Monday, October 31, 2022

New recruit; Poll Story; Hutson Q&A; SNL


Terriers have received a commitment from Long Island Gulls 16U AAA forward John McNelis. A 5’9” left-shot forward, the Potomac, Md., native is the seventh 2006 recruit to commit to BU since August 1. The Heisenberg recruiting site projects a 2025 arrival.

Last season, he led the Little Caesars 15-Only in scoring with 10 goals and seven assists in 12 games. At the 15-O Nationals, he added three goals and two assists in four games.  Puck Preps reported: "John McNelis is likely the most talented player on Little Caesars 15O in terms of offensive ability and output. McNelis is a very talented playmaker."

 In 2020-21, playing for the NJ Colonials 14U, he led the Atlantic Youth Hockey League in scoring with a 20-23-43 line,  skateing with 2024 or 2025 recruit Callum Hughes.  NEHJ’s review of top performers at the 14U National Championships reported:

“McNelis is a skilled winger who is strong and hard to knock off pucks. The Potomac, Md., native led the Colonials in scoring while playing on the top line. He’s a goal scorer who likes to cheat the defensive zone a little to get a jump start on the offensive chances.”

Note: That top performers list was headed by Macklin Celebrini and also included Hughes, Cole Hutson and Owen Keefe.

Elite Prospects Page

 

                           Photo credit Kyle Prudhomme

Just prior to the Lowell series, Lane Hutson answered questions for NHL.com Canadiens writer Matt Cudzinowski. The freshman blueliner discusses adapting to NCAA play and how Assistant Coach Kim Brandvold is aiding his development.

NHL.com/canadiens Catching up with...Lane Hutson

 

Poll Story

Following the split with Lowell, BU slipped two slots to #11 in the DCU/USCHO weekly poll. UMass remains at #5, while UConn, which thumped BC on Thursday, jumped up to #8. In the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, BU is now #13 after having been #9 last week. 

In the PairWise rankings, Terriers are ninth, just behind UConn. BU's next opponent, UMass, is fourth.


SNL [Saturday Night Leftovers]

Hutson’s overtime goal goes into the books as unassisted, but classmate Jeremy Wilmer's stick-check on the River Hawk skater with the puck made the goal possible.  Hutson reacted quickly to the puck sliding free at center ice and was off to the races—and heroics.

No assist for Wilmer Skoog on the game-tying goal but his screen was a critical part of the goal. With Skoog is planted in front, UML goalie Grigals leaned right to see around the big center just as Lane fired back to the goalie’s left. Slow down this video down to half speed with the settings button to see it unfold.

Both BU goalies saw their goals against average fall after the low-scoring series. Vinny Duplessis went from 3.06 to 2.85. Drew Commesso, whose GAA ballooned to more than five after the first-period disaster in Michigan, is down to a more respectable 3.66.

Fourteen Terrier skaters have at least one goal through the first seven game while 17 have at least one point.

USCHO’s Jimmy Connelly contacted Hockey East for clarification of the disallowed goal on Case McCarthy’s shot. He shares what he learned about the goalie interference call on this twitter thread.


Looking ahead

While Macklin Celebrini was recording a hat trick for USHL Chicago on Saturday night, older brother and 2023 recruit Aiden Celebrini tallied his first AJHL goal as the Brooks Bandits throttled Drumheller, 9-3.  He has three points in his last four games. A 6’1” right-shot defenseman, Aiden played for Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep team last season, along with Macklin, putting up a 2-30-32 line in 57 games. 

 

Looking back

Lane Hutson wasn't the only Terrier providing overtime heroics this weekend. Jack Eichel delivered the OT game-winner after setting up the tying goal in the third as Vegas edged Winnipeg, 2-1.

Also on the left coast, Trevor Zegras' second tally of the game came during "bonus hockey," as the Ducks rallied for a 4-3, win against Toronto. Kevin Shattenkirk assisted on the game-tying goal.

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Lane Hutson's magic delivers an OT win; Defkit's Terrier Takeaway

                           Photo Credit Caroline Fernandez

Down by a 1-0 score going into the third period, the #9 Terriers rallied to tie the game late in regulation on a brilliant Lane Hutson goal and then won it in overtime on an even more brilliant play by the freshman defenseman.  The 2-1 win gives BU a split of its series with the River Hawks.

BU thought it had won in regulation when Case McCarthy sent a bomb from center point past Lowell goalie Gustavs Davis Grigals with just eight ticks left on the clock. However a review determined that Luke Tuch had interfered with the goalie and the apparent game-winner was disallowed.

Drew Commesso, returning to the line-up after missing four games, was sharp in goal, stopping 29 of 30 shots including a critical one in overtime.

Terriers and the Riverhawks had an evenly played first ten minutes, but then Lowell’s neutral zone “picket line” began to negate BU’s speed and limit its scoring chances. The scoreless period saw BU outshot 16-9.

The middle period was more of the same as the tight-checking visitors limited BU to five shots while firing 10 on Commesso. With half a minute left in the period, Brian Chambers put a hard shot on goal from the far side of the left circle. Commesso blocked the shot but the rebound fell to an unmarked Matt Crasa who flipped it into the open side.

