Monday Linkorama--UPDATED

Four Terriers were named to the HockeyEastOnline list of Top Performers for the past weekend: Grant Rollheiser, who shut out Vermont on Friday; Sean Escobedo, who scored a pair of goals in that game, Wade Megan (photo), who scored in both games and tied up Saturday’s game in the final minute and half, and Alexx Privitera, whose fourth goal of the season—and second game-winner—gave BU the overtime win on Saturday.

HockeyEastOnline’s weekly release also notes that “After going 199 periods of play between the first and second goals of his career, junior Sean Escobedo waited less than 10 minutes to score again thanks to his two-goal second period on Friday at Vermont.”

BU’s top scorer, Alex Chiasson, played his 100th college game Friday. After his assists on Saturday—on Megan’s game-tying goal and Privitera’s GWG—he has 90 career points.

With the sweep in Vermont, BU extends its road game winning-streak in conference games to 10.

Polls and rankings
Terriers moved up a notch to #4 in the USCHO weekly poll, and two notches up to #4 in the USA Today poll . In the Pairwise Rankings, BU is tied for fourth with Ferris State and Lowell. The INCH Power Rankings have BU 6th.

● Daily Free Press recap of Saturday's 3-2 OT win, Privitera feature
● WTBU Sports recap
● USCHO Hockey East blog—BU hockey’s resilience

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Kevin Duane led The Brunswick School to the Empire Cup championship at Trinity Pawling, scoring a pair of goals in a 5-2 semifinal win against Wyoming Seminary and two more in the 7-4 championship game victory against Albany Academy.

2012 recruit Mike Moran scored his eighth goal and added an assist in a 7-4 Bay State win against Capital District.

Looking back
2008-09 co-captain and Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Gilroy was traded today from Tampa Bay to Ottawa in a one-for-one swap for defenseman Brian Lee. The Senators will be in Boston tomorrow to play the Bruins.

David Warsofsky, who is tied for the Providence Bruins scoring lead among defensemen talked with the Patriot-Ledger about his standout first pro season.

Women’s program
Terriers advanced to the Hockey East semifinals by thumping New Hampshire, 9-1, in a game that featured several record setting performances. Senior captain Jenn Wakefield led the way with her second hattrick of the season and an assist. She now has 51 points on the season and 200 points for her college career, which began with two seasons skating for the Wildcats.

Junior Isabel Menard and sophomore Marie-Philip Poulin each contributed a goal and two assist while Carly Warren and Louis Warren each had 1+1.

Wakefield is the second WHEA player to reach the 200-point plateau.The nine-goal outburst established a new BU record for post-season scoring and the three short-handed goals the Terriers registered are a new conference playoff record.

BU will take on Boston College in one semifinal while top-seed Northeastern meets Providence in the other semi. The Women’s Hockey East Association’s semifinals and finals will be hosted by the Hyannis Youth and Community Center at Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Rink on Saturday, March 3rd and Sunday, March 4th in Hyannis, Mass.

Wakefield’s heroics earned Hockey East Player of the Week honors, while freshman Kayla Tutino (three assists) was named Rookie of the Week.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Post-game comments: Wakefield, Coach Brian Durocher
● Daily Free Press recap
● WTBU Sports recap
● HockeyEastOnline semifinalists set

►Congrats to BU’s men’s and women’s swim/dive teams for sweeping the America East Championships.

Privitera OT goal caps rally; BU sweeps to clinch home ice

24 hours after a dominating 5-0 win over Vermont, BU rallied to tie the Catamounts on an extra-attacker goal in the final minutes of regulation, then won the game in overtime on freshman Alexx Privitera’s slap shot. The win clinched home ice in the Hockey East playoffs for BU, which can finish no worse than third. (Photo credit Brendan Mahoney.)

A stalwart effort by Vermont on its Senior Night, led by goalie Rob Madore, produced a 2-0 lead for the home team in the second period. But over the course of 47 minutes, Terriers would outshoot their hosts, 34-14. Sahir Gill cut into the lead with his 11th of the season. BU pressed the attack without success; Matt Nieto hit the post in the second period, while Ben Rosen, who won 13 of 14 faceoffs, beat Madore in the third only to have his shot glance off iron.
With goalie Kieran Millan pulled for an extra attacker, Wade Megan converted an Alex Chiasson pass from behind net to knot the game at two apiece. Privitera's one-timer for the game winner, off assists from Chiasson and Nieto, came 3:02 into overtime and was the only shot on goal in the extra session.

►Megan’s team-best 17th goal and ninth assist—on Gill’s goal—give him 26 points, one more than his freshman and sophomore totals combined.

►Privitera’s fourth goal of the year gives him 10 points and makes him the fourth BU defenseman in double figures in points (Adam Clendening 27, Garrett Noonan 18, Sean Escobedo 11)

►BU swept Vermont in a weekend series for the first time since the Catamounts joined Hockey East in 2005. [In BU’s 2008-09 NCAA championship season, Vermont dealt BU its only consecutive losses of the season in a weekend series at Agganis Arena.]

