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1956–57 Colorado College Tigers men's ice hockey season

'"`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000003-QINU`"'1956–57 Colorado College Tigers men's ice hockey season


1st WIHL
Broadmoor World Arena
25–5–0
19–1
4–4
2–0
Tom Bedecki
Don Wishart
Colorado College Tigers men's ice hockey seasons« 1955–56 1957–58 »

The 1956–57 Colorado College Tigers men's ice hockey team represented Colorado College in college ice hockey. In its 2nd year under head coach Tom Bedecki, the team compiled a 25–5–0 record, outscored opponents 205 to 106, and won the 1957 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. The Tigers defeated Michigan 13–6 in the championship game at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado. CC tied the record for the most goals scored in a championship game (1950) and combined with the Wolverines for the most total goals in a title game (19). As of 2018 this is the last time Colorado College has won the national title in ice hockey.

After appearing in the first five national tournaments Colorado College had made the championship once in the next four years. CC's fortunes turned the year before when Bill Hay, a standout junior player from Saskatchewan hitchhiked down to Colorado Springs and was able to talk both himself and his fried Bob McCusker into athletic scholarships. Both players made their varsity debut in 1956–57, as did much of the team, and the Tigers quickly jumped to the top of the standings. After opening the regular season against two junior teams from Canada, CC welcomed four different collegiate opponents into their building and won every single game.

With the Tigers sporting a 12-0 record they hit the road for the first time but didn't have to leave the state when they travelled to Denver to face the Pioneers. Colorado College's perfect record was spoiled with a 3–6 defeat but the returned the favor the next night at home, beating their in-state rival 8–7 in overtime. The Tigers hosted another pair of Canadian junior teams before heading north to face an improving Fighting Sioux team and lost both matches. Two days later CC finally won its first road game of the season, beating Minnesota twice before returning to Colorado to take the second home-and-home series against Denver. After redeeming themselves against North Dakota in two home wins the Tigers split a road series with Michigan Tech to close out their season.

Despite CC's struggles on the road the team was able to win the WIHL title handily and, with a superb 19–1 home record, post the best season in team history (As of 2018). Colorado College was led back to the NCAA tournament by Hay and McCusker who finished first (tied) and third in scoring in the nation. Both players earned their way onto one of the two All-American Teams as did team captain Don Wishart and all three players were first-team All-WIHL.

Befitting the western champion, Colorado College was selected as the #1 seed in the west and opened the tournament against Clarkson who had compiled an undefeated season the year before and followed that up with a stellar 18–2 mark. Despite the two teams' success the Golden Knights were completely outmatched by older and larger CC team. While the final score was relatively close, 5–3 with a hat-trick from Bob McCusker, the Tigers nearly tripled the number of shots from Clarkson (60–21) and the Green and Gold couldn't score enough to reward the valiant effort from the goaltender Eddie MacDonald.

In the title tilt CC found itself pitted against two-time defending champion Michigan who had won five of the six national titles since CC earned its first championship in 1950. The Wolverines had utterly dominated the series between the two teams over the previous decade and won all three games the pair played in the NCAA Tournament despite every game being played at the Broadmoor World Arena. None of those losses, however, had come with Hay and McCusker on the team and the two sophomores combined to score the first three goals of the contest. Showing the championship mettle, Michigan responded with three of their own before the first period was over and erased the CC advantage. CC goalie Bob Southwood settled down in the second period and when the Tigers scored three more times the Wolverines could only muster one in response. Even with a two-goal lead the Tigers didn't pull back in the third and after McCusker opened the scoring with his third of the game the rest of the team followed suit and score five more times before Michigan got its fifth but by then it was far too late and the Tigers eventually cruised to a 13–6 victory, winning their second National Title.

Bob McCusker tied the NCAA records for goals (4) and points (6) in a championship game and was the logical choice for Most Outstanding Player. McCusker was accompanied by Bill Hay and Don Wishart on the All-Tournament First Team while Dick McGhee and John Andrews made the Second Team.

