Maddie McCollins was a key player on offense this season for UW-River Falls (photo: UW-River Falls Athletics).
Wisconsin-River Falls senior forward Maddie McCollins is the recipient of the 2024 Laura Hurd Award.
The award, voted on by the nation’s Division III head coaches, is presented to the best player at the NCAA women’s Division III level. McCollins is the third player from UWRF to be so honored.
A fifth-year senior forward from Maple Grove, Minn., McCollins is the Division III leading scorer with 62 points in 29 games played and has tallied eight power-play goals (1st/DIII) and five game-winning goals. McCollins was also named the WIAC player of the year for the second consecutive season, and an All-WIAC first team honoree.
A Laura Hurd Player of the Year finalist last season and the 2022-23 USCHO.com Player of the Year, she also received AHCA First Team All-America laurels for the second year in a row this season. She became UWRF’s all-time games played leader this season and broke a single-season record with her 29th goal of the season on Feb. 23.
The award is named in honor of former Elmira star Laura Hurd, who died in a car accident shortly after graduation. Hurd was a four-time All-American who led Elmira to victory in the first NCAA Division III women’s hockey championship.
The runner-up for this year’s Hurd Award is Une Bjelland, a senior forward at Adrian College.
Madi Morton wore the ‘C’ this season for Elmira (photo: Elmira Athletics).
NCAA Division III women’s head coaches have recognized the top 24 hockey players in their division by selecting them as CCM Hockey/AHCA All-Americans for 2023-24.
First Team East
Natalie Stott, SO, Amherst, Goalie
Madi Morton, SR, Elmira, Defense
Kendall Wasik, GR, Plattsburgh, Defense
Livia Brooks, FY, Norwich, Forward
Julia Masotta, GR, Plattsburgh, Forward
Meg Rittenhouse, SR, Colby, Forward
First Team West
Katie McCoy, GR, Gustavus Adolphus, Goalie
MaKenna Aure, SO, UW-River Falls, Defense
Maya Roy, SR, Adrian, Defense
Une Bjelland, GR, Adrian, Forward
Maddie McCollins, GR, UW-River Falls, Forward
Sophie Rausch, GR, UW-Eau Claire, Forward
Second Team East
Haley McKim, SR, Southern Maine, Goalie
Julia Holmes, JR, Nazareth, Defense
Sami Quackenbush, SR, Hamilton, Defense
Haylee Bouchard, FY, Wilkes, Forward
Gabrielle Cox, GR, Manhattanville, Forward
Erika Goleniak, JR, Elmira, Forward
Second Team West
Jordan O’Connor, SR, UW-River Falls, Goalie
Sophia Coltvet, SR, Gustavus Adolphus, Defense
Elizabeth Valley, SR, Hamline, Defense
Megan Goodreau, SO, UW-River Falls, Forward
Alex Hantge, SR, UW-River Falls, Forward
Hailey Holland, GR, Gustavus Adolphus, Forward
USCHO Edge hosts Jim Connelly, Dan Rubin, and Ed Trefzger look at money lines and over/under in semifinal games in Hockey East, ECAC Hockey, and the NCHC, and championship games for the CCHA, Atlantic Hockey, and the Big Ten.
This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Division I Men’s Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit ncaa.com/mfrozenfour
Justin Hryckowian surpassed the 100-point mark for the Huskies over his three seasons with the team (photo: Jim Pierce).
Northeastern junior forward Justin Hryckowian has signed a two-year, entry level contract with the NHL’s Dallas Stars.
Hryckowian, a native of Île Bizard, Quebec, wrapped up his third season as a Husky, serving as team captain. Hryckowian was a consistent force for Northeastern, helping the Huskies claim back-to-back Beanpot championships, the program’s first Hockey East regular-season championship, and an NCAA tournament bid in 2022.
He was named the Hockey East best defensive forward twice in his career, becoming the first-ever two-time recipient in league history. Hryckowian was also named to the Hockey East all-star team for two consecutive years, finding his name on the second team and third team, respectively.
He finishes his collegiate career with 94 appearances for Northeastern with 35 goals, 66 assists for 101 points, becoming the first Husky to record 100 points as a junior since Adam Gaudette in 2017-18.
In his junior campaign, Hryckowian tallied 43 points in just 32 games played with 13 goals and 30 assists. He finished as the NCAA’s faceoff percentage leader (61.3) and Hockey East’s leader in faceoff wins (424), among skaters with a minimum 200 attempts. Additionally, Hryckowian concluded the 2023-24 slate with 35 blocks and plus-24 rating.
Jacob Fowler, Kaidan Mbereko and Kyle McClellan are the three finalists for the 2024 Mike Richter Award (photos: Boston College Athletics, Colorado College Athletics, Wisconsin Athletics).
The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced the final three candidates for this year’s Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goalie in men’s NCAA Division I hockey since 2014.
A watch list of 32 was reduced to 10 semifinalists and now, with playoffs underway, the final three have been chosen – Boston College freshman Jacob Fowler, Colorado College sophomore Kaidan Mbereko, and Wisconsin senior Kyle McClellan.
The winner of this year’s Mike Richter Award will be announced on April 12 during the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn.
Mike Richter enjoyed a phenomenal playing career, highlighted by 14 seasons with the New York Rangers, leading them to the Stanley Cup in 1994, their first in 54 years. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Richter was outstanding on a number of USA Hockey teams, most notably the 1988 Olympic Team, the 1991 Canada Cup Team and as the MVP of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He also played at Wisconsin and earned a degree from Yale.
Three Finalists for the 2024 Mike Richter Award
Jacob Fowler, Boston College
Fowler’s record of 27-5-1 gives him an NCAA best .833 winning percentage. His 2.23 goals against average and .923 save percentage also rank him among the nation’s leaders as he has put BC into a No. 1 ranking in the country.
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Mbereko put the Tigers on his shoulders in mid-season, winning eight of nine from mid-January to late February and allowing two goals or fewer in eight of those games. A workhorse with 2,227 minutes played, he has a 2.40 GAA and a save percentage of .915.
Kyle McClellan, Wisconsin
With the best save percentage in the NCAA (.931) and the second best GAA (1.92), McClellan has played a key role in the Badgers’ resurgence this year under first-year head coach Mike Hastings. He has recorded seven shutouts.
Trinity’s Devon Bobak and supportive teammates kept limited Adrian to one goal in a NCAA semifinal win on Thursday night (Photo by Stan Godlewski/Trinity Athletics)
Playing on home ice in front of a raucous crowd, Trinity took advantage of superb goaltending from Devon Bobak and timely goals from James Barbour and Devon Tongue to defeat Adrian, 2-1 and advance to the national championship game against Hobart on Saturday.
“It was a great college hockey game,” said Trinity head coach Matt Greason. “Both teams had chances to win the game and we had Devon [Bobak] that made sure we did. [Devon] Tongue had a huge goal taking advantage of his size and reach and we played our game to hold them off right to the end.”
The game started with pace early as the Bantams converted a quick face-off play into a breakaway that was unsuccessful but got the crowd engaged as the pace of play was intense. Physicality was on display as both teams were trying to establish their game and Adrian’s early attacks were thwarted by Bobak and the Trinity defense. With under seven minutes to play in the first period, offensive pressure landed the puck on Connor Sedlak’s stick who made a beautiful cross-ice pass to James Barbour on the hash mark far side and he buried the shot past a diving Dershahn Stewart for a 1-0 lead.
In the second period it was Sedlak again who turned a broken play into a Bantam goal finding Tongue who deked past Stewart’s outreached pad on the backhand and tucked in the puck for a 2-0 lead. Adrian came back hard as Bradley Somers was rewarded for going hard to the net to stuff the puck through Bobak from a beautiful feed to the net from Zachary Heintze and the intermission saw the score sit with just a one-goal differential at 2-1.
