Quinnipiac goalie Michael Garteig tries to knock down the puck after it hit North Dakota’s Brock Boeser (photo: Jim Rosvold).
TAMPA, Fla. — As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.
There was no lack of action on the ice in Saturday’s national championship game, and one of the key plays that jumpstarted North Dakota’s momentum came at 14:56 in the first when Quinnipiac goaltender Michael Garteig came out of the crease to clear the puck — or so he thought — which resulted in the second North Dakota goal of the night.
After Fighting Hawks junior Paul LaDue was sent to the box for tripping at 13:19, Quinnipiac went on the power play, but the tables turned quickly. North Dakota freshman Brock Boeser came barreling through the neutral zone as Quinnipiac struggled to take the puck down by the boards to the other end of the rink.
Boeser got his stick on the puck, sending it toward Quinnipiac’s net, dodging defenseman Devon Toews in the process. Garteig came out to the top of circles to clear the puck, but Boeser had other ideas and blocked it, eventually scoring the short-handed, game-winning goal and his 27th of the season.
“I saw the goalie come out so I kind of read what way he was going to go — he kind of gave it away a little bit,” Boeser said. “Then it hit my shin pad, I knocked it down with my stick and I took it to the net which was wide open.”
When asked about the play during the postgame news conference, a somber Garteig summed it up by virtually not saying anything at all.
“I’d actually rather I prefer not to talk about it,” he said bluntly.
North Dakota’s Brock Boeser had an empty net to shoot at on his first-period goal (photo: Jim Rosvold).
Boeser didn’t care about his individual key contribution and said he was just happy his team won.
“I don’t really think about it in that way,” he said. “I just think about winning in national championships — it’s an unreal feeling and I couldn’t have done this with a greater group of guys.”
Quinnipiac goaltender Michael Garteig makes a save against North Dakota (photo: Jim Rosvold).
TAMPA, Fla. — Despite some similarities to 2013, it wasn’t a case of déjà vu for the Quinnipiac Bobcats, which fell to North Dakota 5-1 in Saturday’s national title game.
Yes, the game ended with a four-goal deficit, including three goals allowed in the third period, the same as in a 4-0 loss to Yale in Pittsburgh in 2013.
[scg_html_ff2016]And in both cases, the Bobcats came into the tournament as the top seed.
But Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold said that, unlike 2013 when the Bobcats outshot and outplayed Yale for much of the game, this time there was no question that the better team on this night came out with a victory.
“It’s different,” he said. “Different circumstances. I think that year we had beaten Yale three times and beaten them three times easily. So, to me, I really felt we were the better team that year. I still do. I think we were. One and done, anybody can win.”
Not this time.
“I think what North Dakota showed tonight is they were the better team,” said Pecknold. “It doesn’t mean we couldn’t beat them. But that’s the best team in college hockey. They are just loaded with talent, they backcheck, the goalie was great, [Cam] Johnson was excellent.”
The Bobcats were able to gain some momentum after giving up a pair of goals midway through the first period but couldn’t manage the tying goal after Tim Clifton pulled Quinnipiac to within one late in the first.
“We hit a couple of bars, had a couple of great chances,” said Pecknold. “We certainly had our [shot], but we just didn’t defend well enough tonight. We didn’t play good enough defense. We struggled a little bit at times, and you’ve got to credit North Dakota for how well they played.”
And unlike 2013, Quinnipiac was hampered by injuries, especially leading scorer Sam Anas, who saw limited action. He was still feeling the effects of a shoulder injury suffered in the ECAC Hockey championship game on March 19.
Anas managed to hit two posts but was obviously hurting.
“Sam wanted to play but he was struggling,” said Pecknold. “He’s worse these two games than [he was] against [UMass-]Lowell and RIT.
“He was 50 percent and still made some plays tonight.”
And it wasn’t just Anas that was injured.
“Derek Smith was banged up and played hurt,” said Pecknold. “K.J. [Tiefenwerth] played hurt.
