proud host of the
2012 NCAA Division I
Men's Ice Hockey
National Championship
in Tampa, Fla.
After a pair of exhibition wins against the University of Windsor, the Chargers set out for Orono to take on the Maine Black Bears for a weekend pair. Being one of the last schools to begin their regular season, the Chargers were a bit behind the eight-ball, as Maine had already seen action in four games together. The experience showed, as the Black Bears prevailed by scores of 3-1 Friday and 4-0 Saturday. In the shutout defeat, the Chargers were able to hold the Black Bears scoreless for the game's first 48 minutes.
Then it was off to Rochester, N.Y. to take on the newest member of Division I ice hockey, the Rochester Institute of Technology. David Nimmo and Todd Bentley were the stars of the weekend, as each tallied three points, including a hat trick for Nimmo, in a pair of decisive wins 3-2 and 4-1. In game two, junior netminder Marc Narduzzi got his first start of the year in net, and picked up the win making 28 saves.
The Chargers opened the home half of their season against Niagara. Unfortunately, the mid-November games marked the only weekend the Chargers would spend in the Von Braun Center before the turn of the calendar. The Friday night affair marked one of the biggest comebacks in Charger history, as the Boys in Blue registered four goals in the final period to take a 5-4 win in conference action. Junior defenseman Shaun Arvai tied a school record with three assists in the comeback third, and had four in the game. However, Saturday night was a huge letdown. After going up 3-0 early, the Purple Eagles woke up and scored eight goals to the Chargers' one to take an 8-4 win. In the game, the Chargers allowed five power play goals. Arvai's performance on the weekend earned him CHA Defensive Player of the Week honors.
The frustration continued as the Chargers went to Pittsburgh to take on Robert Morris. In the first game of the weekend, the Chargers had three goals disallowed, and despite a great 37 save performance by Scott Munroe, the Chargers fell to the Colonials by a 1-0 score. The Saturday night follow-up was no cakewalk, as it took a Steve Canter shorthanded goal to earn the 6-5 decision for the Chargers. The game-winner, along with an assist in the game, earned Canter the CHA Offensive Player of the Week, and started what proved to be the St. Louis native's strongest stretch of the year.
Perhaps the most daunting task of the year was the trip to Ohio State. At the time, the Buckeyes were hovering around the .500 mark, but were winners of five-straight, including sweeps against CCHA rivals Notre Dame and Western Michigan. The Chargers knew they were up against a challenge. In Friday's game, the Chargers got thing going strong, taking a 3-1 lead through two periods. A pair of power play goals in the first 5:30 of the third evened things up for the Buckeyes. It was once again Steve Canter who was in the right place at the right time. Mike Salekin controlled in his own zone, and threw the puck off the glass in an attempt to ice the puck. Remarkably, Canter was right at the offensive blue line ahead of the defense to take the puck, and raced in to beat Dave Caruso with just 46 seconds remaining to take the 4-3 win. The second game was just as impressive. With time expiring Jeremy Schreiber threw a desperation shot at a low angle towards the net. In the scramble Canter, who was on as an extra attacker with Munroe on the bench, popped the puck high as the third period horn sounded to tie the game at two goals a piece, salvaging a tie. On the weekend, Munroe came up huge, making a superhuman 101 saves on 106 shots over the two games and was named the CHA Defensive Player of the Week.
The Chargers rode the momentum into Princeton, N.J. for a pair of games against the Ivy League's Tigers. After giving up a pair of goals early, the Chargers stormed back with four unanswered, including an empty net goal, to take a 4-2 decision against Princeton. The Saturday affair left much to be desired, as the offensive punch the Chargers had found just wasn't there, and the Tigers fell by a 4-0 score to round out the road trip.
It's rare that a western-based team will play two different teams in the same weekend, but the Chargers closed out the 2005 calendar year with just that scenario, as they traveled to Omaha, Neb. to take on the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. Huntsville kept things close in the first period, down just 2-1, but the lead continued to extend as the Chargers found themselves battling off ten separate power plays. After going down 7-3 the Chargers roared back with a pair of power play goals, and pulled Munroe in hopes of evening things out, but an empty netter sealed the 8-5 defeat. Two nights later, the Chargers were in Mankato, Minn. taking on Minnesota State. Again, the offense couldn't keep up with the Mavericks on the olympic-sized ice, and the Chargers closed out the year with a 6-2 loss to the longtime WCHA rivals.
