The NCAA Division III membership Saturday voted to allow all multi-divisional institutions including Rochester Institute of Technology and Union College to apply Division I rules to their Division I programs, including financial aid.
The vote came during the NCAA’s annual meeting in Indianapolis. The vote was 388-18, with 39 abstentions.
The vote immediately allows a full 18 athletic scholarships to be awarded by the men’s and women’s programs at both RIT and Union.
“This is a great day for our department and our hockey programs,” said RIT executive director of athletics Jacqueline Nicholson in a statement. “I’m grateful for the Division III membership’s support of this legislation which will have a profound effect on the lives of our student-athletes and what our teams can accomplish.”
“We are gratified that the NCAA membership approved this measure, which puts Union College and institutions in similar situations on a level playing field with their Division I colleagues,” said Union president David R. Harris. “For Union, being able to offer scholarships will greatly enhance our ability to compete at the highest level in men’s and women’s hockey, and to build on our proud history on the ice.”
RIT and Union were the only schools competing in Division I hockey that were not allowed to offer scholarships. Four Division III institutions had been grandfathered to allow financial aid for their Division I hockey programs: Clarkson, Colorado College, Rensselaer, and St. Lawrence.
“This changes things on many different levels for our teams,” said RIT men’s hockey coach Wayne Wilson. “Our coaches have always done a tremendous job on the recruiting trail finding players who would excel in our program, but the conversation is completely different when you can sit them down and offer the same thing as all the other teams. Decisions don’t have to be made based on finances anymore.”
“We are simply looking to provide the opportunities to our student-athletes and programs consistent with the Division I hockey landscape,” said Union director of athletics Jim McLaughlin.
RIT’s women’s hockey was the last Division III program to elevate to D-I after the NCAA made a moratorium on multi-divisional play permanent.
“I’m excited for the future of our program,” said RIT women’s hockey coach Celeste Brown. “We have already made some significant strides in a short period of time to take our program to the next level. This only accelerates our journey toward where we know we can take this team in the future. It also will help make the women’s game stronger, overall, by creating more opportunities for women to get a scholarship while playing the sport at a premier level.”
Also included in the legislation are Hobart (men’s lacrosse), Franklin & Marshall (wrestling) and MIT (women’s rowing).
In the battle of two Big Ten heavyweights, No. 11 Minnesota’s Ben Meyers scored a power-play goal in overtime to give the Gophers a 2-1 victory over No. 3 Michigan (file photo: Jim Rosvold).
It was billed as a heavyweight matchup between the top two preseason favorites in the Big Ten. And the battle lived up to its hype.
Ben Meyers’ goal at 1:09 overtime gave No. 11 Minnesota a 2-1 victory over No. 3 Michigan.
The goal came during an extended power play for the host Gophers after Michigan’s Jacob Truscott was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking from behind with 2:09 remaining in regulation.
In goal for Minnesota, Justen Close made 26 saves, many of the impressive variety, to earn the victory in just his third collegiate start.
Rookie Dylan Duke scored what stood as the only goal for much of the game firing home a rebound at 12:25 of the second.
The game remained that way until Matthew Knies scored at 4:43 of the third to even things. And it appeared that Minnesota might have scored the winner in regulation’s final seconds but it was ruled that Blake McLaughlin directed the puck into the net with a distinct kicking motion.
That simply extended the game into overtime where Meyers played hero. Getting to overtime could be beneficial for the Wolverines, who earn a point in the Big Ten standings and more importantly only take 45 percent of a loss in the PairWise Rankings. The single Big Ten point keeps Michigan atop the conference standings, now tied with Ohio State, a 4-1 winner over Michigan State on Friday.
Princeton continued its success as road warriors, jumping to a 3-0 lead and then holding on against a desperate Cornell team, earning a 5-4 upset victory on Friday.
The Tigers, which are winless at home this season, earned their fourth road victory in 10 games, none bigger than this upset of what had been a red-hot Cornell club.
Princeton potted the game’s first three goals before the midway point of the second on tallies from Joe Berg, Adam Robbins and Spencer Kersten. Kyle Penney answered at 13:33 of the second to pull the Big Red within two, but that’s how things stood until a wild finish.
Cornell closed the gap to 3-2 on Jack Malone’s fifth goal of the year with 2:57 left. Kersten responded 62 seconds later with his second of the game before Travis Mitchell scored an extra attacker goal with 49 second remaining.
Us: What play do you want to run?
Corey Andonovski: "No-look reverse into bar-down from Kersten" sounds good.
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) January 22, 2022
Ian Murphy scored into an empty net at 19:36 which became the eventual game-winning goal when Ben Berard added another extra-attacker goal with 10 seconds left, all too little too late.
Merrimack 3, No. 10 UMass Lowell 1
Merrimack scored twice on the power play and goaltender Hugo Ollas made 23 saves as the Warriors extended their winning streak to four with a 3-1 upset of Merrimack Valley rival No. 10 UMass Lowell.
The River Hawks opened the scoring shorthanded on Lucas Condatta’s fifth goal of the season at 8:29 of the second. But penalty trouble for the River Hawks allowed Merrimack the chance to respond.
Max Newton scored on the power play at 16:40 to even the score and Declan Carlile added a goal during a five-minute man advantage late in the second to go to the third with the Warriors leading, 2-1.
Zach Uens added an insurance goal, his first of the season, with 16:00 minutes remaining.
GOALLLLL! Zach Uens finishes off the unreal passing play with Liam Walsh and Merrimack takes a two-goal lead!!!!#GoMackpic.twitter.com/zzbPEaesAf
The two rivals, which did had not played one another in more than 700 days because of COVID cancellations a year ago, will rematch on Saturday at Tsongas Center.
Michigan Tech goalie Blake Pietila picked up back-to-back shutouts last weekend over Lake Superior State (photo: Michigan Tech Athletics).