“In the second period we passed up way too many chances to shoot the puck,” said Head Coach Jay Pandolfo. “That was the message going into the third that we had to get more pucks to the net.”

The Terriers responded, putting 16 of 33 attempts on the cage. At 5:40 into the period freshman Ryan Greene set up Quinn Hutson for a bid from the slot that Grigals stopped. Cade Webber’s follow-up went wide but Quinn Hutson stole a puck and shot again from the right circle, only to be denied.

Two minutes later, Ethan Phillips retrieved a puck and set up Jay O’Brien for a one-timer from the slot that Grigals snared with a great glove save. With under four minutes remaining and teams skating 4-on-4 Jeremy Wilmer set up Greene in the slot for a grade A chance that Grigals defending.

With 2:15 left, a delayed penalty on Lowell gave BU an extra attacker. Lane Hutson took a pass from his brother, eluded a defender just inside the blueline and headed toward the net. From 40 feet out he deked another River Hawk and fired a shot that beat Grigals low to the glove side with Wilmer Skoog providing a screen. Matt Brown also assisted.

On the ensuing penalty, BU was unable to take the lead but a second after the man-advantage ended. McCarthy fired a shot from center point that found the net, but following a lengthy review, the goal was disallowed.

Early in overtime, a BU turnover sent Zach Kaiser in on a breakaway that was stoned by Commesso on his final save of the game. 

With 2:39 left in the extra session, Wilmer knocked the puck off a River Hawk stick at center ice. Lane Hutson pounced on it and  raced up the left side on a 2-on-1 with Greene. When the defender dove to block a pass, Hutson went hard to the and beat Grigals with a backhander to the far side.

After “playing into the way they (UML) like to play” in the second half of the first period and in the second, “I thought we came out in the third and played the right way,”  Pandolfo explained. “It took us a while but ended up paying off.”

Commenting on the all-freshman third line, the first-year head coach said, “I thought they had their best game overall. They were great in their own end. Most of the night they played in the offensive zone. They were making plays. I thought they were our best line.”

“It’s pretty cool when you get a pass from your brother and end up putting it in the net,” the younger Hutson said, post-game. “It’s pretty special for me and pretty special for our family too.”

Commesso, who commended BU's athletic staff and trainers for enabling his return to the ice, sees the Terriers taking their game to a higher level. “Everyone in our room knows how good we can be and right now we’re not there –– we’re certainly going to use this [bye] week as a week to build,” he explained. “It’s definitely not going to be a week we take off.”

Not only did BU dominate third-period shots, they had an 11-7 edge in face offs in the period. And a 32-29 advantage at the dot overall.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

Highlights, Post-game Pandolfo, Commesso, Hutson

Boston Hockey Blog recap 

 

DEFKIT'S TERRIER TAKEAWAY

 - For most of this game it looked like the Norm Bazin disciplined "bottle them up" style was going to lead to another loss for the Terriers. It may not be fun to watch, but it sure is effective. For the first two periods, BU could do very little, they had very few grade A chances.

- In the third it seemed the coaches had come up with a better strategy to create offense. It finally paid off on Lane's first goal. I was wondering why he wasn't using his trademark "quick shift" before shooting to avoid a blocked shot, as we saw him do against Bentley. He finally was successful in doing so to get the equalizer.
- I haven't heard any actual explanation of the waived off goal yet - perhaps Jay commented on it. But it really seems like a bad call. Tuch's skate was a couple inches in the crease but he didn't impede the goalie at all. It was very odd.
- What a beautiful goal by Lane to win it. His anticipation to step up and intercept the pass was key, and of course the finish was pure skill.
- Not to be forgotten was Commesso stopping a breakaway earlier in the extra session. He had a strong game.

Looking ahead

2023 or 2024 recruit Macklin Celebrini scored a first-period hat trick and added an assist as Chicago routed Green Bay, 7-1. The Vancouver native has nine goals and five assists. 2023 recruit Jack Harvey, skating on the Steel’s top line with Celebrini, scored his sixth goal on a power play and assisted on two other tallies. He has a 6-8-14 scoring line.

2023 recruit Nick Roukounakis scored his second goal in Tri-City's 5-3 win against Lincoln. 2023 recruit Doug Grimes assisted on a Stars' goal. 


Looking back

Evan Rodrigues scored twicehis third and fourth goalsin the second period to help Colorado build a 3-0 lead, but the Islanders rallied with five unanswered goals and took a 5-4 win.

In a contest that matched the Tkachuk brothers against one another, Brady Tkachuk scored his sixth goal but Matthew had a goal and two assists as Florida defeated Ottawa, 5-3.

 

Women’s Team

Terriers bounced back with a 5-2 win against Merrimack to gain a split of the weekend series with the Warriors. Senior Julia Nearis led the way with a pair of goals. Freshman Sydney Healey scored the game-winner in the second period, while grad student Jesse DeVito and junior Andi Calderone also produced tallies.  Lacey Martin added a pair of assists. Goalie Andrea Brändli, a transfer from Ohio State, stopped 29 shots.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

Video Highlights

 

Site Meter