To random notes for this Friday afternoon as the college hockey season begins this weekend.
First, Michigan looks like they could be a strong team again this year, though they still have a bit of a question mark in goal with seniors Bryan Hogan and Shawn Hunwick. Yesterday, Michigan announced that Shawn Hunwick will start on Saturday against Mercyhurst in the season's opening game, but that Hunwick and Hogan will split time for the first part of the season until one emerges as the starter. Hunwick, a recruited walk-on, caught fire down the stretch for Michigan last year in leading them to the CCHA tournament championship, but it might be a stretch for him to keep up that stellar play for an entire season.
Second, Alaska-Anchorage took a huge blow yesterday when it was announced that senior defenseman Kane Lafranchise would be academically ineligible for the first half of the year. Not only was Lafranchise the team's top defenseman, but he was also one of only nine upperclassmen on the Seawolves roster, so his loss makes the Seawolves lineup that much younger.