U.S. Women Win 2026 Olympic Gold

For the second time in three Olympic Winter Games, the United States has won gold in women's ice hockey.

Megan Keller (Boston College) slipped home a backhander just over four minutes into the 3-on-3 overtime to lift Team USA to a 2-1 victory over Canada in today's women's ice hockey gold medal game in Milan, Italy. The U.S. last won women's hockey gold in 2018 in Pyeongchang, with Canada winning four years ago in Beijing. It is the third gold medal all-time for the American women.

Keller's game-winner came after Team USA tied the game with just over two minutes remaining in regulation on an extra-attacker goal. Team captain Hilary Knight (Wisconsin), playing in her fifth and final Olympics, tipped home a shot by rookie Laila Edwards (Wisconsin) to push the contest into the extra session. For Knight, it was her 15th career Olympic goal, tops among American women all-time. Keller also assisted on Knight's goal, after Kristin O'Neill (Cornell) had put Canada ahead, 1-0, early in the second period on a shorthanded goal.

Aerin Frankel (Northeastern) stopped 30 shots for the Americans, while Ann-Renee Desbiens (Wisconsin) made 31 saves for the Canadians. The two rivals combined to go 0-for-4 on the power play before 11,171 on-lookers at Milano Santagiulia Arena. The U.S. finished the tournament 6-0-0, while Canada's only two loses came to the Americans.  

Team USA's Caroline Harvey was named Olympic MVP and Best Defender after tallying two goals and seven assists for a tournament-high nine points in her second Olympics. She helped the U.S. to a silver medal four years ago as rookie.

Switzerland defeated Sweden, 2-1, in OT in this year's bronze medal game, with Alina Muller  (Northeastern) notching the game-winning goal. It was the first Olympic medal for the Swiss women since they also won bronze in 2014 in Sochi.

U.S. Women Win Third Straight Olympic Game

Joy Dunne (Ohio State), Alex Carpenter (Boston College) and Caroline Harvey (Wisconsin) notched a goal and an assist each as the U.S. Women's Olympic team blanked Switzerland today, 5-0, in Group A play at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy. 

Gwyneth Philips (Northeastern) earned the shutout by stopping all 20 shots she faced for the Americans, while Andrea Braendli (Ohio State) made 45 saves for the Swiss. Team USA is now 3-0-0 overall and will next face archrival Canada, which defeated Czechia, 5-1, as Julia Gosling (St. Lawrence) scored two goals and Brianne Jenner (Cornell) collected two assists.

Ken Dryden 1947-2025

One of the greatest goaltenders in the history of hockey, Ken Dryden (Cornell), passed away late last week at the age of 78 following a longtime bout with cancer. He was a six-time Stanley Cup champion, a Hockey Hall of Famer, and an author, attorney, executive, and politician following his playing days.

A 1967 graduate of Cornell University, he fashioned a 76-4-1 career record with the Big Red to go with 13 shutouts, a 1.59 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage. A three-time First All-America selection, he still holds the program record for career victories. He also backstopped Cornell to the 1967 NCAA title and three ECAC tournament crowns, and since 1996 the Ken Dryden Award has been awarded to the best goaltender in ECAC Hockey as voted by the league's coaches.

Following his scholastic career, Dryden played eight years in the National Hockey League, all with the Montreal Canadiens. He led them to six Stanley Cup championships in that time, including four straight titles from 1976 to 1979.  

In 397 career regular-season NHL appearances, Dryden complied a 258-57-74 record with a 2.24 GAA, .922 save percentage, and 46 shutouts, winning both the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year and the Hart Trophy as Player of the Year in 1972. He also earned five Vezina trophies as the top NHL goaltender in the regular season in his tenure. 

In postseason play, he finished 80-32 in 112 Stanley Cup playoff contests (2.41, .915, 10 ShO), and was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as NHL playoff MVP in 1971 as rookie. He played briefly for the Montréal Voyageurs (AHL) prior to joining the Canadiens, and also represented Canada at the 1969 World Championship and the 1972 Summit Series, before retiring in 1979. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984, and his No. 1 sweater at Cornell and No. 29 with Montreal have both been retired.

