The 60-Percent Season Review

Posted by Mike Eidelbes in Atlantic Hockey, CCHA, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East, Uncategorized, WCHA January 15, 2013

We’re now into mid-January, which is a little more than halfway through the college hockey season. And being sticklers about facts and whatnot, it seemed a little disingenuous to call this a mid-season review, since we passed that mile marker a couple weeks ago. And while we intended to put together some sort of look back at the first half of the season, we opted to enjoy a couple weeks of down time during the holiday break.

(We occasionally get e-mails from readers asking why we don’t post more often here. The simple answer is because posting all the time is what drove the editors at INCH into the ground. An even simpler answer is because we’re doing other stuff.)

So instead of a mid-season review, we here at The INCH Writers bring you the 60-Percent Season Review, or the Three-Fifths Season Review if you’re down with fractions.

SURPRISE TEAM

It’s gotta be Quinnipiac, right? One month into the season, the Bobcats were 3-3-1 after losing to American International in Hamden. Since then, they’ve gone 14-0-2, moved into the top five in both national polls, and, more importantly, are 11-0-1 in ECAC Hockey play — the Bobcats, who’ve outscored league foes by a 44-16 margin, enter the weekend with a 10-point edge over second-place Princeton. Senior goaltender Eric Hartzell’s been a force, posting a 1.42 GAA and a .934 save percentage in his last 16 starts.

TEAM PEOPLE ARE WRITING OFF THAT WILL FINISH STRONG

Would you believe Wisconsin? We had the Badgers in our preseason top 10, but they got off to a terrible start. Among other occurrences, touted freshman forward Nic Kerdiles was suspended for the first 10 games for a violation of NCAA rules, leading scorer Mark Zengerle (pictured, right) missed a half-dozen games with a broken finger, and assistant coach Bill Butters tendered his resignation a month into the season.

Saying the Badgers have turned things around might be a tad premature, but the signs are there. Kerdiles and Zengerle are back, junior forward Michael Mersch is on a hot streak, and the goaltending tandem of Landon Peterson and Joel Rumpel have been terrific. Wisconsin enters this weekend’s non-conference series with Miami with a 10-game unbeaten streak, its longest since the national title season of 2005-06.

SURPRISE INDIVIDUAL

Quinnipiac’s Hartzell is a natural choice; with 17 wins this season, he’s more than halfway to matching the number he amassed in his first three seasons with the Bobcats. So, too, is Nebraska Omaha forward Ryan Walters, who has 36 points in 24 games for the WCHA co-leaders.

We’ll go with Ohio State goalie Brady Hjelle, however, because no one could have predicted his rise at the start of the season. The senior from International Falls, Minn., played sparingly in his first three seasons — he made 18 starts over two years at Minnesota Duluth before transferring to OSU, where he started five times last season. Hjelle comes into this weekend 6-6-4 with a 1.44 GAA and .952 save percentage. In league play, he’s 6-3-2 with a microscopic 0.92 GAA and a .968 save percentage. The Buckeyes’ 8-9-5 mark isn’t pretty, but at 7-4-3 in the CCHA, they’re in a great position to challenge for a first-round conference playoff bye.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Good thing the Michigan basketball team is playing well, because the Wolverines’ hockey team has floundered through the first 22 games of the season and enter the weekend tied for eighth place in the CCHA standings, six points behind seventh-place Alaska and 17 points behind first-place Notre Dame. Not where a team with 11 NHL draft picks on its roster expects to be in mid-January.

The primary culprit has been lousy goaltending; the Wolverines rank tied for 54th nationally in scoring defense. Most observers expected a dropoff after Shawn Hunwick departed, but Michigan’s three netminders have combined for a 3.47 GAA and a .874 save percentage. Freshman Jared Rutledge, who was expected to pick up most of the slack in Hunwick’s absence, has a .847 save percentage and a 4.57 GAA — an acceptable number if you’re the third starter in the Colorado Rockies’ rotation, but not so much for a no. 1 goalie.

