60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Air Force

Air Force

2018-19 Record: 16-15-5 (14-10-4, 9th in Atlantic Hockey)
Head Coach: Frank Serratore, 23rd Year
Top returning scorer: Kieran Durgan (12G-6A)
Top returning goaltender: Zack LaRocque (Jr.)

At the risk of beginning to sound like a broken record, a team in Atlantic Hockey picked preseason to win the conference or contend ended up not winning the conference.

Okay, that might harsh for Air Force. The Falcons are the first team in this series to finish above .500. At the start of 2019, Air Force - picked by Atlantic Hockey's coaches to win the conference - was leading AHA before finishing third.

No team in Atlantic Hockey gets the high expectations placed upon them annually like Air Force whether they get met or not. The same can be said for this season despite Frank Serratore's team losing its starting goalie and a large senior class.

What's New: Unfortunately, Serratore has still not seen Bigfoot nor the Easter Bunny.

Serratore being one of college hockey's great characters and quotes also is not new. (Look, I only have 600 self-imposed words here so if you need to know why read this feature I wrote earlier this year.) What is new with Air Force, however, is entering the year not making the NCAA Tournament after two straight appearances in the regional final. The Falcons, after Serratore used the Atlantic Hockey postseason first-round bye to watch Greenway reach the Class A championship game, were swept at home by Niagara.

Missing a Serratore also, unfortunately, isn't new. Matt Serratore, who scored 14 goals as a junior, missed most of his senior season with a lower-body injury. Air Force will also need to replace Billy Christopoulos AKA Billy the Greek in goal (one of college hockey's best nicknames to use in a conversation - i.e. "St. Cloud State got shut down as the #1 overall seed by Billy the Greek") and replace its top four scorers in 2018-19.

The Falcons also host an NHL outdoor game this season. That is definitely new.

Closing Thoughts: Serratore's entertaining press conferences and interviews - he's one coach who does not give canned, broken record-sounding answers - hide the fact Air Force won the old fashioned way with no primadonnas. Defense paved the way to the third-place finish. The Falcons were Atlantic Hockey's second-worst team offensively last season (only Army West Point was worse) and its best defensively, allowing 2.56 goals per game.

The gap could get more extreme. Besides losing Billy the Greek, the Falcons return all but one defender for 2019-20. In an era of late where defense has been winning championships, being able to shut down opposing teams gives Serratore's a chance in Atlantic Hockey. 

That's where the expectations arise. Air Force has been one of Atlantic Hockey's most consistent teams and a regular NCAA Tournament representative. Whether it's nearly making the tournament as an at-large bid (2017 where the Falcons defeated Western Michigan) or getting hot at the right time to win the conference tournament (2018 when Air Force, ninth in AHA in February, won an automatic berth and upset SCSU), the Falcons seem to be in the conversation no matter what the team.

To get back in 2019 will take another effort and an unexpected uptick in scoring from the offense. Put it this way, missing would not be as heartbreaking as a Vikings playoff loss. Par for the course in Atlantic Hockey.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Princeton
Niagara
Connecticut
Omaha
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Princeton

Princeton

2018-19 Record: 10-18-3 (8-12-2, 9th in ECAC)
Head Coach: Ron Fogarty, 6th Year
Top returning scorer: Jackson Cressey (6G-17A)
Top returning goaltender: Ryan Ferland (Jr.)

A few years ago, as Princeton began to turn the corner, head coach Ron Fogarty told me after a win his team hadn't had the ability in recent years to keep luck on their side. The Tigers, who won a combined nine games in Fogarty's first two seasons, at that point had as much success as keeping Hobey Baker Rink warm and toasty in mid-December.

It's a quote that comes to mind after the season Princeton had in 2018-19.

Despite how the Tigers entered with high expectations following a hot second half and ECAC postseason championship, even the most bullish would expect Princeton to finish closer to the top of ECAC than the conference cellar. A pair of high-scoring forwards and a defender with NHL interest all returned. The biggest question mark entering the year - replacing Colton Phinney - was answered.

Instead, the train did not run to Princeton during the season. Hopes of a return NCAA Tournament trip seemed out of reach by mid-December. An early November victory over RPI to advance to 3-1-1 was the final win until late December. Twice Princeton lost in overtime to teams who made the 2019 NCAA Tournament. A third-period comeback against Penn State ended in a tie. Luck was not on the Tigers' side.

What's New: The loss of some familiar faces. The entire line of Ryan Kuffner-Alex Riche-Max Veronneau all graduate with Kuffner (Detroit) and Veronneau (Ottawa) signing NHL contracts. The Tigers also lose Josh Teves, who signed with Vancouver after his senior season.

Being in a new spot without familiar players can be difficult, but no one in Division 1 NCAA men's hockey received more offense from its senior class than Princeton. On a team that averaged 2.68 goals per game, 1.61 of it came from its seniors. Kuffner leaves after scoring 70 goals over the past three seasons. He (4.71) and Veronneau (4.00) were among the nation's top-six players in shots on goal per game.

In more uplifting news, Princeton travels to Belfast, Northern Ireland over Thanksgiving for the Friendship Four.

Closing Thoughts: With apologies to the previous section, the season marks the start of something new in Princeton. That happens, win or lose, when several top players come back for one more bite at the postseason apple. Seven freshmen join the team.
Not surprisingly, five of the seven are forwards (in addition to a defender and goalie).

As disappointing as not making a final NCAA run with the Kuffner/Veronneau/Teves trio has to be, the Tigers do get the dinky train running again to Princeton with 14 players on the roster who were on the 2018 NCAA Tournament team. They know how to keep some luck on their side. At the end of the day, that will be what drives this year's results.

Whether it's Ryan Ferland bouncing back from a bit of a sophomore slump or Jackson Cressey getting closer to the 13G-25A he had in 2017-18, there are openings to step up throughout the Tigers lineup. No one returns with an average of 2 SOG per game.

Fortunately, the only loss on the blue line is Teves, which helps some with a season that unluckily begins at St. Cloud State and Harvard.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Niagara
Connecticut
Omaha
Alaska
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Niagara

Niagara

2018-19 Record: 17-19-5 (11-12-5, 6th in Atlantic Hockey)
Head Coach: Jason Lammers, 3rd Year
Top returning scorer: Ludwig Stenlund (23G-19A)
Top returning goaltender: Brian Wilson (Jr.)

The Purple Eagles can begin 2019-20 not needing to pick up the pieces after the bottom fell out.

Certainly, the team starts in a more stable place although doing so would not be hard. Niagara spent the previous summer completely reshaping the lineup. Head coach Jason Lammers cut eight players following a second half of the season where NU was an NCAA-worst 2-17-2.

In their place were 11 freshmen plus one transfer and a team that came within an overtime goal of one of the most unlikely NCAA Tournament berths.

The new-look Purple Eagles not only went from being picked to finish last in Atlantic Hockey to a mid-table finish. The team was above .500 in the conference as late as February 1st. Niagara rebounded to end 2018-19 7-2-2.

One reason for the turnaround? Niagara's rookies. While the large group certainly helps, no team had more points from its freshman class than the Purple Eagles. Four finished with 15 or more points, led by Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year Ludwig Stenlund. The Skellftea, Sweden native had 23 goals - four more than any other player in Atlantic Hockey and six more than any other freshman nationally.

