HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

Just three points separate the top eight teams that would qualify for the Hockey East Tournament if the playoffs started today.

#5 Boston College shutout #7 Massachusetts, 3-0, on Friday night in the Eagles' final game before the Beanpot on Monday night at TD Garden. Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) picked up his fifth shutout of the season with a 30-save effort and lifted his team into a tie for first place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings.

#13 Northeastern took a 4-3 victory from #9 Providence thanks to the game-winning goal from Zach Solow (Naples, Fla.) with just 5:30 remaining in regulation. The Huskies enter Monday night's Beanpot semifinal against #16 Harvard as the two-time defending champions of Boston's bragging rights.

UConn kept pace with a crowded Hockey East playoff picture with a pair of victories in a home-and-home series with New Hampshire, scoring 14 goals across the two outings. Sophomore Jonny Evans (North Delta, B.C./3g, 3a) and freshman Vladislav Firstov (Yuroslavl, Russia/2g, 4a) both had six-point weekends for the Huskies.

Boston University took a 4-2 road win at Vermont off 28 saves from rookie netminder Ashton Abel (Fort McMurray, Alta.) and the first collegiate goal and an assists from freshman blueliner Case McCarthy (Clarence Center, N.Y.)

Maine took four league points from Merrimack in a home series at Alfond Arena and with just seven games remaining in the season will play host for six of those contests. The Black Bears are currently 9-0-2 at home in 2019-20.

Monday night's Beanpot tournament can be seen across North America on NESN in New England, across the U.S. on NHL Network, and throughout Canada on TSN2.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jonny Evans - UConn

Jonny Evans (North Delta, B.C.) had a six-point weekend as the Huskies swept New Hampshire by matching 7-4 scores. On Friday in New Hampshire, Evans had a career- high five points, recording a hat-trick and adding two assists. Evans became the only player in the NCAA with two hat-tricks on the season in the process. On Saturday, he had an assist in the UConn 7-4 win over UNH.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Vladislav Firstov - UConn

Vladislav Firstov (Yuroslavl, Russia) finished the weekend with six points on two goals and four assists as the Huskies swept UNH. On Friday, Firstov had a career-best four point night, scoring the game-winning goal and adding three assists, a career-high. On Saturday, he came up with a goal and an assist. He currently leads the Huskies with 11 goals on the year.

HOCKEY EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Spencer Knight - Boston College

Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) posted a 30-save shutout at #7 Massachusetts on Friday night, his fifth blank sheet of the season, to backbone Boston College into first place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings. Knight became just the fourth Eagle goaltender in program history with at least five shutouts in a single season.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Logan Hutsko, BC (Jr., F; Tampa, Fla.) Scored a goal and chipped in with an assist on the game-winning goal in a 3-0 win at #7 Massachusetts on Friday. He is currently riding a six-game point streak, with six goals and three assists in that span.

Ashton Abel, BU (Fr., G; Fort McMurray, Alta.) Stopped 28 of 30 shots in a 4-2 win at Vermont on Friday night. Case McCarthy, BU (Fr., D; Clarence Center, N.Y.) Netted his first collegiate goal and chipped in with an assist in the Terriers' 4-2 win at Vermont on Friday.

Domenick Fensore, BU (Fr., D; Thornwood, N.Y.) Registered two assists and was a plus-two in BU's 4-2 win at Vermont on Friday.

Wyatt Newpower, UConn (Sr., D; Hugo, Minn.) Had a four-point weekend, scoring a goal and adding three assists as UConn swept UNH. Newpower also extended his career-best point streak to five-straight games. In Friday's win at UNH, Newpower scored his third goal on the season and was plus-three on the night. In Saturday's home win, he passed out three assists, matching his career-high, and was plus-five.

Ben Brar, MC (Fr., F; Abbotsford, B.C.) Netted his fifth goal of the season and added an assist in Merrimack's 6-2 loss Friday night at Maine. He followed that up with another assist Saturday in a 3-2 setback to finish the two-game set with a trio of points.

Zach Solow, NU (Jr., F; Naples, Fla.) Netted the game-winning goal on the power play in Northeastern's 4-3 win over #8 Providence on Friday night with just 5:30 left in regulation.

Aidan McDonough, NU (Fr., F; Milton, Mass.) Scored to give the Huskies a 3-1 lead over #8 Providence on Friday night in an eventual 4-3 win.