2020-21 Division I Hockey Thread

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Hello all.

Some of us on the Blues board were wondering if anyone here has been able to see any of UMass - Amherst, specifically Matt Kessel, play? He’s almost matched his point total from last year but we were just wondering if anyone has seen how he’s actually played.

that depends on COVID as how UMASS Amherst impacts college hockey, it's a moving target just as with any team/franchise

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

U Maine @ Northeastern WHEA game originally scheduled for 1/2/21 HAS been canceled outright

 

[JMCx4]

Hello all.

Some of us on the Blues board were wondering if anyone here has been able to see any of UMass - Amherst, specifically Matt Kessel, play? He’s almost matched his point total from last year but we were just wondering if anyone has seen how he’s actually played.

I've seen bits 'n' pieces of the UMass men play over the last couple of weeks, but didn't follow closely enough to give you any specific intel on Kessel's play this season. His 3-point game @ New Hampshire this past Wednesday is a major reason for his current point pace this season, along with him being on the Minutemen power play unit. You & your Blues Buddies can judge his play for yourselves in that Dec 30th game on the CBS Sports College Sports Live replay (game starts @ 25:00 of the recording). Since he's just a sophomore, and because of the Div. I COVID schedule shuffling, it will be hard to judge the play & potential of Kessel (and most other college players) based on this season.

 

[JMCx4]

U Maine @ Northeastern WHEA game originally scheduled for 1/2/21 HAS been canceled outright

Maine women's Sunday afternoon match-up @ NEU remains scheduled. Saturday travel delays due to weather conditions in Maine, I reckon?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Maine women's Sunday afternoon match-up @ NEU remains scheduled. Saturday travel delays due to weather conditions in Maine, I reckon?

canceled outright from Maine Athletics.... Expected U Maine @ U Mass Lowell was unaffected as was the 2nd Maine @ Northeastern W-HEA is still on as scheduled.

it's highly doubtful Maine Hockey is playing at Alfond Arena this season.... there's really no option in Orono as America East has to be notified for the games to be played on campus ("the Pit, aka Memorial Gymnasium) WAS cleared for Basketball to resume there.... similiar to Maine @ UNH in the Whittemore Center, and how that originally was supposed to be at Alfond Arena...

 

[JMCx4]

(College Hockey News) Roundup: UMass Wins 6th Straight, Sweeps Northeastern
UNH, Providence Pick Up Victories

CHN Staff Report | January 2. 2021

Massachusetts scored the first four goals of the game, then hold off a furious Northeastern rally, for a 5-3 win and a sweep of the weekend series.

Carson Gicewicz, a transfer from St. Lawrence, scored in his fifth straight game, and eighth goal overall, to lead the way. The Minutemen held a 37-19 shot advantage. ...

"We’re scoring goals, we’re scoring more than I expected this year, but we’ve got a bad issue of letting up goals in the third period when we have a lead, so that’s something that we need to attend to," (UMass coach Greg) Carvel said. "I thought our special teams were strong this weekend. Not happy with the number of penalties we’re taking, but if we can take care of that, I think that makes us a really tough team to beat.”

UMass has won six in a row, and at 8-3-1, has played the most games of any team in the country so far, even with Arizona State and Denver. ...

Read more at: Roundup: UMass Wins 6th Straight, Sweeps Northeastern

 

[JMCx4]

canceled outright from Maine Athletics.... Expected U Maine @ U Mass Lowell was unaffected as was the 2nd Maine @ Northeastern W-HEA is still on as scheduled. ...

Looks like Hockey East is trying to mess with your head, HUTCH ...

Hockey East Announces Schedule Update (January 3)
Date: Sunday, January 3, 2021

WAKEFIELD, Mass. - The Hockey East Association announced today the following schedule update

The women’s game between Northeastern and Maine originally scheduled for January 2 at 4:30 p.m. has been rescheduled for Monday, January 4, at 4:00 p.m. The game will air live on NESN. ...

AND the rescheduled game will be on the CBS Sports free stream.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Looks like Hockey East is trying to mess with your head, HUTCH ...

AND the rescheduled game will be on the CBS Sports free stream.

not exactly, JM.... which is why I posted that info as soon as it happened.... and that came directly from Maine's athletic department

 

[JMCx4]

From: USCHO.com

Monday 10: Ringing in the new year, college hockey style, as 2021 gets off to roaring start
By Dan Rubin
January 4, 2021

Each week, USCHO.com will pick the top 10 moments from the past weekend in our Monday 10 feature.

1. Happy New Year, college hockey

College hockey season started in November, but this weekend marked the official, grand reopening of the 2020-21 season when all six conferences featured league games for the first time. Sunday marked the first time they were all in action on the same day, and 14 ranked teams, including seven top-10 teams, all defended their records against would-be challengers. ...

Read the Rest of 1. and the Other 9 at: https://www.uscho.com/2021/01/04/monday-10-ringing-in-the-new-year-college-hockey-style/

 

[JMCx4]

USCHO.com: Women’s Division I College Hockey Weekend Wrap: January 4

 

[JMCx4]

Denver Post: DU Pioneers freshman Carter Savoie’s scoring talent “the best I’ve ever seen”

 

[JMCx4]

DI polls to start the New Year ...
USCHO Division I Women's Poll - January 4, 2021

Rnk	Team	(First Place Votes)	Record	Points	Last Poll
1	Wisconsin	(9)	3-1-0	140	1
2	Minnesota	(5)	5-1-0	137	2
3	Northeastern		2-1-0	115	3
4	Ohio State	(1)	4-2-0	107	4
5	Colgate		4-1-1	90	5
6	Minnesota Duluth		4-2-0	69	6
7	Providence		6-1-1	57	7
8	Boston College		5-3-0	46	8
9	Clarkson		1-2-1	38	9
10	Mercyhurst		2-0-0	9	10

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Others receiving votes: Quinnipiac 6, Penn State 6, Robert Morris 3, Boston University 2

_________________________________________

And the men's side polling ...

