Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Top scorer Chiasson bags three-year Stars contract



As anticipated, junior forward Alex Chiasson has signed a three-year contract with the Dallas Star, who had made him their second-round draft choice in 2009. He’ll report to the AHL Texas Stars. Dallas, which also signed Miami’s Reilly Smith and Colgate’s Austin Smith, has former BU captain Dan Spang on its roster. If Chiasson is in the lineup tonight, he’ll see a familiar face across the ice in David Quinn, the Lake Erie Monsters' coach, who recruited him to BU, along with former Terriers Zach Cohen and David Vander Gulik.

Chiasson talked with the Daily Free Press about making his decision to turn pro after consulting with Coach Jack Parker and about his three-year experience at BU.
● Interview transcript

Looking ahead
Featured in New England Hockey Journal is 2014 recruit Doyle Somerby, who along with another 2014 recruit, Jonathan MacLeod, led Kimball Union Academy to the school’s second NEPSAC Piatelli/Simmons Trophy (small school championship) in three years. The 6-4, 210 shutdown defenseman talks about his hopes for the upcoming NHL draft and options for next season. MacLeod participated in last week’s US NTDP Tryout Camp and, following a strong performance, is expected to be invited to join next season’s U17 squad.

Looking back
With the Anaheim Ducks no longer in the playoff hunt, the club is analyzing its talent with an eye towards next season. Nick Bonino’s strong second half makes him a candidate to play a larger role in the future.

Ryan Whitney recorded a pair of assists in Edmonton’s 6-3 win over Columbus.

Kevin Shattenkirk assisted on three of four St. Louis goals in a 4-0 shutout of Phoenix. He has 32 assists and now has exceeded 40 points in each of his first two professional seasons.

John McCarthy’s 18 goals of the season was Worcester’s only tally in a 5-1 loss to Manchester.

Brian Strait scored his fourth goal of the season and added an assist in Wilkes Barre/Scranton’s 5-3 win against Springfield.

Sean Sullivan scored his sixth goal of the season and added an assist in San Antonio’s 5-3 loss to Abbottsford.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Terriers fall to Minnesota in NCAA regional

BU’s attempt to rally from a two deficit after two periods was derailed by a Minnesota unassisted goal, as the Terriers’ rollercoaster 2011-12 season came to an end in St. Paul. Unable to duplicate their come from behind win over New Hampshire in the Hockey East tournament, BU fell, 7-3 with two empty-net goals and that score reversed the outcome of the previous Terrier-Gopher NCAA matchup in 1995, also a 7-3 game.

A slow start and a Gopher power play goal had BU trailing midway through the first period, but the Terriers knotted the score on Wade Megan’s team-leading 20th goal of the season, a power play marker. Minnesota regained the lead nine minutes into the second period before a strong individual effort by Ross Gaudet tied the game at two-apiece. Just minutes later, the game turned on a pair of Minnesota goals—27 seconds apart—aided by some Terrier defensive lapses.
Trailing 4-2, BU regroup and narrowed the lead to one early in the final period on an Adam Clendening slapshot. Terriers pressed for the tying goal with eight shots in the next five minutes, but an unassisted goal by Nico Sacchetti restored the two-goal margin and effectively ended the Terriers chances. Two empty-net goals produced the 7-3 final.

Alex Chiasson assisted on two of the three BU goals and finished as the team’s top scorer with 46 points. He and Chris Connolly led the team in assists with 31.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score
Photo gallery
● Video highlights
● Post-game comments- Jack Parker, Connolly/Gaudet
● Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis, Connolly feature
● HockeyEastOnline recap
● USCHO recap and photo gallery
● New England Hockey Journal recap
● College Hockey News recap and analysis

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Robert Polesello’s scored his 15th goal—and third in five games—assisted by 2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon as Indiana beat Youngstown, 5-2. 2012 recruit Matt O’Connor made 50 saves for the flu-depleted Phantoms.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Game Day: Terriers vs Gophers at Western Regional--UPDATED

Terriers return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since winning the national championship in 2009. BU takes on Minnesota at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, meeting the Gophers for the first time since January 2005, when the teams played the final men’s game at Walter Brown Arena (a 2-1 Minnesota win) and then the first game at Agganis Arena (a 2-1 BU win).

BU brings the nation’s second best offense into the game 3.58 goals per game, but the Gophers aren’t far behind, fourth with 3.55.

The Terrier offense is led by Alex Chiasson (44 points), Matt Nieto (42) and Chris Connolly (40). Wade Megan is BU’s top goal-scorer with 19.

Minnesota, the regular-season WCHA champion, is led by forwards Eric Haula (19-27) and Nick Bjustad (24-16) who played with BU’s Adam Clendening on Team USA in the World Junior Championships this season.

The game also features a duel between standout goalies who are both Colorado Avalanche draft picks: BU’s Kieran Millan and Minnesota’s Kent Patterson.

Scheduled for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT, the game airs live on NESN and Fox Sports North Plus, and online At ESPN3.com. A taped replay will be shown tomorrow on ESPNU. The Regional final--BU-Minnesota winner vs. North Dakota-W.Michigan victor--will be played 5:30 p.m. tomorrow and will air on ESPNU.

