AROUND HOCKEY EAST: Entering February and the final month of regular season play, the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings have tightened, with the top five teams separated by just six points and the bottom four teams separated by just one. The top five teams in this year's final standings will receive a bye into the Hockey East Quarterfinal round ... UConn, Maine, and Vermont all enjoyed sweeps in league play last weekend. UConn earned two wins over New Hampshire thanks to the play of senior goaltender Tanner Creel (Arlington Heights, Ill.). Creel allowed just two goals in each game of a weekend sweep of New Hampshire, making 55 stops across the two wins. Creel is 3-1-0 in four games since being thrust into the starting role after an injury to Adam Huska. He's posted a 2.01 goals against average and .931 save percentage over that span ... Maine extended its unbeaten streak to five games (3-0-2) with a sweep at UMass. Chase Pearson (Alpharetta, Ga.) had three points (2g, 1a) in the series with the Minutemen, including one game-winner. Jeremy Swayman (Anchorage, Alaska.) went 2-0-0, and is 3-0-2 in his last five, after picking up a pair of 28-save wins ... Vermont earned two wins at Merrimack off the stick of Ross Colton (Robbinsville, N.J.). Colton scored each game-winning goal for the Catamounts in the series victory and dished out helpers on two other strikes to earn Hockey East Player of the Week honors ... Boston College took a 2-1-0 mark in league play last week, topping UMass, 2-1, on Tuesday before splitting a home-and-home weekend set with UMass Lowell. Eagles sophomore Graham McPhee (Bethesda, Md.) scored three times in the two tilts with the River Hawks. He potted both of the Eagles' goals in a 3-2 setback at UML on Friday before again finding the back of the net with the eventual game-winning strike in a 5-2 victory at home ... Providence took a 1-0-1 mark over Northeastern last weekend in a battle of then-top-10 teams. Friars rookie Greg Printz (Fairfax, Va.) scored in overtime to lift his team to victory on Saturday, one day after Northeastern's Adam Gaudette (Braintree, Mass.) scored three points (2g, 1a) in Friday's 4-4 tie, including the game-tying goal with 40 seconds left in regulation ... Boston University traveled west for a pair of games at Arizona State. Dante Fabbro (New Westminster, B.C.) posted five points (1g, 4a) and a plus-5 rating in the sweep while Jake Oettinger, (Lakeville, Minn.) recorded a 23-save shutout Friday night.
Ross Colton (Robbinsville, N.J.) netted the game-winning goal in each game of a two-game sweep of Merrimack and chipped in two assists for a four-point weekend. He finished the weekend with a plus-four rating in the road series.
Adam Karashik (Ridgefield, Conn.) enjoyed a three-point (2g, 1a) weekend to help UConn to a weekend sweep of New Hampshire. He set up the game-tying goal in Friday's 4-2 win as part of a third-period come back and netted the game-winner in Saturday's 3-2 victory.
Jeremy Swayman (Anchorage, Alaska.) went 2-0- 0, and is 3-0-2 in his last five, after picking up a pair of 28-save wins over UMass. Swayman has now collected five weekly honors from the league for his performance this season, helping to lead the Black Bears to resurgent second half.
HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Graham McPhee, BC (So., F; Bethesda, Md.) Scored three times in a weekend split with UMass Lowell. He potted both of the Eagles' goals in a 3-2 setback at UML on Friday before again finding the back of the net with the eventual game-winning strike in a 5-2 victory at home.
Dante Fabbro, BU (So., D, New Westminster, B.C.) Posted five points (1g, 4a) and a plus-5 rating in the Terriers' weekend sweep at Arizona State.
Jake Oettinger, BU (So., G, Lakeville, Minn.) Recorded a 23-save shutout against Arizona State on Friday and posted a 1.50 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage in the weekend sweep of the Sun Devils.
Brady Tkachuk, BU (Fr., F, St. Louis, Mo.) Scored two goals and an assist in the Terriers' weekend sweep at Arizona State and had a plus-four rating for the series.
Tanner Creel, UConn (Sr., G; Arlington Heights, Ill.) Allowed just two goals in each game of a weekend sweep of New Hampshire, making 55 stops across the two wins. Creel is 3-1-0 in four games since being thrust into the starting role after an injury to Adam Huska. He's posted a 2.01 goals against average and .931 save percentage over that span.
Chase Pearson, ME (So., F; Alpharetta, Ga.) Had three points (2g, 1a) in a sweep of UMass. In Saturday's victory, he scored 16 seconds into the game and then scored the eventual game-winner in the second period. He won 23 faceoffs and blocked three shots.
Rob Michel, ME (Jr., D; Camillus, N.Y.) Helped Maine to a win Friday with a goal and an assist. He fired three shots on goal and blocked two shots while finishing a plus-two.
Adam Gaudette, NU (Jr., F; Braintree, Mass.) Scored three points (2g, 1a) in Friday's 4-4 tie with Providence, including the game-tying goal with 40 seconds left in regulation.
Cayden Primeau, NU (Fr., G; Voorhees, N.J.) Stopped 56 shots in a two-game series with Providence, going 0-1-1 on the weekend.
Eric Williams, NU (Jr., Newcastle, Ont.) In two games with #10 Providence, Williams had one goal, one assist, and 11 blocked shots.
Alex Esposito, UVM (Fr., F; West Haven, Conn.) Had a goal and three assists to go along with a plus-four rating in the weekend sweep of Merrimack, including the game-winning goal in overtime on Saturday.
Stefanos Lekkas, UVM (So., G; Elburn, Ill.) Stopped 50 of 52 shots he saw in a two-game sweep at Merrimack and picked up his 25th career win over the weekend.