►Terriers have reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 2008-09.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Jack Parker post-game comments
● Boston Hockey Blog recap,
● HockeyEastOnline recap , current playoff picture
● Burlington Free Press recap
● UVM recap

Looking ahead
Matt Grzelcyk scored a power play goal to get the NTDP U18s going in their 6-3 win against the University of Alabama-Huntsville. 2013 recruit Sam Kurker, the captain of #3- ranked Massachusetts high school St. John's Prep, skated for the U18s during the two-game series with Huntsville. St. John's has a bye in the first weekend of Massachusetts' Super Eight tournament.

2012 recruit Matt O’Connor stopped 28 shots in Youngstown’s 5-2 win against Dubuque, earning his 23rd win of the season, tied for best in the USHL.

2012 recruit Sean Maguire stopped 25 shots in Powell River’s 4-2 win against Vernon. 2012 recruit Marc Hetnik, Jr., picked up an assist for the Vipers. Maguire has won eight of his past 10 starts and is third in the BCHL in GAA.

2012 recruit Mike Moran's 7th goal in 13 games with Bay State helped the Breakers beat Capital District 6-3 in EJHL play.

Looking back
Colin Wilson’s 14th goal of the season, two minutes into the game, jump-started Nashville’s offense in a 6-2 win over San Jose. Wilson (video) now has 33 points, one shy of last season’s total.

Chris Higgins scored a power play goal in the South Carolina Stingrays’ 5-2 win against Gwinnett in ECHL action.

Luke Popko assisted on a pair of goals for the Bloomington Blazers in a 3-2 win against Rio Grande Valley. Popko has 26 points in 40 games.

Women’s program
Terriers take on New Hampshire this afternoon (3 p.m.) in the quarterfinal round of the Hockey East playoffs. BU defeated the Wildcats in two of three regular-season meetings, most recently a 5-1 win in Durham. Terriers have nine of their past ten games.
● GoTerriers.com preview
● WTBU Sports Webcast, preview
● All Access Webcast (subscription)

Terriers blank Vermont, gain second place--UPDATED

Led by junior blueliner Sean Escobedo’s first two-goal game and 18 saves by senior Grant Rollheiser, BU dominated Vermont, 5-0. The victory, coupled with Lowell’s loss to Merrimack moved the Terriers into second place in Hockey East, two points behind BC. A BU win tonight against Vermont would clinch home ice in the Hockey East playoffs.

After a scoreless first period, BU put three goals on the board in the middle stanza: both of Escobedo's goals and freshman Cason Hohmann's second of the season. Terriers put the game out of reach early in the third period with a pair of goals 29 seconds apart. Wade Megan picked up a loose puck to fire home his team leading 16th; then freshman Evan Rodrigues fed junior Justin Courtnall on a 2-on-1 and the assistant captain deked Vermont's Rob Madore for his fourth of the campaign.

Commenting on Courtnall's goal, Escobedo said: “You can’t speak enough about [Courtnall], in the corners and all the little battles he wins that doesn’t get the press or anything like that. He comes ready to play every night and for him to get a goal like that – it was a pretty goal too – it’s really nice to see.”
● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis, unlikely scorers
● HockeyEastOnline recap , current playoff picture
● Burlington Free Press recap
● Boston Globe recap
● College Hockey News’ Friday games briefs

Looking back
Former Terrier co-captain John McCarthy, back in Worcester after a tour with the NHL Sharks, scored his 13th goal in a 5-3 loss to Providence, in which his BU teammate Colby Cohen contributed an assist for the P-Bruins.

Former BU All-American Colin Wilson tells Gannett Tennessee how a change in his emotional approach to the game has delivered dividends on the ice for the Predators' forward.

Game Day: BU vs Vermont--UPDATED

As the Hockey East regular season winds down, Terriers are on the road for a pair of games against Vermont in Burlington. Tonight’s game will be broadcast nationally on NBC Sports Network with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. ET

BU is currently in third place in Hockey East, but remains in the hunt for the top spot in the conference as they trail BC by just two points.

Senior goaltender Grant Rollheiser (photo) gets the start tonight as Kieran Millan takes a night off. In addition, freshman Alexx Privitera returns to the lineup after missing X weeks with a fractured wrist. He’ll take the place of suspended blueliner Max Nicastro (see news below).
● BU individual stats
The Catamount offense is led by junior Sebastian Stålberg (11-19-30), freshman Kyle Reynolds (10-13-23) and senior defenseman Drew MacKenzie (7-15-22). Senior Rob Madore is in his fourth season as the starter in goal.

