AROUND HOCKEY EAST: Hockey East regular-season champion and No. 1 Boston College (28-3-3/19-2-3 HEA) will play host to No. 8 Vermont (10-18-5/7-13-4 HEA) at Conte Forum beginning Friday (Feb. 23) at 2 p.m. This is the fifth straight season Boston College has earned the top seed and the Eagles have advanced to the championship game each of the last four years, including winning the 2016 and 2017 WHEA Tournament titles. This is Vermont's first time entering the WHEA Tournament as the eighth seed. The quarterfinal series with Boston College is a matchup of last year's WHEA semifinals, a game that saw the Eagles and Catamounts need two overtime frames to settle the contest, 4-3, in the Eagles' favor. Boston College is 2-0 against Vermont in the WHEA Tournament, with both wins coming in semifinal play. Boston College swept the season series, 3-0-0, including a pair of onegoal games ... No. 2 Providence (16-11-7, 12-7-5 HEA) draws No. 7 UConn (13-12-9, 7-11-6 HEA) to Schneider Arena Friday (Feb. 24) at 7 p.m. The Friars and Huskies split the season series, 1-1-1. Providence last appeared in the semifinals in 2013 while UConn most recently advanced out of the quarterfinals in 2015 and 2016. All time in the post season, the Friars hold a 4-1 edge over the Huskies, although the teams have not met since 2010 ... No. 3 Maine (17-12-5, 11-9-4 HEA) welcomes No. 6 Boston University (13-15-6, 7-11-5 HEA) to Alfond Arena Friday (Feb. 26) at 2 p.m. to begin their best-of-three series. The Black Bears have not won a Women's Hockey East playoff game, dropping their first 11 chances in the playoffs. Boston University is 22-7 all time in the post season, the most wins of any program to go along with a league-best five championships. Maine swept the season series over the Terriers, 3-0-0 ... No. 4 Northeastern (15-16-3, 11-11-2 HEA) will entertain No. 5 New Hampshire (14-13-7, 9-10-5 HEA) at Matthews Arena as the Huskies earn hosting duties for the sixth time in a row dating back to 2013. It is the first meeting between the Huskies and Wildcats since 2015 when Northeastern took the quarterfinal series, 2-1. Northeastern has advanced to the semifinals each year since 2011 while New Hampshire aims for its first semifinal appearance since 2010. Northeastern was 2-1-0 against the Wildcats this season ... The 2018 Women's Hockey East Championship weekend, including both semifinal games and the title contest, will be aired on NESNplus, March 3-4, from Northeastern's Matthews Arena. It marks the first time all three games of the WHEA championship weekend will be shown on television
Daryl Watts (Toronto, Ont.) tied the Women's Hockey East single-season record for goals (30) and points (55) after racking up seven points (3g, 4a) this week to lead all Division I skaters nationally. She finished a plus-seven, the best mark in the nation. She was named the Beanpot MVP after netting a late third-period goal to force overtime. She is just three points shy of tying the NCAA freshman scoring record of 82 points.
Daryl Watts (Toronto, Ont.) tied the Women's Hockey East single-season record for goals (30) and points (55) after racking up seven points (3g, 4a) this week to lead all Division I skaters nationally. She finished a plus-seven, the best mark in the nation. She was named the Beanpot MVP after netting a late third-period goal to force overtime. She is just three points shy of tying the NCAA freshman scoring record of 82 points.
MADISON MYERS - PROVIDENCE
Katie Burt (Lynn, Mass.) picked up a 3-0-0 record on the week, stopping at least 30 shots in each of her starts. She made 35 saves in a Beanpot final victory, including eight in overtime. She picked up a 30-save shutout of Maine Friday and stopped 30 of 31 against the Black Bears on Sunday.
Madison Myers (Colchester, Vt.) pitched a 35-save shutout against Northeastern Sunday, a 1-0 victory, to help the Friars sweep the season series with the Huskies and secure the No. 2 seed.
HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Toni Ann Miano, BC (Sr., D; Bronx, N.Y.) Scored the game-winning, overtime goal in the Beanpot title game. Finished the week with five points (2g, 3a) and tied for the national lead with a plus-seven rating.
Rebecca Leslie, BU (Sr., F; Ottawa, Ont.) Led BU with three tallies this week, including both goals in a 2-1 win at UNH Saturday, and added an assist in the Terriers' 2-0 victory over the Wildcats on Sunday. She fired 15 shots on net and was a plus-three.
Kristina Schuler, BU (Fr., F; Webster, N.Y.) Netted the winning strike to open the scoring against New Hampshire on Sunday.
Erin O'Neil, BU (Sr., G; Minnetonka, Minn.) Stopped all 32 shots she saw from UNH for her third career shutout in a 2-0 win. She made 15 in the third period alone.
Leah Lum, UConn (Sr., F; Richmond, B.C.) Recorded her 100th career point Saturday and currently ranked third in UConn history in points (100) and assists (58).
Annie Belanger, UConn (Sr., G; Sherbrooke, Que.) Made 60 saves on 63 shots to backbone the Huskies into the playoffs.
Theresa Knutson, UConn (Sr., F; Onalaska, Wis.) Enjoyed a three-point (2g, 1a) weekend in a sweep of Merrimack to help the Huskies secure a playoff position. Her two markers placed her third all-time in UConn program history with 49.
Morgan Wabick, UConn (Fr., F; Winnipeg, Man.) Paced UConn with four points (2g, 2a) in a two-game sweep of Merrimack. Her two goals came on just five shots across the series.
Brittany Kucera, ME (So., D; Toronto, Ont.) Scored the only goal for the Black Bears against #3 BC last weekend, an unassisted strike.
Loryn Porter, ME (Fr., G; North Bay, Ont.) Made 34 saves across four periods of play against the Eagles at home.
Mikyla Grant-Mentis, MC (So., F; Brampton, Ont.) Found the back of the net twice in a 4-2 setback against UConn on Friday night.
Aerin Frankel, NU (Fr., G; Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.) Stopped 76 of 81 shots she faced last week, posting a 1.69 GAA and .938 save percentage. She turned in a 34-save outing in a shutout win over Vermont Friday and allowed just one goal Sunday in Providence.