1969–70 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey season
The 1969–70 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey season began in November 1969 and concluded with the 1970 NCAA University Division Men's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on March 21, 1970, at the Olympic Arena in Lake Placid, New York. This was the 23rd season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held and is the 75th year overall where an NCAA school fielded a team.
In 1969 the NCAA changed their bylaws to permit freshman to play on the Varsity team. Beginning with this season universities were permitted to not only have first-year students play for their teams but to also have said players earn letters for four seasons rather than the previous limit of three. As a consequence the WCHA offered both a Sophomore-of-the-Year and Freshman-of-the-Year awards with the previous being formally retired following the campaign.
Cornell finished the 1969–70 season with an undefeated record of 24–0, only the second flawless campaign in the modern history of Division I ice hockey. The previous unblemished season (Clarkson in 1955–56), however, came with a caveat as 8 Golden Knight players were 4-year seniors (a violation of NCAA regulations at the time). As a result, the Clarkson team declined to play in the NCAA tournament. Cornell's undefeated team had no such issues and was able to compete in, and win, both their conference tournament and the NCAA tournament to become the first and thus far only undefeated NCAA champion.
Regular season
Season tournaments
Tournament | Dates | Teams | Champion |
---|---|---|---|
Christmas City of the North Tournament | November 27–28 | 4 | Michigan Tech |
Cleveland Cup Tournament | December 17–19 | 6 | Western Ontario |
Great Lakes Invitational | December 19–20 | 4 | New Hampshire |
Big Ten Holiday Tournament | December 21–23 | 4 | Wisconsin |
ECAC Holiday Hockey Festival | December 22–23 | 4 | Cornell |
St. Louis Invitational | December 28–29 | 4 | Wisconsin |
Boston Arena Christmas Tournament | December 29–30 | 4 | Boston University |
Syracuse Invitational | January 2–3 | 4 | Cornell |
Rensselaer Holiday Tournament | January 2–4 | 4 | Providence |
Beanpot | February 2, 9 | 4 | Boston University |
Standings
1969–70 Big Ten standings | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conference | Overall | |||||||||||||
GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
Minnesota† | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 48 | 41 | 33 | 21 | 12 | 0 | 122 | 112 | |
Wisconsin | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 49 | 36 | 34 | 23 | 11 | 0 | 151 | 98 | |
Michigan | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 47 | 53 | 30 | 14 | 16 | 0 | 133 | 122 | |
Michigan State | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 40 | 49 | 29 | 13 | 16 | 0 | 112 | 124 | |
† indicates conference regular season champion |
1969–70 ECAC Hockey standings | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conference | Overall | |||||||||||||
GP | W | L | T | Pct. | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
Cornell†* | 21 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 142 | 39 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 179 | 56 | |
Clarkson | 17 | 14 | 3 | 0 | .824 | 87 | 51 | 32 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 171 | 107 | |
Boston University | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | .773 | 120 | 67 | 27 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 149 | 82 | |
Harvard | 20 | 14 | 6 | 0 | .700 | 116 | 62 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 145 | 92 | |
Brown | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | .690 | 104 | 70 | 24 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 117 | 81 | |
Boston College | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | .667 | 116 | 86 | 26 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 143 | 116 | |
New Hampshire | 17 | 9 | 6 | 2 | .588 | 98 | 73 | 31 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 172 | 120 | |
Colgate | 17 | 7 | 7 | 3 | .500 | 65 | 69 | 24 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 117 | 86 | |
St. Lawrence | 17 | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 75 | 83 | 26 | 11 | 15 | 0 | 112 | 124 | |
Providence | 19 | 7 | 10 | 2 | .421 | 65 | 85 | 25 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 89 | 107 | |
