Liam Pettersson – Vaxjo Lakers – U20 Nationell
Vaxjo defeated Vasteras IK 5-2 on Saturday and moved to within one point of the top-8, the U20 Nationell run to the playoffs. Pettersson did not factor in the scoring.
On Sunday, Vaxjo defeated Sodertalje 3-2. Pettersson did not register a point. He was a plus-1 and a game high 7 shots on goal with 22:58 time on ice.
Vashek Blanar – HV71 – U20 Nationell
On Wednesday, HV71 got past Linkoping HC by a score of 8-3. Blanar did not register a point and was a minus-2 on the day.
Kirill Yemelyanov – Loko Yaroslav – MHL
In a rare Monday matchup, Loko powered past JHC Spartak with a 5–3 victory. Yemelyanov made his mark, scoring once on five shots while winning 11 of 17 draws in just 14:31 of ice time. His lone tally came on the power play, tying the game 1–1 with a quick one-timer from the left circle. Dropping so low on the release it looked as though he was sitting on the ice, Yemelyanov delivered a highlight-reel strike that set the tone for Loko.
Loko was edged out Omskie Yastreby 4-3 in overtime on Saturday, with Yemelyanov trying to set the tone early. The forward opened the scoring on the power play, notching his 15th of the season by battling his way to the front of the net and redirecting a perfect feed. Just as notable as the finish was the sequence that led to it—Yemelyanov’s relentless work below the goal line, winning a puck battle to spark the play and showcase the effort behind the highlight.
William Zellers, – University of North Dakota
North Dakota skated past Bemidji State with a 5-3-win Friday, highlighted by another standout performance from freshman forward Will Zellers. The rookie continued his hot start, ripping a power-play one-timer while falling from the right circle for his eighth goal of the season to give UND a 2-1 lead at the time. Zellers now shares the team lead in goals and sits third in scoring with 12 points, already outpacing expectations—projected for 12 goals and 10 assists, he’s currently tracking toward a 22-goal, 11-assist campaign and looks like he’s scoring at will.
North Dakota needed overtime on Saturday, but the Fighting Hawks came away with a 2-1 rematch win. Zellers delivered the game-winner, ripping a shot from the right circle, pouncing on his own rebound, and burying it with a lightning-quick release to seal the victory. Zellers had a game high 6 shots on goal with 18:44 time on ice.
When North Dakota landed commitments from Cole Reschny and Keaton Verhoeff, the buzz was all about how the duo could elevate the program. And while both are elite talents, it’s impossible to overlook what Zellers has already delivered. The freshman has surged to a share of the team lead with nine goals and sits third in points—production few saw coming, but one that’s quickly redefining expectations in Grand Forks.
Casper Nassen – Miami (Ohio)
Miami blanked RIT 4-0 on Friday to get back into the win column. Nassen managed an assist on Miami’s second empty net goal. He was a plus-1 and had one shot on goal.
Miami claimed the Friendship Four title in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a 3-2 win over Union on Saturday. With the game knotted at 1-1, Nassen delivered on the power play, ripping a one-timer from the top of the left circle to give the RedHawks a brief lead. He finished the night with four shots on goal, a minus-1 rating, and 15:07 of ice time, adding his mark to Miami’s championship effort.
James Hagens, Oskar Jellvik, Andre Gasseau, Dean Letourneau, Kristian Kostadinski, Will Moore – Boston College
If you spent Black Friday watching the Bruins, you likely left disappointed—their performance made Boston College vs. Notre Dame the better viewing option, and the turkey might have settled easier with that choice.
James Hagens’ hat trick and Dean Letourneau’s three-point night powered Boston College to a 5-3 victory over Notre Dame. Trailing 2-1 in the second, Letourneau netted his sixth of the season with a poised finish—evading defenders to find space at the top of the crease, then waiting out the goaltender before lifting a shot over the glove and inside the far post to swing momentum back in BC’s favor.
Hagens took over in the second period, first battling in front to scoop up a loose puck and spin a backhander past the goaltender to give Boston College a 3-2 edge, with Letourneau earning the assist. Minutes later, Hagens struck again—collecting the puck behind the net, curling into the right circle, and firing a wrist shot that slipped through the goalie to extend the lead to two. Letourneau was credited with the helper on that tally as well, as the duo continued to drive the Eagles’ offense
Notre Dame clawed one back in the third, but Hagens slammed the door with his third of the night. Flying down the right wing, he cut hard to the net and snapped a perfectly placed wrist shot over the goaltender’s glove, sealing the 5-3 win and completing his hat trick in highlight-reel fashion.
