Michigan State Wins 2024 GLI

For the first time in 15 years, Michigan State is the Great Lakes Invitational champion. The Spartans defeated Western Michigan, 3-1, on Monday night at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. in the 2024 title game.

Joey Larson scored the game-winning goal, then set up an insurance marker by Isaac Howard in the third period, to lift top-ranked MSU to its first GLI crown since 2009 at the now-demolished Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. GLI MVP Luca Di Pasquo stopped 29 shots for the Spartans, one night after making 16 saves in a 2-0 opening-round victory over Northern Michigan. 

WMU had advanced to this year's championship contest by besting Michigan Tech, 4-3, in overtime on Sunday. MTU then won the consolation game, 4-3 in OT, over NMU yesterday.

MSU has now won 13 GLI titles all-time dating back to the tournament's start in 1965, second behind only former participant Michigan's 17 crowns. Next year's GLI field, the fourth straight that will be played at the VAA in West Michigan, will again feature co-hosts MSU and MTU, plus Ferris State and Miami (Ohio).

Princeton Ends 2024 with Win at Army

The Princeton University men's hockey team closed out the calendar year with a 1-0 victory at Army on Saturday at Tate Rink in West Point, N.Y. 

Princeton's Jake Manfred scored the only goal of the game, on the power play just before the halfway point of regulation, assisted by Noah de la Durantaye and David Jacobs, before 2,648 on-lookers. Arthur Smith stopped all 24 shots he faced for the Tigers, who won their fifth consecutive game dating back to Nov. 29.

Both teams will continue in NCAA non-conference action next weekend, against Hockey East schools. The Tigers improved to 6-4-1 overall, and will host New Hampshire on Jan. 3-4 at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink. Army (5-13-0) fell to Vermont, 6-0, today, and will face visiting Merrimack on Friday.

USA Routs Germany in WJC Opener

Team USA is off to a good start at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.

The United States routed Germany, 10-4, in its tournament opener today, as over a dozen American skaters recorded at least one point on the scoresheet. Cole Hutson (Boston University) set up five goals, while James Hagens (Boston College) scored two goals and assisted on two others. Gabe Perreault (Boston College) and Brodie Ziemer (Minnesota) scored twice apiece, with Perreault also adding an assist. Trey Augustine (Michigan State) stopped 18 shots for the Americans in earning the win.

The U.S. returns to WJC action on Saturday against Latvia.

ADDENDUM: Team USA topped Latvia, 5-1, before falling to Finland, 4-3, in overtime on Sunday.

Hockey Christmas 2025

 

Six Eagles Named to 2025 WJC Team

A half-dozen Boston College Eagles have been named to the final U.S. roster for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship (NHL rights): 

D Drew Fortescue (NY Rangers)

D Aram Minnetian (Dallas)

F Teddy Stiga (Nashville) 

F Ryan Leonard (Washington)

F James Hagens

F Gabe Perreault (NY Rangers)

Hagens is projected to go first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft next summer. 

Leonard has been named U.S. team captain, according to USCHO.com. This season's WJC will be contested from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Ottawa, after the U.S. won the gold medal in last year's tournament in Sweden.

Wisconsin's Schultz Retires from Hockey

Justin Schultz (Wisconsin) has retired as a professional hockey player, after more than 800 NHL appearances and two Stanley Cup championships.

A 6-foot-2, 190-pound defenseman from Kelowna, B.C., Schultz was chosen 43rd overall by Anaheim in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, but never skated for the Ducks. After playing the 2012-13 season for Oklahoma City (AHL), he was in the NHL to stay, where he recorded 71 goals and 253 assists for 324 points and 198 penalty minutes in 745 regular-season games with Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Washington and Seattle for 2012 to 2024. He added 10-32—42 points in 81 Stanley Cup playoff contests, and won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in both 2016 and 2017.

Schultz, 34, skated for the University of Wisconsin for three seasons, helping the Badgers to the 2010 national championship game as a freshman after playing juniors for Westside (BCHL). In 121 career NCAA games, he tallied 40-73—113 points and 52 penalty minutes. He finished his career with six assists in eight outings for Lugano in the Swiss-A league this season.

Michigan State Downs No. 1 Minnesota

Minnesota was the No. 1 ranked team in NCAA Division men's hockey last week. It won't be this week, after suffering a 3-3 tie and a 5-3 loss to No. 3 Michigan State this weekend in a Big Ten conference series.

On Friday, Brodie Ziemer scored twice for Minnesota, including the game-tying goal in the third period, but the Golden Gophers fell in the shootout as MSU's Karsen Dorwart and Daniel Russell scored the only extra-session goals after a scoreless five-minute overttime. Trey Augustine made 40 saves in regulation for the visiting Spartans, plus two more in the shootout. 

On Saturday, MSU overcame a 3-1 deficit after 40 minutes by tallying four third-period goals, with Maxim Štrbák scoring one goal and setting up another. Isaac Howard scored twice for the Spartans (13-2-1 overall, 6-1-1 Big Ten), while Augustine made 24 stops in net. Liam Souliere had 25 stops for the Golden Gophers (15-3-2, 8-1-1), who saw a six-game unbeaten streak snapped this weekend.

The two schools will meet again on Jan. 24-25 in East Lansing, Mich.

ADDENDUM: MSU regained the top spot in this week's USCHO.com poll, garnering 31 of 50 first-place votes.