BC's Smith Signs with San Jose

 

The Boston College men's hockey team has lost its top scorer to the professional ranks. Rising freshman forward Will Smith signed an entry-level NHL contract this week with the San Jose Sharks, who drafted him fourth overall last summer, forgoing the final three seasons of his college career. 

Smith, from Lexington, Mass., led all NCAA Division I skaters last season with 46 assists and 71 points, and was sixth nationally with 25 goals. He also set BC freshman records for assists and points in a single season, passing former NHL player Ken Hodge, Jr., and is now 10th all-time for most points recorded in a single season among all classes, edging out former NHL player Kevin Stevens.

As a collegiate rookie last season, Smith, 19, guided BC to a school-record 34 total wins and both the Hockey East regular-season and tournament titles, including a personal four-goal, five-point outing in a 6-2 victory over rival Boston University in the conference championship game. He also earned Hockey East All-Rookie, First All-Star Team, All-Tournament, and Tournament MVP accolades, and was a First Team All-America selection and a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award given to the nation's top Division I player.

Smith also helped the Eagles to the Providence NCAA regional championship this spring, recording assists in wins over Michigan Tech and Quinnipiac, and then scored two goals in a triumph over Michigan at the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul. BC then fell to Denver in the national championship game, the Eagles' first appearance in the NCAA title contest in 12 years.

A six-foot, 181-pound product of the U.S. National Team Development Program in Michigan, with whom he tallied 51 goals and 127 points in 2022-23, Smith was also a member of this year's World Junior Championship gold medal U.S. squad in Sweden, and recently skated for the fifth-place American team at the 2024 IIHF World Championship in Czechia.

Minnesota Earns Inaugural PWHL Title

A second-period goal by Liz Schepers (Ohio State) stood up as the game-winner, and Minnesota won the first-ever Professional Women's Hockey League playoff title with a 3-0 victory over Boston in Game 5 of the inaugural PWHL final last night in Lowell, Mass. Minnesota won the best-of-five series, three games to two, to lift the Walter Cup.

Michela Cava (Minnesota-Duluth) made it 2-0 in the third period, and later set up Kendall Coyne-Schofield (Northeastern) for an empty-net insurance goal. Mellissa Channell (Wisconsin) finished with two assists for Minnesota, both in the final frame, while Nicole Hensley (Lindenwood) made 17 saves for the shutout. Aerin Frankel (Northeastern) recorded 41 stops in defeat for Boston.

Minnesota's Taylor Heise (Minnesota) earned the first-ever Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP award after tallying five goals and eight points in the postseason.

Lee Earns 2024 King Clancy Memorial Trophy

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee (Notre Dame) is the recipient of the NHL's 2023-24 King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award is given annually to the NHL player "who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community." Lee is the third Islander to be so honored all-time, following Bryan Trottier (1989) and Doug Weight (2011), and will receive a $25,000 donation from the NHL that will benefit a charity or charities of his choice.

Lee, 33, has long supported Jam Kancer in the Kan, which is a foundation committed to fundraising for families dealing with cancer, and has helped the event raise more than $2.5 million in all to date, according to the Islanders web site. He also founded and continues to fund the Fenov Scholars college scholarship, which is awarded to graduating high school students who provide help and sympathy to an individual who is battling cancer.

Lee, who hails from Edina, Minn., has tallied at least 20 goals in an NHL campaign eight times so far in his professional career, including this season, and has tallied 260 career regular-season goals in all. A sixth-round draft choice of the Islanders in 2009, he skated at Notre Dame for three years, scoring 61 goals in NCAA play, and captained the Fighting Irish to the championship of the original CCHA in his final season at UND. Lee also helped the U.S. to bronze medals at the IIHF World Championships in 2015 and 2018.

Memorial Day 2024

 

U.S. Done at Worlds After Loss to Czechia

Team USA's run at the 2024 IIHF World Championship is over. The U.S. fell to host Czechia, 1-0, on Thursday in the quarterfinal round yesterday, eliminating the Americans from medal competition. Charlie Lindgren (St. Cloud State) stopped 27 of 28 shots in goal for the USA.

The U.S., which had scored 32 goals in the preliminary round and had three of the top scorers in the tournament, will finish no higher than fifth this year. The Americans had finished fourth in the last two Worlds after winning bronze in 2021. Next year's competition will be held in Sweden/Denmark.

U.S. Tops Latvia at Worlds

Team USA finished the round robin portion of the 2024 IIHF World Championship in Czechia with a 6-3 win over Latvia on Tuesday. The U.S. eliminated Latvia from this year's medal competition. and also avenged the Americans' overtime loss to Latvia in last year's bronze medal game.

Cole Caufield (Wisconsin) scored two goals and set up two others to lead America, while Shane Pinto (North Dakota) had two assists. Matt Boldy (Boston College), Zach Werenski (Michigan) and Brady Tkachuk (Boston University) provided a goal and an assist apiece, while Charlie Lindgren (St. Cloud State) stopped 27 of 30 Latvian shots on goal. Eduards Tralmaks (Maine) scored one of Latvia's three goals.

