On the 47th episode of The CCHA Reporter's Corner, co-hosts Jared Rubado and Trent Singer talk with St. Thomas rookie forward Nathan Pilling.

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Pilling is one of 10 freshmen for the Tommies, who have won 10 in a row and are currently in control of the first-place spot in the CCHA standings with an overall record of 16-7-3.

With 23 points on 11 goals and 12 assists, Pilling has played a big part in UST's success in 2025-26. The 6-foot-4 attacker is tied for the team lead in shorthanded goals (three) and has recorded a pair of game-winning tallies on the season.

The Tommies have a 13-3-2 record in CCHA play, and with 42 league points, they enter the final eight games of their conference schedule with a five-point lead in the standings.

In this episode, Pilling talks about the reasons behind St. Thomas' success this season before diving into his early playing days in Calgary.

Pilling is the first player to join the Tommies' program from the CHL, where he played four years in the Western Hockey League with three different teams. He played his first year of major junior hockey with the Moose Jaw Warriors before being traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings in his second season. Then, in 2023-24, Pilling was traded again to the Seattle Thunderbirds, where he recorded 67 points in 67 games in 2024-25 as an alternate captain.

Pilling discusses how he made his way to St. Thomas and what it was like to score the first goal at the new Lee and Penny Anderson Arena, which opened in late October. He also talks about the impact of several of his current teammates, including captain Lucas Wahlin, who leads UST with 18 goals this season.

The CCHA Reporter's Corner is a weekly college hockey show that's brought to you by Rubado, Singer and producer Cordell Wright, featuring players and coaches from around the CCHA.

To watch this show and to see clips and highlights from this episode with Nathan Pilling, head on over to Midwest Sports Plus, the home of The CCHA Reporter's Corner.

For the audio-only version, subscribe to The CCHA Reporter's Corner on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever podcasts are available. Follow Singer and Rubado on X — @trentsinger and @JaredRubadoBP — and throughout the week, check out their work at siouxfallslive.com and bemidjipioneer.com.