Tag: Men’s ice hockey
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
PCI
The Men’s Ice Hockey Team Will Have The Best Record This Season
By Liza Sisk ’19
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team is speeding towards what already looks like an incredibly successful season. The Friars are currently ranked third in the United States College Hockey online polls, and are dominating with a 5-1-1 record.
PC has been able to dominate its competition to this point in the season as their only loss was against the #2 nationally-ranked University of Notre Dame early in the season. The Friars have crushed Hockey East rivals such as Boston University and the University of Connecticut by scores of 5-0 and 7-2 respectively.
If these scores are any indication for the future, the Friars will have a good chance to find themselves on top of the Hockey East standings.
The Friars only graduated five players last year, leaving their underclassmen powerhouses and strong goaltending to carry on the legacy. The team is led by six seniors this year and welcomed six freshmen to the squad.
This team is loaded with talent at every position and the team’s strong depth separates themselves from the rest of the league. The Friars have multiple players who can score at any moment as 13 have already found the back of the net.
Assistant Captain, Vincent Desharnais ’19, will be the leader on the defensive side of the ice and is one of the top defenders in the conference. Desharnais currently is tied for third in the Hockey East with 14 blocked shots. The 2016 NHL Draft pick, has played in at least 19 games in every season during career at PC.
An asset that separates PC Hockey from other teams is the consistent goaltending of Hayden Hawkey ’19. Hawkey just claimed his third shut-out of the season in a 3-0 victory over the College of the Holy Cross on Nov. 3 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Hawkey tallied 27 saves contributing to his 0.955 save percentage this season. Hawkey’s consistency allows for the Friars to excel both defensively and offensively. He leads from the crease and can be relied on to perform in every game.
In addition to their competitive goal tending, the strength of the freshman class is solidifying the season for the Friars. Jack Dugan ’22 was named Hockey East Rookie of the Month for October. Dugan is the first Friar to earn this honor since Anthony Florentino ’17 in March 2014. He is a fifth-round draft pick for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, and has already proven himself to be an incredible asset to the Friars.
The Friars will continue their legacy of success and make a competitive run for the NCAA Frozen Four Championship title, largely because of the reliable goaltending and strong underclassmen assets. Providence men’s ice hockey will be the most successful team this season, and will hopefully bring a championship back to Friartown.
Providence College Investigates: Should PC Offer Student Season Tickets For Men’s Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
PCI
New System Would Eliminate Hassle
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
It is a well known fact that students at Providence College are able to purchase season tickets for men’s basketball games and not men’s hockey games. In the words of Claire Woods ’21, “[It’s] not fair.”
Students at PC should be given the opportunity to purchase season tickets each hockey season. I believe that it would increase attendance at games. More students may attend the men’s basketball games simply because they have the ability to do so without having to pay each week. And while students are only being asked to pay a game fee of $4, consistently having to pay for a ticket can become not only annoying, but also a hassle. Therefore, if students had the opportunity to purchase season tickets at the beginning of the school year, students might be more inclined to go and watch the hockey games on a more consistent basis.
Secondly, on PC’s campus, men’s hockey is just as popular and valued in terms of national press. By offering season tickets for one and not the other shows which sport the athletic department favors more. Giving students the opportunity to buy a pass that gets them into every basketball game, but not every hockey game, is just a visual way of showing that they wish to see more students at the basketball games than the hockey games.
“It’s a matter of equality. Hockey also has a strong fan-base and they should be rewarded as well,” said Woods.
Lastly, as minor as it may seem, the current method of having to purchase a ticket for each game creates a sense of unease amongst ticket buyers because there is no cash option when paying for tickets. Therefore, for every game that students want to go to, they have to input their credit card information.
In today’s day and age, inputting any type of bank information online can lead to accounts being hacked. Students may not want to attend games because they are not comfortable paying online with credit cards. Therefore, if they had a season ticket that they had the chance to pay for at the beginning of the year (like they do for basketball), then they would not have to worry and be able to attend more games.
It is not only a matter of equality, but implementing a season ticket system for hockey would not only decrease the annoyance with having to pay per game, but also make attending games more secure and accessible. This is a matter that the PC athletic department should definitely work on with the start of basketball and hockey seasons upon us.
