College Hockey   CC Tigers and USAFA Falcons Hockey

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.

Former Tiger Brian McMillin is the Central Hockey League playoff MVP after recording 20 points (12 goals) in 19 playoff games for the Allen (Texas) Americans, who won the pro league’s title Saturday night.

Allen defeated the Wichita Thunder, 3-2 in overtime, in Game 7 of the Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup to win series four games to three.

“Obviously this is something special,” McMillin told the Plano Star. “I don’t … I don’t even know if I can really explain it.”

Click here for more from McMillin and details of the game. Allen was backstopped by former North Dakota goalie Aaron Dell.

The final Western Collegiate Hockey Association meetings this past weekend in Florida were a bittersweet occasion for Colorado College coach Scott Owens.

It served as the transition for the WCHA-founding Tigers as CC enters the new National Collegiate Hockey Conference it helped form last summer.

”It was not awkward but it was a little sad and a little more business-like (than usual),” Owen said. “The league was already meeting with the new members and the NCHC metearlier in the week.”

The transition affects the WCHA as well. Longtime commissioner Bruce McLeod, who has led the league for 20 years, said this coming season will ‘”probably” be his last, multiple sources have reported.

The NCHC met with all eight schools fully presented – athletic directors, coaches, faculty representatives – on hand for the first time and gave an update on the league office’s progress.

“You can’t believe all the things that need to be done to set up a new league,” Owens said.

The officiating program grabbed plenty of attention on a full slate. The deadline to apply to hockey operations head Joe Novak and supervisors of officials Don Adam to become a league official is May 15.  A system that would hold officials accountable and get them better training si expected.

“I think the fans will be pleased with the changes,” CC athletic director Ken Ralph said.

The league bylaws, postseason tournament and the 18-game TV package with CBS Sports Network also drew praise.

“I could not be more pleased with our first meetings in Naples,” NCHC Commissioner Jim Scherr said. “It was great to get everyone in the same place and on the same page as we prepare for our inaugural season. We have some tremendous individuals at each of our institutions that are highly motivated and very professional. We are just a couple of months from dropping the puck on opening weekend and I could not be more excited to get the season underway.”

The American Hockey Coaches Association annual meetings followed with talk of changing the NCAA regionals from neutral sites to the home arena of the regional top seed sites as last done in 1996. Tweaking the Pairwise rankings was discussed with no action made on either topic.

“About 35 to 40 percent of the Western coaches wanted to look at institutional sites but a lot like the neutrality,” Owens said. “We talked about other ways to help attendance, such as lowering ticket prices and student ticket discounts. I would like to see permanent western sites so fans can plan on attending in advance.”

No rule changes were proposed for the NCAA to consider.

Incoming Colorado College freshman hockey player Sam Rothstein scored Sioux Falls’ fastest playoff goal to open a game (15 seconds) to lead the Stampede past Fargo and force a decisive Game 5 on Wednesday. He finished with two goals in the 5-3 win on Sunday.

“I just got in on the forecheck and got a lucky bounce and put it away,” Rothstein told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. “We haven’t gone up yet in this series, so to finally get the first one was big.”

Coach Cary Eades agreed.

“It was a huge lift,” he said of the quick goal. “The longer we’d have gone without scoring a goal we would’ve started gripping our sticks tighter. We wanted to get a good start to create more Grade A scoring chances and we did that.”

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.

Finally, the national semifinals are here. Here is Dave Starman’s scouting report on all four teams.

Capsules on each team follow along with my prediction.

2013 Frozen Four

Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh

Thursday semifinals

TV: ESPN2

No. 3 Massachusetts-Lowell (28-10-2) vs. No. 15 Yale (20-12-3), 2:30 p.m.

UML resume –Hockey East regular season and playoff champs (both program firsts); Northeast regional winner

Leaders — Scott Wilson, So., F (16g, 21a); Joseph Pendenza, Jr., F (14g, 23a); Derek Arnold, Jr., F (13g, 16a); Riley Wetmore, Sr., F (15g, 11a); Josh Holmstrom, Jr., F (12g, 12a); Chad Ruhwedel, Jr., D (7g, 16a); Christian Folin, Fr., D (6g, 15a); Connor Hellebuyck, Fr. , G (20-2-0, 1.31 goals against, .953 saves percentage).

