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Women’s Division I College Hockey: Frozen Four semifinal preview

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(3) Cornell vs. (2) Ohio State
Saturday at 4 p.m. central on ESPN+

3 keys for Cornell

  • Balance. The Big Red play a spectacular defensive game from the goal out. They’re going to do a good job of forcing Ohio State to make plays if they want to win the game. But that can’t be at the expense of being offensive. This could be a 1-0 game like their win last weekend against UMD, but that seems unlikely. Cornell is likely going to have to pot more than one or two goals to win this game and Ohio State is going to try and really force turnovers and take off quickly in transition to put the stout defense on their heels. That can’t keep the Big Red from pressing forward. They have to find the right moments. 
  • Who steps up? Last season’s Patty Kaz winner Izzy Daniel was the team’s main playmaker and they haven’t had one individual player take on that role this season. At media day Ashley Messier said that the team has faith in each other that someone will always come through, but that’s easier said than done in these situations. The Big Red’s scoring has been really evenly dispersed and that should serve them well here, but when Joy Dunne has twice as many points as Cornell’s leading scorer, Avi Adam, it makes me wonder if the Big Red can keep pace. 
  • Controlling the nerves. All three of the other teams in Minneapolis have the benefit of Frozen Four experience and experience in Ridder Arena. Everyone will have butterflies of being on this biggest stage and the Big Red played in front of a big and loud crowd at home in the quarterfinals, but I think this is going to be a whole new environment. They can’t take a minute to get going, they can’t get overwhelmed and they have to be able to block it all out.

3 keys for Ohio State

  • Clean defense. As much as I’ve harped on Cornell’s need to find defense, I think you could say the same in the opposite direction for Ohio State. They’re so strong on offense and love to forecheck and push, but that does leave them more vulnerable on defense. I have no doubt Cornell will be trying to exploit that and get in behind. 
  • Momentum. The Buckeyes have a tendency to score in bunches, but sometimes that can start later in the game. It behooves OSU to get on the board early and try to get that downhill momentum that has served them so well this season. The longer Cornell can keep them from doing that, the worse the outlook is for Ohio State.
  • Goaltending. Cornell’s Annelies Bergmann is one of the top three goalies in the country and just pitched a shutout in the quarterfinals. The Buckeyes have been so overwhelming on offense that they haven’t had to worry too much about giving up goals. Assuming Amanda Thiele gets the start, she hasn’t been as strong this season, with a .884 save percentage and a 2.15 goals against average. That being said, Thiele is the goalie that came in late in the season and won the starting job and carried the Buckeyes to their first title in 2022. They need a strong showing from her here.

Quotable:

“It’s our fifth time representing the Buckeyes at the Frozen Four. We’re sitting amongst a small crowd that has done that, so I think it speaks volumes for what this program has accomplished over the years.” Ohio State coach Nadine Muzerall

“I know we played Cornell, but that seemed like forever ago. I’ve told the ladies to erase that from their memory, because it’s irrelevant.” – Muzerall

“They have some very solid defensive play, systematic, great goaltending, and I think Doug is one of the best coaches in the country, and I have a lot of admiration for him and his style of hockey. So I think it’s going to be a fantastic Friday night.” – Muzerall

“Every team that is in the Frozen Four we have played before and we know how to beat them. We learned from our mistakes against them. So we’re just super excited and really confident.” – Ohio State F Makenna Webster

“We had to do a little bit of restructuring and rebuilding, and we’re just really excited and happy to be back.” – Cornell coach Doug Derraugh, on his top-ranked team missing out on the 2020 tournament due to Covid shutdowns and what it took to get back to the Frozen Four.

“It’s certainly a huge challenge because you’ve got to be solid defensively against Ohio State to give yourself a chance, but you’ve also got to score some goals. So it’s managing risk versus reward and being smart and managing the puck well.” – Derraugh

“We have such a great dynamic between the defensive core and the goalies, and we’re always communicating with each other. I think that’s really what’s carried us through. Each weekend gets bigger and bigger, and I think that our dynamic allows us to grow with that, which I think has been a key part of our success.” – Cornell G Annelies Bergmann

“Everyone gets nervous. We know that. I’m nervous. The other team’s nervous. We all are. But what makes me feel personally a lot better, is reminding myself I love this. I’m good at this. My team’s good at this. It’s not just me. It’s never just one person. I have 20-some other girls around me and an amazing coaching staff, and they’re all feeling the same way. They believe in me and I believe in them, and that’s a good feeling. That’s a good place to be.” Cornell D Ashley Messier

(4) Minnesota vs. (1) Wisconsin
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. central on ESPN+

3 keys for Minnesota

  • Abbey Murphy. Is it fair to put everything on her? Probably not, but you simply cannot escape that as she goes, this team goes. She has eight goals and five assists in the team’s six postseason games so far. BUT she has just two assists in the Gophers’ five games against Wisconsin this season. If the Badgers do keep Murphy in check, Minnesota still has to find a way to light the lamp. UW outscored the Gophers 27-9 over five games this season and overall, they average 5.4 goals scored per game. 
  • Utilize the tv timeouts. Wisconsin has more depth and will get last change to be able to work the matchups. But with longer tv timeouts, the Gophers can double-shift and worry a lot less about getting caught out against the Badgers.
  • Staying out of the penalty box. Wisconsin carries the nation’s best power play, scoring 36% of the time while Minnesota’s penalty kill is 23rd in the country at 82.40%. Minnesota simply cannot afford to give the Badgers any advantages.

3 keys for Wisconsin

  • Fast start. The Badgers can be slow out of the gate at times and in the past few weeks they’ve given up early goals and had to dig themselves out of a hole. They’ve been successful thus far, but despite being the top seed, it’s going to be an uphill battle against Minnesota on their home ice. 
  • Puck possession. Wisconsin’s biggest asset is its ability to keep the other team from having the puck. That means holding it in the zone and making smart choices, but it also means quickly shutting down zone entries and not letting Minnesota get set up. If Abbey Murphy is skating circles around the zone looking for a lane, it does not bode well for the Badgers. They have to close quickly on defense and not be reckless with the puck on offense. 
  • Depth. Wisconsin has all three Patty Kazmaier finalists, but three of their four goals in the WCHA title game were scored by second and third liners, including a defender. TV timeouts take away some of the advantage they have here, but ultimately, they have the ability to win most head to head matchups. While Minnesota has some uncertainties in terms of who scores if their top scorer is neutralized, the Badgers have seven players with more points than the Gophers’ number three scorer.

Quotable:

“At the beginning of the year, it was the goal of ours to be in the position that we’re in right now. The players fought through a lot of adversity and a lot of pressure to get here, and now we’re excited to drop the puck tomorrow.” – Gophers coach Brad Frost

“We’re going to have to execute at a really high level. [The Badgers] are super dangerous on turnovers. They’ve got some of the best offensive players in the history of the women’s game. We believe we can win, first and foremost, but it’s going to take a great effort. No shortcuts and no shifts off. But like our players said, we feel real good about how we’re playing and excited to show that tomorrow.” – Frost

“Obviously we’ve had pretty tough losses this year, but I think that honestly that adversity has been great for us. We’ve learned from it. And coming into this weekend, we almost like that we went through that adversity because now we know how to react if we face any this weekend.” Gophers F Ella Huber

“The WCHA Final Faceoff was the best we’ve played all year. I think after that weekend, we were like, ‘we can really do this thing.’ It brought a lot of belief into our locker room.” – Huber

“Both teams are playing at a high level right now. Both have difference makers. Both goaltenders are playing well. It just sets up for a great semifinal game. The place is sold I don’t know how much better it gets than that.” – Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson

“It’s irrelevant what happened the previous five games. That shouldn’t be in our mind. It should be about where our capability individually and collectively to play our best game. You get in that space and you hope it’s enough. It may not be enough, but you hope it is. Don’t look in your rear view mirror too long, because you’ll crash. I’m looking forward and ahead, and I hope everybody on our team is doing the same thing.” – Johnson

“Maybe in the back of your head, you know how they played last time, and maybe where you need to to improve to make sure that we play our best tomorrow. But I think looking forward is the most important aspect of tomorrow, because what happened in the past is in the past, and we’re just trying to win 60 minutes tomorrow.” – Wisconsin G Ava McNaughton

Renwick lifts Maine to Hockey East title game, scores double-OT winner to bounce Northeastern

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Owen Fowler scored twice Thursday night to help Maine down Northeastern in the Hockey East semifinals (photo: Matt Dewkett).

BOSTON — Growing up in Canada, Nolan Renwick said he didn’t even know college hockey existed.

So scoring a game-winning overtime goal in the Hockey East semifinals is more of a recent dream for the senior forward from Milestone, Saskatchewan.

Nolan Renwick’s goal at 11:02 of double overtime lifted Maine to a 4-3 win over Northeastern on Thursday night at TD Garden, plus a trip to Friday’s championship game.

“That’s the goal I dream of every night this year,” Renwick said. “Trying to help our team win games and trying to get to this moment.”

No. 2 Maine (23-7-6, 15-5-6 Hockey East) advanced to the Hockey East final for the first time since 2012, when it lost 4-1 to Boston College. Its opponent will be No. 4 Connecticut, a 5-2 winner over No. 3 Boston University in the evening’s first semifinal.

Sophomore forward Charlie Russell fired the puck from the right faceoff circle across the front of the goal and past Northeastern goalie Cameron Whitehead (57 saves) to the far side, where Renwick was stationed to redirect Russell’s pass into the net.

“We figured it was going to be a greasy goal to end it,” Renwick said. “I parked myself at the side of the net and (Russell) saw me and threw it to the back post, and I was lucky it went off me.”

Owen Fowler scored the only goal of the first period, which put Maine up 1-0 at 14:02. Coming out of the penalty box, Fowler scooped up a loose puck near the Northeastern blue line for a breakaway and went 5-hole on Whitehead for the lead.

“He finds a way to score big goals,” Maine coach Ben Barr said. “He’s done that this year for us in big moments. (I) think he enjoys playing in this building. That was big-time for him, getting those two (goals).”

Black Bears goalie Albin Boija finished with 33 saves.

Maine doubled its lead at 2:03 into the second period on Fowler’s second goal, but the Huskies stormed back. Dylan Hryckowian made it 2-1 on a power-play rebound at 4:01, then Cam Lund tied it on a 2-on-1 right after a nifty pass from Jackson Dorrington with just 49 seconds to play in the frame. That’s where it stood after two stops.

Andy Moore scored his first career goal on a rebound at 4:29 of the third period to give Northeastern its only lead of the night at 3-2, but the Black Bears controlled the rest of the frame and got the tying goal off the stick of Luke Antonacci at 12:44.