Friar Family Mourns the Loss of Hockey Alum Mark Adams
by The Cowl Editor on September 27, 2018
Friar Sports
By Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
Mark Adams ’15, former Providence College hockey player, passed away unexpectedly on September 17, 2018, at the age of 27. Adams played four seasons with the Friars from 2010-2015, winning the Division I National Championship in 2015.
Before coming to PC, Adams was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the fifth round, 134th pick overall, in the 2009 NHL entry draft.
At PC, he majored in business economics while playing in 98 games for the Friars, including 32 in his senior year where he helped lead the team to the championship.
Adams was a leader on and off the ice as he was dedicated to improving his talent while also forging bonds with his teammates.
Head Coach Nate Leaman said, “He was a great teammate and a special part of our entire community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family.”
After he graduated from PC in 2015, Adams signed a contract with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, but retired shortly after due to injuries.
Adam’s death follows that of Drew Brown this past year. Both players were members of the 2015 championship team.
Some of Adams’ former teammates released statements remembering their former teammate and friend. Noel Acciari, who currently plays for the Boston Bruins posted a statement on Instagram, “Heaven has gained another champion. Rest In Peace, Roo.”
Trevor Mingoia, another one of Adams’ teammates from the championship team, posted, “Words can’t describe the horrible feeling of losing an amazing friend and teammate. You were one of the most genuine and loyal friends that someone can ask for. My heart goes out to the Adams family. Rest in Peace Roo, we already miss you.”
Adams has left a profound impact on the PC hockey community and left a legacy of what it meant to be a Friar through his hardwork, passion, and dedication.
Garden Bound!
by The Cowl Editor on March 15, 2018
Friar Sports
PC Beats UMaine and Rolls into the Semis
by Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
The first two rounds of the Hockey East Tournament have come and gone in exciting fashion. Four teams remain heading into the final weekend of the competition at TD Garden on March 16 and 17.
Despite the fact that 12 of the first 15 games of the tournament were decided by only one goal, with six of those 12 games ending in overtime, there were relatively few upsets.
The only team to take down a higher seed was Merrimack College. The tenth seeded Warriors defeated the seventh place University of Massachusetts Lowell River Hawks in two overtime decisions, 2-1 in game one and 3-2 in game two.
The eighth seeded UMass Minutemen took on ninth seed University of Vermont in the only series of the first round that needed a third game to decide the victor. UMass decisively won the final matchup by a score of 5-1, moving on to face Northeastern University in the quarterfinals.
There was no lack of excitement in week two, as the top five teams jumped into action. First seed Boston College narrowly defeated Merrimack in two games, the first by a score of 1-0 and the second in overtime by a final score of 4-3.
Northeastern made quick work of UMass, winning both games by scores of 3-2 and 7-2. Senior forwards Dylan Sikura and Nolan Stevens combined for six of the Huskies’ 10 goals over the two games.
Providence played a tightly-contested series against the University of Maine Black Bears. Despite finding themselves down twice in game one, goals from Erik Foley ’19, Bailey Conger ’21, Scott Conway ’19, and Josh Wilkins ’20 propelled the Friars to victory. Wilkins scored with 3:10 left in the third period to give Providence their first lead of the night, one that would hold until the final buzzer. On night two, the Friars got up early with goals from Conway, Brandon Duhaime ’20, and Wilkins in the first period. The team never looked back, despite a two-goal push from the Black Bears, winning the game by a score of 3-2.
Fourth place Boston University faced off against Fifth seed University of Connecticut in a series that saw the Terriers squeeze out a 5-4 victory in overtime in game one, before winning game two in regulation by a score of 2-1.
Only the top four seeds remain heading into the final weekend of action, with BC taking on BU at 5 p.m. and Northeastern facing off against PC at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 16. The winners of each game will play in the championship game on Saturday, March 17 at 7 p.m.
Both of these matchups are expected to be closely-contested competitions, meaing fans will likely leave the TD Garden Friday night feeling they got their money’s worth. Boston College and Boston University have faced each other twice this season in back-to-back games on Dec. 1 and 2. BU took game one by a score of 7-4 while BC bounced back the night two to win 4-1. Keep an eye out for BU forward Brady Tkachuk (younger brother of current NHL player Matthew Tkachuk and son of former NHLer Keith Tkachuk) who has a goal and assist in the tournament.
