Stupid Hockey

Are Outdoor Hockey Games Becoming Overkill?

We can all agree the Winter Classic has a certain charm to it. It happens on New Years Day every year (except for the 2012 game) which makes it special. There are no other games scheduled during that time so all eyes are on the two teams at hand. NBC does a great job making it a show and the build up to the event is something special too... see 24/7 on HBO.

(NHL's Winter Classic at Fenway Park. Photo: Sports Illustrated)

Now it seems everyone wants to cash in on the success the NHL has had with the outdoor hockey games but are we running the risk of ruining what made the Winter Classic so great? The market has become flooded with these games and now people are beginning to turn on them. 

Last year Atlantic Hockey made the mistake of thinking they were could draw fans to a game simply by placing it outdoors in New England. It was UCONN who hosted Sacred Heart at Rentschler Field, home of UCONN football. The result? Not even 2,000 fans in attendance at the 40,000 seat stadium. Success? I think not.

This year Hockey East has decided to press its luck by following up the successful Boston College v. Boston University showdown at Fenway. This time it will feature four teams not from Boston, a move that makes almost no sense. The early game will feature UMASS v. Vermont, two schools who are at the bottom of the conference and barely snuck into the playoffs last year. They're not rivals and have very little history to play on.

The later game makes more sense, if it were being played in Maine. The University of New Hampshire will play Maine in the late game. Two schools who have a long time ravalry and are usually near the top of the standings when the season ends. It's a great concept for an outdoor game, just like Michigian and Ohio State but having it a neutral site hours away from the schools could make it difficult to fill Fenway.

It's not that I don't like the outdoor games, I do. The Winter Classic has become an annual traiditon for me but the NHL knows its limitations. This year it won't play the game on January 1st because it's the last day of the NFL season and they don't want to compete. The NHL also wouldn't have two teams play in a neutral site, it doesn't make sense.

Hockey is a big sport in New England but I think Hockey East may have gone too far on this one. Hopefully it works out for the good of the sport, the teams and the conference but ultimately, it could end up being a disappointing event and the end of outdoors games as we know them. 

Alaska & Lake State Leave The CCHA For The WCHA

 

Conference changes continue due to the introduction of the Big Ten and National Collegiate Hockey Conference for the 2013-14 season.  As an attempt to stay alive, the WCHA invited five current CCHA teams to jump ship.  The five universities that have been offered spots in the WCHA are Alaska, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State and Western Michigan.  On the same day as the proposal, Alaska and Lake State confirmed that they would be making the switch.  

(Alaska Fairbanks & Alaska-Anchorage will now be in the same conference)

In an attempt for both conferences and its member programs to help each other out, the WCHA set a 30 day timeline, in which they will need definite answers from all five universities.  The two conferences have also agreed that they will continue to discuss other membership issues, along with potential scheduling and financial stipulations.  

With the quick acceptance from Alaska-Fairbanks, this will mean that both teams from the state of Alaska, will be in the same conference.  That has to be good news for the players and fans from each university, as it translates to the start of a great conference-rivalry and reduced travel time for players and fans.  That is great news for Alaska and college hockey.

That leaves the other three schools with less than a month, to make significant decisions.  Both Ferris State and Western Michigan released statements on Thursday and having read them, if i was a betting man I would say both clubs will join the WCHA in the near future.  That would leave Bowling Green, as the last of the five to determine its direction as a program.

For those in favor of ending all of this uncertainty, I say Bring Back the MAAC.

Is this the end of the CCHA? What do you think? Leave a comment! 

 

Long Time New Hampshire Coach Heads West To Denver

The University of Denver announced former University of New Hampshire coach David Lassonde will be their new assistant coach. Lassonde was brought in to replace Derek Lalonde who took a general manager position in with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers. 

Lassonde has been a staple in Hockey East for a long time. His collegiate playing career was at Providence College, a Hockey East school, and he spent two different stints coaching at UNH. In his 23 years of coaching, Lassonde was in New Hampshire for 17 of them. The other six years were split between Wisconsin and Miami. 

While at New Hampshire Lassonde was responsible for working with the defence and goaltenders as well as various other responsibilities. He worked closely with the New England Section of USA Hockey along with former Providence coach, Dave Berard. 

The University of Denver competes in the Western Collegiate Hockey Conference but has announced it will be leaving the WCHA in 2013 for the newly former National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) along with close rival Collorado College. The announcement of Penn State joining NCAA Division I hockey and the creation of the Big Ten played a major role in this. 

What Conference Should Alabama Huntsville Join?

A recent article by Roman Uschak on USCHO.com about Alabama Huntsville being the lone NCAA Division I independent team got us at Stupid Hockey thinking and we want your opinion. Where should UAH put their hockey program?

 

We understand this will draw some criticism and comments stating they should fold but we never like to see a hockey program disappear so let’s find them a home. As the college hockey scene changes dramatically, the program is likely to find a home for the 2012-2013 season when Penn State enters the Division I college hockey scene and new conferences are formed. 