No. 9 Northeastern (14-20-3, 9-15-3 Hockey East), the lowest seed ever to reach a Hockey East semifinal, saw its Cinderella postseason run come to an end. The Huskies earned wins at No. 8 Merrimack (3-2 in double overtime) and No. 1 BC (3-1).

“Just getting to the final four teams, losing in double overtimes, having two huge playoff wins, that’s something to be really proud of in this league,” Northeastern coach Jerry Keefe said. “I’m really proud of this group to get here.”

Maine twice lost to UConn during the regular season (4-2 at home on Jan. 17 and 3-2 in overtime on Feb. 21 in Storrs, Conn.). The teams skated to a 2-2 tie (with the Black Bears winning the shootout) on Jan. 18 in Orono, Maine.

Maine is seeking it’s first Hockey East tournament title since 2004.

Muldowney’s hat trick leads UConn past BU for berth in Hockey East championship game

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UConn players celebrate a goal in Thursday’s Hockey East semifinal win over BU (photo: UConn Athletics).

BOSTON — Joey Muldowney had high hopes for his first time playing at TD Garden.

The Connecticut sophomore forward might not have had visions of hats raining down on him, however.

But that’s what happened Thursday night, as Muldowney led the way for the Huskies with a hat trick en route to a 5-2 win over Boston University in the Hockey East semifinals.

“It’s definitely pretty cool,” Muldowney said. “Honestly, though, it felt just like another game. I think that’s the kind of team that we have. We’re winning. It’s just become a habit and it’s pretty awesome.”

UConn advanced to the Hockey East championship game for only the second time in program history and the first since 2022. With its first-ever NCAA berth already wrapped up thanks to its position in the PairWise, fourth-seeded UConn (22-10-4, 14-8-4 Hockey East) now seeks its first Hockey East tournament title.

The Huskies scored three unanswered goals in the first half of the second period, including a highlight-reel strike by Muldowney, his first of the night. Picking up a rebound of his own shot to the left of BU goalie Mikhail Yegorov (19 saves), and with his skates firmly behind the goal line, Muldowney backhanded it into the net just under Yegorov’s glove. UConn led 3-1 at 8:42 of the frame.

“That stretch in the second period, in the first 10 minutes, I thought that was probably some of the best hockey we’ve played all year,” UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh said.

Muldowney scored his second of the night just over five minutes into the third period to close the door on the Terriers. Muldowney slammed the puck past Yegorov’s left skate after Jake Richard snapped a backhanded pass across the front of the net to give UConn a commanding 4-1 lead.

Richard had four assists on the night, none prettier than a second-period pass from the Huskies’ left faceoff circle to a wide-open Ryan Tattle at center ice. Tattle scooped up the puck, skated uncontested into the BU zone and fired the puck past Yegorov for a 2-1 lead at 2:56.

“All I heard was Tattle screaming for the puck (and) I kind of just threw it there,” Richard said. “He was able to catch it nicely. Great finish.”

Tristan Fraser got UConn on the board less than a minute into the second period, following up a rebound of his own shot for just his third goal of the season to tie the game 1-1.

UConn goalie Callum Tung, making his 13th start of the year, made 25 saves, none prettier than a pad save on a one-timer by BU’s Cole Eiserman early in the third period during a Terrier power play with the Huskies clinging to a two-goal lead.

BU opened the scoring with a power-play goal by Quinn Hutson 9:32 of the first. Hutson faked out his defender high in the slot and fired the puck at ice level just past Tung’s left skate and into the back of the net. The Terriers took a 1-0 lead into the break.

“That was a good, old-fashioned (butt) kicking,” BU coach Jay Pandolfo said. “That’s what that was. Out-competed, out-battled for every puck. Out-battled on the wall, out-battled in the slot. They played winning hockey. They wanted to win. They wanted it a heck of a lot more than we did.”

Muldowney completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal at 16:12 to make it a 5-1 game, and BU’s Kamil Bednarik scored with 10 seconds to play to account for the final score.

No. 3 BU (21-11-4, 13-9-4) was looking for its first Hockey East tournament title since 2023. The PairWise already had the Terriers as NCAA worthy. BU will aim for its third straight appearance in the Frozen Four and fifth since 2009, the last year it won the NCAA championship.

Women’s Division I College Hockey: The PodKaz Episode 43 – Frozen Four bonus episode: Hear from players on semifinal eve

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On a bonus episode of the PodKaz from the Frozen Four in Minneapolis, Nicole Haase and Todd Milewski from USCHO.com chat with players from three of the four teams.

Ohio State junior defender Emma Peschel discusses the Buckeyes’ search for a second consecutive NCAA championship.

Ashley Messier, a senior defender, talks about Cornell returning to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2019.

And Minnesota freshman defender Chloe Primerano shares how the Gophers are preparing to play the Frozen Four at home.

Ohio State plays Cornell at 4 p.m. Central on Friday, with Wisconsin vs. Minnesota to follow at 7:30 p.m. Central. Both semifinal games stream on ESPN+.

The PodKaz is a production of USCHO.com. Have a question for our mailbag? Reach out to Nicole (@NicoleHaase) or Todd (@ToddMilewski) on social media or email [email protected].

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This Week in Atlantic Hockey America: Holy Cross, Bentley meet this weekend for conference title, NCAA tournament automatic bid

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Bemtley went 1-1-1 against Holy Cross during the 2024-25 regular season (photo: Bentley Athletics).

After three rounds of playoffs, the Atlantic Hockey America tournament is down to the final two teams: Holy Cross and Bentley.

They will play a single game on Saturday in Worcester, Mass., for the title and the right to represent the league in the NCAA tournament.

Previewing the finals

No. 3 Bentley at No. 1 Holy Cross

It’s 2006 all over again. That was the last time these teams met in the finals, and the only other time Bentley got this far.

The Falcons have won a program-best 22 games and are on a four-game winning streak, allowing a total of two goals over that span. Goaltender Connor Hasley has posted 11 shutouts so far this season, one way from the all-time record of 12 set by former Niagara goalie and current Mercyhurst assistant coach Greg Gardner in 1999-2000. Gardner played in 41 games that season; Hasley has appeared in 34 so far.

Bentley features two first-team all-conference players in forward Ethan Leyh (16-22-38) and defenseman Nick Bochen (8-19-27).

Hasley, a third-team all-star, is the main reason why the Falcons have allowed the fewest goals per game in the league (2.03).

Holy Cross is led by two first-team all-stars: forward Liam McLinskey and goaltender Thomas Gale. Defenseman Mack Oliphant (second team) and forward Matt Kursonis (all-rookie) were also recognized.

McLinskey is the repeat Player of the Year in Atlantic Hockey America, putting up 51 points so far. Gale has 24 wins this season in net, a school record.

Holy Cross boasts the top power play (23.7%) and penalty kill (90.4%) in the conference. The Crusaders PK is tied with Boston College for best in Division I.

As good as the Crusaders have been this season, they might have been even better. Holy Cross doesn’t have graduate programs, which means players looking for a fifth year due to the pandemic had to go elsewhere. Jack Ricketts has 28 points for Quinnipiac this season, and former teammates Tyler Ghirardosi and Matt Guerra each put up 19 points at Sacred Heart.

Bentley and Holy Cross met three times this season, with the Crusaders posting a pair of wins.

Awards season, final edition

Here is our final set of award winners. The league has published its finalists and winners, as voted by the coaches. The official AHA winners are in bold.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
2024-25 Finalists:
Mac Gadowsky, So., D, Army West Point
Thomas Gale, Sr., G, Holy Cross
Liam McLinskey, Sr., F, Holy Cross
Our pick: McLinskey, who again leads the league in scoring (23-28-51). He’s the only player to win Atlantic Hockey POTY twice.

FORWARD OF THE YEAR
2024-25 Finalists
Ethan Leyh, Gr., F, Bentley
Liam McLinskey, Sr., F, Holy Cross
Matthew Wilde, So., F, RIT
Our pick: McLinskey, who leads the league in goals (23) and assists (28)

BEST DEFENSEMAN
2024-25 Finalists
Mac Gadowsky, So., D, Army West Point
Nick Bochen, Gr., D, Bentley
Mack Oliphant, Jr., D, Holy Cross
Our pick: Gadowsky, who is leads the nation in goals by a defenseman (16).

GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR
2024-25 Finalists
Connor Hasley, Jr., G, Bentley
Thomas Gale, Sr., G, Holy Cross
Ajeet Gundarah, Fr., G, Sacred Heart
Our pick: Gundarah, who leads the conference in save percentage (.936) and GAA (1.90).

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
2024-25 Finalists
Jack Ivey, Fr., F, Army West Point
Trevor Hoskin, Fr., F, Niagara
Ajeet Gundarah, Fr., G, Sacred Heart
Our pick: Hoskin, a Calgary draft pick, who is currently tied with BU’s Cole Hutson for most points by a freshman (27).

COACH OF THE YEAR
2024-25 Finalists
Brian Riley, Army
Andy Jones, Bentley
Bill Riga, Holy Cross
Our pick: Riley. It’s not a sentimental pick. All three finalists did an amazing job not just for this season, but for the past several years. Jones and Riga took struggling programs and turned them into contenders. But I think the best job this season was by Riley, whose team was under a microscope all season, Riley’s last. Picked to finish tenth, the Black Knights endured a nine-game losing streak in the middle of the season, and then proceeded to go 12-5-2 the rest of the way, earning a bye and then upsetting Niagara in the quarterfinals before giving Holy Cross all it could handle in their semifinal series.

With gratitude

This is my last column of the season, my 26th at USCHO.com and my 19th covering Atlantic Hockey.

This is where I thank the editors, coaches, players and SIDs that have given me their time and attention this season. It’s also where I thank my family for tolerating me during hockey season and continuing to encourage me to continue writing.

This time, I also want to thank a pair of coaches that are moving on — Brian Riley and Eric Lang. I have known both since I started covering the league in 2006, and I am forever grateful for the hours I have spent talking with them, gathering their insights and sometimes just talking about life. I’ve had some health challenges this season and felt comfortable sharing that with them. They were positive and encouraging as always.

Brian is retiring, and I wish him the best in whatever the future holds. Lang will land on his feet at a school that will be very lucky to have him. Eric learned from some of the best: Gary Wright at AIC, and Riley, with whom Lang worked as an assist for four seasons before taking the AIC job.

I hope our paths cross again.

And thank you, dear reader. The season isn’t over yet. I’ll see some of you in St. Louis in a few weeks. Until then, enjoy the hockey to come.

Union junior blueliner Prokop forgoes senior season, signs NHL deal with Maple Leafs

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John Prokop played a key role on the Union back end his three seasons with the team (photo: Mary Gettens).

The NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs announced Thursday that the team has signed Union junior defenseman John Prokop to a one-year contract beginning in the 2025-26 season.

He will join the AHL’s Toronto Marlies for the remainder of the 2024-25 season on an amateur tryout.

