Hockey East officially opens its 25th season tonight with four games - Michigan faces Massachusetts in less than an hour in the Icebreaker tournament at Agganis Arena in Boston, followed by North Dakota against Boston University at 7:30.

Wisconsin plays top-ranked Boston College at 7 p.m. at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill.

Maine, meanwhile, has another week before it's opener against Alaska-Anchorage at the Alaskan Goal Rush Tournament in Fairbanks, Alaska. But one Hockey East team is already four time zones behind us. Northeastern faces Alaska-Fairbanks at 9 tonight in the Kendall Hockey Classic in Anchorage. Alaska-Anchorage faces Connecticut in the second game tonight.

Huskies and more Huskies.

Northeastern Coach Greg Cronin didn't say much to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner about the Seawolves or the Nanooks.

"I can't comment because I don't know about their team," Cronin said Tuesday morning from Boston. "I'm so focused on getting my own team prepared to show up that I haven't consistently broken down (video of) Fairbanks. But I will be learning about them through the Internet, and I'll know a lot more about them on Friday when we play them."

Would Cronin be willing to share notes? Just asking ...

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