David Quinn takes the reins--UPDATED

David Quinn (CAS '89), a former Terrier all-star player, captain and associate coach, was named the eleventh coach of the Boston University hockey program today. He succeeds his coach at BU, Jack Parker, who retired after four decades--and 897 wins--at the end of this season.

 "It's great to be home. I'm a BU guy through and through," Quinn said. "No question this is my dream job."

I knew that I missed college hockey. It struck me about three weeks ago during a one week stretch, the Nashville Predators came into Colorado to play us and Colin Wilson is on that team and he was obviously on the 2009 team. He called me the night before and wanted to go to dinner, and at the pro level that's frowned upon, so I wasn't able to do that. Then, two nights later, the St. Louis Blues show up and Kevin Shattenkirk Is on that team and he wants to do the same thing the night before. I saw him at the pregame skate the next day. I was actually talking with Joe Sacco after that and you talk about how unique the college experience is and you don't get that at the professional level. Then, two days later, we go out to Anaheim and Nick Bonino is waiting for me as we get off the team bus. It struck me that it's something that you don't get at the pro level.

● Press conference video
● GoTerriers.com announcement, photo gallery of Coach Quinn's playing and coaching career and the press conference
● Press conference transcript
● BU Today coverage
● Boston Hockey Blog coverage
● Jack Parker-David Quinn photo
● College Hockey News press conference report, Quinn's "dream job"
● USCHO: BU "in great hands" 
● ESPN-Boston BU introduces Quinn
● Boston Globe coverage
● Boston Herald Terrier ties run deep 

Looking ahead
2014 recruit Jonathan MacLeod, a shutdown defenseman known for bone-jarring hits, is the subject of a USA Hockey profile . The Dracut, Mass. native, who spent his sophomore year on the Kimball Union Academy blueline with 2013 BU recruit Doyle Somerby, is a mainstay of the NTDP U17s' defense. When he arrives at Agganis way, he'll follow in the footsteps of defensemen Brian Strait, Colby Cohen and David Warsofsky as NTDP program grads mentored by David Quinn.

Women's Team
Terriers, who lost to Minnesota in the NCAA title game, finished at #2 in the final national polls. Two skaters earned Hockey East recognition for their Frozen Four efforts. Co-captain Marie-Philip Poulin was named player-of-the-week, while Sarah Lefort earned rookie-of-the-week honors for an incredible eighth time, including each of the past three weeks. BU was the WHEA team of the week.

A Quick Transition?

Late this evening, there were indications all over the Internet that BU will name a successor to legendary coach Jack Parker during a Tuesday morning press conference. According a tweet by WHDH-TV Boston’s Joe Amorosino and a blogpost by Denver Post beat reporter Adrian Dater, former BU associate head coach and current Avalanche assistant David Quinn will be named the 11^th head coach in the history of the Terrier hockey program.

Dater posted late tonight:

“I knew this a couple days ago, but couldn’t say anything. Oh well, I kept my promise to my source. Which is a poor answer to the question: why be a reporter and grant sources their wish not to publish things in the paper? Well, it’s a long story, but it happens sometimes. Let’s move on…

“Avalanche assistant coach David Quinn was officially hired tonight to succeed the legendary Jack Parker as the head coach of Boston University’s hockey team. In NCAA division I hockey, that is as plum a job as it gets. So,congrats to Quinn.”

Both Dater and TSN’s Bob McKenzie have indicated that Quinn will finish out the current season as assistant to another former Terrier, Joe Sacco, before assuming the reins at Agganis Arena. 

Reports indicate that BU also spoke with New York Rangers assistant coach Mike Sullivan, who co-captained BU’s 1990 Final Four Team and Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins head coach John Hynes, a member of BU’s 1995 national champions and the 1997 Frozen Four squad. 

The 46 year old Quinn, a native of Cranston, R.I., was Parker’s top lieutenant for five seasons, culminating with the 2008-09 national championship season. Seeking further head coaching experience, Quinn took over the top job of the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, a position held for three seasons before joining Sacco’s staff in Denver. 

