The NCAA News - News and Features

March 9, 1998

Division II Men's Ice Hockey

Two teams on track to meet again

Event: 1998 Division II Men's Ice Hockey Championship.

Overview: Alabama-Huntsville and Bemidji State have met in the championship three of the last four years, including the last two. The two appear destined to meet again. Alabama-Huntsville (20-3-3) sits atop the Division II poll. Two of the Chargers' three losses came against Division I Nebraska-Omaha. The Chargers are the essence of balance, netting 158 goals (6.08 per game) while permitting only 57 (2.19 per game). Defensively, Cedrick Billequey steadies a squad that has limited opponents to two goals or less in 17 of 26 contests. A junior, Billequey led the nation in goals-against average (1.80), save percentage (.931) and winning percentage (.933), while ranking second in wins (14). Offensively, John McCabe leads the team in scoring with 43 points, including a team-best 30 assists. Mike Hamlin is the Chargers' top goal-scoring threat, netting 23 goals, including seven power-play and four game-winning goals. Matt Parker sparks the Chargers' specialty teams, ranking among the nation's best in power-play goals (six) and shorthanded tallies (two) .... Defending champion Bemidji State (20-8-2 overall, 14-6 in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association) has soared to the No. 2 ranking after opening with a 4-4-1 record. The Beavers, winners of five of the last six titles, showcase six players with 10 or more goals. Shane Kalbrener leads the team with 40 points, including a team-best 27 assists and five power-play goals, while Aaron Novak tops the team in goals (20). Josh Klingfus (31 points) and Calvin Chartrand (16 goals) add firepower to the Beavers' attack. Defensively, Bemidji State relies on sophomore goaltender Adam Pavlatos, who has guided the team to 18 wins in 26 contests. Pavlatos sports a goals-against average of 3.13 and a save percentage of .891. Beavers' coach Bob Peters earned career victory No. 700 January 17 against Wisconsin-Stout. Peters joined Michigan State's Ron Mason as the only NCAA coaches to compile 700 coaching wins.

Field: The championship features a two-team, two-game series with a "minigame" tie-breaker, if necessary.

Dates and site: March 13-14 on the campus of one of the competing institutions.

Information/results: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/399-3060 (passcode 1915); request numbers are 1416 for dates and site, 1417 for bracket/schedule and 5123 for championship series results. Championship results also will be available on the World Wide Web at www.ncaa.org. Results will be published in the March 23 issue of The NCAA News.