Game day: BU visits Providence

BU will head South on I-95 to Providence today for the first of two conference matchups this weekend, as the Terrier try to claw their way up the Hockey East standings. BU beat the Friars convincingly at Schneider Arena last season, but Providence was one of only five teams to beat BU last season, handing the Terriers a 4-2 defeat at Agganis Arena.

Tonight’s game airs on NESN with a 7:30 p.m. start. Links to game notes, game tracker and the WZZN Radio Webcast are here.

• Providence game notes.
• Providence season preview
• CHN’s Tale of the Tape
• Daily Free Press game preview
• Live blog from The Boston Hockey Blog

USCHO’s Weekly Hockey East column includes a Melissa Wade photo gallery of David Warsofsky at the World Junior Championships in Saskatoon.

Tonight's BU line-up; same as last game.
Connolly-Bonino-Saponari
Z.Cohen-Megan-Chiasson
Gaudet-Trivino-Pereira
Glass-Popko-Gilroy

Warsofsky-Shattenkirk
Escobedo-Gryba
C.Cohen-Nicastro

Millan

Looking back
Former BU captain Sean Sullivan scored his seventh goal of the season for AHL San Antonio in a 5-3 loss to Chicago. Sullivan, named to the league All-Star Game next Tuesday, is second on the Rampage in scoring and tied for third among all AHL blueliners.

Another ex-BU defenseman playing in the AHL, Brian Strait, leads all defensemen on the WilkesBarre/Scranton Penguins in +/- .

Looking ahead
Amateur Hockey Report scouted a recent NTDP U18 game and posted this assessment of 2010 recruit Adam Clendening, a right-shot defenseman:

Doesn’t have elite physical tools but he has some moxie and is a great puck-mover. Bit of a funny skater while heading north but does have quick all-compass mobility. Has made some youthful mistakes but they have been outweighed by some great passing plays. Size will always be an issue but he has improved his defensive play and is taking the body instead of the puck
now. A Boston University commit. AHR Rating: AA [This rating projects as a 3rd to 5th round NHL draft pick]