ECH Top Week one Matchups
By alex berger - October 3, 2025After months of waiting, college hockey is finally here. This weekend marks the start of a historic season for the sport, from a record number of head coaching changes to the new Canadian Hockey League players committed to NCAA teams.
Luckily for college hockey fans, there will be plenty of incredible matchups to watch in week one; from Gavin McKenna’s first game with Penn State to a top-20 matchup at Conte Forum in Boston.
Everything College Hockey picked out the best five matchups this weekend to preview (three series and two single games). In this article you’ll find some of the key matchups and predictions for those games. For more on the ranked teams, make sure to check out our ‘Preseason Top-20’ article. You can read more about every team in our ‘100 Things to Know’ piece.
#5 Penn State at #14 Arizona State
Friday, October 3rd and Saturday, October 4th / NCHC.tv
Penn State Overview-
Penn State made their first Frozen Four last April and has their sights set on getting over the top this season. This will be the first time we get to see two of the best CHL to NCAA prospects on the ice this season, defenseman Jackson Smith (#14 overall pick in 2025 NHL Draft) and forward Gavin McKenna (projected #1 overall pick in 2026). The Nittany Lions also have two returning Hobey Baker Top-10 finalists: transfer defenseman Mac Gadowsky and junior forward Aiden Fink.
It will be interesting to note how head coach Guy Gadowsky distributes the talent he has, especially on offense. He could put McKenna and Fink on the same line or put them with other returning 30+ point scorers Charlie Cerrato, JJ Wiebusch, Matt DiMarsico, and Reese Laubach.
Arizona State Overview -
Headlined by first-round draft pick Cullen Potter, Arizona State returns to the desert with one of the best depth forward groups in college hockey (Potter, Bennett Schimek, and Kyle Smolen all scored double-digit goals a season). The Sun Devils also got a late boost with the commitment of Jack Beck, the younger brother of former ASU star Noah Beck, who scored 39 points in 40 games in the AHL (four games) and ECHL (36) in 2024-’25.
Defensively, the Sun Devils are bringing in Justin Kipkie from the WHL. The fifth-round NHL Draft pick captained the Victoria Royals last year, and put up 62 points and a +18 plus/minus rating in 64 games. Arizona State will likely rely on Kipkie early, as they only have one junior and one senior in their defensive corps this season.
Matchup to Watch: Kevin Reidler vs. Connor Hasley
Both Penn State and Arizona State have unknowns in net heading into this season. The Nittany Lions have to replace star Arsenii Sergeev (19-9-4, 2.54 GAA, .919 SV%, and 4 SO in 2024-’25), who signed his entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames after just one season at PSU. He made that one season count however, allowing just two goals or less in nine of his last 14 games in the second half of the season.
Penn State is bringing in another transfer to be the projected starter this season. Kevin Reidler appeared in eight games for the Omaha Mavericks in his freshman season last year, allowing 17 goals in about 16 periods worth of play (3.20 GAA). Oddly enough, his two best games of the season both came against Arizona State. He posted 41 saves in a 3-2 loss in mid-November, and 40 saves in a 4-2 win in March.
The Sun Devils are also bringing in a transfer goaltender in Connor Hasley, who led college hockey in shutouts last season with 11 while at Bentley. The now senior was also top-12 in wins, goals against average, save percentage, and minutes played while leading the Falcons to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. This weekend will be a great test for Hasley, who had just one game against another tournament team last regular season (gave up five goals in a loss to Massachusetts on October 5th).
My Prediction: Split
It might be cliche to say whoever gets the better play in net will be the difference, but that seems to be the case this weekend. Both of these teams are too talented to get swept by the other. If the games were at Penn State this might be a different story, but the crowd at Mullet Arena should be fired up and play an impact on the series.
Because both teams have question marks in net and lots of offensive firepower, I’m expecting both games to be high-scoring. McKenna and Potter should get on the scoresheet each night.
Penn State 5-2, Arizona State 4-3 OT
#10 Connecticut at Colorado College
Friday, October 3rd and Saturday, October 4th / NCHC.tv
Connecticut Overview-
The Huskies should have one of the best offenses in college hockey this season, returning three 15+ goal scorers from a year ago. UConn scored 3.33 goals/game in 2024-’25, tied for the 11th-best mark in college hockey. But their offense was even better after January 1st, when they scored at a rate of 3.59 goals/game (that would have ranked tied for sixth in the NCAA). Joey Muldowney is the top returning goal scorer in college hockey (29G in 39 games played).
Senior goaltender Tyler Muszelik is the likely starter in his second season with the Huskies. He split time with Callum Tung a year ago. In front of Muszelik is a defensive corps that includes just three upperclassmen: Viking Gustafsson Nyberg, Thomas Messineo, and Owen Simpson.
