USCHO Weekend Review

Minnesota delivered one of the biggest surprises of the young college hockey season, sweeping previously unbeaten North Dakota to give new head coach Brett Larson his first two victories with the Golden Gophers.

On this week's USCHO Weekend Review, Ed Trefzger, Jim Connelly and Derek Schooley break down a wild weekend in NCAA Division I men's hockey.

Among the topics:

- Minnesota's sweep of North Dakota and what it means for both programs
- Army's stunning overtime upset of Quinnipiac
- New Hampshire's impressive split with Michigan State
- Michigan's dramatic last-second victory over Western Michigan
- Augustana's sweep at Ohio State and Merrimack's big weekend at Notre Dame

Plus: Which conference is strongest? We examine the early-season nonconference records of all six Division I men's leagues, including the NCHC, Big Ten and Hockey East, and what those results could mean for the national picture.


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Ed Trefzger, Jim Connelly and Derek Schooley make their calls on nine early-season questions in college hockey. Who’s buying — and who’s selling?

Can Denver get back to the Frozen Four? Will Augustana earn an at-large NCAA bid? Is Quinnipiac the nation’s top-scoring team? We also weigh in on Penn State, Minnesota, Arizona State, Atlantic Hockey and the NCAA tournament outlook for Boston College, Boston University and Hockey East.


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Michigan swept defending national champion Denver and takes over No. 1 in the USCHO poll. What separates the unbeaten Wolverines, and what should we make of the Pioneers’ first losses of the season?

Ed Trefzger, Jim Connelly and Derek Schooley break down the weekend in college hockey, including:

• Michigan’s statement sweep at Denver
• Western Michigan’s dominant start and upcoming test against Michigan
• Augustana and Michigan Tech building strong early cases
• Quinnipiac’s scoring depth and Penn State’s struggles
• Minnesota’s winless start
• Arizona State’s sweep at UMass Lowell in Dave Hakstol’s debut behind the bench

Jim also shares insight from his pregame conversation with Hakstol and his firsthand view of Friday’s ASU victory.

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In the debut episode, USCHO’s Jim Connelly goes inside Bentley Arena for an extended conversation with Jones, now in his fourth season leading the Falcons after guiding the program to back-to-back Atlantic Hockey America championships and consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

Jones discusses the transition into his first head-coaching job, the philosophy and relationships behind Bentley’s rise, and what it means to build a Division I hockey program at a smaller school in the blue-collar city of Waltham, Massachusetts. He reflects on the people who fought to keep Bentley hockey alive, the growth of the program and its community, and the identity he believes has become the foundation of its success.

The conversation also looks at the rapidly changing landscape of college hockey — including NIL, the transfer portal, player retention and 5-for-5 eligibility — and how Bentley hopes to remain competitive without losing sight of what the program is trying to be.

Plus, Jones opens up about the responsibilities of being a head coach, the senior class that helped transform the program, leadership inside a hockey locker room and his long-term vision for Bentley hockey.

Behind the Bench takes listeners beyond the standings and inside the programs, people and philosophies shaping college hockey.

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Are Atlantic Hockey America teams and independents closing the gap in college hockey?

Holy Cross has beaten Maine and Arizona State. Sacred Heart knocked off Penn State, Bentley shut out Vermont, and RIT came within half a second of beating UMass. Add Alaska’s win at Boston College and Maryville’s win over St. Lawrence, and there’s plenty to discuss.

Ed Trefzger, Jim Connelly and Derek Schooley examine what these early results tell us about college hockey’s depth—and why a split against a higher-profile opponent can represent real progress. Are the days of assuming a comfortable sweep fading?


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Alaska takes down No. 11 Boston College, Sacred Heart beats No. 17 Penn State, and Maine and Quinnipiac split a hard-fought series. We also recap Bowling Green’s Ice Breaker title and more from a busy weekend of college hockey.

Then, Arizona State’s split with Holy Cross: a 2–1 Friday loss followed by a 5–4 overtime comeback win. ASU trailed 3–1 in the third before scoring three straight, and Jack Beck won it 46 seconds into overtime. We also hear from interim head coach Mike Corbett.

Ed Trefzger hosts Jimmy Connelly and Derek Schooley on USCHO Weekend Review.


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A teammate’s catastrophic injury. A players’ letter demanding answers. A program facing difficult questions about accountability and trust.

On this edition of USCHO Upon Further Review, Jim Connelly, Ed Trefzger and Robert Morris head coach Derek Schooley discuss the aftermath of Arizona State defenseman Matthew Mayich’s collapse during an August 20 team workout.

The conversation examines seven players’ challenge to the university’s initial account, head coach Greg Powers being placed on paid administrative leave, and the independent review—including questions about its scope and transparency.

Jim and Ed offer their perspectives on ASU’s response and its responsibilities to Mayich, his family and the team. Derek discusses the emotional burden players carry as they return to competition.
We also look at Arizona State’s opening-weekend split with Lindenwood and why the hockey results cannot answer the larger questions facing the program.

What must happen next to begin restoring trust?

This episode discusses allegations and an ongoing investigation; responsibility has not been established by completed investigative findings.


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College hockey is back, and opening weekend wasted no time producing some major early-season storylines.

On this edition of the USCHO Weekend Review, Ed Trefzger, Jim Connelly and Derek Schooley break down Colorado College’s impressive sweep of No. 10 UMass, including a dominant weekend from goaltender Jackson Unger, and Quinnipiac’s explosive 16-goal start against New Hampshire and Merrimack.

The crew also discusses Michigan Tech’s sweep of No. 14 Minnesota after an unusual postponement in Houghton, Denver opening its title defense with two wins at Alaska Anchorage, and Michigan rallying to complete a sweep of Bowling Green while Brandon Naurato earned his 100th career victory.

Plus, Hockey East begins nonconference play just 3–5 — albeit entirely on the road — and Maryville earns a dramatic comeback victory over St. Lawrence as it begins its transition toward full Division I hockey.

Topics include:

- Colorado College sweeps No. 10 UMass
- Quinnipiac scores 16 goals in two games
- Michigan Tech sweeps Minnesota
- Denver begins its national-title defense
- Michigan survives a scare at Bowling Green
- Hockey East’s early nonconference results
- Maryville earns its first win against a Division I opponent

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The 2026–27 men’s Division I college hockey season is here, and USCHO Opening Faceoff breaks down the biggest contenders across all six conferences.

Jim Connelly, Ed Trefzger and Robert Morris head coach Derek Schooley go conference by conference through Atlantic Hockey America, the Big Ten, CCHA, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East and the NCHC. Which teams should win their leagues? Who could surprise? And which programs are built to make a run deep into March?

The show concludes with Jim, Ed and Derek revealing their four picks to reach the 2027 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in Washington, D.C.

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The old dividing line between Major Junior and NCAA hockey is disappearing.

Ed Trefzger, Jim Connelly and Robert Morris head coach Derek Schooley examine the CHL’s growing impact on college hockey—from a record-setting NHL Draft to a rapidly expanding recruiting pool of Major Junior players.

A record 19 current or committed NCAA players were selected in the first round of the NHL Draft, with 110 chosen overall. But the larger story is how the new CHL-to-NCAA pathway is changing recruiting, roster construction and player development throughout the sport.

The discussion then turns to four prominent coaching changes:

• Brett Larson takes over at Minnesota
• Nick Oliver succeeds Larson at St. Cloud State
• Rob Rassey follows Ted Donato at Harvard
• Eric Rud begins a new chapter at Alaska Anchorage

Which programs are best positioned for immediate success—and which new coach faces the most difficult transition?


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