Tag Archives: NCAA Hockey

Apr 2 2013

Mass. College Hockey: All-New England Teams & Awards

By NoontimeSports.com 

Courtesy of Northeastern University Associate Director of Athletics Communication Mark Majewski, here’s this evening’s release about the All-New England Teams and Awards:

BOSTON – The New England Hockey Writers Division I and II/III Men’s and Women’s All-Star teams and awards have been finalized after tallying votes from all Division I, II and III coaches and respective media outlets throughout New England. This year’s banquet will be held on Tuesday, April 16 at the Prince Restaurant in Saugus, Mass. The banquet will start at 6 p.m. All awards and All-Star teams will be presented at the gala. All coaches, student-athletes, family members and friends are encouraged to attend Tuesday’s banquet. Please contact Kristen Blake at (781) 245-2122 or by email at intern@hockeyeastonline.com for information on attending this event. Cost is $40 per person.

Below are the award winners for all four teams.

2012-13 NEW ENGLAND MEN’S DIVISION I ALL-STARS AND AWARDS

CLARK HODDER AWARD – DIVISION I COACH OF THE YEAR  

Rand Pecknold (Quinnipiac)

LEONARD FOWLE AWARD – MOST VALUABLE PLAYER    

Johnny Gaudreau, So., F, Carney’s Point, N.J. (Boston College)

GEORGE C. CARENS AWARD – ROOKIE OF THE YEAR  

Jon Gillies. Fr., G, South Portland, Maine (Providence)

HERB GALLAGHER AWARD – BEST FORWARD  

Johnny Gaudreau, So., F, Carney’s Point, N.J. (Boston College)

BOB MONAHAN AWARD – BEST DEFENSEMAN  

Chad Ruhwedel, Jr., D, San Diego, Calif. (UMass Lowell)

PAUL HINES AWARD – MOST IMPROVED PLAYER  

Evan Rodrigues, So., F, Etobicoke, Ontario (Boston University)

FRANK JONES AWARD – MOST DEFENSIVE FORWARD

Tim Schaller, Sr., F, Merrimack, N.H. (Providence College)

JOE TOMASELLO AWARD – UNSUNG HERO 

Danny Biega, Sr., D, Montreal, Quebec (Harvard)

PARKER / YORK AWARD – CONTRIBUTION TO NEW ENGLAND HOCKEY 

Jack Parker (Boston University)

GOALTENDERS    

Eric Hartzell, Sr., G, White Bear Lake, Minn. (Quinnipiac)

Jon Gillies, Fr., G, South Portland, Maine (Providence)

DEFENSEMEN   

Trevor van Riemsdyk, So., D, Middletown, N.J. (New Hampshire)

Chad Ruhwedel, Jr., D, San Diego, Calif. (UMass Lowell)

Mike Matheson, Fr., D, Pointe-Claire, Quebec (Boston College)

Jordan Heywood, Jr., D, Regina, Saskatchewan (Merrimack)

FORWARDS    

Johnny Gaudreau, So., F, Carney’s Point, N.J. (Boston College)

Steven Whitney, Sr., F, Reading, Mass. (Boston College)

Mike Collins, Jr., F, Boston, Mass. (Merrimack)

Kenny Agostino, Jr., F, Flanders, N.J. (Yale)

Brett Gensler, Jr., F, St. Charles, Mo. (Bentley)

Joe Pendenza, Jr., F, Wilmington, Mass. (UMass Lowell)

 

2012-13 NEW ENGLAND WOMEN’S DIVISION I ALL-STARS AND AWARDS

DIVISION I WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR  

Katie King Crowley (Boston College)

DIVISION I WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Alex Carpenter, So., F, North Reading, Mass. (Boston College)

GOALTENDERS

Corinne Boyles, Sr., G, Wheaton, Ill. (Boston College)

Roxanne Douville, Jr., G, Beloeil, Quebec (Vermont)

DEFENSEMEN  

Blake Bolden, Sr., D, Stow, Ohio (Boston College)

Shannon Doyle, Jr., D, Baldwin, Ontario (Boston University)

Regan Boulton, Sr., D, Brandon, Manitoba (Quinnipiac)

Emily Pfalzer, So., D, Getzville, N.Y. (Boston College)

FORWARDS   

Alex Carpenter, So., F, North Reading, Mass. (Boston College)