“We had three kids take elbows to the head. There was a one point we were down to nine guys [at forward] four players on [defense]. That’s hockey. You’ve got to battle through. We were kind of a M*A*S*H. unit.”
But Pecknold wasn’t making excuses.
“I think it was a combination of us not playing well and a combination of North Dakota being really good,” he said. “They really came after us.”
North Dakota’s Rhett Gardner cuts the net after the championship game (photo: Jim Rosvold).
TAMPA, Fla. — Although North Dakota led 2-0 late in the first period of Saturday’s national championship game, a five-on-three power play goal in the last two minutes gave Quinnipiac some momentum. At the end of the first, both teams had reason to be happy about the score.
Entering Saturday’s game, Quinnipiac was undefeated when it ended the first period trailing, going 6-0-2 on the season, defeating Rensselaer, Dartmouth, Princeton, Connecticut, Cornell and St. Cloud State. Quinnipiac was also 2-2-3 when trailing after two, having beaten Rensselaer Feb. 19 and Dartmouth on Jan. 29
North Dakota also had a strong record, going 17-1-3 when leading after one. North Dakota’s lone loss after leading in the first period came in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, when the Fighting Hawks lost to Minnesota-Duluth.
North Dakota carried its 2-1 lead into the third. Entering Saturday’s contest, the Fighting Hawks were 26-0-2 when leading after two periods. North Dakota also had a streak of 75 straight games without a loss when leading after two, going 70-0-5. Their last loss when leading after two was in November 2013.
First rookie win
North Dakota’s win marked the first time a rookie head coach has ever won the national championship.
“It’s not about me,” said North Dakota coach Brad Berry. “I feel blessed and fortunate to be in this position. I’ve been here for 10 years, and now I’m the head coach. Nothing changes for me.”
Jeff Sauer was the only head coach to win an NCAA title in his first year with a team when Wisconsin won in 1983, but he had coached at Colorado College for 11 years before that. Other rookie head coaches to make the NCAA championship game were John Mariucci (Minnesota, 1953), Gino Gasparini (North Dakota, 1979) and Dave Hakstol (North Dakota, 2005). Tim Whitehead reached the championship in his first year coaching at Maine in 2002 but had previously coached at Massachusetts-Lowell.
Special teams a wash
Quinnipiac had six power-play chances in the game, including the first four. North Dakota had only two power-play chances, one midway through the second and one in the third. Quinnipiac’s lone goal was a quick strike on a five-on-three power play at 18:53 of the first.
North Dakota didn’t score a power-play goal, but Brock Boeser’s singular effort for a short-handed strike at 14:16 of the first period, which proved to be the game-winner, meant special teams were a net zero.
Game-winning rarity
In the first 68 NCAA championship games, only two game-winning goals had been short-handed.
Boeser made it three with his first-period goal Saturday.
Cornell’s Dan Lodboa in 1970 and Rensselaer’s George Servinis in 1985 had short-handed goals that ended up as the championship game-winner.
Boeser’s goal also was the 10th short-handed goal in a national championship game:
1963 Ernie Dyda, North Dakota
1970 Dan Lodboa, Cornell (GWG)
1978 Tony Meagher, Boston University
1983 John Johannson, Wisconsin
1985 George Servinis, Rensselaer (GWG)
1986 Jeff Parker, Michigan State
1990 John Byce, Wisconsin
1995 Bob Lachance, Boston University
1997 Matt Henderson, North Dakota
2016 Brock Boeser, North Dakota (GWG)
Successful finalists
Quinnipiac and North Dakota entered the championship game with a combined 65 victories, the most for finalists since 1996.
Michigan was 32-7-2 and Colorado College was 33-4-4 entering the game 20 years ago, which the Wolverines won.
The last time a title game matched teams with more victories was 1993, when Maine was 41-1-2 and Lake Superior State was 32-7-5.
