Wcha-Preseason-Notes
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2019-20 WCHA WEEKLY RELEASE 2019-20 PRESEASON NOTES / wcha.com @wcha_mhockey @wcha_mhockey /WCHAmenshockey /WCHAHockey FloHockey.tv CONTACT: TODD BELL / O: 952-681-7668 / C: 972-825-6686 / [email protected] WESTERN COLLEGIATE OPENING FACEOFF • Tradition Starts Here: The Men's League of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association proudly drops the puck on its HOCKEY ASSOCIATION 68th season on Oct. 5. • FOUNDED 1951 • • The WCHA is coming off a 2018-19 campaign that saw it send two teams to the NCAA regionals (Minnesota State 2950 Metro Drive, Suite 102 and Bowling Green), produce a quartet of 20-win teams for the second year in a row (MSU, Northern Michigan, Bloomington, MN 55425 BGSU and Lake Superior State), land two teams in the final national polls (No. 6/6 MSU and No. 13/14 BGSU) and boast the nation's leading goal scorer in LSSU's Diego Cuglietta, who tallied 25 goals to lead the NCAA. 952-681-7947 • Returning Firepower: When the puck drops on the 2019-20 college hockey season on Oct. 5, the WCHA will ice four student-athletes who lead or co-lead all returning NCAA players in seven different statistical categories. MEMBER TEAMS • Minnesota State’s Marc Michaelis tops all returning players in four categories – points (118), goals (51), power University of Alabama in Huntsville play goals (22) and shorthanded goals (7). Michaelis’ MSU teammate, Ian Scheid, will begin the 2019-20 season University of Alaska Anchorage with an active consecutive games streak of 121 games, which is the longest current streak in the country. University of Alaska Fairbanks Northern Michigan blueliner Philip Beaulieu leads all active players with 76 career assists while teammate Darien Craighead is tied with three other players for the most shorthanded goals (10) among returning players. Bemidji State University • Mavericks Open as Favorites: Defending regular season and postseason champion Minnesota State is picked to repeat Bowling Green State University as the WCHA champion by the league's coaches and media. Ferris State University • The Mavericks were the unanimous choice of the media and the other nine league coaches (coaches could not Lake Superior State University vote for their own teams) in preseason voting. Michigan Technological University • Ty Takes the Reins: The WCHA welcomes one new head coach this season as longtime Bowling Green assistant coach Minnesota State University and alumnus Ty Eigner moves into the head coaching role at his alma mater this season. Northern Michigan University • Eigner was named the eighth head coach in BGSU history on April 20 after nine seasons as an assistant coach at the school. Eigner is a 1993 graduate of Bowling Green. • FloHockey.tv: The WCHA will once again offer a live streaming platform that features each of its member teams TRADITION STARTS HERE through its exclusive partnership with FloHockey.tv. With a monthly or annual pass, FloSports subscribers receive #WEAREWCHA access to WCHA hockey from opening night through the 2020 WCHA Championship Game, along with original programming, studio shows and other hockey content - all available on iOS, Roku, Fire TV or Apple TV 4. FLOHOCKEY.TV 2018-19 BY THE NUMBERS • 184: Career games played by Michigan Tech's Jake Lucchini, one shy of the MTU school record. In partnership with FloSports, the • 32: Wins by Minnesota State on 2018-19, which led the NCAA. innovator in live digital sports and • 31: Points scored by Bemidji State's Justin Baurdy in 2018-19, making him the first BSU defenseman to top the 30-goal original content, FloHockey.tv - the mark since 2009-10. offi cial online streaming platform of • 28: Points by Ferris State freshman Cooper Zech, which led the NCAA in rookie defenseman scoring. the WCHA - will provide fans with live • 25: Goals scored by Lake Superior State's Diego Cuglietta in 2018-19, the most in the NCAA. and archived broadcasts of WCHA • 14: WCHA Scholar-Athlete selections for Alaska Anchorage, the most for any school in the league. hockey via iOS, Roku, Fire TV or Apple • 7: Consecutive Governor's Cups won by Alaska in the annual series against downstate rival Alaska Anchorage. TV 4. • 3.24: Goals per game for Bowling Green, which ranked seventh nationally in 2018-19. • 3: Consecutive WCHA Playoff trips for Alabama Huntsville after reaching the WCHA Quarterfinals last season. Featuring each of the 10 WCHA member • 1: Goal scored by Northern Michigan goaltender Atte Tolvanen, making him the second goalie in WCHA history and first in NMU annals to light the lamp. institutions, every league game – home and away – will be streamed live, along with all nonconference home games, select nonconference road contests and FINAL 2018-19 WCHA STANDINGS the 2020 WCHA Tournament. Conference Overall Rk (Natl Rank) Team Pts GP W L T 3/SW % GF GA GP W L T % GF GA 1 (6/6) Minnesota State!