BU C Wilson, D Gilroy among Hobey Baker finalists

Mar 20, 2009 - 12:19 AM ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) -- Boston University has made waves on the national scene of NCAA hockey, and a pair of its most prominent players are among the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.

Terriers center Colin Wilson and defenseman Matt Gilroy joined Michigan's Louie Caporusso, Alaska-Fairbanks goaltender Chad Johnson, Princeton netminder Zane Kalemba, Air Force's Jacques Lamoureux, Wisconsin blue-liner Jamie McBain, Colgate's David McIntyre, Vermont's Viktor Stalberg and Northeastern goalie Brad Thiessen as those hoping to be named as the top player in college hockey for the 2008-09 campaign.

The three finalists will be announced on April 2, while the Hobey Baker Award winner will be named April 10 from Verizon Center in Washington during the NCAA Frozen Four.

Selected seventh overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2008 draft, Wilson starred for Team USA in the World Junior Championship in January. The 19-year-old recorded three goals and nine points in six tournament games for the Americans.

Wilson has registered 14 tallies and 49 points in 37 contests for top-ranked Boston University, which faces Boston College on Friday in the Hockey East semifinals.

Gilroy, who has notched eight goals and 24 assists in 39 games for the Terriers this season, became the first defenseman in Hockey East history to be a First Team All-Conference player three times.

The 6-2 Gilroy is set to join Rick Meagher and Hobey Baker winner - and current New York Rangers captain - Chris Drury as the school's only three-time All-Americans.

Caporusso, meanwhile, leads the CCHA with 23 goals and is third with 46 points. A third-round selection of the Ottawa Senators in 2007, he has helped the Wolverines consistently stay among the top-five teams in the nation this campaign.

Johnson has helped Alaska rank second nationally in team goals-against average (1.70) with his 1.67 mark, which is second in the nation. He captured the CCHA Player of the Year honors while also being selected as a First Team All-Star and winner of the Best Goalie Award as the conference's top netminder.

Selected in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2006 draft, Johnson leads the country in save percentage (.939) and is third with six shutouts.

Kalemba was named ECAC Player of the Year, Goalie of the Year and a First Team All-Star while anchoring Princeton.

The Ivy League Player of the Year, he is 22-8-0 while setting single-season school records for wins, GAA and save percentage. His 1.69 GAA is fourth in the nation, while his .936 save percentage is tied for second.

Lamoureux, the Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year for Air Force, leads the nation with 31 goals and is second with 51 points.

McBain, who was taken in the second round by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, ranks second in the country among defensemen with 36 points. He was named the WCHA Player of Year and a First Team All-Star.

McIntyre posted Colgate's best points total in nine years, tallying 43 in 37 games to rank 16th in the nation. A fifth-round selection of the Dallas Stars in the 2006 draft, McIntyre is ninth in the country with 21 goals.

A native of Gothenberg, Sweden, Stalberg led Hockey East in goals with 23 and was third in points with 34 in 27 league games. The 6-2 Stalberg was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round in 2006.

Thiessen has played every minute in goal for Northeastern this season. He is tied for second in the nation in wins (25) and owns the ninth-best GAA at 2.07.