Michigan State at BU, Hat Tricks, Upsets and Awards? All Things Hockey East
Welcome to the blinding spotlight, Terriers.
Two of the best teams in college hockey will face off this weekend in Beantown, as the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans come to town to take on No. 1 Boston University, with Game 1 of the series being shown on ESPN2 Friday (7 p.m. ET).
There's whopping 34 draft selections who will be on the ice for this series. Boston University has the most in college hockey this season with 19, while Michigan State's 15 is second
It isn’t just two highly-talented teams squaring off for dominance, though, it’s really a clash of styles. MSU will look towards its defense and excellent goaltender play in order to try and steal at least one win on the road. However, someone on offense will have to step up for the Spartans, as they had just five registered goals during a weekend split with New Hampshire last weekend, by five different players.
That's alarming, although it’s still early and with a big series that will surely draw a lot of eyeballs, it's the perfect time for a breakout performance.
It'll be anything but easy while playing in a challenging environment, against what many feel is the most talented team in the nation.
BU's offense has been firing on all cylinders. It's led by sophomore Cole Eiserman, who has five goals in three games, giving him the second most in the nation. There's also fellow sophomore Cole Hutson, who has two goals and three assists so far.
It could be an offense versus defense clash in this early-season showdown. Narratives will be established, tones will be set, who will walk away as a clear-cut favorite to become champions?
Hat Tricks Come in Twos?
The Maine Black Bears kicked off the start of their new season with an explosion, as freshman Justin Poirier netted a hat trick in his first collegiate game. Despite his impressive performance, Poirier stayed humble after the game.
“It’s pretty fun,” he said. “But honestly, I think it's a team work ethic on a night where everyone works hard. I received a couple of great passes on my goals tonight so it's a great start.”
It wasn’t just Poirier who left the ice littered in caps, as UMass freshman Václav Nestrašil netted the hat trick on the same night. Nestrašil’s hatty was the first for a rookie for the Minuutemen in over 10 years, propelling his team to a 4-1 win over Stonehill.
Both the performances from the two young bucks over the weekend earned them each Hockey East Rookie of the Week awards (see below), but numerous Hockey East rookies are already making a huge impact.
UNH put Collegiate World on Notice With Win at Michigan State
Last weekend proved to be a wild one for collegiate hockey, as the No.1, 2 and 4 teams all lost a game against unranked teams, at home. One of these upsets came at the hands of the New Hampshire Wildcats, downing then-No. 2 Michigan State in dramatic fashion.
After a back-and-forth game, which saw both teams exchange goals, the Wildcats were able to find the late game winner. With just five seconds remaining in the third period, junior Marty Lavins scored the after numerous shots were unable to be covered or thrown out of the zone by Michigan State, followed by a poor turnover. Another key reason for the upset was the play of senior goalie Kyle Chauvette, who earned the win in his debut for the team, making 34 saves.
College hockey really is something special, as nothing is ever a certainty.
Weekly Hockey East Awards
Player: New Hampshire forward Morgan Winters. The team captain was a key factor in the team's upset win over MSU, as he scored two goals and tallied an assist in memorable performance.
Rookie(s): UMass forward Václav Nestrašil and Maine forward Justin Poirier both scored hat tricks over the weekend, helping their teams both victories at home.
Defender: Vermont goalie Aiden Wright made 29 saves against St. Lawrence to help secure the Catamounts first win of the season.
Goaltender: Freshman goalie Louka Cloutier made 18 saves in a 3-1 win over then-No. 12 Minnesota. He followed it up the next night with a career high 31 saves, in what would end up a 2-2 tie.
See Also: BC True Freshman Named Hockey East Goalie of the Week
Beyond the Blue Line
Merrimack bounced back against Lowell with a 4-1 victory. The Riover Hawks will have to recover quickly as No. 2 Western Michigan comes to town for a two-game series… BU may be getting a lot of attention, but keep an eye on UConn welcoming No. 16 Ohio State in a difficult matchup, and No. 7 Maine heading to Connecticut to take on No. 10 Quinnipiac. We might learn a lot about the Black Bears' potential this season. … Five Hockey East teams are nationally ranked this week… UMass forward Jack Musa is tearing it up this season with three goals and four assists.
Jake Messer has been covering hockey and other sports at UMass Lowell. He’s sports editor of the UMass Lowell Connector. “I grew up in Dracut Massachusetts, and as things changed in my life, one thing remained the same throughout, sports. Whether it was the reincarnation of the Big Bad Bruins in the early 2010’s, or the dynasty of the Patriots on the gridiron, or even the new generation Celtics securing a record setting 18th championship, sports has always been a fixture in my life and it will be for many more years to come as I pursue a career in sports journalism.”
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