St. Cloud State Men's Hockey Set for NCHC Quarterfinals Series at Western Michigan

Friday, March 14

Lawson Arena | Kalamazoo, Mich.

6:00 P.M. CT

St. Cloud State

Western Michigan

Photo by: Bill Prout

St. Cloud State Men's Hockey Set for NCHC Quarterfinals Series at Western Michigan

3/13/2025 11:17:00 AM | Men's Hockey

Game Notes

Huskies aim for road series victory to advance to NCHC Frozen Faceoff

THE MATCHUP

St. Cloud State Men's Hockey hits the road to face No. 3 Western Michigan in a best-of-three NCHC Quarterfinals series this weekend at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich. The series begins on Friday with a 7:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CT puck drop and will continue on Saturday with a 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT puck drop. If the series advances to a third game on Sunday, puck drop will take place at 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT. The series will be broadcast on NCHC.tv with Kevin Piel and Jordan Lass on the call, with voice of the Huskies Jim Erickson providing coverage on the radio on KNSI (99.3 FM / 1450 AM).
Both teams concluded the regular season last weekend, as the Huskies split a series with rival Minnesota Duluth, winning 3-2 in overtime on Friday before a 3-2 setback on Saturday night. Western Michigan, who captured its first ever Penrose Cup championship two weekends ago, finished the regular season with a road sweep over Miami, winning 8-3 on Friday and 5-2 on Saturday to finish its conference slate at 19-4-1. Western Michigan's 19th conference victory matched a conference record for most wins in a season, the fourth time an NCHC team has reached that mark, including the 2018-19 Huskies that went 19-2-3 and earned a league record 62 points.

NATIONAL POLLS / POST-SEASON OUTLOOK

In an up-and-down season for SCSU, the Huskies are no longer receiving votes in either top-20 poll and enter the weekend series ranked No. 33 in the Pairwise rankings. SCSU will need to win the NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022-23. Western Michigan is sitting comfortably heading into the NCHC Tournament with a No. 3 ranking in both the USCHO and The Rink Live / USA Today top-20 polls.
The Broncos will be jostling for seeding over the next two weekends, as they currently rank No. 5 in the Pairwise rankings with hopes of earning a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

SERIES HISTORY

The Huskies and Broncos will meet for the 48^th, 49^th and potentially the 50^th time and for the second consecutive season in the NCHC Quarterfinals this weekend, with the Huskies holding a 25-17-5 advantage in the all-time series between the two programs. SCSU holds a slight 6-4-0 advantage in its last 10 games against the Broncos, but Western Michigan swept the Huskies in its last trip out to Kalamazoo just over a month ago. The two teams met on Feb. 7-8 with the Broncos earning decisive wins in both games, 4-0 and 6-1. SCSU's starting goaltender, sophomore Isak Posch, returned to the starting lineup after missing 14 games due to injury in the Saturday night contest, but the jolt of energy wasn't enough to stop one of the post high-powered offense's in the nation this season.
Last season, SCSU went 5-2-0 against Western Michigan with its first sweep at Lawson Arena on five seasons on Nov. 10-11, 2023. Then, the two teams split a late February series at the Brooks Center before meeting in St. Cloud for the NCHC Quarterfinals. SCSU beat the Broncos 2-1 in the series to earn a trip to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, winning 5-2 and 5-1 in games one and three, respectively while dropping game two 6-1.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST SERIES

