The Associated Press State & Local Wire

Transcription

1 The Associated Press State & Local Wire October 11, 2003, Saturday, BC cycle Michigan Tech 49, Ferris St. 30 HOUGHTON, Mich. Dan Mettlach ran for three touchdowns and passed for another two to as Michigan Tech took a victory over Ferris State on Saturday. Mettlach rushed eight times for 72 yards, including an 8-yard TD run to seal the win for the Huskies (2-4, 2-4 Great Lakes Intercollegiate) with 2:20 left in the game. The quarterback also went 17-of-24 for 255 yard and two scores without any interceptions or sacks. Carlton Brewster led Ferris (3-3, 2-3) with 14 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns while Derek Fudge had 88 rushing yards and a score on 20 carries for the Bulldogs. Michigan Tech finished with 266 rushing yards compared to Ferris' 143, despite three Huskie fumbles. Tom Marsan went 32-of-51 for 297 yards and three TDs for the Bulldogs, but was i n - tercepted once and sacked twice.

2 The Associated Press State & Local Wire October 9, 2003, Thursday, BC cycle WCHA Team-by-Team Capsules A team-by-team look at the WCHA: Alaska Anchorage Seawolves Head coach: John Hill, 3rd year overall record: WCHA record: , 6 pts, 10th place. WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 10th. Outlook: Even the most talented motivational speaker would struggle to put a positive spin on what happened last season. The Seawolves won their season opener against Alaska Fairbanks and are still looking for their next win. The struggles included a mark after New Year's Day. Hill has his top four scorers back from a year ago and an experienced goalie tandem in the fold in seniors Kevin Reiter and Chris King, but he will likely need to do more confidence restoration if the Seawolves are going to be competitive this season. Only two returning forwards, sophomore Curtis Glencross and junior John Hopson, scored 10 or more goals last season, so finding more offense should be priority number one in Anchorage. Colorado College Tigers Head Coach: Scott Owens, 5th year overall record: WCHA record: , 43 pts, 1st (regular season champions). WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 3rd (tie). Outlook: With a formidable rebuilding task ahead of him, Owens is fortunate to have a few excellent building blocks in his possession. Sophomore defenseman Mark Stuart was one of the league's top rookies a year ago. Fellow sophomore Brett Sterling looks to have a n - other shining year offensively. But extraordinary efforts will be needed to replace the loss of Hobey Baker winner Peter Sejna, who departed for the NHL a year early. CC is coming off Owens' first WCHA title year, but the season ended abruptly in the NCAA r e - gional final with a loss to Michigan on the Wolverines' home rink. With the NCAA West Regional being played in Colorado Springs this season, Tigers fans like the chances of a Frozen Four trip in April. Denver Pioneers

3 Head Coach: George Gwozdecky, 10th year overall record: WCHA record: , 28 pts, 7th. WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 5th. Outlook: The Pioneers are coming off two consecutive surprising seasons. Two years ago they surprised the college hockey world by storming to the WCHA's regular season and playoff titles. Last year the surprise was that with most of their team returning, Denver failed to replicate that success and slipped into the lower half of the league. With several key elements still in place and a few talented freshmen coming in, Gwozdecky is hoping for a quick return to league title contention. Defense should again be the Pioneers' primary asset, as their roster features one of the nation's most highly regarded goalies i n senior Adam Berkhoel. If senior forward Connor James can put up respectable numbers, the Pioneers should contend. Michigan Tech Huskies Head coach: Jamie Russell, 1st year overall record: WCHA record: , 17 pts, 9th. WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 9th. Outlook: Michigan Tech used to be the cradle of stability for hockey coaches. The late John MacInnes coached the Huskies for 26 seasons, winning three NCAA titles between 1956 and So it may surprise some to note that Russell is Tech's fifth head coach since Russell, who skated for the Huskies in the late 1980s, returns to his alma mater after a successful run as the top assistant coach at Cornell, where he helped guide the Big Red to the Frozen Four last season. His primary goal will be to restore confidence and respect to a program that hasn't finished in the league's upper half in a decade. Talented forwards Chris Conner and Colin Murphy will help, but there are many question marks at defense and in goal. Minnesota Golden Gophers Head coach: Don Lucia, 5th year overall record: WCHA record: , 37 pts, 2nd (tie). (WCHA playoff champions, NCAA champions). WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 1st. Outlook: In April the Golden Gophers became the first team in more than 30 years to win back-to-back NCAA titles. With nine of the team's top 10 scorers returning, injuries might be the only things that could stand in the way of Minnesota claiming the first NCAA three-peat since Michigan did it in 1951, '52 and '53. Leading the charge will be sophomore Thomas Vanek, the Austrian wunderkind who was the Frozen Four's Most

