A forward for 2014; Women take on the Gophers in NCAAs

BU added a fifth forward to its 2014 recruit class as Sioux City left wing Nikolas Olsson committed yesterday. A 6-0, 194 lb native of Escondido, Calif, Olsson played in the LA Selects organization—scoring 19 goals in 21 games— that developed former Terrier Matt Nieto. His two seasons in the NTDP program featured one achievement that gives him a leg up on his fellow Terrier recruits: Olsson has already scored a goal at Agganis Arena.  In January 2012, when the U18s played an exhibition game against BU, he scored the tying goal (video) in a 3-3 tie.

Olsson scored 10 goals and six assists for the Musketeers in his injury-shortened first season in the USHL and has a 3-4-7 line this season. Sioux City coach Jay Varady calls Olsson “a physical winger with the skill set to make offensive plays.”

Wrap around goal by Olsson at 2:10 of the video

Olsson, who will add experience, muscle and depth to BU’s roster, joins forwards Jack Eichel, Chase Phelps, JJ Piccinich and AJ Greer in the 2014 recruit class.

Looking ahead

2015 recruit Bobo Carpenter scored a shootout goal for Austin Prep, helping the Cougars squeeze past BC High, 2-1 (2OT,shootout), and earn a spot in the Massachusetts Super 8 high school title game this Sunday vs. Malden Catholic.The hard-shooting center also clanged a shot off iron in regulation and nearly ended the game in the final minutes of the third period.

2014 recruit Brandon Hickey tallied an assist, his 19th of the season, for AJHL Spruce Grove in the Saints' 4-2 loss to Sherwood Park. Hickey was ranked #63 among North Americans in NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings.

Looking back

Matt Nieto scored his 10th goal of the season in San Jose’s win against the Islanders.

● Recap and video

The previous night, he collected his ninth in the Sharks’ 4-3 shootout win against Columbus.

Brandon Yip scored a goal and an assist as AHL Portland roughed up St. John’s, 7-4.

David Warsofsky scored his sixth goal on a power play for Providence, but the P-Bruins lost in overtime to Worcester, 4-3.

Women's Team

Terriers are in Minnesota to take on the top seed Gophers in the NCAA quarterfinals. The game—a rematch of last season’s national championship game won by Minnesota, 6-3— will be Webcast live and at no charge. Puckdrop is 5 p.m. ET.

BU earned the Hockey East autobid to the tournament by winning its third consecutive conference title, defeating BC, 3-2, last weekend. The Terrier offense is paced by the nation’s top scorer, Sarah Lefort (31 goals), senior captain Louise Warren (photo) with 27 goals, and a pair of freshmen, Maddie Elia and Samantha Sutherland who have 28 and 24 points respectively. Senior blueliner Kaleigh Fratkin, who joined Lefort and Warren as WHEA first team all-stars, has anchored the defense while also contributing 30 points. Senior goalie Kerrin Sperry, who has 85 career wins, is coming off an MVP performance in the Hockey East tournament.

Defending champion Minnesota is led by the nation’s top scorer, Hannah Brandt (62 points) and Rachel Bona, both among the top 10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, as is Lefort. Goalie Amanda Leveille has dished 13 shutouts this season.

BU’s senior class has already won 102 games and has reached the NCAA tournament all four seasons. 2014 is the Terriers fifth consecutive NCAA appearance.

The winner will move to the Frozen Four, hosted by Quinnipiac, and face the winner of the Cornell-Mercyhurst quarterfinal.

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Game Tracker, Photo Gallery from Practice

● HockeyEastOnline preview

● The Hockey Writers preview

●Daily Gopher preview