NCAA Frozen Four Preview – CCHA Primer

FARMINGTON HILLS , MI – The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) offers a strong collection of schools from the Upper Midwest and Alaska that offer excellence on and off the ice.
The CCHA boasts some of the newest programs in the country, and some of the biggest powerhouses.   The conference has created a reputation as one of the top college hockey leagues in the nation with excellent success throughout the NCAA, and alumnus in the NHL and professional hockey elsewhere.
The CCHA was formed in the summer of 1971 between St. Louis University, Bowling Green, and Lake Superior St. with Ohio University and Ohio State joining the conference shortly before the start of the school year. The conference has fluctuated over the years with a few programs ceasing and two other schools creating hockey programs along the way.
Over the years, the CCHA has seen a few schools depart only to rejoin at a later date while the basic core of the league has remained.   Today the CCHA has twelve members competing in Division I NCAA men’s hockey.
The CCHA begins it’s conference championship around the first weekend of March every season.   The alignment begins with the top four finishing schools receiving byes while the remaining eight play a best-of-three series at the higher qualifiers home ice.
Round two is similar in that it is played at the highest finisher’s home ice the following weekend of the first round with a best-of-three match-up.   Schools are re-seeded for the second round with one playing eight and so on.   After the second round, play by the four remaining schools is in Detroit, Michigan at Joe Louis Arena.
The format of the Championship round is one verse four and two verse three.   The two winners from the first games play in the championship game while the losers play for the third place game.   The conference champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament starting the following weekend to go along with their award of the Mason Cup.
Participating Schools
Alaska
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Colors: blue and gold
Mascot: Nanooks
Coach: Dallas Ferguson (1^st season)
Arena: Carlson Center (4,595)
Joined CCHA: 1995-96
Alaska has never won a CCHA title or a National Championship.   This season could see an unfortunate team make the worst trip in hockey as Alaska is headed to a #4 conference ranking and #16 overall in the NCAA.   Looking for a first round bye, the Nanooks have sparked under alumnus Dallas Ferguson and are on it’s way to an NCAA tournament berth.
Bowling Green
Location: Bowling Green, Ohio
Colors: brown and orange
Mascot: Falcons
Coach: Scott Paluch (7^th season)
Arena: BGSU Ice Arena (5,000)
Joined CCHA: 1971-72
The Falcons have had a hard season and are anticipating a last place finish within the conference this season.   While Bowling Green won a National Championship in 1984, their first issue to deal with for an automatic conference bid is to face #5 Ohio St. for a best-of-three series in Columbus.
Ferris State
Location: Big Rapids, MI
Colors: crimson and gold
Mascot: Bulldogs
Coach: Bob Daniels (17^th season)
Arena: Robert L. Ewigleben Ice Arena (2,493)
Joined CCHA: 1979-80
The 29^th ranked Bulldogs may not want to count on their ranking to help them into the NCAA tournament.   With a potential #8-#9 match-up with Western Michigan in the balance, Ferris State is going to need a solid conference tournament to secrete them into NCAA tournament.   Look for the Bulldogs to be hungry though out the playoffs as one of the most penalized teams will not go down without a couple of good fights.
Lake Superior St .
Location: Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Colors: royal blue and gold
Mascot: Lakers
Coach: Jim Roque (4^th season)
Arena: Taffy Abel Arena (4,000)
Joined CCHA: 1972-73
Lake Superior St. last won the National Championship in 1994.   The Lakers could be looking at playing fellow Yuppers in Marquette to open the Conference tournament or headed south to play in one of the largest and loudest arenas in the league against Nebraska-Omaha.   Lake Superior St. will need to win the conference tournament in order to play in the NCAA given their sub-.500 record.
Miami (OHIO)
Location: Oxford, OH
Colors: red and white
Mascot: RedHawks
Coach: Enrico Blasi (10^th season)
Arena: Steve Cady Arena (3,642)
Joined CCHA: 1981-82
Miami has fought their way to #2 seed within the conference and are ranked fifth in the nation.   While Miami is destined to the NCAA tournament, a good conference tournament showing may be what the RedHawks need to solidify themselves as one of the top hockey programs in the country.
