It wasn’t all bad news for Montreal hockey fans on the weekend.
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While the Canadiens were losing 6-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night at the Bell Centre, Michael Hage has a goal and four assists as the University of Michigan beat Penn State 10-6 at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pa., to sweep the weekend series against the Nittany Lions.
Hage, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound centre who was selected by the Canadiens in the first round of this year’s NHL Draft (21st overall), scored two goals — including the game-winner — Friday night when Michigan beat Penn State 6-5.
In 11 games as a freshman at Michigan, the 18-year-old Hage has 8-8-16 totals and after his seven-point weekend leads his team in scoring. Michigan, ranked fifth in the NCAA, has a 9-2-1 record.
Hage is from Oakville, Ont., but his parents — Alain and Rania — both grew up in Montreal and were huge Canadiens fans. He wore No. 9 as a kid playing youth hockey in the Toronto area in honour of Canadiens legend Maurice (Rocket) Richard. Hage’s father died in a freak swimming-pool accident last year.
After getting drafted by the Canadiens, Hage said he holds himself to a high standard because of the way his father pushed him to always be his best and that he expects a lot out of himself as a result.
When asked at Canadiens development camp in July what’s the best advice his father gave him, Hage said: “I think controlling your work ethic and what’s in your control. With him it was never about scoring goals or putting up any numbers. All he cared about was my work ethic and if I could look back at a game and everything I did in life, honestly, with no regrets.
“That’s what I still try to do to this day,” Hage added. “When you’re able to look back at certain things you do and say that you controlled what was really in your control — because sometimes you can’t control the result — usually you do well and you’re able to look back at it and not regret anything. So that’s what I try to do.”
In Denver on Saturday night,Sam Harris scored his 11th goal of the season as his No. 1-ranked University of Denver team lost 5-2 to Arizona State.
Harris, selected by the Canadiens in the fifth round (133rd overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, is tied for the NCAA lead in goals and the 6-foot-1, 180-pound left-winger has 11-6-17 totals in 13 games as a 21-year-old sophomore.
Denver saw its record fall to 12-2-0 after beating Boston College in the NCAA championship game last season. Harris scored 14 goals in 42 games last season.
When asked at Canadiens development camp in July what his goals were for this season, Harris said: “Personally, I want to score more goals than I did last season. The individual is good, but I want to win the championship again. The group we had last year was so tight and just everybody bought into the system. It was a challenge, but everybody stuck together and we pulled it off, so I want to go back-to-back.
“Just really focusing on what I need to get done next season and the year after that,” Harris added. “It’s all just preparation to one day, hopefully, play for this (Canadiens) team and make it and earn a spot. That’s something I’m really looking forward to doing and going through that challenge.”
In Belleville on Saturday night,Joshua Roy had a goal and two assists as the Laval Rocket beat the Belleville Senators 3-1, improving their record to 13-3-1 under new head coach Pascal Vincent.
Roy, a right-winger who was selected by the Canadiens in the fifth round (150th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft and was among the final cuts at training camp this year, has 8-8-16 totals in 17 games with the Rocket to lead the team in scoring.
In Boston on Saturday night,Jacob Fowler made 25 saves, but it wasn’t enough as his Boston College team lost 4-2 to Northeastern.
Fowler, selected by the Canadiens in the third round (69th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, saw his record fall to 8-2-0 with a 1.55 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage.
On Friday night, Fowler made 28 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season as Boston College beat Northeastern 3-0.