Photo by: John Quackenbos
Megan Keller Named Patty Kazmaier Top-10 Finalist
February 21, 2019 | Women's Hockey
This is the third time in her career that Keller has been named a top-10 finalist for the award, which honors the top Division I women’s college hockey player in the country.
CHESTNUT HILL Mass. – Boston College senior defenseman Megan Keller is one of the Top 10 Finalists for the 2019 Patty Kazmaier Award, announced Thursday by USA Hockey. The Patty Kazmaier Award is presented annually by the USA Hockey Foundation to the top Division I women's college hockey player in the country.
This is the third time in her career that Keller is a finalist for the award, as she also earned Top-10 honors in 2016 and 2017. She becomes just the second defenseman to be a three-time finalist for the award, joining four-time finalist and 2004 winner Angela Ruggiero of Harvard. Keller is the only defender among this year's finalists, a group that also includes eight forwards and one goaltender. The ECAC Hockey conference leads the way with five finalists while the WCHA has two and Hockey East has three.
The Top-3 Finalists will be announced on Thursday, Feb 28 and the winner of the 2019 Patty Kazmaier Award will be announced on Saturday, March 23 in conjunction with the Frozen Four.
Keller enters this weekend ranked first in the country among blue liners in points (41), goals (18), assists (23), goals per game (0.56), points per game (1.28) and game-winning goals (5) and is tied for first in power-play goals (6). The captain has 113 shots on goal and is averaging 3.53 shots on goal per game, with both of those numbers ranking third among blue liners, while also blocking 46 shots.
Among all skaters in the country, Keller ranks in the top 15 in points (t-10th), goals (t-12th), assists (t-13th), power-play points (t-12th), game-winning goals (t-4th), points per game (t-13th) and plus/minus (t-5th). Keller's plus-36 is tied for fifth in the country and is second among defenseman.
Keller's is one of the nation's most dynamic players, impacting play at both ends of the ice on offense, defense and special teams. She has been on the ice for 55 percent of BC's even-strength goals. The Eagles surrender 24.69 shots on goal per game, sixth fewest in the country. She has registered at least one point in 26 of her 32 games played and has 11 multi-point outings on the year. In addition to her five game-winning goals, Keller has assisted on three others.
With one game to go in the regular season, Keller has already set the Hockey East single-season points record for a defender with 37 points in conference play as well as the Hockey East single-season goals record with 16. Keller now simultaneously holds the conference career and single-season points, goals and assists records by a defender and is second all-time in career assists with 80. The Farmington Hills, Mich. native was named the Hockey East Player of the Month for January and has also earned two Player of the Week awards and a Defensive Player of the Week award. Her 16-21-37 scoring line in Hockey East play is good for a tie for second overall while her plus-35 rating leads the conference.
Earlier this season, the senior became just the sixth player in program history to reach 150 career points. In addition to owning all of BC's career defenseman scoring records, Keller is fifth overall in points (156), third in assists (112), and 10th in game-winning goals (10).
The U.S. National team member missed one game this season while representing the gold-medal winning squad at the Four Nations Cup, her fourth top finish at the event. Additionally, Keller has won three IIHF World Championships and was a member of the 2018 gold medal-winning team.
In addition to her hard work on the ice, Keller has made an impact in the classroom and in the community. She holds a 3.231 grade-point average as a communications major and has been a member of the Hockey East All-Academic Team and ACC Honor Roll. In the community, Keller has volunteered with Newton Special Athletes, Perkins School for the Blind, the Boston College Campus School, East Coat Jumbos (American Special Hockey) and Food for Families.
This is the third time in her career that Keller is a finalist for the award, as she also earned Top-10 honors in 2016 and 2017. She becomes just the second defenseman to be a three-time finalist for the award, joining four-time finalist and 2004 winner Angela Ruggiero of Harvard. Keller is the only defender among this year's finalists, a group that also includes eight forwards and one goaltender. The ECAC Hockey conference leads the way with five finalists while the WCHA has two and Hockey East has three.
The Top-3 Finalists will be announced on Thursday, Feb 28 and the winner of the 2019 Patty Kazmaier Award will be announced on Saturday, March 23 in conjunction with the Frozen Four.
Keller enters this weekend ranked first in the country among blue liners in points (41), goals (18), assists (23), goals per game (0.56), points per game (1.28) and game-winning goals (5) and is tied for first in power-play goals (6). The captain has 113 shots on goal and is averaging 3.53 shots on goal per game, with both of those numbers ranking third among blue liners, while also blocking 46 shots.
Among all skaters in the country, Keller ranks in the top 15 in points (t-10th), goals (t-12th), assists (t-13th), power-play points (t-12th), game-winning goals (t-4th), points per game (t-13th) and plus/minus (t-5th). Keller's plus-36 is tied for fifth in the country and is second among defenseman.
Keller's is one of the nation's most dynamic players, impacting play at both ends of the ice on offense, defense and special teams. She has been on the ice for 55 percent of BC's even-strength goals. The Eagles surrender 24.69 shots on goal per game, sixth fewest in the country. She has registered at least one point in 26 of her 32 games played and has 11 multi-point outings on the year. In addition to her five game-winning goals, Keller has assisted on three others.
With one game to go in the regular season, Keller has already set the Hockey East single-season points record for a defender with 37 points in conference play as well as the Hockey East single-season goals record with 16. Keller now simultaneously holds the conference career and single-season points, goals and assists records by a defender and is second all-time in career assists with 80. The Farmington Hills, Mich. native was named the Hockey East Player of the Month for January and has also earned two Player of the Week awards and a Defensive Player of the Week award. Her 16-21-37 scoring line in Hockey East play is good for a tie for second overall while her plus-35 rating leads the conference.
Earlier this season, the senior became just the sixth player in program history to reach 150 career points. In addition to owning all of BC's career defenseman scoring records, Keller is fifth overall in points (156), third in assists (112), and 10th in game-winning goals (10).
The U.S. National team member missed one game this season while representing the gold-medal winning squad at the Four Nations Cup, her fourth top finish at the event. Additionally, Keller has won three IIHF World Championships and was a member of the 2018 gold medal-winning team.
In addition to her hard work on the ice, Keller has made an impact in the classroom and in the community. She holds a 3.231 grade-point average as a communications major and has been a member of the Hockey East All-Academic Team and ACC Honor Roll. In the community, Keller has volunteered with Newton Special Athletes, Perkins School for the Blind, the Boston College Campus School, East Coat Jumbos (American Special Hockey) and Food for Families.
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