50 years ago today, the Terriers opened the season that four months later would climax in the program’s first NCAA champion. The campaign began with tremendous optimism because, as then volunteer assistant coach Jack Parker points out, “we knew the next season was going to be something special, because Jack Kelley and Bob Crocker had recruited two fabulous classes back-to-back.” [Full Parker interview]
Two days after Thanksgiving, the Terriers were on the road in St. Louis to take on the St. Louis University Billikens, a first-year program that had played its first games two weeks earlier against Ohio State and brought a 1-3 record into the two-game series. BU’s 23-man roster had just three seniors, along with 10 juniors and 10 sophomores. Freshman eligibility was still a few seasons away.
Game Report: Nov. 27, 1970—BU 8 St. Louis 0
Terriers came out of the shoot fast with junior wing Bob Gryp notching the season’s first goal at the 1:39 mark, assisted by classmate John Danby (photo), who doubled the score less than a minute later, unassisted. Danby struck again late in the period assisted by sophomore Bob Brown, followed two minutes later by senior Wayne Gowing—from Brown and Danby—for a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes.
BU’s third line joined the scoring early in the middle period when sophomore Steve Dolloff was assisted by classmate Ron Anderson and junior Guy Burrowes. Senior Captain Steve Stirling scored the sixth goal, from juniors Don “Toot” Cahoon and Peter Thornton.
In the third period, Dolloff picked up his second tally, again from Anderson and Burrowes. Danby completed the scoring and his hat trick—en route to a team-leading 28-goal season—with Stirling and Gowing picking up the helpers.
Junior netminder Tim Regan stopped 18 shots while two Billiken goalies combined to make 28 saves.
Growler’s Takeaway (from Steve Dolloff)
Trip to St Louis ... great arena to play in and experience ... never imagined that we would dominate as we did ... but soon it would become known that we were a good team ... a great first line centered by Captain Steve Stirling ... Steve was a great leader and a great performer on the ice ... it was easy to listen to and follow ... Toot Cahoon, of Marblehead fame and Sweeper Giandomenico, of Walpole fame, were his wings ... Jake Danby centered the second line ... a great player, big in the clutch ... Wayne Gowling and Bob "Maxi" Gryp were his wings ... Gowl was Mr Consistent , did everything right, whereas Maxi was the big and strong power forward who would let the big slapper go frequently ... I was joined by Ron Anderson and Guy Burrows ... both great guys ... Ron was a good goal scorer and my roommate at South Campus ... our line would score in the first couple of games in St Louis and would be a pretty good support line for the other two ....
Goaltending was an interesting deal ... Tim Regan started the first game and Stefen Brueckner started the second game ... that could be a great trivia question ... who started in goal in the second game in 1970-71 and it would be his only game played ... Dan Brady was sitting in the weeds ... was he considered number three goalie on our team? I do not remember
Bob Brown and Ric Jordan were the #1 defense pair ... they did it all ... offensive ... beyond good on the power play ... Bob Murray and Mike LaGarde were all defense ... tough and stay at home type players ...
Looking ahead
Neutral Zone tweeted about new BU commit Thomas Jarman:
3.75⭐️6'3" RD Thomas Jarman to @TerrierHockey. High grades in two reports this Fall. TTPA. NZ's 15 ranked 2001 in the @NAHLHockey and 47th ranked 1999-2001 uncommitted in North America. High ceiling 📈.
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