Game Day: BU visits Merrimack

#2/3 Terriers resume conference play with a home-and-home against #18 Merrimack (10-4-1, 4-3-0 in HE) beginning with tonight’s game at Lawler. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. The game will air on WBIN-TV and Fox College Sports Atlantic and will be Webcast on ESPN 3 .

The Warriors are led by freshman Brett Seney (14 points), sophomore Hampus Gustafsson (13) and junior Brian Christie (12). Last season Merrimack came away with a win and tie in its two-game series with the Terriers.

BU Coach David Quinn announced that freshman wing Nikolas Olsson will return to the lineup after missing six games. UPDATE: Olsson is not in tonight's line-up.Sophomore center Robbie Baillargeon, who also has missed six games, remains sidelined. Captain Matt Grzelcyk who had three assists against Colgate, is among five Terriers with a plus/minus in excess of +10.  

Senior assistant captain Cason Hohmann (photo) leads BU in career points against the Warriors with 3G and 5A.  In four career starts against The ‘Mack, Matt O’Connor has a 1.72 GAA and a .949 save percentage, along with a 2-1-1 record.  Tonight's BU line-up:

Oksanen-Eichel-O'Regan

Rodrigues-Hohmann-Piccinich

Phelps-Lane-Roberto

Greer-Moran-Carrabino

Grzelcyk-MacLeod
Fortunato-Hickey 
Somerby-Diffley
O'Connor

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, Terrier Sports Radio Network Webcast

● Inside BU Hockey Episode 9

● Daily Free Press preview

● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog

● College Hockey News: Tale of the Tape

● Daily Free Press preview

● USCHO Picks & Predictions

● HockeyEastOnline Weekend Preview
● SBN preview of BU-Merrimack

● Mack Report preview

 

►The Agganis Arena Weekend Preview features junior forward Ahti Oksanen (video)

►Voice of Terrier Hockey Bernie Corbett guested on this week’s Eastern Bias podcast.

Looking ahead

2017 recruit David Farrance will begin his sophomore season at New York’s Victor High School where he earned first-team all-state honors as a freshman blueliner. Farrance, who also plays for the first-place Syracuse Stars U16s in the USPHL (13G, 12A in 15 games), is expected to play both defense and center for Victor this season.
● Daily Messenger report

2016 recruit Clayton Keller is ranked #7 on the ISS Scouting December ranking of top prospects for the 2016 draft. Keller, who teamed with current freshman BU Chase Phelps to lead Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep to the national U18 championship last spring, leads the NTDP U17s in scoring with 32 points (14G, 18A) in 21 games.


Looking back

Former Terrier All-American Colin Wilson’s breakaway goal midway through the third period—beating legendary goalie Martin Brodeur—was the game-winner for Nashville in its 4-3 win over the Blues. Kevin Shattenkirk had an assist for St. Louis. 
Box score and video

Women’s Team

Photo by Falon Moran, Daily Free Press

Riding a five-game unbeaten streak, the #5/6 Terriers are in Vermont for a pair of conference games—Saturday and Sunday— against the Catamounts at Gutterson Fieldhouse

● Daily Free Press feature on junior defenseman Lillian Ribeirinha-Braga (photo) and freshman forward Victoria Bach, who now has 13 points, third best on the Terriers.