BLAINE, Minn. — The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's hockey season gets underway this weekend, as all nine teams take part in the three-day MIAC Men's Hockey Showcase at the Schwan's Super Rink.
MIAC Showcase Schedule (All Games Played At Schwan's Super Rink)
Friday, October 31, 2014
Game 1: St.Thomas vs. Saint John's, 6:30 p.m. (Coon Rapids Rink) | Live Stats
Game 2: Gustavus vs. Bethel, 7 p.m. (Blaine Arena) | Live Stats
Game 3: Augsburg vs. Saint Mary's, 7:30 p.m. (Ramsey County Arena) | Live Stats
Saturday, November 1
Game 1: Bethel vs. St. Olaf, 6:30 p.m. (Coon Rapids Arena) | Live Stats
Game 2: Concordia vs. Augsburg, 7 p.m. (Blaine Arena) | Live Stats
Game 3: Saint John's vs. Hamline, 7:30 p.m. (Ramsey County Arena) | Live Stats
Sunday, November 2
Game 1: Saint Mary's vs. Concordia, 2:30 p.m. (Coon Rapids Arena) | Live Stats
Game 2: Hamline vs. St. Thomas, 3 p.m. (Blaine Arena) | Live Stats
Game 3: St. Olaf vs. Gustavus, 3:30 p.m. (Ramsey County Arena) | Live Stats
MIAC Showcase On The Web:
Showcase Scoreboard | Game Program | MIAC's Showcase Homepage
2014-15 MIAC Hockey Preview | MIAC Hockey Homepage | Saint Mary's Video Preview
MIAC Hockey Showcase — Looking Back:
2013 Results | 2013 Preview | 2012 Results | 2012 Preview | 2011 Results | 2011 Preview |
2010 Results | 2010 Preview | 2009 Results | 2009 Preview |
Augsburg Auggies News and Notes:
The Auggies are coming off a 13-win season in 2013-14, the fifth double-digit win season under head coach Chris Brown. … Augsburg opened the season a year ago unbeaten in its first nine games (8-0-1). … Augsburg returns five of its top six scorers, led by First-Team All-MIAC selection Mack Ohnsted. Ohnsted led the team in both assists (19) and points (25). … Ben McClellan boasted a team-leading 15 goals — including four game-winners — a year ago and was second to Ohnsted with 21 points. … The Auggies boasted 11 players with 10 or more points last season. … John Bretzman appeared in 18 of the team's 25 games in goal, compiling a team-leading 2.62 goals-against-average and a .900 save percentage. … As a team, the Auggies netted 79 goals in 2013-14, including a season-high nine in a 9-2 win over Northland on Nov. 22. … Augsburg boasted a multiple-goal scorer seven times a year ago, including a season-best four-goal game by Ben McClellan against Northland on Nov. 22. … Augsburg played in six overtime games last season, going 2-1-3 — including wins over Bethel and UW-River Falls. … The Auggies outscored their opponents in every period, including 23-17 in the game's opening 20 minutes. … Eight of Augsburg's 13 wins came on the Auggies home ice. Augsburg was 3-5-2 on the road and 2-0-0 in neutral-site games.
Bethel Royals News and Notes:
The Royals head into 2014-15 looking to improve on last year's 3-20-1 overall record. … Bethel returns both of its honorable-mention All-MIAC performers, Travis Payne and Brock Raffaele. Payne led the team in goals with 10 and was second in points with 19. Raffaele, meanwhile, was the team-leader in assists (12) and points (20), while finishing second in goals with eight. … Jack McFarlane accounted for two of the team's three game-winning goals, with Andrew Bjorklund accounting for the other. … Thirteen of BU's 45 goals in 2013-14 came on the power play. … Bethel got scoring from 15 different players, while 17 Royals recorded at least one point. … Bethel boasted a multiple-goal scorer six times last year, with Raeffale and Travis Payne recording two goals in a game twice. … The Royals enter this season looking to replace goaltender Steven Bolton, who started 20 of the team's 25 games, posting a team-best 2.94 goals-against-average and .917 save percentage. … Bethel netted a season-high five goals in a 5-5 tie vs. Concordia (Wis.) on Nov. 22. … The Royals were winless in their five overtime games a year ago, going 0-3-2. … Ten of the Royals' losses last year were by one goal.
