Game Day: BU vs. Notre Dame--UPDATED

#9 Terriers get the second semester under way tonight with nationally televised game (Versus) again #5/6Notre Dame at the Fighting Irish’s new Compton Family Ice Arena. Game time is 7 p.m. ET.

With the departures of Charlie Coyle and Corey Trivino, BU’s lineup will have a new look. Sophomore Sahir Gill (photo) will center the top line between captain Chris Connolly and red-shirt freshman Yasin Cissé. Junior Wade Megan, enjoying his best season as a Terrier, moves up as pivot on the second line between Matt Nieto and Alex Chiasson.

The third line is the only unit remaining intact from BU’s last game (5-1 win against Maine) with Cason Hohmann centering assistant captain Justin Courtnall and Evan Rodriguez. Senior Kevin Gilroy returns to the fourth unit with Ben Rosen and Ross Gaudet.

Since Adam Clendening is playing in the World Junior Championships, the blueline pairings have changed as well. Sophomore Garrett Noonan will skate with freshman Alex Privitera, while Max Nicastro-Ryan Ruikka and Sean Escobedo-Patrick MacGregor are the other pairings.

Senior Kieran Millan gets the start in goal for BU, which has won seven of its past eight games.

12/28/2717/18/919/23/2622/8/167/213/621/4Millan in goal
Notre Dame also will be shorthanded as top scorer T.J. Tynan and heavy-hitting defenseman Stephen Johns are with Clendening on Team USA at the WJCs. Sophomore’s Anders Lee and Riley Sheehan have 20 and 18 points respectively for Notre Dame.

The game mark’s BU’s first visit to South Bend, but not the Terrier program’s first connection with that Indiana city. Jacques Joubert, captain of the 1995 national championship team, is from South Bend.

The teams first met 41 years ago in the championship game of the 1970 Boston Arena Christmas Tournament, a 7-3 Terrier victory with BU's Ric Jordan being named tournament MVP. The most recent meeting was last season’s 3-3 tie in the consolation game of the Shillelagh Tournament.

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, WWZN Radio Webcast, game tracker
● CHN’s Tale of the Tape, Tweetcast
● Boston Hockey Blog preview, Parker interview on Coyle departure, live blog
● NHL.com preview
● Hockey East live scoreboard
● Notre Dame Athletics game notes
● South Bend Tribune preview
● WTBU Sports first-semester awards: MVP, unsung hero, top rookie
● New England Hockey Journal regional power rankings

Inside BU Hockey-Episode 10- features Bernie Corbett's interviews with head coach Jack Parker, junior blueliner Sean Escobedo and former All-American Mike Grier, who recently retired after a 14-year NHL career. Grier talks about the 1995 NCAA championship team and explains how Terrier strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle made a xxxxx impact on career at BU and in the NHL.

During the break, Boyle was hired as conditioning coach for the Boston Red Sox, but Parker told The Boston Hockey Blog that “Boyle’s new duties over on Yawkey Way will not steal him away from the BU hockey program.”

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Sean Maguire stopped 29 shots in Powell River’s 2-1 loss to Coquitlam in BCHL action. Maguire earned the game’s third star.

Defenseman Marc Hetnik,Jr., also a 2012 recruit, picked up an assist, his eighth of the year, in Vernon’s 7-4 loss to Silver Arm.

2012 recruit Robert Polesello's recorded his eighth assist of the season in Indiana's 5-2 win against Youngstown.

World Junior Championships
Team USA dropped its second consecutive game, 5-2, to the Czech Republic, despite taking 52 shots and hitting iron three times. The Czechs scored three goals in the final period.
● USA Hockey recap
● United States of Hockey recap
● USCHO recap

Break's over

The #9 Terriers resume play this weekend, ringing in the New Year Saturday evening in South Bend, Indiana, where they’ll meet #5 Notre Dame. The game will air nationally at 7 p.m. ET on Versus (which changes its moniker to NBC Sports Network on Jan. 1). Look for our usual Game Day post on Saturday.

● USCHO: Hockey East game picks and What teams need to do in 2nd half
● Hockey East Online's weekly release
● New England Hockey Journal's first half Hockey East grades

World Junior Championships
Team USA was jolted by Finland, 4-1, in its second preliminary game. Charlie Coyle assisted on the U.S.’s only goal. Next up is the Czech Republic on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time. NHL Network will air the game.
● USA Hockey recap
● United States of Hockey recap

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon scored his 11th goal-- a snap-shot from the left circle that banged in off the crossbar-- in Indiana’s 3-2 win against Muskegon. He has goals in three straight games and eight points in the past five games.

2012 recruit Matt O’Connor stopped 41 shots in Youngstown’s 2-1 shootout loss to Cedar Rapids.

Looking back
Colin Wilson’s shootout goal (photo credit AP/Mike Strasinger) proved to be the difference in Nashville’s 2-1 win against Minnesota.
● Knoxville News-Sentinel recap

Former Terrier Luke Popko's power play goal was the game-winner for the Bloomington Blazers in a 4-3 win against Fort Wayne on Tuesday. In 15 CHL games, Popko has a 5-3-8 scoring line.

