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Ohio State’s Jaques adds to honors as WCHA player of year, UMD’s Soderberg chosen top student-athlete, co-coaches of year Ohio State’s Muzerall, St. Cloud State’s Idalski

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Sophie Jaques has done it all this season for Ohio State (photo: Justin Wolford/WCHA).

The WCHA has named Ohio State graduate defender Sophie Jaques its 2022-23 WCHA player of the year.

Jaques, who was named WCHA defender of the year on Wednesday, was chosen for the overall honor by league head coaches and assistant coaches from among the All-WCHA First Team selections that included forwards Minnesota’s Taylor Heise (5Yr.) and Grace Zumwinkle (5Yr.) and Ohio State’s Jenn Gardiner (Sr.), fellow blueliner in Minnesota Duluth’s Ashton Bell (5Yr.), as well as Minnesota Duluth goaltender Emma Soderberg (Grad.).

On her way to collecting a pair of WCHA defender of the month honors, Jaques registered 42 points in the regular season on 19 goals and 23 assists. She tallied a nation-leading eight power-play goals on the year and scored the overtime game winner against then-No. 5/8 Wisconsin on Jan. 13.

A native of Toronto, Jaques set the Ohio State program record for career points by a defender when she surpassed 130 in her collegiate career. While skating to a plus-30 rating on the ice, Jaques added 42 blocked shots on the year.

Currently holding 150 career points, Jaques’ 19 goals, 42 points, and eight power-play goals, leads all defenders in the NCAA, while her 190 shots on goal and 5.59 shots on goal per game average both top the WCHA.

Jaques is just the second Buckeye to be honored as WCHA player of the year, joining fellow defender and 2008 winner Tessa Bonhomme.

Continuing to roll out the individual awards, Soderberg was named outstanding student-athlete of the year, joined by WCHA co-coaches of the year in St. Cloud State’s Brian Idalski and Ohio State’s Nadine Muzerall.

Heise was named 2022-23 WCHA scoring champion with her 51 points in 28 WCHA games played, while a 1.59 goals-against average in 23 WCHA appearances earned Soderberg the title of 2022-23 WCHA goaltending champion. Both honors are the second for their careers.

Muzerall led Ohio State to a 23-4-1 league record for its first WCHA regular season title in program history. In her seventh season, Muzerall led the Buckeyes to national dominance as Ohio State never fell below a second-place ranking in national polls over the course of the season. Her Buckeyes set several program records, including team and individual scoring records, and five landed on All-WCHA teams. Primed for the postseason, the Ohio State squad holds a 28-4-2 overall record while going 5-0-1 against all of its nonconference opponents.

After returning to the WCHA, Idalski has drastically turned around the Husky program in just one season after St. Cloud State earned its highest national ranking since 2008 as No. 12 this season, when they earned just nine overall wins and four league wins last season. Idalski led the St. Cloud State program to a win over a No. 1 nationally ranked opponent when the Huskies downed Minnesota 4-1 on Nov. 7, and ultimately claimed three WCHA points against teams ranked seventh and above. On the season, St. Cloud State also earned an undefeated 6-0-0 record in nonconference play.

The 2023 WCHA coach of the year honor is the first of Idalski’s career, and fourth of Muzerall’s after she earned the title in 2018, 2020, and 2022.

UMD’s Emma Soderberg has made an impact on and off the ice for the Bulldogs (photo: Justin Wolford/WCHA).

Soderberg adds academic achievement and community service to her well-rounded resume. A weekly volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club, Soderberg has built a 3.81 GPA as an economics major, while already having graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in organizational management in 2022. On the ice, Soderberg has consistently been a standout in the WCHA and at the national level as national goaltender of the month. As the only European on the UMD team, Emma has also represented her country of Sweden on several occasions, most recently in the 2022 Winter Olympics and 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championships, where she was named player of the game twice.

Described as the backbone of the Minnesota Duluth squad and showcasing top sportsmanship, Soderberg was voted as 2022-23 WCHA outstanding student-athlete of the year by the league’s eight faculty athletics representatives and was nominated by Minnesota Duluth’s Dr. Stephen Castleberry.

Behind a 1.59 goals-against average, Soderberg earns the title of 2022-23 WCHA goaltending champion. Determined by the best goals-against average in league play, Soderberg only allowed 36 goals against through her 23 games played and 1361:05 of action. Soderberg paired her goals-against average with a league-leading .932 save percentage as she made 493 saves as she played in 23 of 28 WCHA games for the Bulldogs. Soderberg became a Minnesota Duluth record holder as she set the program record with her 21 career shutouts, including a league-leading eight in league play this season. while building a 13-8-2 record. Soderberg made 30 or more saves in four league games, including a season-high of 44 in the 3-1 win at Wisconsin (Jan. 7). The award is the second of her career, after she was named 2020-21 WCHA goaltending champion behind a 1.34 goals-against average.

With 51 total points in 28 WCHA games played, Heise repeats as the league’s scoring champion for 2022-23. Earning her second consecutive WCHA scoring champion title, Heise net 19 goals and 32 assists for her league-leading 51 points to average 1.82 points per game. Heise led the league over the course of the regular season with her four short-handed goals, 32 assists, and 367 faceoff wins. Adding five power-play goals and three game winners, Heise’s league play included a hat trick against St. Cloud State (Dec. 10) while she skated to a plus-26 rating on the ice. Ultimately, Heise tallied a point in 24 of 28 league games, produced 14 multi-point performances, including a season-high of five points at Minnesota State (Dec. 3) and at St. Cloud State (Dec. 10).

Utica’s Sloan tabbed UCHC women’s player of year, Nazareth’s Holmes top ‘D,’ Utica’s Hawthorne top goalie, LVC’s Strauts best rookie, Utica’s Clausen top coach

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Erica Sloan has been a regular on the Utica scoresheet this season (photo: Kayleigh Sturtevant/Utica Athletics).

The UCHC has announced its 2022-23 women’s award winners and all-conference teams.

The awards were selected through an all-encompassing survey of the league’s 11 head coaches.

Utica senior Erica Sloan was named the 2022-23 UCHC player of the year. Sloan leads all UCHC players in scoring with 45 points on 24 goals and 21 assists in addition to a league-best plus-47 rating. Sloan is sixth nationally in points and tied for fifth with six game-winning goals. She tallied 32 points and was plus-35 in 20 UCHC regular-season contests. Sloan has at least a point in 24 games this season and 11 multiple-point efforts with four different four-point games and two hat-tricks. She is the second consecutive Utica student-athlete to earn player of the year honors, joining teammate and fellow All-UCHC selection Georgiana Santullo.

Nazareth junior defenseman Julia Holmes is the UCHC’s defensive player of the year. Holmes has tallied 27 points on seven goals and 20 assists in 27 games this season, while playing at a plus-24 clip. Holmes is fourth nationally among all defensemen in scoring. An All-UCHC First Team selection, Holmes has helped lead Nazareth to the 2022-23 UCHC championship game.

Utica junior Angela Hawthorne has earned the UCHC goaltender of the year for the second straight season. Hawthorne is 16-2-3 on the season with a 0.97 goals-against average and league-leading .960 save percentage. Hawthorne is second nationally in save percentage and third in goals-against average, while her five shutouts are tied for tenth nationally. She made at least 20 saves in a game nine times, including a career-best 52-save effort against nationally-ranked Hamilton.

Katrina Strauts of Lebanon Valley is the 2023 UCHC rookie of the year after tallying 23 points on 12 goals and 11 assists in 26 games played. She tallied 10 goals and 16 points in 20 UCHC regular season contests, while helping lead the Dutchmen to the league quarterfinals.

Utica head coach Dave Clausen has been chosen the 2022-23 UCHC coach of the year. Clausen has led the Pioneers to a program-record 22 wins and No. 12 national ranking. The Pioneers earned 55 of a possible 60 points in league play and are set to take on top-seed Nazareth in the 2022-23 UCHC championship game on March 4. Utica is fourth nationally in scoring, with 4.89 goals per game, third defensively, allowing 0.89 goals per game and is third in scoring margin (4.00). The Pioneers are in the top-10 nationally in nearly every team category. It is Clausen’s second UCHC coach of the year honor (2021). Clausen, the only head coach in Utica’s 22-year history, has 325 career wins.

First Team All-UCHC
Forward: Gabrielle Cox, Manhattanville
Forward: Georgiana Santullo, Utica
Forward: Erica Sloan, Utica
Defense: Julia Holmes, Nazareth
Defense: Madison Novotny, Utica
Goaltender: Angela Hawthorne, Utica

Second Team All-UCHC
Forward: Allison Corser-James, Chatham
Forward: Abbey Luth, Nazareth
Forward: Ally Watrous, Nazareth
Defense: Olivia Gilida, Alvernia
Defense: Holly Silva, Utica
Goaltender: Julia Beaven, Alvernia

All-UCHC Honorable Mention
Forward: Ally Nolan, Chatham
Forward: Makenna Wiljanen, Nazareth
Forward: Carly Stefanini, Utica
Defense: Sydney Bradley, Alvernia
Defense: Holly Meredith, Manhattanville
Defense: Abigail Barcless, Wilkes
Goaltender: Franny Gerardi, Manhattanville

UCHC All-Rookie Team
Forward: Maeve Hourihan, Arcadia
Forward: Katrina Strauts, Lebanon Valley
Forward: Abby Flanagan, Nazareth
Defense: Abbi Komrofske, Arcadia
Defense: Tess Barrett, Utica
Goaltender: Sam Brophy, Chatham

Some tight lines this week on games with playoff implications: USCHO Edge podcast Season 1 Episode 17

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USCHO Edge hosts Jim Connelly, Dan Rubin, and Ed Trefzger pick out five games among top 20 D-I college hockey teams, looking at money lines and over/under as well as a further analysis of the matchups.

