This Week in ECAC Hockey: Retiring commissioner Hagwell reflects on changes to college hockey landscape, helping ECAC move forward

ECAC Hockey was a very different league in the mid-2000s. It was, for starters, an actual part of the ECAC, the sports federation that was founded in the early 1930s. It was initially like its parent organization, but college hockey’s realignment in the 1980s saw a division of teams break away to form Hockey East. … Read more

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Battling consistency, Union primed for weekend Mayor’s Cup game with Rensselaer

This weekend marks the return of several historic rivalries throughout the college hockey landscape. In nearly every league, a major matchup dots the schedule with a rare confluence of games, and it feels as if fans got together and circled a collective date for the weekend series between Boston College and Boston University, Northern Michigan … Read more

Longtime ECAC Hockey commissioner Hagwell to retire at end of 2022-23 season

Longtime ECAC Hockey commissioner Steve Hagwell has announced his retirement, effective at the conclusion of the 2022-23 fiscal year. Hagwell is the longest-serving commissioner of ECAC Hockey, having seen the storied league through its evolution to a single-sport conference and into one of the most competitive leagues in the sport. “Having had the honor, privilege … Read more

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Lengthy review, discussion period leads conference to revamp postseason format for 2023 games

My most memorable college hockey game occurred when Brown hosted Princeton during the 2019 ECAC Hockey tournament’s first round. It was the second game of a best-of-three series, but it was the third consecutive game between the two teams after they played the last game of the season and managed to land in a playoff … Read more

ECAC Hockey adjusts format for men’s, women’s postseason tournaments with men starting change in 2023, women in 2024

ECAC Hockey has announced changes to the postseason tournament format for its men’s and women’s conferences. Effective March 2023, the men’s tournament will feature a single-game first-round format the weekend of March 4-6 with seed Nos. 5-8 hosting seed Nos. 9-12. The four winners of the first-round games will advance to the league quarterfinals March … Read more

ECAC Hockey 2022-23 Season Preview: Parity abounds with teams rebuilding, refocusing efforts after pandemic years

The past two years offered some of the most shape-shifting and chaotic times in college hockey. Conferences realigned, teams expanded and contracted, and new leagues formed. Future changes were thrust into a white-hot spotlight, and the bedrock emotional culture of the sport ranged from anxiety and fear to excitement and anticipation. Through it all, ECAC … Read more

Quinnipiac garners eight first-place votes, finishes first in ’22-23 men’s ECAC Hockey preseason coaches poll

Defending Cleary Cup champion Quinnipiac has finished atop the preseason coaches poll with eight of 12 first-place votes. Harvard, who won the 2022 Whitelaw Cup with an overtime victory over Quinnipiac, received four first-place votes and finishes in second place. In addition, a preseason all-ECAC Hockey team was announced. ECAC HOCKEY PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL (First-place … Read more

Union assistant, former Curry coach Manastersky moves north of border, named new head coach at U SPORTS’ Brock

Union assistant coach T.J. Manastersky has been named new head coach of the Brock men’s hockey team, located in St. Catharines, Ont. “I’ve been a fan of U SPORTS my entire life,” Mansatersky said in a news release. “The opportunity to coach at that level and pursue a national championship is a dream come true.” … Read more

Hockey Humanitarian Award Finalist Spotlight: For Union’s Kosack, community involvement part of bigger picture of student-athlete life

It all started with a simple smile. Josh Kosack remembers the moment fondly, standing in the runway waiting to take the ice at Dartmouth’s Thompson Arena. “I saw this kid sitting there who had Down Syndrome and I just started talking to him and his mom,” remembers Kosack, a senior at Union who is among … Read more

ECAC Hockey recognizes 18 players on three all-league teams for 2021-22 season

ECAC Hockey has announced its three all-league teams for the 2021-22 season. FIRST TEAM ALL-LEAGUE Forward: Alex Campbell, So., Clarkson Forward: Mathieu Gosselin, Jr., Clarkson Forward: Nick Abruzzese, Jr., Harvard Defenseman: Zach Metsa, Sr., Quinnipiac Defenseman: Sam Malinski, Jr., Cornell Goaltender: Yaniv Perets, So., Quinnipiac SECOND TEAM ALL-LEAGUE Forward: Zach Tsekos, Gr., Clarkson Forward: Ture … Read more

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Previewing the four best-of-three playoff series set to go this weekend across the conference

All four home teams won their playoff series in the opening round of the ECAC Hockey postseason. Now, they’ll head on the road to try and repeat that success. Colgate and Union swept their respective opponents, while St. Lawrence and Rensselaer won in three games. The Saints beat Brown 4-3 in overtime on Sunday, while … Read more

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Conference playoffs kick into high gear with four series this coming weekend

In the end, there was relatively little change in the standings during the final regular-season weekend in ECAC Hockey. Three of the top four teams – Quinnipiac, Clarkson, and Harvard – entered the weekend having already clinched a first-round bye. The fourth team, Cornell, blanked Princeton 4-0 Saturday to hold on to the final top-four … Read more

Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation announces five finalists for 2022 honors

The Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation announced Wednesday the five finalists for the 2022 Hockey Humanitarian Award, presented annually to college hockey’s “finest citizen” for leadership in community service. Jacob Adkins and Andrew Walker, junior forwards, UMass Boston The duo that dubbed itself the “Men in Blades” is a repeat finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award … Read more