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Time for a Garden Party - This Week in Hockey East · This Week in Hockey East

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to another episode of this week in Hockey East.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_02: It is finally here, championship weekend coming up from TD Garden, starting on Friday with two great semifinal matchups to talk about today.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_02: As we're going to preview all of it, we're going to talk with Trevor Hoskin of the Merrimack Warriors.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_02: That's all coming up.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: Merrimack's going to play in that first game against UMass.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_02: So we'll get to that with Trevor in a second.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_02: But let's start with the second game as Boston College and Yukon get together in that second semifinal.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_02: That'll be a 7 o'clock-ish, hopefully, start on Friday.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, we everything went chalk in this tournament except for Merrimack upsetting Providence.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, Boston College and UConn were kind of on similar runs going into the playoffs, but both had very nice quarterfinal efforts.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and these are two teams that played each other not that long ago.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: We'll get into some of their recent meetings as well.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, they didn't finish off the regular season the way that they wanted to, but they were feeling like they were playing better than what the results were, both of them.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: So UConn ends up one, four, and one in the final six games of the regular season, but they had started to find their rhythm.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: They were averaging 22 shots per game the first five games of February, uh, and then concluding with that BC series.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: But then they started to get that, those shot numbers up towards the end of the season.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: And Mike Kavanaugh talked about making an adjustment, needing to get more scoring chances, more pucks on net.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, since then, 41 shots per game over the last five games.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: They outshot BU 38 to 32 in that quarterfinal matchup as well.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: They won the face-off battle in that game, too.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so arguably uh played a lot better in that recent UMass series where they only got one point than they did in that series, that they got five points against Maine back in February.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: But they had a really hard schedule to end the regular season for sure.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I think it's important to note that that final stretch, they played BC twice, who they're about to play again.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: They played a really hot UMass team with a Hutt goalie and Michael Robble twice, and then they finished off the regular season against the number one C Providence, who, like we mentioned, they're out of this tournament, but they're still going to make the NCAA tournament.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: They've still been one of the best teams in the second half.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: So they have been fighting against those other bubble teams.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: It feels like everybody they played against in the final stretch was kind of fighting for their lives, including them.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and I think that that kind of speaks to what we're talking about, that they felt like they were doing a lot of things well.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_02: The results just hadn't been coming, but you know, they really stuck with it.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_02: And the thing that stood out in that game against BU was they really got their depth scoring, right?
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_02: Last year in the playoff run, we were talking all about Muldowney and Richard setting all kinds of hockey records, but it was Jake Percival scoring the first goal against BU.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_02: Ethan Whitcomb played a really good game, scored a goal.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_02: Anthony Elaine Samaki ends up scoring a goal, which is the game winner.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_02: So they went deeper down the card in that depth scoring.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_02: They also made a great play in the power play, Richard getting involved.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_02: So it was more five-on-five goals.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_02: It was just a better flow to their game.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_02: Like Kavanaugh talked about working on greasy goal drills during practice last week.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_02: And it all kind of played out in a really important way in that victory over BU.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_02: And uh now all of a sudden you got a UConn team who last year was still sort of celebrating getting to the garden.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_02: Now this is just what they do, right?
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_02: They're back at another semifinal, and this year it's about okay, it's time not to lose the final now.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_02: It's time to win one of these things.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, hoping to go back to the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: But BC in their way, and they had a really strong quarterfinal game against Maine, a five to nothing win.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: But let's go back to the way they finished the regular season first, which they entered the postseason on a four-game losing streak.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but again, over that streak, their expected goals were in favor of BC, shots were in favor of BC.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Even the eye test was telling you that they're playing well.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, they just were they were getting the grade eight chances, they weren't all going in and they weren't getting their results in those uh last four games of the regular season.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: But then they come out on fire against Maine, they score two goals in the first six minutes.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it was Teddy Stega and James Hagins, and they were really in the driver's seat from that point on in their game against Maine.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, I think they, you know, they were much more physical too in that game.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_02: It felt like they were playing with a level of desperation that you would hope for if you were looking at a team in that situation, right?
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_02: Needing to win to continue their season.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, they never let Maine get to their game.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: Bridget, they held Maine to 18 shots.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_02: It's only the second time in the last four full seasons that Maine has only been held to 18 shots.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_02: And I mean, Maine just never got to their game.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_02: I thought BC played incredibly well.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, and so now all of a sudden we talk about the similarities, right?