During his playing career, Dryden, who hailed from Hamilton, Ont., earned his law degree from McGill University, before later serving in Canadian government as a parliamentarian. He was also president of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1997 to 2003, and a published author whose best-known work was his best-selling 1983 treatise on hockey, "The Game." He also advocated for the prevention of concussions, and was the color commentator on ABC-TV in 1980 for "The Miracle on Ice" game in Lake Placid.

Dryden was predeceased by his older brother, Dave, who also served as an NHL goaltender with the Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers.

Third Day of 2025 NCAA Men's Regionals Done

The third day of the 2025 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey regionals are complete, and two spots have been secured for the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Louis in two weeks' time.

At the Toledo, Ohio regional, Quinn Hutson's overtime goal propelled Boston University to a 3-2 win over Cornell. The Terriers (23-13-2 overall) are now headed to their third consecutive Frozen Four, and 25th all-time. The loss by the Big Red (19-11-6) also ended the career of longtime Cornell head coach Mike Schafer, who finishes with an overall record of 561-300-117.

At the Fargo, N.D. regional, Western Michigan outlasted Massachusetts, 2-1, on an early third-period power-play goal by Tim Washe, and 28 saves overall from Hampton Slukynsky. The Broncos (32-7-1) are now headed to the first Frozen Four in program history, while UMass (21-14-5) was seeking its first Frozen Four since the Minutemen won their first-ever national championship in 2021.

The last two regionals conclude on Sunday, with UConn facing Penn State in Allentown, Pa., and Boston College taking on Denver in Manchester, N.H. 

Princeton Falls for Fifth Straight Time

Princeton's NCAA men's hockey losing streak reached five games with Friday's 6-2 setback to visiting Cornell in ECAC Hockey and Ivy League action. The Tigers got goals from Kai Greaves and Brendan Wang, who each tallied the first of goal of his college career, but sandwiched in-between were five goals by the Big Red, before Cornell's Dalton Bancroft closed out the scoring with his second goal of the evening late in the third period. 

Remington Keopple, making his first start of the 2024-25 season, stopped 23 shots for the Big Red, who also got a goal and two assists apiece from Ryan Walsh and Jake Kraft. Arthur Smith had 25 stops for Princeton before a crowd of 2,432 at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink. The Tigers (6-9-1, 3-7-1 ECACH) will host Colgate on Saturday, while Cornell (7-5-4, 4-3-2) will visit No. 13 Quinnipiac.

ADDENDUM: Princeton fell to Colgate, 6-4, while Cornell won in a shootout following a 2-2 tie in regulation at Quinnipiac.

NCAA Sweeps Abound in Early November

It was a weekend of two-step sweeps involving top teams in NCAA Division I men's college hockey (national rankings from last week, per USCHO.com) ...

- No. 1 Denver swept Yale (5-1, 6-0)

- No. 2 Boston College swept at No. 6 St. Cloud State (4-1, 2-1)

- No. 4 Minnesota swept No. 18 Penn State (3-1, 1-0)

- No. 7 Maine swept Merrimack (5-0, 6-0)

- No. 8 Colorado College swept Air Force (3-2, 6-1)

- No. 9 Cornell swept No. 6 North Dakota (4-1, 5-3)

- No. 11 Michigan swept No. 5 Boston University (5-1, 5-4/OT)

- No. 12 Providence swept New Hampshire (6-3, 3-0)

- No. 15 Ohio State swept Lake Superior (9-3, 6-2)

The home team won in each of those series, except for BC and CC.

Former NCAA Women's Players Attain NHL, Hockey Hall of Fame

The first female assistant coach in NHL history is an NCAA graduate. 

Jessica Campbell (Cornell), who spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds, was elevated this week to the same position with the parent club Seattle Kraken. In both her campaigns with the Firebirds, she helped them to two Western Conference titles and two Calder Cup Final appearances.

