Connolly to lead Terriers in 2011-12

Rising senior Chris Connolly was named captain of next season's Terriers at last weekend's annual Friends of Boston University Hockey Banquet. No assistant captain were named. Connolly becomes the first Terrier to serve as co-captain during his junior year and captain as a senior since All-American and Olympian Jack O'Callahan in '77-'78 and '78-'79.

The banquet feted the team's two departing seniors, forward and co-captain Joe Pereira and backup goalie Adam Krause. In addition seven team awards were announced:
• George V. Brown Most Valuable Player Award—Kieran Millan

• Ed Carpenter Award (leading scorer)—Alex Chiasson

• Most Improved Player Award—Justin Courtnall

• Regina Eilberg Scholarship—Ryan Ruikka

• Clifford P. Fitzgerald Scholarship—Sean Escobedo

• Bennett McInnis Award for Spirit— Joe Pererira

• Albert Sidd Unsung Hero Award—Joe Pereira

More details from The Boston Hockey Blog

Rising sophomore Charley Coyle was the recipient of the George C. Carens Award as the Division 1 Rookie of the Year, presented by the New England Hockey Writers Association.

BU's schedule for next season has not yet been announced, but one date to mark on the calendar is November 26, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when BU and Cornell again meet at Madison Square Garden in New York City for Red Hot Hockey III. The previous two games, a BU 6-3 win (video) in 2007, and a 3-3 overtime time in 2009, were both sellouts.

Looking ahead

A pair of future teammates are squaring off in the USHL playoffs. Last night Cedar Rapids defeated Muskegon, 4-1, in the opener of a best-of-five series with 2011 recruit Cason Hohmann picking up an assist for the Roughriders. Cedar Rapids, which owned the league's best regular season record, had a first-round bye, while the Lumberjacks swept the NTDP U17s in their first round matchup. 2011 recruit Alexx Privitera scored a power play goal in Muskegon's 5-2 clinching win over the U17s.

Another future Terrier on Cedar Rapids, 2014 recruit Anthony DeAngelo, is sidelined for the rest of the season with a fractured kneecap.

A few weeks back we posted that Privitera's younger brother, Jarrid, has committed to BU for 2012. Some further information on the left-shot forward from his coaches at The Gunnery and the North Jersey Avalanche.

Coach Chris Baudo, The Gunnery:

Jarrid possesses an excellent skill set that will translate very well to the college game. He is very complete in his ability to be effective in all three zones. His speed, grit, skill, and touch around the net make him a consistent offensive threat (25 goals in 34 games this season). He can play in all situation (PK, PP, 4 v. 4), and his strength allows him to win one on one battles with bigger opponents. He finally possesses outstanding character and always puts the team first.

Coach Dan May, North Jersey Avalanche:

Jarrid has played in our NJ Avalanche AAA program for the last six seasons. He has continued on a steady path of improvement that was a result of consistently being one of the hardest workers and most dedicated player on his team. His low center of gravity and excellent leg strength makes him hard to knock off the puck, despite playing against bigger defense men. Jarrid has a keen sense for offensive opportunity and is a pure goal scorer with breakaway speed. Last but not least, he is team guy, great in the room and has been a pleasure to coach for the last six years.

May also coached Alexx Privitera and former Terrier forward Matt Radoslovich when he was NJ Player of the Year at Bergen Catholic.

Looking back

Former Terrier standout defenseman, co-captain, and associate head coach David Quinn is among the finalist for the vacant head coaching job at Providence. Quinn has spent the past two seasons coaching the Colorado Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters.

Women's team

Four Terriers--Tara Watchorn, Catherine Ward, Jenna Wakefield and Marie-Philip Poulin are representing Canada at the 2011 IIHF World Women's Championship in Zurich and Winterthur, Switzerland. BU has more representatives on the squad than any other team. Poulin, who was named Hockey East Rookie of the Month for March, has three points in three games. Ward and Watchorn has two apiece and Wakefield one.

Coach Brian Durocher, whose team reached the national championship game this season, losing to Wisconsin, has lined up three excellent recruits for the 2011-12 season: Defenseman Shannon Stoneburgh of the Toronto Aeros, forward Kayla Tutino of Ontario Hockey Academy and forward Sarah Bayersdorfer (photo) of Morristown-Beard School and the NJ Colonials.

Bayersdorfer, coached in high school by former Wisconsin and NHL defenseman Bruce Driver, was a three-time all-state player and two-tim Star-Ledger Player of the Year, but missed her entire senior season due to a knee injury suffered playing soccer. In her three seasons she set a school scoring mark with goals and assists in 60 games. She discussed her recruitment by BU and rehabbing her knee with The Daily Record.