An artist’s rendering of renovations coming up at Alfond Arena (courtesy: Maine Athletics).
Maine has released plans for major renovations to Harold Alfond Sports Arena and the Shawn Walsh Hockey Center.
The project is made possible by a transformational $320 million commitment from the Harold Alfond Foundation to the University of Maine System, which includes a $170 million investment in UMaine Athletics to fund the Athletics Facilities Master Plan as part of UMS TRANSFORMS.
“With the support of the Harold Alfond Foundation, UMaine will continue to build on and expand our athletic facilities and the growing success of our hockey programs,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of the University of Maine and the University at Machias, in a statement. “We are grateful for the exciting opportunities these renovations will bring to not only our student-athletes but our university, local communities and state.”
The men’s and women’s hockey teams will receive new locker rooms equipped with modern lighting and the latest technology to create one of the premier home locker room spaces in Hockey East. The programs will also benefit from a new film room equipped with seating for 42 individuals. Upgrades will also include improved branding and structure of the tunnel leading to the arena.
“Thanks in large part to the Harold Alfond Foundation, we are thrilled to showcase the details of the Alfond Arena and Shawn Walsh Hockey Center renovations,” said Jude Killy, Maine director of athletics. “These enhancements to an already iconic venue will provide our student-athletes with a first-class, modern experience. The updated facilities will provide championship-caliber resources for our men’s and women’s ice hockey programs as they prepare to compete in front of the best fans in Hockey East. These improvements will continue our efforts towards being the premier destination for college hockey.”
Connecting the two hockey facilities will be a new concourse entrance, featuring a modern origami building design to compliment the highly recognizable Alfond Arena profile. The spacious concourse will include renovated points of sale for tickets and concessions, as well as a new area for the Bear Necessities team store. A new Hockey Hall of Fame will celebrate and preserve the history of Maine Hockey.
“This renovation ensures our student-athletes will have the best game day experience in college hockey and a world-class training facility in line with the best facilities in the nation,” said Ben Barr, head men’s hockey coach. “The best fans in college hockey will have an enhanced experience before and during the game, which will only add to the electric atmosphere inside the Alfond.”
Upon entering the facility, individuals will be welcomed to an area celebrating Maine’s only Division I program, with displays of athletics history and accomplishments. New and renovated offices for the men’s and women’s head coaches, assistant coaches and support staff will help create a new home for the hockey programs equipped with modern technology to train and care for student-athletes.
The Shawn Walsh Hockey Center will be upgraded with state-of-the-art sports medicine and strength and conditioning spaces. New hydrotherapy cold and hot tubs as well as larger and more efficient areas for treatment and injury prevention will improve these areas. A newly designed space with upgraded training equipment and new nutrition areas will also be included in the renovations.
“The renovations to the arena are going to continue to draw great hockey players to Maine,” said Molly Engstrom, head women’s hockey coach. “This project will undoubtedly elevate the daily experience for our student-athletes and will elevate the game day experience for fans as we work to make Maine Hockey one of the best programs in the nation.”
The Dexter Lounge will be revamped as one of the signature components of the building. Upgrades to the lounge will allow student-athletes, staff, donors and fans to enjoy events, meetings and gatherings to celebrate Maine Athletics. The renovated area will also feature improved branding to celebrate the history of Maine Hockey as well as recognition opportunities for donors and an improved entrance for premium seat holders.
The upgrades to Alfond Arena and the Shawn Walsh Hockey Center will further UMaine’s commitment to excellence in the state’s only Division I athletics program, strengthen gender equity and provide a preferred destination for high school sports championships, competitions and community events.
“We are very grateful for the decades of support provided by the Harold Alfond Foundation,” said Jeffery Mills, University of Maine Foundation president. “Their very generous philanthropic efforts have made a significant impact on the University of Maine.”
WBRC Inc. (Bangor, Maine), and Crawford Architects (Kansas City, Mo.) will serve as the architects for the project. Construction management will be executed by PC Construction (Portland, Maine), with work beginning in the spring of 2024. Forty Nine Degrees (Coldwater, Ohio) will lead the internal branding efforts.
Noah Finstrom and the Pointers take on Adrian in the NCAA tournament this weekend. (Photo provided by UW-Stevens Point Athletics)
It was only natural, fitting really, that UW-Stevens Point’s Noah Finstrom decided to play hockey at a young age.
After all, his dad was a pro for more than a decade, playing in few different leagues.
“I was involved in lacrosse and a little bit of baseball, but hockey has always been my thing,” Finstrom said. “My dad played pro for 11 years. It was kind of ingrained in me from day one.”
Having a resource like that to turn to for advice about the sport has proven invaluable to Finstrom, who, now in his third season with the Pointers, earned honorable mention recognition this season.
“Oh yeah, every day he has something to say, good or bad, you take the advice and use it to your advantage,” Finstrom said. “He’s definitely been a huge part of my hockey career. I definitely could not have done this without him.”
The senior forward is having his best year year yet with the Pointers, the reigning WIAC champions and the sixth-ranked team in the USCHO.com poll.
He earned all-conference honors for the first time in his career, scoring 12 goals and dishing out 12 assists, tied for the third-most on the team. Finstrom has produced six multi-point nights, hitting the two-goal mark four times.
He also five power-play goals, tied for the team lead in that category.
Finstrom scored seven goals and dished out 10 assists his first year here and tallied six goals and four assists last season.
A lot has changed for him this season.
“One of the big things for me, compared to last year, is consistency,” Finstrom said. “I try to keep my feet moving and get to the dirty areas in front of the net. If you see my stats, almost all of my goal are within the crease. That’s a big emphasis for me. Getting my stick on the ice. I know it sounds simple, but it’s the the thing I’ve really worked on this year.”
Finstrom and the Pointers (21-5-2) are gearing up for an NCAA tournament opening round game against No. 3 Adrian (22-6-1) Saturday night.
It’s the second straight year the two teams are facing off in the tourney. Adrian won last year’s game 3-2 in overtime.
The Pointers come in on an eight-game unbeaten streak.
“It’s been awesome the way we are playing right now,” Finstrom said. “We’ve had a lot of close games and faced some adversity this year, but the last couple of weeks have been really good for our team. We’ve been working hard towards the tournament.”
Finstrom is one of several key players for the Pointers, who have no shortage of talent.
Fletcher Anderson is the co-player of the year in the WIAC for the second consecutive season while Mick Heneghan, Brett Humberstone, Dawson Sciarrino and Alex Proctor are also all-conference picks.
Anderson has tallied 13 goals and 17 assists while Heneghan has come through with five goals and 12 assists.
Humberstone as come through with five goals and nine assists and Sciarrino has racked up a team-best 19 assists to go along with four goals. Proctor has been solid in the net, winning 18 games and sporting a .924 save percentage. He’s had five games with 30 or more saves.
Finstrom can’t say enough about his teammates and the chance to play with them.
“It’s awesome to come to the rink an go to war with these guys every weekend. We’re all putting in hard work and it’s definitely paying off.”
He’s confident in the team going into the tourney as well.
“Adrian is good, one of the top teams, but we’re good, too,” Finstrom said. “It’s going to be a battle. We just have to keep sharp and bring the intensity.”
On a personal note, the chance to play college hockey has meant everything to Finstrom.
“I’d say it’s a privilege to be on the ice every day and there is nothing better than playing hockey,” Finstrom said. “I take every day for what it is. Being on the ice comes natural. It’s awesome.”
Matt Shatsky scored for Holy Cross in the Crusaders’ 4-3 win Friday night over Canisius in the AHA playoffs (photo: Holy Cross Athletics).
Conference playoffs took center stage Friday night, with four conferences in action, while Hockey East and the NCHC began their final weekend of the regular season.
Holy Cross 4, Canisius 3
Jack Stockfish’s goal at 10:04 of the third period snapped a 3-3 tie and Holy Cross held on for the 4-3 win from the Hart Recreation Center in Worcester, Mass.
No. 19 RIT 7, Robert Morris 0
Tyler Fukakusa scored twice and Tommy Scarfone made 21 saves in the 7-0 rout for the Tigers at the Gene Polisseni Center in Rochester, N.Y.
Niagara 6, Sacred Heart 3
Carter Randklev went for two goals and an assist as Niagara downed SHU 6-3 from the Martire Family Arena in Fairfield, Conn.
AIC 3, Air Force 1
Josh Barnes’ goal at 15:11 of the third period broke a 1-1 deadlock and AIC defeated Air Force 3-1 from the Cadet Ice Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo. Nils Wallstrom made 31 saves in goal for the Yellow Jackets.
BIG TEN (best of three)
No. 14 Michigan 5, Notre Dame 4
A two-goal third-period comeback propelled Michigan past Notre Dame in a 5-4 decision on Friday night at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich. Rutger McGroarty potted two goals to lead the way for the Wolverines while Seamus Casey added four assists.