Wednesday Linkorama

World Junior Championships
Team USA vs. Finland is underway, airing on NHL Network
● United States of Hockey preview and Denmark game review
● USA Today preview
● Edmonton Journal feature on Charlie Coyle
● USA feature
● NHL.com feature on Team USA’s preparation

Looking ahead
The Grizz Roar Blog issues its midseason awards for the Victoria Grizzlies with 2012 recruit Wesley Myron named MVP and 2012 recruit Mike Moran named top newcomer.

Coyle hattrick leads rout of Denmark

Charlie Coyle scored the first and last goals with one more in between to power Team USA’s 11-3 thumping of Denmark in a World Junior Championships preliminary round game. He continues to wield a hot stick, having also scored three goals in the final two exhibition games. Sophomore defenseman Adam Clendening produced another strong effort for Team USA with a pair of assists. Next up for the U.S. is a Wednesday meeting with Finland. (photo credit, Andy Devlin, IIHF)

● USA Hockey recap
● United States of Hockey recap
● USCHO recap
● IIHF recap

►College Hockey News began a two-part review of the Hockey East’s first half.

►For the fall semester, BU ranks 11th among all Division 1 schools and second in Hockey East in home ice attendance, averaging 5,296.

Looking back
Former Terrier Keith Tkachuk was inducted to the Phoenix Coyotes Ring of Honor this past Friday during the Coyotes game with St. Louis. Tkachuk was drafted No. 19 overall in 1990 by the Winnipeg Jets, who moved to Phoenix in 1996. He scored 179 goals in 332 games in five seasons with the Coyotes before his trade to the Blues in 2001. “Captain Coyote” led the NHL in goal-scoring 1996-97 and had two 50-goal seasons.
●NHL.com video of induction and career highlights
●AZ Central feature on Tkachuk

David Van der Gulik assisted on a pair of Avs goals in Colorado’s 4-2 win over the Wild.

World Junior Championships begin today

Team U.S.A. begins its quest for an IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal with its first preliminary round game tonight against Denmark in Camrose, Alberta. Gametime is 6 p.m. Mountain Time, 8 p.m. Eastern Time. The contest will air live on The NHL Network. Both Adam Clendening and Charlie Coyle are expected to play key roles for Team USA

Last year, the U.S. lost to Canada in the semifinals but took home a bronze medal. Two years ago, Team USA won its second-ever gold medal with a squad that included former Terrier defenseman David Warsofsky.

● USA Hockey: Game Day information, Team USA schedule, WJC Blog and online media guide
● IIHF WJC homepage
● Chris Peters’ USA-Denmark game preview
● USCHO feature
● Buffalo News feature on Clendening
● The Hockey Writers: Five Players to Watch (Coyle)
● HockeysFuture.com USA preview
● WJC beginners guide
● NHL Network extends contract with USA Hockey

Looking back
Matt Gilroy wasn’t the first Terrier to go from walk-on to team captain and then reach the NHL. Born in Connecticut, but raised in Maine, Doug Friedman developed into a 40-point scorer for the 1992-93 team, and then led the '93-'94 squad to a 34-7 record and the NCAA Frozen Four. He went on to play for Edmonton and Nashville in the NHL as well as several AHL clubs. He’s now an assistant coach for the Junior Maine Mariners for whom his 12-year-old son, Jaxon, is a goalie. Both are headed to Sweden for the Nicklas Lidstrom Cup tournament this week. Friedman recalls his own trip to play hockey in Sweden in 1983.

Clendening and Coyle pace U.S. exhibition win against Slovakia

Charlie Coyle scored twice and Adam Clendening assisted on two goals in Team USA’s 5-0 shutout of Slovakia in its final exhibition game prior to the World Junior Championships. The pair combined to put the US on the board in the game’s first minute when Coyle tipped home Clendening’s slapper. The late in the first period, Brandon Saad redirected a Clendening pass. Coyle closed out the scoring with an even-strength goal midway through the second period.
●USA Hockey recap

Looking back
College Hockey Weekly continues to unveil its ranking of the top 25 greatest NCAA hockey teams of all times. Two of BU’s national championship teams had previously been named to the list: the 1994-1995 title team was #25 and BU’s first championship squad, 1970-1971, was #24. Now, the first of the three title teams coached by Jack Parker, 1977-1978, has been pegged #11.
● College Hockey Weekly feature on the ’77-’78 team
● THFB Terrier Tale: That Championship Season

Terrier Trivia
The 1977-78 team (roster), which won its first 21 games en route to a 30-2-0 record, scored 199 goals with Mark Fidler and John Bethel leading the way with 30 and 25 respectively. Here is a six-pack of trivia questions about this squad, the only one in Terrier history to play and beat arch-rival Boston College for a national championship:

► Which team member refereed in the ECAC for 21 years?
► Who were the four team members who transferred to from other colleges? Name the colleges.
► Which six played in the NHL?
► Which team member was involved in the post 9-11 rescue and recovery effort at The World Trade Center?
► Which four played for Team USA in the Olympics?
► Which two are head coaches of NCAA college hockey teams?
Post your answers as comments. We'll post the answers latter in the week.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY CHANUKAH, TERRIER FANS

Walk-on adds depth at forward

The Boston Hockey Blog reports that BU will add walk-on, Jake Moscatel, to bolster depth at forward follow two roster departures last week. Moscatel, a 6-1, 210, forward, enrolled at BU a year ago after spend a year and half at Division III University of New England, where he scored seven goals and six assists in his first season with the Nor'Easters.