4 Outstanding Player and the fifth pick overall in the NHL draft. The Gophers did lose two key players over the summer when All-American defenseman Paul Martin signed a pro contract and top goalie Travis Weber quit school. But the return of highly regarded blueliner Keith Ballard has calmed the fears of most Gopher fans. Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Head coach: Scott Sandelin, 4th year overall record: WCHA record: , 32 pts, 5th. WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 3rd (tie). Outlook: The Bulldogs finished last season on a roll, going in their final 1 6, winning a playoff series for the first time in five years and finishing third in the WCHA tournament. None of that was enough to overcome a sluggish start to the season, which cost them the school's first trip to the NCAAs in a decade. But Sandelin, who signed a contract extension over the summer, has three key sources of offense and his best goalie back this season. That has fans in Duluth camping out for tickets and dreaming of a return to the glory days. If UMD can survive a killer October schedule (which has them facing top-ranked Minnesota twice and second-ranked Boston College once), i t should be in the title hunt. Minnesota State, Mankato Mavericks Head coach: Troy Jutting, 4th year overall record: WCHA record: , 37 pts, 2nd (tie). WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 6th. Outlook: Last season was a breakout year for the Mavericks. MSU had a 17-game u n - beaten streak and made the school's first NCAA playoff appearance since moving up to Division I in Senior forward Shane Joseph is the nation's top returning scorer after posting 29 goals and 65 assists last year. But MSU's chances for a repeat performance took a hit when Joseph's linemate, Grant Stevenson, signed a pro contract over the summer. Jutting, who was named the WCHA coach of the year last season, will instead have to look to the likes of senior Cole Bassett and highly ranked freshman David Backes to fill Stevenson's skates. Without the element of surprise on their side this year, another second-place finish in the WCHA might be a tall order. North Dakota Fighting Sioux Head coach: Dean Blais, 10th year overall record: WCHA record: , 33 pts, 4th. WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 2nd.

5 Outlook: Some fans would be delighted to see their team get off to a flying start. In Grand Forks, a hot start for the Fighting Sioux might make more than a few fans skittish. After exploding out of the gate with a record last season, the last three months were a disaster for North Dakota, which was after New Years' Day and went one-anddone in the NCAA playoffs. The Sioux Nation takes solace in the fact that three of the n a - tion's more dangerous forwards - Brandon Bochenski, Zach Parise and highly regarded freshman Brady Murray (son of Los Angeles Kings coach Andy Murray) - will be i n uniform this year. The offense that trio supplies might be enough to make questions about the Sioux goaltending corps moot points. St. Cloud State Huskies Head coach: Craig Dahl, 17th year overall record: WCHA record: , 29 pts, 6th. WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 8th. Outlook: The Huskies are in lofty company, alongside national powers Maine and Michigan, as one of only three teams to receive four consecutive invites to the NCAA playoffs. But St. Cloud State is a quiet 0-4 in those four trips and slipped into the league's lower half last season - ending an impressive run of home ice berths in the WCHA playoffs. While Dahl has earned a reputation for doing a lot with lightly regarded talent, he faces one of his bigger challenges this season, with three of the team's top four scorers and their workhorse goalie departed. The Huskies spend the first month of the season at playing home, where a strong start before their raucous fan base will be vital if they want to play at home come playoff time. Wisconsin Badgers Head coach: Mike Eaves, 2nd year overall record: WCHA record: , 18 pts, 8th. WCHA coaches' predicted finish: 7th. Outlook: If Eaves had dreamed of a triumphant return to his alma mater, he's suffered quite a wake-up call in his first 12 months in Madison. The Badgers had their worst onice season in two decades with Eaves at the helm and were "team turmoil" off the ice - with players getting sick, getting arrested, leaving the team, and suing the school. That's the bad news. The good news is that Eaves landed the biggest prize in the college hockey recruiting pool when Madison native Ryan Suter signed on to man the Badgers' blue line. Wisconsin may still lack the scoring punch or the consistent goaltending to factor in the league title race this year, but Eaves has some convinced that the worst days are in the past.

