Team USA takes on Belarus; Bellows hat trick leads Sioux Falls to USHL finals

Jack Eichel, Nick Bonino and Team USA will look for their fourth win in the IIHF World Championships on Thursday against Belarus in a game set for 10:15 a.m. The game, in Ostrava, Czech Republic, will air on NBC SN and be streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra.

Eichel tallied his first point of the tournament in Team USA’s 4-2 win over Russia.

● Eichel highlights

● Eichel interview with ESPN’s Craig Custance

► After visiting several NHL teams, free agent Matt O’Connor has reportedly narrowed his choices to Vancouver, Ottawa and the New York Rangers.

►Daily Free Press: Top BU Hockey photos of the season

Looking ahead

USA Hockey feature story on 2015 recruit Charlie McAvoy who led all NTDP U18 defensemen in points with 40 (7G, 33A). The Long Island native, who was paired with 2016 recruiting target Chad Krys on the top defensive unit in the World U18 championships, has been projected as a late 1^st round or early 2^nd round pick in the 2016 NHL draft. Discussing his commitment to BU, he said:

“The coaching staff is great. I have been told that I will never play for a better coach than David Quinn. Everyone I had spoken to about him speaks very highly of him. He was a defenseman, and I’m a defenseman. Development is huge. It was a no brainer.”

Last Word on Sports draft profile of 2015 recruit Jordan Greenway.

2016 recruit Kieffer Bellows tallied his fourth hat trick of the season as Sioux Falls defeated Tri-City, 7-3, to eliminate the Storm in the USHL semifinals. The Stampede will play Muskegon in the Clark Cup finals. Bellows, who scored 33 regular-season goals, now has six in the playoffs.

● Recap and video

● Bellows stats

2018 recruit Logan Cockerill was drafted by the Lincoln Stars in the USHL Phase 1 draft, being selected 18^th overall. SBN’s Jeff Cox reported:

Logan Cockerill, Detroit Belle Tire U16, Shoots Left, 5-8/155, 3/3/99 (Boston University) - He was a kid this observer first noticed at last summer's Select 15 Festival. He had good hands, skated well and exuded confidence with the puck. However, it didn't look as if his skill set was high end. Fast forward eight months and the Brighton, Mich. native took the Beantown Spring Classic Pre-Draft Division by storm. He was the talk of the division. He was flying all over the ice, distributing the puck and finishing. BU assistant coach Albie O'Connell spent a good amount of time watching Cockerill, who committed to the Terriers just a few days after leaving Marlborough.