UMass Minutemen ice hockey


The UMass Minutemen Ice Hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's college ice hockey program that represents the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Minutemen are a member of Hockey East. They play at the 8,387-seat William D. Mullins Memorial Center in Amherst, Massachusetts.

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 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. In 1964 the ECAC split into two divisions and any program that did not possess a dedicated indoor arena was placed in ECAC 2. UMass continued with the second-tier conference for 15 years and achieved their greatest success in 1972 under Jack Canniff, 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 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, there was hope that the Minutemen could compete in Hockey East. 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 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, 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 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.

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 birth 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 while Cale Makar won the school's first Hobey Baker Award.

Season-by-season results

Records vs. Current Hockey East Teams

As of the completion of 2018–19 season

Coaches and support staff

Current as of November, 2018.
NamePosition
Greg CarvelHead Coach
Ben BarrAssociate Head Coach
Jared DeMichielAssistant Coach
Ryan MahanDirector of Hockey Operations
TJ SynerVolunteer Assistant Coach
Marc PaquetAthletic Trainer
Clayton KirvenStrength & Conditioning
Josh PennHead of Equipment

Head Coach History

As of the completion of 2018–19 season

Statistical Leaders

Career points leaders

PlayerYearsGPGAPtsPIM
1970–19736610575180
1993–19971317294166
1993–19971327381154
2007–20101113496130
2002–20061435066116
2010–20141355354107
1999–20031344760107
2017–20201045649105
2010–20141383866104
2005–20091504360103
1969–19724557102
1972–19763567102
2000–20041304458102

† - active

Career Goaltending Leaders

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Minimum 1000 minutes played
PlayerYearsGPMinWLTGASOSV%GAA
2017–Present512910291721165.9152.39
2005–2007543129232261253.9262.40
2007–201112370424561123272.9082.78
2002–200611767255052103175.8912.83
2011–2013412325161761111.8962.86

Statistics current through the start of the 2019-20 season.

Current roster

As of September 7, 2019.

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 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 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 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.

Awards and honors

NCAA

Hobey Baker Award
Spencer Penrose Award
AHCA First Team All-Americans
AHCA Second Team All-Americans
NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey All-Tournament Team
Hockey East Player of the Year
Hockey East Three-Stars Award
Hockey East Scoring Champion
Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman
Bob Kullen Coach of the Year
Hockey East All-Tournament Team
First Team All-Hockey East
Second Team All-Hockey East
Third Team All-Hockey East
Hockey East All-Rookie Team
PlayerPositionTeamYearsStanley Cup|
Conor AllenDefnsemanNYR2013–20150
Matt AndersonForwardNJD2012–20130
Kevin BoyleGoaltenderANA2018–Present0
Justin BraunDefensemanSJS, PHI2010–Present0
Mario FerraroDefensemanSJS2019–Present0
Joel HanleyDefensemanMTL, ARI, DAL2015–Present0
Matt IrwinDefensemanSJS, BOS, NSH2012–Present0
Michael KostkaDefensemanTOR, CHI, TBL, NYR, OTT2012–20160
Cale MakarDefensemanCOL2018–Present0

PlayerPositionTeamYearsStanley Cup|
Greg MauldinLeft WingCBJ, NYI, COL2003–20110
Brandon MontourDefensemanANA, BUF2016–Present0
Brad NortonDefensemanFLA, LAK, WSH, OTT, DET2001–20070
Thomas PöckDefensemanNYR, NYI2003–20090
Jonathan QuickGoaltender'2007–Present2
Conor ShearyLeft Wing', BUF2015–Present2
Frank VatranoCenterBUF, FLA2015–Present0
Casey WellmanCenterMIN, WSH2009–20140