BOSTON -- The Northeastern men's hockey team gets back to work on Monday afternoon when the Huskies battle No. 7/7 Boston College in the Beanpot consolation game at TD Garden.
Northeastern vs. Boston College in the Beanpot
Northeastern and Boston College will be meeting in the Beanpot for the sixth time in the last seven seasons, and 45th time in tournament history. The Eagles lead the series, 34-10, including victories against NU in three of the last six championship games. Monday marks the 18th time that the teams will meet in the consolation game, and first since 1998, with BC leading that series 13-4.
NU in the Beanpot consolation game
The Huskies are playing in the consolation game for the second straight season, and are 17-30 overall in the third place game. NU hasn't played in the consolation game in back-to-back seasons since 2012 and 2013.
Madigan and the Beanpot
Northeastern head coach
Jim Madigan played and coached in the Huskies' golden era of Beanpot success. Madigan has direct involvement with three of NU's four Beanpot championships, two as a student-athlete (1984, 1985) and one as an assistant coach (1988).
Madigan scored a goal in one of Northeastern's two victories over BU in the Beanpot, including the 4-3 victory on Feb. 8, 1983. Trailing 3-0, Madigan scored the Huskies' first goal, sparking a four-goal flurry for the win. As a head coach, Madigan is 3-5 in four seasons.
The all-time series with Boston College
The history between these storied rivals dates all the way back to their first matchup on Feb. 4, 1933, a game that Boston College won 8-6. With an all-time record of 49-165-16 against BC, Northeastern enters Monday's matchup looking to make up for lost ground. In their two regular season games this year, the Huskies went 0-2 against the Eagles: BC used a last-minute goal to top Northeastern 2-1 on November 29 before completing the series sweep with a 5-3 victory one week later at Conte Forum.
Scouting the Eagles
Boston College enters Monday's game atop the Hockey East standings with a 13-4-1 league record and 18-11-2 mark overall. The Eagles are coming off a pair of losses against Boston University's in the Beanpot semifinal before dropping a 6-3 contest to Merrimack on Friday night.
Senior Matthew Gaudreau leads the team in scoring with 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists), while Austin Cangelosi has 14 goals to lead the team. Freshman Joseph Woll has appeared in 25 games in goal, going 14-9-1 with a 2.60 GAA and .916 save percentage.
Recapping Friday's win against Massachusetts
The line of
Zach Aston-Reese (two goals, two assists),
John Stevens (three assists) and
Nolan Stevens (two goals) combined for nine points in their first game together in more than three months, leading Northeastern to a 6-2 victory against Massachusetts.
Northeastern was in control of the game from start to finish, and sprinted out to a 4-0 first period lead on goals from
Nolan Stevens, Sikura, Gaudette and Stevens again before Jake McLaughlin cut it to 4-1 with 1:20 to play in the period. After Griff Jeszka made it 4-2 less than three minutes into the second period, Aston-Reese went to work by potting a shorthanded goal and a power play goal to bring the NU lead back up to four through 40 minutes.
Ryan Ruck made 25 saves in goal for the Huskies while Ryan Wischow had eight stops before being replaced by Alex Wakaluk (23 saves). The NU power play was successful yet again, converting on two of its four chances while UMass was 0-of-1 on the PP.
Hobey hopefuls
Zach Aston-Reese and
Dylan Sikura, two of the highest scorers in the nation this season, have been named as candidates for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey.
Fans will have the opportunity to let their voices be heard during the Hobey Baker fan vote, which opened on Wednesday and runs through March 5. To cast your vote for either player, visit HobeyBaker.com/vote. Fans can vote once per day on all devices.
Aston-Reese, Gaudette nominated for Walter Brown
Adam Gaudette and
Zach Aston-Reese have been named finalists for the Walter Brown Award, an honor bestowed upon the best American-born men's college hockey player in New England each season.
Aston-Reese was named a semifinalist last season as a junior and his strong senior season has earned him another nomination for the prestigious award in 2017. Gaudette, meanwhile is a first-time nominee for the award and has caught the attention of the college hockey world with his play this season.
The oldest nationally recognized college hockey honor, the Walter Brown Award will be given out for the 65th time this year.
Stevens named candidate for Senior CLASS Award
Captain
John Stevens has been named a candidate for the Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) award, an honor given to senior student-athletes who excel in competition, community, character, and in the classroom.
"John is the epitome of what a captain is about in the characteristics he possesses," said head coach
Jim Madigan. "He's a quiet leader, and at times quiet leaders are the most effective because they only speak up when there's something important to say. He leads on and off the ice and is always doing the right things. As a person, he has high expectations for himself. He goes about his life trying to be the best he can be and getting better each day as a student, a person and an athlete."
