Minot State’s Blake Fournier was recognized at the 2019 ACHA Men’s Division 1 National Championship Most Valuable Player.
Also earning First Team All-Tournament honors were Iowa State’s Nicholas Sandy and Trevor Sabo and University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Billy Brock.
Dearborn’s Tyler Goat led all scorers in the tournament with seven points earned via six goals and an assist.
Dearborn’s Joseph Crump and University of Buffalo senior Ryall Ledyard were each celebrating homecomings while in the Frisco area.
While Frisco remains home for Crump, Ledyard was born in the area as his father, Grant, played for the Dallas Stars. The elder Ledyard’s 18-year NHL career include four years with the Buffalo Sabres and he now serves as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Bulls.
When the puck drops on the 2019-20 season, Men’s Division 1 will expand to 72 teams (from the current level of 60). Included in the expansion is Grand Canyon University, jumping up from Division 2.
Two new conferences, Midwest College Hockey and the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference will begin play in 2019-20.
Florida Gulf Coast goes back-to-back in Men’s Division 2
In the Men’s Division 2 National Championship, FGCU earned their second consecutive title and their fourth title in eight years with a 3-1 victory over Northeastern.
FGCU’s David Wong, Dylan Cantwell and Brandon Beard each tallied two points (one goal and one assist each) in the title game while goaltender Jordan Bustard saved 25 of 26 shots.
Bustard earned tournament MVP honors for his efforts after amassing an overall .943 save percentage.
The University of Cincinnati’s Brandon Armstrong (six goals, three assists) and Northeastern’s Graham Doherty (five goals, four assists) led all scoring in D2.
Bustard, Cantwell, Armstrong and Doherty were joined by Alex Kibrick (University of Massachusetts-Amherst) and Nick Okada (University of Cincinnati) on the First Team All-Tournament roster.
