University of Massachusets Athletics
In the Crease from November 13th
November 13, 2000 | Hockey
By Ryan Nadeau
The Maroon & White
By now everyone has heard the rumors that the Hockey East Association is college hockey's toughest league. Top to bottom, there is no other equal. The "Big Four" of Boston University, Boston College, Maine and New Hampshire are perennial NCAA Tournament entrants, but it is the other teams in the league that make it the best.
Providence, Northeastern, UMass, UMass Lowell and Merrimack are no pushovers. Northeastern, which was predicted to finish a distant fifth in the league by the coaches, just happened to beat No. 1 Wisconsin, 5-4, on Oct. 28.
How tough is it going to be to win in Hockey East? One look at the Oct. 30 U.S. College Hockey Online poll would answer that question. There are six Hockey East teams in the top 15. Six teams. Finishing seventh place in the league still puts you in the top 20. Not an easy task, but the Minutemen got off to a good start by defeating Merrimack, 3-0, in the league opener on Oct. 27.
THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Markus Helanen recorded his first career Hockey East shutout when he made 31 saves in the 3-0 win over Merrimack (10/27) at the Mullins Center. Helanen now has three shutouts in his career. It marked his first shutout since Oct. 29 of last season when UMass defeated Army 1-0 in overtime. His only other career shutout came as a freshman in 1998 when he made 28 saves in a 3-0 win over Air Force. Last season, Helanen set a single-season record for the lowest goals against average with 2.83. He currently holds the lowest career goals against average (3.16). Helanen is also currently second on the all-time saves list at UMass with 1,926 to date. He trails his former teammate, Brian Regan, who is at 3,050. Helanen played in 31 games last season with a record of 10-16-3.
ONE GOOD TURN(ER) DESERVES ANOTHER
Brothers, senior captain Jeff Turner and sophomore Tim Turner, are off to a fast start. The two brothers combined for two goals and six assists in the two games at then-No. 3 Wisconsin to open the season. Tim scored a pair of goals and three assists, while Jeff recorded three assists. The brothers were responsible for eight of the Minutemen's 15 points in the series. The brothers also combined for a goal and an assist in the 4-4 tie with Colgate. Tim scored the Minutemen's third goal, while Jeff assisted on the game-tying score. In the 3-0 win over Merrimack (10/27), Jeff netted a goal and an assist, while Tim picked up an assist. There is less than a three-year age difference between the brothers (Jeff is currently 24, and Tim is 21), but last season marked the first time in their hockey playing careers that the two skated on the same line together.
THEY'RE NO FOURTH-RATE LINE
In the Oct. 29 game at No. 2 Boston College, the group of left wing Darcy King, center Kris Wallis and right wing Brad Nizwantowski was listed as the fourth line. The trio accounted for four of UMass' five goals against No. 2 Boston College with King scoring twice and Wallis and Nizwantowski each netting a goal. All told King, Wallis and Nizwan-towski combined for nine points and had a plus/minus rating of +9 as a line. The two goals marked the first multiple-goal game of King's career, while the three points by Nizwantowski doubled his career total.
INSTANT RESPECT FOR P?CK
Freshman Thomas P?ck was named Hockey East Rookie of the Week for his play during the season-opening Wisconsin series. P?ck netted his first collegiate goal in the third period of the Friday night opener. He also played a key role in the defensive zone, winning a number of faceoffs. P?ck followed with a goal versus Colgate in the 4-4 tie with the then-No. 12 Red Raiders. He also played a key role in the 3-0 win over Merrimack. P?ck opened the scoring converting a give-and-go with senior R.J. Gates in the first period. P?ck came to UMass after having played for both the Austrian Under-20 National Team and the Austrian National Team last season. Thomas' father, Hebert, played under current UMass assistant Bill Gilligan while he was a head coach for the Klagenfurt Athletic Club in Austria.
DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK
UMass scored two goals with its goaltender pulled in the final two minutes against then-No. 12 Colgate on Oct. 21, to earn a 4-4 tie. Tim Turner netted the first of the two goals when he scored from the slot with assists going to junior Toni S?derholm and senior Joey Culgin. With 11 seconds remaining in regulation, Jeff Turner won a faceoff back to S?derholm, who passed to Martin Miljko in front off the net. Miljko burried the shot for his second goal of the game.
MINUTEMEN WIN HOCKEY EAST OPENER
When UMass defeated Merrimack, 3-0, on Oct. 27, it marked the first time in over four seasons that UMass opened the Hockey East season with a victory. The Minutemen had lost their Hockey East season opener in each of the past four seasons and in five of the six previous seasons as a Hockey East member. In 1995-96, UMass opened the season with two league wins, before finishing the season with a 10-19-6 record and an eighth place finish in Hockey East.
NEWCOMERS MAKING A BIG IMPACT
The freshman class has made an immediate impact on the team. Freshman Thomas P?ck is tied for the team lead in goals with three and is a +2 on the season. Freshman Scott Horvath has netted two power play goals and has an assist. Sophomore Jimmy Callahan, who sat out last season because of an NCAA Clearinghouse issue, has a goal and two assists and is a +1 on the season. Freshman Mike Warner netted his first career point with a goal versus No. 2 Boston College (10/29).
