More Postseason Accolades

Louie Caporusso was named one of the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award. Caporusso has 23-23--46 on the season.

The other finalists are Matt Gilroy (BU), Colin Wilson (BU), Jacques Lamoureux (Air Force), Ocho Cinco (Alaska), Zane Kalemba (Princeton), Brad Thiessen (Northeastern), Viktor Stalberg (Vermont), Jamie McBain (Wisconsin), and David McIntyre (Colgate). Shockingly absent was Jeff Lerg.

I tried to guess the ten before I looked and I had Caporusso, Wilson, Lamoureux, Johnson, and McBain right. I also had Bryan Leitch, Ryan Stoa, Brock Bradford, Jordan Pearce, and Chay Genoway on my list. I like my list better. I guess the voters don't think Eastern hockey is (BU-aside) as big of a joke as I kind of think it is. Though I did screw up by not having anyone from the EZAC on my list. Pearce is a glaring omission from the real list, in my opinion. Then again, I'm sure the voters from outside CCHA country weren't inclined to vote for a guy who wasn't All-Conference.

So does Louie has a shot? I wouldn't normally think so, but it's really wide open this year. Lamoureux probably doesn't have a chance, and he definitely won't if Air Force doesn't make the NCAAs. Wilson is next on the list in terms of points, but Caporusso is only three behind him, and he had nine more goals. Assuming Lamoureux doesn't get it, Caporusso is the leading goal scorer amongst the finalists. If he has a good CCHA Tourney and does well in the Regional, he might have a chance.

Realistically, they're not giving it to Kalemba, McIntyre, Thiessen, or Stalberg. As great as Johnson has been, they're probably not giving it to a goalie that's 14-14 on the season. That leaves Caporusso, Gilroy, Wilson, Lamoureux and McBain. If Wisconsin and Air Force miss the tourney, you can probably cut McBain and Lamoureux as well. And really, I don't see them giving it to Jamie McBain anyway. That leaves Gilroy, Wilson, and Caporusso. Gilroy is such a great story, I could easily see him winning it. I still think it's pretty wide open at this point, though, and Caporusso probably makes the Hobey Hat Trick with a strong showing the rest of the way. And if the BU guys steal votes from each other, you never know. Pretty weak year for Hobey candidates though. And the guy who I kind of thought would win it (Pearce) isn't even a finalist.

In other news tonight, David Wohlberg was named CCHA Rookie of the Year and Tim Miller was named Best Defensive Forward at the CCHA Awards Banquet. Ocho Cinco was named CCHA Player of the Year, which is well deserved.