Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Notes: Anas Powers Quinnipiac

Freshmen are starring for two Frozen Four teams, while veterans shine at UConn, LSSU and OSU.

Notes: Anas Powers Quinnipiac
Sam Anas leads all NCAA freshmen with six goals, including five in his last three games.

By Nate Ewell

Anas’s impact – Four of the top five scorers from Quinnipiac’s Frozen Four team returned this year, but the guy powering the Bobcats’ six-game winning streak entering ECAC Hockey play is a relatively unheralded freshman from Potomac, Md. Sam Anas leads the nation with 3 GWG already and the 5-foot-8, 150-pound wing has goals in three straight games. The Washington Capitals season-ticket holder who attended the team’s development camp this summer has fit right in among the Bobcats’ top six, skating either with twins Connor and Kellen Jones or center Matthew Peca.
From this summer: Anas working to stand out at Caps development camp

Must Read/See/Hear Material

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NHL.com: Kerdiles moves to center
Michigan Daily: Off the gridiron, onto the ice
MGoBlue.com: Andrew Copp feature
SBN College Hockey: Calgary Prospects Shine for Providence
College Hockey News: Providence Passes Each Test

Five More Notes No One Should Be Without

Balanced Lakers – The nation’s best record belongs to Lake Superior State, as the 4-0-0 Lakers head to Wisconsin after series sweeps of Robert Morris and Union. It’s a group effort in Sault Ste. Marie, as 13 players have accounted for the team’s 15 goals. One of LSSU’s scoring leaders is senior defenseman Zach Sternberg, the team’s most improved player last season who helped lead Team Canada to gold at the Maccabiah Games this past summer in Israel.

UConn’s experience – New UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh opens conference play this weekend with home games against Army and Sacred Heart. While Cavanaugh is new, his team has some solid experience, led by fifth-year senior Matt Grogan in goal. After playing only 10 games in his first three years and two months combined, Grogan seized an opportunity in December of last year and was one of the nation’s best goalies after that point (14-4-3, 1.93 GAA, .937 save pct.). The Gilbert, Arizona, native has a fifth year of eligibility since he didn’t play a minute in his first year on campus (2009-10). He made 47 saves in Friday’s 2-2 tie with Union.

Fresh Finn – For the second straight season, a Finnish freshman is helping to power St. Cloud State. The Huskies head to North Dakota with a 3-0-1 record after rookie defenseman Niklas Nevalainen’s one-goal, two-assist effort Saturday in just his second college game. He follows in the footsteps of sophomore countryman Kalle Kossila, who was tied for third in scoring for SCSU last year. Backup goaltender Rasmus Reijola also hails from Finland, giving head coach Bob Motzko three of the 10 Finns in Division I this season.

Breakthrough Buckeye – Ohio State junior forward Darik Angeli, like his hometown Colorado Avalanche, is enjoying a fast start this fall. His empty-net goal Tuesday against Bowling Green gave him points in five of six outings this year and matched his goal output from all of last season (four). The 6-foot-3, 193-pound right wing has pro potential – he attended Boston Bruins development camp this summer – and adds another weapon for the Buckeyes, who already returned their top eight scorers from last season.

History at Gutterson – Vermont welcomes Notre Dame for a historic series in two senses – it’s the Fighting Irish’s first as a member of Hockey East and it marks a celebration of the Catamount program’s 50th anniversary. UVM, which beat Penn State in front of 17,632 Saturday in Philadelphia, could welcome back sophomore Brody Hoffman, who played in all 36 games for the Catamounts last season. Freshman Mike Santaguida has played while Hoffman has recovered from injury and made 31 saves for the win vs. the Nittany Lions.

NHL Note of the Week

Three of tonight’s four NHL games feature former college teammates facing off against each other (BOS-PIT is the lone exception and will feature 12 or more alumni).

Fries at the Bottom of the Bag

42 of 53 games this Friday and Saturday are conference games … Yale will raise its 2013 NCAA championship banner prior to Friday’s game against St. Lawrence … Maine and UMass play for the second straight weekend, though this series counts toward Hockey East standings … Minnesota boasts the top two players in even-strength scoring nationally (Sam Warning, Hudson Fasching) … Two ECAC Hockey travel partners – Clarkson (57.7%) and St. Lawrence (57.1%) – rank 1-2 nationally in faceoffs.