Denver plays a two-game series at home against Omaha beginning Friday (File photo: Meg Kelly).
I had a reader reach out recently inquiring whether or not their bet should have paid out.
The scenario he gave was a game that went to overtime and finished in a tie. The current NCAA rules require teams to participate in a shootout even if said shootouts have no impact in non-league games.
When shootout were implemented a number of years back, leagues at first were not consistent about using them to break a tie for league standings. A couple of years later, the NCAA mandated that all conferences use them to break ties in league contests, where three points are available for every game and awarded for a regulation win. When a team wins in overtime or wins a shootout, they are awarded only two standings points while the team on the other end gets one.
In non-conference play, the shootout means nothing. Each team receives a tie for purposes of their overall records and the PairWise. So at first, the NCAA allowed shootouts in those games to be optional. But in a recent change, all games now use a shootout when there is a tie.
That made things easier for bookmakers, and some have expanded their offerings to have a three-way outcome offering. For example, on DraftKings, you can now bet a 60-minute line, which has the option for Team A win, Team B win and draw. The odds for each are different and each bet is graded on what the score is at the end of regulation.
For this, bettors don’t have to worry about what happens in an overtime.
If, however, a bettor chooses to bet the two-win line, the bet includes overtime and, if necessary a shootout. So if you bet a game that goes to overtime and ends in a “tie”, the winner of the shootout is graded as the winner. Keep that in mind when making your wagers.
Here’s a look at a few lines where you may have an edge:
Under of 5.5 goals – Cornell at Quinnipiac: We don’t typically talk much about over/under but this seems like a good opportunity to highlight a game using past trends. Quinnipiac and Cornell typically play extremely low-scoring games. If fact, the last seven times these two teams played, all seven games went under 5.5 goals. The last time the two teams scored more than five goals was November 16, 2018, a 4-2 Quinnipiac win where the sixth goal was scored into an empty net.
Denver (-270) vs. Omaha: I get it. A -270 line isn’t very attractive but this feels like a game where Denver should come away victorious. The Pioneers are 2-0-1 at home and have won five or its last seven against Omaha. Is there anything that worries me here? Maybe – Omaha beat Denver at Magness in the first of a two-game series last season, 3-0. So if you’re feeling daring, a +200 bet on Omaha is a justifiable gamble.
Games to avoid this week: Wisconsin (-120) at Michigan State (-110)
Best bet: Cornell/Quinnipiac under 5.5 goals (-140)
USCHO Edge hosts Jim Connelly, Dan Rubin, and Ed Trefzger look at money lines and over/under as well as providing further analysis of five weekend college hockey matchups.
This week’s games:
Penn State (+154) at Michigan (-210); over/under 7
Cornell (+135) at Quinnipiac (-175); o/u 5.5
Wisconsin (-120) at Michigan State (-110); o/u 6
Maine (+154) at Boston University (-200); o/u 6
Minnesota Duluth (+145) at St. Cloud State (-190); o/u 5.5
First-year Stonehill coach Lee-J Mirasolo knew she was playing with fire when she decided to roster only two goalies this season. The program’s second coach in as many seasons, she said she was really conscious of wanting to bring in not just the right players, but the right people. She was secure in both Hanna Zukow and Eve Stone in net and thought it would be fine.
“We have two really outstanding goaltenders and we’re gonna try to ride this thing out,” said Mirasolo.
But after a pair of games with Assumption in late October, it became clear that the gamble may not pay off. Both goalies were unhealthy and it seemed likely the team would need another recourse for two games against St. Michael’s the following weekend.
The coaches tried to think of every option they possibly could and eventually, on Tuesday of that week, they took the problem to their team, explaining the situation and asking for volunteers.
“We felt like if we asked our team, we felt like our team would rally around someone who was on the team, one of our own, in a big way and that’s exactly what happened,” said Mirasolo.
It turns out that last season a few of the Skyhawks skaters took their turn in net for fun one practice and then-freshman Hannah Squires performed really well. When the Stonehill staff asked the collective team for volunteers, a few yelled out Squires’ name. In the end, Squires and Maddison Achtyl both volunteered, but Squires was selected.
“She was a perfect person to do this because she took it in stride. She stayed calm the whole time and just did an amazing job. She was all in. The thing about Hannah is she is a beloved teammate. She’s humble, she’s kind, she’s thoughtful,” said Mirasolo.
Squires ended up playing both weekend games for Stonehill – a 6-1 victory on Friday and a thrilling 6-5 overtime win on Saturday.
She got her goalie gear on Wednesday and spent time with the goalie coach on Thursday learning some basics. Then she spent the whole night watching YouTube videos, trying to absorb more information on how to be an effective goalie.
A biology major, Squires describes herself as analytical and logistical. As a defender, she at least had an advantage in terms of reading incoming plays, but she wanted clear rules and instructions on how to react in situations. When should she drop? When should she stay up? But the goalie coach told her not to think that way, wanting Squires to just have fun and react to the plays in front of her. But not having the technique or the rules to follow was a struggle, she said.
Friday was the easier game, she said, because she was running on adrenaline and the Skyhawks had the advantage in being at home and taking St. Michael’s a little by surprise. She knew after Friday’s win that their opponent would come back with more intensity for the second game.
There was also more internal pressure because the win had extended the team’s win streak to four games. After a rough start to the season where the team had lost six of their first seven games, things had started to come together for the SkyHawks and while no one would have blamed them if the streak was broken that weekend, when they got the first win, it amplified the desire to keep it going.
Squires was more nervous – and more sore – heading into Saturday’s game and her prediction about the increased intensity in the game was correct. The teams traded goals back and forth and she faced the hardest part of the weekend when the team had to kill a penalty in the overtime period. The Skyhawks held their opponents without a shot and in the end, it was the other player willing to put on the goalie gear, Achtyl, who scored the game-winner to give Stonehill – and Squires – a weekend sweep.
Both after Friday’s win and again in this interview, Squires tried to give the credit to her teammates.
“My teammates made it easy and put their bodies on the line for me. It was overall a team effort. I didn’t do much, I just had to stand there and let the puck hit me. They really did all the work,” said Squires.
But Mirasolo said the staff and Squires’ teammates let her know that no, she did something incredible and should accept the praise and be proud of what she did.
“The team rallied around Hannah and I in my soul thought that it would happen because she is so beloved by her teammates and it was exactly what happened. It was a really cool thing to see and I think it was a turning point for our team and the culture. It’s so much more than a sweep. It’s amazing that Hannah Squires played two games in net in her career and got a sweep, but it really is so much more than a weekend sweep for the culture of our program and the players on our team. It was a lot of things, but it was a true example of leadership from Hannah,” said Mirasolo.
But no one would be surprised that Squires volunteered, played well and still deflected praise.
It’s the second incredibly selfless thing she’s done this season, said Mirasolo.
Squires missed two weekends of games and a week and a half of practice earlier in the season because she donated stem cells as part of the Be the Match registry, which she joined as soon as she turned 18 years old.
It was through her grandfather that Squires developed a sense of selflessness and generosity and it was him she was thinking of when she moved forward with her donation after matching.
“My grandfather was one of the most thoughtful and caring people, always putting others before himself. I was really close with him growing up. So I’d like to say it’s from him and just seeing the way he lived. I just tried to mimic that every day now,” she said.
“Missing time was really worth it to me because I just kept on reminding myself that if this was my grandfather, if this was my mom, my dad, my sister. I would really hope someone would do this for them. I had the opportunity to save someone’s life and I think that’s more important than any hockey game.”
The coaching staff agreed and Mirasolo said she cried when Squires told her the reason she needed to take time away from the team. The staff was still just getting to know the team, but they’ve come to see that his sort of selflessness is emblematic of the type of person Squires is. And they’re so thankful that the program they took over is being built and led by good hockey players, yes, but better people.
“I think it was definitely a rough start to the season, but that weekend, things really started to come together. Now, it’s really the team. They’re the ones that make this thing go. They’re making it happen. They’re the ones that are building this culture,” said Mirasolo.
“Hannah Squires is the epitome of generosity of spirit to everyone around her. I just feel really fortunate to be around her every day and that I walked into a situation where she is a part of a team that I have the privilege of coaching. It’s really cool to watch and be a part of.”
Noah Laba has been a top player this season for Colorado College (photo: Casey B. Gibson).
Ten games into this season, Colorado College’s average of four goals scored per game means the 7-3 Tigers have had the joint fourth-best scoring offense in the country.
Bagging goals at such a high clip, including CC’s 5-1 road win Friday at Miami and a 4-1 victory Saturday over the RedHawks, has been a happy byproduct for a team without a now-professional, then-junior forward who scored 21 of CC’s 84 goals last season.
“We had obviously lost a big chunk of our offense with Hunter (McKown) leaving, but I thought our depth and the growth of our returners and our freshmen make us a more deep offensive team, and more threatening that way,” Tigers coach Kris Mayotte said.
