Last Monday night, Boston College won its fifth straight Beanpot. But that wasn’t the only trophy the Eagles received last week. That leads off the three things I learned this week:
1. Boston College clinches regular-season title
So it seems a little bit early in the calendar, but the Hockey East regular season trophy is already decided. Boston College put together such an impressive regular season run in league play, just a single loss to date, that the Eagles are on pace for a record-setting Hockey East season. Should the Eagles win the remainder of its games, it will tie Maine’s campaign from 1992-93 for the least losses in league play. That Maine team went 22-1-1 in league play. BC is on pace to be able to post an 18-1-1 mark this season.
2. River Hawks reach 20 for third straight season
Plenty has been made of what Massachusetts-Lowell head coach Norm Bazin has done to turn around the River Hawks program. Last Friday, his team reached another significant milestone, beating Massachusetts to earn the team’s 20th victory of the season. It’s the first time in the school’s program history that the club has put forth 20 wins in three straight seasons, definitely deserving of a tip of the cap.
And by the way, if you missed how Lowell earned that victory over the Minutemen, it is worth it to take a second and watch the dramatic ending. You can do so by clicking here.
3. Three-point weekend brings Notre Dame into the thick of things
All season, folks have been waiting for Notre Dame to make some sort of move up the Hockey East standings. Well, three points on the road at Providence did just that as the Irish are now in the thick of the key Hockey East playoff races. Notre Dame still sits in seventh place with 14 points. But they are just two points behind sixth-place Providence and four points in back of fifth-place New Hampshire, one of the enviable places in the standings as the top five teams will avoid a first-round play-in game. It’s still an uphill climb for the Irish with only three games remaining (Providence has a game-in-hand on Notre Dame, a distinct advantage). If anything, Notre Dame’s successful weekend has put the team in solid position to remain at home in the opening round, now sitting three points ahead of ninth place Massachusetts.
