Messa Rink at Achilles Center is Union’s home rink (photo: Union Athletics).
College hockey rinks aren’t the same anymore.
They aren’t the old barns built during the 1970s.
They’re more antiseptic and devoid of character than the old buildings lacking heat or modern comfort, but they represent the soul and fabric stitched by generations of slap shots and millions of body checks. Even ones owned by corporations captured the no-frills of on-campus homes with wooden ceilings and austere bench seating.
Yet if you asked me – and nobody really did – those older arenas represent the best traditions of hockey’s more spartan-like days. They soaked and oozed the blood and sweat of players who skated hours in eras without opulent team rooms or electronic film studies. They were dirtier and dingier, but they were home to memorable characters at a time before the circus atmospheres of the modern day.
They remain imprinted on those of us who watched the game within their not-so-cozy confines, but they’re often remembered more for their nostalgia than anything else. Almost all of them are obsolete by modern college hockey standards, and they’re often replaced by bigger arenas with required trappings for the modern skater.
Old places are dying off, and even in ECAC, the conversation around a league with five of the oldest arenas in college hockey is unavoidable after Union College announced its intention to leave the 50-year-old Frank L. Messa Rink at Achilles Center after the 2024-25 season to occupy the new, 2,200-seat arena being built at the Mohawk Harbor Events Center.
“For me, my [college] career ended at that rink,” commissioner Doug Christiansen told Ken Schott of the Daily Gazette during the ECAC preseason conference call. “So I know a lot of people will be coming back through, [and] depending on how old they are, as they come back through that rink, they’re going to have great memories. But I will also say that having seen where the new building is going to be and seeing where it stands now, there’s a lot of things to look forward to.
“A new building in our league is great, and it’s obviously somewhere that everybody is going to look forward to playing in the future.”
ECAC is the home of college hockey’s most historic buildings, but Messa and Union in general illustrate the spirit and rhythm associated with growing a program from humble roots. Its grand reopening in 1975 started at the Division II level after Ned Harkness returned to the Capital District following a disastrous stint with the Detroit Red Wings, but the building’s first official game as the Achilles Center in December of that year came when the then-Dutchmen defeated Salem State with a 9-6 victory.
Ten years later, battles against RIT dotted six different postseason matchups across three different seasons, during which the burgeoning rivalry with the Tigers parried the ECAC West championship alongside the national title during Division II’s collapsing years in the mid-1980s. Having moved to Division III, Union hosted the 1985 championship round before Army’s departure from the Division I ECAC conference opened a void filled in 1991 by Bruce Delventhal’s Dutchmen.
“When they announced they were going to Division I, then-President Roger Hall said that they were not going to treat the program any differently, and it was going to be treated like all the other program on Union’s campus, which were all Division III,” noted Schott. “So that meant no scholarships and no help whatsoever, which is why it was amazing when Union made the postseason during its third year of Division I hockey. They took RPI to three games in the quarterfinals, but it wasn’t until Nate [Leaman] came in, having seen what Shawn Walsh did at Maine and what Mark Mazzoleni did at Harvard without scholarships that they started developing.”
Through it all, the Achilles Center remained a constant presence. In 1992, a 3-2 win over Vermont offered the first-ever home victory as a Division I team before the 1993-94 team sealed its aforementioned playoff berth with a 5-1-1 record in its last seven home games. Three years later, the 1996-97 team went 12-3-2 was undefeated after a mid-December loss to Harvard, after which the 2000-01 team went 10-5-2 opposite a 2-13-1 record in road games.
That level of periodic success proved to Union that the team could consistently compete, and a $1.5 million renovation gift from alumnus Frank L. Messa renamed the arena after its benefactor for the 2003-04 season. Handed a new lease and a new head coach in Leaman, a steady build finally brought a home playoff series to its ice sheet in 2004 before the upward trajectory and breakthrough handed Union its first-ever first-round bye in 2008. A first-time trip to the conference semifinals followed, and the first regular-season championship in 2011 dangled the first-of-its-kind national tournament banner from its rafters before Rick Bennett brought the team to the Frozen Four ahead of its national championship win in 2014.
“Nate had to educate the Union staff and faculty of what it took to be committed to Division I hockey,” Schott remarked, “and slowly but surely, they were able to get more help in the financial aid department. They were able to get more players, and they were able to start building them and helping them because they were treated like a Division I program.”
That level of investment finally outgrew the rink in the aftermath of college hockey’s exploding construction. Like so many other buildings throughout the landscape, an arena built in the 1970s failed to capture the infrastructure of the shiny, more glittery buildings. Since 2010, renovations across the entire ECAC landscape produced improvements at nearly every other school, with Cornell separately announcing construction of a new indoor sports facility after renovating Lynah Rink in the mid-2000s.
For its part, Union understood that it couldn’t stand still, but the exploration of a new building at the Mohawk Harbor facility created an offer capable of changing the program’s overall face after the NCAA voted to allow the Division III school to, like RIT, offer scholarships for its Division I hockey programs. Three options, according to university president David Harris, existed: build an on-campus facility, renovate the new building, or lease the new events center located just beyond the college’s geographic footprint.
“The Mohawk Harbor option provides us the best option,” he wrote in a 2022 letter to the campus community, “and because expenses are shared with other parties, it is also the most cost-effective option.”
Just like that – and with two years of efforts to ensure construction – the first new ECAC hockey arena since Colgate opened the Class of 1965 Arena in 2016 put its shovel into the ground. Like the Raiders’ exit from Starr Rink, an old friend serving a community for decades was left without a known future, and another relic from an older age of college hockey was lost to the history books.
In so many ways, a new arena benefits a community and an area, and the greater Schenectady area is teeming with open economic possibilities after reinventing itself over the past two decades. Yet to lose its older identity is, in a way, to say goodbye once more to a time when college hockey played its games along the boards and dashers of buildings with a wooden roof and dark, no-back stands. The old days are gone, even as opportunity peeks its eyes around the corner.
Omaha has appointed Zach Vit as director of hockey operations.
Vit joins Omaha after serving as the associate head coach of the Bishop Kearney Selects 18U team for three seasons. During the 2021-22 season, Vit was the assistant coach for the Bishop Kearney Selects 16U team that won the USA Hockey national championship.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join Coach [Mike] Gabinet’s staff as the director of hockey operations at the University of Nebraska at Omaha,” said Vit in a news release. “I am excited to contribute to a program with a rich tradition and to work alongside passionate individuals dedicated to excellence in hockey and developing our student-athletes.”
“It has been great to have someone with his experience join our program,” added Gabinet. “He is a big addition to not only me, but our staff. We are excited to work with him beginning this season.”
Vit served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin-Stout in the 2021-22 season, played a year of professional hockey in France, and played collegiately at Geneseo, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in communication.
Garrett Metcalf played goal for Mercyhurst, UMass Lowell and LIU during his NCAA career (photo: Ric Kruszynski/Mercyhurst Athletics).
The Long Island men’s hockey team has added Garrett Metcalf as an assistant coach.
The former 2015 NHL Draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks brings a bevy of experience to the growing program.
Originally from Salt Lake City, the former goaltender joins a hockey program that has increased its win total every season under head coach Brett Riley. Metcalf also was a member of the inaugural LIU men’s hockey team and picked up the win in net in their first game, a 3-2 overtime victory over Holy Cross.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to return to LIU as a member of Brett’s staff,” said Metcalf in a statement. “This program had a significant positive impact on my life and career and to see how far the program has come since its inception is incredible. I’m excited to bring my experience back to LIU and help these student-athletes become the best versions of themselves. It’s exciting to think about what the next five years will bring.”
During his playing days in college, the former Sharks goaltender was a Mike Richter Award nominee for the best goalie in college hockey. He was the first LIU hockey player to sign a professional contract, as well as reach the AHL and pick up wins in the AHL and ECHL. Metcalf is also the first previous player from the program to return as a member of the staff.
In addition to LIU, Metcalf played for UMass Lowell and Mercyhurst.
Arizona State head coach Greg Powers joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger to talk Sun Devils hockey, joining the NCHC, eligibility and recruiting for CHL players, roster sizes, and the upcoming home opener series with Michigan.
Eamon Powell will again wear the ‘C’ for Boston College during the 2024-25 season (photo: Brody Hannon).
Some of college hockey’s elite teams ease into their schedule, opening the season against less-heralded programs from small conferences.
Not the case for Boston College this year. The Eagles, ranked No. 2 in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll and picked first in Hockey East by both the coaches and the media, kicks off its 2024-25 campaign at No. 4 Michigan State, defending B1G tournament champions and the preseason No. 1 pick among its league’s coaches.
After last year’s run to the NCAA championship game (a 2-0 loss to Denver), expectations are high for the Eagles. Greg Brown, BC’s third-year coach, said he welcomes the opportunity to take on a national contender right away.
“We like it, because you learn so much about your team right away,” said Brown. “You’re put under fire right at the beginning of the season. It’s a great barometer for what you’re good at, what you need to improve, where your strengths and weaknesses are, all those things. (For) the freshmen, it’s the quickest way to grow up, to get right into the fire, to get used to college hockey.”
The Eagles and Spartans will face off Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. Eastern. Friday’s game will air on the B1G Network while Saturday’s contest can be found on B1G+. The two teams met in a pair of early season games last year in Chestnut Hill, Mass., which ended in a Boston College sweep (6-4, 5-1).
