Making the case for Corban Knight for Hobey Baker

Eric Classen / UND Athletics

If you’re a fan of college hockey, you will know that nominations for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award went out this week. You can find the initial list of names on the Hobeybakeraward.com website.

Like any other college hockey fan, I went to the Hobey Baker site to see the names that were listed in the fan voting. Perusing the names, I found a familiar name of a player that I have had the privilege of covering on a weekly basis, over the last year and a half; Corban Knight, Senior, Forward, North Dakota.

As I said in another article, I believe that Knight is a complete player, both on and off of the ice, and there is no reason why he shouldn’t be one of the Hobey Hat Trick (finalists) when it’s all said and done.

I stand by those comments. I am not the only one that is saying these things either.

Knight is an assistant captain for the University of North Dakota and he is a well-liked and respected on and off the ice, by his teammates and the coaching staff.  To a “T” when you ask his teammates – what they think about think him – they all give the same answers.

Corban Knight scores a goal during a recent game… Peter Bottini, UND Athletics

Recently Carter Rowney had to say about his fellow assistant caption.

“He’s a good guy,” Rowney said.  “He lives in the same building as me and everything. Great team player, everyone gets along with him – easy to get along with. Always positive, no matter what’s going on. He’s never down on himself, never down on anyone else, just a positive guy.”

Fellow senior, UND defenseman and Captain Andrew MacWilliams had this to say about Knight being nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

“That’s awesome,” MacWIlliam said.  “I mean he’s [Knight] a hell of a player and he’s a great guy.  I didn’t really know till yesterday, late yesterday. So, that was good to see. I mean, he’s had a great start to the season, I hope that he can keep that up.”

Corban Knight had this to say about him being nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

“It’s an honor just to be mentioned in the running for that,” Knight said. “But I mean, I don’t know personally, I don’t think I should be up for that. I think there are a couple of other guys a little more deserving than I am. But, like I said, it’s an honor to be up for it, but it’s a long way off, so I try not to get caught up in it too much.”

Corban Knight scores a goal during a recent game… Peter Bottini, UND Athletics

Knight was asked if the media is media blowing his hot streak and the Hobey nomination out of proportion.

“I have been saying it all along,” Knight said.  “I think that you guys are blowing everything out of proportion.  Like myself. But, I mean, I think the credit goes to our whole team as a whole. I think the last month and half, everybody on our team, all the way through has been playing exceptionally well. Like I said before, I think that I have been on the receiving end of a lot great plays by my line mates and by the rest of the team and I have been making some plays. My line mates have been burying a lot of really nice plays. So, I think it’s over blown, but that’s just my personal opinion.”

If you have been around Corban Knight for any amount of time, you will figure out that he seldom takes any credit for his accomplishments. Knight is the ultimate teammate and he’s very quick to give credit to his teammates for his personal success. UND head coach Dave Hakstol agrees.

“Corban’s a humble person,” Hakstol said.  “That’s one of the great qualities, that’s what makes him a great leader, such a presence in our looker room.”

Corban Knight in action against Holy Cross
Photo by Eric Classen / UND Athletics

Knight also does many good things off the ice as well. Recently, this is what the head coach Dave Hakstol had to say about his senior forward’s off ice activities.

“What you see is what you get,” Hakstol said. “He’s a great young man, always got a positive perspective. He always pays attention to how he treats people around him. He’s very cognizant of that. He’s always being a leader – not just in our locker room but in the community. He does an awful lot of things in the community that go unnoticed. He doesn’t do it with any fanfare – but he’s always willing to help out.”

While Corban Knight is a pretty solid guy off the ice, he’s one of the top players in the NCAA on the ice as well. Currently, Corban Knight is sitting third nationally in points per game as well as over-all points. During his career, UND is 34-2-2 when he scores a goal. Knight has eight multiple point this season and has scored two or more points in five straight games in a row.

Lastly, Corban Knight’s infectious personality rubs off on others and he does everything with a smile on his face. While winning the Hobey Baker Memorial Award would be a nice finish to an illustrious career, he’d probably trade it all in for UND’s eight NCAA title.

