Comley and Russell named Penrose finalists

Michigan State head coach Rick Comley is one of 11 coaches named finalists for the Spencer Penrose Award, given annually to the top NCAA Division I coach by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA).

To be a finalist for this award, a coach must either be voted Coach of the Year in his conference or take his team to the NCAA Frozen Four.

Comley is one of five previous winners on this year’s list of finalists, as he captured the award in 1980 and again in 1991 while the head coach at Northern Michigan. This is his first time as a finalist since coming to Michigan State.

Comley is joined by St. Lawrence’s Joe Marsh (1989 and 2000) as the only two-time winners on this year’s list of finalists; other previous winners include Dick Umile of New Hampshire (1999); Tim Whitehead of Maine (2002); and Jerry York of Boston College (1977 winner at Clarkson).

In addition to the previous winners, North Dakota’s third-year mentor Dave Hakstol makes the list, as he has guided his Fighting Sioux club into the Frozen Four for the third straight year. Army’s Brian Riley and Niagara’s Dave Burkholder are repeat finalists from a year ago, while WCHA Co-Coaches of the Year Bob Motzko of St. Cloud and Jamie Russell of Michigan Tech make the list.

CCHA Coach of the Year (and Michigan State graduate), Notre Dame’s Jeff Jackson, is a finalist for the first time in over a decade. He coached at Lake Superior in the early 1990s, guiding the Lakers to two national championships.

The Spencer Penrose Award is named in honor of the former Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first 10 NCAA hockey championships. It will be presented at the AHCA Coach of the Year Banquet on Saturday, April 28, in Naples, Fla.

2007 Spencer Penrose Finalists
Dave Burkholder, Niagara*
Rick Comley, Michigan State#@
Dave Hakstol, North Dakota#
Jeff Jackson, Notre Dame*
Joe Marsh, St. Lawrence*@
Bob Motzko, St. Cloud State*
Brian Riley, Army*
Jamie Russell, Michigan Tech*
Dick Umile, New Hampshire*@
Tim Whitehead, Maine#@
Jerry York, Boston College#@

* Conference Coach of the Year
# NCAA "Frozen Four" participant
@ Previous winner of the Spencer Penrose Award

Dexter's Ehn named to Hobey Hat Trick

Air Force junior Eric Ehn has been named to the Hobey Hat Trick as one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, college hockey's most prestigious individual honor.

This year's winner will be announced Friday, April 6, at 6 p.m. CT in St. Louis. ESPNU will broadcast the Hobey Presentation live, followed by the Hockey Humanitarian Award and NCAA Skills Challenge as part of “Friday Night at the Frozen Four."

All three finalists, Ehn, North Dakota forward Ryan Duncan and Notre Dame goalie David Brown will be present for the presentation.

A center from Dexter, Ehn finished the season second in the nation in scoring with 1.60 points per game, just .08 behind the national leader from Michigan, T.J. Hensick. Ehn has 24 goals and 40 assists for 64 points in 40 games. Ehn led the nation in scoring 14 of the last 18 weeks. He ranks 11th in the nation in goals and second in assists.

Ehn becomes the first Air Force hockey player, and first ever service academy player, selected to the Hobey Hat Trick. He is also the first player named to the final three who is not a member of one of the four major conferences. Three other players were named to the list of 10 finalists, but none moved on to the final three. Those three players were Iona’s Ryan Carter (MAAC) in 2002, Niagara’s Joe Tallari (CHA) in 2003 and Quinnipiac’s Reid Cashman (AHA) in 2005.

The Atlantic Hockey Association Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection, Ehn scored in 31 of the 40 games. He became the first Falcon to score more than 60 points in 27 years. His 40 assists are the most by a Falcon in 31 years. Ehn set a new AHA record for points in a season in conference games with 45 points (16-29-45). In six games against teams from the Big Four conferences, Ehn had four goals, five points and was a +3.

