Monday Linkorama

• Three Terriers—Adam Clendening, Sahir Gill and Kieran Millan—made Hockey East’s top performers list for the week. Clendening, who had a goal and an assist to go along with a +3 for the weekend, also earned Coach Jack Parker’s praise:

"He’s looking like an All-American defenseman for us the way he’s playing right now. He’s just playing terrific."

• Terriers enter the final weekend of the regular season on a league-best nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2) in Hockey East play. A home-and-home series with Northeastern begins at Matthews Arena on Friday.

• After struggling much of the season, BU has scored seven power-play goals over the past five games.

• The Daily Free Press takes a look at how the current top line of Chris Connolly, Gill and Charlie Coyle is developing chemistry.

Looking back
Brian Strait, called up to Pittsburgh from the NHL for one game last due to injuries to the Pens’ blueline corps, made a return trip the Steel City for two more games over the weekend and acquitted himself well. In Saturday’s game against Toronto, he made an impression on the Leaf’s Phil Kessel. (photo above, video below)



Looking ahead
Danny O’Regan scored a goal and an assist in St. Sebastian’s 5-3 loss to Thayer Academy at Walter Brown Arena on Saturday. O’Regan now has a 24-24-48 scoring line for the Arrovws who head into the prep school playoffs this week against Belmont Hill on Wednesday. The game brought Thayer coach Tony Amonte back to the scene of his college heroics as a high-scoring forward for BU.

Not so fast....

Home ice for the Hockey East playoffs in NOT a done deal for the Terriers just yet.

The Boston Hockey Blog's Scott McLaughlin has posted an update about the possibility of a three-way tie between BU, Merrimack and Maine that would leave the Terriers in fifth place. Here is his update:

***Reporter's note: Due to the unforeseen possibility of a three-way tie for third, a previous report that BU clinched home ice for the Hockey East quarterfinals was incorrect. This blog, the BU athletic department and Hockey East all stated before this weekend that the Terriers could clinch home ice with three points. However, a member of the athletic department discovered after tonight's game that that was not true. Maine's sweep of Merrimack this weekend means there is a possibility that BU, Merrimack and Maine could finish in a three-way tie for third that would leave the Terriers as the five seed and put them on the road for the quarterfinals. Here's how:

Right now, BU is third with 34 points, Merrimack is fourth with 33 and Maine is fifth with 30. If BU gets swept by Northeastern next weekend, Merrimack takes just one point from Providence and Maine sweeps Massachusetts, the three teams would end up tied for third with 34 points apiece.

The first tiebreaker in that scenario is head-to-head against the other teams involved in the tie. All three are .500 against the other two combined, so that doesn't get us anywhere. The next tiebreaker is wins in league play. Merrimack and Maine would both have 15, while BU would only have 14. Therefore, the Terriers would be the five seed. Maine would be the three because it won the season series against Merrimack, meaning BU would play at Merrimack in the quarterfinals.There's a very slim chance of all that happening, but just to reiterate, the Terriers DID NOT clinch home ice tonight.

Terrier clinch home ice with 3-1 win

This time, BU turned a 3-0 lead against Vermont into a win , if not gaining the shutout, beating the Catamounts 3-1. BU received a pair of second-period goals from Chris Connolly and Alex Chiasson and a third period goal from Matt Nieto (photo). Kieran Millan, who earned the game's first star, stopped 27 shots. UVM's Rob Madore kept the game as close as it was with a strong game in goal, making 31 saves. Adam Clendening, who assisted on two BU goals, was a standout at both ends of the ice. For the second consecutive night, Terriers dominated in the face off circle.

The win also moved BU into third place in Hockey East, a point ahead of Merrimack, which was swept by Maine this weekend. Terriers will likely need to win both games against Northeastern next weekend to finish third, as Merrimack owns the tiebreaker between the teams.



• GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

• Post-game comments: Connolly and Clendening
• Boston Hockey Blog recap, slideshow and grades

• WTBU Sports recap
• USCHO recap

• Hockey East Online recap and video highlights

• Burlington Free Press recap

Looking back

Former BU All-American Mike Grier scored his second goal in two nights as Buffalo dropped a 3-2 decision to Detroit.

Another former BU All-American, Colin Wilson, scored his 14th of the season and added an assist in Nashville’s 3-2 loss to Dallas.

Dave Van der Gulik scored a goal and an assist in Lake Erie’s 3-2 win against Grand Rapids

Luke Popko scored his third goal in South Carolina’s 3-2 win over Florida in ECHL play.

BU lets one slip away

Terrier let a 3-0 lead early in the third period slip away and had to settle for a 3-3 overtime time with Vermont at Agganis Arena. Freshman Sahir Gill (photo) had a hand in the first two Terrier scores, with an unassisted goal late in the first period and then assisting on Adam Clendening’s goal early in the second.

