NCAA Season Preview: WCHA
WCHA Preview
The question in the WCHA for the upcoming season doesn't appear to be who will
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win the league title, but rather who will finish second. Two-time defending
National Champions, the Golden Gophers of Minnesota, are overwhelming favorites
to win the conference in 2003-04. Not repeat as WCHA champs, because Colorado
College won the MacNaughton Cup last season but lost to Minnesota in the league
playoffs. Minnesota received nine out of ten first place votes in the preseason
coaches' poll, with North Dakota getting the other.
There are a number of exciting players worth watching in the WCHA- Thomas Vanek,
Keith Ballard, Zach Parise, Brandon Bochenski, Brett Sterling, and Shane Joseph
to name just a few. Add top newcomers Ryan Suter, Brady Murray, Dave Backes,
and Ryan Potulny to the mix, and you have a college hockey conference that will
be bringing fans out of their seats all season long.
WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Minnesota
2. North Dakota
3. (Tie) Colorado College & Minnesota-Duluth
5. Denver
6. Minnesota State
7. Wisconsin
8. St. Cloud State
9. Michigan Tech
10. Alaska-Anchorage
College | Minnesota-Duluth | Denver
Cloud State | Michigan Tech | Alaska-Anchorage
Enrollment: 1,950
Nickname: Tigers
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Arena: Colorado Springs World Arena
Capacity: 7,343
Coach: Scott Owens
Review
The Tigers of Colorado College had a very successful 2002-03 hockey season,
but came away from it with a rather empty feeling. The Tigers were the WCHA
regular season champs and topped the polls for most of the season, but the post-season
proved to be a quite different for Scott Owens and his team. C.C. dominated
the WCHA regular-season, leading the league in wins (19), points (43), goals
scored (125), and fewest goals allowed (70).
Colorado College began the season at a blistering pace, losing just once in
their first 17 games before dropping a game at Minnesota State. They defeated
Minnesota-Duluth in overtime in the semi-finals of the WCHA playoffs before
falling to Minnesota 4-2 in the championship game. The Tigers then got by Wayne
State 4-2 in their opening game in the NCAA tournament, then were eliminated
by Michigan 5-3.
Hobey Baker winner Peter Sejna, who had a phenomenal season (36-46-82), and
defenseman Tom Preissing led Colorado College in 2002-03. Preissing led NCAA
defenseman with 23 goals (17 power-play) and had 52 points to cap off the senior's
career at C.C. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Sejna will forego his senior season
as he signed with the St. Louis Blues over the summer. Senior Noah Clarke was
second on the team in scoring with 70 points, so the Tigers will lose their
top three scorers from last year.
Replacing those three will be job one entering this season, but the Tigers
are not without offensive talent. Sophomores Brett Sterling and Marty Sertich
will be expected to continue their development and lead the charge to the net.
Sterling had 27 goals as a freshman, and the speedy Sertich added 29 points.
Curtis McElhinney was a workhorse last year, playing in 37 of the Tigers' 42
games. His play will be a key to the 2003-04 Colorado College season.
Who To Watch
McElhinney took over goaltending duties as a sophomore last year and
notched 25 wins and 4 shutouts. McElhinney positions himself well to take advantage
of his good size (6-2, 195), and has a career record of 31-6-6 in Colorado Springs.
Sterling is a sophomore forward from Pasadena, California who broke
on to the scene last year by scoring 27 goals in 36 games. 14 goals were power-play
goals and 6 were game-winners. Sterling is a finisher with quick hands who gets
himself in position for scoring chances.
Stuart is a sophomore defenseman who had 20 points and a team-leading
81 penalty minutes as a freshman. Stuart, a first-round NHL draft pick (Boston),
has good size (6-2, 212) and hockey sense. He will see much more power-play
time this year..
Recruits
Zaba is a goalie from Yorkton, Sask. Zaba played for the Vernon Vipers
last year, posting a 34-9 record with a 2.21 goals against average.
Braydon Cox had 82 points (29-53) in the Alberta Junior Hockey League
last season.
John Brunkhorst is a 6'1, 196-pound forward from Rochester, MN. He had
28 goals in 30 games last year as a high school senior.
