Hockey East Suspends BC Eagles D-Man Aram Minnetian One Game

It's not just the NHL's Department of Player Safety; now Hockey East appears to go lightly on a player. Why? I've been doing some digging. There are a few possible factors in this decision. 

Saturday, at the 1:35 mark of the second period, Boston College freshman defenseman Aram Minnetian was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking. Call it what you want; it was a dangerous play. 

Today, Minnetian was given a one-game suspension for his actions. Looking at the video, it would appear to be a light suspension. 

AMESBURY, Mass. – Hockey East announced today that Boston College freshman defenseman Aram Minnetian (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.) has been suspended for one game stemming from an incident at 1:25 of the second period on Saturday, December 9 against Providence. Minnetian is ineligible to play Friday, January 12, against the Friars and is able to return to the Eagles' lineup on Saturday, January 13, at Providence.

Having seen the one angle that the broadcast showed, that might be light https://t.co/H3WVoLb2th pic.twitter.com/XbOk8Pd9yR

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) December 11, 2023

There's a twist to this: Minnetian has a chance to make Team USA and play in the World Junior Championship. Because of his suspension, he might have to sit a game if he makes the team. Did Hockey East go lightly on him because of the possibility that he might be on Team USA? From the sounds, he has a good chance of making the team. 

Minnetian is a candidate for Team USA at the World Juniors. Notably, BC does not play any games between now and the WJC. If Minnetian makes USA, likely has to sit a game. An OHL suspension once cost Stefan Noesen a spot on Team USA, though that was a 10-gamer. https://t.co/Utd1tLcjWe pic.twitter.com/gxsfdNTcr4

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) December 11, 2023

Here's what happened through the eyes of a BC hockey blog.

From BC Interupted: The second period opened with BC taking a major penalty of their own, with Aram Minnetian getting five minutes and a game misconduct for a taking a pretty nasty looking swing at a Providence player after a whistle behind the Friars’s net.

I am open to hearing why he was only given a one-game suspension. 

Frozen Four: Eastern Bias Episode No. 29

EPISODE No. 29: FROZEN FOUR PREVIEW! With @BurntBoats, @TheBUHockeyBlog, @goon48 and the UNO bus with @samithenerd. http://t.co/Fbef0kh4Y5
— Eastern Bias (@easternbias) April 9, 2015

I had the opportunity to go on the podcast with the Eastern Bias team.

UND Blitzes Providence College 6-1

After being run out of their own building two weeks earlier, UND used a balanced attack and scored six goals by six different players to beat the Providence College Friars 6-1 at Ralph Englestad Arena. 

UND's penalty-kill set the tone as the Friars went 0-for-9 on the man advantage and gave up a short-hand goal.

This game was supposed to be a goaltending battle between Zane McIntyre and Jon Gillies. However, UND chased the Friars All-American goalie after two periods of play, putting four pucks past him. Sophomore goalie Nick Ellis relieved Gillies at the start of the third period and UND put two more pucks past him as well. 

Head coach Dave Hakstol was asked how UND was able to get four goals past Gillies.

“We got a little bit of traffic (in front of him) and scored a couple of rebound goals,” Hakstol said. "Nothing fancy at all. We were in the right spot at the right time. Did the right things and fortunate to get a couple by him.”

UND dominated the Hockey East preseason favorite, but the UND head coach was quick to give his opponent credit. 

“They’re a good hockey team and they’re going to make plays and they did that,” Hakstol said. “Our guys showed up tonight and played hard tonight.”

The story of the game was the play of junior forward Drake Caggiula who scored a short-handed goal and three assists. After the game, Caggiula broke down UND's game plan.  

“We just played our game,” Caggiula said. “UND hockey is playing fast, playing physical, and just overall being hard to play against and that’s what we did all night long.”     

When Caggiula was asked about UND's success on the penalty-kill and why they have scored four short-handed goals in five games, he had this to say. 

“That’s the way we penalty kill,” Caggiula said. “We’re aggressive, and when the opportunity is there we’re more than welcome to take that opportunity. They always preach if the opportunity is there to take it. When we’re so aggressive we just create turnovers and we have been lucky so far and got a couple of short-handed goals off of it. We have to keep doing that.”  