What's New: The Purple Eagles will fly to some big cities and rinks out west. Niagara's 2019-20 non-conference schedule sees the team traveling to Minnesota and Denver, along with the now regular Penn State visit. (Okay that last part isn't new. Niagara already went to State College two of the past three years while the Nittany Lions returned the favor for a single game at Dwyer Arena in 2014-15.)

The other two locales are familiar to the program but not the players. Niagara has not been to Minneapolis since the 2011 Mariucci Classic. Its last trip to Denver came in October 2013.

Closing Thoughts: Although not on the same level as some other teams, based upon expectations the Purple Eagles soar into the year with some success behind it. The NU newcomers smashed any preseason perceptions. Stenlund had more goals in 2018-19 than in 60 games his final season in juniors while Miami transfer Jake Brandt played a major role on defense. That isn't to say anything about the year's returnees such as goalie Brian Wilson (no, not that one), new captain Noah Delmas (15 goals and 40 points from the blue line), or forwards Justin Kendall and Eric Cooley (forming a productive second line down the stretch with freshman Dylan Mills).

Now the question is how Niagara picks up the pieces to deal with raised expectations. How do the freshmen avoid a sophomore slump? Other teams have taken the same route as Lammers, making massive player cuts after the first year of a new head coach to various success. For every Massachusetts, who went to the national championship game with a handful of remaining pre-cut players, there's a Wisconsin who took a step back.

No one will overlook the Purple Eagles this season. Teams seem to pay more attention to you when coming so close to making the NCAA Tournament. Will Niagara be the team it was during the Atlantic Hockey postseason or closer to the one who was around .500 and went 2-7-2 to kick off 2019?

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Connecticut
Omaha
Alaska
Robert Morris
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Connecticut

Connecticut

2018-19 Record: 12-20-2 (7-15-2, 9th in Hockey East)
Head Coach: Mike Cavanaugh, 7th Year
Top returning scorers: Jachym Kondelik (4G-22A) and Alexander Payusov (16G-4A)
Top returning goaltender: Tomas Vomacka (So.)

Don't dismiss those sly trendsetters at Connecticut. The Huskies know a thing or two about being on the ground floor of trends, ending the season sweeping a pair of Hockey East teams and defeating Massachusetts a month before Minnesota Duluth made it championship cool.

Of course, it's not as impressive when finishing ninth in Hockey East and missing the conference tournament entirely.

That's where UConn finds itself entering 2019-20, a young squad which seems to have pieces in place yet unable to reach the big stage. Connecticut has been around, traveling to exotic places like Belfast and Las Vegas. The Huskies were nowhere near Buffalo or even an AHL building not its own in late-March.

What's New: Head coach Mike Cavanaugh appears to have a solid new group hopping aboard the #IceBus. 

Three incoming Huskies freshmen were drafted among the top 106 picks in June's NHL Draft. Forward Vladislav Firstov was selected in the second round (42nd overall) by the Minnesota Wild. (Only Tage Thompson has been drafted higher in UConn's history.) Edmonton picked forward Matej Blumel with the 100th overall pick. Defender Carter Berger went six picks later to Florida.

That haul doesn't include 2020 NHL Draft eligible Yan Kuznetsov. The 2002-born defender (yes, you're old and no, he's not related to Evgeny) will be one of college hockey's youngest players but listed at 6'3", 201 lbs.

Cavanaugh does lose goaltender Adam Huska and defender Philip Nyberg early. Both signed pro contracts after the season ended.

Lastly, the Huskies, in a year where the most exotic visit is a trip to the prestigious Ledyard Classic, are one of four Connecticut schools playing in the brand-new Connecticut Ice Festival (AKA the Nutmeg State's Beanpot).

Closing Thoughts: UConn has been a team where lately it's tough to know what to make. Individual high points such as Alexander Payusov going from 12 to 16 goals end up overlooked. The team got out to a 4-2-1 start despite a national-high 12 freshmen last season before a 1-10 stretch to end the first half doomed the Huskies to its fifth straight sub-.500 finish since joining Hockey East.

Year in and year out I expect this season to be the one where UConn turns a corner rather than be one in the bottom third in both team offense and defense. It has not happened yet. Sadly, that's been Connecticut's lasting trend.

If anything, the Huskies would want more attention for UConn's trend of recruiting in Europe and internationally. As more international players play college hockey, it's a trend Cavanaugh has been on the forefront. Connecticut had six Europeans suiting up last season. Firstov (Russia), Blumel (Czech Republic) and Kuznetsov (Russia) all come in after playing juniors in North America last season.

They're not alone. Tomas Vomacka (Czech Republic via Lincoln Stars) took over UConn's net for the final month to the point where Huska saw the writing on the wall.

Connecticut once again has a young team with individual talent. While I'm not sure whether this is the season the Huskies turn the corner, it would be nice to see the team get people talking about a trend that led it to the big stage.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Omaha
Alaska
Robert Morris
Colgate
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Omaha

Omaha

2018-19 Record: 9-24-3 (5-17-2, T-7th in NCHC)
Head Coach: Mike Gabinet, 3rd Year
Top returning scorer: Taylor Ward (9G-18A)
Top returning goaltender: None

And then there's Omaha...

Today's featured team - whose opening line comes from a "very respected journalism site" in the words of USCHO - brings the NCHC into the "60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less)" series. The Mavericks spent the first Baxter Arena's first three seasons of existence around the .500 mark before dropping down to a single-digit win total and tied with Miami for last place in the NCHC.

Omaha's nine wins were sandwiched around an 0-6-1 start and 0-8-1 end to the season. When things went wrong, they stayed there.

Where the Mavericks, a season removed from contending for an NCAA Tournament berth, were able to somewhat live dangerously in 2017-18 by outscoring defensive issues (best shown by an 11-7 win over Miami), the good life did not repeat. The team once again finished near the bottom in team defense (59th of 60 teams). Technically improving ("only" giving up 3.74 goals per game), Omaha could not maintain the 3+ goals per game pace in 2018-19.

It'd be easy to pin the Mavericks' struggles on playing in a tough NCHC, but besides a sweep at home against Arizona State (who previously swept UNO as the teams played four games), the only other nonconference wins were against Alaska Anchorage.

What's New: Head coach Mike Gabinet has 12 freshmen arriving this fall, replacing a 10 person senior class who played key roles for the Mavericks over the last two seasons.

Perhaps nowhere is that more important than in goal. Matej Tomek's early departure means all three goaltenders will not be returning. In their place are three freshmen goalies on the roster, led by USHL Goaltender of the Year and Vegas Golden Knights draft pick (5th round of the 2019 NHL Draft) Isaiah Saville. The Anchorage, AK native should be the odds-on favorite to take over for longtime starter Evan Weninger with the Tomek experiment ending after the North Dakota transfer spent one year and all of five games in net.

Five forwards and four defensemen join the three goalies. (Sadly former UNO commit Ryan O'Reilly - no, not that one - isn't joining Teemu Pulkkinen - no, not that one either.) That includes Ryan Brushett, who led Powell River (BCHL) in scoring during his final year of juniors. The young forwards will need to help replace Omaha's top two scorers.

