College Hockey   CC Tigers and USAFA Falcons Hockey

The University of Rhode Island, often rumored to be considering a move into NCAA Division I men’s hockey, and Division III St. Anselm were confirmed by multiple sources as the programs looking to fill the vacancy in the Atlantic Hockey Association following this coming season.

Air Force plays in the AHA. Connecticut enters its final AHA season this fall before joining Hockey East with the start of the 2014-15 season.

URI plays home games at the 11-year-old Bradford R. Boss Arena (capacity 2,500) in Kingston, R.I.  Club coach Joe Augustine is 505-231-43, including the 2006 national championship, in 23 seasons coaching the URI program. 

The Boston Herald is reporting there is a R.I. group trying to raise $5 million to start the varsity program.

Saint Anselm, a very successful ECAC East program, plays in the 11-year-old  Thomas F. Sullivan Arena (capacity 2,400) in Manchester, N.H.. Coach Ed Seney is 326-301-44 in 25 years.

There was no confirmation available that either program had officially applied of how Title IX concerns (equitable scholarship offerings) would be addressed.

Atlantic Hockey will have a 28-game league schedule beginning in 2014-15 with each team facing 10 league opponents twice for a total of 20 games, plus an eight-game rotation. The AHA also will increase scholarships allowed to 13 in 2014-15 and 14 in 2015-2016.  Many western schools have pushed for the full 18 NCAA limit in order to be more competitive.

The addition of another Division I program would increase the national total to 60.

Air Force junior goalie Jason Torf was named to the Jewish Sports Review’s Division I All-America team. 

He is joined by  Lake Superior State junior defenseman Zach Sternberg and junior forward Dan Radke;  Princeton junior forward Andrew Calof, Robert Morris freshman forward David Friedmann and senior goaltender Eric Levine,  and Bentley sophomore defenseman Steve Weinstein.

Blues forward and former Tiger Jaden Schwartz had a short stay with Team Canada for the 2013 IIHF World Championships.The Canadians lost in the quarterfinals only a day after Schwartz arrived.

Schwartz previously participated in IIHF competition at the 2011 and 2012 World Junior Championships.

In 45 games this season, Schwartz scored seven goals and six assists for the Blues (13 points). He had a plus/minus rating of -4 and registered four penalty minutes. Schwartz was drafted by the Blues in the first round (14th overall) in the 2010 NHL Draft. The  tournament ends May 19.

Here is a roundup blog post on Minnesota-Duluth captains, team awards and 2013-14 schedule.

Minnesota State renovations include shrinking its ice sheet from Olympic size to a hybrid close to the NHL.

The Maverick fans should be thankful their coach search went so well. The school also announced its 2013-14 schedule.

The lawsuit involving former Alaska-Anchorage coach Dave Shyiak has been ‘exaggerated’ according to the player hit in the incident.

The USHL Sioux City coach is moving on to work for Ohio State.

Sioux City forward Jake Guentzel, younger brother of former Tiger Gabe and a Nebraska-Omaha signee, was named the 2012-13 USHL Rookie of the Year after finishing sixth in league scoring and tying a USHL Tier 1 era (2002-present) record with a 21-game point streak.

Amarillo beat Wenatchee 5-0 in the NAHL Robertson Cup championship game less than a day after losing 7-0 in pool play to the same Wild. You may recall some accusations were flying that the Bulls threw that earlier game. The Wild have since announced they are moving to Hidalgo, Texas to become the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees.

It is the time of year I start compiling the upcoming Air Force season schedule, which is typically released in late July.

Here is what I have stumbled across so far. I have included links to each school’s schedule so you can check out their full slate and see where I got my information.

Air Force opens its 2013-14 season in Anchorage for the Kendall Hockey Classic in Sullivan Arena. The Falcons play Alaska-Fairbanks at 5:05 p.m. Alaska time on Friday, Oct. 11 followed by host Alaska-Anchorage at 7:07 AT on Saturday. NCAA runner-up Quinnipiac is the other team participating.

The Falcons travel to World Arena for a Tuesday, Nov. 19 game against Colorado College,  host Denver Nov. 22 and then travel to Magness Arena for a Nov. 23 game to conclude the two-game series.

