Note: Only teams featuring current NHL prospects have been included. All stats included are through the end of the regular season.

CCHA

#1 Michigan vs. #12 Notre Dame – The Wolverines claimed their third CCHA regular season title in four years last weekend on top of a five-point effort by junior Jeff Tambellini (LA). The Wolverines have been one of the nation’s most explosive and balanced offensive teams all season, with 12 players on the roster registering 20 or more points this season. Among them are Tambellini, freshman Chad Kolarik (PHX) and senior Jason Ryznar (NJ). Tambellini, an All-CCHA First Team selection, ranks second on the team in scoring with 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists). His 29 assists lead the team. Kolarik is fourth on the team with 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists). Ryznar, despite missing games due to injury, is enjoying a career year with 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists).

Michigan will host struggling Notre Dame in the opening round of the CCHA playoffs. The Wolverines swept the Fighting Irish during the regular season, outscoring them a combined 29-6 in the four regular season meetings. After a stellar season last year, the Fighting Irish have had little go right this season. The main reason for Notre Dame’s woes has been the severe lack of scoring. Coming into the post-season, the Irish rank dead last in the nation in offense, averaging only 1.64 points per game. One of the few bright spots for Notre Dame has been the development of talented sophomore defenseman Wes O’Neill (NYI). O’Neill is second on the team in scoring with 19 points (six goals, 13 assists).

#2 Ohio State vs. #11 Ferris State – The Buckeyes wrapped up the second seed in the conference after finishing out their season with a win and tie against Miami-Ohio last weekend. The Buckeyes come into the post-season as one of only two teams that ranks among the top ten in the nation in both team offense and defense. Junior Rod Pelley, a CCHA All-Second Team selection, leads the team in scoring with 37 points (21 goals, 16 assists). Freshman sensation Tom Fritsche, a strong candidate for CCHA Rookie of the Year, leads all the nation’s rookies in assists with 29. Junior defenseman Nate Guenin (NYR), another CCHA All-Second Team selection, leads the most penalized team in the nation in penalty minutes with 120.

Ohio State will meet 11^th-seeded Ferris State in the opening round of the conference playoffs, having won three of the four regular season meetings. The lone loss the Buckeyes suffered came back on January 8^th in Columbus. Two factors that have contributed to the Bulldogs struggles this season have been team defense and inability to win at home. The Bulldogs have won a total of just four games in the friendly confines of Ewigleben Arena, with two coming against conference opponents Michigan and Western Michigan during the first half of the season. While the FSU defense, ranked 46^th in the nation, has been a problem, the offense has fared better. Senior Jeff Legue leads FSU in scoring with 40 points (22 goals, 18 assists). His 22 goals are tied for first in the CCHA.

#3 Northern Michigan vs. #10 Western Michigan – The Wildcats come into the post-season as one of the nation’s hottest teams, riding an eight-game undefeated streak (6-0-2). They are coming off of a sweep of Lake Superior State last weekend. A big part of NMU’s success has been the stellar play of senior goaltender Tuomas Tarkki. Tarkki, an All-CCHA First Team selection, sports an 18-6-5 record that includes three shutouts. He ranks ninth in the nation in goals against average (2.00) and third in save percentage (.931). Sophomore Darin Olver (NYR) leads the team in scoring with 39 points (9 goals, 30 assists) and his 30 assists tie him for fifth in the nation. CCHA All-Rookie Team selection, freshman Mike Santorelli (NSH) is having an excellent season and leads the team’s rookies with 29 points (16 goals, 13 assists).

NMU will face tenth-seeded Western Michigan in the opening round of the conference playoffs. The Wildcats won and tied the Broncos in the two regular season meetings. WMU is coming off of a split to Ferris State last weekend. Team defense has been the biggest problem for WMU this season, despite some outstanding work by freshman Daniel Bellissimo. Offense has not been a problem. Junior Brent Walton, a likely Hobey Baker finalist and an All-CCHA Second Team selection, is enjoying a superb season for WMU, leading the team with 49 points (20 goals, 29 assists) which puts him fourth in the nation. Junior Vince Bellissimo (FLA) is also having a stellar season, ranking second on the WMU squad with 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists).