Ohio State 3 at No. 5 Wisconsin 1
Ohio State beat Wisconsin 3-1 Friday from the Kohl Center in in Madison, Wis., as Max Montes scored the game winner on the power play at 2:21 of the third period.
No. 8 Minnesota 5, Penn State 1
Eleven different players recorded a point as Minnesota defeated Penn State 5-1 Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, Minn. The Gophers netted four unanswered goals, including two from Rhett Pitlick, to seal the game.
CCHA (best of three)
Bemidji State 5, Ferris State 4 (OT)
Eric Pohlkamp’s goal 37 seconds into overtime won it for the Beavers after Eric Martin’s second goal of the game tied it at 19:20 of the third period at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn.
at Michigan Tech 5, Bowling Green 0
Michigan Tech opened the playoffs with a commanding 5-0 shutout of Bowling Green on Friday at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The Huskies scored one in the first, two in each of the last two periods, and Blake Pietila earned his fourth shutout of the season and 24th of his career.
Lake Superior State 4, St. Thomas 1
Lake Superior State pulled away for a 4-1 victory over St. Thomas Friday night from the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn., as Connor Milburn collected a goal and an assist for the Lakers.
Minnesota State 2, Northern Michigan 1
Jordan Power notched his first career goal and Lucas Sowder put away the game winner as Minnesota State turned in a 2-1 victory over Northern Michigan Friday night at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato, Minn. Mavericks goalie Alex Tracy made 32 saves in the game.
ECAC HOCKEY (single elimination)
at St. Lawrence 4, Yale 2
The Skating Saints got goals from four different scorers and Ben Kraws made 37 saves in net to propel St. Lawrence to a 4-2 win over Yale on Friday night at Appleton Arena.
at Harvard 1, Princeton 0
Harvard battled to a 1-0 victory over Princeton on Friday night at the Bright-Landry Center. The Crimson were outshot 38-17 by the Tigers, but Aku Koskenvuo’s 38-save shutout stole the contest. Crimson captain Ian Moore scored the game’s lone goal in the first period.
No. 10 Colorado College 4, No. 4 Denver 3
Denver entered the third period trailing 4-1, scored two goals, but Colorado College held on for a 4-3 win Friday night from Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Noah Laba scored two goals for the Tigers, Max Burkholder and Gleb Veremyev added one each, and Kaidan Mbereko finished with 20 saves in goal.
For the Pioneers, Tristan Broz had a goal and an assist, while Jack Devine and Rieger Lorenz also scored. In goal, Matt Davis made 27 stops.
No. 9 Maine 2, No. 12 UMass 1
Maine topped UMass 2-1 on Friday night from Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine. With the victory, the Black Bears clinched third place and home ice in the quarterfinal round of the Hockey East tournament.
The Minutemen took a 1-0 lead just under three minutes into the contest on a goal by Michael Cameron, but Bradly Nadeau evened things up before the first intermission.
— Maine Men’s Ice Hockey (@MaineIceHockey) March 9, 2024
Thomas Freel finally broke the deadlock with 4:17 to play in the third period with a power-play goal.
Albin Boija’s save at the left post in the final minute locked up the 2-1 win.
Boija finished with 26 saves and Michael Hrabal made 27 for the Minutemen.
No. 16 Omaha 3, No. 3 North Dakota 2
North Dakota dropped a 3-2 decision to Omaha on Friday night from Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb.
UND, who has already locked up both the Penrose Cup and No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCHC postseason, was looking to play spoiler, but Omaha captures a big three points to remain alive for the final home ice spot in the quarterfinals heading into tomorrow’s final day of the regular season.
Omaha goalie Simon Latkoczy (32 saves) was tested through the final 20 minutes, as UND exploded for a 14-4 shot advantage in the final frame, but Latkoczy stopped all 14 shots fired his way to keep the Mavericks in front by a goal and secure the victory.
After the Mavericks jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal from Jacob Guevin near the halfway point of the first, UND answered back a few minutes later with the man advantage. Former Maverick Cameron Berg wired home his 20th goal of the season in his first game back at Baxter Arena to even the contest at 1-1 after the opening 20 minutes.
UND looked to build some momentum in the middle stanza after drawing a pair of penalties to give the visitors a 5-on-3 advantage for over 90 seconds, but the Mavericks killed off both penalties and took control of the contest by striking for a pair of goals in a 1:16 span from Tanner Ludtke and Victor Mancini to quickly grab a 3-1 advantage.
Logan Britt pulled the Fighting Hawks within a goal shortly after the quick strikes by the hosts, skating behind the net and banking a shot off the goaltender and in, but that was as close as UND would get with Omaha holding onto the 3-2 victory.
North Dakota goalie Ludvig Persson finished with 20 saves.
MINNEAPOLIS — Lacey Eden’s spin-o-rama, behind-the-back shot 7:59 into overtime on Friday night sent #2 Wisconsin to the WCHA title game where they will face top-ranked Ohio State on Saturday at 2 pm central.
The Badgers dispatched border rivals Minnesota 4-3 in dramatic fashion, giving up the lead on a late power play, tying it in the final nine seconds of regulation and then ultimately winning it on Eden’s improbable shot.
Wisconsin outshot Minnesota 42-23, but played from behind for much of the first half of the game and could not seem to pull away from the Gophers after tying the game midway through the second. Badger coach Mark Johnson liked how his team played in the second period, but they just could not seem to find a goal to put them ahead.
“In the second period, we played up to our capabilities,” Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said. “We did some good forechecking, created some opportunities, got a nice power-play goal, and almost capitalized on a couple other situations.”
Johnson often refers to games against Minnesota as chess matches – he and Gopher coach Brad Frost know each other very well and there aren’t many secrets between the two on how the other coaches and prepares a team.
As the third period wore on without a go-ahead goal, each team looked for an advantage. Minnesota got their chance with under four to play when Marianne Picard was sent to the penalty box for a hand pass on the faceoff. Peyton Hemp scored a spinning goal of her own as she rotated to gather the puck and used that torque to fling it on net, beating Wisconsin goalie Ava McNaughton to put the Gophers up 3-2.
As time wound down, Wisconsin pulled their goalie for an extra attacker, but struggled to find an equalizer. A late icing call sent the puck to the own defensive end, putting McNaughton in the net and the Badgers 200 feet from where they needed to be with around 30 seconds to play. They won the draw and took off for the offensive zone as McNaughton went to the bench again. Minnesota held the puck against the boards and Wisconsin had one last push for the net with under ten second to play when the puck floated to the back boards where Casey O’Brien corralled it and just tried to get the puck to the net front for her teammates. Her backhander tipped off a Gopher stick into the back of her own goalie where it deflected off Skylar Vetter and into the back of the net, tying the game with 8.8 seconds in regulation.
The goal was reminiscent of the one Daryl Watts used to win the 2021 National Championship, though with a lot less calculation and finesse. The goal was to put the puck to the net front – an assist. Instead, a little puck luck and Wisconsin forced overtime.
The late equalizer energized the Badgers and Kirsten Simms, who was named WCHA Player of the Year on Thursday and scored twice for Wisconsin in regulation, said she knew it meant her team would win.
“After that, I think momentum tilted completely on to our side,” Simms said. “We knew we were going to finish it out.”
Having withstood more than sixty minutes of pressure from the Badgers and taken a late lead, the loss was particularly frustrating for the Gophers.
“Obviously the result was not what we wanted, especially when you look back and we were eight seconds away from winning the hockey game,” Minnesota head coach Brad Frost said. “I’m really proud of our group. They battled. They competed. I thought they played really, really well. Skylar made some great saves. In the end, we couldn’t find a way to win it, even though we had some chances.”
Simms opened the game’s scoring just 38 seconds in, slotting home a pass from Laila Edwards on the rush. Minnesota quickly responded, but the goal was challenged by Johnson and overturned for having been kicked in. But that did not dissuade the Gophers and they equalized for real just four minutes later as Josefin Bouveng put back a rebound on a shot from Abbey Murphy. Ella Huber’s goal a few minutes after that put Minnesota up 2-1.
The Badgers took advantage of a power play midway through the second when Simms was once again in position to slot home a pretty pass. The goals give Simms 31 for the season and make her the Badgers’ first 30-goal scorers since the 2011-12 season. She also reached 100 career points with her first-period goal.
Having seen O’Brien’s game-tying tally, Eden knew that when she gathered a loose puck in front of the net during overtime, the objective was to put it back towards the goal.
“Sometimes the puck ends up on your stick in the slot. Get the puck to the net, you never know what’s going to happen,” she said.
With the win, Wisconsin advances to their first WCHA Championship game since 2021. For their efforts, they’ll get to face #1 Ohio State for the fifth time this season. The Badgers closed out the regular season with a series split against the Buckeyes two weeks ago.
The WCHA Championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 2 pm central. The game will stream live on BTN+.