Brandon Polich is another forward recruit, having played for Sioux City
in the USHL (17-43-60) last season.
Hoffman also played in the USHL last season, and will bring size (6'3,
190) to the Tigers.
Brian Salcido is a defenseman from the famed Shattuck-St.Mary's program
in Minnesota.
Enrollment: 9,500
Nickname: Pioneers
Location: Denver, Colorado
Arena: Magness Arena
Capacity: 6,200
Coach: George Gwozdecky
Review
The Denver Pioneers went into the 2002-03 season with high hopes, but were
left disappointed
in the end. The Pioneers were 9-1 against non-conference opponents, including
an impressive 4-0 victory over NCAA runner-up New Hampshire, but only 11-11-6
in conference play. That average record was good for a seventh-place conference
finish, and the unenviable task of traveling to Grand Forks for the opening
round of the league playoffs. The Pioneers did manage to win the series opener,
but dropped the next two competitive contests, ending their season.
Last winter in Denver was not without bright spots, however. Linemates Kevin
Doell, a senior, and junior Connor James enjoyed good seasons and finished 1-2
in team scoring. Doell scored 25 goals (14 PP) and added 26 assists for 51 points
in 41 games. James chipped in 20 goals and 43 points. The goaltending, shared
by Adam Berkhoel and Wade Dubielewicz, was solid, posting a combined .906 save
percentage. Berkhoel, who took over when Dubielewicz went down with a hamstring
injury and remained the starter after his return, returns for his senior year
while Dubielewicz has graduated.
Berkhoel, a Chicago Blackhawks' draft pick, will be a key to the Pioneer's
season this year. He had 12 wins last year (3 shutouts) and a very good 2.30
goals against average. James, whose NHL rights are held by Los Angeles, will
be expected to lead the offense while senior Ryan Caldwell (New York islanders)
will anchor the defense. Team defense and strong goaltending have been trademarks
of George Gwozdecky teams, and they will need just that to be successful this
season. Scoring goals may prove to be difficult for the 2003-04 Denver squad.
Who to Watch
James has played in all 82 Denver games the past two seasons, scoring
85 points. He is a consistent offensive threat who is not afraid of traffic.
He is also a dangerous penalty-killer with good hockey sense.
Adam Berkhoel will finally get his chance to be "the man"
in Denver now that partner Wade Dubielewicz has graduated. Was in the net for
the shutout of New Hampshire, stopping 32 shots. He has a 31-15-6 record, 2.49
goals against average, and .906 save percentage in his first three years at
denver.
Caldwell is a senior defenseman from Deloraine, Manitoba, is a big (6'3,
195), tough player who was +18 last season. Caldwell, who takes care of his
own end first, does have offensive skills. A well-rounded player, he is on the
ice in all situations for the Pioneers.
Recruits
Carle is a defenseman who played last season with the River City Lancers
in the USHL, where he was named the USHL Defenseman of the Year. Played on the
U.S. team that captured the gold medal at the 2002 IIHF 18-under World Championships.
Fisher is a goalie from Edmonton who starred in the AJHL the past two
seasons. Fisher, who was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2002, was the AJHL
Rookie of the Year in 2002, and was named a league all-star both years.
J.D. Corbin hails from Littleton, Colorado, and comes to Denver from
the United States Development Program. The 5'10, 185 pound forward played on
the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the 2002 World Under-17 Challenge in
Winnipeg, scoring one goal and adding five helpers in nine games there.
Enrollment: 6,460
Nickname: Huskies
Location: Houghton, Michigan
Arena: John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena
Capacity: 4,200
Coach: Jamie Russell
Review
First year Head Coach Jamie Russell inherits a team that finished 10-24-4 last
season, and has finished above .500 only once since joining the WCHA in 1984.
Former coach Mike Sertich announced his retirement shortly after the 2002-03
season, in which the Huskies lost 11 of their last 13 games.
Russell comes to Houghton from Cornell, where he was an assistant for the past
four seasons. Prior to that, he was in the CCHA as an assistant at Ferris State.
Russell returns to Michigan Tech where he was a defenseman in the late eighties.
