Joey Muldowney and Hudson Schandor nominated for Hobey Baker Award

UConn men’s hockey forwards Joey Muldowney and Hudson Schandor have been nominated for the 2025 Hobey Baker Award, which is annually given to the best player in college hockey.

The 10 finalists will be revealed in March before the winner is announced at the Frozen Four in April.

Muldowney currently leads the Huskies with 12 goals and 22 assists this season. Last weekend, he scored four goals in a win over Maine, tying the program’s single-game record during the Hockey East Era.

As for Schandor, he has a team-high 14 assists and is behind only Muldowney with 20 points on the season. The fifth-year senior recorded a point in 11 of 12 games before snapping that streak in the tie at Maine on Saturday. Schandor is also UConn’s all-time points leader in the Hockey East Era with 105 in his career.

Gardula okay after injury scare

Ethan Gardula is “doing much better” after receiving a hit to the head on Saturday at Maine. Although he was down on the ice for awhile, he eventually skated off the ice with some assistance and is only dealing with a couple injuries — nothing more severe.

“It was scary situation. Thank god, he’s doing much better,” head coach Mike Cavanaugh said on his radio show. “His concussion has subsided — or the worst effects of it have. He’s gonna have a little bit of an upper body injury but it shouldn’t keep him out too long.”

Maine’s Ross Mitton, who delivered the hit and received a major penalty and game misconduct, also picked up a one-game suspension from Hockey East.

UConn heading out west

Next season, UConn will head west to take on Colorado College in a two-game series. Mike Cavanaugh revealed the matchup during a recent radio show.

“It’s something that kind of went away a little bit during Covid, everyone was conscious of staying close to home. I’d like to take at least one western trip every year,” he said. “I think it’s important to play against opposing buildings. It’s very similar to if you have to go on the road in the NCAAs and play somewhere out west, at least it’s not foreign to you.”

The Huskies have struggled to schedule western teams over the last few years. They had a home-and-home set up with Minnesota, only for the Golden Gophers to back out at the last moment. In other scenarios, schools have agreed to host UConn but won’t make the return trip back to Connecticut.

The upcoming trip will serve as a homecoming for associate head coach Tyler Helton, who grew up in Colorado Springs. Former UConn defenseman Kyle Huson also serves as the Tigers’ color commentator.

Elsewhere on the Huskies’ non-conference slate next season, they will host Harvard to finish the home-and-home that began in January. UConn has five games left to fill.