The top vote-getter in phase two of the Hobey Baker fan voting, Ehn’s accomplishments extend well beyond the rink. He was an academic all-conference selection in 2005-06 as a systems engineering management major and maintains a 3.00 GPA, carrying 36 credits in two semesters this season. He spent two-thirds of this past summer in Air Force Academy-sponsored programs. Ehn attended Operation Air Force at Hill Air Force, Utah to experience the operational Air Force and also, worked Basic Cadet Training to prepare the incoming class of 2010 for the school year.

“This is a huge honor on the personal level, but is even bigger for the team and the program,” Ehn said. “Anytime you get recognized for any award is great, especially one as big as this. I could not be happier for the team to get this kind of recognition and publicity. Hockey is certainly not a game played by one guy, and I think recognition like this shows that we have some pretty good hockey players with some talent here at the Academy. (Andrew Ramsey) is going to St. Louis as well for the skills competition so this is definitely not about just one guy.”

The criteria for the award, which was first given to Minnesota’s Neal Broten in 1981, is: 1. Candidates must exhibit strength of character both on and off the ice; 2. Candidates must contribute to the integrity of the team and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game; 3. Consideration should be given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship; and 4. Candidates must comply with all NCAA rules: be full time students in an accredited NCAA college or university; and complete 50% or more of the season.

A standout hockey and football player at Princeton, Hobey Baker was a fighter pilot in World War I. Prior to returning from France, he was killed at the age of 26 while testing a repaired aircraft in 1918. Baker is a charter member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and one of a handful of Americans to be inducted into Canada's Hockey Hall of Fame. He is a member of Princeton's Hall of Fame, both football and hockey.

Photo courtesy Air Force media relations/Danny Meyer, Rohmann Joint Venture

It's official - Johnson leaves Michigan for NHL

Michigan's 8-5 loss to North Dakota last night at the Denver regional was the last game for seven Michigan seniors and now, it appears sophomore defenseman Jack Johnson is also leaving Ann Arbor - but for the NHL.

According to the Michigan Daily, Johnson flew to Los Angeles after last night's game to join the Kings, while the rest of the Wolverines flew back to Michigan.

"I thought I was ready for a new challenge," Johnson told the paper. "With all my close friends, the seniors, gone now and everything, I thought it was time for me to pretty much go for a new challenge."

The 20-year-old Ann Arbor native came to Michigan already drafted third overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. Some believed Johnson should have signed with Carolina then, but he stood behind his decision to play for the Wolverines. The Hurricanes offered multiple contracts to Johnson throughout his first year, but on Oct. 1, 2006, after Johnson had rejected another offer, Carolina traded his rights and defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky to Los Angeles for forward Eric Belanger and defenseman Tim Gleason.

Johnson notified Michigan head coach Red Berenson of his decision a week ago.

"I have no regrets about coming here, being a Wolverine," Johnson added. "I'm still proud as hell to be one."

MONDAY UPDATE:

--In today's Ann Arbor News, Johnson says it's not a done deal.

TUESDAY UPDATES:

--It IS a done deal, says Johnson in today's Ann Arbor News.

--Red Berenson responds in a U of M press release.

Bulldogs get commitment from Graham for '08-09

Mahoning Valley Phantoms center Derek Graham has accepted a scholarship to play college hockey at Ferris State University beginning in the 2008-09 season.

“It happened so quickly that I’m still a bit overwhelmed,” Graham said. "(Ferris State) coach (Bob) Daniels watched me a few weekends ago up in Alpena. He stayed another day to see a second game. Two days later, I was given an offer.”

“Derek is just another guy who has worked hard and can now look forward to the next part of his life,” Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt said of the Schoolcraft native.

Graham becomes the second Phantom to head to Ferris State, joining former Phantom and current sophomore defenseman Evan Case. He has followed the Bulldogs since he began playing hockey at the Mite level.

“I went to their summer hockey camps when I was eight until I was twelve,” Graham said. “They’ve been a top choice of mine for some time.”

With his commitment secured more than a year in advance, Graham will return next fall for a second stint with the Phantoms.

Mainhardt joked, “It breaks my heart that we’ll have him for another season.”

In 51 games this season, Graham has 57 points on 18 goals and 39 assists, tying him for 18th in North American Hockey League scoring. Among his 39 assists include 22 on the power play, tying him for fourth in the NAHL.