Ben Rosen stretched the lead with a goal five and a half minutes into the third, but that’s when the Vermont comeback began with a goal just a minute later and then a pair within 32 seconds midway through the period. Terrier defensive lapses led to at least two of the goals.

The tie prevented the Terriers from moving into a third-place tie with Merrimack, which lost at Maine. BU now trails second-place BC by three points. Terriers need at least one point in tonight’s rematch with the Cats to clinch home ice for the Hockey East playoffs. Game time is 6:30 p.m. and it will again air on NESN.

• GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score, and video highlights
• Boston Hockey blog recap, analysis, and grades
• Hockey East Online recap
• USCHO recap
• Boston Globe recap
• WTBU Sports recap

• Post-game comments:

Looking back
The Boston Globe reports on the resurgence of Winthrop High School hockey with a pair of former Terriers guiding the way. Dale Dunbar is the Vikings head coach and Mike Eruzione is an assistant., as is Adam Warsofsky, brother of current Terrier assistant captain David Warsofsky.

Game Day--BU vs. Vermont; a new recruit for 2013

Terriers begin a weekend home series against Vermont with a 7:30 p.m. start tonight. Both games will air on NESN. Iin the only previous meeting this season, the Terriers beat the Catamounts, 4-2, in Burlington.

BU's lineup:
Connolly-Gill-Coyle
Nieto-Trivino-Chiasson
Megan-Gaudet-Pereira
Courtnall-Rosen-Gilroy

Nicastro-Ruikka
Noonan-Clendening
Escobedo-MacGregor

Millan


• GoTerriers.com to game notes, the WWZN Radio Webcast and gametracker
• Boston Hockey Blog game preview, report on Dave Warsofsky concussion and live in-game blog
• WTBU Sports preview
• Hockey East Online preview
• College Hockey News Tale of the Tape
• USCHO Weekly Hockey East column and Hockey East predictions
• NESN preview. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
• Burlington Free Press preview.

Looking ahead
USHR reports that St. St. Sebastian’s junior center Danny O'Regan has committed to BU for 2013. He's the son of former BU co-captain ('82-'83) Tom O'Regan and the younger brother of Tom Jr., who will enter Harvard next Fall. The younger O'Regan chose between BU and Harvard with Yale, Dartmouth and Northestern also interested.

USHR calls him "A small, skilled, playmaker, O’Regan is an excellent puck distributor, one of those players who finds the seams, and makes those around him better." Nevertheless, he leads the Arrows in goals and has a 23-23-46 line in 25 games.

St. Sebastian’s head coach Sean McCann: “His strengths are his vision, playmaking ability, and hockey sense. He understands and does things so well down low because he has that ability to separate himself from the D to create offensive opportunities for himself and linemates. He’s also a very competitive, internally-driven kid. He works hard in the weight room. He never stops challenging himself. “

St. Seb's final regular season game is tomorrow at Noon at Walter Brown Arena against Thayer, coached by Tony Amonte.

Tom O'Regan played four seasons for BU, scoring 130 points. After playing 61 NHL games for Pittsburgh during three seasons, he began a long and successful career in the German professional league before retiring in 1998.

• Tom O'Regan's NHLPA Bio

Looking back

The Hockey News focused its Prospects Watch on former Terrier forward Nick Bonino. Playing for Anaheim's AHL club in Syracuse, Bonino scored an assist and a shootout goal in the Crunch's 4-3 win over Charlotte this week.

Blueliner Eric Gryba picked up his second goal of the season, which proved to be the game-winner in Binghamton's 4-1 win over the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Tuesday Linkorama

We start off with a video no Terrier fan—or U.S. hockey fan—ever tires of watching. Thirty-one years ago tonight in Lake Placid, New York, Jim Craig stood on his head, Mike Eruzione found a small space under the Russian goalie’s arm and then we all held our breath for the longest ten minutes in sports history.



► Brian Strait played 12+ minutes in his NHL debut, a 1-0 Pittsburgh loss to Washington on an Ovechkin goal.
• Pittsburgh Tribune.

►Kieran Millan earned Hockey East’s defensive player of the week award. The junior netminder, who now ranks fourth all-time at BU goaltending wins with 58, one behind John Curry for third place, has a 7-2-1 record with a 1.78 GAA and .948 save% in his past 10 conference games. Making the conference top performers lists for the week were Adam Clendening, Matt Nieto and Alex Chiasson, who ranks seventh in the nation among sophomores in points per game (1.07).

►Saturday night’s shutout win over Providence was the 850th of Jack Parker’s coaching career.

