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**** Official Hockey East 2011-2012 Season Thread ****


Gainzo

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Nope. Half decent will be a major improvement!

So they want to be Northeastern.

Que JonE's entrance...........

Oh wait, there is nothing for him to gloat over so cancel last statement.

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Nope. Half decent will be a major improvement!

Isn't that Toot's pregame speech lol.

The Mullins is slipping down toward Schneider territory, in becoming the worst rink in HE, with this announcement from the 'Mack:

Merrimack College to Significantly Expand Volpe Athletic Center

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Merrimack College has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Middlesex Islanders LLC and New England Junior Huskies Hockey Club to expand the Volpe Athletic Center to include new facilities for health science programs and athletics.

The first phase of the project involves the creation of a 10,000 square foot health science and sports medicine facility and a new weight room. The project will include enhanced sports medicine labs and a new training room that will expand clinical educational experiences for undergraduate athletic training and health sciences students. In addition, the facility will offer access to premiere care, rehabilitation and health services to Merrimack's 350 student athletes.

"The expansion of the Volpe Athletic Center is the latest example of Merrimack's commitment to making strategic investments that serve students' needs and support our goals for advancing the College," said Dr. Christopher E. Hopey, president, Merrimack College. "What's more, this project gives us a unique opportunity to partner with and have a beneficial impact on our local community."

Merrimack offers programs in health science, sports medicine and athletic training. These are among the fastest growing programs at the College and prepare students for a wide variety of careers including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists and athletic trainers. Students combine classroom work with internships and practicum courses to gain clinical experience.

"The new sports medicine and health science facility will significantly enhance our current academic offerings and allow us to better train and treat our student athletes," said Dr. Josephine Modica-Napolitano, dean, School of Science and Engineering. "The larger and improved facility will also provide opportunities to expand our academic and athletic programs as we prepare for future growth at Merrimack College."

Building a Hockey Destination

The second phase of the project includes the addition of a second full-sized ice hockey rink, a mini-rink for shooting practice, an off-ice shooting area and new locker rooms. It may also include space for a pro shop, expanded concessions and additional conference and meeting rooms.

"The Athletics Department is excited to be part of the invigorating development the College is experiencing," said Glenn Hofmann, director of athletics. "The addition of the second rink will help us in our continuing efforts to be a hockey destination for area youth and the community."

This year, the Merrimack hockey team had its best season since joining Hockey East. With a 14-2-1 home record, 10 sellout crowds and its first-ever national ranking, Merrimack won a school- record 25 games, advanced to the Hockey East Championship for the first time ever and was selected to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988. Head Coach Mark Dennehy earned All-New England and College Hockey News Coach of the Year honors, while Stephane Da Costa (Paris, France) was Merrimack's first hockey All-American since 1988 before debuting in the NHL with Ottawa after signing a two-year contact.

The partnership agreement gives the Middlesex Islanders and its youth hockey leagues access to more ice time at Merrimack College. Area families and youth will also have opportunities to use the facilities during hockey games and to attend many of the functions that will take place there.

"This project represents the achievement of an important milestone for the Middlesex Islanders," said Richard Gallant, program director, Middlesex Islanders and New England Junior Huskies Hockey Club. "The establishment of a home rink on the campus of Merrimack College will allow us to develop a comprehensive on- and off-ice student athlete program for all our participants, which will further identify us as one of the premier hockey organizations in New England."

The expansion of the Volpe Athletic Center continues the momentum Merrimack has created over the last two years with a range of improvements to its facilities and intercollegiate programs. The College renovated Lawler Arena, installing chair-back seats throughout the arena. A new student section behind the goal was added, as was a tunnel from the visiting locker room to the visiting bench. Additional renovations included a graphics board, a new press box, a new ice bed and compressor, a new entrance way to Volpe, a new speaker system and significant imaging additions.

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certainly wont be anything to gloat about since their cheatin coach is about to resign his position.

Certainly looks like it..............

And then there was eight.

According to a report in The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead (N.D.), Northeastern coach Greg Cronin will step down to take an unspecified job in the American Hockey League.

Cronin is currently with Team USA as an assistant coach at the World Championships in Slovakia.