The third period saw lots of up-and-down play with missed opportunities, a post or two and some acrobatic saves on both ends of the ice as Bobak and Stewart kept the game at a one goal differential. Trinity received a rare power play opportunity with just under eight minutes in regulation time but could not generate any good shots against Stewart. With over three minutes remaining on the clock, Trinity’s Teddy Griffin went to the penalty box for cross-checking and Adrian had a power play opportunity to level the score. Bobak and the rest of the Trinity penalty kill unit shutdown the Adrian power play keeping shots to the outside and clearing rebounds from dangerous areas. Adrian finally pulled their goalie for the extra attacker in the final minute, but Bobak and his defensive group cleared the zone to run out the clock and seal the victory.
“The game went exactly as I thought it would if we lost,” noted Adrian head coach Adam Krug. “ We just couldn’t get to Bobak. They packed it in and played as a unit and took away a lot of Grade A chances we usually get. We played hard but didn’t get any bounces tonight and their team defense had a lot to do with that.”
With the win, Trinity will play Hobart for the national championship on Saturday night. The Bantams, while playing on home ice, will be the visitors against the defending champion Statesmen.
Hobart’s Cooper Swift and Damon Beaver held Utica’s offense at bay in a 3-1 semifinal win propelling the Statesmen to the national championship game on Saturday (Photo by Kevin Colton – Hobart Athletics)
Hobart took advantage of a first minute goal and a second marker just over seven minutes into the opening period and skated off with a 3-1 win over a young Utica team on Thursday afternoon. The Statesmen, defending national champions, took advantage of their experienced roster to stymie the upset minded Pioneers holding them scoreless on three power play opportunities and limiting Utica to just 23 shots on goal.
“It was a great game between two really good teams,” stated Hobart head coach Mark Taylor. “We built a buffer and got to play with a lead that forced them to chase the game and have to take some more chances.”
In the opening minute it was Utica that had the jump on the opening shift but Hobart quickly transitioned into pressure mode and got paid off with Austin Mourar’s shot from the right point eluding Utica goaltender Ethan Roberts through a screen for a 1-0 lead just 52 seconds into the contest. Just under three minutes later, Utica;s Drake Morse cruised down the right wing into the Hobart zone and rang his shot off the goal post on the short side of goaltender Damon Beaver and Hobart held their lead.
The Statesmen built on their advantage just over seven minutes into the period as Tristan Fasig picked up his second assist of the game by taking a Utica defender with him deep in the zone before feeding a wide open Tanner Hartman who fired a shot high over Roberts’ glove hand for a 2-0 lead. The period finished 2-0 for Hobart who also held a 10-9 advantage in shots.
Utica settled down a bit in the second period and both Roberts and Beaver came up big for their teams early with some key stops to keep the score at 2-0. Midway through the period, Utica’s Michael Herrera made a beautiful move across the top of the slot from left to right and beat a screened Beaver to the short side to cut the deficit to 2-1. Utica had two more power play opportunities but couldn’t solve the Hobart pressure or Beaver. Roberts helped preserve the one-goal deficit as he robbed Shane Shell on a shorthanded breakaway that kept the deficit at one goal.
Hobart opened the third period with the man advantage but was unable to extend the lead. Despite several end-to-end rushes, Utica was unable to create many good scoring chances as Hobart clogged shooting lanes and blocked several shots to keep the goal area clear for Beaver who finished with 22 saves on 23 shots. Connor Lally and Cooper Swift each blocked four of Hobart’s 20 blocked shots in the game.
In the final three minutes Utica pulled Roberts looking for the equalizer but only found relentless pressure from Hobart in their defensive zone that turned into an empty-net goal as Luke Aquaro chased down a loose puck at center ice and made a play to the slot where Shane Shell deposited the puck into the open goal for the 3-1 final score.
“I thought we had a great first shift,” said Utica head coach Gary Heenan. “We accelerated this team quickly but our being young showed today. They are a very experienced group with a bunch of All-Americans as the defending national champions. They forced some mistakes from our young guys and took advantage of them early. It’s hard to chase a game like this. I liked our bounce-back but they make it hard and Beaver is just a stud in goal.”
Hobart awaits the winner of tonight’s second semifinal between Adrian and Trinity. The championship game is scheduled for 7 PM on Saturday, March 23.
Michigan and Michigan State have a longstanding rivalry that continued during the 2023-24 season (photo: Michigan Photography).
In 2004, Michael Farber wrote about the intensity of the Michigan-Michigan State hockey rivalry for Sports Illustrated when the magazine was celebrating its 50th anniversary by highlighting the fiercest sports rivalries state by state.
That piece ended with a quote by NHL veteran and Michigan State alum John-Michael Liles, who said, “This rivalry demanded the utmost of us: talent, smarts, physical play. Long after we’re gone, Michigan-Michigan State will carry on, and all of us can say, ‘That was one of the greatest things I’ve ever been a part of.’”
Twenty years ago, the feeling of “one of the greatest things” in college hockey was immediate, not ancient history. The Cold War game, played just three years earlier in Spartan Stadium Oct. 6, 2001, set a record hockey attendance of 74,544. That record stood for nearly nine years.
In the decade previous to Farber’s article, the Wolverines and Spartans had won a combined nine CCHA playoff championships. They were simply that dominant in the conference. Michigan and Michigan State met for the title game three of those nine times, including each team winning once in back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002.
Michigan made an appearance in the NCAA tournament every single year in that decade previous to Farber’s article. What people forget now, though, is that Michigan State was also very much on the national scene, with six NCAA tournament appearances from 1997-2002.
This weekend, the Wolverines and Spartans will meet in their fourth-ever conference championship game and what a delicious thing this is – a great big savory surprise gift to all of college hockey.
A rivalry with renewed relevance. Two name brands with a B1G television platform. All the intensity of a playoff championship plus the fire of teams separated by more than just the 65 miles of road between them, each representing the same state.
As Spartans coach Adam Nightingale said in his weekly press conference, “Everything will be amped up.”
Nightingale, this year’s Big Ten coach of the year, played two seasons for Michigan State (2003-05) after beginning his collegiate career with another Michigan team that was once a national powerhouse, Lake Superior State. He faces off this weekend against Michigan alum and current coch Brandon Naurato (2005-09), who understands exactly what a strong Michigan State program can mean for college hockey in Michigan and beyond.
“It’s good for us,” said Naurato. “I’d rather have Michigan State be good than losing Michigan kids to BC or BU. I think it’s great.”
After Michigan’s team practice Tuesday, Naurato was asked about the recruiting implications of the title game. “I don’t think if we win or lose that game we get a recruit or don’t get a recruit,” said Naurato. “I think it’s your culture, your identity as a program, and they’ve done a great job in the two years Nighty’s been there. They should be proud of that.”
Nighty is Nightingale. Of course. It’s hockey. There are always nicknames.
These two second-year head coaches whose collegiate paths never crossed are plenty familiar with each other as professionals, each having worked extensively with the Detroit Red Wings in player development. There’s a very different vibe from the Red Berenson-Ron Mason rivalry of the late 20th century. There’s less vitriol. The intensity, though, is real and here and now.
And it’s playoff hockey.
“You’re playing good teams, no matter what,” said Nightingale. “They want to win – not that they don’t during the regular season, but everything’s cranked up.”
Opposing teams are at their best, said Naurato, “when they’ve got something to prove, and they’ve got something to prove this weekend.”
Prior to Nightingale’s tenure, the Spartans were 0-12 in Big Ten postseason play. Last year, Michigan State lost the first game of a best-of-three road quarterfinal series against Notre Dame before taking the next two games. The Spartans ended their playoff run last season with a 5-1 road loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten semifinals.
With the win against Ohio State last weekend, Michigan State is 3-2 in the B1G playoffs under Nightingale. The game against the Buckeyes was also the first time that the Spartans had hosted a playoff game since 2010. Back in that series, they were swept by the Wolverines in CCHA quarterfinal action.
