Rangers NCAA prospects report: Malcolm Spence stays hot for Michigan
Six New York Rangers prospects saw action in the NCAA this past weekend, headlined by 2025 top pick (second round, No. 43 overall) Malcolm Spence. The 18-year-old forward helped the Michigan Wolverines be the biggest risers in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll, climbing five spots to No. 4 in the rankings and receiving eight first-place votes, following a series sweep against Providence College.
On Friday night, Spence recorded one shot on goal and blocked one shot during a 5-1 Michigan victory. The freshman also took a minor penalty for hooking in the first period and had a plus-1 rating. Though he’s played well to start his NCAA career, Spence must be more disciplined and stay out of the penalty box. He was also assessed an interference penalty in the first period of a 3-1 win Saturday, his third consecutive game with a minor penalty.
Fortunately for Michigan, Spence more than made up for the penalty. He showed off his acceleration and skill, scoring a short-handed goal after coming out of the penalty box. That was his only shot on goal Saturday, but he’s now recorded six points (three goals, three assists) over four games to continue a fast start to his collegiate career.
Michigan moved up four spots from seventh to third in this week’s USA Hockey 2025-26 NCAA Division I Men’s Poll. The Wolverines continue their non-conference schedule Thursday against Robert Morris University. Swedish defenseman Rasmus Larsson, a 2023 fifth-round pick by the Rangers, is set to make his regular-season debut for Robert Morris in that one.
The Western Michigan Broncos celebrated their 2025 NCAA National Championship with a banner-raising ceremony before the regular-season home opener against Ferris State last Thursday. But the Bulldogs upset the defending champions by a final score of 3-2. Sophomore left wing Ty Henricks was credited with two shots on goal, one face-off win and a plus-1 rating for Western Michigan.
In the rematch, Henricks recorded five shots on goal with a minus-1 rating during a 6-4 victory Friday night. Western Michigan dropped out of the top spot to second in both the USCHO.com poll and USA Hockey polls. The Broncos head east this weekend, travelling to Massachusetts for a series against UMass-Lowell.
Rangers 2024 first-round pick EJ Emery makes season debut for North Dakota
Photo credit: Jim Cerny
After sitting out the first game of the season due to injury, 2024 first round pick EJ Emery made his season debut for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Sunday in a 5-2 victory over St. Thomas. The sophomore defenseman recorded one shot on goal, one blocked shot and had a plus-1 rating. Emery was called for a cross-checking minor in the first period. North Dakota rose to eighth in both the USCHO.com Poll and USA Hockey poll this week. The Fighting Hawks host Minnesota for two games this weekend.
Michigan State defenseman Sean Barnhill recorded his first career NCAA point with an assist during a 4-3 loss to New Hampshire on Thursday night. The freshman blueliner had two blocked shots and a minor penalty for cross-checking in the first period, and a plus-1 rating. Friday night, Barnhill recorded three shots on goal and had a plus-1 rating in a 2-0 victory over New Hampshire. The Spartans take on the top ranked team in the USCHO.com and USA Hockey Poll, Boston University, this weekend.
Junior defenseman Drew Fortescue doubled his goal total for the season Thursday night, scoring an empty-netter in a 3-1 victory for Boston College over Minnesota. Fortescue recorded two shots on goal along with two blocked shots and a plus-2 rating. The third-round pick by the Rangers in 2023 recorded four shots on goal and three blocked shots in a a 2-2 tie Friday night. Boston College is ninth in both the USCHO.com poll, and USA Hockey poll. The Eagles next game is against the RPI Engineers on Friday.
Senior captain Brody Lamb scored one goal on two shots for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in that 3-1 loss to Boston College. With just over one minute remaining in the first period, and his team already trailing, Lamb ripped a shot from the right circle through a screen and just under the crossbar for his third goal of the season.
Lamb finished the game with a minus-1 rating and recorded one face-off win. The next night, Lamb was credited with five shots on goal, two blocked shots, and won one of two face-offs. Through four games, Lamb has four points and 11 shots on goal. Minnesota dropped one spot in the USCHO.com poll to 13th, and fell two spots to 14th in the USA Hockey poll, heading into their next game against North Dakota.
