O'Connell's Spring Newsletter; Tyler Boucher profile--UPDATED

Coach Albie O’Connell’s Spring Newsletter looks back at the truncated and frequently interrupted past season and ahead to next year, noting that Logan Cockerill, Max Kaufman and Ty Amonte will all return next season. He hints at the addition of a player through the transfer portal: that player reportedly is UMass Lowell left wing Matt Brown.

The letter also notes David Farrance repeating as first-team All-American and turning pro with Nashville; lists the 18 Terriers who played in the NHL this season, along with 14 in the AHL and 19 others playing professionally; and the $220,000 raised for the hockey program on BU Giving Day.

● GoTerriers.com Spring Newsletter

Looking ahead

Team USA, currently playing pre-tournament exhibitions for the IIHF World U18 Championships in Frisco, Texas, includes a pair of future Terrier blueliners: 2021 recruit Roman Schmidt and 2022 recruit Lane Hutson who has moved up from the NTDP U17s. Hutson had three assists in Team USA’s 7-6 overtime loss to Russia. In last night's 2-1 win against The Czech Republic, he set up Team USA's tying goal in the third period and then scored the only goal in the shootout to give the US the extra points.

Schmidt, a 6’5” right-shot who had 14 points (3G,11A) for the U18s this season, received a B-ranking from Central Scouting in its midterm rankings.  Hutson had 19 points (5G, 14A) for the U17s and six points for the U18s.

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Lane Hutson is one of the smartest players I’ve watched in the last 12 months. Seriously.

His hockey IQ and ability to think quick is incredible. He combines it with great hands and super-smooth skating.

The ‘22 eligible joins the US team in the U18s today. Keep an eye out.

— Gabe Foley (@NHLFoley) April 26, 2021

A pair of 2021 recruits on the U18s, forwards Jeremy Wilmer and Tyler Boucher, will miss the tournament due to injuries. Wilmer, a small, speedy right-shot, was fourth in points for the U18s with a 11-25-36 line in 37 games. 

Boucher, also a right-shot, has missed most of the season with a leg injury. The son of former NHL goalie and current NBC analyst Brian Boucher, he was profiled this week by New England Hockey Journal (a subscription publication). His U18 coach, Dan Muse, says:

“Tyler is a power forward who also has the skill-set where he can make plays with anybody. He’s a guy who plays a powerful, physical game. He can create space for those guys who are around him. In terms of getting in on the forecheck, finishing checks, driving the net and driving defenders wide, he’s able to create space with and without the puck, and he leads with power. He plays a (Washington Capitals right wing) Tom Wilson type of game. It’s not just physical and power, there’s also a skill element to it. He has a great shot, a hard release. He can score from distance and around the net.”

                                          Photo credit Rena Laverty/USA Hockey

A former Avon Old Farms standout who earned a B-rating from NHL Central Scouting, Boucher says he wants to be “physical and mean out there.”

“I wanted to anger people. But at the same time, I can use my skills, too. My coaches and my dad helped me find that. My dad said to me halfway through the year that I needed to watch Tom Wilson, (Calgary Flames left wing) Matthew Tkachuk and (Montreal Canadiens right wing) Josh Anderson. Those three players, that has to be me. Ever since then, I’ve been watching them and adding stuff that I see in their games to my game. At the same time, I’m also my own player and my own version of that. I try to play that mean, hard, powerful, skill game.”

Lane Hutson’s older brother, 2021 or 2022 recruit Quinn Hutson, scored Muskegon’s only goal in a 5-1 loss to Chicago. The right-shot forward, who began the season at Penticton and joined the Lumberjacks in December has a 16-26-42 line in 45 games.

2021 recruit Brian Carrabes scored a goal and added two assists in Sioux City’s 5-3 win against Fargo. The right-shot forward has a 21-19-40 line in 45 games and has six goals in his last seven games.

2023 recruit Jack Musa scored his eighth goal and assisted on two others in the Odessa Jackalopes’ 4-3 win against New Mexico.

Looking back

Brady Tkachuk scored his 16^th goal and added an assist in Ottawa’s 6-3 win against Vancouver.

Charlie Coyle’s unassisted goal broke a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Bruins defeated Buffalo, 5-2. It was Coyle’s sixth goal. Charlie McAvoy added an assist.

Mike Eruzione is the special guest for the 200^th episode of The Morning Skate podcast. He’s joined on the interview with Wisconsin hockey manager Clara Boudette whose father, Neal Boudette, co-authored Eruzione’s autobiography, Making of a Miracle, and is a blog contributor.

