Although Northeastern has struggled through a disappointing season, one positive for the Huntington Hounds has been the all-around play of senior center Graig Mischler.
A year ago, Mischler led the Huskies (13-15-4, 7-11-4 Hockey East) in scoring with 23 points. It was the second-lowest total for an NU scoring leader in more than 40 years, a mere point better than Scot Campbell's 22-point campaign in 1996-97.
Mischler has stepped up his entire game this season. He again pages NU in points with 8-31-39 totals, the most points for a Husky since Jordon Shields finished with 43 in 1995-96. The 31 assists are the most by a Hockey east skater this season in overall play.
For his career, Mischler has scored 32 goals and dished out 73 assists for 1-5 points. He is one point shy of tying Matt Saunders (48-58-106, 1988-92) and NU Hall of Famer Larry Bone (52-54-106, 1963-66) for 36th place all-time at NU.
In the 11 games Mischler, a 6-foot-3 center out of Holbrook, N.Y. has lined up between sophomore left wing Mike Ryan (Milton/BC High) and junior right wing Willie Levesque (Vineyard Haven), the trio has combined for 53 points on 19 goals and 34 assists.
"Well, the one nice thing about Mischler is that he kind of made himself a player," said NU coach Bruce Crowder prior to NU's 4-3 win at BU on Saturday. "For all purposes he was pretty much recruited as a walk-on for us and earned himself a scholarship situation."
"I think the biggest thing we've seen this year compared to other years is his mental toughness. In years gone by he's a kid that would have gotten off his game very easily and got himself flustered. He's really toughened up."
That was evident in Saturday's win when Mischler placed his stick between the legs of BU center Dan Cavanaugh during the first-period faceoff in the NU end and completed a not-so-subtle takedown.
It was the type of move that could land Mischler, an eight-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, at the NHL level in the future.
"I think he's got a real good shot (at the NHL) because a lot of kids who have gotten drafted have never gotten much better,: said Crowder. "He's a kid that's gotten drafted and gotten better each and every year. If you're an NHL team, thats what you're looking for."
Tip of the Poke Bonnet
To Fitchburg State senior forward Tony Cinquegrano of Hingham and Catholic Memorial, junior forward Jeff Brodeur of Townsend and North Middlesex, and Assumption senior forward Jon Ilvonen of Auburn and St. Peter-Marian on joining the 100-point club in career scoring.
Also, to Yale senior center Jeff Hamilton on becoming the Elis' career scoring leader with 163 points (78 goals and 85 assists) in 121 games, surpassing Mark Kaufmann's mark of 160 points (1989-93).
Kudos also go out to Wentworth junior forwards Tim Yakimowsky of Walpole, who has established a new Leopards single-season mark for goals with 25.
Ballard on Friar
Senior Boyd Ballard is now third all-time at Providence in games played by a goaltender with 95. He trails only Dan Dennis (109, 1993-97) and Mario Proulx (102, 1980-84) on the Friars' list.
Ballard has played 2,360 minutes, good for fifth place at PC, just behind the legendary Chris Terreri, who played 2, 719 minutes from 1982-96....
Speaking of the Friars (199-8-5, 13-6-3 HE), sophomore center Devin Rask is as hot as a pistol. Rask has registered at least on point in 14 of Providence's last 19 games, and has 5-17-12 totals in his last eight games Rask leads PC with 18 goals and 26 assists.
The Friars are 17-3-2 when Rask notches at least one point....
Senior center Carl Corazzini is inching closer to a couple of BU greats on teh all0time goals list. The fleet-of-foot Corazzini, a Framingham native, has 62 career markers and is four behind Dana Hixson (1946-50). Serge Boiley(1966-69) and Jacques Joubert (1992-95).
Hayward on defensive
After NU's Crowder dismissed junior defenseman Rich Spiller from the team for an "inability for accountability" and then lost injury-plagued junior Arik Engbrecht indefinitely due to a shoulder problem, Crowder moved junior wing Leon Hayward back to defense for the BU series.
"Obviously, I'd like to have Engrbrecht out there, but Leon (Hayward) did a good job. He's a smart defensive player," Crowder said. "I have told him that if I could play defense for my junior year of college then he could play defense for six, seven, or eight games."
Jonas saves Harvard
Harvard senior netminder Oliver Jonas needs seven more saves to eclipse the Crimson single-season saves mark of 844 set by J.R. Prestifilippo back in 1996-97.
Sophomore center Dominic Moore (12 goals, 24 assists) needs four points to become the first Harvard skater since Steve Martins (60 in 1993-94) to reach the 40-point plateau....
Vermont senior netminder Andrew Allen is now fifth in career games played (84) and fifth in career saves (2,127).
Botterill points way
Junior forward Jennifer Botterill of the Harvard women's team has notched at least one point in every game (74) she has played for the Crimson. Botterill & Co. fell to NU, 3-2, yesterday.
Junior Brooke Whitney led the Huskies attack with three points on two unassisted goals, including the game-winner, and an assist on the third goal.
Senior Erika Silva of Middletown, R.I., backstopped the win with 34 saves to extend her school record for victories to 60. Silva needs four more stops to set an NU sing-season mark for saves. Shannon Meyers holds the record with 775.
Masked marvel
When UMass junior Mike Johnson of Excelsior , Minn., recorded 60 saves in a 3-3 tie at Boston College on Saturday, it represented a Division 1 Minutemen record but not a school record.
The all-time mark remains 79 saves. Gene Demasellis set the record in an 11-2 loss AIC in 1957 and it was matched by Ed Sanborn in an 8-0 loss to UNH in 1967.
Drop the puck!
