#2 Terriers return to action tonight for their final regular-season road game, visiting #11/10 Providence at Schneider Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. for the contest that will live stream on ESPN+.
After a 6-1-1 February that included a win over top-ranked BC in the Beanpot opener, BU has had a 12-day break from games due to its bye week. While the Terriers are locked into the second seed for the Hockey East tournament, the Friars are one of three teams, along with UMass and Maine in contention for the third seed in the final week of regular-season play.
In his Thursday media call, Coach Jay Pandolfo pointed out that, “This time of year you’re always expecting everyone’s best. They’re still fighting for playoff seedings in Hockey East, so we certainly expect their best. They’ll be ready to play, they always are…play really hard, tough building to play in.”
The team met for a home-and-home in mid-February, playing to a 2-2 overtime tie at Schneider (PC won the shootout) and then pinning a 5-2 defeat on the Friars at Agganis Arena.
Commenting on lessons learned from the tie in Providence, Pandolfo added, “We played too slow the last time in their building. We kinda let them get into their structure. We weren’t moving the puck fast enough. We weren’t playing a direct game, especially in that building, [where] things happen really quickly.”
Since their loss at BU, the Friars defeated Lowell, 2-1, and split a series with Merrimack, winning, 4-2, and then losing, 2-1. Pandolfo noted that in that loss, Providence outshot the Warriors nearly 3-to-1 (47-16).
Senior forwards Nick Poisson and Chase Yoder lead the Friars’ attack with 21 and 19 points respectively, followed by freshman Tanner Adams with 18 and junior defenseman Richard Guillaume with 17. Goalie Philip Svedeback’s 2.22 GAA is 11th best nationally.
BU’s layoff has enabled one of it’s two injured players, defenseman Ty Gallager to return to action. However, Dylan Peterson, who suffered a lower-body injury in the first game against Connecticut remains out. Pandolfo reported that Peterson is “progressing well,” adding that he’s hopeful the senior wing could return for the Hockey East quarterfinals on March 16.
The Terrier coach indicated that he’s happy with the forward lines as recently constituted, noting that all four lines were contributing to the goal-scoring.
"This time of year having 12 days off, it’s a long time," Pandolfo explained. We want to make sure we’re full steam ahead. We’re going to play every game, every period, every shift the same way.”
TONIGHT’S TERRIER LINEUP
● GoTerriers.com preview, Live Stats, BU All-Access (audio), BU Men’s Hockey Twitter
● Live Stream ESPN+, International Stream
● College Hockey News Tale of the Tape
● Boston Hockey Blog Terriers close out regular season against Providence, Vermont
►After earning Hockey East Goalie of the Week honors for his performance against UConn (one goal allowed in two games, 49 saves) junior Mathieu Caron has added conference Goalie of the Month recognition for February. In eight games, the transfer from Brown fashioned a 2.01 GAA, along with a .926 save percentage. In six conference games, he led all Hockey East goalies with a 1.53 GAA and a .944 save percentage.
Caron, who has started all 32 Terrier games, has a .924 save percentage and a 2.19 GAA in 22 conference games; both marks are second among Hockey East goalies.
“He keeps getting better month to month,” Pandolfo said. “Credit to him, he’s put a lot of work in. Credit to (goalie coach) Brian Daccord. He’s helped him a lot. His puck handling, no questions, [is] something he done a lot better, controlling rebounds, a lot of little things.”
● GoTerriers.com Caron named Hockey East Goalie of the Month
►Episode Nine of Inside BU Hockey features Bernie Corbett’s interviews with Coach Pandolfo and senior forward Nick Zabaneh.
► While Pandolfo and the Terriers maintain their "one game at a time" mantra, fans have the luxury of looking ahead to the NCAA tournament. USCHO's latest bracketology has BU with the #1 seed in the Springfield, Mass., regional and matched against #4 St. Cloud in the opening round. #2 Minnesota would face #3 host UMass in the other half of the bracket.
Looking ahead
Draft Prospects Hockey profiled 2024 recruit Cole Hutson who is projected to be a late first-round or early second-round selection in June's NHL Entry Draft.
● DraftProspectsHockey.com Focus on Cole Hutson
Looking back
Evan Rodrigues’ power-play goal was his 10th tally of the season as the Panthers defeated the Devils, 5-3. ERod is +23 for the season, second best among Florida forwards.
tw-align-centerE-Rod from the 🎰 pic.twitter.com/hGIjyMDJ4r
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) March 6, 2024
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