►Three members of the Terrier women’s team, Catherine Ward, Jenn Wakefield and Marie-Philip Poulin were among the nominees for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which recognizes the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey. Wakefield and Ward also made Hockey East’s list of top performers for the past week

►BU will host the Hockey East tournament's semifinals and championship game on March 5-6.

Strait gets the call from Pittsburgh

Former Terrier defenseman Brian Strait, nearing the end of his second AHL season, was recalled by the Penguins and is scheduled to make his NHL debut tonight. The opposition will be Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Caps, who also will skate a former BU blueliner, but one with a long NHL resume, Tom Poti. The game airs on Versus at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Strait, who is plus 17 and has eight points for the AHL Baby Pens, will be the eighth member of the 2009 national champions to reach the NHL. The others are Colin Wilson, Brandon Yip, John McCarthy, Nick Bonino, Matt Gilroy, Colby Cohen and Kevin Shattenkirk.

► John Connelly's weekly Boston Herald college hockey column looks at two Terriers who have brothers playing college hockey. David Warsofsky's brother Ryan is defenseman for Curry College, where he plays for former Terrier Rob Davies. Garrett Noonan's brother, Coleman, winner of last year's Concannon Award as the top American-born player in New England Division 2/3.

Looking back
The daughters of former Terriers Daryl MacLeod and Chris Mays are teammates on the Melrose High School team, leading the Raiders to the post-season playoffs.

Looking ahead
2011 recruits Cason Hohmann and Alex Privitera were selected to the Eastern Conference roster as midterm all-stars.

BU blanks Providence; Shattenkirk traded to Blues

Terriers completed a weekend sweep of Providence with a 1-0 win at Schneider Arena. Co-captain Joe Pereira tipped in a Garrett Noonan shot during a second-period power play for the game’s only goal and Pereira’s 13th of the season. Kieran Millan stopped all 32 Friar shots to gain his first shutout of the season and his sixth of his BU career.

With two weekends left in the Hockey East regular season, BU trails BC and Merrimack, now tied for second place, by just two points. Terriers next play a pair of home games against Vermont at Agganis Arena.

• GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
• Boston Hockey blog recap, analysis, and slideshow
• Hockey East Online recap
• Providence Journal recap
• Post-game comments--Jack Parker, Millan, Pereira (video)

Looking back
Former Terrier captain Kevin Shattenkirk has been traded by Colorado to St. Louis in a multiplayer deal that brought former Minnesota star Erik Johnson to the Avs. In his first game in a Blues uniform, Shattenkirk picked up an assist in a 9-3 win against Anaheim. He had started the season in the AHL and was a call-up due to injuries to the Colorado blueline corps. Shattenkirk quickly established himself as a point producer and became the top rookie scorer among defensemen, before cooling off in recent weeks.

Nick Bonino scored his eight goal of the season for Syracuse in a 7-1 thumping of Rochester.

Looking ahead
2011 recruit Cason Hohmann scored his 16th and 17th goals of the season in Cedar Rapids' 5-3 loss to Dubuque. Hohmann has a 17-22-39 scoring line in 39 games.

...

Nieto leads Terriers past Friars

Freshman Matt Nieto had a hand in all of BU’s offense, scoring its first goal and assisting on the second in the Terriers’ 2-1 win over Providence at Agganis Arena. Nieto converted an Alex Chiasson centering pass in the first period, then found fellow freshman Adam Clendening for a blueline blast on a second period power play. Kieran Millan, who stopped 36 shots, lost a chance for a shutout in the waning minutes of the game for the second time this month.

BU has now gone 5-0-1 in league play since losing a pair of one goal games to BC and Merrimack a month ago. Terriers remain in fourth place in Hockey East, two points behind the Warriors. The second half of the home-and-home with the Friars will be played tonight at Schneider Arena.

• GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
• Video highlights

• Boston Hockey blog recap, analysis, grades, and slideshow
• USCHO recap
• Boston Globe recap

• Coach Jack Parker Post-game comments

► Blog contributor CDRAL reports that among the former Terriers attending last night's game were Shawn Ferullo, Blaine Maus, Mark Fidler, Marc Hetnik, Brian Ewing, Scott Lachance, Jack Baker, Mike Dimella and Clark Donatelli, who is an assistant coach for Providence.

Looking back

Former BU blueliner Eric Gryba scored his first goal of the season for Binghamton in a 6-2 win over Charlotte.

Women’s team

Junior Jenn Wakefield provided all the offense the Terriers need with a pair of scores in BU’s 2-0 blanking of Maine at Alfond Arena. Freshman Kerrin Sperry stopped 21 shots while earning her sixth shutout of the season.

• GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

• Hockey East Online recap

• Coach Brian Durocher’s post-game comments

Game Day-- BU vs. Providence

Terriers return to conference play with a home-and-home series against Providence, beginning with tonight’s game at Agganis Arena. BU is 4-0-1 in its past five conference games and 13-3-4 in the past 20 home games. Coach Jack Parker has tweaked his forward lines, primarily to lessen the load on freshman Charlie Coyle, who moves to right wing with Sahir Gill (photo) and Chris Connolly.

BU is in fourth place in the conference with six games remaining—two points behind Merrimack and five points behind BC and UNH. Terriers will be seeking to bank a bunch of wins down the stretch to solidify its position for the Hockey East playoffs and strengthen its pairwise rankings for the NCAA tournament.

Expected line-up for tonight.
Connolly – Gill – Coyle
Nieto – Trivino – Chiasson
Megan – Gaudet – Pereira
Courtnall – Rosen – Gilroy
Warsofsky-Ruikka
Noonan-Clendening
Escobedo-Nicastro
Millan

• GoTerriers.com has links to game notes, the All-Access game Webcast, the WWZN Radio Webcast and gametracker
• Boston Hockey Blog game preview, Hockey East race analysis, live in-game blog
• WTBU Sports preview
• College Hockey News Tale of the Tape
• HockeyEastOnline weekend preview
• USCHO Hockey East picks


Looking back
Former Terrier winger Dave VanderGulik tallied a goal and an assist in Lake Erie’s 4-2 win over Texas in AHL action.

Sean Sullivan scored his 11th goal of the season for Worcester in the Sharks’ 6-4 loss to Rochester. The former BU captain has 25 points, one behind Dan Spang, now with Texas, among AHL blueliners.

CHECK THE NEWEST POSTS ON OUR THIS DATE IN TERRIER HOCKEY PAGE AS WE RECALL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1970-71 AND 1990-91 SEASONS

Women's team
Number four ranked Terriers conclude the regular season with a pair in Maine against the Black Bears. BU, which has won the conference regular-season title and will host the Hockey East playoff semifinals, will again be without freshman scoring star Marie-Philip Poulin, idled with a wrist injury, and sophomore Taylor Holze, who has an ankle injury. Freshman Kerrin Sperry is expected to start both games at Alfond Arena.

• GoTerriers.com has links to game notes and the pay-per-view Web cast.
• WTBU Sports preview
• HockeyEastOnline announcement on BU hosting playoffs

Terriers cough up late lead and lose to Harvard, 5-4

In perhaps their most disappointing effort of the season, Terriers gave up a pair of goals in the final four minutes and lost the Beanpot consolation game to Harvard, 5-4. BU had come back from a 3-1 deficit to take a 4-3 lead and scored three power plays along the way while putting 49 shots on goal. But defensive lapses and a rare subpar game by Kieran Millan let Harvard snatch victory away. Just two minutes after taking the lead at the 14:05 mark of the third, Harvard tied the score and two minutes later slammed home the game-winner.

BU got two goals from Alex Chiasson (photo), now tied for the team lead with 12, and one each from freshmen Garrett Noonan and Adam Clendening.

• GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
• Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis, grades and slideshow
• Post game comments
• WTBU Sports recap
• USCHO recap
• Boston Globe BP notebook

Looking back

Former Terrier captain Kevin Shattenkirk, now with the Colorado Avalanche, talked with USA Hockey about his development in NTDP program and at BU.

Game Day—BU vs. Harvard

Terriers make a rare appearance in the Beanpot Tournament consolation game tonight, taking on Harvard in a 4:30 start today. BU has played in the consolation game only twice—including today—since 1994. There’s no television coverage, but the game will air on WWZN Radio.

Lineup will remain the same with a few exceptions. Dave Warsofsky returns to the lineup and will pair with Ryan Ruikka on the blueline. Joe Pereira, injured in the UMass game, is a gametime decision. If he can’t go, Kevin Gilroy will move up to the first line and Ryan Santana will take his spot.

• GoTerriers.com has links to game notes, the WWZN Radio Webcast and gametracker
• Daily Free Press preview
• Boston Hockey blog live in-game blog
• WTBU Sports preview and feature

Women’s team takes first regular season crown

A 5-1 win against Northeastern yesterday afternoon at Matthews Arena, combined with BC’s loss to Maine enabled the Terriers to clinch their first-ever regular season Hockey East title. Regardless of how next week’s road series at Maine pans out, the best the Eagles can do is tie for total points and BU owns the season series tie-breaker.

