Alabama-Huntsville Drops Program

The southern-most Division I hockey school will cease to exist at the end of this season. One never wants to see a hockey program at any university fall, but if you were to ask any college hockey insider if there were a program to drop amid the cluster of conference realignment, it would be Alabama-Huntsville. They have played the last few seasons as an Independent after College Hockey America dissolved as a conference.  No shocking that they will join Wayne State and Findlay as former CHA members that are no longer hockey-playing schools. Being a team without a conference, it became a daunting task to play a strictly non-conference schedule and having a all-but-slim chance of playing postseason hockey. They attempted to join the CCHA when Nebraska-Omaha left but were denied membership. And they were left at the altar again earlier this year when the constant shuffle of teams changing conferences and conferences were being formed.

Hockey in the Sun Belt is a tough sale (just ask the city of Atlanta), but the Charger hockey program is no new kid on the block. They have played hockey at the NCAA level since the 1986-87 season, prior to that they were a club team when the program started in 1979. They played championship-level hockey at the NCAA-II level until 1998 when the NCAA got rid of the Division II level as a whole. The team won the NCAA-II national championship in 1996 and 1998. The University cited finances as a reason to cut the program. With the savings of demoting the team to club status, the money saved will enhance and benefit the other 15 sports in the athletic department.

Northern Michigan Freshman Charged in Bike Thefts

Moving over to the CCHA, five rookie members of the Northern Michigan hockey team were charged with bike thefts earlier this week. According to the Marquette Mining Journal, the five members are both in legal and University disciplinary trouble stemming from a September incident where they were caught with stolen bicycles that belonged to other university students.  The players are currently scheduled for jury trials next month in Marquette County District Court on misdemeanor charges involving stolen bicycles.

Each paid 10 percent of a $2,500 bond – and the identified are Dylan Stanley Walchuk, 19, Mitchell Kurtis Jones, 19, Jake Scott Baker, 20, and Eric Brian Walker, 18, all of British Columbia, and Daniel Henry Vandercook Jr., 21, of Farmington Hills, Michigan. Wildcats bench boss Walt Kyle declined comment, but a statement released by Northern Michigan University the five are going through the NMU student discipinary process for university code violations as well as an athletic review committee for disciplinary infractions. Each of the cases is being handled separately, though all five defendants are scheduled for jury trial at 8 a.m Dec. 6. At that time, if one case is ready for jury trial, the others would be rescheduled for other days. They might not be the only ones implicated; the police commented that there are warrant requests on others and are determining whether to act on those.

Facing the most severe charges are Vandercook, Jones and Baker. Each are charged with one count of receiving and concealing stolen property valued greater than $200, but less than $1,000. The misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine, or three times the property value, whichever is greater.

As for their performance on the ice, Walker and Vandercook have not appeared in a game this season while Walchuk, leads all NMU freshmen in scoring with a goal and four assists. The Wildcats are 14th in this weeks USCHO.com poll and are on the road taking on Ohio State this weekend.

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Yesterday the “small” three conferences were previewed. Today, the “big” three conferences are previewed.

Hockey East: Terriers Hope to eat Competition Again

Boston University won the National Championship in one of the greatest hockey games you will ever see. With an extra-attacker on the ice and trailing Miami 3-1, the Terriers scored twice in the final minute and took the title 11:47 in the first OT period to win the title for the first time since 1995. In one of the toughest conferences in the nation, the Terriers received six of the 10 first-place votes in the coaches poll. In addition to the Terriers, look for UMass-Lowell and  Boston College attempt to dethrone Boston U with Vermont leading the rest of the teams in the conference.

CCHA: Both Coaches and Media Hail to the Victors in Michigan

Michigan forward Louie Caporusso hopes to lead the Wolverines to the Frozen Four at Ford Field in April.

For the first time in four years, both the coaches and media agree on the same team in the preseason poll. The Wolverines are always a favorite in the conference, as they have qualified for the NCAA Tournament 19 years in a row. That is quite an astonishing streak considering the amount of turnover due to graduations and players turning professional. Like Michigan State in basketball, Michigan hockey has the chance to play for a national title in its own backyard as it’s only 44 miles from Yost Ice Arena to Ford Field. Look for Miami and Notre Dame to challenge Michigan at the top of the standings, with Miami taking the tournament championship.

WCHA: Pioneers are Head of the Class

Denver finished last season with a bad taste in its mouth. One of the top teams in the nation, they lost to #5 seed Minnesota- Duluth in the WCHA Championship game. The following weekend they lost in the first round to eventual runners-up Miami. The Pioneers look to bounce back in what was a down year for the league as only three teams qualified for the tournament. A sharp contrast compared to 2005 when five teams qualified and all Frozen Four participants came from the WCHA. There’s several teams that can challenge the Pioneers, including Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Look for the Badgers to take the conference title this season.

ECAC: Bulldogs are Favored in Both Polls

Last season, Yale won both the regular-season and conference championships. They earned a #2 seed in the East Regional before losing in the first round to Vermont. Both the coaches and media are picking the Bulldogs to repeat. They return virtually all of their offense as each of their top-ten scorers return for this season. While Yale is the favorite, don’t sleep on contenders Cornell and Princeton.

Atlantic Hockey: Air Force Looks to Keep Flying High

Air Force has qualified for the NCAA Tournament each of the last three seasons. Last season, they tied for the regular-season championship with RIT, but it was the Falcons who not only won the Atlantic Hockey Tournament, but upset #4 seed Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Falcons are picked to win the conference again this season, but expect the Tigers and Mercyhurst Lakers to take a shot at knocking down the Falcons.

Bemidji State will have to go through Niagra if they want to achieve the same magic as last season.

College Hockey America: Beavers and Purple Eagles Split Final CHA Preseason Poll

In the final season of College America, Bemidji State and Niagra are head of the class while Robert Morris and Alabama- Huntsville follow behind. With four teams in the conference, it feels like a band going out on tour one last time before disbanding. The Beavers are going to the WCHA next season, while Robert Morris and Niagra are moving to Atlantic Hockey. The Chargers are still looking for a conference after being denied by the CCHA over the summer. The Beavers were the Cinderella team last season, advancing to the Frozen Four in Washington D.C. as a #4 seed. Only one team will come out of this conference, will the Beavers qualify again? Will the Purple Eagles want some of the Cinderella magic the Beavers had this season? Expect Bemidji State to take the conference title again.