Buffalo Sabres prospect Gavin McCarthy will compete for an NCAA championship with Boston University at the Frozen Four in Saint Paul, Minnesota on Thursday.
No. 2 Boston University plays No. 3 Denver at 5 p.m. EST on ESPN 2 and ESPN+. The winner will play in the national championship game against either Michigan or Boston College on Saturday.
McCarthy, a Clarence Center native and Buffalo Jr. Sabres alumnus, was selected by the Sabres during the third round of the NHL Draft last summer. The 6-foot-2, right-shot defenseman played 47 games as a freshman and scored his first NCAA goal during the Hockey East championship game on March 23.
"Gavin's game has been trending up all year," Sabres player development coach Tim Kennedy said prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament. "He plays on a very good Boston University team with a lot of draft picks and high-end talent. He plays primarily at even strength and on the PK, this is a normal process in your freshman year. It’s an adjustment your first half of the season, figuring out how to play against older players and he's done that. His second half of the season he's taken steps to establish himself on his team.
"He's a good skater, hard defender, has offensive ability, and plays with an edge. His game has been improving the whole year and we are excited as he takes the next steps in his development.”