Conference games against Michigan State, Michigan Tech and Minnesota were only worth 1 point in the standings.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Record
November 30	vs. Colorado College Alumni*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 2–1
December 1	vs. Colorado College Alumni*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 9–5
December 6	vs. Humboldt Indians*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 8–4	1–0–0
December 8	vs. Humboldt Indians*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 12–3	2–0–0
December 13	vs. St. Boniface Canadiens*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 12–2	3–0–0
December 15	vs. St. Boniface Canadiens*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 15–5	4–0–0
December 18	vs. Michigan	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 5–4	5–0–0 (1–0–0)
December 19	vs. Michigan	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 7–5	6–0–0 (2–0–0)
December 21	vs. Michigan State	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 8–2	7–0–0 (3–0–0)
December 22	vs. Michigan State	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 7–1	8–0–0 (4–0–0)
January 1	vs. Yale*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 10–0	9–0–0 (4–0–0)
January 2	vs. Yale*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 17–3	10–0–0 (4–0–0)
January 4	vs. Minnesota	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 4–1	11–0–0 (5–0–0)
January 5	vs. Minnesota	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 5–3	12–0–0 (6–0–0)
January 11	at Denver	DU Arena • Denver, Colorado	L 3–6	12–1–0 (6–1–0)
January 12	vs. Denver	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 8–7 OT	13–1–0 (7–1–0)
January 26	vs. Regina Pats*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 5–3	14–1–0 (7–1–0)
January 28	vs. Regina Pats*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 8–1	15–1–0 (7–1–0)
February 2	vs. Flin Flon Bombers*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	L 3–5	15–2–0 (7–1–0)
February 4	vs. Flin Flon Bombers*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 4–2	16–2–0 (7–1–0)
February 8	at North Dakota	Winter Sports Building • Grand Forks, North Dakota	L 3–6	16–3–0 (7–2–0)
February 9	at North Dakota	Winter Sports Building • Grand Forks, North Dakota	L 4–5	16–4–0 (7–3–0)
February 11	at Minnesota	St. Paul Auditorium • Saint Paul, Minnesota	W 3–2 OT	17–4–0 (8–3–0)
February 12	at Minnesota	Williams Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota	W 5–2	18–4–0 (9–3–0)
February 15	at Denver	DU Arena • Denver, Colorado	W 6–4	19–4–0 (10–3–0)
February 16	vs. Denver	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 4–3	20–4–0 (11–3–0)
February 19	vs. North Dakota	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 6–4	21–4–0 (12–3–0)
February 20	vs. North Dakota	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado	W 7–6 OT	22–4–0 (13–3–0)
March 2	at Michigan Tech	Dee Stadium • Houghton, Michigan	L 3–4	22–5–0 (13–4–0)
March 3	at Michigan Tech	Dee Stadium • Houghton, Michigan	W 5–4	23–5–0 (14–4–0)
March 14	vs. Clarkson*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado (National Semifinal)	W 5–3	24–5–0 (14–4–0)
March 16	vs. Michigan*	Broadmoor World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado (National Championship)	W 13–6	25–5–0 (14–4–0)
*Non-conference game. Source:

Colorado College players are reported to have collectively scored 212 goals over the course of the season but the team only scored 205 times during the season.

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4	Column 5	Column 6	Column 7	Column 8
March 16	Colorado College		13 – 6		Michigan	Broadmoor Ice Palace

Scoring summary
1st	CC	Bob McCusker	Scott and McGhee	3:15	1–0 CC
CC	Bill Hay	McCusker	8:04	2–0 CC
CC	Bob McCusker	Hay and Capello	11:39	3–0 CC
UM	Dick Dunnigan	unassisted	13:14	3–1 CC
UM	Neil McDonald	unassisted	17:30	3–2 CC
UM	John Hutton	McDonald	17:57	3–3
2nd	CC	Murray Dea	Laughlin	24:52	4–3 CC
CC	John Andrews	Hubchik	26:18	5–3 CC
UM	Ed Switzer	Dunnigan	30:18	5–4 CC
CC	Bill Hay	McCusker and McGhee	34:05	6–4 CC
3rd	CC	Bob McCusker – GW	Dea	41:23	7–4 CC
CC	Harley Patterson	Harasyn	46:20	8–4 CC
CC	Don Hersack	Hubchik and Andrews	49:10	9–4 CC
CC	Harry Harasyn	Patterson	52:59	10–4 CC
CC	Bob McCusker	Hay	53:47	11–4 CC
CC	Don Hersack	Hubchik	54:53	12–4 CC
UM	Tom Rendall	Starr	55:15	12–5 CC
CC	Don Wishart	deRappard	56:11	13–5 CC
UM	Neil McDonald	Switzer	56:36	13–6 CC
1st	CC	Bob Southwood			2:00
CC	Bunt Hubchik			2:00
2nd	UM	Bob Schiller			2:00
UM	Bob Schiller			2:00
CC	Gary Hughes			2:00
3rd	UM	Dick Dunnigan			2:00
UM	Tom Rendall			2:00
CC	Bob McCusker			2:00
CC	Gerry Capello			2:00

1957 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
List of NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament champions

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