Hockey East 2012-13

[Stick Boy]

Only a few more weeks and the games begin!

A few questions: Any thoughts on whether Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut or Vermont can move upwards in the standings and challenge for higher position this coming season? Could there be some surprises in store from top to bottom and what might they be?

Your thoughts?

[joehockey]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

Only a few more weeks and the games begin!

A few questions: Any thoughts on whether Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut or Vermont can move upwards in the standings and challenge for higher position this coming season? Could there be some surprises in store from top to bottom and what might they be?

Your thoughts?

My ranking
1) NU - lots of returners - goaltending unknown/quetion mark
2) BU - Very strong but lost a few key seniors
3) BC - Lots of depth from last year
4) PC - Young Team - Goaltending who steps up to fill Lacasse - if 1 or 2 emerge Friars can be tough - 50% of points graduated off last years team - can the Sophmores and Freshman have impact.
5) Maine - Some senior/graduation/leadership points to replace. Good goaltending. Coach can coach they will continue to over achieve, needs more talent (last year at times they really went to short bench, did not play hockey rather mugged it up)
6) New Hampshire - Young team lots of unknowns
7) Vermont - New Coach
8) UCONN - lots of transfers out - time will tell what they have

[Minniehockey]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

All I see is BU is losing way more than they are replacing with their Freshman class.

[HockeyEast33]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

My ranking
1) NU - lots of returners - goaltending unknown/quetion mark
2) BU - Very strong but lost a few key seniors
3) BC - Lots of depth from last year
4) PC - Young Team - Goaltending who steps up to fill Lacasse - if 1 or 2 emerge Friars can be tough - 50% of points graduated off last years team - can the Sophmores and Freshman have impact.
5) Maine - Some senior/graduation/leadership points to replace. Good goaltending. Coach can coach they will continue to over achieve, needs more talent (last year at times they really went to short bench, did not play hockey rather mugged it up)
6) New Hampshire - Young team lots of unknowns
7) Vermont - New Coach
8) UCONN - lots of transfers out - time will tell what they have

I'm thinking that BC should be over BU on this list - good young talent (Carpenter, Fields, etc.). BU has a couple of good recruits but they won't replace what was lost. I bet Vermont surprises - they have always had decent talent and Plumer is a good coach who should be able to do something with it (as high as 5th ...? A longshot but maybe...).

[SlewFoot]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

I'm thinking that BC should be over BU on this list - good young talent (Carpenter, Fields, etc.). BU has a couple of good recruits but they won't replace what was lost. I bet Vermont surprises - they have always had decent talent and Plumer is a good coach who should be able to do something with it (as high as 5th ...? A longshot but maybe...).

I too would put BC over BU and maybe even above NU for the reasons you state. I might move Maine over PU since PU doesn't have Lacasse anymore and they are young. UNH is a possible dark horse. They have a huge roster and it will be interesting to see what they end up with. Plumer's a good coach but I think Vermont will struggle. Their roster is too small and they might have some lingering injury issues from last year. My guess:

1. BC
2. NU
3. BU
4. Maine
5. Providence
6. UNH
7. Vermont
8. UCONN

[Stick Boy]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

Thanks for the thoughts. Not knowing too much about the talent on each of the teams, here is my stab at the potential standings based on the little I know...

BC - some high end players and some strong recruits who expect to win
NU - found out how to win last year and have some experience
BU - seem to have lost their stride a little and are struggling with confidence and consistency, some good recruits.
UNH - lots of young blood in to shake things up, 29 players mean that there will be competition to stay in the lineup, likely built for more success next year
Providence - a decent recruiting class should make things interesting
Maine - coach seems to be able to get most of of players, average recuiting year but lots of them
UCONN - will struggle to be competitive on consistent basis this season
Vermont - still trying to find a way to win without stars and need a couple strong recruits to move them forward

[Hockey it's only a Game]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

It's Not how you start the season , but How you finish down the stretch. (playoffs and On )
BC. finished strong last season , You have to start them at #1

BU. Always knows how to re-load and will be the team to beat by seasons end..
NU. basically has a Rookie Goalie, 3 starts last season , loosing a World Class net minder. (defense wins Championships)
Prov. Always comes at you hard down the stretch,
Maine. Has something to build on , and showed they can play
UNH. Could be better and surprise some?
Vermont. Moves up a spot because of new coach, Players like playing for him..
Uconn. Should be improving and win more games this season..


