CAMERON BURT
RIT
Sr. | F | Detroit, Mich.

Cameron Burt

His Statistics: 1 GP, 2-3–5, 6 shots, +3 rating

His Impact: Burt was at the center of the action all night long as RIT played its annual early-season game at the downtown Rochester Blue Cross Arena. After a 0-0 tie in the season-opener against Niagara, this game had plenty of scoring. Burt got the Tigers on the board just three and a half minutes into the first period, but his most important contributions came at the end of the game.

RIT trailed 5-4 in the closing seconds of the third period, but Burt assisted on Adam Hartley’s goal with nine seconds left to send the game to overtime. On the first shift of the extra session, Burt was also in on the assists as Adam Mitchell scored at 14 seconds of overtime. RIT got a 6-5 win in front of an enthused hometown crowd of more than 10,000 at Blue Cross Arena.

The game in downtown Rochester has become a tradition for the Tigers and will continue for at least the next two seasons as part of the school’s Brick City Weekend (Homecoming). The next two opponents are Penn State in 2012 and Michigan in 2013.

His Runners-Up: Kyle Jean, Lake Superior State; Jeremy Langlois, Quinnipiac; Josh Robinson, Michigan Tech; Riley Wetmore, UMass Lowell

Well before Detroit and Warroad, Minn., staked claim to the moniker, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., the home of Lake Superior State University, was the first U.S. city dubbed Hockeytown. Based on the early-season play of the Lakers and their north-of-the-Mackinac-Bridge brethren Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan, perhaps Hockey Peninsula is a more appropriate nickname.

The three teams have a combined 11-1-0 mark, with the lone loss belonging to NMU; the Wildcats dropped a 3-2 decision at Wisconsin on Oct. 8. We’re not sure how long this run will last—Northern Michigan hosts Michigan this weekend, and Michigan Tech faces Denver and Lake State goes to Miami next weekend—but if we know anything about Yooper hockey fans, they’re enjoying the moment.

In our slightly reformatted First Shift for the 2011-12 season, we’ve eschewed a dedicated space for Rankings Outrage and instead will be folding some of those ideas into our other categories. This season has been rife with surprising results in the early going, and that makes ranking teams a little difficult. One thing we can’t seem to reconcile with what we saw in the other national polls is the overall support for a 1-3-0 Minnesota Duluth team, that has played all four of its games on home ice. Sure, it’s no easy task to deal with Notre Dame nor Minnesota, but there wasn’t any room for the Bulldogs in the INCH Power Rankings. In our opinion, they haven’t proved that they belong to be listed among the nation’s top-20 teams.

What Happened?: Over the years, we’ve grown accustomed to New Hampshire’s method of restocking its lineup—freshmen and sophomores mature and assume the role as the team’s offensive weapons as upperclassmen. And while it’s worked in the past, the Wildcats are struggling mightily thus far, outscored by 15-1 margin in their first three games.

“It’s frustrating of course,” senior forward Stevie Moses told Al Pike of Foster’s Daily Democrat following UNH’s 5-1 loss to Boston College Saturday. “We expect to win every night. But I think we’ve gotten better each period … If we can finish a few more pucks and maybe tighten up in the D-zone a little bit I think we’re going to be pretty good moving forward.”

What We’re Watching: Our Friday Four-cast is reserved for later in the week, but there are already some interesting decisions to be made about which games matter most this early in the year. One of those series is taking place in Providence, as the undefeated, upstart Friars host the 1-3-0 defending national champions from Minnesota Duluth. Of course it’s only two games, but it’s another chance to gain some knowledge about two teams with eyebrow-raising results thus far.

What the …?: Whoa, whoa, whoa down everyone. Among several coverage stories forecasting end-of-season NCAA brackets, the publication of rankings of NCAA Tournament criteria, and the buzz in some social media circles there’s already thoughts on the end-of-year national showcase. We’re not even into November, people. Relax and enjoy the season. The NCAA Tournament stuff will sort itself out over the next several months. Forecasting and projecting the bracket now is like declaring the horse with the cleanest break to be the Kentucky Derby winner.

@derekschooley Derek Schooley – 15 Oct
We could have had a CHA reunion weekend as Niagara, Robert Morris, Air Force and Bemidji all in Col Springs. #goodleague #cha

• All Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley needed to do to complete the roundup of ex-College Hockey America members was extended an invitation to Alabama-Huntsville and get the Wayne State band back together. That last one might be difficult.

