Avalanche Sweep Kings in First Round

Cale Makar (UMass) and Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) both scored goals, and the visiting Colorado Avalanche topped the Los Angeles Kings, 5-1, on Sunday in Game Four of their 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series. The Avalanche swept the best-of-seven Western Conference series in four games. 

Makar tallied two goals and one assist for three points over the four games, including the game-winning goal on Sunday, while also recording a plus-five plus/minus rating and 15 shots on goal. He now has 87 points in 83 career NHL postseason outings since making his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in 2019.  Colorado outshot Los Angeles, 32-25, in the clinching contest, and also won 35 of 65 faceoffs in all.

Sunday's game also marked the final outing in the 20-year NHL career of Los Angeles captain Anže Kopitar, who retires as the Kings' all-time leading scorer with 1,316 regular-season points. A 14-time 20-goal scorer, he also led LA to its first-ever Stanley Cup championships, in 2012 and 2014.

UMass Alum Quick Retires from NHL

Three-time Stanley Cup champion goaltender Jonathan Quick (Massachusetts) has called it a career.

Quick, 40, from Milford, Conn. played the final game of his 18-year NHL career by making 14 saves for the New York Rangers in a 3-2 loss at Florida on Monday. He finished his league tenure with a 410-307-90 record, a 2.51 goals-against average, and 65 shutouts in 829 regular-season outings with the Los Angeles Kings, who drafted him 72nd overall in 2005, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Rangers, from 2008 to 2026. He also earned the Williams Jennings Trophy twice for lowest goals against, and posted 23 assists offensively, while also skating in two Olympic Winter Games with the United States.

Quick also fashioned a 49-43 mark over 92 career Stanley Cup playoff outings, backstopping Los Angeles to its first-ever NHL championships in both 2012 and 2014 while earning Conn Smythe Trophy playoff MVP accolades the first time. He won his third Stanley Cup as a backup in 2023 in his sole campaign with Vegas, and also played professionally with Manchester (AHL) and Reading (ECHL).

A product of Hamden (Conn.) High and Avon Old Farms, Quick spent two NCAA seasons at Massachusetts before turning pro in 2007. He went 23-22-6 with 2.79 GAA in 54 appearances with the Minutemen, earning Second Team All-America honors as a sophomore while also backstopping UMass to the NCAA tournament that same season.

U.S. Men Top Latvia in Olympic Opener

Brock Nelson (North Dakota) scored two goals, including the game winner, as the U.S. men's hockey team opened its 2026 Olympic Winter Games with a 5-1 win over Latvia on Thursday in Milan, Italy.

Jack Eichel (Boston University) and Quinn Hughes (Michigan) set up two goals apiece for the Americans, who also got their opening goal from Brady Tkachuk (Boston University). Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) made 17 saves in net for Team USA.

In other Olympic men's hockey action, Macklin Celebrini (Boston University) scored a goal off an assist from Cale Makar (UMass), and Canada went on to blank Czechia, 5-0. Canada takes on Switzerland today, while the U.S. will face Denmark on Saturday.

2026 U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team Revealed

Former NCAA skaters make up the bulk of the 2026 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team that will compete in Italy next month, the first time that current NHL players will compete in the Olympic Winter Games since 2014 in Russia.

Forwards

Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild (Boston College)

Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets (Michigan)

Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights (Boston University)

Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth (Boston University)

Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings (Michigan)

Brock Nelson, Colorado Avalanche (North Dakota)

Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres (UConn)

Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators (Boston University)

Defensemen

Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild (Minnesota)

Noah Hanifin Vegas Golden Knights (Boston College)

Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild (Michigan)

Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins (Boston University)

Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators (North Dakota)

Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes (Colorado College)

Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets (Michigan)

Goaltenders

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets (UMass Lowell)

Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars (Boston University) 

Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins (Maine)

In addition, Canada's 2026 Olympic men's squad will boast three former NCAA skaters in forward Macklin Celebrini (Boston University) of the San Jose Sharks, and defensemen Cale Makar (UMass) and Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) of the Colorado Avalanche and Colton Parayko (Alaska Fairbanks) of the St. Louis Blues.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place from Feb. 5-22 in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. 

