Jordan Fader leads UW-Stevens Point into action against St. Norbert this weekend (Photo Credit: UW-Stevens Point Athletics)
Hello hockey fans. It’s time for another season. And you can’t ask for anything better than a couple of matchups on the opening weekend that are worthy of being played late in March.
Reigning champ Adrian battles Utica, the last team to beat Adrian, and UW-Stevens Point squares off with St. Norbert in a huge in-state battle featuring a pair of top 10 teams.
Here’s a look at few of the games on tap for this weekend.
Friday and Saturday
Utica at Adrian
Utica handed Adrian its only loss a season ago before the Bulldogs rattled off 31 consecutive wins on their way to a national title.
This is a huge test for both teams. The Bulldogs go into the year as the No. 1 team in the nation.
Both teams execute well on both ends of the ice and this is a series could easily end in a split. But the Bulldogs are the team to beat until proven otherwise. Adrian, 3-2, 2-1
Stevens Point vs. St. Norbert
Like the Adrian-Utica series, this matchup is one worthy of the NCAA tournament. The Pointers are ranked 10th in the country and the Green Knights are sixth.
It’s a series that features two of the best scorers in the game in the Pointers’ Jordan Fader and the Green Knights’ Liam Fraser. UW-Stevens Point, 5-3; St. Norbert 4-3
Lake Forest at Saint Mary’s
The Foresters are looking for a turnaround season and have a roster with 23 returning players on it. Lake Forest has a chance to get off to a great start to the year. But so are the Cardinals. After managing only eight wins last season, the Cardinals have a chance to build some confidence early. They return 25 players. Lake Forest, 3-1; Saint Mary’s, 2-1
Fredonia at Trine
The Thunder are coming off their best season in program history and have the potential to be even better this season.
Trine faces a team that won 10 games last year and welcomes back one of its best players in Garrett Hallford, who is back for a fifth year and scored 10 goals while dishing out 22 assists.
Fredonia won only three games on the road, which means Trine should have the edge.
Trine, 4-2 and 5-2
Friday
St. Scholastica at Concordia (Wisconsin)
The Saints are poised to be one of the better teams in the MIAC this season and have an opportunity to get started on the right foot. They return their top three scorers and that should make all the difference in the world for them. Saint Scholastica, 4-2
Saturday
Saint Scholastica at MSOE
This might be one of the more interesting matchups in the early part of the season. The Saints have a good number of their returning players back, and not just offensively. They also have two goaltenders that have experience.
The Raiders have a lot of young talent but expectations are high and beating a team like the Saints would bolster their confidence. Saint Scholastica, 5-2
Saint John’s at UW-River Falls
The Johnnies and Falcons are consistently two of the better teams in the west region and this year should be no exception. Saint John’s is led by team captain Auggie Moore, who led the team in points (28).
The Falcons bring back a talented cast of returning players, including Noah Ganske, who spent part of his summer at the Edmonton Oilers’ development camp. Saint John’s, 3-2
Stevenson’s Ryan Kenny looks to put his team in the win column as they open against SUNY-Canton this weekend (Photo by Sabina Moran)
The end of the exhibition season is upon us and while the action was exciting it hasn’t counted just yet. Thankfully, the official puck drop to the new season is upon us this weekend and, WOW, what a slate of games with a few top-ranked teams playing each other. Tournament action is also on tap this weekend with the Woo Cup Tournament in Worcester, MA among the local institutions with hardware on the line to open the season. Here are the first prognostications of the season from a varied and exciting group of non-conference action:
Friday, October 28, 2022
Salem State v. (14) Endicott
The Battle of the North Shore opens the season with the Gulls playing host to the Vikings. Expect this one to be close but the CCC ekes it out over MASCAC with some power play goals to get the “W” – Endicott, 4-3
Massachusetts-Dartmouth v. Massachusetts-Boston
The Beacons and Corsairs have been playing each other for many years despite different league affiliations. The rivalry is always a lively encounter and fast paced. The combination of Sam Best in goal and some new incoming offensive talent leads the Beacons to the win – UMB, 4-1
(13) Oswego v. (5) Hobart
Nothing like a top 15 matchup in the Cooler to open the season. While the Statesmen are finding out about their goaltending their skaters can stifle an opposing team with their skill and immense crowd support. Home ice is worth at least one goal in this one and the home team needs it – Hobart, 3-2
Plattsburgh v. Plymouth State
The Panthers won’t be looking past the Cardinals on Friday night, especially opening at home. Look for a physical game that includes a lot of special teams play. Power play is the difference in this one with Myles Abbate making the winning difference for the home team – PSU, 4-3
Stevenson v. Canton
The Mustangs need to be very focused and not worry about who is visiting their barn next weekend. Best to avoid the upset alert and take care of business against the Roos. Ryan Kenny makes sure the boys are focused in a semi-comfortable win – Stevenson, 5-2
St. Anselm v. Southern New Hampshire
This NE-10 opener may be a preview of something we see much later in the season – oh, like next March. Nick Howard vs. Aaron Mercer in goal for the respective teams are the two best in the conference. George Thurston scores for the Penmen but not enough to beat the Hawks on opening night – St. Anselm, 3-2
Saturday, October 29, 2022
(2) Geneseo v. Nazareth
The Knights are always looking to start fast, and an early lead here provided by Justin Cmunt and Peter Morgan leads to a comfortable lead. Matt Petzian in goal assures a Geneseo win on the road – Geneseo, 5-2
(3) Utica v. (1) Adrian
The Pioneers love a challenge so nothing like starting the season on the road against the defending national champions. Experience in big games matters for Utica and they leverage it on Saturday in a thrilling one-goal win – Utica, 5-4
Cortland v. (11) Wilkes
The Red Dragons went to Wilkes last season and won, and Luca Durante did not play in that game. Flip the script where he is in the blue paint for the home team and Cortland opens the season with an upset win over a quality ranked team – Cortland, 3-1
Chatham v. Skidmore
Rob Hutchison’s group isn’t going to surprise anyone this season based on their success last year. Tate Brandon will build off his solid freshman season and the Thoroughbreds will ease past the Cougars with the help of a late insurance goal – Skidmore, 4-2
Plymouth State v. (7) Babson
The Beavers open their season with a young lineup that will be tested against Plymouth State. Last season saw a one-goal game between these two teams and this year will see more scoring but same differential – Babson, 3-2
St. Michael’s v. Albertus Magnus
The Falcons do not want to repeat last season’s slow start so a win, or two, on opening weekend is just what their coach is looking for. Logan Bateman does his thing in goal and Alex Gagnon and company find enough to win – Albertus Magnus, 3-1
It is the first half sprint that kicks-off this weekend through early December. Everyone is looking to start hot and get some important wins and momentum in their favor. It should be a very exciting season across every conference. Buckle up! It’s going to be a crazy ride. My weekly game pick sign-off is always in homage and appreciation to John “Jocko” Connolly for letting me use it over these many years. It’s time – “Drop the Puck!”
Mattias Sholl has been steady in net this season for Bemidji State (photo: BSU Photo Services).
We are four weeks into the USCHO Edge column and I’m beginning to see a trend: for the most part, the oddsmakers are doing a better job at setting lines.
Last weekend, four of the five games we handicapped were won by the favorites and the fifth was taken by an even-money (+100) underdog, Notre Dame.
That said, three of the five two-game series were splits (UConn/BU, North Dakota/Minnesota and Western Michigan/Notre Dame), so Saturday’s rematches were won by the underdogs (all were slight technically slight underdogs or pick ’em, though).
My point: it’s getting more difficult to find any value, particularly when you’re betting two nationally-ranked teams. The books consider these matchups razor-thin and often times even when you bet the underdog, you’ll be giving money (see below: Penn State).
If you’re looking for advice, find edges. Find games where you think there could be an underlying storyline (See below: Michigan-Western Michigan). Another area to find value can be the over/under (always indicated on the end of the line as o/u). Currently, college hockey goals are up season-over-season. That trend usually corrects itself but right now the puck is jumping in the net for some teams.
For instance, both Michigan and Penn State are averaging better than five goals per game. So if you see an over/under for these teams around 6 or 6.5, the over becomes an obvious bet. Will it always win? No. But the odds are in your favor that it will.
Here are this week’s breakdowns:
All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook:
No. 1 Minnesota (-140) at No. 11 Ohio State (+110); o/u 6
The nation’s top-ranked team is only a slight favorite here, which likely factors in two things: the game is being played in Columbus and Minnesota is coming off an emotional weekend against North Dakota.
It will be hard to recreate the atmosphere from 3M Arena at Mariucci this weekend in Columbus and thus a slow start for the Gophers is a distinct possibility.
That said, it’s still difficult to pick against a team whose two losses have come against Minnesota State and North Dakota (in overtime), two teams ranked in the top 10.
If there is something to look for in Minnesota this weekend it’s the ability to close out an opponent. The Gophers haven’t had a comfortable victory since week one against Lindenwood. That closing ability could be notable as the season moves along.
Jim
Ed
John
Dan
Chris
Jack
Matt
Paula
Nat'l
Nat'l
HEA
ECAC
AHA
CCHA
NCHC
B1G
No. 9 Boston University (+100) at No. 18 UMass Lowell (-130); o/u 5.5
While UMass Lowell and Boston University aren’t one another’s true rivals, this series always has some rivalry-like emotion to it. This weekend, it will pit two coaches in BU’s Jay Pandolfo and UML’s Norm Bazin who played against one another in some heated games back in the 90s.
Yes, that was nearly 30 years ago, but expect both coaches to bring some 90s emotion to their respective locker rooms.
Neither team has been good in games to begin a two-game series. UMass Lowell dropped their openers against Miami and Michigan State while BU fell to Michigan and UConn in their first of two. Something has to give on Friday.
This is a tough game to handicap, though you can expect a solid home crowd for the River Hawks that might be enough to put them over the edge.
Jim
Ed
John
Dan
Chris
Jack
Matt
Paula
Nat'l
Nat'l
HEA
ECAC
AHA
CCHA
NCHC
B1G
No. 17 Western Michigan (+180) at No. 4 Michigan (-220); o/u 6.5
Let’s travel back in time to last December when a controversy was stirring in college hockey around a scheduled game between Western Michigan and Michigan. The game was supposed to be the second game of the Great Lakes Invitational when the Wolverines were missing many of their key players to World Juniors.
Michigan decided to cancel the game leaving many Western Michigan fans – and likely their coaches and players – irate. Since then, it feels like this weekend has ben circled on the calendars in Kalamazoo.
That said, this is a home-and-home series that begins in Ann Arbor, a place that Michigan has been 21-6-1 since the start of last season and 14-1-0 since the start of this calendar year.
Western did knock off Michigan at Yost in this exact series last season (and won in Kalamazoo the following night). And Western Michigan at +180 feels like one of the best values we’ve seen for any team this season.
Jim
Ed
John
Dan
Chris
Jack
Matt
Paula
Nat'l
Nat'l
HEA
ECAC
AHA
CCHA
NCHC
B1G
No. 16 Penn State (-105) at Wisconsin (-125); o/u 6.5
It’s tough to imagine a team that is a perfect 6-0-0 receiving so little respect from bookmakers, but thus is the case for Penn State.
Tied with Michigan for the highest-scoring offense in the nation, the Nittany Lions are a technical underdog, though will cost you money to bet (-105). It’s obvious the books don’t respect PSU’s strength of schedule (sweeps of Canisius, Mercyhurst and St. Thomas) and are crediting Wisconsin for its sweep of Minnesota Duluth a week ago.