This week’s games:

  • Michigan State (+135) at Notre Dame (-165); o/u 5.5
  • Omaha (+120) at North Dakota (-150); o/u 5.5
  • Massachusetts (-115) at Maine (-115); o/u 5
  • UConn (-115) at Boston College (-115); o/u 6
  • Northeastern (-135) at UMass Lowell (+105); o/u 5

This college hockey podcast is sponsored by the NCAA Men’s Division I Frozen Four, April 6th and 8th, 2023 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Secure your seats at NCAA.com/mfrozenfour

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

Check out all of USCHO’s podcasts, including USCHO Weekend Review and USCHO Spotlight, plus our entire podcast archive.

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ACHA powerhouse Minot State to play Denver, Colorado College in exhibition games Dec. 29-30, 2023

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Minot State has been an ACHA powerhouse over the years (photo: Sean Arbaut/Arbaut Photography).

The Minot State men’s hockey team is set to meet two NCAA Division I programs on the ice.

The Beavers, two-time ACHA national champions, have signed a deal to play at Denver and Colorado College this coming December.

Minot State, who wrapped up the regular season ranked No. 1 in the latest ACHA poll released this week, will play at Colorado College on Friday, Dec. 29, and then at Denver on Saturday, Dec. 30. Both games will be exhibition contests.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our program to play two premier teams at the highest level of collegiate hockey,” said Minot State coach Wyatt Waselenchuk, who was initially approached about the contests by Denver University, in a statement. “I couldn’t be more excited for our players to experience the atmosphere and the competition. We will certainly have a challenge ahead of us, but we are going to embrace it every step of the way.

“We are honored to not only represent Minot State University, but the ACHA as a whole. I’d also like to thank coach David Carle at Denver and coach Kris Mayotte with Colorado College for putting this together.”

ALSO SEE: Dual benefits galore as NCAA, ACHA men’s hockey teams now available to schedule, play one another during regular season

Minot State athletic teams frequently compete with NCAA Division I foes in sports like track and field, and in November of 2021, the Beaver men’s basketball team played an exhibition at in-state NCAA D-I foe North Dakota State, but for multi-time national champions from two different organizations – the ACHA and NCAA – to compete head-to-head provides a rare competitive opportunity.

“This is a huge step for our hockey program here at Minot State,” said Minot State sophomore forward Jay Buchholz, who is third on the Beavers this season in scoring with 38 points on 13 goals and 25 assists. “Being able to play these top Division I schools, and the opportunity to go out and compete, is something that we can learn a lot from. Who knows what kind of doors these could open for us in the future?

“It will be an unforgettable experience, and we are excited to be a part of the first two games in Beaver hockey history at the NCAA D-I level.”

Finlandia closing doors, will not enroll students for 2023-24 school year; Lions had men’s, women’s D-III hockey teams

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On Thursday, Finlandia University’s Board of Trustees announced that the school will not enroll students for the 2023-24 academic year.

The decision follows months of continuous efforts to find pathways for the university to continue its mission, according to a statement.

“I am deeply saddened to announce that due to a combination of demographic changes, with fewer high school graduates available, a steep decrease in interest in going to college among those graduates, and an unbearable debt load, Finlandia’s board of trustees met and have decided to not enroll students for the 2023-2024 school year,” the board wrote in its statement.

In a letter to Finlandia’s students, faculty and staff, Finlandia president Timothy Pinnow wrote to his community saying the decision follows months of “herculean efforts and constant and repeated attempts to mend Finlandia University’s finances and enrollment struggles.”

“I do want to assure you that the leadership team, the board of trustees and myself have left no stone unturned in an attempt to avoid this day,” Pinnow said in his letter. “Our efforts have been noble and unceasing and while none of us wanted this day to come, we have also realized that in order to honor Finlandia’s 126-year-old legacy appropriately, we must end its operations with grace and dignity.

“As the leadership of Finlandia, our focus must now turn first to making sure that all of our students have good options to complete their education at another institution and that we can fulfill our intent that our employees be paid for all the work and tireless effort they have put into this little Finnish-Lutheran school way up north in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.”

The board stated that Pinnow and his leadership team are working diligently to help Finlandia’s current students wrap up their studies and will help them smoothly transition to another college or university to complete their education.

Finlandia has finalized four teach-out agreements with Michigan Technological University, Bay College, Adrian College, and Wartburg College. A fifth agreement is in process with Northern Michigan University.

The Lions had men’s and women’s Division III hockey programs that were part of the NCHA conference.

More information about Finlandia’s intentions and next steps is available on the university’s website. Specific questions not answered on the website can be sent to [email protected].

Hamilton’s Kuhns nets top NESCAC women’s player honor, Amherst’s Stott best rookie, Hamilton’s McNamara gets coach of year

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Abby Kuhns has been a standout player this season for Hamilton (photo: Josh McKee/mckeephotoarts.com).

Hamilton senior Abby Kuhns has been selected as the 2023 NESCAC player of the year by the conference coaches.

Kuhns is the fourth Continental to garner the award joining Stephanie Miguel (2009), Katie Parkman (2017), and Sam Walther (2018).

Kuhns, who also garnered a spot on the All-NESCAC First Team for the second straight year, is the first defender to earn the NESCAC player of the year award since 2013. She ranks third on the team in scoring with 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists). Of the seven goals Kuhns has tallied, six have been on the power play, which is second in the NESCAC. Kuhns’ 12 helpers rank eighth among the league leaders. She has also blocked the second most in the conference this season (30).

Amherst’s Natalie Stott was voted as the NESCAC rookie of the year and also earned a spot on the All-NESCAC First Team. The first-year goalie has started all 24 games she has played for the Mammoths and owns the best goals-against average in the NESCAC at 1.09 and also carries a .945 save percentage (third in the NESCAC). Stott has 10 shutouts and a 21-3-0 record in net while helping the Mammoths earn the No. 1 seed in the NESCAC women’s championship for the first time since 2010. Stott is the first goalie to be named NESCAC rookie of the year since 2010.

Hamilton head coach Emily McNamara was selected as the NESCAC coach of the year by her peers. McNamara earns the honor for the second time (2017) in her 11 years directing the Continentals. McNamara led Hamilton to the No. 2 seed, the highest in program history, in the NESCAC women’s championship after finishing the regular season with a 12-3-1 conference mark. The Continentals’ 19 overall wins (19-4-2) are a team record for most wins in a single season.

All-NESCAC First Team
G – Natalie Stott, Amherst, Fy.
D – Abby Kuhns, Hamilton, Sr.
D – Claudia Vira, Middlebury, Sr.
F – Rylee Glennon, Amherst, Jr.
F – Nancy Loh, Hamilton, Sr.
F – Meg Rittenhouse, Colby, Jr.

All-NESCAC Second Team
G – Evie Sheridan, Hamilton, Fy.
D – Avery Flynn, Amherst, Sr.
D – Bri Michaud-Nolan, Colby, Sr.
D – Leslie Schwartz, Amherst, Sr.
F – Melanie Conca, Connecticut College, Sr.
F – Jenna Letterie, Middlebury, Sr.
F – Maddie Tix, Williams, Sr.

NESCAC men’s hockey honors for ’22-23 include Wesleyan’s Lachance player of year, Hamilton’s Zimmerman top rookie, Wesleyan’s Potter best coach

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Jake Lachance was an offensive stud from the Wesleyan blue line this season (photo: Emilia Thornton).

Wesleyan senior Jake Lachance is the NESCAC men’s hockey player of the year as voted by the league’s coaches.

Lachance is the first defenseman since 2016 to earn the honor and the third Cardinal (Tim Sestak, 2019; Keith Buehler, 2013).

Lachance helped the Cardinals earn the top seed in the NESCAC championship and post 15 wins, the most since the 2019-20 season. Lachance, who also earned a spot on the All-NESCAC First Team, played in 23 games and ranks second in the NESCAC with 26 points. Lachance scored seven goals, including three power-play markers, and handed out 19 assists, the second most in the NESCAC this season.

Hamilton’s Ben Zimmerman is the NESCAC rookie of the year and an All-NESCAC Second Team selection. The first-year led the Continentals in scoring and ranks fifth in the NESCAC with 23 points in 24 games. He tallied seven goals, three of which were game-winners, and ranks fourth in the NESCAC in assists with 16 helpers. Zimmerman is the third Hamilton player to garner the NESCAC Rookie of the Year honor (Michael DeMare, 2011; Gabe Tash, 2003).

Wesleyan head coach Chris Potter was selected by his peers as the NESCAC coach of the Year. Potter earns the honor for the fourth time in his career (2004, 2007, 2019) and the second time in four seasons. Potter led Wesleyan to the No. 1 seed in the NESCAC championship for the first time in program history and guided the Cardinals to a 15-7-3 record, the most wins since the 2019-20 season.

All-NESCAC First Team
G – Erik Voloshin, Wesleyan, Jr.
D – Jake Lachance, Wesleyan, Sr.
D – Jack Sullivan, Colby, Jr.
F – Wiggle Kerbrat, Wesleyan, Sr.
F – Gerard Maretta, Trinity, Jr.
F – Matt Toporowski, Amherst, So.

All-NESCAC Second Team
G – Devon Boback, Trinity, Fy.
D – James Philpott, Hamilton, So.
D – Emmet Powell, Wesleyan, Sr.
F – Carter Breitenfeldt, Colby, Sr.
F – John McElaney, Colby, Jr.
F – Ben Zimmerman, Hamilton, Fy.

