Report: WSU to host both CHA tourneys

Wayne State may host the CHA Tournaments at the Fairgrounds
in Detroit (photo courtesy of Laszo Regos Photography)

According to a story on Inside College Hockey, Wayne State will host both CHA Tournaments (men's and women's) next March at the State Fairgrounds Coliseum in Detroit.

Wayne State played at the Coliseum during their inaugural 1999-2000 season. The arena holds 5,500 and would be an ideal spot for the six-team tournament the weekend of March 9-12.

The men's tournament was staged in Grand Rapids, Minn., this season and has also been held in Kearney, Neb., and on the campuses of CHA members Niagara and Alabama-Huntsville.

The women's tournament was held on Mercyhurst's campus this year, Niagara last year and at the City Sports Arena in Detroit in 2003.

Both tournament finals would ideally be played on the same day as a doubleheader, the INCH story adds, as CSTV would broadcast both.

Wayne State personnel would not comment.

Check out the INCH scoop here.

Bulldogs Add Scoring Punch

The Ferris State Bulldogs continued a busy off-season by announcing forward Brendan Connolly will attend school and hit the ice in Big Rapids starting with the 2005-2006 hockey season.

The Canmore, Alberta native spent the last two seasons with the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Connolly notched a team-leading 84 points with 31 goals and 53 assists in 58 games last season as the Bandits compiled a 36-26-2 overall record for 74 points in the AJHL’s South Division.

5-8, 165-pound Connolly may add a good mix of scoring and grit for head coach Bob Daniels after leading his junior squad with a team-high 210 minutes in penalties last season.

“We’re excited in being able to add a player of Brendans’ caliber this late in the recruiting season,” said Daniels, in an official FSU press release. “He’s a quick, skilled player that really plays on the edge. We hope he can provide some offense this upcoming season.”

Connolly is the fifth forward to be signed in this recruiting class, joining Traverse City’s Cory Couturier, Justin Lewandowski, Rochester Hills native Dan Riedel, and J.T. Dahlinger. The Bulldogs also inked blue line help in Waterford’s Chris Zarb and Grosse Pointe Woods native Evan Case along with adding goaltender Mitch O’Keefe.