So here we are in the middle of January. Somehow it feels like the COVID surge that has postponed and canceled many games is in back of us, fingers crossed.
And as we creep towards the end of the season, we have an interesting weekend where five different games or two-game series feature nationally-ranked clubs battling one another.
It should be no surprise, then, that most of the odds are pretty tight. The largest favorite for the quintet of games is Michigan (-160) against a Minnesota (+130) team without an established goaltender. After that, it’s Massachusetts (-155) which is home against Northeastern (+130). This feels like a game where the bookmakers are looking entirely at stats, particularly one – since the first weekend of the season when the Minutemen were swept by Minnesota State, UMass is 6-1-0 at home, that single loss coming in overtime against Boston University.
The reality is that all five of these games are as close to pick ’em as you can find. Not a lot separates the quintet, which might make bettors look at other odds. Right now, you can find that the average over/under on these games is around 6, many coming it at 5.5. If you’re an experienced gambler, the over/under can feel like a more comfortable bet given that the return is an even-money line (-110 with juice). Thus, if you have a feel from any games, think about that over/under bet as opposed to straight money line odds.
Last week was a little strange with two of the five original games postponed. Then the three remaining games were won by the favorite. Thus a $100 parlay on the money line wasn’t profitable – worth just $307.37. A payout like that makes it more attractive to keep your money in your pocket.
This week has a little more potential.
On to this week.
You can make your selections on the games listed below as well as others in USCHO Pick ‘Em. Go to social.uscho.com to join the fun!
As usual, a disclaimer:
Understand, this is for entertainment purposes only. USCHO.com is not a licensed gambling platform and no money may be wagered through this site or any subsidiary of USCHO.
All games are the first games when they occur in a two-game series, unless noted. Saturday game as marked appropriately.
Enjoy and, if you bet, may you be successful.
* Games marked with asterisks indicates odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
No. 3 Michigan (-160) at No. 11 Minnesota (+130) *
Before Minnesota goaltender Jack LaFontaine singed with the Carolina Hurricanes, I had this game as a slight favorite for the host Gophers. But when you have questions in goal, the books with notice and last Saturday’s 3-2 loss against Alaska certainly raised the eyebrows of the sharps.
Would be a shock to see Minnesota win? Heck no. There’s plenty of talent of both sides of the puck so if you take the pressure off your netminder and find a way to score, a 2-1 or 3-2 victory isn’t unheard of.
But bookmakers won’t take that into consideration. It means that if you believe in the Gophers you get a great price. But if you’re taking the expected pick (the USCHO staff was unanimous), your profit will be cut.
Jim
Dan
Ed
Paula
John
Nate
Chris
Jack
Matt
Drew
Nat'l
Nat'l
Nat'l
Nat'l
HEA
ECAC
AHA
CCHA
NCHC
B1G
No. 17 Michigan Tech (-130) at No. 18 Northern Michigan (+110) * SERIES POSTPONED DUE TO COVID
This was originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday but has been pushed back a day because of COVID. I doubt that will force the bookmakers to change their lines, unless they have some inside information on what protocols might do to either lineup.
As discussed last week, if you’re able to understand the variables associated with players potentially missing games due to COVID, you could have an edge.
Northern Michigan certainly raised eyebrows last weekend with their win over Minnesota State. This team also beat a shorthanded Minnesota Duluth club twice, so there’s reason to like the Wildcats. But Michigan Tech is securely inside the PairWise bubble at this point and certainly makes them a legitimate favorite.
Jim
Dan
Ed
Paula
John
Nate
Chris
Jack
Matt
Drew
Nat'l
Nat'l
Nat'l
Nat'l
HEA
ECAC
AHA
CCHA
NCHC
B1G
No. 12 Northeastern (+130) at No. 14 Massachusetts (-155) *
This may be the ultimate matchup of the weekend pitting a sound, solid UMass offense against the guy who is trying to set every major goaltending record in college hockey history.
Devon Levi is tops in save percentage (.955), third in goals against (1.31), third in wins (16) and first in shutouts (9). One caveat for Northeastern fans, though, is that Levi’s days are numbered before he has to leave for the Olympics as he represents Canada in Beijing.
Thus, there may be a sense of urgency for the Huskies this weekend, something as gamblers that should be taken into consideration.
But UMass hasn’t lost in regulation at home since the opening weekend of the season and may be a little hungry themselves, having lost its last two games at Michigan on January 8-9.
Jim
Dan
Ed
Paula
John
Nate
Chris
Jack
Matt
Drew
Nat'l
Nat'l
Nat'l
Nat'l
HEA
ECAC
AHA
CCHA
NCHC
B1G
No. 9 North Dakota (+115) at No. 4 Western Michigan (-140) *
It’s not often that North Dakota finds itself an underdog in the NCHC, but the first-place Fighting Hawks are slight underdog traveling to fourth-place Western Michigan. If that doesn’t tell the story of the NCHC’s parity, nothing does.
For Western Michigan, there will be some significant rust to shake off, having not played since December 29. And bookmakers might not know that historically the Broncos have struggled against North Dakota with just seven victories in the 32 all-time meetings.
But that’s history that sportsbooks don’t care about. North Dakota has been inconsistent this season and Western Michigan has won eight of their last nine games. So as much as history can play a role in setting a line, sometimes the bookmakers like to keep it simple and favor the team that makes the most sense.
Since Quinnipiac goaltender Yaniv Perets surrendered a goal to Boston College in the first minute of his collegiate debut, he’s allowed just nine goals in 807-plus minutes. So when we talk above about Devon Levi being a record breaker, let’s not forget about Perets.
That said, one major difference in the number of shots Perets is seeing per game. Quinnipiac averages 16.2 shots against per game, compared to 29.3 per game allowed by Northeastern. So if you’re not hearing as much about Perets as you do about Levi, that might have something to do with it.
