The 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season began in October 1980 and concluded with the 1981 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on March 28, 1981 at the Duluth Arena in Duluth, Minnesota. This was the 34th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held and is the 87th year overall where an NCAA school fielded a team.
For the first time the Hobey Baker Award was conferred after the conclusion of the regular season.
After the season four teams from the WCHA left to join the CCHA. As a result of dividing the four Big Ten schools that had previously been in the WCHA the Big Ten stopped declaring a conference ice hockey champion until the formation of a separate conference in 2013–14.
Season Outlook Pre-season poll The top teams in the nation voted on by coaches before the start of the season. The poll was compiled by radio station WMPL. WMPL PollRankTeam1 Minnesota2 Michigan Tech3 Providence4 Boston College5 Wisconsin6 North Dakota7 Northern Michigan8 Michigan9 (tie) Denver9 (tie) Minnesota Duluth
Regular season
Season tournaments Tournament Dates Teams Champion Elmira Invitational November 14–15 4 St. Lawrence North Country Thanksgiving Festival November 27–29 4 Clarkson Empire Cup December 20–21 4 Colgate I Love New York Tournament November 22–24 4 St. Lawrence Great Lakes Invitational December 27–28 4 Michigan Tech First National Hockey Tournament December 27–29 4 Cornell Western Michigan Tournament December 28–29 4 Western Michigan Rensselaer Holiday Tournament December 28–30 4 Maine Auld Lang Syne Classic December 30–31 4 Dartmouth Yale Invitational January 2–3 4 North Dakota Colonial Bank Hockey Invitational January 3–4 4 Clarkson Beanpot February 2, 9 4 Harvard
Standings
Final regular season polls The final top 10 teams as ranked by coaches (WMPL) before the conference tournament finals. WMPL Coaches PollRankingTeam1 Minnesota2 Clarkson3 Wisconsin3 (tie) Michigan Tech5 Northern Michigan6 Denver7 Boston College8 North Dakota9 Colgate10 Michigan10 (tie) New Hampshire
1981 NCAA Tournament
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
Player stats
Scoring leaders The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the season.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Class Team GP G A Pts PIM Sophomore Minnesota 45 47 59 106 24 Senior Minnesota 45 41 52 93 18 Junior Northern Michigan 44 35 55 90 46 Junior Northern Michigan 40 35 53 88 20 Sophomore Minnesota 44 39 47 86 30 Freshman North Dakota 38 33 45 78 28 Senior Wisconsin 42 26 49 75 44 Junior Western Michigan 36 28 43 71 22 Sophomore Minnesota 36 17 54 71 56 Junior Colgate 33 37 31 68 164 Senior Clarkson 37 24 44 68 38
Leading goaltenders The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average at the end of the regular season while playing at least 33% of their team's total minutes.
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player Class Team GP Min W L OT GA SO SV% GAA Freshman Clarkson 29 1740 22 3 4 84 2 .904 2.92 Junior St. Lawrence 21 1196 10 10 1 64 0 .895 3.21 Senior Michigan Tech 28 1701 - - - 91 1 .895 3.21 Freshman Northern Michigan 32 1855 20 9 2 101 1 .895 3.27 Sophomore Wisconsin 16 913 11 4 1 50 0 .909 3.29 Freshman Miami 19 1053 8 10 1 73 0 - 3.40 Sophomore Cornell 18 912 8 7 0 52 1 .908 3.42 Junior Denver 31 1885 17 12 2 110 0 .882 3.50 Senior Ohio State 37 2098 22 9 3 125 2 .896 3.57 Junior Cornell 19 967 11 4 1 58 1 .904 3.60
Awards
