Trevor Boyd had a phenomenal freshman season at Adrian, and has picked up where he left off a year ago.
Boyd, who tied for first in goals scored last season (16), leads the nationally ranked Bulldogs in points (31) and goals (16) this year.
“I’m not really surprised by my success because I put in a lot of work in the off season,” Boyd said. “I’m happy to see the work is paying off and I’m seeing results.”
Boyd has helped Adrian clinch the NCHA South Division crown and the Bulldogs are hoping to nail down their third consecutive Harris Cup. The Bulldogs are 16-5-2 overall and 15-3 in the conference. They have won their last four games.
“Everyone is playing their role,” Boyd said. “We’re playing well as a team and working hard every day. We’ve really come together as team.”
Boyd has played in an instrumental role in the success of the Bulldogs, but that isn’t a surprise considering how well he did as a freshman.
He went through one stretch last year where he scored at least one point in eight consecutive games. He tallied three points in a game three times.
“I wanted to come in and make an impact and have a great season last year,” Boyd said. “I’ve been able to carry that success into this year.”
Boyd came to Adrian after playing junior hockey for the Austin Bruins of the NAHL. The Michigan native was one of the top scoring threats for the Bruins and was determined to play at the college level. He chose Adrian because of its tradition and the proximity to his hometown.
“It was close to home and had a great hockey tradition,” Boyd said. “I had a chance to compete at a high level and have a chance to contend for a championship.”
Boyd said adapting to the shorter season in college hockey took time. He learned right away that a shorter season meant every game counted for a little more.
“Every team in our conference is good and can win on any given night,” Boyd said. “You have to be ready to play every night. You can’t take a night off.”
Adrian will wrap its season this weekend with a two-game series against St. Scholastica at home. The Bulldogs want to finish the regular season on a strong note and carry that momentum into the postseason.
A year ago, they won the conference tourney crown but saw their national championship dream fade in a 5-2 loss to eventual champion Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA tournament.
The Bulldogs are hoping for a different outcome this time around.
“There is a lot of motivation for us,” Boyd said. “We always say that if we don’t win the national title, the season isn’t a success. We want to win that title, but right now our focus is on finishing the season strong and winning the conference.”
Auggies eye title
Augsburg enters the final weekend of the regular season in a position to win the MIAC title. Tied with St. Thomas at the top of the standings with 30 points, the Auggies close out the regular season with a home-and-home series against Saint John’s.
It’s hardly surprising Augsburg is in such a lofty position. The Auggies feature the best offense in the conference, punching in 91 goals. Nate Flynn has fueled the attack, scoring a team-best 14 goals. Eric Brenk is second on the team in goals with 12. Ten other players have tallied at least three goals.
With that type of offense, Augsburg is capable of beating anyone on any given night, and there is no question that the Auggies have a great opportunity to win not only the regular-season crown, but earn the conference tourney championship as well.
The Auggies are 14-3-6 overall and are unbeaten in their last eight games. They are playing their best hockey at the right time of the year and will look to keep the momentum rolling into the postseason.
Leader board: Hamline star Russ Jordan leads the MIAC in points (32) and goals (18). Teammate Mitch Hall is the assist leader in the conference, tallying 20 on the year. Augsburg goalie Nick Schmit owns the best goals-against average in the league (1.91) and also has the best save percentage (.935).
Playoff time in the WIAC
Wisconsin-Superior and Wisconsin-Stout are set to square off in an opening-round series in the conference tournament.
The Yellow Jackets and Blue Devils split their series in the regular season, with Wis.-Stout winning the first meeting 5-3 and Wis.-Superior prevailing the second time around by a 4-2 score.
Wis.-Superior has lost four of five, but is led by Anton Svensson, who has come through with 11 goals and 15 assists.
Wis.-Stout has dropped four of five as well, but closed out the regular season with a 4-3 win over Wisconsin-River Falls. The Blue Devils are anchored by the play of Riley Colvard, who has scored 12 goals and dished out eight assists.
It’s a series that could go either way, but no matter who wins, a stern test awaits as the winner moves on to play conference champion Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the semifinal round next weekend. Wisconsin-Eau Claire will host Wis.-River Falls in the other semifinal series.
Leader board: Patrick Moore of Wis.-Eau Claire ended the regular season as the conference leader in points, coming through with 38. He tied with Kyle Sharkey of Wis.-Stevens Point for most assists in the league (22). Lawrence Cornellier of the Pointers finished the regular season as the leader in goals, punching in 19. Jay Deo of Wis.-Eau Claire is the leader in wins (16) and saves (550).
Sabres continue surge
Marian rides a three-game win streak into the final weekend of action. The Sabres are 13-9-1 overall and 11-7 in conference play, losing only two games since the calendar flipped to 2017.
Their defense has been instrumental as of late. The Sabres have allowed just five goals in their last three games and have the ability to lean on two talented goalies in Mike Gudmandson and Mike Baldwin.
Baldwin has won 11 games in 19 appearances while Gudmandson has picked up two wins in six appearances this year.
Marian has allowed 71 goals as a team while scoring 73. Derek Thorogood leads the Sabres in goals scored with eight. He has also tallied 12 assists, making him the team leader in points. The
Sabres have scored three or more goals seven times over the last two months of the season and sit in second place in the South Division of the NCHA.
Leader board: Trevor Boyd of Adrian leads the league in points with 31 and is tied with Jack Lewis of Lake Forest for the league lead in goals. Both players have scored 15 goals apiece. Cory Dunn of Adrian leads the NCHA in assists (23) and T.J. Black of St. Norbert has the top goals-against average (1.13). Black also has the top save percentage in the conference (.944).