This might be a good place to bet the over (6.5), as these two teams average combined total is close to 7.5 goals per game. Wisconsin scored eight goals in its two wins last weekend, which means the offense my finally be figuring things out.
Jim
Ed
John
Dan
Chris
Jack
Matt
Paula
Nat'l
Nat'l
HEA
ECAC
AHA
CCHA
NCHC
B1G
No. 2 St. Cloud State (-195) at Bemidji State (+160); o/u 6
St. Cloud State might be the most popular favorite this weekend and for good reason.
The Huskies are 6-0-0 and completed am impressive weekend sweep of Minnesota State last weekend, proving they can win tight games late, scoring the game-winner in the third period of each game. This St. Cloud State team feels resilient.
But Bemidji State has battled well through four games, rebounding from a loss to Arizona State with an overtime win in the second game of that series and then taking 5-of-6 points against Michigan Tech.
This is easily the biggest test for the Beavers, but Tom Serratore’s teams have always seemed to find a way to play their best competition tough.
USCHO Edge hosts Jim Connelly, Dan Rubin, and Ed Trefzger analyze five games among top 20 D-I college hockey teams, looking at money lines and over/under as well as giving an in-depth look at the matchups. We also discuss whether major penalties and high power-play percentages are affecting over/under.
Austin Dollimer is among the key players back for the Auggies, who reached the national semifinals last season. (Photo: Augsburg Athletics)
Anything can happen on any given night in the world of MIAC hockey.
Take last year for example. The Auggies went into the conference tournament ranked fourth nationally and riding a 16-game home winning streak only to see seventh-seeded St. Olaf play spoiler and win the MIAC crown for the second time in program history.
Coaches will tell you the MIAC might be the deepest it has been in quite some time and that means this year’s title is up for grabs.
While the Auggies and Oles will be among the top contenders in the league, Saint John’s and Concordia should also be in the mix for the title. And don’t overlook Saint Scholastica either, which was a top four team in the conference standings last season.
The puck drops on a new season this weekend, and the regular-season championship isn’t likely to be decided until the final weekend. And once tourney play begins, the top seed might be favored but that doesn’t mean a lower seed can’t pull off an upset.
Augsburg (25-5, 14-2 MIAC)
All last season the Auggies were one of the nation’s best teams. And despite coming up short in the MIAC tournament, Augsburg went on to make a run at the Frozen Four before falling to eventual national champion Adrian.
With 20 players back for second-year head coach Greg May, expect the Auggies to be a title contender in the MIAC and nationally again this season.
Among the key players back is Mason Palmer, an All-American who dished out 22 assists during his first season with the Auggies. Palmer came to the program last year after transferring in from Northern Michigan.
Fritz Belisle was an All-MIAC pick who scored 16 goals and dished out 10 assists. Jared Blackowiak also returns. Anther All-MIAC selection, the senior standout scored 13 goals and dished out 12 assists.
Five other players earned all-conference honors last season while Samuel Vyletekla was on the all-rookie team as a goaltender. He went 11-3, recording five shutouts and saving nearly 94 percent of the shots he faced. All-MIAC selection Jack Robbell went 14-2 in goal and had one shutout. He saved just over 92 percent of the shots he faced.
Austin Dollimer scored 10 goals and dished out 22 assists while Gavin Holland tallied 13 goals and 16 assists. Both were All-MIAC picks.
Logan Kons (4 goals, 8 assists) and Nick Woodward (5 goals, 5 assists) were also earned all-conference honors.
Augsburg, coming off its 11th MIAC regular-season championship and seventh trip to the national tourney, also have several key newcomers, including St. Thomas transfers Vincent Weis and Michael Ferrandino.
St. Olaf (11-15-3, 5-8-1 MIAC)
The Oles are not only the reigning MIAC tourney champs, but they are also coming off a season where they played in the NCAA tournament, nearly stunning nationally ranked St. Norbert before falling in overtime.
Eddie Effinger begins his third season as the head coach and he worked the recruiting trail hard, with his newcomer class earning a top 10 ranking for the second straight year.
That talent is merely an addition to a young roster stacked with players capable of rising to the occasion on any given night.
Tyler Cooper returns as the team’s top goal scorer. The All-MIAC and USCHO All-Rookie team pick scored 14 goals last year while also dishing out nine assists
Sean Walsh is also back after scoring 12 goals last season. He ranked second on the Oles in that category and also ranked second in points.
Lukas Haugen will handle goaltending duties once again after fashioning an 8-6 record last season. He saved more than 91 percent of the shots he faced.
Haugen should get plenty of support from the offense as Cooper and Walsh are among the players back who accounted for 80 of the 82 goals the Oles scored and all 127 assists.
As talented as the Oles are, they are still young as only four seniors are on the roster.
Saint John’s (17-8-2, 9-4-1 MIAC)
The Johnnies finished third in the conference standings a year ago, reaching the MIAC tourney
for the fourth consecutive year, and they have high hopes of contending for the title this year.
They are certainly in a position to achieve that goal, especially with Auggie Moore back in the fold. The team captain led the Johnnies in points (28) and finished second in goals scored (15) and assists (13). Four of his goals were game-winners.
Jack Johnson is also back after scoring two goals and dishing out seven assists last season, and Peter Tabor is the team’s top returning defenseman, finishing with three goals and 14 assists last year. His assist total was the second-most on the team.
Top goal scorer Lewis Crosby also returns for the Johnnies. He punched in 17 goals last year and ranked second on the team in points with 23. He’s the first player in the program to score 17 goals in a season since Matt Erredge in 1999. The former St. Thomas player also tallied three hat tricks.
Joe Raleigh tallied four assists and Jack Olsen, despite playing in only nine MIAC games because of injury, finished last season with 11 assists.
Nick Michel came through with 10 goals and nine assists after transferring in from Alabama-Huntsville.
The Johnnies also still have Spencer Rudrud on the roster. Though he missed the final five games of the year because of injury, he finished with a team-best 15 assists as he turned out to be one of the league’s top rookies.
Jackson Sabo is also back. He appeared in 13 games and scored four goals while dishing out four assists.
Saint John’s also welcomes in six key newcomers, including Long Island transfer Justin Thompson.
The Johnnies will be tested early this year as they play seven of their first nine games away from home.
Concordia (13-10-3, 10-4-2 MIAC)
Don’t count out the Cobbers as a contender this season. A total of 23 players return for first-year head coach Kirk Olimb, including Cole O’Connell, an All-MIAC selection who tied for the team lead in goals and was second overall in points. He came through with 10 goals and 14 assists a year ago.
All-Rookie team pick Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe is also among the returning players. He finished third on the team in scoring with nine goals and nine assists.
Jaret Lalli is also back after playing in all 26 games for the Cobbers last season and scoring two goals while dishing out seven assists.
Jackson Nelson returns as the top goaltender for the Cobbers. He played in 20 games and fashioned a 2.08 goals against average while winning 11 games. Nelson made 448 saves.
The Cobbers will also count on several newcomers to contribute, including Bauer Barry, Joe Harguindeguy, Liam Haslam, Caden Triggs and Jack Westlund, a transfer from Gustavus who scored five goals and tallied seven assists last season for the Gusties.
Saint Scholastica (11-10-2, 7-6-1 MIAC)
The Saints are hoping to build off last season’s success. They’ll look to do it with Dave Williams as the head coach. He coached under the interim tag last season but had that removed in March.
A former player at the school, Williams led the Saints to a fourth-place finish in the conference last year.
The top three scorers all return fo the Saints, led by Arkhip Ledenkov, who scored 11 goals and dished out 13 assists. The goals were the most on the team.
Filimon Ledenkov is also back. He ranked second on the team in scoring with nine goals and 13 assists, tying for the most assists on the team. Tyler Hinterser returns after scoring seven goals and dishing out 10 assists last season.
Nathan Adrian is also a key returning player. He scored 10 goals last year, the second-most on the team, and tallied four assists. Jacob Seitz tallied one goal and came through with 11 assists.
Danylo Sukhonos (1 goal, 7 assists) and Bryce Johnson (4 goals, 3 assists) are also returning players who will be key contributors for the Saints. Sam Fuss (2 goals, 5 assists) and Brodie Girod (3 goals, 3 assists) are also back.
Depth at goal won’t be an issue either. Jack Bostedt started 19 games last season and made 544 saves. He went 11-7-1. Jack Branby and Oliver Quinn also saw playing time.
Bethel (15-11-1, 7-8-1 MIAC)
Last season wasn’t a bad one for the Royals, who boasted their highest winning percentage (.574) since the 2007-08 campaign. They’ll look to take bigger steps forward this season.
Chris McKelvie enters his fifth season as the head coach of the Royals and welcomes back 24 players.
Among them is Luke Posner, who is coming off a season in which he punched in eight goals and dished out nine assists.
Jarrett Cammarata tallied six goals and led the team in assists (16) and points (22). He played in all 27 games a year ago for the Royals.
Dane Soyanoff played in all 27 games as well. The durable defenseman scored twice and tallied nine assists.
Two transfers should help the Royals’ cause as well. Forward Justin Kelly comes in from St. Thomas and goalie Austin Ryman is a transfer out of Alaska Fairbanks.
One of the keys to success for Bethel will be its play defensively. It showed a lot of promise last season, tying the single-season mark for shutouts (3) and giving up just 75 goals, the fewest since the 2013-14 season.
Saint Mary’s (8-14-1, 5-7 MIAC)
The Cardinals are looking for their first winning season since the 2016-17 campaign when they finished 13-10-3. They have the potential to start strong as they play eight of their first 11 at home.
A total of 25 players are back, including leading scorer Brady Lindauer, who came through with five goals and 11 assists last season.
Bud Winter and Trevor Schroder also return and were among the top five in scoring last season. Winter finished with five goals and six assists, good enough for third on the team in points, and Schroder tallied three goals and seven assists, ranking fifth on the team in points.
Gabe Potyk also returns for the Cardinals after scoring a team-high seven goals. He also dished out two assists.
Saint Mary’s should also get key contributions from Landon Poellinger and Callahan Nauss. Poellinger scored four goals and racked up four assists last year while Nauss registered a goal and seven assists.
The Cardinals will be playing their fourth season under the direction of Ryan Egan.
Hamline (4-18-4, 1-10-3 MIAC)
Shane Wagner begins his second season at the helm of the Pipers, who are hoping to get things turned around after a year where wins were hard to come by.
Carson Simon is the top returning scorer for the Pipers after ranking third in points last season with five goals and seven assists.
Bailey Sommers is also back for Hamline. He finished fourth on the team in scoring, tallying four goals and six assists.
Andrew Erwin will also be a key contributor. He scored three goals and dished out six assists last season. Erik Dahl will be counted on to play a key role as well. He tallied two goals and eight assists last season.
Kevin Lake gives Hamline an experienced player in goal. He started 22 games last season and made 562 saves.
Newcomers such as Liam Guerin, Bodie Jorgenson, Jordan Halverson and Quinn Chevers-Whorms could make an immediate impact.
Gustavus (6-16-4, 0-9-3 MIAC)
The Gusties return only player who finished in double digits in points as Dylan Gast is coming off a year where he scored three goals and dished out seven assists.
Jack Suchy is also back for the Gusties. He tallied four goals and three assists last season.
Toby Sengvongxay also returns for Gustavus after tallying three goals and three assists a year ago. Joey Gimberlin (3 goals, 1 assist), Michah Gernander(1 goal, 3 assists) and George Hansen (1 goal, 3 assists) are also key returning players.
Jackson Hjelle is the only goaltender back with experience. He finished with 183 saves last season, appearing in 14 games.
