Brian Lester
While most NCAA Division III hockey teams have had their seasons put on ice for now because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a handful of teams in the west region have actually gotten onto the ice. Though no official conference games have been played, schools were given the chance to schedule games at their own discretion. … Read more
Brett Gravelle and St. Thomas could very easily be playing for a spot in the national semifinals this weekend. The Tommies became the first four seed in MIAC history to win the conference tournament and were set to play Lake Forest last week. The winner would have moved on to play Wisconsin-Eau Claire tonight … Read more
The NCAA tournament field is set and all three conference champions from the west region are headed to the tourney. St. Thomas and Adrian punched automatic bids by winning their respective conference titles while Wisconsin-Eau Claire won the WIAC, and though not auto bid is up for grabs in the league, the Blugolds are headed … Read more
Well, here we go. Three conference titles in the west will be decided tonight. Two of the championship games (the MIAC and NCHA) have automatic bids on the line. The WIAC does not have an auto bid but at least one team should get in. Here are my game picks for the title games. MIAC … Read more
Four wins in a row for St. Thomas, Concordia and St. Norbert. Nine wins in a row for Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Twelve consecutive wins for Adrian. Wisconsin-Eau Claire has won its last two games. Momentum is eveything and every team has it in some form heading into conference championship weekend in the west region. Only time … Read more
There are no surprises when it comes to how the NCHA and WIAC tournaments played out over the weekend as teams accustomed to playing for those titles will do it one more time. Meanwhile in the MIAC, there will be a new champion for sure after Concordia ended Augsburg’s bid to win a fifth consecutive … Read more
The matchups are set and it’s time to play some win-or-go-home hockey. The semifinal round of the MIAC and NCHA tournaments are set for Saturday and it’s just a one-game setting. In the WIAC, the semifinalists will play a two-game series starting tonight. Here are my picks on how the games will play out this … Read more
It’s that time of the year where it’s win or go home. MIAC tournament gets underway and action in the NCHA and WIAC tournaments continue as teams battle for the right to win their respective conference championship. Check out a quick preview below of the games on tap for this week. MIAC St. Thomas (12-10-3) … Read more
Saint John’s is back on top of the MIAC for the first time in seven seven years and it has possession of its first outright league title in more than a decade. The first weekend of the NCHA tournament went as expected with the exception of the series between Trine and Lake Forest, while in … Read more
Three games. That’s how many are guaranteed for Kyle Wagner and his senior teammates at Saint John’s. Understandably, there is added motivation for him at this point. The Johnnies star is determined to make each one count. “You are kind of that point where you realize your hockey career here is coming to an end. … Read more
It’s the final weekend of the regular season in the MIAC while teams in the WIAC and NCHA begin tournament play this weekend. The MIAC wraps up a regular season that has been entertaining from start to finish and four spots in the postseason are still open. Here are predictions on the top games of … Read more
Time flies when you are having fun. The MIAC still has one more season to go after this one, but a big game is on tap between Augsburg and Concordia. Only three points separates the two teams in the standings. The WIAC and NCHA both wrap up their regular seasons this weekend. Check out the … Read more
Josh Boyko got his start as a goalie thanks to a friend who lived in his neighborhood. His friend’s team no longer had a goalie because he quit and Boyko’s mom was asked by his friend’s mom if her son could fill the void. The rest is history. “I’ve been a goalie ever since,” … Read more
St. Norbert made a statement against Augsburg Saturday, rolling to a 6-1 win over the nationally ranked Auggies. That game was among the highlights of the weekend. Concordia kept itself in the hunt for a MIAC title while Bethel remained in the hunt for a playoff berth. Wisconsin-Stevens Point continued its winning ways and the … Read more
There is no shortage of entertainment on the ice this weekend. St. Thomas and Saint John’s duke it out in a rivalry series and Marian and Lawrence will do the same. Augsburg faces a key late-season test against St. Norbert while Finlandia, despite dropping its last three games, has a shot to wrap up a … Read more
Ryan Cusin has always been a hockey guy. There was that one season he played lacrosse at Adrian, but other that, hockey has been his game. He transferred into Wisconsin-River Falls last season and started playing for the Falcons midway through it. But this has been the season where he’s really been able to showcase … Read more
Adrian made quite a statement over the weekend, stunning red-hot Lake Forest in a series sweep while Marian is assured of home ice in the opening round of the Harris Cup after taking care of business against Concordia. Wisconsin-Eau Claire rolled over another WIAC foe and Wisconsin-Stevens Point kept its hot streak intact. Over in … Read more
One final month of college hockey remains in the regular season and the games start to matter just a little more now as teams battle for conference crowns and spots in conference tournaments. Bethel puts its unbeaten streak on the line against Concordia and Augsburg plays a pivotal series against Saint Mary’s as it tries … Read more
Josiah Roen is making a name for himself this season while helping Bethel do the same as a program. Only a sophomore, Roen is tied for second in the MIAC in goals (nine) and has tallied three assists as well. That success has helped the Royals put together their best season in nearly a decade. … Read more
Trine pulled off perhaps the biggest sweep of the weekend, stunning Marian in an NCHA showdown. The Thunder scored five goals in both games to take down the Sabres, who came in as the leader of the North Division. Lake Forest, meanwhile, kept its impressive win streak intact. Wisconsin-Eau Claire also made a statement over … Read more