Connecticut is coming off of their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance and win, and came an overtime goal away from advancing to the Frozen Four. They’ll look to build on that momentum early this season.
Colorado College Overview -
The Colorado College Tigers may have lost three of their top six scorers from a season ago (Ty Gallagher, Noah Laba, and Zaccharaya Wisdom), but they return as a team just outside of our preseason top-20 rankings. A main reason for that is their team identity under head coach Kris Mayotte, which will continue to be a hard-forechecking shut-down team who can roll all four lines any given night.
The Tigers are also bringing in one of the best freshmen classes in the country, headlined by six NHL Draft selections, and are returning all-American goaltender Kaidan Mbereko for his senior season. He had a down year last season, but hopes to return to his 2023-’24 level of play when he was named one of three finalists for the Mike Richter Award.
Matchup to Watch: Joey Muldowney vs. Kaidan Mbereko
The key to this weekend’s series is Mbereko against this high-flying Connecticut offense, especially star Joey Muldowney. The junior forward ended the season on a tear, scoring 24 of his goals in the second half of the season, including three hat tricks. Meaning he averaged over a goal/game in that stretch. If he can keep that pace up over an entire 40-game schedule, Muldowney could reach that elusive 40-goal season mark, which hasn’t been reached in the last 20 years.
However, he’ll have a real test in his first two games of the season, both against Mbereko and a CC team that prioritizes defense and neutral-zone play over all else.
My Prediction: Split
This matchup is so much harder to predict without any prior results to base our guess on. I’m so curious to know how fast the Tigers’ freshman class can gel with the rest of the team, especially on the defensive end. However, I do think Mbereko can still steal a game at some points this weekend. I’ll take the Tigers on Friday night, with the Huskies’ offense rebounding in a big way on Saturday.
Colorado College 3-2, Connecticut 5-2
#13 Quinnipiac at #6 Boston College
Friday, October 3rd / ESPN+
Quinnipiac Overview-
Last season, Quinnipiac posted top-ten marks in six of the seven top statistical categories: goals for and against/game, power play, penalty kill, shots against/game, and Corsi For% (tracks percentage of shots at even strength vs. an opponent). Head coach Rand Pecknold is back for his 32nd season, as well as top forwards Jeremy Wilmer and Chris Pelosi.
Wilmer and Pelosi are two of a handful of returning double-digit scorers on offense, including Andon Cerbone (15 goals - 30 assists - 35 points) and Mason Marcellus (10-28-38). The Bobcats also have a returning goaltending duo of Dylan Silverstein and Matej Marinov. (They will miss our guy Noah Altman, who graduated last season after finishing his college career as a finalist for the 2024-2025 Glue Gun of the Year.)
Boston College Overview -
The Eagles are back in the top 6 to start the season, despite losing three NHL-level players in forwards Ryan Leonard / Gabe Perrault, and goaltender Jacob Fowler. A big key to that is the return of James Hagens, who decided to stay at BC despite being drafted #7 overall by the Boston Bruins this summer. Hagens posted a point-per-game in his freshman season and now has the chance to be “the guy” in a forward group that includes seven draft picks.
The biggest question mark heading into this weekend is in net, as Boston College looks to start incoming freshman Louka Cloutier. He won’t be able to replace the Mike Richter Award winner right away, but Cloutier does have the talent to be a solid goaltender for the Eagles early this season.
Matchup to Watch: Rand Pecknold vs. Greg Brown
Both of these teams are highly talented, so the difference in single-game matchups like these oftentimes comes down to coaching. Pecknold will have to find a way to use three freshmen defensemen against Boston College’s stars on offense, while Eagles’ head coach Greg Brown will have to decide which of his defense-oriented lines to use against a Quinnipiac team that can roll four lines on offense.
Because the game is at Conte Forum, Brown gets the advantage of the last change. He has used that to his advantage, posting a 37-11-2 record as the home team in his first three seasons as BC head coach.
Prediction: Boston College Win
Not many teams will have their first game of the season hold this much importance. However, because this is just one game and not a series, the winner will hold a large NPI (NCAA Percentage Index) advantage over the other when it comes to seeding in late March.
The Eagles have been so dominant at Conte Forum over the past two seasons, and I believe that continues this weekend. Quinnipiac will keep it close, but a late BC empty-net goal will put this one away.
Boston College 4-2
Merrimack at UMass-Lowell
Friday, October 3rd / ESPN+
Merrimack Overview-
Last season was another down year for the Warriors, winning just 13 games for the second-straight season. They hope to take a step forward in 2025 with five of their top six scorers and their two top goaltenders returning, however they are still a young team (18 players are underclassmen, including four freshmen defenseman).
Merrimack picked up a big-time commitment in the transfer portal this summer in forward Trevor Hoskin, who was named Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year at Niagara last season. The fourth-round NHL Draft pick scored 12 goals and 27 assists in 36 games for the Purple Eagles. He was a big boost for a Warriors’ team who lost ten total players to the portal, nine of which went to other NCAA teams.
