HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

In an early entry for game of the year in college hockey, No. 2 Boston College downed No. 5 Maine in a come-from-behind, 3-2 victory on Friday. Ryan Leonard scored the game-winning dagger with 1:32 left in regulation, capping off a three-goal flurry in the final 9:35. On Sunday, Leonard again won the game with the first goal in a 3-0 victory to secure the sweep.

Vermont took five of six league points from No. 17 Massachusetts in a road stand, highlighted by the second Hockey East shut out from Axel Mangbo. The sophomore goaltender made 26 saves on Saturday in a 4-0 victory while Max Strand dished out three assists.

Merrimack swept a weekend series against UConn, 4-1 and 5-3, paced by three goals from Ethan Bono. On Friday, Max Lundgren made double digit saves in each period, and 34 in total, in Merrimack’s 4-1 victory over UConn on Friday.

No. 17 UMass Lowell split a series with No. 9 Boston University, the road team taking the win in each outing. Rookie Libor Nemec scored the game-winning goal in the third period on Friday to cap a two-point night for the River Hawk forward. The next day, Boston University bounced back thanks in part to a Matt Copponi’s three points and Max Lacroix’s 17 saves in his first collegiate start.

No. 11 Providence took four of six points from Northeastern in an offensive-minded two-game set. Freshman Trevor Connelly had six points on the weekend, including a five-point outing (2g, 3a) on Saturday.

New Hampshire toppled Long Island, 6-1, in a single non-conference game on Saturday. Robert Cronin scored two goals, his first career multi-goal game.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Ryan Leonard - Boston College

Ryan Leonard (So., F; Amherst, Mass.) netted the game-winning goal in each of No. 2 Boston College’s wins over No. 5 Maine in a sold-out weekend sweep of the Black Bears. On Friday, Leonard’s goal with 1:33 remaining completed a comeback from 2-0 down in the final 9:35 of regulation in an early contender for game of the year. On Sunday, he broke a scoreless tie in the second period, eventually proving to be the game-winning goal in a 3-0 victory.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Trevor Connelly - Providence

Trevor Connelly (Fr., F; Tustin, Calif.) led all Hockey East players in points (6) and was tied for the league lead in assists (4) over the past week. He recorded an assist in Providence’s 2-2 tie on Friday night with Northeastern then registered five points on two goals and three assists, including scoring the game-winning goal in overtime in a 6-5 road win.

HOCKEY EAST DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Zach Bookman - Merrimack

Zach Bookman (Jr., D; Syracuse, N.Y.) had a goal and two assists in the se- ries sweep of UConn. He dished out the primary helper on the game-winning goal in Friday’s 4-1 victory. He now has 11 points in six games in his career against the Huskies.

STOP IT CO-GOALTENDERS OF THE WEEK

Jacob Fowler - Boston College
Axel Mangbo - Vermont

Jacob Fowler (So., G; Melbourne, Fla.) picked up two wins this weekend in a sweep over No. 5 Maine. Fowler made 30 saves in Friday’s 3-2 win before posting a 26-save shutout on Sunday. Fowler moves to 7-1-0 on the season, allowing two or fewer goals in six of his eight starts and posting three perfect games. He carries a 1.99 GAA and .930 SV%.

Axel Mangbo (So., G; Molle, Sweden) picked up his second win of the year with 26 saves against No. 17 UMass Saturday. It was his second shutout in three starts. Mangbo is the only goaltender in Hockey East with two shutouts in league play this season.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

James Hagens, BC (Fr., F; Hauppauge, N.Y.) Provided the primary assist on the game-winning goal in Friday’s 3-2 come-from-behind victory over No. 5 Maine.

Aram Minnetian, BC (So., D; Woodcliff Lake, N.J.) Had one assist, three blocks, and a plus-one rating in Friday’s 3-2 win over No. 5 Maine. In Sunday’s 3-0 victory, Minnetian had one block and a plus-two rating.

Matt Copponi, BU (Sr., F; Mansfield, Mass.) Collected three points on one goal and two assists in the Terriers’ 5-2 win at UMass Lowell on Saturday night. He factored on the Terriers’ first three goals of the game, assisting on the eventual game-winner.