D-III Women’s East Week 17: Conference play recap & my picks for this weekend!

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Norwich defeats Southern Maine to advance to the NEHC final where they face #1 seed Elmira (Photo by Jasmine Olson)

Headed into championship weekend out east after all teams officially began conference tournament play this past weekend, whilst others continued with their respective tournaments. We’ll take a look back and highlight some of the main events that occurred, and I’ll give my picks for this weekend’s conference games.

The NEHC’s top-two narrowly advance

Elmira defeats William Smith 4-3

Elmira found themselves in a close one. It was a busy 1st period as both teams scored a pair of goals including a William Smith shorthanded goal and an Elmira powerplay goal. William Smith would then take the lead back at the 5:10 mark of the 2nd period and hold it until 6:49 of the 3rd when Morgan Mordini tied it up. Elmira’s Holley Riva would proceed to score the winner at the 12:56 mark of the 3rd. In this game, WS had 6 penalties for 12 minutes, whilst Elmira had 2 for 4 minutes. Shots were 45-19, heavily in favor of Elmira which is surprising considering the close score line.

Norwich defeats Southern Maine 2-1

This game was interesting, because like the previous NEHC game, the lower seed led most of the way, except Southern Maine was pitching a shutout until the 3rd period. USM scored at the 2:16 mark of the 2nd period and led all the way until Norwich tied it up at the 2:11 mark of the final period and then Ally Lague scored the winner at a late 14:35 to give the Cadets just enough to move on. Penalties in the game were 2 for 4 minutes against USM, whilst Norwich wasn’t called for any. Shots were 46-17 in favor of the Cadets, USM goaltender Haley McKim had a great performance, making 44 saves on the night despite the tough loss.

Double Overtime x2

 

*Photo from previous game* Oswego State goaltender Lexi Levy made 61 saves vs Cortland over the weekend (Photo by Colin Noftsier)

Two goaltenders that need to be highlighted this week are Oswego State’s Lexi Levy & Trinity’s Hannah Leclair for their performances in both of their respective team’s games. Levy made 61 saves during her 89:01 in net in the 2-1 double-OT loss to Cortland, whilst Leclair made 53 in her 90:33 minutes of play during the 2-1 double-OT loss to Colby. Neither goalie was exactly helped out by their team in terms of shots, Oswego losing the shot battle 63-25 & Trinity losing the shot battle 55-29. Both goalies are the only reason either of these games weren’t decided inside the first 2 periods of play.

*Photo from previous game* Trinity goaltender Hannah Lecalir made 53 saves vs Colby over the weekend (Photo by Trinity College Athletics)

Remaining east playoff results

CCC

Suffolk shutout University of New England 6-0.

Endicott shutout Western New England 2-0.

NESCAC

Amherst shutout Wesleyan 2-0.

Middlebury shutout Connecticut College 4-0.

Hamilton defeated Williams 3-1.

Colby defeated Trinity 2-1 in double-OT.

NEWHL

Plattsburgh defeated Canton 7-1.

Cortland defeated Oswego 2-1 in double-OT. 

This Weekend’s Conference Championship Picks

CCC 

Endicott at Suffolk: March 4, 2023 – 4:50 pm EST

My Pick: Suffolk 3-2 OT

I’ve liked Suffolk all year and I won’t stop now; the Rams will win their first ever conference title, but it’ll be a close one. In the three games these two teams played this season: Endicott 2-1 OT, Suffolk 2-1 OT, & Endicott 3-1. The series has leaned Endicott, but has been close every time, no game has been decided early and I don’t believe that changes here either. Give me the Rams to win a close overtime game which would mean 3/4 games these teams played versus each other this season were decided via overtime.

NEHC 

Norwich at Elmira: March 4, 2023 – 3:00 pm EST

My Pick: Elmira 4-2

Both of these teams have battled it out this season, but Elmira’s been the more consistent team (which I would’ve been surprised to say a month or so back considering the rough patch they hit mid-season), but they recently handled Norwich in the season finale and have ended the season on an extremely high note. Both struggled last week as mentioned vs lower seeded opponents, Elmira hasn’t lost in conference play yet, so they’ll have to remain perfect. Norwich has been able to win some impressive games this year and could pull off an upset, just not sure if I can see it happening in Elmira. If it was in Norwich, I may lean that way. Goaltending has been solid on both sides and both have been relatively evenly-matched thus far. With that being said, I’ll go with Elmira to get the (highly-likely) lone NEHC NCAA tournament bid.

NESCAC (Hosted by Amherst)

Colby vs Hamilton: March 3, 2023 – 3:30 pm EST 

My Pick: Hamilton 5-3

I’m going with Hamilton here, if you asked me before the season began, I would’ve taken Colby, but Hamilton has looked strong all year especially in their stretch of games where they played six-straight games vs ranked opponents, winning them all, including two over Colby. Obviously, the previous matchups don’t mean a whole lot in the conference playoffs especially in this conference, but I like how Hamilton has been tested all year and played more hockey unlike Colby. Hamilton as of late has just been the better team on the ice and records-wise. 

Middlebury vs Amherst: March 3, 2023 – 7:00 pm EST

My Pick: Amherst 3-2

This one is tough because it’s still Middlebury, possible memory bias seeing them hold up the national title trophy last year makes me inherently want to pick them, but Amherst has been rolling this year and I’m going with the Mammoths. Amherst won the first two matchups handily, outshooting Middlebury in both games and holding them to a low 12 shots in the second matchup. Middlebury gets lots of late game powerplays which have resulted in goals this season, so who knows what could happen. It’s a toss-up, but I think Amherst stays hot.

*Hypothetical* Hamilton vs Amherst: March 4, 2023 – 7:30 pm EST

My Pick: Hamilton 2-1

Hamilton upsets Amherst, I know in terms of rankings it’s not a huge upset, but relatively speaking Amherst has been near the top longer than Hamilton and winning the #1 seed in the NESCAC usually speaks volumes about your season. Ultimately, these two teams haven’t played since opening weekend when they split the series, they’re both (very-likely) in the NCAA tournament via at-large bid at worst, but I think Hamilton pulls this one off. Amherst has the best freshman goaltender in the country at the moment in Natalie Stott, she’ll have a great game, but Hamilton pulls it out and wins the NESCAC.

NEWHL

Cortland at Plattsburgh: March 4, 2023 – 3:00 pm EST

My Pick: Plattsburgh 3-1

Cortland always plays Plattsburgh tough and even beat them this season 1-0, they also took Plattsburgh to overtime last season in this same spot, the NEWHL finals, in which the Cardinals won. Only reason I have this by a two-goal margin is because I think Plattsburgh adds an empty net in the last few minutes, otherwise, it’ll be a tight game and it wouldn’t be a shock to me if Cortland gets the win. However, I can’t bet against Plattsburgh here, they’ve won every NEWHL conference tournament that’s taken place and I don’t know if Cortland can end that streak at the moment.

UCHC

Utica at Nazareth: March 4, 2023 – 4:00 pm EST

My Pick: Utica 3-2 OT

This is a pick I’m not confident in at all because if there were a betting line it would be -115 to -115 for the money line, possibly -125 to -105 in favor of Nazareth. These two teams just got done playing a few weeks ago in which the regulation game tied, and Nazareth won the shootout, the next game Nazareth won in overtime to win the UCHC regular-season title. It’s no surprise they’re both back here again in the championship after battling it out for the regular season, but I think Utica can get it done here. Being on the road will be difficult, but the Pioneers I believe will win their first this season vs Nazareth and win their first-ever UCHC title & earn the NCAA tournament automatic-bid. I can’t see this game being decided by anything other than overtime or one goal maximum (outside of a possible empty netter, but don’t count on it).

Franklin Pierce’s Foley selected NE-10 player of year, Saint Anselm’s Murphy top defensive player, Saint Michael’s goalie Murphy earns honor, Saint Anselm’s Rocha top coach, Post’s Weber best rookie

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Franklin Pierce’s Conor Foley lit up the scoresheets this season (photo: Franklin Pierce Athletics).

Franklin Pierce senior forward Conor Foley has been named the Northeast-10 Conference player of the year, as the league office announced its all-conference honors on Wednesday.

It is the third time in the past four seasons that a Franklin Pierce player has won NE10 player of the year honors, as Alex Lester earned the award in both 2019 and 2020.

Saint Anselm – the NE10 regular-season champion – had a pair of winners in Jack Murphy, the defensive player of the year, and Larry Rocha, the Lance “Duke” Brady coach of the year. Saint Michael’s Marshall Murphy won goaltender of the year and Post’s Nick Weber was named rookie of the year.

Foley, the second Franklin Pierce player to ever win player of the year honors, led all NE10 players this season in points (34), ranked second in goals (16) and tied for fifth in assists (18). He had 11 games this season with multiple points and three games with multiple goals, while tallying a plus-5 rating on the ice. Foley was also selected to First Team all-conference for the second-straight year – a feat shared with only SNHU’s George Thurston.

Jack Murphy was one of the biggest producers on the offensive and defensive ends for Saint Anselm this season, leading to his defensive player of the year honor. He led the NE10’s toughest defense which allowed a league-low 2.51 goals per game to opponents, while also tying for third among all players in assists (20). Murphy was second in points (23) among all defensemen. Saint Anselm won the NE10 regular season title and earned the top seed in the championship behind Murphy’s efforts.

