St. Paul, Minn. -- Over the last five seasons, five different teams have won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Men's Hockey Regular Season title. Gustavus is not one of those five teams, but the Gusties did win the 2008-09 MIAC Playoffs and advanced all the way to the NCAA Division III Championship game last March.
Gustavus tops the 2009-10 MIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll for men's hockey. With eight first place votes, the Gusties placed higher than St. Thomas, last year's regular season champ St. Olaf, and Hamline who all had close vote totals. Hamline received the other first place vote in the poll. Rounding out the nine teams in the conference were: Augsburg, Bethel, Saint John's, Concordia, and Saint Mary's.
The 2009-10 season kicks off on Friday, October 30 with the inaugural MIAC Men's Hockey Showcase. The three-day event will take place October, 30, 31, and November 1 at the Bloomington Ice Gardens. Each MIAC team will play two non-conference games against MIAC foes. Games times are 2 p.m., 5 p.m., and 8 p.m. each day.
2009-10 MIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll
Coaches voted for every team in the conference except their own team. Points were assigned for each vote (1 for first, 2 for second, etc.) Teams are ranked in order of lowest point total to highest with first place votes shown in parentheses.
1. Gustavus (8)
2. St. Thomas
3. St. Olaf
4. Hamline (1)
5. Augsburg
6. Bethel
7. Saint John's
8. Concordia
9. Saint Mary's
2009-10 MIAC Playoff Dates
First Round (Friday, February 26); Semifinals (Saturday, February 27); Finals (Wednesday, March 3).
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Augsburg
Coach: Chris Brown
Career Record: 27-43-7 (3 seasons at Augsburg)
2008-09 Finish: 5th (8-7-1 MIAC, 9-16-1 overall)
| Augsburg Season Preview |
Last season, the Augsburg College men’s hockey team was in the midst of a youth movement, with 20 of the 27 players on the roster either first-year or sophomore players.
That group of Auggies, while still young, gained a valuable year of experience in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference competition last season. And that experience may pay significant dividends in the long run.
This season’s Auggies are still young, with just three seniors and eight juniors on the 26-player roster. But the entire top three forward lines return nearly intact, along with the core of the team’s defense.
“Our team is really focusing on the journey, as much as the destination, and making sure we enjoy being around each other every day, enjoy pushing each other every day, which will lead to improvement, which will lead to positive results,” said Chris Brown, entering his fourth season as the Auggies’ head coach.
Augsburg made a dramatic second-half run last season, going 6-1-1 in its last eight games to reach the five-team MIAC postseason playoffs for the second time in the last three years. The Auggies finished the 2008-09 campaign 9-16-1 overall, 8-7-1 in MIAC play.
“We’re going to build on last year’s run in February, where we made the playoffs,” Brown said. “We have that experience and we’re going to carry that into this year, hoping that can give us a good start. But we still have the philosophy of peaking at the end of the year, to be the best team at the end of the year.”
Confidence for improvement for this season’s squad is evident in the depth and experience in the forward lines. Of the 14 forwards on the roster, 10 saw time in at least 23 of the team’s 26 games last year, with all scoring at least one goal.
“Up front, we have experience, and that shows in practice every day,” Brown said. “We pretty much have the top three lines intact from last year, and we really have two No. 3 lines. We don’t really have a fourth line.”
Key among the returning forwards are the team’s three captains -- two-year captain Chris Johnson (SR, Verona, Wis./Madison Memorial HS) and assistant captains Joel Sauer (JR, Madison, Wis./Memorial HS) and Jim Jensen (JR, Plymouth, Minn./Osseo HS).
“I believe that we have excellent leadership. They lead by example in how to work and how to treat people with respect. They have the pulse of the team, they know how to positively motivate each other and they communicate well with the coaching staff,” Brown said.
Johnson has developed a reputation as one of the top players in NCAA Division III hockey, earning second-team All-American honors from the American Hockey Coaches Association last season, while also earning All-MIAC first-team honors. Johnson was the MIAC’s scoring champion in both overall and league play, leading the conference in both points (42) and assists (28), while standing fifth in goals (14). He ranked 13th nationally in points per-game and 10th in assists per-game, while ending the year with a 12-game consecutive points streak.
