Winter break is often a bit of a working holiday for most teachers.  While the kids are home sleeping late, overdosing on video games and junk food, educators across the country are spending a fair amount of their “vacation” grading papers from the previous term and writing lesson plans for the days ahead.

Life isn’t much different for a hockey writer.  With few games – if any – to speak of, the brief recess affords us a chance to grade out the first semester and take a closer look at some of the tests that await.

Indiana Tech (NAIA)

The Warriors’ first half has been nothing short of amazing.  With a shootout loss to conference rival Aquinas as the only ‘blemish’ on their record, the pieces seem to have fallen into place for the fourth-year program.  Having spent the past two seasons hovering just below .500, Tech’s talented lineup is now complemented by experience and leadership.  According to Head Coach Frank DiCristofaro Jr., the team has grown up together - both literally and figuratively - and has built a real family atmosphere that keeps them focused when the going gets rough.  Tech has had to battle back on more than a couple of occasions, and has quality wins over #13 Iowa State, #16 Midland, and #17 Kent State on the resume’.

Paced by redshirt Junior Jace Childs (18g, 12a), the Warriors hold six of the top 12 spots in NAIA scoring race.  Not that this team is all offense, mind you – the senior goaltending tandem of John Slavik and Zach Larson sit second and third respectively in the NAIA and both would statistically fall among the top 20 netminders in the ACHA Division 1.

The second semester won’t be an easy one, starting with #16 Midland and #5 Robert Morris on the first two weekends back.  Aquinas and WHAC conference rival UM-Dearborn lay waiting a bit further down the road, and Tech closes out the regular season with an away game against top-ranked Adrian.  Fortunately for them (and us!), the Warriors play host for the inaugural WHAC Tournament on the first weekend in March before heading to Columbus, Ohio for the NAIA Championships.

Midterm grade:  A

Trine (ACHA M2)

Nobody in their right mind would have predicted the start that the first-year Thunder have gotten off to.  But while Head Coach Dan Mayes might not be crazy, he certainly isn’t surprised by the team’s first-half performance either.  “Obviously we didn’t expect this kind of record, but we could tell from day one that the guys had put in the work over the summer,” Mayes recalled.  “Their fitness level was outstanding and it allowed us to get focused on hockey work that much sooner.”

Other teams may want a peek at those off-season workouts, as Trine has been dominant on both ends of the ice.  Scoring has come from up and down the roster, with 13 players at a point-per-game pace or better contributing the whopping 171 goals scored thus far (currently #2 in ACHA D2 and only two goals behind leader Cincinnati).  Opponents have been constantly frustrated by a defensive corps that has limited them to just 37 goals in 20 games, the fourth-best goals against average in Division 2.  Tyler Hough’s 1.87 GAA is good for ninth in D2, while Adam Conkling’s 0.924 save percentage is nothing to scoff at either.

Despite the overwhelming success, we may have to wait until the post-season to see how good this team really is.  A pair of wins over #12 Grand Valley State are the only real highlight of the first half, while matchups with #15 Toledo and #20 Michigan are the biggest tests that lay ahead.  But with three of the nation’s top eight teams in the Central region, it will be worth braving the late February weather to see these clubs square off in St. Louis.

Midterm grade:  A

Notre Dame (NCAA D1)

I’m sure to get some flak from both sides on this grade, and with good reason.  Sure, the Irish are ranked #2 in the USCHO.com poll… sure, they have the most wins of any team in the top 20 thus far… and yeah, they are flat-out running away with the B1G.  But most pundits will agree that this has been a really weird first half for all of D1 hockey.  Runaway favorite Denver already has three losses and four ties, while NOBODY expected Clarkson to be ranked at all - let alone #3!  And aside from Notre Dame, the rest of the B1G has been taking turns beating up on each other.  Plus, the Irish had some questionable losses to Sacred Heart and Nebraska-Omaha before starting their conference schedule.

This is not to say that the Irish don’t deserve to be ranked where they are.  As I mentioned, they have laid waste to the conference thus far and even tied Denver in the first game of that series.  Jake Evans leads the NCAA in scoring largely due to his 21 assists, earning a spot on Canada’s Spengler Cup team and possibly a chance at the Olympic squad.  Heady defensive play from Andrew Peeke garnered him a roster spot with Team USA at the IIHF Junior World Championships, and if anybody wants to get one past Cale Morris, they better find pucks made of Kryptonite.