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_02: It's both teams who now you look back at the end of the regular season differently because they came out the way they did in the quarterfinal round.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_02: So now you can look at sort of a trend of teams playing well and playing a certain identity in a certain style.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and when you talk about BC and what they've been able to do this season and their offense, a lot of times we've been talking about James Haggins and Dean Laterno.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna talk about them a little bit right now, too.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Hagen scored twice on Friday against me, and he's up to third nationally in goals per game this season.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: And he and Dean Laterno have combined for 19 of BC's last 39 goals.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: They've been heavily relied on in this BC offense.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: And UConn and BC, we talked about it.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: They played back in late February.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: You and I were both on that game.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, and it was five points that weekend for BC.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: They outplayed UConn at Connie Forum.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: Uh James Higgins had hat-trick in that game.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, and then Saturday, good back and forth game between the teams.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: It ends up being a two to one overtime win for BC in Hartford.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: But again, that was when UConn was down in their shot totals, averaging about 22 shots per game.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: Now that they're back up, getting the scoring chances they want, how does that change this matchup?
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think that's the big thing, right?
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_02: Do we see that Yukon team that's averaging, you know, in the 40s in shots per game or more like the 20s?
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_02: That could go a long way to deciding who wins this game.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_02: There's plenty we could talk about, so looking forward to this one.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_02: That'll be the second semifinal on Friday.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_02: Another semifinal, of course, which will come first, is Merrimack and UMass, and we'll talk with Trevor Hoskin on the other side.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_02: That's next here on This Week in Hot Beats.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: We are now joined by Trevor Hoskin, the forward from Merrimack, just coming off that upset win against Providence.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: Our interview presented by Boston Harbor Hotel.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: Plan your getaway today at BostonHarborHotel.com and experience Boston's best waterfront views.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Trevor, thank you for joining us.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, got a chance to talk to you a little bit uh before the show and kind of catch up about uh what you guys have been able to do this season.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: Uh obviously, you've had a really strong finish, and you were a big part of the win, both against Lowell on Wednesday in the opening round, and then the game-winning goal in overtime against Providence on Saturday.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to start with that moment for you guys, knocking out the one seed.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, what were the emotions like after the win?
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: And how much belief do you have in this team right now?
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, obviously emotions were high.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um like going in, we knew we were playing the one seed, so obviously it was gonna be a tough task, but I just think we were, you know, just going into it uh with a great mindset uh started the start of the week.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_01: And um, yeah, obviously we're fired up to go to the garden um and just just be there.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, it was obviously um a cool moment for all of us, I think individually, but as as a c as a group collectively.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, it's just a great moment.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I think just the way we've been working over the second half, like I just think we deserve this, and we're right where we're supposed to be.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: So can your head coach Scott Borick this week talk to us uh before the game about the mentality of Survive in Advance, the motto that you guys have had um and the homework that he had you do?
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: Can you talk about uh what that was?
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: Uh what that was for you, what did it mean?
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: What did you learn from it?
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um, Survive in Advance being a movie that he had you guys watch to kind of prepare for the Providence game.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's funny.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_01: Uh he put Survive in Advance on the board, and um obviously just seeing Survive in Advance, we kind of knew what it meant, but we didn't know there was a uh short like movie behind it, and uh our task was to watch that, and it was just kind of about an underdog story.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, we know going into every game we're gonna be um the underdog, so um, to watch that and to see that group kind of get through that was was cool to see and um kind of just like gave me chills like just watching that.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, that just that we we feel like we've been doubted and um maybe not taken as serious as we we should.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: So um it was just a great thing to watch for our team as a group going into the game uh against UMass and then obviously against Providence as well.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: Just uh just a good feeling to watch that and um you know just believe that anything anything can happen.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_02: Trevor, let's go back a little bit.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_02: Tell us a little bit about the decision to come to Merrimack this year.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_02: What stood out to you about Merrimack?