Kendall Coyne, So., F, Palos Heights, Ill. (Northeastern)

Marie-Philip Poulin, Jr., F, Beauceville, Quebec (Boston University)

Kelly Babstock, Jr., F, Mississauga, Ontario (Quinnipiac)

Jillian Dempsey, Sr., F, Winthrop, Mass. (Harvard)

Haley Skarupa, Fr., F, Rockville, Md. (Boston College)

 

 2012-13 NEW ENGLAND MEN’S DIVISION II/III ALL-STARS AND AWARDS

DIVISION II/III MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR

Peter Belisle (UMass Boston)

DIVISION II/III MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Colin Mulvey, Sr., F, Worcester, Mass. (Norwich University)

GOALTENDERS

Zeke Testa, Sr., G, Wellesley, Mass. (Babson)

Ben Coulthard, Jr., G, South Windsor, Conn. (Trinity)

Jack Astedt, Sr., G, Angelholm, Sweden (Plymouth State)

DEFENSEMEN 

Shaun Jameson, Sr., D, Long Beach, Calif. (Wentworth)

Rob Florentino, Sr., D, West Roxbury, Mass. (UMass Boston)

Brett Kaneshiro, Sr., D, Laguna Niguel, Calif. (Curry College)

Ollie Koo, Jr., D, Greenwich, Conn. (Bowdoin)

Tim McGarry, Sr., D, Kennett Square, Pa. (Bowdoin)

Brandon Hew, Sr., D, Fresno, Calif. (Amherst)

FORWARDS 

Keith Buehler. Jr., F, Skaneateles, N.Y. (Wesleyan)

Joseph Caveney, Sr., F, Fitchburg, Mass. (Fitchburg State)

Colin Mulvey, Sr., F, Worcester, Mass. (Norwich)

Travis Janke, Jr., F, Swift Current, Saskatchewan (Norwich)

Travis Daniel, Jr., F, North Brunswick, N.J. (UMass Boston)

Josh Harris, Sr., F, Torrance, Calif. (Castleton)

Branden Parkhouse, Sr., F, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Becker)

Pier-Oliver Cotnoir, Sr., F, Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec (Norwich)

Daniel Weiniger, Sr., F, Warren, N.J. (Bowdoin)

2012-13 NEW ENGLAND WOMEN’S DIVISION II/III ALL-STARS AND AWARDS

DIVISION II/III WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR  

Marissa O’Neil (Bowdoin College)

DIVISION II/III WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR   

Geneva Lloyd, Sr., D, Calgary, Alberta (Amherst College)

GOALTENDERS

Alexa Pujol, Jr., G, New Canaan, Conn. (Trinity)

Kayla Lessard, Sr., G, Enfield, Conn. (Bowdoin)

DEFENSEMEN

Geneva Lloyd, Sr., D, Calgary, Alberta (Amherst)

Kayla Parsons, Jr., D, Fairbanks, Alaska (Norwich)

Rachel Porter, Sr., D, Franklin, Mass. (Salve Regina)

Madison Styrbicki, Sr., D, Edina, Minn. (Middlebury)

FORWARDS

Tori Charron, Jr., F, Tecumseh, Ontario (Norwich)

Jill DeBus, Sr., F, Howell, Mich. (Norwich)

Kayte Holtz, Sr., F, New Berlin, Wis. (Bowdoin)

Rachel Kennedy, Fr., F, Trumbull, Conn. (Bowdoin)

Tori Salmon, So., F, Batavia, N.Y. (Amherst)

Courtney Winters, Jr., F, Swampscott, Mass. (Saint Anselm)

Mar 24 2013

Mass. College Hockey: BU Falls To Minnesota In National Title Game

By NoontimeSports.com 

Courtesy of the Boston University sports information department, here’s this evening’s release about the women’s hockey team, who lost to the University of Minnesota in the National Title Game:

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Playing in the program’s second national title game in the last three seasons, the No. 2 Boston University women’s ice hockey team dropped a 6-3 decision to top-ranked Minnesota on Sunday afternoon at Ridder Arena.

BU (28-6-3) finished its eighth varsity season with a program-record 28 wins and its third Hockey East title in the last four seasons. Nine seniors will graduate as the first senior class to advance to the NCAA tournament in each of their four seasons. Minnesota completed a perfect season with its 41st win to claim the program’s fifth national title.