Northeastern and PC also played back-to-back on Jan. 26 and 27. Game one ended in a 4-4 tie after an overtime session, while the Friars took game two, also in overtime, by a score of 2-1.
Northeastern forward Adam Gaudette led all of Division 1 with 59 points in 36 games for the Huskies this season, and has a goal and two assists in the tournament thus far. Look for him and teammate Sikura, who is two places behind Gaudette in points with 52, to be key contributors if their team has success in this game.
Regardless of which teams move on, due to the high level of competition between all of the four remaining schools, the championship game will not disappoint. There is particular interest if BU and Northeastern advance, as that would create a rematch from the Beanpot final, which Northeastern won by a score of 5-2. Look at this as the potential for the Terriers to exact revenge on their inter-city foe.
PCI: Providence College will Win the Hockey East Tourney
by The Cowl Editor on March 1, 2018
Friar Sports
PC Geared for Another Deep Run
by Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
It’s tourney time! The Hockey East is one of the most exciting and competitive conferences in the NCAA and is home to names like Adam Gaudette of Northeastern, 2018 Olympian Jordan Greenway of Boston University and, of course Providence College’s very own Erik Foley ’19. This year’s Hockey East Tournament is shaping up to be a good one.
Boston College, the 2017-2018 Hockey East regular season champion, has been playing extremely well against conference opponents, as they have won their last five Hockey East matchups. The No. 2 seed the Northeastern Huskies, fresh off of their first Beanpot Tournament Championship in 30 years, are finding a way to win games, which is vital in this tournament. However, the No. 3 seed Providence College Friars have an excellent chance to win the Hockey East Tournament, and they are my pick to go all the way.
Led by Foley and captain Brian Pinho ’18, the Friars are unstoppable on offense. Despite suffering an uncharacteristic 1-0 loss last weekend to UMass Amherst, expect the high powered Friars offense to find the back of the net plenty of times throughout the tournament. Kasper Björkqvist ’20 and Josh Wilkins ’20 have more than contributed to the Friars’ offensive onslaught this season, posting 13 goals each. Jacob Bryson ’20 has complimented the top goal scorers all year long, especially on the power play, and has notched 20 assists. With the top lines scoring goals, the Friars’ offensive is difficult to stop, making them an early favorite to take down some of the dilapidated defenses across the league.
Defensively, the Friars have a young core, with two freshmen and two sophomores carrying the bulk of the weight, along with a junior and senior. However, Ben Mirageas ’21 has found his place in the Friars lineup. The smooth skating, sizable D-man has held his ground and helped the Friars defense keep pucks out of their net and limit opponents’ scoring opportunities.
A significant reason why the Friars are able to limit shots on net from opponents is Vincent Desharnais ’19. The 6’6” 224 lbs. defenseman is virtually impossible to get around and has been able to shut down opponent’s top scorers with ease. Defense wins championships, and with Bryson, Desharnais, and Mirageas on the blue line for the Friars, a Hockey East Tournament Championship is surely within reach.
However, the backbone of every good team lies in its goaltender. Hayden Hawkey ’19 has carried the Friars so far this year, and a tough goalie is imperative for making a deep playoff run. Hawkey, who posted four shut outs this year, is 2nd in goaltending in the Hockey East, so he has proven to be one of the league’s best coming into the tournament.
Offensive firepower, a shutdown defense, and a top goalie are keys for the Friars to take home the Hockey East Tournament trophy. Their run starts March 9 at Schneider Arena.
PCI: Northeastern Will Win Hockey East Tournament
by The Cowl Editor on March 1, 2018
Friar Sports
Huskies Look to Continue Strong Season
by Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
March is here at last, and with its arrival comes the beginning of the Hockey East Tournament. This year, the Hockey East Association announced it would be reverting back to a playoff structure which was last used in 2014.
In this structure, all 11 Hockey East teams are guaranteed a spot in the tournament, with the top five teams getting a bye to the second week of competition. Seeds four and five are guaranteed to play each other in the second week, while the teams seeded in first, second, and third await the results of the bottom six seeds in week one.
