Jan. 20, 2005

By Dave Starman
Special to CollegeSports.com

The CCHA, CHA, and ECACHL gird up for big weekends, as each conference will see its first place team play its second place team. These three sets of games make for a unique few days in college hockey.

In the CCHA second place Ohio State hosts #1 Michigan, CHA leader Bemidji State travels south to face #2 Alabama-Huntsville, and ECAC front-runner Colgate hosts #2 Vermont. Of the three matchups, only Vermont and Colgate have played each other so far this season, with Vermont winning that contest 3-1 in Burlington.

It starts in Columbus, Ohio as the famed Ohio State-Michigan rivalry gets renewed on ice. It's their first meeting since OSU beat the Wolverines in the CCHA Championship game last March, and the Wolverines are on a roll with just one conference loss (15-1-0).

The Maize and Blue come into Columbus after sweeps of Alaska-Fairbanks and Western Michigan. They are 9-1 in their last ten, with the lone loss being to Michigan State in the Great Lakes Championship game in Detroit. Michigan boasts depth, explosive scoring, and the ability to turn a mundane situation into a goal. They are strong in goal with Al Montoya, who has been up and down but has led Michigan to an overall 18-5-1 record. Led by their legendary coach Red Berenson, the Wolverines are a team that still feels that they have something to prove to both themselves and the nation.

The question mark with Michigan has been goalie Al Montoya. The first round choice of the New York Rangers has had what many feel is a sub par season, yet he is 17-4-1 on the season. Despite that, Coach Berenson still fields questions regarding Montoya.

"Montoya is fine," said Berenson. "Despite giving up a lot of goals in the Western Michigan series, he was a factor in both wins."

Another promising youngster is T.J. Hensick, who leads the team in scoring with 32 points. Earlier this season, the coaching staff benched Hensick for lackluster defensive play.

"When you are so offensively skilled, you don't get taught how to play without the puck," said Berenson. "So we benched him. He took it the right way. He's a plus seven since then."

Junior forward Jeff Tambellini has also picked up his game. Possibly thinking back to his Rangers's days, Berenson thought Tambellini could be a G-A-G player, as in a goal a game. After a slow start, he has also cranked it up, especially since the Christmas break.

Ohio State comes into this weekend at 12-3-1 and have been remarkable despite the losses of key players such as Paul Caponigri, Dave Steckel, and star goalie Mike Betz. Goalie David Caruso has stepped in and backstopped the team to 13 of their 15 wins. Paced by youth and speed, the Buckeyes are led up front by the trio of Kenny Bernard, Mark Beaudoin, and Andrew Schembri. Beaudoin, a converted winger who was moved to the pivot by head coach John Markell, has made the most of the opportunity with 2-11=13. Freshman Tom Fritsche and fellow first year forward Domenic Maiani rank first and third on the team in scoring.

For this weekend to mean something for the Buckeyes, they needed to rebound off a poorly played win against Ferris State two weeks ago, and a loss the following night. Ohio State did just that, sweeping Notre Dame in South Bend. One of the areas that is clicking for Ohio State is the power play, a big factor in its recent success.

"We know that we have shot more, and have had more chances," said Markell. "We must be better in burying our chances."

Against the Wolverines, Markell knows that team defense is a huge key for victory. Earlier this season against Michigan State in East Lansing, the Spartans outplayed the Wolverines for most of the game, yet lost on three turnovers that wound up in the back of the MSU net.

Ohio State plans to keep the puck out of dangerous areas, and prevent bad turnovers. One such way is to drive the net and shoot the puck, which they will be eager to do on Montoya.

"A kid like Beaudoin shoots the puck from anywhere, and a good shot on net is always a good play."

Look for the Buckeyes to unleash the up-tempo game that typifies their head coach this weekend. They'll drive the net, be quick in their transition, and keep the puck in safe areas in the neutral zone. Caruso should be excited for the challenge of outdueling Montoya, who in my opinion is still as good as anyone in the NCAA. Look for the Buckeye defense to be active to counter Michigan's forwards trying to fly the zone.

Stat Lines

Michigan. TJ Hensick (15-17=32), Jeff Tambellini (12-18=30), Milan Gajic (11-14=25), David Moss (7-17=24), Al Montoya (17-4-1, 2.68, .897).

Ohio State: Tom Fritsche (4-21=25). Rod Pelley (13-11=24), Domenic Maiani (8-15=23), Dan Knapp (8-13=21) Sean Collins (5-12=17, defenseman), David Caruso (13-4-3, 2.12, .920).

Scouting report: Michigan. If the World Juniors is any indication, expect the Buckeyes to go to the net and shoot from everywhere. Montoya showed vulnerability to low shots this season, and traffic will further test him down low. Michigan is a great transition team, in the same league with the Gophers and BC Eagles in that regard. They will make you pay for turnovers at the bluelines and in the neutral zone so puck control is important for the Buckeyes. If there is a chink in the armor, it might be their defensemen against the size and strength of the OSU forwards in their down low play. Look for OSU to work low, cycle and jam the net. Michigan might be looking to get OSU to take some undisciplined penalties, as they will be at home with a young team in front of a sold out Buckeye crazy crowd.

Ohio State: Their special teams have been carrying them, especially their penalty killing, which is just over 90% and leads the CCHA. Their power play is a shade over 20% to rank fourth in the conference. They are strong defensively and in goal with Caruso, who sits third in goals against average, and fifth in save percentage. The Buckeyes are a +23 goals scored to goals allowed, behind only Michigan and are getting balanced scoring. Their youth has been a plus as they have been energetic and up-tempo all season.