 

UML’s Brown transfers to BU

Hockey writer Mark Divver is reporting that Lowell left wing Matt Brown is transferring to BU after two seasons with the River Hawks:

"Lowell's Matt Brown will transfer to Boston University, per source. Big add for Terriers. Significant interest from NCHC, Big Ten, Hockey East & ECAC schools"

The 5’9” Wood Ridge, N.J. native is a left shot who had an 8-5-13 scoring line in 19 games for the River Hawks. Four of his goals came in the Hockey East tournament: two against Vermont in the preliminary round, one against the Terriers in the quarter final (it was the tying goal in Lowell’s 2-1 win) and the double overtime game-winner against BC in the semifinal. He was named Hockey East co-player of the week for the two-goal effort vs. the Catamounts.

As a freshman, Brown led Lowell in scoring with 24 points (6G,18A) in 33 games—including 17 points in his first 15 career games. Prior to his college career, he had 57 points (30G,27A) for USHL Des Moines in 2018-19, earning second-team all-star honors and 41 points (16G,25A) for NAHL Odessa in 2017-18. Earlier he played at various levels for the New Jersey Rockets organization and was EHL Rookie of the Year in 2016-17 with 51 points.

● Elite Prospects Page

● UML bio page

 

Burnt Boats’ latest BU roster projections chart was posted prior to Brown’s decision to come to BU.

Three Terriers who entered the transfer portal have found new homes: Jake Wise to Ohio State; Matthew Quercia to Michigan Tech; and Jack DeBoer to Niagara.

● Grand Forks Herald College Hockey Transfer List

Looking ahead

Two future Terrier blueliners have been named to the Team USA roster for the 2021 World U18 Championships: 2021 recruit Roman Schmidt (photo) and 2022 recruit Lane Hutson. The tournament, which begins on April 26, will be played in Plano and Frisco, Texas. Schmidt has 3 goals and 10 assists for the NTDP U18s, while Hutson, playing primarily for the U17s, had a 4-15-19 scoring line.

BCHL’s “Bloodlines” series featured current Penticton Vee and future Terrier Tristan Amonte and his father, Tony Amonte, standout on BU’s 1990 and 1991 Frozen Four teams and longtime NHLer. Tristan’s older brother, Ty Amonte, who also played for the Vees prior to joining BU, will return next year after missing the past season with an injury.

● BCHL.ca NHL Bloodlines: Tristan Amonte

2022 recruit Ryan Greene scored a goal and added an assist in Green Bay's 7-4 win against Dubuque. Green has a 12-20-32 line for the Gamblers.

Looking back

Jordan Greenway scored his 6th goal in the Wild's 4-2 win against Arizona.

Brady Tkachuk scored his 15^th goal in Ottawa’s 2-1 win against Calgary.

Evan Rodrigues scored his 6th goal in Pittsburgh's 3-2 win against Buffalo.

Clayton Keller scored his 13th goal in the Coyotes' 3-2 win against Minnesota.

Jake Oettinger stopped 21 shots in the Stars' 5-1 win against Columbus.

Farrance repeats as All-American; This Date in BU Hockey—the DC Miracle and heartbreak at the Garden

Senior David Farrance, who made his NHL debut on Thursday, became the sixth Terrier blueliner named an ACHA first-team All American multiple times. He joins Matt Grzelcyk (2015 & 2016), Matt Gilroy (2008 & 2009), Vic Stanfield (1974 & 1975), Bob Brown (1971 & 1972) and the late Tom Ross (1965 & 1966). Gilroy also was a second-team choice in 2007.

Farrance led all defensemen in points per game this season with 1.45, a mark that was fourth overall. In his first All-American season a year ago, he led the Terriers with 43 points, which was sixth best nationally among all skaters and tops for defensemen. His 14 goals also was the best for D1 defensemen. The Victor, NY native was a Hockey East first-team All-Star in both his junior and senior seasons as well as a Hobey Baker Award Top 10 Finalist.

► Congratulations to conference rival Massachusetts on its first NCAA championship. The Minutemen, who blanked St. Cloud State, 5-0, in last night's title game, went 11-0-2 after being swept by the Terriers (4-2, 4-3 OT) in January.

Twelve years after his own NCAA tournament heroics (see below), Colby Cohen is emerging as a highly regarded in-game analyst providing valuable insights for viewers. As one long-time and iconic Terrier fan suggests, Cohen would be a valuable addition to ESPN's broadcast team when the cable outlet begins its NHL coverage next fall.

