College Hockey Update:  It’s been a while — and in top ten matchups since our last update, Minnesota-Duluth edged up to #4 with its win over Mankato State on December 28th in the Desert Classic in Phoenix, as the Mavericks took a tumble down five spots to #8 (both teams were missing players who were at the World Juniors Championships; Duluth also went on to lose to Clarkson on December 29th in the Desert Classic, Mankato State went on to tie Arizona State on December 29th, and also hosted and swept Michigan Tech the following weekend).  Elsewhere, St. Cloud State held on at #1 after they lost to Union College January 4th at the Three Rivers Classic in Pittsburgh, and went on to beat Robert Morris the next night in Pittsburgh (St. Cloud State also had players at the World Juniors); Massachusetts held at #2 after they hosted, and lost to UMass-Lowell on January 4th, and the next night visited and beat American International.

Denver played both weekends and jumped up five pegs to #3 after they racked up four wins, all on the road, against Merrimack, UMass-Lowell, and a pair over Wisconsin; Ohio State also played both weekends and and moved up three rungs to #4 after they earned three wins and a tie, hosting and sweeping Mercyhurst in late December, and visiting, tying, and beating Michigan State last weekend.  Quinnipiac also played both weekends and edged down to #6 after beating Colgate on December 28 in Nassau, Long Island, hosting and losing to Colgate on January 4th, and hosting and settling on a tie with Cornell the next night; Providence played both weekends and moved up three notches to #7 after earning three wins and a tie, beating both Brown and Dartmouth at the Darthmouth’s Ledyard Classic in late December, and then hosting, tying, and beating Miami of Ohio last weekend.  Notre Dame edged down three spots to #9 after they hosted and beat Boston College on New Year’s Eve, then lost at Michigan on January 5th; and Bowling Green moved up two spots to enter the top ten at #10 after they hosted and split with Bemidji State last weekend.

Last weekend Providence had huge help from senior forward Scott Conway, of Basingstoke, England, who scored a goal in his team’s 4-2 win over Miami of Ohio last Friday night, and scored a goal in his team’s 3-3 tie with Miami-Ohio Saturday night, both in Providence.  Friday night Tyce Thompson put Providence on the board first, four minutes into the opening frame, but Miami came back only two minutes later on a power play goal to tie it at one apiece, and then on another power play goal with three minutes left in the period to take the 2-1 lead into the first break.  Providence had controlled the tempo much of the first period and had a 12-8 shot advantage, but they doomed themselves on their penalties and their inability to stop the Miami power play, which was two for two in the frame.  Scott Conway scored on a power play seven minutes into the second to tie it at two apiece, but it would be the only goal in a period dominated by Providence and its 14-3 shot advantage; Miami stood up to the pressure, and went into the second break with the tie.  Matt Koopman scored what would be the game winner for Providence nine minutes into the third, and Vimal Sukumaran scored with four minutes left, to make the final score 4-2, Providence.  The third period was also dominated by Providence, as a 16-4 shot advantage indicates.  In Saturday night’s contest, Providence took an early 2-0 lead in the first, but Miami came back and outscored Providence 3-1 in the third, scoring two goals late — with five minutes left, and with one minute left, to take home the 3-3 tie.

At 6′ and 182lbs, senior Scott Conway is tied for first on his team in goals scored with nine, and is seventh in assists with seven.  As a junior he was second in goals with thirteen, and he tied for eighth in assists, with ten; as a sophomore he tied for third in goals, with twelve, and was seventh in assists with eleven.  He played his freshman year for Penn State in the 2014-15 season, where he was fourth in goals, with ten, and fourth in assists with sixteen; he led all freshmen in scoring in the Big Ten, and was named to the Big Ten All-Rookie Team.  In his year off between Penn State and Providence, he played for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL, and was first on his team in goals scored, with 56, and was second in assists, with 60, over the 56 game season.  Before Penn State he played for the Indiana Ice of the USHL, and was first on his team in goals scored, with 33, and was first in assists with 35; these numbers placed him tied for second in the USHL in goals, tied for 11th in the USHL in assists, and second in the USHL in scoring overall, as he was named to the All-USHL First Team for the 2013-14 season.  His hometown of Basingstoke, England is about 50 miles southwest of London, and is home to its 114,000 residents.  The name of the town appears in a Book of Markets from the year 990, and is generally thought to have been established as a town in 1086.  It has had a regular Wednesday Market every week since 1214.

Providence College was founded in 1917 and sits about two miles west of downtown Providence.  Its enrolls 3,900 undergraduates, and 750 graduate students.  It is the only college or university in the U.S. that is under the direction of Friars of the Dominican Order of the Catholic Church.  At one time it’s basketball team was coached by Rick Pitino, father of current University of Minnesota basketball coach Richard Pitino; Richard Pitino is an alumnus of Providence College.  The Providence teams are called the Friars, and their colors are black and white.  Providence hockey is coached by Nate Leaman, who is in his eighth season there.  Before coming to Providence Leaman was the head coach at Union College for eight seasons.  In his first seven seasons at Providence his teams compiled a record of 152-89-31, and they appeared in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last five seasons, including winning the NCAA Championship in 2015.  Providence is currently 14-4-2, is ranked #7, and plays at Boston College tonight, and hosts Boston University tomorrow night.

This weekend features a great top ten matchup, as #1 St. Cloud State travels to play tonight and tomorrow night at #5 Minnesota-Duluth.  Should be a certified scorcher!

This provides the top ten teams, rankings, records, and most recent results:

[table id=185 /]

That’s all for now.  Stay tuned, and go Terriers!

— Tom