Previously he skated for The Belmont Hill School, where he was a two-time ISL all-league selection, and the EJHL Boston Junior Bruins. Since his transfer to BU, Moscatel has played for the Terrier club team and becomes the second former club player to join the varsity. The other is sophomore goalie Anthony Moccia.

With the addition of Moscatel and junior Ryan Santana's recovery from an injury that sidelined him all of first semester, BU will have 14 forwards as it resumes its schedule on December 31 with a game at Notre Dame.

In search of WJC gold

Sophomore defenseman Adam Clendening and former BU forward Charlie Coyle have been named to the final roster of the U.S. Junior National Team that will compete in the World Junior Championships in Camrose, Alberta, beginning Monday. Coyle (photo) was among the top scorers for the U.S. team last year, while Clendening was among the final players cut last year.

The United State of Hockey has thumbnails on the goalies and defenseman and also for forwards. More coverage from Camrose:

● Slam Sports: US’s Clendening one tough nut
● USA Hockey recap of 7-3 exhibition win over Switzland in which Coyle scored on a deflection.
● USCHO’s WJC page including schedule
● GoTerriers.com coverage

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Danny O’Regan, captain of St. Sebastian’s, earned kudos from ESPN Boston for his play in the Arrows’ 2-1 loss to Catholic Memorial.

So is Danny O’Regan [the real deal]: While the youngsters grab more of the attention, let’s not forget about the senior captain, who’s scheduled to join a deep local class headed to Comm Ave. and join BU hockey in 2013. There was no better example of the hockey IQ he possesses than during a crucial point of the third period. With time winding down, O’Regan skated to a loose puck along the half wing boards. Then using his body, he shielded the puck from two on- coming CM defenders, creating a mismatch, before shoveling a nice saucer pass along the blue line for a shot from the point. It’s all those little things that help make good hockey teams and hockey players.

Looking back
Brian Strait, who saw his first game action at Wilkes Barre Scranton since recovering from an injury, has been recalled by Pittsburgh and is expected to be in the lineup tomorrow night in Winnipeg.

Former BU co-captain John McCarthy scored his sixth goal of the season, assisted by former BU captain Sean Sullivan, in Worcester’s 6-3 loss to Springfield.

Bryan Miller scored a power play goal (his fourth of the season) late in the third period to bring Alaska even with Idaho at 3-3, but the Aces lost in the shootout to the Steelheads, 4-3.
Miller has a 4-13-17 line for Alaska

Ryan Weston scored a power play goal (sixth of the season) for Las Vegas in a 4-3 loss to Utah. Weston has a 6-12-18 line for the season.

Clendening clears the air

In the wake of Corey Trivino’s dismissal and Charlie Coyle’s departure to play major junior in Quebec, rumors began flying that a third player, Adam Clendening, might also leave the BU program following the World Junior Championships in Camrose. College Hockey News’ writer Scott McLaughlin contacted Clendening who emphatically insisted he’s returning to Agganis Arena for second semester. Full article including Q&A.

The decision by the Carolina Hurricanes not to release Justin Faulk to the U.S. team for the WJCs further enhances Clendening’s chances of making the final roster, according United States of Hockey editor Chris Peters, who says:

This recent development could also be good news for Adam Clendening, who is undoubtedly the best puck mover among Team USA’s candidates. With Faulk out of the picture, Clendening could play more of a key role on Team USA’s power play in Alberta. His puck-moving skills just got a heck of a lot more indispensable.

● The Pipeline Show tweeted that Coyle has been skating on a line with Denver’s Jason Zucker and WHL forward Emerson Etem: “Some awesome potential in that trio.”

● More news on final tryouts at the U.S. Junior National Team camp from the Western Hockey Blog

● Team USA plays an exhibition against Russia tonight.

The NHL Network will broadcast all of Team USA’s game in the WJCS, all medal round games and five additional preliminary round games. . USA Hockey extended its contract with The NHL Network through 2018.

● Team USA Schedule

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Sam Kurker scored both goals for St. John’s Prep in a 2-1 win against Hingham. The right-shot power forward, who played for the U.S. Select U18 team, this past summer has five goals in his first two games this season.

Looking back
Defenseman and former BU assistant captain Brian Strait, who suffered a hyper-extended elbow on October 18 in his first NHL game of the season, has returned to the ice, skating in Wilkes Barre/Scranton’s 2-1 loss to Albany. He spoke with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the injury, his recovery, and hopes to have another opportunity in Pittsburgh in the near future.

