AIC’s John Lundy carries the puck against RIT’s Xavier Lapointe during a game last December (photo: AIC Athletics).
One game for all the marbles.
The longest postseason in college hockey comes to an end on Saturday in Rochester, N.Y. After almost four weeks, the Atlantic Hockey tournament is down to the final two teams: American International and Rochester Institute of Technology. They will play a single game on Saturday in Rochester for the title and the right to represent the league in the NCAA Tournament.
Previewing the finals
No. 5 AIC at No. 1 RIT
We have a classic battle between a resurgent RIT, which has three playoff titles but none since 2016, and AIC, which has won three of the last four, excluding the canceled 2020 postseason.
The Tigers, the regular season champions, dominated their opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals, dispatching Robert Morris in two games by a combined score of 12-1, and sweeping Niagara by a combined 9-3 tally.
RIT has a wealth of depth, getting scoring from their veteran forwards including Carter Wilkie (16-23-39) and Elijah Gonsalves (17-16-33), and from the blueline (Gianfranco Cassaro’s 17 goals is tops among defensemen in Division I) as well as their all-freshman line of Matthew Wilde, Tyler Fukakusa and Christian Catalano, who have combined for 73 points so far.
In net, Tommy Scarfone is the league’s goaltender of the year, posting a .928 save percentage. He’s allowed a total of four goals in the Tiger’s four playoff games so far.
AIC, hobbled by injuries in February, managed to qualify for the fifth and final bye. They won two hard-fought road series against Air Force and Holy Cross, sweeping the Falcons 3-1 and 3-2 and coming back to defeat Holy Cross in three games 2-5, 3-0 and 3-1.
AIC is playing a more defensive style than in the past due to holes in its roster (although some key players have returned from injury). That starts with rookie goaltender Nils Wallstrom, the Yellow Jackets’ most valuable player so far.
Against Holy Cross last weekend, Wallstrom posted a .959 save percentage and a GAA of 1.33.
The Yellow Jackets are led in scoring by graduate student Dustin Manz (7-24-31) and feature AHA Defenseman of the Year Brian Kramer (10-11-21), who recently returned from injury.
Awards season, final edition
Here is our final set of award winners, which I’m calling “The Rubies” after my buddy Dan Rubin, who covers the ECAC for USCHO.
He continues to call his award picks “The Lerchies” harkening back to the time when he and I shared the Atlantic Hockey beat. Back at you, Dan.
Player of the Year: Liam McLinskey, Holy Cross
This came down to RIT’s Carter Wilkie and McLinskey. Wilkie was last year’s pick by both the league and USCHO, but I went with McLinskey, who led the league in scoring with 47 points on 19 goals and 28 assists. He’s the league’s sole Hobey Baker finalist, announced on Wednesday.
Rookie of the Year: Mateo Giampa, Canisius
Despite a glut of upperclassmen thanks to the extra year available to players due to the pandemic (next season will be the last for this), there was a bevy of rookies who made significant impacts. I chose Canisius’ Mateo Giampa. His 35 points on 18 goals and 17 assists led his team in all three categories.
Coach of the Year: Andy Jones, Bentley
The league finalists are RIT’s Wayne Wilson, whose Tigers repeated as regular season champions, Air Force’s Frank Serratore, whose Falcons improved from 10th last year to fourth, and Holy Cross’ Bill Riga, whose Crusaders continued to improve each season.
But I’m going with Bentley coach Andy Jones, who completed a successful season behind the Falcons’ bench in his first year as a Division I head coach. Despite being hired in late June and inheriting a team picked to finish last, Jones and his team ended up sixth, a point out of a first-round bye. The Falcons are definitely on the upswing.
Looking back, looking ahead
This is my last column of the season, my 25th at USCHO and my 18th covering Atlantic Hockey. I took over the beat from my friend Jimmy Connolly the season following the monumental upset of Minnesota by Holy Cross in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
That put the fledgling conference on the map, and so much has changed since then. Air Force and RIT joined my first season covering the league, followed by Niagara and Robert Morris in 2010-11. By my count, four new arenas have opened since then, and the league has gone from 12 scholarships per team to a full complement of 18. The future is bright.
I’m grateful to the coaches, players, and Sports Information Directors who made time for me this season, as well as league SID Todd Bell. Thanks also to editor Matt Mackinder and everyone at USCHO, my hockey family since 1999.
And as always, thanks to my (actual) family for their support and patience while I’m off covering a game, on the phone with a coach, or holed up with my laptop muttering to myself.
And finally, thank you, dear reader. We have a few more journeys together. I’ll be reporting from the championship game in Rochester on Saturday and from St. Paul during the Frozen Four.
Utica defenseman Brian Scoville lads a young and relaxed group of Pioneers to face defending champion Hobart in semifinal action on Thursday (Photo by Kaleigh Sturtevant – Utica Athletics)
The Utica Pioneers have been highly successful winning three consecutive UCHC titles and consistently being ranked among the nation’s best D-III hockey teams but struggled over the past two seasons to advance beyond the quarterfinal round of the NCAA tournament. Following two consecutive upsets at the hands of the University of New England, this year’s team took care of business in front of what is the most rabid D-III fan base looking for a Utica team to win the national championship.
“As I said before, the luxury of having a young team is they don’t feel pressure,” said Utica head coach Gary Heenan.” I like that the guys are loose and ready to get out there and play our game. This rink is a little bigger than standard, so we are definitely going to be preaching “north” and telling the guys to turn up the jets with our cycle of walls. I expect this game will feature a lot of speed and a good deal of physical play. We know how good Coach Taylor’s team is and we are going to look to take advantage of our opportunities and develop some second shot opportunities against [Damon] Beaver in their net.”
With UCHC Rookie of the Year Eric Vitale sidelined, the Pioneers will cycle some players through their lines to compensate for the loss of their top left wing. Jakob Breault, Matt Wood, John Gutt, Shane Murphy, Khristian Acosta, and Michael Herrera will all be looked to for an offensive spark while the defense will rely heavily on Brian Scoville and Kimball Johnson playing with a young group on the blueline.
“Scoville probably averages 28 minutes a game,” stated Heenan. “Kimball is probably a minute less so we will see how situations dictate some personnel on the ice. While I think the game will be a hard-fought game, I think the power play chances will be limited. We would love Scoville to get a couple of chances with his shot but know this is probably the best penalty kill [surrendered only three PPGs all season] we have seen all season, and the most aggressive from a pressure the puck standpoint.”
Hobart comes into Thursday’s contest following an epic four overtime win over Curry where they produced over 100 shots on goal in the almost seven full periods of action. Sophomore Damon Beaver has been outstanding in goal for the Statesmen who also play up to seven defensemen and four balanced lines. The defending national champions return much of the roster that won the title last season with a couple of key additions in Chris Duclair and last week’s scorer of the game-winning goal, Bauer Morrissey.
“I don’t think Hobart is going to game plan much,” noted Heenan. “They know the game they want to play and dictate on the ice, so I do not expect them to be any different on Thursday. They have a very experienced group and the best goaltender we have seen all season. This is what we have played for all year – to be in the final four teams with a chance to win a national title. I think we can absolutely do this, but we will have to earn it as the four best teams in the country are here battling for the same prize.”
Utica will play Hobart in the first semifinal on Thursday afternoon at 3 PM at the Koeppel Family Sports Center on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford, CT.
Cutter Gauthier has 32 goals this season for Boston College (photo: John Quackenbos).
There will be no lack of intensity this weekend as Hockey East’s final four — Boston College, Boston University, Maine and Massachusetts — vie for the Lou Lamoreillo Trophy.
BC and BU will be looking to erase bitter memories of losses in the Beanpot, held in the same building just over a month ago. Maine will be relishing its first trip to TD Garden in a dozen years. And UMass, after being shut out of the semifinals last year, is back and in search of its third Hockey East tourney title in four seasons.
Save for the trophy itself, however, there’s little tangible up for grabs this weekend for three of the four participating schools. Only UMass has an uncertain future beyond Saturday — and even the Minutemen, according to USCHO.com analysis, have about an 80 percent chance to make the NCAA tournament regardless of how they do in the Hockey East semifinals. BC, BU and Maine are all assured of a spot in the big dance.
The specific scenarios are too numerous to mention here, so go to USCHO’s Pairwise Predictor, a must for any college hockey junkie (but try not to get too addicted).
So, like a team scoring an insurance goal in the waning minutes of the third period, the two Boston schools and the one from Orono will be breathing a little bit easier as they enter the final phase of Hockey East’s version of March madness.
“I don’t think we’ll be gripping our sticks as tight,” said BU senior forward Luke Tuch. “(Our) place is set in the (NCAA) tournament, but we’re never satisfied. I think it’s just getting right back to work (at practice), competing and going at each other and making each other better.”
The matchups will feature BU (No. 2 in both the tournament seeding and the USCHO.com poll) vs. Maine (No. 3 tournament, No. 7 USCHO) at 4 p.m., followed by BC (No. 1 in both) vs. UMass (No. 5 tournament, No. 13 USCHO). All games will be on NESN and ESPN-plus.
Boston College will be the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and will play in the Providence Regional the following weekend regardless of what happens at TD Garden. Nevertheless, BC transfer forward Jack Malone, who fell one game shy of the Frozen Four last season with Cornell, said the Eagles’ motivation from this point forward is simple — win Hockey East, and win the national championship.
“Our mentality going into each game has to be the same,” said Malone. “Doesn’t matter who we’re playing against, doesn’t really matter what’s on the line. Our goal is to win six more games to finish out the year and get two more trophies. There isn’t any level of comfortability with going into play one opponent as opposed to another.”
BC was twice a winner over UMass this season — 5-1 on Feb. 16 in Amherst, Mass., and 6-4 two nights later at the Silvio O. Conte Forum. Despite the relative ease of their two victories, Eagles coach Greg Brown said his team won’t be looking past the Minutemen, a program only four years removed from winning the NCAA championship.
“There’s no trap in the semifinals of Hockey East,” Brown said. “We know they’re a great team. Hard-fought games both times. They have a successful program, they know how to win. We know it will be a huge battle for us and we know we’ll have to be at our best.”
It’s been a while since BU and Maine last played each other. That was on the weekend of Nov. 17 and 18, when the Terriers pulled out a pair of one goal wins — 3-2 and 5-4 — at Agganis Arena.
BU freshman defenseman Gavin McCarthy said his team has come a long way in the ensuing four months, and the maturity they’ve gained since then should go a long way toward success in the postseason.
