Home Blog Page 7

‘Statement game’ for Minnesota State as Mavericks double up St. Thomas on home ice to capture third Mason Cup playoff title in four years

By
-
Minnesota State is again Mason Cup champs after beating St. Thomas Friday night on home ice (photo: Jackson Forderer/SPX).

MANKATO, Minn. -– Last time Josh Groll scored a goal in a Mason Cup final, it didn’t count.

Groll’s overtime goal in the Mason Cup final against Bemidji State in 2022 was infamously overturned, despite the fact that the trophy had already been presented to his Minnesota State team and both teams were in their locker rooms.

In 2025, however, the Mavericks’ captain would not be denied. Groll’s empty netter with 43 seconds left in the game sealed the deal for Minnesota State and helped the Mavericks defeat St. Thomas 4-2 at the Mayo Clinic Health Systems Event Center.

“Thankfully our team was in a really good spot and it didn’t necessarily matter if I scored or not, since (Evan Murr) scored the game-winner right before me, there was no pressure this time to make sure it counted, and it felt great,” said Groll, a fifth-year senior who celebrated with junior Adam Eisiele in a unique way after raising the cup at the end of the game. “I mean, having Eisle hold me up like Simba in front of the crowd was pretty cool. Saluting the crowd was fun, and having the relief after scoring was great, especially in a tight moment of the playoffs where people were gripping their sticks a little bit.”

Groll’s goal helped Minnesota State (27-8-3) win their third Mason Cup trophy in four years, but it was Murr who had scored the game-winner midway through the third period. He broke a 2-2 deadlock with a cannon of a slapshot that beat St. Thomas goaltender Jake Sibell from the blue line.

“We had tried to do a faceoff play where we switched sides there, me and (fellow defenseman Ralfs) Bergmanis, but I was just trying to get pucks on net. We had a lot of bodies there in front and when I eventually picked my head up, I saw it was heading in line and the goalie didn’t see it coming. We had good net-front presence there and it was a special moment,” said Murr.

Minnesota State came into Friday’s game knowing they were in the tournament no matter what, thanks in part to the fact that St. Thomas is not eligible for the tournament this season. Despite the fact that it wasn’t really a “win-or-go-home” game for either team, there was a clear desire for both teams to give it all they had. Minnesota State was playing for yet another trophy after a disappointing season in 2023-24 in which they failed to win one.

“This was a statement game for us, especially going into next week and not winning it last year. It was something that stung for us,” Groll said. “It meant everything to us to win this and show up for our fans. It didn’t matter if we were playing next week or not, this game was everything for us and we hope it showed up on the ice.”

Meanwhile, the Tommies (19-14-5) were playing to win their first trophy at the Division I level.

“I thought it was a really good hockey game today,” St. Thomas coach Rico Blasi said. “I said it earlier in the week, games like that, you have to get some bounces. Obviously, you have to work for your bounces, but I thought our team worked for our chances to get some bounces that go our way. And their team got their bounces. So hats off to them, I know they’ll play well in the NCAA tournament and I wish them the best of luck.”

The Tommies actually scored first on Friday night, breaking a scoreless tie with Matthew Gleason’s second-period goal beating MSU goaltender Alex Tracy with a nice wrist shot past his blocker.

“I think it was a big confidence boost for our squad,” St. Thomas captain Lucas Wahlin said of scoring first. “I would say that was our goal coming out. They obviously came out the first 10 minutes and gave us their best, props to them, but we punched back the rest of the 10 minutes in the first and ended up getting the first goal of the game, which was huge for us. That was what we were looking for.“

St. Thomas’ lead didn’t last long. Four minutes later, the Mavericks’ Luigi Benincasa went bar-down to tie the on a power play. They took a 2-1 lead minutes later thanks to forward Kaden Bohlsen. Sibell had gone to the ice to make a save on an initial attempt by Zach Krajnik. However, he wasn’t able to corral the puck and couldn’t get back up in time to stop Bohlsen from pouting it in the back of a nearly open net.

The Tommies sent it to intermission tied with their own power play goal.

After Will Hillman was whistled for interference, Liam Malmquist–the CCHA’s leading scorer–netted a fantastic goal when he skated from one dot to the other in front of the net and buried a wrist shot past Tracy.

Minnesota State coach Luke Strand that despite giving up a lead near the end of the second period, he wasn’t worried about his team’s mentality.

“Going down 1-0 was probably good for us in some regard, to give us a good push,” said Minnesota State head coach Luke Strand. “St. Thomas did a great job. They’re a dangerous team that plays the right way, and they played good hockey. Going into the third, there was a neat feeling in the room. There was zero panic. We were comfortable where we were in the game. I don’t think you take moments like this for granted, and that’s a tribute to this group. And a big shoutout to our staff, because they were prepared for anything that happened.”

Tracy, the CCHA’s player of the year who is a finalist and semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award and Hobey Baker Award, respectively, finished the game with 29 saves. Sibell, a senior, made 31 saves for St. Thomas.

The Mavericks will now await their NCAA tournament fate, where they’ll likely be a No. 4 seed and will play against one of the nation’s top teams. Where they go and who they play is undecided, but the Mavericks aren’t too worried about those details at the moment.

“I think we’re in a great spot going into next week. Our conference is such a hard league, everyone plays so hard every night, we play such a heavy game, it’s playoff hockey any night we play, whether it’s October, January or March, it’s always going to be that way,” Groll said. “I think we’re ready for a game in the regional tournament. We’re playing playoff hockey and every little mistake matters. That’s our brand. We limit mistakes and capitalize on other teams’. We’re in a great spot and ready to play next week.”

Maine shuts the door on UConn for first Hockey East playoff title since 2004 as game at TD Garden ‘felt like a home game out there’

By
-
Maine celebrates its first Hockey East playoff championship since 2004 (photo: Maine Athletics).

BOSTON — The population of Maine is listed at about a million and a half.

At least half of them were at TD Garden on Friday night.

Or at least that’s what it sounded like, as a crowd of 17,605 at TD Garden — heavily dominated by Maine hockey fans from Fort Kent to Kittery — watched their favorite team beat Connecticut 5-2 and win the Hockey East tournament for the first time in more than two decades.

“Greatest fans in college hockey, without a doubt,” said Maine senior defenseman David Breazeale, who had two assists on the night. “It felt like a home game out there. (It’s) an incredible feeling to have so much support from the whole state behind us. It’s amazing. (We) couldn’t do it without them.”

Friday’s win marked the sixth conference tournament title and first since 2004 for No. 2 Maine (24-7-6, 16-5-6 Hockey East), which became the first non-Massachusetts school to lift the Lamoriello Trophy since then. No. 4 UConn (22-11-4, 14-9-4) was making only its second league championship-game appearance and first since losing 2-1 in overtime to Massachusetts in 2022. The Huskies remain in search of their first Hockey East tournament title.

“Happy for the guys in the room, happy for the school, happy for the state of Maine,” fourth-year Black Bears coach Ben Barr said. “I didn’t know, coming into this job, the effect our community and this state has on our program. You saw it up there tonight. It felt like everybody in here was from Maine or had a Maine jersey on. (It’s) incredible what that does for us.”

Both teams were assured a spot in the NCAA tournament before Friday’s title game, thanks to their position in the PairWise. Maine, which broke a 12-year NCAA drought with last year’s appearance, will be in the NCAA tournament for the 19th time. This will be UConn’s first-ever berth.

“Maine jumped us early,” UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh said. “We wanted to score first to kind of take the crowd out of the game. That wasn’t the case.”

Showing no ill effects after a double-overtime semifinal win over Northeastern the previous night that ended near the stroke of midnight, Maine staked itself to a 2-0 lead after one period.

