Buffalo State senior defenseman Charles Barber (Queensbury, NY/Lake George) has signed a professional hockey contract with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL.
Barber completed his senior season with the Bengals last month, tallying six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 26 games on the blue line. He played his first three seasons at Plattsburgh, where he played in 66 games and recorded four goals and 17 assists for 21 points.
The Anaheim Ducks have signed center Trevor Zegras to a three-year entry-level contract.
Zegras, 19 (3/20/01), collected 11-25=36 points with a +8 rating in 33 games with Boston University (Hockey East) this season. Named to the 2019-20 Hockey East All-Rookie Team, Zegras ranked tied for second among NCAA freshmen in assists and tied for third in points and points-per-game (1.09). The 6-0, 170-pound forward also ranked second on the Terriers in assists and third in points and plus/minus.
“We are happy to get this contract done and start Trevor’s professional career,” said Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Bob Murray. “He’s got quite a bit of work ahead of him, but we know he’s got the talent and intelligence to be an impactful NHL player.”
Selected by Anaheim in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Zegras has represented the United States at several international tournaments, including the 2020 World Junior Championship. Zegras became only the second player since 2004 to record nine primary assists in a single tournament. Zegras’ nine assists also ranked tied for the fourth-most by a U.S. player in a single World Junior Championship.
A native of Bedford, NY, Zegras recorded 46-100=146 points in 116 career games with USA Hockey National Training and Development Program (NTDP) U-17 and U-18 teams. He ranks fourth in NTDP history in career assists, and sixth for assists in a single-season (61 in 2018-19). Zegras also helped Team USA to a U-18 World Championship bronze medal in 2019 and a U-17 World Hockey Challenge gold medal in 2017.
Zegras spoke with members of the media shortly after the signing was announced.
Can you walk us through the past few days leading up to signing your contract?
The past week has been pretty much just sitting and waiting. Pretty much all of it went through my agent, Pat Brisson. We had conversations about what we wanted to get done. He’s the best at what he does. He was able to get it all worked out.
How does the pause in the NHL and AHL seasons impact your next steps?
We know what’s going on with the world right now. There’s no hockey, but this will keep me excited for quite some time. It’s a very exciting time for me and my family. It’s almost bittersweet because there’s nothing I can really do about it right now, but it’s definitely keeping me in good spirits during this tough time.
What are you doing to stay busy?
It’s a weird time. Nobody in our lifetime has been through something like this. I have a bunch of stuff at my house I can do. I can stickhandle and shoot in the driveway. I’m definitely still playing hockey. Maybe I’ll go out in the driveway and roller blade. Going to the rink, I definitely miss that. Just trying to keep as busy as I can.
How do you feel you’ve grown as a player since the NHL Draft last June?
The year was great in terms of getting stronger and more ready to play in the NHL. That’s my goal. In all aspects, it was the next step in my career going from playing in the junior leagues to a men’s league. It was great for my development in that regard.
How do you see yourself fitting in on the Ducks roster?
The big emphasis around draft time was, as a young guy looking to fit into the lineup, I can play center or wing. The versatility as a younger guy. It’s an extremely tough league – the best league in the world. I think I can fit in wherever they see me best.
Is there a current NHL player you model your game after?
Patrick Kane is probably my favorite player. I’ve been watching him ever since I was a young kid. He’s inspired me in a lot of different ways.
What areas of improvement have you and the Ducks discussed throughout the season?
The big thing I talked about with [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Bob [Murray] and some of the staff was becoming more explosive and powerful. That’s something I talked about with them last summer and something I’ve been continuing to work on. That’s the biggest thing for younger guys is being able to be explosive and get away from guys.
If the NHL season resumes, have the Ducks talked about bringing you up for a game or two?
I haven’t talked too much about that. It would be up to them and what their decision would be. That would be pretty cool, for sure.
Capping off another phenomenal season at Clarkson, Elizabeth Giguere added to her resume as one of the top players all time in women’s college hockey by being named the winner of the 2020 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.
Giguere is the 23rd winner of the prestigious honor that is presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey. The junior, right wing becomes the third Golden Knight to earn the Patty Kazmaier Award, joining Jamie Lee Rattray ’14 and Loren Gabel ’19 on the celebrated list of winners. She is the 10th winner from ECAC Hockey since the award was first given out in 1998.
Giguere was announced the winner today by the USA Hockey Foundation live on USA Hockey’s YouTube and Facebook channels. The Quebec City native was chosen for the honor from a group of three finalists that included Alina Mueller from Northeastern and Abby Roque from Wisconsin.
