Denver Wins Ninth NCAA Hockey Title

Through the first 40 minutes of this year's NCAA Division I men's ice hockey title game, the University of Denver couldn't buy a goal. In the final 20 minutes, it couldn't stop scoring them.

The Pioneers overcame a one-goal deficit through two periods of play with five unanswered third-period scores in a 5-1 victory over Minnesota State before 17,850 on-lookers at TD Garden in Boston on Saturday night. DU (31-9-1 overall) has now won two national hockey titles in the last six years, and also moved into a first-place tie all-time with its ninth NCAA title overall.

For MnSU (38-6-0), the loss snapped an 18-game winning string that dated back to Jan. 14 against Northern Michigan. It was also the first time since Oct. 16, 2021 at Michigan that the Mavericks, who were playing in their first-ever NCAA Division I championship contest, had lost a game after leading after two periods.

Sam Morton's power-play goal 14 minutes into the game stood up through the first two stanzas, as MnSU limited DU to just eight shots on net in that span. The floodgates then opened for DU just under five minutes into the final frame, when Ryan Barrow poked home a rebound to put the Pioneers on the board.

Mike Benning's slapshot from the right circle just under three minutes later stood up as the game-winning goal, just seconds after a DU power play expired, before Massimo Rizzo finished off a 2-on-1 rush six minutes later to make it a 3-1 contest. Brett Stapley and Cameron Wright then added empty-net goals in the final three minutes to ice matters for DU.

Magnus Chrona finished with 27 saves for the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's Pioneers, who last won an NCAA hockey title in 2017 in Chicago. At the other end of the ice, 2022 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Dryden McKay made 15 stops for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association champion Mavericks. Benning was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. 

DU, which had previously won NCAA Frozen Fours in Boston in 1960 and 2004, is now tied with Michigan for the most NCAA hockey championships overall with nine each. The Pioneers defeated the Wolverines in a semifinal game on Thursday to advance to this year's national championship game. Saturday also marked the fifth national title for the NCHC since the conference was formed in 2013.

Minnesota State's McKay Wins 2022 Hobey Baker Award

After two decades, a goaltender has again won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the nation's top college hockey player.

Dryden McKay (Minnesota State) became the first netminder since Michigan State's Ryan Miller to claim the Hobey Baker Award, named for the early 20th century Princeton University star, as announced on Friday in Boston.

A native of Downers Grove, Ill., McKay has compiled a 38-4-0 record in 42 games so far this 2021-22 season, to go along with a 1.27 goals-against average, a .934 save percentage, and 10 shutouts. He leads all NCAA Division I netminders this season in wins (38) and minutes played (2,502), and has set a new NCAA record for victories by one goaltender in a single season. McKay, 24, was also named CCHA Goaltender of the Year and CCHA Player of the Year, and also earned First Team West All-America accolades for the second time in three years.

In other awards news, Devon Levi (Northeastern) was named this season's Mike Richter Award winner as the nation's top goaltender, while Josh Kosack (Union) earned the Hockey Humanitarian Award and Jordan Seyfert of Merrimack was honored with the 2022 Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award. 

McKay has also backstopped MSU (39-4-0) to its second straight NCAA Frozen Four, with the Mavericks defeating Minnesota and 2022 Hobey Baker Award finalist Ben Meyers last night, 5-1, in a national semifinal contest at TD Garden in Boston. MSU will now face Denver and 2022 Hobey Baker Award finalist Bobby Brink tomorrow night for the national title.

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.

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.

2021 Richter Award Finalists Announced for NCAA's Best Goalie

 

The three finalists for the 2020-21 Mike Richter Award as the best goaltender in NCAA Division I men’s hockey were announced late last week.

Dryden McKay, Junior, Minnesota State – The Downers Grove, Ill., native backstopped the Mavericks to their first-ever Frozen Four appearance next month by allowing just three goals over two games at the NCAA West Regional in Loveland, Col., posting victories over 11^th ranked Quinnipiac and third-ranked Minnesota. In 25 appearances so far this season, McKay, 23, 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. He is also a finalist for this year’s Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey’s best player.

Spencer Knight, Sophomore, Boston College –The Darien, Conn. product concluded his 2020-21 campaign with 32 stops in a 4-1 season-ending loss to St. Cloud State in the NCAA Northeast Regional final in Albany, N.Y. on Sunday. The Hockey East Player of the Year, he put together a 16-4-1 record over 21 games with three shutouts (2.18, .932). Knight, 19, was chosen 13^th overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2019 NHL Draft, and like McKay is also a finalist for this year’s Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

Jack LaFontaine, Senior, Minnesota – A former transfer from Big Ten Conference rival Michigan, the Mississauga, Ont. native guided the Golden Gophers to this year’s Big Ten tournament championship, plus the final game of the 2021 NCAA West Regional in Loveland, Col. LaFontaine, 23, who finished the season at 22-7-0 in 29 games with five shutouts (1.79, .934), was chosen 75th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2016 NHL Draft.

The winner of this year’s Mike Richter Award, which is presented by Let’s Play Hockey, will be announced during the NCAA Frozen Four in Pittsburgh next month.

2021 NCAA Hockey Regionals Conclude

 

The 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey regionals concluded on Sunday with two regional finals.

Albany, NY Regional

St. Cloud State 4, Boston College 1

SCSU overcame a 1-0 deficit with three second-period goals to defeat regional top seed BC. Four different players scored for the Huskies, who also got two assists from Nick Perbix and 26 saves from Dávid Hrenák in earning their first Frozen Four berth since 2013. 

Loveland, CO Regional

Minnesota State 4, Minnesota 0

The Mavericks followed up their first-ever victory in the NCAA tournament the day before by punching their ticket to their first-ever Frozen Four. MSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes and never looked back, thanks to a goal and an assist from Ryan Sandelin and 22 saves by Dryden McKay, who posted his 10th shutout of the season.

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.