Some programs have easier front loaded Schedules?

[joehockey]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

I pulled the roster size and class size also players from MN across the Hockey East

Roster Size Sr Jr Soph Frosh MN % MN
PC 23 4 5 5 9 10 43%
BC 25 7 6 6 6 0 0%
BU 27 9 7 4 7 1 4%
NU 25 6 6 10 3 0 0%
New Hampshire 29 6 5 8 10 5 17%
Maine 24 4 4 7 9 3 13%
Vermont 19 3 6 7 3 3 16%
Uconn 21 3 5 6 7 3 14%

[Hockey it's only a Game]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

It's Not how you start the season , but How you finish down the stretch. (playoffs and On )
BC. finished strong last season , You have to start them at #1

BU. Always knows how to re-load and will be the team to beat by seasons end..
NU. basically has a Rookie Goalie, 3 starts last season , loosing a World Class net minder. (defense wins Championships)
Prov. Always comes at you hard down the stretch,
Maine. Has something to build on , and showed they can play
UNH. Could be better and surprise some?
Vermont. Moves up a spot because of new coach, Players like playing for him..
Uconn. Should be improving and win more games this season..


Some programs have easier front loaded Schedules?

HOCKEY EAST COACHES POLL CAME OUT 9/20/2012 and THE PICKS WANT 8 FOR 8..

[joehockey]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

September 20, 2012


EAGLES TABBED AS TEAM TO BEAT IN WOMEN'S PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Boston College was voted by the eight league head coaches to win the regular-season title

Wakefield, Mass. - Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna released the 2012-13 WHEA preseason coaches poll for the league's upcoming 11th season of play on Thursday morning.

The Boston College Eagles were voted by the eight league head coaches to win the regular-season title this year with 54 points and five of eight first-place votes. The Eagles finished second in the league standings a year ago and return 19 letterwinners from that team and 82% of the team's offense, including First-Team WHEA All-Star Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) and starting goaltender Corinne Boyles (Wheaton, Ill.), along with senior captain and First-Team WHEA All-Star Blake Bolden (Stow, Ohio). Carpenter's 20 points in league play last year with eighth among conference skaters, while Boyles' 1.80 GAA in conference games was second among WHEA goalies.

Boston University, the reigning 2012 WHEA Tournament Champions, earned the second spot in the poll with 51 points and earned the remaining three first-place votes from the league's head coaches. The Terriers also return 19 letterwinners, including 12 forwards and all three goalies. The BU offense will be paced by junior captain Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.), along with senior Isabel Menard (Ottawa, Ont.) and sophomore Kayla Tutino (Lorraine, Que.). Poulin notched 11 points in eight league games, missing the majority of the conference schedule due to injury. Menard's 26 points in league action leads all returning Terriers, while Tutino's 18 points in league play was third best among freshman skaters in 2011-12, as a WHEA All-Rookie selection. Kerrin Sperry (North Reading, Mass.) will anchor the Terriers defensive core, after posting a 2.28 GAA and a .917 save percentage with 12 wins in league play last year.

Northeastern was selected third with 44 points, after winning their first WHEA Regular-Season title in school history last February. The Huskies have a league-high 21 letterwinners returning and 91% of the team's offense from last season. Sophomore forward and WHEA Rookie of the Year Kendall Coyne (Palos Heights, Ill.) and senior co-captain/WHEA Second-Team All-Star Casey Pickett (Wilmington, Mass.) will lead the Huskies' offensive attack this season. Coyne led the league last season with 19 goals in league contests. Northeastern will have to fill the shoes of two-time WHEA Player of the Year and All-American Florence Schelling in goal, who they lost to graduation this past spring.