Before his stint on the BU staff, Quinn was an assistant at Northeastern and Nebraska-Omaha and then spent two seasons as head coach in  USA Hockey’s NTDP program, leading the U17s one year and then the U18s.A standout prep school blueliner at the Kent School, Quinn became a Minnesota North Stars’ first-round draft choice in 1984 and played three seasons at BU, before a blood disorder—Christmas Disease—put him on the sidelines. A brief comeback in the minor leagues ended in 1993.  
● Denver Post blog report

● Boston Hockey Blog report

● College Hockey News report
● Boston Globe report

Check back for more information on Tuesday

Linkorama

Freshman goalie Sean Maguire, who posted a .947 save percentage and a 2.04 GAA in the Hockey East semifinals and final, earned conference Rookie of the Week honors. Sean Escobedo (10 blocks in two games), Matt Nieto, Danny O’Regan and Evan Rodrigues were named to the top performers list. O’Regan became the first Terrier freshman to lead the team in scoring (38 points) since BU Hall of Famer Tony Amonte in 1989-90.

● Daily Free Press: Parker’s coaching career ends

● College Hockey News An Era is Over after 40 Years

● WTBU Sports: Seniors say farewell
● USCHO Hockey East blog: Parker, Lowell, BC Demise
● WBZ-TV: Interview with Parker and Travis Roy 

Looking back

Former Terrier Rick DiPietro recorded his fifth victory since being assigned to Bridgeport in the Sound Tigers’ 4-2 win over Albany. DiPietro stopped 19 shots including a penalty-shot attempt by former UNH Wildcat Phil DeSimone.

David van der Gulik scored his 18^th goal in Lake Erie’s 5-4 loss to Grand Rapids. The goal leaves him one shy of his AHL career best.

Women’s Team

#3 Terriers, playing in their second national championship game in three years, fell short again, losing, 6-3, to #1 Minnesota, which posted a remarkable, unblemished 41-0 record. BU fell behind, 2-0, before getting on the board with a Sarah Lefort power play goal late in the first period. The Gophers extended the lead to 4-1 in the middle stanza. Marie Philip-Poulin, injured early in the game, returned to score his 19th goal, but the Gophers countered again. Jennelle Kohanchuk's team-leading 25th cut the lead to 5-3, before an empty-netter closed out the scoring.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score

● Video highlights

● Daily Free Press recap, Poulin returns from injury

● Photo gallery

● Full replay

● BU Today recap

● Post-game comments

● Boston Globe recap

In just eight seasons as a varsity program, BU remains the only Hockey East school to advance to an NCAA title game. The Terriers have won four NCAA tournament games, including two at Walter Brown Arena.

Terriers tackle Minnesota in NCAA title game

#3 Terriers take on #1 Minnesota in the NCAA Championship Game at Ridder Arena  in Minneapolis this afternoon with puck drop at 4 p.m. ET.  Free live video on NCAA.com.  BU, repeat Hockey East champions, brings a 28-5-3 record into the game against the undefeated Gophers, who stand at 40-0-0. BU is in the Frozen Four final for the second time in three seasons.

Minnesota is led by Patty Kazmaier Award winner and national scoring leader Amanda Kessel, who has 97 points on 44 goals and 53 assists. Goalie Noora Raty boasts a 0.91 GAA and has authored 17 shutouts.

Junior co-captain Marie-Philip Poulin leads BU’s own potent offense with 53 points while Isabel Menard had 45 points. BU’s top goal-scorers are Jennelle Kohanchuk and Sarah Lefort with 24 and 23 respectively. Junior goalie Kerrin Sperry, playing her best hockey of late, has a 2.11 GAA and has shut out four opponents. She has a 2-1 record in Frozen Four games.

The teams last met on Oct. 6, 2007 when Minnesota won 4-2 at Ridder Arena.

BU’s senior class is the first in the program’s eight year history to reach the NCAA tournament in all four years. Earlier this season, Coach Brian Durocher recorded the 150th victory in his head coaching career.