SCSU is coming off a series split with Minnesota Duluth to close the regular season, winning 3-2 in overtime before falling 3-2 in the Saturday series finale. On Friday, the Huskies pulled the goalie with just under six minutes remaining and eventually scored an extra attacker goal from junior defenseman Josh Zinger with 20 seconds remaining to tie the score at 2-2. In the extra frame, junior defenseman Cooper Wylie scored with just under 30 seconds left to claim the win. The comeback win was SCSU's first when trailing after two periods and first two-goal comeback in two seasons. On Saturday, the SCSU fell behind 2-0 and tried to crawl back again, but couldn't score the equalizer goal, falling 3-2 in the regular season finale.
NOTES FROM LAST SERIES:
GAME 1 - 3-2 OT win vs. Minnesota Duluth (3-7-25)
- The Huskies also erased a two-goal deficit in the victory, its first time coming back from down two goals since March 4, 2023, when SCSU trailed 2-0 and 3-0 in the first period against Minnesota Duluth before coming back and winning 4-3 in overtime.
- In the win, SCSU improves to 3-15-0 when its opponent scores first, 2-6-1 when trailing after the first period, 1-11-1 when trailing after two periods, 10-5-0 in one-goal games and 4-5-0 when scoring on the power play.
- Junior defenseman Cooper Wylie scored his second goal of the season and first game-winning goal of the season, as well as his seventh career goal and second career game-winning goal.
- Junior defenseman Josh Zinger scored his fourth goal of the season and set a new career-high for goals in a season after recording three goals in each of his freshman and sophomore campaigns.
- Senior forward Nick Portz scored his fourth goal of the season and now has a goal in two of the last three games.
- Freshman forward Austin Burnevik had the primary assist on Wylie's game-winning goal for this 13th assist of the season and team-leading 26th point of the season. He has now scored a point in 16 of 17 series this season.
- Junior forward Adam Ingram recorded his fourth assist of the season and his first assist since Jan. 25 against Omaha.
- Sophomore forward Tyson Gross had his 15th assist of the season, moving into a tie for the team-lead in assists. Gross was also 12-7 in the faceoff dot, marking the 15th time this season he has won 10 or more faceoffs.
- Sophomore forward Daimon Gardner recorded his eighth assist of the season while senior forward Mason Salquist recorded his fourth assist.
- Sophomore forward Verner Miettinen went 10-5 in the faceoff dot, his ninth time this season recording 10 or more faceoff wins.
GAME 2 - 3-2 loss vs. Minnesota Duluth (3-8-25)
- With the loss, St. Cloud State moves to 84-68-11 all-time against Minnesota Duluth and 47-30-7 against the Bulldogs in St. Cloud.
- Following the game, SCSU honored its six seniors: fifth-year goaltender Gavin Enright, senior defenseman Karl Falk, senior defenseman Josh Luedtke, senior forward Nick Portz, redshirt junior forward Ryan Rosborough and senior forward Mason Salquist.
- In the loss, SCSU is now 3-16-0 when its opponent scores first, 2-7-1 when trailing after the first period, 1-12-1 when trailing after two periods and 10-6-0 in one-goal games.
- Junior forward Verner Miettinen's sixth goal of the season was also his 10th career goal and 41st career point.
- Freshman forward Gavyn Thoreson netted his sixth goal of the season in the first period.
- Sophomore forward Tyson Gross recorded his 16th assist of the season and now leads the Huskies in assists. Gross also had a team-high 14 wins in the faceoff dot, going 14-10.
- Junior forward Adam Ingram recorded his fifth assist of the season with the primary assist on Miettinen's goal.
- Junior defenseman Cooper Wylie produced his fourth assist of the season with the secondary assist on Miettinen's goal.
- Salquist went 13-7 in the faceoff dot and has now won 10 or more faceoffs in 20 of 34 games this season.

FRESHMEN STANDOUTS

SCSU freshmen Austin Burnevik and Colin Ralph were both named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team after standout freshman campaigns. The duo have both been key contributors during their freshmen campaigns and helped Team USA win gold at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The duo are the 13th and 14th Huskies to be named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team, and the first pair since Nick Perbix and Nolan Walker were named to the 2018-19 all-rookie team.
Burnevik has twice been named the NCHC Rookie of the Week this season and currently ranks second among NCHC freshman skaters in points (26), goals (13) and assists (13). In conference play alone, the Anaheim Ducks draft pick racked up 10 goals and 18 points, marks which ranked second and third, respectively, among NCHC rookies. Burnevik's 13 goals ranks 17th among SCSU freshman all-time and are the most since Easton Brodzinski netted 14 in 2017-18. The Ham Lake native currently leads the Huskies in both goal and points, and he could become the first SCSU freshman lead the team in both categories. He aims to become the first Husky freshman to lead the team in goals since 2012-13 (Jonny Brodzinski, 22) and points since 2020-21 (Veeti Miettinen, 24).
Ralph has been a stalwart on the blue for the Huskies this season, scoring one goal and seven assist for eight points in 33 games. His time-on-ice ranks second on the team at 20:49 while his 32 blocks rank third. The St. Louis Blues draft pick scored the game-winning goal against Bemidji State on Oct. 12, while six of his seven helpers came in NCHC play.

