BOSTON --Â Entering the final month of the regular season, the No. 11/11 Northeastern men's ice hockey team looks to pick up two crucial points in the Hockey East standings on Friday night when the Huskies host Massachusetts at Matthews Arena for a 7 p.m. puck drop.
NU comes into Friday's game tied with UMass Lowell for second place in the league standings with 17 points (8-5-1), and has just six conference contests remaining. Friday will also be the first of two meetings with the Minutemen in the next two weeks with Hockey East points on the line. NU will make the return trip to the Mullins Center next Saturday.
The Huskies are coming off a 6-0 victory against Harvard on Monday in the semifinals of the 62nd annual Beanpot Tournament at the TD Garden. Northeastern advanced to the championship game for the third time in the last three seasons, and 16th time overall, and will take on No. 2 Boston College on Monday night at 7:30 p.m.
Sophomore forward
Kevin Roy has been a steady point producer for NU in 2013-14, leading the team with 15 goals and 18 assists. He is one of 25 players in the nation with at least 30 points this season, and is the first Husky to record 30 points in back-to-back seasons since Wade MacLeod (2009-10 and 2010-11).
Roy has recorded at least one point in 22 of Northeastern's 27 games this season, tied for the fourth most in the country. NU is 15-4-3 when he records a point, and 9-1-1 when he scores a goal.
Redshirt junior goaltender
Clay Witt has emerged as one of the top goaltenders in the nation this season, earning the start in 15 of Northeastern's last 16 games. The Brandon, Fla. native, who was named a Walter Brown Award semifinalist on Monday, leads the nation with a .945 save percentage, and is one of eight goaltenders in the nation with a goals against average below 2.00 (1.94).
Witt's 14 victories this season are tied for ninth on the Northeastern single-season record list, while his four shutouts are tied for third in the NU record books and tied for second in the country this season.
A win against Massachusetts would …
• Be NU's 891st victory all-time, and 270th Hockey East win.
• Give the Huskies seven wins at Matthews Arena this season, the most since the 2009-10 season (nine).
• Be NU's 17th win of the season, the most for the team since the 2008-09 season (25-12-4).
• Extend Northeastern's winning streak against UMass to three games, the longest since 2011.
• Send NU into the second Beanpot game with a win for the 28th time, and fifth time in the last six games.
Last time out
Clay Witt turned aside all 27 Harvard shots as Northeastern advanced to the 2014 Beanpot championship game with a decisive 6-0 victory over the Crimson on Monday at TD Garden.
Mike Szmatula had a goal and two assists to pace six multi-point scorers for the Huskies, who advanced to the Beanpot title game for the third time in the last four years.
Kevin Roy,
Braden Pimm,
Dalen Hedges and
Colton Saucerman each recorded a goal and an assist, freshman
John Stevens tacked on a pair of helpers.
The Huskies went 3-for-10 on the power play in a penalty-filled game that featured 31 infractions and 76 total penalty minutes. Northeastern killed off all seven Harvard power plays and outshot the Crimson (6-12-3) by a 38-27 count.
Getting hot at the right time
Already more than halfway through its conference schedule, Northeastern has picked up victories when it's needed them most so far this season. The Huskies are 7-1-1 in their last nine Hockey East games. Prior to a loss at Notre Dame on Jan. 25, it was their best stretch (7-0-1) since the 1999-00 season (5-0-3).
NU is currently in a tie for second place in the conference standings with 17 points (8-5-1), and is looking to secure a top-five finish and earn a first-round bye in the Hockey East playoffs.
Trap game?
With the battle for Boston's bragging rights on the horizon, the Huskies haven't had too much trouble focusing on the task at hand. Northeastern is 27-22-2 all-time (.549) in games immediately preceding the second night of the Beanpot, including a 4-1-0 mark in the last five.
Offensive explosion
Monday's win against Harvard saw the Huskies score at least six goals for the fourth time this season. It's the first time since the 1997-98 season that NU has recorded at least six goals in four games.
Northeastern opened the season with a 9-1 win against Alabama-Huntsville before also accomplishing the feat at St. Lawrence on Oct. 25 (W, 6-3), at Dartmouth on Dec. 30 (T, 8-8) and vs. Harvard on Feb. 3 (W, 6-0).