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, GameTracker, Radio Webcast, NCAA TV Webcast, Twitter Updates

● Saturday Press Conference  Part 1, Part 2

● BU Today preview 
● Boston Globe preview

● Boston Herald preview

● USCHO recap of semifinal win, Frozen Four photos

● Video recaps of semifinals and championship game preview

● NCAA bracket and feature on Terrier offense,  championship game preview

Lowell edges BU, 1-0, for its first Hockey East crown

Terriers’ season came to end with a hard-fought 1-0 loss to UMass Lowell in the Hockey East championship game before nearly 14,000 at TD Garden. One night after BU had put up a six-spot to eliminate arch-rival BC, the Terriers were unable to solve River Chiefs freshman goalie—and  tournament MVP— Connor Hellebuyck who stopped all 36 shots he faced. 

The loss also ends the 40-year coaching career of Jack Parker, who took over the program in December 1973 leading BU to 897 victories, three national championships, four ECAC championships and seven Hockey East titles. Parker's nearly half-century association with Terrier Hockey began in 1964 as a freshman team player, followed by three varsity seasons and being captain as a senior. He spent four seasons as an assistant before taking on the top position.

Sean Maguire (photo) gave BU another strong effort in goal especially in the second period when Lowell poured 15 shots on goal. The game-winner came midway through the third period when a 3-on-2 Lowell rush led to a Derek Arnold wraparound goal after Maguire had made an initial save.

BU had numerous good scoring chance, but Hellebuyck turned them all away. In the final minute, with Maguire pulled for a sixth skater, Wade Megan’s pass to Cason Hohmann—alone to the goalie’s right with a half-open cage—was slowed down by a Lowell defender, just enough to allow Hellebuyck to recover.

The Hockey East All-Tournament team consisted of Lowell’s  Hellebuyck, Chad Ruhwedel and Scott Wilson and BU’s Matt Grezelcyk Danny O’Regan and Evan Rodrigues.

Both of the two prior Conference championship meetings between BU and Lowell were also one-goal games. In 1994, the Terriers had come out on top, 3-2, and in 2009, BU won 1-0. And in an eerie bit of history, all three times that BU has beaten Boston College in a Hockey East semifinal, the championship game had a 1-0 score. Besides last night and 2009, BU lost the 2003 title game to New Hampshire, a night after Justin Maiser’s hattrick goal beat BC in overtime.

BU was appearing in its 10^th Hockey East Championship game and had won the title seven times.

Friday night’s come-from-behind win came in the 82^nd meeting between BU and BC since Jerry York became the Eagle’s coach in 1994. BU’s 6-3 victory made the final tally 38-37-7 in BU’s favor.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score

● Video highlights

●Photo: The Game Winner

● HockeyEastOnline recap

●Post-game comments: Parker, Megan, Ruikka, Coach Norm Bazin

● Boston Hockey Blog recap, Seniors  Depart, freshmen finish well, slide show

● College Hockey News’ Takeaway

● WTBU Sports recap , Seniors Say Farewell

● USCHO recap, analysis, photo gallery

● Boston Globe recap, Parker feature

● Boston Herald recap, Parker feature

● NEHJ recap and semifinal recap

● Post-game and awards ceremony video

Game Day: BU vs. Lowell for the Hockey East Title

Hockey East Tournament Extra

BU and Lowell face off tonight at 7 p.m. at TD Garden for the Hockey East Championship. The game airs on NESN and NBC Sports Network. WWZN Radio will as usual provide a Webcast of the game.

● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog

● Post-game comments from Coach Jack Parker,   Evan Rodrigues , Danny O’Regan

● College Hockey News feature on Sean Maguire

● Boston Hockey Blog retweet from newest recruit Shane Starrett:

Shane Starrett ‏@starrett33 1h Who else is going to the bu-umass game tonight? #goterriers

Terrier factoid: Jack Parker never lost a game to BC in three years as a player (1965-1968)