The 1971–72 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey season began in November 1971 and concluded with the 1972 NCAA University Division Men's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on March 18, 1972 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. This was the 25th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held and is the 78th year overall where an NCAA school fielded a team.
This was the first year of play for the CCHA with former independents Ohio State and Saint Louis being joined by new programs from Bowling Green and Ohio.
Notre Dame joined the WCHA.
For the final time the ICAC awarded a trophy to the league champion.
Season Outlook
Pre-season conference polls Conference pre-season polls as voted on by coaches. ECAC PollRankTeam1 Boston University2 Cornell3 Clarkson4 Harvard5 Brown6 Pennsylvania7 New Hampshire8 Rensselaer9 St. Lawrence10 Providence11 Northeastern12 Boston College13 Yale14 Dartmouth15 Colgate16 Army17 Princeton CCHA PollRankTeam1 Bowling Green2 Saint Louis3 Ohio State4 Ohio WCHA PollRankTeam1 Michigan Tech2 Denver3 Michigan State4 Wisconsin5 Notre Dame6 Minnesota Duluth7 North Dakota8 Minnesota9 Michigan10 Colorado College
Regular season
Season tournaments Tournament Dates Teams Champion Christmas City of the North Tournament November 25–27 4 Lake Superior State North Country Thanksgiving Festival November 25–27 4 St. Lawrence Cleveland Cup Invitational December 20–21 4 Bowling Green ECAC Holiday Hockey Festival December 20–21 4 Notre Dame ECAC Christmas Hockey Tournament December 21–22 4 Boston University Flint IMA Tournament December 28–29 4 Michigan Great Lakes Invitational December 28–29 4 Michigan Tech Rensselaer Holiday Tournament December 28–30 4 Clarkson Syracuse Invitational December 29–30 4 Cornell Bowdoin Invitational January 1–2 4 Beanpot February 7, 14 4 Boston University
Standings
1972 NCAA Tournament
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
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
Player Class Team GP G A Pts PIM Junior Air Force 31 27 49 76 33 Sophomore Colorado College 32 32 40 72 42 Senior Air Force 31 39 31 70 8 Sophomore Denver 37 32 37 69 73 Sophomore Bowling Green 33 37 31 68 - Junior Michigan State 35 32 35 67 66 Sophomore Denver 38 27 38 65 16 Senior Cornell 29 20 43 63 28 Senior New Hampshire 30 29 33 63 44 Senior New Hampshire 29 21 41 62 75
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
Player Class Team GP Min W L OT GA SO SV% GAA Freshman Wisconsin 13 719 8 2 1 23 1 .940 1.92 Senior Boston University 27 - - - - - - - 2.22 Senior Ohio State 22 1280 19 - - 48 4 - 2.25 Sophomore Cornell 28 - - - - - - .902 2.79 Sophomore Wisconsin 28 1578 22 6 0 81 0 .900 3.08 Junior Bowling Green 15 - - - - - - - 3.22 Senior Brown - 1142 - - - 63 0 .888 3.31 Junior Clarkson 17 980 11 - - 54 0 .887 3.33 Junior Army 25 1496 11 14 0 85 1 .904 3.41 Sophomore Rensselaer 21 1260 - - - 72 1 .898 3.43
Awards
NCAA Award RecipientSpencer Penrose Award John "Snooks" Kelley, Boston CollegeMost Outstanding Player in NCAA Tournament Tim Regan, Boston UniversityAHCA All-American Teams East Team Position West Team Dan Brady, Boston University G Jim Watt, Michigan State Bob Brown, Boston University D Jeff Rotsch, Wisconsin Steve Warr, Clarkson D Alan Hangsleben, North Dakota John Danby, Boston University F Bob Winograd, Colorado College Larry Fullan, Cornell F Walt Ledingham, Minnesota-Duluth Dave Hynes, Harvard F Doug Palazzari, Colorado College F Tom Peluso, Denver
ECAC Award RecipientPlayer of the Year Bob Brown, Boston UniversityRookie of the Year Don Cutts, RensselaerMost Outstanding Player in Tournament John Danby, Boston UniversityAll-ECAC Hockey Teams First Team Position Second Team Dan Brady, Boston University G Don Cutts, Rensselaer Bob Brown, Boston University D Ric Jordan, Boston University Steve Warr, Clarkson D Jim Higgs, Cornell Gordie Clark, New Hampshire F John Danby, Boston University Larry Fullan, Cornell F Dave Hynes, Harvard Guy Smith, New Hampshire F Bob McManama, Harvard
WCHA Award RecipientMost Valuable Player Doug Palazzari, Colorado CollegeFreshman of the Year Alan Hangsleben, North DakotaCoach of the Year Jeff Sauer, Colorado CollegeAll-WCHA Teams First Team Position Second Team Jim Watt, Michigan State G Jim Makey, Wisconsin Alan Hangsleben, North Dakota D Bob Boyd, Michigan State Bob Winograd, Colorado College D Rick Wilson, North Dakota Jim Cahoon, North Dakota F Walt Ledingham, Minnesota-Duluth Doug Palazzari, Colorado College F Bernie Gagnon, Michigan Tom Peluso, Denver F Don Thompson, Michigan State
1972 NHL Amateur Draft
Round Pick Player College Conference NHL team 3 42 Denver WCHA 4 61 Denver WCHA 4 62 Cornell ECAC Hockey 5 66 Notre Dame WCHA 5 74 North Dakota WCHA 6 84 Michigan Tech WCHA 6 85 Denver WCHA 6 93 Denver WCHA 6 94 Yale ECAC Hockey 7 104 Notre Dame WCHA 7 107 Clarkson ECAC Hockey 7 112 New Hampshire ECAC Hockey 8 121 Wisconsin WCHA 8 124 Wisconsin WCHA 8 125 Wisconsin WCHA 9 138 Cornell ECAC Hockey 9 139 Minnesota–Duluth WCHA 9 142 Notre Dame WCHA 9 143 Clarkson ECAC Hockey 10 150 Wisconsin WCHA 10 151 Dartmouth ECAC Hockey
See also 1971–72 NCAA College Division men's ice hockey season
References
External links College Hockey Historical Archives 1971–72 NCAA Standings