The first week of action will feature seeds six, seven, and eight, who will host seeds nine, ten, and eleven respectively. The teams will be reseeded for week two depending on the outcomes of each best-of-three series.
This means No. 1 Boston College, No. 2 Northeastern University, No. 3 Providence College, No. 4 Boston University, and No. 5 University of Connecticut all have a week to rest before they face competition.
While all three top-seeded teams have had impressive seasons, the Northeastern Huskies are thus far the team to beat. With a record of 15-6-3 against Hockey East opponents, the Huskies have put together a strong campaign in a year that saw them win the Beanpot Tournament for the first time since 1988, taking down Boston University by a score of 5-2.
Northeastern is backstopped by rookie goaltender Cayden Primeau, a seventh-round pick for the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 30 games this season, Primeau has a goals against average (GAA) of 1.85 and a save percentage of .933. Against conference opponents his numbers are even more impressive. His GAA drops to 1.79 and his save percentage rises to .937 over the span of 22 games.
On offense, Adam Gaudette leads the way with 56 points (29 goals, 27 assists) in 34 games. The 2015 fifth-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks leads all of Division I in points, averaging 1.65 points per game.
Second on the list of Division I top scorers is Gaudette’s teammate, Dylan Sikura. Sikura has scored 48 points (17 goals, 31 assists) in 31 games played. The Aurora, Ontario native is in his final year of collegiate hockey and is likely looking to become a full time member of the Chicago Blackhawks organization in the near future. The Blackhawks drafted Sikura in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
With impressive goal-scoring up front and a rock solid goaltender in net, Northeastern presents a challenge for any team that is forced to face off against them come March 9. On March 2-4 No. 6 University of Maine will host No. 11 University of New Hampshire, No. 7 University of Massachusetts Lowell will take on No. 10 Merrimack College, and Univserity of Massachusetts Amherst (8th) challenges University of Vermont (9th) for the rights to advance to the semifinals. Keep an eye on these matchups as each team battles it out for a chance to face off against the best Hockey East has to offer.
Senior Night in Friartown
by The Cowl Editor on February 16, 2018
Friar Sports
Last Class of the 2015 NCAA Championship Hockey Team Celebrate Senior Night
by Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
When the Class of 2018 first stepped on the ice at Schneider Arena four years ago, they would never have expected their college careers at Providence College to go the way they did. This year’s senior class celebrated their Senior Night in style last Friday as they defeated the University of Maine 3-2 in overtime. As their season draws to its end, along with their college hockey careers, the 2015 national championship banner still hangs high in the rafters. The final wave of National Champions will soon take their last strides with the Skating Friar proudly on their chest, but their legacy will forever remain.
This year’s class is tightly knit and collectively a great group of leaders in the locker room. Captain Brian Pinho ’18 commended those who came before him, such as National Hockey League players Noel Acciari ’15 and Mark Jankowski ’16, saying, “They did a good job of taking us under their wings and showing us the ropes, while reinforcing the culture of our team. The upperclassmen on the team now have done a good job of bringing our young team along.” Pinho also described their journey together saying, “These past four years have been unbelievable, and it’s been awesome to play with my best friends for four years. We are such a close group, and we love being with each other.”
Perhaps the biggest underdog story of this class is goaltender Jake Beaton ’18. Beaton joined the squad this season as the team’s emergency goalie. Last year, he was stopping pucks for the College’s club team but was granted the incredible opportunity to play Division I hockey for his senior year. The Falmouth, Massachusets native made his first collegiate appearance late in the third period against Arizona State University at PPG Paints Arena on Dec. 30. Although it was just a few minutes on the ice, he got the experience of a lifetime for a team so close to home compared to some of his teammates, who live much farther away.
For example, hailing all the way from Anchorage, Alaska, Truman Reed ’18 found a home 4,500 miles away in Providence, Rhode Island. Standing at 6’2” and 212 lbs., he is one of the biggest defensemen on the team. Reed made his collegiate debut last season versus Hockey East foe Northeastern University. He plays a physical role when on the ice- a role that is sometimes lacking on the Friars’ roster. Thus, in games with Reed in the lineup, the Friars physicality has been enhanced.
