Analysis: Few secrets left this season between North Dakota, Denver

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April 5, 2016

Denver and North Dakota met for the fifth time this season on March 19 in in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff third-place game (photo: Bradley K. Olson).

When the teams involved in the second semifinal of the NCAA Frozen Four take the ice at Amalie Arena, an air of familiarity will surround those involved. After all, NCHC rivals North Dakota and Denver have already played five games against each other this season.

There should not be any surprises between the two teams come Thursday night as each team earned a home sweep during the regular season and they tied 1-1 in the third place game of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff.

[scg_html_ff2016]”The matchup is really kind of the tale of two teams,” said an opposing head coach. “They can counter on the other. … [North Dakota is] a heavy team. They can beat you a lot of different ways. … If Denver is on their game, they are going to possess the puck, which they do real well.”

The Fighting Hawks are led offensively by the “CBS Line” of freshman Brock Boeser (26-28–54), senior Drake Caggiula (21-25–46) and sophomore Nick Schmaltz (10-34–44), but they are not defined by that trio.

North Dakota features six skaters with at least 10 goals and two more within two of double digits, proving that their scoring is balanced throughout the lineup.

Coach Brad Berry, who is in his first season at the helm, makes sure his forwards play a 200-foot game, which allows the Fighting Hawks to outnumber teams defensively first and then position themselves to transition quickly to the attack.

“There really isn’t a lot of weaknesses on their team,” said an opposing head coach. “You are really going to have to play your best hockey to give yourself an opportunity and go from there.”

To make matters worse for opponents, North Dakota features a defensive corps that is led by four juniors in Paul LaDue, Troy Stecher, Keaton Thompson and Gage Ausmus. Stecher is the smallest of that group at 5-foot-11, and all four have at least nine assists.

“North Dakota has those big giants LaDue and [Tucker] Poolman on defense,” said an opposing head coach. “They are hard to get to the net on.”

What makes the Fighting Hawks’ blue line group so tough is both their physical strength and their ability to move the puck up the ice with a smart first pass.

Behind that strong back end is sophomore Cam Johnson, who proved he could carry the mail in his second season after seeing action in just two games as a freshman. The Flint, Mich., native had a strong season, going 22-4-2 in 32 games with a 1.67 GAA and a.934 save percentage.

If there is a team that matches up well with the Fighting Hawks, it is the Pioneers.

They are led offensively by the trio of sophomore Danton Heinen (20-28–48), freshman Dylan Gambrell (17-30–47) and junior Trevor Moore (11-33–44). Third-year coach Jim Montgomery likes to match lines, and in doing so, he creates favorable starts for Heinen.

“Coach Montgomery does a good job of getting [Heinen] in whenever he can,” said an opposing head coach. “I think that will be important in this game, if Denver has a line that can offset the Caggiula line.”

Denver can be deadly on the power play thanks to its high skill set.

“You have to stay disciplined, stay out of the box,” said an opposing head coach. “Heinen’s group is pretty good on the power play. If you allow them to possess the puck, you are kind of playing into their hands.”

Unlike the Fighting Hawks’ blue line group, the Pioneers’ defense, which is led by junior Will Butcher and senior Nolan Zajac, is smaller but also more willing to skate the puck out of the zone themselves, adding a different dimension to Denver’s attack.

“Zajac and Butcher, and [Matt] VanVoorhis a little bit, have the ability to create offense,” said an opposing head coach.

Sophomore Tanner Jaillet has solidified things in goal, making 21 of his 30 appearances after the start of 2016. He opened January with a pair of ties against Notre Dame and has only one loss since.

Jaillet has proven to be a pleasant surprise for the Pioneers. He is 17-4-5 on the season with a 2.25 GAA and a .923 save percentage.

For the Fighting Hawks, Thursday likely will be business as usual. They are built for postseason play and that shows each season. To beat them, the Pioneers will need to challenge North Dakota’s defense from the moment they first touch the puck, and then their forwards will have to play a full-ice game to match the Fighting Hawks’ skating ability.

The Pioneers’ offense will have to step forward as well, allowing Montgomery to match lines where possible (North Dakota, the higher seed, gets the last change), giving Heinen and his linemates as favorable a matchup as he can each shift.

There are few secrets left between the Fighting Hawks and the Pioneers at this point of the season, and that should make for a compelling semifinal game at 8:30 p.m. EDT Thursday.