NCAA Award RecipientHobey Baker Memorial Award Neal Broten, MinnesotaSpencer Penrose Award Bill O'Flaherty, ClarksonMost Outstanding Player in NCAA Tournament Marc Behrend, WisconsinAHCA All-American Teams East Team Position West Team Don Sylvestri, Clarkson G Paul Fricker, Michigan Mark Fusco, Harvard D Marc Chorney, North Dakota Ed Small, Clarkson D Tim Watters, Michigan Tech Sandy Beadle, Northeastern F Steve Bozek, Northern Michigan Bryan Cleaver, Clarkson F Neal Broten, Minnesota Gary Conn, Maine F Aaron Broten, Minnesota
CCHA Awards RecipientPlayer of the Year Jeff Pyle, Northern MichiganRookie of the Year Jeff Poeschl, Northern Michigan Paul Pooley, Ohio StateCoach of the Year Rick Comley, Northern MichiganAll-CCHA Teams First Team Position Second Team Mike Blake, Ohio State G Jeff Poeschl, Northern Michigan Dan Mandich, Ohio State D Jim File, Ferris State D George Harrison, Ferris State D Brent Morrow, Ohio State D Jeff Pyle, Northern Michigan F Paul Pooley, Ohio State Steve Bozek, Northern Michigan F George McPhee, Bowling Green Ross Fitzpatrick, Western Michigan F Brian Hills, Bowling Green
ECAC Award RecipientPlayer of the Year Ed Small, ClarksonRookie of the Year Don Sylvestri, ClarksonMost Outstanding Player in Tournament Kurt Kleinendorst, ProvidenceAll-ECAC Hockey Teams First Team Position Second Team Don Sylvestri, Clarkson G Jeff Nord, Maine Ed Small, Clarkson D Chris Renaud, Colgate Mark Fusco, Harvard D Andre Aubut, Maine Bryan Cleaver, Clarkson F Billy O'Dwyer, Boston College Gary Conn, Maine F Steve Cruickshank, Clarkson Sandy Beadle, Northeastern F Dan Fridgen, Colgate
WCHA Award RecipientMost Valuable Player Steve Ulseth, MinnesotaFreshman of the Year Ron Scott, Michigan StateCoach of the Year John Giordano, MichiganAll-WCHA Teams First Team Position Second Team Ron Scott, Michigan State G Paul Fricker, Michigan Marc Chorney, North Dakota D John Blum, Michigan Tim Watters, Michigan Tech D Theran Welsh, Wisconsin Steve Ulseth, Minnesota F Ken Berry, Denver Neal Broten, Minnesota F Bruce Aikens, Colorado College Aaron Broten, Minnesota F Troy Murray, North Dakota
1981 NHL entry draft
Round Pick Player College Conference NHL team 1 9 † North Dakota WCHA 2 27 † North Dakota WCHA 2 33 † Minnesota WCHA 2 34 † Minnesota WCHA 2 37 † Providence ECAC Hockey 2 40 † Wisconsin WCHA 4 64 Vermont ECAC Hockey 4 68 † Minnesota WCHA 4 71 † Wisconsin WCHA 4 76 † Minnesota WCHA 4 81 Rensselaer ECAC Hockey 5 85 Wisconsin WCHA 5 88 † Providence ECAC Hockey 5 95 Princeton ECAC Hockey 6 106 Boston College ECAC Hockey 6 108 Wisconsin WCHA 6 114 Rensselaer ECAC Hockey 6 117 Northern Michigan CCHA 6 118 † Providence ECAC Hockey 6 119 Boston University ECAC Hockey 6 124 † Michigan State WCHA 7 135 † Minnesota WCHA 7 139 † North Dakota WCHA 7 141 † Wisconsin WCHA 7 143 † Michigan State WCHA 7 144 † Yale ECAC Hockey 7 145 Minnesota–Duluth WCHA 8 149 † North Dakota WCHA 8 163 Providence ECAC Hockey 8 164 Providence ECAC Hockey 8 165 North Dakota WCHA 8 166 † Lake Superior State CCHA 9 171 Providence ECAC Hockey 9 172 Northern Michigan CCHA 9 173 New Hampshire ECAC Hockey 9 177 † Western Michigan CCHA 9 181 Minnesota WCHA 9 182 Clarkson ECAC Hockey 9 183 † Boston College ECAC Hockey 9 187 † Colorado College WCHA 10 192 Wisconsin WCHA 10 197 † North Dakota WCHA 10 198 Providence ECAC Hockey 10 202 † Rensselaer ECAC Hockey 10 204 ‡ Wisconsin WCHA 10 206 † Michigan State WCHA 10 207 Cornell ECAC Hockey 10 210 † Bowling Green CCHA † incoming freshman‡ Eakin had left school during the season
See also 1980–81 NCAA Division II men's ice hockey season 1980–81 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season
References
External links College Hockey Historical Archives 1980–81 NCAA Standings