Princeton Endows Men's Hockey Coach Position

Princeton University recently announced that it has endowed the men's hockey head coaching position. 

According to goprincetontigers.com, a group of alumni have made gifts that will endow the position in honor of Hobart Amory Hare “Hobey” Baker, the former early 20th century Princeton hockey star for whom Princeton's Hobey Baker Memorial Rink is named, along with the Hobey Baker Memorial Award that is annually bestowed upon the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey.

Hockey alumni contributors to the endowment include Gavin Colquhoun ’95, Craig Dahl ’77, Rob Engel ’86, John Hepburn ’72, David Johnson ’78, David Kelley ’79, Kris Kollevoll ’77, Dan Maze ’90, Chris Mitchell ’93, Robin Pierson ’78, Mike Pritula ’78, Frank Techar ’78, Bill Tresham ’78, John Van Siclen ’78 and Philip Webster ’68.

Princeton and head coach Ben Syer went 18-13-3 overall in the 2025-26 season, including an 11-9-2 mark in ECAC Hockey play to finish fourth in the conference standings. The Tigers also set a program record by finishing 14-2-1 at home, and came within an overtime goal of both an ECAC hockey championship and the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2018. 

2025 Hobey Baker and Other Award Winners Announced

Isaac Howard (Michigan State) is the winner of the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey. He is the third Spartan all-time to win the award, following Kip Miller (1990) and Ryan Miller (2001). 

A native of Hudson, Wisc., Howard, 21, led MSU in scoring as a junior this season with 26 goals and 26 assists for 52 points in 37 games, while helping the Spartans to both the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles for the second straight year. A 5-foot-11, 190-pound left wing, he had earlier been named as the 2024-25 Big Ten Player of the Year.

Other college hockey award winners announced on Friday at the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Louis:

Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award

Jacob Truscott, Gr., D (Michigan)

Hobey Baker Legend of College Hockey

Dick Umile (New Hampshire)

Hockey Humanitarian Award

Sarah Thompson, Gr., D (St. Lawrence)

Mike Richter Award (Best Goaltender)

Jacob Fowler, So., G (Boston College)

Tim Taylor Award (Top Rookie)

Cole Hutson, Fr., D (Boston University)

In addition, the American Hockey Coaches association released its selections of the 2024-25 CCM/AHCA Hockey Division I All-Americans, with 24 players representing 16 different schools. 

2024 Hobey Baker Finalists Announced

The 10 finalists for the 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey have been announced:

F Jackson Blake, So., North Dakota (21-36—57)

F Macklin Celebrini, Fr., Boston University (30-25—55)

F Jack Devine, Jr., Denver (27-27—54)

F Cutter Gauthier, So., Boston College (32-20—52)

F Collin Graf, Jr., Quinnipiac (22-26—48)

D Lane Hutson, So., Boston University (12-32—44)

G Kyle McLellan, Sr., Wisconsin (24-11-1, 1.92, .931, 7 ShO)

F Liam McLinskey, Jr., Holy Cross (19-28—47)

F Sam Morton, Gr., Minnesota State (24-10—34) 

F Will Smith, Fr., Boston College (18-40—54)

(Statistics listed are goals-assists-points for D/F; and season record, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts for G)

This year's winner will be announced at the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn, on April 12. Last year's winner was freshman forward Adam Fantilli (Michigan), who is now with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.

Princeton Edges Army West Point, 4-3, in OT

Adam Robbins' goal with 27 seconds remaining in three-on-three overtime was the game-winner, as Princeton edged visiting Army West Point, 4-3, in a non-conference contest on Monday night at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink. 

Army's Joey Baez had tied the game with just five seconds remaining in regulation, with goaltender Gavin Abric (25 saves) pulled for an extra attacker, before Robbins won it. Princeton's Ethan Pearson finished with 27 stops, including a spectacular diving glove save on a 2-on-1 rush to keep the host Tigers ahead at the time by a goal.

Princeton's Kevin Anderson opened the scoring early in the first period with his first career NCAA goal, before Brent Keefer tied it less than five minutes later. Jack Cronin connected on a power play late just four seconds before the first intermission to put the Tigers back on top, before Rick Lyle tied it again early in the second stanza for the Black Knights (7-18-1 overall). Kai Daniels then scored on a partial breakaway less than four minutes later to make it 3-2 for Princeton (7-11-2), and the score remained unchanged until Baez tied it on a one-timer from the left circle with time winding down.