Army | 13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | .385 | 32 | 50 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 72 | 79 | |
Yale | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | .273 | 65 | 107 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 68 | 113 | |
Dartmouth | 19 | 5 | 14 | 0 | .263 | 80 | 121 | 24 | 9 | 15 | 0 | 101 | 142 | |
Princeton | 21 | 5 | 15 | 1 | .262 | 65 | 132 | 23 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 68 | 139 | |
Rensselaer | 17 | 3 | 13 | 1 | .206 | 54 | 103 | 24 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 85 | 128 | |
Pennsylvania | 15 | 3 | 12 | 0 | .200 | 46 | 80 | 24 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 88 | 114 | |
Northeastern | 17 | 1 | 16 | 0 | .059 | 51 | 105 | 23 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 80 | 138 | |
Championship: Cornell † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion |
1969–70 Independent College Athletic Conference standings | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conference | Overall | |||||||||||||
GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
Clarkson† | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 21 | 11 | 32 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 171 | 107 | |
Rensselaer | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 85 | 128 | |
St. Lawrence | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 19 | 26 | 11 | 15 | 0 | 112 | 124 | |
† indicates conference regular season champion |
1969–70 NCAA University Division Independent ice hockey standings | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conference | Overall | |||||||||||||
GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
Air Force | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 29 | 11 | 17 | 1 | 120 | 133 | |
Alaska–Fairbanks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 12 | 4 | 7 | 1 | - | - | |
Bowling Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 30 | 13 | 12 | 5 | - | - | |
Notre Dame | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 30 | 21 | 8 | 1 | 186 | 108 | |
Ohio | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 27 | 8 | 17 | 2 | - | - | |
Ohio State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 27 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 178 | 82 |
1969–70 Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conference | Overall | |||||||||||||
GP | W | L | T | PCT | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
Minnesota† | 26 | 18 | 8 | 0 | .692 | 106 | 86 | 33 | 21 | 12 | 0 | 122 | 112 | |
Denver | 22 | 13 | 8 | 1 | .614 | 96 | 78 | 32 | 21 | 10 | 1 | 153 | 107 | |
Michigan Tech* | 22 | 12 | 7 | 3 | .614 | 98 | 79 | 34 | 19 | 12 | 3 | 148 | 127 | |
Wisconsin* | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | .545 | 84 | 72 | 34 | 23 | 11 | 0 | 151 | 98 | |
North Dakota | 26 | 12 | 13 | 1 | .481 | 98 | 114 | 30 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 115 | 131 | |
Michigan | 24 | 11 | 13 | 0 | .458 | 106 | 104 | 30 | 14 | 16 | 0 | 133 | 122 | |
Michigan State | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | .455 | 86 | 92 | 29 | 13 | 16 | 0 | 112 | 124 | |
Minnesota-Duluth | 24 | 10 | 13 | 1 | .438 | 89 | 93 | 29 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 118 | 107 | |
Colorado College | 20 | 3 | 17 | 0 | .150 | 70 | 115 | 30 | 7 | 22 | 1 | 117 | 154 | |
Championship: Michigan Tech, Wisconsin † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion |
Independent game results
- 11/14: Bowling Green - Windsor (ON) 8:2
- 11/15: Western Ontario - Bowling Green 4:2
- 11/15: Notre Dame - Windsor (ON) 8:3
- 11/21: Ohio State - Detroit 10:3
- 11/22: Ohio State - Indiana 17:0
- 11/28: Denver - Bowling Green 9:3
- 11/28: Rainy River - Air Force 5:3
- 11/28: Notre Dame - Ohio University 8:5
- 11/29: Notre Dame - Ohio University 10:0
- 11/29: Air Force - Rainy River 8:5
- 11/29: Denver - Bowling Green 7:0
- 12/5: Colorado College - Air Force 5:1
- 12/5: Wisconsin - Notre Dame 7:3
- 12/6: Wisconsin - Notre Dame 5:1
- 12/6: Colorado College - Air Force 8:2
- 12/12: Ohio State - Notre Dame 4:3 OT
- 12/13: Ohio State - Purdue 17:3
- 12/13: Notre Dame - Bowling Green 9:3
- 12/13: Gustavus Adolphus - Air Force 8:4
- 12/14: Air Force - Gustavus Adolphus 4:2
- 12/17: Notre Dame - Salem State 8:4 - Merrimack Tournament
- 12/17: Merrimack - Buffalo University 10:4 - "
- 12/18: Buffalo University - Salem State 4:1 - "
