The UMass Minutemen Ice Hockey team is a

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

(NCAA) Division I men's

college ice hockey College ice hockey is played principally in the United States and Canada, though leagues exist outside North America. In the United States, competitive "college hockey" refers to ice hockey played between colleges and universities within the go ...

program that represents the

University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) is a public land-grant research university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system and was founded in 1863 as the ...

. The Minutemen are a member of

Hockey East The Hockey East Association, also known as Hockey East, is a college ice hockey conference which operates entirely in New England. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. Hockey East came into existence in 1984 for ...

. They play at the 8,387-seat William D. Mullins Memorial Center (known as the Mullins Center) in

Amherst, Massachusetts Amherst () is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. Amherst has a council–manager form of government, and is considered a city under Massachusetts state law. Amherst is one of several Massach ...

History

Pond history

The centrally located pond on the UMass campus was once used for multiple purposes. In the winter students and faculty would cut out blocks of ice to use for refrigeration and annual tug-of-war games between sophomores and freshmen were hosted during the spring months. In 1909 the first formal ice hockey team began playing on the pond as well. UMass fielded one of the earliest non-

ivy league The Ivy League is an American collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference of eight Private university, private Research university, research universities in the Northeastern United States. It participates in the National Collegia ...

programs, playing continually until poor weather conditions and a lack of funding caused the team to cease in 1939. The Minutemen were able to return to the ice after the war but couldn't play at home until 1954. The lack of a home venue caused the team to suffer through a stretch where they won only 2 games over a 7-year period. Eventually the pond became usable again and UMass were able to play home games with new head coach Steve Kosakowski. The Minutemen performed decently in his 13 seasons and were among 28 teams to found

ECAC Hockey ECAC Hockey is one of the six conferences that compete in NCAA Division I college ice hockey, ice hockey. The conference used to be affiliated with the Eastern College Athletic Conference, a consortium of over 300 colleges in the eastern United ...

. In 1964 the ECAC split into two divisions and any program that did not possess a dedicated indoor arena was placed in

ECAC 2 ECAC 2 was an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's College Division. The league was created as a way to fairly divide the upper- and lower-class programs that had been members of ECAC Hockey. In 1984 the conference was sp ...

. UMass continued with the second-tier conference for 15 years and achieved their greatest success in

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...

under

Jack Canniff John E. Canniff Jr. was an American ice hockey coach and player who led the program at Massachusetts for a dozen years. Career Canniff was a multi-sport star at Arlington High School. He made enough of a name for himself that he received some ...

, winning the conference tournament title. By the end of the 1970s using the pond as a rink had become untenable and when no alternatives surfaced the program was shuttered.

Return to the Ice

When the

Mullins Center The William D. Mullins Memorial Center, also known as the Mullins Center, is a 9,493-seat multi-purpose arena (10,500 for 360 concerts), located on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Massachusetts, in Amherst, Ma ...

opened in 1993 it was designed as a multi-purpose arena and allowed for the university to rekindle its ice hockey program. The men's team started the same year and hit the ice as a Division I independent. With 20 wins in the first season under

Joe Mallen Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage, based on the novel ''Joe'' (1991) by Larry Brown * Joe (2023 film), an Indian film * ''Joe'' (TV ser ...

, there was hope that the Minutemen could compete in

. However, once they began a tougher schedule in 1994–95, the team lost a then-school-record 28 games. Though the team rarely finished last in the conference under Mallen, there were very few gains and he was replaced by

Don Cahoon Don 'Toot' Cahoon (born April 13, 1949) is a retired American ice hockey coach. He was the head coach of the Princeton Tigers when they won their first conference tournament championship in 1998. For almost 40 years Cahoon worked behind the ben ...

in 2000. Under Cahoon the team began to improve, posting a winning season in 2003 and reaching the conference championship game the following year. His greatest success came after recruiting

Jonathan Quick Jonathan Douglas Quick (born January 21, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Quick was selected in the third round, 72nd overall, by the Los Angeles Kings at the ...

, who helped UMass to reach their first ever NCAA tournament in 2007. Cahoon couldn't keep the success going, however, and after being knocked off in five consecutive conference quarterfinals he retired in 2012.

John Micheletto John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...

was tabbed as Cahoon's successor and after a decent first season the team slid down the standing and bottomed out for two consecutive seasons. After the second last-place finish Micheletto was fired and replaced by St. Lawrence head coach

Greg Carvel Gregory Joseph Carvel (born August 17, 1970) is an American former NCAA ice hockey player and current coach. He is currently the head coach for the UMass Minutemen of the Hockey East conference. Carvel has been a head coach at St Lawrence Unive ...