Princeton defenseman Noah de la Durantaye finished with two assists, as did Army blueliner Mac Gadowsky, son of former Princeton and current Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky. The Black Knights outshot the Tigers, 30-29, but finished 1-for-7 on the power play. Princeton, which snapped a six-game losing streak with the victory, went 1-for-2 with the man advantage.

Michigan's Fantilli Wins Hobey Baker Award

Freshman forward Adam Fantilli (Michigan) is the winner of the 2023 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey.

Fantilli, 18, from Nobleton, Ont., led all Division I skaters with 65 points this season, and tied for the national lead with 30 goals while finishing fourth with 35 assists. He is the first player from Michigan to win the Hobey Baker Award since 2008, the third Wolverine ever to do so, and the third freshman overall to be so honored since the award's inception in 1981. He also tallied at least one point in 33 of the 36 games he played this year.

The 6-foot-2 Fantilli, who is eligible for this year's NHL Draft, scored Michigan's final goal of the 2022-23 season in its 5-2 NCAA Frozen Four semifinal loss to Quinnipiac in Tampa on Thursday night. He finished the campaign on a seven-game point-scoring streak, in which he recorded 10 goals and five assists for 15 points, while helping the Wolverines to a 26-12-3 overall record, the Big Ten tournament title, and the NCAA Allentown (Pa.) Regional championship.

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.

Princeton's Hobey Baker Rink Celebrates 100 Years

Princeton University certainly made famed alumnus Hobey Baker proud⁠—and Patty Kazmaier, also.

On the weekend where Princeton's venerable Hobey Baker Rink was celebrated for the passage of a century since the facility first opened its doors on Jan. 5, 1923, the Tigers men's and women's hockey teams combined for three wins in four games against ECAC Hockey/Ivy League opponents Dartmouth and Harvard. 

On Saturday, the Stanley Cup was on display at a fan fest held outside the arena. Also in attendance were the Hobey Baker Award and the Patty Kazmaier Award, both named for Princeton hockey alumni, and annually awarded to the top NCAA Division I men's and women's player in the nation, respectively. 

The Princeton women blanked Harvard, 3-0, Saturday afternoon behind Taylor Hyland's 32 saves and Issy Wunder's two goals, in front of 1,544 spectators. The men's team topped Dartmouth, 4-2, that night before 2,300 on-lookers as Ian Murphy scored twice, Nick Seitz notched the game-winning goal shorthanded, and Ethan Pearson made 22 stops. The ceremonial opening faceoff for the men's game against Dartmouth was conducted with Princeton athletic director/alumnus John Mack and U.S. Army General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a Princeton hockey alumnus. Fellow Tiger hockey alumni 

George Parros and Kevin Westgarth appeared Saturday night with the Stanley Cup, with Parros having won it in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks and Westgarth in 2012 with the Los Angeles Kings. Many other Princeton hockey men's and women's alumni were in attendance over the weekend, with the men's program dating back to 1900 and the women's program having begun in 1979.

Friday afternoon saw head coach Cara Morey's Tiger women topple Dartmouth, 5-2, as Annie Kuehl tallied two goals and Jennifer Olnowich made 15 saves in net. Ron Fogarty's The Tiger men saw a three-goal lead evaporate later that night in a 4-3 overtime setback to 10th-ranked Harvard, despite 37 saves by Pearson. Princeton's Adam Robbins made ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 highlights list with his penalty-shot goal.

The Princeton women (8-7-1 overall, 5-5-0 ECAC) return to action this weekend at Cornell and Colgate, while the Princeton men (8-9-0, 6-7-0) will host independent LIU on Friday and No. 11 Providence on Jan. 17.

Denver, MSU Advance to 2022 NCAA Title Game

The Big Ten Conference got two teams to this year's men's Frozen Four, but neither will appear in the 2022 NCAA Division I title game at TD Garden in Boston. 

Denver outlasted top-seeded Michigan, 3-2, tonight as Carter Savoie followed up his own rebound with just over five minutes remaining in the first overtime period to send the Pioneers (30-9-1 overall) to their first national title game since 2017. Michigan, which featured 13 NHL draft choices on its roster, including seven first-round selections, closed its campaign at 31-10-1.

