Game Day: BU opens the season against Union; Quinn previews Terriers

The 96^th season of Terrier Hockey begins tonight as #2 BU hosts #16 Union College with a 7:30 p.m. start at Agganis Arena. The contest, which marks BU’s first-ever regular-season game in September, will be live-streamed on TerrierTV (via watchstadium.com). The game also can be heard on the Terrier Sports Radio Network.  

Last season, BU rallied past the Dutchmen, 5-4 (video), with Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson scoring a third-period tying goal and an overtime game-winner to complete his hat trick. With the win, the all-time series with Union stands at 1-1-1.

With 17 returnees from last season’s 24-12-3 squad and 10 newcomers, BU will be led on offense by sophomore Patrick Harper (37 points) juniors Bobo Carpenter (32) Jordan Greenway (31 points) with contributions expected from freshmen Brady Tkachuk, Shane Bowers and Hank Crone.

BU’s defense is led by returnees Dante Fabbro (18 points, photo), captain Brandon Hickey (15), Chad Krys (11) and John MacLeod (8). Sophomore goalie Jake Oettinger, who was drafted in the first round by Dallas this past June, earned Hockey East All-Rookie honors with a 2.11 GAA and a gaudy .927 save percentage.

For Union, which like BU reached the NCAA tournament last season, the offense begins with juniors Sebastian Vidmar (41 points), Brett Supinski (36) and Cole Maier (28). The likely new starter as goalie is junior Jake Kupsky.

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, TerrierTV, Terrier Sports Radio Network, BU GameDay

● Daily Free Press season preview

● Hockey East Online Weekend preview

● Union College Game Notes

● CHN Tale of the Tape

● GoTerriers.com BU favored to win HE, 2^nd in national polls ; 2017-18 Hockey Prospectus

Inside BU Hockey

►In Episode 1 of Inside BU Hockey, head coach David Quinn previews the 2017-18 season with longtime Terrier play-by-play broadcaster Bernie Corbett.

► Joining Hickey on the BU leadership team are assistant captains Greenway, Carpenter and senior Nikolas Olsson.

Looking ahead

2018 recruits Joel Farabee and Tyler Weiss (photo) each scored unassisted goals ten seconds apart in the third period to lift the NTDP U18s to a 5-2 win over Central Illinois in the USHL Fall Classic in Cranberry, Penn. With Team USA trailing, 2-1, Farabee tied the score with his third goal of the season and Weiss followed with the game-winner. Weiss also assisted on a pair of goals and Farabee added a helper as one future Terrier had a hand in all five goals.

● USA Hockey recap and Coach’s comments

● USHL.com box score

Looking back
A panel of 17 NHL.com writer ranked the rookies most likely to win the Calder Trophy this season. Bruins' blueliner Charlie McAvoy was ranked #2 and Coyotes' forward Clayton Keller is slotted at #3 behind this past June's first draft pick, Devils' forward Nico Hischier.
● NHL.com report

Terriers at the ready

With the season's lid-lifter just a day away, we have a trio of videos from GoTerriers.com and much more. Tomorrow, look for Game Day information for the 7:30 p.m. game against Union, including game notes, live stats and a link to the live stream.

►Men's Ice Hockey: 2017-18 Season Preview

►Terrier Weekend Preview

►2017 Hockey East Media Day: Terrier Assistant Captains

New England Hockey Journal’s look at three second-year players coming off strong freshman seasons begins with dynamic Terrier wing Patrick Harper.  The New Canaan, Conn., native’s 37 points in 28 games earned him a spot on the HockeyEast  All-Rookie team.

● NEHJ: Amped for Act 2

Jordan Greenway is ranked high on SB Nation’s List of NCAA players likely to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic ice hockey team for the 2018 Games in South Korea.

● SB Nation report

►If you missed yesterday's Daily Free Press annual hockey preview issue, it's all right here.

Looking ahead

Photo by Hickling Images

2018 or 2019 recruit Matt Quercia’s second goal of the pre-season was the game-winner in Sioux Falls 5-3 win against Green Bay.

2019 recruit Robert Mastrosimone tallied his first USHL point as Chicago defeated Waterloo, 4-1. The speedy forward from East Islip, N.Y., scored 155 points in 102 games with Shattuck St. Mary’s during the past two seasons.

2019 recruit Braden Doyle and 2020 recruits Cade Webber (photo #8) and Liam Connors are teammates this Fall on the Little Bruins 18Us, playing in the Massachusetts Tier 1 Selects league. Once the prep season begins, they’ll be opponents with blueliner Doyle skating for Lawrence Academy, right wing Connors at St. Sebastian’s (along with fellow 2020 recruit Drew Commesso) and 6'4" defender Webber returning to The Rivers School, coached by Terrier All-American, NHLer and U.S. Olympian Shawn McEachern.

Looking back

USA Today’s Kevin Allen lists his top 15 Calder Trophy candidates for top NHL rookie and he has Clayton Keller and Charlie McAvoy as #1 and #2, noting:

It’s difficult to watch Arizona Coyotes rookie Clayton Keller and not wonder if he could be another Patrick Kane and do for the Coyotes what Kane does for the Chicago Blackhawks…He creates offense by darting in and out of traffic, much like Kane does.

Five of Allen’s top six are NCAA products.

● USA Today report

● MSGNetwork.com Kevin Shattenkirk thrilled to be home (video)