The winner will receive an auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament, but it is expected that all four teams that reached the WCHA semifinals will receive bids. Teams will await the tournament Selection Show on Sunday at 12 pm eastern to learn their fates. The show streams free online and will be broadcast on ESPNews.
Friday’s late afternoon start time meant a shorter turnaround for the Badgers, but Johnson said his team will be ready, even after having survived a chaotic game.
“Ava made a couple real nice saves on a couple flurries that they had early on and then Lacey snapped it in, so we live to see another day and an opportunity to play for a trophy. We’ll recover, we’ll be excited, and it should be a good game tomorrow afternoon.”
MINNEAPOLIS — Ohio State cruised to a 5-0 win over Minnesota Duluth Friday afternoon to advance to their fifth-straight WCHA conference tournament championship game. The Buckeyes will be looking to regain the championship after losing to Minnesota in the title game last season.
After a back and forth opening few minutes, Ohio State scored two quick goals, putting Minnesota Duluth in a hole it was difficult to dig themselves out of.
First WCHA Rookie of the Year Joy Dunne showed off some of the moves that have her leading her team in goals, stick handling to the net front before slipping the puck past UMD goalie Hailey MacLeod. Just 44 seconds later, Kiara Zanon hit at a loose puck while MacLeod held to the post, but somehow the puck managed to sneak under her and into the net to make it a 2-0 game.
It was exactly the kind of game Ohio State has come to be known for. They held possession, moved the puck, found their lanes and never let Minnesota Duluth get comfortable on offense. The Buckeyes gained confidence from the quick goals and put UMD back on their heels on defense, making it even more difficult for the Bulldogs to find an offensive rhythm.
“Very proud of them tonight. Getting five goals on any team in this league, especially in the playoffs, is very impressive. But the zero is just as impressive,” said Ohio State coach Nadine Muzerall.
Minnesota Duluth has had one of the most successful goaltending tandems in the country this season. When Ohio State scored two quick goals, it pushed the Bulldogs out of their comfort zone and UMD coach Maura Crowell said she thought her team struggled to recover.
“Our goaltending has been so good, we’ve had so many shutouts that when a couple of goals go in, it did affect our team. Goals are going to go in, we’re playing the best teams. This is the reality and being able to bounce back from that. We’re still learning. It’s March but we just learned a really valuable lesson that’s going to help us as we go on in the season,” said Crowell.
Crowell was happy with her team’s play through the first period and the game might have looked different if not for a couple of point-blank saves by Raygan Kirk on a Minnesota Duluth power play, but i was the third goal early in the third that really seemed to take the Bulldogs out of the game. Ohio State used that to build on their forecheck, hemming UMD into their own zone and preventing them from creating much offensively.
Emma Peschel and Makenna Webster gave Ohio State a 4-0 lead in the second and Olivia Mobley closed out the scoring in the third. Buckeye captain Jenn Gardiner noted that a mid-afternoon Friday game didn’t bring a ton of excitement from the crowd, but said she feels one of her squad’s best attributes is their ability to hype each other up and create excitement on the bench. She said any nerves the team had were channeled into positive energy on the ice.
The shutout was Kirk’s eighth of the season. The grad student has started 21 games for the Buckeyes this season after playing in just 15 over her previous two in Columbus, where she transferred from Robert Morris. Muzerall praised her netminder for the work she put in prior to her final college season to win the opportunity to start a game like this.
“Kirk earned her time,” Muzerall said, noting that having a reliable goalie like Kirk in net makes the rest of the players on the ice more comfortable.
Ohio State awaits the winner of the second semifinal between Minensota and Wisconsin. Based on their current Pairwise rankings, it’s expected that all four of these teams will receive bids to the NCAA Tournament, though Crowell’s Bulldogs are in the most precarious position and she said she won’t feel confident until she sees her team’s name on Selection Sunday.
That all their seasons are unlikely finished means that the weekend’s games are for a trophy, but are also just one more step in a process they hope doesn’t end for a couple more weeks. And that makes them a chance for teams to get better.
“We’ll learn a lot from this game. From here on out we’re going to be playing great teams. Stuff isn’t going to go our way the whole time,” said Muzerall.
“Sometimes those pucks are going to go in, but just being able to reset and look forward is going to be crucial for us.”
UW-River Falls vs Northland 11/11/23. (Photo via Carly Lynch)
We’re onto the Quarterfinals in the 2024 NCAA Women’s D-III Hockey Playoffs! Here are the picks for the weekend from Myself, Tim Costello, & Brian Lester!
#3 Gustavus at #1 UW-River Falls
Chris Sugar – This game shouldn’t be played and is wrong on every level, but with that being said, I’m taking Gustavus to end the perfect run of River Falls. This isn’t because I believe Gustavus is better than River Falls, but the Falcons are facing the Gusties in the Falcon/Gustie Invitational held every year during the NCAA tournament once again…
It’s so difficult to defeat a team three times in one-season… UW-River Falls has to do it for a FOURTH time. I want the Falcons to win here because they’ve earned the right to host the frozen four and get the chance at keeping the trophy west, but Gustavus deserves all the respect, defending national champs, a great team led by goaltender Katie McCoy, who lost four games this year, all but one to River Falls…
Gustavus wins it and ends the perfect season on the main factor being I can’t see them losing four times to River Falls, if they do, River Falls is the best team we’ve seen of the past decade, and that counts Plattsburgh’s domination… – Gustavus 4-3
Tim Costello – The defending national champions travel to face the current No. 1 team in the country for the fourth time this season in a game that is likely to be tight and with goals coming at a premium. UWRF has won the prior three meetings (2-0;3-2;2-0) including two by shutout and yet none of that matters come Saturday. Gustavus will be a tough out for a fourth time and knowing a trip to the Frozen Four is on the line with a win. Look for Sophia Colvert, Brooke Power and Hailey Holland to jump start the offense early in the contest because playing with a lead is essential in driving the upset on the road. “To be the champ you need to beat the champ” but not this time – Gustavus Adolphus, 2-1
Brian Lester – Wow. It didn’t take long at all to get to the national championship game. Wasn’t the bracket just announced Monday?
Yeah, you’d think this was the championship game in women’s hockey. Nope. It’s a first-round game. And it’s just not right.
One national title contender will be gone after Saturday, including potentially the reigning national champ (Gustavus), and that’s just unfortunate.
The Falcons boast three of the top five scoring threats in the country, including Maddie McCollins, who has come through with 32 goals and 30 assists. Megan Goodreau (17, 30) and Alex Hantge (14, 27) are also very good at making plays and look to help the Falcons earn a sixth trip in program history to the Frozen Four.
Gustavus is 0-3 against UW-River Falls this season, but maybe the fourth time is a charm for the team that won it all a year ago. The Gusties have won eight in a row and are 10-2 on the road this year. Are they good enough to win it all again this year? Absolutely. But this might be the Falcons’ time to shine. – UW-River Falls, 2-1 OT
#8 Hamilton at #5 Adrian
CS – Adrian enters with an impressive 27-2-0 record, some have questioned the strength-of-schedule, but they’ve gotten it done where they needed to. Hamilton went on the road last year in the same manner, defeated Nazareth and then shocked Adrian at home to book a ticket to their conference-foe Amherst.
This year, Adrian gets revenge, but it won’t be easy as the Continentals have stellar goaltending from Teagan Brown who made 29 saves in the win vs Nazareth on Wednesday.
Adrian wins this and books themselves a frozen four ticket vs the winner of the heavyweights UW-River Falls & Gustavus. If River Falls wins, it’ll be in Wisconsin, if Gustavus and Plattsburgh win, it’s likely headed to the North Country of Upstate, NY and the NCAA will be forced to pay for two flights. I have negative levels of sympathy. – Adrian 4-2
TC – The Continentals appear to be following the same blueprint for last year’s Frozen Four appearance having knocked off Nazareth for a second straight year and now traveling to Michigan for a return engagement with the Bulldogs. Different year and different team on both benches but the Hamilton defense is going to be challenged in stopping Adrian’s Une Bjelland who already has 27 goals and almost 60 points on the season. Adrian will want to get the home crowd engaged and score early which helps drive a win and opportunity in the Frozen Four next weekend. Special teams are the difference for the Bulldogs in one-goal win – Adrian, 3-2
BL – The Bulldogs have won 20 consecutive games and are feeling good about their chances of making a tourney run. Adrian will test Hamilton big time as the Bulldogs have scored 150 goals on the year while allowing only 27. Une Bjelland leads the way with an impressive 27 goals and 30 assists. She’s one of nine players with 20 or more points on the season. The other thing is Adrian has yet to lose at home this year, sporting a 20-0 mark there. – Adrian, 3-1
#6 Middlebury at #2 Plattsburgh
CS – Two familiar faces meet here, Plattsburgh in the last twenty meetings is 18-2-0. That’s all that needs to be said, the Cardinals won the earlier matchup this season after the original date got postponed due to winter storms in the North. Plattsburgh won 2-1 at home. I don’t see Middlebury being able to keep up scoring-wise with Plattsburgh even though we’ve seen the Cardinals struggle this year in situations we don’t normally see and bad matchups.