CCHA PLAYERS STEP INTO BIGGER ROLES

As INCH’s First Shift mentioned this week, two of the CCHA’s top teams were without two of their best players this past weekend, with Reilly Smith and Jon Merrill both suspended by their coaches for violating team rules.

While it’s certainly bad news for those teams, those players and the college game at large, a silver lining of the situation was the play of lesser-known veterans and rookies rising up to the challenge of eating up the minutes and offsetting the lost production – no small task – that Merrill and Smith and typically responsible for.

Michigan opened the year with three wins, beating Niagara last Tuesday and Bentley on Friday and Saturday nights and saw rookie blue-liners Brennan Serville and Mike Chiasson make their debuts and play three productive games.

Serville, expected to be a key player and a contender to be Merrill’s partner this year, finished with an assist, three shots on goal and three blocks in three contests, and Chiasson made his mark with an assist, six blocks and an impressive plus-4 rating.

Down the road in Oxford, Miami opened the year with a split against Bemidji State that saw the Smith-less Redhawks’ freshman class step in to the rescue with goals by Jimmy Mullin and Alex Wideman and some help from a short-handed, game-winning goal from senior forward Matt Tomassoni to give him his first career two-goal game.

“I think that Curtis McKenzie, Matt Tomassoni and many of our younger guys got more ice time,” Miami coach Enrico Blasi said. “Everything happens for a reason, and this gave guys the opportunity to get their feet wet.”

Miami gets Smith back for this weekend’s trip to Colgate, and Blasi is confident that Smith got the message that the suspension was put in place to teach. The Wolverines on the other hand, have several weeks to wait before Merrill will be back in the lineup, as his 12-game suspension will keep him out of the lineup until a Nov. 11-12 series at Miami, making Chiasson and Serville’s continued positive contributions key for Michigan.

VETERAN EAGLES GET SEASON OFF TO FLYING START

Boston College took the first steps of putting last year’s disappointing finish behind them by getting the 2011-12 season off to a quick start last weekend. The Eagles claimed the Ice Breaker title in Grand Forks, N.D., including a decisive 6-2 victory over North Dakota in the title game. The schedule doesn’t get any easier, though, as Boston College opens its home slate on Friday night against third-ranked Denver, then travels to Durham for its Hockey East opener against New Hampshire on Saturday night.

In spite of the quick start, head coach Jerry York and his team have been quick to realize that national championships aren’t won in October.

“We came in on Monday morning and had a changed mindset, looking forward to this weekend’s games,” York said. “We’ve got a mature team, and they know that there’s a lot of the season in front of us. Yes, we played well, but we’ve only finished the first hole of the course – there’s a lot of potential pars and bogeys ahead of us.”

York was particularly impressed with the play of junior netminder Parker Milner, who had 39 saves on 43 shots in the two games in Grand Forks.

“Parker hasn’t had a chance to be the man here, playing behind John Muse the past two years, but his play was probably the biggest highlight we had last weekend,” York said.

GOALTENDING CONCERNS AT DENVER

Denver was the preseason favorite of both the coaches and the media to win the WCHA title. But as their season begins, a combination of injuries and suspensions has recently rendered the goaltending corps for the Pioneers as thin as the air at high altitudes.

We already knew that last year’s top netminder, Sam Brittain, would miss roughly half the season after having knee surgery over the summer. That left things in the hands of junior Adam Murray, who last season put up numbers (6-3-0 record, .879 saves percentage, 3.46 goals-against average) that can generously be called passable.

In last weekend’s Pioneers exhibition win over the USA Hockey Under-18 Team, Murray was pulled early with a lower body injury, giving way to rookie backup Juho Olkinuora (a name that fits perfectly at the school that gave us Sinuhe Wallinheimo).

Murray is healthy enough that he is expected to start both games this weekend as the Pioneers visit top-ranked Boston College and Boston University, but Olkinuora will not be available in the backup role.

According to the Denver Post, Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky revealed this week that Olkinuora will sit out the first three games of the season due to an eligibility issue.

What if Murray goes down in Boston? Well, there’s always Hope. That would be junior walk-on Zack Hope, who has seen plenty of pucks in practice for the Pioneers but has not yet gotten in a real game.

ALMA MATER RETURN FOR APPERT

RPI heads out on the road this weekend to face Ferris State for two games. It’s a homecoming weekend of sorts for Engineers coach Seth Appert, who was a four-year varsity goaltender at Ferris State from 1992-96.