Analysis: Boston College’s depth meets Quinnipiac’s strong power play

By Daver Karnosky

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April 5, 2016

Quinnipiac’s Sam Anas and Boston College’s Ryan Fitzgerald lead their teams in scoring heading into the Frozen Four (photos: Omar Phillips, Melissa Wade).

When top-seeded Quinnipiac takes on sixth-seeded Boston College on Thursday night in the first semifinal of the NCAA Frozen Four at Amalie Arena, it will be the battle of two similar teams where the biggest difference between the pair is the two hours of distance between the two campuses.

The Eagles feature the deepest offense among the remaining four teams thanks to having nine players with 10 or more goals. They are certainly built with a national championship in mind.

[scg_html_ff2016]”They just have a program that expects to be at the Frozen Four every year and that is half the battle,” said one opposing head coach. “That, coupled with a very, very talented team. When you look up and down that lineup, you have eight guys with double-digit goals. That is a lot of balanced scoring.”

Junior Ryan Fitzgerald leads the way with 23 goals and 46 points. Youngsters Colin White (19-23–42), a freshman, and sophomore Zach Sanford (13-26–39) have also contributed heavily.

With so many players having the ability to score, teams cannot single out the Fitzgerald line or sophomore Alex Tuch’s line or junior Austin Cangelosi’s line. Throw in junior Adam Gilmour’s line, and there is almost no breaks for opponents as the Eagles can attack in waves.

“You have White and Fitzgerald on one line, Sanford and Tuch on another, Cangelosi and [Miles] Wood on another,” said an opposing head coach. “You throw in Gilmour and [Teddy] Doherty. It’s hard to match up against them.”

Behind that deep offensive group is a talented, relatively young defensive corps that features mainly juniors and freshmen, a couple of whom are likely NHL-bound in juniors Ian McCoshen and Steve Santini.

Doherty, a senior, freshman Casey Fitzgerald and junior Scott Savage give the Eagles an impressive top five. All three have at least 14 assists.

“They are really talented back there on defense as well,” said an opposing head coach. “They are deep up front and deep on defense.”

Waiting between the pipes is arguably the most experienced goaltender in the tournament, junior Thatcher Demko. The third-year starter has set career highs in games played (38), wins (27), GAA (1.85) and save percentage (.936).

The San Diego native has lost just three times since the start of 2016, but they have all come over the last seven starts.

“They have a very talented team that expects to be there,” said an opposing head coach. “They don’t have many weaknesses.”

This year’s senior class for the Bobcats has been to the NCAA tournament every year, and this is their second trip to the Frozen Four, where they finished as the runner-up in 2013. For players like Travis St. Denis and Soren Jonzzon, this is their last chance at redemption.

The Bobcats are balanced offensively, with five double-digit goal-scorers and one more, freshman Scott Davidson (9), within a goal of reaching that plateau.

Where the Bobcats really shine, however, is on the power play, which hums at 27.4 percent thanks a 45-for-164 success rate. Leading scorer junior Sam Anas has 10 power-play goals. St. Denis has 10 as well. Junior Tim Clifton has nine.

Most teams in the country have fewer than 29 power-play goals total.

“They have a power play that I think is outstanding,” said an opposing head coach. “They’ve scored 45 power-play goals. That is an awful lot of power-play goals. You cannot take penalties against them, because they will really make you pay on the power play.”

While their defensive corps may not look intimidating at first glance, three of them are extremely dangerous pushing the puck up the ice. Junior Devon Toews (7-23–30), junior Connor Clifton (7-20–27) and freshman Chase Priskie (4-22–26) are all good off the rush, helping the Bobcats play a high-tempo game.

“Toews is good, Clifton is good,” said an opposing head coach. “Priskie has had a great year as a freshman. They have a lot of talent and they really are confident when they play.”

Behind that group is the steady hand of senior Michael Garteig. A backup that first Frozen Four go-round in 2013, Garteig has carried the mail the last three seasons and has done a solid job throughout. This season, he has gone 31-3-7, setting a career high for wins, with a 1.83 GAA and a .926 save percentage, both career highs as well.

The Bobcats are comfortable trailing early in games.

“They are a team that has a lot of confidence that no matter what the score is in the game, they can come back,” said an opposing head coach. “Just look at how many times they came back, tied games late, and then won them in overtime.”

With two deep squads coming in, there is very little that separates these two teams. Even their coaches, Jerry York at Boston College and Rand Pecknold at Quinnipiac, each have 22 years of experience with their teams.