It’s not likely Notre Dame will run the table in the second half, especially with trips to Minneapolis, State College, and Ann Arbor on the schedule.  Opponents are scoring on only 5.8% of their shots, which isn’t likely a sustainable rate given that the Irish are being outshot by 4.4 per game.  Yet the way things are going, even playing .500 hockey the rest of the way just may be enough to bring the B1G title to South Bend.

Midterm grade:  A-

Indiana (ACHA M3)

After getting a taste of the post-season last year – a 7-3 loss to eventual champion Aquinas – the Hoosiers have been on a mission not only to return to the regional tournament, but to advance.  How far is anybody’s guess, but the early returns are encouraging.  Indiana’s first half success has been built largely on some outstanding goaltending.  Matthew Turner has been absolutely brilliant between the pipes in his five appearances, leading all of D3 in both GAA (1.20) and Sv% (.956).  Connor Minnick has rebounded nicely after a bit of a rough start, while Senior netminder and Team President Ben Seinfeld notched the club’s only shutout in one of his three starts.

If that weren’t enough, the Hoosiers have managed to combine a balanced attack with a stingy defense, giving opponents fits on both ends of the ice.  Sam Markwood and Devan MacKeller are following up their fabulous freshman seasons with solid sophomore showings, while senior Pat Gorniak has been an unexpected surprise.  Gorniak leads the club in goals (10) and has already reached career highs in both goals and points with a half-season still to go.  Junior Kody Wagner heads up a defensive unit that has limited foes to less than 1.8 goals per game.

The only thing keeping this Indiana team from earning A marks is their strength of schedule.  Aside from the Michigan series (0-1-1), the Hoosiers haven’t really been tested.  They’ve dominated the ICHC thus far, but the rest of the conference has somewhat homogenous through the first half.  A 3-2 win over Ole Miss (#13 South) shows they have the potential to win the tough battles, but upcoming games against Grand Valley State (#4 North / #9 Overall) and in the ACHA Outdoor Showcase will tell us more.

Midterm grade:  B+

Indiana Tech (ACHA M3)

Much like their NAIA counterparts, these Warriors charged out of the gate and rattled off seven straight wins before stumbling a bit against Hope (#6 North) and Lawrence Tech (#15 North).  They bounced back to earn a split against Adrian (#5 North) and two wins over Calvin before dropping a pair to top-ranked Michigan State going into the break.  Still, their performance has proven good enough to hang on to the tenth spot in the North at the halfway point.

Junior goaltender Christopher Boyd has carried the load in net, having played all but a handful of empty net minutes in the Warriors’ sixteen games.  While his numbers haven’t been outstanding (3.36 GAA / 0.893 Sv%), Boyd has proven to be durable and resilient even under heavy fire.  Tech has benefitted from some strong senior leadership, with the Four Horsemen – Anthony Passarelli, Nick Janiszewski, Ryan Krolikowski, and Connor Barney – combining for the lion’s share of the offense.

The Warriors will face another tough challenge to kick off the second half with a home-and-home against Grand Valley State (#4 North) and prep for the post-season with a road trip to UM-Flint to close out the regular season.  Tech will have to hold their own in those two series and play well against Toledo and Western Michigan if they want to keep their place in line for regionals.

Midterm grade:  B+

Trine (ACHA M3)

With a 22-2 win over Western Michigan on opening night, the ACHA D3 squad looked as if they might be even better than the D2 team.  Yet a 4-2 loss to Purdue put that notion to rest, and although they bounced back to top the Boilermakers 4-1 in the rematch, the Thunder would struggle for most of October before picking up a couple of wins on the last weekend.  November would bring only one tie and two losses, albeit against some stiff competition (North #5 Adrian and #11 Ferris State).  But a strong finish in December over some in-state rivals helped Trine end the first half with a 7-7-2 record and the #13 spot in the North region.

Although they only have sixteen games under their belts, three players – Adam Bedford (14), Jacob Ruelle (13), and Trenton Mulnix (12) – have scored double-digit goals.  And those three, along with Ryan Dumond, Tyler Groth, and Michael Wiggins, have racked up ten or more assists.  Goaltender Justin Savage has the fewest starts but the best stats, leading the trio of netminders with a 2.00 GAA and .938 Sv%.  Daniel Klaybor’s 2.71 GAA in nine appearances is good enough to keep him in the top half of the division.

