On Robert Morris Discontinuing Hockey & Erasing Existence

Seven months after it came to an end, the only three remains were in two forgotten corners and a trophy case.

All I found in two treks around Ralph Engelstad Arena, a building showcased to celebrate North Dakota's hockey history, were three mentions of the women's hockey program shut down that previous March. 

One was in a trophy case highlighting UND players going to the Olympics and representing their country. Another featured the Lamoureux twins wearing the program's previous sweaters. A third, looking like it was missed, was a photo of former head coach Brian Idalski on the bench leading the Fighting Hawks.

Every banner, every mention of WCHA opponents, everything else had been taken down. Erased. I saw more North Dakota women's hockey sweaters on the concourse than reminders of its past. A place that spent decades fighting for a nickname did nothing to fight for a top-tier hockey team. Seven months after the university dropped the program so suddenly a recruit was on campus, it was treated like it never existed.

This trek came to mind yesterday (May 26, 2021) when Robert Morris brazenly discontinued its men's and women's hockey programs. 

Players and staff were given no warning, according to multiple reports. A 10-minute zoom call with an hour's notice and no subject was it before a coldly written press release under the subject "An update on men's and women's hockey."

The college world is no stranger to universities dropping Division 1 hockey. (It's my second straight column written about the subject.) Robert Morris, unfortunately, likely will not be the last. However, the Colonials' end differs from the Alabama Huntsvilles of the world. The signs usually show up before a program might meet its end.

In the case of Alabama Huntsville, UAH could not find a home. RMU simply did not want theirs.

Robert Morris got rid of two successful programs because they did not fit the new, purported image of the school. The university dropped a women's hockey team which made the 2021 NCAA Tournament. It dropped a men's hockey team, built from scratch 18 years ago, which has been Atlantic Hockey's most consistent program over the past 7-8 seasons.

It did so near Memorial Day at the expense of coaching staff and athletes now forced to find new teams after most programs are set for next season. Immediately eligible does not help RMU players when no one needs to sit out and everyone gets an extra year of eligibility.

Sifting through emotions, it's difficult realizing how open Robert Morris can be about not wanting to be a "hockey school." The university statement makes it clear that this decision was about "image," not money. (It discusses surpassing a $100 million fundraising campaign plus also goes into a discussion about a CEO Lecture series, which WTF?) Getting a national profile by making national tournaments means nothing when the school thinks it's an embarrassment.

Mostly, the news comes as a mixture of sadness and shock six weeks after RMU finished hosting the men's Frozen Four. At a time when NHL teams are teaming up with NCAA hockey nationally, the Colonials voluntarily leave Pittsburgh without a program. It leaves the CHA, now at five teams, in a precarious state.

I'm sad for Derek Schooley, who built the Colonials into a program that punched above its weight and earned its reputation among the hockey world. I'm sad for Paul Colontino, who made RMU a regular atop the CHA standings and championship game, all while producing a number of heralded players. I'm sad for the alums who no longer have a program to go back. I'm extremely sad for the approximately 55 current players who were done worse than anyone can imagine.

Robert Morris's "strategic course" wants to follow the North Dakota path by treating the programs like they never existed and leaving its student-athletes out in the cold. No one ever takes a breakup lightly, but it stings differently when the reason given is that the sport makes the school look bad in "positioning RMU for future growth and success."

Of course, the North Dakota women's hockey program - poised to be a top-five team the year it ended - lives on despite the lack of acknowledgment at Ralph Engelstad Arena thanks to the number of teams that used former Fighting Hawks players and recruits to further its own success. The same will happen with the Colonials.

Still, it's a sad day. Instead of the women's hockey team seeing a CHA conference tournament banner raised this fall, there will be no celebration. They'll hopefully be representing Robert Morris across a number of schools. 

All while the accomplishment gets tossed by RMU into some forgotten corner, never to be spoken of again by the university.

--

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

Bracketology: 2021 NCAA Tournament Women's Hockey Final Projected Bracket

Four teams officially scanned their digital tickets to the 2021 NCAA Tournament, hours away from Selection Sunday. 

All games have been played Robert Morris, the CHA's third seed, won its third game in as many days, defeating Syracuse 1-0 to take home the CHA conference tournament championship. The Colonials return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.

Northeastern, much to the joy of Boston College and bubble teams elsewhere, defeated Providence 6-2 to claim its fourth straight Hockey East conference title Saturday night. The Huskies enter the NCAA Tournament a remarkable 20-1-1 and not lost since its second game of the season. 

Colgate held back a late St. Lawrence attempt Sunday afternoon to send the game to OT to defeat the Saints 3-2. The win leaves the Red Raiders as the ECAC's lone representative by default as the loss drops St. Lawrence below .500, along with Clarkson (and Quinnipiac taking away 6 NEWHA wins against LIU and Sacred Heart).