Greg Carvel era (2016–present)

In Carvel's first season the team reached a nadir; the Minutemen set a new program record for futility, losing 29 games. Carvel led the team to a much-improved finish in his second season and then team took off in year three. The Minutemen reached their first ever Frozen Four and a berth in the 2019 NCAA Division I National Championship in which the Minutemen ultimately lost to Minnesota-Duluth 3–0. Though the year ended on a sour note, the team posted a new program record for wins (31) while

Cale Makar Cale Douglas Makar (born October 30, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected with the f ...

won the school's first

Hobey Baker Award The Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player. It has been awarded 44 times. It is named for Hall of Famer Hobey Baker, who played college hockey at Princeton Universit ...

. On April 10, 2021, the Minutemen won their first-ever

NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament The annual NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament is a college ice hockey tournament held in the United States by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to determine the top men's team in Division I. Like other Division I cham ...

, beating the

St. Cloud State Huskies The St. Cloud State Huskies are the athletic teams for St. Cloud State University. The university is primarily a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), and currently sponsors 18 NCAA Division II teams. SCSU also sponsors a ...

5–0.

Season-by-season results

Source:

Records vs. current Hockey East teams

As of the completion of 2022–23 season

Coaching staff

Current as of July, 2024.

All-time coaching records

As of the completion of 2023–24 season

Current roster

As of September 17, 2024.

The Longest Game

On March 6, 2015, UMass faced Notre Dame in Game 1 of the Opening Round of the 2015 Hockey East Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, played at

Compton Family Ice Arena The Compton Family Ice Arena is a 5,022-seat, two-rink ice facility in Notre Dame, Indiana on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The arena saw its first game on October 21, 2011. The ice arena replaced the 2,857-seat rink in the north d ...

at Notre Dame. Early into the game, Sam Herr gave Notre Dame the lead on a rebounded shot. Vince Hinostroza made it 2–0 midway through the second period. But the Minutmen responded two minutes later with a power play goal by Steven Iacobellis. Notre Dame responded three minutes later with a Steven Fogarty goal to make it 3–1. UMass made it 3–2 a minute later with a goal by Shane Walsh. With two seconds remaining in the period, Troy Power tipped a power play goal to tie the game as the second period (a period that had five goals in total) ended. The third period ended with no goals, as the two teams went into overtime. The two teams repeatedly failed to score, with UMass shooting a record 91 times and Notre Dame shooting 78 times. With 8:18 left in the fifth overtime and at 1:24 a.m. ET, Shane Walsh scored the game-winning goal to end the longest Division I hockey game which had lasted 151 minutes, 42 seconds, besting the previous record of 150:22, set by Quinnipiac and Union in 2010. Steve Mastalerz finished the night with 75 saves for UMass while

Cal Petersen Calvin Louis Petersen (born October 19, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected ...

of Notre Dame made 87 saves, setting a new NCAA record. It was UMass' first win at the Tournament since March 13, 2009 at Northeastern.

Championships

NCAA Tournament championships Conference tournament championships

Awards and honors

NCAA

Individual awards

: 2019 Edward Jeremiah Award *

: 1972

Spencer Penrose Award The Spencer Penrose Award is awarded yearly to the top coach in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey by the American Hockey Coaches Association. The finalists for each year's award comprise the conference Coach of the Year winners from each Division ...

: 2019 NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player * Bobby Trivigno: 2021

All-Americans

AHCA First Team All-Americans *1971–72: Pat Keenan, F; Brian Sullivan, D; P.J. Flaherty, G *1972–73: Pat Keenan, F *2003–04:

Thomas Pöck Thomas Dietmar Pöck (born 2 December 1981) is an Austrian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders. Playing career As a youth, Pöck played in the 19 ...

, D *2018–19:

, D;

Mitchell Chaffee Mitchell Alex Chaffee (born January 26, 1998) is an American professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Early life Chaffee was born on January 26, 1998, in Rockford, M ...

, F *2019–20: John Leonard, F *2020–21: Bobby Trivigno, F *2021–22: Bobby Trivigno, F; Scott Morrow, D *2023–24: Ryan Ufko, D *2024–25:

Cole O'Hara Cole James O'Hara (born June 20, 2002) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played college ic ...

, F AHCA Second Team All-Americans *2006–07:

, G *2008–09:

James Marcou James Marcou (born February 19, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Worcester Sharks in the American Hockey League. On March 23, 2010, he was signed as a free agent by the San Jose Sharks who assig ...

, F *2009–10: Justin Braun, D *2020–21:

Zac Jones Zachary Jones (born October 18, 2000) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Jones was drafted by the Rangers in the third round (68th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft ...

, D NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey All-Tournament Team *2018–19:

Marc Del Gaizo Marc Douglas Del Gaizo (born October 11, 1999) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was ...

, D *2020–21: Bobby Trivigno, F;

Matthew Kessel Matthew James Kessel (born June 23, 2000) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Early life Kessel was born on June 23, 2000 in Arizona, USA to parents Tom and Leila Kessel. ...

, D;

, D; Filip Lindberg, G

Hockey East

Individual awards

Player of the Year Several sports leagues honour their best player with an award called Player of the Year. In the United States, this type of award is usually called a Most Valuable Player award. Association football In association football, this award is held on b ...