“Do I think that we’re going to score four goals a game all year? I don’t, and some of that is our schedule, but some of that is what we expected.”
Many of CC’s offensive leaders so far this season were already known quantities.
Stanley Cooley was a 20-point forward last season who is up to six in his junior season, and senior Logan Will’s two goals and seven points so far have him nearing his 12-point haul from last year, when he was battling injuries throughout the campaign.
Noah Laba had 11 goals and 22 points last year as a freshman, and while he’s on pace (six goals, 11 points) to improve on that, he isn’t the Tigers’ top scorer. After tearing an ACL 14 games into last season, sophomore forward Gleb Veremyev is now leading CC with six goals and 12 points.
“Gleb put in a ton of work with his body,” Mayotte said, “and you don’t like it to be due to a season-ending injury, but his height has always been there at 6-4 and he was always tough to play against, but he was a really skinny kid and (his recovery) has allowed him to focus a little more on his body, and watch and take a step back and see it from a 30,000-foot view.
“That has really helped him, how he manages the game, how he plays the game, how he attacks it. He sees what’s available, how fast things happen and how to win the space and keep it, but it’s all due to his work ethic and his desire to get back.”
CC opened this season on a five-game win streak before falling at home to a first-year Augustana program that, in taking advantage of the NCAA transfer portal, came into that Oct. 28 game with more prior college game experience than the Tigers had.
Then, two weeks ago, CC fell to heavy defeats in a home-and-home series with local rival Denver, the first ranked team the Tigers had faced this season. CC lost 6-1 on the road and 5-1 the following night at home in a game that Mayotte doesn’t believe was as one-sided as the score suggests.
“We had chances 8-4 for (Denver) in that second game, and we’re happy to only give up eight chances in a game, but we didn’t force nearly enough, and we had a lot of work to do, especially offensively,” Mayotte said. “I liked where we had gotten to without the puck, but we needed to do better with it.
“We were disappointed with those results, and it’s a big rivalry game but more than that, we wanted to see where we were. What we learned is that we have a gap to close in terms of wanting to be one of the best teams in the country, but that’s OK. We’ll put together a plan and start to attack it.”
And the Tigers will get to do that against a tough remaining schedule before the holiday break. CC hosts 16th-ranked Western Michigan this weekend, then has No. 14 Arizona State at home Dec. 1-2 before a trip the following week to No. 2 North Dakota.
“Our next six games will be big for us,” Mayotte said. “Those are big-time opponents for us, and those are games that we need to start winning if we want to be the program we talk about being. You’ve got to win big games and win them in the regular season.”
Utica has celebrated some early season success but travel to face a determined Wilkes squad this weekend in UCHC action (Photo by Jim Simmons – Atlas Photo & Video)
Well, it is now officially the 2023-24 hockey season when we have all conferences on the ice playing real games. Yes, our brethren from NESCAC join the festivities this week and it will be ultra-competitive right out of the gate with league play on tap for the ten teams. Lots of other terrific matchups among ranked squads to enjoy this weekend as well. Last week with all the upsets in conference play and non-conference thrillers, I finished my week two going 7-3-2 (.667). That brings the season total to 22-11-3 (.653) which is still well below my goal of a 70% success rate. Full schedule this week before the Thanksgiving tournaments are upon us next week so looking to make up some ground with this week’s picks for the East:
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Fitchburg State v. (13) Plymouth State
This rivalry is always spicy when the two teams play each other, and I do not expect anything different this time around. The Falcons are hitting their stride and that is something the Panthers will need to be wary of. Tough game to be a goaltender and Kalle Andersson is a difference for the home team that needs an empty-net goal for some cushion – PSU, 5-3
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts v. Salem State
Jeremiah Ketts has the Trailblazers playing very competitive hockey early in the season as does new head coach John MacInnis with the Vikings. Players always make the difference and Erik Larsson is one of those players wearing blue and orange – Salem State, 3-2
Friday, November 17, 2023
(9) Norwich v. Skidmore
The Thoroughbreds would love to knock off one of the perennial powers in the NEHC and this may be their best opportunity to do so. Despite two wins last weekend, the Cadets have not hit their stride yet and facing another hot goaltender like Tate Donovan might not help their scoring mojo. Home team ekes it out late – Skidmore, 2-1
Trinity v. Tufts
Is it possible to have a TRAP GAME in week one of your regular season? I think the answer is yes and the Bantams best not underestimate and veteran roster returning for the Jumbos combined with a tough rink to play them in. Think Trinity finds some late magic from their veteran forwards – Trinity, 4-2
Buffalo State v. (3) Hobart
The Statesmen return home after a difficult loss at Babson so I do not think I would want to be on the visitors’ side of the rink on Friday. Bounce back game for the home team who score early and cruise to a win – Hobart, 5-1
Williams v. Colby
These two teams should be in the title hunt this season and seeing what they can bring on opening night will surely shed some light on what they can be moving forward in the NESCAC schedule. The Mules have strength in all parts of the game and added a pair of promising D-I forwards. Home win to open the season is always a good thing – Colby, 4-3
(7) Geneseo v. (5) Oswego
The Lakers finally broke the Knights streak last season and do not want them starting a new one on their home ice. As expected, this one is a very close contest and Cal Shell makes one more big save than Adam Harris to seal a “W”– Oswego, 3-2
Saturday, November 18, 2023
Canton v. Hamilton
After opening with travel partner Amherst, the Continentals quickly shift to a non-conference foe and better be ready for sixty minutes of action. Look for the home team to settle in and pull out the win in the third period – Hamilton, 4-3
Southern Maine v. Johnson & Wales
New coach Matt Pinchevsky has the Huskies playing hard and fast every night so far and that helps with a quick start building on last weekend’s win over Elmira. USM should down the Wildcats and pick up some needed NEHC points in the standings – USM, 5-2
Alvernia v. Nazareth
Alvernia is off to a very good start at 4-1-1 and split with Stevenson last weekend. Now the Golden Wolves face a Nazareth team that is always ready to make the game tough when they skate on home ice. This one will be tight and probably sees an empty-net goal being the ultimate difference on the scoreboard – Nazareth, 4-2
(4) Utica v. Wilkes
Wilkes has been one of the early season positive stories but now host a team that has not tasted a defeat in UCHC play in over a year. Good motivation and benchmarking opportunity for the Colonels but the Pioneers have too much talent and pull out a big road win with some third period magic – Utica, 3-2
St. Michael’s v. St. Anselm
This rivalry has transcended several different league iterations including some great NE-10 battles and some championship games. The Purple Knights want to get back to the title game again this year and show the defending champions they are going to be a challenging foe this season – St. Michael’s, 4-3
No doubt the first three weeks have kept us all engaged and scoreboard watching across the region. Everybody is competing now and these early big matchups in November may just prove to mean something further down the road. Can only play the game on the schedule so focus and play with intensity and discipline – “Drop the Puck!”
Princeton’s Tyler Rubin tallied a goal and two assists during the Tigers’ two overtime wins last weekend (photo: Shelley M. Szwast).
Ron Fogarty didn’t mind waiting another few days to start his season.
It was the first weekend in November, but the appearance of Fogarty’s Princeton Tigers on Harvard’s Bright-Landry Hockey Center ice sheet marked the team’s first appearance of the 2023-24 season. The previous weekend, before Halloween, had been the first games for five of the six Ivy League programs in Division I hockey, but a rescheduled nonconference game pushed the Tigers’ start past the end of the season’s first official month.
Over 50 teams already had 10 or more games to their name, but Fogarty and his Tigers had no intention of complaining about the late start. All that mattered was that they were on the ice against a conference opponent – a historic Ivy League rival, to boot – and points were at a premium.
“We’re no different than any other college hockey team,” said Fogarty. “You can’t slip up in October or November, just like you can’t slip up in March. Every game is important, and your preparation has to be on Friday before flipping to Saturday, if we’re playing different opponents. Regardless of the start time, it doesn’t matter when the games fall on the schedule.
“We’re going to play the same amount of games that we do every year.”
Owning a level-headed approach allowed Princeton to ice the Crimson for an extra point in a shootout after Harvard forced a 4-4 tie through regulation and overtime, but the experience gained from that game and the loss to Dartmouth the next day enabled the Tigers to hit a second gear this past weekend against Brown and Yale.
Playing at home for the first time this season, the team clipped a pair of overtime wins that went into the books as official victories while earning four points towards the ECAC standings, but the win over each team signified a different step forward in its early growth. The first game against Yale was as back-and-forth as it got with the Bulldogs rallying from two separate two-goal deficits, but Adam Robbins’ goal with less than five seconds remaining in the overtime session earned Princeton its first win of the season.
One night later, Brown jumped out to a two-goal lead in the second period when Alex Pineau and Max Scott scored over a six-minute span, but Ian Murphy set a table for Joe Berg’s game-tying goal with just over a minute remaining before Tyler Rubin broke behind the Bears’ three-on-three defense and buried a top-shelf winner that sent the Baker Rink crowd into a frenzy.
