BEN HANOWSKI
St. Cloud State
So. | F | Little Falls, Minn.

Ben Hanowski posted solid numbers during his rookie season at St. Cloud State, scoring nine goals and adding 10 assists.

Key Statistics: Hanowski recorded 19 points (9 goals, 10 assists) in 43 games as a college freshman, which is respectable, but also a sharp drop-off. As a high schooler, Hanowski notched 405 points in 117 games over four years, making him the most prolific scorer in Minnesota prep hockey history.

What He Does: Hailing from the hometown of aviator Charles Lindberg, Hanowski and his teammates made an unprecedented journey of their own last March, getting the program’s first NCAA tournament win. SCSU coach Bob Motzko says with Hanowski, one can sense his offensive abilities and his scoring touch around the net. That led Motzko to insert Hanowski into the lineup for key late-game faceoffs right from the start of the season. This summer, Hanowski and linemate Drew LeBlanc have been skating together twice a day for five weeks while working at a northern Minnesota hockey camp. That may lead to the kind of offensive chemistry and ability needed as they look to fill the scoring hole left by Ryan Lasch’s graduation.

The Bigger Picture: Despite his gaudy prep numbers, Hanowski started college hockey with realistic expectations, knowing that he was making a huge jump in levels of play and prepared to take some lumps. Then, in his first WCHA game, he scored two of the Huskies’ three goals in an overtime tie with Minnesota Duluth. “That was kind of a fortunate night,” Hanowski said, noting that both were power play goals and crediting teammates for nice passes. “I knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.” With a year of college hockey under his belt and a second Pittsburgh Penguins prospect camp completed this summer, Hanowski says he’ll have fewer surprises in store as a sophomore. His goal is to be a more consistent player; he feels if he does that, the points will come.

Huskies coach Bob Motzko on Hanowski: “Ben had a number of moments last season where he showed the kind of offensive ability that he’s had in the past. But he also learned that going from high school to the WCHA is a major step. That was a year he had to go through to get to the next level.”