Princeton Tabs Syer as New Men's Hockey Coach

Long-time ECAC Hockey assistant/associate head coach Ben Syer has been named the new head coach of the Princeton University men's ice hockey team. He becomes the 18th head coach in the history of the program, and succeeds Ron Fogarty, who helmed the Tigers over last 10 years.

A graduate of Western Ontario, Syer spent the last 12 years as an associate head coach at Cornell University, following one year as an assistant. He helped the Big Red to an ECAC Hockey tournament championship last year, its first Whitelaw Cup since 2010, while mentoring a defense that allowed a nation-low 1.86 goals per game. He also helped Cornell to seven NCAA tournament appearances, seven Ivy League crowns, and three ECAC Hockey regular-season titles in his 13 years in Ithaca, and posted a 13-6-4 record overall while serving as interim head coach on several occasions.

Prior to coaching at Cornell, Syer served nine seasons as an assistant coach at Quinnipiac University, the last two as associate head coach. In his tenure he helped the Bobcats in their move from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference/Atlantic Hockey to ECAC Hockey, and from the community-based Northford Ice Pavilion to the on-campus M&T Bank Arena. Quinnipiac won 151 games in all in his time in Hamden, while also posting a winning record each season and garnering two conference regular-season titles and one NCAA tournament berth.

A native of Kitchener, Ontario, Syer, 49, began his college coaching career at Ohio University (ACHA) while earning his master's degree. A first-time college head coach, he takes over a Tigers' team that finished 10-16-4 overall last season, and last qualified for the NCAAs in 2018.  

  

Panthers Take 3-0 NHL Playoff Series Lead

Brandon Montour (Massachusetts) scored one goal and set up another, and Kyle Okposo (Minnesota) registered an assist in his first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance in eight years, as the Florida Panthers defeated the rival Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-3, in Game Three of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series tonight. 

Florida, the NHL's defending Eastern Conference champion, now leads the best-of-seven series, three games to none. Tyler Motte (Michigan) scored one of the Lightning's three goals, which put them up by a 2-1 count at the time.

Florida will attempt to sweep the series in Game Four on Saturday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, as the Panthers also look to win a playoff series against the Lightning for the first time ever. Tampa Bay, which claimed three straight Eastern Conference titles between 2020 and 2022 while also winning two Stanley Cups in that span, is seeking to avoid a second straight opening-round playoff ouster.

BU's Quinn Let Go by San Jose

David Quinn (Boston University) has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the NHL's San Jose Sharks after two seasons. He posted a a 41-98-25 overall regular-season record, with the Sharks missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs both years while also finishing last overall in the league both times. San Jose went 19-54-9 overall in 2023-24, and was four wins behind Chicago for the worst record in the NHL.

A three-year letterman on the blueline at BU (1984-1987), Quinn, 57, eventually began his coaching career at the college level in 1993-94 as an assistant at Northeastern. He then moved on to Nebraska-Omaha before spending five years as an associate at BU, helping the Terriers to the 2009 NCAA title in his final year there. He went on to coach Lake Erie (AHL) for three seasons, and spent one season as an assistant with the Colorado Avalanche, before taking the top job at his alma mater in 2013. 

In five seasons at the BU helm, Quinn guided the Terriers to a 105-68-21 overall record, including four NCAA Tournament berths, two Hockey East Association regular-season titles, two HEA tournament crowns, and one Beanpot Tournament title, plus the 2015 NCAA Championship Game in Boston. He remained at BU until signing on with the New York Rangers in 2018, where finished with a regular-season record of 96-87-25 in 208 NHL regular-season games, and made one Stanley Cup Playoff appearance. The Cranston, R.I. native spent the 2021-22 season coaching Team USA at both the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, and the 2022 IIHF World Championship in Finland, before joining San Jose in July 2022.