Cross posted at the Hockey Writers - Combine. 

Knight’s four points leads UND past Holy Cross 5-2

Grand Forks, ND – The last time the Holy Cross Crusaders came to town, they knocked off the top ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 2006 NCAA West Regional.

Tonight, history did not repeat itself as the Holy Cross Crusaders found the host team to be less than hospitable. UND handily beat the Crusader 5-2, in the opening game, of an important two game, nonconference series.

Coming into the weekend – fresh off being named National College Hockey Player of the Month – Corban Knight was sizzling, in fact he’s smoking hot right now. That hot streak would continue tonight.

How hot is Corban Knight?

The senior forward entered tonight’s game, against the Holy Cross Crusaders, riding a 13 game scoring streak. When the night was over, Knight would leave the building riding a torrid fourteen game scoring streak.  Breaking it down further, Knight has scored 10 points in the last three games (5g-5a—10pts) and has scored four points in two of the last three games that he has played in. Knight also has seven multi point games so far this season.

The Green and White much like the sizzling Knight, came out of the gates like a team possessed. UND would rush to a 3-0 in the first period, led by Knight’s two markers.  UND would out-shoot the Crusaders 18-4 in the first period.

I don’t’ think we can downplay Knight’s accomplishments; 14 game scoring streaks don’t happen very often in college hockey – per the UND Sports Information Director Jayson Hajdu; Corban Knight’s 14-game point streak is the longest in a decade for a UND hockey player.

After the game, Knight attempted to downplay his accomplishments and his current offensive streak.

“I have been on the good end of a lot of nice plays – by my line mates and other teammates,” Knight said. “It’s not just me, I think our whole team is playing well and I have been getting on the good end of some good plays.”

The senior forward Knight also thought that the focus on his hot streak might have been blown a bit out proportion, and it was more of his teammates also playing well. UND head coach Dave Hakstol had this to say about his senior forward’s modesty.

“Corban’s a humble person,” Hakstol said.  “That’s one of the great qualities, that’s what makes him a great leader, such a presence in our looker room.”

Knight on the fast start to the game for UND… “Yeah, I think that’s what our plan was,” Knight said. “Coming out after break, I think it’s important to try and get as much rust off as we could.  I think with the start we had – I think we’re all pretty happy with it – we came out and we were changing quick and getting everyone involved. “

UND head coach Dave Hakstol was also impressed with his team’s start to the game.

“It was the right start for us to get a couple of power play goals,” Hakstol said. “It was probably the ideal start for us. I thought a workman like 60 minutes.”

UND would continue the trashing in the second period, as they put two more goals behind the Holy Cross goaltender Matt Ginn to make the score 5-0.  UND outshot Holy Cross 10-6 in the second period.

The Crusaders would get two goals from Mike MaNamara and Castan Sommer in the third period to make the final score 5-2, but the game wasn't as close at the score would indicate. UND absolutely dominated the Crusaders through two and a half periods of hockey and might have let up a bit at the end of the game.

Tonight marked the return of sophomore forward Michael Parks. Parks had missed all but one period of hockey this season, due to a lower body injury.  Parks seemed relieved to play his first complete game, 19 games into the season.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to me to finally be back,” Parks said. “The first 15 to 20 minutes felt kind of slow and rusty. As I thought I would. I think I got back into by the second period.”

Parks played on a line with Danny Kristo and Knight and he enjoyed playing on that line.

“It’s a privilege to play with those two guys,” Parks said.  “I mean they’re pretty special players. With my first game back it made my job a lot easier, playing with guys like that. So definitely, I like playing with those guys.”

Tonight, was also the debut of junior forward Mitch MacMillan, who had to sit out for a year after transferring from Saint Cloud State. MacMillan played on a line with his brother Mark and Brendan O’Donnell. While Mitch didn't figure in on the score sheet, his speed and offensive prowess was noticeable.

Cross posted at The Hockey Writers - Combine...