This matchup however is in their favor, they for whatever reason have gotten the best of Middlebury as of late, Cardinals roll. – Plattsburgh 4-1
TC – Two long-time rivals meet with a lot on the line as the Cardinals and Panthers face-off for the third time this season. PSU won the first two meetings (3-1;2-1) but are coming off a loss to Cortland in the conference championship game whereas the Panthers have given up just one goal in their last four games and have a three-game shutout streak in front of netminder Sophia Will. Puck possession and offensive zone time will be key to both teams who like to skate, move the puck and stress the opposition. It is hard to beat any opponent three times in a single season and it is hard not to consider the momentum that the Panthers have up and down their lineup in the post season. It will be close and likely require overtime – Middlebury, 2-1
BL – This will be the third meeting of the season between Plattsburgh and Middlebury. The Cardinals have won both times and have proven to be a tough team to beat at home this year, going 12-1-1. While they didn’t win their conference title, they are certainly good enough to make a run here in March. Julia Masotta has been a key to their success, scoring 13 goals and dishing out 24 assists. She leads the team in both of those categories. I think Plattsburgh takes care of business here. – Plattsburgh, 4-2
#10 Elmira at #4 Amherst
CS – This is a game where I want to pick Elmira after how good they looked vs Cortland, but it’s always a mystery what team you’re gonna get vs the consistent Amherst. I think most would automatically write Amherst to win here, but I like Elmira a lot matchup wise as they’re fast and their goaltending even with a rotation, seems to be quite solid as of late.
Natalie Stott for Amherst will be key, she’s had a few rough games this season, but for how well she’s played otherwise, she’s earned a few off-nights. I think this one goes to overtime, it’s a toss up honestly, I’m just going with whoever has home-ice and this time it’s Amherst who adds an empty-netter at the end, but don’t be shocked if the Soaring Eagles pull off the upset. – Amherst 3-1
TC – While the Mammoth have been resting since their loss in the NESCAC tournament to Hamilton, Elmira picked up a big win and momentum with heir first round win over Cortland on the road on Wednesday. Nothing can stop momentum like a hot goaltender and Amherst’s Natalie Stott (0.88 GAA; .970 SP; 9 SO) may be the best in the country and for opponents, if you can’t score, you can’t win. Power play hasn’t been prolific for Amherst but factors into a big win at Orr Rink in a low scoring game that takes Amherst back to the Frozen Four – Amherst, 2-0
BL – The reigning national runner-up begins its quest for another shot at the title. The Mammoths are looking to bounce back after not winning their conference title and seeing a nine-game winning streak come to an end. This appears to be a fairly balanced Amherst team. No one’s stats are jumping off the stat sheet, but it’s a group of players that gets the job done. I think the Mammoths find a way to get the job done. – Amherst, 3-1
Jackson Sterrett and the Endicott Gulls start their bid to return to the Frozen Four with a tough road game against Elmira (photo by Endicott Athletics)
The conference title battles are behind us now and just thirteen teams remain in pursuit of the 2023-24 national championship starting with first round action on Saturday, March 9. Hobart, Utica, and Trinity have earned a first round bye based on their ranking and overall performance in the regular season and conference tournaments. A total of 10 teams will play this weekend with some terrific matchups in both the East and West to determine who advances to the quarterfinal round.
I closed out the season last week with a successful slate of 7-1-0 (.875) overall. The strong championship weekend picks improved and closed out my season at 160-67-14 (.693) which is hopefully is a portent for a strong record when it matters most in the NCAA tournament.
Normally, I just matchup with my fellow writer from the West, Brian Lester in a NCAA showdown to close out the campaign. This year in an effort to spice things up across all USCHO D-III writers, Chris Sugar, USCHO’s women’s correspondent will also join in the picks. Likewise, Brian and I will join in picking the women’s games for a D-III coverage extravaganza. Look for all our women’s picks in Chris’s weekly column while I will collect the men’s selections right through the Frozen Four in Hartford, CT. Here are the first-round prognostications from each of us and best of luck to all for the next couple of weeks of action.
Saturday, March 9, 2024
NCAA First Round
(14) Endicott v. (10) Elmira
TC – The Gulls are hot after their CCC championship win over Salve Regina while the Soaring Eagles have had a couple of weeks off following their semifinal round exit in the NEHC tournament. There is a fine line between rest and rust and Kurapov, Sterrett & Company keep their winning ways going in dramatic fashion with an OT win on the road – Endicott, 3-2
BL – This is only the second time these two teams are playing each other. The last came in 2020. Elmira is 7-5 against nationally ranked teams. Endicott is here after winning its second consecutive CCC title and is here.
The Soaring Eagles have one of the nation’s best offenses, averaging 4.1 goals per outing, good enough for sixth nationally, while the Gulls average 3.7 goals per outing and rank ninth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 1.9 goals per outing. They say defense wins championships. Give Endicott the edge. Endicott, 3-2
CS – This matchup is another odd one, I like Elmira here due to them coming out of the NEHC and the caliber of opponents the Soaring Eagles beat not just in-conference, but non-conference as well. They have two wins over Oswego, one vs Geneseo, and Utica. These two have met once in their history, Elmira won 6-5 in OT in Plattsburgh back in 2020.
Endicott enters after starting off to a rough start, but they have looked good as of late to end the season. They won the CCC so obviously they did something right. The Gulls in the famous domes of Elmira might be a problem, being away from home. – Elmira 6-2
(6) Wisconsin – Stevens Point v. (4) Adrian
TC – These teams met last year in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA tournament with the Bulldogs capturing a one-goal win to advance to the Frozen Four. Overall, the Pointers have had the better of the series and a fast start helps the visitors hold on to a one-goal win in their favor that gets them into the quarterfinals – Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 3-2
BL – It is one of those matchups you would expect to see later in the tourney, but instead, we get it in the opening round.
Adrian had its five-game winning streak end in the NCHA final against St. Norbert, getting held to just one goal. It was the first time in a regular season game since a 0-0 tie against Utica in October hat the Bulldogs were limited to a goal or less. Do not expect the Bulldogs to allow that happen this weekend.
The Pointers are coming off another WIAC title and have won two in a row. They are 8-4 on the road this season and have faced just one NCHA team in the regular season, splitting with St. Norbert.
These two teams did not play in the regular season. In fact, it is the first time, the Bulldogs are facing a WIAC team this year. A year ago, Adrian held off the Pointers 3-2 in overtime in the NCAA tourney.
Home ice might be the difference where Adrian is 14-2. A win for either team, though, would not surprise me. Adrian, 4-3
CS – I hate this game, I absolutely hate it. These two should not be playing in round one, but here we are. A rematch of last year’s quarterfinal where Adrian won in overtime. Stevens Point finds themselves with a senior-heavy roster featuring seven senior/fifth-year defenseman, led by forward Fletcher Anderson.
Adrian has been solid for most of the year, but goaltending has been iffy at times, either stellar or lack thereof. It will be one of the best, if not the best game of the tournament in my opinion, regardless of round. I am grateful to be able to attend it for the second-straight year, but we will have a new winner. UW-Stevens Point has been the more consistent team as of late, if the game was in Wisconsin I would take them in a heartbeat at this current moment, but being in Adrian, it is a dead-even money line – UW-Stevens Point 4-2
St. Olaf v. (5) St. Norbert
TC – The Green Knights are back having taken the NCHA title with a big win over Adrian. If not for a couple of lapses during the season, Tim Coghlin’s team might be higher than No. 5 in the country but none of that matters now. These two teams played early in the season with the Green Knights eking out a one-goal road win and now St. Norbert does it again on home ice with an added empty-net goal for some comfort – St. Norbert, 5-3
BL – Both teams won their conference championships, with the Green Knights claiming the NCHA crown and the Oles winning the MIAC. Their reward? Play each other.
The Green Knights are playing in the tourney for the 21st time, the second-most appearances all-time, while the Oles are here for the third time in program history. The last time St. Olaf made it, it lost 4-3 in overtime to St. Norbert in the opening round.
St. Norbert did win the regular season meeting against St. Olaf, earning a 4-3 win, but the one thing about the Oles is they are a hard team to bet against. The Oles have won four in a row, three of those on the road, but have not beaten the Green Knights since 1992. That drought ends this week. St. Olaf, 4-3
CS – A rematch of two years ago in the first-round where Olaf enters the tournament with a less-than-stellar record once again, but hey, who cares as long as you are in. Why waste your energy winning during the regular season when you can enter as the #5 seed of the MIAC every time?