Moore did not register a point and had 3 shots on goal while going 8-5 on the dot. Kostadinski was also pointless with two shots on goal and was a minus-2.
When it came to Letourneau, patience was preached but rarely practiced. Back in March and April, plenty of fans were quick to label him a bust. Fast forward, and the narrative has flipped—suddenly, the same player is proving those early critics wrong as the tide has turned in his favor. Letourneau Is Challenging the Fast-Food Mentality.
Beckett Hendrickson – University of Minnesota
Minnesota pulled off the upset in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game on Saturday, outlasting Denver 6-5 in overtime. Hendrickson chipped in with two assists while skating on the second line, finishing plus-1 on the night despite being held without a shot on goal. He is now fourth on the team in scoring.
Chris Pelosi, Elliott Groenewold – Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac extended its winning streak to five with a thrilling 7-6 overtime triumph over Holy Cross on Wednesday, fueled once again by the red-hot Pelosi. The sophomore forward continued his torrid pace, notching a goal and an assist to push his five-game run to 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists), while firing five shots on net and logging 19:40 of ice time despite finishing minus-2. Groenewold chipped in with an assist of his own, adding one shot and steady minutes on the back end with 21:08 of ice time, as the Bobcats found just enough offense to outlast the Crusaders in a high-scoring battle.
Quinnipiac stretched its win streak to six on Saturday, edging Stonehill 3-2. Pelosi kept his hot hand going, recording an assist on the opening goal to extend his point streak to six games. He added one shot on goal, went 9-for-15 in the faceoff circle, and logged 19:09 of ice time. The decisive moment came late, as Groenewold’s half-slapper from the point found its way through traffic with 2:27 left for the game-winner. He finished with two shots, a plus-1 rating, and 18:33 on the ice.
Ryan Walsh – Cornell University
Cornell came up short in the Red Hot Hockey showcase at Madison Square Garden, falling 2-1 to Jonathan Morello and Boston University before an announced crowd of 17,478. Walsh chipped in with an assist, went 11-for-21 on faceoffs, and registered one shot on goal while logging 23:26 of ice time.
Mason Langenbrunner – Harvard University
Harvard endured a rough Black Friday, dropping a 5-1 decision to Michigan. On a night where offense was scarce, Langenbrunner was held off the scoresheet, registering just one shot on goal and finishing with a minus-1 rating.
Michigan closed out the weekend set with a 4-3 overtime win Saturday, but not before Harvard mounted a furious third-period rally. Trailing 3-0, the Crimson struck three times to force extra time, with Langenbrunner assisting on the first goal of the comeback. He finished the night with one shot on goal, a minus-1 rating, and a team-high 24:33 of ice time.
Jonathan Morello – Boston University
As mentioned, Boston University secured the Red Hot Hockey Showcase with a 2-1 win over Cornell, but it wasn’t a flawless night for Jonathan Morello. The forward was held off the scoresheet, finished 50 percent on faceoffs, and logged 19:10 of ice time. He took late slashing penalty with 1:54 remaining that could have changed the outcome, but BU’s penalty kill held firm, preserving the victory.
Philip Svedeback – Providence College
Providence dropped a heart breaker to Colorado College 3-2 on Friday. Svedeback stopped 30 of 33 shots he faced to drop to 5-5-2 on the season.
Providence responded in a big way Saturday, grinding out a 2-1 win behind a stellar performance from Svedeback. The netminder stood tall, turning aside 37 of 38 shots—including a heavy dose from high-danger areas—to backstop the Friars. Colorado carried the shot advantage at 38-27, but Svedeback’s effort proved the difference in securing the bounce-back victory
Cooper Simpson
Youngstown opened a four-game set against Tri-City with a 2-1 overtime win Friday night. Down 1-0 early in the third, Simpson set up the equalizer to force extra time, finishing with one shot on goal, a plus-2 rating, and a game-high six penalty minutes—all stick infractions, including a hooking call and two for high-sticking. The victory sets the tone for a tightly contested series between the two clubs.
Youngstown sealed game two of the set with a 2-1 victory, powered by Cooper Simpson’s standout performance. From the right faceoff circle, Simpson ripped a quick one-timer to open the scoring, then less than three minutes later threaded a cross-crease pass to set up the second tally. Both goals came during a five-minute power play, giving Youngstown the cushion it needed to secure the win.