With leading scorer Marie-Philip Poulin still out of the lineup due to an injury, senior captain Holly Lorms (photo) and junior Jenn Wakefield each contributed a pair of goals as the Terriers completed a sweep of its regular season series with Northeastern. Carly Warren tallied the fifth BU goal, while Kerrin Sperry stopped 27 shots and came within 100 seconds of recording yet another shutout.

• GoTerriers.com: recap, comprehensive recap and post-game comments

Friday's senior night and annual Chilli Fest game drew a program-record 1,005 attendees at Walter Brown Arena. BU's next home game will be the Hockey East semifinal on March 5.

►CBS College Sports featured BU coach Jack Parker and longtime rival Jerry York of BC in its One2One series. Upcoming airing of the half-hour program are listed here.

Looking back
NHL.com’s Mike Morreale talked with former BU All-American Colin Wilson and his father, former NHLer Carey Wilson, about his development in the NTDP program and at BU. The elder Wilson, a former Dartmouth College standout in 1979-80 and 1980-81, was glad his son opted to take the college route.

"I felt it was a very good fit for him," he said. "Probably more so
after the fact, when looking back and realizing how much he got out of coach Jack Parker. He was a great coach ... a tough coach. At the same time, he's extremely caring. He was really helpful and kept Colin grounded."

Sean Sullivan recorded two assists in Worcester’s 4-3 loss to Springfield. Sullivan is the top-scoring defenseman on the Sharks with 24 points.

Colby Cohen had a pair of assists in Providence’s 4-3 loss to Springfield.

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Matt O’Connor stopped 44 of 47 shots in Youngstown’s 4-3 shootout win over Lincoln.

2011 recruit Alexx Privitera scored a goal—his second in two games—in Muskegeon’s 5-2 loss to Chicago

2011 recruit Evan Rodrigues has been on a scoring tear for Georgetown. With a goal and an assist in the Raiders’ 5-2 win over Missasaugua, the left wing has 20 points, including 9 goals, in his past 12 games.

Noonan OT goal nips UMass

Garrett Noonan in overtime to complete the Terriers’ comeback win over UMass in Amherst last night. The freshman defenseman’s third goal of the season and second in the past three games was also his second game winner.

BU had taken a 2-1 first-period lead on goals by Corey Trivino and Alex Chiasson, but two Minuteman tallies in the first four minutes of the middle stanza put BU behind, 3-2. Wade Megan’s seventh goal of the season knotted the score midway through the period. Terriers outshot UMass in the third period, 13-3, but couldn’t put one past Paul Dainton. Noonan’s game-winner at 1:44 of overtime was set up by Chiasson, who produced a three-point night. Trivino , who assisted Chiasson’s goal, had a strong night on faceoffs, winning 14 of 17.

The win kept BU tied for third place in the Hockey East standings with Merrimack, which doubled up New Hampshire, 4-2.

Junior defenseman David Warsofsky was a healthy scratch. Coach Jack Parker explained his absence frrom the lineup:

"We wanted him to play a little bit harder. We talked to him about it. He’ll be back in the lineup Monday and I’m sure he’ll play the way we want him to play. When he’s playing up to his capability, he’s the best defenseman in this league, and we need him to be the best defenseman in this league.”

• GoTerriers.com recap, video highlights and comprehensive box score
• Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis and slideshow
• Boston Globe recap
• MassLive.recap
• HockeyEastOnline recap

Looking ahead
2011 recruit Cason Hohmann assisted on two goals, including the game-winner with 13 seconds left in regulation in Cedar Rapids 3-2 win over Des Moines. Hohman has a 15-23-38 scoring line in 35 games.

2012 recruit Robert Polesello 17th goal of the season was Vaughan’s only goal in the Viper’s 4-1 loss to Upper Canada.

Women’s team
Senior Lauren Cherewyk’s goal at 6:40 of the third period was the margin of victory for BU as it edged Northeastern, 3-0. The Terriers sprinted out to a 3-0 lead on goals by Holly Lorms, Jenn Wakefield and Kaleigh Fratkin, but the Huskies answered back with three of their own. Goalie Kerry Sperrin stopped 25 of 28 shots.

• GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score, video highlights, Coach’s comments, players’ comments.

.

Game Day— Terriers vs. UMass

Terriers travel to Amherst today to take on Don “Toot” Cahoon’s UMass Minutemen. BU needs a win or tie to clinch the season’s series, having beaten and tied UMass back in October. The game airs on CBS College Sports, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The game provides a matchup of brothers who lead their respective teams in goal-scoring. BU co-captain Joe Periera has 12 markers for BU, while his brother Mike, a freshmen, has scored ten goals for UMass.

BU has seven conference games remaining, all with teams in the bottom half of the conference standings. Terriers will need to win nearly all those games to secure third place in the playoff seedings. Merrimack is tied with BU for third and has a game in hand.