Marshall Murphy is the first Saint Michael’s goalie to win goaltender of the year since Tyler Bilton in 2008-09. Murphy led all NE10 goaltenders with a .924 save percentage this season, while ranking second in goals-against average (2.81) and wins (12). The Purple Knights surrendered only 2.95 goals per game to opponents, the second-fewest goals allowed by a team in the NE10 this season. Murphy is also the First Team all-conference goaltender.

Weber had a strong first-year campaign for Post, as he tallied 26 points to tie for ninth among all NE10 players on his way to earning rookie of the year status. He scored 14 goals, which was tied for fourth-most in the league and accounted for 12 assists. Weber had six multi-point games for the Eagles, including a five-point effort (three goals, two assists) in a 6-5 win over SNHU on Jan. 20. He is the first Post player to earn a major award since the program became an associate member of the NE10.

Rocha is the third NE10 coach to win the Lance “Duke” Brady Coach of the Year award since its inception in June of 2019. He led Saint Anselm to a 13-5-2 record in conference games and the NE10 regular season championship, along with the top seed in the NE10 championship. The award is named in honor of Lance “Duke” Brady, the former head coach at Assumption who passed away in February of 2019.

FIRST TEAM
F: Conor Foley, Franklin Pierce
F: Jeremy Routh, Saint Michael’s
F: George Thurston, SNHU
D: Stephen Jacobs, Franklin Pierce
D: Jack Murphy, Saint Anselm
G: Marshall Murphy, Saint Michael’s

SECOND TEAM
F: Andrew Andary, Saint Anselm
F: Matt Hayes, Saint Anselm
F: Zach Taylor, Saint Michael’s
D: Nick Brewer, Post
D: Gabriel Gagnon, Saint Michael’s
D: Tim Usalis, SNHU
G: Nick Howard, Saint Anselm

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Ryan Decker, Assumption
Matt Horan, Franklin Pierce
Declan House, Franklin Pierce
Nick Weber, Post
Garrett Alberti, Saint Anselm
Luke Linart, Saint Anselm
Quinn McCarthy, Saint Michael’s
Brendan Lynch, SNHU

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Gearing up for postseason, Union wants first-round matchup with Princeton to be ‘crazy atmosphere’ on home ice

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Tyler Watkins has collected nine goals and 17 points this season for Union (photo: Michael Mason).

Union head coach Josh Hauge faced a decision in his locker room on Saturday night.

His Dutchmen were already in the throes of an emotional night, and he needed to determine if he wanted to throw the added mix into the fire.

The team had entered the weekend tied with RPI, its Capital District rival, for the final transfer spot to host ECAC Hockey’s single-elimination first round, and after losing to top-ranked Quinnipiac on Friday night, the only way to grab one more game at the Achilles Center was to defeat Princeton in the last game of the season.

It was Senior Night in Schenectady, but Hauge didn’t want to spend too much time focusing on the possibility of another game in Messa Rink because he simply wanted the roster playing its best hockey without worrying about the numbers. At the same time, he realized that, in this age, there was no way to bottle word about scenarios or anything like that.

So he decided to make one simple mention and let the rest of the night take it from there.

Less than a minute into the first period, the Dutchmen answered any and all questions for him when they scored the game’s first goal. A couple of hours later, a win over the Tigers clinched what might have once felt like an impossibility – a home game this weekend in the postseason, ironically against the same team now relegated to the road by last week’s zero points taken against RPI and Union.

“The biggest thing for us has been to focus on playing the right way,” Hauge said. “We’ve been trying to play the way that we want to, as a group, and at some point, we’re going to have to go on the road if we want to make it to Lake Placid. If we got some home games, we thought it was great, but we wanted to make sure we were playing our best hockey heading into.

“That’s what we were working towards.”

Gaining that last home game involved a couple of strokes of luck for a team that once registered five out of a possible 24 points over an eight-game conference stretch between November and mid-January. Three points over St. Lawrence on Jan. 20 helped, but 12 points taken from Colgate, Yale and Brown boosted the Dutchmen and created separation between themselves and a Bears team that struggled with a brutal schedule down the stretch.

They rode the wave with their travel partner, and as the final two weeks approached, both teams appeared within striking distance of Princeton, which spent the second half of the season sliding closer to the two teams battling for eighth place.

Each still needed help, but as Yale started beating the Tigers with a 4-0 home win, a door crept open. RPI had previously seized enough initiative to allow itself through the front gate with a 3-1 win over Dartmouth, but Union failed in its attempt to catch the Tigers after it lost 1-0 to the Big Green after battling Harvard for the better part of Friday night.

That loss dealt a particularly damaging blow towards the team’s home ice quest. Princeton was still within reach, but the three-point advantage over both RPI and Union meant both teams needed a win, a situation easily compounded by the Tigers’ travel partner, Quinnipiac.

“I thought we played pretty well against Harvard,” Hauge said. “We had some opportunities, but Harvard just made some plays and, in the end, they beat us. With Dartmouth, I thought we lacked the energy in that game that allowed us to compete at a high level, and we have to be really dialed into our structure. That was missing, and Dartmouth did a really good job of frustrating us. It was a little disappointing, but we knew we still had an opportunity with Quinnipiac and Princeton coming to town.”

The simplest way forward was both the one that occurred and the one that involved the three teams. Quinnipiac expectedly defeated both teams to wrap up a 20-win ECAC campaign, and after RPI beat Princeton on Friday night, the final home slot fell to the head-to-head matchup between the Tigers and Dutchmen.

“We knew we’d have to play well just to give ourselves a chance [against Quinnipiac],” emphasized Hauge. “For us, again, it was just about tightening everything up. We’d have some games that got away from us against top teams in the conference, so it was important that we saw how we stacked up against a top team right before playoffs.”

The easy-to-understand formula generated the organic postseason drama expected around this time of year, but Union ensured the sparks and fireworks fizzled immediately after the game started when Josh Nixon scored shortly after the first minute expired. It held up through the first period, and in the second period, senior Chris Theodore scored on a rebound to ignite the home crowd with a 2-0 lead.

“You don’t have a script where you plan to score early,” laughed Hauge, “but you just want to establish your pace for the game in the first five minutes. Getting that first one was a bit of relief because we were kind of like, okay, the guys are ready to go here.

Liam Robertson later made the score 3-0 in favor of Union, and the Dutchmen assured themselves of one more home game with a 3-1 victory over Princeton. It triggered a celebratory mood best exemplified by goalie Merek Pipes’ entry into the game’s final seconds. He relieved Connor Murphy, who made 22 saves, and made a stop on one last shot that drew smiles from his teammates and brought the conversation back to one more game, one more time that the seniors would have a chance to play an opponent at home.

“We were super excited for Merek to get that opportunity,” Hauge said. “The football team was at the game, and they brought a ton of energy. The student section was going nuts, and then he made a save. It was a pretty special moment for him and the bench.

“I think, for us, we didn’t want to get on a bus if we didn’t have to. This allows for our fans to pack our place for one more game. We have all week to sell this game out and make sure it’s a crazy atmosphere. Our guys have an opportunity to skate one more game at home, so that’s exciting for them.”

*******

About that first round…

Completing the regular season brought a final ending to the wild, unpredictable 2022-2023 ECAC campaign. Quinnipiac clinched the Cleary Cup well before the final day with a 20-2 record that made the Bobcats the first team to ever record 20 wins in an ECAC regular season since the league expanded to 12 teams. Their record broke a record set by the 19-2-1 mark set by the 2002-2003 Cornell Big Red and bettered the 18-2-2 record set twice over by the 2004-2005 and 2019-2020 Big Red.

They will host whichever is the lowest remaining seed in the best-of-three Quarterfinal series with Harvard and Cornell clinching two of the other four byes, though the Crimson edged the Big Red for second place by a two-point margin.

The fourth spot went to St. Lawrence, which slid into the first-round bye after Colgate lost to Yale on Friday night and was forced into a shootout by Brown on Saturday. A Saints loss to Harvard kept the Raiders in play for Saturday night, but after they successfully rallied from two second period goals by the Bears, tying the game before the third period, the shootout win meant SLU snuck into the fourth spot by beating Dartmouth

The rest of the playoff matchups filled in with expected outcomes after Union moved its way into eighth. Clarkson finished sixth without much of a challenge from anyone in the league’s bottom half, and the ensuing chaos around eighth created the following matchups for this week’s winner-take-all event:

No. 12 Dartmouth at No. 5 Colgate
No. 11 Brown at No. 6 Clarkson
No. 10 Yale at No. 7 RPI
No. 9 Princeton at No. 8 Union

Unveiling the Lerchies, ECAC edition

When I covered Atlantic Hockey, I somehow always managed to unveil our end-of-season awards. The weird timing of it all meant I nicknamed the awards after Chris Lerch, and as a result, the Lerchies were born without a single thing he could do about it. There was one year where he renamed them the Rubies to get back at me, but since I’m covering ECAC now, he really can’t stop me.

I’ll be unveiling this year’s Lerchies over the coming couple of weeks, so stay tuned for the debate. I, of course, look forward to hearing about how I got them all wrong or how you all agree with them.

Adrian’s Spodniak chosen NCHA top player for ’22-23, Bulldogs’ Krug best coach, MSOE’s McCormack top rookie

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Matus Spodniak has been an offensive catalyst all season for Adrian (photo: Adrian Athletics).

The CHA men’s conference has announced its 2022-23 season award winners, including player of the year, coach of the year, freshman of the year, the all-conference team, and the all-freshman team.

The 2022-23 Player of the Year is Matus Spodniak, a senior forward at Adrian. The Kosice, Slovakia, native not only paced the conference in scoring but currently leads the NCAA Division III level in total points (28 goals, 27 assists, 55 points), points per game (1.96), and goals (28), while also sitting tied for third in assists (27) and tied for ninth in game-winning goals (4).