AFA likely will host Canadian university New Brunswick for its exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 5, time TBA. UNB plays CC Saturday and Denver Sunday that weekend, so a Monday date is a possibility, though unlikely with a trip to Alaska the following weekend.

Army is the only Atlantic Hockey school to release its schedule. The Black Knights host Air Force Jan. 10-11, 2014 for their only regular-season games.

The waiting game continues for six Colorado College seniors looking to take the next step into professional hockey careers. A few have had a taste with Andrew Hamburg playing one game for ECHL San Francisco, Joe Marciano three for ECHL Orlando and goalie Joe Howe making the ECHL Idaho squad for a week due to an injury roster shuffle starting at the NHL and AHL level.

Marciano said Orlando expressed an interest in having him return next season.

“I played my game,” he said. “I would have liked to have done more offensively but they liked what they saw.”

Hamburg hopes to get another opportunity after an influx of players from AHL Worcester bumped him from the ECHL roster.

“I played well when I got the chance and it is a league I could do well in,” he said.

Howe liked his first taste of the pros and hopes he made a good enough impression in the seven days he spent in Boise with the Idaho Steelheads.

Mike Boivin, William Rapuzzi and Scott Winkler are all waiting to see what options emerge after the NHL Draft and training camps as organizations fill out their minor league rosters. Rapuzzi hopes to recover completely from offseason surgery on his left shoulder (torn labrum). He suffered the injury in September 2012 and had a career year (35 points).

“I should be ready to just in time for training camp, maybe a little earlier,” he said.

Winkler, a Dallas draft pick, is unsure what the future holds after another leadership change atop the Stars organization.

“Right now, it’s just a waiting game,” the Norwegian said.

Boivin, who led Division I defensemen with 14 goals this past season, said his agent is working hard to line up his best options.

“He’s doing what he was hired to do,” Boivin said. “Things will fall into place this summer. Right now, I am just enjoying my final few weeks of college.”

The seventh Tigers senior, Rylan Schwartz, played seven games (five points, four assists) for AHL Worcester and is in a prospects camp in San Jose this weekend.

In other news, former Denver coach George Gwozdecky is one of the leading candidates for the open UConn job. Keep in mind the Huskies are moving up to Hockey East with the start of the 2014-15 season after one more campaign in Atlantic Hockey. A decision is expected today with an announcement early next week.

Meanwhile, Alaska-Anchorage announced it is revamping its hockey coach search committee after state and alumni hockey associations expressed no confidence in the athletic director and in the search committee, which did not have any hockey connections.

UAA Chancellor Tom Case told the Anchorage Daily News that the revamped search will be open to new candidates, and that he hoped the initial four finalists — Air Force associate head coach Mike Corbett, Michigan Tech assistant coach Damon Whitten, Augsburg College (Minn.) head coach Chris Brown and Utica College (N.Y.) head coach Gary Heenan — would remain interested in the job.

“I want to emphasize this expresses no lack of confidence in the four candidates, and we will certainly work to keep them in the pool,” Case said.

At public forums in which each finalist introduced himself, shared his background and philosophies, and answered questions, each emphasized the need for UAA and its next coach to repair the rift with alumni and the wider hockey community.

Case said the university has not yet set a timetable for hiring Shyiak’s replacement.

“We’re not in a big rush,” Case said. “It’s more important to get it right than get it quick.”

Here is an updated list of NCAA players who left school early for the pros.

College hockey players now make up 30 percent of the NHL, a number that continues to tick upward each season. Here is a list of all 271 alums who played this past regular season. Here is an easy way to find out how many former collegians are in an NHL playoff game.

Incoming CC freshman Sam Rothstein, pictured in white, scored Saturday for Sioux Falls to force tonight’s decisive Game 5 in its USHL playoff series against Lincoln.

Air Force associate coach Mike Corbett made his case to the Alaska-Anchorage fan base during his day of interviews up North.

National Collegiate Hockey Conference opponent Minnesota-Duluth is bringing in seven freshmen this fall, including one to replace departed sophomore defenseman Chris Casto.

