University of St. Thomas Athletics
Sunday, October 6
Mendota Heights, Minn.
5:07 p.m. Central
vs
St. Cloud State
Photo by: Wesley Dean
Men’s Hockey opens season with ranked matchup against #16 St. Cloud State
10/4/2024 3:44:00 PM | Men's Hockey
The Tommies host the Huskies while ranked in the top-20 for the first time
THIS WEEKEND'S GAME
ON THE RADIO
CCHA TV ON MIDCO SPORTS PLUS
FOX 9 PLUS
TOMMIE TIDBITS
SERIES HISTORY
St. Cloud holds the all-time advantage with a 5-1-0 record through the Tommies' first three seasons of DI hockey. The Huskies have outscored the Tommies 26-8 overall and 4-1 at Saint Thomas Ice Arena.
The Toms won their first and only game against SCSU to kick off the 2023-24 season at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The Huskies were ranked 8th in the country and the Toms won 5-4 in an instant classic overtime game. Ryder Donovan scored the game winner in his Purple debut.
CURRENT TOMMIES AGAINST ST. CLOUD STATE
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR – LUCAS WAHLIN
Junior, Lucas Wahlin was the first Tommie to score 30 points in a season, the first Tommie to be named to an All-CCHA team, and now the first Tommie in Division I program history to be named CCHA Preseason Player of the Year.
He was one of three named by conference head coaches along with Isaac Gordon of Michigan Tech and Connor Milburn of Lake Superior State. Wahlin was the only Preseason Player of the Year selected by the media. He was also named to both Preseason All-CCHA Teams.
The junior captain set career marks in goals (12), assists (18), and points (30) while playing in all 37 games last season. He ranked t-11th in goals, t-7th in assists, t-7th in points, and 3rd in shots in the conference.
Wahlin, a native of Woodbury, Minn., is the program's leader in points (51) and is the only Tommie above the 50-point milestone during the DI era. He was also the program's first sophomore captain.
He earned Second-Team All-CCHA, CCHA All-Academic, and CCHA Scholar Athlete honors last season and was named conference player of the week on November 6 for his four points in a weekend series sweep of Northern Michigan.
SIBELL NAMED ONE OF NATION'S TOP TENDERS
Jake Sibell was named to the semi-finalist list for the Mike Richter Award last season. Sibell was the first in program history and only last season from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
The Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) announced the semifinalists for this year's Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goalie in men's NCAA Division I hockey since 2014. Ten goaltenders from a "Watch List" of 30 were singled out by a panel of voters across the hockey community.
Sibell was one of two goalies on the list from Minnesota (Ryan Bischel of Notre Dame from Medina, Minn.). He was also one of two from a team within the Land of 10,000 Lakes (Justen Close from the University of Minnesota).
Kyle McClellan of Wisconsin won the award for the 2023-24 season.
2023-24 CCHA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
2023-24 CCHA GOALTENDERS OF THE MONTH
DI SCORING RECORD HOLDERS
COACH BLASI
NON-CONFERENCE
NHL DEVELOPMENT CAMPS
NHL DRAFT PICKS
CAPTAINS
TRANSFERS
FRESHMEN
PRESEASON CCHA COACHES POLL
St. Thomas was picked to finish first in the Preseason CCHA Coaches Poll on September 12th. The former high-water mark in the preseason poll was a fifth place finish last season. The Toms earned 73 votes in total and tied with Bemidji State in first place votes (3). The Beavers earned 69 votes, four behind St. Thomas. Michigan Tech (2) and Minnesota State (1) finished third and fourth respectively and each earned at least one first place vote. Bowling Green (50), Lake Superior State (46), Augustana (46), Ferris State (28), and Northern Michigan (26) rounded out the poll.
PRESEASON CCHA MEDIA POLL
St. Thomas was picked to finish second in the Preseason CCHA Media Poll on September 12th. This is the highest the Tommies have ever finished in the preseason media poll. Bemidji State came out on top with 107 total votes and five first place votes. The Tommies came up with the same amout of total votes (107) but earned one less first place vote. Minnesota State (2) and Michigan Tech (1) finished third and fourth respectively and each earned at least one first place vote. Bowling Green (63), Lake Superior State (60), Augustana (52), Northern Michigan (40), and Ferris State (33) rounded out the poll.
- RV/#20 St. Thomas hosts #16 St. Cloud State to open the 2024-25 season at Saint Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn. on Sunday, October 6 at 5:07 p.m.