“Doing things the right way — obviously we’ve had our moments when (we) took our foot off the gas a little bit,” McCarthy said. “Playing on our toes, not playing on our heels, that’s going to be huge for us going down the stretch. Everybody’s fighting for their life.”
Harrison Scott scored four goals, including a hat trick, and added an assist for five points in helping the Maine to a two-win weekend over UMass Lowell Jan. 20-21 (photo: Anthony DelMonaco).
We’re back with one of the final editions of Bracketology for the men’s Division I college hockey tournament.
We have bemoaned over the last few weeks that problems that would be caused if either Massachusetts, the host in the Springfield, Mass., regional, or Omaha, the host in Sioux Falls, S.D., qualified for the tournament. That could cause massive problems.
Well, with both teams currently in the field and Omaha now a lock, seeding could be a challenge. But that has been further exacerbated by the sheer number off NCHC teams in the field combined with the current seeds of the Big Ten conference teams that are currently qualified (and none of those teams are going anywhere).
This will be the biggest mess of a Bracketology to date.
So let’s start with the simple and seed the teams, 1 through 16:
1. Boston College
8. Minnesota
9. Wisconsin
16. Bemidji State
2. Boston University
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
15. RIT
3. North Dakota
6. Maine
11. Omaha
14. Colorado College
4. Denver
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
13. Western Michigan
Before I even begin to assign regions, let’s look at the problems of interconfertnce matchups.
Minnesota and Wisconsin, North Dakota and Colorado College and Denver and Western Michigan all should not play in the opening round. The NCAA committee has worked hard to make sure the the top seed gets the No. 16 overall seed in recent years, but with the NCHC teams butting heads, I think the easiest switches require us to put that aside right now. So let’s swap Bemidji and CC as well as RIT and Western Michigan.
That leaves us with:
1. Boston College
8. Minnesota
9. Wisconsin
14. Colorado College
2. Boston University
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
13. Western Michigan
3. North Dakota
6. Maine
11. Omaha
15. RIT
4. Denver
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
16. Bemidji State
Is it fair that the lowest No. 1 seed Denver draws the lowest No. 4 seed Bemidji State? Probably not. But I’,m okay leaving this as I don’t think any of these No. 1 seeds have walkover games.
So with that problem solved, let’s assign regions (yes, I know we still have that pesky B1G matchup of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
UMass has to play in Springfield and Omaha has to play in Sioux Falls as hosts.
Providence, R.I.
1. Boston College
8. Minnesota
9. Wisconsin
14. Colorado College
Maryland Heights, Mo.
2. Boston University
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
13. Western Michigan
Sioux Falls, S.D.
3. North Dakota
6. Maine
11. Omaha
15. RIT
Springfield, Mass.
4. Denver
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
16. Bemidji State
At this point, we cannot move either Omaha or UMass without disrupting the entire regionals. But we can swap Minnesota and Maine – No. 8 overall for No. 6 overall. It isn’t ideal as it hurts bracket integrity, but bracket integrity is already destroyed with what we did to the No. 4 seeds.
Providence, R.I.
1. Boston College
6. Maine
9. Wisconsin
14. Colorado College
Maryland Heights, Mo.
2. Boston University
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
13. Western Michigan
Sioux Falls, S.D.
3. North Dakota
8. Minnesota
11. Omaha
15. RIT
Springfield, Mass.
4. Denver
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
16. Bemidji State
Does this bracket technically hold up? Yes. Does it make sense? Heck no.
Why do we want Boston University, the No. 2 overall seed, playing in St. Louis while Denver is playing in Springfield. These teams need to swap, but that creates the interconference game in the first round between Denver and Western Michigan.
Honestly, that’s the consequence of this exercise and is allowed under NCAA guidance:
Per the criteria:
“If five or more teams from one conference are selected to the championship, the committee may protect integrity of the bracket (i.e., maintaining the pairing process according to seed may take priority over avoidance of first-round conference matchups).”
So with that, I’m swapping BU for Denver and creating the interconference NCHC matchup of Denver and Western Michigan in round 1.
Providence, R.I.
1. Boston College
6. Maine
9. Wisconsin
14. Colorado College
Maryland Heights, Mo.
4. Denver
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
13. Western Michigan
Sioux Falls, S.D.
3. North Dakota
8. Minnesota
11. Omaha
15. RIT
Springfield, Mass.
2. Boston University
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
16. Bemidji State
In five years of writing this column, this is the craziest bracket I’ve ever designed. But I’m still okay with it. Attendance in the St. Louis area might not be great, but it is a small building. Everywhere else will have great crowds and we still avoid most interconference matchups.
So that’s where we are.
We’ll be back on Friday night with another edition prior to Saturday’s five championship games. And of course, we’ll have our final predictions on Saturday evening once all of the conference championship games are complete.
Trinity’s Devon Bobak has been a wall in net this season for the Bantams (photo: Trinity Athletics).
The Gridiron Club of Greater Boston announced Wednesday that Trinity sophomore Devon Bobak is the winner of the 23rd Joe Concannon Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England at the Division II/III level.
The award was established in 2001, shortly after the passing of the longtime writer for the Boston Globe, who had a great passion for the game of college hockey while always advocating strongly for amateur athletics.
Bobak led his team to the 2024 Frozen Four, hosted by Trinity at the Koeppel Community Center in Hartford, Conn., on March 21 and March 23. Thus far this season, Bobak has played in 28 games, posting a 24-3-1 record with a 1.20 goals-against average, a .943 save percentage, and seven shutouts. He earned player of the year and first team all-NESCAC honors while leading the Bantams to both the regular-season and conference tournament championships. His seventh shutout was a 2-0 blanking of Elmira in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals.
Trinity faces Adrian in the NCAA semifinal round on March 21. In the other semifinal game, defending champion Hobart takes on Utica.
“I am so pumped for Devon,” said Trinity coach Matt Greason in a news release. “He is an unreal kid and just super humble, but he really deserves this great honor. He has been outstanding for us all season and raises the energy of the whole team. He calms everything down for us with a level of levity that just keeps everybody calm and focused. He always has a smile on his face and is a very hard worker on the ice and in the classroom. He also carries a couple of part-time jobs to maintain his Trinity experience. While he doesn’t like the spotlight or individual recognition, I hope he will embrace winning this important award for D-II/III hockey.”
Bobak was a clear winner over the five remaining finalists in the balloting – Endicott senior forward Andrew Kurapov, Assumption junior forward Ronny Paragallo, Tufts junior forward Tyler Sedlak, Curry freshman goaltender Shane Soderwall, and Plymouth State junior forward Connor Tait.
“This season has truly shown great team and individual performances across each of the conferences and the region at the D-II/III level,” said Gridiron Club hockey awards committee chairman Tim Costello. “The committee had a particularly challenging time in reducing the field of semifinalists. But this group of special players, led by Devon in particular, separated themselves from the pack with tremendous individual play and strong impact on team results to garner the special attention of the members. Devon is the third recipient from Trinity and the tenth to win from NESCAC. The last NESCAC player to win the Concannon Award was Walker Harris of Wesleyan in 2020.”
The Joe Concannon Award will be presented at the New England College Hockey Writers’ Dinner on April 23 in Saugus, Mass.
Jaroslav Chmelar played two seasons up front for Providence (photo: Lydia Vigneau).
Providence sophomore forward Jaroslav Chmelar has signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract with the New York Rangers.
A fifth-round pick of the Rangers in the 2021 NHL Draft, Chmelar notched 12 goals, 16 assists, 28 points with a plus-5 rating and 106 shots on goal in 59 career games with the Friars.
During the 2023-24 season, Chmelar posted five goals and 15 points in 26 games.
He also earned a silver medal with Czechia during the 2023 World Junior Championship where he totaled three goals and two assists over seven games.
Michigan players and staff members join Adam Fantilli, center, after the presentation of the 2023 Hobey Baker Award (photo: Jim Rosvold).
The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation has announced the top 10 candidates for the 2024 award honoring college hockey’s top player.
Alphabetically, they are Jackson Blake, North Dakota; Macklin Celebrini, Boston University; Jack Devine, Denver; Cutter Gauthier, Boston College; Collin Graf, Quinnipiac; Lane Hutson, Boston University; Kyle McClellan, Wisconsin; Liam McLinskey, Holy Cross; Sam Morton, Minnesota State; and Will Smith, Boston College.
The ten finalists were selected by voting from all 64 Division I college hockey head coaches and online fan balloting. This year’s Hobey Baker winner will be chosen from this group by the 30-member selection committee as well as an additional round of fan balloting running from March 20–31 on the Hobey Baker website, hobeybaker.com.
Criteria for the award are displaying outstanding skills in all phases of the game, strength of character on and off the ice, sportsmanship, and scholastic achievements.
The Hobey Hat Trick (three finalists) will be announced on April 4, and the Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced on April 12 during the Frozen Four weekend in St Paul, Minn. The announcement will be televised live on the NHL Network and streamed on the Hobey Baker website at 6 p.m. EDT.
Following, in alphabetical order, is a look at each finalist.
Jackson Blake – North Dakota – Sophomore, Forward
A standout sophomore at UND, Jackson Blake has matched a rare feat by scoring over 40 points in his first two seasons, a level of performance not seen since Brock Boeser’s 60 points in the 2015-16 season. His scoring consistency included eight games with at least three points, contributing to a streak where he scored in 17 of the last 18 regular-season games. Poised to join Zach Parise as the second sophomore in the last 30 years to reach 100 career points at UND, he also shattered the NCHC single-season scoring record with 37 points in conference play. Remarkably, he led the team in points as a freshman, the first time this had been achieved at UND since 1980.
• Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 4th round (109 overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft
• Named to NCHC First Team and is a Finalist for NCHC Player of the Year and Forward of the Year
• Ranks second in the NCAA in points (57)
Macklin Celebrini — Boston University – Freshman, Forward
At just 17, Macklin Celebrini stands out as one of the country’s top centers, showcasing a comprehensive, 200-foot game that balances elite playmaking with diligent defensive responsibility. His blend of superior talent, hockey sense, competitive drive, and work ethic underscores his commitment to improvement, both on the ice and off it.
• Ranks second in NCAA scoring for goals (30) and ranks third in points (55)
• A top prospect eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft ranked No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings of top North American skaters.
• Named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year, and also named to Hockey East First Team, All Rookie Team, is the Hockey East Scoring Champion
Jack Devine – Denver – Junior, Forward
Jack Devine dominates the team’s statistics, leading in goals (27), points (54), and shots (123) marking him as a key offensive player for University of Denver. He made history on January 19, 2024 as the quickest Pioneer to hit the 20-goal mark, in just 23 games, en route to becoming the most prolific scorer since 2005-06. His contributions include eight multi-goal games and a standout start to the season, earning him NCHC Forward of the Week, alongside reaching personal and career milestones such as his 100th career point in a landmark game against Colorado College.