For tonight, Terrier head coach Jack Parker has rearranged the centers on the top three lines and has inserted Kevin Gilroy back in the lineup. The lines will look like this:

Chris Connolly - Charlie Coyle - Joe Pereira

Matt Nieto - Corey Trivino - Alex Chiasson

Ross Gaudet - Sahir Gill - Wade Megan

Justin Courtnall - Ben Rosen - Kevin Gilroy

The defense remains unchanged and Kieran Millan continues his iron-man role in the cage.

► Forty years ago this weekend, UMass Coach Cahoon, skating on BU's top line, scored a goal and an assist as BU thumped New Hampshire, 8-3, en route to the Terriers' first NCAA title.

• GoTerriers.com has links to game notes, the WWZN Radio Webcast and gametracker
• Daily Free Press preview
• Boston Hockey blog live in-game blog
• WTBU Sports preview
• USCHO HE predictions and Jim Connelly feature on BU
• Hockey East Online weekend preview and live conference scoreboard
• BU Today: The Mayor of Terrier Nation

►The Wall Street Journal looks at some of the great college hockey venues, including the Terriers' original home, Boston Arena, now called Matthews Arena.

CHECK BACK FOR MORE COVERAGE

Women's team

After dropping Tuesday night’s Beanpot opener to BC, 2-1, the third-ranked Terriers resume conference play with a home-and-home series against Northeastern: tonight at Walter Brown Arena and tomorrow’s matinee at Matthews Arena. And, due to the Beanpot matchups, the teams will meet again Tuesday in the Beanpot consolation at Conte Forum.

• GoTerriers.com has links to game notes, game tracker the WTBU Radio Webcast, and the All Access pay-per-view Webcast
• Daily Free Press series preview

Terriers fall, 3-2, in OT thriller

The score in last night's Beanpot semifinal, 3-2 BC, was the same as the teams' matchup two weeks ago, but this was a totally different game. Terriers went toe-to-toe with the top-ranked Eagles, carrying a 2-1 lead into the third period, but BC rallied to knot the game and then won it in overtime on a power play goal.

BU gave up a first period goal, but countered with Wade Megan's sixth goal later in the period and then grabbed the lead two minutes into the second on Corey Trivino's sixth goal. Terriers outshot BC 15-8 in the third period, but couldn't produce a game-winner. Kieran Millan stopped 37 of 40 Eagle shots.

BU, for the most part, did what it needed to give itself a chance to win. Get strong goaltending, play with intensity and stay out of the penalty box. Terriers drew only one penalty during regulation, but the penalty in overtime along with BU's failure to score on two power plays late in regulartion, paved the way for BC's win.

• GoTerriers.com recap, video highlights, comprehensive box score and photo gallery.
• Boston Hockey blog recap , slideshow
• WTBU Sports recap and notebook

• USCHO recap, feature,
• Boston Globe recap and video analysis
• Boston Herald recap
• NESN recap

• HockeyEastOnline recap and video higlights

• Post game press conference (video)

Former Terrier netminder Michel Larocque and Harvard's Bob McManama were inducted into the Beanpot Hall of Fame.

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Robert Polesello scored a goal and two assists as Vaughan thumped Toronto, 7-1, in OJHL action. Polesello has produced 15 points in his past 11 games and now has a 16-30-46 line in 35 games for the Vipers.

Women's team
• USCHO feature

Game Day-- BU vs. BC in the Beanpot opener

Terriers square off with arch-rival Boston College in the nightcap of today’s Beanpot Tournament opening round at TD Garden. This is the 59th annual Beanpot, which began in 195? at Boston Arena. Recognized as the best local tournament in college hockey, the event has often been dubbed the BU Invitation as the Terriers have won the silver pot 29 times and have finished second 19 times, with BU’s last championship coming in 2009. The game airs on NESN with a scheduled 8 p.m. start. Northeastern and Harvard face off in the early game.

Playing for the Beanpot championship is always on the “to-do list” that BU sets when the season begins, but getting there will be a challenge this year since BC has already swept the three regular season Hockey East meetings between the teams and the Eagles are currently top-ranked. A win over the Eagles in this year's first-round match-up would send the Terriers to the Beanpot title game for the 26th time in the last 28 years. From an historic viewpoint, the Terriers have won 15 of their 19 Beanpot first-round match-ups with the Eagles.


For list of Beanpot Watch parties across the nation, click here.
In Boston, there is a pre-game Beanpot Party at the Boston Beer Works, beginning at 6 p.m .

No changes to the Terrier lineup.