Tweets from The Boston Hockey Blog indicate the Yasin Cissé will return to the BU lineup, skating on the fourth line with Ross Gaudet and Ben Rosen. Projected lines:
Megan-Connolly-Chiasson
Nieto-Gill-Rodrigues
Santana-Hohmann-Courtnall
Gaudet-Rosen-Cissé

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, Game Tracker
Jack Parker, Connolly, Millan post-practice quotes
● ESPN3 Webcast
● WWZN Radio Webcast
● Boston Hockey Blog preview, in-game live blog
● HockeyEastOnline live scoreboard
● Boston Globe game preview and Garrett Noonan interview

►Terriers have the nation’s top road record this season: 11-4-1

►BU’s last two NCAA regional games played on March 24 produced offensive outbursts. In 2006, led by Chris Higgins’ hattrick, the Terrier leveled Nebraska-Omaha, 9-1. In 1991, BU completed a two-game sweep of Michigan, thumping the Wolverines, 8-1.

►Three Eastern teams advanced in yesterday’s NCAA regional action. Union beat Michigan State and Lowell edged Miami in overtime in the Eastern Regional. Cornell eliminated Michigan in the Midwest Regional.

BU vs. Minnesota in the NCAAs
The 1995 NCAAs brought a semifinal rematch between BU and Minnesota and, again, it was a decisive win for the Scarlet. The score was two apiece after one period with BU goals from Captain Jacques Joubert and Doug Wood, who scored with nine seconds left. Each team scored once in the middle stanza with Matt Wright—who had scored the game-winner in the final Hockey East title game at old Boston Garden—finding net for the Terriers. In the third period, it was all BU as Bob Lachance, Shawn Bates, Mike Sylvia and Chris O’Sullivan scored for a 7-3 final. Minnesota native Derek Herlofsky turned aside 30 Gopher shots to gain his 50th career win in his final start as a Terrier. The next afternoon, BU defeated Maine, 6-2, for its 4th national championshp.

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Sean Maguire stopped 31 of 32 shots, earning second-star honors, as Powell River beat Coquitlam, 4-1, to eliminate the Express, 4-2, in the first round of the BCHL playoffs. The Kings next take on Cowichan in the Coastal Conference final.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Back to St. Paul--UPDATED



Episode 21 of Inside BU Hockey features Bernie Corbett’s interviews with Coach Jack Parker and two Minnesota natives: captain Chris Connolly, who will be playing his first game at the Excel Center since high school, and, Derek Herlofsky, who was in goal for BU’s 1995 NCAA semifinal win over the Gophers, which we’ll feature in tomorrow’s game day post.

Terriers practiced today at St. Paul's Xxcel Energy Center



● USCHO Western Regional preview
● United States of Hockey Western Regional in-depth preview
● NCAA.com previews the Western Regional, which begins Saturday.
● GoTerriers.com has updated player bios
● The Boston Herald looks at Matt Nieto’s standout season

►NCAA Tournament action begins today with three games on ESPNU. At 3:00 p.m. ET, Eastern Regional top seed Union takes on Michigan State. Then at 6:30 p.m. ET, Lowell faces off with Miami. In a Midwest Regional game, Cornell meets Michigan at 8 p.m. ET.

► The BU-Minnesota tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET will air live on ESPN3.com. It will also air on delayed taped on ESPNU on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

►BU Alumni has scheduled Pre-game Events and Watch Parties on Saturday in both St. Paul and Boston. Event details/reservations: St. Paul. The Friends of BU Hockey are hosting the event in Boston.

BU vs. Minnesota in the NCAAs
In 1985-86, led by Peter Marshall and Chris Matchett, BU won its first Hockey East title and earned home ice in the first round of the NCAAs. However, BU’s season ended the following weekend at the hands of visiting Minnesota which swept BU, 6-4 and 5-3, in the two-game, total goals series. For details on these games, see the article by blog contributor mh82 titled The 1985-86 Terriers: BU First Hockey East Champions. It's also located in our Terrier Tales sidebar.

Fast forward eight years to 1993-94 when BU had again won the Hockey East championship. After disposing of Wisconsin in the Albany regional, BU met Minnesota in the NCAA semis at the St. Paul Civic Center. Terriers jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead, which the Gopher’s narrowed to 3-1 in the middle period. BU closed out the scoring in the third period for a 4-1 final. BU All-American Mike Pomichter scored twice, including the game-winner, while Steve Thornton and Bob Lachance also found the net. JP McKersie, who earned second-team All-American honors along with Rich Brennan and Jacques Joubert, stopped 31 Minnesota shots.

In the national championship game two nights later, BU was overwhelmed by Lake Superior, 9-1, and finished the season at 34-7.


Looking ahead

Two 2013 recruits, Malden Catholic captain Brendan Collier and St. John's Prep captain Sam Kurker, respectively the #1 and #6 scorers in Massachusetts high school hockey this season, were named ESPN Boston First Team all-stars.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Thursday Linkorama


Dallas Stars’ fan site Defending Big D takes an in-depth look at Alex Chiasson, the Stars second round draft choice in 2009 who is considered the top forward prospect in the team’s system. An ESPN Dallas/Ft. Worth report on the AHL Texas Stars suggests that Chiasson might be headed to the Lone Star State after BU’s season concludes.

● Duluth Tribune feature on the Connolly Brothers
● College Hockey News’ experts make their picks
● ESPN Twin Cities preview

Here's the second installment of the history of BU vs. Minnesota in the NCAAs
Like the current Terriers, the 1973-74 BU squad had to endure a degree of turmoil and an unexpected departure from the program. But it wasn’t a player who left, it was the coach. Six games into his second season as BU head coach, Leon Abbott was dismissed due to issues involving player eligibility and replaced by assistant coach Jack Parker. After an up-and-down start to the season produced seven wins and five losses, the Terriers won 15 of their next 17 games, culminating in the program’s second ECAC title. BU defeated Dartmouth, Cornell and Harvard in the conference playoffs. The 1973-74 squad was a scoring juggernaut, with 10 skaters in double figures in goals, eight registering 40 points or more and a team total of 190 goals. Forward Bill Burlington and defenseman Vic Stanfield both earned first-team All-America honors.