Prokop posted 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) in 36 games with Union this season. The Wausau, Wis., native skated in 107 career games with Union, posting 85 points (20 goals, 65 assists).

In addition, Prokop was named to the ECAC Hockey all-academic team (2022-23), All-America East second team (2023-24) and ECAC Hockey first team (2023-24).

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Michigan State-Ohio State conference title game ‘going to be a great atmosphere’ in East Lansing

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Michigan State went 3-1-0 during the regular season against Ohio State (photo: Ohio State Athletics).

Raise your hand if you predicted at the start of the 2024-25 season that Ohio State would be playing for the Big Ten tournament championship this weekend.

If your hand’s up, you’re either a diehard Buckeye fan or someone whose familiarity with honesty is questionable.

Picked to finish last in the Big Ten preseason coaches’ poll, Ohio State advances to this week’s conference title game against Michigan State after beating Penn State 4-3 in semifinal action last Saturday.

The difference between where they were picked and where they are now isn’t lost on this Ohio State team or Buckeyes head coach Steve Rohlik.

“To be honest, when you play in the best league in the country, someone’s one and someone’s seven,” said Rohlik. “We never really talked about it as a team, but you know, guys see it … and we said the only thing that matters is what happens and what we believe in that room.

“All the credit to our guys. They just wanted to continue to get better. They just want to be players here and they really believe in our development process.”

In the win against Penn State, the Buckeyes’ best players combined at just the right time. After Matt DiMarsico scored late in the third period to tie the game for the Nittany Lions, Ohio State outshot Penn State 6-1 in overtime, with Gunnarwolfe Fontaine finding the back of the net from Riley Thompson and Davis Burnside – Ohio State’s top three scorers – at 14:31 in OT.

That goal, the 16th of the season for Fontaine, gives the Buckeyes the chance to play for the B1G conference title for the third time. Ohio State remains the only team in the league that has yet to capture that crown.

“One, I’m just proud of the guys that we have an opportunity,” said Rohlik. “Again, every week’s such a grind in our league.”

No one knows that better than Rohlik, whose Buckeyes needed three games to get past sixth-place Wisconsin in the quarterfinal round Mar. 7-9. “I say the toughest weekend of the year is that best two-out-of-three weekend in the Big Ten,” said Rohlik, “and if you can get through that, then all of a sudden, the next game – and what a game it was here.

“Now we’ve got a chance, but we’re playing the best team in the country, the No. 1 team in the country. They don’t have a lot of holes, but you know what? This is playoff hockey. We don’t have to beat them twice. We’ve just got to beat them once.”

Now Ohio State faces off in East Lansing against Michigan State, the top team in the USCHO.com Poll and the No. 2 team in the PairWise Rankings. The Spartans are now regular-season champions for the second consecutive season, and on top of that, Michigan State is the defending Big Ten playoff champ.

“Excited about our guys getting the opportunity to play another game at Munn,” said Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale. “In order to do that, you’ve got to win the regular season, which we did, and you’ve got to win another game, so now we have a chance to play another game in front of our home crowd.”

To earn that right, Michigan State won their semifinal game last weekend against a very determined Notre Dame team. The week prior to that – when the Spartans were enjoying a first-round playoff bye week – the Fighting Irish knocked off Minnesota on the road in three games to advance to the semifinal round.

Given that the Irish finished last in the conference and the Golden Gophers were co-regular season champs, Notre Dame came into Munn Arena and gave the Spartans all they could handle. After a scoreless two periods of play, Isaac Howard scored the only goal of the game on the Michigan State power play 19 seconds into the third period, assisted by Karsen Dorwart and Matt Basgall.

And just as it was for Ohio State against the Nittany Lions, the Spartans needed that their biggest scorers to step up in a very hard-fought game. That win is a lesson that can only help Michigan State in the remainder of the post-season, said Nightingale.

“Obviously, Munn was rocking and we were playing a team that was hot [and] playing some really good hockey, and I think our guys stayed with it,” said Nightingale.

“I think that’s the message to our guys. Playoff hockey’s hard. You can’t expect offense to be easy. We had to work for it. We stayed with it and I don’t think we deviated, and that’s a good reminder for us down the stretch in how we need to play.”

The Spartans enter Saturday’s championship game battle-tested in ways that the Buckeyes are not. In addition to their conference success of these two most recent seasons, Michigan State has won on some big stages. In December, the Spartans captured the Great Lakes Invitational tournament in Van Andel Arena, where the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Griffins of the AHL play, and in February, Michigan State won the annual Duel in the D, beating arch-rival Michigan in front of nearly 20,000 people in Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings.

Even finishing on top of the conference standing demanded the Spartans play their best at crucial time. One week after tying and losing to Penn State at home, Michigan State traveled to South Bend for what were Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson’s final home games, ever. Jackson announced his retirement at the start of the season, and as the last-place team in the conference, the Fighting Irish finished their season after that weekend on the road in the Big Ten playoffs.

The Spartans beat the Irish by a score of 5-2 each night of that series (Feb. 28-Mar. 1), each night in front of more than 5,000 hostile fans.

“To win the regular season this year,” said Nightingale, “we went on the road to Notre Dame and we needed some help, but we needed to win both hockey games and we got the job done.”

Here’s a look at how Ohio State and Michigan State compare, by the overall numbers.

Scoring offense: Ohio State, 3.18 (18th); Michigan State, 3.49 (eighth)

Scoring defense: Ohio State, 2.47 (18th); Michigan State, 2.00 (fourth)

Power play: Ohio State, 17.9% (43rd); Michigan State, 23.3% (17th)

Penalty kill: Ohio State, 77.9% (40th); Michigan State, 82.1% (20th)

Points leader: Ohio State, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (16-23-39); Michigan State, Isaac Howard (24-23-47)

Top goal scorer: Ohio State, Riley Thompson (17); Michigan State, Isaac Howard (24)

Top goaltender: Ohio State, Logan Terness (2.25 GAA, .925 SV%); Michigan State, Trey Augustine (2.02 GAA, .927 SV%)

In addition to featuring the last two Big Ten teams standing, this series features a number of Big Ten postseason award winners.

Michigan State’s Isaac Howard is the conference player of the year and goaltender Trey Augustine is goaltender of the year. Howard is also one of the 10 Hobey Baker finalists, while Augustine is one of the four finalists for the Mike Richter Award.

“Both those guys have done a great job,” said Nightingale. “Trey’s obviously had a heck of season for us to win goaltender of the year, and then Ike player of the year, but I think with both those guys it goes back to what they really want – the root of it, why they do everything they do – is they want Michigan State to be great. They want Michigan State to win, and obviously they’re reaping the benefit of that with some individual accolades.”

Michigan State defenseman Matt Basgall was named to the conference first team as well.

No Ohio State players were recognized, but their coach earned coach-of-the-year honors. Rohlik credited everyone else around him for that accomplishment. “I’ve been very blessed to be around some really good coaches, a great support staff and some great players,” said Rohlik, “and they’ve all made me look good.”

As for any Ohio State players overlooked for year-end honors, Rohlik was philosophical about that, too.

“I think our team’s getting recognized because we’re playing in the Big Ten championship,” said Rohlik. “I think that’s the biggest thing I can say, and I think that every guy to a ‘T’ in there would give up any individual award to have a team award, and that’s why we go by team family and belief. That’s what we’re doing right now.”

There is no chance of Nightingale and the Spartans underestimating the Buckeyes, even though Michigan State took three of the four regular-season meetings between the programs, with the Spartans outscoring the Buckeyes 13-6 in those contests.

“I think Rohls does a great job,” said Nightingale. “Their staff does a great job, I think they play team hockey, they’re well coached, they’re organized and anyone can beat anyone in our conference.

“When you have a smaller number of teams in your conference and you look at the pedigree of the teams in our conference, there are no nights off.”

Like the Spartans, the Buckeyes know what they’re up against.

“We understand the animal we’re playing,” said Rohlik. “They’re well coached. Adam’s done an incredible job. But our guys have a belief … and all we have to do is win one game.

“It’s going to be a great atmosphere, playing in the Big Ten championship. What else can you ask for?”

Ohio State (24-12-2) faces off against Michigan State (25-6-4) at 7:30 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena. The game will televised by the Big Ten Network.

Looking at odds for Hockey East, ECAC, NCHC semifinals, CCHA, AHA, Big Ten finals: USCHO Edge college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 20

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USCHO Edge hosts Jim Connelly, Dan Rubin, and Ed Trefzger look at money lines and over/under for the Hockey East, ECAC, and NCHC semifinals, and the championship games in the CCHA, Atlantic Hockey, and Big Ten for March 20-22, 2025.

  • UConn +105 vs. BU -135; over/under 6.5
  • Northeastern +220 vs. Maine -298; o/u 4.5
  • Cornell +124 vs. Quinnipiac -160; o/u 5.5
  • Dartmouth +110 vs. Clarkson -140; o/u 5.5
  • Denver -175 vs. Arizona State +135; o/u 6.5
  • North Dakota +154 vs. Western Michigan -200; o/u 6.5
  • St. Thomas +180 @ Minnesota State -230; o/u 4.5
  • Bentley +135 @ Holy Cross -175; o/u 4.5
  • Ohio State +180 @ Michigan State -125; o/u 5.5
This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men’s Division I Frozen Four, April 10 and 12 in St. Louis. Get your tickets now at ncaa.com/frozenfour

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

Check out all of USCHO’s podcasts, including USCHO Weekend Review and USCHO Spotlight, plus our entire podcast archive.

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This Week in Hockey East: There’s still something at stake for Maine, BU, Northeastern, UConn in conference semifinals at TD Garden

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Cameron Whitehead made 30 saves in goal as Northeastern upset Boston College last weekend in the Hockey East quarterfinals (photo: Jim Pierce).

One could look at the Hockey East semifinals and assume there’s little at stake.

Only Northeastern, the No. 9 seed, is fighting for its survival beyond this weekend — the Huskies need to win the Lamoriello Trophy for a bid to the NCAA tournament. The other three schools — Connecticut, Boston University and Maine — are already in, based on their position in the PairWise.

But look again. UConn, with only two players who were on the team the last time it made it to Boston, would love to take some conference-championship vibes into what will be the program’s first NCAA tourney berth. Maine, having last year broken a 12-year semifinal drought, is itching to make it back to the final for the first time since 2012. And BU is looking to become the first Terrier team since 2009 to lift the Lamoriello Trophy and the Beanpot in the same year, and the first since Northeastern in 2019.

The 2022 tournament marked the last time UConn made it this far. That year Mike Cavanaugh’s club, as the No. 4 seed, beat top seed Northeastern 4-1 in the semifinals before dropping an OT thriller, 2-1, to No. 2 Massachusetts. Only forward Hudson Schandor and defenseman John Spetz remain from that team.

