AROUND HOCKEY EAST: Three teams, UConn, Notre Dame and Providence, claimed weekend sweeps in conference play, picking up all four points available in the league table. UConn downed No. 5 UMass Lowell twice in a home-and-home series, while No. 20 Notre Dame earned victories over UMass at the Compton Family Ice Arena and top-ranked Providence pushed its unbeaten streak to 18 games with a pair of wins over No 16 Merrimack ... Elsewhere in conference play, New Hampshire and Boston College took three out of four points in home-and-home weekend series, while No. 12/13 Boston University and Vermont split two games at Agganis Arena in Boston. Sophomore defenseman Brandon Fortunato (North Hills, N.Y.) factored in on all three of the Terriers' third-period goals in a come-from-behind win over Vermont Saturday night. BU's last 12 goals have been scored by 11 different skaters ... After taking three out of four points from Northeastern this weekend, Boston College head coach Jerry York is just three wins away from reaching the 1,000 career victory mark ... UConn claimed the first weekend sweep of a Hockey East opponent since joining the league with two wins over No. 5 UMass Lowell. Freshman forward Tage Thompson (Orange, Conn.) scored three goals, including both game-winners for the Huskies in the series with the River Hawks. Thompson has an NCAA-leading seven power-play goals ... Jake Walman (Toronto, Ont.) scored the game-winning goal Saturday and Nick Ellis (Millersville, Md.) pitched a 31-save shutout to carry the Friars to an 18-game unbeaten streak with a win over Merrimack. Walman leads all NCAA defensemen with 11 goals, six on the power play and four game-winners, and 19 points ... Northeastern sophomore Nolan Stevens (Sea Isle City, N.J.) netted two goals against No. 3/2 Boston College and helped the Huskies to a 3-3 draw with the Eagles Saturday night. Boston College rookie Colin White (Hanover, Mass.) extended his point streak to 10 games with an unassisted, short-handed goal at 11:11 of the third period Saturday and an assist Sunday afternoon ... Anders Bjork (Mequon, Wis.) continued to produce for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, scoring two goals and adding an assist in a sweep of UMass while finishing plus-five on the weekend ... New Hampshire sophomore and NCAA leading point-getter Andrew Poturalski (Williamsville, N.Y.) racked up five points (3g, 2a) in two games against Maine. He now has a nation high 30 points in just 15 games played and leads the country in goals with 14 markers.
Poturalski, the NCAA leading point-getter (14g, 16a), registered his second consecutive five-point weekend on three goals and two assists. UNH took three out of four points in league play from Maine. Friday night saw Poturalski score a goal and add an assist in a 3-3 tie before he netted two goals and assisted on the game-winner Saturday in a 5-2 Wildcats victory.
Thompson helped sweep No. 5 UMass Lowell with three power-play goals in two games, including both game-winners and each of the Husky goals in a 2-1 win Sunday. It marks the first time UConn has swept a Hockey East foe in a weekend series since joining the conference. Thompson is now tied for the NCAA lead with seven power- play strikes.
Nichols backstopped the UConn Huskies to two wins over then-No. 5 UMass Lowell in a home-and-home series, stopping 57 shots in the two outings. Sunday afternoon, Nichols denied a River Hawks' penalty shot with the score tied 1-1 late in the third period to preserve the tie game. It marked the first ever Hockey East weekend sweep for UConn since joining the conference in 2014-15.
HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Matt Lane, BU (Sr., F; Rochester, N.Y.) Scored the game-tying goal and chipped in with two assists in a 5-3 win over Vermont Saturday.
Jordan Greenway, BU (Fr., F; Canton, N.Y.) Dished out three helpers in a weekend series against Vermont, including a pair Saturday.
Brandon Fortunato, BU (So., D; North Hills, N.Y.) Tied his career high tally of three points by factoring on each of BU's three third period strikes in Saturday's 5-3 win over Vermont. Also added an assist Friday night for four points in the two games.
Danny Tirone, UNH (So., G; Trumbull, Conn.) Backstopped the Wildcats to three points, stopping 50 shots in a 3-3 tie Friday before turning aside 28 in a 5-2 win Saturday. His 78 saves earned him a .940 save percentage on the weekend.
Anders Bjork, ND (Jr., F; Mequon, Wis.) Scored two goals and added an assist in a sweep of UMass, finishing plus-five on the weekend.
Cal Petersen, ND (So., G; Waterloo, Iowa) Turned in a 1.00 goals against average and .965 save percentage off 55 saves in two wins against UMass.
Garret Gamez, PC (Fr., F; Chino Hills, Calif.) Scored two power-play tallies against No. 16 Merrimack, netting the game-winning strike Friday in a 2-1 Friars win.
Nick Ellis, PC (Jr., G; Millersville, Md.) Picked up the third shutout of his career Saturday, blanking Merrimack for 0.50/.984 numbers in two games this weekend.
Brendan Bradley, UVM (Jr., F; Warminster, Pa.) Netted a goal in each game of a two-game set at Boston University, including Friday's game-winning marker.
Liam Coughlin, UVM (Fr., F; South Boston, Mass.) Registered his first career goal as a Catamount and assisted on the decisive tally Friday at Boston University.
Mike Santaguida, UVM (Jr., G; Mississauga, Ont.) Stopped 69 of 74 shots faced at Boston University, tying his career high of 41 stops Saturday.