Three Frozen Four Goalies Sign Pro Deals

Three of this year's NCAA Frozen Four starting goaltenders will not return to college hockey next season. Yaniv Perets (Quinnipiac), Erik Portillo (Michigan) and Drew Commesso (Boston University) all recently signed professional contracts, foregoing their remaining NCAA eligibility.

Perets, 23, a sophomore who backstopped Quinnipiac to its first-ever national title with a 3-2 overtime win over Minnesota on April 8, signed with the Carolina Hurricanes. A pro free agent from Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., he led all NCAA Division I men's netminders with a 34-4-3 record in 41 games and a 1.49 goals-against average this season. He also tied for the national lead with 10 shutouts, and tied for second overall with a .931 save percentage. In two-plus seasons with the Bobcats, he finished 56-9-5 with 21 shutouts over 74 games.

Portillo, 22, a senior from Göteborg, Sweden, signed with the Los Angeles Kings, who had earlier acquired his rights from the Buffalo Sabres (2019 NHL Draft, 67th overall). He went 25-11-2 with a 3.00 GAA and .908 save percentage this year, in backstopping the Wolverines to their second consecutive Big Ten tournament title and Frozen Four semifinal appearance. In 87 career contests with Michigan, he posted a record of 60-22-3 with three shutouts.

Commesso, 22, a senior from Norwell, Mass., signed with the Chicago Blackhawks, who drafted him 46th overall in 2020. He led BU to both the Hockey East regular-season and tournament titles along with the Frozen Four this season, going 24-8-0 with a 2.46 GAA and .913 save percentage with two shutouts in 34 outings. In three seasons with the Terriers, he finished 43-22-4 with three shutouts in 73 contests.

The NCAA exodus continued this week among skaters, with sophomore forward Mackie Samoskevich (Michigan) signing with the Florida Panthers, who drafted him 24th overall in 2021. Samoskevich, 20, from Sandy Hook, Conn. was third on the Wolverines' scoring scroll this season with 20 goals and 23 assists for 43 points in 39 games, and completed his college career with 30-42—72 points in 79 contests. 

Also signing with Florida was Mike Benning (Denver), a junior defenseman from St. Albert, Alberta, who recorded 31-52—83 points in 101 career games over three college campaigns. Drafted 95th overall by the Panthers in 2020, Benning, 20, notched 13-21—34 points in 39 games this year for the Pioneers, after helping DU win the 2022 national title by scoring the decisive goal in the NCAA championship game.

Michigan, Quinnipiac Make 2023 Frozen Four

The final two spots in the 2023 NCAA Men's Division I Frozen Four have been claimed by second-ranked Michigan and No. 3 Quinnipiac. Both schools won their regional finals on Sunday to advance to the national semifinals in Florida early next month.

Michigan outlasted Big Ten rival Penn State, 2-1, as Mackie Samoskevich scored 52 seconds into overtime before a sold-out crowd of 8,375 in Allentown, Pa. Hobey Baker Award finalist Adam Fantilli tied the game with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation for the Wolverines, after No. 11 Penn State took a late second-period lead on a power-play tally by Connor MacEachern. Liam Souliere finished with 41 saves for the Nittany Lions, while Erik Portillo made 31 stops for Michigan, which advanced to its second straight Frozen Four and record 27th all-time. 

Quinnipiac advanced to its third Frozen Four ever, and first since 2016 (also in Tampa), by besting Ohio State, 4-1, in Bridgeport, Conn. After the eighth-ranked Buckeyes took an early lead, the Bobcats responded with four unanswered goals, with Skyler Brind'Amour notching the game-winner and Christophe Fillion posting a goal and an assist. Hobey Baker Award finalist Yaniv Perets made 34 saves for Quinnipiac, which blanked OSU on four power plays.  

Michigan and Quinnipiac will meet in the late NCAA semifinal at Amalie Arena in Tampa around 8:30 p.m. ET on April 6, a rematch of last year's Allentown regional final that was won by the Wolverines. The first semifinal at 5 p.m. ET that afternoon will feature old foes Boston University and Minnesota, with the two semifinal winners advancing to the national title game at 8 p.m. two nights later. All three games are scheduled to be televised on ESPN2.

2021 NHL Draft First Round Filled with Collegians

The University of Michigan made history in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft tonight, with three current Wolverines taken among the first five selections in the virtually-conducted event.

Michigan defenseman Owen Power was chosen first overall to the Buffalo Sabres, while forward Matthew Beniers went next as the first-ever draft choice of the expansion Seattle Kraken. Wolverines center Kent Johnson was selected fifth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets, one spot after incoming Michigan defenseman Luke Quinn was tabbed by the New Jersey Devils.

Concerning other first round choices this year with NCAA ties, forward Tyler Boucher went 10th overall to the Ottawa Senators and is slated to attend Boston University. The Calgary Flames nabbed forward Matthew Coronato, who is committed to Harvard University, with the 13th overall selection, while the Winnipeg Jets took University of Minnesota incoming forward Chaz Lucius five picks later.

The Florida Panthers took forward Mackie Samoskevich, another Michigan commit, at 24th overall, while Columbus grabbed defenseman Corson Ceulemans,  a future University of Wisconsin skater, at 25th overall.

Rounds 2-7 of this year's NHL Draft will be conducted on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. ET (NHL Network).