1949–50 Colorado College Tigers men's ice hockey season

The 1949–50 Colorado College Tigers men's ice hockey team represented the Colorado College in intercollegiate college ice hockey during the 1949–50 NCAA men's ice hockey season. The head coach was Cheddy Thompson and the team captain was Milo Yalich. The team won the 1950 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. The team's leading scorer was Harry Whitworth, who finished third in the nation with 60 points. 
==Season==
Colorado College entered the 1949–50 season looking for a bit of redemption after they lost their first three NCAA tournament games over the previous two seasons. With returning senior Milo Yalich named as team captain, the team opened on the road against the Wichita All-Stars before hosting the same team the following week. The first game was a close affair, with the Tigers winning 5–4 but the next three matches were easily won by Cheddy Thompson's team. The Tigers stayed at home until mid-January and used that advantage to win their first 10 games of the season. The visiting UBC Thunderbirds spoiled their perfect record, handing the Tigers their first two losses of the year but that series was sandwiched between two weekends against the brand new Denver program that was hopelessly outmatched by Colorado College. CC took all four games against their future rival by a combined score of 50–4. After splitting two games during a trip up to Minnesota the Tigers met their biggest competition in the west, the Michigan Wolverines. 
CC had lost five of their previous six meetings against the Wolverines and hadn't beaten Michigan since 1946. In the first game Michigan shut down the high-powered CC offense, holding the Tigers to a season-low one goal in a 5–1 CC loss. The next day turned out even worse for the Tigers when they were trounced by Michigan 11–1. The bitter taste of those two losses remained in the team's mouth for two weeks but once they returned to the ice the team was able to take some of their frustration out on Minnesota, winning two games to end the regular season. While Michigan had the best record by far, Colorado College and North Dakota were in contention for the second western seed. While their two records were very similar (15–6–2 vs. 16–5–1) the series the two played against one another ended in CC's favor and was likely the deciding factor in sending the Tigers back to the NCAA tournament.
The Tigers welcomed Boston College in the semifinal and, after BC opened the scoring early in the first, Colorado College produced what was then the most lopsided victory in tournament history. The Tigers' Carl Lawrence gave the team its first lead and then proceeded to score four more times before the game was over. Ron Hartwell, Tony Frasca, Chris Ray and Bill MacDonald also hit the net as CC rolled to a 10–3 win, their first tournament victory. In the championship game CC faced off against Boston University who were in their first season playing varsity ice hockey and led by the nation's leading scorer Jack Garrity. Once again the Tigers surrendered the first goal and went into the second period down 1–0. CC remained off the score sheet until about midway through the game when they notched two goals in the span of 18 seconds and followed it up with a third just over six minutes later. With the game close through two periods there was still hope for both teams but, when Ron Hartwell scored 52 seconds in, the championship appeared to be slipping away from BU. Chris Ray built the lead to 4 before future Hall of Famer Jack Kelley made the score 5–2. After that brief respite the CC offense went on a rampage and scored seven goals in just under 7 minutes of game time with all but one coming from different players. Three more goals were scored before the game ended but the outcome had already been decided and Colorado College skated away with their first National Championship.
CC set numerous records over the course of the season. With their 190 goals coming in only 24 games the team averaged just under 8 goals per game (7.91) which is the best rating in history for an NCAA champion (as of 2018). Colorado College twice broke the record for largest margin of victory in the NCAA tournament, winning 10–3 in their first game (+7) and 13–4 in their second (+9). As of 2018 the championship game has the second-widest margin (1961). The 13 goals CC scored in the championship set a record for most in any tournament game that was broken by Michigan in 1953 and remains a record for a championship game (tied with the 1957 CC team). The 23 goals scored in the tournament was a record that was not broken until the tournament expanded to at last double the number of games for a championship team, but still remains a record for any team in the Frozen Four. The +16 total goal differential is still a record for a single tournament that is shared by Michigan in 1953 and Wisconsin in 1983.
==Standings==
===Schedule===
During the season Colorado College compiled an 18–5–1 record, and was selected for the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive year.