Ohio State, after scoring six more goals against UMD Saturday than in two games when the two teams played in Duluth, had an opportunity to make a statement and repeat as WCHA Final Faceoff champions facing the Badgers, who defeated Minnesota on Saturday. For a second consecutive year, the Buckeyes and Wisconsin went to overtime to decide a champion. This time, however, it was the Badgers who celebrated an OT championship. Lacey Eden scored 42 seconds in to win Wisconsin's eighth WCHA conference tournament title and break a 2-2-0 tie on the season against Ohio State.

The four teams earning automatic bids are noted with their conferences in parenthesis. If you need a refresher on what subjective criteria the NCAA Tournament selection committee will use to seed the top four and choose the eight teams, click here. Otherwise, here is the final projected bracket.

You can watch the 2021 NCAA Women's Hockey Tournament Selection Show at 9 pm ET Sunday, March 7 on NCAA.com

The Bracket:

1. Northeastern (Hockey East) vs. Robert Morris (CHA)

4. Colgate (ECAC) vs. Minnesota

2.  Wisconsin (WCHA) vs. Boston College

3.  Ohio State vs. Minnesota Duluth

(All games played March 15-20 at Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, PA)

How Did We Get Here:

Several teams had opportunities to make arguments for higher seeds or steal automatic bids. In the end, only Colgate and Robert Morris did. The Red Raiders winning the ECAC championship mixed with Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth losing in the WCHA Final Faceoff semifinals gives Colgate the fourth and final seed. 

From there, I avoided inter-conference matchups as much as possible and go with a straight bracket as travel does not matter. One matchup seems locked into the bracket: Northeastern as the No. 1 overall seed, facing Robert Morris. The selection committee has traditionally protected the No. 1 overall seed when possible, and this is a case where it would be easy to do so.

Four WCHA teams making the bracket and protecting the No. 1 overall seed leaves one WCHA inter-conference matchup. For that, I went with the lower of the two WCHA seeded teams to face Minnesota Duluth while the higher goes against Boston College.

Who Was Left Out? Deciding The Final At-Large Bids 

Penn State and Providence, I'm so sorry.

The final at-large bids come down to the selection committee putting in one of the following three choices: A fourth WCHA team, a third Hockey East team, or a second CHA team. It would not be out of the realm of possibility for any of the three to be included when the bracket gets shown Sunday night, however, in my bracket as selection committee I am going with the fourth WCHA team, Minnesota Duluth.

Providence's loss Saturday leaves the Friars 12-7-1 compared to Boston College's 14-5-0. The Friars are hoping the committee gives credence to PC going 2-1 against BC, with the loss happening on the road in OT. As good as Providence has been, the Eagles finished higher in comparison when it comes to statistical rankings (BC was also the only team to beat Northeastern while the Friars went 0-4) and I am keeping Boston College ahead as the second-ranked Hockey East team.

Penn State should be given more credit. As SB Nation College Hockey's Chris Dilks points out, the Nittany Lions have been recruiting well since Jeff Kampersal took over. It has been paying off for PSU. In another season where there are more comparison and non-conference games, I think it's an easier argument for whether or not Penn State makes the NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid. As it is, the CHA's historical and past performances make it difficult to put a second team into my bracket, leaving Penn State the best CHA team to miss.

Instead, Boston College and UMD get the spots. I find it easier to believe a second Hockey East team finds its way in and comparing Minnesota Duluth's resume to Providence and Penn State gives the nod to the Bulldogs.

Why is Minnesota Duluth, who finished ahead in the conference, the fourth WCHA team instead of the Gophers? A mixture of head-to-head and strength of schedule. Minnesota swept the Bulldogs in Duluth when the two teams played in December. The Gophers are undefeated against teams not named Wisconsin and Ohio State while Minnesota Duluth lost to a two-win Bemidji State team. In addition, the Gophers are also higher in the Pairwise and other statistical rankings when comparing WCHA teams. Minnesota's 2-8-1 record against Wisconsin and Ohio State (UMD is 2-3-0 against the two) puts it a distant third, though.

Nuts and Bolts:

Teams By Conference:

4- WCHA
2- Hockey East
1- ECAC, CHA

Last Two Teams In: Boston College, Minnesota Duluth
First Two Teams Out: Penn State, Providence

Related:

2021 NCAA Tournament Women's Hockey Bracket Version 2.0

2021 NCAA Tournament Women's Hockey Bracket Version 1.0

Five Selection Questions + NCAA Tournament Locks & Bubble Teams

--

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

Bracketology: 2021 NCAA Tournament Women's Hockey Bracket Version 2.0

Friday saw Clarkson saying goodbye to the Golden Knights' NCAA Tournament hopes and Penn State hoping its resume is enough for an at-large bid.

Someone's feelings will be hurt Sunday with the number of possibilities opening. 

For the fourth time in eight days, St. Lawrence defeated Clarkson, this time advancing to the ECAC championship game after Aly McLeod's OT winner saved the Saints from blowing a 3-0 lead. SLU meets Colgate, who defeated Quinnipiac for the conference tournament title and automatic bid.

Meanwhile, Clarkson ends its season 8-10-1 and out of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012.