#4 Nebraska-Omaha vs. #9 Lake Superior State – One of the best stories to come out of the CCHA this season has been the stellar play of the Mavericks. The sensational duo of sophomore Scott Parse (LA) and CCHA All-Rookie Team selection Bill Thomas have been a key reason for the success of UNO. Parse, a potential candidate for CCHA Player of the Year and an All-CCHA First Team selection, leads the Mavericks in scoring with 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists). Thomas leads the nation in scoring among rookies with 42 points (18 goals, 24 assists). Sophomore Chris Holt (NYR) has been the workhorse for the Mavericks this season, starting in 34 of UNO’s 36 games this season and posting a 17-13-4 record that includes one shutout. He ranks third in the nation in minutes played (2020:11).

Nebraska-Omaha will host Lake Superior State in the opening round. The Mavericks are 2-1-1 in the four meetings versus the Lakers this season. The lone loss the Mavericks suffered against the Lakers came back on December 7^th in Omaha. LSSU is coming off of a series loss to Northern Michigan last weekend. The goaltending tandem of sophomore Jeff Jakaitis and senior Matt Violin (VAN) has been a key to the success that the Lakers have enjoyed this season, despite their losing records. Both goaltenders have posted save percentages better than .910 and a goals against average around three.

#5 Bowling Green vs. #8 Alaska-Fairbanks – The Falcons capped off an emotional regular season by clinching home ice in the opening round of the conference playoffs for the first time in ten years. Senior goaltender Jordan Sigalet (BOS), who also serves as one of the team’s tri-captains, announced back in December that he has multiple sclerosis. Since his announcement, Sigalet has continued to be an inspiration both on and off the ice for BGSU. He is enjoying a career year, posting a 16-10-3 record that includes one shutout and has been crucial in the Falcons outstanding season. Sigalet was recently named to the CCHA All-Conference Second Team and could be a finalist for this year’s Hobey Baker Award.

BGSU will meet eighth-seeded Alaska-Fairbanks in the opening round of the conference playoffs. The Falcons swept the Nanooks in the two regular season meetings. BGSU outscored UAF 12-3 combined in the two games. The Nanooks are coming off of a hard fought victory over in-state rival Alaska-Anchorage to claim the Governor’s Cup. A big part of the UAF’s success this season can be attributed to the sensational performance of freshman goaltender Wylie Rogers. Rogers, a CCHA All-Rookie Team selection, won the starting job playing in 26 games this season. He has posted an 11-11-4 record with a 2.90 goals against average and a .902 save percentage.

#6 Michigan State vs. #7 Miami-Ohio – It almost looked like they were going to squander it, but the Michigan State Spartans would gain home ice for the first round of the conference playoffs, thanks to a sweep of Notre Dame in the final weekend along with some help. MSU comes into the post-season without sophomore defenseman A. J. Thelen (MIN), who was dismissed from the team last weekend. Senior Jim Slater (ATL) continues to move up the Spartans’ all-time scoring chart, now sitting in 24^th place. In the last six games, Slater has been on a tear, notching 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in that stretch. Freshman Jim McKenzie (OTT) has a hot streak of his own going into the post-season. McKenzie has eight points (seven goals, one assist) in six games, including his first career hat trick.

MSU will meet Miami-Ohio in the opening round of the conference playoffs. The Spartans split the two regular season meetings with the RedHawks this season. Miami-Ohio is coming off of a disappointing loss and tie to in-state rival Ohio State this past weekend that resulted in the RedHawks losing home ice to their first round opponent. The outstanding sophomore tandem of Matt Christie (ANA) and Marty Guerin (LA) rank first and second respectively in team scoring. Christie leads the team with 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists), while Guerin is second with 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists). The player to watch on the team however is junior defenseman Andy Greene. Greene, who is enjoying a stellar season and is an early favorite for CCHA Offensive Defenseman of the Year, leads all CCHA defensemen in scoring with 33 points (seven goals, 26 assists).