Former Terrier standout Nick Bonino, recalled to Anaheim from the AHL, scored his second career NHL goal on a deflection in the Ducks’ 5-3 loss to Dallas.

Sunday Linkorama

The Boston Globe offers a midseason report card on Hockey East teams.

● Further comment on Charlie Coyle’s departure from The Boston Herald.

College Hockey Inc’s special insert in The Hockey News includes a feature on college games played at “big stage” venues, including BU’s Red Hot Hockey games at Madison Square Garden and its Frozen Fenway matchup with BC two years ago.

Looking ahead
2012 recruits Wesley Myron and Mike Moran scored for Victoria, but the Grizzlies fell to Cowichan Valley, 4-2. Moran, who tied the game early in the third, now has 44 points, while Myron has 40.

2012 recruit Matthew O’Connor made 33 saves in Youngstown’s 7-4 win over Des Moines. The 6-4 goalie enters the break with a USHL-leading 13 wins.

2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon scored a goal and two assists to lead Indiana to a 6-2 win over Chicago. In 22 games with the ice, he has 9 goals and 14 assists.

2013 recruit Brendan Collier scored the game’s first goal for defending Mass. High school champion Malden Catholic, but the Lancers fell to NJ’s Delbarton School, 2-1, in an interstate matchup played at Harvard’s Bright Hockey Center. Collier, who had a 24-39—63 line last year, is the Lancers’ captain this season.

Looking back
Former BU captain and Hobey Baker Matt Gilroy talks about his BU experience, winning a national championship and the upcoming NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa where he now plays for the Lightening. (video)

David vander Gulik has been recalled for AHL Lake Erie by Colorado. In his first game, he assisted on the game-winner in the Avs’ 5-4 road win against San Jose.

Former Terrier center Luke Popko has 4 goals and 2 assists in ten games with the CHL Bloomington Blaze. A member of BU’s 2009 national champions, Popko and scored a goal in his first game back in the lineup on Nov. 24, after missing time with a broken hand.

Ryan Weston scored his fifth goal of the season for Las Vegas and added an assist as the Outlaws dumped Bakersfield, 4-1, in ECHL action.

Breaking News: Coyle departs--UPDATED

USHR reported this morning that sophomore center Charlie Coyle has left Boston University and, following the World Junior Championships, will likely join the St. John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

UPDATE: We've learned that the St. John's Sea Dogs will have an announcement regarding Coyle later today.
Boston Hockey Blog report
USCHO report
College Hockey News report
Boston Globe report
Patriot Ledger report
Minneapolis Star Tribune blog report
Check back for further details.

►United States of Hockey looks at the competition for final roster spots at U.S. Junior National Team camp and considers both Coyle and Adam Clendening to be locks.

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Mike Moran continues to thrive in the BCHL. Acquired from Penticton in an early season trade, he now skates on the Grizzlies 3M line with fellow 2013 recruit Wesley Myron and Merrimack recruit Wade Murphy. An emerging team leader, he’s also wearing an A. The Times Colonist traces his route from captain at The Taft School in Connecticut to a possible BCHL captaincy. Wednesday night, Moran scored a shorthanded goal in Victoria’s 5-0 win against Cowichan Valley and now has a 14-26-40 line for 33 BCHL games

Looking back
Nick Bonino, who had some experience with last second clutch goals at BU, scored with .4 of a second left in overtime to propel Syracuse to a 3-2 win against Albany. It was Bonino’s 6th goal of the year

Tkachuk inducted into U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame--UPDATED

On Monday night, former Terrier Keith Tkachuk was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Chicago. The Melrose, Mass., native who played for BU’s 1990-91 NCAA finalist team, went on to become the premier NHL power forward of the past two decades. By his third NHL season, Tkachuk was a 50-goal scorer and in 1996-97 became the first U.S.-born player to lead the NHL in goals with 52.

At BU, Tkachuk earned Hockey East All-Rookie honors, scoring 40 points (17-23) and teaming with Tony Amonte and Shawn McEachern on the Terriers top line as the team won the Hockey East tournament and reached the national title game.

Tkacuk, the ninth Terrier named to the USHHOF, played on four U.S. Olympic squads, winning silver in 2002, and starred for the U.S. team that won gold in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. In 1201 NHL games, he scored 538 goals and 527 assists for a total of 1065 points.






● GoTerriers.com report and BU's added in the Hall of Fame banquet program
● USA Hockey coverage and Kevin Allen blog
● NHL.com coverage
● ESPN.com coverage
● St. Louis Today coverage
● NHL.com also looked at the connections of all five of this year’s inductees to the U.S. gold medal in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

"A lot of good things came out of that '96 win, just like the '80 Olympics and what that did for me. I'm sure all of these young players in the League now, who are American, know about that '96 team from watching it or they've heard about it. Maybe that turned a couple kids to play hockey and pursue it a lot more."
--Keith Tkachuk

►Sophomore forward Sahir Gill, whose role is likely to change following Corey Trivino’s dismissal, gave a candid interview to Bay State Sports.

