Women Usher in 2007-2008 Season

The Clarkson Women's Hockey Team ushered in another season of hockey at Cheel Arena as they defeated Stoney Creek 3-0 at Cheel Arena on Saturday. Lauren Dahm faced the immense task of being the newest netminder for the Knights as she earned her first shut-out. Marie-Jo Gaudet keeping right up with last year's form tallied a goal (the game winner). Melissa Waldie and Brooke Beazer tallied the other two goals for the Knights.

The women kick off their regular season next weekend against Wayne State

ECAC Preview

Brown University Bears

Last Year's Finish - 11th
Last Year's CHF Predicted Finish - 12th

Key Losses - Sean Dersch F, Antonin Roux F, Brian Ihnacak F

Key Returnees - Jeff Prough Sr. F, Sean Hurley Sr. D, Brian McNary Sr. F

Brown seems to be the enigma of the league. Head coach Roger Grillo and his staff search high and low amongst the recruits and always seem to find some diamonds in the rough, particularly in the facet of goaltending. Brown always has a goalie that can stop 55 shots and steal his team a win. Usually in the most inopportune time for the opponent. Unfortunately for Brown the talent in net has not produced the results on the ice. This can mainly be attested to a defense that allows on average about 33 shots per game. When a team is giving up that many chances in a game a goalie can only do so much to preserve a victory.

Last year was more of the same from the Brown Bears. A freshman phenom goalie named Dan Rosen made headlines in the first half of the year. Brown took some games from some of the league heavyweights and was looking to make a run in the second half of the year. This did not happen as the Bears lost 11 of their last 18 and sputtered to a 11th place finish. In classic Brown fashion the Bears took the first game at Hobey Baker rink, but fell to the Tigers in the first round of the playoffs.

Brown returns their top three scorers but will bring back a defense that will be considered shaky at best. Hurley needs to be a leader and draft pick Paul Baier will need to step up his game and play to the NHL level talent he is expected to have. The defense must reduce the number of shots on Rosen. The offensive output of the team is not enough to over come the bad game from Rosen, or even the average game. For Brown to have success they will need to overcome the gaps in their defense, and with the talent they have now, we just don't see that happening.

Much like every team in the league, the Brown Bears should not be taken lightly. Prough is a talented goal scorer and McNary can be dangerous. As shown in the past years when teams take Brown lightly they usually leave with a loss. Brown could surprise a couple of teams along the way, but this will be the exception to the rule.

Brown has been in this position before. Riding in with low expectations and riding a goaltender to a surprise finish. However the stress of a season where the goaltender is expected to shoulder a near impossible load usually does not bode well for the Bears.


Best Case Finish - 9th
Worst Case Finish - 12th

Clarkson Hockey Fan's Prediction - 11th

Awakening from a deep slumber.

It’s funny how this sort of works. We’re in the middle of pennant races with our favorite baseball teams and Notre Dame’s football team nearly has half as many losses as their hockey team had all of last season. Suddenly it hits us like a bucket of cold water. It’s hockey time.

The first inkling that something was up was when NHL08 suddenly appeared on my radar about two weeks ago, complete with AHL rosters, but sans Shawn Weller and Matt Nickerson who I just wanted to skate into people and get into fights with.

Then I start getting blasted with about 500 e-mails from the Boston Bruins about how this is going to be the year (to finish ninth… it’s called Bruins!) Suddenly the B’s are playing their first official preseason game of the season, when I come to the realization that Clarkson steps onto the ice for their first game of the season in under three weeks.

The expectations placed on this team are certainly the greatest in over 15 years. Major college hockey outlets were already making the prediction of a Frozen Four berth. The only reason that the statement sounds outlandish was because it was made in June when it was 95 out.

Scheduling wise this is the hardest schedule I can remember ever seeing, but as a fan, you’ve got to be pumped. There are a ridiculous number of opportunities for road tripping and this is JUST for the home games. This year’s home schedule will need fans to show up more than ever as five of the toughest games of the season will be played when students are not on campus (St. Cloud (2), Colgate, Cornell, and Boston College.

