Bean Town Times

Freshman Lane Hutson was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Boston University men's ice hockey head coach Jay Pandolfo was named Hockey East Coach of the Year, the league announced on Wednesday.

Hutson, who was also runner-up for Hockey East Player of the Year, is the 11th different Terrier and first since Joel Farabee in 2019 to receive this honor. Hutson also made history as the first Terrier defenseman to be named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and is just the third blue liner in league history (and first since 1992) to be tabbed as the top rookie. This award is the next in a long list of accomplishments, as Hutson was also a unanimous Hockey East First Team All-Star and Hockey East All-Rookie selection.

A native of North Barrington, Illinois, Hutson put together one of the best rookie seasons in league history. He was the first defenseman to ever lead Hockey East in scoring in the league's 39-year history, posting 34 points on nine goals and a league-high 25 assists in 24 Hockey East tilts. In 34 overall games, Hutson leads Hockey East with 44 points on 12 goals and a league-high 32 assists. He ranks fifth in the NCAA in assists and is first among NCAA defensemen in both assists per game and points per game. In addition, Hutson leads all freshman defensemen in plus-minus as a plus-23.

Pandolfo is just the third first-year head coach to be chosen as the league's Coach of the Year. He joins five-time honoree Jack Parker and 2015 winner David Quinn as Terrier bench bosses to receive this recognition. Pandolfo guided the Terriers to the program's 11th Hockey East regular-season title and their first since 2016-17, with BU posting an 18-6-0 league record. The Terriers enter this weekend 25-10-0 under Pandolfo's guidance, including an 11-6-0 against ranked teams and a 5-1-0 mark against top-10 foes. He became the first head coach in program history to win 20 games in his first season in charge of the Terriers and matched Jack Parker's 19-6-0 record in 1973-74 as the best start by a BU head coach in program history.BU boasts the third-best offense in the nation, averaging 4.0 goals per game, almost a full goal per game higher than last season. Five freshmen have all recorded at least 20 points, including two 30-point producers, while 10 returners have improved upon their point total from last year. Pandolfo coached four Hockey East All-Stars, including three first-team selections, as well as two All-Rookie Team honorees.The top-seeded and fifth-ranked Terriers will face Providence on Friday afternoon in the first of two Hockey East semifinal contests at TD Garden. Puck drop against the Friars is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Original source can be found here.