As for the freshman Brown mentioned, BC features one of the nation’s strongest recruiting classes, of which much is expected following the departure of Will Smith and Cutter Gauthier, who both took their game to the NHL. Smith and Gauthier were not only BC’s top two scorers last season, but they were the top two scorers in the nation.
The Eagles’ illustrious freshman class includes three NHL draft picks — forward Dean Letourneau (Boston, 25th) forward Teddy Stiga (Nashville, 55th) and defenseman Will Skahan (Utah, 65th).
With last year’s regular-season and Hockey East tournament championships, a subsequent trip to the Frozen Four and plenty of preseason respect from pollsters, logic would dictate that BC will be playing with a target on its back all season. Brown said his team’s focus is on constant improvement.
“We just have to worry about what we have to get better at, what we have to take care of,” Brown said. “It’s a much shorter view. Hopefully we put ourselves in a position to be in some important games at the end of the year. But there’s so much work to be done before that. We’re concentrating on ourselves and what we need to do to be ready.”
As for the Spartans, BC will have to contend with standout forwards Karsen Dorward and Isaac Howard, and goalie Trey Augustine, all of whom were named to the all-B1G preseason first team.
“They’re a great team,” Brown said. “They’re playing fast, really attacking, hunting pucks. heavy forecheck. We know we’re going to have to be ready (for) their pressure. We had great games with them last year, and we expect much of the same this weekend.
Guy Blessing started all 38 games last season for Air Force (photo: Paat Kelly/Pengo Sports).
It was a tale of two games for Air Force last weekend.
On Friday, the Falcons opened their season with an 8-1 loss on home ice to 20th-ranked Arizona State. Nothing went right for coach Frank Serratore’s team, which allowed three short-handed breakaway goals in the loss. The Sun Devils tacked on a pair of power-play goals to cruise to the win.
“We could have been down 12-1,” said Serratore. “As I always say, it usually comes down to goaltending and special teams, and we lost big in those areas.
“But we battled back on Saturday.”
The Falcons saw themselves down 2-0 in the first five minutes of Saturday’s contest and could have packed it in for the weekend.
But Brendan Gibbons got Air Force on the board late in the first period, and senior Clayton Consentino scored his second of three goals on the weekend midway through the second period to knot the score at 2-2.
But with less than a minute to go the third period, ASU’s Ryan Kirwan put the Sun Devils back in front. It looked like despite a valiant effort, the Falcons were headed towards being on the wrong end of a weekend sweep.
“Heartbreak hotel,” said Serratore of the late Sun Devils goal. “But we persevered.”
With goalie Guy Blessing pulled for an extra attacker, Gibbons scored his second goal of the contest to tie things up with 27 seconds to play.
In the overtime, ASU’s Bennett Schimek broke his stick and had to resort to taking a holding penalty, resulting in a Falcons power play. At that point, Air Force had been 0-9 with the man advantage for the weekend, but picked the perfect time to break through on Consentino’s game-winner 2:44 into the extra frame.
“(Assistant coach) John Holmstrom drew up the play,” said Serratore. “And it worked to perfection.”
It was a nice 4-3 comeback win for the Falcons to earn a split with a nationally ranked team.
“I’m really proud of our guys,” said Serratore. “After losing 8-1 on Friday and getting down 2-0 early on Saturday, it didn’t look good. We were outscored 10-1 at that point.
“To come back and tie it with less than a minute to play, after they had just taken the lead, and win it in overtime. I’ve been coaching 40 years and there’s been only four of five of games like that. It was magical.”
Senior goalie Guy Blessing struggled on Friday, but rebounded to post 32 saves on 35 shots on Saturday. He was subsequently named AHA goaltender of the week.
Serratore had no doubts in going back to Blessing on Saturday after pulling him on Friday.
“He’s our guy,” said Serratore. “No pun intended.”
When I talked to Serratore on Monday, he was heading home after attending funeral services in Grafton, ND for former Falcon Chad Demers, who passed away last week after a long battle with brain cancer. Demers starred for the Falcons from 2012-2015 and was most recently an assistant coach at Augustana.
Serratore said he couldn’t help but notice the 4-1 (exhibition) upset by Augustana over North Dakota on Saturday, coupled with his teams wild comeback that same night.
“I’m not a very religious person,” he said. “I’m usually in church for weddings and funerals, but I couldn’t help but look at that and think that maybe Chad had something to do with it.”
Next up for the Falcons is a trip to Las Vegas to face No. 5 Minnesota in the first round of the Ice Breaker Tournament. Air Force will play either Massachusetts or Omaha in the second round.
Serratore says his team needs to stick to a winning formula against the Gophers and beyond.
“We need the upperclassmen to do what they are supposed to do – lead,” he said. “But we also need the freshmen and sophomores to play above their pay grade.
“We need to roll four lines and wear teams down in the third period.”
A weekend of nonconference series between ranked teams produced a lot of splits and some memorable moments. Nicole Haase and Todd Milewski wrap it up on this week’s edition of the PodKaz, USCHO.com’s weekly look at NCAA women’s hockey.
Then we look ahead at series that match the top four teams in the USCHO.com rankings: No. 2 Minnesota at No. 4 Ohio State and No. 3 Minnesota Duluth at No. 1 Wisconsin.
The PodKaz is a production of USCHO.com. Have a question for our mailbag? Reach out to Nicole (@NicoleHaase) or Todd (@ToddMilewski) on social media or email [email protected]
Ohio State defeated Niagara 3-2 in overtime in an exhibition game Sunday afternoon (photo: Ohio State Athletics).
Ohio State was picked seventh – last – in the Big Ten preseason coaches’ poll.
Buckeyes coach Steve Rohlik has an idea or two about that.
“Everybody’s got to put somebody somewhere,” said Rohlik, now in his 12th season behind the Ohio State bench. “I’ve never really paid attention to it since forever. What they say before the season starts doesn’t matter. It’s what you’re doing at the end of the year that matters.
“It’s our job to continue to push, to continue to get better. We’re in the best league in the country, and we’re up against six of the other best teams in the country. You’ve got to be at your best. We’re just excited to go out there and prove to people we belong.”
In 2023-24, Ohio State finished last in the Big Ten, with just four wins in conference and an overall record of 14-20-4. Those numbers, though, don’t tell the whole story of the Buckeyes’ second half. Three of their four conference wins came in January and February, a three-game stretch in which they swept Wisconsin and took a game on Michigan State’s home ice.
Five losses to B1G opponents in the second half last year were by a goal or two with an empty-netter, and the Buckeyes took Wisconsin to three games on the road in the first round of the Big Ten playoffs, beating the Badgers before ending their season on the road with a 2-1 loss to Michigan State in B1G semifinal action.
“Toward the end of the year, I think the proof was out there,” said Rohlik. “That’s what you shoot for. A lot of credit to our guys. Down the stretch, we beat the top team, the second-place team – we put ourselves in a position to be there at the end of the year.
“That’s what you want to do. Obviously, we want to start a little quicker this year and give ourselves more of a chance, but at the end of the day, we’re here to develop these guys, one as individuals and two as a team, and I think we did that last year.”
The Buckeyes have some big skates to fill with the departure of forwards Stephen Halliday and Cam Thiesing and defenseman Scooter Brickey, and Rohlik said that Ohio State will need to do a lot by committee this season to find success.
“We have another 10 new guys this year, so lots of change,” said Rohlik. “College athletics is in a real different spot right now. I’m excited about our guys. Every team has a different personality. We’re going to have to win with our depth. We might not have a 50-point guy, but if I can get a bunch of 20-point guys, I’ll certainly be happy with that.”
That win-by-committee philosophy extends to who’s tending the net, as the Buckeyes return Kristoffer Eberly and Logan Terness, the two goalies who split time during the second half of the season, and senior Reilly Herbst, who is competing for time. Rohlik called having two goalies that can start right away “a luxury,” but added that nothing has been decided yet.
“The second half last year, our goaltending really started to improve,” said Rohlik. “They push each other, they were both playing well, and that led to team success.
“Going into it, I’ve got three good goalies. If it’s one every other night … or unless someone takes the bull by the horns and runs with it, that’s kind of a wait-and-see situation.”
Ohio State began its season with a 3-2 exhibition overtime win against Niagara with both Terness and Eberly seeing time in net. Terness stopping 14-of-16 through two and Eberly earning the win with eight saves on eight shots in the third and overtime. Two veterans – graduate student Joe Dunlap and junior David Burnside – were scored the goals, with Burnside getting the tying goal early in the second and Dunlap scoring the OT game winner.
The game gave Rohlik a good game look at his squad.
“A lot of guys got some play,” said Rohlik. “We found a way to win. We did some good things. We certainly did a lot of things we need to clean up.”
The Buckeyes begin D-I play with a pair of home games against American International this weekend, a series that Rohlik said will challenge Ohio State right away.
“We have lots of things to improve on, to build on,” said Rohlik. “We’re playing a team that made its presence known in the national tournament as of late and they’re well coached. All of a sudden, this first game of the year, you’ve got to be at your best to win.”
As the season begins, Rohlik said that it’s as important to see the overall parity in college hockey as it is to see how competitive it is in the Big Ten.
“Our league continues to get better and better,” said Rohlik. “That’s what Big Ten hockey is. People forget that a handful of years ago, we had three teams in the Frozen Four, so it isn’t that we just got good the last couple of years. We’ve had some really good years. I think people forget about that. “Obviously, the parity from top to bottom’s off the charts. I think the strength of schedule, at the end of the day, is what tells you about your league.”
