Eagles in Hunt For Top Canadian Defenseman

The Boston College Eagles are one of just a few schools in the sweepstakes for 6'0 defenseman Dante Fabbro out of Whistler, British Columbia. The right handed shot set a BCMML defenseman record with 61 points last season and will play for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL next season. 

Like I said the other day, we need to start adding defenseman and what better way to start than adding one of the top 1998's in North America? There is a chance Fabbro ultimately decides to go the CHL route but many believe college hockey is a legitimate option. The other schools believed to be in the hunt for Fabbro are Wisconsin, North Dakota, and.....Boston University. 

Go Eagles. 

Who Do You Have ?

While searching through the internet today, I came across a really cool chart from Yost Built, a Michigan hockey blog (he is no longer writing but still a great twitter follow). The chart listed five players from each position (goalie, two D, LW/C/RW) and each player had a price ranging from one dollar to five dollars. The best players were five dollars and it went down in descending order. Obviously, we've been fortunate to have so many great players throughout the history of our program but I narrowed the chart down from 1985 to the present. You have $18 to spend on your starting six guys. I know I left a lot of great players off. I tend to favor the recent guys because those are the ones I have been following. Anyways, have fun with it

If you would like, please comment your team using the comment function, you can also email it to me. bchockeyblog@gmail.com

My team would be- Johnny G, Marty Reasoner, Cam Atkinson, Matti Kaltianinen, Greg Brown, and Peter Harrold. That is $17.

Top 5 Program Improvements

I hate the offseason. It's killing me. I don't know about you but I'm ready for the snow to start falling again. Anyways, today I thought we would take a look at the top five things that the program, as a whole, can do to be more successful. I'm not really talking about x's and o's, rather what the athletic department and the staff can do to make the program that much better than it already is. 

1. One more forward in the 2014 recruiting class. I've probably said this over 1000 times but it's something I can't stress enough. Our top four scorers from last season are gone but for some reason, we only have three forwards coming in to replace them. As I said earlier, I expect each newcomer to earn a spot in the starting lineup come next October, heck Tuch/Milano/Hanifin will probably start and play first power play unit. I think the staff still plans on bringing one more guy in because I believe they do have one more scholarship (Johnny G's) to use. It's not going to be Miles Wood so I'm not really sure what they will do. Maybe Colin White? Highly doubtful 

2. Improvements to Kelly Rink. Let's be honest for a second here. There are probably five rinks in Hockey East that are much better than the Eagles home. Now, there is no chance they blow the place up and build a brand new state of the art rink like BU or Notre Dame but it would be nice to make some improvements. First of all, they have to get rid of the plastic seats. They're the most uncomfortable things ever. The chairs at Agganis are the type of chairs you could take a nap in. I stand up the whole game because BC's are so uncomfortable. Secondly, I would like to see them update their concessions. The hot dogs stink, the pretzels are horrible, and the ice cream is all packaged stuff. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, I would like to see BC buy Cleveland Circle rink (right across the Reservoir) update it, and use it as a practice rink. The biggest recruiting disadvantage the staff has is telling kids that they won't be practicing very much at their own rink. Coaches at BU and Notre Dame use this as a major emphasis when recruiting the same kids BC does. They have their own rink to practice in and use 24/7. We don't. 

3. New jerseys. I'm a uniform guy. Always have been. I flat out despise our current uniforms. They're the type of uniforms a squirt team wheres. They're not classic at all, they have too many stars and stripes, the lettering is awful, and most of all our helmets are the most plain things ever. My favorite uniform in college hockey is Minnesota's. I want to see BC go back to the gold helmets. Those things were amazing. At the very least, they have to go back to the ones worn from 2001-2011. The BC patch on the shoulder and the classic maroon and gold jerseys with two or three stripes were perfect. I don't know why the heck we got rid of them. Here is a nice article from the boys at BC Interruption on what they want to see in a new jersey. 

