HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

Maine went undefeated at No. 6 Denver to kick off the 2026 calendar year, downing the Pioneers, 5-2, on Friday before skating to a come-from-behind 3-3 draw the next night. Albin Boija made 53 saves for the Black Bears, while Frank Djurasevic blocked eight shots over the weekend and scored the game-tying goal on Saturday with just 2:27 remaining in regulation.

UConn swept a home-and-home series with Long Island University, powered by one goal and two assist from rookie Carlin Dezainde. He scored the game-winning strike in Wednesday’s 4-1 win before dishing out the decisive tally in Saturday’s 3-1 triumph. Tyler Muszelik won both games for the Huskies with 55 saves and is now 7-0-2 in his last nine starts.

UMass Lowell competed in the 2026 Cactus Cup in Palm Springs, California, toppling No. 14 Minnesota State in the semifinals. Dillan Bentley scored the game-winning goal and added two other goals during the weekend tournament.

Merrimack’s Max Lundgren made 29 saves in a 3-2 win over Brown on Dec. 30 and has now won each of his last four starts.

Since December 8, Hockey East programs have skated to a 15-6-1 record in non-conference play, the best mark of any NCAA conference and good for a .705 winning percentage. The mark brings the league’s out of conference record to 51-37-7 on the year and a year-best .574 winning percentage.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Dillan Bentley - UMass Lowell

Dillan Bentley (Sr., F; Peoria, Ill.) scored twice in a 3-1 victory over No. 14 Minnesota State, including the game-winning strike, and assisted on the team’s third goal. He then scored again in the championship game of the Cactus Cup against St. Cloud State to conclude the weekend with four points on three goals and one assist. He now has five goals in the team’s last three games and four multi-goal games this season.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Carlin Dezainde - UConn

Carlin Dezainde (Fr., F; Calgary, Alta.) helped UConn to a pair of wins over Long Island with one goal and two assists. The netted the game-winning goal in Wednesday’s 4-1 victory In Saturday’s 3-1 road win, the rookie had the primary assist on the game-winning goal before adding an insurance tally of his own 3:17 later. He had 11 shots on net and was a plus-four in the two games.

ARMY ROTC DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Frank Djurasevic - Maine

Frank Djurasevic (Jr., D; New Rochelle, N.Y.) tied for the national lead with eight blocked shots while helping Maine go undefeated at No. 6 Denver. He scored the game-tying goal with less than three minutes to play on Saturday in a 3-3 draw. On the weekend, he had four shots on goal and a plus-two rating.

STOP IT GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Tyler Muszelik - UConn

Tyler Muszelik (Sr., G; Long Valley, N.J.) started both contests in a two-game sweep over Long Island University, allowing just two goals while making 55 saves. The Huskies’ goaltender is now 7-0-2 in his last nine starts.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Will Vote, BC (Jr., F; Arlington, Mass.) Scored two goals, both coming in the third period, in a 4-3 win over Lake Superior State on Monday evening at the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With the Eagles trailing 3-2 in the third, Vote scored the game-tying and game-winning goals in just 3:11 for his first multi-goal game of the season.

Oscar Hemming, BC (Fr., F; Vaasa, Finland) Joined Boston College at the semester break and in just his second-ever collegiate game, Hemming posted his first multi-point performance with two assists in a 4-3 win over Lake Superior State. The freshman had the primary assist on a power-play goal and the primary assist on the game-tying goal in the third period.

Drew Fortescue, BC (Jr., D; Pearl River, N.Y.) Had two assists in a 4-3 win over Lake Superior State on Monday.

Thomas Pichette, Maine (So., F; Maskinongé, Que.) Helped Maine to an undefeated weekend at Denver, posting two goals and adding an assist for three points. He netted the game-winning goal in Friday’s 5-2 win, where he recorded each of his three points. He earned a plus-four rating and put two shots on net.

Lukas Peterson, Maine (Fr., D; Waldwick, N.J.) Helped Maine to a 1-0-1 weekend at No. 6 Denver. He recorded two points on one goal and one assist and tied for league lead with a plus-five rating. He blocked five shots, second most in Hockey East, and put four shots on goal.

Albin Boija, Maine (Jr., G; Sundsvall, Sweden) Stopped 53 of 58 shots in a 1-0-1 weekend at No. 6 Denver for a .914 save percentage.

Luke Shipley, UML (Fr., D; Powell River, B.C.) Had an assist in each game of the Cactus Cup for a two-point weekend. In game one, he assisted the game-winning goal against No. 14 Minnesota State.

TJ Schweighardt, UML (Sr., D; Manahawkin, N.J.) In a team’s 3-1 win over No. 14 Minnesota State at the 2026 Cactus Cup, he collected two assists and added two blocked two shots in Saturday’s game against St. Cloud State.

Samuel Richard, UML (Sr., G; Sainte-Catherine, Que.) Started both games for the River Hawks at the 2026 Cactus Cup, earning a 24-save win against No. 14 Minnesota State in game one while allowing just one goal.

Nick Pierre, MC (So., F; Cottage Grove, Minn.) Scored his 10th goal of the season, the game winner against Brown on Jan. 3.

Justin Gill, MC (Fr., F; Joseph-du-Lac, Que.) Netted the opening goal of a 3-2 win over Brown on Jan. 3.

Max Lundgren, MC (Jr., G; Angelholm, Sweden) Made 29 saves in a 3-2 win over Brown and has now won each of his last four starts.

Morgan Winters, UNH (Sr., F; Osprey, Fla.) Posted two goals and two assists for four points to extend his point streak to four games (3g, 3a) as the Wildcats went 1-1-0 versus Colgate. He scored one goal in a 3-2 loss on Saturday before he recorded one goal and two assists for three points in a 3-2 Sunday victory.

Conner de Haro, UNH (Fr., D; Raleigh, N.C.) de Haro dished out three assists as the Wildcats split a weekend series against Colgate. He posted one assist in a 3-2 loss on Saturday, then tallied two assists in the 3-2 win bounce-back win, including an assist on the game winner. de Haro recorded his first multi-point game of his career.

Aleksi Kivioja, PC (So., F; Espoo, Finland) Tallied a career-high three points on three assists in Providence’s 5-2 win over Alaska on Friday night.

Aiden Wright, UVM (Fr., G; Wake Forest, N.C.) Posted a 30-save shutout in a 3-0 victory over RPI to begin the 2026 calendar for the Catamounts.