Thursday, January 25, 2024

Men’s Notes: Augustana Readies to Open New Midco Arena

First-Year Vikings Host Ferris State in Newest College Hockey Rink

College hockey’s newest venue opens its doors this weekend when Augustana hosts Ferris State in the first-ever games at Midco Arena in Sioux Falls.

It’s the 15th new arena to open in NCAA Division I men’s hockey since 2010 and tickets are sold out for Friday’s inaugural game inside the 3,082-seat venue. The Vikings played the first five home games of their debut season at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.

“It’s a huge weekend for the program,” fifth-year captain Arnaud Vachon (Ajax, Ontario) recently told USCHO’s Jack Hittinger. “It’s a big weekend having a new rink for the first time.”

Midco Arena features a luxury club area and 12 private suites. Its amenities also include a strength and conditioning facility totaling nearly 7,300 square feet.

Added Vachon: “The whole team, but also the community and the school, has been pumped up for this moment for two years now, so it’s nice to finally have that come about.”

Stat Leaders | Goaltending Leaders

Rank and File:

This weekend’s men’s college hockey slate promises to be a PairWise aficionado’s dream.

Six different games around the country will feature matchups with both teams ranked among the top 20 in the current PairWise rankings, including three tilts between top-10 squads:

No. 1 Boston University vs. No. 2 Boston College
No. 3 North Dakota vs. No. 6 Denver
No. 4 Wisconsin @ No. 14 Michigan
No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 9 Minnesota
No. 10 Western Michigan vs. No. 18 Colorado College
No. 13 St. Cloud State vs. No. 20 Omaha

We’re Going Streaking!:

Four different players across NCAA Division I men’s hockey will carry point streaks of double-digit games into this weekend’s action.

Western Michigan F Matteo Costantini (Sr., St. Catharines, Ontario) is riding a 12-game point streak that is not only the longest active run in the country but is also just one shy of tying the 13-game streak by Maine’s Josh Nadeau (Nov. 3-Jan. 5) for the nation’s longest this season.
Denver F Carter King (Jr., Calgary, Alberta) and Boston College F Cutter Gauthier (So., Scottsdale, Ariz.) are both enjoying 11-game point streaks.
Michigan F Dylan Duke (Jr., Strongsville, Ohio) has points in 10 straight games, including two points in each of his last four.

Falcons Crest Offensively:

When Air Force closed out the 2023 calendar year, it had lost each of its last three games and had been shut out in two of them.

It’s been a different story since the calendar flipped to 2024.

The Falcons have won five of six games in the new year and are averaging 5.3 goals per game during that stretch, tied with Denver for fourth-best in the NCAA. Only Michigan (7.8), Long Island (6.0) and Boston College (5.5) are averaging more goals in that time.

Air Force began its current stretch with 3-1 and 7-3 victories at Bentley, then followed with a 6-2 win over AIC. After falling 4-1 to AIC the next day, Air Force bounced back with 8-1 and 7-6 wins at Army.

Those 15 goals against Army tied an Atlantic Hockey two-game series record.

Andre the Giant:

Northern Michigan F Andre Ghantous (Gr., Glendale, Calif.) is closing in on rarified air in college hockey.

Ghantous is just three points from reaching 150 for his collegiate career and needs five assists to reach 100 career helpers. He would be the only active NCAA Division I men’s player to reach either of those milestones.

In 22 games this season, Ghantous has seven goals and 23 points.

Fit to Print:

“He made a couple of saves tonight that you just don’t even think goalies can make.”

— North Dakota freshman D Jake Livanavage after teammate Ludvig Persson made a season-high 34 saves in Friday’s NCHC win at St. Cloud State (source: Grand Forks Herald)

NHL Note of the Week:

Winnipeg F Kyle Connor (Michigan, 2015-16) was added to the NHL All-Star Game roster this week, joining the initial 12 NCAA alumni who were previously selected for the event. It’s the second such career honor for Connor, who leads the Jets with 18 goals in 29 games.

The Shelby Township, Mich., native has produced the fourth-most goals (227) from his 2015 NHL Entry Draft class, topped only by Connor McDavid (320), Mikko Rantanen (246) and Sebastian Aho (234).

Fries at the Bottom of the Bag:

Lake Superior State will honor Clarence “Taffy” Abel, after whom the Lakers’ rink is named, during the second intermission of Friday’s game against Michigan Tech. Abel won the silver medal with the United States at the 1924 Winter Olympics and was the earliest known Native American to be a U.S. Olympic flagbearer … Maine remains the nation’s lone unbeaten team at home, having amassed a 9-0-2 record at Alfond Arena … Air Force Head Coach Frank Serratore (Bemidji State ’82) collected career win No. 500 in Saturday’s win over Army, making him just the fourth active coach to reach that milestone … St. Cloud State senior F Veeti Miettinen (Espoo, Finland) collected his 100th collegiate point with a goal in Friday’s loss to North Dakota, becoming the 10th active men’s player to reach that plateau. He added another tally in Saturday’s 3-3 overtime tie, giving him a new career high with 13 … Augustana’s 5-4 victory over Arizona State last Friday was the Vikings’ first-ever win over a nationally-ranked opponent.

College Hockey Inc. Resources:

Did you know? 93% of NCAA Division I men’s hockey players earn their degree!