HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

Northeastern claimed its eighth Beanpot crown in a shootout over No. 10 Harvard. It is the fourth in the last fifth years for the Huskies Boston College defeated No. 5 Boston University, 4-2, in the third place game.

Entering the final weeks of the regular season, no tournament seeding has been secured and every team sits with two games of at least one opponent ahead of them in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings.

Vermont completed two furious third-period comebacks at Massachusetts last weekend, erasing three and four-goal deficits to earn a pair of points on the road. The Minutemen took the extra point in each shootout.

New Hampshire has ticked off four wins in a row, all over ranked league opponents, ahead of a crucial two-game set with arch-rival Maine. The Wildcats and Black Bears are separated by five points in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings and are jockeying for home ice in the opening round of the Hockey East Men’s Tournament.

Maine is 7-4-1 in its last 12 outings and is unbeaten in its last three games. The Black Bears now sit seventh in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings, six points back of Providence with two games in hand entering a two-game set at New Hampshire.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Ryan Ufko - Massachusetts

Ryan Ufko (So., D; Smithtown, N.Y.) became the first UMass defenseman to score a hat trick since 2011 with three goals in Saturday’s 4-4 tie (and 2-0 shootout win) over Vermont. He also netted the clinching shootout goal in that contest, giving UMass a crucial extra point in league play. He finished with a plus-five rating on the weekend and attempted eight shots on net.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Jake Dunlap - New Hampshire

Jake Dunlap (Fr., F; Windham, N.H.) posted the first multi-point game of his career in a 3-2 overtime win over No. 13 UConn on Saturday. He gave UNH a 2-1 lead in the third period and then tallied an assist on the game-winning goal in overtime

ARMY ROTC DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Hunter McDonald - Northeastern

Hunter McDonald (Fr., D; Fairport, N.Y.) netted his first collegiate goal in a 3-1 win over No. 3 Boston University on Monday to secure a win in the Beanpot semifinals. He blocked nine shots over the Huskies’ two games last week and currently leads the league with 48 blocks.

STOP IT GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Devon Levi - Northeastern

Devon Levi (Jr., G; Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que.) improved to 14-9-4 on the year with a 1-0-1 weekend, including a shootout win at Providence in a 3-3 draw on Saturday. He tallied 33 saves in a 3-1 victory over #3 Boston University on Monday, lifting the Huskies to their fifth-straight Beanpot final. He recorded 54 saves in a 3-3 draw with the Friars on Friday and stopped all three shootout attempts by the Friars to secure the extra point. He currently leads Hockey East goaltenders in six categories: wins (11), shutouts (4), saves (598), save percentage (.948), games played (18) and minutes (1097:23), and ranks second in goals against average at 1.80.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Henry Welsch, UML (Jr., G; Lakeville, Minn.) Made 29 saves in the River Hawks’ 1-1 draw with Maine on Sunday night. The junior then had a perfect showing in the shootout, shutting down both Maine attempts to secure the extra point in Hockey East play. He backstopped the River Hawks PK to a flawless night and earned his first “win” in a shootout.

Chase Stevenson, UNH (Sr., F; West Kelowna, B.C.) Scored two goals and posted one assist for three points as UNH went 2-0-0 over No. 13 UConn. His two goals included the game-winner in a 4-1 road win on Friday before he then assisted on the overtime game-winner in a 3-2 victory on Saturday.

Damien Carfagna, UNH (Fr., D; Wood Ridge, N.J.) Potted the overtime game winner in a 3-2 win over No. 13 UConn on Saturday, giving UNH a 2-0-0 weekend. It was his first overtime winner of the season.

David Fessenden, UNH (Sr., G; Parker, Colo.) Went 1-0-0 on the week as he made 24 saves and only allowed one goal on Friday. He posted a 1.00 goals against average and a .960 save percent- age.

Matt Choupani, NU (So., F; Baie D’Urfe, Que.) Scored two goals in a span of 5:10 to secure a 3-3 stalemate with Providence, bringing the Huskies back from being down 3-0 in the final minutes of the third period. He tallied four shots in two games, and a block in the Huskies win over #3 Boston University in the Beanpot semifinals last Monday. He has recorded seven points (5g, 2a) in the last nine games.

Vinny Borgesi, NU (Fr., D; Philadelphia, Pa.) Tallied three assists in two outings, including a helper in the Huskies’ win over No. 3 Boston University in the Beanpot semifinals. He posted two more assists in a 3-3 draw with Providence, adding two blocks, two shots on net, and a plus-three rating.

Bennett Schimek, PC (Fr., F; Mendota Heights, Minn.) Notched a power-play goal and added an assist in Providence’s 3-3 tie against Northeastern on Friday night. He now is tied for second on the Friars with nine goals this season and has recorded a point in seven of 12 second half games this season.

Jaroslav Chmelar, PC (Fr., F; Nove Mesto nad Matuji, Czech Rep.) Assisted on the opening goal and added a third period marker in Providence’s 3-3 tie against Northeastern on Friday night. It was Chmelar’s fourth multi-point effort of the season.