While not rich in history, the Huskies do return 19 letterwinners from last
year and a large, if not promising recruiting class. In fact, Tech loses just
one forward and one defenseman, returning their top seven scorers. Sophomore
winger Colin Murphy led the Huskies in 2002-03 with 20 goals and 40 points.
Freshman Chris Conner led the team in assists, with 24, and was second with
37 points. Cam Ellsworth showed some flashes of excellence last season, including
a shutout of Alaska-Archorage, but faced 1242 shots. The Huskies allowed 154
goals last year, and will have to cut that down dramatically before entertaining
thoughts of contending.
The 2003-04 Michigan Tech squad will be led by last year's team MVP Murphy,
Connor, senior Jon Pittis, and Captain Brett Englehart. Redshirt freshmen Taggart
Desmet, a forward, and Marek Dora, a defenseman, will step into the lineup with
high hopes. While Russell and his coaching staff would seem to have their work
cut out for them, there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm coming from the Michigan
Tech campus for the 2003-04 season.
Who To Watch
Colin Murphy was Tech's leading scorer and team MVP last year, after
being the second-leading scorer as a freshman. His 20 goals last season all
came at even-strength, so an expected increase would not be unreasonable.
Chris Connor was an impact player as a freshman last year, totaling
37 points on 13 goals and 24 assists. The speedy playmaker is also a standout
penalty-killer, and tallied 3 shorthanded goals last season.
Brad Englehart is a 6'2, 205 senior winger form Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Englehart, the team captain for the 2003-04 season, led the team in scoring
as a sophomore (third last year), and led the Huskies with 6 power-play markers
in 2002-03.
Recruits
Lars Helminen is a freshman defenseman from Brighton, Michigan. Helminen
is not tall at 5'7, but is very sturdy. Helminen, a good skater with impressive
puck skills, played his junior hockey with Compuware.
Bryce Luker is a freshman goaltender from Quebec who played for St.
Mark's Prep School last year. He will challenge for playing time immediately.
Tyler Skworchinski is a freshman forward from Ontario. He played for
Portage of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League last year.
Enrollment: 14,000
Nickname: Mavericks
Location: Mankato, Minnesota
Arena: Midwest Wireless Civic Center
Capacity: 4,832
Coach: Troy Jutting
Review
The 2002-03 Minnesota State season saw more of the steady improvement that
has been the norm since Coach Troy Jutting took over the program three years
ago. The Mavericks showed that they definitely belong, gaining 13 points in
the WCHA standings over 2001-02 and finishing tied for second-place. The Mavericks
lost their first three games of the season and their last three, but went 20-5-10
in between.
Minnesota State took advantage of home-ice in the opening round of the WCHA
playoffs by sweeping the Wisconsin Badgers. The Mavericks then lost to Minnesota
in overtime in the semi-finals, and then fell to Cornell in the opening round
of the NCAA tournament.
The Mavericks were led last season by a talented group of forwards, headlined
by All-Americans Shane Joseph and Grant Stephenson. Joseph was the team's leading
scorer (29-36-55), with sophomore Stevenson (27-36-53) a close second. Seniors
B.J. Abel and defenseman Joe Bourne provided leadership as well as offense.
Joseph, the leading returning scorer in the country, will return this season
but counterpart Stephenson will not. Stevenson elected to pass up his remaining
two years of eligibility to sign with the San Jose Sharks. Jason Jensen, who
shared the goaltending duties with Jon Volp last season, has graduated so Volp
will assume the bulk of the load in 2003-04. Volp, a junior, actually produced
superior numbers (10-5-2, 3.01, .910) to Jensen so that loss shouldn't be too
great. The experienced defense, with three seniors (Matt Paluczak, Nate Metcalf,
and Aaron Forsythe), will also help in this area.
Who To Watch
Shane Joseph received many accolades for his 2002-03 performance- All-American,
All-WCHA First Team, and WCHA Final Five All-Tournament Team. He led the league
in conference goal scoring with 24 goals in 28 games, and will serve as the
team captain this season.
Cole Bassett is a senior forward who led the Mavericks in power-play
goals with 12 last year. Bassett is a skilled playmaker who had four assists
in a game last year against Wisconsin.
Steven Johns is a junior defenseman who is adept at moving the puck.
