Kevin Fitzgerald (left) and Ludvig Persson have claimed NCHC honors for the 2020-21 season (photos: Mark Kuhlmann).
The NCHC announced its first two individual award winners for the 2020-21 season on Tuesday.
St. Cloud State senior forward Kevin Fitzgerald is the NCHC’s Sportsmanship Award winner, while Miami freshman goaltender Ludvig Persson earned the NCHC’s Three Stars Award.
Fitzgerald is the third Husky to win the sportsmanship award and second in three years after Patrick Newell garnered the honor in 2018-19.
Persson becomes the first RedHawk to win the three stars award, while he’s the third goaltender and third freshman to claim the honor.
Fitzgerald arrived on SCSU’s campus as a walk-on and is now a staple on St. Cloud State’s top line as a senior. The Huskies’ alternate captain has committed only nine minor penalties this season and no major penalties. He has played in all 24 games for SCSU this season, recording 13 points on eight goals and five assists, including three game-winning goals. In 119 career games for the Huskies, Fitzgerald has amassed 62 points (28 goals, 34 assists).
Fitzgerald is one of 10 finalists for the Men’s Hockey Senior CLASS Award and is a Hockey Humanitarian Award nominee. The accounting major has maintained a cumulative grade-point average of 3.42 and is set to graduate in May of 2021. Fitzgerald is a four-time Academic All-NCHC selection and a two-time recipient of St. Cloud State’s Herberger Business School Scholarship.
Additionally, Fitzgerald volunteers with the St. Cloud Frostbite Special Olympics floor hockey program and has participated in several Huskies outreach community programs, including the Polar Plunge, Skate with the Huskies and Huskies Haulers.
Persson was named Second-Team All-NCHC and to the NCHC All-Rookie Team on Monday. The Swede finished the season with 34 ‘three stars’ points and was selected First Star of the Game five times in his 17 starts in net, backstopping Miami to all five of its wins in 2020-21. Persson led all NCHC goalies with a .930 save percentage this season and finished third with a 2.40 goals-against average. His two shutouts tied for second in the conference. Persson was a three-time NCHC Goalie of the Week and the NCHC’s December Goaltender of the Month.
The Three Stars Award goes to the player who accumulates the most ‘three stars of the game’ points during conference play. Five points are awarded for a first star, three points for a second star and one for a third star of the game, with first stars serving as a tiebreaker, if needed.
Bentley scored the game’s final four goals to pull away from Air Force, 7-3, and advance to the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals where they will face top-seed AIC (File photo: Omar Phillips)
When Brendan Walkom scored at 12:15 of the second period, he probably couldn’t have imagined the goal would be a difference maker.
But when Air Force was whistled for penalty less than a minute later and Matt Gosiewski scored on the power play at 13:46, the game’s complexion had changed.
When that same duo added two empty-net goals late in the third period, hosts Bentley had earned a 7-3 victory over Air Force and advanced from the first round of the Atlantic Hockey playoffs.
Win and advance! Bentley takes down Air Force, 7-3, in the AHA 1st round and will advance to a best-of-3 quarterfinal series at AIC., Walkom and Gosiewski each score 2 for winners!! #BentleyU#BeAForce#AtlanticHockeypic.twitter.com/4UorNoJZfb
Bentley will face AIC, the top seed in the eastern pod and the team with the best overall record in Atlantic Hockey, in a best-of-three series beginning in Springfield on Friday.
Visiting Air Force scored very early – just 20 seconds in – on a Willie Reim unassisted goal. But that was where the major highlights ended for the visitors.
Bentley scored the next three goals, all before the opening frame ended.
Late power plays created by a minor to Bentley’s Matt Clark and a major cross-checking penalty to Charlie Marchand gave Air Force its chance to close the gap.
The visitors scored on a 5-on-3 power play by Brandon Koch at 17:39 of the first and then, still with the man advantage evened the game on Max Harper’s tally at 2:10 of the second.
From there, though, it was all Bentley. Goaltender Nicolas Grabko was solid making 28 saves, including all 14 while protecting the lead in the third.
No men’s D-I hockey conference was more impacted by COVID-19 than ECAC Hockey, which saw eight of its 12 teams elect not to play this season.
Commissioner Steve Hagwell joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger for a wide-ranging discussion, including how the remaining four teams have adapted, what short- and long-term outcomes there may be from pandemic protocols and student-athlete transfers, about the 2020-21 overtime changes, room for future growth of college hockey, and his conference’s NCAA bid prospects.
Carter Savoie has posted a team-best 12 goals this season for Denver as a freshman (photo: Mark Kuhlmann).
The NCHC announced Monday its all-rookie team and all-conference teams for the 2020-21 season.
2020-21 NCHC All-Rookie Team
F – Veeti Miettinen, St. Cloud State – 45 points (15 first-team votes) unanimous
F – Carter Savoie, Denver – 45 (15) unanimous
F – Riese Gaber, North Dakota – 37 (11)
D – Jake Sanderson, North Dakota – 38 (12)
D – Wyatt Kaiser, Minnesota Duluth – 32 (9)
G – Ludvig Persson, Miami – 45 (15) unanimous
2020-21 All-NCHC First Team
F – Shane Pinto, So., North Dakota – 45 points (15 first-place votes) unanimous
F – Jordan Kawaguchi, Sr., North Dakota – 40 (13)
F – Nick Swaney, Sr., Minnesota Duluth – 39 (12)
D – Matt Kiersted, Sr., North Dakota – 39 (12)
D – Ronnie Attard, So., Western Michigan – 29 (8)
G – Adam Scheel, Jr., North Dakota – 36 (11)
2020-21 All-NCHC Second Team
F – Veeti Miettinen, Fr., St. Cloud State – 15 (2)
F – Chayse Primeau, Jr., Omaha – 14 (2)
F – Noah Cates, Jr., Minnesota Duluth – 10 (3)
D – Nick Perbix, Jr., St. Cloud State – 26 (6)
D – Jacob Bernard-Docker, Jr., North Dakota – 19 (5)
G – Ludvig Persson, Fr., Miami – 14 (2)
2020-21 All-NCHC Honorable Mention
F – Collin Adams, Sr., North Dakota – 8
F – Cole Koepke, Jr., Minnesota Duluth – 7
F – Grant Cruikshank, Jr., Colorado College – 4
F – Ethen Frank, Sr., Western Michigan – 4
D – Brandon Scanlin, So., Omaha – 7
D – Wyatt Kaiser, Fr., Minnesota Duluth – 4 (1)
G – Isaiah Saville, So., Omaha – 11 (2)
Taylor Ward scored a power-play goal in overtime to give then-No. 12 Omaha a 3-2 win over then-No. 1 North Dakota last Friday night in Grand Forks (photo: Russell Hons).
Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback.
Paula: Jimmy, there’s so much to talk about this week as several conferences finished their regular-season play. There are several things that come to mind immediately, but I want to begin with two that circle back to things we’ve discussed.
The first is Wisconsin’s one-season turnaround, going from last place in the Big Ten at the end of 2019-20 to this year’s regular-season champions. Last season, the Badgers had all the potential and made great strides without the rewards that normally come to a rebuilding program. This season, Wisconsin bolted toward the end of the season with a seven-game unbeaten streak and took advantage of the opening that Minnesota provided when the Golden Gophers lost to Michigan Friday night. It’s a remarkable 180.
I am reminded that just a couple of months ago, someone really smart (hint: it’s you) suggested that the Badgers were the team to challenge Minnesota when it looked like the Gophers were running away with things.
