1955–56 NCAA men's ice hockey season

The 1955–56 NCAA men's ice hockey season began in November 1955 and concluded with the 1956 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament's championship game on March 17, 1956 at the Broadmoor Ice Palace in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This was the 9th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held and is the 61st year overall where an NCAA school fielded a team.
Clarkson completed the first undefeated season, going 23-0, since the inception of the NCAA tournament. As of 2016 only Cornell (in 1970) has been able to accomplish the same feat.
==Regular season==
===Season tournaments===
Tournament 	Dates 	Teams	Champion
Boston Arena Christmas Tournament	December 26–31 	9 	Clarkson
Rensselaer Holiday Tournament 	December 30–January 2	4 	Minnesota
Beanpot 	February 6, 8 	4 	Boston College
===Standings===
==1956 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 	Clarkson 	23	27	38	65 	-
 	Senior 	Minnesota 	30	31	27	58 	102
 	Sophomore	Rensselaer 	18	26	32	58 	23
 	Junior 	Northeastern 	24	30	27	57 	-
 	Sophomore	Clarkson 	23	36	17	53 	-
 	Junior 	Michigan Tech 	28	29	23	52 	14
 	Freshman 	Colorado College	- 	27	25	52 	-
 	Junior 	North Dakota 	28	28	23	51 	24
 	Junior 	Colorado College	- 	24	26	50 	-
 	Sophomore	Harvard 	25	23	27	50 	-
===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
 	Junior 	Michigan Tech	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	.928	2.00
 	Senior 	St. Lawrence 	20	1049	16	4 	0 	37	4 	.912	2.12
 	Sophomore	Denver 	10	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	1 	.907	2.50
 	Sophomore	Clarkson 	23	1381	23	0 	0 	58	2 	- 	2.52
 	Sophomore	Minnesota 	24	1440	- 	- 	- 	67	0 	- 	2.80
 	Junior 	Rensselaer 	18	1088	12	6 	0 	56	2 	.892	3.09
 	Junior 	Michigan Tech	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	.895	3.13
 	Senior 	Yale 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	3.38
 	Junior 	North Dakota 	28	- 	11	16	1 	- 	2 	.862	3.96
==Awards==
===NCAA===
Award 	Award 	Recipient
Spencer Penrose Award (Coach of the Year) 	Spencer Penrose Award (Coach of the Year) 	Bill Harrison, Clarkson
Most Outstanding Player in NCAA Tournament	Most Outstanding Player in NCAA Tournament	Lorne Howes, Michigan
AHCA All-American Teams 	AHCA All-American Teams 	AHCA All-American Teams
First Team 	Position 	Second Team
Lorne Howes, Michigan 	G 	Bill Sloan, St. Lawrence
Bob Schiller, Michigan 	D 	Chuck Lundberg, St. Lawrence
Doug Silverberg, Colorado College 	D 	Art Smith, Clarkson
Garry Kearns, Rensselaer 	F 	Jack McManus, Michigan Tech
Bill MacFarland, Michigan 	F 	Ken Yackel, Minnesota
Ed Rowe, Clarkson 	F 	Ed Zifcak, St. Lawrence
===WIHL===
No Awards
All-WIHL Teams 	All-WIHL Teams 	All-WIHL Teams
First Team 	  Position  	Second Team
Lorne Howes, Michigan 	G 	Bob McManus, Michigan Tech
Ken Yackel, Minnesota 	D 	Ed Zemrau, Denver
Doug Silverberg, Colorado College	D 	Bob Pitts, Michigan
Bill MacFarland, Michigan 	F 	John Andrews, Colorado College
Bill Reichart, North Dakota 	F 	Tom Rendall, Michigan
Jack McManus, Michigan Tech 	F 	Clare Smith, Colorado College
==References==
==External links==
*College Hockey Historical Archives
*1955–56 NCAA Standings
 
NCAA