Friday, November 15, 2024

Game Day: Terriers stalk the Black Bears; Women tangle with BC

                               Photo credit Fia McCarty

#11/13 Terriers have hit the road for a two-game series in the Pine Tree state against the #7 Black Bears of Maine. Tonight's game at always-boisterous Alfond Arena is set for a 7 p.m. puck drop with live streams on ESPN+ in the U.S. and TSN+ in Canada.

For a fourth straight weekend, BU will be facing a top-20 opponent, and in all three prior series, they were on the short end of the score on each Friday night.

Coach Jay Pandolfo addressed that issue in Wednesday's media call.

"We’re not playing the way we’re capable of playing on Friday nights," he said. "I don’t know if we’re getting into our own head or putting too much pressure on ourselves. It does seem like we’re squeezing the sticks a little too much. 

"On Saturday, you have [seen] a response where they understand they just have to go out and play and see what happens. We need to have more of that mindset on Friday."

The third-year head coach added, "Hockey’s a tough game to play. It’s a read and react game. You have to just go out and play and not be afraid to make mistakes."

Despite losing twice at BC last weekend (2-1, 3-0 with an empty-netter), the Black Bears (6-2-1) have emerged as one the best teams in Hockey East and nationally.

Last season, the Terriers defeated Maine twice in the regular season--both by one goal--and then 4-1 in the Hockey East quarterfinals. All three games were at Agganis Arena. 

Assessing Maine, Pandolfo explained, "They have an identity to the way they play. They’re a great forechecking team. They pressure the puck all over the ice. They’re on top of you in all three zones. They’re big. They’re physical. They have great goaltending. It’s going to be a tough challenge, even tougher up there. It’s a great test for our team."

Senior Harrison Scott is Maine's top scorer (5-10-15), followed by junior D-man Brandon Holt (2-9-11), sophomore transfer from Clarkson Charlie Russell (3-8-11), UMass transfer Taylor Makar (4-6-10) and junior Thomas Freel (6-3-9). Two of last season's top scorers, Josh Nadeau and Lynden Breen also return.

Sophomore goalie Albin Boija has been between the pipes for all nine games and has the second best GAA in Hockey East, 1.56, with two shutouts. 

Adding to the Terriers' challenge is that freshmen Brandon Svoboda and Alex Zetterberg haven't been able to practice due to injuries and are "doubtful" for the weekend, according to Pandolfo. As of Wednesday, he hadn't decided whether Mathieu Caron or Max Lacroix, who got his first regular-season start and win last Saturday, will get the start on Friday.

Practice lines on Wedesday saw the Shane Lachance-Ryan-Greene-Quinn Hutson line reunited while Matt Copponi was centering Cole Eiserman and Jack Harvey.

                CHECK BACK FOR TONIGHT'S BU LINE-UP

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, BU All-Access (audio), BU Men’s Hockey Twitter

● Live Stream ESPN+, International stream

● Pandolfo Media Call

● Boston Hockey Blog BU men’s hockey readies for a weekend series at Maine, where an old rivalry is ready to be renewed

● College Hockey News Tale of the Tape

● BU Hockey Stats Preview: Entering Enemy Territory


Looking ahead


2025 recruit John McNelis has been named to the 22-man roster of the 2024 U.S. Junior Select team that will compete at the World Junior A Championships in Camrose, Alb., from Dec. 9-15.

McNelis, a 5’10” left wing from Potomac, Maryland, is in his second season with Sioux Falls, scored his ninth goal in a 4-1 win over Sioux CIty. He leads the Stampede in goals and is tied for second in the USHL. McNelis has a 9-4-13 line in 14 games. Last season, he scored 18 goals and added 20 assists, earning second team All-Rookie honors.

● stampede.com Three Members of the Herd Named to the US Junior Select Team

A NeutralZone scouting report on a recent Sioux Falls game reported:

John McNelis (LW, L, 5’10”, 161, Sioux Falls Stampede, 01/09/2006, Boston University)

Grade: B

Comments: McNelis is a smaller sized forward but has some edge to his game. Scored one of the easier goals in the game tonight it started with taking strategic routes to the back door of the net where he got his tap in. McNelis easily could have flown by his spot and left wondering why he did not want to score, instead he stops on a dime and handled an easy dish into his skates where he buried home the second goal of the game. Offensively, his skill is there but defensively, he needs to be able to follow through with his checks and pin opponents on the boards, which he does do some of the time, but he gives up on finishing checks some of the time as well, and they usually result with a scoring chance at the net. Where some players can rely on getting beat with their feet but have the size to be physical, McNelis needs to position himself better if he cannot take players out with body contact in the first place.

►The OHL Oshawa Generals tweeted that Haoxi (Simon) Wang named to the Battle of Ontario top prospects games between OJHL vs CCHL on November 19-20 in Smith Falls. Wang, a 6'6" left-shot defenseman for Kings Rebellion, was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 OHL Entry Draft.

 

Looking back

Jake Oettinger turned aside 23 of 25 shots to gain his eighth win in 10 decisions as the Stars routed the Bruins, 7-2. Charlie Coyle scored his third goal for Boston.  

Brady Tkachuk scored his ninth goal in Ottawa's 5-4 overtime loss to the Flyers. 

Charlie McAvoy scored the tying goal (his third) and then assisted on the game-winner Tuesday night as the Bruins rallied in the third period, erasing a two-goal deficit to beat St. Louis, 3-0.

 

 

Women’s Team

Sydney Healey Taking a shot vs Merrimack

                 Photo credit Matt Woolverton

#14/13 Terriers will put their nine-game (8-0-1) unbeaten streak on the line against Commonwealth Avenue rival #11/12 BC in a home-and-home series, beginning Friday night at Agganis Arena. Puck drop is at 6:00 PM for the contest that will be live-streamed on ESPN+.

"It's a weekend we always get up for,” said Head Coach Tara Watchorn. ”I love that induced pressure that we're going to experience in the middle of the season...being able to perform with a little bit more nerves and pressure is good."

The Terrier offense, averaging 3.1 goals per game, is led by Lola Reid (7-6-13), who is tied for second in Hockey East, Christina Vote (0-12-12), tied for fifth, and Clara Yuhn (7-1-8).

Senior Callie Shanahan (7-2-1) leads the conference with a 1.33 GAA and the second best save percentage, .944.

Commenting on the Terrier defense, led by grad students Tamara Giaquinto and Julia Shaunessy, Watchorn pointed out, "Our entire D-Core [is] so underestimated. A lot of their styles aren't that flashy...but they're so functional. They move the puck, they're hard to play against, they shut down the neutral zone, and they all have a different style."

The Eagle attack is led by Sammy Taber, who is one point ahead of Reid with 5-9-14, and Abby Newhook (5-7-12), whose brother, Alex Newhook played for BC and now is with Montreal.

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, BU All-Access (audio), BU Women’s Hockey Twitter

● Live Stream ESPN+, TSN+

● Boston Hockey Blog For BU women’s hockey, a magical start to the season welcomes its biggest series yet — Boston College

 

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