CBS Line
North Dakota’s vaunted CBS line came up big for the Fighting Hawks. Leading 1-0 in the first but playing short-handed, Boeser intercepted an attempted pass from Michael Garteig, settled the puck behind the goaltender and fired it into the open net.
Boeser also got assists on North Dakota’s first goal, third goal and fourth goal. Drake Caggiula had two goals, and Nick Schmaltz had one assist, a critical one on the early strike in the third that put North Dakota up by two.
“He’s been a special player for us all season long, and big players come through in big games, and he definitely stepped up today,” Caggiula said of Boeser. “He’s a helluva player, helluva kid. It was an honor to play on his line all season long.”
Boeser and Caggiula were both named to the all-tournament team, and Caggiula was named Most Outstanding Player. Other players on the all-tournament team included Quinnipiac forward Travis St. Denis, North Dakota defenseman Troy Stecher, Quinnipiac defenseman Connor Clifton and North Dakota goaltender Cam Johnson.
Caggiula became the eighth North Dakota player named Most Outstanding Player. Others included Lee Goren (2000), Matt Henderson (1997), Tony Hrkac (1987), Phil Sykes (1982), Doug Smail (1980), Al McLean (1963) and Reg Morelli (1959).
“It’s a special feeling; it may be an individual award, but you don’t win it by yourself,” Caggiula said of the MOP. “My teammates have been there all four years, not just this year. They’ve helped me grow as a person and as a player. To win that award, it’s a special thing for me, but I couldn’t be there without my teammates and my coaches and family and all my friends who support me.”
Martin St. Louis makes an appearance
Former Vermont and Tampa Bay Lightning star Martin St. Louis was a big presence at this Frozen Four. He was interviewed by ESPN’s arena emcee during the first period and talked about enjoying the game and getting his kids in to see it.
With about 3:19 left in the game, St. Louis carried the NCAA championship trophy down around the lower bowl and was shown carrying it on the video screen.
High marks for Tampa
Tampa got high marks for its performance as host for the second time in four years. Many fans at the Frozen Fest outside the venue talked about how nice it was to walk around in sunny, 80-degree weather.
The championship game drew fans in force, with an announced attendance of 19,358, the third-highest attendance ever for an NCAA hockey championship. The 2010 game at Ford Field in Detroit holds the record (37,592), and the 2007 championship in St. Louis (19,432) is second.
“I’d also like to thank the city of Tampa,” said Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold. “I think they did a phenomenal job here with hosting the Frozen Four again. Hopefully they’ll get the opportunity to get it back here again.”
Berry agreed: “Great hosts, professionally done, and they treated us great here.”
North Dakota pulls up
Leading by four goals with under five minutes to play, it seemed North Dakota pulled up a little bit. Caggiula had a chance for the hat trick all lined up off a great pass from Schmaltz, but held his shot, and with more pressure on the shift, North Dakota’s vaunted line seemed content to move the puck around the zone, rather than push for a sixth goal.
“My linemates gave me some crap for that one,” said Caggiula. “They said to make sure you score for the hat trick, and I just saw Boeser there and I wanted to get him a goal, but I probably should have shot that one. I think that was just a bonehead play by me.”
The curse of ‘Shipping Up to Boston’
During Thursday’s semifinal, the Boston College band played “Shipping Up to Boston” seemingly every break in the action. It wasn’t enough to help the Eagles overcome Quinnipiac.
During the break between the second and third periods, Quinnipiac’s band busted out its own version of that tune. It didn’t help, either, as North Dakota struck for two goals in the first 3:41 of the third en route to its 5-1 win.
TAMPA, Fla. — North Dakota celebrated winning the 2016 national championship on the ice at Amalie Arena on Saturday after defeating Quinnipiac 5-1. Here’s how it looked:
TAMPA, Fla. — North Dakota coach Brad Berry, captain Gage Ausmus, assistant captain Drake Caggiula and goalie Cam Johnson answered questions from the media after Saturday’s 5-1 national championship win over Quinnipiac.
