Michigan-based Neal Boudette, a New York Times writer and blog contributor, was on hand in Ann Arbor for both games and provides this "Terrier Takeaway."
In an Early Test Against Michigan, Terriers Played "April Hockey"
Hockey games don’t get much uglier than the 9-2 debacle BU suffered Friday night at the hands of Michigan at Yost Arena in Ann Arbor. They don’t get much more deceiving than that outing, either.
The outcome of the game was determined after just nine minutes of play. The Wolverines took an early 1–0 lead on a power-play goal, and then the Terriers were whistled, legitimately, for two overlapping 5-minute major penalties for head contact. They resulted in four minutes of a five on three power-play for Michigan, and the Wolverines scored three times, for a 4–0 lead. The game was essentially over.
Goalie Drew Commesso also suffered a slight hamstring pull, and was replaced by Vinny Duplessis in the second period, and BU never got settled. To the casual observer, it would appear the Terriers had been overwhelmed by a superior opponent. Not so, actually. The truth was that BU had carried much of the play when the teams skated 5-on- 5. In the first three minutes alone, the Terriers generated two golden scoring opportunities but were stopped by Michigan netminder Erik Portillo.
The final score reflected the impact of the penalties on the game, but not the relative strength of the two teams. Sunday night provided a much clearer picture, and it showed the Terriers were every bit as good as Michigan, and at least in this one contest, one goal better.
In the second meeting, BU generated good scoring opportunities throughout the game. In the offensive zone, they maintained possession, moved the puck well, retrieved pucks, and kept Michigan back on their heels. BU’s sustained attack also prevented Michigan from getting its offense into gear.
Michigan took leads of 1-0 and 2–1, but the Terriers maintained their tenacity against a very talented Michigan team and a very vocal, partisan home crowd. They were rewarded with three goals in the second. And a 3–2 lead going into the final frame. The Michigan fans had been in high spirits, expecting a sweep, especially with Duplessis in goal. But they were unaware of how good BU’s #2 netminder is. [See SNL below] When BU tied it at 2-2, the air left the building. When BU took the lead, the crowd was stunned. The atmosphere turned from celebration into “Uh-oh, we could lose this game.”
In the first half of the third period, the Terriers continued to have good offensive zone possession and good scoring chances. In the final 10 minutes, Michigan pressed for the tying goal. But here is where the Terriers really showed maturity and focus you wouldn’t normally expect from a team playing its third game under a new coach. Thy Terriers defended extremely well as Michigan tried to tie the game. On Friday, Michigan had scored three or four times on cross-ice passes through the slot that forced Commesso to move from one post to the other. On Sunday, those types of dangerous passes rarely got through.
While Michigan had most of the possession in the final 10 minutes, the Terriers kept them largely to the outside. And when they did get shots off, many were blocked. BU blocked 24 shots to Michigan’s 12. D-man Case McCarthy and Sam Stevens each had 4 blocks and Wilmer Skoog had 3.
The Terriers were the more physical team, they were better in the face-off circle (36-31), their breakouts were fast and quick, and the freshmen in the lineup all showed they can play and be effective at the D1 level.
The weekend concluded with a win and loss, but there is very good reason for optimism looking ahead. Against one of the top teams in the nation, one that is loaded with talent and has one of the top goalies in the country, and in front of a raucous home crowd, the Terriers prove themselves to be the better team, if only in one game and if only slightly better. Still, if the Terriers are able to play that way against future opponents— the fast, aggressive, hard-on-the-puck game that Jay Pandolfo wants to be BU’s brand, they should win a majority of their games.
As I said to Drew Marrochello after the game, “That was April hockey.”
►Four Terriers who were instrumental in Sunday's win against Michigan were named to Hockey East's Weekly Top Performers list: seniors Dom Fensore and Matt Brown, junior Duplessis and freshman Ryan Greene.
