College, the 12th-ranked team in this week’s USA Hockey Magazine/USA Today poll, earned one first-place vote. By the way, 27 teams received at least one vote in the same poll. The Alaska Nanooks, who beat Michigan and Mercyhurst at the Kendall Hockey Classic in Anchorage, were not one of them.
TWEET OF THE WEEK	@HackswithHaggs: God bless the dude at Angels stadium wearing a Whale T-shirt while waiting in line for a hot dog. What are the odds?

THE SKINNY

Air Force has been the class of Atlantic Hockey since its addition to the league in 2006-07, winning three playoff championships and earning a piece of the regular-season title last season. The Falcons lose five key pieces but return two preseason All-Americans, and that is why Air Force is favored to repeat as champion.

Mercyhurst has pushed Air Force to the limit in the last two title matches and will certainly be in the hunt once again. So too will Rochester Institute of Technology, a semifinalist the past two seasons and winner of two regular-season championships in three seasons.

The chase for the final home berth in the quarterfinals should be pretty wild. The coaches have picked Holy Cross for fourth and Canisius for fifth, but Inside College Hockey has it the other way. Army is tabbed for sixth, the final spot not required to play an opening-round elimination game.

Bentley was the up-and-comer which finished fourth last season, but the Falcons lose tremendous offensive production to graduation. Sacred Heart was picked for eighth and Connecticut ninth, but those two spots could flip-flop depending on which squad can get better goaltending. American International returns eight of its top 11 scorers but that’s not saying much for a team that did not produce a double-digit scorer for the first time since 2004-05.

Twelve of 19 all-stars return this season, including first-teamers Jacques Lamoureux and Andrew Volkening of Air Force, Owen Meyer of Army, and Dan Ringwald of Rochester Institute of Technology. The other all-stars making a return are Steve Cameron, Ryan Zapolski, and Scott Pitt of Mercyhurst; Matt Fairchild of Air Force; Jason Weeks and Carl Hudson of Canisius; Al Mazur of RIT; and Kyle Rank of Bentley.

BREAKTHROUGH TEAM

Cory Conacher is part of a Canisius offensive attack that produced 114 goals last season.

Canisius has climbed from ninth place to sixth to fifth over the past three seasons. It is no coincidence the Griffins have improved goal scoring from 86 to 93 to 114, while cutting their goals allowed from 130 to 121 to 111.

Coach Dave Smith has brought in some good talent the past several seasons and the results are promising. The Griffs lost only two players to graduation, and eight seniors anchor a lineup which returns its top 13 scorers. Senior Andrew Loewen (2.81 GAA, .919 save pct.) came on strong late last season, and sophomore Dan Morrison (2.97. .908) is a more-than-capable backup.

With a capable tandem in net and a burgeoning offensive lineup, there’s no reason Canisius can’t secure home ice for the quarterfinals.

PRIMED FOR A FALL

Bentley’s return to the top half of the league last season was no surprise. The Falcons had senior leadership and got outstanding play from freshman netminder Kyle Rank (2.68, .912). However, coach Ryan Soderquist is going to have to replace six seniors who accounted for 135 points last season and 425 career points. Bentley returns enough offense and the all-star Rank to remain viable for a first-round bye. 

PRESSURE TO PERFORM

Rochester Institute of Technology stormed onto the scene in Atlantic Hockey in 2006-07, winning a regular-season championship but the Tigers had to sit out the playoffs for their inaugural season. No matter, RIT took Army to the final day of the 2007-08 season before settling for second place. RIT returned to the top of the league last season, although a final-day setback to Air Force pulled the Falcons into a tie for the title with the Tigers.

The problem is RIT has not found a way to escape the semifinal round. Air Force crushed the Tigers, 5-0, in 2008 and Mercyhurst shook off a last-minute tying goal in regulation to post a 5-4 overtime triumph in 2009.

Coach Wayne Wilson has lost a load of talent the past two years to graduation and early departure to the pros. Five graduates will take 102 points out of the lineup, but five of six players who posted double-digit goals last season will return, led by sophomore Tyler Brenner (35 points), all-star defenseman Dan Ringwald (33), senior Matt Crowell (32), and sophomore Cameron Burt (32). Louis Menard has moved on, leaving the netminder duties to senior Jared DeMichiel (2.70, .905). The task will not be easy but the Tigers still have the talent to dethrone Air Force. 

TOUGHEST ACT TO FOLLOW

Mercyhurst has done just about all it can to rip the title from Air Force, but has come up short. The Lakers dropped a 5-4 double-overtime decision in the 2008 final and lost 2-0 in the 2009 title game. Coach Rick Gotkin’s team regained its offensive swagger last season, lighting the lamp 155 times to rank second in the nation behind national champion Boston University. However, the Lakers took a hit with graduation losses of Matt Pierce (24 goals, 44 points) and Brett Robinson (10 goals, 38 points). Still, Mercyhurst returns 11 players who posted double-digit points. If second-team all-star Ryan Zapolski (2.22, .934) can repeat his performance in net, Mercyhurst might get a third crack at winning the title.