“It would be hard to say that any one player has elevated their game or put their team on their shoulders more than Elizabeth has this year,” stated Clarkson’s 12th-year Head Coach Matt Desrosiers. “What Elizabeth was able to do considering the amount of injuries we had suffered to some key contributors, was nothing short of remarkable. We have been fortunate to have had some great players come through our program at Clarkson, but Elizabeth has displayed the ability to do things on the ice that just make you shake your head in amazement. One of the best attributes she has shown is the capability to make everyone around her better. Elizabeth is a special player that had a special season and very deserving of the Patty Kazmaier award.”
The nation’s leading goal scorer and second in the country in points, Giguere followed up her spectacular first two seasons with another standout campaign in 2019-20. A junior right wing, she has scored 37 goals (seven more than any other player in Division I) and posted 66 points (tied for second in the country) through 37 games while leading Clarkson back to the ECAC Hockey Championship Tournament for the eight consecutive year. Clarkson finished with a 25-6-6 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Giguere tied for the nation lead in game-winning goals with 10 and tied for second in the country in shorthanded markers with three. She tallied four power-play goals and posted a +39 plus/minus. She finished season with 13-game point streak with 14 goals and 11 assists since January 24. Giguere tallied at least one point in 34 of the 37 games. She tallied eight, two-goal games and scored both goals for the Knights in 2-1 win over Princeton (2/15) at Cheel Arena. She scored all four Clarkson goals in 4-1 win at Harvard (2/21) to help Knights’ secure a top 4 finish in the league for the ninth consecutive season. She followed the next day with game-winning goal and one assist in 2-1 victory at Dartmouth (2/22). Giguere matched her career-high for points in a game with five on one goal and four assists in 6-5 overtime win against Robert Morris (10/19). She recorded a four-point game with two goals and two assists in 5-1 win over Dartmouth (1/24) in Potsdam. Giguere was selected ECAC Hockey’s Player of the Month for November and January and was named ECAC Hockey Player of the Week twice (12/2, 1/27). She earned NCAA 1st Star of the Week (1/28) and 2nd Star of the Week (2/25) and was named Windjammer Classic MVP.
Giguere has amassed 210 career points on 90 goals and 120 assists through just 118 games and is just four points shy of breaking Clarkson’s all-time points mark of 213, currently held by 2019 Patty Kazmaier Award winner, Loren Gabel ’19.
By: Mark Vasey, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications–
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Junior forward Annie Katonka (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite), senior defenseman Hannah Kiraly (Glendale, Ariz./Northern Cyclones) and junior defenseman Erin McArdle (Macomb, Mich./Belle Tire) of No. 1 Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey have been named to the 2019-20 CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Division III Women’s All-America teams, as announced by the AHCA on Thursday.
Katonka garnered First-Team honors for the second consecutive season, while Kiraly and McArdle earned Second-Team distinction. Kiraly is now a three-time All-American after earning First-Team recognition in both 2017-18 and 2018-19. McArdle, who earned her first All-America recognition, is the 27th student-athlete in the history of the Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey program to earn All-America status. Katonka became the 18th Cardinal to earn multiple All-America accolades.
Katonka, who was named the 2020 Northeast Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL) Player of the Year, tallied 21 goals, 20 assists, 41 points, nine power-play goals and five game-winning goals over 26 games played in 2019-20. Katonka led Plattsburgh State’s high-powered offense, which ranked second nationally in goals per game (4.85), in both goals and points. An All-NEWHL First-Team honoree for the second consecutive season, Katonka ranked second in NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey in points per game (1.58), third in power-play goals, sixth in goals per game (0.81), tied for sixth in game-winning goals and tied for 18th in assists per game (0.77). It is the second time Katonka has eclipsed 40 points in a season after tallying 54 points in 2018-19. Earlier this season, Katonka tallied her 100th career point in the Cardinals’ 9-1 win over SUNY Canton on Jan. 17. In her career, Katonka has tallied 64 goals and 54 assists for 118 points over 87 games played. Katonka leads all active Cardinals in career goals and points. Katonka was also a two-time NEWHL Player of the Week in 2019-20.
