Boston College Athletics
Hockey East Honors Five Eagles
March 18, 2015 | Men's Hockey
WAKEFIELD, Mass. - Five Boston College hockey players, including freshmen Noah Hanifin and Alex Tuch, sophomores Thatcher Demko and Ian McCoshen and senior Michael Sit were honored by Hockey East on Thursday evening at the annual conference awards banquet at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge.
For the second-consecutive season, Boston College sports a pair of freshmen on the Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team. Hanifin was one of two defensemen honored while Tuch joined three others forwards to round out the six-man team. Last season, Thatcher Demko and Steve Santini were BC's representatives, marking the second-consecutive year that BC was the only squad with more than one all-rookie member.
In addition to All-Rookie honors, Hanifin was tabbed as a Hockey East Second Team All-Star while Tuch landed a spot on the Hockey East All-Star Honorable Mention list.
Demko and McCoshen were also deemed Hockey East All-Star Honorable Mention recipients while Sit was bestowed with the Len Ceglarski Individual Sportsmanship Award
Hanifin and Tuch are Boston College's 32nd and 33rd all-rookie selections in program history. This season also denoted the seventh time the Eagles have boasted two or more members on the all-rookie team, including 1987, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2010 and 2014.
Hanifin, one of two unanimous choices (Jack Eichel - Boston University), is tied for fourth in scoring his freshman season with 23 points. The Hanover, Mass., native has notched five goals and 18 assists this season. His 18 helpers (0.50 apg) ranks second for the Eagles and is currently tied for 23rd amongst all Hockey East skaters.
Amongst all defensemen nationally, Hanifin's 0.64 points per game is the 21st-best mark amongst his position and tied for eighth amongst league constituents. Against all other first-year skaters, Hanifin is 22nd in scoring and tied for eighth amongst Hockey East rookies. The highly-touted NHL prospect has registered six multi-point performances this season and is tied for the club's third-best plus/minus rating of +15.
Hanifin is Boston College's 27th skater to earn Hockey East Second Team distinction.
Following the Eagles' quarterfinal round exit, Tuch is the team's leader with 28 points in 36 games played. The Baldwinsville, N.Y., native is looking to become the first freshman to lead Boston College in points for a single season in 42 years. The last rookie to anchor BC's scoring efforts was Richie Smith in 1972-73.
Stacking up against the nation's rookies, Tuch is slotted 13th in the country with 0.78 points per game. Again all Hockey East members, Tuch is tied for 23rd in scoring.
The 6-foot-4 forward has scored 14 goals this season as his average of 0.39 goals per game ranks 15th in Hockey East and 66th in all of college hockey. Tuch's plus/minus rating of +14 is fourth best on the team.
McCoshen is Boston College's plus/minus leader with a plus-16 rating through 34 games played.
The Faribault, Minn., native has posted career highs with six goals and 10 assists this season and is tied for 18th amongst all defensemen in Hockey East with 0.47 points per game. From Feb. 6 to Feb. 27, McCoshen accounted for eight points over the course of six games, including a career-best four-game point streak. He has also accounted for a pair of game-winning markers this season.
Demko picks up his second-consecutive Hockey East postseason honor after heading into selection Sunday with a 19-12-3 record with a 2.14 goals against average and a .927 save percentage.
The San Diego native owns the league's fourth-best save percentage and fifth-best winning percentage (.603). His goals against average mark stands as the sixth-lowest mark in Hockey East.
The 6-foot-4 goaltender gained his third-career shutout with a 35-save performance at Notre Dame on Feb. 27 and posted a career-high 41-save showing in a 5-1 victory over Michigan on Dec. 13.
Sit becomes Boston College's third-ever Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award recipient.
This award, named in honor of retired Boston College Head Coach Len Ceglarski, is given by the league to a player who has consistently demonstrated superior conduct and sportsmanship on the ice. The directors of Hockey East established the Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award in 1992. Each school nominates one player. The award is then voted upon by head coaches, sports information directors and league officials.
Northeastern's Dalen Hedges joined Sit for this award as the two student-athletes will each receive the honor.
Sit is currently 38th all-time in Eagle lore, having played 153 games for his career. As a senior, the Edina, Minn., native has notched a career best with five assists and has won over 50 percent of his faceoffs this year (270-of-530). For the first time in his career, Sit has accumulated a +1 rating through 37 games played.
Sit becomes the third Eagle to win the Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award, joining Ben Smith (2009-10) and Michael Spalla (1993-94).
Army ROTC Three Stars Award - Jack Eichel, Boston University
Bauer Coach of the Year - David Quinn, Boston University
Gladiator Best Defensive Forward - Noel Acciari, Providence
Old Time Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman - Mike Paliotta, Vermont
Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Year - Jack Eichel, Boston University
Stop It Goaltending Champion -Jon Gillies, Providence
Squad Locker Scoring Champion - Jack Eichel, Boston University
Warrior Player of the Year - Jack Eichel, Boston University
Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team
Noah Hanifin, D - Boston College
Alex Tuch, F - Boston College
Jack Eichel, F - Boston University
Brandon Montour, D - Massachusetts
C.J. Smith, F - UMass Lowell
Cal Petersen, G - Notre Dame
Hockey East First Team All-Stars
Jon Gillies, G - Providence
Matt Grzelcyk, D - Boston University
Robbie Russo, D - Notre Dame
Jack Eichel, F - Boston University
Kevin Roy, F - Northeastern
Vince Hinostroza, F -Notre Dame
Hockey East Second Team All-Stars
Matt O'Connor, G - Boston University
Noah Hanifin, D - Boston College
Mike Paliotta, D - Vermont
Danny O'Regan, F - Boston University
Evan Rodrigues, F - Boston University
Devin Shore, F - Maine
Hockey East All-Star Honorable Mentions (Certificates made in house)
Thatcher Demko, G - Boston College
Rasmus Tirronen, G - Merrimack
Ian McCoshen, D - Boston College
Ben Hutton, D - Maine
Matt Benning, D - Northeastern
Alex Tuch, F- Boston College
Matt Willows, F - New Hampshire
Tyler Kelleher, F - New Hampshire
Len Ceglarski Individual Sportsmanship Award - Michael Sit, F - Boston College AND Dalen Hedges, F - Northeastern
Charlie Holt Team Sportsmanship Award - Vermont Catamounts
Len Ceglarski Individual Sportsmanship Award - Michael Sit, F - Boston College AND Dalen Hedges, F - Northeastern