“We’ve got a group in there that’s really looking forward to competing,” UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh said. “We know we have a great challenge in front of us. (There’s) not a lot of holes in the Terriers, so we’re going to have to play extremely well.”

TD Garden will be the venue on Thursday night starting with No. 4 UConn vs. No. 3 BU at 4 p.m., followed by Northeastern vs. No. 2 Maine in the second game of the semifinal doubleheader. The championship game is set for Friday night at 7:30 p.m. All three games will be on NESN-plus.

BU last skated on the Garden ice just five weeks prior, beating rival Boston College, then ranked No. 1 in the USCHO men’s D-I poll, 4-1 in the Beanpot final.

“I think it certainly helps that our group has experience playing in that building,” BU coach Jay Pandolfo said. “It certainly can’t hurt you, that’s for sure. But I think once the game gets going, I don’t know how much it matters after that.”

After a breaking a dozen-year streak of zero appearances in either the Hockey East semifinals or the NCAA tournament, Maine was one-and-done in each in 2024. To go deeper in this year’s league tournament — and get a possible playoff rematch vs. BU, which eliminated the Black Bears in the 2024 semifinals — senior forward Harrison Scott said it will be important for his team to stay mentally focused.

“It’s just going to come down to the little things, the little details,” said Scott. “And it’s about managing the game in our head. We can’t get too worried about the external pressure, the noise. It’s fun, but it comes down to being locked in — being focused on what you need to do to win.”

Northeastern comes into this year’s Hockey East semifinals as the clear underdog/Cinderella story. With an 14-19-3 overall record and 9-14-3 conference mark, Northeastern pulled off a 3-1 win over conference regular-season champion (and defending tournament champ) BC in the quarterfinals.

The win was not an aberration to Northeastern coach Jerry Keefe, who noted his team has given up 10 empty-net goals this season, indicating it has played in a number of close games. The team has played in nine games decided by one goal, and one statistical analysis indicates it has endured the fourth-toughest schedule in the country.

“This time of year, that’s the goal — to try to flip those one-goal games,” Keefe said. “This group has some confidence right now. It’s not going to be easy (against Maine). It wasn’t easy (against BC), it wasn’t easy against Merrimack (in the preliminary round). We’re going to have to go into the Garden, stick to our plan, and win a close game.”

Hobey Baker Award candidates narrowed to 10 standouts for 2025 award as college hockey’s best player

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The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation has announced the top 10 candidates for the 2025 award honoring college hockey’s top player.

Alphabetically, they are Zeev Buium, Denver; Jack Devine, Denver; Aiden Fink, Penn State; Mac Gadowsky, Army West Point; Isaac Howard, Michigan State; Ryan Leonard, Boston College; Ayrton Martino, Clarkson; Liam McLinskey, Holy Cross; Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota; and Alex Tracy, Minnesota State.

The 10 finalists were selected by voting from all 64 Division I college hockey head coaches and online fan balloting. This year’s Hobey Baker winner will be chosen from this group by the 30-member selection committee as well as an additional round of fan balloting running from March 19–30 on the Hobey Baker website. Criteria for the award are displaying outstanding skills in all phases of the game, strength of character on and off the ice, sportsmanship, and scholastic achievements.

The Hobey Hat Trick (three finalists) will be announced on April 3, and the Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced on April 11, during the Frozen Four weekend in St Louis. The announcement will be televised live from the Stifel Theatre on the NHL Network and streamed on the Hobey Baker website at 6 p.m. ET.

Following, in alphabetical order, is a look at each finalist.

Zeev Buium – Denver – Sophomore, Defense, San Diego, CA

A highly gifted skater with tremendous play making capabilities, Zeev Buium (Boo-yum) has proved to be one of the premier defensemen in college hockey. Tied with fellow Hobey nominee Mac Gadowsky for first in the nation in points by a D-man, the two are also tied for 14th overall in national scoring. Buium excels at initiating offense and is tied for second in assists amongst all players nationally. For the second straight year he has garnered First Team all-conference honors and is a finalist for NCHC Player of the Year and Offensive Defenseman of the Year.

· Has 10 goals, 32 assists for 42 points in 36 games – secured points in 27 of 36 games played

· Has won two straight gold medals for Team USA at the World Junior Championships

· Draft of Minnesota (1st round, 2024) – Communications major

Jack Devine – Denver – Senior, Forward, Glencoe, IL

Back-to-back 50-point seasons by Jack Devine may very well lead to back-to-back national titles for the Pioneers. Devine heads into this weekend’s NCHC championship tournament as the nation’s leader in points and assists. Consistency is his trademark as he opened the season with points in 16 of his first 17 games and continued on a torrid pace throughout the campaign collecting points in all but seven games.

Claiming the NCHC Scoring Title, he was named First Team all-conference for the second straight year and is a finalist for Forward of the Year. Devine is a repeat Hobey Baker top ten finalist from last year.

· Has 13 goals, 41 assists for 54 points in 39 games – has had 16 multiple point games

· Average of 1.38 points per game is third best in the nation

· Florida draft (7th round, 2022) – Business Finance major

Aiden Fink – Penn State – Sophomore, Forward, Calgary, Alberta

A standout sophomore season has seen Aiden Fink become a prominent figure amongst the nation’s leading scorers. He currently sits second in the nation in scoring while topping all skaters with a 1.41 points per game average. A gifted goal scorer and playmaker, Fink was a unanimous selection as First Team all-conference in the Big Ten and was a finalist for the circuit’s Player of the Year.

· Has 23 goals, 29 assists for 52 points in 37 games – has produced 15 multiple point games

· His 8 power play goals are tied for 8th in the nation – is 6th in the nation in goals and assists

· Draft pick of Nashville (7th round, 2023) – is a Recreation, Park and Tourism Management major

Mac Gadowsky – Army West Point – Sophomore, Defense, State College, PA

Even though Army’s season ended last weekend, Mac Gadowsky left an indelible mark on Atlantic Hockey. He finished second overall in AHA scoring and is tied for the national lead in points by a defenseman. The circuit rewarded him as First Team all-conference, Defenseman of the Year, the AHA Sportsmanship Award and twice was named Defenseman of the Month.

· Finished with 16 goals, 26 assists for 42 points in 38 games – added 4 power play goals

· His father Guy is the men’s head hockey coach at Penn State

· Is a Cyber Science major – had only three minor penalties all season

Isaac Howard – Michigan State – Junior, Forward, Hudson, WI

The Spartans have been at or near the top of the national rankings all season with key contributions from their prolific scorer Isaac Howard. Presently tied for eighth in the nation in points, his 24 goals are tied for third in the country. He became the Big Ten conference Scoring Champion, First Team all-conference and the league’s Player of the Year. Howard’s past accomplishments for Team USA include multiple medals in U-18 and World Junior Championship competitions.

· Has 24 goals, 23 assists for 47 points in 35 games – is 5th in the nation in shots on goal

· Tampa Bay draft (1st round, 2022) – had 13 multiple point games

· Played his freshman season at Minnesota Duluth – Communications major

Ryan Leonard – Boston College – Sophomore, Forward, Amherst, MA

A relentless competitor and clutch performer, Ryan Leonard has been a driving force in elevating the Eagles to the nation’s number one ranking. His elite scoring prowess ties him for eighth in the nation in scoring, but he leads the country with 29 goals and nine game-winners. A high-volume shooter, Leonard is second in the nation in shots averaging 5.2 per game. Leonard has garnered several Hockey East awards including Scoring Champion, First Team all-conference and Player of the Year.

· Has 29 goals, 18 assists for 47 points in 35 games – currently riding a 16-game point streak

· Communications major – his +29 is third in the nation – Washington draft (1st round, 2023)

· Won gold medal as Team USA captain at 2025 World Junior Championships

Ayrton Martino – Clarkson – Senior, Forward, Toronto, Ontario

Well known as an excellent playmaker, Ayrton Martino (Air-ton) ramped up his goal production this season bagging 24 tallies to almost equal what he had produced in his first three seasons combined (25 goals). That vaulted Martino to the top as the ECAC Scoring Champion while collecting First Team all-conference honors and being a finalist for the Player of the Year. Currently tied for third in the nation in goals, Martino is also second in the nation in game winning goals with eight.

· Has 24 goals, 25 assists for 49 points in 37 games – has points in 11 of his last 12 games

· Innovation & Entrepreneurship major – Dallas draft (3rd round, 2021)

· Is tied for fifth in the nation in scoring and his 1.32 points per game average is eighth

Liam McLinskey – Holy Cross – Senior, Forward, Pearl River, NY

Another repeat top ten Hobey finalist, Liam McLinskey, continues to thrive in producing offense. Helping the Crusaders to the AHA playoff title game, McLinskey currently is third in the nation in scoring, tied for sixth in goals and his nine power play tallies are tied for third best in the country. McLinskey has rounded out his game as an effective penalty killer, helping Holy Cross to tie Boston College as the nation’s best at killing penalties. For the second straight year, McLinskey is the AHA Scoring Champion, Player of the Year and First Team all-conference while also gaining Forward of the Year distinction.

· Has 23 goals, 28 assists for 51 points in 39 games – has 9 power play goals

· Economics major – active in a variety of community service and school initiatives

· Had a brief two-game stint as a freshman at Quinnipiac

Jimmy Snuggerud – Minnesota – Junior, Forward, Chaska, MN

An accomplished goal scorer with a deadly shot, Jimmy Snuggerud brought a more balanced approach to his game this past season as a terrific playmaker. During January, he bagged 11 goals and 6 assists in 9 games and was named National Player of the Month. Snuggerud became just the third Gopher to record 20 or more goals in each of his first three seasons. The Big Ten named him First Team all-conference and he was one of three finalists for the circuit’s Player of the Year.

· Has 22 goals, 27 assists for 49 points in 39 games – has had 16 multiple point games

· Nationally is fifth in points, tied eighth in goals and tenth in assists – average 4 shots per game

· Business and Marketing Education major – St. Louis draft (1st round, 2022)

Alex Tracy – Minnesota State – Junior, Goalie, Chicago, IL

Could another Maverick goalie win the Hobey like Dryden McKay did in 2022? The final line of defense for the Mavs has elevated his squad to the CCHA title game and a berth in the national tournament. Tracy will take a nine-game unbeaten streak into the CCHA championship game. A positionally sound and very consistent goalie, Tracy has soared to the top of the nation in both goals against average and save percentage. He is a semi-finalist for the Mike Richter Award as the nation’s top goalie and has already been named CCHA Goalie of the Year, Player of the Year and First Team all-conference.

