AROUND HOCKEY EAST: New Hampshire opened the 2017-18 season, long-time head coach Dick Umile's final behind the Wildcats' bench, with two wins over #5 UMass Lowell in a home-and-home series. Danny Tirone (Trumbull, Conn.) backstopped his team to the pair of wins, making 52 saves on 56 shots in the two games ... Maine and UConn also opened Hockey East league play with a set of contests at Alfond Arena. The Huskies and Black Bears split the weekend, thanks in part to Maine's Chase Pearson (Alpharetta, Ga.). Pearson Chipped in with two assists on the weekend, including a helper on the overtime goal Friday against UConn. For the Huskies, Miles Gendron (Shrewsbury, Mass.) dished out a career-high three assists, two on the power play, to push the Huskies to a 5-1 win at Maine on Saturday. Adam Huska (Zvolen, Slovakia) stopped 38 shots in the victory ... Providence swept Miami in a two-game road set, earning wins of 3-1 and 3-2. Hayden Hawkey, PC (Parker, Colo.) backstopped the Friars to the two wins, making 49 saves on 52 shots ... Boston University continued its hot start to 2017-18, picking up a pair of wins over ranked opponents in its first two games. Patrick Harper (New Canaan, Conn.) racked up six points on four goals and two assists against then-#16 Union and then-#14 Quinnipiac. Harper set up both game-winning strikes for the Terriers ... The Bobcats also squared off against Boston College on Friday evening, skating to a 1-1 draw with the Eagles. Jacob Tortora (Victor, N.Y.) scored his first collegiate goal with less than five minutes to play while Joseph Woll (St. Louis, Mo.) turned aside 28 of 29 Quinnipiac shots ... Northeastern exploded for 14 goals on the weekend against Sacred Heart, taking 7-3 and 7-0 decisions. Matt Filipe (Lynnfield, Mass.) racked up five points (3g, 2a) including Friday's game-winning goal and Zach Solow (Naples, Fla.) became the first Northeastern rookie to record a multi-point game in his debut (1g, 3a) and added two goals on Saturday for six points ... Vermont's Ross Colton (Robbinsville, N.J.) scored four goals in a split with Colorado College and Stefanos Lekkas (Elburn, Ill.) had 33 saves to pick up his third career shutout on Friday night ... UMass split in Arizona State, falling 5-3 before rebounding for a 4-2 decision. John Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) picked up his first two career points (1g, 1a) in the win, including the game-winning goal.
Patrick Harper (New Canaan, Conn.) racked up six points in a pair of wins over ranked opponents to start his sophomore season. The forward two goals and an assist against #16 Union and followed up with two goals at #14 Quinnipiac and an assist on the overtime winner in a 3-2 triumph.
Zach Solow (Naples, Fla.) led the NCAA with six points (3g, 3a) in a sweep of Sacred Heart to open this collegiate career. He became the first Northeastern rookie to record a multi-point game in his debut on Friday (1g, 3a) and added two goals on Saturday.
Danny Tirone (Trumbull, Conn.) backstopped the Wildcats to a pair of victories over league rival and #5 UMass Lowell to begin head coach Dick Umile's final season behind the UNH bench. Tirone stopped 52 saves on the weekend and turned aside 30 in Saturday's 3-1 victory.
HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Jacob Tortora, BC (Fr., F; Victor, N.Y.) Scored his first career collegiate goal for the Eagles in Friday's 1-1 draw with Quinnipiac. He potted the puck with less than five minutes to play to help Boston College to its first point of 2017-18.
Joseph Woll, BC (So., G; St. Louis, Mo.) Turned aside 28 of 29 Quinnipiac shots, including three in overtime, in a 1-1 tie.
Shane Bowers, BU (Fr., F; Halifax, N.S.) Scored the OT winner at QU after icing a 4-1 win against Union with an empty netter.
Jake Oettinger, BU (So., G; Lakeville, Minn.) Picked up a pair of wins to start the season, earning .946/1.45 numbers against ranked teams.
Miles Gendron, UConn (Jr., D; Shrewsbury, Mass.) Dished out a career-high three assists, two on the power play, to push the Huskies to a 5-1 win at Maine on Saturday.
Adam Huska, UConn (So., G; Zvolen, Slovakia) Stopped 38 shots in a 5-1 win Saturday at Maine, making 14 saves in the third to secure the victory.
Chase Pearson, ME (So., F; Alpharetta, Ga.) Chipped in with two assists on the weekend for the Black Bears, including a helper on the overtime winning goal Friday against UConn. He put 10 shots on net and won 26 faceoffs.
Tim Doherty, ME (So., F; Portsmouth, R.I.) In his first collegiate game, scored the first goal for Maine in 4-3 OT win against league rival UConn.
Rob Michel, ME (Jr., D; Camillis, N.Y.) Had one goal and one assist while putting eight shots on net and blocking five.
Niko Rufo, UMass (Sr., F; Stoneham, Mass.) Notched the first multi-point game of his career, assisting on the game-winning strike and potting an empty-nettter in a 4-2 win at Arizona State.
John Leonard, UMass (Fr., F; Amherst, Mass.) Picked up his first two career points (1g, 1a) in a 4-2 win over ASU, including scoring the game-winning goal.
Jake McLaughlin, UMass (So., D; Hinsdale, Ill.) Scored in a 5-1 setback at ASU and set up the decisive tally in game two's 4-2 victory.
Ludvig Larsson, MC (Jr., F; Malmo Sweden) Potted the first goal of the year for Merrimack Friday. On the weekend, he totaled seven shots on net, 21 faceoff wins, and a plus-one rating.
Drew Vogler, MC (Jr., G; Florissant, Mo.) Totaled 45 saves in two games at Colgate, earning .918/1.95 numbers.
Liam Blackburn, UNH (So., F; Prince George, B.C.) Netted two goals and added an assist in two wins over #5 UML, including a pair of tallies in Saturday's 3-2 victory over the River Hawks.
Benton Maass, UNH (Fr., D; Elk River, Minn.) Dished out an assist in each game of a home-and-home sweep of UML.
Matt Filipe, NU (So., F; Lynnfield, Mass.) Racked up five points (3g, 2a) in two wins over Sacred Heart, including the game-winning goal Friday, and posted a nation-best plus-six on the weekend.
Cayden Primeau, NU (Fr., G; Voorhees, N.J.) Posted a shutout in his collegiate debut, making 18 saves Saturday.
Hayden Hawkey, PC (Jr., G; Parker, Colo.) Backstopped Providence to two wins at Miami, making 49 saves on 52 shots.
Ross Colton, UVM (So., F; Robbinsville, N.J.) Scored four goals over a weekend series with Colorado College, including his first hat trick Saturday night. He netted the game-winning goal Saturday and fired 13 shots on net Saturday.
Stefanos Lekkas, UVM (So., G; Elburn, Ill.) Had 33 saves to pick up his third career shutout on Friday night.