HOCKEY EAST

#1 Boston College vs. #8 UMass – The Eagles claimed their third straight Hockey East title last weekend after taking a crucial win and tie versus Maine last weekend. Sophomore Brian Boyle (LA) notched two goals in Boston College’s win on Friday night. The Eagles also saw the return of defensemen Andrew Alberts (BOS) and Greg Lauze, both of whom had been out of the lineup due to injury. Boston College has arguably the conference’s most balanced team with both scoring depth and outstanding team defense. Junior Patrick Eaves (OTT), a potential Hobey Baker finalist, leads the team in scoring with 43 points (17 goals, 26 assists). The goaltending tandem of senior Matti Kaltiainen (BOS) and freshman Cory Schneider (VAN) have been superb all season. Both goaltenders rank in the top ten in the nation in goals against average and save percentage. Schneider went undefeated in regular season play (prior to his injury), posting a sparkling 9-0-4 record. Kaltiainen has posted a 12-6-3 record.

Boston College will face eighth-seeded UMass in the opening round, having posted a win and a tie in the two regular season meetings. The Minutemen are coming off of a split versus Northeastern last weekend. Scoring, particularly in the latter half of the regular season, has been a problem for UMass. Since January, their opponents have outscored them by a margin of nearly 3 to 1. Junior Stephen Werner (WSH) leads the team with 27 points (17 goals, 26 assists). He is also tied for first in the nation with four short-handed goals. The hottest player of late for the Minutemen has been junior defenseman Marvin Degon, who has five points (two goals, three assists) in the last four games going into the post-season.

#2 Boston University vs. #7 Providence – Boston University is coming off of an important win and tie versus New Hampshire last weekend that enabled them to finish with the second seed heading into the conference playoffs. Junior David Van der Gulik (CGY) and sophomore Kenny Roche (NYR) each tallied a goal apiece in BU’s victory on Saturday. Van der Gulik leads the team in scoring with 30 points (18 goals, 12 assists). A major factor in the Terriers’ success during the regular season was the stellar play of sophomore goaltender John Curry. He has a 16-8-3 record and ranks seventh in the nation in both goals against average (1.92) and save percentage (.926). BU has also gotten outstanding contributions from their freshmen. Three of the Terriers’ top ten scorers are rookies. Peter MacArthur, a strong candidate for Hockey East Rookie of the Year, leads the team’s rookies in scoring with 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists).

Boston University will meet seventh-seeded Providence for the fifth time in seven years. The Terriers swept the Friars in the two regular season meetings. Providence is coming off of an overtime win over UMass-Lowell on Saturday. Junior defenseman James Pemberton (FLA) notched the game-winner at the 1:53 mark of overtime to lead the Friars. The win was Providence’s third in a row, the best since the opening weekend of the season. One area where the Friars have struggled this season is in scoring. Sophomores Colin McDonald (EDM) and Jamie Carroll are the only two players on the Providence roster with 10 or more goals. Senior Chris Chaput leads the Friars in scoring with 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists).

#3 New Hampshire vs. #6 Northeastern – New Hampshire is coming off of a disappointing tie and loss to Boston University last weekend and as a result finishes with the third seed heading into the conference playoffs. The Wildcats possess one of the nation’s most potent offenses. UNH is one of only three teams in the nation averaging better than four goals per game. Furthermore, the Wildcats roster features six players with 30 or more points. Senior sensation Sean Collins (COL), a strong candidate for both Hockey East Player of the Year and the Hobey Baker award, leads the team with 47 points (17 goals, 30 assists). His 47 points rank him tied for seventh in the nation, while his 30 assists rank him tied for fifth. Senior Justin Aikins (CBJ) joined UNH’s 100-point club last Saturday after notching a goal and an assist versus Boston University. He has 29 points (7 goals, 22 assists) on the season thus far. One of best players to emerge from the UNH lineup has been freshman goaltender Kevin Regan (BOS), who has posted a 9-2-2 record in 14 games. His .926 save percentage ranks him eighth in the nation.