TAMPA, Fla. — Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold, captain Soren Jonzzon, assistant captain Travis St. Denis and goalie Michael Garteig answered questions from the media after Saturday’s national championship loss to North Dakota.
TAMPA, Fla. — Drake Caggiula scored his 24th and 25th goals of the season and Cam Johnson made 32 saves as North Dakota captured its first NCAA men’s ice hockey national championship since 2000 and its eighth overall.
North Dakota’s Brock Boeser made it 2-0 on a shorthanded goal when he was able to block a Quinnipiac clearing pass. Bobcats goalie Michael Garteig came way out of the net to sweep the puck away, but Boeser was able to knock down the puck with his stick blade and sent the eventual game-winner into a wide-open Quinnipiac net at 14:16 of the first period.
After a scoreless second period, North Dakota took a 3-1 lead at 1:21 of the third when Nick Schmaltz fired a pass horizontally from the left wall to find Caggiula on the right side of the crease.
Caggiula scored again at 3:41 to make it 4-1 after Quinnipiac defenseman Devon Toews pushed Boeser wide on a breakaway. Boeser was able to spin around Toews and sweep the puck back to the trailing Caggiula who was driving up the slot. Caggiula scored the goal-mouth tap-in low on the left side.
Austin Poganski then gave North Dakota a 5-1 lead on his 10th goal of the season as he roofed the puck over Garteig at 10:41 of the third period.
A late first-period power-play goal by Quinnipiac had cut the North Dakota lead to 2-1 when Tim Clifton roofed a one-timer on a 5-on-3 man advantage.
North Dakota Freshman Shane Gersich tallied his ninth goal of the season at 11:56 to make it 1-0 as he collected a rebound off the pad in of Garteig and went around the goalie to knock it home.
Announced attendance was 19,358, the third-largest championship game in NCAA men’s ice hockey history.
A late first-period power-play goal by Quinnipiac cut the North Dakota lead to 2-1 when Tim Clifton roofed a one-timer on a 5-on-3 man advantage.
North Dakota’s Brock Boeser had made it 2-0 when he was able to block a Quinnipiac clearing pass. Bobcats goalie Michael Garteig came way out of the net to sweep the puck away, but Boeser was able to knock down the puck with his stick blade and put it into the empty Quinnipiac net at 14:16 of the first period.
North Dakota Freshman Shane Gersich tallied his ninth goal of the season at 11:56 to make it 1-0 as he collected a rebound off the pad in of Garteig and went around the goalie to knock it home.
TAMPA, Fla. — A late power-play goal by Quinnipiac cut the North Dakota lead to 2-1 at the end of one period.
Tim Clifton roofed a one-timer on a 5-on-3 man advantage with 1:07 left in the first period to put Quinnipiac on the board. He took the pass from defenseman Connor Clifton, who swept across a face-off won back to him by Travis St. Denis.
On the penalty kill, North Dakota’s Brock Boeser was able to block a Quinnipiac clearing pass and came in alone to chase down the loose puck. Bobcats goalie Michael Garteig came way out of the net to sweep the puck away, but Boeser was able to knock down the puck and calmly put it into the empty Quinnipiac net at 14:16.
Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold took his time out after the goal.
North Dakota Freshman Shane Gersich tallied his ninth goal of the season at 11:56 to make it 1-0 as he collected a rebound off the pad in of Garteig, skated laterally and swatted it in before Garteig could get his pad across.
TAMPA, Fla. — Four hundred people took part in an open skate Saturday on the Amalie Arena ice before things got started in preparing for Frozen Four championship game between Quinnipiac and North Dakota. Here are some photos:
TAMPA, Fla. — North Dakota has two changes to its lineup for Saturday’s national championship game, while Quinnipiac has one.
Fighting Hawks second-line Luke Johnson, who was injured in Thursday’s victory over Denver and watched practice Friday with a brace on his left leg, is out.
Rhett Gardner moved from left wing to center, while Colten St. Clair entered the lineup, making his 10th appearance of the season.
