Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson’s incredible season came to an end on Thursday in Tampa when the Boston University Terriers lost in the semi-finals of the Frozen Four tournament.
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The mighty Minnesota Gophers triumphed 6-2 to secure their ticket to the grand final of American college hockey. They will take on the Quinnipiac University Bobcats.
Hutson and Luke Tuch, the other Canadian gem in action for the Terriers, were cleared of the score sheet. It went better for fifth-round pick Rhett Pitlick, whose rights also belong to the CH, who gave the Gophers the lead late in the first period, in massive attack.
It is also thanks to its devastating power play that Minnesota had the advantage. Mike Koster and Luke Mittelstadt also took advantage of an opposing penalty to blacken the score sheet.
The latter, who is also the younger brother of Buffalo Sabers forward Casey Mittelstadt, propelled the Gophers to victory by threading the needle twice in less than two minutes, in the third period.
Logan Cooley put the icing on the cake by pushing the disc twice into a deserted cage.
Sam Stevens and Jay O’Brien provided the Terriers’ reply.
The leading scorer among NCAA guards, Hutson ended his first collegiate campaign with 15 goals and 48 points in 39 games.
Fantilli and the Wolverines defeated
Later in the evening, Quinnipiac University also confirmed their participation in the final by dismissing the Michigan Wolverines 5-2.
This might thus sound the death knell for the college career of promising Adam Fantilli. The one who finds himself just behind Connor Bedard on the overwhelming majority of lists for the next National Hockey League draft has threaded the needle in defeat.
He thus became the second NCAA player, following veteran Jason Polin, to amass 30 goals in 2022-2023.
Luke Hughes might also have played his last minutes on a university ice rink. Barring a huge surprise, the Michigan defenseman will join the New Jersey Devils organization next season.
The Bobcats scored three times in the last frame to come away with the win. Sam Lipkin, Zach Metsa and Ethan de Jong combined to take down the Wolverines.
A double from Jacob Quillan had previously given Quinnipiac the lead.
Seamus Casey ー another fullback drafted by the Devils ー scored in the loss.