The Oles look to upset the Green Knights of St. Norbert who had a rough start to the year, but dominated Adrian in their Harris Cup victory, securing them the NCAA auto-bid. Legendary Head Coach Tim Coghlin seems to have them rolling at the right time. Give me the Green Knights to win here at home and face the winner of UW-Stevens Point/Adrian, they are rivals with both, so it will be fun regardless. – St. Norbert 5-3
(12) Curry v. (7) Geneseo
TC – Both teams lost in the semifinal round of their respective conference tournaments, so they are equally rested and looking to start a new four-game win streak to close out their season. Gage Dill and Eelis Laaksonen bring a lot to the ice for the Colonels, but Geneseo’s Tyson Gilmour, Alex Dameski and Peter Morgan have a lot of depth on the home team bench. Home ice matters a lot in this one and the Knights take advantage – Geneseo, 4-1
BL – The Knights did not win their conference tournament but that means little at this point. Curry did not win its conference crown either. The goalie matchup could be a fun one to watch. Shane Soderwall of Curry leads the CCC in goals against average (1.66) while Adam Harris is the SUNYAC Goaltender of the Year and a has a GAA of 2.28. If he sets the tone early, especially with Geneseo playing at home, the Knights get the job done. They are 10-3 at home this season. Geneseo, 3-1
CS – These two are wildcards to me. Geneseo was not a team some thought would be making this hard of a run at a title considering the number of key veterans they lost last season, but goaltending has stepped up and Chris Schultz is quietly lurking in the shadows out of the SUNYAC after falling to Cortland.
Curry enters after getting beat badly by Salve 7-2, adds to the intrigue as both teams come off losses. Curry will have to prove they are the real deal here; we will find that out and see an intriguing game with two teams that haven’t met in the history of the two. Knights win and make the short trip to #1 Hobart. Geneseo 4-1
(13) Cortland v. (9) Plymouth State
TC – The Panthers are still in search of their very first NCAA tournament game win and the draw does not help them here with a quick and physical Red Dragon squad coming to New Hampshire. While Will Redick and Connor Tait are exceptional players, Jack Riedell in the visitors’ net will be the difference in yet another one-goal win coming from Anthony Bernardo and the Red Dragons – Cortland, 3-2
BL – For Cortland, it is the first ever NCAA tourney appearance for the program. They won the SUNYAC title and are just one win shy of tying the program record for wins when they won nineteen games during the 1992-93 campaign.
The Panthers won the MASCAC tournament to earn a spot in the national tourney and their twenty-three wins match the school record set last year.
These two teams have not played since 2009 when Plymouth State went 2-0 against Cortland. The Panthers have not lost at home this year, sporting a 13-0-1 record. Give them the edge – Plymouth State, 3-2
CS – A pair of teams seeking their first-ever NCAA playoff wins in which they will visit another team (Utica) who is looking for their first-ever NCAA playoff win themselves… Will Redick is blazing along with 55 points for the Panthers, the only issue here is the typical schedule for Plymouth State. The last NCAA tournament-caliber teams they have faced came all the way back on 10/27/23 vs Univ. New England and 11/4/23 vs Babson, both having down years to their standards.
Meanwhile, Joe Cardarelli’s Red Dragons have been battle tested arguably as much as anyone in this tournament and they’ve prevailed. They ended the season on a five-game winning streak, in that span they defeated: Potsdam, Oswego, Brockport, at #4 Geneseo, at #5 Plattsburgh… They are the only team in this quarter of the bracket who has seen top-caliber competition besides Utica vs Stevenson in the past one-two months. I like Cortland to head North to Utica – Cortland 4-3
So here we go, everything to play for and no reason not to leave it all on the ice in pursuit of a national championship. Should be fun to see which writer wins this year’s bragging rights in picking the bracket heading to the Frozen Four in Hartford, CT in just two weeks – “Drop the Puck!”
USCHO Edge hosts Jim Connelly, Dan Rubin, and Ed Trefzger look at available money lines and over/under for playoff games in Atlantic Hockey, Big Ten, CCHA, and ECAC Hockey this weekend.
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
The Little East Conference has announced that Babson and Norwich will join the league as affiliate members in men’s hockey when the LEC begins its inaugural season in 2025-26.
The addition of these two programs brings the LEC’s men’s hockey membership to nine programs.
“On behalf of the Little East Conference presidents and athletic directors, I am excited to welcome Babson College and Norwich University as affiliate members in men’s ice hockey,” said LEC commissioner Pamela Samuelson in a statement. “Their addition further enhances what we believe will be a highly competitive sport at the national level for the LEC and will allow long-standing rivalries to continue for our members currently playing in the New England Hockey Conference.”
Samuelson announced in July 2023 the Little East Conference would begin sponsoring men’s hockey and welcomed New England College as an affiliate member Feb. 13, 2024. The LEC will consist of six core men’s hockey playing members – Keene State, UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth, Plymouth State, Southern Maine and Vermont State Castleton – and three affiliate member institutions – Babson, New England College and Norwich.
“We are excited to join the LEC for the inaugural season of what promises to be a strong men’s ice hockey league,” said Norwich director of athletics Ed Hockenbury. “At Norwich, we have greatly valued our time as a member in the NEHC, but as the landscape of D-III hockey evolves and there is a geographic reset in our region, we determined that the LEC is the best fit for us moving forward. It features an ideal combination of strong competition, reasonable travel, and maintaining our longest standing relationships and league opponents.”
“With significant league movement across the country that is now impacting Babson and the NEHC, we have decided to move our men’s ice hockey program to the Little East Conference,” said Babson associate VP for athletics and athletics advancement Mike Lynch. “LEC hockey includes many familiar foes from the NEHC in a favorable geographic footprint. The conference retains the same access Babson has experienced when it comes to automatic qualification into the NCAA tournament and provides our student-athletes a continued opportunity to play some of the best teams in the region and nation.”
The LEC will have an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III men’s hockey championship in 2025-26, with at least six core members sponsoring the sport for the inaugural season. The addition of men’s and women’s hockey in 2025-26 will increase the LEC’s championship sponsorship to 23 sports, making the Little East the second-largest Division III conference in New England by championship offerings.
Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum has hosted the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off since 2021 (photo: fiservforum.com).
The fourth annual Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off men’s college hockey tournament returns to Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum on Dec. 28-29, featuring No. 5 Wisconsin, UConn, Alaska and Ferris State.
Single-day tickets at Ticketmaster.com.
Semifinal play will take place on Saturday, Dec. 28, with the championship and third-place games on Sunday, Dec. 29. Matchups and times will be announced at a future date.
Wisconsin returns to the tournament to defend its 2023 Holiday Face-Off title. Wisconsin has three consecutive championship game appearances and won the inaugural tournament in 2021. The 2023-24 Badgers finished second in the Big Ten with a regular-season record of 25-9-2, marking their first 25-win regular season since 2000. Wisconsin has 26 NCAA tournament appearances and six National Championships on its resume.
UConn is under the direction of tenth-year head coach Mike Cavanaugh. The Huskies wrap up their regular season tonight against Vermont before the Hockey East tournament.
Alaska is led by head coach Erik Largen, a former goaltender who was the youngest NCAA ice hockey head coach when he joined the program in 2018. The Nanooks currently sit at 15-14-3 heading into their final two games of the season.
Ferris State, led by two-time CCHA coach of the year Bob Daniels, has made four NCAA tournament appearances.
In the 2023 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off, Wisconsin shut out Northeastern 3-0 to capture their second event title after shutting out Air Force 3-0 in their semifinal matchup.
Gwyneth Philips was the winner of the 2023 Women’s Hockey National Goalie of the Year (photo: Jim Pierce).
The Women’s Hockey Commissioners Association has announced the three finalists for the Women’s Hockey Goalie of the Year Award.
They are Ohio State’s Raygan Kirk, Clarkson’s Michelle Pasiechnyk and Northeastern’s Gwyneth Philips, last year’s award recipient.
It is a veteran group as Pasiechnyk and Kirk are seniors while Philips is a fifth-year student.
Voting was carried out by a panel of coaches, administrators and members of the media from across the country.
The winner will be announced during the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four in Durham, NH.
All three finalists are preparing for their conference championships: Kirk and the Buckeyes are the top seed in the WCHA. Their Friday semifinal is against Minnesota Duluth Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. CDT in Minneapolis. Pasiechnyk and Clarkson are the No. 2 seed in the ECAC tournament and will play St. Lawrence in a 6 p.m. EDT semifinal Friday in Hamilton, N.Y. Northeastern won its semifinal last night, a 2-1 OT home win over Boston College. They will travel to UConn for the Hockey East championship game at noon on Saturday.
The Women’s Hockey Goalie of the Year Award was established in 2021. All three winners to date have come from Northeastern: Aerin Frankel (2021 and 2022) and Philips (2023).
Vermont’s Natálie Mlýnková celebrates a last-second goal that lifted the Catamounts to a 2-2 tie at Providence on Feb. 10 (photo: Brian Foley).
Hockey East has announced that Vermont senior forward Natálie Mlýnková has been awarded the 2024 Cammi Granato Award as Hockey East player of the year.