►The news of the arrest and dismissal has received widespread media coverage, easily found on the Internet. CHN’s Scott McLaughlin has written a particularly comprehensive report. And, further information is in The Boston Globe.

Looking back
Colin Wilson rapped home a rebound early in the third period to power the Predators to 2-1 win against Calgary. For the former BU All-American, the power play goal was his second game-winner in three games and his eighth goal of the season (8-11-19). Video

Trivino dismissed following arrest--UPDATED

Senior Corey Trivino has been dismissed from the BU hockey team following his arrest for alleged indecent assault and battery on a female student late Sunday night. In a report posted early today by BU Today, witnesses claimed that “an apparently intoxicated Trivino pushed his way into the room of a female student at 10 Buick St. and started kissing her and fondling her against her will.”

Trivino, who was enjoying the best year of his Terrier hockey career, was arraigned yesterday in Brighton District Court.

BU Coach Jack Parker, who announced Trivino’s permanent removal from the team, added, “This will be a big hole to fill. And there’s an emotional hole also.”

● Boston Hockey Blog report
● USCHO report
● Jack Parker interview with The Boston Hockey Blog

Check back for further news.

Monday Linkorama

The weekly polls are out and both USCHO and USA Today rank the Terriers at #9.

Goalie Kieran Millan’s two wins with a 1.0 GAA and 58 of 60 shots stopped earned him Hockey East Player of the Week honors. He also moved into first place in the conference’s Three Star Award competition. The Hockey East Weekly release also named BU Team of the Week for its two road victories.

Seniors Corey Trivino and Chris Connolly, along with sophomore Sahir Gill and freshman Alexx Privitera made the league’s list of top performers.

Quote of the Week:
“[Adam]Clendening sees everybody all the time, so if you play with him, you better be alert because he’s like Bob Cousy out there,” [Jack]Parker said. “You better be awake because if you aren’t, you’ll get hit by the ball. He can really find people. He’s having a terrific year.”

● Daily Free Press recaps of the Maine game and features Millan becoming BU’s all-time saves leader. Barring an injury he’ll soon assume the top spot in most games and most minutes player by a Terrier goalie.

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Matthew Lane scored his sixth goal of the season as the NTDP U18s edged Sioux City, 3-2.

2012 recruit Mike Moran assisted on two Victoria goals in the Grizzlies’ 4-3 win against Powell River. Moran now has 39 points, tied with teammate Wesley Myron for 14th in BCHL scoring.

ESPN Boston’s pre-season Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association first team includes 2013 recruits Brendan Collier of Malden Catholic and Sam Kurker of St. John’s Prep.

Looking back
Chris Bourque had a five-point night—2g, 3a—in Hershey’s 6-3 win against Norfolk. Bourque, with a 14-25-39 scoring line, is second in the AHL in points.

John McCarthy scored a goal and an assist, and Sean Sullivan added an assist in Worcester’s 5-3 win against St. John’s.

Bryan Miller recorded three assists in the Alaska Aces 6-4 win against Utah. Miller, with 14 points is the top scoring blueliners for the Aces, who own the ECHL’s best record: 18-4-1-1.

Terriers thump Black Bears, 5-1--UPDATED

BU rode two-goal efforts from senior Corey Trivino and sophomore Sahir Gill (photo) and freshman Alexx Privitera's first career goal to a 5-1 win against Maine at Alfond Arena. With the victory, their seventh in eight games, the Terriers go into semester break with a 10-5-1 record overall, 8-4-1 in Hockey East, and trails BC by a single point in the conference standings.

For nearly two periods, it looked like one of those games where BU created numerous grade A chances but either couldn't beat Maine goalie Dan Sullivan or had back puck luck. Wade Megan had the best first-period chance on a breakaway.

Maine broke the ice with a power play goal midway through the second period, but BU was dominating both scoring opportunities and faceoffs. Both Chris Connolly and Charlie Coyle hit the post--for the Terrier captain, it was his second post in three games--and Adam Clendening missed on a breakaway. BU finally got on the board late in the period during a 4-on-3 power play. Alex Chiasson's hard work in the crease eventually sent the puck to the far post where Trivino poked it home.

After Evan Rodrigues became the third Terrier to hit iron, BU took the lead six minutes into the final period, again with a man advantage. Quick passes along the blue line freed Clendening at the right point. His slap-pass was deflected in by Gill who had gained position in front of the net. Five minutes later, Trivino scored his second goal of the game--his 13th of the season and 10th in the past 10 games--on a rebound at the left post.

At the 14 minute market, a pair of freshmen combined for BU's fifth goale. Cason Hohmann carried the puck deep into the Maine zone and and found Privitera driving in from the point; he deked a defender and whipped a backhander past Sullivan. Gill closed out the scored with his second of the game, a shorthanded goal.

Senior Kieran Millan, sharp all night, stopped 30shots for his eighth win of the year and achieved yet another milestone, becoming BU's all-time leader in saves with 3,057, breaking Sean Fields' previous record of 3,055

►Terriers converted one of 24 shots during the first two periods, then four of eight shots in the final period.