ON THE RADIO
- ESPN 1500 is the home of all St. Thomas Men's Hockey games.
- Fans can listen on the radio at 1500 AM, online at https://live.skornorth.com/listen/ or on the Varsity Sports App.
CCHA TV ON MIDCO SPORTS PLUS
- All St. Thomas and CCHA games will be live-streamed on Midco Sports Plus
- Midco Sports Plus provides each subscriber with access to all content and events with the purchase of a monthly or yearly subscription.
- Midco Sports Plus is available on IOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.
FOX 9 PLUS
- Sunday's game between the Tommies and Huskies can also be viewed on Fox 9 Plus.
TOMMIE TIDBITS
- Aaron Trotter recorded his and the Tommies' second shutout ever in the 2-0 win over Michigan Tech during the final weekend of the regular season, his first and only other shutout was a season ago in a 4-0 win over Lake Superior State
- Gauer is the program's leading point scoring defensemen with 25 points, he is also first in blocks with 122.
- The Toms improved year-over-year in shots on goal (902 to 1025), goals (86 to 90), goals per game (2.4 to 2.6), shots per game (25.1 to 30.1), assists (137 to 158), faceoff percentage (.476 to .501), shorthanded goals (3 to 5), unassisted goals (4 to 5), goals allowed (117 to 96), goals allowed per game (3.3 to 2.8), power play goals allowed (29 to 25), penalties (160-137), penalty minutes (385 to 323), goals against average (3.11 to 2.69), and save percentage (.902 to .910)
- Individual skaters who set single-season program records included: Lucas Wahlin (30 points and 133 shots on goal), Ryan O'Neill (19 assists), Mack Byers (+9 rating, 2 shorthanded goals), Cooper Gay (4 game-winning goals), Liam Malmquist (2 unassisted goals)
- Jake Sibell set new single-season program records in goals against average (2.18) and save percentage (.923)
- The Purple were 13-2-2 when scoring first last season
- Liam Malmquist is the only DI Tommie with multiple unassisted goals in a single season
- Lucas Wahlin's 30 points were a single season program record.
- Rico Blasi is 23rd all time with 427 career head coaching wins, seventh amongst active head coaches
SERIES HISTORY
St. Cloud holds the all-time advantage with a 5-1-0 record through the Tommies' first three seasons of DI hockey. The Huskies have outscored the Tommies 26-8 overall and 4-1 at Saint Thomas Ice Arena.
The Toms won their first and only game against SCSU to kick off the 2023-24 season at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The Huskies were ranked 8th in the country and the Toms won 5-4 in an instant classic overtime game. Ryder Donovan scored the game winner in his Purple debut.
CURRENT TOMMIES AGAINST ST. CLOUD STATE
- Carson Peters – 1G-0A-1P
- Jake Braccini – 1G-0A-1P
- Matthew Gleason – 1G-1A-2P (0G-2A-2P with Colorado College)
- Ryder Donovan – 1G-0A-1P
- Ryan O'Neill – 0G-1A-1P
- Mason Poolman – 0G-1A-1P
- Luc Laylin – 0G-1A-1P
- Liam Malmquist – 0G-2A-2P
- Aaron Trotter – 1-2-0, 71 saves, 8 GA, 2.71GAA, .899SV%
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR – LUCAS WAHLIN
Junior, Lucas Wahlin was the first Tommie to score 30 points in a season, the first Tommie to be named to an All-CCHA team, and now the first Tommie in Division I program history to be named CCHA Preseason Player of the Year.
He was one of three named by conference head coaches along with Isaac Gordon of Michigan Tech and Connor Milburn of Lake Superior State. Wahlin was the only Preseason Player of the Year selected by the media. He was also named to both Preseason All-CCHA Teams.
The junior captain set career marks in goals (12), assists (18), and points (30) while playing in all 37 games last season. He ranked t-11th in goals, t-7th in assists, t-7th in points, and 3rd in shots in the conference.
Wahlin, a native of Woodbury, Minn., is the program's leader in points (51) and is the only Tommie above the 50-point milestone during the DI era. He was also the program's first sophomore captain.
He earned Second-Team All-CCHA, CCHA All-Academic, and CCHA Scholar Athlete honors last season and was named conference player of the week on November 6 for his four points in a weekend series sweep of Northern Michigan.
SIBELL NAMED ONE OF NATION'S TOP TENDERS
Jake Sibell was named to the semi-finalist list for the Mike Richter Award last season. Sibell was the first in program history and only last season from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
The Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) announced the semifinalists for this year's Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goalie in men's NCAA Division I hockey since 2014. Ten goaltenders from a "Watch List" of 30 were singled out by a panel of voters across the hockey community.