At the end of the day, it may come down to special teams; if so, the Bobcats seem to have the edge. We will find out at 5 p.m. EDT on Thursday.

Frozen Four preview: Resiliency the key to Denver’s season

By Candace Horgan

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April 4, 2016

Denver powered past Boston University and Ferris State at the West Regional (photo: Jim Rosvold).

In some ways, the NCHC Frozen Faceoff and West Regional were a microcosm of the Denver Pioneers’ season.

After struggling in the first half and ending by losing four straight games against North Dakota and St. Cloud State, Denver went on a tear in the second half, making the Frozen Faceoff for the third straight year. There, it faltered again, losing to St. Cloud and then eking out a lackluster 1-1 tie with North Dakota in the third-place game.

[scg_html_ff2016]Denver then rebounded with an impressive performance in the regional, crushing Boston University 7-2 and then defeating a pesky Ferris State team 6-3 to advance to its first Frozen Four since 2005, the last year Denver won a national championship.

“We’ve been so hungry since the second half, and I think the first half of the season we took some things for granted,” Denver captain Grant Arnold said. “Since then it’s been, let’s get better every day at practice.”

The game against Ferris State proved a good test of Denver’s strength mentally, as the Pioneers found themselves tied 3-3 late in the third period despite having outplayed Ferris and having substantially outshot them.

“We talked about that, that it would be a hard win and even though we were in control of it, we just thought positively and forged ahead,” said Denver coach Jim Montgomery, who alluded to lessons from last year’s regional final loss to Providence.

“I think it’s something we learned from last year in Providence. I learned as a coach how that five-minute [penalty late in the game] affected me and our team. It affected our bench when we went behind 2-1. We were just talking about the next play.”

About the Pioneers

Coach: Jim Montgomery, third season at Denver and overall

Record: 25-9-6, (17-5-2 NCHC, third)

How they got to the Frozen Four: Defeated Boston University 7-2 and Ferris State 6-3 to win the West Regional

Regional seed: Second

Last Frozen Four appearance: 2005

Best NCAA finish: Champion, 2005, 2004, 1969, 1968, 1961, 1960, 1958

Why they’ll win the national championship: The Pacific Rim Line provides a lot of explosive offense, and the defensive corps is strong and tested. That combo has made Denver one of the hottest teams in the country since January.

Why they won’t win the national championship: While Denver has been hot, the Pioneers have sometimes gotten into defensive battles, and Tanner Jaillet hasn’t been at the level of the other three goalies in the Frozen Four. An offensive outage could be costly.

— Candace Horgan

One of the keys to Denver’s second-half success has been the play of its top line. Junior Trevor Moore, sophomore Danton Heinen and freshman Dylan Gambrell caught fire. The line, dubbed the Pacific Rim Line because of their West Coast roots, came up big in the West Regional, factoring on four goals with five points in the game against BU and four goals with seven points against Ferris.

That followed a disappointing performance in the conference tournament in Minneapolis where the line was held to a single assist in a 4-2 loss to St. Cloud State and then a goal with assists against North Dakota.

“I don’t really know what happened in Minneapolis; it just didn’t really happen for us,” said Moore. “We came into this past weekend saying we’ve got to do it. We can’t have a weekend like that this weekend and move on, so we kind of put it on ourselves to really try to outcompete the other teams we played against, and it worked out.”

In the Frozen Four, Denver will face a familiar opponent in North Dakota. The two have gone 2-2-1 against each other this season.

“It’s a fitting Frozen Four — North Dakota-Denver,” Arnold said. “I’ve experienced this rivalry at its highest high, and now I’ll have experienced it at its highest high after this game.

“It’s awesome. It’s a great, great rivalry, and it’s the rubber match for us. In that game, I think you will see everything that Division I hockey is: speed, great coaching, physicality, great goaltending, everything.”

One key for Denver will be its ability to contain the CBS Line of North Dakota’s Brock Boeser, Drake Caggiula and Nick Schmaltz.

“They can make great plays and score a lot of goals in a little amount of time and a little amount of space, so just be aware when they are on the ice is the key thing you can do against them, to take away their time and space as a group,” said Denver senior defenseman Nolan Zajac. “It’s not just going to be one guy; it’s got to be all five guys on the ice. So I think if we stick with that, we’ll be fine.”

Added Montgomery: “You have to make sure that you don’t give them second-chance opportunities by trying to pass through them or turning pucks over. I’d like to match our line right up against them. I think it’d be great for college hockey to see the two of them go head to head.”