Additionally, Rohlik said that he’s heard a lot of discussion in the NCAA about “blue bloods,” traditionally elite programs and that attract allegedly elite players, but Rohlik thinks that’s a misleading concept.
“You know what? College hockey, the parity from top to bottom, is as good as it’s been,” said Rohlik. “I think that’s good for the sport. You’re seeing some new teams joining, and that’s all good.”
John Prokop was the OT hero in Union’s win over Army West Point Sunday night (photo: Angela Sosa).
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: Welcome back, college hockey! And welcome back to Tuesday Morning Quarterback, our weekly back-and-forth discussing college hockey’s news of the day.
Despite the fact that a handful of official games and an additional spattering of exhibitions were played this weekend, the biggest news right now comes from off the ice.
As USCHO.com first reported on Friday, the NCAA is planning on taking up a vote on emergency legislation that would allow players from the Canadian Hockey League (major junior) to play college hockey.
In the past, these athletes were considered professionals because they received stipends to play in the league making them professionals in the NCAA’s eyes. But in the age of NIL and compensating college players in many of the Division I sports, banning CHL players is no longer sensible.
It is a little too soon to know exactly how this will all shake out, but one thing is apparent: this will increase the player poll in Division I men’s college hockey, which is a good thing.
Again, we don’t know exactly how all of this will play out, but this feels like there is a lot of upside for college hockey, no?
Ed: I guess it all depends on who you talk to. We had a lot of conversations about this at the Frozen Four last year and the coaches discussed it at their convention in Naples the following month.
One of the most passionate people about making this happen when we talked in April was Don Lucia, as he saw the larger pool of players helping his league, the CCHA, and smaller programs in general. But I’m also certain that the top programs – the “blue chippers” – will still get the best talent.
There will be effects felt all through hockey. Canadian players who have wanted to go the NCAA route might now have more opportunities closer to home. With the BCHL having positioned itself as the top feeder league in Canada for college hockey in the U.S., it has meant that a lot of players in eastern Canada have had to play in the west or in U.S. leagues. If this changes, then someone from Montreal, for example, could play in the QMJHL and still have a college career at 19 or 20 years old.
The dominoes will be felt in other junior leagues in both the U.S. and Canada. With more attention now given to CHL teams, the leagues getting lesser attention in both countries may become less desirable for recruiters who only have so much time and travel budgets.
As far as the pool, I think it’s more likely that it stays the same and just ends up with players taking some new routes open to them. Perhaps some who considered Major Junior a better route but then found themselves with nowhere to go after they age out will land in college and that will help the numbers in the short term.
My question is whether there will be roster spots for more players. It seems as if the pending settlement in the House v. NCAA case might limit schools to 26 for hockey if they opt to offer a full complement of 26 scholarships. Could we see more talent chasing fewer opportunities?
Jim: No doubt limiting roster size at virtually the same time as you expand the player pool seems counterintuitive. But all of these separate legislations seem inevitable to college hockey.
To be more specific on what you reference, House vs. the NCAA, that is a court case that is close to being settled, the result of which will be limiting roster sizes in college athletics. For men’s and women’s college hockey, the proposed limits would be 26 players.
There is an upside to this, that schools would be allowed to provide every one of their players with 26 scholarships, a significant increase from the current limit of 18.
But 26 players, to me, seems far too low. Injuries and illness impact teams every year. I knew of multiple programs that last year were missing double-digit numbers of players. Could you imagine if those teams had just 15 or 16 healthy players each night? That seems like a senseless problem to create by establishing roster sizes.
Ed: In an ideal world without injuries or illness, 26 would be a good number. That would typically give you 15 forwards, 8 defensemen, and three goalies. Essentially that’s an extra line, extra pair, and extra netminder.
But we don’t live in an ideal world. Even teams with larger rosters can run into injury problems.
On Atlantic Hockey America media day, American International head coach Eric Lang noted that he likes to carry a larger roster, and under a cap of 26, he might have had to forfeit some games because of injuries last season. He advocated for at least 28 or 29 as did our Weekend Review colleague, Robert Morris head coach Derek Schooley, on this week’s edition of that podcast.
The settlement of the House vs. NCAA case was delayed by a judge in September, and there are many things to iron out. Plus, this case is not just about hockey, but NCAA sports in general.
I suppose the other way to increase the demand for players would be to expand the sport. But that’s a drum we and others have been beating for a while.
Despite all of this going on, hockey returned to the ice for D-I men this past weekend. There were a lot of exhibition games, but also some non-conference contests that will count in the PairWise.
What stood out to you?
Jim: I think the team that shocked me most was Stonehill. Under new head coach David Berard, a veteran college hockey coach, Stonehill pulled off an upset of an injury-plagued Merrimack team.
The Warriors unfortunately had to play an emergency backup goaltender in the game, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that Stonehill came back late to tie the game and win in overtime.
Minnesota State also had a great win on Saturday against Michigan. And although it was an exhibition game, Augustana earned an emotional 4-1 victory over North Dakota just days after their assistant coach Chad Demers last his battle with brain cancer. Though the loss doesn’t hurt North Dakota, it could be a major confidence boost to a young Augustana team.
Ed: There was also a moment of silence and a recognition for Demers at Air Force’s game on Friday, a place where he had been a standout player and also served a season as director of hockey operations after a medical discharge from the Air Force.
On the ice, it was a disappointing weekend for Atlantic Hockey America as the teams went 2-10-0, going just 1-5 in one-goal games and 1-3 in overtime. That’s left a bit of a hole to dig out of for a conference that has not been able to get over the hump of a single NCAA bid more than once.
I don’t know if we saw too much else to bank on from this past weekend. Next weekend has a lot of good non-conference matchups, and AHA starts regular-season play (already!) with RIT at Mercyhurst for two.
Denver swept Alaska Anchorage on the road over the weekend (photo: Stephanie Burgoon).
After being picked No. 1 in the USCHO.com Preseason Division I Men’s Poll back on Sept. 23, defending national champion Denver earned 43 first-place votes this week to stay at the top spot in the poll.
Boston College is again No. 2, garnering six first-place votes, while Boston University stays No. 3, and Michigan State remains fourth. Minnesota is up one spot to No. 5 this week.
North Dakota falls one place to No. 6, Cornell is up two spots to No. 7, also getting a first-place vote, Quinnipiac stays eighth, Wisconsin is up one to No. 9, and Michigan drops three spots to No. 10 in this week’s rankings.
Maine is up one to No. 11, Colorado College is down one to No. 12, Providence stays 13th, along with UMass at No. 14, Omaha at No. 15, St. Cloud State at No. 16, and Western Michigan at No. 17.
Northeastern moves up two to No. 18, Minnesota State enters the poll at No. 19, and Notre Dame is down one to sit 10th in the poll.
In addition to the top 20 teams, 20 other teams received votes this week.
The USCHO.com Division I Men’s Hockey Poll is compiled weekly and consists of 50 voters, including coaches and media professionals from across the country. Media outlets may republish this poll as long as USCHO.com is credited.
On Friday, Casey O’Brien led the Badgers with two goals and two assists, Laila Edwards scored twice and Kelly Gorbatenko added four assists to power the Badgers to a 7-1 win over Boston College. Kirsten Simms, KK Harvey and Claire Enright also scored for Wisconsin. Abby Newhook ruined the shutout, getting the Eagles on the board. In the second game, Sophomore Bailey Callaway made her first career start and made a stellar 54 saves, including 20 in the first, but the Badgers hit their stride in the second, scoring three goals in three minutes early and five total in the frame to put the game out of reach. Lacey Eden led UW with two goals and an assist while O’Brien added a goal and two assists which put her at 201 points for her career. Harvey, Cassie Hall and Sarah Wozniewicz also scored to give Wisconsin the 7-0 win.
Boston University at (2) Minnesota
Friday’s game was a weird one as at about the midpoint, shots were 7-1 in favor of the Gophers. Minnesota started to pick it up from there and the final shots on goal were more on par with what you’d expect (41-11), but this still was an interesting game as Boston University stymied the Gophers, compiling 28 blocks and keeping them to the perimeter. Callie Shanahan was stellar in net even as the pace picked up. BU received a penalty shot with about seven minutes to play, but Skylar Vetter made the save. The game looked destined for overtime, scoreless after nearly 60 minutes. But the physicality of the game caught up with BU as Riley Walsh was tied up with Abbey Murphy in front of the Gopher bench and subsequently pushed Murphy in the facemask after the play had moved on. Minnesota challenged the call of a minor penalty and it was upgraded to a major, giving the Gophers a five minute power play that covered the final 1:38 that remained on the clock. It took Murphy just 18 seconds to make the Terriers pay, scoring her second-straight game-winning goal to give Minnesota the 1-0 win. On Sunday, Peyton Hemp scored late in the first to give the Gophers an early 1-0 lead, but Lilli Welcke put back a rebound to make it 1-1. That last exactly 61 seconds as Murphy as hooked on a breakaway, leading to the second penalty shot of this series. She showed patience approaching the crease and waited for the goalie to commit to her butterfly before softly lifting the puck up and over her into the net to make it 2-1. It was the Gophers’ first successful penalty shot since 2012. The goal energized Minnesota as Ella Huber scored a few minutes later to make it 3-1 and Sydney Morrow scored her first as a Goopher in the opening minute of the third to make it 4-1. Walsh cut the lead to 4-2, but Nelli Laitenen’s backhander put the game out of reach as Minnesota took the 5-2 win and weekend sweep.
