On Wednesday, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference announced its Preseason All-Conference team, and University of North Dakota junior goalie Zane McIntyre (Boston) was selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. McIntyre was the lone unanimous selection on the Preseason All-Conference team.
If you’re not familiar with McIntyre, he is one the top returning goalies in the NCHC. McIntyre is also the leagues reigning GAA champion.
While it doesn’t hurt that McIntyre has one of the best D-corps in the NCHC backing him up, he also has the statistics to back up his selection.
Preseason honors are great, but I would imagine that McIntyre would trade it for an NCAA title at the end of the season. Nonetheless, his selection to the NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team is well deserved. Below is the league announcement
Completing the Preseason All-NCHC Team is McIntyre, who garnered NCHC Honorable Mention as a sophomore. McIntyre compiled a conference-best 1.99 goals-against average a season ago, while posting a .926 save percentage and went 20-10-3 between the pipes with the 20 wins tying for the league lead. (NCHC Hockey)
Here’s how the NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team voting played out. McIntyre received the most votes of any player on the Preseason All-Conference Team.
NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team
F – Austin Czarnik, Miami, Sr. – 23 votes
F – Jonny Brodzinski, St. Cloud State, Jr. – 19 votes
F – Riley Barber, Miami, Jr. – 12 votes
D – Joey LaLeggia, Denver, Sr. – 19 votes
D – Jaccob Slavin, Colorado College, So. – 13 votes
G – Zane McIntyre, North Dakota, Jr. – 25 votes (unanimous)
McIntyre saved his best for end of the season
If you followed McIntyre’s play last season, it shouldn’t come as a shock to you that he was selected unanimously to the Preseason All-Conference team.
Last season, McIntyre was one of the top goalies in the NCHC, finishing first in GAA (1.99), and tied for first in wins with 20. McIntyre also finished second in save percentage (.926) and winning percentage (.652).
If that doesn’t impress you, McIntyre also finished fifth in the nation with his 1.99 GAA, and tied for 13th with a .926 save percentage.
Ultimately, McIntyre saved his best for the end of the season; giving up two goals or less in 10 of his last 11 starts.
McIntyre’s strong play helped UND win a Midwest Regional Championship. In the Midwest Regional final against the Ferris State, McIntyre was impressive stopping a career-high 44-shots. UND would win the game 2-1 in double-overtime, sending UND to the Frozen Four. During the NCAA playoffs, McIntyre had a 2-1 record, a 1.48 GAA and a .948 save percentage.
The future looks very bright for the UND hockey team with McIntyre between the pipes. Finally, I don’t see any reason he can’t improve on last season’s performance.