Overall, the Huskies are seventh in the nation with 91 goals this season (third in Hockey East), while their 3.37 goals per game is 10th in the country.
Shut down defense
The Northeastern defense has made a point to tighten up in its own zone against conference opponents this season. NU is tied for seventh in the country with just 29 goals against in league tilts this year, which is tied for the fewest in Hockey East. It's 2.07 goals against average, meanwhile, is tied for third in the country.
Between the pipes,
Clay Witt has a 1.87 goals against average in conference games and a .953 save percentage that leads the nation. Three of Witt's four shutouts, meanwhile, have come against Hockey East squads.
Help me, help you
Mike Szmatula is tied for 14th in the nation with 20 assists this season, and also tied for the nation's lead in assists among rookie skaters (David Norris, American International). Szmatula is the first Husky since Wade MacLeod in 2007-08 to record at least 20 helpers in his freshman campaign.
Szmatula has recorded multi-assist games six times this season, highlighted by a three-assist night against Alabama-Huntsville on opening night. NU is 9-3-1 this season when he records an assist.
At Witt's end
Prior to taking the ice for the Beanpot semifinal on Monday,
Clay Witt was named a semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award, which is given to the top American hockey player in New England. Witt is one of eight Hockey East players and two goaltenders included on the list.
The Brandon, Fla. native was also named the 'Stop It' Goaltender of the Month after leading NU to a 5-2-0 mark in January. He posted a 1.87 goals against average and .950 save percentage during the month, made at least 35 saves in three games and recorded one shutout.
Witt has appeared in 22 games for the Huskies so far this season, posting a 14-6-2 record and a .945 save percentage that leads the nation. His 1.94 goals against average, meanwhile, is fourth in the league and seventh in the country.
He is now tied for ninth on the NU single-season record list for wins in a season (14). His four shutouts are tied for second in the country, second in Hockey East, and tied for third on the NU record list with Brad Thiessen (2006-07).
30/30
Sophomore forward
Kevin Roy reached the 30-point plateau for the second straight season last weekend against Vermont. The Lac-Beauport, Quebec native leads the team with 15 goals and 18 assists, and is the first Husky since Wade MacLeod (2009-10, 2010-11) to log at least 30 points in consecutive seasons.
Should Roy finish the season as the team's leading scorer, it would mark the 18th time in program history that a player has led the team in scoring in consecutive seasons, and the first to do it in his first two seasons with the team since Les Chaisson in 1970-71 and 1971-72.
On Nov. 22, Roy became the 56th player in program history to record at least 50 points in their first two seasons in college hockey, and first since Wade MacLeod and Tyler McNeely in 2008-09. The Huskies are 14-4-3 when he tallies a point, and 8-1-1 when he scores a goal.
Poll position
Winners of six of their last eight games, the Huskies came in at No. 11 in the USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll this week. The Huskies are one of eight Hockey East squads either ranked or receiving votes.
Northeastern has been ranked in each of the last nine USCHO.com polls, and has been either ranked or receiving votes for 16 straight weeks dating back to Oct. 14, 2013. The Huskies are also No. 11 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine top 15 poll this week.
Against the best
Northeastern hasn't been afraid to take on the nation's top teams this season, having squared off against anked opponents in six of its last seven games. So far this season, the Huskies are 6-4-1 against teams ranked in the top-20 of the USCHO.com poll. All of those games have come against teams from Hockey East.
Huskies for Hobey
NU's
Kevin Roy and
Clay Witt are two of 68 players nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, which honors an elite NCAA men's ice hockey player who exhibits both athletic talent and strong sportsmanship.
Roy currently leads the team offensively with 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) and is tied for 12th place nationally among top scoring leaders. He has averaged 1.22 points per game through 27 games so far this season and was named the Warrior Hockey Player of the Week twice (Dec. 23 and Oct. 14) while also earning the title of National Player of the Month in October.
In goal, Witt has backstopped 22 games for the Huskies while posting a 1.94 goals against average and a .945 save percentage, good for first in the nation. He earned the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week accolade four times this season and has made a total of 745 saves this season (third in the country).
