Hockey East Stars Shine for USA Men

Hockey East alumni supplied four goals and more than 20 saves as the United States men's hockey team defeated Denmark, 6-3, on Valentine's Day at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy. 

Matt Boldy (Boston College) scored the first goal for Team USA, while Noah Hanifin (Boston College) converted his own rebound for the eventual game-winning goal. Jack Eichel (Boston University) and Brady Tkachuk (Boston University) also tallied for the Red, White and Blue, which got 21 saves in goal from Jeremy Swayman (Maine). Eight different U.S. skaters also notched assists on the day. 

The Americans, who twice battled back from one-goal deficits to defeat the Danes, improved to 2-0-0 in the tournament so far, and will complete the round-robin portion of their schedule with a game against Germany on Sunday.

ADDENDUM: Jake Sanderson (North Dakota) set up two goals and Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) made 24 stops as Team USA upended Germany, 5-1.

USA Wins First Worlds Men's Gold in 92 Years

Tage Thompson (UConn) scored just over two minutes into 3-on-3 overtime to lift the United States to a 1-0 victory over Switzerland today in the 2025 IIHF World Championship gold medal game in Stockholm, Sweden. It is the first men's World's gold for the U.S. since 1933, while the Swiss finished second for the fourth time overall.

Logan Cooley (Minnesota) and Brady Skjei (Minnesota) assisted on Thompson's goal, while Jeremy Swayman (Maine) stopped 25 shots in net for Team USA. Sweden took third this year by defeating Denmark in the bronze medal game, while Canada, Czechia, Finland and Austria rounded out the top eight. Next year's tournament will be held in Switzerland.

Two Series End, Two Go On in 2024 NHL Playoffs

Two first-round NHL playoff series were extended, and two other series ended tonight in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The visiting Toronto Maple Leafs stayed alive with a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins in overtime Tuesday. Matthew Knies (Minnesota) notched the game-winning goal in the extra session, while Joseph Woll (Boston College) made 27 saves in all for Toronto, which had lost the last two games to the Bruins. Jeremy Swayman (Maine) had 31 stops for Boston, which now leads the Eastern Conference series, three games to two. The winner will take on the defending conference champion Florida Panthers, who eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning last night in Game Five of that series.

The visiting Nashville Predators edged the Vancouver Canucks, 2-1, to stay alive in their Western Conference series. Quinn Hughes (Michigan) assisted on the Canucks' lone goal, while Gustav Nyquist (Maine) helped set up Nashville's game-winning goal in the third period. The road team has won the last four games so far in the series, with Vancouver now leading, three games to two. The victor will meet the winner of the Edmonton Oilers-Los Angeles Kings series, with Edmonton currently ahead there, three games to one.

The Winnipeg Jets saw their 2023-24 campaign come to a close with a 6-3 loss to the visiting Colorado Avalanche in Game Five of their Western Conference tilt. The Avalanche, who won the last four games of the series after dropping the opener nine days prior, got two assists from Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) and one apiece from Cale Makar (UMass) and Casey Mittelstadt (Minnesota). Kyle Connor (Michigan) notched one goal for Winnipeg, while Vezina Trophy finalist Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) made 26 saves for the Jets, who outshot, outhit and won more faceoffs on the night than Colorado. The Avs will await the winner of the Dallas Stars-Vegas Golden Knights series, which is tied at two games apiece.

The host Carolina Hurricanes ousted the New York Islanders with a 6-3 win in Game Five of their Eastern Conference series. Jack Drury (Harvard) scored the game-winner early in the third period for the Hurricanes, who tallied the game's final three goals after the Islanders had rebounded to force a three-all tie after 40 minutes of play. Brady Skjei (Minnesota) had two assists in the final 20 minutes for Carolina, which scored eight seconds apart in that stanza to regain the lead. Brock Nelson (North Dakota) scored one goal and set up another for New York, which was eliminated by the Hurricanes in the first round for the second straight spring. Carolina will now face the top-seeded New York Rangers, who swept the Washington Capitals in their first-round matchup.

Bruins, Canes Win as 2024 NHL Playoffs Begin

Johnny Beecher (Michigan) tallied his first career NHL playoff goal, and Jeremy Swayman (Maine) won his first NHL postseason start by making 35 saves in the Boston Bruins' 5-1 victory over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Boston now leads the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, one game to none. Charlie McAvoy (Boston University) set up two goals for the Bruins.

