Hosts Jim Connelly, Derek Schooley, and Ed Trefzger review games of the weekend and news of the week.
They celebrate Team USA’s thrilling back-to-back gold medal win at the World Juniors, highlighted by Teddy Stiga’s overtime goal. The discussion includes admiration for David Carle’s coaching achievements and an analysis of the dominance and future potential of the U.S. team. The trio also covers significant college hockey events including conference upsets, standout performances in holiday tournaments, and dramatic outdoor games at Wrigley Field. They delve into the standings, team dynamics, and potential NCAA tournament entries, offering insights and predictions for the rest of the season.
Times are approximate:
00:15 Introduction and hosts
00:26 World Junior Championship recap
00:51 Team USA’s key players and moments
02:45 David Carle’s coaching legacy
03:37 USA Hockey’s Development Success
04:53 Boston College and Boston University contributions
06:06 Finland’s performance and turning points
08:00 Broadcast team and analysts
08:55 Modern defensemen in hockey
12:34 Goalies and the bronze medal game
16:42 College hockey upsets and highlights
18:45 Quinnipiac’s struggles and ECAC overview
22:20 Hockey East teams on the rise
22:57 Dartmouth and Merrimack: A tale of two teams
23:23 The challenge of maintaining success
24:58 Denver vs. Maine: A defensive battle
28:12 Outdoor hockey at Wrigley Field
34:16 In-Season tournament champions
38:05 Arizona State’s impressive run
41:31 UMass Lowell’s comeback season
43:53 Wrapping up
Teammates surround goaltender Will Nepveu to celebrate their 4-1 win over Middlebury and Boston Landing Invitational Championship. Nepveu earned MVP honors stopping 76 of 80 shots in two games for the Vikings (Photo by Tim Costello/USCHO)
Happy New Year College Hockey Fans!!
The second half is officially underway and although not every team was in action around the New Year, there were a handful of tournaments that saw Hamilton, Oswego and Salem State winning from the east (Brian Lester will surely have the updates on Wisconsin-Superior and MSOE tournament wins) while other ranked teams including Curry and Hobart kicked off 2025 in grand style with decisive wins. For the teams just getting back to the ice, this weekend highlighted the need to be ready to go from puck-drop if your squad is looking for a positive outcome. The sprint to conference titles is underway and here is the recap for action in the east:
CNE
Curry took a pair of wins in the New Year starting with a decisive 5-2 win over a ranked Trinity squad on Thursday. The Colonels started fast scoring three goals in the first period and extended the lead to 4-0 in the second period. Karim Gayfullin led the way with two goals while Shane Soderwall was solid in goal stopping 23 of 25 shots in the non-conference win. On Saturday, the 5-2 result was repeated with a win over Anna Maria. Killian Rowlee scored the games opening goal and assisted on two others while Gage Dill added a goal and assist to help the Colonels to another decisive victory against a quality opponent.
Endicott returned to action with a road game against Amherst and special teams helped the Gulls to a comfortable 6-1 win over the Mammoth on Saturday. Two power play goals in the second period helped break open a one-goal game as the Gulls added to more tallies in the third period for the decisive win. Andrew Kurapov and Ryan Willett paced the offense with a goal and two assists apiece while Atticus Kelly stopped 31 of 32 shots to earn the win in net.
Suffolk participated in the Tampa College Hockey Invitational and opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over Albertus Magnus. CJ Hapward continued his exceptional goaltending for the Rams stopping all 34 shots he saw from the Falcons making Scott McManus’ first period goal stand up as the game-winner on Friday. In the championship game MSOE turned the tables on the Rams taking the title with a 3-0 win. Hapward again was outstanding stopping 24 of 26 shots in the loss.
MAC
Wilkes opened the second half with a conference game against Misericordia on Friday. The Colonels took advantage on the power play where they netted four goals in a 5-4 win over their league foe. Nick Swain scored a pair of goals for Wilkes who also saw Cole Jungwirth and Patrick Roglinski add three points apiece in the contest.
After dropping their opening round game at the Oswego State Classic to the host team 8-0, the Knights rebounded with a 5-2 win over Lebanon Valley in the consolation game on Saturday. Zack Smith scored a hat trick and PJ Demitrio added two goals to account for all the scoring the Knights would need to earn their first win in 2025.
Joey Arnold led the way for Alvernia with two goals and two assists in a 6-1 win over LVC in the opening round of the Oswego State Classic. The Golden Wolves scored twice in each period to earn their way to the championship game against Oswego.
MASCAC
Salem State won the Boston Landing Invitational tournament over the weekend with wins over Nichols and Middlebury to take the title. On Saturday, the Vikings rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to tie the score at 3-3. James Tatro’s goal pulled the Vikings within one before Zach Dill tied the game with just 26 remaining in regulation. Luke Harvie provided the game-winner just over two minutes into the extra session to send Salem State to the title game. On Sunday, the Vikings took a 2-0 lead over the Panthers on goals by Tatro and Ryan Barrett. Dante Palumbo cut the lead in half for Middlebury who kept pressuring the Viking goal and netminder Will Nepveu who was solid in goal. Late in the third period, Salem State produced a power play goal and a shorthanded tally just 40 seconds apart for a comfortable 4-1 margin and tournament win that extended their win streak to four games. Nepveu made 40 saves in the win and earned MVP honors having picked up both wins in the tournament for the Vikings while stopping 76 of 80 shots in the tournament.
Plymouth State lost their opening round contest of the Northfield Savings Bank Tournament hosted by Norwich to a red-hot Hamilton squad by a 4-0 score. The Panthers rebounded nicely with a blowout win over Williams in the consolation game where Will Redick scored a hat trick to lead PSU to a comfortable 8-2 win over the Ephs.
Rivier split a pair of games to start the second half of the season. On Friday, Carter Poulin scored a goal and added an assist as the Raiders downed Franklin Pierce, 3-1. Luke Newell stopped 27 of 28 shots to pickup the win in goal. On Saturday, the Raiders fell to New England College 5-1 as Paul Waldhauser scored two goals and added an assist and Jesper Tarkiainen chipped in with a goal and two assists to lead the Pilgrims offense.
NE-10
St. Michael’s skated to a pair of overtime ties in a two-game series with Potsdam over the weekend with the games ending in 1-1 and 3-3 scores and each team taking a shootout win in the final result. On Friday, goals came at a premium as David Ciancio scored first for the Purple Knights only to see Ryan Mahlmeister finally solve Cole Manahan late in the third period for the 1-1 tie. Manahan stopped 40 of 41 shots in the game. On Saturday, it was Ciancio who found the back of the net midway through the third period and tied the game at 3-3 with neither team able to find a winner in overtime.
After getting blown out by D-I opponent LIU by a score of 10-1 (LIU defeated St. Anselm 14-1 on Saturday) on Friday, Assumption returned to face MCLA on Sunday and skated away with a 7-2 win. Daniel Lemanski (2G – 2A – 4 Pts) and Ronny Paragallo (1G – 3A – 4 Pts) each produced a four-point game to pace the Greyhounds to a big non-conference win.
NEHC
Southern Maine faced in-state rival Bowdoin on Saturday in a thrilling hockey game that saw a spirited Huskies comeback in the third period and game-winner in overtime. The Polar Bears had built early leads and were up 5-3 with just over eleven minutes remaining in regulation time. Marcus Torgner and Kayde Kinaschuk scored to tie the score at 5-5 and send the game to overtime where Kadin Ilott
Babson hosted Trinity on Saturday and skated away with a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Bantams. Brendan Kennedy for the Beavers and Ty Broad for the Bantams exchanged goals in the opening period before Sean Senier scored what proved to be the game-winner for Babson in the second period. Goaltender Nate Mueller stopped 32 of 33 shots including 13 in the third period to preserve the one-goal win for the home team.
Skidmore earned a split of games on a trip west with a win over St. John’s and a loss to St. Olaf’s. Jack Strauss netted the game-winner against the Johnnies in the third period for a 2-1 win backstopped by Tommy Aitken’s 19 saves. On Saturday, St. Olaf’s took advantage of a three-goal second period on the way to a 6-3 win over the Thoroughbreds.
After downing Massachusetts-Dartmouth by a score of 5-2 in the opening round of the Codfish Bowl tournament, the Beacons dropped the championship game to Wisconsin-Superior by the same score on Saturday. Jazz Krivstov scored a hat trick in the opening round win, but the Beacon offense couldn’t recover from a 5-0 deficit the Yellowjackets built over the first two periods of play in the championship game.
Salve Regina skated to a 2-2 tie with Wesleyan on Friday before finding their offensive game in a 9-0 win over Framingham State on Saturday. Quinn Tavares scored a hat trick and added an assist while teammate Arvega Hovsepyan added a goal and four assists in the lopsided win over the Rams. Goaltender Selby Warren earned the shutout making 21 saves for the Seahawks.
NESCAC
Hamilton kicked off the second half with an impressive tournament win at the Northfield Savings Bank Tournament hosted by Norwich. In their opening round game, the Continentals took advantage of two goals from Ryan Sordillo and 20 saves from netminder Charlie Archer to record an impressive 4-0 win over the Panthers. In the championship game against Norwich, Sordillo scored the final goal in a 4-1 win over the Cadets. Jackson Krock scored a goal and added an assist to pace the offense while Archer was again very sharp in goal stopping 16 of 17 shots in the win.