As for this matchup, Cornell probably feels rejuvenated after a two-game road sweep at North Dakota followed by a 3-0 win at Yale. This single game against Quinnipiac, though, could be most important to Cornell’s NCAA hopes. Ranked 28th in the PairWise after a sweep at the hands of Arizona State, Cornell bounced back after the two wins at North Dakota and sits 13th. A single win against Quinnipiac could almost cement Cornell’s NCAA hopes.
The message here, both teams have plenty to play for. Wager wisely.
Jim
Dan
Ed
Paula
John
Nate
Chris
Jack
Matt
Drew
Nat'l
Nat'l
Nat'l
Nat'l
HEA
ECAC
AHA
CCHA
NCHC
B1G
Pick records to date (last week):
Jim Connelly – 39-18 (2-1)
Chris Lerch – 36-21 (3-0)
Dan Rubin – 34-23 (2-1)
Ed Trefzger – 35-22 (3-0)
Paula Weston – 32-25 (2-1)
Matthew Semisch – 34-23 (3-0)
Drew Claussen – 34-23 (3-0)
John Doyle – 31-26 (2-1)
Jack Hittinger – 29-28 (1-2)
Nate Owen – 26-31 (2-1)
Massachusetts-Dartmouth captain Dillon Radin has been among the nation’s leading point-getters and hoping to resume MASCAC play next week (Photo by Jared Marshall)
With virtually every MASCAC team at a standstill since the change of the calendar to 2022, the Massachusetts-Dartmouth Corsairs, like their conference compatriots, are hoping to return to real games next week and find a way to re-schedule four postponed contests in advance of a conference tournament next month. For a team that has been back on campus since December 29, 2021, the recent positive testing has further extended the lack of practice and team interaction on top of the lack of competitive game action which shows just one game played in the New Year.
“It really has been a lot of bad timing,” noted head coach Eric Noack. “First it was one team and then another and another and to a large extent all of the teams have been impacted by positive tests. Right now, we have four postponed conference games that we are going to have to find a way to make up, but it is already mid-January, and we may end up with a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday schedule in the last few weeks to get the games in. All this assumes no other virus issues, but the league and the coaches have been collaborating to re-schedule the games and we hope we can get the teams playing so they are ready for the conference tournament next month. We are all being realistic so we will see what is possible.”
If everything works out, the Corsairs could be back on the ice on Friday and playing games next week starting with a scheduled non-conference game with Rivier on Saturday before resuming MASCAC play next week. Like several teams with some super seniors, the Corsairs do have some experience to fall back on, but the coaching staff wants to see players back on the ice for the upperclassman who came back looking to finish their career on the ice for the program.
I really want this for the whole team but especially the kids that came here for graduate school to use their remaining eligibility,” noted Noack. “I think they were hoping for a 24-game plus season and hopefully we will get there, but it is going to be challenge with remaining calendar in the regular season. One of our team’s advantages is that we have an experienced roster that includes the same three captains from last season, the same power play unit and a group of players that has improved their game in the first half. All of those should help us contend for a top two position that earns home ice and a first round bye in the conference tournament.”
A key contributor for the Corsairs has been forward Dillon Radin, who through 13 games leads the team in goals and points (10-14-24) and is among the leaders in the nation with his offensive numbers. What is most impressive is Radin has produced at almost a goal a game clip without large numbers from special teams play.
“You see a special season like Dillon has going and you just want him to have a chance to cap it off and maybe have one of those special scoring seasons,” said Noack. “He may not be an end-to-end of the ice kind of player but he at his best during 5-on-5 play. He has great hands and is a very good finisher. He just has that goal-scorer sense where he sees the hole and gets the puck to the net through the crowd and past the goaltender and everyone wonders how he did that. He literally creates things out of nothing and that has helped his linemates who are also having very good years. I think it is going to be fun to see what he does when we get back to playing, hopefully next week.”
The Corsairs currently sit in second place in MASCAC play and are scheduled to travel to play Westfield State and Worcester State next weekend. With postponed games being re-scheduled the Corsairs and other MASCAC teams will likely be playing three times per week right into February to have a fully represented season.
“We are really focused on what is realistic and safe for the players,” stated Noack. “All of these players have been through so much just trying to play so hopefully all of the teams having gone through the protocols will give us a chance to finish the season on the ice.”
The CCHA announced Friday that the Michigan Tech-Northern Michigan home-and-home series, originally scheduled for Friday, Jan. 21 in Marquette and Saturday, Jan. 22 in Houghton, has been postponed due to health and safety precautions within Northern Michigan’s hockey program.
The CCHA, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan are working together to reschedule the two games for later dates during the 2021-22 season.
UW-Stevens Point faces UW-River Falls in a big WIAC series this weekend. Photo courtesy of UW-Stevens Point Athletics
It’s that time of the year where conference play is officially in full swing and every game down the stretch factors into a team’s title hopes.
Among the key matchups this weekend is a battle between UW-Stevens Point and UW-River Falls in the WIAC while Adrian and St. Norbert both try to keep things rolling. Here’s a look at the picks for some of the games on this weekend’s slate.
Friday
Saint John’s (9-5-1, 5-2) at St. Scholastica (6-6-1, 3-4)
Coming off a 5-2 win over the Saints on Thursday, which happened to be their first game of 2022, the Johnnies take aim at a sweep. They are in second place in the standings and need a win to keep pace in the battle for first place. Lewis Crosby leads the league in goals (11).
But this one could come down to defense. Mac Berglove and Jack Bostedt are among the top five in save percentage and saves. Saint John’s, 4-2
Friday and Saturday
Concordia (6-7-2, 3-2-1) at Gustavus (4-8-2, 0-3-1)
The Cobbers are hanging around in the upper half of the MIAC standings and need a couple of wins in this series to remain in a good place heading down the stretch. Tyler Bossert has been one of the top scoring threats in the league all year and leads the MIAC in points (21) and assists (16). He’ll look to help Concordia end a two-game losing streak.
