One More To Go

The Boston University Terriers have a knack for finding ways to win. They did against Maine in Game 1 of the first round of the Hockey East tournament. They did so against UNH in the Northeast Regional final. And they did so last night in the Frozen Four semi-final game against Vermont.

And here I was getting nervous because they were losing with eight minutes to go. What was I thinking?

BU scored two goals in the final seven minutes to beat UVM 5-4 and proceed to the National Championship game. It was a fast-paced game that saw the momentum swing from team-to-team. BU kicked things off early, scoring two in the first, but Vermont came back with three unanswered goals in the second period. It was only the second game of the year where I saw Kieran Millan off his game. He probably wants two or three of the goals he let in back. Maybe it was nerves. Who knows. Whatever it was, hopefully he shakes it off for the next game.

Parker called a time out after UVM's third goal, and whatever he said sparked the Terriers because they played an awesome next few minutes. It eventually paid off when they made it 3-3 before the end of the second. Vermont scored the go-ahead goal with about ten minutes remaining in the third. Then the late-game heroics came out as BU tied it with a goal off of a UVM stick and the game winner with about five minutes left. Amazing.

I can't believe six months after the season started, I'm saying the Terriers are going to play for the championship. It's surreal. I feel sorry for all the students out there who missed out on this team. You won't see another one like it anytime soon. As Northeastern coach, Greg Cronin, said "They're the best professional team in college hockey."

BU plays Miami-Ohio (who sadly beat the Bemidji Cinderellas 4-1 yesterday) in the final game. It will be on ESPN at 7 pm. Make sure to check it out.

Also: The Hobey Baker presentation begins in about four minutes at 7pm on ESPNU. GILROY GILROY GILROY.

Photo Credit.

Frozen Four Eve

The Frozen Four is upon us ... and I am nervous. I know I predicted BU making the FF at the beginning of the year, but it's still surreal to see them there. They have a legit chance of winning this thing, but their match-up against Vermont tomorrow is going to be far from easy.

I remember too well the back-to-back losses Vermont handed the Terriers in the fall at Agganis. It was their first two home losses, and they dropped to 8th in the nation after that. The Catamounts play the type of hockey that can stifle BU's offense. They block shots, they play the trap ... they just get in the way to the point of where it's frustrating. But that's what they should do. That's what they will do tomorrow night, and BU will have to find a way to solve it. The Terriers are going to have to get as many shots on net as possible. Being physical will help too. Throw some hits out.

Goaltending is going to be huge in this game as well. Rob Madore is awesome; I credited him as one of the main reasons Vermont won those games. On the other side of it, Kieran Millan just came off an unbelievable game against UNH.

This game is worth watching, so make sure you turn on ESPN2 at 8:30 to catch it. BU is the favorite in the Frozen Four, but I'm telling you anything can happen. If BU shows up, gets in a flow and does their thing, they will win. But we saw them fail in doing just that against Vermont twice this year.

Some quotes regarding tomorrow's game:

"The senior class, we just took a little bit of extra time in the locker room to be sure that talking to the younger guys, you know, you don’t take this for granted. You might not get this chance again, so definitely bring your A-game."
- John McCarthy

"When you’re the No. 1 team during the regular season, you can get the other teams jacked up that you’re playing. There’s the immediate gratification of, ‘Hey, we knocked off the No. 1 team in the nation.’ I don’t think that has anything to do with this tournament, because nobody’s trying to knock off the No. 1 team. Everybody’s trying to become the No. 1 team. There’s no advantage to being the underdog, because it’s more important to be the champion."
- Jack Parker

Fingers crossed.

As for the other game of the evening, I'm going with Bemidji State over Miami. The Bemidji Cinderellas are on fire right now. When you get on a streak like that in the play-offs, you don't stop. That game will be on ESPN2 at 5:30.

Source.

BU vs. Maine: Game 1 Recap

You see that Terrier? See how angry he looks?

That's how I feel towards BU after Game One against Maine. Before I go on, the final score was 2-1 BU. But boy were the Terriers lucky. Really lucky. They probably should not have won that game.

As I said in my previews, play-offs are a completely new ball game. Anything goes. Maine showed that tonight as they went on to battle hard against BU all 60 minutes. The Black Bears outworked the Terriers for most of the game. They were more aggressive, more physical and just seemed to want it a lot more. They had nothing to lose coming into this game. There was no pressure on them. They did awesome.

Maybe I'm being hard on BU, but they were overall just blah. Nothing special. They weren't the team I've seen that can move the puck, complete flawless passes and keep the scoring chances coming one after another. I liked the words one of the play-by-play guys used: "casual". They were very casual in their play. Not really aggressive. Only one for eight on the power play. Colin Wilson was awesome as usual, but they can't rely on him for everything. They had their little bursts of good scoring chances, and then they had their times where Maine just took their game away. Was it a case of being too cocky? I don't know. I don't think so. They just fell into that same relaxed, reactive style they've gotten caught in a few other times this season. This is the playoffs though boys. Step it up.

So Terriers: please show up tomorrow, work hard and show why you are number one.