6 Detroit Free Press October 9, 2003 Thursday 0 EDITION CCHA scouting report BY GEORGE SIPPLE FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER ALASKA-FAIRBANKS Last year: , , ninth in league. Coach: Guy Gadowsky, fifth season ( ). Strengths: Nine seniors -- Gadowsky's first recruiting class -- lead 19 returning letter-winners. Junior forward Jared Sylvestre and senior forward Ryan Campbell will be counted on offensively. Sylvestre led the team in scoring, with 11 goals among 28 points; Campbell tied for the team lead in goals with 14. Senior forward Ryan Campbell ( ) and senior forward Cam Keith ( ) also will contribute. Watch freshman forward Curtis Fraser, who scored 53 goals and 105 points for Vernon and Victoria of the British Columbia Hockey League. Weaknesses: Who will emerge as the top goalie? Senior Preston McKay (4.12 GAA,.877 save percentage) lost his job to walkon Keith Bartusch (2.73,.912), who returns for his junior season. Freshman goalie Ryan Comeau was a first-team all-star for Dryden of the Superior International Junior A Hockey League. BOWLING GREEN Last year: , , 11th. Coach: Scott Paluch, second season (8-25-3, ). Strengths: Six of the top seven scorers return, including Mark Wires, a senior forward who led the team in goals (13). Freshman forward Rich Meloche, who had 49 goals among 105 points for Milton of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League and freshman defenseman Jonathan Sigalet -- brother of junior goalie Jordan Sigalet -- should make an impact. The younger Sigalet ( ) was the British Columbia Hockey League defenseman of the year for Salmon Arm. Weaknesses: Senior forward D'Arcy McConvey has to do more offensively. He scored six goals last year, five fewer than he did as a sophomore. The Falcons ranked last in the CCHA in team defense last year, with a 3.93 GAA overall. Jordan Sigalet (3.28 GAA,.910 SP) made a leaguehigh 33.3 saves a game. FERRIS STATE Last year: , , first. Coach: Bob Daniels, 12th season ( ). Strengths: The Bulldogs return 17 letter-winners from a team that captured the first CCHA regularseason title in school history. Ferris also made its first trip to the NCAA tournament, and this group will be determined to get back. If junior goalie Mike Brown (2.35 GAA,.925 SP) can match last year's dominating performance, the Bulldogs will be a threat again. Brown was named CCHA defensive player of the week a record six times. Everybody on the team finished with a plus rating. Weaknesses: Junior forward Jeff Legue ( ) and junior forward Derek Nesbitt ( ) have to prove they can be as productive without departed linemate Chris Kunitz, the CCHA player of the year and Hobey Baker finalist. LAKE SUPERIOR STATE Last year: , , 12th. Coach: Frank Anzalone, 11th season ( ). Strengths: The Lakers played with 11 freshmen last season who accounted for half of the team's goals. Only three players are gone, though leading scorer Jeremy Bachusz ( ) is one of them. Freshman forward Jeffrey Rainville ( ) was the top scorer in the Northern Ontario Junior A Hockey League last year for Sault Ste. Marie. Senior forward Tim Krueckl, a transfer from Iona, should also give a boost offensively. He was the Gaels' second-leading scorer last year ( ). Weaknesses: Nineteen letterwinners return to a team that finished last in the conference in team offense (1.58 goals a game), power play (.096) and penalty killing (.707). MIAMI (OHIO) Last year: , , sixth. Coach: Enrico Blasi, fifth season ( ). Strengths: All eight players return to a defense that ranked fourth in the CCHA with a 2.46 GAA. Senior forward Greg Hogeboom ( ) had a schoolrecord-tying 17 power-play goals last season. He needs 15 more to break the school career record of