Gustavus has lost just once in its last four games has shown it can put up goals in bunches, including scoring seven in a win over Concordia (Wisconsin) last month. The Gusties will have to be at their best defensively to get the job done if they want their first MIAC win of the year. Concordia, 3-1 and 4-2
Hamline (2-8-1, 0-4) vs. Saint Mary’s (5-9-1, 3-3)
The Pipers haven’t won a game since Nov. 23 and this weekend marks the first time they have played since the calendar flipped to 2022 because of the pandemic’s impact on its schedule. Going on the road to start this home-and-home series won’t be easy as they attempt to shake off the rust in their first live action since Dec. 31.
The Cardinals haven’t had the easiest time this season and have played just four games over the last month and a half. Five players have scored three or more goals, including Bud Winter, who leads the team with five. Saint Mary’s also has the advantage of having played this month. Saint Mary’s, 5-2 and 4-3
UW-Stevens Point (11-4-1, 6-1) at UW-River Falls (9-7-1, 5-2)
The Pointers are ranked 13th in the latest DCU/USCHO NCAA Division III men’s poll and sit in first place in the WIAC standings. They face the second-place team in the standings, meaning this series has a lot riding on it for both teams.
UW-Stevens Point has won its last two while UW-River Falls has dropped two in a row. The Pointers have scored 56 goals while the Falcons have punched in 45. These teams also have two of the best goalies. Ryan Wagner of the Pointers has made 259 saves and Dysen Skinner has tallied 237 saves. This should be one of the more entertaining matchups of the weekend. UW-Stevens Point, 4-3; UW-River Falls, 3-2
UW-Eau Claire (6-10, 2-5) at UW-Superior (10-4-2, 4-2-1)
The Blugolds face one of their toughest tests of the year going on the road to take on a Yellowjackets team that is playing its best hockey at the moment. UW-Eau Claire has struggled away from home, going 2-5, and need to be able to generate offense quickly.
UW-Superior has won its last four and has the top three scoring threats in the WIAC. Dylan Johnson leads the way with 11 goals and nine assists. He’s helped the Yellowjackets crank out 56 goals on the season. This is a big series for UW-Superior, which sits in third in the standings but can help its bid to win another league title by sweeping this series. UW-Superior, 5-2 and 4-1
Lake Forest (6-10-1, 4-3-1) at Adrian (16-1, 10-0)
The Bulldogs are the top-ranked team in the DCU/USCHO NCAA Division III men’s poll and are atop the NCHA standings. They are also the hottest team in hockey, winning 16 consecutive games, scoring five or more goals 11 times during that streak. The Bulldogs have scored 90 goals while giving up 31.
The Foresters will have to play their best hockey of the year to have a shot against Adrian. They do have one of the better goaltenders in the league in Nick Wiencek, who ranks fifth in the NCHA in saves (309). Adrian, 5-1 and 4-1
Concordia (2-11-2, 1-6-1) at MSOE (5-9-2, 3-5-1)
The Falcons have just one win in their last five outings and now head on the road trying to get back on track. Jordan Guiney leads the team in points with five goals and six assists.
The Raiders have won two of their last four and hope to build some momentum with a home series against the Falcons. Christian Sabin and Garrett Gintoli have helped lead the way for MSOE, both racking up 16 points on the year. Gintoli has nine goals and Sabin has 11 assists. MSOE, 3-2 and 4-3
St. Norbert (14-3, 8-0) vs. Marian (6-7-3, 1-6-2)
Winners of 13 consecutive games, the Green Knights are seventh in the DCU/USCHO NCAA Division III men’s poll and are in third place in the conference. They have one of the best offenses in the country, pouring in 83 goals, and Peter Bates leads the way with 18 of those goals, the most in the league. He has 34 points in all, and that total is the best in the NCHA.
Marian is winless in its last three games and will have its hands full playing one of the top teams in the country. The Sabres need to be at their best in this home and home series, and a quick start is the key to having a chance to pull off an upset. St. Norbert, 4-1 and 5-2
Union coach Rick Bennett speaks to media members after the Dutchmen captured the 2013 ECAC Hockey championship (USCHO.com file photo).
According to the Daily Gazette, Union men’s hockey coach Rick Bennett has been placed on paid administrative leave as the college investigates an allegation that was received late Wednesday evening.
Union assistant coach John Ronan will run the team this weekend as the Dutchmen host Brown Friday at 7 p.m. and Yale Saturday at 7 p.m. from Messa Rink.
According to a news release, the team was informed of Bennett’s leave Thursday afternoon.
“The College takes all allegations seriously and immediately began looking into the matter,” the press release said.
Bennett, who led the Dutchmen to the 2014 national championship, joined Union in 2005 and served as assistant coach and associate head coach under Nate Leaman and was promoted to head coach when Leaman left to become the Providence coach in 2011.
In efforts to reschedule lost games due to COVID-19 protocols, the WCHA has announced the rescheduling of a single game between Wisconsin and St. Thomas.
On Monday, Jan. 31, Wisconsin will be at St. Thomas for a 7:15 p.m. CDT puck drop.
Wisconsin was previously scheduled to host St. Thomas on Jan. 14-15 before the two-game series was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. The Badgers now extend their trip at the end of the month as they travel to face St. Cloud State on Jan. 28-29, before heading an hour and a half south for their Monday, Jan. 31 matchup at St. Thomas.
As announced on Wednesday by the league, the WCHA standings now change to the use of points percentage rather than overall points earned due to an imbalance of the number of WCHA games set to be played. This change in standing calculations is detailed by the WCHA’s COVID-19 protocols as agreed upon by the member schools prior to the start of the season.
Wisconsin women’s hockey season ticket holders will be refunded for the series at the conclusion of the season. Original single-game ticket purchasers for the series will be refunded next week.
