BOSTON – The trophy has been awarded, the teams have loaded onto their buses and the lights are going out on another spectacular weekend of Hockey East championship action at the TD Garden.

When observing the bracket for the upcoming NCAA Tournament, it’s feasible to predict that Quinnipiac may, at some point, play a Hockey East school.

Thus, I have put together a small scouting report complete with a weekend review and what Quinnipiac would have to do to succeed against them.

Providence College

The reigning national champions skated into the Garden looking for their first Hockey East championship victory since 1996.

With a solid defensive team and steady offensive production from their forwards, the Friars outlook for the weekend was promising.

Unfortunately, they were dealt a tough loss to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell (UMass-Lowell) in a game that would take three overtimes to settle.

However, don’t count Providence out in the tournament. Just as they did last year, Providence has the necessary tools to shock the nation.

Weekend observations and scouting the Friars:

• The Friars have the ability to play a full 60 minutes, and then some.
• They are a well-disciplined team.
• Penetrating this defense is no easy feat, as their size and skill often outweigh 
their opponent’s.
• Nick Ellis is a prime time goaltender.
• Providence succeeds in breaking the puck out and has the ability to adapt their offensive strategy on the fly. 


What this means for Quinnipiac: The Bobcats would have to keep up with a well-conditioned and supremely 
talented Providence squad.

In order to alleviate scoring opportunities, Quinnipiac will have to control the neutral zone and snuff out any breakout attempts. The Bobcats will also have to be willing to utilize a fairly aggressive forecheck — something they’ve succeeded in so far this season.

In order to get ahead of Ellis, Quinnipiac will have to get bodies to the front of the net and find more creative ways to score goals.

If Ellis plays like he did during the semifinal matchup against UMass-Lowell, he will be difficult to beat.

Players to watch: Senior forward Mark Jankowski, a Calgary Flames prospect, is a solid two-way forward with very diverse game.

Standing at 6­-foot-3, Jankowski can provide a physical edge with a lethal offensive capability.

Jankowski is Providence’s top scorer, leading the team in assists with 25 and also earning himself 15 goals on the season for a total of 40 points.

Junior goaltender Nick Ellis essentially kept his team’s chance of playing in the championship game alive, making saves that would rival those of his predecessor Jon Gillies.

At 6-­foot-1, the goaltender has shined this season for the Friars. Ellis owns a goals against average of 1.81, good enough for fourth best in the nation.

Ellis is holding onto a .935 save percentage, tied for third best in Division I men’s hockey.

Ellis will look to stand tall for his Friars when they take on the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the first game of regionals.

Boston College

Jerry York and his Eagles entered the weekend with a major target on their back having snagged the top seed in Hockey East.

Loaded with prospective NHL talent, Boston College (BC) was a serious contender for the tournament.

However, after narrowly beating Vermont in three games the weekend before, the Eagles fell to the red-hot Northeastern Huskies in a 5­-4 semifinal loss.

Weekend observations and scouting the Eagles:

• BC has the ability to turn the offense on whenever they want to.
• Thatcher Demko made some absolutely incredible saves, he could be the best
 goaltender in college hockey.
• The Eagles do a good job of pressuring the opposing team’s offensive advances.
• They possess a fast style of play.
• The freshmen have stepped up this season, and that was evident in their semifinal game.
• The Eagles were struggling with breakouts and neutral zone play during the semifinal game, leading to
 some unfortunate turnovers.
• They have depth and balanced scoring.

What this means for Quinnipiac: The Bobcats would have to face one of the best goaltenders in all of college hockey in Demko.

In order to beat him, their passing will have to be sharp. Demko faltered against Northeastern when facing crisp passing plays and a mobile offense. 

Boston College is also known for their ability to apply serious pressure while on defense, taking away the outer areas from which a team might attempt to generate offensive opportunities.

Therefore Quinnipiac will need to balance the ice in their attacking zone while adapting to the defensive style of the Eagles.

Though they struggled with simple breakouts, the Eagles like to play at a fast pace.

The Quinnipiac defense will need to be prepared to deal with the quicker BC forwards breaking the puck out and carrying it into the zone, possibly resulting in odd-man rushes.

Quinnipiac will also need to be prepared for Boston College to roll out four lines, each with solid scoring capability (BC’s depth has been a key asset all season).

Players to watch: Freshman forward Colin White, an Ottawa Senators prospect, put up 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points this season.

This southern Massachusetts native entered the season as a highly touted freshman forward known for his offensive capability and he has yet to disappoint.

Netting his 19th of the season against Northeastern over the weekend, White continued his tear of the Hockey East conference where he is eighth in points.

With smooth hands and a decent shot, White’s offensive numbers will only continue to grow.

It’s no secret that junior goaltender Thatcher Demko has been one of the best goaltenders in college hockey.

Demko, a Vancouver Canucks draft pick, falls in the top ten of almost every statistical category for goaltenders and leads the nation in shutouts with 10.

On Friday evening, he made 27 saves on 32 shots faced, though the goals allowed did not reflect his overall performance. The Hobey Baker Award top ten finalist will look to lead his team to victory in a competitive Northeast regional bracket.

UMass-Lowell

The River Hawks arrived at the Garden this weekend ready to compete for what would be their third conference championship.

Entering Friday’s semifinal game, UMass-Lowell was ranked second in the nation for their defensive efforts, trailing only Yale.

Riding the red-hot play of senior goaltender Kevin Boyle, the River Hawks were favored to win the tournament.

After beating Providence during a third overtime in the semifinal game, UMass-Lowell ended up falling in the championship to Northeastern.