7 36 by Rick Kuraly. Senior forward Mike Kompon, who led the RedHawks in scoring last season ( ), is seven points shy of 100 for his career. Weaknesses: Miami's goalies have little -- or no -- college game experience. Senior Nick Petraglia has played in four career games, all during the season. He'll compete with a pair of freshmen -- Brandon Crawford- West and Steve Hartley -- for the starting job. MICHIGAN Last year: , , second. Coach: Red Berenson, 20th season ( ). Strengths: There's little doubt Michigan is the most talented team in the league. The Wolverines boast a CCHA-best 10 NHL draft picks and went to the Frozen Four last year thanks to the steady play of Al Montoya, who is draft eligible. Michigan led all CCHA teams in penalty killing (.892) and Montoya finished with a freshman school-record.911 save percentage and 2.33 GAA. Jeff Tambellini led the team in scoring ( ) and was named CCHA rookie of the year. He and fellow sophomores Andrew Ebbett ( ) and Brandon Kaleniecki ( ) provided a big chunk of the offense last season. Weaknesses: Three freshman defensemen -- Tim Cook, Matt Hunwick and Jason Dest -- will likely get plenty of work. As talented as Michigan is, it will miss the leadership of Jed Ortmeyer, who won CCHA Super Six MVP and CCHA defensive player of the year last season. MICHIGAN STATE Last year: , , fourth. Coach: Rick Comley, second season ( , ; overall, 28th season, ). Strengths: Comley believes each of his forward lines can score, and thinks junior Jim Slater ( ) can reach 70 points this year. Freshman goalie Dominic Vicari should log plenty of minutes. He was the USA Hockey goaltender of the year playing for River City of the U.S. Hockey League. Freshman forward Tom Goebel ( at Cleveland of the North American Hockey League) and forward Adam Nightingale, a junior transfer from Lake Superior State, should make an impact offensively. Weaknesses: Only three defensemen return. It will be impossible to replace defensemen John- Michael Liles and Brad Fast, a two-time All-America. They finished 1-2 in team scoring and each averaged 35 minutes of ice time per game in the second half of the season. NEBRASKA-OMAHA Last year: , , 10th. Coach: Mike Kemp, seventh season ( ). Strengths: Senior forwards Andrew Wong ( ) and Scotty Turner ( ) will have to increase their productivity, along with junior forward Dan Hacker ( ). The Mavericks move into a new arena -- 14,700-seat Qwest Center Omaha. Weaknesses: The team's three best players are gone. Forward David Brisson finished as the school's all-time leading scorer; Dan Ellis set every goaltending record; and defenseman Greg Zanon was a two-time All- America. Eleven newcomers will play in the new arena, including goalie Chris Holt, who comes from the Ann Arbor-based U.S. National Team Development Program. NORTHERN MICHIGAN Last year: , , fifth. Coach: Walt Kyle, second season ( ). Strengths: Senior goalie Craig Kowalski (2.82 GAA,.902 SP) helped the Wildcats finish fourth in the league last season in penalty killing (.836). Sophomores Dirk Southern ( ) and Jamie Milam ( ) will lead the team, Southern on offense and Milam on defense. Freshman defensemen Zach Tarkir and Bobby Selden should make a big impact, as should freshman forward Darin Olver ( for Chilliwack of the British Columbia Hockey League). Weaknesses: The team's top four scorers -- who accounted for 40.9 percent of the team's points -- are gone. NOTRE DAME Last year: , , seventh. Coach: Dave Poulin, ninth season ( ). Strengths: Senior forward Rob Globke ( ) continues to improve. Six defensemen return, led by seniors Neil Komadoski ( ) and Brett Lebda ( ). Notre Dame should get a boost from an eight-member freshman class, highlighted by defenseman Wes O'Neill, selected second overall in the 2002 Ontario Hockey League priority draft. Junior goalie Morgan Cey already owns several school records, including career GAA (2.80) and save percentage (.911). Weaknesses: Poulin's club struggles in January. Last season, Notre Dame endured an stretch from Jan. 4 to Feb. 1. The previous season, it had a skid from Jan. 4 to Feb. 8. OHIO STATE Last year: , , third. Coach: John Markell, ninth season ( ). Strengths: Senior goalie Mike Betz set a school record last year for single-season GAA

