Darci Matson
Darci Matson’s prolific point production is as dependable as sunrise.
The sophomore sniper from Wasilla continued her sizzling start to the NCAA Division III hockey season – she’s the leading everything on that circuit – with one goal and three assists Friday for No. 12-ranked Aurora (Ill.) University in a 5-0 victory over visiting Lawrence.
Matson, a Second-Team All-American last season, has furnished at least one point in all 10 games this season and owns 15-14—29 totals in that span. She leads Division III in goals and points, and she is tied for first in assists. Friday, she unloaded 12 shots on goal and has 75 for the season. Merrill has scored multiple points in seven of her 10 games, and she scored a goal in each of the three games in which she has been held to one point.
She’s not the only goaltender’s nightmare from Wasilla.
Kaylee Merrill
Kaylee Merrill of Wasilla on Friday scored one goal and one assist for SUNY-Potsdam in a 5-0 win over Rivier to pump her season totals to 11-4—15 in nine games. She is merely tied for fourth in Division III in goals.
Also in women’s Division III action Friday, Nazareth goalie McKinley Hoff of Anchorage bagged an easy shutout in a 5-0 ambush at Neumann – Nazareth outshot Neumann 62-4. Hoff is 6-1-0, with a 1.14 goals-against average that ranks 14th in Division III, a .936 save percentage and two shutouts.
In Division III men’s games Friday, Bethel goalie Austin Ryman of Fairbanks rocked 35 saves in a 2-1 win over St. John’s to improve to 4-1-0 with a 1.17 goals-against average and .960 save percentage – those last two stats both rank sixth in the nation.
SUNY-Fredonia’s Ryan Bailey of Anchorage delivered the goods with the lone goal midway through the third period in a 1-0 win over Brockport. With team-leading 5-3—8 totals in eight games, Bailey has contributed nearly half his team’s 17 goals this season.
Jaron Ketterman
Props to Palmer’s Jaron Ketterman, whose power-play strike for Concordia (Wis.) in a 4-1 loss to perennial power St. Norbert on Friday marked the freshman’s first college goal. He’s 1-2—3 in 10 games.
Anchorage’s Kevin Lake on Friday stopped 33 of 38 in a 6-3 loss at Concordia (Minn.). He’s 3-5-0, 3.04, .912.
Lastly in D-III men’s results, freshman forward Maksis Brimanis of Anchorage registered an assist for Wisconsin-Stout in a 3-2 win over Northland to give him 1-4—5 totals in nine games.
And in women’s Division I play, sophomore forward Anna Shelden of Kenai potted her first goal in 11 games this season for Brown in Friday’s 5-2 loss to Colgate.
AND JUST LIKE THAT WE'RE ON THE BOARD!
Sheldon goes top shelf for her first goal of the season from Hurd and Mangiafico!
1st | 3:55
Watch on ESPN+https://t.co/UDhCrDNERr pic.twitter.com/MkDL3Kzib6
— Brown Women's Hockey (@BrownU_WHockey) December 2, 2022
Moving on to the junior ranks, rookie sensation Mac Swanson of Anchorage had his seven-game point streak for the U.S. Hockey League’s Fargo Force snapped in Friday’s 4-1 win at Lincoln. Still, there was uplifting news, besides a team victory, on Swanson’s front – USA Hockey added him to the roster for the World Junior A Challenge in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Dec. 11-18. At 16 – Swanson turns 17 on Jan. 10 – he is the youngest player on the American roster by four months and the only 2006 birth year among the 22-man collection.
The Challenge also includes Canada East, Canada West, Chechia, Latvia and Sweden.
Swanson earlier this year represented the United States at the Five Nations tournament, where he generated 1-4—5 totals in four games.
Swanson is tied for seventh on the circuit in points with 7-16—23 totals in 19 games, which leads all rookies.
Swanson was held off the scoresheet Friday for Fargo, but another Alaskan on the roster, Colorado College-bound winger Bret Link of Anchorage, had an assist to boost his season totals to 7-12—19 in 19 games.