She becomes just the second Catamount to win the award in program history.
Alongside Mlýnková, UConn head coach Chris MacKenzie was unanimously named Hockey East coach of the year by his peers for the first time in his career and is the first Husky bench boss to be so honored.
Boston College forward Sammy Taber was also honored as rookie of the year.
Mlýnková became the second Catamount to lead Hockey East in points, amassing 26 points on a league-best 15 goals and 11 assists in 27 league games. Her four power-play markers were second-most in Hockey East and her 269 faceoff wins ranked third. She finished with one shorthanded goal, one game-winning tally, 88 shots on net and a plus-seven rating in league play, all while taking just 10 penalty minutes.
Overall, she had a point in 20 of 35 games, including 10 multi-point efforts. She earned two Hockey East player of the week nods (Oct. 30, Feb. 12) and was named Hockey East player of the month in February.
Taber led all Hockey East rookies with 23 points and 15 assists in 26 league games. Her 23 points were the second-highest total among all players in conference play and was the only first-year in the top 24 of league scoring. She had 30 points overall on 12 goals and 18 assists in just 33 games, good for third among all league skaters and is fifth nationally among her classmates. Her plus-14 rating was seventh-best in Hockey East and second among first-year players.
She began her career in historic fashion, becoming just the second player to win rookie of the week three times in a row from Oct. 30 – Nov. 13. She again picked up the award on back-to-back weeks in January, earning five total on the year. She was also named rookie of the month for November and December. Taber recorded at least one point in 17 of her 33 overall outings, including seven multi-point outings and four games with at least three points.
MacKenzie is the first UConn head coach to be named Hockey East coach of the year and was named so unanimously by his peers after leading the Huskies to their first-ever Hockey East regular season crown in 2023-24. Posting a 19-4-4 record in league play, he surpassed the previous UConn record of 16 wins in Hockey East set in 2021-22 and led his team to a 21-game unbeaten run as UConn went 17-0-4 from Oc. 21 – Feb. 17.
MacKenzie’s Huskies allowed the fewest goals in Hockey East, just 28 in 27 games played. UConn’s team save percentage of .949 is the best in the NCAA and their 45 overall goals allowed and eight power-play goals conceded ranked second and third in the country, respectively. UConn played a disciplined game, allowing just 67 power-play chances, the second-fewest in the NCAA.
In Hockey East play, MacKenzie’s squad led several categories, including goals against average (1.04), save percentage (.955), power-play goals (17), shots allowed (629), power-play percentage (23.6%), power-play goals allowed (6), and power-play opportunities allowed (56), and were second in goals (70) and shot percentage (9.3%).
The top three finalists are expected to be announced on March 13, with the winner being revealed on March 23 as the highlight of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four in Durham, N.H.
The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, who was a four-year varsity letter-winner and All-Ivy League defenseman at Princeton from 1981 to 1986. An accomplished athlete who helped lead the Tigers to the Ivy League championship in three consecutive seasons (1981-84), Patty Kazmaier-Sandt died Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.
Geneseo host Curry in first round NCAA tournament action on Saturday with both teams anxious to advance on the national stage (Photo by Geneseo Athletics)
Geneseo and Curry have so much in common entering their first round game in the NCAA tournament on Saturday night. Both teams secured the regular season title in the very competitive SUNYAC and CCC conferences but lost in the semifinal round of the conference tournament and have been idle for what will be two weeks when they drop the puck this weekend. Eerily, both teams feature highly skilled and productive forwards, a mobile defensive group and all-conference caliber goaltending. Add in a similar style of play and this game projects to be a battle of wills to determine a winner.
“They [Curry] are a really good team,” noted Geneseo head coach Chris Schultz. “I think they play a similar style to us so it should be a really good one on Saturday.”
Geneseo (21-5-0) is led by senior Peter Morgan (10G – 124A – 34 Pts; +12), Tyson Gilmour (11G – 20A – 31 Pts; +24), Luke Panchisin (11G – 19A – 30 Pts; +9) and Alex Dameski (19G – 10A – 29 Pts; +15) who has been a sniper on the power play for the Knights. An active defensive group includes Alex Wilkins (4G – 16A – 20 Pts; +21) and the team is backstopped by All-SUNYAC goaltender Adam Harris (16GP – 2.28GAA – .928 SP – 1 SO). The Knights p[lay an aggressive north-south game and have speed to challenge most opponents.
Curry (20-5-1) is very similar in style of play and boasts so high-skilled players of their own in forwards Gage Dill (10G – 17A – 27 Pts; +16), Eelis Laaksonen (12G – 15A – 27 PTs; +11), Tao Ishizuka (9G – 13A – 22 Pts; +15) and Killian Rowlee (10G – 4A – 14 Pts; +4). Matt Connor (5G – 13A – 18 Pts; +5) is an all CCC defenseman that plays a 200-foot game and freshman goaltender Shane Soderwall (19GP – 1.66 GAA – .942SP) enters the NCAA tournament fresh off being named Goaltender of the year in the CCC having posted some incredible numbers in his first season at the collegiate level.
While both teams have not ceased preparations following their losses in conference tournament play, the lack of action could create a “rest vs rust” scenario that both teams will need to make sure is only a positive in some added rest after a long season and a chance to recharge before a final push in the national tournament.
“We are rested,” said Schultz. “I believe this has been the best week of practice we have had all season and think we are in pretty good shape at this point of the season and ready for Saturday.”
Curry last played in the NCAA tournament last year where they exited in the quarterfinals while Geneseo returns after a year’s absence having lost in the national championship game to Adrian in the 2021-22 season.
High-flying action is slated for Saturday, March 9 at Ira S. Wilson Arena hosted by Geneseo with the winner advancing to quarterfinal action against top-seed and defending national champion, Hobart.
Ohio State’s Stephen Halliday and Penn State’s Christian Sarlo battle for the puck in the teams’ game last Friday night (photo: Ohio State Athletics).
After a hotly contested regular season, the first round of the Big Ten playoffs begins this week and it’s nearly impossible to predict who will advance to the semifinals.
Guess what? That’s exactly how I started this column heading into the Big Ten quarterfinals a year ago.
While it’s easy to reclaim that intro, the way that the 2023-24 season unfolded is anything but recycled.
Last year, Minnesota ran away with the Big Ten regular season title to earn a first-round bye. Ohio State and Notre Dame each earned home ice in the first round last season, Michigan and Wisconsin traveled.
This year, Michigan State earned the regular season title just last weekend against second-place Wisconsin, so the Spartans will get a weekend of rest while everyone else plays. This is Michigan State’s first B1G title, and in the first nine seasons of Big Ten hockey, The Spartans have never finished higher than fifth place.
The Badgers had a chance to put themselves ahead of the Spartans even before the teams met to end the season. With two games in hand on Michigan State during a mid-February weekend when the Spartans were idle, Wisconsin traveled to Ohio State where the Buckeyes took both games.
That was the first B1G sweep of the season for Ohio State against a Wisconsin team that was fourth in the country. The Buckeyes followed that up with a win the following weekend against then-No. 4 Michigan State, setting up that finale weekend between the Spartans and Badgers.
As things stand right now, four Big Ten teams are high enough in the PairWise Rankings to play in the NCAA tournament, but one team that went to the Frozen Four last year is on the bubble. Michigan State, Wisconsin and Minnesota are fifth, sixth and seventh in the PWR. Regardless of what happens in B1G playoff action, those three teams will be playing at the end of March.
Michigan’s fate, though, is less certain. At No. 13 in the PWR, the Wolverines need to get past Notre Dame in the quarterfinals – and it would help if they swept – to be on more secure NCAA tourney footing. Given where they sit, the Wolverines would also benefit from high seeds winning in both Atlantic Hockey and the CCHA. Upsets are bad for bubble teams.
But first things first. These are the quarterfinal Big Ten matches. All series are best-of three.
No. 7 Ohio State at No. 2 Wisconsin
The Buckeyes enter the playoffs on a three-game skid, having been swept at home by Penn State last weekend after a road split with Michigan State. Ohio State are 3-5-0 since the start of February, and those three wins represent three-fourths of their total conference wins this season.
The Badgers are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games, with two of those losses coming in overtime. Wisconsin ended the season on a high note, posting a 4-1 win over Michigan State in their final game when they split with the Spartans last weekend.
Ohio State leads this all-time series 28-26-5. The teams split the season this year, with the Badgers winning 3-0 and 6-1 at home (Dec. 1-2) and the Buckeyes sweeping in their barn 3-2 (OT) and 3-1 (Feb. 16-17).
Here’s how the teams compare in a few categories.