Jensen also earned All-MIAC first-team honors last year, finishing with 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points. An All-MIAC honorable-mention selection, Sauer finished second on the team in scoring, with 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points.
Nick Guran (SO, McHenry, Ill./McHenry East HS) was the top scorer among first-year players in the MIAC last season, leading the league’s rookies in both goals (16) and points (31), while standing fifth in assists (15), which earned him recognition on the MIAC’s All-Rookie Team and the U.S. College Hockey Online West Region Rookie Team. Guran was also an All-MIAC honorable-mention selection.
Trevor Doden (SO, Red Wing, Minn.), also a USCHO West Region Rookie Team selection last year, claimed 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points, while Mario Mjelleli (JR, Faribault, Minn./Shattuck-St. Mary’s HS), John Lennartson (SO, Burnsville, Minn.) and Cory Ellertson (JR, Albert Lea, Minn.) also return after double-digit point seasons last year. Mjelleli had 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists), while Lennartson and Ellertson both had 11 points last year.
Tyler Antony (SR, Buffalo, Minn.), Tedd Falk (SO, Mequon, Wis./Homestead HS), J.P. Perpich (SO, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) and Ian McDougall (SR, Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley HS) all gained valuable experience last year on the forward lines, and will be joined by newcomers Issei Kashima (FY, Cary, N.C./South River HS) and Loren Egan (FY, Brooklyn Park, Minn./Totino-Grace HS).
“Everybody’s going to play,” Brown said. “We’re only carrying 14 forwards, so everyone is going to play. Everybody is going to contribute within their role. Everyone has a role and they can just focus on that and be the best they can be."
Augsburg’s defensive pairings should also be solid. The five returning defenders each saw action in 21 or more games last year, and each contributed at least three points to the team’s scoring total.
Bryan Frischmann (JR, Rochester, Minn./Century HS) and David Hines (SO, Sartell, Minn./St. Cloud Tech HS) return as Augsburg’s top defensive pair. Frischmann recorded nine points (two goals, seven assists) last season, while Hines had 11 points (three goals, eight assists), tops among the team’s defenders.
Brandon Bukowski (SO, Superior, Wis.), who had six assists last year, also returns, along with Chris Slavik (SO, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS), who had one goal and six assists, and Nikki Holt (JR, Hermantown, Minn.), who had three assists.
Ben Roberts (JR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) will move from forward to defense this season, after scoring two goals with six assists in 25 games last year.
Newcomers Landon Olson (FY, Alexandria, Minn./Duluth Marshall HS) and Kris Reinthaler (FY, Graz, Austria/Spring Creek Academy (Texas) HS) will also make an impact on defense as lefthanded shooters, Brown noted. Reinthaler was a member of a national championship junior hockey team and several international squads in his native Austria.
“The group as a whole skates extremely well, and that’s what hockey is, it’s about skating,” Brown said. “It’s going to allow us to really play fast, to be able to push it on offense and jump up in the play and take gambles that you normally couldn’t, because you know you can recover.”
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Bethel
Coach: Joel Johnson
Career Record: 28-19-3 (2 seasons)
2008-09 Finish: 6th (8-8-0 MIAC, 11-13-1 overall)
| Bethel Season Preview |
The 2009-10 campaign for the Bethel Royals men's hockey team is going to feature many new faces. With more than 20 players identified as "freshman" or "sophomore" the Royals will definitely be a youthful team. Aaron Damjanovich (Sr., Remer, Minn.), Kyle Dynan (Sr., Orono, Minn.), and Christian Ostigaard (Sr., Byers, Colo.) are the elder statesmen of the Bethel team this season, and they will lead with the help of Tom Menozzi (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.), Christian Fogerty (Jr., Forest Lake, Minn.), and Lukas Jorgensen (Jr., Little Falls, Minn.), who all have plenty experience.
