TMQ: Unpacking the exciting 2025 college hockey conference playoffs so far with title games ready to drop the puck

Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback. Dan: Well, Paula, we’ve finally made it to the last weekend of the postseason! For all of the projecting and preseason banter, the excitement surrounding the weekly grind or first weekend … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Down to four teams in postseason tournament, only Notre Dame needs championship to make NCAA tourney

“The kids did what I asked them to do.” That is what Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson said after the Fighting Irish bested Minnesota in Big Ten quarterfinal action last weekend. After holding off the Golden Gophers for a 3-2 win Friday, the Irish lost 4-2 Saturday to force a deciding Sunday game There was … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Minnesota, Michigan State claim share of 2024-25 regular-season title with conference playoffs starting in earnest this weekend

Congratulations to Michigan State and Minnesota on their shared regular-season title. Each finished the season with 50 points, marking the first time in Big Ten hockey history that two teams have topped the standings together when all was said and done. The end was quite dramatic, too, with Minnesota securing its portion of the title … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Final regular-season weekend means ‘the moment doesn’t care about you; you care about the moment’

Hockey coaches and players famously embrace both the world of belief and the world of self-determination. They’re a superstitious lot, some more so than others. They can look you straight in the eye and begin a sentence with gratitude for puck luck and finish it with a triumphant declaration of TCB. Never is that dichotomy … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Michigan State preparing for ‘heck of a weekend’ with Penn State, ‘maybe the hottest team in the country’

Magic is a fickle thing. A week ago, the only Big Ten team mathematically capable of finishing first in the conference while controlling its own destiny was Minnesota. Entering the weekend, the Golden Gophers were five points behind first-place Michigan State with two games in hand on the Spartans, who had a bye. In their … Read more

TMQ: Time running out on 2024-25 college hockey season as discussion turns to Hobey, Richter candidates, Four Nations tournament

Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback. Paula: Well, Dan, we’re in mid-February, which means that time is running out on the regular season. The competition is tightening, especially as teams attempt to finish as high as they … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Roller coaster-like season continues as all conference teams ‘in for a dogfight down the stretch’

Oh, Big Ten hockey fans, time is fleeting – and so much can change with just a game or two. While Michigan State remains at the top of the Big Ten standings, the Spartans no longer control their own Big Ten destiny. In their last 10 games, the Spartans have gone 5-3-2 and most recently … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Penn State ‘just settling into it’ as Nittany Lions making late-season push in conference play

If you need proof of how good the Big Ten is this season, look no further than sixth-place Penn State. Since the start of the calendar year, the Nittany Lions are 5-2-3, having most recently split a pair of games on the road against No. 13 Michigan. The other loss in that stretch came at … Read more

TMQ: Checking out which teams are legitimate contenders for conference titles, which players are Hobey-, Richter-worthy

Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback. Dan: Hearty happy Tuesday to you all, and especially happy week to my cohost Paula, who I hope dealt with significantly less stomach flu than the Rubin house possessed. I’m not … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Upcoming Border Battle series between Minnesota, Wisconsin promises to be ‘just a grind’

“You don’t have to do anything special. You just can’t do anything wrong.” That nugget from Minnesota coach Bob Motzko speaks to so much in life, but it’s especially useful when trying to contain one of the top lines in the country, a line that also happens to play for your own team’s top conference … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Wisconsin’s Finley showing no signs of sophomore slump with 18 goals, confidence ‘oozing out of him’

“There’s a real piece to sophomore slumps.” That’s the way that Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings began to answer a question in his weekly press conference about Badgers forward Quinn Finley, who most decidedly is not experiencing that stereotypical setback. After a 10-goal rookie campaign, Finley leads Wisconsin with 18 goals and 15 assists, and the … Read more

TMQ: Talking the Jan. 20 USCHO.com D-I poll, Stonehill’s upset of UMass Lowell, underrated players in NCAA men’s hockey

Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback. Paula: Well, Dan, there’s a new No. 1 this week and understandably so. After holding the top spot since Dec. 16, Michigan State drops to No. 2 and Boston College ascends … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Michigan-Michigan State rivalry gets next chapter going this weekend as series ‘going to bring out the best in everyone’

It’s a good week to be a sports fan in Michigan. As the top seed in the NFC, the Detroit Lions host the Washington Commanders in NFL playoff action Saturday night. After a coaching change, the Red Wings won their first seven games of 2025, putting them right there in the hunt for an NHL … Read more

Monday 10: Army West Point fills Mercyhurst net 22 times, Minnesota Duluth takes both from No. 10 St. Cloud State, NCHC, Hockey East standings tightening up, Howard goes on scoring tear for Michigan State

Each week, USCHO.com will pick the top 10 moments from the past weekend in our Monday 10 feature. Army West Point sets an Atlantic Hockey scoring record Army West Point swept a home series against Mercyhurst with 9-1 and 13-1 wins, setting an Atlantic Hockey record for goals scored in a game. https://www.twitter.com/ArmyWP_Hockey/status/1878238897399841196 In that … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Frozen Confines a successful event on plethora of levels as players, coaches call experience ‘unbelievable’

By every metric, the Frozen Confines was a huge success for the Big Ten. The event featured six Big Ten teams plus two WCHA women’s teams from B1G schools and was played in Wrigley Field Jan. 3-4, just days after the NHL’s annual Winter Classic. The Big Ten Network did a fantastic job with coveriage, … Read more

TMQ: Team USA utilizes top NCAA players to win second straight World Junior gold, discussing men’s, women’s weekend outdoor games at Wrigley Field

Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback. Dan: A hearty and happy 2025 to all of you and specifically welcome back to my cohort in crime, Paula Weston, as we get started here on the second half of … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: First half of ’24-25 season complete, conference teams optimistic for strong second-half run come January

The first half of the Big Ten season is in the books and there have been a few surprises along the way, setting up an interesting second-half sprint to the conference playoffs. As we head into the holiday break, here are some thoughts about each team. Minnesota 15-3-2 (8-1-1 B1G) The Golden Gophers had a … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: After back-to-back shutouts over Michigan, top-ranked Minnesota finding goalie rotation key to success

With one week of hockey for Big Ten teams before the holiday break, Minnesota tops the conference standings with 23 points, eight ahead of second-place Wisconsin. Feeling a little déjà vu? Maybe you’re flashing back to the middle of the 2022-23 season, when the Golden Gophers amassed 30 points in the first half, eight ahead … Read more

TMQ: Sifting through the latest poll, updated PairWise Rankings as 2024-25 men’s college hockey season closes in on wrapping first half

Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback. Paula: Well, Dan, there’s a new No. 1 this week and I don’t think that anyone is surprised by that. What may be surprising is how many votes that new top … Read more