►Gill's shorthander was BU's seventh of the year, tops in the nation.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Video highlights [check back]
● HockeyEastOnline recap and box score
● Boston Hockey Blog recap
● USCHO recap
● WTBU Sports recap
● Bangor Daily News recap

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Matt O'Conner stopped 24 shots en route to his 11th win of the year as Youngstown beat Chicago, 3-1.

2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon assisted on two of Indiana's three goals in a 3-2 win against Dubuque.

Looking back
Kevin Shattenkirk’s fourth goal of the season was the only tally in St. Louis’ 1-0 win against San Jose. The former BU captain, who now has 16 points in 28 games, fired a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle past Sharks’ goalie Antti Niemi. Video

Game Day: BU vs. Maine

Terriers conclude their two-game road trip and first semester schedule with a visit to Alfond Arena to play Maine. The Black Bears have a 6-6-2 record and sit in fifth place in Hockey East, but have rebounded from a four-game skid to go 3-0-1 in their past four games. Seniors Spencer Abbott and Brian Flynn lead Maine with 23 and 21 points respectively.

BU is tied for second in Hockey East with Merrimack, although the Warriors have two games in hand. The Terriers have a 6-1-2 record in their past nine visits to Orono. Senior Chris Connolly, the newest member of BU’s 100-point club, has 11 points (6g, 5a) in 13 career games against the Black Bears.

Terriers will again be without leading scorer Matt Nieto (16 pts.), who injured a shoulder earlier this week in practice. Senior Corey Trivino, one point behind at 15, brings a x-game goal-scoring streak into the game. He’s also tied for the conference goal-scoring lead with 10,

CBS Sports Network, which aired last Friday’s BU win against BC, is also broadcasting tonight’s game nationally, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Sophomores Adam Clendening (photo) and Charlie Coyle will begin US Junior National camp next Saturday in Camrose, Alberta, site of the 2012 World Junior Championships, which begin on Dec. 22.

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, WWZN Radio Webcast , live stats
● CHN’s Tale of the Tape, Tweetcast
● Boston Hockey Blog live blog
● Bangor Daily News preview,

● WTBU Sports preview

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Robbie Bailargeon scored his eight goal and added an assist as Indiana routed Dubuque, 6-1.

2012 recruit Wesley Myron tallied a goal and an assist in Victoria’s 5-4 loss to Penticton. Myron, who has a 15-24-39 line in 20 games is tied for the BCHL lead in points per game with 2.0.

Looking back
Former BU captain Pete MacArthur scored his fourth goal of the season for Las Vegas in a 4-1 win against Ontario. He was assisted by Ryan Weston.

Former BU captain Dan Spang picked up his 10th point of the season, an assist, in the Texas Stars’ 3-0 win against Charlotte.

100 club for Connolly; Hall of Fame for Tkachuk

The Boston Hockey Blog spoke with Chris Connolly about reaching the 100 point mark for his career.

CHN’s TakeAway examines BU’s 2-1 win over New Hampshire on Thursday.

Excalibur Sports asks whether the outdoor hockey gendre has “jumped the shark.” Unlike its three Beanpot rivals and other New England schools, BU passed on the opportunity to play another game at Frozen Fenway , a subject Jack Parker had discussed with The Boston Hockey Blog last month

Looking Back
This coming Monday night, former Terrier Keith Tkachuk (photo) will be one of five inductees into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel

The power forward from Melrose, Mass., played for BU’s 1991 Hockey East champions and NCAA finalist team, before embarking on an 18-year NHL career in which he scored 1,065 points (538-527). He becomes the ninth Terrier inducted, joining Jack Garrity, Jack Kelley, Dick Rodenheiser, Jim Craig, Mike Eruzione, Jack O’Callahan, Dave Silk and his BU teammate, Tony Amonte.

Among the other honorees is Mike “Doc” Emrick, the “Dean of American hockey announcers” who becomes the first media member inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. On Dec. 3, 2004, Emrick called play-by-play (video) for CSTV in what would be Jack Parker’s 700th career win, a 3-2 victory against BC in the teams’ final meeting at Walter Brown Arena.

Looking back—Across the Pond
Four former Terriers are continuing their careers in Germany’s top professional league, the DEL. John Laliberte (7-11-18) is skating for Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg. Ken Magowan (7-12-19) is with Adler Mannheim. Scott King (8-11-19) is with the Hannover Scorpions and John Curry (2.59, .923), who represented Team USA in the recent Deutschland Cup, is tending goal for the Hamburg Freezers.

Terriers edge Wildcats and sweep series

Second-period goals by Corey Trivino and Wade Megan overcame an early New Hampshire lead, enabling BU to edge the Wildcats, 2-1, at The Whittemore Center in Durham. Terriers sweep the season series with UNH for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

The Wildcats took a lead after one on a rebound goal by Greg Burke. Five minutes into the second period, with BU on a power play, Megan cashed in the rebound of an Alex Chiasson shot. Three minutes later, Trivino finished off passes from Sahir Gill and Chris Connolly for his 11th of the year and what proved to be the game-winner.

The third period was scoreless as BU clamped down on their hosts.