Lynden Breen scored the first goal of the night, giving Maine a 1-0 lead when he went 5-hole on UConn goalie Tyler Muszelik (19 saves) at 12:47. On a 2-on-1 with linemate Owen Fowler to his left, Breen decided to take it himself and snapped the puck between Muszelik’s pads to put Maine on the board.

Josh Nadeau expanded Maine’s lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 16:29. Nadeau scooped up a clear by goalie Albin Boija deep in the Black Bears’ end and took the puck across two zones, shedding defenders along the way, before firing it past Muszelik stick side for the score. It was the only power play of the night.

“I knew he could do it,” said Boija, who was named to the all-tournament team and was also named tournament MVP. “There was kind of an opening and he had good speed. He worked his magic.”

Boija made 27 saves Friday and 87 combined in three tournament games. His assist Friday was his second career assist and first since assisting Harrison Scott in a 2-1 loss at Vermont on March 1, 2024.

Scott made it 3-0 late in the second with his team-leading 18th goal of the season when, in the thick of a scrum in front of the crease, he swatted a loose puck out of the air baseball-style and into the net.

UConn, in no mood to be blown out by a team it had beaten twice during the regular season, got on the board at 3:11 of the final frame when Tabor Heaslip banged a loose puck past Maine goalie Albin Boija to cut the Black Bears’ lead to 3-1.

Taylor Makar shut the door on the Huskies at 9:21 of the third. Makar picked up the puck near the boards at the UConn blue line, skated in and found the back of the net to make it 4-1.

UConn’s slim chance of a comeback took a big hit when an apparent goal by Filip Sitar midway through the period — which would have cut Maine’s lead to 4-2 — was disqualified after video review due to a missed offside call. The Huskies got that goal back on Heaslip’s second of the night with 5:19 remaining.

Muszelik was pulled for an extra skater with about 2:38 remaining, but the Black Bears took advantage with an empty-net goal by Makar at 19:35.

Clarkson to play for ECAC Hockey playoff title, defeats Dartmouth in conference semifinals behind Langenegger’s 25 saves, five players with two-point nights

By
-
Clarkson defeated Dartmouth Friday night and will meet Cornell in the ECAC Hockey title game Saturday night (photo: Clarkson Athletics).

Clarkson goaltender Ethan Langenegger made 25 saves and five Golden Knights players finished with two-point games as Clarkson defeated Dartmouth 4-1 in the second ECAC Hockey semifinal Friday night from Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Tristan Sarsland, Trey Taylor and Ayrton Martino all recorded a goal and an assist and Ryan Bottrill added a goal in the win.

Ellis Rockwood and Ryan Richardson each chipped in two assists for Clarkson.

For the Big Green, John Fusco broke Langenegger’s shutout bid at 15:32 of the third period and goalie Roan Clarke finished with 11 saves.

Saturday night, it will be Clarkson and Cornell playing for the ECAC Hockey championship and NCAA tournament automatic bid.

Women’s Division I College Hockey: Wisconsin takes down Minnesota 4-2 to set up a national championship rematch with Ohio State

By
-

MINNEAPOLIS — It will be a rematch of the last three national championship games at No. 1 Wisconsin takes on No. 2 Ohio State Sunday at Ridder Arena on the University of Minnesota campus as the top-ranked Badgers defeated home team Minnesota 5-2 Friday evening to advance to their third-straight title game.

An early hit behind the play by the Gophers’ Abbey Murphy on Wisconsin’s KK Harvey earned Murphy a five minute major penalty, but the Badgers were unable to score with the player advantage. Minnesota used that kill to build momentum and eventually got on the board first as Peyton Hemp took advantage of the active boards behind the net, picking up a rebound and putting it past Ava McNaughton to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead.

The Badger have now given up the first goal in each of their last four games and have had to come from behind to get the win. Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson praised his team’s resiliency, but confessed “I’d like to try it the other way” about scoring first.

As the first period wound down, the Gophers were on the power play but Wisconsin’s top-ranked penalty kill won the puck and took off down the ice where Laila Edwards buried a short-handed toe drag and snipe from the top of the far circle to tie the game 1-1.

“(Caroline) Harvey makes a great stop, gets it up to me and I gave it to Casey. She’s obviously a threat, so she pushed the defense back, gave it to me, and I just took a shot on net. We don’t go down early too often so when we did, it’s a little unsettling, but we took care of business,” said Edwards.

Three minutes into the second, Harvey took a pass from Casey O’Brien from below the goal line, took a touch to let the defender pass her and picked the corner to put Wisconsin up 2-1. With the assist, O’Brien tied Meghan Duggan for the Badger program record for most points in a season at 87.

Kirsten Simms gave UW a 3-1 lead at the midpoint of the period, but Minnesota responded immediately as Nelli Laitinen fed Josefin Bouveng, who raced down the near boards and scored on a snipe of her own to make it a 3-2 game.

Harvey looked like she was going to increase the Wisconsin lead, late in the second, picking up her own rebound off a block, but the puck went across the goal mouth and off a post without crossing the line. The Gophers took it the other direction and Harvey took a penalty for body checking Murphy into the boards. Minnesota challenged, but the penalty remained a minor and the Gophers lost their time out but went on the power play with 46 seconds left in the period.

Chloe Primerano was called for interference just 11 seconds later, making it 4-on-4. With just two seconds left in the frame, O’Brien streaked up the left side and flicked the puck near post to put her Badgers up 4-2 and give her sole possession of the record for most points in a season at Wisconsin with 88.

“I got a nice pass from Laney [Potter] coming up and I knew the clock was winding down and so I was just trying to get a shot on net. I used the defense as a screen, so I was lucky that went in, but I think to go up into the third period with that kind of lead gave everybody a lot of confidence and then we closed it out,” said O’Brien.

“I was just focused on contributing as much as I could to the team’s success, and, yeah, it’s cool, but that’s not what the focus on. It’s on the team and the next game, it’s really all it is,” she said of setting the new mark.

Wisconsin extended their lead early in the third on a 2-on-1 as Kelly Gorbatenko fed Edwards, who went forehand, backhand to beat Gopher goalie Hannah Clark and make it a 5-2 game.

“They’re super-dangerous on the rush. We knew that and we gave up way too many odd players rushes against and unfortunately most of them ended up in our net,” said Gopher coach Brad Frost.

Edwards secured the 6-2 win with an empty-netter, securing a hat trick and giving her the national lead in goals with 34.

The junior has come up big with the Badgers and at international tournaments, but said those things happen because she’s surrounded by the best players in the world.

“I’m playing, living my dream right now. I’m playing the sport I love with the people I love, so it’s great. If you look at all three of my goals, they started with someone else’s hard work and just smart hockey, so it’s a lot of fun and we’re really excited for the next game,” said Edwards.

Wisconsin will face Ohio State on Sunday, March 23 at 3 pm central in the national championship game. The teams have met in the title game each of the last two season, with Wisconsin winning 1-0 in 2023 and Ohio State taking a 1-0 victory last season. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and stream on ESPN+.

Johnson praised his team, who still has just one loss this season – to the very Ohio State team they’ll face in the title game.

“They’ve earned everything that has been thrown their way. They’ve been consistent. They’ve played well all year and we’ve always had this bull’s eye, especially this year, right in front of us and everybody comes after us, and it’s challenging. It’s difficult, so I give them a lot of credit,” he said.

“We’ve had different players at different times step up and make a play […] I’m really proud of the way they’ve been able to be consistent all year long and they deserve to be in this championship game, and I’m excited to see where it goes.”