Conn College scored two goals in the third period to break a 2-2 tie with Johnson & Wales on the way to a 4-3 win over the Wildcats on Saturday. Rocco Testa-Basi scored on the power play in the third period before John Russo scored an empty-net goal which proved to be the game-winner for the Camels. Kayden Fennell’s goal with less than two seconds remaining on the clock provided the final margin in a very exciting hockey game that saw Conn College score twice on ten power play chances for the game.
Colby played St. Anselm to open the second half of play and skated to an early 2-0 lead in the opening period. The Hawks answered wit two goals of their own in the middle frame and the Mules responded with three unanswered markers in the third period for a 5-2 win. Tyler Crist scored two goals while Connor Gallagher added three assists in the Colby win.
SUNYAC
Oswego returned to the ice with a flourish as the Lakers outscored two opponents by a 13-0 margin in winning the Oswego State Classic tournament. Jesse Horacek produced a hat trick in the opening round win over Neumann where Lakers scored a season-high eight goals in the shutout win. Brandon Milberg earned the shutout making fifteen saves. Against Alvernia in the championship game, Milberg was again perfect while stopping all 29 Golden Wolves shots. Brandon Cohen paced the offense with a pair of goals as the Lakers skated off with the title and a 5-0 win. Milberg’s back-to-back shutout efforts earned him the tournament MVP honors.
Plattsburgh returned to the ice and captured a win at home over Keene State on Friday and a road tie with Wesleyan on Saturday. Aaron Catron scored twice for the Cardinals against the Owls while goaltender Jacob Hearne stopped all 26 shots he faced in a 3-0 Cardinals win. On Saturday, Luk Jirousek’s power play goal gave the Cardinals a one-goal lead in the third period, but Wesleyan’s Patrick Morrissey scored in the final two minutes of regulation to help the home Cardinals to the 2-2 tie. Plattsburgh took the shootout as Hearne stopped both Wesleyan attempts having made 34 saves during the game.
Buffalo state continued their winning ways in the New Year with wins over Post and Arcadia over the weekend. On Friday, all the scoring took place in the third period with the Bengals grabbing the first four goals against the Eagles in a 4-1 win. Jason Kwestel scored twice for Buffalo State as the visitors scored four times in the opening eight minutes of the final period. On Saturday, the Bengals started fast with four first period goals and cruised to a 6-3 win over Arcadia on the road. Kwestel added another goal on the weekend while Vadim Kiriakov chipped in with a goal and an assist.
UCHC
Manhattanville opened the second half hosting the nation’s #1 team in Hobart and true to form the Statesmen skated away with a 3-0 win over the Valiants on Saturday. One goal in each period backstopped by perfect goaltending from Damon Beaver was the Statesmen formula for the shutout win. Beaver made 22 saves to earn the shutout while Chris Duclair, Austin Mourar, and Khalil Fontana provided all the offense Hobart would need.
Three Biscuits
Will Redick – Plymouth State – scored a hat trick and added an assist for a four-point game in the Panthers’ 8-2 win over Williams in the consolation game of the Northfield Savings Bank Tournament at Norwich.
Kadin Ilott – Southern Maine – after assisting on the game-tying goal in the third period, Ilott netted the game winning goal in overtime to cap off a Huskies rally from a two-goal deficit earning a 6-5 win over Bowdoin.
Jesse Horacek – Oswego – recorded a hat trick in pacing the Lakers to an 8-0 opening round win over Neumann in the Oswego State Classic on Friday.
The second half also will see some roster changes for several teams looking to get better and deeper for strong runs to conference titles and national championship bids. Already we are aware of forward Colin Patterson moving from Massachusetts-Dartmouth to Utica; forward Tio D’Addario moving from Plattsburgh to Utica; Vlad Pshenichnikov to Plattsburgh and others to be announced as teams ready for action this week.
Virtually everyone will be back on the ice playing meaningful games this week with several key mid-week games of note to pay attention to. Lots of conference action heating up the rest of the way as the majority on non-conference and tournament action will be completed over the next couple of weeks. It should be a very exciting second half of the season with lots of reasons to be scoreboard watching for your won team and everybody else.
Samuel Sjolund helped Western Michigan to a weekend home sweep over Alaska Anchorage (photo: Ashley Huss).
Each week, USCHO.com will pick the top 10 moments from the past weekend in our Monday 10 feature.
1. B1G serves up a trio of thrillers at Wrigley Field
Piggybacking off the NHL’s annual Winter Classic, B1G took its game to Wrigley Field over the weekend and treated fans to three down-to-the-wire games — one decided by a single goal scored in the final minute, an overtime tie and an overtime win.
Ohio State and Michigan got the “Frozen Confines” event started with a bang on Friday night, as the Buckeyes earned a 4-3 win on Gunnarwolfe Fontaine’s power-play goal with 38 seconds remaining in the contest.
Despite bitter cold, plenty of fans stuck around to watch Notre Dame and Penn State skate to a 3-3 tie, with the Fighting Irish winning the shootout after a marathon eight rounds.
On Saturday, the Wrigley fun continued when Michigan State nipped Wisconsin in an OT thriller. Daniel Russell scored his second goal of the game with 1.4 seconds to go in overtime to lead Michigan State to a 4-3 win over Wisconsin. The win was the 1,400th in program history, dating back to its 1922 founding. No. 1 Michigan State is now unbeaten in its last seven games (6-0-1).
“It was like a dream,” said Russell. “One you’re never, ever going to forget. That was amazing. Unforgettable. I just knew there wasn’t much time left, so I was going to try to get to the net any way I could.”
2. Hockey East makes it a Saturday sweep
It was a perfect 7-0 Saturday night for Hockey East.
Four schools scored season highs in goals — UMass and Vermont each put up an eight spot (the Minutemen beat Robert Morris 8-0, the Catamounts were 8-1 winners over St. Lawrence, Connecticut was a 7-3 winner over Harvard and Northeastern tied its season high with five goals in a 5-1 win over Quinnipiac.
“It’s definitely a good step in the right direction,” Northeastern coach Jerry Keefe told WRBB radio after beating Quinnipiac. “We talked about that it’s a new year, the 2025 version of the Huskies. And we just want to continue to build on it.”
Hockey East woke up Sunday morning with five teams in the top 10 of the Pairwise (Boston College, Providence, Maine, UMass Lowell and New Hampshire). Thanks to Eric Gallanty of NESN for those stats.
3. Augustana sweeps Colorado College on the road
Augustana has only been a Division I program for two seasons, yet it proved it belongs with the sport’s blue-blood programs — at least for one weekend — with a sweep at No. 8 Colorado College. Game scores were 5-1 on Friday and 3-2 on Saturday. It was the highest ranked opponent Augustana defeated since the program’s inception in 2023.
Tyler and Hayden Hennen became the first brothers in program history to record goals on the same night in Saturday’s win.
4. Western Michigan sweeps, Ferschweiler extended as coach through 2030
Western Michigan capped off a sweep of Alaska Anchorage with a 5-2 victory on Saturday night to improve to 13-4-1 overall on the season.
WMU got two goals each from Owen Michaels and Liam Valente, while Iiro Hakkarainen added a goal of his own. Tim Washe won 16 of 17 faceoffs and Cameron Rowe made 12 saves in net.
The school also announced over the weekend that coach Pat Ferschweiler agreed to a contract extension through 2030. Ferschweiler took over before the 2021-22 season, turning the program into a national contender. He has won 81 games during his tenure, including 46 in NCHC play. The Broncos have made the NCAA tournament every season since.
5. Minnesota shares the wealth in sweep of Mercyhurst
Let it be said that Minnesota knows how to evenly distribute the scoring load.
The Gophers were the only B1G team not to participate in the Wrigley Field festival over the weekend, but they made the most of their time with a 6-2, 5-2 sweep of visiting Mercyhurst. Six different Gophers scored on Friday night, while five different players lit the lamp on Saturday. Ryan Chesley netted the eventual game winner Saturday as part of a career-best three-point game, while Nick Michel scored his first goal with Minnesota.
“It was a good weekend for us,” Minnesota coach Bob Motzko said. “A lot of guys stepped up and got us through the weekend. Nick Michael getting the goal and seeing the success for him after playing a few games here already — he’s got a great heart, he’s got talent, and all our guys accept everything that’s been thrown at them.”
6. Maine and Denver split at Alfond
In the only matchup of the weekend featuring two clubs among the USCHO.com Division I men’s poll’s top 10, Denver and Maine split a pair at Alfond Arena before a packed house each night. The series was tight as can be, as the teams traded 2-1 victories, with No. 6 Denver getting the win Friday and Maine returning the favor on Saturday.
“That was one of those games, after (Friday) night, it could’ve gone one way or the other,” Maine coach Ben Barr told the Portland Press Herald on Saturday. “And it went the right way as far as the reaction and response to it. Every player, I thought, you could put him on the ice and you were fine with it. That’s what we have to be. And now we have to build on it.”