Other HE updates:

+ Here's a big score: UMass beats Northeastern 2-1. What did I say in my predictions earlier? If UMass won the first game, they'd win the series. We'll see what happens.

+ BC beats UNH 5-3. This one surprised me. They're closely matched, but I'm not sure I expected this score. Brock Bradford had two goals for the Eagles (and Brooks Orpik's younger brother Andrew also tallied one) and James vanRiemsdyk got two for the Wildcats.

+ UMass-Lowell and Vermont are about to head into their first overtime period. Vermont was leading 2-0 and then 3-1. At some point UML must have come back to tie it up 3-3. Good for them. I'd like to see UML win that series.

Hockey East First Round Predictions

Hockey East Playoffs begin tonight. All I can think is, 'Playoffs already?' My heart is still getting over the Baby Pens last post-season run to the finals. I'm ready for the heart attacks to begin again starting tonight when BU takes on Maine at Agganis Arena. Here's a look at the HE match-ups going on:

#1 BU vs. #8 Maine

BU is number one in the nation. Of course this means absolutely nothing in the post-season. I've seen the underdog succeed many, many times in all different leagues. The last time these two teams played each other they skated to a tie. So anything can happen. On paper, BU should win this no problem. But paper = BS. That's why play-offs are so fun.

BU has to do a few things. One thing I've been on them about all year is penalties. They take too many. I know they have an awesome PK unit (three shorthanded goals in the Beanpot? What?), but eventually that stuff will catch up with you. So discipline is one. Second thing: Kieran Millan has to be on. He has been excellent in the majority of his starts this year, but there were certainly a few times where nerves may have gotten to him. When he's on, he's on.

As for Maine, if they can find a way to shut down BU's offense (and defense), they'll have a much better shot at stealing a game. Other teams have done it this year.

Some quotes from the coaches that I think are 100% truth:

“There’s nobody in this league, and I mean nobody in this league, that is capable of beating anybody in this league by thinking they’re going to win on talent. We have a lot of talent, but we’re not going to win on talent. The question is, will we come with effort, intensity, focus, and good decision making? If we have that, we’ll be a good team. We may not win but we’ll be a real difficult team to play against. Maine has got enough talent to beat us.” -- BU's Jack Parker

“It is a new season and a fresh start on Friday and anything can happen if we work hard and stay focused. Crazy things do tend to happen in the playoffs and that is going to be our mindset.” -- Maine's Tim Whitehead.

Prediction: Sorry. Since BU is my team, I can't make a prediction. I'm superstitious when it comes to playoffs hahaha. No, seriously.

#2 Northeastern vs. #7 UMass

Northeastern has without a doubt been one of the most fun teams to watch this year. Just ask all their fans who came out of the woodwork just in time for a winning season (low blow, I know. Couldn't resist). Anyway, NU is a team that works hard and wins games. I've enjoyed watching them. They hung on to first place in HE until the very last second.

Key stat: UMass is the only team besides BU that Northeastern did not win a series against. So this is definitely something to watch.

UMass is one of those teams in HE (just like UMass Lowell) who can steal one right from under your feet. I never underestimate them.

Northeastern's anchor is goaltender Brad Thiessen. I've raved about this kid since his freshman year. He is a really, really good goaltender. I think NU owes him a lot for this season's success.

Prediction: Wouldn't it be something if UMass took this one? Why not. If UMass wins the first game, they take this series 2-1.

#3 UNH vs. #6 BC

This could go either way. BC has been struggling quite a bit this year. They remind me of BU last year but reversed: BC had a decent first half and a bad second half (reminder: last year bad a poor first half and a good second half). It hurts any team when you lose a guy like Nathan Gerbe. They could also have that cursed championship hangover that most teams (except the Detroit Red Wings who are just awesome every year) get.

Prediction: UNH managed to beat BU this year. James vanRiemsdyk is a beast. UNH wins this one. I just don't think BC has the confidence to pull it out.

#4 Vermont vs. #5 Umass-Lowell

Anything can happen here. Seriously. Vermont beat BU twice this season in a series that stung a lot, and I have never took UMass-Lowell lightly. Ever.

Prediction: If Vermont gets out-willed by UMass-Lowell, UML wins. Other than that, I'd say the Catamounts (whatever that is) take this in two games.

Hockey East is always one of the best divisions in NCAA Division I hockey. All the match-ups will be good games to watch. They'll be broadcast on the B2 Networks for $8 a game. Check one out.

Catamounts Win Again. Boo.

Talk about deja vu. Vermont beat BU 4-3 again on Saturday night at Agganis Arena. I didn't get to see it, but it sounds like the Catamounts frustrated BU once again. It's pretty much a sure thing that they'll see their number 2 ranking drop, but like I said earlier they still deserve to be in the top five. We'll see. BC split their series with UMass, winning 2-0 on Friday and losing in overtime last night.

It's funny to see BU ranked second in the nation but in 6th place in Hockey East. Same with New Hampshire -- they're ranked in the top ten nationally but are in 7th in HE. Just shows how competitive HE is this year.

BU faces off against Holy Cross on Tuesday. I better see a win boys!