Reid into that
Junior forward
Adam Reid has proven himself to be a second half threat for the Huskies in his two-plus seasons. Reid has 12 goals and seven assists in 47 games after the Christmas break, compared to a five-goal and seven-assist mark in 47 games before the holidays.
Pimm earns the 'A'
Prior to the Huskies' Citi Frozen Fenway 2014 game against UMass Lowell, NU head coach
Jim Madigan announced that senior
Braden Pimm has been named an assistant captain. Pimm earned the 'A' for his leadership both on an off the ice. Pimm joins captain
Josh Manson and assistant captains
Dax Lauwers and
Adam Reid who will wear letters for Northeastern for the remainder of the season.
Pimm is third on the team with 16 goals and 11 assists this season, which is good for a tie for 10th in Hockey East. Nine of Pimm's 16 goals this season have come in special teams situations (seven power play goals, two shorthanded goals), which is tied for the fourth most special teams tallies in the nation. Pimm's seven power play goals, meanwhile, are tied for seventh in the country and tops in Hockey East. Pimm has more than doubled his goal total from a season ago after posting six goals and 11 assists as a junior last season.
Head of the class
The Northeastern rookie class has tallied 31 goals and 75 assists in 27 games this season, leading the nation in points for a freshman class. Eight different NU rookies have tallied a point this season. Freshman
Mike Szmatula is second on the team with 31 points this season (11 goals, 20 assists), and is third in the nation in rookie scoring with 1.15 points per game. He is also one of just three rookies to have at least 30 points this season. If Szmatula finishes the year first on the team in scoring, it would mark the third straight season that a freshman has led NU in scoring (
Ludwig Karlsson in 2011-12,
Kevin Roy in 2012-13).
Five Huskies have tallied at least 10 points this season (Szmatula, 11-20-31; Hedges, 8-14-22; Stevens, 5-13-18; Aston-Reese, 4-9-13; Benning, 3-10-13), making NU one of two schools in the nation (Boston College) to have five rookies with double-digit points. The NU rookies have also tallied eight game-winning goals this season, the most in the nation.
Point men
Three Northeastern defensemen have consistently jumped into the offensive attack this season for the Huskies marking the first time since the 2010-11 season, and third time in the last decade, that NU has had three blueliners with double-digit points.
Colton Saucerman (4-11-15) is tied for eighth in the conference in points per game among defensemen (0.56) while
Matt Benning (3-10-13) and
Josh Manson (3-7-10) have also had strong seasons from the point.
Get in front of it
Dax Lauwers leads the team with 53 blocked shots this season, which is tied for fifth in the league and tied for 19th in the nation, highlighted by a season-high eight blocks against Providence on Dec. 6.
Cardiac canines
NU has made a habit of doing their damage in the third period this season, scoring 34 of its 91 goals in the final 20 minutes of play. NU is tied for sixth in the country in third period goals. The Huskies have also made use of pulling the goaltender this year, and lead the nation with five goals with the extra attacker, highlighted by two at Dartmouth on Dec. 30 to force overtime.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner
Northeastern has had several skaters step up when the team has needed them most in 2013-14, with 11 different players recording game-winning goals for the first time since the 2008-09 season and tied for the second most in the country. NU is one of five teams in the country to have at least 11 players with game-winners, and is tied with Minnesota, UMass Lowell and Wisconsin for second behind Ferris State.
Four of freshman
Dalen Hedges' eight goals this season have proven to be game-winners, which is tied for third in Hockey East. Hedges also leads all rookies in game-winning tallies, and bested
Kevin Roy's 2012-13 team-leading total on Monday against Harvard. It's the most game-winning goals for a NU freshman since Mike Ryan in 2000-01.
Killing it on the PK
Despite being seventh in the country and first in Hockey East with 15.7 penalty minutes per game, the Northeastern penalty killing unit has stepped up its play in recent weeks. In the last 15 games, NU has killed off 64-of-72 penalties (88.9%), which is tied for fourth in the country in that span. The Huskies have also been shorthanded 143 times this season, tied with Western Michigan for the most in the country.