Coincindentally, some former teammates might be around to say hello this weekend. Players from teams ranging between the years 1990 and 2000 will be welcomed back Saturday night in celebration of the second decade of Ferris State’s hockey program.

Appert was a goaltender, and it’s a special fraternity. He’s demonstrated that as much this season in answering any questions regarding RPI’s goaltending situation. Allen York left to sign a pro contract following his junior season that included 18 wins and a 2.17 goals-against average. Any doubts that outsiders had about the Engineer goaltenders have been emphatically discredited by Appert, and his netminders have proven his confidence to be well-founded through the opening weekend.

Freshman Scott Diebold stopped 19 of 20 shots in his first collegiate start but came out on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline against Minnesota State. The following night, junior Bryce Merriam, the forecasted starter for the Engineers headed into the year, made 31 saves on 32 shots in a 4-1 RPI win against the Mavericks.

ATLANTIC HOCKEY OPENING ACTS

The opening weekend of Atlantic Hockey is going to be remembered for what could have been. Defending champion Air Force held third-period leads on North Dakota and Michigan State and came out on the losing end. American International held a 3-0 first-period lead at Michigan Tech and couldn’t close the deal. Connecticut held a 2-0 first-period lead at Bowling Green and came out on the short end.

The optimist says it’s great to see Atlantic Hockey teams in contention in tough road contests. The pessimist laments the fact those teams did not get it done. The reality is Atlantic Hockey is going to have to put more of these opportunities into the win column if it wants to generate more interest with fans and recruits.

On Friday night, Air Force carried a 3-2 lead into the final seven minutes only to have Brock Nelson score twice in a span of 1 minute, 17 seconds for a 4-3 North Dakota win. On Saturday, the Falcons carried a 2-1 lead into the third period but Michigan State’s Lee Reimer tied the contest at 5:21 and scored the game-winner at 54 seconds of overtime.

Air Force coach Frank Serratore was none too pleased with the outcomes at North Dakota’s Ice Breaker tournament.

“We are way past moral victories,’’ Serratore said after the North Dakota setback. “We had them down, right where we wanted them, and we didn’t get it done. There is nothing to feel good about. We are plenty good enough to lose close to anyone in the country. The bottom line is that we were in a heavyweight fight and we were ahead and lost a decision. We just didn’t finish. Teams either find a way to get it done or they find a way to let it get away. Plain and simple, we didn’t get it done.”

Following the Michigan State loss, Serratore put out a challenge to his team, a message that should resonate throughout the league.

“If you want to aspire to be a champion, you have to find a way to win,” Serratore said.

For the record, Atlantic Hockey members were 0-13-1 against the rest of college hockey.

Denver defenseman David Makowski is part of a strong blueline corps that hopes to make life easier for goalie Adam Murray.

Denver at Boston College (Friday), at Boston University (Saturday):  Rare are the seasons in which Denver eases into its schedule, and this year is no exception. The Pioneers travel three quarters of the way across the country to face two teams fresh off great opening weekends. The Eagles won the Ice Breaker Tournament in impressive fashion, downing Michigan State and host North Dakota, while the Terriers blanked New Hampshire at Agganis Arena Saturday. DU fans will focus on goalie Adam Murray; the inconsistent junior is the Pios’ go-to guy between the pipes with Sam Brittain expected to miss most (if not all) of the season with a serious knee injury.

Western Michigan at Union (Friday-Saturday): By the time these two teams met in mid-December last season at Western Michigan’s Lawson Arena, college hockey fans knew that they were emerging teams in the midst of strong seasons, but probably didn’t foresee both teams making the NCAA Tournament. Western Michigan won both of those games by 3-1 scores. This year, there’s not as big of a surprise factor, but interest is real nonetheless. Both teams are in the top-15 of the national polls and have started impressively. Union started its year with an 8-1 win over Army and Western Michigan swept Alabama-Huntsville 7-1 and 4-0. It’ll be an upgrade in schedule difficulty for both teams and a good measuring stick against quality opposition before conference play begins in the coming weeks.

Maine at North Dakota (Friday-Saturday): Here’s another series rematch from last season. The Black Bears swept the Fighting Sioux in Orono last October in a series most notable because NoDak was pretty much forced to go with goalie Aaron Dell in place of  the struggling  Brad Eidsness. That move turned out all right. Maine, on the other hand, appeared destined for big things; the Sioux sweep propelled the Black Bears to a 6-1-3 start, but a couple middling months in the middle of the season cost them dearly. Here’s hoping the top lines for both teams get a chance to go up against one another–you’d pay to see Brock Nelson, Corban Knight, and Danny Kristo take on Spencer Abbott, Brian Flynn, and Joey Diamond, right?