 

Rego’s overtime winner lifts Cornell over Quinnipiac, puts Big Red in Saturday’s ECAC Hockey title game

By
-
Cornell players celebrate Kyler Kovich’s game-tying goal Friday night in the ECAC Hockey semifinals against Quinnipiac (photo: Cornell Athletics).

After Kyler Kovich scored short-handed at 18:21 of the third period to bring Cornell into a 2-2 tie with Quinnipiac, Tim Rego won it for Cornell on a power play at 14:39 of overtime at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Cornell will now play the winner of Dartmouth and Clarkson Saturday night for the ECAC Hockey playoff title and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Jonathan Castagna opened the scoring for Cornell with a power-play goal at 19:56 of the first period.

Andon Cerbone tied it for Quinnipiac with a power-play goal of his own at 14:08 of the second before Chris Pelosi put the Bobcats up 2-1 at 14:42 of the third period.

Cornell goalie Ian Shane made 22 saves, while QU netminder Matej Marinov made 19 stops.

Defending champ Denver outlasts Arizona State 4-2 in NCHC conference semifinals, will play for Frozen Faceoff title Saturday

By
-
Denver doubled up Arizona State in the first NCHC semifinal Friday night (photo: Jim Rosvold).

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The last time the Denver Pioneers took the ice at Xcel Energy Center, they won and brought their 10th national championship back to the Rocky Mountains.

There’s just something about playing in St. Paul that brings out good hockey for DU, and after outlasting the Arizona State Sun Devils 4-2 on Friday night in the first Frozen Faceoff semifinal, they will have a chance at a fourth such title.

“So really proud of our guys,” said Denver coach David Carle. “We found a way to make one more play than they did, and proud of our guys for that.”

Arizona State, making their Frozen Faceoff debut in their first season in the NCHC, had slim NCAA tournament hopes coming to the Twin Cities and had goals from Ryan Kirwan and Artem Shlaine to rally from their intital two-goal deficit, but they couldn’t overcome a second one and their season came to an end.

“We dug ourselves a little bit of a hole, but we’ve been a resilient group all year,” said ASU head coach Greg Powers. “Couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Boston Buckberger got Denver’s high-octane offense on the board just 1:29 into the contest as the Pioneers won a faceoff and Buckberger let it go from the left point, beating Luke Pavicich down low. While Arizona State couldn’t find too many scoring chances of their own, the Pioneers were kept in check by a stingy Sun Devils defense that blocked nine shots in the first 20 minutes.

But DU was able to add one more goal late on a power play. With a forecheck established, Sam Harris came in crashing as Aidan Thompson’s backdoor shot rebounded right to Harris in front, and it was 2-0 Denver after one.

Needing a jumpstart to get back in the game and get their offense going after not showing a ton of rhythm, Arizona State got what they needed when Kent Anderson was sent off for hooking at 7:28. The nation’s third-leading goal scorer, Kirwan, knocked in a rebound for his 26th goal of the season on the ensuing power play just 24 seconds later to cut ASU’s deficit in half.

With the Pioneers starting to look out of sorts themselves, the Sun Devils took advantage in the waning seconds as Shlaine stole the puck from Buckberger in the Denver zone and skated in front of Matt Davis alone before beating him with a backhand shot, tying the game at 2 with 31.3 seconds left in the period.

ASU continued their tough defensive play coming out in the third with momentum on their side, but DU capitalized on the next opening they found. Thompson broke the tie with a one-time blast about halfway through the third period as he came in on a 2-on-1 break with Carter King, one of the team’s few scoring chances in the third.

“That was a huge goal,” he said of his game winner. “All I had to do was finish it off.”

Connor Caponi finished things off with an empty-net goal with 1:03 left.

Denver will have a chance to defend last year’s Frozen Faceoff title Saturday night against the North Dakota-Western Michigan victor.

Veremyev leaves Colorado College after three seasons, inks NHL deal with Islanders

By
-
Gleb Veremyev posted 17 points in 2024-25 with CC (photo: Casey B. Gibson).

The NHL’s New York Islanders have signed Colorado College junior forward Gleb Veremyev to a two-year, entry-level contract beginning in the 2025-26 season.

Veremyev, a native of Sayreville, N.J., tallied 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 37 games during the 2024-25 season with the Tigers.

In 88 games over three seasons for CC, the undrafted Veremyev accumulated 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists).

Women’s Division I College Hockey: Ohio State advances to fourth-straight national championship with 4-2 win over Cornell

By
-

MINNEAPOLIS — Ohio State will play for their third national championship in four years after knocking off No. 3 Cornell 4-2 on Friday evening at Ridder Arena. This is the fourth straight title game for the Buckeyes.

Joy Dunne’s breakaway in the opening minutes of the game gave the Buckeyes the quick start they wanted. With just the second shot of the game, she forced Cornell goalie Annelies Bergmann to make a save. The rebound came out to her right where Makenna Webster was trailing the play. She easily scored to give OSU the 1-0 lead just 2:24 into the game.

Some fancy stickwork from Joy Dunne and Sloane Matthews put the puck on Jenna Buglioni’s stick to Bergmann’s right, which drew the goalie to the side. Buglioni saw Brooke Disher creeping in from the blue line and laid the puck back to her at the top of the circle. Disher’s one-timer made it a 2-0 game.

Cornell came charging back in the second. They could not convert on a short 5-on-3 or the following power play, but shortly after Lily Delianedis broke through for the Big Red on what looked like a blown play after a faceoff. Georgia Schiff’s shot from above the right circle hit Delianedis on the way to the net. But Delianedis collected the puck to quickly turn and shoot as she lost her footing, tucking the puck inside the near post to make it a 2-1 game.

Just more than a minute later, Cornell’s Kaitlin Jockims picked off a wayward clearance pass from OSU’s Emma Peschel along the right boards. She cut in on net and beat Amanda Thiele top shelf to tie the game at 2-2.

Muzerall said that at intermission, she didn’t get on her team, but instead stayed calm and tried to meet the team where they were.

“I think they’re very resilient. A lot of people probably thought I went in and gave them an earful, but I did a little reverse psychology and said, ‘Hey, we got this. There’s 20 minutes left in the game. We got to get back to our dominant play that we had in the first and just relax, take a breath and do five minute increments because of the TV time outs.’ That’s what they needed. I was once told ‘coach what they need’ so I coached what they needed,” she said.

But the Buckeyes pushed back in the final frame led by Dunne, who scored twice in less than four minutes to put her team ahead for good. She turned what could have been a broken chance as the puck slipped away from Webster into a top-shelf snipe to put her team ahead 3-2.

Then she dove and threw her stick at a loose puck that came through the crease, redirecting it into the net to push the game to 4-2.

Cornell struggled to get zone time after that and were kept from pulling the goalie until under 90 seconds left by the strong Buckeye forecheck. OSU survived a late push and skated off with the 4-2 win.

In the third period, Muzerall could be seen hugging Webster and Dunne on the bench. For a coach known for her toughness, it was a surprisingly touching moment. But Muzerall said that while she can challenge her players a lot, she’s also empathetic – something she said that has come from being a mom.

“I just wanted to tell them that I loved them and I’m proud of them, and we needed this from them… I just wanted to give them a hug and just enjoy the moment, because oftentimes there’s so much happening and it’s so stressful trying to get to the buzzer. But I just took a second and said, ‘Hey, let’s just hug this out’ because it was unbelievable at a key moment again, by your key players,” Muzerall said.

