1971–72 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season

The 1971–72 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey season began in November 1971 and concluded with the 1972 NCAA University Division Men's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on March 18, 1972 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. This was the 25th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held and is the 78th year overall where an NCAA school fielded a team.
This was the first year of play for the CCHA with former independents Ohio State and Saint Louis being joined by new programs from Bowling Green and Ohio.
Notre Dame joined the WCHA.
For the final time the ICAC awarded a trophy to the league champion.
==Regular season==
===Season tournaments===
Tournament 	Dates 	Teams	Champion
Christmas City of the North Tournament	November 25–27	4 	Lake Superior State
North Country Thanksgiving Festival 	November 25–27	4 	St. Lawrence
Cleveland Cup Invitational 	December 20–21	4 	Bowling Green
ECAC Holiday Hockey Festival 	December 20–21	4 	Notre Dame
ECAC Christmas Hockey Tournament 	December 21–22	4 	Boston University
Flint IMA Tournament 	December 28–29	4 	Michigan
Great Lakes Invitational 	December 28–29	4 	Michigan Tech
Rensselaer Holiday Tournament 	December 28–30	4 	Clarkson
Syracuse Invitational 	December 29–30	4 	Cornell
Bowdoin Invitational 	January 1–2 	4 	
Beanpot 	February 7, 14	4 	Boston University
===Standings===
==1972 NCAA Tournament==
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
==Player stats==
===Scoring leaders===
The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the season.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player	Class 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
 	Junior 	Air Force 	31	27	49	76 	33
 	Sophomore	Colorado College	32	32	40	72 	42
 	Senior 	Air Force 	31	39	31	70 	8
 	Sophomore	Denver 	37	32	37	69 	73
 	Sophomore	Bowling Green 	33	37	31	68 	-
 	Junior 	Michigan State 	35	32	35	67 	66
 	Sophomore	Denver 	38	27	38	65 	16
 	Senior 	Cornell 	29	20	43	63 	28
 	Senior 	New Hampshire 	30	29	33	63 	44
 	Senior 	New Hampshire 	29	21	41	62 	75
===Leading goaltenders===
The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average at the end of the regular season while playing at least 33% of their team's total minutes.
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player	Class 	Team 	GP	Min 	W 	L 	OT	GA	SO	SV% 	GAA
 	Freshman 	Wisconsin 	13	719 	8 	2 	1 	23	1 	.940	1.92
 	Senior 	Boston University	27	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	2.22
 	Senior 	Ohio State 	22	1280	19	- 	- 	48	4 	- 	2.25
 	Sophomore	Cornell 	28	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	.902	2.79
 	Sophomore	Wisconsin 	28	1578	22	6 	0 	81	0 	.900	3.08
 	Junior 	Bowling Green 	15	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	3.22
 	Senior 	Brown 	- 	1142	- 	- 	- 	63	0 	.888	3.31
 	Junior 	Clarkson 	17	980 	11	- 	- 	54	0 	.887	3.33
 	Junior 	Army 	25	1496	11	14	0 	85	1 	.904	3.41
 	Sophomore	Rensselaer 	21	1260	- 	- 	- 	72	1 	.898	3.43
==Awards==
===NCAA===
Award 	Award 	Recipient
Spencer Penrose Award (Coach of the Year) 	Spencer Penrose Award (Coach of the Year) 	John "Snooks" Kelley, Boston College
Most Outstanding Player in NCAA Tournament	Most Outstanding Player in NCAA Tournament	Tim Regan, Boston University
AHCA All-American Teams 	AHCA All-American Teams	AHCA All-American Teams
East Team 	  Position   	West Team
Dan Brady, Boston University 	G 	Jim Watt, Michigan State
Bob Brown, Boston University 	D 	Jeff Rotsch, Wisconsin
Steve Warr, Clarkson 	D 	Alan Hangsleben, North Dakota
John Danby, Boston University	F 	Bob Winograd, Colorado College
Larry Fullan, Cornell 	F 	Walt Ledingham, Minnesota-Duluth
Dave Hynes, Harvard 	F 	Doug Palazzari, Colorado College
 	F 	Tom Peluso, Denver
===ECAC===
Award 	Award 	Recipient
Player of the Year 	Player of the Year 	Bob Brown, Boston University
Rookie of the Year 	Rookie of the Year 	Don Cutts, Rensselaer
Most Outstanding Player in Tournament	Most Outstanding Player in Tournament	John Danby, Boston University
All-ECAC Hockey Teams 	All-ECAC Hockey Teams 	All-ECAC Hockey Teams
First Team 	  Position  	Second Team
Dan Brady, Boston University	G 	Don Cutts, Rensselaer
Bob Brown, Boston University	D 	Ric Jordan, Boston University
Steve Warr, Clarkson 	D 	Jim Higgs, Cornell
Gordie Clark, New Hampshire 	F 	John Danby, Boston University
Larry Fullan, Cornell 	F 	Dave Hynes, Harvard
Guy Smith, New Hampshire 	F 	Bob McManama, Harvard
===WCHA===
Award 	Award 	Recipient
Most Valuable Player	Most Valuable Player	Doug Palazzari, Colorado College
Freshman of the Year	Freshman of the Year	Alan Hangsleben, North Dakota
Coach of the Year 	Coach of the Year 	Jeff Sauer, Colorado College
All-WCHA Teams 	All-WCHA Teams 	All-WCHA Teams
First Team 	  Position  	Second Team
Jim Watt, Michigan State 	G 	Jim Makey, Wisconsin
Alan Hangsleben, North Dakota 	D 	Bob Boyd, Michigan State
Bob Winograd, Colorado College 	D 	Rick Wilson, North Dakota
Jim Cahoon, North Dakota 	F 	Walt Ledingham, Minnesota-Duluth
Doug Palazzari, Colorado College	F 	Bernie Gagnon, Michigan
Tom Peluso, Denver 	F 	Don Thompson, Michigan State
==References==
==External links==
*College Hockey Historical Archives
*1971–72 NCAA Standings
 
NCAA