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Maine Athletics has been informed that Alfond Arena is off limits for hockey home games, unless you meet the state minimum for capacity or get approved a la Memorial Gymnasium aka "the Pit" .

Maine @ Vermont remains on schedule this weekend...

from 92.9 the Ticket-Bangor

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

weekly USCHO Men's D1 Poll has been released

 

[CutOnDime97]

Beauty of a goal from ASU-Minnesota

 

[JMCx4]

Beauty of a goal from ASU-Minnesota

"Goal, Johnny Walker!"

 

[EXTRAS]

Any opinions on Matt Kessel?

 

[JMCx4]

Any opinions on Matt Kessel?

Just one old man's opinion: I responded to a similar inquiry from an HFB member in a post on Page 3 of this thread. Since that Reply, Kessel has continued to contribute offensively for the very hot UMass team; and what I saw of his play in a recent Hockey East game impressed me (good puck handling, good speed, seems to use his size well on D). But you have to remember that he's only 20 years old & a sophomore; and his stats for 2020-21 don't yet scream: "I am the next coming of Al MacInnis or Chris Pronger (when the Blues finally sign me)." Give the pandemic its due for this season for hockey players at all levels, give Kessel time to mature some more, and ask again at the end on next season. If the Blues give him a contract, chances are he's a fit in their scheme.

 

[EXTRAS]

Any opinions on the best NCAA players this year who are likely to get contracts in the NHL eventually etc.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Any opinions on the best NCAA players this year who are likely to get contracts in the NHL eventually etc.

hard to quantify, tbth.... depends on draft age/eligibility

 

[JMCx4]

Any opinions on the best NCAA players this year who are likely to get contracts in the NHL eventually etc.

I don't follow the NHL closely enough to know which teams have depth spots open that could be up for grabs by college-aged players, but I'll offer a few names to watch.

• Senior University of Minnesota Goalie Jack LaFontaine, picked by Carolina in Round 3 of the 2016 entry draft but unsigned. LaFontaine transferred to MN last season after two years @ Michigan. He is logging big minutes this season for the Gophers, carrying a 9-0-0 record so far with a 0.965 SV% and a 1.00 GAA. IMO, it's just as difficult to put up numbers like that behind a very good team as it is backstopping a mediocre team.
• USNTDP (and next season committed to University of Michigan) Defenseman Luke Hughes, who is Top 5 in almost all rankings for the NHL 2021 entry draft. He is the younger brother of New Jersey's Jack Hughes & Vancouver's Quint Hughes, which gives him the name recognition to go along with his talents. He's got size (6'2"), he's a left-handed shot, and he can play the game.
• Freshman University of Michigan Defenseman Owen Power, ranked Top 3 across the board for the NHL 2021 entry draft. A 6'5", 215 lb. defender who put up good offensive numbers for the USHL's Chicago Steel before moving to the Wolverines. His high ranking attests to his potential.
• Freshman University of Michigan Centerman Matthew Beniers, ranked Top 20 for the 2021 draft. He played a big supporting role in the Team USA gold medal run during the just-completed World Junior Championships, giving him the kind of exposure that will probably bump him up in the rankings. His offensive numbers with the National Team the two previous seasons also support his resume as a future NHL-er.

 

[JMCx4]

The latest collection of USCHO.com "This Week in (insert conference name here) Hockey" previews ...

• This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Top-ranked Minnesota keeps winning, ‘very passionate about playing each game’
• This Week in Atlantic Hockey: Canisius navigating new season, new-look schedule with focus on new strategy
• This Week in ECAC Hockey: With three solid goaltenders this season, Colgate ‘really excited about where we are’
• This Week in Hockey East: Heavy conference representation at World Juniors, with U.S. coming away with gold
• This Week in WCHA Hockey: Calder’s ‘big impact’ continuing to help Lake Superior State stay effective
• This Week in NCHC Hockey: Miami earns first conference road sweep in five years as RedHawks ‘trying to learn how to win’

 

[EXTRAS]

Does anyone watch st cloud? Nick perbix a 6'4 dman drafted by tampa currently going over point per game. How does he look? NHL potential? Etc

Also, Cameron Wright out of Bowling-Green.

 

[JMCx4]

Interesting to see former NHL head coach Mike Babcock behind the University of Vermont bench as a "volunteer assistant coach" for the Catamounts men's team. I guess everyone needs a hobby in retirement.

 

[JMCx4]

Congratulations to the Vermont men's squad on the first victory of their shortened season (now 1-4-2), defeating the visiting Maine Black Bears this afternoon by a score of 5-4. The Catamounts doubled their previous 6-game GF total for the season, played a clean but physical game and displayed a strong team defensive effort in all three zones (despite what the final score would indicate). A very impressive outing by first year Head Coach Tom Woodcraft's boys.

That leaves U of Maine as the only winless Hockey East men's team @ 0-4-1, if you don't count the Boston Terriers who are scheduled tonight to FINALLY play their first game this season.