Johns has been the Mavericks top-scoring defenseman in each of his two seasons
in Mankato.
Recruits
Backes is a highly-touted forward from Blaine, Minnesota. Backes spent
last season with Lincoln of the USHL, where is scored 28 goals and 69 points
in 59 games. He was drafted by St. Louis in the second round of this past summer's
entry draft.
Brownlee is a 6'2, 195 pound defenseman who played for Vernon in the
BCHL in 02-03. He was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the 6th-round of the
2003 draft.
Kurtis Kisio is a freshman forward from Calgary. Kisio, son of former
NHL player Kelly Kisio, played for Calgary in the AJHL, where he was named that
league's Rookie of the Year last season. He earned 24 goals and 50 assists for
74 points for Calgary in 2002-03.
Enrollment: 14,252
Nickname: Huskies
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Arena: National Hockey Center
Capacity: 5,763
Coach: Craig Dahl
Review
The Huskies to stay above .500 in the 2002-03 season, finishing with a 12-11-5
conference record and 17-16-5 overall. Perhaps their fortunes would have been
different had St. Cloud played all of their games at the National Hockey Center,
where they went 11-5-2. Unfortunately, the Huskies' home cooking could take
them just so far. St. Cloud did receive a bid to the NCAA tournament, falling
to eventual runner-up New Hampshire in the opening round 5-2.
Offensively, the Huskies were led by seniors Joe Motzko and Jon Cullen. Motzko
had a team-leading 42 points, while Cullen added 37 points in 34 games. Ryan
Malone, fourth in team scoring last year (27-16-20-36), has also graduated.
Senior Jake Moreland was in goal for 25 games last season, posting 14 wins and
a .911 save percentage. Moreland also had 14 of St. Cloud's 17 wins in '02-03.
The 2003-04 St. Cloud team will be led by senior Matt Hendricks, who led the
Huskies last season with 10 goals with the man-advantage, and juniors Peter
Szabo and Joe Jensen. On the blue line, St. Cloud returns a group that has potential,
but will be young and unproven. The top scoring defenseman last season, Derek
Eastman (3-14-17), has graduated, and Jeff Finger signed a pro contract with
the Colorado Avalanche and will skip his senior season. Talented sophomore Tim
Conboy (31-3-12-15) returns and has the ability to quarterback the power play.
Another question that needs to be answered by Coach Dahl and his staff is who
will be in the nets. Sophomore Jason Montgomery, last season's backup returns,
but will face stiff competition from freshman Tim Boron and Minnesota-Duluth
transfer Adam Coole. Montgomery played in 15 games last season, resulting in
a 3-7-4 record, 2.97 goals against, and a .908 save percentage. He also shut
out Alaska-Anchorage late in the season. Coole, who started for two seasons
at UMD, is a junior after sitting out last season.
Who To Watch
Hendricks is a senior winger who will serve as the St. Cloud captain
this season. Hendricks, from Blaine, Minnesota, produced 18 goals and 18 assists
for the Huskies last year.
He is a Nashville Predator draft pick.
Conboy is a sophomore defenseman who had 13 points in 21 conference
games. Conboy has the size (6'2, 210), strength, and skills to be a productive
two-way defender. He was drafted by the san Jose Sharks last summer.
Peter Szabo is a Slovakian forward who will play a larger role in the
St. Cloud offense this season. Szabo is undersized at 5'9, and needs to upgrade
his physical play, but is skilled. He played junior hockey in the NAHL.
Recruits
Gary Houseman is a forward Saskatoon who played for Sioux City in the
USHL last season. Houseman, 5'10, 170, had 22 goals and 48 points in 60 games
last season.
Justin Fletcher is a 5'11, 180 pound native of Illinois who will try
to crack the lineup in St. Cloud this season. Last year, the offensive defenseman
had 12 goals and 31 assists in 60 games for Sioux City in the USHL. Fletcher
also was an impressive +34, but at 165 pounds will need to bulk up for the WCHA.
Borer is a defenseman from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Borer, 6'2, 210
pounds, played for the U.S. National Development Program last year.
