Five Eagles Taken in 2014 NHL Entry Draft

A trio of top players with ties to Boston College were selected over the weekend at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. 

Left wing Sonny Milano and right wing/center Alex Tuch both went in the first round on Friday evening. Milano was taken 16^th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Tuch followed two picks later when he was tabbed by the Minnesota Wild. Both will be enrolling at the Heights this fall, and both played for the U.S. Under-18 Team in the United States Hockey League last season. Milano finished with 24 goals and 48 assists for 72 points, while Tuch accumulated 28-32—60 points.

Boston College rising freshman netminder Thatcher Demko, who was ranked the No. 1 North American goaltender by NHL Central Scouting, was taken on Saturday by the Vancouver Canucks at 36^th overall. The 6-foot-3 Demko finished 16-5-3 overall last season with a 2.16 goals-against average in backstopping the Eagles to the Frozen Four in April, which was also held in Philadelphia. BC fell to eventual national champion Union College, 5-4, in the semifinals.

Also chosen in the sixth round back-to-back, and headed to BC in the fall of 2015, were centers Chris Brown and Joey Dudek, the first two picks in that round. Brown, who posted 23-27—50 totals last year for the Cranbrook-Kingswood School in Michigan, was selected 151st overall by the Buffalo Sabres, while Dudek, who put up 9-35—44 numbers last year for Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire, was taken with the very next pick by the New Jersey Devils.

BC and Hockey East rival Boston University tied for the NCAA lead in this year’s draft with five selections apiece.

Former Spartans Honored by NHL

Michigan State University cleaned up a bit at the 2013-14 NHL Awards on Tuesday night in Las Vegas, particularly regarding the blueline.

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith collected his second career Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman. A Winnipeg native who played a season-and-a-half at MSU (2001-2003), Keith led all NHL blueliners this past season with 55 assists.. A member of the Blackhawks since the 2005-06 NHL campaign, he has 65 goals and 305 assists for 370 points in 686 NHL regular-season games. He has also won two Stanley Cups (2010, 2013) with Chicago, and two Olympic gold medals with Canada (2010, 2014).

Boston Bruins defenseman and former Spartan blueliner Torey Krug made the NHL's 2013-14 All-Rookie Team after playing in his first full season in the league. Krug, from Livonia, Mich., skated three seasons at State (2009-2012), tallied 26-57—83 points in 114 outings with the Spartans, and was also the 2012 CCHA Player of the Year. He burst onto the NHL scene during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring four goals in 15 appearances after playing in a total of just three prior NHL regular-season games . The Bruins won the Eastern Conference title, but fell to Keith's Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final in six games.

Concerning other former NCAA players, New York Rangers center Dominic Moore (Harvard) won this year's Bill Masterton Trophy for "perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey", helping New York to the Stanley Cup Final after taking last season off to care for his wife, Katie, before she passed away due to liver cancer. Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick (UMass) won the Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals surrendered by an NHL netminder who played in at least 25 regular-season games. Quick gave up just 100 goals in 49 outings as the Kings ultimately went on to win their second Stanley Cup title in three years.

Bowling Green's Blake Named to Hall of Fame

The Hockey Hall of Fame is adding another NCAA player to its ranks. 

Rob Blake (Bowling Green), a 20-year NHL defenseman who won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche, will be inducted into the Hall this year along with goaltender Dominik Hasek, center Peter Forsberg, center Mike Modano, coach Pat Burns and referee Bill McCreary, according to NHL.com.

Blake won the Norris Trophy in 1998 as the NHL's top blueliner, and was a six-time NHL All-Star Game participant. He was named to the All-NHL Second Team three times, and to the first team the same year he won the Norris.

Blake scored 240 goals and added 537 assists for 777 points in 1,270 career NHL regular-season games, while also accumulating 1,679 penalty minutes. He also scored 136 power-play goals in his tenure with the Los Angeles Kings, Avalanche and San Jose Sharks, and 41 of his goals were game-winners.

A native of Simcoe, Ontario, Blake also participated in 146 Stanley Cup Playoff contests over 13 seasons, collecting 26-47—73 points and 166 PIM. He posted career playoff highs of 6-13—19 points in 23 games in 2001 in helping Colorado to its second-ever Stanley Cup with a seven-game victory over the defending NHL champion New Jersey Devils in the final.

