It’s been a year to remember for Will Smith. He won a gold medal as a member of the United States team at the U-18 World Championship in April. He was taken fourth overall by the San Jose Sharks in the NHL Draft in June. And on Saturday night he’ll play his first NCAA game. “I’ve been looking … [Read more...]
15 difference makers in New England men’s college hockey this season
Difference makers are the players coaches turn to in the biggest moments, who kids want to grow up to be and who fans pay to see. New England men's college hockey will have plenty of those players this season. From the Boston University Terriers to the reigning national champion Quinnipiac Bobcats, … [Read more...]
The buzz is back: Why Maine is positioned for long-term success
Jared DeMichiel and Ben Barr shared an office at UMass in the years building up to that school’s national championship in 2021. A frequent topic was the theoretical timeline for bringing a struggling program up to speed. “We would say, hey, when you’re turning around a program or getting a program … [Read more...]
How Rand Pecknold built Quinnipiac into a college hockey powerhouse
Rand Pecknold is on top of the mountain in college hockey and he’s loving the view. “It’s been chaos since we won, but it’s been great,” he said. Reaching the summit beats the heck out of life on the bottom, which is where Pecknold (Bedford, N.H.) was 29 years ago. A 12-3 home loss to Bentley in … [Read more...]
15 New England collegians who could soon make an impact in the NHL
This is regarded as no better than an average year for college free agents playing in New England. In good years and bad, NHL teams invest a significant amount of time and money scouring the NCAA ranks, from Maine to Arizona State and everywhere in between, for undrafted players deserving of an NHL … [Read more...]
3 takeaways from first round of the Bridgeport regional
The first round in the 2023 Division 1 NCAA Hockey Tournament's Bridgeport regional continued a trend seen throughout college hockey on Friday. Ohio State steamrolled Harvard, 8-1, in the first game. Then, in the second game, Quinnipiac took down Merrimack, 5-0. Also in action on Friday was the … [Read more...]