NCAA D-III Men’s Ice Hockey Quarterfinal Game Picks – March 22, 2025

By
-
Trine celebrated a first-round win last weekend in their first NCAA appearance but now face the No. 1 ranked Hobart Statesmen on the road in one of three east v. west quarterfinal games (Photo by Trine Athletics)

After a scintillating Saturday of first-round action, we now move to the quarterfinals where three of the four games are an east vs. west affair that will determine not only the participants for the Frozen Four to close out the season at the end of March but also the location for the semifinal and championship games. Nothing better than some inter-regional action to spice up the tournament and, to be honest, I think that is exactly what the NCAA committee committed to with the bracket as constructed for this year’s tournament with most of the favorites holding form in the opening round.

Last week both Brian Lester and I went 5-1 for the firs- round games with my hitting the Hamilton game and his correct selection of Trine being the differences overall. Stakes are higher this week, not only for the teams on the ice but also the picks being made as the margin for error is slim and only three games remain on the schedule after Saturday’s quarterfinal action. Here are the picks this weekend that may or may not show some regional bias:

Saturday, March 22, 2025

NCAA Quarterfinal Round

Trine v. Hobart

TC – The Thunder travel to “The Cooler” to take on the national champions who enjoyed a week off courtesy of a first-round bye. The Statesmen have been here before and are not likely to take their opponent lightly as they seek a third straight Frozen Four berth hunting a third national title. Goaltending is critical this time of year and no one has a better pedigree than Damon Beaver and Mavrick Goyer for Hobart. Timely saves and more timely scoring from the likes of Daniels, Duclair, Aquaro and/or Shell eke out a hard-fought win – Hobart, 2-1

BL – Hobart is the No. 1 team in the nation in the USCHO.com poll and they welcome seventh-ranked Trine into town this weekend.  It’s a big test for the Thunder, who are in the NCAA tourney for the first time and up against the two-time reigning national champs.

Hobart didn’t play last weekend as it had a bye and you never know how that time off might affect a team.  This is a Hobart team, though, that has put up 120 goals while giving up only 28. Tanner Daniels leads the team in goals (18) and assists (21). It’s also worth noting that Hobart is 15-0 at home.

But don’t overlook Trine. The Thunder took care of business against Oswego in the first round and are feeling good about their chances of being road warriors. Trine has tallied 103 goals on the year and given up 60. Logan Furstenau leads the team with 11 goals. Trine doesn’t have that one player who has scored a ton of goals, but its balanced attack has been huge for the team this season. The Thunder will need to be at its best in all facets to have a shot at the upset. Hard to bet against the champs here, but don’t be surprised if Trine finds a way – Hobart, 4-2

Hamilton v. Curry

TC – Two teams that feature their respective conference’s goaltender and or player of the year winners in Curry’s Shane Soderwall and Hamilton’s Charlie Archer. The Colonels enjoyed a week off and now look to get right into their quarterfinal matchup with a team that plays a lot like they do. Lots of talent on both benches but look for an unlikely player scoring the game winner in overtime to cap off an amazing and highly entertaining hockey game – Curry, 3-2

BL – The Colonels haven’t lost since early December and take a 16-game winning streak into their matchup with Hamilton.

One of the keys to their success has been Shane Soderwall, who is in the running for the Sid Watson Award, which is given to the top player in D-III Hockey. Soderwall has eight shutouts this season and 13 in his career. If he’s playing his best, the second-ranked Colonels are going to be tough to beat.

Hamilton has won four in a row and while the Continentals are on the road for this one, that might not be a big deal. Hamilton is 13-3 away from home this year. The Continentals have 21 wins on the year, the most in program history, and are in the round of eight for the first time since 2017. Like Curry, Eighth-ranked Hamilton has a player of the year candidate in Luke Tchor, who has come through with 16 goals and 17 assists on the season –    Curry, 4-3

Geneseo v. Aurora

TC – The Knights go west to face a high-powered opponent in the Spartans. Funny, in that I think the Knights have shown that ability very recently when they put a seven-spot up on Utica in the UCHC title game. Not expecting that much fireworks in this one but there will be chances for both teams and Zach Purcell steps up with a big goal and Adam Harris stands tall in the Knights goal to help the visitors advance to the Frozen Four –    Geneseo, 4-3

BL – Fourth-ranked Geneseo has won 20 or more games eight times and looks to add to its win total this week. The Ice Knights have won three in a row and are 13-1-1 at home this season. Peter Morgan has played a huge role in Geneseo’s success, scoring 14 goals and dishing out 24 assists. The Ice Knights also have two capable goalies in Ada Harris and Jacob Torgner, who hve split time. Both have saved more than 90 percent of the shots they’ve faced.

Aurora has been among the top teams nationally all year and is no doubt a real contender for the national title. The Spartans are in the NCAA tourney for the first time and have 24 wins, the most in program history. They also have a Sid Watson Award finalist in Hassan Akl, who has been nothing short of impressive for the Spartans. He leads the nation in points and assists. He has 38 goals to go along with 13 assists and will be a big key to success for Aurora on the road this weekend. I know Geneseo is at home, but Aurora is no pushover.

This should be an entertaining game as both teams are averaging close to five goals per outing. Last team to touch the puck might win it – Aurora, 5-4

St. Norbert v. Utica

TC – This matchup is very intriguing as the five-time national champions from St. Norbert travel to face a Utica team seeking a trip back to the Frozen Four that my also include hosting it. A lot of motivation for both teams but this is a game where home-ice is the difference as the Pioneers get a big game from Ryan Piros and great special teams contributing on the scoresheet but need an ENG to finally put the Green Knights away – Utica, 5-3

BL – The Pioneers dominated their tourney opener against Fitchburg, winning 5-1, and are facing a team from the west for the first time since the opening weekend of the season when they battled Adrian. The two teams split that series. Jakob Breault has been key for the sixth-ranked Pioneers, scoring 15 goals and dishing out 17 assists, fueling an offense that averages 4.4 goals per game.

The Green Knights are unbeaten in their last 11 games and put that streak to the test this weekend. They are 9-2 away from home and have won an NCAA tourney record 35 games in the postseason. The one-two punch of Liam Fraser and Logan Dombrowsky are key for the Green Knights. Fraser leads the team in goals (21) and Dombrowsky is the assist leader (33). I like the third-ranked Green Knights in this one – St. Norbert, 4-2

So, clearly the east v. west theme carries over to the writer picks which certainly will make things interesting. It is a full day of hockey with afternoon games turning into evening affairs and at the end of the day we will know who will be playing in the Frozen Four and where it will be played to decide the national champion for the 2024-25 season. Seriously, does it get any better than this? – “Drop the Puck!”

Denver’s Buium named NCHC player of the year for 2024-25, WMU’s Ferschweiller top coach, North Dakota’s Boisvert best rookie

By
-


After announcing its individual award finalists last Thursday, the NCHC handed out its 12 year-end individual awards for the 2024-25 season Thursday night at the St. Paul Event Center.

Six different teams took home an individual honor, led by a trio from Western Michigan, including Herb Brooks Coach of the Year Pat Ferschweiler. Denver also claimed three honors, with sophomore defenseman Zeev Buium nabbing both player of the year and offensive defenseman of the Year, while goaltender Matt Davis gloved the senior scholar-athlete award. Arizona State and North Dakota each had a pair of award winners, with UND freshman forward Sacha Boisvert bagging rookie of the year. Minnesota Duluth and Omaha had one winner each.

Buium added NCHC player of the year to his resume after garnering NCHC rookie of the year last season. He also claimed NCHC offensive defenseman of the year for a second straight season, including being unanimous this year. The Hobey Baker Award finalist is tied for the NCAA lead among defensemen with 42 points in 36 games, while his 1.17 points per game are tops among blueliners. His 32 assists also lead defensemen nationally and tie for second in the NCAA among all skaters. He has scored 10 goals this season, which ties for sixth in the country among rearguards.