“Matus has had a career year – absolutely one of the best I’ve seen during my time as a coach,” Adrian coach Adam Krug said in a news release. “When it comes to his speed, shot, and strength, when any two of those three are on, I’ve never seen anything like it. Matus has the ability to take over a game at any moment. And there have been many. He has a knack for scoring in bunches and at big moments. It’s been a pleasure to be around him every day, it’s hard not to be a fan sometimes when he’s on the ice.”

Spodniak made his mark in NCHA action, rising to the top of all of the offensive leaderboards. In league play, Spodniak put together a 14-19-33 statline that gave him the top point, goal, and assist numbers league-wide this winter.

“It’s great to see a person like Matus get this recognition,” Krug said. “The growth he’s shown during his time here, too, has been tremendous. He works so hard: on the ice, in the weight room, and in the classroom. He’s undoubtedly one of the best people I’ve ever been around. This past December, he graduated with a 3.75 GPA, which is remarkable to me, given that English is his second language. His graduation being posted on social media caused some speculation that his time in college hockey was done and he garnered quite a bit of pro hockey attention, including several ECHL opportunities. To his credit, he stayed, and is pursuing a master’s degree. We are receiving calls daily from ECHL teams and a few AHL organizations have shown interest.

“I just hope we can keep this run going and I can continue to coach Matus just a little bit longer.”

The league coaches also voted for freshman of the year, resulting in MSOE’s Gramm McCormack earning the distinction. The newcomer put together an impressive campaign, finishing 13th in overall points (12-18-30 in 27 games), while compiling 18 points (8-10-18) in league play.

Krug is the 2022-23 coach of the year, marking three straight seasons he has now earned the distinction and five times in his career. He has led the Bulldogs to another impressive campaign, currently sitting at 22-4-2 overall and ranked No. 3 in the USCHO.com poll this week. The Bulldogs went 13-4-1 in NCHA play to claim the Peters Cup championship for the ninth straight season (and 15th time in the past 16 years) to extend an amazing streak. Krug claimed career victory No. 200 Feb. 17 and is now 202-44-13 for a winning percentage of .805, giving him the highest winning percentage of any active head coach across all NCAA divisions.

2022-23 Men’s NCHA All-Conference Team (alphabetical)
Forward: Garrett Hallford, Sr., Trine
Forward: Jack Jaunich, Sr., Aurora
Forward: Adam Keyes Sr., Aurora
Forward: Michael McCheseny Sr., St. Norbert
Forward: Sam Ruffin Gr., Adrian
Forward: Matus Spodniak, Sr., Adrian
Defense: Jaden Condotta, Fr., Aurora
Defense: Matteas Derraugh, So., Lake Forest
Defense: Brendan Mark, Sr., St. Norbert
Defense: Chase Spencer, Jr., Adrian
Goalie: Colby Muise, Sr., Marian
Goalie: Kolby Thornton, Fr., Aurora

All-Freshman Team
F: Hassan Akl, Aurora
F: Colin Bella, Lake Forest
F: Gramm McCormack, MSOE
D: Jaden Condotta, Aurora
D: Noah Pickart, Marian
G: Kyle Kozma, Trine

NEHC names Hobart’s Aquaro player of year, Norwich’s Atherton best netminder, Hobart’s Beaver top rookie, Hobart’s Taylor No. 1 coach

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Hobart’s Luke Aquaro was a steady forward all season for the Statesmen (photo: Kevin Colton).

The NEHC men’s division has announced the recipients of the league’s major award winners, all-conference and all-rookie teams as selected by the league’s 10 head coaches.

Hobart’s Luke Aquaro was named NEHC player of the year after posting 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in league play to lead the Statesmen this season. Aquaro also registered an impressive plus-20 plus/minus rating and notched four game-winning goals in league play. His six overall game-winning goals ranks him first nationally in all of D-III men’s hockey.

Norwich’s Drennen Atherton earned NEHC goaltender of the year for the second straight year. Atherton led the NEHC in league wins (11), posting a conference record of 11-2. The senior netminder also ranked third in the league in save percentage (.946), goals against (18), and goals-against average (1.39). He finished the regular season with an overall record of 14-4 between the pipes for the Cadets while also recording two shutouts in league play.

Hobart netminder Damon Beaver was selected as NEHC rookie of the year after finishing second in the league in both goals-against average (1.13) and save percentage (.952). His 1.09 overall GAA and .953 overall save percentage led all of D-III men’s hockey goaltenders in the nation this season. Beaver finished the regular season with an 8-2 record in league play and a 12-2 overall record for the Statesmen.

Hobart’s Mark Taylor was voted NEHC coach of the year by his peers for the second straight year after guiding the program to a 16-2 record in league and No. 1 seed heading into the NEHC postseason. Overall, the Statesmen are 23-2 and lead both the NEHC and the nation in goals per game, goals, assists, and goals against, among several other categories.

FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Forward: Luke Aquaro, Hobart
Forward: Chance Gorman, Elmira
Forward: Jonah Alexander, Hobart
Defense: Amedeo Mastrangeli, Elmira
Defense: Joe Nagle, Norwich
Goaltender: Drennen Atherton, Norwich

SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Forward: Clark Kerner, Norwich
Forward: Thomas Kramer, Babson
Forward: Curtis Judd, Southern Maine
Defense: Gagik Malakyan, Hobart
Defense: Austin Mourar, Hobart
Defense: James Perullo, Babson
Goaltender: Andrew Kormos, New England College

THIRD TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Forward: Kaeden Patrick, Skidmore
Forward: Philip Elgstam, Norwich
Forward: Bryce Irwin, Castleton
Defense: Callum Jones, Norwich
Defense: Danny Magnuson, Skidmore
Goaltender: Nolan Hildebrand, Babson

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Forward: Connor Wood, Skidmore
Forward: Tanner Hartman, Hobart
Forward: Kerfalla Toure, Elmira
Forward: Johnny Johnson, Norwich
Defense: Zach Whittaker, Castleton
Defense: Nolan Dion, Babson
Goaltender: Damon Beaver, Hobart

Norwich’s Guay tabbed NEHC player of year, Southern Maine’s McKim top goalie, Elmira’s Bradbury best rookie, Castleton’s McAuliffe top coach

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Southern Maine’s Haley McKim has been a wall in the Huskies’ net this season (photo: James Liebowitz).

The NEHC women’s division has announced the recipients of the league’s major award winners, all-conference and all-rookie teams as selected by the league’s 10 head coaches.

Ann-Frederique Guay of Norwich was named NEHC player of the year after leading the conference with an impressive 38 points on 16 goals and 22 assists in league play. The senior forward also led the NEHC in plus/minus rating (plus-42) and is tied for first in the league in game-winning goals (4). Nationally, Guay ranks second in Division III women’s hockey in assists (27) and fifth in overall points (45).

Southern Maine’s Haley McKim earned NEHC goaltender of the year for the second straight year. McKim played 16 games in net for the Huskies and posted a 10-5-1 record in league play. She ranked second in the NEHC in league wins, while her .940 save percentage ranked fourth in the league. McKim led the NEHC in saves this season with 518 and over 966 minutes played. Nationally, her 695 overall saves were third among all D-III women’s hockey goaltenders.

Elmira’s Emma Bradbury was selected as NEHC rookie of the year. The first-year forward finished the season with eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in conference play. Four of Bradbury’s eight goals in league play were game-winning goals, tied for first in the NEHC.

Castleton’s Tim McAuliffe was recognized as NEHC coach of the year by his peers after leading Castleton to a 11-7-0 record in the NEHC and 14-10-1 record overall. The Spartans had one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league, finishing second in power-play goals and third in goals, assists, and shots.

FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Forward: Ann-Frederique Guay, Norwich
Forward: Mikah Baptiste, Norwich
Forward: Madison Chagnon, Southern Maine
Defense: Madi Morton, Elmira
Defense: Morgan Tefft, Norwich
Defense: Molly Flanagan, Norwich
Goaltender: Haley McKim, Southern Maine

SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Forward: Morgan Mordini, Elmira
Forward: Aimee Headland, Norwich
Forward: Darby Palisi, Castleton
Defense: Jenny Heath, Elmira
Defense: Emma O’Neill, Norwich
Goaltender: Kristin DiCicco, Castleton

THIRD TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Forward: Emily Lenzen, New England College
Forward: Mary McCafferty, Elmira
Forward: Claire Meeder, Elmira
Defense: Lexi Hoffmann, Elmira
Defense: Katie Manning, Elmira
Defense: Annabel Ziskin, William Smith
Goaltender: Leonie Kuehberger, Elmira

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Forward: Emma Bradbury, Elmira
Forward: Olivia Boyer, Norwich
Forward: Meg Aiken, Castleton
Defense: Allyson Barry, Johnson and Wales
Defense: Caroline Thompson, Southern Maine
Goaltender: Leah Bosch, UMass Boston

WCHA hands out awards as Minnesota’s Heise top forward, Ohio State’s Jaques top ‘D,’ Minnesota Duluth’s Soderberg best goalie, Wisconsin’s Harvey top rookie

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Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques was the 2022 USCHO Player of the Year (photo: Ohio State Athletics).

The WCHA has announced four individual award winners for the 2022-23 campaign.

Minnesota’s Taylor Heise has been named WCHA forward of the year for the second straight season, while Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques also repeats as WCHA defender of the year. Minnesota Duluth’s Emma Soderberg earns WCHA goaltender of the year and Wisconsin’s Caroline Harvey has been named WCHA rookie of the year.