Campbell, 32, from Moosomin, Sask., began her coaching career in 2017-18 as an assistant with Pursuit of Excellence for two seasons, then moved on to Okanagan HA 1U18 Prep for one year. She also served as assistant with Malmo (Sweden), where she had completed her playing career in 2019-20, and then served with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers (Germany) and with Team Germany in 2021-22 before joining Coachella Valley.

A product of the Melville Prairie Fire organization, Campbell played forward at Cornell from 2010 to 2014, collecting 46 goals and 54 assist for 100 points in 131 NCAA games while helping the Big Red to six combined ECAC Hockey titles and four NCAA tournament berths, including two NCAA Frozen Fours. She then played three years professionally for the Calgary Inferno, notching 29-21—50 points in 63 outings.

Last month also saw two former NCAA women's forwards and college teammates named to the Hockey Hall of Fame, in Natalie Darwitz (Minnesota) and Krissy Wendell-Pohl (Minnesota). Both will be formally inducted in Toronto this November with the rest of the Class of 2024.

Darwitz, 40, from Eagan, Minn., scored 316 goals over four years playing for Eagan High School. At the University of Minnesota, she registered 102-144—246 points in three years, while also starring with the U.S Women's National Team, garnering five IIHF Women's World Championship silver medals, three Worlds gold medals, two Olympic silver medals and an Olympic bronze medal. She went on to work as an assistant college coach at her alma mater in two separate stints, sandwiched around a six-season tenure as head coach at Hamline University, and last year served as general manager with PWHL champion Minnesota.

Wendell-Pohl, 42, from Brooklyn Park, Minn., spent her women's scholastic career scoring 229 goals in 60 games over two years at Park Center High School. She then moved on to Minnesota, where in three seasons with the Golden Gophers she tallied 106-131—237 points while also serving as captain her junior year. Her trophy case with Team USA includes five IIHF World Championship silver medals, a Worlds gold medal, an Olympic silver medal and an Olympic bronze medal. Since 2021, she has served as an amateur scout with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Both Darwitz and Wendell-Pohl played at Minnesota from 2002 to 2005. In that span they helped the Golden Gophers to three NCAA tournament appearances, the first two national championships in program history, and four WCHA crowns.

Coaching Changes at NCAA Division I Level

College hockey will have a different look at several NCAA Division I men's schools next season.

Grant Potulny has stepped down at Northern Michigan University after seven seasons to pursue a professional hockey job. Potulny, 44, who scored the game-winning power-lay goal in overtime for Minnesota in the 2002 NCAA championship contest, guided the Wildcats to a 128-113-17 mark overall, including their transition from the WCHA to the new CCHA, as just the third head coach in program history. Following a five-year professional playing career, the Grand Forks, N.D. native served as an assistant coach at his alma mater from 2009 to 2017 before taking over at NMU. Athletic director and former head coach Rick Comley, who led the Wildcats to the 1991 NCAA title, will serve as interim head coach until Potulny's successor is selected.

Clarkson is also in the market for a new men's hockey head coach, as Casey Jones is returning to Cornell University as associate head coach for next season. He will then transition to head coach next summer, when Mike Schafer retires following the 2024-25 campaign after 30 years at the helm of the Big Red. 

Jones, 56, from Temiscaming, PQ compiled a 234-185-56 overall record at Clarkson over the past 13 years, while leading the Golden Knights to the 2019 ECAC Hockey playoff crown and two NCAA tournament berths. Prior to taking over at Clarkson, he served as an assistant or associate coach at Clarkson and Ohio State, a stretch that was bookended by two stints at his alma mater. He skated four years as a Big Red center (1986-1990), helping them to 62 wins overall.

Schafer, 61, from Durham, Ont., has overseen the Big Red since the 1995-96 season, accumulating an overall mark of 542-289-111. A former Cornell defenseman (1982-1986), he served four years as an assistant coach at his alma mater before moving on to Western Michigan for four more years. He then took over the Big Red and has since led it to 13 Ivy League crowns, six ECAC Hockey Cleary Cup regular-season titles, and six Whitelaw Cups as conference tournament champion, including this past season. Cornell has also qualified for 14 NCAA tournaments under Schafer's watch, including a berth in the 2003 NCAA Frozen Four.