Northeastern would become the eighth coaching change in Division I this season, matching a record set in 2004-05.

It would not be a surprise, coming on the heels of Cronin's school-imposed suspension for recruiting violations.

In February, the school discovered improper contacts between the coaching staff and recruits. Northeastern athletic director Peter Roby, who came in to clean up a program that had been setback by violations in its basketball program, came down harshly on Cronin and his staff. Cronin and assistant coach Albie O'Connell were suspended for three weeks, with the possibility of more to come as the school kept its investigation going. The second assistant, Sebastien Laplante, who was the interim head coach in Cronin's absence, is set to be suspended for an equal length of time when next season begins.

Cronin previously coached in the AHL at Bridgeport, an affiliate of the New York Islanders, for two seasons, 2003-05. He left to take the job at Northeastern, replacing Bruce Crowder, and led the Huskies to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009. Prior to Bridgeport, Cronin was an assistant coach with the Islanders from 1999-2003. He's also been an assistant coach at Maine, Colorado College and Colby, his alma mater.

Cronin, 48, is a native of Arlington, Mass.

The news from The Forum came amid a story about current Fargo Force (USHL) player Vinny Saponari transferring to Northeastern. Saponari was dismissed from Boston University after the 2009-10 season. He played two seasons there, winning a national championship as a freshman and scoring 20 goals and 47 points. After his dismissal, he went to Fargo and scored 18 goals this season. A former U.S. Under-18 team member, Saponari is a native of suburban Atlanta, and was drafted in the fourth round of 2008 NHL Draft by his hometown Atlanta Thrashers.

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2011/04/24_cronin_leaving_northeastern.php

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What a crock. So Cronin is a cheat because he called a talented loser and talked him into transferring? I can just imagine the cheats at BC or BU calling little Michael from Cohassett who goes to BC high and committed to Cornell. Give me a break.

Northeastern is pissing me off. I understand they want to emphasis academics and have become a very, very good school. They have essentially made co-op voluntary (in this economy, no wonder) and you would think they would be more competitive in their Basketball and hockey programs. And wala! They have become better - thanks to Cronin.....but nooooooooo....can't have that! I smell a conspiracy. The BC piddler priest fund fast at work. Perhaps BU syphoned some funds from the Campus Sluts grant to pay off the NU athletic director.

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What a crock. So Cronin is a cheat because he called a talented loser and talked him into transferring? I can just imagine the cheats at BC or BU calling little Michael from Cohassett who goes to BC high and committed to Cornell. Give me a break.

Northeastern is pissing me off. I understand they want to emphasis academics and have become a very, very good school. They have essentially made co-op voluntary (in this economy, no wonder) and you would think they would be more competitive in their Basketball and hockey programs. And wala! They have become better - thanks to Cronin.....but nooooooooo....can't have that! I smell a conspiracy. The BC piddler priest fund fast at work. Perhaps BU syphoned some funds from the Campus Sluts grant to pay off the NU athletic director.

I wish my coach would cheat.

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I would just like you to all know that I hereby renounce my support for BU. I will instead be attending a school on the West Coast that, combined with two other schools, still cannot field a competitive team for any sport. :P

eusa_clap.gif

Good. That means I can start liking you again.

And have fun on the west coast.

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Blaise joins UMass.

AMHERST – With the departure of assistant coach Red Gendron to Yale University, former UMass-Lowell head coach Blaise MacDonald will become his replacement at the University of Massachusetts.

MacDonald spent the last 10 years as the head coach at UMass-Lowell, stepping down in March. During that span, the River Hawks enjoyed three 20-win seasons, and another of 19. In 2009, he took Lowell to the Hockey East championship game, falling 1-0 to Boston University. He previously served as the head coach at Niagara University, where he led his team to a 30-8-4 mark during the 1999-2000 season, its second season in Division I.

For Gendron, an assistant coach the past six years at UMass, it is a move up since he will be the associate head coach under Keith Allain.

“There were three reasons for the move,” Gendron said. “First, Yale has a great hockey program, as everyone knows. Second, the head coach is a long-time friend who is a terrific coach. We worked with four U.S. teams together. And third, the opportunity to be the associate head coach.”