In select company
Zach Aston-Reese's electric 2016-17 season is something rarely seen on Huntington Avenue. His 51 points are already more than 47 Huskies' leading scorers reached in an entire season in previous years, and the most points in a season since Harry Mews (59) in 1989-90.
Over the last five seasons in college hockey, only 38 Division I players have reached 50 points in a single-season. He's also just one of three players in the last five seasons to reach 50 points in less than 30 games (Kyle Connor in 2015-16 and Johnny Gaudreau in 2013-14).
In addition, Aston-Reese is the only player to score 21 goals in his first 21 games over the last five years.
Aston-Reese climbing up the ranks
Senior assistant captain
Zach Aston-Reese has been one of Northeastern's go-to players during his career on Huntington Avenue. He has 23 career power play goals, which is the second most in the nation among active players, while his 12 game-winning goals are tied for third in the country.
Overall, Aston-Reese has 136 points (59 goals, 77 assists) in 136 career games, which ranks fourth in career scoring among active skaters nationally. He also became the 25th player in team history to reach 125 points earlier this season, and is currently 24th in career scoring at Northeastern.
Aston-Reese is the quickest Husky to reach 30 points in season (18 games) in the last 20 years.
Approaching the half century mark
Zach Aston-Reese became just the 20th player in program history to record 50 points in a season last Friday against UMass, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since Harry Mews during the 1989-90 season.
Dylan Sikura is hot on his heels, only two away from 50 points. The last time Northeastern had two players with 50 points was during the 1985-86 season when Jay Heinbuck and Rod Isbister tallied 70 and 56 points, respectively.
And should
Adam Gaudette reach 50? Only twice in the 85 years of Northeastern hockey have the Huskies had three players record at least 50 points in a season (1974-75 and 1975-76). The last time it happened: Jim Martel (66), Dave Sherlock (61) and Charlie Huck (51) during the 1975-76 season.
Filling the net
Zach Aston-Reese has been scoring goals at an alarming rate this season, and is either tied for or has the outright lead among all skaters in the nation in total goals (24), shorthanded goals (four), games with 2+ goals (six) and hat tricks (two)
His 24 goals are already the most for a Husky since Mike Ryan in 2001-02, while his 12 power play goals are the most for a Husky since J.F. Aube scored 13 in 1994-94. The school record for power play goals in a season is 14, held by Rod Isbister in 1984-85.
He also tied the school record of four shorthanded goals in a season last Friday, held by Bryan Esner (2006-07) and Randy Bucyk (1982-83).
He is also one of just seven Huskies to score 20 in a season since 2000:
•
Zach Aston-Reese (21) in 2016-17
•
Nolan Stevens (20) in 2015-16
• Braden Pimm (20) in 2013-14
• Wade MacLeod (22) in 2010-11
• Ryan Ginand (20) in 2008-09
• Chris Lynch (20) in 2001-02
• Mike Ryan (24) in 2001-02
40/40/40 Club
While
Zach Aston-Reese and
Dylan Sikura have given the Huskies a pair of 40-point scorers for the second time in as many seasons, having three skaters reach 40 points is much rarer.
Enter
Adam Gaudette. His 20 goals and 24 assists give Northeastern three 40-point scorers for just the 12th time in program history, and first since the 1993-94 season (Mike Taylor, Jordon Shields, J.F. Aube).
Talented triumvirate
Zach Aston-Reese (24 goals, 27 assists),
Dylan Sikura (18 goals, 30 assists) and
Adam Gaudette (20 goals, 24 assists) are all enjoying breakouts seasons, ranking in the top-seven in the nation in scoring.
Aston-Reese had hat tricks in consecutive games on Dec. 18 and Dec. 30, and is one of two players in the nation (T.J. Moore, Holy Cross) to record a hat trick in two straight games, and one of only six players in the country with multiple hat tricks this season.
The trio makes Northeastern the only team in the nation to have at least three skaters with 40 points or more. The three have also combined to make up half of the Huskies' total scoring this season.
Sikura named Warrior Player of the Month
For the first time in his career, junior
Dylan Sikura has been named the Warrior Player of the Month. Sikura was tied for first in the nation with 15 points in eight games during January on six goals and nine assists.
His 1.88 points per game average led the country, as well as his eight points on the power play. Sikura closed the month with five-straight multi-point games, including three three-point nights, the most in the nation during January.
It just comes natural
Dylan Sikura is fifth in the country with 48 points this season, and tied for second in the nation with 30 assists in his first 29 games. On Friday, he became the 25th player in team history to record 30 assists in a season, and first since Jason Guerriero in 2004-05.
The Aurora, Ontario native has at least one point in 24 of the team's 29 games this season. His 18 goals and 48 points in just 29 games are already more than his total from all of last season (36 games).