· Current record is 25-8-3, goals against average 1.41, saves percentage .946, has 5 shutouts

· CCHA and National Goalie of the Month for both November and February

· Finance major with 3.94 GPA – very active in a variety of off-ice community activities

Hobey Notes

Candidates by conference: Big Ten – 3, NCHC – 2, AHA – 2, Hockey East – 1, CCHA – 1, ECAC – 1
By position: Forwards – 7, Defense – 2, Goalie – 1
By class: Senior – 3, Junior – 3, Sophomore – 4
By nationality: U.S. – 8 (Ill. – 2; 1 each NY, Mass., Penn., Wis., Cal., Minn.); Canada – 2 (Alb., Ont.)
Repeat Candidates: Jack Devine (’24), Liam McLinskey (’24)
Four schools have a finalist for the second straight year: Boston College, Denver, Holy Cross, Minnesota State
Seven of the ten finalists have been NHL draft picks with four selected in the first round (Buium, Howard, Leonard, Snuggerud)

The Hobey Baker website also has the top 10 video and in-depth bios. The Hobey Baker top 10 video is available in a high-definition format at www.hobeybaker.com/media

The 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner will be honored along with this year’s Hobey Baker Legend of College Hockey, Dick Umile, at the annual banquet and golf outing to be held in August in Lake Elmo, Minn.

Boston College’s Leonard chosen ’24-25 Hockey East player of the year, BU blueliner Hutson best rookie, UConn’s Cavanaugh top coach, UMass Lowell’s Cole academic champion

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BC’s Ryan Leonard has been an offensive catalyst this season for BC (photo: Meg Kelly).

Hockey East announced Wednesday that Boston College sophomore forward Ryan Leonard has been awarded the honor of 2024-25 Hockey East player of the year.

Alongside Leonard, Boston University freshman defenseman Cole Hutson was named rookie of the year, UConn head coach Mike Cavanaugh was voted coach of the year by his peers, and UMass Lowell’s Owen Cole has been honored as the 2024-25 academic champion.

All the awards except the academic champion were selected by the league’s 11 head coaches.

Leonard becomes the 15th Eagle to be named Hockey East player of the year and the first Boston College skater since Johnny Gaudreau was so honored two years in row from 2012-14. He paced Hockey East in a number of categories in league play, including goals (25), points (37), points per game (1.54), shots (116), game-winning goals (8), and plus-minus (+25). He is just the second skater to reach the 25-goal mark in league play since 2000-01 when Brian Gionta hit the milestone and Cutter Gauthier did so last season. He leads the nation in overall goals with 29 and is one strike away from becoming the first college hockey player with back-to-back 30-goal season since BC’s Cam Atkinson in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

The Amherst, Mass., native is first in the country with nine game-winning goals and sits eighth nationally with 47 points. His 181 shots on net are second in the nation and his plus-29 rating is third. He was twice named Hockey East player of the month (November, January) and national player of the month in November and collected four Hockey East player of the week accolades.

Hutson is the third consecutive Terrier to be named rookie of the year following Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson and is the 13th overall player from Boston University to claim top freshman honors, the most all-time. Hutson scored more points (29) than any other first-year skater in Hockey East play while his 21 assists were tops in the league. Among his classmates in 24 league contests, Hutson was third in shots on net (68), tied for second in power-play goals (3) and game-winning goals (2), and was third in blocks (23). No rookie in the country has more points than Hutson’s 39 overall points and 27 assists while his 96 shots on net sit 12th in the NCAA among all freshmen skaters. His four game-winning goals are also second-most of any rookie in the country.

Cavanaugh, the only UConn head coach in its Hockey East era, is the first Husky bench boss to win the Bob Kullen Award. He guided his squad to a fourth-place finish in Hockey East standings, tying the highest-ever finish for UConn after being picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll. The Huskies posted a 12-8-4 record in league play while scoring the third-most goals (76) of any Hockey East program through the 24-game season and the best power-play percentage in the league (28.4%). The Huskies also led the nation in shorthanded goals, scoring nine times while at a manpower disadvantage.

The academic champion award was created in 2024 honoring outstanding accomplishments from one men’s and one women’s player, both on the ice and in the classroom.

In 2024, Hockey East and Night Shift Brewing partnered to highlight both the academic and athletic success of student-athletes across the league. As a result, Cole will receive scholarship funds that include a portion of the proceeds of Hockey East Ale, the first-ever collaboration between the conference and a brewery for its own branded beverage.

“Hockey East is proud to honor Owen Cole as the 2024-25 Hockey East academic champion after a distinguished four years at UMass Lowell on the ice and in the classroom,” said Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf in a statement. “We are happy to provide Owen with means to continue his education when he is ready thanks to our partners at Night Shift Brewing and look forward to honoring him at our championship.”

Cole, who served as captain of the River Hawks this season, has set a career high with 20 points on eight goals and 12 assists through 35 games.

Off the ice, Cole has maintained a 3.76 GPA while majoring in Exercise & Fitness Management, a course load that requires both lab and clinical hours in addition to UMass Lowell’s standard academic coursework. Throughout the 2024-25 season, Cole would lead his River Hawks in practice before commuting to Wilmington, Mass., for clinical rotations. He is scheduled to graduate this spring Magna Cum Laude.

Cole is also a visible presence on the UMass Lowell campus and throughout the community. The senior forward is active with the River Hawk’s Team Impact teammate, Owen, and founded a 5K charity race to raise awareness for the program and the work Team Impact does. He also participates in the UMass Lowell Pen Pal Program which pairs student-athletes with local elementary school children throughout the year.

Augustine, Boija, Fowler, Tracy announced as four finalists for 2025 Mike Richter Award as top men’s D-I hockey goaltender

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From left, Trey Augustine, Albin Boija, Jacob Fowler and Alex Tracy (photos: Michigan State Athletics/Maine Athletics/Boston College Athletics/Minnesota State Athletics).

The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced the final four candidates for this year’s Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goalie in men’s NCAA Division I hockey since 2014.

A watch list of 32 was reduced to 10 semifinalists and now, with playoffs underway, the final four have been chosen: Michigan State sophomore Trey Augustine, Maine sophomore Albin Boija, Boston College sophomore Jacob Fowler, and Minnesota State junior Alex Tracy.

The 2024 winner was Wisconsin’s Kyle McClellan.

Mike Richter enjoyed a phenomenal playing career, highlighted by 14 seasons with the New York Rangers, leading them to the Stanley Cup in 1994, their first in 54 years. A member of the Hall of Fame, Richter was outstanding on a number of USA Hockey teams, most notably the 1988 Olympic Team, the 1991 Canada Cup Team and as the MVP of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Richter also played at Wisconsin and earned a degree from Yale.

Trey Augustine, Michigan State
(SO – South Lyon, MI)

Augustine has put Michigan State into Saturday night’s Big Ten championship game against Ohio State with outstanding numbers across the board: 2.02, .927, 18-6-4 and three shutouts for the Spartans. He was named the Big Ten goaltender of the year on Tuesday. MSU is No. 2 in the Pairwise Rankings.

Albin Boija, Maine
(SO – Sundsvall, Sweden)

The resurgence in Maine hockey rides on the shoulders of Boija. The Black Bears take on Northeastern in the Hockey East semifinals on Thursday. Boija boasts a 1.75 GAA (fourth in the nation) and a save percentage of .930. His record is 21-7-6 with four shutouts, leading Maine to No. 3 in the nation Pairwise Rankings.

Jacob Fowler, Boston College
(SO – Melbourne, FL)

The only repeat finalist of the group, Fowler has picked up where he left off last year when he led the Eagles to the NCAA championship game. His 2024-25 stats: 1.64 (2nd in NCAA), .940 (3rd), 24-6-2 with an NCAA-best seven shutouts. BC is No. 1 in the Pairwise Rankings.

Alex Tracy, Minnesota State
(JR – Chicago, IL)

Tracy has led MNSU to the CCHA regular-season title and hopes to add a tournament crown when the Mavericks host St. Thomas in the CCHA final on Friday night. Tracy leads the nation in GAA (1.41) and save percentage (.946). He is 25-8-3, his 25 wins second best in the NCAA.

The winner of this year’s Mike Richter Award will be announced on April 11 during the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Louis.

This Week in NCHC Hockey: Arizona State has shot at NCAA tourney as Sun Devils ‘proving our followers right and proving the people who didn’t believe in us wrong’

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Arizona State’s Charlie Schoen celebrates a goal in last weekend’s Sun Devils’ sweep over Minnesota Duluth (photo: Arizona State Athletics).

It’s tough to predict how much further Arizona State’s first season as a conference member can go.

The Sun Devils are 15th in the PairWise Rankings and will need to keep helping themselves as the NCHC playoffs progress.

But regardless of which side of the NCAA tournament bubble the Sun Devils land on, they already know what this season has meant for their program.

At 21-13-2, Arizona State has recovered well from a 1-4-1 start and has navigated admirably an injury-riddled season. Doing so as a first-year member of arguably the country’s strongest college hockey conference is no small feat. More than that, it has set the Sun Devils up for continued success and has informed coach Greg Powers’s recruiting process going forward.

“We knew it would enhance our student-athlete experience in every way,” Powers said during a NCHC media call Tuesday, when asked about ASU’s inaugural season as a league member. “In just the competitive nature of being in a league and developing rivalries and playing a team more than one weekend on the season, it’s unbelievable. To have standings to update and teams to chase or stay ahead of or whatever it is, it’s something we’d never experienced, but we experienced it this year.

“Usually, other than the year we made the (NCAA) tournament (in 2019) and the year we were going to but it got canceled (in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic), we’ve been done right now and watched the games on TV. Last year, I was at the Frozen Faceoff (the NCHC’s semifinal and championship rounds) and went up and watched it in person, and we watched all these conference tournaments where teams play on big stages, and I felt, a lot of times, that we were good enough to be there but just didn’t have the opportunity because we were an independent. Being in a league has changed the trajectory of our program in a really positive way.”

And it has helped draw top-tier talent to the Sonoran desert. Graduate student Artem Shlaine is one such player, having posted 16 goals and 37 points thus far in his fifth collegiate season, following stints at Connecticut and then Northern Michigan.

“The biggest sales pitch for me, knowing I’ve been in the portal twice already, it’s not about the bright and shiny new arena, or the other bonus stuff,” Shlaine said of what brought him to Tempe and ASU, which was picked in the 2024-25 NCHC preseason media poll to finish eighth in the nine-team league.

“For me, it’s about the coaches, the coaching staff, the staff and the players in the locker room. Looking at the roster, right away you could see the potential of that team and that we were going to be really good, and I don’t know how other people didn’t see it, and they missed it and it’s on them, but I think we’re proving people wrong. That’s what drives and motivates us: We’re proving our followers right and proving the people who didn’t believe in us wrong.