Connolly’s assist put the Terrier captain into the BU 100-point club. In 129 career games, he’s netted 30 goals and 70 assists. He’s the 78th Terrier to hit the century mark.

Kieran Millan, who stopped 28 of 29 Wildcat shots, also hit a milestone with his 3,000th career save.

Trivino’s second game-winner of the year also marked the third consecutive game in which he’s scored a goal. The hot-shooting senior now has tallied in eight of his last nine games.

Megan’s seventh goal is third best on the team behind Trivino and Matt Nieto, who missed the game with an injury.

The win put BU in a tie with Merrimack for second place in Hockey East, although the Warriors have two games in hand.



● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● HockeyEastOnline recap and highlights
● The Boston Blog recap
● USCHO recap
● UNH Sports recap
● Union Leader recap

► Episode Nine of the Inside BU Hockey Webcast features Coach Jack Parker, sophomore defenseman Garrett Noonan, and former BU forward Mike Prendergast, a member of the 1995 national championship team who is featured in our list of milestone goals with a game-winner at Maine dealing the Black Bears their only loss of the season. Video. Prendergast describes the game and the goal in great detail.

►USCHO’s Hockey East picks (posted on USCHO before the UNH game).

Looking Back
A wrist shot by Colin Wilson at 1:45 of overtime vaulted Nashville past Columbus, 4-3. Video

College Hockey Inc. features former Terrier Mike Grier, recently retired from the NHL, talking about his college career, in its Backcheck series

Game Day: BU visits New Hampshire--updated

Terriers are on the road this weekend with a game at New Hampshire tonight—the final regular season meeting between the two teams—and the first meeting of the year with Maine, which takes place in Orono on Saturday night.

BU has a 5-2 record in its past seven games and sits in third place in Hockey East. After a seven-game unbeaten streak, the Wildcats have been slumping of late, losing four of the past five games including being swept last weekend by UMass-Lowell.

BU won the first two meetings with UNH this season, a 5-0 shutout in the season opener and a 4-1 win last month—both games at Agganis Arena.

Junior Wade Megan (photo) moves up to the second line left wing slot as Matt Nieto will miss the game due to a shoulder injury. On defense, freshman Alexx Privitera will be back in the rotation, while sophomore Patrick MacGregor is a healthy scratch for the first time this season. BU's lineup:

Connolly-Trivino-Gill
Megan-Coyle-Chiasson
Courtnall-Hohmann-Rodrigues
Gaudet-Rosen-Cissé
Escobedo-Clendening
Noonan-Privitera
Nicastro-Ruikka
Millan

The Wildcats’ top guns, both with 19 points, are senior Stevie Moses (11g, 8a) and sophomore Nick Sorkin (5g, 14a). Freshman Casey DeSmith is expected to get the start in goal for UNH.

WBIN-TV will televise Thursday's 7 p.m. contest in a UNH-produced broadcast. In the Boston area, WBIN is Channel 18 (811 in HD) on Comcast, Channel 6 (506 in HD) on Verizon Fios and 50 on DirecTV.
● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, WWZN Radio Webcast , Live Stats
● Daily Free Press preview
● CHN’s Tweetcast
● Boston Hockey Blog live blog
● USCHO’s Hockey East column -- excessive time for faceoffs, embellishmen/diving on penalties.
● WTBU Sports: preview and hockey notebook
UNH Web site preview and game notes
● Concord Monitor examines UNH’s defensive deficiencies

► TheHockeyWriters.com has named Charlie Coyle one of five players to watch at the upcoming World Junior Championships.

Women’s team
Terriers dropped a 4-1 decision to Northeastern at Matthews Arena. Kayla Tutino had BU’s only goal, her 11th of the season. Kerrin Sperry stopped 26 shots.
● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Daily Free Press recap

Wednesday Linkorama

NCAA.com looked at the geographically diverse make-up of this year’s Terrier squad—players from seven U.S. states and four Canadian provinces--and talked with Ontario native Corey Trivino.

Terriers rank fourth in CHN’s Hockey East power rankings for this week.

The Hockey News’s Hot List of WJC prospects includes sophomore Adam Clendening, one of two Terriers invited to the final evaluation camp. Charlie Coyle is a holdover from last year’s U.S. Junior National team.

The United States of Hockey site is a top source of information about the U.S. squad for the WJCs. In two articles, Chris Peters looks at the roster’s goalies and defensemen and also the forwards.

►College Hockey News reports that new efforts are underway to save Alabama-Huntsville’s hockey program and keep it at the D1 level. Meanwhile, the University of Illinois is exploring a move from ACHA to NCAA D1 status.

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Danny O’Regan scored a pair of goals and added two assists in St. Sebastian’s first win over Milton Academy in two years—a 10-3 rout. O’Regan led the Arrows in goal-scoring last season with a 25-24-49 line in 27 games.

2013 recruit Brendan Collier will lead defending Massachusetts high school Super 8 champion Malden Catholic as it begins the 2011-12 season. The 5-10 left wing, who rang up 30 goals last year, saved the most important for last, scoring the overtime game-winner to lift the Lancers past St. John's Prep--and BU recruit Sam Kurker --in the title game. The team will be without its coach, Chris Serino, who is on medical leave.