Former NCAA Skaters Star in NHL Playoffs

Dakota Joshua (Ohio State) scored his first two NHL postseason goals and added an assist, while Thatcher Demko (Boston College) made 20 saves in net to lift the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Sunday night to start the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vancouver takes a one game to none lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series, following the Canucks' first home playoff game at Rogers Arena since 2015.

In Manhattan, the top-ranked New York Rangers jumped out to a three-goal lead en route to a 4-1 triumph over the visiting Washington Capitals in the opener of their best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series at Madison Square Garden. Jimmy Vesey (Harvard) tallied one goal and set up another for the Rangers, while Chris Kreider (Boston College) also scored for the Blueshirts.

In Manitoba, the Winnipeg Jets outlasted the Colorado Avalanche, 7-6, at Canada Life Centre to claim the first game in their best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series. Kyle Connor (Michigan) scored twice for Winnipeg and also had an assist, while Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) made 40 saves for the Jets. Cale Makar (Massachusetts) scored one goal and set up two others for the Avalanche.

Bruins, Canes Win as 2024 NHL Playoffs Begin

Johnny Beecher (Michigan) tallied his first career NHL playoff goal, and Jeremy Swayman (Maine) won his first NHL postseason start by making 35 saves in the Boston Bruins' 5-1 victory over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Boston now leads the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, one game to none. Charlie McAvoy (Boston University) set up two goals for the Bruins.

In the only other game from the first day of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the host Carolina Hurricanes outlasted the New York Islanders, 3-1, in a matinee affair to take a one game-to-none lead in that Eastern Conference matchup. Jack Drury (Harvard) notched one assist for the Hurricanes, while Anders Lee (Notre Dame) assisted on the Islanders lone goal.

The playoffs continue today as four other series get underway, including two in the Western Conference.

NCAA Skaters Signing with NHL Clubs in 2024

The exodus of NCAA players to the professional ranks began before the 2024 NCAA tournament started, and has continued following the conclusion of the Frozen Four last weekend in St. Paul. 

Some of the more notable signings, many of them underclassmen, to date since April 1 have included (players listed in alphabetical order by last name):

PLAYER SCHOOL NHL CLUB
Sean Behrens Denver Colorado
Gavin Brindley * Michigan Columbus
Shai Buium Denver Detroit
Dylan Duke Michigan Tampa Bay
Cutter Gauthier * Boston College Anaheim
Lane Hutson * Boston U. Montreal
Victor Mancini #        Omaha           NY Rangers
Scott Morrow * UMass     Carolina
Bradley Nadeau *        Maine           Carolina
Frank Nazar III * Michigan Chicago
Victor Ostman Maine Seattle
Jacob Quillan # Quinnipiac Toronto
Massimo Rizzo Denver Philadelphia
Luke Tuch Boston U. Montreal 
Cade Webber Boston U. Toronto
Dylan Wendt # W. Michigan New Jersey

# Indicates player has made AHL playing debut 

* Indicates player has made NHL playing debut 

Canada Wins 2024 Women's Worlds

Danielle Serdachny (Colgate) scored on the power play just over five minutes into overtime Sunday night, to lift Canada over the rival United States, 6-5, in the gold medal game of the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship in Utica, N.Y. The victory marked a record 13th WWC title for Canada, while the host U.S. was seeking its 11th such crown since the tournament began back in 1990.

Caroline Harvey (Wisconsin) tied the contest at five apiece on her goal with just over five minutes remaining in regulation, after Canada had taken the lead with two consecutive goals. Harvey also had an assist for a two-point night, as did teammate Laila Edwards (Wisconsin). Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) tallied a power-play goal to put the U.S. ahead, 4-3, while Aerin Frankel (Northeastern) made a total of 24 saves in net for the Americans.

Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin (Boston University) led all players in the game with two goals, while teammate Erin Ambrose (Clarkson) notched a goal and an assist. Ann-Renée Desbiens (Wisconsin) finished with 19 stops in goal for Canada in the win.

Next year's WWC will be held in the Czech Republic.