Scoring offense: Ohio State, 2.68 goals per game (44th); Wisconsin, 3.33 (14th) Scoring defense: Ohio State, 3.41 goals allowed per game (t53rd); Wisconsin, 1.94 (3rd) Power play: Ohio State, 21.0% (27th); Wisconsin, 19.4% (35th) Penalty kill: Ohio State, 71.1% (60th); Wisconsin, 88.6% (2nd) Top scorer: Ohio State, Stephen Halliday (10-23—33) ; Wisconsin, Cruz Lucius (12-19—31) Top goal scorer: Ohio State, Scooter Brickey (12); Wisconsin, Lucius (12) Goaltender: Ohio State, Logan Terness (3.33 GAA, .896 SV%), Kristoffer Eberly (2.97 GAA, .910 SV%); Wisconsin, Kyle McClellan (1.91 GAA, .932 SV%)
These teams have met four times in Big Ten tournament play. The Buckeyes swept the Badgers in quarterfinal play in Columbus in 2020. Wisconsin beat Ohio State in the first-ever 2014 Big Ten tournament in St. Paul, Minn., and then again in the 2017 B1G semifinals in Detroit.
This series is the first playoff hockey action that the Badgers have hosted at the Kohl Center since the 2013 WCHA quarterfinals.
No. 6 Penn State at No. 3 Minnesota
The Nittany Lions are 3-5-0 since the start of February but ended the regular season with a home sweep of Ohio State. They’re 3-3-0 in their last six, with a win over Michigan and one OT loss to Wisconsin.
The Golden Gophers had the best record in the Big Ten to close out the season at 5-2-1 since the start of February, but they enter the B1G tournament on an overtime loss to Michigan in their split with the Wolverines last weekend. In that series, the Gophers scored 11 total goals, including five in the loss.
Minnesota is 27-18-1 all-time against Penn State, including a 3-1-0 record this season.
Here’s how the teams compare in a few categories.
Scoring offense: Penn State, 3.24 goals per game (17th); Minnesota, 3.53 (10th) Scoring defense: Penn State, 3.59 goals allowed per game (58th); Minnesota, 2.56 (15th) Power play: Penn State, 20.3% (30th); Minnesota, 23.8% (14th) Penalty kill: Penn State, 76.5% (50th); Minnesota, 78.8% (40th) Top scorer: Penn State, Aiden Fink (15-18—33); Minnesota, Rhett Pitlick (17-16—33) Top goal scorer: Penn State, Fink (15); Minnesota, Jimmy Snuggerud (19) Goaltender: Penn State, Liam Souliere (2.88 GAA, 9.05 SV%); Minnesota, Justen Close (2.39 GAA, .920 SV%)
Penn State has played more Big Ten playoff games (25) than any other league opponent, with a record of 15-10-0 in conference post-season play. Prior to their quarterfinal series against Ohio State last year, the Nittany Lions had never lost a best-of-three B1G playoff series.
These teams last met in the Big Ten playoffs when Minnesota beat Penn State 3-2 in single-elimination semifinal play Mar. 12, 2022.
No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 4 Michigan
The Fighting Irish were 2-6-0 in February, closing the season with a bye week the first weekend in March. Their last two losses came at the hands of their first-round opponent.
The Wolverines ended the regular season with a 6-5 OT road in a split series against Minnesota. Michigan went 6-4-0 in their last 10 games of the season.
These teams last played Feb. 23-24 in Yost Ice Arena, 4-0 and 2-1 Michigan wins. The teams split a pair of games in South Bend in early December. Michigan is 88-70-6 all-time against Notre Dame.
Here’s how the teams compare in a few categories.
Scoring offense: Notre Dame, 2.76 goals per game (40th); Michigan, 4.26 (3rd) Scoring defense: Notre Dame, 2.62 goals allowed per game (17th); Michigan, 3.03 (t35th) Power play: Notre Dame, 18.3% (38th); Michigan, 35.2% (1st) Penalty kill: Notre Dame, 82.9% (17th); Michigan, 78.5% (43rd) Top scorer: Notre Dame, Landon Slaggert (18-10—28); Michigan, Gavin Brindley (22-24—46) Top goal scorer: Notre Dame, Slaggert (18); Michigan, Brindley (22) Goaltender: Notre Dame, Ryan Bischel (2.46 GAA, .927 SV%); Michigan, Jacob Barczewski (2.79 GAA, .910 SV%)
These teams have met once in the Big Ten playoffs, a 2-1 semifinal win for Michigan Mar. 20, 2022.
The Wolverines are the defending Big Ten playoff champions. In fact, Michigan has beaten Minnesota in the title game in the last two consecutive years, each time by a score of 4-3. Michigan has three B1G playoff championships, more than any other team.
Notre Dame won the Big Ten championship in its first season with the league in 2018 and then again in 2019.
PSU captain Colin Tracy and his teammates will look to slow down Cortland in first round NCAA action on Saturday (Photo by PSU Athletics)
After winning their fifth MASCAC championship in a row, Plymouth State now seeks an elusive first win in the NCAA tournament hosting a red-hot Cortland squad that recently upset Geneseo and Plattsburgh on their way to their first ever SUNYAC title. The Panthers will host the first-round game against the Red Dragons in what should be a terrific battle between two highly skilled teams.
“Yeah, we will be ready for sure, said PSU head coach Craig Russell. “It will be a good test because they are playing really well right now, but this is what we have been waiting for. I like our group a lot and think we have a lot of depth in key areas for this time of the year. Now we just have to go out and prove it.”
The Panthers who are playing in their seventh NCAA tournament are led by MASCAC Player of the Year, Will Redick (26G – 29A – 55 Pts; +34) and Connor Tait (16G – 19A – 35Pts; +27) who are a dynamic duo on the ice and especially productive on the power play. A deep group of forwards (nine with more than 20 points) and defensemen contribute to strong 200-foot game in front of the MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year, goaltender Kalle Andersson (23GP – 1.75GAA – .934SP – 2SO) who already has twenty wins on the season.
Cortland enters their first NCAA tournament having defeated two nationally ranked teams on the road to win their first-ever SUNYAC title from the No. 4 seed in the tournament. The Red Dragons are led upfront by Nate Berke (15G – 20A – 35 Pts; +16), Colby Seitz (12G – 17A – 29 Pts; +17) and Domenic Settimo (8G – 20A -28 Pts; +14) along with “Mr. Overtime”, Anthony Bernardo (10G – 9A – 19 Pts; +10) who scored the decisive goals in beating Geneseo and Plattsburgh. Cortland is big, fast and physical and has relied on terrific goaltending from senior jack Riedell (14GP – 2.07 GAA – .938 SP – 1SO) who has been stellar in Cortland’s recent run of success.
“Yeah, I think we may struggle with their combination of size and speed a little bit in the early stages,” noted Russell. “We haven’t played against a fast team in a while. I know we are fast too, but we will just have to make decisions quicker. If we play simply and within our structure, we will be fine.”
Plymouth State and Cortland have not played each other since the 2008-09 season but both come into Saturday looking for a win and chance to advance and face Utica in the NCAA quarterfinal round.
Plymouth State hosts the game at Hanaway Rink in Plymouth, NH at 7 PM on Saturday, March 9.
Elmira’s Nicholas Domitrovic hopes to be celebrating a national tournament victory when they host Endicott on Saturday night in first round action (Photo by Elmira Athletics)
After losing in the semifinals of the NEHC tournament, Elmira benefited from their strong regular season and competitive schedule to earn one of the four at-large bids to the national tournament. Their reward was being able to host a first round game against the two-time defending champions from the CCC, Endicott. Despite having not played in a span that will be almost two full weeks, the Soaring Eagles are eager for the challenge against a team that gained invaluable experience on the way to last year’s Frozen Four.
“We started out great, had a bit of a lull and really struggled coming out of the semester break,” noted head coach Aaron Saul. “We had some big wins and play in a very tough conference, so we are pleased to be here and have the opportunity to play in front of our fans who really want some more hockey this season. I think we are rested and ready to go against a team that obviously knows what it takes to move on in this tournament with their success last year in hosting the Frozen Four.”
Elmira (19-7-1) finished with a 9-2-1 record on home ice with their only two losses coming to Hobart and Skidmore late in the season. Upfront the Soaring Eagles have a deep group of forwards led by Shawn Kennedy (13G – 23A – 36 Pts; +17), Nicholas Domitrovic (17G – 18A – 35 Pts; +24) and Janis Vizbelis (16G – 16A – 32 Pts; +15) who can be explosive in all situations but flourish in 5-on-5 hockey. The team has depth and balance and sophomore Kyle Curtin (22GP – 2.42GAA – .930SP – 2SO) has emerged as the man in the crease whom the Soaring Eagles have great confidence.
“I like our four lines and their ability to create pressure and chances,” said Saul. “Kyle probably got more starts than we had planned due to some injuries among our other two goalies, but he has taken control of the crease and gives us a chance to win every game.”