 	 	 	 	 	 	
Dec. 9, 1949 	Wichita All-Stars	5–4 	Win 	 	Wichita, KS 	1–0
Dec. 10, 1949 	Wichita All-Stars	10–1 	Win 	 	Wichita, KS 	2–0
Dec. 16, 1949 	Wichita All-Stars	9–0 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	3–0
Dec. 17, 1949 	Wichita All-Stars	13–3 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	4–0
Dec. 22, 1949 	Saskatchewan 	6–3 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	5–0
Dec. 23, 1949 	Saskatchewan 	9–6 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	6–0
Dec. 29, 1949 	Brown 	12–7 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	7–0
Dec. 30, 1949 	Brown 	8–5 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	8–0
Jan. 6, 1950 	Denver 	16–0 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	9–0
Jan. 7, 1950 	Denver 	10–0 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	10–0
Jan. 13, 1950 	British Columbia 	4–8 	Loss 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	10–1
Jan. 14, 1950 	British Columbia 	3–5 	Loss 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	10–2
Jan. 21, 1950 	Denver 	14–1 	Win 	DU Arena 	Denver, CO 	11–2
Jan. 30, 1950 	Denver 	10–3 	Win 	DU Arena 	Denver, CO 	12–2
Feb. 3, 1950 	North Dakota 	8–5 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	13–2
Feb. 4, 1950 	North Dakota 	3–3* 	tie 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	13–2–1
Feb. 10, 1950 	Minnesota 	8–6 	Win 	St. Paul Auditorium 	Saint Paul, MN 	14–2–1
Feb. 11, 1950 	Minnesota 	2–4 	Loss 	Mayo Civic Center 	Rochester, MN 	14–3–1
Feb. 17, 1950 	Michigan 	1–5 	Loss 	Weinberg Coliseum 	Ann Arbor, MI 	14–4–1
Feb. 18, 1950 	Michigan 	1–11 	Loss 	Weinberg Coliseum 	Ann Arbor, MI 	14–5–1
Mar. 3, 1950 	Minnesota 	9–2 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	15–5–1
Mar. 4, 1950 	Minnesota 	6–1 	Win 	Broadmoor Ice Palace 	Colorado Springs, CO	16–5–1
NCAA TOURNAMENT	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT	NCAA TOURNAMENT	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT
March 16, 1950 	Boston College 	10–3 	Win 	Broadmoor World Arena	Colorado Springs, CO	17–5–1
March 18, 1950 	Boston University	13–4 	Win 	Broadmoor World Arena	Colorado Springs, CO	18–5–1
 	 	190–90 	 	 	 	18–5–1
* Denotes overtime periods
==Roster and scoring statistics==
No. 	Name	Year 	Position	Hometown 	S/P/C	Games	Goals	Assists	Pts	
 	 	Senior 	C 	Toronto, ON 	 	24 	25 	35 	60 	14
 	 	Junior 	F 	Belmont, MA 	 	24 	31 	13 	44 	19
 	 	Sophomore	RW 	Swan Lake, MB 	 	24 	28 	13 	41 	2
 	 	Sophomore	F 	Eveleth, MN 	 	– 	25 	5 	30 	30
 	 	Sophomore	LW 	Saskatoon, SK 	 	– 	5 	18 	23 	18
 	 	Senior 	D 	Buhl, MN 	 	– 	15 	7 	22 	26
 	 	Junior 	D 	Moose Jaw, SK 	 	– 	14 	7 	21 	27
 	 	Sophomore	F 	New Westminster, BC	 	– 	4 	11 	15 	12
 	 	Senior 	C 	New Haven, CT 	 	– 	4 	11 	15 	22
 	 	Senior 	LW 	Hamden, CT 	 	– 	4 	6 	10 	2
 	 	Freshman 	D 	Wellesley, MA 	 	– 	2 	6 	8 	19
 	 	Freshman 	D 	Waterloo, ON 	 	– 	4 	3 	7 	8
 	 	Junior 	F 	Rimbey, AB 	 	– 	3 	3 	6 	10
 	 	Sophomore	F 	Cambridge, MA 	 	24 	34 	– 	– 	10
 	 	Senior 	G 	Rochester, MN 	 	12 	– 	– 	– 	–
 	 	Sophomore	G 	Cambridge, MA 	 	6 	– 	– 	– 	–
 	 	Senior 	G 	Eveleth, MN 	 	4 	– 	– 	– 	–
Total	 	 	 	 	 	 	190 	 	 	
*The team scored 190 goals over the course of the season, however, there are 194 goals collectively attributed to the players. These extra goals may have come from the alumni game that officially counts as an exhibition game. 