Princeton Tabs Syer as New Men's Hockey Coach

Long-time ECAC Hockey assistant/associate head coach Ben Syer has been named the new head coach of the Princeton University men's ice hockey team. He becomes the 18th head coach in the history of the program, and succeeds Ron Fogarty, who helmed the Tigers over last 10 years.

A graduate of Western Ontario, Syer spent the last 12 years as an associate head coach at Cornell University, following one year as an assistant. He helped the Big Red to an ECAC Hockey tournament championship last year, its first Whitelaw Cup since 2010, while mentoring a defense that allowed a nation-low 1.86 goals per game. He also helped Cornell to seven NCAA tournament appearances, seven Ivy League crowns, and three ECAC Hockey regular-season titles in his 13 years in Ithaca, and posted a 13-6-4 record overall while serving as interim head coach on several occasions.

Prior to coaching at Cornell, Syer served nine seasons as an assistant coach at Quinnipiac University, the last two as associate head coach. In his tenure he helped the Bobcats in their move from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference/Atlantic Hockey to ECAC Hockey, and from the community-based Northford Ice Pavilion to the on-campus M&T Bank Arena. Quinnipiac won 151 games in all in his time in Hamden, while also posting a winning record each season and garnering two conference regular-season titles and one NCAA tournament berth.

A native of Kitchener, Ontario, Syer, 49, began his college coaching career at Ohio University (ACHA) while earning his master's degree. A first-time college head coach, he takes over a Tigers' team that finished 10-16-4 overall last season, and last qualified for the NCAAs in 2018.  

  

Day 3 of NCAA Regionals Finished

Two of the 2024 NCAA Division I men's hockey regionals are finished, and two national semifinal spots have been filled.

In Springfield, Mass. on Saturday, Denver rebounded from a one-goal deficit to edge Cornell, 2-1, at the MassMutual Center. Sam Harris' goal with four seconds left in the second period broke a 1-1 tie and stood up as the game-winner for DU (30-9-3 overall). The Pioneers, who avenged a regional loss to Cornell (22-7-6) from last year, are now headed to the NCAA Frozen Four for the second time in three seasons, and the fifth time in nine years. Matt Davis made 24 saves in net for DU, while Ian Shane had 16 stops for the Big Red in its season finale.

In Sioux Falls, S.D., yesterday, Boston University came back from two goals down early on to oust Minnesota, 6-3, at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. Macklin Celebrini set up three goals for the Terriers (28-9-2), who got goals from six different skaters and 25 stops from Mathieu Caron. Bryce Brodzinski notched a goal and an assist, and Justen Close made 32 saves for the Golden Gophers in their last game of the year. BU, which also got some payback for a Frozen Four loss to Minnesota (23-11-5) last spring in Tampa, will now face Denver in one of two Frozen Four semifinals on April 11 in St. Paul. 

The Providence and Maryland Heights, Mo., regionals conclude with their finals on Sunday, with those two winners also headed to Minnesota in two weeks' time for the Frozen Four.

Day 1 of 2024 NCAA Regionals Done

The first day of the 2024 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey championship is complete.

In Springfield, Mass., Tristan Broz scored the game-winning goal midway through the second overtime period and Matt Davis made a total of 46 saves as Denver edged a stubborn host UMass squad, 2-1. In the nightcap at the MassMutual Center, Sullivan Mack tallied twice and Ian Shane stopped 31 shots in all as Cornell ousted Maine, 3-1. Denver will now face off with Cornell in the regional final on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET (ESPN 2) for the opportunity to go to this year's Frozen Four.