Minnesota’s Jack LaFontaine won the 2021 Mike Richter Award (photo: Brace Hemmelgarn).
The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced a watch list of 28 goalies who will compete for the Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goalie in men’s NCAA Division I hockey since 2014.
The 28 goalies come from the United States (16), Canada (8), Sweden (2), Czech Republic (1) and Slovakia (1). Of the U.S. goalies, Minnesota leads the way with five, followed by Michigan and New York with two each. Alaska, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin can each claim one.
Of the eight Canadian goalies, five are from Ontario, two from Quebec and one from Alberta. Both Quebec goalies come from Dollard Des Ormeaux.
There are three freshmen, seven sophomores, 11 juniors, two seniors and five graduate students among those recognized.
A committee of voters — made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, scouts and media — will pare this list down to approximately 15 names within the next two weeks and then ultimately choose the winner who will be announced in April during the Frozen Four. A similar award to recognize the top female goalie in the NCAA is also presented by the HCA.
2021-22 Mike Richter Award Watch List
Atlantic Hockey
Gavin Abric, Army West Point (SO – Hayward, WI)
Jacob Barczewski, Canisius (JR – O’Fallon, MO)
Evan DeBrouwer, Bentley (GR – Blenheim, ON)
Big Ten
Ryan Bischel, Notre Dame (JR — Medina, MN)
Drew DeRidder, Michigan State (SR – Fenton, MI)
Jakub Dobeš, Ohio State (FR- Ostrava, Czech Republic)
Matthew Galajda, Notre Dame (GR — Aurora, ON)
Jared Moe, Wisconsin (JR – New Prague, MN)
Erik Portillo, Michigan (SO — Gothenburg, Sweden)
CCHA
Dryden McKay, Minnesota State (SR – Downers Grove, IL)
Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech (JR – Howell, MI)
ECAC Hockey
Ethan Haider, Clarkson (SO – Maples Grove, MN)
Connor Murphy, Union (JR — Hudson Falls, NY)
Yaniv Perets, Quinnipiac (SO* – Dollard Des Ormeaux, PQ)
Ian Shane, Cornell (FR — Manhattan Beach, CA) *Entered school mid-season 2020-21. Will be a first-semester sophomore when QU returns to school.
Hockey East
Gabe Carriere, Vermont (SO — Ottawa, ON)
Drew Commesso, Boston University (SO – Norwell, MA)
Darion Hanson, UConn (GR — East Bethel, MN)
Devon Levi, Northeastern (SO — Dollard Des Ormeaux, PQ)
Matt Murray, UMass (GR – St. Albert, AB)
Owen Savory, UMass Lowell (JR — Cambridge, ON)
Jaxson Stauber, Providence (JR – Plymouth, MN)
NCHC
Dominic Basse, Colorado College (SO — Alexandria, VA)
Brandon Bussi, Western Michigan (JR — Sound Beach, NY)
Magnus Chrona, Denver (JR — Stockholm, Sweden)
Ryan Fanti, Minnesota Duluth (JR – Thunder Bay, ONT)
Dávid Hrenák, SCSU (GR – Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia)
Isaiah Saville, Omaha (JR – Anchorage, AK)
Past Richter Award Recipients
2014 – Connor Hellebuyck, UMass Lowell
2015 – Zane McIntyre, North Dakota
2016 – Thatcher Demko, Boston College
2017 – Tanner Jaillet, Denver
2018 – Cale Morris, Notre Dame
2019 – Cayden Primeau, Northeastern
2020 – Jeremy Swayman, Maine
2021 – Jack LaFontaine, Minnesota
Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by The Rink Live reporter Jess Myers to preview No. 3 Michigan at No. 11 Minnesota. We also hear Michigan head coach Mel Pearson’s comments from a Monday news conference.
Also previewed are four other matchups to be featured in USCHO’s Bettor’s Edge column this week:
• No. 17 Michigan Tech at No. 18 Northern Michigan
• No. 12 Northeastern @ No. 14 UMass
• No. 9 North Dakota @ No. 4 Western Michigan
• No. 1 Quinnipiac @ No. 8 Cornell
Plus … why massaging the PairWise over the years resembles carving out congressional districts.
Denver freshman Carter Mazur has collected nine goals and 21 points this season for the Pioneers (photo: Jamie Schwaberow/Clarkson Creative Photography).
After COVID-19 conditions last season saw Denver split its players into cohorts in three different locker rooms, David Carle now feels more like a regular hockey coach.
His fourth season with the Pioneers hasn’t been normal, though.
Another reminder of that arrived last Wednesday afternoon, when Denver learned it wouldn’t be hosting St. Cloud State that Friday and Saturday, as scheduled. Instead, Omaha traveled to the Colorado capital on short notice.
Denver, ranked fifth in the latest DCU/USCHO Division I Men’s Poll, was supposed to visit the No. 16 Mavericks for a series Jan. 7-8. Due to COVID protocols within the UNO program, those games were rescheduled to Feb. 4-5. The games were moved again to Feb. 25-26, after three scheduled NCHC series last week were postponed over COVID-19 protocols.
“We had some inklings that maybe there were some issues with St. Cloud,” Carle said, before declining to elaborate. “We tried to just focus on things we knew we needed to get better at in our game, and with North Dakota going down and Omaha being available, it was nice that the (NCHC) was able to step in and at least ensure that games got on everyone’s schedule that was available to play.”
Carle felt his Pioneers took the situation in stride. That showed on the Magness Arena scoreboard, as Denver beat Omaha 5-2 Saturday and blanked the Mavericks 4-0 Sunday.
Cameron Wright’s two goals Saturday helped lift Denver in its first game since a 4-4 tie Jan. 1 against Alaska, and Magnus Chrona pitched a 20-save shutout Sunday. Carter Savoie, Brett Stapley, Antti Tuomisto and Carter Mazur all scored in the rematch, as Denver maintained its unbeaten home start (10-0-1) this season.