The defensive-minded River Hawks will get their first crack in Quinnipiac’s region this weekend in Albany.

Weekend observations and scouting the River Hawks:

• Lowell loves to patrol the neutral zone and apply pressure while on defense.
• They might start out slow, but once they find a rhythm they can be a very dangerous offensive team.
• This River Hawk defense is living up to expectations.
• While they may not match up with other schools, Lowell has forwards that have the ability to be game changers.
• They’re a disciplined team.
• Boyle should not be taken lightly, he has the skills to win a national championship.

What this means for Quinnipiac: The Bobcats may play UMass-Lowell in the regional championship depending on how the first round plays out in Albany this weekend.

It definitely won’t be an easy win for Quinnipiac, as UMass-Lowell’s defense is nationally recognized and very difficult to penetrate.

Lowell also succeeds in their neutral-zone play, pressuring the breaking forwards and creating beneficial turnovers.

Quinnipiac will have to get in the habit of not using the side boards as much, and spreading out in the neutral zone. By doing so, the Bobcats will hopefully be able to open up passing lanes against a solid Lowell defensive core.

Quinnipiac will have to take every opportunity on the man advantage as Lowell is a highly disciplined team that takes very few penalties.

In doing so, using the blueliners at the point to smoothly move the puck will be key, as space will be minimal due to the defense and the aggressive play of Boyle.

Boyle has been a major part of Lowell’s success this season, and Quinnipiac will have to find ways to get pucks to the back of the net.

A simple strategy to beating a good goalie is getting traffic to the net, but the Bobcats will also have to be sharp in all of their offensive play including their passing and shot selection.

Players to watch: Sophomore forward C.J. Smith leads the River Hawks in points (17 goals, 21 assists) and has been a key to their success this season.

Smith commonly finds the score sheet and has decent defensive skills as well. He’s willing to grind and can provide a slightly physical edge to his line.

Smith will look to continue his offensive production against Yale on Saturday.

Senior goaltender Kevin Boyle has been one of the most important pieces for the River Hawks.

During Thursday evening’s awards ceremony, Boyle was named Co­-Hockey East Player of the Year (along with Boston College’s Demko).

Boyle is also a Mike Richter Award finalist and the Hockey East Goaltending Champion, an award given to the Hockey East goaltender with the lowest goals against average in conference games during the regular season.

Boyle’s 1.76 goals against average is good enough for third best in the league and his .935 save percentage is tied for third.

Boyle made some crucial saves for the River Hawks during the tournament weekend, and will look to contain a defensively oriented Yale squad on Saturday.

Northeastern 

The Huskies entered the weekend with a 12-game unbeaten streak.

Many people considered them to be the hottest team in college hockey, as an incredible story was unfolding.

Besides winning their season opener against Colgate, Northeastern would go winless until November 28.

It wasn’t until a one-goal loss to Boston College on December 6 that the pieces began to fall into place for the Huskies.

Northeastern would go on to allot an 18-­1­-2 record and would later compete for the Hockey East title at the Garden.

Northeastern defeated a potent Boston College squad 5-­4 and went on to win their first Hockey East championship since 1988 the following evening in a thrilling 3­-2 win over UMass-Lowell.

The Huskies will play North Dakota in their first regional matchup as they attempt to chase a national championship.

Weekend observations and scouting the Huskies:

• Northeastern is known for being a gritty team, constantly grinding on defense and offense.
• They are patient on the power play and wait for the dominoes to fall.
• The Huskies are not afraid to carry the puck directly into the zone instead of a simple dump-and-chase method.
• They have a physical and aggressive style of play, while staying incredibly disciplined.
• Smooth passing, a lot of shot attempts.
• Ryan Ruck, though young, is impressive.

What this means for Quinnipiac: Should the Bobcats play Northeastern, they would have to meet in the national championship in Tampa due to the bracket seedings.

However, winning would be no easy task for the blue and gold.

The two teams met back in January of this year at Matthews Arena in Boston, and tied 3-­3.

A reunion between the two would prove to be a very physical and evenly matched event.

Northeastern isn’t afraid to outwork an opposing team with a gritty style of play, and a physical presence as well. They play with a fast tempo, and unlike many teams aren’t afraid to carry the puck into the zone in order to catch the defense off guard and create offense.

This is something the Bobcats would have to attempt to shut down, especially by controlling the neutral zone and cutting down passing and skating lanes.

Giving the Huskies less room to work would force them to change to a different offensive strategy.

The Huskies’ freshman goaltender Ryan Ruck showed signs of what many call the “yips” or just general nervousness on the big stage.

However, he was able to contain a potent Boston College offense in the semifinals, and hold UMass-Lowell to just two goals in the championship game.

The Bobcats would have to try to take advantage of his lack of playoff experience and generate opportunities from areas outside of the slot to open things up.

Players to watch:
 Zach Aston-Reese leads the team in points with 43 and has been an offensive juggernaut for the Huskies.

The junior forward crushed his career-high points this season and was named to Hockey East’s Second All-Star Team.

With an impressive offensive skill set, Aston­-Reese shouldn’t be taken lightly and is expected to continue his offensive prowess in the NCAA Tournament this coming weekend.

Freshman goaltender Ryan Ruck has received little national recognition for his efforts this season. Ruck has played well for this red-hot Northeastern squad.

The California native has put up a 2.26 goals against average this season, along with a .912 save percentage.

Ruck played well against Boston College the first night, but played much better the next evening against UMass-Lowell. Though his struggles could be attributed to his lack of experience, don’t be surprised to see him excel against national talent.