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I think @ColbyCohen36 deserves a high visibility job @espn when they get the NHL back. He does a great job providing insight and observations of the game. @Buccigross, can you make this happen?

— Sasquatch (@busasquatch) April 11, 2021

This Date in BU Hockey

April 11, 2009, Verizon Center,Washington, D.C. 

Returning to the national championship game for the first time in a dozen years, the top-ranked Terriers completed their “Burn The Boats” theme drive to the NCAA title, defeating Miami, 4-3 in overtime, in a contest dubbed “The D.C. Miracle.” BU scored twice in the final minute of regulation to erase a 3-1 deficit before Colby Cohen’s game-winner gave BU its sixth tournament win of the season.

An evenly played first period was scoreless until the 15:15 mark when Chris Connelly slid home a loose puck following a Kevin Shattenkirk shot attempt and an Eric Gryba pass.

But early in the second, just after the Red Hawks had killed a penalty, Gary Steffes poked a rebound into the open side of the BU net to tie the score. Late in the period, Cohen ripped a shot off the post and the score remained tied after two.

In the third period, a pair of Miami goals—Tommy Wingels at 12:31 and Trent Vogelhuber at 15:52—seemingly doomed BU’s title hopes. Coach Jack Parker pulled goalie Kieran Millan with 3:30 remaining, but nothing clicked until the final minute. Nick Bonino kept the puck alive behind the Miami cage after his shot was denied allowing Zach Cohen to squeeze home a backhander and cut the deficit to one.

As time wound down with BU frantically pushing for an equalizer, Chris Higgins slid the puck to Gilroy in the high slot. The co-captain quickly backhanded it to Bonino in the right circle. His one-timer beat Cody Reichard, tied the score with 17.4 seconds left on the clock and sent the game to overtime.

Both teams had good scoring opportunities in overtime, with Colin Wilson and John McCarthy both coming close. At 11:47, Connelly sent the puck to Shattenkirk who skated along the blue line and dropped a pass to Colby Cohen, who closed to the left circle and fired. His shot deflected off a Miami defender and sailed over the goalie’s shoulder to bring BU its fifth national championship.

For BU’s senior class, the victory was the 100^th of their Terrier careers. Gilroy was named winner of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award and gained first-team All-American honors, along with Wilson, while Shattenkirk was named second-team All-American. Millan with a 29-2-3 record and a 1.94 GAA, was named national rookie of the year.

● Period 3 and overtime highlights ; game-winning goal

● ESPN.com Burn The Boats explained

● THFBlog The Drive For Five Was Realized

 

April 11, 2015 TD Garden, Boston

Six years to the day of the D.C. Miracle, #2 ranked BU was back in the national championship game. Two days earlier, BU had defeated top-ranked North Dakota, 5-3, led by another Hobey Baker Award winner, Jack Eichel. In the Frozen Four final, the Beanpot and Hockey East champion Terriers were 20 minutes from a sixth NCAA title, but conference rival Providence rallied with two third-period goals for a 4-3 win.

The Friars got on the board first on Anthony Florentino’s blasts from the right circle at 9:25 of the first period.

BU tied the scored three minutes later when Ahti Oksanen’s shot from the left boards squeaked past PC’s Jon Gillies. Eichel controlled the ensuing faceoff and raced up ice. He dropped the puck to Danny O’Regan who beat Gillies for a 2-1 lead and setting an NCAA tournament record for the fastest two goals: four seconds apart. The previous record of two goals in five seconds had been set by Michigan in the first-ever NCAA title game in 1948.

Providence pulled even early in the second on Mark Jankowski’s power-play tally. Seven minutes later, Cason Hohmann won an offensive-zone faceoff to Oksanen whose wrister was stopped by Gillies, but Hohmann beat a defender to the rebound and buried it for a 3-2 Terrier advantage.

After the Terriers killed a PC power play, disaster struck at 11:24 of the third. A harmless Tom Parisi shot from center ice was dropped from Matt O’Connor’s glove and kicked across the goal line, evening the score at three apiece.

Just over two minutes later, the Friars made an offensive-zone faceoff win work for them. Brandon Tanev controlled the puck in the right circle, skated to the slot unmarked and whipped the game-winner past O’Connor.

In the final minute with the goalie pulled for an extra attacker, Hohmann nearly tied the score, but a lunging Gillies, who made 49 saves, denied him and the Friars took home their first NCAA title.

Eichel, who led the nation in scored with 71 points (nine more than linemate Evan Rodrigues), and Grzelcyk were named first-team All-Americans.

 

 

 ● New York TImes Providence, last team in, beats BU for the title

● College Hockey News recap