“We had a couple of multiple-goal leads against Yale before they fought back,” Fogarty said, “but getting that extra point was a win. And then on Brown, we were the team down by two and we got an extra attacker goal. We caught them in a line change [in overtime] that sprung [Rubin] for the win, but in both instances, it was just a workmanlike mentality. Our energy was very good and even-keeled through each of those games.”
The points continued an Ivy League revolution during the first two months of ECAC’s 2023-2024 season, and the Tigers jumped into the top-echelon fray currently occupied by Dartmouth, Cornell and Harvard. All four teams are within a weekend’s worth of work of first place Quinnipiac, but all have reached their respective levels despite cannibalizing each other by starting their seasons against one another.
Princeton, in particular, gained a foothold against those teams by establishing notable individual showcases within the gritty overall team performance. Both games were won by freshmen goalies after Ethan Pearson was injured in the loss to Dartmouth, and Rubin’s three-point weekend earned him defender of the week honors at the conference level. David Jacobs likewise added a four-point weekend, and freshman Kai Daniells’ two goals and four points in the first four games went right along with the wins by Arthur Smith and Conor Callaghan in net.
“We know that every game and every period is going to be a grind,” Fogarty said. “ECAC is a tight conference, so it’s important to get leads and points, especially on the road. We got a couple of points against Harvard, and we clawed back against Dartmouth before they scored in the last minute. That maybe lost us a point or two, but to get the two wins and two points each night was big for us at home.”
The special teams, meanwhile, cranked out two power play goals against Yale after scoring twice on the power play against Dartmouth, and the penalty kill stopped all four opportunities for the Bulldogs while the power play goals against the Big Green negated two power play goals by the Dartmouth special teams.
“It’s been a big emphasis for us to have the combination up over 100 percent,” Fogarty said. “Obviously the power play is carrying us right now, and we have to work on our penalty kill to get that number up. To have the power play where it is right now has got us a couple of wins, but it’s going to be tough to sustain numbers in the high 30-percents throughout the year. If we can stay in the high-20s, that would be great, and with the work on our penalty kill, we can make sure we get over that 100 percent number.”
All of this represents the first step forward for a Princeton team that started last year by burning opportunities to remain atop the league standings after tying Colgate and Cornell for third place at the holidays. They were at 16 points, but they also required a league-high 11 games to get there, to which the numbers faltered and slipped as the second half ramped up. By the time the year ended, Princeton had lost enough ground to fall into an eighth place tie with Rensselaer and Union, to which the Tigers finished as the team relegated to the road in the first round of the playoffs.
Gaining early points doesn’t erase the mentality needed to avoid a redux, but it sure didn’t hurt that the first four games produced a total of six points. Nor did it hurt that the Baker Rink crowd connected with the team through the only home games before a December 9 game against Sacred Heart, which ultimately means more opportunities for a run at the ECAC later in the season when teams make the trip down to the league’s southernmost outpost.
“Our turnout has been great over the past couple of years,” Fogarty said. “It’s attributed to our work with our youth clinics. We have clinics that run on Monday evenings where our guys help out, and they’re immersed within not only the Princeton University community but the Princeton community. We develop relationships with youth programs, and our guys are very approachable after the games throughout town. Our marketing department at Princeton does a great job of targeting those youths, so our crowds have been consistently tremendous over the past couple of years.”
After trying a test episode last week, we’ve decided to move forward with a USCHO women’s hockey podcast and we’ve made it official with a name, a graphic and moving to your favorite streaming service.
Introducing The PodKaz USCHO women’s hockey podcast with Nicole Haase and Todd Milewski.
Don’t know what that name is in reference to? This first official episode is for you.
We promise future episodes won’t be quite so long, but we wanted this at the top for people to be able to find and refer to. It’s a primer and introduction to women’s college hockey where we cover history, impact on the international game, structure, rules, awards, challenges, the post season and more.
There’s plenty in this episode for folks who are already fans, but we also understand if you want to skip ahead. We’re also dropping a short episode previewing this weekend’s matchup between (1) Wisconsin and (2) Ohio State in Columbus.
Find today’s primer episode here:
Here are the homepages for The PodKaz on most of the big streaming services:
Saint Mary’s & Hamline split the weekend series. (Photo via Saint Mary’s Athletics)
It’s almost time for those stacked Thanksgiving weekend tournaments where we get to see some top-tier non-conference play between ranked opponents. This past week featured some expected results as well as some surprises, but for the most part, everyone held their head, and the ranked teams handled their business out west.
MIAC
The MIAC is shaping up to be very competitive this year, unlike last year where it seemed as though Gustavus rolled through and left everyone behind, only dropping a single game to Augsburg during the regular-season conference play.
This year it seems as though there’s going to be some fight for the top spots in the conference, it also wouldn’t shock me to see Gustavus drop 2-3 games. Obviously, we need to see it to believe it, but look out for a road game or midweek game for the Gusties and we could potentially see a team steal one from them.
#1 Gustavus sweeps St. Scholastica
We’ll start our recap with the current #1 defending champs Gustavus, they shutout St. Scholastica 6-0 on Thurs. 11/9 & also on Sat. 11/11, winning 1-0. Goaltender Katie McCoy became the all-time wins leader for a Gustavus goaltender, winning her 64th game, which gives her an incredible overall career record of 64-9-3, passing Danielle Justice, ‘08-’12.
Katie McCoy breaks the Gustavus program-record for most goaltender wins (64), passing Danielle Justice (’08-’12). (Photo via Gustavus Athletics).
The point leaders for the Gusties in their St. Scholastica series were Kaitlyn Holland (2G 3A) & Hannah Gray (3G 2A). Saints goaltender Kenzie Cole made 45 saves in the 1-0 loss, but put-up impressive numbers, keeping her team in the game.
Saint Mary’s & Hamline split
Saint Mary’s has come out of the gates strong so far, they split with the Hamline Pipers over the weekend, winning 4-2 & losing 2-1 in OT. Hamline’s a team that’s looking to make a run at a MIAC playoff spot, a team that seems ready to make a leap as they won a big non-conference game earlier this year vs a ranked St. Norbert team.
In game one, in which the Cardinals took 4-2, we saw a lot of penalties, 6 for SMU and 5 for HU. Shots were 29-25 in favor of the Pipers and the game was relatively even. The game-winner was scored at the 5:01 mark of the 2nd period, a quick 20 seconds after Hamline tied it at 2 (4:41), and the one that sealed it was scored at the 15:49 mark of the 3rd period by Reese Heitzman.
Hamline would win game two to split the weekend series, Sydney Lemke tied the game at 1 with her goal at the 15:06 mark of the 2nd period, she then buried the winner a quick 1:38 into the overtime frame to win it for the Pipers. Through 5 games, Lemke is tied for the team-lead in points with 5 goals & 2 assists, Elizabeth Valley has 1 goal & 6 assists.
Other Notable Results:
Thursday:
Saint Benedict 5-2 Concordia (Minn.)
Friday:
Augsburg 7-1 St. Kates
Bethel 3-2 St. Olaf
Saturday:
Saint Benedict 5-4 OT Concordia (Minn.)
Bethel 2-1 St. Olaf
Augsburg 4-3 OT St. Kates
NCHA
The NCHA didn’t show us any surprises besides possibly the Marian sweep over U. of Dubuque. All but one game seemed lopsided over the weekend.
St. Norbert sweeps Trine
St. Norbert’s been an up and down team as of late, Trine has been on struggle street, but the Green Knights took care of business, winning 5-0 & 7-0. Trine’s start to the year hasn’t been pretty, they’ve been outscored in their 6 games (0-6 record) 27-5 and can’t seem to string many positives together.
Norbert led in shots in both games, 51-14 & 48-16, goaltender Brynn Waisman played 2 periods allowing 0 goals, Ashley Ommen played 4 periods, also allowing 0 goals.
Lake Forest sweeps Concordia (Wis.)
Lake Forest entered this series with a record of 0-4, not ideal, especially after coming off a promising year including a win over Adrian and ties with Aurora & St. Norbert. They seemed to possibly right-the-ship this past weekend, getting a pair of much needed wins.
Lake Forest sweeps the weekend series with Concordia (Wis.). (Photo by William Hull)
The Foresters won game one via a 4-0 shutout from goaltender Chelsea Denniss, who made an impressive 44 saves. Concordia led in shots 44-28 but failed to finish any opportunities.
In game two Concordia put a few in the net, scoring 3 including a powerplay goal early in the 3rd, but Lake Forest held on after that. It was a wild 1st period, Victoria Liu scored an early PP goal 3:37 in to give the Foresters an early 1-0 lead, but that’s when the chaos began. Lake Forest would score at the 14:04 mark, only to have Concordia score 34 seconds later at 14:38 and once more at 15:14, only 36 seconds after the previous goal. 3 goals in a matter of 1 minute 10 seconds…
Once again, goaltending for Lake Forest saved them, Chelsea Denniss had another impressive game, making 40 saves on 43 shots, that’s 84 saves on 87 shots for the weekend. Meanwhile the Foresters only had 17 shots, but scored 4 of them, like game one.