“We earned the opportunity to play another home game,” said Nightingale, who has been especially conscious of his obligation to the Spartan faithful in his first two seasons, eager to reward a fanbase and to make Munn Arena an especially difficult place to play.
“Looking forward to having Michigan here Saturday,” said Nightingale. “It’ll be a great environment. It’s a special rivalry and I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
Michigan enters the weekend on a four-game win streak, having beaten Minnesota on the final night of the regular season before sweeping Notre Dame in the Big Ten quarterfinals, and then beating Minnesota again in a semifinal game on the road last weekend. The Wolverines are 7-4-0 in their last 11 games, a stretch that began with a sweep at the hands of the Spartans Feb. 9-10.
Michigan State is also 7-4-0 in its last 11 games, but to count back those contests we have to go all the way to late January because of two bye weeks – one scheduled, and one earned as the regular season champs. In that time, the Spartans’ longest win streak was three games (Feb. 3-Feb. 10), which included a win over Notre Dame and that series against Michigan.
Nightingale and his staff are conscious that this is new territory for the Spartans, but they’re confident as well.
“It’s not like we’re just trying to turn on a switch here and all of a sudden we’re going to try to play playoff hockey,” said Nightingale. “I like to think we’ve tried to help our guys do that from Day 1.
“I think in college hockey, actually, when you look at the schedule [of] 34 games, almost every game is like a playoff game.”
The Wolverines are used to playing in someone else’s barn in the Big Ten postseason. In 2022 and 2023, Michigan won the conference championship in Mariucci Arena, and last week the Wolverines had to go through Minnesota again to reach this title game.
It took Michigan until the last weekend of February to climb into fourth place in conference standings, and that’s where the Wolverines finished. A lot of that had to do with shoring up team defense and goaltending. Last weekend’s 2-1 win over Minnesota was uncharacteristic for Michigan – not just because of the two goals the Wolverines scored, but because winning close games has not exactly been Michigan’s style this season.
That hasn’t been design, said Naurato.
“It’s not like we’re just snapping our fingers and everything is great defensively now,” he said.
Naurato credits the team with Michigan’s recent back-end improvements.
“It’s not like they were not trying earlier on, but they’re growing and they’re continuing to take steps. Not that they weren’t buying in before, but just overall buy-in that it’s all about the team this year and that shows that guys care and want to win,” said Naurato.
Some numbers before the game. All stats are overall.
Scoring offense: Michigan, 4.22 goals per game (4th); Michigan State, 3.86 (7th) Scoring defense: Michigan, 3.00 goals allowed per game (34th); Michigan State, 2.97 (32nd) Power play: Michigan, 35.3% (1st); Michigan State, 26.7% (5th) Penalty kill: Michigan, 78.1% (43rd); Michigan State, 80.9% (28th) Top scorer: Michigan, Gavin Brindley (24-27—51); Michigan State, Karsen Dorwart (14-18—32), Artyom Levshunov (9-23—32), Isaac Howard (8-24—32) Top goal scorer: Michigan, Brindley (24); Michigan State, Joey Larson (15) Goaltender: Michigan, Jacob Barczewski (2.78 GAA, .909 SV%); Michigan State, Trey Augustine (2.86 GAA, .919 SV%)
On paper, these teams are very evenly matched. The one notable difference in stats is that Michigan State’s penalty kill is significantly better than Michigan’s. Both teams can score. Each team has six players with 10 or more goals this season.
The Spartans were 3-1-0 against the Wolverines during the regular season. Playoff hockey, though, is a brand-new season.
“You have to play this game and it’s one game,” said Naurato. “We feel really good about our team.”
Nightingale said that he hopes that the Spartans can savor this moment – playing their biggest rival, at home, for a conference championship.
“Our guys should be proud of earning people’s respect, because that definitely wasn’t a given and we had to do a better job,” said Nightingale. Give the guys credit. They’re the ones doing the work.
“It is important to step back and really appreciate this opportunity that they’ve earned.”
Trinity’s Devon Bobak and the Bantams play “host” to Adrian in one of two great semifinal pairings (Photo by Trinity Athletics)
The final national poll before the Frozen Four had Hobart, Utica, Trinity, and Adrian ranked one through four. It is not often that we get a pure draw that leaves the best in the country battling it out on the ice for a national title, but we do this year, and the semifinal matchups are intriguing and exciting. Lots of interesting storylines are present for each team including Hobart – can they repeat? Or can a young Utica team go where no recent team has been? How about the hosts from Trinity and can they win this thing on home ice in their first Frozen Four since 2016-17? And Adrian, the team that has been there three seasons in a row – can they take back the title and earn a second trophy in three seasons? Lots to ponder and great hockey to be played and decide it where it belongs, on the ice!
The battle between the writers with NCAA picks currently stands with Brian Lester (7-2) at the top and in control leading Chris Sugar (5-4) and me (5-4) with two great games to choose on Thursday before Saturday’s title game. The battle continues on the way to the 2023-2024 national championship. Here this week’s picks from the USCHO D-III writers:
Thursday, March 21, 2024
NCAA Semifinal Round
(2) Utica v. (1) Hobart
TC – The Statesmen dominated their quarterfinal against Curry in virtually every statistic but needed a goal in the fourth overtime to advance to Hartford and a matchup with in-state rival Utica. The orange and White are the defending champions and very experienced but should not look past a Pioneer team that has grown up over the course of the season and erased some demons with a quarterfinal win over Plymouth State. If you like pace of play, you must love the way these two teams get up and down the ice. While the front ends are comparable it is the backend that makes the difference for Mark Taylor’s squad who needs an empty-net goal for the final margin – Hobart, 3-1
BL – The top-ranked Statesmen survived a four-overtime thriller against Curry to get here. And now they face the No. 2 team in the country fo the right to advance to the national title game.
Hobart has been nothing short of impressive this year, especially on defense where it has given up just 29 goals thanks in part to Damon Beaver, who sports a 0.98 goals against average. The Statesmen have scored 156 goals.
Utica is pretty good as well and is in the national semifinal round for only the second time in program history. The Pioneers have scored 136 goals while allowing 42. Ethan Roberts has a GAA of 1.54. This matchup may very well come down to which netminder can make the fewest mistakes.
I always say the national champs are the team to beat until someone proves otherwise. Hobart gets the job done here. Hobart, 2-1
CS – We’ve been given a fun one to begin the Frozen Four. One team who’s been told for years their league isn’t good enough, and another who’s been considered the outright favorite considering they lost hardly anyone from last year’s roster.
Utica’s Gary Heenan has gotten over the NCAA hump and found themselves in the Frozen Four for the first time since 2013, meanwhile, Mark Taylor is seeking his 2nd National Championship which would also happen to be back-to-back for the first time since St. Norbert in 2011 & 2012.
Hobart just got done with their four-overtime game with Curry, winning 4-3, Utica defeated Plymouth State 4-1, I think this may be the year of the Pioneer as some may call it. Hobart’s the favorite and the best team of the two so far, being more battle tested, but I like Utica in this one and who doesn’t want a Gary Heenan-winning press conference? I do. – Utica 3-1
(4) Adrian v. (3) Trinity
TC – The battle between Adrian and Trinity comes down to who can impose their style of play on the other. The Bulldogs have evolved over the season into a team that does not rely on scoring a lot of goals but can when needed and are very dangerous on the power play. The Bantams play relentless team defense backed by Devon Bobak in goal and quickly transition solid defensive play into offensive opportunity. Expect the goals to be at a premium in this game that ultimately needs an overtime, or two, to decide who plays on Saturday for the title – Trinity, 3-2
BL – Adrian is in the Frozen Four for the third consecutive year and is looking for its second title in that stretch. The Bulldogs face a tall order playing Trinity in what will basically be a home game for the Bantams, who are the host for the tourney.