“Overall, when I just started talking to the coaches, (it was) that belief in me as a player that they would give me an opportunity, and I think they were honest and kind of gave me an opportunity and I think I ran with it, and I’m really happy with how this season has gone, but we’re not done yet and we’re going (to St. Paul, Minn.) to win this thing.”

That’s a feeling shared around the home dressing room inside Mullett Arena, ahead of ASU’s trip this week to the Twin Cities. The second-seeded Sun Devils will play Friday’s second NCHC semifinal game, facing defending national champion Denver.

No matter how this weekend and a potential NCAA tournament run will treat the Sun Devils, Powers believes his program will only move now from strength to strength.

“Kids want to compete for championships, and if we were not in the NCHC, in this specific league especially, the kid you just talked to, he wouldn’t be here,” Powers said of Shlaine, among ASU’s several gets from previous NCAA stops. “Ryan Kirwan wanted to play in the NCHC, so did Cruz Lucius and Bennett Schimek and Luke Pavicich and Noah Beck. It has changed the trajectory of our program on many levels.”

TTFN, kind of

This week marks my last conference column of my 18th season at USCHO.com. If my career in journalism (which began here) was a person, it could vote. Madness.

Thank you to all of my colleagues for all their amazing work this season. This also goes for Matt Mackinder, our managing editor who makes keeping everything here humming along look easy.

I won’t be attending the NCHC Frozen Faceoff or the Frozen Four (can we please have one of them renamed?), but I’ll still have a few more USCHO.com bylines this season. I have two Hockey Humanitarian Award finalist feature stories on the way, plus previews on NCHC teams playing for however long they make a run in the NCAA tournament.

Thanks for reading, everyone.

This Week in CCHA Hockey: Minnesota State focused on Mason Cup title vs. St. Thomas in game that promises to be ‘big-time challenge’

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Minnesota State went 2-1-1 this season against St. Thomas (photo: Tony Pasquesi),

The unique nature of this season’s CCHA Mason Cup playoffs are not lost on Luke Strand.

The Minnesota State boss finds himself in a somewhat strange position for a college hockey head coach: Being out of an at-large position in the Pairwise rankings but still knowing with 100% certainty that his team is still going to make the tournament.

Normally a team who is No. 15 in the rankings like the Mavericks would be a bubble team until they won their conference tournament. But here we are, two days before the top-seeded Mavericks take on third-seeded St. Thomas in the Mason Cup final in Mankato, and they can relax.

Just a bit.

That’s because St. Thomas is ineligible for the NCAA tournament this season, a consequence of their moving up from Division III to Division I at the start of the 2021-22 season. Teams normally must wait five years to become tournament-eligible after moving divisions. The Tommies have petitioned for the NCAA to grant them an exception, and it does look like they will be eligible early.

But that won’t be until next season.

So for now, the Tommies and the Mavericks will skate for the Mason Cup on Friday night with just one thing on the line instead of two. But that one thing on the line is a big one–the Mason Cup. The Mavericks have won two of them but missed out on taking home the trophy last season. They lost in the semifinals to eventual champions Michigan Tech.

This season, the Mavericks (26-8-3 CCHA) have been the class of the CCHA. They lifted the MacNaughton Cup as regular season champions and were able to clinch the conference title a week early. Strand likens the situation this weekend to that one a few weeks ago–his team will still be prepared even though it’s not a win-or-go-home situation like it might normally be.

“It’s kind of been our guys’ MO to be mature and present and really focus on the moment where they’re at,” Strand said during his weekly news conference when asked how his team prepares for this unique situation. “You turn back the page a few weeks back the MacNaughton time and we still had to close out with Bemidji at the end of the season at home. I really liked our guys’ response to that. Even though nothing was necessarily on the line, their ability to go out and play and be passionate about what we do, and playing for the logo, playing for the community and playing for the opportunity to be a champion. These guys come here every day to win so I have faith that our guys will be in that mode.”

The Mavericks will have to get through the Tommies (19-13-5) to hoist the cup. St. Thomas comes into the game as one of the hottest teams in college hockey. They’re 15-3-1 since January and managed to earn the No. 2 seed in the conference. Their wins against Ferris State in the Mason Cup quarterfinals and against Bowling Green in the semifinals last week were their first ever playoff wins at a Division I level. A Mason Cup win would be their first conference title at this level, too. The Tommies won 34 regular-season titles and 12 tournament titles in the MIAC.

“Anytime you can be in a championship game, you know you’ve done something right throughout the year, so we’re excited about that,” St. Thomas head coach Rico Blasi said in his weekly presser. “We know how good Mankato and the year that they’ve had. It’ll be a big-time challenge, and we know we’ll have to bring our best.”

Blasi, who won the 2011 Mason Cup as head coach at Miami, took over at St. Thomas when they made the jump to Division I. The fact that the Tommies are having the chance to play in their first-ever conference title game at this level is a big deal for him.

“Everybody thinks this happens because you get something going late in the season, but this is a work in progress. This has been a process for our program when we started, gosh, almost four years ago when Dr. Esten (St. Thomas University president Phil Esten) made the call to bring me in as the head coach,” Blasi said. “All the work and the sacrifices and the guys that have come through… there were a lot of long nights that first year and the second year.

“So this is a process that we’ve been going through. Our culture has been growing and maturing as we have evolved here. I’m proud of the guys that started with us four years ago and proud of this team and love this team that we have currently in the locker room. So for us, nothing changes whether it’s our leadership group or the way we prepare during the week, we stay focused and keep reminding the guys of who we are and our identity, and here we are: we’re playing in a championship game.”

They’ll do it against the Mavericks, a team with whom they’ve developed a budding instate rivalry that has started to get more competitive as the Tommies have increased their scholarships and Blasi has had enough time to see his entire recruiting classes come through the university. In the past two years the games have been very even, with MSU holding a slight 4-3-1 edge. The Tommies will have a few more chances to get the better of the Mavericks–on Friday night and at least four times next season–while still members of the CCHA before they depart for the NCHC in 2026-27.

Strand called the Tommies a “dangerous” team, especially up front with the top line of Cooper Gay, Lucas Wahlin and Liam Malmquist. Combined, they have scored 55 goals and are the CCHA’s top goal scorers. Malmquist and Wahlin had 44 and 40 points, respectively, finishing 1-2 in total league points. MSU’s Rhett Pitlick was third with 38.

“If you don’t keep them in check, the score is going to get inflated, because they can score. That top group of Gay and Wahlin and Malmquist have been great, those are a lot of five-on-five goals they’ve scored along the way, so you better be mindful of their ‘D’ jumping the play, too,” Strand said. “Rico does a really good job with their team. They’re going to be plenty prepared. My guess it’s a tight game. That’s how it’s been for two years here against one another. But if there’s a crack in the door, they can score so we want to make sure we’re on guard.”

As for the Mavericks, their situation is odd but it’s not unlike a team that’s already qualified for the tournament as an at-large team. Strand said the coaching staff has had an extra week to look at some potential NCAA opponents, but they still really want to win this trophy. Which is to say: Don’t expect many of the MSU regulars to be resting.

“I think if I asked our guys not to play, they wouldn’t be welcome to the idea,” Strand said. “And you know what, we’re still showing signs where we need to grow in some areas, and I think pressure moments are good for guys to go through. And the trophy’s on the line. That’s a coveted prize. The Mason Cup has got a rich history. It’s hard to handle and hard to get and we want to make sure we’re still moving forward with things.”

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Looking at championship weekend, handing out some awards, signing off until ’25-26

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Mason Marcellus has been an offensive leader for Quinnipiac (photo: Rob Rasmussen/P8Photos.com).

The ECAC Hockey championship weekend returned to Lake Placid in 2014 after spending three years at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.

The ancestral home of the post-breakup league was loaded with history when the banners returned to the rafters atop Herb Brooks Arena, but the years since the conference’s return equaled the memories of the bygone era before Internet streaming and cell phone video.

The return to the site of the Miracle on Ice’s 1980 Olympic gold medal coincided with the league’s overall parity. There hasn’t been a repeat champion since Union completed a threepeat between 2012-2014, but even the first two titles from that run were spent on the majestic Jersey shoreline.

That stands to reasonably change this year if Cornell can win from its sixth-seeded first round standings finish, but the quirks and peculiarity of an outlier year within ECAC come to a head when the Big Red are joined in the Adirondacks by Quinnipiac, Clarkson and Dartmouth.

Some observations, and then on with the end-of-the-year business:

Quarterfinal Consequences

-The Clarkson-Harvard series became the first quarterfinal series to go the distance since the third-seeded Crimson defeated No. 6 RPI and No. 5 Colgate upended No. 4 Cornell in 2022.

-The two individual overtimes matched this year’s quarterfinal with last year, though both overtimes during last year’s second round occurred during St. Lawrence’s Game 1 win over Colgate. The 3-2 double-OT win then preceded a second 3-2 win.

-The four one-goal games were the most since the 2022 playoff included six different one-goal games in its second round. That wild year also featured five overtime games, two of which went to double overtime.

-There hasn’t been a repeat matchup in the semifinals since Colgate avenged its 2022 loss by beating Quinnipiac in the 2023 semifinals. This year continues that trend.

-There has never been a repeat of all four semifinalists since the league expanded its playoff to four rounds and best-of-three quarterfinal.

The Lerchies, Pt. 2

Our picks for ECAC’s All-Rookie and Third Team all stars were posted last week, so let’s continue our journey through conference honors by naming our top two teams and individual awards for the 2024-2025 season:

Second Team (players are listed alphabetically by school)

F: Dalton Bancroft, Cornell
F: Mason Marcellus, Quinnipiac
F: Brandon Buhr, Union
D: Tristan Sarsland, Clarkson
D: Tommy Bergslund, Colgate
G: Kyle Chauvette, Union

First Team

F: Ayrton Martino, Clarkson
F: Ellis Rickwood, Clarkson
F: Brett Chorske, Colgate
D: Trey Taylor, Clarkson
D: CJ Foley, Dartmouth
G: Lawton Zacher, Brown

Player of the Year: Ayrton Martino, Clarkson
Rookie of the Year: Michael Meumeier, Colgate
Coach of the Year: JF Houle, Clarkson

Now onto the final four with a special look at how each team wins – or doesn’t win – in Lake Placid.

Championship Weekend

Semifinals, held March 21 at Lake Placid’s Herb Brooks Arena (single elimination):
No. 6 Cornell vs. No. 1 Quinnipiac, 4 p.m.
No. 5 Dartmouth vs. No. 2 Clarkson, 7 p.m.

Championship, held March 22 at Lake Placid’s Herb Brooks Arena (single elimination):
Lowest Remaining Seed vs. Best Remaining Seed, 5 p.m.

