New York Rangers NCAA prospects report: EJ Emery will have new coach at North Dakota
The NCAA tournament field was announced during the selection show on ESPN Sunday after three New York Rangers prospects competed in their respective conference championships.
2023 sixth-round pick Ty Henricks and the top-seeded Western Michigan Broncos eliminated 2024 first-round pick EJ Emery and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks 4-2 in the semifinals of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Friday night. Henricks had two shots on goal in the win, playing left wing on the fourth line.
For Emery, it was his first game back in the lineup since Feb. 22 because of injury. He skated on right side of the third defensive pair for North Dakota. Emery did not record a shot on goal, had one blocked shot, and was minus-1 in the loss. He recorded a single assist for his only point, and 29 blocked shots in 31 games played during his freshman season. Emery took 16 penalties on the season for a total of 40 penalty minutes.
The Rangers will want Emery to continue developing at the NCAA level, and hopefully add some offense to his game. As a late cut to the U.S. National Junior team in 2025, Emery is expected to be one of the top defenders for the 2026 squad at the World Junior Championship.
The soon-to-be 19-year-old will have a new coach next season if he stays in Grand Forks. Brad Berry will not return next season.
“Coach Berry has had a tremendous decade run at his alma mater,” North Dakota director of athletics Bill Chaves said. “Not many coaches win a national title and he’s one of a very few. His time will be cherished, but today was the right time to move in a new direction for UND hockey.”
Berry ranks fourth all-time in program history in wins with a 227-119-35 overall record, capturing five NCHC Penrose Cups, one NCHC Frozen Faceoff title, five NCAA Tournament appearances, and became the first-and-only head coach in NCAA Division I men’s hockey history to win a national title in his first season in 2015-16.
Chaves also announced that associate Dane Jackson will serve as the interim coach.
It took a third period rally from being down 3-0 and 22 seconds into the second overtime before Western Michigan defeated the Denver Pioneers 4-3 to win the NCHC Frozen Playoff Saturday night. The win secured an automatic invite to the NCAA tournament for the Broncos. Henricks was credited with one shot on goal; he skated on the fourth line and finished the game with a minus-1 rating.
Western Michigan was announced as the No. 4 overall seed for the NCAA tournament, and will be in the Fargo Regional. The Broncos face Minnesota State on Thursday. Fellow Rangers prospect Brody Lamb and the Minnesota Golden Gophers are the No. 2 seed in the Fargo Regional, and drew a matchup against UMass.
Related: Noah Laba ‘as advertised’ in pro debut, scores short-handed for AHL Hartford
Rangers prospects Noah Laba, Jackson Dorrington begin pro careers
Noah Laba – Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
2023 first-round pick Gabe Perreault and 2023 third-round pick Drew Fortescue of Boston College will face Atlantic Hockey champion Bentley on Friday afternoon at SNHU Arena. The Eagles were announced as the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA tournament and placed in the Manchester Regional. Providence College and defending champion Denver University will play in the second game of that regional Friday.
Defenseman Jackson Dorrington had two shots on goal, three blocked shots, a minor penalty for interference, and finished minus-1 in a 4-3 loss when Northeastern pushed Maine to double overtime in the semifinals of the Hockey East Championship at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday night. Dorrington completed his junior season with two goals and 13 assists for 15 points in 37 games played.
Dorrington signed his entry-level contract with the Rangers and reported to Hartford of the American Hockey League on an amateur tryout (ATO).
The 20-year-old made his professional debut Wednesday night when the Wolf Pack visited the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, recording one shot on goal with a plus-1 rating. Hartford dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime.
After signing an entry-level contract, former Colorado College center Noah Laba made his AHL debut with the Hartford Wolf Pack last Friday and scored his first professional goal.
Laba was trusted with penalty killing duties, and tied the game at the 8:15 mark in the first period for his first professional goal. Hartford won 4-3 Friday and 2-1 in overtime Saturday with Laba in the lineup.
More About:New York Rangers News