7. College hockey heats up southwest at pair of holiday tournaments
Wrigley Field wasn’t the only place hosting neutral-site fun over the weekend. Two schools got to hoist trophies at holiday tournaments at locales that, even though the games were held indoors, were much warmer than the Frozen Confines.
In Palm Desert, Calif., UMass Lowell was a 3-2 winner over Omaha to take the Coachella Valley Cactus Cup. In Tempe, Ariz., host No. 19 Arizona State was a 4-0 winner over No. 16 Cornell to win the Desert Hockey Classic for the second consecutive season.
“It’s great, two years in a row. It’s always great to win a trophy, especially in front of our fans,” Arizona State coach Greg Powers said. “To do it against such a good team and a good program is awesome. I’m happy for our players. They’re doing a great job. They’re playing selflessly for each other and that’s why we’re playing really well right now.”
8. UNH continues hot streak
Don’t look now, but New Hampshire is unbeaten in its last seven games. The Wildcats’ streak continued with two wins over Princeton at Hobey Baker Rink (3-0, 4-3). UNH wrapped up non-conference play with an 8-1-1 record, including a 4-1-1 mark against the ECAC.
Ryan Conmy scored in Saturday’s 4-3 win, extending his point streak to 11 games with his 10th goal of the season.
9. Sacred Heart, Air Force split
The battle for the top spot in Atlantic Hockey America remains tight with Sacred Heart on top at 10-6-2 and 35 points, and Bentley right behind at 9-4-1 and 30 points.
Sacred Heart split a pair of 3-0 decisions over the weekend vs. Air Force, winning Friday but losing Saturday. Bentley lost ground when it was swept at Niagara, 3-2 in overtime Friday and 4-2 on Saturday.
Bentley took two games of a home-and-home series between the two teams in November, but there won’t be a rematch until Feb. 22 — the last day of the regular season — in Fairfield, Conn.
10. College stars light up World Juniors
Michigan State’s Trey Augustine made 26 saves to become the all-time winningest American goaltender in World Junior Championship history as the U.S. National Junior Team earned a 4-1 victory over Czechia in the semifinals of this year’s tournament in Ottawa Saturday night.
Team USA got goals from Boston College’s Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard (who’s also the USA captain), Boston University’s Cole Eiserman, and Oliver Moore of Minnesota.
The U.S. team faced Finland in the gold medal game Sunday night, winning 4-3 in overtime on a Teddy Stiga (Boston College) goal.
“I’m proud of our guys,” said United States coach David Carle, who regularly coaches Denver. “We played an excellent Czech team and it was a very difficult game. We continue to grow as a group.”
The United States celebrates its second straight gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship (photo: USA Hockey).
Teddy Stiga (Boston College) scored 8:04 into three-on-three overtime as the U.S. National Junior Team erased a two-goal deficit and earned a 4-3 victory over Finland in the gold-medal game of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship Sunday night at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ont.
It marked the first time in history that the U.S. has won back-to-back World Junior gold medals.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our group,” said David Carle (Denver), head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team, in a statement. “They grew as a team, played for each other and ultimately accomplished something that has never been done by helping our nation win back-to-back gold medals in the World Juniors.”
Finland’s Jesse Kiiskinen opened the scoring with a power-play goal from the slot at 7:13.
James Hagens (Boston College) found an equalizer for Team USA at 12:04, as he battled in front of the net to bang home a rebound chance following a shot from Team USA captain Ryan Leonard (Boston College).
Tuomas Uronen responded 59 seconds later with a goal from the top of the right circle to give Finland a 2-1 lead.
U.S. netminder Trey Augustine (Michigan State) made 11 saves in the opening stanza, including a stellar blocker save on a broken play in front just 1:12 into the contest.
Emil Pieniniemi extended Finland’s lead to 3-1 on a wrister from the right circle at 4:52 of the middle period.
Brandon Svoboda (Boston University) fired a shot from the point that deflected off a Finnish defender and found the back of the net with 2:22 remaining. Max Plante (Minnesota Duluth) and Cole Hutson (Boston University) assisted on the tally.
Hutson tied the contest with 28.7 seconds left in the second frame as he gathered a pass from Leonard and fired a shot from the slot that beat Finnish netminder Petteri Rimpinen on the glove side.
The U.S. outshot Finland 15-4 in the second period.
A scoreless third period led to overtime, as Augustine and Rimpinen combined for 16 saves in the final 20 minutes of regulation.
Stiga secured gold for the U.S. with his first goal of the tournament at 8:04 of the overtime frame, as he cashed in through the five-hole on a breakaway opportunity set up by a stretch pass from Zeev Buium (Denver).
Augustine finished with 21 saves to pick up his 12th career win in the World Juniors, tops all-time among American netminders.
NOTES: Stiga was named U.S. Player of the Game … Leonard, who finished the tournament with 10 points (5g, 5a) was named tournament MVP … Leonard, Hutson and Gabe Perreault (Boston College) were named to the Media All-Star Team … Leonard earned the Directorate Award as the Best Forward in the Tournament …. Team USA outshot Finland 40-24 … The U.S. did not have a power-play opportunity in the contest, while Finland went 1 for 1 … Team USA won its seventh gold medal in the IIHF World Junior Championship, with the previous six coming in 2024, 2021, 2017, 2013, 2010 and 2004.
Clockwise from top left: Mackenzie Alexander, Abbey Murphy, Bryn Saarela, Reese Keating, Eve Gascon (photos: Princeton Athletics, Minnesota Athletics, Syracuse Athletics, Rensselaer Athletics, Minnesota Duluth Athletics).
The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced its women’s honorees for the month of December.
Co-players of the month are Minnesota senior Abbey Murphy and Syracuse graduate forward Bryn Saarela, rookie of the month is Princeton forward Mackenzie Alexander, and co-goaltenders of the month are Minnesota Duluth sophomore Ève Gascon and Rensselaer sophomore Reese Keating.
Murphy averaged four PPG with a line of 3-5-8 in a two-game sweep of St. Thomas. She went 2-3-5 in a 5-0 win and 1-2-3 in the 6-2 follow-up.
Saarela had seven points (5-2-7) in a two-game sweep of Robert Morris including a hat trick in the opener. She was plus-5 for the series.
Alexander repeats as national ROM with a 1-3-4 month for the Tigers. Set up GTG in OT win v. Quinnipiac. Leads the nation in scoring.
Gascon went 1-0-1 against No. 8 St. Cloud State with numbers of .961 and 0.96.
Keating took wins over Yale, Brown and Assumption. Her numbers: .962 and 1.01, 3-0-0.
Clockwise from top left: Tanner Klimpke, Kristoffer Eberly, Max Strand, Logan Morrell (photos: Robert Morris Athletics, Ohio State Athletics, Vermont Athletics, Michigan Tech Athletics).
The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced its men’s honorees for the month of December.
Robert Morris sophomore forward Tanner Klimpke is the player of the month, co-rookies of the month are Michigan Tech forward Logan Morrell and Vermont’s Max Strand, and Ohio State sophomore Kristoffer Eberly is the goaltender of the month.
Klimpke averaged 2.25 PPG with 4-5-9 in four games, all on the road for the Colonials.
Morrell led all rookies in the nation with six goals, tied for most points with seven (6-1-7) as the Huskies went 3-2-1.
Strand tied top rookies in the nation with seven points (4-3-7), registering a point in each of the Cats’ six games. UVM went 4-2-0.
Eberly enjoyed two weekend sweeps (vs. Notre Dame and Penn State) while putting up 0.99 and .953 numbers with one shutout.
No. 19 Arizona State (10-7-1)
01/03/2025 – Robert Morris 3 at No. 19 Arizona State 7 (Desert Hockey Classic, Tempe, Ariz.)
01/04/2025 – No. 16 Cornell 0 at No. 19 Arizona State 4 (Desert Hockey Classic, Tempe, Ariz.)
UW-Stevens Point held off St. Norbert in a top 15 battle over the weekend. (Photo provided by UW-Stevens Point Athletics)
Nothing like ringing in the new year with a matchup featuring nationally ranked teams.
That’s what hockey fans were treated to on Saturday as No. 15 UW-Stevens Point knocked off second-ranked St. Norbert by a 4-1 score at home.
The Pointers (7-4-1) avenged a 6-2 loss to the Green Knights (12-3) and stayed unbeaten at home with a 5-0-1 record.
Alex Proctor stopped 34 shots, including 14 in the third, while Hunter Garvey made 23 saves for St. Norbert, which has dropped its last three.
Nico Chmelski and Fletcher Anderson each scored a goal and tallied an assist for the Pointers, who flipped the script from the Nov. 12 meeting against the Green Knights.
The win by Stevens Point is its first over a team ranked in the USCHO.com poll.
Codfish Bow Champs!
UW-Superior is the first west region team to ever play in the Codfish Bowl, the oldest tournament in D-III hockey, and the Yellowjackets made that inaugural appearance a worthwhile one, claiming the tourney crown.
The Yellowjackets won the tournament with a 5-2 win over UMass Boston on Saturday after beating Fitchburg State 2-0 on Friday.
Superior (10-3-1) saw five different players score goals as they dominated the game and stretched their winning streak to six games. Kobe Grant was stellar in goal, stopping 35 shots for his third win of the year.