The Bulldogs are averaging 4.6 goals per outing while the Bantams are averaging 3.4. We could very well see a high-scoring game here.
It’s worth noting that these two teams last met in a Frozen Four in 2015. Trinity won that game and went on to win the title. But Adrian has won the last two against the Bantams, including in 2021.
Adrian needs to be able to set the tone right away by getting off to a quick start and taking the crowd out of it. If Trinity gets rolling first, it could be a long night for the Bulldogs.
I like Adrian’s chances in this game. As the lone team out of the west region in the Frozen Four, the Bulldogs are looking to make a statement. They will get it done. Adrian, 4-3
CS – Adrian fought through the gauntlet of the bottom right corner of the bracket. Trinity defeated a highly skilled Elmira opponent at home, they get to stay home for the Frozen Four and sleep in their own beds. We saw UW-River Falls take home the title on home ice for the Women’s side of D-III, there’s a chance we see that again in Hartford, CT, home of Trinity College.
Trinity is a wildcard, very skilled and performed well in conference play, not great in the few non-conference games they played, but the home ice is critical for them here.
Adrian is a different animal, Norbert is too from the prior matchup, but Trinity hasn’t seen anything like what they’re about to witness in front of them. Adrian should physically dominate this game, but the home ice/crowd should play to the Bantam’s benefit come later in the game. I like Adrian here, making that three-straight finals appearances for Adam Krug’s Bulldogs who look to win their second title in three years. – Adrian 5-2
There are just two semifinal games on Thursday and the national championship game on Saturday left in the 2023-2024 campaign. The big prize is within sight, but you need to win two more games and the only one that counts right now is on Thursday. Time to leave it all on the ice – “Drop the Puck!”
Adrian returns to their third consecutive Frozen Four where they face NESCAC champion Trinity on their home ice in the semifinals Thursday night (Photo by Adrian Athletics)
For the third season in a row, the Adrian Bulldogs have reached the Frozen Four and look to add a second championship in the past three seasons to their trophy case. The now expected level of excellence has all associated with the program that they will compete every year at this level with a focus on not only getting to the Frozen Four but winning the national title.
“This is three years in a row,” noted Adrian head coach Adam Krug. “The two years before that were cut out by COVID and I liked our chances with those teams as well. During this post-season run I have had the opportunity to re-connect with a number of graduated players and alums who now look at the program and believe this is the standard by which we measure our program now. This team got here a little differently with some losses during the season we haven’t had recently but losses I feel really helped us improve our game for this time of the season. We had a really difficult road to the Frozen Four having to play a first-round game against Stevens Point and then another battle with St. Norbert but the team has responded and now we have a chance to play for another title.”
The Bulldogs have a deep group led by Mathew Rehding (16G – 32A – 48 Pts; +25), Zachary Heintz (18G – 21A – 39 Pts; +26) and Jaden Shields (11G – 28A – 39 Pts; +26) with additional strong contributions from Bradley Somers, Connor May, Ryan Pitoscia and Jacob Suede. The defensive group is solid in front of goaltender Dershahn Stewart who saw relief action in last year’s semifinal win over the University of New England. Adrian has a deep roster, plays with pace and has an exceptional power play that can change a game quickly.
“We really have 1A and 1B lines with our top two groups,” said Krug. “We have seen a lot of other contributors on the scoresheet later in the season that gives us some balance beyond the top two lines. Our defensive group has really emerged as a big part of our game and Dershahn has been very consistent in the crease for us.”
Adrian faces a Trinity team they have not seen this season while also playing on the Bantams home ice. Trinity’s game begins with the back-end with Devon Bobak in goal and a solid group of defenders led by the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year in Ned Blanchard. The forwards are deep and balanced in their scoring as the team takes advantage of solid defensive play and quick strike transition offense opportunities.
“Bobak has had a terrific season and Matt Greason is a very good coach with experience at the US Development Team level,” noted Krug. “They play terrific team defense and take advantage of your mistakes with a deep group upfront. It will be a battle of styles as we try to beak down that great team defense and get some pucks behind one of the best goalies in the country.”
Adrian and Trinity face-off in the second semifinal of the day at 7 PM on Thursday, March 21 at the Koeppel Community Sports Center in Hartford, Connecticut on the campus of Trinity College.
AIC’s John Lundy carries the puck against RIT’s Xavier Lapointe during a game last December (photo: AIC Athletics).
One game for all the marbles.
The longest postseason in college hockey comes to an end on Saturday in Rochester, N.Y. After almost four weeks, the Atlantic Hockey tournament is down to the final two teams: American International and Rochester Institute of Technology. They will play a single game on Saturday in Rochester for the title and the right to represent the league in the NCAA Tournament.
Previewing the finals
No. 5 AIC at No. 1 RIT
We have a classic battle between a resurgent RIT, which has three playoff titles but none since 2016, and AIC, which has won three of the last four, excluding the canceled 2020 postseason.
The Tigers, the regular season champions, dominated their opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals, dispatching Robert Morris in two games by a combined score of 12-1, and sweeping Niagara by a combined 9-3 tally.
RIT has a wealth of depth, getting scoring from their veteran forwards including Carter Wilkie (16-23-39) and Elijah Gonsalves (17-16-33), and from the blueline (Gianfranco Cassaro’s 17 goals is tops among defensemen in Division I) as well as their all-freshman line of Matthew Wilde, Tyler Fukakusa and Christian Catalano, who have combined for 73 points so far.
In net, Tommy Scarfone is the league’s goaltender of the year, posting a .928 save percentage. He’s allowed a total of four goals in the Tiger’s four playoff games so far.
AIC, hobbled by injuries in February, managed to qualify for the fifth and final bye. They won two hard-fought road series against Air Force and Holy Cross, sweeping the Falcons 3-1 and 3-2 and coming back to defeat Holy Cross in three games 2-5, 3-0 and 3-1.
AIC is playing a more defensive style than in the past due to holes in its roster (although some key players have returned from injury). That starts with rookie goaltender Nils Wallstrom, the Yellow Jackets’ most valuable player so far.
Against Holy Cross last weekend, Wallstrom posted a .959 save percentage and a GAA of 1.33.
The Yellow Jackets are led in scoring by graduate student Dustin Manz (7-24-31) and feature AHA Defenseman of the Year Brian Kramer (10-11-21), who recently returned from injury.
Awards season, final edition
Here is our final set of award winners, which I’m calling “The Rubies” after my buddy Dan Rubin, who covers the ECAC for USCHO.
He continues to call his award picks “The Lerchies” harkening back to the time when he and I shared the Atlantic Hockey beat. Back at you, Dan.
Player of the Year: Liam McLinskey, Holy Cross
This came down to RIT’s Carter Wilkie and McLinskey. Wilkie was last year’s pick by both the league and USCHO, but I went with McLinskey, who led the league in scoring with 47 points on 19 goals and 28 assists. He’s the league’s sole Hobey Baker finalist, announced on Wednesday.
Rookie of the Year: Mateo Giampa, Canisius
Despite a glut of upperclassmen thanks to the extra year available to players due to the pandemic (next season will be the last for this), there was a bevy of rookies who made significant impacts. I chose Canisius’ Mateo Giampa. His 35 points on 18 goals and 17 assists led his team in all three categories.
Coach of the Year: Andy Jones, Bentley
The league finalists are RIT’s Wayne Wilson, whose Tigers repeated as regular season champions, Air Force’s Frank Serratore, whose Falcons improved from 10th last year to fourth, and Holy Cross’ Bill Riga, whose Crusaders continued to improve each season.
But I’m going with Bentley coach Andy Jones, who completed a successful season behind the Falcons’ bench in his first year as a Division I head coach. Despite being hired in late June and inheriting a team picked to finish last, Jones and his team ended up sixth, a point out of a first-round bye. The Falcons are definitely on the upswing.
