Love Them ‘Tenders

This story first appeared on the New England Hockey Journal website.  To view Jim Connelly's story click here.

By Jim Connelly

When the Division 1 All-Americans were announced in early April, most of the selections were slam dunks.   But if you were looking for one absolute head turner, you didn't have to look any further than

Army's Josh Kassel

Army goaltender Josh Kassel.  

Kassel was named the second-team All-American netminder in the East - beating out the likes of Boston College's John Muse, Maine's Ben Bishop, Harvard's Kyle Richter and Clarkson's David Leggio.  

The announcement certainly turned some heads, but not for any coach who faced Kassel night in and night out in 2007-08.  

While Kassel received one of the ultimate honors, he wasn't the only duffle bag in the league turning heads. Air Force's Andrew Volkening stole the spotlight at this year's NCAA tournament when he turned aside 30 shots in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Miami. He was named to the Northeast Regional all-tournament team, despite not reaching the final. And one of his saves was so spectacular that it was ranked first in that evening's "SportsCenter Top Plays" on ESPN.  

Kassel and Volkening have received national attention, but right now every team in Atlantic Hockey has a goaltender that could be considered for individual recognition.  

"The last couple of years, every team has had a top-notch goalie," said Army coach Brian Riley, who joked about his own coaching abilities after having not played Kassel as a freshman because the team was led by standout Brad Roberts.  

Over the past five years, Atlantic Hockey has taken major steps on the national stage. Each year, the conference's out-of-conference schedule improves. In the last four national tournaments, all four games involving league entries have been decided by a single goal. And Holy Cross earned the conference's first NCAA tournament win in 2006, when netminder Tony Quesada stole the show against Minnesota.  

Though outstanding goaltending is only the first step toward bringing the conference in tune with the rest of college hockey, it's an excellent focal point around which coaches can build their teams.  
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"There are a lot of good goalies out there now," said Riley. "The pool has grown over the years which has enabled college hockey in every league to go out and find a good goalie. In our case, that's where we start."  

"When I think Division 1, I think of a great goaltenders," said Mercyhurst head coach Rick Gotkin, who relied on a top-notch transfer from Maine Matt Lundin to carry the bulk of his club's play in net. "It's all about goaltending. If you had one scholarship to give and you had to be right, I'd put that on a goaltender."  

So just how good is Atlantic Hockey's current crop? Nine goaltenders had save percentages better than .900. A similar nine had goals-against averages of less than 3.00. And the league's best? Kassel's GAA of 1.92 led the league and was fourth in the nation. Air Force's Volkening ranked 10^th in the nation in GAA at 2.09.  

And don't expect these trends to end any time soon. Every team's top goaltender returns for the 2008-09 campaign, and seven of the 10 were either freshmen or sophomores this season.  

"I think that's why you see so much parity, because (having great goaltending) allows every team to go out and win every night," said Riley. "They have a goalie who can actually win games by himself."  

Here is our team-by-team report card for the 2007-08 season:  

AIC   MVP: Dan Ramirez (Fr., G) The netminder was solid through the season - recording all eight of the Yellow Jackets' wins. With a little bit of help defensively he has the potential to become one of the top goaltenders in the league.   Forwards: C-. The Yellow Jackets had three 20-point scorers, but still struggled to score goals - particularly late in the season, when AIC was winless in its final eight games.    Defensemen: D. AIC allowed a league-worst 3.75 goals per game and much of the responsibility has to be thrown at the defense. The blueliners didn't do a lot to chip in offensively either.    Goaltending: B. Ramirez was AIC's best player and possibly provided the club with the highlight of the season - a 43-save victory at RIT in February. He'll continue to improve, which is a bright light for AIC.    Overall: C. AIC improved from a season ago, but still found its way to the Atlantic Hockey basement. AIC is certainly closing the gap but needs to continue to work hard to become an Atlantic Hockey contender.   Outlook: AIC certainly has its work cut out for it. But the school is showing its commitment to the sport as it will hire its first full-time assistant for head coach Gary Wright.   