Bethel has developed into a program with high expectations every year, yet the Royals lost five significant players from last season's team, namely four-time All-MIAC forward Kent Bostrom, as well as Brad Peterson. Replacing so many all-conference players let alone the leadership on and off the ice will be a tall, but not impossible order to fill.
Helping the cause up front will be senior forward Ostigaard, and junior forwards Menozzi, Fogerty, and Jorgensen, who each bring different skills and abilities that should help Bethel become a well rounded offensive team. Bethel also looks to Jake Kogler (So., Forest Lake, Minn.) Kyler Moje (So., Minneapolis, Minn.), and USCHO All-Rookie West Region Honorable Mention skater Chris Fiala (So., Vadnais Heights, Minn.) to provide scoring punch as three of the best sophomore forwards in the conference. Jack Paul (Fr., Minnetonka, Minn.), Jake Calleja (Fr., New Richmond, Wis.), and a host of other newcomers will be expected to contribute as well.
On defense the Royals bring back veteran Dynan and Mason Swenson (So., Eagan, Minn.), who both will see their share of ice time this year. Austin Hatch (So., Cloquet, Minn.) is coming off of a great freshman year and should see an increased role for Bethel this year. Returning D-men Spencer Menk (So., St. Paul, Minn.), Zack McGough (So., Roseville, Minn.), and Blake Jenkins (So., Brookfield, Wis.) look to solidify the blue line and provide some depth. Newcomer Jon Crouse (Fr., Alexandria, Minn.) is a key addition to the Bethel defensive core and freshman Taylor Tollette (Fr., Andover, Minn.) also looks to have an impact as well.
Bethel will rely on two-time All-MIAC goalie Damjanovich to provide consistency and leadership between the pipes. The Royals will also have plenty of competition in goal with newcomers like Zac Bush (Fr., Tyler, Texas) and Michael Sperl (Fr., Little Falls, Minn.).
The Royals have established themselves as a top program in a very tough MIAC conference. The bar has been set high in recent years past with playoff performances, an MIAC conference regular season title, a MIAC playoff championship, and the advancement to the quarterfinals of the NCAA national tournament. The expectations for Bethel hockey are high, and though there will be some learning to do along the way, with the right blend of veterans and new faces, the Royals hope to find themselves in the playoff hunt again come March.
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Concordia
Coach: Chris Howe
Career Record: 3-20-2 (1 season)
2008-09 Finish: 9th (1-13-2 MIAC, 3-20-2 overall)
| Concordia Season Preview |
The Concordia rebuilding program will enter its second season and by all accounts, the plan is right on track. The Cobbers will have 22 freshmen or sophomores on this year’s 29-man roster. Of those 22 first or second-year players, 11 are freshmen. The youth movement on the team will help Concordia improve on their 3-20-2 overall record in 2009-10. The Cobbers will also be looking to use a pair of big-time wins from last year as positive momentum heading into the 2009-10 season. CC beat No.5-ranked UW-Stout in the middle of the season and then downed Gustavus 3-1 in the final series of the year. The Gusties went on to play in the NCAA Division III championship game.
The reason for second-year head coach Chris Howe’s optimism is the year of experience that an outstanding class of sophomores received from last year. Leading the super sophomores will be defensemen Erick Galt (Fargo, N.D.) who was named to the MIAC All-Conference Team last year. Galt was the team's top defenseman last year and logged more playing time than any other player on the team. He was on the team's top power play unit and was also a key member of the Cobber penalty kill team. He led the team in shots on goal with 82 and was tied for the team lead in shots on goal in conference play with 56. He also finished the season tied for the team lead in power play goals (3). Galt was named one of the alternate captain for the season and his leadership on the blue line will help the Cobbers cut down on their goals against average in 2009-10.
Another sophomore will be one of the leaders of the offense. Marc Harrie (Fargo, N.D.) was named to the MIAC All-Conference Honorable Mention Team in 2009-10. Harrie was tied for the team lead in points in all games. He finished the year with nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points. In MIAC play he had six goals and seven assists for 13 points.
