The Frozen Four tournament field began to take shape over the first weekend in February with nine New York Rangers prospects in NCAA action for their respective collegiate teams.
2023 draftees Gabe Perreault and Drew Fortescue of Boston College were on the road Friday night against New Hampshire. Perreault recorded the first short-handed goal of his NCAA career to tie the game 1-1 in the second period. He received a long pass from his defensive zone and took off on a breakaway to score.
Boston College used three third period goals to complete the comeback over New Hampshire for a 4-2 victory. Perreault finished the game with three shots on goal, two face-off wins, and a plus-1 rating. Fortescue was even with one shot on goal.
Coming into the Beanpot tournament finals as favorites Monday, Boston College were winners of nine straight games, and had swept the Hockey East regular-season series against rival Boston University, winning twice in regulation. BC garnered all 50 first-place votes in Monday’s USCHO.com Men’s Division I Poll.
Perreault opened the scoring just 6:13 into the contest when he converted a wide-open feed from Ryan Leonard after being left alone at the side of the net.
That was all the offense the Eagles could muster however, as Boston University goalie Mikhail Yegorov stopped 43 shots to help the Terriers win 4-1. Perreault was credited with six shots on goal, and a minus-1 rating. Fortescue had three shots on goal, two blocked shots, and an even rating in the loss.
Following the defeat, Boston College has a record of 21-5-1 and is still first in Men’s Division I PairWise Rankings, clinching their spot in the NCAA tournament field, with a likely top overall seed. they continue Hockey East play Friday against the UMass Minutemen.
Related: Hartford Wolf Pack weekly: Matthew Robertson, Adam Sykora continue solid seasons
Rangers prospect Noah Laba scores again for Colorado College
Freshman left wing Ty Henricks had one shot on goal Friday, when his Western Michigan Broncos shut out St. Cloud State 4-0 in NCHC play. New York’s sixth-round pick in 2023 scored his third goal of the season on Saturday, when Western Michigan went on to win 6-1 and sweep the weekend series over St. Cloud State. Henricks had four shots on goal, one blocked shot, and was called for a tripping penalty.
Wester Michigan leads NCHC with a 13-2-1 conference record and is 20-5-1 overall. They are third in the USCHO poll and fifth in PairWise rankings. WMU can add to their conference lead in an upcoming series against second ranked Omaha.
A pair of Rangers prospects faced off against one another when Noah Laba and the Colorado College Tigers split a weekend series against EJ Emery and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in a NCHC matchup. Laba scored the game-winning goal at 17:00 of the third period by defecting a shot from the point into the North Dakota net at even strength for a 5-3 lead.
The deflection was Laba’s eighth goal and 22nd point of the season. He finished the night with two shots on goal, one blocked shot, and won 13 of 16 face-offs. Emery also had two shots on goal in the loss and an even rating.
The Fighting Hawks earned a series split on Saturday, coming away with a 3-1 win. Emery did not record a shot on goal, and was given a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in the final minute. Laba had three shots on goal, a minus-1 rating, and a face-off record of 5-6.
North Dakota is currently fourth in NCHC standings with a 9-6-1 conference record, and 14-11-2 overall. The Fighting Hawks dropped one spot to 17th in the USCHO poll, and are currently outside the NCAA tournament field at 23rd in PairWise ranking. The team will be on the road at Denver this weekend.
Colorado College is sixth in NCHC standings with an 8-9-1 conference record and 14-13-11 overall. Despite being ranked 19th in the USCHO poll, the Tigers will need a strong run to finish conference play, and may need to win their conference championship to qualify for the Frozen Four, as the team is currently 33rd in PairWise ranking. Colorado College hosts Miami Friday and Saturday.
Harvard captain Zakary Karpa was back at center Friday night when the Crimson lost to Dartmouth in ECAC play by a final of 3-2. Karpa had one shot on goal, one blocked shot, and won only 3 of 13 face-offs. Harvard won the consolation game of the Beanpot tournament against Jackson Dorrington and Northeastern University on Monday afternoon by a score of 4-3. Karpa did not have a shot on goal, and was 7 for 16 on face-offs. Dorrington earned a secondary assist on Northeastern’s first goal to improve his season totals two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 26 games.
Harvard is unlikely to qualify for the NCAA tournament with an 8-13-2 overall record. They will need to win the ECAC tournament to earn an automatic bid. Northeastern dropped to 9-14-3 overall, and will need to win the Hockey East tournament to qualify for the Frozen Four.
Defenseman Hank Kempf had two blocked shots and a plus-1 rating Friday when Cornell defeated RPI 4-2 in ECAC play. The Big Red lost 4-1 to Union on Saturday to drop to 9-8-6 overall. Kempf was called for tripping in the third period. Cornell continue ECAC regular-season play on the road this weekend against Brown and Yale.
Swedish defenseman Rasmus Larsson recorded two shots on goal, three blocked shots, and had a plus-1 rating Friday in a 3-2 loss for Northern Michigan Wildcats against Lake Superior State in CCHA play.
Larsson scored his third goal of the season, and third in four games, Saturday, snapping a wrist shot from the left circle through a screen to tie the game 1-1 at 12:43 in the second period.
The Wildcats scored in overtime for their fifth win of a rebuilding season to improve to 5-24-1 overall. Larsson had one shot on goal, and a plus-1 rating. Northern Michigan is off this weekend before hosting St. Thomas February 21st.