(3) Minnesota Duluth at (7) Colgate
The two teams took time to feel each other out and the scoring began in the second with Mary Kate O’Brien’s shorthander to put UMD up 1-0. But Colgate responded, scoring a goal on that same power play and adding a goal from Kalty Kaltounkova before intermission to take a 2-1 lead into the locker room. Tova Henderson tied things up in the beginning of the third and Clara Van Wieren scored with about seven to go to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, which they’d hold on to to win 3-2. In the second game of the weekend, the Raiders’ Kaia Malachino had two goals and Hannah Murphy made a career-high 42 saves to lead Colgate to a 3-2 win to earn the weekend split. Minnesota Duluth was pushing early and held a 16-1 shot advantaged to start the game. Van Wieren had UMD up 1-0 with a goal midway through the first, but Malachino tied things up a few minutes later on the power play to send the teams to intermission tied 1-1. Malachino scored her second power play goal with under two to play in the second to give the Raiders the lead. Sara Stewart put back a rebound to open the third and stretch the lead to 3-1 for Colgate. Olivia Wallin scored a power play goal a few minutes later, but could not find the equalizer as the Raiders took the 3-2 victory.
(4) Ohio State at (8) St. Lawrence
Captain Jenna Buglioni led Ohio State on Friday, scoring on the very first play of overtime, ending the game seven seconds in. Buglioni scored the Buckeyes’ first of the game, as well.
The game started as St. Lawrence had OSU on their heels for a bit of this game and eventually got on the board first thanks to a goal from Sarah Thompson. Buglioni put back a rebound on her backhand to tie the game 1-1. Abby Hustler’s second period goal gave the Saints a 2-1 lead heading into the third. Jocelyn Amos’ goal midway through the third was not initially called good, but Nadine Muzerall challenged the play and the puck trickled over the line, so the game was tied 2-2. OSU left no doubt and quickly ended the game with Buglioni’s goal seven seconds into OT. On Saturday, Riley Brengman’s shot from distance put Ohio State up in the opening minutes. Taylor Lum tied it up for St. Lawrence midway through the frame, but the Buckeyes were determined not to have a repeat of the first game. They quickly responded with goals from Kiara Zanon and Joy Dunne less than 90 seconds apart to make it 3-1. Aly McLeod scored on a perfect outlet pass from Hustler and then Sarah Marchand scored on the PP to tie the game 3-3 heading into the final frame. Buglioni put OSU ahead midway through the third and Amos scored on the empty net to secure the 5-3 win.
(5) Clarkson at Vermont
The Golden Knights led a balanced attack on Friday in their home opener as they scored twice in each period on goals from six different players to earn a 6-2 win. Rebecca Morissette put a deflected puck into the net in the opening minute to set the tone for Clarkson. Sidney Fess doubled the lead a few minutes later, but Vermont started to fight back. Evelyne Blais-Savoie responded less than a minute later to make it 2-1 and then Kyla Bent scored on the power play late in the period to send the teams to the locker room tied 2-2. But the Golden Knights found another level, outshooting UVM 14-3 in the second (and 42-16 for the game) and putting the game out of reach. Sena Catterall and Rhea Hicks added goals in the second and Jenna Goodwin and Raedyn Spademan scored in the third to finalize the win. In game two, Jane Gervais’ 37 saves and Vermont’s 18 blocks combined to keep this game close for more than two periods before Clarkson scored three times in less than 10 minutes to pull away. Lara Beecher put the Golden Knights on their heels, scoring for Vermont less than two minutes in. Jenna Goodwin’s wrister from the circle evened the score with about six to play in the first. At the midpoint of the game, Andie Proulx hit a wrister from the point to make it 2-1. The Golden Knights blew it open in the third as Spademan scored twice and Bridget Stevenson also lit the lamp to power Clarkson to a 5-1 win.
(12) Penn State at (9) Connecticut
This game was 35 minutes in before a goal was tallied Friday night. Stella Retrum scored late in the second and then Mya Vaselt scored in the opening minute of the third to put Penn State up 2-0. But Connecticut would not let themselves be counted out. Brianna Ware scored on the power play about seven minutes in to cut the lead to 2-1, then Clarie Murdoch and Brooke Campbells scored three minutes apart to give the Huskies a 3-2 lead in the closing minutes. UConn was able to hold on for the win. After going 0-for-7 on the PP in their opening series, the Nittany Lions found the special teams scoring mojo on Saturday, scoring three power play goals and a shorthander to earn a 4-2 win and weekend split. Christina Walker’s goal a minute into the second had UConn up 1-0, but Tessa Janecke was off to the races for a shorthander less than two minutes later to tie it 1-1. Maddy Christian and Katelyn Roberts each scored a power play goal later in the period to give Penn State a 3-1 lead. Meghane Duchesne-Chalifoux’s extra attacker goal cut the lead back to one-goal, but Lyndie Lobdell’s empty-net power play tally iced the win for PSU.
(10) Quinnipiac at (13) Northeastern
Taze Thompson’s power play goal opened the scoring on Friday for Northeastern, but Quinnipiac’s Tessa Holk added an extra-attacker of her own less than three minutes later to make it a 1-1 game. Éloïse Caron sent the Huskies to the locker room with a 2-1 lead with a goal in the final minutes of the opening period. The tie held into the third, but Skylar Irving came out of the second intermission flying and scored just 20 seconds in to make it a 3-1 lead for Northeastern. The Bobcats pulled their goalie for an extra skater and capitalized with a goal from Kendall Cooper to cut the lead to 3-2, but Jaden Bogden’s empty-netter sealed a 4-2 win for Northeastern. On Saturday, Maya Labad opened the scoring with a quick flick of a puck that bounded out of the corner to score from a sharp angle early in the second. Kathryn Stockdale picked up her own rebound midway through the second to make it 2-0 and Maddy Samoskevich’s power play, empty-net goal secured a 3-0 for Quinnipiac, who earned the split.
(15) Mercyhurst at (11) St. Cloud State
The Huskies set a program record with the weekend sweep of Mercyhurst, as they became the first team to ever start 3-0 (and then 4-0). After a back and forth first on Friday, Sofianna Sundelin put SCSU up 1-0, but Mercyhurst responded just before the second intermission with a goal from Regina Metzler to tie the game 1-1. Both teams clawed for the advantage in the final frame, but it was St. Cloud’s Emma Gentry who lit the lamp with just about four minutes left that lifted the Huskies to the 2-1 win. In the second game. Dayle Ross opened the scoring at the midpoint of the first period with a deceptive shot from distance that made it 1-0 SCSU. Ella Annick added a power play goal in the second and that’s all the Huskies needed to take a 2-0 win and sweep.
Ryan Greene (9) and Gavin McCarthy (2) celebrate one of BU’s five goals against Holy Cross on Saturday night (photo: Matt Woolverton).
Each week during the season, USCHO.com will pick the top 10 moments from the past weekend in our Monday 10 feature.
1, No. 7 Michigan, Minnesota State split series
Minnesota State picked up a road split to open the season, winning 5-2 on Friday at seventh-ranked Michigan before falling 4-1 Saturday to the Wolverines.
Four unanswered goals Friday helped Minnesota State earn its upset victory, in which five different Mavericks found the back of Michigan’s net. Alex Tracy made 32 saves at the other end to help MSU beat Michigan in the teams’ second all-time meeting.
The third one went the Wolverines’ way, as a goal and an assist Saturday from Michael Hage helped the hosts rebound from Friday’s defeat. A first-round NHL draft pick earlier this year by the Montreal Canadiens, Hage had three assists and four points in his opening weekend of college hockey action while helping to give Brandon Naurato his 50th win as Michigan’s coach.
2. UMass’s Carvel reaches 150 wins
Massachusetts coach Greg Carvel on Saturday hit the 150-win mark for his Minutemen career, thanks to a 5-4 nonconference win at Bentley.
Carvel’s ninth season in charge started the right way, thanks in large part to a four-goal second period. Aydar Suniev, Jack Musa and Daniel Jenčko accounted for those goals across a span of 12:59, with Suniev getting the first and last. Bentley roared back with three unanswered goals in the third period but couldn’t tie the game.
Carvel has led UMass to two Hockey East playoff titles as well as the program’s first national title in 2021. Four of the Minutemen’s five NCAA tournament appearances have come under his watch.
3. Newcomers come up big in BU’s opener
Third-ranked Boston University opened the new season with a 5-2 home win Saturday against Holy Cross. Junior co-captain Ryan Greene bagged two goals for the hosts, while freshmen Cole Eiserman, Cole Hutson and Alex Zetterberg each scored once in their collegiate debuts.
Greene has a knack for getting the Agganis Arena crowd going in its first games of the season, having now scored five goals in his three BU home openers. He and his linemates Shane Lachance and Quinn Hutson combined for a plus-9 rating Saturday.
Mathieu Caron, a BU senior goaltender and former transfer from Brown, where he was a Hobey Baker Award nominee, made 29 saves.
4. Air Force splits with No. 20 Arizona State
Arizona State’s first pair of games as a conference member had good and not-so-good moments for the Sun Devils, as they picked up a split at Air Force.
Special-teams units accounted for five ASU goals in the visitors’ 8-1 win Friday, when 12 different Sun Devils logged at least one point. Friday’s win also set a new top margin of victory in ASU program history. Three shorthanded goals scored that night also made for a new program record.
Air Force bounced back with a 4-3 win Saturday, as senior Clayton Cosentino bagged the winner in overtime. The Falcons were behind 2-0 after five minutes in the series finale, but clawed back to beat a ranked opponent for the first time since late last season, against then-No. 20 RIT.