Another reason for optimism is the fact that Concordia returns four of their top five scorers from last year. Joining Harrie and Galt as the top scorer’s from a year ago are defenseman Mark Johnson (So., Bloomington, Minn.) and Shawn Goos (Sr., Fergus Falls, Minn.). Johnson was tied for the team lead in assists with 11 and Goos, this year’s captain, was tied for third on the team in goals scored.
Once again the biggest key for the Cobbers will be between the pipes. Concordia played four different goalies last year and continually tried to find a consistent netminder. Junior Mike Persson (Regina, Sask.) logged the most minutes last season and finished the year with a 3.95 goals against average. Two other returners also played in at least three games. Ole Bronbo (Jr., Fjellhamar, Norway) and Joe Duncan (So., Moorhead, Minn.) have shown they can compete at the college level and will be looking to make a push for more minutes in 2009-10.
Howe is excited by his second straight competitive recruiting class. The Cobbers have added a mix of local junior players and outstate and Canadian players. There will be three freshmen defensemen on the roster to go along with seven first-year forwards. A trio of newcomers could make an impact right away. Pat Deitz (Moorhead, Minn.), Ben Payne (Maple Ridge, B.C.) and Brian Kang (Vancouver, B.C.) have all shown impressive moments in the preseason practice sessions.
Concordia will open the season at the inaugural MIAC Hockey Showcase on Oct. 31-Nov.1. After that initial weekend, the Cobbers will head on the road to face a pair of nationally ranked NCHA teams. CC will play at No.4-ranked UW-Superior on Nov. 6 and then travel to No.13-ranked St. Scholastica on Nov. 7. Concordia will open the MIAC season at home against St. Mary’s on Nov. 13-14.
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Gustavus
Coach: Brett Petersen
Career Record: 113-109-16 (9 seasons)
2008-09 Finish: Tied 2nd (10-6-0 MIAC, 19-11-0 overall)
| Gustavus Season Preview |
Coming off one of the most successful seasons in the storied history of the Gustavus men’s hockey program, Coach Brett Petersen and his squad will look to make another magical late season run with a squad that returns its top six scorers and 19 letterwinners from a team that won the MIAC Post-season Tournament and finished second at the NCAA Tournament. All-America forward David Martinson will lead the way along with all-conference performers Ross Ring-Jarvi (forward) and Josh Swartout (goaltender) and NCAA All-Tournament selection Patrick Dynan (forward).
A young team with potential at the beginning of the 2008-09 season, the Gusties matured late in the year into one of the top teams in Division III. This season, however, Gustavus is a veteran team with significant tournament experience under its belt and the Gusties will be the “hunted” instead of the “hunter”. How this team responds to that challenge will go a long way towards determining what the 2009-10 Golden Gustie squad can accomplish as all the pieces are there for this team to contend for the MIAC title and make another run in the NCAA Tournament.
Leadership will be an important factor and the Gusties will look to senior captain Cody Mosbeck and senior assistant captains David Martinson and Joe Welch. This trio has played in virtually every game for the past two seasons and understands the importance of being prepared to perform every day in practice and at every game. Martinson, a First Team AHCA All-America selection, led the Gusties in scoring a year ago with 26 goals and 15 assists for 41 points. His 26 goals ranked second in Division III last year. Welch, an All-American safety on the Gustavus football team, will join the team in mid-November as he has for the past four seasons. He is hard-nosed forward that is particularly tough on the forecheck. He contributed 3 goals and 8 assists for 11 points in 24 games a year ago. Mosbeck will anchor the blue line for the fourth straight year. His steady play in front of the net helped the Gusties lead the MIAC in scoring defense last season allowing 2.25 goals per game.
Martinson will be joined up front by sophomore Ross Ring-Jarvi (10g, 21a), senior Patrick Dynan (8g, 16a), junior Brad Wieck (8g, 16a), senior Eric Bigham (14g, 8a), and senior Rory Dynan (12g, 9a). Defensively, Mosbeck will be joined by junior Mitch Carlson, an honorable all-conference selection last year, and seniors Tony Palma and Spencer Campion. Junior Josh Swartout will return in the nets where he finished second in the MIAC in goals against average (2.33) and save percentage (.910) last season.