• Ranks third in NCAA scoring for goals (27), and is fourth in points (54)
• Selected by the Florida Panthers in the seventh round (221 overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft
• Named to NCHC First Team, and is a finalist for NCHC Player of the Year and Forward of the Year
Cutter Gauthier – Boston College – Sophomore, Forward
Cutter Gauthier is at the forefront nationally, boasting 32 goals and ranking fifth with 52 points, showcasing his knack for clutch moments with nine game-winners and proficiency on the power play with 10 goals. Throughout the season, he’s been a consistent force, hitting the score sheet in 30 out of 35 games and achieving multiple points in 14 games.
• Won gold with Team USA at the 2024 World Junior Championship
• Was selected in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft (fifth overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers, with his rights traded to the Anaheim Ducks in 2024
• Named to Hockey East First Team and was the runner-up for Player of the Year
• Is the NCAA goal-scoring leader
Collin Graf – Quinnipiac – Junior, Forward
Collin Graf played in 31 games, amassing 22 goals, 26 assists, for 48 points, with eight of those goals coming on power plays and three being game-winners. He is currently fifth nationally in goals and is sixth in points per game. His exceptional play earned him four ECAC Player of the Week honors and the ECAC Forward of the Month for December, and he led his team in multi-point, multi-assist, and multi-goal games.
• Named to ECAC First Team, and is a finalist for ECAC Player of the Year
• Ranks 8th among all NCAA skaters in goals and is sixth in total points (48)
• Serves as an assistant captain and is involved in the program’s leadership groups as well as within the university
Lane Hutson – Boston University – Sophomore, Defenseman
Lane Hutson impresses as a dynamic defenseman with exceptional skating and puck-handling skills that make him stand out every time he hits the ice. His hockey IQ and vision are unparalleled, complementing a defensive game that’s on a constant upward trajectory, underscored by leading the Terriers in ice time. This season Hutson has averaged 1.33 points per game, which ranks 13th nationally among all NCAA skaters, and is tied for first in points by a defenseman with 44. Hutson also ranks third in goals by a defenseman (12) and tied for fourth in game winning goals by a defenseman (3).
• Named to Hockey East First Team
• Won gold with Team USA at the 2024 World Junior Championship, serving as the team alternate captain.
• Selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round (62 overall) at the 2022 NHL Draft
Kyle McClellan – Wisconsin – Senior, Goaltender
Already named the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, and a finalist for Big Ten Player of the Year, Kyle McClellan ranks among the nation’s top goaltenders. He leads the nation in save percentage (.931) and shutouts (7). This season he has 24 victories and a 1.92 goals-against average which is second in the nation. His seven shutouts place him second on UW’s all-time single-season list. Recognized for his excellence, he’s a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award, also earning accolades such as the Hockey Commissioners Association’s National Goaltender of the Month for December.
• Named to Big Ten First Team, and was named Big Ten Goalie of the Year
• Allowed two goals or fewer in 25 of the 36 games played
• Seven shutouts are one shy of the University of Wisconsin record held by longtime NHL goaltender and 2006 Hobey Baker Finalist Brian Elliott
Liam McLinskey – Holy Cross – Junior, Forward
Liam McLinskey transferred to Holy Cross after a brief stint at Quinnipiac. He made an immediate impact. In 2022-23, he played all 40 games, scoring 25 points and setting a playoff record with nine goals in six games. This season, he elevated his game even further, leading the Crusaders with 47 points and earning numerous accolades, including Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year. Known for his dynamic skating and playmaking ability, McLinskey contributes both offensively and defensively while also actively engaging in community service initiatives, such as supporting and mentoring his Team Impact teammate.
• Named to AHA First Team, and was also named AHA Player of the Year and AHA Scoring Champion
• His 44 points leads the Crusaders, Atlantic Hockey, and is the 12th-highest mark in the nation
• First Player of the Year since 2006, first First Team selection since 2018, and helped the Crusaders to their first 20-win season since the 2012-2013 season
Sam Morton – Minnesota State – Senior, Forward
Sam Morton leads the CCHA in conference goals scored with 15 goals, 9 power-play goals, and the highest number of shots and face-off wins, contributing to his fourth-place ranking in overall points (34) and a 55.5% face-off win percentage. His performance across 37 games boasts 24 goals, 10 assists, and ranks him eighth nationally for power-play goals (9), with notable achievements in shot blocking, face-offs, and maintaining point streaks. Throughout his tenure with Minnesota State, Morton has accumulated 44 goals, 32 assists, and distinguished himself with 17 power-play goals and six game-winners.
• Named 2024 CCHA Player of the Year, Forward of the Year, and First Team All-CCHA
• Served as team captain for the 2023-2024 season
• Recently signed a free agent contract with the Calgary Flames
Will Smith — Boston College – Freshman, Forward
Will Smith finished the regular season atop the NCAA scoring chart with 58 points, amassing 18 goals alongside a nation-leading 40 assists, and was a consistent force scoring in 31 out of 35 games, highlighted by a dominant 18-game point streak. Smith’s season was distinguished by 20 games with multiple points and pivotal performances against high-ranking opponents, earning accolades such as Hockey East Rookie of the Week and Player of the Month.
• Named to Hockey East First Team, Hockey East All Rookie Team, and was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year
• Selected in the first round (4th overall) by the San Jose Sharks at the 2023 NHL Draft
• Won a gold medal for Team USA at the 2024 World Junior Championship
• Ranks first in the nation in assists (40) and in points (58)
Hobey Notes
• Candidates by conference: Hockey East – 4, NCHC – 2, AHA – 1, Big Ten – 1, CCHA -1, ECAC -1
• By position: Forwards – 8, Defense – 1, Goalie -1
• By class: Senior – 2, Junior – 3, Sophomore – 3, Freshmen – 2
• By nationality: U.S. – 9 (Mass. & Ill. – 2; 1 each NY, Colo., Mo., Ariz., Minn.),
Canada – 1 (B.C.)
• Repeat Candidates: Collin Graf (’23), Lane Hutson (’23)
• Quinnipiac has a finalist for the third straight year and BU for the second straight
• Five of the ten finalists have been NHL draft picks with two selected in the first round (Gauthier and Smith)
• Visit hobeybaker.com or on Facebook at: facebook.com/TheHobey
The 2024 Hobey Baker Award winner will be honored along with this year’s Hobey Baker Legend of College Hockey, Don Lucia, at the annual banquet and golf outing to be held Aug. 8 in Lake Elmo, Minn.
Macklin Celebrini and Greg Brown picked up major awards Wednesday from Hockey East (photos: Boston University Athletics, Boston College Athletics).
Hockey East announced today that Boston University freshman forward Macklin Celebrini has been named Hockey East player of the year and rookie of the Year.
In addition, Boston College’s Greg Brown was voted coach of the year by his peers.
All three awards were selected by the league’s 11 head coaches.
Celebrini becomes just the fourth player win Hockey East rookie and player of the year awards in a single season following Jack Eichel (2014-15), Paul Kariya (1992-93), and Brian Leetch (1986-87). As the youngest player in college hockey at 17 years old, Celebrini currently sits second overall in the nation in goals (30), third in points (55) and shots (158), and fourth in power-play goals (11). He leads all rookies in goals, shots, and power-play goals, and is tied for eighth with three game-winning tallies.
In 23 Hockey East games, he led all players with 44 points, nine power-play goals, 1.91 points per game and was second with 23 goals, 112 shots on net, and a plus-18 on-ice rating. He also won 190 faceoffs, 12th most in the league.
A top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft, Celebrini left his mark on several season-long categories, as no rookie has ever scored more goals in league play than his 23, and his 1.00 goals per game is the best mark among rookies and seventh-best all time in the 40-year history of Hockey East. His 44 league points are the fifth-most by a freshman ever and the most since Eichel’s 44 in 2014-15. At 1.91 points per game as a first-year player, only Eichel and Kariya scored at a higher pace. He recorded a point in 25 of 30 games played, including 19 multi-point games and six games with at least three points.
Celebrini, the first Terrier to record 30 goals in a season since Chris Drury scored 38 during the 1996-97 season, was the lone unanimous selection to the all-Hockey East first team and was one of three rookies selected unanimously to the all-rookie team. He was a six-time rookie of the week, two-time player of the week, rookie of the month in January and was named Hockey East and national player of the month in October.
Brown wins his first Bob Kullen Award in just his second season as a head coach at his alma mater. Top-seeded Boston College (29-5-1 overall, 20-3-1 Hockey East) claimed the Hockey East regular-season crown for the 18th time in program history as the Eagles are on a 10-game winning streak, have an 19-2-0 mark in their last 21, and ended the regular season riding a 13-game winning streak in league play.
They are the first program to win 20 games in Hockey East play since Boston College accomplished that feat in 2010-11 in a season where all teams played 27 league games instead of the current 24 and is the best mark in Hockey East play since Maine went 22-1-1 in 1992-93. Brown led a team that saw six underclassmen named to all-star teams including a rookie netminder (Jacob Fowler) who posted the second-highest single-season win total in Hockey East regular-season history.
Boston College is the first Hockey East team to win 10-games in a row since Massachusetts won 14 consecutively en route to the 2021 NCAA championship.
Lake Superior State has announced the passing of LSSU Athletics Hall of Famer Sean Tallaire, who passed away on March 12 at the age of 50.
No cause of death was given in a statement by LSSU.
From 1992 to 1996, Tallaire recorded 207 points on 103 goals and 104 assists. He was named the 1994 NCAA tournament MVP after winning the national championship, and he was selected as a second team all-American in 1996.
Tallaire owns the career program records for game-winning goals (20) and consecutive games played (171), and his 207 total points rank fourth in program history while also accumulating the second most goals by any Laker.
He was inducted into the LSSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.
Tanner Ludtke helped Omaha down Colorado College in the NCHC quarterfinals last weekend (photo: Mark Kuhlmann).
Coming back from one game down last weekend to beat 10th-ranked Colorado College on the road in the first round of the NCHC playoffs all but guaranteed No. 12 Omaha what would be the Mavericks’ first NCAA tournament berth since 2021.
The noteworthiness of Omaha’s success in Colorado Springs didn’t stop there. A sixth win from the Mavericks’ last seven games saw them reach the NCHC Frozen Faceoff for the first time in the conference’s 11-year history.
