1970–71 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey season

The 1970–71 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey season began in November 1970 and concluded with the 1971 NCAA University Division Men's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on March 20, 1971 at the Onondaga War Memorial in Syracuse, New York. This was the 24th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held and is the 77th year overall where an NCAA school fielded a team.

Saint Louis begins to sponsor their ice hockey program as an independent.

Season Outlook

Pre-season poll

The top teams in the nation as voted on by coaches.

Gary Bender, sports director of WKOW television and radio stations in Madison, Wisconsin, started compiling a national poll in 1970. The poll lasted one season.

WKOW Poll
RankTeam
1Boston University
2Minnesota Duluth
3Michigan Tech
4Colorado College
5 (tie)Harvard
5 (tie)Wisconsin
7North Dakota
8Denver
9Cornell
10Clarkson

Regular season

Season tournaments

TournamentDatesTeamsChampion
North Country Thanksgiving FestivalNovember 26–284Clarkson
ECAC Christmas Hockey TournamentDecember 18–194Cornell
ECAC Holiday Hockey FestivalDecember 21–224Harvard
St. Louis InvitationalDecember 27–284Wisconsin
Boston Arena Christmas TournamentDecember 28–294Boston University
Great Lakes InvitationalDecember 29–304Michigan Tech
Nichols School InvitationalJanuary 1–24Dartmouth
Rensselaer Holiday TournamentJanuary 2–44Wisconsin
BeanpotFebruary 8, 224Boston University

Standings

ConferenceOverall
GPWLTPct.GFGAGPWLTGFGA
Michigan State12840.66756473119120152124
Wisconsin12750.58351403420131180110
Minnesota10550.50038423214171116128
Michigan10280.2004056309210118147
indicates conference regular season champion
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTPct.GFGAGPWLTGFGA
Boston University201811.9251394231282121060
Clarkson191621.868763833284115175
Cornell201730.8501114427225015963
Harvard*211551.7381245527188114674
Brown191360.684706324131007787
Providence191270.63294702817110141106
Pennsylvania191180.5799074251411012993
Rensselaer14752.5711198125167212595
New Hampshire201190.55011992292090210112
Boston College219120.429921122611150121141
Army11371.31832482381418180
St. Lawrence175120.2945773241014010597
Dartmouth216150.2867610624915096114
Yale205150.2506410524617174127
Colgate174130.2355411124717087156
Northeastern193160.1583512229722077175
Princeton211200.0485414023122056155
Championship: Harvard
indicates conference regular season champion
* indicates conference tournament champion
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTPTSGFGAGPWLTGFGA
Clarkson43017197332841151175
St. Lawrence422041210241014010597
Rensselaer4031172025167212595
indicates conference regular season champion
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTPTSGFGAGPWLTGFGA
Air Force0000---2815112132121
Alaska–Fairbanks0000---2813141--
Notre Dame0000---3113162116137
Ohio State0000---29209016078
Saint Louis0000---309192
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTPCTGFGAGPWLTGFGA
Michigan Tech221840.81811262332562173105
Denver*221570.682114923625101178133
Wisconsin221390.591102773420131180110
Michigan State2212100.545101973119120152124
Minnesota*229121.43277883214171116128
Minnesota-Duluth2410140.417981063416171147146
North Dakota2610151.404921163314172123141
Colorado College187110.389811002911171142168
Michigan225170.22777116309210118147
Championship: Minnesota, Denver
indicates conference regular season champion
* indicates conference tournament champion

[1][2]

Final regular season poll

The final top 10 teams were compiled before the conference tournaments.

WKOW Coaches Poll
RankingTeam
1Boston University (11)
2Michigan Tech (2)
3Denver
4Cornell
5Clarkson
6Wisconsin
7Michigan State
8Harvard
9Brown
10Minnesota Duluth

1971 NCAA Tournament

Semifinals
March 18–19
National Championship
March 20
      
E1Harvard5
W2Minnesota6*
W2Minnesota2
E2Boston University4
W1Denver2
E2Boston University4Third Place Game
W1Denver1
E2Harvard0

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

[3]

Player stats

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the season.

