Boston College Athletics
Photo by: John Quackenbos
McLaughlin and Helleson Receive Annual Hockey East Defensive Awards
March 11, 2021 | Men's Hockey
WAKEFIELD, Mass. – Junior captain Marc McLaughlin and sophomore defenseman Drew Helleson were honored with Hockey East's annual defensive awards on Thursday. McLaughlin was named the league's Best Defensive Forward, while Helleson was recognized as the Best Defensive Defenseman.
Forward Nikita Nesterenko and defenseman Eamon Powell also earned spots on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
McLaughlin became the sixth Eagle to win the Best Defensive Forward Award and the first since Austin Cangelosi in 2017. The center was tied for second in the league at plus-17 during the regular season and won 51.4-percent of his faceoffs. McLaughlin was also the runner up for the Len Ceglarski Individual Sportsmanship Award and was a recipient of the Three Stars Award.
Helleson became the ninth Boston College player and fifth in the last decade to receive the Best Defensive Defenseman Award. The sophomore led the league with a plus-21 rating this season, which ranks third in college hockey. Helleson blocked the ninth-most shots in Hockey East with 30 and posted a career-high 14 points at the other end of the ice.
The duo helped lead Boston College to the second-lowest team goals against average in Hockey East and the 12th-lowest in the country (2.19). The pair also contributed to a BC penalty kill that finished the regular season ranked 11th nationally (85.7-percent). The Eagles have the most shorthanded goals in the nation, led by McLaughlin's three.
Nesterenko paced all Hockey East rookies in points per game with 18 points in 21 regular season games. The winger had the second-best plus-minus rating among freshmen (+14) and posted five multi-point games.
Powell led all rookies at plus-15 during the regular season and hasn't had a minus rating in a contest since the second game of the season. The defenseman led all first-year blueliners in both assists (11) and points (13).
No. 1 Boston College hosts New Hampshire in the Hockey East Quarterfinal on Sunday (March 14) at 4:30 p.m. on NESN.
Forward Nikita Nesterenko and defenseman Eamon Powell also earned spots on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
McLaughlin became the sixth Eagle to win the Best Defensive Forward Award and the first since Austin Cangelosi in 2017. The center was tied for second in the league at plus-17 during the regular season and won 51.4-percent of his faceoffs. McLaughlin was also the runner up for the Len Ceglarski Individual Sportsmanship Award and was a recipient of the Three Stars Award.
Helleson became the ninth Boston College player and fifth in the last decade to receive the Best Defensive Defenseman Award. The sophomore led the league with a plus-21 rating this season, which ranks third in college hockey. Helleson blocked the ninth-most shots in Hockey East with 30 and posted a career-high 14 points at the other end of the ice.
The duo helped lead Boston College to the second-lowest team goals against average in Hockey East and the 12th-lowest in the country (2.19). The pair also contributed to a BC penalty kill that finished the regular season ranked 11th nationally (85.7-percent). The Eagles have the most shorthanded goals in the nation, led by McLaughlin's three.
Nesterenko paced all Hockey East rookies in points per game with 18 points in 21 regular season games. The winger had the second-best plus-minus rating among freshmen (+14) and posted five multi-point games.
Powell led all rookies at plus-15 during the regular season and hasn't had a minus rating in a contest since the second game of the season. The defenseman led all first-year blueliners in both assists (11) and points (13).
No. 1 Boston College hosts New Hampshire in the Hockey East Quarterfinal on Sunday (March 14) at 4:30 p.m. on NESN.
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