* 68 28 22 5 1 1 .804 99 43 42 32 8 2 .786 147 76 2 (RV/UR) Northern Michigan% 56 28 18 8 2 0 .679 82 57 39 21 16 2 .564 104 96 3 (13/14) Bowling Green% 55 28 16 8 4 3 .643 77 52 41 25 11 5 .671 133 75 4 (RV/UR) Lake Superior State% 40 28 16 10 2 0 .607 91 69 38 23 13 2 .632 123 93 TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 Bemidji State# 45 28 13 11 4 2 .535 71 63 38 15 17 6 .474 95 94 6 Michigan Tech# 43 28 13 12 3 1 .518 68 63 38 14 20 4 .421 90 101 7 Alaska# 40 28 12 14 2 2 .464 57 81 36 12 21 3 .375 72 114 WCHA QUICK FACTS/MEDIA SERVICES ..........2 8 Alabama Huntsville# 28 28 8 18 2 2 .321 61 93 38 8 28 2 .237 67 129 WCHA SCHOOL DIRECTORY .............................3 9 Ferris State 24 28 7 18 3 0 .304 68 96 36 10 23 3 .319 90 123 2019-20 WCHA PRESEASON POLLS ...........4 10 Alaska Anchorage 11 28 2 23 3 2 .125 29 86 34 3 28 3 .132 40 115 2018-19 WCHA SEASON IN REVIEW ............5 (3 points for win in regulation or 5-on-5 OT; 1 point for tie after regulation and 5-on-5 OT; 1 point for win in 3-on-3 OT or shootout; rankings are USCHO.com followed by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine) ! - WCHA regular season champion; %- clinched fi rst round home playoff WCHA REGULAR SEASON/POSTSEASON ........8 series; #- clinched playoff berth; * - WCHA playoff champion. 2018-19 WCHA/NATIONAL HONORS ............9 NON-CONFERENCE/H-TO-H/POTW, POTM . 10 UPCOMING GAMES (ALL TIMES LOCAL) NATIONAL POLLS/WEEK-BY-WEEK ................. 11 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6 WCHA COMPOSITE SCHEDULE ...................... 12 Alabama Huntsville at UMass Lowell, 6 pm ET Michigan Tech at Robert Morris, 3:05 pm ET FINAL 2018-19 STATISTICS ........................... 14 Northern Michigan at USNTDP, 7 pm ET Alabama Huntsville at UMass Lowell, 4 pm ET Michigan Tech at Robert Morris, 7:05 pm ET Merrimack at Lake Superior State, 5:07 pm ET^ Merrimack at Lake Superior State, 7:07 pm ET^ Northern Michigan at USNTDP, 7 pm ET Denver at Alaska, 7:07 pm AT^ Denver at Alaska, 7:07 pm AT^ Mount Royal at Minnesota State (EXH), TBA^ Bowling Green at Miami, TBA Waterloo at Ferris State (EXH), 2:05 pm ET^ ^ denotes streaming live on FloHockey.tv; (EXH) denotes exhibition game; rankings are USCHO.com followed by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine WCHA QUICK FACTS/MEDIA SERVICES #WEAREWCHA Website ..................................................................................................................... wcha.com WCHA Media Services Streaming Partner ............................................................................................fl ohockey.tv Headquarters ..........................................................................................2950 Metro Drive Statistics/Releases ........................................................................................................................................ Suite 102 Statistics are updated regularly on wcha.com while press releases are ......................................................................................................Bloomington, Minn. 55425 Phone .................................................................................................................952-681-7947 posted on the website throughout the season. Email ..................................................................................................................pr@wcha.com Twitter ......................................................................................................@WCHA_MHockey Weekly Notes Instagram ................................................................................................. @wcha_mhockey Men’s League weekly notes packages will be posted on wcha.com and Facebook .............................................................................................. /WCHAmenshockey distributed via email on Wednesdays during the season. Founded ................................................................................................................................1951 Players of the Week First Season .................................................................................................................1951-52 Men’s League Players of the Week winners will be posted on wcha. Commissioner .................................................................................................Bill Robertson com and distributed via email on Monday afternoons. Offi ce ................................................................................................................ 952-417-6958 Email ................................................................................................brobertson@wcha.com Offi cial Colors The offi cial colors of the WCHA logo are: Marketing & Communications Manager .......................................................................................................................................