Ferris State's run ends in regional final

By Tom Morelli/Ferris State Beat Writer

Ferris State's chance of completing their unfinished business from two years ago was nixed on Saturday night after losing a 2-1 double-overtime thriller to North Dakota at the Midwest Regional Championship in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Both teams mirrored each other from the beginning, with neither one able to find the back of the net in the first period.

The Bulldogs grabbed the initial lead at the 7:31 mark of the second, thanks to senior Cory Kane's 14th goal of the campaign from between the faceoff circles. Fellow classmate Andy Huff and junior netminder C.J. Motte were both credited with assists on that play.

Just over three minutes later, North Dakota was able to even-up matters while on the man-advantage. Nick Mattson fed a one-timer to Paul LaDue at the blue line, which was subsequently deflected in by Stephane Pattyn from just outside the crease.

The contest remained deadlocked at one goal apiece until Connor Gaarder of North Dakota netted the game-winner off a back-handed redirect in front with 1:28 elapsed in the second overtime session. On a play that was eerily similar to the previous goal, North Dakota's Mattson and LaDue both picked-up their second helpers of the evening.

Despite the loss, Ferris State head coach Bob Daniels was very supportive of his team after the game.

"First of all, I want congratulate North Dakota in winning tonight and playing a great game," said Daniels. "[But] I want to congratulate our players as well. They really played well, and, more importantly, it's been a great ride. I'm exceedingly proud and realize that we're going to look back and be appreciative of this year. Its a little painful right now, but I am very appreciative of the efforts of our team."

The Bulldogs outshot their opposition 45-26, increasing their shot production gradually as the game wore on.

Motte had 24 saves to finish his second season as a starter with a 28-9-3 ledger. At the other end of the ice, Zane Gothberg made 44 stops to notch his 20th win of the season.

Senior captain Scott Czarnowczan, Kane and Motte were named to the All-Midwest Regional Tournament Team, where they were joined by North Dakota's Rocco Grimaldi, Gaarder and LaDue.

Ferris State finishes the 2013-2014 season with an overall record of 29-11-3.

Ferris State 1, Colgate 0: In Friday's opening round of 16, freshman Gerald Mayhew knocked in a loose puck at 10:01 in the first period to advance the Bulldogs to the Midwest Regional Championship. Motte stopped all 35 shots to secure his fifth shutout of the season.

FSU secures NCAA bid despite loss in finals

By Tom Morelli/Ferris State Beat Writer

There's no shame in losing, especially when you have the clout that Ferris State has amassed throughout the season.

The Bulldogs bounced past Alaska Anchorage in the WCHA semifinals with a 5-4 overtime win, before being ousted by Minnesota State 4-1 in the championship game.

But the loss comes without consequence, as Ferris State's overall record of 28-10-3 and WCHA regular season title was enough to merit a spot amongst the 16 teams vying for the NCAA Championship.

In their journey to make it to the NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs first had to cross paths with the Seawolves in Friday's semifinal, whom they previously beat twice during the regular season.

Ferris State however found out quickly that this was no walk in the park, after seeing their 2-0 lead in the first disappear with four consecutive goals by Alaska Anchorage by the midpoint of the following period.

Senior forward Garrett Thompson helped spark the Bulldogs' comeback at 12:50, scoring his team-high 16th goal of the campaign courtesy of a 2-on-1 situation. Earning helpers on that play were Justin Buzzeo and Scott Czarnowczan.

Less than three minutes later, another senior came through in the clutch for Ferris State, with Andy Huff finding the back of the net for the game-tying goal.

The Bulldogs needed just 2:38 seconds of the overtime session to finish the job, which came courtesy of a Gerald Mayhew shot from between the faceoff circles that trickled past Seawolves' netminder Chris Kamal.

Goaltender C.J. Motte finished with 34 saves for Ferris State, while Rob Gunderson surrendered four goals on 12 shots for Alaska Anchorage in the first two periods before being pulled. In his 23:38 seconds of relief duty, Kamal had 10 stops to his credit.

Saturday's tournament final was a much tougher challenge for the Bulldogs, who found themselves in a 2-0 hole against the Mavericks after just 20 minutes of action.

It wasn't until the final minute of the second frame that Ferris State responded, thanks to Mayhew's diving effort from outside the crease that cut the deficit in half. Helping to set-up the scoring play were Cory Kane and Huff.

Any chance of a Bulldog comeback was put to rest in the third period, as Brett Knowles notched an insurance goal at the 8:38 mark, followed by Teddy Blueger's empty-netter with four seconds remaining.

Motte (27-8-3) held a narrow edge over counterpart Cole Huggins in the saves department, 28-25.

Mayhew was the only Ferris State player named to the WCHA Final Five All-Tournament Team, joining the likes of Minnesota State's Bryce Gervais, Brett Stern, Blueger and Huggins (tournament MVP).

Up next for the Bulldogs is a first-round draw in the Midwest Regional against Colgate on March 28 at the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. The winner of that game will face either North Dakota or Wisconsin the following night in the regional final.

WCHA announces 2013-2014 honors

WCHA Press Release

 

MADISON, Wis. – University of Alaska forward Cody Kunyk was chosen as Western Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Year and the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s Chad Brears earned WCHA Outstanding-Student Athlete of the Year honors to highlight 2013-14 men’s awards announced by the conference today.

 

The league’s five other major individual awards went to University of Alaska defenseman Colton Parayko as WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, Lake Superior State University forward Alex Globke as WCHA Rookie of the Year, Alaska’s Cody Kunyk as WCHA Scoring Champion, Minnesota State University’s Cole Huggins as WCHA Goaltending Champion, and Bob Daniels of Ferris State University as WCHA Coach of the Year.