Other Notable Results:
Friday:
Aurora 8-1 Lawrence
Marian 6-2 Dubuque
Saturday:
Aurora 8-0 Lawrence
Marian 3-1 Dubuque
WIAC
Being from the east, I’ve never gotten to see a WIAC game in-person before, but I finally got to. Along with seeing two men’s games (Saint Mary’s at UW-Stevens Point & St. Olaf at UW-Stevens Point), I saw #4 UW-River Falls at UW-Stevens Point on Thursday night.
UW-River Falls defeats UW-Stevens Point
Let’s just say it was quite lopsided, UWSP getting one goal, but River Falls had control pretty much for the entirety of the game and did whatever they wished with the puck. Goaltending for UWSP was quite good considering the circumstances, Emily Griege made 43 saves on 49 shots, while UWRF’s Jordan O’Connor had a relatively light night, only seeing 9 shots, but allowing 1 goal. River Falls took this one 6-1.
UW-Eau Claire defeats UW-Superior
Eau Claire outshot Superior 40-19, and Sophie Rausch continued to do her thing, scoring another pair of goals after netting a pair of hat tricks in a prior weekend. The Blugolds won 4-2 and will face a rough next few weeks in their schedule.
UWEC’s next four games: Rival #4 UW-River Falls at home, 2pm CST on 11/18 (Saturday), they then head out east to Middlebury, VT to face #3 Plattsburgh State at 6pm EST on 11/25, the next day they face either #6 Middlebury or Endicott, result depending, and finally they return to the west for a road game vs Hamline on 12/5 (Tues.). This stretch will be a pivotal factor in the Blugolds NCAA tournament hopes as they’ll need as many pairwise points as they can get with the WIAC being the lone conference to not receive an auto-bid into the tournament via a conference championship (6 teams required for auto-bid, per NCAA rules).
Matt Fitzgerald is off to a strong start in goal for the Cobbers. (Photo Credit: Trent Cavaness, Concordia Sports Information)
What you know about Matt Fitzgerald is that he is a pretty good goalie, playing the position for the Concordia Cobbers.
What you might not know is that Fitzgerald used to play baseball, spending most of his younger days in the sport.
“My dad wanted me to have time away from the rink, to do something else and be a (multi-sport) athlete,” Fitzgerald said. “So I played baseball.”
Of course, hockey was never too far from his mind. After all, it was the sport he planned to play in college.
“Sometimes I’d leave early or skip baseball tournaments to go play in a big summer tournament for hockey. I love hockey ad it’s the sport I wanted to play in college,” Fitzgerald said.
He’s living that dream and is now a senior with the Cobbers, who are off to a strong start with a 4-1-1 record.
In five games this season, Fitzgerald has allowed 11 goals and has a fashioned a 2.11 goals against average. He’s made 113 saves. He noted confidence has been huge for him.
“It’s being confident in my ability, knowing what I can do,” Fitzgerald said. “It helps having the guys in front of me out there blocking shots and doing what they can to make my job easier.”
Fitzgerald played in 13 games last season for Concordia, making nearly 300 saves (299. He won eight games.
He’s happy with the way things have gone for him so far this year and said he’s trying to enjoy the moments.
“For me, the focus is on having fun. It’s my senior year and I play my best when I’m having fun,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m doing what I love. I’m going to work hard and battle hard and help give us a chance to win every night.”
Playing goalie was something he got into at the mites level. It soon became his favorite position on the ice.
“We rotated guys who played goalie and when it was my chance to play it, I liked it,” Fitzgerald said. “I wasn’t much of a goal scorer at my age and figured goalie might be for me. I fell in love with it and never looked back.”
The Cobbers have given Fitzgerald plenty of offensive support. Five players have scored two or more goals, including Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe and Caden Triggs. Both have three goals apiece.
Fitzgerald likes the way this team is playing at this point in the season.
“It’s been a good year so far, but there is room for improvement,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re working hard in practice and it can be a really good year if we keep working hard and keep selling out for each other.”
With the MIAC being as competitive as it is, Fitzgerald knows he and his teammates have to be ready to play at their best every night. He embraces the competition.
“It’s so much fun. Whether you are playing one of the top teams or one of the lower team in the standings, it’s always a battle. You are challenged every weekend. Anyone can beat anyone.”
Fitzgerald want this season to last as long as it can and he’s thankful to have the opportunity to play the game he loves at this level.
“It’s a blessing,” Fitzgerald said. “I get to go to the rink and hang out with my buddies, my best friends, and I get to do what I love at a high level.”
Artem Shaine led the Wildcats to a weekend sweep of Lake Superior State (photo: Northern Michigan Athletics).
Northern Michigan proved early this season they could score.
Netting 10 goals in a nonconference series will easily bolster that reputation.
But as goals giveth, goals can taketh away.
In that same series with UMD, the Wildcats let the Bulldogs outscore them 13-10, failing to win either game (they tied 5-5 Friday before losing 8-5 Saturday).
That failure to limit goals frustrated the Wildcats in their first eight games. Coming into last weekend’s series against Upper Peninsula rivals Lake Superior State, they were 1-6-1, with their lone win being a 4-1 victory against Ferris State on Oct. 28.
But now, NMU coach Grant Potulny thinks his team might have turned a corner. The Wildcats swept the visiting Lakers and took five conference points thanks to a 6-4 win on Friday and a 4-3 overtime win Saturday.
“I thought it was a step in the right direction,” Potulny said during his media conference on Tuesday. “You know, I’m a little disappointed we didn’t close the game out on Saturday, and I thought the whole third period we were on our heels a little bit. It would have been nice to close a game out there, but you win the game and that’s the goal, is to find a way to win because then it builds some momentum.”
In both games of the series, it appeared as though the Wildcats were going to allow a third-period lead to go to waste, but both times they were able to recover. In Friday’s game, NMU had led 3-2 going into the final frame but LSSU’s Harrison Roy and Dawson Tritt each scored in the first four minutes of the third to go up 4-3.
However, NMU captain Artem Shlaine didn’t allow the lead to stay very long. He scored his second goal 36 seconds after Tritt’s, tying it again, then earned his first career hat trick with what turned out to be the game-winning goal with eight minutes to go. NMU added an empty netter later to secure the win.
On Saturday, Kristoff Papp gave the Wildcats a 3-2 lead early in the third period but LSSU’s Jared Wescott scored an extra attacker goal with less than 35 seconds to go to tie it up and force overtime; NMU defenseman Josh Zinger secured the victory a minute into overtime.
Shlaine said after his hat trick on Friday that the Wildcats had struggled to mount responses earlier in the season and didn’t have a ton of pushback when things didn’t go their way. Against LSSU, that changed.
“I think it’s a process, and we were struggling with it in our first eight games,” Shlaine said Friday night. “We just couldn’t respond to goals, or maybe if we’d score, (the other team would) respond with the next shift. So I think it starts with practice. … we’re doing different little drills, focused on protecting the lead, trying to score and respond. I think today it showed. I really liked how we came back in that situation.”
Perhaps some of the Wildcats’ success against LSSU comes down to better chemistry. Papp, Shaine, and senior Andre Ghantous have been extremely prolific for NMU (they have combined for 12 goals and 35 points) but having them playing on the same line wasn’t necessarily generating scoring from other players. The three had played together against St. Thomas the weekend before, and the result was a series sweep in which the Wildcats scored just three goals. So against the Lakers, Potulny moved Ghantous – who is the NCAA’s active career men’s points leader – onto a line with Jack Perbix and Mikey Collela, while playing freshman Kevin Marx Noren with Papp and Shaine.
The result was a success: Collela scored his first goal of the season against the Lakers, while Marx Noren added three assists. Down the lineup, there were also some scoring improvements: Connor Eddy and Max Van Unen both scored their first goals of the season.
“We’re kind of still trying to find ‘D’ pairs and lines and some continuity,” Potulny said. “Part of that is because of injury, part of it’s just trying to find that right balance. Hopefully we’re getting a couple guys back this week, but we also might be losing a guy or two, so that carousel will also continue a little bit.”
Potulny hopes to keep some of that consistency and continuity going as they host Alaska this weekend. The Nanooks are 6-3-1 and No. 10 in the Pairwise, with signature wins against St. Cloud State and Michigan Tech.
For the Wildcats, one of their last chances to improve their nonconference record before conference play begins. They’re 3-6-1 overall but just 0-3-1 in their other two nonconference series (they played Minnesota Duluth and Arizona State to start the season).
“They’re a good team,” Potulny said of the Nanooks. “They’re 10th in the pairwise, you know, they just missed getting in the tournament last year, and their coaching staff does a really good job. They’re 6-1-1 in their last eight. They’re a very well-coached team and stingy defensively, and they find ways to generate offense by playing the same way we want to play. It’s almost a little bit like looking in the mirror, and I think whatever team can do it better is going to be the team on top.”
Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by St. Cloud State head coach Brett Larson about this year’s Huskies, the competitiveness of D-I college hockey, player development, coaching in this era, and the upcoming weekend series with Minnesota Duluth.
Andy Jones is in his first season behind the Bentley bench (photo: Bentley Sports Information).
Sweeps have traditionally been hard to come by in Atlantic Hockey.
Before this past week, there was just one so far this season.
But we had four last weekend, including Bentley’s pair of regulation wins against Niagara.
Friday’s 6-2 victory featured a hat-trick from A.J. Hodges and a pair of goals from Josh Latta.
Saturday was a much closer contest that saw defenseman Samuel Duerr’s goal late in the second period stand as the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over the Purple Eagles.
Bentley, picked to finish last in the AHA preseason poll, currently sits in third place, three points ahead of American International and four points behind Sacred Heart. The Falcons are 4-2 in league play, 6-4 overall.
For new coach Andy Jones, there’s been a lot to process: his first head coaching position, two new assistant coaches which he brought on in the offseason, and a new team that features seven freshmen and four transfers.
Jones has the Falcons trending in the right direction, but he knows it will be a long, deliberate process to foster long-term success.
“We’re trying to build something sustainable,” he said. “To be honest, we’re not talking a lot about wins and losses at this point. Our goal is every night to be really hard to play against.
“Our competitive level is further along than I would have anticipated. The guys are super hungry to have a winning culture. I don’t know if I’ve had a timeline in mind, more of a vision for what this program could be, a consistent contender.”
That was evident in last weekend’s sweep of Niagara.
“I was proud of our effort,” said Jones. “There were long stretches in both games where we got outplayed. Through some extra effort and puck luck, we were able to navigate those stretches and not have them turn into two or three goals against.
“All the teams we’re playing play are good, so there are going to be stretches that we’re not in control. Good teams level off those valleys, it speaks to maturity. I think we won the moments we needed to.”
Hodges, a transfer from Michigan State, leads the Falcons in scoring with five goals and eight points. Right behind him at four goals is another transfer, Nik Armstrong-Kingkade, who played for Jones at UMass Lowell last season. Jones was an assistant for the River Hawks for eight years before landing the head coaching job at Bentley.
In net, senior Nicholas Grabko (.960 save percentage, 1.60 GAA) and sophomore Connor Hasley (.908 save percentage, 2.39 GAA) have rotated time.
“I like our goalies,” said Jones. “(Sophomore) Josh Seeley hasn’t played a minute yet this season and he’s very capable as well. The competition (between goalies) has been healthy. They’ve excelled when given the opportunity.
“For now, we’ve made a plan to split the duties. That could change at some point, but it’s working well for us.”
When asked about the differences between being a head coach and his assistant stints at Division III Amherst, Clarkson, and UMass Lowell, Jones said that “(head coaching) is a different role with more responsibilities and a different view of things. I’ve had to learn when to step out of the moment and when to stay in it.”
So far, it seems to be working. The atmosphere at Bentley Arena has been electric right from the Falcons’ first home game, a 3-2 overtime loss to Boston University. That’s the only home defeat for the Falcons so far – they’re currently 5-1 on home ice.
“The support has been tremendous,” said Jones. “The students have been great – loud and engaged. The support in general has been great from the Bentley community. There are lots of people willing to help make this program successful.”
Next up for Jones and the Falcons is a home-and-home series with Holy Cross this weekend. The Crusaders have had a similar trajectory: a new coach, picked to finish last in 2022-23 but went on to make it to the Atlantic Hockey championship game.
“It’s impressive in what they’ve accomplished,” said Jones. “We know we’ll need to play well to have results. The competition in this league is so close, you need to be prepared every night.”
Forward Jin Lee returns upfront for Middlebury’s new coach Jack Ceglarski who is seeking better results from the Panthers this season (Photo by Colin Bourque)
Among the eleven new coach announcements for D-III men’s hockey teams in the East this year, there were three that are related to new programs starting play this year or next. Those included Jeremiah Ketts at MCLA, Kevin Cole at Misericordia and Bobby Rodrigue at Keene State. John MacInnis steps into the large shoes left by Hall of Fame coach Bill O’Neill at Salem State and Jack Ceglarski takes the reins at one of the most successful hockey programs at the D-III level, looking to revive the Middlebury Panthers back to being a perennial contender in NESCAC play.
“I am very excited to be coaching such an illustrious college hockey program,” said Ceglarski. “I would be foolish to say that I don’t feel any pressure, but pressure can be a good thing when you can use it to your advantage. I think it is good for the coaches and the players who want to own the accountability to bring our program back from the results in recent seasons.
Middlebury has won eight NCAA national championships under legendary coach Bill Beaney and has had an equal share of success winning eight NESCAC titles since the 2000-2001 season, the last in 2010. The Panthers have not qualified for the NESCAC playoffs since 2020 (2021 canceled due to COVID pandemic) and not advanced beyond the quarterfinals since 2016. Ceglarski and new assistant coach Jack Fitzgerald would like to change that trend starting with this year’s edition of Panther hockey.
“I don’t think we are the youngest coaching staff in collegiate hockey, but we are definitely in the top three,” noted Ceglarski. “I think that helps us in relating to the players here as we focus on being the best we can be on the ice as a team. Obviously, I have learned a lot as a player and absorbed a lot from my father, uncle, and grandfather who have been very successful coaches over time in the college game. I like to borrow and absorb the best from other successful coaches and have really enjoyed my opportunities to engage with coach Beaney here at Midd and coach [Mark] Taylor during last year’s Winter World University Games in Lake Placid. Coach Beaney has really challenged me to think out of the box and “Tayls” really showed me how to create buy-in from day one and the focus needed to overcome adversity on and off the ice during a very challenging tournament schedule and very little time to prepare. I need to assimilate from the best but at the end of the day need to be true to what my expectations are as the hockey coach here at Middlebury.”
The Panthers enter the 2023-24 season with a strong returning nucleus of players and has added some new pieces in the first-year class that should contribute to the improved level of play on the ice.
“We think the potential is high here with this roster,” said Ceglarski. “We have players and brought in players that have played in very meaningful games in their hockey careers to date. We want to build off that experience here with this roster in NESCAC play. First and foremost, we want the players having fun playing a game they love and playing with confidence. If we do those two things some of the other things will fall into place naturally. I expect us to be a hard team to play against with an aggressive style that opponents will be challenged with when they play against Middlebury. Win or lose we must have that high level of compete on the ice and be the type of team opponents do not want to play against.”
Middlebury, along with the rest of NESCAC opens their season this weekend. The Panthers will travel to Maine for the opening weekend where they face Colby and last year’s conference champions from Bowdoin.
“This conference is just so competitive top to bottom that we need to be ready to play every time out,” stated Ceglarski. “Last year No. 7 played No. 8 in the conference title game with Bowdoin taking the title so we would like to take a page out of their book. Qualify for conference championship play during the regular season and be playing our best hockey when it matters. I have received great support from the college and many in the hockey community but most importantly the alumni players who helped to build the reputation of Middlebury hockey over the decades.”
“We recently had a 100th anniversary celebration of Middlebury hockey where many alums returned to reminisce and celebrate the success of the hockey program. Our team had some exposure to many of the attendees who were so positive in sharing the tradition and shared excellence seen over many decades and championship teams. Our kids were inspired and a bit jealous as they want to be a part of that pedigree and I think that will further motivate our guys to be the best version of themselves they can be.”
Following the opening road trip to Maine, the Panthers travel to play in their long-standing Thanksgiving tournament hosted by Plattsburgh this year and featuring Norwich and St. Olaf from the west in the newly named LayerEight Tournament.
“We will have four real tests to open the season before we play our first home game,” stated Ceglarski. “I expect we will learn a lot about this team quickly and continue to build towards playing better hockey from every experience on the ice.”
Wisconsin celebrates sweeping then-No. 4 Michigan at the Kohl Center on Nov. 4 (photo: Tom Lynn).
The biggest story in college hockey this week is right here in the Big Ten: Wisconsin is the No. 1 team in the country for the first time since the USCHO.com 2005-06 preseason poll.
While it’s been 18 years since the Badgers sat in that spot, it took Wisconsin less than a month to go from being noticed to being really, really seen.
The Badgers first received votes in the poll Oct. 16. The following week, they entered the rankings at No. 14. At the end of October, they were No. 5.
Last week, they were No. 3. This week, the Badgers are first in the nation with 32 No. 1 votes. That’s quite a feat after a bye week, too. Wisconsin hasn’t played since sweeping Michigan Nov. 3-4.
So what does Wisconsin make of this newfound recognition?
“As I’ve told the guys, when you have a peak appreciate it, but understand what it is,” said Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings. “It’s a moment. Being where we’re at in the polls doesn’t give us a goal lead, doesn’t give us an opportunity to be ahead in a game.”