The Options

Once part of the College Hockey America Conference with Niagara, Findlay, Bemidji State, Robert Morris, Air Force, Wayne State and Army, UAH now finds themselves without a home. When Findlay and Wayne State dropped their programs, it was the beginning of the end for the CHA. Bemidji State joined the WCHA. Niagara, Army, Air Force, and Robert Morris all moved on to Atlantic Hockey. So where does that leave us?

The WCHA Option: Due to location, this may make the most sense. They would rejoin former opponent Bemidji State and take on Alaska-Anchorage, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State, and St. Cloud State. It would also give the WCHA a 6^th team (7th if Northern Michigan joins), something they need to continue their automatic bid.

 The CCHA Option: Joining the CCHA wouldn't be a bad option either but the "power" that's left seems to lie in the WCHA. The key here is if Notre Dame leaves the conference. Having them on your annual schedule is a nice draw and they are a powerhouse every year. If the CCHA stays intact or loses a school, don't be surprised to see UAH jump in here.

Overall I still think it makes sense for the WCHA and CCHA to join forces. It would be a big conference in the midwest that could bring plenty of power to the NCAA tournament each year. Teams will improve over time (see Atlantic hockey) and the "new" conference would likely grow into something big. If everyone can leave their ego at the door, UAH would have a home in the midwest where they belong.

What conference should Alabama Huntsville join? Leave a comment! 

 

CCHA & Atlantic Hockey Meet To Discuss Alignment Possibilities

The CCHA met with four Atlantic Hockey schools last week to discuss the possible opportunities created by the realignment scheduled to take place in 2013. Mercyhurst, Canisius, Robert Morris and Niagara met with CCHA officials to discuss any opportunity which may exist to join the CCHA in the future. 

(Will Mercyhurst depart Atlantic Hockey in 2013?)

If teams were going to make the jump from Atlantic Hockey to the CCHA, these four make the most sense Geographically with the exception of Air Force being left out. It could translate into less travel four these teams like Mercyhurst who travel more than 450 miles to Boston each season. It also makes sense from a recruiting standpoint as well.

Good For The Sport

A move like this could be exactly what the NCAA would need to keep order in the hockey world. If the Atlantic Hockey Conference were to lose these four teams they would still have eight schools. All, with the exception of Air Force, would be located on the east coast. If Air Force were to stay, it would be the furthest the teams would have to travel once a year. If not, the setup of Atlantic Hockey would look more like Hockey East with teams located primarily in New England.

The change could be a welcome one for the four looking to leave. The long bus rides would likely convert into flights and the New England arenas they have been playing in would become large midwest barns. What hockey player wouldn't rather play a game at Notre Dame or Lake State than the cold confines of Bentley College? 

It's tough to see what's best right now but it seems like Atlantic Hockey breaking up could be the best solution. With teams scattered through Pennsylvania, upstate New York and now in Colorado, it might make sense for them break up and keep the conference to how they started, as an "Atlantic" conference.

Northern Michigan To Join WCHA Hockey Conference

We knew it wouldn't take long for teams to start making moves after the NCHC announced it would begin play in 2013. The first big move, Northern Michigan University joining the WCHA....almost.

The application for NMU to join is currently going through the formal review process but is expected to be approved later this week. Northern Michigan finished sixth in the CCHA regular season and was eliminated in three games by the last place team, Bowling Green, in the first round of the CCHA playoffs.

What Does It Mean For The CCHA & WCHA?

The forming of the NCHC last week left the CCHA with seven teams and the WCHA with five. Both conferences were left considerably weaker with the departure of some of the biggest names in college hockey. Should NMU join the WCHA it would give the conference six teams, the minimum needed for a conference to have an automatic bid. 

Northern Michigan will join Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, St. Cloud State, Minnesota State and Michigan Tech if it's approved by the WCHA this week. All six teams mentioned were below .500 for the 2010-2011 season. 

The potential move by NMU is the first since the announcement of the NCHC, it promises to be the first change of many before the new leagues begin play in 2013. 

Is The New National Collegiate Hockey Conference Good For College Hockey?

We knew the introduction of Penn State to NCAA Division I ice hockey would shake things up but I didn't think it would form a new conference. The National Collegiate Hockey Conference was officially announced on Wednesday and it's going to be an immediate powerhouse. 

(The NCHC is officially launched. Photo Credit: College Hockey News.com)

Denver, Colorado College, North Dakota, Miami, Nebraska-Omaha and Minnesota-Duluth are the six teams leaving their current conferences and forming NCHC which will begin play in 2013-2014. All of these teams, with the exception of Miami (CCHA), will be leaving the already powerful WCHA conference in search of something better. Ultimately, to compete with the Big Ten Hockey Conference.

The Big Ten Conference made their announcement earlier this year when Penn State made the decision to become a NCAA Division I hockey school. That announcement meant Wisconsin and Minnesota leaving the WCHA while the CCHA loses Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State. The move makes sense since all of the schools participate as members of the Big Ten in all of their other major sports, most notably Basketball and Football. The conference also has its own TV network. 

What Does This Mean For Everyone Else?

With these changes above the CCHA is left with Notre Dame, Western Michigan, Northern Michigan, Alaska, Lake Superior, Ferris State and Bowling Green. The seven team conference still has enough teams for an automatic NCAA bid and could probably survive if none of they didn't lost another team. I wouldn't be surprised if Notre Dame, a member of the Big East, left the conference and moved into Hockey East.

