Bemidji State's Tom Serratore named CCHA coach of the year. Team won MacNaughton Cup season crown. Twenty-win season included 11-game win streak snapped by Michigan Tech for the Mason Cup.
Three Minnesota college players sign professional contracts:
Lleyton Roed, Soph., Bemidji State, Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL (free agent)
Jack Peart, Soph., St. Cloud State, Minnesota Wild (draft pick, reporting to Iowa on tryout this season)
Ben Steeves, Soph., Minnesota Duluth, Florida Panthers (free agent)
Michigan Tech just knocked off CCHA regular-season champs Bemidji State to end an 11-game tear. I've seen Tech three times this season. The Huskies managed to slow down the Beavers, a team like Boston loaded with speed demons.
CCHA 2024 First Team Selections
Sam Morton (Lafayette, Colo.) Sr F, Minnesota State
Lleyton Roed (White Bear Lake, Minn.) So F, Bemidji State
Jared Westcott (Imperial, Mo.) Sr F, Lake Superior State
Eric Pohlkamp (Brained, Minn.) Fr S, Bemidji State
Kyle Looft (Mankato, Minn.) Gr D, Bemidji State
Mattias Sholl (Hermanson Beach, Calif.) Jr G, Bemidji State
I've coached girls in youth hockey and get to work many college games. Great to see professional opportunities and coaching and on-ice official opportunities for women.
Likely no independents will make field.
Arizona State 24-8-6
Alaska Fairbanks 17-14-3
Alaska Anchorage 15-17-2
Augustana (S.D.) 12-14-4
Long Island University 15-19-1
Lindenwood (Mo.) 6-18-4
Stonehill (Mass.) 1-33-0
Chris Simon a first round draft pick, played for Quebec, Colorado, Chicago, Washington, Islanders, Wild. Five years in Russia, where he was an all-star. Documented suffered from chronic brain injuries.
Bemidji (Minn.) State defeated Lake Superior (Michigan) State 4-1 Saturday in Bemidji, and Michigan Tech downed Minnesota State 4-3 in Houghton, to force a northern college showdown Friday back in Bemidji for the Mason Cup and ticket punched for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) autobid to the NCAA Division 1 16-team playoff field.
Friday NCHC quarterfinals
Games 1 of best-of-three series
North Dakota 5 Miami 1
St. Cloud 5 Western Michigan 2
Denver 4 Duluth 0
Colorado College 4 Omaha 3 OT