Canadiens Take Lead over Sabres, Ducks Tie Vegas

Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) tallied three assists as the Anaheim Ducks tied their Stanley Cup Playoff series with a 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night. The best-of-seven Western Conference matchup is now tied at two games apiece, with Game Five set for Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Alex Killorn (Harvard) notched a goal and an assist for the Ducks, while Jack Eichel (Boston University) set up two goals for the Golden Knights.

In the Eastern Conference, the host Montreal Canadiens took a two game to one lead with a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game Three of their series on Sunday. Alex Newhook (Boston College) notched his second two-goal game of the series for the Canadiens, who also got two points apiece from Cole Caufield (Wisconsin) and Lane Hutson (Boston University), plus 26 saves in net from Jakub Dobes (Ohio State). Tage Thompson (UConn) scored a goal and added an assist for the Sabres, who got 32 stops from Alex Lyon (Yale). Game Four is Tuesday in Montreal.

 

Two More NHL Western Playoff Series End

Troy Terry (Denver) and Chris Kreider (Boston College) each scored a goal and set up two others, and Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) notched a goal and an assist as the host Anaheim Ducks eliminated the Edmonton Oilers from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-2 victory last night. Anaheim won the best-of-seven Western Conference series, four games to two, its first postseason series victory since 2017, ousting an Oilers club that had won the NHL's Western Conference the last two seasons. Edmonton's Zach Hyman (Michigan) had a goal disallowed for a kicking motion in the second period. The Ducks will now face the winner of the Utah-Vegas series in the conference semifinals.

The Minnesota Wild won their first Stanley Cup Playoff series since 2015 as Quinn Hughes (Michigan) recorded two goals and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the visiting Dallas Stars on Thursday. Minnesota won the best-of-seven Western Conference series, four games to two, and will now take on top-seeded Colorado in the second round. Matt Boldy (Boston College) sealed the win yesterday with two empty-net goals for the Wild, while Jake Oettinger (Boston University) made 16 saves for the Stars.

Ducks Even Series with Oilers

Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) scored two goals and set up another, and Alex Killorn (Harvard) had a goal and two assists as the Anaheim Ducks topped the Edmonton Oilers, 6-4, last night in the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

The Western Conference first-round best-of-seven series is now tied at one game apiece. Zach Hyman (Michigan) had a goal for the Oilers, who are two-time defending Western Conference champions. 

Game Four is Friday in California. Edmonton triumphed, 4-3, in Game One on Monday night in Alberta.

USA Blanks Denmark in 2025 Worlds Opener

Seattle's Matty Beniers (Michigan) scored twice in Team USA's 5-0 win over co-host Denmark yesterday to open the 2025 IIHF Men's World Championship in Herning, Denmark. 

Anaheim's Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) and Boston's Mason Lohrei (Ohio State) each had a goal and an assist, as Utah's Michael Kesselring (Northeastern) set up both of their goals. Seattle's Joey Daccord (Arizona State) stopped all 26 shots he faced for the shutout.

The United States will next take on Hungary on Sunday at 6:20 a.m. ET (NHL Network), also at Jyske Bank Boxen.

ADDENDUM: The U.S blanked Hungary, 6-0, but then lost to Switzerland, 3-0. 

NCAA Skaters Signing with NHL Clubs in 2024

The exodus of NCAA players to the professional ranks began before the 2024 NCAA tournament started, and has continued following the conclusion of the Frozen Four last weekend in St. Paul. 

Some of the more notable signings, many of them underclassmen, to date since April 1 have included (players listed in alphabetical order by last name):

PLAYER SCHOOL NHL CLUB
Sean Behrens Denver Colorado
Gavin Brindley * Michigan Columbus
Shai Buium Denver Detroit
Dylan Duke Michigan Tampa Bay
Cutter Gauthier * Boston College Anaheim
Lane Hutson * Boston U. Montreal
Victor Mancini #        Omaha           NY Rangers
Scott Morrow * UMass     Carolina
Bradley Nadeau *        Maine           Carolina
Frank Nazar III * Michigan Chicago
Victor Ostman Maine Seattle
Jacob Quillan # Quinnipiac Toronto
Massimo Rizzo Denver Philadelphia
Luke Tuch Boston U. Montreal 
Cade Webber Boston U. Toronto
Dylan Wendt # W. Michigan New Jersey

# Indicates player has made AHL playing debut 

* Indicates player has made NHL playing debut 

BC, Denver to Meet Saturday for NCAA Crown

The national title game is set. It will be Denver against Boston College on Saturday night in St. Paul, Minn., for the 2024 NCAA Division I men's hockey championship, after both teams won national semifinal contests today at the Xcel Energy Center.