BU's lineup
Nieto-Connolly-Chiasson
Megan-Rosen-Gill
Courtnall-Hohmann-Rodrigues
Gaudet-Santana-Cisse
Escobedo-Clendening
Noonan-MacGregor
Privitera-Ruikka
Rollheiser

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, Live Stats
● Listen to WWZN radio Webcast
● Hockey East Online weekend preview; live scoreboard
● Boston Hockey Blog preview, live in-game blog
● College Hockey News Tale of the Tape ; Hockey East weekend preview
● Burlington Free Press preview

Task force/Nicastro update
BU has convened a special task force to examine the program's culture in the wake of the Nicastro arrest and suspension. University President Robert Brown says that the task force will make recommendations to ensure that the conduct of the team conforms to the “very high standards to which we hold all our students, especially those who represent the University in a prominent way.”
● BU Today report on task force
● University President Brown's letter to students and faculty.
● Boston Hockey Blog coverage
● Boston Herald coverage
● College Hockey News coverage

Linkorama—Catching up

Junior forward Alex Chiasson was named Hockey East’s Player of the Week. The junior from St. Augustin, Quebec, registered a career best four points in BU’s 7-4 win against Lowell on Friday. Sophomore Garrett Noonan earned a spot on the week’s Top Performers list. Sophomore Adam Clendening's breakaway goal in the victory against Lowell was nominated for Hockey East's Top Moves of the Week competition.

Chiasson, who has scored 35 points this season, also talked with Hockeysfuture.com about his development as a power forward.

Junior Max Nicastro was suspended following his arrest for sexual assault Sunday night. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Coach Jack Parker talked with The Boston Globe about the need for transparency in dealing with issues involving off-ice misconduct.

USCHO Hockey East Blog discusses the conference race as it enters the final two weekends.

Polls and rankings
● USCHO Poll
● USA Today Poll
● Pairwise rankings
● College Hockey News: Hockey East Power Rankings

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Mike Moran scored the only goal for Bay State in its 5-1 loss to Springfield. Moran has six goals in twelve games since joining the Breakers last month.

Women’s team
The Terriers’ sweep of Connecticut locked up third place in the Hockey East standings. BU, which has won nine of its past 10 games and eight in a row in conference play, will take on New Hampshire in the conference tournament quarterfinals on Sunday, Feb. 26, at Walter Brown Arena. Game time is 3 p.m.
Senior captain Jenn Wakefield is one of thirty players nominated for the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top player in women’s college hockey. She leads Hockey East in scoring with 47 points and is second in goal-scoring with 23.

Tara Watchorn, Isabel Menard and Marie-Philip Poulin were named to Hockey East's Top Performers list for the past week.

River Hawks turn tables on BU

In the ultra-tight Hockey East race, Lowell doubled up BU, 4-2, moving into second place as the Terriers slipped to third, two points behind BC.

The final regular-season game between BU and Lowell duplicated Friday’s script initially as the River Hawks took an early 1-0 lead that BU matched on Ross Gaudet’s deflection five minutes into the second. But that’s where the similarity ended.

While BU had numerous grade-A scoring chances, it struggled to find the net; meanwhile a five-minute major to Sahir Gill enabled Lowell to retake the lead with a power play goal. It was extended to 3-1 just before the end of the second period.

Grant Rollheiser replace Kieran Millan to begin the final period and BU stormed the Lowell cage, but the River Hawk got the next goal to extend their lead. A Max Nicastro power play blast cut the deficit to two, but that was as close as the Terriers could get.

►Gaudet (photo) scored in both weekend games with Lowell and has three goals in the past eight games.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis, good/bad
● USCHO recap
● Boston Herald recap
● College Hockey News’ recap

Women’s team
Terriers staged a third-period rally to tie Connecticut on an Isabel Menard goal and then won in overtime on Marie-Philip Poulin goal–her second of the game—, assisted by captain Jenn Wakefield.
● Go Terriers.com recap, comprehensive box score

Game Day: BU vs Lowell--the rubber game

After putting 11 goals on the scoreboard between them last night, the second and third best defensive teams in Hockey East, BU and Lowell, meet again tonight at Agganis Arena in a 7:30 p.m. start that will air on NESN. (No All-Access Webcast).

The game marks the first of two Autism Awareness Nights for BU hockey. A second one is scheduled for tomorrow’s women’s team game against Connecticut at Walter Brown Arena. BU Hockey continues its support of partnership with Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization.Both the men's and women's ice hockey teams have set up Puzzlebuilder fundraising pages online and individuals can purchase a $10 puzzle piece from any player. The Terriers are attempting to raise $10,000. Click here for details on how you can help BU Hockey support Autism speaks.

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, Gametracker
● Listen to Radio Webcast
● Hockey East weekend live scoreboard
● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog

Looking back—Reunion in Cleveland
Pete MacArthur has been recalled from ECHL Las Vegas to AHL Lake Erie where former BU associate head coach David Quinn is the Monsters’ head coach and Mac’s BU teammate Zach Cohen is on the roster. MacArthur, who scored 47 points in 38 games with the Wranglers, had an assist in Lake Erie’s 6-2 loss to Rochester last night.