Junior forward Bryn Chyzyk likes playing on the penalty-kill and gave his explanation on why UND is scoring so many short-handed goals. 

“We’re getting a couple of bounces, and getting some odd man rushes,” Chyzyk said. “We’re always pressuring pucks up at the blue line. We’re just pressuring pucks and a couple of bounces are hopping over their D-men and were taking advantage of that. Hopefully that will continue.” 

With the Win UND improves to 4-1-0. The loss drops Providence to 1-2-0 on the season. 

Same two teams tomorrow night at 7:07 pm CT. 

(Box Score) 

Providence Journal: #5 Friars ready for rough-and-tumble series at #3 North Dakota

#482003271 / gettyimages.com

Interesting take on what the Providence College Friars are expecting from UND. I think this is going to be a highly entertaining series between two talented teams.

Honestly, I don't see UND checking the Friars out of the building, but UND does seem to play more of physical game than they did last season.

Mark Divver, Providence Journal -- Fifth-ranked Providence College (1-1) is expecting a very physical two-game series when it visits third-ranked North Dakota (3-1) this weekend for the first time since President Reagan’s second term in office.

Playing in front of a big crowd in a hostile environment will be a test for the Friars.

“I always think you want to challenge yourself. We’ve done that every year. It’s going to be a great environment. We know it’s going to be great hockey. We want to make sure we’re playing our best,’’ coach Nate Leaman said.

The Friars – who were beaten, 6-4, in November 1987 on their last visit to Grand Forks — will be without center Mark Jankowski (shoulder) and defenseman Tom Parisi (shoulder), neither of whom made the trip. Co-captain Noel Acciari (ribs) is questionable, though he did travel with the team.

Defensemen John Gilmour (lower body) and Kyle McKenzie (disciplinary reasons) are expected to be in the lineup for the first time this season. Also due to return is Nick Saracino, who was held out of last week’s exhibition game against the U.S. National Team Developent Program U-18s for precautionary reasons.

Friars set for weekend series at #3 North Dakota http://t.co/PTFisOaJdC pic.twitter.com/Gdmlu1R97f
— PC Men's Hockey (@FriarsHockey) October 23, 2014

UND Hockey: Providence vs. UND Links

Here's a couple of good reviews on this weekend's matchup with Providence College. This should be an exciting series this weekend.

Brian Sullivan, Cox Hub -- No. 5 Providence at No. 3 North Dakota (Friday and Saturday): The most elite college hockey match-up of the weekend finds the Friars on their longest trip of the year, and also their last trip out of the Eastern time zone (Notre Dame is just this side of the boundary). North Dakota has only played one regular-season home game this year, and it ended in a stunning 5-1 loss to Bemidji State on opening night... rest assured, UND is salivating to get back at it on home ice. The Friars will apparently be without the services of junior center Mark Jankowski, who is not traveling with the team due to an upper body injury. Big loss for Nate Leaman & Co

From USCHO: North Dakota ready for national spotlight with home series against Providence.

Matthew Semisch, USCHO --Third-ranked North Dakota is well aware of this, and it’s also cognizant of the fact that the national spotlight will be on Ralph Engelstad Arena this Friday and Saturday. No. 5 Providence is coming to Grand Forks, N.D., for a two-game set, and UND will be hoping to get the armchair NCAA selection committee on UND’s side.

Going into the series, however, UND coach Dave Hakstol isn’t taking a lot of stock in UND’s and the Friars’ places in the national polls.

“It’s just two good teams, and I guess you can just throw rankings out the window,” Hakstol said. “I know both teams are pretty good, and obviously we’re going to be hungry as we get into a long stretch of nonconference games, and these are extremely important.

Read more:

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• Providence Forward Mark Jankowski Won't Travel to North Dakota

Providence Forward Mark Jankowski Won't Travel to North Dakota

The Providence Friars beat writer Mark Divver tweeted that junior center Mark Jankowski won't be making the trip to North Dakota this weekend when UND plays Providence College at the Ralph this weekend. That's a significant loss for Providence College.

During his career at P.C., Jankowski has scored (20g-23a—43pts) in 73 games. Jankowski was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 2012 NHL draft.

Jankowski (upper body) won't travel to N. Dakota, per Nate Leaman. Was questionable to play, but had been expected to make trip as of Mon.
— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) October 22, 2014

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