On defense for North Dakota, Christian Wolanin replaced Hayden Shaw on the third pairing.
For Quinnipiac, Thomas Aldworth replaced Craig Martin on right wing with center Tanner MacMaster and left wing Bo Pieper.
Here’s how they’ll line up for the championship (8 p.m., ESPN2):
Quinnipiac (32-3-7)
7 Sam Anas-26 Travis St. Denis-16 Landon Smith
24 Bo Pieper-19 Tanner MacMaster-12 Thomas Aldworth
39 Andrew Taverner-23 Tommy Schutt-17 K.J. Tiefenwerth
18 Soren Jonzzon-11 Tim Clifton-22 Scott Davidson
6 Devon Toews-27 Kevin McKernan
13 Chase Priskie-4 Connor Clifton
14 Derek Smith-8 Alex Miner-Barron
34 Michael Garteig
29 Sean Lawrence
35 Jacob Meyers
North Dakota (33-6-4)
9 Drake Caggiula-8 Nick Schmaltz-16 Brock Boeser
29 Bryn Chyzyk-22 Rhett Gardner-14 Austin Poganski
25 Joel Janatuinen-26 Coltyn Sanderson-17 Colten St. Clair
19 Shane Gersich-10 Johnny Simonson-11 Trevor Olson
3 Tucker Poolman-6 Paul LaDue
20 Gage Ausmus-2 Troy Stecher
24 Christian Wolanin-4 Keaton Thompson
TAMPA, Fla. — Friday evening’s events at the Frozen Four included autograph sessions with Quinnipiac and North Dakota; the presentation of the Hockey Humanitarian Award, presented by BNY Wellon Wealth Management, to Air Force’s Chris Dylewski; and the presentation of the Hobey Baker Award to Harvard’s Jimmy Vesey. Here are some photos:
Join us on Saturday, April 9, from 4-6 p.m. EDT at Champions Sports Bar inside the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, 700 S. Florida Ave., a short walk from Amalie Arena, for USCHO Live!
Scheduled guests include Chris Dylewski, the winner of the 2016 Hockey Humanitarian Award; Bill Robertson, WCHA commissioner; Bob DeGregorio, Atlantic Hockey commissioner; veteran hockey writer Neil Koepke, MSUSpartans.com; and a final look at the championship matchup with Quinnipiac beat writer Chip Malafronte of the New Haven Register and North Dakota beat writer Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald.
Be part of the conversation! Send your tweets to @USCHO or your emails to [email protected]. Each episode of USCHO Live! features a look at news around NCAA hockey, a look ahead at upcoming games and events, and conversation with people who coach, administer and play college hockey, and journalists who cover the sport.
About the hosts
Jim Connelly is a senior writer at USCHO.com and has been with the site since 1999. He is based in Boston and regularly covers Hockey East. He began with USCHO.com as the correspondent covering the MAAC, which nowadays is known as Atlantic Hockey. Each week during the season, he co-writes “Tuesday Morning Quarterback.” Jim is the winner of the 2012 Joe Concannon award. He is the color analyst for UMass-Lowell hockey’s radio network, and is a studio analyst for NESN.
Ed Trefzger has been part of USCHO since 1999 and now serves as a senior writer and director of technology. He has been a part of the radio broadcasts of Rochester Institute of Technology hockey since their inception — serving as a producer, studio host, color commentator and as RIT’s play-by-play voice for nine seasons. Ed is general manager of CBS Sports Radio affiliate 105.5 The Team in Rochester, N.Y., and COO of its parent company, Genesee Media Corporation.
Thatcher Demko was 27-8-4 for Boston College this season (photo: Melissa Wade).
TAMPA, Fla. — Thatcher Demko has a message for kids who grow up playing hockey, as he did: “You can do whatever you want to do as long as you put your mind to it.”
The Boston College junior and recipient of the third annual Mike Richter Award for Division I men’s college hockey’s most outstanding goaltender grew up in San Diego, Calif., a long way away from Massachusetts and other areas where some kids are raised on pond hockey.