The Golden Knights actually have some destinations for road trippers this year as they’ll play a two game series with Colorado College, and they’ll go down to Florida for holiday tournament play.

Even if you can’t travel, it looks like the Knights will be televised at minimum twice this year on national outlets, including Sunday, October 6th against St. Lawrence on ESPNU

There’s suddenly a lot to think about hockey-wise over the next couple of weeks, and we haven’t even delved into the tremendous talent that is returning to Cheel Arena this season, and the solid corps of rookies that will be joining them.

We’ll be weighing in with our traditional season previews, weekly updates, and hard hitting interviews with local celebrities. Please be sure to visit CHF several times a week for what we hope will be our finest season yet!


Quick News and Notes:

• Chris Clark ’98 of the Washington Capitals received a three year extension after putting up career bests in scoring this year
  
• Kent Huskins’ 01’ contract with Anaheim was extended for two years after his Stanley Cup victory.
  
• Brodie Rutherglen ‘07 was signed on September 13rd to a contract with the Corpus Christi Rayz of the CHL.
  
• Jeff Genovy ‘06 re-signed with the Laredo Bucks of the CHL and is joined by former Clarkson goaltender Dustin Traylen.
  
• Chris Lipsett ’96 returns to the Armarillo Gorillas of the CHL as player and assistant coach.
  
• Kyle McNulty ‘07 signed with the Muskegon Fury of the IHL
  
• Kira Hurley ‘07, former women’s goaltender and All-American has signed with the Mon Valley Thunder of the MAHL, a new “Premier ‘A’ League”
  
• Ashley Shaidle ‘07, has been named an assistant for the Union Dutchmen Women’s Hockey Team
  
• Phil Roy ’00 was named head coach of Neumann in Division-III ECAC West Play
  

Back At It

Clarkson Hockey Fans are back on the air!

Coming up right now the ECAC Preview!

Union College Dutchmen

Last Year's Finish - 12th
Last Year's CHF Predicted Finish - 10th

Key Losses - TJ Fox F JR, Oliver Bouchard F SR

Key Returnees - Justin Mrazk G SR, Josh Coyle F SR, Lane Caffaro D JR

After an up and down season last year Union will be looking to rebound from off season losses both on and off the ice. The Dutchmen got off to a nice start with a 5-3-2 record before December 1st. Stringing together a decent January and February, head coach Nate Leaman had the Dutchmen looking to play the upset roll down the stretch. However when February rolled around the Dutchmen tanked finishing 1-8-1 in their last 10 games, and were swept out of the ECAC playoffs by Quinnipiac.

However all was not gloomy for Union, the Dutchmen put up a fight at Quinnipiac and the line of TJ Fox, Torin DelForte and Josh Coyle had put up 81 points during the year. Union had wins over Clarkson, Dartmouth and UMass in their pocket, definite building blocks for a new year. When TJ Fox signed with the San Jose Sharks, Union's best prospects went with him.

Losing Fox leaves Union without their leading scorer and turns up the pressure on now returning leading scorer Josh Coyle to carry the team. A team that was outscored by 20 goals last year in ECAC play. And a team that gave up five goals or more 10 times and scored less than three goals 21 times over the year. Coyle will have to live up to the demands or the Dutchmen might not see 10 wins this year.

In net Justin Mrazek has had what could be the oddest statistical four years for a goalie in the history of the school. Despite his career 18-31-5 record Mrazek still has a 2.83 GAA and a save percentage above .900, numbers that are quite respectable. The problem occurs when you look at Unions offense in front of him. Mrazek will see alot of shots this season, especially with the loss of defender Sean Striech, however junior Lane Cafarro and sophomore Michael Benyon will look to fill Striech's skates and will rack up plenty of minutes.

The Dutchmen are in a rebuilding year this season, but with a couple of good bounces they could put together a run and play spoiler in the first round of the playoffs. However the outlook for the season is not too bright in Schenectady this season.

Best Case Finish - 9th
Worst Case Finish - 12th

Clarkson Hockey Fan's Prediction - 12th