The other item I want to circle back to is the perhaps predictable news that the remainder of the seasons for Holy Cross and Merrimack is cancelled because of positive COVID-19 tests among Tier 1 individuals. It wasn’t these teams, specifically, that we discussed; we just feared that someone’s season would end in just this way. It doesn’t matter where Holy Cross was in the Atlantic Hockey standings or where Merrimack was in Hockey East, either. It’s just sad.
I don’t think that you and I are especially prescient – well, clearly, I’m not – but does it seem as though this season has given us a clearer blueprint for March than we may have realized while we were caught up in the midst of it?
Jim: Sometimes, Paula, it’s nice to be right, like in the case of Wisconsin. This seemed like a team that simply needed to field their full lineup – one that wasn’t hampered by World Juniors – to come together as the dominant team many people know they were capable of being.
Some, though, being right is awful. Both Holy Cross and Merrimack certainly had long paths to win their postseason tournaments, but that’s not a good reason that the student-athletes end up missing the postseason, for some for the second straight year.
My fear is that this isn’t over.
I’ve spoken with commissioners who already have in place protocols to handle teams not being able to play. In all cases, you won’t see games moved. Teams will be forced to either forfeit or have the game declared as no-contest allowing their opponent to advance. Hopefully this doesn’t happen and that teams are able to field 15 skaters and two goaltenders each playoff game. Certainly, a team could be shorthanded at times, but I’m hopeful games will be played.
On a different note, and I’ll start by recognizing this is a Division I men’s column. I don’t know a ton about the women’s national championship but have seen enough on social media to see that people aren’t happy with the selection. Namely, leaving Minnesota out of the field and placing Minnesota Duluth, Boston College and Providence ahead. From what I can tell is that most around the game – media, particularly, as that’s who I follow on social media – felt Minnesota got jobbed.
I’m not forming an opinion on that as I’m not informed enough to do so. But it makes me wonder are we going to see the same types of conflicts in 12 or so days when the NCAA Division I men’s committee meets to seed that tournament. Though I keep saying I have faith in the committee, do you think I should be nervous that most will feel there is something unfair about the men’s seedings?
Paula: Jimmy, I was hoping you’d bring up the women’s field. I’m not knowledgeable enough to comment on the specifics of those selections, either, but people who are have sounded a bit of an alarm. That is really the third thing I wanted to circle back to this week, the upcoming men’s selection following the conference playoffs.
As I’ve said, I do not envy the committee at all and I’m embracing your faith in the people from the hockey community who are directly involved. That said, even when it’s simple math, a transparent formula and an entire season with interconference play to back it up, there is still grousing about the 16-team field.
So, of course, yes. There will be a perception of bias and people will complain about unfairness. The extent to which that happens depends as much as what transpires off the ice as what happens on, I think, between now and March 21.
As you’ve said, should more Tier 1 personnel from teams playing test positive during the coming weeks – and that is a fear that I share with you – games won’t be moved or rescheduled. Seasons will end abruptly. Teams will forfeit, and the advancing teams may also be affected by perceptions about how they advanced. Granted, this is speculation, but we know how bias affects perception of a given conference’s strength in relation to another conference. We know that this happens within conferences, too.
An overall scenario that I’m eyeing is Atlantic Hockey.
The Black Knights are 14th in the PairWise, for what that’s worth right now. AIC looks to be in. Say that AIC loses and another team beats Army for the playoff championship and the math works out that Army is still in. Does that mean Atlantic Hockey will get three teams in, or will the committee overlook Army – a team that has worked its way into field consideration for the whole season – so that a team from a “stronger” conference is included?
What about another bubble team, Clarkson, that hasn’t played since February 4? The Golden Knights are cleared to play but their series to end the regular season against St. Lawrence has cancelled because of COVID-19 issues with the Saints. What if the Golden Knights are the team knocked out in favor of a third Atlantic Hockey team or even a fourth WCHA team?
Maybe these things seem farfetched, but there are scenarios out there that will anger many people. I do trust the committee to do the best job it can with the information it has available to it at the time – and that includes its collective subjectivity based on seasons past.
I’m going to turn your question around on you: To what extent do you think the selection will be haunted by the decisions of the committee?
Jim: I think “haunted” is a very strong word. I’m not too concern that the committee will work as such that the tournament is tainted in any way.
That said, I think it would be helpful to have some transparency in the process. Mike Kemp was excellent a few weeks ago when he was a guest on USCHO Spotlight. He tried to lay out how the PairWise will be used – if at all – but even he had to walk back some comments that made it seem like the PairWise will be a major influence.
It was clarified after that the PairWise will be used to help break ties and rank teams within conferences, but it would be helpful if the committee would give fans some sort of a sample blueprint on how selection Sunday will go.
That may be easier said than done.
The reason? At this point, I’m not convinced that the committee entirely knows how selection Sunday will go. We’re going to have to let scenarios play out, then somehow rank the leagues and the teams within and make selections. Then comes ranking the teams to try to make regional first-round matchups fair. There easily could be a difficult balance between trying to maintain integrity to how the committee wants the field and, possibly, as desire to limit travel for the 16 teams during a pandemic.
For example, if all of the seed in on band (the term the NCAA uses to discuss the four number one seed, four number two seeds, etc.) are from one region, do you move teams band-to-band or do you put two teams on airplanes when there might be a much closer alternative.
Somehow, these are the questions about the tournament that keep me up at night.
Paula: Maybe “haunted” is the wrong word, as it implies that the committee itself will be visited in perpetuity for its decisions. Hounded, though, may apply – especially when it comes to the seeding scenarios you suggest.
I’m not suggesting that the PWR should be the model, either, for the current top 16 teams this season. I do think, though, that the committee will need to be very transparent in its rationale to address the criticism that is inevitably coming its way.
I admit that I hadn’t even considered travel as a consideration for seeding, although one of the things that keeps me up at night is travel to four different locations for the regional tournaments. That decision is a done deal, I know, and it still baffles me.
While I don’t doubt each program’s commitment to the safety of everyone involved, I don’t doubt for a second that each team within a given band – especially the top band – wouldn’t advocate for ignoring travel concerns for a favorable (and perhaps fairer) placement. That’s not a knock. Each team wants its best shot in the tournament.
Jim: My hope is that the NCAA will do its best to keep the student-athletes who must travel by plane away from the public. That means charter flights, which is certainly expensive. I am not one to control anyone’s purse strings but that’s a expense that seems to have value for the NCAA and everyone involved.
I will close with one thought, though. In what has been a challenging season that has required flexibility and tolerance and just about everyone’s part, something feels normal about reaching conference tournaments. It was nearly one year to the day that the plug was pulled on every conference and NCAA postseason game.
So to see these games get played – fingers crossed without incident – makes me feel better inside.
Matt Boldy and Boston College downed Northeastern 4-2 last Friday to secure the No. 1 seed in the Hockey East playoffs (photo: John Quackenbos).
With 23 first-place votes, Boston College jumps back up to No. 1 in this week’s USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll.
North Dakota falls one spot to No. 2, but did garner 12 first-place nods from the voters.
Third-ranked Minnesota State, up one from last week, bagged the other five first-place votes in this week’s rankings.
Minnesota is down one to No. 4, Wisconsin remains No. 5, Michigan rises one to sit sixth, Massachusetts is down one to No. 7, St. Cloud State remains eighth, Boston University is up one to No. 9, tied this week with Minnesota Duluth, which was ninth last week.
Just one team reenters the poll this week with Notre Dame coming in at No. 19.
In addition, six other teams received votes in this week’s poll.
The USCHO.com Poll consists of 40 voters, including coaches and beat writers and sports professionals from across the country.
A late third-period goal by Walker Sommer completed a rally from 2-0 down and gave Niagara a victory over Mercyhurst, advancing the Purple Eagles to the second round of the Atlantic Hockey playoffs (File photo: Omar Phillips)
Walker Sommer’s goal with 4:07 remaining in regulation completed a comeback from 2-0 down as Niagara advanced to the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals with a 3-2 victory over Mercyhurst.