In the opening game this afternoon, Tristan Broz scored just over 11 minutes into overtime to lift Denver to a 2-1 win over Boston University. Luke Tuch opened the scoring for BU (28-10-2 overall) with a shorthanded goal in the first period, before Tristan Lemyre tied it for DU in the second. BU outshot DU, 34-29, overall, even though the Terriers did not receive any power plays. Matt Davis made 33 saves in net for the Pioneers (31-9-3), while Mathieu Caron finished with 27 stops for the Terriers.

In the nightcap, Will Smith opened the scoring just over a minute into the opening stanza as top-ranked Boston College blanked Michigan, 4-0. The Eagles (34-5-1), who set a school record for most victories in a single season with tonight's win, broke the game open with goals 49 seconds apart in the second period from Smith and Cutter Gauthier (NCAA-high 38th goal of the year) while the two teams were skating 4-on-4. 

Gabe Perreault, who also assisted on both of Smith's goals, closed out the scoring early in the third period with an unassisted tally for the Eagles. Jacob Fowler stopped all 32 shots he faced in earning his third shutout of the season for BC, which was outshot by a 32-22 margin. Jake Barczewski had 18 stops for the Wolverines (23-15-3), who were making their third consecutive trip to the Frozen Four, and who were shut out for the first time in a Frozen Four appearance.

BC and DU will now meet for the national title on Saturday (6 p.m. ET, ESPN2). It will be a rematch of a game from October at BC, where the Pioneers edged the Eagles, 4-3. DU is seeking its record 10th NCAA men's hockey title all-time, and second in three years, while BC is after its sixth national championship ever, and first since 2012.

2024 Hobey Hat Trick Announced

The Hobey Hat Trick has been announced for 2024. The three skaters left vying for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey are as follows:

• Jackson Blake, So., North Dakota (40 GP, 22-38—60 pts.)
• Macklin Celebrini, Fr., Boston Univ. (37 GP, 32-32—64 pts.)
• Cutter Gauthier, So., Boston College (39 GP, 37-27—64 pts.)

All three are among the top five scorers in the nation, while Gauthier leads Division I with 37 goals. He and Celebrini have also led their respective schools to the NCAA Frozen Four next week in St. Paul, Minn., while Blake's UND squad was eliminated in the regional finals. 

The Hobey Baker Award will be presented to the winner a week from today in Minnesota.

Day 2 of 2024 Regionals Completed

The second day of the 2024 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey regionals is over, and only half of the original 16-team field now remains.

In Providence yesterday, top-ranked Boston College scored five unanswered goals, four in the third period, to oust Michigan Tech, 6-1. Cutter Gauthier and Ryan Leonard tallied two goals each for the Eagles. In the second game at Amica Mutual Pavilion, Quinnipiac got two goals from Victor Czerneckianair, including the tying marker and the overtime game-winner, to top Wisconsin, 3-2. The defending NCAA champion Bobcats will now face BC on Easter Sunday ( 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2) in the regional final.

In Maryland Heights, Mo., Michigan State rebounded from a 4-2 deficit with three consecutive goals to best Western Michigan, 5-4, in overtime. Karsen Dorwart notched the tying goal in the final minute of regulation, before Jeremy Davidson scored in the extra session. In the nightcap at the Centene Community Ice Center, Michigan used three third-period goals to defeat North Dakota, 4-3. Dylan Duke notched two of those goals for the Wolverines, including the game-winner with just over eight minutes left. Michigan will now face MSU on Sunday (6:30 p.m., ESPN2) in the regional final, in a rematch of the Big Ten title game that was won by the Spartans last Saturday in OT. 

2024 Hobey Baker Finalists Announced

The 10 finalists for the 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey have been announced:

F Jackson Blake, So., North Dakota (21-36—57)

F Macklin Celebrini, Fr., Boston University (30-25—55)

F Jack Devine, Jr., Denver (27-27—54)

F Cutter Gauthier, So., Boston College (32-20—52)

F Collin Graf, Jr., Quinnipiac (22-26—48)

D Lane Hutson, So., Boston University (12-32—44)

G Kyle McLellan, Sr., Wisconsin (24-11-1, 1.92, .931, 7 ShO)

F Liam McLinskey, Jr., Holy Cross (19-28—47)

F Sam Morton, Gr., Minnesota State (24-10—34) 

F Will Smith, Fr., Boston College (18-40—54)

(Statistics listed are goals-assists-points for D/F; and season record, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts for G)

This year's winner will be announced at the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn, on April 12. Last year's winner was freshman forward Adam Fantilli (Michigan), who is now with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.