Moreover, Sunday’s 2-1 victory saw UNO secure its second-winningest season ever. The Mavericks need three more wins if they are to break the school record set in the 2000-01 season, when current coach Mike Gabinet was a freshman defenseman on the team.
During a NCHC media conference call Tuesday, Gabinet drew connections between that UNO team from the start of the millennium, and what’s in front of him on the ice now.
“That year, we had a really good mix of some older players and some really good leadership and some good young players coming into the program,” Gabinet said. That 2000-21 UNO team was backstopped by future NHL goaltender Dan Ellis, and was led offensively by the likes of future Mavericks assistant David Brisson and Jeff Hoggan, the latter of whom has since had his jersey retired by the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
“I think (this season’s team) is a little bit similar to that, where we’ve got some really good leaders on this team, some older players and obviously we’ve got a couple of good young guys and some really good guys in that sophomore class. It’s a nice mix, and I think everybody gets along.
“That’s one of the things I do remember about that year, with that team, was that maybe there was an age difference among some of the underclassmen and older guys on the team, but everybody really gelled and came together as a group,” Gabinet continued. “I feel that’s a really good vibe with (this season’s team), as well.”
Last week’s success against Colorado College set up a NCHC playoff semifinal game Friday against top-seeded North Dakota. It might not matter that Omaha is the lowest remaining seeded team, though, as the Mavericks were 3-1 against the Fighting Hawks in the regular season. Omaha is also 16-2 in one-goal games during this campaign.
All that seems to have the Mavericks in reasonably good shape as they head up to St. Paul, Minn. More and more lately, they’ve put together the kind of intangibles that help teams who go on deep postseason runs.
“I thought that (regular-season series at North Dakota on Jan. 12-13, when UNO split with the Hawks) was one of the first times this season that you really could feel the belief in the group, and really feel that confidence from the players,” Gabinet said. “I think that’s earned, and I think they’ve done a great job all season long of building it.
“When you keep a narrow focus and you don’t look too far ahead, especially in this league, that’s a really positive thing and I think we’ve done a really good job of just staying present and trying to find ways to keep improving every single weekend here, and it has really paid off down the stretch.”
Toodles
This week marks my last conference column of my 17th season at USCHO.com. Never thought I’d be in this job across four presidential administrations, but here we are.
Thank you to all of my colleagues for all your incredible work this season. I’d specifically like to shout out Nicole Haase and Todd Milewski for The PodKaz, a great addition to this website’s credentials as a one-stop shop for women’s NCAA hockey coverage.
Additionally, I want to thank all of the NCHC coaches, sports information directors and players I’ve spoken with this season, all of whom have been incredibly gracious with their time. Thanks, too, and congratulations to our managing editor, Matt Mackinder, who recently started a new role running communications with Lapeer Community Schools in Michigan. Writing for USCHO isn’t anyone’s day job, and Matt makes balancing everything he does behind the scenes look easy.
I won’t be in St. Paul for the Frozen Faceoff or the Frozen Four (we really should have one of those renamed), but I’ll still have a few more USCHO bylines this season. I have two Hockey Humanitarian Award finalist feature stories on the way, plus previews on NCHC teams playing for however long in the NCAA tournament.
This was a fun way to break down the Frozen Four teams last season, so I’m bringing it back and making it an annual post. Instead of focusing on the hypotheticals of head to head matchups of teams that haven’t played each other this season, let’s look at what each of the final four teams standing do well – and not so well – as a means to understanding who’s going to walk away from this coming weekend as a champion.
Clarkson
Why they’re going to win: First and foremost, in order to win they’ll need a massive performance from Michelle Pasiechnyk in net. Luckily for them, she does that week in and week out like it’s no big thing. They’ll win because she’s in net and they have an incredibly solid defense in front of her.
If they win the special teams battle, it’s also likely they take the whole thing. They have the best penalty kill in the country and have been absolutely bonkers with an extra attacker as time winds down. This team is truly never out of a game and they’ve forced overtime in the waning minutes and seconds so many times I lost count. They are resilient.
The Golden Knights will use their size and strength to get established in front of the net, not only blocking the opposing goalie’s sightlines, but also claiming ice for second-chance opportunities. They’re difficult to push off the puck and do a good job of pulling the focus onto the players in front of the net before dishing passes back up to the key where a well-placed shot is either going straight in or available for a deft deflection from a teammate.
They were underrated for most of the season, but just kept doing their thing and proving everyone wrong. They’ll win because they are even-keeled and have believed in themselves even if others did not.
Why they’ll lose: They’re exhausted. They played more than two full games on Saturday, which would make for a less than ideal situation in any game, but is just such a killer when you’re facing the best team in the country that loves to keep their opponents on the run. In a perfect world, OSU was going to push the pace anyway. Now that they know it’s a seeming soft spot for the Golden Knights, you better believe the Buckeyes are going to poke, poke, poke at it. And even if Clarkson gets past that, both Colgate and Wisconsin play fast. They’re walking into a weekend guaranteed to test their fitness.
Beyond that, Clarkson will lose if they’re too static. The other three teams in the Frozen Four are quick and move the puck well. If the Golden Knights are too flat and if they try to do too much from the blue line, the others are going to step in front of shots and likely take off in the other direction once they block them. Their leading scorers are blue liners and while that doesn’t mean they only stand at the top of the zone, it does mean that the defense is highly involved on the offensive end of the ice, which can leave them vulnerable. They’ve been able to play smart and recover for one another, but I guarantee every other coach at the Frozen Four has been drilling their players on blocking shots in a way that sets up the puck from them to take off on a breakaway.
I doubt it’s been a strategy, but it feels like their M.O. of scoring late in the game to even things up is really risky here. All three of the other teams are capable of putting the game away long before Clarkson gets a chance to pull the goalie and even things up. They may be too reliant on feeling like they’re never out of it and can always catch up at the end and that might become an issue here.
Colgate
Why they’re going to win: Danielle Serdachny may have taken on a different role as a playmaker instead of goal-scorer this season, but that doesn’t make her any less special. She’s a game-changing player and when it gets down to the end of a close matchup, she’s the kind of player that can take the team on her back and decide she’s not going to let them lose. I’ve heard a number of coaches say that all things considered, they’d draft her first out of this year’s class of graduates. And lucky for Colgate, she’s by far the only dynamic player on the ice. Emma Pais is ECAC Rookie of the Year and Elyssa Biederman has had a strong sophomore season. She either scored or assisted on every Colgate goal in the quarterfinal.
They are strong and deep. As the season wound down, they had a number of games where it was tight into the third quarter before the Raiders broke it open. They can be patient and wear their opponents down and then strike when the opportunities present themselves. They returned most of their roster this season and the loss to Wisconsin in the quarterfinal at home is fresh in their memory.
Colgate is in the top three in the country in each team category – defense, offense, power play and penalty kill. They are well-rounded and do so many things well. Their experienced roster hasn’t had to spend as much time learning the basics and has instead spent the season refining the details. They don’t make many mistakes.
Why they’ll lose: As good as they’ve been, the Raiders have been unable to take that last big step to national prominence. This is a program that grew tremendously over the past decade, including multiple conference titles, but this is just their second Frozen Four. They lost the 2018 National Championship game to Clarkson.
They can tend toward getting single-minded and not balancing the game well when they’re getting pressured, giving up offense to focus on defense. They have to make sure they don’t get pulled into their opponents’ game and continue to do what they do best, instead of sacrificing one part of their game. The Raiders need their forwards to play 200 feet, get back on defense and close off passing and shooting lanes while making blocks. It simply cannot be one or the other at this point of the season.
They’ll lose if they aren’t taking high probability shots, if they’re not getting in front of the puck and if they’re not quick in transition. It’s to their detriment to let any of these defenses get too settled in front of them. They have to play a full 200 foot game for a full 60 (or more) minutes. They cannot let up, they cannot have mental lapses and they cannot be casual.
Ohio State
Why they’re going to win: They were basically unstoppable in the regular season and have only improved as the year progressed. They are deep and talented and really embody the concept of relentlessness that coach Nadine Muzerall preaches. They use speed and pressure to take away time and space and force their opponents to make quick decisions or get overtaken, which often leads to mistakes and turnovers. Few teams can handle that constant pushing and prodding, much less long enough to try and play their own game. They are going to wear down the other teams, not let them get set up and try to score enough goals to put the game out of reach as quickly as possible.
With eight grad students and eight seniors, this roster was designed with strategic use of the transfer portal and built for this exact moment. The Buckeyes are hungry, they’re pissed off and they still play like an underdog with a chip on their shoulder, even after winning a title two years ago and dominating the WCHA this season.
While there are obviously some elite players on this team, the Buckeyes play like a team without a star. Any line, any combination of players can make life difficult for whomever they are playing and that makes it difficult to prepare for them and create matchups.
Why they’ll lose: The flip side of their propensity for pressure and pushing on their opponent is that when things go sideways, they haven’t actually had a lot of experience recovering. They made mental mistakes in the WCHA title game and struggled to get back on track before the game was out of reach. They have to support Raygan Kirk and not give their opponents chances in close. Without strong defensive support, she was not at her best in that tournament final loss, giving up six goals on just 22 shots. It was by no means all her fault, but that stands out as a chink in the armor of a team that doesn’t have many weaknesses to attack.
The Buckeyes spent a full season exerting their will on everyone they played, but I don’t foresee that being so easy this weekend. Often games between the top teams turn chaotic and ugly as they counter each other at every opportunity. This seems like a team that’s pretty attached to their systems and that’s been ok because so few teams have been able to force them out of them. But OSU will lose if they aren’t able to recognize when it’s time to adjust or aren’t able to make the necessary changes.
They can’t let the moment be too big or let their emotions get the better of them. The talk has been about winning the title and getting revenge, but they’ve got to win their semifinal first. Getting to this point has been their sole focus for a full year and it has driven them to be the best, but at this point, they have to be playing for themselves and for each other and not against anyone else.
Wisconsin
Why they’re going to win:The defending national champions won in improbable fashion last season as they went into the NCAA Tournament unranked. The Badgers are back with a more talented roster that is hitting its stride at the perfect time of the season. They have two big wins over Ohio State in the past few weeks that give them the confidence to know that team is beatable. They’re also deep, with six players with 30 or more points and two Patty Kazmaier top three Finalists in Kirsten Simms and Casey O’Brien who each have more than 70 points.
