AROUND HOCKEY EAST: The New Hampshire Wildcats remained undefeated, stretching their record to 4-0-0 in 2017-18 by way of a weekend sweep of Colgate. The 'Cats earned wins with a pair of five-goal outings, including a four-point weekend from Hockey East Player of the Week Michael McNicholas (Manhattan Beach, Calif./1g, 4a). Charlie Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) also earned his first five NCAA points (1g, 4a) last weekend ... UMass toppled Union and American International on the weekend to improve to 3-1-0 on the year. Amherst native and rookie forward John Leonard helped his hometown Minutemen with five points on two goals and three assists to earn Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week honors. He dished out a pair of helpers in a 5-4 road win at Union before scoring twice and adding another assist in a 3-1 victory over AIC ... #13 Boston College earned its first win in Hockey East play and of the season with a come-from-behind win at #9 Providence. After falling in a 3-0 hole to the Friars, the Eagles began to rally with Christopher Grando's (Islip, N.Y.) second career goal at 7:29 of the second period. Junior captain Casey Fitzgerald (North Reading, Mass.) scored twice and capped the four-goal comeback with the overtime winner ... #12 UMass Lowell split a series with Omaha, dropping a 4-2 decision before coming back to take a 5-2 win in game two. Christoffer Hernberg (Espoo, Finland) made 42 save on 44 shots in two appearances, including 18 shots in 29:09 of relief to earn his second career win as a River Hawk ... Northeastern salvaged a 3-3 draw with RIT on Saturday night, falling behind 3-0. Leading scorer Dylan Sikura (Aurora, Ont.) chipped in an assist and scored the game-tying goal with 2:40 left in the game to earn a 3-3 tie as his squad scored three times in the final 23:04 ... UConn took a 1-1-0 weekend against American International and Sacred Heart. Husky sophomore Alexander Payusov (Montreal, Que.) had a four-point weekend (3g, 1a) including his first career hat trick on Friday at American International to help the Huskies finish off a comeback win over the Yellow Jackets ... #2 Boston University fell twice to Minnesota State at home over the weekend, dropping scores of 6-2 and 3-2. Rookie forward Shane Bowers (Halifax, N.S.) scored twice in the Terriers' loss on Friday and how has four goals on the season ... Vermont split a weekend with #17 Quinnipiac and Union. Sophomore goaltender Stefanos Lekkas (Elburn, Ill.) continued his stellar play for the Catamounts as he stopped 65 of 70 shots in two outings. Lekkas has now has at least 30 saves in three of his four starts on the year.
Michael McNicholas (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) racked up five points (1g, 4a) on the weekend to help New Hampshire improved to 4-0-0 on the year as the Wildcats swept a two-game set with Colgate. He posted two assists on Friday in the 5-0 victory, while he had one goal and two assists on Saturday in the 5-3 win.
John Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) helped his hometown Minutemen to a 2-0-0 weekend with five points on two goals and three assists. He dished out a pair of helpers in a 5-4 road win at Union before scoring twice and adding another assist in a 3-1 victory over AIC.
Casey Fitzgerald (North Reading, Mass.) scored twice for the Eagles in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win at Providence, helping his squad to its first win of the season against a league rival. The junior captain capped off a four-goal comeback with the overtime winner after his team was down, 3-0.
HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Christopher Grando, BC (Fr., F; Islip, N.Y.) Scored goals in back-to-back games last weekend, earning his first collegiate tally in Friday's setback to Wisconsin before igniting the Eagles' comeback at 7:29 of the second period at Providence.
Shane Bowers, BU (Fr., F; Halifax, N.S.) Found the back of the net twice in a 5-3 setback to Minnesota State on Friday.
Alexander Payusov, UConn (So., F; Montreal, Que.) Had a four-point weekend (3g, 1a) to help UConn split with AIC and Sacred Heart. He scored his first career hat trick Friday, helping the Huskies to a comeback win over the Yellow Jackets.
Croix Evingson, UML (Fr., D; Anchorage, Alaska) Had two points (1g, 1a) and a plus-four rating in his first NCAA game in a 5-2 win Saturday against Omaha.
Christoffer Hernberg, UML (Jr., G; Espoo, Finland) Made 42 save on 44 shots in two games against Omaha, including 18 shots in 29:09 of relief to earn his second career win as a River Hawk.
Charlie Kelleher, UNH (Fr., F; Longmeadow, Mass.) Earned his first five NCAA points (1g, 4a) in two wins over Colgate, helping UNH to 5-0 and 5-3 triumphs.
Danny Tirone, UNH (Sr., G; Trumbull, Conn.) Improved to 4-0-0 on the season with 46 saves on 49 shots, including a 23-save shutout, the seventh of his career.
Dylan Sikura, NU (Sr., F; Aurora, Ont.) Chipped in an assist and scored the game-tying goal with 2:40 left in the game to earn a 3-3 tie at RIT. The Huskies had fallen to a 3-0 deficit before scoring three times in the final 23:04.
Cayden Primeau, NU (Fr., G; Voorhees, N.J.) Stopped 24 pucks in a 3-3 tie at RIT.
Garret Cockerill, NU (Sr., D; Brighton, Mich.) Scored and had the primary assist on Sikura's goal as the Huskies earned a 3-3 draw.
Craig Puffer, UVM (Jr., F; New Canaan, Conn.) Netted two goals and added a helper in a weekend split at ECAC Hockey opponents #17 Quinnipiac and Union. He finished a plus-two on the weekend after a 3-2 overtime setback at Quinnipiac and a 3-2 win over Union.
Alex Esposito, UVM (Fr., F; West Haven, Conn.) Earned his first career assists with a helper in each game against Quinnipiac and Union.
Stefanos Lekkas, UVM (So., G; Elburn, Ill.) Stopped 65 of 70 shots in a 1-1-0 weekend against QU (34 saves) and Union (31 saves).