Looking back, looking ahead
This is my last column of the season, my 25th at USCHO and my 18th covering Atlantic Hockey. I took over the beat from my friend Jimmy Connolly the season following the monumental upset of Minnesota by Holy Cross in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
That put the fledgling conference on the map, and so much has changed since then. Air Force and RIT joined my first season covering the league, followed by Niagara and Robert Morris in 2010-11. By my count, four new arenas have opened since then, and the league has gone from 12 scholarships per team to a full complement of 18. The future is bright.
I’m grateful to the coaches, players, and Sports Information Directors who made time for me this season, as well as league SID Todd Bell. Thanks also to editor Matt Mackinder and everyone at USCHO, my hockey family since 1999.
And as always, thanks to my (actual) family for their support and patience while I’m off covering a game, on the phone with a coach, or holed up with my laptop muttering to myself.
And finally, thank you, dear reader. We have a few more journeys together. I’ll be reporting from the championship game in Rochester on Saturday and from St. Paul during the Frozen Four.
Utica defenseman Brian Scoville lads a young and relaxed group of Pioneers to face defending champion Hobart in semifinal action on Thursday (Photo by Kaleigh Sturtevant – Utica Athletics)
The Utica Pioneers have been highly successful winning three consecutive UCHC titles and consistently being ranked among the nation’s best D-III hockey teams but struggled over the past two seasons to advance beyond the quarterfinal round of the NCAA tournament. Following two consecutive upsets at the hands of the University of New England, this year’s team took care of business in front of what is the most rabid D-III fan base looking for a Utica team to win the national championship.
“As I said before, the luxury of having a young team is they don’t feel pressure,” said Utica head coach Gary Heenan.” I like that the guys are loose and ready to get out there and play our game. This rink is a little bigger than standard, so we are definitely going to be preaching “north” and telling the guys to turn up the jets with our cycle of walls. I expect this game will feature a lot of speed and a good deal of physical play. We know how good Coach Taylor’s team is and we are going to look to take advantage of our opportunities and develop some second shot opportunities against [Damon] Beaver in their net.”
With UCHC Rookie of the Year Eric Vitale sidelined, the Pioneers will cycle some players through their lines to compensate for the loss of their top left wing. Jakob Breault, Matt Wood, John Gutt, Shane Murphy, Khristian Acosta, and Michael Herrera will all be looked to for an offensive spark while the defense will rely heavily on Brian Scoville and Kimball Johnson playing with a young group on the blueline.
“Scoville probably averages 28 minutes a game,” stated Heenan. “Kimball is probably a minute less so we will see how situations dictate some personnel on the ice. While I think the game will be a hard-fought game, I think the power play chances will be limited. We would love Scoville to get a couple of chances with his shot but know this is probably the best penalty kill [surrendered only three PPGs all season] we have seen all season, and the most aggressive from a pressure the puck standpoint.”
Hobart comes into Thursday’s contest following an epic four overtime win over Curry where they produced over 100 shots on goal in the almost seven full periods of action. Sophomore Damon Beaver has been outstanding in goal for the Statesmen who also play up to seven defensemen and four balanced lines. The defending national champions return much of the roster that won the title last season with a couple of key additions in Chris Duclair and last week’s scorer of the game-winning goal, Bauer Morrissey.
“I don’t think Hobart is going to game plan much,” noted Heenan. “They know the game they want to play and dictate on the ice, so I do not expect them to be any different on Thursday. They have a very experienced group and the best goaltender we have seen all season. This is what we have played for all year – to be in the final four teams with a chance to win a national title. I think we can absolutely do this, but we will have to earn it as the four best teams in the country are here battling for the same prize.”
Utica will play Hobart in the first semifinal on Thursday afternoon at 3 PM at the Koeppel Family Sports Center on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford, CT.
Cutter Gauthier has 32 goals this season for Boston College (photo: John Quackenbos).
There will be no lack of intensity this weekend as Hockey East’s final four — Boston College, Boston University, Maine and Massachusetts — vie for the Lou Lamoreillo Trophy.
BC and BU will be looking to erase bitter memories of losses in the Beanpot, held in the same building just over a month ago. Maine will be relishing its first trip to TD Garden in a dozen years. And UMass, after being shut out of the semifinals last year, is back and in search of its third Hockey East tourney title in four seasons.
Save for the trophy itself, however, there’s little tangible up for grabs this weekend for three of the four participating schools. Only UMass has an uncertain future beyond Saturday — and even the Minutemen, according to USCHO.com analysis, have about an 80 percent chance to make the NCAA tournament regardless of how they do in the Hockey East semifinals. BC, BU and Maine are all assured of a spot in the big dance.
The specific scenarios are too numerous to mention here, so go to USCHO’s Pairwise Predictor, a must for any college hockey junkie (but try not to get too addicted).
So, like a team scoring an insurance goal in the waning minutes of the third period, the two Boston schools and the one from Orono will be breathing a little bit easier as they enter the final phase of Hockey East’s version of March madness.
“I don’t think we’ll be gripping our sticks as tight,” said BU senior forward Luke Tuch. “(Our) place is set in the (NCAA) tournament, but we’re never satisfied. I think it’s just getting right back to work (at practice), competing and going at each other and making each other better.”
The matchups will feature BU (No. 2 in both the tournament seeding and the USCHO.com poll) vs. Maine (No. 3 tournament, No. 7 USCHO) at 4 p.m., followed by BC (No. 1 in both) vs. UMass (No. 5 tournament, No. 13 USCHO). All games will be on NESN and ESPN-plus.
Boston College will be the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and will play in the Providence Regional the following weekend regardless of what happens at TD Garden. Nevertheless, BC transfer forward Jack Malone, who fell one game shy of the Frozen Four last season with Cornell, said the Eagles’ motivation from this point forward is simple — win Hockey East, and win the national championship.
“Our mentality going into each game has to be the same,” said Malone. “Doesn’t matter who we’re playing against, doesn’t really matter what’s on the line. Our goal is to win six more games to finish out the year and get two more trophies. There isn’t any level of comfortability with going into play one opponent as opposed to another.”
BC was twice a winner over UMass this season — 5-1 on Feb. 16 in Amherst, Mass., and 6-4 two nights later at the Silvio O. Conte Forum. Despite the relative ease of their two victories, Eagles coach Greg Brown said his team won’t be looking past the Minutemen, a program only four years removed from winning the NCAA championship.
“There’s no trap in the semifinals of Hockey East,” Brown said. “We know they’re a great team. Hard-fought games both times. They have a successful program, they know how to win. We know it will be a huge battle for us and we know we’ll have to be at our best.”
It’s been a while since BU and Maine last played each other. That was on the weekend of Nov. 17 and 18, when the Terriers pulled out a pair of one goal wins — 3-2 and 5-4 — at Agganis Arena.
BU freshman defenseman Gavin McCarthy said his team has come a long way in the ensuing four months, and the maturity they’ve gained since then should go a long way toward success in the postseason.
“Doing things the right way — obviously we’ve had our moments when (we) took our foot off the gas a little bit,” McCarthy said. “Playing on our toes, not playing on our heels, that’s going to be huge for us going down the stretch. Everybody’s fighting for their life.”
Harrison Scott scored four goals, including a hat trick, and added an assist for five points in helping the Maine to a two-win weekend over UMass Lowell Jan. 20-21 (photo: Anthony DelMonaco).
We’re back with one of the final editions of Bracketology for the men’s Division I college hockey tournament.
We have bemoaned over the last few weeks that problems that would be caused if either Massachusetts, the host in the Springfield, Mass., regional, or Omaha, the host in Sioux Falls, S.D., qualified for the tournament. That could cause massive problems.
Well, with both teams currently in the field and Omaha now a lock, seeding could be a challenge. But that has been further exacerbated by the sheer number off NCHC teams in the field combined with the current seeds of the Big Ten conference teams that are currently qualified (and none of those teams are going anywhere).