[scg_html_ff2016]”It’s not a traditional hockey spot, but it proves that it doesn’t really matter what your environment’s like,” said Demko. “It’s up to you and push through it and putting in the work that’s going to get you to where you want to be. To the kids playing hockey in San Diego or any other nontraditional hockey areas, don’t let it stop you.”
Demko is no stranger to perseverance. Before the 2015-16 season, Demko underwent surgery to repair tears to his acetabular labrums, the rings of cartilage surrounding the hip sockets. For years, Demko had been playing with pain, and he knew that surgery was the only solution.
“It definitely wasn’t easy,” said Demko. “I wasn’t on the ice for four months there. I wasn’t too sure how the beginning of the season was going to go, but I made sure I was ready.”
As it turns out, Demko was more than ready. This season, Demko posted 10 shutouts, tying him with Cornell’s David McKee (2004-05) and Michigan State’s Ryan Miller (2000-01) for the second most single-season shutouts in college hockey history, two shy of what Greg Gardner did for Niagara in 1999-2000.
Demko also posted a record of 27-8-4 in 2015-16 with a .935 save percentage and 1.88 GAA in 2015-16, backstopping BC to an NCAA-leading 25th Frozen Four appearance.
In three seasons with the Eagles, Demko’s cumulative save percentage is .928 with a three-year GAA of 2.08. Demko was also named to this year’s Hobey Hat Trick.
“We’re very excited that his play has been so good, at the level that he can win a Mike Richter Award,” said BC coach Jerry York. “He’s a terrific kid. He’s had three really good years with us, but this has been by far his best year.”
Connor Hellebuyck (UMass-Lowell) was the first recipient of the Mike Richter Award in 2014, followed last year by Zane McIntyre (North Dakota). Both are currently playing in the AHL.
“It’s a relatively new award, but the two other goalies who have won it are obviously amazing goalies,” said Demko. “For a guy like Mike Richter to present it to me, it’s really special to me. I’m just really proud of my team this year. They’ve played a huge role in this. Obviously, I can’t do it by myself. They deserve a piece of it. It’s definitely exciting.”
Richter, who played for Wisconsin (1985-87) and a total of 15 years with the NHL’s New York Rangers (1988-2003), said that he’s hoping that his namesake award will help to bring recognition to college goaltenders, who he said are getting better and better.
“Right now, there’s so much consistency across the teams,” Richter said. “Look at North Dakota losing Zane McIntyre last year and coming right back with [Cam] Johnson this year. There’s more where they came from.
“The Hobey Baker is such a difficult award to win, and you don’t want to separate out positions too much, but goaltending is obviously a unique position. It’s a game within the game.”
The first two recipients of the Mike Richter Award opted to forgo their remaining college eligibility in favor of professional careers. Now that his season has ended one game short of a chance to play for the national championship, Demko, a second round pick (No. 36 overall) of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2014 NHL Draft, is considering his own future.
“I’m not in the right frame of mind to make any big decisions,” said Demko. “All I can say is that I love Boston College and we’ll see how the next couple of weeks play out.”
Harvard’s Jimmy Vesey, left, is the 2016 Hobey Baker Award winner (photo: Jim Rosvold).
TAMPA, Fla. — In a ceremony at the historic Tampa Theatre, built in 1906 and located just a mile away from Amalie Arena, Jimmy Vesey of Harvard was named the winner of the 2016 Hobey Baker Award.
“I’d like to take a moment to thank the Hobey Baker committee for selecting me as this year’s winner,” Vesey said in his acceptance speech. “It’s definitely a huge honor. Definitely joining elite company as well.”
[scg_html_ff2016]Unlike last year, when Boston University’s Jack Eichel was all but assured of winning, Vesey was an underdog winner, and won a wide-open contest over two finalists who had equal claims to the award.