4. Trying to get more "big name" schools to come to Chestnut Hill. I am very confused as to why we play four games out in Minnesota yet they are only coming here for one game on the day after Thanksgiving? We've played out at Michigan close to five times in the last decade yet they haven't been here since before I was even alive (but they're coming this year). I saw an idea on a message board a few days ago that I liked. Why not have BC and BU each bring in a big name school (North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan) and have both games be played at the Garden. I think it would draw a tremendous crowd. The other thing I would like to see go on the schedule is a non-conference game against BU. When it comes to BU, I could care less if we're playing for a bag of M and M's. Why not schedule one or two non-conference games against them every year. Maybe even have it at the Garden like Michigan and Michigan State do @ Joe Louis Arena. As much as fans want to see the Michigans and Minnesotas of the world, nothing beats playing BU.  Nothing. 

5. More defenseman recruits. Right now, the staff has just two defensemen coming in over the next two years, Hanifin and Fitzgerald (2015). I expect that at least two guys from this upcoming years defensive core will be gone so they have to find a way to fill that void very quickly. Keep an eye out for USNTDP defenseman Zach Werenski. All signs point to him going to Michigan but maybe the staff will make one last push. There are also some great local talents such as Ryan Shea (BC High) and Luke McInnis (Hingham, Marty's son). 

Go Eagles. 

State of the Program Part Two....Recruiting

Let'a be totally honest for a few minutes. I could write the greatest post on Johnny G, a win vs BU, or some other big event but the only thing that REALLY matters to viewers is recruiting. Trust me, I'm the same way. Who we going after? Who's the next "one"? Is this kid any good? Did we beat out BU? Yhea. Everyday, 24/7...it's all about the recruiting.

Anyways, the landscape of college hockey recruiting is starting to really change. Back in the 80's and 90's you could get top end prospects to commit in their junior or senior years and almost all the time they came from prep schools or another local high school (in New England anyways). I mean, look at the number of players BC got straight from prep schools fifteen/twenty years ago and compare that number to now. Mary Reasoner, Craig Janney, Brian Leetch, etc all these guys came from the prep ranks. But that's not the biggest issue for the college game (it is for the high school game). The big issue here is that coaches need to try and get commitments from kids at such a young age. Look at Maine, they got a commitment from a 13 year old a couple months ago. 13! Between the ages of 14 and 19 (or whatever age you arrive on campus, 21 in Lowell's case) a lot can change in the hockey world. A lot. Unfortunately, coaches have to take risk on players at such a young age and sometimes those guys just don't pan out.

That leads me right into my next point, the so called "gentlemen's agreement". BC, more so than any other program, has taken a boatload of heat over the course of the past few months for gaining commitments from players that were previously committed to other institutions. For anyone to go out there and say the staff "tampers" with other schools recruits shortly before they are set to arrive is just pathetic. In most cases (Milano for example) the recruit will tell them they don't want to go to the school they are previously set to attend. In other cases, players will either not qualify academically or decide that the ECAC is not the level of hockey they want to play at (Wood, Bracco). BC isn't going out there and talking to every single committed prospect they can. If they catch wind that a kid they think is good enough to play here doesn't want to go to his previously committed school, then they're going to inquire about the possibilities of that kid potentially coming to BC. But to say they're recklessly breaking this agreement is totally, 100 % false.

Anyways, let's dive into some specifics. As I said last time, there is still one more question for next season's roster, they need one more impact forward but we've been over that 100 times and you know how that situation looks. The biggest issue right now for the future is the blue line. Our D core next season will be as good as any we've ever had but hypothetically, Matheson, Hanifin, McCoshen, and Santini could all bolt to the pros after the final game of next season. As of now, we have just one defenseman (Casey Fitzgerald) coming in the fall of 2015 so as you can tell, we need to get a couple of defenseman to sign on for that season.