Sibell was one of two goalies on the list from Minnesota (Ryan Bischel of Notre Dame from Medina, Minn.). He was also one of two from a team within the Land of 10,000 Lakes (Justen Close from the University of Minnesota).
Kyle McClellan of Wisconsin won the award for the 2023-24 season.
2023-24 CCHA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
- Luke Manning Forward of the Week (10/9/23)
- Liam Malmquist Forward of the Week (10/23/23)
- Jake Sibell Goaltender of the Week (10/23/23)
- Lucas Wahlin Forward of the Week (11/6/23)
- Aaron Trotter Goaltender of the Week (11/13/23)
- Ryan O'Neill Forward of the Week (12/4/23)
- Jake Sibell Goaltender of the Week (1/15/24)
- Aaron Trotter Goaltender of the Week (2/5/24)
2023-24 CCHA GOALTENDERS OF THE MONTH
- October – Jake Sibell
- November – Aaron Trotter
DI SCORING RECORD HOLDERS
- Mack Byers (2022-24; 31), Luke Manning (2021-24; 23), and Luc Laylin (19) round out the top three in DI goals scored
- Laylin's last goal came in the final game of the 2023-24 season against Lake Superior State on 3/10/24
- Lucas Wahlin (51), Mack Byers (2022-24; 47), and Ryan O'Neill (46) make up the top three in DI points
- Lucas Wahlin added three points to put him over the 50-point mark against Lake Superior State on 3/9/24
- O'Neill tallied a point in the final game of the 2023-24 season against Lake Superior State on 3/10/24
COACH BLASI
- Entering fourth season for St. Thomas
- During his 20-year tenure at Miami (Ohio) Blasi was the head coach of 10 NCAA Tournament teams, one national runner-up and one other Frozen Four team
- National Coach of the Year in 2005-06
- Coached one Hobey Baker Award winner (Andy Miele) and 10 Hobey Baker finalists, 10 All-America players, and 25 who went on to play in the NHL, including Stanley Cup Champions Alec Martinez, Jeff Zatkoff, Blake Coleman, and Riley Smith.
- 427 career wins (23rd all-time / seventh among active head coaches)
NON-CONFERENCE
- St. Thomas plays eight non-conference games this season. They open with the #16 ranked St. Cloud State Huskies for their first ranked-on-ranked matchup in program history presented by Twin Cities Orthopedics. Vermont makes their first journey to Mendota Heights before the Toms head across the river for a game on the road against the #5 Minnesota Golden Gophers. Game two of the cross-town series returns to Xcel Energy Center on Saturday October 26, presented by Wings Credit Union.
- The Toms were 2-7-1 outside of the CCHA last season. They split with #8 St. Cloud State to open the season in two one-goal games. Next came two losses against the #2 Golden Gophers (6-5 OT loss at Xcel Energy Center, 3-0 loss at Mariucci) and then a 3-1 win and 4-4 tie against Lindenwood. After 12 conference games the Toms returned to out of conference competition with two defeats in Vermont. They completed their non-con schedule with back-to-back defeats in Sioux Falls against the Augustana Vikings (4-2, 2-1 OT).
- St. Thomas had a -12 goal differential in 10 non-con games.
- The Tommies played four games against ranked non-con opponents, they were 1-3-0 with two one-goal losses.
- 1-1-1 home record, 1-5-0 away record, 0-1-0 neutral site record
NHL DEVELOPMENT CAMPS
- Chase Cheslock (New Jersey Devils)
- Ryder Donovan (Vegas Golden Knights)
- Cooper Gay (Colorado Avalanche)
- Lucas Wahlin (St. Louis Blues)
- Liam Malmquist (Los Angeles Kings)
NHL DRAFT PICKS
- Ryder Donovan was selected as the 110th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Vegas Golden Knights.
- Donovan played three games last season for the Purple but made an instant impact with the overtime game-winner against ranked St. Cloud State to open the season.
- Chase Cheslock was selected as the 154th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Draft by the New Jersey Devils and is the Tommies first "homegrown" draft pick.
- Cheslock joined the Tommies mid-season and played 19 games with one goal and two assists. His first career goal came in the Toms' game-two playoff win over Lake Superior State.