Women’s program.
Terriers are taking on Connecticut in Storrs this afternoon in the opener of their final regular-season series. BU is tied for third in Hockey East with Providence.
● GoTerriers.com preview, Gametracker
● WTBU Sports Radio Webcast
● Daily Free Press preview

Top line powers Terriers past Lowell

If BU's top line needs a nickname, last night the unit tried out "production line," producing three goals and ten points in the #2 Terriers' 7-4 win over #6 Lowell at Tsongas Arena before a standing-room-only crowd of 6706, which included several busloads of BU students. Junior Alex Chiasson (photo) led the way with a career-high four point night (1 goal, 3 assists) while his linemates, senior Chris Connolly and sophomore Matt Nieto each contributed a goal and a pair of assists.

After the River Hawks scored early in the opening period, BU reeled off five goals, two on the power play, with the scores coming from Wade Megan (team-leading 15th), Chiasson, Yasin Cissé, Connolly and Adam Clendening. Lowell goals late in the second period and in the first minute of the third narrowed the score to 5-3, but Ross Gaudet's breakaway goal and Nieto's power play in the third period provided the final margin of 7-4.




The victory moved BU back into a first-place tie with BC. The top five teams are separated by just three points. BU and Lowell meet again tonight, at Agganis Arena, with two crucial points and control of the season series at stake.

Chiasson's big night earned first-star honors and gave him a team-leading 35 points, one more than his tally last season. The Dallas Stars draft pick has reached 88 career points, putting him a dozen away from joining the Terrier Century Club.

With three power play goals in five chances, BU has a 28.8 pwer play percentage in conference games, tops in Hockey East. BU also leads the conference in scoring with 3.75 gpg.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Coach Jack Parker post-game comments (video)
● Boston Hockey Blog recap, feature on Cisse, Parker comment on rival’s milestone
● USCHO recap
● HockeyEastOnline recap
● Boston Globe recap
● College Hockey News’ The Take Away

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Robert Polesello scored his 11th goal of the season for Indiana in a 4-3 loss to Des Moines.

2013 recruit Brendan Collier, captain of top-ranked Malden Catholic and the Massachusetts high school leading scorer, discussed the revival of hockey in his hometown of Charlestown, Mass. A generation ago, BU's 1978 national championship team featured three skaters from Charlestown: captain (and 1980 U.S. Olympian) Jack O'Callahan, top scorer Mark Fidler, and wing Billy Cotter
● Peter Gammons' 1978 Sports Illustrated feature on "locals."

2013 recuit Sam Kurker, captain of St. John's Prep, assisted on three goals in the Eagles' 4-2 win against Framingham.

Looking back
Colby Cohen scored a power play goal, assisted by David Warsofsky, in the Providence Bruins' 6-0 thumping of Hershey. Cohen also added an assist.

Game Day: Terriers vs. River Hawks--UPDATED

With just three weekends remaining in Hockey East regular season play, #2-ranked BU faces a critical two-game series with #6 Lowell beginning with tonight’s game at Tsongas Arena. Terriers trail the River Hawks by one point in conference standings. BU lost to Lowell, 7-1, on November 5 and will be looking to avenge that defeat and even the season series, which concludes tomorrow at Agganis Arena.

Lowell’s offense is led by junior Riley Wetmore and freshman Scott Wilson, a teammate of Evan Rodrigues last season at OJHL Georgetown. Goalie Doug Carr leads all Hockey East netminders with a 1.89 GAA in conference games.

While, junior Alex Chiasson (photo) and sophomore Matt Nieto lead BU in scoring with 31 and 30 points respectively, Terriers are getting strong contributions from the defense corps. After scoring twice in Monday’s Beanpot final, sophomore Garrett Noonan is tied for second nationally in goals by a defenseman with 11. Sophomore Adam Clendening has at least one point in nine of his last 12 games and has totaled 16 points (1g, 15a) during the stretch, including three three-assist efforts.

BU's lineup
Nieto-Connolly-Chiasson
Megan-Rosen-Gill
Courtnall-Hohmann-Rodrigues
Gaudet-Santana-Cisse
Escobedo-Clendening
Noonan-MacGregor
Nicastro-Ruikka
Millan

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes
● Listen to WWZN radio Webcast
● Watch B2B Network Webcast (pay per view)
● Hockey East weekend preview and live scoreboard
● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog
● Daily Free Press preview
● Boston Globe feature on the Hockey East race
● Boston Herald preview
● USCHO Hockey East picks
● College Hockey News Hockey East preview and Tale of the Tape and top scorers
● GoRiverhawks.com preview

►Inside BU Hockey
Episode 17 features Bernie Corbett’s interviews with coach Jack Parker, former BU defenseman Pat Aufiero and Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr. For the past eight years, BU Hockey has partnered with Autism Speaks to raise autism awareness and compassion.

►Autism Awareness Weekend
This weekends men's and women's home games (men vs. Lowell on Saturday night ; women vs. Connecticut on Sunday afternoon) have been designated as Autism Awareness Games at BU. Coach Parker has recorded a PSA to promote local walks to benefit Autism Speaks.


Looking back
Kevin Shattenkirk’s power play goal proved to be the game-winner in St. Louis’ 5-1 win against the Islanders. It was the former BU captain's seventh goal of the season.