Holy Cross and Bostin University will be part of the women’s doubleheader at Frozen Fenway 2023 (photo: Hockey East).
The city of Boston, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East, and Fenway Sports Management announced Thursday that Frozen Fenway 2023 will feature women’s college matchups between Boston University and Holy Cross and Harvard and Quinnipiac on Friday, Jan. 6.
The pair of women’s college hockey games will be followed by the previously announced men’s college hockey doubleheader matchups featuring Northeastern vs. UConn and UMass vs. Boston College on Saturday, Jan. 7.
“We are thrilled to invite more schools from New England to play at Frozen Fenway,” said Brett Miller, director of special events at Fenway Sports Management, in a statement. “Opening this historic ballpark up to new fanbases and making Frozen Fenway a regional celebration is something we’re looking forward to as we kick off the new year, and these matchups are sure to deliver an action-packed experience for fans in the stands.”
Friday, Jan. 6, 2023 (women’s doubleheader):
Harvard vs. Quinnipiac, 3 p.m.
Boston University vs. Holy Cross, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023 (men’s doubleheader):
Northeastern vs. UConn, 2:30 p.m.
UMass vs. Boston College, 6 p.m.
“ECAC Hockey is thrilled that Harvard and Quinnipiac, two of the premier programs in ECAC Hockey and NCAA collegiate ice hockey, shall showcase their talent and skills as part of Frozen Fenway 2023,” said ECAC Hockey commissioner Steve Hagwell. “We are especially excited for the student-athletes, coaches and staff to participate in such a unique and memorable event.”
The Hockey East women’s matchup features the joint-winningest school, Boston University, against the conference’s newest member, Holy Cross. In the ECAC matchup, Harvard and Quinnipiac boast a combined 15 NCAA tournament appearances.
Goaltender Logan Bateman from Albertus Magnus looks to increase his 16-win total from last season for the Falcons (Photo by Morgan Violette)
These teams would love to be playing in a conference and have the chance to battle for a league title or an opportunity to play on the national stage. Being an independent makes the former impossible but the latter a remote possibility and so, four teams play their non-conference schedules with the hope of impressing conferences and earning wins to be relevant in tournament conversation.
I don’t think we are going to sneak up on anyone this year,” said Albertus Magnus head coach, Kyle Wallack. “We started the season at 0-4 last year and yet finished at 16-8-1 with some high-quality wins over teams like Hamilton, Trinity, and Plattsburgh. Our focus is to be better this year and earn enough quality wins that we might at least be part of the conversation at tournament time. We would love to win 20 games and have a great group back to make that effort.”
Albertus Magnus
The Falcons return five of their top six scorers from last season and return stellar goaltender Logan Bateman who missed the first month of the season last year when the Falcons started 0-4. Look for a better start this season in the hunt for a 20-win season.
Anna Maria
The AmCats graduated their top five scorers from last season so a combination of returning forwards and new players will be expected to chip in with goal production. Cam Tobey will be expected to contribute on both ends of the ice from his defense position while Zack Roncarati, Cole Johnston and Aidan Richardson look to be the #1 netminder for coach Dave McCauley.
Rivier
The Raiders benefited from a great freshman season from forward Milan Breczko who finished with 12 goals and 24 points on the season. He and fellow sophomores, Tyler Duderstadt and Nicholas Paolucci will need to add a bit more offense for coach Matt Keating’s Rivier squad.
SUNY – Canton
The Kangaroos downed Albertus Magnus in last year’s inaugural GNAC Commissioner’s Cup to claim bragging rights among the independent programs. This year there won’t be that end of year tournament due to scheduling challenges, but Canton will be competitive with their challenging schedule that always includes SUNYAC opponents. Goaltender Filip Schlyter returns along with a mobile and physical defensive group that will help keep the Roos in the game against any opponent.
Players to watch
Albertus Magnus: Alex Gagnon – forward; Jonathan Stein- forward
Anna Maria: Cam Tobey – defense; Derek Raposo – defense
Rivier: Brandon Brown – goaltender; Evan Lugo – forward
SUNY-Canton: Filip Jakobsson – forward; Brady Morrison – forward
USCHO Predicted finish
Albertus Magnus
SUNY-Canton
Anna Maria
Rivier
The season opens this weekend with Canton in a two-game series at Stevenson while Anna Maria faces Nichols in the opening round of the Woo Cup Tournament in Worcester, MA. Rivier plays a two-game series against the UCHC’s newest member, Alvernia and Albertus Magnus faces St. Michael’s for two games this weekend to open the new season.
It was mostly splitsville in Atlantic Hockey last week, with both conference series (Rochester Institute of Technology at Air Force and Sacred Heart at Niagara) ending in splits.
In each case, the home team won the first game, with the visitors coming back the next day to get their three points.
Mercyhurst and Clarkson also split a non-conference series in the North Country, with Friday’s 2-1 overtime victory the first of the season for the Lakers.
The only team to record two victories last week was American International, which swept visiting Lindenwood 5-0 and 5-3.
Jordan Biro had a goal and an assist in each game, and Alexandros Aslanidis earned both wins in net.
It was a nice bounce-back victory for the Yellow Jackets, who dropped a 7-3 decision to Holy Cross earlier in the week.
Looking at the big picture, coach Eric Lang says that his team, which features 18 new players, is on track, if not ahead, of where he thought it would be at this point in the season.
“We’re a work in progress,” said Lang. “Our schedule hasn’t allowed for a full week of practice yet, so I’m looking forward to that this week. We need to clean some things up. But overall, I’m pleasantly surprised with our team.
“Right now, we’re at about 25 percent of our potential.”
Adjustments are ongoing, and some were made after Tuesday’s loss to Holy Cross.
“We did some good things in that game,” said Lang. “We did a good job blocking shots. We had the puck a lot. But Holy Cross’ will to win superseded what we were able to do.”
So that means that there is still plenty to work on, according to Lang.
“We weren’t happy as a staff,” he said. “There were some tough film sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. (For the series against Lindenwood) we infused some new guys in the lineup.”
Aslanidis, a freshman, is 3-1 in four starts with a .926 save percentage and a 1.78 GAA.
Biro, a transfer from Colorado College, leads the team in scoring with three goals and eight assists. Senior Blake Bennet, last season’s playoff MVP, leads the way in goals with six in eight games.
Next up for AIC is a game on Friday at Army West Point. The Black Knights are coming off a wildly entertaining 7-6 overtime loss to the U.S. National Development Team last Sunday in front of a packed house at Tate Rink.
Games with Army West Point are always special for Lang and his staff. Lang spent four years as Brian Riley’s assistant before taking the head coaching position at AIC.
Brendan Riley, Brian’s son, is an assistant at AIC. He previously squared off against his dad for four years as a player at Mercyhurst. Brother Jack is on the Black Knights’ bench as Director of Hockey Operations. He also starred for Mercyhurst.
“Really looking forward to it,” said Lang. “It’s going to be a great atmosphere. It always feels like going back home for me, especially with Brendan Riley on our bench.”
Win or lose, Lang’s team is ahead of schedule, and the four-time defending Atlantic Hockey champions have a knack for peaking at the right time.
“We already have four wins,” said Lang. “Last year we didn’t get to four wins until Thanksgiving.”
The Yellow Jackets opened last season 3-10-1 before winning 10 straight to run away with the regular season title and ultimately winning the playoff championship as well.
“We’re notoriously slow starters,” said Lang. “Our game is fairly complicated in how we play, with an emphasis on detail. Our goal is to be playing our best hockey at the end of the season.”
Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Jess Myers and Brad Schlossman of The Rink Live to relive last weekend’s Minnesota-North Dakota series and what’s ahead for both teams, plus a look around the NCHC and Big Ten and the rest of D-I men’s college hockey.
St. Cloud State senior forward Grant Cruikshank was named the NCHC forward of the week after helping the Huskies sweep No. 2 Minnesota State, recording a team-best five points with three goals and two assists (photo: St. Cloud State Athletics).
As he recalls it, on the day he learned current St. Cloud State forward Grant Cruikshank entered the transfer portal ahead of his fifth season of eligibility, Huskies coach Brett Larson met Cruikshank for lunch.
Larson had been close to securing Cruikshank’s commitment before, but SCSU came up second to Minnesota after Cruikshank finished a three-year spell at Colorado College. He averaged a point every other game in 90 appearances with the Tigers, and when he left Colorado Springs after his junior year, Minnesota saw the same potential in the son of speedskating legend Bonnie Blair that Larson did.
So, when Cruikshank became available once again, Larson didn’t waste time. He grabbed his keys and made the hour’s drive down Interstate 94 to Minneapolis.
“Once we found out he was in the portal, it was the first call I made,” Larson said. “That was a main area of focus for us, losing (former SCSU forwards Kevin) Fitzgerald and (Nolan) Walker down the middle, and we knew a freshman wouldn’t be able to fill those types of minutes or that type or role right away, so we thought in order to be good, we’d need to find a guy to get us better down the middle quick, and Grant has definitely done that.
“I was very thankful to be able to get him this year. (Second-year SCSU assistant) R.J. Enga had a relationship with him, coaching him at Colorado College, we built a relationship with him last year in the recruiting process and he’s been exactly what we expected. He’s an all-around, 200-foot player that you can play in any situation. His leadership skills are high-end, and his dedication, work ethic and commitment to getting better are as high as pretty much anyone I’ve ever been around. I think that rubs off on the guys around him.”
Six goals and 16 points through six games for St. Cloud says plenty, and Cruikshank played a big role again for the undefeated Huskies last weekend as they swept a home series against second-ranked Minnesota State.
Cruikshank scored the game-tying goal in the second period of SCSU’s 3-2 win Friday, and he set up Kyler Kupka’s winner on a power play 35 seconds into the third. When the Huskies won 4-3 in Saturday’s rematch, Cruikshank scored the opener shorthanded, then broke a 3-3 tie with 3:26 left, off a feed from Kupka.
Larson knew from prior experience against MSU that nothing would come easy last weekend.
“We played Mankato a few times over the last few years, two down there last year, and the games were similar,” Larson said. “Mankato is a team that has a great ground game, and they spend a lot of time in your end and protect pucks and make you defend a lot. Our goal was to just not get frustrated, hopefully defend well, protect the middle of the ice and then be able to make a play when we got our opportunities.
“I was proud of our guys that they were able to do that without getting frustrated. It seems like every game we play against them like that. Friday was a really good, even hockey game, and I thought it could’ve gone either way. On Saturday, Mankato dominated long portions of that game and we were able to hang on through goaltending, and being able to take advantage of our few opportunities. Without the goaltending we got, that could’ve gone a different way.”
For his efforts against MSU, Cruikshank was named Monday as the NCHC forward of the week. He’s already in even more rarified air, though, within the Huskies’ program. His six goals scored in the first six games of the season made him the first SCSU player to do that in 21 years.
He’ll be looked to again this weekend as SCSU, up six spots to second in the latest DCU/USCHO Division I Men’s Poll, plays a home-and-home series with another Minnesota nonconference rival, Bemidji State. The Beavers are fresh off earning a win and tie against Michigan Tech, and Larson knows the Huskies can’t take votes-receiving BSU lightly.
“The thing I’ve noticed about college hockey is it’s almost a race to see who can keep getting better, and we’re going to have to be better this weekend than we were last weekend,” Larson said. “Bemidji’s clearly a good team that has added some nice offensive pieces that blend in well with their hard-working defensive style.
“It’s just the continued push every week to get better at college hockey, because if you don’t, you’re going to get beat.”