POSCH'S IMPACT

Sophomore goaltender Isak Posch is back from a lower body injury, and its no surprise that SCSU is 3-4-0 since his return. The sophomore netminder was a serious contender for the Mike Richter Award and potentially the Hobey Baker Award before his injury ahead of a Dec. 6 game derailed his season for 14 contests.
Posch has been named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week for a league-high four times this season and was also named the NCHC Goaltender of the Month in October. In 20 starts, Posch has produced an 12-8-0 record with a 2.14 goals-against-average and .929 save percentage. His S% leads the NCHC and ranks eighth in the nation, while his GAA ranks fourth in the NCHC and 19th nationally.
Posch's season will rank near the top of the SCSU record book, as his S% ranks third all-time in program history for a single season, while his GAA ranks sixth.
In seven games in October, Posch earned a mark of 6-1-0 with a 1.58 goals-against-average, .946 S% and two shutouts to earn conference goalie of the month honors. The Husky sophomore led the conference save percentage (.946) and total saves (193) and shutouts (two), equaling the mark of all other NCHC netminders combined. He was one of only four goaltenders in the nation to have two shutouts in October, while ranking in the top-10 nationally in saves (third, 193), save percentage (fifth, .946) and goals-against-average (1.58).
Posch most recently earned his fourth goalie of the week honor after making 76 saves in a series split on the road at No. 6 Denver (Feb. 21-22). Posch made 38 saves in both games, including a 2-1 win on Saturday to record SCSU's highest-ranked win of the season. Of the four goals allowed, only two were full strength goals, as Posch helped SCSU hold DU's nationally second-ranked power play unit at bay over the weekend, stopping 80 percent (8-for-10) of Pioneer power plays.

FRESHMAN PHENOM

Freshman forward Austin Burnevik is off to a scorching hot start to his collegiate career, recording a team-best 13 goals and 13 assists for a team-high 26 points in 33 games.
The Ham Lake native has twice been named the NCHC Rookie of the Week and ranks second among all NCHC freshmen in points (26) and goals (13). Among NCAA freshmen, Burnevik's 13 goals rank fifth, while his 26 points rank 15th.
On SCSU's all-time freshmen scoring list, Burnevik's 13 goals rank 17th and are the most since Easton Brodzinski had 14 in 2017-18, while his 26 points are three away from entering the top-20.
In SCSU's 38-year D-I history, a freshman has lead the team in goals twice and in points four times. No Husky freshman has ever led the Huskies in goals and points, something Burnevik could be the first to do.
Freshmen to lead SCSU in goals:
- Mark Hartigan (1999-00), 22 goals
- Jonny Brodzinski (2012-13), 22 goals
Freshmen to lead SCSU in points:
- Lenny Esau (1988-89), 39 points
- Matt Cullen (1995-96), 41 points
- Andreas Nodl (2006-07), 46 points
- Veeti Miettinen (2020-21), 24 points

UNDERCLASSMEN PRODUCING IMMEDIATELY

St. Cloud State's underclassmen have paced the Huskies all season. Freshmen and sophomores have accounted for 49 of 75 goals scored (65.3 percent) and 131 of 196 points (66.8 percent) this season.
SCSU's top-four leading scorers - Austin Burnevik (13-13-26), Tyson Gross (8-16-24), Barrett Hall (7-15-22) and Verner Miettinen (6-12-18) - are all first- or second-year players. Burnevik's 13 goals rank second among NCHC freshmen and fifth among all freshmen nationally.
Additionally, sophomore goaltender Isak Posch was a serious contender for the Mike Richter Award before missing 14 games due to injury. In 20 games this season, Posch has produced a 12-8-0 mark with a 2.14 GAA, .929 S% and two shutouts. Posch was named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List, was named a Hobey Baker Award candidate and has been named NCHC Goaltender of the Week a league-best four times.

STRONG SECOND HALF FOR GROSS

After scoring just five points in SCSU's first 13 games of the season, sophomore freshman Tyson Gross has produced 19 points (6g/13a) for 0.90 points per game in the last 21 games since Dec. 6. He has a point in 13 games in that 21-game stretch, and two points in five of those contests.
The Husky sophomore produced a career-best three assists, all primary helpers, against Colorado College on Feb. 21. He became the first Husky in more than a season (Verner Miettinen vs. Omaha on Jan. 26, 2024) to record three assists in a game.
Gross had a breakout performance against Omaha (Dec. 6-7), scoring four goals and one assist for five points while earning NCHC Forward of the Week honors.
Gross scored two goals in each game to record his first two career two-goal games, while becoming the first Husky to have back-to-back two-goal games since Kale Kossila on Dec. 11-12, 2015 (two goals, three goals).