Player of the Week honors for the Captain

With four goals in his first two games back following a knee injury, senior captain Matt Grzelcyk was selected as Hockey East Warrior Player of the Week. The Charlestown native and Bruins’ draft pick scored a goal and an assist in BU’s 6-5 come-from-behind win against Harvard and produced a natural hat trick, including the game-winner, in the Terriers’ 7-2 thumping of UMass. Earlier this season, the left-shot defenseman earned Defensive Player of the Week honors after scoring goals in each of his first two games of the season.

Freshmen Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and Charlie McAvoy, just back from the World Junior Championships, were named to Hockey East’s weekly list of Top Performers.

► The wins against the Crimson and the Minutemen moved BU up a notch to #10 in both the USCHO Weekly Poll and the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll.

If you were wondering about the third-period penalty to Harvard that helped spark the BU comeback, it began with McAvoy checking the Crimson's Colin Blackwell, who chose the wrong words when complaining to the ref. (video). Thirteen seconds later, Grzelcyk’s shot found the back of the net.

Thanks to blog reader Bart Rhett, who provided us with YouTube links to: the full Yale game, the full Harvard game and extended Harvard game highlights. You can find Bart’s YouTube channel here.

Looking back

Writing for The Players Tribune, former Terrier and NHL defenseman Ryan Whitney, whose injuries forced him to retire earlier this season, authored a humorous and candid look at his time playing for HC Sochi in the KHL and adapting to frequently-challenging life in Russia. After three seasons at BU, Whitney played nine seasons in the NHL, scoring 259 points.

Viewer discretion advised. @ryanwhitney6 on playing hockey in Russia: https://t.co/W1osPbnqL3 pic.twitter.com/3Ev7U78IFI

— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) January 11, 2016

Looking ahead

The Draft Analyst offers a profile of 2016 recruit and NTDP U18 scoring leader Clayton Keller. The 5-10 center has 21 goals and 42 assists through 32 games. His 20 points in the first ten games of the season is second only to the 24 in 10 games accumulated by Jack Eichel in 2013-14.

Avon Old Farms, led by 2017 recruit Patrick Harper, has moved to the top of the USHR Weekly Prep Poll. The left-shot center from New Canaan, Connecticut has nine goals and 10 assists for the 7-1-2 Winged Beavers.