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

PlayerClassTeamGPGAPtsPIM
Louis FrigonSeniorNew Hampshire2938488658
Joe CavanaghSeniorHarvard27225072-
Steve StirlingSeniorBoston University3127437020
Ray MeyersFreshmanOhio State-273966-
John DanbyJuniorBoston University3128366410
Rich PumpleJuniorProvidence-22416346
Bill MunroeSeniorNew Hampshire2921396018
Bob BrownJuniorBoston University3117436038
Mike McShaneSeniorNew Hampshire2915435890
Jerry KempJuniorClarkson3226315716
Bob CollyardSeniorColorado College302037576
Don ThompsonSophomoreMichigan State3119385735

[4]

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average at the end of the regular season while playing at least 33% of their team's total minutes.

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

PlayerClassTeamGPMinWLOTGASOSV%GAA
Joseph BertagnaFreshmanHarvard13-------1.60
Tim ReganJuniorBoston University14780---23-.9291.77
Dan BradyJuniorBoston University181060---36-.9172.04
Gary EnbergSeniorWisconsin10498540191.9302.29
Bruce BullockSeniorClarkson3018002711711.9202.37
Brian CropperSeniorCornell251410195057-.9232.43
John AndersonSeniorWisconsin14750931320.8252.56
Bruce DurnoSeniorHarvard------5-2.60
Bill McKenzieJuniorOhio State241420---652-2.74
Chad RamsdellFreshmanNew Hampshire--------2.78

[4]

Awards

WCHA

Award[9]Recipient
Most Valuable PlayerBob Murray, Michigan Tech
Freshman of the YearMike Usitalo, Michigan Tech
Coach of the YearJohn MacInnes, Michigan Tech
All-WCHA Teams[10]
First Team  Position  Second Team
Morris Trewin, Michigan TechGChico Resch, Minnesota-Duluth
Mike Christie, DenverDJohn Jagger, Wisconsin
Bob Murray, Michigan TechDWally Olds, Minnesota
Walt Ledingham, Minnesota-DuluthFMurray Heatley, Wisconsin
Don Thompson, Michigan StateFVic Venasky, Denver
Bob Collyard, Colorado CollegeFMike Usitalo, Michigan Tech
RoundPickPlayerCollegeConferenceNHL team
18Larry Wright Minnesota–DuluthWCHAPhiladelphia Flyers
331Jim CahoonNorth DakotaWCHAMontreal Canadiens
334Vic VenaskyDenverWCHALos Angeles Kings
453Greg HubickMinnesota–DuluthWCHAMontreal Canadiens
456Dave HynesHarvardECAC HockeyBoston Bruins
558Earl AndersonNorth DakotaWCHADetroit Red Wings
560Dave MurphyNorth DakotaWCHAPittsburgh Penguins
561Steve WarrClarksonECAC HockeyBuffalo Sabres
562Gary CrosbyMichigan TechWCHALos Angeles Kings
567Mike BusniukDenverWCHAMontreal Canadiens
568Dean BlaisMinnesotaWCHAChicago Black Hawks
674Ian WilliamsNotre DameIndependentPittsburgh Penguins
786Jim NahrgangMichigan TechWCHADetroit Red Wings
787Bill GreenNotre DameIndependentVancouver Canucks
788Doug ElliottHarvardECAC HockeyPittsburgh Penguins
789Peter HarasymClarksonECAC HockeyLos Angeles Kings
791Bruce Abbey Michigan TechWCHAMinnesota North Stars
8100Bob BoydMichigan StateWCHADetroit Red Wings
8101Norm CherreyWisconsinWCHAVancouver Canucks
8103Lorne StamlerMichigan TechWCHALos Angeles Kings
8106Jerome MrazekMinnesota–DuluthWCHAPhiladelphia Flyers
9113Mike AntonovichMinnesotaWCHAMinnesota North Stars

† incoming freshman
‡ Wright had left school the year before
[11]

See also

References