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Hamline
Coach: Scott Bell
Career Record: 44-52-8 (4 seasons)
2008-09 Finish: 4th (9-7-0 MIAC, 16-11-1 overall)
| Hamline Season Preview |
After an MIAC regular season championship and back-to-back conference tournament title game appearances, fifth-year head coach Scott Bell and the Hamline University men’s hockey team aim to add another accomplishment to the list this year – NCAA tournament participant.
Hamline heads into the 2009-10 campaign after the graduation of all-Americans Dustin Fulton and Joe Long. However, getting to Lake Placid will require all-American-level performances, and the Pipers do return a 2008-09 player with that title – 6-2 defenseman Chris Berenguer (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.).
Berenguer was Hamline’s leading scorer and the second leading scoring defenseman in the country last season. After tallying 39 points (14 goals, 25 assists), he was named to the USCHO.com west region first team as well as earning first team All-American honors.
He will partner with another dynamic and dominant defenseman to anchor the Piper blue line – 6-4 Jared Hummel (Jr., Eagan, Minn.). Hummel earned all-MIAC honorable mention honors last season with 20 points on six goals and 14 assists. Bell expects this duo to put up impressive numbers once again – both as scoring defensemen and members of the Pipers’ potent power play unit.
Also returning to Hamline’s defensive corps is senior Cory Krogen (Marshall, Minn.). Bell sees Krogen as the quiet, unsung hero of the defense. He has garnered respect from his teammates and coaches, but has been overlooked by opponents while playing in the shadows of scoring defenders over the past two years.
It will be hard to miss one of Bell’s new defensemen on the ice as 6-8 Taylor Vichorek (Moose Lake, Minn.) joins the roster. He is a tough, physical player who will make an immediate impact for the Pipers on the ice. Also adding depth to the defense are transfer Jay Fifield (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) and first-year Kirk Olimb (Warroad, Minn.).
On offense, Hamline’s top line from a year ago returns intact with Kyle Kurr (Sr., Elk River, Minn.), Brian Arrigoni (So., Saint Paul, Minn.), and Ryan Kupperman (Jr., Canterbury, N.H.). The line was also one of the top in the conference with 141 points between the three players. Arrigoni was named to the USCHO.com honorable mention all-rookie team and earned all-MIAC honorable mention honors after totaling 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists). Kurr received an all-MIAC first team nod with 28 points on the season (13 goals, 15 assists) and Kupperman added 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists).
After joining the roster in January last year, forwards Kelly Plude (So., Elk River, Minn.) and Jordan Van Gilder (So., Lino Lakes, Minn.) enter their first full season in the Piper cardinal. Bell expects them to make a bigger impact on the score sheets now that they are settled in and have had an off-season with the team to prepare.
Senior Cole Scattarelli (Elk River, Minn.) and junior Austun Tavis (Grand Rapids, Minn.) are returning defensive forwards who look to make an impact on the penalty kill. Nick Zilka (Jr., Mound, Minn.) will add depth to the Piper offense, as well.
Danny Vranek (Jr., New Port Richie, Fla.) transfers into the Pipers from a Division I program – the University of New Hampshire – to add points to the offense. Vranek was a standout player at Eden Prairie High School and will be a top forward as a Piper. He’s a fun, dynamic player who will be an instant play-maker.
Tending net this year will be the goalie from last year’s USCHO.com west region all-rookie team, Beau Christian (So., Moorhead, Minn.). Christian recorded a save percentage of .904 and a goals against average of 2.56 as the primary goalie in his first season with Hamline. Battling him for playing time will be returning senior Zach Faust (White Bear Lake, Minn.), who had a .865 save percentage and 3.25 GAA while playing over 220 minutes last year.