In the CHA, Syracuse and Robert Morris defeat the top-two seeds in PSU and Mercyhurst, advancing to Saturday's championship game. The Orange put at-large bubble teams on guard after Penn State's attempt at erasing a 3-0 third period deficit came just short. The Nittany Lions will now either be the CHA's first at-large bid since the conference received an automatic bid in 2014-15 or the CHA's best team to miss the NCAA Tournament.

If you need a refresher on what subjective criteria the NCAA Tournament selection committee will be using to choose the eight teams, click here. Otherwise, here is the latest updated bracket.

The Bracket:

1. Northeastern (Hockey East) vs. Robert Morris/Syracuse winner (CHA)

4. Minnesota vs. Colgate (ECAC)

2. Wisconsin (WCHA) vs. 7. Boston College

3. Ohio State vs. 6. Minnesota Duluth

How Did We Get Here:

No Hockey East and WCHA games mean seedings hold steady. Only one change today with the possibility of several more tomorrow.

Since no team can earn an automatic bid before conference tournaments end, this bracketology assumes the highest remaining seed in each of the four conferences earns the automatic bid. (That team has its conference next to it in parenthesis.) Penn State's loss opens the CHA automatic bid to the Robert Morris/Syracuse winner. Without an argument, either would be the lowest team to make the NCAA Tournament, making a match-up with No. 1 overall seed a given.

While there is a good argument for Penn State to earn an at-large bid, taking away Boston College's spot, history has shown a second Hockey East team will be above a second CHA team when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. I am leaning on the side of caution and leaving in BC. It's disappointing to have a 16-3-2 team like PSU outside of this bracket due to one loss on the wrong weekend, but it doesn't take away from the remarkable job Jeff Kampersal has done.

Speaking of the Eagles, Boston College's fate becomes clearer Saturday. Providence can earn the Hockey East's automatic bid with a victory Saturday night against Northeastern. Doing so would knock out BC. On the other side, the ECAC's results mean a St. Lawrence win Sunday might do the same, or spell disaster to Colgate or the fourth WCHA team, who will become known tomorrow between Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota.

And there's still the possibility of Penn State. This is going to be a fun weekend. Well, maybe not for those on the bubble.

Nuts and Bolts:

Teams By Conference:

4- WCHA
2- Hockey East
1- ECAC, CHA

Bubble: Minnesota, Colgate, Minnesota Duluth
Last Team In: Boston College
First Three Teams Out: Penn State, Providence, St. Lawrence

Related:

2021 NCAA Tournament Women's Hockey Bracket Version 1.0

Five Selection Questions + NCAA Tournament Locks & Bubble Teams

--

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

Bracketology 2021: Five Selection Questions + NCAA Tournament Locks & Bubble Teams (Women's Hockey)

Time flies. It seems like yesterday that the season began, and yet Selection Sunday is this Sunday (March 7) at 9 pm ET. Only a few conference tournament games separate the eight best women's hockey teams from NCAA Tournament berths.

All four automatic bids will be handed out this weekend. The CHA kicks off its tournament later today with all six teams participating. Hockey East is already in the midst of its tournament, as Wednesday's semifinal victories lead Northeastern and Providence against one another in Saturday's championship. Meanwhile, both the ECAC and WCHA Final Faceoff feature four teams vying for an automatic bid.

As expected when playing limited non-conference games during a pandemic, selecting the eight teams will be more subjective than normal. The Pairwise is not an option, leaving an open-ended comparison for the four at-large bids and seeding. The human element will come into play.

Here are the various criteria the selection committee will be using, according to the pre-championship manual:

• Win/Loss Record
• Strength of Schedule
• Head-to-Head Results (When Available)
• Results vs. Common Opponents
• Quality Wins
• Home/Away Weighing
• Eligibility and Availability of Student-Athletes

Using this guide, here are five selection questions to better understand and make sense of the process.

1) How does a lack of non-conference games decide seedings?

One positive of the entire NCAA Tournament being played in a single site is that it takes away any need to create quarterfinal matchups to save money and flights. Thankfully there will be no 2-5 game, which happened recently with western teams. It will be easy to make a WCHA-ECAC quarterfinal matchup, for example.

On the other hand, a lack of non-conference games - of the four conferences with automatic bids, only the ECAC played non-conference foes - makes it extremely difficult to compare across conferences. Nowhere does it matter more than seedings. If the current polls are to be believed, four of the top five teams are all from the same conference. With little to compare, does the selection committee go with perception and confirmation bias for seeds (remember, only the top four teams get seeded) or spread it out more with the top ECAC team being seeded over the third WCHA team? It's something to keep an eye on. 

2) Do limited opponents help or harm selections? Is it a self-fulfilling cycle?

Going further, regular-season games have been as intriguing as I can remember. Numerous top-10 battles happen each weekend as schedules are limited. Clarkson and Colgate faced each other 10 times this season. Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin focused on playing one another (and Minnesota Duluth) over a round-robin WCHA schedule.

On one hand, it is easy to compare and set a hierarchy of teams when each plays several games against one another. Few seasons have been as helpful as this one. 

