Weekly Release: #8 Massachusetts Topples #10 Providence In Crucial League Weekend

HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

#8 Massachusetts swept #10 Providence in a massive Hockey East series that vaulted the Minutemen back into sole possession of first place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings. John Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) racked up five points (3g, 2a) in the series, including his first career hat trick in Saturday's 5-1 road win.

#12 Northeastern and Boston University will square off for the 68th Beanpot title Monday night at TD Garden. The Huskies are attempting a three-peat of Boston's bragging rights, a feat that has not been achieved since Boston College's run of five in a row from 2010-14.

#14 UMass Lowell earned four crucial points in league play, downing #4 Boston College in Chestnut Hill, 3-2, and earning a win at Merrimack, 4-3. Tyler Wall (Leamington, Ont.) stopped 47 of 52 shots on the weekend in two road wins, while freshman defenseman Marek Korencik (Zilina, Slovakia) scored his first two career goals, including the game-winning tally against the Eagles.

New Hampshire swept Vermont in a two-game set at the Whittemore Center, improving to 10-3-1 at home this season. The last time UNH swept a Hockey East weekend series was against then-#5 UMass Lowell on October 6-7, 2017.

Merrimack earned a weekend split in league play, toppling Boston University on the road, 5-1, before falling to #14 UMass Lowell. Tyler Irvine (Livonia, Mich.) netted a goal and added two assists Warriors' road win followed up with his team-leading 12th goal of the year the next night.

Vermont has been mathematically eliminated from Hockey East Tournament contention with a maximum possible point total of 16. Eight teams have at least 18 points to date.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

John Leonard - Massachuetts

John Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) led UMass to a weekend sweep of #10 Providence with a team-best five points on three goals and two assists to finish with a plus-five rating. The junior had a hand in four of five goals in Saturday's 5-1 road victory over the Friars, notching his first career hat trick and an assist on the power play for a career-high four point effort. The three goals brought Leonard's season total to 20, becoming UMass' first 20-goal scorer since 2009-10 and he currently ranks second in the nation in goals.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIES OF THE WEEK

Alex Newhook - Boston College

Alex Newhook (St. John's Newfoundland) picked up multi-point outings in two contests last week, including a goal and an assist in his Beanpot debut against BU and a shorthanded tally and another helper on Friday against #14 UMass Lowell. Newhook tied for second among all league skaters with four points and led all of Hockey East with two power-play assists, three power-play points, and one short-handed goal.

Zac Jones - Massachusetts

Zac Jones (Glen Allen, Va.) had four assists and was a plus-three, helping UMass to a weekend sweep of #10 Providence and backended a UMass defense that limited the Friars to just two goals and only 37 shots over two contests. He set up the game-winning goal in Friday's 3-1 victory and had a season-best three helpers in Saturday's 5-1 road victory.

HOCKEY EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Tyler Wall - UMass Lowell

Tyler Wall (Leamington, Ont.) stopped 47 of 52 shots on the weekend in two road wins at #4 Boston College and Merrimack to post a 2.50 GAA and a .904 save percentage on the weekend. Wall is now 15-5-5 on the year with a .932 save percentage and 2.09 goals against average.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

David Cotton, BC (Sr., F; Parker, Texas) Scored twice against Boston University in the Beanpot semifinal and finished a two-game week with a team-high 11 shots on goal. Patrick Harper, BU (Sr., F; New Canaan, Conn.) Netted a goal and added two helpers in the Terriers' instant- classic, come-from-behind overtime victory over #4 Boston College in the Beanpot semifinal. The game ended in an official 4-4- tie.

Robert Mastrosimone, BU (Fr., F; East Islip, N.Y.) Scored the late go-ahead goal in the Beanpot semifinal at 18:18 of the third period to put the Terriers up, 4-3, in an eventual official 4-4 draw, and found the back of the net in a 5-1 loss to Merrimack on Friday.

David Farrance, BU (Jr., D; Victor, N.Y.) Recorded a goal and two assists in the Beanpot semifinal against #4 Boston College and totaled four blocked shots on the week.

Marek Korencik, UML (Fr., D; Zilina, Slovakia) Netted his first two career goals last weekend, both of which proved to be game-winning tallies in road games, including Friday at #4 Boston College and Saturday at Merrimack.

Tyler Irvine, MC (Sr., F; Livonia, Mich.) Netted a goal and added two assists in the Warriors' 5-1 road win over Boston University Friday and followed up with his team-leading 12th goal of the year Saturday night against UMass Lowell in Merrimack's eventual 4-3 setback.

Benton Maass, UNH (Jr., D; Elk River, Minn.) Tied for the team-lead with two goals on the week and ranked first on the team with five blocked shots as the Wildcats went 2-0-0 against Vermont. He scored two goals on Friday in a 6-3 Wildcats win.