Will Zellers earned a spot on the NCHC All‑Rookie Team, one of four North Dakota skaters to receive the honor. He led all conference freshmen with 18 goals and six game‑winners, and finished second in rookie scoring with 30 points.
Ryan Walsh was an honorable mention for the Ivy League First Team.
James Hagens was named to the Hockey East First All-Star Team. But the awards kept coming. He was the Hockey East Scoring Champion and also captured the Three Stars Award.
Dean Letourneau was named to the Hockey East Third All-Star Team.
Elliott Groenewold was named to the ECAC First Team All-Conference. The selection was unanimous.
Liam Pettersson – Vaxjo Lakers – U20 Nationell
Vaxjo defeated Frolunda HC 4-3 in overtime to take a 1-0 lead in the best of five series on Saturday. Pettersson did not play and is up with Vaxjo in the SHL.
On Saturday, Frolunda evened the series with a 5-3 victory. Pettersson is still up in the SHL.
Vashek Blanar – HV71 – U20 Nationell
Blanar’s team did not make the playoffs and will play in the qualification round. It is also known as the relegation round. Because HV71 has a team in the SHL, his squad can not be relegated.
HV71 defeated IK Oskarshamn 4-1 in the opener of the U20 Qualification round. Blanar did not register a point and had an even plus/minus with a game high 6 shots on goal.
On Sunday, HV71 improved to 2-0 with a 5-1 win over Tingryds AIF. Blanar did not register a point in the victory.
Kirill Yemelyanov – Loko Yaroslav – MHL
Some fans might do a double‑take here, so let’s clear up the math. Yemelyanov played one game with Loko‑76 Yaroslavl — not the same club as Loko. Both skate in the MHL, but Loko‑76 is essentially the feeder’s feeder, built mostly from 17‑ and 18‑year‑olds who graduate to the main junior squad (Loko), which then pipelines talent to the VHL and KHL. With that clarified, Loko‑76 edged AKM‑Yunior 3–2 in overtime. Yemelyanov didn’t hit the scoresheet but was active: three shots on goal, a strong 13-for-18 performance on draws, and 17:52 of ice time.
Loko dropped a 2–1 overtime decision to Mikhailov Academy on Monday with Yemelyanov returning to the club. The forward set up Loko’s lone goal to pull the game even at 1–1, finished with three shots on net, went 10-for-16 in the faceoff circle, and logged 16:50 of ice time.
On Friday, Loko as they defeated Almaz 7-2. Yemelyanov had an assist and was a plus-1 with 2 shots on goal and 16:22 time on ice and going 13 for 19 on the dot.
Casper Nassen – Miami (Ohio)
Season is over.
William Zellers, – University of North Dakota
It was a stunner in the NCHC semifinals on Saturday, as Minnesota Duluth rolled past North Dakota 5–1 to punch its ticket to the title game. The loss knocks UND out of the conference playoffs, though the Fighting Hawks remain safely bound for the NCAA Tournament. As for the night itself, Zellers was held off the scoresheet and finished at minus‑2 in the defeat.
James Hagens, Oskar Jellvik, Andre Gasseau, Dean Letourneau, Kristian Kostadinski, Will Moore – Boston College
Boston College blanked Maine 5-0 in the Hockey East Quarterfinal Friday led by your Bruins prospects. Up 1-0, Hagens doubled the lead 39 seconds after the opening goal, Skating in on a 2 on 3, Hagens shot was originally blocked but he got his own rebound to tap it home.
Jellvik pushed the lead to 3–0 early in the third, cutting through the slot, taking a feed, and hammering a one‑timer to give BC some breathing room. Letourneau later iced it with an empty‑netter from Hagens, and Hagens closed the night with an empty‑net goal of his own, set up by Letourneau and Kostadinski.
BC will now face Connecticut in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Chris Pelosi, Elliott Groenewold – Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac dropped Game 1 of its best‑of‑three ECAC Quarterfinal against Clarkson on Friday, falling 3–0 in an upset. Pelosi finished minus‑1 with three shots on goal and went 6‑for‑12 on draws, while Groenewold posted zeros across the board.
The upset continued on Saturday as Clarkson won 4-3 and eliminating the ECAC’s number one seed Quinnipiac 2 games to none. However, Quinnipiac’s season is not over as they will be in the NCAA Tournament.
Jonathan Morello – Boston University
Boston University advanced to the Hockey East quarterfinals with a 4–1 win over Vermont on Wednesday. Morello was held off the scoresheet, registered one shot on goal, and went 4‑for‑12 in the faceoff circle while logging 14:59 of ice time.
But on Saturday, Connecticut handed them a 5–3 loss, ending their run in the Hockey East playoffs. Morello was held off the scoresheet, finished at minus‑1, and went 10‑for‑16 on draws in the defeat.
BU’s season is done.
Beckett Hendrickson – University of Minnesota
Minnesota’s season came to a close with a 6–2 loss to Penn State on Wednesday in the Big Ten Quarterfinals. Hendrickson picked up an assist, finished plus‑1, and registered one shot on goal in 15:57 of ice time. It was a challenging year for the Gophers, but Hendrickson consistently flashed his trademark tenacity and high motor throughout the campaign.
It will be interesting to see if he returns to Minnesota next season or look for opportunities elsewhere.