A week after winning the ECAC title at Boston Garden, BU returned its second home to meet the Gophers in the NCAA semifinals. The visitors had the better of the play in the first two periods and enjoyed a 4-2 lead in the third period when BU mounted a comeback. A pair of goals by freshman Rick Meagher brought the Terriers even late in the period. One of Meagher’s goals was an electrifying end-to-end rush reminiscent of what Bobby Orr was doing at the Garden for the Bruins. With less than two minutes to go in regulation, BU went on a power play and victory appeared to be within BU’s grasp. But a puck hopped over Stanfield’s stick at the point, leading to a Gopher two-on-one with Mike Polich blasting the puck past BU’s Ed Walsh with 13 ticks left on the clock for a 5-4 Minnesota win.

Looking back
The Albany Times Union profiles former BU netminder Jason Tapp, who is the goalie coach at Union College, ECAC champions and the top seed in Eastern Regional of the NCAA tournament. Tapp has been mentoring sophomore Troy Grosenick, who enters the tournament with a gaudy 1.6515 GAA in 31.

Nick Bonino scored his fifth goal of the season in Anaheim’s 4-3 win victory over St. Louis. His former Terrier teammate Kevin Shattenkirk registered his 29th assist for the Blues.
Video

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Terriers and Gophers renew rivalry

Saturday’s BU-Minnesota regional NCAA game will be the 25th meeting between the schools and the eighth in NCAA tournament play.
● Daily Free Press preview
Jack Parker’s comments from the Hockey East Coaches’ Conference Call
● TV coverage: NESN and Fox Sports North Plus
● Online coverage: ESPN3
● Western Regional Central

We begin our look back at previous BU vs. Minnesota NCAA matchups with the 1971 NCAA Championship Game.

Terriers and Gophers faced off for the national title in Syracuse, N.Y., 41 years ago yesterday. The teams had only met twice before: a Minnesota win at Boston Arena in 1963 and a BU victory at Madison Square Garden three years later.

BU had originally been scheduled to host the 1971 Final Four, but when a labor strike delayed completion of Walter Brown Arena, the venue was moved to the ancient War Memorial Coliseum in Syracuse.

The final was the second meeting of the teams that season. BU had hosted the Gophers at Boston Arena in its seventh game of the season. Terriers manhandled the visitors, 6-0, as they roared out to a 13-0-1 record (and finished at 28-2-1).

The rematch in final game—after BU doubled up Denver in one semifinal and Minny edged Harvard in the other—was somewhat closer. All-American and team captain Steve Stirling (photo) opened the scoring on the power play and Bob Gryp doubled the lead midway through the first period. Stirling’s unassisted goal in the middle period extended the lead—and proved to be the game-winner—before Minnesota finally got on the board at 13:07 of the third. Ron Anderson’s goal at 17:45 put the game out of reach, although the Gophers added a late goal by (current Nebraska-Omaha coach) Dean Blais. Dan Brady made 30 saves to earn Most Outstanding Player Honors.
●Sports Illustrated recap of 1971 championship game
●Video highlights

Editor's Note: The Daily Free Press student reporters, who cover Terrier hockey throughout the season and who provide the live in-game blogs that many BU fans follow, are reaching out to the BU Hockey community for support to fund their transportation St. Paul for this weekend's regional NCAA games. Further details are here.

Looking ahead
2013 recruit
Brendan Collier, who led Malden Catholic to a second consecutive Massachusetts Super 8 championship, has been named ESPN/Boston’s Mr. Hockey. The Charlestown, Mass., native led all Division 1 scorers this season with a 26-39-65 line.

Looking back
Former Terrier captain and Blues d-man
Kevin Shattenkirk, in his second NHL season, ranks sixth among NHL blueliners in plus-minus with +23. He’s 17th in points with 37 (9-28).

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Tuesday Linkorama

Four Terriers made the HockeyEastOnline weekly list of top performers: Alex Chiasson, Adam Clendening, Matt Nieto and Evan Rodrigues (photo).

Check back for Coach Jack Parker’s comments at today’s Hockey East Coaches’ Call.

Daily Free Press feature on NCAA regional and Connolly’s return to Minnesota

Boston Herald Four Score By Hockey East

Chris Peters of the The United State of Hockey has rated the Terrier-Gopher matchup as the best first-round game of the NCAA tournament in terms of intrigue and watchability.”

ESPN Twin Cities’ preview of BU-Minnesota

BU is making its 32nd appearance in the NCAA tournament. Only Michigan (35) and Minnesota (33) have more appearances.

Kieran Millan’s 39 saves in the Hockey East semifinal gave him a new record for most saves in the Hockey East tournament, 189.

Hockeysfuture.com has rated Chiasson as the Dallas Stars’ top forward prospect and third overall.

BU last played Minnesota on Jan. 7, 2005, the inaugural game at Agganis Arena (video), won by the Terriers, 2-1. Captain Brad Zancanaro, who had scored the last BU goal at Walter Brown Arena the previous night, scored the first one at Agganis. Pete MacArthur scored the game-winner. Note: We’ll look back later this week on previous Terrier-Gopher meetings in the NCAA tournament.