Closing Thoughts: Entering Year 3 of the Gabinet Era with a young, unproven team, we're still figuring out what exactly is the new Omaha sound. There's no denying the Mavericks have been entertaining the past two seasons. However, that philosophy hasn't exactly led to victories. It's difficult to rely on offensively outpowering the other team when being heavily outshot.

That personally is what will be intriguing over this season and the next because the 2015 Frozen Four team continues to get further and further in the rearview mirror. Can Gabinet get his players to play his style? Can Omaha improve during game situations and further develop? Does the defense find more consistency?

Having a full season of former Minnesota defenseman Nate Knoepke should help. Still, the team likely to rely upon its young players and hope Saville can become the next standout NCHC freshman goalie.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Alaska
Robert Morris
Colgate
RPI
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Alaska

Alaska

2018-19 Record: 12-21-3 (12-14-2, 7th in WCHA)
Head Coach: Erik Largen, 2nd Year
Top returning scorer: Steven Jandric (9G-15A)
Top returning goaltender: Anton Martinsson (Sr.)

It's difficult to be tested more than Alaska last season. The Nanooks began the year with a non-conference stretch featuring three NCAA Tournament teams in Arizona State, St. Cloud State and Denver, plus opening WCHA play against eventual champion Minnesota State. Three of the four series were away from Fairbanks.

Not surprisingly, Alaska ended October 0-7-1 and outscored 31-9.

Eventually, things did get better under new head coach Erik Largen. The Nanooks eventually beat Minnesota State, along with NCAA Tournament participant Bowling Green and WCHA fourth-place finisher Lake Superior State. Steven Jandric built upon a 23 point freshman season to finish with 9 goals and 24 points in conference play. Largen, the third head coach in as many seasons, ended his first year in Fairbanks with 12 wins and a WCHA playoff appearance.

What's New: Uncertainty. Not of the hockey variety, though. Between the state of Alaska cutting more than $100 million from the university budget, a failed veto override attempt and trying to figure out what comes next, there's a massive cloud hanging over the future of both Alaska programs in Fairbanks and Anchorage.

If that somehow gets cleared up for the start of the season, there's still the issue of finding a long-term home. Seven of the other 9 WCHA schools announced last month plans to leave the conference beginning in 2021-22. Alaska, along with Alabama Huntsville and Alaska Anchorage, finds itself blindsided by the news.

Whether it's at Carlson Center or a move on-campus to the smaller Patty Center as part of budget cuts, Alaska's Hockey Bear has every reason to blow up seven rinks and more in an animated intro.


Closing Thoughts: Honestly, it's difficult to treat Alaska as a normal preview.

Yes, it would be nice to just write about who is returning and what adjustments Largen can make for this season. He's back for a second one. Only losing four seniors keeps stability...on the ice. Not discussing the budget issue would be preview malpractice when the entire future remains up in the air. If anything, the situation has gotten worse throughout July. (The UA Board of Regents declared a financial exigency earlier this week.) So much can change between now and when the 2019-20 season begins in October.

The situation the Nanooks (as well as the Seawolves) find themselves being tested in is nowhere near normal. Teams and players fight for their seasons. They don't usually fight for the program's existence.

As of this publication, a team still exists. Again, a crazy thing to write in a preview for the upcoming season and one more fitting for a eulogy. Alaska has had a rich history, being a place where Don Lucia and Guy Gadowsky got their head coaching starts. It's a place where Dallas Ferguson took the Nanooks to the 2010 NCAA Tournament. It's a place where current NHLers like Chad Johnson and Colton Parayko, who lifted the Stanley Cup in June, played their college careers.

It's a place, wherefrom the Great West to the CCHA to the WCHA and beyond, collegians have been tested in more ways than one.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Robert Morris
Colgate
RPI
Army
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Robert Morris

Robert Morris

2018-19 Record: 16-22-2 (11-15-2, T-8th in Atlantic Hockey)
Head Coach: Derek Schooley, 16th Year
Top returning scorer: Luke Lynch (10G-11A)
Top returning goaltender: Dyllan Lubbesmeyer (Jr.)

It speaks to the recent success of the Robert Morris program that the Colonials enter 2019-20 on its longest streak since joining Atlantic Hockey in 2010-11 finishing below .500: Two seasons.

In fact, those two seasons have been the only two sub-.500 years. An annual staple of Atlantic Hockey's top tier, Robert Morris dropped as the conference has undergone a makeover with schools such as American International and Bentley jumping up last season. (How topsy-turvy has AHA been? This is the 12th college hockey preview and I've already discussed four of the conference's top five 2017-18 teams based upon 2018-19 records.) Despite a 2-11-1 January and February, the Colonials came within two games of an NCAA Tournament berth. RMU made it all the way to Buffalo for the Atlantic Hockey semifinals before losing to AIC in OT.

What's New: There's a contagious case of grad transfer fever around the Greater Pittsburgh area. 

Longtime starter Francis Marotte left the Colonials for North Country pastures, transferring to a Clarkson team needing a starting-caliber goaltender for his final season. In his place will reportedly be another grad transfer, former Ferris State goaltender Justin Kapelmaster. 

Kapelmaster, whose 2018-19 season ended up being hampered by injuries, has been part of a goalie platoon each of his three seasons with the Bulldogs. He will be replacing a goaltender who played almost every meaningful minute for RMU over the last two years and was in net for two Atlantic Hockey championship games. Robert Morris as an option also has junior Dyllan Lubbesmeyer, who stopped 26 of 28 shots in limited action during his career.

After an eight-year run, the Three Rivers Classic will not be played in 2019-20. The tournament brought to Pittsburgh a plethora of brand name college hockey schools. (St. Cloud State, Union, and Brown were the final Three Rivers Classic participants.) In its place, Robert Morris' non-conference schedule sees RMU host Michigan Tech on Neville Island along with a single game at PPG Paints Arena against Penn State.

Closing Thoughts: The Colonials turn the page to 2019-20 with much of its core intact. There seems to be a plan in place to replace those not returning (Marotte and graduated leading scorer Alex Tonge). Kappelmaster has shown ability at times throughout his college career to steal a game. Getting Luke Lynch closer to the 17 goal scorer he was as a sophomore would go a long way to snapping the sub-.500 streak.

RMU, stats-wise, had a year to expect from a team dropping from 18 to 16 wins. Fewer goals scored, more given up, power-play down, starting goaltender's number slightly down, etc. It's been five seasons since the Colonials made its lone NCAA Tournament appearance yet Robert Morris has the best record (104-73-18) among Atlantic Hockey teams over that time, along with a pair of AHA regular-season titles.

In a conference in the midst of upheaval, Robert Morris remains competitive in Atlantic Hockey. Whether or not that's enough to stay in the conversation and get above .500 for the first time in three seasons will be something to watch. 

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Colgate
RPI
Army
Mercyhurst
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Colgate

Colgate

2018-19 Record: 10-23-3 (7-12-3, 10th in ECAC)
Head Coach: Don Vaughan, 27th Year
Top returning scorer: Bobby McMann (8G-15A)
Top returning goaltender: Mitch Benson (So.)