ASU’s Ryan Kirwan and Air Force’s Brendan Gibbons both scored in the final minute of regulation, before Cosentino scored the sixth game-winning goal of his career.
5. Bemidji edges No. 18 UMD on road in overtime
Scott Sandelin’s 25th season as Minnesota Duluth’s coach didn’t start as he would’ve wanted, as the Bulldogs fell 4-3 in overtime Saturday at home to Bemidji State.
Jackson Jutting, a nephew of former Minnesota State coach Troy Jutting, bagged the winner 3:47 into the three-on-three extra period inside Amsoil Arena. That put a bow on a game where neither team led by more than one goal.
Zam Plante had forced overtime for UMD with a goal at 18:18 of the third period. Four different Bemidji skaters scored in the game, with nine Beavers recording one point apiece.
UMD bounced back Sunday with a 7-2 exhibition win over Manitoba. The Bisons held a 1-0 lead at the first intermission but were outshot 26-6 by the time Duluth got on the board early in the second.
6. St. Lawrence opens with two wins
The Appleton Arena crowd in Canton, N.Y., had a lot to feel good about last weekend, as St. Lawrence opened the new season with a pair of home wins.
Greg Lapointe’s game-winner 2:42 into overtime Saturday gave the Saints a 3-2 victory over RIT. The visiting Tigers were held without a shot on goal in the extra frame, and St. Lawrence won despite going 0 for 5 on power plays.
St. Lawrence then scored five unanswered goals in a 5-2 win Sunday against Canisius. After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, Drake Burgin started the Saints’ comeback attempt with a goal 2:44 into the hosts’ four-goal second.
Two of those goals came from St. Lawrence’s special teams units, with Burgin scoring on a power play and Ty Naaykens adding a shorthanded tally in the final minute of that period.
7. North Dakota suffers first exhibition loss in nearly 30 years
Two Brett Meerman goals helped Augustana to a 4-1 exhibition victory Saturday on the road against No. 5 North Dakota, handing the Fighting Hawks their first loss in a noncounter game since the 1996-97 season.
Meerman scored off a rebound 2:20 into the game, and Augustana led 2-0 after one period and 3-0 through two. Will Svenddal and Nace Langus also bagged a goal apiece for the visitors, before a Cameron Berg power-play goal midway through the third period ended Christian Manz’s shutout bid.
Augustana gets going for real this weekend with a home set against Long Island. North Dakota, which played Saturday’s game in front of an announced sellout crowd at Ralph Engelstad Arena, plays there again this Saturday against Providence.
8. Omaha dedicates rink for original coach
When Omaha hosted Wisconsin for an exhibition game Saturday, the Baxter Arena playing surface was dedicated as Kemp Ice, in honor of the Mavericks’ original coach, Mike Kemp.
Now a special advisor to UNO athletic director Adrian Dowell, Kemp was hired as the Mavericks’ first hockey coach in 1996 and held that position for 12 years. Kemp previously served as an assistant at Wisconsin under legendary coaches Bob Johnson and Jeff Sauer.
Wisconsin won Saturday’s game 3-2 in overtime, overcoming a 2-0 deficit with a pair of third-period goals and Quinn Finley’s winner.
9. Air Force grad, Augustana assistant Demers remembered
Former Air Force forward and, more recently, Augustana assistant coach Chad Demers died Wednesday following a long battle with brain cancer. He was 33.
Demers, who was a prep standout for Grafton-Park River (N.D.) and later the USHL’s Fargo Force, was an associate head coach with the Force before coming to Augustana ahead of the Vikings’ inaugural 2023-24 season.
After graduating from the Air Force Academy, Demers served on active duty as an acquisitions officer in California, and as a ROTC instructor at the University of North Dakota.
Funeral services for Demers are scheduled for today at the Grafton High School Gymnasium.
10. Denver, Penn State coaches visit old stomping grounds
Top-ranked Denver and Penn State opened their respective campaigns last weekend in familiar spots for their head coaches. Denver won a pair of games at Alaska Anchorage, in DU coach Davie Carle’s hometown, while former Alaska coach Guy Gadowski led Penn State to two wins in Fairbanks.
Four power-play goals Saturday helped Denver begin its campaign with a 6-2 win over UAA, before the visiting Pioneers won 4-1 in Sunday’s rematch. Denver had jumped out to a 4-0 lead, and only saw Matt Davis’s shutout bid wiped out in the game’s final two minutes.
Over in Fairbanks, Penn State won 4-3 on Saturday thanks to an overtime goal from Simon Mack. The Nittany Lions then won 5-0 on Sunday, after scoring four goals in the second period. Reese Laubach had two of those, and Arsenii Sergeev pitched a 32-save shutout.
No. 3 Boston University (1-0-0)
10/05/2024 – RV Holy Cross 2 at No. 3 Boston University 5
No. 4 Michigan State (2-0-0)
10/04/2024 – No. 4 Michigan State 2 at Lake Superior State 1 (OT)
10/05/2024 – No. 4 Michigan State 5 at Lake Superior State 1
No. 5 North Dakota (0-0-0)
10/05/2024 – Augustana 4 at No. 5 North Dakota 1 (exhibition)
No. 6 Minnesota (0-0-0)
10/05/2024 – No. 6 Minnesota 5 at No. 16 St. Cloud State 1 (exhibition)
No. 7 Michigan (1-1-0)
10/04/2024 – RV Minnesota State 5 at No. 7 Michigan 2
10/05/2024 – RV Minnesota State 1 at No. 7 Michigan 4
No. 16 St. Cloud State (1-0-0)
10/05/2024 – No. 6 Minnesota 5 at No. 16 St. Cloud State 1 (exhibition)
10/06/2024 – No. 16 St. Cloud State 1 at RV St. Thomas 0
No. 17 Western Michigan (0-0-0)
10/05/2024 – USNTDP* 1 at No. 17 Western Michigan 4 (exhibition)
No. 18 Minnesota Duluth (0-1-0)
10/05/2024 – RV Bemidji State 4 at No. 18 Minnesota Duluth 3 (OT)
10/06/2024 – Manitoba* 2 at No. 18 Minnesota Duluth 7 (exhibition)
Stonehill celebrates its OT win Sunday afternoon at Merrimack (photo: Ryan Adams).
Aside from the exhibition games, Sunday was a light schedule across men’s college hockey.
Perhaps the biggest win was upstart Stonehill, in just the Skyhawks’ third season at the NCAA Division I level, knocking off Merrimack 3-2 in overtime at Lawler Arena in North Andover, Mass., on a Devlin O’Brien goal 38 seconds into extra time.
Anthony Galante had tied it 2-2 for the Skyhawks at 19:51 of the third period.
OVERTIME WINNER‼️
Devlin O'Brien sends the Skyhawks home with a win after lighting the lamp on his first goal of the season!🤩#GoHillpic.twitter.com/c550Em91uH
Just 58 seconds into overtime, John Prokop won it for Union as the Garnet Chargers took a 4-3 win over the Black Knights at Messa Rink in Schenectady, N.Y.
— Union College Men's Hockey (@Unionmhockey) October 6, 2024
Connor Smith, Cameron Korpi and Nate Hanley also scored for Union and Kyle Chauvette made 15 saves in goal.
Joey Baez collected a goal and an assist for the Black Knights and Nik Hong and Barron Woodring added goals of their own.
In goal, Evan Szary stopped 30 shots for Army West Point.
No. 16 St. Cloud State 1, St. Thomas 0
Ryan Rosborough scored the game’s lone goal in the first period and Isak Posch was sharp in a 34-save shutout to lift the Huskies to a 1-0 win over St. Thomas at the St. Thomas Ice Arena in St. Thomas, Minn.
— St. Cloud State Men's Hockey (@SCSUHuskies_MH) October 6, 2024
Jake Sibell was equally stellar for the Tommies, registering 27 saves in goal.
St. Lawrence 5, Canisius 2
After going down 2-0 early, St. Lawrence scored five unanswered goals, including four in the second period, and went on to take a 5-2 win over Canisius on Sunday afternoon at Appleton Arena in Canton, N.Y.
Drake Burgin netted a pair of goals for SLU, while Ty Naaykens, Isaac Tremblay and Gunnar Thoreson recorded one each. Mason Kucenski made 26 saves in net for the Saints.
— St. Lawrence Men’s Hockey (@SkatingSaints) October 6, 2024
Oliver Tarr and Dominic Payne scored for Canisius and Ethan Robertson made 20 saves in the blue paint.
RIT 3, Clarkson 2
Christian Catalano, Nick Cafarelli and Tanner Andrew popped a goal each and Jakub Krbecek compiled 32 saves as the Tigers downed Clarkson 3-2 at Cheel Arena in Potsdam, N.Y.
RIT captain Tanner Andrew looks for a play with Clarkson’s Tate Taylor closing in (photo: Max Conway/RIT Athletics).
Ryan Bottrill and Trey Taylor found the net for Clarkson and Marcus Brännman stopped 15 shots.
The Penn State at Alaska and No. 1 Denver at Alaska Anchorage games were not complete at the time of this post. Both were slated to start at 5 p.m. Alaska time (9 p.m. Eastern time).
Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth played a back-and-forth game in Duluth Saturday night (photo: Minnesota Duluth Athletics).
Bemidji State senior captain Jackson Jutting scored 3:47 into the three-on-three overtime period to send the Beavers to a 4-3 victory at No. 18 Minnesota Duluth Saturday night at AMSOIL Arena.
