CHA Press Release for Feb 23-24
As the season winds down in the CHA, a tight race to the finish for first has occurred. Wayne State has the weekend off and there is only one series of games that are CHA Conference games, Niagara at Alabama-Huntsville. Right now, Bemidji State stands alone at #1 with 25 points on the season, with RMU and Niagara close behind. RMU is at 20 points on the season, but could be tied with Niagara if the Purple Eagles sweep the Chargers, then they will be tied at 2nd place with RMU.
Even though RMU and Bemidji State aren't playing conference games this weekend, RMU is at home vs the U.S. Nat. U-18 Team and BSU is traveling to the 2nd ranked team in the Nation, North Dakota. These games are just as important to the CHA, as the pair of games that could help layout the final outcome of the CHA standings. Each year, RMU has taken on the U.S. Nat. U-18 Team, last year skating two a 2-2 tie, and in '05-'06 the Colonials won 6-5. For the CHA, scheduling games against teams that consistently send players to the NHL, most recently Patrick Kane (from U.S. Nat. U-18) and Johnathan Toews (from North Dakota). Both Kane and Toews currently play for the Chicago Blackhawks and have continued to contribute to the growing success of young players in the NHL.
Let's jump back to the current make up of the CHA standings, with Robert Morris and Niagara battling to reach the top (with some help from BSU losses) it does seem that RMU and Niagara will be facing off in the first round of the CHA tournament. It looks like Bemidji State will be able to keep itself positioned for the 1st seed in the CHA tournament with their final CHA games coming up the first weekend of March, against Wayne State .
Once again, just as last year's CHA tournament, anything is possible. Specifically, RMU went into the tournament with a record of 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. Currently, with 5 games remaining, RMU is 4-1 (granted one of their next 5 is an exhibition games this weekend) but the chance to finish on a hot streak is in the Colonials favor. Last year's CHA Champion, Alabama-Huntsville, finished their season with a 5-5 record, to come out of no where and take the Tournament from RMU in an overtime win.