This will be the biggest mess of a Bracketology to date.
So let’s start with the simple and seed the teams, 1 through 16:
1. Boston College
8. Minnesota
9. Wisconsin
16. Bemidji State
2. Boston University
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
15. RIT
3. North Dakota
6. Maine
11. Omaha
14. Colorado College
4. Denver
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
13. Western Michigan
Before I even begin to assign regions, let’s look at the problems of interconfertnce matchups.
Minnesota and Wisconsin, North Dakota and Colorado College and Denver and Western Michigan all should not play in the opening round. The NCAA committee has worked hard to make sure the the top seed gets the No. 16 overall seed in recent years, but with the NCHC teams butting heads, I think the easiest switches require us to put that aside right now. So let’s swap Bemidji and CC as well as RIT and Western Michigan.
That leaves us with:
1. Boston College
8. Minnesota
9. Wisconsin
14. Colorado College
2. Boston University
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
13. Western Michigan
3. North Dakota
6. Maine
11. Omaha
15. RIT
4. Denver
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
16. Bemidji State
Is it fair that the lowest No. 1 seed Denver draws the lowest No. 4 seed Bemidji State? Probably not. But I’,m okay leaving this as I don’t think any of these No. 1 seeds have walkover games.
So with that problem solved, let’s assign regions (yes, I know we still have that pesky B1G matchup of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
UMass has to play in Springfield and Omaha has to play in Sioux Falls as hosts.
Providence, R.I.
1. Boston College
8. Minnesota
9. Wisconsin
14. Colorado College
Maryland Heights, Mo.
2. Boston University
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
13. Western Michigan
Sioux Falls, S.D.
3. North Dakota
6. Maine
11. Omaha
15. RIT
Springfield, Mass.
4. Denver
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
16. Bemidji State
At this point, we cannot move either Omaha or UMass without disrupting the entire regionals. But we can swap Minnesota and Maine – No. 8 overall for No. 6 overall. It isn’t ideal as it hurts bracket integrity, but bracket integrity is already destroyed with what we did to the No. 4 seeds.
Providence, R.I.
1. Boston College
6. Maine
9. Wisconsin
14. Colorado College
Maryland Heights, Mo.
2. Boston University
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
13. Western Michigan
Sioux Falls, S.D.
3. North Dakota
8. Minnesota
11. Omaha
15. RIT
Springfield, Mass.
4. Denver
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
16. Bemidji State
Does this bracket technically hold up? Yes. Does it make sense? Heck no.
Why do we want Boston University, the No. 2 overall seed, playing in St. Louis while Denver is playing in Springfield. These teams need to swap, but that creates the interconference game in the first round between Denver and Western Michigan.
Honestly, that’s the consequence of this exercise and is allowed under NCAA guidance:
Per the criteria:
“If five or more teams from one conference are selected to the championship, the committee may protect integrity of the bracket (i.e., maintaining the pairing process according to seed may take priority over avoidance of first-round conference matchups).”
So with that, I’m swapping BU for Denver and creating the interconference NCHC matchup of Denver and Western Michigan in round 1.
Providence, R.I.
1. Boston College
6. Maine
9. Wisconsin
14. Colorado College
Maryland Heights, Mo.
4. Denver
7. Quinnipiac
10. Michigan
13. Western Michigan
Sioux Falls, S.D.
3. North Dakota
8. Minnesota
11. Omaha
15. RIT
Springfield, Mass.
2. Boston University
5. Michigan State
12. Massachusetts
16. Bemidji State
In five years of writing this column, this is the craziest bracket I’ve ever designed. But I’m still okay with it. Attendance in the St. Louis area might not be great, but it is a small building. Everywhere else will have great crowds and we still avoid most interconference matchups.
So that’s where we are.
We’ll be back on Friday night with another edition prior to Saturday’s five championship games. And of course, we’ll have our final predictions on Saturday evening once all of the conference championship games are complete.
Trinity’s Devon Bobak has been a wall in net this season for the Bantams (photo: Trinity Athletics).
The Gridiron Club of Greater Boston announced Wednesday that Trinity sophomore Devon Bobak is the winner of the 23rd Joe Concannon Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England at the Division II/III level.
The award was established in 2001, shortly after the passing of the longtime writer for the Boston Globe, who had a great passion for the game of college hockey while always advocating strongly for amateur athletics.
Bobak led his team to the 2024 Frozen Four, hosted by Trinity at the Koeppel Community Center in Hartford, Conn., on March 21 and March 23. Thus far this season, Bobak has played in 28 games, posting a 24-3-1 record with a 1.20 goals-against average, a .943 save percentage, and seven shutouts. He earned player of the year and first team all-NESCAC honors while leading the Bantams to both the regular-season and conference tournament championships. His seventh shutout was a 2-0 blanking of Elmira in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals.
Trinity faces Adrian in the NCAA semifinal round on March 21. In the other semifinal game, defending champion Hobart takes on Utica.
“I am so pumped for Devon,” said Trinity coach Matt Greason in a news release. “He is an unreal kid and just super humble, but he really deserves this great honor. He has been outstanding for us all season and raises the energy of the whole team. He calms everything down for us with a level of levity that just keeps everybody calm and focused. He always has a smile on his face and is a very hard worker on the ice and in the classroom. He also carries a couple of part-time jobs to maintain his Trinity experience. While he doesn’t like the spotlight or individual recognition, I hope he will embrace winning this important award for D-II/III hockey.”
Bobak was a clear winner over the five remaining finalists in the balloting – Endicott senior forward Andrew Kurapov, Assumption junior forward Ronny Paragallo, Tufts junior forward Tyler Sedlak, Curry freshman goaltender Shane Soderwall, and Plymouth State junior forward Connor Tait.
“This season has truly shown great team and individual performances across each of the conferences and the region at the D-II/III level,” said Gridiron Club hockey awards committee chairman Tim Costello. “The committee had a particularly challenging time in reducing the field of semifinalists. But this group of special players, led by Devon in particular, separated themselves from the pack with tremendous individual play and strong impact on team results to garner the special attention of the members. Devon is the third recipient from Trinity and the tenth to win from NESCAC. The last NESCAC player to win the Concannon Award was Walker Harris of Wesleyan in 2020.”
The Joe Concannon Award will be presented at the New England College Hockey Writers’ Dinner on April 23 in Saugus, Mass.
Jaroslav Chmelar played two seasons up front for Providence (photo: Lydia Vigneau).
Providence sophomore forward Jaroslav Chmelar has signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract with the New York Rangers.
A fifth-round pick of the Rangers in the 2021 NHL Draft, Chmelar notched 12 goals, 16 assists, 28 points with a plus-5 rating and 106 shots on goal in 59 career games with the Friars.
During the 2023-24 season, Chmelar posted five goals and 15 points in 26 games.
He also earned a silver medal with Czechia during the 2023 World Junior Championship where he totaled three goals and two assists over seven games.
Michigan players and staff members join Adam Fantilli, center, after the presentation of the 2023 Hobey Baker Award (photo: Jim Rosvold).
The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation has announced the top 10 candidates for the 2024 award honoring college hockey’s top player.
Alphabetically, they are Jackson Blake, North Dakota; Macklin Celebrini, Boston University; Jack Devine, Denver; Cutter Gauthier, Boston College; Collin Graf, Quinnipiac; Lane Hutson, Boston University; Kyle McClellan, Wisconsin; Liam McLinskey, Holy Cross; Sam Morton, Minnesota State; and Will Smith, Boston College.
The ten finalists were selected by voting from all 64 Division I college hockey head coaches and online fan balloting. This year’s Hobey Baker winner will be chosen from this group by the 30-member selection committee as well as an additional round of fan balloting running from March 20–31 on the Hobey Baker website, hobeybaker.com.
Criteria for the award are displaying outstanding skills in all phases of the game, strength of character on and off the ice, sportsmanship, and scholastic achievements.
