Congratulations to Boston College defensemen Brian Dumoulin and forward Barry Almeida, named to this year's 2011-12 Hockey East All-Star Team on Thursday. Winger Chris Kreider was named to the Hockey East Second Team All-Stars while Tommy Cross was an Honorable Mention.
Dumo was the only repeat selection, having been named a Hockey East All-Star after his sophomore season.
The league also doled out Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year honors, but no BC players took home individual hardware in any of those three awards. Forward Johnny Gaudreau finished as Hockey East Rookie of the Year to UMass-Lowell forward Scott Wilson, while Jerry York finished as runner up for Coach of the Year honors to Lowell's Norm Bazin.
Let's get to the Boston College snubs, from least offensive to OMG WTF are they thinking?
UML's Norm Bazin over BC's Jerry York for Coach of the Year
Rarely do Coach of the Year honors go to the actual best coach in the conference, but if there was ever a year to honor York, wasn't this the year? York became just the second coach to ever notch 900 wins and shows no signs of slowing. Lowell had a great year under first-year coach Norm Bazin, but York's boys took the Hockey East regular season title, the regular season series with Lowell (2-1-0) and finished the regular season as the hottest team in the country.
UML's Scott Wilson over BC's Johnny Gaudreau for Rookie of the Year
Statistically, this was as close to a coin flip as you can get, I suppose. Wilson went 16-21-37 and +14 in 35 games this season. Gaudreau went 16-19-35 and +15 in 38 games. Wilson scored one goal in three regular season games against BC (UML lost season series 1-2-0), while Gaudreau scored two against Lowell, including the game-winner in BC's 4-2 win over UML back on October 28. I can live with WIlson over Gaudreau, but I still think it was the wrong decision.
BC's Chris Kreider on Hockey East Second Team
I get that statistically, Kreider had an average season -- 20 goals, 18 assists -- and that there were more potent scorers around the year this year. Even with average scoring numbers this year, I maintain Chris Kreider is the most talented skater in the conference. With apologies to Spencer Abbott. Kreider is the most NHL-ready player in Hockey East on the top team in the country. Shouldn't he at least have snuck onto the First Team?
Parker Milner snubbed
Finally, we get to ZOMG WTF. Seriously? You're telling me Parker Milner's isn't one of the top three goalies in the conference this season? Here's the three Hockey East goaltenders to be named to the HEA All-Star Teams as compared to Milner in a blind taste test. Can you tell which ones made the All-Star Teams?
Goalie A -- 36 games, 2179:04 minutes, 79 GA, 977 saves, 2.18 GAA, .925 SV%, 2 SO, 1 assist
Goalie B -- 28 games, 1696:00 minutes, 52 GA, 674 saves, 1.84 GAA, .928 SV%, 1 SO, 1 assist
Goalie C -- 31 games, 1850:33 minutes, 64 GA, 844 saves, 2.08 GAA, .930 SV%, 5 SO, 1 assist
Goalie D -- 33 games, 2002:41 minutes, 83 GA, 1,036 saves, 2.49 GAA, .926 SV%, 3 SO, 1 assist
Goalies revealed after the jump.
Merrimack's Joe Cannata is A, Milner is B, Lowell's Doug Carr is C and Boston University's Kieran Millan is D.
Milner is the only netminder in the conference to post a sub-2 goals against average (1.84), leads the nation in winning percentage (.821, 23-5-0) and finished second in the conference in save percentage (.928) behind only UML's Doug Carr. Milner's stats would pop even more if York hadn't pulled him late in games towards the end of the year, giving him a much needed rest (but stiffing him on a couple more shutouts). Even with the midseason stretch of games where York pulled Milner for Billett and Venti, Milner has responded in a BIG way down the stretch.
I don't think anyone can look me in the face and say with absolute certainty that Cannata, Carr and Millan were all better goalies than Milner this year. Kid at least deserved to be named to one of these teams.
Full Hockey East award-winners below.
2011-2012 Hockey East First-Team All-Stars
F -- Spencer Abbott, Maine (Sr., Hamilton, Ont.) (unanimous selection)
F -- Barry Almeida, Boston College (Sr., Springfield, Mass.)
F -- Brian Flynn, Maine (Sr., Lynnfield, Mass.)
D -- Adam Clendening, Boston University (So., Wheatfield, N.Y.)
D -- Brian Dumoulin, Boston College (Jr., Biddleford, Maine)
G -- Joe Cannata, Merrimack (Sr., Wakefield, Mass.)
2011-2012 Hockey East Second-Team All-Stars
F -- Chris Connolly, Boston University (Sr., Duluth, Minn.)
F -- Joey Diamond, Maine (Jr. Long Beach, N.Y.)
F -- Chris Kreider, Boston College (Jr., Boxford, Mass.)
D -- Garrett Noonan, Boston University (So., Norfolk, Mass.)
D -- Karl Stollery, Merrimack (Sr., Camrose, Alta.)
G -- Doug Carr, UMass-Lowell (So., Hanover, Mass.)
2011-2012 Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Stars
F -- Alex Chiasson, Boston University (Jr. St. Augustin, Que.)
F -- Matt Nieto, Boston University (So., Long Beach, Calif.)
F -- T.J. Syner, UMass (Sr., Springfield, Mass.)
F -- Scott Wilson, UMass-Lowell (Fr. Oakville, Ont.)
D -- Tommy Cross, Boston College (Sr., Simsbury, Conn.)
D -- Chad Ruhwedel, UMass-Lowell (So., San Diego, Calif.)
G -- Kieran Millan, Boston University (Sr., Edmonton, Alta.)
2011-2012 Athletic Republic Player of the Year
Spencer Abbott, Maine (Sr., Hamilton, Ont.)
2011-2012 Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Year
Scott Wilson, UMass-Lowell (Fr. Oakville, Ont.)
2011-2012 Bob Kullen Coach of the Year
Norm Bazin, UMass-Lowell