NCAA Players Among NHL Leaders

Several former NCAA players rank among the NHL's top five statistical leaders just before Christmas, per ESPN. Seven of them are from Hockey East schools.

Macklin Celebrini (Boston University) is third among NHL players with 53 points. 

Matt Boldy (Boston College) is tied for third overall with 22 goals.

Cale Makar (UMass) is fourth overall with a +30 plus-minus ranking

Casey DeSmith (New Hampshire) is tied for third overall with a .920 save percentage.

Jake Oettinger (Boston University) is tied for first overall with 15 wins.

Jack Eichel (Boston University) is third with 16 power-play assists.

Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) is fourth with 131 shots on goal.

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Quinn Hughes (Michigan) ranks first overall with 27:38 average ice time.

Jake Sanderson (North Dakota) and Colton Parayko (Alaska Fairbanks) are tied for fourth with 1,057 shifts.

Cole Caufield (Wisconsin) is tied for first overall with five game-winning goals.

Dylan Larkin (Michigan) leads the league with 394 faceoff wins.

BC, BU Team Up to Boost Sharks to First Win

BC and BU teamed up to beat New York City.

Macklin Celebrini (Boston University) scored three goals and set up two others, and Will Smith tallied two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, as the San Jose Sharks defeated the host New York Rangers, 6-5, tonight at Madison Square Garden. It was the first victory of the 2025-26 NHL campaign for the Sharks (1-4-2), who also got two assists from Smith, plus a goal from Adam Gaudette (Northeastern).

Adam Fox (Harvard) and Conor Sheary (UMass) had one assist apiece for the Rangers (3-4-2), who are now 0-4-1 at home so far this season.

UMass' Makar Wins Second Norris Trophy

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (Massachusetts) is this year's recipient of the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman.

It is the second Norris Trophy ever for Makar, 26, who recorded 30 goals and 62 assists for 92 points during the 2024-25 campaign, the second straight season he has reached the 90-point threshold in his NHL career. He had previously won the award in 2022. Colorado went 49-29-4 this year, but fell to Dallas in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In six NHL seasons to date, Makar has notched 116-312—428 points in 395 regular-season games, all with the Avalanche, who drafted him fourth overall in 2017 after two years of junior hockey with Brooks (AJHL). He has also registered 22-63—85 points in 79 career Stanley Cup playoff contests, and was a key member of Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup title team when he also claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy that spring as NHL playoff MVP.

Makar, who hails from Calgary, skated at UMass from 2017-19, notching 21-49—70 points in 75 total outings while helping the Minutemen to the 2019 NCAA championship game. In his second and final collegiate season, he won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the NCAA's top player, and was also a First Team All-America selection.

Third Day of 2025 NCAA Men's Regionals Done

The third day of the 2025 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey regionals are complete, and two spots have been secured for the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Louis in two weeks' time.

At the Toledo, Ohio regional, Quinn Hutson's overtime goal propelled Boston University to a 3-2 win over Cornell. The Terriers (23-13-2 overall) are now headed to their third consecutive Frozen Four, and 25th all-time. The loss by the Big Red (19-11-6) also ended the career of longtime Cornell head coach Mike Schafer, who finishes with an overall record of 561-300-117.

At the Fargo, N.D. regional, Western Michigan outlasted Massachusetts, 2-1, on an early third-period power-play goal by Tim Washe, and 28 saves overall from Hampton Slukynsky. The Broncos (32-7-1) are now headed to the first Frozen Four in program history, while UMass (21-14-5) was seeking its first Frozen Four since the Minutemen won their first-ever national championship in 2021.

The last two regionals conclude on Sunday, with UConn facing Penn State in Allentown, Pa., and Boston College taking on Denver in Manchester, N.H. 

Everblades Win Third Straight ECHL Playoff Title

For the third year in a row, the Florida Everblades are ECHL playoff champions. 

