USA Today ranks Terriers 14th

In a sure sign that the college hockey season is just around the corner, the first national rankings came out today. BU, coming off a season that saw them finish third in the Hockey East regular season, but fail to return to the NCAAs, is ranked #14 in the preseason USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine men's poll. The Terriers are one spot behind their season-opening opponent, Wisconsin, whom they'll face in the Warrior IceBreaker Tournament on Oct. 8.

In his Sunday Hockey Notes column, The Boston Globe’s Kevin Dupont reports that :

Boston University coaching legend Jack Parker continues to recover from heart surgery he had over the summer. If he needs a night off behind the Terrier bench this season, associate coach Mike Bavis will handle the duties, accompanied by Pertti Hasanen, who is back on Commonwealth Ave. again after pursuing other business.

Earlier this year we reported that Hasanen, a former Terrier assistant coach, has launched Hasanen Power Wear, an innovative company committed to developing safe and functional weighted training gear. In May, USA Hockey announced that Hasanen Power Wear will serve as its official weighted training gear sponsor and will provide sets of its training equipment to USA Hockey's National Team Development Program.

Looking back
A pair of former Terrier blueliners found the back of the net in NHL exhibition games Saturday night. Matt Gilroy led a Rangers third period comeback with a power play goal and assist, leading to 5-4 overtime win against the Devils.

Sean Sullivan, who signed with San Jose over the summer, scored for the Sharks in a 3-1 win over Phoenix. Both Sullivan and John McCarthy remain in Sharks camp, competing for the few remaining opening night roster spots.

In a video interview, Kevin Shattenkirk offers candid comments about his performance in Avs camp. He’s one of four ex-Terriers in camp following cuts that left the roster at 29.

Nick Bonino, now in Syracuse with the Ducks' AHL affiliate, has developed some chemistry with a former opponent from his last college season.

Women's team
Dressing just 16 players didn’t slow down the Terrier Women’s team (season preview) which beat University of Windsor, 4-1, in an exhibition game on Saturday. Brian Durocher’s club was minus two injured players and another five at the Team Canada Camp. Durocher video interview.

Al Daniels of the Beyond The Dashers blog profiles freshman Marie-Philip Poulin, gold medal winner at the Vancouver Olympics and describes how, thanks to an influx of high-profile talent, The Battle of Commonwealth Ave. now extends to BU’s and BC’s women’s program.

USCHO posted its preseason women's hockey poll with the Terriers ranked #6. Earlier this month they were picked first by Hockey East coaches in the conference preseason poll.