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Puck drop for BU’s 2018-19 campaign is more than three weeks away but prediction season is underway. TheHockeyWriters.com offers its preseason prediction for Hockey East and has pegged the defending conference tournament champion Terriers at #3 behind BC and Providence.

● Thehockeywriters.com report

Looking ahead

2020 recruit Luke Tuch scored on a breakaway at 1:40 of overtime to give the NTDP U17s a 4-3 win over the Johnstown Tomahawks and Team USA’s first victory of the season. The 6’1” power forward from Baldwinsville, NY scored 62 points last season for the Junior Sabres 16Us.

● USA Hockey recap

2021 recruits Danil Zhilkin and Roman Schmidt (with trophy) were among the top scorers at the Toronto Titans Early Bird Tournament. Toronto Marlboros forward Zhilkin was fourth with 12 points (9G, 3A) in six games, while Schmidt, a defenseman for tournament champion Don Mills Flyers Minor Midget AAA, was seventh—and top-scoring blueliner—with 10 points (6G, 4A) in eight games. Commenting on the 6’4” Schmidt, TheScout.ca tweeted:

It was easy to see why too. Has an impressive knack for getting his point shot to the net, doing so as well as any defenseman in recent years. Gets his wrister off very quickly from any position with threatening, effortless velocity.

Looking back

The Bruins leave today for China where they’ll play a pair of exhibition games against Calgary. Former Terrier All-American Charlie McAvoy is looking forward to visiting The Great Wall, but more importantly hopes the trip will prove a bonding experience for the team.

● NHL.com report

Jordan Greenway, who played 11 games with Minnesota last Spring, is skating in the Traverse City prospect tournament and intent on making the Wild’s roster.

● NHL.com report

Entering his second full pro season, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson is taking aim at the Bruins’ third-line center slot. Former Daily Free Press writer Conor Ryan assesses his prospects.

● MassLive.com report

John MacLeod has signed a one-year contract with AHL Hershey. With his signing, all six seniors from last year’s Terrier squad have turned pro. The others are:

Brandon Hickey Buffalo

Brien Diffley Wheeling ECHL

Nikolas Olsson Adirondeck ECHL

Chase Phelps Ft. Wayne ECHL

Drew Melanson Hartford AHL

Women’s Team

With all-everything forward Victoria Bach gone to graduation, Boston U. returns virtually everyone on defense in hopes of making a run in Hockey East.#NCAAWHockeypreview pic.twitter.com/iGVaY26otm

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) September 6, 2018

Sophomore Jesse Compher has been invited to the 2018 U.S. Women’s National Team evaluation camp set for September 13-17. Compher scored 26 points as a freshman and was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

● GoTerriers.com report