Former College Players Dealt at NHL Deadline

A number of NCAA-trained players were dealt at the NHL trading deadline on Feb. 26:

PLAYER        SCHOOL      FROM        TO       

Ian Cole      Notre Dame  Ottawa      Columbus

Erik Foley    Providence  Winnipeg    St. Louis

Josh Jooris   Union       Carolina    Pittsburgh

Ryan McDonagh Wisconsin   NY Rangers  Tampa Bay

Tyler Motte   Michigan    Columbus    Vancouver

Dan O'Regan   Boston U.   Buffalo     San Jose

John Ramage   Wisconsin   Arizona     Nashville

Mike Reilly   Minnesota   Minnesota   Montreal

Nick Shore    Denver      Ottawa      Calgary

Paul Statsny  Denver      St. Louis   Winnipeg

Thomas Vanek  Minnesota   Vancouver   Columbus

Chris Wagner  Colgate     Anaheim     NY Islanders

Tommy Wingels Miami       Chicago     Boston

BC's Gionta Joins Bruins After Olympics

U.S. Olympic 2018 men's hockey team captain Brian Gionta (Boston College) will be returning to the National Hockey League. The former Boston College All-America selection has signed with the Boston Bruins after leading the U.S. to a quarterfinal appearance in Pyeongchang, South Korea. According to NHL.com, the one-year contract is for $700,000 and makes Gionta eligible for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 5-foot-7 native of Rochester, N.Y. went scoreless during the Olympics, recording a team-high 16 shots on goals as the U.S. fell to Slovenia and Russia and also defeated Slovakia twice before falling to the Czech Republic in a shootout to finish seventh overall.

Gionta, 39, has registered 289-299--588 points in 1,006 NHL regular season contests with the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres, and served as team captain of both the Canadiens and Sabres. He also has notched 32-36--68 points in 112 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Canadiens and Devils. A third-round draft choice (82^nd overall) of New Jersey in 1998, he won a Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2003, and still holds the franchise's single-season record with a 48-goal campaign in 2005-06.

Gionta played four years at BC (1997-2001), where he recorded a school record 123 goals and eight hat tricks in 164 games. He stands third all-time in school annals with 232 career points, and led the Eagles to a total of four Hockey East regular-season and tournament titles combined, along with four NCAA Frozen Four appearances and the 2001 national title.

A four-time All-Hockey East selection and a three-time All-America choice, Gionta was also a three-time finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's best player. He also won both the Walter Brown Award and the Hockey East Player of the Year Award as a senior in 2000-01, after scoring 33 goals for a second consecutive season.

Gionta last played in the NHL in 2016-17 with Buffalo, where he tallied 15-20—35 points in 81 games. He played one game with Rochester (AHL) prior to this year's Olympics, scoring one goal in his first minor-league appearance since the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

Gionta, who has been assigned his customary jersey No. 12 by the Bruins, may appear in Boston's lineup in its next game, on Tuesday at home against Carolina at TD Garden.

Boston College Clinches 2018 Hockey East Men's Title

Boston College clinched its 16th-ever Hockey East men's regular-season title with a 6-3 victory Maine on Friday night at Conte Forum.

Logan Hutsko, Michael Kim and Kevin Lohan recorded three points apiece, and Joseph Woll made 32 saves as the 20th-ranked Eagles recorded their second straight victory over the Black Bears. The two teams will close out the series on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The Eagles (17-13-3 overall, 17-6-0 HEA) will have a first-round bye next week in the Hockey East Tournament before hosting the lowest remaining seed the following weekend.

The No. 3 Boston College women's hockey team, which had earlier clinched its own Hockey East regular-season crown, defeated visiting Vermont, 3-1, earlier on Friday. Makenna Newkirk and Caitrin Lonergan  posted two points each for BC, which also got 32 stops from NCAA career victories leader Katie Burt. The Eagles (29-9-3, 19-2-3), who have won 11 of their last 12 outings, will close out their series with the Catamounts on Saturday at Conte Forum at 2 p.m. ET.

