Brian Lester
It was only natural, fitting really, that UW-Stevens Point’s Noah Finstrom decided to play hockey at a young age. After all, his dad was a pro for more than a decade, playing in few different leagues. “I was involved in lacrosse and a little bit of baseball, but hockey has always been my thing,” Finstrom … Read more
‘We are the champions.’ Those four words are what St. Olaf, St. Norbert and UW-Stevens Point could say proudly after their respective conference tournament championship games Saturday night. Two teams won the title as underdogs, with the Oles winning the MIAC crown over nationally ranked Bethel as the fifth seed and the No. 2 seed … Read more
Forget about the two shutouts in the MIAC tournament, the nine wins or the 2.05 goals against average. All are impressive, but St. Olaf goalie Thomas Lalonde deflects credit for his success the way he knocks away a puck during an action-packed game. “I really believe my team deserves the credit,” Lalonde said. “We’ve worked … Read more
Hello conference championship weekend. This is what a lot of us have been waiting for, and it’s where NCAA tournament dreams are either going to come true or be dashed. The MIAC, WIAC and NCHA all have automatic bids on the line Saturday, and I expect all three championship games to be competitive as can … Read more
Nothing came easy for Bethel Saturday night. Not that it was expected to. Up against a tough and talented St. Scholastica squad, the second-seeded Royals knew if they were going to punch a ticket to the MIAC tourney final, they’d have to earn it. And they did. It just took a couple of overtime periods … Read more
By the end of the weekend we will know which teams out west in NCAA Division III hockey are playing for conference titles next weekend. The MIAC, NCHA and WIAC are all hosting their semifinal rounds, and keep in mind, for all three tournaments, not only is a title on the line, but an automatic … Read more
Mathew Rehding never had a chance to make an official visit to Adrian because of the pandemic. But the senior forward knew what he was getting into as the Bulldogs boast one of NCAA Division III hockey’s elite programs. “A former teammate of mine, Chase Spencer, told me about the program, and he said this … Read more
Augsburg is playing its best hockey at the right time of the year, adding up to a regular-season MIAC championship and ninth consecutive appearance in the conference tournament. The Auggies clinched their latest title with a 3-2 win over St. Scholastica, Kyler Yeo scored the game winner with 4:24 left in the final period. Samuel … Read more
It’s the final week of the regular season in the MIAC while conference tournament action gets underway in the WiAC and NCHA. Expect some exciting matchup, especially in the MIAC where Bethel and Augsburg are both vying for the right to win the regular season title and secure the top seed for the tournament. MIAC … Read more
Adrian is the regular-season champion of the NCHA once again. The Bulldogs, ranked third in the USCHO.com poll, clinched their fifth consecutive title Friday night and the 15th conference title overall with a 6-2 win over Trine in a battle of nationally ranked teams. A balanced attack paved the way for the Bulldogs to get … Read more
February rolls on and it’s the end of the regular season for NCHA and WIAC teams while MIAC teams continue on with their regular season action for one more week after this one. Speaking of the NCHA, the biggest matchup of the weekend out west features Adrian and Trine, two nationally ranked teams in the … Read more
Tyler Kostelecky is trusting the process. In his first year at Bethel after transferring in from Long Island, the sophomore forward has been one of the top players in the MIAC. “It’s been more about the process for me and trying to stay glued to that over everything else,” Kostelecky said. It’s safe to say … Read more
Don’t look now but Dubuque has made program history in college hockey. The first-year Spartans came through with their first series sweep, beating Lake Forest 3-2 and 3-1. In Saturday’s game, Max Messier gave the Spartans the lead with his fourth goal of the year at the 15:37 mark of the second period. A few … Read more
Forget about March for a moment. February is roaring in like a lion as we have two premier matchups on tap out west in NCAA Division III hockey. In the MIAC, St. Scholastica battles Bethel while Adrian takes on St. Norbert in a rivalry series in the NCHA. In both matchups, a lot is riding … Read more
Kyler Grundy battled through injuries last season, preventing him from maximizing his potential. Its a different story this year for the UW-Eau Claire standout as he has played an instrumental role in the nationally ranked Blugolds’ success. After tallying two goals and four assists a season ago, Grundy is the points leader for the Blugolds, … Read more
On the road against one of the nation’s best teams Friday, UW-Stout was unfazed by facing No. 6 UW-Stevens Point. Winning wasn’t easy, but the Blue Devils found a way to get the job done, grinding out a 3-2 win thanks to a game-winning goal from Boyd Stahlbaum and 30 saves out of Dawson Green. … Read more
It’s the last weekend of hockey in January and we have a full slate of conference games in the MIAC, WIAC and NCHA. The Auggies and Johnnies face off in a MIAC rivalry game while UW-Stout faces one of its biggest tests as it takes on the nationally ranked Pointers. Here’s a look at the … Read more
Aurora has been one of the better teams in the NCHA this season. And the Spartans made a statement Friday with a 4-3 win in overtime over then No. 12 Trine. The Spartans led 3-1 going into the third before the Thunder rallied to force overtime. It was there that Chayce Schmidt delivered the game … Read more
Carsen Richels wasn’t sure what he was going to do from a hockey standpoint after leaving New Hampshire, where he had played the first two seasons of his collegiate hockey career. Returning to his home state of Minnesota made sense. “I definitely wanted to be close to home and in a more comfortable setting,” Richels … Read more
As we reach the middle of the month here in Division III hockey we have come to learn that no pick is ever a lock. Any given night seems to be the theme and that probably won’t change this weekend. We are into full on conference play now and things really get interesting. So let’s … Read more