Putting it mildly, Colgate could use a boost of offense throughout the lineup. The only teams to score fewer total goals than the Raiders' 55 over the past five seasons were Alaska Anchorage last season, a first-year Arizona State program and a four-win Princeton team in 2014-15. (ASU had more if counting by goals per game.) Only two players ended the year with more than five goals. The team was one of two (St. Lawrence the other) who failed to score an empty-net goal.

That's the kind of year it was as Colgate, who swept New Hampshire to begin the year and won twice more before the holidays, dropped from 17 to 10 wins and down five spots in the ECAC standings. Sometimes things get weird. It was a year where Colgate combined for nine goals in weekend wins over Quinnipiac and Princeton. It then took the next nine games to match that total.

Weirdly enough, being that kind of year, the goaltending and defense didn't drop as much as one might expect when needing to replace a Mike Richter Award finalist in Colton Point, who signed with the Dallas Stars. While expecting anyone to match Point's .944% save percentage would be a fool's errand, it's difficult to complain about freshman Mitch Benson's season. Of full-time freshmen starters, only Minnesota State's Dryden McKay and RPI's Owen Savory had a better save percentage.

What's New: To find some of the lost offense, a six-person freshman class includes five forwards. (The Raiders have an NHL draft pick in the pipeline. Goalie Carter Gylander was drafted by Detroit in the 7th round, however, Gylander will play another year of juniors.) Matt Verboon scored over a point per game for Salmon Arm (BCHL) and represented Switzerland at the 2019 World Juniors. Colton Young had 27 goals in 57 games for Canmore (AJHL). Arnaud Vachon played junior hockey with Cale Makar, which ends today's Pierre McGuire hockey trivia question.

Colgate also has a new assistant coach. Brett Riley, who was on the ground floor recruiting and building a new D-III Wilkes University program, joins Dana Borges and Vaughan on the Raiders bench.

Finally, the Raiders return to Northern Ireland over Thanksgiving. Colgate and Northeastern become the first two teams to repeat in the Friendship Four. Both played in the inaugural 2015 version. (Princeton and New Hampshire complete the field.)

Closing Thoughts: Sometimes on paper, it makes sense for a team to struggle in one area and instead the opposite happens. Questions about replacing a top goalie turned into seeing a Colgate team returning nine of its top 10 scorers score 32 fewer goals.

Injuries affected a couple players, but that can't speak for everyone having a down year in the same year. It's hard not to expect a few Colgate players to bounce back. At the same time, it's fortunate for Vaughan that Benson has claimed the number one goalie job to take some pressure off that end. With October games against Ferris State, Boston College, and Miami, there might be opportunities early to rekindle a lost boost of offense.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
RPI
Army
Mercyhurst
Canisius
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): RPI

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2018-19 Record: 10-23-3 (7-13-2, 11th in ECAC)
Head Coach: Dave Smith, 3rd Year
Top returning scorer: Ottoville Leppanen (4G-15A)
Top returning goaltenders: Owen Savory (So.), Linden Marshall (Jr.)

Slowly but surely, the Rensselaer rebuild seems to be underway.

RPI went from six wins in head coach Dave Smith's first season to 10 last year. There were reasons to be happy. The Engineers were 2-0-1 against Capital District rival Union. RPI, for a second straight year, also had success against Cornell in Ithaca.

Still, the jump is slowly incremental. Once again, RPI finished 11th of 12 teams in ECAC. The OT win over Cornell was followed by a five-game losing streak to end the season while Yale swept the Engineers 4-1 and 4-0 in the ECAC first round. No player had more than eight goals throughout the season. The power play (13.3%) was 55th of 60 teams nationally.

One thing, however, that sticks out in rebuilding is the use of transfers in the lineup. Few teams can say they have a national champion on the roster. One is RPI. Redshirt senior Mike Gornall was a member of the 2016 North Dakota team who raised the trophy in Tampa. Shane Bear (Massachusetts) and Chase Zieky (Providence) also transferred to the Engineers. All three played a major role during the team's second half.

What's New: Teams who live by the transfer can see the transfer swing back the other way. Smith's team loses RPI's two-time leading scorer, Jacob Hayhurst, to a grad transfer. Hayhurst will be heading to Ann Arbor for his final season of college eligibility. For all the transfers the Engineers had coming in, none match the scoring ability of Hayhurst, who had 12 goals as a sophomore.

Rensselaer has nine freshmen coming in this fall. That includes defenseman Simon Kjellberg, who becomes the first RPI freshman drafted by an NHL team since senior forward Todd Burgess. Kjellberg, who is from Sweden and played last season with Dubuque (USHL), was a 2018 6th round draft pick of the New York Rangers.

Smith also brings in one of his former assistants at Canisius, Scott Moser, for the same position. The teams meet for the first time ever, playing a single game October 19th at Houston Field House.

Closing Thoughts: One of the prevailing themes many early teams in this series share deals with what went wrong and how teams can improve.

For a school like RPI, in the midst of a stretch of 24 wins in 3 seasons, the question is not just about improving. It's about how much and how quickly the Engineers can improve. Rensselaer has reasons for optimism. The team, after being near rock bottom in Smith's first season, had a solid freshman season of goaltending from Owen Savory. RPI maintains a senior class of contributing players led by Burgess and Will Reilly on defense. Zieky scored eight goals, all in the second half, to tie for the team lead.

Is this a year where RPI can transfer some goodwill into a larger win total? Do the Engineers take a smaller step, gaining a few more reasons to be happy and ECAC wins? While rebuilding takes time, the moral victories don't taste as good after seeing how quickly other schools in a similar position have been able to make a leap.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Army
Mercyhurst
Canisius
Merrimack
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Army West Point

Army West Point

2018-19 Record: 12-20-7 (8-13-7, 10th in Atlantic Hockey)
Head Coach: Brian Riley, 15th Year
Top returning scorer: Zach Evancho (10G-19A)
Top returning goaltenders: Jared Dempsey (Jr.), Trevin Kozlowski (Jr.) and Matt Penta (Sr.)

Our trip through Atlantic Hockey country continues with a visit to the Hudson River and West Point. Army enters the fray having finished last season on a high note. 

The Black Knights ended up being the only road team to win a best-of-three first-round playoff series, sweeping Wednesday's featured school, Mercyhurst. Army West Point also took a road playoff victory from eventual AHA postseason champions American International before falling in the deciding third game.

Oddly enough, the final series against AIC ended up being the only occasion all season when the Black Knights had a victory sandwiched around two losses. Otherwise it a streaky year full of split series. Streaks of five games going unbeaten surrounded by a two-game and three-game losing streak to start the year. Fittingly for the military, there's also a weekend where Army and Air Force had no winner and tied twice (two of Amry's seven ties on the season).

What's New: Vegas, baby, Vegas!

Army West Point will be one of four teams playing in the 2020 Ice Vegas Invitational. (2019 Frozen Four semifinalist Providence is another. Ohio State and Cornell reportedly fill out the January 3-4 tournament lineup at T-Mobile Arena.) If the lineup holds, the Black Knights automatically will face two teams who made the 2019 NCAA Tournament. 

In fact, the rest of Army's non-conference schedule is so money. Union and New Hampshire both travel to Tate Rink. The Black Knights, meanwhile, head north of the border to face the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario for an exhibition game. Throw in two Atlantic Hockey games against rival Air Force at home in between trips to Vegas and Canada, and January 2020 should be as much fun as one is allowed in the Army.