Powerful power play
The Northeastern power play unit has also come into its own in recent weeks, netting nine goals on the man advantage in its last nine games, including three on Monday. NU is 26-of-138 on the power play this season, and is one of 14 teams in the country with at least 25 conversions on the power play. The Huskies have worked hard to draw penalties throughout the season, as well, and they are one of seven teams to have at least 130 power play attempts this season.
Senior
Braden Pimm has been the go-to player for power play goals this season for NU. He is one of 14 skaters in the country with at least seven power play goals, which is tied for seventh in the nation and tops in Hockey East.
Filling the net
While head coach
Jim Madigan has shuffled the lineup a bit so far this season, one line of Huskies has remained intact.
Kevin Roy,
John Stevens and
Braden Pimm have been grouped together on the same line in 23 of NU's 27 games this year, totaling 36 goals and 38 assists along with a combined +20 rating. The Huskies are 15-6-3 when the trio skates together.
Rookies in the middle
The Huskies have relied on its freshman class to produce at the face-off dot all season, with a rookie serving as the primary center on all four of their lines.
John Stevens has won 51.2% of his face-offs this season, going 260-of-508. He is one of four freshmen in the nation in the top 30 in face-off victories.Â
Mike Szmatula (234-of-522; 44.8%),
Dalen Hedges (229-of-415; 55.2%) and
Tanner Pond (92-of-189; 49.7%) make NU the only team in the country to have four freshmen who have taken at least 100 face-offs this season.
As a team, NU is 941-of-1922, which is ninth in the nation and third in Hockey East.
Lending a helping hand
Northeastern has tallied 151 assists through 27 games this season, which is 11th in the country and third in Hockey East, sparked by 20 helpers from freshman
Mike Szmatula (tied for 14th in the nation). Szmatula, who is tied for the nation's lead in assists among rookie skaters, has an assist in 13 of the team's 27 games this season, including six games with multi-assist efforts.
Hello, my name is …
Northeastern houses 12 freshmen (eight forwards, three defensemen, one goaltender) on its 2013-14 roster, which is the most in Hockey East and tied with Sacred Heart for the most rookies in the nation.Â
Nine freshmen have seen playing time so far this season, and have accounted for 31 goals and 75 assists, which is 43.8% of Northeastern's total scoring.
Oh brother
Northeastern's 28-man roster features two sets of brothers in Cody and
Nathan Ferriero, as well as Derick and
Kevin Roy. The Huskies are one of just two teams in the nation to have two pairs of brothers on its roster, joining Quinnipiac's Connor and Tim Clifton and Conner and Kellen Jones.
Show dogs
Northeastern has four NHL draft picks on this year's squad. Sophomore
Kevin Roy is NU's highest draft pick after the Anaheim Ducks took him in the fourth round (97th overall) last year. San Jose selected senior
Cody Ferriero in the fifth round (127th) in 2010 while junior
Josh Manson was an Anaheim sixth rounder (160th) in 2011. Newcomer
Matt Benning was selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round (175th) at the 2012 Entry Draft.
Poile named General Manager of U.S. Olympic Team
Alumnus David Poile has been named general manager of the 2014 United States Olympic men's hockey team, USA Hockey announced on Jun. 28.
"Being chosen for this position is a tremendous honor," said Poile. "When you get to represent your country, it's a special feeling. I look forward to working with our management team in fulfilling our ultimate goal of bringing home the gold medal."
Poile, currently the general manager of the NHL's Nashville Predators, played three seasons of varsity hockey at Northeastern from 1967 to 1970. He is 26th on the Northeastern all-time scoring list with 118 points, and he still holds the program record for hat tricks with 11. He was inducted into the Northeastern Hall of Fame in 1987.
"We couldn't be more pleased than to have David as our general manager," said Ron DeGregorio president of USA Hockey. "He continues to have a remarkable management career in the National Hockey League and the vast experience and expertise he brings to the table will serve us well in our goal to bring the gold medal back to the United States."
Hang out with the Huskies
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The road ahead
The Huskies will be back in action on Monday when Northeastern battles No. 2 Boston College in the Beanpot championship game at 7:30 p.m. The game will be aired live on NESN. The Eagles have taken both meetings with the Huskies this season.
