HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES
In the final weekend of Hockey East regular season play, UConn c ompleted a 4-3 win over #2 Massachusetts, marking the highest-ranked opponent the Huskies have defeated. Junior Ben Freeman (Falmouth, Maine) scored twice, including the game-winning goal in the third period, to lead the Huskies to the biggest upset in program history.
No. 1 Massachusetts (26-8-0, 18-6-0 HEA) draws No. 8 New Hampsh ire (12-13-9, 8-10-6 HEA) after claiming the first-ever regular season crown in progr am history. The Minutemen earn hosting duties for the quarterfinal round for the first time since 2007, while New Hampshire finished with its highest ranking since 2015 (8th.) Al l-time in the Hockey East Tournament, the Wildcats own a 6-1 record against the Minutemen in six series. The two programs have not met in the postseason since the 2008 quarterfi nals. During the regular season, UMass took a 2-0-0 mark against UNH. The Minutemen have not appeared in the semifinals since 2007.
No. 2 Providence (21-9-6, 14-7-3 HEA) will play host to No. 7 B oston College (11-20-3, 10-11-3 HEA) in the eighth-ever playoff series between the two schools, with BC holding a 7-3 advantage in all games. The Eagles took a 2-1-0 mark agai nst the Friars during the regular season, winning twice at home, although the lone PC win came on March 7, a 3-0 win in Providence. The Eagles have moved on to three consecutiv e semifinal weekends, while Providence has advanced to the TD Garden in five of the la st seven years. Providence earned the second seed for just the second time in progra m history, while Boston College hasn't been the road team in a quarterfinal series since 2009 at New Hampshire.
No. 3 Northeastern (23-10-1, 15-8-1 HEA) welcomes No. 6 Maine ( 14-15-4, 10-9-4 HEA) to Matthews Arena for the first time since an Opening Round seri es sweep in 2016. Despite the 2016 series, the Black Bears own a 6-3 record again st the Huskies all-time in the Hockey East Tournament, including a 4-0 mark in quarterfinal games. Maine looks to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2012, a year i n which they appeared in the title game, while Northeastern hopes to make it to the TD G arden for the second year in a row. The Huskies took the regular season series, 2-0-0, by a combined score of 7-2 on Jan. 11-12 in Orono.
No. 4 UMass Lowell (18-11-5, 12-7-5 HEA) will host No. 5 Boston University (14-16-4,
12-9-3 HEA) in the quarterfinals after earning the right to home ice in the final game of the
regular season. Historically, the Terriers own a 9-5 postseason record against the River
Hawks, including a 5-3 win in the 2015 title game. Most recentl y, the River Hawks swept
Boston University in the 2016 quarterfinals at Tsongas Arena. Du ring the 2018-19 regular
season, the two squads split the two-game regular season series , with each team winning
on the road.
HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Benjamin Freeman - UConn
Benjamin Freeman (Falmouth,
Maine) scored twice, including
the game-winning goal in
the third period, to lead the
Huskies to the biggest upset
in program history as they
toppled No. 2 UMass, 4-3, on
Friday night in UConn's season
finale. He gave his squad
a 1-0 lead in the first and
delivered the decisive strike
early in the third period.
PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Tyce Thompson - Providence
Tyce Thompson (Milford,
Conn.) netted a goal and
assisted on the game-winning
tally as Providence clinched
the second seed in the Hockey
East Tournament with a 3-1
win over Boston College on
Thursday night. The freshman
forward also registered a
game-high four shots on net
for the Friars.
HOCKEY EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Rob McGovern - Maine
Rob McGovern (Weymouth,
Mass.) saved a total of 30
shots in the Black Bears' first
shutout of the 2018-19 season
on Saturday night. The senior
netminder kicked out each
shot attempt from Boston University
in his first start since
January 2019 and sent Maine
into the Hockey East Tournament
with a 6-0 win over the
Terriers on senior night.
HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS
Brendan Robbins, Maine (Sr., F; Nashua, N.H.) Found the back of the net twice and set up another goal in Maine's 6-0 win over BU on Saturday night.
Tyler Wall, UML (Jr., G; Leamington, Ont.) Recorded 25 saves for a .926 save percentage in a 2-2 road tie at Vermont on Friday.
Biagio Lerario, NU (Jr., F; Addison, Ill.) Picked up his first career multi-goal game on Friday in a 4-0 win over New Hampshire, helping th Huskies secure home ice in th Hockey East Tournament Quarterfinals.
Cayden Primeau, NU (So., G; Voorhees, N.J.) Made 32 saves on 32 shots on Friday before giving way to senior netminder Ryan Ruck in the final moments of Senior Night. The pair helped backstop the Huskies to a 4-0 win and lock up home ice in the Hockey East Tournament.