The pause in the 2023-24 season is a chance to take a step back and take stock of what M2 has accomplished and also at what lies ahead. In their final ranking before the pause, the American Collegiate Hockey Association ranked the University of Utah M2 Utes at 20th in the West.
In earlier rankings, the Utes didn’t crack the top-20 of the western rankings. In the Beehive Showcase, M2 lost 3 out of 4 games in as many days, including a heartbreaking shootout loss to the University of Providence. Since then though, Utah mounted a three game win streak, beating Cal State University Northridge in a physical and hectic game, and then sweeping Western Washington University on home ice (Utah scored 25 goals in 120 minutes). This little streak was much-needed and gave the boys something to be happy about going into the break.
Utah’s Divisional Measuring Stick
M2 holds a 12-10-1 record through 23 games, a points percentage of .522, totaling 36 points. There are 53 Division 2 teams in the West, so 20th is nothing to sneeze at. The only other PAC-8 team in the top-20 is the University of Washington (15-1-1) at 19th. They also lead the PAC-8 division with an impressive 45 points. They took down Utah in the PAC-8 Championship last year and they will prove to be the Utes’ biggest opponent once again this year. In 7 less games than Utah, the Huskies have posted 2 more goals and allowed 49 fewer goals (a goal differential of +71). UW is a seriously good team and their position in the rankings should act as a challenge for the Utes, who should aim to surpass them in the rankings and conquer them within divisional play. Utah picked up a shootout win and a 4-3 loss on their trip to Seattle in late October.
Old Friends
The Western rankings include a handful of teams the Utes have already faced this season: Montana State (1st), University of Providence (2nd), Utah State (3rd), Weber State (5th), University of Montana (12th), Boise State (13th), and of course UW (19th).
The Utes have wins against Boise State, Utah State, and Washington, proving that when they’re on their game, they can compete with teams ranked well ahead of them.
M2 by the Numbers
Coming off of two high scoring wins to end the season, 14-6 and 11-3, Utah’s goal differential is at +20 on the year, averaging 4.7 goals per game. A player that has been very reliable to find the back of the net this season and help his teammates do the same has been Maxwell Hove. He has racked up 15 goals and 20 apples (1.59 ppg) over the first part of the season, scored shorthanded, and notched multiple hat-tricks. Hove has great chemistry with Keegan Torrey, who has the second-most points on the team with 26. It is indisputable that the team finds themselves in the sin-bin all-too often, with 431 PIMS to prove it. That is a troubling average of 18.74 minutes a game, though they aren’t all minors. Leading the charge in PIMS is defenseman Donovan O’Shea, with 70. That’s not to say that all he does is get escorted to the box though, he does it all. He has 9 goals, 10 helpers, somehow more hits than penalty minutes, and does a great job facilitating the power play. Most importantly they are a fun team to watch, goals, scrums, and intensity are aplenty.
Looking Ahead
The West is full of good teams and it will take a lot of legwork for Utah to climb in these rankings, especially seeing as they have already played 23 games, more than most. Taking into account the bevy of competition in the region should only make the Utes feel better about their play and tell them that they can hang with those ranked ahead of them. To open up the back nine of the season M2 will head to sunny southern California to take on USC (3-10-1) for two games. They’ll then return home for matches with Utah Valley (3-13-2), Washington State (6-9-0-2), and Eastern Washington University (11-12). Following those games will be The Wasatch Cup in Ogden, the PAC-8 Championships, and ACHA Regionals.
Full rankings can be found here.
Full standings can be found here.
| Rank | Team | M2 Record (W/L/OTL) | Previous Ranking |
| 1 | Montana State University | 22-2-0 | 1 |
| 2 | University of Providence | 11-4-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Utah State University | 13-8-2 | 4 |
| 4 | Loyola Marymount University | 14-4-1 | 6 |
| 5 | Weber State University | 10-9-1 | 5 |
| 6 | MSU-Denver | 12-5-1 | 7 |
| 7 | Dakota College | 6-8-2 | 3 |
| 8 | Southern Methodist University* | 11-2-0 | 8 |
| 9 | Arizona State University | 10-8-1 | 12 |
| 10 | Grand Canyon University | 11-7-0 | 10 |
| 11 | Northern Arizona University | 8-6-0 | 11 |
| 12 | University of Montana | 14-11-0 | 13 |
| 13 | Boise State University | 13-5-2 | 9 |
| 14 | University of Texas* | 11-3-3 | 14 |
| 15 | University of Denver | 9-4-0 | 15 |
| 16 | UCLA | 12-3-0 | 16 |
| 17 | East Texas Baptist University | 14-7-1 | 18 |
| 18 | Texas A&M | 6-12-1 | 17 |
| 19 | University of Washington | 15-1-1 | 19 |
| 20 | University of Utah | 12-10-1 | NR |