Junior co-captain Marie-Philip Poulin potted a goal and added an assist while her linemates, freshman Sarah Lefort and senior Jenelle Kohanchuk, each had a goal of their own. Eight different Terriers recorded a point on the afternoon.

Junior goaltender Kerrin Sperry completed her record season with a 23-save effort on Sunday. She made several tremendous saves and won a program-record 24 games this season. Senior co-captain Jill Cardella and classmate Kathryn Miller never missed a game in their collegiate careers, playing in their 151st game in a BU uniform on Sunday.

Lefort had a golden opportunity to give BU a 1-0 lead 5:45 into the proceedings thanks to a great individual effort. She blocked a shot at the top of the BU zone and then raced in alone on Gopher goaltender Noora Raty, but her attempt was denied.

Not to be outdone, Sperry made three big saves against Amanda Kessel’s line with about 11:30 to go in the first period, including one from point-blank range below the left circle. However, the Gophers eventually broke through at the 11:38 mark of the period when Mira Jalosuo scored from the left circle on a power play to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead.

The Gophers extended their lead to 2-0 with 1:28 left in the first frame. With BU on its first power play of the game, Hannah Brandt created a 2-on-1 chance only to have her initial attempt stopped by Sperry. The rebound went behind the net and Brandt banked the puck off of Sperry and into the back of the net.

Lefort tied the game just 16 seconds later with one second remaining on the power play. Poulin had the puck on the left half-wall and got it to sophomore Shannon Stoneburgh at the left point. Stoneburgh’s shot was stopped by Raty, but Lefort pulled the rebound from Raty’s pads and quickly backhanded the puck home for her 24th goal of the season.

Minnesota controlled the tempo for the early part of the second stanza, but BU held its own thanks to strong shot blocking and steady goaltending by Sperry. The Terriers enjoyed a couple good chances, including a 2-on-1 chance by Lefort and Kohanchuk, but Raty was equal to the task.

It became a 3-1 Gopher lead at the 16:02 mark of the second period when Kessel fired a one-timer past Sperry from the right circle. After the Gophers went to a power play, they scored with 11.8 seconds remaining in the frame to take a 4-1 lead into the third period.

With the Terriers on a power play early in the third period, Poulin cut the deficit to 4-2 just 1:48 into the period when her blast from the top of the zone got by Raty. It was Poulin’s 19th goal of the season and 55th point of the campaign. Junior Shannon Doyle and Cardella each assisted on the goal.

Sperry robbed Kessel with 15:40 left in the third period with what was likely her best save of the afternoon. Kessel made a great move to get around a defender, but Sperry was in great position and turned aside Kessel’s bid.

Poulin nearly cut the Gophers’ lead to just a goal at 4-3 after she dangled through the defense, but her chance was turned aside by the blocker of Raty. On the ensuing rush down the other end of the ice, the Gophers made it a 5-2 game when Rachel Ramsey converted a tap-in the crease.

BU never gave up, however, and the Terriers made it a 5-3 game with an extra-attacker goal at the 17:08 mark of the period. Junior Kaleigh Fratkin’s shot was blocked by a defender, but Kohanchuk quickly collected the puck and scored her team-leading 25th goal of the season. Kessel completed the scoring with an empty-net goal with 51 seconds remaining in regulation.

In just eight seasons as a varsity program, BU remains the only Hockey East school to advance to an NCAA title game. The Terriers have won four NCAA tournament games, including two at Walter Brown Arena.

Mar 23 2013

Mass. College Hockey: UML’s Arnold Connects On Wraparound Clincher

By Matt Noonan 

BOSTON, MA – UMass Lowell may not always be linked to Boston College and Boston University, two clubs that have experienced a great deal of success in the college hockey world over the past few decades, but this season the River Hawks turned the tables by capturing their first Hockey East regular season crown and conference championship on Saturday with a 1-0 victory against the Terriers at the TD Garden.

Derek Arnold secured the win for UML as he corralled the puck behind the BU cage and netted the game-winner at 11:09 in the third, which sent the Blue and Red supporters into a frenzy.

“It’s pretty special,” Arnold said of his game-winning strike. “I had a large group of family here tonight, they were in a box, and growing up me and my dad used to come every year (and we’d see) BC and BU win this tournament every year, so it’s very, very special for Lowell to win it.”