The team welcomes eight new cadets with four forwards, three defenders and a goaltender. 

Closing Thoughts: Ending up below-.500 for the first time in four seasons, there are signs Army recovered from losing its goalie, much of its blue line and several top players on 2017-18's squad. The Black Knights will be returning for 2019-20 five of its top six scorers plus Michael Wilson, whose season was limited to 16 games due to injuries. All three goaltenders in Riley's platoon have eligibility remaining.

It also speaks to the Black Knights that Army is the first team in this series to end 2018-19 with a positive shot margin. The margin improved down the stretch as the team finished 4-4-2 over its final 10 games.

Riley's team does need to replace All-Atlantic Hockey Second Team defender and co-captain Dalton MacAfee. He's the only blue line departure, however. In theory that should help given that the Black Knights gave up on average almost a half goal more per game last season than 2017-18. In a three goalie platoon, no goaltender ended with a .900% save percentage or higher. Having some consistency throughout the lineup - along with cutting down on allowing 3 goals per game - should hopefully create fewer losing streaks.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Mercyhurst
Canisius
Merrimack
Holy Cross
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Mercyhurst

Mercyhurst

2018-19 Record: 13-20-5 (11-13-4, 7th in Atlantic Hockey)
Head Coach: Rick Gotkin, 32nd Year
Top returning scorer: Dalton Hunter (11G-13A)
Top returning goaltenders: Stefano Cantali (Jr.) and Garrett Metcalf (Sr.)

In the "year of the defensemen," Mercyhurst fittingly saw its first Division 1 men's hockey All-American come from the blue line.

Only two defensemen (Massachusetts' Cale Makar and Harvard's Adam Fox) scored more points than Joseph Duszak, who was named a second-team All-American and Hobey Baker Top 10 finalist. Duszak's 47 points (16G-31A) in 38 games was more per game than any other player in Atlantic Hockey, forward or not.

Yet for all the offense the Lakers received from Duszak's puck-moving abilities on defense, it was Mercyhurst's defense other teams took advantage. A young defensive core with four freshmen and two completely new goaltenders ended the year on average giving up more than 3.5 goals per game (55th of 60 teams). Down the stretch, where the team finished 0-6-3, that total was closer to 4.5 goals per game.

What's New: A large freshman class (unless you're Merrimack) comes in this fall for Mercyhurst. 11 players - seven forwards and four defensemen - will suit up in Erie.

The Lakers also will have to deal with being without Duszak. The junior departed early, signing an entry-level contract with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs and forgoing his final year of eligibility. Duszak's departure did not come as a surprise given he was seen as one of the top undrafted free agents in college hockey last season.

Closing Thoughts: It's fitting to preview the top two teams in Atlantic Hockey two seasons ago back-to-back after both slipped down the standings last year.

Both Mercyhurst and Canisius share similarities in what went wrong but also dealing with different expectations. Not thought quite to be returning to the top tier, the Lakers were still placed highly despite needing to overcome several key departures and replacing its starting goalie. That'll be the case again this season. While the team was able to find a way to replace the lost offense, 2018-19's top four scorers all graduated or left early.

Where Mercyhurst stands also shows the difference between an outstanding individual season versus one from the team. Mercyhurst had the former last year with Duszak. He did something never accomplished before on a team coached by Gotkin, currently Division 1 men's hockey's longest-tenured coach (coaching the Lakers at every level of college hockey from D3 to D2 to D1).

Mercyhurst got the latter two seasons ago en route to winning the Atlantic Hockey regular-season championship. Gotkin's team was as dominant down the stretch, losing twice in its final 17 games (both in OT), as it struggled down the stretch this season (although eight of the nine games were either ties or by one goal not including an empty-netter). There are lessons to take away from the season as another young group joins the Lakers, finding a middle ground between getting offense from the blue line and needing more defense.

Mercyhurst has seen both. Now we'll see what happens in 2019-20.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Canisius
Merrimack
Holy Cross
Ferris State
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Canisius

Canisius College

2018-19 Record: 12-20-5 (8-16-4, 11th in Atlantic Hockey)
Head Coach: Trevor Large, 3rd Year
Top returning scorer: Austin Alger (12G-16A)
Top returning goaltenders: Matt Ladd (So.), Daniel Urbani (R-Jr.) and Blake Weyrick (Sr.)

Canisius' 2018-19 fall came quick and fast. In true Ricky Bobby fashion, the Golden Griffins went from 1st and 2nd in Atlantic Hockey over the past two seasons straight down to last place. Not exactly the way things normally go with a returning Hobey Baker Top-Ten finalist in Dylan McLaughlin. Even in Buffalo. Preseason honors - four coaches picked the Golden Griffins to win Atlantic Hockey - made way for a season where Murphy's Law reigned supreme.

Take goalie for instance. Daniel Urbani entered the season as Canisius' number one goalie and on the Mike Richter Award Watch List. By November, Jake Zurat, a sophomore on the Golden Griffins baseball team, ended up in goal for a minute. Injuries to Urbani, who never played, and Blake Weyrick (the rare goalie to wear #85) forced Plans C and D. Matt Ladd came in midseason to help ease things and finished with the best save percentage among the Canisius goalies who did play.

Unfortunately, some of the season highs even came with an asterisk. The Golden Griffins swept North Dakota at home to kick off 2019 before going 1-9-1 in its next 11 games.

What's New: Staying healthy? Stability? There's no guarantee, but newfound stability and health would be nice.

Besides the goalie situation, injuries reached a point where junior Matt Stief ended up missing three games from taking a skate blade to the neck.

Canisius will also be without the graduated McLaughlin, who for all of the Golden Griffins' win-loss struggles had a fantastic individual season. Only Niagara's Ludwig Stenlund scored more goals among Atlantic Hockey players than McLaughlin's 19 and he finished with 40+ points for a second straight season.

Lastly, Canisius will have a new assistant coach. Scott Moser joined former head coach Dave Smith's staff at RPI.

Closing Thoughts: Some stability and staying healthy should help Canisius shake and bake this season. The team returns three players who finished with more than 10 goals and 20 points, including former Miami transfer Austin Alger.

More than anything, the drop to the cellar shows the importance of defense and goaltending in the modern college hockey game. The team's offense remained yet going from Charles Williams, who also ended up being a Hobey Baker Top 10 finalist, to Urbani to finishing 56th in goals against per game nationally last season saw a difference in how the year went. When the Golden Griffins were winning down the stretch (finishing 3-2-2) with Ladd in net, the team gave up over a goal less per game.

With Atlantic Hockey most years being the Ricky Bobby of conferences where only first gets into the NCAA Tournament, regular-season success does not always end up carrying over to the postseason; something Canisius knows all too well. The team has not been in the NCAA Tournament since 2013 in spite ending near the top of Atlantic Hockey multiple times.