 

Kunyk (Sherwood Park, AB) finished the regular season of his senior campaign as the WCHA scoring champion, accruing 34 points on 17 goals and 17 assists in Alaska’s 28 conference games. In the 34-game regular-season schedule, he scored a single-season career-high 42 points with a WCHA-high 22 goals to go with 20 assists. Also named to the All-WCHA First Team and to the WCHA All-Academic Team, Kunyk has recorded five multiple-goal outings this season, including a career-best four goals in the Nanooks’ victory over Alaska Anchorage on March 7. That mark was achieved by only three other collegians during the 2013-14 year. He leads the nation with seven game-winning goals, scored six power-play and two shorthanded goals and owns a stellar +14 plus/minus rating. Kunyk currently ranks 13th all-time on the program’s scoring list with 132 points (60g, 72a) in 145 career games.

 

Brears (Cold Lake, AB), a forward at Alabama Huntsville, was chosen by member team Faculty Representatives as WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year. Majoring in Mechanical Engineering, Brears has maintained a 4.0 GPA in one of the institution’s most difficult degree programs and despite the constant demands of being a student-athlete and the extensive travel involved as a member of the Chargers’ hockey team. He earned WCHA Scholar-Athlete honors in mid-February, is a member of the WCHA All-Academic Team, and is one of his team’s leaders both on and off the ice. He is an enthusiastic participant in mentoring activities with local school children and an all-around great representative of the ethos of college hockey. In 35 games played this season, Brears tied for third on the team in points with 10 and was second on the team in goals scored with six. Brears’ on-ice moment of the year came at Bemidji State on Feb. 28 when he fed a pretty pass to Jack Prince who scored the game-winning goal for a key road victory over a long-time rival. The WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year Award is determined from nominations made by the member institutions and each institution then has one final vote.

 

The league’s 10 head coaches voted Alaska defenseman Colton Parayko (St. Albert, AB) as the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year. An All-WCHA First Team selection as just a sophomore, Parayko finished his second collegiate season as one of the leading offensive defenseman in the league, ranking tied for third with 18 points (4g, 14a) in the 28-game league slate. In Alaska’s 34 regular-season outings, he tallied 23 points (4g, 19a) and led all defenders with 19 assists. Defensively, he is always matched up against the opponents’ top lines and is a leader in ice time. He blocked a nation’s second-best 2.65 blocks per game (90) and owns a standout +17 plus/minus rating. Then Nanooks went 13-5-0 when he recorded at least one point, compared to their 4-8-4 mark when he went without a point. He has had five multiple-point outings during the season and has scored all four of his goals on the power-play.

 

Honored by voters as the WCHA Rookie of the Year for 2013-14 is Lake Superior State University forward Alex Globke, who also earned All-WCHA Rookie Team accolades. Globke (Waterford, MI), who produced 31 points (12g, 19a) to lead the Lakers and played in all 36 games, was one of his club’s most consistent offensive players. As a freshman among a senior-laden squad, Globke produced points at a rapid pace. He lead the WCHA in freshman goals, assists, and points. He currently sits tied for seventh nationally in rookie scoring, while also finishing eighth in overall conference scoring. Globke also finished tied for sixth in overall assists in league play. He produced like an experienced veteran and helped anchor one of the most effective lines in the league with seniors Colin Campbell and Dan Radke. With center Radke out for two straight weeks and gone from the top line, Globke added four assists over the four games against conference foes Michigan Tech and Bemidji State. He has been named conference Rookie of the Week. Globke began his collegiate career with 15 points in his first 12 games including seven in his first six.

 

The WCHA Scoring Champion for 2013-14 is Alaska’s Cody Kunyk while the league goaltending champion is Minnesota State University rookie Cole Huggins. Huggins (Centennial, CO), who has three shutouts in his last four games played heading into the playoffs, owns an overall 17-7-1 won-loss record, a 1.96 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. He has started 15 of the last 17 games for the Mavericks, ranks ninth in the nation in goals-against average, 27th in save percentage and his school-record tying five shutouts on the year is tied for third. Huggins led the league with a 1.73 goals-against average and .794 winning percentage (he was 17-4-1 in league games), tied for the league lead with a .927 save percentage and was named WCHA Rookie of the Week following MSU’s games with Bowling Green (Nov. 15-16) and WCHA Defensive Player of the Week after the Mavericks earned a league road sweep at Lake Superior State (Feb. 28-March 1). He had a career-high 33 saves in 1-0 shutout victory vs. Bowling Green Nov. 9.

 

Chosen as the WCHA Coach of the Year is Bob Daniels of Ferris State University, who led the Bulldogs to the regular season title as first-year league members. In the midst of his 22nd season at the helm and a two-time National Coach of the Year Award recipient, Daniels led the Bulldogs to their second conference championship in the last three years as FSU became only the third program ever to win both the WCHA and the former Central Collegiate Hockey Association titles. The Bulldogs led the league race from wire-to-wire in claiming the fabled MacNaughton Cup and securing the number one seed for the league playoffs. During the 2013-14 season, the Bulldogs established a new school record under Daniels with a nation-leading 16-game unbeaten streak, which lasted from late October until early January. Ferris State did not drop a conference game until the middle of January and the Bulldogs finished the regular-season with a first-place 20-6-2 league slate.

 

Under Daniels’ leadership, Ferris State has compiled a nation-leading 25 wins (25-9-3), the fourth most in school history, and the Bulldogs own one of the country’s top marks on home ice with a 14-1-1 record inside the Ewigleben Ice Arena. FSU, ranked as high as second and among the nation’s top 10 teams each of the last 15 weeks, went unbeaten at home (13-0-1) in conference action and posted its sixth-straight season with increased home attendance. This season’s average of 2,141 fans per game was its best in 32 years. Additionally, Ferris State is also presently sixth in the national PairWise and RPI rankings with the Bulldogs eyeing their third overall NCAA Tournament bid, including the second in three seasons following the memorable 2011-12 run to the national championship game at the NCAA Frozen Four.

 

Four conference teams – Alaska, Alaska Anchorage, Ferris State and Minnesota State – are represented on the All-WCHA First Team, with both the Nanooks and the Mavericks having two honorees each. Named to the All-WCHA First Team, with statistics for league games, were forwards Cody Kunyk (Sr., Alaska, 28 gp, 17-17=34), Matt Bailey (Sr., Alaska Anchorage, 28 gp, 12- 15=27), and Matt Leitner (Jr., Minnesota State, 26 gp, 8-25=33), defensemen Colton Parayko (So., Alaska, 28 gp, 4-14=18) and Zach Palmquist (Jr., Minnesota State, 28 gp, 3-16=19), and goaltender C.J. Motte (Jr., Ferris State, 19-6-2, 2.29, .927).