In the nightcap, Minnesota State surrendered an early goal to in-state rival Minnesota, but then roared back with five scores of its own over the last 40 minutes as the Mavericks advanced to their first-ever NCAA championship game with a 5-1 win. Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist Dryden McKay made 16 stops for the victorious Mavericks (38-5-0), who have now won 18 straight contests this season. Minnesota ends its year at 26-13-0.

DU, from the NCHC, and MSU, from the new CCHA, will now meet on Saturday night in Boston (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2) in the final NCAA game of the season to see who will lift the national champion trophy.

2022 Hobey Hat Trick Announced

The Hobey Hat Trick for the top individual honor in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey has been announced—and all three finalists not only hail from the state of Minnesota, but will also be vying for a national championship in Boston next week.

Bobby Brink, a junior forward from the University of Denver, is currently the leading scorer for both the Pioneers and the nation. In 39 games so far this season with DU, the Minnetonka, Minn. native has recorded 14 goals and a nation-best 42 assists for 56 points. Denver will next face Michigan on April 7 in the first NCAA Frozen Four semifinal.

Dryden McKay, a graduate student in his fifth season overall at Minnesota State University, is the nation's top goaltender with a record of 37-4-0 in 41 games and over 2442 minutes played this winter. The Downers Grove, Ill. native has also posted a 1.28 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage while collecting 10 shutouts.

Rounding out the trio is University of Minnesota junior forward Ben Meyers, who also played briefly with the U.S. Olympic men's team in China earlier this year. The Delano, Minn. native has registered 17 goals and 24 assists for 41 points through 33 outings to date, and along with the rest of the Golden Gophers will face McKay and the Mavericks in the second NCAA semifinal game next week.

Brink, McKay and Meyers are the last three players left from a preliminary list of top 10 Hobey finalists that also included: forward Matty Beniers (Michigan); forward Brian Halonen (Michigan Tech); defenseman Luke Hughes (Michigan); goaltender Devon Levi (Northeastern); goaltender Yaniv Perets (Quinnipiac); forward Nathan Smith (Minnesota State) and; forward Bobby Trivigno (Massachusetts). All 10 players also participated in this year's NCAA tournament.

The 2022 Hobey Baker Memorial Award for the nation's top player will be bestowed upon the winner on April 8, the day between the national semifinals and the national title game. University of Minnesota senior forward Taylor Heise won the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Award earlier this month as the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey.

NCAA Hockey 2021 Major Award Winners Announced

NCAA Hockey's major award winners for the 2020-21 campaign were announced on Friday evening on NHL Network.

University of Wisconsin sophomore forward Cole Caufield, the leading Division I men's scorer with 30 goals and 52 points this season, won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award (pictured) as college hockey top's player. Now in the Montreal Canadiens' farm system, Caufield is the first Badger to win the Hobey Baker since Blake Geoffrion did so in 2010.

University of Minnesota senior goaltender Jack Lafontaine claimed the Mike Richter Award as the top goaltender in NCAA Division I men's hockey. Lafontaine, a former University of Michigan transfer who backstopped the Golden Gophers to this year's Big Ten tournament title, also posted a record of 22-7-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average and five shutouts in 29 appearances.

Saint Mary's (Minn.) University senior defender Delaney Wolf earned the Hockey Humanitarian Award for her extensive volunteer and community service. She also carries a 4.0 grade-point average academically as a biochemistry/Spanish double major.

University of Michigan freshman forward Thomas Bordeleau was chosen as the recipient of this season's Tim Taylor Award, which goes to the NCAA rookie of the year, and is named for the former longtime Yale University men's coach. Bordeleau led the Wolverines with team highs of 22 assists and 30 points this season, in his first collegiate campaign.

Union College senior forward Josh Kosack collected the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award, named for the former Army hockey letterwinner who died in Afghanistan 16 years ago. It goes to the NCAA Division I player who is judged to best exemplify the "qualities of sportsmanship, competitiveness, intelligence and work ethic." Union did not play this season, due to COVID-19, although Kosack continued his widespread charitable and community efforts.