Air Force   MVP: Brent Olson (Jr., F) After recovering from being academically ineligible and then returning to the Falcons this season, Olson carried a major piece of the offensive load. He was a major reason the club won the Atlantic Hockey tournament and filled in when standout Eric Ehn was sidelined for much of the second half.   Forwards: A-. If someone told Air Force prior to the season they'd have three 30-point scorers and Ehn wouldn't be one of them, they'd have had that person committed. This team wasn't consistent all season scoring goals, but it was able to produce when it counted down the stretch.   Defensemen: A-. The Falcons were solid protecting their net and limiting opponents' chances. Additionally, Greg Flynn chipped in offensively with 23 assists and 31 points.   Goaltending: B+. Andrew Volkening had a pretty decent season but really proved his worth on the national stage, as he stopped 30 shots in the NCAA Northeast Regional. As he continues to improve, you can likely count him among the best goaltenders in the league.     Overall: A-. Air Force wasn't the best team in the league but it was the best team down the stretch and earned second straight league title and NCAA berth.     Outlook: The Falcons will return a good chunk of their scoring next season, needing only to replace Ehn. That might have looked like a more  major task if the team hadn't opened so many eyes when Ehn was injured.    

Army   MVP: Josh Kassel (Jr., G) A rock in net for the Black Knights,  Kassel was a major reason his team won the regular-season title. He captured Atlantic Hockey player of the year honors and second team All-American recognition, which validated his play.   Forwards: A-. Army scored goals, but this was a team built around defense. The Black Knights still produced three 30-point scorers, though, including Owen Meyer, who followed up an impressive freshman campaign by tying for the team lead in scoring with 39 points.     Defensemen: A+. This was an extremely talented defensive team that frustrated opponents night in and night out. Zach McKelvie may be one of the most talented blueliners in the league and he's scheduled to return next season.   Goaltending: A+. What more can be said about Kassel? His 1.92 GAA was fourth in the nation and his .925 save percentage was also top 10 in the country.     Overall: A. This was an excellent Army team and it was a shame that it didn't get a chance to prove that on a national stage because it fell in the league semifinals to Mercyhurst. Kassel's All-American honor was a wonderful consolation prize.     Outlook: The sad thing for Army is they'll graduate a significant portion of its offense, including six of the team's top 10 scorers. Kassel returns for one last season, which is a silver lining.    

Bentley   MVP: Joe Calvi (Fr., G) Without Calvi, Bentley may have finished in the league basement. He's a solid goaltender with a great future ahead of him.   Forwards: D. Offensive woes were the story for Bentley. The team scored two goals or less 23 times this season - not exactly the formula for success.    Defensemen: C-. Bentley's blueliners were inconsistent throughout the year and particularly down the stretch. Over the final five games (including playoffs) the Falcons allowed 28 goals, even with a pretty darn good goaltender in Calvi in net.    Goaltending: B. Calvi did yeoman's work for a rookie, while getting little support in front of him. He was a bright light for the future of this team.      Overall: C-. Bentley seemed close to having the pieces put together a season ago but took a big step back this year. This club has potential but also has many areas in which it needs to improve.     Outlook: The good news is that Bentley will return the bulk of its offensive talent next season along with Calvi. The Falcons, however, need to fill three holes on the blue line.  

Canisius   MVP: Vincent Scarsella (Fr., F)   The leader of an excellently talented rookie class, Scarsella racked up 31 points and 22 assists to lead the team.   Forwards: B. This team could score and did so without any brand-name players. The only negative about the offense was its inability to get going in the postseason, as it scored just two goals in two games against Mercyhurst.   Defensemen: C-. The Griffs struggled to keep the puck out of their net, and less-than-solid blue line was a major reason. This is an area that coach Dave Smith needs to focus on in the offseason.     Goaltending: C+. Andrew Loewen saw the bulk of the work this season and did a respectable job for the second straight year. If he can improve further, he can be a solid leader for this club.     Overall: C. Canisius took strides forward and should have a positive outlook because it'll return so many young, talented players.     Outlook: The Griffs may make their biggest move forward next season. A young team that needs a little more depth, Canisius isn't far from getting over the hump into a home-ice slot.    

UConn   MVP: Beau Erickson (So., G) As Erickson went all season, so too did the Huskies. He was hampered at times by injury but still played solid enough down the stretch to move UConn from the cellar to a sixth-place finish.   Forwards: C. UConn struggled to score at times this season, and that was a major reason this club wasn't in the race for home ice. Chris Myrho was injured for much of the season, so his return to the line-up next year will be a silver lining.     Defensemen: C. UConn's defensive numbers weren't impressive, but the injury bug in net might have been as much to blame for that as anything. The blueliners also didn't contribute much offensively, which is a concern.   Goaltending: B. You'd almost like to give this category an incomplete, as late-season injuries left head coach Bruce Marshall scouring the dorms to find a goaltender. When healthy, though, Erickson was a scary goaltender to play against.     Overall: B-. The Huskies were a decent team that was hampered with injuries all year. They proved how dangerous they could be late in the season - winning five of their final seven games.     Outlook: If they stay healthy, the Huskies could be dangerous next season. They graduate just one player and will return their top 14 scorers.    

