Men’s Hockey: A season to remember for the Ice Bus

Even though the season fell short, the UConn men’s hockey team reached new heights and accomplishments in the 2024-25 season.

The Huskies finished with the most wins in program history after notching a 23-12-4 overall record. In those 23 wins, 12 were against ranked opponents. 

The Huskies showed strength across the ice this season, but one stat that made them stick out was their ability to score. The Huskies finished in the top 10 in the nation in goals scored. They even lead the country in short-handed goals, with nine in the season.  

Joey Muldowney was a standout player this season, particularly on offense. The sophomore forward played in all 39 games, leading the team with 29 goals, which was second amongst Hockey East scores and second amongst all Division I scores. Muldowney finished the season with 47 points—first on the Huskies team and a new program record for most points in a single season. Throughout the season, Muldowney notched three career hat tricks, including one at the Hockey East semi-final win over Boston University at TD Garden. 

Another huge moment for the Ice Bus came in January at the CT Ice Tournament. This year, Sacred Heart hosted the tournament in Fairfield, Conn. In the first round of the tournament, UConn defeated Quinnipiac as junior Ryan Tattle scored the game-winning goal with .5 seconds remaining, sending the Huskies to the championship game. The next day, UConn became the 2025 CT Ice Tournament Champions after emerging victorious 1-0 against Sacred Heart. Filip Sitar scored the lone goal of the game, and the Huskies’ defensive efforts were stellar. Junior goaltender Tyler Muszelik was named Most Outstanding Player of the game and landed on the All-Tournament team after making 23 saves in the championship game and 35 the night before. Tattle was also named to the All-Tournament Team of CT Ice. 

Last but certainly not least, the Ice Bus made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament by getting a bid into the Allentown Region as a No. 2 seed. In the tournament, the Huskies played two firing games, one against Quinnipiac and one against Penn State. UConn earned their first ever NCAA Tournament win in the first round with a 4-1 victory over Quinnipiac. The season ended with heartbreak in an overtime loss to Penn State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies left it all on the floor and were just moments away from making a Frozen Four appearance. 

Despite it all, the Ice Bus compiled one of the best seasons in UConn hockey history in the 2024-25 season. The team is filled with young star-studded players who made this year’s team special. Even though the team is losing captain Hudson Schandor, captain John Spetz, Nick Carabin and Hugh Larkin, most players are set to return next season. The Ice Bus is still in the midst of their transfer portal search and awaiting freshman arrivals for the upcoming season. However, this talented, youthful team is ready to win on the national stage. The future is bright for the Ice Bus, as they know what it takes to win. The Huskies have all hands on deck to run it back next season for even more victorious moments.