It took a little time, but as the game wore on in the NCAA Quarterfinal, Wisconsin adjusted to St. Lawrence’s pressure and attempts to slow them down in the quarterfinal. They were patient and didn’t get frustrated and used their speed and the boards to their advantage. They’ll need to be quicker to adapt against any of these Frozen Four teams, but that they didn’t get visibly frustrated, didn’t take stupid penalties (as was their wont over the final few weeks) and were patient enough to regroup and try something new that did eventually work bodes well for them.
Seven women on this roster have been invited to evaluation camp for Team USA in advance of the Women’s World Championship. They are individually very good players, but finally started cashing in on the promise of their combined talent in the past few weeks. When they are on, it’s beautiful to watch and nearly impossible to beat. They’ll repeat as champions if they’re able to control the puck, move quickly through neutral and get good looks at the net.
If they play a game like they did to defeat Ohio State in the WCHA title game, they’ll be difficult to dethrone.
Why they’ll lose: Wisconsin loses if they stop playing their game. They can deal with chaos and ugly hockey, but when they start to get in their own heads, things go awry. They need to adapt and not be stuck trying the same thing over and over expecting different results, but they also need to remember what got them to this point. This team is at their best when they’re loose and comfortable. That doesn’t mean undisciplined, just that they’re not overthinking things or trying to do too much.
The Badgers can get in their own way and that will give teams as talented these the window they need to exploit them. They have a tendency to have high shot attempt numbers that correlate to a low number of shots on goal. Ava McNaughton has been very good in the postseason, but they’re hanging a lot of pressure on the rookie. They need to limit penalties and not get pulled into skirmishes. If they don’t win the special teams, their season is going to end pretty quickly.
Against SLU last week, they scored on their first shot and then didn’t light the lamp again until more than 30 shots on goal later. Their fast break style can mean that there isn’t always a trailing skater to put back rebounds or loose pucks.
Michigan Tech’s Tyrone Bronte gets a shot on Bemidji State goalie Mattias Sholl during the teams’ 2-2 tie Jan. 2 in Houghton, Mich. (photo: Michigan Tech Athletics).
Since the CCHA reformed in 2021, fans outside the greater Mankato metro area have not had much of a chance to see the Mason Cup in person.
That’s because, up until now, the road to the league’s playoff trophy has gone through Minnesota State. The Mavericks won the trophy, and the associated NCAA at-large bid, on home ice in 2022 and 2023.
In 2024, a new name will be etched on the trophy. When Bemidji State hosts Michigan Tech on Friday night at the Sanford Center, either the Beavers or the Huskies will lift the CCHA championship hardware for the first time ever.
“We played a couple years ago in Mankato and it was just a great vibe. We think there will be a great vibe this Friday,” BSU head coach Tom Serratore said during his weekly media session on Tuesday, referring to the 2022 Mason Cup championship game, in which BSU lost to MSU in overtime after a controversial goal review.
This season, though, the Beavers won the MacNaughton Cup and will be hosting a conference championship final for the first time since 2009. That year they defeated Robert Morris in overtime for the College Hockey America tournament title at the old John Glas Field House in Bemidji before going on their run to the Frozen Four.
Serratore said the Bemidji community is excited for another chance to host a playoff final.
“It’s the best. I’d rather be here than anyplace else,” he said. “There’s no question there’s a home ice advantage, there’s enthusiasm, and something you can bring to your school, your community. We’re excited for puck drop on Friday night. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The Bemidji State social media accounts were already declaring the game a sellout by Tuesday afternoon. It should be a raucous atmosphere inside the Sanford Center–and that will include Michigan Tech fans, who travel well. Huskies head coach Joe Shawhan said he’d rather be playing at home, but his team has played well against the Beavers in Bemidji.
“It beats the alternative: We could be watching someone else play this weekend,” he said in his weekly press conference. “You have to win on the road in the national tournament. It all helps you, if you can get through it, to survive and move on. Would we love to play at home? Absolutely. But you gotta play somewhere.”
The Huskies (18-14-6) edged defending Mason Cup champs Minnesota State in last Saturday’s semifinal to make the final, while the Beavers (20-15-2) ousted seventh-seeded Lake Superior State. Both teams seem to be playing their best hockey at the perfect time. The Beavers have won nine games in a row and are unbeaten in their last 11; the Huskies came into the season winning four of their final six games and played their way into the No. 3 seed in the CCHA tournament.
“It’s been a good run for us, but it’s been a better run for them,” Shawhan said. “I don’t know if they’ve lost since we beat them in that series. They’ve won nine straight now, and that goes back over a month to when we played them (in Houghton). At this time of year, you have two teams playing their best hockey of the year…. They’re steamrolling people, and we’re finding ways to win, so we’ll see how things go.”
The Huskies took seven points from the Beavers in the regular season, but Shawhawn also noted that the one game BSU won, his team blew a four-goal lead. He’s expecting the unexpected.
“They’re good at home, but I like our team,” Shawhawn said. “Earlier in the year we went there, we beat them Friday night, and then we had a four goal lead Saturday night and they beat us. So anything can happen. They’re a dynamic team with tremendous players.”
Both teams carry plenty of momentum coming into the final and are arguably the two deepest in the conference. The Huskies have six players who had 20 points or more, including CCHA rookie of the year Isaac Gordon. Goaltender Blake Pietila, an all-American last season, didn’t have the same numbers this season but he’s still an elite college goaltender.
The Beavers also have six players with 20 or more points. In addition, the CCHA’s all-conference first team included four Beavers, forward Lleyton Roed, defensemen Kyle Looft and Eric Pohlkamp and goaltender Mattias Sholl. BSU also had CCHA’s defensive forward of the year in Jackson Jutting
“They have firepower throughout, they have size and strength, they skate well, they pressure well, their schemes are quick, their transitions quick, their defense gaps well,” Shawhan said. “They just don’t have a whole lot of weaknesses, if any. And they’re very well coached. It will take a big effort, for sure, but I like the way our guys are playing.”
Dartmouth players celebrate their series win over Union last weekend (photo: Kyle Relf).
The 2023-24 season’s long and winding road reaches its final exit ramp this week when ECAC Hockey invades the northern reaches of New York’s Essex County for its postseason championship weekend in Lake Placid.
Nicknamed the “Olympic Town,” the host of the 1932 Winter Olympics host village became the third repeat host of the cold weather games when it brought the 1980 games to the idyllic Adirondack region. Once the final home of the pre-World War II era games, it’s now remembered for the Cold War’s “Miracle on Ice” that saw the United States national hockey team upset the Soviet Union’s Red Army machine en route to its second-ever gold medal.
The aftermath of those games saw the United States hockey culture descend on the region, and after college hockey hosted its Olympic-year championship tournaments in 1984 and 1988 at the venue, the ECAC settled its conference championship into the region following a schism that eventually gave Boston Garden to Hockey East after a two-year stint sharing the building.
For the next decade, ECAC crowned its postseason champion on the same ice as Mike Eruzione’s blue-line goal, and after a decade spent in both Albany, New York and Atlantic City, New Jersey, the conference moved back to Lake Placid to continue a tradition of crowning its champion.
“Lake Placid is a special place for American hockey,” said commissioner Doug Christiansen in a statement. “This year marks the 20th ECAC men’s hockey championship in Lake Placid. The city offers something for everyone and the games showcase some of the best teams in the country vying for their chance to win a championship and earn a berth in the NCAA tournament. I am thrilled to work with ORDA and ROOST to continue to make Lake Placid the home of the ECAC men’s championship.”
The current era of trending conference championship weekends to on-campus ice arenas won’t hit ECAC until at least the 2027 season after Christensen and the league office extended its Lake Placid contract through the 2026 postseason, and the ongoing conversation likely won’t disappear as leagues other than Hockey East find their way to the glittery buildings now dotting the college hockey landscape. None of that, though, matters this weekend when four teams with postseason dreams descend on a town known for producing miracles.
Here’s a look at what we can expect this weekend when ECAC crowns its Whitelaw Cup to its 2024 postseason champion:
Championship Weekend Schedule
Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23
Semifinal 1: No. 1 Quinnipiac vs. No. 7 St. Lawrence, 4 p.m.
Semifinal 2: No. 2 Cornell vs. No. 4 Dartmouth, 7 p.m.
ECAC Championship: March 23, 5 p.m.
Housekeeping Notes
-Princeton announced that head coach Ron Fogarty will not return as head coach next year after 10 years in New Jersey. A tenure that began in 2014 after a highly-successful run at Adrian College produced the Tigers’ third-ever conference championship and first Whitelaw Cup in a decade when the No. 7 seed cut through the top three seeds en route to a four-round, undefeated run. One of the oldest programs in college hockey, the next head coach will be the 18th in Princeton hockey history dating back to a coachless era at the start of the 20th century.
-Excluding the 2021 championship won when St. Lawrence defeated Quinnipiac during the four-team COVID year, Cornell head coach Mike Schafer has more games coached in the ECAC Championship Game than the number of semifinal or championship game appearances combined by the other three coaches.
-Including the 2021 year, Brent Brekke is one of seven coaches to win their only appearance in the conference championship game. When Reid Cashman coaches Dartmouth in the semifinal round, the list of coaches who have not coached in at least the penultimate round are all recent hirees: Colgate’s Mike Harder (this year), Union’s Josh Hauge (last year), RPI’s Dave Smith (hired in 2017-2018), and whichever coach is hired by Princeton, if it’s not from an existing list.
Previewing the Semifinalists
No. 1 Quinnipiac How we got here: The regular season champions made quick work of Rensselaer in the quarterfinal with a pair of five-goal outbursts (5-1, 5-2). Andon Cerbone had five points, including three goals, on the weekend, and Anthony Cipollone, Jacob Quillan and Collin Graf chipped in two goals apiece with Quillan adding an additional four assists to pass his teammate for the team’s leading scorer in the sweep.
Last Appearance/Championship: Quinnipiac’s trip to the semifinals last year was its second consecutive appearance in Lake Placid after the team hosted the 2021 championship. The No. 3 seed in the conference had its postseason canceled along with the rest of the world in 2020, but it’s important to note that the Bobcats hadn’t appeared in the conference’s final weekend since a trip to the 2017 semifinals. For all of their impressive performances, they haven’t won a championship since 2016.
Why Quinnipiac Wins It: No team should ever have to shoulder any past year’s burden, but Quinnipiac’s well-documented struggles at winning the ECAC championship face a weaker field than last year’s four-team bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Bobcats have front-run the league for two consecutive seasons, but they’re likely to enter the tournament as a No. 3 seed if they don’t win the championship.