Kiraly, who is the only student-athlete in NEWHL history to be named to the All-NEWHL First Team three times, tallied one goal, 22 assists, 23 points and 21 blocked shots in 27 games played in 2019-20. In addition, she tallied at least one assist in 18 games this season, including four multi-assist contests. A NEWHL All-Tournament Team selection this season, Kiraly tallied one goal and one assist in the Cardinals’ 6-1 win over Oswego State in the NEWHL Tournament championship game on Saturday, March 7, at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena. Nationally, Kiraly ranked tied for 14th in assists per game among all skaters (0.81) and 11th in points per game among blueliners (0.85). In her career, Kiraly recorded nine goals and 73 assists for 82 points over 118 games played.
McArdle, who was named to the All-NEWHL First Team in 2019-20, garnered five goals, 20 assists, 25 points, three power-play goals and 30 blocked shots over 27 games played in 2019-20. She tallied at least one point in 18 games, including seven multi-point games. Nationally, she ranked eighth in points per game among defensemen (0.93) and tied for 24th among all skaters in assists per game (0.74). This season, McArdle achieved career highs in points per game, goals per game (0.19) and assists per game. In her career, McArdle has amassed 13 goals and 56 assists for 69 points over 88 games played.
Plattsburgh State (26-1-0, 18-0-0 NEWHL), which was ranked No. 1 in USCHO.com Division III Women’s Top-10 Poll for the entire 2019-20 season and earned the NEWHL’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, had its season come to an abrupt end when the NCAA announced on Thursday, March 12, that all of its winter and spring championships would be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By: Mark Vasey, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey head coach Kevin Houle has been named the 2019-20 CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Division III Women’s Coach of the Year, as announced by the AHCA on Thursday.
Houle, who earned the honor for the seventh time in his career, previously garnered the award in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Houle received the honor after guiding Plattsburgh State to a (26-1-0, 18-0-0 Northeast Women’s Hockey League [NEWHL]) record, its eighth consecutive conference tournament title (third consecutive NEWHL Tournament title) and the 16th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Plattsburgh State garnered the NEWHL Tournament title and the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament with a 6-1 win over Oswego State in the NEWHL Tournament championship game on Saturday, March 7, at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
In addition, the Cardinals finished the season on an 18-game winning streak (longest active winning streak in NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey) and ranked No. 1 in both the PairWise Rankings and the USCHO.com Division III Women’s Top-10 Poll. Houle led Plattsburgh State to a 5-1-0 record against teams that finished in the top 10 of the PairWise Rankings. The Cardinals outscored those teams (Norwich University, Middlebury College, University of Wisconsin-River Falls and Elmira College) by a combined score of 20-8.
With Plattsburgh State’s 3-1 home win over Norwich on Wednesday, Nov. 6, Houle recorded his 400th career coaching victory. Houle, who has a 423-51-25 (.873) record over 17 seasons, is one of nine coaches in NCAA women’s ice hockey history to have eclipsed 400 career victories. His winning percentage is the highest in NCAA women’s ice hockey history.
Houle led Plattsburgh state to two NCAA records in 2019-20. The Cardinals recorded the longest overall winning streak in NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey history with their 26th consecutive win over UW-River Falls as part of the Panther/Cardinal Classic on Saturday, Nov. 30, in Middlebury, Vt. Plattsburgh State also set the record for the longest home winning streak in NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey as the Cardinals defeated Oswego State, 3-0, on Saturday, Nov. 9, for their 29th consecutive home win. The Cardinals’ home winning streak is at 40 games after they went undefeated at home (14-0-0) on the season.
This season, Plattsburgh State led NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey in wins, winning percentage (.963), fewest losses and penalty-kill efficiency (98.1 percent), while ranking second in power-play efficiency (28.1 percent), second in combined special teams (60.4), second in scoring offense (4.85), second in scoring margin (3.89) and third in scoring defense (0.96).
Houle, who coached three CCM/AHCA All-Americans, six All-NEWHL selections (five All-NEWHL First-Team honorees), including the NEWHL Player of the Year and NEWHL Goaltender of the Year, and two NEWHL All-Rookie Team selections this season, garnered the 2020 NEWHL Coaching Staff of the Year award along with assistant coach Julia Duquette. It was the eighth time that Houle has earned a conference coach of the year or coaching staff of the year honor.
Prior to 2019-20, Houle had steered the Cardinals to eight consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament semifinal appearances and seven national titles (the most in NCAA Division women’s ice hockey history) including five in the last six full seasons.
Plattsburgh State had its season come to an abrupt end when the NCAA announced on Thursday, March 12, that all of its winter and spring championships would be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Twelve different programs are represented on the All-USCHO Women’s Division I teams this year. Clarkson, Cornell, Ohio State and Wisconsin lead the way, placing three players each on our lists.