: 2019 * Bobby Trivigno: 2022 Hockey East Rookie of the Year * Josh Lopina: 2021 Three-Stars Award * John Leonard: 2020 Len Ceglarski Award * Ryan Ufko: 2024 Scoring Champion *

: 2009 (co-champion) *

: 2019 * Bobby Trivigno: 2022 Best Defensive Defenseman * Justin Braun: 2010 Bob Kullen Coach of the Year *

: 2003 *

: 2019 William Flynn Tournament Most Valuable Player * Bobby Trivigno:

2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

All-Hockey East

First Team First team may refer to: Sports * First team (association football), the colloquial name given to the most senior team fielded by a football club * The First Team, the first players known to have played the sport of basketball * First Team All-A ...

*2003–04:

, D *2008–09:

, F *2009–10: Justin Braun, D *2018–19:

, D;

, F *2019–20: John Leonard, F *2020–21: Bobby Trivigno, F *2021–22: Bobby Trivigno, F; Scott Morrow, D *2023–24: Ryan Ufko, D *2024-25:

, F

Second Team In sports, a reserve team is a team composed of players who are under contract to a club but who do not regularly play in matches for the club's primary team. Reserve teams usually include players who are part of the larger first-team squad but ...

*2002–03:

, D *2005–06: Marvin Degon, D *2006–07:

, G *2007–08: Mike Kostka, D *2008–09: Justin Braun, D *2009–10:

, F *2018–19: John Leonard, F; Jacob Pritchard, F *2020–21: Filip Lindberg, G;

, D *2022–23: Scott Morrow, D; Ryan Ufko, D *2023–24: Michael Hrabal, G Third Team *2017–18:

, D *2018–19:

, D;

Mario Ferraro Mario Ferraro (born September 17, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). After one season with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the junior United State ...

, D *2019–20: Jake McLaughlin, D *2020–21:

, D;

, D *2021–22:

, D; Matt Murray, G *2023–24: Scott Morrow *2024–25:

Michael Hrabal Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

, G Rookie Team *1994–95: Brian Regan, G *2002–03: Stephen Werner, D *2004–05: David Leaderer, D; P. J. Fenton, F *2006–07: Justin Braun, D *2007–08: Paul Dainton, G;

, F *2008–09: Casey Wellman, F *2010–11: Michael Pereira, F *2014–15:

Brandon Montour Brandon Montour (born April 11, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman presently playing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Montour was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round, 55th overall, of ...

, F *2017–18:

, D;

, D *2018–19:

, D *2019–20:

, D *2020–21: Josh Lopina, F *2021–22: Scott Morrow, D; Ryan Ufko, D *2022–23: Kenny Connors, F *2024–25: Francesco Dell'Elce, D All-Tournament Team *2002–03:

, D; Stephen Werner, F *2003–04:

, D; Greg Mauldin, F; Mike Warner, F *2006–07: Chris Capraro, F *2020–21: Filip Lindberg, G;

, D; Jake Gaudet, F; Bobby Trivigno, F *2021–22: Matt Murray, G; Colin Felix, D; Garrett Wait, F; Bobby Trivigno, F *2022–23: Scott Morrow

Statistical leaders

Source:

Career points leaders

† - active

Career goaltending leaders

''GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% =

Save percentage Save percentage (often known by such symbols as SV%, SVS%, SVP, PCT) is a statistic in various Goal (sports), goal-scoring sports that track Save (goaltender), saves as a statistic. In ice hockey and lacrosse and association football, it is a sta ...

; GAA =

Goals against average Goals against average (GAA), also known as average goals against (AGA), is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender or goalkeeper (depending on spo ...

'' Minimum 30 games played Statistics current through the start of the 2022–23 season.

Olympians

This is a list of Massachusetts alumni were a part of an Olympic team.

Minutemen in the NHL

As of July 1, 2024 File:Justin Braun 2011.jpg, Justin Braun File:Mario Ferraro (cropped).jpg,

File:Matt Irwin 2017-06-08 1.jpg,

Matt Irwin Matthew Irwin (born November 29, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenseman. Irwin played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and the W ...

File:Michael Kostka - New York Rangers.jpg, Michael Kostka File:William Lagesson (18881765983).jpg,

William Lagesson William Lagesson (born 22 February 1996) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fourth round, 91st overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2014 NHL en ...

File:Cale Makar playing with the Avalanche in 2020 (Quintin Soloviev).jpg,

File:Thomas Pock.jpg,

File:Jonathan Quick (7476669806).jpg,

File:Conor Sheary 2017-06-11 1.jpg,

Conor Sheary Conor Michael Sheary ( ; born June 8, 1992) is an Americans, American professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), winger who is currently playing for the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Tampa Bay ...

File:Frank Vatrano - Boston Bruins.jpg, Frank Vatrano Source:

References

External links

* {{Hockey East College ice hockey teams in Massachusetts NCAA Division I men's ice hockey teams 1908 establishments in Massachusetts Ice hockey clubs established in 1908