By Nate Ewell

Classic’s hometown hero – Boston College junior Austin Cangelosi (Estero, Fla./Youngstown-USHL) heads to his hometown on the hottest offensive streak of his college career. The Florida College Classic – an annual tradition in Estero – boasts the strongest field of any of the holiday tournaments and Cangelosi figures to play a big role in BC’s hopes. The 5-foot-7, 173-pound center enters with 9 points in his last 8 games, including a two-goal effort in the Eagles’ first-semester finale vs. Notre Dame.

Top Five Teams, Winning Percentage (Holiday Tournament, if any)
.900 – Providence, 12-0-3 (Florida College Classic)
.889 – Quinnipiac, 15-1-2
.850 – North Dakota, 16-2-2
.844 – Boston College, 13-2-1 (Florida College Classic)
.818 – Cornell, 8-1-2 (Florida College Classic)

Must Read/See/Hear Material
Harvard Crimson: 15 Most Interesting Seniors: Jimmy Vesey
Grand Forks Herald: Tests come first for players
New Haven Register: Garteig pulling out all the stops
Buffalo News: Cuddemi points the way for youthful Griffs
American Sports Network: Bradley brothers reunited at CC
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: Golberg center of attack for RIT
CalgaryFlames.com: R. Jankowski impressed by M. Jankowski
BGSUHockey.com: Maturing Friedman providing offense, defense
UWBadgers.com: Davison in elite company

Five More Storylines No One Should be Without

Rooting interest at SCSU – St. Cloud State captain Ethan Prow (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Des Moines-USHL) grew up just across the river from campus, so his family doesn’t have to travel far to cheer him on at games. One family member even has a more formal role – older sister Jana coaches the SCSU Cheer Team, which she was part of as a student. Prow has given Husky fans plenty to cheer for this season, leading all NCAA defensemen in assists and ranking second in points despite missing four games due to injury. No. 5 St. Cloud, which hosts Arizona State Jan. 1-2, is 12-2-0 with Prow in the lineup.

State champs? – Northern Michigan joins annual participants Michigan, Michigan State and Michigan Tech at the Great Lakes Invitational this week at Joe Louis Arena, the fourth year in a row that the event is an all-in-state affair. Western Michigan won the tournament in 2013 when it was played outdoors at Comerica Park, and the Broncos are the only non-regular team from the state to win the GLI (also 1986). This marks Northern’s sixth visit to the GLI and first since 1998. | The GLI will be broadcast on FOX Sports Detroit

Division I Men’s Programs by State
10 - Massachusetts, New York
7 - Michigan
5 - Minnesota

Goaltending answers for Ferris State – Ferris State heads to Minnesota’s Mariucci Classic appearing to have answered its biggest question entering the season – can they replace three-year starting goaltender C.J. Motte? Freshman Darren Smith (Barrie, Ont./Madison-USHL) led the team with a 5-4-3 record and .926 save percentage in the first half. Senior Charles Williams (Canton, Mich./Lincoln-USHL), who missed all of last season with a torn Achilles, has made nine starts and won his last two before the break.

Vecchione sparks Union – Union enters Dartmouth’s Ledyard Bank Classic on a 3-0-1 run (pending UVM game) thanks in large part to a spike in production from speedy junior Mike Vecchione (Saugus, Mass./Tri-City-USHL). The Dutchmen are 4-1-2 when Vecchione records a point, including the OT winner at Massachusetts Dec. 11 that he set up with a rush up the ice for a scoring chance, followed by a win on the ensuing faceoff. Vecchione, undrafted but considered an NHL prospect, shared the Union lead in scoring last season with 50 points.

Seniors leading RMU – The Pittsburgh Penguins may have struggled offensively this season, but the goal lights at CONSOL Energy Center could get a workout this week. Penn State and Robert Morris enter their semifinal in the Three Rivers Classic tied for second nationally in goals per game. The Colonials are led by an impressive senior class that has accounted for 64% of the team’s 191 points and has 26 more points than any other group of seniors in the country. | Post-Gazette: High-powered offenses meet in Three Rivers Classic

Most Points, Seniors
123 – Robert Morris
97 – St. Cloud State
90 – Providence
73 – Penn State
61 – Minnesota Duluth

NHL Note of the Week

The NHL’s new 3-on-3 overtime format has been a success in deciding games – and NCAA alums have had a big hand in that. Four players lead the league with three overtime goals this season and three played college hockey: Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary/Boston College), Shayne Gostisbehere (Philadelphia/Union) and Jonathan Toews (Chicago/North Dakota). Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles) is the exception to the NCAA theme.

WJC Note of the Week

Fifteen current and future NCAA players are among those participating in the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, underway now in Finland (full list). Among them is one-half of Boston University’s defense corps – Brandon Hickey (Canada), Brandon Fortunato and Charlie McAvoy (U.S.) – plus BU forward Jakob Fosbacka-Karlsson (Sweden) and future BU defenseman Chad Krys (U.S.).