On the other hand, I'm not sure. It ends up being a self-fulfilling cycle where the best teams are the best teams because they solely play each other. Strong strength of schedule aside, figuring out where Clarkson, who survived the highs and lows of the Colgate series before being swept by St. Lawrence, should fit is a challenge in and of itself. The same for Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth, who have losing records against Ohio State and Wisconsin. There is no easier way to compare teams within conferences yet also teams should not be punished for having unique seasons.

Of course, this is also taking out the human element of making sure late-season collapses and getting hot at the right time are not given more importance.

3) Is Penn State an at-large bid if the Nittany Lions do not win the CHA Tournament?

The reason for the question lies with Penn State completing a remarkable turnaround, finishing 16-2-2 and winning the CHA regular season for the first time in program history. It is by far the best record of any champion since the conference received an automatic bid in 2014-15. The Nittany Lions are ranked seventh in the current USCHO.com poll, but is it enough for an at-large bid?

Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 8 teams in 2005, the CHA has never had more than one team represent the conference. (Since the automatic bid, no CHA team has won an NCAA Tournament game.) Robert Morris missed with a 21-8-4 record in 2017-18 and Mercyhurst missed with a 23-9-3 record in 2014-15. Penn State would not be the first CHA team historically to miss out, however, in a year where PSU (and everyone) did not play any teams outside the conference, the committee will have to decide whether that helps or hurts the Nittany Lions. 

Recently, St. Anselm used an outstanding season almost exclusively against fellow D-II teams to work its way into the Pairwise mix, but there was enough of a resume against D-III schools to not select the team. That is not the case with Penn State, however, I am not sure historically where the season leaves the Nittany Lions.

To be safe, any team on the NCAA Tournament bubble should be major Penn State fans this weekend. 

4) Who currently is a lock to make the NCAA Tournament?

In an unusual year, the number of spots up for grabs is more than ever. Only a few teams can be considered locks entering the final weekend of the season.

Besides the top three teams Northeastern, Wisconsin, and Ohio State, no one can be considered an NCAA Tournament lock. Some teams are in better shape than others. Several this weekend still control their own destiny. However, scenarios exist where the rest can be on the outside looking in depending on how the rest of the weekend goes.

5) Who is on the bubble? Where do those teams stand entering the weekend?

By conference:

CHA: Penn State, which was previously discussed. The other five teams need to earn an automatic bid.

ECAC: Both Colgate and Clarkson are on the bubble, fitting after a never-ending series that saw the Red Raiders go 5-4-1. The Golden Knights' hopes dropped elsewhere after being swept in three straight games by St. Lawrence, dropping Clarkson below .500 and needing to win the tournament to stay above. Colgate, meanwhile, sits a little prettier. It would likely take an upset ECAC loss and upsets in other conferences. The ECAC will get one team in with the automatic bid, but whether a second joins could depend on other factors.

Hockey East: Of any team on the bubble, Boston College may be in the most difficult spot. There is nothing for the Eagles to do but sit and wait. Providence advanced to Saturday's final with a 1-0 overtime win over Maine. A win over Northeastern gives the Friars an automatic bid and likely the spot BC would hold without upsets.  

WCHA: No conference has ever gotten four teams in the NCAA Tournament, but could this be the year? Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth. Comparing numbers in-conference, the Gophers have the edge on the Bulldogs (along with sweeping UMD in Duluth in the only head-to-head series between the two). Barring something crazy happening, the Gophers should extend its NCAA Tournament streak. Both schools have a last chance to make an impression in the WCHA Final Faceoff (UMD faces Ohio State and Minnesota plays Wisconsin) and for UMD to try and jump Minnesota as the third WCHA team. 

It is safe to say that the WCHA will get at least three teams in the NCAA Tournament. The selection committee will have to make decisions on whether a fourth WCHA team over a third Hockey East school or a second ECAC/CHA team. How that happens will be interesting to follow.

It should be noted that the NEWHA, not playing a full season and without an automatic bid until next season at the earliest, is currently holding a competition between the two teams competing: Long Island University and Sacred Heart.

Up Next: A bracket just in time for weekend games to blow things up.

Related:

Men's Hockey NCAA Tournament Bracket 1.0

Bracketology 101 - How Many Teams From Each Conference Make The Men's NCAA Tournament?

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

BLOG: Ten Most Influential Figures In Minnesota Women's Hockey

Last week, I joined my friends Giles Ferrell and Ben Remington on the "Giles and the Goalie" podcast to help rank the ten most influential figures in Minnesota hockey.

As the second-biggest guest* of the week, it was an honor to give my opinion and discuss what makes a figure influential. Doing so made me think who the most influential figures in Minnesota women's hockey history would be.

So I made a list.

Feature: Coaching Converts (Minnesota Hockey Journal)

I've wanted to write about the growing number of recent college alums returning to Minnesota and becoming high school girl's hockey head coaches.