Arnold’s late-game strike wasn’t his first in this year’s conference tournament as he netted the game-winner against Maine last Friday in overtime to secure the River Hawks a trip to Causeway Street.

When it came to his goal this evening – a wraparound – Arnold explained his short stick hasn’t always allowed him to score that way, but something worked tonight as he deposited the puck into Sean Maguire’s net to seal the win.

“(The puck) went off Scott Wilson’s skate and it kind of went almost to the corner, but I was kind of down deep and it kind of went right on my stick and Maguire was way out of the net, so I just saw some daylight like I said and I took it to the net,” said Arnold.

“I’m usually not too successful on wraparounds because I’ve got a small stick, but for tonight to get that it was pretty cool.”

UML had never won a conference championship and lost its two meetings against BU in 1994 and 2009, but the third time proved to be the difference.

“We have some confidence and once we get rolling we’re rolling,” explained Arnold. “We had an 11 or 12 game unbeaten streak earlier (this season), and we won the regular season, so now we win this and hopefully we’ll see what happens tomorrow and see where we’re going, so it should be cool.

“Last year we got bounced out in that last game down in Bridgeport, so (we’re) hoping for a better result this year.”

Mar 23 2013

Mass. College Hockey: BU Remains Focused On Winning A Championship

Boston University Logo

By Matt Noonan

BOSTON, MA – Jack Parker must have said something motivational to his troops during a media timeout last night during the Hockey East semifinals against Boston College.

The Eagles, who were leading the Terriers by two tallies midway through the second frame, appeared to have all the momentum on their side. Yet, something was different, especially about this particular match.

Boston College has always felt at home at the TD Garden. They’ve won four consecutive Boston Beanpot championships, as well as the last three conference crowns, too. And even though history appeared to be on their side with a two-goal advantage, their momentum vanished after two quick strikes from BU’s Evan Rodrigues and Matt Lane, which tied the game at 2.

Lane’s goal, his fourth of the season, was what really changed the contest as the first-year forward stole a pass off a face-off in his team’s zone and raced down the ice to net the equalizer.

“I don’t know if we got complacent, but they got a few lucky breaks, we didn’t catch those breaks and I think we kind of got away from what made us successful in the first 35 minutes,” said BC’s Pat Mullane, who watched Lane’s goal from the bench.

“I don’t think guys sat back, we still attacked, but maybe just the bounces didn’t go our way tonight.”

BU’s offensive onslaught continued with a go-ahead goal from Garrett Noonan, who didn’t appear in his team’s last three contests, late in the second, which pushed the Terriers ahead for good.

Danny O’Regan, a member of this year’s Hockey East 2013 Pro-Ambitions All-Rookie Team, tacked on two power play goals early in the third to seal the win for the Terriers and setup a rematch of the 2009 conference championship against UMass Lowell, who defeated Providence College in the first game on Friday.

The win was certainly an impressive performance for a BU team that had struggled in January and February, but entered the contest on a four-game winning streak, two of which came last weekend against Merrimack College in the first round of the tournament. And while the players know this is Parker’s last ride, they certainly don’t seem interested in concluding their season without some hardware.

“I think especially after the first period we kind of realized that he’s such a great coach that we weren’t going to let him lose to BC at the Garden,” said O’Regan. “We were willing to do whatever it took.”

BU appeared flat following the opening face-off and destined to skate off the ice with a loss, but whatever Parker said to his squad during that timeout provided the Terriers with the necessary spark to rally and beat the Eagles.

“We have our backs to the wall, we played pretty well down the stretch here, but buried ourselves earlier in January and February, (especially) early February and we have to win to continue the season,” said Parker.

“After the way we played in the Garden (during the Beanpot tournament), I didn’t think we were going to be here this time, but the way we fought back and got home ice and took advantage of home ice by beating a really good Merrimack team and then get by BC tonight (was good for our team). I’m very proud of these guys and very happy for them and they have a chance to play a championship, (so) we’ll see what happens.”

It certainly will be an emotional night for the Red and White, who will once again be the underdog against a River Hawks club that’s 6-1 in the current month. And even though they haven’t defeated UMass Lowell this season, don’t expect the Terriers to lie down. Friday’s game proved that BU is determined to extend their season for another week, as well as do whatever is necessary to pull out a win.

