Eichel among three Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalists

Boston University center Jack Eichel, No. 2 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of the top North American skaters eligible for the 2015 NHL Draft, was named a 2015 Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist as college hockey's top player on Thursday.

Eichel, who is looking to become the first freshman to win the award since University of Maine forward Paul Kariya in 1993, is joined by junior goalie Zane McIntyre of the University of North Dakota and junior forward Jimmy Vesey of Harvard University as finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.

The winner will be announced April 10 at Matthews Arena in Boston and will be televised live on NHL Network at 5 p.m. ET.

Eichel is only the second player in Hockey East history, along with Boston College defenseman Brian Leetch in 1987, to win Hockey East Player of the Year, Hockey East Rookie of the Year, and Hockey East Tournament MVP. He leads the nation with 43 assists, 67 points, a plus-49 rating, 22 power-play points, 1.13 assists-per game average, and 1.76 points-per game average. He also has a 51 percent efficiency on faceoffs.

Boston University will play North Dakota in the semifinal round of the NCAA Frozen Four at TD Garden in Boston on April 9 (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2).

McIntyre, a sixth-round pick (No. 165) in the 2010 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins, was named National Collegiate Hockey Conference goaltender of the year. He is 29-9-3 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in 41 games. He has played all but one game this season for North Dakota and has made 1,088 saves against 1,169 shots.

McIntyre, formally Zane Gothberg, legally changed his last name to his mother's maiden name, McIntyre, last summer. He led the National Collegiate Hockey Conference with a 1.99 GAA and ranked second with a .926 save percentage as a sophomore in 2013-14.

Vesey, a third-round selection (No. 66) in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators, led the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association with 32 goals and 58 points in 37 games.

Vesey received the Walter Brown Award last month as the best American-born player playing college hockey in New England. He was selected from a field of 20 semifinalists, including Eichel. Vesey helped lead the Crimson to the 2015 ECAC Hockey Tournament championship and the program's first berth into the NCAA Tournament since 2006. Harvard lost against the University of Nebraska-Omaha in the Midwest Regional semifinal round, 4-1.

Vesey had 10 goals and four assists in eight playoff games, including three game-winning goals. He was the ECAC Player of the Year and First Team all-conference.