Previewing the Semifinalists

No. 1 Quinnipiac
How We Got Here: The regular season champions swept Brown by barely breaking a sweat in either game. Taking a 3-0 lead through the first 47 minutes of the first game led directly into a 4-0 blowout on Saturday, but only two of the eight goals scored occurred on empty nets. Both Victor Czerneckianair and Tyler Borgula scored twice, and Matej Marinov stopped 54 shots, including 34 in the second game.

Last Appearance/Championship: Quinnipiac’s well-documented struggles haven’t produced a Whitelaw Cup since 2016, but the Bobcats are returning to Lake Placid for a fourth consecutive year. Including the 2021 COVID year that ended with St. Lawrence’s trip to Connecticut, they haven’t missed a semifinal since 2019

Why They Win: This year’s postseason points to one of Rand Pecknold’s core tenets regarding controlling the controllables. The entire conversation about the Pairwise Rankings and the team’s inability to win a conference championship dies with a Whitelaw Cup, but this year’s field points more towards the Bobcats than ever before. Nearly every remaining team’s flaw plays into some positive advantage from Quinnipiac’s game: Cornell is within a quarter-goal allowed of the Bobcat defense but scores over a half-goal less per game. Dartmouth scores in bunches but holds a decided disadvantage on special teams, where its 19 percent power play would face one of the best penalty killing units in the country. Clarkson can match Quinnipiac’s numbers but trends towards a top-heavy stat sheet.

Why They Don’t Win: Quinnipiac lost twice to Clarkson, went 1-1-1 against Cornell, and split with Dartmouth after needing overtime to win, 5-4, in New Hampshire. Facing the Big Red in the semifinals was a preseason championship prediction – and might not even get the Bobcats to the championship round.

No. 2 Clarkson
How We Got Here:The Golden Knights eliminated Harvard in three games after the Crimson won Game Two in overtime to force things to Sunday. In Game One, Ryan Bottrill’s goal with less than a minute remaining capped a two-goal, come-from-behind rally, and Ayrton Martino, the league’s scoring champion, sent the third game to overtime with a goal halfway through the third before Luka Sukovic eliminated Harvard.

Last Appearance/Championship: Clarkson returns to Lake Placid for the first time since 2022, but the Golden Knights look considerably different from the program that won the 2019 championship over Cornell. For starters, the two coaches from that game – Casey Jones and Mike Schafer – are both on the Big Red’s bench, and current Clarkson head coach JF Houle was in the American Hockey League with the Bakersfield Condors at the time. Still, the second place team in 2020 appears ready to reclaim a mantle established by the five-time champions of the Whitelaw Cup era.

Why They Win: Clarkson’s the lone team capable of matching Quinnipiac on a stat-by-stat basis, and the 23-11-3 Golden Knights didn’t lose to any of the remaining three teams during the regular season. There’s also that pesky 8-5 record in one-goal games that tends to become incredibly important as the playoffs get deeper. Going to one-goal games and two overtime matchups against Harvard is an iron-sharpens-iron situation, and the Quinnipiac/Cornell matchup means Clarkson avoids one team if it advances past the Big Green.

Why They Don’t Win: It’s hard to find a reason why Clarkson won’t at least move to the championship game, but the three-game weekend against Harvard provided extra pressure on the team’s legs. The Golden Knights also pounded the Crimson for 41 shots in the third game but still needed to score a third period goal to force overtime. In each of the previous two games, shot numbers trickled under 30 with around half of the shots blocked by the Harvard defense. Dartmouth

No. 5 Dartmouth

How We Got Here: St. Lawrence bowed out of a single game trip to Thompson Arena before the Big Green closed Messa Rink with a two-game sweep over Union. Two of the three playoff games were largely non-competitive after Dartmouth beat the Saints, 6-2, and eliminated the Garnet Chargers with a 7-2 victory, but the first game in the Capital District was a one-goal, 3-2 win.

Last Appearance/Championship: Last year snapped Dartmouth’s eight-year streak of missing the semifinal round, but the semifinal loss to Cornell prevented the Big Green from making their first championship game since the three-division days of 1980. Of the teams remaining in ECAC, Dartmouth is one of two – the other being Brown – that has never won the league championship, though Vermont hadn’t won the championship before its defection to Hockey East.

Why They Win: Ya gotta believe.

Plenty of folks expected Cornell, Clarkson and Quinnipiac to advance to the ECAC semifinal, but those same folks expected Union or Colgate to qualify over a Dartmouth team that rarely made appearances in the league semifinal. Last year’s team found a way to advance by simply “not losing,” but this year’s team looked decidedly vincible when it lost six-of-eight games and dropped out of the league’s top four spots. The lone wins included, ironically, a win over Cornell after dropping a game to Colgate, but the year ended with get-right games against Brown and Yale. It would appear that those games, plus the three combined wins over Union – including last week’s quarterfinal – straightened things out. Of all the teams remaining, 3.38 goals scored per game and 2.20 goals allowed that puts the Big Green near the top of tilted numbers. Luke Haymes and Sean Chisholm averaged in the conference’s top 10 in goals per game numbers, and nobody averaged more assist per game than Nikita Nikora.

Why They Don’t Win: The Big Green are the only remaining team with a power play under 20 percent, so taking advantage in playoff situations is an absolute must, and while the defense is one of the best in the league, the goaltending numbers don’t readily match save percentages – either current or historical – with others. None of that is a knock against Emmett Croteau, who ranked second in goals against average, or Roan Clarke, but they held two of the five lowest per-game averages in saves.

No. 6 Cornell
How We Got Here: Cornell beat Yale at home, 5-1, in the ECAC Opening Round before sweeping travel partner Colgate, 4-1 and 3-0, on the road.

Last Appearance/Championship: Last year’s defending champion returns to Lake Placid with the Whitelaw Cup still nestled in its grasp. This is the Big Red’s seventh appearance at Herb Brooks Arena since the tournament relocated, and the 13-time champions are bidding for their 25th championship game appearance. Six of those championships occurred after the postseason championship trophy was named after former commissioner Robert Whitelaw, and this year gives them an opportunity to become the fifth team – and second Cornell team – to repeat as postseason champions since RPI’s consecutive titles occurred around the schism with Hockey East.

Why They Win: The Big Red’s 16-10-6 record includes an 8-3-1 stretch that started after losing consecutive games to Dartmouth and St. Lawrence. Three of their four shutouts occurred in the last month, and one iced Colgate in the second game of the ECAC quarterfinal series. Since heading to Brown and Yale for a six-point weekend, a 35-6 scoring advantage in wins produced five goals per game and a .857 goals against average in wins.

Why They Don’t Win: None of those wins were against teams in the top six of the league until the playoff trip to Colgate, and the performances against teams either in the semifinal or the top four ended without an outright win: Dartmouth (6-1), Clarkson (3-3, shootout win), Union (4-1), Clarkson (3-1), Union (4-1)

The Last Word

As always, a special thank you to everyone who read our pages during the year, and an even more specific thank you to the coaches, players, communications folks and off-ice support staff who tolerated the incessant emails over the course of the season. I appreciate the time and energy that pushes this machine forward, and you’re all a part of the momentum.

I’ll once again miss the Frozen Four this year for family reasons – I didn’t want to travel home on Sunday when it’s my daughter’s fourth birthday – but I wanted to sincerely mention my family’s overall sacrifice during this season. Anyone with kids understands the difficulty associated with walking out of the house while your child stands in the window, at least.

Since this is predominantly my goodbye, I’ll offer a sincere thank you to everyone that made this year possible. This is a great community, our community, and I’m proud to associate with it. I hope this year, as always, is a reprieve from the world and the stress of living in it. Hug your children and share those moments with your loved ones. Take some time for yourself, and I hope we reconvene in the fall when the new season starts.

As for me, it’s onto an offseason and a world where I’m back to being Mrs. Rubin’s Mr. Rubin.

Enjoy your offseason and enjoy good health and great times.

With love and respect,
Your Friendly Neighborhood ECAC Writer

After three seasons with Harvard, Koskenvuo leaves Crimson crease, inks NHL contract with Vancouver

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Aku Koskenvuo spent three seasons in the blue paint for Harvard (photo: Harvard Athletics).

The NHL’s Vancouver Canucks have announced that the club has agreed to terms with Harvard junior goaltender Aku Koskenvuo on a two-year, entry-level contract.

This past season with the Crimson, Koskenvuo posted a record of 8-9-1 with a 2.81 goals-against average, a .902 save percentage, and one shutout in 20 games. His eight wins set a new career high.

Appearing in 39 career games with Harvard, Koskenvuo registered a record of 14-16-5 with three shutouts.

A native of Espoo, Finland, Koskenvuo has represented his country on multiple occasions, including the 2021 Under-18 World Championship, where he was named one of Finland’s top three players, as well as the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship.

Koskenvuo was originally selected by the Canucks in the fifth round (137th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Colorado College standout Laba forgoes senior season with Tigers, signs NHL deal with Rangers

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Noah Laba was a top player the last few seasons for Colorado College (photo: Casey B. Gibson).

Colorado College junior forward Noah Laba has agreed to terms on a two-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s New York Rangers beginning with the 2025-26 season.

Laba will report to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack on an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Laba tied for the CC team lead with 10 goals, tied for second with 26 points and finished fourth in the NCHC with a 57.3 faceoff winning percentage this season. He paced the Tigers with 20 goals and 37 points as a sophomore in 2023-24.

A second-team All-American and NCHC defensive forward of the year following the 2023-24 season, Laba collected 85 points (41 goals, 44 assists) in 100 career games with the Tigers.

Laba assumed a leadership role on the team this season, serving as an alternate captain, and is a three-time distinguished scholar-athlete by the NCHC and member of the league’s all-academic team.

A Northville, Mich., native, Laba was selected by the Rangers in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.

Atlantic Hockey America 2024-25 award winners include Holy Cross’ McLinskey as player of the year, Army West Point’s Gadowsky best defenseman, Niagara’s Hoskin top rookie

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Holy Cross’ Liam McLinskey has been a key player this season for the Crusaders (photo: Thomas Wolf Photography).

Atlantic Hockey America has announced its individual award winners for the 2024-25 season.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
FORWARD OF THE YEAR AWARD
AHA SCORING CHAMPION
Liam McLinskey, Sr., F, Holy Cross
Holy Cross senior Liam McLinskey is the dual winner of the Forward of the Year Award and the Player of the Year Award. McLinskey led Atlantic Hockey with 43 points on 20 goals and 23 assists during the regular season, and after collecting eight points through five postseason games, skates into Saturday’s championship game with 51 points on 23 goals and 28 assists. The senior forward orchestrated a seven-game goal streak from Nov. 7 – Nov. 30 and totaled 13 multi-point games in the regular season. McLinskey collected five points on two goals and three assists on Feb. 14 vs. Mercyhurst. McLinskey also took home the AHA Scoring Championship this season as the conference’s points leader in AHA contests during the regular season. The Pearl River, N.Y. native tallied 39 points on 19 goals and 20 assists in 26 league games. His rating of +20 in conference play also led all skaters in the league. McLinskey is the first AHA skater to earn back-to-back Player of the Year honors and conference scoring titles in league history.