 

Voted to the All-WCHA Second Team were forwards Jean- Paul Lafontaine (Jr., Minnesota State, 28 gp, 16-16=32), Colton Beck (Sr., Alaska, 28 gp, 11-19=30) and Garrett Thompson (Sr., Ferris State, 28 gp, 11-7=18), defensemen Scott Czarnowczan (Sr., Ferris State, 28 gp, 4-13=17) and Kevin Czuczman (Jr., Lake Superior State, 28 gp, 6-9=15) and goaltender Cole Huggins (Fr., Minnesota State, 17-4-1, 1.73, .927).

 

Named to the All-WCHA Third Team for 2013-14 were forwards Tyler Morley (So., Alaska, 25 gp, 15-14=29), Zach Lehrke (Sr., Minnesota State, 24 gp, 7-18=25) and Johnny McInnis (Sr., Minnesota State, 28 gp, 17-11=28), defensemen Matt Prapavessis (Jr., Bemidji State, 28 gp, 5-12=17) and Jason Binkley (Jr., Ferris State, 26 gp, 2-16=18), and goaltender Kevin Kapalka (Sr., Lake Superior State, 8-9-0, 2.62, .924).

 

And voted to the All-WCHA Rookie Team were forwards Alex Globke (Fr., Lake Superior State, 28 gp, 9-12=21), Marcus Basara (Fr., Alaska, 28 gp, 9-12=21) and Kyle Schempp (Fr., Ferris State, 28 gp, 6-12=18), defensemen Shane Hanna (Fr., Michigan Tech, 28 gp, 4-18=22), Ruslan Pedan (Fr., Bemidji State, 28 gp, 3-8=11) and Sean Flanagan (Fr., Minnesota State, 24 gp, 5-6=11), and goaltender Cole Huggins (Fr., Minnesota State, 17-4-1, 1.73, .927).

 

A repeat all-league honoree from 2012-13 was forward Matt Leitner of Minnesota State, who was an All-WCHA First Team selection this season after being All-WCHA Third Team a season ago. Alaska forward Cody Kunyk, who was an All-WCHA First Team choice, was an All-CCHA Second Team honoree in 2011-12 while Nanooks’ forward Tyler Morley, who was All-WCHA Third Team, was a member of the All-CCHA Rookie Team in 2012-13. And Lake Superior goaltender Kevin Kapalka, an All-WCHA Third Team selection, was named to the All-CCHA Rookie Team in 2010-11.

 

Seven players who were named as major award winners and/or to this season’s all-league teams were also honored as WCHA Scholar-Athletes for 2013-14 back on Feb. 13. They were forward Chad Brears of Alabama Huntsville (WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year), forward Matt Bailey of Alaska Anchorage (All-WCHA First Team), defenseman Colton Parayko of Alaska (WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, All-WCHA First Team), Bemidji State defenseman Matt Prapavessis (All-WCHA Third Team), Ferris State defenseman Jason Binkley (All-WCHA Third Team), Lake Superior State defenseman Kevin Czuczman (All-WCHA Second Team) and Lakers’ goaltender Kevin Kapalka (All-WCHA Third Team). To earn recognition as a WCHA Scholar- Athlete, student-athletes must have completed at least one year of residency at their present institution prior to the current academic year and must also have a grade-point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale for the previous two semesters or three quarters, or may qualify if his or her overall GPA is at least 3.50 for all terms at his or her present institution.

 

Major award winners and/or members named to all-league teams who were also earned 2013-14 WCHA All-Academic Team honors were: Chad Brears of Alabama Huntsville (WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year), Matt Bailey of Alaska Anchorage (All-WCHA First Team), Alaska’s Colton Beck (All- WCHA Second Team), Cody Kunyk (WCHA Player of the Year, All-WCHA First Team), Tyler Morley (All-WCHA Third Team) and Colton Parayko (WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, All-WCHA First Team), Bemidji State’s Matt Prapavessis (All-WCHA Third Team), Ferris State’s Scott Czarnowczan (All-WCHA Second Team) and C.J. Motte (All-WCHA First Team), Lake Superior State’s Kevin Czuczman (All-WCHA Second Team) and Kevin Kapalka (All-WCHA Third Team), and Minnesota State’s Zach Lehrke (All-WCHA Third Team) and Zach Palmquist (All-WCHA First Team).

 

Voting for WCHA awards and all-league teams is done by member team head and assistant coaches and captains or sports information directors. Each team receives four ballots for a total of 40 voters. Points for awards and all-league teams are awarded on a 5-point (1st team vote), 3-point (2nd team vote), and 1-point (3rd team vote) basis. The WCHA Outstanding Student- Athlete of the Year award is administered by member team Faculty Athletic Representatives. The WCHA Defensive Player of the Year is chosen by the league’s 10 head coaches.

 

WCHA Player of the Year

Cody Kunyk • Forward, Senior, University of Alaska (Sherwood Park, AB)

 

WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year

Chad Brears • Forward, Sophomore, University of Alabama in Huntsville (Cold Lake, AB)

 

WCHA Defensive Player of the Year

Colton Parayko • Defenseman, Sophomore, University of Alaska (St. Albert, AB)

 

WCHA Rookie of the Year

Alex Globke • Forward, Freshman, Lake Superior State University (Waterford, MI)

 

WCHA Scoring Champion

Cody Kunyk • Forward, Senior, University of Alaska (Sherwood Park, AB)

 

WCHA Goaltending Champion

Cole Huggins • Freshman, Goaltender, Minnesota State University (Centennial, CO)

 

WCHA Coach of the Year

Bob Daniels • Ferris State University

 

 