The Kings drafted him fourth overall in 1988 after his freshman season at BGSU, where Blake put up 39-65—104 points and 368 PIM in 139 career games with the Falcons under head coach Jerry York, including a 59-point junior campaign in 1989-90. He left school a year early to turn pro with the Kings that same season.

Blake was named as the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Best Offensive Defenseman and to the All-CCHA First team in 1989-90, the same year that he also earned First Team All-America West accolades. He was later named to the CCHA's 1980s All-Decade Team, according to his Wikipedia entry.

Blake, who also participated in five World Championships and three Winter Olympic Games with Canada, won a gold medal at the Salt Lake Olympic Games in 2002. He was also a member of Canada's silver-medal squad at the 1996 World Cup. He played his final NHL game with San Jose in the 2009-10 playoffs, appearing in 15 postseason contests after skating in 70 regular-season outings.

Blake now works with the Kings as their assistant general manager, and will add another Stanley Cup ring to his résumé  following last month's Los Angeles victory over the New York Rangers in the final in five games. He was also selected by Hockey Canada to be their General Manager for the 2014 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships in Belarus, where Canada finished fifth overall..

The Hockey Hall of Fame induction for the Class of 2014 will be held in November in Toronto.

Texas Stars Win Calder Cup

Mike Hedden (Neumann University) scored two goals and was named second star of the game as the Texas Stars won their first Calder Cup in last night's 4-3 overtime victory at St. John's. The Stars defeated the Ice Caps in five games to win the American Hockey League's championship, with the last three triumphs all coming in extra time.

Hedden notched the tying goal with 6:34 remaining in regulation, before Patrik Nemeth won the Cup on a backhander 14:30 into the first overtime.Hedden tallied 96 goals and 67 assists for 163 points in 108 games at Neumann between 2005 and 2009, and was a senior on the Knights' 2009 NCAA Division III national championship club.

Blair Riley scored St. John's second goal of the evening in the second period on Tuesday, and Josh Lunden (Alaska Anchorage) later scored the go-ahead goal, assisted by Will O'Neill (Maine) and Zach Redmond (Ferris State). Andrew Gordon (St. Cloud) also had an assist for the IceCaps.

St. John was appearing in its first Calder Cup final after moving from Winnipeg in 2011, where the team was known as the Manitoba Moose. The Icecaps are the primary affiliate of the NHL's Winnipeg Jets, while the Stars are the top farm club of the Dallas Stars.

Fogarty Takes Reins at Princeton

The Princeton University men's hockey program has found its new head coach.

Former ECAC player and assistant coach Ron Fogarty will be named the Tigers' 17th all-time mentor today after spending the last seven seasons molding Adrian (Mich.) College into an NCAA Division III powerhouse. The Bulldogs went 167-23-10 under Fogarty, the only coach the program has ever known, and earned four NCAA Division III Tournament berths. Adrian was also the national runner-up in 2010-11, when it lost 4-3 to St. Norbert, which also ousted the Bulldogs in this year’s nationals.

“It was an honor to be considered for this position and now a privilege to be named the head coach of the Princeton hockey program,” said at Fogarty at goprincetontigers.com. “With great enthusiasm, I look forward to building a program that will consistently compete for Ivy League and ECAC championships. Our players will be recognized for excellence in the classroom, ambassadors for the University in the community and relentless competitors on the ice.”

A native of Sarnia, Ont., Fogarty, 42, is taking his first head coaching job at the NCAA Division I level. He succeeds Bob Prier, who resigned last month after leading the Tigers the past three seasons. Prier took over from Guy Gadowsky, who left Princeton to mentor Penn State's nascent NCAA Division I program after guiding the Tigers to an ECAC Tournament title and two NCAA Division I Tournament berths. Princeton finished 6-26 overall and was last in the ECAC last year with a 4-18 league mark.

Fogarty played four seasons (1991-1995) at Colgate University, where he scored 51 goals and added 90 assists for 141 points for the Raiders. He played one season of professional hockey with the Memphis Riverkings of the Central Hockey League, and two years in Roller Hockey International before becoming an assistant coach at his alma mater in 1996-97, according to hockeydb.com. He left for Clarkson University in 1999-2000, and later spent four years as an assistant coach at Bowling Green before taking the reins at Adrian in 2007-08. The Bulldogs also won six regular-season titles and five league tournaments in his tenure.