— Niagara University Men's Hockey (@NiagaraMHKY) March 9, 2021
In a season that’s been an uphill battle to simply get games played – including playing just four regular-season games after January 10 due to COVID-related issues – once again had a major hill to climb in Monday’s playoff opener.
Mercyhurst jumped to a 2-0 lead on goals by John McDougall in the first and a second by Carson Briere early in the second.
But Niagara had an answer in the middle frame.
Ludwig Stenlund tallied on the power play at 8:42 before Ryan Cox equaled the score at 12:12.
With the game tied in the third, Niagara goaltender Chad Veltri was strong, stopping all 16 shots he faced giving Sommer the chance to play hero.
The bracket for the women’s NCAA tournament was announced Sunday evening. Northeastern received the number one overall seed. The other teams, in order, are Wisconsin, Ohio State, Colgate, Minnesota Duluth, Boston College, Providence and Robert Morris.
Quarter final games are normally hosted on the campus of the higher seed, but this year, the NCAA consolidated the tournament and the women’s tournament will take place at one site – Erie, PA – over the course of a week.
Northeastern will play Robert Morris at 2 pm est on Monday, March 15, followed by Colgate vs. Minnesota Duluth at 7 pm est. On Tuesday, March 16, Wisconsin will play Providence at 2 pm est and Ohio State will play Boston College at 7 pm est. The semi final games will be on Thursday, March 18, with the championship played on Saturday, March 20.
The announcement of the field came as a shock to many – most notably, the absence of the University of Minnesota, who’ve been ranked anywhere between 1-4 in the national polls all season. Speculation heading into the selection show seemed to center on whether the WCHA would receive four bids, but consensus seemed to be that the fourth team in the conversation was UMD. Instead, it was the Gophers left out – the first time in 13 years that they will not play in the NCAA tournament.
Not sure whether I'm more shocked that Providence got in over Minnesota or Minnesota Duluth, as the 5th overall seed, jumped the Gophers after being swept in Duluth.
First time #GWH misses the NCAA Tournament since 2007.
Boston College seemed the most likely of the bubble teams to make the tournament, but Providence was thought to be an outside shot. Penn State was also hoping to be included.
This year’s selection committee was Minnesota Duluth athletics director Josh Berlo, Cornell deputy AD Anita Brenner, Boston College coach Katie Crowley, Syracuse coach Paul Flanagan and New Hampshire AD Kate McAfee.
Usually, the field is picked using a variety of mathematical formulas like Pairwise, RPI and strength of schedule calculations and the committee is given the leeway to make changes to the ensuing pairings to reduce flights. Using a single site this year removed that variable, but the lack of intra-conference play rendered the usual math useless.
Per a memo on February 16 that was sent to DI Athletic Directors, head coaches and Sports Information Directors by Anita Brenner, the chair of the NCAA National Collegiate Women’s Ice Hockey Committee, the criteria used to choose the field this year were as follows:
The criteria include (in no particular order):
• Won/Loss Record
• Strength of Schedule
• Head-to-Head Results (when available)
• Results vs. Common Opponents
• Quality Wins
• Home/Away Weighting
• Eligibility and availability of student-athletes
The memo also stated that the committee “will not be using the Pairwise comparison as the primary determinant for at-large selection and seeding; however, the various criteria that have made up the Pairwise and the RPI will be used during the selection and seeding processes.”
Without the clear math this year, the committee had a lot more leeway to make decisions and it appears they took that opportunity to heart.
However, national poll voters did not agree with the choices.
Monday’s USCHO poll:
1. Northeastern (13) 148 pts
2. Wisconsin (2) 137 pts
3. Ohio State 119 pts
4. Colgate 102 pts
5. Minnesota 79 pts
6. Minnesota Duluth 66 pts
7. Boston College 57 pts
8. Penn State 48 pts
9. Providence 25 pts
10. Robert Morris 17 pts
It appears the committee both decided that only three WCHA teams should make the tournament and that Minnesota Duluth was the third-best team in the conference.
The question is how they decided UMD was ahead of Minnesota.
Minnesota Duluth had a higher win percentage having played three fewer games and six fewer games against the Badgers and Buckeyes. That seems like the only situation that favors UMD.
The two teams played just two games against each other and Minnesota won both games. The very fact that the committee holds the Bulldogs in such high esteem should give even more weight to these wins.
Both teams lost in the conference tournament semi-final. Both teams had the same number of wins over Wisconsin and Ohio State. The Gophers swept their games against the rest of the conference. The Bulldogs lost to a two-win Bemidji State team.
The aforementioned calculations aren’t useful to compare across conferences, but are helpful when understanding how teams rank against each other within conferences. RPI, Krach and Pairwise all say Minnesota was significantly statistically better than Minnesota Duluth.
It appears the committee looked simply at win-loss record and finish in the conference and used that to justify the choice.
Jáchym Kondelík tallied a hat trick for UConn in the Huskies’ 5-3 win over Providence last Friday night (photo: Stephen Slade).
Each week, USCHO.com will pick the top 10 moments from the past weekend in our Monday 10 feature.
1. Badgers go from worst to first
Wisconsin’s 2-1 victory Saturday at Michigan State saw the Badgers do something that no Division I men’s hockey team had done in more than a quarter-century: go last place in their conference one season to first at the end of the next.
The Badgers (17-6-1) got two goals from Hobey Baker favorite Cole Caufield to get past MSU, with his winner coming 7:48 into the third period.
Wisconsin became Division I’s first worst-to-first team since 1994-95, when Maine did the same trick in Hockey East.
2. Michigan ruins Minnesota’s B1G title chances
Third-ranked Minnesota needed at least a win and a tie last weekend against No. 7 Michigan to claim the Big Ten regular-season title.
It didn’t happen.
The Gophers fell 5-2 to Michigan on Friday in Minneapolis, where Wolverines goaltender Strauss Mann made 28 saves. Sixteen of them came in a hectic first period.
Michigan had been scheduled to end the regular season this Wednesday at Michigan State, but the teams agreed to cancel the game after the Big Ten moved its conference tournament up four days.
The Wolverines will open tournament play in South Bend, Ind., against Ohio State.
3. Free hockey in the NCHC
The NCHC’s last two regular-season games both went to overtime last weekend, with Omaha and St. Cloud State pulling out wins over North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth, respectively.
Omaha junior Taylor Ward ruined top-ranked North Dakota’s Senior Night festivities Friday, when he tipped in a shot from teammate Brandon Scanlin. The 12th-ranked Mavericks’ win marked the second consecutive year that they won in Grand Forks, N.D., when UND was the county’s top-ranked team. This is also the second consecutive season that Omaha was responsible for the Fighting Hawks’ single home defeat.
On Saturday afternoon, St. Cloud’s Ethan Brodzinski scored 17 seconds into the extra period of the eighth-ranked Huskies’ home win over No. 9 UMD. The victory gave SCSU the No. 2 seed for the upcoming NCHC tournament.
4. Gold Pan series called off, including CC’s final game at World Arena
Colorado College’s final game at Broadmoor World Arena took place sooner than the Tigers hoped, or expected.
The Tigers were scheduled to finish the regular season with a weekend series against Gold Pan rival Denver. However, due to positive COVID-19 tests, contact tracing and quarantining of individuals within CC’s team, those two games were canceled.
Three times this season, CC had to postpone or cancel games due to a positive COVID-19 test. The first such occurrence came two weeks before the Tigers were to depart for the NCHC’s season-opening pod in Omaha back in December.
CC is set to begin playing in the new on-campus Robson Arena this fall.
