Alex Newhook averaged better than a point per game in both of his seasons at Boston College (photo: Rich Gagnon).
The Colorado Avalanche announced Wednesday that the team has signed Boston College sophomore forward Alex Newhook to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Newhook will report to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles.
Newhook just completed his sophomore season at Boston College, where he produced 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 12 games after missing the first half of the season due to required quarantine protocols preceding the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton, Alberta. The St. John’s, N.F., native recorded six points (three goals, three assists) and a plus-8 rating at the tournament, helping Canada capture the silver medal.
As a freshman at Boston College in 2019-20, Newhook earned the Tim Taylor Award as the NCAA Division I rookie of the year. He was also named the Hockey East rookie of the year. Newhook tallied 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) and ranked ninth nationally in points per game and tied for the team lead in scoring. He led all NCAA freshmen in goals, game-winning goals (4) and short-handed goals (3), while his plus-28 rating was third in the country.
Selected by the Avalanche in the first round (16th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Newhook represented his country at the 2019 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship in Sweden, registering 10 points (five goals, five assists) in seven games to tie for the team lead in points. He suited up for Team Canada Black at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, finishing with four points (goal, three assists) in five games.
Spencer Knight was lights-out this season for Boston College (photo: Rich Gagnon).
The Florida Panthers announced Wednesday that the club has agreed to terms with Boston College sophomore goaltender Spencer Knight on a three-year, entry-level contract.
“We are thrilled to have agreed to terms on a contract with Spencer,” said Panthers GM Bill Zito in a statement. “He is an immensely talented and dynamic young goaltender who has been an elite player at every level that he has played. From the collegiate ranks to international tournaments, Spencer has consistently elevated his game, a testament to his work ethic, compete and character.
“We are excited for him to take the next step in his career with the Panthers and look forward to his future with our club.”
Knight completed his sophomore season with Boston College in 2020-21, appearing in 21 games and owning a 16-4-1 record, 2.18 GAA, .932 save percentage and three shutouts.
The native of Darien, Conn., ranked fifth in the nation in save percentage and tied for fifth in wins, the most among sophomore goaltenders.
Named a finalist for the 2021 Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goalie in men’s NCAA Division I hockey since 2014, Knight was named the 2020-21 Hockey East goaltender of the year, player of the year and a named a first team all-star. Knight was also named a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
Knight backstopped the United States to a gold medal at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. He completed the tournament with a 5-1-0 record, 1.63 GAA, .940 save percentage and three shutouts.
Originally selected by Florida in the first round (13th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Knight appeared in 54 games over two seasons for Boston College (2019-21) amassing a 39-12-3 record, 2.05 GAA, .931 save percentage and eight shutouts.
On the international stage with USA Hockey, Knight has earned a World Junior gold medal (2021), silver medal (2019), IIHF World U18 Championship silver medal (2018), bronze medal (2019) and World U17 Hockey Challenge gold medal (2017).
Penn State goaltender Josie Bothun is the 2020-21 USCHO Rookie of the Year.
Penn State freshman goalie Josie Bothun tends the net against RIT this season. Photo: Penn State Athletics
Bothun was part of a nine-member freshmen class for the Nittany Lions that was as impactful as it was deep. She and classmate Annie Spring were the only goalies to see action for PSU, with Spring playing one period and Bothun playing all the rest. The other seven rookies were skaters, all posting five or more points, and all playing in at least 13 of the team’s 21 games. The freshmen combined for 88 of the squad’s 195 points and 34 of its 72 goals.
Foremost among the skaters was forward Kiara Zanon, who led all rookies with 30 points. That total also paced her team, and Zanon led Penn State in assists, shots on goal, and plus/minus as well. Zanon’s season earned her the honor of National Rookie of the Year, and she could easily have won USCHO’s rookie award and been a worthy recipient.
So why didn’t she? While what Zanon accomplished was impressive, the strides made by her team in this unusual season were even more so. A program that had only once managed a winning record, that by a single game in its third season of existence, managed a lofty 81 percent winning percentage.
Bothun earned all 16 wins, the most in a season by any Nittany Lions netminder, and only one shy of the team’s highwater mark for wins. That was accomplished in a full season, which this surely wasn’t.
Penn State had previously never finished higher than third in College Hockey America or reached double digits in league wins, but took this season’s CHA crown thanks to those 16 victories. As impressive as the campaign was, the Nittany Lions nearly rose to a whole other level. After clinching the title on February 26 with a convincing 5-2 triumph over Mercyhurst, they had only tasted defeat once through 19 contests.
Perhaps a young team got a bit complacent. They started slowly the next day and fell into an early two-goal hole, but rallied, only to lose in overtime. Six days later, another lackluster start against Syracuse in the conference semifinal doomed the Nittany Lions to a second straight defeat. When the NCAA Selection Committee chose to spurn the team that had the second-best record in the country, a dream season was quickly and shockingly over.
What better way to honor a historic Penn State team than to give a nod to the goaltender that was on the ice for all but 23:33 of it?
Individually, Bothun turned in a season that was statistically noteworthy. Her goals against average was second only to Aerin Frankel and the best in program history for any goaltender playing at least two games. Bothun ranked in the top five nationally in save percentage, winning percentage, and shutouts.
Due to the impact of Covid-19 on the sport, the entire hockey world had to adjust in 2020-21 – to games played without fans, with an uncertain schedule, and following unprecedented protocols. Bothun needed to acclimate to playing with and against females again, after a couple of seasons with the Forest Lake High School boys’ team.
Now that she’s at home in State College, surrounded by talented teammates, and having four years of eligibility remaining while already boasting 16 career wins, who knows what kind of assault she can wage on the record books. Bothun and her teammates may have missed out on this year’s NCAA Tournament, but it’s safe to predict that she will get to participate in it before her career is complete.
Until then, in recognition of what she and her Penn State teammates accomplished, Josie Bothun is this year’s USCHO Rookie of the Year.
Michigan’s Cam York was tabbed the defenseman of the year in the Big Ten for the 2020-21 season (photo: Michigan Photography).
Michigan sophomore defenseman Cam York has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, forgoing his last two seasons with the Wolverines.
“Thank you to the University of Michigan for the opportunity to play hockey for such an amazing institution,” York said in a statement. “It has been an honor to represent the block M, playing the sport I love so much.
“First, I want to thank the coaching staff, for pushing me to not only be a better hockey player but a better human being. Secondly, my teammates — I love you guys. You made my two years here unforgettable. COVID took a lot of things from us, but the one thing it couldn’t take are the memories we’ve made. To everyone behind the scenes of Michigan hockey, thank you for all you do for us. Your work does not go unnoticed. And last but not least, to the Children of Yost and all Michigan hockey fans. You are the best. You make our games so exciting and added so much to my college hockey experience. Thank you for all your support. Forever Go Blue. And to Philly… I couldn’t be more excited to join the organization. Let’s gooooo.”