Frozen Four preview: North Dakota takes plenty of confidence to Tampa

By Matthew Semisch

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April 4, 2016

North Dakota had a rough weekend in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff but recovered in the Midwest Regional (photo: Bradley K. Olson).

Between a recent untimely dip in form and the strength of the Midwest Regional field, North Dakota had plenty of questions to answer heading into that event in Cincinnati.

The Fighting Hawks gave the strong response their situation required. In the regional semifinal on March 25, UND won 6-2 over Northeastern, triumphant in 20 of its last 23 games and fresh off earning the Hockey East playoff championship.

[scg_html_ff2016]Up next for the Hawks was a Michigan team that had missed each of the past three NCAA tournaments but was the class of the Big Ten this season. However, the Wolverines, too, were brushed aside when UND won the regional final 5-2 to book a spot at this year’s Frozen Four in Tampa.

Getting there wasn’t a fluke — North Dakota won the NCHC regular season title — but the Hawks made their road to Tampa more difficult than it could’ve been. After sweeping Colorado College in the first round of the NCHC playoffs, they fell 4-2 to Minnesota-Duluth in the league semifinals on March 18,

The next day, North Dakota skated to a 1-1 tie against Denver — the Hawks’ national semifinal opponent this Thursday — in the NCHC third-place game, the only such game for any men’s Division I hockey conference.

Hawks coach Brad Berry is in his first year at the helm, having taken over for current Philadelphia Flyers coach Dave Hakstol. Berry was asked last week what he learned about his team in Cincinnati.

He went farther back than that.

About the Fighting Hawks

Coach: Brad Berry, first season at North Dakota and overall

Record: 32-6-4 (21-5-2 NCHC, first)

How they got to the Frozen Four: Defeated Northeastern 6-2 and Michigan 5-2 to win the Midwest Regional

Regional seed: First

Last Frozen Four appearance: 2015

Best NCAA finish: Champions, 2000, 1997, 1987, 1982, 1980, 1963, 1959

Why they’ll win the national championship: UND’s top line of Boeser, Caggiula and Schmaltz features players among the top 30 scorers in the country this season, and Johnson is one of the favorites to be named Division I’s top goalie.

Why they won’t win the national championship: UND has made a habit of dropping national semifinal games — it happened in both 2014 and 2015 — and Denver won’t be scared of the Hawks, having taken two wins and a tie against UND.

— Matthew Semisch

“I think we learned a little bit from the Frozen Faceoff, our league championship tournament, the week before,” Berry said. “When we get on the bus leaving after playing the third-place game, that didn’t sit very well with the players and the coaching staff.

“There’s a high bar and there’s expectations in our program here and we played OK, we didn’t play great. At this time of year you have to play great to keep moving on, and that wasn’t acceptable. What we did in full practices leading into the regional in Cincinnati, I thought we were sharp, there was focus, there was commitment there, and the guys did a good job of preparing themselves for Cincinnati.”

North Dakota heads to Tampa with plenty of confidence. Forwards Brock Boeser (26 goals, 28 assists), Drake Caggiula (21, 25) and Nick Schmaltz (10, 34) make up one of the best lines in the country.

At the other end of the ice, the Hawks have Cam Johnson (22-4-2, .934 save percentage, 1.67 GAA), statistically the best remaining goaltender in the NCAA tournament.

Winning the school’s eighth national championship is a big ask, however. Also heading to Tampa are Quinnipiac, Boston College and Denver, each of which joined North Dakota in the top five spots of the final PairWise Rankings this season.

First up at the Amalie Arena for UND are the Denver Pioneers. The Hawks went 2-2-1 against their rivals earlier this season, with the home teams winning twice before the third-place game draw in Minneapolis.

Another tie on neutral ice won’t happen again this week, which gives perhaps the most compelling storyline of this year’s national semifinals.

“We played Denver five times this year, and there’s no secrets regarding each program and what they bring to the table,” Berry said. “It’ll be a great NCHC matchup, and within our league there’s eight teams that you see every single weekend of teams matching up, and the parity’s so high that the [national semifinal] game is up for grabs.”

Frozen Four preview: Despite different cast, Boston College hopes for same result in Tampa

By Jim Connelly

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April 4, 2016

Boston College plays Quinnipiac for the first time in the national semifinals (photo: Melissa Wade).

When reflecting on the Northeast Regional tournament win for Boston College, coach Jerry York was pretty simple in summation.

