Another homer for Hockey East

NEW ENGLAND HOCKEY

There probably won’t be a Hockey East extravaganza at Fenway Park next winter, but don’t think for a second that’s the end of the partnership.

“Our job as a league is to market our brand and one way we’ve done that is through our association with the Red Sox and Frozen Fenway,” Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna said Saturday, the end of the fourth collaboration between the conference and venerated ballpark. “I’ve already talked with (Red Sox president) Sam Kennedy and they’re interested about continuing this in the future.”

Bertagna said 35,979 tickets were sold for the league’s two doubleheaders — Boston University-UMass and Boston College-Providence the previous weekend, plus Maine-UConn and Northeastern-New Hampshire this last one — and that more than 205,000 have attended the four events (2010, ’12, ’14, ’17). Future events might alter the formula some, with items to discuss including possible interleague matchups and making Hockey East games count as nonleague. One coach said during Frozen Fenway that he expected the matter of league games vs. nonleague games to be discussed at the annual meetings in Naples, Fla.

Some coaches, according to Bertagna, are also concerned about giving up a home game — BU won’t visit Amherst this year, for example — in a league where final standings are often determined by a single point. There is little doubt the outdoor ice, subject to the weather, led to more quirky bounces and falls than at indoor venues.

Still, Bertagna remains Frozen Fenway’s unabashed No. 1 fan.

“I do think that it’s a special opportunity for the kids. They do act like kids when they’re out there on the ice at Fenway Park and they stop to look around the place,” said Bertagna, who cited UMass-Lowell and Vermont as schools who have expressed an eagerness to return to the event. “I think it could be successful again.”

Quiz of the Week

This BU skater had only 17 goals with the Terriers, but 538 in the NHL. Who is he? Answer below.

Wondrous Wildcat

East Longmeadow’s Tyler Kelleher was held without a point in UNH’s pair of games with Northeastern, but he remains among the nation’s leaders in scoring thanks to performances like the previous Sunday’s against Brown. He had five assists in a 7-4 win — the first Wildcat with a five-point game since 2012 — and leads the country with 26 points in just 22 games.

The gritty 5-foot-6 senior has 40 points, one off the national lead shared by Union linemates Mike Vecchinone (of Saugus) and Spencer Foo.

“He’s just a competitor,” said UNH coach Dick Umile, with whom Kelleher sits tied in alltime points with 144 — although Umile’s total came in 47 fewer games. “He’s a player that makes our team better.” . . .

Senior Zach Aston-Reese, who assisted on both Northeastern goals in Saturday’s Fenway draw with New Hampshire, moved into a tie with J.F. Aube for 25th all-time in scoring for the Huskies with 124 points. Aston-Reese needs two power-play goals to match Northeastern Hall of Fame skater Rod Isbister’s single season mark of 14 (1984-85), and one shorthanded goal to tie the single-season mark of four shared by Bryan Esner (2006-07) and Hall of Famer Randy Bucyk (1982-83). . . .

A pair of “only at Fenway” moments from Saturday: NU backup goalie Curtis Frye snared an errant puck in his glove without ever leaving the bench for a nice save. Also, UNH left winger Jason Salvaggio of Hanson, who is enjoying a terrific 14-goal campaign, fired a puck that reached the third base stands, sending fans scurrying for a souvenir. Not sure if the infield fly rule was in effect.

Slap shots

Kudos to NU’s Hayley Scamurra on becoming the 27th Husky with 100 career points, reaching the mark in Friday’s loss at Maine. Scamurra (36 goals, 64 assists) becomes the third NU player to reach that total this season, joining Denisa Krizova and Paige Savage.

BC’s Austin Cangelosi also hit 100 last week.

Quiz answer

Keith Tkachuk. Drop the puck!