The Big Ten defenseman of the year, York was drafted by the Flyers in the first round (14th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft.
York led Big Ten defensemen in scoring this season with 20 points, scoring four goals and 16 assists. He assisted on four game-winning goals and helped the Wolverines to a 10-3 record when making the scoresheet. Five of his points came on the power play as he played an integral role organizing the top unit. A first team All-Big Ten selection, York finished the season plus-13 and had 32 blocked shots.
“I’d like to congratulate Cam York on his recent signing with the Philadelphia Flyers,” said Wolverines coach Mel Pearson. “I’d also like to thank him for all he has done for the University of Michigan and our program. Cam had an outstanding season for us this past season, and I wish I could have the opportunity to work him a few more years. We wish him the best in his new endeavor — the Philadelphia Flyers are getting a great player and a great person. Go Blue.”
A native of Anaheim, Calif., York was one of three finalists for the Big Ten’s rookie the year award in 2019-20 in addition to being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and honorable mention All-Big Ten. He led the freshmen in scoring and was fourth on the team in scoring overall with 16 points on five goals and 11 assists.
York finishes his Michigan career scoring nine goals and 27 assists for 36 points in 54 games with a plus-27 rating and 86 blocked shots.
Internationally, York captained Team USA to a gold medal at the 2021 World Junior Championship this past January. He was a member of the 2020 team as well and won silver and bronze medals with USA at the Under-18 World Championships, in addition to a gold medal at the USA Under-17s in 2018.
It’s impossible to compare teams and seasons and national title runs, but Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson said shortly after the final buzzer of the title game that the 2021 National Championship was the most exhausting and difficult one he had ever experienced.
And he has experienced many. With his team’s win this year, he became the only DI women’s hockey coach to win six titles – the Badgers were the last team standing in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019 and now in 2021.
A bench boss that rarely shows emotion – good or bad – he was visibly stunned and then ecstatic when his team took the title in overtime thanks to an improbable goal from behind the net by Watts.
“It’s never easy, but we stuck with it,” he said on the tv broadcast immediately after the game. “It’s been a wonderful year, but a challenging year.”
This unprecedented season presented difficulties for every player, coach and staff member on every team whether they took the ice this season or not. Having the 2020 season get shut down in its final two weeks was the mostly unspoken – but ever-present – pall hanging over everyone as they knew that despite all the accommodations, testing and precautions they took, it could all end at any moment.
Through that all, the Badgers were ranked first or second the entire season, won the program’s ninth WCHA regular season and playoff crowns and advanced to their record seventh-straight Frozen Four before earning their sixth title – tying them for most NCAA championships with Minnesota.
Johnson and his staff have created and cultivated a culture of excellence and winning at Wisconsin. His players past and present rave about playing in Madison and learning from him. The success of former Badgers on and off the ice tell the story of Johnson’s far-reaching impact on women’s hockey. He is both a legend and just their coach.
In his 18th season behind the bench for Wisconsin, Johnson the all-time winningest coach in Division I women’s hockey history with a career record of 539-95-47. He earned his ninth WCHA Coach of the Year award this season.
This was a Wisconsin team that thrived in the third period and overtime. They seemed to rise to the occasion again and again in ways they didn’t quite muster in earlier periods of the game. Whether it was a flair for the dramatic or a different type of motivation, Johnson’s team got it done late in the game, scoring 37 of the team’s 77 goals this season in the final frame of the game.
Opponents scored just nine of their 32 goals against them during those periods. The Badgers played in six overtime games this season and went 4-1-1 and captured the regular season title, the WCHA tournament title and the national championship with overtime wins.
Experience matters. Going into the title game, Wisconsin were the defending national champions who were more comfortable on the biggest stage. But that wasn’t ultimately the experience that mattered. They also had faced more do-or-die scenarios this year and come out on top. The coaches believed in them and they believed in themselves and that certainty, captain Brette Pettet said, was what carried them to the title.
The team was fast and deep and even-keeled. They got scoring from across their lines. They adjusted and adapted – to their teammates, to their opponents and to the circumstances. They were prepared, but not cocky. They won when they had to.
They bent, but they did not break.
For all these reasons and more, Wisconsin’s Mark Johnson is the 2021 USCHO Coach of the Year.
Jake Adkins and Andrew Walker took to the streets to raise money for the American Cancer Society during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What started out as a brainstorming conversation between two UMass Boston hockey players became a goal and a purpose for supporting the American Cancer Society during the pandemic.
Not to be confused with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones’ “Men in Black,” Men In Blades (MIB) was born when teammates Jake Adkins and Andrew Walker wanted to come up with a meaningful way to help support cancer patients, many of whom were struggling to get care during the COVID pandemic.
MIB intended to help support those in need by raising donations through a 900-mile rollerblading adventure from Boston to Andrew’s hometown in Mason, Mich.
“As freshmen, we learned a lot from watching Dakota [Keene] and his charitable endeavors and talked with him about how to organize our plan,” said Walker. “It all started with discussions in our rooms and quickly became an obsession and focus about how we could do this. We are both STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) guys, so we figured the best plan was to roller blade from Massachusetts to Michigan. We didn’t quite figure out the endurance and topography around skating the 900 miles or what turned out to be 100 miles per day for nine days.”
The cause was the easy part of the equation as both Adkins and Walker had seen first-hand the impacts of battling cancer with dear family members and friends including Adkins’ mother, who has survived two battles with cancer.
There was the underlying concern and focus about raising funds to support ACS, especially during the pandemic to keep needed services and treatments available for patients battling cancer. Their battle on the road was going to prove to be much more than either of them had considered when masterminding the plan.
“It was just four of us with a camper,” said Adkins. “We didn’t consider the elevation changes on the roads which was a bit of a miscalculation because our rollerblades have no brakes. There were a lot of uphills and downhills in the first week. The uphills weren’t so bad, but the downhills were challenging in trying to avoid falls or running into things. We quickly adapted to put our vehicle in front of us on the hilly sections so that we could use it to slow down on some of the descents.
“I think we both lost 15-20 pounds with the intensity of the skating every day and couldn’t eat enough calories for what we were burning with the 100 miles per day. We would eat about six or seven times – full meals during each day, and we still lost weight.”
Adkins and Walker take a break on the road during their amazing 900-mile trek.
MIB began their daily ultra-marathon very early each morning trying to beat the heat of the summer days. Physio tape became a growing part of their daily wardrobe. There were times it was so hot on the road that the tar seemed to melt around their wheels and on at least one occasion, they were the traffic jam on local access roads. Their cause garnered more and more awareness as they traveled west, and that knowledge helped them with some needed police escorts at times to keep the MIB convoy moving.