The U.S., which finished second in Group B, will now face host Czechia on Thursday in the quarterfinal round.

R.I.P. Mark Wells

 

U.S. Rebounds with Two Wins at 2024 Worlds

The United States regained its winning ways late this week at the 2024 IIHF Men's World Championship in Czechia. Following a 5-4 overtime loss to Slovakia on May 13, the Americans rebounded for a 5-0 shutout of France on Thursday, followed by a 4-1 victory over Poland on Friday. 

Matt Boldy (Boston College) scored two goals and set up another for the U.S. versus France, while Brock Nelson (North Dakota) tallied a goal and two assists. Against Poland, Brady Tkachuk (Boston University) led the way with a goal and three assists, as Cole Caufield (Wisconsin) scored twice, Shane Pinto (North Dakota) assisted on a pair of goals, and Trey Augustine (Michigan State) stopped 20 of 21 shots against.

Team USA will return to Group B action on Sunday against Kazakhstan.

ADDENDUM: The U.S routed Kazakhstan, 10-1, as Boldy notched two goals and three assists, Johnny Gaudreau (Boston College) recorded a goal and four assists, Tkachuk tallied three goals and an assist, and Zach Werenski (Michigan) set up three goals.

BC's Kreider Leads Rangers to Oust Canes

The Carolina Hurricanes seemed to have an answer through two periods of play for the New York Rangers. They didn't have one for Chris Kreider (Boston College) in the final stanza.

Kreider, 33, now in his 11th full NHL season, all with the Rangers, scored three consecutive goals in the third period Thursday night in Raleigh, N.C., to lift New York to a 5-3 victory in Game 6 of its Eastern Conference semifinal series, New York wins the best of-seven matchup, four games to two, after losing the previous two games.

The Rangers had trailed, 3-1, after 40 minutes of play before Kreider struck at 6:43, 11:54 (power play) and 15:41 over the final 20 minutes to boost his team into the lead for good. Jack Roslovic (Miami) assisted on two of the goals, while K'Andre Miller (Wisconsin) set up an empty-net insurance goal with 49 seconds remaining in regulation to cap the game and the series for New York.

A 6-foot-3, 223-pound left wing from Boxford, Mass., Kreider tallied 36 goals and 75 points in 82 regular-season games in 2023-24. His 47 career playoff goals, including his natural hat trick Thursday night, are the most in Rangers history. A Hockey East All-Rookie Team and Hockey East Second Team selection in his time at BC, he scored 49 goals over three seasons and helped the Eagles to NCAA titles in both 2010 and 2012.

New York will continue the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs next week in the Eastern Conference final against either Boston or Florida.

St. Thomas Moving from CCHA to NCHC

The University of St. Thomas is changing conferences.

The Tommies, who are entering their fourth season of NCAA Division I men's hockey, will become full members of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference in 2026-27. UST is currently a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and will play there the next two seasons before moving over to the NCHC, where it will become the league's 10th member.

St. Thomas began play at the NCAA Division I level in 2021-22, and last year finished 15-20-2 overall (12-11-1 CCHA), its best record since moving up from NCAA Division III. The program began back in 1920-21 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and from 1983 to 2021 earned 17 berths to the NCAA Division III tournament, along with 21 MIAC regular-season titles and 13 postseason conference crowns. 

St. Thomas is in the process of building a 4,000-seat on-campus arena in St. Paul, Minn. The facility's opening is expected to coincide with UST's first season in the NCHC.

Avalanche Stay Alive in Game 5 at Dallas

The Colorado Avalanche aren't done yet in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Cale Makar (UMass) scored two goals, including the game-winner, while visiting Colorado scored three times in the final 20 minutes en route to a 5-3 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of their NHL Western Conference semifinal series tonight. Dallas still leads the best-of-seven series, three games to two.

Casey Mittelstadt (Minnesota) scored early in the third period at American Airlines Center to give the Avs a 3-2 lead, their first of the series, off an assist by Zach Parise (North Dakota). Makar notched the game-winner unassisted less than three minutes later, to make it 4-2 at the time. For the Stars, Joe Pavelski (Wisconsin) notched a goal and an assist, while Jake Oettinger (Boston University) made 22 saves.

Game 6 will take place in Denver on Friday night. If necessary, Game 7 will be held in Dallas on Sunday.

U.S. Falls in 2024 IIHF Worlds Opener

The United States got behind the proverbial eight-ball on its first day of competition at the 2024 IIHF World Championship in Czechia on Friday. The U.S. fell to Sweden by a 5-2 count at Ostrava Arena in the opener of Group B play for both teams.

Zach Werenski (Michigan) and Brock Nelson (North Dakota) scored goals for the Americans, who got 33 saves in net from Alex Lyon (Yale). Johnny Gaudreau (Boston College) and Matt Boldy (Boston College) picked up assists for the U.S., which will return to action today against Germany, while Sweden will face Poland on Sunday. 

Canada, which boasts almost a half-dozen former NCAA skaters on its roster, begins play today against Great Britain in Group A round-robin competition. The Canadians won last year's Worlds in Riga/Latvia, with Germany claiming the silver medal and co-host Latvia earning bronze. The U.S. finished fourth in 2023.

