Men's Weekly Release: Massachusetts Claims Three Wins, UConn Earns Seven Points

HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

No. 9/9 Massachusetts swept a three-game set last weekend, knocking off New Hampshire, 4-0, on Wednesday before taking down No. 10/13 Northeastern in a home-and-home set. Carson Gicewicz (Orchard Park, N.Y.) scored a goal in all three UMass wins tying the program record for consecutive games with at least one goal, having found the back of the net seven times in five straight outings.

UConn earned seven of a possible nine league points in three outings last week, riding the goaltending of Tomas Vomacka (Trutnov, Czech Republic), who stopped an eye-popping 98 of 101 shots he faced as he went 2-1-0 in three starts. The junior netminder picked up his second career shutout behind 37 saves against No. 15 Providence on December 28.

No. 17 UMass Lowell’s offense exploded over the weekend, scoring 14 goals in a two-game sweep of Maine. Andre Lee (Karlstad, Sweden) potted two goals and added two assists for four points in Sunday’s 5-2 win, marking the first fourpoint game by a River Hawk since January 2018. Chase Blackmun (Hudson, Wis.) led Hockey East in goals (3), points per game (2), plus (+7), plus/minus (+5), and shots per game (5.50), totaling three three goals and one assist for four points. Blackmun logged his first career hat trick on Monday night in a 9-5 win over the Black Bears, the first hat trick for a River Hawk defenseman since 2016.

No. 15 Providence earned five points in a two-game set with Vermont, thanks in part to goaltender Jaxson Stauber (Plymouth, Minn.), who stopped 74 of 77 shots he faced. Since becoming eligible on Dec. 13, he has recorded a 3-1-2 record with a 1.30 GAA and .946 save percentage.

Vermont goaltender Tyler Harmon (Ramsey, N.J.) made 46 saves Saturday night at No. 15 Providence in a 3-1 loss for the Catamounts. The 46 saves are the most by a Hockey East goaltender in a game this season. On Friday afternoon, Harmon picked up his first career shutout in a 0-0 tie at Providence, making 33 saves.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Chase Blackmun - UMass Lowell

Chase Blackmun (Hudson, Wis.) led Hockey East in goals (3), points per game (2), plus (+7), plus/minus (+5), and shots per game (5.50). He totaled three goals and one assist for four points in a sweep against Maine. Blackmun logged his first career hat trick on Monday night in a 9-5 win over the Black Bears, the first hat trick for a River Hawk defenseman since 2016.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Josh Lopina - Massachusetts

Josh Lopina (Minooka, Ill.) registered five points on one goal and four assists in a 3-0-0 week for the Minutemen and finished the weekend with a plus-five rating. The rookie forward set up the game-winning goal at New Hampshire on Wednesday and netted the tying strike in the third period at Northeastern on Friday. He wrapped the week with his fourth multi-point game of the year with two assists on Saturday.

HOCKEY EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Tomas Vomacka - UConn

Tomas Vomacka (Trutnov, Czech Republic) stopped an eye-popping 98 of 101 shots he faced as he went 2-1-0 in three starts, with his second career shutout behind 37 saves against No. 15 Providence. He posted 30 saves to get a road win at UNH, 2-1, and made 31 stops in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Wildcats. His defensive performance backboned the Huskies to a seven-point week.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Jonny Evans, UConn (Jr., F; North Delta, B.C.) Had a point and two assists as the Huskies took seven of nine points on the week with wins over No. 15 Providence and New Hampshire and an overtime setback to the Wildcats. Evans extended his point streak to a career-best six games (3g, 5a) with a goal and assist against the Friars and an assist in the win at UNH, including assists on two game-winning tallies. He leads the Huskies with three goals and nine points

Carson Gicewicz, UMass (RS Sr., F; Orchard Park, N.Y.) Scored a goal in all three UMass wins last week, including one power-play goal and one game-winning tally. Gicewicz tied the program record for consecutive games with at least one goal, having found the back of the net seven times in five straight outings. He finished the week with a plus-three rating.

Matthew Kessel, UMass (So., D; Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) Logged a team-high six points on two goals and four assists and contributed defensively to a shutout of New Hampshire on the road in a 3-0-0 week for the Minutemen. Kessel posted a career single-game best three points with a goal and two assists for three points at UNH, scoring the game winner against the Wildcats, which capped a streak of four straight games with a goal for Kessel. He added an assist on the game-tying goal in the third period on the road at Northeastern on Friday, a 4-3 win for the Minutemen, and pushed his point streak to six straight games (5g, 5a), scoring on a penalty shot and collecting an assist in a 5-3 win over Northeastern.

Andre Lee, UML (So., F; Karlstad, Sweden) In Sunday’s 5-2 win over Maine, the sophomore potted two goals and added two assists for four points. It was the first four-point game by a River Hawk since January 2018.

Ben Meehan, UML (Fr., D; Walpole, Mass.) Logged three assists in a 5-2 win over Maine on Sunday and blocked one shot.

Jackson Pierson, UNH (Jr., F; Zionsville, Ind.) Posted two goals and one assist for three points over three games on the week. In a 2-1 loss to UConn on Friday, posted an assist before scoring both goals on Saturday in a 2-1 overtime win at UConn. He tied the game at 1-1 with 7:12 left in the third period and then he netted the overtime winner on the power play.

Mike Robinson, UNH (Sr., G; Bedford, N.H.) Posted a 2.00 goals against average and a .935 save percentage on the week as he allowed six goals over three games and made 86 saves. He made 19 saves against UMass on Wednesday, while on Friday against UConn he made 31 saves on 33 shots. He then posted 36 saves on Saturday in the 2-1 overtime win at UConn.

Jaxson Stauber, PC (So., G; Plymouth, Minn.) Stopped 74 of 77 shots he faced over three games last week, including one shutout and stopping five of six shootout attempts on Friday against Vermont. He posted totals of 0.98 GAA and a .961 save percentage last week. Since becoming eligible on Dec. 13, he has recorded a 3-1-2 record with a 1.30 GAA and .946 save percentage.

Tyler Harmon, UVM (Sr., G; Ramsey, N.J.) Made 46 saves Saturday night at Providence in a 3-1 loss for the Catamounts. The 46 saves are the most by a Hockey East goaltender in a game this season. On Friday afternoon, Harmon picked up his first career shutout in a 0-0 tie at Providence. He made 33 saves on Friday for a total of 79 in two games.