Game day--BU vs. Vermont

Terriers return to the ice for yet another crucial weekend series--two games with Vermont in Burlington. BU is in fourth place and while the Catamounts are in ninth place, but only four points separate them. The teams played a 3-3 tie at Agganis Arena in December.

Wade Megan returns to the lineup after missing last Saturday's game due to illness. Tonight's lines and pairings:

Gaudet-Bonino-Chiasson
Z.Cohen-Connolly-Saponari
Glass-Popko-Pereira
Courtnall-Megan-Santana

Warsofsky-Gryba
C.Cohen-Nicastro
Escobedo-Shattenkirk

Millan

Tonight's game is a 7:30 p.m. start and airs on NESN. Sunday's rematch is set for 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPNU.

GoTerriers.com game notes, WWZN Radio Webcast
USCHO Weekly Hockey East column
Daily Free Press preview
WTBU preview and What to Watch For
Live Blogs: Boston Hockey Blog WTBU NESN
College Hockey News Tale of the Tape

HockeyEastOnline is conducting fan votes for teams of the decade of the 10 member schools and for the conference. Cast your vote here.

Olympic auction
BU is auctioning off two autographed "Miracle on Ice" mementos. First is a BU jersey autographed by Mike Eruzione, Dave Silk, Jim Craig and Jack O'Callahan. Second is a poster of the Sports Illustrated cover from February 28, 1980, also signed by the Terrier Four.

Note: Website difficulties earlier this week prevented the posting of several Olympic related articles, including some related to the 30th anniversary of the 1980 Miracle on Ice squad. We'll get them posted over the weekend.

Looking ahead
2010 recruit Sahir Gill, a standout for the RBC Cup Champion Vernon Vipers last season, left the BCHL last summer to play for the USHL Chicago Steel. After a strong start in Chicago (8-18-26 in 28 games). Gill left the Steel and returned to Vernon. His slow start in his second tour with the Vipers drew some attention from Terrier fans. He now has 12 points in 17 games with three goals in his past four games. We asked Vernon Morning Star reporter Graeme Corbett for some insights on Gill’s play and his thoughts about some scouting reports that questioned his willingness to play gritty down low and drive to the net. His response:

Given the circumstances surrounding Gill's return to Vernon, I'm not surprised it took him a while to settle in with his old teammates. He also hadn't played in a few weeks after leaving Chicago, so I think it probably took a while to get his touch back. But he has shown steady improvement in his last few games playing on a line with Cory Kane and Robbie Short.

He turned in one of the most physical games I've seen him play as a Viper against the second-place Penticton Vees on Feb. 17, when the Snakes earn an important 3-2 overtime win to help secure the league pennant. He also started February with a six-game point streak.

In his rookie season, Gill played on the Vipers' top line with ultra- talented twins Connor and Kellen Jones (committed to Quinnipiac Bobcats). You don't earn minutes with those two if you're not willing to work the puck down low and take some abuse in the corners.

That said, Gill isn't there to be a grinder. His strength is his ability to read the play, and he has the hands to set up his linemates. And he still is only a 17-year-old, so I can only see him getting better as he develops physically.