- 12/18: Notre Dame - Merrimack 5:1 - "
- 12/17: Dartmouth - McGill University (QC) 6:5 - Cleveland Cup
- 12/17: Western Ontario - Bowdoin 3:1 - "
- 12/18: Bowling Green - Ohio University 3:1 - "
- 12/18: Western Ontario - Dartmouth 8:3 - "
- 12/18: Bowdoin - McGill University (QC) 6:2 - "
- 12/19: Western Ontario - Bowling Green 5:1 - "
- 12/19: Dartmouth - Bowdoin 2:1 - "
- 12/19: McGill University (QC) - Ohio University 9:2 - "
- 12/19: Ohio State - Detroit 2:2
- 12/20: Boston College - Notre Dame 7:3
- 12/21: Michigan - Ohio State 7:2 - Big Ten Tournament
- 12/21: Wisconsin - Minnesota 4:3 - "
- 12/22: Minnesota - Ohio State 4:0 - "
- 12/22: Michigan State - Michigan 5:4 - "
- 12/23: Wisconsin - Michigan State 6:3 - "
- 12/23: Michigan - Minnesota 6:1 - "
- 12/29: Boston College - Notre Dame 7:4
- 1/2: Pennsylvania - Air Force 6:4 - Nichols Tournament
- 1/2: Notre Dame - Hamilton 4:2 - "
- 1/3: Notre Dame - Pennsylvania 5:2 - "
- 1/3: Hamilton - Air Force 2:1 - "
- 1/2: RPI - Bowling Green 5:4 - RPI Invitational
- 1/2: Providence - Montreal University (QC) 3:2 - "
- 1/3: Montreal University (QC) - Bowling Green 6:4 - "
- 1/3: Providence - RPI 2:1 - "
- 1/4: RPI - Montreal University (QC) 6:3 - "
- 1/4: Providence - Bowling Green 5:2 - "
- 1/9: St. Clair College (ON) - Bowling Green 3:2
- 1/9: Air Force - St. Mary's 9:3
- 1/9: Ohio University - Notre Dame 4:3
- 1/10: Notre Dame - Ohio University 7:4
- 1/10: St. Mary's - Air Force 4:2
- 1/10: Ohio State - St. Clair College (ON) 5:3
- 1/12: Clarkson - Bowling Green 4:3
- 1/13: Clarkson - Bowling Green 7:5
- 1/13: Notre Dame - Lake Forest 15:2
- 1/16: Bowling green - Waterloo (ON) 2:2 OT
- 1/16: Notre Dame - Ohio State 6:3
- 1/16: Air Force - Lake Forest 4:2
- 1/17: Air Force - Lake Forest 5:0
- 1/17: Notre Dame - Ohio State 7:1
- 1/23: Ohio State - Air Force 2:0
- 1/23: Bowling Green - Guelph (ON) 8:1
- 1/24: Bowling Green - Guelph (ON) 2:2 OT
- 1/24: Ohio State - Air Force 7:1
- 1/24: Wisconsin - Ohio University 12:1
- 1/24: Alaska-Fairbanks - Alaska Methodist 9:6
- 1/25: Alaska Methodist - Alaska-Fairbanks 13:5
- 1/28: Bowling Green - Windsor (ON) 5:3
- 1/28: Ohio State - Oberlin 13:1
- 1/30: Ohio State - Lake Forest 7:0
- 1/30: Notre Dame - Air Force 11:5
- 1/31: Ohio State - Lake Forest 12:2
- 1/31: Colorado College - Notre Dame 5:4
- 1/31: Gustavus Adolphus - Alaska-Fairbanks 11:2
- 2/1: Gustavus Adolphus - Alaska-Fairbanks 11:3
- 2/2: Notre Dame - Colorado College 5:4
- 2/3: Air Force - Notre Dame 5:4
- 2/6: Bowling Green - Ryerson Polytechnical (ON) 2:2 OT
- 2/6: Air Force - Wisconsin-River Falls 9:3
- 2/6: Notre Dame - St. Mary's 10:1
- 2/7: Notre Dame - St. Mary's 8:5
- 2/7: Air Force - Wisconsin-River Falls 7:6
- 2/7: Bowling Green - Ryerson Polytechnical (ON) 7:4
- 2/13: Ohio University - Air Force 5:4
- 2/13: Notre Dame - Lake Forest 10:1
- 2/14: Air Force - Ohio University 4:4 OT
- 2/16: Air Force - Lake Forest 8:2
- 2/18: Bowling Green - Notre Dame 4:4 OT
- 2/20: Ohio State - Western Michigan 16:2
- 2/20: Air Force - Ohio University 6:3
- 2/21: Air Force - Ohio University 5:4 OT
- 2/21: Ohio State - Western Michigan 12:0
- 2/27: Ohio State - Air Force 5:2
- 2/27: Bowling Green - Western Michigan 14:3
- 2/27: Notre Dame - Colorado College 6:4
- 2/28: Notre Dame - Colorado College 5:4
- 2/28: Bowling Green - Western Michigan 9:0
- 2/28: Ohio State - Air Force 6:5
- 3/6: Notre Dame - Air Force 4:3
- 3/7: Notre Dame - Air Force 6:3
- 3/13: Royal Military College (ON) - Air Force 5:4 OT
- 3/14: Royal Military College (ON) - Air Force 6:2
- Whitehorse Merchants (YK) - Alaska-Fairbanks 9:6
- Whitehorse Huskies (YK) - Alask-Fairbanks 9:9
- Whitehorse All-Stars (YK) - Alaska-Fairbanks 6:3
- Alaska Intermediate All-Stars - Alaska-Fairbanks 7:6
- Alaska-Fairbanks - Alaska Intermediate All-Stars 8:7
- Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association
- 11/21: Bowling Green - Ohio University 2:2 OT
- 11/22: Bowling Green - Ohio University 6:1
- 12/5: Ohio State - Bowling Green 6:3
- 12/6: Bowling Green - Ohio State 4:3
- 1/14: Ohio State - Ohio University 7:4
- 1/30: Bowling Green - Ohio University 5:2
- 1/31: Bowling Green - Ohio University 3:1
- 2/6: Ohio State - Ohio University 6:3
- 2/7: Ohio State - Ohio University 5:4
- 2/13: Bowling Green - Ohio State 2:0
- 2/14: Bowling Green - Ohio State 7:5
- 2/24: Ohio State - Ohio University 5:4
This was an informal league composed of Bowling Green, Ohio, and Ohio State.
