Throughout 35 years of history, the Hockey East Association has had quite a large share of national championship teams, Hobey Baker Award winners and alumni make the move up to the National Hockey League ranks.
Another constant over the years has been the presence of some of the game’s top goaltenders, such as Providence’s Chris Terreri from the inaugural 1984-85 season to long lines of netminders who spent their collegiate times on Commonwealth Avenue and in New Hampshire and Maine. UMass Lowell’s Connor Hellebucyk and UMass’ Jonathan Quick (Hamden, Conn.) are among alumni playing in today’s NHL.
It’s no secret that the trend continues today.
“Really, the league could be called ‘Goalie East,’ ” said Vermont head coach Kevin Sneddon, whose team boasts the top returning stopper in senior Stefanos Lekkas, a second-team All-Star with a .930 save percentage — the highest in Catamount program history — last season. “I still believe Stef is the best goalie in Hockey East, but you look around the league and you wonder why our (team’s) offensive numbers were down? You’re going against somebody every night.
