Hockey East at a glance

5 Hockey East players to watch

Cal Petersen, G, University of Notre Dame: Petersen ranked fourth in Hockey East last year in save percentage (.927) and fifth in goals against average (2.20). Earning a Hockey East Honorable Mention, he’s poised for a breakout junior season.

Jake Walman, D, Providence College: Walman’s 28 points last season were good for fourth most on the Friars, largely because his season was derailed by an undisclosed injury. A 2015-16 First Team Hockey East All-Star, the junior also had four game-winning goals.

Colin White, F, Boston College: The 2015-16 conference Rookie of the Year, White was often overshadowed by teammate Ryan Fitzgerald last season despite totaling 43 points. Expect White to stand out more this winter and carry the Eagles deep into the postseason yet again.

C.J. Smith, F, University of Massachusetts Lowell: Smith led Lowell with 39 points last season and helped carry the River Hawks to the Hockey East Championship. Look for him to make more of a name for himself during his junior campaign.

Maxim Letunov, F, University of Connecticut: Letunov tallied 40 points as a freshman, earning him Hockey East Second Team honors. He will be the one leading an up-and-coming Huskies squad this year.

Top 5 BU games to watch

At The University of Denver, Oct. 14: The Pioneers ranked fourth in the country last season and earned a berth in the Frozen Four. BU travels to Colorado for a pair of games against a formidable opponent in Denver, who bumped the Terriers from the NCAA Tournament last season.

Vs. Quinnipiac University, Oct. 22: Quinnipiac, a team that lost in the championship game to North Dakota in the spring, will come to town early in the season. They will be looking for revenge, as BU handed the then-No.2 Bobcats their first loss on their home ice last year.

Vs. Harvard University, Nov. 22: BU will host their crosstown rivals in a rematch of last year’s battle, when the Terriers notched four goals in the third period to complete a come-from-behind 6-5 victory.

Vs. University of Massachusetts Lowell, Jan. 28: It was the River Hawks who bounced BU from the Hockey East tournament last season; this will be the Terriers’ first meeting with Lowell since then. BU will also travel to Lowell to face the River Hawks on Feb. 10.

Vs. Boston College, Feb. 6: The Terriers will take on the Eagles in the first round of the Beanpot Tournament. Last time these two teams faced off in the Beanpot, BC edged out BU with a 1-0 overtime win to clinch the 64th Beanpot.

Hockey East Power rankings

1. Boston University: With a number of stud freshmen added, and several players in position to step up, the Hockey East is BU’s to lose this year.

2. Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish, led by defenseman Jordan Gross and goaltender Cal Petersen, will look to build off a 15-5-2 conference record in 2015-16.

3. Providence College: The 2015 Frozen Four Champions may have lost nine seniors in the offseason, but blueliner Jake Walman will keep the Friars in the hunt.

4. Boston College: The Eagles lost a good amount of talent to graduation and the NHL Draft, but expect Colin White and Ryan Fitzgerald to be one of the top scoring duos in the conference yet again.

5. University of Massachusetts Lowell: Hockey East Tournament runner-ups a season ago, the River Hawks will lean on upperclassmen forwards A.J. White and Joe Gambardella for scoring, but will miss Kevin Boyle in net.

6. University of Connecticut: A dark horse favorite, the Huskies boast arguably the best young forwards in the conference in sophomores Maxim Letunov and Tage Thompson.

7. Northeastern University: Last year’s surprise Hockey East Tournament Champions, Northeastern will need sophomore goalie Ryan Ruck and senior forward Zach Aston-Reese to improve in order to repeat as tournament champs.

8. Merrimack College:  Forwards Brett Seney and Hampus Gustafsson will look to carry the Warriors to the top of the Hockey East standings.

9. University of Vermont: With last year’s starting goaltender Packy Munson transferring to The University of Denver and four seniors having graduated, the Catamounts will need several players to step up if they wish to stand out in the conference.

10. University of Massachusetts Amherst: The Minutemen named NHL coaching vet Greg Carvel their new head coach this season. Carvel will look to improve off of a disappointing 8-24-4 record.

11. University of Maine: Senior forwards Cam Brown and Blaine Byron, who combined for 44 total points last year, will lead the offense. Redshirt senior Matt Morris will look to improve in net.

12. University of New Hampshire: Senior wing Tyler Kelleher will attempt to make up for the loss of forward Andrew Poturalski, who surpassed 50 points last year.