In conference play, Buium’s eight goals and 20 assists also both led all blueliners, while he became only the third NCHC defenseman ever to record a hat trick, doing so Nov. 15 at North Dakota. He was a unanimous first team all-NCHC selection for the second straight season. The Minnesota Wild first-round draft pick carries a plus-14 plus/minus on the season, while averaging 26:06 time on ice, which is fourth nationally. Buium was a three-time NCHC defenseman of the week this season.

Ferschweiler earned his second NCHC Herb Brooks Coach of the Year honor after first winning it in 2023. This season, he led Western Michigan to its first Penrose Cup, which is also the first regular-season championship in program history. The Broncos finished the regular season with a record of 26-7-1 overall and a mark of 19-4-1 in the conference, before earning their first trip to the Frozen Faceoff since 2022. Ferschweiler’s Broncos are currently ranked number 3 in the country, tying a program best. WMU ranks as the top-scoring team in the NCAA and is tied for sixth on team defense nationally this season.

Another Denver honoree was Davis, who joins Gabe Levin (2016) as the only Pioneers to win the NCHC senior scholar-athlete award. Davis has distinguished himself both academically and athletically during his career at Denver. The two-time national champion is a four-time NCHC all-academic team member and a four-time NCHC distinguished scholar-athlete, as well as a three-time AHCA All-American scholar. The finance major currently carries a 3.96 grade-point average. On the ice, Davis finished the regular season third in the NCHC with a 2.05 goals-against average and fourth with a .922 save percentage in all games played. Last year’s NCAA Frozen Four most outstanding player has started 34 of DU’s 39 games this season, with his 26 wins first nationally. Davis also was a three-time NCHC goaltender of the week this year.

Boisvert shined in his freshman season for the Fighting Hawks, becoming the fourth North Dakota player to win NCHC rookie of the year (Brock Boeser, Shane Pinto, Jackson Blake). The Chicago Blackhawks first-round draft pick leads the Fighting Hawks in scoring with 30 points in all games played. His 16 goals also lead the team and rank third nationally among rookies. In conference games played, Boisvert led all rookies with 11 goals, a mark that tied him for fifth among all NCHC players. He was a unanimous selection to the NCHC all-rookie team, as well as a two-time NCHC rookie of the month and four-time NCHC rookie of the week.

Gloving goaltender of the year was Omaha junior Simon Latkoczy, who became the first Maverick to win the award. The Slovak went 12-8-1 in NCHC play with a conference-best .926 save percentage and a 2.75 goals-against average. He started 31 games this season overall, going 14-16-1. Latkoczy leads the NCHC with 952 saves for an average of nearly 31 saves per game, which also leads the conference. His .922 save percentage is third-best among all NCHC goalies. Latkoczy was a first team all-NCHC honoree this season and a four-time NCHC goaltender of the week.

Western Michigan swept the forward awards with sophomore Alex Bump earning forward of the year and graduate student Tim Washe capturing defensive forward of the year.

Bump followed up his all-rookie team campaign by earning unanimous first team all-NCHC honors. He led the Broncos and ranks third in the NCHC with 43 points this season. The Philadelphia Flyers draft pick has tallied 20 goals overall, tying for third in the NCHC, while his 15 markers in conference play won Bump the NCHC goal-scoring title. He’s added 23 assists this year, while averaging 1.19 points per game. In conference play, Bump tied for third with 29 points in NCHC games and was a two-time forward of the week.

Washe has been a standout for the Broncos in his final season in Kalamazoo, guiding WMU to its first Penrose Cup. The team captain led the NCHC with a faceoff win percentage of 64.5 percent in the regular season, racking up 389 wins in the dot. His 61.4 percent clip in conference play this season was also tops. Washe blocked 24 shots and posted a plus-20 plus/minus rating overall, which is second among NCHC forwards. Washe added a plus-10 mark in conference games. His seven game-winning goals this year tie for third in the NCAA, while he has tallied 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists) in 36 games.

In his first season in the NCHC, senior Ty Murchison picked up NCHC defensive defenseman of the year honors. Murchison was a leader on the Sun Devils blue line this season, helping his team to a runner-up finish in its first NCHC campaign. The ASU alternate captain leads the NCHC with 91 blocked shots, 23 more than anyone else, including 59 in conference play, also first with nearly two and a half blocks per game. As a team, the Sun Devils also tied for third in the NCHC, allowing just 2.75 goals per game. Playing in all 36 games this season, the Philadelphia Flyers draft pick chipped in four assists while posting a plus-7 plus/minus.

Another Sun Devil to leave with hardware Thursday night was ASU graduate student forward Artem Shlaine, who won the NCHC’s three stars award. Shlaine picks up the award after earning 28 ‘three stars’ points this season in NCHC games. He was named the first star of the game four times in conference play. The New Jersey Devils draft pick played a big role in the Sun Devils’ first season in the NCHC. He finished second in conference scoring with 31 points on 14 goals and 17 assists to earn first team all-NCHC honors. The 14 tallies were also second in conference play, while he tied for second in the NCHC with two short-handed goals. Shlaine’s 1.23 points per game are third in the conference in all games played.

Graduate student forward Joe Molenaar became the second straight Bulldog to earn the NCHC sportsmanship award, joining Darian Gotz last year, while he’s the fifth Minnesota Duluth player to claim it in 12 years. Molenaar was connected with the Stien family in the Duluth area after they saw a feature about him discussing the loss of his father to cancer at a young age. At the time, John Stien, the father, was facing a terminal cancer diagnosis. At John’s request, Joe met with him to offer guidance on how to help his kids through the difficult journey the family was facing. Since John’s passing, Joe has remained a source of support for the Stien children, even creating bracelets in their father’s memory to share with teammates and friends.

On the ice, Molenaar has only three minor penalties all season. He was a 2024 Hockey Humanitarian Award nominee and a two-time member of the NCHC academic all-conference team at St. Cloud State, prior to transferring. Now he is working towards his graduate degree in economics at Minnesota Duluth.

Earning the eighth annual NCHC media excellence award is North Dakota radio play-by-play broadcaster Tim Hennessy. Hennessy has served as the voice of North Dakota hockey for 45 years and is one of the two longest-tenured broadcasters in Division I college hockey. He has been on the call for six of UND’s eight national championships, 16 Frozen Fours, 29 NCAA tournament appearances and 10 conference tournament titles. He has worked with five different head coaches and has covered the entire current UND coaching staff as both coaches and players. Hennessy is a two-time North Dakota sportscaster of the year, including this year, and has won multiple regional Emmys for his voiceover work.

For eight of the awards presented Thursday night, winners were determined based on voting by the conference’s nine head coaches and one media member covering each of the NCHC’s nine programs. Athletic directors at each NCHC school had a vote on Herb Brooks Coach of the Year, as well, along with the coaches and media.

The senior scholar-athlete award is voted upon by the conference’s nine faculty athletics representatives (FARs). The sportsmanship award is voted on by conference staff from submitted nominations by member schools, while the media excellence award is voted on by the conference’s sports information directors from submitted nominations. The three stars award goes to the highest point total of ‘stars of the game’ points earned during conference games only (five for first star, three for second star, one for third star).

NCAA D-III Men’s Ice Hockey Quarterfinal Preview: Geneseo v. Aurora

By
-
Geneseo senior goaltender Adam Harris will look to quiet the high-paced Aurora attack on Saturday in Geneva. IL (Photo by Geneseo Athletics)

The sole representative from the west that will be hosting a quarterfinal game is Aurora who earned the right with a 3-2 win over Wisconsin Eau-Claire in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Their opponent from the east is the newly crowned champions of the UCHC, Geneseo, who punched their ticket to the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over the MAC champions, Stevenson. Both teams feature explosive offensive talent so if you are looking for some goal production on Saturday, this is probably the game to see some crooked numbers on the scoreboard.

