Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Beanpot Takeaways & Tidbits UPDATED



In addition to the BU Beanpot history-focused video, narrated by Matt Grzelcyk, that BU Athletics produced, they've now presented this one capturing Monday's memorable Beanpot win, from warm-ups to game action to victory celebrations.

                             

Defkit’s Terrier Takeaways

- The atmosphere was incredible. From what I could see, by the second period, the whole place was full, even the Harvard section. And the student sections were making up for lost time. I could do without all the f-bomb chants though. There was a bit of a collective gasp when the BU fans upped the ante with "shut the f up". But there were some creative ones.

- What a great win. Obviously, it is great to break the "drought". But to show that in such a loud atmosphere they could play their game, and stick to a tight checking game-plan - that could really help the team in the playoffs.

- So many great performances - Vinny in net, Copeland filling in last-minute, Peterson rebounding from his tough penalty against Harvard to get the GWG, Fensore was flying too.

- Gallagher is the only player that I thought had recently actually been playing worse than earlier in the season. However, he seems to have found his mojo again over the last three games. Great to see, since after McCarthy, he is the best d-man when we need both offense and defense.

- The coaching staff deserves a ton of credit. I don't know what they found after Northern Michigan, but this team is playing unselfish, smart hockey, and they are seeing how it can pay dividends.

- Good game by the refs. I think only those two penalties were called that were pretty close together, one per team.

- The coaching staff deserves a ton of credit. I don't know what they found after Northern Michigan, but this team is playing unselfish, smart hockey, and they are seeing how it can pay dividends. 

-The buy-in to playing team defense is quite obvious. Once again, shot blocking played an important role in the win. BU had 19 blocks with Gallagher contributing four. Terriers have averaged 16 blocks a game during the current seven-game winning streak.


More Terrier Tidbits

                                  Photo credit Patrick Donnelly
 

Patrick Donnelly's photo gallery for WTBU Sports

In Monday's win, Northeastern was limited to just nine shots that reached Vinny Duplessis during the first two periods and didn't get a third shot in the final period until nearly 13 minutes had gone by. 

Closing out games was problematic during the first two month of BU's season. That has now become a strength. In the past seven games, BU has allowed just two third-period goals, a power-play score in the first Providence game,

While in a relatively small sample of games—13 over two seasons—Duplessis’ career goals against average, 1.62, puts him atop the all-time Terrier goalie list, ahead of John Curry (2.07), Dan Brady (2.27) and Jake Oettinger (2.29). His .934 save percentage exceeds prior leader Curry’s career mark .923. Apparently his eight appearances this season are not enough to be included on the NCAA stats page.

Of the 31 Beanpot Championship games won by BU, Monday’s victory was only the second shutout. The first came in 1967 and like Duplessis’ gem, it came against Northeastern and was authored by a back-up goalie. Sophomore Jim McCann, filling in for injured Wayne Ryan, stopped 30 Huskies’ shots en route to a 4-0 win. BU goals came from three defensemen, Bill Hinch and cousins Peter McLaughlin and Brian Gilmour (an All-American that season) and forward Serge Boily. Sophomore center Herb Wakabayashi won MVP honors as BU defended the title won the year before against Harvard, 9-2.

NESN flashed an impressive stat during the third period showing that, in the prior six games of the winning streak, BU had trailed for only 1:31 out of the previous six games. That was when Providence’s 1-0 lead in the Feb. 11 game was negated by Jay O’Brien’s power-play goal. Add in Monday’s win and that’s 420 minutes. 


                                  Photo credit Matt Woolverton

Albie O'Connell joined the select group who have won the Beanpot as a head coach, as an assistant and a player. Assistant Coach Jay Pandolfo won twice as a player: 1995 and 1996; and Director of Hockey Doug Friedman also won twice as a player: 1991 and 1992. 

Beijing Olympics

Team USA was eliminated by Slovakia in the quarterfinal round, 3-2 in a shootout. The U.S. gave up the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation and failed to connect on any of its shootout attempts. So, while these Games marked the 15th consecutive Olympiad with Terriers represented in men’s hockey, there will be no medals. Canada also fell in the quarterfinals, being blanked by Sweden, 2-0. The semifinal matchups are: Finland vs. Slovakia and the Russian Olympic Committee vs. Sweden.

There will one US medal-winner in hockey as Team USA with Jesse Compher faces off with Team Canada, captained by Marie-Phillip Poulin tonight at 11:00 p.m. ET.

Looking back

Jake Oettinger stopped 46 of 47 shots in the Stars' 4-1 win against Colorado. Now in his second full pro season, Oettinger gained his third consecutive win and fifth in his last six starts.

Women’s Team

Sophomore Lacy Martin’s goal at 1:03 of overtime capped a comeback 3-2 win against Maine at Walter Brown Arena on Tuesday.

BU trailed the Black Bears, 2-0, in the final period but rallied to tie the score with goals by sophomore Clare O’Leary and senior Courtney Correia, the latter coming with just 1:55 left in regulation. Senior Kate Stuart stopped 22 shots to earn the win.

BU next plays Providence this Saturday.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

Video highlights

Post-game comments Coach Brian Durocher

 


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