WCHA Forward of the Year
Taylor Heise – Minnesota
5Yr. // Lake City, Minn.
A four-time WCHA forward of the week, Minnesota’s Taylor Heise follows up her First Team All-WCHA nod by being voted as the league’s forward of the year for the second consecutive season. Through the regular season, Heise stood as the league’s leading scorer with 57 points by 25 goals and 32 assists to surpass 200 points in her career and recorded a pair of hat tricks. Tallying a WCHA-best four shorthanded goals on the year, Heise also earned national Recognition when she was named Hockey Commissioners Association’s national player of the month for December. Heise’s 0.76 goals per game average currently leads the nation, and while scoring in every situation, she has added seven power play goals and four game-winners.

WCHA Defender of the Year
Sophie Jaques – Ohio State
Grad. // Toronto, Ont.
After earning six WCHA Defender of the Week titles throughout the regular season, Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques has repeated as the league’s Defender of the Year. Jaques collected a pair of WCHA defender of the month titles on her way to garnering First Team All-WCHA accolades, all while setting the program record for most career points by a defender. From the blueline, Jaques registered 42 points in the regular season by 19 goals and 23 assists, including a nation-topping eight power play goals. While skating to a plus-30 rating on the ice, Jaques added 42 blocked shots and an overtime game-winning goal against then-No. 5/8 Wisconsin on Jan. 13.

WCHA Goaltender of the Year
Emma Soderberg – Minnesota Duluth
Grad. // Jarved, Sweden
After becoming a First Team All-WCHA honoree, netminder Emma Soderberg garners WCHA goaltender of the year accolades for the second time in career. Soderberg registered a league-best .935 save percentage through her 1648:41 of action in the regular season, while making 563 saves for a WCHA-topping 1.419 goals against average. Soderberg tallied a season-high of 44 saves to help the Minnesota Duluth squad earn a 3-1 win over then-No. 2 Wisconsin on Jan. 7. Overall, Soderberg set the program record of career shutouts with 21, and currently leads the NCAA with 10 this season.

WCHA Rookie of the Year
Caroline Harvey – Wisconsin
Defender // Salem, N.H.
After earning a spot on the WCHA All-Rookie Team, Caroline Harvey has been voted as the league’s 2022-23 rookie of the year. Harvey led all WCHA first-year players with 34 points through the regular season by 10 goals and 24 assists. Harvey scored two game-winning goals and added a pair of power play tallies on the year, all while skating to a plus-34 rating on the ice. Harvey’s rookie of the year honor comes after being a two-time WCHA rookie of the month honoree in the regular season, as well as the Hockey Commissioners Association’s national rookie of the month in October.

Penn State’s Zanon named CHA player of year, Mercyhurst’s Nystrøm top goalie, PSU’s Janecke best rookie, Nittany Lions’ Kampersal top coach

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Penn State’s Kiara Zanon has totaled 25 goals and 48 points in 36 games this season (photo: Penn State Athletics).

College Hockey America has announced its 2022-23 player of the year, goaltender of the year, rookie of the year, coach of the year, best defenseman, best defensive forward, individual sportsmanship award winner and scoring champion.

CHA PLAYER OF THE YEAR & SCORING CHAMPION
Kiara Zanon, Jr., F, Penn State
Penn State’s Kiara Zanon leads the conference in points and goals as she has found the back of the net 25 times and dished 23 helpers for 48 points this season. The 25 tucks are tied for fourth nationally as she averaged 0.69 goals per game. She has scored six power-play goals and guided PSU to victory four times with power-play tallies. The Fairport, N.Y., native leads the nation with five shorthanded goals. On Jan. 13 against RIT, the forward equaled and surpassed the 100-career point mark as she scored back-to-back shorthanded goals on the same penalty kill. The performance was the first time in CHA history that a player notched two short-handed markers in the same game, and she became the 12th player to do so in NCAA Women’s Division I hockey history. The junior earned CHA monthly honors twice and was awarded CHA forward of the week honors four times over the course of the season.

CHA GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR
Ena Nystrøm, Sr., G, Mercyhurst
Mercyhurst’s Ena Nystrøm had a spectacular season in CHA play as she started 13 conference games, finishing 9-2-2 with a pair of shutouts and recorded a .948 save percentage and a 1.44 goals-against average. For the full season, the Stavanger, Norway, native has been between the pipes in 28 contests, racking up 15 wins with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. The senior has collected six of the Lakers’ 10 shutouts. She has had nine games this season where she stopped 30+ shots. She leads all active CHA netminders with 44 career performances of 30 saves or more. On Nov. 22, MU defeated St. Lawrence, 6-4, behind a 51-save performance by Nystrøm. Her consistent play earned her three CHA Goaltender of the Week honors and she was name February’s CHA Goaltender of the Month. She was also named to the HCA National Women’s Goaltender of the Year Watch List.

CHA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Tessa Janecke, Fr., F, Penn State
Penn State’s Tessa Janecke has been a dynamic 200-foot player over the course of the season. The freshman ranks 11th nationally with 416 faceoff wins and has won 62.8 percent of her draws. She currently ranks second in the CHA with 22 goals and 46 points over the full season. The Orangeville, Ill., native posted 1.50 points per game in conference play and has a 1.28 per game average overall. She ranks fifth nationally with five game-winners. On special teams, Janecke has potted two shorthanded goals and four power-play markers in 36 contests. Thirteen times this season, she has registered multi-point games. On Feb. 25 in game two of the CHA Semifinal against Lindenwood, she scored her first career hat trick and had two assists for five points. Janecke was selected to the HCA National Women’s Rookie of the Year Watch List. She was named a December’s HCA rookie of the month. This season, she was chosen as the CHA rookie of the week seven times and earned CHA monthly honors five times.

CHA COACH OF THE YEAR
Jeff Kampersal, Penn State
Penn State head coach Jeff Kampersal has guided the Nittany Lions to the most wins in program history in a single season with a 26-8-2 record (.750). The PSU bench boss earned his 400th career victory on Oct. 14 in a 3-2 win at Boston College. At Penn State, Kampersal has recorded a 96-65-37 record (.578) since taking the reins of the PSU program after a 21-season stint at Princeton. Under his tutelage, the Nittany Lions rank fifth nationally in goals (136), assists (234), and team points (370) this season. They rank fourth nationally with seven short-handed goals and second nationally with a 57.1 percent faceoff-winning percentage.

CHA BEST DEFENSEMAN
Izzy Heminger, Sr., D, Penn State
Izzy Heminger has been a force on the Penn State blueline week after week as she has had a stellar season on both sides of the puck. The senior ranks sixth nationally and is tied for second in the conference among defenseman with 22 assists. Two of her four goals this season have been game-winners and one came on the power-play. She has been a key contributor on a Nittany Lion defensive corps that leads the conference with a team goals-against average of 1.90. Heminger has collected two CHA defenseman of the month honors and four CHA weekly honors this season.

CHA BEST DEFENSIVE FORWARD
Lauren Bellefontaine, Gr., F, Syracuse
Syracuse’s Lauren Bellefontaine has been named the CHA best defensive forward for the second straight season. Bellefontaine led the Orange in assists (19) and points (28). The Kemptville, Ont., native was one of the conference’s top faceoff performers as she won 282 draws throughout the year. On Sept. 30 at Merrimack, the forward potted the overtime game-winner to give SU bench boss Britni Smith her first career victory as a head coach. Bellefontaine is tied for second in games played in CHA history at 163 career contests.

CHA INDIVIDUAL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Liliane Perreault, Gr., F, Mercyhurst
Mercyhurst’s Liliane Perreault has played in all situations for the Lakers, netting two power-play goals, two shorthanded goals and two game-winners this season. Her 18 tallies rank fourth in the conference while her 32 points ties her for sixth in the CHA. On Jan. 6 at Post, The Hinsdale, Ill., native tallied a five-point afternoon as she scored her first career hat trick and added two assists. Perreault was named CHA forward of the week on Feb. 13.

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Wacky regular season means conference playoffs shaping up to be anybody’s call

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Michigan’s Nolan Moyle and Wisconsin’s Daniel Laatsch go after a loose puck in a game earlier this season (photo: Clara Boudette).

After a hotly contested regular season, the first round of the Big Ten playoffs begins this week and it’s nearly impossible to predict who will advance to the semifinals.

First-place Minnesota gets a first-round bye. The quarterfinal best-of-three series has No. 7 Wisconsin at No. 2 Michigan, No. 6 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State and No. 5 Michigan State at No. 4 Notre Dame.

And some of that, hockey fans, is screwy – not in any way underhanded or unfair, nor is there an implication here that teams don’t deserve to be exactly where they are right now

It was just a weird season.

There are two outliers to the weirdness that was the Big Ten regular season: Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The Golden Gophers have been at the top of the Big Ten standings for so long that it would be easy to forget that they didn’t start the season that way. Minnesota split its opening B1G series with Ohio State (Oct. 28-29) and entered the standings in fourth place.

After eight conference games had been played, Minnesota ascended to first place after a road sweep of Michigan Nov. 17-18. The Gophers never relinquished that position for the remainder of the season.

Wisconsin, on the other hand, never climbed out of last place. The Badgers earned their first conference win in their seventh game of the season, a 6-3 win over Michigan Dec. 2.

The Badgers finish the regular season with just six wins, having beaten each of their Big Ten opponents once this season.

In retrospect, Minnesota and Wisconsin seem to have been locked in place for the entirety of the season. Everyone else, though – well, that’s a ride.

There isn’t enough time to tell the stories of every team between Minnesota and Wisconsin in the Big Ten standings, but there are a couple of ways to illustrate the immense weirdness of this season.