Among the well-oiled MIB team, there was a much-needed physical therapist to keep the boys on their blades as well as their trusted social media guru and USA Hockey intern, Sidney Binger. Sidney kept the MIB trek front and center on the many social media channels and garnered the attention of the NHL as well as the Mario Lemieux Foundation.
Their goal of raising several thousand dollars quickly ballooned as different contributors across the hockey world backed their road trip on skates. Ultimately, the boys captured $30,000 in contributions for the American Cancer Society and brought attention to many local charities along their journey across the different states heading into Michigan.
“Sidney and I were best friends growing up,” said Walker. “We were lucky that she had some time away from her intern position with USA Hockey due to the pandemic – she was the social media master. It really was amazing how the hockey world rallied to our cause and helped us greatly exceed our goals. It feels great to help out a lot of people who need the support to continue their battle against cancer.”
MIB has not stopped their fundraising activities just because their rollerblading a third of the way across the country ended over the summer. The MIB franchise is something that Adkins and Walker are committed to maintaining as part of their ongoing balancing of school, hockey and charitable endeavors.
“We have a lot of ideas,” said Adkins. “We had planned a 3-on-3 pond hockey tournament for the Frog Pond in the Boston Public Gardens but had to postpone our December timing due to COVID. Right now, we are supporting the AJ Quetta Foundation by selling bracelets and t-shirts to raise money for the local high school hockey player that suffered a serious spinal cord injury this year. We see a lot of opportunities to keep the MIB active and we are proud to be helping.
“The Hockey Humanitarian Award nomination is really amazing, and it is an honor to be recognized – we want to keep this going to contribute as much as we can to the charities where we can help.”
Walker and Adkins enjoy a lighthearted moment during a break from their recent journey.
So is there another marathon skate planned for MIB? Not according to Walker, who thinks their next sanctioned event will be with a larger scale of participants and a much shorter route to travel.
“We are planning a 10-mile rollerblading event in the upcoming months,” Walker said. “We would like to reschedule the pond hockey event next winter but will look for a lot of participants to join our 10-mile event. I think we still have several sets of wheels we never needed for the trek last summer so we can put those to good use and enjoy a much shorter route for a good cause.”
His partner on wheels couldn’t agree more.
“I am so glad we didn’t pick my hometown to skate to,” joked Adkins. “Centennial, Colorado would have been way too much – a ten-miler sounds pretty good.”
Stevenson freshman defenseman Blake Colman is averaging a point a game for the Mustangs (Photo by Sabina Moran)
As the only conference playing for a championship in the east, the UCHC has worked through all the challenges of playing a hockey season during a pandemic. Adjustments on many scales have been made and as the season winds down to the playoffs beginning this week, the Stevenson Mustangs are a serious contender that hopes the title can be won where it belongs – on the ice.
“It was been a crazy season,” said head coach Dominick Dawes. “We have a really young squad that has been committed from the fall to play and grow as a team. As coaches, I think across the league we all get it and are living the challenges every day. After finishing our one remaining regular season game this weekend against Nazareth, we are locked into the top two spots with Utica. Eight teams will be in the playoffs with consideration to travel restrictions before we branch out a little wider for the semifinals and final. The quarterfinals will be next Wednesday with the semifinals on Saturday and the championship game on the Monday after Easter. With everything our team is through we are focused on the title and we all hope we can finish this the right way on the ice.”
Following the game with Nazareth, a 6-3 win, Stevenson is 10-2-1 overall and 7-1-1 in UCHC play giving them 22 points and an .833-win percentage in the league. Some might find the strong results a bit surprising considering the make-up of the roster which boasts 15 freshmen skating regularly and three of them amongst the team leaders in goals and points.
“They were good players before they got here to Stevenson,” said Dawes. “We have given them the opportunity to play and to make mistakes as part of their development. They have matured quite a bit because of being put in all kinds of different situations. It is great to see the growth and the results come together for what is still a young program here.”
Among the outstanding newcomers are forwards Mac Lowry and Eric Olson along with defenseman Blake Colman. Lowry leads the Mustangs in goals with nine while Colman leads the defensive group with 12 points in 12 games played.
“Those three have adjusted well to the college game so far,” stated Dawes. “Our team continues to mature, and our six seniors have helped that growth. The team really has come together well through all of the challenges and enjoy their time together whether practicing or playing the games.”
Another factor in Stevenson’s success is the emergence of Ryan Kenny in goal. The sophomore has been solid in goal this season with an 9-1-1 record, .924 save-percentage and a 2.08 goals-against average. Kenny’s rock-solid play has garnered the attention of his teammates and boosted the confidence of a team hungry for a title.
“Ryan was thrown right into it last season as a freshman,” noted Dawes. “He has come in this season dialed-in and 100% focused. He is usually the first kid on the ice working on things and I believe the fall skills sessions were really helpful for him in preparation for the season. There is complete confidence in Ryan in the locker room and the team believes he gives us a chance to win every game.”
The final days of the sprint-like season are here at the end of March and the determination of playoff opponents and venues coming after the regular season concludes with or without make-up games lost to COVID protocols. By April 5, the 2020-2021 UCHC men’s ice hockey champion will be crowned.
“We haven’t changed our goals with the exception of not having a national tournament,” said Dawes. “We always compete for two championships – the MAC and the UCHC. We think we have wrapped up the MAC title which is our athletic conference with some other teams that playing the UCHC, and we are focused on winning the second championship. It would be a big step forward for this still young program. We have been flexible by necessity in adapting to schedules and circumstances many times outside our control. The administration and athletic departments across the league have found a way to enable us to play and be safe. Now the best ending possible would be for a champion to be decided on the ice in the next week. Hopefully we earn that opportunity.”
The title journey starts Wednesday afternoon when Stevenson hosts Neumann.
Matt Boldy tallied 31 points in 22 games this season for Boston College (photo: Rich Gagnon).
The Minnesota Wild announced Tuesday that the club has signed Boston College sophomore forward Matt Boldy to a three-year, entry-level contract starting with this season.
He will begin his professional career with the AHL’s Iowa Wild, giving up his last two seasons of NCAA eligibility with BC.
Boldy tallied 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 22 games with Boston College this season. The sophomore led the Eagles in scoring, goals, assists, power-play points (9), power-play assists (7) and shots on goal (71).
He ranked tied for first in the NCAA in shorthanded goals and tied for 11th in scoring and assists.
The native of Milford, Mass., tallied seven points (five goals, two assists) in seven games to help the United States win the gold medal at 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. Boldy led the tournament with three power-play goals.
He recorded 56 points (19 goals, 37 assists) in 55 games during two seasons with Boston College.
Boldy was originally selected by Minnesota in the first round (12th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft.