Minnesota at Minnesota Duluth (Friday-Saturday): The Bulldogs earned a split against visiting Notre Dame which, considering UMD goalies Kenny Reiter and Aaron Crandall combined for 32 saves on 40 shots, is a pretty good result. The Gophers, meanwhile, were impressive against Sacred Heart last weekend, getting goals from 10 different players while outscoring the Pioneers, 15-0. No team in the country last season allowed more goals than Sacred Heart, but still. Freshmen and sophomores comprise two thirds of the Minnesota lineup, but this has the makings of a breakthrough weekend if the young’ns keep scoring and Kent Patterson continues his solid play in goal.

Also: Denver has a tough weekend trip to Boston College and Boston University, but the Eagles aren’t exactly taking it easy, either. BC follows its game with the Pioneers with a Saturday trip to New Hampshire. … Notre Dame hosts Ohio State this weekend in the last hockey games at the Joyce Center, the Fighting Irish’s home rink since 1969. … Colgate enjoyed a nice opening weekend, beating Robert Morris and Nebraska-Omaha to win the Mutual of Omaha Stampede. The Raiders welcome Miami to town for a non-conference series this weekend. … Speaking of early-season tournaments, the Brice Alaska Goal Rush takes place this weekend in Fairbankswith Alaska Anchorage, Mercyhurst, and Nebraska-Omaha joining host Alaska at the Carlson Center. … Rensselaer travels to Ferris State for a non-conference set. RPI coach Seth Appert is a former Bulldog goaltender, graduating from FSU in 1996. His goaltending partner during his junior and senior seasons was ex-Western Michigan coach and current Detroit Red Wings assistant Jeff Blashill.

• INCH Pick ‘Em is back for the 2011-12 season. Log in and make your picks by 4 p.m. Friday.

Mickey Spencer

MICKEY SPENCER
Alaska Anchorage
Jr. | F | Gibbons, Alberta

His Statistics: 2 GP, 4-2—6 including a hat trick capped by overtime goal against visiting St. Cloud State Saturday.

His Impact: Considering he entered 2011-12 with six goals and seven assists in 46 games over two seasons for the Seawolves, Spencer had more than a career weekend—he had a career in a weekend as Alaska Anchorage won its Kendall Hockey Classic for the first time since 2006.

Spencer opened the weekend with a goal and an assist in UAA’s 4-4 draw against Clarkson. In Saturday’s finale against St. Cloud State, the junior winger assisted on teammate Jordan Kwas’s third-period goal that halved the Huskies’ lead at 2-1 and scored two goals in a span of 1:59 later that period to give the Seawolves a 3-2 edge. SCSU scored with less than a minute left in regulation to send the game into overtime, setting the stage for Spencer’s heroics 3:06 into the extra session.

His Runners-Up: Kurtis Bartliff, Colgate; Kyle Bonis, Ferris State; Shane Madolora, RIT; Pat Mullane, Boston College

Not only is the college hockey season getting started, but the puck has dropped in the National Hockey League, too. A number of former collegians made NHL debuts over the past few days; four managed to also notch their first career goals, led by ex-Wisconsin Badger and current Nashville Predator Craig Smith—he scored in his team’s Oct. 7 season opener and added a goal and two assists the following night. Joining Smith in scoring their maiden goals this week are Columbus’s Cam Atkinson (Boston College), Ottawa’s Stephane Da Costa (Merrimack), and Philadelphia’s Matt Read (Bemidji State).

With a rare annual exception or two, college hockey is played indoors, so we were terribly frustrated when the weather had an impact in such an early-season game. High winds Friday afternoon in Grand Forks, N.D. caused a power outage at Engelstad Arena that delayed the Boston College-Michigan State game during the second period. Of more national significance, it hampered television transmission of the early game – an afternoon start that would’ve been a great start to the college hockey weekend for fans across the nation who were able to see that one.