8 (2.24) and earned CCHA goaltender of the year honors. His play helped the Buckeyes finish first among CCHA teams in overall team defense (2.21 GAA) and second in overall penalty kill (.868). Weaknesses: The Buckeyes were supposed to have three NHL first-round picks at center this season. Instead, they have only one, senior Dave Steckel ( ). Ryan Kesler gave up his final three years of eligibility to sign with the Vancouver Canucks. Senior forward R. J. Umberger, a first-round pick by Vancouver in 2001, also decided to leave school. He hasn't been signed and seemingly has no place to play now. WESTERN MICHIGAN Last year: , , eighth. Coach: Jim Culhane, fifth season ( ). Strengths: This is the first Broncos team made up entirely of Culhane's recruits. Senior Dana Lattery and sophomore Vince Bellissimo both had 19 goals among 36 points, and senior Jeff Campbell added 13 goals among 28 points last season. Weaknesses: Five letter-winners return to the blue line but the Broncos finished 11th among 12 CCHA teams in team defense last season (3.87 GAA) and 10th in penalty killing (.787). Senior goalie Mike Mantua (3.72 GAA,.880 SP) and sophomore Scott Foster (3.77,.868) have to play better. WCHA MICHIGAN TECH Last year: , , ninth in league. Coach: Jamie Russell, first season. Strengths: Russell, a 1989 MTU graduate who previously was an assistant at Ferris State and Cornell, takes over for Frank Sertich. Last season's top four scorers return, led by junior forward Colin Murphy ( ) and sophomore forward Chris Conner ( ). Weaknesses: The defensive corps doesn't have much experience, but should get a boost from redshirt freshman Marek Dora and freshman Lars Helminen, the younger brother of Michigan forward Dwight Helminen. Junior Cam Ellsworth will try to improve on last seasons' 3.94 GAA and.893 SP. He'll be challenged by freshman Bryce Luker. CHA WAYNE STATE Last year: , , third in league. Coach: Bill Wilkinson, fifth season ( ; 22nd season overall, ). Strengths: The Warriors won their third straight CHA playoff title and made history with the school's first NCAA tournament bid. Now it's time to rebuild. Sophomore Derek MacKay ( ) is the top returning scorer. Junior forward Billy Collins led the nation with five shorthanded goals last season. He'll be counted on to do more offensively, along with fellow juniors Nathan Rosychuk ( ) and John Grubb (3-5--8). Freshman Mark Nebus should make a big impact as part of nine newcomers up front. Weaknesses: Twelve departing seniors that helped spark a fledgling program are gone. The starting goalie job is between sophomore Matt Kelly and fifthyear senior Marc Carlson. They combined to play in seven games last season. CHA WOMEN WAYNE STATE Last year: , 1-4, fourth in league. Coach: Jim Fetter, first season. Strengths: Last year's squad had just one senior, so the bulk of the team returns. Senior goalie Anna VanderMarliere won eight games last season and had a.928 save percentage. Sophomore Emily McGrath-Agg should improve on last year's six goals, which led the team. Weaknesses: Wayne State was the worst in the nation on the power play last season, scoring nine times in 138 opportunities.

