Our three hockey programs are 3 weeks into their respective seasons. Lets take a look at how each of them are doing:
BOWLING GREEN
The Bowling Green Falcons are 4-1-1 right now in their season. Pretty sweet huh? However, don't look too much into that. Yes, they are good, but they haven't really played high-caliber teams. They went 1-0-1 against UConn (lost the shootout), they swept an awful Alabama-Huntsville squad, and split a series with Lake Superior State 1-0, 1-4. Also, they have the 3rd best scoring defense in the CCHA.
The question about whether or not the offense would perform is still the huge question. UAH might as well be a glorified exhibition game, so scratch them. They scored 4 in the tie against UConn, but thats the only time in their 4 meaningful games that they've gone over 2 goals. Even against UAH they went 2-1, 3-0. Not that great. The offense is easily the worst in the CCHA. However, wins are wins, and they have 3 points in CCHA play.
MIAMI
If I asked you who you thought would be in last place after 3 weeks in the CCHA, would you guess Miami? Yeah, me neither. But that's where they sit. No points after being swept by #14 Ferris State, who as I found out has the #1 goaltending recruit in the nation. Also, that's their only games in CCHA play, and Ferris State isn't bad. At all.
However, the losses to Ferris State aren't the worst part. Miami, pre-season #1 Miami, is 2-4-0 this year, and it seems like the best 1-2 combo in the net in Cody Reichard and Connor Knapp seem to be struggling this year. Reichard is statistically the worst goalie so far, and is only saving 85.7% of shots on him. This scoring defense is 2nd worse in the CCHA.
The #1 recruiting class isn't putting up stellar figures either, but after 6 games, what do you expect. I don't think many thought that this would be the 2nd worse scoring offense in the CCHA though either. This is a young team, and should straighten out in time. This may not be the year of the RedHawks though, but there is still a long ways to go. However, splits against Colgate and Bemijdi State are troubling.
WESTERN MICHIGAN
Our lone undefeated MAC team is the Western Michigan Broncos. They are 3-0-3 and 1-0-1-1 in CCHA play. Their schedule has it's roller coaster too. They opened against UAH, and demolished the Chargers, as they should have. A trip out to Schenectady, and two ties against #11 Union. Now, they just got 5 of 6 points against a decent Alaska squad in CCHA, and look to be set to contend in the MAC for a 2nd straight year.
Nick Pisellini is doing a good job in net, and freshman Frank Slubowski is doing great too, although he had a slight 3rd period meltdown to allow Alaska to tie the game Saturday. The scoring defense is 2nd in the CCHA, trailing the stellar Ferris State defense (FSU has only given up .83 goals/game).
The offense is looking strong as well, scoring 3.67 goals/game, good for 3rd in the CCHA. They get Northern Michigan next weekend back at Lawson. NMU is coming off a 4 point weekend against current #1 Michigan, and has looked good this year.
That will wrap it up for now. If you would like to check out the recruitment rankings, just click here. All rankings are courtesy of insidecollegehockey.com.