CAPTAINS
- Junior, Lucas Wahlin, wears the "C" on his chest for coach Rico Blasi's squad for the second consecutive season. Wahlin, a Woodbury, Minn. native, finished with 30 points in 37 games last season. He became the first Tommie in program history to surpass the 50-point career milestone on March 9thagainst Lake Superior State. He played for three teams over three seasons in both the NAHL and USHL before finding a home on the corner of Cretin and Summit.
- Seniors Ethan Gauer and Matthew Gleason along with junior Cooper Gay don the "A" this season.
- Both Gauer and Gleason are one-time transfers, but Gauer has played in each season of the Tommies' four at the DI level. He has 25 career points and leads the program with 124 blocked shots in 103 career games in purple.
- Matthew Gleason transferred in from Colorado College last season and had a career year. He scored five goals and added 18 assists for 23 points. Gleason is originally from St. Paul and played high school hockey for Cretin Derham Hall.
- Cooper Gay was on track for a tremendous season before going down with an injury in the second half of the season. The Hanover, Minn. native scored 12 goals and added 10 assists for a total of 22 points in 29 games as a sophomore. Gay has scored the fifth most goals in program history (16) and is sixth in points (29).
TRANSFERS
- Graduate student, Chase Foley, a Mendota Heights, Minn. native and Colorado College transfer, played 104 games for the Tigers and scored three goals with 28 assists over his four-year career as a defenseman. He is coming off a career season with two goals and 14 assists.
- Graduate student, Ray Christy, a St. Paul, Minn. native and Colorado College transfer, played 105 games for the Tigers and scored five goals with nine assists over his four-year career as a defenseman. He is coming off a career season with two goals and five assists while wearing the "A".
- Junior, Caige Sterzer, a Kimberley, B.C., Canada native and Lindenwood transfer, played 54 games for the Lions and scored 14 goals with 19 assists over his two-year NCAA career as a forward. He is coming off a career season with eight goals and 14 assists, he was the Lions leading point scorer.
- Both Chase Foley and Ray Christy played their Minnesota High School hockey at Saint Thomas Ice Arena for the Saint Thomas Academy Cadets. Neither Christy nor Foley has played in Mendota Heights since 2017-18. Foley was the captain of that 2017-18 Cadets team.
FRESHMEN
- First-year, Casy Laylin, native of St. Michael, Minn. most recently played for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the BCHL for a season and a half. The forward skated in 69 games and added 15 goals and 29 assists for Salmon Arm.
- First-year forward, Nick Mikan, an Edina, Minn. native, most recently played for the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL where he skated in 35 games with eight goals and five assists.
- First-year defenseman, Ethan Elias, a native of Maple Grove, Minn., most recently played for the Madison Capitols for two seasons where he skated in 105 games with 10 goals and 22 assists. He was the captain of the 2023-24 Capitols team.
- First-year forward, Alexander Tell, from Linkoping, Sweden, skated in 49 games for Linkoping HC 120 and added 11 goals and 14 assists while wearing an "A".
PRESEASON CCHA COACHES POLL
St. Thomas was picked to finish first in the Preseason CCHA Coaches Poll on September 12th. The former high-water mark in the preseason poll was a fifth place finish last season. The Toms earned 73 votes in total and tied with Bemidji State in first place votes (3). The Beavers earned 69 votes, four behind St. Thomas. Michigan Tech (2) and Minnesota State (1) finished third and fourth respectively and each earned at least one first place vote. Bowling Green (50), Lake Superior State (46), Augustana (46), Ferris State (28), and Northern Michigan (26) rounded out the poll.
PRESEASON CCHA MEDIA POLL
St. Thomas was picked to finish second in the Preseason CCHA Media Poll on September 12th. This is the highest the Tommies have ever finished in the preseason media poll. Bemidji State came out on top with 107 total votes and five first place votes. The Tommies came up with the same amout of total votes (107) but earned one less first place vote. Minnesota State (2) and Michigan Tech (1) finished third and fourth respectively and each earned at least one first place vote. Bowling Green (63), Lake Superior State (60), Augustana (52), Northern Michigan (40), and Ferris State (33) rounded out the poll.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
D
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
D
/ Men's Hockey
D
/ Men's Hockey
D
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
D
/ Men's Hockey
D
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's HockeyHomegrown Tommies: Chase Cheslock
Thursday, March 19
Tommie Men's Hockey 2025 Intro Video
Wednesday, November 12
Press Conference: Rico Blasi January 27th 2025
Monday, January 27
St. Thomas Men's Hockey 2023-24 Intro Video
Friday, October 27