Logan Nickerson was the MVP of the tournament and has scored in three consecutive games. Matt Francois scored a goal in Saturday’s win as well, and with three goals in all this season, he has matched last season’s goal total.
It’s also worth noting Superior’s win streak is its longest since 2009 when it won seven in a row.
Stout shines in showdown
It’s been more than a decade since UW-Stout has beaten a team ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the nation.
That wait ended Friday as the Blue Devils knocked off No. 2 St. Norbert 6-2. Interestingly enough the last time Stout won over a team ranked at least that high was in 2013 when it beat St. Norbert, which was No. 1 at the time.
Stout (6-6-1) scored five goals in the first two periods as it took control early and never looked back.
Jacob Halverson scored twice to pave the way in the upset win while Hayden Stocks dished out three assists. Nicholas Stevens added a goal and assist
Falcons still soaring
It’s a new year but nothing has changed for the Concordia Falcons, who have won six in a row after sweeping Hamline. That streak is tied for the longest in program history.
They ended the weekend series with a 5-1 win on Saturday behind two goals from Riley Klugerman and a pair of assists out of Levi Carter. Gabe Rosek racked up 22 saves.
Concordia, now 9-6 on the year, won the opener 4-3 thanks to 29 saves by Rosek. The win streak by Concordia is its longest since the 2013-14 campaign.
The Falcons already have more wins than they did all of last season and their win total is the highest since the 2020-21 season. They have scored four or more goals in five of their last six wins.
Gusties earn sweep
Gustavus wrapped up a series sweep of Dubuque on Friday with a 4-2 win. The Gusties won the opener by a 6-2 score on Thursday.
Down by two goals, Gustavus scored the final four goals of the game, including three in the last five minutes of action as it won its second consecutive game.
Wilmer Svensson tallied the game winner with 3:25 to play and Colin Androlewicz made 11 saves while earning the win in goal. Landon Johnson tallied two assists.
Brock Weimer and Justin Kingery scored for the Spartans. Owen Hardy had two assists for Dubuque, which is still searching for its first win. The Spartans are 0-12-2.
Gustavus stays on a roll, winning eight of its last 10 and improving to 8-5.
Cobbers end winless streak
Concordia salvaged a split against Marian on Saturday, winning the finale 6-0 on senior night. More importantly, the Cobbers snapped a seven-game winless streak.
Dane Couture recorded his first career shutout, making 15 saves,
Six different players scored goals. Hunter Bjorge, Mason Plante and Zak Kennett all tallied a goal and assist for the Cobbers, who improved to 5-7-1.
The Sabres won the opener 4-3 in overtime thanks to a clutch goal by Brandon Moddie. The freshman scored just over two minutes into the extra session.
Marian won despite the fact that Concordia held a 46-29 advantage in shots. The Sabres (5-6) also improved to 3-2 in OT games. Cole Carlson led the attack for Marian, scoring twice and dishing out an assist for his first multi-goal game of the year. Tyler Fromolz made 43 saves.
Foresters bounce back
One night after getting beat 4-3 by St. Olaf, Lake Forest got back on track Saturday with a 4-1 win over Saint John’s on the road.
The Foresters scored the final four goals of the game on their way to their first win of 2025. Connor Schahill finished with a goal and an assist while Kohl Reddy made 36 saves for Lake Forest, which improved to 5-6-1. Reddy stopped the last 24 shots he faced.
Justin Ross finished the scoring with an empty-net goal and now has six goals on the year.
Auggies earn impressive road win
While it hasn’t been an easy year, Augsburg started 2025 with a boost of confidence, knocking off No. 14 UW-River Falls 3-2 in overtime on Friday.
Connor Schneider scored the game winner with 26.8 seconds left in OT as the Auggies snapped a six-game losing streak.
It wasn’t easy, though, as Augsburg had to overcome a 2-0 deficit. Dylan Schneider and Luke Mountain both scored to tie the game in the third and force OT.
Carsen Stokes stopped 36 shots for the Auggies, who improved to 4-8 and picked up their first win over a ranked team this season.
Home sweet home for the Oles
St. Olaf is still perfect at home after beating Skidmore 6-3 on Saturday. The Oles are 4-0 at home this year and have won their last four games overall.
Pavel Karasek rose to the occasion as he scored twice, marking the first multi-goal game of his collegiate career. Joey Kennelley dished out two assists and Matthew Malin is 5-2 after stopping 22 shots.
The Oles are 6-4-1 overall this season and have scored four or more goals in three of their last four wins.
St. Olaf opened 2025 with a 4-3 win over Lake Forest on Friday, with Matthew Pointer and Connor Kalthoff scoring in the third to put the game away. It was the first meeting between the Oles and Foresters since 2019.
Cardinals keep streak intact
Saint Mary’s pushed its unbeaten streak to six games with a 3-2 win over Lawrence on Saturday.
Nathan Solis tallied the game winner and racked up two goals in all while Colin Tushie came through with the goal that tied the game at 2-2 in the third.
The Cardinals are 6-3-1 on the year and have won four of their six home games.
River Falls wins WIAC battle
UW-River Falls won for the second time this season against UW-Stout, beating the Blue Devils 4-3 Saturday. The Falcons are 2-1 against the Blue Devils this year.
River Falls improved to 8-5 overall and 4-3 in the WIAC. All three of their wins over the Blue Devils have been by one goal.
Alex Atwill scored twice for the Falcons while Brennan Boynton tied a season high for saves with 33 and won his eighth game of the year.
Team USA captain Ryan Leonard celebrates his goal Saturday night against Czechia with Boston College teammate Gabe Perreault (photo: USA Hockey).
Trey Augustine (Michigan State) made 26 saves to become the all-time winningest American goaltender in World Juniors history as the U.S. National Junior Team, which got goals from Gabe Perreault (Boston College), Cole Eiserman (Boston University), captain Ryan Leonard (Boston College) and Oliver Moore (Minnesota), earned a 4-1 victory over Czechia in the semifinals of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ont., Saturday night.
Team USA will face Finland in the gold medal game tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET live on NHL Network.
“I’m proud of our guys,” said Tewam USA coach David Carle (Denver) in a statement. “We played an excellent Czech team and it was a very difficult game. We continue to grow as a group and we’ll get set to face another great team in Finland tomorrow.”
Leonard set up a breakaway chance for Perreault with a nifty pass from his knees after a tough zone entry. Perreault, named the U.S. Player of the Game, made the most of the opportunity, sliding the puck through Czech netminder Michael Hrabal’s (UMass) five-hole 3:14 into the contest.
Jakub Stancl scored an equalizer for Czechia at 9:28 from the left circle.
Leonard nearly regained the lead for Team USA with 1:36 remaining in the opening stanza, but his breakaway chance was denied.
Eiserman scored what proved to be the game-winner as he blasted a one-timer home from the top of the right circle off a perfect feed from Trevor Connelly (Providence) on the power play at 13:41 of the middle frame to give the U.S. a 2-1 advantage. Cole Hutson (Boston University) started the play and earned an assist on the tally.
Augustine made a highlight-reel toe save on the goal line following a rebound with 11:39 remaining in the third period to keep the U.S. in the lead.
Aram Minnetian (Boston College) set up a two-on-one opportunity with a stretch pass during a Czechia line change to Perreault, who sent a feed to Leonard which he buried to extend the U.S. lead to 3-1 with 4:27 remaining.
Moore added an empty-net goal on the power play at 18:53 to account for the 4-1 final.
Augustana went on the road this weekend and took both games against Colorado College (photo: Casey B. Gibson/Colorado College Athletics).
Augustana finished off the weekend sweep over No. 8 Colorado College by a score of 3-2 Saturday night at Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs.
The Vikings netted the go-ahead goal with 1:29 to play in the third period from Nace Langus and were backstopped by Josh Kotai’s 45 saves in goal.
Colorado College opened up Saturday’s affair with multiple scoring chances but struggled to find an answer to Kotai’s performance in the net. CC broke the deadlock with 46.7 seconds remaining in the period with a wrist shot from Noah Laba.
The Tigers continued their offensive drive into the opening minutes of the second period with a disallowed goal after a successful challenge from Augustana for goaltender interference. The Tigers ran into penalty problems throughout the frame and allowed Augustana ample chances on offense.
Hey, @SportsCenter…I think we have a top-10 highlight for you 🤩
Augustana evened the game at 1-1 with 2:05 remaining in the period as Brett Meerman glided into the zone off a pass from Quinn Rudrud and scored.
The third period increased intensity as both teams shared equal possession of the rubber. Colorado College broke the tie seven minutes into play as Stanley Cooley fired in a shot from the point through traffic.
Augustana answered back less than six minutes later as Rudrud deflected in a shot from the point to make the game 2-2.
Penalties became an issue in the final 10 minutes as both teams shared time on the power play. The Vikings answered seconds after their time on the special teams as Langus tipped in the go-ahead goal to put Augustana on top for the first time.
Carsen Musser made 42 saves in goal for the Tigers.
Northeastern goalie Cameron Whitehead finished with 35 saves.
Chris Pelosi potted the lone goal for the Bobcats and Dylan Silverstein stopped 27 shots in goal.
