It was a noteworthy weekend for a trio of Newfoundlanders in a pair of NCAA exhibition hockey games staged in New England.
Saturday night in the Chestnut Hill area of Boston, home to Boston College, Alex Newhook of St. John’s made his first appearance in a BC Eagles jersey as they played host to the University of New Brunswick in the Eagles’ first exhibition game of the 2019-20 season.
Dressing for the Varsity Reds from Fredericton, N.B. was Tyler Boland of St. John’s.
BC came away with the 4-2 decision at the Kelley Rink, with Newhook registering his first point as an Eagle, an assist on Boston College’s third goal by Matt Boldy.
Newhook was the 16th overall selection in the NHL Draft last June going to the Colorado Avalanche following a 102-point season with the Victoria Grizzlies in the junior ‘A’ British Columbia Hockey League.
He committed to attending BC a number of years ago.
Boland, meanwhile, collected assists on both UNB goals.
He is a third-year forward with UNB following an outstanding major junior hockey career in the Quebec league, with the Rimouski Oceanic, with which he won a President's Cup league championship.
Boland helped the Varsity Reds win the Atlantic University Sport conference championship last season, finishing fourth overall in AUS scoring. He was named a second-team AUS all-star.
At the nationals, UNB defeated the University of Alberta 4-2 in the final to win the USports championship in Lethbridge, Alta..
Sunday night, the Varsity Reds stopped off in Orono, Maine on their way back to Fredericton for a game against the University of Maine. The Varsity Reds won that one, 5-0, with Boland collecting a goal and an assist.
Dressing for the homestanding Black Bears was Gander’s Adam Dawe.
Dawe was the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s rookie of the year in 2016-17, the year before Newhook won the honour, while skating for the Notre Dame Hounds.
Dawe appeared in 17 of 36 games for Maine last season.
Between Notre Dame and Maine, Dawe played the 2017-18 hockey season with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL.
