BOSTON – More often than not, it doesn’t take a pretty goal to get the job done in today’s version of college hockey.
But it sure looks likely that Jack Dugan’s career will include goals prettier than the one he scored to get Providence College's offense rolling in Friday’s 5-0 win over Boston University at Agganis Arena.
No matter how the right wing scores his goals or assists, he’s playing with a rare confidence for a freshman, especially in Hockey East.
“He makes plays, that's it. For him to have the swagger he has a freshman, for us, it's just been a big boost,” Providence head coach Nate Leaman said of Dugan, whose seven points lead the Friars through six games. “He's got great stick skill and he makes plays. We tell the guys to have their sticks on the ice when they're playing with him because he'll find you.”
The game was only in doubt during a first period with a combined nine shots, but the Rochester, N.Y., native needed just 58 seconds to give his team the lead. He played the puck behind BU junior Jake Oettinger’s goal line and threw it in front for a deflection.
It’s sometimes better to be lucky than good, and it was a strong start to the 20-year-old's stint on a line with juniors Kasper Bjorkqvist and Josh Wilkins.
After the disappointment of letting a two-goal lead slip in last Saturday’s 2-2 tie at Sacred Heart, the Friars emphasized getting off to a better start. That mission was accomplished – and then some – with Dugan’s goal.
“I think everyone kind of had a slow start and nobody was ready to play, so we worked on that this week in practice because we knew we had to be flying right out of the gate (against BU),” said Dugan. “(The goal was) obviously pretty lucky ― behind the goal line and off the D. I needed that one; I've had a couple close ones and hit a couple posts so far, so it was a good feeling. A goal's a goal.”
The Friars took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission and cruised to a shutout victory in their second Hockey East game of the season behind senior goaltender Hayden Hawkey.
While the goals haven’t yet come in droves, Dugan leads the Friars with five assists and sits tied for fourth in assists in Hockey East. He sees potential in his combination with experienced players like Bjorkqvist and Wilkins.
“Tonight was the first time we've been together as a full line, but they've helped me out a lot,” said Dugan, who the Vegas Golden Knights drafted in the fifth round in 2017. “They've showed me the ropes so far, and I've just kind of built off that ... I think we played well, and I think we can do some damage in Hockey East and nationally as well if we stay together.”
Playing a 200-foot game is one of the biggest challenges for any new collegiate player. But Dugan feels ready to show the Golden Knights what he could eventually do at the NHL level, just like last year while finishing third in the USHL with 66 points for the Chicago Steel.
“A lot of it is positioning and playing the defensive side of the puck,” Dugan said. “They've kind of helped me out with what to do, what faceoff we're running, and little things like that to help keep my confidence up. Every level you go up (the biggest adjustment) is probably pace and defensive zone.”
It’s early in the season, but Dugan, Hingham, Mass., native Jay O’Brien (who missed Friday’s game with an upper-body injury), and the Friars are sizzling with a 4-1-1 overall record and back-to-back Hockey East victories.
Even with the league-leading start, Leaman sees room for growth in his team as many college coaches do at this early juncture of the season.
“We're still trying to figure out who we are a little bit,” Leaman said. “We're growing, but I think we took some steps with that tonight … I thought (goals from juniors Brandon Duhaime and Spenser Young [Brentwood, N.H.]) gave us a little swagger in the game and allowed us to settle down and make a lot of plays.”