What Happened?: On the ice in the CCHA, it was a fairly routine weekend with no major surprises. Off the ice, however, the news wasn’t good at all. One, the league got what amounts to its eviction notice when Bowling Green decided to join the WCHA in two seasons rather than piecing together a conference with a few Atlantic Hockey breakaway programs. Two, Michigan defenseman Jon Merrill, arguably the CCHA’s best blueliner, was suspended for 12 games for violating team rules. Then Miami forward Reilly Smith, perhaps the circuit’s best forward, was suspended for violating team rules; he missed the RedHawks’ series with Bemidji State.

What We’re Watching: We’ll be keeping an eye on how Niagara’s goaltending rotation develops over the next several games. In the Purple Eagles’ season-opener at Michigan last Tuesday, Carsen Chubak got the starting nod and was relieved by Chris Noonan in a 5-0 loss. Saturday night at RIT, sophomore Cody Campbell got the start and shutout the Tigers over 65 minutes, in a 0-0 tie. Campbell appeared in 12 games last year with a 3.38 goals-against average, .895 save percentage and 4-6-1 record.

What the …?: Folks who listen to Jim Rome’s radio show on a regular basis know that one of the host’s fundamental rules is self-glossing—you never, ever give yourself a nickname. Besides, it’s just not hockey-like.

So we were mildly perturbed when the bourgeois National Collegiate Hockey Conference referred to itself in press releases as “The National.” Apparently it’s a trend, because in its press release announcing the addition of Bowling Green as a member in two seasons, the WCHA called itself as “The Association family,” which sounds like either an early ‘70s funk band or a motorcycle gang.

There’s no truth to the rumor that Hockey East is going to start referring to itself as “Hockey.”

@dexshow Mark Dekanich – 9 Oct
Big shout out to Colgate Men’s Hockey for winning the UNO Tournament last night! First tourney win since we won the coveted UConn one in 07!

• Former Raider goalie Mark Dekanich, now with the Columbus Blue Jackets, kept an eye on his alma mater and sent hearty congratulations, from someone who experienced what it’s like to win prestigious in-season tournaments.

Ice Breaker Tournament (Fri.-Sat.): Can you ask for a better way to start the season? 2011 NCAA Tournament participants Air Force, Boston College, and North Dakota are joined by Michigan State–you may have heard the Spartans brought in former CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos as head coach–for two nights of fun and frolic at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. Friday’s opening round pits BC against MSU in a rematch of the 2007 national championship game followed by Air Force and the host Fighting Sioux. The losers and winners square off the following day. Not sure if the Ice Breaker champion is given a trophy but if the Sioux win, they might want to start picking them up.

Notre Dame at Minnesota Duluth (Fri.-Sat.): Here’s a reboot of one of last season’s Frozen Four semifinals. The Bulldogs won that matchup en route to the national title, but the preseason polls hold the Fighting Irish in higher regard. Notre Dame returns just about everyone from a year ago; that includes inconsistent goalie Mike Johnson, who likely holds the key to his team’s success this season. On the flip side, UMD is without high-octane forwards Mike Connolly and Justin Fontaine, although standout blueliner Justin Faulk, now with the Carolina Hurricanes, might be a bigger loss.

New Hampshire at Boston University (Sat.): Speaking of teams that return just about everyone, BU’s lineup is virtually intact from last year. That said, the Terriers missed the NCAA Tournament in 2011. Doubt they’ll suffer a similar fate this season, especially with goaltender Kieran Millan and the team’s top seven scorers back in the fold. Then there’s UNH, which lost its top four scorers from last season. Unless Stevie Moses, Mike Borisenok, John Henrion, and Co.’s transition to becoming the Wildcats’ top offensive threats is smooth, the pressure will be on goalie Matt DiGirolamo.

Merrimack at Maine (Fri.): They’re not wasting any time getting into Hockey East play this season, with four conference tilts scheduled over the next three days, and this matchup features two teams with high hopes for a big season. A renovated Alfond Arena is the venue for the start of the year for last year’s feel-good story in Hockey East and the storied Black Bear program. Points in the standings count equally, whether attained in October or February, and getting off to a good start is always important.

Also: Other tournament action this opening weekend includes the Mutual of Omaha Stampede (Colgate, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, and host Nebraska-Omaha) and the Kendall Hockey Classic (Alaska, Clarkson, St. Cloud State, and host Alaska Anchorage), where former Cornell and Ohio State assistant Casey Jones debuts as Clarkson head coach. … Other coaching debuts this weekend include Michigan Tech’s Mel Pearson, whose Huskies host American International; Northeastern’s Jim Madigan, whose Huskies face UMass and travel to Maine; Union’s Rick Bennett, who takes the Skating Dutchmen to Army; and Western Michigan’s Andy Murray, whose Broncos entertain Alabama-Huntsville in Kalamazoo.