That feels antithetical to Rand Pecknold’s overall coachthink strategy of gaining last change as the better, higher-seeded team. Quinnipiac is a lock to make the tournament regardless of what happens in Lake Placid, but a loss to St. Lawrence would knock the Bobcats to a No. 3 seed. The team’s overall success and firepower should therefore give them enough to hoist their first conference trophy in eight years with an eyeball towards a regional appearance in either Providence or Springfield.
No. 2 Cornell How we got here: The Big Red swept archrival Harvard in the quarterfinal after earning a first round bye, but the 4-3 and 4-1 results felt both closer and more dominant than the scores indicated after the first game started with a 4-0 lead and the second game remained a one-goal game into the final minute of play.
Last Appearance/Championship: Cornell is one of the conference’s steadiest teams when it comes to advancing to the semifinals, and 2024 is the team’s sixth appearance since the championship relocated to Lake Placid. The three-time Cleary Cup champions before the COVID-19 pandemic haven’t won a Whitelaw Cup since 2010, and the 14-year drought is the longest silverware gap since the first conference tournament championship in 1967 – albeit the two-year gap for the pandemic ostensibly would have ended that drought when the Big Red were ranked No. 1 in 2020.
Ian Shane’s numbers dwarf anyone who comes within a fraction of passing him. His 1.68 goals against average is one-third better than the next-best goalie in the nation, and his .921 save percentage is easily clear of Vinny Duplessis, Ben Kraws and Cooper Black. That he plays behind one of the league’s most stout defenses isn’t a surprise, but it’s absurd to think that Cornell has the best team defensive numbers in the country when the penalty kill is 35th in the nation and below 80 percent.
None of Cornell’s top scorers aside from Gabriel Seger are in the league’s top-20 goal scorers, but the Big Red are a deep team with a number of players who can kill an opponent with depth. It would’ve been nice to see if they’d gain more position points in the Pairwise Rankings with the six extra games of the non-Ivy League teams, but the fact that Cornell isn’t a lock for the tournament is an extra bit of energy that could lift this team into the championship and beyond for a league that’s otherwise a one-bid conference.
No. 4 Dartmouth How we got here: Dartmouth’s first bye in 11 years produced a fun two-game sweep over sixth-seeded Union after the Big Green did what they do best: come from behind. The Garnet Chargers had three different one-goal leads over the course of the weekend, but second and third period rallies by Dartmouth’s top-end scoring drove the team to Lake Placid for the first time in decades.
Last Appearance/Championship: It’s been eight years since seventh-seeded Dartmouth advanced to the semifinals before losing to Quinnipiac, but it’s been even longer – 13 years, in fact – since the Big Green ended their conference championship weekend trip with a win…in the long-forgotten Third Place game against Colgate.
There have been other trips to the final four, but Dartmouth hasn’t appeared in the championship game since George Crowe’s Big Green played Dick Bertrand’s Cornell Big Red at the Boston Garden in 1980 – when the ECAC still had three divisions. I’m about to turn 39 years old this year, and even that was five years before I was born. That was also Dartmouth’s last trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Why Dartmouth Wins It: Dartmouth doesn’t know how to lose. The Big Green are absurdly tenacious, and the regular season situational numbers backed up their ability to tie teams in knots. They were undefeated when scoring first during the regular season with a 10-0-3 record ahead of the Union series, but even winning one game when not scoring first was easily overlooked compared to their six ties when opponents scored first. Similar numbers emerged when tied or leading after two periods in the regular season when they went 11-1-7 with a 10-0-1 mark when leading into the third, and of their 11 overtime games, they might have only won one, but they also only lost one.
Dartmouth legitimately doesn’t know how to lose, but the question that remains is if the Big Green know how to beat teams on neutral ice. This is uncharted waters for a team that hasn’t been to the big moment, but the rebuilt depth chart offers one of the best forwards in Luke Haymes, one of the best defenseman in CJ Foley, and a goalie in Cooper Black who is capable of matching some of the league’s best.
Maybe this isn’t a good answer for why Dartmouth wins it, but I’d rather ask a better question: why not? That seems to be one that’s never been answered all season long.
No. 7 St. Lawrence How we got here: The lone team to advance out of the first round swept Colgate on the road in the quarterfinals with a pair of one-goal games after Game One went to double-overtime. In the second game, a Jan Olenginski goal near the halfway point of the third period was the difference maker for the team that previously eliminated Yale with a 4-2 win at home.
Last Appearance/Championship: It all depends on your perspective. St. Lawrence won the conference championship tournament in 2021 after beating Colgate and Quinnipiac, but the three-team tournament was the last vestige of a four-team season played throughout the pandemic. The Saints never went to the NCAA Tournament after being forced to decline the league’s autobid due to positive COVID cases, but we can’t just omit a championship for the conference’s original champion.
If we look past the 2021 title, St. Lawrence hasn’t won a championship or appeared in the final game since its consecutive crowns at the start of the century, though the team did appear in the 2016 semifinals after winning two overtime games against Clarkson. Three other trips occurred in the interim between the championship and that last ride to Lake Placid, and that 2000 championship under Joe Marsh preceded the Saints’ last run to the Frozen Four.
Why SLU Wins It: Brent Brekke’s team feels a bit like a team of destiny after it swept through Colgate. The double-overtime game specifically occurred after SLU blew a two-goal lead, and the Saints had to rally from a 1-0 deficit and a blown one-goal lead to win the second game at Class of 1965 Arena. There’s also the 3-1 win over Quinnipiac from early February that still sticks out at its semifinal opponent.
Every semifinal team has a legitimately superstar, but St. Lawrence is a team capable of winning through its depth chart. Nine different skaters have five goals this year, and 13 different skaters put five-plus assists on their sticks. Special teams weren’t exactly a source of massive strength, but the penalty kill is about the same as Cornell with a power play that hung around the 20 percent rate.
This year’s league has been particularly wide open, and a win over the Bobcats would drop Quinnipiac to a lower No. 3 seed or even a No. 4 seed by the start of the bracket. Given the potential cut-lines that face the Pairwise Ranking, SLU would effectively knock the lowest-seeded teams out of the tournament and head into a matchup with Boston College as a conference champion. Color me intrigued.
The Lerchies
I started writing for USCHO.com when I was in my mid-20s, but covering Atlantic Hockey with Chris Lerch remains a treasured memory. I loved seeing how we’d play off one another, and I especially enjoyed when I’d have the end-of-season awards that he couldn’t stop me from naming after him. I looked forward to a text calling me out for it, but since he couldn’t stop me, it was my favorite time to let my inner crazy out.
Chris can’t really stop me from doing anything in the ECAC space, so when I left Atlantic Hockey, I took the postseason award “Lerchies” with me. I’m pretty sure he’s never worked a day of his life in ECAC, but it doesn’t matter. Our postseason awards are still named after him.
First Team
F: Collin Graf, Quinnipiac
F: Luke Haymes, Dartmouth
F: Gabriel Seger, Cornell
D: John Prokop, Union
D: Trey Taylor, Clarkson
G: Ian Shane, Cornell
Second Team:
F: Jacob Quillan, Quinnipiac
F: Sam Lipkin, Quinnipiac
F: Liam Robertson, Union
D: Jayden Lee, Quinnipiac
D: Tommy Bergsland, Colgate
G: Cooper Black, Dartmouth
Third Team:
F: Dalton Bancroft, Cornell
F: Cooper Flinton, Dartmouth
F: Chaz Smedsrud, Union
D: Alex Pineau, Brown
D: Nick Strom, RPI
G: Jack Stark, Yale
All-Rookie:
F: Jake Schneider, Colgate
F: Jonathan Castagna, Cornell
F: Mason Marcellus, Quinnipiac
D: Ben Robertson, Cornell
D: CJ Foley, Dartmouth
G: Jack Stark, Yale
Player of the Year: Ian Shane, Cornell Defenseman of the Year: John Prokop, Union Goalie of the Year: Ian Shane, Cornell Rookie of the Year: CJ Foley, Dartmouth Coach of the Year: Reid Cashman, Dartmouth
The Last Word…
Making it to the end of the season always gives me pause over the journey we’re concluding, and I’d like to offer a few customary final words on this season. A special thank you to everyone who read our pages this year, and specific thank you to the coaches, players and communications folks who tolerated me and worked with me over the course of an entire season. I appreciate the time and energy that makes this machine push forward, and you’re all a big component of that momentum.
I won’t be attending the Frozen Four this year because the Saturday of the national championship is my older daughter’s third birthday, but I sincerely want to mention how much they’ve meant to everything I’ve done this season. Anyone with kids knows how your children give you a purpose beyond yourself, but my two kids are developing into some incredible and amazing human beings. Being their dad is the greatest gift of a lifetime, and my favorite game is always the one that gives me an opportunity to share a moment of pure joy with them.
As the season ends, I’m going back to a world where I’m Mrs. Rubin’s Mr. Rubin. We live in divisive and turbulent times, and I hope this year’s been a reprieve from the strife and tragedy unfolding on the nightly news. Hug your children and share loving moments with your treasured friends and family members. Take a few minutes for yourself. As always, I hope we can all reconvene in the fall when the new season starts. I look forward to being a part of it.
Holy Cross’ Liam McLinskey was all over the scoresheet this season for the Crusaders (photo: Thomas Wolf Photography).
Atlantic Hockey announced Tuesday its 2023-24 regular-season awards – player of the year, rookie of the year, coach of the year, best defenseman, goaltender of the year, best defensive forward, individual sportsmanship, scoring champion, goaltending champion and team sportsmanship.
Honorees this year include two from Atlantic Hockey regular-season champion RIT – goaltender Tommy Scarfone (goaltender of the year) and head coach Wayne Wilson (coach of the year). They are joined by Holy Cross’ Liam McLinskey (player of the year, scoring champion) and Jason Grande (goaltending champion), Canisius’ Matteo Giampa (rookie of the year), AIC’s Brian Kramer (best defenseman), Air Force’s Austin Schwartz (best defensive forward) and Sacred Heart’s Braeden Tuck (individual sportsmanship award). Sacred Heart Pioneers was honored with the lone team award as the AHA’s team sportsmanship award recipient.
McLinskey helped lead the Crusaders to a second straight appearance in the Atlantic Hockey semifinals this season. He is the second Crusader to earn AHA POTY honors, joining Tyler McGregor, who was recognized in 2005-06. McLinskey, who registered 47 points on 19 goals and 28 assists this season, won the Atlantic Hockey scoring championship with 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in AHA play to join McGregor (2005-06) as the second Crusader to take home that honor.