5. Holy Cross cancels remainder of its season
A positive COVID-19 test within the Tier 1 group of Holy Cross’ men’s hockey program has seen the Crusaders pause all team activities for the remainder of the season, including the upcoming Atlantic Hockey tournament.
Holy Cross would have faced Sacred Heart this Tuesday in the first round of the tournament, but Sacred Heart instead gets a bye into the conference quarterfinals.
6. Kondelík hatty inspires Connecticut to win
Three goals Friday from Connecticut’s Jáchym Kondelík boosted the unranked Huskies to a 5-3 home win over No. 15 Providence.
Kondelik, a junior forward from the Czech Republic, grabbed UConn’s first two goals 1:42 apart in the first period while the Huskies skated up 5-on-4. Another power-play goal late in the first period saw Kondelik wrap up his hat trick while boosting UConn’s lead to 4-0.
Providence scored three unanswered goals in the third period, but the damage was already done in a game where UConn goalie Tomas Voamacka, a Czech compatriot of Kondelik’s, finished with 42 saves.
7. Merrimack-Vermont series called off
Hockey East officials announced Thursday that last weekend’s scheduled series between Merrimack and Vermont was canceled after Merrimack Tier 1 personnel entered league-mandated COVID-19 protocol.
No makeup dates were announced. Merrimack and Vermont hold down Hockey East’s ninth and 11th-place spots, respectively.
8. Down goes Quinnipiac
Unranked Colgate caused a stir on Saturday, when Josh McKechney scored with 2:49 remaining in regulation to give the Raiders a 4-3 upset win at 11th-ranked Quinnipiac.
After Colgate cycled high in Quinnipiac’s zone, McKechney scored off a rebound in front of the Bobcats’ net to cap a two-point game on a goal and an assist. His sixth goal of the season was his first game-winner of the Raiders’ campaign.
Colgate has this week off but will return to Quinnipiac on March 18 as the No. 4 seed for the ECAC Hockey semifinals.
9. Minnesota State sweeps Michigan Tech
The WCHA’s regular-season champion, Minnesota State, picked up a home sweep last weekend against Michigan Tech, winning 2-1 on Friday and 3-2 on Saturday at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato.
Sam Morton and Nathan Smith gave fourth-ranked Minnesota State a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes Friday, before No. 19 Michigan Tech pulled a goal back through Trenton Bliss early in the third.
Minnesota State’s Walker Duehr and Tony Malinowski scored 61 seconds apart in Saturday’s second period, wiping out an opening goal from Tech’s Alec Broetzman. Julian Napravnik then grabbed his fourth game-winning goal of the season for the Mavericks in the third period.
10. Bemidji State rolls past old foe UAH
Bemidji State will be entering the WCHA tournament on a hot streak, with the Beavers having won four of their last five games.
Two of those victories came last weekend at home against longtime rival Alabama Huntsville. Zach Driscoll stopped all 16 shots he faced Saturday in a 2-0 win, giving him his first shutout of the season, and he stopped another 13 shots Sunday in a 4-0 blanking of the Chargers.
Aaron Miller and Brendan Harris had Bemidji State’s goals on Saturday. Alex Ierullo bagged Sunday’s eventual game-winner just 2:11 in, and Brad Belisle grabbed a goal in the second period before Alex Adams scored twice in the third.
Bemidji State opens WCHA tournament play this Friday at home against Michigan Tech.
Defenseman Tony Malinowski tallied his first career goal in Minnesota State’s 3-2 win against Michigan Tech Saturday as the Mavericks swept the Huskies (photo: Minnesota State Athletics).
Here is a rundown of how the top 20 teams in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll of March 1 fared in games over the week of March 1-7.
No. 1 North Dakota (18-5-1)
03/05/2021 – No. 12 Omaha 3 at No. 1 North Dakota 2 (OT)
No. 2 Boston College (16-4-1)
03/05/2021 – No. 18 Northeastern 2 at No. 2 Boston College 4
No. 17 Bemidji State (13-8-3)
03/02/2021 – No. 20 Lake Superior State 1 at No. 17 Bemidji State 2 (OT)
03/03/2021 – No. 20 Lake Superior State 5 at No. 17 Bemidji State 2
03/06/2021 – Alabama Huntsville 0 at No. 17 Bemidji State 2
03/07/2021 – Alabama Huntsville 0 at No. 17 Bemidji State 4
No. 18 Northeastern (9-8-3)
03/05/2021 – No. 18 Northeastern 2 at No. 2 Boston College 4
No. 19 Michigan Tech (17-10-1)
03/05/2021 – No. 19 Michigan Tech 1 at No. 4 Minnesota State 2
03/06/2021 – No. 19 Michigan Tech 2 at No. 4 Minnesota State 3
No. 20 Lake Superior State (15-6-3)
03/02/2021 – No. 20 Lake Superior State 1 at No. 17 Bemidji State 2 (OT)
03/03/2021 – No. 20 Lake Superior State 5 at No. 17 Bemidji State 2
03/06/2021 – Ferris State 1 at No. 20 Lake Superior State 2
MINNEAPOLIS — A late-season addition to the squad, freshman Lacey Eden was the hero for Wisconsin, scoring 46 seconds into overtime to give the Badgers their ninth WCHA Tournament Championship. The team also won the regular season title this year.
The goal came off a turnover by Ohio State near the blue line. Delaney Drake one-timed it to Eden in stride at the top of the far circle and Eden started to carry it towards the net.
“I saw (Watts) on the left side, the defender was kind of cheating to her and so was the goalie, so I picked my spot and put the puck in the net,” Eden said.
Lacey Eden scored the game-winner in overtime to give Wisconsin a 3-2 victory over Ohio State. Photo: Jim Rosvold
In addition to the game-winner, she had the primary assist on the Badgers’ other two goals. In just 12 games played in a Wisconsin sweater, Eden has eight goals and seven assists and she is tied for fourth in the team in points.
Joining the team at second semester, she has acclimated quickly and become a crucial part of the Badgers’ team.
“It has been an amazing experience so far. Everything about it has been surreal,” she said.
It could have been a more difficult transition, but Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson said Eden joined the team ready to play and continues to work to earn time on the ice and on special teams.
“We didn’t know where she was going to fit in and where she was going to play,” Johnson said. “We couldn’t be happier for her. I’m sure there were some days where there were a lot of questions in her mind in terms of if she made the right decision and in the end she gets rewarded.”
Despite the loss, Ohio State should receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Ranked third in the country, they should still receive one of the top four seeds.
Losing in overtime is heartbreaking, but Buckeye coach Nadine Muzzerall said she told her players, “This loss does not dictate who you are and what your season resembles. I feel very confidence you’ll get another shot and a lot of people don’t get that. We’ll have another shot to get some hardware next week.”
After splitting their season series, it was clear that these two teams are evenly matched and that was on display again in the scoreless first period of this game. The teams traded possession and each had time in the zone, but solid defense on both sides meant shots on goal were just six to five in favor of the Buckeyes as the teams headed to the locker room.
That changed in a wild second period. WCHA Player of the Year Daryl Watts put Wisconsin up 1-0 when she was able to bury a deflected pass across the slot from Lacey Eden.
Ohio State was able to even the score just three minutes later when Lisa Bruno was moving between the circles and had her shot blocked. The puck popped up and landed just in front of Jennifer Gardiner, who had an open lane to one-time it past Badger goalie Kennedy Blair.
Wisconsin’s Grace Bowlby was called for interference just six seconds later and that opened a chaotic stretch of four penalties given over the course of 90 or so seconds. Ohio State’s Sara Saekkinen collided with UW’s Britta Curl at center ice and that was reviewed for contact to the head. She was given a minor penalty. Lacey Eden was called for tripping, giving the Buckeyes a 4-on-3 advantage. Then just a minute after Curl had been helped off the ice and down the tunnel after the collision, was back on the ice and given a checking penalty.