2013-14 All-WCHA First Team

Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown 2013-14 WCHA Stats

F Cody Kunyk Alaska 5-11 197 Sr Sherwood Park, AB 28 gp, 17-17=34

F Matt Bailey Alaska Anchorage 6-1 196 Sr Oakbank, MB 28 gp, 12-15=27

F Matt Leitner Minnesota State 5-9 175 Jr Los Alamitos, CA 26 gp, 8-25=33

D Colton Parayko Alaska 6-5 218 So St. Albert, AB 28 gp, 4-14=18

D Zach Palmquist Minnesota State 6-0 175 Jr South St. Paul, MN 28 gp, 3-16=19

G C.J. Motte Ferris State 6-0 190 Jr St. Clair, MI 19-6-2, 2.29, .927

 

2013-14 All-WCHA Second Team

Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown 2013-14 WCHA Stats

F Jean-Paul Lafontaine Minnesota State 5-10 172 Jr Oxford, MI 28 gp, 16-16=32

F Colton Beck Alaska 5-11 187 Sr Langley, BC 28 gp, 11-19=30

F Garrett Thompson Ferris State 6-2 191 Sr Traverse City, MI 28 gp, 11-7=18

D Scott Czarnowczan Ferris State 5-10 176 Sr Macomb, MI 28 gp, 4-13=17

D Kevin Czuczman Lake Superior State 6-3 205 Jr Port Elgin, ON 28 gp, 6-9=15

G Cole Huggins Minnesota State 6-0 180 Fr Centennial, CO 17-4-1, 1.73, .927

 

2013-14 All-WCHA Third Team

Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown 2013-14 WCHA Stats

F Tyler Morley Alaska 5-8 174 So Burnaby, BC 25 gp, 15-14=29

F Zach Lehrke Minnesota State 5-8 170 Sr Park Rapids, MN 24 gp, 7-18=25

F Johnny McInnis Minnesota State 6-1 195 Sr Boston, MA 28 gp, 17-11=28

D Matt Prapavessis Bemidji State 6-1 183 Jr Oakville, ON 28 gp, 5-12=17

D Jason Binkley Ferris State 5-9 191 Jr Powell, OH 26 gp, 2-16=18

G Kevin Kapalka Lake Superior State 6-1 206 Sr Mississauga, ON 8-9-0, 2.62, .924

 

2013-14 All-WCHA Rookie Team

Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown 2013-14 WCHA Stats

F Alex Globke Lake Superior State 6-3 206 Fr Waterford, MI 28 gp, 9-12=21

F Marcus Basara Alaska 6-0 197 Fr Port Moody, BC 28 gp, 9-12=21

F Kyle Schempp Ferris State 6-0 178 Fr Saginaw, MI 28 gp, 6-12=18

D Shane Hanna Michigan Tech 5-11 190 Fr Salmon Arm, BC 28 gp, 4-18=22

D Ruslan Pedan Bemidji State 6-0 190 Fr Moscow, Russia 28 gp, 3-8=11

D Sean Flanagan Minnesota State 6-1 180 Fr Kindersly, SK 24 gp, 5-6=11

G Cole Huggins Minnesota State 6-0 180 Fr Centennial, CO 17-4-1, 1.73, .927

CCHA releases 2013 All-Conference Teams

 

CCHA Press Release

Seven teams are represented on the 2013 CCHA All-Conference teams, highlighted by Miami’s pair of First-Team selections and Western Michigan’s three overall honorees. Miami is the only school with two First-Team selections, with sophomore forward Austin Czarnik and freshman forward Riley Barber debuting on the CCHA All-Conference team.

Czarnik, who tied for the most first-place votes with eight, finished the season in fourth place in both conference scoring (8-18-26) and overall scoring (11-22-33), while fellow RedHawks forward Riley Barber led the league in overall scoring as a freshman with 15 goals and 36 points. Rounding out the forwards on the First Team, Notre Dame junior Anders Lee picked up seven first-place votes, the third most among all players. Lee finished with a league-best +18 in conference action while placing second in the goal-scoring race with 14 conference goals and 18 overall tallies.

 

The First Team’s blue line is anchored by Michigan freshman defenseman Jacob Trouba, who tied Czarnik with eight first-place votes. Trouba led all defensemen in scoring in conference play, recording seven goals and 18 points. His defensive partner is Western Michigan junior Dan DeKeyser (pictured), who earned six first-place votes. Backstopping the First Team is Ohio State senior goaltender Brady Hjelle, who also picked up six first-place votes. Hjelle posted a league-best four conference shutouts, while his .937 save percentage and 1.89 goals-against average were second best among CCHA netminders, and tops among goalies playing at least 50 percent of his team’s minutes.

 

Western Michigan senior defenseman Luke Witkowski, who scored two power-play goals among his seven conference points, and Western Michigan sophomore goaltender Frank Slubowski, who started all 28 conference games and paced all goaltenders with 15 conference wins, were named to the Second Team. Ohio State sophomore forward Tanner Fritz leads the forwards on the Second Team after topping the conference in both assists (23) and scoring with 32 points. Bowing Green also has a pair of Second-Team selections in sophomore forward Ryan Carpenter and senior defenseman Bobby Shea. Carpenter led the Falcons in scoring, potting 12 goals and 21 points in conference action, while Shea led all defensemen with 15 assists and a +14 rating. Rounding out the Second Team is Alaska senior forward Andy Taranto, who led the Nanooks in conference scoring with a 7-15-22 scoring line.