BEST MOMENT OF THE FIRST HALF

With his team’s 5-2 win over Alabama-Huntsville in Minneapolis last month, Boston College coach Jerry York notched career win no. 925, surpassing Ron Mason for the all-time lead in that category. Based on his record over the last decade — the Eagles have won at least 24 games in nine times in the last 10 seasons — reaching 1,000 wins is a mere formality.

A salute, too, to Michigan Tech, which beat Michigan and Western Michigan to win its first Great Lakes Invitational title since 1980. Head coach Mel Pearson was a senior on that team.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR-TO-DATE

Boston College has been at or near the top of the national rankings the entire season and while the Eagles are loaded with talent, sophomore forward Johnny Gaudreau (pictured, right) has been the best player in the country from day one of the season. The country’s leading scorer in terms of points per game, Gaudreau started the season with a 12-game scoring streak during which he scored 10 goals and 21 points. And not only is he a productive player, but he’s arguably college hockey’s most dynamic skater. There are others in the POTYTD mix — most notably Quinnipiac’s Hartzell, UNO’s Walters, and North Dakota’s Corban Knight and Danny Kristo — but as of right now, Gaudreau’s the player to beat.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR-TO-DATE

With the departures of high-scoring forwards such as Carter Camper, Andy Miele,Alden Hirschfeld, and Reilly Smith over the last couple seasons, Miami has endured fairly significant change up front. Austin Czarnik and Jimmy Mullin helped make the transition smoother last season, and it looks like coach Enrico Blasi has found another keeper in forward Riley Barber. The Livonia, Mich., native leads NCAA freshmen with 24 points, has at least one point in 10 of the RedHawks’ 11 wins to date, and has a negative plus-minus rating in just one of the 20 games he’s played.

Also worthy of consideration are Northeastern forward Kevin Roy, Michigan defenseman Jacob Trouba, and a trio of WCHA rookies — Minnesota goaltender Adam Wilcox, Minnesota Duluth forward Tony Cameranesi, and Minnesota State netminder Stephon Williams.

COACH OF THE YEAR-TO-DATE

With just 10 ECAC Hockey regular-season games remaining and a 10-point lead over second-place Princeton, Quinnipiac is a prohibitive favorite to win the league crown for the first time in school history and earn its second-ever NCAA Tournament bid. The Bobcats have ridden Hartzell to 17-3-3 mark, but coach Rand Pecknold has gotten contributions from virtually every player on the roster — 17 skaters have at least one goal, 10 have scored on the power play, and nine have netted a game-winner. That’s the sign of a coach who trusts his lineup from top to bottom, and the players have rewarded Pecknold for that trust by embracing their roles and, more importantly, producing.

INCH WRITERS 60-PERCENT ALL-AMERICANS

F: Johnny Gaudreau, Boston College — Has a point in 14 of the 16 games he’s played to date.
F: Danny Kristo, North Dakota — The Count has been red hot as of late with eight goals and eight assists in his last seven games.
F: Ryan Walters, Nebraska-Omaha — The junior has already eclipsed his career highs in goals, assists, and points and is on pace to surpass his scoring output from his first two seasons combined.
D: Andrej Sustr, Nebraska-Omaha — Pro scouts have long been enamored with the 6-foot-8 Sustr’s frame. With six goals and 17 points in 24 games, he’s proved he’s more than just a big body.
D: Trevor van Riemsdyk, New Hampshire — The Wildcats are 9-0-1 when van Riemsdyk scores a point, and he’s a major reason UNH is ranked eighth nationally in scoring defense and bounced back from last year’s funk.
G: Eric Hartzell, Quinnipiac — Ranks first nationally in winning percentage, tied for second in shutouts, and third in GAA, all while playing more minutes than all but one NCAA goaltender.