In Sioux Falls, S.D., Boston University took its first step towards making the Frozen Four for the second straight season by besting RIT, 6-3, thanks to two assists apiece from Tom Willander, Devin Kaplan and Nick Zabaneh. The second game at the Denny Sanford Premier Center saw Jaxon Nelson notch back-to-back goals in the third period to lift Minnesota to a 3-2 decision over Omaha. BU will take on Minnesota on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU), in a rematch of a national semifinal from a year ago.

The Providence and Maryland Heights regionals begin play today.

Cornell's Daniel Wins 2024 Kazmaier Award

Izzy Daniel (Cornell) was honored last week as the 2024 winner of the Patty Kazmaier Award, which is bequeathed annually on the top player in NCAA Division I women's hockey. A native of Minneapolis, Daniels is the 27th winner of the award, the third one to hail from Minnesota, and the first Ivy League recipient since Sarah Vaillancourt (Harvard) in 2008.

A 5-foot-5 forward, Daniel led the Big Red in scoring this season with career highs of 21 goals and 38 assists for 59 points in 34 games overall, which placed her sixth among the top scorers in the nation. She began the 2023-24 campaign on a 14-game point-scoring streak, and ultimately posted 20 multiple-point outings on the year. 

Daniel also helped Cornell to a 25-8-1 overall record (17-5-0 ECAC Hockey), the Ivy League championship, and an NCAA tournament berth. Cornell's captain this season, she was also named Ivy League Player of the Year, and was a unanimous All-Ivy First Team selection. In four years in Ithaca, Daniel recorded 51-107—158 points in 125 appearances, and also tallied 11 power-play goals and four shorthanded goals in her collegiate career.

The award is named for former Princeton University hockey standout Patty Kazmaier, who passed away in 1990 at the age of 28 from a rare blood disorder.

2024 NCAA Women's D-I Championship Underway

The 2024 NCAA Division I women's hockey championship is underway. The field of 11 teams has been reduced to eight schools following three games on Thursday, including a pair of shutouts.

Sixth-seeded Cornell routed No. 11 Stonehill, 7-1, in Hamilton, N.Y., as Izzy Daniel scored one goal for the Big Red and set up three others. No. 7 St. Lawrence blanked No. 10 Penn State, 1-0, in Madison, Wis., as Kristina Bahl scored the only goal of the game in overtime, and Emma-Sofie Nordström stopped all 36 shots she faced for the Saints. Lastly, No. 8 Minnesota-Duluth outlasted No. 9 UConn, 1-0, in Columbus, Ohio, as Mannon McMahon connected in OT and Ève Gascon turned away 33 shots for the Bulldogs.

The tournament continues on Saturday as Cornell takes on No. 3 Colgate, St. Lawrence faces No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 4 Clarkson faces off with No. 5 Minnesota, and UMD squares off with top-seeded Ohio State. The four winners will advance to the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four in Durham, N.H. on March 22, with the national title game slated for March 24. Wisconsin is the defending national champion, having bested 2023 NCAA champion OSU last year in Duluth.

ADDENDUM: The 2024 Frozen Four is set. Ohio State will take on Clarkson in the early game on March 22 at 4 p.m. ET, while Wisconsin will face Colgate at 7:30 p.m. ET. Both contests will be televised live on ESPN+. The national final will be held two days later, at 4 p.m. ET, and will be shown live on ESPNU. 

Cornell Edges BU in 2023 Red Hot Hockey

This year's Red Hot Hockey showdown in Manhattan went to Cornell University once more.

The 16th-ranked Big Red outlasted longtime Eastern rival Boston University, 2-1, on Friday night before 15,289 on-lookers at Madison Square Garden. Ondrej Psenicka's first goal of the 2023-24 season, just over eight minutes into the third period, stood up as the game-winner, after Ryan Walsh had tied the contest for Cornell on a power play just under four minutes into the final frame. 

Doug Grimes scored BU's only goal, the first of his NCAA career, late in the second period to give the fifth-ranked Terriers the early lead. Ian Shane stopped 35 shots in net for Cornell (5-3-1 overall), while Mathieu Caron made 17 saves for BU (9-4-1). 