Enrollment: 7,600
Nickname: Bulldogs
Location: Duluth, Minnesota
Arena: Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center
Capacity: 5,233
Coach: Scott Sandelin
Review
With apologies to Minnesota State-Mankato, the pick for surprise team in the
WCHA last year would have to be the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs, coming off a ninth-place WCHA finish in 2001-02, came into last
season with a very young, inexperienced team. That inexperienced showed in the
first two months of the season, but the Bulldogs jelled and finished the hottest
team in the league. Under third-year coach Scott Sandelin, UMD's record did
not climb above .500 until December 28th, but the Bulldogs caught fire down
the stretch and finished with a 22-15-5 overall mark.
Considering their dismal 7-28-4 record in the 00-01 season, Sandelin's first
at the helm, last year's win total is nothing short of amazing. Perhaps even
more remarkable is the realization that the Bulldogs were led, in large part,
by freshmen and sophomores. After going 11-4-1 in their final 16 games, many
UMD fans thought that the Bulldogs had earned a berth in the NCAA playoff tournament.
That was not to be, however, and UMD's season ended with a victory in the third-place
game of the WCHA Final Five against Minnesota State.
Tim Stapleton, an unknown freshman entering the season, emerged as the team's
scoring leader last season. He finished with 42 points in 42 games. But the
team MVP was another freshman, goalie Issac Reichmuth. Reichmuth, from British
Columbia, backstopped the Bulldogs to 18 victories.
While UMD may not be able to sneak up on anybody this year, with all but two
regulars (forwards Jon Francisco and Drew Otten) returning, they may not have
to. With the expected development of the youngsters, the Bulldogs should again
finish in the top five in the WCHA.
Who To Watch
T.J. Caig is another British Columbia native who came to UMD from the
BCHL. The center had a league-leading 37 goals in 36 games in his final BCHL
season. Caig had 25 points in 25 games last season, leading all WCHA newcomers
with 1.25 points per game. He wasn't eligible to play until January, but will
be there from the start this season.
Issac Reichmuth took over the goaltending duties from Rob Anderson early
last season, and finished the year with 18 wins with a fine 2.58 goals against
average in 32 games played. Was fifth in the WCHA in save percentage (.905),
and registered his first career shutout.
Tim Stapleton is an exciting, undersized (5-9, 160) center who hails
from Western Springs, Illinois. Stapleton is a skilled playmaker who led UMD
in assist last season with 28. Finished third in scoring among WCHA freshman-
impressive considering the competition.
Recruits
Bryan McGregor, a forward from Niagara Falls, Ontario, is yet another
UMD recruit out of the BCHL. Racked up 95 points on 49 goals and 46 assists
for Vernon. Was formerly a teammate of fellow Bulldog T.J. Caig in the BCHL.
Josh Johnson is a freshman goalie from nearby Esko, Minnesota, who played
last season for Green Bay in the USHL. Finished with a .911 save percentage
and a 2.95 goals against for the Gamblers. Was an All-State selection in his
senior year in high school, backstopping his team to the state tournament.
Enrollment: 37,000
Nickname: Golden Gophers
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Arena: Mariucci Arena
Capacity: 9,700
Coach: Don Lucia
Review
The old adage in sports is that the only thing harder than winning a championship
is to repeat as champion. That is exactly what the Gophers did last season.
Having to replace 2001-02 leading scorers John Pohl, Jeff Taffe, and Jordan
Leopold, as well as goalie Adam Hauser, the Gophers showed that plenty of talent
remained. Initially though, hopes of a repeat appeared to be far-fetched. Minnesota
didn't exactly come out of the gate flying, beginning the season with a mediocre
5-3-2 record.
Don Lucia was able to put the pieces in place and the Gophers went 23-5-7 the
rest of the way, including a 14-2-2 record in their final 18 games. During that
stretch, they won the WCHA playoff tournament, defeating regular-season champion
Colorado College in the finals. The victory avenged a 7-3 defeat to the Tigers
early in the season. The Gophers avenged another early-season loss in the NCAA
Championship Game, beating New Hampshire 5-1.
Perhaps the biggest revelation of the 2002-03 season was the play of freshman
forward Thomas Vanek. The Austrian-born Vanek led Minnesota in goals and points
and was a first-round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres. Fortunately for Gopher
fans, Vanek will be returning for at least one more season in maroon and gold.
