2025 Stanley Cup First Round Rolls On

Two first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series were tied after last night's action, while two others inched closer to completion.

St. Louis rocked visiting Winnipeg, 5-1, to knot that Western Conference series at two games apiece. Colton Parayko (Alaska Fairbanks) tallied two assists for the victorious Blues, while Kyle Connor (Michigan) scored the Jets' only goal. Winnipeg netminder Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) was pulled for the second straight game/loss after making 13 saves on 18 shots. 

In Edmonton, the defending Western Conference champion Oilers tied up their series at two with a 4-3 overtime win over visiting Los Angeles. Alex Laferriere (Harvard) notched an assist for the Kings, who had won the first two games at home in California.

Washington moved out to a three games to one lead in besting host Montreal, 5-2, in the Eastern Conference as Trevor van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) set up two goals in the third period, including the game-winner. Lane Hutson (Boston University) had two assist for the host Canadiens, who got 21 saves in net from Jakub Dobes (Ohio State).

Carolina will look to close out New Jersey after winning, 5-2, in Newark to take a three games to one advantage in their Eastern Conference matchup. Jacob Slavin (Colorado College) scored the Hurricanes' second goal, unassisted, while Jackson Blake (North Dakota) registered a pair of assists.

The NHL playoffs continue tonight with Tampa Bay looking to tie up Florida, and Dallas and Colorado seeking to break a two-all tie.

ADDENDUM: Jake Guentzel (Omaha) scored for Tampa Bay, but Florida tallied three third-period goals to win, 4-2, and take a two to one lead in that series. Dallas, meanwhile, pasted Colorado, 6-2, as Jake Oettinger (Boston University) picked up the win with 26 saves.  

BU's Coyle Nets First NHL Hat Trick

Just shy of 800 career regular-season games, Charlie Coyle (Boston University) finally netted his first NHL hat trick.

Coyle, 31, a 6-foot-3 forward from East Weymouth, Mass., scored three times on Thursday night in the Boston Bruins' 5-2 win over the visiting New York Islanders at TD Garden. He tallied Boston's second, fifth and sixth goals, the first one on the power play and the final one into an empty net, as the Bruins improved to 11-1-1 on the 2023-24 season. James van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) drew an assist on Coyle's second goal, his second assist of the night, for his own 601st career NHL point.

Drafted 29th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2010, Coyle has recorded 152 goals and 250 assists for 402 points in 798 NHL regular-season games to date with the Bruins and Minnesota Wild, and also helped Boston to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. In 12 outings so far this season, he has notched 5-7—12 points. 

A product of the South Shore (Mass.) Kings junior program, Coyle played a year-and-a-half at BU before turning pro in 2011, after registering 10-30—40 points in 53 NCAA appearances with the Terriers. He also represented the U.S. at both the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World Junior Championships, winning gold and bronze medals, respectively.

NCAA Players Shine at NHL's Lake Tahoe Weekend

The 2021 NHL Outdoors weekend at Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada has come and gone, with more than a few former NCAA players making their marks both nights.

On Saturday, the Colorado Avalanche edged the Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2. The game was postponed for nearly 10 hours following the daytime first period, due to the sun adversely affecting ice conditions. A shot by Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) from the left point with less then seven minutes remaining in regulation after the restart stood up as the game-winner for the Avalanche, who wore retro reverse jerseys that honored the franchise's previous incarnation as the Quebec Nordiques. Toews also had the lone assist on Colorado's second goal of the game.

Alex Tuch (Boston College) got Vegas back within a goal on his backhand shot in close with 5:35 left, but the Golden Knights couldn't garner the equalizer in the time left. Alec Martinez (Miami) also scored for Vegas.

On Sunday evening, James van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) tallied one goal and set up two others, but his Philadelphia Flyers fell, 7-3, to the Boston Bruins. It was Boston's fifth win over Philadelphia so far this season in five meetings.

Charlie McAvoy (Boston University) and Charlie Coyle (Boston University) both tallied goals for Boston, with Coyle's second-period score standing up as the game-winner. Trent Frederic (Wisconsin) scored his first career NHL goal for the Bruins, who also got two assists apiece from Connor Clifton (Quinnipiac) and Craig Smith (Wisconsin).

Joel Farabee (Boston University) scored Philadelphia's first goal, while Kevin Hayes (Boston College) notched two assists. Brian Elliott (Wisconsin) stopped 12 of 13 shots on goal in the final period for the Flyers, after entering the game in relief. Boston outshot Philadelphia, 35-19, overall for the night.

There were no spectators present at either Lake Tahoe contest due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The two games were the 32nd and 33rd, respectively, in the NHL's modern outdoor series of matches that dates back to the 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton.

Dogfight Next Week for 68th Beanpot

It'll be an all-dog affair next Monday night on Causeway Street when two-time defending champion Northeastern and Boston University meet at TD Garden to decide the 68th annual Beanpot Tournament.

Northeastern (15-7-2 overall) overcame an early one-goal deficit to top Harvard, 3-1, on Monday evening, with Brendan van Riemsdyk's goal late in the second period standing up as the game-winner. Craig Pantano stopped 27 shots for the Huskies, who will seek their first-ever Beanpot three-peat next week, while Jack Drury tallied the lone goal for the Crimson.