FROZEN FOUR FRONTRUNNERS

Boston College: Here’s a scary thought regarding the defending champs — they don’t usually start playing their best hockey until the final third of the season.
Minnesota: The Gophers handled the first half of their schedule with relative ease; the road gets significantly tougher starting with this weekend’s series against North Dakota.
North Dakota: Like Boston College, North Dakota doesn’t typically hit its stride until February or so. Getting a finally healthy Michael Parks back in the flow will help.
Notre Dame: With Steve Summerhays in net, goaltending hasn’t been an issue. Consistency on offense is another story. Thought about flipping Western Michigan into this spot, but sticking with the Irish … for now.

INCH Podcast: January 11, 2013

Posted by Mike Eidelbes in Uncategorized January 11, 2013

INCH Podcast

The INCH Podcast — remember that? — returns to kick off the second half of the 2012-13 season, and of course, there’s plenty to talk about. We chat about the normal goings on in college hockey, and take an extended look at an interesting list put forth by CBS Sports Network college hockey analyst Dave Starman. There’s also a surprisingly in-depth discussion about NCAA Division III women’s basketball. Ah yes, only on the INCH Podcast …

INCH Podcast – January 11, 2013 (.mp3)

INCH Writers Rankings: The Top Whatever

Posted by Mike Eidelbes in Atlantic Hockey, CCHA, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East, Power Rankings, WCHA November 28, 2012

It’s been a couple weeks since our first rundown of teams we felt deserved to be on this list. Back then, we had 15 on the docket; this time around, it’s 13. You have no idea how refreshing it is to have the ability to draw the line between “pretty good” and “just north of mediocre.” Or as it’s more commonly called, the NFC East.

1. Boston College (10-1-0): The Eagles have won 10 games in a row and 29 of 30 going back to Jan. 27 of last season. During that same period, Johnny Gaudreau has 22 goals and 24 assists. Just putting that out there.
2. New Hampshire (9-1-2): UNH has more players from Maryland and New Jersey (seven) on its roster than New England (six). Some would find that interesting. Count me among the some.
3. Minnesota (9-2-2): Of the six teams that will comprise the Big Ten hockey league next season, the Gophs are the only one with a record better than one game above .500. On the plus side, none of the programs are on probation.
4. Miami (7-2-3): Fourteen RedHawks have scored more than one point this season. All but four of them are freshmen or sophomores, and both of the team’s goalies (who’ve been impressive thus far) are rookies.
5. Denver (9-3-0): Through 12 games this season, the Pios have given up 30 goals—including 14 in the third period and one in OT. Hey, DU, like Blake said in Glengarry Glen Ross, always be closing.
6. Union (8-2-1): Hats off to Penn State goalie Matt Skoff for his work in the Nittany Lions’ two losses to the Dutchmen last weekend. Union launched a total of 88 shots but could muster just six goals, two of which were empty netters. Wait, was this supposed to be about Union?
7. Notre Dame (9-4-0): Coach Jeff Jackson was fined and reprimanded by the CCHA for criticizing the officials following his team’s 2-1 loss to North Dakota Friday. The fine I get, but what is the reprimand? Does someone at the CCHA office write Jackson’s name on a whiteboard?
8. North Dakota (6-4-2): Sure, coaches, fans, and (to a much lesser extent) players get on the officials’ case, but refs can pretty much squash about 98 percent of the arguments they here by saying they either lost sight of the puck or the whistle blew. This is Lethal Weapon 2-level diplomatic immunity, isn’t it?
9. Nebraska Omaha (8-3-1): Did you know Joss Ackland, the actor who said “diplomatic immunity” in Lethal Weapon 2, also played Hans, the skate shop owner in the Mighty Ducks trilogy? The bulk of those movies were shot in Minnesota, which is where the Mavs will be this weekend to face the Gophers. Full circle.
10. Western Michigan (6-3-1): The Broncos are the only team in the country with a plus-.500 record that has been outscored by its opponents. WMU has netted 23 goals and allowed 24 through 10 games.
11. Yale (5-2-1): The Bulldogs are 1-1-0 this season in games in which they have allowed one goal. Yale is also 1-1-0 in contests in which it has given up four or more goals. Not even Nate Silver could predict what will happen next to the Elis.
12. Boston University (7-4-0): I originally had the Terriers below Dartmouth, then noticed BU’s four losses are (in order) at New Hampshire, at North Dakota, and Boston College and UNH at home. That’s three of the country’s top eight teams. Now I’m thinking this spot might be too low.
13. Dartmouth (5-2-2): Keep an eye on this team, because it seems like the Big Green could go in any direction at any time. After reeling off a six-game unbeaten streak to start the season, Dartmouth blew a 4-1 third-period lead in a loss at Colgate, scored with less than a minute left in regulation to salvage a tie at Cornell, and allowed three third-period goals in a 6-3 at Boston College.