- Alaska State Championship
- Alaska-Fairbanks - First National Bank Blades 8:6
- Alaska-Fairbanks - Hohn Plumbers 6:3
- Alaska Methodist - Alaska-Fairbanks 14:5 - final
ECAC Tournament
The tournament featured three rounds of play, all of which were single-elimination. The top eight teams, based on conference rankings, qualified to participate in the tournament. In the quarterfinals the first seed and eighth seed, the second seed and seventh seed, the third seed and sixth seed and the fourth seed and fifth seed played against one another. In the semifinals, the highest seed plays the lowest remaining seed while the two remaining teams play with the winners advancing to the championship game and the losers advancing to the third place game.
Teams are reseeded after the first round
- Quarterfinals (3/10)
- Cornell - St. Lawrence 6:1
- Clarkson - Brown 6:5 OT
- Boston University - New Hampshire 2:0
- Boston College - Harvard 4:3
- Semifinals (3/13)
- Cornell - Harvard 6:5
- Clarkson - Boston University 5:4
- Consolation Game
- 3/14: Boston University - Harvard 8:2
- Championship Game
- 3/14: Cornell - Clarkson 3:2
WCHA Tournament
The top eight teams in the WCHA, according to their final conference standings, were eligible for the tournament and were seeded No. 1 through No. 8. The eight teams were then divided into two separate groups by placing all even-numbered seeds in one group (2, 4, 6, 8) and the odd-numbered seeds (1, 3, 5, 7) in the other group. Using the location of the top seeds in each of the groups, the odd-numbered group (containing Minnesota) was placed in the east region which was held at the Duluth Arena Auditorium while the odd-numbered grouping (containing Denver) was placed in the west region which was held at the DU Arena. Once each regional group was set the teams were reseeded No. 1 to No. 4 according to their final conference standings. Because Minnesota-Duluth was placed in the West Region despite their building hosting the East Region they were swapped with the equivalent seed (Michigan State) in the East Region to allow them to play in their home venue. In the first round the first and fourth seeds and the second and third seeds in each region were matched in a single game with the winners advancing to their regional final games. The winners of the two championship games were declared as co-conference tournament champions.
East Regional
- Semifinals
- 3/12: Minnesota - Minnesota-Duluth 3:2 OT
- 3/13: Michigan Tech - North Dakota 5:3
- Final
- 3/14: Michigan Tech - Minnesota 6:5
West Regional
- Semifinals
- 3/12: Denver - Michigan State 6:2
- 3/13: Wisconsin - Michigan 2:1
- Final
- 3/14: Wisconsin - Denver 3:2
NCAA Tournament
Qualifying teams
Four teams qualified for the tournament, two each from the eastern and western regions. The ECAC tournament champion and the two WCHA tournament co-champions received automatic bids into the tournament. An at-large bid was offered to a second eastern team based upon both their ECAC tournament finish as well as their regular season record.
East | West | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type | Appearance | Last bid | Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type | Appearance | Last bid |
1 | Cornell | ECAC Hockey | 27–0–0 | Tournament champion | 4th | 1969 | 1 | Michigan Tech | WCHA | 19–10–3 | Tournament co-champion | 6th | 1969 |
2 | Clarkson | ECAC Hockey | 23–7–0 | At-Large | 6th | 1966 | 2 | Wisconsin | WCHA | 22–10–0 | Tournament co-champion | 1st | Never |
Results
- Semifinals
- 3/19: Cornell - Wisconsin 2:1
- 3/20: Clarkson - Michigan Tech 4:3
- Consolation Game
- 3/21: Wisconsin - Michigan Tech 6:5
- Championship Game
- 3/21: Cornell - Clarkson 6:4