The first weekend of college hockey gave New York Rangers prospect watchers a little bit of everything: a goal from Malcom Spence, a point from Ben MacBeath, and a handful of encouraging defensive showings from the group getting its season underway in exhibition play.
Only Spence and MacBeath opened the year in games that count in the standings, and both got off to clean starts for top-tier programs. Spence helped No.
2 Michigan roll past Bowling Green 7-2 on Friday night, then watched the Wolverines finish the sweep with a 4-3 win Saturday. The sophomore forward skated on Michigan’s second line in both games, scored once, and finished the weekend with three shots, a plus-1 rating and three face-off wins in the opener before going minus-1 in the rematch.
His goal came at 17:37 of the third period Friday, when he jumped on a loose puck near the crease and buried Michigan’s seventh goal. Spence was quiet on the scoresheet Saturday, but the Wolverines kept moving as expected after winning the Big Ten Hockey Championship last season. He had one of the defining goals in that title run, scoring in the comeback against Ohio State in the championship game, and Michigan enters this season as a favorite to win the Big Ten again and an early Frozen Four pick.
MacBeath’s college debut also came in a win for a national contender. Top-ranked Denver beat Alaska Anchorage 6-2 on Friday in non-conference play, with the freshman defenseman lining up on the third pair and finishing with one shot and a plus-2 rating.
He followed that up Saturday by picking up his first NCAA point, earning a secondary assist on Denver’s opening goal in a 4-1 victory. He again posted a plus-2 as the Pioneers completed the sweep.
The Rangers took MacBeath in the second round of this year’s NHL Draft, and Denver is expected to be right in the mix for the NCHC title and another run at the national championship.
The exhibition slate featured four more Rangers prospects, starting with EJ Emery at North Dakota. In a 4-1 win over Augustana, Emery put up one shot and two blocked shots, and coach Dane Jackson singled him out afterward for his work on defense and the penalty kill.
“I thought E.J. and Brasen [Boser] were both excellent,” Jackson said. “They cover ice.
They have really good defensive instincts. They’re willing to block and close quickly when they had a chance to do so.
Those guys were big parts of the kill.”
Emery, a junior defenseman, did not dress for Sunday’s 5-1 exhibition win over Manitoba because North Dakota rested several veteran players.
At Michigan State, Sean Barnhill didn’t get on the scoreboard in a 5-2 exhibition win over Boston College, but the sophomore defenseman was busy in his own end. He blocked six shots and also picked up a double-minor and a misconduct penalty during a late-game altercation.
Raoul Boilard made his first NCAA appearances for Lake Superior State in exhibition play against Windsor. The 20-year-old freshman forward, who spent the previous three seasons in the QMJHL, was held scoreless in both games as the Lakers split the two-game set.
Ty Henricks also got his junior season rolling in exhibition action, taking part in Western Michigan’s 5-1 win over Western Ontario. The power forward did not record a point.
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