First is this, the standings after six of the league’s teams had played four conference games. There are three teams at or near the top with three wins and a loss apiece with Michigan State in the middle of the standings and both Michigan and Notre Dame floating just above Wisconsin.

The crazy crowding for conference points began early but note the overall records. Early on, the Big Ten was establishing itself as a dominant conference.

Here are the standings after the third weekend in January. Everyone but Michigan and Wisconsin had played 16 games.

Minnesota is clearly running away with things at that point, two teams are 10 points behind and tied for second, and there are nine points – three games – separating those two teams with sixth-place Michigan.

The Fighting Irish and the Wolverines are still hovering above last-place Wisconsin at that point. Granted, the Fighting Irish and Wolverines had distanced themselves from last place, but they hadn’t distanced themselves from finishing higher than fifth place a month before the end of the season.

A quick glance to the side of those standings, too, shows how successful four teams – Minnesota, Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State – were in nonconference play. Each remains among the top 10 in the PairWise Rankings heading into this weekend.

The second way to illustrate the craziness of this season is to look at how Michigan finished second. After having played 14 games, the Wolverines were in sixth place with 18 points.

A week later, Michigan was tied for fifth place with Michigan State, each with 24 points. Michigan was still, though, only position above last-place Wisconsin.

On week later, both Michigan and Michigan State had played themselves into a four-way points tie with Ohio State and Penn State – each in second place, each with 30 points.

A week later – mid-February, mind you – the Wolverines had sole possession of second place after sweeping Michigan State. The Wolverines entered last weekend tied with Ohio State for second place and managed to hold onto sole possession of second at the end of the season with 38 points, two ahead of the Buckeyes.

The Wolverines finished in second despite going 0-2-2 in their last four games of the season, playing against two of the teams chasing them most ardently, Ohio State and Notre Dame. And they lost shootouts to each team, too.

That’s just one wild ride. Consider that both Michigan and Notre Dame remained below home-ice contention for most of the season and that they’re both hosting first-round playoff series. Also consider the weirdness of Penn State – No. 9 in the PWR – traveling in the first round.

My favorite feel-good oddity of the season: Michigan State’s single week at the top of the Big Ten standings, when the Spartans had gone 4-1-1 with an extra shootout point after six games.

What forces in the universe must be aligned for each series this weekend to finish in a two-game, home-team sweep? I have neither patience for math, nor the astrology chops to handle that kind of calculation.

Here’s a look at the quarterfinal matches.

No. 7 Wisconsin at No. 2 Michigan

Wisconsin comes into this series on a high note, having defeated Penn State 2-1 on the road in their final game of the regular season. The Badgers went 3-5-0 in February, but they’ve split each of their last three series.

Michigan was 4-2-2 in February, but the four wins were the first four games of the month. The Wolverines were 0-2-2 in their last four, with their last regular-season game an overtime home loss to Notre Dame.

Michigan leads this all-time series 86-67-14 and is 12-4-0 against Wisconsin in regular-season play for the last four seasons. This year, the Wolverines have won three straight against the Badgers after Wisconsin took the first contest 6-3 (Dec. 2).

Here are some quick comparative stats.

  • Scoring offense: Wisconsin, 2.50 goals per game (tied 44th nationally); Michigan, 3.88 (fifth)
  • Scoring defense: Wisconsin, 3.32 goals allowed per game (tied 53rd); Michigan 3.12 (42nd)
  • Power play: Wisconsin, 21.5% (23rd); Michigan 23.2% (16th)
  • Penalty kill: Wisconsin, 78.4% (41st); Michigan, 77.4% (50th)
  • Top scorer: Wisconsin, freshman Cruz Lucious (10-21—31); Michigan, freshman Adam Fantilli (20-30—50)
  • Top goal scorer: Wisconsin, senior Brock Caufield (11); Michigan, freshman Adam Fantilli (20)
  • Goaltender: Wisconsin, senior Jared Moe (.901 SV%, 3.16 GAA); Michigan, junior Erik Portillo (.908 SV%, 3.01 GAA)

The last time these two teams met in the Big Ten playoffs in 2019, the Badgers had home ice and they swept their quarterfinal series against the Wolverines, 5-4 and 4-3.

Wisconsin hasn’t taken two games in a weekend this season.

Last year, the Wolverines went 4-0 in the Big Ten playoffs to capture their second championship. Michigan has advanced to the conference title game three times.

No. 6 Penn State at No. No. 3 Ohio State

Neither of these teams had the February they wanted to, beginning with the opening weekend of the month when they split against each other in Columbus. The Nittany Lions scored six goals that weekend to the Buckeyes’ seven.

Penn State played six games last month, going 3-3-0 for the stretch and finishing the regular season with a 2-1 home loss to Wisconsin last weekend.

The Buckeyes were 2-4-2 in February, having dropped the final two games of the season to Minnesota on the road last weekend, a series in which the Gophers outscored the Buckeyes 9-2.

Ohio State leads this series 23-17-4 all time with a 12-10-2 edge in Columbus. The teams split the season series this year, with each taking a game in the other’s barn. Ohio State is 7-5-2 against Penn State in the last four seasons.

Here are some quick comparative stats.

  • Scoring offense: Penn State, 3.41 goals per game, 10th nationally); Ohio State, 3.24, (tied 14th)
  • Scoring defense: Penn State, 2.79 (28th); Ohio State (2.50, tied 15th)
  • Power play: Penn State, 15.5% (50th); Ohio State, 22.1% (21st)
  • Penalty kill: Penn State, 74.7% (58th); Ohio State, 89.4% (first)
  • Top scorer: Penn State, seniors Kevin Wall (14-13—27) and Ture Linden (10-17—27); Ohio State, freshman Stephen Halliday (8-26—34)
  • Top goal scorer: Penn State, senior Kevin Wall (14); Ohio State, freshman David Burnside (13)
  • Goaltender: Penn State, junior Liam Souliere (.910 SV%), 2.53 GAA); Ohio State, sophomore Jakub Dobes (.916 SV%, 2.35 GAA)

Last year, Penn State ended Ohio State’s season when the Nittany Lions took the playoff quarterfinal series in Columbus. The Buckeyes won the first game 4-3, but Penn State took the next two, 3-2 and 2-1.

Penn State has a seven-year Big Ten semifinal streak on the line this weekend, and the Nittany Lions have advanced to the semifinals in eight of the conference’s nine seasons. The Nittany Lions haven’t lost a best-of-three quarterfinal series since the Big Ten adopted the current playoff format in 2018.

Ohio State is one of two Big Ten teams looking to capture its first-ever B1G conference championship.

No. 5 Michigan State at No. 4 Notre Dame

For the Spartans, the regular season ended two weeks ago with a split series at Wisconsin. The weekend resulted in a pair of 6-2 games and Michigan State on the losing end of their last regular-season game of the season. The Spartans went 3-3-0 in February, beginning with a weekend sweep of Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish also played six games in February, fighting their way to home ice with a record of 2-2-2 and important shootout extra points against Ohio State and Michigan. The Irish ended their regular season on a very high note, an overtime road win against the Wolverines.

Michigan State leads this all-time series 68-57-16, but Notre Dame hold a 32-26-11 home advantage. In the last four years, the teams are even at 6-6-4. This season, Michigan State was 2-1-1 against Notre Dame.

Here are some quick comparative stats.

  • Scoring offense: Michigan State, 2.88 goals per game (27th nationally); Notre Dame, 2.35 (tied 52nd)
  • Scoring defense: Michigan State, 3.09 (41st); Notre Dame, 2.62 (22nd)
  • Power play: Michigan State, 19.2% (34th); Notre Dame, 19.7% (31st)
  • Penalty kill: Michigan State, 80.0% (35th); Notre Dame, 75.4% (57th)
  • Top scorer: Michigan State, senior Nicolas Muller (7-22—29); Notre Dame, graduate student Chayse Primeau (8-14—22)
  • Top goal scorer: Michigan State, senior Jagger Joshua (13); Notre Dame, graduate student Chayse Primeau (8) and senior Trevor Janicke (8)
  • Goaltender: Michigan State, Dylan St. Cyr (.914 SV%, 2.83 GAA); Notre Dame, senior Ryan Bischel (.932 SV%, 2.39 GAA)

The Irish have more than advancement to the semifinals riding on this series. Currently, Notre Dame sits at No. 14 in the PairWise Rankings, and losses to Michigan State may end the season for good for the Irish.

Notre Dame captured their only Big Ten tournament championship the season they joined the league (2017-18).

The Spartans are looking for their first-ever Big Ten playoff win, having gone 0-13-0 since the league’s first season. Michigan State is one of two teams still in the hunt for a B1G conference playoff title.

Top 10 finalists for 2023 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award include 2022 winner, Minnesota’s Heise, among candidates

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Minnesota’s Taylor Heise won the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award (photo: Wesley Dean).

The 10 finalists for the 2023 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award were unveiled Thursday.

The honor, which was first presented in 1998, is given annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s hockey.

The finalists (in alphabetical order) are as follows:

Pia Dukaric, Goaltender, Sophomore, Yale, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Jennifer Gardiner, Forward, Senior, Ohio State, Surrey, B.C.
Taylor Heise, Forward, Fifth Year, Minnesota, Lake City, Minn.
Sophie Jaques, Defender, Graduate, Ohio State, Toronto, Ontario
Alina Mueller, Forward, Graduate, Northeastern, Winterthur, Switzerland
Maureen Murphy, Forward, Graduate, Northeastern Buffalo, N.Y.
Gwyneth Philips, Goaltender, Senior, Northeastern, Athens, Ohio
Danielle Serdachny, Forward, Senior, Colgate Edmonton, Alberta
Kiara Zanon, Forward, Junior, Penn State, Fairport, N.Y.
Grace Zumwinkle, Forward, Fifth Year, Minnesota, Excelsior, Minn.

