The Fall 2013 semester is winding down, the student-athletes are completing their Finals and each WCHL team has played half of their league games with about eight more weeks of games left before Nationals. What better time to do the first installment in the WCHL Wraparound?
LEAGUE STANDINGS –Every WCHL team has played eight league games so far this season, with eight more league games to go before the WCHL regular season concludes. The WCHL uses a 3-2-1-0 point system, meaning a win in regulation is worth 3 points, two points are earned for an overtime/shootout win, one point for an overtime/shootout loss and a loss in regulation results in zero points. After eight games, each team could have possibly earned 24 points had they won every game in regulation. With that understanding, here are the current WCHL standings:
1 – Arizona State (23 points, 7 regulation wins, 1 overtime win)
2 – Central Oklahoma (16 pts, 5 regulation wins, 1 overtime loss, 2 regulation losses)
3 – Oklahoma (12 pts, 2 regulation wins, 2 overtime wins, 2 regulations losses, 2 overtime losses)
4 – Colorado State (9 pts, 2 regulation wins, 1 overtime win, 4 regulation losses, 1 overtime loss)
5 – Arizona (8 pts, 2 regulation wins, 1 overtime win, five regulation losses)
6 – Colorado (4 pts, 1 regulation win, 6 regulation losses, 1 overtime loss)
TEAMS RESULTS – Here’s a brief rundown as to how each WCHL team has done in the Fall 2013 semester.
The University of Arizona (10-12-0 overall, 3-5-0 WCHL) has had an up-and-down season so far, with impressive wins at Oklahoma, at Liberty and at home against then-No. 1 Minot State. However, the Wildcats have lost at home to Iowa State, Colorado State, Delaware and Arizona State. Andrew Murmes leads the Wildcats in scoring with 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 total points. Following Murmes in scoring on the ice for the Wildcats are Shane Gleason (3-17-20), Robert Wilkinson (11-5-16), Ansel Ivens-Anderson (4-12-16) and Brennan Parker (9-6-15). Freshman goaltender Garrett Patrick has been the main men in net for UofA with a 4-5 record, a goals against average of 3.52 and a .890 save percentage. With consistent play in the Spring semester, the Wildcats should be in a good position to return to Nationals for the first time in years.
Arizona State University (23-0-0 overall, 8-0-0 WCHL) are taking names wherever they go as the top team in the WCHL and ACHA D1 at the semester break. The Sun Devils have an impressive goaltending tandem in freshman Robert Levin (12-0 record, 1.02 goals against average, .960 save percentage) and senior Joseph D’Elia (10-0, 1.40 GAA, .940 SV). ASU is led in scoring by Kale Dolinski (16 goals, 33 assists, 49 total points), Liam Norris (7-23-30), Brian McGinty (11-17-28), Danny McAuliffe (12-11-23) and Colin Hekle (15-6-21). The Sun Devils are a lock for Nationals, with the only concern being whether they can keep their undefeated run going to secure that No. 1 seed in the tournament.
The University of Central Oklahoma (18-6-3 overall, 5-2-1 WCHL) is has put together a nice season so far, with some big wins against Lindenwood, Iowa State, Adrian, Oklahoma and Arizona, while four of the Bronchos’ six regulation losses were to the No. 1 teams at the time, Minot State and Arizona State. UCO goaltender Tory Caldwell has a record of 10-9, a 2.43 GAA and a .910 SV. Riley Spraggs leads the Bronchos in scoring (23-12-35) followed by Michael Rivera (9-20-29), Seth Cory (7-22-29), Rylan Duley (15-13-28) and Shane Khalaf (10-18-28). UCO is a lock for Nationals and can avoid a first-round game at the tournament by staying in the Top 12 through the Spring semester.
The University of Colorado (5-11-1 overall, 1-6-1 WCHL) is in its first season of play at the ACHA D1 level, after years of playing ACHA D2. Colorado got off to a rough start as they rebuild their hockey program but head coach Eric Ballard has the Buffs headed in the right direction. Already this season, Colorado has a victory over arch-rival Colorado State in league play and wound down the semester winning three of their last four games. Goaltender Alex Palumbo, despite a 4-9 record, a 4.06 GAA and a .910 SV, has kept the Buffs in most all of their games this season. Colorado likely won't make the Nationals field this season but can lay the groundwork for future seasons with this young team.
Colorado State University (6-15-1 overall, 3-4-1 WCHL) is also in its first season of ACHA D1 play and find themselves immediately in the mix for Nationals. CSU has impressive wins at Arizona and against in-state rival Colorado, but since the win over CU, the Rams have lost their last six games of the semester. CSU was ranked as high as 14th but now find themselves just outside the Top 25 at No. 26. Colorado State is led in scoring by Collin Abitz (6-8-14), Connor Tamai (2-10-12), Chris Guidotti (7-4-11) and Will Neff (3-7-10). Rams goaltender Alex Steidler has logged the lion’s share of minutes in net for CSU with a 5-16 record, a 3.63 GAA and a .890 SV. The Rams have a chance to make the field for Nationals but must put together a nice string of wins when play resumes in the Spring semester.