“It’s obviously good to beat BC in the Garden,” said Noonan. “I don’t know if we have yet in my career here, but the jobs not done yet and we need to win tomorrow and it was a good win tonight.”

Mar 22 2013

Mass. College Hockey: Hockey East Championship Weekend Roundtable

By NoontimeSports.com 

In honor of the Hockey East semifinals and finals, which commence later today, we’ve decided to call upon the local college hockey gurus to breakdown each matchup and determine who’ll be skating around the TD Garden Saturday evening with some hardware.

Noontime Sports would like to thank Joshua Kummins (Associate Editor of BostonSportsU18.com & SB Nation College Hockey Contributor), Mike McMahon (Senior Writer/Recruiting Editor of College Hockey News), Josh Seguin (College Hockey News) and Rich Slate (Boston Metro) for their help with this particular post.

So, without further ado, here’s our breakdown:

Game No. 1: No. 1 UMass Lowell vs. No. 4 Providence College (Fri., 5 p.m.)

Who is one player to watch in this particular matchup? What can we expect from him? 

Mike McMahon: Has to be Jon Gillies. Quite frankly, the Friars have gone and will go as far as Gillies takes them. He hasn’t shown an indication that he’s wilt under the bright lights. That being said neither has Connor Hellebuyck. It’s definitely a showcase of goaltenders here and likely a 2-1 game. Goals will be at a premium.

Rich Slate: Providence’s freshman goaltender Jon Gillies, who was arguably the top player in Hockey East this season. He won’t give up many goals and was 1-2 against UMass Lowell this season.

Which line will make the biggest impact for Providence and UML?

Joshua Kummins: Each forward on the Friars’ top three lines are double-digit point scorers. Freshman Mark Jankowski and senior Tim Schaller start on the top line, while sophomore Ross Mauermann is a stalwart in the middle of the second unit.

McMahon: Getting Shane Luke back is a big plus for the Friars. He really helps solidify three lines for Providence. For UML it’s Riley Wetmore‘s line. They — and especially him — do a lot of things that go underappreciated. All three of those guys — Wetmore, Derek Arnold and Ryan McGrath — are solid two-way players.

How does UMass Lowell defeat PC and advance to Saturday? 

Kummins: This game will be about defense because after getting this far, I cannot expect either Gillies or Hellebuyck to have a “bad” game.

Josh Seguin: It will probably be a pretty defensive game, but they need to do what they do best, which is timely scoring and responding to everything the Friars send at them.

How does Providence College defeat UML and advance to Saturday? 

Seguin: Jon GIllies will have to take control of the game. The young guys have to stay composed, too.

Slate: Providence will have to find a way to score more goals against the River Hawks. In their two losses against them this season they had one goal in each contest.

Who wins this series and why? Score prediction? 

Seguin: UML wins, 3-1. Right now, they are playing some of the best hockey in the country. Providence is young and may struggle with the environment.

Slate: The River Hawks have been one of the hottest teams in college hockey for the second half of the season and they will be looking for revenge after getting upset in the Hockey East playoffs last season by PC. My pick: UMass Lowell wins 3-2.

Game No. 2: No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Boston University (Fri., 8 p.m.)

Who is one player to watch in this particular matchup? What can we expect from him?

Kummins: Everybody knows how dynamic Johnny Gaudreau is for Boston College, but Steven Whitney is a senior that has kicked it up a notch in his final season in a Maroon and Gold sweater. The Reading, Mass. native and Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Walter Brown Award winner led all Hockey East players with 25 goals, but his 126 career points still trails his older brother Joe Whitney (2007-11), who is tied for 42nd in the all-time BC record books.

Seguin: Johnny Gaudreau has to be the go-to player for the Eagles. If the Terriers do not stop him, it will be a long night. Gaudreau has been a primetime player in his career and I would expect that to continue this weekend.

Which line will make the biggest impact for BC and BU? 

Kummins: Gaudreau-Pat Mullane-Whitney would have been the definite answer for the Eagles about six weeks ago, but head coach Jerry York has shuffled things up a bit after a dry spell that saw the Eagles go 2-4-1 in January. Even with Mullane and Whitney shifting down to join sophomore Quinn Smith on the second line, the trio is still potent in BC’s balanced attack.