The selection process commenced in early February when NCAA Division I women’s hockey coaches were asked to nominate players for the award. Players who were nominated by multiple coaches were then placed on an official ballot, which was returned to the coaches to vote for the ten finalists. The three finalists, including the recipient of the 2023 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, will be chosen by a 13-person selection committee made up of NCAA Division I women’s hockey coaches, representatives of print and broadcast media, and an at-large member and representative of USA Hockey, the national governing body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States.

The top-three finalists are expected to be announced on Wednesday, March 8.

The 2023 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award show will be broadcast live from the AMSOIL Arena ticket lobby on Saturday, March 18, in Duluth, Minn., as part of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four. Fans are encouraged to attend with doors opening at 11 a.m. CT and the live 30-minute television show beginning promptly at 11:30 a.m. CT. The three finalists will be on hand, in addition to Frozen Four team participants, as the 26th winner of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be revealed. NHL Network’s Siera Santos will host the show and Serena Veazey, daughter of the late Patty Kazmaier, is expected to be in attendance as well. The event is free of charge and light refreshments will be available.

Following the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award show, fans will have a chance to get autographs from Olympic gold medalists Hilary Knight, Maddie Rooney and AJ Mleczko.

An award of the USA Hockey Foundation, the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is annually presented to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey. Selection criteria includes outstanding individual and team skills, sportsmanship, performance in the clutch, personal character, competitiveness and a love of hockey. Consideration is also given to academic achievement and civic involvement. Full list of previous honorees.

The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, who was a four-year varsity letter-winner and All-Ivy League defenseman at Princeton University from 1981-86. An accomplished athlete who helped lead the Tigers to the Ivy League championship in three consecutive seasons (1981-84), Patty Kazmaier-Sandt died Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.

Northeastern’s Mueller named Hockey East player of year for third time; Vermont’s Beecher top rookie, Northeastern’s Flint now five-time coach of year

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Northeastern graduate forward Alina Mueller is now a three-time Hockey East player of the year (photo: Jim Pierce).

Hockey East has announced that Northeastern graduate forward Alina Mueller has been awarded the 2023 Cammi Granato Award as conference player of the year.

It is the third time Mueller has been so honored, tying Kelli Stack’s record during her tenure with Boston College.

Alongside Mueller, Northeastern’s Dave Flint is coach of the year for the fifth time in his career, and Vermont forward Lara Beecher has been honored as rookie of the year.

Mueller rewrote the record books during 2022-23, leading the league with 40 points on 15 goals and 25 assists in 27 conference games to become Hockey East’s all-time leading scorer at 176 points and all-time assists leader with 108. Her 25 helpers tied for eighth-most in a single season in Hockey East history. No player scored more game-winning goals in Hockey East play than Mueller’s six, helping Northeastern to its fifth regular season crown. Overall, Mueller’s 55 points and nine game-winning goals are the most of any league player. She finished with a plus-43 on-ice rating and won 55.7 percent of her faceoffs.

Last week, Mueller was named as the lone unanimous selection to the All-Hockey East First Team and as the runner-up for the three stars award. In the Hockey East quarterfinals, she became the all-time career tournament points leader (30) with a three-goal, two-assist performance. Mueller is tied with Kendall Coyne for Northeastern’s career points record, sitting at 249 overall points. She was also named Hockey East player of the week four times in 2022-23 and Hockey East player of the month for February.

Beecher tied for the lead among all Hockey East rookies with 18 points in league play, leading the way with eight goals and 0.67 points per game. Three of her tallies came on the power play while she posted a plus-18 on-ice rating. Her 44 shots were the eighth most by a first-year player.

Overall, Beecher compiled 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 34 outings. She earned rookie of the month status in January when she scored four goals and two assists to solidify the Catamounts’ top-15 ranking in the country and second place position in Hockey East. She also picked up rookie of the week accolades on Oct. 17 after a goal and two assists for her first career multi-point game in the Catamounts’ 6-1 win over then-No. 14 UConn.

Flint has led the Huskies to a 31-2-1 overall record and a 24-2-1 mark in Hockey East play to capture their fifth straight regular-season crown. Under Flint, the Huskies played staunch defense, allowing just 23 goals in 27 games (0.85 goals per game) while scoring 100 (3.70.) His team’s power play converted at a league-best 22.3 percent success rate while stifling opponents’ opportunities 91.5 percent of the time, second-best in Hockey East.

Yale’s Dukaric, Northeastern’s Philips, Minnesota Duluth’s Soderberg three finalists for 2023 Women’s Hockey Goalie of the Year Award

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Yale’s Pia Dukaric, NU’s Gwyneth Philips, and UMD’s Emma Soderberg are in the running for this year’s Women’s Hockey Goalie of the Year honors (photos: Yale Athletics. Northeastern Athletics, Minnesota Duluth Athletics).

The Women’s Hockey Commissioners Association has announced the three finalists for the Women’s Hockey Goalie of the Year Award.

The finalists are Yale’s Pia Dukaric, Northeastern’s Gwyneth Philips, and Minnesota Duluth’s Emma Soderberg. Dukaric is a sophomore, Philips is a senior and Soderberg is a graduate student.

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

The three finalists have an international flair as Dukaric is from Slovenia, Soderberg is from Sweden, and Philips, the only American finalist, is from Ohio.

All three finalists are preparing for their conference semifinals: Philips and NU host Boston College on Wednesday evening, Dukaric and Yale host Clarkson on Friday afternoon, and Soderberg and UMD play Ohio State at Minnesota on Friday afternoon as well.

The winner will be announced on March 16, on the eve of this year’s Frozen Four, hosted by Minnesota Duluth.

The Women’s Hockey Goalie of the Year Award was established in 2021 and Northeastern’s Aerin Frankel captured both the 2021 and 2022 awards.

This Week in Hockey East: Peculiar PairWise placing puts league members in precarious postseason positions

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Maine players celebrate a goal in the Black Bears’ 2-1 win over Boston College on Feb. 25 (photo: Maine Athletics).

Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf acknowledges there are pros and cons to running a league known for parity.

Pros: Hockey East is widely acknowledged as an “any given night” league where there’s little surprise when a team low in the standings beats a contender. See: The second-half resurgences of Maine and New Hampshire, which are a combined 16-7-5 since the calendar turned to 2023.

Cons: With such parity comes a lot of teams canceling each other out, which has led to a concerning situation for the third-year Hockey East commissioner: With one weekend to go in the regular season, it is plausible — though certainty not inevitable — that the league will be represented by only one team in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

“We have one team in, two is a distinct possibility, and I think three is the absolute most,” Metcalf said. “In the two- and three- scenarios, we need help from others.”

With only Boston University ranked in the top 16 of the PairWise — which the NCAA selection committee uses to decide which teams get at-large bids to the tournament — any Hockey East team to fall short of a conference tournament championship could very well find themselves on the outside looking in when the NCAA tourney bracket is announced on March 19. That includes Merrimack, Northeastern and Connecticut, three squads with winning records which have been consistently ranked in this year’s USCHO.com men’s D-I poll.

Six of Hockey East’s 11 teams have been nationally ranked at some point this season. Metcalf pointed to a 17-game stretch of non-conference games from late December to mid-January where Hockey East teams fared poorly as a major factor in where the league finds itself at this point.

“Eight of our 11 teams had a result that surely they’d like to do over, and some had multiple,” Metcalf said. “Those games were a killer for us.”

The Terriers are currently ranked No. 6 in the PairWise and, barring a disastrous final regular-season weekend and early exit from the conference tourney, should find themselves among the field of 16 NCAA tourney teams regardless of how they perform in the single-elimination Hockey East tournament, which starts next Wednesday (March 8) and concludes March 18 at TD Garden.

“The biggest thing is to continue playing the way we did this weekend,” BU coach Jay Pandolfo said following a weekend sweep at Vermont that snapped a four-game losing streak. “We have to keep building our game and get back to being consistent every night. (We) have enough talent and skill to have a good team. We have to make sure we’re playing consistent hockey.”

Merrimack and Northeastern are tied at No. 17 in the PairWise, putting them right on the bubble. UConn is 19th. All three will have to finish the regular season strong, avoid being bounced early from the Hockey East tournament, and get help in the form of losses by teams ranked ahead of them.

Merrimack coach Scott Borek said his focus is on the Warriors’ regular season finale on Saturday at home vs. Vermont, then they can worry about the postseason. Merrimack has clinched a first-round bye and will host a home quarterfinal game in the Hockey East playoffs on March 11.

“The pressure’s on everybody in the playoffs,” Borek told Mike Machnik, radio voice of the Warriors. “You just have to play. I try to look at it as an opportunity — you have a pretty good team in the playoffs. Last year I was really disappointed with the way our season ended (a 7-2 loss at UMass Lowell in the conference quarterfinals). We didn’t play our best game. I say if we play our best game in the first round of the playoffs, I’ll be happy, and the result will take care of itself.”

The next highest-ranked Hockey East teams in the PairWise — Providence (23rd) and Maine (24th) would have to do the same and get a lot of help. The rest of the league — Boston College (25th), Lowell (27th), Massachusetts (35th), UNH (45th) and UVM (52nd) will certainly have to win the Hockey East tournament to receive the association’s automatic NCAA bid.

“Vermont, Maine and UNH have had unbelievable second halves,” Metcalf said. “They’ve certainly ruined some dreams and aspirations of the teams ahead of them, that’s for sure.”

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