Mike Hardman spent the past two seasons skating for Boston College (photo: Rich Gagnon).
The Chicago Blackhawks announced Tuesday that they have agreed to terms with Boston College sophomore forward Mike Hardman on a two-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2021-22 season.
By signing with Chicago, Hardman gives up his junior and senior seasons with the Eagles.
Hardman will begin his professional career immediately by being assigned to the Blackhawks’ taxi squad.
A native of Hanover, Mass., Hardman posted 10 goals and 19 points in 24 games with the Eagles in 2020-21. As a freshman during the 2019-20 campaign, he recorded 12 goals and added 13 assists in 34 regular-season games.
An artist’s rendering of how the new Arizona State arena will look once completed next year (photo: Sun Devil Athletics).
The new arena being built for the Arizona State hockey team is making progress and staying on track to open in the fall/winter of 2022.
Last November, the new $115-million, 5,000-seat arena in Tempe was approved by the university’s Board of Regents’ Finance, Capital and Resources Committee.
Currently, the Sun Devils play at the 700-seat Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe.
Kale Bennett is a defenseman on the ice for WMU and a 3.99 GPA student in the classroom (photo: Mark Kuhlmann).
With aspirations of becoming an orthopedic surgeon, Western Michigan senior defenseman Kale Bennett has been selected the recipient of the 2021 NCHC postgraduate scholarship.
Bennett becomes the second Bronco to earn the scholarship in its six-year history, along with Aaron Hadley in 2016-17.
Also named the NCHC’s senior scholar-athlete award winner for 2020-21 earlier in March, Bennett becomes the third student-athlete to win both that award and the NCHC postgraduate scholarship, along with Omaha’s Joel Messner (2017-18) and Denver’s Gabe Levin (2015-16).
Bennett is set to graduate from WMU in April with his bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences, while compiling a near-perfect 3.99 grade-point average. He will also complete minors in chemistry, psychology and sociology. After finishing his undergraduate degree, Bennett will take the MCAT this spring and plans to attend medical school where he’ll put his scholarship to use.
“We are honored to present the NCHC Postgraduate Scholarship to Kale Bennett of Western Michigan,” said NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton in a statement. “Kale’s success in the classroom is impressive, as he was awarded our 2021 senior scholar-athlete recognition as well. Kale’s pursuit of being a medical doctor is inspiring and we are proud to have him a part of the NCHC family.”
Bennett is a four-time member of the NCHC academic all-conference team and a four-time NCHC distinguished scholar-athlete, as well as a three-time AHCA All-American scholar. He also garnered WMU’s Peter Ellis academic player of the year honor each of the last three seasons (2018-20).
Bennett served as an alternate captain for the Broncos this season, playing in 23 of 25 games on the WMU blue line. He finishes his career with 113 games played for Western Michigan, recording 17 points on three goals and 14 assists, including one helper this season.
“My world is constantly surrounded by broken bones and torn ligaments, which have always intrigued me and influenced my life goals,” Bennett wrote in his scholarship nomination. “Attending medical school is not only an important step in becoming a doctor, but a necessary and required one. I am excited to further my education, as understanding the human body, how it works, and how to aid in the healing process has always fascinated me.”
The NCHC’s postgraduate scholarship is funded by a grant from the El Pomar Foundation in Colorado Springs, which has also supported the NCHC by providing its office headquarters on the grounds of the Penrose House and helping cover the cost of the Penrose Cup.
Bennett’s scholarship award amount will be $7,500.
“The NCHC membership and board of directors are thankful for the support of Mr. Kyle Hybl and the El Pomar Foundation Board of Directors.” Fenton said. “Celebrating our student’s success is a cornerstone of our conference and we are proud to share in this honor with El Pomar.”
To be eligible for the NCHC’s postgraduate scholarship, the student-athlete must be a senior on the official NCAA hockey roster with at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average, who plans to continue his academic studies beyond his undergraduate degree. The recipient must enroll in a postgraduate degree program within three years of receiving the scholarship to collect the financial aid. The winner is chosen by a vote of the NCHC’s faculty athletics representatives (FARs) from among the nominees submitted by each school’s FAR.
Layton Ahac played on the Ohio State back end from 2019 to 2021.
The Vegas Golden Knights have signed Ohio State sophomore defenseman Layton Ahac to a three-year, entry-level contract.
In signing Ahac gives up his last two seasons of NCAA eligibility.
Ahac, who also signed an AHL contract with the Henderson Silver Knights for the remainder of this season, collected nine points (goal, eight assists) in 27 games during his sophomore season, the second highest point total among all Buckeye defensemen.
As a freshman last year, the North Vancouver, B.C., native appeared in each of the team’s 36 games and recorded three assists.
Ahac was originally selected by the Golden Knights in the third round (86th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft.
Worcester State University announced Tuesday afternoon that women’s hockey will be added as an NCAA Division III sport for the 2021-22 season.
The team will play its home games in downtown Worcester at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center, also home to the Worcester State men’s hockey team and will have its own locker room and reserved ice times for games and practices, similar to the men’s hockey team.
The university will begin the process of applying for conference membership in the coming weeks, and is expected to have a full schedule compiled by this summer.
Worcester State men’s team is part of the MASCAC.
Worcester State’s first head coach will be Eliza Kelley, who joins the team after serving as head coach at Becker for the past six seasons. She also served as the NCAA compliance officer at Becker. Prior to Becker, she was a full-time assistant coach at Utica, her alma mater, for four seasons. She graduated from Utica with a Bachelor’s degree in management in 2011, and received her MBA from Utica in 2014.
”We are fortunate to have the opportunity to add varsity women’s ice hockey at Worcester State University,” said Worcester State director of athletics Michael Mudd in a statement. “When I arrived to campus almost seven years ago, one of my goals was to eventually add a varsity women’s ice hockey program to our list of athletic offerings. The sport is growing rapidly in popularity in our region and, with the tremendous academic opportunities that we offer here at Worcester State University, I feel we can create a great program.
“It has taken the collaboration of a lot of people to make this day happen, and for that our athletics department is grateful. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Cliff Rucker and his facility. In addition, the athletics department is appreciative of the strong support from the Worcester State administration, which shared in the belief that women’s ice hockey would be a tremendous opportunity to showcase our university to a different audience and also to provide a great experience for some outstanding female student-athletes.”
“I am very excited to welcome these outstanding student-athletes to Worcester State University,” added university president Barry Maloney. “Coach Kelley comes to us highly recommended and is a welcome addition to our University. I have no doubt she will do a great job providing a great student-athlete experience for her players and that the team will represent our University in a positive manner.”
KELLEY
Kelley can’t wait to get started.
