Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Picked To Finish 11th In Both Polls
September 27, 2006 | Ice Hockey
Sept. 26, 2006
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. - The Bowling Green State University hockey team was picked to finish 11th in both the coaches and media poll the Central Collegiate Hockey Association announced today at their annual media day held in Detroit, Michigan.
The Falcons were picked to finish ahead of Western Michigan in both polls.
BGSU returns 16 players from last year's squad that finished 12th in the CCHA, including six of their top 10 scorers. The Orange and Brown will be led by junior Jonathan Matsumoto (20g, 28a), James Unger (12g, 15a), Derek Whitmore (12g, 7a) and Brandon Svendsen (10g, 9a) up front. The Falcons also return their top goaltender in Jimmy Spratt along with numerous players along the blueline including: captain Michael Hodgson (2g, 9a), Mike Nesdill (2g, 8a), Kevin Schmidt (1g, 7a), Jeremy Bronson (1g, 2a) and Russ Sinkewich (0g, 1a).
BGSU also welcomes 13 newcomers to this year's squad. Highlights of this new class include Tim Maxwell (transfer from Maine), Kai Kantola, Tomas Petruska, Todd McIllrath and James Perkin.
The Falcons open the season on Oct. 5 when they play host to Winsor in an exhibition game at 7:05 p.m. inside the BGSU Ice Arena.
Complete CCHA Release
For the first time in recent memory, the coaches and media disagree over who deserves
top spot in the CCHA's annual preseason polls. The conference's 12 head coaches ranked Michigan State first while the media voted for Michigan, albeit by the narrowest of margins.
Defending regular-season champion Miami placed third in each category.
The Spartans garnered the most first-place votes in both rankings with seven in the coaches poll and 35 in the media poll. The Wolverines received a single vote for top spot from the coaches, polled 26 from the media and landed the No. 1 position in the media poll by virtue of a strong number of second and third-place votes. Four CCHA coaches chose the RedHawks to defend their regular-season title as did 13 members of the media.
The Spartans return 17 players, including seven that are NHL draft picks, from a squad that went 17-4-3 in 2006 en route to the 11th CCHA playoff championship in school history. Sophomore goalie Jeff Lerg, the league's Rookie of the Year last season and Bill Beagan trophy winner as CCHA Tournament MVP, anchors the team defensively. Junior forward Bryan Lerg, who produced 15-23-38 last season, is MSU's top returning scorer while Rick Comley, beginning his fifth season in East Lansing, Mich., needs a dozen wins to become just the fifth coach in Division I history to record 700 career victories.
The Wolverines, gunning for their 17th consecutive NCCA Tournament appearance, are led by senior captain and defensman Matt Hunwick along with senior forward T.J. Hensick who is aiming for a third-straight 50-point season. Behind the bench, Red Berenson, in his 23rd season and directing a roster loaded with 13 NHL draft choices, is 15 wins shy of reaching the 600-win plateau for his distinguished career.
The Redhawks, the only team outside of the state of Michigan since 1987 to have taken the league's top regular-season honors, have 15 players back from their championship squad, including the stellar goaltending rotation of junior Charlie Effinger and sophomore Jeff Zatkoff. Junior forwards Nathan Davis (Chicago) and captain Ryan Jones (Minnesota) are among a seven-member contingent of NHL draftees that Enrico Blasi, the 2006 National Coach of the Year, will rely on.
A total of 77 members of the media ranked the 12 CCHA teams in projected order of finish for the regular season. Points were awarded on a 12-11-10-9, etc., basis. League coaches ranked the CCHA teams, excluding their own school, in the order they predicted the regular season will end. Points in the coaches poll were tallied on a 11-10-9, etc., basis.
Coaches Poll 1. Michigan State (7) 117 2. Michigan (1) 108 3. Miami (4) 107 4. Ohio State 84 5. Nebraska-Omaha 75 6. Notre Dame 62 7. Alaska 60 8. Northern Michigan 59 9. Ferris State 55 10. Lake Superior State 30 11. Bowling Green State 18 12. Western Michigan 17Media Poll 1. Michigan (26) 845 2. Michigan State (38) 844 3. Miami (13) 800 4. Northern Michigan 570 5. Nebraska-Omaha 539 6. Ohio State 514 7. Ferris State 437 8. Notre Dame 403 9. Alaska 390 10. Lake Superior State 379 11. Bowling Green State 158 12. Western Michigan 127