“We’ve gone to Frozen Fours from Worcester a lot,” said York. “I really enjoy the Worcester regional.”

[scg_html_ff2016]York could be saying the exact same thing about this year’s Frozen Four destination, Tampa. Although the Florida city has hosted just a single Frozen Four, it was the Eagles that left the sunny city by the bay with the national championship trophy in 2012.

While York and Co. will hope to again leave Tampa with the hardware, this year’s path may be a little more difficult. In 2012, BC was the top overall seed in the tournament and advanced to Tampa without surrendering a single goal. York’s varsity crushed Minnesota in the national semifinal before defeating an upstart Ferris State team in the final.

This year, the Eagles were a two seed advancing from Worcester, didn’t have to take on the top seed in the region (Providence) and now face the top overall seed in the tournament, Quinnipiac, in Thursday’s opening semifinal.

Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold seems comfortable embracing a role of underdog, even if he feels that it has been manufactured a bit by the media. And while York knows his team is experienced in this tournament, he was hardly going to call his Eagles favorites.

“I think this particular Frozen Four, the winning percentage of all four teams is the best since we’ve started the 16-team field,” said York. “I don’t know who will be the underdog. Usually there is someone. But I think you look at the four teams, all have had very successful seasons.”

York’s Eagles will play on the “unfamiliar” side of the draw. BC and Quinnipiac will meet for the first time in program history as opposed to North Dakota and Denver, which play in the other semifinal, two clubs with more than 270 past meetings, including five this season alone.

About the Eagles

Coach: Jerry York, 22nd season at Boston College, 44th overall

Record: 28-7-5 (15-2-5 Hockey East, tie-first)

How they got to the Frozen Four: Defeated Harvard 4-1 and Minnesota-Duluth 3-2 to win the Northeast Regional

Regional seed: Second

Last Frozen Four appearance: 2014

Best NCAA finish: Champions, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2001, 1949

Why they’ll win the national championship: Both depth and experience are in BC’s corner. Even though no one on this current team has won a national title, BC’s head coach has won five of them. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to have Thatcher Demko in net.

Why they won’t win the national championship: First off, BC has to face Quinnipiac in the semis, a team that might be the most potent at the Frozen Four. And if the Eagles survive the Bobcats, the ultimate test — be it either North Dakota or Denver — have the depth equal to or better than BC’s.

— Jim Connelly

That means there will be plenty for York to learn about the Bobcats before Thursday. However, one look at Quinnipiac’s regional final win over UMass-Lowell told quite a story.

“[Quinnipiac] limited Lowell to 15 shots on goal,” York said of the regional final game. “I’ve watched Lowell up close and personal the last few years and they usually can get 30 shots a night.”

In advancing to Tampa, Boston College got a number of key contributions in the regional. In a 4-1 win over Harvard, Austin Cangelosi and Alex Tuch, offensive catalysts for the Eagles all year long, each potted two goals. In both games, goaltender Thatcher Demko was on point, stopping 60 of 63 shots he faced.

But it was a hero that York may not have tabbed at the beginning of the season who made the contribution that had the most impact.

Captain Teddy Doherty, a player York calls “probably the biggest surprise to my club” this season, scored a pair of goals that helped BC control the final against Minnesota-Duluth. The senior defenseman-converted-to-forward entered the season with just nine goals in his previous three seasons but has netted 13 in 39 games thus far.

“I’m as surprised as anybody,” York said of Doherty. “He’s a player who played for us for a number of years but never in crunch time. He was elected captain last year and he just bought in to becoming the best player he can.

“When we lost a couple of players due to injuries, we asked him to move to forward and he gladly accepted that. His leadership has been outstanding.”

York knows this trip to Tampa will feel a whole lot different than 2012; he even joked, “I just can’t seem to find Johnny Gaudreau’s number [on our roster]. He was really good for us last time.” The challenge in front may seem more daunting. The opponents maybe are even more talented.

But BC hopes that one thing stays the same: the end reward.

Frozen Four preview: Quinnipiac embraces being an underdog as the top overall seed

By Nate Owen

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April 4, 2016

Michael Garteig and Quinnipiac return to the Frozen Four after making their debut in 2013 (photo: John Crouch).