Hamline’s special teams play has been at the heart of the program’s success the past two years, and Bell anticipates that case to be the same this season. Last year the team’s power play unit scored on 24% of their opportunities, ranking them 11th in the country, and Berenguer was 11th in the nation in power play goals (0.32 power play goals per game).
Bell’s 2009-10 squad is the deepest he has had at Hamline, his players are versatile and capable of filling many roles, and a talented group of newcomers has added size and toughness to the ice. His team will take on their toughest non-conference schedule of Bell’s five years – including traveling to St. Norbert and UW-Stevens Point before hosting Adrian in January. However, the Pipers are up for the challenge as they play for an NCAA tournament berth.
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Saint John's
Coach: Doug Schueller
Career Record: 10-14-1 (1 season)
2008-09 Finish: 7th (7-8-1 MIAC, 10-14-1 overall)
| Saint John's Season Preview |
The 2009-10 edition of Saint John’s hockey is looking to rebound after finishing seventh in the MIAC during coach Doug Schueller’s first season a year ago. The Johnnies are looking to build off the momentum of winning seven of their last 10 games in 2008-09.
Saint John’s looks to be led at the forward position by senior captain Gabriel Harren (Warroad, Minn.) and junior Mike Wallgren (Oakdale, Minn.). Harren enters his senior season with 33 career points (13g/20a) and a plus-26 in 54 games. Wallgren tied for second on the team with 18 points (7g/11a) and tied for first on the team with five power-play goals. He was named All-MIAC honorable mention last winter.
Other key returners for the Johnnies include sophomore Grant Ellena (Coon Rapids, Minn.) and senior Karl Gilbert (Hermantown, Minn.). Ellena tallied 15 points (9g/6a) as a freshman, including a team-leading five power-play goals, and tied for third with nine goals. He was awarded the team’s Outstanding First-Year Player honor last season. Gilbert collected nine points (4g/5a) in 24 games for the Johnnies.
Schueller will also look to seniors Dylan Decker (Park City, Utah), Chris Murray (Chanhassen, Minn.) and Jake Koehler (Ramsey, Minn.), and junior Alex Lindeberg (Forest Lake, Minn.) to step into key roles this season. An Academic All-MIAC selection, Murray played in all but two games and recorded seven points (3g/4a). Decker and Rooney posted five points (2g/3a) apiece last season.
The Johnnies need to replace four key contributors from last season’s team. Brian Baker, Pat Connelly, Jake Hipp and Clayton Rehm combined for 187 career points (86g/101a) and a plus/minus of +54 in 285 career games. Last season, Hipp led the team in points (22) and goals (12), while Rehm led the team in assists with 15. Connelly was named to the All-MIAC first team, while Baker and Hipp were named honorable mention. Connelly later signed with the Amarillo Gorillas of the Central Hockey League (CHL) in June.
The Johnnies return all but one defenseman from a year ago. Junior Brent Brodersen (Shakopee, Minn.) was named All-MIAC honorable mention last season after posting 18 points (6g/12a) in 25 games. Juniors James Olmscheid (St. Cloud, Minn.), Pat McClure (Maple Plain, Minn.) and Jared Smith (Grand Rapids, Minn.), as well as sophomore Jeff Lesmeister (Anoka, Minn.) also return. Smith played in 19 games for SJU and collected one goal and five assists, while McClure played in 21 games and tallied one goal and three assists. Roscoe and Olmscheid played in 15 and 9 games, respectively, in 2008-09. Lesmeister joined the team halfway through the season and tallied five points (0g/5a) in 11 games.
Sophomores Corey Kosak (Grand Rapids, Minn.), Tyler Graffunder (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) and Nick Roscoe (Eau Claire, Wis.) are also expected to contribute at the blue line this season. All three return from injury-plagued seasons a year ago.
Saint John’s needs to replace Lance Wheeler, who graduated last spring. Wheeler played in all 25 games for the Johnnies and recorded six points, all assists.
The Johnnies need to replace Vince Wheeler, a three-year starter who graduated last spring. He posted a 2.93 GAA and a .892 save percentage in 69 career games played.
