Men's Ice Hockey

Harris Cup semifinals preview

The road to the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) 2026 Harris Cup Championship goes through Adrian and De Pere this weekend. While the Adrian Bulldogs have already secured the Peters Cup (the regular-season title), the high-stakes single-elimination semifinals will determine who advances to the championship game with a ticket to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
 
Team Highlights

No. 1 Adrian Bulldogs (20-6-1, 14-3-1 NCHA)
The Bulldogs are the reigning regular-season champions, securing their 15th Peters Cup title under NCHA Coach of the Year Adam Phillips. Adrian features the league's most prolific offense, averaging 5.07 goals per game. They are led by junior forward Ian Amsbaugh, the NCHA Player of the Year, who leads all of NCAA Division III in assists at 1.33 per game. Alongside him, Patrick Saini (18 goals) and Bradley Somers (36 points) provide a veteran scoring punch that is nearly impossible to contain at Arrington Ice Arena, where they boast a 13-1-0 home record. In net, Ryan Piros leads the conference with a 1.83 goals-against average, providing the backbone for a team that outscored league opponents 91-31.

No. 2 St. Norbert Green Knights (19-6-2, 13-3-2 NCHA)
The Green Knights enter the weekend with the momentum of a dominant quarterfinal sweep of Concordia Wisconsin, highlighted by an 8-1 victory and a four-power-play-goal performance. St. Norbert is built on a "playoff-ready" foundation of physicality and veteran goaltending from Hunter Garvey (1.99 GAA). The offense is balanced and dangerous, featuring Logan Dombrowsky, Calvin Hanson, Ethan Byrne and All-Freshman selection Braydon Beahm. Having won the Harris Cup Championship in 2025 over rival Adrian, the Green Knights possess a  championship pedigree and have proven they can win the tight, low-scoring games that define late February hockey.

No. 3 Trine Thunder (18-7-2, 12-4-2 NCHA)
The Thunder reach their fifth-straight Harris Cup semifinal after a thrilling overtime series win against Marian. Trine’s rise to national prominence (No. 11 in the latest USCHO poll) has been fueled by Co-Freshman of the Year Brody Simko, who tallied 33 points and 22 assists. The Thunder feature a veteran defensive corps and a tandem in net with Kyle Kozma and Peyton Grainer. Trine’s latest statement win of the season came in the regular-season finale, where they defeated rival Adrian, 3-2, proving they have the speed and discipline to win the Harris Cup.

No. 4 Aurora Spartans (22-4-1, 13-4-1 NCHA)
Despite being the No. 4 seed, the Spartans actually finished with the most overall wins this season (22). Aurora is a statistical anomaly as an underdog; they swept the season series against No. 1 Adrian (6-4 and 1-0 OT), making them the only team in the conference to truly have the Bulldogs' number this year. Led by Hassan Akl (37 points) and goal-scorer Jakson Kirk (league-leading 18 goals), the Spartans play a high-octane transition game. The Spartans lead the NCHA with a 28.9 power-play percentage and 35 extra-man goals. Goaltender Matt O'Donnell is the statistical leader in save percentage (.926), and his ability to withstand high shot volumes makes Aurora the most dangerous No. 4 seed in recent tournament history.
 

Previous Harris Cup Matchups
The semifinals feature two rematch storylines that add significant weight to these pairings:
  • Adrian vs. Aurora: In the 2025 semifinals, the roles were reversed. Aurora was the No. 1 seed and Adrian was the No. 4 seed. The Bulldogs pulled off a stunning 2-0 upset on the Spartans’ home ice to advance.
  • St. Norbert vs. Trine: This is the third-straight year these two have met in the semifinals. St. Norbert won the 2025 matchup, 6-1, and the 2024 matchup, 4-3 in overtime. Trine is looking to finally break through against a Green Knights program that has historically stood in their way of a title.
     

Keys to Victory

No. 1 Adrian Bulldogs
  • Solve the O'Donnell Puzzle: Aurora's Matt O'Donnell has a .940 save percentage against Adrian this season. The Bulldogs must use their league-leading 39.04 shots per game to create rebound goals rather than looking for the perfect cross-crease pass. This should help with their conference-best 5.07 goals per game average.
  • Special Teams Discipline: Adrian’s power play is efficient (26.1 percent), but they struggled against Aurora’s penalty kill. In the two conference meetings back in mid-November, the Bulldogs were a combined 0-for-14 with a man advantage. They must find the back of the net to gain the momentum.
  • The Amsbaugh Effect: Ian Amsbaugh needs to facilitate the transition game early. When he records 2+ assists, Adrian is undefeated (9-0-0).
No. 2 St. Norbert Green Knights
  • Controlling Possession: St. Norbert is efficient at posessing the puck off the faceoff, ranking second in the league with a 55.1 faceoff win percentage. They’ll lean on Braden Lindstrom (61.0 percent) and Black Ulve (59.9 percent), who are some of the best faceoff men when the puck drops.
  • Special Teams Advantage: St. Norbert scored four power-play goals in its last outing against Concordia Wisconsin. The power-play unit must continue that momentum against Trine, who ranks as the best penalty-kill unit in the league (89.9 percent).
  • Hunter Garvey’s Experience: Garvey has played in the last two Harris Cup Championships. His composure in a single-elimination setting is an edge for the Green Knights.
No. 3 Trine Thunder
  • Simko’s Creativity: The NCHA Co-Freshman of the Year must find space agains St. Norbert's All-NCHA defenders. Trine is 7-0-1 when Simko records multiple points.
  • Lockdown Mode: Trine has excelled on the penalty kill this season, leading the NCHA at 89.9 percentage. Since the calendar flipped to 2026, the Thunder have allowed a power-play goal in just three of the last 15 games.
  • Special Teams Rebound: Trine went 0-for-4 on the power play in their last two games against St. Norbert. They must convert to offset St. Norbert's offensive depth.
No. 4 Aurora Spartans
  • Weather the First 10 Minutes: Adrian typically scores within the first 10 minutes at home. If Aurora can keep it 0-0 or lead after the first, the pressure shifts equally.
  • Matt O'Donnell's Peak: Historically, a goalie needs to make 35+ saves to beat Adrian in the playoffs. O'Donnell has defeated the Bulldogs twice already and needs one more memorable performance. In the two victories over the Bulldogs he combined for 61 saves.