PSU forward Myles Abbate has eyes on another MASCAC championship for the Panthers (Photo by Kim Bownes – AD)
Plymouth State has been the elite team in MASCAC over the past few seasons – winning the conference title but still in search of their first NCAA tournament game victory. This year the Panthers look to accomplish both but first things first – the MASCAC championship.
“We were so close last year against UNE in the NCAA tournament,” said PSU head coach Craig Russell. “One bounce away but it will happen, and this year is a different group looking to get it done. We graduated a lot and have several new guys, but I like our group. They really have great character. We may not score as many goals, but we may be able to afford that with our blueline and goaltending experience.”
“I think the league will have a different look for some teams this year, but everyone is going to be competitive. Just look at what Framingham State did last year in making it to the finals – you have to be ready to play every time out on the ice.”
The Favorites
The Panthers will rely on their experience including defenseman Ted Austin, forward Myles Abbate, and goaltender Kalle Andersson. They have depth which will allow some young players to get comfortable in the Panther systems as they look to repeat as conference champions.
Fitchburg State will arguably have a different look without Brian McGrath in goal for the Falcons. While the goaltending will sort itself out, the forward group is stellar and includes top producers Hunter Fortin and Rece Bergeman who can put up goals 5-on-5 or on special teams.
The Dark Horses
Westfield State picked up their game behind the strong goaltending of Valtteri Valtonen. While there are key losses in the forward group to graduation, the blueline is strong with the likes of Chris Sullivan and Tom Skold. If the Owls can grow from where they finished last year, they could be in the hunt in February.
Worcester State, under Bob Deraney’s coaching managed to finish at 8-8-2 in conference play last year and earned the #3 playoff seed. All-conference defenseman Max Roth returns along with an improved supporting cast that should find the Lancers to be very competitive starting with their opening game against Massachusetts-Dartmouth.
Plymouth State: Myles Abbate – forward; Kalle Andersson – goaltender
Salem State: Matt Yianacopolus – defense; Erik Larsson – forward
Westfield State: Joseph Carbone – forward; Valtteri Valtonen – goaltender
Worcester State: Max Roth – defense; Henry Bruckner – defense
USCHO Predicted finish
Plymouth State
Fitchburg State
Westfield State
Worcester State
Salem State
Massachusetts-Dartmouth
Framingham State
The Panthers open with a pair of challenging opponents this weekend, hosting Plattsburgh on Friday night before traveling to Babson on Saturday. The first weekend also sees the Lancers competing for early hardware in the Woo Cup Tournament featuring Assumption, Anna Maria, Nichols and Worcester State – nothing better than opening the season with a trophy.
Middlebury wins the 2022 Women’s NCAA Championship 3-2 in OT vs Gustavus (Photo by Will Costello)
D-III Women’s Hockey is finally back as we await the first puck drops of the opening season this Friday, October 28, 2022. We saw a huge leap in the overall competition within the top teams last season, closing the skill-gap further between the bottom-half and the top-half ranked teams.
While the common group of top 5-6 teams maintain their stature, the level of competition does nothing but good for the game of women’s hockey and brings more unpredictable outcomes.
The Defending Champions
The defending champions Middlebury, coached by Bill Mandigo who’s entering his 35th year with the program, has a bigger task at hand than normal this season. After going a perfect 27-0 last season, winning the title, and now heading into this season as defending champions, Coach Mandigo says last year’s success can’t be the main topic of the team. “I don’t think that is, or should be our emphasis. We will view the season as a journey where each day the goal is to get better and have fun in the process. That is the approach we took last year…don’t put the cart before the horse!” When asked about what he believes was the biggest reason behind his team’s success last year, he said, “I think we had excellent goaltending and good defensemen. We put an emphasis on playing in our own end and the players bought into it. We also had great leadership who never let anyone panic in tight/tough situations. They believed in themselves, and their confidence grew throughout the year.”
Middlebury will open their season with a two-game series at home vs Trinity on November 18/19, 2022.
A New Program
This season will be the inaugural season for the new program Hilbert College Women’s hockey, led by Head Coach Cole Klubek. Klubek, a Hamburg, NY native, is looking to get the new program off to a good start. Founded in 1957 with an average enrollment of 800, located in Hamburg, NY, the program will be competing as an independent for the ‘22-’23 season.
Hilbert College Women’s Hockey to compete in their inaugural ’22-’23 season (Photo by Janet Schultz)
When asked about the most encouraging elements Coach Klubek has seen from the team, he said, “The effort during our exhibitions was nonstop. They had 4 days together on the ice and never quit even with a short bench. To have that fighting spirit going into the first weekend is infectious.” Klubek is already busy at trying to establish his foundations as a coach with the team, consisting of all new freshmen and transfers: “Hard work and empathy go a long way in building relationships. I want to foster a culture that understands and honors both.”
Hilbert College will play their first-ever regular season game on the road at 3:30pm Friday, October 28 at Alvernia University in Redding, PA.
Teams Looking to Make a Leap
It’s always interesting to see improvement year after year from various programs, but a team that should be focused on this season that may be overlooked by many is St. Norbert. Led by Head Coach A.J. Aitken, who enters his 3rd season with the Green Knights, coming off a 20-9 season last year. When asked about his quick success with the team, highlighting his 1st year record of 8-19 compared to his 2nd year record of 20-9, Coach Aitken said, “Starts with recruiting the type of player that you want in your program. Highly driven in the classroom and willing to put the work off ice. We believe this process leads to on ice success. I am fortunate to have had assistant coaches that worked hard to identify the right student athlete.”
Look for St. Norbert to be a top competitor in the NCHA and possibly become a top-10 ranked team in the polls. The Green Knights open their season at home vs Hamline University in a two-game series on October 28/29, 2022.
Adrian College had an up-and-down season last year, starting relatively strong, climbing the rankings, but were then devastated roster wise by COVID-19, causing them to drop a few games they (on paper) should’ve won handily. Adrian returns 2 juniors, 6 seniors, and 2 graduate seniors, with a veteran loaded team, Coach Shawn Skelly, who holds a career record of 86-15-7 and has won 20+ games in all 4 seasons at Adrian, said:
“We believe we have the group to make a strong run this year. Losing in the semi’s of the NCHA playoffs last season has really helped our group come into this season more focused and ready to go. It’s our goal every year to make it into the NCAA Tournament and from there it’s a matter of showing up in those one game elimination games. Most of our players have some experience in those games but others have not after the couple of canceled tournaments during COVID. Lots of work to go and tons of time to focus on our process to get to where we need to go.”
Adrian opens its season with a big two-game test on the road at Oswego State on October 28/29, 2022. Oswego defeated the Bulldogs 2-1 in Adrian last season in their lone matchup.
UW-Eau Claire led by Coach Erik Strand, finished last season 23-6, handing UW-River Falls their only regular-season loss, while falling in the NCAA Tournament opening round to the eventual runner-up Gustavus 3-0, looks to make that jump as well as he returns a loaded veteran-led squad:
“Every season provides an opportunity to learn ways to become better. I liked how our staff broke down last season and prepared for this year. We are very excited about the group we returned and have been impressed with how they have helped our 1st year’s become acclimated to UW-Eau Claire both on and off the ice. We believe the potential is there for another successful season and we will hopefully be a tough team to play against every night.”
Look for UW-Eau Claire to make a possible NCAA Tournament run this season as Coach Strand has brought nothing but consistency to UW-Eau Claire since he arrived. Eau-Claire opens their season on the road vs Saint Benedict (Minn.) in a two-game series on October 28/29, 2022
Hockey’s Back
I think Head Coach Michael O’Grady of Chatham University, who’s coming off a record setting year for the program, speaks for every coach, player, and fan when he says: “I am excited for our season to get rolling, and the way our schedule shaped up this year. Every program in our conference has gotten stronger and I think that will make for some great hockey games and challenge all of us to bring our best games each and every night.”
Mitchell Martan is spending his fifth season of NCAA eligibility at Bemidji State after previously playing at Canisius (photo: BSU Photo Services).
Few teams lost quite as many impact players over the offseason as Bemidji State.
Aside from the Sillinger brothers (Owen and Lukas) – the team’s joint leading goal scorers with 17 apiece – the Beavers also lost a big chunk of their leadership group. Fifth-year senior captain Ethan Somoza – an older, hard-working veteran who embodied a certain Beaver mentality – graduated, as did a number of other four-year players like Alex Ierullo, Tyler Kirkup, Brad Johnson and Alex Adams.
Those players scored a lot of points for the Beavers, but most importantly they were veteran leaders who knew what Tom Serratore and the rest of the BSU coaching staff wanted from them.
The Beavers had some stalwart veterans returning, like forward Ross Armour and Eric Martin and defensemen Elias Rosén, Will Zmolek and Kyle Looft. But they knew they needed a few more guys who could come in and make an instant impact with both their play and their leadership.
So, coming into this season, Serratore had a solution: dipping into the transfer portal. The Beavers usually tend to bring in one or two a season. But this year, they brought in three: Mitchell Martan from Canisius, Kaden Pickering from St. Lawrence and Jackson Jutting from Colorado College.
All three have played key roles for the Beavers in their four games so far this season: Martan is leading the team in goals (four) and points (six), while Pickering has a pair of assists and Jutting one helper. Jutting, a junior from Prior Lake, Minn., also scored the game winner in Saturday’s shootout win against Michigan Tech – a goal that won’t show up in his stats but helped the Beavers finish off their weekend in the Upper Peninsula with five points.
Serratore said adding three transfers this season was an easy call because of the way all three approach the game.
“We needed experience,” he said. “We lost a boatload of guys, so the one thing they bring is experience. They’re battle-tested, and that was important to us coming into a young team. If you don’t lose that many guys, maybe you don’t bring as many transfers in, but we felt at this particular time, the amount of guys we lost last year and the impact they made over the course of four years, we felt we needed to bring in some experienced hockey players. We’re really happy with them, and they’ve all been a joy to coach.”
It hasn’t just been the transfers that have stood out so far for the Beavers, who are 2-1-1 just four games into the young season. Freshman Lleyton Road, who was held off the scoreboard in BSU’s season-opening series against Arizona State, had himself a statement weekend against the Huskies, scoring twice and assisting on another in Friday’s 5-2 win before netting an unassisted tally in Saturday’s 2-2 tie that the Beavers won in the shootout.
“Guys are playing well,” Serratore said. “A lot of it is getting opportunities. I think they’re feeding off each other. We’ve only played four games, so it’s early and there’s a lot of hockey left, but I think we’re getting good production from a lot of different guys, and I think a lot of it is a lot of different guys are getting opportunities because we lost so many guys from last year.”
Case-in-point: Many of the returning standouts so far this year have been sophomores. European wingers Alexander Lundman, from Sweden, and Jakub Lewandowski, from Poland, played sparingly last year but are currently playing top-line minutes. Jere Vaisanen, from Finland, appeared in 37 games a season ago but has shifted from winger to center. And defenseman Will Magnuson and Tony Follmer both figure to have increased roles on the blue line after the departures of Johnson and Tyler Jubenvill.
“If you’re young, you don’t always get opportunities,” Serratore said of his sophomore class. “The only way you can get better, the only way you can get experience and the only way you can develop is by playing. It’s their time. They’re coming in a lot more confident. When you come in as a freshman you don’t know what to expect, and when you’re not playing all you’re trying to do is survive and get in the lineup. Now that they’re coming in as sophomores, they are more battle-tested, more experienced, they know exactly what is expected of them, and they know how we want to play. There’s just a lot less for them to have to think about coming into their second year compared to their first year.”
The Beavers hope their relative fresh faces can keep up their successful, hard-working play all season. They take on No. 2 St. Cloud State in a home-and-home this weekend.
