BOSTON CALLING | SFU Red Leafs Travel Team to take on Boston University, Boston College to kick off 2024

BURNABY — The Simon Fraser University Red Leafs announced today the addition of two more non-conference games for the 2023-24 season against the Boston University Terriers and the Boston College Eagles.

Kicking off on Friday, January 5th, the Red Leafs will face the Boston University Terriers at Agganis Arena in Boston, followed by a quick trip to the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill to take on the Boston College Eagles on Saturday, January 6th. The games mark the first time in program history that the Red Leafs will face the Terriers and Eagles.

Coming off a season which saw them finish 1st in Hockey East standings and win the Hockey East Championship, the Boston University Terriers, ranked #4 nationally by USCHO.com, come into the 2023.24 season looking to return to the NCAA Frozen Four and leave the tournament as champions after being knocked out in the semi-finals by the eventual runner-up Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The Terriers have a stacked lineup coming into the 2023.24 season, with returning players including Lane Hutson (Montreal Canadiens, 2022 second round pick) and Drew Commesso (Chicago Blackhawks, 2020 second round pick), and newcomers Aiden Celebrini, a Vancouver native drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, his brother Macklin Celebrini, who is projected to go first overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, and Swede Tom Willander, drafted eleventh overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

The Boston College Eagles finished a challenging 2022.23 season 8th in Hockey East standings, banking 30 points in 24 games and falling out of the playoffs in the second round after losing to 2nd place Merrimack by a score of 1-0, who would go on to fall to the Boston University Terriers in the Hockey East Championship.

While the Eagles won’t have quite the star-studded collection of players with the local connections in comparison to the Terriers, the team will feature six players drafted in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft this season, including three first round picks: Will Smith (San Jose Sharks, 4th overall), Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals, 8th overall), and Gabe Perreault (New York Rangers, 23rd overall).

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