It does not guarantee a team to be first or last, but settling on solid goaltending - no matter who takes the reins - would make a big difference for Canisius, who begin the year on the road at North Dakota and then against its former head coach.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Merrimack
Holy Cross
Ferris State
Alabama Huntsville
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Teams. 60 Days. 600 Words (or Less): Merrimack College

Merrimack College

2018-19 Record: 7-24-3 (4-18-2, 11th in Hockey East)
Head Coach: Scott Borek, 2nd Year
Top returning scorer: Chase Gresock (11G-13A)
Top returning goaltender: None

Welcome aboard, Hockey East! The conference gets some July digital ink with Merrimack popping up for its day in the college hockey preview sun.

After moving on from Mark Dennehy, who was so wanted afterward he ended up being hired twice the same summer, the Warriors finished at the bottom of Hockey East's standings. Under new head coach Scott Borek, Merrimack went 3-17-3 after mid-November to end his first season leading the Warriors.

Merrimack's struggles came throughout the lineup. However, one place, in particular, was defensively both at even strength and elsewhere. None of the team's three goalies finished with a save percentage above .900%. The Warriors gave up nearly 4 goals per game (59th of 60 nationally). Even with an extra player, Merrimack nearly doubled up every other college hockey team by giving up 12 shorthanded goals. (To compare, MC scored 18 power play goals.) That total is by far the most nationally over the past three seasons. No one else has even hit double digits.

Offensively, sophomore forward Chase Gresock does become the first returning player in this series to have double-digit goals.

What's New:


Frequently this section touches upon a freshman or two or other minor changes. Not today. That's not the case in North Andover, MA for 2019-20. The changes there are scorched earth to the point where if you're a freshman at Merrimack and don't have at least one men's hockey player in your orientation, did you really go?

Thanks in part to Borek moving on from seven players, early departures and transfers, the Warriors will have 16 freshmen this season. Sixteen! Eight forwards, five defensemen and three goaltenders are among the 2019-20 freshman class, which doesn't include players transferring in. (Among the players not coming back were both goalies who could return. Chase Pantano entered the transfer portal, per the great Mike McMahon. Onetime Minnesota commit Logan Halladay was among the players cut.)

Cutting players seems to be a move that unfortunately has been gaining more traction in college hockey in recent years. Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Niagara all let a number of players go following a coaching change.

Closing Thoughts: It's tough to make wholesale changes and not wait out graduating players, but Merrimack is coming as close as one team can. The Warriors for Borek's second season changed enough to liken it to when an outcast teen moves and tries a completely new look in their new school to be a popular kid.

Will it work? Maybe on the surface, things look flashier with the extreme makeover. It worked for that other Hockey East team who turned things around. (Coincidentally, former UMass player Griffin Jeszka is now at Merrimack.) Although there's no #4 overall draft pick, some of Merrimack's freshmen should boost the Warriors. Ben Brar led Prince George (BCHL) in goals with 41 while Hugo Esselin captained a Sweden team at the U-18 championships.

Regardless, not everything can change. The new-look Warriors join a group that went 0-7-2 to end the season. Perhaps most importantly, a team that struggled defensively enters the year with two returning defensemen (after Johnathan Kovacevic signing early with the Winnipeg Jets) and three freshmen goalies.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Holy Cross
Ferris State
Alabama Huntsville
St. Lawrence
Every Team So Far

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Holy Cross

Holy Cross

2018-19 Record: 10-21-5 (10-21-5, T-8th in Atlantic Hockey)
Head Coach: David Berard, 6th Year
Top returning scorer: Anthony Vincent (5G-16A)
Top returning goaltender: Erik Gordon (So.)

Was 2018-19 a one-year blip for Holy Cross?

That'll be the question answered by the Crusaders, who for the first time in five seasons finished outside the top half of Atlantic Hockey. Losing several key players to graduation on a team that ended 2017-18 tied for third, Holy Cross began strongly by winning its opening game then failed to win again until mid-December. (Not surprisingly, the six teams with the worst first half records are the first six teams being previewed.) To make matters worse, the team's leading scorer decided to transfer to Miami midway through his freshman season.

Other freshmen did pick up during the second half. Anthony Vincent scored 15 of his 21 points. Erik Gordon, taking over for one of the top goaltenders in program history, Paul Berrafto, improved. The Crusaders had three separate unbeaten streaks of 3+ games to end the year on a high note.

What's New: Phil Kessel was traded from Pittsburgh to Arizona and...sorry, I saw a Kessel on the roster and Holy Cross and then instincts took over. Between writing a preview on Holy Cross and the Crusaders having players named Pete Kessel and Patrick O'Leary, at least one mid-2000s Gophers remark was going to come up. You all knew it.

In all seriousness, not too much is new, which might be a relief after last season's first half. Berard replaced assistant coach Tom Hill, who left to join Brent Brekke's staff at St. Lawrence, with Notre Dame volunteer assistant Max Mobley.

A smaller six-person freshman class is coming on campus. (Speaking of names, incoming freshman forward Grayson Constable looks to be a future all-college hockey name team candidate.) Holy Cross also ended up signing the only 14-year-old no one will get mad about.

Closing Thoughts: Whether or not 2018-19 ends up being a one-year blip or the start of a trend depends on whether the Crusaders can continue to be the team it was in the second half. Compared to some of the other teams being previewed around this area, Holy Cross had higher goal scoring, lower goals against and a closer shot disadvantage throughout the year. One of the big reasons for being near the bottom of the Pairwise is because the Crusaders went winless in non-conference play.

Holy Cross brings back young talent throughout the lineup - Vincent and defenseman Matt Slick were both named to Atlantic Hockey's All-Rookie Team for their efforts - yet might have some growing pains again. Berard needs to replace five of his top six scorers a season after replacing three of his top four. If that happens, it wouldn't be a surprise for the Crusaders to get back to where Holy Cross expects to be in Atlantic Hockey.

At the same time, it may not feel like it, but the team who kicked off Atlantic Hockey's NCAA Tournament giant-killer reputation, as teams such as Air Force, RIT and AIC joined the Crusaders with NCAA Tournament wins, hasn't been back since.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Ferris State
Alabama Huntsville
St. Lawrence
Alaska Anchorage
Intro

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Ferris State

Ferris State

2018-19 Record: 10-23-3 (7-18-3, 9th in WCHA)
Head Coach: Bob Daniels, 28th Year
Top returning scorer: Nate Kallen (7G-17A)
Top returning goaltender: Roni Salmenkangas (So.)

Well, the good news for Ferris State is that 2019-20 is an even year.

Even years this decade treated the Bulldogs well. Each of Ferris State's three most recent NCAA Tournament appearances came in seasons ending in an even year (2012, 2014, 2016). Bob Daniels' teams won NCAA Tournament games in all three, reaching the national championship game in 2012. One would need to go back to 2003-04 for the last time FSU failed to get more victories in an even year.

Just because it's an even year does not mean that the Bulldogs automatically will contend. Ferris State not only missed the NCAA Tournament, but the team also missed the WCHA playoffs. Getting more victories would mean bouncing back from the worst season Ewigleben Ice Arena has seen during Daniels' long tenure.

Before Ferris State's season off, the Bulldogs were thought preseason to be a middle-of-the-pack WCHA team with the majority of the team's offense returning. Starting 4-4 and having swept Alaska Anchorage, things went awry in November and December for the Bulldogs. Injuries and everything that could go wrong did during an 0-10-1 stretch snapped by beating Minnesota on the road. FSU was better in the second half, finishing the year 3-3-2, but not enough to make the playoffs.

