HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

The first-half of the Hockey East schedule closed last weekend, with UConn and Merrimack sitting tied atop the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings with 27 points apiece. The Warriors vaulted into first place with a pair of road wins over ranked opponents, toppling #12 UMass, 2-1, and #11 Providence, 3-2.

Boston College and Boston University put on a show for the ages, with the Eagles taking a 9-6 win in the latest installment of the Battle of Comm. Ave. The nine tallies were the most BC has scored against their cross-town rival since 1985. Freshman Cutter Gauthier had two goals and two assists for the Eagles, while Terrier senior Wilmer Skoog had two goals and a helper.

New Hampshire split a two-game set with Arizona State over the weekend. Sophomore defender Alex Gagne led the team with three assists and five blocks.

Maine toppled Canisius, 3-0, on Saturday night behind 22 saves from Victor Ostman. The Black Bears scored three power-play goals to secure the victory.

Vermont took a 5-1 win over Dartmouth on Sunday as Jens Richards had two points on a goal and an assist. The Catamounts now start a run of five-straight non-conference games before returning to Hockey East play at Boston College on Jan. 20-21.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Cutter Gauthier - Boston College

Cutter Gauthier (Fr., F; Scottsdale, Ariz.) exploded for a career-high four points (2g, 2a) with six shots on goal in his first appearance in the Battle of Comm. Ave, helping the Eagles to a 9-6 win over rival Boston University on Friday on ESPNews. He scored back-to-back goals mid-way through the second period to give Boston College a 5-4 lead. He also dished out two primary assists, including on a dagger with five seconds left in the middle stanza to put the Eagles up, 7-5, entering the final frame.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Jens Richards - Vermont

Jens Richards (Fr., F; Detroit Lakes, Minn.) had two points on a goal and an assist in Vermont’s 5-1 win over Dartmouth on Sunday.

ARMY ROTC DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Alex Gagne - New Hampshire

Alex Gagne (So., D; Bedford, N.H.) led the team with three assists and tied for lead with three points in a split weekend with Arizona State. He also led the team team with five blocks. He posted an assist in the 4-1 loss on Friday, while he tallied two assists on Saturday including one on the overtime game winner in the 5-4 win.

STOP IT CO-GOALTENDERS OF THE WEEK

Hugo Ollas and Zachary Borgiel - Merrimack

Hugo Ollas (So., G; Linkoping, Sweden) made 35 saves in the Warriors’ 2-1 victory at UMass on Wednesday. In tandem with Zach Borgiel, Ollas backboned Merrimack to a weekend sweep of UMass and Providence to lift the Warriors into a tie for first place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings.

Zachary Borgiel (Jr., G; Fort Gratiot, Mich.) made 24 saves in a 3-1 win at Providence on Saturday in the Hockey East Game of the Week on NESN. Borgiel slammed the door shut with six saves in the third to earn a sweep and to lift the Warriors into a tie for first place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Lukas Gustafsson, BC (Fr., D; Alpharetta, Ga.) Scored the game’s opening goal and added an assist in a 9-6 victory over Boston University on Friday night. He fired five shots on net and finished with a plus-two rating.

Wilmer Skoog, BU (Sr., F; Tyreso, Sweden) Led Hockey East with three goals and was second only to teammate Matt Brown with four points in two tilts this past weekend. Skoog secured two goals and had the primary assist on another strike at BC on Friday before scoring the game-winning goal on Sunday at UConn, a 3-2 win.

Lane Hutson, BU (Fr., D; North Barrington, Ill.) Found the back of the net in a 3-2 win at No. 8 UConn on Sunday. He now leads all Hockey East defenders with seven goals.

Domenick Fensore, BU (Sr., D; Thornwood, N.Y.) Secured an assist in each contest, including a 3-2 win at No. 8 UConn on Sunday. He generated a league-high 11 shots on goal in the two games and made an outstanding defensive play in the third period on Sunday, diving on a backcheck to prevent a scoring chance and keep the Terriers in front.

Matt Brown, BU (Sr., F; Wood Ridge, N.J.) Had a league-high five points and a league-best four assists this past weekend. He had the primary helper on Wilmer Skoog’s winner Sunday at No. 8 UConn. Brown began the weekend by matching his season and career high with four points (1g, 3a) at BC

Matt Copponi, MC (So., F; Marshfield, Mass.) Had a goal and an assist in Merrimack’s 2-1 win at UMass on Wednesday.

Zach Bookman, MC (Fr., D; Syracuse, N.Y.) Had an assist on Ottoville Leppanen’s game-winning goal at UMass on Wednesday.

Slava Demin, MC (Gr., D; Santa Clara, Calif.) Had one goal in Merrimack’s 3-2 victory over Providence on Saturday.

Ben Meehan, UML (Jr., D; Walpole, Mass.) Led the River Hawks with a two-point night in 3-2 win over Dartmouth Friday night. He scored a goal and net an assist on the eventual game-winner to finish with a team-high two points. He ended the night with a plus-one rating and a team-best four shots on goal.

Gabe Blanchard, UML (So., D; East Aurora, N.Y.) Scored his first collegiate goal off his lone shot on net to spark the offense in UMass Lowell’s 3-2 win over Dartmouth on Friday night. He added two blocks to his credit and finished the night with a team-best plus-two rating.

Robbie Stucker, UVM (Gr., F; St. Paul, Minn.) Had two assists in 5-1 win over Dartmouth to finish plus-two. He helped anchor a defense that held the Big Green to eight shots through two periods.