St. Norbert College @ Adrian College Men’s Hockey – 2025). (Photo by Mike Dickie)
#6 Adrian College Bulldogs (14-5-0) at #5 St. Norbert College Green Knights (13-5-1)
Friday & Saturday – January 30 / 31 – 7pm / 4pm CT
St. Norbert leads all-time series 19-16-0
This week in Division III features a marquee matchup that’s hard to overlook. The #6 Adrian College Bulldogs travel to De Pere, Wisconsin, to face the #5 St. Norbert Green Knights in a two-game series at the Cornerstone Community Center. Puck drop is scheduled for Friday at 7 PM CT and Saturday at 4 PM CT.
St. Norbert holds the all-time edge in this great rivalry at 19–16-0 and enters the weekend riding a three-game winning streak. This series carries added weight for both programs, as each remains firmly in the at-large bid conversation. With little margin for error down the stretch, both teams will need high-quality wins should they fall short of claiming the Harris Cup in March. These two programs are no strangers to high-stakes hockey, having met previously in the Harris Cup Final. Adrian currently sits atop the NCHA standings, while St. Norbert is tied with Aurora for second place.
Behind the benches, the matchup also features a notable storyline, as Adrian head coach Adam Phillips is still searching for his first victory against St. Norbert head coach Tim Coghlin, entering the weekend 0-3-0 in the head-to-head coaching matchup. Phillips of course has wins as an assistant coach under former head coach Adam Krug, but is yet to enter the win column against Coghlin as a HC.
Looking at the Bulldogs, Adrian comes into the series with a 14-5-0 record and clear separation between how they have performed against ranked and unranked opponents. The Bulldogs are 2-5-0 against ranked teams this season, with all four losses coming against NCHA rival #4 Aurora, while posting a perfect 12-0-0 mark against unranked opponents. Within conference play, Adrian has gone 10-2-0 and remains in first place in the NCHA standings.
Offensively, Adrian has been one of the most dangerous teams in the nation, scoring 97 goals in 19 games for an average of 5.1 goals per contest, which ranks third nationally. That production has been driven by junior Ian Amsbaugh, who currently leads Division III in points with 36 and paces the nation with 28 assists in just 19 games. Amsbaugh is already on track to surpass his previous career high of 40 points and enters the weekend riding a six-point streak. The Bulldogs also boast the nation’s leading defenseman in David Clarke, who has recorded 24 points from the blue line. Adrian’s offensive depth has made them difficult to contain, as they have been shut out just once all season.
Turning to the host Green Knights, St. Norbert enters the weekend at 13-5-1 overall and 9-2-1 in conference play. They are hoping to extend their current three-game winning streak and potentially jump into sole possession of first place in the NCHA standings with a sweep. Against ranked opponents, the Green Knights are 2-2-1 this season, including a split against Aurora and a ranked win over Trine University.
The foundation of St. Norbert’s success has been their goaltending, led by junior Hunter Garvey. Garvey was recently named one of the NCHA’s Three Stars of the Week after a dominant performance against Milwaukee School of Engineering, where he turned aside all 29 shots in a 9-0 shutout. On the season, Garvey has appeared in 17 games, allowing just 36 goals while posting a 2.12 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. He has made 364 saves, holds a 12-4-1 record, and has recorded two shutouts, providing the Green Knights with steady play in net throughout conference competition.
While their backstop has been a one-man show, with Garvey starting all but two games, the Green Knights’ offense has been a well-oiled machine. St. Norbert has seen 23 different players record at least one point this season, including Garvey who notched his second career assist this season as every skater on the roster (22) has contributed offensively. Of those skaters, 21 have recorded multiple points, underscoring the depth throughout the lineup.
In what should be a tightly contested matchup, the defining question centers on whether Garvey and a St. Norbert defensive group that has been steady all season can slow down one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Adrian has shown the ability to overwhelm teams quickly, while the Green Knights have leaned on structure, goaltending, and experience to win close games against quality opponents. With Adrian still searching for signature wins outside of its series against Utica and with St. Norbert aiming to strengthen its at-large résumé assuming they need it, the stakes couldn’t be much higher as they always seem to be when these two meet.
With Aurora also strongly in the mix and the Harris Cup playoff race tightening, opportunities for statement wins are dwindling. Elite offense, proven goaltending, and conference positioning all converge in a rivalry that rarely disappoints.
The Bulldogs and Green Knights renew their rivalry this season on Friday night at 7 PM CT before closing the series Saturday afternoon at 4 PM CT at the Cornerstone Community Center in De Pere, Wisconsin.