U.S. Women's Hockey Wins 2018 Olympic Gold

Exactly 38 years to the day that the Miracle on Ice occurred in Lake Placid, the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team won their first Olympic gold medal in 20 years with a 3-2 shootout victory over archrival Canada at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Maddie Rooney (Minnesota Duluth) finished with 29 saves through regulation and a 20-minute overtime, and then stopped four of six attempts in the shootout to lock up America’s first women’s hockey gold medal since 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Canada had won the last four gold medals since then, including three via a championship game victory against the Americans. Canada had also defeated the U.S., 2-1, in a preliminary-round contest last week.

Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period, but Canada took the lead on second-period scores by Haley Irwin (Minnesota-Duluth) and Marie-Philip Poulin (Boston University). The Americans then tied the game on a third-period breakaway tally by Monique Lamoureux-Morando (North Dakota), before the two teams played a scoreless 4-on-4 overtime.  The U.S. outshot Canada, 42-31, through 80 minutes of play.

In the shootout, Canada got goals from Meghan Agosta (Mercyhurst) and Melodie Daoust (McGill), while Gigi Marvin (Minnesota), Amanda Kessel (Minnesota) and Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (North Dakota) connected for Team USA.  Rooney then stopped Agosta on her second attempt to ice gold for the Americans.

U.S. Men Eliminated by Czech Republic

The U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey team will not play for a medal in South Korea. The Americans were eliminated from the XXIII Olympic Winter Games with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Czech Republic in Pyeongchang in the quarterfinal round.

Ryan Donato (Harvard) and Jim Slater (Michigan State) scored for Team USA in regulation, with Donato giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes and Slater tying the game at two with a shorthanded tally in the second stanza. After a scoreless third period and sudden-death 10-minute overtime, the Czechs tallied the only goal of the shootout to advance to the semifinals against either Norway or the Olympic Athletes of Russia. Team USA finished 0-for-5 on the night on the power play.

Ryan Zapolski (Mercyhurst) stopped a total of 26 shots in regulation/overtime, and four of five attempts in the shootout, for the U.S. Donato finished with a team-high five goals in five games, while Troy Terry (Denver), who assisted on Donato's goal against the Czechs, led Team USA with five assists in the tournament.

The U.S. men, which was seeking a third straight appearance in the Olympic semifinals, last medaled by earning silver in Vancouver in 2010. The U.S. women will go for gold Wednesday against Canada at 11 p.m. ET (NBCSN).

U.S. Men Top Slovakia, Stay Alive at Olympics

The U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey team has survived to play another day after besting Slovakia, 5-1, in an elimination game at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Troy Terry (Denver) set up three goals, including two by Ryan Donato (Harvard), as the U.S. jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second period. Marc Arcobello (Yale), Garrett Roe (St. Cloud State) and James Wisniewski also scored for the Americans, who connected on two power plays and also got 22 saves from goaltender Ryan Zapolski (Mercyhurst). The Slovaks, who fell 2-1 to Team USA in the preliminary round last week, have been eliminated from medal contention.

The U.S. will play Tuesday night (10 p.m. ET, CNBC) in a quarterfinal-round elimination contest against the undefeated Czech Republic.

U.S. Women Advance to 2018 Olympic Hockey Final

Dani Cameranesi (Minnesota) scored two goals and Maddie Rooney (Minnesota-Duluth) made 14 saves as the U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team blanked Finland, 5-0, in a semifinal match at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Gigi Marvin (Minnesota), Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (North Dakota) and Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) also scored for the Americans, who bested Finland, 3-1, in their Olympic opener last week. For Knight, it was also her 100th career goal in a USA uniform. Noora Räty (Minnesota) made 33 saves for Finland, which had advanced to the semifinals by routing rival Sweden, 7-2.

The U.S. will now take on archrival Canada (Wed., 11:10 p.m. ET, NBCSN) for the gold medal, the fifth time in the last six Olympics that the two neighboring nations will meet with gold on the line. Canada has won the last four golds after the U.S. claimed the inaugural women's gold in 1998, and also edged the U.S., 2-1, in a preliminary round game last week despite being outshot almost two-to-one.