“Just because you lose so many guys doesn’t mean you don’t have good players waiting in the wings,” Serratore said. “We’ve got a lot of good honest players who work hard. The key is, can they continue to take advantage of it? Two weekends doesn’t make a season. We want to stay consistent.”
Utica’s Brandon Osmundson looks to lift the Pioneers to another UCHC championship (Photo by Jeff Pexton)
The UCHC continues to expand its membership with Alvernia joining the conference this season as the 11th team in the league. While the new team will be expected to be competitive, the top of the standings still looks like it will be a race among a handful of usual competitors.
“There continues to be a lot of growth in the UCHC,” said Stevenson head coach Dominick Dawes. “New teams and better level of play every year as teams look to compete with the teams at the top. We expect that Utica is going to be right at the top of the list along with Wilkes and we want to challenge right there with them. Hopefully, we get a hot start and beat some good teams to get some early momentum, but I expect like it is every year it is going to come down to some critical games in February to figure out the final seeding for the playoffs. It should be a fun ride!”
The Favorites
It’s no surprise that Utica is the favorite to repeat as champions as they return a solid nucleus of players including defenseman Justin Allen and Brian Scoville and forwards Buster Larsson, Dante Zapata and Brandon Osmundson. Sophomore Bryan Landsberger along with two freshmen will battle for time in goal and coach Gary Heenan will have the Pioneers focused on getting back to the elusive Frozen Four this season.
Stevenson returns a roster with only four seniors but with great experience starting with goaltender Ryan Kenny. Austin Masters provides great leadership for the Mustangs who will look to take the next step as a program by winning their first conference title.
The Dark Horses
Wilkes lost a pair of premier forwards in the conference in Donald Flynn and Tyler Barrow to graduation and will look for Phil Erickson to lead a young group of Colonels. The return of a healthy Michael Paterson-Jones in goal may be what Wilkes needs to find themselves in the championship game again at the end of the season.
Chatham will rely heavily on senior goaltender Ricardo Gonzalez but if young forwards like Andrew Warhoftig improve their productivity from last season, the Cougars will contend against all-comers in the conference.
Coaches/Players to watch
Alvernia: Andrew Burke – coach: Peter Falivena – forward
Arcadia: James Spaargaren – forward; Dylan Florit – forward
Chatham: Andrew Warhoftig – forward; Ricardo Gonzalez – goaltender
King’s: Jack Cooper – forward; Tyler Blanchard – forward
Nazareth: Ryan Turse – forward; Nick Charron – forward
Neumann: Luke Croucher – forward; Joey Mancuso – forward
Stevenson: Ryan Kenny – goaltender; Frank Vitucci – forward
Utica: Brandon Osmundson – forward; Justin Allen – defense
Wilkes: Phil Erickson – forward; Michael Paterson-Jones – goaltender
USCHO predicted finish
Utica
Stevenson
Wilkes
Chatham
Manhattanville
Neumann
Nazareth
Alvernia
Lebanon Valley
Arcadia
King’s
After the opening weekend upcoming, the first weekend in November sees Utica traveling to Stevenson for a two-game series that should see some intense hockey for points and position in the league. No time to ease into the season for anyone in the conference.
The Penn State offense has been on fire to start the 2022-23 season (photo: Ed Mailliard).
The college hockey season is a six-month-long debate, but Penn State has already crafted an impressive opening statement.
Averaging 5.17 goals per game through their first three series – six games, all wins – with all but three goals coming at even strength, the Nittany Lions are playing hockey that looks a lot more Penn State-ish than fans have seen in recent years.
That is by design, and all of this season-opening success goes back to lessons that COVID taught the Nittany Lions.
“It’s basically getting back to what we used to do, in a more personalized way,” said coach Guy Gadowsky.
During the 2020-21 season, every D-I team adhered to its own institution-specific guidelines for playing hockey during the pandemic, as well as to NCAA, Big Ten, and CDC rules. For teams in the Big Ten, that meant little in-person interaction among players as well as between coaching staffs and their teams.
For Gadowsky, especially, this was challenging.
Even as he was coaching that season, he mentioned how hampered he felt because he couldn’t spend time with his team, with his staff. Gadowsky was public about having to spend that season separated from his wife, Melissa, and their daughter, who went to the Canadian Maritimes because of health risks to Melissa during the early days of the pandemic without vaccines.
Everyone who knows Gadowsky knows just how personable he is. Being able to communicate – to participate in a community – is intrinsic to his coaching success. When COVID made the kind of coaching at which Gadowsky excels impossible, the Nittany Lions found themselves at a bit of a loss.
“I don’t think I’ll ever take the job that our whole staff does in a personal way for granted,” said Gadowksky. “I really think that was a big part of it. The little things that this staff does and the reason why we want to get really great people is that the personal touch that they have goes a long way. I will never take that for granted again.
“Another thing I’ll never take for granted again is the amount of work or how valuable it is for new players to learn through example from the older players. In COVID, we had to be in cohorts. They weren’t hanging out at the rink. They weren’t with each other off hours from the rink. The fact that we weren’t able to have guys together to learn from the leaders – I’m never going to take that for granted again either.
“Even though we did know how important those aspects were, I was still shocked at the magnitude and how quickly things could change without it.”
The effects on the program were immediate. In the 2018-19 season, the Nittany Lions were 22-15-2 overall and averaged an astonishing 4.54 goals per game. Penn State built on that and finished 2019-20 with the regular-season B1G title, 20-10-4 overall, outscoring opponents 121-88 in all games, and averaging 3.56 goals per game.
The numbers for what we now think of as “the COVID season” are a stark contrast: 10-12-0 overall, tied for fifth in B1G play, averaging 2.95 goals per game and outscored by opponents 81-65.
Last year, the Nittany lions again finished tied for fifth but showed some improvement, with a 17-20-1 record and scoring 3.08 goals per game.
“A lot of this work was done in the past two years,” said Gadowsky. “Our culture was just in a totally different place from what we’re used to. I give all of the players but the leaders specifically from last year credit. They were tasked with changing this culture, a number-one priority, and I think they really worked hard to do it.”
Defenseman Paul DeNaples returns for a fifth season and is serving as captain for the second year in a row. Senior forward Connor McMenamin is an assistant captain for the second straight year.
Some of the leadership that Gadowsky sought was imported this season. Two fifth-year forwards transferred into Penn State, Ashton Calder from North Dakota and Ture Linden from Rensselaer. Gadowsky said that his staff thought hard before deciding to bring in transfer players.
“We weren’t going to do it unless we got specific tools out of them, like having them here for specific reasons and specific strengths,” said Gadowsky. “Also, we really wanted a lot of leadership again. Where we were with our culture coming out of COVID, that was a very big priority for us.
“I think both these guys bring a lot of veteran maturity and that was something that was very important to us. They’ve made an impact off the ice as well as on the ice. They play that role. So far, we couldn’t be happier with them.”
Calder and Linden have each scored three goals.
The Nittany Lions opened their season with a home sweep of Canisius, a home-and-home sweep of Mercyhurst, and two wins at home last weekend against St. Thomas. After beating the Tommies 6-2 in that series opener, the Nittany Lions needed overtime to win the second game. It was the alternate captain, McMenamin, 4:40 in OT who scored his second goal of the season for the win.
“I think in college hockey, you’ve seen it over and over, anybody can beat anybody,” said Gadowsky. “It happens every year.
“Last year, Canisius beat us. It’s nice to see that the work that the team has done translates. Every game in college hockey is difficult. At the end of the year, we’ll have a very high strength of schedule whether we like it or not, so we’re happy to get off to a good start against anybody.”
The success of the early season, said Gadowsky, comes from “getting back to what we used to do, in a more personalized way.”
He added, “That job isn’t done, but what I think you’re seeing is that trend over to the ice, the work that everybody’s done off the ice. That’s what I think you’re seeing.”
This weekend, Penn State opens its Big Ten conference play with a road trip to Wisconsin.
Rensselaer captain Kyle Hallbauer has collected two assists so far this season for the Engineers (photo: Perry Laskaris).
Kyle Hallbauer knows all of the jokes.
He’s old enough to remember when the members of One Direction weren’t heading in different directions. He was around when the Titanic sank, but at least THAT was the movie and not real life. His nickname in the locker room is “Grandpa” and the “Godfather.”
This past weekend, he played against the United States National Under-18 Team, meaning he skated against players almost 10 years younger than him. He’s practically five years older than the average-aged hockey player … on his own team.
Thanks to the COVID-canceled season of 2020-21, the captain of Rensselaer’s hockey team is one of a selected group of hockey players who will turn 26 years old before the season ends. In a world where that might draw laughs or looks, Hallbauer wears that badge as an honor thanks to the opportunities afforded to him both on and off the ice, and while he is recognized as an elder statesman of sorts with Rensselaer’s 4-1 hockey club, he remains a prime example of how the talent pool in hockey is developed in a unique manner unlike anything in college sports.
“I definitely knew I was going to be one of the oldest, if not the oldest, guy in the league,” Hallbauer said. “But I don’t really see it from an age standpoint. If you’re on a team, you’re there for a reason. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how young you are. If you can play, you can play, and if you can play for that long, you play for that long. It’s an opportunity that fell into my lap, so I decided to go with it.”
The way athletes funnel into college hockey guarantees an older talent pool with the majority of recruits matriculating out of the various junior leagues that dot the American and Canadian hockey landscape, but a select group comes directly from the high school or prep school landscape. They skew much younger, but they offset older players who play in the developmental showcase leagues.
That occasional 18-year-old true freshman is still somehow less jarring than the sight of a 21-year-old who played two or three years in a junior league. That age is more readily recognized for upperclassmen, many of whom are well into professional careers by their mid-20s. Some have even gotten married and started families.
Older players are more rare occasions, but they can offer programs a combination of life experience and athletic know-how. In football, for example, an older player is usually someone who started a minor league baseball career but decided to return to college to play football, as was the case with former first-round picks Chris Weinke and Branden Weeden.
In hockey, though, a mid-20s athlete is more common, and a player like Hallbauer was able to qualify for an early bachelor’s degree because of his credits amassed during his junior hockey career. Joining the Engineers as a freshman then gave RPI that mature athlete while he subsequently retained all four years of eligibility to pursue multiple degrees.
“I was as old as you possibly could be, going into juniors, and then I played for Kingston, which isn’t even a team anymore (the Voyageurs were sold to the Barrie Colts after the 2018-19 season),” Hallbauer said. “But playing in Kingston, I got a little taste and heard things about college hockey, and I knew I was poised to at least make an attempt to play Division I. So then I went into the NAHL to play for Lone Star, and my coach, Dan Wildfong, helped with a lot of exposure to schools that he talked to. He was always on the phone, and we had scouts at every game, so I couldn’t have asked for a better spot.”
“With everyone, we look at pieces of growing a program,” added RPI coach Dave Smith. “We never plan on regressing, so for everybody that we bring in, we ask them to subscribe to everything academically, athletically, and socially. If they’re interested in that – we use the language ‘everyday champion’ – then it really doesn’t matter about their age. We look at the talent level and the academic profile and determine if it’s a great fit. In Kyle’s case, he was an excellent student and experienced in junior hockey, and he’s a terrific hockey player. That was a good fit in the beginning, and it’s remained a good fit.”
“I just really played my game for most of that year [in junior hockey],” Hallbauer sai26d. “RPI saw me at a showcase at the beginning of the year, but another player on my team, Ture Linden, committed to [play for the Engineers]. Right before they talked to me, he told me it was a great place, so after going to a [showcase] for uncommitted players and young guys that were already committed, I talked to them, and they called me a few days later and offered me a spot.”