What's New: A lot of what's new this year has to do with who is not around. For the first time in a while, Ferris State enters a year full of players without NCAA experience. The freshman class (including a vocal leader in Cory Mackin and Ryker Killins) who won the Broadmoor Trophy and were part of the 2016 NCAA Tournament team that upset St. Cloud State graduated.

The Bulldogs also lost one of the few bright spots of last season when WCHA Rookie of the Year Cooper Zech signed with the AHL's Providence Bruins rather than return to Big Rapids. Zech was one of the top offensive freshmen defensemen in college hockey, leading FSU in points and someone who could be built around if he stayed. Ferris State will need to find someone else instead. No one returns with double-digit goals.

Last, but certainly not least: New uniforms!

View this post on Instagram

Our New Reds From the design team: We wanted to change our look by embracing our school colors on the whole. The coaching staff was excited about having our Bulldog back on our dark uniforms after a bit of a hiatus. The white text /numbers is the most major change from our previous look and definitely one we’re excited to show off. Disclaimer: the black lining you see on the uniform is stitching, you will not see it in reality. There may be very minor adjustments made between these proofs and the final product.

A post shared by Ferris State Hockey (@ferrishockey) on Jul 8, 2019 at 8:01am PDT

Welcome back UMD and FSU having similar yet not sweaters.

Closing Thoughts: Even year or not, it would be tough for Ferris State not to bounce back somewhat. Losing Zech hurts, but the Bulldogs do retain another sophomore bright spot in goaltender Roni Salmenkangas, who along with Justin Kapelmaster, replaced Darren Smith. Salmenkangas gained experience during Kapelmaster's injuries. Having both, along with fewer injuries and an older defensive core, should help.

At the end of the day, what matters is seeing a push towards a better season. Going from NCAA berths to three straight sub-.500 seasons is not what is to be expected from Ferris State. If this is the new normal for the Bulldogs, who began the decade in contention with Yale and UMD as the top school with the nickname and end it nowhere near, it's a change no program with a longtime head coach wants to see. 

But the good news is there are two Bulldog teams entering 2019-20 on a win: the defending national champions...and Ferris State.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Alabama Huntsville
St. Lawrence
Alaska Anchorage
Intro

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Alabama Huntsville

Alabama Huntsville

2018-19 Record: 8-28-2 (8-20-2, 8th in WCHA)
Head Coach: Mike Corbett, 7th Year
Top returning scorers: Bauer Neudecker and Jack Jeffers (7G-7A 14 points)
Top returning goaltender: Mark Sinclair (Jr.)

Unlike the other two WCHA teams being previewed this week, the school from the Rocket City saw playoff hockey in 2018-19. Alabama Huntsville took the final spot, going on the road away from Waffle House country to Mankato for a pair of games.

Still, the Chargers find itself being previewed in week one after finishing non-conference play 0-8-0 and outscored 36-6. Every other school had at least one non-conference tie. (AIC did go 0-6-0 during the regular season, but beat St. Cloud State in the NCAA Tournament.) Sophomore defenseman Bailey Newton had the most penalties of anyone returning to college hockey.

Going winless in non-conference play was one reason UAH, who defeated NCAA Tournament team Bowling Green, dropped from 12 wins in 2017-18 to eight last season. It's not the only one. It's tough to consistently win without the puck. Like St. Lawrence, the Chargers were heavily outshot. Alabama Huntsville gave up on average 14.24 more shots per game and scored one goal or less 23 times. When the team did score, the goals came in bunches. UAH scored four or more goals six times.

What's New: Honestly, this section would be more fitting for a reality TV show character than an NCAA team. In the real world of college hockey, no school has faced an offseason challenge quite like UAH. The Chargers overcame obstacles, nearly forced to fold the program. Six years later, Alabama Huntsville has turned a corner while being a fish out of water in a conference full of Midwest teams. The school made the playoffs two straight seasons, bringing in brand name opponents for future home games and talk growing of an on-campus arena to transform the program.

Just when it seemed that the lone southern team had made friends and were understood by the rest of the sport, reality hit. Almost the entire WCHA, in a blindsided move any reality TV producer would be proud, voted UAH out of its alliance.

2019-20 marks the first of two seasons Alabama Huntsville plays against those teams who backstabbed the Chargers.

Closing Thoughts: Both on and off the ice, things have been looking up before being dashed. Alabama Huntsville loses its top goal scorer in Hans Gorowsky and turns to a younger team. From a freshman standpoint, UAH brings in a massive goalie in 6'6", 240 lbs Daniel David Fessenden along with South African Daneel Lategan.

Mark Sinclair returns after grabbing the reins in goal from Northeastern grad transfer Jake Theut. Sophomores Bauer Neudecker and Jack Jeffers each had seven goals, but none came on the power play. UAH is going to need more on special teams as 11 of the 18 PP goals graduated.

Regardless, it should be a fun year to watch Alabama Huntsville as a neutral fan. Things are set up to be a year where the WCHA games beyond Bemidji State should be a playoff-like atmosphere. Nothing starts a rivalry like letting someone know you were never friends and don't care what happens.

The Chargers found out what happens when the rest of the WCHA stops being polite and start getting real.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
St. Lawrence
Alaska Anchorage
Intro

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): St. Lawrence

St. Lawrence University

2018-19 Record: 6-29-2 (3-17-2, 12th in ECAC)
Head Coach: Brent Brekke, 1st Year
Top returning scorer: Carson Gicewicz (19 points)
Top returning goaltenders: Emil Zetterquist (So.) and Daniel Mannella (Sr.)

One positive to come out of Massachusetts' run to the national championship game two years removed from a five-win season applies to any team profiled in July. Any team can tell themselves they can be the next UMass. 

Unfortunately, for St. Lawrence, the team who finished second from the bottom nationally and coming off a six-win season, it's difficult when watching former head coach Greg Carvel finding success and you're already on your second head coach since he left.

Things continued to go awry last year in Canton, where St. Lawrence finished last in ECAC by a far margin. Any success during Carvel's tenure dropped off a cliff as the Saints underperformed in Mark Morris' three years behind the bench. St. Lawerence went from above .500 in 2016-17 to seeing key players transfer amidst the program's worst two-year stretch since the late 1970s. An unhappy Kyle Hayton went to Wisconsin. Ben Finkelstein left Morris midseason while Jacob Pritchard followed Carvel to Massachusetts.

While St. Lawrence did not have a double-digit goal scorer in 2018-19, the Saints' struggles were not on offense alone. A good power play (19.5%) was neutralized by a penalty kill (74.2%) 59th in the nation and got worse over the second half.

No team in college hockey played without the puck more and allowed as many goals per game (4.03) than SLU. Despite rotating three goalies, St. Lawrence went all season giving up two or more goals every game. (SLU was 4-0-2 when only allowing two goals.) Only one goaltender (Daniel Mannella) finished with a save percentage above .900%. 

What's New: Welcome to the Brent Brekke Era!

After a combined 14 wins in two seasons and NCAA investigation for an unsafe environment (no wrongdoing was found outside a minor violation), St. Lawrence went in a new direction. Brekke,  a longtime assistant coach at Miami and Cornell (and who turned down the Alaska job last summer), takes over the Saints. He comes from up the road in Potsdam, where his one year as a Clarkson assistant saw the Golden Knights win the ECAC conference tournament.

