Irish Seek to Bounce Back Against Ferris

 
Notre Dame has been sailing along pretty smoothly this season in this, the final campaign of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

UND is 15-9-0 overall, ranked No. 7 in the nation, and is tied with Western Michigan for first place in the CCHA with an 11-5-0 league mark.

So what if the Irish are winless in their last four games?

Entire story can be found here.

Irish Make it Eleven

The University of Notre Dame will become the eleventh member of the Hockey East Association starting in 2013-14, the latest conference switch to occur at the NCAA Division I level this year.

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/pres1112/201110/oct5hea.php

The Irish had supposedly been seeking to stay out west, be it by joining the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, or perhaps even the revamped Western Collegiate Hockey Conference that will also take in current fellow CCHA member Bowling Green. The nascent NCHC seemed to content to remain at eight schools, however, and the Irish looked (to Hockey) East, where the rest of their athletic teams (except football) already compete. Notre Dame will continue what has already been an annual rivalry with fellow Catholic institution Boston College, while forging new ones with Boston University, Maine, New Hampshire, and the rest of the New England-based conference, which seems to put at least one school in the NCAA Frozen Four almost every season. Plus, UND is supposed to bring along NBC to televise its games, just like it has been doing for Notre Dame football for years.

Hockey East will likely add a 12th team in the future to balance things out; but whether that's Rensselear or Connecticut or even Alabama-Huntsville remains to be seen. Personally I'm hoping it's UAH, since neither the NCHC or WCHA seems keen on extending an invitation to the Chargers anytime soon, and Atlantic Hockey doesn't seem to have the financial backing to stretch itself that far geographically (unless UAH possibly agrees to pay for all opposing teams' travel to Huntsville and back).

But that's a story for another day in what has already been a wild 2011.

BOSTON COLLEGE 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

The third time really was the charm ...

The old alma mater, Boston College, won the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey National Championship on April 12 with a 4-1 victory over Notre Dame in Denver, after falling just short in the finals the past two years. It's BC's third-ever national title, its second crown claimed in the state of Colorado, and its first overall NCAA championship since 2001. It was also the first time I got to celebrate at the final buzzer with my brother, who also went to BC, and my dad, whose checks did.

5-foot-5 junior forward and Michigan native Nathan Gerbe tallied two goals and two assists in the final for the Eagles against the Fighting Irish (beaten by a leprechaun?) and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Obviously it's not all about size, as he hustles his as- off, has great skills, shows no fear, and is simply one hell of a hockey player. So is freshman goaltender John Muse and a supporting cast of three dozen, including a top-notch coaching and support staff ...

Now bring on the parade - and the championship merchandise! I've already made my customary donation to Eagle Athletics and shed a few quiet tears of joy just like I did seven springs ago (yes, I admit it).

Congratulations Eagles - and from an "old" alum, THANK YOU!

WE - ARE - BC!