Providence College (37 points) was selected fourth under 14th year head coach and two-time WHEA Coach of the Year Bob Deraney. The Friars also have to deal with the loss of a world class goaltender in Genevieve Lacasse to graduation. The team returns 15 letterwinners from a season ago and will look for junior Corinne Buie (Edina, Minn.) and senior Jessica Vella (Pickering, Ont.) to step up with the departure of the teams top three scorers. The duo combined for 31 points in conference play last season in 21 contests.

The Maine Black Bears (30 pts.) were picked fifth and New Hampshire (28 pts.) was selected sixth. The Black Bears are looking to build on fourth place finish from a season ago. Senior forward Brittany Dougherty (Chesterfield, Mich.) will pace the team on offense, while Brittany Ott (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) will return for one more season in Orono, anchoring the team in goal, as the team returns 14 letterwinners. Dougherty's 22 points in league action were tied for fifth among WHEA skaters last season and Ott's 579 saves in conference games last year were second best among league netminders. The Wildcats will return 18 letterwinners and 94% of the team's offense from last year. Senior forward Kristina Lavoie's (Fonthill, Ont.) 55 career points in league play makes her the active career leader entering the season for the Wildcats.

Vermont (22 pts.) and Connecticut (14 pts.) rounded out the 2012-13 preseason coaches poll. The Catamounts return 17 letterwinners under first-year head coach Jim Plumer. Junior goalie Roxanne Douville (Beloil, Que.) notched 503 saves in league play last year and will once again anchor the Catamounts on defense. Connecticut will have 11 returners and a league-high nine newcomers this season. Sophomore Emily Snodgrass (Eagan, Minn.) is the team's leading returning scorer with 12 points in conference play.

The Women's Hockey East Association is an eight-team, Division I college hockey conference which began play in 2002-2003, with offices based in Wakefield, Mass. The league also sponsors a 10-team men's league which began play in 1984.


2012-2013 WHEA PRESEASON POLL
Team (1st Place Votes) Pts.
1. Boston College (5) 54
2. Boston University (3) 51
3. Northeastern 44
4. Providence 37
5. Maine 30
6. New Hampshire 28
7. Vermont 22
8. Connecticut 14

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

Polls were pretty close I think.

1) BC (class of the east, all conferences included)
2) BU (scum of the east, and west, all conferences included, possibly topped only by McGill)
3) NU
4) PC
5) UNH
6) Maine
7) UConn
8) Vermont

[Arafel]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

The Hockey East preview came out yesterday. It's linked on the women's D-I page.

[Stick Boy]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

BC @ BU will be an interesting Friday game to kick off the opening day out East (Friday) - should be a heated battle although BC may be a little rusty without an exhibition under the belt. UNH take on Syracuse in a late afternoon tilt and the Cats will be hungry to start fresh against an opponent that has given them some tough games the last few years. Northeastern is at Colgate as well then the two hockey east teams switch competitors the next day. Just a few of the many games to track. The UNH @ Syracuse game Friday is on the web on America One Sports.

[joehockey]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

BC @ BU will be an interesting Friday game to kick off the opening day out East (Friday) - should be a heated battle although BC may be a little rusty without an exhibition under the belt. UNH take on Syracuse in a late afternoon tilt and the Cats will be hungry to start fresh against an opponent that has given them some tough games the last few years. Northeastern is at Colgate as well then the two hockey east teams switch competitors the next day. Just a few of the many games to track. The UNH @ Syracuse game Friday is on the web on America One Sports.

The BSU @ PC (Friday night 7 PM and Saturday 3 PM) will be one of the rare looks at a WCHA vs Hockey East match up this year. It does not appear to have either Audio or Video coverage?

[IceIsNice]

Re: Hockey East 2012-13

The BSU @ PC (Friday night 7 PM and Saturday 3 PM) will be one of the rare looks at a WCHA vs Hockey East match up this year. It does not appear to have either Audio or Video coverage?

FYI, the USCHO schedule says Saturday at 4 ET, at least as of this morning.