The final piece of the recruiting puzzle I think we should discuss today is the goalie need. Personally, I think Thatcher Demko will be here for two more seasons but if he has the season he is capable of having next season, he could certainly bolt. Of course, Billett and Barone will be gone after this year so that leaves the Eagles without a potential starter for the 15-16 season if Demko does in fact leave. A couple of weeks ago highly touted USA u17 goalie Blake Weyrick decommited from Brown because he wanted to play at a more recognized program. He could certainly be a potential guy they could bring in to replace Demko. Yes, they have a commitment from Chris Birdsall for the fall of 2015 but he really struggled in the USHL in this season and if that continues next year, I'm not really sure what the future holds for him.

So, here are the biggest recruiting needs. 

1. As I've said over 100 times, another top end forward for this fall (cough, cough Miles Wood).

2. At least two more defenseman (one shut down, Santini type) for the fall of 2015. I expect Matheson and at least one of McCoshen/Hanifin/Santini to be gone.

3. Thatcher Demko's replacement. They always find goalies pretty late in the game. It's the toughest position to evaluate, I think.

Go Eagles

State Of The Program: Part One

That loss still stings. Not as much as a loss to BU but it still stings. However, mix in a huge commitment (Bracco) and decision by Matheson to stay, and things are suddenly looking a heck of a lot better in Eagle Hockey world. I didn't have time to elaborate much on this but I was super excited about the choice of Mike Matheson to be the next captain of the Eagles. I think he's a terrific teammate, possesses a certain amount of talent that I don't think any other defenseman in the country has, and most importantly, he is someone that will represent this school with class and dignity. I'm sure some were surprised that it wasn't a senior but let's be perfectly honest. The senior class hasn't met expectations. In his three years here, Johnny G recorded 175 points. The other four forwards in his class (Straight,Sit,Smith,Linell) have recorded a combined 109 points in that span. That's not the type of production we look for around here. That brings me to my first point in the state of the program, a feature that will cover all aspects of the program (what needs to improve, what is looking good, recruiting, scheduling, all that fun stuff).

1. This years senior class needs to step it up three or four notches. I have to be honest with you, I am really worried about these guys. 42 points this season between Straight, Sit, Smith, and Linell just isn't going to cut it. I mean, I don't even know if all of these guys are going to be in the lineup. I think Sit will be fourth line center, Smith fourth, maybe third line left wing, same situation with Straight and as for Linell, it doesn't look promising. This is going to be the youngest team of the Coach York era (I believe) and the incoming freshman are going to look at the seniors and go by their example. If you have senior leaders that are going out and having a good time even though they aren't performing on the ice, the freshmen are going to pick up on that. These guys have to change their whole mentality over the summer. They're not here to have a good time and party. That's not why they were given an opportunity to come to this institution. Work hard, set an example, and most importantly, beat BU.

2. One more question mark heading into next season. It's a big one. Go through the lineup yourself and you will see we need one more forward to be accelerated. Tuch, Milano, and Sanford will come in and play huge roles but if we get Miles Wood to campus next fall, we will have three lines that can score and a fourth line that can play against another team's first line. Milano can play first line left wing, Miles can play second line left wing, Tuch can play second line right wing, and Sanford can play third or fourth line center or right wing.  Accelerating Miles would allow the staff to move Fitzgerald to center which could greatly enhance the production of the guys playing with him. I wouldn't get my hopes up though, I think he is headed back to Nobles.

3. How much can the defense step up their offensive production. Overall, I think Matheson's offensive performance this season was just a tad below what they wanted, Doherty's was average, so was McCoshen's, Santini isn't really a guy you're looking at to score and distribute, and Savage was probably the biggest surprise of the group, recording 18 points on the year. The best part of next year's club is that every defenseman is going to possess the ability to skate north/south and make plays offensively. Our forward group is solid but it isn't what it was this year or what it will be in 2015. Our defensive group on the other hand, is as talented as any group we've ever had, rivaling the legendary D core of the 2009 Terriers. In a perfect world, you would like to see Hanifin and Matheson have 30+ points, McCoshen and Savage record around 23/24, and Doherty/Santini to be around 20. It is, without a doubt, a group to get extremely excited about.

