Though the Division 1 college season is several weeks old, we’re excited to welcome the Top 10 back to New England Hockey Journal on a weekly basis.
It’s no surprise to see reigning Hockey East finalist Providence College thriving, despite having a loss and a tie through five games. Quinnipiac is unbeaten through three games of its own, while UMass is fresh off a weekend upset against the country's No. 1 team.
On the flip side, Boston College and Boston University are both off to 0-3 starts for the first time since 1933. Tough schedules have certainly played a role, but don’t expect the Hockey East archrivals to be down as the weeks go on.
Most programs in New England have played at least twice in the regular season, but this coming weekend will mark the official debut for the Ivy League clubs. Some will meet right off the bat, when Yale visits Brown for a Friday night season opener and Harvard travels up to Dartmouth the next night.
Without further ado, here are NEHJ’s inaugural Top 10 and Players of the Week for the 2018-19 season. Look out for these rankings and Players of the Week ― featuring teams from Hockey East, ECAC Hockey and Atlantic Hockey ― each Monday.
We’ll also have plenty of other features, previews and more throughout the season, which will conclude with the Frozen Four in Buffalo, N.Y. In 2017-18, New England clubs were shut out of April college hockey for the first time since 2011.
Top 10
1. Providence
Record: 3-1-1 (1-0 Hockey East)
The Friars collected their first Hockey East points this season with Friday’s 7-2 win over UConn, courtesy of points from 11 different players. Freshmen Jack Dugan and Tyce Thompson (Milford, Conn.) each had three-point games, with Dugan scoring the first goal of his collegiate career. Providence concluded the weekend in non-conference action, skating to a 2-2 tie at Sacred Heart.
2. Quinnipiac
Record: 3-0 (0-0 ECAC Hockey)
The Bobcats improved their perfect record with Friday’s 1-0 win in their first-ever home game against Boston College. Senior defenseman Chase Priskie scored his second goal of the season on a 5-on-3 power play in the first period to account for the only scoring. Sophomore Keith Petruzzelli (Wilbraham, Mass.) made it stand up with a 21-save shutout.
3. UMass
Record: 3-1 (0-0 Hockey East)
The Minutemen gave No. 1 Ohio State all it could handle all weekend, pulling a 6-3, series-opening upset before the hosts scored twice in the final 1:22 to salvage a split, 3-1. Freshman Bobby Trivigno scored twice in the win, while sophomore Mitchell Chaffee added his fourth goal of the year to open Saturday’s scoring. Of course, sophomore defenseman Cale Makar had a four-point weekend to double his league-leading season output.
4. Boston University
Record: 0-3 (0-1 Hockey East)
The Albie O'Connell era continues its bumpy start, as Merrimack shutout the Terriers for the first time, 4-0, in Saturday night’s Hockey East opener in North Andover, Mass. Junior Jake Oettinger made 14 saves before redshirt junior Max Prawdzik (Andover, Mass.) stopped all 10 shots he faced in relief.
5. Boston College
Record: 0-3 (0-0 Hockey East)
The Eagles have dropped their first three games of the season, including a sweep at Wisconsin via 3-0 and 7-5 losses. Then, on Friday, Jerry York's team fell 1-0 game to Quinnipiac. Junior David Cotton leads BC with three goals and four points on the year. BC’s non-conference losing streak over nearly two years now stands at 20 games.
6. Northeastern
Record: 2-2 (0-0 Hockey East)
The Huskies played at Matthews Arena for the first time this season, coming up on the wrong end of 4-3 (OT) and 3-1 decisions against then-No. 20 Union after a season-opening sweep of Sacred Heart. Senior Liam Pecararo (Canton, Mass.) leads the club with six points after scoring a goal on Friday, while Tyler Madden has scored three times in his first four collegiate games.
7. UMass Lowell
Record: 2-2 (0-0 Hockey East)
The River Hawks emerged from their first road weekend against Miami with a split, thanks to junior Tyler Wall’s 36-save effort and goals from three players during Friday’s 3-0 win. Freshman Sam Knoblauch tallied the game-winner for his second goal in as many games. Connor Wilson scored first the following night, but the River Hawks dropped a 2-1 decision.
8. Maine
Record: 2-2 (0-0 Hockey East)
The Black Bears beat St. Lawrence twice two weekends ago, but a combined 11-4 sweep at Minnesota Duluth evened their record entering league play. Freshman Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup was one of four different players to score in the latest series in The State of Hockey, but sophomore Jeremy Swayman struggled in net, allowing 10 goals on 76 shots.
9. Harvard
Record: 0-0 (0-0 ECAC Hockey)
The Crimson unofficially kicked off their season with a 6-3 exhibition loss to the U.S. Under-18 Team on Saturday. Returning All-American defenseman Adam Fox scored twice for Harvard, which visits Dartmouth for its regular-season opener Saturday evening.
10. Yale
Record: 0-0 (0-0 ECAC Hockey)
Yale went 15-15-1 last season and returns a Preseason All-ECAC performer in senior Joe Snively up front. The Bulldogs open the season with a Friday night trip to Providence, R.I. to face rival Brown. League play continues the following weekend with trips to Cornell and Colgate.
Players of the Week
Cale Makar
UMass | Soph. | D | Calgary, Alberta
Makar, alongside Boxborough, Mass., native Cal Burke of Notre Dame, is within the top 10 of scoring nationally. During a weekend split at Ohio State, he recorded a goal and three assists. Makar now has eight points on the year, a mark he didn't reach until Nov. 25 as a freshman.
Craig Pantano
Merrimack | Sr. | G | Bridgewater, Mass.
Pantano recorded his second shutout of senior year with a season-high 34 saves in his team’s Hockey East-opening, 4-0 win over Boston University on Saturday night. He made 14 stops in the first period and 11 in the third, with the Warriors blanking BU for the first time ever.