In the nightcap, BU (10-8-7) trailed rival Boston College by a 3-1 count after 40 minutes, but scored three straight goals en route to an unofficial 5-4 overtime victory and a berth in next week's title game. Officially, the result will count as a tie for NCAA purposes, following a scoreless five-minute overtime period. In an extended 20-minute sudden-death session, recent acquisition Wilmer Skoog connected in front for the Terriers to send them to the title tilt, although all statistics from that period will not count officially. David Cotton scored twice in regulation for BC (16-7-1), which last won the tournament in 2016 and will meet Harvard (10-7-4) in next week's consolation contest.

U.S. Doubles Up Great Britain at Worlds

Hockey East alumni helped power the United States to victory on Wednesday at the 2019 IIHF World Championship in Slovakia.

Clayton Keller (Boston University), Chris Kreider (Boston College) and James van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) all scored in Team USA's 6-3 victory over Great Britain. Kreider's second-period score stood up as the game-winner, and he also posted an assist on the day.

Noah Hanifin (Boston College) and Ryan Suter (Wisconsin) had two assists apiece for the U.S., while Thatcher Demko (Boston College) made 23 saves in net and also assisted on Keller's tally. Brett Perlini (Michigan State) notched Great Britain's second goal.

The U.S. improved to 2-1-0-1 in the tournament, with three overall wins (including a shootout triumph) in four games. The Americans will next face Denmark on Saturday at Steel Arena.

NCAA Players Prominent in Start to NHL Playoffs

Former NCAA players made their mark during the first two days of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

On Wednesday, Tanner Glass (Dartmouth) backhanded home the game-winning goal for the New York Rangers in a 2-0 victory at Montreal, while rookie Frank Vatrano (UMass Lowell) tied the game for the Boston Bruins in an eventual 2-1 overtime win at Ottawa. Bryan Rust (Notre Dame), Phil Kessel (Minnesota) and Nick Bonino (Boston University) accounted for the Pittsburgh Penguins' goals in a 3-1 win over Columbus.

In Minnesota, Zach Parise (North Dakota) tied the game late for the host Wild, but Jaden Schwartz (Colorado College) set up the game-winner in OT to lift the St. Louis Blues to a 2-1 triumph. In Edmonton, Paul Martin (Minnesota) scored the tying goal and Joe Pavelski (Wisconsin) assisted on the overtime winner as the San Jose Sharks came back for a 3-2 win over the Oilers, who got 41 saves from Cam Talbot (Alabama-Huntsville).

On Thursday, James van Riemdsyk (New Hampshire) set up the first goal of the postseason for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the host Washington Capitals escaped with a 3-2 overtime victory, with T. J. Oshie (North Dakota) and Kevin Shattenkirk (Boston University) drawing assists on the evening. In Anaheim, Kevin Bieksa (Bowling Green) set up the tying goal and Patrick Eaves (Boston College) assisted on the winner as the Ducks edged the Calgary Flames, 3-2, despite 38 saves by Brian Elliott (Wisconsin).

College Players Shine as Leafs Edge Wings in Shootout

A plethora of former NCAA players got into the act in Toronto's 2-1 shootout win at Detroit on Wednesday night in NHL play.

Gustav Nyquist (Maine) scored on a spin-around for the host Red Wings with just over two minutes remaining in the second period to break a scoreless tie. Phil Kessel (Minnesota) answered for the Maple Leafs just over five minutes into the third frame off a set-up by James van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) and Tyler Bozak (Denver).

In the shootout, Bozak and Mike Santorelli (Northern Michigan) both scored to thwart an 18-save effort in regulation by Detroit's Jimmy Howard (Maine).

Detroit remains in second place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division with a 17-6-6 record, while Toronto stays fourth at 16-9-3.

U.S. Men Advance to Semifinals in Sochi

The U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team has advanced to the semifinal round at the XXII Winter Olympic Games with a 5-2 win over the Czech Republic today at Shayba Arena in Sochi, Russia.

James van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire), Dustin Brown, David Backes (Minnesota State), Zach Parise (North Dakota) and Phil Kessel (Minnesota) all scored for the Americans, who got 21 saves from Jonathan Quick (Massachusetts). Ryan Suter (Wisconsin) had three assists for the U.S., while Ryan Kesler (Ohio State) set up two American goals. Ales Hemsky tallied both times for the Czechs.

The U.S. will now face Canada, a 2-1 quarterfinal winner today over Latvia, on Friday for a berth in Sunday’s gold medal game, where the winner will play the winner of Finland-Sweden.

MSU's Abdelkader Scores for Red Wings in Winter Classic

On a day when Michigan State football would win its first Rose Bowl title in 26 years, a former Michigan State hockey player made a highlight of his own in the 2014 NHL Winter Classic before over 105,000 on-lookers at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

Muskegon native Justin Abdelkader, who scored the game-winning goal that gave the Spartans the 2007 NCAA Division I men's hockey title, connected with 5:32 remaining in regulation for his home state Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday afternoon to pull them into a 2-2 tie at the time.

The Toronto Maple Leafs eventually won, 3-2, in a shootout. New Hampshire alumnus James van Riemsdyk tallied Toronto's first goal  in regulation in the second period to tie the game, 1-1.

Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard (Maine) finished with 24 saves on the same day he was named to the 2014 U.S. Olympic Team, along with NHL fellow netminders Ryan Miller (Michigan State) and Jonathan Quick (Massachusetts). The full U.S. Olympic men's roster, which includes more than 20 former NCAA players, can be found at NHL.com, while the U.S. Olympic women's roster can be found at USAHockey.com.

Michigan State defeated Stanford, 24-20, in Pasadena on Wednesday for its first Rose Bowl victory since 1988.