Jim ConnellyThe Atlantic Hockey tournament begins Friday with host Army taking on AIC in the play-in game. That begins an intriguing weekend that includes traditional powerhouses Quinnipiac and Mercyhurst, regular-season champion Holy Cross and Jim Connelly’s darkhorse, Connecticut.
Less than a week ago, Boston University was two-and-a-half minutes away from hitting the golf course. Now, they’re 60 minutes away from the Hockey East final four. Just five days after BU’s season was on life support until David van der Gulik’s goal over New Hampshire with 2:30 remaining in overtime in a must-win game, … Read more
Twenty years of Hockey East history remained intact with a bounce of the puck and an overtime goal for the Boston University Terriers Saturday. David Van der Gulik’s goal at 2:30 of overtime gave the Terriers a 4-3 victory over No. 8 New Hampshire, salvaging their playoff lives by finishing eighth in Hockey East, one … Read more
Northeastern may be holding on by a thread to its playoff life, but with only one game left in the regular season, the string has not broken. Thanks to an all-out effort that included a two-goal performance by Jason Guerriero and a 38-save shutout by goaltender Keni Gibson, the Huskies’ remained alive for the playoffs … Read more
For Massachusetts-Lowell and Merrimack, facing off on Thursday night, one would have figured that playoff positioning between those two clubs would be decided. That rationale, though, didn’t take into account that Merrimack freshman goaltender Jim Healey’s career-high 48 saves, helping the Warriors salvage a 3-3 tie with the River Hawks, leaving the question, “Who will … Read more
The final week of the season in Atlantic Hockey is all about positioning, positioning, positioning. And with first place already in the grip of Holy Cross, Mercyhurst looks to secure second — which may not be such a good thing. Jim Connelly reports.
With the end of the season in sight, Jim Connelly hands out his year-end awards in Atlantic Hockey. Also: Holy Cross has a two-headed goaltender (again), and even if Holy Cross has the regular season all but sewn up, there’s still an interesting race to watch.
As strong as the numbers for Matti Kaltiainen, goaltender for the No. 1 Boston College Eagles, have been this season, shutouts have been hard to come by. So as the minutes ticked away Saturday night against Massachusetts-Lowell, and the River Hawks, despite being down, 5-0, continued to press in attempt to break the doughnut bid, … Read more
The Eagle Express continued its ride toward the Hockey East regular-season title thanks to a three-point night from the league’s leading scorer, Ryan Shannon, and a 21-save performance from goaltender Matti Kaltiainen, as No. 1 Boston College knocked off Massachusetts-Lowell, 4-1, in front of an sellout crowd of 7,884. Shannon, one point short of 100 … Read more
Holy Cross has a shot at going wire-to-wire in Atlantic Hockey, but breathing down the Crusaders’ necks is three-time defending regular-season champion Mercyhurst. Jim Connelly takes a look at the race in the final weeks.
Entering a two-game series against No. 1 Boston College, some suspected that No. 13 Massachusetts, just a point behind the Eagles entering the weekend, could challenge Hockey East’s top team for the regular-season title. After winning convincingly on the road Friday night, 5-2, the Eagles silenced the naysayers Saturday night, routing the Minutemen, 6-1, and … Read more
As the Hockey East season winds down, coaches understand one thing is usually true, night in and night out: goaltending is strong. So Friday, when two hot goaltenders decided to duke it out — Northeastern’s Keni Gibson and Maine’s Frank Doyle-the crowd of 2,154 at Matthews Arena was in for a treat. The result was … Read more
Holy Cross is now the odds-on favorite to win the regular-season title — but with this year’s playoff changes, how much does it matter? Also: some surprising upsets, and Army — coming off the renewal of college hockey’s oldest rivalry — gets some national airtime.
Boston College is no stranger to clutch wins, but will a Beanpot title help propel the Eagles to even bigger things?
Garrett Larson fires up the Sacred Heart offense; Canisius doesn’t take kindly to the officials; and a little levity. Jim Connelly reports.
Call it destiny, call it divine intervention, call it whatever you want. No. 2 Boston College and Boston University will once again meet in the final of the 52nd annual Beanpot. It was obvious from the get-go against Harvard on Monday night that the hockey gods looked for a BU-BC title game, as the Eagles … Read more
Seventy-eight days of pain and anguish finally came to an end for Providence. A Tony Zancanaro third-period goal broke a 2-2 tie Saturday night as the Friars knocked off the Masschusetts-Lowell River Hawks, 3-2, to collect their first victory in Hockey East since Nov. 14 versus New Hampshire, a span of two and a half … Read more
Massachusetts-Lowell was dealt a major blow Friday night when it was discovered that sophomore forward Paul Falco, a transfer from Maine, was not eligible to play when he began his tenure on the ice for Lowell about a month ago. As a result, the River Hawks are forced to forfeit nine games, five of which … Read more
On one of the darker days in Massachusetts-Lowell hockey history, there was a small, though very positive, glimmer of light. Thanks to a late game goal by Lowell’s Andrew Martin, the River Hawks knocked off Boston University, 2-1, in front of a vocal crowd of 4,113. The victory wins the season series for the River … Read more
With Robert Morris joining the CHA, the pressure is off Atlantic Hockey — for now, at least. Jim Connelly talks to AHA commissioner Bob DeGregorio about the future. Also, Quinnipiac goaltender Jamie Holden accomplishes a rarity against scoring-stricken Army.