Kinkaid, Hayes Traded at NHL Deadline

A pair of former NCAA players left the New York metropolitan era on Monday at the 2019 NHL trading deadline.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid (Union College) and New York Rangers forward Kevin Hayes (Boston College) were dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets, respectively, prior to the trading deadline at 3 p.m. ET. Kincaid went for a second-round draft choice in the 2022 NHL Draft, while Hayes was exchanged for Brendan Lemieux, plus a 2019 first-round draft selection and a 2022 conditional fourth-round choice.

Kinkaid, 29, a Farmingville, N.Y. native, signed with New Jersey as a free agent in 2011. In 151 career NHL regular-season outings, all with the Devils, he has posted a 64-55-17 record with a 2.90 goals-against average and seven shutouts. Last season he went 26-10-3 in a career-high 41 appearances, and also backstopped the Devils to their first Stanley Cup Playoff berth since 2012. In two seasons at Union, the 6-foot-3 netminder went 37-18-6 and led the Dutchmen to their first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament berth in 2011 before signing with New Jersey as a free agent.

Hayes, 26, from Dorchester, Mass. was originally drafted 24th overall in 2010 by the Chicago Blackhawks. He turned pro with the Rangers in 2014 as a free agent and has spent his entire career to date in the NHL and with New York, collecting 87 goals and 129 assists for 216 points in 361 regular-season games. The 6-foot-5 center scored a career-high 25 goals in 76 games a year ago, and also has 10 points all-time in 34 Stanley Cup Playoff contests. He played at Boston College from 2010 to 2014, notching 44-88—132 points in 142 outings. He won an NCAA title as a sophomore at BC, before recording 27 goals and 65 points as a senior while also earning Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist status.

39 Years Ago Today in Lake Placid ...

" .. this impossible dream has come true ..."

USA 4, Finland 2 #MiracleonIce #1980OlympicGold

Princeton Downs St. Lawrence, 5-3, in Home Finale

Princeton University closed out the home portion of its 2018-19 schedule on Saturday night with a 5-3 victory over ECAC Hockey rival St. Lawrence.

Ryan Kuffner led the host Tigers with two goal and an assist, including his team-leading 20th goal of the season, after setting a new single-season school record with 29 tallies a year ago. Jackson Cressey tallied one goal and set up two others, while Alex Riche and Max Veronneau scored Princeton's other goals. Ryan Ferland picked up the win with 21 saves over 59 minutes before giving way to backup Austin Shaw, who played in his final home game at Hobey Baker Rink, as did senior classmates Riche, Kuffner, Verroneau, Spencer Kryczka and Josh Teves.

Keenan Suthers, Zach Risteau and Bo Hanson scored for the visiting Saints, who went 2-for-5 on the power play. Emil Zetterquist finished with 25 saves for St. Lawrence, which was outshot, 30-24, overall.

Princeton (8-16-3 overall, 6-12-2 ECAC), in 11th place in ECAC Hockey, will skate next weekend at Brown and Yale, while 12th place St. Lawrence (4-26-2, 2-16-2) will host Cornell and Colgate as the league closes out its regular-season slate.

Princeton, Clarkson Skate to ECAC Tie

Clarkson University skated to its first tie of the 2018-19 season on Friday night with a 1-1 deadlock at ECAC Hockey rival Princeton University.

Aaron Thow scored from the blueline on a first-period power play for No. 12 Clarkson (20-10-1 overall, 11-7-1 ECAC), after Nico Sturm won a faceoff in Princeton's end.  The score remained unchanged until 6:23 into the third period, when Jackson Cressey connected for Princeton (7-16-3, 5-12-2) in front of the Clarkson net on a power play, off a feed from the right side by Max Véronneau.

Princeton outshot Clarkson, 36-25, on the night. Jake Kielly finished with 35 saves for the visiting Golden Knights, while freshman Jeremie Forget finished with 18 saves for the host Tigers in his first career start. Forget left the game with 9:20 remaining in regulation due to an undisclosed injury, and was replaced by sophomore Ryan Ferland, who made six stops, including three in overtime.