The goaltending, a question mark going into last season, was also a pleasant
surprise. Travis Weber won 18 games and posted two shutouts, and backup Justin
Johnson posted a fine 10-2-2 record. Weber has decided to leave school for personal
reasons, so goaltending will once again be an area of concern. Defensemen Paul
Martin and Keith Ballard stepped up their play also, playing solid defense and
helping to fill the offensive void from the loss of Leopold. Chris Harrington,
who showed flashes of great potential as a freshman, will be asked to take on
a much larger role this year to replace the losses of Martin (turned pro), and
Matt DeMarchi (graduated).
Along with Vanek, the top forwards for the Gophers last season were Troy Riddle,
Matt Koalska, and Grant Potulny. Potulny missed a good portion of the season,
but did score 15 goals in just 23 games. Freshman Gino Guyer contributed offensively
as well as in the face-off circle.
Who To Watch
Vanek was the named WCHA Rookie of the Year as well as team MVP following
his fantastic rookie season. Vanek, the first European to ever play for the
Gophers, led all NCAA freshman in goals with 31 and was the first freshman to
lead Minnesota in scoring since 1970. Vanek possesses the size and shot, along
with the ability to score in the clutch (5 game-winners) to have a dominant
season offensively.
Ballard increased his offensive production by 18 points in his sophomore
season, and will be the quarterback on the blueline this season. Ballard was
inconsistent in the post-season, and will be looking to play a consistent two-way
game. After playing behind Paul Martin last year and Jordan Leopold the year
before, now has his chance to be the number one defender. Ballard was a 1st-round
draft choice of the Buffalo Sabres in 2002.
Potulny broke his ankle in the season-opener last year, and was limited
to just 23 games. He did score 23 points (15 goals) in those 23 games, however,
including 9 goals in the Gophers' 8 post-season games. The Ottawa draftee was
named the WCHA Final 5 MVP, scoring 3 goals and adding an assist in two games.
Recruits
Potulny, the brother of Minnesota captain Grant, is a highly touted
forward coming off a stellar season for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. Potulny
led the league in scoring (35-43-78) and was named the USHL Player of the Year.
He was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers, taken with the 87th pick in this
past summer's NHL Entry Draft.
Vannelli is a defenseman who is expected to take a regular shift for
the Golden Gophers this season. He played last season for the Sioux Falls Stampede
in the USHL, where he gained first-team All-USHL status. He has good offensive
skills, scoring 13 goals and setting the USHL record for goals scored by a defenseman
in a season. 10 of those goals were scored on the power play.
Kellen Briggs is a goalie from Colorado Springs who also played for
Tony Gasparini in Sioux Falls. The 20-year-old is experienced, having played
3 seasons in the USHL. Travis Weber's departure opens the door for Briggs to
earn plenty of playing time.
Enrollment: 11,500
Nickname: Fighting Sioux
Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota
Arena: Ralph Engelstad Arena
Capacity: 11,500
Coach: Dean Blais
Review
University of North Dakota hockey fans would have to say they got their money's
worth from the Fighting Sioux last year- and then some. The Sioux played 9 overtime
games last season, with a very good 5-0-4 record in those games. They would
have liked to have played more overtime games, as they lost four games by one
goal.
North Dakota went into a late January series with Colorado College riding high,
with a 21-2-3 record and a top 5 ranking. The Fighting Sioux lost both games,
the beginning of a 1-7-2 skid that including losing to Michigan Tech at home.
Coach Blais' squad never recovered and limped to the end of the season, finishing
with a 26-12-5 mark. They received a bid to the NCAA tournament, but bowed out
in the opener, losing to Ferris State 5-2.
2002-03 saw the arrival of heralded newcomer Zach Parise, and he did not disappoint.
The 5'11, 180-pound dynamo scored 26 goals and added 35 assists for the Sioux
and also played for the United States at the World Junior Championships. Parise
parlayed that success into a first round NHL draft choice (NJ) this summer.
But Parise wasn't the only forward in Grand Forks last season, as he and Brandon
Bochenski shared the team's MVP honors. Bochenski, an Ottawa draftee, is a pre-season
Hobey Baker candidate entering his junior season. He had 35 goals for North
Dakota last year.