Graham has seen numerous parts of his game improve over the course of the season and plans to utilize next season to hone other skills.

“I’m doing pretty well with my vision, distributing the puck and being in power play situations,” said Graham. “I want to get bigger and stronger this summer. But for now, I’d like to be more consistent and improve my shot.”

The Phantoms center has his eyes focused on the ultimate team prize now that his decision on where to play at the next level is taken care of.

“I can begin to relax and move on now,” Graham said. “It gets easier to focus on and work harder towards the next game and, ultimately, a chance at winning a national championship.”

Spartans edge Irish, off to St. Louis

Michigan State got goals from Chris Mueller and Tim Kennedy and a spectacular effort from Jeff Lerg in net to earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory over top-ranked Notre Dame on Saturday evening in the NCAA Midwest Regional final in Grand Rapids.

By virtue of the win, the Spartans advance to the Frozen Four for the 11th time overall and first time since 2001.

Michigan State, which improved to 24-13-3 with the win, will play Maine in the national semifinals on Thursday, April 5 in St. Louis at the Scottrade Center. The NCAA Championship game will be played on Saturday, April 7.

"It was a great hockey game and I want to commend Notre Dame on a great season," MSU head coach Rick Comley said. "They just kept coming at us. Both the BU team last night (a 5-1 win for MSU) and this team tonight were very tough. As we have done all year, we were a very resilient team. We have had the tendency to get ahead and then give up leads, so you never know what is going to happen, but obviously we held on. We are very excited to be in this situation."

Lerg, who finished with 19 saves, said he was out to make a statement this weekend.

"First off, I have said all along that these guys (BU goalie John Curry and Notre Dame goalie David Brown) deserve all the recognition they get," Lerg said. "They have been numbers one and two in the nation all year. But, I know that when I am on my game and keep things simple, I can compete with anyone. I know that if I can make all the saves I am supposed to plus two or three big ones, I give the team a chance to win. I was confident, and I knew I couldn't let a weak one in or they would have shut the door at the other end. It was just one of those things where I wanted to make a statement and prove myself. We have had an up and down year, but things are on the up now."

Brown made 23 saves for Notre Dame, a team that crept back into the game late in the third period. A Brett Blatchford (Temperance) slapshot from the left point was deflected by winger Evan Rankin (Portage) at the right post over the glove hand of Lerg to pull the Irish to within a goal. Despite a penalty against the Spartans and Brown pulled in favor of an extra skater, the Spartan defense was up to the task and held on for the one-goal victory.

Kennedy, Mueller and Tyler Howells were named to the All-Tournament Team, while Lerg earned Regional MVP honors.

Wolverines one and done in Denver regional

It was a sour ending for Michigan's season Saturday night as the Wolverines suffered an 8-5 loss to North Dakota in the opening game of the West Regional in Denver.

Michign scored twice in the first minute of the first and second periods, but only one goal the rest of the game.

Billy Sauer was mediocre in net and finished with 19 saves.

T.J. Hensick led the Wolverines with a pair of goals and a helper, while Kevin Porter and Andrew Cogliano each chipped in a marker and an assist. Chris Summers netted the other goal for UM (26-14-1).

Hensick earned a 10-minute misconduct at 7:34 of the third period for yelling at the ref and once he came back on the ice, lost a faceoff in the Fighting Sioux end that ultimately led to an empty-net goal by T.J. Oshie, completing his hat trick.

"It was extremely frustrating, considering I didn't think I deserved a 10-minute, considering I've only had one I think in my entire career," said Hensick. "For the ref to do what he did, to take me out of the game for 10 minutes in a critical situation was unlikely to happen. The ref tried to take control of the game. I just think he should have done it earlier in the game."

"I think it's important when you get to this level that everyone understand what the standard is," said an upset Wolverines' head coach Red Berenson.

Michigan will graduate seven seniors (Hensick, captain Matt Hunwick, Jason Dest, Tim Cook, David Rohlfs, Mike Mayhew and Morgan Ward) and may lose defenseman Jack Johnson (Los Angeles) and Cogliano (Edmonton) to the NHL.

Stay tuned this summer.