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was uh it was my first school uh that I visited, and and actually only school.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I don't know, I just when I came here, it just felt like um just a family, like family atmosphere.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um the coaches just texting me all the time and really building the connection before I got there.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_01: I thought it was just like, wow, like these guys really care about me.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_01: Like that's how I felt.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: And um just even walking around campus here and going out for breakfast.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's the little things um that they did when I came down here.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: They had my name on number 10 uh in the dressing room when I came here.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_01: I thought that was like above and beyond what they had to do.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: And um, yeah, they've just been like an absolute family to me.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, the guys are great, uh, the coaches are awesome, and they're just willing to do anything for you.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I think you expect a lot on the ice from the coaches, but what when they're connecting with you and and and building that relationship off the ice, I think that really shows how special the place can be.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_01: And um it's yeah, I I've loved every moment here.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_01: And um, you know, I just I'm so excited to keep going with this group.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes for us on the outside looking in, there's a point where okay, your record after this date is this, and you guys have gone on this great run since the middle of December.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes that's the turning point for you guys in the dressing room, but sometimes it's something different, right?
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes maybe it's even in a loss, sometimes where you guys feel connected.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_02: You you've gone on this great run since the middle of December, but when did you feel like things were turning and when you guys started to see results and have some real belief in the room?
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think at the start of the year we we had a tough record.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_01: I think we were like five and ten, and um, you know, we just we felt like we deserved better than that, and uh it didn't feel right.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we knew what we had in that room, it was just about building it, and um I just think after Christmas break, like we came back here on Christmas Day and and skated, and obviously that's a tough thing to do to leave your family and and come back and skate, but everyone was in such a great mood, moved, yeah, and we uh we just hung out as a group that night together on Christmas, and I think that just it felt like from that date on.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and then playing that game in Vermont uh on the 29th was just you know a greasy win, like like we got it done.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_01: It was it was a tough game, but like that really kicked us off.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it also started with our leadership group just in the second half, you know, kind of like hey, like we got like two months here before uh you know it actually means something, and um, you know, we just started rolling and rolling, and uh practices were great, and kind of like an everyone loves everyone mentality every single day we came here and just believing in you know what we can do.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I don't know, every single guy like just loves the playoffs here.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: That's just one thing I've always noticed is they love the big moments, we get fired up, and I I really feel like it was right when we got back from Christmas, just everyone was really bought in, and um it's just like like I mentioned before, like the little things, like just whether it was going out to eat together or just um hanging out of the apartments or whatever it was, like we just really build great connection off the ice and and great friendship, and I think that's just given us a lot of success and a lot of opportunity for success on the ice.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: And you guys have come back a lot in the second half.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: You've had some games where, including in Saturday, you get behind, but you've been able to kind of scrap your way back into it, uh, winning some of those games.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: Can you talk us through what about your team has allowed you to really just not let things get away from you and to just feel like you can stay in games?
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think, you know, like I think especially with this conference, like it's like anyone can win on any given night.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_01: So we're always prepared being down a goal.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh our coach always mentions that, like, we always gotta play like we're down, no matter what the score is.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_01: And um, yeah, we I think we've been in a lot of games like that.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_01: And kind of like I mentioned before, like the first half, we felt like we were in a lot of those games and we couldn't get it done.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_01: And our third period was was our worst period um statistically on the first half.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it was a big emphasis coming into the second half.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like, our third periods have to be the best period.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_01: Like, we have to play great all game, but if we're in a 2-2 game or a 2-1 game up or down, like we have to have that mentality that we are going to win the period uh and win the game.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_01: Because that that that's the difference in this in this conference.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_01: Like, like if you win, like I think even even just seeing the standings at the end of the season, like I think we were like six or seven points out of like third or fourth, or like even fifth.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm not exactly sure, but like if we won some of those games early on in the season that were like one goal games going into the third, like it would have changed where we were and whatever.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: I that doesn't really matter now, but like going into those those third periods were was a big emphasis coming in the second half.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: And uh maybe it was conditioning, but we you know we got on top of things quickly going to the second half, and we knew we had to be better.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and just I think it also starts with our leadership group, like on the bench, like it's a huge emphasis to stay up on the bench, stay positive in ball game, no matter what the score is.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you're you're bound to have success, and I think that's been a big part of it as well.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_02: Well, it's been great fun watching you, especially in this second half, and we're looking forward to seeing you this weekend, Trevor.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_02: Best of luck and thanks so much for joining us.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_02: That's Trevor Hoskin of Merrimack.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_02: We'll talk more about that game.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_02: Merrimack taking on UMass on the other side here on this week in Hockey East.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to this week in Hockey East.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_00: It's time to go and look at our other semifinal matchup on Friday, the early game between two seed UMass and eight-seed Merrimack, presented by Boston Children's Hospital, the official children's hospital of Hockey East, Boston Children's where the world comes for answers.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: So in the first semifinal, we have two teams that got off to slower starts, but really hit the gas and are now rolling coming into this game.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: Both coaches are Hockey East, Coach of the Year finalists, both are unbeaten in the last five coming in.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's really amazing what these teams have done.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_02: And I think just starting on the Merrimack side, because we just talked with Trevor Hoskin.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, go back to December 12th, right?