The Everblades claimed their third straight Kelly Cup, and fourth overall, with last night's come from behind 4-3 overtime win over the visiting Kansas City Mavericks before 7,910 on-lookers at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fl. Florida won the best-of-seven final series, four games to one, while the third straight title and fourth overall are both league records. The Everblades have also bested the ECHL's Brabham Cup regular-season champion in each of the past three Kelly Cup finals, according to ECHL.com.

Matt Senden (North Dakota) tallied two goals in the third-period for Florida, including the game-tying goal in the final two minutes of regulation, while Will Reilly (Rensselaer) assisted on the game-winner early in sudden-death OT. Bobo Carpenter (Boston University) notched a goal and two assists, while Chad Johnson (North Dakota) made 29 saves in goal in winning his second straight Kelly Cup. David Cotton (Boston College) scored the first goal of the game for Kansas City, which got 35 stops from Jack LaFontaine (Minnesota).

Florida forward Oliver Chau (Quinnipiac), who won an NCAA title with UMass in 2021 and last year's Kelly Cup crown with the Everblades, earned this year's June M. Kelly Playoffs MVP Award after tallying nine goals and 23 points in 23 ECHL playoff contests this spring, including six goals in the final round.

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.

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.

Day 1 of 2024 NCAA Regionals Done

The first day of the 2024 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey championship is complete.

In Springfield, Mass., Tristan Broz scored the game-winning goal midway through the second overtime period and Matt Davis made a total of 46 saves as Denver edged a stubborn host UMass squad, 2-1. In the nightcap at the MassMutual Center, Sullivan Mack tallied twice and Ian Shane stopped 31 shots in all as Cornell ousted Maine, 3-1. Denver will now face off with Cornell in the regional final on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET (ESPN 2) for the opportunity to go to this year's Frozen Four.

In Sioux Falls, S.D., Boston University took its first step towards making the Frozen Four for the second straight season by besting RIT, 6-3, thanks to two assists apiece from Tom Willander, Devin Kaplan and Nick Zabaneh. The second game at the Denny Sanford Premier Center saw Jaxon Nelson notch back-to-back goals in the third period to lift Minnesota to a 3-2 decision over Omaha. BU will take on Minnesota on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU), in a rematch of a national semifinal from a year ago.

The Providence and Maryland Heights regionals begin play today.

UND's Toews Goes Out In Style With NHL's Blackhawks After 16 Seasons

Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) has played his final game for the Chicago Blackhawks. The team captain and three-time Stanley Cup champion, who will not be offered a new contract by the Blackhawks, closed out his Chicago career with a goal in a 5-4 overtime loss to the visiting Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night at the United Center.

A Winnipeg native, Toews, 34, has been plagued by injury and illness the last two years, including COVID, and was limited to 53 games this year in which he tallied 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points. Drafted third overall by Chicago in 2006 following his freshman season at North Dakota, he made his NHL debut in 2007-08 and has spent his entire pro career with the Blackhawks, while also never playing a game in the minor leagues. 

In 1.067 career NHL regular-season games, Toews has tallied 372-511—883 points, to go along with 607 PIM. In 137 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests, he has notched 45-74—119 points and 84 PIM, while captaining Chicago to Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as NHL playoff MVP in 2010, and has also accumulated a total of six gold medals while representing Canada at the World Junior Championship, the World Championship, the Olympic Winter Games, and the World Cup of Hockey.

Toews played two NCAA seasons at UND, collecting 40-45—85 points and 32 PIM in 76 outings while leading the then-Fighting Sioux to back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four semifinal appearances, following two junior campaigns at Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota. It is not known at present if he will retire from playing, or try to continue his hockey career elsewhere.

Philadelphia defenseman Justin Braun (UMass), who skated for the Flyers, San Jose Sharks and New York Rangers in a 13-year NHL career that spanned from 2010 to 2023, definitively played his final NHL game on Thursday night in Chicago, announcing his retirement afterwards. Braun, 36, from Minneapolis, totaled 34-165—199 points and 317 PIM in 842 career NHL regular-season games, and added 3-13—16 points in 119 Stanley Cup Playoff outings. 

Drafted 201st overall by San Jose following his freshman year at UMass, where he helped the Minutemen to an NCAA tournament berth, Braun patrolled the blueline in Amherst from 2006 to 2010. He registered 23-64—87 points and 120 PIM in 150 career NCAA games, after prepping two junior seasons with Green Bay (USHL).