New Hampshire will face sixth-seeded Northeastern in the opening round of the conference playoffs on Thursday, having swept all three regular season meetings. Northeastern will be making its first post-season appearance in three years. The Huskies are coming off of an 8-3 thrashing of UMass on Saturday in which outstanding junior Mike Morris (SJ) exploded for six points (two goals, four assists) to lead NU to victory. Morris now leads the team in goals with 19, while his linemate, senior Jason Guerriero won Hockey East’s regular season scoring title with 48 points (17 goals, 31 assists). Morris and Guerriero account for nearly 30 percent of the Huskies’ team offense. Northeastern has partially built its outstanding regular season on beating ranked opponents, which include Michigan in the season opener, Harvard in the Beanpot Tournament and a recent win and tie versus Boston University. The Huskies have also gotten superb goaltending from senior workhorse Keni Gibson, who has played in 34 of the NU’s 36 games, posting a 15-14-5 record with one shutout. Gibson leads the nation in minutes played (2084:44).

#4 Maine vs. #5 UMass-Lowell – Maine is coming off of a heartbreaking tie and loss to Boston College last weekend. The Black Bears finish with the fourth seed heading into the conference playoffs for just the first time since their national championship season of 1999-2000. Maine brings one of the best team defenses into the post-season, ranking fifth in the nation with 2.03 goals against per game. The key has been the continuing stellar play of junior goaltender Jimmy Howard (DET) who has posted some stellar numbers despite a 17-11-7 record. His 2.02 goals against average ranks tenth in the nation, and he ranks second both in shutouts (6) and minutes played (2045:16). Maine has also had great success versus conference opponents at home at Alfond Arena. The Black Bears are 8-1-3 versus Hockey East opponents at Alfond. Their lone home loss to a conference foe came back on November 5^th versus Boston College. Sophomore defenseman Mike Lundin (TB) continues to develop into one of the team’s most reliable players. Lundin is one of only three players that have played in all 36 games. He has 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) on the season thus far.

Maine will face fifth-seeded UMass-Lowell in the opening round, having swept the RiverHawks in all three regular season meetings. Lowell is coming off of a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss at home to Providence on Saturday. The RiverHawks have become one of the stories out of Hockey East this season. After the turbulence of last season that saw them forfeit nine games, Lowell has emerged this season as a difficult team to have to face on any given night. The RiverHawks rank among the top 15 in the nation in both team offense and defense. Junior Ben Walter (BOS) is enjoying a career year, leading the team with 39 points (26 goals, 13 assists). His 13 power play goals are tied for third in the nation. The hottest player on the roster is junior Elias Godoy. He has racked up 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in Lowell’s last 13 games. While Walter and Godoy have been getting it done up front, freshman goaltender Peter Vetri has been getting it done on the defensive side. In 24 games, Vetri has compiled a 13-6-4 record that includes two shutouts.

CHA

#1 Bemidji State – The Beavers wrapped up their second consecutive CHA title after a convincing sweep over Air Force last weekend. With the top seed, BSU earns a quarterfinal bye. The Beavers will meet the winner of the Air Force-Wayne State match in the conference semi-finals on Saturday. The Beavers’ sweep of the Falcons last weekend came at a high-cost as leading scorer Andrew Murray (CBJ) has been lost for the duration of BSU’s season due to a broken collarbone. Murray, who re-wrote most of Bemidji State’s Division I-Era record books, leads the team in scoring with 38 points (16 goals, 22 assists). He finishes his stellar collegiate career with 115 points (46 goals, 69 assists), placing him 30^th all-time in the storied history of Bemidji State’s program.