Warranting extra credit

NU and Vermont making the grade

College hockey is in holiday recess. With that in mind, it's time to give out midseason grades for Hockey East.

In the tradition of my former high school teacher and basketball coach, Don Gray, we'll save any and all A's for the second half. Feel free to call me Scrooge, but everyone can improve. No matter how it shakes out, look for the conference to be well represented come NCAA bid time.

As for these grades, the teams are being listed in order of where they are in the standings:

1. Northeastern (8-2-1 Hockey East, 11-3-2 overall): B. Although I promised coach Greg Cronin I wouldn't pick (jinx?) the Huskies to win the Beanpot this year, I do believe they will be at or near the top of the standings at the end of the season. Goaltender Brad Thiessen is playing the best hockey of his career. The Huskies are one of the top penalty-killing teams in the country. However, their power play needs work and they are the most-penalized team in the league. That stuff catches up with you down the stretch.

2. (tie) Vermont (6-3-1, 9-4-2): B. Watching the Catamounts often makes me look for Jacques Lemaire behind the bench. He's not there, although the terrific Kevin Sneddon is. Their defensive style gives teams fits, and at the same time can be a little too New Jersey Devils/Minnesota Wild in the Lemaire tradition. Having said that, the Catamounts have the second-best power play in the league (20.5 percent) and are a contender.

2. (tie) Boston University (6-4-1, 11-4-1): B-minus. When Colin Wilson announced he was coming back for his sophomore season, it was obvious the Terriers were going to be a force. The question was who would step up as the No. 1 goaltender. The answer? Freshman Kieran Millan, although now that Grant Rollheiser has recovered from an injury, the first-year netminder will be platooned with Millan after the break.

4. (tie) Boston College (5-4-2, 9-5-2): B-minus. The defending national champions are cruising along pretty well. Brock Bradford, who missed most of last season because of a twice-broken left arm, has provided a substantial boost in energy and production (14 goals, 23 points in 16 games). Goalie John Muse is steady, although the team needs more offense from Joe Whitney and Ben Smith. One thing we know about the Eagles, they are always there at the end.

4. (tie) New Hampshire (5-4-2, 8-6-3): B-minus. The Wildcats lost a great deal of talent from last year, but have the top scorer in the country in sophomore James van Riemsdyk, who is tied with Miami's Carter Camper with 26 points (although van Riemsdyk has played one fewer game). One of the bright spots is forward Blake Kessel, younger brother of Bruins forward Phil Kessel, who is one of the most exciting young talents in the sport.

6. Maine (5-4-1, 10-5-1): C-plus. The Black Bears are moving up in the polls (No. 17 in the USA Today/USA Hockey) in no small part because of the performance of freshman goaltender Scott Darling. Darling has a record of 8-3-1, a goals-against average of 1.41, and a save percentage of .944. Maine is the top defensive team in the league, surrendering just 1.75 goals per game, and the Black Bears are second in penalty killing (91.8 percent).

7. UMass-Lowell (5-6-0, 8-8-0): C. The River Hawks have had more than their share of bad luck, particularly with injuries to goaltenders. Carter Hutton went down with a high ankle sprain Nov. 7 and Nevin Hamilton was lost to a groin injury last Friday in the final game before the break. Coach Blaise MacDonald ruefully asked if we could all put a Help Wanted ad in the paper for him. But the team has been in every game. Of their eight losses, five were by a goal and another would've been if not for an empty-netter. The other two losses were by two goals. All they want for Christmas is health.

8. UMass (4-4-1, 8-6-1): C. Goaltender Paul Dainton has the second-best GAA in the league (1.63) and third-best save percentage (.935). Sophomore forward James Marcou leads the team with 19 points and senior Cory Quirk is second with 17. The Minutemen have the third-best offense in the league behind BU and BC with 3.27 goals per game and the second-best defense, allowing two goals. If there's an area that cries for improvement, it's the power play. The team has succeeded on just 15.9 percent of opportunities.

9. Merrimack (2-7-2, 4-8-3): D. The team has the least-productive power play in the league, scoring on 10.4 percent of its opportunities. The Warriors have only 29 goals in 15 games, fewest in the league.

10. Providence (0-8-1, 3-12-1): D-minus. Giving the Friars an F seems too much like piling on. Of the team's 35 goals, the squad has scored only six in the first period over 16 games. To say the Friars are slow starters offensively is an understatement. Defensively, they are struggling even more, allowing an average of 4.19 goals. Time to regroup.

Nancy Marrapese-Burrell can be reached at marrapese@globe.com.