The Fighting Sioux, with Parise and Bochenski returning- along with the addition
of a couple of talented freshman forwards, expect to be able to score goals
again this season. If fact, much of last year's team remains. Only defenseman
David Hale, who missed a large portion of the season with an illness, and forward
Jason Notermann have departed. Hale signed with the New Jersey Devils and Notermann
graduated. The key to North Dakota's season, once again, will be the goaltending.
Junior Jake Brandt, senior Marc Ranfranz, and freshmen Nate Zieglemann and Jordan
Parise (Zach's brother) will battle for playing time. The Sioux desperately
need one of them to step up.
Who To Watch
Bochenski was named All-WCHA Second Team last season, in which he scored
35 goals as a sophomore. The 2001-02 WCHA Rookie-of-the-Year has scored 52 goals
in his first two seasons in the green and white. The sniper had two 4-goal games
last year, and should put up great numbers again.
Parise, son of former NHLer J.P. Parise, burst onto the scene last year
and was a finalist for the coveted Hobey Baker award as a freshman. Scored 8
points in his first two college contests. Has very quick hands, which attributed
to his winning 57% of his faceoffs as well as his point total.
Schneider is a junior defenseman was All-WCHA Third-Team last year.
He is an exciting, offensive (11-30-41) defenseman who is not afraid to jump
into the rush. The Pittsburgh Penguins drafted Schneider, a hometown product
from Grand Forks, in the fifth round of the 2001 draft.
Recruits
Murray was one of the most sought-after recruits in the country after
scoring 101 points (42 goals, 59 assists) in 59 games in his rookie season in
the BCHL. Murray is the son of Los Angeles Kings' head coach Andy Murray, and
was drafted by the Kings in the fifth round of the 2003 draft.
Stafford is another forward prospect who will be looking for a spot
in the lineup. Stafford is another product of the Shattuck-St. Mary's prep program
in Faribault, Minnesota. Stafford has the size (6-2, 200) to make an immediate
impact.
Smaby is a huge (6'5) defenseman, also from Shattuck-St.Mary's. He is
a physical player with a bit of a mean streak (114 PIM as a senior). The stay-at-home
defender may break into the rotation with Matt Jones, Matt Greene, and Schneider.
Enrollment: 40,305
Nickname: Badgers
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Arena: Kohl Center
Capacity: 14,385
Coach: Mike Eaves
Review
Last year was a season of transition for the Wisconsin Badgers, with Mike Eaves
taking over for long-time Head Coach Jeff Sauer. Not that Eaves didn't come
to Madison without impressive pedigree: He played for Wisconsin (1974-78) and
then spent eight seasons in the NHL, and has two sons playing division one hockey
(Ben and Patrick, both at Boston College).
The Badgers struggled in Eaves' inaugural season at the helm, finishing eight
in the WCHA with a 7-17-4 conference record (13-23-4 overall). Due in large
part to converting just 11% of its power-play opportunities, Wisconsin scored
only 93 goals in 40 games. The defense wasn't much better, allowing 134 goals
against (3.35 per game), and killing off 76% of opponents' power-play chances.
Junior Rene Bourque led the Badgers in both goals (19) and points (27), the
lowest point total to ever lead Wisconsin. Freshmen Ryan MacMurchy and Tom Gilbert,
and senior Brad Winchester provided the rest of what was the Badger offense.
Perhaps Wisconsin's best player in 2002-03 was sophomore goalie Bernd Bruckler,
who posted respectable numbers (9-11-3, 2.83, .905) on a poor team.
Up front, the Badgers look to be improved in 2003-04, with sophomores Nick
Lacari, and John Funk, juniors Alex Leavitt and Pete Talafous, along with the
aforementioned MacMurchy and Bourque expected to improve upon there totals from
last year. There will be new faces on defense, however, where three regulars
were lost to graduation. Wisconsin should be improved under Eaves' tutelage
in 2003-04, but whether that means a rise in the standings remains to be seen.
Who To Watch
MacMurchy enjoyed a solid freshman season in '02-'03, scoring 10 goals
and adding 14 assists to tie for tenth in WCHA rookie scoring. His 14 assists
were tops on the Badgers. The gritty MacMurchy was also second on the team with
69 penalty minutes.
