With the end of the regular season fast approaching, much
is going on throughout the collegiate ranks. Here’s a look at back at the
month of February and some of what lies ahead in the very near future for the
NCAA and its prospects. Unless otherwise noted, all statistics listed are
current as of February 28.
Knoepfli helps lead Cornell to regular season
titles
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Mike Knoepfli enjoyed a stellar month of
February and helped guide the Big Red to win both the ECACHL and Ivy League regular
season championships. Cornell won their third Cleary Cup in four years as
ECACHL champs and fourth consecutive Ivy League regular season title. Knoepfli, Cornell’s team captain, posted 12 points
(five goals, seven assists) in Cornell’s final eight regular season
games, including the game-winner in overtime last Friday versus St. Lawrence.
He finishes the regular season, second on the Big Red roster with 23 points (11
goals, 12 assists).
A great month for four
prospects
Freshman goaltender Kevin
Regan (BOS), senior Ned Havern (DAL) and juniors Dirk Southern (ANA) and Mike
Morris (SJ) all had outstanding Februarys.
Regan, the New
Hampshire freshman goaltender, earned Hockey East
Rookie of the Month honors after posting a 5-1-1 record with a
1.91 goals against average and a .941 save percentage. In five of the
seven goals, Regan allowed no more than two goals per game. On the season,
Regan has posted a 12-2-1 record with a 2.34 goals
against average and a .930 save percentage.
Havern posted seven points (five
goals, two assists) in eight games for Boston College
in February. The Eagles went 3-3-2 in February.
Coincidentally, in all three of the Eagles losses Havern
failed to post a point. When he did, the Eagles either won or tied. On the
season Havern has posted 20 points (nine goals, 11
assists), which currently ranks fourth on the team.
Southern was named CCHA Player of the Month after a
stellar February for the Northern Michigan Wildcats. During the month he posted
10 points (four goals, six assists). He currently ranks fourth on the Wildcats
team in scoring with 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists). His 17 assists rank
second on the team. Six of his ten goals have been game-winners and he is tied
for first in the nation in that category.
Morris posted nine points (five goals, four assists) in
eight games for the Northeastern Huskies in February. He capped off the month
with three goals in two games to help Northeastern to a win and tie versus Boston University.
The performance also earned him Hockey East Player of the Week honors. Morris
is currently second on the Huskies team in scoring with 33 points (17 goals, 16
assists). His 17 goals lead the team.
It’s a first
Boston
University junior David Van der Gulik (CGY) posted his first career hat trick on
February 4th in the Terriers 4-4 tie versus UMass-Lowell.
The performance also earned Van der Gulik Hockey East Player of the Week honors for the week
ending February 7th.
Michigan State freshman Jim
McKenzie (OTT) posted his first career hat trick on February 18th
in the Spartans 6-3 win over Ohio
State. McKenzie had an
outstanding February, posting eight points (seven goals, one assist) in eight
games.
Union College freshman goaltender Justin Mrazek (WSH) posted his first
career shutout in a 0-0 tie versus Princeton
on February 26th. The scoreless tie was Union
College’s first since 1995 while
it was the first in the 103-year history of the Princeton
hockey program.
Leading the nation
Several NHL prospects are among the nation’s leaders
in several statistical categories.
Colorado
College junior Brett Sterling (ATL) currently leads
the nation in goals (27). Fifteen of his 27 goals have been scored on the power
play, which also leads the nation. He currently ranks second in points (53) and
points per game (1.56).
Denver
sophomore Matt Carle (SJ) and junior
Brett Skinner (VAN), currently rank
second and third respectively in the nation in scoring among defensemen.
Carle’s 12 goals co-lead the category. Skinner leads the nation’s
defensemen in assists with 30. He also ranks third overall.
UMass junior Stephen Werner (WSH) is currently tied
for first in the nation in short-handed goals with four. Werner also leads the
Minutemen in scoring with 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists).
New Hampshire sophomore Brett Hemingway (COL) is currently tied for first in the
nation in game-winning goals with six. He ranks third on the New Hampshire roster in points with 38 (20
goals, 18 assists). His 20 goals rank first on the team in that category.
Wisconsin freshman Joe Pavelski
(SJ) is currently tied for second in the nation in scoring among rookies with
36 points (11 goals, 25 assists). His 25 assists is tops in the nation among
rookies. His 36 points rank second on the Badgers team.
