Copponi scores in second OT, sends Merrimack to Hockey East championship against Boston University

BOSTON — Like Moses parting the Red Sea or Paul Bunyan carving the Grand Canyon, Merrimack’s Ottoville Leppänen can now also lay claim to creating a legendary chasm. Leppänen’s work with the puck pulled UMass-Lowell goalie Gustavs David Grigals out of position to create the opening Matt Copponi needed to flick Leppänen’s centering pass into … Read more

Northeastern’s Levi named Hockey East goalie of year, conference also announces trio of 2022-23 all-star teams

Hockey East has announced its 2022-23 men’s all-star teams as voted by the league’s 11 head coaches. The first team is highlighted by two unanimous selections in Northeastern junior goaltender Devon Levi and Boston University freshman defenseman Lane Hutson. Joining the pair are defenseman Domenick Fensore (Boston University) and forwards Matt Brown (Boston University), Alex … Read more

Boston University’s Hutson named to Hockey East all-rookie team, claims conference scoring crown, three stars award

Hockey East announced Wednesday the 2022-23 all-rookie team and six other season-long awards as voted on by the men’s league’s 11 head coaches. The awards come as part of the celebration of the 38th annual Hockey East tournament, which begins tonight. The all-rookie team consists of seven players, including three unanimous selections in Boston University … Read more

This Week in Hockey East: Peculiar PairWise placing puts league members in precarious postseason positions

Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf acknowledges there are pros and cons to running a league known for parity. Pros: Hockey East is widely acknowledged as an “any given night” league where there’s little surprise when a team low in the standings beats a contender. See: The second-half resurgences of Maine and New Hampshire, which are … Read more

This Week in Hockey East: Conference commish Metcalf says preconceived notions about league ‘are gone’

We’ve reached the unofficial halfway point in the Hockey East season. Unfortunately, your usual scribe, John Doyle, is under the weather so you’re stuck with yours truly filling in to give some thoughts – with the assistance of Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf – on some of the topics around the league and college hockey. … Read more

This Week in Hockey East: Reputation as competitive league well-earned this year for high-end conference

Without prying too much into Providence coach Nate Leaman’s personal life, by all appearances he’s a man of good habits. That might change, however, given how competitive Hockey East has been this year. “I don’t smoke cigarettes, but I might start,” Leaman said recently, with a chuckle. Just how competitive is Hockey East this year? … Read more

SATURDAY ROUNDUP: No. 4 Quinnipiac wins Belpot championship in dramatic shootout over No. 17 UMass; No. 14 UMass Lowell rallies from three down for third place in Belfast; Michigan hands Harvard first loss; Brown upsets PC for Mayor’s Cup

Quinnipac captain Zach Metsa rings the coveted Belpot trophy after defeating Massachusetts in a shootout during Saturday’s Friendship Four in Belfast, N.I. It was the first time the Belpot has been awarded since 2019. (Photo: William Cherry/Presseye)

This Week in Hockey East: UMass, UMass Lowell taking their game to Northern Ireland this weekend for Friendship Four

It’s a good bet UMass coach Greg Carvel will be avoiding gluten when his team travels to Northern Ireland for this weekend’s Friendship Four tournament. The last time the Minutemen participated, six years ago, Carvel’s allergic reaction to an iconic dry stout of the Emerald Isle was a minor irritation of an otherwise memorable trip. … Read more

Hockey East 2022-23 Season Preview: Rivalry reignited with new faces behind the bench at Boston College, Boston University

New coaches at two of the league’s Boston-based schools, high expectations for the other, and the return of Frozen Fenway highlight the storylines heading into Hockey East’s 39th season. For the first time since almost fifty years, the Battle of Comm. Ave between Boston College and Boston University will feature neither longtime Eagles coach Jerry … Read more

Former NHL netminder Roloson joins Lake Superior State staff as goaltending coach, director of player development

Lake Superior State has named former NHL All-Star goaltender Dwayne Roloson the team’s goaltending coach and director of player development. Roloson brings an extensive hockey background, including playing over 600 games for six teams over the course of a 14-year career in the NHL. “We are thrilled to add Dwayne to our coaching staff,” said … Read more

Air Force names Colorado Springs product, former UMass Lowell captain Holmstrom director of hockey operations

Colorado Springs native Josh Holmstrom has been named the director of hockey operations at Air Force. Holmstrom comes to the academy after serving as the head coach of the EHL’s Walpole Express. “We are very excited to have Josh Holmstrom joining our staff,” Falcons head coach Frank Serratore said in a statement. “Josh is a … Read more

Previewing the 2022 NCAA hockey tournament, Loveland Regional: Denver, Minnesota Duluth, Michigan Tech, UMass Lowell

LOVELAND REGIONAL When: Thursday, March 24 & Saturday, March 26 Where: Budweiser Events Center, Loveland, Colo. Matchups: Minnesota Duluth vs. Michigan Tech, March 24, 3 p.m., ESPNU; Denver vs. UMass Lowell, March 24, 9 p.m., ESPNU; championship, March 26, 4 p.m./6:30 p.m., ESPNU 1. DENVER How they got here: At-large bid Overall season record: 27-9-1 … Read more