The Thunder have a favorable second half schedule, with two more against Western Michigan and a home series versus Washtenaw Community College.  With a few more wins and a decent showing against the North’s #1 team Michigan State, Trine has an outside chance of sneaking into regionals as the current #3 team (Sault College) is ineligible for the post-season.

Midterm grade:  B

Butler (ACHA M3)

While Indiana’s M3 team gets dinged slightly for their strength of schedule, the Bulldogs actually get a boost from theirs.  Unlike the Hoosiers, this Butler squad isn’t quite ready for the big time yet, so they’re smart to stay away from the powerhouse teams.  Frankly, having an honest assessment of where your program is at in terms of development and providing opportunities to have some success through savvy scheduling is a sound blueprint for building a program.

Depth isn’t as much of a concern for the Bulldogs as it is for some of the other young programs, but experience is.  That’s where smart scheduling can help.  Veterans such as Noah Brayton (4g, 7a), Eric Gentry (2g, 7a), and Jesse Longtin (3g, 3a) have shown some of the growth Head Coach Jeff Gasior was counting on, while newcomers Brady Murphy (6g, 9a) and Ben Otto (6g, 3a) have adapted to the collegiate game rather nicely.

Likewise, Butler has a solid tandem of netminders on which to build a decent foundation.  Jack Sigman was limited to three appearances last season, so the modest improvement in his GAA – down nearly 0.6 from last year – is encouraging, and we’d expect his save percentage to be closer to .900 by season’s end.  Rookie Ryan Dyball’s numbers haven’t been anything to brag about, but he’s shown great presence and has played strong enough to earn three wins in his first four collegiate starts.  His stats should improve with experience, and we’ve seen more than a few flashes of his talent to know this kid has a high ceiling.

Conference games make up the bulk of Butler’s second half schedule, along with a glimpse at future ICHC member Miami (OH).  With some competitive matchups ahead that will help push the growth curve in the right direction, the Bulldogs are solid enough that they should finish the year above the .500 mark and be an attractive option for prospective players.

Midterm grade:  B-

Eastern Kentucky (ACHA M3)

This past offseason saw EKU drop from Division 2 to Division 3 in order to join the ICHC.  Despite having some success at the higher level, the Colonels felt that opportunity to participate in conference play along with the allure of the regional and national tournaments were important for the growth of the program.  And while their play has been somewhat inconsistent primarily due to a short bench, the move has proven to be a good one for both the team and the conference.

Left winger Gabriel Bahn has made huge strides in his second year, leading the team in goals with 17, and trailing only fellow forward Timothy Muhsman in overall points 29 to 31.  And while his goals are slightly behind last year’s pace, Muhsman has well surpassed his points total due to his career-high 21 helpers.  Since being thrown right into the fire, Johnathan Johnson has shown some signs of growing into his role as the full-time netminder, and has already pitched two shutouts since the end of October.

Prior to the start of the season, Head Coach Joel Cormier anticipated receiving some reinforcements in the second half.  If this is indeed the case, the added depth should help them with some upcoming battles against in-state rival Kentucky.

Midterm grade:  B-

Purdue (ACHA M3)

Until last season’s 8-8-1 campaign, the Boilermakers had run off a string of three straight seasons above .500.  Part of the regression is due to a step up in competition, having faced four ranked teams (Hope College, Grand Valley State, Indiana Tech, Indiana) thus far.

Given some of the talent on the roster, Purdue has surprisingly struggled at both ends of the ice this season.  With only three players averaging at least a point per game or better, the offense has lacked any sort of consistent production.  John Vanvliet is having another solid year with 10 goals and a team-high 16 assists, two ahead of winger Will Anderson (4g, 14a).  Nathan Smith has been the primary beneficiary, leading the squad with 11 goals and on pace to surpass last season’s 23-point campaign.  The stiffer competition has put a dent in the defensive stats, though.  Both Matthew Eagon and Adam Gottwald are giving up 4+ goals per game and have a save percentage below .800.

Having already gotten their conference games against Indiana over and done with, the highlight of the second half should be the ACHA Outdoor Showcase at Rosemont in mid-January.  Ironically, they’ll face the Hoosiers once more, in addition to Nebraska and Northwestern.  Look for the Boilermakers to make some strides in the second half, as this team is better than their record indicates.