“We are looking forward to playing in Chicago,” stated Geneseo head coach Chris Schultz. “Two high powered offenses should make this entertaining for all. We are focusing on our game and being great at it on Saturday.”

Geneseo brings an experienced roster deep wit playoff experience including senior forwards Peter Morgan ((14G – 20A – 34 Pts; +9), Zach Purcell (17G – 12A – 29 Pts; +23) and Cooper Fensterstock (6G – 12A – 18 Pts; +14) along with defenseman Diarmad DiMurro (2G – 13A – 15 Pts; +17) and goaltender Adam Harris (20 GP – 2.41 goals-against average – .919 save percentage) In the win over Stevenson, Morgan opened the scoring while Purcell netted the eventual game -winner with DiMurro picking up a pair of assists and Harris recording twenty-nine saves.

The host Spartans also have some big offensive tools in the form of NCHA All-Star Hassan Akl (13G – 39A – 52 Pts; +28) and the conference Rookie of the Year, Landry Schmuck (30G – 13A – 43 Pts; +28). Junior defenseman Juliano Santalucia (9G – 21A – 30 Pts; +19) is a key player at both ends of the ice while senior goaltender JaCob Mucitelli (23 GP – 2.35 goals-against average – .916 save percentage – 1 shutout) has been a fixture in the crease for the Spartans this season. In last week’s win over the BluGolds, Santalucia scored one goal, while Schmuuck chipped in with an assist and Mucitelli made twenty-four saves to help Aurora advance to the quarterfinals.

This game should be exciting, fast-paced and with enough scoring to keep any hockey fan fully engaged. Puck drop is set for Saturday, March 22 at 7 PM at the Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Illinois. The winner of this contest will face the winner of the Trine v. Hobart game in a semifinal next weekend at the Frozen Four.

Wisconsin’s McNaughton recognized as winner of 2024-25 Women’s College Hockey Goalie of the Year Award

By
-
Ava McNaughton has been a wall in the Wisconsin crease this season (photo: Wisconsin Athletics).

The Women’s Hockey Commissioners Association has announced that Wisconsin sophomore Ava McNaughton has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Women’s College Hockey Goalie of the Year Award.

Voting was carried out by a panel of coaches, administrators and members of the media from across the country.

McNaughton has guided the top-ranked Badgers (36-1-2) into the NCAA Frozen Four this weekend in Minneapolis. She leads the NCAA in goals/against average (1.17), wins (34), and winning percentage (.946). Her save percentage of .947 is second in the NCAA, as are her eight shutouts.

Combining her two seasons in Madison, she has played 62 games with an overall record of 54-4-2 with 13 shutouts. Her other two-year numbers of note: 1.28 and .943. Quarterfinal winners against Clarkson (4-1), McNaughton and the Badgers have a semifinal date with Minnesota at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams last met in the WCHA championship game where Wisconsin prevailed 4-3.

In addition to McNaughton, the other finalists for the Women’s College Hockey Goalie of the Year Award were Cornell sophomore Annelies Bergmann and Minnesota Duluth sophomore Ève Gascon.

NCAA D-III Men’s ice Hockey Quarterfinal Preview: Hamilton v. Curry

By
-
Curry netminder Shane Soderwall looks to backstop Curry to the Frozen Four with a win over Hamilton on Saturday (Photo by Curry Athletics)

The only quarterfinal game that does note feature an east v. west matchup will be played on Saturday when top-seed Curry hosts Hamilton. The Colonels received a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed in the tournament while Hamilton traveled to Maine where they defeated UNE by a 4-2 score to advance to the quarterfinal round for just the second time in program history. While both teams feature skilled offensive talent, this game will likely turn on the ability for either team to solve two of the nation’s best goaltenders in Curry’s Shane Soderwall and Hamilton’s Charlie Archer.

“It was great to get the bye,” stated Curry head coach Peter Roundy. “We took advantage of the extra time to rest and get ready for Saturday. Earning the opportunity to play a home game in the NCAA quarterfinals is very special for our team as it is the first time in program history. Our fans have been very supportive all year and playing such a big game in front of them is something we are really looking forward to.”

Soderwall, the CNE Player and Goaltender of the Year, has been nothing short of sensational all season long for the Colonels. He enters Saturday’s matchup having played in twenty-six games with a paltry 1.47 goals-against average, .944 save percentage and eight shutouts while posting a 23-3-0 record in goal. Last year’s quarterfinal round saw Soderwall make and NCAA record 98 saves in a 4-3 quadruple overtime loss to eventual champion Hobart so the sophomore sensation will be looking for a better result on home ice on Saturday.

A balanced group of forwards includes senior Eelis Laaksonen (14G – 11A – 25 Pts; +20), junior Manny Cabral (9G – 14A – 23 Pts; +18), junior Gage Dill (6G – 15A – 21 Pts; +10) and first=year Karim Gayfullin ((11G – 10A – 21 Pts; +18). Laaksonen his also particularly effective at the face-off dot where puck possession may be an important element in determining a winner on Saturday.

Hamilton boasts the NESCAC Player of the Year in forward Luke Tchor as well as the Defensive Player of the year in senior goaltender Charlie Archer. Archer stopped twenty-one shots in the UNE victory and saw strong defensive support from seniors William Neault and  James Philpott, as well as sophomore Ryan Sordillo.

“I really love the way our team is playing right now,” said Hamilton head coach Rob Haberbusch. “Single elimination hockey is a different animal and we’ve just about seen it all by now. We are excited for the game.”

Coach Roundy noted, ”we have a mature group who continuously improved over the course of the season. We are focused on staying in the moment and enjoying the journey. Hamilton has had a great season. They are a well-coached, structured and skilled team. We are excited for the opportunity to compete for a spot in the Frozen Four.”

Saturday’s game will be played at the Canton Ice House in Canton, Massachusetts with the opening face-off slated for a 3 PM start.

 

 

Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey standout Kraemer wins Julie Chu Rookie of the Year honors for ‘24-25 campaign

By
-
Caitlin Kraemer took the college hockey world by storm as a freshman at UMD (photo: Minnesota Duluth Athletics),

Minnesota Duluth freshman forward Caitlin Kraemer has been chosen by the nation’s assistant coaches as the winner of the 2025 Julie Chu Rookie of the Year Award.

Kraemer had 18 goals and 13 assists for 31 points this season, finishing third in scoring for the Bulldogs. She had seven goals on the power play and added two short-handed goals and four game winners. UMD advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals where their season ended in a 1-0 loss to Cornell.

Kraemer is the first Minnesota Duluth player to win this national award.

“We are incredibly proud of Caitlin for being named the national rookie of the year,” said UMD coach Laura Schuler in a statement. “It is an incredible honor that truly reflects her hard work, dedication, and natural talent. Caitlin is not only a standout player but also a student of the game, constantly pushing herself to learn and grow. Her speed, power, skill, and deep understanding of the game set her apart as one of the best in NCAA hockey. Off the ice, Caitlin is an amazing teammate—funny, caring, and always easy to connect with. Our team loves her, and her positive energy and leadership truly make her a joy to be around.

“This recognition is just the beginning for Caitlin, and we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next.”

The WCHA rookie of the year was chosen WCHA’s rookie of the month three times and was the WCHA rookie of the week four times. Kraemer had two or more points in eight games, including her first collegiate hat trick on Nov. 30 against Vermont.

