GameDay: #9Terriers visit #6 Michigan UPDATED

 

After blowout wins over Bentley and Waterloo, the #9 Terriers face their first major challenge as they visit Yost Ice Center for a two-games series against #6 Michigan. Tonight’s game begins at 7 p.m. Puck drop for Sunday’s rematch is at 5 p.m.

The Wolverines, who swept a pair last weekend from NCAA Independent Lindenwood, lost five of their top six scorers to the pros and the seventh to graduation. However, the defending Big 10 Champions and Frozen Four semifinalists returned three double-digit goal scorers in Luke Hughes, Mackie Samoskevich and Dylan Duke. Michigan’s #2 ranked recruit class brings in two 2022 first round picks—Rutger McGroarty and Frank Nazar III—and two projected 2023 first rounders—Adam Fantilli and Gavin Brindley. Returning goalie Erik Portillo was in net for all 42 games last season, fashioning a 2.14 GAA and a .926 save percentage.

Head Coach Jay Pandolfo’s squad returns 10 seniors and seven juniors and has a smaller, but effective freshman group. Ryan Greene, Jeremy Wilmer, Lane Hutson, Quinn Hutson and Devin Kaplan combined for five goals and eight assists in the opening night win. Last year’s leading goal-scorer, Wilmer Skoog, returns to the line-up that include double-digit goal-scorers Jay O’Brien and Dylan Peterson. Senior captain and top point-scorer Dom Fensore and senior Case McCarthy anchor the defense corps, while goalie Drew Commesso (2.52, .914) is back for his third season.

►There’s tremendous amount of familiarity between the BU and UM players, with 12 Terriers and 11 Wolverines having been teammates on various NTDP and junior teams.

►The Terriers and Wolverines have met 30 times with Michigan holding a 17-13 edge. The first meeting came in the semifinals of the 1950 Frozen Four with the Jack Garrity-led Terriers winning, 4-3. A year later, they met in the semifinals again with Michigan winning, 8-2.

The teams last clashed in the 2018 NCAA Regional Final in Worcester. After BU tied the score at 3-3 early in the third period, the Wolverines pulled away for a 6-3 win. The Terriers’ last visit to Yost Ice Arena was in October 2016. The series was split with Michigan winning the first game, 4-0, and BU taking the second, 4-2.

Tonight's Terrier lineup 

Phillips-O’Brien-Brown                             

Tuch- Skoog- Peterson                             

Wilmer-Greene-Q.Hutson                         

Zabaneh-Stevens-Kaplan

Armstrong

Fensore-Gallagher

Hutson-McCarthy

Webber-Copeland

Commesso

Duplessis

 

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, BU All-Access (audio), BU Men’s Hockey Twitter

● Live Stream: Big 10+ (subscription; see details in preview above)  

● Coach Pandolfo Media Call

● Boston Hockey Blog preview

● College Hockey News Two Storied Programs, Two New Beginnings , Tale of the Tape

● USCHO Edge: predictions, Edge podcast (analyzes 5 top 20 games including BU-Michigan

 

Looking ahead

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O Captain! My Captain! Take a look at Shane LaChance's first goal of the season 👀🚨 pic.twitter.com/u0nVDAguwn

— Youngstown Phantoms (@YtownPhantoms) October 13, 2022

2023 recruit Shane Lachance scored his first goal in Youngstown’s 5-3 loss to Madison. The Phantoms’ captain, a 6’5” forward, also assisted on a tally. Fellow recruit Jack Musa picked up his third assist for the Capitols.

2023 recruit Gavin McCarthy, a right-shot defenseman like his brother Case, is ranked #39 in The Hockey News’ early draft projections.

 

Looking back

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We’re thrilled that Mark Fidler will become our program’s latest inductee into the @BUAthletics Hall of Fame!

Mark led our 1978 national championship team in points (65) & goals (30) and finished his career as the first player to lead BU in points all four seasons.#ProudToBU pic.twitter.com/k1u3we9O3R

— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) October 13, 2022

 

Jake Oettinger turned aside 19 of 20 shot as Dallas opened its season with a 4-1 win against Nashville. The Athletic (subscription) takes an in-depth look at Oettinger’s off-season workouts as he prepared for his first full season as the Stars’ #1 goalie. ESPN and The Hockey News are on the Oettinger bandwagon, too.

● The Athletic How Jake Oettinger spent the summer preparing for a big season with the Stars

● ESPN Can Jake Oettinger Be the Dallas Stars Future in Goal?

 

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Brady HAMMERED this one off the post and in 🔨#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/MlajoS1TmI

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) October 13, 2022

Brady Tkachuk scored Ottawa’s only goal in a 4-1 loss to Buffalo.

 

Women’s Team

After splitting a pair of non-conference games, Coach Brian Durocher’s squad begins Hockey East action with a home-and-home series against New Hampshire. Tonight’s game at the Whittemore Center in Durham begins at 7 p.m. It will air on NESN and stream on ESPN+.

● GoTerriers.com preview and game day links