Hastings Leaves MSU for Wisconsin

Longtime Minnesota State men's hockey coach Mike Hastings has been named the new head coach at Wisconsin. The St. Cloud State alumnus takes over the reins from Tony Granato, who was let go earlier this month by the Badgers.

Originally from Eugene, Ore. Hastings coached his final game at MSU in the Mavericks' 4-0 loss to St. Cloud in the 2023 NCAA Fargo Regional on March 23. Last season he took MSU to its first-ever NCAA Division I national title game, where the Mavs fell to Denver, 5-1, in Boston.

In 11 seasons at the MSU helm, Hastings, 57, compiled a record of 299-109-25, all with at least 21 victories, and also guided the Mavericks to nine NCAA tournament berths. They also won six WCHA regular-season and three WCHA tournament crowns under his tutelage, along with two of each title in the new CCHA that began play in 2021-22. He earned the Spencer Penrose Trophy three times as the top men's hockey head coach in NCAA Division I, including these last two seasons.

Prior to taking the top jab in Mankato, Hastings served as the coach and general manager of the USHL's Omaha/River City Lancers from 1994 to 2008, where he was named USHL General Manager of the Year on five occasions. He then rejoined the college ranks, and served one season as an assistant coach with Minnesota, and three years as the associate head coach at Nebraska-Omaha, before moving on to MSU in 2012.

Wisconsin finished 13-23 overall this season, and was last in the Big Ten with a 6-18 conference mark.

2023 Hobey Hat Trick Announced

The three finalists for the 2023 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey have been announced. All three candidates in the Hobey Hat Trick are forwards from the Big Ten Conference, and all three will play in the NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa next week in search of a national championship.

Logan Cooley (Minnesota), a freshman from Pittsburgh, ranks second in the NCAA with 57 points, on 20 goals and 37 assists through 37 games, and leads the nation with a plus-37 plus-minus rating. Selected third overall by Arizona in the 2022 NHL Draft, Cooley, 18, helped Minnesota to its second straight Big Ten regular-season title this year, and posted a goal and four assists in the Fargo (N.D.) Regional won by the Golden Gophers last weekend.

Adam Fantilli (Michigan), a freshman from Nobleton, Ont., leads the nation in scoring with 64 points, and is second with 29 goals in 35 games. He helped Michigan to its second  straight Big Ten tournament title earlier this month, and had two goals and an assist in two games as the Wolverines won the Allentown (Pa.) Regional last weekend. Fantilli, 18, is eligible for this summer's NHL Draft.

Matthew Knies (Minnesota), a sophomore from Phoenix, has notched 21-20--41 points through 38 contests this season.  Drafted 57th overall by Toronto in 2021, Knies, 20, has put up 36-38—74 points in 71 total outings so far with the Golden Gophers.

The Hobey Baker Award will be presented to this year's winner on April 7, between the NCAA semifinals and the national title game. Michigan faces Quinnipiac in the first game on April 6 at 5 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena, followed by Minnesota versus Boston University. The two semifinal winners will meet on April 8 for the NCAA championship.

Michigan, Quinnipiac Make 2023 Frozen Four

The final two spots in the 2023 NCAA Men's Division I Frozen Four have been claimed by second-ranked Michigan and No. 3 Quinnipiac. Both schools won their regional finals on Sunday to advance to the national semifinals in Florida early next month.

Michigan outlasted Big Ten rival Penn State, 2-1, as Mackie Samoskevich scored 52 seconds into overtime before a sold-out crowd of 8,375 in Allentown, Pa. Hobey Baker Award finalist Adam Fantilli tied the game with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation for the Wolverines, after No. 11 Penn State took a late second-period lead on a power-play tally by Connor MacEachern. Liam Souliere finished with 41 saves for the Nittany Lions, while Erik Portillo made 31 stops for Michigan, which advanced to its second straight Frozen Four and record 27th all-time. 