ADDENDUM: The U.S. rebounded for a 6-1 win over Germany, getting goals from six different scorers. Johnny Gaudreau (Boston College) and Michael Kesselring (Northeastern) tallied a goal and an assist apiece for the Americans, who also got two assists each from Cole Caufield (Wisconsin) and Shane Pinto (North Dakota). Trey Augustine (Michigan State) made 12 saves on 13 shots in relief of Lyon (14 saves).

BC's Wood, Kreider Come up Big in Playoffs

Miles Wood (Boston College) connected on a backhander just over 11 minutes into overtime, and the visiting Colorado Avalanche came all the way back from a three-goal first period deficit to top the Dallas Stars, 4-3, in the opener of their Western Conference semifinal series on Tuesday nigh. 

Cale Makar (UMass) had a goal and two assists for Colorado, which leads the best-of-seven series, one game to none. Andrew Cogliano (Michigan) assisted on Woods' goal, while Ryan Suter (Wisconsin) scored the first goal of the game for Dallas, which squandered a 3-0 lead.

In Manhattan, Chris Kreider (Boston College) tied the game with a power play goal in the third period, and the New York Rangers went on to 4-3 double OT victory over the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. The Rangers, who remain undefeated in the 2024 postseason through six games, now lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series, one game to none. Jake Guentzel (Omaha) scored twice for Carolina, while K'Andre Miller (Wisconsin) and Adam Fox (Harvard) posted assists for New York. 

The Stanley Cup Playoffs resume tonight with Boston at Florida in the Eastern Conference, with Boston leading that series one game to none, and Vancouver beginning its Western Conference series with Edmonton.

Atlantic Hockey America to Begin Play in 2024-25

Two conferences have become one, as the men's Atlantic Hockey Association and the women's College Hockey America unit have combined to form a single new entity in Atlantic Hockey America. The 14 NCAA Division I schools involved will compete under the new AHA banner beginning with the 2024-25 season.

Joining the new conference from Atlantic Hockey are Air Force, American International, Army West Point, Bentley, Canisius, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Niagara, RIT, Robert Morris and Sacred Heart. Transitioning from the CHA are Mercyhurst, Penn State, Lindenwood, RIT, Robert Morris and Syracuse.

Atlantic Hockey began as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 1998-99, before reorganizing as the AHA in 2003. The CHA commenced play in 1999-2000 as a men's only conference which disbanded in 2010, with the women's league starting up in 2002-03 and continuing ever since.

The colors for the new league, which will be headquartered in Boston, are blue and gold, while the logo is a melding of the two previous league symbols. The commissioner is former college hockey player Michelle Morgan (St. Thomas). The new league's website is located at atlantichockeyonline.com.

BC's Hanifin Pulls Vegas into Series Tie

Boston College beat Boston University on Friday night in Nevada to keep the Vegas Golden Knights' title defense alive.

Noah Hanifin (Boston College) scored midway through the third period on Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (Boston University) at T-Mobile Arena, and host Vegas held on for a 2-0 win in Game Six of their Western Conference series in the NHL's 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The series is now tied, three games apiece.

Hanifin, who was acquired from the Calgary Flames earlier this year, picked off a Dallas clearing attempt near the Stars' blue line, skated low into the right circle, and beat Oettinger to the far side for the only goal the Golden Knights would need. Vegas then scored into an empty net with 19 seconds remaining in regulation, and Oettinger (28 saves) off the ice for an extra Dallas skater.

The deciding Game 7 will be held on Sunday at American Airlines Center in Dallas, with the home team having won the last two games in the series. Vegas is looking to continue on as Stanley Cup champions, after defeating Florida in last year's final.

ADDENDUM: Vegas' reign as Stanley Cup champs came to end with a 2-1 loss at Dallas in Game 7. Dallas will now take on Colorado in the Western Conference semifinals, beginning Tuesday night.

BC's Woll Backstops Maple Leafs to Game 7

Joseph Woll (Boston College) has saved the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff season so far. Now he's one more win away from ending the Boston Bruins' 2023-24 campaign.

Woll, 25, made 22 stops last night, and came 0.1 seconds away from a shutout, as Toronto edged visiting Boston, 2-1, in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series to tie that series at three games apiece. He had 27 stops in a 2-1 overtime victory at Boston's TD Garden in Game 5. Combined with his first-ever NHL playoff win against Florida in last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, Woll is the first goaltender in NHL history to earn his first three career postseason victories in elimination games.

Woll, a 6-foot-3 netminder from Dardenne Prairie, Mo., is 23-13-1 with a 2.65 goals-against average in 39 career NHL regular-season games, all with Toronto, who drafted him 52nd overall in 2016. He went 47-45-8 with six shutouts in three seasons at BC (2016-2019).

Game 7 will be tomorrow night at Boston (8 p.m. ET, ABC TV).

ADDENDUM: Woll was sidelined by injury and did not play in Toronto's season-ending 2-1 overtime loss at Boston in Game 7. Boston will now face Florida in the Eastern Conference semifinals starting on Monday.