A look back

It’s easy to fly under the radar in Bloomington if you play any sport other than basketball or football.  Especially if it’s been nearly a decade since you’ve been relevant in any way.  Such has been the story of the Indiana Hoosiers ACHA DII Hockey team in recent years.

The Hoosiers launched their 2016-17 campaign by dropping a pair against Louisville in September, with one of them coming in the form of a 9-1 beat down in northern Kentucky.  Early October would see more of the same, as IU would lose their first six games before cracking the win column with a 5-1 drubbing of St. Mary’s (MN).  The Hoosiers followed up this first win with a sweep of the Kentucky Wildcats, only to drop the next five games before tasting victory again.

This pattern would become the team’s modus operandi -  a few wins followed by a prolonged losing streak.  After splitting a pair against Dayton and sweeping Wright State, the Hoosiers would come out on top only one other time in their last 10 games of the season.  Down the stretch, the team would suffer back to back 8-0 shutouts to Grand Valley State, along with significant losses to Big Ten foes Michigan State and Illinois.

Head Coach Clint Hagmaier recently referred to the season as “a learning experience for both the players and myself.”  Unfortunately, the Hoosiers learned many of those lessons the hard way.  Ending the season with a 7-19-0-1 record, the boys of Bloomington would head into a summer of upheaval and uncertainty .

off-season

Summer was not much kinder to the Hoosiers, having suffered some significant loses off the ice as well.  Although he still has eligibility remaining, team captain and leading scorer Travis Maxwell’s academic schedule will likely keep him away from hockey this season.  The departure of top D-man Jake Novak - ‘a true gamer’ in the words of Hagmaier - leaves an already empty cupboard almost barren.

While the team record was far from outstanding, that’s not to say that there weren’t any bright spots on the season.  Over half the squad earned Academic All-American honors, which is a significant accomplishment for any sports team (lest we forget these boys are still students first and athletes second).  Three players averaged over a point per game, with two others finishing just under that pace.  On the other end of the ice, all three goaltenders ended the season with an .850+ save percentage, and two of them will be returning.  With the roster undergoing a significant overhaul, Hagmaier at least has something to build on.

2017-18 season roster updates

A look ahead

IU Hockey fans have an awful lot to look forward to this season, although it will require a bit of patience at first.  Aside from the season opener against Louisville in Columbus, the Hoosiers will spend the month of September on the road.  You won’t have to travel far to catch them, though, as trips to Louisville, Cincinnati, and Chicago (Aurora University) lead off the 2017-18 schedule.  And if the road proves to be unkind, there is a healthy dose of home cooking in the first half to help them get on track.

Given the Hoosiers young lineup though, they are going to need any breaks they can get.  Michigan State, Dayton, Davenport, and Illinois all invade Frank Southern Arena before the winter recess arrives.  Along with this bevy of ‘unwelcome’ guests, the team will take to the road for the first half of the “I-69 Cup” with upstart Trine University.  With this being their first season, the newly-minted Thunder will still be a bit of a mystery when the Hoosiers hit Angola.  But seeing as though Trine is starting off where Indiana wants to go - with an NCAA (DIII) team and a shiny new arena - look for the Hoosiers to play this series with a bit of a chip on their shoulders.

The back half of the schedule won’t be any easier, leading off with a visit from Bradley and a trip to Grand Valley State. Yet the highlight of the season is sure to be the Big Ten Outdoor Tournament  being held in Rosemont, Illinois.  With outdoor games all the rage these days, and loads of dining and entertainment available at the MB Financial Park, the Big Ten tournament will be well worth the drive.

Following the outdoor tournament, things look to get a little easier as the Hoosiers will square off against Illinois State, Central Michigan, and Ferris State, three teams who scuffled last season in much the same way.  The regular season then wraps up with the home half of the I-69 Cup against Trine, and a foray into SEC country to take on Alabama.

our prediction

To say the Hoosiers are going to be young and inexperienced would be a massive understatement, having turned over nearly sixty percent of the active players on the roster.  With losing four of the five top scorers from last season, Hagmaier and his staff are hoping the ‘young guns’ come out shooting straight and often.  If Schurmann-Colicchio is able to duplicate his phenomenal sophomore campaign, and Trent Kunas and John Cristiano can edge closer to a point per game average, it should help take the pressure off the rookies and give them time to adjust to the speed and intensity of the game.

And speed is exactly what fans can expect from this year’s team.  These boys have some serious wheels, and with only one defenseman returning (AJ Magro), look for the Hoosiers to rely on an up-tempo offense and try to keep the puck in the opposition’s end.  IF they can manage to put a high number of shots on net and win the majority of the battles in trenches, the odds of success are tilted in their favor.  But that’s an awful lot to ask of this young forward group.  Uomoleale and Grimes may be up for the challenge though.  Uomoleale, a transfer from the University of New England (NCAA D3) is battle-tested and should make an immediate impact.  Although Grimes is making the jump from high school to college, he has the skill set to light up the scoreboard like a Christmas tree.

The key is going to be keeping the pressure off a very raw blue line corps in the early part of the season.  Magro only logged 10 games last season, but he'll be asked to do a lot of the heavy lifting on the back end this time around.  The upside is that the Hoosiers have two experienced netminders between the pipes.  Stebbins had the better stats (5.36 GAA, .862 Sv%), but both looked sharp in tryouts, as did the newcomer Gaisor.  If anything gives Hagmaier some peace of mind, it’s knowing the crease should be well cared for.

It would certainly help if the two halves of the season were reversed, as Louisville and Cincinnati led the Southeast Region with 28 and 27 wins respectively and is a tough way to begin a season.  However, if the Hoosier can survive this initial test, look for them to be competitive in the early home stretch.

With so many of the players new to the roster, this Hoosier team is like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're gonna get!  Honestly though, that's going to be part of the fun this season.  Still, there is at least one safe bet here -- count on Hagmaier to push the pace... hard.  This team's strength is its speed up front and they're going to use it whenever possible.

Look for an up & down first half as the Hoosiers work to establish an identity and settle the lines.  There is a mix of big challenges and  winnable games early on, which should give the coaching staff a clearer idea of what they have to work with.  After the break is when this team should be hitting its stride.  The trip to Grand Valley State aside, there are a host of competitive match ups down the stretch.

This year's group may not garner many more wins than last season's squad, but the emphasis here is on building a foundation.  Core players such as Kunas and Schurmann-Colicchio (Juniors), and netminders McNamara and Stebbins (Sophomores) still have time left on the clock, and there are several incoming freshman with very high ceilings.   Add another draft class or two like this one, and we won't be surprised to see the Hoosiers back in the national title picture by the end of the decade.

Expect the 2017-18 Hoosiers to be much like a high-budget action film:  a couple of stars in the making, a solid helping of snarky attitude, and loads of fireworks!  Go in looking for oscar-winning drama and you're sure to be disappointed.  But if all you are after is to be entertained for a little while, this group certainly won't let you down.  Win or lose, the Bloomington Boys are going to be fun to watch!

indiana hoosier info

The Hoosier open their season against the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday, September 15th at the Hamilton Ice Arena in Columbus, IN.  The puck drops at 9:15pm.

Follow the Indiana Hoosier here on INHockey.net or check out their website at www.hoosierhockey.com