Looking ahead
Malden Catholic successfully defended its Massachusetts Super 8 championship with a 3-1 win against BC High in the final at TD Garden. 2013 recruit and Lancers captain Brendan Collier (number 7) knotted the score at 1-1 with slick backhander to complete a 2-on-1 rush.
●Video highlights

Looking back
Former Terrier Nick Bonino recorded a career best three assists in Anaheim’s 5-3 win against San Jose. Bonino has a 4-11-15 line in 42 games this season.

Brian Strait assisted on the game-winning goal for Wilkes Barre/Scranton in the Baby Pens 3-2 win against Binghamton. The game pitted Strait against his Terrier teammate and roommate, Eric Gryba.

Bryan Miller’s goal Friday night in ECHL Alaska’s 3-1 loss to Colorado enabled the former All Hockey East blueliner to establish a new career mark for points with 43.

►The Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation has announced two of the finalists for the organization’s annual award also have been nominated for the prestigious Coach John Wooden Citizenship Cup. They are Aleca Hughes (Forward, Yale University) and Cody Reichard (Goaltender, Miami University of Ohio). The 2012 Hockey Humanitarian Award will presented on April 6 during the Frozen Four in Tampa. The first Hockey Humanitarian Award was presented in 1996 to BU All-American netminder J.P. McKersie.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Terriers seeded third in West Regional

Following its semifinal loss to Maine, BU finished tied for 9th in the Pairwise rankings with the Black Bears and find itself headed to the West regional in St. Paul as a third seed team. Terriers will play second seed Minnesota on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. CT/5 p.m. ET in a game at which the Gophers will have a decided home ice advantage.

NCAA brackets (printable PDF) and television schedule

Captain Chris Connolly and his brother Jack Connolly, captain of defending champ Minnesota-Duluth were interviewed together on the NCAA Selection Show on ESPNU.

Junior assistant captain Alex Chiasson was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament team.

Looking ahead

2012 recruit Matt O’Connor stopped 27 shots in Youngstown’s 5-2 win against Chicago. O’Connor leads the USHL in wins with 27.

2013 recruit Danny O’Regan scored his second goal since joining the NTDP U18s last weekend in a 5-4 win against Indiana. 2012 recruit Matt Grzelcyk added an assist for the U18s.

2012 recruit Sean Maguire backstopped Powell River to its second win in two night over Coquitlam in the first round of the BCHL playoffs. The netminder stopped 24 shots in the Kings' 4-1 win and has won six of his past seven starts.

Looking back

John McCarthy scored his 16th goal of the season, but it was the only goal for Worcester in a 4-1 loss to Wilkes Barre/Scranton whose defense was soldified with the return of Brian Strait.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Power play goals lead Maine past BU


In the Hockey East semifinal, Maine’s power play produced four goals, including the final two—one an empty-netter—as the Black Bears defeated BU, 5-3. The Terriers had tied the score at three apiece early in the third period on Matt Nieto’s (photo) second goal of the game. But Maine took the lead for good three minutes later on Mark Antoine’s power play goal and, with BU pressing for an equalizer, an empty-netter sealed the outcome.

BU dominated the scoring chances early in the game and took a 1-0 lead on Alex Chiasson’s 15th goal, but several grade-A chances to extend the lead were turned aside. Maine evened the score at 1-1 less than a minute into the second period when Ross Gaudet accidentally pushed Kieran Millan into the goal after he’d controlled the puck, Nieto gave BU the lead when he converted a pass from Sahir Gill, but Maine took control with Will O’Neill scoring twice in the final ten minutes of the period.

Maine outshot BU 44-31 and scored on f four of six power plays, while the Terriers scored on one of two man-advantages.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Post-game comments- Jack Parker
● Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis
● HockeyEastOnline recap
● USCHO recap
● Boston Herald recap
● College Hockey News recap and analysis

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Robert Polesello’s 14th goal of the season and an assist led Indiana past Muskegon, 4-0, in USHL action. Polesello has 30 points in 48 games for the Ice.

2012 recruits Matt Grzelcyk and Matthew Lane recorded assists in the NTDP U18s’s 4-3 win over Chicago.

2012 recruit Sean Maguire stopped 35 shots in Powell River’s 4-2 win against Coquitlam to earn his 17th BCHL victory of the season.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Game Day: Hockey East semifinal--BU vs Maine

Returning to TD Garden for the Hockey East semifinals after a one year absence, the #5 Terriers will be looking to punch their ticket to Saturday’s championship game. To get there, BU must get past #10//11 Maine, a team that dealt the Terriers back-to-back losses in January in a pair of close games.

BU-Maine is the second semifinal on today's TD Garden menu, with gametime scheduled for 8 p.m. NESN and NBC Sports Network are televising both semifinals.

Terriers will be facing the league’s third-best offense and second-best power play, led by the Abbott-Flynn-Diamond line, which has produced 42 % of the Black Bears’ offense.

That trio comprises the top three scorers in Hockey East, followed by BU's Alex Chiasson, Chris Connolly and Matt Nieto.

►Connolly has 128 career points, which ties him for 36th on the all-time Terrier list with Joe Sacco, current head coach of the Colorado Avalanche. Fifteen of those points have come against Maine. His 89 career assists are the most by Terrier since Chris Drury's 101.