TV Schedule from CollegeHockeyInc.com

The Compton Family Ice Arena served as the backdrop as Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna introduced Notre Dame as the league's 11th member beginning in 2013-14.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — In an off-season filled with them, the most recent worst-kept secret in college hockey became reality on Wednesday, when Hockey East officially expanded for the fourth time in its 27-year history. Notre Dame will join Hockey East as that league’s 11th member at the start of the 2013-14 season, drastically expanding the league’s footprint.

Mike Lynch, the assistant vice president and director of athletics at Boston University, led a committee of Hockey East administrators to explore expansion opportunities over the summer, and on Wednesday, repeatedly referred to Notre Dame as the “right partner.” Notre Dame Vice President and Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick made several references to Hockey East as being the “right fit” for the Irish program.

Both Swarbrick and Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson discussed the lengthy process the university took in deciding upon its new home. “We did not want to be an initiator. We worried a lot about the consequences of other programs around the country,” Swarbrick said. “College hockey can’t afford to lose programs as an industry, as a broad group. So we were very conscious of trying to do what we could to make sure that we didn’t disrupt anyone’s program. And to the extent we could, we helped find homes for others.

“But beyond that, we wanted it to be a deliberate process. We didn’t quite understand the haste that some other people might have felt about this, and, fortunately, everyone we worked with gave us the time we needed to make our decision and make it in a thoughtful manner. At the end of that conclusion, we were very pleased with where we were,” he added.

And with the addition of Notre Dame, significant changes lie ahead for Hockey East. The league’s coaches, even before Wednesday’s announcement, were pushing to make the switch from three games against each league opponent to two, to allow for an increased number of non-conference opportunities for its member schools.

But just as important as what was said during the joint press conference in Notre Dame’s nearly finished Compton Family Ice Arena was what wasn’t said. Behind the podium hung a banner featuring the logos of Notre Dame and Hockey East, a banner that was flanked by a pair of NBC Sports banners.

According to Swarbrick, along with being a good fit, the move to Hockey East was made to provide a better experience for their student-athletes and for “media opportunities.” NBC Sports president for programming, John Miller, joined the press conference by telephone and referred to “a very robust schedule of Notre Dame and Hockey East games as well.”

“I can say, I think, without reservation, that the University of Notre Dame’s hockey team will have a more robust television platform than any hockey team in the country,” Swarbrick said.

Another topic that was alluded to was the subject of further expansion, the addition of a 12th team to the league’s roster of schools.

“We’re just getting this part of it done, so we’re not quite there yet,” Lynch said. “We’re trying to let the paint dry on this one, so to speak.”

THE SKINNY

By the lofty standards set by Hockey East in recent seasons, the end of the 2011 campaign on the national scale came as a bit of a disappointment. For the second straight year, three league teams made the NCAA Tournament, but none advanced to the Frozen Four in St. Paul, the first time since 2005 that Hockey East was shut out of the season’s final weekend.

That doesn’t mean that the 2010-11 season was a complete washout. Five clubs were in contention for the NCAA Tournament with Merrimack earning its first berth since joining the league in 1989-90. Boston College claimed both the league’s regular-season and tournament crowns and New Hampshire, the regular-season runner-up, stretched its string of consecutive NCAA tournament berths to 11.

The offseason wasn’t without incident, either, as the league welcomed three new coaches into the fraternity of bench bosses. UMass Lowell, Northeastern, and Providence will all have new faces directing the programs this season, with each new coach facing a unique set of challenges.

BREAKTHROUGH TEAM

After losing just two regulars from last season's squad, Boston University appears well stocked for a return to the NCAA Tournament.

It’s difficult to call a traditional power like Boston University a breakthrough team, but the Terriers are more likely to find themselves in Tampa come April as opposed to being on the outside looking in when the NCAA Tournament selections are announced. Boston University lost just three players (forward Joe Pereirra, defenseman David Warsofsky, and seldom-used netminder Adam Kraus) from last year and had three current sophomores picked in June’s NHL draft, including second-rounders Adam Clendening and Matt Nieto. Couple the depth among the skaters with a veteran netminder in Kieran Millan, and head coach Jack Parker’s squad appears poised to add to its extensive collection of hardware this season.