He still had to discover and foster a role within the program, but after four-plus years, it’s hard to deny his impact on the program’s reboot and rebuild under Smith. In each of his first two seasons, Hallbauer played 30 games, and RPI earned a first-round bye with the No. 4 seed before the onset of COVID-19 canceled the entire postseason at the conference and national levels.
Losing that year stung, but like every other athlete on his team, Hallbauer faced subsequent challenges during the pandemic after RPI opted out of the 2020-2021 season. The ability to transfer made it open season for players who wanted to skate, but his mind returned to his master’s program, and he remained with the school because of the credits he’d already amassed while playing for the Engineers.
“Roster construction, for us, starts the year before,” said Smith. “We discussed with guys what their plans were, and we set goals with them [while] they set goals with us. We talked about their plans for an academic degree with what we call our ‘plan of study.’ We talked about experience and what opportunities are available for them here, and potentially, we talked to them about the transfer portal and how it works for graduate students. Even as we’re going through those discussions, they know the value of an RPI master’s degree or an RPI education. They live in and walk in the RPI hockey player’s shoes, so they understand what it’s all about.”
“Because I was a 21-year-old freshman, I had tons of credits coming into school,” Hallbauer said. “So I had the opportunity to graduate in three years and start my graduate program during the COVID year. Once I started the grad program, there was no reason for me to leave. Even without hockey, academics-wise, RPI was such a good school.’
As a result, an unintended gap year from hockey created his newfound status as one of the oldest players to skate in the 2022-23 season. A player born in March 1997 will spend most of the season as a 25-year-old before hitting his 26th birthday right as the playoffs begin.
“The guys stayed are a true testament to seeing [it through] for the long run,” Hallbauer said. “I think that helped me with my decision to stay. Everyone is here for a reason, and everyone that stayed is very close. We can bring all the new guys, the transfers, the freshmen into [the program] and get them into the family as fast as possible. It’s definitely worked out, and I think that we’re now one of the closest teams that I’ve been a part of.”
It’s a true payoff for a player whose patience in arriving at the Division I level is emblematic of college hockey’s opportunities. A player who nearly didn’t receive the chance to play college hockey after two years in juniors is now the captain of an ECAC hockey program. There’s a certain level of appreciation, and this weekend, it’s a moment he intends to soak in as his team faces Union for the Capital Skates currently located in the RPI locker room.
“It’s always fun when you play someone that lives 25 minutes away,” Hallbauer said. “The Union rivalry has been around for a long time. We have a trophy that whoever gets the most points earns the Capital Skates. If you lose the skates, you basically have to sweep to get them back. In our locker room, the skates are sitting right above the logo in the middle of the room. Everyone looks at them every day, and we know that’s what we’re playing for. The freshmen don’t know it yet, but all the other guys are constantly telling them that we have to beat [Union] at any cost.
UNE’s Billy Girard looks to build off an incredible first full season for the Nor’easters in the CCC (Photo by Joe Ambrose)
The University of New England carried the CCC banner all the way to the Frozen Four last season but will face strong challenges from the other teams in the conference. New coaches at Nichols (Alex Gacek) and Suffolk (Shawn McEachern) will bring new depth and excitement to this season’s battle for the conference championship.
“I think it is a really good league,” said Suffolk head coach Shawn McEachern. “I am new to the league but know we are going to need to play a disciplined, aggressive and fast game to compete and win in the CCC. I am lucky to have inherited a quality group from Chris Glionna and they have been very committed to working hard and learning our systems for how we can best play and compete in the league.”
The Favorites
UNE has progressed every year in advancing beyond the conference on the national stage including last season’s run to the Frozen Four. Captain Daniel Winslow, Jared Christy and Jake Fuss lead a strong group of forwards while goaltender Billy Girard IV has emerged as one of the best goaltenders in the league. Building the blueline back from key losses to graduation will be important to the Nor’easters run to repeat as conference champions.
Endicott has been a contender in the conference since joining the CCC but face their first season without All-American goaltender Conor O’Brien. The group is experienced and returns key players including forwards Zach Mazur, Connor Beatty, Andrew Kurapov, Svet Kuchynski and Noah Strawn.
The Dark Horses
Curry had a very successful season with coach Peter Roundy and saw some breakout performances from forward Timmy Kent and goaltender Roland Polasek. This year’s team will need to see the next jump in production for returning players who showed they were competitive with everyone and especially on home ice.
Salve Regina is always in the mix and returning forwards Mitch Walinski and Cayden Kraus will provide some offensive firepower for the Seahawks.
Players to watch:
Curry: Roland Polasek – goaltender; Timmy Kent – forward
Endicott: Andrew Kurapov – forward; Conor Beatty – forward
Nichols: Alex Gacek – coach; Conor Leonard – forward
Suffolk: Sean McEachern – coach; Cal Wilcox – goaltender
University of New England: Billy Girard IV – goaltender; Jake Fuss – forward
Wentworth: Connor Carbo – goaltender; Kevin Obssuth – forward
Western New England: Sam Mitchell – forward; Shane Miller – defense
USCHO Predicted finish
University of New England
Endicott
Curry
Salve Regina
Suffolk
Wentworth
Nichols
Western New England
McEachern’s Rams will benchmark where they are in the league quickly as their schedule includes two-game series each with Salve Regina, Endicott and UNE in their first ten games before the semester break.
UConn players mob Andrew Lucas after his OT winner downed Boston University last Friday night (photo: Ian Bethune/The UConn Hockey Blog).
When he transferred to Connecticut over the summer, Andrew Lucas knew he was joining a hungry men’s hockey team.
The Huskies were coming off a season where they missed an NCAA tournament appearance by one overtime goal.
Lucas, meanwhile, was at Vermont, playing well but for a struggling team.
The junior forward has been pretty hungry himself so far this season, racking up eight points (1-7-8) in as many games and leading Hockey East in scoring among defensemen, tying Northeastern forward Aiden McDonough for the overall lead with seven league points. Lucas is also tied with forward Ryan Tverberg — who thrice scored in a weekend series at Boston University — for the team scoring lead (5-3-8).
“When a defenseman’s leading your team in scoring — I don’t know if he is, but he’s up there — that shows you how much of an offensive addition he’s been,” UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh said. “It’s great to get that type of offense from the back end.”
Lucas scored twice — including the game winner in overtime — in a 4-3 win at Boston University on Friday night. Despite losing 4-2 in the second game of the series, the split was enough to move UConn up four spots in the latest DCU/USCHO.com D-I poll, from No. 14 to No. 10.
It’s the first time the Huskies have ever been ranked this high — coming into the season, UConn had never ranked higher than No. 19, according to the UConn Hockey Blog.
Lucas is one of 16 newcomers on this year’s UConn team, a group that includes three other transfers. Though the first-year players weren’t on last year’s squad that lost in overtime to UMass in the Hockey East championship game at TD Garden, they definitely share the rest of the team’s desire to go further this year.
So far, the offense is doing its part.
UConn has averaged more than 3 goals in its first eight games, including a 6-1 blowout of then-No. 11 Ohio State at the Hartford Civic Center on Oct. 15. One week earlier, they beat Union 4-3 in OT.
“When you have 16 new bodies on the team, you just never know how they’re going to mesh or gel,” Cavanaugh said. “The fact that we’ve won a couple games in overtime early certainly doesn’t hurt.”
Lucas’s overtime goal against BU, the first of his collegiate career, came less than a minute into the extra frame. Surrounded by all three of BU’s skaters, Lucas fired from the blue line and scored on a low shot just past the goalie’s pad.
“We’re winning games,” Lucas said after the goal, which extended UConn’s unbeaten streak to seven games. “It’s just been fun. (The veteran group) has been great, welcoming all 16 new guys. That made it really easy on me, and I’m sure it made it easy on all the freshmen too. We have a lot of really good players in the returning class, too.”
The Adrian Bulldogs are the reigning NCAA champs. Photo courtesy of Adrian Athletics
The best team in the nation resides in the NCHA as Adrian is coming off a national championship season.
Repeating as champs is never easy, but the focus first for the Bulldogs is on navigating the always competitive NCHA.
As expected, the Bulldogs are the favorite in the conference, but rival St. Norbert is always in the national discussion and should be among the top contenders in Division III.
Trine is coming off its best season in the short history of its program and is likely to be a tough team to beat night in and night out.
Aurora is also poised to be one of the better teams in the NCHA, while teams like MSOE and Lake Forest should be much improved as they gear up for another season.
Adrian (31-1, 18-0 NCHA)
The Bulldogs come into the year on a 31-game winning streak. Their last loss was Oct. 30, 2021 when they fell 3-2 in overtime to then third-ranked Utica. It was the only loss Adrian suffered before putting together an impressive win streak.
While every year is different, some things won’t change for the Bulldogs, who return 21 players, including a pair of All-Americans in Sam Ruffin and Alessio Luciani.
Ruffin was the MVP of the NCAA tournament. He scored twice in the national final and racked up 19 goals in all to go along with 28 assists.
Luciani led the Bulldogs in points (48), scoring 17 goals and dishing out 31 assists, while Ty Enns was the top goal scorer, punching in 20 goals to go along with 25 assists. He ranked third on the team in points.
Matus Spodniak, Jaden Shields and Matt Couto are also key returning players for Adrian. Spodniak ranked fourth in points (37), scoring 17 goals, and Shields helped anchor the defense while dishing out 23 assists. He also scored six goals.
Couto also played as a defenseman and finished with three goals and 10 assists.
Several newcomers should help Adirian’s bid to win another conference title and contend nationally. Riley Murphy transfers in from Alaska and Cam Babiak is a transfer out of Bowling Green.
The goaltender position will look different this year. Cam Gray is gone but Nic Tallarico and Dershahn Stewart will both battle for the starting position. Tallarico played in nine games and went 4-1 while Stewart fashioned a 4-0 record. He played in seven games in all.
St. Norbert (24-7, 16-2 NCHA)
One thing you can count on each is year is for the Green Knights to be in contention for a title.
Leading the way are Liam Fraser and Colby Entz. Fraser was the second-leading scorer a year ago, lighting up the scoreboard for 24 goals while dishing out 23 assists. Entz played in 18 games in goal and made 384 saves while fashioning a 13-3 record.
Michael McChesney and Carter Hottmann will also play key roles for the Green Knights. McChesney registered 12 goals and 12 assists while Hottmann racked up nine goals and 13 assists.
Brock Baker also returns after a season where he scored 10 goals and dished out nine assists.
Brendan Mark and Brendan Aird are also returning players for St. Norbert. Mark tallied six goals and nine assists while Aird dished out 12 assists to go along with two goals.
Ben Schmidling (6 goals, 7 assists), Michael Spethmann (5 goals, 8 assists) and Jordan Strand (2 goals, 10 assists) also finished in double figures in points last season.
Aurora (18-9-1, 12-6 NCHA)
Jason Bloomingburg begins his seventh season at the helm of Aurora.
Simon Boyko and Jack Jaunich are both back and will help lead the way offensively. Boyko scored 18 goals last season to go along with nine assists. Jaunich tallied 15 goals and dished out 23 assists.
Adam Keyes was a big playmaker as well. Along with scoring nine goals, he also came through with 23 assists. Gio Procopio was an assist machine as well, racking up 21. He scored four goals as well.
Carson Riddle, Hassan Akl, Juliano Santalucia and Kolby Thornton are among the newcomers who could make an immediate impact for the Spartans.
Aurora won nearly 20 games a year ago and was a solid team at home and on the road, going 9-4 in both instances.