Canada Tops U.S. in 2023 World Junior Semifinal

The United States skated out to an early two-goal lead against host Canada tonight, but couldn't maintain the advantage in a 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship semifinal tonight at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Canada responded with a half-dozen unanswered goals over the last 49-plus minutes to rout Team USA, 6-2, and will now face Czechia tomorrow night for the gold medal.

Logan Cooley (Minnesota) and Kenny Connors (UMass) staked the Americans to a 2-0 lead just past the halfway point of the opening period, but Canada came back with one goal in the first stanza, three scores in the second, and two more in the third to win going away. Adam Fantilli (Michigan) notched a goal and an assist for the Canadians, who were outshot, 45-37. Michigan State commit Trey Augustine stopped 31 shots in net for the Americans, who had two goals disallowed due to interference with Canada's goaltender.

The U.S., which won gold at the 2021 WJC in Edmonton, will now face Sweden for the bronze medal on Thursday afternoon. Canada is seeking its second straight WJC gold medal, and 20th overall, after winning last season's re-scheduled competition in Edmonton in August.

ADDENDUM: The U.S. earned bronze with an 8-7 win over Sweden, while Canada claimed gold by edging Czechia, 3-2. Both games were decided in overtime.

Makar, Connor Win NHL Awards

Two former NCAA players were honored earlier this month with season-ending National Hockey League individual awards for the 2021-22 campaign.

Cale Makar (UMass) of the Colorado Avalanche won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. He tallied 28 goals and 58 assists for 86 points in 77 outings with the Avs, and also registered a plus-48 in plus/minus rating.

Kyle Connor (Michigan) of the Winnipeg Jets claimed the Lady Byng Trophy, which is awarded for gentlemanly play. He posted 47-46⁠—93 points in 79 appearances with the Jets, while recording just four penalty minutes on the season.

Maker and the Avalanche will try again to close out the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight (8 p.m. ET, ABC, CBC) in Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Colorado leads the series, three games to two.

Lightning, Wolves Claw Back into NHL, AHL Finals

The losers in the previous Stanley Cup and Calder Cup finals games both bounced back on Monday night.

The two-time defending NHL champion Tampa Bay Lightning rebounded from an early deficit—twice, in fact, as an early Colorado goal was disallowed due to an offside—with three consecutive goals en route to a 6-2 win over the visiting Avalanche in Game Three at Amalie Arena. Colorado still leads the best-of-seven series, two games to one.

Ross Colton (Vermont), who scored last year's Stanley Cup clinching goal in the final against Montreal, set up tonight's game-winning goal just 1:26 into the second period, to make it 3-1 Lightning at the time. Cale Makar (UMass) assisted on both Colorado goals. Game Four is Wednesday night in Tampa.

In the AHL's Calder Cup Final, the host Chicago Wolves followed up an overtime loss on Sunday by scoring the first five goals Monday on the way to a 6-2 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. Andrew Poturalski (New Hampshire) led the way for the Wolves with a goal and three assists. The best-of-seven series is now tied at one game apiece, and will shift to Springfield, Mass. starting on Wednesday.

Kessel Lifts Springfield to OT Win in Calder Cup Opener

Matthew Kessel (UMass) picked the right time to score his first professional goal. Kessel connected just over five minutes into overtime to lift the visiting Springfield Thunderbirds to a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Wolves on Sunday in the opener of the AHL's 2022 Calder Cup Final.

Jack Drury (Harvard) opened the scoring for Chicago midway through the first period, before Springfield's Matthew Peca (Quinnipiac) set up a goal by Hugh McGing (Western Michigan) and then scored one of his own before the end of the first frame. Drury then assisted on one of two second-period goals, the go-ahead marker by David Gust (Ohio State), to help the Wolves to a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.

Less than 30 seconds after Chicago made it a two-goal game early in the third stanza, Tommy Cross (Boston College) pulled Springfield back within a goal, before Dakota Joshua (Ohio State) set up the game-tying goal with less than a minute-and-a-half remaining in regulation. Cross then assisted on Kessel's game-winner in sudden-death OT.  

