Merrimack and UMass will face-off in a home-and-home weekend series
Hockey East Weekend Preview
News and notes from the upcoming weekend of Hockey East action

Boston College vs. #2 St. Cloud

- The Eagles look for their first win of the season as they play host to non-conference opponent St. Cloud State in their home opener at Kelley Rink in a one-game series Thursday night. Jerry York's squad seeks redemption after dropping two games to the Huskies a year ago on the road in St. Cloud.

- Boston College has been hot at the faceoff dot, winning 57.1% of its draws through the first three games of the season, which is good for the lead among all Hockey East programs.


#16 Massachusetts vs. Merrimack (home and home)

- Merrimack and UMass both enter into the first weekend of league play off successful series. Last weekend, the Warriors shutout then-#13 Boston University, 4-0, for the first time in program history, while the Minutemen went 1-1-0 on the road at then-#1 Ohio State. • Warriors' senior goaltender Craig Pantano (Bridgewater, Mass.) posted 34 saves to seal the shutout for Merrimack. His efforts in the victory earned him Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week honors.

- The Minutemen saw nine different players post points in their two game series with Ohio State. Cale Makar (Calgary, Alta.) lead the charge, tallying four points on the weekend. The sophomore had a goal and two assists in Friday's victory, before dishing out an assist on UMass' lone goal on Saturday, which was good for Hockey East Player of the Week accolades for the second straight week.


UConn vs. Maine

- UConn will take to home ice for the first time this season as they play host to league rival Maine in a two-game series. The Huskies went 1-1-0 last weekend, dropping their first Hockey East game of the season to #5 Providence, 7-2, before bouncing back and defeating RPI, 3-1, in a non-conference road match-up.

- Freshman goaltender Tomas Vomacka (Trutnov, Czech Republic) made the first start of his college career in UConn's victory at RPI, turning away 24 shots en route to earning Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week.

- Maine enters the weekend 2-2-0 on the year after dropping two games on the road at then-#3 Minnesota Duluth.

- The Black Bears split last season's opening-weekend series with the Huskies 1-1-0, with their victory coming in the overtime frame off the stick of Nolan Vesey. UConn nabbed game two, 5-1, thanks in part to two-point nights from five different players.


#18 Northeastern at UMass Lowell, vs. #2 St. Cloud

- Northeastern travels to UMass Lowell for its first Hockey East match up of the season on Friday night before hosting non-conference opponent #2 St. Cloud. The Huskies enter the weekend sitting at 2-2-0 overall after suffering the first two losses of the season last weekend against Union.

- The Huskies have a widespread offense to start 2018-19, with 10 different players finding the back of the net through the first four games of the season and tallying 14 goals.


#5 Providence at Boston University

- Providence, coming off a weekend that saw the Friars go 1-0-1 against UConn and Sacred Heart, heads to Boston to take on the Terriers in their only game of the weekend. The Friars won their first Hockey East match-up of the season defeating UConn, 7-2, last Friday night before playing to a 2-2 draw at Sacred Heart on Saturday.

- Freshman forward Jack Dugan (Rochester, N.Y.) had three points (1g, 3a) in Providence's victory over the Huskies. His goal in the second frame proved to be the game-winner and was his first of the season.

- Boston University welcomes Providence to Agganis Arena for its only game of the weekend Friday night. Last season, the two teams faced each other three times and played to a record of 1-1-1.

- Last weekend, the Terriers hosted the USA Hockey's National Team Development Program's Under-18 team in exhibition action. Boston University walked away with a 5-4 overtime victory, thanks to Shane Bowers (Halifax, N.S.) game-winning goal. Despite winning its two exhibition games this year, BU currently sits 0-3-0 in regular season play.


Vermont at UNH, at Brown

- Vermont is back on the road this weekend as the Catamounts travel to New Hampshire for their first Hockey East game of the season on Saturday and a non-conference trip to Brown on Sunday. The Catamounts most recently enjoyed a bye weekend and currently sit at 1-2-0 through the first three games of the year, the sole victory coming at then-#4 Michigan.

- The Wildcats host league foe Vermont in their home-opener and lone game of the weekend. Mike Souza's team currently sits 0-3-1.

- Sophomore goaltender Mike Robinson (Bedford, N.H.) posted 53 saves in two outings against Colorado College last weekend, including three saves in the overtime frame to preserve a 3-3 tie on Friday night.


UMass Lowell at Bentley

- UMass Lowell enters this weekend at 2-2-0, after posting a 1-1-0 record on the road at Miami over the weekend. The River Hawks blanked the RedHawks, 3-0, in the first game of the series, thanks in part to a 36-save shutout from junior goaltender Tyler Wall (Leamington, Ont.).

- Forwards Sam Knoblauch (Rochester, Mich.) and Colin Wilson (Calgary, Alta.) each had two points on the weekend for UMass Lowell. Knoblauch tallied a goal and an assist on Friday night, while Wilson tallied a goal in each game.

- Wall has posted 91 saves through three games this season, with 66 coming against Miami.