The second half of the college hockey season shifts into high gear this week with a full slate of games.
There are plenty of storylines to follow with schools sprinting toward conference tournaments and then the Frozen Four, to be played at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, on April 11 and 13.
Here are 10 of the most compelling.
Can Quinnipiac repeat?
Minnesota Duluth was the last school to win back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019. Quinnipiac, the 2023 champion, is looking to repeat. Rand Pecknold’s team is fifth in this week’s Pairwise -- an independent method used to determine NCAA rankings -- and is running away with the regular-season race in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (13-4-2 overall, 7-0-1 ECAC).
It has one of the top lines in college hockey in Collin Graf, Jacob Quillan and Sam Lipkin. Graf and Quillan, each undrafted, is getting plenty of attention from NHL scouts. Lipkin was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the seventh round (No. 223) of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Clash of the titans
Surprisingly, Boston College and Boston University haven’t faced each other yet this season, but will soon meet three times in 11 nights days -- Jan. 26 and 27 and in the first round of the Beanpot at TD Garden in Boston on Feb. 5.
The schools, each loaded with high-end NHL prospects, have each won five national championships. BC’s last was in 2012, BU’s in 2009.
Each figures to be among the top contenders for the title in 2024.
Spartans on the march
Michigan State hasn’t had a winning season since 2014-15 and hasn’t made the national tournament since 2011-12, but second-year head coach Adam Nightingale has MSU rolling -- it's seventh in the Pairwise with a 13-4-3 record.
Freshman Trey Augustine, coming off a strong performance for the gold medal-winning United States at the World Junior Championship, is the starting goalie, and was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (No. 41) of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Sophomore Isaac Howard, also a gold medalist for the U.S., is one of Michigan State's top forwards and was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning with the No. 31 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Bounce-back year for Hockey East?
Historically, Hockey East has been one of the strongest conferences in the country, but last season, only two league schools earned invitations to the 16-team NCAA Tournament -- Boston University and Merrimack.
It appears this year will be different.
Heading into the weekend, six Hockey East schools were in the top 14 in the Pairwise -- Boston University (2), Boston College (3), Maine (4), Providence (9), New Hampshire (10) and Massachusetts (14).
On, Wisconsin
Mike Hastings won the Spencer Penrose Award as the top coach in Division I three times at Minnesota State. His work in his first season at Wisconsin, where he took over for Tony Granato in March, could put him in line to win the award again.
Wisconsin is 18-4-0 and ranked first in the Pairwise this week. It's also in first place in the Big Ten after being picked for fifth in the preseason poll of league coaches.
Hastings has 13 NHL draft picks on his roster, including forward Charlie Stramel, selected by the Minnesota Wild with the No. 21 pick in the 2023 draft. Goalie Kyle McLellan’s .936 save percentage is the best in the country.
First rounders?
Center Macklin Celebrini of Boston University and defensemen Artyom Levshunov of Michigan State and Zeev Buium of Denver each is projected to be a first-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Watching the three freshmen looking to lead their teams into the postseason and solidify their draft positions should be a treat for fans.
Award races wide open
In contrast with some recent years, the races for college hockey’s two major individual awards appear to be up for grabs.
Without a clear favorite, Graf, center Massimo Rizzo of Denver and forward Cutter Gauthier of Boston College figure to be in the conversation for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in the country.
McLellan and Ryan Bischel of Notre Dame each is expected to be in the mix for the Mike Richter Award, which goes to the top goalie.
Rival revival
Maine defeated New England neighbor New Hampshire 3-2 in overtime in a classic national championship game in 1999, and the schools have continued to be bitter rivals, even though it has been a decade since either made the NCAA Tournament.
That could change this season.
Maine, paced by freshman brothers Josh and Bradly Nadeau at forward, is fourth in the Pairwise with a 13-3-2 record. Bradly Nadeau was chosen by the Carolina Hurricanes with the No. 30 pick in the 2023 draft.
New Hampshire (11-5-1) is 10th in the Pairwise. Freshman forward Ryan Conmy, selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the sixth round (No. 182) in the 2023 draft, leads its attack.
Denver’s high-octane attack
Containing Denver’s offense has been a difficult task for opponents. Ranked eighth in the Pairwise with a 14-5-1 record, Denver has scored 105 goals in 20 games. Its average of 5.3 goals per game and 16.6 shooting percentage each leads the country. Quinnipiac is second with 4.4 goals a game and a 12.9 shooting percentage.
Denver, tied with Michigan with nine NCAA championships, will be a tough out in the postseason if it continues to score at this rate.
Rocky Mountain revival
Colorado College is a team to keep an eye on in the second half.
It won nine games in Kris Mayotte’s first year as coach in 2021-22 and 13 last season. So far this season, it's 10-7-1 and tied for 19th in the Pairwise.
Colorado College split two games at Minnesota on Sunday and Monday and swept two games at North Dakota last month.
Though the school hasn't made the national tournament since 2011, it’s headed in the right direction.