BEST PLAYER

Air Force's Andrew Volkening posted a 1.97 goals against average and a .920 save percentage last season.

This is a tough call, but at least both players reside in Colorado Springs. Jacques Lamoureux and Andrew Volkening of Air Force.

Inside College Hockey has named Lamoureux a first-team preseason All-American. As a sophomore he established an Atlantic Hockey record with 33 goals to go with 20 assists—his 53 points ranks sixth in the single-season AHA/MAAC records. Fifteen of his goals came on the power play, and nine went for game-winners.

INCH has named Volkening a third-team preseason All-American. The Air Force backups saw no time last season with Volkening logging 2,502-plus minutes, missing only 15:38 of empty net time. In the past two seasons Volkening has produced the second- and third-best goals against marks (1.97 with six shutouts in 2008-09, 2.09 in 2007-08) in league history. Air Force has lost just one Atlantic Hockey quarterfinal playoff game since Volkening was installed in the lineup for the 2007 title game win over Army, and now he has an NCAA tourney win over Michigan and double-overtime loss to Vermont.

My edge goes to Volkening because the puck stops there. 

BEST NEWCOMER

Eric Delong, Sacred Heart. The forward from Oakville, Manitoba, enjoyed three very productive seasons with the Portage Terriers in the Manitoba junior league, registering 261 points. The 2009 Canadian Junior A Player of the Year had 37 goals and 51 assists in 2006-07, 30 goals and 50 assists in 2007-08, and posted a team-high 46 goals and 47 assists last season. Inside College Hockey considers Delong to be one of the top 20 recruits among forwards.

UNSUNG PLAYER

Jeff Hajner of Air Force has never made an Atlantic Hockey all-star team, and yet he’s the second-leading career point producer among active players with 94 points. Hajner posted 13 goals and 14 assists as a freshman, and tied for the team scoring lead as a sophomore with 15 goals and 23 assists. Hajner was the Falcons’ No. 6 scorer last season with 10 goals and 19 assists. Hajner knows how to produce in pressure situations, posting four points in the quarterfinals win over Sacred Heart, three assists in a semifinal win over Bentley, and an assist in the NCAA tourney win over Michigan.

MARK IT DOWN
Five things you can take to the bank in Atlantic Hockey this season.

1. Air Force will continue its domination. The Falcons have improved their overall record in each season of Atlantic Hockey play, going from 11 wins in 2005-06 (their last year in College Hockey America) to 19, 21, and 28. Air Force knows how to travel and does it well. The team lost five talented players but return three double-digit scorers. As long as the Falcons have Andrew Volkening in net, the title hopes run through Colorado Springs.

2. Andrew Volkening will start every contest again. Air Force coach Frank Serratore made it very clear at the start of last season that he would ride Volkening as long as he could. A 13-0 start backed up that idea, and Volkening rewarded the Falcons with a third Atlantic Hockey playoff title and a second-round NCAA tourney berth. There’s no need to look in any other direction. Volkening has 53 career wins and a stellar 2.08 goals against making him one of the nation’s elite goalies.

3. Owen Meyer will make a run at the AHA/MAAC career scoring mark. The senior forward for Army is the top goal scorer among active players with 51. Meyer missed six games due to injury last season and still managed a team-high 19 goals, following seasons of 11 (freshman) and 21 (sophomore). Tyler McGregor (Holy Cross ‘06) holds the league record with 70 … but not for long.

4. Sacred Heart’s Quebec pipeline could take a major hit. Shaun Hannah established quite a recruiting trail through Quebec, and his resignation will surely hurt the Pioneers in the province. Before he left, though, Hannah did recruit talented forward Eric Delong from Manitoba.

5. A televised championship is coming, but not this year. The final College Hockey American title game will be televised by CBS College Sports in March. When the CHA folds, perhaps Atlantic Hockey will secure a spot in CBS College’s lineup in 2011.

Miami, which fell just short of a national title in April, is the 2009-10 preseason favorite according to the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine preseason poll, released Monday by USA Hockey. Miami collected four first-place votes and 457 points in the poll.

Denver ranked second after accumulating 455 points and the most first-place votes (13). Defending national champion Boston University claimed the No. 3 spot (438).

To view the complete poll, click here.

RYAN ZAPOLSKI
Mercyhurst
Jr. | G | Erie, Pa.

Ryan Zapolski earned all-Atlantic Hockey honors as a sophomore, leading the league with a .931 save percentage.