At 9-1-0, the Badgers are off to their best start since 1999-2000, a season they began with a 10-1-0 record. Heading to East Lansing this weekend to play No. 11 Michigan State, Wisconsin is 4-0-0 in the Big Ten with that home sweep of Michigan and a road sweep of then-No. 1 Minnesota Oct. 26-27. Wisconsin’s only loss came to North Dakota in the title game of the Ice Breaker Tournament Oct. 14.
Hastings said that in the early part of the season, he and his staff have “leaned on” some of the more experienced players in the locker room, and that has helped the team keep perspective.
“They understand that your season’s a work in progress,” said Hastings. “You usually break it down into three parts – your first half, your second half and knock on wood, your postseason. Our guys have done a good job in the last month working on their dailies, and I haven’t seen that change so far.”
Although the Badgers have earned this recognition with their solid start, their position at the top of the poll is tied at least in part to the way other teams in the top 10 have fared recently. Boston College, who spent two weeks at No. 1, lost to and tied Maine last week and dropped to No. 4. Denver was No. 2 last week and is now third after having split with Arizona State.
Throughout the first month of the season, there’s been significant movement throughout the poll and quite a bit of shifting in the top 10. This week, while six of the Big Ten’s seven teams are ranked in the top 20, only Wisconsin and No. 6 Minnesota remain in the top 10. Michigan dropped from No. 8 to No. 12 following a home loss to and tie against Minnesota.
Hastings understands how quickly things can change. Of the ranking he said, “First of all, we respect it and we appreciate it, but just like with anything else, you have a really good weekend, you’d better reset in a hurry because that doesn’t set you up for any more opportunity for success or less.”
When the Badgers play the Spartans this weekend, they’ll do so after a bye week while Michigan State (8-3-1) got the best of Penn State last weekend with a tie and a win. Hastings said that Wisconsin used the bye week to recover from some injury and to breathe a little after an opening month that included a six-game road stretch.
“We wanted to give our guys an opportunity either to catch up or get ahead on the academic calendar, and then give some guys some rest that needed some rest,” said Hastings. “We did that through that week and then we picked up our week here on Monday morning, and from that point on, workouts and through two practices the guys have done a really good job of getting right back on the horse.
“We’ll learn a little bit more come Friday and Saturday on how we managed our week off, but from a coaching standpoint so far the guys have reacted very well to the week that we had previous to this and then resetting and getting back on it here on Monday.”
Now that the Badgers have had some time to look back on their series against Minnesota and Michigan, Hastings said that one area where Wisconsin would like to improve is in front of its own net. Kyle McClellan (.929 SV%, 1.79 GAA) has been outstanding in net, but he can’t do it all by himself.
“Defending a little bit better in front of our own net and being better off the rush, offensively,” said Hastings, “those are two things that I think were important for us over break to try and tidy up a little bit.”
McClellan has been especially good, said Hastings, at turning back multiple assaults on the same play.
“To me, it’s Kyle maybe making that second save and then us getting back with numbers and trying to get back inside those guys offensively and not give them that third one,” said Hastings. “I also think we’ve been a little fortunate, whether it’s a post, whether it’s somebody shooting the puck wide which I think can be influenced by pressure.”
Hastings said that Michigan State will be “dialed in” and knows that Wisconsin needs to “not take a long time to get up to speed” after its bye week.
“I’ve been on the other side of that where we’ve hosted a No. 1 team coming in and I can tell you as an opposing coach, it sharpens your pencil and it makes sure you’re on point,” said Hastings. “I’m just assuming we’re going to get State’s best and we’re going to have to be really good if we want to get any points out of this weekend.”
Wisconsin’s start has created a buzz amplified by the start of the women’s team, which is also ranked No. 1 in the USCHO.com poll this week after beginning their season 12-0-0. Hastings said that the men’s team has been “chasing” the success of the women’s team “since Day 1.”
“The history and what Mark [Johnson] has done and what the program here is on the women’s side really is unprecedented, what they do on a consistent basis,” said Hastings. “To be able to share that position in a poll at this time, I think it’s unique.”
Hastings is keenly aware of how hungry Wisconsin fans are for a good season from the men’s team. He said that when the opening night against Augustana drew 10,000 fans and 2,000 more came for the following game, he began to see how eager fans are to support the Badgers.
The support “came in a hurry,” said Hastings.
“We also want to make sure it doesn’t go away in a hurry,” he said. “The only way we make that happen is really if we stay on pace with what we get to control. We’re looking for people who are with us in the peaks and the valleys. Our job is to try and make sure we’re driving and putting on a product that they can be proud of. The guys have done a good job on that.”
That product, said Hastings, is a kind of hockey that reflects an attitude that Badgers fans value.
“Whether we’d have won those last two games we played [against Michigan] at home or not, I thought the guys have done a good job at going out and competing and playing for each other and playing a brand of hockey that I think is pretty selfless,” Hastings said.
“If I’m somebody that’s buying a ticket, I want to win every single game, but I want to feel that those guys are going through the same thing, win or losing as far as the effort and the attitude with what they’re representing here at the University of Wisconsin.”
Alex Jefferies picked up the hat trick as Merrimack skated to a 6-3 win over UConn last Friday night (photo: Jim Stankiewicz).
Even with winter rapidly approaching, Hockey East fans might not want to hold on to their hats.
Sure, it’s cold outside and hockey rinks aren’t exactly known for balmy temperatures, but with the way things have been going, there’s a good chance a lot of fans will be tossing hats onto the ice to celebrate a hat trick. That’s been happening with some frequency lately, and there’s no reason to believe that trend will not continue.
Vermont sophomore forward Jens Richards recorded his first career hat trick in a 6-2 rout at Massachusetts on Saturday, the first by a Catamount in five seasons. Quinn Hutson, Boston University sophomore forward, notched his first career hatty as part of a career-best four-point night to lead BU in a 6-1 blowout of UMass Lowell on Saturday. Hutson’s feat came just one week after his brother, sophomore defenseman Lane Hutson, scored thrice in one game for the first time in a 5-4 overtime loss to North Dakota. And Merrimack senior forward Alex Jefferies had the Lawler Rink clearing hats off the ice after a three-goal (and two-assist) performance in a 6-3 win over Connecticut on Friday.
Hockey East has seen a flurry of offense all season, a trend that was especially on display this past weekend as the top four scoring performances nationwide all came off the sticks of league players.
Merrimack defenseman Zach Bookman had a career weekend with seven points (goal, six assists) to lead the nation in scoring in a split vs. UConn. UVM defenseman Jeremie Bucheler had a five-point night (two goals, three assists) in the win vs. UMass, including an assist on the game winner Saturday. Lane Hutson extending his goal-streak to four games with a tally in each outing vs. Lowell.
BU freshman forward Macklin Celebrini — who is the top scorer nationwide with eight goals and 10 assists — dished out four helpers on Saturday. Providence senior forward Chase Yoder had four points in two wins with a goal and three assists as the Friars swept Northeastern by scores of 2-1 and 5-2. Yoder assisted on both of Providence’s goals in the 2-1 overtime win and tied for the league lead last week with a plus-five rating.
“He’s clearly a high-end offensive talent,” BU coach Jay Pandolfo said about Celebrini. “Not only can he shoot the puck, but he sees the ice. He knows where his teammates are. (He) has that ability to hang on to it for an extra second, to wait for a lane to open up. (It’s) fun to watch.”
Also lighting the lamp with frequency this past weekend was Boston College freshman forward Gabe Perreault, who posted multi-point performances in each game at Maine. He collected a pair of assists on Friday (a 4-2 loss), then had a goal and an assist in a 2-2 tie on Saturday. He converted in Saturday’s shootout to keep BC alive before the Eagles eventually won in eight rounds. He is currently riding an eight-game point streak with 15 points in that span (two goals, 13 assists). He is second among rookies in the NCAA with 15 points on the year and eighth among all skaters.
Currently, Celebrini and Bookman are 1-2 among Hockey East scorers in league games (5-6-11 and 2-8-10 respectively), while BU senior forward Luke Tuch, along with Jefferies and Perreault are tied for third with eight points apiece.
TD Garden will serve as the host venue for the 2024 Beanpot championships (photo: TD Garden).
One of Boston’s most hallowed traditions, the Beanpot, returns to TD Garden this year with more prestige than ever – and with double the impact.
The annual men’s college hockey tournament returns on the first two Mondays in February for the Dunkin’ Beanpot. And this year, for the first time ever, the women’s Dunkin’ Beanpot championship will be played at TD Garden on Jan. 23, 2024.
The Dunkin’ women’s Beanpot championship was announced last March and will showcase both the consolation and the championship games at TD Garden. The women’s semifinals are on Tuesday, Jan. 16 and will be hosted at Harvard’s Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
In Jan. 2023, Dunkin’ was named the first-ever sponsor of the 2023 men’s Beanpot tournament, and their multi-year sponsorship extends to the 2024 Dunkin’ women’s Beanpot championship. This will be the first time the women’s Beanpot has had a title sponsor.