Notes: Michigan has the top power play in the CCHA at 24.3%, with four players striking four times with the extra man. The Buckeyes and Wolverines are second and third in team defense with 2.19 and 2.38 goals against averages respectively. Michigan's 80 goals scored leads the conference, and they are a +42 goals scored to goals allowed. Michigan comes in with the sixth-ranked penalty killing unit, sitting at 82.4% which they have talked about wanting to raise a bit higher. Ohio State is paced on their power play by Kitimat, BC native Rod Pelley who has 8, followed by 4 from Beaudoin, and two apiece from Fritsche, Maiani, Knapp, Bittner, Schembri, and Anderson.

Quotable: "We know what bad penalties can do to us. We have to convince our guys that they are the ones that have to keep moving their feet so that we can draw penalties." Ohio State Coach John Markell.

CHA: Bemidji State (8-2) vs Alabama-Hunstville (6-1-1).

The last time I saw Tom Serratore's Bemidji State Beavers, they had played their hearts out in a thrilling 4-3 OT loss to Niagara in the CHA Championship game. They haven't skipped a beat, racing out to first place in the CHA with an 8-2 record behind great goaltending and timely scoring. Led by seniors Andrew Murray and Brendan Cook (who just became their Division I era all time leading goal scorer with 48), and a recent hot streak by rookie goalie Matt Climie, BSU has played a good puck control game where they have proven of late that the best defense at times is a good offense that can keep the puck low and cycle/forecheck a team into submission.

They come into the game off a sweep of Robert Morris in Bemidji.

The Chargers welcome the Beavers to perhaps one of the more unknown, underrated, and unpredictable college hockey venues, the Von Braun Civic Center (could I tell you stories!). Huntsville, which at one time billed itself as the hockey capital of the south because of the success of the Chargers and the Central Hockey League's Hunstville Channel Cats, attracts some of the wildest and most supportive hockey fans in any market. The Chargers, at 6-1-1, are led by the dynamic Jared Ross, son of longtime coach Doug Ross, who has built a great if somewhat unknown program in a city known more for rocket science than rocket slap shots.

"Their team revolves around Jared Ross, he has speed and a great nose for the net," said Serratore. "He can flat out make plays."

Serratore knows that a key for the Beavers is to stay out of the penalty box against a team that has skill, speed, and a mobile unit of five with the extra attacker.

"They have the best defense corps in the CHA, and their power play clicks at about 22%," said the coach. "A lot of that is because of Ross."

Huntsville has had the better of the play at VBC against Bemidji State, who have only won twice there in their Division I era. They key for the Beavers is not to get into a run and gun, up and down type game.

"They clog up the neutral zone very well. We just have to go in there, play smart, and take the fans out of the game."

If you are in the area, this is absolutely worth the trip.

ECACHL: #2 Vermont (7-2-2) at #1 Colgate (9-1-0)

This is a game that has created an enormous buzz in upstate New York. Colgate is in first place in the wild and unpredictable ECACHL, and the #2 Catamounts have drawn national attention with their remarkable season and quest to from worst to first in their swan song season in the ECACHL.

By losing to Dartmouth 6-3 last weekend, Vermont was toppled from the top spot, and Don Vaughn's Raiders were more than happy to take their place after wins against RPI and Union on the road. At RPI, Colgate scored two shorthanded goals and one on the power play for a 4-2 win, and then rode the goaltending of dependable goaltender Steve Silverthorn for a 1-0 win. Over the weekend, the only goals given up by Silverthorn were a pair of five vs. three goals against the Engineers on Friday.

"He just makes everyone so confident out there," said Vaughn. "When you have a guy out there that stops pucks like he does, it allows guys to take some risks. He's been exposed at times, yet he always comes up big. We've come to expect that."

Having NHL goalie Robert Esche around to help out has also been beneficial. Esche, one of many locked out by the NHL, has been there to help out the Colgate staff as a volunteer assistant, and has helped transform Silverthorn into an elite goaltender.

He'll be opposed by freshman sensation Joe Fallon of Vermont in a game matching two of the marquee goalies in the country right now.

"He's a big kid who plays the position like a pro goalie," said Vaughn. "He's great at playing every situation properly. He's almost one thought ahead of his opponents."

Colgate has been one of many teams that have seen success on the increased amount of power play chances. Despite some inconsistencies early in the season, the newly "tweaked" power play has played with more life, more energy, and seen increased efficiency from its two units. They have been more prone to throw the puck on goal, shoot for sticks, and hammer home rebounds.

While their power play has increased, it is Vermont's power play that has Coach Vaughn concerned.

"They move the puck so well, it's never on anyone's stick for long," said Vaughn.

For Vaughn, he wants the Raiders focused on Vermont specifically, not just on the fact that first place is on the line. The Catamounts are responsible for Colgate's only loss in conference play, a 3-1 win earlier in the season in which they scored three goals in the second period to break a 0-0 deadlock.

"This conference goes down to the final weekend every year," said Vaughn. "That's why we try to play the same game every night, and it takes a great team effort to beat Vermont."

Dave Starman serves as an analyst on CSTV Friday Night Hockey and contributes weekly to CollegeSports.com. Starman has coached professionally and in the amateur ranks and is currently the head Northeastern scout for the USHL's defending champion Waterloo Black Hawks.

Dave's Last Column:
Jan. 14: Rivlaries East And West