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_02: That's the date if you take the before and after.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_02: Just like Trevor said, Merrimack was five and ten before that date.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_02: They're 14, 5, and 1 since.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_02: They're seventh nationally in scoring over that time since then, right?
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_02: 3.7 goals per game.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_02: They have the top power play in the country over that stretch at over 32%.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_02: There's only six teams in the country who have more wins since December 12th than Merrimack.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_02: The power play like really stands out here, I think.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, if folks watched the quarterfinal game, you certainly saw it.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_02: It's the number one power play in hockey.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_02: So it's been good all year.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_02: But especially here recently, Merrimack's over 50% on their power play in the last five games.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_02: They're eight for their last 15.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's just ridiculous how good this power play has been.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and you you saw it on display in that Providence game as well.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: Two for three on their power plays.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's what gave them life when they were down.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: They scored immediately, only a few seconds into their first power play to tie things up.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: And it's something that going into the game, Nate Lehman and Providence knew they had to try to give Merrimack as few opportunities on the power play as possible.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: They knew it was their biggest weapon.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: And it turned out to be one of the bigger downfalls for the Friars in that game that they lost in the quarterfinals.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: So you look at what weapons they have on that power play and how many different ways that that power play has scored.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: It could be on a point shot, it could be a net front, it could be off a face-off win.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: They've just found many different ways to score.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: And then Justin Gill and Nick Pierre are two of the guys you really have to watch out for on that power play.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: They each have seven power play goals this season that's tied for second in hockey east.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: Those are guys that are gonna be out there a lot, and they're kind of sneaky scorers, and they've gotten it done recently.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: We are gonna talk a lot about the newcomers when it comes to Merrimack.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: They have a really heavy in on their freshmen and sophomores in terms of contribution.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: So uh you look at Justin Gill and Parker Lalon, they're freshman centers, they're your number one and number two centers for Merrimack.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, all four Merrimack centers are first years.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but both of those guys, Gill and Lalan, in double digits and goals, they're both hockey east rookie of the year finalists.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then you put the sophomores into those to that group as well.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: The entire uh top six of Merrimack is made out of freshmen and sophomores.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_00: And we we just talked to Trevor Hoskin.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: He's one of those sophomores on the second line coming in, transferring from Niagara and having a great playoffs.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_00: He's our service credit union scoring leader from last week through three goals across his two playoff games, including the overtime game-winning goal against PC.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: He scored two in Merrimax win over Lowell in the opening round as well.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: And the other big thing I think we can talk about uh is as Trevor mentioned earlier, they come from behind uh and they find ways to come from behind.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: So uh since December 12th, they've come back to tie games uh or win games uh against teams that scored first against them on nine occasions.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: So they're that's something they've been able to do, and they've though they struggled in uh third periods in the first half, they've been a lot better in the second half.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I think the big question for this game comes down to can Merrimack unleash that offense?
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_02: Or is it just not going to matter because Michael Harabo's playing at an unbeatable level, right?
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_02: Speaking of second half runs, since January 1st, it's a 13-3-1 record for UMass.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_02: And of those three losses, two of them were one-nothing losses.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_02: So I don't know that there's a more valuable, let's not say best, let's say more valuable player in the country than Michael Harable has been for UMass in the second half, right?