The U.S. men's team will face Slovakia in an elimination game tonight at 10:10 p.m. ET (NBCSN).

Union Tops Tigers, 4-1, on Princeton Senior/ECAC Remembrance Night

On a night when Princeton University honored its outgoing seniors along with members of two of its former league champion squads, Union College spoiled the party with a 4-1 victory before 2,271 onlookers at Hobey Baker Rink.

Union (20-13-1 overall, 15-5-0 ECAC Hockey) started off with a goal in-close that was credited to Liam Morgan nine minutes into the game. The Dutchmen were also outshooting the Tigers by a 15-3 margin with six minutes left in the first period, and made it a 2-0 game when Ryan Walker scored off a scramble in front of the Princeton net with 2:46 left.

The Dutchmen increased their advantage just 2:41 into the second stanza when Jack Adams followed up own rebound to give the Dutchmen a 3-0 lead. Just under six minutes later, the Tigers responded when Ryan Kuffner curled out to the left point with the puck, then wristed it home to the far side to put Princeton (12-12-3, 9-10-1) on the board with his 23rd goal this year, and fourth of the weekend.

As snow fell steadily outside Baker Rink, the third period saw no penalties committed by either team, a time-out called by Princeton in the final two minutes of play, and then an empty-net goal by Union's Brett Supinski with 35 seconds remaining in regulation to close out the scoring. Union outshot Princeton, 43-29, on the evening, as Jake Kupsky made 28 stops for the Dutchmen. Ryan Ferland had 39 saves for the Tigers.

Princeton celebrated the eight seniors on this year's roster on Saturday, and also honored members of the 1998 and 2008 Tiger teams that won their respective ECAC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Princeton and NHL alumni George Parros and Kevin Westgarth, who were members of separate Stanley Cup championship teams, dropped pucks for the ceremonial opening face-off.

U.S. Men Edge Slovakia, U.S. Women Fall to Canada

Ryan Donato (Harvard) scored both American goals on power plays as the U.S. Men's Olympic Team earned its first victory of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, a 2-1 decision over Slovakia on Thursday in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The goals were the first-ever in Olympic competition by Donato, who gave the U.S. a 1-0 first-period lead before tacking on the game-winner early in the third period. He still ranks second among NCAA Division I players with 21 goals in 23 games so far this season. His father, Harvard head coach and retired NHL player Ted Donato, skated for the U.S. Olympic squad that finished fourth in Albertville, France in 1992.

The U.S. also got two assists Thursday from Chris Bourque (Boston University) and 21 saves from Ryan Zapolski (Mercyhurst) in rebounding from a 3-2 overtime loss to Slovenia in its first game of the tournament. Miloš Bubela (Rensselaer) had three shots and two penalty minutes for Slovakia.

Team USA will now take on the Olympic Athletes of Russia, which had earlier lost to Slovakia, on Saturday at 7:10 a.m. ET (NBCSN), also at Gangneung Hockey Centre.

The U.S. Women's Olympic Team, which fell to Canada, 2-1, on Wednesday despite outshooting its archrival, 45-23, awaits its semifinal opponent for a Monday meeting at Gangneung Hockey Centre. Kendall Coyne scored the lone goal for the Americans, while Canada got goals from Meghan Agosta (Mercyhurst) and Sarah Nurse (Wisconsin). Geneviève Lacasse (Providence) earned the win with 44 saves.

U.S. Men to Open Games Against Slovenia

The 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team will begin its quest for a gold medal in Pyeongchang, South Korea when the Americans take on Slovenia on Wednesday morning at 7:15 a.m. ET at the Kwandong Hockey Centre in their opening game.

Later that night at the same venue, the 2018 U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey Team will face archrival Canada at 10:10 p.m. ET. The U.S. women are 2-0-0 following their last game, a 5-0 win over the Olympic Athletes of Russia on Tuesday.

Northeastern Wins First Beanpot in 30 Years

Adam Gaudette scored three goals and Jeremy Davies tallied three assists as the Northeastern University Huskies won their first Beanpot Tournament in 30 years with a 5-2 victory over the Boston University Terriers on Monday night at TD Garden in Boston.