Connolly-Gill-Pereira
Nieto-Coyle-Chiasson
Gaudet-Trivino-Megan
Courtnall-Rosen-Santana

Warsofsky Ruikka
Noonan Clendening
Escobedo Nicastro

Millan

• GoTerriers.com has links to game notes, the WWZN Radio Web cast and game tracker
• Daily Free Press preview , feature
• Boston Hockey blog live in-game blog
• WTBU Sports preview
• BU Today preview
• NESN preview
• ESPN preview
• Boston Herald preview and Alex Chiasson feature
• Patriot Ledger preview
• Boston Globe preview
• College Hockey News Tale of the Tape


To learn more about the Beanpot Tournament
• Beanpot Tradition
• The Beanpot: Fifty years of thrills, spills and chills by Bernard Corbett, Voice of Terrier Hockey.

Looking back
Nick Bonino scored a power play goal and an empty-netter in Syracuse’s 4-2 win against Wilkes Barre/Scranton. John Curry, who stopped 21 of 23 shots was Bonino’s victim on the first goal.

Terriers skate past Lowell

BU completed a season sweep of UMass-Lowell last night with a 3-1 victory at Agganis Arena. Continuing his standout play in goal, Kieran Millan stopped 30 shots including a third-period clean breakaway. The junior from Alberta nearly notched his first shutout of the season, but with less than two minutes to go, the RiverHawks turned a two-man advantage into a 6-on-3 by pulling their goalie and put one past Millan.

BU's came on a Max Nicastro one-timer on a power play, Garrett Noonan's (photo) conversion of backdoor pass from Corey Trivino and co-captain Joe Pereira's tip of an Adam Clendening blast, also on a power play. Millan earned the game's first star for the fourth consecutive game.

Next up for BU is Monday's opening round of the Beanpot in the late game against arch-rival Boston College.

• GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

• Video highlights

• USCHO recap
• Boston Hockey blog recap, grades, analysis and slideshow
• Boston Herald recap
• WTBU Sports recap
•

Looking ahead
2011 recruit Evan Rodrigues reached the 20-goal mark in Georgetown's 5-3 loss to Oakville

2012 recruit Robert Polesello scored his 15th goal in Vaughan's 5-1 win over St. Michael's

2011 recruit Cason Hohmann and 2014 recruit Anthony DeAngelo each recorded an assist in Cedar Rapids' 4-0 win against Des Moines.

Looking back
Former BU All-American Mike Grier scored his third goal of the season in Buffalo's 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh.

Former Terrier wing Chris Higgins scored a goal and an assist for Las Vegas in the Outlaws' 5-3 loss to Elmira. It was Higgins fourth goal since returning to the ECHL after spending the fall in the Italian pro league.

Colby Cohen assisted on the game-winning goal in Providence's 2-1 victory over Springfield.

Game Day— BU vs Lowell

After spending most of January on the road, the Terriers are home tonight for their final regular-season meeting with Lowell. BU beat the RiverHawks 5-1 at Tsongas Arena and 2-1 at Agganis during its hot start in October.

It’s been a difficult season for Lowell which is in last place in Hockey East and brings a 4-20-2 overall record into the game, but has won two of its past four starts. Sophomore Riley Wetmore leads the RiverHawks , who are coached by former BU associate head coach Blaise MacDonald, in both points (23) and goals (11). A pair of freshman goaltenders, Marc Boulanger and Doug Carr, have split time in goal

BU, which has a 4-2-1 record since the Shillelagh Tournament, will be reinforced tonight by the return of defenseman Ryan Ruikka (photo), enabling the blue line to return to its regular pairings.

Warsofsky Ruikka
Noonan Clendening
Escobedo Nicastro

Up front the lines remain unchanged.
Connolly-Gill-Pereira
Nieto-Coyle-Chiasson
Gaudet-Trivino-Megan
Courtnall-Rosen-Santana

Red-hot Kieran Millan will be in goal.

• GoTerriers.com has links to game notes, WWZN Radio Webcast (delayed)
Webcast on All Access
• Boston Hockey Blog game preview and in-game live blog
• Hockey East Online weekend preview
• USCHO’s Jim Connelly calls the Terriers “consistently inconsistent” in his weekly This Week in Hockey East column.
• New England Hockey Journal weekly Hockey East column focuses on freshmen including five BU starters.

Looking back
Former Terrier co-captain John McCarthy is back with the San Jose Sharks after a brief stay in Worcester.