“Was it a perfect weekend? No, but playing our third and fourth games in a five-week period, we weren’t expecting perfect, and we did enough to get the two victories,” Carle said.
“Our goaltender was exceptional. He was our best player all weekend long, and that was a huge contributing factor.”
Carle hailed his players for handling abrupt adjustments during the week. Denver coaches usually start showing their players video on opposing teams on Tuesday, but the Pioneers didn’t watch film on St. Cloud. Instead, once they knew Omaha would be coming to town, DU turned its attention to the Mavericks.
“We’ll prepare to either defend what (a given week’s opponent) do, or work on things we think we can expose with our game against what they do,” Carle said. “We had two days, Thursday and Friday, to show Omaha video and prepare for Omaha. It was different, but I thought our guys did a nice job.”
Denver is now preparing for a home-and-home series this weekend against in-state rival Colorado College. Fourteen regular-season games remain for the Pioneers, who are on pace to earn a No. 1 regional seed for the NCAA Tournament.
A high level of success so far this season has helped Carle feel more comfortable than he did in a 2020-21 campaign that came with its own degree of uncertainty.
“Last year, I felt I was definitely more involved in COVID,” Carle said. “This year, we’ve really tried to make a concerted effort where our medical team is given the responsibility of handling COVID with our players, whether that’s testing, contact tracing, whatever protocols.
“Our medical staff has done a great job in taking the lead on all that, and it has allowed us to do more of what we’re here to do, which is to coach and build a team environment for the team to grow and develop in, and to achieve our goals.”
Northeastern goalie Aerin Frankel makes a save in the 2021 national championship game against Wisconsin (photo: Northeastern Athletics).
The Women’s Hockey Commissioners Association has announced a watch list of 19 goaltenders who will vie for the title of 2022 National Women’s Goalie of the Year.
The award was created a year ago to recognize the top female goalie in NCAA Division I hockey.
Northeasterms’s Aerin Frankel, who is on this year’s list, was the inaugural winner.
The goalies to watch come from all five NCAA Division I conferences with 10 from the United States, five from Canada and four from Europe (two from Sweden and one each from Finland and Germany).
The conference offices have come up with this initial list of outstanding goalies. A committee of voters — made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, and media — will pare this list down within the next two weeks and then ultimately choose the winner who will be announced in March during the Frozen Four.
2021-22 Women’s Goalie of the Year Award Watch List
CHA
Jenna Silvonen, Mercyhurst (JR – Lohja, Finland)
Josie Bothun, Penn State (SO – Wyoming, MN)
Arielle DeSmet, Syracuse (SR – Charlotte, VT)
ECAC Hockey
Logan Angers, Quinnipiac (SR – Winnipeg, MB)
Rachel McQuigge, Princeton (SR — Bowmanville, ON)
Gianna Meloni, Yale (SR — Washington, DC)
Lucy Morgan, St. Lawrence (JR — Mandan, ND)
Michelle Pasiechnyk, Clarkson (SO — Ottawa, ON)
Corinne Schroeder, Quinnipiac (GR – Elm Creek, MB)
Hockey East
Sandra Abstreiter, Providence (5th – Friesing, Germany)
Aerin Frankel, Northeastern (GR – Briarcliff Manor, NY)
Abigail Levy, Boston College (SR — Congers, NY)
Kate Stuart, Boston University (SR — Chilliwack, BC)
NEWHA
Suzette Faucher, Franklin Pierce (SO – Middleton, WI)
Tindra Holm, Long Island U. (FR — Skelleftea, Sweden)
The Berry Events Center is the home rink for Northern Michigan, located in Marquette, Mich. (USCHO.com file photo).
The Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan hockey game, originally scheduled for Friday, Jan. 21 at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, Mich., has been moved to Sunday, Jan. 23 at 6:07 p.m. EDT.
The NMU at Tech game, set for Saturday, Jan. 22 at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton, Mich., will still be played as scheduled. Puck drop is also set for 6:07 p.m. EDT.
The schedule change is due to health and safety precautions within Northern Michigan’s hockey program.
RIT senior captain Will Calverley has posted 11 goals and 16 points this season for the Tigers (photo: RIT Athletics).
With just over 50 percent (54.6 percent to be exact) of the Atlantic Hockey schedule in the books, and nonconference play completed (with the exception of Sacred Heart defending its Connecticut Ice title on Jan. 29-30), it’s now a sprint to the finish.
How’s the race shaping up?
If you aren’t a subscriber to the USCHO Weekend Review podcast (and all the USCHO podcasts), you should be. The Weekend Review features Jimmy Connelly, Ed Trefzger and Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley, who will soon be going back to his main job but has been a hoot to listen to this season.
One of my favorite features from the podcast is “Buy or Sell,” where the hosts each determine if they are in or out on a team at this point in the season.
Let’s play Buy or Sell, the Atlantic Hockey edition. I’m adding “hold” for teams that are on the brink, one way or another.
Buying
American International – The Yellow Jackets (11-9-1) are the hottest team in college hockey, winners of eight games in a row, seven of them in conference play. They’ve moved from the middle of the pack to first place in the standings and have to be considered the favorites to win an unprecedented fourth straight regular season title. Brian Rigali, a transfer from UConn, leads the team in scoring and is tied for third in the conference with 18 points.
Canisius – While the Golden Griffins (11-9-3) have just one conference sweep so far, they have managed to get points in every league series and that consistency has them sitting in second place. Canisius also features one of the best goaltenders in the conference in Jacob Baczewski, currently third in the conference in GAA (2.48) and second in save percentage (.926).
Air Force – Frank Serratore’s teams tend to get better and better as the season wears on, and I’m betting that will be the case again. The Falcons (7-11-2) opened the calendar year playing AIC tough in a pair of losses before completing a home sweep of Niagara last weekend. Forward Will Gavin has one of the three hat tricks scored this season in Atlantic Hockey.