By this time in the season, the Chargers were getting their scoring from unexpected places. David Nimmo, who had amassed just six points in his first two seasons, led the team with seven goals and four assists for eleven points. Shaun Arvai, who had picked up just 12 points in his freshman and sophomore years, had 11 assists on the year. Meanwhile, Bruce Mulherin was performing far below expectations with just seven points on the season. That was soon to change.
The Chargers came home to host the Air Force Academy for the final time in CHA play. The Chargers bid their time, and a Josh Murray goal with six and a half minutes left in regulation sealed a 3-2 victory in game one. Game two was far more compressed, as the Chargers tied a CHA record with an amazing six-goal second period en route to a 6-3 victory. Freshman Kevin Galerno earned CHA Rookie of the Week honors with a goal and an assist Saturday, while David Nimmo was named Offensive player of the Week after notching two goals and an assist.
Robert Morris came to town the next weekend to complete their regular season series with the Chargers, and Mulherin began to come out of his shell. The senior registered two goals and an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Colonials. The second night was even better, as the senior notched an astounding five points, including a hat trick, in an 8-1 rout to round out the weekend. With eight points on the weekend, Mulherin equaled his point production from the entire season prior. Yet, despite this, the Chargers' only Player of the Week was Scott Munroe, who earned Defensive honors with 76 saves on 78 shots.
The Chargers then moved on to face Niagara in a pivotal conference series, and came away with a key split, winning and losing by 4-3 scores. Then it was to Detroit and the site of the CHA tournament to take on Wayne State University. After a 2-2 tie Friday night, the Chargers turned on the jets Saturday as Bruce Mulherin, Jeremy Schreiber, and Jeff Winchester each notched three points in a 6-2 win over the Warriors. The two goal, one assist performance by Mulherin was enough for CHA Offensive Player of the Week honors.
It was back to the VBC for homecoming as Bemidji State came to the "Hockey Capital of the South" for a pair of conference tilts. The Chargers and Beavers were back and forth in the first period, trading early goals. Chris Martini's tally near the 15 minute mark of the first period was the last scoring of the game, and sealed the 2-1 decision Friday night. Saturday night, the teams again were trading goals back and forth until Steve Canter's power play marker with just under four minutes remaining that wrapped up a 4-2 win for the Chargers.
RIT returned the Chargers' trip to Rochester the next weekend as the Huntsville community celebrated the tenth anniversary of their first National Championship. The Boys on the ice took the momentum to post a pair of 4-3 wins over the Tigers and, more significantly, wrap up their first successful non-conference season at 6-5-1. Previously, the Chargers had only grazed the .500 mark outside of conference play, going 5-5-3 in 1999-2000. Shaun Arvai took home his second CHA Defensive Player of the Week award with a three-point performance in the two games.
Disappointment loomed around the corner as the Chargers took to the road to take on conference foe Air Force, and the Chargers unfortunately dropped two decisions to the Falcons, losing 3-1 Friday and 5-0 Saturday. The dubious marks came Saturday, as it marked the first time the Falcons had shut out the Chargers in the 22 year history of the rivalry. Also, the five goals, all power-play tallies, were surrendered in the second period, a first since 2001-02, when the Chargers gave up five goals in the second and third periods in a 12-1 trampling against Minnesota.
It was back home to look for revenge on senior weekend against Wayne State, and the senior leaders on the team began to take charge. Bruce Mulherin scored both goals in a 2-1 win Friday night, as Jeremy Schreiber matched CHA records for points and assists by a defenseman. Saturday night, it was Mulherin's linemate, Brett McConnachie, who was the difference maker, notching a hat trick while Schreiber had four assists in a 6-1 win. The Chargers finished their home season 11-1 in the Von Braun Center, their best mark since going 18-1 in 1998-99.
The final regular season weekend was a trip to Bemidji, Minn. against heated rival Bemidji State. The Chargers needed a pair of wins in order to lock up a first round bye in the CHA tournament. It would seem that the Beavers just wanted it more, as they trounced the Chargers, 3-1 and 5-0. This put the Chargers as the third-seed going into the CHA tournament.
