Last time on the NCAA Update, the latest rule changes for the 2008-09 college hockey season were discussed as well as games to look forward to on opening night. Right now, let’s take a look at some other updates in college hockey, and preview more big games this upcoming year.

Two Coaches Get Extensions

As reported by College Hockey News, Former Friar great, Tim Army, signed a contract extension last week and will remain with the club through at least the 2012-13 hockey season. In his three years at Providence College, Army has a 41-56-11 record, but has seen some players develop such as Jon Rheault, Cody Wild and Matt Taormina. This season, the Friars finished 14-17-5 and ended up in fifth place in Hockey East.

In his first year at the helm, Army’s club went 17-16-3 and finished fifth in Hockey East in the 2005-06 campaign. The next year however, the Friars salvaged just ten victories and barely made the Hockey East Playoffs. Nevertheless, Army will be staying at his alma mater for awhile.

Also reported on CHN was the contract extension of Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold, who was also signed through the 2012-13 season. Since Pecknold came to Quinnipiac in 1994-95, he has seen his team succeed on many angles. Pecknold’s record to this day is 263-165-42, and has had four straight years of 20 victories or more. His biggest moment however, came in the 2001-02 season when Quinnipiac won the MAAC (which is now Atlantic Hockey) and went to the NCAA tournament. Ever since joining the ECAC, Pecknold’s record is 61-47-10. Not bad for the first three years.

The CHA Saga

Yes, the CHA is still surviving with just four teams (Alabama-Huntsville, Bemidji State, Niagara and Robert Morris). And yes, the CHA tournament winner will still go to “The Big Dance,” despite not meeting the NCAA standards in which a conference has to have a minimum of six teams.

This is for the good of college hockey that the CHA will still get an automatic bid. The question is how long will this last? Bemidji State seems to be playing against WCHA teams for most of their games. This year the Beavers face St. Cloud State, Minnesota State, Minnesota-Duluth, North Dakota and Michigan Tech two times each.

As for the rest of the teams, Alabama-Huntsville is traveling all around the country to play games it seems like and so is Robert Morris. Which leaves the question, where does Niagara go if the CHA were to be extinct? The ECAC would make some sense geographically as well as Atlantic Hockey.

It will be interesting to see after this coming hockey season where the CHA stands. Hopefully they get more teams in and can be saved for the good of college hockey.
Last week, we got to the early games on the schedule. Now here is a look at what could be the biggest games in the last weeks of the regular season.

Atlantic Hockey: Air Force @ RIT 2/27/09-2/28/09: These should be the two pre-season favorites in the conference come pre-season. Will it live up to the hype in February?

CCHA: Michigan State vs. Notre Dame 2/27-2/28: A powerhouse and a Frozen Four team will meet in a good old fashioned series. Michigan State could surprise some people, while Notre Dame is expected to be a pre-season top five team.

CHA: Robert Morris @ Bemidji State 3/6-3/7: Could be important for positioning in the conference tournament. Remember this tournament is single elimination.

ECAC: Princeton @ Harvard 2/28: Mark this down as the ECAC game of the year!

Hockey East: New Hampshire @ Vermont 3/6-3/7: Home ice could be on the line in this one.

WCHA: North Dakota @ Wisconsin 3/6-3/7: Also of note is Colorado College and Denver on their last game of the year. This series however, could be the determining factor on who wins the WCHA. With CC and Denver playing on the last night of the year as well, four of the top five spots (if all goes by plan) will be determined in one night.

The countdown is back on; twelve more weeks until college hockey season.

Contact the author: trosenthal@insidehockey.com