Bruins Prospect Ryan Walsh Impresses in NCAA Tournament

By: Tom Calautti | Follow me on Twitter @TCalauttis

The Cornell Big Red went into the NCAA tournament’s opening round game as underdogs against the vaunted Michigan State Spartans. The Spartans came into the big dance with a 26-6-4 record, a BIG TEN championship, and expectations of a National Championship. Unfortunately for them, Cornell and Ryan Walsh had other ideas.

Walsh notched two clutch goals in Thursday’s contest and helped propel the Big Red into college hockey’s version of the ‘elite eight.’ His first tally came late in the first period with Cornell trailing by a goal. Walsh showed off his prowess as a sniper, curling from the bottom of the right circle to the dot and snapping a shot off the post past Michigan State goalie Tre Augustine.

Then, with under eight minutes remaining in the third, Cornell stared down a one-goal deficit. Forward Ben Robertson maneuvered around a check and fired a tight-angle shot on goal. It rebounded to the slot, and Walsh buried the loose puck to tie the game. Big Red forward Sullivan Mack scored with ten seconds remaining, and the ECAC champs completed the upset over the heavily favored Spartans.

Anyone watching Cornell hockey this season will tell you that Walsh’s clutch performance is no surprise. The 21-year-old sophomore center is the metaphorical ‘straw that stirs the drink’ in Ithaca, NY, leading the team in goals (16) and points (30) and tied for the lead in assists this season.

The Boston Bruins selected Walsh with the 183rd pick in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, after posting an impressive 30-49-79 in 61 USHL games as a member of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. The Rochester, NY, native registered 12-10-22 in 35 games as a freshman, and has gone on to shatter those numbers in his second NCAA season.

Walsh’s clutch play extends back to the ECAC tournament, where the Big Red needed to win out to earn an invite to the NCAA tourney. They took on the twelfth-ranked Quinnipiac Bobcats in the conference semifinals, where Walsh notched two assists (including one on the game-winner) en route to a 3-2 overtime victory. He then potted the game-sealing empty-net goal in the championship game against Clarkson.

The shot-first center has been a revelation this season and has undoubtedly shot himself up the Bruins’ prospect ranking list. Walsh’s ability to generate offense, utilize his shot, and drive play make him one of Boston’s more interesting scoring talents. His 30 points are four more than the next closest scorer on his team (Dalton Bancroft with 26). The fact that Cornell has been one of college hockey’s eight best teams, while relying heavily on the playmaking and finishing of Walsh, bodes well for his potential at the next level.

Walsh and the Big Red will face Boston University tonight, with a ticket to the Frozen Four at stake. Fans can watch the game at 4:00 PM on ESPNU or ESPN+.