 

The teams were selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches and are based on performance in conference games. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

 

2012-13 CCHA All-Conference Teams
 

First Team

Position	Name, Year, School	First	Totals
Forward	Austin Czarnik, SO, Miami	8	46
Forward	Anders Lee, JR, Notre Dame	7	44
Forward	Riley Barber, FR, Miami	5	40
Defense	Jacob Trouba, FR, Michigan	8	43
Defense	Dan DeKeyser, JR, Western Michigan	6	36
Goaltender	Brady Hjelle, SR, Ohio State	6	39

 

                                              Second Team

Position	Name, Year, School	First	Totals
Forward	Tanner Fritz, SO, Ohio State	2	32
Forward	Ryan Carpenter, SO, Bowling Green	1	22
Forward	Andy Taranto, SR, Alaska	2	20
Defense	Luke Witkowski, SR, Western Michigan	3	26
Defense	Bobby Shea, SR, Bowling Green	2	25
Goaltender	Frank Slubowski, SO, Western Michigan	4	27

 

Vote Values: 1st place = 5, 2nd place = 3, 3rd place = 1

Honorable Mention (next six point totals, regardless of position with first team-votes in parentheses): Ryan Dzingel, SO, F, Ohio State, (2) 17; Domenic Monardo, SR, F, Lake Superior, (2) 16; Kyle Bonis, SR, F, Ferris State, (1) 16; Matthew Caito, FR, D, Miami, (1) 15; CJ Motte, SO, G, Ferris State, 14; Bryan Rust, JR, F, Notre Dame, 11.

 

Others receiving votes: Forwards - T.J. Tynan, JR, Notre Dame, (1) 8; Chase Balisy, JR, Western Michigan, 8; Cody Kunyk, JR, Alaska, (1) 6; Matt Thurber, SR, Northern Michigan, 4; Dane Walters, SR, Western Michigan, 4; Cristoval Nieves, FR, Michigan, 1; Reed Seckel, SO, Northern Michigan, 1; Garrett Thompson, JR, Ferris State, 1. Defensemen - Robbie Russo, SO, Notre Dame, (1) 9; Mac Bennett, JR, Michigan, (1) 8; Colton Parayko, FR, Alaska, 8; Jason Binkley, SO, Ferris State, 6; Simon Denis, SO, Ferris State, 6; Craig Dalrymple, FR, Ohio State, 4; Steven Spinell, SR, Miami, 4; Trevor Campbell, SO, Alaska, 3; Scott Macaulay, SR, Northern Michigan, 3; Curtis Gedig, JR, Ohio State, 1; CJ Ludwig, JR, Northern Michigan, 1. Goaltenders - Andrew Hammond, SR, Bowling Green, 8; Jared Coreau, JR, Northern Michigan, 6.

Photo courtesy of Western Michigan Athletics

CCHA names seven players to All-Rookie Team

CCHA Press Release

Four schools had one student-athlete named to the 2013 CCHA All-Rookie Team, with Miami University boasting three selections. This marks the 25th year that the conference has named an all-rookie team. Thirteen freshmen garnered at least one vote.

Determined by a vote of the conference’s head coaches, the team will be honored at the 2013 CCHA Awards on Friday, March 22, at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. The 2013 CCHA Championship is March 23-24 at Joe Louis Arena. Tickets and more information are available at CCHA.com.
 

2013 CCHA All-Rookie Team

Riley Barber	Forward	Miami University	Livonia, Mich.
Mario Lucia	Forward	University of Notre Dame	Plymouth, Minn.
Tyler Morley	Forward	University of Alaska	Burnaby, B.C.
Jacob Trouba	Defenseman	University of Michigan	Rochester, Mich.
Matthew Caito	Defenseman	Miami University	Coto de Caza, Calif.
Kenney Morrison	Defenseman	Western Michigan University	Lloydminster, Alta.
Ryan McKay	Goaltender	Miami University	Palatine, Ill.

 

	Riley Barber, a 19-year-old forward from Livonia, Mich., and Miami University, was the only unanimous selection to the All-Rookie team. Barber was a four-time CCHA Gongshow Rookie of the Week recipient as well as the league’s October and November Gongshow Rookie of the Month. The Washington Capitals draft pick led the CCHA in overall scoring, tallying 15 goals and 36 points. His 21 assists and 36 points were tops in the nation among all rookies. He finished second in conference scoring with a 12-18-30 scoring line.
	Mario Lucia, a 19-year-old forward from Plymouth, Minn., and the University of Notre Dame, finished third among CCHA rookies in conference scoring, tying Barber for most goals by a freshman with 12. His 21 points tied for second on Notre Dame. The Minnesota Wild draft pick was named CCHA Gongshow Rookie of the Week twice, Postgame Offensive Player of the Week once and earned the Gongshow Rookie of the Month honor in December.
	Tyler Morley, a 21-year-old forward from Burnaby, B.C., and the University of Alaska, finished the regular season with eight goals and 15 points and was the CCHA Gongshow Rookie of the Week once in the 2012-13 campaign. He finished third in scoring on the Nanooks, led all CCHA rookies in short-handed goals with two and scored three game-winning goals, tying him with Barber for the most among CCHA freshmen.
	Jacob Trouba, a 19-year-old defenseman from Rochester, Mich., and the University of Michigan, consistently played in the Wolverines top two defensive pairs. The Winnipeg Jets first-round draft pick led all CCHA defensemen in goals and points, finding the back of the net seven times and potting 18 points. Half of Trouba’s points came with the man advantage, where he scored four times and assisted on five goals.
	Matthew Caito, a 19-year-old defenseman from Coto de Caza, Calif., and Miami University, finished with five goals and 16 points, leading Miami defensemen in all three scoring categories. Playing in one of Miami’s top defensive pairs, Caito finished with a +9 rating and was named the CCHA Gladiator Defenseman of the Week twice.
	Kenney Morrison, a 21-year-old defenseman from Lloydminster, Alta., and Western Michigan University, finished in a second-place tie for overall scoring among defenseman with six goals and 17 points. His five power-play goals and 14 power-play points paced all defensemen in the CCHA. Morrison was named CCHA Gongshow Rookie of the Week once.
	Ryan McKay, a 20-year-old goaltender from Palatine, Ill., and Miami University, bounced back from an early-season injury to post a league best 1.32 goals-against average and .951 save percentage, while earning an 8-3-1 record with two shutouts. In overall play, McKay’s 1.17 goals-against average and .957 save percentage were the best in the country among all goaltenders.

 

Honorable mentions

Forward — Cristoval Nieves, UM; Matt DeBlouw, MSU; Defense — Colton Parayko, UA; Craig Dalrymple, OSU; Goaltender — Jake Hildebrand, MSU; John Keeney, UA.

