Monthly Archives: October 2012
Miami’s All-1980s Team Announced
Earlier this week, Miami announced the official results of balloting for the All-80s team and I have to say, somebody better explain how Craig Fisher, who scored 108 points IN ONLY TWO SEASONS against a true CCHA schedule, wasn’t part of it.
Your All-80s team includes:
Miami’s All-1980s First Team (votes)
F – Steve Morris (173)
F – Rick Kuraly (157)
F – Bill Bok (108)
F – Vern Sketchley (108)
D – Kevin Beaton (198)
D – Andrew McMillin (161)
G – Alain Chevrier (222)
Miami’s All-1980s Second Team (votes)
F – Todd Channell (91)
F – Bill Easdale (70)
F – Dave Wheeldon (68)
D – Dave McClintock (130)
D – Bob Wallwork (114)
G – Dan Kodatsky (203)
No offense to the guys on the team, but most of them rung up unbelievable numbers prior to the CCHA really coming together as a conference in the mid to late 80s. Michigan and Michigan State were not the powers in the early part of the decade they would become and Fisher faced those schools plus juggernaut Lake Superior State on some very underwhelming Miami squads that didn’t have a lot of talent. To be fair, Bowling Green was a very good program in the early 80s, but the CCHA simply was not the league it would become when Fisher was scoring 37 goals in 1989-90.
Who do you think was snubbed from this team?
Balloting begins for Miami’s All-90s team on Tuesday, October 30 at MURedHawks.com.
#4 RedHawks set to host Providence College
The RedHawks entertain another school with a sweet logo
this weekend, as Providence comes to Oxford.
FINALLY! Again!
The RedHawks are back in action tonight and tomorrow, as the Providence Friars come into Coach Cady Arena. After several months off that we thought we couldn’t endure, we finally have hockey back. I don’t know about y’all, but to me it seemed like it was another couple of months since Miami’s sweep of undermanned Colgate just last weekend. Or maybe it’s just that I haven’t been inside The Goggin since the end of last season, but it feels like FOREVER since I’ve made the trek from Columbus to Oxford to see the RedHawks in action.
This week, the Friars come in after a split last weekend against two very different foes. In their season opener at home, Mark Jankowski and sophomore Stefan Demopoulos each scored two goals to lead this young squad to an 8-2 victory over Sacred Heart. Saturday, however, was a very different story, and Boston University took the Friars behind their barn and came out with a 4-2 whipping. Ross Mauermann is Providence’s leading returning point scorer (10G, 15A as a freshman last season), and the RedHawks will also be shadowing Junior Derek Army and Senior Captain Tim Schaller this weekend, as both were among the Friars top 5 scorers last season.
The Friars will be led by the freshman Jankowski, who was chosen by Calgary with the 21st pick in the NHL draft last April. Jon Gilles was picked 75th in the same draft, and will be in net for at least one of the 2 games this weekend. Last week, he was named Hockey East Co-Defensive Player of the Week after posting a .936 save percentage while he stopped 14 shots against Sacred Heart (in 2 periods) and 30 of 34 shots against BU. Several RedHawks will be seeing Gilles again, as they were teammates with the Indiana Ice over the last few years. John Doherty, Max Cook and Blake Coleman were all teammates of Gilles.
On the RedHawks side of things, Alex Wideman will not be appearing this weekend due to illness. As we reported on our twitter feed, Alex has been battling mono and will be out at least a couple weeks. Other than that, the RedHawks remain healthy.
And Young.
Don’t forget that 11 of the 26 RedHawks are Freshmen, and 3rd string goalie Anthony Jacaruso is also a rookie, although he has sophomore eligibility. Not to worry, however. 12 of the 21 points scored last weekend were from the super sophomore class (including 4 points from Blake Coleman), and 4 of the 13 total new faces appeared on the score sheet including Senior transfer Marc Hagel. Only 2 freshmen didn’t see action last weekend, and with Wideman out, we could see John Doherty see his first action this weekend. With all of the goal scoring leaving Oxford last season, Coach Blasi will need players like Coleman, Austin Czarnik and Jimmy Mullin to continue their progress and provide a much needed scoring touch. Save for maybe Bryon Paulazzo, the 8 upper classmen on the roster aren’t exactly known for their scoring touch, and Blasi will need more production from the new kids on the block.