“I am thrilled to have Ron join our distinguished team of coaches at Princeton,” said incoming Ford Family Director of Athletics and former Princeton women's hockey player Mollie Marcoux on the university web site. “Ron is an accomplished coach with a proven track record of success, both as a player, assistant coach and head coach. I am confident that he will provide the knowledge, experience and creative leadership needed for our program to thrive on an Ivy, ECAC and national level.”

Princeton is expected to open its 2014-15 regular season at the Liberty Hockey Invitational at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. in October.

Martinez OT Goal Claims Cup for Kings

Alec Martinez (Miami) made it Los Angeles’ night one more time—and this time, it won the Kings the Stanley Cup.

Martinez put home a rebound at 14:43 of the second overtime period at the Staples Center to lift Los Angeles to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. The goal also captured the Kings’ second NHL crown in three years, after they won their previous three series this spring in seven games apiece.

Martinez also got the game-winner in sudden death in the Western Conference final against the Chicago Blackhawks last month.  Friday’s victory marked the first time that an NHL team had clinched the Cup in overtime on its home ice since the New York Islanders did so back in 1980.

The Rangers, who trailed 1-0 after one period on Friday night after a score by eventual Conn Smythe Trophy winner Justin Williams, got goals from a pair of former Boston College forwards to take a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. Chris Kreider tied the game on a power play off a cross-ice pass by Ryan McDonagh (Wisconsin), before Brian Boyle scored shorthanded in the final minute of the period after taking a center-ice feed from Carl Hagelin (Michigan) and racing in to wrist a shot past Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick (UMass).

Former Rangers forward Marian Gaborik tied the game in the third period on a power play, knocking in a rebound for his league-leading 14^th goal of the 2014 playoffs. The Kings ultimately outshot New York by a 51-30 margin on the evening, as the home side won for the fourth time in five games in the Final.

Both teams had chances in the extra sessions. McDonagh hit a post in the first overtime, while Kreider was stopped on a breakaway. Tyler Toffoli and Jeff Carter both hit posts for LA, before Martinez finished off a 3-on-2 rush in the second OT.  Other college players who will get a ring from the Kings this year besides Martinez and Quick are defensemen Matt Greene (North Dakota) and Willie Mitchell (Clarkson).

Henrik Lundqvist finished with 48 saves for the Rangers, who lost three games in overtime in this series, the first time they had made the Final since winning their last Cup in 1994. Quick finished with 28 stops in recording his 16^th win of the postseason, and his second career Cup with the Kings.

Stepan, Rangers Hang On to Win Game 5

Martin St. Louis (Vermont) scored the game-winning goal, and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 40 shots as the New York Rangers staved off elimination in the Stanley Cup Final with a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 4 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Los Angeles now leads the series, three games to one.

With New York ahead by a 1-0 score in the second period, St. Louis was there to clean up a redirection by Chris Kreider (Boston College) off a broken-stick shot by Derek Stepan (Wisconsin). Stepan later kept a loose puck that got behind Lundqvist from crossing the goal line in the waning minutes of the third period, as the Rangers held on to win their first Finals home game since 1994. It was also their first win since ousting Montreal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final on May 29, and raised their record to 5-0 in elimination games in this year's playoffs.

Jonathan Quick (UMass) made 19 stops for Los Angeles in suffering his first playoff defeat since Game 6 of the Western Conference Final against Chicago. Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final will be held on Friday night at the Staples Center in California, with the Kings again looking to close out the series and earn their second NHL championship in three seasons.

One Done, One Almost, One Tied

For the third time in their history, the Alaska Aces are the champions of the ECHL.

The Aces finished off the host Cincinnati Cyclones, 4-0, in last night's Game 6 of the Kelly Cup final. Aces captain Nick Mazzolini (Providence) scored the game-winning goal in the first period at U.S. Bank Arena as the Aces tied the league record for most Kelly Cups by one franchise, having also won in 2006 and 2011. The Aces have also won four consecutive ECHL regular-season championships, according to the Anchorage Daily News.

In that "other" series out east, Jonathan Quick (UMass) made 32 saves and the Los Angeles Kings moved within one win of a sweep with a 3-0 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at Madison Square Garden. Game 4 is tomorrow night in Manhattan. The Kings are looking to claim their second NHL crown in three seasons.

Down south, the visiting St. John's Ice Caps knotted the AHL's Calder Cup Final at a game apiece with a 2-1 win last night over the Texas Stars. Blair Riley (Ferris State) tallied the game-winning goal early in the second period at the Cedar Park Center for the former Manitoba Moose. Game 3 is tomorrow night in Newfoundland. Both squads are seeking their first-ever Calder Cup.

