Minot, ND – With 40 current alum playing at the NCAA DI level it was inevitable that at least a few former Minotauros would be playing in the NCAA Tournament. As the first round kicks off tomorrow there are 10 player alumni and one alumni coach looking to claim the National Title in Tampa Bay on April 8th.
Allentown Regional
Penn State vs. Michigan Tech: Michigan Tech has a pair of Tauro alum, Kyle Kukkonen and Jed Pietila. Pietila’s tenure as a Tauro was a short four games in 2017-2018 before moving on to finish the season with Austin. He finished as the Bruins captain in 2019-2020 before heading to Tech. Kukkonen played for the Tauros in the 2020-21 season after which he was selected in the 6th round of the NHL draft by the Anaheim Ducks.
Michigan vs. Colgate: Neither Michigan nor Colgate have any Tauros alumni on the roster.
Bridgeport Regional
Harvard vs. Ohio State: Neither Harvard nor Ohio State have any Tauros alumni on the roster.
Quinnipiac vs. Merrimack: The only Tauro alum in the Bridgeport Regional is 2017-18 affiliate player Christopher Tellier of Quinnipiac.
Fargo Regional
Minnesota vs. Canisius: There are not any Tauros on Minnesota but Lincoln Erne and Grant Loven will suit up for Canisius, both were members of the 2018 Robertson Cup Final Tauros team.
St. Cloud State vs. Minnesota State: Spencer Meier who was an affiliate player for the Tauros during the 2016-17 season is captain of St. Cloud. Minnesota State boasts goaltender Keenan Rancier and Ondrej Pavel as well as former Goaltending Coach Cory Lonke. Lonke joined the Tauros staff in 2011 and remained on staff through the 2016-17 season. Rancier backstopped the 2020-21 Tauros to overtime of a decisive Game 5 against the record setting Wings including a 69 save double overtime win in Game 3. Pavel scored perhaps the biggest goal in Tauros history, an overtime game winner against Fairbanks to send the Tauros to the 2018 Robertson Cup Final.
Manchester Regional
Boston U. vs. Western Michigan: Wilmer Skoog of Boston is the only Tauro alum in this match-up. The Stockholm native and Tauro fan favorite posted 47 points in 57 games in the 2018-19 season.
Denver vs. Cornell: Denver’s Jared Wright, an affiliate player for the Tauros during the 2020-21 season is the only Tauro in this match-up.