Dunkin’ will be featured prominently throughout all promotions surrounding the men’s and women’s iconic college hockey tournaments via NESN, TD Garden, the four colleges, and beyond.
Boston’s four major college hockey programs (Boston College, Boston University, Harvard and Northeastern) will battle for the city’s bragging rights. Northeastern will look to defend its Beanpot championship titles in both the men’s and women’s tournaments.
NESN will deliver live and exclusive coverage of the 71st Annual Dunkin’ Beanpot and 45th Annual Dunkin’ Women’s Beanpot.
Tickets for all Dunkin’ Beanpot games hosted at TD Garden will go on sale Monday, Nov. 20 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com.
Dunkin’ Women’s Beanpot *Note: The Dunkin’ Women’s Beanpot Semifinals are on Tues., Jan. 16, hosted at Harvard’s Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
Tuesday, Jan. 23
5:00 p.m. Consolation Game
8:00 p.m. Championship Game
Dunkin’ Men’s Beanpot
Semifinals – Monday, Feb. 5
5:00 PM: Harvard vs Northeastern
8:00 PM: Boston University vs Boston College
Championship – Monday, Feb. 12:
4:30 p.m. Consolation Game
7:30 p.m. Championship Game
Suffolk sweeps Nichols. (Photo by Suffolk Athletics)
Week 4 out East brought us some surprises no doubt, but it seemed like nothing ranked-team wise was affected as the polls stayed relatively the same from last week. However, we had some matchups I said to keep an eye on, which turned out to be great ones, along with some other conference-play action!
CCC
#15 Endicott vs Western New England
My featured weekend series was #15 Endicott vs Western New England, a home and home series with two teams looking to make a CCC title run. On the one side, we’ve got Endicott, who’s looking to get back atop the conference and find themselves back in the NCAA tournament. On the other hand, we’ve got Western New England who beat a ranked-Endicott team last season for their first-ever ranked win in program history.
Over the weekend we saw the teams split the series, the Gulls winning game one 4-3 with a last-minute goal (19:39) by Maggie Lynch in the 3rd period. Then on Saturday the Golden Bears won it in overtime, Alyssa Murphy scoring at the 1:05 mark to give WNE a crucial CCC victory. Murphy had 3 goals in the series, 2 on Fri, 1 on Sat.
Suffolk vs Nichols
Suffolk had a surprise sweep over Nichols who was off to a hot start. Suffolk entered the weekend 0-4, I said this wasn’t a must-win series for them on paper, but mentally, starting 0-6 under a new head coach is never ideal for any program, especially one that has conference championship hopes in their mind, considering they’re the current defending champs.
The Rams got it done both days, winning 3-2 & 5-0, Kellie Popkin led the way with 4 points (2G 2A) including a shorthanded goal.
Another surprise, UNE remains a contender through week 4 in CCC play. They defeated Curry 4-1 & tied them 3-3. UNE now has an intriguing weekend series with the undefeated Salve Regina (4-0).
NEHC
No real surprises occurred in the competitive NEHC over the weekend, #13 Norwich handled business, getting back on track it seems after their tough 0-2 start. Their victory over rival #14 Elmira likely propelled them confidence-wise. They defeated UMass-Boston 5-1 and Johnson & Wales 5-0.
#14 Elmira did as expected, shutting out Salem State 5-0 and outshooting them 61-6, then shutting out Univ. Southern Maine 4-0, outshooting them 57-12. This seems to be on trend with Elmira last season, they tend to heavily outshoot weaker opponents and win these games handily, they just need to transfer that success to the big games they’ll face the rest of the way.
Other Notable Results:
Friday:
Univ. Southern Maine 1-0 William Smith
Johnson & Wales 2-1 New England College
Saturday:
William Smith 6-0 Salem State
UMass-Boston 1-0 New England College
SUNYAC
In the SUNYAC, as like the NEHC, everything went to plan with nothing major occurring. Here are your results:
#3 Plattsburgh shutout Buffalo State 6-0 & defeated Morrisville 6-1.
#11 Cortland swept Canton, winning 3-0 & 3-1.
Oswego defeated Morrisville 5-1.
Plattsburgh has their first real test of the year Tuesday 11/14 (today) against #13 Norwich at home, it’ll be an interesting watch, but I’ve got the Cardinals winning by a decent margin, my prediction would be 5-2.
UCHC
The UCHC has been one of the most entertaining conferences thus far. We’ve got Utica charging to the highest rank in program history, a young Nazareth team that looks to carry on its UCHC winning traditions, Chatham who’s unbeaten, and Wilkes, a name you may not think of at first when you think of competition if you only look at last season.
#8 Utica vs Wilkes
#8 Utica ties Wilkes 0-0 and wins 1-0 in the shootout. (Photo by Kayleigh Sturtevant – Utica Athletics)
Wilkes, a team who heavily recruited Canadian-born players this offseason, is very much improved. Last season, the games between these two ended 4-0 & 6-1. This year, they ended 0-0 (Utica 1-0 shootout) & 7-1. Now, some may be quick to jump at the 7-1, but the fact Wilkes tied Utica in game one on the road is remarkable for the program, showing how far it’s come in just one season.
The player of the game in my opinion for game one was Wilkes goaltender Audrey Milne, she made 54 saves in the shutout tie and the only goal given up unofficially on the stat sheet was in the shootout. Angela Hawthorne made 22 saves on 22 shots for the Pioneers on Friday.
Chatham vs Manhattanville
Here’s two wildcard teams facing off in the conference. Chatham, a team two years ago who had their best season ever as a program, last season, a down-year from the year prior, but not as low as their historical numbers. Manhattanville, a team with goal scorer Gabrielle Cox, always has a chance to win games.
Chatham got the massive weekend sweep to remain unbeaten (3-0-1), they now have Stevenson & Hilbert, three games that are very winnable and could potentially have them sitting at 6-0-1 with Nazareth on deck for a pair of home games… Things could be interesting for the Cougars in these next three weeks.
Chatham gets the weekend sweep over Manhattanville, winning 2-1 & 3-2. (Photo by Chatham Athletics)
On Friday, Chatham won 2-1, Allison Corser-James scored both goals on the powerplay (2:29 of the 2nd, 10:43 of the 3rd), while her teammates Ally Nolan & Brooke Almond, both assisted on the two goals. Gabrielle Cox scored the lone Valliant’s goal at 5:11 of the 2nd.
On Saturday, Corser-James didn’t slow down. She scored the game-tying goal at the 14:37 mark of the 2nd period, (funny enough, Chatham scored their 1st & 2nd goals a whole 7 SECONDS apart: 14:30 & 14:37). Corser-James then buried the overtime winner in the last minute at the 4:06 mark to send Chatham home with a pair of W’s.
Head Coach Michael O’Grady must be pleased with his team, they’re on pace, and more than have the ability, to have a special season in the UCHC.
After backstopping Maine to a 1-0-1 weekend against then-No. 1 Boston College, Victor Ostman was named the Hockey East goaltender of the week (photo: Anthony DelMonaco).
Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback.
Paula: Without having played a single game this past weekend, Ed, Wisconsin moves into the top spot of this week’s USCHO.com Men’s D-I Poll with 32 first-place votes.
There are two things that this tells us: Wisconsin has earned the respect of poll voters in a remarkably short span of time at the start of this season, due in large part to the regard that people have for Mike Hastings and his ability to get the most out of any team he coaches.
The second revelation, though, is perhaps how much more poll voters need to see from nearly anyone else near the top whose skates slipped last weekend before giving them the benefit of the doubt.
In voting Wisconsin No. 1, I’d say that voters are taking into consideration the perceived strength of the Big Ten if it weren’t for how much B1G teams fell in this week’s poll. Wisconsin is the only Big Ten team in the top 10.
And Boston College knocked down to fourth place with just two first-place votes and a 7-2-1 record following a weekend against Maine – who catapults to No. 9 – is equally baffling, given the perceived (and very real) strength of Hockey East.
How do we make sense of any of this?
Ed: I agree, Paula, that Wisconsin has earned the respect of poll voters who already had a lot of it for Hastings. Having the weekend off kept any blemishes from the Badgers.
But in a weekend where only five top-20 teams had sweeps, it’s probably more a case of attrition … or a process of elimination. The poll is always a case of “what have you done for me lately” and this week really wasn’t an exception.
(I’ll also note that only one person sees all the ballots and the rest of us just see the results, so there’s no way for us to pick up on patterns or trends from individuals. What do they call that, the “hive mind?”)
I was explaining to someone on Monday about how I approach the poll. USCHO poll voters get a detailed ballot with how each team did over the weekend. I go through each and make some notes as to whether they should go up or down and whether it’s a little or a lot.