The first ten minute of second period game play took a half hour to complete.
Wisconsin killed all the penalties, but the Buckeyes seemed to have the momentum in the ensuing minutes.
Watts ended that with an impressive solo effort. Eden fed her once again, this time from behind her own blue line. Watts down the far boards through the neutral zone before cutting in at the circle and dragging the puck across the crease and tucking it between the post and an out-stretched Braendli to make it 2-1 Badgers.
“I had a lot of speed and I felt like I could beat the (defender) wide, so I did that. I kind of figured I could do a little bit of a fake shot, bring it to the backhand and try a deke,” she said.
Wisconsin’s Daryl Watts beats Ohio State goalie Andrea Braendli to put the Badgers ahead in the second period of the WCHA Tournament Championship Game. Photo: Jim Rosvold
Johnson said it was the kind of scoring opportunity he sees Watts create a few times every game.
“Her second goal is what she does so well. (She) utilized her speed and got the puck by the goaltender,” he said. “She puts herself in a position to have success in the scoring column.”
In the third, Sophie Jacques tried a wrister from near the blue line that clanged the upper post and ended up in the back of the net. Blair may have been screened on the play as Ohio State tied it up at 2 midway through the third.
The teams – along with Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth – await the NCAA Selection show, which will air live on NCAA.com at 8 pm central time, to know if their season continues and who they’ll face.
Unlike years’ past, the NCAA quarterfinal games will also take place at the Frozen Four site. Games will be Monday, March 15 and Tuesday, March 16. The semifinals are set for Thursday, March 18 and the championship game will be Saturday, March 20.
Colby’s Brian Sanzone scored the first Mule goal in the new Jack Kelley Rink against UNE (Photo by Colby Athletics)
There was big excitement in Waterville, Maine where Colby opened the new Jack Kelley Rink against the University of New England. In Vermont, Castleton did something no team had done in over 400 calendar days and 11 games when they scored a goal against the Cadets, ending an incredible NCAA record. Here is the wrap-up from a full slate of action:
Non-Conference
Colby v. University of New England
The new Jack Kelley Rink at Colby College has been waiting for this opportunity to host real hockey and a weekend series with UNE provided the christening of the new facility. The rink is a wonderful facility and although the Mules were swept by UNE in two games, the new home really showed well in Saturday’s home opener.
On Saturday at UNE, the teams entered the third period tied at 2-2. Forward Brett Mecrones gave UNE an early 3-2 lead but just a couple of minutes later, Quinn Doyle answered for Colby with a shorthanded goal. Just over halfway through the period Liam Darcy scored the game-winner for the Nor’easters and Billy Girard IV made it stand up with 28 saves in goal. On Sunday afternoon, the Nor’easters took a 4-0 win behind two goals from Logan DiScanio to complete the series sweep.
Castleton v. Norwich
The two NEHC rivals played three games in four days with the Cadets winning all three by a 13-1 scoring margin. The “1” by Castleton represents a breakthrough for Norwich opponents dating back more than 11 games and 407 calendar days as the last time that an opponent scored a goal against them in an official NCAA game. The record extends more than 700 minutes of play dating back to the 2019-2020 season and into play this season.
On Wednesday, the Cadets leveraged five different goal scorers and 26 saves from goalie Drennen Atherton for a 5-0 win. On Friday, Atherton again picked up a shutout and Carter Cowlthorp and Niks Krollis provided just enough scoring for the 2-0 win. The three-game series ended on Saturday with Norwich winning 6-1 behind two goals each from Krollis and Felix Brassard. For you trivia fans, it was Castleton’s Stone Stelzl who broke the scoreless streak with a power-play goal at 16:35 of the third period, beating goaltender Andrew Albano for the 6-1 final score.
Massachusetts-Dartmouth v. Franklin Pierce
On Thursday, the Corsairs broke open a 2-2 contest with four unanswered goals in the third period to seal a 6-2 win over the Ravens. Zach Tarantino, Cade Hanley, Blake Harlow and Kai Kapossy all scored in the final period to help Parker Butler earn the win in goal.
On Saturday, UMD used the same formula by scoring late to break open a close contest with the Ravens and completed the two-game sweep with a 4-2 win. After FPU’s Jackson Dobek tied the game at 2-2 early in the second period, Jimmy Pelton and Michael Mania scored for the Corsairs to provide the final scoring. Goaltender Chris Stangarone made 25 saves to earn the win.
Curry v. Becker
The Colonels opened their season on Friday with a thrilling 3-2 win that was in doubt until the final two minutes of play. After forging a 2-0 lead, Curry was tied late in the third period on Charles Costello’s penalty shot goal with less than three minutes on the clock. The tie was short lived as Michael Curran scored just 56 seconds later for the game winner.
On Saturday, four different scorers made things a little easier for Curry who used 20 saves from Cody Murch for the 4-0 shutout win.
Connecticut College v. Albertus Magnus
The Camels took a 6-2 win on Saturday as forward Matt Creamer opened and closed the scoring for the home team in a 6-2 win. On Sunday afternoon, Albertus Magnus kept things close through the first 40 minutes of play as Jon Olson and Owen Allan helped the hosts to a 2-2 tie at the end of the second period. Steven Senese scored two goals as part of a four-goal outburst for the Camels who took the return match by the same 6-2 score.
Babson v. Plymouth State
The Beavers took both games of the weekend set by scores of 6-5 and 3-1. On Friday the visiting Panthers were ready for the challenge as they outshot Babson by a 46-37 margin and twice rallied from two-goal deficits against their hosts. Mike McPherson tied the game at 5-5 with just under five minutes remaining in regulation but James Perullo scored his first goal of the season in the final two minutes to give Babson the one-goal win.
On Saturday, Jack Nisbet and Ryan Black gave Babson a 2-0 lead but McPherson again answered for Plymouth State with a goal in the final 23 seconds of the second period to cut the lead in half. That is the only goal that Nolan Hildebrand would surrender as Christian Faggas sealed the win with an empty-net goal and the 3-1 win.
UCHC
Utica v. Elmira
Unfortunately, the second game of the weekend series had to be postponed due to COVID protocols, but Friday night saw Utica take a dominating 7-1 win over Elmira. Dante Zapata and Conor Landrigan combined for three goals and seven points as the Pioneers raced to a 4-0 first period lead and cruised to the 7-1 win. Three of the four first period tallies came on the power play where Utica took advantage of early penalties by the home team.
Lebanon Valley v. Neumann
On Friday, the Flying Dutchman took advantage of 34 saves from goaltender Henry Burns and two goals from Brad Viola to hang on for a 3-2 win over the Knights.
On Saturday, the Knights launched an assault on LVC’s Aidan Richardson with 38 shots. Kyle Scott’s first period goal stood as the only marker until Neumann’s Dan Cangelosi scored in the third period on a penalty shot leveling the game at 1-1. The remainder of regulation and overtime could not decide the contest, but Richardson was solid in the shootout stopping all three Knight attempts with Viola providing the goal for the shootout win. Lebanon Valley remains unbeaten in UCHC play at 2-0-1.
Nazareth v. Wilkes
Wilkes swept the two-game series scoring 14 goals in the 6-3 and 8-2 wins over Nazareth. On Friday, Tyler Barrow scored a hat trick for the Colonels, but the visitors needed a three-goal third period to break open the 3-3 contest. Goals by Donald Flynn, Devon Schell and Dylan Kuipers provided the final margin in the win.