Endicott earned their NCAA bid by winning the CCC with a 2-1 win over Salve Regina on Saturday. The Gulls are led by the CCC Player of the Year, Andrew Kurapov (11G – 20A – 31 Pts; +13) who netted the game-winning goal against the Seahawks in the championship game. Senior Jackson Sterrett (15G – 12A – 27 Pts; +7) adds size and clutch scoring for the Gulls who pressure the puck everywhere and take advantage of the stellar goaltending tandem of Ryan Wilson (12GP – 1.88GAA – .935SP) and Atticus Kelly (15GP – 1.86GAA – .942SP) in returning to the NCAA tournament with hopes of advancing to the title game this year.
“Endicott has been her before,” said Saul. “We are very pleased that they are the team to travel, and we get a home game in front of our great fans. It should be a great game and exciting with everything on the line in a win-or-go-home scenario.”
This is the 19th appearance for Elmira in the NCAA tournament and their first since the 2021-22 season while Endicott is making their fourth appearance having reached last season’s Frozen Four where they lost in the semifinals to eventual champion, Hobart.
The Soaring Eagles and Gulls will be playing their first-round game at the Murray Athletic Center (Ice Arena) on Saturday, March 9 at 7 PM.
Veteran college hockey writer Neil Koepke joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger to talk about Michigan State and the Big Ten, including a look at this year’s Spartans and a capsule analsyis of the rest of this college hockey conference.
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
Nils Wallstrom has been sharp in net this season for AIC (photo: AIC Athletics).
For the past several weeks, it’s been a “next man up” mentality for American International, which has seen a crippling rash of injuries over the final month of the regular season.
Key players including Alfred Lindberg (22 points), Brian Kramer (20 points), Alexander Malinowski (20 points), and John Lundy (19 points) all suffered what are likely to be season-ending injuries in a two-week span in late January and early February. That’s four of the Yellow Jackets’ top seven scorers. Other players are out indefinitely, and more are working through injuries.
“It’s been a challenge, losing so many players”, said AIC coach Eric Lang. “We carry a large roster, and if we didn’t, there were a couple of games that I’m not sure we would have been able to put a team on the ice. If we had 27 or 28 guys (on the roster), that would have been challenging.”
The Yellow Jackets went through a 1-5 stretch after the rash of injuries, but have righted the ship in recent weeks, ending the regular season on a 2-0-3 run, good enough for fifth place and a first-round playoff bye.
“At one point, we were going with 10 or 11 players who had zero points,” said Lang. “Against Army, I think that they had over 100 (combined) points more than our team did, so we had to accelerate our development.”
AIC has used 34 players in the lineup to date, but one constant has been freshman netminder Nils Wallstrom (2.42 GAA, .912 save percentage) supplemented by senior Alexandros Aslanidis (3.77 GAA, .868 save percentage).
Losing so much skill and experience has changed Lang’s approach.
“We’ve had to reinvent ourselves, defending and on our forecheck,” he said. “In the past, we felt like we could beat you 5-4. But that’s changed due to the amount of scoring we’re missing.”
But it’s been paying off over the final weekends of the season and heading into a showdown with Air Force.
“I’ve consistently told our guys how proud I am of our resiliency,” said Lang. “It’s been next man up, go for 45 seconds, and then the next guy in. There’s been a learning curve, but we’ve started to believe that we can take care of the puck, limit odd-man rushes, and be physical to hang around and pull out a good result.”
“We’re ready to take this reinvented version of AIC hockey into the playoffs.”
Looking ahead to the quarterfinals
This weekend will see the playoff field winnowed down to four as the three survivors from the first round join the top five seeds, which had byes last weekend.
These are best of three series.
No. 11 Robert Morris at No. 1 Rochester Institute of Technology
The Colonials pulled off the only upset of the first round with a 4-3 overtime win at Bentley. The Falcons erased a 3-1 RMU lead with a pair of third-period goals, but Cameron Garvey converted a Bentley turnover with 10 seconds left in overtime. Three of Garvey’s 11 goals have come against Bentley.
RIT captured its sixth AHA regular season crown this year and is seeking its fourth postseason title, the last coming in 2016. That was also the last time the schools met in the postseason, in the 2016 championship game won by the Tigers, 7-4.
RIT swept all four meetings between the schools this season.
No. 8 Canisius at No. 2 Holy Cross
Canisius advanced with a 5-2 win over Mercyhurst in the first round, while Holy Cross enjoyed a bye.
This series will be a rematch of last season’s Atlantic Hockey championship game when Canisius prevailed on home ice, 3-0.
This time, Holy Cross looks to have the advantage as the series’ No. 2 overall seed and host.
However, Canisius was the better team in head-to-head play this season, taking four of six points from the Crusaders.
No. 7 Niagara at No. 3 Sacred Heart
Niagara defeated Army West Point, 4-1 to advance in the first round.
Sacred Heart, which earned a first-round bye, comes into the series on a
0-3-1 skid, while Niagara is 3-1 in its last four games.
This is a rematch of a quarterfinal series from last season when Niagara pulled off a 2-1 upset series win. That was the first-ever postseason meeting between the schools.
The teams split their only meetings in the regular season back in October.
No. 5 American International at No. 4 Air Force
Both teams had a first-round bye and had an extra week to prepare for this series, which features two of the winningest programs in conference history. They’ve combined to win 10 playoff titles, including five of the last six.
They last met in the postseason in 2022 in the Atlantic Hockey championship game in Utica, NY. AIC prevailed in that one, 7-0.
The teams split their lone conference series this season.
Awards season
It’s almost that time of the year when the league hands out awards and announces its all-league and all-rookie teams. We’ll be handing out our kudos as well over our final three columns of the season.
Let’s start with the rookies. Here are our picks:
F: Matteo Giampa, Canisius
F: Tanner Klimpke, Robert Morris
F: Matthew Wilde, RIT
D: Mac Gadowsky, Army West Point
D: Trent Sambrook, Mercyhurst
G: Nils Wallstrom, AIC
Check back next time for our picks for all-conference teams.
Steve Wiedler signed a four-year contract extension with Vermont and had the interim tag removed from his title last month (photo: Vermont Athletics).
To compare the sports world to the regular world is always fraught, but one thing is similar — everybody wants job security, whether you work in a factory or coach a Division I men’s college hockey team.
Vermont’s Steve Wiedler entered the season with an uncertain future, being named interim coach of the Catamounts just weeks before the season began, following the dismissal of three-year coach Todd Woodcroft. Wiedler now has the security he was searching for, as the university dropped the interim tag in late February and signed Wiedler to a four-year contract extension.
“It felt like every game was Game 7,” Wiedler said in an interview with USCHO.com. “But inside that, there were things that I learned.”
Although he had plenty of coaching experience (four seasons as an assistant at American International (Atlantic Hockey), one as AIC associate head coach, and two years as an assistant with the Catamounts), Wiedler was forced to learn on the go as a head coach. He leaned heavily on the mentorship of those with whom he previously worked closely.
“The guys in my past that I’ve worked for had definitely helped set me up for success,” Wiedler said. “(They) taught me a lot of things and provided some good pressure to develop, but also taught me a whole bunch of different things in terms of what it means to be a coach and a leader.”
Not only was Wiedler thrust into the head coaching position with little time to prepare, he was also tasked with turning around a Catamounts program that finished dead last in Hockey East the previous season. So far, Vermont has posted a 13-16-3 overall record (7-12-3 Hockey East) and enters the final weekend fighting for home-ice advantage in the first round of the upcoming conference tourney.
The Catamounts are in the midst of their winningest season since 2018-19 when they went 12-19-3.
Adding to Wiedler’s task this season was the weight of the interim tag. Wiedler said he confronted the stress of uncertainty head on.
“If I would have hid from the stress, that would’ve been a bad thing,” he said. “If I would have faked my way through that stress, I think it would have been unhealthy, masking things. It was stressful.”
UVM will be at Connecticut on Friday and Boston University Saturday. The Hockey East tournament — single elimination and every team qualifies — starts March 13. Last year, the Catamounts pulled off a first-round upset at Maine.
Wiedler said he and his assistant coaches have worked to instill a value system that centers around player responsibility and pride in the program, all the way down to the “VCat” logo.
“It’s their program, not mine,” Wiedler said. “It’s the players’ program and they have to have accountability to each other. They really are the guardians of the culture. I’ll set the standard, we’ll set the standard as the coaching staff. But it’s got to be player driven.”
In their first games after Wiedler was extended, the Catamounts had a rough go at Boston College — the No. 1 team in both the Hockey East standings and the USCHO.com D-I men’s poll — losing 7-1 and 4-2. But the season has been full of highlights, including wins over then No. 9 Maine, then-No. 17 New Hampshire and a pair of wins over UMass, when they were ranked 14th and 10th.
“There are nine million nuanced things to being a hockey coach,” Wiedler said. “To make decisions when you don’t have the security of your future and to come out on the other side of it, I think it reaffirms that doing things the right way is usually the way to go.”
The Little East Conference has announced that Babson and Norwich will join the league as affiliate members in men’s hockey when the LEC begins its inaugural season in 2025-26.