It was the Beavers’ first win in Duluth since Feb. 9, 2016, and also snapped a seven-game winless streak (0-5-2) against the Bulldogs.
It was a back-and-forth battle as the Beavers scored three times to take a lead over the Bulldogs, who responded all three times to tie the game and send it to overtime.
— Bemidji State Men’s Hockey (@BSUBeaversMHKY) October 6, 2024
Bemidji State opened the scoring when Carter Randklev wasted little time to score just 1:41 into the season after banging home a rebounded Austin Jouppi shot.
The Beavers looked to take the 1-0 lead into the first intermission, but Jayson Shaugabay scored with just two seconds remaining in the period to tie the game for UMD.
Bemidji State had another quick start to the period when Donte Lawson put the Beavers back up on top with his first goal of the season 3:21 into the second frame after he converted a 2-on-1 with Rhys Chiddenton.
The lead didn’t last long as Shaugabay scored his second of the game just 4:29 later. However, this time the Beavers would strike before the period’s end when Jere Vaisanen drove through the Bulldogs defense and scored with 2:27 to play in the frame.
The third period was dominated by the Bulldogs as they outshot the Beavers 14-4 in the period. Goaltender Mattias Sholl had turned aside the first seven shots in the period but left the game halfway through the period due to injury. Raythan Robbins replaced him in goal and stopped the first five shots he saw before Zam Plante tied the game with 1:42 to play.
The teams went to the overtime where Robbins shined in goal, stopping all five shots he faced in the extra frame before Jutting won it.
Robbins earned his first collegiate victory in goal and turned aside 11 of 12 shots he faced while Sholl was also stellar in net, stopping 26 shots in 49 minutes.
For the Bulldogs, Zach Sandy collected 19 saves in goal.
Ryan Greene had two goals and an assist, Quinn Hutson and Shane Lachance three assists each and Mathieu Caron 29 saves as the Terriers defeated the Crusaders at Agganis Arena in Boston.
Right place, right time for 6️⃣1️⃣ as he cashes in for his first collegiate goal!
Cole Eiserman, Cole Hutson and Alex Zetterberg also scored for BU in the win.
For Holy Cross, Jack Seymour posted a goal and an assist and Jack Stockfish the other goal. Thomas Gale finished with 32 saves in goal.
No. 4 Michigan State 4, Lake Superior State 1
Michigan State completed the weekend sweep of Lake Superior State on Saturday afternoon, earning a 5-1 win in a matinee matchup at Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
Isaac Howard had a pair of goals and an assist for Michigan State.
MSU swept the Lakers for the second consecutive season in the opening weekend.
The teams skated through a scoreless opening frame, but MSU peppered LSSU goalie Easton Hesse with 21 shots in the first 20 minutes. MSU scored on its first two shots of the second period to open up the game. Howard notched both of his scores in the second period sandwiched around a goal by linemate Daniel Russell to turn a scoreless game into a 3-0 lead before the eight-minute mark.
William Ahlrik broke up the shutout at 8:56, but the game was well in hand for MSU by that point. Joey Larson and Nicklas Andrews put goals on the board in the final 10 minutes for the final 5-1 margin.
In goal, Trey Augustine made 25 saves for the Spartans, while Hesse finished with 42 for the Lakers.
No. 14 UMass 5, Bentley 4
UMass used a four-goal second period to secure a 5-4 win on the road at Bentley Saturday night at the Bentley Arena in Waltham, Mass.
The victory for the Minutemen marks the 150th career win for head coach Greg Carvel in his UMass tenure.
“I thought Bentley came out with really good pace and it took us about half a period to get our legs going and I really liked our game from there,” said Carvel in a statement. “We go into the third with a four-goal lead and get punched late, but the thing I liked the best is we had five new players who didn’t play for us last year and they all looked, to me, like really positive additions.”
Aydar Suniev scored three for UMass and Jack Musa and Daniel Jen č ko added singles as Michael Hrabal totaled 33 saves in net for the Minutemen.
Connor Hasley had 32 stops for the Falcons, who got two goals from Nick Bochen, a goal and an assist from AJ Hodges, and a single from Ryan Mansfield.
Air Force 4, No. 20 Arizona State 3 (OT)
The Falcons earned the weekend split as Clayton Cosentino’s second goal of the game at 2:44 of overtime gave Air Force the win at Cadet Ice Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Ryan Kirwan had given ASU a 3-2 lead at 19:01 of the third period, only to have Brendan Gibbons tie it for the Falcons at 19:32 with his second tally of the contest.
Bennett Schimek and Kyle Smolen also scored for Arizona State.
Guy Blessing made 32 saves in goal for Air Force, while Luke Pavicich stopped 29 for the Sun Devils.
No. 7 Michigan 4, Minnesota State 1
Michael Hage registered a goal and an assist as Michigan earned a split with Minnesota State after a 4-1 win Saturday night at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Jackson Hallum, Josh Eernisse and Tyler Duke also scored in the win as Cameron Korpi made 24 saves for the win in goal.
Hage is on FIRE! His first career goal and he has points on EVERY Michigan goal this weekend pic.twitter.com/UeNc4IaDej
The win was also Michigan coach Brandon Naurato’s 50th behind the Wolverines’ bench.
Luigi Benincasa scored the Mavericks’ lone goal and Alex Tracy turned aside 14 shots between the pipes.
St. Lawrence 3, RIT 2 (OT)
Will Arquiett and Spencer Bell scored for the Saints in the first period, while Greg Lapointe scored 2:42 into overtime as St. Lawrence defeated RIT 3-2 on Saturday night at Appleton Arena in Canton, N.Y.
The win was the first in net for sophomore Mason Kucenski, who stopped 20 shots in goal for the Saints.
— St. Lawrence Men’s Hockey (@SkatingSaints) October 6, 2024
Dimitri Mikrogiannakis potted both tallies for RIT and Trent Burnham made 24 saves for the Tigers.
No. 12 Maine 6, AIC 0
Nolan Renwick scored twice with two assists, Nolan Makar added two goals and an assist, and Thomas Freel and Harrison Scott tallied one each as Albin Boija stopped all 17 shots he faced in Maine’s 6-0 blanking of AIC at Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine.
Yellow Jackets goalies Chase Clark and Adam Manji combined on a 26-save effort in goal.
No. 1 Denver 6, Alaska Anchorage 2
Sam Harris and Aidan Thompson each scored twice and Jared Wright and Jake Fisher notched one each as the defending national champs opened the season with a 6-2 win over Alaska Anchorage at the at the Avis Alaska Sports Complex.
Sam Harris cleans up with 4:06 left in the period to put the Pios back in front. pic.twitter.com/zmMerODTV7
“We are so excited to welcome Heath to the Cardinal family and back home to Minnesota,” said Saint Mary’s athletic director Brian Sisson in a statement. “His care for the student-athlete first and foremost, coupled with his vast and varied experience, maturity, and success in recruiting strong student-athletes of character stood out.”
As the previous coach at MCLA, Isaacson built an NCAA program from scratch where he recruited a full roster of players. In the inaugural season, Isaacson had three players with all-conference honors and three with CSC academic all-district honors.
Prior to his time at MCLA, Isaacson comprehensively built the foundation for the Post women’s hockey program. His 2019-20 Eagles team was his most successful regular season, winning 12 games and setting multiple school records. Off the ice, his athletes were victorious in the classroom with over 50 student athletes earning all-academic honors, along with the 2020 Post University valedictorian.
“We can’t wait for Heath to connect with our student-athletes, build on the great culture that exists, and help continue the successful upward trajectory of our women’s hockey program for a long time,” Sisson said.
“Thank you to athletic director Brian Sisson and the entire search committee for the opportunity to join the Saint Mary’s University staff as the head women’s hockey coach. I look forward to working with one of the top teams in the MIAC and returning back home to the state of Hockey,” Isaacson said. “I am excited to get to campus soon and begin building on the team’s success from last season.”
Isaacson was a graduate assistant for two years at New England College and later went to South Dakota State where his coaching career began. He was named ACHA women’s Division II national coach of the year twice for the women’s hockey team, a team that competed in three national tournaments. Additionally, Isaacson has held various roles with USA Hockey, including national camp head coach, intern, and district evaluator/coach.
Isaacson is a 2004 and 2006 graduate of South Dakota State where he was the starting goalie for the Jackrabbits ACHA men’s hockey team. After earning his bachelor’s degrees in mass communications and sociology, he received his master’s degree in sports and recreation management from New England College in 2015.
The Cokato, Minn., native will officially join the Cardinals on Oct. 7.
Chad Demers racked up a solid playing career at Air Force, graduating from the academy in 2015 (photo: Air Force Athletics).
Augustana men’s hockey assistant coach Chad Demers passed away Oct. 3 after a long battle with cancer.
He was 33.
Demers is survived by his wife Danika and their three kids.
“All of our love and support are with the Demers family at this time,” said Augustana head coach Garrett Raboin in a statement. “Chad was so much more than a coach. He was an amazing son, brother, husband to Danika, and father to Beau, Thea, and Ella.
“Despite our hurt and sadness, we are extremely grateful for the time we did get with Chad. He has made us all better and provided a model for how to value family, each other, and how to attack the opportunity to play the greatest sport on earth. There are no words great enough to express the impact that he has had on our hockey program. The lessons and example that he provided will forever live on with Viking hockey.”