Rangers Fall in Game 2, Head Home Tonight

The New York Rangers may be down to their final days in the 2013-14 NHL season.

Despite forging 2-0 and 4-2 leads on Saturday night at the Staples Center in California, the Eastern Conference champions fell, 5-4, to the Los Angeles Kings in double overtime on a deflection goal by Dustin Brown. The Kings, the NHL's 2012 Stanley Cup champion, now lead the best-of-seven 2014 Stanley Cup Final, two games to none, with Game 3 slated for tonight at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan.

Willie Mitchell (Clarkson) scored the Kings' second goal, on a power play, and also assisted on the winner in OT, as it was his one-timer from the left point that Brown tipped home. Matt Green (North Dakota) assisted on Los Angeles' third goal, and goaltender Jonathan Quick (UMass) finished with 34 saves. 

Ryan McDonagh (Wisconsin) and Martin St. Louis (Vermont) both scored for the Rangers, the latter on a power play, the first man-advantage goal scored in the series. Picking up assists on the evening were Dominic Moore (Harvard), Derek Stepan (Wisconsin) and Chris Kreider (Boston College). Kreider also hit a post in overtime, on a wrist shot from the slot that would have won the game for New York.

An LA win tonight, and the Kings will be looking to close things out at MSG on Wednesday. The Rangers rebounded from a 3-1 deficit in the second round to oust the Pittsburgh Penguins, while the Kings came back from a 3-0 deficit versus the San Jose Sharks and a 3-2 deficit to the Anaheim Ducks in the first two rounds, respectively, this spring.

Quick, Kings Win Game 1 of Final

Carl Hagelin (Michigan) scored a shorthanded goal, and Brian Boyle (Boston College) and Ryan McDonagh (Wisconsin) both registered assists on the evening—but the New York Rangers fell to the host Los Angeles Kings, 3-2, in overtime in Game 1 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night at the Staples Center.

The Rangers, who won the Eastern Conference for the first time in 20 years, had a 2-0 lead in the first period, with Hagelin scoring the second goal as New York was killing a holding penalty to Mats Zuccarello. The Western Conference champion Kings, as they have all playoffs, however, rallied to tie the game by the middle of the second stanza.

Hagelin had another breakaway in the final minute of regulation, but was stopped by Kings netminder Jonathan Quick (UMass), who finished with 25 stops. Quick had also earlier made a glove save on Martin St. Louis (Vermont) on a shot from the left circle.

The contest ended less than five minutes into the extra session when Justin Williams beat Henrik Lundqvist (40 saves) to the short side from the slot, after New York couldn't clear the puck out of its zone. The two teams went a combined 0-for-7 on the power play. Hagelin and LA's Willie Mitchell (Clarkson) each had a game-high five shots on goal, as did the Kings' Slava Voynov.

Game 2 is slated for Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET in California, before the NHL's championship series shifts to Manhattan on Monday.

Kings Headed Back to Final After Game 7 OT Win

A former Red Hawk and a former Minuteman have helped the Los Angeles Kings back to the Stanley Cup Final.

Alec Martinez (Miami) wristed home the game-winning goal 5:47 into overtime and Jonathan Quick (UMass) made 37 saves as the visiting Kings eliminated the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks in Game 7 of the Western Conference on Sunday night at the United Center. Los Angeles, which won its first Stanley Cup in 2012 but was ousted by Chicago in five games in last year’s conference final, again showed its resiliency by rebounding from a two-goal deficit and three one-goal deficits on Sunday to win its third Game 7 on the road this postseason.

The Kings led the series by a 3-1 margin with three straight victories before Chicago won the last two games. Los Angeles is also 7-0 in elimination contests in these playoffs, while Quick personally improved to 4-0 in NHL Game 7s in his career.

Patrick Sharp (Vermont) scored twice for the Blackhawks in the deciding game, including a power-play goal, while Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) also connected with the man advantage for Chicago. Toews finished second in team scoring this postseason with nine goals and eight assists for 17 points.

The Kings will now face the Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers, who last made the Stanley Cup Final in 1994, starting Wednesday night at the Staples Center in California. It will mark the first time the two clubs have met in the final, although the Rangers won preliminary-round series against the Kings in both 1979 and 1981, in two and four games, respectively.