In the only other game from the first day of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the host Carolina Hurricanes outlasted the New York Islanders, 3-1, in a matinee affair to take a one game-to-none lead in that Eastern Conference matchup. Jack Drury (Harvard) notched one assist for the Hurricanes, while Anders Lee (Notre Dame) assisted on the Islanders lone goal.

The playoffs continue today as four other series get underway, including two in the Western Conference.

2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Start Tonight

It's the most wonderful time of the year ... or at least the spring.

The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs commence tonight with the round of 16, beginning with four games tonight and four more tomorrow. Just under two months from now, after four grueling rounds, this year's NHL champion will be crowned, whether it be the defending titlist Colorado Avalanche again, or someone else.

The first -round matchups are as follows (higher seed listed first):

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders

New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Colorado Avalanche vs. Seattle Kraken

Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets

Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings

Returning to the NHL playoffs this season after missing out last year are the Islanders and Vegas, while New Jersey is back in the postseason for the first time since 2018, Second-year franchise Seattle is in the postseason for the first time in its short history. Toronto-Tampa Bay and Edmonton-Los Angeles are repeat matchups from last year's first round, won by Tampa Bay and Edmonton, respectively. Tampa Bay has also won three consecutive Eastern Conference crowns.

First-round winners will advance to the conference semifinals. All four rounds are again best-of-seven, as has been the case in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 1987.

By the time Lord Stanley's prize is finally hoisted by the winning club in June, a number of former NCAA players will again have made an impact, just as they did during the 2022-23 NHL regular season. 

Boston's Jeremy Swayman (Maine) was fourth overall among NHL goaltenders with a 2.27 goals-against average during the regular season, while Winnipeg's Connor Hellebucyk (UMass Lowell) tied for fourth with a .920 save percentage and was third with 37 wins along with Dallas' Jake Oettinger (Boston University). Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (Boston University) finished second among all NHL skaters with a plus-46 plus-minus rating, while Dallas forward Joe Pavelski (Wisconsin) was fourth with a plus-42 mark.

USA Tops Swiss, Will face Host face Finland

The United States has moved on to the semifinal round of the 2022 IIHF Men's World Championship in Finland. Team USA topped Switzerland, 3-0, on Thursday in a quarterfinal match in Helsinki.

Ben Meyers (Minnesota) sandwiched a pair of goals around one by Adam Gaudette (Northeastern) for all the scoring the U.S. needed against the Swiss. Jeremy Swayman (Maine) made 33 saves in net for the Americans to earn the shutout.

The U.S. will now face host Finland on Saturday (7 a.m. ET, NHL Network) for the right to go to the gold medal game on Sunday against the Canada-Czechia winner.

ADDENDUM: The U.S. fell to Finland, 4-3. Finland will now face Canada, a 6-1 winner over Czechia, for the gold medal.

Swayman Sunny in Philadelphia for Bruins

 

Rookie goaltender Jeremy Swayman (Maine) made his NHL debut Tuesday night, stopping 40 shots for the Boston Bruins in their 4-2 victory over the host Philadelphia Flyers. It was the first start at hockey's highest level for the Anchorage, Alaska native, who was drafted 111th overall by Boston in 2017 after his lone season with Sioux Falls (USHL).

In three years at the University of Maine, Swayman, 22, compiled a record of 47-34-18 in 100 games, while fashioning a 2.51 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage to go along with four shutouts. As a junior in 2019-20, he finished a career-best 18-5-11 (2.07. .939) with three shutouts for the Black Bears, and also won the Mike Richter Award as the NCAA's top netminder before turning pro.

The 6-foot-3 Swayman played nine games with Providence (AHL) earlier this season, recording eight wins and one shutout, before being called up to Boston recently. He made 36 saves over the first two periods last night in Philadelphia, including 23 stops in the second stanza alone.

Perunovich Wins 40th Hobey Baker Award, Swayman Earns Richter Award

Scott Perunovich (Minnesota-Duluth) has been named the winner of the 40th annual Hobey Baker Memorial Award, as the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey.

Perunovich, 21, from Hibbing, Minn., recorded a career-high 34 assists and 40 points this season in 34 games, and was also named the 2019-20 NCHC Player of the Year. The junior defenseman finished his collegiate career with 20 goals and 95 assists for 105 points in 115 career outings with the Bulldogs, whom he helped to two straight NCAA national titles (2018, 2019), plus a top five national ranking this year. A shot at a third straight NCAA crown was derailed last month by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has canceled almost all major sport seasons.