Key Statistics: The expectation was Zapolski would be an apprentice for one more season behind Matt Lundin and Max Strang but when Lundin struggled and Strang got hurt, Zapolski jumped in and dominated the position the rest of the way. Zapolski was a second-team Atlantic Hockey all-star.

Zapolski posted a 13-4-3 record, a 2.22 goals against, and a .931 save percentage in 21 games. His goals against trailed only Air Force’s Andrew Volkening and his save percentage topped all Atlantic Hockey netminders by 14 points. Nationally, his goals against ranked 17th (and third among sophomores) and his save percentage ranked second, trailing only Penguins’ draft choice Chad Johnson of Alaska. Among his three shutouts was a game-two blanking of Army in the Atlantic quarterfinals, and he posted a 1.99 goals against and .938 save percentage in four playoff games.

Zapolski improved his goals against by more than a goal over his freshman season (3.25) and his save percentage by 33 points. Perhaps the numbers shouldn’t have been a big surprise coming off his two seasons in the North Atlantic Hockey League with the Mahoning Valley Phantoms. The former Chicago Showcase most valuable goalie set a league record with 42 wins, led the NAHL with a .929 save percentage, and was third with a 2.32 goals against in his second season.

What He Does: Zapolski does an outstanding job of making all the saves he needs to make. He has good reflexes, sound positioning, always keeps sight of the puck and squares up his 6-foot frame to the shooters. Another great attribute is his ability to remain even-tempered, and put a bad goal behind him. Mercyhurst coach Rick Gotkin says Zapolski is very, very laid back and always has a smile on his face.

The Bigger Picture: There’s a bit of pressure of Zapolski to deliver even better numbers and finally push Mercyhurst over the top in its bid to dethrone Air Force as Atlantic Hockey champ. The starting job is Zapolski’s to lose now, and that doesn’t look likely with his ever-improving game. Gotkin believes Zapolski will be a great pro goaltender when the time comes.

Mercyhurst coach Rick Gotkin on Zapolski: “There are big expectations on Ryan Zapolski. People, to a man, felt Ryan had a great year but now he has to take it to the next level. He is a guy who really came out of nowhere. We need to see at least what he did last year, if not more.”

Shaun Hannah, the head coach at Sacred Heart for the last 13 years, stepped down Wednesday, the school announced. Hannah said in the school statement that he felt “this is the right time for me to take my career in a different direction.” A search for his replacement will begin immediately.

“Sacred Heart University and Sacred Heart athletics owe Shaun Hannah a great debt of gratitude,” executive director of athletics Don Cook said in a statement. “If there ever was someone who understood the mission, vision and core values of Sacred Heart it was Shaun Hannah. And, in every way Shaun advanced that mission, vision and core values through the Sacred Heart men’s ice hockey program. “

Hannah guided the SHU ice hockey program in its transition into Division I in the MAAC and, later, Atlantic Hockey. Hannah was named the 1999-2000 MAAC Coach of the Year after leading the Pioneers to a 16-win season, an improvement of nine wins over the previous year.

The highlight of the Pioneers time in Atlantic Hockey was in 2004 when Hannah’s squad reached the inaugural Atlantic Hockey Championship game before falling to Holy Cross. During both the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons the Pioneers won a school-record 21 games. They earned the top seed in the Atlantic Hockey playoffs in 2007.

“If there’s any good news from this it’s that Shaun’s tenure as head coach leaves a program marked only by integrity and success on the ice and in the classroom,” Cook said. “Shaun wouldn’t have it any other way. Thankfully he remained here long enough to give the program the organizational infrastructure and stability needed to succeed in the future. Shaun will be sorely missed, so too Scared Heart’s most loyal fans, his wife, Amy and beautiful daughter, Emma.”

“I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that I have had to grow both personally and professionally at Sacred Heart over the last 13 seasons, but I feel that this is the right time for me to take my career in a different direction,” Hannah said. “ While I will miss not seeing the people associated with the hockey program and university on a daily basis, I expect to be following the team closely and rooting for them as they challenge for championships in the years to come.”

JAY SILVIA
Holy Cross
So. | LW | Burlington, Mass.

After scoring seven points in Holy Cross's first 17 games, Jay Silvia racked up 14 points in the Crusaders' final 21 contests.

Key Statistics: Silvia finished off a strong rookie season with 14 points after New Year’s Day and posted a pair of two-goal efforts in a three-game playoff series loss to Rochester Institute of Technology. He posted 11 goals and 10 assists in 38 contests, ranking fourth on the Crusaders in points, third in goals, and seventh in assists. Among Atlantic Hockey rookies, Silvia ranked ninth in points and sixth in goals. Nine of his points (including four goals) came in non-conference action. Silvia scored four times on the power play, four unassisted goals, and two game-winners. He was a minus-two for the season. Silvia played three seasons with the Belmont Hill School in the New England prep leagues, earning all-star status each year. He had 52 goals and 36 assists in his career, led by a 24-goal, 16-assist effort during as a junior.