Clarkson will visit fifth-ranked Quinnipiac on Saturday, while Princeton will close out its home schedule versus St. Lawrence.

BU's Coyle Traded for Harvard's Donato

Two Boston-based former NCAA centers were exchanged by their respective NHL teams earlier this week. The Minnesota Wild traded Charlie Coyle (Boston University) to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, in return for Ryan Donato (Harvard) and a fifth-round selection in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Originally drafted 28th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2010, Coyle had spent his entire NHL career with the Wild. Through 479 career NHL regular-season games with Minnesota, he has posted 91 goals and 151 assists for 246 points. A native of East Weymouth, Mass., the 6-foot-3, 220-pound forward played in 53 games with BU from 2010 to late 2011, and recorded 10-30—40 points in 57 outings with the Terriers. He then joined Saint John (QMJHL) in 2012 and put up 38 points in 23 games, along with 34 points in 23 postseason contests, before turning pro that fall with Houston (AHL). 

Donato, 22, a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award and a U.S. Olympian in 2017-18, made his NHL debut last spring with the Bruins shortly after finishing his third and final campaign at Harvard. He registered five goals and nine points in his first 12 regular-season appearances with the Bruins, who drafted him 56th overall in 2014, and split this season between his native Boston and Providence (AHL). In 47 career NHL outings, he has tallied 11-9—20 points, after recording 60-44—104 points in 97 career games with Harvard after prepping at the Dexter School, and in junior hockey with both South Shore (USPHL) and Omaha (USHL). As a sophomore in 2016-17, the six-foot, 193-pound Donato also helped the Crimson to both an ECAC Hockey League championship and an NCAA Frozen Four berth.

UND's Zajac Skates in 900th NHL Game

Travis Zajac (North Dakota) played in his 900th career NHL regular-season game on Tuesday night as the New Jersey Devils fell to the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-3.

Zajac, 33, has played his entire NHL career with New Jersey, which drafted him 20th overall in 2004. In 900 career outings, he has recorded 180 goals and 316 assists for 496 points, to go along with 304 penalty minutes.

Prior to Tuesday's game, in which he recorded an assist, Zajac had also won over 7,800 faceoffs in his NHL career. A Winnipeg native, he has also posted 11-17—28 points in 57 Stanley Cup Playoff contests, and helped the Devils to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final against eventual NHL champion Los Angeles.

In two seasons with North Dakota, Zajac recorded 38-48—86 points in 91 outings, including 18 power-play goals. He also helped UND to consecutive NCAA Frozen Fours.

Miller Tops All American NHL Goaltenders in Wins

Ryan Miller (Michigan State) became the all-time winningest American-born goaltender in NHL history earlier this week. The East Lansing, Mich. native recorded his 375th career win on Feb. 17 in making 23 saves as the Anaheim Ducks downed defending Stanley Cup champion Washington, 5-2, in California.

Miller, 38, who turned pro in 2002, was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 1999 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. In 749 career NHL regular-season appearances through Feb. 20, he has fashioned a 376-270-81 record along with a 2.60 goals-against average and 44 shutouts with Buffalo, St. Louis, Vancouver and Anaheim. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2009-10 as the league's top goaltender, and has played in 57 Stanley Cup Playoff contests. He has also represented the U.S. at two World Championships and two Olympic Winter Games, and backstopped the Americans to the Olympic silver medal in 2010.

In three seasons with his hometown MSU, Miller notched a 73-19-12 record over 106 games, with a 1.54 GAA and an NCAA record 26 shutouts. As a sophomore in 2000-01, he went 31-5-4, led the Spartans to the NCAA Frozen Four, and won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's top player.   

Former NCAA Netminders Traded in NHL

Two former NCAA netminders were traded for each other on Friday, with Cam Talbot (Alabama-Huntsville) going to the Philadelphia Flyers and Anthony Stolarz (Nebraska-Omaha) heading to the 
Edmonton Oilers in turn.

Talbot, 31, has posted a record of 137-110-24 and a 2.59 goals-against average in 284 career NHL regular-season appearances with the New York Rangers and the Oilers, from 2013 to the present. A native of Caledonia, Ont., he turned pro in 2009-10 as a free agent with Hartford (AHL), where he played for most of the next three seasons. He played three years at UAH (2007-2010), where he went 15-44-6 in 70 games with a 3.03 GAA and helped the Chargers to the 2010 NCAA Tournament his final collegiate campaign.

