University of Maine forward Spencer Abbott received two prestigious accolades Thursday evening. He was named Hockey East Player of the Year and one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, presented to the top player in Division I men’s hockey.
Abbott, a senior from Hamilton, Ontario, leads the nation in scoring with 59 points (20 goals and 39 assists).
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Boston College junior defenseman Brian Dumoulin of Biddeford also is one of the 10 finalists.
The 10 finalists will be reduced to three on March 29. The winner will be announced April 6 in Tampa, the day before the national championship game.
Only two Maine players have won the Hobey Baker — Scott Pellerin (1992) and Paul Kariya (1993).
Abbott became the first Black Bear to win the Hockey East top award since defenseman Chris Imes in 1995. Abbott also was the lone unanimous selection to the All-Hockey East first team.
He was joined on the first team by teammate and linemate Brian Flynn. The third member of Maine’s touted top line, Joey Diamond, was named to the All-Hockey East second team.
Dumoulin was a repeat member on the first team.
Abbott’s 59-point season ranks as one of Maine’s best. Since Kariya’s 100-point effort in 1993, only two Black Bears have recorded more than 60 points — brother Steve Kariya (65) in 1999 and Gustav Nyquist (61) in 2010.
Norm Bazin of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell was named Coach of the Year after leading the River Hawks to a surprising second place in the league standings in his first year as coach.
In the national scoring race, Abbott finished ahead of Colgate’s Austin Smith (36-20/56) and Minnesota-Duluth’s Jack Connelly (18-38/56). Both were also named Hobey Baker finalists.
Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:
kthomas@pressherald.com
Twitter: KevinThomasPPH
CORRECTION: This story was updated Friday, March 16 to reflect that two Maine players have won the Hobey Baker Award, not one.
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