9 Detroit Free Press October 9, 2003 Thursday 0 EDITION College hockey poll positions How coaches in each league predict their teams will finish this season ( f i r s t - p l a c e votes in parentheses): CCHA RK TEAM PTS 1. Michigan (10) Ferris State (1) Michigan State (1) Ohio State Northern Michigan Miami (Ohio) Notre Dame Alaska-Fairbanks Western Michigan Bowling Green Nebraska-Omaha Lake Superior State 11 WCHA RK TEAM PTS 1. Minnesota (9) North Dakota (1) Colorado College Minnesota-Duluth Denver Minn. State-Mankato Wisconsin St. Cloud State Michigan Tech Alaska Anchorage 10 CHA RK TEAM PTS 1. Bemidji State (5) Niagara (1) Ala.-Huntsville Wayne State Findlay 9 6. Air Force 6 CHAW RK TEAM PTS 1. Mercyhurst (3) Niagara (1) Findlay Wayne State 4

10 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel October 9, 2003 Thursday FINAL EDITION SPORTS; Pg. 03C UW coach learning the ropes Eaves, players develop rapport MARK STEWART Madison -- University of Wisconsin hockey coach Mike Eaves recently stood in the upper deck of the Kohl Center to watch his team go through pre-season workouts and reflected on his first season as coach. "We really had no idea of what we were getting ourselves into as a coaching staff," he admitted. It had been 15 years since Eaves had worked at the collegiate level before taking over as the Badgers' coach last season. His ties with the U.S. national team development program gave him the inside track with some of this country's best players but didn't help him in Canada. And though Eaves knows that a player's studies come first, he still hasn't gotten used to the scheduling conflicts that force a player to leave practice for a class or an evening exam. "We know the routine a little bit," he said. "Understanding what these kids go through in terms of their studies was a huge adjustment for us as a coaching staff, getting used to the pressures that they have. So we jumped into the deep end a little bit, but it's almost like we jumped into the ocean. But now we're moving a little closer to shore and we have a better idea of what we're dealing with." Although the Badgers ( ) scrambled to qualify for the WCHA playoffs, Eaves' first season as Wisconsin coach was difficult as the Badgers' eighthplace finish in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association was their worst since 1979-'80. Off the ice, he scarred his reputation by having a physical confrontation involving player Alex Leavitt, which prompted Leavitt to leave the program during the summer and file a $1 million lawsuit against the university last week for injuries suffered during the incident. Eaves declined to comment on the matter, citing advice from the university's attorney, but he has the athletic department's support. He also has the backing of his players, who spent much of last season trying to figure out what to make of their intense coach. "We love our coach and we think that he tries to get us better every day in practice. That's what we want out of him and that's what we expect," senior wing Rene Bourque said. "But our relationship with him is great. We get along well with everybody on the team and no one is afraid to approach him this year." There was definitely some shock value with Eaves. He was less forgiving with mistakes and in general worked the Badgers harder than Jeff Sauer, who retired in 2002 after 20 seasons. Eaves placed a greater emphasis on strength training, pushing that envelope further with 6:45 a.m. workout sessions during the season. Thus to hear his players say they understood him and his methods earlier this week was music to Eaves' ear. But will that added cohesiveness off the ice make much difference on it? The Badgers, who open the season at 8 p.m. Friday in the Maverick Stampede against host Nebraska-Omaha, are picked by WCHA coaches to finish seventh in the conference, but there are signs Eaves has the program pointed in the right direction. His recruiting class, led by defensemen Ryan Suter, goaltender Brian Elliott and forward Andrew Joudrey, was ranked first in the country by Red Line Report. The WCHA coaches voted Suter, a first-round draft choice of Nashville, the pre-season rookie of the year. Eaves, more familiar with his players, established a chain of command by naming captains in May instead of during the season as he did last year. Most important, though, is that Eaves and the players have bridged the gap that existed between them. "Any time you have a good relationship with your coach, you want to go out there and perform," senior captain Dan Boeser said. "Let's say you don't like him, you might go out in the game and say, 'I don't want to play for this guy.' But I know on our team now, getting to know the coaches more and more, every one is behind them and wants to play for them." TEAM-BY-TEAM CAPSULES Teams are listed in predicted order of finish according to the WCHA coaches' pre-season poll: 1. MINNESOTA

