Division 1 players from Massachusetts have Beanpot dreams hard-wired into their DNA. One Bay Stater transferring out of BC is a rarity. Two in the same year is Halley’s Comet. But such was the case in the 2021 offseason, when classmates Lovell (Hingham, Mass.) and Harrison Roy (Lakeville, Mass.) … [Read more...]
Nick Abruzzese, now chasing NHL dream, sees bright future for Harvard: ‘The sky’s the limit’
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — It happened so fast that most fans at the Traverse City Prospects tournament missed it. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Abruzzese collected a pass atop the crease, instantly chopped from backhand to forehand to shelf, leaving St. Louis Blues goalie Will Cranley still poised … [Read more...]
Frozen Four: Bobby Trivigno, UMass Minutemen scale the sweet peak of redemption
Saturday night in Pittsburgh was the culmination of UMass coach Greg Carvel’s five-year plan. The man who changed #ZooMass to #NewMass, the man who inherited a Hockey East doormat, led his Minutemen to the school’s first national championship with a dominating 5-0 win over St. Cloud State in the … [Read more...]
Resilient UMass earns Frozen Four title berth after semifinals OT thriller
In a Frozen Four version of a heavyweight prize fight, the Minutemen of UMass KO’d reigning champ Minnesota-Duluth, 3-2, in overtime. Junior transfer Garrett Wait delivered the knockout, jamming in a puck from atop the goalmouth early Friday morning. “It was pretty cool, something everyone dreams … [Read more...]
USHL, Team USA prospects game exposes Bay State’s lack of development
The Dropkick Murphys’ hit single was blaring throughout USA Hockey Arena after Team USA tacked on its seventh goal against the outmatched All-Stars from the USHL. “Shipping Up to Boston” was the apt refrain, and it begged the question: Where had Boston’s prospects been shipped? Had they lost their … [Read more...]
Frozen Four: UMass coach Greg Carvel focused on opportunities, not obstacles
Prior to last weekend, UMass hockey coach Greg Carvel’s media persona has been a mix of Clint Eastwood and Jack Webb: tough in the face of adversity, a “just the facts” demeanor and a submerged Mona Lisa smile. Prior to his club’s COVID news bomb — no Carson Gicewicz, Filip Lindberg, Jerry Harding … [Read more...]
UMass goalie recruit Colin Purcell: “I think they can do it”
PLYMOUTH, Michigan — At 6 feet, 6 inches, goaltender Colin Purcell was impossible to miss lumbering out of USA Hockey Arena. Although he will be playing 30 minutes Wednesday in the nationally televised USA Hockey BioSteel All-American Game that could directly impact his pro career, Purcell and … [Read more...]
Massachusetts vs. Minnesota, Part 3: Hope for Bay State hockey
In Part 2, we examined how one former Boston collegiate standout found greener hockey pastures for his family in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. In Part 3, we discover that, far from the skyscrapers of Boston, one Massachusetts town is going grassroots to fuel youth hockey passion and finding success on … [Read more...]
Massachusetts vs. Minnesota, Part 2: A ‘second wave’ of development
Burned by the system Mike Sylvia (Newton, Mass.) is a former Boston University hockey star. A three-sport athlete at Catholic Memorial, he came to BU in 1994. Playing alongside classmate Chris Drury (Trumbull, Conn.), they won the 1995 NCAA title as freshmen and never lost a Beanpot game in four … [Read more...]
Massachusetts vs. Minnesota, Part 1: A hockey model gone awry
How the mighty have fallen. Massachusetts, the once-proud breeding ground of Olympic, NHL and Division 1 college hockey stars, has lost its place atop the pantheon of American hockey breeding grounds. The numbers don’t lie. Despite the boasts of prestigious travel hockey programs throughout the Bay … [Read more...]
Harvard product Adam Fox pushes for New York Rangers roster spot
Former Harvard star Adam Fox was making hockey look easy, again. In a game against the Dallas Stars’ top NHL prospects in Traverse City, Mich., in early September, the future quarterback of the New York Rangers power play toyed with the Stars, keeping the puck on a string for long touches throughout … [Read more...]
Cale Makar shunned Hockey East powers before landing at UMass
As I settled in for a Bruins-Leafs playoff game, my cell phone lit up. Caller ID revealed John, a high school bud and former pitching ace at Amherst College. I picked up. He needed to talk Frozen Four, and demanded an answer. “How in the world did UMass land Cale Makar in the first place?” John … [Read more...]