Looking back: The 1977-78 Terriers

BU’s 1977-1978 squad, which would be the third in the program’s history to win an NCAA title, has been selected the 11th best college hockey team of all time in College Hockey Weekly’s Top 25, currently being rolled out. Previously, College Hockey Weekly ranked BU’s 1970-71 title team as #24 and the 1994-95 champs as #25.

Thirty-four years ago tonight, the Terriers stretched their unbeaten, untied record to 21-0-0 with a 10-5 thrashing of Boston College with two goals apiece from Dave Silk and Paul Miller, plus singletons from Marc Hetnik, Mark Fidler, Jack O’Callahan, John Melanson, Bob Boileau and John Bethel. Blueliner O’Callahan had three assists while his power play partner, Dick Lamby, had six, tying an all-time BU record. Goalie Jim Craig had a busy night, stopping 41 shots.

The lopsided win was BU’s first game since the Feb. 6 Beanpot opener— a 12-6 win against the Eagles—the night the Blizzard of ’78 struck Boston, immobilizing the city for days.
● Video remembrances of the Blizzard Beanpot (Jack Parker, Dave Silk)

►In USCHO’s Hobey Watch column, Elliott Olshansky looks at goalies who are candidates for college hockey’s top individual award, including Terrier senior Kieran Millan.

Midweek Linkorama

Senior captain Chris Connolly and sophomore Adam Clendening (photo) are among 14 semifinalists for the Walter Brown Award, given annually to the best American-born college player in New England.

Nashville Predators fan site Predlines featured Nashville draft pick Garrett Noonan following his two-goal performance in Monday’s Beanpot title game.

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon is featured in a New England Hockey Journal column about juniors in the region playing for the USHL Indiana Ice. The column also notes its top five potential 2012 draft choices from the region, which includes Baillargeon, Malden Catholic’s Brendan Collier and St. John’s Prep’s Sam Kurker. All are 2013 recruits.

Looking back
Former Terrier blueliner Bill O’Neill, in his 31st year as head coach at Salem State is closing in on a career milestone, having 499 wins for the Vikings. Salem State will try to give O’Neill number 500 tomorrow night in an away game against Westfield State. O’Neill, whose son, Will, is a standout defenseman for Maine, played on BU’s 1978 NCAA championship team.

Campus News
BU is adding men’s lacrosse to its roster of varsity of sports beginning it the 2013-2014 season. The announcement was made yesterday in conjunction with the news that University is building a 110,000 square foot state-of-the-art field hockey facility atop an underground parking facility. Located on the current parking lot site across from the entrance of Walter Brown Arena, the facility will be called New Balance Field, recognizing the $3 million pledge from the local shoe and athletic apparel company. Total cost is $24 million.
● GoTerriers.com press release

● Boston Globe news story
● BU Today news story

BC edges BU, 3-2, for Beanpot title

In a game that had the feel of post-season tournament play, Terriers fell to BC, 3-2 in overtime, in last night's 60th Beanpot championship. Both BU goals were scored on power plays by sophomore Garrett Noonan, while BC's two goals in regulation were a shorthander and a power play goal. The game winner, scored by Bill Arnold, came with seven seconds left a 20-minute overtime that saw both Wade Megan and BC's Brian Dumoulin hit iron.

Terrier goalie Kieran Millan stopped 44 BC shots--15 in the first period--and earned the tournament's Eberly Award ( top save percentage in tournament) In his final two Beanpot appearances, the senior netminder stopped 73 of the 77 shots for a .948 save percentage.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score, photo gallery
● Video highlights
● Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis, slide show
● USCHO recap , feature
● HockeyEastOnline recap

● BU Today recap

● Boston Herald recap and Millan feature
● Boston Globe recap
● College Hockey News’ The Take Away

Looking back
Thanks to the blog reader who pointed out that John McCarthy was recalled by San Jose and has skated in nine games in recent weeks.

Game Day: BU vs. BC for all the Beans!

#2 BU takes on #3 BC at 7:30 tonight at TD Garden in the 60th Beanpot Championship. The two team have met for the venerable silver trophy seven previous times since 2000, with BU winning in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Terriers are playing in the championship game for the 26th time in the past 29 seasons.

Terriers have previously taken two out of three regular season Hockey East meetings.

Kieran Millan holds the record for most Beanpot starts by a BU goalie with seven and is one win away from tying for the record for most wins (5) with John Curry, Sean Fields, Scott Cashman and Brian Durocher. Among active Terriers, Alex Chiasson leads in Beanpot points with four including three goals. Wade Megan also has three goals.

BU's lineup

Nieto-Connolly-Chiasson

Megan-Rosen-Gill

Courtnall-Hohmann-Rodrigues

Gaudet-Santana-Gilroy
Escobedo-Clendening
Noonan-MacGregor
Nicastro-Ruikka

Millan

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, Gametracker
● Listen to WWZN radio Webcast
● NESN.com: Justin Courtnall video interview, 60 Top Beanpot moments
● Boston Globe preview
● Boston Herald feature on goalies
●Hockey East live scoreboard
● Daily Free Press preview
● NHL.com feature on Beanpot final
● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog
● Wall Street Journal feature
● College Hockey News’ Tale of the Tape/Top scorers and goalies
● ESPN Beanpot preview
● BU Nationwide 2012 Beanpot Champions Watch Parties

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Sam Kurker scored three times in St. John’s Prep’s 4-3 win [Note: Scroll down for Kurker video interview]against Catholic Memorial. It was Kurker’s second hattrick this year against CM, whose alumni include Terrier head coach Jack Parker and assistants Mike Bavis and Buddy Powers.