BEST DEFENSEMAN AWARD
Mac Gadowsky, So., D, Army West Point
Army sophomore Mac Gadowsky is this year’s selection for the Best Defenseman Award. During the regular season, Gadowsky potted 12 goals and dished out 23 assists for 35 points. He was among the highest-scoring defensemen in the country, and led Atlantic Hockey blueliners in goals (11), assists (22), and points (33) in AHA play. His 33 points in league play not only led AHA defensemen, but ranked second among all skaters. For good measure, Gadowsky added four goals and three assists for seven points in five AHA postseason games. From Jan. 3 – Feb. 8, Gadowsky orchestrated an 11-game point streak that saw him tally 21 points (7g, 14a) in that stretch. His 16 goals on the season currently leads all defensemen in the country, while his 42 points are tied for the national lead among blueliners.

GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR
AHA GOALTENDING CHAMPION
Thomas Gale, Sr., G, Holy Cross
Holy Cross goaltender Thomas Gale takes home the Goaltender of the Year Award for 2024-25. Playing in all 26 league games, Gale led the AHA in save percentage (.940), goals-against average (1.71), and wins (19), while ranking second in minutes between the pipes (1547:14). The senior netminder also posted two shutouts in AHA play. Gale enters Saturday’s title game with 24 wins on the season, which is currently tied for third in the nation and is a Holy Cross single season record. His .930 save percentage on the season currently ranks ninth nationally. Gale is also the AHA Goaltending Champion for 2024-25, as his .940 save percentage during conference play in the regular season was tops in Atlantic Hockey. On Feb. 13, Gale was named a semifinalist for the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) Mike Richter Award for 2025, which is given annually to the top goalie in men’s NCAA Division I hockey.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Trevor Hoskin, Fr., F, Niagara
Niagara forward Trevor Hoskin is the AHA Rookie of the Year. Hoskin was among the nation’s top-scoring freshmen in 2024-25, and his 39 points on the season are currently tied for the national lead among rookies. In AHA play during the regular season, Hoskin led all rookies and ranked seventh among all skaters in the league with 29 points. In addition, his 20 assists in league play led all rookies and ranked fourth among all skaters. The Belleville, Ont. native orchestrated two seven-game point streaks on the season, with the first ranging from Oct. 12 – Nov. 1, and the second lasting from Jan. 4 – Jan. 25. He was named AHA Rookie of the Week on Jan. 27, and was named AHA Rookie of the Month for September/October and January. Hoskin is the second Purple Eagle to earn AHA Rookie of the Year honors, following Ludwig Stenlund in 2018-19.

CO-BEST DEFENSIVE FORWARDS
Austin Schwartz, Sr., F, Air Force
Ethan Leyh, Gr., F, Bentley
Air Force’s Austin Schwartz and Bentley’s Ethan Leyh are Co-Best Defensive Forwards for 2024-25. Schwartz is the only player to win or share Best Defensive Forward honors in back-to-back years in AHA history. The senior ranked as one of the top shot-blocking forwards in the country, and his 62 blocks on the season was tops among AHA forwards. He blocked 42 shots in 26 league games, and 10 of his 12 goals on the season came against AHA competition. On the season, his four game-winning goals were tied for second among all skaters in the conference. Leyh ended the regular season as Bentley’s leading scorer with 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points. In conference play, Leyh averaged 1.2 points per game with 30 points in 25 AHA games, with his 30 points ranking fifth in the league. Leyh was also strong in the face-off circle, as he won 301-of-524 face-offs (57.4 win percentage) in AHA play. The graduate student has added five points (3g, 2a) in four postseason games, and enters Saturday’s title game with 16 goals and 22 assists for 38 points on the season.

AHA INDIVIDUAL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Mac Gadowsky, So., D, Army West Point
Army’s Mac Gadowsky is the sixth Black Knight to win the AHA Individual Sportsmanship Award. Playing in all 38 games for Army, Gadowksy was whistled for just three total penalties equating to six minutes on the season, despite seeing significant ice time for Brian Riley’s squad. He was whistled for just two penalties for four minutes while posting a rating of +14 in 26 league games in the regular season.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Bill Riga, Holy Cross
Holy Cross’ Bill Riga is the AHA Coach of the Year for 2024-25. Riga has led the Crusaders to a historic season that saw them claim the AHA regular season title for the third time in school history (2004, 2006), and has Holy Cross poised to play for the AHA postseason title on Saturday. The Crusaders were propelled to the top of the AHA regular season standings by reeling off 16 straight conference wins (including OT/SO) from Nov. 22 – Feb. 14, which set an Atlantic Hockey record. Riga’s squad collected 12 regulation wins, three overtime wins, and one shootout victory during the historic streak, and ended the season with a 19-5-2 record in league play. On March 3, Holy Cross entered both the USCHO and USA Hockey/The Rink Live polls at No. 20. It was the first appearance for the Crusaders in the national polls since 2012. Holy Cross enters Saturday’s championship game ranked No. 19 in the latest USCHO Poll that was released on March 17.

AHA TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Niagara Purple Eagles
Head coach Jason Lammers and the Purple Eagles ended the 2024-25 regular season with the fewest penalty minutes in the AHA during league play. Niagara took 89 penalties equating to 192 minutes in 26 AHA regular season contests (7:23 per game). Overall, Niagara’s 7.5 penalty minutes per game on the season led Atlantic Hockey and ranked tied for seventh nationally. This is Niagara’s second AHA Team Sportsmanship Award, with the first coming in 2018-19.

Longtime New Hampshire men’s hockey coach Umile tabbed 2025 Legend of College Hockey award recipient from Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation

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Dick Umile takes in the action at UNH’s Frozen Fenway practice on Jan. 13, 2017 (USCHO.com file photo).

The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation has announced its 2025 Legend of College Hockey recipient as Dick Umile from New Hampshire.

Umile guided the Wildcats for 28 seasons at his alma mater from 1990 to 2018, accumulating 596 career wins to rank tenth all-time in career Division I victories. He is one of only eight head coaches to claim 500 wins at one school.

During his illustrious career, Umile molded UNH into one of the top programs in Division I college hockey. He was behind the bench for four Frozen Four appearances, 18 NCAA national tournament appearances, eight Hockey East regular-season championships and two Hockey East playoff titles. His squads recorded 20 or more wins in 20 of his 28 seasons.

Umile coached 31 All-Americans and 12 Hobey Baker top ten finalists, including 1999 Hobey winner Jason Krog. Many of his alumni went on to successful NHL careers including brothers Trevor and James van Riemsdyk, Darren Haydar, Ty Conklin, Bobby Butler and many more.

Among his many accolades, Umile was named coach of the year 11 times, including all-New England honors four times and Hockey East coach of the year six times. He was also tabbed the Spencer Penrose Award winner as national coach of the year for the 1998-99 season.

A native of Melrose, Mass., Umile began his coaching career in the prep ranks in Massachusetts for 10 years before getting an opportunity to join Providence as an assistant coach in 1985. He remained there for three seasons, took on a similar role at UNH for two seasons before being named head coach for the 1990-91 campaign. Umile played three seasons for the Wildcats from 1969 to 1972, accounting for 144 points in 87 games.

Umile will be honored along with this year’s Hobey Baker Award winner at the annual Hobey Baker Award banquet and golf outing this summer in St. Paul, Minn. Banquet and golf information will be available soon by visiting hobeybaker.com.

Key Hobey Baker announcement dates for 2025 include:

Top Ten list of candidates: March 19
Hobey Hat Trick of three finalists: April 3
Hobey Baker Award announcement: April 11

The 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced from a field of three Hobey Hat Trick finalists on Friday, April 11, 2025 during the Frozen Four in St. Louis. The award ceremony will be broadcast nationally on NHL Network and streamed live at hobeybaker.com.

Michigan State’s Howard named Big Ten player of the year, teammate Augustine top goalie, Minnesota’s Rinzel best defenseman

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MIchigan State goalie Trey Augustine is a Mike Richter Award semifinalist this season (photo: Michigan State Athletics).

The Big Ten announced the 2024-25 hockey postseason awards on Tuesday.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Isaac Howard, Jr., F, Michigan State

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sam Rinzel, So., D, Minnesota

GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR
Trey Augustine, So., G, Michigan State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Michael Hage, Fr., F, Michigan

COACH OF THE YEAR
Steve Rohlik, Ohio State

SCORING CHAMPION
Isaac Howard, Jr., F, Michigan State (33 points)

ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
F — Isaac Howard, Jr., Michigan State
F — Jimmy Snuggerud, Jr., Minnesota
F — Aiden Fink, So., Penn State +
D — Matt Basgall, Jr., Michigan State
D — Sam Rinzel, So., Minnesota
G — Trey Augustine, So., Michigan State

ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
F — T.J. Hughes, Jr., Michigan
F — Quinn Finley, So., Wisconsin
F — Cole Knuble, So., Notre Dame
D — Ethan Edwards, Sr., Michigan
D — Simon Mack, Sr., Penn State
G — Arsenii Sergeev, Jr., Penn State

ALL-BIG TEN HONORABLE MENTION
F — Karsen Dorwart, Jr., Michigan State
F — Connor Kurth, Jr., Minnesota
F — Matthew Wood, Jr., Minnesota
F — Davis Burnside, Jr., Ohio State
F — Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, Gr., Ohio State
F — Riley Thompson, So., Ohio State
F — Reese Laubach, So., Penn State
F — Ryland Mosley, Gr., Wisconsin
D — Jacob Truscott, Gr., Michigan
D — Ryan Chesley, Jr., Minnesota
D — Damien Carfagna, Jr., Ohio State
G — Liam Souliere, Gr., Minnesota
G — Logan Terness, Sr., Ohio State

BIG TEN ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
F — Michael Hage, Fr., Michigan
F — Charlie Cerrato, Fr., Penn State
F — Gavin Morrissey, Fr., Wisconsin
D — Cade Christenson, Fr., Penn State +
D — Logan Hensler, Fr., Wisconsin +
G — Cameron Korpi, Fr., Michigan

BIG TEN SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS
Jacob Truscott, Gr., D, Michigan
Matt Basgall, Jr., D, Michigan State
Aaron Huglen, Sr., F, Minnesota
Tyler Carpenter, Sr., F, Notre Dame
Patrick Guzzo, Gr., F, Ohio State
Carson Dyck, Sr., F, Penn State
Anthony Kehrer, Gr., D, Wisconsin

+ unanimous selections

This year’s honors included individual awards, all-Big Ten teams, the all-freshman team and sportsmanship awards. Voting was conducted by conference head coaches and a media panel.

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