Men’s Hockey gets back on track in 2020

MEQUON, Wis. – The CUW men's hockey team bounced back in the 2019-20 season. The Blue and White finished with a winning record for the third time in program history at 12-11-2. The Falcons reached the 10-win plateau for the fifth time in program history.

CUW finished the season receiving votes in the USCHO Division III national rankings.

The Falcons defeated two ranked teams on the season. The Falcons sank the sixth-ranked Pointers of UW-Stevens Point for the first time in program history, 5-4. Senior Braydon Barker (Red Deer, Alta.) tied the school record with four assists.

The Blue and White closed the year with a 3-2 victory over No. 9 Lake Forest. Senior Jim Pearson (Ashton, Ont.) scored the game-winning goal on the penalty kill. Senior Andrej Buchko (Peoria, Ill.) scored the lone goal in the shoot out to secure the Border Battle Cup for the second time in program history.

CUW broke many team records in the 2019-20 season, including points per game at 9.68, goals per game at 3.60 and assists per game 6.08. CUW also added seven short-handed goals. Against Finlandia, the Falcons tied school records with nine goals and 16 assists. The eighth different goal scorers in the game was a program record.

Individually, Braydon Barker posted single-season school records with 34 points, 1.42 points per game, 28 assists and 1.17 assists per game. Freshman Brandon Picard (Montreal, Que.) also tied the school record for goals in a season with 15.

Multiple Falcons broke program career records in 2020. Dante Hahn broke the record with 79 points and 58 assists. Junior Nick Guerra (Victoria, B.C.) broke the school record with 36 goals and 15 power-play goals. Jim Pearson and senior Josh Adkins (Victoria, B.C.) both finished their careers with six game-winning goals.

In net, CUW had a program-record three shutouts with sophomore Bo Didur (West Vancouver, B.C.) the Falcons posted the second-highest save percentage in program history at .903. Didur also broke the school record for career saves with 1342.

The Falcons soared off the ice this year as well with 10 skaters earned NCHA All-Academic honors. The senior duo of Josh Adkins and Jake Switzer (Swansea, Ill.) earned the honor for the third-straight season. Making an appearance on the NCHA All-Academic Team for a second time is Andrej Buchko, junior Dakota Delbridge (Tracy, Calif.) and junior Nick Guiney (Victoria, B.C.). Making their first appearance on the team is sophomore Bryce Fisk (Brown Deer, Wis.), Nick Guerra, sophomore Brandon MacKinnon (Etobicoke, Ont.), junior Cole Pickup (Victoria, B.C.) and sophomore Erik Schuette (Olathe, Kan.).

CUW also raised $1,775 for Angel on My Shoulder. Angel on My Shoulder is about furthering the well-being of those affected by cancer through empowerment, enhancement of their quality of life, and the creation of hope for the future.