No. 4 Western Michigan 5, Alaska Anchorage 2
Liam Valente and Owen Michaels each scored two goals to lead Western Michigan to a weekend sweep with a 5-2 win over Alaska Anchorage at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Iiro Hakkarainen also scored for the Broncos and goaltender Cameron Rowe notched 12 saves.
For the Seawolves, Matt Johnson and Adam Parsons scored and goalies Tyler Krivtsov and Greg Orosz combined to make 36 saves.
No. 1 Michigan State vs. Wisconsin
At Wrigley Field in Chicago as part of the Friendly Confines event, Michigan State led Wisconsin 1-0 after 20 minutes on a goal by Vladislav Lukashevich.
Rising shot from the right point for Vlad Lukashevich's first career goal gives the Spartans a 1-0 first-period lead. pic.twitter.com/xkALgznH8t
In the third-place game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, Calif., Michigan Tech knocked off Holy Cross 4-3 in overtime as Logan Morrell scored the winner 33 seconds into extra time.
The championship game between No. 10 UMass Lowell and Omaha was scoreless after 20 minutes.
Desert Hockey Classic
In the third-place game, UMass goalie Jackson Irving stopped all 22 shots fired his way as the Minutemen beat Robert Morris 8-0 at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz.
Aydar Suniev posted two goals and two assists for UMass.
Tournament host Arizona State led No. 16 Cornell 3-0 late in the second period in the title game as the 19th-ranked Sun Devils scored twice in the first period and once in the second period.
Pat Ferschweiler is in his fourth season as Western Michigan’s head coach (photo: Western Michigan Athletics).
Western Michigan has announced that Broncos head coach Pat Ferschweiler has agreed to a contract extension.
The new contract is effective Jan. 1 and runs through April 2030.
“Coach Ferschweiler has positioned our hockey program for national success on an annual basis, becoming the only hockey coach in WMU history to participate in three consecutive NCAA tournaments,” WMU VP-director of athletics Dan Bartholomae said in a news release. “His team continues to set marks in the classroom and in the community that make our entire campus proud. And as important, he is a trusted colleague and teammate who serves as a leader amongst our coaches group. With the finest collegiate hockey facility in the country already under construction, this team is being built for championships.”
Ferschweiler took over as the head coach prior to the 2021-22 season, turning the program into a national contender. He has accumulated 81 victories in his time as the head coach, including 46 in NCHC play. The Broncos have made the NCAA tournament every season since he took over, and he guided the program to its first victory in the national tournament during the 2021-22 campaign.
“I am excited to continue building the Bronco hockey program into a national power,” Ferschweiler said. “I would like to thank our athletic director Dan Bartholomae for his trust in me and my staff. Being able to lead my alma mater has been a huge honor and responsibility. My staff and our players will continue to raise the bar for Bronco hockey, pursuing excellence on and off the ice. ”
Ferschweiler has coached three All-Americans, eight all-conference players, five NCHC individual award winners, two national goal leaders and one Hobey Baker finalist.
Off the ice, Ferschweiler has seen the Broncos amass 74 NCHC academic all-conference honors and 44 NCHC distinguished scholar-athletes. The Broncos had a program-high 21 players earn NCHC academic all-conference honors in 2021-22. Nationally, 11 players have secured All-American scholar status.
In terms of development, 21 players have gone on to sign professional contracts during his time with the program.
As a player, Ferschweiler suited up for the Broncos in 116 games and amassed 95 points on 30 goals and 65 assists. He was awarded the Rob Hodge MVP for the 1992-93 season in which he tallied 35 points including a career-best 15 goals. He was also named the CCHA’s best defensive forward for the 1991-92 season.
He received a bachelor’s degree in finance from Western Michigan in 1993.
Ferschweiler played professionally for 11 seasons, five of which came with the Kansas City Blades of the International Hockey League, back when the IHL was one of the top minor leagues in the nation.
The Buckeyes edged the Wolverines 4-3 in Chicago’s Wrigley Field (photo: Ohio State Athletics).
With 38 seconds remaining in regulation and the game tied 3-3, Riley Thompson redirected Gunnarwolfe Fontaine’s power-play shot to give Ohio State a 4-3 edge and the first win of the Frozen Confines in Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
BUCKEYES 🆙
Riley Thompson tips it in on the power play to give @OhioStateMHKY the lead with less than a minute to play 🔥
The Wolverines led 1-0 after one when Michael Hage stripped defenseman Aiden Hansen-Bukata in front of the Ohio State net and scored at 18:14, unassisted. Michigan went up 2-0 early in the second on the power play when T.J. Hughes buried Will Horcoff’s sweet feed from behind the net.
Ohio State answered with two second-period goals to knot things up after two, Sam Deckhut’s from Noah Powell at 15:26 and Powell from Chris Able at 18:37.
Midway through the third, Horcoff netted his first collegiate goal — in his first collegiate game — when he picked up Hage’s rebound in the crease to put the Wolverines ahead again. That lead wouldn’t last more than three minutes, though, as Thompson scored his first of the night at 12:05 before capping the game with his winning tally in the final minute.
Each team had 34 shots on goal. For the Buckeyes, Kristoffer Eberly made 31 saves in his 10th win of the season. Cameron Korpi had 30 saves for Michigan.
Trailing 1-0 after the first period, Augustana’s brothers Tyler and Hayden Hennen scored two minutes apart early in the second to put the visiting Vikings ahead en route to a 4-1 win over Colorado College in the first game of a nonconference series at Ed Robson Arena.
Hayden Hennen’s game-winning goal on the power play at 7:38 in the second was his first goal of the season, his first career game-winning goal and the fifth goal of he’s scored in 52 games in two seasons.
Chase McLane put the Tigers on the board late in the first from Owen Beckner after Colorado College outshot Augustana 10-3 in the opening period.
The Vikings answered with five unanswered: the two from the Hennen brothers in the second, Colton Friesen’s early third-period goal to make it 3-1 and empty-net goals by Payton Matsui and Easton Young.
Josh Kotai stopped 28-of-29 in his 10th win of the season. Kaidan Mbereko had 19 saves on the 22 shots he faced in the Colorado College net.
No. 6 Denver 2, No. 7 Maine 1
The Pioneers edged the Black Bears 2-1 on the road in the first of a two-game nonconference set between the top-10 teams.
With the game tied 1-1 after the Pioneers and Black Bears exchanged second-period power-play goals, Denver’s Rieger Lorenz scored the game-winning goal from Cale Ashcroft with 20 seconds remaining in regulation.
Matt Davis had 29 saves in his 14th win of the season. For the Black Bears, Albin Boija stopped 22-of-24.
No. 3 Minnesota 6, Mercyhurst 2
Six different Golden Gophers scored as Minnesota easily handled Mercyhurst 6-2 in front of 10,000 fans in the opener of a nonconference series in 3M Arena at Mariucci.
Minnesota took a 2-0 lead after the first on late-period goals by Jimmy Snuggerud and Connor Kurth. Brody Lamb made it 3-0 less than two minutes into the second on a power-play goal from Erik Påhlsson and Snuggerud.
Riley Fitzgerald and Connor Pelc put the Lakers to within one midway through the second period, but Matthew Wood and John Mittelstadt scored 1:11 apart late in the second to make it 5-3. Påhlsson picked up the empty netter with less than two remaining in regulation.
Påhlsson led all scorers with a goal and two assists as several Gophers had multi-point nights.
In the Minnesota net, Nathan Airey stopped 20-of-22 shots. For the Lakers, Carter McPhail made 39 saves as Minnesota outshot Mercyhurst 45-22.
No. 10 UMass Lowell 3, Michigan Tech 2
In the opening game of the inaugural Coachella Valley Cactus Cup, UMass Lowell’s Lee Parks scored on the power play at 18:19 in the third to break a 2-2 tie and win the game for the River Hawks.
Parks (1-1) and teammates Matt Crasa (1-1) and Ian Carpentier (0-2) led all skaters in points, and UMass Lowell’s Henry Welsch needed only 13 saves in the game as the River Hawks held the Huskies to 15 total shots.
The game was tied 1-1 after the first on Elias Jansson’s power-play goal for Michigan Tech at 2:01 and Crasa’s goal from Carpentier and Parks at 13:01.
After a scoreless second, Pierson Brandon gave the River Hawks their first lead at 2:17 in the third from Crasa and Carpentier. Isaac Gordon evened the game for the Huskies at 13:02. Derek Mullahy made 25 saves for Michigan Tech.
UMass Lowell will play Omaha for the tournament title Saturday night in Acrisure Arena, home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL. The Mavericks beat Holy Cross 4-3 in overtime in Friday’s second game.
Holy Cross and Michigan Tech will meet in Saturday’s early game.
No. 16 Cornell 4, Massachusetts 2
Trailing 2-1 heading into the third, Cornell scored three in the final period to beat Massachusetts 4-2 in the opening game of the sixth Desert Hockey Classic, played in Arizona State’s home rink of Mullett Arena.
Four different Big Red skaters found the net and Cornell goalie Ian Shane stopped 22-of-24 in his sixth win of the season.