It was an offhand comment, buried in a column about Connecticut’s then-potential move to Hockey East in the spring of 2012. But it’s interesting to look back on, if only to see how much has changed over the last four years.”They’ve done a good job. The facility is great,” Avon Old Farms prep school hockey coach John Gardener told the Hartford Courant about Quinnipiac’s hockey program.[scg_html_ff2016]”But they’ll be the Forever .500s in my mind. It’s a very stable path. But they don’t take chances to be great. Will they win a national championship? I don’t think so,” Gardner added.That might have been applicable at the time, as the Bobcats were coming off another season that saw them finish above .500, but out of the NCAA tournament.But Quinnipiac has been on one of the most dominant runs in Division I hockey since then, starting with the program’s first national championship game appearance in 2013. The Bobcats were shut out by Yale in that game, but have posted a 108-33-22 record and four NCAA tournament appearances, two regular season ECAC Hockey titles, a league playoff championship and two times atop the PairWise Rankings.Quinnipiac set a program record with its 31st win of the season in the Northeast Regional final over UMass-Lowell. With a 31-3-7 record, the Bobcats are the first team since Michigan in 1997 to have just three losses entering the Frozen Four.With that resume, Quinnipiac isn’t the outlier it once would have been compared to the rest of the Frozen Four field. Boston College, Denver and North Dakota have been among the best teams in college hockey not only this season, but historically as well.

About the Bobcats

Coach: Rand Pecknold, 22nd season overall and at Quinnipiac.Record: 31-3-7 (16-1-5 ECAC Hockey, first)How they got to the Frozen Four: Defeated Rochester Institute of Technology 4-0 and UMass-Lowell 4-1 to win the East Regional.Regional seed: FirstLast Frozen Four appearance: 2013Best NCAA finish: Runner-up, 2013Why they’ll win the national championship: Quinnipiac is one of the deepest teams in the country and plays a 200-foot game, smothering its opponents. Boston College is fifth in the country in penalty minutes, which could prove advantageous for Quinnipiac’s deadly power play.Why they won’t win the national championship: The semifinal brings a matchup of two of the best special teams in the country. Like the Eagles, Quinnipiac has a penchant for taking penalties. As good as goalie Michael Garteig and the Bobcats penalty kill have been, Quinnipiac can’t afford to lose the special teams matchup. Also, will leading scorer Sam Anas be at full strength? The junior scored the game-winning goal against the River Hawks despite being limited in both of Quinnipiac’s regional games.

— Nate Owen

“It’s been great for college hockey,” Boston College coach Jerry York said of Quinnipiac’s rise to a national contender. “Ten years ago, who would have thought that [former Quinnipiac athletic director] Jack McDonald was trying to sell a brand in Quinnipiac and getting it to this level? Joining the ECAC has helped, and their success recently has been hard to ignore.”With the Bobcats have become national contenders the last several seasons, it’s easy to forget that the program has been in Division I for only 17 years.”Our run in 2013 to the No. 1 ranking for a chunk of the season and the Frozen Four, I think it galvanized our school,” Bobcats coach Rand Pecknold said. “We realize that we are a young program, and we’re in there with the big boys. It’s unusual that we’re the No. 1 seed in the tournament and we’re sort of the underdog, but we’re going to embrace that challenge.”The rise to prominence has helped Quinnipiac with recruiting, as defensemen Devon Toews and Connor Clifton are NHL draft picks. Forwards Tanner MacMaster (Boston College) and Landon Smith (Denver) had originally committed to national power schools before coming to Quinnipiac.Still, Pecknold recognizes that the Bobcats won’t always win over the big-name recruits from college hockey’s traditional powers. Quinnipiac looks for more than skill, as character and shot blocking rank high on its checklist for the ideal player.”Without question, within the last five years we’ve moved up the chart on the recruiting trail, but it’s still hard,” Pecknold said. “There are still the few big programs that get all the first-round draft picks. We’ve been able to move up the ladder and close more deals than we would have seven or eight years ago, but we’ve still got a ways to go.”Thursday’s game against Boston College represents another step for the Bobcats, as it’s the first time Quinnipiac and the Eagles have played each other.A win against Boston College would give the Bobcats a chance to complete its ascension to a national power with the program’s first championship.”We need to stay the course that we’ve done all year,” Pecknold said. “There’s no question it’s a big stage. Our guys have been really good all year about how they’ve handled adversity and the pressure of being the No. 1 team in the country most of the season.”

