Hockey Kicks Off 2017-18 Campaign At Arizona State

University of Massachusetts Hockey Game Notes
Games 1-2	Massachusetts (0-0-0, 0-0-0 HEA) at Arizona State Sun Devils (0-0-0)
Dates \| Times	Friday, October 6 \| 10 p.m. ET / Saturday, October, 7 \| 10 p.m.
Location	Tempe, Arizona - Oceanside Ice Arena (747)
Series History	Arizona State leads 2-0-0
Live Statistics	StatBroadcast
Watch Live	Friday: Pac-12 Network \| Saturday: Pac-12 Network
Listen (Radio)	WHMP AM 1400/1240 FM 96.9/107.5
Listen (Online)	WHMP Streaming Player \| TuneIn App (mobile devices)
Game Notes	Massachusetts \| Arizona State \| Hockey East
Team Records	Massachusetts \| Arizona State
Twitter	@UMassHockey \| @UMassAthletics
Instagram	UMass Hockey \| UMass Athletics
Tickets	Arizona State
Game Promotions	None

Quick Hits: UMass Blanks Queen's In Exhibition
- The Minutemen blanked Queen's 1-0 in its exhibition matchup at the Mullins Center last Saturday evening to kick off the 2017-18 campaign. Newcomer graduate transfer Niko Rufo provided the lone tally in the contest midway through the first period and all three UMass goaltenders combined for the shutout of the Gaels.
- Niko Hildenbrand found the back of the net early in the second period with a strike from the point, but the tally was called back for goaltender interference, keeping it a one-goal game.
- UMass had another chance to extend its lead late in the second, but Jake Brennan denied junior Austin Plevy's breakaway attempt. The Minutemen finished the frame with 18 shots on net, contributing to the squad's total of 42 on the evening.
- UMass netminders Ryan Wischow, Matt Murray and Brad Arvanitis each played one period in the shutout. Wischow made five saves, while Murray and Arvanitis had eight and 12 stops, respectively.

A Baker's Dozen
- With 13 freshmen on the roster, UMass has the largest freshman class in all of Division I hockey this season. Air Force and Alaska Anchorage follow, each with 12 freshmen.
- The class is comprised of eight forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders. The group hails from three different countries with five from the United States, seven from Canada and one from Finland. Amherst native John Leonard is the closest to home, while Eetu Torpström, at 3,962 miles from Kuopio, Finland, is the furthest.
- In addition to having the most freshmen in college hockey this season, UMass also has the most freshmen and sophomores on its roster (21). AIC and Maine, two teams the Minutemen will face this year, are next on the list with 20.

League Imports
- Though new to the Minutemen, two additions to the UMass roster for 2017-18 are not only veterans of college hockey, but of Hockey East.
- Redshirt sophomore Josh Couturier, who sat out last season per NCAA transfer rules, will suit up for the Maroon and White for the first time this fall. As a freshman at Boston College in 2015-16, Couturier saw action in 33 games and contributed six points for the Eagles on two goals and four assists.
- In the offseason, UMass also added graduate transfer Niko Rufo to its 2017-18 roster, eligible to play immediately. Rufo, a forward from Stoneham, joined the Minutemen from Providence College and has one year of collegiate eligibility remaining.
- At Providence, Rufo tallied 10 points on four goals and six assists in 56 games over four seasons, with a career-high 18 games played in both 2015-16 and 2016-17. He appeared in 11 games during the Friars' national championship season in 2014-15.

Returnee To Watch: Austin Plevy
- Junior Austin Plevy is UMass' top returning scorer for 2017-18 with 39 career points on 15 goals and 24 assists in 71 games. He appeared in all 36 games last season and finished third on the squad in scoring with 15 points on five goals and 10 assists.
- As a rookie in 2015-16, Plevy finished fourth on the team in scoring with 24 points (10g, 14a), which led the freshman class that year. He tied for the team lead in power-play goals with four, while pacing the squad with three game-winners, as well.
- Plevy recorded a hat trick in his collegiate debut on Oct. 9, 2015, at Colorado College to join Connecticut's Max Letunov's as the first players in Division I hockey to do so in their first career games since Notre Dame's Anders Lee in 2010.
- Plevy's hat trick was the first by a UMass rookie since James Marcou found the back of the Vermont net three times as a freshman on Jan. 25, 2008.
- The Langley, British Columbia, native was featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces In The Crowd" for that debut performance.

Sophomore Support
- Sophomore forward Griff Jeskza comes into the 2017-18 as UMass' top returning goal scorer from a season ago. As a rookie in 2016-17, Jeszka found the back of the net seven times and added five assists for 12 points.
- Jeszka not only led the 2016-17 freshman class in scoring, but was second overall on the squad in goals and fifth in points.
- Three more sophomores contributed nine points apiece last season—Jonny Lazarus (5g, 4a), Niko Hildenbrand (4g, 5a) and Shane Bear (3g, 6a).

History Made At 2017 NHL Draft
- It was a historic weekend for UMass at the 2017 NHL Draft as the Minutemen saw incoming freshmen Cale Makar and Mario Ferraro become the two highest draft picks in program history. Makar was selected No. 4 overall by the Colorado Avalanche and Ferraro was taken 49^th overall by the San Jose Sharks.
- Makar became the first Minuteman to be selected in the first round. His No. 4 selection tied for fourth all-time in Hockey East history, as well. Prior to the 2017 NHL Draft, current Anaheim Ducks defenseman Brandon Montour had been UMass' highest draft pick going in the second round, 55^th overall, to the Ducks in 2014.
- Makar amassed 135 career points on 35 goals and 100 assists over 111 regular season contests with the Brooks Bandits over the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and added 37 points (9g, 28a) in 46 career postseason games with AJHL titles with Brooks in 2016 and 2017. His laundry list of honors includes: 2016-17 AJHL Top Defenceman, 2016-17 AJHL Most Valuable Player, 2016-17 AJHL Playoff MVP, 2016-17 AJHL All-League Team, 2016-17 Western Canada Cup Top Defenceman and All-Tournament Team, 2016-17 RBC Cup Top Defenceman and Most Valuable Player (the first player to ever be named RBC Cup MVP in back-to-back seasons), 2016-17 CJHL Most Valuable Player and 2016-17 RBC National Junior A Player of the Year.
- Ferraro played his final season of junior hockey in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Des Moines Buccaneers and totaled 41 points on eight goals and 33 assists over 60 regular season contests. He garnered USHL First All-Star Team and USHL All-Rookie Team accolades after tying for first among USHL defensemen in goals and ranking second in points and assists.

Minding The Net
- Ryan Wischow is the lone returning goaltender for the Minutemen, but brings a wealth of experience into his sophomore season after seeing nearly 70% of the time in net for UMass in 2016-17.
- As a freshman, Wischow played in 27 games, starting 26 of those, for a total of 1461 minutes and logged 700 saves.
- The Green Bay, Wisconsin, native recorded a 31-save shutout in his collegiate debut against Colorado College on Oct. 7, 2016 to become the first goaltender in UMass' Division I history to post a shutout in his career debut.
- On December 13, 2016, Wischow made a career high 52 saves at Princeton, the most saves for a UMass goaltender in a regulation game since 2001.

Scoreboard

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Players Mentioned

Brad Arvanitis

Josh Couturier

Mario Ferraro

Niko Hildenbrand

John Leonard

Cale Makar

Matt Murray

Austin Plevy

Niko Rufo

Ryan Wischow

Scoreboard

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