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2004-05 preseason Hockey East coaches' poll released

Posted: Thursday, September 30, 2004 11:27 pm EDT

BOSTON -- Hockey East released its preseason coaches' poll for the 2004-05 season, with Merrimack ranked ninth out of the league's nine teams.

The announcement of the poll came at the league's annual Media Day, held at Legends Restaurant in the FleetCenter, site of the 1998 and 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Frozen Four Championships and annually of the Hockey East Semifinals and Championship.

It was the third straight year that Merrimack came in last in the poll. Each of the last two seasons, the Warriors were chosen last but finished seventh.

"No change. Same thing every year," said Merrimack senior captain Steve Crusco (Waltham, Mass.). "But we've been in the playoffs every year since '96. That's just something written down on a piece of paper.

"We know we're better than ninth. We're planning on home ice advantage in the playoffs. So, we're just going to have to come out and prove it on the ice."

Merrimack has only finished last once since the league's expansion to nine teams in 1994-95. That was in the 1995-96 season. During head coach Chris Serino's tenure -- this is his seventh season at the Warriors' helm -- his team has bested the coaches' expectations four out of six years and matched the predictions in the other two.

"I think that Maine and BC are 1-2, 2-1, any way you want to put those two," Serino said. "After that, I think we've got just as good a chance as anyone of finishing in that top four. That's our goal, that's what our expectations are.

"Going into the season, we're pretty excited. I think it's the best team I've had, it's the deepest team we've had, and we're looking forward to our highest finish."

Coaches were asked to rank the other eight teams in the league not including their own. Nine points were assigned to a first-place vote, eight for a second-place vote, and so on down to two for an eighth-place vote.

Although the individual ballots are unknown, Merrimack was ranked last by six coaches and seventh by the other two coaches.

Boston College edged out Maine for the top spot, with the Eagles collecting five first-place votes to the Black Bears' three. Boston University received the other first-place vote and ranked third, just ahead of New Hampshire. Massachusetts-Lowell, Massachusetts, Northeastern and Providence were fifth through eighth.

Merrimack faces St. Thomas University of Fredericton, New Brunswick in an exhibition game at the Lawler Arena on Sat. Oct. 2 (7:00 p.m. Eastern) and opens the regular season with a trip to the Maverick Stampede tournament in Omaha, Neb. the following weekend. The Warriors will take on Rensselaer of the ECAC on Sat. Oct. 9 (4:00 p.m. Central) and either Connecticut or host Nebraska-Omaha the next day at 4:00 or 7:00 p.m. Central time.

-- Mike Machnik

2004-05 Hockey East Preseason Coaches' Poll

   Team (First Place Votes)    Pts

1. Boston College (5)           68

2. Maine (3)                    66

3. Boston University (1)        52

4. New Hampshire                51

5. Mass.-Lowell                 45

6. Massachusetts                42

7. Northeastern                 28

8. Providence                   26

9. Merrimack                    18

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