Through two weekends of the college hockey season, it could be said that the results have been status quo across the country. The teams that were supposed to win have won and there have been minimal upsets.
One result that was certainly a mild upset was New Hampshire defeating Clarkson, 4-3, in overtime on the road up in Potsdam. That set the stage for Mike Souza’s (Wakefield, Mass.) Wildcats to complete the North Country sweep a night later with a 4-1 win at St. Lawrence.
This marks the fourth consecutive season that UNH has been undefeated through two games. The Wildcat faithful certainly hope that this start marks the turning of the tide in terms of UNH getting back to the promised land.
One local who is off to a strong start in his sophomore season is Liam Devlin (Needham, Mass.), a St. Sebastian’s alum who spent two seasons in the USHL with Chicago and Omaha before getting to Durham. Devlin scored the overtime game-winner at Clarkson and had two goals and an assist on the weekend.
Devlin is a perfect example of why players should go to the USHL before coming to college. He was always a good player, but he learned to play harder and more in the middle of the ice while skating in the top junior league in North America.
Another nice story for the Wildcats is Ryan Black, who transferred from Babson. The Pomfret, Conn., native and Winchendon alum had three assists on the weekend. It’s a rarity to see players go from Division 3 to Division 1, but it might occur a little more frequently over the next year or so, as athletes use their fifth year granted, due to Covid.
UConn’s Chase Bradley taking major step
Detroit Red Wings brass has to be smiling after the first four games of the season for prospect Chase Bradley. The 2020 seventh-round pick from St. Louis has three goals and two assists through four games. He’s leading the way offensively for the 4-0 Huskies. Bradley is well on his way to surpassing his freshman total of just nine points.
Bradley is another player whose maturation process has been fun to watch. A former tender in the USHL, his raw talent is finally coming to fruition. Bradley has a hard shot and can impose his will physically, which allows him to get to the net and create time and space. His heavy game and willingness to play with an edge is what the NHL scouts who drafted him clearly saw.
Both goaltenders, sophomore Logan Terness and freshman Arsenii Sergeyev, have played well splitting the action through four games. Mike Cavanaugh’s (North Andover, Mass.) team swept Vermont on the road in Burlington then returned to Hartford for a sweep of Union.
The next four games get more difficult as Ohio State of the Big Ten comes to town this weekend, followed by a two-game set at Boston University.
Aidan McDonough making final season worth it
Northeastern captain Aidan McDonough turned down an NHL contract with the Vancouver Canucks to return to school with his sights set on a big senior year individually and as a team. The Milton, Mass., native hasn’t disappointed. Through three games, the Thayer alum has three goals and two assists for the undefeated Huskies.
McDonough could be setting himself up for a big shot at free agency if he elects not to sign with Vancouver. The big winger is just nine points away from the century mark as a collegiate. His skating has improved dramatically since he first hit the radar while playing on the same line at Thayer as former first round pick and current Boston University senior Jay O’Brien (Hingham, Mass.).
While McDonough leads the way, the scoring has come by committee for Jerry Keefe’s (Saugus, Mass.) team. A dozen players have two or more points, including a couple of underclassmen who could be signed as undrafted free agents down the road. Right wing Jack Williams (Scarborough, Maine) and center Justin Hryckowian have three and two points, respectively. Hryckowian, a sophomore, had a great season last year as a rookie. He scored twice Saturday in the team’s sweep-clinching victory over Vermont.
To me, Hryckowian is one of those players who unfairly gets knocked by some NHL scouts for not being six feet. His hockey sense is immense and he’s a very good hockey player.