Texas is not exactly considered a hockey hotbed, but Alex Cromwell ’18, a McKinney, Texas native, defied the odds and became a part of the Providence College hockey program. Like Reed, Cromwell stands tall and uses his large frame as a power forward. As one of the program’s best students, Cromwell won the John Ferguson Award, which recognizes the player with the highest GPA on the team, two years in a row.
The Friars’ firecracker is forward Robbie Hennessey ’18 out of Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania. Standing at 5’10” Hennessey is one of the smaller players on the team. Despite his small size, he is always buzzing all over the ice. Hennessey has embraced his role as a grinder as he loves to play the body and block shots. As another top scholar on the team, Hennessey has made the Hockey East All-Academic Team in each of his first three seasons and is well on his way to a fourth. Hennessey has appeared in 95 games as a Friar, posting 15 points on four goals and 11 assists. His high speed and energy on the ice will be missed.
Friar superstar and team captain Pinho was the last honoree this past Friday night. Pinho has been nothing short of spectacular throughout his four year career at PC. He has appeared in 144 games thus far and has registered 108 points on 38 goals and 70 assists. Among his many awards and other accolades, he was named the 2016-2017 Team MVP.
Along with his dominant play on the ice, Pinho has demonstrated his outstanding leadership qualities as captain of this year’s team and assistant captain last year as a junior. “I think being a leader of this team is a great honor, but also a huge responsibility” Pinho said. “I try to keep everything fun at the rink, while also bringing some intensity and competing hard everyday.” His leadership has allowed a young team to excel and exceed all expectations.
Now that his four years have come and gone, Pinho offered some advice for the underclassmen and future Friars. He said, “My advice to the younger guys is to cherish their time here because it flies by. Also, I would tell them to never take anything for granted because this has been the best four years of my life.”
Congratulations and best of luck to the Class of 2018, but before you go, bring back another championship.
Hockey Mid-Season Review
by The Cowl Editor on December 7, 2017
Friar Sports
by Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team has played 16 games thus far in the 2017-18 season, posting an overall record of 9-6-1. The Friars are 6-4-1 against conference opponents, good for third place in the Hockey East behind only Boston College (9-2-0) and Northeastern University (7-3-0).
Nationally, the team is ranked ninth overall by USCHO.com. At the top of the list are the University of Denver, St. Cloud State University, and Clarkson University. The Friars dropped both decisions against Clarkson this season, 4-0 back on Oct. 21, and 4-2 on Nov. 25 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as part of the 2017 Friendship Four.
This past weekend, the team faced off against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, first at home on Friday, December 1 and then again Saturday night at the Whittemore Center in Durham, New Hampshire. Providence split the two games with UNH, taking a 5-2 victory at home before being shut out 1-0 on the road by the No. 13 ranked Wildcats, according to USCHO.com.
There was a lot to like about the Friars’ effort at home on Friday. They saw goal scoring from three different players. Erik Foley ‘19 had two for the night including one goal on a nice shot from the right circle. Kasper Bjorkqvist ‘20 opened the scoring just 1:01 into the game, streaking down the left wall before charging to the front of the net to beat UNH goaltender Danny Tirone with a shot up high.
Foley is a 2015 draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets (78th overall), and he leads the team in scoring with nine goals and 18 points in 14 games on the season. Bjorkqvist, a 2016 draft selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins (61st overall), is fifth on the team in scoring with six goals and eight points.
Tied with Bjorkqvist in points on the season is Vimal Sukumaran ‘20, one of the Friars’ undrafted players who has been stepping up for the team in a big way, scoring two goals Friday night in convincing fashion. Sukumaran would score the game-winning goal on the night, along with the Friars’ fifth goal to solidify the win after a late push by the Wildcats to cut the lead to two points.
Looking ahead at the men’s hockey schedule, there are still many important games to be played. On Jan. 13 the Friars travel to Agganis Arena to take on the Boston University Terriers, who are currently in fourth place with a record of 5-5-1. In late January the Friars will participate in a home-and-home with the Northeastern Huskies, who sit directly above them in the standings. The Friars will take on the University of Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks in mid February, toward the end of the regular season. The River Hawks are currently fifth in the Hockey East with a record of 5-5-0 in the conference.