Bentley – Before AIC got hot, Bentley (11-9-0) had the longest winning streak in the conference, stringing together five straight to close out the 2021 portion of its schedule. The Falcons are only 1-2-0 in the new year, but I like them to get it going again. A crucial series awaits this weekend in Buffalo versus Canisius. Transfer goaltender Evan Debrouwer hasn’t seen enough action to qualify for the goaltending leaders in the conference (he’s played in eight of 20 games), but statistically, he’s in the top three.
Selling
Rochester Institute of Technology – The Tigers (10-9-2) have been up and down this season, and lately it’s been the latter, with just one win in their last five games. They have just four home games left in the regular season, two against first-place AIC. Senior Will Calverley leads the conference in goals (11) and he’ll need to stay hot and get some help.
Mercyhurst – The Lakers (5-13-4) are experiencing highs and lows so far: they sport the top offense in the conference but also the lowest-ranked defense. So it’s probably not surprising that Mercyhurst’s power play is also tops in Atlantic Hockey, while its PK is last. The Lakers host Air Force this weekend. The top three scorers for Mercyhurst are all sophomores: Austin Heidemann (17 points), Carson Briere (15) and Dante Sheriff (15).
Holy Cross – The Crusaders (5-16-2) are a work in progress. Eight of their last nine losses have been by two goals or less, including a tie and a one goal loss to Canisius last weekend. But I’m still selling based on the tough schedule ahead, starting with a pair at Army West Point this weekend. Senior Ryan Leibold is having a career year, leading the team in points (18) and tied for goals (6).
Niagara – The Purple Eagles (6-14-2) have shown flashes of brilliance, including a 3-1 win at Notre Dame to open the 2022 portion of their schedule. But they’re 0-3 since then, including getting swept at Air Force last weekend. Niagara has a home-and-home series with RIT this weekend. Junior Albin Nilsson leads the team with 16 points.
Holding
Army West Point – Why am I not selling? Despite a 1-3-1 record in 2022, The Black Knights (8-10-3) have the best goaltender in the conference in Gavin Abric (2.28 GAA, .928 save percentage), and that will keep them in any game.
Sacred Heart – I’m holding because the Pios (9-9-3) are in a holding pattern. Here’s their record so far in 2022: loss, win, loss, win, loss, win. See a pattern? But SHU is only six points out of first with a showdown against AIC coming up this weekend.
Alex LaPlante and New England College are making the NEHC race interesting (Photo by NEC Athletics)
It’s crunch time! What it’s only mid-January but that means teams are about a month away from the end of the regular season and it is time to start playing great hockey. While there are still a number of weekly postponements, I am really needing to step it up in the games that are being played. Last week I finished at 4-3-0 (.571) which was less than adequate in moving my overall numbers of 52-31-6 (.618) closer to the 70% success level. Conference battles aplenty among ranked teams as well as those on the threshold of being in that caliber of team. Here are this week’s picks:
Thursday, January 20, 2022
Bowdoin @ Hamilton
The Continentals aren’t the ones getting on the bus for the long trip west so between Sean Storr in the pipes and playing at home, the Continentals pick up the win – Hamilton, 3-2
Friday, January 21, 2022
Endicott (12) v. Wentworth
The Gulls had a nice three win week last week and look to add to their CCC points with a win over the Leopards. This one is closer than the visitors would like – Endicott, 3-2
Hobart (6) v. Elmira (8)
The new travel partners will play a weekend home-and-home series starting in Elmira. The Statesmen come off a loss to a Babson team that fell to the Soaring Eagles. Back-to-back losses not in the cards – Hobart, 3-2
Colby v. Williams
This NESCAC battle features two teams that believe they can win the conference and are looking for a statement win to boost the momentum. Hard to score on Andy Beran for the Mules and that’s the difference – Colby, 2-1
Albertus Magnus v. Rivier
Thinking this battle of independents will feature more offense than usual. The Falcons start fast but need to hang on against a furious Raider rally – Albertus Magnus, 5-4
Wilkes (9) v. Neumann
The Colonels have been involved in a number of close games recently where third period heroics have been hit of miss. Better start helps them play with the lead against a determined Black Knights squad – Wilkes, 4-3
Saturday, January 22, 2022
Curry (15) v. University of New England (10)
The battle at the top appears to be among four teams and the Nor’easters need to get their game on track after multiple postponements in the second half. Typical close game with special teams being the difference for the home team – UNE, 3-2
Plattsburgh v. Oswego
The Lakers have very quietly put together a nice run in conference play and will look to build on their recent strong play against a bitter rival. Travis Broughman makes the magic for the win – Oswego, 4-3
Anna Maria v. Amherst
The Mammoths have suddenly found their offensive game and that is too bad for the AmCats who have had trouble lighting the lamp. The goals keep coming from a diverse group of Amherst players – Amherst, 6-2
Post v. St. Michael’s
This NE-10 matchup features teams both looking to snap current losing streaks. For the Purple Knights the offense is going to have to be better to earn the “W”. – St. Michael’s, 5-3
Skidmore v. Norwich (11)
The Thoroughbreds have played well against the best D-III has to offer but have been a much better home team than playing on the road. Cadets like playing in their barn and build on last weekend’s success – Norwich, 2-1
Chatham v. Stevenson
The upset alert is out. The Mustangs best be wary of a Cougar team that can step up and jump on them early. Home team might have to dig out of an early deficit to earn the win – Stevenson, 4-2
The conference action kicks into high gear for the remainder of the schedule. Throw in some makeup games and the standings should be very dynamic over the next few weeks. – “Drop the Puck!”
The Wisconsin team gathers around starting goaltender Jared Moe prior to an early-season game at the beginning of the 2021-22 season (photo: Tom Lynn).