11 Coach: Don Lucia ( , fifth year; , 17th year overall) 2002-'03: , WCHA (tied for second) Player to watch: Thomas Vanek. The sophomore forward was the fifth pick of the NHL draft by Buffalo but bypassed the pros for at least one more year and is poised to become the Gophers' first sophomore All-American in nearly a decade. Key losses: Nick Anthony, F; Paul Martin, D; Matt DeMarchi, D; Travis Weber, G. Martin and De- Marchi were the backbone of the Gophers' defense. Weber withdrew from school for personal reasons. Outlook: The Gophers are a heavy favorite to win the league and a threat to win a third straight NCAA title. They return 88% of their goal scoring and 85% of their point production. The team will miss Martin, who left for the pros after his junior year, but can lean on junior Keith Ballard, a second-team all-wcha pick, for heavy minutes. 2. NORTH DAKOTA Coach: Dean Blais ( , 10th year) 2002-'03: , WCHA (fourth) Player to watch: Zach Parise. The sophomore forward led NCAA rookies in scoring with 1.56 points per game and was the only freshman among the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award last seasons. Key losses: Kevin Spiewak, F; David Hale, D. Hale bypassed his senior year to play for New Jersey. Spiewak scored 29 points goals, 14 assists. Outlook: In addition to Parise, North Dakota has two players returning -- junior Brandon Bochenski and senior David Lundbohn -- who score more than 50 points last season. In all, the Fighting Sioux have 82% of the players' goal scoring returning and 81% of their point production. In goal, junior Jake Brandt posted four shutouts. 3. (tie) MINNESOTA-DULUTH Coach: Scott Sandelin ( , fourth year) 2002-'03: , WCHA (fifth) Player to watch: Isaac Reichmuth. The sophomore goaltender will push Colorado College's Curtis McElhinney as the league's best at the position and will play a key role for a team whose strength will be defense. Key losses: Jon Francisco, C; Drew Otten, W. Francisco was the Bulldogs' fourth-leading scorer with 34 points goals, 17 assists. Outlook: Duluth returns the nucleus of a team that went unbeaten in 12 of its final 17 games. The Bulldogs should be one of the WCHA's top defensive teams considering Reichmuth will tend the goal. Defensemen Beau Geisler, the Bulldogs' top scoring defensemen, leads a corps of seven returning players on the blueline. Offensively, Tim Stapleton's 14 goals and 28 assists made him the third-highest freshman scorer in the country. Nine of the top 10 scorers return to a team that scored its most goals (153) in a decade. 3. (tie) COLORADO COLLEGE Coach: Scott Owens ( , fifth season) 2002-'03: , (first) Player to watch: Mark Stuart. The defensemen returned for his sophomore season after being selected in the first round of the National Hockey League draft by Boston. Key losses: Peter Sejna, LW; Tom Preissing, D; Joe Cullen, D; Noah Clarke, F. The four accounted for 100 goals last season. Sejna was the nation's leading scorer and the Hobey Baker Award winner. Outlook: The Tigers lost a lot from the team that won the 2003 conference title but return plenty of talent. The return of Stuart and All-American goaltender Curtis McElhinney make defense the team's strength. The questions come offensively where sophomore Brett Sterling is the only player who has scored more than 13 goals in a season. 5. DENVER Coach: George Gwozdecky ( , 10th year; , 18th year overall) 2002-'03: , (seventh) Player to watch: Ryan Caldwell. The senior captain is one of the top two-way defensemen in the league. He scored 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) last season. Key losses: Aaron MacKenzie, D; Wade Dubielewicz. G; Kevin Doell, F. MacKenzie was the codefensive player of the year in the WCHA, and Dubielewicz was a second-team all-conference pick. Doell led the Pioneers in scoring. Outlook: The Pioneers appear to have capable replacements for their departed trio. Five of their top six defensemen return, goaltender Adam Berkhoel played significantly last season and forward Conner James, who scored 43 points last season, is dangerous with the puck. Keep an eye on freshman defenseman Matt Carle, a second-round pick of the San Jose. 6. MINNESOTA STATE- MANKATO Coach: Troy Jutting ( , fourth year) 2002-'03: , (tied for second) Player to watch: Shane Joseph. The senior forward is a pre-