In net, expect to see the “new” rotation of Ryan McKay (1-0-0, 1 shutout, 24 saves) and Jay Williams (1-0-0, .952 save percentage, 1.00 GAA) split the weekend once again until a clear front-runner emerges, if ever. Both goalies looked more than capable in last weekend’s sweep, and it will certainly be a fun few years in Oxford if they continue to play like they did last night. McKay recorded his first career shutout in his first start in Oxford, and also earned Miami’s first ever season-opening shutout as well. Right from the start, these two have put Connor Knapp, Cody Reichard and David Burleigh on notice that their old records are already in jeopardy with these 2 highly touted recruits tending the twine.
This week will pale in comparison to what we can expect next weekend, as Miami travels to #5 Michigan to take on Red Berenson’s hacks crew of misfits Wolverines. Miami must continue its strong special teams play – 13 for 13 on the penalty kill is 2nd in the nation, and 3 for 10 on the power play is also a very strong start. They must still apply pressure on a physical Providence team and this weekend will be a success. Look for 2 tough grind-it-out type of victories: I’m predicting a solid “Paula Weston” finish for the weekend: 3-1 and 3-1 Miami.
Friday’s contest is a white out. For those of you joining me in Oxford, be sure to wear white to the game. Go RedHawks!
AD Search Committee selected
The Miami Athletic Department has selected 17 individuals to find a new Athletic Director, the University announced today. You can click here to read the full release.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what we see with this committee as it relates to the RedHawks Ice Hockey Program:
- First of all, Enrico Blasi is a member of the search committee. Phew. Doesn’t look like he’ll be pulling a Jerry York and taking on the AD role as well as the head coaching position. Not that we thought he would, but this will ensure he’s involved with the decision, and we will likely get someone that is, at least partly, committed to the hockey program.
- Excluded from the committee is Steve Cady. Currently, Coach Cady is labeled as Senior Associate Athletic Director, which in our books, means he was the Number 2 guy behind Bates. I’m reading through the lines here, but this likely means Coach Cady has applied for the position and/or is a (leading?) candidate.
- Also excluded from the committee is Head Football Coach Don Treadwell and Head Men’s Basketball Coach John Cooper. I wouldn’t go as far as saying this will be a bad thing for these 2 sports when it comes to the new AD, but it is interesting that neither of them are on the committee. With these as the 2 main revenue sports at Miami, a renewed focus on them will be sorely needed to bring the programs back to the top of the MAC, and back into the NCAA spotlight. Senior Defensive Lineman Austin Brown is a studen-athlete representative of the football program, as is Rick Amos, a football Alumnus from the class of 1987. Senior Defensive Lineman and Captain Austin Brown is one of 2 student-athlete representatives on the committee, as is Rick Amos, a class of 1987 Football Alumnus.
- Frankly, I’m shocked we don’t see Head Women’s Basketball Coach Maria Fantanarosa on the committee. Maria has been in Oxford as the head coach of the Lady RedHawks since the 1998-99 season (starting her 15th season), and graduated from Miami with a degree in speech communication in 1990. She has been a RedHawk for life and it surprises me that she is not a part of this group appointed by University President David Hodge.
We’ll see what the committee comes up with in the coming weeks and months as the RedHawks hockey program roars into their CCHA schedule.
Is it Friday yet?
Miami’s “You Can Play” Submission
Featuring players and video from this season, Miami has created and released its “You Can Play” submission which is simply amazing.
As you recall, You Can Play was founded after the tragic death of Miami student manager, Brendan Burke, who’s father, Brian, is the current GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brendan’s brother, Patrick, a Philadelphia Flyers’ scout, has taken up the torch to push YCP’s agenda forward. The vision of creating a locker room devoid of prejudice and hatred of LGBT athletes is something everyone should get behind, and the work the group has done to further that cause in the aftermath of Brian’s death, is amazing.
So, here’s Miami’s entry. I think it’s perhaps the best one done to date. What do you think?
Find out more about You Can Play and ways in which you can help.
Week 1 wrap-up
The RedHawks completed a convincing sweep of Colgate this weekend. Now that the games are in the books, we have an updated set of polls as well as the CCHA awards that have been announced today.
Miami Sophomore Blake Coleman has earned CCHA Postgame Offensive Player of the Week. Coleman had 2 goals during the 3-0 victory to open the season, and added a goal and an assist on Saturday in Miami’s 5-1 victory. It’s ridiculously early, but Blake is tops in the country in goals scored with his 3 from this weekend – a great start to his second year in Oxford.
In the polls, Miami jumped 4 spots in each of the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls, landing at the #4 position in each.. Notre Dame made the biggest jump of the week after winning the Ice Breaker tournament in Kansas City. We’ll keep a keen eye on the Irish this year, as we look forward to the Hockey City Classic in February.
And in other RedHawks news, the Hawks recorded their 2012 PSA for the You Can Play project. You can view the PSA by clicking here.