Concordia Cobbers News and Notes:
The Cobbers are coming off a 12-win season that included their second consecutive berth in the MIAC playoffs and the third trip to the postseason in the past four seasons. … Concordia will be without the services of First-Team All-American and MIAC Co-MVP Caleb Suderman, who closed out his collegiate career leading the nation in points by a defenseman with 30 in 2013-14. … Suderman, just the fifth Cobber to earn First-Team All-American honors, had at least one point in 19 of the team's 26 games. … Despite losing Suderman, the Cobbers return three of their top four scorers, including All-MIAC First-Teamer Andrew Deters — who posted team highs in assists (24) and points (34), and as second in goals (10). … Deters' 34 points were the most by a Concordia player since the 1999-00 season. … Garrett Hendrickson returns after leading all MIAC freshmen in scoring wiht 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points. … CC also graduated goalie Chris Neamonitis, who started 18 of the team's 26 games in goal, compiling a team-leading 2.57 goals-against-average and a .921 save percentage. … Fourteen of CC's 25 games were decided by one goal or less — including 10 overtime games. The Cobbers finished 3-2-5 in those 10 OT games.
Gustavus Gusties News and Notes:
Gustavus enters the season after reaching the MIAC playoff championship game for the third straight year. … The Gusties, who have reached post-season play in each of the last 13 seasons — and 22 times overall — fell to regular-season champion St. Thomas in the conference playoff title game last season. … The Gusties head into the 2014-15 season looking to replace graduated senior Corey Leiverman, a First-Team All-MIAC and Second-Team All-American a year ago. … Leiverman led the team in scoring (18 goals, 12 assists, 30 points), becoming Gustavus's first 30-point scorer since Ross Ring-Jarvi tallied 33 points in the 2011-12 season. … GAC will also have to replace fellow graduated senior Adam Smyth, who was second on the team in goals (11) and points (19). … GAC does return all-conference goalie John McLean, who started 25 of the team's 27 games, posting a 1.97 goals-against-average and .920 save percentage. … McLean is the first Gustavus goaltender in the last 20 years to finish the season with a GAA under 2.00. … Gustavus outscored its opponents 78-59 — including 27-14 in the first period. … Gustavus played four overtime games in 2013-14 — with all four ending in ties. … Gustavus closed out the year 7-3-2 on its home ice, while going 9-3-2 away from the Don Roberts Ice Rink.
Hamline Pipers News and Notes:
Hamline heads into 2014-15 looking to build off of last year's 2-22-1 season — and will do so with a familiar face behind the bench. Cory Laylin, whose first coaching assignment was an assistant at Hamline, is returning to the school as its new head men's hockey coach. … The Pipers return their top five scorers from a year ago, led by Kevin Novakovich. Novakovich led the team in goals (9) and points (17). … Brandon Zurn boasted a team-leading 10 assists and was second to Novakovich with 15 points. … Joe Rubbelke, named First-Team All-MIAC for the second straight season — chipped in two goals and nine assists in 17 games, before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. … John Sellie-Hanson and Nick Heimer shared the goalkeeping duties a year ago, with Sellie-Hanson posting a 3.92 goals-against-average and .873 save percentage in 17 appearances, while Heimer added a 4.36 GAA and .847 save percentage in nine games. … The Pipers scored a season-high five goals twice — beating Northland 5-4 on Jan. 11, while falling to Saint Mary's 6-5 in overtime on Feb. 22. … Hamline boasted three multiple-goal scorers, including a hat trick by Chris Williford against Northland. … Hamline came up empty in five overtime games a year ago, going 0-4-1.
Saint John's Johnnies News and Notes:
The Johnnies are coming off a third-place conference finish a year ago. SJU reached the semifinals of the MIAC Tournament, falling to Gustavus 3-2. ... The Johnnies won 11 of their last 14 regular-season games a year ago en route to their 16-10-0 overall record. ... SJU returns a trio of First-Team All-MIAC selections in seniors John Haeg, Phil Johnson and Nick Senta. ... Haeg, who earned first-team all-conference honors for the third straight year, led SJU in points for the third consecutive season with 24 (8 goals, 16 assists). Haeg enters his senior season with 81 points in 78 career games, 19 shy of becoming the 21st Johnnie in school history to reach the 100-point plateau. ... The Johnnies closed out the year with eight players that had 10 or more points. ... Saxton Soley, the 2012-13 MIAC player of the year and an honorable-mention All-MIAC pick last season, started 22 of the team's 26 games in goal, compiling a 2.02 goals-against-average and .925 save percentage. ... SJU went 2-0 in overtime games last season, beating Marian (2-1) and Hamline (3-2). ... Twenty-two of the Johnnies' 26 games were decided by two goals or less.
Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
The Cardinals enter the 2014-15 season on the heels of a 10-win season a year ago — Saint Mary's most wins since the Cardinals went 11-13-1 during the 2004-05 season. … Saint Mary's closed out the season with three straight wins and victories in four of their last five games. … Thirteen of SMU's 25 games were decided by two goals or less. … Six of the Cardinals' 10 wins a year ago were decided by one goal. … After scoring 42 goals in their first 20 games (2.1 gpg), the Cardinals netted 28 goals in their final five (5.6 gpg) — including a season-high eight-goal effort in an 8-3 victory over Hamline in their season finale on Feb. 23. … Bobby Thompson closed out his collegiate career scoring goals in each of his last five games, while closing out the season as the team-leader in points with 20. … Bob Marx returns after sharing the team lead in goals (10) with Thompson. … Martin Gruse closed out his first season as a Cardinal with a team-best 11 assists, one more than Thompson. … Phil Heinle finished with a 3.28 goals-against-average and a .925 save percentage in 12 appearances. … Heinle — who led the team with 341 saves — stopped a career-high 43 saves against Concordia on Feb. 15. … Saint Mary's played three overtime games last season, going 1-1-1 — the Cardinals beat Hamline 6-5, lost to Concordia 5-4 and tied MSOE 2-2.
St. Olaf Oles News and Notes:
The Oles head into the 2014-15 season after finishing tied for third in the conference standings a year ago. St. Olaf beat Concordia (5-3) in the opening round of the MIAC Tournament, before falling to eventual tournament champion St. Thomas (2-1) in the semifinals. ... After opening the season 1-6-1, St. Olaf went 11-5-3 over its last 19 games last season. ... The Oles kick off the season without graduated senior and leading scorer Dan Cecka, but St. Olaf returns one of its two First-Team All-MIAC selections -- Peter Lindblad -- and both honorable-mention and All-Rookie Team picks -- Jonas Fredericksson and Steven Sherman. ... Cecka led the team in goals (18) and points (31), and was second in assists (13). ... Lindblad was second in goals (15) and points (22), while Sherman boasted a team-best 14 assists. ... St. Olaf returns 67 of its 81 goals scored from a year ago. ... Steve Papciak returnd after starting 23 of the Oles' 27 games in goal. He compiled a 2.45 goals-agaisnst-average and a .912 save percentage with three shutouts. ... St. Olaf was unbeaten in six overtime games a year ago, going 2-0-4. ... Seven of the Oles' 11 wins came on their home ice, where St. Olaf finished 7-2-3. ... St. Olaf scored first in eight of its 11 wins a year ago.
St. Thomas Tommies News and Notes:
The Tommies head into the 2014-15 season on the heels of their third straight MIAC regular-season title a year ago. ... The Tommies' 21-5-2 season came to a close with a 3-0 loss to UW-Stevens Point in the NCAA Tournament. Two of UST's five losses a year ago came at the hands of the Pointers. ... St. Thomas broke a 10-year-old conference men's hockey record for fewest goals allowed (19) in a MIAC 16-game season. Saint John's held the record (22 in 2003-04). ... The Tommies boast a pair of returning All-Americans in Alex Altenbernd and Drew Fielding. ... Altenbernd scored a team-best 11 goals—including four game winners—and added 14 assists in 28 games. ... Fielding—the MIAC's co-Player of the Year—played in 27 games and ranked among the national leaders in shutouts (7), goals-against average (1.43) and save percentage (.942). ... Fielding broke the MIAC goals-against average record with his 1.17 in 16 conference games. The previous record was 1.29 by Adam Hanna of SJU in 2003-04. ... The Tommies' 82 goals scored last season came from 20 different players. ... The Tommies are 20-2-2 in their last 24 games vs. MIAC opponents. Both losses were 1-0 decisions. ... UST finished the year 14-0-0 when it scored the game's first goal. |
