Sunday, March 31, 2013

Weekend Linkorama




NCAAs

The only Hockey East team to reach the Frozen Four is conference champ Lowell, which gave up just one goal in its two regional games.  Yale, a #4 seed, upset WCHA powers Minnesota and North Dakota to punch its ticket to Pittsburgh.

Union College, which thumped BC, 5-1, to reach the East Regional final, has a pair of Terrier connections. Goalie coach Jason Tapp was a BU netminder from 1998 to 2002. And the Dutchmen’s top scorer, Wayne Simpson, is the son of former BU forward Steve Simpson and the grandson of John Simpson, a Hall of Fame Terrier football player and athletic director.

Looking ahead 
Hockeyfuture’s Future talked with 2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon, as well as former and current teammates and coaches, for some insights into the prospect whose Twitter handle is MysteryMan. Among the season’s highlights for Baillargeon, who has 41 points in 55 games, was a two-goal, one-assist effort in the first-ever USHL outdoor game, a 4-2 Omaha win over Lincoln.



Fellow 2013 recruit Jarrid Privitera scored his 13th goal of the season in Dubuque’s 8-1 thumping of Indiana. He has 23 points and a +13 in 51 games for the Saints.

2014 recruit Jack Eichel’s pair of goal led the NTDP U18s past Green Bay, 5-2 on Friday. Last night, Eichel assisted on two goals in a 6-2 win against the Gamblers and now has an 8-7-15 scoring line in thirteen games since moving up from the U17s. WIth their USHL schedule complete, the U18s begin preparations for the World U18 Championships in Sochi, Russia, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Current Terriers Matt Grzelcyk, Matthew Lane and Danny O’Regan played for gold-medal winning Team USA in the 2012 World U18s.

Looking Back
Two-time All American and 1998 Hobey Baker Award winner Chris Drury, now coaching on the mite level, talks about the American Development model for youth hockey in a video interview. The Connecticut native played in three Frozen Fours for BU, including the Terriers’ 1995 national championship season, and is BU’s all-time goal-scoring leader with 113.

Kieran Millan stopped 34 shots to lead the Denver Cutthroats to a 2-1 win in the opening game of the CHL playoffs.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

ATOs for Megan, Rosen; a familiar name joins the defense--UPDATED



Senior captain Wade Megan has signed an amateur tryout contract with the Florida Panthers’ AHL affiliate in San Antonio, where he could begin his pro career tonight.  The left wing, who finished his BU career with 79 points (47 g, 32 a), had been a Panthers fifth-round draft pick in 2009.

UPDATE Megan scored his first AHL goal last night in San Antonio’s 4-1 win against Grand Rapids. Ten minutes into the first period, Megan took a pass at full speed—“coming down central” as Bernie Corbett would say—and wristed the puck home for the game’s first goal. It was his only shot of the game, but earned him third-star honors.
 

Megan, who had been recruited to BU by David Quinn, when he was BU’s associate head coach, tweeted “Congrats to Coach Quinn, Terrier fans should be very excited about the future of this program #BUhockey.”

Senior center Ben Rosen has signed an amateur tryout contract with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Islanders’ AHL affiliate. He joins former BU netminder Rick DiPietro on the Bridgeport roster.

More comments about new head coach David Quinn from the BU Hockey community:

Jack Parker: “He brings a different perspective after being away for a while. I think they chose a terrific example of what we want here and he’ll do a great job.’’

Tom Ryan, who co-captained the 1987-88 team with Quinn: “I think David will do a fabulous job. . . . He has impeccable character and a great work ethic. At this time in his life, he’s the right guy for the job.”

Mike Eruzione:  “Congrats to David Quinn as New BU hockey coach. Great recruiter, coach and person. A new era starts now.

Cradle of coaches
BU Today examines another part of retired coach Jack Parker's legacy: the dozens of his former players now coaching at a variety of levels from youth hockey to USA Hockey to college and the professional ranks. Former Terriers John Hynes and Ken Rausch share their thoughts on how Parker's influence has shaped their coaching careers.

BU Today also produced a slideshow covering the nearly 50 years of Jack Parker's association with Terrier Hockey, beginning as a freshman in 1964. Included are photos of Parker with many of the standout performers he coached including numerous players who have gone one to coaching careers.

Watch this video on YouTube
 


► In case you missed it, Hockey East announced a tentative schedule of 2013-2014 conference games. With Notre Dame joining the conference, teams will play two games apiece against each of ten opponents. BU’s schedule features a pair of games against the Fighting Irish in South Bend in February

Hockey News Future Watch
The Hockey News’ annual “Future Watch” issue ranked junior Matt Nieto as the Shark’s #5 prospect. San Jose drafted him  #47 overall in the 2011 draft, having moved up 12 spots to select him. SJ scouting director Tim Burke: “He has the offensive ability on the rush and has shown he can do other roles, like penalty kill. His speed is his engine.”

Charlie Coyle who moved up to the Minnesota Wild in February, was rated the Wild’s #3 prospect and a potential right wing to play on a line with Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu. “He’s got the ability to be a big-time player.”

Alex Chiasson was ranked #7 among Dallas prospects.

Looking at some top future draft picks, THN noted that 2014 recruit Jack Eichel was a "scoring machine" with the Jr. Bruins before starring for Team USA. “He has the attributes to be a power forward and great hands.”

Looking ahead
Terriers have added defense corps depth for next season with recruited walk-on South Shore Kings blueliner T.J.Ryan.  A 5-11, right-shot from West Newton, Mass., TJ is the son of former BU defenseman Tom Ryan, who currently provides analysis on WWZN broadcasts of BU Hockey.

TJ. was a three-sport athlete at Newton North High School, playing lacrosse and golf as well as hockey, was a five-time captain and earned recognition as the school’s top male athlete. He switched to forward in his first EJHL season, but returned to defense this past season, scoring eight points in 43 games with the Kings. In a bit of serendipity, the elder Ryan shared the captaincy of the 1987-88 Terriers with BU’s new head coach, David Quinn.

South Shore Kings Head Coach Scott Harlow points out that Ryan is “a steady, smart and fast learning defenseman who has done nothing but overachieve every place he has been.” He went on to predict that “T.J. Ryan will end up playing a major role on the B.U. hockey team before he receives his diploma…you can bet on that.”

Looking back
Chiasson’s 13th goal of the season, three minutes into overtime, gave AHL Texas a 7-6 win against Houston. The two-time Ed Carpenter Award winner while at BU also added an assist. He had been called up to Dallas last week, but was returned to the AHL club.

Corey Trivino’s hat trick led the Florida Everblades past Orlando, 8-3 The former Islanders draft choice has 16 goals and 32 assists in 60 games.
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