Massachusett’s Larry Keenan opened the scoring the game in the final minute of the first, giving the Minutemen a 1-0 lead after one on a feed from Francesco Dell’Elce.
The teams exchanged goals three minutes apart late in the second. Ryan Walsh scored unassisted to put Cornell on the board at 16:18, but the Minutemen scored their second last-minute goal of the night at 19:44 with Dell’Elce picking up his second assist of the night on Michael Cameron’s power-play goal.
Tim Rego scored the first of Cornell’s third-period goals at 6:52, tying the game. Dalton Bancroft’s go-ahead goal at 12:18 stood as the game-winner. Kyler Kovich added the empty netter with seven seconds left.
The Minutemen went 1-for-1 on the power play in a game that saw just three total minor penalties. Jackson Irving made 31 saves for Massachusetts.
Cornell will face off against host Arizona State in the tourney title game Saturday. The Sun Devils beat Robert Morris 7-3 in the second Friday game. The Minutemen will meet the Colonials in Saturday’s early game in Mullett Arena.
Bowling Green 3, Lake Superior State 0
Christian Stoever stopped all 34 shots he faced and Ryan O’Hara had a hand in all three the goals the Falcons scored when Bowling Green shutout Lake Superior State on the road to kick off second-half CCHA play for both teams.
O’Hara’s goal at 12:39 in the first on the Falcons’ power play from Dalton Norris and Breck McKinley was his second game-winning goal of the season.
Ryan O'Hara nets his second goal in as many games for @BGSUHKY!
Brody Waters converted another power play three minutes later, assisted by Norris and O’Hara to make it a 2-0 game after one. O’Hara’s second goal of the night — from Waters — was an empty netter at 17:16 in the third period.
Stoever earned his second shutout of the season on just five starts and his record improves to 4-0-1. For the Lakes, Rorke Applebee stopped 24 of the 26 shots he faced.
Sacred Heart 3, Air Force 0
With 26 saves, Ajeet Gundarah earned his second shutout of the season as the Pioneers blanked the Falcons 3-0 in the Martire Family Arena, the first Atlantic Hockey of the second half for Sacred Heart and Air Force.
After a scoreless first period, Jake Hewitt had the game-winning goal early in the second period on a scramble in front of the Falcons’ net. John Jaworski and Reid Pabich added empty-net goals in the final two minutes of the game.
Gunnarwolf Fontaine is finding success at Ohio State with the 2024-25 season (photo: Roman J. Uschak).
A New England native is making good in the Midwest in his final season of NCAA eligibility.
The uniquely-named Gunnarwolf Fontaine (East Greenwich, R.I) spent the last four years at Northeastern University, compiling 32 goals and 97 points and helping the Huskies to two Beanpot tournament titles, while personally earning 2024 Beanpot MVP honors after scoring two overtime goals. He also led NU to a Hockey East regular-season championship and an NCAA tournament berth in his time on Huntington Avenue, where he majored in communication studies.
Fontaine is now finishing up his college career at Ohio State University, thanks to the transfer portal and the extra year of eligibility provided by the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, he’s assisted the Buckeyes in attaining a top-20 national ranking, which began with a nine-game unbeaten streak to open the 2024-25 campaign.
Through OSU’s first 18 games this year, the 5-10, 185-pound Fontaine had registered seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points, placing him atop the Buckeye scoring scroll. He hit the personal century mark on Oct. 26 in a 2-0 victory at Bowling Green, drawing an assist on the game-winning power-play goal by Davis Burnside to reach 100 career points.
According to longtime OSU head coach Steve Rohlik, Fontaine was a true find in the offseason. The Buckeyes had lost last year’s top scorer, Stephen Halladay, to the pros after just two seasons in Columbus, along with two other top 10 point-producers who graduated.
“We saw his (Fontaine’s) name in the portal, and there’s not too many times you find a 100-point guy,” said Rohlik. “You want to build a relationship with them as fast as you can, and what he’s done, and the offensive feel he’s brought to our team, is huge. He also has a great attitude, and I give him credit for stepping in and being a part of our culture.”
Fontaine was up to 109 career points before OSU visited Princeton University on Nov. 29-30. The Buckeyes were turned away by the Tigers by identical 3-1 scores both nights, with Fontaine managing six shots on goal in all while OSU was held to a pair of Joe Dunlap goals. Nonetheless, it was still exciting for Fontaine to be back east for Thanksgiving weekend.
“It feels nice,” he said after the second contest at Princeton’s century-old Hobey Baker Memorial Rink. “My family came to watch, and it’s a little closer to home. It’s my first time playing here, and it’s a special rink.”
Besides lining up at left wing at even strength, with a changing cast of linemates so far this season, Fontaine has also been a fixture on the OSU power play, setting up in the right faceoff circle in the attacking zone. After four seasons skating in Hockey East, he quickly acclimated himself to the rugged Big Ten conference.
“It’s definitely a switch-up, and a little more comparable to the NHL,” he admitted. “There’s a lot of skilled players in this league who have gone on to the NHL, and hopefully I’ll continue to play at a high level.”
Back in Big Ten action with a pair of games against visiting Penn State the first weekend of December, Fontaine added some Buckeye leaves to his silver helmet by notching two goals in a 4-0 win in the opener. He then added an assist in a 4-2 triumph in the clincher, as OSU improved to 4-2-0 in the conference.
He closed out the calendar year by setting up both Buckeye goals in a 2-1 overtime victory over Notre Dame on Dec. 13, then added an insurance goal the next night in a 3-1 triumph over the Fighting Irish. OSU (13-4-1 overall, 6-2-0 Big Ten) then went on hiatus until going outdoors at The Frozen Confines/Big Ten Hockey Series on Jan. 3 against archrival Michigan at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
“We’re obviously leaning on him heavily right now,” said Rohlik. “He has room to grow, and we’re going to push him to get out of his comfort zone.”
Fontaine comes from a hockey family, as his older sisters Alex and Skylar played for Union and Northeastern, respectively.
OSU entered the USCHO.com poll at No. 19 on Oct. 21, and eventually rose to No. 12 by Nov. 25. Besides the Princeton series, the Buckeyes’ only losses early on came to Big Ten rival Michigan State, also on the road.
Fontaine, 24, prepped with a number of clubs and schools, including the Providence Capitals, Boston Jr. Bandits, Cape Cod Whalers, Lawrence Academy and the Chicago Steel, before enrolling at Northeastern. He was selected in the 7th round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators following two high-scoring seasons in the USHL, and later participated in Nashville’s 2023 development camp.
He fashioned a five-game scoring streak from Oct. 25 through Nov. 8 this season, in which he tallied his first career goal at OSU to go along with six assists.
“I want to be the best player for my team, and help the team move forward,” he explained.
Before embarking upon a possible professional career, Fontaine wants to leave nothing on the proverbial table with the Buckeyes, who are looking to claim their first Big Ten title since 2019, and earn their first NCAA invitation since 2023 when they fell to eventual national champion Quinnipiac in a regional final after first routing Harvard. OSU then went 14-20-4 overall in 2023-24, the first time it finished below .500 in three seasons.
“Ohio State didn’t have the best season last year,” said Fontaine. “We were ranked pretty early (this year), but we have lot of work to do.”
His current head coach, who has led OSU to five NCAA tournament berths and one Frozen Four in 11 seasons, agrees that the sky is the limit if Fontaine continues to work hard and take advantage of the resources a Big Ten school like OSU offers.
“We will push him to be the best version of Gunnarwolf Fontaine he can be,” said Rohlik.
VANTAA, Finland — The 2025 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championships begin Saturday. At press time, 18 of the 25 women on the US roster and 22 of 24 women on the Canada roster have already announced their commitment to play NCAA DI women’s hockey. The seven as-yet uncommitted Americans are all too young to be eligible to commit yet.
There are also several non-North American players who’ve announced NCAA commitments.
Here are the players and where they are committed to further their education and play hockey:
USCHO Edge hosts Jim Connelly, Dan Rubin, and Ed Trefzger look at money lines and over/under for five college games and the IIHF WJC semifinals on January 3-4, 2025:
Denver -140 @ Maine +110; over/under 6.5
Cornell -120 vs. UMass -110; o/u 5.5
Robert Morris +420 @ Arizona State -660; o/u 6.5 (“pizza money” game)
Zeev Buium scored a power-play goal Thursday for the United States at the World Junior Championship (photo: USA Hockey).
Ryan Leonard (Boston College) and James Hagens (Boston College) each scored twice as the U.S. National Junior Team defeated Switzerland 7-2 in the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship Thursday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ont.
Team USA advances to the semifinals on Saturday and will face Czechia at 7:30 p.m. ET live on NHL Network.
“Overall, I thought we were ready to play and did what we needed to do against a good opponent in Switzerland,” said Team USA coach David Carle (Denver) in a statement. “We’ll get ready now for the semifinals and look forward to the challenge in front of us.”
Brandon Svoboda (Boston University) staked the U.S. to a lead it would never relinquish with his goal at 6:39 of the opening period on a sharp-angle shot that beat Swiss netminder Christian Kirsch five hole.
Hagens added to the lead 1:44 later as he buried a net-front opportunity generated by a pass from Oliver Moore (Minnesota).
