Adrian's Skelly signs CHL contract

Courtesy Daily Telegram

Shawn Skelly feels ready for another playoff run.

Two weeks after the Adrian College men’s hockey team finished as NCAA Division III runner-up, the high-scoring forward looks to help his new team chase a championship.

Skelly has signed a professional contract with the Texas Brahmas of the Central Hockey League. He joins Texas during its best-of-five series against the Odessa Jackalopes in the first round of the CHL Ray Miron President’s Cup playoffs. Texas and Odessa split the first two games of the series and play Game 3 on Tuesday night.

“It’s a lifetime goal of mine,” Skelly said shortly before his flight to Texas on Sunday night. “I grew up always wanting to play pro hockey. It’s an exciting time that I was given this opportunity, and hopefully I can excel at it.

“...It’s going to be different coming into a team where I don’t know anyone. I hope they embrace me coming in, and hopefully I can help them out.”

Adrian College hockey standout Skelly signs professional contract

Adrian's luck runs out in title game

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

The Adrian College Bulldogs fell painfully short in their bid for their first NCAA Division III Championship, falling 4-3 to the St. Norbert College Green Knights at the Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on Saturday night.

"We had a few lapses on the penalty kill and that really lead to them getting the win," said head coach Ron Fogarty. "I'm proud of our guys and the heart they showed each time we went down a goal. I'm also proud to be the head coach of Adrian College."

Nick Tabisz scored on the power-play at 15:26 of the third period to seal the title for St. Norbert who were in the championship game for the fifth time in the last eight years.

Sam Kuzyk, Kyle Watson, and Eric Miller lit the lamp and Brad Fogal made 30 saves for an Adrian team that finished with an overall record of 25-4-1.

"We could not gain any momentum because every goal by us was answered by them," said senior Sam Kuzyk. "Our team tried to overcome the penalties but they really did a good job of making those penalties hurt."

Cody Keefer popped in a pair of goals, Johan Ryd added a power-play marker and B.J. O'Brien stopped 18 as SNC won it's second National Championship.

The 17 outgoing Bulldog seniors won four MCHA regular season and Harris Cup titles and depart with an overall record of 102-12-2.

Senior blueliner Jeremy Klaver and senior forward Shawn Skelly both nabbed Frozen Four All-Tournament Team honors.

Photo courtesy of Adrian Athletics.

Adrian to play for D-III championship

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Adrian advanced to the Division III national title game with a 5-3 win over Oswego State Friday afternoon in Minneapolis.

The Bulldogs, winners of 14 straight games, will now play for the first NCAA championship in school history tonight against St. Norbert.

Shawn Skelly scored twice, while Zach Graham, Andrew Dovey and Mike Towns added singles to back Brad Fogal's 39-save performance in net.

"We are thrilled to be moving on and it really has not hit me yet," said senior forward Eric Miller, who added two assists. "We still have one more game to win before we can really exhale. Our goal four years ago was to win a national title and we are so close to realizing a dream."

The national championship will be decided tonight at 8 p.m. from Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.

The game can be seen by going here and clicking on the live video link.

Adrian wins fourth straight MCHA title

Adrian Press Release

The Adrian men's team can hoist another banner inside Arrington Ice Arena after a 3-1 win at Milwaukee School of Engineering Friday night as they clinched their fourth straight MCHA regular season title, improving to 20-3-1 overall and 17-1-1 in the MCHA.

The Bulldogs won the South Division and will earn a bye into the Harris Cup semifinals as the conference's top seed. The Harris Cup will begin March 5 with the finals set for March 6.

Adrian will finish the regular season tonight against the Raiders and improved to 16-0-1 all-time against MSOE.

Senior goaltender Brad Fogal had a historical night as he became the NCAA Division III all-time wins leader in net. Fogal made 35 saves in one of his best efforts of the season and is now 88-10-2 in his career. Fogal surpassed Kyle Jones of St. Norbert (2002-2005). Fogal sits eighth in Division III history in goals-against average, 12th in save percentage and fourth in win percentage.

The Bulldogs and Raiders entered the contest with identical records and the top ten battle did not disappoint. Adrian, ranked fifth in the latest USCHO.com Division III poll, got on the board first after a scoreless first period. Senior forward Eric Miller (pictured) scored at the 40-second mark of the second period on the power play with assists from Josh Cousineau and Zach Graham. It was Miller's 15th goal of the season and 85th of his career. It was also his sixth power play goal of the season and 29th of his career.

Milwaukee School of Engineering, ranked eighth this week, tied the game at 1-1 at the 12:17 mark of the second. MSOE had a golden opportunity just a few minutes earlier as Michael Soik attempted a penalty shot that was stopped by Fogal. The second period ended at 1-1 with the Raiders holding a 26-11 edge in shots on goal at that point.

Junior forward Jordan Watts scored the game-winner at 2:31 of the third period at even strength with assists from Joel Workman and Kyle Watson. It was his ninth goal of the season in his first year with the Bulldogs. That goal seemed to give Adrian momentum heading toward the finish as Adrian outshot MSOE, 14-10, in the third to bring the total to 36-25 in favor of the Raiders for the contest.

Adrian killed off two penalties in the third period and all four for the game. AC came into the game as the third-best penalty killing unit in Division III at 89.3 percent. After a Jeremy Klaver holding minor put the Raiders on the power play with 2:04 left, Watson controlled the puck and slipped it into an empty net at the 18:23 mark with an assist from Mike Towns. It was his third goal of the season and 32nd of his career.

Adrian has now gone unbeaten in their last 13 games going 12-0-1.

Photo courtesy Adrian College Athletics