Charlie Lindgren (St. Cloud State) earned the win in goal for Springfield, making 33 saves on 37 shots. Alex Lyon (Yale) took the loss in net for the Wolves, stopping 30 of 35 shots.

Kessel, 21, a defenseman from Bloomfield Hills, Mich., joined the Thunderbirds this spring after finishing a three-year career at UMass. He tallied 23 goals and 28 assists for 51 points and 86 penalty minutes in 100 outings, and was also part of the Minutemen's 2021 NCAA national title team. He notched three assists in 15 regular-season AHL appearances with the Thunderbirds, after being drafted 150th overall by Springfield's parent club, the NHL's St. Louis Blues, in 2020.

Game Two of this year's Calder Cup Final is scheduled for Monday night at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill.

Makar, Avs Rout Lightning in Game Two

Cale Makar (UMass) made up for not having a point or a shot on goal in the opener of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. by scoring two goals in Colorado's 7-0 rout of two-time defending champion Tampa Bay tonight in Denver. The Avalanche now lead the best-of-seven series, two games to none.

Makar tallied both shorthanded and power-play goals in the third period, after the host Avalanche raced out to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes on the visiting Lightning, an advantage which ballooned to 5-0 after two periods of play. Alex Newhook (Boston College) and Andrew Cogliano (Michigan) each had two assists on the evening for Colorado, which is now 14-2 in the playoffs so far this spring.

The Avs had won the series opener, 4-3, on Wednesday at Ball Arena, on an overtime goal that was assisted by J.T. Compher (Michigan). Game Three is slated for Monday night at Amalie Arena in Tampa (8 p.m. ET, ABC, CBC).

ECHL's Everblades Win 2022 Kelly Cup

For the first time since 2012, the Florida Everblades are ECHL champions.

The Everblades completed their playoff journey on Saturday night at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. with a 4-2 win over the Toledo Walleye in Game Five of the 2022 Kelly Cup Final. Florida won the series, four games to one, to claim the second Kelly Cup in franchise hostory.

Former NCAA players on this year's Everblades playoff roster included: Darik Angeli (Ohio State), Parker Gahagen (Army West Point), John McCarron (Cornell), Jake Jaremko (Minnesota State), Cam Johnson (North Dakota), Lukas Kaelble (Lake Superior State/Clarkson), Ben Masella (St. Lawrence), Chris McKay (RIT), Jake McLaughlin (UMass), Michael Neville (Michigan Tech), Joe Pendenza (UMass Lowell), Nathan Perkovich (Lake Superior State), Zach Solow (Northeastern), Dylan Vander Esch (SUNY Potsdam) and Blake Winiecki (St. Cloud State), 

Johnson earned the June M. Kelly Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award for his performance in net for Florida. He fashioned a 15-3 record in 18 postseason games this spring, along with a 1.90 goals-against average and four shutouts.

Makar Boosts Avs Over Oilers in Opener

Cal Makar (UMass) scored a goal and set up three others as the Colorado Avalanche won the Western Conference Final opener, 8-6, over the visiting Edmonton Oilers last night. Colorado leads the best-of-seven series, one game to none, with Game Two slated for Thursday night in Denver.

Makar boosted the Avalanche to a 3-2 lead late in the first period, scoring on a play that was subsequently examined for a potential offside infraction, but which held up as a legitimate goal after video review. Colorado would eventually take a 7-3 lead before the Oilers came storming back in the last half of the contest, getting within one goal before the Avalanche scored into an empty Edmonton net.

Makar, 23, was selected fourth overall by the Avs in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He has registered 48 goals and 132 assists for 180 points in 178 career NHL regular-season appearances, all with Colorado, and also has 11 goals and 47 points in 46 Stanley Cup Playoff outings to date.

Makar, from Calgary, played two seasons at UMass, recording 21-49—70 points in 75 games over two seasons. He also led the Minutemen to their first-ever NCAA championship game in 2019, just before he turned pro, and just after he won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the NCAA's top player. The following season, he won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.