CCHA releases All-Time Team

CCHA Press Release

Continuing to ‘Celebrate The Legacy’ in its’ 42nd and final season, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has released the league’s All-Time Team to honor the league’s top performers from the past 42 seasons.

The illustrious group of 12 players, selected by a committee of coaches, administrators and media, joins the league’s All-Decade teams from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s that were selected in 2001, and the All-Decade Team from 2000-13 that was selected earlier this season.
 

All 12 players selected to the CCHA All-Time Team were All-Americans (eight multiple All-Americans) and graduated to professional careers. Ten played in the National Hockey League (NHL), Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller blossomed into an NHL All-Star and U.S. Olympian, and Bowling Green defenseman Ken Morrow won a Gold medal with the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team. Morrow (N.Y. Islanders) and Lake Superior forward Jim Dowd (New Jersey Devils) each has their name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
 

The CCHA All-Time Team was chosen from the All-Decade First-Team players, Hobey Baker Award winners and All-Americans that played at least three years of college hockey. The selections were made by a committee of coaches, administrators and media that have been involved with the league for the better part of the last three decades.
 

Below is the team in alphabetical order by position with their overall career totals. The All-Time Team includes four Hobey Baker Award winners, including George McPhee, the league’s first winner in 1982, along with Kip Miller (1990), Brendan Morrison (1997) and Ryan Miller (2002). Morrison and Ryan Miller are the league’s only two-time Players of the Year, while Nelson Emerson is the league’s all-time leading scorer and Wayne Gagne is the all-time top scorer among CCHA defensemen.

CCHA All-Time Team

FIRST TEAM

Name, Lettered	Pos.	School	GP	G	A	Pts
George McPhee, 1978-82	F	Bowling Green	153	114	153	267
Kip Miller, 1986-90	F	Michigan State	176	118	143	261
Brendan Morrison, 1993-97	F	Michigan	155	102	182	284
Wayne Gagne, 1983-87	D	Western Michigan	162	42	199	241
Andy Greene, 2002-06	D	Miami	159	27	87	114

 

Name, Lettered	Pos.	School	W-L-T	GAA	SV%
Ryan Miller, 1999-02	G	Michigan State	73-18-12	1.54	.941

 

SECOND TEAM

Name, Lettered	Pos.	School	GP	G	A	Pts
Jim Dowd, 1987-91	F	Lake Superior	181	91	183	274
Nelson Emerson, 1986-90	F	Bowling Green	178	112	182	294
Bill Joyce, 1976-80	F	Northern Michigan	130	112	143	255
John-Michael Liles, 1999-03	D	Michigan State	162	44	94	138
Ken Morrow, 1975-79	D	Bowling Green	154	34	92	126

Name, Lettered	Pos.	School	W-L-T	GAA	SV%
Mike Liut, 1973-77	G	Bowling Green	53-27-1	3.35	.888

CCHA honors former players with All-Decade Team

CCHA Press Release

Continuing to ‘Celebrate The Legacy’ in its’ 42nd and final season, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has released the All-Decade Team for 2000-13 to honor the league’s top performers from the past 13 years.

 

The illustrious group of 12 players, selected by a committee of coaches, administrators and media, joins the league’s All-Decade teams from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s that were selected in 2001.

All 12 players selected to the CCHA 2000-13 All-Decade Team were All-Americans (six multiple All-Americans) and graduated to professional careers. Eleven played in the National Hockey League (NHL), Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller (pictured) blossomed into an NHL All-Star and U.S. Olympian, while Ferris State forward Chris Kunitz has captured the Stanley Cup with both Anaheim and Pittsburgh.

 

The CCHA 2000-13 All-Decade Team was chosen from a pool of Hobey Baker Award winners and All-Americans that played at least three years of college hockey. The selections were made by a committee of coaches, administrators and media that have been involved with the league for the better part of the last three decades.

 

Below is the team in alphabetical order by position with their overall career totals. Miller won the 2002 Hobey Baker Award and was a two-time CCHA Player of the Year and two-time Goaltender of the Year. Other Hobey Baker Award winners on the All-Decade Team include Michigan forward Kevin Porter (2008) and Miami forward Andy Miele (2011).

 

CCHA 2000-13 All-Decade First Team

Name, Lettered	Pos.	School	GP	G	A	Pts.
T.J. Hensick	F	Michigan	164	75	147	222
Chris Kunitz	F	Ferris State	152	99	76	175
Kevin Porter	F	Michigan	168	85	98	183
Andy Greene	D	Miami	159	27	87	114
John-Michael Liles	D	Michigan State	162	44	94	138

Name, Lettered	Pos.	School	W-L-T	GAA	SV%
Ryan Miller	G	Michigan State	73-18-12	1.54	.941

CCHA 2000-13 All-Decade Second Team

Name, Lettered	Pos.	School	GP	G	A	Pts.
Ryan Jones	F	Miami	161	90	57	147
Andy Miele	F	Miami	141	60	100	160
Scott Parse	F	Nebraska Omaha	159	79	118	197
Brad Fast	D	Michigan State	164	30	84	114
Greg Zanon	D	Nebraska Omaha	154	30	77	107

Name, Lettered	Pos.	School	W-L-T	GAA	SV%
Cody Reichard	G	Miami	53-24-9	2.10	.912

CCHA announces 2012-2013 Preseason Teams

 

CCHA Press Release

Seven teams are represented on the 2012-13 CCHA Preseason All-Conference Teams announced today by the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

Notre Dame junior forward T.J. Tynan, last season’s CCHA Scoring Co-Champion, topped the voting, receiving nine first-place votes and a total of 48 points. It is Tynan’s second consecutive appearance on the Preseason All-Conference First Team.

Notre Dame junior Anders Lee and Western Michigan junior Chase Balisy join Tynan as the other forwards on the First Team. It is also Lee’s second straight appearance on the Preseason All-Conference First Team and Balisy’s first. A pair of junior defensemen are on the blue line for the Preseason All-Conference First Team, as Michigan’s Jon Merrill and Western Michigan’s Dan DeKeyser both earned eight first-place votes and 44 points, tying them for the second-highest point total among all players. This is Merrill’s second straight appearance on the First Team. Western Michigan’s sophomore goaltender Frank Slubowski (pictured), last season’s CCHA Tournament MVP, is making his first appearance on a preseason team, rounding out the First Team.

