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Michigan Stt
(-)per the summer, Mchiga State lost the two
iiggest namies associate wth its program. First
clege hockey's all-time w'ingest coach Ron
Mason left to become the school's athletic diecr.
T hen goalie Ryan Miller -- who wn the 2001.
Hobey Baker Award- left school early to join the
ufdo Sabres.
But Michigan State found two capable
replacements. Former Northern Michigan
coach Rick Comley_ - who won. C:CHA titles
in 1980 and 1981 - will stand behind the
bench while Justin Toibe - whose NA1L team
won its season serie s aanst M'. ichigan fesh-
man Al Montoya's ,"f.NDPsqu dis like-
ly to stand betw in-he pipes.
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M~iichigan
Despite losing its four-year starting goaltender it
most prolific scorer and its most intimidating
defenseman, Michigan was stillpicked to win the
CCHA b the coaches and media.. The top ranking
is most likely due to Michigan's second straight
Frozen Four berth last season. And although the
Wolverines return a majority of that team, they will
still be reloading at every position.
The Wolverines boast senior captains Jed
Ortmeyer and John Shouneyia, as well as an
11-man sophomore cl ss that includes NHL
first-round draft pick Eric Nystrom, Milan
(iajic, Dwight Helininen, Jason Ryznar and
Eric Werner.
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DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily
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Notre Dame
If you ask the coaches around the league about t ta
could sneak up on the CCHA'stofdos, may
Dame. The Fightm g hish rtr of their 2
yea, i~cl&.*their entire defense. Senior captain
ieathis uit i his second year as the team's
Cey also stepped~ last season. He was 7-2-0 Y l
aganst a .942 save percentage inhi
the tIrichutoin the league standings, CeyY u
carry the load.
Bowling Green
The Falcons are tyn to breed new life into the byo. a4
former standout Scott Mauch back as hea hPa ch ope
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a Alaska-Fairbanks
NabittAlaska-Fairbanks coach Guy Gadowsky's squad
mia was two goals away from the NCAA Tournament
a t last season after the preseason media poll picked
lay tit to finish last in the conference. This year, the
in rest of the league won't be taken by surprise as
no one expects the Nanooks to be near the low
end of the CCHA. Alaska-Fairbanks returns three
"alto~f its four top scorers in Ryan Campell, Cam"
Kith and Aaron Voros. But whether or not the
.n Na oks keep the excitement going in Fairbanks,
tre,'s '1 teir oungdefnse ustdevelop quickly. They
ahr two uprclassmen reung on defense
and dpenon two 18-year-olds --Canadian
dots Al1ex Staudt and Jorda Hendry --to
Avo co 1 the Olympic-sized ice. This might be the
t ~talented Alaska-Fairbanks team ever, but
blueliners will need to grow up fast.
Western Michigan
Th-rn six nationally-ranked opponents last season in
Kalamaz third of that team's lineup is gone due to grad-
uatin. If; "tua started 16 games in goal last season but was
later repliy then-senior Jeff Reynaert. Mantua will now bat-
tle to frfor his old job. Dave Cousineau - one of the
three fina r the CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman Award
- will Q with Jeff Cambell and Dana Lattery to deter-
mine whe roncos finish toward the middle of the league
or na
x Lake Superior State
ohFrank Anzalone led the Lakers to their first national chain-
0nhp in 1988. Now in the second year of his second tenure with
Lakers, he's feeling~ his team's growing pains. Last season the
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