CCM/AHCA All-American Teams

WINONA, Minn. — It's been a "Throwback Thursday" kind of season for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's Martin Gruse (Trenton, Mich.).
 
• His 19 goals—including four-game winners—were the most by a Cardinal since the 2002-03 season, when Al Schumacher scored 19.
 
• His 38 points were the most since Frank Savino, Nate DeMars, and Randy Gallatin finished with 62, 61, and 40 points, respectively, during the 1996-97 season.
 
• And his efforts helped the Cardinal men's hockey team make its first MIAC Playoff championship game appearance since the league went to its current tournament format in 2001-02—while their 15 wins were the most since going 15-11-1 during the 1996-97 campaign.
 
So it was only fitting that on Thursday, Gruse was "throwing back" yet again, as the Cardinal sophomore was named CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association West All-American Second Team—becoming Saint Mary's first men's hockey All-American since Savino and DeMars in 1996-97.
 
"I am very proud of Martin," said Saint Mary's coach Bill Moore. "His speed and shooting ability make him a scoring threat every time he touched the puck.
 
"And while this is a great individual honor, I know Martin would be the first to tell you that he could not have done it without his teammates."
 
Gruse—who scored more goals this season than he recorded points (6 goals, 11 assists, 18 points) during his freshman campaign a year ago—kicked off his career year by recording at least one point in five of the team's first six games, while heading into the holiday break with 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists—including points in eight of the Cardinals' 10 games.
 
And as good as he was early in the season, he was even better during the Cardinals' playoff push—scoring 12 goals and adding 12 assists in Saint Mary's final 17 contests.
 
Gruse, a First-Team All-MIAC selection who led all conference scorers in overall goals and points, boasted a pair of hat tricks—scoring three goals against St. Scholastica on Jan. 9, while netted four against Bethel on Jan. 17. Gruse's four-goal effort vs. the Royals was the Cardinals' first since Mike Glaesmer netted four against Hamline on Dec. 6, 2008.
 
The sophomore forward led the team with four game-winning goals—including the OT game-winner against Concordia on Feb. 13, and the double-overtime game-winner vs. the Cobbers on March 1 that lifted the Cardinals into the conference tournament's title game—while also posting teams highs in power play (3) and shorthanded (3) goals.
 
Gruse was joined on the seven-player second team by fellow forwards Michael Hill of St. Norbert, Charlie Adams of Hamline, and Joe Kalisz of UW-Stevens Point; defensemen Jack Callahan of UW-Eau Claire and Ryan Gieseler of Adrian; and goalie Drew Fielding of St. Thomas. The CCM/AHCA First-Team West All-Americans included forwards Kyle Brothers and Josh Ranalli of Adrian, and Ross Andersen of UW-Eau Claire, defensemen Kevin Gibson of UW-Stevens Point and Marian Fiala of St. Norbert, and goalie Leo Podolsky of Lake Forest.