Brian Lester
Michael McChesney was a multi-sport athlete in high school. And a pretty good one at that. He was all-state in football, hockey and baseball, and even won a state championship in baseball during his high school career at Dickinson High in North Dakota. But when it came to playing at the next level, hockey was … Read more
Mother Nature did her best to play spoiler in the postseason, but fear not, hockey will be played in the wake of a winter storm. MIAC tourney play kicks off this weekend while the second weekend of tournament action in the NCHA and WIAC will take place. One thing worth noting about the NCHA playoffs, … Read more
St. Scholastica has made program history in college hockey. The team to beat all year long in the conference, the Saints won their first regular-season MIAC crown with a shootout win over Augsburg Friday night. It’s the program’s first conference title since 1975 and the title means St. Scholastica is the first team from the … Read more
It’s playoff time in the NCHA and WIAC this weekend. And meanwhile in the MIAC, the final weekend of the regular-season is here and a champion will be crowned. Here’s at look at the big games ahead as hockey in the west region of NCAA Division III heats up to another level. NCHA Lake Forest … Read more
Two regular-season conference titles were secured over the weekend as UW-Stevens Point and Adrian both sealed the deal on a championship. UW-Stevens Point won its 16th crown on Friday with a 2-1 road win over UW-Superior behind a pair of goals from Fletcher Anderson and will be the top seed in the upcoming WIAC tournament. … Read more
February is rolling along and the action on the ice is heating up. Two big matchups loom this weekend as UW-Stevens Point and UW-Superior battle in a series where the WIAC title will be on the line. Nationally ranked opponents Adrian and St. Norbert will do the same in the NCHA. Check out the picks … Read more
Arkhip and Filimon Ledenkov had to adapt to a new language culture when they came to the United States from Belarus, but the one thing that has been forever universal for them is hockey. Two of the top players in NCAA Division III, the twin brothers are playing a huge role in St. Scholastica’s pursuit … Read more
Adrian made a statement Friday and Saturday in a battle of two nationally ranked NCHA teams, reigning supreme in a pair of wins over Aurora. Third-ranked Adrian swept the then No. 7 Spartans, winning the opener 8-4 before closing things out with an 8-2 win. The Bulldogs have now won four consecutive games and returns … Read more
February is underway and it’s hard to believe we are just about at that time of the year where conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament are just around the corner. Conference leaders are trying to maintain their success while those below them in the standings are jockeying for the best position possible before the regular … Read more
Conor Witherspoon didn’t need much time to settle in as a key player for the UW-Stevens Point hockey team. Transferring in from Alabama-Huntsville two years ago, the talented forward made an immediate impact for the Pointers. In 20 games a year ago, he scored 20 goals, the second-most on the team, and he currently leads … Read more
Cold weather. An outdoor rink. A game between two rivals in a key MIAC game under the lights in Minnesota’s Polar Lake Park. The setting couldn’t have been any better for the Division III showdown featuring Saint John’s and Augsburg last Friday night. The ending was even better, with Jackson Sabo of the Johnnies scoring … Read more
The final weekend of January is here and it’s all conference play across the schedule. Saint John’s and Augsburg play a big MIAC series, with Friday’s game being played outdoors, and nationally ranked UW-Stevens Point faces a big test against UW-Stout, the hottest team in the MIAC at the moment. In the NCHA, St. Norbert … Read more
Any given weekend. That’s the theme of D-III West Hockey this season. A team can go into a big weekend series ranked in the top 15 in the USCHO D-III men’s national poll and seemingly the favorite only to come away feeling the sting of defeat. The lesson here is that while rankings are great … Read more
Matteas Derraugh and David Cohen stepped up in a big way for Lake Forest Saturday night. Both players scored twice to propel the Foresters to an upset win over Adrian, which came into the night ranked third in the nation in the USCHO NCAA Division III men’s poll. A wild first period ended with Derraugh … Read more
Conference play is in full swing this weekend out west. St. Scholastica and St. Olaf battle in a key MIAC series while UW-Stevens Point takes aim at maintaining its lead at the top of the WIAC standings as it faces off against UW-River Falls. Adrian and St. Norbert both go into their respective matchups as … Read more
Jack Jaunich started playing hockey at a young age, his love of the game growing largely through his time on the pond in Minnesota. “Playing on the ponds every day, and having access to rinks all over, that was kind of the thing that got me into hockey. I fell in love with the game. … Read more
Hamline highlighted its weekend with a pair of big non-conference wins, capping it off with a 2-1 overtime win over UW-Superior on Saturday. The Pipers have won their last five games and are now 8-6-1 on the season. Ryan Brandt came through with the game-winning goal at the 1:05 mark of OT to lift the … Read more
A lot of non-conference action is going down this weekend between the MIAC and WIAC as we reach the midway point of January, though there is a big MIAC battle on tap with Augsburg and Bethel squaring off. In the NCHA, MSOE and Trine will battle in a key conference series. Check out the picks … Read more
Troy Bowditch has a year of college hockey experience under his belt. And it’s been a difference maker. Consider that in year two with St. Olaf, the sophomore forward out of Ontario is leading the Oles in scoring with five goals and 15 assists. Both totals have already topped what he did as a freshman. … Read more
Derek Budz was clutch when it mattered. In overtime, in a game featuring two of the nation’s best NCAA Division III hockey teams, the Aurora star delivered Saturday night. He scored a goal with 9.7 seconds remaining in a three-on-three OT session to help the 12th-ranked Spartans edge No. 5 St. Norbert 3-2 That goal … Read more