Rangers NCAA prospects update: EJ Emery scores first 2 college goals
Though the New York Rangers were quite happy with his overall game as a freshman last season, EJ Emery failed to score a goal and recorded just one assist in 2024-25 for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. But the sophomore defenseman found the back of the net twice in a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Friday night. And he did so with fellow Blueshirts prospect Brody Lamb on the other side of the ice playing for Minnesota.
In the second period, with the Fighting Hawks trailing by a score of 2-1, Emery pinched in from the point, skated down to the right circle, and ripped a wrist shot past the Minnesota goaltender for his first NCAA goal.
The Rangers top pick in the 2023 draft hadn’t scored in 938 days. But Emery then followed with the game-winning goal at 2:25 of the third period, when he skated into the open slot and finished a quality scoring chance, set up by Cole Reschny.
Emery was called for slashing at 13:37 of the third period, though North Dakota was able to successfully kill off the penalty. He scored two goals on three shots and had a plus-2 rating in the win. North Dakota dropped the second game of the weekend set 5-1 on Saturday. Emery recorded one shot on goal, had one blocked shot, and a minus-1 rating in the loss.
North Dakota remained eighth in both the USCHO Division I Men’s Poll and USA Hockey NCAA Division I Men’s Poll with the split. The Fighting Hawks have a 3-1-0 overall record, and head east to Potsdam, New York, to take on Clarkson in another non-conference matchup this weekend.
Lamb had a rough game Friday, when he was assessed two minor penalties and finished minus-2, despite recording two shots on goal and two blocked shots.
The Minnesota captain rebounded on Saturday with a three-point effort. Lamb recorded the primary assist on each of Minnesota’s first two goals, and then added one of his own in the third period, off a 2-on-1 rush.
Through six games this season, Lamb has seven points (four goals, three assists). Minnesota climbed one spot this week in the USCHO poll to 12th, and rose two spots in the USA Hockey poll to 12th. The Golden Gophers have an overall record of 2-3-1 and host Minnesota Duluth for two games this weekend.
Rangers 2025 draft pick Sean Barnhill helps Michigan State rise to top of NCAA polls
Freshman defenseman Sean Barnhill helped Michigan State sweep top-ranked Boston University. The Spartans defeated the Terriers by a score of 4-2 on Friday, before a wild 4-3 overtime victory on Saturday. Barnhill recorded one shot on goal, was plus-2 and took a minor penalty Friday night. The third-round pick (70th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft had one blocked shot and a minus-2 rating Saturday. Michigan State improved to 3-1-0 this season and grabbed the No. 1 ranking in the USCHO and USA Hockey polls. The Spartans hit the road this weekend for two games against the Northern Michigan Wildcats.
Defending national champion Western Michigan swept UMass-Lowell, 2-1 on Froday and 6-0 Saturday. Sophomore forward Ty Henricks was credited with an assist on Western Michigan’s first goal Friday, and called for an interference penalty in the third period. He had one blocked shot and an even rating for the game. Henricks was named First Star of the game Saturday, when he scored two goals, and totaled five shots on goal with one blocked shot and a plus-2 rating.
Through four games played, Henricks has two goals and one assist for three points. Western Michigan is ranked second in the USCHO poll as well as the USA Hockey poll. The Broncos are 3-1-0 and have a top-10 matchup on the road against the University of Michigan on Thursday night, before hosting the Wolverines at Lawson on Friday.
As for the University of Michigan, the Wolverines swept Robert Morris in non-conference play, winning 4-2 on Thursday, and coming away with a 10-2 victory Friday. Freshman Malcolm Spence recorded two shots on goal and a plus-1 rating in the first game of the series. The Rangers top pick (second round, 43rd overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft had one assist, three shots on goal, one blocked shot, and a plus-3 rating Friday. Through six games, Spence has three goals and six assists for nine points. Michigan improved to 6-0-0 and is ranked third in the USCHO and USA Hockey polls.
Skating against Michigan, sophomore defenseman Rasmus Larsson made his regular-season debut for Robert Morris University and was minus-1 in that 4-2 loss Thursday. Larsson was not in the lineup Friday night for the Colonials. Robert Morris next faces off against Notre Dame for two games this weekend.
Junior defenseman Drew Fortescue recorded one shot on goal and had a plus-2 rating for Boston College in a 5-1 victory over Rensselaer Friday night. Fortescue took a minor penalty for hooking in the first period, as well. Through four games, the 2023 third-round selection of the Rangers has two goals and one assist for three points. Boston College is ranked ninth in the USCHO and USA Hockey polls with a 2-1-1 record. BC takes on Denver this Friday.
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