By: Neil Simmons | Follow me on Twitter / X: @NSimmz
Pencils down, the first half of the 2025-26 NCAA Men’s Hockey Season is officially completed. There were only a few Bruins prospects still in class this past week. How did they fare in their final games before the break?
Philip Svedeback (G) – Providence – Svedeback closed out his first half on a high note, backstopping the Friars with 29 saves in a 4-2 win over local rivals Brown University on Tuesday night to claim the Mayor’s Cup for the third consecutive year. The Swede has won three of his last four starts and has allowed two goals or fewer in eight of his last ten.
At the winter break, Svedeback is sporting a 7-5-2 record with a 2.29 Goals Against Average and a .919 Save %, and was named the Hockey East Goaltender of the Month for November.
Casper Nassen (LW) – Miami OH – came up clutch on Friday night, scoring his fourth goal of the season with just ten seconds remaining to force overtime with Colorado College, allowing Miami to pick up the extra point with a shootout win.
Nassen has had a strong sophomore season with the RedHawks, having already eclipsed his freshman year point total in less than half the time. Following the weekend series with Colorado College, he hits the break with 4-8-12 in 18 games.
Jonathan Morello (C) – Boston University – Morello logged an assist in BU’s road comeback win on Saturday night, closing out Matthews Arena with a 4-3 victory over Northeastern. He recorded a secondary assist on the Terriers’ first goal of the game by winning the faceoff that directly led to Brandon Svoboda pouncing on the loose puck and whacking it home to cut into the Huskies’ early lead.
Morello has flashed his two-way skill so far in his first semester of college hockey, putting up 3-5-8 in his first 18 games. His 89 faceoff wins rank third on the Terriers, and he is tied for the team lead with a pair of shorthanded goals.
Looking Ahead: The winter break is in full effect, and no Bruins prospects will see college ice until at least the weekend after Christmas. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any prospects in action.
James Hagens and Will Zellers are both taking part in Team USA’s preliminary camp for the World Junior Championships, which begin on Boxing Day. Hagens is almost guaranteed a spot on the final roster as one of the holdovers from last year’s gold medal-winning team. Zellers, a late addition to camp, isn’t quite as safe but can earn his spot with a good showing. The final team roster will be announced on Christmas Eve.
Chris Pelosi and Ryan Walsh will also take part in a tournament over the holiday season, as both were named to the U.S. Collegiate Selects Team for the Spengler Cup in Switzerland. The Collegiate Selects Team is the first NCAA “all-star” team that will compete in the 102-year history of the tournament. Their first game will be on Boxing Day against Team Canada, comprising Canadian professional players outside the NHL.
As for the rest of the college Bruins, Dean Letourneau, Will Moore, and Kristian Kostadinski will take on Cole Spicer on December 28th, when Boston College faces Western Michigan in the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off in Milwaukee.
Casper Nassen will also compete in a holiday four-team tournament, as Miami will face Michigan Tech in the Great Lakes Invitational on December 28th.
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