“I am excited to lead the women’s ice hockey team at Worcester State University,” said Kelley. “First and foremost I would like to thank Michael Mudd, President Maloney, and all other administrators that have played a role in this process. I am continuously impressed and grateful for their support of both bringing women’s hockey to the institution and their faith in my leadership. They have built an extremely competitive athletics department and I am truly confident that women’s ice hockey will find success here as well.
“The City of Worcester is a community that I love and call home. Hockey has deep roots here and I am looking forward to contributing to that legacy at Worcester State. I am thrilled to get to work on building this program.”
Becker will no longer play its home games at the Fidelity Back Worcester Ice Center.
“It is very disappointing to lose Becker College, which has been such a loyal partner to the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center,” said Worcester Railers HC and Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center owner Cliff Rucker. “I wish their faculty, staff, and students nothing but the best of luck. I am thrilled, however, that Worcester State, another strong founding partner of ours, has the opportunity to add a varsity women’s ice hockey program to their university. Combined with the men’s varsity ice hockey program, Worcester State will create an even stronger relationship with our facility. Hopefully this will afford some of the Becker student-athletes the opportunity to remain in Worcester and compete for the Lancers.”
Saint Mary’s senior captain Delaney Wolf is a Hockey Humanitarian Award finalist for the second straight season (photo: Saint Mary’s Sports Information Office).
Volunteerism has taken on a different look during the COVID-19 pandemic, but one thing hasn’t changed for Saint Mary’s women’s hockey coach Sarah Murray: She doesn’t know how her captain gets enough sleep.
It’s no surprise that Cardinals senior defenseman Delaney Wolf is a Hockey Humanitarian Award finalist for the second year running.
A Michigan native who grew up in her parents’ hometown of Bismarck, N.D., Wolf doesn’t broadcast all the extracurricular work she does, but her work is also hard to miss.
“She never talks about it,” Murray said of Wolf, known as D.D. in Saint Mary’s dressing room. A teammate started calling Wolf that during her sophomore season, and the nickname stuck.
“She’s very humble, and when I nominated her last year, I knew D.D. helps out with youth hockey, tutors her teammates and always helps out at the humane society, so I knew there were little things here and there that she did,” Murray continued. “Then we started the application for Hockey Humanitarian, and I looked through it, and I basically told her, ‘Do you even sleep? How do you have time to do all these things?’
“She must be sleeping two hours a night or not at all. She just has more hours in the day than the rest of us.”
Wolf’s time on and off the ice with the Cardinals, and carrying a 4.0 GPA as a double-major (biochemistry and Spanish) and double-minor (psychology and physics) student, seem demanding enough. She spent around 30 hours volunteering during her junior year, though, and she hasn’t been far off that mark this season.
“It’s been a little less busy, just because it’s hard to get out and do a lot of different things,” Wolf said. “With social distancing and everything, we want to keep people safe so a lot of events aren’t going on, and there’s less ways to get out in the community.
“That’s been a little slower, but I’ve been looking at any opportunities I can find.”
Some of those opportunities have come through virtual means, including Spanish tutoring for local elementary students who hadn’t received as much foreign-language immersion through distance learning. Additionally, at the start of the Saint Mary’s fall 2020 semester, Wolf began volunteering with 7 Cups, an organization offering online mental health therapy and free counseling.
Wolf’s work as a volunteer listener with 7 Cups checks out for anyone who knows her. Since she was 16 years old, she has been a certified nursing assistant at Lakewood Landing, an assisted living community in Mandan, North Dakota, across the Missouri River from Bismarck. She can still be found there when Saint Mary’s students are away on breaks.
“I always spent a little extra time with my residents whenever I could, just because they couldn’t see their families, and it was getting hard for them,” Wolf said. “They felt like they were being trapped sometimes in their rooms sometimes in quarantine for weeks on end (amid the pandemic), so I tried to give them as much interaction as I could.
“Whenever I’m back for Christmas, Thanksgiving, whatever, I pick up a decent number of shifts. My parents get mad because I’m never home because I’m there.”
Back at the Saint Mary’s campus in Winona, Minnesota, Wolf has made a point in her senior year to give back to the Lasallian Brothers, members of a Roman Catholic religious teaching organization that has been associated with the university since the 1930s.
This season, Wolf capped off her senior year playing in all 10 games for the Cardinals (photo: Saint Mary’s Sports Information Office).
Members of the group live on campus, and while they normally have an active involvement with Saint Mary’s sports teams, that arrangement has taken on a different look during the pandemic. Wolf took an active role there, coming up with an idea for her team to take socially-distanced, masked-up walks with the Brothers.
“They’ve been struggling to get in contact with students because most of (the Brothers) are older, so they’re at high-risk for COVID, so it’s been difficult to get them involved, but over breaks and stuff, we would invite them out,” Wolf said. “We want to keep them involved on campus, because we know (the pandemic has) been hard on them.”
The Lasallian Brothers had been known to host the Cardinals sports teams for meals and other on-campus activities. Now, Wolf and her teammates are returning the favor.
“(The Brothers) were kind of trapped in their house and weren’t allowed to interact with the students because they were at-risk, but D.D. thought of taking them for walks,” Murray said. “Nobody thought of taking team walks outside, wearing masks, but she just thinks of other people first. Her mind thinks differently.”
Once Wolf’s time at Saint Mary’s is complete, she plans to take a gap year before she begins med school. She hopes the gap year will help her decide where she wants to focus with regards to patient care and research.
Her dream job, though, is with Médecins Sans Frontières, an international health organization best known for its efforts in conflict zones as well as countries affected by endemic diseases.
“Their work is usually overseas, but I really love to travel, so that’s something I’ve been interested in since high school,” Wolf said. “It’s very long-term because I have to get through med school first, become a doctor of whatever type and then figure out what to do with that, but I think it’s a great organization that I’ve always had a lot of interest in.
“Being able to go over and experience different cultures, especially in times of hardship and to be able to help, I think that’s one of the best things that you can do.”
She has already shown willingness to experience life far from home, but no matter where she ends up, she’ll miss Saint Mary’s and the Winona community.
“I’ve definitely learned how to fall in love with a place based on the people here,” Wolf said. “I was never super-attached to Bismarck in particular growing up, so coming to Saint Mary’s was not really a big jump.
“It’s going to be really hard to leave, because I’ve fallen in love with my professors, my best friends are here and all of my favorite people, other than my family, are here. It’s where I’ve learned how to love and be very, very happy.”
At the same time, others have learned plenty from her.
“It’s not like she’s doing all these things and putting in 50 percent,” Murray said. “She’s doing all these things and she’s excellent at everything.
“She’s going to accomplish whatever she wants to do. She’s incredible.”
Carson Gicewicz and Oliver Chau celebrate after a goal in UMass’ regional championship win Saturday over Bemidji State (photo: Matt Dewkett).
Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback. NOTE: This is our final TMQ of the 2020-21 season.
Jim: Well, Paula, the Frozen Four field is set and a pretty unique field it is.
You have three teams looking for their first title in Massachusetts, St. Cloud State and Minnesota State. The fourth team is looking for just the second other three-peat, that’s Minnesota Duluth.
The state of Minnesota has three teams in the field, something that happened only once before in 1992.
But something that stands out to me is that of the 10 Hobey Baker finalists that were playing when the tournament began only one, Dryden McKay is the only one left standing.
Nine very talented players took very talented teams into the tournament and came away empty, while three teams without Hobey finalists are headed onto Pittsburgh.
Which leads me to my question: are we learning that high-end talent doesn’t translate well in the national tournament? That sometimes it’s more about grit, determination and experience?
Paula: I think your question about high-end talent and the national tournament is an interesting one.
I’m reminded of interviewing 1997 Hobey Baker winner, Brendan Morrison, and how devastated he was that Michigan had lost its semifinal game to Boston University the night before the Hobey ceremony. Morrison said, “We had a successful year, and we did all the little things along the way, and sometimes the best team doesn’t win.”
Morrison took a lot of heat for that comment, and anyone who knew him then knew he meant no disrespect to the Terriers. Also, Morrison knew how talented that group of Wolverines was. Michigan won the championship both the year prior and the year after.
College hockey has changed so much since then.
It’s increasingly more difficult to retain top talent beyond a couple of years, so programs loaded with elite, drafted or draft-eligible players are having to reconfigure nearly annually, seeing an even higher turnover of players than what’s common among all teams. That is something that may favor teams that can’t compete for those high-end players. Beyond keeping a core of players together longer, teams like Mankato and St. Cloud also recruit guys that are super-specific to their programs and their schools.
It’s not that high-end players aren’t committed to the schools they attend, but there is something to be said for players who aren’t thinking about leaving early, who know that they’re committing for their full eligibility when they sign their letters of intent.
There may be something to the grit and determination you mention, especially for programs that perceive that they’re not given the respect they deserve. As for experience, we saw that with the Bulldogs – and maybe we see it with teams that have experience playing together, regardless of their experience in the national tournament.
I do think it’s too difficult to answer your question completely, though, Jim. We’ve talked a lot about how COVID has affected teams this season and readers may be weary of hearing it, but it’s impossible for me to think of this season as anything but unique unless subsequent seasons bear out the same results.
That having been said, there is an interesting trend in the Frozen Four field in the last decade or so. This year, Minnesota State becomes the 12th team since 2008 to make its first Frozen Four appearance. It’s been six years since the last time we saw a newcomer to the field – Omaha in 2015 – but this overall trend may help answer your question better.
Looking at the last 13 years, Jimmy, it has to be more than just grit and determination that’s helped so many newcomers advance to the Frozen Four, right? Although, I don’t want to discount those qualities – plus experience – in a season when there was so much else going on.
Jim: One thing that I often point to when we see programs that have not had a long track record of success suddenly succeed is institutional commitment.
Resources, specifically financial, may go further in hockey than many other sports, in particular football and basketball. In those sports, you can spend and spend and still never compete for a national championship.
But with hockey, I think it was helpful for programs like Union, Yale, Minnesota Duluth and Providence to all have success in the last decade or so. Let me look at a couple of programs I’ve been around for years – UMass Lowell and UMass. The River Hawks had some decent success in the mid 1990s but never won anything. After years of frustration, that school increased investment and resources and that finally translated to a return to the NCAA tournament in 2012 and then a Hockey East championship the following year. Lowell has now advanced to six of the last eight Hockey East title games, winning three, and reached a Frozen Four in 2013.
For UMass, part of the same system, I believe there was a hunger to replicate what their sister school accomplished. They put a lot of time and effort into bringing in the right coach in Greg Carvel and have committed more financially than in the past. It took a few years, but ultimately there was success.
That’s a microcosm of many programs in the nation. Maybe it’s a team that wants to invest so that they can be better within their conference, like AIC, or a program like Minnesota Duluth that continued to increase investment and watched it translate into three national title. And maybe four.
What resulted, though, is many new faces on a national stage. Some may think it’s not good for the overall college hockey brand. Certainly people know a lot more about, say, Minnesota than Minnesota State. But I, for one, think it’s exciting.
Paula: I’m with you.
The new faces in the tournament this past decade or so has been very exciting for college hockey fans. Those people we know who argue that seeing teams like Minnesota State in the tournament doesn’t do much to elevate college hockey may or may not be correct. The Mavericks don’t have the name recognition that the Golden Gophers do, but honestly, how much have the name brands – so to speak – heightened the profile of the game overall?
When the Big Ten formed and many college hockey fans groused about how it forced realignment, there were many others who countered that having such high-profile programs featured regularly on nationally televised games would bring new fans to the sport. I don’t have the statistics on this, but I’m pretty sure that college hockey didn’t experience a proliferation of new admirers.
We all want to grow the sport’s base, but we can’t look past one of the key things that makes college hockey so exciting – and that is seeing teams like Omaha, Union, RIT and now Minnesota State advance to the Frozen Four.
Now, I don’t have the statistics on this, either, but I think we’ve seen college hockey gain more fans because of the number of NHL players the NCAA is producing.
Jim: If there is a reason for a significant gain in reach for college hockey it is the realization that more than one-third of the NHL is comprised of former college players.
That said, I still hope there is a reason to expand this game and doing so at larger schools would be beneficial. I would really like to see the PAC-12 give serious consideration to finding enough schools to form another Power 5 conference. The SEC also has enough hockey and seriously passionate fan bases to grow in those necks of the woods.
This probably wasn’t the direction that you thought this final TMQ of the year would take. But I think it merits a lot of thought.
Paula: This definitely merits thought. This is the perfect time to begin to look ahead – maybe way ahead – beyond this season.
There is an astonishing amount of club hockey being played at colleges and universities across the U.S., and so much of it at institutions with high profiles. In Florida, the Hurricanes, Gators and Seminoles all play hockey. Auburn University, the University of Alabama, the University of Georgia, and Louisiana State all have club teams. The Texas Collegiate Hockey Conference is an American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) league with eight teams, including Texas A&M and the University of Texas.
There are over 400 ACHA teams, including 70 playing D-I ACHA hockey. There are teams from coast to coast and corner to corner in the U.S., including a PAC-8 league.
There are kids growing up playing hockey everywhere, hockey being played everywhere, and thousands of guys playing hockey for their schools outside of the 61 NCAA D-I and 84 NCAA D-III programs. There are tens of thousands of fans of those club teams, too.
