{"id":29046,"date":"2007-03-08T09:40:46","date_gmt":"2007-03-08T15:40:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2007\/03\/08\/this-week-in-the-cha-march-8-2007\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:56:59","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:56:59","slug":"this-week-in-the-cha-march-8-2007","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2007\/03\/08\/this-week-in-the-cha-march-8-2007\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in the CHA: March 8, 2007"},"content":{"rendered":"
It was Kevin Costner’s character Ray Kinsella who said in the 1989 blockbuster “Field Of Dreams” that the old-time baseball players were “guests in my corn.”<\/p>\n
This weekend, that could never be truer as all five CHA teams gather in Des Moines, Iowa, for the annual postseason tournament with an NCAA Tournament automatic bid on the line.<\/p>\n
The tournament will be played at 95KGGO Arena, home of the United States Hockey League’s Des Moines Buccaneers. Two ex-Bucs — Niagara redshirt sophomore defenseman Travis Anderson and Bemidji State freshman defenseman John Vadnais — played their junior hockey with Des Moines.<\/p>\n
“The hockey world is rather united and everyone talks. I heard a spark of interest from them and I followed up,” CHA commissioner Bob Peters said in the Des Moines Register.<\/i> “If you go back to the history of hockey in Des Moines, it’s a hockey town. That’s one criteria, and the interest on the part of the Des Moines Buccaneers. They were interested and we were interested.”<\/p>\n
Bemidji State has won the past two CHA tournaments and gone on to the NCAA round of 16 as the No. 16 seed both years. Each time, the Beavers lost in the regional round to the eventual national champion.<\/p>\n
Will that be the case this year? Read on, chaps.<\/p>\n
This year, as with any other year, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will represent the CHA on the grand stage. The magic eight-ball has been brought out from behind the media guides and here is what this correspondent sees going down in Des Moines this weekend.<\/p>\n
No. 4 Wayne State vs. No. 5 Alabama-Huntsville<\/b><\/p>\n
Wayne State finished on a 5-0-2 run since the Chargers last beat the Warriors 3-1 on Feb. 9, and UAH is on a roll after beating and tying top-seed Niagara last weekend down south.<\/p>\n
Chargers’ assistant coach Lance West told the Huntsville Times<\/i> that UAH has as good a shot as anyone to win the tournament, but “it’s just a matter of if guys can get it together and make a run.”<\/p>\n
Wayne State more than doubled its league win total of a year ago (from three to eight) and doubled its overall win total from six to 12.<\/p>\n
Season series:<\/b> Each team won twice and lost twice.<\/p>\n
Keys:<\/b> For both teams, it’s who gets the call in net. Two freshmen — UAH’s Blake MacNicol and WSU’s Brett Bothwell — give each school a bright future, but right now is what matters most. <\/p>\n
Prediction:<\/b> WSU outscored UAH, 15-14, in their four games, all of which were close. Overtime may decide this contest, but in any event, UAH head coach Doug Ross gets a rude welcome to retirement and gets to discover Huntsville’s finest golf courses.<\/p>\nSaturday — Semifinals<\/h4>\n
No. 1 Niagara vs. Wayne State\/Alabama-Huntsville winner<\/b><\/p>\n
The Purple Eagles won the regular-season title without the benefit of a win in the final weekend and are a sour 1-4-3 in their last eight games, all CHA games, since sweeping Wayne State at home Jan. 26-27. NU had winning records against both of its potential opponents during the regular season and WSU and UAH both have been playing well recently.<\/p>\n
Season series:<\/b> Niagara\/Wayne State: 4-1-1 in favor of NU; Niagara\/UAH: 2-1-1 in favor of NU.<\/p>\n
Keys:<\/b> For Niagara, it’s if the Purple Eagles can get a quick lead and unleash their well-documented fire power. Juliano Pagliero is solid in goal, but so, too, are WSU’s Bothwell and senior Will Hooper. WSU doesn’t have a top line, per se, and gets scoring from all four lines. Its defense is above-average and if WSU can shut down Ted Cook and Co., it’s lights out for NU.<\/p>\n
Prediction:<\/b> Niagara ended the year on a rough stretch, but regains its composure here. Wayne State plays its tail off, as it always does, but falls.<\/p>\n
No. 2 Bemidji State vs. No. 3 Robert Morris<\/b><\/p>\n
This will be the game to watch. Bemidji State won just twice in its last 12 games (2-8-2), while the Colonials finished on a 0-5-1 string after winning five in a row. RMU is stacked with upperclassmen at both ends of the ice and on goal, but Bemidji has the league’s top goalie in Matt Climie. Something has to give here.<\/p>\n
Season series:<\/b> 3-1 for RMU.<\/p>\n
Keys:<\/b> If Christian Boucher makes the saves he needs to make in goal, RMU is dangerous. Air Force found out the hard way last March that a 3-0 lead means nothing. The Colonials are never out of a game. BSU has tournament experience and championship experience. Those two are huge this time of year. <\/p>\n
Prediction:<\/b> Last year this was a gutsy call, but this year has RMU more mature and competitive. The Colonials in a mild upset here.<\/p>\nSunday — Finals<\/h4>\n
No. 1 Niagara vs. No. 3 Robert Morris<\/p>\n
Who’s more dangerous? Conventional wisdom says top-ranked Niagara, which was nationally-ranked at various times this year, comes out on top. That’s not to slight the Cinderella story that is RMU, but ask them, and they think they have as good a chance as any of the other four to win this thing.<\/p>\n
Still, my gut says the Purps fly away with the title and make a decent showing at the national level. Part of me wants the Colonials, but a bigger part says NU. <\/p>\n
Season series:<\/b> RMU went 4-1-1 against Niagara in the regular season.<\/p>\n
Keys:<\/b> Again, goaltending and scoring first should figure in greatly here. Both teams have shown the ability to rally late in games, so no one is safe until the final buzzer sounds.<\/p>\n
Prediction:<\/b> Niagara in a one-goal nailbiter.<\/p>\n