►In past 21 games, BU’s blueliners have contributed 69 points (23-46)

BU Lineup
Megan-Connolly-Chiasson
Nieto-Gill-Rodrigues
Gaudet-Rosen-Santana
Courtnall-Hohmann-Gilroy
Escobedo-Clendening
Noonan-MacGregor
Privitera-Ruikka
Millan

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, Live Stats
● WWZN Radio Webcast
● HockeyEastOnline live scoreboard
● Boston Hockey Blog preview, in-game live blog
● Boston Globe preview
● BU Today preview
● Bangor Daily News preview
● College Hockey News Tale of the Tape

All-star recognition
Sophomore defenseman Adam Clendening (photo)was named to the Hockey East All Star first team announced today by the conference. Connolly and sophomore Garrett Noonan were second-team selections while senior Kieran Millan, Chiasson and Nieto earned honorable mention.
● GoTerriers.com report
● Boston Hockey Blog report

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Matt Lane scored the NTDP U18s’ only goal in a 4-1 loss to Dubuque. 2013 recruit Danny O’Regan, in his third start for the U18s, centered the team’s top line.



Thursday, March 15, 2012

Thursday Linkorama



Episode 20 of Inside BU Hockey is now posted and features Bernie Corbett’s interviews with Coach Jack Parker, QF hero Alex Chiasson, and longtime BU goalie coach Mike Geragosian.

In his preview of the Hockey East semifinals, USCHO’s Jim Connelly calls Kieran Millan’s 68-save performance Sunday “the single best goaltending performance in Hockey East tournament history.”
• College Hockey News preview
• Maine Campus preview

Chris Connolly talked with the Boston Herald about the unique challenges he’s faced as BU captain and how his teammates have responded to adversity.

While BU is focused on winning an eighth Hockey East title, this weekend’s events also will determine the Terriers’ seeding in the NCAA tournament and which regional they’ll play in. USCHO’s current bracketology projects that BU will be the second seed in the Eastern Regional in Bridgeport—and fifth seed overall—with #12 Denver a potential first round opponent. Cornell and Miami also are projected for the Bridgeport regional. This weekend’s conference tournament results will determine the final seedings.

Looking ahead
In an interview with the Salem News, 2013 recruit Sam Kurker revealed the role Coach Jack Parker played in his decision to finish his high school career at St. John’s Prep. Kurker finished the season with a 31-32-63 line and 129 career points.

Brendan Collier’s Malden Catholic team will have a chance to defend its Super 8 title after shutting out Central Catholic, 4-0 with Collier contributing one of the Lancers’ goals.
• ESPN Video interview, highlights.

Kurker and Collier are among four future Terriers rostered at this week’s Beantown Spring Classic at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro, Mass. The others are 2012 recruit Jarrid Privitera and 2014 recruit Doyle Somerby. The event began yesterday and runs through Friday.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Connolly, Millan, Privitera earn conference honors

Hockey East announced its first round of awards for the regular season and three Terriers were among those recognized. Captain Chris Connolly (photo) adds two awards to his college achievements: the Gladiator Hockey Best Defensive Forward Award and the Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award . Goalie Kieran Millan takes home the Army ROTC Three Stars Award after having been named first star three times and earning a star a total of12 times. Freshman Alexx Privitera was named to the conference’s All-Rookie team.

Hockey East also has posted its full, 38-page championship weekend media kit, which includes skating schedules and both team and individual tournament records, as well as national leaders for the current season. Among the nuggets:
• Friday night, BU will appear in the Hockey East semifinals for the 20th time in the conference’s 27 year history.
• The Terriers have more tournament wins than any other Hockey East team and carry a 59-33-1 record in all tournament games.
• BU is second overall in goals per game with 3.59 trailing on Minnesota-Duluth (3.66).
• BU and its next opponent, Maine, are first and second respectively in power play efficiency in regular-season conference games. However, overall, the Black Bears are first and the Terriers second. BU also is the leader in special teams net for regular season HE games.
Chris Drury and Jay Pandolfo are tied for most playoff points in one season with 10, trailing only Maine’s Jim Montgomery, who had 11. Pandolfo is tied for the most goals in one playoff season with seven.
• Millan’s 150 saves this past weekend made him the new all-time playoff saves leader with 474, easing ahead of Sean Fields, who had 445.
• The combined 127 shots by BU and UNH in Sunday’s QF deciding game eclipsed the previous first-round, single game record by 35 shots.

Alex Chiasson, BU’s leading scorer, and the top scorer in this year’s QF round with five, appeared in a 16-minute segment of Dean Millard and Guy Flamings' The Pipeline Show (audio) on Tuesday night.

Next Sunday’s NCAA Selection Show on ESPNH (Noon, ET) will feature segments on the NCAA tournament memories of NHLers Matt Gilroy, Zach Parise, Martin St. Louis and Ryan Miller. Gilroy’s image in a BU uniform has been featured all season in NCAA advertising for the Frozen Four in Tampa.


Looking ahead

The United States of Hockey reports that 2013 recruit Danny O’Regan, now playing for the NTDP U18s, is vying for a spot on Team USA for the World U18 Championships in the Czech Republic next month. USofH will scout the U18s game against Dubuque tomorrow night.

ESPN Boston reports BU coach Jack Parker was the at the Mass. HS Super 8 Crossover Round tonight at Lawlor Rink in North Andover to watch 2013 recruits Sam Kurker and Brendan Collier, the tops HS scorers in the state. Collier’s Malden Catholic advanced to the final at TD Garden, but Kurker’s St. John’s Prep fell, 3-2 to BC High.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Tuesday Linkorama






Junior assistant captain Alex Chiasson, whose game-winning goal in the second overtime against New Hampshire capped a four-point night—and a six-point quarterfinal series, was named Hockey East Player of the Week.