Quinnipiac advanced to its third Frozen Four ever, and first since 2016 (also in Tampa), by besting Ohio State, 4-1, in Bridgeport, Conn. After the eighth-ranked Buckeyes took an early lead, the Bobcats responded with four unanswered goals, with Skyler Brind'Amour notching the game-winner and Christophe Fillion posting a goal and an assist. Hobey Baker Award finalist Yaniv Perets made 34 saves for Quinnipiac, which blanked OSU on four power plays.  

Michigan and Quinnipiac will meet in the late NCAA semifinal at Amalie Arena in Tampa around 8:30 p.m. ET on April 6, a rematch of last year's Allentown regional final that was won by the Wolverines. The first semifinal at 5 p.m. ET that afternoon will feature old foes Boston University and Minnesota, with the two semifinal winners advancing to the national title game at 8 p.m. two nights later. All three games are scheduled to be televised on ESPN2.

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.

Four Games, Four Routs on 2nd Day of NCAA Regionals

Four teams won in the NCAA Division I men's ice hockey regionals on Friday—and none of the games were even close on the scoreboard.

In Manchester, Ohio State annihilated Harvard by an 8-1 score, as Cam Thiesing notched two goals and an assist, and Jake Wise set up four goals for the Buckeyes. In the nightcap in New Hampshire, Quinnipiac blanked Merrimack, 5-0, as Jacob Quillan scored twice, Sam Lipkin had three points, and Yaniv Perets stopped all 15 shots he faced for the shutout. Ohio State will face Quinnipiac in the regional final on Sunday afternoon.

In Allentown, host Penn State cruised to an 8-0 victory over Michigan Tech, as Liam Souliere earned the shutout on 24 stops. A total of seven Nittany Lion skaters registered two points each, including leading goal scorer Kevin Wall. In the late game in Pennsylvania, Michigan used seven second-period scores to rout Colgate, 11-1. Luke Hughes led the way for the Wolverines with two goals and three assists for five points, while T.J. Hughes and Seamus Casey set up three goals apiece. Michigan meets Big Ten rival Penn State Sunday night for the right to go to the NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa next month.

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.

2023 NCAA Men's Hockey Regionals Revealed

The pairings are set for the regionals of the 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Championship, with faceoff time (Eastern) and TV network listed after each pairing:

SCHEELS Arena (Fargo, N.D.)

Thursday, March 23

St. Cloud State vs. Minnesota State, 5 p.m., ESPNU

Minnesota vs. Canisius, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Regional Final: Saturday, March 25, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU

SNHU Arena (Manchester, N.H.)

Thursday, March 23

Boston University vs. Western Michigan, 2 p.m., ESPN 2

Denver vs. Cornell, 5:30 p.m., ESPNews

Regional Final: Saturday, March 25, 4 p.m., ESPNU

PPL Center (Allentown, Pa.) 

Friday, March 24

Penn State vs. Michigan Tech, 5 p.m., ESPNU

Michigan vs. Colgate, 8:30 p.m., ESPNU

Regional Final: Sunday, March 26, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2

Total Mortgage Arena (Bridgeport, Conn.) 

Friday, March 24

Quinnipiac vs. Merrimack, 5:30 p.m., ESPNews 

Harvard vs. Ohio State, 2 p.m. ESPNU

Regional Final: Sunday, March 26, 4 p.m., ESPN2

The regional semifinal winners from the first day of competition will meet in the regional final at each site two days later. 

The four regional winners will advance to the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals in Tampa on April 6 (5 p.m./8:30 p.m. ESPN 2), with the Fargo winner facing the Manchester winner, and the Allentown victor facing the Bridgeport victor. The semifinal winners will then meet on April 8 (8 p.m. ESPN2) for the national title.

Wisconsin Wins 2023 NCAA Women's Hockey National Title

A first-period goal by Kirsten Simms stood up as the game-winner on Sunday as the University of Wisconsin claimed its record seventh NCAA Division I women's ice hockey national title with a 1-0 victory over defending champion Ohio State University.

Simms' wrist shot high to the stick side 13:28 into the contest, assisted by Claire Enright, was all the scoring the Badgers needed before 3.940 on-lookers at Amsoil Arena in Duluth, Minn. Wisconsin goaltender Cami Kronish made 31 saves for the shutout, earning her Most Outstanding Player accolades for the 2023 NCAA Frozen Four. Amanda Thiele made 21 stops for the Buckeyes, who won their first-ever NCAA title last season and were seeking to become the first repeat national champion since Clarkson in 2017-2018.

