March 17, 2016

Photo Gallery

By Dan Colleran

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — High-scoring sophomores Anders Bjork and Jordan Gross were named Second Team Hockey East All-Stars on Thursday evening at the league’s annual awards banquet, which was hosted by ESPN’s John Buccigross at the Royal Sonesta Hotel.

Bjork and Gross became the fourth and fifth Notre Dame players to be named a first or second team Hockey East All-Star, joining Vince Hinostroza (First Team, 2015), Robbie Russo (First Team, 2015) and Stephen Johns (Second Team, 2014).

Bjork has played in 34 games this season and is tied for the team lead with 33 points on 11 goals and 22 assists, all of which are career-high totals. He has six multi-point games on the season, including a two-goal performance in Notre Dame’s 5-1 win over UMass on Dec. 5. He also notched a goal and two assists in wins over Minnesota (Nov. 6) and Merrimack (Jan. 15-16). He strung together a career-long, 10-game point streak from Nov. 28 — Jan. 23 (7-8-15). His +26 rating ranks tied for 11th nationally.

In 22 Hockey East games, Bjork posted eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points. He notched three power-play goals in league play, tying for ninth. He also posted a +18 rating in Hockey East games, which was the second-best total on the season.

Bjork missed the Denver series (Jan. 1-2) while playing for Team USA at the 2016 World Junior Championship. He helped lead Team USA to the bronze medal, netting a pair of goals in the 8-3 bronze medal game win over Sweden en route to being named Team USA’s Player of the Game (Jan. 4). He became the fifth Notre Dame player to earn a medal at the event, joining Mario Lucia (gold in 2013), Kyle Palmieri (gold in 2010 and bronze in 2011), Kyle Lawson (bronze in 2007) and Ben Simon (silver in 1997).

Gross has played in all 36 games this season, scoring nine goals and adding 22 assists for 31 points, all career-high totals. His 31 points are tied for third on the team, while his 22 assists are tied for second. He recorded 10 multi-point games, including two-goal performances in wins over Minnesota (Nov. 6) and Northeastern (Nov. 12).

Gross led Hockey East defensemen in scoring with six goals and 16 assists for 22 points in 22 games. His 22 points in league play were the most by a Hockey East defenseman since Trevor van Riemsdyk (UNH) also had 22 points in league play in 2012-13. Gross’ 31 points rank second nationally among defenseman, trailing only St. Cloud senior Ethan Prow (8-27-35), while his 22 assists are tied for fifth n the country among defensemen.

In addition, sophomore goaltender Cal Petersen and senior forward Thomas DiPauli were named 2016 Honorable Mention Hockey East All-Stars, while Head Coach Jeff Jackson was the runner-up for Hockey East Coach of the Year honors.

Yesterday (March 16) the Hockey East Association announced the league’s head coaches voted Notre Dame senior forward Sam Herr as the Gladiator Custom Mouthguards Best Defensive Forward of the Year, while freshman defenseman Bobby Nardella was named to the Pro Ambitions All-Rookie team.

First Team
G: Thatcher Demko, BC (Jr.)
D: Matt Grzelcyk, BU (Sr.)
D: Jake Walman, PC (So.)
F: Ryan Fitzgerald, BC (Jr.)
F: Mark Jankowski, PC (Sr.)
F: Danny O’Regan, BU (Sr.) F
F: Andrew Poturalski, UNH (Jr.)

Second Team
G: Kevin Boyle, UML (Sr.)
D: Jordan Gross, ND (So.)
D: Ian McCoshen, BC (Jr.)
F: Zach Aston-Reese, NU (Jr.)
F: Anders Bjork, ND (So.)
F: Max Letunov, UConn (Fr.)
F: Colin White, BC (Fr.)

Honorable Mention
G: Nick Ellis, PC (Jr.)
G: Cal Petersen, ND (So.)
D: Dylan Zink, UML (Jr.)
F: Austin Cangelosi, BC (Jr.)
F: Thomas DiPauli, ND (Sr.)
F: Tyler Kelleher, UNH (Jr.)
F: Ahti Oksanen, BU (Sr.)
F: Nolan Stevens, NU (So.)

Warrior Hockey East Co-Players of the Year
Kevin Boyle, UMass Lowell (Sr.)
Thatcher Demko, Boston College (Jr.)

Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Year
Colin White, Boston College (Fr.)

Bauer Hockey East Coach of the Year (Bob Kullen Award)
Nate Leaman, Providence
Runner-Up: Jeff Jackson, Notre Dame

— ND —

Dan Colleran, associate athletics communications director at the University of Notre Dame, has been a part of Fighting Irish Media since August 2015 and coordinates all media and publicity efforts surrounding the Notre Dame hockey and men’s golf programs. A native of Walpole, Massachusetts, Colleran spent the previous three years working with the men’s hockey and soccer programs at Providence College. Colleran also spent two years as an Assistant Executive Director of Communications & Championships at the Ivy League and is a graduate of Providence College (’06 & ’08G).