On Saturday, Flynn and linemate Nick Fea combined for seven points as Wilkes scored four goals in the third period for a comfortable 8-2 win that moved them to 3-2-0 in UCHC play.
Three Biscuits
Tyler Barrow – Wilkes – scored a hat trick for the Colonels in Friday’s 6-3 win over Nazareth. Barrow’s first two goals came on the power play and he completed the trick with an even-strength goal in the second period.
Dante Zapata – Utica – recorded four points with two goals and two assists in the Pioneers’ 7-1 win over Elmira on Friday night.
Felix Brassard – Norwich – scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the Cadets to a 6-1 win and three-game sweep of in-state rival Castleton.
More teams have taken the ice adhering to the COVID protocols and the game action has been both exciting and highly competitive.
This Week’s Picks*: *All games are subject to change.
Atlantic Hockey Tournament First Round (single elimination) Monday, March 8 Niagara at Mercyhurst Dan: There’s something about this matchup I don’t like for Mercyhurst, especially in a single-elimination game. Plus a team that plays with nothing to lose in the last weekend of the regular season is the type of team willing to gain momentum into the postseason. I’m going against Chris in this one and taking Niagara. Niagara wins. Chris: Mercyhurst split with the Purple Eagles in its last series of the regular season two weeks ago, while Niagara had a gutsy performance against Canisius last weekend, earning a split against their arch-rivals. Single elimination is always tough to pick, but I’m going with the Lakers at home. Mercyhurst wins.
Tuesday, March 9 Air Force at Bentley Dan: Bentley looked like it was cracking out of its shell after its win over Air Force earlier this year, but the Falcons (Air Force, that is) turned the tide for its first win. Granted it was in the 3-on-3 overtime, but there’s something about that weekend that stuck out. It’s a tough matchup for Bentley, so I agree that the Falcons win. Air Force wins. Chris: Air Force opened the season 0-9-1 but has now won three in a row. I’m going with the momentum, as well as Air Force’s ability to generate postseason magic. Air Force wins.
St. Thomas made senior night special by earning a win over Saint Mary’s. (Mark Brown/St. Thomas Athletics)
Senior night turned out to be pretty special for St. Thomas, particularly for Spencer Zwiener, who scored a pair of goals, including the game winner in a 4-3 victory over St. Mary’s Friday.
Zwiener scored his second and final goal with 4:39 to play in the third to snap a 3-3 tie and catapult the Tommies to a win in their final home game of the year.
St. Thomas will play out the remainder of its schedule on the road, with three games over the next nine days.
Jacob Berger stepped up and stopped 34 shots as the Tommies improved to 4-1-1. Berger and the Tommies turned away all three of the power-play opportunities by the Cardinals.
Austin Nault and Josh Maucieri both scored their first collegiate goals and Kimball Johnson tallied two assists. All three players are freshmen.
The Tommies weren’t the only team that enjoyed the thrill of victory this past week. Below is a look at how other games on the slate played out in the west region. Regular-season play wrapped up in both the NCHA and WIAC.
Down to the wire
Saint Mary’s and Bethel are no strangers to thrillers. The last they met, the Cardinals prevailed by a goal.
History repeated itself Saturday.
And this time it was Tommy Stang punching in the game winner. He scored 1:51 into overtime to lift the Cardinals to a 6-5 come-from-behind win over the Royals.
Saint Mary’s built a 3-1 lead only to see it erased by the Royals, who scored four consecutive goals to grab a 5-3 advantage.
Sam Hanson cut the deficit to 5-4 and Bud Winter tied the score at 5-5 before Stang delivered in a clutch moment in OT.
Al Rogers racked up 34 saves, including 19 in the second period, while Travis Allen of Bethel tallied 36 saves. The Cardinals improved to 5-3 overall and to 3-1 in the MIAC.
The Royals fell to 2-4 overall and to 0-2 in the conference. Carter Wagner led the Royals with two goals and an assist.
Strong finish for the Pointers
Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Northland played to a 2-2- tie in the opening game of their series Wednesday but the story was decidedly different Friday as the Pointers rolled to a 6-1 win.
Harrison Stewart helped lead the way. The rookie scored a goal and dished out two assists. Ryan Orgel and Brandon McReynolds each tallied a goal and an assist while Cody Moline handed out three assists in the final game of the regular season for the Pointers.
Ryan Wagner made five saves in the victory on a night when the Pointers clamped down on defense, allowing just six shots, the lowest shots allowed total in program history.
Falcons clinch top seed
Wisconsin-River Falls will be the No. 1 seed in the WIAC tournament after a successful series against Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
The Falcons and Blugolds played to a 1-1 tie Wednesday before UW-River Falls skated to a 2-0 win Friday.
Christian Hausinger and Charlie Singerhouse both scored for the Falcons, who improved to 6-3-1 on the season. The goal for Singerhouse was his sixth of the season. The Falcons are unbeaten in their last three games.
A sweep for Superior
Wisconsin-Superior won both games of its series against Wisconsin-Stout this past week, winning the opener 6-3 on Wednesday before taking down the Blue Devils 4-1 Friday.
Now 5-3 on the season, the Yellowjackets’ sweep assures them of the forth seed in the conference tourney.
Chad Lopez struck for two goals while David Kaplan and Coltyn Bates also punched in goals for UW-Superior, which scored twice in the third period to finish off the victory. One of those goals in the third came from Lopez, who now has five goals on the season.
Myles Hektor started his second consecutive game in goal and stopped 31 shots to stay unbeaten. He owns a 2-0 record.
Bulldogs are champs again
Adrian repeated as champions of the NCHA by rolling over Trine 11-1 Saturday. The Bulldogs are 15-5 overall and finish the regular season with an 8-0 record in conference play.
Four players scored two goals apiece with Ryan Butler, Trevor Coykendall, Andrew Bellant and Sam Ruffin all accomplishing the feat. Jaden Shields scored one goal and dished out two assists for the Bulldogs, who are 13-0 all-time against the Thunder.
Nic Tallarico stopped 21 shots to earn his third win in goal while helping Adrian stretch its win streak to 11 consecutive games. The Bulldogs have outscored their opposition 64-15 during the streak and have been crowned regular-season champions 12 times in program history.
Foresters win finale
Lake Forest played its final game of the year Saturday and emerged with a win, knocking off Aurora 2-1.
David Cohen punched in both goals for the Foresters, who managed to get in only six games during a challenging season played amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They finish the year 1-5.
Eight seniors were honored at the game. The crew helped Lake Forest fashion a 46-32-11 record over the last four seasons. Seniors Joey Sardina and Troy Nelson both assisted on Cohen’s first goal of the night.
Vikings rally for a win
Lawerence trailed 2-0 against Finlandia before battling back for a 5-2 to complete a series sweep of the Lions Saturday.
The Vikings are 4-4 on the year. They scored three goals in the second period to take control and added two more goals in the final period.
Tyler Jensen and Will Robertson both scored a goal and dished out an assist while Kyle Gierman came through with two assists. James Scott and Davis Kirkendall both scored goals as well for the Vikings, who finish the regular season in third place in the North Division.
MINNEAPOLIS — A five-goal second period was more than enough for Ohio State to punch their ticket and return to the WCHA Tournament Championship game for the second straight year as they defeated Minnesota Duluth 7-2.
The defending Final Faceoff Champions have a date for a rematch with Wisconsin Sunday at 2 pm.
The Buckeyes started slow in Saturday evening’s game, taking more than six minutes to register their first shot on goal. They quickly scored on their second shot and then busted the game open in the middle frame to take a commanding lead they would not relinquish.
A slow start was something Ohio State coach Nadine Muzzerall tried to plan for and her team responded just the way she’d hoped.
