On paper, it looked like it could be a breakout year for the Ohio State women’s hockey team. Redshirt junior Kassidy Sauve was named the WCHA preseason Player of the Year, they had a promising incoming class including two talented transfers, and they’d had a few seasons that showed flashes of brilliance under their belt.
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Candace: Hey Nicole, the weekend certainly had some interesting results. Boston College swept Minnesota-Duluth and looked fairly impressive in both games. Wisconsin and Clarkson also swept their series, but looked less impressive. Northeastern swept Boston University and established itself as the best challenger to BC in Hockey East, and Mercyhurst regrouped to tie St. Lawrence after losing to the Saints the previous night.
Last year in the ECAC, Clarkson proved that 2014 was no fluke, nor did they need an Olympic year to win. St. Lawrence made an early splash with a sweep of Northeastern and Cornell, and Colgate showed the ECAC continues to grow and be strong. Princeton showed how important impactful freshman are, and Harvard left everyone scratching their heads. It’s going to be a tough fight at the top of the conference. I expect Clarkson to finish on top again, but you never quite know how things will shake out in the ECAC.
Read MoreBoston College has had control of the conference for the past couple of seasons, but that could change this year. The Eagles are missing two of their top players in Megan Keller and Kali Flanagan as they are centralized prior to the Olympics. Meanwhile, Northeastern returns 75% of their scoring from last season and has been on the verge of breaking through for a few seasons now. It’s going to be an interesting year across college hockey – and especially in Hockey East. I have no idea how to pick who’ll finish where beyond the top two – and even those could flip-flop. The rest of the order seems like it will be a total toss-up, so I put absolutely no weight behind any of my ranks from 3-9.
Read MoreThe top three teams in the league had significant departures due to graduation and are missing players this season who are centralized with Team USA and Canada prior to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Minnesota-Duluth all have a lot of questions they’ll need to answer in order to be successful. Each program has plenty of young talent, but it will be how quickly each adapts that will decide how the season plays out. Normally, I’d go with last year’s winner as the preseason number one, but in this case, I have to give the nod to Minnesota because while they have a lot of unknowns, they have solid Sidney Peters in net. Wisconsin has to replace Patty Kazmaier Award winner Ann-Renée Desbiens, and that will be no easy feat.
Read MoreFolks that have overlooked the CHA in the past may be surprised to watch these teams this season. The conference is on the rise, with much more competition within its ranks than in years’ past and a lot less clarity about how the whole thing will shake out. Teams picked to finish in the bottom half have shown they have the ability to pull upsets, and it doesn’t feel like anyone is safe in the top half. I’d be completely unsurprised if Robert Morris, Syracuse, or Mercyhurst wins.
Read MoreThe 2017 IIHF Women's World Championships will forever be remembered in tandem with the stand that the US Women's National Team took -- and won -- in demanding equal treatment from USA Hockey.
But beyond the headlines (which all but wrote themselves), there was a lot to learn about each of the teams that played in the WWC. From a young Czech team that may or may not be relegated, pending possible tournament expansion, to the Americans' labor saga, each squad showed a lot about the state of their team, the development of their programs, and what's on the horizon.
Read MoreAfter achieving a landmark victory off the ice just two days before the tournament started, the United States Women's National Team made history on the ice, winning their first ever Women's World Championship on home soil.
They did so in dramatic fashion, with Hilary Knight blocking a shot, passing it to Kendall Coyne and then following her to receive Coyne's pass and score in overtime.
Read MorePLYMOUTH, Mich. Capping off an absolutely phenomenal tournament and in true U.S.-Canada fashion, the gold medal game was decided in overtime. And unlike in 2012, the last time this tournament was played on U.S. soil, the Americans came out on top.
U.S. forward Hilary Knight blocked a shot from Canada’s Halli Kryzyaniak on the defensive end and fed the puck to Kendall Coyne who used her speed to beat the defense. Knight followed the play and was in a perfect position to score the game-winner when Coyne fed it back to her at 10:43 of the extra frame.
Read MoreThe Americans put on a dominating performance Thursday night, limiting the Germans to just eight shots and controlling the entire ice. Ten different players scored goals, including three defenders. Through four games, fourteen Americans had scored goals, lending credence to coach Robb Stauber's claims that there are no "number ones" on the team.
Read MorePLYMOUTH, Mich.—Often lost in the reporting about the United States Women’s National Teams boycott was the players’ demand for USA Hockey to create a comprehensive development program for girls. Preliminary reports say the new agreement will have USAH adding a foundation position that works exclusively with girls developmental teams.
Read MorePLYMOUTH, Mich.—Ten different goal scorers and thirteen different players combined to send the U.S. past Germany with an 11-0 win and onto the gold medal game for a date with rival Canada.
American coach Robb Stauber has been repeating a mantra of speed, aggressiveness and depth and all three were abundantly on display Thursday evening.
Read MoreFolks who stayed home or didn't tune in on Tuesday because Team USA and Team Canada weren't playing missed out on quite a day in this tournament. That there's so much to talk about on what many considered a down day speaks volumes about the depth of this field.
Read MorePLYMOUTH, Mich.—When it comes to women's hockey, the gap between USA and Canada and the rest of the world has never been this narrow, and the growth of the game worldwide has never been more evident. he 2017 Women’s World Championships will be remembered for the historic wins by Finland and now Germany. The gap still exists—no one is contending that true parity has been reached. But in a week where USA Hockey’s Executive Director Dave Ogrean worried that U.S. and Canadian investments in their own programs might harm European hockey, the proof being put forth by these teams feels all the more poignant.
Read MorePLYMOUTH, Mich. — Though the Americans ultimately prevailed, the Finns proved that their upset of Canada on Saturday was no fluke with a close game on Monday.
Finland goalie Noora Räty played spectacularly, helping keep the game close, but eight penalties through the first two periods gave an already powerful American squad too much of an advantage. Team USA scored three power-play goals in the win.
Read MoreToo many penalties kept the Finns from established a rhythm and gave Team USA way too many opportunities on Monday evening.
The Americans are the only team to sweep their opening round games, but Finland took advantage of some lapses, especially on the defensive end. Captain Meghan Duggan repeated more than once that Team USA is focused on their own game and isn't too concerned about one opponent or the other. Monday's game showed places that they can work on with their two subsequent days off.
Read MorePLYMOUTH, Mich.—A catcher in baseball. A point guard in basketball. Soccer and hockey goalies. Each of them has their own set of challenges, but anyone that’s played any of those positions shares a mindset and frame of reference with all the others. They’re the 'big picture' people.
A striker has a singular focus on the net. A centerfielder sees their slice of the outfield. But the 'big picture' folks see the whole field of play. A goalie sees not just the person with the puck, but whether the lane is open, how the defenders are converging and where the other forwards are heading for passes. They watch the full width of the ice and synthesize all those pieces of information instantly. And they do it without thought. It becomes inherent to who they are and how they participate in the game.
Read MoreRonja Savolainen scored the go-ahead goal with 1:41 left in the game and Finland killed a penalty to run out time for the Finns’ first-ever World Championships win over Canada on Saturday.
It was a second straight flat start to a game for the Canadians and forward Rebecca Johnston said she didn’t have a reason why.
Read MoreFinland goaltender Noora Räty raised concerns and complaints about the goals and pegs used on the secondary rink on Friday. She compared the pegs used to those one might see in a beer league and had some strong post-game language about the situation.
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