Appleton Arena will also look a little different as St. Lawrence's home rink has been undergoing renovations since the season ended.

Closing Thoughts: St. Lawrence may not want to be the next UMass, but the Saints would be happy to be the next turnaround success story.

Right now there's plenty of room to move up for a program whose inward perception, despite not making an NCAA Tournament since 2007, seems higher than being turned down by AIC head coach Eric Lang. Even in a down year, SLU was able to find some success, beating rival Clarkson and getting road wins against Minnesota and Dartmouth. Rising sophomore Zach Risteau and junior Cade Gleekel each had seven goals during the second half.

Brekke takes over a team that returns most of its players - including the entire top-six - which can be good or bad depending on the circumstances. If he's able to make some defensive adjustments and cut down a national-low shot margin, the Saints should be a better team in 2019-20. 

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Alaska Anchorage
Intro

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Alaska Anchorage

Alaska Anchorage

2018-19 Record: 3-28-3 (2-23-3, 10th in WCHA)
Head Coach: Matt Curley, 2nd Year
Top returning scorer: Carmine Buono, D (3G-6A)
Top returning goaltender: Kris Carlson (Jr.) and Kristian Stead (Jr.)

Let's start this "60 Teams. 60 Days. 600 Words (or Less)" series at rock bottom. Make no mistake, Alaska Anchorage is sitting at college hockey's version of rock bottom.

The Matt Curley Era in Anchorage could hardly get off to a worse start. A national-low three wins, a last-place finish in the WCHA for a fourth consecutive season, and a spot near the bottom of nearly every major statistical category. Even with UAA's recent struggles, 2018-19 was a new low. Over the past six seasons, only Alabama Huntsville in 2013-14 had fewer wins than the Seawolves did last season. In that case, the Chargers were essentially reviving a program thought to be folding.

What really stands out among the statistics is a lack of offensive output. In WCHA play, the Seawolves averaged 1.04 goals per game. (The next-lowest team nearly doubled UAA's total.) No player scored more than seven goals. No returning forward had more than two goals in 2018-19, which is remarkable given 42 different players in college hockey scored a hat trick.

If there's one positive to latch onto, it's defensively where Alaska Anchorage finished last season 49th in goals against. Not perfect, but something to work with. The Seawolves do not graduate any of the three goaltenders who played. The team's top three returning scorers are all on the blue line.

Simply, there's a lot to unpack with Anchorage, who finished with a single win outside the state of Alaska and whose signature victory came a night after losing 10-0 to Colorado College.

What's New: The biggest change on the ice is just that: Ice. Alaska Anchorage will be moving from the Sullivan Arena downtown into the much smaller, 750 seat Wells Fargo Sports Complex on campus.

Curley's second season also brings 11 freshmen into the program. For a team desperate for any goal scoring, several first-year forwards will be more than welcomed for scoring in juniors. Rylee St. Onge finished last season scoring 26 goals for Des Moines (USHL) and Marcus Mitchell averaged a point per game with Nanaimo (BCHL).

Among those freshmen is also one of the great stories in hockey. Brayden Camrud was one of 13 people injured in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash that claimed 16 lives in April 2018. Camrud returned last season to Humboldt, one of two who did and helped lead a completely rebuilt team with 27 goals in 48 games.

Closing Thoughts: No team wants to be the one to kick off this series because it means things went horribly, horribly awry. That's been the case in Anchorage, where the Seawolves finished six of the past eight seasons with single-digit wins. Add last month's news that seven WCHA schools plan to leave UAA and two others without a home, along with financial uncertainty of the Alaska university system, and the Seawolves program, despite some uplifting stories, is in an uncertain spot for 2019-20 no school wants to be.

The only good news about being at rock bottom is that, on the ice, there's nowhere to go but up.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Intro

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): The Introduction

I want to try something new this offseason.

Beginning today, a single Division 1 men's hockey team will be spotlighted each weekday in the leadup to the 2019-20 season. To a point. Each of the 60 teams will have its moment in the sun with a preview of no more than 600 words.

Why 600 words? Any more and I might as well write a book. 600 words (or less) is enough to paint a picture of where a team has been and where a team would like to go.

The order has been decided by both the 2018-19 Pairwise rankings and NCAA Tournament results. For non-NCAA Tournament teams, previews will start in order beginning with the 60th ranked team (Alaska Anchorage) and working upwards towards 1st. Once all non-NCAA Tournament teams have been previewed, the 16 NCAA Tournament teams will start grouped by NCAA Tournament elimination round. Each round begins with the lowest-ranked team, by Pairwise, eliminated and works upwards towards the highest-ranked team. Then it's on to the next round, eventually ending with the defending national champion (Minnesota Duluth).

Links to each "60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less)" can be found below, along with the schedule. Bookmark this page.

Schedule:

Monday, July 8: Alaska Anchorage
Tuesday, July 9: St. Lawrence
Wednesday, July 10: Alabama Huntsville
Thursday, July 11: Ferris State
Friday, July 12: Holy Cross

Monday, July 15: Merrimack
Tuesday, July 16: Canisius
Wednesday, July 17: Mercyhurst
Thursday, July 18: Army
Friday, July 19: RPI

Monday, July 22: Colgate
Tuesday, July 23: Robert Morris
Wednesday, July 24: Alaska
Thursday, July 25: Omaha
Friday, July 26: Connecticut

Monday, July 29: Niagara
Tuesday, July 30: Princeton
Wednesday, July 31: Air Force
Thursday, August 1: Michigan Tech
Friday, August 2: Sacred Heart

Monday, August 5: Bentley
Tuesday, August 6: Vermont
Wednesday, August 7: Miami
Thursday, August 8: Dartmouth
Friday, August 9: RIT

Monday, August 12: Bemidji State
Tuesday, August 13: Boston College
Wednesday, August 14: New Hampshire
Thursday, August 15: Michigan State
Friday, August 16: Yale

Monday, August 19: Maine
Tuesday, August 20: Michigan
Wednesday, August 21: Wisconsin
Thursday, August 22: Brown
Friday, August 23: Boston University

Monday, August 26: Northern Michigan
Tuesday, August 27: Colorado College
Wednesday, August 28: Lake Superior State
Thursday, August 29: UMass Lowell
Friday, August 30: North Dakota

Monday, September 2: Minnesota (Labor Day)
Tuesday, September 3: Union
Wednesday, September 4: Western Michigan
Thursday, September 5: Penn State
Friday, September 6: Bowling Green

Monday, September 9: Harvard
Tuesday, September 10: Arizona State
Wednesday, September 11: Ohio State
Thursday, September 12: Northeastern
Friday, September 13: Clarkson

Monday, September 16: Minnesota State
Tuesday, September 17: St. Cloud State
Wednesday, September 18: American International
Thursday, September 19: Notre Dame
Friday, September 20: Cornell

Monday, September 23: Quinnipiac
Tuesday, September 24: Providence
Wednesday, September 25: Denver
Thursday, September 26: Massachusetts
Friday, September 27: Minnesota Duluth

--
If you enjoyed this blog, you can follow Nate on Twitter and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. Thanks!