For the Terriers, the answer is simple: Matt Nieto, Danny O’Regan, and Evan Rodrigues, who make up BU’s second line. They’ve combined for 33 goals and 40 assists this season. O’Regan, a St. Sebastian’s product, leads all Hockey East first-years with 36 points.

McMahon: The Gaudreau line for BC is the one to watch for, obviously. For BU, I’d keep an eye on Nieto’s line.

How does BC defeat BU and advance to Saturday? 

McMahon: They’re going to need their defense to really rise to the occasion. There’s no reason to believe they won’t, but at this time of year, you need to start from the back end.

Seguin: BC just has to be BC, quite simply. If they do the little things and don’t defeat themselves they will win this one. A steady dose of Johnny Gaudreau, Steven Whitney and Pat Mullane may be difficult to handle for the Terriers, so get them involved.

How does BU defeat BC and advance to Saturday? 

McMahon: They need to get a solid game out of Sean Maguire, who looked terrific vs. Merrimack last week. I also think they BU should try to keep the puck moving, especially in the offensive zone, cycle when they can. Make that BC defense work. BC’s dangerous with the puck, and the best defense is to make sure they don’t have possession.

Seguin: BU needs to play stout, defensive hockey. The defensive breakdowns that plagued them the better part of the second half cannot be present. BU needs to stop Gaudreau, Whitney and Mullane. If they can do those things they could easily pull the upset.

Prediction: Who wins this game and why? Score Prediction?  

Kummins: BC’s recent domination in the Hockey East Tournament (and its senior experience on the big stage) will prove to be the difference in this game. Over the last four years, the Eagles have won 14 conference tournament games and I see that streak continuing in a 5-3 win.

McMahon: It’s an interesting matchup because both of these teams aren’t nearly as deep as they typically are, but I was really impressed with BU last week and I think they upset the Eagles here. It’s a close game though, maybe even OT, but I’m going 4-3 BU. The Terriers need the win to stay alive in the Pairwise, where BC will make the NCAA tournament regardless of the result.

Game No. 3: Hockey East Championship (Sat., 7 p.m.)

Based off your predicted winners on Friday, who wins on Saturday and why? 

Kummins: My championship match of Boston College and UMass Lowell should be a great one, especially since both squads are headed to the NCAA tournament. Both teams are on strong streaks, but I think it is BC’s Garden experience that pays off in a close victory.

McMahon: Defense wins championships and there isn’t a better all-around defense than Lowell, who’ll win 3-2.

Seguin: UML right now is the most complete team of the four remaining. The River Hawks beat the Eagles about a month ago. They respond well and score in timely situations, which makes them dangerous.

Slate: BC will defeat UMass Lowell because of their experience in the Beanpot Finals, Hockey East playoffs and NCAA Tournament. BC beats UMass Lowell, 4-3.  

Early thoughts on the NCAA tourney: How far does the winner go in the Frozen Four? 

Kummins: I don’t think Boston College has quite enough to capture a second consecutive title, but UMass Lowell could certainly make some noise. With a pairing in Manchester or Providence likely, the River Hawks definitely have enough to break through with a trip to the Frozen Four in Pittsburgh this year.

McMahon: Lowell has their best chance ever to make a Frozen Four. You look at their record — 20-3-1 in their last 24 games — and it’s so much about catching fire at the right time. Those BC teams that won national titles always went on runs to end their season.

Seguin: UML, BC and UNH are all in. The former two have the best chance of a deep run and if BU can get in they may be as well. UNH can make some noise if they get back to the defensive juggernaut they once were in the first half. Lowell is deep, while BC has a dangerous trio that can light up any team in the country. Lowell and BC both have the talent to earn a spot in the Frozen Four, but it’s all about matchups. Sometimes it’s the matchups and where teams play, which makes all the difference.

Slate: BC advances to the Frozen Four, but loses in the semifinals.

Mar 21 2013

Mass. College Hockey: Weekend Schedule

By Matt Noonan 

We’ve got a busy weekend of college hockey upon us and below is the schedule. Make sure to checkback throughout the weekend for scores, roundups and recaps.