Northeastern head coach and alumnus Jim Madigan has now been a part of four of Northeastern's five all-time Beanpot titles—two as a player, one as an assistant coach, and one as a head coach. Huskies goaltender Cayden Primeau, son of retired NHL player Keith Primeau, made it possible with 38 saves, inclduing 29 stops over the final two periods, as NU recorded three power-play goals on the night and claimed the Beanpot for the first time since 1988.

After spotting BU a 1-0 lead early on, the Huskies responded with four unanswered scores to lead, 4-1, after 40 minutes. BU got within 4-2 with 2:40 remaining in regulation, before Gaudette sealed his hat trick and the game with an empty-net goal in the final minute of play. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for the Terriers, who also got a goal and an assist from Logan Cockerill.

Harvard University, which won the Beanpot last year for the first time since 1993, defeated Boston College, 5-4 in overtime, in the consolation game.

U.S. Women Win 2018 Olympic Opener

The U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey Team is off to a good start following a 3-1 victory over Finland on Sunday in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It was the opening game for both teams at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games.

After Finland took a 1-0 lead with less than six seconds remaining in the first period, the U.S. would tie the game early in the second stanza on a rebound goal by Monique Lamoureux-Morando (North Dakota). The Americans then took the lead for good when Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) set up Kendall Coyne (Northeastern) for a one-timer from the right side.

Dani Cameranesi (Minnesota) closed out the scoring with 13 seconds remaining in regulation.  Maddie Rooney (Minnesota-Duluth) made 23 saves for the U.S. in her Olympic debut, while Olympic veteran and two-time NCAA champion Noora Räty (Minnesota) had 39 stops for the Finns.

Team USA will now face the Olympic Athletes From Russia in a Group A match on Tuesday at 7:10 a.m. ET at Kwandong Hockey Centre.

Notre Dame's Lucia Joins Devils from Wild

Mario Lucia (Notre Dame) has been dealt from the NHL’s Minnesota Wild to the New Jersey Devils. He is expected to be assigned to the Binghamton Devils of the American Hockey League, per NHL.com

A 6-foot-3 native of Fairbanks, Alaska who grew up in Minnesota, Lucia, 24, was drafted by the Wild in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft. He has spent his first two-plus professional campaigns with Minnesota’s AHL affiliate in Iowa, where he has collected 17 goals and 24 assists for 41 points in 93 regular-season outings, according to hockeydb.com. He has six goals and 15 points in 40 AHL games so far this season.

Lucia, who is the son of University of Minnesota head coach Don Lucia, and also the younger brother of former Minnesota forward Tony Lucia, tallied 61-49—110 points in 151 games with Notre Dame from 2012 to 2016. He also helped the Fighting Irish to three NCAA Tournament berths, plus the final Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament title.

Princeton Outlasts No. 3 Clarkson, 4-3

Princeton University won its fourth straight game, all in ECAC play, with a 4-3 come-from-behind win Saturday night at Hobey Baker Rink over third-ranked Clarkson University. Reid Yochim's third-period power-play goal broke a three-all tie and stood up as the game-winner. Full recap can be found here.

Devils Top Flyers, 4-3

In the end, it was Union College outdueling Yale University in a meeting of former ECAC/NCAA netminders.

The New Jersey Devils edged the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-3, on Thursday night in Newark, as Keith Kinkaid (Union) made 25 saves for the home team. Alex Lyon (Yale), making his first-ever NHL start, had 18 stops for the Flyers in the loss.

Ben Lovejoy (Dartmouth) assisted on Nico Hischier's game-winning goal in the third period to break a 3-3 tie. Kyle Palmieri (Notre Dame) scored New Jersey's first goal of the game on a power play, and also added an assist. Drew Stafford (North Dakota) also scored for the Devils, while Travis Zajac (North Dakota) earned nine minutes in penalties, including a first-period fight where he got the better of Philadelphia's Radko Gudas.

Shayne Gostisbehere (Union) tallied a goal and an assist for the Flyers.