2021 Hobey Hat Trick Announced

 

The three "hat trick" finalists for the 2021 Hobey Baker Memorial Award were announced this week:

Cole Caufield, So., F, Wisconsin - Caufield led all NCAA Division I men's players with 30 goals and 52 points this season, including 11 power-play goals and five game-winning tallies. A member of the gold medal-winning U.S. squad at the 2021 World Junior Championship, the Stevens Point, Wis. native signed an NHL contract with the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, one day after Wisconsin's season ended with an NCAA East Regional semifinal loss to Bemidji State. He was selected 15th overall by Montreal in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Preston McKay, Sr., G, Minnesota State - McKay, who is also a finalist for this year's Mike Richter Award as the nation's top netminder, has backstopped the Mavericks to their first-ever Frozen Four next week in Pittsburgh after allowing just three goals over two games at the NCAA West Regional last weekend. In 25 total appearances so far this season, the Downers Grove, Ill. native has fashioned a 21-3-0 record to go with a 1.39 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage, and a nation-leading 10 shutouts.

Shane Pinto, So., F, North Dakota - Pinto finished his final collegiate campaign with 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points, while also helping the Fighting Hawks to their first-ever NCHC postseason crown. The Franklin Square, N.Y. product just signed an NHL contract with the Ottawa Senators, who drafted him 32nd overall in 2019. He played his final game for UND in a five-overtime NCAA Midwest Regional final loss to Minnesota-Duluth on March 27, recording two assists.

Swayman Finalist for Both Hobey Baker and Richter Awards

The Hobey Hat Trick and the five finalists for the Mike Richter Award have both been announced—and Jeremy Swayman (Maine) is on both lists.

Swayman went 18-10-5 this past season with a 2.07 goals-against average and .939 save percentage, along with three shutouts. He is vying to become the first goaltender to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey, since Ryan Miller (Michigan State) in 2001. The two other finalists this year are forward Jordan Kawaguchi (North Dakota) and defenseman Scott Perunovich (Minnesota-Duluth). The winner will be announced April 11.

The four other finalists for the Mike Richter Award include Matthew Galajda (Cornell), Spencer Knight (Boston College), Strauss Mann (Michigan) and Dryden McKay (Minnesota State). The winner will be announced April 10.

Makar Makes Solid NHL Debut with Avalanche

Cale Makar (UMass) jumped to the NHL with a definite bang.

Less than 48 hours after the University of Massachusetts fell, 3-0, to defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth in the 2019 NCAA championship game in Buffalo, Makar signed a three-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche, who drafted him fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. Two days before, he had been awarded the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey.

On Monday night in Denver, with his parents in attendance, Calgary native Makar took a back pass, fought off a defender, and then whipped a shot between the pads of Calgary goaltender Mike
Smith for the Avalanche's third goal in a 6-2 rout of the Flames in Game Three of their best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoff first-round series. Colorado now leads the series, two games to one.

Makar, who played just over 14 minutes in all on Monday night, finished his two-year college career at UMass with 21 goals and 49 assists for 70 points. He was also named the 2019 Hockey East Player of the Year, and was a 2019 First Team East CCM Hockey All-America selection, as he led the Minutemen to a school-record 30 victories, an NCAA Northeast Regional title, and their first-ever Hockey East regular-season championship. He was also a member of Canada's gold-medal winning team at the 2018 World Junior Championship in Buffalo.

2018 Hobey Hat Trick Announced

The 2018 Hobey Hat Trick is set.

The three finalists have been selected for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, named for the former Princeton University hockey and football star, and annually awarded since 1981 to the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey.

University of Denver sophomore forward Henrik Borgström, from Helsinki, Finland, led the Pioneers in scoring this season with 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points in 40 games. He helped DU to the 2018 NCHC Championship, and played his final game in a 5-1 loss to Ohio State in the NCAA Midwest Regional final on March 25 before signing with the NHL's Florida Panthers.

Harvard University junior forward Ryan Donato led the Crimson with 26-17—43 points despite taking time out to play for the United States in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where he led the Americans with five goals and six points. The Boston native signed with the Boston Bruins after Harvard was eliminated in the ECAC semifinals by Clarkson on March 16, and responded with three points in his first NHL game. 

Northeastern University junior forward Adam Gaudette paced the Huskies with 30-30—60 points in 38 outings, including Northeastern's first Beanpot Tournament crown in 30 years. The Braintree, Mass. native signed with the Vancouver Canucks after the Huskies were eliminated by Michigan in an NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal on March 24.