UMD also picked up a former Division III defenseman from St. Scholastica, which is down the street from campus. In all likelihood, he will join the program next fall.

Miami coach Enrico Blasi signed a 10-year contract, resulting in a six-year extension of his current deal. The RedHawks have made the NCAAs nine of the past 10 years including two Frozen Four appearances.

Air Force associate coach Mike Corbett is one of four finalists for the open Alaska-Anchorage coaching job, the school announced Wednesday afternoon.

The other finalists for the WCHA opening are Division III Augsburg (Minn.) coach Chris Brown, Utica (N.Y.) coach Gary Heenan and Michigan Tech assistant Damon Whitten. Brown and Whitten are former Anchorage assistants.

Following phone interviews, finalists will on campus for in-person interviews. While on campus, a public forum will be scheduled for fans to meet each candidate.

The job is one of four openings this offseason, including Maine, Ohio State and UConn.

The biographical information provided by Alaska-Anchorage follows:

A former UAA assistant coach (1997-2000), Brown has spent the last 13 years as a college head coach at NCAA III institutions Marian College in Wisconsin (2000-2004) and Augsburg College in Minnesota (2006-present). Brown, who was assistant captain for the 1994 NCAA III hockey national champion Wisconsin-River Falls team, earned his bachelor’s degree from Wisconsin-River Falls in 1994 and his master’s degree from Marian College in 2003.

Corbett has been with the hockey program at the United States Air Force Academy for the past 10 years – serving as assistant coach from 2003-2012 and for the past year as associate head coach. He was two-time alternate captain for the University of Denver hockey team (1992-97) and was a finalist for the 1997 NCAA Hockey Humanitarian Award in 1997. He earned his bachelor’s degree from DU in 1996 and his master’s degree from DU in 1998.

Heenan has served as head hockey coach at NCAA III Utica College in New York for the past 13 years and, prior to that, served as assistant hockey coach at Hamilton College in New York. A four-year letterwinner on the Hamilton hockey team (1994-1997) he earned his bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College in 1998 and his master’s degree from Utica College in 2005.

Whitten served as assistant hockey coach at UAA from 2006-2008. Since that time he was director of hockey operations at Michigan State from 2008-2010 and, since 2010, has served as assistant coach at Michigan Tech. Prior to his stint at UAA, he was graduate assistant at Michigan State 2003-2004 and was assistant hockey coach at Wayne State 2004-2006. A four-year letterwinner and assistant captain for the Michigan State hockey team (1997-2001), he earned his bachelor’s degree from MSU in 2001 and his master’s degree there in 2005.

Former Tiger Mike Testwuide continue to find the score sheet with the Abbotsford Heat. Jack Hillen is on a roll for the surging Capitals.

Richard Bachman gets some well-deserved love for his backup work for Dallas. He was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week after winning each of his three starts with a 1.08 GAA and a .963 save percentage prior to Monday’s 5-2 loss to Chicago. The NHL correspondent said he played well.

Mark Stuart knows that this could be his last run at the playoffs with Winnipeg.

Joey Crabb recorded a career-high four points, including a hat trick in Sunday’s win for AHL Hershey.

The Denver athletic director told the Denver Post George Gwozdecky was fired because the contract talks went on too long. Pioneers coach Jim Montgomery talks about his new job. Here is the USCHO article on the Monday press conference.

Beat writer Mike Chambers has an article and three blog posts from the press conference: an interview with Denver AD Peg Bradley-Doppes; two Pioneers express support for their new coach and George Gwozdecky has plenty of job openings to consider.

Ohio State is one of those high-profile (the school, not the program) openings.

Here is my feature on Air Force backup goalie David Bosner and his efforts to stay in the program, which led to a rare law school appointment.

According to multiple reports, including the Denver Post, former Maine standout and current Dubuque coach Jim Montgomery, 43, is the new Denver coach.

The USHL coach is a former assistant coach at RPI and Notre Dame. A press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. MT on Monday.

Montgomery is Maine’s all-time leading scorer (301 points). Both current DU assistants are expected to be retained.

Montgomery was a favorite to take over in Orono after that Hockey East program fired Tim Whitehead earlier this week. That makes George Gwozdecky, who was fired by Denver earlier this month, the likely leading candidate to take over the Black Bears.