Midterm grade: C+

Notre Dame (ACHA M3)

The Irish haven’t been particularly lucky this season, particularly at home.  Having scored only eight goals in five games on home ice, they’d probably trade a pot of gold for a few pucks in the net.  Notre Dame has received some decent goaltending from Charles-Alexandre Rioux and Noah Wamble, with both sporting sub-3 GAA’s, but offensive support has been lacking.  Chandler Kotseos and Tyler Greenberg lead the club with just five goals apiece, while the most productive forward has been Carter Swanson (4g, 5a), who has been limited to only five games.

They’ve played some solid teams  – Indiana, Marquette, and Michigan, to name a few – and things don’t get any easier in the second half.  The Irish kicks off the second half on the road at Hope College (#6 North), and will sandwich #11 Ferris State and #3 Sault College around a series with Purdue.

Midterm grade: C-

Ball State (ACHA M3)

2017 has been a forgettable year for the Cardinals.  The season opener against Bradley ended up as a home forfeit due to a scheduling conflict between the rink and the officials, which would prove to be doubly unfortunate as Ball State would top the Braves 5-2 in their second game.  Aside from a pair of wins over UIndy, this would end up as their only other victory.

Defensive depth has been the Achilles’ heel for Ball State.  With only four true blueliners on the roster, the Cardinals have had trouble keeping opponents off the board even when they’re getting good production on the offensive end.  Averaging four goals a game isn’t going to bring the house down, but it’s good enough to keep you in most games.  Nick Ramsey (12g, 7a), Riley Miller (7a, 9a), and Jarred Van Hauter (8g, 4a) have shouldered the load offensively, but the Cards have to find a way to take some heat off goaltenders Macklan Hayes and Zack Betz.

The bad news for Ball State is that they perform better at home… and only have one home game left on the schedule.  And with Indiana, Purdue, and EKU on the horizon, the road ahead could get really long.

Midterm grade: C-

Indiana (ACHA M2)

The Hoosiers began the season brimming with confidence and a locker room bursting at the seams.  A bumper crop of rookies would push the roster to nearly 30, giving Head Coach Clint Hagmaier a plethora of choices for the gameday lineup.  With a pair of experienced goaltenders and a speedy stable of forwards, Indiana was poised for a breakout season.  Yet after a 7-6 victory over Louisville on opening night, things went downhill quickly.  Prized transfer Armand Uomoleale would go on the inactive list after registering five goals and an assist in his first two games.  The Hoosiers found themselves caught in an avalanche, losing ten straight and 14 of 15 before closing out the first half with a sweep of Illinois.  The troubles ended up costing Hagmaier his job, being replaced in the interim by former Assistant Captain Joseph Siers.

Losing Uomoleale took away a big chunk of potential scoring, but Christian Schurmann-Colicchio (8g, 12a) has picked up some of the slack after getting off to a slow start.  Everhett Grimes has been a welcome addition, chipping in six goals and nine assists.  Jack Jordan (3g, 12a) and Austin Eng (7g, 6a) round out the Hoosiers currently with double-digit point totals.  Cameron McNamara has shown some improvement in net, but stablemate Joe Stebbins has seen his stats regress slightly this season.  Newcomer Stephen Gasior has the best stats of the trio but is still searching for his first collegiate win.

Despite a disappointing first half, the Hoosiers remain optimistic.  The return of Mike Merritt will bring more of a veteran presence to the locker room (if he can find a seat!)  The team will be joining several rival ‘Big Ten’ schools at the ACHA Outdoor Showcase in Rosemont in January, and are looking forward to the chance to even the score against Trine in the second half of the I-69 Showdown.

Midterm Grade: D+

IPFW (ACHA M3)

The Mastadons have been a tough club to figure out.  With a solid number of players from the nation’s #3 offense last season returning, it’d be a safe bet that the facility manager of the SportOne Icehouse stocked up on goal lamp bulbs this offseason.  Yet even though they’re still scoring better than four goals per game, the ‘Dons offensive production has dropped off dramatically.  Much of IPFW’s woes stem from an anemic bench.  Even the best conditioned athletes wear down when there’s not enough subs to catch your breath.

Tyler Grunden leads the club with 11 goals, with Grant Isenbarger (10) and Derek Moss (9) nipping at his heels.  Moss also tops the squad in assists (11) and points (20).  The Mastadons have been surrendering an average of 6.5 goals per game, but with a thin D-corps, Taylor Amborn has played admirably under heavy fire.

