RYAN BLACK entered the college hockey transfer portal last season looking to show both himself and doubters something he has already proven to his new head coach.
Just four games into the season, the former Division III standout has convinced University of New Hampshire men’s hockey coach Mike Souza that he is a Division I caliber player.
Black joined Division III Babson College in 2018 right after graduating from The Winchendon (Mass.) School. The Pomfret, Connecticut, resident left the program after his senior season last year ranked 14th on the school’s all-time points list (112 on 48 goals and 64 assists).
Black led the Beavers to the New England Hockey Conference title and the NCAA Division III quarterfinals as a senior captain last season.
“I think his mind is clearly a Division I mind,” Souza said. “Probably, had he played a couple years of juniors, would have been a Division I player for his career.”
When looking for that opportunity to prove he can play at the Division I level this offseason, Black said the Wildcats seemed like the perfect fit after he visited campus.
“I’m just really happy with the decision I’ve made so far,” Black said. “It’s been a great start and a great group that we have here.”
Black is tied with Robert Cronin and Colton Huard for the team lead in assists (three) as UNH (2-2-0) prepares to host Army West Point (0-3-1) on Friday night (7). The Wildcats, who lost, 6-1, at Merrimack College on Tuesday, will also play at Boston College (1-1-1, 1-0-0) in a Hockey East bout on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Black made his Hockey East and Whittemore Center debut in front of 6,179 fans, including some friends, in the Wildcats’ 4-2 loss to BC last Saturday. At Babson, Black said he played in some games with 60-70 people in the stands.
Souza, who heard about Black for years through his friendship with Babson coach Jamie Rice, said Black has adjusted well to the Division I level. Black has moved quite well and the game’s speed has not been an issue for him, Souza said.
Black, last year’s NEHC player of the year, said transitioning to Division I has mostly been a smooth process, which he credited to UNH’s coaching staff and his teammates. Through his first two Hockey East games, Black has realized the importance of playing quick and smart every shift.
“Whether it be a guy on their first-line chart or a guy who’s on the fourth line, every guy here is dangerous so you can’t take anyone lightly and you can’t take any shift lightly and shift off,” said Black, who is pursuing his master’s degree in business administration at UNH.
Wildcats junior defenseman Nikolai Jenson said Black moves the puck well, skates well and praised him for how he plays around the net.
Jenson also said he has never seen Black mad. Souza said he gets the sense that Black really values the fact that he’s here, as does the program because of his skill, attitude and leadership.
Black said he tries to remind his younger teammates not to get too high or low and share his experiences from playing in conference championships and NCAA tournament games.
Black said Rice taught him about valuing the culture of a program and representing those who wore the sweater before you, which he has focused on in Durham.
“The unfortunate part for us is we’ve only got him for this year,” Souza said.
Students turned out for UNH’s home opener
Last Saturday’s loss to BC was the Wildcats’ biggest crowd for a home opener since selling out the building in a 6-2 win over Colorado College on Oct. 25, 2014.
Many of those 6,179 fans last Saturday were students, who filled their usual seating sections behind the nearside goal and overflowed to the opposite end behind the far side goal.
Souza credited the large student attendance to UNH associate director of athletic communications Jim Wrobel and his staff for promoting the game on social media.
“There’s so many things that go on behind what you see on a Friday or Saturday night at the Whittemore Center,” Souza said. “There are so many people that are part of the wins and losses, that are part of the recruiting, that are part of the success of the program. … It’s department wide. It’s not just me and my staff.”
Jenson said he has not heard much buzz on campus about why so many students were at the game but he loved the atmosphere in the arena.
“It kind of gives you a bigger purpose to play and just play in front of the students and your peers,” he said. “It’s fun to play in those games.”
BC will have Gauthier in UNH rematch
The Wildcats just saw BC but the Eagles will already have a new look come Sunday (1 p.m.) at Conte Forum.
Freshman forward Cutter Gauthier, who the Philadelphia Flyers selected with the fifth overall pick in this year’s NHL draft, made his debut for the Eagles in their 3-3 non-conference tie at Northeastern on Tuesday. (NU won the shootout.)
Gauthier scored his first collegiate goal in the third period to give BC a 3-2 lead that it held for 1:52 before Jack Hughes answered for the Huskies.
Gauthier, who won a silver medal with Team USA at the 2022 Under-18 World Championships, did not play in the Eagles’ win at UNH.
“I know he’s a first-year player but he’s an elite talent,” Souza said.
Kira Juodikis named player of the week
UNH sophomore forward Kira Juodikis was named the Hockey East player of the week this week after her three-point weekend against Boston University.
Juodikis notched all three of those points in the Wildcats’ 3-2 overtime win at BU last Saturday, tying her single-game career highs in goals and points.
She tallied the game-winning goal 3:14 into overtime and opened the game’s scoring nine seconds into the first period. Juodikis also assisted on Emily Pinto’s power-play goal 4:12 into the second period, which came 29 seconds after BU tied the game at 1-1.
UNH (2-5-0, 1-3-0 Hockey East) split the weekend series, falling to the Terriers, 2-0, at home last Friday.
The Wildcats will host Providence College (5-1-0, 2-0-0) on Friday at 2 p.m. before traveling to Schneider Arena on Saturday for a 3 p.m. bout with the Friars.
SNHU men top NE-10 coaches’ poll
The Southern New Hampshire University men’s hockey team was picked first in the Northeast-10 Conference preseason coaches’ poll.
The Penmen, who won their first-ever regular-season title last year, finished just ahead of rival Saint Anselm College.
SNHU went 16-8 overall last season and return both senior forward George Thurston and sixth-year head coach Sean Walsh.
Thurston was the conference’s leading points and goals leader (21 goals, 12 assists) and an NE-10 First Team selection last season. Walsh received the NE-10 coach of the year award last season.
Saint Anselm finished 13-12-2 overall last year after a 4-0-1 start, its best since the 2007-08 campaign. Larry Rocha is entering his fourth season leading the Hawks, who posted an NE-10-low 2.96 goals-against average last season.
Saint Anselm lost to Stonehill in the first round of the NE-10 playoffs and SNHU fell to Post University in the semifinals last year.
The Penmen will host Saint Anselm in both teams’ season-opener next Friday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice Den in Hooksett.
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