Found on a Cocktail Napkin: The All-Black Friday Team

Posted by Mike Eidelbes in Cocktail Napkin, Uncategorized November 22, 2012

The INCHWriters.com All-Black Friday Team

F-Herb Boxer (Michigan Tech 1967-70)
F-Corey Cash (New Hampshire 1992-95)
F-Chris Line (Clarkson 1998-2002)
D-Tim Friday (Rensselaer 1981-85)
D-Sean Offers (Dartmouth 2003-06)
G-Joe Blackburn (Michigan State 1997-2001)

F-Will Merchant (Maine 2012-present)
F-Fyfe Dollar (Middlebury 1954-56)
F-Bob (Buy One, Get One) Free (Brown 1978-81)
D-Chris (Credit) Carder (Bentley 1992-93)
D-Reid Cashman (Quinnipiac 2003-07)
G-Nathan Shopbell (Michigan State 2000-02)

INCH Writers Rankings: The Top Whatever

Posted by Mike Eidelbes in Atlantic Hockey, CCHA, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East, Power Rankings, WCHA November 13, 2012

Every Sunday night during the hockey season for 10 years, the INCH staff at rolled out the Power Rankings, our take on the nation’s top 20 (actually, we rated the top 16 teams our first year) and without a doubt the most popular feature of the old site. It’s not as easy as it seems, however. There were weeks we felt only 14 teams deserved to be ranked. Or 17. Some nights we’d get through about a dozen or so teams and declare, “Everyone stinks.”

Now that we’re at INCHWriters.com, we’re not going to rank a fixed number of teams. We’ll just go until we feel no one else deserves to be ranked. It’s a new era, people.