On Friday night, Filip Nordberg will become the highest NHL Draft pick to ever suit up for Merrimack. The 6’5” defenseman from Sweden was drafted #64 overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2022 draft, and posted 38 points in 107 career games in the USHL. Nordberg will have to step up immediately this season on a blue line that lost three of its top four defensemen from 2024-’25.
UMass-Lowell Overview -
UMass-Lowell had a difficult time getting the puck in the net last year, scoring only 2.6 goals/game (T-40th in NCAA). It might be a work in progress again early this season. Their only double-digit goal scorer, Scout Truman, transferred to Minnesota Duluth, and is one of three UML top-five point scorers gone from 2024-’25.
The Riverhawks were very active in the new-age of CHL commitments, picking up nine freshmen from the WHL and OHL. Three of those players are NHL Draft picks: defensemen Tnias Mathurin and Nate Misskey, and forward Dalyn Wakely.
Like most teams, UMass-Lowell’s biggest question mark is in goal this season. They have three freshmen netminders this year, including Austin Elliot from the OHL. It will be notable to see who gets the start on Friday night.
Matchup to Watch: Trevor Hoskin vs. Jay Ahearn
Merrimack isn’t the only team in this matchup who picked up a big transfer portal pickup from Niagara. Graduate senior Jay Ahearn has scored 29 goals and 36 assists over his last two seasons with the Purple Eagles, and was named to the all-Atlantic Hockey Third Team last year. Ahearn will face his old linemate in the first game with his new team.
Both Hoskin and Ahearn would have led their new teams in scoring last season, and Merrimack and UMass-Lowell both hope they can bring a big boost to their offense early this year.
Prediction: Merrimack Win
This is the only conference matchup of the weekend across college hockey, and both teams hope for it to be a tone-setting game for them early in the season.
The key on Friday night will be how quickly UMass-Lowell’s CHL group of players settles into college hockey. If they aren’t intimidated by the size and speed of Merrimack they should get the home win. However, the Warriors are more experienced and have an established goaltending duo in net, two things that give them an immediate advantage heading into Friday night. I like them to get the road win this weekend.
Merrimack 3-1
Michigan Tech at #10 Minnesota
Friday, October 3rd and Saturday, October 4th / B1G+
Michigan Tech Overview-
The Huskies have a lot of changes heading into this season, from new head coach Bill Muckalt to 18 new players on the roster. But despite all the turnover, Michigan Tech’s top four point scorers are back again this year: Stiven Sardarian (11 goals - 24 assists - 35 points), Max Koskipirtti (7-20-27), Isaac Gordon (7-19-26), and Elias Jansson (12-11-23). Gordon had initially committed to transfer to North Dakota this offseason, but the former CCHA Rookie of the Year reversed course once Muckalt was hired. MTU also has two NHL Draft picks on roster this season, forward Carson Latimer and defenseman Kalem Parker.
The Huskies struggled last season replacing star goaltender Blake Pietila and hope to find the answer this season in transfer junior Owen Bartoszkiewicz, who played for Muckalt at Lindenwood last season and followed him to Houghton. Bartoszkiewicz started his collegiate career at Minnesota and will likely get a chance to play against his former team at least once this weekend.
Minnesota Overview -
Minnesota enters the season as a top-ten team thanks to another high-end group of freshmen, including second-round pick Jacob Rombach, fourth-rounder L.J. Mooney, and fourth-rounder Javon Moore.
However, the Gophers are in an interesting position heading into this season. They lost four first-round draft picks and an early-second rounder to the NHL over the offseason (Snuggerud, Rinzel, Moore, Wood, and Chesley), and just one of their six captains is back (defenseman Cal Thomas).
Minnesota is hoping get a second-year jump from sophomores Beckett Hendrickson (forward), Leo Gruba (defenseman), and John Whipple (defenseman), who were all underwhelming in their first year in Dinkytown. They should rely early on another sophomore forward, Brodie Ziemer, the top returning goal scorer from last season.
Matchup to Watch: Michigan Tech Defense vs. Minnesota Offense
The Huskies’ defense and Gophers’ offense both have a tremendous amount of turnover from a season ago. Seven of Michigan Tech’s ten defenseman are new arrivals, while Minnesota has to figure out a way to replace 68% of their scoring from a season ago. Whichever group can get instant production from their respective group should have the advantage this weekend.
Prediction: Minnesota Sweep
The Gophers are a more talented team and are playing at home, which gives me confidence in picking them to open the season with a sweep. I think Bartoszkiewicz and MTU’s offense can make it interesting in one game, but Minnesota comes out on top with two wins this weekend.
Minnesota 4-1, Minnesota 4-3 OT