It's been a treat to see the latest generation of players be able to inspire the next. There's a changing of the guard, which gets discussed in the feature. Of the eight players to graduate Minnesota last season, five are coaching high school hockey in one form or another. For this feature, I spoke with two - Taylor Williamson (Gophers/Wayzata) and Jackie Pieper (Gophers & Chaska/Chanhassen), along with two older alums in their first season as head coach in Paige Haley (Gophers/Northfield) and Emma Stauber (UMD & alma mater Hermantown/Proctor).

The feature is part of Minnesota Hockey Journal's February issue, which can be found at hockey rinks across the state or below online.

Online: https://www.minnesotahockeyjournal.com/news_article/show/1082520

Digital Magazine: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1200804-february-2020/21?m4=

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

Feature: All Signs Point North (Minnesota Hockey Journal)

For the December 2019 issue of Minnesota Hockey Journal, I wrote about the University of Minnesota Duluth's women's hockey team and the elite players from the Twin Cities who suit up for the Bulldogs.

The feature focuses upon senior captain Sydney Brodt (North Oaks) and sophomore forward Gabbie Hughes (Lino Lakes), who quickly became one of the top underclassmen in the country. Brodt, in her third season serving as UMD captain, has worked her way into the USA Hockey senior team, participating in the recent November series with Canada along with Bulldogs goaltender and 2018 Olympic Gold Medalist Maddie Rooney. I also spoke with Minnesota Duluth head coach Maura Crowell.

You can read the feature here or pick up a Minnesota Hockey Journal for free at your nearest rink (provided that rink is in Minnesota).

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

College Hockey Stock Report: November 18, 2019

As the weather begins to get cold, revenge in college hockey continues to heat up en vogue.

Several schools and individuals earned some revenge over the weekend. Chris Bergeron, whose Bowling Green team's season ended in OT to Minnesota Duluth, defeated the Bulldogs with his new Miami team. The RedHawks entered Friday 2-5-2 and being handily swept by North Dakota, who earned a win and tie over a Denver team who ended the Fighting Hawks' 2018-19 season in the same building. Out East, Cornell defeated Clarkson in a battle of top-10 teams and rematch of the 2019 ECAC championship game.

Still, as fun as it can be to discuss teams and individuals earning revenge for what happened last season, the weather changing is a good time to remember how it's becoming more important to get revenge for what's happening this season. Records are being set. Identities are being formed. As the weather begins to get cold, 2019-20 has been heating up as a whole.

As always, here's what is going on throughout the college hockey landscape. This week's stock report recaps who is doing well, who is on their way down, and what trends should be followed.

Up: Michigan State

Picked to finish seventh of seven teams, the Spartans are getting off on the right foot with bragging rights to boot. Michigan State began Big Ten conference play 3-1 after sweeping in-state rival Michigan for the first time since October 2009. Danton Cole's team has shown flashes but is getting help from its depth that MSU missed.

Perhaps no game shows it better than Saturday's 3-0 win, in which Michigan State's John Lethemon earned his second shutout in as many weekends while the Spartans scored three goals from players not named Patrick Khodorenko or Mitch Lewandowski.

Down: The other Big Ten "M's"

Besides Michigan's follies against the Spartan, Minnesota was swept by Penn State at home. Both schools expected some early struggles. However, it's the way those struggles are happening that are worrying.

For Michigan, the Wolverines are dropping fast from the young team that beat Western Michigan. Mel Pearson's team has 1 Big Ten point in six games. Sure, injuries aren't helping, but it's concerning nonetheless. Four of those games came against the other teams picked to finish near the bottom while looking worse with each passing week.

(Heck, even Canisius is getting in on the Wolverines' style with throwback sweaters that look like the GLI love child of Michigan and Michigan Tech.)

For Minnesota, the Gophers turned a scoreless first period Friday into an 8-2 loss. Saturday's game featured 2-0 and 3-1 leads going away and losing 6-3. (One silver lining: Cullen Munson getting his first collegiate goal...as a junior.) Through six weeks, Minnesota has blown multiple tie games and third-period leads. Young team or not, that's not the identity any group wants yet one the Gophers, unfortunately, can claim.

College Hockey Stock Report: November 4, 2019

Welcome to November where the Ivy League men's teams finally play.

Seriously, it will be good to not need to bring up that fact each week. Everyone is underway. Everyone! The Dartmouth men's hockey Twitter is now back up to 80-20 hockey versus dog content just in time as teams are already tossing teddy bears.

And there will be plenty to discuss as conference play begins in full. With a last-minute goal, Ohio State opened its Big Ten slate by sweeping Michigan to advance to 6-1-1 on the season. Notre Dame sophomore defender Nick Leivermann continued to score at Mariucci and nowhere else. The Boston College men's and women's teams each beat Providence. Army upset AIC. Long Island University got its first program win ever by defeating St. Michael's 5-2 on Friday.

As always, here's what is going on throughout the college hockey landscape. This week's stock report recaps who is doing well, who is on their way down, and what trends should be followed.

College Hockey Stock Report: October 16, 2019

It's the offseason no more.