Yale resume – ECAC third-place finisher; West regional winner

Leaders –  Kenny Agostino, Jr., F (17g, 23a); Andrew Miller, Sr., F (16g, 21a); Antoine Laganiere, Sr., F (14g, 13a); Tommy Fallen, Fr., D (7g, 16a); Jesse Root, Fr., F (11g, 11a); Stu Wilson, Fr., F (9g, 8a); Jeff Malcolm, Sr., G (18-6-2, 2.35 gaa, .916 saves).

Prediction: Lowell’s defense does a good job stopping Yale’s transition at the UML blue line with its solid, physical defense. That leads to transition chances for the River Hawks which should prove decisive. UML wins.

No. 9 St. Cloud State (25-15-1) vs. No. 1 Quinnipiac (29-7-5), 6 p.m. MT

SCSU resume – co-Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season champion; Midwest regional winner

Leaders – Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist Drew LeBlanc, Sr., F (13g, 37a); Nic Dowd, Jr., F (14g, 25a); Jonny Brodzinski, Fr., F (22g, 11a); Kalle Kossila, Fr., F (15g, 18a); Ben Hanowski, Sr., F (17g, 14a); Nick Jensen, Jr., D (4g, 27a); Andrew Prochno, So., D (5g, 23a); Ryan Faragher, So., G (24-13-1, 2.22 goals, .916 saves).

Quinnipiac resume –ECAC regular-season champion, East regional winner

Leaders — Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist Eric Hartzell, Sr., G (29-6-5, 1.55, 9.33); Matthew Peca, So., F (15g, 15g); Jeremy Langlois, Sr., F (12g, 18a); Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Jr., F (16g, 11a); Connor Jones, Jr., F (12g, 14a); Kellen Jones, Jr., F (12g, 14a).

Prediction: It’s strength vs. strength with SCSU’s offense taking on the Bobcat’s defense, led by Hobey hopeful Eric Hartzell. I give the edge to Quinnipiac in the nightcap.

Championship prediction: UMass-Lowell over Quinnipiac.

In other news, former Tiger Rylan Schwartz is living out of a suitcase for the short term in Worcester. He recorded an assist in his pro debut.

Union extended Rick Bennett’s contract through the 2019-20 season. He was an assistant at Union since 2005-06 and became associate head coach  from 2007-11 before being named head coach when Nate Leaman left for Providence.

Wisconsin sophomore forward Brendan Woods (12 points, five goals) signed with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 2012 fifth-round pick recorded 22 points (10 goals) in 75 games for the Badgers so the move was a surprise to coach Mike Eaves, who received word that Mark Zengerle, Michael Mersch and Tyler Barnes will stay for what many expect will be a Big 10 title contender.

Here is a look at the Northeast regional which involves three Colorado Springs-area players. A record five CS players, including UMass-Lowell junior Josh Holmstrom, pictured, play in the NCAAs on Friday.

Here is the Post’s Denver-New Hampshire preview, how the Pioneers followed the same practice schedule they used in 2004; a look at the success of putting brothers Nick and Quentin Shore on the same line; and Post writer Adrian Dater returns to his home state.

Here is the TV/video stream schedule for this weekend.

The West regional is previewed and here are five players in Grand Rapids, Mich. to watch.

Here are plenty of  links to articles on North Dakota and its first-round opponent Niagara. Here are the beat writer’s article, which includes worries about poor attendance in Grand Rapids wit no Michigan teams in the NCAAs this year . Western Michigan finished No. 16 in the Pairwise rankings and missed because of the Canisius AQ. Michigan fell short of an AQ in the final CCHA championship game to Notre Dame. It is the first time in 22 years the Wolverines are not in the NCAAs.

The Midwest regional is previewed. Boston College has a smooth path ahead of it at the East regional.

USCHO produced some thorough regional previews: East, Northeast, Midwest, and West.

Here is the Mankato Free Press’ look at first-round foe Miami and a larger piece on coach Mike Hastings.

Ten storylines to look for this weekend. Here are some predictions: Goal Gophers,

The annual call for NCAA Tournament games at the top seed’s home arenas is made. Here is a look at the trend of regionalization for the NCAA now affecting hockey.