The University of Oklahoma (16-3-3 overall, 4-2-2 WCHL) remain a perennial Top 10 team with series wins against Lindenwood, Colorado State and Rutgers. However, the Sooners haven’t defended their home ice very well with home losses to Arizona, ASU, Illinois and Adrian. OU is led in scoring by Bryce Johnson (19-19-38), Jordan Greenberg (17-18-35), Derek Tylka (10-10-20), Cory Ramsey (4-15-19) and Darrell Boldon (12-6-18). Nick Holmes, the Sooners’ main goalie in the Fall, has a 12-6 record with a 2.02 GAA and a .920 SV. OU will be at Nationals and are playing for a spot as one of the Top 4 seeds in the tournament.
RANKINGS – This season, the ACHA D1 is utilizing a computer ranking system to determine its weekly Top 25 ranking. Throughout the Fall semester, four WCHL teams (Arizona State, Oklahoma, Central Oklahoma and Arizona) have been mainstays in the ranking while another WCHL squad (Colorado State) has flitted in and out of the poll. As the Fall semester winds down, here is the most recent ACHA D1 ranking:
2013-2014 ACHA Men's Division 1 Ranking #12
Rank School Name Record Previous
1 Arizona State 23-0-0 1
2 Robert Morris (IL) 17-2-1 2
3 Minot State 13-4-1 5
4 Liberty 20-3-0 4
5 Oklahoma 16-3-3 3
6 Iowa State 21-5-2 6
7 Adrian 19-4-0 8
8 Ohio 18-4-1 7
9 Delaware 15-5-2 9
10 Stony Brook 14-3-3 10
11 Central Oklahoma 18-6-3 11
12 Arizona 10-12-0 13
13 Davenport 12-7-1 12
14 Mercyhurst 15-6-1 15
15 Lindenwood 6-12-2 14
16 Rhode Island 15-5-2 18
17 Oakland 13-10-0 19
18 Navy 14-5-2 16
19 Illinois 10-11-1 17
20 Buffalo 16-5-2 21
21 Syracuse 12-3-1 NR
22 West Virginia 11-11-1 22
23 John Carroll 12-7-3 20
24 Rutgers 5-8-2 24
25 West Chester 10-7-2 NR
NATIONALS - The computer ranking will for the first time determine the 20 teams that qualify for the 2014 ACHA D1 National Championship Tournament, which will include the following seven autobids:
(CSCHL) Central States Collegiate Hockey League
(CHMA) College Hockey Mid-America
(ECHA) Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association
(ESCHL) Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
(GLCHL) Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League
(NECHL) Northeast Collegiate Hockey League
(HOST) Delaware
The 2014 ACHA D1 National Championship Tournament will be hosted March 6-11 by the University of Delaware at the Fred Rust Ice Arena in Newark, Delaware.
As a first-year league within the ACHA D1 ranks, the WCHL is not eligible to receive an autobid to Nationals. However, next season the WCHL regular season Champion will receive an autobid to the 2015 National Championship Tournament
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK – Throughout the season, the WCHL has been recognizing a Player of the Week based on his efforts in games the previous week. Here are the WCHL Players of the Week through the Fall 2013 semester:
Rylan Duley (F, Central Oklahoma) – Week of Sept. 13-19
Brian McGinty (F, Arizona State) – Week of Sept. 20-26
Shane Gleason (D, Arizona) – Week of Sept. 27-Oct. 3
Nick Holmes (G, Oklahoma) – Week of Oct. 4-10
Danny McAuliffe (F, Arizona State) – Week of Oct. 11-17
Connor Tamai (F, Colorado State) – Week of Oct. 14-20
Bryce Johnson (F, Oklahoma) – Week of Oct. 21-27
Alex Steidler (G, Colorado State) -= Week of Oct. 28- Nov. 3
Alex Palumbo (G, Colorado) – Week of Nov 4-10
Jordan Greenberg (F, Oklahoma) – Week of Nov. 11-17
Kale Dolinski (F, Arizona State) – Week of Dec 2-9
WCHL AND TEAM USA – The Winter World University Games are going on right now in Trentino, Italy and the WCHL has strong ties to the Team USA roster representing America at the WWUG. University of Arizona Head Coach Sean Hogan is serving as an assistant coach for Team USA in Trentino. Five players from Arizona State University, Danny McAulliffe, Brian McGinty, Alex Temby, Jordan Young and Sean Murphy, are on the 22 man Team USA roster.
ACHA HONORS – The ACHA hands out monthly awards for various categories and several WCHL players and programs have been recognized. In September, Central Oklahoma goaltender Tory Caldwell was recognized as the Warrior Goalie of the Month, Arizona defenseman Shane Gleason was named the Harrow Defenseman of the Month and Colorado State received the Harrow Community Service Award for their flood relief efforts in Colorado. In October, Arizona State’s Kale Dolinski was named the Harrow Player of the Month while ASU’s Robert Levin was tabbed as the Warrior Goalie of the Month.
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