“We practiced for three straight weeks without a game. The girls looked very strong through the three week of practice, but we never knew how it would play out. We had a slow start, but we picked up the momentum,’’ she said. “I’m very proud of their relentlessness.”
Ohio State scored first when Emma Maltais poked in a rebound on a Teghan Inglis shot from near the boards.
The Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate one of the five second-period goals in their 7-2 win over Minnesota Duluth at the WCHA Final Faceoff on Saturday. Photo: Jim Rosvold
UMD’s Katie Davis picked a great time to net her first career goal to tie the game up. She broke out from the neutral zone and out-skated her defender to get in alone on Ohio State goalie Andrea Braendli. Davis picked her spot and popped the water bottle to tie the game at one.
But the Buckeyes broke the game open in the second. Jennifer Gardiner potted a power play goal just 2:20 into the period. A minute later, Gabby Rosenthal extended the lead to 3-0. Tatum Skaggs joined in less than three minutes later and finally, Maltais scored her second of the game just 5:27 after Gardiner. That short, mad flurry made it a 5-1 game in favor of Ohio State and they would not relinquish that lead.
It was a relentless assault from the Buckeyes, who UMD coach Maura Crowell described as coming in on her team in waves. The normally stout Minnesota Duluth defense was no match for the growing confidence and momentum of OSU.
Beyond that short stretch, it was a relatively close game. The Bulldogs settled back down and found their rhythm again. Clara Van Wieren lit the lamp midway through the second to make it 5-2, but Liz Schepers scored from an impossible-seeming angle to make it a four-goal lead again and that seemed to deflate anything UMD could get going. Skaggs added her second of the game late in the third on a power play to make it a 7-2 final score.
“It was a solid 200 foot hockey game,” said Muzzerall.
The Buckeyes, who have struggled to score at times this season, received contributions from five different goal scorers. Maltais led the team with two goals and two assists.
“When you’re going into the playoffs, you can’t have just one goal scorer. You have to fire on all cylinders,” said Muzzerall. “We don’t have a big gap in talent between the first and third line. We have a lot of balance.”
With the loss, Minnesota Duluth’s hopes for an NCAA bid took a hit. They sit on the bubble with teams like Boston College, Penn State and Providence. One thing that may work against the Bulldogs is that there has never been a post-season with four WCHA teams. Should Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota and UMD all receive bids, it would mean three of the four at-large choices were from a single conference.
With a number of teams sitting out this season – including more than half the ECAC, Crowell thinks it would be wrong to get hung up on where teams play. Instead, she’d like the selection committee to use the unusual circumstances of the year to ensure that the best teams in the country are playing for a title.
“I think it’s less about what league you’re in and more about who’s the best. I hope the committee will stick to that,” said Crowell.
Even after tonight’s loss, Muzzerall is also in favor of Minnesota Duluth making the NCAA tournament.
“You have (teams ranked) 2,3,4,5 (in this conference). I don’t think Duluth should be faulted for losing to the no. 3 team in the country. I don’t think Minnesota, at no. 4, (should be faulted for) losing to no. 2. Especially seeing the upsets out East and in the CHA, I strongly do support four teams from the WCHA,’ she said.
Crowell thinks her team’s body of work speaks for itself, with marquee wins over Ohio State and Wisconsin.
The NCAA Selection Show will air on NCAA.com on Sunday at 8 pm central time.
Wisconsin took home the Big Ten regular-season title with a 2-1 win over Michigan State on Saturday. The Badgers went from last place a year ago to the top of the league. (File photo: Jim Rosvold)
For the first time since Maine accomplished the feat in 1994-95, Wisconsin capped an improbable second half of the season, completing a worst-to-first turnaround from last season to capture the Big Ten regular-season title with a 2-1 victory over Michigan State.
With a 17-6-1 mark in league play, Wisconsin finished with a .729 winning percentage, two-thousandths of a percentage point against of Minnesota, which played two less games and finished at 16-6-0.
As a result, the Badgers will have a bye through the first-round of the Big Ten tournament and play the lowest remaining seed after quarterfinal games are complete.
Hobey Baker front-runner Cole Caufield scored both Badgers goals, in a game where Michigan State jumped to a 1-0 lead on a Charlie Combs goal and held that lead until the final second of the second period.
After knotting the game at 1 with 17 seconds left in the second, Caufield finished a remarkable regular-season with the game-winning tally at 7:48 of the third.
Caufield ends the regular season with 25 goals and 21 assists in 28 games, a clip of 1.64 points per game, tops in the nation.
Josh McKechney scored with 2:49 remaining in regulation, breaking a 3-3 tie, as Colgate upset 11th-ranked Quinnipiac to end the ECAC regular-season on a high note.
According to league standings, these same two teams will meet in the ECAC semifinals, while Clarkson and St. Lawrence, crosstown rivals, will play in the league’s other semifinal.
Trailing 1-0 after 1, Colgate scored three times in the second, including a go-ahead goal with :07 remaining in the period.
After TJ Friedmann buried the equalizer at 7:58 of the second, McKechney played the role of hero late. The goal and victory snapped an eight-game unbeaten streak for the Bobcats (7-0-1).
No. 8 St. Cloud State 4, No. 9 Minnesota Duluth 3 (OT)
It took just 17 seconds for Easton Brodzinski to net the game-winning goal in 3-on-3 overtime as St. Cloud State earned the second seed in the NCHC tournament with a 4-3 overtime victory over Minnesota Duluth.
The Huskies will face Colorado College in the NCHC quarterfinals, while Minnesota Duluth, the third seed, will take on Western Michigan.
The NCHC tournament will begin in Grand Forks, N.D., next Friday.
St. Cloud jumped to a 3-0 lead before Jackson Cates scored twice in the second period to close the lead to one. Connor Kelley had the equalizer at 7:32 of the third.
Even with the loss, the Bulldogs should be in solid position to earn an NCAA at-large bid should they not take the NCHC automatic qualified by winning the postseason tournament.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team advanced to their seventh straight WCHA Final Faceoff championship game thanks to a 5-3 win over Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.
The Badgers will face the winner of the second semifinal between Ohio State and Minnesota Duluth. The championship game is Sunday at 2 pm.
Wisconsin got on the board first midway through the first period on a goal from Sophie Shirley, her tenth of the season. Minnesota’s Josey Dunne lost an edge and turned over a puck in the neutral zone on a change. Britta Curl was racing on for the Badgers and hit Shirley, who got position on her defender and had an easy tap in from right in front of the net to give Wisconsin the 1-0 lead.
Makenna Webster and Caitlin Schneider celebrate a goal during Wisconsin’s 5-3 win over Minnesota in the WCHA Final Faceoff semifinal.
Makenna Webster doubled the Wisconsin lead midway through the second on a shot from the left circle that beat Gopher goalie Makayla Pahl. However, Abbey Murphy responded for Minnesota less than 90 seconds later to bring the deficit back to one as she placed a perfect wrister over Badger goalie Kennedy Blair’s shoulder.
Despite – or maybe in spite – of the final score, Minnesota coach Brad Frost was happy with how his team played, particularly on defense. The Gophers used a strong forecheck to pressure the Badgers and were very good at disrupting passes.
“(We had) a lot of great sticks, some great tracking by our forwards coming back, trying to deny their rushes. All the things we want to do with our speed we were able to do tonight. It’s hard when you give up 23 shots and five go in the net,” said Frost. “I thought the last couple of games in particular, against Wisconsin, we played well enough to win, we just didn’t. It is not an excuse and it does not make us feel better knowing that we played well, but didn’t win. We’re obviously here to win hockey games and we didn’t do that tonight.”
Wisconsin, currently ranked second in the country, is as much of a lock as one could imagine for an NCAA bid regardless of how they fare in Sunday’s title game, but Minnesota will need to wait until Sunday evening’s selection show to find out if their season will continue.