Kraemer, the all-time leading scorer for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, compiled 37 goals in 32 games played for a total of 53 points as a U-18 national team member. She helped Canada’s U-18 squads to a bronze medal in the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where she scored a tournament-high 10 goals for a second-consecutive season after leading the tournament in scoring and Canada to a gold medal in the 2023 U18 Canada IIHF World Championship.

The runner-up for this year’s award was Connecticut’s Claire Murdoch, a freshman forward from Toronto.

The Julie Chu Rookie of the Year is chosen by a vote of the NCAA Division I schools’ assistant coaches, with one vote per staff. The award is named after the former Harvard and U.S. Olympic standout who recorded 93 points as a freshman during the 2003-04 season, en route to a career in which she set an NCAA record with 284 career points. The names on the ballot are each conference’s rookie of the year.

NCAA D-III Men’s Ice Hockey Quarterfinal Preview: St. Norbert v. Utica

By
-
Utica defenseman Ben Schultheis and his defense partners will need to bring their A-game against a highly skilled group of St. Norbert forwards (Photo by Michaela VanWormer)

In another powerhouse east vs. west matchup, last year’s Frozen Four participant Utica plays host to five-time national champion St. Norbert with the winner advancing to the final weekend of play. The Pioneers are coming off a comfortable 5-1 first-round win over Fitchburg State while the Green Knights advanced with a 3-1 win over the MIAC champions, Gustavus Adolphus. Both teams have skilled rosters and offensive skills that will challenge team defense and goaltending accordingly.

“We are excited to play one of the Goliaths in D-III college hockey,” noted Utica head coach Gary Heenan. “I have long admired St. Norbert and their head coach Tom Coghlin and his staff. This is a heck of an opportunity for our team. [Logan] Dombrowsky and [Liam] Fraser are special players that we will need to be focused on.”

The Pioneers have shown balance amongst their forwards including the production of graduate students Jakob Breault (15G – 17A – 32 Pts; +22) and Johnny Mulera (16G – 11A – 27 Pts; +16) who leads the team with eight power play goals. Last week’s offensive star, senior Matt Wood (9G – 21A – 30 Pts; +20) has shown big-game performance in last week’s win FSU and will be a presence in front of the Green Knights’ goal challenging the defense and goaltender.

Second semester transfer goaltender Ryan Piros (16G – 1.99 goals-against average – .923 save percentage – 3 shutouts) rebounded from the UCHC championship game loss to Geneseo with a tidy seventeen save, one-goal against performance in last week’s first round game and will need to continue his strong tournament play against a high-powered St. Norbert offense.

Dombrowsky (17G – 33A – 50 Pts), the NCHA Player of the Year and Fraser (21G – 22A – 43 Pts) are dynamic offensively skilled players while conference all-stars, defenseman Dayton Deics (5G – 12A – 17 Pts) and goaltender Hunter Garvey (25 GP – 2.09 goals-against average – .912 save percentage) will be critical elements to the Green Knights producing a big road win to advance to their thirteenth Frozen Four where they have claimed five national championships led by coach Tim Coghlin.

Saturday’s contest is scheduled to be played at 1 PM at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, New York with the winner advancing to the Frozen Four and a semifinal matchup with the winner of the Hamilton v. Curry quarterfinal game being played later in the day.

 

 

BRACKETOLOGY EXTRA: Late-night 2OT winner by Maine in Hockey East gives Quinnipiac, Penn State, Michigan increased NCAA tournament odds

By
-
TJ Hughes has led the Michigan offense this season (photo: Michigan Photography).

Many of you may have been asleep last night by the time that Nolan Renwick redirected Charlie Russell’s shot-pass at 11:02 of the second overtime period to send Maine past Northeastern to the Hockey East title game.

Three teams that began the weekend on the bubble actually saw their odds of making the NCAA tournament increase. Northeastern was one of the six teams that are bubble busters this weekend, so their elimination reduces the number of scenarios where team outside the PairWise bubble can win the championship (and the autobid) from three to two.

Arizona State or North Dakota can still win the NCHC tournament and Dartmouth, Clarkson and Cornell can all win ECAC in Lake Placid. Any of those two results would bounce Michigan from the field.

Should both tournaments deliver a cutline mover, the second team out varies.

If Quinnipiac beats Cornell this evening in Lake Placid, they’ll secure their bid. But a loss brings in a 7% chance for the Bobcats to miss the field.

While the hopes for Michigan, Penn State and Quinnipiac improved on Thursday night, Michigan won’t know its fate on Friday as the either Clarkson or Dartmouth, teams that could bump Michigan, will reach the ECAC final.

One other note from Friday: with the wins, both UConn and Maine keep hopes alive of being a number one seed. Should both team creep into the top four in the PairWise (that would require Western Michigan to lose in the NCHC tournament) and thus earn No. 1 seeds in an NCAA regional, that will eliminate a lot of the problems created in this week’s Bracketology that shifted the AHA champion away from Boston College, the top overall seed.

Plenty of still figure out and Friday will give us a lot of clarity.

NCAA D-III Men’s Ice Hockey Quarterfinal Preview: Trine v. Hobart

By
-
Hobart defenseman Austin Mourar has been a big contributor offensively this season with nine goals and 20 points for the Statesmen (Photo by Adam Farid – Hobart and William Smith Colleges)

Following last weekend’s first-round bye, Hobart will begin defense of their national championship with a first ever matchup with Trine on Saturday night in Geneva, NY. The Statesmen are unbeaten on home ice this season and look to extend that streak against a strong challenger in a Thunder team that knocked off Oswego in the first-round last week by a 4-1 score.

“The only people ever to say a week off is a bad thing are the ones that lose the next game,” said Hobart head coach Mark Taylor. “ We had a week of rest, no injuries, no game or bad puck bounces so we will be ready to go on Saturday night in front of our very passionate fan base at “The Cooler” on Saturday.”

Hobart has a very deep lineup starting in goal where juniors Damon Beaver (15 GP – 1.13 goals-against average – .951 save percentage – 5 shutouts) and Mavrick Goyer (13 GP – 0.84 goals-against average – .956 save percentage – 7 shutouts) have combined for twenty-six wins and twelve shutouts this season.

The defensive corps is deep and productive on both ends of the ice led by graduate student Austin Mourar (9G – 11A – 20 Pts; +29), sophomore Bauer Morrissey (3G – 18A – 21 Pts; +22), sophomore Conor Lally (2G – 14A – 16 Pts; +17) and senior Cooper Swift (0G – 16A – 16 Pts; +29). The group is strong situationally and can play with physicality and speed.

Up front the Statesmen boast the NEHC Player of the Year in junior Tanner Daniels (18G – 21A – 39 Pts; +35) who has demonstrated a knack for scoring big goals including five game-winning goals for Hobart this season. Senior Luke Aquaro  (14G – 17A – 31 Pts; +29) has also had an impressive season along with a strong set of forwards that gives the Statesmen the depth to continuously roll four lines that are productive on the ice and the scoresheet.

“The tournament was obviously constructed well when see almost all of the top seeds advancing to the next round,” stated Taylor. Trine is a very good team and have a very good coach in Alex Todd who was successful at Castleton and then D-I before coaching at Trine. We know a lot of each other’s players from the recruiting battles, so we expect a challenging game on Saturday where we are ready and excited to play.”

“They are a very good hockey club,” said Todd. ”We are going to have to find ways to take some “inches” in the game that help us compete and be in a position to win. I thought we did a lot of those things in the battle with Oswego and will know look to be a even better in the quarterfinal matchup against Hobart. It will be a tough place to play but we are looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity for the program on the national stage.”

The Thunder face-off with Hobart on Saturday, March 22 at 7 PM at The Cooler in Geneva, New York with the winner advancing to the Frozen Four next weekend.

