Maine’s Spencer Abbott, Minnesota-Duluth’s Jack Connolly and Colgate’s Austin Smith are the members of the 2012 Hobey Hat Trick.
Those three senior forwards received the most points from a 23-person voting panel that selected their top five choices from a list of 10 finalists earlier this week.
The winner will be announced on Friday, April 6, at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.
Abbott leads the nation in scoring with 62 points on 21 goals and 41 assists (also a nation-best). The Hockey East player of the year as well as a First Team all-star, Abbott was named player of the month twice while piling up 18 multiple-point games. He signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs last week.
UMD’s captain, Connolly is second in scoring nationally with 20 goals and 60 points. He never missed a game in his college career and was a Hobey Baker nominee last season. Connolly won the WCHA scoring title, was a First Team all-star for the third straight season and was also the conference player of the year.
Smith’s 36 goals lead the country in that department and he is third in overall scoring behind Abbott and Connolly with 57 points. Smith leads the nation with six shorthanded goals and won the ECAC scoring title this past season. He was named the conference player of the year and a First Team all-star.
The seven finalists that didn’t make the Hobey Hat Trick were Boston College junior defenseman Brian Dumoulin, Union sophomore goalie Troy Grosenick, Michigan senior goalie Shawn Hunwick, Air Force senior defenseman Tim Kirby, Michigan State junior defenseman Torey Krug, Wisconsin junior defenseman Justin Schultz and Miami junior forward Reilly Smith.