Defensive Player of the Week honors went to senior netminder Kieran Millan, who made 150 saves during the three games against UNH, registering a .943 save percentage. His 68 saves on Sunday broke the conference playoff record of 65 set by Chris Terreri in 1985. Millan also remains in first place in the Army ROTC Three-Stars competition.

Named to the list of top performers for the week: Captain Chris Connolly, Sahir Gill and Garrett Noonan.

► Sunday's quarterfinal clincher was the longest game in Agganis Arena history at 86:42, eclipsing the record of 82:00 set just two days earlier in the series opener on Friday.

►Millan enters the week needing just seven saves to tie the record for saves in a Hockey East tournament, as UNH's Kevin Regan totaled 157 during the 2007 tournament.


►With Sunda’s victory, BU has recorded 11 come-from-behind victories in each of the past two seasons. Terriers also own the Division 1 current longest streak of consecutive games without being shut out.

►This coming weekend's Hockey East tournament semifinals and championship game will air regionally on NESN and nationally on NBC Sports Network.
● Semifinal pairings announcement
● Coaches press conference audio and transcripts

Poll story
Terriers are currently ranked #5—up one spot—in the USCHO poll and made a similar jump in the USA Today poll. BU is tied with Miami for 4th in the current Pairwise rankings.

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Danny O’Regan, who scored a goal and two assists for the NTDP U18s after joining the U18s last weekend, will continue on the roster this coming weekend which includes a St. Patrick’s Day matchup against future BU teammates Robert Polesello (2012) and Robbie Baillargeon (2013) and the Indiana Ice.

Mass Super 8 Tournament
2013 recruit Brendan Collier posted two goals and two assists in Malden Catholic’s 7-2 win against Hingham.
● ESPN coverage

2013 recruit Sam Kurker scored twice and assisted on a third goal as St. John’s Prep eliminated second-ranked St. Mary’s, 3-1. The Eagles finished the pool round with a 3-0 mark and will face BC High in the semifinal on Wednesday at Merrimack.
● ESPN coverage
● Video highlights

Looking back
NHL.com’s Fantasy Hockey writer looks at the progress of Kevin Shattenkirk, whom he now ranks as the 12th best NHL defender.

Women’s team
Kerrin Sperry was the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week, following her 58-saves effort in BU’s 8-7 NCAA quarterfinal loss to Cornell in triple overtime. Captain Jenn Wakefield, Isabel Menard, Marie-Philip Poulin and Kayla Tutino all were named to the list of top performers

Wakefield finished her collegiate career with 206 points and 120 goals and is the only skater in Hockey East history reach the 100-goal mark. She also is the second to score 200 career points.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Terriers edge Wildcats in 2 OT; advance to HE semis--UPDATED

At 6;42 of the second overtime, junior Alex Chiasson made sure that Coach Jack Parker's 67th birthday--already memorable--was a happy one when converted the rebound of Wade Megan shot to lift BU to a come-from-way-behind 5-4 victory against New Hampshire.

BU's two games to one win the Hockey East quarterfinals also enables film buff Parker to quote a classic movie line: "Take me to the Garden" (On The Waterfront, 1954) as the Terriers advance to the conference semifinal next Friday against Maine at TD Garden.

Kieran Millan stopped a career-high 68 shots--easily breaking the personal record of 47 he set Friday night in the series' first game. Chiasson assisted on three other goals for a career-best four-point game.

After falling behind 4-1 in the second period, BU clawed its way back into the game on the strength of two goals by sophomore Garrett Noonan late in the middle stanza. Wade Megan's 19th goal of the season, on drop pass from Noonan, in the opening minute of the third period tied the score at 4-4.

There was no further scoring during the third period--although Ross Gaudet rang one off the post-- or in the first overtime, despite heavy shot totals at both ends. BU had 32 shots on goal in the 3rd and first OT, while the Wildcats had 27.

Chiasson now has 97 career points and could become the second Terrier to reach the century mark this season. Senior Chris Connolly achieved that milestone earlier this year and now has 116 points following his assists on Noonan's first goal and Chiasson's game-winner.

Noonan is now tied for the national lead in goals by a blueliner with 16. He's also tied with former BU All-American Vic Stanfield for second most ever by a Terrier, one behind two-time All-American Bob Brown.

Millan’s 68 saves were the seventh most ever by a Terrier and the most since Rick DiPietro stopped 77 in an NCAA quarterfinal game. He also set a new mark for Hockey East tournament games.


The game marked the final appearance at Agganis Arena for the Terrier seniors--and perhaps some underclassmen. Following a last stick-salute to BU fans, Millan told the media:


“It was almost a little emotional when we did the salute, I guess. You don’t really think about it that much while you’re playing or even this entire year I haven’t really though about it, even in senior’s night. But it really is coming to an end a little bit and it’s weird to think that I’ve spent four years here, me and all the other seniors have spent four years here and all the things we’ve been through. It’s kind of sad but at the same time we have a great opportunity ahead of us to win something big and go out with a bang so we’re focused on that, but it has been a pleasure to play here.”

● HockeyEastOnline recap and box score
● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Coach Parker post-game comments (video)
● Post-game comments: Millan, Chiasson, Noonan
● Boston Hockey Blog recap , analysis
● USCHO recap and blog feature on goalies
● Boston Herald recap and feature on Parker.
● Boston Globe recap
● College Hockey News’ The Take Away
● Boston Herald recap and feature on Parker.
● Union Leader recap

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Danny O'Regan assisted on one goal and then scored the game-winner in the NTDP U18's 5-1 win against Chicago.O'Regan was in his second game with USA Hockey's NTDP program. During the summer, he had worn the USA jersey in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament last summer.