The goaltender position may be in a state of flux at his former school, but Jared Moe seems to have settled in at Wisconsin.
The junior goalie, who transferred from Minnesota during the offseason, has started the last eight contests for the Badgers and has backstopped the team to a 4-2-2 record in those games.
Wisconsin plays at Penn State this weekend after picking up its first conference sweep of the season last time out against Michigan State.
“We started off pretty slow and I think we’re starting to find our rhythm here ever since the Penn State weekend before Christmas,” Moe said on Tuesday. “We’ve started to come alive, and things are coming together like our special teams and our offense. It’s been cool to be a part of it and watch our team grow throughout the year.”
Every team in the country strives for consistency, and Moe said he saw some from the Badgers in the series against the Spartans.
“We didn’t have a whole lot of it the previous weekends,” he said. “We’d be up on a team going into the third and have a bad third period and choke it away. The Penn State weekend, we beat them that Friday night and that Saturday, we had a bad second period. We bounced back and lost in overtime, but that second period kind of cost us the game. Against Michigan State this weekend we were pretty consistent throughout the whole six periods we played.”
Moe, who has a 6-8-3 record with a 2.50 GAA and .925 save percentage for the Badgers this season, said that settling into Madison has been “pretty easy and seamless.”
“Just getting to know the guys was a big part of it,” he said. “I knew most of the Minnesota guys, or had at least heard of them, and playing against these guys the last two years, that helped because at least we had a sense of who each other was. It was pretty easy and now it feels like home.”
After playing in only three games during his sophomore season for the Gophers, 13 less than his freshman campaign, Moe decided to use the new transfer portal to seek a better opportunity to see the ice.
“Then Wisconsin came along,” Moe said. “I had talked to them before I went to Minnesota, so they had always been around and had interest. It just felt right and seemed like a good situation to come in and get some games in and have an impact on the team. I just wanted somewhere where I could get that, and for it to be another Big Ten team and have that pro environment was a huge contributing factor to my decision.”
Badgers coach Tony Granato has been known to give multiple goaltenders a chance. He split time evenly between Robbie Beydoun and Cameron Rowe last year, so Moe knew that there would be a chance to anchor the rebuilding Badgers in net.
“That was part of the conversation I had, and even with coaches at other schools, too, I’m transferring because I want to have a shot again to be the guy,” Moe said. “Obviously, it wasn’t going to be given, so I had to come in and earn it. I knew it wasn’t going to be handed to me, (Granato) said you’re going to have to battle and earn the job. I feel like I came in here and was able to make the most of my opportunities.”
Hindsight is always 20/20, but with the recent departure of Jack LaFontaine the Gophers probably wouldn’t mind having Moe back in the fold. Transferring to a conference rival obviously irked a few fans, but LaFontaine had previously stood up for Moe and he said all his former Gophers’ teammates respected his decision.
“I’m definitely still friends with all the guys there. They obviously understood my decision to leave and there were no hard feelings with any of them,” he said. “With Jack leaving, I’m happy for him. It’s something you don’t see too often, so I’m sure he’s gotten a lot of hate for it, but when there’s an opportunity like that for him to go and be up in the NHL right away, that’s amazing and I’m sure he’s going to make the most of it.”
Moe said he was trying to find a good time to reach out to LaFontaine when Carolina wasn’t on the road. He did call Minnesota’s Justen Close after he picked up his first collegiate win against Alaska last Friday but added that the conversation quickly turned to banter about the upcoming series between the two at the end of February.
“He’s their guy now, so I called him and congratulated him and gave him some crap about playing against them in a month,” Moe said. “That’ll be a fun time, it’ll be fun playing against those guys again.”
Hockey East announced Thursday a schedule update for two men’s conference teams.
The second conference game between Northeastern and Vermont, previously scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 15, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 1, at 5:30 p.m. at Vermont.
Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by New Hampshire head coach Mike Souza. The conversation includes this year’s Wildcats, the Hockey East race, coping with COVID, recruiting, and this weekend’s series with UConn.
Hockey East announced Wednesday schedule updates for its women’s conference,
The women’s series between UConn and New Hampshire, previously scheduled for Jan. 21-22, has been rescheduled. The Huskies will host the Wildcats on Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 24-25, at 7 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.
The women’s series between Boston College and Boston University, previously scheduled for Jan. 7-8, has been rescheduled. The Terriers will host the Eagles on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. before traveling to Chestnut Hill on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m.
The women’s series between Merrimack and Providence, previously scheduled for Jan. 14-15, has been rescheduled. The Friars will host the Warriors on Tuesday, Feb. 8 before traveling to Merrimack on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Both games will begin at 7 p.m.
St. Cloud State previously had three games postponed, but those will now be played at future dates (photo: St. Cloud State Athletics).
The WCHA has announced the rescheduling of three games at St. Cloud State for matchups previously canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.
Tuesday, Feb. 1: Minnesota Duluth at St. Cloud State – 3 p.m. CDT
Tuesday, Feb. 8: Ohio State at St. Cloud State – 4 p.m. CDT
Tuesday, Feb. 15: Minnesota Duluth at St. Cloud State – 3 p.m. CDT
Due to an imbalance of the number of WCHA games set to be played, the league now changes its standings to the use of points percentage rather than overall points earned, as detailed by the WCHA’s COVID-19 protocols agreed upon by the member schools prior to the start of the season.
Minnesota Duluth was previously scheduled to travel to St. Cloud State on Jan. 7-8, while Ohio State was scheduled for their series against the Huskies on Jan. 14-15. Ohio State now travels for their series to Minnesota State Feb. 4-5 before heading two hours north for their Tuesday, Feb. 15 matchup at St. Cloud State.
The NCAA Division III membership Saturday voted to allow all multi-divisional institutions including Rochester Institute of Technology and Union College to apply Division I rules to their Division I programs, including financial aid.
