March 7, 2007

The Hobey Baker Memorial Award is presented to a deserving recipient on the day before the last college hockey game of the season. But that doesn’t mean that college hockey fans, players and media members don’t think about it all season. Inside College Hockey's Hobey Tracker looks at the top three candidates for the award, those whose stock is rising or falling, and other players worthy of consideration.

THE BIG BOARD

1. Ryan Duncan
North Dakota
Soph. | Forward

Last Week: Had one assist as North Dakota got a tie and win at St. Cloud State to finish third in the WCHA.
The Buzz: The Fighting Sioux scored nine goals against St. Cloud State last weekend, and all Duncan contributed was
one assist. Facing Minnesota State may rejuvenate Duncan — in nine career games against the Mavericks, he has 4-8—12, including 4-5—9 in four prior meetings this season.

2. David Brown
Notre Dame
Senior | Goalie

Last Week: Did not play, Notre Dame had a bye in the opening round of the CCHA playoffs.
The Buzz: After a week's rest, Brown comes back to face an Alaska team he's already beaten three times this season and shut out once, and against whom he's posted a .957 save percentage this season. Oh, and this time it's personal — the Nanooks knocked Brown and the Fighting Irish out of the CCHA playoffs last season with a first-round series sweep.

3. T.J. Hensick
Michigan
Senior | Forward

Last Week: Did not play, Michigan had a bye in the opening round of the CCHA playoffs.
The Buzz: The Hobey isn't a lifetime achievement award, but Hensick's remarkable career statistics bear notice. In four seasons with the Wolverines, he's scored 46, 55, 52, and 56 points. His assist numbers during that same span? How about 34, 32, 35, and 39 helpers? He'll try to add to those impressive totals against Northern Michigan this weekend.

 
BULL MARKET

Jon Quick
Massachusetts
Sophomore

Goalie

The Minutemen are playing a Hockey East playoff series on home ice for just the second time in the program's history this weekend, and they earned that right by sweeping Maine last weekend. Quick is proving himself to be one of the best among a stellar crop of Hockey East goalies, something that UMass fans don't take for granted.
BEAR MARKET
Alex Goligoski
Minnesota
Junior
Defense
With just two points in the Gophers' last seven games, Goligoski's production has tailed off, as has his prominence in the Hobey Baker race. It also doesn't help that Minnesota has just one win in its last four games.
 
HIDDEN HOBEY

Dylan Reese
Harvard
Senior
Defense

The Crimson's regular season achievements were hardly remarkable, but Reese was a stalwart on the blueline for the team that finished seventh in the ECAC Hockey League. He had a hat trick in last weekend's opening-round playoff sweep of rival Yale, and as has been recent tradition for the Crimson, they're rolling early on in the ECACHL playoffs, a tournament they'll need to win to extend their NCAA Tournament participation streak to six years.