Giampa turned in one of the top freshmen scoring seasons in Atlantic Hockey history in 2023-24, tallying 35 points on 18 goals and 17 assists to lead Canisius all three categories. His point and goal totals both tie for third in AHA history among freshmen. Giampa was a two-time AHA rookie of the week selection and a rare double winner of AHA monthly honors when he was tabbed the player and rookie of the Month in November. He also earned AHA rookie of the month accolades in January. He joins forward David Kostuch (2008-09) as the second Golden Griffin to win AHA rookie of the year honors.
Wilson led the Tigers to their sixth Atlantic Hockey regular-season title this season as RIT took the conference crown by eight points over runner-up Holy Cross. The six regular-season titles are the most for any school in conference history. The Tigers will play for their fourth AHA postseason title under Wilson on Saturday. This is his second consecutive Atlantic Hockey coach of the year honor. With the honor, Wilson joins Army West Point’s Brian Riley (2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08) and AIC’s Eric Lang (2018-19, 2019-20) as the only coaches to win consecutive AHA coach of the year awards.
Kramer skates into the Atlantic Hockey championship tied for seventh in scoring among AHA defensemen with 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) despite missing five games this season due to injury. His scoring performance in conference play (7 goals, 8 assists, 15 points) also ranked in the top 10 among defenders. He leads the Yellow Jackets in game-winning goals with three and is one of just two defensemen among the top 10 in that category in Atlantic Hockey. Kramer is the third AIC blueliner to earn defenseman of the year honors in the last four seasons, joining Brennan Kapcheck (2020-21) and Zak Galambos (2021-22).
Scarfone takes home Atlantic Hockey’s first goaltender of the year Award in 2023-24. He has posted a 24-8-2 mark for the Tigers this season that includes a 16-5-1 mark in Atlantic Hockey play. The overall win total ranks No. 4 in AHA history while the 16 conference wins is tied for seventh in league history. His four shutouts this season lead all AHA netminders and tie him for fourth nationally. Scarfone also became the 37th goaltender in AHA history – and the third in RIT’s Division I era – to reach 2,000 saves this season and now ranks No. 23 on the AHA career saves list with 2,443 stops. He also ranks No. 7 in AHA career save percentage (.922) and goals-against average (2.34).
Schwartz earned best defensive forward honors after leading the nation in short-handed goals and ranking as one of the top shot-blocking forwards in the country. He scored four times a man down and deflected 46 shots during the 2023-24 campaign. He remains tied for the national lead in shorties and ranks third nationally among forwards in blocked shots. Schwartz also won 53.6% of his faceoffs for the Falcons this season and was a key member of an Air Force penalty kill unit that ranks sixth nationally at 84.8%. He joins Ben Carey (2015-16) and Brady Tomlak (2019-20) as Air Force’s third best defensive forward honoree.
Tuck epitomized the Pioneers’ aversion to penalties this season, as he was whistled for just three minor infractions in 33 games for a team that was the least-penalized in Atlantic Hockey. In five seasons with SHU, he has been whistled for just seven minor penalties while playing in 157 contests in that span. He recorded 17 points on six goals and 11 assists this season and netted four game-winning goals, including two overtime winners.
Grande posted a .926 save percentage in conference play and also recorded a 2.20 goals-against average against AHA foes, which ranked No. 2 among league netminders. Grande’s full-season 2.01 GAA also leads Atlantic Hockey. He is the third Crusader goaltender to win the award, joining Ben Conway (2004-05) and Tony Quesada (2005-06).
Head coach C.J. Marottolo and the Pioneers ended the 2023-24 regular season as one of the least-penalized teams in NCAA Division I. Sacred Heart averaged just 3.8 penalties and 9.08 penalty minutes a game this season. SHU was whistled for only 136 penalties totaling 327 minutes in 36 contests. The Pioneers have now won the last four AHA team sportsmanship awards that have been presented (2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24).
Wisconsin goalie Kyle McClellan tracks the puck during a Dec. 2023 series with Ohio State (photo: Taylor Wolfram).
The Big Ten Conference and the Big Ten Network announced Big Ten Hockey postseason awards on Tuesday.
This year’s honors included individual awards, all-Big Ten teams and Sportsmanship awards. Voting was conducted by conference coaches and a media panel.
Michigan’s Gavin Brindley was named Big Ten player of the year and won the Big Ten scoring title with 29 points in 23 conference games.
Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov was named Big Ten defensive player of the year and freshman of the year.
Kyle McClellan of Wisconsin earned the goaltender of the year award.
Adam Nightingale of Michigan State was selected Big Ten coach of the year after leading the Spartans to the first regular-season title in program history.
The Big Ten also recognized seven Sportsmanship Award honorees. The students chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These students must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
Gavin Brindley, Michigan, So., Forward
Rutger McGroarty, Michigan, So., Forward
Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota, So., Forward
Seamus Casey, Michigan, So., Defenseman
Artyom Levshunov, Michigan State, Fr., Defenseman
Kyle McClellan, Wisconsin, Sr., Goaltender
ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM *
Dylan Duke, Michigan, Jr., Forward
Rhett Pitlick, Minnesota, Jr., Forward
Landon Slaggert, Notre Dame, Sr., Forward
Ryan Chesley, Minnesota, So., Defenseman
Sam Rinzel, Minnesota, Fr., Defenseman
Scooter Brickey, Ohio State, 5th, Defenseman
Trey Augustine, Michigan State, Fr., Goaltender
ALL-BIG TEN HONORABLE MENTION
T.J. Hughes, Michigan, So., Forward
Frank Nazar III, Michigan, So., Forward
Karsen Dorwart, Michigan State, So., Forward
Isaac Howard, Michigan State, So., Forward
Joey Larson, Michigan State, So., Forward
Bryce Brodzinski, Minnesota, Gr., Forward
Jaxon Nelson, Minnesota, Gr., Forward
Stephen Halliday, Ohio State, So., Forward
Aiden Fink, Penn State, Fr., Forward
Cruz Lucius, Wisconsin, So., Forward
David Silye, Wisconsin, Sr., Forward
Luke Mittelstadt, Minnesota, So., Defenseman
Ryan Siedem, Notre Dame, Gr., Defenseman
Ben Dexheimer, Wisconsin, So., Defenseman
Justen Close, Minnesota, Gr., Goaltender
Ryan Bischel, Notre Dame, Gr., Goaltender
BIG TEN ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Garrett Schifsky, Michigan, Forward
Oliver Moore, Minnesota, Forward
Aiden Fink, Penn State, Forward +
Artyom Levushnov, Michigan State, Defenseman
Sam Rinzel, Minnesota, Defenseman
Trey Augustine, Michigan State, Goaltender +
BIG TEN SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS
Jacob Truscott, Michigan, Sr., Defenseman
Nicolas Müller, Michigan State, 5th, Forward
Carl Fish, Minnesota, Sr., Defenseman
Hunter Strand, Notre Dame, Jr., Forward
Damien Carfagna, Ohio State, So., Defenseman
Simon Mack, Penn State, Jr., Defenseman
Owen Lindmark, Wisconsin, Gr., Forward
* Team includes a seventh player due to a tie in voting + Unanimous selections
David Borges retires following 11 years and a program-record 102 wins, leading Stonehill to five NE10 championships (photo: Bob Blanchard).
Stonehill men’s hockey head coach David Borges has announced his retirement from coaching after 11 years leading the program.
He joined the Skyhawks coaching staff, first as an assistant coach, after a 26-year coaching stint with the boys hockey team at Coyle and Cassidy High School in nearby Taunton, Mass., the last nine years as varsity head coach.
“I’d like to thank Coach Borges for his service and dedication to Stonehill as our men’s ice hockey head coach for the last 11 seasons,” said Stonehill assistant VP and director of athletics Dean O’Keefe in a statement. “His leadership and mentorship to our hockey student-athletes during this time was instrumental and we sincerely appreciate his work to transition the program into its Division I era.”
“It is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement as head coach of the Stonehill men’s ice hockey program,” added Borges. “After 36 years of coaching ice hockey and dedicating the last decade to the Stonehill program, I decided it was time. This decision was especially challenging as I think about the team I am leaving behind. It is the players that I will miss the most, as every choice I made was aimed at their well-being and best interests, striving to offer them an outstanding college hockey experience and ensuring they had everything they needed to excel on and off the ice. To all the players, coaches, and administration past and present, ‘thank you.’ It has been an honor and privilege to coach at Stonehill and collaborate with such talented and dedicated individuals. I am forever grateful to everyone. Go Skyhawks.”
Borges, the 2014-15 Northeast-10 Conference coach of the year, led Stonehill to a program-best 102 wins and five Northeast-10 Conference championships over his 11 seasons at the helm, starting first as interim head coach when he took over the reins just four days prior to the start of the 2013-14 season. He had the interim tag removed after guiding the Skyhawks to a 16-10 record overall, including 11-0 in the NE10 to win their first of three straight regular-season titles under his watch.
Stonehill posted a 48-41-13 mark in the NE10 during its eight seasons with Borges as head coach, adding regular-season championships in 2014-15 and 2015-16 to the title during his interim season. Borges led the Skyhawks to the NE10 championship double in 2015-16, adding the first of two NE10 tournament titles under his leadership to their third-straight regular-season crown. Stonehill added a second NE10 tournament championship in 2020 with a 3-1 win over Franklin Pierce.
Borges guided Stonehill through its first two seasons of transition to the NCAA Division I level, capturing the program’s first win over a Division I opponent with its 4-2 victory over Lindenwood on Feb. 10 during the Skyhawks’ first full Division I schedule this past season.
Stonehill collected 16 all-Northeast-10 Conference awards during Borges’ time as head coach, including nine first team selections and three NE10 goaltender of the year honorees. Six Skyhawks earned NE10 all-rookie team status, with two NE10 rookies of the year. James Varney was a two-time Hockey Humanitarian Award nominee, while Stonehill’s seven NE10 academic all-conference and four College Sports Communicators academic all-district honorees were highlighted by three NE10 Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award honorees for their performances in the classroom as well as on the ice.
A national search for the next head coach of the Stonehill men’s hockey program will begin immediately.
Chris Bergeron spent five seasons behind Miami’s bench (photo: Miami Athletics).
Miami has parted ways with hockey head coach Chris Bergeron.
Bergeron, hired in 2019, led the RedHawks for the past five seasons, finishing with a record of 35-116-16 (18-91-11 in NCHC play).
A former Miami player, Bergeron helped the program win its first-ever CCHA title in 1993. He also spent 10 seasons as an assistant coach with the RedHawks from 2000-2010, including two trips to the Frozen Four.
