Monday, November 11, 2019

College Hockey Stock Report: November 11, 2019

Sometimes the best-laid plans do not work out.

Before the season began, the entire WCHA women's league scheduled itself to be idle this weekend. The idea was that since many teams would be missing players for the Four Nations Cup,

Turns out, no team was missing players for the Four Nations Cup. The annual tournament ended up canceled by host Sweden after its national team declared its intentions to boycott as part of an ongoing dispute over equal pay and conditions. Instead, only a few players are in Pittsburgh playing in a USA-Canada rivalry series with most of them being on teams playing.

Another team with changing plans was Denver, whose 44-0-0 dream came to an end in Duluth. Kobe Roth and Noah Cates erased a 3-1 third period deficit Friday in a battle of NCHC contenders before the Bulldogs became the other one in Denver's 8-1-1 record.

Each weekend sees ups and downs as players and teams adjust to new situations. That's the fun and joy of the sport and one that bodes well for a handful of new trends on a weekend where not everything went to plan.

As always, here's what is going on throughout the college hockey landscape. This week's stock report recaps who is doing well, who is on their way down, and what trends should be followed.

Down: Notre Dame leading all game to win

One of the more anticipated series of the weekend featured 2019 Big Ten regular-season champion Ohio State traveling to South Bend to face 2019 Big Ten conference tournament champion Notre Dame in a series where the two teams entered a combined 11-1-2.

Despite scoring first in both games and leading in the third period of both, Ohio State came away with zero points. The Fighting Irish led once Friday when Pierce Crawford's first goal of the season came in OT, and for the final 7:55 of Saturday's 2-1 win. It's a trend that stretches out to Notre Dame's 5-3 win over Minnesota the week prior as the Fighting Irish, now 7-0-1 on the season, make an early stake to being the Big Ten team to beat.

Up: Harvard's offense

Starting Ivy late has not been to the detriment of Harvard's offense. The Crimson scored 17 goals in its opening three games, including seven by seven different players in a 7-2 win over Quinnipiac. No Adam Fox, no problem.

Up...then Down: Tennis Balls

One of college hockey's stranger traditions took place Saturday when Dartmouth's Will Graber opened the scoring against Princeton.



For over two decades, Dartmouth's first goal at home against Princeton annually turns into a sea of tennis balls being thrown on the ice. The tradition reportedly dates back to a Princeton fan doing the same to Dartmouth and is one of the few where it can also hurt the home team. That wasn't the case Saturday, however, as the Big Green went on to beat Princeton 3-1.

Down: Crazy S*** Happening To Alaska

Remember a few weeks ago when Alaska could not get away from anything crazy happening to the Nanooks? Well, it seems like that trend has gone down given the past two weeks has not seen anything out of the ordinary. Alaska (and Anchorage) both can even put their skates on solid ice for 2020-21.

Hold: Crazy S*** Happening Around Alaska

Or maybe the crazy torch was passed to Alaska's opponent this weekend, Arizona State.



Up: Throwback Sweaters

First Denver, now Boston College? This is a trend I can get behind.


Not every school can rummage through the closet and bring back sweaters celebrating its history. Some have an incentive to go out and try something new, bringing attention and grabbing the eyes of recruits. For the Boston College and Denvers of the world, however, please make these your full-time sweaters.

Down: Undefeated Runs

Besides the aforementioned Denver men's team, Boston College women's team's surprise undefeated start came to an end. Along the same lines, Penn State's run of never being shutout at Pegula Arena by a Big Ten team ended thanks to Michigan State's John Lethemon stopping all 48 shots faced Friday.

Up: David Farrance and Defensemen Scoring Hat Tricks

On a weekend where Boston University twice erased the most dangerous lead in hockey (one worked for the Terriers, one not so much), junior defender David Farrance lit the lamp five times. That includes a hat trick Saturday, becoming the third blueliner to score three goals this season following Penn State's Cole Hults and Ohio State's Wyatt Ege.

Early November comes to an end with more men's hockey players with defensemen hat tricks than all last season. Since 2012-13, only one season (2015-16) had more than three defensemen score a hat trick.

Hold: St. Cloud State having games change on major penalties

Once again, the Huskies continue to revel in weird hockey. After a season-opening win where SCSU came back from a 4-0 deficit against Bemidji State despite killing a major penalty, the opposite result occurred Friday. Leading Northern Michigan 3-0, St. Cloud State took a pair of major penalties less than a minute apart, turning a three-goal lead into a 3-3 tie.

It almost makes seeing a 4-1 lead disappear before winning in OT seems somewhat normal.

Up: Griffin Loughran

The Northern Michigan sophomore added his ninth goal of the season in Saturday's 5-4 OT loss, which ties him with Providence's Greg Printz for the most goals in D1 men's hockey. His mark already surpassed Loughran's total of 7 goals all last season.

Down: Trying to stop Elizabeth Giguere shooting

Teams already know they need to contain the Clarkson junior. It's no secret. Giguere currently averages 7.17 shots on goal per game, almost twice as much as this stretch last season and almost a shot more per game than anyone else. Her 11 goals are tied with Grace Zumwinkle for the most in D1 women's hockey.

Up: North Dakota's defense

It's strange to think North Dakota can slide under the radar with a quick start, but that's kind of what has been happening with the Fighting Hawks. A team that lost 12 games a season ago when outshooting opponents seems to be getting some of the Corsi love. Sitting at 7-1-1 following a sweep of Miami, the Fighting Hawks are +24 in goal differential while giving up a total of 15 goals. (To compare, two Ivies already gave up 15 goals.) Only Minnesota State has given up fewer goals among teams who played more than six games.

Hold: Revenge

While not as prevalent as last weekend, former Wolverines goaltender Jack LaFontaine playing goal in Michigan for Minnesota should count for something.

Who Won The Week:


Second Runner-Up: Tera Hofmann

No one could beat the Yale goaltender over the weekend. Hofmann stopped all 32 shots faced in shutouts over RPI and Union. In four games this season, the senior goaltender has allowed only a single goal.


First Runner-Up: Rhett Kingston

 Without a point this season, Kingston received a boost Saturday when the Western Michigan sophomore forward was placed on a line with Wade Allison and Hugh McGing. He made the most of the opportunity against Ferris State, scoring a hat trick in an 8-2 win, but it was his goal celebration that stands out. Born with three fingers on his right hand, Kingston celebrated his third goal by taking off his right glove and raising his hand.

What a move.

Winner: NCHC Refs and everyone participating in Movember

In the hockey world, November is also Movember. You can't cover a men's hockey game without running into at least a few mustaches, grown to help raise awareness for men's health, of various degrees.

Several teams are participating, however, it's not often referees get to be spotlighted for something positive. So let's make the most of this time being one of them. Once again, the NCHC referees are participating in the annual event.

For going above and beyond the call, growing mustaches and raising money for a good cause, NCHC refs and everyone participating in Movember have won the week.

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