PRIMED FOR A FALL

New Hampshire had three players ranked among the top 10 in Hockey East in scoring last year, including league co-leader Paul Thompson. None of those three will be playing in Durham this season, while defenseman Blake Kessel, the club’s fourth-highest scorer last season, also elected to turn pro. Those four players combined for 47 percent of the Wildcats’ offense, a number that will be difficult to replace. But then again, we picked UNH to fill this same spot last year, and that didn’t work out so well for us, either.

PRESSURE TO PERFORM

Maine has missed the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons, exactly half of the number of tournaments that the Black Bears have not been a part of since first qualifying in 1987. With a pair of 30-plus point men returning in Spencer Abbott and Brian Flynn plus a young yet experienced group of netminders in Dan Sullivan and Martin Ouellette, Maine has many of the components in place to finally snap that NCAA drought.

Ed.’s note: Goaltender Shawn Sirman, who was originally mentioned in the paragraph above, left the Maine program during the off-season.

TOUGHEST ACT TO FOLLOW

Joe Cannata and Merrimack were one of last season's biggest surprises. The Warriors won't sneak up on anyone this year, however.

After making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in its 21 seasons as a member of Hockey East last season, Merrimack won’t sneak up on anyone this year. While the team lost its top three scorers, the Warriors returned three 30-plus point scorers plus an additional eight others who scored in double figures, not to mention a reliable goaltender in senior Joe Cannata.

BEST PLAYER

Had they not elected to leave their respective schools early for the professional ranks, the options for this category this season would have included Cam Atkinson, Stephane Da Costa, Blake Kessel, and Gustav Nyquist—each an All-American last season. Still, there is one first-team All-American returning to his Hockey East school this season: Boston College defenseman Brian Dumoulin. The runner-up for INCH’s National Defenseman of the Year last season, Dumoulin led all Hockey East blueliners with 33 points. More than just an offensive defenseman, though, Dumoulin combines size and skating ability with heady play that allows him to avoid costly penalties, spending just 24 minutes in the box in his first two seasons combined.

IMPACT NEWCOMERS

With only four incoming freshmen selected in the NHL Draft in June bound for Hockey East clubs, we’re going to take bit of a different approach and give the nod to the three new coaches in the league. For Jim Madigan at Northeastern, his arrival brings the program closure after a tumultuous finish to last season when then-head coach Greg Cronin and his staff was suspended for NCAA rules violations. In the case of Norm Bazin at UMass Lowell and Nate Leaman at Providence, the energy brought to their clubs by a fresh face behind the bench will be welcomed to the two sides that missed out on the Hockey East playoffs last year.

BURNING QUESTIONS

• Who will join BU, BC, and UNH in hosting a Hockey East quarterfinal series? Since 2004-05, that trio has finished with three of the top four spots in the league every year except 2008-09, when the Eagles finished sixth. Maine has captured that fourth home-ice slot three times, while Massachusetts, Merrimack, and Vermont have each had it once.

• Can Vermont rebound from a trying 2010-11 season? After making the NCAA Tournament in both 2009 and 2010, the Catamounts struggled to an 8-20-8 overall mark and a 6-14-7 tally in league play. The Catamounts will have to increase their offensive production after finishing ninth in scoring last season, but have a solid core of players returning. Vermont returns top scorer Sebastian Stalberg and adds the highest incoming freshman pick from June’s NHL draft in defenseman Michael Paliotta, a third-round selection by Chicago.

• Does Massachusetts’ fortunes lie in finding a replacement for goalie Paul Dainton? The Minutemen have an outstanding group of skaters back including five of the six regular defensemen and 10 of their top 11 scorers. New York Rangers prospect Daniel Hobbs had a breakout season, scoring 28 of his 39 career points last year to lead the club offensively, while T.J. Syner finished just one point back. The lone question mark, it seems, is who will replace Dainton in between the pipes. The two returning netminders, sophomore Jeff Teglia and senior Kevin Moore, have combined for just 365 minutes of collegiate action. The duo will be pressed for playing time by a pair of rookies, Kevin Boyle and Steve Mastalerz.

MARK IT DOWN
Three things you can take to the bank in Hockey East this season

• The league’s best newcomer isn’t really a newcomer. Northeastern will receive a huge boost from the addition of Vinny Saponari, a transfer from Boston University who sat out last season and played for the Dubuque Saints of the USHL. Saponari had a 30-point sophomore season in 2009-10 for the Terriers and should provide a huge lift to the Huskies offense.