Moments after a successful U.S. penalty kill, Leonard, the U.S. captain, forced a turnover in the neutral zone, powered his way toward the net, and lifted a shot past Kirsch that proved to be the game winner at 11:35.
Nils Rhyn scored short-handed at 15:04 to cut the Team USA advantage to two.
Danny Nelson (Notre Dame) redirected a pass from Moore into the back of the net to regain the three-goal lead for the U.S. at the 16:44 mark.
Zeev Buium (Denver) fired home a one-timer at 7:45 of the middle stanza following a cross-crease pass from Gabe Perreault (Boston College) on the power play to extend the U.S. advantage to 5-1.
Hagens added his second goal of the contest at 15:03 following back-to-back passes between him and Perreault to extend Team USA’s lead to five. Leonard, named the U.S. Player of the Game, followed up 1:20 later with a power-play goal to give the U.S. a 7-1 advantage after two periods.
Switzerland’s Andro Kaderli scored on the power play at 6:53 of the third to account for the 7-2 final score.
U.S. netminder Hampton Slukynsky (Western Michigan) made 17 saves in the victory.
Max Resnick and the Tufts Jumbos open the second half playing in the new Tampa College Hockey Invitational Tournament (Photo by Michael Last-Tufts Athletics)
Happy New Year to All!
Well, it isn’t taking long for the second half of the season to kick-off in grand fashion with tournaments and electric, non-conference games on tap. Hopefully all the players went easy on the excesses of the holidays and are ready to pick up where we left off in early December. With the turn of the year comes a new sense of urgency in bringing the level of play up to compete for championships. Should be a great start this weekend to see who is ready to really compete.
My weekly picks finished last week at a horrible 2-3-0 (.400) which is not the way I envisioned closing out the semester. To date, my season numbers are 52-26-4 (.659) which is very promising considering I had two weeks where I was way off target which surely has impacted the overall numbers more significantly than my consistently “good but not great” weeks in the first half. It all starts again now with a super-sized edition of game picks that include tournament and non-conference action to start 2025 – here are this week’s picks for the east:
Thursday, January 2, 2025
(8) Trinity v. (9) Curry
If this game was just about Devon Bobak vs. Shane Soderwall there would not be a lot of scoring and probably not a winner. That said these two are a couple of the best goaltenders in all D-III and bring a strong level of compete to the crease every night. Takes OT for a winner to be determined with the visitors eking it out – Trinity, 2-1
Friday, January 3, 2025
Codfish Bowl
Massachusetts-Dartmouth v. Massachusetts-Boston
The Beacons are proud hosts of the nation’s oldest D-III tournament but unfortunately, they don’t always play the role of the ungracious host in winning it often. They shouldn’t take Collin Patterson & Company lightly as they can be lethal especially on the power play. Corsairs score early and hang on – UMD, 4-3
Fitchburg State v. Wisconsin-Superior
This east meets west affair should be entertaining and physical. The Yellowjackets didn’t travel all this way over the New Year to exit contention for the Codfish Bowl early. Fast start helps the visitors ease to a comfortable yet highly physical victory over the Falcons – Wisconsin-Superior, 5-2
Misericordia v. (11) Wilkes
TRAP GAME ALERT – The Colonels best not think they can ease into the second half of the MAC schedule with an easy “W” over the current last place team. The visitors are ready to go and improve their position, but a third period surge will put Wilkes in the win column to start 2025 – Wilkes, 3-1
Keene State v. Plattsburgh
The Owls play the “iron” of their schedule over the next week or so and the Cardinals will be a tough and physical opponent to open up the second half. Entertaining contest that finds the Cardinals taking advantage of their power play more than the Owls do in a hard-fought win over the D-III newcomers – PSU, 5-3
Northfield Bank Tournament
Plymouth State v. (12) Hamilton
Great matchup between MASCAC and NESCAC foes in the opening round of a loaded tournament hosted by Norwich. Hamilton my be one of the best teams no one talks about and the Panthers best be wary of a skilled group of forwards on the other bench. Seesaw affair goes to the Continentals with the help of a much-needed ENG – Hamilton, 5-3
Williams v. Norwich
The Cadets have struggled immensely to score goals so far this season and the Ephs can certainly skate with the host team even on the big sheet of ice in Northfield. Upset pick amongst all my picks with the visitors in purple stealing an OT thriller – Williams, 3-2
Oswego State Classic
Alvernia v. Lebanon Valley
The two MAC schools play in a game that means an opportunity to play for mid-season hardware and it’s the Golden Wolves who find some late magic to take a one-goal win over the Flying Dutchmen – Alvernia, 5-4
Neumann v. Oswego
The Lakers do not have the best of records in their own tournament and the Black Knights are the wrong team to start out sluggishly against as coach Mike Heddon has his boys primed for puck drop and a fast start leads to a one-goal win – Neumann 4-3
Tampa College Hockey Invitational
Albertus Magnus v. Suffolk
This was only a matter of time before teams facing winter in the northeast said, “hey let’s play a tournament in Florida.” Brilliant idea and great hockey as Suffolk gets great goaltending from CJ Hapward to steal a opening round win – Suffolk, 2-1
Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) v. Tufts
Another west vs. east affair in the second game sees a distinct matchup of styles where the fast and physical meets the speedy and skilled. Always a toss-up based on the commitment and assuming limited beach time, Sedlak and Resnick help the Jumbos play for a title on Saturday – Tufts, 5-4
Saturday, January 4, 2025
Boston Landing Invitational
Salem State v. Nichols
This tournament always has some interesting results, and the Bison have enjoyed quite a bit of success as the host institution since the BLI inception. Not bucking history here as the Vikings put up a strong fight but Nathan Carl and group get it done in round one – Nichols, 4-3
Canton v. Middlebury
The Panthers have already tasted far removed tournament success this season when they hosted the LayerEight back in November. Kangaroos did not fare so well in the North Country Tournament and both teams looking to start 2025 with a flourish. Jin Lee leads by example with the game winner late in regulation – Middlebury, 3-2
(1) Hobart v. Manhattanville
The Valiants are hoping the Statesmen REALLY enjoyed the holidays and come back maybe a little bit less sharp than their impressive 10-0-0 start to the campaign. Unfortunately, no such luck as Luke Aquaro and the deepest forward group in the country start 2025 with a statement win on the road – Hobart, 6-1
Connecticut College v. Johnson & Wales
The Camels are off to their best first half start in many seasons but should not look past a very pesky Wildcats squad that keeps everything tight and close. Conn College has shown they can play things tight and win the one-goal playoff style games just like this one – Conn College, 3-2
(10) Endicott v. Amherst
This game is a chess match between two very good coaches in Endicott’s RJ Tolan and Amherst’s Jack Arena. If this game was in Raymond Bourque arena I might be leaning the other way but knowing the hallowed halls of Orr Rink, special teams and some late Mammoth magic steal an upset win – Amherst, 3-2
St. Michael’s v. Potsdam
The Purple Knights venture into upstate New York for this NE-10 v. SUNYAC matchup. Davi Ciancio and Case Kantgias may just be the best two-pronged defense to offense attack at the D-II/III level and their play gives the visitors a nice road win to start the second half – St. Michael’s, 5-3
Salve Regina v. Framingham State
The Seahawks are still looking for consistency and this back half of a two game weekend gives them a chance to start 2025 2-0-0 before heading into the battles of the NEHC. Aidan Connelly has fit in nicely and added some offensive punch which should be on display against the Rams – Salve Regina, 6-3
Nothing better than getting back on the ice and competing. Whether it is the sheer thrill of playing to kick-off the second half or the added excitement around winning tournament hardware, this weekend has something for everyone. The new NPI is up on the USCHO site just in case anyone wants to know where their team ranks in what will help determine at-large bids for national tournament contention come March – “Drop the Puck!”
UW-Stevens Point squares off with St. Norbert this weekend. (Photo provided by UW-Stevens Point Athletics)
Christmas is history and we have are ready for a new year and a full slate of hockey as the second half of the D-III West season gets rolling.
St. Norbert at UW-Stevens Point
What a way to begin 2025 by having two ranked opponents square off for the second time this season.
The No. 2 Green Knights already have one win over the Pointers this year, winning 6-2 at home back on Nov. 12.
In that one, a strong start was key for St. Norbert, which scored four first-period goals and never looked back. Liam Fraser had a hat trick in the win and wouldn’t mind repeating history.
The No. 15 Pointers (6-4-1) are out for revenge and have the luxury of playing this showdown at home, where they are 4-0-1 on the season. They’ll need a quicker start this time around to have a shot at the upset.
I expect this meeting to be a much closer game, though it’s hard to bet against the Green Knights, who are 3-0 against the WIAC. St. Norbert, 5-4
Gustavus at Dubuque
The MIAC leading Gusties (6-5) face off against the Spartans looking to get back on track after dropping two in a row. Jack Suchy is having a great year for Gustavus, scoring seven goals and tallying 10 assists. As a team, Gustavus is averaging 3.6 goals per game.