The Hobey Hat Trick (three finalists) will be announced on April 4, and the Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced on April 12 during the Frozen Four weekend in St Paul, Minn. The announcement will be televised live on the NHL Network and streamed on the Hobey Baker website at 6 p.m. EDT.
Following, in alphabetical order, is a look at each finalist.
Jackson Blake – North Dakota – Sophomore, Forward
A standout sophomore at UND, Jackson Blake has matched a rare feat by scoring over 40 points in his first two seasons, a level of performance not seen since Brock Boeser’s 60 points in the 2015-16 season. His scoring consistency included eight games with at least three points, contributing to a streak where he scored in 17 of the last 18 regular-season games. Poised to join Zach Parise as the second sophomore in the last 30 years to reach 100 career points at UND, he also shattered the NCHC single-season scoring record with 37 points in conference play. Remarkably, he led the team in points as a freshman, the first time this had been achieved at UND since 1980.
• Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 4th round (109 overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft
• Named to NCHC First Team and is a Finalist for NCHC Player of the Year and Forward of the Year
• Ranks second in the NCAA in points (57)
Macklin Celebrini — Boston University – Freshman, Forward
At just 17, Macklin Celebrini stands out as one of the country’s top centers, showcasing a comprehensive, 200-foot game that balances elite playmaking with diligent defensive responsibility. His blend of superior talent, hockey sense, competitive drive, and work ethic underscores his commitment to improvement, both on the ice and off it.
• Ranks second in NCAA scoring for goals (30) and ranks third in points (55)
• A top prospect eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft ranked No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings of top North American skaters.
• Named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year, and also named to Hockey East First Team, All Rookie Team, is the Hockey East Scoring Champion
Jack Devine – Denver – Junior, Forward
Jack Devine dominates the team’s statistics, leading in goals (27), points (54), and shots (123) marking him as a key offensive player for University of Denver. He made history on January 19, 2024 as the quickest Pioneer to hit the 20-goal mark, in just 23 games, en route to becoming the most prolific scorer since 2005-06. His contributions include eight multi-goal games and a standout start to the season, earning him NCHC Forward of the Week, alongside reaching personal and career milestones such as his 100th career point in a landmark game against Colorado College.
• Ranks third in NCAA scoring for goals (27), and is fourth in points (54)
• Selected by the Florida Panthers in the seventh round (221 overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft
• Named to NCHC First Team, and is a finalist for NCHC Player of the Year and Forward of the Year
Cutter Gauthier – Boston College – Sophomore, Forward
Cutter Gauthier is at the forefront nationally, boasting 32 goals and ranking fifth with 52 points, showcasing his knack for clutch moments with nine game-winners and proficiency on the power play with 10 goals. Throughout the season, he’s been a consistent force, hitting the score sheet in 30 out of 35 games and achieving multiple points in 14 games.
• Won gold with Team USA at the 2024 World Junior Championship
• Was selected in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft (fifth overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers, with his rights traded to the Anaheim Ducks in 2024
• Named to Hockey East First Team and was the runner-up for Player of the Year
• Is the NCAA goal-scoring leader
Collin Graf – Quinnipiac – Junior, Forward
Collin Graf played in 31 games, amassing 22 goals, 26 assists, for 48 points, with eight of those goals coming on power plays and three being game-winners. He is currently fifth nationally in goals and is sixth in points per game. His exceptional play earned him four ECAC Player of the Week honors and the ECAC Forward of the Month for December, and he led his team in multi-point, multi-assist, and multi-goal games.
• Named to ECAC First Team, and is a finalist for ECAC Player of the Year
• Ranks 8th among all NCAA skaters in goals and is sixth in total points (48)
• Serves as an assistant captain and is involved in the program’s leadership groups as well as within the university
Lane Hutson – Boston University – Sophomore, Defenseman
Lane Hutson impresses as a dynamic defenseman with exceptional skating and puck-handling skills that make him stand out every time he hits the ice. His hockey IQ and vision are unparalleled, complementing a defensive game that’s on a constant upward trajectory, underscored by leading the Terriers in ice time. This season Hutson has averaged 1.33 points per game, which ranks 13th nationally among all NCAA skaters, and is tied for first in points by a defenseman with 44. Hutson also ranks third in goals by a defenseman (12) and tied for fourth in game winning goals by a defenseman (3).
• Named to Hockey East First Team
• Won gold with Team USA at the 2024 World Junior Championship, serving as the team alternate captain.
• Selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round (62 overall) at the 2022 NHL Draft
Kyle McClellan – Wisconsin – Senior, Goaltender
Already named the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, and a finalist for Big Ten Player of the Year, Kyle McClellan ranks among the nation’s top goaltenders. He leads the nation in save percentage (.931) and shutouts (7). This season he has 24 victories and a 1.92 goals-against average which is second in the nation. His seven shutouts place him second on UW’s all-time single-season list. Recognized for his excellence, he’s a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award, also earning accolades such as the Hockey Commissioners Association’s National Goaltender of the Month for December.
• Named to Big Ten First Team, and was named Big Ten Goalie of the Year
• Allowed two goals or fewer in 25 of the 36 games played
• Seven shutouts are one shy of the University of Wisconsin record held by longtime NHL goaltender and 2006 Hobey Baker Finalist Brian Elliott
Liam McLinskey – Holy Cross – Junior, Forward
Liam McLinskey transferred to Holy Cross after a brief stint at Quinnipiac. He made an immediate impact. In 2022-23, he played all 40 games, scoring 25 points and setting a playoff record with nine goals in six games. This season, he elevated his game even further, leading the Crusaders with 47 points and earning numerous accolades, including Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year. Known for his dynamic skating and playmaking ability, McLinskey contributes both offensively and defensively while also actively engaging in community service initiatives, such as supporting and mentoring his Team Impact teammate.
• Named to AHA First Team, and was also named AHA Player of the Year and AHA Scoring Champion
• His 44 points leads the Crusaders, Atlantic Hockey, and is the 12th-highest mark in the nation
• First Player of the Year since 2006, first First Team selection since 2018, and helped the Crusaders to their first 20-win season since the 2012-2013 season
Sam Morton – Minnesota State – Senior, Forward
Sam Morton leads the CCHA in conference goals scored with 15 goals, 9 power-play goals, and the highest number of shots and face-off wins, contributing to his fourth-place ranking in overall points (34) and a 55.5% face-off win percentage. His performance across 37 games boasts 24 goals, 10 assists, and ranks him eighth nationally for power-play goals (9), with notable achievements in shot blocking, face-offs, and maintaining point streaks. Throughout his tenure with Minnesota State, Morton has accumulated 44 goals, 32 assists, and distinguished himself with 17 power-play goals and six game-winners.
• Named 2024 CCHA Player of the Year, Forward of the Year, and First Team All-CCHA
• Served as team captain for the 2023-2024 season
• Recently signed a free agent contract with the Calgary Flames
Will Smith — Boston College – Freshman, Forward
Will Smith finished the regular season atop the NCAA scoring chart with 58 points, amassing 18 goals alongside a nation-leading 40 assists, and was a consistent force scoring in 31 out of 35 games, highlighted by a dominant 18-game point streak. Smith’s season was distinguished by 20 games with multiple points and pivotal performances against high-ranking opponents, earning accolades such as Hockey East Rookie of the Week and Player of the Month.
• Named to Hockey East First Team, Hockey East All Rookie Team, and was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year
• Selected in the first round (4th overall) by the San Jose Sharks at the 2023 NHL Draft
• Won a gold medal for Team USA at the 2024 World Junior Championship
• Ranks first in the nation in assists (40) and in points (58)
Hobey Notes
• Candidates by conference: Hockey East – 4, NCHC – 2, AHA – 1, Big Ten – 1, CCHA -1, ECAC -1
• By position: Forwards – 8, Defense – 1, Goalie -1
• By class: Senior – 2, Junior – 3, Sophomore – 3, Freshmen – 2
• By nationality: U.S. – 9 (Mass. & Ill. – 2; 1 each NY, Colo., Mo., Ariz., Minn.),
Canada – 1 (B.C.)