• Hockey East clubs will get some extra exposure in some neutral-site venues this season. Six of the 10 league teams have at least one neutral-site game this season (excluding holiday and in-season tournaments like the Beanpot or the Ice Breaker). Boston University will again meet Cornell at Madison Square Garden in November, while Massachusetts, Vermont, UNH and Maine will do battle at Fenway Park in January. UMass Lowell will play UConn across the border in Nashua, N.H., while Maine’s annual game in Portland features a visit from Clarkson. Finally, UNH and Dartmouth will play their annual rivalry contest in Manchester. No other league has more than half of its members playing at least one neutral site contest this season.

• Parker Milner will try his hardest to make people in Chestnut Hill forget about John Muse. It certainly won’t be easy for the junior netminder, however, as he takes over for a player who started 144 games and backstopped Boston College to a pair of national titles.

Defending Hockey East champion Boston College was picked by the league’s coaches as the favorite to win the league’s regular-season crown in 2011-12. Results of the Hockey East preseason poll were released Tuesday in conjunction with the league’s annual media day in Boston.

The Eagles earned seven of 10 first-place votes. The remaining three first-place mentions belonged to Boston University.

The complete Hockey East preseason coaches poll (total points and first-place votes in parentheses):

1. Boston College (88 points, 7 first-place votes)
2. Boston University (83, 3)
3. New Hampshire (72)
4. Maine (64)
5. Merrimack (61)
6. Vermont (44)
7. Massachusetts (42)
8. Northeastern (33)
9. UMass Lowell (27)
10. Providence (26)

NICK PRYOR
Maine
Jr. | Forward/Defenseman | Woodbury, Minn.

Key Statistics: Battling injuries throughout his sophomore season, Pryor appeared in just five games, picking up a pair of assists on the year. In two injury-ravaged campaigns, Pryor has appeared in just 11 games, tallying two points.

What He Does: It might seem odd that a player with just 11 career games to his credit would be the featured player for a club intent on making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in five years, but Pryor is a unique case. Since being drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the seventh round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, he’s had a career marred by injuries. “He’s had some really tough luck with injuries over the past four or five years,” said Maine head coach Tim Whitehead. “With him being healthy, it’s a great addition to our club, where we lost some key players from last year, and he has an opportunity to help fill that void.”

The Bigger Picture: It seems hard to believe, but Maine hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2007—a drought the Black Bears are determined to end this season. “We’ve started off the preseason with the right mindset of having no excuses and blocking out things that are outside of our control,” Whitehead said. “It’s been a long drought and we were right on the cusp of making the tournament last season. I know the team is anxious to earn that bid and get back to where we expect to be.” Pryor figures to be a versatile part of that equation for the Black Bears, having the ability to play on the blue line and forward.

Maine coach Tim Whitehead on Pryor: “To begin the season, he’ll start out on defense, but it’s nice knowing that he has the speed and skating ability to play forward and contribute wherever he’s at. He just wants to get back out there and fill whatever role the team needs.”

ADAM PHILLIPS
Massachusetts
So. | D | Farmington Hills, Mich.

Adam Phillips

His Statistics: Phillips finished his freshman season with 10 goals and five assists for 15 points, second-highest among Minuteman defensemen last season, while appearing in 33 of Massachusetts’ 35 contests. He tied for the team lead with five power-play goals and ranked third on the roster with 10 goals overall.

What He Does: Phillips spent much of his freshman season being paired up on the blueline with a fellow freshman in Conor Allen, and during the second half of the season, the pair spent a large portion of time being matched up against some of the top forwards in Hockey East. Phillips also saw extensive power play time last season, with seven of his 15 points last year coming on the power play.

The Bigger Picture: Despite fielding a young roster last season, the Minutemen earned the eighth and final spot in the Hockey East playoffs before falling to top-seeded Boston College in the first round. Massachusetts returns 10 of its top 11 scorers from last season on offense, and sees the departure of just one skater skater from among the blueliners. UMass will have to replace departed senior Paul Dainton in between the pipes, where he spent more than 80 percent of the team’s minutes last season. Head coach Don Cahoon also added former Massachusetts-Lowell head coach Blaise MacDonald to his coaching staff as an associate head coach during the offseason. With the vast majority of last year’s roster returning a year bigger, stronger and more experienced, the Minutemen have their sights set on climbing the standings in Hockey East.