{"id":32544,"date":"2010-10-29T00:34:30","date_gmt":"2010-10-29T05:34:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/?p=32544"},"modified":"2010-11-02T15:42:19","modified_gmt":"2010-11-02T20:42:19","slug":"adrian-should-once-again-rule-the-mcha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwwproxy.uscho.com\/2010\/10\/29\/adrian-should-once-again-rule-the-mcha\/","title":{"rendered":"Adrian should once again rule the MCHA"},"content":{"rendered":"
Adrian’s three-year stranglehold is the Midwestern Collegiate Hockey Association’s storyline entering the 2010-2011 campaign. The Bulldogs are poised to make it a four-year talking point.<\/p>\n
The perennial league leaders return a cavalcade of proven collegiate players who have claimed numerous honors, like last season’s\u00a0 MCHA Player of the Year Mike Dahlinger (10 goals and 36 assists for 46 points).<\/p>\n
Despite three league titles, the Bulldogs don’t feel they’ve quite done enough outside the MCHA circuit. St. Norbert’s dumped the team out of the NCAA Division III playoffs in the first round during the school’s first-ever national tournament appearance.<\/p>\n
Ron Fogarty’s forces are eager to rectify their tournament fumble. While looking ahead, though, there are rumblings from behind.<\/p>\n
Marian, whose second place achievement earned Jasen Wise MCHA Coach of the Year, returns leading scorers Dakota Dubetz (15-17-32) and Brendon Hull (16-14-30).<\/p>\n
Other developing narratives include coaching debuts by John McCabe at Finlandia and Seamus Gregory at Lake Forest. McCabe assumes the Lions helm after serving as an assistant at Alabama-Hunstville while erstwhile Forester assistant Gregory replaces 32-year veteran Tony Fritz.<\/p>\n
On a more dubious note, though, Concordia will look to break a winless drought that extends back to February 2009.<\/p>\n
Click on the team name for an in-depth preview.<\/p>\n
Adrian<\/strong><\/a> Marian<\/strong><\/a> Milwaukee School of Engineering<\/strong><\/a> Lawrence<\/strong><\/a> Lake Forest<\/strong><\/a> Finlandia<\/strong><\/a>
\nHead coach:<\/strong> Ron Fogarty (Fourth season, 77-8-1 overall)
\n2009-10 record:<\/strong> 24-4-0, 20-0-0, First place with 40 points
\n2009-10 power play:<\/strong> 45-144, .312 percent conversion
\n2009-10 penalty kill:<\/strong> 16-161, .91.5 percen
\n Key returners:<\/strong> F Mike Dahlinger, D Chris Stansik, F Zack Graham, G Brad Fogel
\n Key losses:<\/strong> F Kyle Frieday, D Rob Hodnicki, D Kyle Crawford
\n 2010-11 predicted finish:<\/strong> First
\n Bottom line:<\/strong> Members of this senior-laden side are acutely aware this is the last chance if it wants to capture a DIII title. Any hiccups, especially those due to looking ahead to March, will be this proven MCHA juggernaut’s main concern.<\/p>\n
\nHead coach:<\/strong> Jasen Wise (Seventh season, 87-71-10)
\n2009-10 record:<\/strong> 20-7-0, 18-2-0, Second place with 32 points
\n2009-10 power play:<\/strong> 34-153 .222 percent
\n2009-10 penalty kill:<\/strong> 125-158 .791 percent
\n Key returners:<\/strong> F Brendon Hull, F Dakota Dubetz, D Tommy Fitzpatrick, D Nathan Brummitt
\n Key losses:<\/strong> F Nick Cinquegrani, D Nick Henkemeyer, D Ryan Hitchcock
\n 2010-11 predicted finish:<\/strong> Second
\n Bottom line:<\/strong> Last season’s MCHA Coach of the Year Jasen Wise has bolstered the roster with solid recruits in Matt Williams (Brook Bandits AJHL)\u00a0 and Robbie Bailey (Powell River Kings BCHL) and is eager to end Adrian’s reign.<\/p>\n
\nHead coach:<\/strong> Mark Ostapina (129-107-10, 10th season)
\n2009-10 record: <\/strong>14-11-2, 12-7-1 Third place with 25 points
\n2009-10 power play:<\/strong> 37-182 .203 percent
\n2009-10 penalty kill:<\/strong> 117-141 .830 percent
\n Key returners:<\/strong> F Bradley Tierney,\u00a0 F Michael Soik,\u00a0 F Todd Krupa, D Michael Johnson.
\n Key losses:<\/strong> F Steve Smiddy, D Michael Johnson
\n 2010-11 predicted finish:<\/strong> Third
\n Bottom line:<\/strong> The Raiders have a plethora of returning sophomores, four of whom, led by Tierney, (9-17-26)\u00a0 — finished among the team’s top 10 scorers. Junior Goaltender Conner Toomey, who carried the load last season, will be counted on heavily.<\/p>\n
\nHead coach:<\/strong> Mike Szkodzinski (Fifth season, 49-55-8)
\n2009-10 record:<\/strong> 10-16-2, 7-11-2, Fifth place with 16 points
\n2009-10 power play:<\/strong> 30-144 .208 percent
\n2009-10 penalty kill:<\/strong> 132-162 .815 percent
\n Key returners:<\/strong> F Ben DiMarco, D Jameson Raymond, G Evan Johnson
\n Key losses:<\/strong> F Marc Howe, D Mike Ackley, F Billy Siers
\n 2010-11 predicted finish:<\/strong> Fourth
\n Bottom line:<\/strong> With losses of leading scorer Marc Howe (19-13-32) and Swede Gustav Ahlberg (11-9-20), the Vikings will rely on forward Ben DiMarco and defenseman Jameson Raymond to generate offense. Senior netminder Evan Johnson needs to rebound from a subpar season after a breakthrough campaign in 2008-09 when he posted seven shutouts.<\/p>\n
\nHead coach:<\/strong> Seamus Gregory (First season)
\n2009-10 record:<\/strong> 9-16-2, 8-10-2 Fourth place with 18 points
\n2009-10 power play:<\/strong> 28-174 .161 percent
\n2009-10 penalty kill:<\/strong> 135-179 .754 percent
\n Key returners:<\/strong> F Thomas Bark, D Mike Rubino, F Marc Rubinio
\n Key losses:<\/strong> F Justin Taylor, F Sean Farley, F Adam Love
\n 2010-11 predicted finish:<\/strong> Fifth
\n Bottom line:<\/strong> With the retirement 32-year bench boss Tony Fritz, Foresters coach Seamus Gregory ushers in a new era. The team needs to stay out of the penalty box, averaging a league-leading 28.8 PIM a game, but ranking seventh in penalty kill\u00a0 last season.<\/p>\n
\nHead coach:<\/strong> John McCabe (First season)
\n2009-10 record:<\/strong> 5-17-3, 4-14-2, Seventh place with 10 points
\n2009-10 power play:<\/strong> 17-164 .104 percent
\n2009-10 penalty kill:<\/strong> 116-145 .800 percent
\n Key returners:<\/strong> F Nemanja Jankovic, F Charles Benik, G Ryan Donovan
\n Key losses:<\/strong> D Quinn McIntosh, F James Neitsch, F Brandon VanAcker
\n 2010-11 predicted finish:<\/strong> Sixth
\n Bottom line:<\/strong> Name tags might be needed, as new coach John McCabe introduces 12 freshmen this season. Ryan Donovan is proven netminder, but needs to lower his goal-against (4.90) if the Lions are to escape the lower tier of the standings.<\/p>\n