Princeton Outlasts Stonehill, 3-2

Luc Pelletier's late second-period goal stood up as the game-winner as Princeton edged independent Stonehill, 3-2, last night at Hobey Baker Rink. It was the first-ever meeting in NCAA Division I men's hockey between the host Tigers, who improved to 3-2-0 overall and 3-0-0 at home, and the visiting Skyhawks, who fell to 1-11-0.

Julian Facchinelli staked Princeton to a 1-0 lead midway through the first period with his first career collegiate goal, but Anthony Galante responded just 24 seconds later for Stonehill. Brendan Gorman put the Tigers up again early in the second stanza, with Pelletier scoring from the right circle later in the period to make it 3-1. Joseph Grainda pulled the Skyhawks within a goal early in the final frame, but couldn't get the equalizer as time ran out with Stonehill goaltender Connor Androlewicz (32 saves) off for an extra attacker.

Conor Callaghan stopped 27 shots for the Tigers, who outshot Stonehill, 35-29. Both teams went 0-for-2 on the power play. 

Stonehill returns to action on Tuesday at home against fellow independent Alaska Anchorage, while Princeton will host ECAC Hockey rivals St. Lawrence and Clarkson next weekend. 

Miami, Stonehill Hire New Coaches

Two NCAA Division I men's hockey schools have already hired new head coaches.

Miami University of the NCHC has tabbed longtime junior hockey coach Anthony Noreen as the next bench boss of the RedHawks. He succeeds Miami alumnus Chris Bergeron, who was let go after managing only 35 wins in all over the last five seasons. A graduate of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he skated on defense and captained the Pointers, Noreen has served as a USHL head coach with both Youngstown and Tri-City, twice earning USHL Coach of the Year accolades, and as a pro head coach with Orlando (ECHL). A Chicago native, he began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater. Noreen, 41, will remain with Tri-City, where he has coached since 2017-18, until the Storm's current campaign ends. As of April 1, he had fashioned an overall record of 236-126-24-18 with Tri-City.

NCAA Division I independent Stonehill College has chosen David Berard as its next head coach. A Providence College product and former Friars goaltender, Berard, 53, was previously the head coach at Holy Cross, compiling an overall record of 96-122-35 over seven seasons with the Crusaders, after assistant/associate coaching stints at his alma mater, Colby, Lake Superior State, and UConn. He spent the last three years in athletic administration at Providence. A native of West Warwick, R.I., Berard succeeds David Borges, who retired from Stonehill last month after 10 seasons at the helm of the Skyhawks.

Moves Made in NCAA Hockey Coaching Ranks

It's been a whirlwind few weeks regarding head coaches in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey.

Adam Nightingale, a former Spartan skater himself, has had his contract extended after Michigan State won the Big Ten regular-season title, the first such title in program history. According to msuspartans.com, Nightingale's five-year rollover contract includes a non-performance related compensation of $700,000 in the first year, with a a base salary of $600K and supplemental compensation of $100K. Beginning in year two, his supplemental compensation will increase by $25K from the previous year. MSU (22-9-3 overall, 16-6-2 B1G) will entertain Ohio State on Saturday in a Big Ten tournament semifinal contest.

Steve Wiedler has been promoted to head coach at Vermont, after serving as interim coach this season. A former Southern Maine defenseman, he has received a four-year contract (financial terms were not disclosed). A former UVM assistant, he succeeded Todd Woodcroft, who was let go last summer following a university investigation regarding inappropriate conduct. The Catamounts (13-18-3, 7-14-3 HE) play at UConn tonight in a Hockey East tournament first-round elimination game.

Lindenwood has let Rick Zombo go after two seasons as an NCAA Division I independent.  A former national champion at North Dakota, and a 13-year NHL defenseman, Zombo had mentored Lindenwood's ACHA club program since 2010-11, before the Lions entered the NCAA ranks in 2022-23. He also coached the St. Louis franchises in both the NAHL and USHL before joining Lindenwood. 

Bowling Green has parted ways with alumnus Ty Eigner after five seasons. He led the Falcons to an 84-83-11 mark in that span, with their last winning campaign coming in 2020-21. BGSU finished 13-12-1 overall (11-12-1 CCHA) this year, and was eliminated by Michigan Tech in the first round of the CCHA tournament.

Lastly, David Borges is retiring from Stonehill College after 10 seasons at the helm. A UMass Lowell graduate, he compiled a 102-141-24 record overall with the Skyhawks, including the past two seasons as a Division I independent. He also led Stonehill to two Northeast-10 regular-season titles and one league tournament championship in his tenure.

Stonehill Earns Inaugural Division I Win

Stonehill College finally got off the schneid last Saturday. The Skyhawks recorded their first-ever victory over an NCAA Division I school by edging fellow independent Lindenwood, 4-2, on Feb. 10 in Easton, Mass.

Jake LaRusso scored two goals for Stonehill, including the game-winner with just over three minutes remaining in the third period. Dylan Meilun made 27 saves for the Skyhawks, who spent the last 10 seasons in the Northeast-10 (NCAA Division II) after playing in the ECAC Northeast since their inception in 1978-79. Stonehill went 0-5 versus NCAA Division I competition last season, its first as a D-I independent, and had been 0-27-0 this season until besting the Lions last week.

The Skyhawks visit LIU for two games this weekend.

BU Alum Watchorn Takes Terrier Women's Helm

The Boston University women's ice hockey program has found its new head coach, just the second in program history.

Former Terriers blueliner and Olympic gold medalist Tara Watchorn was recently named as BU's new head coach, succeeding Brian Durocher, a former BU goaltender and men's assistant coach who had been the only head coach the Terrier women's program had known since it became a varsity squad in 2004-05.

Watchorn, 32, from Newcastle, Ont., spent the last two years as the women's head coach at Stonehill, fashioning a record of 19-16-2 with the Skyhawks in their inaugural 2022-23 playing season, after serving four years as an assistant coach at her alma mater. She was also named New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) Coach of the Year after leading Stonehill to the conference semifinals. As a player at BU from 2018 until 2012, Watchorn tallied 21 goals and 63 assists for 84 points to go with 173 penalty minutes in 127 career games, while helping the Terriers to three NCAA tournament appearances. She went on to play professionally with Alberta, Calgary and Boston in the CWHL, while also winning an Olympic gold medal with Canada in 2014, before joining BU's coaching staff in 2017 under Durocher. 

Durocher, 66, compiled an overall record of 338-215-76 in 19 years at the BU women's helm, including five Hockey East tournament titles and five NCAA tournament appearances. The Terriers also advanced to the NCAA championship game under his watch in both 2011 and 2013. Prior to taking the women's job at BU, he served as a men's assistant coach at AIC, BU, Colgate and Brown from 1979 until 2004. As a player, he tended goal for BU from 1974 to 1978, compiling a 47-13-1 record while backstopping BU to four NCAA tournament berths, including the 1978 national title, and two Beanpot tournament championships. 

The Terriers finished 11-20-3 overall last season, while going 9-15-3 in Hockey East and placing seventh in the final conference standings.