Ah, the rites of spring, or at least late winter. They warm the cockles of the heart. If by that you thought of the Beanpot just past, or of this week’s Maine-BC or UNH-BU matchups — as opposed to Valentine’s Day, you dummy — you’ve earned a few evenings of sleeping on the couch, but … Read more
Can it get any better than No. 2 Maine and No. 3 New Hampshire on Sunday, followed by the Beanpot championship on Monday? Get them VCRs running…. And speaking of the Beanpot, is there any better way to spend the first Monday in February than watching two overtime games in the Battle for Boston? Writers … Read more
Five current and former University of New Hampshire students, including three members of the fourth-ranked men’s hockey team, have been charged with criminal trespassing in connection with an altercation which took place at the end of last semester. According to Associated Press reports, junior defensemen Jayme Filipowicz and Dan Enders, sophomore forward Corey-Joe Ficek and … Read more
And UMass-Amherst gave hope to Red Sox fans everywhere by defeating Boston University for the first time in 79 years. If the Curse of Elton Mansell — the Minuteman coach who won his only game against the Terriers back on Jan. 16, 1920 — is over, can an end to the Curse of the Bambino … Read more
This year, Hockey East instituted a Defensive Player of the Week Award to complement its other awards, which forwards and goaltenders traditionally dominate. After Maine’s first weekend of action, the league selected David Cullen. After Maine’s second weekend of action, the league again selected David Cullen. Two years ago, the Black Bears boasted the best … Read more
KOHO Player of the Week: Jason Krog (F, New Hampshire) scored three goals and assisted on three others in UNH’s sweep of Merrimack. In the process, he became the Wildcats’ fourth all-time scorer. He also leads the country in points-per-game. KOHO Rookie of the Week: Barrett Heisten (F, Maine) finished the week 1-4–5, including the … Read more
So I’m playing a pickup game and I decide to try that backhanded between-the-legs pass that Brian Gionta dished off to Blake Bellefeuille last Saturday for the Fox Sports New England cameras. Next thing you know, the guys in the other jerseys are breaking up ice in the other direction, my teammates are hollering at … Read more
Well, folks, I’ve been kidded about writing a novel in this space every week, but there’ll be no novel this time. In all probability, I’ll be on the road without computer access as you read this. As a result, this preview has been compiled one week early, will have no results or comments from the … Read more
Martin Kariya, the 17-year old younger brother of Hobey Baker winner Paul, and current Maine forward Steve, has verbally committed to play hockey for the Black Bears, the Bangor Daily News reported Tuesday. The 5-foot-7, 157-pound Kariya, currently with the Victoria Salsa of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League, selected Maine over Harvard and Denver. … Read more
So there I was at the Tsongas Arena back before the holidays, the clock was ticking down and then the buzzer sounded. I’d picked UMass-Lowell to beat Boston University, in part because of BU injuries, but the Terriers had proven me wrong with a 5-3 win. I was trying to type in one more paragraph … Read more
Jackie Barto has left her post as women’s head coach at Providence to become head coach of the Ohio State program, which begins varsity play in 1999-2000. Barto has already assumed her new position with the Buckeyes. At Providence, Barto led the Lady Friars to a 55-30-6 record in four years. A 1984 graduate of … Read more
So you want to go to the New Hampshire vs. UMass-Amherst games this weekend? Good idea, since the Wildcats are one of the top teams in the country and the Minutemen have been a very pleasant surprise to date. When are the games? Well, you go to the USCHO schedules first, of course, but until … Read more
After watching the Governor’s Cup this past weekend, I’ve decided to institute the Hendrickson Forget-The-Box-Scores Player of the Week Award to be given to the player whose contributions other than goals and assists I found particularly impressive. Unfortunately, not everyone will have an equal chance at this award. After seeing all the teams at least … Read more
With just under nine minutes left in Boston University’s spirited 4-2 victory over hated arch-rival Boston College, the superfan known as Sasquatch is getting restless. The whistle blows, and he jumps up, gesturing to the BU band across Walter Brown Arena. They miss the cue and break into “Louie, Louie”; Sasquatch whips off his hat … Read more
In late-breaking news, Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna has outlawed midweek nonconference games after the league went 0-for-3 against the ECAC on Tuesday. And not that anybody really cares, but should it be the Governor’s Cup or Governors’ Cup? Singular or plural? It is, after all, a competition between four state universities. There are, therefore, … Read more
When he was a little boy, he watched hockey on TV and dreamed the dreams of so many kids his age. Could that be me? Could I do that? For Michael Filardo, though, the challenges of seeing those dreams reach fulfillment extended beyond the usual ones of size, skill, quickness and agility. He faced the … Read more
Maybe there is something about that Friday the 13th hooey after all. Check out how the USCHO Top 10 fared that night. Playing 10 unranked opponents, the group won only four games. And the Hockey East contingent — Boston College, Maine and New Hampshire — didn’t manage a single victory. Unlike BC and UNH, Maine … Read more
On the bright side, Maine and Merrimack had great weekends, sweeping series with other Hockey East foes. On the sobering side, Black Bear alum Jeff Libby sustained a terrible eye injury in a recent Lowell Lock Monsters (AHL) game. Our thoughts are certainly with him. Hockey East Player of the Month: Mike Mottau (D, Boston … Read more
Former Maine defenseman Jeff Libby had his right eye accidentally lanced by a skate Saturday night while playing for the Lowell Lock Monsters in an American Hockey League game against the St. John’s Maple Leafs. Despite a five-hour operation late Saturday night, Libby is likely to lose the affected eye. The injury occurred when Maple … Read more
BU will turn around its 0-4 start and go undefeated the rest of the regular season. But the Terriers won’t finish first because UMass-Amherst will. And Merrimack will win the national championship. Ya gotta believe. Why? Heck, if former pro wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura can become the governor of Minnesota, anything can happen. Gov. … Read more