Another Angle
Who has the power in the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Hockey Association this season?
After a disparity last year, the league’s overall competitiveness has improved.
Last season the league consisted of only two powers: Utah State University, which finished with a 22-4-2 record, won the league title and finished fifth in the nation and Weber State University, which was a runner-up for the league title and placed third in nationals.
The other three squads in the league – the University of Utah, Brigham Young University and the University of New Mexico – weren’t able to compete with the other two. USU and WSU consistently demolished the other three by eight goals or more last year, with a total drubbing coming from USU in a 19-0 shutout victory over UNM at the Ice Sheet on Halloween.
This season the Wildcats are having a break-out year and the Utes are becoming respectable. The Wildcats, currently ranked No. 1 in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s West region, are undefeated in RMCHA play. Utah, 5-2 in league play, is No. 2 and USU, 4-2, ranks No. 7.
Despite the Utes’ improvement, Weber State General Manager Bill McCloud said the league isn’t much different from last year.
“As far as the teams in the RMCHA being evenly matched this year, I’m not sure they really are,” McCloud said. “I think University of Utah has finally started coming together as a team, and they have a lot of great talent, and I’m glad they are going to nationals with us. However, I’m sad that Utah State is struggling this year.”
At 9-11-4, USU isn’t up to last season’s form. But McCloud said he fears playing USU next weekend, because in his mind the Aggies are up-and-coming.
“[The Aggies] have a lot to prove to end their season out,” McCloud said. “[The underdogs] have the upper hand when the season is winding down. We also play them two nights in a row, and they will have two chances to get some leverage on us.”
According to McCloud, the play of WSU and Utah is impressing the rest of the nation. And USU isn’t far behind.
“As soon as Utah State gets back on [its] feet, this will be a very powerful league to reckon with,” he said.
Utah head coach Gary Burns said the league is in good shape.
“I think on any given day any team could win,” Burns said. “Every year, every team seems to get a little bit better.”
McCloud said this year’s Wildcat team is the best he’s seen. WSU has improved this year because of the efforts of head coach Rob Larsen, he said.
“He truly is a wizard with talent,” McLoud said of Larsen.
Weber has added new players on defense this year and a new goaltender. The Wildcats also brought back former captain Kiyoshi Ryujin this season, McCloud said.
McCloud said he hopes to improve on the team’s third finish in nationals last season.
“We tasted a national championship last year and came up short by two goals,” he said. “The team knows what it is like to lose, and I know they have that on their minds and their main goal is to avoid that feeling this year. I have high hopes that this will be the year we take the National Championship and bring it back to Utah where it belongs.”
The addition of out-of-state players is one reason Burns thinks his Utes have improved. His roster includes players from Alaska, California, Missouri, Sweden and Russia this year. The Utah players also get along better this season, and with more rinks in the Salt Lake City area it’s easier to get ice time, Burns said.
“It’s pleasing to watch [and see] that we can actually compete,” Burns said.