The first team includes 2020 USCHO Player of the Year Abby Roque and 2019 USCHO Player of the Year Elizabeth Giguere, while the second team has the 2018 USCHO Player of the Year (Watts) and the 2019 Rookie of the Year. (Fillier) Giguere and Bourbonnais were also on last year’s First Team.
First Team
F: Abby Roque, Sr – Wisconsin
F: Elizabeth Giguere, Jr – Clarkson
F: Alina Mueller, So – Northeastern
D: Jaime Bourbonnais, Sr – Cornell
D: Jincy Dunne, Sr – Ohio State
G: Aerin Frankel, Jr – Northeastern
Second Team
F: Carly Bullock, Sr – Princeton
F: Sarah Fillier, So – Princeton
F: Daryl Watts, Jr – Wisconsin
D: Skylar Fontaine, Jr – Northeastern
D: Ella Shelton, Sr – Clarkson
G: Lindsay Browning, Jr – Cornell
Third Team
F :Jaycee Gebhard, Sr – Robert Morris
F: Emma Maltais, Jr – Ohio State
F: Sophie Shirley, So – Wisconsin
D: Abby Cook, Sr – Boston University
D: Micah Zandee-Hart, Sr – Cornell
G: Andrea Braendli, So – Ohio State
Rookie
F: Gabrielle David, Fr – Clarkson
F: Hannah Bilka, Fr – Boston College
F: Ida Kuoppala, Fr – Maine
D: Mae Batherson, Fr – Syracuse
D: Madeline Wethington, Fr – Minnesota
G: Raygan Kirk, Fr – Robert Morris
By Arlan Martial —
Clarkson’s Gabrielle David stepped up in a big way for the Golden Knights this season.
The first year players who arrived on campus in the fall of 2019 had some tough acts to follow. Daryl Watts and Sarah Fillier, the winners of the USCHO Rookie of the Year award in 2018 and 2019, respectively, weren’t merely the top scorers in their respective classes. They were also the top scorers across all classes. Fillier average just under two points per game as a freshman, and Watts exceeded that mark with a 2.16 points per game average.
It would be unfair to expect such lofty totals on an annual basis, and this season, no rookie approached an average anywhere close to two points per game. Boston College’s Hannah Bilka’s average was the highest at 1.09, and with the lower scoring, the class was more closely bunched, rather than having a couple of standouts separate from the pack.
So in evaluating the seasons turned in by this year’s frosh, we gave additional consideration to the impact on her team. That is a big factor in why Clarkson’s Gabrielle David is this season’s Rookie of the Year.
The Golden Knights graduated 2019 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Loren Gabel, who finished her career with 213 points and was a big factor in her team reaching the Frozen Four in each season, taking home NCAA Championships in 2017 and 2018.
However, Clarkson looked to be in good shape offensively, as its attack would be led by superstar junior Elizabeth Giguère and a quartet of high-scoring seniors: Michaela Pejzlová; Rhyen McGill; and a pair of transfers in Caitrin Lonergan, from Boston College, and St. Cloud State’s Kayla Friesen.
Things don’t always go as planned. Lonergan was injured in the season opener and didn’t return.
McGill also had an injury-plagued year that limited her to 11 games. The injury bug bit Friesen and Pejzlová as well, causing them to miss nine and seven games, respectively. Suddenly, David didn’t have the luxury of finding her way in the college game. Clarkson needed someone in addition to Giguère to be a steady source of production up front, while the expected stalwarts were either in and out of the lineup or gone entirely.
David was able to provide just that, finishing second on the team in points and leading the nation’s rookies with 38. Her 14 goals, 24 assists, and three game-winning goals were second only to Giguère for the Golden Knights, and the five power-play goals by the product of Drummondville, Québec by way of the Limoilou Titans led the team.
In spite of her diminutive 5’ 4” stature, David got the job done on both ends of the ice; her plus/minus rating of +23 was second-highest for Clarkson and the best rating of any first-year player in ECAC Hockey.
David’s contributions were a huge reason why Clarkson was able to qualify for its eighth straight NCAA Tournament, and she’s the USCHO Rookie of the Year.
GENESEO, N.Y. – SUNY Geneseo senior forwards Conlan Keenan and Andrew Romano were each recognized as first-team All-Americans by both the United State College Hockey Organization (USCHO) and the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA), announced Friday afternoon. Geneseo joined Utica as the only two teams with multiple first-team All-Americans.