Cole Chandler – Shawinigan – QMJHL
Shawinigan defeated Moncton 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday. Chandler did not register a point, had 1 shot on goal and was 9 for 15 on the dot.
On Sunday, Shawinigan squeaked by Rimouski 2-1 despite Rimouski outshooting them 30-17. Chandler did not register a point or have a shot on goal. He went 6 for 8 on the dot.
Cole Spicer – Western Michigan
Western Michigan had an off week.
Providence Bruins
Providence 5 – Toronto 1
A spectacular goaltending performance by Michael DiPietro and a pair of goals by Fabian Lysell and 4 assists from Christian Wolanin led Providence to a 5-1 win over the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday.
With 8:03 off the clock in the opening frame, Georgii Merkulov turned a takeaway into offense, stripping a Marlies defender and sliding the puck to Lysell in the circle, where the winger buried it for a 1-0 lead. Patrick Brown was also credited with an assist on the play, though the scoring sequence left some scratching their heads as the Marlies defender was in clear control of the puck.
Brown doubled the lead just past the midway mark of the first, striking on the power play for his eighth of the season. After Dans Locmelis threaded a sharp pass to the crease, Brown’s initial redirect was turned aside, but the rebound bounced right back to him and he wasted no time flipping it home. Wolanin picked up the secondary assist on the sequence, as Providence capitalized to make it 2-0.
The 2-0 margin held firm until late in the second, when Lysell delivered a highlight-reel strike with 3:04 remaining. Starting deep in his own zone, the winger weaved past one defender, toe-dragged around another, and capped the dazzling rush by deking the goaltender to push the lead to 3-0.
Toronto cut into the deficit with 13:35 left in the third, but Providence quickly answered. With 8:08 remaining, Brown and Merkulov broke free on a 2-on-1, and Brown chipped a feed across that Merkulov finished in style—slipping past the goaltender and tucking a smooth backhand to restore the three-goal cushion. Wolanin was credited with the second assist.
Locmelis capped the night’s scoring with a power-play strike at 4:08 remaining, finishing off a crisp setup from Merkulov. Stationed at the left dot, Locmelis took Merkulov’s pinpoint feed from the opposite circle and lifted a shot over the goaltender’s far shoulder for his tally, with Wolanin credited with the secondary assist as Providence sealed the victory.
DiPietro was stellar between the pipes, turning aside 35 of 36 shots—including several high-danger chances and highlight-reel saves—to backstop the victory.
Providence 6 – Belleville 3
Jacob Perreault led the charge with two goals and an assist as Providence rolled to a 6-3 victory over the Belleville Senators, keeping momentum alive on their swing through Ontario.
Lysell pushed the play ahead to Brown, who drove the net and slipped the puck under the goaltender to open the scoring at 1-0. The tally marked Brown’s 100th career goal, with Ty Gallagher—back in the lineup after injury—picking up the secondary assist.
Belleville pulled even, but Perreault answered quickly with his first of the night. After firing a one-timer, he pounced on his own rebound and saw the puck deflect off both the goaltender and a defenseman before finding the back of the net to restore the lead. Lysell picked up his second assist of the game, while Frederic Brunet added the other helper.
Providence padded its advantage when Locmelis threaded a cross-crease feed to Perreault, who buried the easy tap-in to stretch the lead. Matthew Poitras picked up the secondary assist on the play.
Poitras pushed the lead to 4-1 when Perreault won a battle at the net front and slipped a backhand pass into the left circle. Poitras wasted no time, snapping it inside the near post for a clinical finish.
Belleville would score twice before Locmelis scored on a feed from Wolanin. Jake Schmaltz would score into an empty net to seal the win.
It was an average night for DiPietro as he stopped 16 of 19 shots he faced.
Providence 6– Belleville 4
Providence went a perfect 3-0 through Ontario after defeating Belleville again on Sunday, this time by a score of 6-4.
Schmaltz led the way with a goal and 3 assists. Lysell and Riley Duran had a goal and an assist and Joey Abate had a pair of assists. Victor Soderstrom scored his first of the year while Poitras and Brunet had the other goals.
Here’s a look at the Providence Bruins leaders. You will notice a column called “Benchrates” This is provided by our friends at Benchrates. Created by a retired hockey player, Benchrates has created an algorithm that computes values in real time. The value you see is the cap hit value they’ve earned this season to date. Give them a look and check out their site.
Coming up this week:
Dom - Hockey 