►The Michigan Fan Blog, Mgoblog, looks at Sunday's game from a Wolverine viewpoint, including this overview:
For most of the game, BU carried play at 5v5. The Wolverines struggled with the physical style that Boston brought. They couldn’t get much going in or around the crease until the second half of the third period. Once they did, the Wolverines did create chances aplenty to tie the game, but a very good effort from Terrier backup Vinny Duplessis stifled anything put on frame…after his first period whoopsie.
Poll Story
The Terriers fell two spots, from #9 to #11, in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine College Hockey Poll, two slots behind Providence and two ahead of Connecticut.
SNL [Sunday Night Leftovers]
►With Sunday’s victory, Duplessis has a streak of seven wins in games in which he had a decision, stretching back to last Dec. 31st’s 5-1 win against Brown and includes the 1-0 blanking of Northeastern in the Beanpot Final. His 31 shots stopped was the most since his February 2021 Terrier debut when he made 40 saves in a 3-1 win over BC.
tw-align-centerVinny earned the jacket last night after an incredible 31-save performance in our win at No. 6 Michigan! pic.twitter.com/DAHbRZ5vkI
— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) October 17, 2022
►As Coach Pandolfo has pointed out, no one has to tell Wilmer Skoog to go to the net. His screening talents were on display on Sunday’s game-winning goal and also on BU’s second goal.
tw-align-center🚨Brown's goal to give BU the lead pic.twitter.com/XxR618LhHk
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) October 16, 2022
When Jay O'Brien made the cross-ice pass to Matt Brown, Skoog took off across the goalmouth, dragging a D-man with him—with both ending up in front of Portillo, providing Brown a half-empty net. Skoog also took away Portillo's eyes on Fensore's goal. No scoresheet points for him but two huge plays. No wonder Pandolfo singled him out for a "really good" game.
►Combined face off win totals for the two games: BU 81, Michigan 58. Skoog controlled 23 of 37 draws
►Among the Terrier hockey alums spotted in Ann Arbor this weekend: Scott Young, former BU Director of Hockey Operations and now Penguins director of player development; Scott Lachance, director of U.S. Scouting for the Devils; and Jacques Joubert, captain of the 1995 national championship team and now a director at Merrill Lynch.
Looking ahead
2023 recruit Jack Gorton assisted on two goals for BCHL Victoria in a 5-3 loss to West Kelowna. The 6’3”, 200 lb., right-shot forward is in his second season with the Grizzlies and previously played for Trinity Pawling Prep.
2023 recruit Shane Lachance leads the Youngstown Phantoms in goals with three in four games on just seven shots. A sixth round draft pick by Edmonton, the 6'5", 218 lb., power forward does some of his best work around the opponent's net.
tw-align-centerLachance is on FIRE tonight!
— Youngstown Phantoms (@YtownPhantoms) October 15, 2022
Check out his second goal of the night ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/uJsaShx9B6
According to Chris Heisenberg’s recruiting site, Madison Capitols forward Jack Musa is no longer a BU commit.
Looking back
Jake Oettinger has joined Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid as the NHL's three stars of the week ending October 16.
THIRD STAR - JAKE OETTINGER, G, DALLAS STARS
Oettinger went 2-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .968 save percentage as the Stars opened the season with consecutive victories against their Central Division rival Nashville Predators. Oettinger stopped 60 of 62 shots for the week, beginning with 31 saves in 4-1 victory Oct. 13 in Nashville. Two nights later he turned aside 29 shots in a 5-1 win at American Airlines Center in the Stars' home opener. Oettinger, 23, was a first-round pick, 26th overall, by the Stars in the 2017 NHL Draft. He posted a 30-15-1 record, 2.53 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and one shutout in 48 games with Dallas in the 2021-22 regular season, followed by a 1.81 GAA and .954 SV% in the Stars' First Round loss to Calgary in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, highlighted by a 64-save performance in Game 7.
● NHL.com report
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