Cole Eiserman, BU (Fr., F; Newburyport, Mass.) Notched a goal and an assist on Friday against UMass Lowell.

Cole Hutson, BU (Fr., D; Chicago, Ill.) Scored a goal on Saturday in the Terriers’ win over UMass Lowell and also had a primary assist in Friday’s game.

Max Lacroix, BU (So., G; Denver, Colo.) Made 17 saves in his first collegiate start, backstopping the Terriers to a 5-2 win at No. 17 UMass Lowell on Saturday. Lacroix did not allow an even-strength goal, stopping all eight shots he faced in the third period and making a key save during a second-period breakaway to keep BU in front.

Ethan Bono, MC (So., F; Port McNeill, B.C.) Scored three times this weekend in a sweep of UConn, netting his first two strikes of the year in Friday’s 4-1 win and another in Saturday’s 5-2 triumph.

Caelan Fitzpatrick, MC (Fr., F; Moose Jaw, Sask.) Netted the game-winning goal and added an assist in Merrimack’s 5-2 win over UConn on Saturday.

Max Lundgren, MC (So., G; Angelholm, Sweden) Made double digit saves in every period, and 34 in total, in Merrimack’s 4-1 victory over UConn on Friday.

Libor Nemec, UML (Fr., F; Bratislava, Slovakia) In a 5-3 victory over No. 9 Boston University, Nemec scored the game-winning goal in the third period, before collecting an assist on the team’s fifth goal to carry two points to help lift the River Hawks. He then went on to score again in the second period of game two, giving him three total points on the weekend.

Ben Meehan, UML (Gr., D; Walpole, Mass.) Scored the team’s third goal to help lead UMass Lowell to a 5-3 victory at No. 9 BU. In Saturday’s game two, he added an assist for a two-point weekend.

Henry Welsch, UML (Gr., G; Lakeville, Minn.) Went 1-1-0 on the weekend with No. 9 BU, splitting the series with the Terriers and moving to 6-1-0 on the year. In Saturday’s 5-3 victory, he made 26 saves, including 12 in the third period to help hold BU to just one goal in the stanza and lead the River Hawks to the win.

Robert Cronin, UNH (Sr., F; Plymouth, Mass.) Scored two goals on Saturday in the 6-1 win over LIU to lead the Wildcats. It was his first career multi-goal game.

Jared Whale, UNH (Jr., G; Calgary, Alta.) Made 21 saves and allowed one goal in the 6-1 win over LIU on Saturday. He posted a 1.01 goals against average and .955 save percentage.

Cam Lund, NU (Jr., F; Bridgewater, Mass.) Tallied a five point weekend against No. 11 Providence, including a one assist, six shots and one block in Friday’s stalemate and shootwin win. In game two, the junior recorded one goal and three assists for a season-high four points, seven shots, one block, and finished with a plus-one rating. Lund has now tallied nine points in six consecutive games (5g, 4a).

Joe Connor, NU (Fr., F; Nottingham, N.H.) Recorded the first two goals of his NCAA career last weekend against No. 11 Providence and added the shootout-winning goal in game one’s 2-2 tie. He registered ten shots, including a season-high eight in game one to lead both teams. He finished with a plus-one rating and recorded one block.

Joaquim Lemay, NU (Jr., D; Sainte-Pierre-les-Becquets, Que.) Picked up two points in this first two games back from injury against No. 11 Providence. Lemay collected an assist in game one and recorded the game-tying goal in game two, his first goal as a Husky. He finished with eights shots and two blocks and a plus-one rating.

Andrew Centrella, PC (So., D; Philadelphia, Pa.) Finished tied among all Hockey East defensemen last week with three points. The sophomore registered an assist on Friday night in the 2-2 tie then recording two assists, including the primary assist on Trevor Connelly’s overtime goal in the Friars’ 6-5 win at Northeastern on Saturday.

Max Strand, UVM (Fr., F; Roseau, Minn.) Led all Catamount scorers with three points on the weekend, all on assists, in Vermont’s five-point league weekend over No. 17 UMass. Strand leads the Catamounts with seven helpers this year. He is also tied for team lead with eight points. His seven assists are tied for 25th in the NCAA.