Here are the pairings:

The dates, sites, times and pairings with WCHA teams bolded follows:

Northeast Regional, March 29-30
Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, New Hampshire

Friday, March 29, 4:30 p.m. Eastern time
No. 1 Massachusetts-Lowell (26-10-2) vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (22-12-7)

Friday, March 29, 8 p.m. 
No. 2 New Hampshire (19-11-7) vs. No. 3 Denver (20-13-5)

Men’s Frozen Four, April 11 and 13
CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Thursday, April 11, 4:30 and 8 p.m. Eastern time, ESPN2/WatchESPN (order of games TBD)
East Regional Champion vs. Midwest Regional Champion
Northeast Regional Champion vs. West Regional Champion

Saturday, April 13, 7 p.m. Eastern time, ESPN/WatchESPN

National Championship

The NCAA Tournament field was announced Sunday night and six WCHA teams made the field as expected with five at-large bids (Denver, Minnesota, Minnesota State, North Dakota and St. Cloud State) and automatic qualifier Wisconsin. That is a heck of a way for the current league configuration to go out.

The NCAA selection committee did not strictly follow the Pairwise rankings, instead, opting for some regionalization to help boost attendance.

Here are more reactions to the pairings: Goal Gophers,  Mankato Free Press (with video), Western College Hockey Blogs includes regional preview capsules.

The dates, sites, times and pairings with WCHA teams bolded follows:

Northeast Regional, March 29-30
Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, New Hampshire

Friday, March 29, 4:30 p.m. Eastern time
No. 1 Massachusetts-Lowell (26-10-2) vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (22-12-7)

Friday, March 29, 8 p.m. 
No. 2 New Hampshire (19-11-7) vs. No. 3 Denver (20-13-5)

Men’s Frozen Four, April 11 and 13
CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Thursday, April 11, 4:30 and 8 p.m. Eastern time, ESPN2/WatchESPN (order of games TBD)
East Regional Champion vs. Midwest Regional Champion
Northeast Regional Champion vs. West Regional Champion

Saturday, April 13, 7 p.m. Eastern time, ESPN/WatchESPN

National Championship

The following conferences and teams received automatic qualification:Atlantic Hockey Association, Canisius; Central Collegiate Hockey Association, Notre Dame; ECAC Hockey, Union; Hockey East Association, Massachusetts-Lowell; Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Wisconsin.

On Saturday, the WCHA unveiled a new logo.

Here are a few details about next season in the WCHA, including tournament locations.

Wisconsin took off after freshman Nic Kerdiles joined the team following his 10-game suspension.

WCHA Final Five Tournament

Broadmoor Trophy championship

No. 6 Colorado College (18-18-5) vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (21-12-7), 6:07 p.m. MT

Season series: CC leads 2-0

Notes: Badgers enter the game against CC on a five-game winning streak while the Tigers have won four straight. …. Tied for No. 17 in the Pairwise rankings, UW needs to win to garner an NCAA berth as does CC, which is tied for No. 25. … A quantity of shots on goal has meant little this weekend. None of the teams with the most have won so far. … CC will be playing its sixth game in nine days tonight and Wisconsin, its fifth in nine.

Quote: “We’ll take the same low-key approach,” Tigers coach Scott Owens said. “We’re playing a team that is trying to do the same thing which is survive. They are a very disciplined and defensive-minded team. I hope the adrenalin can continue for one more night.”

Leaders:  CC,  Rylan Schwartz, sr., C (19g, 32a); Alexander Krushelnyski, jr., LW (15g, 27a); William Rapuzzi, sr., RW (15g, 20a); Mike Boivin, sr., D (14g, 14a); Scott Winkler, sr., C (13g, 15a); Archie Skalbeck, jr. F (12g, 11); Eamonn McDermott, jr. D (3g, 20a); Joe Howe, sr., G (14-11-4, 2.97 goals against, .915 saves percentage). UW,  Michael Mersch, jr. F (23g, 13a); Mark Zengerle, jr. F (9g, 22a); Nic Kerdiles, fr. F (9g, 21a); Tyler Barnes, jr. F (14g, 15a); Joel Rumpel, soph. G (15-8-4, 1.84 gaa, .934 saves).

