AROUND HOCKEY EAST: UConn and Vermont both extended unbeaten runs over the weekend in league play and both beat nationally ranked programs to do so. The Huskies took down #16 Boston College and Brown and are winners of their last five, while the Catamounts took a 1-0-1 mark from a home stand against #8 Providence to improve to 4-0-1 in their last five, all in league play ... UConn's Corey Ronan (Franklin, Mass.) enjoyed a three-point weekend. On Friday, Ronan scored a pair of goals, a career-high, including as shorthanded goal and the game-winner, to pace the Huskies past the first place Eagles, 5-3. On Saturday, Ronan picked-up an assist as UConn beat Brown, 6-4. On the year, Ronan has three of UConn's six shorthanded tallies ... Vermont netminder Stefanos Lekkas (Elburn, Ill.) kicked out 74 of the 79 shots he saw from the #8 Friars' offense, backstopping the Catamounts to a three-point weekend in league play. He also stopped a career-high 44 saves Friday night in a 2-2 draw ... Maine and Merrimack skated to a weekend split in a pair of overtime contests at Alfond Arena. Friday night saw the Black Bears' Brendan Robbins (Nashua, N.H.) net a hat trick, leading Maine to a 4-3 win over the Warriors. He scored in three different ways, recording an even-strength goal, converting on a penalty shot, and finding the back of the net while shorthanded. The next night, Merrimack's Jared Kolquist (Hermantown, Minn.) set up the game-winning goal in overtime, his third helper of the weekend. He led his team with 10 shots on net in the two contests ... New Hampshire went 1-0-1 against #11 Northeastern and Massachusetts. Wildcats rookie blueliner Max Gildon (Plano, Texas) factored in on three of New Hampshire's four goals on the weekend, scoring once and setting up two others, including the game-winning strike on Saturday ... Boston University won its lone game Friday, 3-2, over Massachusetts to extend its winning streak to five straight and its unbeaten run to seven. Freshman Shane Bowers (Halifax, N.S.) had two points (1g, 1a) including the game-winning goal, while Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) made 16 saves in the first period, and 20 overall, against the Minutemen. The Terriers have scored a goal in each of their last 13 periods of action, BU's longest such streak since the 2008-09 season.
COREY RONAN - UCONN
Brendan Robbins (Nashua, N.H.) netted a hat trick on Friday night, leading Maine to a 4-3 overtime win against Merrimack. He scored an even-strength goal, converted on a penalty shot, and shorthanded. He had seven shots on net and finished plus-two.
Corey Ronan (Franklin, Mass.) enjoyed a three-point (2g, 1a) weekend that saw UConn extend its five-game winning streak. He scored the game-winner against Boston College Friday night.
Max Gildon (Plano, Texas) his three points (1g, 2a) factored in on three of New Hampshire's four goals on the weekend. He scored the lone UNH goal in a 1-1 tie at Northeastern and set up two goals in a 3-1 win over UMass.
Stefanos Lekkas (Elburn, Ill.) kicked out 74 of the 79 shots he saw from the #8 Friars' offense, backstopping the Catamounts to a three-point weekend in league play. He also stopped a career-high 44 saves Friday night in a 2-2 draw.
HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Shane Bowers, BU (Fr., F; Halifax, N.S.) Had two points (1g, 1a) including the game-winning goal in the Terrier's 3-2 win at Massachusetts on Friday night.
Jake Oettinger, BU (So., G; Lakeville, Minn.) Made 16 saves in the first period, and 20 overall, in a 3-2 win at UMass on Friday.
Brian Rigali, UConn (Fr., F; Libertyville, Ill.) Scored twice for the Huskies on the weekend, including an empty-netter and a shorthanded tally.
Tim Doherty, ME (So., F; Portsmouth, R.I.) Potted one goal for Maine and fired eight shots on net while winning 15 faceoffs for the Black Bears.
Brett Seney, MC (Sr., F; London, Ont.) Led the Warriors with three points (2g, 1a) in a split at Maine. He scored on the power play and while his team was shorthanded and finished a plus-three.
Jared Kolquist, MC (Sr., D; Hermantown, Minn.) Chipped in with three assists in two games at Maine, including setting up the game-winning goal in overtime on Saturday. He led his team with 10 shots on net in the two contests.
Danny Tirone, UNH (Sr., G; Trumbull, Conn.) Stopped 66 shots in a 1-0-1 weekend for the Wildcats, allowing just two goals in 125:00 of work. He allowed just one tally to a Northeastern offense averaging 3.50 goals per game.
Craig Puffer, UVM (Jr., F; New Canaan, Conn.) Converted twice on the power play in Saturday's 4-3 win over #8 Providence and blocked four shots on the weekend that saw the Catamounts take a 1-0-1 record over the Friars to gain an important three points in league play.
Alex Esposito, UVM (Fr., F; West Haven, Conn.) Scored the game-winning goal in Saturday's win against Providence with just 6:33 left in regulation.