Two games don't make a season. But there was certainly plenty to like about Union's season-opening sweep of Maine over the weekend.
— For starters, freshman forward Jeremy Welsh is going to be a power force for the Dutchmen.
The 6-foot-3 Welsh, who was named ECAC Hockey rookie of the week, had two goals and an assist in the 4-1 and 6-3 victories. Welsh's first collegiate goal in Friday's triumph was the game-winner in the third period. He was in the right place at the right time when a Shawn Stuart pass deflected off Adam Presizniuk in the slot. Welsh got it and fired it past goalie Dave Wilson's right pad.
In the 6-3 game, Welsh set up the game's first goal, giving John Simpson a nice touch pass in the high slot and sending Simpson on a short breakaway. Simpson lifted a shot over Wilson's glove in the first period.
Welsh made it 2-0 a short time later, one-timing a Kelly Zajac pass past Wilson from the bottom of the right circle.
Welsh looks to be a gem for the Dutchmen.
— Goalie Corey Milan looked very sharp in both games.
Milan, who was inconsistent last year, made 53 saves in the two games. He was challenging the Maine shooters. At times last season, Milan would stay in his net, and would get beat by long shots.
With Keith Kinkaid waiting in the wings, Milan will need to continue to play as well as he did against Maine. The competition will be good for him.
— The Dutchmen defense, with just three regulars returning, looked good. Freshmen Stuart, Greg Coburn and Ryan Fogaard didn't look out of place.
Neither did sophomore Nolan Julseth-White. He could be this year's Brock Matheson, who played sparingly freshman season and emerged as a consistent player his sophomore year.
Julseth-White looked strong, skated hard and set up Union's fourth goal Saturday. Presizniuk tipped Julseth-White's shot past Wilson in the second period.
So, am I ready to say Union will roll to a 34-0 record in the regular season? Heck, no. But the Dutchmen have a lot of speed and offensive power. If the defense plays continues to play well and Milan and Kinkaid become a strong tandem in net, I will declare that this will be a very exciting season for the Dutchmen.
Good win
After a tough season-opening 5-2 loss to Massachusetts last Thursday, RPI had a good bounce-back win Saturday against New Hampshire. Third-period goals by Chase Polacek and Mike Bergin helped the Engineers to a 3-1 victory over 16th-ranked New Hampshire.
The Engineers were much better on the penalty kill against UNH, allowing just one power-play goal in seven attempts. That wasn't the case against UMass, when the Minutemen went 4-for-11.
Another good sign for RPI was that defenseman Mike Bergin scored his first career goal. Bergin was lost in early December after suffering two separated shoulders. He will be counted on to help spark the power play.
Quinnipiac stuns Ohio State
Quinnipiac wasn't given much respect by the media in the ECAC Hockey Writers and Broadcasters Association preseason poll, finishing 11th.
Well, the Bobcats proved the media doesn't know much. They went out to Columbus, Ohio, and swept 17th-ranked Ohio State by scores of 4-2 Thursday and 3-1 Friday.
Forward Eric Lampe was named ECACH player of the week after getting three goals and an assist in the two games, leading the Bobcats to two wins at 17th-ranked Ohio State.
Dan Clarke was named goalie of the week after making 44 saves in Friday's win.
Want to reconsider, CCHA?
With the demise of the four-team College Hockey America at the end of this season, Alabama-Huntsville is looking for a home.
Three of the conferences' teams have found homes. Robert Morris and Niagara are headed for Atlantic Hockey, while Bemidji State will be in the WCHA. When Nebraska-Omaha announced over the summer that it would move from the CCHA to the WCHA next season, many college hockey observers thought it would be a no-brainer for the CCHA to add Alabama-Huntsville to keep the league at 12 teams. However, the CCHA said no.
Now, Alabama-Huntsville is getting revenge. It opened the season Friday with a stunning 3-2 upset at No. 5 Notre Dame. The Chargers rallied from a 2-1 deficit with two third-period goals, including the game-winner on the power play by Cody Campbell with five seconds left in the third.
The Chargers played another good game the next night, but fell short in a 3-1 loss.
Hopefully, the CCHA will reconsider Alabama-Hunstville for next season. But the economy the way it is right now, it's doubtful.
Poll time
Because of the Columbus Day holiday, the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports college hockey top-20 poll won't come out until Tuesday.
But the USA Hockey Magazine/USA Today top-15 poll didn't take Monday off. Miami (Ohio) remains No. 1. Union received nine points, kind of low if you ask me.
Here is the poll. First-place votes are in parentheses.
Rank School Last Poll's Ranking 2009-10 Record Weeks in Top-15
1 Miami University, 496 (24) 1 2-0-0 2
2 Boston University, 470 (9) 3 0-0-0 2
3 University of Denver, 413 2 1-1-0 2
4 University of North Dakota, 394 8 2-0-0 2
5 University of Michigan, 365 4 1-1-0 2
6 Cornell University, 298 7 0-0-0 2
7 University of Notre Dame, 294 5 1-1-0 2
8 University of Minnesota, 269 6 0-0-0 2
9 Princeton University, 213 9 0-0-0 2
10 Yale University, 204 11 0-0-0 2
11 University of Vermont, 155 15 1-1-0 2
12 Boston College, 144 (1) 12 0-0-0 2
13 University of Massachusetts Lowell, 136 10 1-1-0 2
14 University of Wisconsin, 74 14 0-0-0 2
15 University of Nebraska Omaha, 36 NR 2-0-0 1
Others receiving votes: Bemidji State University, 27; University of Alaska Anchorage, 17; University of Minnesota Duluth, 17; St. Cloud State University, 15; Quinnipiac University, 11; Union , 9; Michigan State University, 8; University of New Hampshire, 6; Northeastern University, 3; Northern Michigan University, 3; Minnesota State University, 2; University of Massachusetts, 1.
Final thought
I'm glad to be back for another year writing my Monday College Hockey Slap Schotts. I hope you will enjoy reading my thoughts on the happenings in college hockey.
If you have any comments, leave them below, or e-mail them to me at schott@dailygazette.com.