Saturday, March 10, 2012

Terriers double up UNH, force third QF game--UPDATED

Sahir Gill scored a goal and added two assists, while Matt Nieto scored the game-winner in BU's 4-2 win over New Hampshire, knotting the quarterfinal series at one game apiece.

Terriers drew first blood when captain Chris Connolly tapped in a loose puck after Alex Chiasson had whacked at the rebound of an Alexx Privitera slapper. UNH tied the score midway through the second period, but Gill's great individual effort (watch the video) on a partial breakaway put BU back on top, 2-1, after two.

New Hampshire evened the score on a power play goal, but less than a minute later, Nieto ripped a shot from the high slot that went off the post, into the net. Ryan Santana closed out the scoring, banging in a pass from Gill after an Adam Clendening pass sent the pair in on a two-on-none.



Coach Jack Parker revamped his top two lines with Nieto moving to the second line with Gill at center and Evan Rodrigues at right wing and it paid dividends, producing a pair of goals and three assists.

After the game, he explained, “I thought we played really well most of the game – just much more thorough – and it looked like we were actually skating tonight. Last night, it looked like we were skating in sand. There was a big change in our overall performance tonight and it showed up on the scoreboard.”

Kieran Millan followed up his 50 saves on Friday night, make another 35 last night.

After a -1 performance Friday night, Gill earned first-star honors with his eighth career multi-point game. Chiasson's assist gives him a team-leading 40 points, one more than Nieto's 39.

Today’s deciding quarterfinal game is a 5 p.m. start. BU will be seeking to keep its hopes for a Hockey East title alive while the Wildcats will be fighting to keep their season going.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis
● USCHO recap
● College Hockey News’ The Takeaway
● Boston Globe recap
● NCAA.com feature on the Connolly brothers

Note: Yesterday's game aired on NESN, but outside of New England, it was available on NHL Network, a fact we managed to miss. Our apologies and we hope many of you did find that broadcast. Today's only broadcast is pay-per-view for $8.95 on HockeyEastOnlineTV.

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Danny O’Regan, who led St. Sebastian’s to the championship game of the NEPSAC Martin/Earl division, is skating with the NTDP U18s this weekend and registered an assist in last night’s 4-3 OT win over Youngstown. 2012 recruits Matthew Lane and Matt Grzelcyk are members of the U18s who play the Chicago Steel this afternoon.

2012 recruit Robert Polesello’s second goal in two night, assisted by 2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon, gave Indiana a second-period lead over Green Bay, but the Gamblers stormed back for a 5-3 win.

Women's team
Terriers' season and winning streak came to an end in heart-breaking fashion as BU lost to Cornell, 8-7, in the waning moments of the third overtime period. In a game eerily similar to the men's team's triple overtime, 8-7 loss in the 1991 NCAA title game, BU has a 3-0 lead, fell behind 7-4, but scored three times in the final 11 minutes of regulation to force overtime that went on seemingly forever.

Sophomore Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice for BU, as did freshman Kayla Tutino, whose second tied the game at 7-7 with two minutes remaining in regulation. Captain Jenn Wakefield added her 29th of season, while Isabel Menard and Kasey Boucher also scored for BU. Goalie Kerrin Sperry made 58 saves during the six periods of action, inc
luding numerous game-saving saves in overtime, before the game-winner eluded her.

Coach Brian Durocher told The Daily Free Press, "After they get up 7-4, its one of those mini-miracle comebacks. We get lucky, pull the goalie at 7-4, and the kid just gets out there, just gets up the ice, and maybe the sixth person had a little bit of luck going in there. But from there the kids took over, and made one heck of a game out if it."

He also paid tribute to the seniors and their contribution to the program: “They have a regular season title, two Hockey East titles, a trip to the final game in the NCAA and today did nothing but superlative for them as people, for them as hockey players and for them as contributors to Boston University. I thank the young ladies of Boston University. They certainly carried the tradition in proud fashion and played for the name on the front of the jersey.”

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
Boston Hockey Blog recap
● Ithaca Journal recap

Terriers fall to UNH in 2OT

Terriers dropped game one of the Hockey East quarterfinals to New Hampshire, 3-2 in 2OT and have their backs to the wall going into Saturday's game two. The game-winner came two minutes into the second overtime. Following a turnouver behind the BU cage, Grayson Downing tipped a backhander over senior goalie Kieran Millan, who stopped 47 Wildcat shots.

Terrier's opened the scoring in the first period when Alex Chiasson banged home his 13th goal of the season converting a cross from Matt Nieto. But the visitors struck twice in 46 seconds late in the period, the first on a rebound the BU defense failed to clear and the second on a 55-wrist shot the Millan may not have seen.

BU tied the score in the second when freshman Alexx Privitera sent Kevin Gilroy (photo) in on a breakaway and the senior forward scored on the backhand for his second of the season. Thanks to a pair of BU penalties, UNH dominated the third period and the visitors also had the upper hand in the first overtime, despite a point blank opportunity for Chiasson that just sailed wide.