Five of the six players on the Preseason All-Conference Second Team received multiple first-place votes. Michigan sophomore forward Alex Guptill, the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year, tops the team with four first-place votes, Miami sophomore forward Austin Czarnik and Michigan senior defenseman Lee Moffie both recorded three and Alaska junior forward Cody Kunyk and Michigan State junior goaltender Will Yanakeff both earned two. Northern Michigan senior defenseman Kyle Follmer rounds out the Second Team, with one first-place vote. Each player on the Preseason All-Conference Second Team is making his first appearance on a preseason team.

Michigan and Western Michigan lead the Preseason All-Conference Teams with three honorees each.

Voting was conducted among the 11 head coaches in the CCHA. Coaches could not vote for their own players.

2012-13 CCHA Preseason All-Conference Teams

PRESEASON FIRST-TEAM

Position	Name, Year, School	First	Totals
Forward	T.J. Tynan, JR, Notre Dame	9	48
Forward	Anders Lee, JR, Notre Dame	7	42
Forward	Chase Balisy, JR, Western Michigan	5	40
Defense	Dan DeKeyser, JR, Western Michigan	8	44
Defense	Jon Merrill, JR, Michigan	8	44
Goaltender	Frank Slubowski, SO, Western Michigan	6	40

PRESEASON SECOND-TEAM

Position	Name, Year, School	First	Totals
Forward	Austin Czarnik, SO, Miami	3	31
Forward	Alex Guptill, SO, Michigan	4	28
Forward	Cody Kunyk, JR, Alaska	2	22
Defense	Lee Moffie, SR, Michigan	3	34
Defense	Kyle Follmer, SR, Northern Michigan	1	22
Goaltender	Will Yanakeff, JR, Michigan State	2	17

Vote Values: 1st place = 5, 2nd place = 3, 3rd place = 1

Honorable Mention (next six highest point totals, regardless of position with first-team votes in parentheses): Scott Czarnowczan, JR, D, Ferris State, (2) 19; A.J. Treais, SR, F, Michigan, (1) 18; Kyle Bonis, SR, F, Ferris State, (1) 16; Kevin Kapalka, JR, G, Lake Superior, (2) 15; Andrew Hammond, SR, G, Bowling Green, (1) 15; Sam Calabrese, SR, D, Notre Dame (0) 12.

 

Photo courtesy of Western Michigan University Athletics

FSU's Daniels named National Coach of the Year

Ferris State Athletics Release

For his efforts in leading Ferris State University to its first NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey “Frozen Four” appearance in school history, Bob Daniels has been chosen winner of the 2012 Spencer Penrose Award as Division I Men’s Ice Hockey flexxCOACH/AHCA Coach of the Year. For Daniels, this marks his second Penrose Award, having been previously honored by his peers in 2003. He will receive his award on Saturday evening, April 28, during the American Hockey Coaches Association annual convention in Naples, FL.

Entering Thursday afternoon’s semifinal contest vs. Union College, Daniels’ Bulldogs have compiled an overall record of 25-11-5, capturing the regular season title in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association along the way.

Ferris advanced to this year’s Frozen Four in Tampa by virtue of winning the NCAA Midwest Regional in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on March 23-24. FSU defeated the University of Denver in the opening game, 2-1, and came back to down Cornell University by the same score in the final.

Daniels, this year’s CCHA Coach of the Year, is completing his 20th season at Ferris State. A 1982 graduate of Michigan State University, Daniels got his coaching start in junior hockey, three times earning Coach of the Year honors for the Hennessey Engineers of the North American League from 1983-1986. He earned a master’s degree in sports organization while serving as a graduate assistant at Miami University during the 1986-87 season. From there, he spent two years as an assistant at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Daniels first arrived at Ferris State in 1989 and served as an assistant under John Perpich for one year and Bob Mancini for two. He was named head coach in 1992 and his career mark stands at 333-361-79. In his previous Coach of the Year season, he led Ferris State to a record of 31-10-1 in 2002-2003.

The longest serving coach in FSU history, Daniels has coached eight All-Americans (prior to this year’s announcements), including 2003 Hobey Baker Hat Trick Award Finalist Chris Kunitz, the first ever CCHA Player of the Year to come from Ferris State. Daniels has also been very active with USA Hockey and the American Hockey Coaches Association.

Assisting Daniels this season were Drew Famulak and Mark Kaufman. Famulak will also be honored in Naples as it was previously announced that he will receive the Terry Flanagan Award, recognizing an assistant coach for a career body of work.

The runners-up for this year’s AHCA Men’s Division I Coach of the Year award were Rick Bennett of Union College and Norm Bazin of UMass-Lowell.

The Spencer Penrose Award is named in memory of the Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first ten NCAA championship hockey tournaments. All AHCA Coach of the Year awards are selected by the head coaches in each division and are sponsored by flexxCOACH, the leader in delivering online coaching education for sports and the development of software products designed to assist coaches in creating drills, planning practices and designing fitness programs for athlete development.

MSU's Krug named CCHA's top player

CCHA Press Release

Junior defenseman Torey Krug of the Michigan State Spartans was named the RBC Financial Group CCHA Player of the Year at the annual CCHA Awards Show this evening.

Nine individual awards were handed out at Detroit’s historic Fox Theatre, including six determined by a vote of the league’s 11 coaches.

Krug tied for the league lead in points with 29, making him the first defenseman to accomplish the feat since 1986-87. The Livonia native recorded 12 goals and 33 points overall, including nine multi-point performances, good for fifth nationally among blueliners. His +18 is tied for eighth among defensemen in the country.

Ferris State’s Bob Daniels was named the CCHA Coach of the Year. Ferris State, picked to place ninth in the league in a preseason coaches poll, finished in first place for the second time in school history. The Bulldogs went on a 15-game unbeaten streak at the end of the regular season, vaulting them to No. 1 in the nation for the first time in program history.