Cornell retains the Kelley-Harkness Cup, as the Big Red has now won four straight Red Hot Hockey matchups with the Terriers, in a competition that is now held every other year at MSG.

U.S. Wins 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship

The United States rules the women's hockey world once more—for now, at least.

Powered by a hat trick from Hillary Knight (Wisconsin), including her 100th career point in international play, the Americans upended host Canada, 6-3, on Sunday in the gold medal game of the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship in Brampton, Ont.

Brianne Jenner (Cornell) scored twice to helped stake Canada to a 3-2 lead after two periods, but Caroline Harvey (Wisconsin) tallied early in the third stanza to tie it before Knight connected twice to put the U.S. up, 5-3, with her first goal serving as both the game-winner and her 100th career international point. Cayla Barnes (Boston College) then closed out the scoring to lift Team USA to its 10th world title overall, and first since 2019. Either Canada or the U.S. has won gold in each of the 22 Women's World Championships contested to date.

Aerin Frankel (Northeastern) made 24 saves in goal for the Americans, while Ann-Renee Desbiens (Wisconsin) had 16 stops for the silver-medal Canadians. Desbiens was named the tournament's Best Goalie, while Harvey was tabbed as Best Defender and Sarah Fillier (Princeton) earned Best Forward accolades. Czechia won the bronze medal for the second straight year, after again defeating Switzerland.

Next year's Women's World Championship will be contested in Utica, N.Y.

Raymond Sawada 1985-2023

Former NCAA player Raymond Sawada (Cornell) died of an apparent heart attack during a recreational senior league game last week at home in Richmond, British Columbia. 

Sawada, 38, played four years at forward for Cornell (2004-2008), where he tallied 31 goals and 45 assists for 76 points 137 career games. He also helped the Big Red to two NCAA tournament berths, an ECAC Hockey regular-season championship, and an ECAC Hockey tournament title.

Drafted 52nd overall by the Dallas Stars in 2004 after playing junior hockey with Nanaimo (BCHL) and Richmond (PIJHL) in his home province, he had one goal in 11 career NHL games, all with Dallas. He also played with Iowa, Manitoba, Texas and St. John's in the American Hockey League in his pro career, along with Colorado (ECHL), Tappara in Finland, Belfast in Great Britain, and Oji in Japan before retiring in 2016.

Sawada was a married father of two who was serving as a firefighter in Burnaby, B.C. at the time of his passing. A Go Fund Me account to benefit family has been set up in his name at gofund.me/a4e1e229.

Canada Edges U.S. in Shootout at 2023 Women's Worlds

Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) and Amanda Kessel (Minnesota) scored in the last minute of regulation to force overtime, but the United States fell to host Canada, 4-3, in a shootout in a Group A round-robin match at the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship in Brampton, Ont.

Jamie Lee Rattray (Clarkson) tallied the decisive goal in the shootout in the ninth round, after Knight and Canada's Brianne Jenner (Cornell) had scored earlier on. Sarah Fillier (Princeton) notched a goal and an assist for Canada in regulation, while Taylor Heise (Minnesota) set up two goals for the Americans (3-1-0). Aerin Frankel (Northeastern) stopped 33 shots in regulation for the U.S. in goal, while Ann-Renée Desbiens (Wisconsin) finished with 26 saves for Canada (3-0-1).

Both teams have advanced to the quarterfinal round that begins on Thursday.

BU, Minnesota Punch Tickets to 2023 Men's Frozen Four

Two spots in the 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Frozen Four have been filled.

Boston University edged Cornell, 2-1, today in the Manchester (N.H.) Regional final at SNHU Arena. Ethan Phillips' goal in the third period, his second score of the regional after a two-goal regular season, stood up as the game-winner as the Terriers advanced to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2015. Wilmer Skoog also scored for BU (29-10-0 overall), which has now won nine straight games. Ian Shane made 19 saves for Cornell in defeat, as the Big Red finished the season at 21-11-2.