==Goaltending Statistics==
No. 	Name	Games	Minutes	Wins	Losses	Ties	Goals Against	Saves	Shut Outs	 	
 	 	12 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–	–
 	 	6 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–	–
 	 	4 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–	–
Total	 	24 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–	–
==1950 National Championship==
=== (W2) Colorado College vs. (E2) Boston University ===
Scoring summary	Scoring summary	Scoring summary 	Scoring summary 	Scoring summary	Scoring summary
Period 	Team 	Goal 	Assist(s) 	Time 	Score
1st 	BU 	Joe Czarnotta 	Garrity 	6:16 	1–0 BU
2nd 	CC 	Harry Whitworth 	Starrak 	27:53 	1–1
2nd 	CC 	Carl Lawrence 	Frasca and Berry 	28:05 	2–1 CC
2nd 	CC 	Chris Ray 	Hartwell and Yalich 	34:27 	3–1 CC
3rd 	CC 	Ron Hartwell – GW 	unassisted 	40:52 	4–1 CC
3rd 	CC 	Chris Ray 	Whitworth 	45:26 	5–1 CC
3rd 	BU 	Jack Kelley 	Garrity 	46:47 	5–2 CC
3rd 	CC 	Harry Whitworth 	Ray and Hartwell 	49:49 	6–2 CC
3rd 	CC 	Chris Ray 	Whitworth 	51:20 	7–2 CC
3rd 	CC 	Ron Hartwell 	Whitworth and Ray 	51:34 	8–2 CC
3rd 	CC 	Tony Frasca 	Berry and MacDonald 	53:03 	9–2 CC
3rd 	CC 	Cameron Berry 	Frasca and MacDonald	53:18 	10–2 CC
3rd 	CC 	Jim Starrak 	unassisted 	56:15 	11–2 CC
3rd 	CC 	Chris Ray 	unassisted 	56:39 	12–2 CC
3rd 	BU 	Jack Garrity 	Kelley 	58:21 	12–3 CC
3rd 	CC 	Tony Frasca 	Lawrence 	58:29 	13–3 CC
3rd 	BU 	Bob Bell 	Robinson and Bradley	59:56 	13–4 CC
Penalty summary	Penalty summary	Penalty summary 	Penalty summary 	Penalty summary	Penalty summary
Period 	Team 	Player 	Penalty 	Time 	PIM
1st 	BU 	William Jurgelevich	 	 	2:00
1st 	BU 	Lloyd Robinson 	 	 	2:00
1st 	BU 	Jack Garrity 	 	 	2:00
1st 	CC 	Jim Starrak 	 	 	2:00
1st 	CC 	Milo Yalich 	 	 	2:00
1st 	CC 	Bud Eastwood 	 	 	2:00
2nd 	BU 	Jack Kelley 	 	 	2:00
2nd 	BU 	Joe Folino 	 	 	2:00
2nd 	BU 	Joe Czarnotta 	 	 	5:00
2nd 	CC 	Tony Frasca 	 	 	2:00
3rd 	CC 	Leonard Maccini 	 	 	2:00
3rd 	CC 	William MacDonald 	 	 	2:00
Shots by period 	Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period
Team 	1 	2 	3 	T
Colorado College 	10 	15 	18 	43
Boston University	9 	6 	11 	26
Goaltenders	Goaltenders 	Goaltenders	Goaltenders 	Goaltenders
Team 	Name 	Saves 	Goals against	Time on ice
CC 	Roy Ikola 	22 	4 	
BU 	Ralph Bevins	30 	13 	
Jim Starrak and Tony Frasca were named to the All-Tournament First Team while Roy Ikola and Ron Hartwell were on the All-Tournament Second Team
== See also ==
*1950 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
*List of NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament champions
== References ==
== External links ==
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Category:Colorado College Tigers men's ice hockey seasons
Category:NCAA men's ice hockey Frozen Four seasons
Category:NCAA men's ice hockey championship seasons
Colorado College 
Colorado College