Notes: A new No. 1, UConn’s big start, milestones and more

By Jayson Hajdu

There is a new No. 1 in men’s college hockey this week after previously top-ranked Denver was swept by UMass in Amherst. Minnesota, which was idle last week, took over the top spot in both the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls that were released Monday.

The Golden Gophers return to the ice this week at home for a nonconference series against seventh-ranked North Dakota. Other top-10 clashes this week include #2 Minnesota State at #8 St. Cloud State and #4 Denver vs. #9/11 Providence.

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Must Read:

Arizona Republic: ASU hockey using new arena to earn respect in college hockey world
College Hockey News: Opening of new arena means Arizona State now has everything it needs
Flo Hockey: Coast to Coast: Keeping tabs on the rookies
Grand Forks Herald: Ryan Sidorski is UND’s new Wall Street-bound defenseman
NCAA.com: What we learned from a wild weekend of men’s college hockey upsets and sweeps
New England Hockey Journal: 10 things we learned from New England DI college hockey Oct. 14-16
NHL.com: Anson Carter embraces ECHL ownership opportunity
NHL.com: Warren takes ice as Boston College’s first Black captain
Sportsnet: Inside Sabres sniper Tage Thompson’s quest to build ‘something special’ in Buffalo
UNHWildcats.com: An appreciation. Josh Ciocco, 1983-2002

Must Hear:

Inside Atlantic Hockey: Featuring Niagara head coach Jason Lammers
Inside The Rink Live: Recapping turbulent week of college hockey, previewing UND-Minnesota and more
Talking Hockey Sense: NHL rookies reviewed, ECHL preview, prospect Q&A, college hockey slow starts
USCHO Weekend Review: Down goes No. 1, other top teams lose – plus why is scoring up?

Huskies’ Hot Start:

UConn is off to the best start to a season in program history, having rattled off a 5-0-1 record after taking a win and a tie from #11 Ohio State last weekend. The Huskies are clicking at both ends of the ice – they rank third nationally in both goals (21) and save percentage (.956) – and have yet to allow a power-play goal (in 23 opportunities) through six games.

Sophomore Logan Terness and freshman Arsenii Sergeev have split time in goal so far. Terness boasts a nation’s-best .973 save percentage while Sergeev has provided a stout .940 mark.

UConn will face another stiff test this weekend on the road at #9/11 Boston University.

Pietila Zeroes In:

Michigan Tech senior G Blake Pietila registered his 11th career shutout in last Thursday’s 2-0 win over Alaska, toppling the school record previously held by current MTU volunteer assistant coach Jamie Philips. Pietila followed up his record-breaking performance with a 23-save effort Friday in a 6-2 win. He was later named CCHA Goaltender of the Week.

Through three games this season, Pietila is 2-1-0 with a 1.35 GAA and .952 save percentage. The Huskies open CCHA play this weekend against visiting Bemidji State.

Another Doan in the Desert:

When Arizona State debuted its new on-campus arena last Friday night against Colgate, a familiar name to Arizona hockey fans provided a memorable milestone. ASU sophomore F Josh Doan knocked home his own rebound late in the first period to notch the first-ever goal at Mullett Arena.

Doan’s father, Shane Doan, is the Arizona Coyotes’ all-time scoring leader and served as team captain from 2003 until his retirement in 2017.

The younger Doan, a second-round pick of the Coyotes in 2021, ranked third on the Sun Devils in scoring as a freshman in 2021-22, posting 12 goals and 37 points in 35 games. He has two goals and two assists through his first six contests this season.

We Don’t Need Another Hero:

Senior F Patrick Moynihan has carried the hot stick for Providence in the early going, registering the game-winning goal in each of the Friars’ first three games of the season. The 2019 draft pick of the New Jersey Devils scored the decisive tally in victories over Sacred Heart, Clarkson and Northeastern, already matching the three GWG he totaled in 89 career games prior to this season.

NHL Note of the Week I:

Minnesota Wild D Alex Goligoski (Minnesota, 2004-05) played in his 999th career game Monday night, leaving him on the doorstep of becoming the 10th active NCAA alumni – and 67th all-time – to reach 1,000 for his NHL career. Goligoski and the Wild return to action Thursday at home against Vancouver.

College Players with 1,000 NHL GP

NHL Note of the Week II:

Goligoski’s teammate, F Matt Boldy (Boston College, 2019-21), is making history of his own. Boldy’s 44 career points through his first 50 NHL games have been topped by just two other U.S.-born skaters through their first 50: Vancouver Canucks F and former North Dakota All-America Brock Boeser and Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane.

Fries at the Bottom of the Bag:

Denver will raise its 2022 NCAA championship banner prior to Saturday’s game against Providence. It is Homecoming weekend on the DU campus … When Lindenwood erased a 6-2 deficit in last Friday’s 7-6 win over Air Force, it became the first men’s hockey program this century to earn its first NCAA Division I win in a game it had trailed by two or more goals. The game also happened to be Lindenwood’s first home tilt as a DI program … Canisius senior F Daniel DiGrande scored the Golden Griffins’ first hat trick in five years when he erupted in last Friday’s 5-3 win over Ferris State. Dylan McLaughlin (Nov. 11, 2017 at Mercyhurst) was the last to do it for Canisius … RIT freshman F Tyler Mahan scored three times in last Saturday’s 8-5 victory over Union, making him the first RIT rookie to notch a hat trick since Andrew Rinaldi on Nov. 1, 2019.

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