1. Boston College (8-1-0): Jerry York needs four victories to pass Ron Mason and become the winningest coach in college hockey history. If the Eagles can win their next three, York would break the record Dec. 1 at home against Boston University. Nice.
2. Denver (7-1-0): We figured the goaltending would be strong, but the offense has been unreal. Eight games into the season, the Pioneers have 33 goals and 12 different players have scored at least once.
3. New Hampshire (6-1-1): The Wildcats’ roster entered the year with a combined 131 career goals. Through eight games this season, they’ve banded together to score 26 goals.
4. Minnesota (6-2-1): Minnesota is, at worst, the second most-talented team in the nation. But losses to Michigan Tech and Minnesota State are a concern. Improved teams, sure, but if you’re the Gophers, you’ve got to be ready for your opponents’ best shot every night.
5. Miami (6-2-2): There aren’t Vegas odds for college hockey games but if there were, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the RedHawks would be favored in its next 18 games. Not saying they’ll win them all, but don’t be surprised if they reel off a few wins between now and the beginning of February.
6. Union (6-2-1): Saturday’s loss to Dartmouth snapped the Dutchmen’s seven-game unbeaten streak. Losing goalie Troy Grosenick, who was hurt in Friday’s win at Harvard, for an extended period of time would be a bigger blow; he’s listed as day-to-day.
7. Notre Dame (6-3-0): In our Great 58+1 rankings, we said the Irish would go as far as their goaltending allowed. In eight starts, Steve Summerhays has a 1.64 GAA and a .932 save percentage.
8. Western Michigan (5-2-1): In its five wins and one tie, the Broncos have given up a total of eight goals. In its two losses? Eight goals allowed. So, yeah, that pretty much sums it up right there.
9. Dartmouth (5-0-1): Nice start, Big Green, but noting you’re No. 1 in the computer rankings that shall not be mentioned in mid-November? Plenty of room for that next to the Matt Barkley for Heisman website.
10. Colorado College (7-3-0): Through 10 games, the Tigers have seven players with three or more goals; four players (Andrew Hamburg, Alex Krushelnyski, William Rapuzzi, and Scott Winkler) have combined for 21 of the team’s 36 goals.
11. North Dakota (4-3-1): Guess it’s been a bit of an uneven start for NoDak, but it seems like they’re still trying to find the right combinations. No need to worry, however.
12. Cornell (3-2-1): Last weekend wasn’t a great one for the Big Red, who allowed a total of nine goals in losses at Princeton and Quinnipiac. They’ll have to try to right the ship this weekend against Harvard and Dartmouth.
13. Nebraska-Omaha (6-3-1): Touted rookie goalie Anthony Stolarz has taken a back seat to senior John Faulkner, who’s 6-0-1 with a 2.03 GAA and a .915 save percentage in seven starts.
14. St. Cloud State (6-4-0): With Ben Hanowski sidelined due to injury for all but five games—coach Bob Motzko hopes he’ll be back before Christmas—Nic Dowd (6-8—14) and Drew LeBlanc (5-9—14) have picked up the offensive slack.
15. Boston University (5-3-0): According to my reasonably accurate calculations, the Terriers are 82-42-16 all-time at home since moving into Agganis Arena in Jan. 2005. Their record against BC in the new digs? 2-9-1.

INCH Power Rankings: Great 58+1

Posted by Mike Eidelbes in Atlantic Hockey, CCHA, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East, Power Rankings, WCHA October 29, 2012

When we compiled our first power rankings of the 2012-13 season—the Great 58+1 rankings of every Division I program—we put it together with the intention of releasing it on the old site in early October.

That, of course, didn’t happen, but there’s no use in wasting a perfectly good set of rankings, right?

Here, then, are the INCH Writers Great 58+1 Power Rankings. Please note these were put together a few weeks ago and between then and now, a few games have been played. Some teams look like they might be ranked a tad low; others appear to be spotted a bit high (we’re looking in your general direction, Maine.) We’re sticking with the original list, though—no revisionist history here.

As we ranked the nation’s top teams, we also highlight a key part of the schedule for each club.

No.	Team	Circle The Dates
1.	Minnesota	Not only do the Gophers have the top-ranked team heading into the season, but they’ve also got a favorable schedule—no trips to Denver, Duluth, or Grand Forks and just one game at Wisconsin.
2.	Boston College	Odd scheduling quirk for the Eagles, whose three regular-season meetings with arch-rival Boston University fall during a 20-day stretch from Nov. 11-Dec. 1. Of course, the two could face one another on a February Monday …
3.	North Dakota	During a six-week stretch of November and December, North Dakota has series vs. Boston University, at St. Cloud State, vs. Minnesota Duluth, at Notre Dame, at Colorado College, and vs. Denver.
4.	Cornell	From Dec. 28-Jan. 19, the Big Red play six games, all away from Lynah Rink: vs. Ferris State and either Maine or UMD at the Florida College Classic, a series at Denver, and league road matches at Union and Rensselaer.
5.	Western Michigan	The Broncos’ chances for winning the final regular-season title in CCHA history may hinge on a three-week stretch in late January and February that includes home series with Michigan and Miami and a series at Ferris State. Continue reading →