Photo Credit: Melissa Wade

11/21 - Catamounts vs. Terriers

Just got back from the BU/Vermont game. Talk about a frustrating night for Boston U. They lost 4-3 to Vermont. Here are some game notes:

+ Colby Cohen had a bit of a rough night. He did record two assists, but he also batted in a goal for the Catamounts. It wasn't intentional (obviously), but who knows what would have been if that didn't happen. Then in the last minute of the game, he takes a 5 minute major for hitting from behind.

+ BU didn't necessarily play bad, but they weren't the team I've seen and raved about in the past month or so. Part of this was simply because they didn't get any breaks. You know when the puck keeps bouncing around, you can't complete passes, pucks go out of reach, shots get whiffed on, etc. Really frustrating, and it showed.

+ Vermont goaltender, Rob Madore, was spectacular tonight. He made 38 saves and a lot of good ones at that. Sure, maybe his bright yellow Reebok pads make him a Marc-Andre Fleury wannabe, but he was unreal. Had he not been stellar, Vermont loses that game. Oh and did I mention he's a freshman??

It was the first home ice loss for BU this season. They face off again tomorrow night at Agganis. I'm not sure if I'll get to catch that one, but hopefully the results are different. The loss will affect BU's ranking again, but if they can win tomorrow I'm certain they'll remain in the top 5. It'd be wrong to move them out of there regardless.

Hockey East Pre-Season Rankings

The NCAA hockey season is just around the corner. If you are one of the people who don't really follow college hockey, you should get into it. If you're used to NHL hockey, NCAA will look like it's moving at a snail's pace with terrible passing; on the other hand, it's a lot of fun to watch these guys develop. If anything, watch a game between BU & BC. It's a great rivalry; anyone can get into it. Hockey East media day was this past Monday. The coaches released their preseason poll. The following is the rankings and my personal comments if I had any:

1. Chestnut Hill University - Oh, I mean Boston College (but it's not in Boston nor is it a college, so really the name makes no sense). I had forgotten that they are the defending national champs until now. It's possible I might be sick to my stomach. Anyway, yes, BC will be good again. Surprise, surprise. Sophomore goaltender, John Muse, is unbelievable. I actually like him better than former BC goalie, Cory Schneider. The team will be led by Brock Bradford (who missed a lot of last year with injuries), Benn Ferriero and Tim Filangieri. Collectively, they'll play well. They lost a big player in Nate Gerbe who skipped his senior year to go pro. The Eagles will miss all 3'9" of him. They'll also have a big scoring hole to fill. Will they repeat their NCAA championship? It's a possibility, but for the sake of my sanity, let's hope not.

2. Boston University - The team you should always be rooting for. ;-) BU has a lot of potential this year. If they want to, they can be great. If they don't want to, they could suck. Last year was a medicore year with a poor start and a strong finish that didn't amount to much in the post-season. They have some great players -- Colin Wilson (7th overall to Nashville in 08), Kevin Shattenkirk (14th overall to Colorado in 07), Colby Cohen (45th overall to Colorado in 07), Brian Strait (65th overall to Pittsburgh) and so on. If Wilson can play like he did the second half of last year, it would help BU out a ton. Defensively, they should be pretty sound with Strait, Shatty, Cohen and Matt Gilroy. The interesting situation to watch will be goaltending. After last season, BU got rid of Brett Bennett. That leaves sophomore Adam Kraus and two freshman -- Grant Rollheiser and Kieran Millan - to split the duties. I saw Kraus play in one game last year, and he looked decent. Then again that was against the US U-18 development team. It's totally up in the air, and it could really affect the team who is still dreaming about its days with John Curry. The freshman class has 10 guys in it - aka it's huge. Hopefully they learn quick.

3. New Hampshire - You can usually count on UNH to be pretty good. They lost a great goaltender in Kevin Regan, but I think they'll be fine without him. 2007's 2nd overall pick, James VanRiemsdyk, is back for his sophomore year. He's a big kid, and he wasn't drafted number 2 for no reason.

4. Northeastern - Nobody hates Northeastern. I'm not sure if anybody really loves them either. They're just there. Kind of like Harvard. Their key player is their goalie, Brad Theissen. His freshman year he was one of the best goalies I saw play; last year I felt like I didn't see as much from him. It's not that he was bad, but something wasn't the same. While NEU is never a team that's been a huge threat, you can always count on them to steal games from you when you're not expecting it. Pittsburgh draft pick, Joe Vitale, will captain the team.

5. Vermont - I still don't know what a Catamount is, but oh well. Vermont knocked out BU last year in the Hockey East playoffs, but lost in the semi-final to BC. You can't take them lightly, but they don't really have anything that stands out about them.

6. UMass
7. UMass-Lowell
8. Providence - I think being named the Friars just kills season hopes year after year.

9. Maine - It's weird to see Maine ranked this low. Last year, they missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998. They're usually a dominate team, but last year's unsuccessful season looks to carry into this one. It happens. Teams have good streaks and bad streaks. They also have ten freshman joining the squad this season.

10. Merrimack - Oh gosh. Someone please put this team out of its misery. Ranked last. I think the poor Warriors finish last just about every year. I'd love for them to have a good season one of these times. But I'm not so sure that will happen.