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The Canadiens took a flyer in 2014 when they used their final two picks in the entry draft to select players who were headed to college.

They selected Hayden Hawkey, a goaltender from Colorado, in the sixth round and Jake Evans, a forward from the Tier Two St. Michael’s Buzzers, in the seventh-round.

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They were gambling that the players would develop their skills and get stronger with a few years on campus, and the team is starting to see a payoff. Both players will be in action this weekend when the 16-team NCAA Tournament gets underway in four sites across the United States.

Hawkey is the starting goaltender for the Providence Friars and they won’t have to travel far for their first-round game against No. 2 Harvard. That game will be played Friday afternoon at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence.

A knee injury sidelined Hawkey in his final year with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL and he played only five games behind Edmonton prospect Nick Ellis in his freshman season at Providence. But Hawkey moved into the top spot when Ellis left school a year early to turn pro. Hawkey led the No. 13-ranked Friars with a 22-11-5 record, a 2.20 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.