College Hockey   CC Tigers and USAFA Falcons Hockey

Hobey Baker Award winner Drew LeBlanc of SCSU is a Sports Illustrated College Athlete of the Year finalist.

Minnesota-Duluth announced its 2013-14 captains.

Humboldt Broncos goalie Matt Hrynkiw, pictured with a national anthem singer, committed to North Dakota earlier this week for this upcoming season, according to the Grand Forks Herald.

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Canada junior leagues Goaltender of the Year went 27-11-2 record, including six shutouts for regular-season champs, with a .939 save percentage and 1.83 goals against mark.

St. Cloud State received a verbal commitment from defenseman Clark Kuster, 18, 5-10, 180, who played for Cedar Rapids in USHL last season, according to Times beat writer Mick Hatten.

The deadline to apply to become an official with the National Collegiate Hockey Conference is May 15.

Sioux City defenseman Cliff Watson, a San Jose draft pick, and fellow blue-liner Nolan Valleau, formerly of USHL Des Moines and Chicago, have both de-committed from Ohio State after the coaching change in Columbus.

The Big Ten announced its 2013-14 conference schedule. Here is a look at Minnesota’s slate.

Brush Christiansen is back to help the Alaska-Anchorage hockey program.

Niagara goalie Carsen Chubak has left school and signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Adirondack Phantoms of the American Hockey League, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Hobey Baker finalist went 23-7-5 with a 1.91 goals against average and a .939 save percentage.

The ninth and final member of this fall’s incoming freshmen class for Colorado College hockey is 6-foot, 170-pound forward Luc Gerdes of the Jamestown (N.Y.) Ironmen of the North American Hockey League. He committed to the Tigers on Monday, coach Scott Owens confirmed.

The right-hander recorded 55 points (28 goals) in 66 games, including seven (six assists) in six playoff games to lead his team to the Robertson Cup league championship tournament this weekend in Texas. The addition of Gerdes, of Eden Prairie, Minn, raises the roster total to 28 players.

Also, incoming freshman goalie Tyler Marble of Detroit, Mich. was named to the All-NAHL Team after he led the Sault Ste. Marie (Mich.) Eagles to the North Division regular season title by recording the best save percentage (93.8) in the league.  He led the NAHL with 1,463 saves and tied for third in wins (30).

CC also received a commit from Chicago Steel forward Chris Dodero, the United States Hockey League team announced. The left-handed 10^th-grader recorded 12 points (seven assists) in 52 games in his first junior hockey season.

The 5-8, 165-pounder from Bloomingdale, Ill. was teammates with incoming Tigers freshmen Alex Roos and Jaccob Slavin. Because of his age, he is expected to arrive at CC in fall 2015.

“We are very excited that Chris will continue his playing career at Colorado College following his playing days in the USHL,” Steel coach Scott McConnell said.  “He will continue to develop as a player and as a person, and will be ready to step in at CC in a few years and make an immediate impact.  The coaching staff at Colorado College is one of the best in the nation, and combined with CC’s academic reputation and its hockey facilities, I can’t think of a better place for Chris to play collegiately.”

Incoming Colorado College freshman hockey player Sam Rothstein scored Sioux Falls’ fastest playoff goal to open a game (15 seconds) to lead the Stampede past Fargo and force a decisive Game 5 on Wednesday. He finished with two goals in the 5-3 win on Sunday.

“I just got in on the forecheck and got a lucky bounce and put it away,” Rothstein told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. “We haven’t gone up yet in this series, so to finally get the first one was big.”

Coach Cary Eades agreed.

“It was a huge lift,” he said of the quick goal. “The longer we’d have gone without scoring a goal we would’ve started gripping our sticks tighter. We wanted to get a good start to create more Grade A scoring chances and we did that.”

Incoming CC freshman defenseman Gustav Olofsson, 6-foot-2, 189 pounds, of Broomfield was rated as the 51st North American skater by NHL Central Scouting in its final rankings before the June 30 NHL Draft.

Tigers commit Teemu Kivilhalme, a Burnsville (Minn.) HS defenseman, is rated at No. 64. He is listed at 5-foot-11, 162 pounds.

Jake Guentzel, younger brother of former Tiger Gabe, is rated at No. 80. He is headed to Nebraska-Omaha while Paul Stoykewych, younger brother to current Tiger Peter, is 204th. He will play for Western Michigan.

Here is a look at the Miami signees for the upcoming season and the one this period for Colorado College.

Tiger season tickets are on sale by the way.

The last-second deadline to sign up for the CC team awards brunch at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, April 28 is by 9 a.m. MT this Monday. Here is the link for more information.

From the Better Check with the Wife Department: Former Tiger Jack Hillen joked ”Maybe I need to have more kids” after he recorded six points in the five games, his best streak as an NHLer,  since his youngest son, Knox Patrick, was born.

The WCHA’s Minnesota State signees focused on defense.

Here is a YouTube video of a virtual tour of the Pegula Ice Arena at the Big Ten’s Penn State.

St. Cloud State’s march to the Frozen Four is examined here.

Here is an article about the local club girls hockey team and its record 10 college commitments.

The Spencer Penrose Award finalists were announced.

Here is an annual look at how the NCAA may try to boost regionals attendance.

Josh Berlo is the new athletic director at Minnesota-Duluth.

North Dakota defenseman Dillon Simpson will return for his senior season.

Minnesota’s Erik Haula is reportedly negotiating with the Wild and expected to leave school. TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted that San Jose signed Minnesota state senior Eriah Hayes (20 goals) to a two-year, two-way deal and nabbed Western Michigan’s Dane Walters last week (sorry, missed that one)>

Green Bay Gamblers defenseman and 2013 prospect Gustav Olofsson recently took part in the USHL Top Prospects Game (courtesy of Peter Arnold/USHL Images)

Here is a feature on CC commit Gustav Olofsson, who is enjoying a strong season with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. The defenseman and his younger brother Fredrick, both natives of Sweden, are committed to the Tigers. The start of the article follows:

For most foreign players that join the USHL, like Green Bay Gamblers defenseman Gustav Olofsson, they must learn English and adapt to American culture while learning to play hockey against the best players from around the nation.

But Olofsson, who grew up in Sweden and played most of his amateur hockey there, has also lived in San Jose for three years and was a member of the Colorado Thunderbirds before joining the Gamblers in 2011.

“It wasn’t that bad,” he said of the move to America.

For the rest of the Hockey’s Future article, click here.