Game Day: Home opening series vs. Northern Michigan

#20 Terriers open their home season tonight and Saturday with a pair of games against WCHA opponent Northern Michigan.  The contests are a featured part of BU’s Family & Friends Weekend. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. for tonight’s game, which will be live-streamed on CBS All-Access. Play-by-play will also be broadcast on The Terrier Sports Radio Network.

BU and NMU last met in 2002, playing to a 4-4 overtime tie in the season opening Ice Breaker tournament. 

► Details and a subscription link for CBS All-Access are here. The service provides live streams of a large slate of home games of all Hockey East teams, and includes regular-season and exhibition contests, as well as the Hockey East tournament. A $5.99/ per month plan includes a free first week. Check details for other plans and the full range of content on CBS All-Access, which is also available in Canada.

BU will look to build on its season-opening 7-3 win against Union College two weeks ago, paced by Captain Patrick Curry (2G,1A), Matt Quercia (2G) and David Farrance (1G,2A). In that contest, 11 skaters reached the score sheet and six recorded multiple points, including Robert Mastrosimone (1G,1A), who earned Hockey East Rookie of the Week honors.. Graduate transfer goalie Sam Tucker stopped 10 shots to gain his first win in Scarlet.

Commenting on the two-week layoff prior to the home opener, Coach Albie O’Connell said, “We’re looking to try to establish our game in the first period and try to get the crowd into it, and hopefully we’ll give the hometown fans something to cheer about.”

The visiting Wildcats, who are coming off a split of their two-game series with Michigan State, losing 5-3 and winning, 2-0, lost their three top-scoring forwards from last season. Heading the returnees are senior Darren Craighead (20 points), junior Joseph Nardi (19) and sophomore Griffin Loughran (18). Sophomore forward Vincent de Mey was named WCHA Forward of the Week for his three-point weekend against Michigan State.

The defense is led by senior Philip Beaulieu, an all-WCHA pre-season pick, who led NMU in assists with 29 and was second in points with 35 last season.  Like the Terriers, the Wildcats have new goalies between the pipes. Freshman John Hawthorne pitched the shutout of the Spartans, while sophomore Nolan Kent played in two games last year.

On special teams, the Wildcats have connected on five of eight power plays while killing nine of 11 penalties. 

TONIGHT’S BU LINE-UP 

Curry-Zegras-Harper

Cockerill-Wise-Brink

Quercia-Phillips-Mastrosimone

Armstrong-Witkowski-Chabot

Farrance-Crotty

Fensore-McCarthy

Vlasic-Kotkansalo

Blixt

Tucker 

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, Terrier Sports Radio Network, BU GameDay 
● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog; O’Connell pre-game comments 
● Daily Free Press game preview;, Terrier Hockey Talk Oct. 16 (audio)
● BU Today Men's Hockey Begins Home Slate
● HockeyEastOnline Weekend preview 
● NMUwildcats.com preview 
● College Hockey News Tale of the Tape  

► Episode 2 of Inside BU Hockey features Bernie Corbett’s interview with Coach O’Connell, Captain Curry and NMU play-by-play announcer Dave Danis.

► Students are invited to join the Terriers for a Post-Game Skate. Skate rental will be provided or you can bring your own.  

►The Friends Lounge will be open exclusively to Friends of BU Hockey donors immediately following Friday and Saturday’s games.  

Looking ahead 

2020 recruit Jay O’Brien scored his eighth goal, converting a rebound, in Penticton’s 5-2 loss to Salmon Arm. O’Brien continues to lead the Vees in scoring with 22 points. 

● PentictonVees.ca recap and box score 

BU 2023 recruit, Ryan Fine, received a strong review from New England Hockey Journal after his performance at the Boston Junior Eagles Columbus Day Showcase.

Ryan Fine

#19 Mid Fairfield, C, right shot
NCAA commit: Boston University

Fine had both Mid Fairfield goals. The Center Moriches, N.Y., native is one of the most gifted offensive players in the country at this age group. On his first goal, he slipped past the defense and scored on a nice finish. His second tally was on the power play where he blasted home a one-timer from the left-wing circle. His speed and hands are both elite. He was hands down the best offensive player on the ice Sunday.

Looking back

😘👌🏻#Preds | #NSHvsARI pic.twitter.com/zPL6HYckSA

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) October 18, 2019

Dante Fabbro and Nick Bonino each scored his second goal in Nashville's 5-2 loss to Arizona. Clayton Keller assisted on two Coyotes' goals.

● NHL.com recap and video

Kevin Shattenkirk: Tied for the team lead in goals. 🙌#TBLvsBOS | #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/SBiN497Y0h

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) October 18, 2019

Kevin Shattenkirk scored his fourth goal of the season in Tampa Bay’s 4-3 shootout win against the Bruins. He’s tied for the team lead in goals.
● NHL.com recap and video highlights 

Getting it done! 👊

Jack Eichel scores first to make it 1-0.#Sabres50 pic.twitter.com/25YKqgmwGF

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) October 17, 2019

 Jack Eichel scored his fourth goal of the season, unassisted on a power move to the net, in Buffalo’s 5-2 loss to Anaheim.

● NHL.com recap and video highlights   

Matt Nieto scored his first goal of the season in Colorado’s 6-3 win against Washington. Nieto, who skates on a line with Colin Wilson, is in his fourth season with the Avalanche. 

● NHL.com recap and video highlights 

Women’s Team 
Terrier look to rebound from last Sunday’s loss to New Hampshire, beginning with tonight’s visit to UConn. Puck drop in Storrs is at 6 p.m. BU concludes the road weekend with a visit to Maine on Sunday for a 2 p.m. start at Alfond Arena.

Senior Sammy Davis leads BU (1-1-1) in points with five and goals with three. Abby Cook, Kaleigh Donnelly and Nara Elia each have two points.
● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats
● CollegeSportsLive.com Live stream 
● Daily Free Press preview