Michigan Tech Claims 57th GLI

Michigan Tech claimed the 2023 Great Lakes Invitational last night with a 4-3 win over seventh-ranked Michigan State in Grand Rapids, Mich. The game goes down as an official 3-3 tie for NCAA tournament purposes, but the Huskies won the 57th GLI in a shootout. 

Jack Works tallied a hat trick in regulation for MTU, and also earned tournament MVP accolades. Ryland Mosley notched the only goal in the extra session after a scoreless overtime period, while Blake Pietila stopped a career-high 54 shots for the Huskies

Alaska Fairbanks won the consolation game, 3-2, over Ferris State earlier yesterday. In the preliminary round on Thursday at Van Andel Arena, MTU edged UAF, 3-2, in overtime while MSU upended Ferris, 4-1.

The GLI, which originated in Detroit, will play in Grand Rapids through 2026. Next year's edition will feature MSU, MTU, Northern Michigan and Western Michigan.

Guentzel, Penguins Go Up Two Games to None

Jake Guentzel (Nebraska-Omaha) scored his second and third goals of the series, and Chris Kunitz (Ferris State) again had two assists as the Pittsburgh Penguins routed the Nashville Predators, 4-1, on Wednesday night in Game Two of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final.

Guentzel's goal off a long rebound came 10 seconds into the third period, and also broke a 1-1 tie while keying a three-goal third period for the host Penguins. Guentzel, who now has a record 12 goals in the playoffs by an NHL rookie from the United States, also notched the game-winner Monday in Pittsburgh's 5-3 triumph.

Bryan Rust (Notre Dame) and Ron Hainsey (UMass Lowell) assisted on Guentzel's game-winner Wednesday, before Scott Wilson (UMass Lowell) scored to put Pittsburgh up, 3-1. A fifth Penguins goal was called back on an offside infraction. Conor Sheary (Massachusetts) and Phil Kessel (Minnesota) also had third-period assists as the Penguins took a 2-0 series lead despite being outshot, 38-27, for the second straight contest.

Game Three is set for Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN) at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

BC's Kreider Makes NHL Debut in Playoffs

The wait is finally over for Chris Kreider.

The 6'3'', 225-pound winger from Boxford, Mass., who just won his second national championship with Boston College only nine days ago, made his NHL debut tonight in the New York Rangers 1-0 playoff victory over the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in Kanata, Ont.

Kreider skated 13 shifts in all, logging just over 11 minutes of ice time and recording one shot on goal and one hit while wearing jersey No. 20. Brian Boyle, a 2007 BC alumnus, scored the only goal of the game in the third period to give the Rangers a 2-1 first-round series lead.

Kreider is no stranger to skating alongside NHL players. He represented the U.S. at the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World Championships as the lone college player on the American squad.

Drafted 19th overall by the Rangers in 2009 out of Phillips Andover Academy, and long touted to join the Blueshirts' ranks, Kreider, 21, signed with New York shortly after BC beat Ferris State in the NCAA title game in Tampa, Florida on April 7.

He led the Eagles in scoring this past season with 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points, all career high numbers for him. He tallied 50-43—93 points in 114 career college games over three seasons, and also collected 137 penalty minutes.

Kreider also helped BC to the 2008 NCAA title over Wisconsin at Ford Field in Detroit as a freshman, and had a goal in the championship game. He posted a goal and an assist in the Eagles' 6-1 triumph over Minnesota in this year's Frozen Four semifinals for the final points of his college career, and also scored both BC goals in a 2-0 regional semifinal victory over Air Force.

Now he'll be seeking to do the same in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

WCHA to Absorb CCHA Teams

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association extended invitations to the remaining Central Collegiate Hockey Association schools this week, and three have already accepted - Alaska (Fairbanks), Ferris State, and Lake Superior State.

http://www.uscho.com/2011/08/26/ferris-state-the-latest-to-accept-wcha-invitation-bgsu-still-undecided/

The Nanooks, Bulldogs and Lakers will all join the "new" WCHA in 2013-14 and play against Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State, and St. Cloud State. Northern Michigan previously rejoined the WCHA earlier this summer after spending the last 15 seasons in the CCHA. Colorado College, Denver, North Dakota, Minnesota-Duluth and former CCHA member Nebraska-Omaha are all leaving the WCHA to help make up the nascent National College Hockey Conference.

Bowling Green is undecided so far about joining the WCHA, while Notre Dame and Western Michigan still seem to be weighing joining the NCHC, which also boasts current CCHA member Miami. That league will begin play two years from now, at the same time that CCHA schools Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State begin formal play in the Big Ten along with WCHA schools Minnesota and Wisconsin, and varsity newcomer Penn State.

It's still not known where current independent Alabama-Huntsville will wind up; but all these moves will definitely spell the end of the CCHA, which got its start back in 1971 with Bowling Green, Ohio, Ohio State and St. Louis. The league has crowned eight national champions since 1984, but will pass into memory after two more seasons.