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_02: Since January 1st, it's a 958 save percentage, it's a 135 goals against average, four shutouts for Harabble, 10 times in 17 starts, he's allowed a goal or less.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_02: And it's why UMass is the number one defense in the country since the calendar turned to January, allowing just 1.4 goals per game.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_02: But there is a little bit of firepower here, Bridget, as well.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_02: So let's not say that UMass can't score because they certainly can.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, obviously goaltending is going to be a big thing.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_00: We saw it in their matchup against Northeastern.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: But when you talk about where they've been getting their scoring from, I think a difference for them in the second half compared to the first half has been their defensemen have been more involved in the offense in the second half.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: So just eight goals for defensemen in the first half, 15 goals for defensemen in the second half, and Larry Keenan.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we talk about him on this show quite a bit.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_00: He's really taken a step, 13 points in his last 14 games for them.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_00: And then another really big bright spot, Jack Musa and Vasilov Nestrasil against Northeastern.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: They both scored uh two guys that you're looking at in this UMass offense that are pretty consistent, um, highly skilled players.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_00: And first time since January 10th, that they both scored in the same game.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_00: So if the top line gets going, that's really when you have to look out because UMass is gonna shut you down on the back end.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: And if you also allow that line to get going, it'll be a tough one.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and remember, UMass has scored without their power play, basically the whole second half, their power play struggle.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_02: But when you get to playoff time, you don't get as many power plays.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_02: And so scoring five on five obviously all of a sudden becomes an asset.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_02: You know, this might be oversimplifying, but this really feels like Merrimack's offense versus UMass's defense, right?
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_02: Not that Max Lundgren hasn't been good, not that UMass can't score, but they certainly can.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_02: But can Merrimack get its offense going?
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_02: Can they even get power play attempts?
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_02: Because UMass takes the fewest penalties of any team in the country.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_02: So really interesting stuff in that first semifinal.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_02: Coming up, we still have more women's action this week.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_02: Northeastern in the frozen four.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_02: We'll talk about that and wrap things up on the other side.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to this week in Hockey East.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Northeastern pulled off a big win over Minnesota to send themselves to the frozen four.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: It was at Minnesota, and it was a game that they led for 55 of the 60 minutes played.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: So really off to a hot start in the NCAA tournament for them.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: They weathered an early storm from Minnesota, and then once they settled in, they scored three goals in the first period.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: So they they started that lead early on with a goal from Eloise Carran only five minutes into the game.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: And before the 15-minute mark of the game, the Huskies had already scored three goals, and they had already chased Minnesota's starting goaltender, Hannah Clark.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_00: Also, I want to give credit to Stryker Zablocki.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_00: Her and Eloise Carron both scored similar goals in this game.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_00: The scouting report was out on the Minnesota goalie, so they kind of knew how to score against her.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_00: And so they were able to chase her with this third goal by Mia Langois.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_00: Northeastern ends up going up four to nothing.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: They hang on to win four to two and send themselves to the frozen four.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Abby Murphy had both of Minnesota's goals on the power play.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: She just came back from winning gold in the Olympics.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_00: But Lisa Yunson uh was so locked in in that third period, made 17 saves in the third.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: You felt like they were going to be able to close this out.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and she's our Jersey Mike's sub-above women's player of the week.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_02: 45 saves in the victory.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_02: That's 99 saves over the last two games, the hockey's final and the win over Minnesota.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_02: Her sophomore season has actually had a better winning and save percentage and nearly the same goals against, building on what she had in an already impressive first year in college hockey.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_02: Postseason this year, 963 save percentage in four games.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_02: Pretty ridiculous stuff.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and some other quick shout outs.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: Eloise Caron was the hockey east player of the week.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_00: Alessia Beckler, the defender of the week.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_00: She had two assists in that game.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: And Dave Flint is a finalist for the AHCA Coach of the Year Award once again.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_00: He's brought Northeastern to the tournament eight times to the frozen four on four occasions and has been the national coach of the year twice in his career.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: And against Minnesota, he got that 397th career win.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_00: So he can't quite get to 400 this year, but he's he's gonna be close to probably get it really early on next year.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_02: So it'll be Northeastern and Ohio State at four o'clock on Friday in the frozen four.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_02: So we'll talk about what happens there.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_02: We'll talk about the hockey semis and finals, and we'll talk about the NCAA tournament coming up next week.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_02: You can still get tickets to the Hockey's Championship limited tickets still available for Friday and Saturday.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_02: Visit ticketmaster.com.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_02: We hope to see you there, and we hope you enjoy the games.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for watching another episode of This Week in Hockey.