Men’s Ice Hockey: Hockey East Semifinals/Finals @ TD Garden 

* Game No. 1: Providence College vs. UMass Lowell, 5 p.m. @ TD Garden (Fri., Mar. 22) 

* Game No. 2: Boston College vs. Boston University, 8 p.m. @ TD Garden (Fri. Mar. 22) 

* Championship: Winner of Game No. 1 vs. Winner of Game No. 2, 7 p.m @ TD Garden (Sat., Mar. 23) 

Women’s Ice Hockey: NCAA Frozen Four @ University of Minnesota 

* Game No. 1: Boston College vs. Minnesota, 6 p.m. (Fri., Mar. 22) 

* Game. No. 2: Boston University vs. Mercyhurst, 9 p.m. (Fri., Mar. 22)

* Championship: Winner of Game No. 1 vs. Winner of Game No. 2, 4 p.m.  (Sun., Mar. 24) 

Mar 16 2013

Mass. College Hockey: BU 5, Clarkson 3 (NCAA Quarterfinals)

By Matt Noonan 

BOSTON, MA – Sarah Lefort secured Boston University a spot in next weekend’s Frozen Four when she deposited her second strike of the afternoon into an open net during the third period as the Terriers defeated Clarkson University, 5-3 in the NCAA quarterfinals.

BU, which will appear in its second Frozen Four in program history, will face-off against Mercyhurst, who edged Cornell University earlier today by one tally.

“I thought it was a great hockey game with an unbelievable amount of intensity,” BU coach Brian Durocher said. “Clarkson’s a big-body team, they play a somewhat of a conservative style, but you wouldn’t have known it today with almost 40 shots on net.”

The Terriers led the Golden Knights by one entering the final stanza, but padded their lead with two goals in a span of 26 seconds. Lefort pushed the hosts ahead by two before Louise Warren extended the lead to three after she deposited a rebound chance by Isabel Menard.

Clarkson, though, didn’t fold, but responded with two tallies from Christine Lambert and Shannon MacAulay, which brought the Golden Knights within one with 4:40 remaining in regulation.

BU called a timeout, regrouped and watched Lefort force a turnover that led to the game-clinching strike, which sealed the Terriers third NCAA tournament victory.

“I think we all wanted to win,” said BU’s Marie-Philip Poulin, who finished the contest with one goal and one assist.

“We just wanted to go out there the first five minutes and put pressure on them and we got a couple of goals and they came back in the third, (we) got a bit nervous, but (we managed to get) the win and we’re happy with that.”

Poulin netted the game’s first goal late in the first before Clarkson answered early in the second with an Erin Ambrose strike. The Terriers responded with Jenelle Kohanchuck, who lit the lamp late in the middle frame to provide BU with the lead for good.

A Strong Defensive Performance: For the second week in a row, the Terriers defense managed to fend off their opponent’s power play.

Last weekend, they denied Northeastern University six chances with an extra skater during the Hockey East conference championship game, and today they prevented Clarkson from finding the back of the net five times.

“I think we were focusing on every little battle, trying to win the puck (and) trying to win it out of the corner,” said Lefort. “(We were) definitely picking up sticks on the (penalty kill), but just keeping some things simple and communicating with each other really helped us out today.”

“It’s the third game in a row where we’ve had to do a good job killing penalties and so far we have in those three games,” said Durocher. “It’s great to know that the kids could get the job done and it’s not just the five skaters or four skaters that are killing, but Kerrin Sperry, (who assisted) with one of the kills in the second period.”

Sperry was certainly a factor in the second period when she deflected multiple shots in the slot before the Terriers whipped the puck out of the zone.

BU’s power was a major factor in their conference’s tournament as they also denied 13 combined chances by Connecticut and Providence, too.

The Streak Continues: BU’s victory marked their ninth consecutive win since falling to Harvard University in the Boston Beanpot consolation game on Feb. 12, 2013. Since that loss, the Terriers have been on a roll, winning nine games, which includes three conference tournament victories and a first round match.

Will their streak continue next weekend? Who knows, but all Durocher hopes is that the momentum remains with the Red and White.

“It’s a real positive situation for us, but I like to think that anybody who gets to this point, whether they’re on a one-game streak or whatever it is, they’ve got momentum,” said the BU coach.

“I just think that next week it starts from scratch and the two games are going to be real good hockey games and whoever comes up on top is probably going to be somebody that plays well that day and maybe the hockey Gods are with them as well.”