The title marked Wisconsin's seventh national championship overall, breaking a tie with another WCHA rival in Minnesota, whom the Badgers bested in overtime in this year's national semifinals on St. Patrick's Day. All seven crowns have come under the tutelage of head coach Mark Johnson, a Wisconsin alumnus, 1980 U.S. Olympic gold medalist, and retired NHL player. Wisconsin also has three national titles in the last four seasons, winning in 2019 and 2021, while the 2020 championship was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

2023 NCAA Hockey Selection Sunday

The field appears to be set for the 2023 NCAA Division I men's hockey championship.

The following schools earned automatic bids by winning their conference championship games on Saturday:

Atlantic Hockey: Canisius

Big Ten: Michigan

CCHA: Minnesota State

ECAC Hockey: Colgate

Hockey East: Boston University

NCHC: St. Cloud State

Holy Cross (Atlantic Hockey), Northern Michigan (CCHA) and Colorado College (NCHC) were eliminated from NCAA contention with championship game losses. All three needed to win their conference to gain an automatic NCAA berth.

Judging by the Pairwise Rankings, the following schools will receive at-large berths: Minnesota, Quinnipiac, Denver, Harvard, Penn State, Western Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan Tech, Cornell and Merrimack. Alaska (Fairbanks) was in the running for an at-large berth as an independent school, but was ousted by Colgate's victory.

The NCAA selection show is today at 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU), with four-team regionals to be contested in Allentown, Bridgeport, Fargo and Manchester from March 23-26. The only regional host school in the mix is Penn State, which must be placed in Allentown.

The four regional winners advance to the NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa on April 6.

Ohio State's Jaques Wins 2023 Kazmaier Award

Ohio State senior blueliner Sophie Jaques has been named the 2023 Patty Kazmaier Award winner, emblematic of the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey. She is the first Buckeye ever to win the award, now in its 26th year. Other finalists this year were fifth-year forward Alina Müller (Northeastern) and senior forward Danielle Serdachny (Colgate).

Jaques, 22, from Toronto, posted 24 goals and 24 assists for 48 points in 40 games this season, placing her second on the Buckeye scoring scroll behind teammate Jennifer Gardner. Nine of Jaques' goals came on the power play, while she also posted a plus-37 plus-minus rating and just 14 penalty minutes as the Buckeyes won their first-ever WCHA regular-season title. 

For her five-year career, Jaques has collected 61-95⁠—156 points in 171 outings to go with 50 PIM and a plus-112. She has also led the Buckeyes to four NCAA tournament berths, two WCHA tournament titles, and last year's national title, the first in team history, when OSU bested WCHA rival Minnesota-Duluth, 3-2, in State College, Pa.

OSU (33-5-2 overall) will try to defend its NCAA title on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET (ESPNU) in the national championship game in Duluth, Minn. against WCHA rival Wisconsin. The Buckeyes advanced to the national crown contest with a 3-0 victory over Northeastern in the semifinals on St. Patrick's Day, while Wisconsin (28-10-2) edged Minnesota, 3-2, in overtime.

2023 Conference Championship Matchups Set for Saturday

The championship games are set for Saturday for the six NCAA Division I men's hockey conferences:

Atlantic Hockey: Holy Cross @ Canisius

Big Ten: Michigan @ Minnesota

CCHA: Northern Michigan @ Minnesota State

ECAC Hockey: Colgate vs. Harvard (Lake Placid, NY)

Hockey East: Merrimack vs. Boston University (Boston, MA)

NCHC: Colorado College vs. St. Cloud State (St. Paul, MN)

The winners of those contests will each earn an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA tournament that will begin on March 23-24.

Five of the six semifinal games contested on St. Patrick's Day were decided in overtime, as Colgate, Harvard, Merrimack, BU and St. Cloud all advanced in extra time, with SCSU netminder Jaxon Castor (above) making 23 saves for the Huskies in victory. Colorado College scored the only goal of the game in its meeting with Denver. 