Heading to Tampa? Join us at some events during the Frozen Four

By Todd D. Milewski

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April 3, 2016

If you’re going to Tampa for the Frozen Four, make sure to stop by and see us at events Wednesday through Saturday.We’ll be hosting our USCHO Live! college hockey talk shows at Champions Sports Bar inside the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, 700 S. Florida Ave., a short walk from Amalie Arena.And our staff members will be at the Hockey Humanitarian Award booth at Frozen Fest in the West Plaza outside Amalie Arena on Thursday and Saturday with free USCHO pins while supplies last.Here’s the schedule (all times Eastern):

Team (First-place votes)	Points
1. Cornell (11)	121
2. Harvard	105
3. Quinnipiac (1)	93
4. Dartmouth	91
5. Clarkson	82
6. St. Lawrence	70
7. Princeton	68
8. Rensselaer	51
9. Colgate	41
10. Yale	36
11. Brown	22
12. Union	12

How to find Champions Sports Bar

More coverage

See all of our coverage leading up to and from the Frozen Four at Frozen Four Central.

Berenson announces he’s returning to Michigan bench in 2016-17

USCHO Staff Report

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April 3, 2016

Red Berenson is one of 12 people to coach more than 1,000 men’s college hockey games (photo: Melissa Wade).

Michigan coach Red Berenson plans to return for a 33rd season in 2016-17.Berenson made the announcement at a booster club banquet on Sunday. His contract was to expire after this season.”I’m excited about the direction of the program and the challenge of working with our student-athletes to improve on a daily basis and achieve our goal of winning championships,” Berenson said in a statement released by the school. “This season has been inspiring for our team, our staff, and the fans. Our success has been the motivation to return to help the program take another step forward. I feel fortunate to be at Michigan and appreciate the support from our new athletic director.”After three straight seasons missing the NCAA tournament, the Wolverines made it to the regional final this season, losing to North Dakota after a first-round overtime victory over Notre Dame in Cincinnati.Berenson, who is 835-407-89 in 32 seasons coaching at his alma mater, was named the Big Ten’s coach of the year in 2015-16.He’s second to Boston College’s Jerry York among active coaches on the college hockey wins list, and fourth overall. Berenson is one of 12 to coach more than 1,000 men’s college hockey games.”I look forward to Red continuing as our coach because of his leadership and commitment to academic and athletic excellence as well as his commitment to the University of Michigan,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. “These are core principles that we stick by, and they have guided Coach Berenson’s distinguished tenure at Michigan.”

Wright resigns after 32 years leading American International

USCHO Staff Report

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March 31, 2016

Gary Wright led American International for 32 seasons (photo: Omar Phillips).

Gary Wright has resigned as head coach at American International after 32 seasons leading the program, the school announced Thursday.Wright and Michigan’s Red Berenson were tied as the longest-tenured coaches in Division I men’s hockey.Wright had a 313-605-76 record at American International, where he started in 1984.”My time at AIC has been enormously enriched by the people I’ve worked with on campus, our assistant coaches and the players I’ve coached,” Wright said in a statement released by the school. “And by my coaching colleagues on the other bench. It has often been said that playing college hockey helps make college the best four years of your life. For me, that association extended to nearly 40 years.”I only wish that my record had been better. Otherwise, it has been a wonderful run, with few regrets.”Under Wright, the Yellow Jackets moved to Division I in 1998-99, becoming a charter member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, which later transitioned to Atlantic Hockey.He was the MAAC’s coach of the year in the inaugural season, when the Yellow Jackets were 12-16-4.AIC’s Athletic Director Matthew Johnson shared,”Gary Wright has done things the right way for 32 years,” American International athletic director Matthew Johnson said in a news release. “He recruited students of high character and prepared them to be productive members of society after college. He has mentored hundreds of players, instilling sound moral and ethical principles on a daily basis through his own actions.”Gary is well respected on campus, within the Atlantic Hockey Conference and throughout the country. He has been a tremendous ambassador for the game of hockey and American International College for more than three decades. We will deeply miss Gary and wish him nothing but health and happiness as he enters a new chapter of his life.”

MacEachern passes on final season at Michigan State to sign with St. Louis

USCHO Staff Report

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March 31, 2016

Mackenzie MacEachern scored 14 goals as a junior (photo: Shelley M. Szwast).

Michigan State forward Mackenzie MacEachern gave up his final year of collegiate eligibility to sign a two-year contract with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues.MacEachern led the Spartans with 14 goals and 30 points as a junior. Over three seasons, he scored 33 goals and had 68 points in 108 games.A third-round pick of the Blues in 2012, MacEachern didn’t miss a game during his time with Michigan State.”I’d like to thank all the coaches, my teammates and Michigan State for the opportunity,” MacEachern said in a news release. “Being at Michigan State has definitely been the best three years of my life. I’m excited to move forward, but I’ll really miss MSU because of all the support. You couldn’t have a better support system than we have at Michigan State.”