12 season All-American and is the top returning scorer in the country with 65 points. Key losses: Joe Bourne, D; Pete Runkel, D; Jason Jensen, G; Grant Stevenson, F. Bourne and Runkel were the workhorses of the defense. Stevenson left college after his sophomore season to play for the San Jose Sharks. Outlook: Jutting lost a lot of talent, but Joseph is a nice building block and there is a solid corps of seniors back to pick up any slack. Stevenson will be missed, but freshman David Backes could be an impact player at forward. The key will be compensating for the loss to Bourne and Runkel, a task made more difficult with the loss of defensemen Matt Paluczak and Jon Dubel to season-ending shoulder injuries. 7. WISCONSIN Coach: Mike Eaves ( , second season) 2002-'03: , (eighth) Player to watch: Rene Bourque. The senior wing led the Badgers in nearly every offensive category. He had 19 goals, 27 points, seven power play goals and four game-winners. Key losses: Brad Winchester, W; Brian Fahey D; Ryan MacMurchy, W. Winchester, a team captain last season, finished with 16 points while Fahey anchored the defense. Outlook: The challenge for the Badgers will be scoring. They averaged just 2.3 goals per game. Bourque's return will help in that regard as will sophomore Ryan MacMurchy's. Captains Andy Wozniewski and Dan Boeser anchor the defense where freshman Ryan Suter will have a chance to make an immediate impact. He is the headliner of a talented freshman class that includes forward Andrew Joudrey and goaltender Brian Elliott. 8. ST. CLOUD STATE Coach: Craig Dahl ( , 17th year; , 23rd year) 2002-'03: , (sixth) Player to watch: Matt Hendricks. The senior forward is the Huskies' most consistent goal scorer, posting 18 goals and 18 assists for the third-highest point total on the team. Key losses: Joe Motzko F; Joe Cullen F; Jeff Finger D. Motzko and Cullen were the team's top two scorers, with 42 and 37 points, respectively. Finger decided to forgo his final season in favor of signing a pro contract. Outlook: The Huskies have qualified for the NCAA tournament the past four seasons but will be challenged to make it this season. They will need to find a complement to Hendricks to do it again. Finger's departure was a blow to the defense, leaving seniors Ryan LeMere and Colin Peters to lead a young group of players. 9. MICHIGAN TECH Coach: Jamie Russell (1-0, first year) 2002-'03: , (ninth) Player to watch: Colin Murphy. The junior left wing led the Huskies in scoring with 40 points. He scored 20 goals, marking the first time since that a Tech player scored as many. Key losses: Chris Durno F; Bryan Perez, F. Perez, the team's thirdleading scorers, had 28 points last season while Durno had 16. Outlook: The Huskies are playing for their third coach in four seasons. Brett Engelhardt, Sheboygan native, is one of three seniors and a team captain. Russell, who spent the previous four seasons as an assistant at Cornell, will build around Murphy and sophomore Chris Conner, who averaged.79 points per game. Senior defenseman Justin Brown has 111 games of experience and can contribute offensively. 10. ALASKA ANCHORAGE Coach: John Hill ( , third season) 2002-'03: , (10th) Player to watch: Ales Pares. The sophomore is one of the reasons Sea Wolves fans can be hopeful for the future. His 24 points ranked fifth in the WCHA last season. Key losses: Matt Shasby. The defenseman was an allconference caliber player before a broken foot sidelined him for much of the WCHA season in 2002-'03. Outlook: The Seawolves, who were winless in the WCHA last season, still have a lot of work to do, but Peres is one of core of solid young players around whom Hill is building. Peres, Curtis Glencross and John Hopson accounted for 47% of Anchorage's goals and 43% of its points. Its best player might be senior goaltender Kevin Reiter, the team MVP last season.