By Roy J. Akers- www.skyviewsports.net
Denver is once again the top team in the country and received 48 of 50 first place votes. Minnesota and Cornell each received a vote. The Big Ten had six of seven teams make the top 20. The CCHA had two teams. Each conference had more teams considering the honorable mentions. Western Michigan continues to show well as they are 13th in the polls. The NCHC continued to be well represented in the national polls, as Denver, North Dakota, Colorado College and St. Cloud State joined Western Michigan in the top 20. Omaha, Arizona State and Minnesota Duluth were all receiving votes.
Top 20 Poll – Week 4
Others receiving votes: Union 59, Omaha 34, Clarkson 31, Augustana 28, Harvard 22, New Hampshire 20, Wisconsin 18, Connecticut 14, Arizona State 10, Minnesota Duluth 8, Dartmouth 5, RIT 4, Brown 3, Michigan Tech 2, Bemidji State 1, Holy Cross 1, Northeastern 1, Sacred Heart 1
CCHA Players-of-the-Week
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced its Players of the Week for October 25-26 and four student-athletes from four different programs have been recognized. Jere Vaisanen (Bemidji State) was named Forward of the Week, while Nico DeVita (Ferris State) collected Defenseman of the Week honors. Alex Tracy (Minnesota State) claimed his first Goaltender of the Week award this season and Christian Manz (Augustana) was the Rookie of the Week.
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CCHA Forward of the Week: Jere Vaisanen, Sr., Bemidji State (Espoo, Finland)
Vaisanen paced all CCHA skaters with three goals last week, helping Bemidji State to a road split with Ferris State. Tallying one power-play goal, he recorded four shots on goal and won 61% (14-of-23) of his face-offs. On Friday, he netted both Beavers goals in a 4-2 defeat, before netting his third goal of the weekend in a 3-0 shutout victory.
CCHA Defenseman of the Week: Nico DeVita, Sr., Ferris State (Bellevue, Wash.)
DeVita scored a shorthanded goal and recorded a CCHA-best eight blocked shots to help Ferris State to a split with Bemidji State last weekend. On Friday, he scored and was +1 with two shots on goal and a game-high six blocked shots. He then had two blocks and one shot on target in a 3-0 loss to the Beavers on Saturday.
CCHA Goaltender of the Week: Alex Tracy, Jr., Minnesota State (Chicago, Ill.)
Tracy went 2-0-0 with a conference-best 1.50 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage last week, leading the No. 16/18 Mavericks to sweep of No. 16/19 Omaha. Turning away 53-of-56 shots on the weekend, he made 26 saves in a 4-3 victory over the Mavericks on Friday, before stopping all 27 shots he faced in a 3-0 shutout on Saturday – his second of the year and fifth of his career.
CCHA Rookie of the Week: Christian Manz, Fr., Augustana (Blaine, Minn.)
Manz made 28 saves in his collegiate debut on Saturday, as Augustana fell at No. 12/14 St. Cloud State, 2-1. He stopped nine shots in the first period, 14 in the second and five in the third. His outing was highlighted by a cross-crease glove save, early in the middle frame, that kept the Vikings within a goal.
Big Ten Players of the Week- To be Released on Tuesday
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Three Stars of the Week for hockey games played Oct. 25-26.
First Star
Sam Rinzel, Minnesota
So. – D – Chanhassen, Minn. — Waterloo (USHL)
- Compiled five points (two goals, three assists) in Minnesota’s home-and-home sweep of Twin Cities rival St. Thomas on Oct. 25-26
- Opened the series with two goals and an assist in a 7-1 win Friday for the fifth-ranked Gophers
- Added a pair of helpers on Saturday in a 6-2 win, extending his season points streak to six games
- The Chicago Blackhawks first round draft pick earns his second career Star Award, having been named Third Star on Jan. 16, 2024
- Last Minnesota First Star: Jaxon Nelson (March 5, 2024)
Second Star
Brody Lamb, Minnesota
Jr. – F – Byron, Minn. – Green Bay (USHL)
- Recorded a natural hat trick in a 16-minute span in Minnesota’s 6-2 win over St. Thomas before 10,104 at the Xcel Energy Center on Oct. 26
- Scored all three goals, including the game-winner, on the power play in notching his first collegiate hat trick
- Netted a goal in the series opener on Friday and led Big Ten players with four goals on the weekend
- The New York Rangers draft pick receives his second career Star Award, having previously been named Second Star on Nov. 14, 2023
- Last Minnesota Star recipient: Jimmy Clark (Second Star, Oct. 22, 2024)
Third Star
Tanner Kelly, Michigan State
Sr. – F – San Diego, Calif. – Muskegon (USHL)
- Led No. 4/4 Michigan State with four points (two goals, two assists) in a road sweep of Canisius on Oct. 25-26
- Scored the Spartans’ first goal each night, including the game-winner in a 3-0 win on Friday
- Defensively helped MSU limit the home team to one goal while finishing a plus-three on the weekend
- The fourth-year Spartan receives his first career Star honor
- Last Michigan State Star selection: Charlie Stramel (Third Star, Oct. 15, 2024)
2024-25 Big Ten Hockey Three Stars
Oct. 8
First Star: Isaac Howard, Jr., F, MSU
Second Star: Daniel Russell, Jr., F, MSU
Third Star: Simon Mack, Sr., D, PSU
Oct. 15
First Star: Cole Knuble, So., F, ND
Second Star: Connor Kurth, Jr., F, MINN
Third Star: Charlie Stramel, Jr. F, MSU
Oct. 22
First Star: Max Montes, So., F, OSU
Second Star: Jimmy Clark, So., F, MINN
Third Star: Logan Terness, Sr., G, OSU
Oct. 29
First Star: Sam Rinzel, So., D, MINN
Second Star: Brody Lamb, Jr., F, MINN
Third Star: Tanner Kelly, Sr., F, MSU
Western Michigan BRONCOS RANKED NO. 13 IN NATION
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – After battling with Boston College over the weekend, Western Michigan saw minimal movement in this week’s national rankings, which were released this afternoon.
In the USCHO poll, the Broncos checked in at No. 13, which is a one-spot jump from last week. WMU fell one spot in the USA Hockey poll, coming in at No. 14. The team has been ranked in the top 20 since Oct. 11, 2021.