Maine
junior goaltender Jim Howard (DET)
continues to be the Black Bears pillar of strength. He currently has a 17-10-6 record, his six shutouts currently rank second in the
nation. He also is tied for seventh in the nation in goals against average
(1.97), tied for 14th in save percentage (.919) and is third in
minutes played (1921:28).
Colorado
College senior goaltender
Curtis McElhinney
(CGY) currently ranks first in the nation in winning percentage (.868). He has
a 16-2-1 record. Surprisingly, his record includes no shutouts. McElhinney’s 2.17 goals against average currently ranks 14th in the
nation while his .925 save percentage ranks eighth.
Ohio
State junior defenseman Nate Guenin (NYR)
currently ranks second in the nation in penalty minutes with 116. The tough,
in-your-face Buckeyes have been one of the most penalized team in the nation
for much of the season. They currently rank first in the nation in team penalty
minutes (869) and second in penalty minutes per game (25.6).
Injury Update
Boston
College is still without
the services of senior defenseman Andrew
Alberts (BOS) and freshman goaltender Cory Schneider (VAN). Alberts suffered a knee injury versus Merrimack back on February 11th.
Schneider is still hampered by the knee injury he suffered in the Beanpot Consolation game versus Harvard back on February 14th.
Both players are expected to be out of the Eagles lineup for another one to
three weeks.
North Dakota sophomore Brady Murray (LA) briefly returned to
action only to go down to injury once again. Murray suffered another shoulder injury on
February 19th versus Alaska-Anchorage. With the Fighting Sioux
currently in a battle to gain home ice in the opening round of the upcoming
WCHA conference playoffs, Murray’s
injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. To add insult to his injury, Murray could be lost for the duration of North Dakota’s season, including
playoffs, if his injury requires season-ending surgery.
Michigan State junior David
Booth (FLA) missed last weekend’s
crucial series versus Bowling Green due to a rib injury.
He is expected to be out for at least another two weeks.
New Hampshire
sophomore defenseman Michael Hutchins
(SJ) has missed the last nine games due to a shoulder injury. His last
appearance was back on January 28th versus UMass-Lowell.
Colgate junior Kyle
Wilson (MIN) returned to the Raiders lineup on February 18th
after missing the previous eight games with a broken bone in his foot. Wilson is currently fifth
on the team in scoring with 19 points (5 goals, 14 assists).
Dartmouth
junior Hugh Jessiman
(NYR) returned to the Big Green lineup on February 25th for the
team’s final two regular season games versus Harvard and Brown
respectively. He had been out of the Dartmouth
lineup since he suffered torn ligaments in his right ankle back on November 6th
versus Princeton. Dartmouth, who finished fifth in the ECACHL,
will meet Yale in the opening round of the ECACHL conference playoffs that get
underway this weekend.
Michigan
senior Jason Ryznar
(NJ) could be close to returning to the Wolverines lineup. Ryznar
suffered a broken finger back on January 29th versus Northern Michigan. He has since had surgery on the finger
and could possibly return as soon as this weekend in Michigan’s
regular season finale versus Bowling
Green.
The Hobey update
As of February 28th, Bowling Green senior
goaltender Jordan Sigalet
(BOS) is leading in the fan balloting phase for the Hobey Baker award with over
63,700 votes. The next highest vote getter among current NHL prospects is Northern Michigan junior defenseman Nathan Oystrick (ATL) with just over
28,100 votes. Fans can still cast votes through Sunday, March 6th at
http://www.hobeybaker.com.
Milestones
Nashville Predators prospect Mike McKenna etched his name in the St. Lawrence record books when
he appeared in his 86th career game back on February 11th
in the 6-2 loss to Dartmouth.
The senior goaltender broke a school record that stood for 49 years. He
finishes regular season play with a 13-15-2 record that includes two shutouts.
He currently ranks seventh in the nation in minutes played at 1787:47.
Harvard senior goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris (PHI) tied the school
record for career shutouts when he posted his 10th career shutout on
February 22nd versus Brown. Grumet-Morris
currently leads the nation with a .948 save percentage. His 1.58 goals against
average currently rank second in the nation.
Cornell junior Matt
Moulson (PIT) became the first player since
1995-96 to record 20 or more goals for the Big Red. The last player to do so
was Brad Chartrand. Moulson
concluded regular season play leading Cornell in scoring with 33 points (20
goals, 13 points). His 11 power play goals also lead the team.
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