“I didn’t know what to expect. Obviously, Kyle Connor had such a great year, and Thatcher [Demko] had 10 shutouts; that’s pretty amazing,” said Vesey. “I wasn’t really expecting much. I was just happy to be a finalist again. I’m lucky enough that they chose me, and like I said, it’s a huge honor.”
Vesey, who also was named a first-team All-American on Friday, was a Hobey Hat Trick finalist for the second straight season. Over the last two seasons, he leads the country in goals scored with 56, including 24 this season.
He repeated this year as the Ivy League player of the year, ECAC Hockey player of the year, a ECAC first-team all-conference selection and as the Walter Brown Award winner as top American-born player in New England.
Vesey notched 46 points in 33 games this year. He also helps with community service, including as a fundraiser for the Travis Roy Foundation.
“As a parent, I’m proud to see my son win that award,” said Vesey’s father, Jim, who played in the NHL. “He was close last year, and I know how it feels when you go last year and don’t win and the candidates this year are just as good. Kyle Connor and Thatcher Demko are great hockey players. Everybody won tonight.”
In introducing Vesey as the winner, 2016 Hobey Baker Award chair Chris Bonnell said Vesey was joining a “fraternity of past recipients, from Neal Broten of Minnesota to Jack Eichel of Boston University, that has continued to set the bar high.”
Vesey became the fourth Harvard skater to win the award, and the first since Lane MacDonald in 1989, who coincidentally played with Vesey’s coach, Ted Donato, on Harvard’s only NCAA championship-winning team.
Vesey said the desire to play for a national championship was one of the factors that brought him back to Harvard for his senior season.
“I definitely knew it was a possibility, because I was a finalist last year, but ultimately I came back not for an individual award, but to hopefully go for the national championship with my teammates,” said Vesey. “Unfortunately, we fell short of our goal. We would have liked to have been playing this weekend, but this is definitely a huge honor for me.”
After finishing as a Hobey Hat Trick finalist last year, Vesey, a third-round draft choice of the Nashville Predators, thought about signing with the Predators but returned for his senior year.
“It shows that he was in it for the right reasons, that he wanted to get his degree,” said Jim Vesey Sr. “It meant a lot to him at Harvard University. That’s why he went there, to get his degree. He realized hockey can end at any time, after a year, whatever it is, but after that you have a lot of life left. … I know he wanted to do it for his mother, too.”
Vesey recently said he’d become a free agent later this summer and not sign with Nashville, and he has not decided what he will do immediately after college.
“At the end of the day, in my heart I wasn’t really ready to sign a contract,” said Vesey. “At this point, I’m just going to try to enjoy my last month or so as a college kid and have some fun with my classmates and make sure I’m at graduation to receive my diploma. And then this summer I’m going to train as hard as I ever have and get myself in great shape so I can pick a team in August and go into training camp.”
Vesey beat out goaltender Demko of Boston College, who was named an second-team All-American before the Hobey ceremony, and forward Connor of Michigan, who won the Tim Taylor Award as the nation’s top rookie and was named a first-team All-American.
An interview during the ceremony with Connor’s dad, Joe, seemed to indicate Connor might be leaving school after this year, as he talked about Connor playing at Yost Arena in the past tense.
Thatcher Demko led the nation with 10 shutouts this season (photo: Melissa Wade).
TAMPA, Fla. — Boston College’s Thatcher Demko was named Friday the 2016 winner of the Mike Richter Award as Division I men’s college hockey’s top goaltender.
Demko, a junior, led the nation with 10 shutouts this season, including a stretch of six in seven games between Oct. 16 and Nov. 8.
He was eighth nationally with a 1.88 GAA and fifth with a .935 save percentage.
A second-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2014 NHL Draft, Demko beat out four other finalists for the award: UMass-Lowell’s Kevin Boyle, North Dakota’s Cam Johnson, St. Cloud State’s Charlie Lindgren and Yale’s Alex Lyon.
Matt Vidal was a two-year captain for Holy Cross (photo: Omar Phillips).
