Let’s Play Hockey has announced the five finalists for the 2018 Mike Richter Award, which honors the most outstanding goaltender in NCAA men’s hockey. The fifth annual award will be presented at the 2018 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in St. Paul, on Friday, April 6.

Matthew Galajda • Cornell • Freshman
The ECAC Goalie and Rookie of the Year and an All-ECAC First Team selection, Matthew Galajda led the Big Red to the ECAC regular season championship while leading the conference in goals-against average (1.49), shutouts (9) and winning percentage (.815). A native of Aurora, Ont., he posted a 21-4-2 overall record and ranks first in the nation in goals-against average, shutouts and winning percentage, third in save percentage (.940) and tied for seventh in wins. The freshman netminder played over 83 percent of Cornell’s minutes, allowing two goals or less 21 times. Galajda stopped 30 or more shots in four games this season, and posted a .930 or better save percentage in 17 games. A Hobey Baker Award top 10 finalist, Galajda is a hotel administration major at Cornell.

Tanner Jaillet • Denver • Senior
The reigning Mike Richter Award winner, Tanner Jaillet, added more hardware this season, earning NCHC Goaltender of the Year and All-NCHC First Team honors while backstopping Denver to second place in the NCHC. The senior led the conference in save percentage (.929), goals-against average (1.85) and wins (21, tied with UMD’s Hunter Shepard). The native of Red Deer, Alberta., owns a 21-8-7 record and ranks fifth in the nation in goals-against average, tied for fifth in shutouts (5), seventh in save percentage and wins, and ninth in winning percentage (.681). Jaillet has posted six games with 30 or more saves and has notched a .930 or better save percentage in 22 games this season. The three-time NCHC Goalie of the Week has played over 91 percent of the Pioneers’ minutes this season and has allowed two goals or less 25 times. Jaillet is a real estate & built environment major at Denver.

Cale Morris •  Notre Dame • Sophomore
Cale Morris backstopped the second-ranked Fighting Irish to a runaway win of the Big Ten regular season championship while leading the conference in save percentage (.946), goals-against average (1.92), shutouts (4, tied with MSU’s John Lethemon), wins (24), winning percentage (.766) and saves (1,089). The Big Ten Player and Goalie of the Year owns a 24-7-1 record and ranks first in the nation in save percentage, wins and saves, third in winning percentage, seventh in goals-against average, tied for 12th in shutouts and 18th in minutes played (1937:47). A native of Larskpur, Colo., Morris has allowed two goals or less 23 times and has posted a .930 or better save percentage in 25 games. He has stopped 30 or more shots in 23 games this season, including a career-high 55-save performance in a 2-2 tie at Penn State on Feb. 3. A Hobey Baker Award top 10 finalist, Morris is a business major at Notre Dame.

Colton Point • Colgate • Sophomore
Colton Point is a member of the ECAC All-Conference Second Team and was a finalist for both the ECAC Player and Goaltender of the Year Awards. A native of North Bay, Ont., Point posted a 16-12-5 record and ranks second in the nation in save percentage (.944) and goals-against average (1.74), fourth in shutouts (6), eighth in saves (982) and 15th in minutes played (1997:05). In backstopping Colgate to a fifth-place tie in the ECAC, Point posted 17 games with 30 or more saves, including a career-high 51-save effort in a 2-0 win at Harvard on Jan. 27. Point earned a .930 or better save percentage in 25 games this season and was 5-4-6 in one-goal games on the year. A Hobey Baker Award top 10 finalist, Point is a fifth-round selection by the Dallas Stars in the 2016 NHL Draft and has not yet declared a major at Colgate.

Cayden Primeau • Northeastern • Freshman
An All-Hockey First Team selection and finalist for the league’s Rookie of the Year, Cayden Primeau led the Huskies to second place in Hockey East while leading the conference in goals-against average (1.88), save percentage (.932) and winning percentage (.694). A native of Voorhees, N.J., he posted a 19-7-5 overall record and ranks sixth in the nation in goals-against average, save percentage and winning percentage, tied for 12th in shutouts (4) and 13th in wins. The freshman netminder played nearly 86 percent of the Huskies’ minutes, allowing two goals or less 21 times. Primeau stopped 30 or more shots in eight games this season, including a career-high 38 in a 5-2 win vs. Boston University on Feb. 12. The three-time Hockey East Rookie of the Week, two-time Goaltender of the Month and National Rookie of the Month for December honoree posted a .930 or better save percentage in 18 games. A seventh-round selection by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL Draft, Primeau is a general studies major at Northeastern.

The finalists combine for a 1.78 goals-against average, a .938 save percentage and a grade-point average of 3.08.

The 2018 Mike Richter Award will be presented at ESPN’s #CawlidgeHawkey event at Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub (258 7th St W, St Paul, MN 55102) on Friday, April 6 (7:15 p.m.), featuring John Buccigross, Barry Melrose and Mike Richter. Fans are encouraged to attend the event, which will feature a Q&A, giveaways, autographs and lots of college hockey talk. 

Candidates for the Mike Richter Award were determined by nominations from all 60 NCAA Division I men’s hockey head coaches. The finalists and winner are selected by a committee of coaches, scouts and members of the media.

Past winners: 2017 Tanner Jaillet (Denver), 2016 Thatcher Demko (Boston College), 2015 Zane McIntyre (North Dakota), 2014 Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell)

NOTES: There are three Canadians and two Americans among the finalists • Conference breakdown: ECAC 2, Big Ten 1, Hockey East 1, NCHC 1 • The finalists include one senior, two sophomores and two freshmen.