“Miami Hockey plays an important role within our athletic department and the campus community as a whole. It has a strong tradition of success and achievement, something we will lean in on as we transition the leadership of our program,” Miami director of athletics David Sayler said in a statement. “Parting ways with Coach Bergeron is a decision based on a complete analysis of his tenure as head coach at Miami. I want to thank Chris and his entire family for their commitment to Miami Hockey, as well as to the institution and community, over a total of 19 years as a student-athlete, assistant coach and finally, head coach.
“We have begun an immediate search to identify a new leader that will make our program competitive within the NCHC, while also maintaining our academic and community service standards that we set for all of our student-athletes.”
New Hampshire announced Tuesday that men’s hockey head coach Mike Souza and women’s hockey head coach Hilary Witt have each signed a three-year contract extension through the 2026-27 season.
The 2023-24 season is the sixth for Souza and the 10th for Witt.
“The excitement surrounding our Wildcat ice hockey programs has reached a new level this season, and it stems from our amazing and hard-working student-athletes who have developed through the culture of success fostered by our dedicated head coaches, Mike Souza and Hilary Witt,” said UNH director of athletics Allison Rich said in a statement. “Building on that momentum and their leadership, we expect to compete for the best recruits and vie for conference championships while proudly celebrating UNH hockey’s tradition of academic excellence and athletic greatness.”
On Monday, Souza was named a finalist for the Bob Kullen Award, presented by Bauer to the Hockey East coach of the year. The No. 18 UNH men’s hockey team, which has been nationally ranked for 21 straight weeks, registered its first 20-win season in a decade and its 20-15-1 final record represented its best winning percentage (.569) in 11 years. The Wildcats posted a 14-4-1 record at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex, their best home record since 2007-08. Nearly 104,000 fans attended games in the Whitt this season, which included five sellouts and an average of 5,464 fans per game (ranked 12th nationally).
“UNH hockey has been at the forefront of every positive aspect of my life; I met my wife and made lifetime friends here, played for an NCAA championship and realized my dream of playing hockey professionally around the world,” Souza said. “But nothing has compared to the privilege of serving as the head coach of my alma mater. I look forward to coaching this group and building on all the steps the team has taken. The success of UNH hockey is an institutional endeavor. I’m grateful for the support of Allison and her commitment to returning our program to national prominence.”
Witt was the runner-up for this year’s Hockey East coach of the year award. The Wildcat women’s hockey program rattled off four straight wins to conclude the regular season with 14 conference victories, their most since 2008-09, and the No. 3 seed in the Hockey East playoffs, their highest seeding since 2010. UNH parlayed that momentum to a first-round bye followed by a 3-0 shutout victory over Vermont in its first home quarterfinal game since 2013. In the semifinal at Northeastern, the Wildcats kept the game tied 1-1 until the Huskies netted a power-play goal with 1:45 left in regulation before tacking on two empty-net goals for a 4-1 decision.
“It has been an honor to be the head coach of the UNH women’s hockey program for 10 years, and my coaching staff and I are excited at the opportunity to continue leading these tremendous young women who proudly represent the university on and off the ice,” Witt said. “We are encouraged by the steps we took this season and are galvanized by the potential of what is to come in the years ahead. It is our unwavering commitment to develop student-athletes who compete for championships on their way to becoming pillars of their community as graduates and lifelong Wildcats.”
USCHO’s Nicole Haase (@NicoleHaase) and Todd Milewski (@ToddMilewski) detail the semifinal matchups for the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four, Ohio State vs. Clarkson and Wisconsin vs. Colgate, after looking back at some of the highlights of an entertaining regional weekend.
UMass players celebrate a goal during the Minutemen’s 3-1 win over Providence last Saturday afternoon (photo: UMass Athletics).
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.
Jim: Well, Ed, the final weekend of college hockey’s conference playoffs is upon us, which means we had some exciting quarterfinal and semifinal action this past weekend.
There were a lot of favorites that ultimately advanced. The only true upsets in my mind were St. Lawrence, the No. 7 seed in the ECAC, sweeping Colgate in the ECAC quarterfinal and AIC, the No. 5 seed in Atlantic Hockey, advancing past No. 2 seed Holy Cross in three games in the AHA semifinals.
A third “semi-upset,” though, sent some shockwaves through the PairWise and that was Omaha, rallying from a game down in its best-of-three quarterfinal in the NCHC, to knock off Colorado College on the road, winning game three, 2-1.
With the series win, Omaha is now a lock for the NCAA tournament, going 11-2-2 down the stretch to earn that berth. At the same time, Colorado College, which was better than 90% to make the tournament after Friday’s overtime win to open the quarterfinal series, now will advance only in about 25 percent of the 4,096 remaining scenarios.
We’ve been talking about how closely bunched the PairWise has been from 10-19 for more than a month now. But this one series really had some serious ramifications for both the Mavericks and the Tigers.
Ed: I was shocked to see what this did to Colorado College’s NCAA chances. But what a great weekend for Omaha.
The Mavericks head into the NCHC Frozen Faceoff for the first time, and will be up against North Dakota, whom they beat twice at the beginning of March. It’s possible those two teams will meet again in the NCAA tournament. Omaha is the host of the Sioux Falls regional and will be there no matter what. The Fighting Hawks make sense to place there for attendance reasons. But with the NCAA avoiding in-conference match ups in the first round, the committee needs to hope for North Dakota to stay a 1 seed and Omaha a 3 seed – or 2 and 4 – as a 1-4 or 2-3 game will be avoided. We think.
Meanwhile, CC needs to watch and wait, and like every team on the bubble, root for Quinnipiac.
Speaking of the ECAC, St. Lawrence did catch my attention with the sweep of Colgate. They’ll meet the defending national champion Bobcats at Lake Placid in the semifinals Friday. The two teams split during the regular season with each winning at home.
While AIC’s win in three games over Holy Cross may seem to be an upset, only four points separated the two teams in the standings and just five separated second place from seventh in that league. AIC is on a bit of a heater heading to take on a similarly hot RIT in front of what’s will be a sellout crowd of 4,300 on Saturday. The Gene Polisseni Center box office opened Monday at 10 a.m. and all available tickets were sold out before noon. A few tickets reserved for season ticket holders may be released on Friday. This sort of experience is exactly what the league was looking for in the move to on-campus venues.
While it wasn’t a major upset, UMass did win on the road over Providence to keep its Hockey East and NCAA hopes intact. A great Hockey East final four at TD Garden is ahead for this weekend.
Jim: Conferences don’t “root” for teams in the conference playoffs, but if Hockey East did, I believe Boston College, Boston University, Maine and UMass would be the best teams to impact attendance. There is a good chance that the TD Garden could sellout one or both nights this weekend.
On the ice, UMass is the only team that needs to play for an NCAA bid. Win on Friday against No. 1 BC and UMass locks up its hopes. Lose, though, and there is a host of scenarios that have to go right for the Minutemen, most importantly of which is that Quinnipiac must win the ECAC.
That sounds easier than it is for the Bobcats. As much success as Quinnipiac has had since joining the ECAC, including three Frozen Fours and a national championship, QU has only won the ECAC title once. Sure, St. Lawrence might appear as a mismatch on paper, but so did Colgate a year ago.
Honestly, so many eyes will be on Lake Placid, but mine will be focused on Dartmouth. Reid Cashman has done a fantastic job getting this team to a competitive level so quickly after taking over once COVID ended.
Is there any team similar to Dartmouth that you’ll be watching this weekend?
Ed: A team that is in a similar situation to Dartmouth that I’ll be watching is St. Cloud State. Winning the three-game series against Western Michigan has kept the Huskies’ hopes alive for the NCHC title and the NCAA tournament.
SCSU needs at least a semifinal win over Denver to have an opportunity to be an at-large team, and they’ll need some help even with that. DU and St. Cloud met only twice in the regular season, with the Huskies dropping the first night and getting the shootout win point in a 4-4 tie.
It was an emphatic game-three win for St. Cloud against the Broncos, especially after a lopsided loss the night before. St. Cloud is a team that has been on the wrong side of a couple of bad bounces and, arguably, bad replay decisions and making it to the tournament would be a bit of vindication for Brett Larson’s squad.
You mentioned conferences not rooting for teams in the playoffs, but two other leagues that have to be happy are the Big Ten and the CCHA. Bemidji State, which is a torrid 10-0-1 in the last 11 games, hosts Michigan Tech this coming weekend, with the Beavers looking for their first conference title since winning the defunct CHA in 2009.
Meanwhile, it’s one of the greatest rivalries in college hockey with Michigan State welcoming Michigan to Munn. The Spartans are looking for their first Big Ten crown, while Michigan is looking to three-peat.
The final four format for Hockey East and ECAC Hockey still makes sense given the geography of those two eastern conferences. But the on-campus format for three conferences – and the NCHC next year – sure looks to be a smart move, especially when travel, experience, and attendance are all considered.
Jim: I think the overall financial impact makes sense for all four leagues that next year will be on campus. It’s possible that even the ECAC might consider that format as there isn’t a big difference between any on-campus arena and Lake Placid, though former commissioner Steve Hagwell would make me acknowledge the magical setting of Placid.
But for Hockey East, TD Garden will likely always be home. Geographically, any team can reach the Garden easily (Maine is about 4.5 hours away, the longest of any school). And the league and building still keep ticket prices reasonable (parking in the area is another story, but I digress).
I guess I could go down the rabbit hole of how this should impact the NCAA tournament at some point, as moving on campus will likely be discussed in Naples this spring. But I do love the thought of how packed RIT, Michigan State and Bemidji State will be the weekend. I look forward to watching the replays of all three of those games ahead of the regionals.
We do have a chance that all six conference champions could win this weekend, something unprecedented. You and I host the USCHO Edge podcast. If you had to set the over/under on number of No. 1 seeds that won’t win, where would you place it? I would aim for 1.5.
Ed: I think your over/under is perfectly placed.
Now, do I take the over or the under? I’m going to say over, perhaps with one visitor winning in the on-campus finals, and one underdog winning in the groups of four.
Things will be so much clearer in the NCAA picture with Friday’s games in the books. With the CCHA playing its championship on Friday night, just five games will take place on Saturday. And that reduces the current 4,096 possibilities to a number that’s manageable in my brain: 32. Everyone will know what has to happen by then without requiring a bulletin board of sticky notes and yarn.
I’m looking forward to six terrific championships played in front of massive crowds this weekend. What could be better than that?
USCHO’s Nicole Haase (@NicoleHaase) and Todd Milewski (@ToddMilewski) detail the semifinal matchups for the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four, Ohio State vs. Clarkson and Wisconsin vs. Colgate, after looking back at some of the highlights of an entertaining regional weekend.