The WCHA is now left with five schools: Alaska Anchorage, St. Cloud State, Bemidji, Minnesota State, and Michigan Tech. All five of them finished with sub 500 records last season and rounded out the bottom of the WCHA, combining for just 41 wins. 

If you're Hockey East or the ECAC Hockey Conference, you won't be impacted too much. It looks like the major transitions will be taking place out west. Atlantic Hockey could lose Air Force, afterall, they are in Colorado and playing in "Atlantic Hockey", it geographically makes no sense.

It will be interesting to see what happens over the next two seasons and where teams land. For now we can sit and wait to see what changes are made, unless you want to join us and speculate. 

The NCAA Frozen Four: Minnesota-Duluth Preview

Minnesota-Duluth is often overlooked when it comes to hockey in the midwest. Teams like Minnesota, North Dakota, and Michigan are amongst the most popular but the fourth place team in the WCHA have earned some attention this year with their play. 

(UND was the East Region winner)

The Bulldogs may be known for their offense but they proved their ability to play two way hockey at the East Regional. Their hard work now places them one win away from reaching the NCAA Finals for the first time since 1984. If they're going to do this, they need to take down a popular CCHA foe, Notre Dame. 

How They Got to The Frozen Four

Most people had UMD knocked out of the first round by one of the top teams in the country, Union. The most impressive stat in this game was holding Union's top ranked powerplay scoreless in 9 attempts. While they may not have been pleased with the amount of penalties taken, they kept the door shut and took advantage of their chances winning 2-0.

In the second round they faced another ECAC team, the Yale Bulldogs. Yale was the number one seed in the region and escaped round one with an overtime win over Air Force. In the battle of the Bulldogs, UMD wanted to prove their superiority. Special teams was once again the deciding factor. Each team tallied 3 powerplay goals but a shorthanded tally in the first period for UMD may have been the difference. A 5-1 lead going into third period was enough to hold of Yale who answered with two goals in the last frame. 

The NCAA Frozen Four Predictions

Hopefully we can do a better job picking the winners here than we did in the first round. 

We're going to take Notre Dame out of the East to play North Dakota out of the West. North Dakota will win it all. 

 

The NCAA Frozen Four: Notre Dame Preview

With just two days until the puck is dropped in St. Paul, Minnesota we have reviewed the teams from the western half of the NCAA bracket, Michigan and North Dakota. It's time to take a look at how the teams from the East arrived. First up is Northeast Region winner, Notre Dame.

 
(Can ND win their first NCAA Hockey Championship?)

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are looking to return to the NCAA Finals for the first time since 2008 when they finished in second. The Irish are known for their defense which helped them to a second place finish in the CCHA. A team poised to go on a run, they squeaked out a victory in the CCHA first round but came up short losing to Michigan and Miami. 

How They Got to The Frozen Four

The #3 seed in the Northeast regional was faced with a tough first round opponent in Merrimack. The Warriors were the surprise team of the season and hungry for a win after coming up just short in the Hockey East Finals. In a game Notre Dame fell behind twice by two goals, Notre Dame battled back to force overtime. A fortunate bounce for ND in overtime may have been a sign of what was to come as the Irish squeaked out 4-3 win.

In the Northeast Final, ND faced another Hockey East team and host of the region, New Hampshire. UNH knocked off Miami in round one and was hoping to continue their run but the defense of ND was too much to handle. A 2-1 victory sealed Notre Dame's spot in the Frozen Four where they will face Minnesota Duluth in the first round. 

 

The NCAA Frozen Four: Michigan Preview

On Wednesday we previewed the tournament favorite, North Dakota. Today we are taking a look at their National Semi-final opponent, the Michigan Wolverines. The top team in the CCHA during the regular season is not stranger to the Frozen Four. They have won the National Championship nine times but not once since the turn of the century. Their last National Championship came in 1998, 13 years ago.

 
(Can the Wolverines knock off the top seed and advance to the finals?)

The Michigan Wolverines made an early exit from the CCHA Tournament and are out to prove a point. Their disappointed loss in the semi-finals left a big question mark as they made their way to the National Tournament. Would they be able to rebound after the loss or would they falter? 

How They Got to The Frozen Four: With the questions looming, Michigan faced hungry Nebraska-Omaha team in round one. Perhaps UNO sensed weakness from the Wolverines loss less than a week prior but they made it clear it would not be a Michigan blowout. Down 2-0 after the first period, Michigan looked to be in trouble. Would this be the end of the season for the top team in the CCHA? When the second period began they answered the bell and came out as a new team. Hard work and a successful powerplay helped them back into the game to eventually tie it 2-2. A fortunate bounce in OT completed the comeback an Michigan moved on to round two.

In round two no one would have been surprised if Michigan played Boston College but they faced a team who had knocked off BC, Colorado College. In a battle of the west, Michigan was able to take down Colorado College and advance to the Frozen Four. Unlike the first round, Michigan jumped out to the two goal lead in the first period but held on to earn the right to face the North Dakota.