Besides the Ivies, the season is now underway. D1 women's hockey is nearing the end of its first month while a large portion of D1 men's hockey teams opened their season last weekend. Ohio State took home the Ice Breaker trophy. Several teams took home surprising results. I'm still not sure what to make of Colorado College's Friday sweaters.

Anyways, it's time for another edition of the college hockey stock report, recapping who is doing well, who is on their way down and what trends should be followed.

Slightly different than previous editions is ending this with who I thought won the week. It can be a team, a player, a coach, or anything that signifies the best in college hockey. Let me know who you think should win the week in the comments.

At the very least, talk of last season is trending downward.

Up: Players scoring first goals and getting first wins

One of the highlights each September and October is seeing players score their first collegiate goal or goaltenders getting their first win. There is something special to witness decades of work coming together into a single moment of celebration. It comes annually. The leaves fall and red lights get lit, but that doesn't make it any less special.

Couple firsts for the #Gophers last weekend in Colorado...

Congrats to Jared Moe (First Win) and Matt Staudacher (First Goal)! pic.twitter.com/5BZezNGsDL

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) October 15, 2019

Hold: Any Minnesota Duluth championship hangover storyline

Banner raising night did not go well for the Bulldogs. After losing an exhibition game to Alberta, Minnesota Duluth opened the season with a 3-2 loss to UMass Lowell. The team did follow up the next day with a 2-1 win but lost the No. 1 ranking to Denver.

Sure, this wasn't the best opening stretch for UMD, but you know what else wasn't a great opening stretch? Last season. The Bulldogs tied and lost to Minnesota. Neither game was as bad as the scoreboard made it seem, which can also be said about this past weekend. UMD nearly came back from a 3-0 deficit, however, more importantly, the team outshot the River Hawks by a 2:1 margin. On Saturday, UMass Lowell had nine shots on goal at even strength.

It's not the result wanted, but the Bulldogs continue to give itself opportunities. If that continues, it wouldn't be a surprise to see a repeat of where Minnesota Duluth followed up its opening weekend last season with eight straight wins.

Top 10 Questions For Gopher Women's Hockey Entering 2019-20

The defending WCHA regular-season champions find themselves nearing a changing of the guard. After a dynasty run of four national championships in five seasons, Minnesota has come up short each of the last three NCAA Tournaments.

Among the active players, only redshirt senior Sarah Potomak, who as a rookie scored the opening goal against BC in the 2016 national championship game, knows how it feels to win one.

While winning a national championship is far from the only goal Minnesota strives for each season, the Gophers expect - both internally and by fans externally - to annually contend for the title. Minnesota came close in March, finishing second after rival Wisconsin shut out the Gophers 2-0 in the 2019 national championship game.

There remains much to like about this season’s team, however, for the first time in a while, Minnesota does not have bragging rights over the team on the other side of the St. Croix. the clear second team in both the WCHA and nationally.

Can the Gophers change that? Before the start of the season, here are 10 more questions that will be answered in Minnesota’s quest for an eighth natty title.

College Hockey Stock Report (July/August 2019)

One more offseason month to go.

July 1st technically kicks off the season, as it's the date teams officially switch conferences or begin. There was one in Division 1 this year as Long Island University kicks off its inaugural women's hockey program. For the most part, we're still asking #IsItOctoberYet (or #IsItNovemberYet for those who are Ivy League schools). There's still a month (or two) until games begin.

Right now, players are coming back on campus. Classes are underway. Teams are starting up practices or even exhibition games.

Guys crushed the run test this morning & came back in great shape. First on ice practice tomorrow. No matter how many times you have done it, start of a new season is so exciting #300s #passfail #dayone

— Derek Schooley (@derekschooley) August 27, 2019

With one more offseason month to go, it's time to bring back the stock report and take a measure of what's going on over the past two months. And if this isn't enough, make sure to follow along my "60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less)" series profiling all sixty D1 men's hockey programs.

2019 Women's Hockey Top 25 Under 25 (The Ice Garden)

The Ice Garden, SB Nation's women's hockey blog, does a fantastic job covering the sport at all levels with a number of dedicated writers. Earlier this summer, I was honored to be one of the four external voters to help their rankings for the top 25 women's hockey players under the age of 25.

The full rankings list can be found here. Former Wisconsin star Annie Pankowski finished as the top player under 25. Two former Gophers - Dani Cameranesi (6) and Kelly Pannek (23) - made the list while redshirt senior Sarah Potomak was named an honorable mention.

In the spirit of transparency, my list was built upon the idea of who I would pick to start a team of under-25 players. (It's too bad Lee Stecklein is just on the other side of 25 because that's where I'd start.) That made my list slant towards college players, who are younger and have a bigger upside. There's no wrong answer as to how to build the rankings, but this is my philosophy.

Top-6 (TIG consensus ranking)
1. Loren Gabel (5)
2. Pankowski (1)
3. Megan Keller (didn't mean to start my list with the three Patty Kazmaier finalists, but there's a reason all three were named finalists) (4)
4. Maddie Rooney (T-13)
5. Cameranesi (6)
6. Alina Mueller (3)

A big thanks to Michelle Jay and everyone at The Ice Garden for letting me vote.