Dubuque (0-10-2) is hoping to get its first win of the year. The Spartans have played teams tough, losing four games by a single goal. Gustavus, 4-3, 3-1
Marian at Concordia
The Sabres (4-6) have lost their last four and hope to open the second half of the season on a high note. They’ve had goo luck against the MIAC up to this point, going 2-0 this year. Changing their fortunes on the road is key as they are 1-4 away from home this season.
Concordia (4-6-1) is in dire need of a win, going 0-5-1 over its last six games. Three one-goal losses are in that mix, so the Cobbers are never an easy out. Should be a fun series to watch. Concordia, 3-2; Marian, 4-2
Lake Forest at St. Olaf
Lake Forest (4-5-1) has momentum heading into the second half of the year as the Foresters have won three in a row. They’ve managed to score four or more goals in each of those wins. Trevor Faucher has played a key role offensively, tallying five goals and four assists.
The Oles (4-4-1) are also playing well, winning their last two, and are led by playmaker Connor Kalthoff, who has come through with a goal and nine assists. There’s added motivation as this game falls on senior night for the Oles. St. Olaf, 5-4
Concordia (Wis) at Hamline
The Falcons roll into the new year on a four-game winning streak. They also haven’t played too badly away from home, fashioning a 5-4 road record, and they’ll be tested against the Pipers. Jack Guvenal has been solid for the Falcons in the first half, tallying five goals and nine assists.
Hamline (3-8) is looking to shake off a three-game losing streak and have given up 18 goals during that stretch. Concordia, 5-2 and 6-3
Skidmore at Saint John’s
The Johnnies (5-4) are the winners of three in a row and have been impressive at home with a 4-1 record. This Friday night game is their first against a team from out East and it’s an opportunity to make a bit of a statement against a team that was ranked earlier this season in the USCHO.com poll.
The Thoroughbreds (6-5) are facing a west region team for only the second time this season, losing 5-4 to Lake Forest on Nov. 30. Saint John’s, 4-3
UW-Superior at Fitchburg
The Yellowjackets (8-3-1) are feeling good about the way things are going heading into 2025. They sit atop the WIAC, have won four in a row, and now face a big test on the road as they take on Fitchburg State in the opening game of the Codfish Bowl Tournament in Boston.
Keep an eye on Justin Dauphinas, who has scored in five consecutive games and already has as many goals (6) as he did all of last season.
The Owls are 7-2 and have won three of their last four. It will be the first neutral ice game for both teams this year. Superior, 3-2
Augsburg at UW-River Falls
This has not been a typical year for the Auggies, who are just 3-8 and have lost their last six games. The key to turning things around is getting the offense going. Augsburg has been held to a goal or less in its last four and hasn’t won a game since Nov. 15 when it beat Northland 4-2.
They face a big test against the Falcons, who are 13th in the nation and are 7-4 overall. River Falls gets to play this one at home, where it is 5-1 on the season. Goalie Brennan Boynton has given up just 21 goals and has made 283 saves. River Falls, 4-1
First-year forward Chase Carney has excelled for Keene State in the first half and now readies for the tough beginning to the second half of the season on the road against Plattsburgh (Photo by Ben Merrick/Keene State Athletics)
For Keene State head coach Bobby Rodrigue, the 2024-25 season is an opportunity to see his new NCAA level team play an independent schedule and get acclimated to the D-III game before they become part of the new Little East hockey conference next season. After a slow start to the campaign, the Owls entered the break having won their last three games including an overtime win against St. Michael’s and a 4-0 shutout win over Fitchburg State. Sitting at 5-5-1, Keene State readies for a second half where they look to show they can play and win against the established teams across the current conferences.
“We have taken steps so far this season,” said Rodrigue. “We are not a good hockey team yet, but there certainly have been glimmers in the growth of this team that has us excited about the second half and our opening “hell week.” All first semester we have been benchmarking our game in relation to the opening schedule in January where we travel to face Plattsburgh, Amherst and Curry and then Nichols in a 10-day stretch that will tell us a lot about who and what we are as a team.”
Coming out of the club hockey ranks where Keene State continues to showcase a very successful Division II ACHA program, Rodrigue and his alumni-based staff took on assembling a NCAA D-III program that joins a brand new Little East hockey conference next season. Building a roster that includes three transfers and seven club team members, Rodrigue has seen growth and commitment from the players, staff and institution to build a successful program.
“The biggest difference between the club level and the NCAA level is obviously the resources,” noted Rodrigue. “We think we have an attractive recruiting environment here with a good state school and engaged local community. Even our club team has continuously packed the arena for games. At a time where many doubted the availability of significant investment, the school has been very generous in getting the program off on solid footing including investing two million dollars in our locker room facilities in the rink. It was expected to be ready on December 23rd and we are excited to move in and make it our home. We have a good equipment deal with Bauer and our school is a Nike school so our players are very pleased with the equipment, custom uniforms and clothing “swag” representing Keene State at the D-III level.”
The Owls started out slowly going 2-5-1 in their first eight games. Second period struggles were notable in losses to Rivier and Massachusetts- Dartmouth (twice), and King’s in the Terry Moran Invitational tournament over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. But the team turned around in the consolation game against MCLA, recording an 8-5 win before closing out the first half schedule with wins over St. Michael’s and FSU.
“We lost in overtime in a scrimmage to MCLA to start the season and then got down a goal to them again in the Moran Tournament,” stated Rodrigue. “It was important that we responded with some momentum and stayed disciplined in our game. You can’t win college hockey games making junior hockey mistakes. Our boys did a nice job staying in the game and in our systems and we finished our best third period scoring six times in that win over MCLA. St. Mike’s was probably the fastest team we have played this year where we won in OT, and Fitchburg is always strong, so I was both pleased and a bit surprised that we took them 4-0. We are of course a young team with just three seniors in everyone’s first year together here. We think we found our lineup with the lines and pairings in our last week so it will be interesting to see the boys compete in practice after the Christmas holiday.”
Two players who have emerged as key contributors for the Owls so far this season are sophomore Marcus Chrisafideis (11G – 5A – 16 Pts – +7) and first-year Chase Carney (5G – 8A – 13 Pts – +13) who have both delighted and surprised the coaching staff with their play in the first half of the season.
“Chase was the first recruit we committed here,” stated Rodrigue. “It was important for Chase and us to be our first commit, and he has exceeded expectations to start the season. For a .500 hockey team it is amazing to see a player at a +13 but Chase plays a complete game. He has been successful with whomever we put on a line, solid at the face-off dot and is vary hard to play around the net with his size. His versatility has been a key to his early success, and we are anxious to see his growth in the second half.”
“Marcus like Chase is an ’04 and is just so feisty on the ice despite his stature,” said Rodrigue. “He really gets disappointed when he doesn’t get a Grade A chance on a shift and is not afraid of contact as he knows the big boys are coming after him and our bench goes wild when he blows-up one of those opponents looking to take him out of the play. He is a super competitive player and his game against MCLA shows what he can do offensively for this team.”
The Owls returned to campus on December 28 looking to work off the rust of the semester break in preparation for perhaps the toughest part of their schedule.
“I hope our guys are smart about taking care of themselves while they enjoy the holidays with their family and friends,” said Rodrigue. “One week of practice and hard skates is not going to undo three weeks of letting go a bit too much. Our first three games will tell us a lot about how far we have come as a team and hopefully set us up for a strong second half as we build a competitive D-III team that can compete with the best in the region.”
Trey Augustine makes one of his 38 saves Tuesday night against Canada (photo: USA Hockey).
Trey Augustine (Michigan State) made 38 saves and the U.S. National Junior Team scored three times on the power play on the way to a 4-1 victory over Canada Tuesday night in the final preliminary round game for both teams in the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ont.
With the victory, the U.S. won its preliminary round pool for the fifth straight year.
“I liked our emotion and how we played for each other,” said United States coach David Carle (Denver) in a statement. “Trey was excellent in goal and our special teams did a great job. We’ll enjoy this tonight and get set for our quarterfinal game against Switzerland.”
Cole Hutson (Boston University) nearly opened the scoring for the U.S. with 12:46 remaining in the first period, as his shot beat Canadian netminder Carter George, but rang off the post.
Hutson did give the U.S. the lead on its first power-play opportunity as he fired a shot from between the circles that found the back of the net at 13:02. Cole Eiserman (Boston University) assisted on the play.
Team USA captain Ryan Leonard (Boston College) nearly gave the U.S. a 2-0 lead late in the period, but his shot from the slot hit the short-side post.
Augustine, named the U.S. Player of the Game, sprawled to make a pair of crucial saves at the 7:06 mark of the second frame with Canada on the power play to maintain the U.S. lead and stopped 15 total shots in the frame.
The scored remained 1-0 in favor of the U.S. through 40 minutes of play, despite 28 combined shots from the teams in the middle stanza.
Bradly Nadeau (Maine 2023-24) scored on the power play at 1:58 of the third to tie the game, but just 2:24 later, Danny Nelson (Notre Dame) put the U.S. ahead for good as he fired one home from the slot on the power play after a pass from Hutson.
Eiserman added to the U.S. advantage at 13:21 with his team’s third power-play goal of the night. Leonard capped off the scoring with an empty-net goal to account for the 4-1 final score.
The U.S. National Junior Team will face Switzerland in the quarterfinals Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on NHL Network.