Top-ranked Minnesota ousted in-state rival St. Cloud State, 4-1, tonight in the Fargo (N.D.) Regional final at Scheels Arena. Logan Cooley, Jackson LaCombe and Jaxon Nelson each posted a goal and assist for the victorious Golden Gophers (28-9-1), who are headed back to the national semifinals for the second straight season. SCSU goaltender Jaxon Castor made 26 stops for the Huskies (25-13-3). 

The last two places in the Frozen Four will be filled in after Sunday's contests. Ohio State faces Quinnipiac in the Bridgeport (Conn.) Regional final at 2 p.m. ET, while host Penn State will battle Big Ten rival Michigan in the Allentown (Pa.) regional final at 6:30 p.m. ET Both contests will be televised live on ESPN2.

Day One of 2023 NCAA Men's Regionals Done

The first day of the 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Regionals is in the books, and the biggest takeaway after the opening four games is that there will be a new national champion this season.

Cornell goaltender Ian Shane stopped all 27 shots he faced, and Jack O' Leary had a goal and an assist as the Big Red ousted defending NCAA champion Denver in Manchester, N.H. In the earlier game at SNHU Arena, Boston University upended Western Michigan, 5-1, behind a goal and two assists from Ethan Phillips. Cornell and the Terriers will face off in the regional final on Saturday.

St. Cloud State blanked last year's national runner-up, Minnesota State, by a 4-0 count in the matinee game in Fargo, N.D. Grant Cruikshank and Veeti Miettinen each scored a goal and set up another for the Huskies, who also got 34 stops from Jaxon Castor. In the nightcap at Scheels Arena, No. 1 overall seed Minnesota overcame an early one-goal deficit with eight unanswered scores in a 9-2 rout of Canisius. Bryce Brodzinski tallied three goals and an assist for the Golden Gophers, who will now meet SCSU on Saturday to determine who will head to the NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa next month.

The Allentown (Colgate-Michigan-Michigan Tech-Penn State) and Bridgeport (Harvard-Ohio State-Merrimack-Quinnipiac) regionals get underway on Saturday.

NCAA Highlights for Thanskgiving 2022

 

It was quite a Thanksgiving weekend in NCAA Division I men's hockey ...

- Cornell blanked UConn, 6-0, at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday night in its semi-annual Frozen Apple game in Manhattan. Dalton Bancroft scored three goals and Ian Shane stopped all 27 shots he faced for the victorious Big Red.

- No. 9 Harvard (7-1-1 overall) became the last NCAA Division I men's team to suffer a loss this season, a 4-1 setback at No. 5 Michigan on Saturday. The two schools played to a 4-4 tie the night before in Ann Arbor.

- LIU earned its first-ever victory against a ranked opponent with a 3-2 triumph over visiting No. 12 Ohio State on Friday. Former Michigan State forward Adam Goodsir tallied the game-winning goal in the third period, although OSU rebounded for a 4-1 win the next night to salvage a split.

- Speaking of Michigan State, the No. 16 Spartans swept former CCHA foe Miami by 5-3 and 4-0 counts in Oxford, Ohio. Dylan St. Cyr stopped 69 shots on the weekend for MSU, including 39 saves in the shutout victory.

- No. 2 Minnesota and Arizona State split a series at the latter's brand-new Mullet Arena in Tempe. Minnesota won the opener, 3-2, as Logan Cooley set up one goal and then scored the game-winner for the Golden Gophers. The host Sun Devils responded the following evening with a 6-5 victory in overtime as former Boston University forward Robert Mastrosimone connected in the extra session.

- Two teams of Tigers split a non-conference series in Rochester, N.Y. RIT defeated visiting Princeton, 5-3, on Friday as Carter Wilkie scored twice and assisted on another goal for the hosts. Princeton came back the next night to record a 5-0 shutout win behind 23 saves from Ethan Pearson.

- Last but not least, defending NCAA champion Denver (10-4-0 overall) retained the top spot in the DCU/USCHO Division I Men's Poll this week, after a series split with Omaha. The visiting Mavericks won, 3-0, the first night on Jake Kucharski's 22 saves before host DU came back with a 6-3 triumph on Saturday.