Monday, November 24, 2025

UPDATED: Defender of the Week for McCarthy; Poll Story; SNL; Early & Often Greer; Goaltender of the Week for Pietersen

 

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Terrier captain Gavin McCarthy's standout efforts against Northeastern have earned Hockey East's Defender of the Week honors. A third-round selection by Buffalo in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, McCarthy led all conference skaters with eight blocks and was +3. He assisted on both of his defense partner Cole Hutson's goals in Saturday's win, out-muscling two Huskies to send Hutson away for the game-winner.

For the season, he leads all Terriers with +10 and has a 2-4-6 scoring line with a team-high 23 blocks. Earlier in the month, McCarthy was rostered to the U.S. Collegiate Selects squad that will compete for the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland from Dec. 25-31.

● GoTerriers.com McCarthy Named Hockey East Defender of the Week

Two Terriers were named to Hockey East's Weekly Top Performers list: 

Cole Hutson, BU (So., D; Chicago, Ill.) Had two goals in a weekend series with Northeastern. Hutson potted both of his goals in Saturday night’s 4-3 overtime win over the Huskies, including the overtime strike. Hutson also blocked four shots. 
He was the only Hockey East defenseman to score two goals over the weekend.

Jonathan Morello, BU (Fr., F; Toronto, Ont.) Registered one point on one goal in a weekend series with Northeastern. He scored BU’s sixth shorthanded goal of the season in Saturday’s win. It was his second shorthanded tally of the year, tying him for the conference lead in shorthanded goals this season. 

 

Poll Story

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Following the weekend split with Northeastern, BU slipped one spot in the USCHO Division 1 Poll, now sitting at #19. Cornell, who is next Saturday's opponent for Red Hot Hockey at Madison Square Garden, moved up two slots to #17 following home wins against Union and RPI. 

Michigan takes over the #1 ranking after Michigan State, now #3, was swept by Wisconsin.  The three highest ranked Hockey East teams are #10 Maine, #11 Northeastern and #12 Connecticut. 

In the USA Hockey Poll, BU sits at #20, down one slot. Cornell is #16.

  

SNL (Saturday Night Leftovers and more)

►Another look at Hutson's overtime game-winner from the lens of Bernie Perisie. 

►Was it the uniforms?  For Saturday’s game BU switched from their primary Bob Marquis era “candy cane” uniforms, which they had worn all season, to their Jack Garrity era uniforms. Let's see what they wear at MSG.

►BU Hockey Stats recaps the Men's split with Northeastern and the Women's wins against Providence. Plus advanced analytics.

● BU Hockey Stats Friar Fortunes and Hutson Husky Heroics

     

More post-game comments from Coach Jay Pandolfo:

"I thought we played a more simple game. We were winning more pucks all over the ice.  Just being more competitive on pucks. We were playing below their goal line and winning pucks. Being able to sustain offensive pressure. I thought it was better last night (Friday), too. We were even better tonight. We were getting to the net. If we’re willing to play that way, it’s going to be a lot more fun.

"Roukou--He’s so strong on the puck and he moves so well. He can separate, he makes plays. He takes pucks to the net on his own. We need more of that, guys willing to go to the net. He brings a little bit of a different identity to the team.

"That line, Morello, Merrill and Roukounakis, they’re a lot to handle. They were all excellent tonight."

He also reported that Kamil Bednarik was injured late in Friday’s game and it was determined he wasn’t recovered enough by Saturday’s game time. 

►Another player who earned kudos from Pandolfo was Mick Frechette whose 14:20 of ice time was the most for him this season. 

In case you missed it, BU’s first goal in Friday’s game, originally credited to Frechette, was changed to John McNelis, who tipped home the shot for his first career goal. McNelis also had numerous other scoring chances including a penalty shot.

►Terriers blocked 16 NU shots--six by McCarthy--Saturday and, for the most part, kept the Huskies away from the BU crease area. One exception was the power-play goal BU yielded with 2.7 seconds left in the opening period.

►Terriers now have six shorthanded goals overall—one behind national leader Michigan— and three in Hockey East games. 

►With Tonight's win, Pandolfo moves into sole possession of 5th place on the Terrier coaches' all-time list with 87. He passed Wayland Vaughn (1928-40, 1941-43) and trails David Quinn by 18 wins.

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Looking ahead 

2027 or 2028 recruit Andrei Nikolaev stopped 23 of 24 shots in a 50-minute relief effort as the New Jersey Titans doubled up Elmira, 6-3, on Saturday in NAHL action.

On Friday night, the 6-4 goalie from Moscow turned aside 24 of 26 shots in a Titans’ 3-2 win over the Aviators.

The wins improved Nikolaev’s record to 8-4-1 and his GAA to 2.57. His save percentage is .917. 

►TSN’s Craig Button has updated his top 64 projections for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. 2026 Terrier recruits included are #9 Tynan Lawrence, who has only played two games due to an injury), #16 Caleb Malhotra (photo), #17 Egor Shilov, #42 Braidy Wassilyn, and #63 Luke Schairer. 


                     Photo credit Brandon Taylor, OHL Images

► Malhotra, Shilov, Schairer and 2027 recruits Jamie Glance and Brady Knowling will be on the ice in this week's CHL-USA Prospects Challenge. The two games, Tuesday, Nov. 25, in Calgary and Wednesday, Nov. 26, in Letheridge, will air on NHL Network at 8:00 p.m. ET.  Malhotra will captain the CHL team.

● NHL.com Top 2026 NHL Draft prospects 'fired up' for CHL, USA Hockey Challenge

 

Looking back

AJ Greer scored a pair of goals--to equal his career best of six--and added an assist as Florida routed Nashville, 8-3. With his father in the stands, Greer put in a sharp-angle shot just 11 seconds into the game. He wired home his second from the high slot in the third period. Greer finished the game +5.  Evan Rodrigues also connected in the first period (video) for his sixth goal and assisted on Greer's second tally.

Macklin Celebrini scored his 14th goal and added an assist in the surging Sharks’ 3-1 win against the Bruins. With 34 points in 23 games, he’s second in the NHL in points.

Congrats to Alex Vlasic, who has a 9-45-54 career scoring line and is a strong candidate for Team USA in February’s Olympic games in Milan and Cortina.  

 

Women's Team

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Junior netminder Mari Pietersen gained Hockey East Goaltender of the Week honors after stopping 51 shots in a 4-1 win over Providence and a 2-2 overtime tie with the Friars. She stopped both shootout attempts she faced to help BU to the extra point. 

● GoTerriers.com Pietersen named Hockey East Goaltender of the Week 

 

 

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