Coach Jack Parker was pleased with his team's intensity and effort, but acknowledged his skaters seemed "legless" and were being outskated by New Hampshire most of the evening.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Boston Hockey Blog recap, analysis
● HockeyEastOnline recap
● USCHO recap
● Boston Globe recap
● College Hockey News’ The Take Away

The teams return to the Agganis Arena ice today for game 2 at 4 p.m., which airs live on NESN.
● GoTerriers.com game notes, GameTracker
● Listen to WWZN Radio Webcast
● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog
● HockeyEastOnline live scoreboard

► College Hockey News named Nieto and sophomore Garrett Noonan to its All-Hockey East Second Team. Privitera was named to the All-Rookie team.

Looking ahead
2012 recruit Marc Hetnik, Jr., scored his third goal of the season and then assisted on the overtime winner as Vernon edged Silver Arm, 4-3. Blueliner Hetnik has a 3-14-17 line for the Vipers.

2012 recruit Sean Maguire stopped 27 shots to lead Powell River past Nanaimo, 3-1, in BCHL action. Maguire gained his 17th win of the season and lowered his GAA to 2.33.

2012 recruit Robert Polesello and 2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon scored goals for Indiana as the Ice thumped Youngstown 5-2, avenging a loss to the Phantoms earlier this week. 2012 recruit Matt O’Connor had the night off for Youngstown, which plays the NTDP U18s tonight. Polesello, who assisted on Baillargeon’s goal has a 12-15-27 line. Baillargeon’s goal was his 14th to go with 31 assists.

Women’s team
Terriers take on Cornell in the NCAA Tournament quartefinals this afternoon. Game time is 2 p.m. at the Big Red’s Lynah Rink, where BU lost twice earlier this season. Those losses came while the Terriers were missing sophomore forward Marie-Philip Poulin. With a win, BU would return to the Frozen Four, where it beat Cornell last year, before losing to Wisconsin in the national championship game.

● GoTerriers.com preview, game notes, Live Stats
● Listen to WTBU Sports Radio Webcast
● Cornell Video Webcast (pay-per-view)

Friday, March 09, 2012

Game Day: HE QF—BU vs. New Hampshire

Terriers begin the pursuit of what would be their eighth Hockey East championship tonight, hosting New Hampshire in the best-of-three quarterfinal round. Game time is 7 p.m. at Agganis Arena. BU swept all three regular season games against the Wildcats, but those games took place early in the season when UNH was struggling and when BU’s roster was considerably deeper.

In addition to the departures of three veteran players from its roster, BU will be without Yasin Cissé (shoulder injury) tonight and possibly tomorrow, prompting Coach Jack Parker to bring back the theme of another season when the squad size was less than ideal. In 1996-97, injuries forced BU to occassionally dress fewer than 20. “A few good men” as Bernie Corbett put it back then, won the Hockey East title and overcame Denver and top-ranked Michigan in the NCAAs to reach the national championship game, before losing to North Dakota.

Speaking of this year’s Terriers, Parker told The Daily Free Press, “There is not much left, but it’s a few good men. And this is certainly a ‘few good men attitude’ right here. I like that attitude. A lot of people might have written us off. A lot of people might have thought we didn’t have enough. But they didn’t measure the heart of [senior forward] Chris Connolly (photo) or the heart of [senior forward Alex] Chiasson or the heart of Kieran Millan. We’ve got enough to beat anybody as long as we are playing well.”


Speaking about the Terrier captain during the Hockey East coaches' teleconference earlier this week, Parker pointed out: "If you wanted to have a prototypical college hockey player – a student-athlete, a good guy, a good teammate, a good leader, a good producer of winning plays in pressure situations – Chris Connolly would be a pretty good poster boy.”


This series marks only the second time in the 27-year history of Hockey East that the Terriers and Wildcats have met in the quarterfinals. First time was 1986 when BU swept the Cats en route to its first Hockey East tournament championship.


BU Lineup
Nieto-Connolly-Chiasson
Megan-Rosen-Gill
Courtnall-Hohmann-Rodrigues
Gaudet-Santana-Gilroy
Escobedo-Clendening
Noonan-MacGregor
Privitera-Ruikka
Millan


● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Game Tracker
● Listen to WWZN radio Webcast
● Watch HockeyEastTV Webcast (pay-per-view)
● HockeyEastOnline live scoreboard
● Daily Free Press preview
● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog
● College Hockey News’ Tale of the Tape--top scorers and goalie stats
● USCHO Hockey East playoff preview
● Concord Monitor preview

Episode 19 of Inside BU Hockey features Corbett’s interviews with Parker and Millan, along with former All-American defenseman Freddy Meyer in the the “old dogs” segment.

Looking ahead
The United States of Hockey asked an NHL scout to evaluate some of the U.S. draft-eligible players, including 2012 recruit Matt Grzelcyk:

He’s 5-9 and a lot of guys are going to be turned off by him, but he reads the play well, he anticipates, he jumps routes. He’s one of those kids that in a couple years, if somebody doesn’t draft him, they’ll be going after him as a free agent. He thinks the game at such a high level. You’ve got to take that into account.


Looking back
Brandon Yip scored his second goal since being acquired by Nashville in the Predators’ 4-2 win against Colorado.

Dan Spang assisted on two goals, including the overtime game-winner in Texas’ 5-4 win against Grand Rapids in AHL action.

Joe Pereira’s first-period goal put South Carolina on the board first in its 4-2 win against Trenton.

Women’s Team
Terriers are in Ithaca preparing for tomorrow afternoon’s NCAA quarterfinal matchup with Cornell, the team BU defeated in the semifinals last year.
● USCHO preview, playoff picks
● Cornell Sun preview
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