NCAA Men's Division I Friday Wrap-up 01/19/24

• Lane Hutson set up four of top-ranked Boston University's five goals in a 5-1 victory at Vermont.

• Cutter Gauthier scored once in each period, including a game-clinching empty-net goal late, as second-ranked Boston College rallied for a 6-4 win at Merrimack.

• Reid Irwin's third-period tally stood up as the game-winner as Colgate upset third-ranked Quinnipiac, 2-1.

• Jack Devine tallied two goals and three assists to lift No. 5 Denver to a 6-3 win at No. 19 Omaha.

• Jackson Blake scored two goals and assisted on another as No. 6 North Dakota defeated No. 13 St. Cloud State, 5-3.

• Rutger McGroarty scored one goal and set up three others as No. 15 Michigan raced out to a six-goal lead enroute to a penalty-laden 7-1 rout of No. 7 Michigan State.

• Rhett Pitlick tallied the hat trick and set up a fourth goal as No. 10 Minnesota upended Ohio State, 5-2.

• Owen Bohn scored with 31 seconds remaining in regulation to lift first-year program Augustana to a 5-4 win at No. 16 Arizona State.

• Jakob Hellsten stopped all 20 shots he faced, and Morgan Winters recorded three assists in No. 17 New Hampshire's 5-0 triumph at UConn.

• Noah Laba scored the game-tying power play goal, and then set up Tommy Middleton's game-winner as No. 18 Colorado College edged Miami, 2-1.

ADDENDUM: In Saturday/Sunday action, BC, BU, Colorado College, Denver and Minnesota completed two-step sweeps, while Arizona State, Michigan State, UConn and WMU managed splits. 

Flyers Trade BC's Gauthier to Anaheim

It appears that Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) will not play for the Philadelphia Flyers after all.

The Flyers, who drafted Gauthier fifth overall in 2022, dealt his rights yesterday to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Jamie Drysdale. Multiple sources claimed that Gauthier ultimately did not wish to play for Philadelphia.

Gauthier, 19, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound left wing who was born in Sweden but grew up in Arizona, has not spoken publicly on the matter, although he reportedly would not meet with Flyers management. He is coming off of a Best Forward and All-Star team performance at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden, where he led the United States to a goal medal. He tallied two goals and a tournament-high 10 assists to tie for the event scoring lead with 12 points in seven games.

A product of the U.S. National Development Team program in Michigan, Gauthier is in his sophomore season at top-ranked BC where has tallied 29 goals and 31 assists for 60 points in 49 career NCAA contests to date, including 13-10—23 points in 17 outings so far this season. He is expected to turn pro at the conclusion of the Eagles' 2023-24 campaign, which resumes this weekend with a home-and-home series with Hockey East rival Providence.

Gauthier is the highest-drafted player ever at BC, along with former NHL skater and current Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who himself was tabbed fifth overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1989. Guerin won two Stanley Cups as a skater, one each with New Jersey and the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he later earned two more Cup rings as assistant GM with Pittsburgh.

USA Wins 2024 World Juniors

Exactly 20 years after winning its first-ever gold medal in the competition, the United States is again king of the IIHF World Junior Championship.

Issac Howard (Michigan State) scored two goals, and Gabe Perreault (Boston College) notched a goal and two assists as the U.S. broke open a two-all game with four answered scores Friday in a 6-2 win over host Sweden in the gold medal game of this year's event. Trey Augustine (Michigan State) made 24 saves in net to help the Team USA win its sixth WJC gold medal ever, and first since 2021 when it defeated host Canada.

The Americans, who finished with a perfect 7-0-0 record in this year's tournament, advanced to the title game following a 3-2 victory over Finland in the semifinal round on Thursday. Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) tallied the decisive power-play goal late in regulation after Team USA fought back from a 2-0 first-period deficit, while Augustine made 21 stops. Gauthier tied for the tournament scoring lead with 12 points, on two goals and 10 assists, while Howard led all WJC goal scorers this year with seven goals in all.

Sweden made it to the final after downing Czechia, 5-2, in the semifinals. Czechia then won the bronze medal after defeating Finland, 8-5, earlier Friday. Next year's WJC is scheduled to be held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada for the first time since 2009.

USA Upends Latvia in WJC Quarterfinal

The United States has advanced to the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. Team USA made it to the WJC final four by routing Latvia, 7-2, on Tuesday in Sweden.

The U.S. tallied three goals in each of the first two periods to win going away. Gabe Perreault (Boston College) scored twice and asded an assist for the Americans, who also got three assists apiece from Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) and Seamus Casey (Michigan). Jacob Fowler (Boston College) finished with 25 saves in goal for the U.S., which went 1-for-5 on the power play. 

