60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): St. Cloud State

St. Cloud State

2018-19 Record: 30-6-3 (19-2-3, 1st in NCHC)
Head Coach: Brett Larson, 2nd Year
Top returning scorers: Jack Achan (6G-28A) and Easton Brodzinski (16G-13A)
Top returning goaltender: David Hrenak (Jr.)

To discuss St. Cloud State is to discuss how much stock college hockey puts on two weekends in March and April.

Over a four year period, the Huskies run the regular season and flame out in the NCAA Tournament. St. Cloud State's recent senior class graduated earning a top-two overall NCAA Tournament seed three separate times. They lost all three in the first round.

When October rolls around, Brett Larson's second team features goaltender David Hrenak returning, alongside three underclassmen with at least 10 goals. Several players possess the talent to be the next breakout stars. Easton Brodzinski keeps improving. Sam Hentges was a pleasant freshman surprise after serious injuries in juniors. All-American defender Jack Achan adds responsibilities and a second "C" to his chest.

With that experience, the nation's best goal margin (+1.82), statistical dominance and undefeated home record last season, St. Cloud State appears to once again be successful despite losing Hobey Baker hat trick finalist Jimmy Schuldt and several other key pieces.

What's New: Being the number one overall seed in back-to-back years. Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 16 teams in 2003, no school achieved the feat. Also new? A strength and conditioning room.

The top forward line and D-pairing depart. Larson loses Ryan Poehling and Blake Lizotte, who signed with LA as an undrafted free agent. Among the Huskies' 10 first-year players are Henry Enebak, the latest in SCSU's Lakeville pipeline, and former Miami commit Chase Brand.

St. Cloud State in non-conference hosts Northeastern, Princeton, travels to Bemidji State and Northern Michigan, and plays in the Mariucci Classic for Minnesota bragging rights.

Closing Thoughts: No team's accomplished what SCSU did - both good and bad. Without diving into stats and how the program develops diamonds in the rough alongside first-round picks, the Huskies were 2018-19's ideal college hockey team. St. Cloud State, winning the difficult NCHC by nearly 20 points, didn't peak too early and never could be counted out of games. However, once the NCAA Tournament hit, the team looked unrecognizable to the one who dominated all season.

Both regular-season and postseason success matter. However, unfortunately for SCSU what happens in April matters enough where the Huskies won't be the Minnesota school remembered the most over the last two seasons. Still, SCSU has done more than enough between October and mid-March to be a team that other fanbases want to beat instead of being numb about the upsets piling up.

I hope, not out of spite, opposing fanbases buy AIC sweaters or bring up the loss more. My worry is, if ignored again, this marks yet another time, like Ferris State and Air Force before, where St. Cloud State's massive upset was brushed off nationally like no one cared. Hopefully, for SCSU's sake, opposing fanbases do. They should. At the end of the day, apathy at accomplishments is more disappointing than losing as the No. 1 overall seed in back-to-back years.

Instead of being Virginia basketball, the Huskies went from #GoHuskiesWOOOOO to #NoHuskiesWOOOOOF, repeating the same losing trick. Despite expecting Larson's squad to continue to be an annual NCHC regular-season contender, it's going to take a Cavalier-type turnaround in March/April to change perception.

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