TAMPA, FLA. – Renovations are underway at 3M Arena at Mariucci to reduce the size of the ice sheet. After Friday's awards announcements during NCAA men's Frozen Four weekend, it looks as if the Gophers will need some more wall space for murals of All-America players.
Defenseman and captain Brock Faber along with forwards Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies were named West All-America first-team selections by the American Hockey Coaches Association.
Joining the Minnesota trio on the West first team are Michigan forward Adam Fantilli and defenseman Luke Hughes and Michigan Tech goalie Blake Pietila.
The three first-team selections were the most of any team this year and the third consecutive year where at least one Gophers player earned All-America honors. It's only the second time in program history with three players on the first team, joining the 1954 squad that had Dick Dougherty, John Mayasich and Ken Yackel Sr. honored. It's the Gophers' fourth time with three All-America selections in the same year (2021, 2014, 1996).
The West's second team consists of Notre Dame goalie Ryan Bischell of Medina, defensemen Jake Livingstone of Minnesota State Mankato and Mike Benning of Denver, and forwards Carter Mazur and Massimo Rizzo of Denver, and Jason Polin of Western Michigan.
The East first team includes Northeastern goalie Devon Levi, defensemen Lane Hutson of Boston University and Henry Thrun of Harvard, and forwards Sean Farrell of Harvard, Collin Graf of Quinnipiac and Aidan McDonough of Northeastern.
On the East's second team are Quinnipiac goalie Yaniv Perets; defensemen Sam Malinski of Cornell and Zach Metsa of Quinnipiac; and forwards Matt Brown of Boston University, Matthew Coronato of Harvard and Alex Jefferies of Merrimack.
Levi wins another Richter Award
Northeastern's Devon Levi, who is now with the Buffalo Sabres, won the Mike Richter Award as the nation's top goalie for the second consecutive year. Levi went 17-12-5 with a 2.24 goals-against average, a nation's-best .933 save percentage and six shutouts
The other finalists were Quinnipiac's Perets (33-4-3, 1.48, .932, 10 shutouts) and Michigan Tech's Pietila (23-11-3, 2.15, .924, 10 shutouts).
Army's Wilson honored
Army senior Noah Wilson received the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award from the Hockey Commissioners Association. Wilson does volunteer work with an organization that matches children facing serious illnesses and disability with college sports teams.
The award is named in honor of Hines, an Army player from 1999 to 2003 who exemplified leadership and sportsmanship. Hines was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan in 2005.
UMD's Hughes wins Humanitarian Award
Minnesota Duluth women's hockey forward Gabbie Hughes was selected as the winner of the Hockey Humanitarian Award given annually to a college player who has shown off-ice leadership. The award was presented Friday at a ceremony in Tampa, Fla., during the NCAA men's Frozen Four in Tampa, Fla.
Hughes appeared virtually — she is currently in Brampton, Ontario, making her debut for the U.S. National Team at the Women's World Championships.