The Bigger Picture: Silvia played the left side with center J.P. Martignetti for most of the new year, 12 games with Everett Sheen and the last six with Brodie Sheahan. There was also a February stretch when he played with three other centers as coach Paul Pearl juggled his lineups. Pearl says he isn’t sure what his line pairings will be at the outset, though he expects Silvia to see plenty of ice time. Pearl says once Silvia improves his quickness he can become a dominating player.

What He Does: Silvia earned a job as a third-line winger at the outset of last season and impressed the coaches enough to get a spot on one of the top two lines by Thanksgiving. Silvia has really good hands and protects the puck well. He doesn’t have a big slap shot, but he does have a hard snap shot and a quick release. He has good size at 6-foot-2, 202 pounds but he’s not a real banger. Silvia sees the ice well and is a good playmaker.

Holy Cross coach Paul Pearl on Silvia: “He was a kid we were really excited to be getting. We like Jay, we love his game and really think he’s a good player. We will utilize him as much as we did in the second half last year. He was one of the best players on the ice that weekend against RIT.”

ERIC SEFCHIK
ARMY
Sr. | C | Brooklyn, Ohio

Teammates call Army's Eric Sefchik, "Cheeks."

Key Statistics: Sefchik is one of those collegiate players who broke in slowly at the Division I level and improved his game each season after. He saw sparing time as a freshman, netting two goals and an assist in 18 games. During Army’s run to a regular-season title when he was a sophomore, Sefchik put up three goals and 10 assists in 34 contests. He enjoyed a breakout season as a junior, centering a top line with all-star Owen Meyer and solid youngster Cody Omilusik - Sefchik ranked third on the team with nine goals and tops in assists with 20. He is one of only four Army players to have reached 20 assists over the past six seasons. He failed to score on the power play but he did set up 12 man-up goals. Sefchik posted 22 goals and 34 assists in 53 games with the Cornwall Colts of the Central Junior Hockey League.

What He Does: Sefchik has good ice vision and the ability to slow the action down. Coupled with good hands, Sefchik has become a top playmaker in the league. Sefchik has committed himself to intense off-ice training in recent years, and that has dramatically helped his game.

The Bigger Picture: It’s likely that Sefchik will once again center the line with Meyer and Omilusik, and you can expect him on the ice for power plays, short-handed situations and important faceoffs. As important on the ice as he is off the ice, Sefchik has the respect of his teammates as he was voted the Black Knights’ sole captain this season. That is a critical role at the Academy where military life and academics can be a strain on any athlete, and Sefchik’s positive demeanor and calm disposition will be a great aid to the coaching staff.

Army coach Brian Riley on Sefchik: “Every team has those guys who don’t get the respect they deserve because they are not flashy and don’t put up the numbers the elite players do, but we are a much better team with ‘Cheeks’ in the lineup than without. Certainly this will be his best year.”

MARCELLO RANALLO

CONNECTICUT

So. | F | Burnaby, British Columbia

Marcello Ranallo is from Joe Sakic's hometown, but nobody had to tell "Burnaby Joe" to shoot more; the UConn coaches hope Ranallo will.

Key Statistics: Ranallo was a solid find by coach Bruce Marshall, playing in every game in his inaugural collegiate season. He produced six goals and 22 points as a freshman, the fifth-best point production for a Husky rookie all-time and 13 more than his next-closest classmate. Ranallo’s 22 points ranked third on the team, and his minus-three rating tied for team-best. In Atlantic Hockey, Ranallo ranked eighth in freshman scoring and sixth in rookie assists. Ranallo scored only twice and had nine points in 20 games after New Year’s Day.

What He Does: Ranallo has a nice shot and quick release, and Marshall wishes he would use it more often – last season he took only 64 shots on net. Ranallo has good size at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds but does not make a big physical presence on the ice, even though he has the strength to do so. He protects the puck well and is a strong skater. Marshall used Ranallo on one of his top lines last season, but he had little consistency with evolving partners. Ranallo played on five different line combinations after New Year’s, spending eight games with Jason Krispel and Corey Jendras and seven games alongside Matt Pedemonti and Chris Ochoa.

The Bigger Picture: Marshall wouldn’t mind if Ranallo starts to play a bit more selfishly and becomes the go-to guy rather than the playmaker. Ranallo has the gift of tongue – he speaks English, French and Italian – but he remains a quiet kid. Marshall admires the way Ranallo carries himself, and wouldn’t mind having a bunch just like him.

UConn head coach Bruce Marshall on Ranallo: “You don’t have to worry about him academically or socially. Hockey-wise, he shows up every day, works extremely hard, and has a tremendous skill set – just believing in it will elevate his game. His best hockey is ahead of him.’’