The 2018 Hobey Baker Award will be presented on April 6 in St. Paul, Minn. (NHL Network, 6 p.m. ET). Last year's winner was Denver defenseman Will Butcher, who then led the Pioneers to the 2017 NCAA title and is now a member of the New Jersey Devils.

Carle Signs with Nashville

Former Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Matt Carle will continue his NHL career in Music City.

Carle, an Anchorage, Alaska native, has signed with the Nashville Predators for the 2016-17 campaign for $700,000, according to Alaska Dispatch News.

The six-foot, 197-pound Carle played the last four NHL seasons with Tampa Bay, and in 724 career NHL games with the Lightning, San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers has recorded 45 goals and 237 assists for 282 points, to go with 6-38—44 points in 127 Stanley Cup Playoff contests, as noted at hockeydb.com. He also has two assists in three career minor-league appearances, all in the American Hockey League in 2006-07.

Carle, 31, was named the top player in NCAA Division I men’s college hockey as a junior in 2005-06 after pacing Denver with career-high totals of 11-42—53 points while also leading the nation in assists and all college defensemen in points that winter. He also helped the Pioneers to back-to-back NCAA championships his first two years, and registered 29-94—124 points in 112 career outings before turning pro after three seasons, according to USCHO.com.

Hobey Hat Trick Announced

The 2016 Hobey Hat Trick has been announced. The three finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, presented annually since 1981 to the top player in NCAA Division I men’s college ice hockey, are as follows:

Kyle Connor, Freshman, Forward, University of Michigan. The rookie from Shelby Township, Mich. led the nation in scoring this season with 35 goals and 36 assists for 71 points in 38 games, following the Wolverines’ elimination from the NCAA Tournament by North Dakota on March 26. The nation’s leading goal-scorer, Connor potted 10 power-play goals and seven game-winners in leading Michigan to both the Great Lakes Invitational and Big Ten Tournament titles.

Thatcher Demko, Junior, Goaltender, Boston College. A 6-foot-4 netminder from San Diego, Demko has set new career highs this season in fashioning a 27-7-4 record with a 1.85 goal-against average and .936 save percentage in 38 games. He leads all Division I goaltenders with 10 shutouts, and has also played a career-high 2,303 minutes this year in leading the Eagles to their second NCAA Frozen Four in three years, along with the Hockey East regular-season and Beanpot Tournament titles. For his NCAA career, he has gone 62-25-10 in 97 appearances.

Jimmy Vesey, Senior, Forward, Harvard University. The North Reading, Mass. native's totals were down from last year, when he paced the nation with 32 goals, but he still managed to put up 24-22—46 points in 33 games this time out as the Crimson advanced to both the ECAC Championship game and the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. He posted six power-play goals and five game-winners in 2015-16, was sixth in Division I in total goals, and registered 80-66—146 points in 128 outings over his now-completed college career.

The Hobey Baker Award will be presented on April 8 in Tampa during the Frozen Four. Last year’s winner was Jack Eichel of Boston University, now a member of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.

BU's Eichel Wins Hobey Baker Award

In what was no surprise to many, Boston University freshman forward Jack Eichel took home the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the best player in college hockey this season.

The presentation was made on Friday afternoon at Northeastern University’s Matthews Arena in Boston. The other finalists this year included Harvard University junior forward Jimmy Vesey, who led the nation with 32 goals, and University of North Dakota junior goaltender Zane McIntyre, who won the Mike Richter Award as the nation’s top netminder.

The first rookie to win the Hobey Baker Award since Maine’s Paul Kariya in 1993, Eichel, 18, from North Chelmsford, Mass. is also the ninth player from Hockey East and the fourth Massachusetts native to win the award. It was first presented in 1981, and was named after the late Princeton University hockey star of the early 20^th century.

Eichel also copped Hockey East Player of the Year accolades this season, was a First Team All-Hockey East and First Team All-America selection, and collected the Tim Taylor Award as the nation’s top rookie. He is also the second consecutive Hobey Baker Award winner from Hockey East, following last years’ winner, Johnny Gaudreau of Boston College, who led the nation with 80 points a year ago and this season helped the NHL’s Calgary Flames back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Eichel, who posted two goals and an assist in Thursday night’s 5-3 NCAA semifinal victory against North Dakota, leads the nation with 26 goals and 44 assists for 70 points in 39 outings. He also leads the Terriers into tonight’s national championship contest against Hockey East rival Providence College at TD Garden in Boston.