2012 recruit Robert Polesello scored his 10th goal and 2013 recruit Rob Baillargeon assisted on three goals in Indiana’s 6-5 win against Muskeon.

2012 recruit Marc Hetnik, Jr., recorded his 11th assist for Vernon in a 3-1 loss to Chilliwack.

Looking back
Colin Wilson and Brandon Yip, now with Nashville, were in Boston to play the Bruins this weekend. Wilson talked with NESN about his Beanpot memories.

Women's program
Terriers completed a weekend sweep of Vermont by beating the Catamounts, 4-1, yesterday at Walter Brown Arena. Captain Jenn Wakefield scored twice and Shannon Mahoney and Tara Watchorn also added goals. On Saturday, BU doubled up Vermont 8-4 behind two goals apiece by Isabel Menard and Wakefield.
● Go Terriers.com recap
● Comprehensive box score
● Coach Brian Durocher post-game comments

Minutemen trap Terriers, 3-2

UMass combined strong goaltending from freshman Kevin Boyle with aggressive forecheck that disrupted BU's offensive flow to earn a 3-2 victory over the Terriers at Agganis Arena. The loss dropped BU into a second-place tie with BC, a point behind Lowell, which beat Merrimack.

Despite being outshot 15-6 in the first period, UMass was even with BU at 1-1, having scored on a power play rebound before Chris Connolly tapped home a loose puck in the crease.

In the second period, the shots were nearly even, with the visitors holding a 14-13 edge, but their defensive tactics kept BU out of sync. After another power play goal put UMass on top, Ben Rosen, on a strong individual effort , got past a defender for a close-in chance on Boyle, but flipped the puck over the cage.

UMass continued to styme the Terriers in the third period and only Kieran Millan's acrobatics kept the score close. Meanwhile, Boyle stoned Matt Nieto on a breakaway. With the goalie pulled for an extra attacker, BU pressed to tie the score, but a pass glanced off a Minuteman skate, leading to an empty net goal with 55 seconds left. Alex Chiasson banged home an extra attacker goal with 4.5 seconds remaining, but the best BU could do after that was a long shot on goal as the buzzer sounded.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Jack Parker post-game comments (video)
● Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis, slide show
● USCHO recap
● Boston Herald recap
● Boston Globe recap

● College Hockey News’ The Take Away

CHECK BACK FOR MORE COVERAGE

Game Day: BU-UMass and a 40 year anniversary

Terriers take on UMass in the ever-dangerous game between Beanpot outings. Tonight's game will be punctuated by ceremonies marking the 40th anniversary of BU’s second NCAA Championship team in 1971-72. See details below.

UMass makes its second visit of the year to Agganis Arena on a four-game skid, following a four-game unbeaten streak that included a 4-0 shutout of BC. Both BU-UMass games back in October went to overtime, with a 2-2 tie the first night in Amherst and a 5-4 BU win the second night on Matt Nieto’s power play goal. TJ Syner and Mike Pereira lead the Minutemen with 11 goals each, while Conor Sheary and Daniel Hobbs each have nine.

Nieto (photo) and assistant captain Alex Chiasson lead BU with 27 points each while captain Chris Connolly is just behind them at 26. Wade Megan, following his two-goal outing against Harvard, tops the Terriers with 14.

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, Gametracker
● Listen to WWZN radio Webcast
● Watch BU All-Access Webcast (subscription)
● Hockey East live scoreboard
● Daily Free Press preview
● USCHO Hockey East picks
● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog
● College Hockey News’ Tale of the Tape/Top scorers and goalies
● College Hockey News: Hockey East Weekend
● Hockey East Online weekend preview

Looking Back at BU’s Repeat National Champions
Between the first and second periods, BU will honor the 1971-72 squad, which won the NCAA title in Boston Garden on March 18, 1972. The 1970-71 team, which won BU’s first national title, also will be recognized.

Eighteen players skated for both teams, including All-Americans John Danby, Bob Brown and Dan Brady, as well as tonight’s opposing head coach, Don Cahoon. The two championship seasons also were the final seasons of Head Coach Jack Kelley's BU coaching tenure

1971-72
● Repeat Champions—Season Highlights
● Team stats
● Terrier Locker Room Confidential by David Warner (BU ’73)
● Voices of the 1971-72 Terriers
● 1972 NCAA Championship Game Program Cover
● Terriers first on-campus hockey home turns 40
● National Championship Game video highlights
● Sports Illustrated recap

1970-71
● The Vagabond Champions by USCHO's Scott Weighart
● Team stats
● National Championship Game highlights
● Sports Illustrated recap

Thursday Linkorama

Junior Assistant Captain Alex Chiasson, who co-leads the Terriers in scoring with 27 points, was the subject of this week’s Hockey East One line “Five Minute Major” video interview.