Stolarz, 25, has played a career-high 12 NHL contests so far this season, going 4-3-3 with one shutout for Philadelphia. In 19 career NHL contests, all with the Flyers, he has gone 6-4-4 with a 2.86 GAA. A native of Edison, N.J., and a second-round draft choice of Philadelphia in 2012, he played eight NCAA games with UNO in 2012-13, winning twice with the Mavericks, before joining London (OHL), where he won 38 games over two major junior seasons before turning pro with Lehigh Valley (AHL) in 2014-15.

York Signs Extension with Boston College

Boston College should have alumnus Jerry York (BC'67) at its men's hockey helm until at least through the 2021-22 season.

York signed a multi-year extension this week to remain as head coach of the Eagles for the next three seasons, according to multiple sources. The all-time winningest coach in college hockey history, he boasts a 1063-642-120 overall record in 47 NCAA campaigns with Clarkson, Bowling Green, and BC. Now in his 25th year at the Heights, he holds a 586-293-83 mark at his alma mater.

A native of Watertown, Mass., York, 73, played at Boston College High School before skating three NCAA seasons at BC, where he notched 64 goals and 134 points in 81 games as a forward over his three-year career from 1964 to 1967. He also helped the Eagles to the 1965 Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament title and a national runner-up finish as a freshman.

After serving as a graduate assistant at BC for two years, beginning in 1968, he spent two years as an assistant coach at Clarkson before taking the top job with the Golden Knights for the next seven seasons. He succeeded fellow BC alumnus Len Ceglarski, and later manned Clarkson to the 1977 ECAC regular-season crown.

York transitioned to BGSU in 1979 and remained in Ohio for 15 seasons, leading the Falcons to five combined Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season/playoff titles and six NCAA Tournament berths, including the 1984 NCAA Division I title. He came home to BC in 1994-95 and has since guided the Eagles to 17 NCAA Tournaments, 12 NCAA Frozen Fours, 10 Hockey East Association regular-season titles, nine Hockey East playoff championships, and four NCAA titles (2001, 2018, 2010, 2012).

BC is currently 10-14-3 overall (9-4-3 Hockey East) on the 2018-19 season, including a 4-2 loss to Northeastern in Monday night's Beanpot Tournament championship game at TD Garden.

BC's Boyle Departs Devils for Nashville

So long, Brian Boyle (Boston College).

The 6-foot-7 Boyle, one of four BC players on the New Jersey Devils this season, was traded to the Nashville Predators on Wednesday. Boyle should maintain his Stanley Cup Playoff string with the Predators, which would reach nine years for him this spring. He helped the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2014 and 2015. His departure, for a second-round selection in the 2019 NHL Draft,  leaves the Devils with BC alumni Steve Santini, Cory Schneider, and Miles Wood in the lineup.

With New Jersey, Boyle scored 26 goals and added 16 assists for 42 points in 116 regular-season contests beginning in late 2017, after he signed with New Jersey as a free agent. He had 13-10—23 points in 69 games a year ago in helping the Devils back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2012. In 740 regular-season games with New Jersey, Toronto, Tampa Bay, New York and Los Angeles since 2007-08, he has collected 119-92—211 points and 555 penalty minutes, along with 15-13—28 points and 92 PIM in 111 NHL postseason games. He also has 83 points in 114 career AHL games, all with the former Manchester Monarchs franchise.

Boyle, 34, was drafted 26th overall by Los Angeles in 2003 after a three-year prep career at St. Sebastian's in Massachusetts where he produced 149 points. A native of Hingham, Mass., Boyle played for BC from 2003 to 2007 as a center and defenseman. In 159 career outings with the Eagles, he notched 65-75—140 points, including 34 power-play goals, in leading BC to consecutive NCAA Championship game berths in 2006 and 2007. As senior, he led Hockey East in scoring with 37 points in 27 conference games, while pacing the Eagles with 53 points overall.