The Hockey East tournament is where names are made.
Whether it’s a game-winning goal, a stout defensive performance or a series of tone-setting hits, big-time players make big-time plays when the playoffs roll around and seasons are on the line.
Sometimes it’s an unlikely hero, like an unsung freshman, but often it’s the players who have been there before – those familiar with what it takes to step up and make game-altering plays.
With eight teams qualified, seeded and ready to go, we take a look at a few recent beasts of the Hockey East tournament who could potentially lead their team to the highly coveted conference crown, which will be fought for and awarded at TD Garden during the weekend of March 20-21.
Logan Hutsko, RW, Boston College
Junior; Florida Panthers, third-round pick, 2018
After coming up just short of winning the title last season, Hutsko and the Eagles are flying into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. In his first two postseasons with BC, Hutsko racked up nine points over eight games, scoring two game-winners in its first-round upset of Providence a season ago.
Expect Hutsko, currently having the best year of his career with 33 points on the explosive first line with David Cotton and Julius Mattila – who has 10 points in 12 playoff games – to keep it going as the driver of the Eagles offense heading into their first-round rematch with the Friars.
If BC is going to capture its first title since 2012, Hutsko has to play a crucial role.
Patrick Curry, RW, Boston University
Senior; unrestricted free agent
Entering his final playoff go-around, Curry has never failed to make it as far as the semifinals in his first three seasons with the Terriers. When they won the tournament in 2018, he picked up a critical assist and scored the overtime goal in the semifinal to move BU on to the title game.
In his career, the captain has eight points with three goals and five assists in 11 playoff games. Going into the tournament as the No. 6 seed matched up against No. 3 UMass Lowell, Curry’s continued postseason success will be key in pushing the Terriers into the championship weekend.
Kenny Hausinger, RW, UMass Lowell
Senior; unrestricted free agent
Hausinger is one of just three River Hawk seniors left from the 2017 squad that won the Hockey East tournament. Along with that experience on the conference’s biggest stage, the Anchorage, Alaska, native owns eight points on four goals and four assists in eight career playoff games.
Averaging a point per game during his postseason tenure, Hausinger – a 2019-20 UML assistant captain and one of the top scorers on the team – has proven he can come up in the clutch. With three freshmen leading the scoring charge, the No. 3 River Hawks will remain reliant on their senior winger to set the tone early and lead the way entering the playoffs.
John Leonard, RW, Massachusetts
Junior; San Jose Sharks, sixth-round pick, 2018
Although second-leading scorer Mitchell Chaffee is returning for UMass’ quarterfinal against Northeastern, no other Minuteman will play as key a role as Leonard will. In eight playoff games in his career, the Amherst, Mass., native has seven points on three goals and four assists.
Although his career postseason numbers aren’t through the roof, the Hobey Baker candidate and NCAA leading goal scorer (27) went on a regular-season tear – scoring 10 goals built around a pair of hat tricks in February – and will surely carry that offense into the playoffs as UMass aims to win its first-ever conference championship after being cut down by BC in the semifinal last year.
Zach Solow, RW, Northeastern
Junior; unrestricted free agent
With leading scorer Tyler Madden still out with a hand injury, Solow will be looked at as a main weapon for the Huskies as they set out to defend their Hockey East title. Although it’s expected that Madden will return, it’s not certain he will be fully healthy and ready to go out of the gate.
Solow, an assistant captain currently having the best season of his career, will be huge in aiding the effort to push NU past UMass on the road, along with captain Ryan Shea.
In seven career playoff games, the Naples, Florida, native owns five points and a game-winning goal, which thrust the Huskies past BU in the semifinal last season to set up their title game win.
Liam Flaherty can be reached at lflaherty24@gmail.com and on Twitter @_LiamFlaherty.