Hockey East Online also is inviting fans to watch and vote on the best “moves of the week.” Wade Megan’s second goal in Monday’s Beanpot win against Harvard is one of this week’s choices.

BU may be in the top spot in the national rankings and pairwise, but College Hockey News has them at #2 in its Hockey East power rankings.

Episode 16 of Inside BU Hockey, now available here, features Bernie Corbett’s interviews with head coach Jack Parker, sophomore defenseman Patrick MacGregor, and, in the “Old Dogs” segment, Steve Stirling, captain of the 1970-71 squad. A former head coach at Providence College and for the New York Islanders, and now assistant coach for the AHL Binghamton Senators, Stirling was an All-American his senior year, scoring 70 points ( 27-43) to lead the Terriers to their first national championship. He is a member of the BU Athletics Hall of Fame.

Along with tomorrow’s Game Day post, look for a number of special features in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the 1971-1972 national championship team, which will be marked at Agganis Arena during Friday's UMass game. The 1970-71 squad, BU’s first national champs, also will be recognized during the game.

Looking ahead
BU 2013 recruits Brendan Collier and Sam Kurker, respectively the captains of Malden Catholic and St. John’s Prep, are the top two Massachusetts high school scorers. Collier line is 18-24-42 and Kurker has put up 21-20-41. Both are seniors and will play a season of junior hockey before arriving at Commonwealth Avenue.

Powell River Kings goalie Sean Maguire, a 2012 recruits was runner up for BCHL goalie of the week after his two-win, 0.94 GAA, .969 save % performance.

The U.S. NTDP U18s are in Finland for the 2012 Five Nations Tournament and United State of Hockey blogger Chris Peters profiles several team members he feels could have breakout showings there, including 2012 recruits Matt Grzelcyzk and Matthew Lane.

Looking back
Former Terrier and NHL standout Scott Young talked with The Boston Globe about his first two seasons as head coach at his alma mater, St. Mark’s School, where he has led a turnaround.

Nick Bonino’s fourth goal of the season (video) earned him second-star honors in the Ducks’ 3-2 overtime win against Carolina.

NHL.com discusses Ryan Whitney’s return to the Edmonton Oilers’ lineup after his latest injury.

Colin Wilson scored his 11th goal of the season Tuesday night to get the Predators on the board against Vancouver. The game went to a shootout and Wilson, who earned second-star honors, had a chance to keep Nashville alive, but his shot that beat goalie Roberto Luongo slid wide of the net.

Terriers overcome Crimson, skate into Beanpot title game

Photo credit, Aram Boghosian, The Boston Globe.

A pair of second-period goals by junior Wade Megan and stellar netminding by senior Kieran Millan propelled BU past Harvard in the Beanpot opener, 3-1. For the 16th time in 18 years—and 49th time in 60 years—Terriers will skate in the Beanpot championship game, taking on BC, which easily dispatched Northeastern.

Terriers got on the board in the first period on sophomore Matt Nieto's wrap-around goal, his 11th of the season. Assists went to Alex Chiasson and Sean Escobedo. Meanwhile Millan kept the Crimson at bay with several slick saves, including one on a shorthanded breakaway by freshman Colin Blackwell.

7:30 into the middle period, Megan took a Sahir Gill pass at the right post and slipped the puck past goalie Steve Michalek for a power play goal. Escobedo picked up his second assist. Six-and-a-half minutes later, Megan walked out of the left corner into the crease and backhanded a shot past Michalek for his team-leading 14th marker of the campaign. Gill assisted on the goal, which recalled a Nick Bonino score against Harvard in the 2009 Beanpot semi.

Harvard got on the board on a power play late in the second period after Chiasson partially fanned on a clearing attempt. Millan turned away ten Crimson shots in a penalty-free third period for game total of 29 saves. Senior Kevin Gilroy nearly extended BU's lead early in the third when his shot clanged off the post.

Captain Chris Connolly on Megan's two-goal game:

"He's not afraid to go in front of the net and bang home greasy goals. Somebody's got to do that. I think that's the key to a good power play and the reason why we've been pretty successful as of late. You don't see a lot of pretty goals on the power play. Wade stands in that crease
area and isn't afraid to get his nose dirty, and he's obviously been rewarded with a lot of time out there.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score, photo gallery
● Video highlights
● Daily Free Press recap, analysis, slide show
● USCHO recap and Megan feature
● BU Today recap
● New England Hockey Journal recap
● Hockey East Online recap
● Boston Globe recap
● Boston Herald recap, notebook
● College Hockey News’ Megan feature, The Take Away
● ESPN Boston recap

► The game was the 100th career game for Megan, whose 14 goals are one more than his freshman and sophomore totals combined.