Trine (19-9, 11-7 NCHA)
Trine is coming off its best season in program history, nearly winning 20 games. Alex Todd begins his sixth season as the head coach. He sports a 53-61-8 record during his time at Trine.
A total of 23 players return for the Thunder, including Garrett Hallford, who is back for a fifth year. He holds every offensive record in program history and scored 10 goals while dishing out 22 assists a season ago.
Brendan Prappas, Justin Meers and Frank Trazzera all return as well, and will be key contributors on offense.
Prappas finished with 10 goals and 17 assists last season while Meers came through with eight goals and 12 assists.
Trazerra tallied six goals and 12 assists for the Thunder, who scored 114 goals in all last season.
Two newcomers to keep an eye on for Trine are Brendan Hill and Sam Antenucci. The first-year players both come to Trine out of the NAHL.
Trine will aim to take another step forward this year and build on the momentum it gained last season. The Thunder won five of their final six games, including two in an opening-round conference tournament series against Lawrence.
MSOE (11-14-2, 8-10-1 NCHA)
Graham Johnson says he’s excited about the group he’ll have take the ice this season for the Raiders. MSOE has a lot of young talent and expectations are high.
Seniors Matt Hanewall, Kyle Herbster and Christian Sabin will be looked upon to lead the way.
Sabin paved the way for the Raiders last season, scoring 13 goals and dishing out 14 assists, and he’ll look to build off that success this season.
Hanewall is also coming off a big year where he scored 15 goals and dished out 11 assists.
Herbster is also poised to step up in a big way. He scored 11 goals last year and also tallied 16 assists.
Fourteen newcomers are on the roster, with Jacob Bosse, Carson Jones and Gramm McCormack having the potential to play key roles for the Raiders, who have a chance to put together a winning season.
Lake Forest (7-18-2, 5-11-2 NCHA)
Under the direction of second-year head coach Sean O’Malley, the Foresters have the talent to be one of the better teams in the NCHA. A total of 23 players are back, including Matteas Derraugh, an NCHA All-Freshman team selection. Derraugh finished third on the team in points with 13, scoring five goals and handing out eight assists.
Ben Perkins also returns. He finished second on the team in scoring last season, tallying nine goals to go along with 11 assists. Those totals were the second-most on the team.
Jared Gerger should provide a big lift for the offense after tallying eight goals and five assists last season.
David Cohen returns as well and is coming off a year where punched in five goals and came through with six assists. Scotty Nicolson is also back in the fold. He tallied three goals and six assists a year ago.
Carson Poulin and Nick Wiencek are both back as well and both players have experience in the goaltender position. Wiencek started 18 games and went 6-11-1. He made 530 saves. Poulin made nine starts, going 1-7-1, and he tallied 300 saves.
Marian (10-14-3, 5-11-2 NCHA)
The Sabres begin a new era as Clay Van Diest is the new head coach of the program. He is familiar with the league already, having spent two seasons as an assistant at MSOE.
Eighteen returnees are back, and the group is headed up by Colby Muise, who fashioned a 9-13-3 record and ranked second in the conference with 759 saves. He made 30 or more saves in six games and registered a save percentage of better than 90 percent.
Ty Mosimann is the top returning scorer on the team, scoring nine goals and dishing out 12 assists. He produced five multi-point games last season.
Blake Kleiner comes into the season as a team captain and scored four goals while dishing out five assists.
Several newcomers should play key roles as well for Marian, including Seth McCulloch out of the SJHL. He ranked eighth on his team in points last season with 10 goals and 13 assists. Matthew Shaw out of the NA3HL helped lead his Rochester team to the Fraser Cup title.
Lawrence (10-13-4, 8-8-2 NCHA)
A new era begins for the Vikings, who welcome in Brett Wall as the new head coach. Wall had been coaching the Hudson Havoc of the USPHL.
Wall will have 19 returning players to work with as he begins his first season at the helm of the program. The group includes all-league defenseman Kyle Gierman, who dished out 17 assists, the most on the team, to go along with two goals. Gierman came up with 15 of his assists in league action and was one of the top scoring defenseman in the NCHA.
Six of the top eight scorers all return, including Gierman, and that should set the Vikings up for a turnaround season. Zach Lodes scored 12 goals and tallied 10 assists last year while Zack Olsen racked up nine goals and 13 assists. Ivan Galaguzov is also back after punching in 10 goals and dishing out eight assists.
In goal, the Vikings will lean on Brian Tallieu, who split time at the position last season. Tallieu went 4-4-1 and stopped more than 90 percent of the shots he faced.
Concordia (3-20-2, 2-15-1 NCHA)
Last season wasn’t an easy one for the Falcons, who won only three games. This season could be even tougher as 22 newcomers are on the roster. A total of just five players return.
Justin Schwartzmiller is one of those returnees. He scored five goals and dished out two assists. Nick Wieben came through with a goal and five assists.
Zach Brydges and Andrew Malek also return, as does Liam McGarva.
The only other players on the roster with experience are UW-Stout transfers Nick Bowlin and Joey Petronack.
Finding wins won’t be easy, but perhaps by late in the season, the Falcons will have meshed and be in a position to finish on a high note.
Finlandia (2-23, 1-17 NCHA)
It took until Feb. 11 of last season for the Lions to get their first conference win of the season. They got it with a 3-2 victory over Concordia. Their only other win came against Northland.
Finlandia is hoping the story will be much different this season as it goes into the year with more experience. Sixteen letterwinners are back for the Lions, including three of their top six scorers.
Phil Schader is the top returning scorer on the team, ranking fourth on the team in points (9). He scored four goals last season and also dished out five assists.
Max Messier is also poised to be a key scoring threat for the Lions, coming off a year where he scored five goals and three assists. His goal total was the second highest on the team.
Chris Beyer also returns. He tallied two goals and five assists last season.
Finlandia scored 39 goals in all but gave up 122.
Joe Burcur has spent 15 seasons as the head coach at Finlandia over the course of two different stints. He was first at the school from 2001 until 2009 and then came back to Finlandia in 2016.
Joe Connor takes in a game last February at Alaska Anchorage (photos: provided by Joe Connor).
By Joe Connor, “Mr. Sports Travel”
If someone would have told me when I moved to San Diego at 24 years of age in 1996 that one day when I was in my 50th year on this planet, I would finish enjoying a game at every NCAA Division I men’s hockey venue, I would have replied, “You’re nuts!”
Sure, I grew up in West Hartford, Conn., where my late father, an Air Force veteran, was a season-ticket holder for the WHA New England Whalers and later the NHL Hartford Whalers. My Dad was my hero. He introduced me to hockey, coached myself and other local kids in the towns’ youth program, and I played at Kingswood-Oxford in the New England prep leagues, so the game has always been in my blood.
Yet when I moved to America’s Finest City in 1996, the closest D-I men’s college hockey program was in Colorado Springs. Today, it’s Tempe, Ariz. The future? Keep venturing west, my college hockey friends!
CALLED TO TRAVEL
So how did I do it? It started with a life-changing event. My father passed away in my late 20s – I realized then how short life can be. This experience shaped my whole life trajectory. I was inspired by my father and our road trips across New England from youth hockey to seeing the pros, including to the Springfield (Mass.) Civic Center to watch the Whalers before the Hartford Civic Center re-opened in Jan. 1980 following a roof collapse. The 1979-80 season was the city’s first in the NHL – and my first playing hockey.
My initial sports travels started small – but just kept getting bigger and bigger. As a self-employed Career Coach with no children and who has never married, I’ve put most of my income in rental properties which is how I 100 percent self-fund my trips. I’ve sports traveled to nearly 40 countries across six continents, enjoying more than 55 different sports.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve enjoyed at least one contest at every NHL arena; 56 North American minor league games outside San Diego (home of the AHL Gulls); and 74 junior league games, of which 49 have been in Canada across three provinces and the rest in the U.S. (nine in the NAHL and a home game at every club in the 16-team USHL), plus I’ve attended dozens of youth or high school/prep games, from New England to Alaska.
I’ve also attended a game at every NFL, NBA, and MLB home – and every NCAA D-I basketball venue (both the men and the women, of which there are more than 350). In November 2022, I’ll finish seeing a home game at my last NCAA D-I Football Championship Series school – there are 131 of those! They don’t call Mr. Sports Travel for nothing!
COLLEGE HOCKEY TRAVELS
Beginning in 2018, across the lower 48 states, I’ve driven my car to sporting events that is “wrapped” in the American flag, raising awareness of OperationFirstResponse.org, a four-star rated charity that helps veterans, service members, first responders, and their families. To mark turning 50 this year, I’ve enjoyed a sporting event in each of the 50 United States, plus the District of Columbia and even British Columbia!
I began chronicling my journeys for USCHO starting in 2013 when I could see the finish line in the distance with the goal of enjoying a game at every D-I men’s venue before I turned 50. The COVID year of 2020 pushed me off a year, yet it’s been the journey of a lifetime.
The 2022-23 D-I men’s college hockey season has 62 teams, dispersed across five time zones and 20 states, from Vacationland in Maine to the Last Frontier in Alaska. That’s a unique distinction that no other college sport can claim, including football, basketball, and soccer!
Even though I grew up in New England, I was so busy suiting up as an amateur I never attended a single college hockey game! I didn’t enjoy my first men’s game in the flesh until Halloween 2004 at Walter Brown Arena when Boston University beat Maine, 2-1 (my last visit to BU was against Boston College at Agganis Arena). I was in Beantown in ‘04 to enjoy the Red Sox Parade following their first World Series victory since 1918. And on Oct. 2, 2022, at Alaska-Anchorage, I enjoyed a game at No. 62 when Western Michigan beat the Seawolves, 4-1 (Note: I enjoyed men’s games at then non-Division I Lindenwood and Stonehill in previous seasons).
All told, since that Halloween Day in 2004, the sports travel breakdown by the numbers:
Men’s NCAA D-I College Hockey Games Attended: 89 (home games at all 62 teams)
Women’s NCAA D-I College Hockey Home Games Attended: 7 (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Minnesota State, BU, St. Lawrence, Franklin Pierce, and Post)
Non-D-I U.S. College Hockey Games Attended (both men and women, including club): 17
With conference play upon us, below are my “Sweet 16” favorite DI men’s college hockey game day experiences, broken down by four regional brackets to mirror the current post-season format. Also included is a homage to Maxwell Smart’s favorite phrase “missed it by that much!” – to a fifth team in each bracket – plus, my favorite rinks and rivalries by region. Of course, this is all subjective: personally, I prefer a smaller, intimate atmosphere and could care less about amenities and suites. So whatever flights your game day fancy, enjoy!
The Michigan Tech fans were more than happy to welcome Connor to their home rink.
RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRACKET – THE BEASTS OF THE GREATER NORTHEAST BRACKET!
For this bracket, the northeast encompasses both the New England and Mid-Atlantic states.
5. Missed it by that much – Quinnipiac (ECAC): As noted in a long-ago USCHO.com column, there’s not a bad seat in the house here and the student section is amped.
4. Maine (Hockey East): My favorite “Cawlidge Hawkey” experience across the six New England states. Bias meter: I attended the late Shawn Walsh’s week-long camp here when I was 13 years old and stayed in the dorms. It was the first time I was ever away from home by myself. I remember my late cousin Pete walking me to the gate back in the pre-911 airline days when non-passengers could do such a thing and then exclaiming as I prepared to board, “Now, go kick ass!” Since been back to Orono for hockey twice. It never gets old. The student section balcony overhangs the ice like vultures, like impending danger. Maine’s recent on-ice performance may not be like in Walsh’s days but it’s still an awesome game day experience.