Mar 16 2013

Mass. College Hockey: BU-Clarkson Face-Off In NCAA Quarterfinals

BU's Marie-Philip Poulin leads the Terriers into the NCAA quarterfinals with 49 points (16 goals, 33 assists). (Photo Credit: BU Today/Steve McLaughlin)

BU’s Marie-Philip Poulin will lead the Terriers into the NCAA quarterfinals against Clarkson University with a team-best 49 points (16 goals, 33 assists). (Photo Credit: BU Today/Steve McLaughlin)

By NoontimeSports.com 

Noontime Sports will be covering this afternoon’s NCAA quarterfinal women’s ice hockey match between Boston University and Clarkson University, which commences are 3 p.m. at the Walter Brown Arena.

Social Media Coverage: Follow today’s game on Twitter (@NoontimeSports or @NoonSportsBlog) and Facebook (Facebook.com/NoonSports).

Terriers path to the tourney: BU (26-5-3), who is ranked third in the country, earned an automatic bid by defeating Northeastern University last weekend in the Hockey East conference championship, 5-2. The Terriers victory marked their third consecutive conference crown, too.

Golden Knights path to the tourney: Clarkson (28-9) received a bid for the tournament despite falling to Harvard University in last weekend’s ECAC semifinals. The Golden Knights are making their second appearance in the tournament, their last visit occurred in 2010.

Series History: The Golden Knights are 1-2-1 all-time against the Terriers. And in their last meeting, both squads skated to a 2-2 tie on Oct. 21, 2011 in Potsdam, New York.

Winner advances to Frozen Four: The winner of this afternoon’s contest will face-off against the winner of Cornell University-Mercyhurst next Friday in Minneapolis in the Frozen Four.

For more information on the Terriers – HOP HERE

For more information on the Golden Knights – HOP HERE

For the tournament’s bracket – HOP HERE

Mar 14 2013

Mass. College Hockey: Harvard Women’s Return To NCAA Tourney (VIDEO)

By NoontimeSports.com 

The Harvard University women’s ice hockey team returns to the NCAA tournament on Saturday when they travel to Boston College to face-off against the Eagles in the first round at 1:00 p.m.

Harvard’s athletic department posted a video earlier today to get fans excited about the Crimson’s contest and below is the reel from their YouTube channel.

Mar 6 2013

Mass. College Sports: Midweek Check-In

By Matt Noonan 

It’s “hump day,” which means we’ve officially reached the midway point of the current week. So, let’s take a trip around the Bay State and catch up on some of the latest college sports news.

* Tuesday was a special day for the Anna Maria College softball team as the AMCATs snapped a 40-game winless streak by defeating Penn State – New Kensington at the Dot Richardson Invitational, 6-1. Saugus’ Nicole Lowe earned her first victory on the bump this season, while Kayla Lapierre recorded two runs and two hits.

* Northeastern University’s men’s basketball team finished their season with a loss to Old Dominion at Matthews Arena last weekend. However, they did earn the season crown and will tip-off against the winner of Drexel-George Mason on Sunday. So, let’s keep our fingers crossed for the Huskies!

* In case you didn’t know, Boston College’s Nicole Boudreau was named to the 2012 ACC All-Freshman team yesterday. Boudreau, who hails from Andover, became the first Eagle freshman to earn this award since Carolyn Swords during the 2007-08 season. According to the Boston Herald, Boudreau appeared in every game this season and netted 324 points, recorded 105 rebounds and tallied  67 assists.

* The Worcester Telegram reported that the Nichols College field hockey team received the 2012 Gladiator by SGI/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division 3 National Academic Team Award. Congrats Bison!

* Holden native John Henrion was named the Hockey East’s Athletic Republic Co-Player of the Week on Monday following a four goal weekend for the New Hampshire Wildcat. Henrion registered his first collegiate hat trick during Saturday’s 4-0 victory against UMass. Henrion has been a major contributor for the Wildcats this season and currently has 22 points (13 goals, nine assists).

* Sticking with the Hockey East, the league announced its women’s Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team for the 2012-2013 season and a few local teams featured some skaters on this team. CLICK HERE to access the team and release.

* Finally, I’d like to wish the local men’s Division III hockey clubs the best of luck this evening as the quest for Lake Placid begins. We’ll have highlights from the games posted later.