A showdown with the Butler Bulldogs is the only ICHC series left on the slate, but the ‘Dons have some tough non-conference matchups ahead as Lawrence Tech, Saginaw Valley State, and Schoolcraft are all ranked in the top 20 in the North region.  On the plus side, Trine (#13 North) is the only remaining opponent with a positive goal differential, so IPFW could pick up some wins if they can get a big lead early and hang on.

Midterm Grade: D

Trine (NCAA D3 Mens & Womens)

We’re lumping the Trine NCAA D3 Men’s and Women’s programs here as the story is essentially the same for both.  Giving them a poor grade at this point might be somewhat unfair, as it’s considerably more difficult to launch a program at this level.  But reflection is the fuel for growth, so here we are.  The men’s team (2-9-2 Overall / 0-6-2 NCHA) is faring better than the women (1-8-0 Overall / 1-7-0 NCHA) thus far, but that’s not saying anything other than their record is marginally better.   The boys picked up a couple of non-conference wins just before the holiday break, while the gals have only one victory (a conference win over Finlandia).

Youth is the central theme of this program.  Recruiting takes on a bit of a different tone for a first-year program, as coaches have to strike a balance between the present and the future.  Both rosters are stocked with talent, and there’s no question that the Thunder has all the tools to build a program to compete year in and year out.  But there’s a lot of growing pains to endure before they’ll get to that point. 

Right now, both teams are struggling to put the puck in the net.  Sierra Westner lead the women’s team with three goals, while Sula Argyris and Kailey Cameron are tied atop the points race with 4 each (2g, 2a).  Lucas Bombardier (5g, 5a) and Corey Robertson (5g, 3a) have been doing the heavy lifting for the men, with four others tied at five points apiece.

Likewise, youth is having an effect on the defensive corps.  The sophomore netminders – Molly Scarborough and Brett Young – have been receiving the bulk of the minutes, giving the freshman time to adjust to the collegiate game.  Neither have great numbers at this point, but under the circumstances that is to be expected.  Both have save percentages approaching .900, so the signs are there that things will get better as the team matures.

Despite some lopsided scores, both Thunder squads have shown remarkable resiliency and competitiveness.  If Head Coaches Tom Hofman (women) and Alex Todd (men) can help their teams weather the storm of youth and inexperience, both should start to reap the benefits in another season or two.

Midterm Grade:  D-

UIndy (ACHA M3)

Going into the winter recess, the Greyhounds weren’t sure if they would have the horses to finish out the season.  Having lost a few players to injury and attrition, the coaching staff needed some time to take inventory.  We’re happy to report that UIndy has decided to persevere, although there is talk that the program will undergo some restructuring for 2018-19.  The ‘Hounds have worked hard to get things off the ground, and Indy can certainly support another collegiate team in addition to Butler.

The Greyhounds have suffered the expected growing pains that any first year program goes through, but there have been some notable highlights.  Although his stats aren’t impressive, netminder Wes Akard has picked up three wins already despite facing 45 shots per game and even earned a two-game stint as the EBUG for the Indy Fuel (ECHL).  Liam Partlan (13g, 9a) and Tyler Gregory (13g, 7a) are tied for the team lead in goals, and are among the four players – Joe Mann and Nic Mensic are the other two – averaging over a point per game.

UIndy has four games remaining, all against teams they’ve played competitively this season.  Bradley served as the opponent for the season opener, so a second round with the Braves should help show how far they’ve come.  And the Greyhounds split with MTSU just before the break, which means both teams will be fresh in each other’s minds.   Although all games are on the road, these series should help the ‘Hounds end on a positive note win or lose.  But only time will tell if the Greyhounds will be back next year.

Midterm Grade:  Incomplete

Notre Dame (ACHA W2)

The only reason the Irish ladies get a pass is that they started the season so late.  But after a pair of 6-0 victories over Michigan State, the early returns are encouraging.  The Steigauf sisters – Erica and Gretta – put on quite the show against the Spartans.  Erica has the bragging rights (for now) with four goals compared to Gretta (2g, 1a).  Kiera Dwyer also netted four goals (one GWG), and Colleen Dosch tallied the other pair.  Caroline Riester picked up both wins in net for the Irish.

Two games are too small of a sample to make any legitimate assessments, but there are plenty of good games still to come.  A visit to West #9 Loyola and #4 Northern Michigan will be great tests for this squad, so we should have a much better grasp on this Notre Dame squad by the middle of February.

Midterm Grade:  Incomplete