3. Clarkson (ECAC): I love this place. Setup very much like Denver, but on a smaller scale, with one main concourse that runs down to the glass. The only game I’ve enjoyed here – the atmosphere was off the charts – and the student section and band certified awesome. Just down the road from Potsdam is St. Lawrence in Canton – cooler building but not remotely the same vibe as Clarkson, except when Clarkson pays a visit! My first St. Lawrence game they hosted the Golden Knights! Also enjoyed the rivalry in Lake Placid.
2. Penn State (Big 10): Bias meter: one of my dear friends from college lives nearby so I’ve been to Happy Valley more times than I can count at this point, from hockey to football to hoops, baseball, and volleyball. Phenomenal atmosphere and good luck finding a ticket sometimes. Welcome to Hockey Valley, my friends! You won’t be disappointed.
1. Cornell (ECAC): As I’ve said to my puck friends for years, welcome to the Fenway “Pahk” of “Cawlidge Hawkey” – where if you like your space, this ain’t your place! But if you’re like me and cherish a packed house inside historic cracker box confines, you’re in for a real treat when you visit The Big Red. Get cozy my friends, starting from the low roof to the cramped aisles. Limited standing room. Seats packed together. Student section: stellar. Band: rock on. And even better: Ithaca is one of the prettiest and happening college towns in North America. You’ll love it here.
Favorite northeast rivalries: Maine-New Hampshire; Clarkson-St. Lawrence; Boston College-Boston University; and speaking of Beantown, play the Beanpot at Matthews!
More favorite northeast rinks and experiences: They don’t make old-style barns and cracker boxes anymore that thankfully still exist today at cozy Cornell, St. Lawrence, and Union. Ditto great barn-style cribs at Vermont, Dartmouth, and Northeastern. Enjoyed cowbells ringing my ears at Union and packed houses at Dartmouth and Vermont. And I still love Princeton’s Hobey Baker and Ingalls Rink at Yale, the latter where I played high school puck as an opponent. No region in college hockey has more old school and distinct venues than this bracket!
The famous American flag-wrapped car makes an appearance at North Dakota.
RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRACKET – THE GOATS OF THE GREAT LAKES BRACKET!
For this bracket, the great lakes include teams from Ohio west to Wisconsin.
5. Missed it by that much – Michigan Tech (CCHA): Friends have asked me: how are you going to do this bracket? Man, this was my toughest because Ferris State is a blast – and long live the Lawson Lunatics at Western Michigan. But I just absolutely loved my visit to the home of the Huskies – the community at large, the venue, the creativity, and outfits of the band – everything. You haven’t experienced college hockey until you visit the upper peninsula. And if you’re a real fan of old school barns like me, when you make the UP pilgrimage, visit the historic rinks in Houghton, Marquette, and Calumet – they don’t make wonders like this anymore, kids.
4. Michigan State (Big 10): Always had a ton of fun at Munn. Been here twice (pre and post renovation). The school did a great job updating the place without taking away the intimacy. Also been to see Sparty for multiple football and hoops games, plus baseball and volleyball (old hoops venue where Magic Johnson played).
3. Notre Dame (Big 10): Bias meter: I was raised Catholic and long been a Notre Dame fan. I wasn’t smart enough to be admitted – but, hey, look at me now! My first visit for hockey was at The Joyce Center where during an intermission there was a delay announced due to a tornado warning – to this day thankfully my only such experience! My most recent visit was to the new arena – an absolute marvel. I’ve also been to UND multiple times for football and hoops contests, plus baseball.
2. Michigan (Big 10): Arena-specifically, this is one of my favorite barns in college hockey and clearly my all-time favorite by far across the Great Lakes. Opening in 1923, there’s simply nothing like it in this part of the country. Two visits for hockey here, most recently when the Irish kicked the snot out of the Wolverines. The poor student section. My heart went out to them – actually, it didn’t. However, there’s no denying I prefer Yost’s history (which is not a knock on the Irish arena). Yost is just special.
1.Wisconsin (Big 10): Having also enjoyed a game at every D-I football and basketball venue (they don’t call me Mr. Sports Travel for nothing!), Madison is simply the best college sports town in the fruited plain (and frankly, there is not a close second. Sorry to disappoint you Ann Arbor, State College, Boston, East Lansing, South Bend, Columbus, Lincoln, Minneapolis, and Austin). Enjoyed multiple puck games here over the years – as well as a women’s tilt (easily the No. 1 game day experience on the women’s side). The Crease Creatures student section is game day ready. To quote the late Badger Bob Johnson –“it’s a great day for hockey.” And to quote Mr. Sports Travel – “that would be always in Madison!”
Favorite great lakes rivalries: Northern Michigan-Michigan Tech; Michigan-Michigan State; Wisconsin-Minnesota.
More favorite Great Lakes rinks and experiences: There’s only Yost. After that, I like the unique, old-school feel of Lake Superior State and Ferris State. Separately, modern, beautiful and with not a bad seat in the house? That’s Miami-Ohio – also been there twice.
LEFT SIDE OF THE BRACKET – THE STATE OF HOCKEY BRACKET!
Yes, Minnesota – the state – gets it own bracket. Because it really is the State of Hockey. In addition to the college pucks, I’ve enjoyed multiple Wild games; the junior showcase in Blaine; high school games in Duluth, Edina, Richfield, Hibbing, and Virginia in the Iron Range; and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth.
5. Missed it by that much – Bemidji State (CCHA): The coldest day in my 50 years on this planet was the day I enjoyed my only game here. Holy Schnikes, minus nine degrees – but had a great time and, hey, I obviously survived (even if I nearly froze my left testicle off – and my right). Cool venue, and pretty campus and town, too.
4. Minnesota State (CCHA): Located downtown, I don’t care for the arena itself even though it’s a short distance from campus, but the fans more than make up for it. Mankato is simply a stellar hockey town. When you visit, swing by All Seasons Arena. Built in the early 1970s, enjoyed a women’s game here years ago. The rink has a cool old school feel to it.
3. St. Cloud State (NCHC): The athletic centerpiece on campus, the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center is one sweet game day experience! My only visit here the place was hopping from puck drop. The student section poured it on – and the place was packed to the gills.
2. Minnesota Duluth (NCHC): Hometown of one of my favorite singers, Bob Dylan, “you don’t need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows,” this quintessential hockey town on Lake Superior is a two-hour plus drive from Minneapolis, boasting three of my favorite rinks in its city limits alone, one of which is Amsoil Arena, home of the Bulldogs. Not a bad seat in the joint and love the second deck. Solid atmosphere here. Also enjoyed the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Arena and Duluth Heritage Sports Center, which tells the story of the city’s rich hockey history with outstanding murals all over the place.
1.Minnesota (Big 10): You can sense and feel something different and special – even before you enter the building. The “M” flag sails atop the arena. Enter the front lobby – history. Climb the steps – you see the ice below and more history oozes. Banners don the rafters over what feels like every inch of the roof – and with good reason, given the programs’ rich history. Been here twice and can’t wait to return. Also enjoyed a women’s game at their separate rink, plus Gophers football, hoops, baseball, and volleyball.
Favorite State of Minnesota rivalries: North Dakota-Minnesota and Wisconsin-Minnesota are great. In state, Minnesota versus St. Cloud in St. Cloud and Minnesota against Minnesota Duluth in Duluth.
More favorite northeast rinks and experiences: Mariucci Arena, Minnesota. On the high school side, Hibbing Memorial is a classic (the NHL Blackhawks held training camp here in the 1930s!).
LEFT SIDE OF THE BRACKET – THE GO WEST BRACKET!
For this bracket, the west encompasses teams from the I-29 corridor west to The Last Frontier.
5. Missed it by that much – Arizona State (Independent): Kudos to the Sun Devils administration for their audacity when they decided to take the D-I plunge. They had a vision – and despite countless doubters – today it’s amazing. When I think about what makes America great – to be bold, fearless, and to maximize ones’ potential – in the college hockey world, this is Exhibit A. Super excited to see when Augustana launches next season. The only question now is, who’s next to be bold? Tennessee State? Liberty? UNLV? God Bless America.
4. Omaha (NCHC): I wish I could have caught a game at Civic Auditorium – heard it was a stellar game day experience. My first visit for hockey here came after the Mavericks moved to the larger downtown venue and current home of Creighton basketball. My last visit was to its third home, on-campus Baxter Arena in 2018. Had a splendid time.
3. Colorado College (NCHC): After years playing at off-campus at utterly sterile “World Arena” (as if!), Tigers brass got smart and built an outstanding, easy-to-access on campus venue. This is among the steepest seating bowl of a new arena built in the last 25 years I’ve experienced – which is saying a lot because I’ve literally been everywhere. Pluses? Not a bad seat in the joint. Minuses? Good luck finding a ticket – and watch your footing as you’re carrying that hot dog and beverage, walking gingerly down the aisle back to your seat. Like most new arenas these days, the highest-level seats are suites – but the best atmosphere is on the main concourse where it’s also standing room only. Stay comfy, my friends.
Connor enjoying the atmosphere in Denver at Magness Arena.
2. Denver (NCHC): If you’ve never been to a Pioneers game, memo: arrive early. Located off frequently congested I-25, south of downtown, the traffic and high-density campus require time and patience. But it’s worth it. While Colorado College’s new digs are the latest, greatest, UD’s venue is old school charmingly simplistic – and just a tad greater vibe (my subjective preference). Essentially one seating bowl runs from the only main concourse right down to the glass. Never forgotten my first game here against North Dakota. Electric.
1.North Dakota (NCHC): Enjoyed two games at Ralph Engelstad Arena. First game here, 2008. Hour or two before puck drop. Absolutely freezing out. Nastiest wind – and blowing snow. The line to get into the building? Longer than hell but well worth the warm wait: Welcome to College Hockey Heaven, its most exquisite grand cathedral. From the fan support and atmosphere to its grand marble floor entrance and the intimate seating bowl, there’s simply no better place to enjoy the game, period. Frankly, there is not a close second.
Favorite west bracket rivalries: North Dakota-Denver; North Dakota-Minnesota; Denver-Colorado College; Governors’ Cup: Alaska-Anchorage against Alaska, the latter of which is based in Fairbanks.
More favorite West bracket rinks and experiences: Like Mr. Sports Travel, there is only one GOAT – aka, there is only one Ralph!
Separately, journeying to Alaska to see No. 61 and No. 62 was a blast. Alaska-Anchorage has packed them in since re-launching the program after a brief hiatus. Some 360 miles north is the founding campus in the state university system and the northwestern most DI men’s program with also the coolest nickname – the Alaska Nanooks, the Inuit term for polar bears. Half the fun is just getting to Fairbanks – and bring your cowbell! Although it opened in 1990, the Nanooks home feels much older – in a good way to me! I like the upper deck and the history reflected here, with banners adorning one end of the rink while the entryway and halls are lined with black and white photos and old jerseys from yesteryear.
AWARDS TIME!
MR. SPORTS TRAVELS’ GAME DAY ATMOSPHERE FINAL FOUR: Cornell (East Bracket); Wisconsin (Great Lakes Bracket); Minnesota (State of Hockey Bracket); North Dakota (West Bracket).
MR. SPORTS TRAVELS’ GAME DAY ATMOSPHERE NATIONAL CHAMPION: North Dakota!
As the Greatest of All-Time (G.O.A.T.) Sports Traveler, I hereby bestow the “NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Best Game Day Atmosphere Trophy to North Dakota! Because this special place is in a league of its own!”
To learn more about Joe Connor, also known as Mr. Sports Travel, visit the college hockey page on his website and click on links to some of his previous columns on USCHO.com:
