Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Men’s Notes: College Hockey Returns to MSG

Cornell battles Boston University in Red Hot Hockey

One of college hockey’s marquee traditions returns Saturday to one of the most famous arenas in the entire world.

New York’s Madison Square Garden will host the ninth edition of Red Hot Hockey, the biennial matchup between Cornell and Boston University for the Kelley-Harkness Cup.

The Terriers, winner of their last four games, enter the contest ranked No. 5 in both national polls, while the No. 16/17 Big Red is looking to snap a three-game losing skid. Cornell has gotten the upper hand in each of the last three Big Hot Hockey matchups, including a 6-4 victory in 2021.

The puck drops at 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+ and TSN+.

Visit the links below for this week’s complete NCAA Division I men’s hockey schedule.

Stat Leaders | Goaltending Leaders

Spartans Surging:

Under first-year head coach Adam Nightingale (Michigan State ’05) in 2022-23, Michigan State showed plenty of signs of a program resurgence. MSU enjoyed its winningest season in more than a decade, logging a six-win improvement from 2021-22, and recorded its first-ever Big Ten Tournament victory. It resulted in Nightingale, a former Spartan himself, being named one of three finalists for Big Ten Coach of the Year.

This season, it certainly appears that Michigan State – unbeaten in November (5-0-1) – is now all the way back.

Last weekend, the Spartans picked up an eye-opening sweep over Wisconsin, which was ranked No. 1 in both national polls. Those two victories underscored MSU’s revival in several ways:

The Spartans became the first team in the nation to reach 10 wins
At 10-3-1, it’s the program’s best start since 2000-01 (11-1-2)
It was MSU’s first sweep of a No. 1 since 1974

Most importantly for the 2023-24 edition of the Spartans, it landed No. 7 Michigan State atop the Big Ten standings heading into this weekend’s holiday showdown at Minnesota.

They Went To Jared:

Last year as a junior, Lake Superior State F Jared Westcott (Imperial, Mo.) enjoyed the best season of his collegiate career, appearing in 32 games for the Lakers and registering personal bests in points (13), goals (six) and assists (seven).

Not even two months into his senior year, Westcott has blown those standards out of the water.

With 22 points in 12 games, Westcott is tied with highly touted Boston University freshman Macklin Celebrini (Vancouver, British Columbia) for the national scoring lead, and he’s already doubled last year’s six goals, leading the NCAA in that category as well.

That productivity from Westcott has helped make LSSU one of the top offensive teams in the country; the Lakers are averaging 3.6 goals per game, a number topped by only six teams nationwide. Last season, they ranked in the bottom five nationally in scoring.

Westcott and the Lakers hit the road this weekend for a CCHA series at St. Thomas.

We’re Going Streaking!:

Boston College freshman F Gabe Perreault (Sherbrooke, Quebec) and Merrimack junior F Matt Copponi (Mansfield, Mass.) both have active 10-game point streaks heading into this weekend’s play. That’s one game shy of the nation’s longest streak so far this season, an 11-gamer put together by Michigan State’s Karsen Dorwart (So., Sherwood, Ore.) from Oct. 8 through Nov. 11.

Perreault has amassed two goals and 15 assists during his run, while Copponi has provided three goals and 10 helpers.

Additionally, Minnesota State captain Sam Morton (Gr., Lafayette, Colo.) brings a nation’s-best six-game goal-scoring streak into this weekend’s CCHA series against Michigan Tech. Morton has racked up eight goals and 11 points over those six contests.

Fit to Print:

“I love overtimes. Bring ‘em on.”

— Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty after the Tigers earned their third OT win of the season with a 2-1 victory at Cornell on Saturday. (source: The Daily Princetonian)

NHL Note of the Week:

Dallas C Joe Pavelski (Wisconsin, 2004-06) is two games away from moving into the top 10 for most career NHL games by a former NCAA player. Pavelski has skated in 1,267 career games and is on pace to tie Brett Hull (Minnesota Duluth, 1984-86) for 10th all-time Friday against Calgary, Hull’s first NHL team.

Fries at the Bottom of the Bag:

Arizona State junior G TJ Semptimphelter (Marlton, N.J.) logged his seventh career shutout Sunday against Alaska Anchorage and is one away from tying Joey Daccord’s program record … Holy Cross G Thomas Gale (Jr., Kirkland, Quebec), the Atlantic Hockey Goaltender of the Week, registered back-to-back shutouts in last weekend’s sweep of Bentley. He is working on a shutout streak spanning 140 minutes, 31 seconds … Michigan State’s 4-2 win over top-ranked Wisconsin on Friday was the Spartans’ first win over a No. 1 team since the 2009-10 season … St. Cloud State graduate F Zach Okabe (Okotoks, Alberta) collected his 100th career point in Saturday’s win over Minnesota Duluth, making him the nation’s fifth active player to reach that milestone … SCSU’s 6-0-0 to start NCHC play marks the Huskies’ best conference start since opening 7-0-0 in the WCHA in 2001-02 … Niagara head coach Jason Lammers (Geneseo ’98) earned his 100th career win last Saturday … All of Princeton’s (3-2-1) points this season have come in overtime, including all three wins and one tie (with a win in the shootout).

College Hockey Inc. Resources:

Did you know? 92% of NCAA Division I men’s hockey players earn their degree!