Keenan and Romano each ranked among the top four nationally in scoring as they led the nation’s top-ranked scoring offense with the Knights averaging 5.07 goals per game. The duo led the Knights to three-consecutive State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the NCAA Division III Frozen Four in 2019.
Keenan was selected as an All-American for the third-consecutive season, earning his second-straight first-team selection as he scored 22 goals and added 28 assists for 50 points in 2019-20. He led the Knights with eight power-play goals and five game-winning goals as he climbed to seventh all-time in Geneseo history with 172 career points and third in Knights’ lore with 86 career goals. He was a four-time All-SUNYAC selection and earned back-to-back SUNYAC Herb Hammond Player of the Year awards in 2019 and 2020.
Romano was chosen as an All-American for the second-straight year after being named to the second team a year ago. Romano led the nation in assists for the second-straight season, dishing off 42 helpers while tallying 14 goals for a team-best 56 points. He netted seven power-play goals and a pair of game-winners as he became the first Geneseo athlete to record back-to-back 50-point seasons since Aaron Coleman accomplished the feat in 1998 and 1999.
Geneseo finished the season with a 22-3-2 overall mark and earned the third overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Knights were scheduled to host an NCAA Quarterfinal game against the winner of Hobart and Adrian before the NCAA Tournament was cancelled. Geneseo finished the season ranked second in the USCHO.com NCAA Division III poll, and have been ranked in the USCHO top-15 for both Keenan and Romano’s entire collegiate careers.
ELMIRA, N.Y. — For the 27th time in its illustrious history, the Elmira College women’s ice hockey team will boast an All-American, as announced by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). Following a breakout junior season, Emma Crocker ’21 was selected as a CCM/AHCA First-Team All-American.
It marked the third consecutive season a Soaring Eagle has garnered All-America accolades, while Crocker becomes the 20th first-team recipient in program history.
Crocker, who guided Elmira to its third consecutive United College Hockey Conference (UCHC) regular-season and tournament title, adds All-America honors to her already highly-decorated junior campaign.
The Abington, Massachusetts, native was previously named the United College Hockey Conference (UCHC) Player of the Year, an All-UCHC First Team honoree, a UCHC All-Tournament Team recipient, and was also tabbed as one of seven finalists for the Laura Hurd Award, given annually to the top NCAA Division III player in the country.
Elmira’s do-it-all forward had a breakout season to say the least, as she produced career highs in points (44), goals (21), assists (23), power-play goals (7), and game-winning goals (6). Crocker’s 44 points were 16 higher than her previous career high, a mark she reached as a sophomore, while her 21 goals were 12 better than the prior mark set during her freshman campaign. Additionally, Crocker entered her junior season with just one power-play goal to her name, before netting seven this season.
She logged multi-point performances in 14 of 25 games and scored two or more goals in five games this season. Additionally, her impact on the outcome of games was undeniable, as the Soaring Eagles went 14-1-0 in games in which Crocker found the back of the net.
Nationally, Crocker finished the season tied for first in game-winning goals (6), third in points per game (1.57), seventh in goals per game (0.75), seventh in power play goals (7), and 13th in assists per game (0.82).
UTICA, NY – Freshman forward Brandon Osmundson (Chesapeake, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) of the Utica College men’s ice hockey team has had a season unmatched by any rookie in the nineteen year history of the program. That season has placed him further into uncharted territory as the awards for his record breaking campaign continue to roll in. US College Hockey Online has announced that it has named Osmundson as its 2019-20 Division III Rookie of the Year. The honor was announced on Wednesday by the national website based in Minneapolis.
Osmundson is the first Utica player to ever win a National Rookie of the Year award. The USCHO Rookie of the Year award is the only national award of its kind in Division III men’s ice hockey. He was previously named the UCHC Rookie of the Year while also collecting spots on the All-UCHC Second Team and the UCHC All-Rookie Team. The forward was also named to the All-Rookie team as part of Wednesday’s announcement.
The sensational freshman had a season for the ages. Osmundson led Utica in points and assists as the Pioneers rolled up a school record 25 wins on their way to UCHC regular season and postseason championships. He finished the year with 42 points on 13 goals and 29 assists. The 42 points and 29 assists are both records for a freshman at Utica, as he surpassed the long-standing records in both categories set by Ryan Webb in the 2003-04 season.
He tied for the fourth highest point total by any player in a single season at Utica, and was just one assist away from tying the school’s single season assist record held by the program’s first All-American, Jimmy Sokol.