WCHA Final Five Tournament

Friday semifinals

No. 1 St. Cloud State (23-14-1) vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (20-12-7), 1:07 p.m. MT

Season series: tied 1-1

Notes: Badgers enter Friday’s game against SCSU on a four-game winning streak that began with a 3-2 win over the Huskies. …. At No. 16 in the Pairwise rankings, UW needs to win to garner an NCAA berth. … The first line of Nic Kerdiles, Mark Zengerle and Tyler Barnes accounted for three of Thursday’s seven goals.  … Joel Rumpel made 38 saves in the quarterfinal win.

Leaders:  UW,  Michael Mersch, jr. F (23g, 13a); Mark Zengerle, jr. F (9g, 22a); Nic Kerdiles, fr. F (8g, 20a); Tyler Barnes, jr. F (13g, 15a); Joel Rumpel, soph. G (14-8-4, 1.87 gaa, .933 saves). SCSU, Drew LeBlanc, sr. F (13g, Division I-best 37a); Nic Dowd, jr. F (14g, 24a); Jonny Brodzinski, fr. F (21g, 11a); Kalle Kossila, fr. F (15g, 17a); Ryan Faragher, soph. G (22-12-1, 2.27 gaa, .916 saves).

No. 2 Minnesota (26-7-5) vs. No. 6 Colorado College (17-18-5), 6:07 p.m. MT

Season series: Minnesota leads 1-0-1

Notes: Senior goalie Joe Howe returned to his freshman while the Tigers’ penalty kill went 6-for-6 against a potent North Dakota power play. Alexander Krushelnyski scored his third shorthanded goal for CC to win the special teams battle. … All three UND goals came at even strength. … Minnesota has the nation’s top offense (3.61 goals) and power play (25.16 percent). … CC scored three goals in the third period to forge a 4-4 tie last time the teams played.

Quote:  “(Minnesota is) big and strong and will be good on a smaller sheet,” Tigers coach Scott Owens said. “We’re just going to stay with our deal and see if we can make some good things happen. We respect them a ton, they’re No. 1 in the country, but because of the schedule we played we’re not really intimidated by anybody.”

Leaders:  CC,  Rylan Schwartz, sr., C (18g, 32a); Alexander Krushelnyski, jr., LW (15g, 26a); William Rapuzzi, sr., RW (15g, 20a); Mike Boivin, sr., D (14g, 14a); Scott Winkler, sr., C (13g, 14a); Archie Skalbeck, jr. F (12g, 11); Eamonn McDermott, jr. D (3g, 19a); Joe Howe, sr., G (13-11-4, 3.08 goals against, .912 saves percentage). UM, Erik Haula, jr. F (16g, 33a); Kyle Rau, soph. F (15g, 24a); Nick Bjugstad, jr. F (21g, 15a); Zach Budish, jr. F (13g, 22a); Adam Wilcox, fr. G (25-6-5, 1.84 gaa, .923 saves). Wilcox is profiled by College Hockey News.

Here are the game stories from Thursday night’s semifinal: Colorado Springs Gazette; Grand Forks Herald; USCHO and College Hockey News.

A state lawmaker wants to give Minnesota $800,000 to maintain its rivalry with North Dakota. A sold-out Mariucci Arena is not incentive enough?

Here are the game stories from the Wisconsin win:the Wisconsin State Journal; Mankato Free Press;  USCHO, and College Hockey News. Of note, four Mavericks were injured in the loss.

Air Force’s McKenzie garners league honor

Air Force junior Adam McKenzie is the Atlantic Hockey Association Defenseman of the Year as voted by the league’s coaches.

McKenzie was named the AHA Player of the Week on March 4 as he scored five points (1-4-5) as the Falcons swept the 13^th-ranked Purple Eagles in the final regular-season series. He had a career-high four points (1-3-4) in the win on March 2.

A first-team all-AHA selection this season, McKenzie is third Falcon to win the AHA Defenseman of the Year award, joining Greg Flynn (2008-09) and Tim Kirby (2011-12).

The Petaluma, Calif., native finished with 20 points (12 assists), including 11 points over the final nine games, including a career-high two goals in the season-ending loss to Canisius for Air Force (17-13-7).

Other AHA major awards:  Niagara coach David Burkholder was named Coach of the Year, Niagara junior goaltender Carsen Chubak was selected as the Player of the Year while Purple Eagle senior forward Marc Zanette was named Best Defensive Forward.