Looking back
No this isn’t a rerun, but Anaheim has recalled Nick Bonino from Syracuse/AHL. He has a 5-15-20 line with the Crunch

Ex-Terrier Chris Bourque leads all Hershey Bears scorers and is second overall in the AHL.

Women's team

Terriers take on Northeastern at Matthews Arena tonight in BU's final game of the semester. It's the second meeting between the team. The Huskies shut out BU last week, 2-0.

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, WTBU Webcast

Pair of Terriers named to final U.S. Junior National Team camp

Sophomores Charlie Coyle and Adam Clendening were named to USA Hockey’s 29-man roster for the Junior National Team training camp beginning Dec. 17. The final roster for this year’s World Junior Championships in Calgary and Edmonton will have 22 names. Coyle (photo) was a standout last winter for the U.S. team that earned the WJC bronze medal.

The 8-5-1 Terriers continue to move up in the national polls, advancing to #11 in the USCHO rankings and 12th in the USA Today poll.

Coyle and Corey Trivino earned spots on the Hockey East weekly list of top performers. Trivino, a senior center, has scored in seven of his past eight games and his ten goals already are a career best. Yasin Cisse and Cason Hohmann with their first career goals and Alexx Privitera with his first career point--all coming in the 5-3 win over BC on Fridya--made the milestones list.

BU's now-ended five-game winning streak was the team's longest since it won its final seven games during its 2009 NCAA championship run

● CHN’s Hockey East blog looks at Yasin Cisse’s growing impact on the Terriers' fortunes and his significant upside potential.
● Daily Free Press weekend recap and Millan feature
● Hockey East has begun ticket sales for the conference tournament semifinals and finals on March 16 & 17 at TD Bank Garden in Boston.

Looking back
We recently reported Carl Corazzini’s appointment as head coach at Weston High School. The Boston Globe talked with the former Terrier captain about his college and pro playing career and the decision to move behind the bench.

Women’s team
The Terriers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win against Providence College on Sunday at Walter Brown Arena. Trailing the Friars, 1-0, in the third period, BU tied the score on freshman Kayla Tutino’s 10th of the season. Then, with less than two minutes left in regulations, junior Jill Cardella tip home a Kasey Boucher slapper for the game-winner. Kerrin Sperry stopped 25 shots.
● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Coach Brian Durocher’s post-game comments

Terrier streak ends in 6-1 loss

BU's five-game winning streak became history when BC freshman goalie Brian Billett turned away 40 Terrier shots in a 6-1 Eagle win. Only senior Corey Trivino (photo) found the net, scoring his 10th of the season in the first period, on a shot that banked in off a defender's skate.

Following the evenly played first period, the game turned on two sequences in the middle stanza. Snake-bit senior Chris Connolly clanged a shot off the post and on the ensuing rush, Tommy Cross finished by roofing a shot over Kieran Millan.

Twelve minutes later, with the Terriers pressing to tie the score, Alex Chiasson was turned away twice by Billet. BC's Chris Kreider then sped up the left wing and fired a bullet of the far post into the net for a 3-1 lead. BC would stretch the advantage to 5-1 before the period ended.

Grant Rollheiser relieved Millan in the third period, stopping eight of nine shots, yielding one goal on an odd-man rush.

With Friday night's victory, BU wins the regular season series, 2-1, in which all three games were won by the visiting team. BU coach Jack Parker called it "as bizarre a three games I’ve seen us play in 20 days." He added:

We had 27 shots on our stat sheet in the second period and ended up losing big. Their goalie played really well and as sharp as Kieran was last night, he didn’t have it tonight. All in all, I thought it was a pretty good game for us with a couple of mental mistakes.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
●Video highlights
● Boston Hockey Blog recap
●USCHO recap
● College Hockey News analysis
● Boston Globe recap
● Boston Herald recap
● WTBU Sports recap

Among the former Terriers in attendance: Former Hall of Fame player and Coach Jack Kelley, Jerry August, Dennis O'Connell, Mike O'Connell, Dan Ronan, Pat Aufiero, Mark Fidler, Dale Dunbar, Marc Hetnik, Kevin Schaeffer, Brian Collins, Mike Sylvia, Colby Cohen, Bob McCabe, Blaine Maus, Scott Manty, Bob Hanson, and Jim Wood.

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Matt Grzelcyk recorded a power play assist in the NTDP U8s 4-1 win against Chicago Steel.

Looking back
David Warsofsky had a pair of assists for the Providence Bruins, including on the tying goal late in the third period, but the P-Bruins fell to Manchester, 5-4, in a shootout.

Nick Bonino also had a pair of assists, his coming in Syracuse’s 5-2 win against Wilkes Barre/Scranton.

Former BU captain Kevin Shattenkirk talked (video) about his first visit back to Denver after last season's trade to St. Louis. Video of his first-period goal in Friday night's 3-2 Avs win against the Blues.