The U.S. will face Finland (1:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network) in one of the two semifinal contests on Thursday. The other will feature Sweden, which edged Switzerland on Tuesday, vs. Czechia, which upset defending WJC champion Canada in the final minute of regulation in their quarterfinal matchup.

USA Rolling with Two More Wins at WJC

The United States improved to 3-0-0 at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden with today's 4-3 shootout victory over Czechia. 

Isaac Howard (Michigan State) scored a goal in regulation, and then added the decisive goal in the extra session to lift Team USA to the victory. Ryan Chesley (Minnesota) and Will Smith (Boston College) also tallied in regulation for the U.S., while Jacob Fowler (Boston College) picked up the win in goal after making 20 saves.

The day before, the U.S. posted a 11-3 rout of Switzerland, powered by a first-period hat trick from Jimmy Snuggerud (Minnesota). Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) and Frank Nazar (Michigan) recorded four assists apiece, while Gavin Brindley (Michigan) scored two goals and set up another, and Fowler had 21 stops.

Team USA will complete group play in this year's WJC on Sunday against Slovakia.

BC Tops MSU Among Several NCAA Hockey Sweeps

It was a weekend of several two-step sweeps in NCAA Division I men's hockey.

Third-ranked Boston College broomed visiting No. 8 Michigan State by 6-4 and 5-1 scores, in the first meetings between the two storied programs since 2015. Cutter Gauthier led BC with three goals over the two games, including the game-winning power-play goal in the second contest, while Karsen Dorwart notched three goals in two games for MSU. Jacob Fowler earned both wins in goal for the Eagles, stopping 65 of 70 shots overall.

No. 14 Wisconsin stunned top-ranked Minnesota in Big Ten play, winning by 5-2 and 3-2 counts in Minneapolis. Mathieu De St. Phalle tallied two goals and an assist for the Badgers in the opener, while Ben Dexheimer set up two goals. Simon Tassy then scored two goals in the finale for Wisconsin, including the game-winner with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, while Kyle McClellan picked up the win on 29 saves. In CCHA action, Bemidji State swept visiting St. Thomas, 3-2 and 2-0, in Minnesota as Lleyton Roed had three goals for the Beavers, including the game-winner both nights, and both goals in the second game.

In other non-conference action besides BC/MSU, Notre Dame swept Mercyhurst, 4-3 (OT) and 5-0, in South Bend, Ind. Landon Slaggert scored twice for the Fighting Irish in the opener, including the game-winner in overtime, before adding another pair of goals in the rematch. Owen Say made 50 stops in each game for the visiting Lakers. 

Michigan routed visiting Lindenwood, 9-1 and 10-1, as Gavin Brindley led the way with three goals and three assists, and Dylan Duke scored one goal and set up four others for the Wolverines. Cornell upended visiting Minnesota-Duluth, 4-1 and 3-0, as Ian Shane stopped 35 of 26 shots overall for the Big Red, who also got two goals from Kyle Penney and three points (1g-2a) from Dalton Bancroft.

Several NCAA-Bound Skaters Selected in 2022 NHL First Round

The European-dominated first round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal on Thursday night didn't feature very many NCAA-bound players. 

The ones who were selected were a half-dozen forwards who all came from the U.S. National Team Development program in Michigan, long a feeder to both the NCAA and the NHL. All six of those skaters are committed to NCAA Division I schools for the upcoming 2022-23 season. 

Logan Cooley was taken third overall by the Arizona Coyotes, after tallying 27 goals and 48 assists for 75 points for the USNTDP during the 2021-22 season. He's headed to the University of Minnesota as a freshman this fall.

Cutter Gauthier (34-31⁠—65 pts.) went fifth overall to the Philadelphia Flyers and is committed to Boston College, while Frank Nazar (28-42⁠—70 pts.) was taken 13th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks and will skate for the University of Michigan.

Also committed to Michigan starting next season is Rutger McGroarty (35-34⁠—69 pts.), who was selected one slot after Nazar, and went to the Winnipeg Jets. Jimmy Snuggerud (24-39⁠—63 pts.) was tabbed 23rd overall by the St. Louis Blues and is off to Minnesota, while Minnesota-Duluth commit Isaac Howard (33-49⁠—82 pts.) was chosen 31st overall by the three-time Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Also selected on Friday at 25th overall by Chicago was defenseman Sam Rinzel, who played last season with Waterloo (USHL) and Chaska (Minn.) High School. He is committed to Minnesota, but not until the 2023-24 season, according to eliteprospects.com.

Rounds Two through Seven of this year's draft will be televised today, beginning at 11 a.m. ET (NHL Network).

ADDENDUM: The full slate of all 225 selections from this year's entry draft can be found here.