 

 

St. Norbert hockey standout Carter Hottmann ‘peaking at right time’

By
-
Carter Hottmann is having a solid senior season at St. Norbert. (Photo Credit: Patrick Ferron/St. Norbert Athletics)

Carter Hottmann is used to trips to the NCAA Division III tournament with St. Norbert.

This year marks his third time going with the Green Knights. And the feeling never gets old.

“It’s a very special opportunity,” Hottmann said. “I’ve made it three out of my four years and making it my senior year with this group of guys is even more special because of the relationships we’ve built.”

Hottmann and the No. 3 Green Knights (24-5-1) are headed into the national quarterfinal round Saturday against sixth-ranked Utica (22-4-2) on the road. The winner moves on to the Frozen Four. It’s a matchup worthy of the tourney, without question, as the two programs have combined for more than 1,000 wins.

And while a team must prepare for an opponent, St. Norbert has to focus on itself as well.

“We can only control what we can control,” Hottmann said. “We have to do our best to sharpen up our details. It’s a special moment playing in the tournament. Everyone is putting a lot of heart into it.”

For Hottmann, he’s having a strong senior year, He has 11 goals and 13 assists, ranking third on the team in points behind Logan Dombrowsky (50) and Liam Fraser (43). He credits those two for his own success.

“I think I’m starting to peak at the right time and I’m playing with two of the best in the nation. That has helped quite a bit,” Hottmann said. “And the whole team is playing well and doing things the right way. And that’s leading to my success, too.”

Hottmann’s goal total is a career high in college. His assist mark matches a career high.

Growing up in Wisconsin, hockey was something he always played. But he’s also a former football and lacrosse player, and really, the direction he ultimately went in came down to a big decision.

“I had some injuries in football in high school and I had to pick a stick in terms of hockey or lacrosse. I ended up choosing hockey,” Hottmann said.

He played in the NAHL for the Janesville Jets and then chose St. Norbert because of its tradition of success, which includes five national championships.

“Every kid dreams of playing D-I and going pro, but when St. Norbert reached out, I gave it a shot,” Hottmann said. “They have the qualities of a Division I program and a super rich history. I toured the campus and that was a big selling point for me.”

He hasn’t looked back, establishing himself as one of the program’s better players Looking back, he knows it was the right decision.

“This is a connected group. We’re best buddies and brothers,” Hottmann said. “We’re all on the same boat, pulling the same rope. We’re working together to do what we need to do to be successful.”

St. Norbert started the year 12-0, looking like a national championship contender out of the gate, but did hit a rough patch after that, dropping four in a row before getting back on track. The Green Knights enter the weekend unbeaten in their last 11.

“It was good for us to start 12-0. The rough patch took us by surprise, but we got back to the details and doing what we were in the first half. That’s what is driving our success now. The learning curve we experienced helped us as a team overall.”

St. Norbert plays in one of the nation’s top conferences, with four teams nationally ranked in the USCHO.com Top 15 and three of them are still playing hockey. The Green Knights beat rival Adrian to win the NCHA crown.

To say St. Norbert has been battle-tested is an understatement.

“You have to tip your cap to our conference,” Hottmann said. “We have three teams in the tournament and Adrian could have been another. It’s really special to do what we’ve done this year, to go back-to-back as conference champs.”

St. Norbert has been close to the Frozen Four during Hottmann’s time at the school. This year, the Green Knights hope to get over the hump. As for this run for Hottmann over the last four years, he’s thankful for it.

“I couldn’t do it without my coaches, teammates and family being in my corner. All the props to them,” Hottmann said. “I’ve worked to be the best I can be on and off the ice and have worked my tail off for these types of moments. It’s very special to be on this team.”

 

Wisconsin women’s hockey coach Johnson chosen national coach of the year for 2024-25 season

By
-
Mark Johnson is two wins away from another national title at Wisconsin (photo: Wisconsin Athletics).

For leading his Badgers to a 36-1-2 season and the top seed in this year’s NCAA National Collegiate Frozen Four, Wisconsin’s Mark Johnson has been chosen CCM/AHCA Women’s Division I Coach of the Year.

It is the fifth such honor for Johnson and the first since 2011.

The Badgers are two wins away from their NCAA-best eighth national title, all earned under Johnson’s tutelage. They meet WCHA rival Minnesota in Friday night’s semifinal in Minneapolis, following the Cornell-Ohio State opener.

This year’s deep roster boats all three Patty Kazmaier Award finalists in Laila Edwards, Caroline Harvey and Casey O’Brien. They also have this year’s national goaltender of the year in sophomore Ava McNaughton.

Johnson was voted the 2024-25 WCHA Coach of the Year by the league’s head and assistant coaches after his success in the regular season. Johnson guided the Badgers to their 10th WCHA regular-season title after recording a 25-1-2 record in league play. Wisconsin won its 11th WCHA Final Faceoff title after a 4-3 defeat of Minnesota in the championship game.

Most recently, the Badgers defeated Clarkson 4-1 in the NCAA Regional Final to advance to their 16th Frozen Four in program history, which is tied for the most appearances in NCAA history with Minnesota.

Johnson has a career record of 665-120-55 in seasons at Wisconsin. No stranger to success in Madison, Johnson was a two-time All-American for the Badgers and is the school’s all time goal-scoring leader (125 goals in 125 games). The son of coaching icon Bob Johnson, Mark was a key player on the 1980 U.S. Olympic “Miracle” team and then enjoyed an 11-year NHL career.

Johnson was assisted this season by Dan Koch, Jackie Crum, and Mark Greenhalgh.

The runner-up for this year’s CCM/AHCA Division I Women’s Coach of the Year Award was Cornell’s Doug Derraugh, a three-time recipient of the award.

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

By
-

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

3 keys for Cornell

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

3 keys for Ohio State

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

Quotable:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 keys for Minnesota

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

3 keys for Wisconsin

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

Quotable:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1...678...1,527Page 7 of 1,527

Latest Stories from around USCHO

Fowler leaves Boston College crease after sophomore season, signs NHL contract with Canadiens

USCHO Staff -

Hockey Humanitarian Award Finalist Feature: Cornell’s Kempf all about giving back to local community with memory of late mother the catalyst for volunteering, helping,...

Dan Rubin -

NHL’s Bruins sign Cornell forward Bancroft, who forgoes last season of NCAA eligibility

USCHO Staff -

Connors leaves UMass after three seasons, inks NHL contract with Los Angeles

USCHO Staff -

Women’s Division I College Hockey: Wisconsin’s Mark Johnson named 2025 USCHO Coach of the Year

Nicole Haase -

Women’s Division I College Hockey: The PodKaz Episode 45 – Wrapping up the 2024-25 season with USCHO’s awards and storylines we’ll remember

Nicole Haase -

Women’s Division I College Hockey: 2024-25 All-USCHO Teams

Nicole Haase -

Buium, Howard, Leonard announced as 2025 Hobey Hat Trick

USCHO Staff -

Hockey Humanitarian Award Finalist Feature: By spearheading organ donor awareness events, Fortin’s ‘desire to make an impact to help others is a really great...

Matthew Semisch -

Women’s Division I College Hockey: Wisconsin’s Casey O’Brien named USCHO Player of the Year for second straight season

Nicole Haase -

Women’s Division I College Hockey: Minnesota Duluth’s Caitlin Kraemer is USCHO’s 2025 Rookie of the Year

Nicole Haase -

Michigan forward Hallum leaves Wolverines after junior season, inks NHL contract with Vegas

USCHO Staff -
©1996-2025 USCHO.com – U.S. College Hockey Online