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

College Hockey Mailbag: The New AIC, Minnesota Recruiting, Dark Horses, White Claws & More (Vol. 1)

Welcome to the first 2019-20 college hockey mailbag.

I'd like to make these a regular feature whether it's here or at another outlet during the season. (Get at me folks!) Discuss what's going in college hockey, whether it's men's, women's, big picture, the story of the weekend, Gophers, whatever you want.

If this is your first time visiting, I am currently in the midst of a 60 Days, 60 Teams series where each of the 60 men's Division 1 NCAA hockey teams are profiled one-by-one and one day at a time in 600 words or less. The schedule and links to all previous entries can be found here.

Anyways, this week's first volume features questions on most of the Minnesota schools, the new NEWHA Conference, Arizona State's conference future and much, much more.

Gophers head outdoors for HDM, face Ohio State in WCHA action

The Gophers will be heading outdoors in January.

A day after speculating whether Hockey Day Minnesota 2020 would be January 18th and what it meant for the University of Minnesota, HDM announced the official date Wednesday (June 26, 2019). As part of it, the Minnesota women's hockey team will face Ohio State outdoors in WCHA action on a rink near Parade Stadium and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

This will be the team's second outdoor game. Minnesota hosted Minnesota State at TCF Bank Stadium as part of an outdoor doubleheader in January 2014. (Coincidentally, the men's team played Ohio State.)

The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports North as part of a three-day-long Hockey Day Minnesota event, leading into the Wild hosting the Dallas Stars.

Playing outdoors gives Minnesota a premier event game in the state with the Gophers sitting out the Minnesota Cup this year. There's a connection with the Buckeyes, who have gone 2-2-1 at Ridder Arena against Minnesota over the past two seasons. Five Minnesotans will return from OSU's roster. Head coach Nadine Muzerall is a Minnesota alum and longtime assistant to Brad Frost while assistant coach Milica McMillen also played for the Gophers.

For all the positives, the best display was a low-key Jedi move by Muzerall during the announcement.

Ohio State, during its last trip to Ridder Arena, debuted an all-black third jersey (see above) that was designed with help by Muzerall.

It was the only time they ended up being worn. OSU was penalized for illegal uniforms before the start of the Saturday game, which the Buckeyes ended up winning. The black numbers with a thin red outline could barely be seen on skating players. They were the bane of every stats crew's existence.

Neither team was happy with one another after the weekend. Ohio State used the opportunity to celebrate and sell the program with Muzerall telling The Athletic's Alison Lukan, "I'd prefer to be Darth Vader than Luke Skywalker any day."

This being the next time Ohio State was in the Twin Cities for an event with the Gophers, Muzerall brought it back.

She. Came. Back. And. Wore. The. Jersey.

Amazing!

If the outdoor game is as good as Muzerall's power move, the fans at Parade Stadium will be beyond entertained.

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

BLOG: Gophers Have Few Home Overlaps With Wild; Likely Idle For Hockey Day Minnesota

With the release of the NHL schedule today (Tuesday, June 25), a few questions for the University of Minnesota men's hockey schedule I had earlier this month have been answered.

Turns out there is some good, some bad and some ugly.

First, the good. For another season, the number of home games overlapping between the Gophers and Wild seems to be in a reasonable range. Fans who have season tickets to both won't need to choose too often. Only four dates are shared between the two over a 19 game home schedule (plus two exhibitions). None are held over the final two months of Minnesota's regular season.

Those dates are:
-Saturday, November 2nd (Gophers host Notre Dame, Wild host St. Louis)
-Saturday, November 16th (Gophers host Penn State, Wild host Carolina)
-Friday, November 29th (Gophers host North Dakota, Wild host Ottawa)
-Saturday, December 29th (Gophers play either St. Cloud State or Minnesota State in the Mariucci Classic, Wild host New York Islanders)

Depending on timing, the total number of overlaps for fans could be as low as one.

Nicole Schammel Signs With Minnesota Whitecaps

At least one recent Minnesota alum will be playing in North America next season.

Gophers leading scorer Nicole Schammel signed with the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) Minnesota Whitecaps, the league announced Friday.

“Being a part of the Whitecaps organization is a huge honor and I could not be more excited to join the team and the NWHL,” said Schammel in a statement. “The visibility for women’s hockey has increased over the last few years. The opportunities available for women’s hockey players have improved and I hope to see these continue to grow.”

Schammel led Minnesota last season with a career-high 47 points (16G-31A) and scored the game-winning goal against Cornell in the 2019 Frozen Four semifinals. The Red Wing, MN native spent much of 2018-19 prospering on a line with Grace Zumwinkle and Taylor Wente. Their success gave the Gophers two top lines and forced other teams to choose between stopping the Sarah Potomak-Kelly Pannek-Amy Potomak line or them.

