Thirteen incoming Hockey East players were selected in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- 13 future Hockey East players were selected in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft over the weekend at the CONSOL Energy Center hosted by the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, which was headlined by three first-round picks.

Vermont forward recruit Zemgus Girgensons was the first player off the board in the opening round on Friday with the No. 14 pick by the Buffalo Sabres, while Providence recruit Mark Jankowski went 21st overall to the Calgary Flames. Boston College defenseman Michael Matheson rounded out the first round selections at pick No. 23 by the Florida Panthers.

Boston University led the way with five picks overall, while Maine, UMass-Lowell and Providence all had two incoming players selected, to go along with one selection from Boston College and Vermont.

A total of 534 Hockey East student-athletes have been selected in the NHL draft in the 28-year history of the league. It marks the sixth straight season the league has boasted a first-round selection, which includes 11 first round choices in the last six NHL Entry Drafts. The 13 league players selected are the most since 13 were taken in the 2009 Entry Draft.

The Hockey East Association is a 10-team Division I college men's hockey conference founded in 1984 and an eightteam Division I women's league which began play in 2002-03. The men's league has won eight NCAA championships in the past 20 years. Since 1999, Hockey East has won six NCAA Championships and have placed 20 teams in the Frozen Four, along with 53 teams in the NCAA Tournament.