• Repeat Candidates: Collin Graf (’23), Lane Hutson (’23)
• Quinnipiac has a finalist for the third straight year and BU for the second straight
• Five of the ten finalists have been NHL draft picks with two selected in the first round (Gauthier and Smith)
• Visit hobeybaker.com or on Facebook at: facebook.com/TheHobey
The 2024 Hobey Baker Award winner will be honored along with this year’s Hobey Baker Legend of College Hockey, Don Lucia, at the annual banquet and golf outing to be held Aug. 8 in Lake Elmo, Minn.
Macklin Celebrini and Greg Brown picked up major awards Wednesday from Hockey East (photos: Boston University Athletics, Boston College Athletics).
Hockey East announced today that Boston University freshman forward Macklin Celebrini has been named Hockey East player of the year and rookie of the Year.
In addition, Boston College’s Greg Brown was voted coach of the year by his peers.
All three awards were selected by the league’s 11 head coaches.
Celebrini becomes just the fourth player win Hockey East rookie and player of the year awards in a single season following Jack Eichel (2014-15), Paul Kariya (1992-93), and Brian Leetch (1986-87). As the youngest player in college hockey at 17 years old, Celebrini currently sits second overall in the nation in goals (30), third in points (55) and shots (158), and fourth in power-play goals (11). He leads all rookies in goals, shots, and power-play goals, and is tied for eighth with three game-winning tallies.
In 23 Hockey East games, he led all players with 44 points, nine power-play goals, 1.91 points per game and was second with 23 goals, 112 shots on net, and a plus-18 on-ice rating. He also won 190 faceoffs, 12th most in the league.
A top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft, Celebrini left his mark on several season-long categories, as no rookie has ever scored more goals in league play than his 23, and his 1.00 goals per game is the best mark among rookies and seventh-best all time in the 40-year history of Hockey East. His 44 league points are the fifth-most by a freshman ever and the most since Eichel’s 44 in 2014-15. At 1.91 points per game as a first-year player, only Eichel and Kariya scored at a higher pace. He recorded a point in 25 of 30 games played, including 19 multi-point games and six games with at least three points.
Celebrini, the first Terrier to record 30 goals in a season since Chris Drury scored 38 during the 1996-97 season, was the lone unanimous selection to the all-Hockey East first team and was one of three rookies selected unanimously to the all-rookie team. He was a six-time rookie of the week, two-time player of the week, rookie of the month in January and was named Hockey East and national player of the month in October.
Brown wins his first Bob Kullen Award in just his second season as a head coach at his alma mater. Top-seeded Boston College (29-5-1 overall, 20-3-1 Hockey East) claimed the Hockey East regular-season crown for the 18th time in program history as the Eagles are on a 10-game winning streak, have an 19-2-0 mark in their last 21, and ended the regular season riding a 13-game winning streak in league play.
They are the first program to win 20 games in Hockey East play since Boston College accomplished that feat in 2010-11 in a season where all teams played 27 league games instead of the current 24 and is the best mark in Hockey East play since Maine went 22-1-1 in 1992-93. Brown led a team that saw six underclassmen named to all-star teams including a rookie netminder (Jacob Fowler) who posted the second-highest single-season win total in Hockey East regular-season history.
Boston College is the first Hockey East team to win 10-games in a row since Massachusetts won 14 consecutively en route to the 2021 NCAA championship.
Lake Superior State has announced the passing of LSSU Athletics Hall of Famer Sean Tallaire, who passed away on March 12 at the age of 50.
No cause of death was given in a statement by LSSU.
From 1992 to 1996, Tallaire recorded 207 points on 103 goals and 104 assists. He was named the 1994 NCAA tournament MVP after winning the national championship, and he was selected as a second team all-American in 1996.
Tallaire owns the career program records for game-winning goals (20) and consecutive games played (171), and his 207 total points rank fourth in program history while also accumulating the second most goals by any Laker.
He was inducted into the LSSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.
Tanner Ludtke helped Omaha down Colorado College in the NCHC quarterfinals last weekend (photo: Mark Kuhlmann).
Coming back from one game down last weekend to beat 10th-ranked Colorado College on the road in the first round of the NCHC playoffs all but guaranteed No. 12 Omaha what would be the Mavericks’ first NCAA tournament berth since 2021.
The noteworthiness of Omaha’s success in Colorado Springs didn’t stop there. A sixth win from the Mavericks’ last seven games saw them reach the NCHC Frozen Faceoff for the first time in the conference’s 11-year history.
Moreover, Sunday’s 2-1 victory saw UNO secure its second-winningest season ever. The Mavericks need three more wins if they are to break the school record set in the 2000-01 season, when current coach Mike Gabinet was a freshman defenseman on the team.
During a NCHC media conference call Tuesday, Gabinet drew connections between that UNO team from the start of the millennium, and what’s in front of him on the ice now.
“That year, we had a really good mix of some older players and some really good leadership and some good young players coming into the program,” Gabinet said. That 2000-21 UNO team was backstopped by future NHL goaltender Dan Ellis, and was led offensively by the likes of future Mavericks assistant David Brisson and Jeff Hoggan, the latter of whom has since had his jersey retired by the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
“I think (this season’s team) is a little bit similar to that, where we’ve got some really good leaders on this team, some older players and obviously we’ve got a couple of good young guys and some really good guys in that sophomore class. It’s a nice mix, and I think everybody gets along.
“That’s one of the things I do remember about that year, with that team, was that maybe there was an age difference among some of the underclassmen and older guys on the team, but everybody really gelled and came together as a group,” Gabinet continued. “I feel that’s a really good vibe with (this season’s team), as well.”
Last week’s success against Colorado College set up a NCHC playoff semifinal game Friday against top-seeded North Dakota. It might not matter that Omaha is the lowest remaining seeded team, though, as the Mavericks were 3-1 against the Fighting Hawks in the regular season. Omaha is also 16-2 in one-goal games during this campaign.
All that seems to have the Mavericks in reasonably good shape as they head up to St. Paul, Minn. More and more lately, they’ve put together the kind of intangibles that help teams who go on deep postseason runs.
“I thought that (regular-season series at North Dakota on Jan. 12-13, when UNO split with the Hawks) was one of the first times this season that you really could feel the belief in the group, and really feel that confidence from the players,” Gabinet said. “I think that’s earned, and I think they’ve done a great job all season long of building it.
“When you keep a narrow focus and you don’t look too far ahead, especially in this league, that’s a really positive thing and I think we’ve done a really good job of just staying present and trying to find ways to keep improving every single weekend here, and it has really paid off down the stretch.”
Toodles
This week marks my last conference column of my 17th season at USCHO.com. Never thought I’d be in this job across four presidential administrations, but here we are.
Thank you to all of my colleagues for all your incredible work this season. I’d specifically like to shout out Nicole Haase and Todd Milewski for The PodKaz, a great addition to this website’s credentials as a one-stop shop for women’s NCAA hockey coverage.
Additionally, I want to thank all of the NCHC coaches, sports information directors and players I’ve spoken with this season, all of whom have been incredibly gracious with their time. Thanks, too, and congratulations to our managing editor, Matt Mackinder, who recently started a new role running communications with Lapeer Community Schools in Michigan. Writing for USCHO isn’t anyone’s day job, and Matt makes balancing everything he does behind the scenes look easy.
I won’t be in St. Paul for the Frozen Faceoff or the Frozen Four (we really should have one of those renamed), but I’ll still have a few more USCHO bylines this season. I have two Hockey Humanitarian Award finalist feature stories on the way, plus previews on NCHC teams playing for however long in the NCAA tournament.