Demers arrived for the inaugural season of Augustana hockey after a successful 2022-23 season in the USHL as the associate head coach of the Fargo Force. While in Fargo, he helped coach the Force to a record-setting season of 40-14-4-4 and a chance at the Clark Cup. The Grafton, N.D., native played for the Force from 2008 to 2011, serving as the team captain in 2010-11.
A 2015 Air Force Academy graduate and team captain, Demers was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, recognizing excellence in the classroom, community, character and competition. He earned the Jim Bowman Award his senior year as the team’s top scholar-athlete. Demers is tied for the school record with 156 consecutive games played and ranks fifth in points since the Falcons joined a conference in 1999 (48-78-126). A two-time academic all-conference selection, he ranks 24th in Air Force history in scoring and helped lead the Falcons to a regular-season and tournament title in 2012.
After graduating, Demers served on active duty as an acquisitions officer at Los Angeles AFB and as an ROTC instructor at North Dakota. While in California, he helped coach the Los Angeles Jr. Kings and California Patriots youth teams.
Demers served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Force for one season before being named assistant coach and scouting director in July 2019. Demers was promoted to associate head coach for the 2020-21 season.
Demers helped lead his high school to the state championship and also helped lead the Dakota Starz to the 16U Tier II USA Hockey national championship in 2008.
Funeral services will be held October 7 at 10 a.m. at the Grafton High School Gymnasium. Visitation will be Sunday from 3-6 p.m., with a prayer service at 6 p.m. at the Grafton Lutheran Church. Friends may also call at the school for one hour prior to the service. Military rites will be provided by the Grafton American Legion Post #41 and the US Air Force Honor Guard. Interment will be at the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery of Oakwood, N.D.
The NCAA is prepared to vote on a proposal that will allow Canadian major junior players to be immediately eligible to play college hockey.
The NCAA Division I Council is scheduled to take up a recommendation to adopt emergency legislation that would eliminate the prohibition on major junior players in NCAA hockey, according to a source. The council meets on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A committee studying eligbility concepts recommended the change, which would head off legal challenges to NCAA rules that have taken away eligibility for players who have appeared in major junior games.
Boston College celebrates the Hockey East playoff title last season (photo: Boston College Athletics).
There’s a saying in Texas high school football: The best teams don’t rebuild, they reload.
The saying is altogether appropriate for Hockey East as it enters its 41st season of play.
The biggest stars in the league from 2023-24 have taken their game to the NHL — Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini (San Jose) and Lane Hutson (Montreal) and Boston College’s Cutter Gauthier (Anaheim) and Will Smith (San Jose). But plenty of talent remains, and they’re joined by a bevy of newcomers that are sure to make plenty of headlines.
“As far as that top-end talent, we have reloaded,” said fifth-year Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf, who over the summer received a contract extension to remain commissioner through the 2026-27 season. “It feels like that’s something that likely will happen more often than not. It’s certainly in the pipeline. (Players) want to come to our schools. Some very good hockey players are coming our way.”
Logic would dictate what with last year’s top two teams — Boston College and Boston University — each losing their top two players, the longtime rivals’ grip on the rest of the league would lessen a bit. Well, think again. Each school boasts a bevy of star power between skilled veterans and recruiting classes that are the envy of college hockey.
Start with the returners. BC still has forwards Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault and starting goalie Jacob Fowler, all of whom were instrumental in getting the Eagles to the NCAA championship game. On the other side of Comm. Ave, BU boasts forwards Ryan Greene and Shane Lachance, defenseman Tom Willander and goalie Mathieu Caron, who started every game of the regular season and the Terriers’ postseason run which ended at the Frozen Four.
“When you have star power playing in the games, that’s always going to attract attention,” Metcalf said. “And by default, it attracts attention to that team and our league. And that’s always a great place to be.”
As for freshmen, BC’s recruiting class features a ton of star power in James Hagens, whom many analysts believe will be the top pick in next year’s NHL draft; and Dean Letourneau, who was selected by Boston 25th overall in the 2024 draft. BU’s freshman class includes offensive firebrands Cole Eiserman and Kamil Bednarik, both of whom were drafted by the NY Islanders (first and second rounds, respectively).
The reloading by BC and BU has not gone unnoticed — the schools took the Nos. 1 and 2 spots, respectively, in both the league’s preseason coaches’ and media polls, and were ranked Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, the preseason USCHO.com Division I men’s poll (Defending NCAA champion Denver was No. 1).
Lest the forgoing needlessly depress fans of the league’s other 11 teams, there’s no reason to believe there won’t be some formidable challengers to BC and BU’s supremacy. After all, the league did send four teams to last year’s NCAA tournament, up from two the previous year.
Maine and Massachusetts were the other NCAA tournament teams from last year, and both will be right in the mix in 2024-25. Star goalie Michael Hrabal returns for the Minutemen, as do a number of top scorers from last season. The Black Bears return the core of the team that broke a 12-year NCAA tournament drought last season, including goalie Albin Boija, who posted an outstanding 2.01 goals-against average in 18 games.
Then there’s Providence, which rounds out the league’s serious contenders. Junior goalie Philip Svedebäck kept the relatively low-scoring Friars in a lot of games last season, while newcomers Trevor Connelly and Logan Sawyer are promising young forwards.
The middle of the league has a ton of talent, enough to give the top teams fits all season. New Hampshire returns its top five scorers, including offensive catalysts Cy LeClerc and Ryan Conmy. Northeastern features a solid group of returners, including forwards Jack Williams and Cam Lund and defensemen Jackson Dorrington and Vinny Borgesi. Merrimack, just two years removed from an NCAA tournament appearance, will be backstopped by transfer goalie Nils Wallström, who posted a .920 save percentage with AIC last year.
Connecticut, UMass-Lowell and Vermont look to play spoilers. UConn has some scoring potential with Hudson Schandor and Jake Richard; Vermont brings back leading scorer Jens Richards and Lowell returns its three top scorers — Scout Truman, Owen Cole and Jak Vaarwerk.
Jacob Fowler was a wall in net last season as a freshman for Boston College (photo: Brody Hannon).
BOSTON COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Greg Brown (third season)
LAST SEASON: 34-6-1 (23-3-1 Hockey East, first, won conference tournament, lost in NCAA final)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore goaltender Jacob Fowler (32-6-1, .926, 2.14), junior forward Oskar Jellvik (13-29-42), sophomore forward Gabe Perreault (19-41-60), sophomore forward Ryan Leonard (31-29-60) and graduate defenseman Eamon Powell (5-32-37)
KEY LOSSES: Forward Will Smith (25-46-71), forward Cutter Gauthier (38-27-65), forward Jack Malone (12-13-25).
KEY ADDITIONS: Freshman forward James Hagens (USA Hockey’s NTDP), freshman forward Dean Letourneau (St. Andrews, PCP) and freshman forward Teddy Stiga (USA Hockey’s NTDP)
2024-25 PREDICTION: Anything short of an NCAA championship will be considered a disappointment for Greg Brown’s club. After holding on to the No. 1 spot in both the league standings and national rankings, the Eagles came tantalizingly close to one in 2023-24, losing to Denver in the national championship game. Expectations are sky-high for BC despite losing Will Smith and Cutter Gauthier, who were not only the club’s top two scorers, but the nation’s as well. Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault (also among the top 10 in the nation in scoring last year) look to pick up right where Gauthier and Smith left off, and goalie Jacob Fowler is back for another season. Oh, and their new players include two first-round NHL picks and two second rounders. Good luck to the rest of the league, seriously.
JD’s PREDICTION: First
Quinn Hutson will again be a key player this season for BU (Photo: Kyle Prudhomme)
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
HEAD COACH: Jay Pandolfo (third season)
LAST SEASON: 28-10-2 (20-5-2 Hockey East, second, lost in conference tournament final, lost in NCAA semifinal)
2024-25 PREDICTION: Anything short of a return trip to the Frozen Four will be considered a disappointment for Jay Pandolfo’s club. After holding on to the No. 2 spot in both the league standings and national rankings in 2023-24, the Terriers will be right back in that mix this season. Like their neighbors on Comm. Ave, Boston College, BU is also without its top two players from the previous season — Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson. Also like BC, BU returns a phalanx of talented veterans, highlighted by Ryan Greene and Quinn Hutson. Oh, and here’s another BC comparison — its freshman class is also lousy with high-round NHL draft picks. If anyone will challenge BC for the top spot in the league and the nation this year, it will be the Terriers.
JD’s PREDICTION: Second
Jake Percival collected 13 points a season ago for UConn (photo: UConn Athletics).
CONNECTICUT
HEAD COACH: Mike Cavanaugh (12th season)
LAST SEASON: 15-19-2 (10-15-1 Hockey East, lost in conference tournament quarterfinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Graduate forward Hudson Schandor (5-16-21), sophomore forward Jake Richard (7-11-18) and junior forward Jake Percival (7-7-14)
KEY LOSSES: Goaltender Ethan Haider (7-11-2, .905, 2.91), forward Matthew Wood (16-12-28) and goaltender Arsenii Sergeev (8-8-0, .913, 2.70)
2024-25 PREDICTION: There’s not much to be thrilled about for fans in Storrs this season, with the Huskies suffering key losses, especially forward Matthew Wood, who transferred to Minnesota. UConn will also be fresh at the goaltender position, after losing both Arsenii Sergeev and Ethan Haider, who split starting duties last season.
JD’s PREDICTION: Ninth
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 last Jan. 20-21 (photo: Anthony DelMonaco).
