Freshman forward Ben Muthersbaugh’s impressive start speaks volumes in Union men’s hockey

November 4, 2024

Updated: November 4, 2024

SCHENECTADY — Union⁤ men’s hockey ‌team’s freshman‌ forward, Ben Muthersbaugh,‍ is a player who immediately‍ catches your ⁢attention.

His presence on⁣ the ice is undeniable. He has a knack for shooting the puck and setting‍ up his teammates for success. Off the ice, ‌Muthersbaugh is a⁤ humble individual who always puts his team first.

“I’m ‍an outgoing person,” ‌Muthersbaugh said. “But this isn’t⁣ an individual sport like tennis. It’s a team sport, and that’s the ⁤beauty of it. ⁣We’re all ⁤brothers, and it’s a family‍ here. One person can’t make a difference. It’s‌ a collective effort ⁤that brings success.”

Muthersbaugh prefers to let his performance on the ice do‍ the talking.

Just seven games into his college hockey career, Muthersbaugh has already shown that he could be one of the ‍top players not only for ‍Union but also in the ⁣country. He leads the Garnet Chargers in scoring with six goals and seven⁣ assists. His 13 points⁢ are the ‌highest among freshmen in the country, and tied for fifth overall. Muthersbaugh leads Union in shots on goal (36), game-winning goals ‍(two, which came in the two-game series against RPI) and tied for the team lead in power-play goals (two). Muthersbaugh ⁢scored the first three goals ‍of his career and finished with five points in Union’s 6-2 win over Mercyhurst ‌on Oct. 18,⁢ and then had a two-assist game the next day in a ⁢3-2 victory over the Lakers.

Muthersbaugh’s performance is gaining recognition, both within ECAC Hockey and nationally.

He won back-to-back ECACH Rookie of the Week awards. The 6-foot, 190-pound Muthersbaugh was ‍named ECACH Forward of the Week after his performance against ⁤Mercyhurst. On Thursday, Muthersbaugh earned ECACH Forward of the ‍Month. ‌The next day, the Hockey Commissioners Association named him its Forward of the Month.

When asked about ‌the impact he has had on the Garnet Chargers⁣ so far, Muthersbaugh humbly deflected the credit.

“It’s‌ a testament to the guys in the room,” Muthersabaugh said. ‌“It’s a 28-man team effort. The credit goes⁤ all the way around the room and all the way, ⁢from the staff all ⁤the way down to [goalie] ⁣Kyle [Chauvette] in‍ net.”

Union senior forward and alternate captain ⁢Caden Villegas is‌ impressed with Muthersbaugh’s performance and how he has ⁤handled the attention.

“I⁢ have a lot of respect⁤ for Ben,” Villegas said. “He’s come in and⁤ made a significant impact on‌ our ⁤team. ‌He’s playing the game⁤ the right way. ⁣He’s not taking shortcuts. [The points are] ‌ coming ‍because he’s ‍being responsible in every area. We’re getting everything ⁤we⁣ want ‍out of him.⁢ We⁢ know he’ll keep⁣ it up.”

Union coach Josh Hauge and his coaching staff were‌ scouting Muthersbaugh when he⁤ was playing⁢ for the‌ New Jersey Junior⁢ Titans ‍of the North American Hockey League in 2022-23. He had 21 goals and 19 assists in 58 games.

“What attracted us to him was the way he ⁤shoots the puck,” Hauge said. “He has an‍ incredible release. He’s ⁢a threat ‍from anywhere in the‌ zone.⁣ Plus, he’s a big guy with a lot of potential for‌ growth.”

This could be a cause for concern for the rest of the ECACH.

“You recruit based on a player’s current ability, and then you consider⁤ what ‍their potential could be,” Hauge said. “We knew he had a ⁣solid foundation, ⁤but there was a lot still to develop. That was what we were excited about.”

Muthersbaugh was drafted by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League. He missed the‌ first half of the season due to an injury. He played in 30 games and had nine goals and seven assists.

“He did ‌a fantastic job for us,” Cedar Rapids general manager and head ⁢coach Mark Carlson said in a telephone interview. “I don’t think he started playing⁣ games until January. ⁣He came in and got acclimated and ⁢did a fantastic ⁢job. It would have been great ‍to have ⁣him for the whole ⁢season, but we’re still fortunate that we had him⁤ for the⁣ time that we did.”

Carlson is⁢ impressed with Muthersbaugh’s start at Union.

“I’m really happy for⁣ him,” Carlson said. “He worked‌ really hard when he was here. I thought he would go to Union and be a very good player. To sit and say that he would have those ⁤kinds of points, I could not have predicted ‍that, ‍but I’m thrilled⁣ for him and thrilled for Coach Hauge and the team.”

As for Muthersbaugh’s shooting skills,⁢ his first power-play goal early in the first period of Union’s 6-3⁤ win at RPI on Oct. 25 was a sight to behold. While in the slot, he jumped to keep an RPI clearing pass in the zone. He dropped the puck at his feet, and then fired ⁢a slap‌ shot that rang‍ loudly ‌off⁤ the post to the right of goalie Jack Watson and went in the net.

His ⁣second power-play goal late in the‌ second period ⁢was equally impressive, giving Union a 4-3⁣ lead.

“When he scored the second one, me and ‘Benzie’ [forward Ethan Benz] looked at each other on the bench, and ‘Benzie’ goes, ‘He’s going to play in the NHL one ⁤day,’” Union junior forward Colby MacArthur said after that game. “I have no doubt he will with that shot.”

As for his NHL aspirations, Muthersbaugh isn’t worried about that at the moment. He has other priorities.

“I’m a freshman in ⁣college,” Muthersbaugh said. “Only time will tell, and there’s a long road ahead.”

UNION MAKES TOP-20⁢ POLL

The Garnet Chargers have⁢ made it into the top 20 in one of the ⁤two‍ national college‌ hockey polls on Monday.

Union ‍is ranked 20th in the USA Hockey/The Rink⁤ Live poll. It earned 51 points. Last week, the Garnet Chargers had the ⁤second-most points among other teams receiving ⁤votes.

For the second consecutive week, Union just missed out on making the⁢ USCHO.com poll. Once again, Union had the ‌most points ‌among ‍other teams receiving votes with 75 points.

Jack Sullivan

Jack Sullivan, an informed and passionate sports reporter, is a former college athlete with a degree in Sports Communication from Ithaca College. Go Bombers!