Perunovich becomes the sixth UMD Bulldog to win the Hobey Baker Award, following Tom Kurvers (1984), Bill Watson (1985), Chris Marinucci (1994), Junior Lessard (2004) and Jack Connolly (2012).

Jeremy Swayman (Maine) was named the winner of the 2019-20 Mike Richter Award as the top goaltender in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey. The junior from Anchorage, Alaska fashioned an 18-10-5 record for the Black Bears this past season with a 2.07 goals-against average and .939 save percentage, along with three shutouts, in backstopping them to a top 20 national ranking. In three seasons in Orono, Swayman, 21, went 47-40-12 in 100 career appearances (2.51, .927, 4 ShO). He was also a finalist for this year's Hobey Baker Award.

Both awards were revealed late Saturday night on ESPN, on an evening when the NCAA Division I men's ice hockey national title game was to have been played in Detroit. Both Perunovich and Swayman have bypassed their senior seasons to sign professional contracts with the NHL clubs that drafted them, Perunovich with the St. Louis Blues and Swayman with the Boston Bruins.

Swayman Finalist for Both Hobey Baker and Richter Awards

The Hobey Hat Trick and the five finalists for the Mike Richter Award have both been announced—and Jeremy Swayman (Maine) is on both lists.

Swayman went 18-10-5 this past season with a 2.07 goals-against average and .939 save percentage, along with three shutouts. He is vying to become the first goaltender to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey, since Ryan Miller (Michigan State) in 2001. The two other finalists this year are forward Jordan Kawaguchi (North Dakota) and defenseman Scott Perunovich (Minnesota-Duluth). The winner will be announced April 11.

The four other finalists for the Mike Richter Award include Matthew Galajda (Cornell), Spencer Knight (Boston College), Strauss Mann (Michigan) and Dryden McKay (Minnesota State). The winner will be announced April 10.

Swayman Leaves Maine to Sign with Bruins

Add goaltender Jeremy Swayman (Maine) to the list of early NCAA signings by the NHL. The Anchorage, Alaska native has passed up his final year of college eligibility to sign with the Boston Bruins, who drafted him 111th overall in 2017.

A product of Sioux Falls (USHL) and South Anchorage High School, Swayman, 21, backstopped the Black Bears for the past three seasons, finishing with a 47-40-12 record in 100 career appearances. He also posted a 2.51 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage to go with four shutouts.

The 6-foot-2 Swayman went 18-11-5 this season (2.07, .939, 3 ShO) in 34 outings. His final appearance in a Maine uniform, in a campaign ultimately cancelled by the coronavirus (COVID-19), was a 1-0 shutout of Hockey East rival Providence on March 6.

Swayman recently took home the 2020 Walter Brown Award as the best player in New England college hockey this season, and was named Hockey East's First Team Goaltender for 2019-20 along with Hockey East Player of the Year. He is also one of 10 finalists for the 2020 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey.

U.S. Wins 2018 World Juniors Bronze Medal

The United States earned its third medal in three years at the IIHF Under-20 World Junior Championship on Friday, as the Americans routed the Czech Republic, 9-3, in Buffalo to win the bronze medal. It is the seventh WJC bronze medal ever for Team USA, and its second in three years.

Trent Frederic (Wisconsin) tallied four goals for the U.S, which also got two goals from Kiefer Bellows (Boston University/Portland-WHL). Bellows’ two scores gave him a tournament-leading nine goals, which also set a new record for an American player. Jake Oettinger (Boston University) finished with 28 stops for the U.S., before giving way in the final few minutes to WJC newcomer Jeremy Swayman (Maine). The U.S. led, 1-0, after one period on a Frederic goal, and then added five more scores in the second period to lead, 6-0, after 40 minutes of play. Team USA also outshot the Czechs, 39-32, overall.

Bellows was named a tournament all-star, as was U.S. forward Casey Mittelstadt (Minnesota), who led all scorers with four goals and seven assists for a tournament-high 11 points. Mittelstadt was also named this year’s WJC Top Forward, and its Most Valuable Player.

Canada defeated Sweden, 3-1, in the gold medal game on Friday night to win its second goal in four years. Dante Fabbro (Boston University), Cale Makar (Massachusetts) and Colton Point (Colgate) were the lone NCAA players on this year’s Canadian squad. The U.S. defeated Canada in a shootout in Montreal last year to win the gold, while next year’s WJC will be held in the Vancouver area.