MAINE
HEAD COACH: Ben Barr (fourth season)
LAST SEASON: 23-12-2 (15-10-1 Hockey East, third, lost in conference tournament semifinal, lost in NCAA tournament first round)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Goaltender Albin Boija (10-6-1, .916, 2.01), senior forward Harrison Scott (15-12-27), sophomore forward Josh Nadeau (18-27-45) and graduate forward Lynden Breen (9-21-30)
KEY LOSSES: Goaltender Victor Ostman (13-6-1, .892, 2.80), forward Donavan Villeneuve-Houle (9-15-24) and forward Bradly Nadeau (19-27-46)
KEY ADDITIONS: Graduate forward Ross Mitton (Colgate, ECAC Hockey) and freshman goaltender Patriks Berzins (Madison, USHL)
2024-25 PREDICTION: There’s no reason to believe the Black Bears won’t be every bit as competitive as they were in 2023-24, a season that featured a third-place regular-season finish, a conference semifinal appearance and a trip to the NCAA tournament. Back are top scorers Josh Nadeau and Lynden Breen and goalie Albin Boija, who took over the starting position about halfway through last season and helped carry Maine to its best finish in a dozen years.
JD’s PREDICTION: Fourth
Michael Hrabal had a solid freshman season for UMass (photo: UMass Athletics).
MASSACHUSETTS
HEAD COACH: Greg Carvel (ninth season)
LAST SEASON: 20-14-3 (13-11-2 Hockey East, lost in conference tournament semifinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore forward Jack Musa (12-17-29), sophomore forward Aydar Suniev (12-12-24), sophomore forward Dans Locmelis (7-6-13) and sophomore goaltender Michael Hrabal (16-11-1, .914, 2.54)
KEY LOSSES: Defensemen Scott Morrow (6-24-30) and Ryan Ufko (10-16-26)
KEY ADDITIONS: Junior defenseman Lucas Olvestad (Denver, NCHC) and graduate forward Joey Musa (Dartmouth, ECAC Hockey)
2024-25 PREDICTION: There’s nothing sophomoric about UMass’s roster this season, even though the core returning talent are all of the sophomore class and will be looking to get the Minutemen back to the NCAA tournament. Denver transfer Lucas Olvestad will bring a championship pedigree and bolster the UMass defense.
JD’s PREDICTION: Fifth
Ben Meehan is back for his fifth season with UMass Lowell (photo: UMass Lowell Athletics).
UMASS LOWELL
HEAD COACH: Norm Bazin (14th season)
LAST SEASON: 8-24-4 (4-18-3 Hockey East, 11th, lost in conference tournament first round)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior goaltender Luke Pavicich (3-11-0, .885, 3.61), senior forward Owen Cole (10-7-17), junior forward Scout Truman (7-14-21) and sophomore forward Jak Vaarwerk (5-10-15).
KEY LOSSES: Forward Filip Fornåå Svensson (5-4-9) and forward Nick Rhéaume (9-4-13).
KEY ADDITIONS: Graduate Ian Carpenter (Yale, ECAC Hockey), graduate Pierson Brandon (Colgate, ECAC Hockey), freshman forward Lee Parks (Fargo, USHL) and freshman forward Libor Nemec (Green Bay, USHL)
2024-25 PREDICTION: In the span of a year, the River Hawks went from a conference tournament semifinalist to the basement of Hockey East. To get back to prominence won’t be easy for Lowell, but they return solid scorers in Scout Truman and Owen Cole, and are hoping for an offensive spark from newcomers Libor Nemec and Lee Parks.
JD’s PREDICTION: 11th
Merrimack picked up 13 wins last season (photo: Merrimack Athletics).
MERRIMACK
HEAD COACH: Scott Borek (seventh season)
LAST SEASON: 13-21-1 (6-18-1 Hockey East, 10th, lost in conference tournament first round)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior forward Mark Hillier (7-12-19), junior defenseman Zach Bookman (4-24-28) and sophomore forward Ty Daneault (13-8-21)
KEY LOSSES: Goaltender Zachary Borgiel (6-9-1, .890, 3.26), forward Alex Jeffries (13-10-23), goaltender Hugo Ollas (7-12, .908, 2.84) and forward Matt Copponi (7-25-32)
KEY ADDITIONS: Sophomore goalie Nils Wallström (AIC, Atlantic Hockey) and freshman forward Caden Cranston (Surrey, BCHL)
2024-25 PREDICTION: The Warriors had a tough go of it in 2023-24, after an NCAA tournament appearance the previous season. Gone this year are goaltending mainstays Zach Borgiel and Hugo Ollas, to be replaced by AIC transfer Nils Wallström of Sweden. Freshman Caden Cranston will be expected to carry a bulk of the scoring load after a prolific offensive career in junior hockey.
JD’s PREDICTION: Eighth
Colton Huard has proven to be a steady force on the back end for UNH (photo: Chris Wong).
NEW HAMPSHIRE
HEAD COACH: Mike Souza (seventh season)
LAST SEASON: 20-15-1 (13-12-1 Hockey East, T-fifth, lost in conference tournament quarterfinal)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore forward Ryan Conmy (14-17-31), junior forward Cy LeClerc (10-18-28), junior forward Morgan Winters (10-12-22), senior forward Liam Devlin (13-7-20) and senior defenseman Colton Huard (5-17-22)
KEY LOSSES: Forward Harrison Blaisdell (11-3-14) and goaltender Jakob Hellsten (9-11-1, .908, 2.06)
KEY ADDITIONS: Freshman forward Connor MacPherson (Penticton, BCHL), freshman forward Ryan MacPherson (Penticton, BCHL) and goaltender Jared Whale (Alaska-Anchorage, NCAA independent)
2024-25 PREDICTION: Easily the most enigmatic team in the league entering the season. The Wildcats’ top seven scorers return, led by Ryan Conmy and Cy LeClerc, who are coming off breakout freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively. Goalie is the biggest question for UNH after the departure of main starter Jakob Hellsten, who went pro in his native Sweden.
JD’s PREDICTION: Seventh
Dylan Hryckowian popped 34 points last season for Northeastern (photo: Jim Pierce).
NORTHEASTERN
HEAD COACH: Jerry Keefe (fourth season)
LAST SEASON: 17-16-3 (10-15-1 Hockey East, lost in conference tournament quarterfinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore goalie Cam Whitehead (17-14-3, .917, 2.62), junior defenseman Vinny Borgesi (5-23-28), junior forward Jack Williams (17-19-36) and sophomore forward Dylan Hryckowian (7-27-34)
KEY ADDITIONS: Senior forward Cristophe Tellier (Quinnipiac, ECAC Hockey) and senior forward Ryan McGuire (Colgate, ECAC Hockey)
2024-25 PREDICTION: Despite losing its top two scorers, Northeastern enters the season with a number of players who can provide offensive production. Forwards Jack Williams and Dylan Hryckowian (brother of departed Justin Hryckowian, the Huskies’ top scorer last year) were good for a combined 64 points last season. Cam Whitehead was solid in his first year in net, facing the impossible task of replacing Devon Levi, the previous year’s Mike Richter Award winner.
JD’s PREDICTION: Sixth
Chase Yoder donned the ‘C’ in 2023-24 for Providence (photo: Lydia Vigneau).
PROVIDENCE
HEAD COACH: Nate Leaman (14th season)
LAST SEASON: 18-13-4 (11-10-4 Hockey East, lost in conference tournament quarterfinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore forward Tanner Adams (6-15-21), graduate forward Nick Poisson (9-25-24) and graduate forward Chase Yoder (11-9-20).
KEY LOSSES: Forward Bennett Schimek (8-9-17), defenseman Luke Krys (6-11-17) and forward Riley Duran (9-7-16).
KEY ADDITIONS: John Mustard (Waterloo, USHL), Trevor Connelly (Tri-City, USHL) and Logan Sawyer (Brooks, BCHL).
2024-25 PREDICTION: Providence will try to crash the party this year and knock at least one of either Boston College or Boston University off their perch (maybe both). The Friars will try to do it with the return of their top five scorers from last year, and also add three freshmen who were NHL draft picks this past spring — first-round pick Trevor Connelly (Las Vegas, 19th) and third rounders John Mustard (Chicago) and Logan Sawyer (Montréal).
JD’s PREDICTION: Third
Isak Walther plays a solid game up front for Vermont (photo: Allison Ouellette).
VERMONT
HEAD COACH: Steve Wiedler (second season)
LAST SEASON: 13-19-3 (7-15-3 Hockey East, ninth, lost in conference tournament first round)
KEY LOSSES: Defenseman Jérémie Bucheler (6-12-18) and forward Ryan Miotto (9-6-15)
KEY ADDITIONS: Graduate goaltender Keenan Rancier (Minnesota State, CCHA) and freshman defenseman Charlie Klinsman (Tri-City, USHL)
2024-25 PREDICTION: There isn’t much firepower for Vermont to rely on this year, which will keep them from the top of the league standings. The Catamounts could be an improved team, however, especially with second-year coach Steve Wielder at the helm. Wielder started last season with the interim label but earned the full-time job midway through the year. In net, Vermont will look to Minnesota State transfer Keenan Rancier, who will have to replace mainstay Gabe Carriere, who started all but two games for the Catamounts last season.
A weekend of nonconference series between ranked teams produced a lot of splits and some memorable moments. Nicole Haase and Todd Milewski wrap it up on this week’s edition of the PodKaz, USCHO.com’s weekly look at NCAA women’s hockey.