Holy Cross senior Matt Vidal is the 2016 recipient of the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award, the Hockey Commissioners Association announced Friday.
Vidal, a two-time Crusaders captain, has been a member of “Power Play Points For Pink,” which donates money to an organization for people touched by breast cancer for every Holy Cross power-play goal scored. It has raised around $50,000 over the last four years.
He also is a volunteer for Working for Worcester, helping build a playground in 2013 and 2015 and helping transform an outdoor parking lot into a basketball court in 2014.
The award is named for Derek Hines, a former Army player who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan in 2005. It recognizes “a fearless leader and beloved fan favorite who always places his team first.”
“I am honored and humbled to accept the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award,” Vidal said in a news release. “The characteristics that he displayed as a player and a person are those in which I could only strive to emulate. His choice to sacrifice for our country deserves the utmost respect and recognition.
“In receiving this award I will attempt to continue to value what Derek stood for as a player, leader and community member. I would like to thank the Hines family for continuing Derek’s legacy and the Hockey Commissioners Association for selecting me as the recipient of this prestigious award. I would also like to thank my family, teammates and coaches for all they have done for me.”
Vidal, an Economics and Philosophy major, is a two-time member of the Atlantic Hockey all-academic team.
He scored 14 goals and 60 points in 136 collegiate games. He signed with the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators.
Michigan’s Kyle Connor led the country with 35 goals and 71 points (photo: Michael Dubicki).
Michigan’s Kyle Connor on Friday was named the winner of the 2016 Tim Taylor Award as the top rookie in Division I men’s hockey.
Connor, the national leader in goals (35) and points (71), also was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award that was awarded to Harvard senior Jimmy Vesey.
A Shelby Township, Mich., native, Connor had 12 multiple-goal games, including a four-goal outing against Penn State in the Big Ten tournament semifinals.
“It’s been a special year for Kyle. He’s had an unbelievable season,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said in a news release. “He knows where to go on the ice often before the player with the puck knows. He gets his shot away as quick as anyone I’ve seen, and he’s accurate. He’s a pure goal-scorer. Kyle has earned all of the recognition he’s received.”
The Tim Taylor Award is voted on by the nation’s assistant coaches and is named for the former Yale and U.S. Olympic coach.
Yale’s Alex Lyon is a first-team All-American for the second straight season (photo: Rachel Lewis).
Four players earned a second straight spot on the All-America first team when the 2015-16 honorees were unveiled on Friday.
Yale goaltender Alex Lyon, Boston University defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, Providence defenseman Jake Walman and Harvard forward Jimmy Vesey all were named to the East first team for the second year in a row.
In the West, all 12 All-Americans across two teams were newcomers to the honor.
Here are the teams:
East first team
G Alex Lyon, jr., Yale
D Matt Grzelcyk, sr., Boston University
D Jake Walman, so., Providence
F Sam Anas, jr., Quinnipiac
F Andrew Poturalski, so., New Hampshire
F Jimmy Vesey, sr., Harvard
West first team
G Charlie Lindgren, jr., St. Cloud State
D Ethan Prow, sr., St. Cloud State
D Zach Werenski, so., Michigan
F Brock Boeser, fr., North Dakota
F Kyle Connor, fr., Michigan
F Tyler Motte, jr., Michigan
East second team
G Thatcher Demko, jr., Boston College
D Gavin Bayreuther, jr., St. Lawrence
D Rob O’Gara, sr., Yale
F Ryan Fitzgerald, jr., Boston College
F Mark Jankowski, sr., Providence
F Danny O’Regan, sr., Boston University
West second team
G Cam Johnson, so., North Dakota
D Will Butcher, jr., Denver
D Troy Stecher, jr., North Dakota
F Drake Caggiula, sr, North Dakota
F JT Compher, jr., Michigan
F Alex Petan, sr, Michigan Tech
Michigan and North Dakota tied for the most All-Americans with four each.
Junior was the most-represented class, with 10. There were eight seniors, four sophomores and two freshmen.
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