Holy Cross   MVP: Brodie Sheahan (So., F) A dangerous offensive player, Sheahan was particularly impressive on the power play, as he scored nine of his 13 goals with the man-advantage. His 33 points led the team in scoring.     Forwards: C. If it wasn't for the power play, you have to wonder if the Crusaders would have scored a goal this year. The Crusaders ranked fourth in the nation with the man-advantage yet were 42^nd in the nation in overall scoring.   Defensemen: C. Holy Cross was fourth in the league defensively, which isn't bad considering its goaltenders struggled at times.     Goaltending: C-. Goaltending remained a question mark for the Crusaders, though rookie Adam Roy looked solid enough at times to earn the No. 1 spot.     Overall: C. This was a mediocre Holy Cross team that at times showed signs of brilliance. Rookie forward Everett Sheen was a bright spot for this club, as he showed a solid nose for the net.   Outlook: The Crusaders will need to fill a gap left by the graduation of Dale Reinhardt, a solid offensive contributor in all four seasons in Worcester. Coach Paul Pearl also may need to address some question marks between the pipes, but seemed to be enamored by Roy as the season closed.  

Mercyhurst   MVP: Ben Cottreau (Sr., F) One of the most dynamic forwards in the league throughout his four years with the Lakers, Cottreau, if not for injuries, could've easily recorded 40-plus points.   Forwards: B. Mercyhurst continues to be an offensive power, though it's taken a small step back in the last couple of seasons. Head coach Rick Gotkin needs to recruit an impact forward to replace Cottreau.   Defensemen: C. What is keeping the Lakers from the top of the league standings is a mediocre defense. Mercyhurst could use three more players like sophomore Cullen Eddy to solidify the team's defensive play.   Goaltending: B+. Matt Lundin, playing for the first time this season after transferring from Maine, might be one of the top three netminders in the league. The problem this season was a shoulder injury that hampered him all year.   Overall: B. This was a strong Mercyhurst team playing at a school that expects great teams year in and year out. You have to wonder if the Lakers stayed healthy just how good they would've been.   Outlook: Replacing Cottreau is the major question mark about how good the Lakers will be next year. Lundin has undergone shoulder surgery and should be back to 100 percent when next season begins.    

RIT   MVP: Simon Lambert (Sr., F) For his efforts pacing the Tigers' offense with a league-best 51 points, Lambert was honored as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He's definitely a player who has potential to play at the NHL level.   Forwards: A. RIT could score goals with the best of them in college hockey this season. In addition to Lambert, fellow senior Matt Smith finished the season with 27 goals, 17 on the power play.   Defensemen: A-. RIT's blue-line corps was solid throughout the year, although it stumbled in the Atlantic Hockey tournament. Sophomore's Dan Ringwald and Al Mazur both were solid offensive contributors as well.     Goaltending: A-. Louis Menard, who saw the bulk of play and for the second straight season, was more than adequate. It would be helpful if head coach Wayne Wilson could find a second goaltender to support him.     Overall: A. For its first full season as an official Division 1 team, RIT was excellent. The club stumbled a bit down the stretch and in the playoffs, but still had to be pretty happy with its collective body of work.     Outlook: The Tigers have to replace their top two scorers in Lambert and Smith. That will be a major challenge heading into next season. That pair accounted for 41 percent of the club's goal-scoring this season, something that needs to be accounted for if the Tigers want to remain near the top of AHA.  

Sacred Heart   MVP: Alex Parent (Sr., F) For four years,  Parent was one of the most dynamic forwards in the league. His 19 goals and 40 points this season were both team bests and career highs.    Forwards: A. The Pioneers had no problems scoring goals. At times they sported the league's most potent offense with six 20-point scorers.     Defensemen: A-. The Pioneers' defense limited the number of shots that their goaltenders saw. They also chipped in offensively with four blueliners hitting double digits in points.     Goaltending: B. Stefan Drew saw the bulk of the work and did a decent job but had big shoes to fill after Jason Smith graduated. Drew will continue to improve and should be solid in years to come.   Overall: B+. Sacred Heart struggled a bit with consistency - evidenced by a fourth-place finish. This club has a lot of potential but will need to fill some gaps.     Outlook: The Pioneers return the bulk of their players but will need to replace Parent and blueliner Scott Marchesi. If Drew continues to improve, this team could compete for the title a year from now.