The Chargers opened tournament play against Wayne State, who finished sixth in the conference, in the quarterfinals. After Bruce Mulherin and Tylor Michel traded goals, Brett McConnachie sealed the deal, notching two unanswered goals en route to a 3-1 victory in the quarters. The run would end less than 24 hours later, when Bemidji State came in for the semifinals. The Chargers took the 3-1 advantage early in the third period, but they would give up a pair of goals in the third, and another just 80 seconds into overtime to end their season with a 4-3 loss to Bemidji State. The Beavers went on to win the CHA conference tournament.
By the end of the season, Mulherin led the team with 16 goals and 19 assists. David Nimmo and Jeremy Schreiber each had 21 points falling right behind the senior. Mike Salekin led the team with six power play goals, as well as 80 penalty minutes. Mulherin and Grant Selinger each notch two shorthanded tallies.
Head Coach Doug Ross graduated a solid group of seniors this year. Very quietly, Scott Munroe shattered UAH records for games and minutes played, shots faced, and saves made. He ends his career as UAH's leader for save percentage and second for all-time wins. Jeremy Schreiber set league marks for points and assists by a defenseman. Bruce Mulherin ended his UAH career 12th all-time among UAH goal scorers. All three men were named to the All-CHA first team. Additionally, Mulherin was named the Easton Three-Star Player of the Year, and is the only man ever to receive the award. Munroe was tapped as the CHA co-Player of the Year along with Niagara's Jeff Van Nynatten.
Additionally, the Chargers landed 12 players on the CHA All-Academic team. In addition to Mulherin, Schreiber and Munroe, seniors Todd Bentley and Chris Martini, juniors Shaun Arvai, Steve Canter, A.J. Larivee, Troy Maney, Mike Salekin, and Grant Selinger, and sophomore Tyler Hilbert were all named to the team.
UAH Record Book
Team records
Most Power Plays Allowed - Season: 270
Most Power Plays - Game: 14 at RIT, Nov. 5, 2005 (tied)
Individual records
Most Shorthanded Goals - Career: 8 - Bruce Mulherin in 109 games, 2002-06 (tied)
Most Games Played (goaltender) - Career: 99 - Scott Munroe, 2002-06
Most Minutes Played (goaltender) - Career: 5556:37 - Scott Munroe in 99 games, 2002-06
Most Shots Faced - Career: 3,140 - Scott Munroe in 99 games, 2002-06
Most Saves - Career: 2,884 - Scott Munroe in 99 games, 2002-06
Highest Save Percentage - Career: .918 - Scott Munroe in 99 games, 2,884 saves on 3,140 shots in 5556:37
Most Games Played (goaltender) - Season: 31 - Scott Munroe, 2005-06 (tied)
Most Games Started (goaltender) - Season: 31 - Scott Munroe, 2005-06
Most Minutes Played (goaltender) - Season: 1812:54 - Scott Munroe, 2005-06
Most Shots Faced - Season: 1,084 - Scott Munroe in 31 games, 2005-06
Most Saves - Season: 993 - Scott Munroe in 31 games, 2005-06
Most Assists - Period: 3 - Shaun Arvai vs. Air Force, 2nd Period, Jan. 7, 2006, at Huntsville (tied)
Most Assists - Period: 3 - Bruce Mulherin vs. Wayne State, 2nd Period, Feb. 25, 2006, at Huntsville (tied)
UAH Leaderboards
Career Goal Leaders: 12th - Bruce Mulherin, 49 goals in 109 games
Career Assist Leaders: 17th - Jeremy Schreiber, 65 assists in 127 games
Career Penalty Minute Leaders: 8th - Jeff Winchester, 273 PIMs in 109 games
Career Goals Against Average Leaders: 3rd - Scott Munroe, 2.76 GAA in 99 games
Career Save Percentage Leaders: 1st - Scott Munroe, .918 save percentage in 99 games
Career Goaltending Wins: 2nd - Scott Munroe, 49-35-8 in 99 games
© 2003-2006 The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Webmaster
Best viewed in Microsoft Internet Explorer 5+ and Netscape 7+/Mozilla 1.4 or Firebird 0.6.