With still a significant stretch of games ahead, leadership and perseverance will be key. Garrett Gamez ‘19 now plays the role of student assistant coach role with the team after abruptly retiring from hockey following an incident on March 11 where he collapsed on the bench during the first period of the second game of the Hockey East Quarterfinals against the Univesity of Notre Dame. When asked about how he feels the team has played in the first two months of the year, Gamez referenced the ability of the younger players to step into key roles as part of the team’s success thus far.
He also mentioned the role of leadership on the team as an important factor saying, “You always look up to the guys that are playing before you or ahead of you. Guys like Brian Pinho, who is our captain now.” Gamez went on to say more about Brian Pinho ’18 commenting, “I’ve always looked to guys like him who know the situations, and as time goes on you grow a close bond with those guys and they are able to lead you and help you regardless of if it is on the ice or in school.”
The team has raised the expectations of fans after taking home the National Championship in 2015. While they have returned to the tournament in both years since, they have failed to make it past the first round. Currently the Friars are on track for another appearance in College Hockey’s championship contest, as they attempt to repeat their success from the past three years previous.
The Providence College Women’s Hockey Team has seen success this season as well, with a record of 10-5-4 overall. The team boasts a record of 7-1-2 in the Hockey East, good for second in the conference, behind the 7-0-3 Boston College Eagles.
With 15 games left in the regular season, the Friars still have two games to play against UNH on Jan. 19 and 20, who sit at third in the conference with a record of 5-3-3. The following weekend of Jan. 26 and 27 the women’s team faces the first place Eagles for a home-and-home. The Friars lost their only game against Boston College thus far back on Nov. 3 in a 7-4 decision.
This season’s early results already bring hope for a Friars team that put up an overall record of 17-17-3 in the 2016-17 campaign, finishing fourth in Hockey East with a record of 11-10-3.
This year Christina Putigna ‘19 and Cassidy MacPherson ‘19 lead the team in scoring with 17 points each. Maureen Murphy ‘21 leads the team in goals with 12. Look for these three to continue their point-producing ways as the team enters the back-half of the season.
Friars Go to Ireland
by The Cowl Editor on November 30, 2017
Friar Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
Last week, the Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team took a journey across the pond to participate in the 2017 Friendship Four Tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Over the course of their weeklong trip, the Friars toured Dublin, Ireland, as well as Belfast Northern Ireland, including Northern Ireland’s Parliament building and Crumlin Road Gaol, an old prison in Belfast.
The Friars also made a visit to Dondonald Primary school where Head Coach Nate Leaman addressed the student body and some players answered questions in classrooms. It was a great week for the team to engage in various community service opportunities as well as experience foreign cities’ culture and learn the history behind them. With last names like Foley, Kavanagh, and O’Neill on the Friars’ roster, the team’s Irish history is deeply rooted.
However, there was still business to be taken care of. In their first game of the tournament, which served as the tournament semifinal, the Friars took on the University of Maine Black Bears in a Hockey East tilt. From the start of the game, the Friars controlled the play. Although the team generated several key scoring opportunities in the first period, they were unable to capitalize until the final five minutes of the second frame, as Ryan Tait ’19 buried a wraparound feed from Bryan Lemos ’19 after a battle in the corner to set the Friars up 1-0.
From there, the Friars did not look back. Captain Brian Pinho ’18, who had been wreaking havoc all game in the offensive zone, finally struck the back of the net on a power play off a great look by Erik Foley ’19. Foley and Pinho have been impossible to stop together on the power play once they get time and space to set up.
Goaltender Hayden Hawkey ’19 impressed in this contest, steering aside all 24 shots he faced to preserve his second shutout of the season. This performance was essential to restore his confidence after being pulled at the start of the second period the weekend before against Merrimack College.
The game was finally put out of reach as Tait registered his second goal of the game on an empty net tally from a long pass from Jacob Bryson ’20, who impressed all weekend with his playmaking ability. The Friars 3-0 score would stand as they moved on to face the fifth ranked Clarkson University Golden Knights in the Friendship Four Championship Game.