Look for Miami to be in the Frozen Four as they are going to have as much of a chance as any other school to make the finals.   Beware of team scoring leader Carter Camper (think Martin St. Louis) who is anticipated to return next season as well.
Michigan
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Colors: maize and blue
Mascot: Wolverines
Coach: Red Berenson (25^th season)
Arena: Yost Ice Arena (6,637)
Joined CCHA: 1981-82
A powerhouse in Division I hockey.   The Wolverines nine national titles are the most of any DI team and once again this season, Michigan is not just looking for “an appearance.” Currently ranked third in the conference and third in the nation, Michigan would love nothing more than to win another conference title (seven in all) in front of a home crowd and open NCAA play as a number one seed in front of a home crowd in Grand Rapids.
Michigan St .
Location: East Lansing, MI
Colors: green and white
Mascot: Spartans
Coach: Rick Comley (7^th season)
Arena: Munn Ice Arena (6,470)
Joined CCHA: 1981-82
The last time Michigan St. looked so poor in the conference, they didn’t have a potential future Vezina Trophy winner in the crease.   While Jeff Lerg has been the brightest spot for the Spartans, this is a team that should not be taken lightly.   Michigan St. knows how to win and expects to win, with a solid conference tournament; the Spartans could catapult themselves to a strong 2009-10 season.
Nebraska-Omaha
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Colors: crimson and black
Mascot: Mavericks
Coach: Mike Kemp (12^th season)
Arena: Qwest Center Omaha (18,000)
Joined CCHA: 1999-00
What may be the most aggravating season in the short history of Nebraska-Omaha hockey may also be what the Mavericks need to turn in a season of one goal losses and overtime after overtime games to capitalize with a tournament berth.   While the Mavs have some impressive wins on their resume, they also have a 14 game winless streak to their credit as well.   The Mavericks are going to need to win the conference tournament in order to earn an NCAA berth.
Northern Michigan
Location: Marquette, MI
Colors: old gold and olive green
Mascot: Wildcats
Coach: Walt Kyle (7^th season)
Arena: Berry Events Center (3,902)
Joined CCHA: 1977-78 to 1983-84; Rejoined 1997-98
The 1991 National Championship may be one of the most exciting games ever, and Northern Michigan claimed bragging rights in triple overtime. The Wildcats will have an uphill battle if they want to revisit the Frozen Four as they have come into the last weekend of play three games below .500, and are in need of a conference tournament victory to solidify a spot in the NCAA tournament.
Expect Northern Michigan to get into the second round of the CCHA tournament, the finals will depend on them winning on the road and they have struggled as the visitors.
Notre Dame
Location: South Bend, IN
Colors: blue and gold
Mascot: Fightin’ Irish
Coach: Jeff Jackson (4^th season)
Arena: Joyce Center (2,713)
Joined CCHA: 1981-83; Rejoined 1992-93
Notre Dame is looking to finish where they were unable to last year.   The Irish lost the National Championship 4-1 to Boston College and may have a better team this year.   The Irish only have two seniors and are loaded top to bottom with talent.   This season marks their second straight regular season conference title, which Notre Dame will use to propel themselves once again into the NCAA tournament.
Ohio State
Location: Columbus, OH
Colors: scarlet and gray
Mascot: Buckeyes
Coach: John Markell (14^th season)
Arena: Value City Arena (17,500)
Joined CCHA: 1971-73; Rejoined 1976-77
Ohio State has done whatever they can to stay near the top of the national rankings. They have split with every team above them and have not allowed any one team to dominate them physically or on the scoreboard.   Look for the Buckeyes to make waves in the CCHA. This is a team that is all but assured a place in the NCAA tournament, but would like to be a considerably higher seed.
Western Michigan
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Colors: brown and gold
Mascot: Broncos
Coach: Jim Culhane (10^th season)
Arena: Lawson Ice Arena
Joined CCHA: 1975-76
Patrik Galivan leads a good scoring team who has given up the second most goals within the conference.   While the Broncos are one of the younger teams in the league, they do not lack ability and will use that to help themselves throughout the CCHA playoffs where they will need to crown themselves victorious in order to make the NCAA tournament this season.
Look for Western Michigan to continue to develop by leaps and bounds under Head Coach Culhane, and is sure to take advantage of any postseason play to help develop the team.
Contact the author at: john.strathman@prohockeynews.com