Junior Stu Van Ess (Kewaskum, Wis.) returns this season with the most experience. Last year, Van Ess played in four games and posted a 3.82 GAA and .878 save percentage. Sophomore Tony Civello (Shoreview, Minn.) and freshman Adam Andersson (Pixbo, Sweden) will also vie for playing time in goal this season.
The Johnnies open the season Oct. 31 against Saint Mary’s as part of the MIAC Hockey Showcase, which was resurrected after a 10-year hiatus. SJU begins its conference schedule Nov. 13 at Bethel, with the home opener the following evening. Saint John’s is scheduled to play 11 home games this season, eight of which will be played at the National Hockey Center. The Johnnies have three games scheduled at the Municipal Athletic Complex (MAC) in St. Cloud: St. Thomas (Nov. 21), Wis.-Stevens Point (Jan. 8) and St. Norbert, Wis. (Jan. 9).
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Saint Mary's
Coach: Bill Moore
Career Record: 4-20-1 (1 season)
2008-09 Finish: 8th (3-12-1 MIAC, 4-20-1 overall)
| Saint Mary's Season Preview |
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For Saint Mary’s University men’s hockey coach Bill Moore, last year was a learning experience.
And the Cardinals’ head coach is hoping he never again has to attend the School of Hard Knocks.
“Last year was definitely a learning experience ?a real eye-opener ?and not something I want to go through again, that’s for sure,” said Moore, whose team struggled to a 4-20-1 overall record in his first year at the helm since coaching the Cardinals in an interim basis during the 1989-90 season. “The way things went last year left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth ? nobody likes to go through a season like that, it was tough on everyone.”
In fact, as Moore looks at it, the past is the past ?and the present is what’s important now.
“There’s no looking back,” Moore said. “Last year is over and done with ? we’re using it as a learning experience and looking ahead, not behind.”
And, with their top eight scorers ? not to mention his entire defensive corps ?returning, that future is looking rather bright.
“Our goal for this season is pretty simple: To be the hardest-working team every night,” said Moore. “Last year, that wasn’t the case. We did not put forth the type of effort you need ? on a nightly basis ?to be successful.
“And if our work ethic in the off-season is any indication, we have gotten a great jump on achieving that goal.”
The Cardinals return 40 of the 60 goals they scored a year, fueled by Mike Glaesmer (Traverse City, Mich. / 8 goals, 15 points). A.J. Woodward (Lenexa, Kan.) also returns as the team’s leader in assists with 10, and the duo were also two of four players with 10 or more points a year ago.
On the blue line, Moore returns captains Jeff Miller (Portage, Mich.) and Nick Carlson (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), as well as Woodward, Nate Peterson (Cadillac, Mich.), and Ben Kitzmiller (Lambertville, Mich.).
Between the pipes, senior Greg Moore (Woodbury, Minn.) returns and will battle with freshmen Jason Horstman (Faribault, Minn.) and Andy Scheib (Sun Prairie, Wis.) for the starting spot.
“I’m determined ? and the players are determined ?not to go through another four-win season,” said Moore, whose team kicks off its season on Oct. 30, taking on St. Thomas in the opening round of the MIAC Hockey Showcase at the Bloomington Ice Gardens. “But we all have a lot to prove ?myself included ?if we are going to get where we want to be.”
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St. Olaf
Coach: Sean Goldsworthy
Career Record: 124-164-35 (12 seasons)
2008-09 Finish: 1st (12-1-3 MIAC, 16-7-3 overall)
| St. Olaf Season Preview |
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The Oles collected their first MIAC regular-season title in 70 years with their first-place finish a year ago. St. Olaf closed out the season going 7-0-2 in its last nine regular-season games, but was ousted from the conference tournament by fourth-seeded Hamline 5-1. … St. Olaf also swept the conference’s post-season awards, as then-senior Dylan Mueller was named the MIAC men's hockey player of the year while Sean Goldsworthy was named the league's coach of the year. … Under Goldsworthy, the Oles have made five MIAC playoff appearances in the last six seasons and have a 63-49-20 (.563) record overall during that stretch. … St. Olaf had five players named to the All-MIAC First Team, but return just two, Isak Tranvik and Nick Krauss. Tranvik boasted 11 goals and a team-leading 19 assists for 30 points a year ago, while Krauss had great numbers — a .919 save percentage, 2.58 goals against average and 13-3-1 record — in his first season as the Oles’ go-to goalie. … With the graduation of Mueller, Roger Trousdale and Nick Stalock, the Olese come into 2009-10 having to replace three of the team’s top four scorers —’including 35 goals, 44 assists and 79 points. … St. Olaf scored the first goal in 16 of their 26 games, going 13-1-2 in that span.
