Hockey East "P-O-W" for Harper; SBN ranks BU recruit class #1

Photo by Matt Dewkett

Sophomore Patrick Harper’s three-point effort vs. Quinnipiac—2 goals and an assist on the overtime winner—earned Hockey East Player of the Week honors, just as he did the first week of the season a year ago.  Shane Bowers, who scored the overtime winner against the Bobcats, and Jake Oettinger—53 saves on 56 shots in his first two games—were named to the weekly list of top performers.

● HockeyEastOnline report

Poll story

Terriers remain at #2 in the USCHO Weekly poll, receiving five first place votes while Denver received the other 45 votes. BU also is #2 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll  and in ESPN’s John Buccigross’s “Cawlidgehawkey” Top Ten.

►SB Nation’s report on Sunday’s win against Quinnipiac looks at BU’s strong response to a physical opponent and a hostile environment, as well as “The Harper Show.”

● SB Nation: Terriers Show Bit in Overtime Victory

►In SB Nation’s Jeff Cox's ranking of the top 2017 recruiting classes in Division 1, BU occupies the top spot, followed by North Dakota, Denver, Massachusetts and Minnesota.

● SB Nation: BU Leads CHN Recruiting Rankings

Looking ahead

USA Today’s HometownLife.com reports on 10 NTDP U18 players expected to become impact college players and future NHLers, including BU 2018 recruit Joel Farabee, a projected first-round pick next June who racked up 50 points last year playing for the U17s and then for the U18s.

Joel Farabee, forward, U-18: Farabee moved up to the U-18 team during the 2016-17 season and will be called upon in myriad key situations. His future college hockey home is Boston University.

[Coach Seth] Appert’s take: “Joel is a 200-foot hockey player and a high-end competitor. He has the skill and creativity of an offensive player, combined with the toughness and blue-collar work ethic of a checking player. He also has the courage to score goals in high-traffic areas.”

● HometownLife Future NHLer on USA U18s

Four games into the NTDP U17s’ season, 2020 recruit Alex Vlasic (photo) is tied for the team lead in scoring with seven points (2G, 5A). The 6’5” blueliner, whose cousin, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, plays for the San Jose Sharks, has points in three of four games. Center Trevor Zegras, also a 2020 recruit, has six points (2G, 4A).

Looking back

After playing in the Bruins’ opening night win, Matt Grzelcyk is headed back to AHL Providence, as Tory Krug comes off the injured list.  Assessing the former Terrier captain’s game, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said:

“Good. Moved the puck. Stayed out of trouble. Good decisions with it. Defended well. No issues with it. No one enjoys going down, obviously, but he should be going down in a good frame of mind, knowing that he can play at this level.”

Women's Team

● Daily Free Press: Terriers fall to Northeastern in series.