In the Clarkson game, the Friars jumped out to an early lead off the stick of Foley, for his team leading seventh mark of the season. His line, along with Pinho and Brandon Duhaime ’20, played extremely well in this tournament, leading the Friars offensively. Duhaime was a nuisance for defensemen and goaltenders throughout the tournament, making his presence felt down low in the offensive zone, helping goal scorers like Foley and Pinho to find more opportunities.
However, the next four goals all belonged to Clarkson, as they beat Hawkey twice in the second period and twice more in the third. However, Duhaime’s hard work in the offensive zone finally paid off as he snuck one into the back of the net from right in front. This effort was too little too late as the Friars fell to the Golden Knights and Clarkson University was crowned 2017 Friendship Four Champions as they hoisted the Belpot Trophy.
Despite falling short in the championship game, the Friars still played their style of hockey. The top line provided most of the offense, and spent the majority of their time on ice in the offensive zone. On top of that, the entire roster played their role, all the way down to the physicality of the fourth line and a game one shut out from Hawkey. Although they did not come out on top, the ninth-ranked Friars took a step in the right direction as they look forward to a home-and-home series the weekend against the University of New Hampshire.
Men’s Hockey Looks to Light the Lamp this Season
by The Cowl Editor on September 15, 2017
Friar Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
One month until the puck drops in Ohio for the Friars’ 2017-2018 season opener against the Miami (OH) Redhawks. Two seasons removed from a National Championship, the once gritty, tough, and rugged Providence Friars have now evolved into a squad full of skillful offensive weapons and elusive skaters. Veteran leadership on defense was the story for the Friars last season, now they must rely on a younger, quicker group of players to get the job done. This year’s roster includes a rather young team bolstered by key returners and upperclassmen, potential breakout players, and a slew of new talent.
Senior captain Brian Pinho ’18 is one of those key returning players. Last year’s Lou Lamoriello award winner as the team’s Most Valuable Player led the Friars in both assists (28) and points (40). His offensive prowess is going to be heavily relied on as the Friars go up against great defenses and goaltenders this year. Erik Foley ’19 had 15 goals last year; good enough for the team lead. He and Josh Wilkins ’20, who had an explosive rookie season last year, are also key offensive players returning in the lineup who will aim to compliment Pinho and generate plenty offensive opportunities.
A veteran goaltender is one of the most coveted pieces to a college hockey lineup. The Friars have exactly that in Hayden Hawkey ’19. As a junior, Hawkey has a full season as a starter under his belt, as well as a year backing up Nick Ellis ’17, who had a record-breaking 2015-2016 season. Hawkey’s experience is extremely beneficial for the success of this team. His confidence and poise will be higher this season, which will prove to be dangerous for opponents.
This year could very well be the year of the Sophomore. Along with Wilkins, Kasper Björkqvist ’20, Brandon Duhaime ’20 and Jacob Bryson ’20 are expected to step into larger roles this season. Björkqvist and Duhaime, 2016 NHL Draft 2nd and 4th round picks respectively, experienced limited offensive roles last season. Known for their goal scoring ability, they should find themselves more comfortable and put together breakout seasons.
Bryson definitely impressed last season, earning himself a 4th round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft, but was unable to get out of the shadow cast by the veteran defensemen. The smooth skating, puck moving defensemen is going to see a huge increase in ice time this season. His playmaking ability is a great accent to the talented offense. However, he also has goal scoring ability with an extremely powerful slap shot.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the new season is welcoming the new faces to Friartown. Four defensemen, three forwards, and a goalie step in to replace the class of 2017 who graduated in the spring. Led by defensemen Ben Mirageas ’21, the 2017 3rd round NHL Draft pick is a talented two-way defenseman who will fill the void left by the departure of Jake Walman. Jake Ryczek ’21, a 2016 7th round draft pick, and Jeff Baum ’21 add to the depth of young, two-way defensemen. The Friars also acquired a 5th year transfer student from Princeton in Tommy Davis ’18. Davis is a great addition to add veteran experience to the young defensive group. Up front, Bailey Conger ’21, Jason O’Neill ’21, and Greg Printz ’21 add some size and skill to an offensive unit that could potentially be a top scoring offense in the country.
The Friars have an exciting year ahead, including a trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland for the Friendship Four Tournament and a visit to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the Three Rivers Classic. Is it October yet?