Canadiens Knot Series with Sabres

Alex Newhook (Boston College) scored two goals, and Mike Matheson (Boston College) notched the game-winner as the visiting Montreal Canadiens evened their 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff second-round series with the Buffalo Sabres last night. The best-of-seven NHL Eastern Conference matchup is now tied up at one game apiece, with Game Three set for Montreal on Sunday night.

Lane Hutson (Boston University) assisted on Newhook's first goal, while Jakub Dobes (Ohio State) finished with 29 saves in net for the Canadiens. Josh Doan (Arizona State) assisted on Buffalo's lone goal late in the second period, long after Montreal had built a 3-0 lead. Alex Tuch (Boston College) of the Sabres led all skaters with seven shots on goal. Both teams went 0-for-5 on the power play.

 

College Players Come Through for Canadiens

Wednesday evening in central Ohio was NCAA night for the Montreal Canadiens.

Alex Newhook (Boston College) and Cole Caufield (Wisconsin) scored goals for the Habs, and Mike Matheson recorded two assists in the third period for the visitors as Montreal outlasted the host Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-2, at Nationwide Arena. Zach Werenski (Michigan) set up one of Columbus' two goals, as the Bluejackets fell to 7-13-4 overall and four points behind Montreal in the NHL's Eastern Conference standings. 

Montreal improved to 10-10-2 with the victory, but fell back below the .500 mark the next night after a 5-1 loss to visiting Florida. Newhook, the Canadiens' top goal scorer with seven goals so far this season, was injured in that contest and did not return. He earned a Stanley Cup ring in 2022 with Colorado, a year after helping Boston College return to the NCAA tournament.

Columbus hosts Ottawa (8-9-0) tonight, while Montreal will entertain Detroit (12-7-3) tomorrow.

Sweden Wins 2017 World Championship

Sweden edged Canada, 2-1, in a shootout on Sunday in the gold medal game of the 2017 IIHF World Championship in Cologne, Germany. Sweden outscored Canada, two to none, in the extra session at Lanxess Arena to win its first World Championship gold since 2013. 

Canada was seeking its third straight World Championship. Former NCAA members of this year’s silver medal-winning Canadian squad included Alex Killorn (Harvard) of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Michael Matheson (Boston College) of the Florida Panthers, and Colton Parayko (Alaska Fairbanks) of the St. Louis Blues.

Russia won this year’s bronze medal, with a 5-3 victory over Finland. Next year’s World Championship will be contested in Denmark for the first time.

BC's Matheson Signs with Florida

Boston College rising junior defenseman Michael Matheson has given up his fourth year at the Heights to sign an entry-level contract with the NHL's Florida Panthers, who drafted the Quebec native 23rd overall in 2012. He is expected to report to San Antonio (AHL) to begin his professional career.

Matheson, who came to the Eagles from Dubuque (USHL), led BC blueliners in scoring in each of his three seasons in Chestnut Hill, Mass. He finished his career with 14 goals and 57 assists for 71 points in 122 games in Maroon and Gold.

This past season, Matheson served as team captain and tallied 3-22—25 points in 38 contests. He scored his final goal in an Eagles uniform in a a 5-2 season-ending  loss to Denver in the first round of the 2015 NCAA East Regional in Providence on Saturday afternoon.

BC completed the 2014-15 campaign with a 21-14-3 overall record, and finished third in Hockey East during the regular season with a 12-7-3 league mark.

Canada Features Just Two NCAA Skaters on World Junior Roster

In contrast to the U.S National Junior Team, which just made its preliminary cuts and is top-heavy with American college-trained players, its Canadian counterpart features just two NCAA skaters in defenseman Michael Matheson and forward Mark Jankowski. Both hail from Hockey East and were 2012 NHL first-round draft choices, and both will be sophomores in 2013-14.

Matheson, a 6'2", 189-pound blueliner from Pointe-Claire, Quebec, was chosen 23rd overall by the Florida Panthers last year. As a freshman last season at Boston College, he put up eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 36 games, and helped the Eagles to their ninth NCAA Tournament berth in the last 10 years. He spent the 2011-12 campaign with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League.

Jankowski, a 6’3”, 175-pound forward from Dundas, Ontario, was taken two spots ahead of Matheson by the Calgary Flames last year. As a rookie at Providence College in 2012-13, he collected 7-11—18 points in 34 outings, while helping the Friars to the Hockey East semifinals. Prior to enrolling at Providence, he skated two years at Stanstead College Prep in Quebec.

The 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship will be contested in Malmo, Sweden from Dec. 26, 2013 to Jan. 5, 2014. The U.S. is the defending WJC champ, having taken gold last winter in Ufa, Russia.

 

BC and Northeastern to Meet Next Monday for All the Beans

Quinn Smith (pictured) scored twice for the Eagles, who also got goals from Michael Matheson and Stephen Whitney, and 19 saves from Parker Milner, to power fourth-ranked Boston College to a 4-1 win over ECAC foe Harvard (5-15-1) last night in the opening round of the 61st Beanpot Tournament at TD Garden in Boston.

Three-time defending Beanpot champion BC (16-7-2 overall) will now face Northeastern (8-13-3), which beat 15th-ranked Boston University (13-11-1) by a 3-2 count in the other opening game, next Monday night for the title.

Northeastern freshman forward Kevin Roy scored all three goals for the Huskies, one in each period, including the game-winner with 4:38 remaining in regulation. Chris Rawlings made 33 saves for NU, which is seeking its first Beanpot title in 25 years.

Five Incoming College Freshmen Taken in First Round of NHL Entry Draft

Five incoming NCAA freshmen, including four defensemen, were selected in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh on Friday night.

Jacob Trouba, who played for the U.S. National Development Team and is committed to Michigan for next season, was picked ninth overall by the Winnipeg Jets. Latvian-born forward Zemgus Girgensons, who played with Dubuque (USHL) and will skate at Vermont next year, was nabbed 14th overall by the Buffalo Sabres. His junior teammate, Quebec native Michael Matheson, was taken 23rd by the Florida Panthers, and is headed to Hockey East opponent Boston College in the fall.

Jordan Schmaltz (pictured), who is off to North Dakota for 2012-13, was tabbed 25th overall by the St. Louis Blues after playing in Green Bay (USHL). Brady Skjei, who has agreed to play at Minnesota, was chosen 28th overall by the New York Rangers from the U.S. NTDP.

Rounds 2 through 7 of the draft will be conducted on Saturday.

The New NCAA Guard

Following are the top players as ranked by NHL Central Scouting (mid-term) who are either currently playing in college, or are committed to a university for next season, with ranking, name, position, last team and college commitment in parentheses, if not currently enrolled in college:

 9. Jacob Trouba, D, U.S. NTDP (Michigan)

12. Zemgus Girgensons, F, Dubuque-USHL (Vermont)

18. Brady Skjei, D, U.S. NTDP (Minnesota)

27. Nicolas Kerdiles, F, U.S. NTDP (Wisconsin)

28. Phillip Giuseppe, F, Michigan-CCHA

29. Michael Matheson, D, Dubuque-USHL (Boston College)

31. Cristoval Nieves, F, Kent School (Michigan)

47. Jake McCabe, D, Wisconsin-WCHA

73. Austin Wuthrich, F, Notre Dame-CCHA

1G. Jon Gillies, G, Indiana-USHL (Northeastern)

The 2012 NHL Entry Draft will be held at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh in June.