The Gophers, who were assessed five penalties to Wisconsin’s one, spent much of the second period on the penalty kill, including a 5-on-3 for the Badgers. Minnesota was stellar during the first two power plays, but Wisconsin was able to break through for the third goal just before the second intermission.
After struggling on two power plays the Badgers made the Gophers pay when Webster scored her second of the game. Natalie Buchbinder started to bring the puck out of her defensive zone and hit Webster at their own blue line. The rest was all Webster as she carried it up the far side and into the zone and flicked it far post from the top of the circle.
“We were a little frantic at first,” said Webster. “But we knew we were capable of scoring on the power play. We took a deep breath and knew we had more time than we thought. By the third one we knew exactly what they were going to do and what we had to do. We learned from the first two and did what we had to on the third.”
The Gophers closed the gap early in the third thanks to a goal from Amy Potomak. Emily Brown took a shot from distance. Dunne was screening in front of Blair and tried to poke the puck in. Blair made the stop, but the puck was still loose and Potomak put it away to make it 3-2.
Lacey Eden scored her seventh goal in 11 games with the Badgers five minutes into the third on a mistake from Lauren Bench, who took over goaltending duties for Minnesota to start the third. She played the puck out from behind her net, where Eden easily intercepted it and scored on the wide-open, empty net to make it 4-2 Badgers.
But Minnesota was not done. Grace Zumwinkle scored her league-leading 18th goal after carrying the puck up the near boards and crashing the net to narrow the gap to 4-3 with 5:31 left in the game.
Britta Curl secured the win for the Badgers with an unassisted goal with 15 seconds to go in the game to make it 5-3 Wisconsin.
Wisconsin has won four of the past six Frozen Faceoff championships and will look to regain the crown on Sunday.
This was the 111th meeting between these two overall and the fifth meeting between the border rivals this season. Minnesota leads the all-time series 53-45-13, but Wisconsin has had the advantage over the past five years, leading the Gophers 16-5-4 over their past 23 meetings.
Mark Pavelich played at Minnesota Duluth from 1976 to 1979 (photo: UMD Athletics).
Former Minnesota Duluth forward Mark Pavelich, also a member of the “Miracle on Ice” 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, died Thursday morning.
He was 63.
Officials in Anoka County, Minn., confirmed Friday that Pavelich died at the Eagle’s Healing Nest in Sauk Centre, Minn.. The cause and manner of death are still pending.
“University of Minnesota Duluth athletics department is aware of the passing of former Bulldog Mark Pavelich,” read a statement from the school.
“Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with the Pavelich family, the Bulldog family, USA Hockey, all the teammates Mark played along side throughout his career and all the fans that cheered him on,” added UMD coach Scott Sandelin.
According to reports, Pavelich was undergoing treatment at the facility as part of a civil commitment for assaulting his neighbor in Cook County, Minn., in August 2019. He was charged with felony assault, but a judge found he was incompetent to stand trial because he was mentally ill and dangerous.
A psychologist found Pavelich suffered from a mild neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury, likely related to repeated head injuries, potentially from hockey.
Pavelich assisted on Mike Eruzione’s game-winning goal against the heavily favored Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics semifinals. That U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.
Pavelich played 355 games in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and San Jose Sharks from 1981 to 1992, accumulation 137 goals and 329 points.
With the Bulldogs, Pavelich collected 57 goals and 85 assists for 142 points in 110 games from 1976-79.
No. 7 Michigan furthered improved its NCAA tournament resume with a 5-2 victory over No. 3 Minnesota. The result combined with Wisconsin’s victory over Michigan State puts the Badgers in position to earn its first regular-season Big Ten title with a win on Saturday (photo: Jim Rosvold)
The Big Ten regular season championship will come down to the final day of league play.
No. 3 Minnesota, needing a minimum of a tie and win this weekend against Michigan to clinch the Big Ten title, never led again against No. 7 Michigan, falling 5-2.
The Gophers will now need Wisconsin, a 4-0 winner on Friday over Michigan State, to falter in Saturday’s rematch with the Spartans if Minnesota is to have any chance to win the Big Ten title and earn a bye in the conference tournament. Should the Badgers win, they’d claim their first Big Ten regular season title.
The victory was a very complete effort for Michigan, which was swept earlier this season by the Gophers by a combined score of 7-1.
If there was a hero on Friday, coach Mel Pearson points to his goaltender, Strauss Mann, who finished the game with 28 saves, including stopping all 16 shots he faced in the first period when Minnesota’s offense was buzzing.
“The first star in tonight’s game was Strauss Mann,” said Pearson. “Maybe the first, second and third star. He was outstanding.
“We needed him especially early and he continued to have a strong game.”
Also on Friday, the Michigan offense was strong, jumping to a 3-1 lead through two periods before Minnesota climbed within a goal on Sampo Ranta’s tally with exactly 8:00 remaining.
The Wolverines had an answer, though, exactly three minutes later when Nick Granowicz buried an insurance marker top shelf.
Matty Beniers added an empty-net goal with 1:22 left.
The win improves Michigan to 14-8-1 overall. Coming against a team like Minnesota that has not been ranked lower than fifth since November, it certainly helps build Michigan’s NCAA tournament resume should the Wolverines need to earn an at-large bid.
To Pearson, though, he believes that bid is secure.
“I think we’re in the tournament,” Pearson said. “The Big Ten is tough every night. Arizona State came in ranked the 15th best team in the country. The start of the year they returned the most scoring out of any NCAA team and they found out how tough the Big Ten is and they’re a heck of a hockey team.
“This is a big win against Minnesota. We beat Wisconsin three times and they’re as good as anybody in the country. So I think our resume speaks for itself. We don’t need anymore statement wins. We’ve had enough.”
Fueled by a hat trick and four-point game by Jachym Kondelik, Connecticut jumped to a 5-0 lead and survived a wild comeback attempt by No. 15 Providence, as the Huskies earned a 5-3 victory.
The win gives UConn home ice in the Hockey East quarterfinals, where they will face Providence yet again.
The Huskies dominated early, taking a 4-0 lead in the first period, three goals coming on the power play.
After Jonny Evans extended the lead to 5-0 in the second, Providence mounted a charge in the third on goals by Tyce Thompson, Parker Ford and John McDermott.
Both teams finished the game with 45 shots on goal but the Friars’ 23 shots in the final period put Huskies goaltender Tomas Vomacka on the hot seat where, ultimately, he delivered.
No. 12 Omaha 3, No. 1 North Dakota 2 (OT)
Taylor Ward’s goal 1:17 into overtime gave Omaha a 3-2 victory in a game that could go a long way to helping the Mavericks in their hopes for an NCAA tournament bid.
Omaha never trailed, jumping to a 2-0 lead on goal 14 seconds apart by Kevin Conley and Chayse Primeau in the middle frame.
North Dakota closed the gap to a goal when Jackson Keane scored with 5:59 left in the second and Jordan Kawaguchi tied the game just 15 seconds into the third.
Omaha, which closed its regular season playing North Dakota in six of its last 10 games, earned two wins over that sextet of games. Those two victories combined with an early-season win against St. Cloud State may qualify as the resume-building victories for the Mavericks but could be enough to help earn an at-large bid should Omaha not win the NCHC tournament.
The announcement of the field came as a shock to many – most notably, the absence of the University of Minnesota, who’ve been ranked anywhere between 1-4 in the national polls all season. Speculation heading into the selection show seemed to center on whether the WCHA would receive four bids, but consensus seemed to be that the fourth team in the conversation was UMD. Instead, it was the Gophers left out – the first time in 13 years that they will not play in the NCAA tournament.