Among those tens of thousands of fans must be people willing and able to commit the money necessary to starting programs. We know that schools are willing to commit to hockey when they’re not burdened with all of the start-up costs themselves.
We used to think that it was only a matter of time before we’d see something like a PAC-12 or SEC hockey league, but certainly the pandemic and financial uncertainty that it has brought has pushed that back for a bit.
But it’s hard to deny the potential and I cannot imagine a not-so-distant future without further D-I NCAA growth. As you said, Jimmy, with more than a third of NHL players having come through the NCAA, there’s no denying that collegiate hockey can develop talent. You can’t watch an NHL game without hearing colleges being named in the way that we’ve heard schools mentioned in NBA and NFL games now for decades. That has an impact.
Beyond that, though, is just the sheer number of kids playing hockey in the U.S. and the growth of the sport among youth in just the last two decades. It’s inevitable that colleges and universities will see the potential for attracting students, fans, recognition – and donors – as hockey continues to proliferate.
As you mentioned, Jimmy, it’s the final TMQ of the season. I want to thank you for talking hockey with me all season, thank our friend and editor Matt Mackinder, thank Dan Rubin for subbing when he filled in, and thank all of our readers who have helped maintain our ongoing conversation about the sport we love.
NCHC director of communications Michael Weisman (left) and commissioner Josh Fenton (right) present Ben Holden his media excellence award in person on Saturday, March 27 at the NCAA West Regional in Loveland, Colo. (photo: NCHC).
After serving as the most recognizable voice associated with the NCHC since its inaugural season, Ben Holden has been named as the recipient of the 2021 NCHC Media Excellence Award.
Holden was behind the microphone for the NCHC’s first-ever conference game on Oct. 18, 2013 when Miami and North Dakota played in Oxford, Ohio, and served as the lead play-by-play announcer for NCHC games on CBS Sports Network in the conference’s first seven seasons.
The Holt, Mich., native was on the call for the first six Frozen Faceoffs, including Minnesota Duluth’s memorable double-overtime game-winner in 2019 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
“The NCHC’s brand has been synonymous with Ben Holden’s voice since the conference’s first season,” said NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton in a news release. “The membership and conference staff are honored to present the Media Excellence Award to Ben for all his contributions to the NCHC.”
This season, Holden worked more than 20 conference games at the NCHC pod in Omaha, Neb., in December as a play-by-play announcer for Midco Sports Network and NCHC.tv.
In addition to his announcing duties, Holden has emceed all six of the NCHC’s annual awards celebrations in Minneapolis and St. Paul (2014-19). He has also attended numerous pre-season NCHC Media Days in the Twin Cities to conduct interviews with coaches and student-athletes for CBS Sports Network.
Lastly, Holden has lent his voice for various NCHC promotions and commercials used on both radio and television over the conference’s first eight seasons.
Aside from his work with the NCHC, Holden has been calling college hockey, along with several other collegiate sports, for nearly two decades for various networks, including CBS Sports Network, ESPN, Comcast SportsNet, Fox Sports Detroit and Big Ten Network.
He has also worked several men’s NCAA hockey tournaments for ESPN, including the West Regional this year. Holden previously called the NHL’s Stanley Cup Final for NHL International in 2008 and served as the voice of the Lake Erie Monsters in the AHL. He won a pair of Emmy Awards in 2007 and 2008.
Holden was presented his NCHC Media Excellence Award in person on Saturday, March 27 by NCHC staff at the NCAA West Regional in Loveland, Colo.
The award is selected by the conference’s sports information directors.
Holden is the fourth winner of the NCHC Media Excellence Award, joining Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald (2018), Mick Hatten of Forum Communications (2019), and Holden’s former broadcast partner on CBS Sports Network, Dave Starman (2020).
Quinnipiac blueliner Peter DiLiberatore skated three seasons with the Bobcats, posting solid numbers along the way (photo: Rob Rasmussen).
Quinnipiac junior defenseman Peter DiLiberatore has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, forgoing his senior year with the Bobcats.
“It’s a dream come true to sign an NHL contract and become a part of the Vegas Golden Knights organization,” DiLiberatore said in a statement. “I am so thankful for my time at Quinnipiac. I made so many memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.”
DiLiberatore, a native of Bedford, N.S., has posted back-to-back seasons with 20-plus points for the Bobcats, recording six goals and 14 assists for 20 points in 29 games as a junior this season. He led the Bobcats with a career-high 96 shots on goal.
Five of DiLiberatore’s six goals this season came on the power-play, with both serving as career-highs for him. He scored his sixth and final goal of the season in the Bobcats’ NCAA tournament loss against Minnesota State on Saturday.
He skated in all 101 games in his Quinnipiac career, playing his 100th game on March 20th in the ECAC Hockey championship against St. Lawrence. DiLiberatore scored 15 goals and added 45 assists for 60 points in his Bobcat career.
He also had a plus-34 plus/minus rating in his Quinnipiac career along with 259 shots on goal and 11 power-play goals.
In just three seasons, DiLiberatore’s 15 career goals rank 11th among defenseman in program history while his 45 assists are tied for 16th and his 60 points are 15th.
DiLiberatore was originally selected by Vegas in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2018 Draft.
Stevenson’s Ryan Kenny has backstopped the Mustangs to the number two seed in the UCHC playoffs starting on Wednesday. (Photo by Sabina Moran)
The UCHC standings are finalizing for the playoffs beginning with quarterfinal action this Wednesday and while some non-conference teams are closing out their abbreviated season, others like Hobart, Skidmore and Trinity are finally playing games to see how they stack up competitively. Here is a recap of all the week’s action:
Non-Conference
Norwich v. New England College
On Friday, Drennen Atherton finally surrendered a goal in his fifth start of the season but made 20 saves to make goals from Michael Korol and Brett Rickett stand up in a 2-1 road win for the Cadets.
In Saturday’s re-match, Norwich’s Carter Cowlthorp, Cale List and Rickett moved the Cadets to a 3-0 lead on the way to a 4-2 win. Andrew Albano made 17saves in goal for the win as the Cadets moved to 7-1-0 on the season.
Hobart v. Skidmore
On Friday, in technically what was classified as an exhibition game, Zach Tyson’s goal just 1:15 into the game was all the scoring the Statesmen needed in a combined shutout for Garrett McGowen, Joe Halstrom and Liam Lascelle. Despite outshooting the Thoroughbreds by a 43-17 margin, Tyson was the only player to score on Skidmore’s Brian Kowolski who made 42 saves.
On Saturday, the shot margin was 56-19 for the Statesmen who again started fast with goals from Brenden Howell and Phil Satin coming in the first 4:35 of the first period. Skidmore’s Tyler Hall got the Thoroughbreds on the scoreboard in the third period of a 4-1 loss.