Osmundson led the nation this season in points per game by a rookie, and was also twelfth among all skaters nationally at an average of 1.45 points per game. He was one of just nine freshmen in the nation averaging a point a game or better. The graduate of the Hampton Roads Whalers organization was twelfth nationally in assists per game among all skaters at an even average of one assist per game.
He becomes the second member of the program to receive a national individual award from US College Hockey Online this week. Head Coach Gary Heenan was named the site’s coach of the year on Tuesday. Both awards mark a program first in the USCHO awards.
Up next for the Pioneers will be the release of the All-USCHO teams, and the announcement of the American Hockey Coaches’ Association major awards and All-America teams. The AHCA is set to release their honorees on Friday.
NEW YORK / TORONTO – The National Hockey League today announced the postponements of the 2020 NHL Scouting Combine, the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Awards, and the 2020 NHL Draft, which were originally scheduled for June 1-6 in Buffalo, N.Y., June 18 in Las Vegas, and June 26-27 in Montreal, respectively, due to the ongoing uncertainty resulting from the coronavirus.
The location, timing and format of the 2020 NHL Draft (and Draft Lottery) will be announced when details are finalized.
With respect to the Bridgestone NHL Awards, the League looks forward to returning to Las Vegas in the future. Las Vegas has been the home of the Bridgestone NHL Awards since 2009.
| Roster include 23 players who will compete for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program |
| PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Thirteen forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders have been selected to join USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, it was announced today. The 23 players, all from the 2004 birth year, will compete as the U.S. National Under-17 Team during the 2020-21 season.“We’re thrilled about the bright, young talent that will make up our U17 roster next season,” said Kevin Reiter, director of player personnel for the NTDP. “While we weren’t able to hold our typical evaluation camp because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s just one component of our overall process. We’re fortunate to have a terrific network of scouts, along with our own staff, in place to help in selecting the team. In the end, it’s never easy to get to the final roster as there are so many talented players in our country.” The NTDP is a two-year residency program for high-performance players that is located at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.The Under-17 Team plays in the United States Hockey League, the only Tier I junior hockey league in the United States, as well as against select competition in the North American Hockey League and Minnesota Elite League. Each season, the U17 Team also competes in three international tournaments. To view the complete roster, click here. NOTES: Seventeen states are represented on the roster, with Minnesota leading the way with eight natives. Michigan follows with seven, while New Jersey has two players. Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin are each home to one player … The 2020-21 U.S. National Under-17 Team will be led by head coach Seth Appert (Cottage Grove, Minn.) … Appert will be joined by associate coach Nick Fohr (Grand Forks, N.D.) and assistant coach Brent Darnell (Canton, Mich.) … The team’s first international competition will take place in Charlottetown and Summerside, Prince Edward Island, where they will compete in the 2020 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in November. ABOUT THE NTDP: USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program is in its 23rd season of competition and is based at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The goal of the full-time development program is to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice. |
Cornell tops year-end poll for first time in program history
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell men’s hockey team has been named the #1 team in the season-ending USCHO Division I Men’s Hockey Poll.
Though the season was cut short to help in the efforts to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Big Red essentially accomplished all that it possibly could have in 2019-20. By finishing the season with a 23-2-4 record, Cornell’s winning percentage (.862) led the nation for the second time in the last three years. It’s also the nation’s highest winning percentage at season’s end since 1993, when Maine won the national title.
“One of the things we instill within our program is to not waste time and energy on things you can’t control – and the sudden end to the year is one of those things,” said Mike Schafer ’86, the Jay R. Bloom ’77 Head Coach of Men’s Hockey that was recently named ECAC Hockey’s Tim Taylor Coach of the Year for a record fifth time. “It’s disappointing to not have a crack at the postseason, but we’re still very thankful for the season that we did have and appreciate being voted #1.”
Cornell proved to be a juggernaut that went 18-2-2 in league play, which gave it a five-point cushion for first place and a 38-point total that hasn’t been seen in the league since Cornell posted an identical ECAC Hockey record in 2005.
As usual, Cornell finished among the top defensive teams in the country. The Big Red ranked second in the nation in team defense by surrendering a paltry 1.55 goals against per game — including a remarkably low 24 even-strength goals in 29 games. But what’s brought the Big Red back among the national elite of late is a deep, potent offense that scored 104 goals in 29 games. That average of 3.59 goals per game ranked sixth in the country and was the highest posted by Cornell since 2002-03.`
Though the Big Red was unable to delve into its postseason because of the season’s abrupt conclusion, it was able to lock up its third consecutive Ivy League and Cleary Cup titles in February.
