A pair of teammates and a record-tying four goaltenders are among 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, announced Thursday by the Hobey Baker Foundation.
Marty Sertich and Brett Sterling of national No. 1 Colorado College were among the finalists selected by a vote of the nation’s 58 Division I men’s head coaches, along with online fan balloting.
Sertich, the WCHA Player of the Year, led the nation in scoring with 61 points entering conference championship weekend, while his linemate Sterling was second with 58 points and first in Division I with 30 goals.
Also on the list of 10 were four netminders, including two from the ECACHL. League Player of the Year David McKee of Cornell led the nation in goals against average (1.24) and shutouts (10) entering the weekend, while Dov Grumet-Morris of Harvard was the Division I leader in save percentage (.949) and was second to McKee in goals against average.
Northern Michigan’s Tuomas Tarkki, the CCHA Player of the Year, was named a finalist after compiling a 1.97 GAA a .933 SV%, the latter mark third in the nation. Also honored was Jordan Sigalet of Bowling Green, the Falcons’ all-time leader in save percentage who announced earlier this season that he is battling multiple sclerosis.
One defenseman was named: Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year Reid Cashman, who led the nation in blueliner scoring with 43 points heading into the conference championships.
Three forwards rounded out the list, including Hockey East Player of the Year Patrick Eaves of Boston College, who ranked fifth nationally in points per game (1.41); CCHA scoring leader T.J. Hensick of Michigan, who was fourth in the country with 51 points; and the nation’s assist leader, Michigan Tech’s Colin Murphy, whose 53 points were good for third in Division I going into the weekend.
A group of three ultimate finalists, the “Hobey Hat Trick,” will be culled from the current field of 10 and announced on Wednesday, March 30. The winner of the 25th annual award will be named Friday, April 8, during festivities at the 2005 Frozen Four in Columbus, Ohio.