Former Alaska-Anchorage coach John Hill wants his old job back. The other candidates include Air Force associate coach Mike Corbett.

Denver junior Nick Shore has left the program to sign with the Los Angeles Kings.

Yale blanked Quinnipiac 4-0 to claim its first NCAA championship as senior Bulldogs goalie and birthday boy Jeff Malcolm out-performed Hobey finalist Eric Hartzell.

Hobey Baker winner Drew LeBlanc signed with Chicago hours after receiving the award as college hockey’s best player. The SCSU honoree makes it nine WCHA players in the past 12 years to win the sport’s top award. Ben Hanowski moved on to the Flames.

Here is a list, started by the Grand Forks Herald’s Brad Schlossman, that I have added to this morning in an attempt to keep up with the offseason comings and goings.

 NCHC early signings

Denver

Scott Mayfield, so, D, N.Y. Islanders

Juho Olkinuora, so. G, Winnipeg Jets

Nick Shore, jr., F, Los Angeles Kings

Minnesota Duluth
Chris Casto, so, D, Boston Bruins

Nebraska Omaha
Andrej Sustr, jr, D, Tampa Bay Lightning

North Dakota
Derek Forbort, jr, D, Los Angeles Kings

Western Michigan
Dan DeKeyser, jr, D, Detroit Red Wings

Big 10 early signings

Michigan
Jacob Trouba, fr, D, Winnipeg Jets
Jon Merrill, jr, D, New Jersey Devils

Minnesota (four of top 5 scorers)
Mark Alt, jr, D, Philadelphia Flyers

Zach Budish, jr, F, Nashville Predators

Nick Bjugstad, jr, F, Florida Panthers

Nate Schmidt, jr, D, Washington Capitals

Erik Haula, jr, F, Minnesota Wild

Ohio State
Chris Crane, jr, F, San Jose Sharks

NCHC departures (seniors)

Colorado College

Andrew Hamburg, F, ECHL San Francisco

Joe Marciano, D, ECHL Orlando

Rylan Schwartz, F, San Jose Sharks

North Dakota

Corban Knight, F, Florida Panthers

Danny Kristo, F, Montreal Canadiens

Andrew MacWilliam, D, Toronto Maple Leafs

St. Cloud State

Ben Hanowski, F, Calgary Flames

Drew LeBlanc, F, Chicago Blackhawks

Western Michigan

Dane Walters, F, San Jose Sharks

Luke Witkowski, D, Tampa Bay Lightning

Air Force senior forward Kyle De Laurell and junior defenseman Adam McKenzie were named to the first-team all-Atlantic Hockey Association, as voted by the league’s coaches.

De Laurell led the AHA with goals in league play with 17 and was fifth in points (28). The Pine Creek High School graduate recorded 23 points (15 goals) in the final 18 games of the season, which ended with a home playoff loss for Air Force (17-13-7) to Canisius on Saturday.

McKenzie was fifth in the league in points by a defenseman with 17 point, including five power-play goals. The Petaluma, Calif., native was tied for fourth in the league in power-play points with 12 and was tied for sixth in power-play goals with five. The conference honor was the second for McKenzie as he was also named to the AHA all-rookie team in 2010-11.

Colorado College senior Andrew Hamburg may not get as much attention as his classmates but his contributions to the program the past four years are significant.

“He has filled a lot of roles for us, taking on defensive roles and being an older player we can put on lines with younger guys,” Tigers coach Scott Owens said. “He does all the little things you need on a team. No doubt his four goals against Air Force give him a great memory.”

Hamburg has 48 points (23 goals) entering the playoffs including 14 this season (six goals). Four of those tallies came in a 6-2 win at Air Force.  The Tigers are 6-0-3 when Hamburg records a point this season.

The four years in the program has helped Hamburg develop as a player, he said.

“Everyone knows I am not going to skate around anybody,” he said. “My physical strength and knowledge of the game which helps me play well in the defensive zone. I really benefitted from these four years.”

Hometown: Phoenix

Height: 6-3

Weight:  215

Major: Economics