Trinity v. Connecticut College
On Saturday, the in-state rivals from NESCAC played the first two games of a scheduled three-game set marking Trinity’s debut on the ice this season in exhibition play against the unbeaten Camels. Kyle Shero gave Conn College a 1-0 lead after the first 20-minutes, but the Bantams got it going in the second with four unanswered goals including three on the power play to take a three-goal lead into the final period. Colin McCabe and Shero cut the lead to one goal but Trinity’s JP Melia kept the Camels from tying the score in a 4-3 win.
Sunday’s contest saw Trinity skate to a 6-2 exhibition win for the weekend sweep of the Camels.
UCHC
Utica v. Elmira
Who knew that a single period of hockey could be so exciting? In the resumed game from 3/6 that was paused due to COVID protocols, Utica took the ice for the third period to be played with a 5-2 lead that evaporated in the first 4:09 of play with Elmira scoring three quick goals including two from Bailey Krawczyk. The Pioneers settled down and Jamie Bucell scored a power play goal to give the Pioneers the lead before Brett Everson iced the win with an empty-net goal and the 7-5 win.
Neumann v. Wilkes
On Friday, Wilkes used goals from Tyler Barrow, Nick Fea, Donald Flynn and Billy Berry to earn a 4-1 win over Neumann. Michael Paterson-Jones made 28 saves to earn the victory. The win moved the Colonels to 5-3-0 in the UCHC.
Chatham v. Elmira
On Friday, Elmira bounced back from Tuesday’s loss to Utica with a solid 5-1 win over Chatham. After the teams exchanged goals in the first period, Elmira scored two goals in each of the final two periods to take the win. Goals from Amedeo Mastrangeli, Jake Russo, Ryan Reifler and Janis Vizbelis broke the 1-1 tie for Elmira.
Stevenson v. Nazareth
On Saturday, the Mustangs earned their tenth win of the season coming from behind to beat Nazareth, 6-3. Six different goal scorers helped Stevenson to overcome 2-0 and 3-1 deficits as Matt Dougherty, Blake Colman and Eric Olson broke open a 3-3 tie with their third period goals.
Chatham v. Wilkes
On Saturday, the Colonels rallied from 1-0 and 3-1 deficits to take a 4-3 overtime win over the Cougars. After Carson Grainer and Tristan Samm gave Chatham a 3-1 lead early in the third period, Nick Fea and Tyler Barrow scored for Wilkes to tie the game at 3-3 and send it into overtime. Barrow was the OT hero with his game-winner coming in the final 40 seconds of the extra session.
Utica v. Neumann
The Pioneers showed off their special teams’ prowess in a 6-0 win over Neumann that featured two power play and one shorthanded goal. Jamie Bucell opened and closed the scoring for the Pioneers who scored two times in each period while cruising to their seventh win in eight games in the UCHC. The win also clinched the Pioneers’ fifth straight regular season title.
Manhattanville v. Elmira
Sunday saw Manhattanville playing only their third game of the UCHC season and Elmira jumped out quickly to a 2-0 lead on goals from Graham Denomme and Ryan Reifler. The Valiants rallied back to take a 3-2 lead in the second period before Jake Russo, Reifler again and Jared Smith finished the scoring in a 5-3 win to close out the regular season.
Three Biscuits
Tyler Barrow – Wilkes – scored the game tying and game winning goals in a 4-3 overtime win over Chatham.
Brian Kowolski – Skidmore – made 42 saves against Hobart in a 1-0 exhibition loss on Friday night that saw both teams seeing their first competitive action of the season.
Ryan Reifler – Elmira – scored twice and added an assist in a 5-3 win on Sunday over Manhattanville.
The non-conference schedule is closing out, but the excitement of playoff hockey begins on Wednesday with quarterfinal play in the UCHC. The four games see Stevenson hosting Neumann, Elmira hosting Chatham, Wilkes hosting Nazareth and Utica hosting Manhattanville. Winners advance to the semifinals scheduled for Saturday and the championship game is scheduled for Monday, April 5.
Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger look back at the 2021 NCAA men’s D-I hockey regionals. They look game-by-game at the tournament and discuss what advanced UMass, Minnesota State, Minnesota Duluth, and St. Cloud State to the Frozen Four.
Adrian’s Alessio Luciani led the NCHA in scoring during the 2020-21 campaign (photo: Mike Dickie).
The NCHA men’s conference has announced the 2020-21 season award winners, as well as the all-conference team and all-freshman team.
The 2020-21 player of the year is Adrian sophomore Alessio Luciani, who led the league in points during the shortened eight-game conference season, recording 17 on five goals and a league-high 12 assists.
Luciani also led the league in overall scoring by nine points, finishing with 36 (14 goals, 22 assists) in the 23 games Adrian played this winter.
The league coaches also voted for freshman of the year, resulting in a tie between Adrian’s Jaden Shields and St. Scholastica’s Arkhip Ledenkov.
Shields played a big role in the AC defense leading the league with a 1.25 goals-against average and also tops in penalty kill at 97.1 percent. He finished tied for 14th in scoring overall with eight points (two goals, six assists), a number that placed second among defensemen and fourth among freshmen.
Ledenkov burst on the scene and finished fifth in the league in scoring with 11 points (eight goals, three assists), second in goals, and first in power-play goals. His point total finished second among freshmen.
The 2020-21 coach of the year is Adrian’s Adam Krug, who led the Bulldogs to an unblemished 8-0-0 league ledger, earning the Peters Cup for the second consecutive winter. The team finished 16-6-1 overall and led the NCHA in scoring offense (5.75 GPG) and scoring defense (1.25 GPG) by wide margins.
2020-21 Men’s NCHA All-Conference Team
Forward: Garrett Gintoli, MSOE, Sr.
Forward: Nick Guerra, Concordia Wisconsin, Sr.
Forward: Adam Keyes, Aurora, So.
Forward: Davis Kirkendall, Lawrence, Jr.
Forward: Arkhip Ledenkov, St. Scholastica, Fr.
Forward: Alessio Luciani, Adrian, So.
Forward: Rex Moe, Adrian, Jr.
Defense: Braydon Barker, Concordia Wisconsin, Sr.
Defense: Jack Nickels, MSOE, Jr.
Defense: Joshua Owings, Adrian, Sr.
Defense: Brayden Sampson, Aurora, Jr.
Goalie: Cameron Gray, Adrian, Sr.
Goalie: Logan Halladay, MSOE, Sr.
2020-21 Men’s NCHA All-Freshman Team
Forward: Arkhip Ledenkov, St. Scholastica
Forward: Filimon Ledenkov, St. Scholastica
Forward: Mathew Rehding, Adrian
Defense: Kyle Gierman, Lawrence
Defense: Jaden Shields, Adrian
Goalie: Liam McGarva, Concordia Wisconsin