Hobey Hat Trick Announced

The Hobey Hat Trick was announced on Thursday, and at least one of the three was no surprise.

Boston University freshman forward Jack Eichel, the leading scorer in the nation, was one of the final trio for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which is presented to the top player in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey. Projected as a top-two selection in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft, and also the frontrunner for the Hobey Baker honor, Eichel has tallied 24 goals and 43 assists for 67 points in 38 games.  

Eichel has also  has led the Terriers to a 27-7-5 overall record, a Beanpot Tournament title, the Hockey East Association regular season and playoff championships, and the NCAA Northeast Regional crown. The Terriers defeated Yale and Minnesota-Duluth last weekend in Manchester, N.H. to earn their first NCAA Frozen Four berth in five years.

The second finalist is junior goaltender Zane McIntyre of North Dakota, who backstopped UND to the NCAA West Regional title in Fargo, N.D. after cementing a National Collegiate Hockey Conference regular-season championship. UND defeated both Quinnipiac and St. Cloud State to advance to the national semifinals. A Boston Bruins draft choice, he has fashioned a 29-9-3 record in 41 outings  this winter, earning every one of UND’s decisions,  while also compiling a 1.99 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage, and one shutout. McIntyre is vying to become the first netminder to win the Hobey Baker Award since Michigan State and NHL star Ryan Miller did so in 2001.

The third finalist is Harvard junior forward Jimmy Vesey, who led the nation with 32 goals this season in guiding the Crimson to the ECAC Tournament championship. Vesey, who is property of the Nashville Predators, also won the Walter Brown award as the top college player in New England this season, and also had 26 assists and 58 points to rank among the top three scorers in NCAA Division I this year. Harvard fell to (Nebraska) Omaha in the first round of the NCAA West regional last Saturday to close out its campaign with a 21-13-3 mark.

The 2015 Hobey Baker Award will be presented on April 10 in Boston, the day between the Frozen Four semifinals and the NCAA national title game at TD Garden.  BU and UND will face off in the nightcap on Thursday following Omaha’s game against Providence.

Hobey Baker Award Top 10 Announced

The 10 preliminary finalists for the 2014-15 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's college hockey were released today. Per USCHO.com, here they are in alphabetical order:

• Union senior forward Daniel Ciampini
• Boston University freshman forward Jack Eichel
• RIT senior forward Matt Garbowsky
• Michigan senior forward Zach Hyman
• Michigan Tech senior forward Tanner Kero
• Denver senior defenseman Joey LaLeggia
• North Dakota junior goaltender Zane McIntyre
• Minnesota junior defenseman Mike Reilly
• Harvard junior forward Jimmy Vesey
• Robert Morris senior forward Cody Wydo

The Hobey Hat Trick concerning the three finalists will be announced on April 2, with the winner to ultimately be crowned in Boston on April 10, one day before the national championship game at TD Garden.

Eichel, the nation's leading scorer for most of the 2014-15 campaign and a projected top pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, is considered the favorite. Last year's winner, Johnny Gaudreau of Boston College, collected both the Hobey Baker Award and the national scoring title before moving on to the Calgary Flames.

Michigan State Gains Split at Princeton

Tanner Sorensen’s first goal of the season stood up as the game-winner as Michigan State earned a split at Princeton with a 4-2 win on Saturday night at Hobey Baker Rink. MSU now leads the all-time series between the two schools, 6-1, following a 3-1 defeat on Friday.

Michael  Ferrantino opened the scoring for the second straight night, putting the Spartans (5-8-0) up by a 1-0 count five minutes into the contest. Matt DeBlouw made it 2-0 at 3:22 of the second stanza, followed 10 minutes later by Sorensen.

Princeton (2-7-1) got goals just over nine minutes apart in the third period from Kyle Rankin and Ryan Siiro to pull the Tigers within a goal, before Matt Berry sealed the win for the Spartans with an empty-net goal with two seconds remaining in regulation. Berry, who also had an assist, now leads MSU with 13 points, and is tied for the team’s goal-scoring lead with Ferrantino with seven tallies.

Jake Hildebrand stopped 20 shots for the Spartans, while Colton Phinney had 29 saves for the Tigers. Both teams went 0-for-4 on the power play. MSU returns home next weekend to host Minnesota in Big Ten play, while Princeton will entertain Harvard and Dartmouth in ECAC competition.