Bruckler is the first Austrian to play for Wisconsin, coming to Madison
following a half-season with Tri-City of the USHL. Bruckler was named goaltender
on the WCHA All-Rookie team 2001.
Gilbert led Badger defensemen in scoring (third overall) with 20 points
(7 goals, 13 assists) last season. Gilbert, a sophomore, is from Bloomington,
Minnesota and played in the USHL prior to coming to Wisconsin. Gilbert, who
will be a key figure on the Badger power-play, was drafted in the fourth round
by the Colorado Avalanche.
Recruits
Suter was one of the most sought-after recruits in the country, and
a first round draft choice (7th overall) of the Nashville Predators. His father
Bob, and uncle Gary, a former NHLer, played at Madison. Projects as a solid
two-way defenseman with a nasty physical edge and very strong personal character.
Earl is a freshman forward from an unlikely place- Los Angeles, California.
The speedy Earl played for Badger coach Mike Eaves with the National Team Development
Program.
Likens is an undersized (5'11, 167) defenseman who also played for the
NTDP in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Likens is a smart player who moves the puck well.
Enrollment: 18,000
Nickname: Seawolves
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Arena: Sullivan Arena
Capacity: 6,206
Coach: John Hill
Review
The good news about the 2002-03 season for the Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves is
that it's over. The Seawolves are almost assured to improve on last year's dismal
1-28-7 record under coach John Hill. The first order of business will be to
end Alaska-Anchorage's current losing streak, which currently stands at 16 games.
In fact, the Seawolves have not won a game since last opening night, October
11, 2002, against in-state rival Alaska-Fairbanks. Fairbanks 4-0 shut them out
the following night.
The bright side of the Seawolves 2002-03 season is that they were competitive
in most games, losing 12 games by two or fewer goals. That, coupled with the
fact that several freshmen played prominent roles on the team, gives hope for
some future success. Three freshmen, forwards Ales Parez, Curtis Glencross,
and defenseman Matt Hanson, were the top three scorers on the team. A sophomore,
forward John Hopson, finished fourth in scoring for the Seawolves. The line
of Parez, Glencross and Hopson accounted for 27 of the team's 57 goals last
year.
Alaska-Anchorage will have to do better than 57 goals this season, and will
look for that trio to do even more. They are expected to have a better supporting
cast in 2003-04, with expected development of underclassmen and a promising
recruiting class that will have to contribute immediately. They will need to,
so that opposing teams can't focus on the one scoring line.
Defensively, things were not much better. The Seawolves gave up 143 goals in
36 games, or just under four goals per game. Senior goaltenders Chris King and
Kevin Reiter will once again share the duties in the Anchorage net. Both have
plenty of experience facing shots, and are hoping for a little respite this
year. Physical defenseman Lee Green, a junior, will serve as team captain as
well as anchor of the blue line.
Who To Watch
Ales Parez is the returning leading scorer for the Seawolves, collecting
6 goals and 22 assists for 28 points last year. Parez, from the Czech Republic,
played for Chicago in the USHL and Bismarck in the AWHL before coming to Alaska.
Matt Hanson is a sophomore defenseman who has a hard accurate shot,
recording seven goals last season. He is especially dangerous on the power play,
where six of his goals were scored. He had 15 goals for Penticton of the BCHL
in 2001-02.
Curtis Glencross is a budding power forward who had team highs in power
play goals (7), and penalty minutes (79). The speedy Glencross also led the
Seawolves in shots on goal with 83. He was MVP for Brooks in the AJHL prior
to his college career.
Recruits
Justin Bourne is a forward from Kelowna, B.C. who registered 32 goals
and 44 assists in 60 games for Vernon in the BCHL. He is the son of former New
York Islander Bob Bourne.
Nick Lowe is a fast-skating forward from Surrey, B.C. who played for
the South Surrey Eagles of the BCHL. Last year, Lowe had 30 goals and 42 assists
for 72 points.
Brandon
Segal is a defenseman from Ladner, B.C. who was a teammate of Lowe at
South Surrey. Segal has offensive skill and had seven goals and added 35 assists
for the Eagles last winter.