I’m also paying attention to what sort of games were played. Did a goaltender stand on his head? Was there a major penalty that made a game look more lopsided?
In this case, you can go down the list of last week’s top teams and see stumbles. You mentioned BC, which had a tough weekend against Maine. That should drop them from No. 1, that is depending on what other teams did. Denver split at Arizona State which kept them from gathering too many first-place votes. Yet Providence’s strong start and weekend sweep garnered them a look and some No. 1 nods.
In the case of Maine, we expected success be coming at this point in Ben Barr’s Black Bears bench boss tenure. And Hockey East as a strong conference is not in doubt, so Maine at No. 9 doesn’t surprise me too much.
I’m interested in your thoughts on Hockey East so far. With six teams in the for-entertainment-purposes-only USCHO poll and six in the meaningless-at-this-point PairWise, is this season portending a better postseason than last for that conference?
Paula: “Ben Barr’s Black Bears bench boss tenure” is a near-perfect headline, Ed, and certainly a great band name. Kudos!
I think that Hockey East had a fantastic season in 2022-23 – a fantastic regular season, that is. For fans, watching several teams within the top to middle of the conference constantly battle it out was very exciting, as was Boston University’s emergence in the second half.
That the conference had a down season in interleague play and that BU couldn’t capitalize on its momentum in the NCAA tournament was disappointing. The conference’s more robust start to 2023-24 is promising, with the league’s .685 win percentage in nonconference play and some really good wins by individual teams over nonleague foes, like Providence’s split with Michigan and win over Denver in October and BU’s split with North Dakota two weeks ago.
If Hockey East continues to play this well out of conference, then the league will have a better chance of placing more teams into the tournament in March. When a conference is so competitive within itself from top to nearly bottom, this nonleague success is essential for postseason play – as we’ve seen from the Big Ten in recent years.
You mention the too-early-to-use PWR, but I do find it interesting to view before the bulk of conference play begins. It echoes some of the in-the-moment stories we’re seeing in the poll, and if you look at them combined I think one of the most interesting stories so far this season is the lack of impact the CCHA is making.
St. Thomas and Minnesota State are the only two CCHA teams with winning overall records, and the league’s nonconference win percentage (.357) bodes poorly for any NCAA tournament success.
Are we looking at an overall picture of three conferences – Hockey East, Big Ten, NCHC – dominant to the point where other leagues are relegated to single representatives next March?
Ed: It’s sure looking that way. Especially since there’s a good chance of at least one independent berth.
Nonconference winning percentage pretty much determines how many teams a conference will get into the NCAAs, and anything below .400 makes more than one team in tenuous at best. If those three conferences got in four teams each – certainly not impossible – then that leaves three autobids and an independent. By the end of the semester break, the bulk of the non-league schedules (except for those independents) will be done and we’ll get a better idea. But the trend is there.
And I find that especially hard to say about ECAC Hockey. I would expect at least two teams from that conference, but a .415 out-of-conference record makes that tough without an upset for the league title – which incidentally happened last year when Colgate beat eventual national champion Quinnipiac. That also kept Alaska out of the tournament.
My one caveat on this is whether the leagues end up cannibalizing themselves. We’ve seen teams that are high in the PairWise also hover at or just below .500 or take conference losses late that bump them just outside the college hockey Mendoza Line of 11th-15th in the PWR.
We can revisit this and how accurate our thoughts were come January when things will start to gel. Over the past few years I think the number is something like 80% of the teams that would make the tournament if the season ended a couple of weeks into the new year will actually be in the tournament.
But getting back to where we started: What’s making it so hard for teams to sweep? Why has winning become so difficult no matter the opponent?
I think you have to say that it’s the abundant level of talent in the sport. I hear some people talk about it being “watered down” with too many teams, but there are a lot more youth programs, more U.S. players, the USA Hockey development model, nutrition, training, and so forth that have made college players of this era incredibly fast, strong, and skilled. Not to mention the number of Americans who thanks to College Hockey Inc. have seen the merits of playing the NCAA instead of major junior north of the border.
When you think back over your 27 years covering college hockey for USCHO – were you 12 when you started? – isn’t it incredible how college hockey has advanced?
Paula: Yes. I was a child prodigy. That’s the only explanation for how long I’ve been doing this.
You hit on two things here, Ed, that I’ve been thinking quite a bit about lately. The first is your response to people who claim that the parity – and I know we both dislike that word, but it applies – in college hockey can somehow be attributed to a diluted talent pool.
Everything you say about that is correct. There’s more talent in college hockey, more advancement in everything that makes the game better, and the emphasis on player development has carried college hockey to an entirely new level. In fact, it gets better every year.
When I first started covering college hockey, I was struck by the difference between the way NBA and NHL announcers talked about players in pro games. In the NBA, mentioning a player’s college was a default. Granted, NCAA basketball has been where NBA talent develops almost exclusively for decades, but even when players came up through the college ranks in hockey, their alma maters were rarely mentioned.
Fast forward to just after the first NHL lockout, when so many older NHL players decided to call it quits, creating a need for bodies on the ice – and opening the door for more NCAA players. Suddenly, the NHL was noticing that NCAA programs were developing solid talent and soon – with the help of College Hockey Inc. and the dedication of many people – the NCAA was on its way to being recognized as legitimate path to the NHL.
Now we’re seeing an emphasis on player development that benefits the young man beyond his potential to play professional hockey. Now we’re seeing a shift in the way in which coaching is approached, to develop the whole person who plays for a team. In addition to being lucrative for all involved, that is an incredibly attractive thing to young players who choose NCAA hockey, sometimes resulting in very elite talent remaining in the game a year or so longer than they otherwise would have a couple of decades ago.
That focus on player development is the best thing that’s happened to college hockey, ever – and it’s a huge reason behind the parity in the game. It’s also great for the potential growth of the sport as more and more kids are playing the game.
The second thing you touch on is my longevity in covering the sport – something that would not have happened were it not for the amazing people I have met and continue to meet through college hockey. We’ve often talked in this column about how college hockey is like a big family, and that really is true. That specific element that defines the sport often pulls people back to it – I’m thinking of Adam Nightingale and Brandan Naurato, but there are others – who bring with them experience from NHL organizations, too.
While all of the developments in college hockey that you define have changed the sport significantly and explain in part the fantastic level of competition we now see, it’s the more recent focus on player development – something so humane – and the communication between the NCAA hockey and the NHL that is really the most amazing thing to me. All of it is good for business. All of it can grow the sport. All of it can lead to better hockey at every level.
Ed: There’s not a lot I can add to what you’ve said, Paula.
As a radio broadcaster, I started to notice the change in the game as my pace had to quicken to keep up with what was happening on the ice. Everybody can skate. Defensemen are fast and skaters are “positionless.” The addition of three-on-three overtime seems to have introduced more of the notion of a possession game and a willingness to step out of the zone and regroup. Power plays have gotten more inventive. Goalies defy physics.
The other part we didn’t mention is video. In-game video analysis between periods, video coordinators watching the game minutely, and individualized clips on players’ phones the morning after the game have revolutionized the personalized coaching and development that’s possible.
Most of what we’ve said about development applies to women’s college hockey where I think the growth has been even more dramatic. (Now if we can only keep a women’s professional league going!)
According to College Hockey Inc., a total of 334 NCAA alumni played in the NHL last season. Half of the NHL’s 32 current general managers played college hockey, as did 13 of the league’s current head coaches.
And we’re adding D-I programs!
The fruit of a lot of effort over the past couple of decades is being harvested right now.
Hosts Jim Connelly, Derek Schooley, and Ed Trefzger discuss the results of the weekend and the news of the week in college hockey on the November 13, 2023 edition of USCHO Weekend Review:
Quinn Finley celebrates scoring a goal versus Michigan Nov. 3 at the Kohl Center (photo: Taylor Wolfram).
Wisconsin sat idle last weekend, but still picked up 32 first-place votes in this week’s USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll, moving up two spots in the rankings.
North Dakota also moved up two spots, sitting No. 2 this week and collecting nine first-place votes. Denver falls one to No. 3, picking up three first-place votes, while Boston College tumbles three spots to No. 4, getting two first-place votes in the process. Providence rounds out the top five staying fifth and garnering three first-place votes.
Minnesota stays No. 6, Quinnipiac moves up three to No. 7, also with a first-place vote, Boston University is up one to No. 8, Maine rises four to No. 9, and Cornell drops three to sit 10th this week.
Michigan falls out of the top 10, dropping four spots to No. 12. Western Michigan also dropped four spots, from No. 12 to No. 16.
Notre Dame (No. 17) and St. Cloud State (No. 19), unranked last week, enter the poll this week.
In addition to the top 20 teams, 13 other teams received votes.
The USCHO.com Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Poll is compiled weekly and consists of 50 voters, including coaches and media professionals from across the country. Media outlets may republish this poll as long as USCHO.com is credited.
Introducing The PodKaz USCHO women’s hockey podcast with Nicole Haase and Todd Milewski.