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St. Thomas
Coach: Terry Skrypek
Career Record: 406-186-42 (22 seasons)
2008-09 Finish: Tied 2nd (9-5-2 MIAC, 12-11-3 overall)
| St. Thomas Season Preview |
Terry Skrypek’s 40th season as a head hockey coach promises to be an interesting one.
Skrypek starts his 23rd season with Tommie men’s hockey with 16 new faces on his 34-man roster. The group includes 14 freshmen, the largest block of newcomers the coach can recall.
“This is the largest group of freshmen I can remember, but also the best group we’ve ever had, too,” Skrypek said. “We really have balance on our scoring lines, with very little drop off from our first and second lines, and not much difference between our third and fourth lines.”
The Tommies were inconsistent last season in a 12-11-3 finish, and missed the conference playoff finals for just the third time in the 24-year history of the format. They led in each meeting against NCAA runner-up Gustavus but went 0-3 in those games as they were outscored a combined 7-1 in the third periods.
St. Thomas had some untimely breakdowns in goaltending and offense, and its 11 defeats were the program’s most in 11 years, and the 12 wins were UST’s fewest in 27 seasons. When the Tommies allowed four or more goals, they went 1-8 last season.
“We’re going to be better than last year, that’s for sure,” Skrypek said.
Goaltender Cary Wood played well as a freshman and finished 8-3-1 with a 2.95 GAA and an .895 save percentage. Skrypek said that senior Joe Schrader has played well in practice thus far and likely will get a chance to share the starting role.
St. Thomas has four veteran scoring threats in juniors Rob Johnson (31 goals, 55 career games) and Andrew Kappers (8g-15a/23 points in 2008-09), and senior captains Parker Burgess (10g-11a/21 points in 2008-09) and Alex Arnason (21g-25a/46 points in 75 career games).
St. Thomas was 5-0-1 last season when Burgess scored a goal, 6-0 when Kappers recorded a goal, and 6-1 when Arnason tallied a goal.
The coach also likes the potential of sophomore forward Corvin Kieger, who played on the 2008 Cretin-Derham Hall state champion team. Kieger played baseball at North Iowa Community College the last two seasons.
Skrypek’s biggest priority is developing his defensemen. UST must replace six top players on defense, including All-American Adam Davis. Senior Matt LeTourneau, sophomore Nick Gorski, and junior Kelly Kranz lead the returners. Freshman Pat Regan of Edina is among six new defensemen expected to push for ice time.
The Tommies start their season with two games in the MIAC Showcase on neutral ice -- Oct. 30 against St. Mary’s and Nov. 1 against St. John’s. They’ll start their conference regular season Nov. 13-14 against Augsburg, with their season home opener at Saint Thomas Ice Arena on Nov. 13 against the Auggies.
Skrypek said Gustavus is the team to beat. “Gustavus has to be the favorite as they return everybody,” Skrypek said. “Hamline has an All-American defensemen and a good team, but after that it’s a toss up. This is probably the most balanced our league has ever been. There are no weak sisters, no games you can expect to show up and win. I expect that everybody will be fighting for a playoff spot deep into the season.”
Skrypek will again be joined by 26-year assistant Jeff “Duke” Boeser, although five-year assistant Eric Wenkus won’t coach this season due to family and work demands. UST has one new assistant coach – former Minnesota Gopher and pro player Matt Koalska.
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