Thursday, November 12, 2015

Notes: Title Rematch on Tap

Seniors lead Providence into BU rematch, plus much more around NCAA hockey.

Notes: Title Rematch on Tap
Senior Trevor Mingoia (right) and the Friars meet Boston University for the first time since last year’s title game (Photo by ESPN Photos).

By Nate Ewell

Senior moments – No NCAA champion has repeated since Denver in 2004-05, but few have boasted the returning senior class of Providence. Six seniors on the Friars – who face Boston University in national title game rematches Friday and Saturday – are among the team’s top eight scorers during its 6-0-1 start. Leading the way are Mark Jankowski (St. Catherines, Ont./Stanstead College/CGY), a first-round NHL pick who has added 30 pounds to his frame while on campus, and Trevor Mingoia (Fairport, N.Y./Tri-City-USHL), a transfer who followed head coach Nate Leaman to Providence from Union. Friday’s game is on ASN/TSN2

Most Points, Senior Class
69 – Robert Morris
48 – Providence
36 – Penn State
34 – Colgate
32 – Notre Dame

From Tuesday: TSN announced its 2015-16 schedule, which begins Thursday night with Northeastern visiting Notre Dame (7:30 p.m., TSN2/ASN).

Must Read/See/Hear Material

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Yale Daily News: Snively makes immediate impact
Portland Press Herald: McGovern sheds weight to earn starting job at Maine
BGSUHockey.com: Improved mental approach helping Falcons’ Nell
MGoBlue.com: Create the Difference, Episode 1
Rink Rap: Beanpot Bonanza Weekend

Five More Storylines No One Should be Without

Fitting win for Army – After his team’s 2-0 win at Connecticut Tuesday night, Army head coach Brian Riley said that “to get a win before Veterans Day, the hockey gods were looking out for us.” The Black Knights also had junior goaltender Parker Gahagen (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo-OJHL) on their side, who stopped all 23 shots he faced and kept the game scoreless until Army’s offense broke through in the third period. Gahagen has now shut out opponents for five straight periods. A two-sport star in high school who opted for hockey over baseball, Gahagen and the Black Knights return home to face Atlantic Hockey favorite Robert Morris next weekend.

Seawolves’ senior leader – Alaska Anchorage features 18 freshmen and sophomores – tied for sixth in Division I – but will lean on one of its four seniors, Blake Tatchell (North Battleford, Sask./Battlefords-SJHL), for offensive leadership. After generating one assist through three games Tatchell has nine points (4g-5a) in the last five games, including three multiple-point games. The 5-2-1 Seawolves, enjoying their best start since 2008-09, are home against Ferris State this weekend.

Most freshmen and sophomores:
22 – Mercyhurst, Wisconsin
20 – Air Force, Canisius
19 – Massachusetts
18 – Alaska Anchorage, Colorado College, Connecticut, Lake Superior State, Omaha

Miller’s return sparks RPI – Rensselaer’s 3-0-1 conference start has followed a 1-4-0 start to the season, and part of that turnaround coincides with senior Mark Miller (Massena, N.Y./Omaha-USHL) returning from an offseason wrist injury. Miller’s two goals both came in the last three games and both were game-winners, including an OT tally at St. Lawrence Saturday. The mechanical engineering major’s return has helped the Engineers overcome some other key injuries, including the absence of goaltender Jason Kasdorf (Winnipeg, Man./Des Moines-USHL/BUF) on Saturday.

Defense, PK lead Miami – Miami returned home and promptly snapped a three-game losing streak thanks to a pair of 2-1 wins vs. Western Michigan. Defense, goaltending and penalty killing have been keys for the RedHawks, now 4-0 in one-goal games entering this weekend’s series with North Dakota. Backstopping it all is senior Ryan McKay (Palatine, Ill./Green Bay-USHL), whose .937 save percentage on the year includes only one game below .923. It’s an impressive bounce-back thus far for McKay, whose .898 last year ranked 66th nationally.

Best Penalty Kill Pct., 2015-16
1.000 – Harvard (9 opp.), Yale (8 opp.)
.971 – Miami (35 opp.)
.933 – Princeton (15 opp.)
.929 – Merrimack (28 opp.)
.917 – Sacred Heart (36 opp.)

Gophers’ Swedish sensation – The transition to NCAA hockey was fairly unique for Minnesota’s Leon Bristedt (Stockholm, Sweden/Linkoping), who learned early last year that North Americans typically call their coaches “Coach,” rather than by their first name. On the ice, the 5-foot-8, 185-pounder adjusted well, recording 19 points, but he seems to be making big strides as a sophomore. He has 4 goals and 6 points in the last 4 games as the Gopher offense – which managed 1 goal in the first 3 games – has come to life. A veteran of Swedish national teams, Bristedt has fit well on the left wing of the Gophers’ top line, opposite junior Hudson Fasching (Burnsville, Minn./U.S. NTDP/BUF). Saturday’s game is on FOX Sports North+

European Players in NCAA Division I
2011-12 – 29
2012-13 – 40
2013-14 – 37
2014-15 – 45
2015-16 – 58

NHL Note of the Week

The 19 former NCAA goaltenders to appear in the NHL this season represent 16 schools. Maine (Ben Bishop, Scott Darling, Jimmy Howard) and Colorado College (Richard Bachman, Curtis McElhinney) are the only schools with more than one former goaltender in the league.

Fries at the Bottom of the Bag

Six weeks of national polls have produced four different No. 1 teams, with Providence taking over the top spot this week … Two of the four remaining teams without a loss – Harvard and Quinnipiac – meet Friday in Hamden, Conn. … Boston College’s Thatcher Demko (San Diego, Calif./U.S. NTDP/VAN) has joined Blaine Lacher (LSSU) as the only NCAA goaltenders to record six shutouts in a seven-game stretch … Minnesota Hockey produced this infographic on the state’s impact on NCAA hockey … Ohio State alum Dave Smith brings his Canisius team to Columbus as the Golden Griffins face the Buckeyes for the third year in a row (0-3-1 in that time).