Losses on Friday by North Dakota, Providence and UMass Lowell essentially eliminated them all from NCAA tournament consideration, while Cornell, Denver and Quinnipiac remain alive for at-large berths.

2023 Hobey Baker Finalists Announced

The 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award for the 2022-23 season have been announced.

Logan Cooley, Fr., F, Minnesota

Adam Fantilli, Fr. F, Michigan

Sean Farrell, Jr. F, Harvard

Collin Graf. Fr., F, Quinnipiac

Lane Hutson, Fr., D, Boston University 

Matthew Knies, So. F, Minnesota

Devon Levi, Jr. G, Northeastern

Yaniv Perets, Jr., G, Quinnipiac

Blake Pietila, Sr., G, Michigan Tech

Jason Polin, Sr., F, Western Michigan

Named for the early 20th century Princeton University star, and presented since 1981, the Hobey Baker Award is bestowed upon the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey. This year's award will be presented to the winner on April 7, during the NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa.

More NCAA Division I Schools End 2022-23 Seasons

Nearly a dozen NCAA Division I men's hockey schools saw their 2022-23 seasons end with playoff losses on Saturday:

- Boston College

- Clarkson

- Connecticut

- Ferris State

- Miami

- Michigan State

- Northeastern

- Princeton

- St. Lawrence

- Vermont

- Yale

Independent schools Arizona State, Alaska Anchorage, Lindenwood and Long Island all completed their seasons on Saturday as well. 

There will be two deciding games in best-of-three conference series today, two in Atlantic Hockey and two in the NCHC:

- Holy Cross @ No. 20 RIT; Niagara @ Canisius 

- Minnesota Duluth @ No. 8 St. Cloud; North Dakota @ Omaha

Conference championships will be decided on March 18, with NCAA tournament bids announced the following day. NCAA regionals will be contested on March 23-26, with the 2023 NCAA Frozen Four set for April 6-8 in Tampa.

Granato Out at Wisconsin

The Tony Granato head coaching era has ended at Wisconsin.

The former Badger captain was let go Monday after seven seasons at the helm of the men's team, in which he compiled a 105-129-16 record, including a 13-23-0 mark this season. The Badgers were recently eliminated from the 2023 Big Ten tournament in the first round by Michigan to end the campaign. Granato had previously led Wisconsin to the Big Ten regular-season title and an NCAA tournament berth in 2021.

Granato, 58, skated at forward for the Badgers from 1983 to 1987, where he registered 100 goals and 120 assists for 220 points and 242 penalty minutes in 152 outings. He was also a two-time NCAA Second Team All-America selection. 

A member of the 1987-88 U.S. Olympic Team who also played in three World Championships while still in college, Granato went on to a 13-year NHL playing career with the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks in which he complied 248-244—492 points and 1,425 PIM in 773 regular-season appearances, while adding 16-27—43 points and 141 PIM in 79 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.

Part of the famed Granato hockey family from Downer's Grove, Ill., Granato entered the NHL coaching ranks in 2002-03 with the Colorado Avalanche, where he served as both assistant and head coach. He also served as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings before taking the top job at Wisconsin in 2016.

The Badgers are expected to conduct a national search for his successor.

MSU, UAF, BC and Princeton All Still Playing

Michigan State won its first-ever Big Ten playoff series, ousting host Notre Dame last weekend with two 4-2 wins in their best-of-three series following a one-goal loss. The Spartans (18-17-2 overall) will now face top-seeded Minnesota on Saturday in an elimination semifinal.

Alaska (Fairbanks) kept its NCAA tournament hopes alive by sweeping fellow independent Lindenwood, 4-1 and 8-0, to close out the regular season. The Nanooks (22-10-2) are 13th in the Pairwise Rankings.

Boston College dropped its regular-season finale at UConn, 6-5. The Eagles (13-15-6) will host UMass in a single-elimination Hockey East contest this Wednesday.

Princeton (13-17-0) eliminated Union, 6-4, in their winner-take-all ECAC Hockey first-round contest on Saturday. The Tigers will now visit Harvard this weekend in a best-of-three quarterfinal series.