THN CCHA preview:
Predicted order of finish:
1. Michigan State (35-7-3 last year)
2. Lake Superior (33-10-3)
3. Michigan (24-12-6)
4. Bowling Green (25-17-2)
5. Ohio State (11-24-5)
6. Illinois-Chicago (10-27-1)
7. Miami-Ohio (12-24-4)
8. Western Michigan (14-24-2)
9. Ferris State (11-23-6)
Five reasons why the Spartans will win:
1. Depth. Even though Michigan State lost last season's Hobey Baker
winner Kip Miller (who led all scorers in Division I) and Pat Murray
(third in the CCHA in scoring), the Spartans still have the league's
most balanced offense, behind the strong nucleus of LW Peter White,
RW/C Shawn Heaphy, RW Dwayne Norris, and D Jason Woolley.
2. The goaltending duo of Jason Muzzatti (3.01 GAA, .889 save percentage)
and Mike Gilmore (2.73, .888) is one of the best around.
3. The Spartans have a brilliant record of "plugging holes" and should be
able to do so again this year.
4. Lake Superior will challenge, but is a team in transition. In addition
to losing top defensemen Kord Cernich and Dan Keczmer and forwards Jeff
Jablinski and Pete Stauber, the Lakers will be adapting to new coach
Jeff Jackson's style.
5. Michigan is talented up front, but will be relying on three unproven
goaltenders.
Top MVP Candidates:
1. Jim Dowd, C, Lake Superior. Most CCHA coaches consider him to be the
best in the league. New Laker coach Jeff Jackson said "I have the
luxury of having the best forward in the CCHA, if not college hockey."
2. Danny Felsner, RW, Michigan. Even though he was hampered by injuries
last season, he scored 43 points in 33 games and appears to be headed
for stardom.
3. Jason Muzzatti, G, Michigan State. Must shine for the Spartans this
season.
4. Peter White, LW, Michigan State.
5. Shawn Heaphy, RW/C, Michigan State. Both of these players are capable
of 70-point seasons.
Most underrated players:
1. Dominic Dunlap, RW, Illinois-Chicago. 6-0, 185 pounds. A tough player
in traffic, he is a good skater, hits, and showed a decent scoring
touch last season with 38 points in 36 games.
2. Mark Michaud, G, Miami-Ohio. Although his goals-against-average of
5.09 doesn't show it, Michaud helped keep Miami competitive at times
last season. {He stopped 37 of 38 shots against Cornell in Miami's 4-1
victory in the Riverfront Invitational last year, a game that was a
major factor in coach Brian McCutcheon's decision to switch the Big Red
from a high-tempo offense to a blue collar, work-the-corners type of
game. -- Bill}
3. Jeff Napierala, RW, Lake Superior. Originally joined the team as a
walk-on, but he was a scoring threat last season with 59 points.
4. Mike Eastwood, C, Western Michigan. A pleasant surprise on offense for
the Broncos with 52 points last season.
5. Walt Bartel, RW, Michigan State. Bartel may not be as skilled as some
of his more heralded teammates, but he is versatile, hustles well, and
is a team leader.
Best goalies:
1. Jason Muzzatti, Michigan State. The CCHA's only big-name senior
goaltender, Muzzatti is known for his quick reflexes and was a first
round pick of the Calgary Flames in 1988.
2. Darrin Madeley, Lake Superior. Known for his great natural ability,
Madeley did an admirable job of filling in for the departed Bruce
Hoffort last season.
3. Angelo Libertucci, Bowling Green. Starred as a freshman last year when
Paul Connell slumped.
4. Mike Bales, Ohio State. Played very well behind a weak defense last
season. Was a fifth-round pick by the Boston Bruins last June.
5. Brandon Reed, Lake Superior. Stuck behind Madeley with the Lakers, but
Reed could start for most other teams in the CCHA.
Best Defensemen:
1. Karl Johnston, Lake Superior. Provides much-needed poise and
experience for the Lakers.
2. Jason Woolley, Michigan State. Showed great talent offensively last
season, with 48 points.
3. Michael Stewart, Michigan State. As a 17-year-old freshman last
season, Stewart made a successful jump from midget hockey to Division
I, and was drafted in the first round by the New York Rangers last June
(the 12th player taken overall). A stay-at-home type.
4. Patrick Neaton, Michigan.
5. David Harlock, Michigan. These two led the Wolverines in plus-minus
rating last year.
Watch these freshmen:
1. Nicholas Perreault, D, Michigan State. 6-3, 205 pounds, and highly
skilled. A second-round pick by Calgary in 1990.
2. Kurtis Miller, LW, Lake Superior. The US Junior League MVP last
season, he scored 89 points (50 goals, 39 assists) while playing for
the Mustangs of Rochester, Minnesota.
3. Clayton Beddoes, C, Lake Superior. Head coach Jeff Jackson is very
high on this Weyburn, Saskatchewan native.
4. Glen Mears, D, Bowling Green. 6-2, 215 pounds. Scored 25 points with
the Rochester Mustangs last season, and head coach Jerry York expects
him to step in and play immediately.
5. Chris Gordon, G, Michigan. Played for the Omaha Lancers of the US
Junior Hockey League last season and is expected to see regular action
with the Wolverines.
New Faces:
1. Former Lake Superior assistant Jeff Jackson takes over as the new head
coach for the Lakers, with new assistant coach Ron Rolston.
2. Bob Mancini is the new head coach at Ferris State.
3. Larry Petrie takes over the head coaching duties at Illinois-Chicago
along with new assistants Lyle Phair and Billy Powers.
Other assistant coaches hired in the off-season in the CCHA include David
Lohrei, Tim Keon, and Drew Famulak of Miami-Ohio; Dave Shand of Michigan;
Tom Newton and Tom Anastos of Michigan State; and Kevin McCaffrey and Mike
Schafer of Western Michigan.
Other notes:
THN calls the 1990-91 season the "Year of the Sophomore" in the CCHA, since
Michigan State, Lake Superior, and Michigan will be relying on strong
efforts from key sophomore players.
Strange Goings-on Department: Last season, while playing a two-game series
at Ohio State, the Lake Superior team discovered that several of their
players' helmets were illegal because there was a small piece missing from
the chin strap. They played the first game with the illegal helmets, but
CCHA commissioner Bill Begean ruled that they could not wear those helmets
for the second game the next day. The Lakers had only ten helmets which
were legal under CCHA rules, so the players had to swap headgear at the
bench during the second game. Oh yes, Lake Superior won 3-1.
Bill Fenwick
Cornell '86
LET'S GO RED!!
"Well, I've always said I have a face made for radio."
-- ESPN's Chris Berman, when a power failure knocked out the TV cameras
during a broadcast
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