Michigan’s Alex Guptill, the 2012 Rookie of the Year, was the only freshman to be named the league’s Postgame Offensive Player of the Week. The Wolverines forward was also Gongshow CCHA Rookie of the Week twice as well as the Gongshow CCHA Rookie of the Month in January. Guptill led Michigan and all CCHA rookies in scoring both overall (16-16-32) and in league play (13-12-25). His totals tied him for the national lead among first-year players in goals while tying him for eighth in points.

Ferris State senior defenseman Chad Billins was named the Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A marketing major with a 3.82 GPA, Billins is a three-time Dean’s Academic Award winner and a finalist for this year’s Lowe’s CLASS Award. The Marysville native tied Krug for the league lead among defensemen in assists with 18, while finishing second on his team in scoring with 29 points overall.

Miami senior goaltender Cody Reichard received the Mike and Marian Ilitch Humanitarian Award as the league’s top citizen, based on his contributions off the ice, as well as on, to his team, his program, his school and his community. Reichard, a Celina, Ohio native, was inspired by the generous amounts of community service NHL players perform and decided to bring that love and support for the community to the college game. He came up with Swoop’s Stoop after talking about it at length with his goalie coach. Swoop’s Stoop is an initiative that seeks to help sick children at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The program started out small by recognizing a few children at Miami home hockey games and has now expanded into a fully-funded program providing many more opportunities for children facing life-threatening illnesses.

Lake Superior State junior forward Domenic Monardo was presented with the Terry Flanagan Memorial Award in recognition of his perseverance, dedication and courage while overcoming severe adversity. In the 2007-08 season, Monardo broke his C2 vertebra, which contains major blood vessels to the brain, while playing junior hockey in Oakville, Ont. Monardo managed to avoid surgery but was fitted for a neck brace and told he might never play hockey again. This season, Monardo led the Lakers in points with a scoring line of 11-18-29.

Krug was named CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman for the second straight year. The Spartans' second-year captain saved his best for league play, recording 11 of his 12 goals in conference action as well as 29 of his 33 overall points. Krug became the first blueliner in school history to lead all CCHA players in points.

Western Michigan sophomore Dan DeKeyser was honored as the Best Defensive Defenseman. DeKeyser finished +11 this season while racking up 30 minutes of ice time per game.

Michigan senior captain Luke Glendening became the second Wolverine in as many seasons to win the Best Defensive Forward award. Ex-Michigan standout Carl Hagelin won the award in 2011. Glendening was a part of a Wolverines squad that gave up just 2.14 goals-per game, second in the league this season.

Photo - Miami associate coach Brent Brekke and WMU defenseman Dan DeKeyser - courtesy Dave Reginek

MTU's Pearson tabbed WCHA Coach of the Year

Michigan Tech Press Release

Michigan Tech head coach Mel Pearson was named WCHA Coach of the Year, as announced today by the league office.

Pearson, in his first season in Houghton, has led his squad to a major turnaround in 2011-12. Heading into the postseason, the Huskies are 14-18-4 overall and 11-13-4 in conference games.

“I’m extremely proud of Mel and what he’s been able to accomplish in such a short time,” said Tech athletic director Suzanne Sanregret. “He and his coaching staff have found a way to motivate and inspire the team and it has made for a positive experience for our student-athletes. This has been an exciting year for Michigan Tech athletics and the entire community and we look forward to the future.”

Pearson helped Michigan Tech more than triple its win total from a year ago (four). The Huskies were picked to finish last in the 12-team WCHA according to the preseason poll, but settled in eighth after having a chance to finish as high as fifth in the final weekend of the regular season. Michigan Tech won 11 WCHA games (after winning just eight the previous three years combined) and posted marquee wins over then-No. 3 Denver (Oct. 28), No. 2 Minnesota (Dec. 9) and No. 1 Minnesota Duluth (Jan. 28) during the year.

Michigan Tech’s offense surged in 2011-12 to 2.83 goals per game from 1.97 in 2010-11. The Huskies also allowed 1.5 fewer goals per game than the previous season.

Eight different players on this year’s squad have eight goals or more after just two scored more than seven a year ago.

“I’d like to thank Suzanne, (Michigan Tech president) Glenn Mroz and (Michigan Tech vice president for student affairs) Les Cook for giving me the opportunity to return to Michigan Tech,” said Pearson. “I’d like to thank my assistant coaches and staff who are very deserving in sharing this award. Mostly, I want to thank the players who went out on a nightly basis and got the job done. They’re really the reason I’m receiving this honor.

“The WCHA is a great league with so many great coaches. I feel fortunate and privileged to win this award, especially this year when there are so many who are worthy.”

Pearson is the fourth MTU coach to be selected WCHA Coach of the Year. Jamie Russell, who earned the honor in 2006-07, was the most recent. Herb Boxer gained the award in the 1987-88 season, while the legendary John MacInnes won the award six times (1960, 1962, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981).

Photo (GLI 2011) by Matt Mackinder/MiCHO

CCHA announces finalists for top awards

CCHA Press Release

The CCHA today announced the top three finalists for six major individual awards that will be presented at the CCHA Awards on Thursday, March 15 at historic Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit.

RBC PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Chad Billins, Ferris State
Torey Krug, Michigan State
Reilly Smith, Miami

COACH OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Tom Anastos, Michigan State
Red Berenson, Michigan
Bob Daniels, Ferris State

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Austin Czarnik, Miami
Alex Guptill, Michigan
Frank Slubowski, Western Michigan

BEST OFFENSIVE DEFENSEMAN FINALISTS
Chad Billins, Ferris State
Torey Krug, Michigan State
Matt Tennyson, Western Michigan

BEST DEFENSIVE DEFENSEMAN FINALISTS
Scott Czarnowczan, Ferris State
Dan DeKeyser, Western Michigan
Greg Pateryn, Michigan

BEST DEFENSIVE FORWARD FINALISTS
Luke Glendening, Michigan
Justin Florek, Northern Michigan
Riley Sheahan, Notre Dame