Gendron, who was an assistant coach at Maine from 1990-93, including the NCAA championship season of ’93, emphasized that his stay at UMass was extremely positive.

“I had a fabulous experience at UMass,” Gendron said. “Everyone was great – the players, the alumni, the coaching staff, the off-ice staff. I’m not leaving because there’s anything wrong; it’s just a cool opportunity.”

The addition of MacDonald gives the Minutemen three coaches with collegiate head-coaching experience. Len Quesnelle, the other assistant coach, formerly was the head coach at Princeton.

Ironically, UMass head coach Don “Toot” Cahoon was responsible for bringing MacDonald in as an assistant coach at Boston University during the 1990-91 season when Cahoon was an assistant there.

“(BU head coach Jack Parker) was looking at a couple of guys to bring in,” Cahoon said.

The Terriers had lost two assistants. MacDonald remembers the situation well.

“Toot’s been my guardian angel,” MacDonald said.

They were there together one year, collaborating on a tremendous recruiting class that would go on to win a national championship a few years later. Cahoon then took over as the head coach at Princeton while MacDonald stayed on at BU through the 1995-96 campaign before leaving for Niagara.

In another ironic twist, MacDonald was on a short list with Dick Umile and Cahoon when the UMass coaching job became open following the firing of Joe Mallen after the 1999-2000 season. He flew in for an interview with the search committee. Additionally, when MacDonald was an assistant at Princeton in 1986-87, he coached Quesnelle, who was a star defenseman for the Tigers.

“It’s so great that we can all be back together,” MacDonald said. With 15 years of head-coaching experience, MacDonald doesn’t see a problem not having the final say.

“The way the game has changed, everyone’s a coach,” MacDonald said. “It’s not like 20 years ago when it was more of a hierarchy.

“Being an assistant, you can detach a bit, knowing the process of the emotions of being a head coach, and that way I can be of help to Toot.”

http://blog.masslive.com/umass-hockey/2011/07/blaise_macdonald_joins_umass_hockey_team_as_assistant_coach.html

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The lower tier of Hockey East is wide open so far. UNH crushed Lowell on Friday (5-0) then Lowell turns around and beats UMass 4-0 last night (sorry LBS).

BC and Merrimack are the class of the league and they will probably stay that way. After that all bets are off.

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Pummelled UML...on a serious roll mow

6 wins in a row

Pummelled? You crack me up. :biggrin: Good win for Northeastern. The only negative for NU is that they have played 13 Hockey East games with only 10 points to show for it. Lowell has played 11 Hockey East games and has 14 points.

I'm thrilled with Lowell being in 4th place in Hockey East at the break.

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Pummelled? You crack me up. :biggrin: Good win for Northeastern. The only negative for NU is that they have played 13 Hockey East games with only 10 points to show for it. Lowell has played 11 Hockey East games and has 14 points.

I'm thrilled with Lowell being in 4th place in Hockey East at the break.

We're starting to get National recognition in the polls

Also BU took a huge hit losing their top center for getting a little freak on in the BU dorms without concession

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/star-bu-hockey-player-arrested-kicked-off-team-after-allegedly-groping-female-student/2011/12/13/gIQAzTqasO_story.html

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we agree

Another Terrier bites the dust.

According to a report in the Terrier Hockey Fan Blog, Boston University's Charlie Coyle has left Boston University's men's hockey team to sign with the St. John's Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Keep in mind that if the report by the blog is indeed correct, Coyle's departure would be the second such departure for BU after they dismissed Corey Trivino after Trivino was arrested on three counts of indecent assault and battery.

The report by the blog, which cites the US Hockey Report, also states that Coyle is being dismissed for what are being called "ongoing academic issues."

After a freshman season where Coyle scored twenty-six points, he has fourteen points on three goals and eleven assists (3-11-14) this season.

Coyle is a first round pick of the National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks from the 2010 NHL Draft in Los Angeles.

http://www.examiner.com/college-hockey-in-national/coyle-leaves-bu-for-qmjhl-s-st-john-s-sea-dogs

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