► Six years ago last night, BU beat Harvard in the Beanpot semi, 5-3, when then-freshman Chris Higgins scored a highlight-reel goal. (video)

► Top ranked-BU improved its overall record to 17-8-1

►One blog reader pointed out that for 60th year, there will be no Harvard-Northeastern matchup in a championship game.

Back to the Garden--UPDATED

The #1 ranked Terriers will seek to take the first step toward a 30th Beanpot title when they take on Harvard tonight in the first game (5:00 p.m.) of the Beanpot semis at TD Garden. The 60th renewal of college hockey’s iconic in-season tournament will air on NESN.

BU’s all-time record in Beanpot games is 84-34 (.712). The Terrier’s last Beanpot title came in 2009 when they beat Northeastern, 5-2, on the strength of a goal by MVP Nick Bonino and two shorthanded goals on the same penalty.

In last month’s meeting between BU and the Crimson, the Terriers registered a come-from-behind win, capped by Garrett Noonan’s overtime winner.

Captain Chris Connolly, and juniors Alex Chiasson and Wade Megan (photo) lead BU in scoring with 26 points apiece. Alex Killorn is the top Crimson scorer with 29.

Defenseman Max Nicastro, injured during the Maine series, returns to the BU blueline tonight.

Connolly told BU Today:

You want the team to have the same outlook game-in and game-out and create consistency, but it’s hard not to have a little more excitement for a tournament like that. You’re playing on national TV and in front of very big crowds that you’re not used to, so I think all the teams are pretty jacked up to play.

BU'S LINEUP
Nieto-Connolly-Chiasson
Megan-Gill-Hohmann
Courtnall-Rosen-Rodrigues
Gaudet-Santana-Gilroy
Noonan-MacGregor
Escobedo-Clendening
Nicastro-Ruikka
Millan

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, Gametracker
● Listen to WWZN radio Webcast
● Hockey East live scoreboard
Boston Hockey Blog in-game blog and Beanpot luncheon videos
● Daily Free Press preview
● BU Today preview
● Beanpot Web site
● Patriot Ledger preview
● Boston Globe feature on Connolly/leadership
● Boston Herald preview and Travis Roy feature
● USCHO Hockey East Blog
● College Hockey News preview and feature

Terriers took over the top spot in USCHO's weekly poll, just ahead of Minnesota, although the Gophers have more first-place votes. They are second in the USA Today poll. BU, which is now third in INCH’s power rankings, has regained the top spot in the Pairwise rankings, too.

Four Terriers were named to HockeyEast's top performers list for the week: Connolly, Chiasson, Matt Nieto and Kieran Millan.

Broadcast Schedule update
Hockey East announced that the Feb. 18 BU home game against Lowell has been added to the NESN broadcast schedule. The matchup between the teams now first and second in Hockey East standings begins at 7 p.m.

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Mike Moran scored a goal and an assist for the Bay State Breakers in an 8-4 loss to Boston in EJHL action. It’s been a Long and Winding Road this season for the former Taft School captain. After attending an Indiana Ice tryout camp this past summer, Moran spent four-and-a-half months in the BCHL, briefly with Penticton, then with Victoria where he became a top scorer, often skating on the top lineline with 2012 recruit Wes Myron. Moran rang up an 18-28-46 line in the BCHL, but his Canadian Jr. A rights were traded to AJHL Spruce Grove in the Grizzlies’ fire sale last month. The Marshfield, Mass., native instead returned home and joined the Breakers and has four points in seven games.

2012 recruit Robert Polesello scored his ninth goal of the seaon, but it was the only Indiana score as the Ice fell, 6-1, to Dubuque.

2012 recruit Matt O’Connor stopped 35 of 28 shots in Youngstown’s 4-3 win against Cedar Rapids, with his fifth win in his past six starts, O’Connor is tied for the USHL lead in wins with 20.

2012 recruit Marc Hetnik, Jr., picked up his 10th assist of the season as Vernon thumped Alberni Valley, 5-2.

Powell River Kings goalie coach Jeff Battah tweeted that “Since Jan 10, [2012 recruit] Sean Maguire @PRKingsBCHL / Boston Univ. NCAA has posted a 7-0 record with a 1.39 GAA and a .947 Save %.”

BU Recruiting Class stats : Maguire (2.34/.912) Myron (17g-25a) Polesello (9g-12a) Matthew Lane (9g-8a) Jarrid Privitera (15g-15a) O'Connor (2.68/.911)

Women’s team
Behind a goal and four assists from junior Isabel Menard, the streaking Terriers headed North to the Whittemore Center Saturday night and came home with a 5-1 win against New Hampshire.

BU also received goals from captain Jenn Wakefield –her 19th—Kayla Tuttino, Tara Watchorn and Louis Warren. Kerrin Sperry stopped 22 Wildcat shots. Terriers are now tied for third in the conference, four points behind second-place BC, and six points behind Northeastern, whom BU will face on Wednesday in the Women's Beanpot championship game at Walter Brown Arena.
● GoTerriers.com recap
● Comprehensive box score
● HockeyEastOnline recap
● Daily Free Press recap