Looking ahead

2013 recruit Adam Erne hasn't put up huge numbers for the Indiana Ice (9-4-13 in 29 games) but the winger who won't turn 16 until mid-April has more than held his own against much older competition. And he's caught the eye of scouts planning for future drafts. An Amateur Hockey Report scout watched him a few weeks back against the Chicago Steel and offered this analysis:

Adam Ernie, RW, '95--Adam revealed the warrior throughout this viewing. He finished his checks and did not take any crap from anyone. He has ‘It, whatever ‘It’ means but he has an instinct for the game that cannot be taught: A vibe and vision for the game and an understanding of the ebb and flow of the sport. He did not show much offensive punch but he was always in position for the puck. Is a fluid, seamless skater with balance and strength. His defensive assignments still prove to be a work in progress. AHR Rating: AAA

Women’s Program
The Terriers 13-game winning streak came to an end last night as New Hampshire handed BU a 4-2 loss at Walter Brown Arena. BU which trailed 3-0 early in the final period outshot the Wildcats 54-16 but couldn’t solve UNH goalie Kayley Herman. Jillian Kirschner and Jenelle Kohanchuk had the Terrier goals. The teams meet again Saturday afternoon in Durham.

• GoTerriers.com recap, video highlights and comprehensive box score.
• WTBU Sports recap

BU Today offers a text and video feature on freshmen goalie Kerrin Sperry and her sister Megan, a junior on BU’s competitive figure skating club.

Tuesday Linkorama

Junior goalie Kieran Millan was the co-winner of Hockey East Online’s defensive player of the week for his efforts in the Terriers’ 3-point weekend in Maine. BU earned the “team of the week” designation for its road win and tie. Millan, who was named top star in both games, now stands second in Hockey East’s 3-star standings behind UNH’s Paul Thompson. Co-captain Chris Connolly is fifth. Alex Chiasson, BU’s top scorer with 24 points, earned a spot on the top performers’ list while Joe Pereira’s first-ever shorthanded goal was a noted milestone.

WTBU Sports’ Paul Ryan explores a question with a seemingly obvious answer: “Where would BU be without Millan?”

Millan now has 54 career wins and is one victory away from tying Tom Noble for fifth on BU’s all-time list.

Looking back

Hershey is usually an unpleasant place for members of the rival Wilkes Barre/Scranton, but Baby Pens netminder John Curry had a great weekend during the AHL All-Star events in the Chocolate City. The former two-time All-American and Hockey East MVP, won the goaltending award in the skills competition. Then, last night he was the winning goal in the Eastern Conference’s 11-8 win over the West, stopping 27 of 31 shots.

Former Terrier Freddy Meyer picked up his first goal in nearly a year, but it was the Thrashers' only score in Atlanta's 4-1 loss to the Islanders.

Former Terrier Sean Sullivan, now playing down the Pike for the Worcester Sharks, demonstrated a perfect hip check in a recent game against Bridgeport:



Avalanche rookie defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk had a successful All-Star experience. He scored in the All-Star breakaway and he contributed to the Team Lidstrom win in the All-Star relay.

Looking ahead

2012 recruit Robert Polesello picked up his 41st point in 32 game as Vaughan doubled up Upper Canada, 4-2.

Last month, in a post about former Terriers Tom Noble and Mike Sylvia joining the Catholic Memorial coaching staff, we noted that CM defenseman Marc Hetnik, son of a former Terrier of the same name, had been named to the Boston Herald pre-season Dream Team. Daily Free Press hockey writer Jake Seiner posted an update on Hetnik on USCHO:

Nothing ground-breaking to report, but was chatting with Catholic Memorial coach Bill Hanson today and he mentioned that his senior defenseman, Marc Hetnik, is a good candidate to be playing at BU in two years.

Hetnik is a big, athletic d-man, and probably the best high school blue-liner in the state. His dad played for BU, and was on the '78 championship team.

Hanson said Hetnik is likely to play a year of juniors after graduation then head for school, and could have a Garrett Noonan-like effect at BU. I'm not sure the player-comp lines up –– Hetnik is bigger and a bit more defensive-minded, I think (granted, I never saw Noonan in high school), but Hanson said he could see Hetnik becoming a top-4 D-man at a Hockey East-type school.

Hanson also mentioned Jerry York had come asking about Hetnik, and that Holy Cross is in the fold as well, and Hetnik may not need to spend a year in juniors to wind up a Crusader. The fact that Hetnik's dad played for and now works at BU is going to play a big factor in the decision, although it's worth mentioning his mother works for BC, so there's connections both ways.

Women's team

Grad student Catherine Ward was named Hockey East's Defensive Player of the Week. Saturday's win at UConn was a program-record ninth road victory. In the current 13-game winning streak, BU has yielded just 13 goals while scoring 50.

Freshman Marie-Philip Poulin was named Hockey East Player of the Month for January. The former Canadian Olympian had a 7-8-15 line in seven games, scoring at least one point in each game. During the month, Poulin broke the program's season point-scoring and goal-scoring records. She leads all NCAA D1 rookies in goal-scoring with 22.