On Jan. 27 at UMass Lowell, he scored three goals in the final 7:19 of regulation to lead the Huskies to a come-from-behind win, becoming the first Husky since Cody Ferriero on Dec. 29, 2012 at Harvard to score three goals in a period. The only other time it's happened since in the last 12 years was on Nov. 4, 2005 (Ryan Ginand vs. New Hampshire).
Sikura's third period performance was also the first natural hat trick for a Husky since
Kevin Roy against Connecticut on Feb. 13, 2015. It's the fourth time that's happened since 2012 (Cody Ferriero, twice; Jan. 27, 2012 at Vermont and Dec. 29, 2012 at Harvard).
Good Gaud
Sophomore
Adam Gaudette has been one of the top players in the nation this season, recording 20 goals and 24 assists in his first 28 games. It took him 41 games to reach 30 points last season. The Braintree, Mass. native had a five-game goal scoring streak earlier this season, the longest of his career.
Gaudette's goal on Friday against UMass gave the Huskies a pair of 20-goal scorers in the same season since 2001-02 season when Chris Lynch (20) and Mike Ryan (24) accomplished the feat.
Most of Gaudette's damage this season has been done at home, where he's recorded 26 of his 44 points (11 goals, 15 assists). It's tied for the second highest home point total in the nation this season with teammates Aston-Reese and Sikura.
Veterans carrying the load
Northeastern, with 14 juniors and seniors on the roster, is tied for the ninth most upperclassmen on NCAA rosters this season. The two classes have combined for 172 points (61 goals, 111 assists) in the team's 29 games, which is fifth in the country. The 61 goals rank sixth in the nation while the 111 helpers are fifth.
The straw that stirs the drink
While
Zach Aston-Reese,
Dylan Sikura and
Adam Gaudette have received most of the praise for their work in 2016-17, it's been the under the radar play of captain
John Stevens that has resulted in much of their success. Stevens provides the defensive work that allows the Huskies to transition up ice and has a strong ability to maintain puck possession in the attacking zone to distribute the puck to his linemates for scoring chances.
Stevens is averaging one point per game in a season that forced him to miss 10 games due to an upper body injury. He's also approaching 100 career points, and has 24 goals and 75 assists in 132 career games. Stevens has also reached that total without ever having recorded a multi-goal game in his collegiate career.
If he were to reach the century mark, it would be the first time since 2010-11 (Wade MacLeod and Tyler McNeely) that two Huskies reached 100 points in the same season.
Power up
NU is averaging 5.55 power play opportunities per game this season, the second highest in the nation, and have cashed in 45 times, the most in the country. Their two power play strikes on Feb. 3 gave Northeastern at least 40 goals on the man advantage for the first time since the 2001-02 season.
Northeastern has also recorded at last one power play tally in the last 18 games.
Eleven different Huskies have found the back of the net on the man advantage, including a team-high 13 from
Adam Gaudette, tied for the most in the nation, as well as 12 from
Zach Aston-Reese.
The 25 combined PPG between the two are equal to or more than 29 teams have total this season. The school record for most power play goals in a season is 14, held by Rod Isbister in 1984-85.
Cockerill keeping up
Junior
Garret Cockerill plays in all situations for Northeastern, and is one of the team leaders in time on ice per game. This year, though, the Brighton, Mich. native has continued to chip in at the offensive end of the ice, and is fourth on the team with 27 points (six goals, 21 assists), a new career high and the most points for a Northeastern defenseman since Jim Fahey in 2001-02.
His 0.93 points per game are fourth in the nation, and third in Hockey East, among defensemen.
Get in front of it
A contributing factor to Northeastern's low shots against total has been the shot blocking abilities of the skaters in front of their own net. NU has blocked 449 shots in 29 games, a 15.48 average that ranks fifth in the nation.
Garret Cockerill, meanwhile, leads the team with 64 blocks and an average of 2.21 that is 15th in the country and second in Hockey East. He had a career-high six blocks against New Hampshire at Fenway Park on Jan. 14.
Killing it on the PK
The Northeastern penalty killing unit has been hard at work this year, going 112-of-133 so far this season. Its 84.2% success rate is tied for 20th in the nation and sixth in Hockey East this season, and has held opponents to one goal or fewer on the man advantage in 25-of-29 games this year.
At this point last year, the Huskies were 41st in the nation in penalty killing percentage (81-of-100; 81%).
Tough after two
Opponents who find themselves down to the Huskies through two periods of play haven't fared well in recent years. Over the last four seasons, Northeastern is 51-4-3 (.905) when leading after 40 minutes, including a 9-1-0 mark in 2016-17.
