As the weeks pass, only one thing remains consistent throughout Hockey East this season.
There is no clear-cut favorite.
This week’s action saw a slew of upsets and close calls across the nation, and this season feels like any team could truly win any game, as the parity this year has been immaculate.
No. 6 Maine came into Amherst to face No. 13 UMass with the hope that a good weekend could help them pull away from the rest of the conference in the rankings, but instead they’d split the series, with both teams winning their respective games by four goals.
Maine won 6-2 Thursday night, in a game where they thoroughly dominated the Minutemen. Carolina Hurricanes prospect Josh Nadeau had a hat trick in a four-point game.
Friday was much closer in terms of shots, and UMass managed to shut out the Black Bears.
Maine fell two spots, while UMass continues to inch toward a top 10 spot.
Concerns about Boston University continue to grow, as the No. 12 Terriers were closely contested by Merrimack in a home-and-home. Though BU took both games, it took overtime in game one and was a 5-4 finish in game two, with the Warriors outshooting Boston both nights.
Merrimack continues to creep toward the rankings with consistent quality performances, while BU fell a spot due to their performance.
No. 18 Boston College travelled to Vermont for a weekend series, looking to snap a three-game losing streak.
The Eagles won game one on a goal by Landan Resendes with a minute thirty left in regulation to finish 2-1 and BC would take Saturday’s game 5-0.
For the Eagles, this helps them hang around in the rankings, while the Catamounts remain at the bottom of the Hockey East standings.
New Hampshire and UMass Lowell embarked in a home-and-home series, which saw the away team take both games.
Wildcats’ netminder Kyle Chauvette had a polarizing weekend, with a 22-save shutout on Friday and allowing 6 goals on 22 shots, being the main reason for both games’ outcomes.
No. 14 Northeastern hosted Stonehill, who has been one of the worst teams in the country thus far.
Stonehill outshot Northeastern 36-20 on Friday and Northeastern only outshot Stonehill 30-27 Saturday. Despite this, Northeastern won both games by scores of 2-0 and 4-2 respectively.
The common denominator across all of Northeastern’s wins has been goaltender Lawton Zacher, currently sitting at a .956 SV% and a +12.82 goals saved above expected, according to College Hockey News. Nobody else is at 10 yet.
Zacher is currently the clear frontrunner for the Mike Richter award, given to the best D1 goalie every year. But if he keeps this incredible play up, there’s a real chance Zacher may be in Hobey Baker conversations as the top player in the nation, something only three goalies have done in the 44 years of the award.
No. 15 Providence and No. 11 UConn went head-to-head in a home-and-home set.
The Friars took game one by a score of 4-1 where shots were similar, but Philip Svedebäck was the better goalie on the night.
In Providence, UConn found themselves down 2-0 after two periods of play. They scored one and with the net empty and under two minutes to play, Ryan Tattle scored to tie things up and eventually send the game to OT, where Trey Scott would win it for the Huskies.
UConn dropped to 14 and the Friars stayed where they were.
The space between the top teams is becoming even tighter, and every time it seems like a team is making their claim as the best of the conference, something derails that belief.
This week, UMass Lowell and New Hampshire will alternate playing Union and RPI, with all games being on the road.
No. 13 Boston University will play a lone game against No. 10 Quinnipiac on Saturday as the Terriers look to prove themselves as the top dogs. .
There’ll be some Husky versus Husky action, as No. 11 Northeastern and No. 14 UConn play a home-and-home series between two of the top goalies in the country.
Vermont will head to No. 8 Maine for a two-game set.
No. 12 UMass Amherst and No. 18 Boston College play an intra-Massachusetts home-and-home this weekend.
No. 15 Providence and Merrimack will also play a home-and-home, with the Warriors potentially on the verge of receiving some votes in the polls.