In three seasons at Minnesota, Schammel finished with 39 goals and 91 career points. (She led Minnesota State with 22 points in 2014-15 before transferring.) This season saw the 5'5" left winger named one of 10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award.

“Nicole is coming off a great year with the Gophers, and we are excited to have her be a part of our offense this coming season,” said Whitecaps co-head coach Ronda Engelhardt. “Nicole has a way to make plays happen and be in the right place at the right time.”

Schammel was drafted in December by Buffalo but ended up signing with Minnesota instead. Doing so allows her to do something she's wanted following graduation.

"Obviously going into college, the NWHL wasn't a league yet. Just knowing that there's the opportunity to play after college is really exciting," she told the author after being drafted.

By signing with Minnesota, Schammel changes one thing from last year's team amid a number of international players boycotting.

Despite winning the Isobel Cup in its first NWHL season, the Whitecaps did not feature anyone who had just graduated college. Several, such as Minnesota alums Sydney Baldwin and Caitlin Reilly, already decided to continue their careers overseas in Europe. Being an independent team also created a backlog of players who previously played for the team.

Of Minnesota's graduating seniors, several already made their post-graduate intentions clear. Taylor Williamson and Jackie Pieper are both coaching Minnesota HS Girls teams.

Olympian Kelly Pannek, meanwhile, is one of the 200-plus players who announced plans to boycott North American league hockey next season along with 2018-19 Whitecaps Hannah Brandt, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Lee Stecklein. (Schammel, for the record, did not.) With Schammel choosing to play for the Whitecaps, only Illinois native Sophie Skarzynski remains unclear among the graduated Gopher regulars.

--

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

Game Story: Minnesota Women Shut Out, Sweep Mercyhurst (Zone Coverage)

MINNEAPOLIS- Towards the end of the first period, when the shot counter was a lopsided 20-1 for the home team it became apparent that the Gophers had found a better start against No. 10 Mercyhurst.

That continued throughout Saturday’s game.

No. 3 Minnesota (2-0-0, 0-0-0-0 WCHA) won 5-0 to sweep the Lakers at Ridder Arena thanks to a three-goal second period and two goals by sophomore forward Grace Zumwinkle.

Outshooting Mercyhurst (0-2-0, 0-0-0 CHA) 20-4 in the first period and 43-17 overall, the home team scored in all three periods.

“We just challenged them a little more. When our teams have been at their best, they’ve just not been a second-period team. They’ve been a three-period team,” said Gopher head coach Brad Frost. “Last night as we watched video back the first four shifts were pretty good, then it came to a screeching halt. We needed to build on that momentum.”

Click here to read the rest!

Game Story: Familiar Faces & Lines Lead Minnesota to Season-Opening Win (Zone Coverage)

MINNEAPOLIS- Opening the season trailing after twenty minutes, some new old faces got the Gophers on the winning track against No. 10 Mercyhurst.

No. 3 Minnesota scored four unanswered goals after changing lines, defeating the Lakers 4-2 in the season opener for both teams. Kelly Pannek and Sarah Potomak, in their return to wearing the maroon and gold, each finished with two points.

“We just needed something to spark some energy and that happened to be changing lines,” said Pannek, who spent the 2017-18 season winning an Olympic gold medal with the United States national team. “What was really cool is that everyone responded so well to it. You saw four units go out there and possess the puck, make awesome plays and it was really fun to see everyone gel and click like that so quickly.”

Minnesota (1-0-0, 0-0-0-0 WCHA) began the game with its top forwards spread out across all four lines. Head coach Brad Frost wanted to have balance, however, the team wasn’t able to pressure Mercyhurst (0-1-0, 0-0-0 CHA) goaltender Kennedy Blair.

Instead, the Lakers got chances and made the most of a 12 second power play when Emma Nuuitinen shot the puck past sophomore goalie Alex Gulstene.

Click here to read the rest!

WCHA Women's Preview: Influx of Olympic talent boosts a loaded group (The Athletic)

College hockey is back. In the WCHA, so are several of the sport’s top players.

If the topsy-turvy turnover nature that surrounded 2017-18 was an opening for several teams then 2018-19 is a return to the status quo. The year is a bit of a comeback season for the conference. Despite three teams in the eight-team NCAA tournament and two Frozen Four finalists, the year ended empty. For the first time since women’s ice hockey was sponsored by the NCAA in 2000, no WCHA team made the championship game.

It’s also a comeback in the fact that many top collegians are returning after spending a year centralized with their country training for the Olympics. Several teams restock with leaders. Others are getting Olympians as freshmen.

Of the four players given votes for Preseason WCHA Player of the Year, none played college hockey in 2017-18. (Even two of the three nominees for the Preseason Rookie of the Year award delayed their enrollment by a season.) Maddie Rooney gives UMD stability in net. Kelly Pannek, Sarah Potomak and Amy Potomak give Minnesota a top line. The end result is four WCHA teams ranked in the top 9, including one that finished below .500 last season.

Read the full preview, including in-depth looks at the Gophers and all seven WCHA teams here. (subscription required)