Ryan Walsh – Cornell University
Cornell was stunned by Harvard 3–1 in the opening game of their best‑of‑three ECAC Quarterfinal series. Walsh was held off the scoresheet, finished minus‑2, and registered three shots on goal, but his workload in the faceoff circle stood out — he took a massive 34 draws, winning 22 of them, accounting for more than half of Cornell’s faceoffs on the night.
Cornell evened the series at 1–1 on Saturday with a commanding 4–0 victory. Walsh played a key role, picking up a pair of assists while posting two shots on goal, a plus‑2 rating, and a 9‑for‑17 performance on draws across 22:30 of ice time.
On Sunday, Cornell closed out the series 2–1, and Walsh played a key role in the finale. He broke a 1–1 tie midway through the second period with a power‑play marker, then helped set up the eventual game‑winner less than four minutes later. He finished with three shots on goal and went 8‑for‑16 on draws.
Cornell will now play Princeton in the semifinals.
Mason Langenbrunner – Harvard University
As noted above, Harvard took Game 1 from Cornell on Friday. Langenbrunner didn’t factor into the scoring, finished plus‑1, and was held without a shot on goal.
In Saturday’s loss to Cornell, Langenbrunner was held off the scoresheet, posted an even rating, and did not record a shot on goal while logging 18:57 of ice time.
With Sunday’s loss to Cornell, Harvard’s season came to a close — and so did Langenbrunner’s collegiate career. Now, as a senior, he and the Bruins will turn their attention to determining his next step.
Philip Svedeback – Providence College
Merrimack defeated Providence 3-2 in overtime Friday to eliminate them from the Hockey East Playoffs. Providence will still be heading to the NCAA Tournament. Svedeback did not play.
Cooper Simpson – Youngstown – USHL
Youngstown snapped back into the win column Friday with a 4–3 overtime victory over Dubuque. Simpson didn’t hit the scoresheet but led all skaters with five shots on goal. He’s in a dry spell offensively — now pointless in four straight and with just one goal over his last six — despite continuing to generate looks.
On Saturday, Youngstown knocked off those same Fighting Saints 4–1, and Simpson’s slump stretched to a season‑long five games without a point. It also marked just the second time this year he was held without a shot on goal.
Cole Chandler – Shawinigan – QMJHL
On Thursday, Shawinigan couldn’t solve Chicoutimi and skated off with a 4–0 loss. Chandler was held off the board in the shutout defeat, finishing at minus‑2 with a single shot on goal. It was a tough night in the circle as well, going just 3‑for‑16 on draws.
In the penultimate weekend of the QMJHL regular season, Shawinigan cruised past Baie‑Comeau 10–2 on Saturday. Despite the offensive outburst, Chandler was limited to a single assist, finishing plus‑1 with three shots on goal while going just 1‑for‑6 on faceoffs.
Cole Spicer – Western Michigan
Western Michigan fell 2–1 in overtime to Denver on Saturday in the NCHC semifinals, ending the Broncos’ conference playoff run, though they remain bound for the NCAA Tournament. Spicer was held without a point, registered one shot on goal, and finished at minus‑1 while winning six of ten faceoffs in the loss.
Providence Bruins
Providence 3 – Springfield 2 (OT)
Michael DiPietro surrendered the opening goal with 4:33 left in the first period, and that lead held until Frederic Brunet ripped a one‑timer that slipped through the goaltender before Georgii Merkulov tapped it across the line. Newly acquired forward Lukas Reichel also picked up his first point since joining Boston at the trade deadline, earning an assist on the play 4:10 into the third period.
Providence grabbed the lead with 8:39 to play when Joey Abate fed the puck into the slot, where Riley Duran stepped into a slap shot that slipped through the five‑hole. Michael Callahan picked up the secondary assist.
Springfield pulled even with 5:57 remaining, but overtime belonged to Reichel. The newcomer jumped on an errant pass in the offensive zone and snapped a wrist shot inside the left post for his first goal with Providence, sealing the win in sudden death.
DiPietro stopped 25 of 27 shots he faced while Providence had 37 shots of their own.
Providence 7 – Hartford 0
I won’t break down every goal — at that pace, we’d still be reading by the time the playoffs arrive.
Ty Gallagher set the pace with his first professional hat trick, finishing with three shots on goal and a plus‑3 rating. He came within an assist of completing a Gordie Howe hat trick on the night.
Victor Soderstrom struck twice, finishing with three shots on goal and a plus‑3 rating. Matej Blumel and Michael Callahan added singles, giving defensemen six of the team’s seven goals on the night.
Reichel had 3 assists in the game giving him 5 points in his first two games with Providence. Matthew Poitras had a pair of his own.
Fabian Lysell shouldn’t be dropping the gloves, but credit to him for standing up for himself. As for the crease, DiPietro essentially had the night off, facing just 13 shots.
Providence 3 – Springfield 4
Just 2:50 into the game, Poitras put Providence on the board, backhanding home a rebound off a Gallagher point shot for a 1–0 lead. Merkulov picked up the secondary assist on the play.
Springfield pulled even midway through the first, but just 78 seconds later Blumel restored the lead with an unassisted strike, jumping on an intercepted pass and hammering a slapper from just inside the blue line.
Springfield answered with three straight goals, and with just three seconds left in regulation, Blumel chipped home a rebound at the edge of the crease to cap the scoring.
Simon Zajicek returned from injury and made his first start since February 1 and stopped 24 of 27 shots he faced.
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 