Connor, Demko, Vesey tabbed as 2016 Hobey Hat Trick

USCHO Staff Report

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March 31, 2016

Michigan’s Kyle Connor, Boston College’s Thatcher Demko and Harvard’s Jimmy Vesey are the top three vote-getters for the 2016 Hobey Baker Award (photos: Michael Dubicki, Melissa Wade, Shelley M. Szwast).

Michigan forward Kyle Connor, Boston College goaltender Thatcher Demko and Harvard forward Jimmy Vesey are the three finalists for the 2016 Hobey Baker Award.The Hobey Hat Trick was unveiled Thursday after voting by the 27-member selection committee earlier in the week.Vesey, a senior, is among the final three for the second straight season. He scored 24 goals for the Crimson this season, giving him the highest goal total in the nation over the last two seasons, 56.Demko leads the country with 10 shutouts and helped the Eagles to the Frozen Four. The junior was the most outstanding player at the Northeast Regional and was co-player of the year in Hockey East.Connor is looking to become the second straight rookie to win the award; Boston University’s Jack Eichel was the 2015 recipient. Connor leads the country with 35 goals and 71 points and was the Big Ten player of the year.The award will be presented on Friday, April 8, in Tampa, Fla. The 6 p.m. EDT ceremony will be televised by NHL Network.

USCHO.com Men’s D-III Player of the Year honor goes to Babson’s Murray

USCHO Staff Report

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March 31, 2016

Babson goalie Jamie Murray shuts the door during the Frozen Fenway game in 2014 against Norwich (photo: Mike Tureski).

Jamie Murray is leaving college hockey with a bang.The Babson senior goalie not only won the Joe Concannon Award, the Sid Watson Award, NEHC Player and Goaltender of the Year this season, but has also been named the USCHO.com Men’s Division III Player of the Year.This season with the Beavers, Murray went 14-5-3 with a 1.61 GAA and a .940 save percentage. Babson lost in the NEHC championship game to Massachusetts-Boston.Murray was also selected as an East First Team All-American for the third season in a row.At the end of the year, Murray signed with the San Jose Sharks organization.”Playing pro hockey is something I’ve been dreaming about since I was a kid, and actually getting the opportunity to sign with the Sharks organization is an amazing feeling,” said Murray in a news release. “Before Babson, I didn’t even know if I would get a chance to play in college, so being able to take this next step is pretty surreal. I’m looking forward to what the future holds.””The entire Babson hockey family is extremely proud of Jamie,” added Babson coach Jamie Rice. “He gets to fulfill every player’s dream of signing a professional contract, which is a testament to his perseverance, abilities, personal dedication and development over his career here. Jamie has left an indelible mark on the Babson hockey record books as one of the most decorated players in our history, and he now has a tremendous opportunity ahead of him. The Sharks organization is renowned for their development of players and I know they will help Jamie reach his full potential. Jamie’s signing also speaks to the incredibly high level of play across Division III.”Jamie has competed and prepared himself for this moment, and we wish him continued success as he begins this new and exciting chapter in his hockey life.”Additionally, USCHO announced its three All-USCHO Men’s D-III Teams for the 2015-16 season.

2015-16 All-USCHO First Team

Player's Name	Position	School
Erik Cooper	F	St. Norbert
Joe Kalisz	F	Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Matt Lemire	F	Massachusetts-Boston
Alex Brooks	D	Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Zander Masucci	D	Williams
Jamie Murray	G	Babson

2015-16 All-USCHO Second Team

Player's Name	Position	School
Stephen Collins	F	Geneseo
Charlie Adams	F	Hamline
Brandon Zurn	F	Hamline
Blake Thompson	D	St. Norbert
Rich Botting	D	Plattsburgh
Jordyn Kaufer	G	Augsburg

2015-16 All-USCHO Third Team

Player's Name	Position	School
Trevor Hills	F	Geneseo
Mac Olson	F	Hobart
Dylan Nowakowski	F	St. Scholastica
Pat Condon	D	Geneseo
Tyler Bishop	D	Massachusetts-Boston
Marcus Zelzer	G	Salem State

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2015-16 All-USCHO First Team

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