Part two coming up tomorrow or later this week.

Go Eagles.

Matheson Named Captain

Junior Michael Matheson has been named the captain of the 2014-15 Boston College Eagles. Quinn Smith and Mike Sit will be his assistants.

Congrats Mike !

Bracco Decommits from Harvard, Commits to Boston College

Leading USA u17 point scorer Jeremy Bracco committed to Boston College this afternoon, per sources. Bracco will be arriving on campus in 2015 with current u17 teamates Colin White and Casey Fitzgerald. I know I say this about almost every recruit we get but this kid is supposedly the real deal. The Long Island native recorded 17 goals and 54 assist this season for a strong US u17 team. Fellow BC commit Colin White was second on the team with 63 points.

What a huge get. I mean look at our roster for 2015-16, it might be the most talented one we've ever had. Bracco, White, Milano, Tuch, Cangelosi, Wood, Gilmour, Calnan, Dudek, Fitzgerald, etc. I mean, that team is going to be loaded. Absolutely loaded. 

Anyways, another day, another top end recruit. Mix in Matheson's commitment to next years team and it's been a great week in Eagle Hockey world. 

Go Eagles !!

Matheson Coming Back !

Big news on the Heights today as sophomore defenseman Michael Matheson announced he was coming back for his junior season. Huge news. I'll have more later this week but for now, things are really looking up.

A Couple of Huge Decisions Looming

I don't know about you but I'm still recovering from that loss. It's been tough but anyways, congrats to Union on winning the National Championship. They deserved it. Hats off to Rick Bennett, what a program he has built up there. I look forward to our next meeting, whenever it may be.

For me, the best way to get a season ending loss off my mind is to look ahead to next year. Obviously, we lose the big three plus our fourth leading scorer in Patrick Brown but we return a good chunk of our second and third lines. Look, next year is all about how guys like Ryan Fitzgerald, Austin Cangelosi, Adam Gilmour, and Chris Calnan can step up. I think out of all those guys, Fitzgerald has the best shot to step up and become one of the top notch players in Hockey East. Gilmour, Cango, and Calnan were better towards the end of the season but they have got to start putting pucks in the net. The good news for these guys is that they should be given ample opportunities to step up and produce, which they weren't always given this season.

As for the incoming forward class, we've got some good players but the bottom line is they're very young. We saw what age and experience can do for you vs Union. I'm not saying these guys are not going to be good, they're going to be tremendous, but it is going to take some time. We have two, maybe three, forwards coming in and each one of them will play a role on the first or second line. Sonny Milano is the most skilled forward of the group. He is quick, has tremendous hands, and will hopefully be the top scorer on the team next season. Alex Tuch is 6'3 power forward that is the meat and potatoes guy on a top line. Zach Sanford is another big guy (also an NHL draft pick) that will come in an be expected to produce quickly. Don't know if he will be a second liner off the bat but he should get a spot in the lineup. The one question mark is the guy I think has the biggest upside, Noble and Greenough forward Miles Wood, who has yet to decide whether he wants to come to BC or go back to Nobles. If Miles does indeed come next season, he would certainly play first or second line left wing. He is one of those unique hybrid forwards. He is a big kid but man does he have a powerful stride. So, basically, the point of this post is to stress the amount of importance into getting Miles Wood to campus next fall (and another guy but that's for the next paragraph). He will eat the ISL up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner next season. If he comes to BC, he will be put in a situation where he will be given every opportunity to play power play, first line, kill penalties, etc. WE HAVE TO GET HIM TO CAMPUS.

Basically, if those three guys come, we will have one of the deeper forward lineups in Hockey East, IF Gilmour, Calnan, and Cangelosi (to a lesser extent) can take that next step. It's going to be a growing process, as it always is with young kids but the offense isn't my worry. It's the defense. I heard from multiple sources today that Michael Matheson is leaning towards signing with the Florida Panthers and forgoing his final two years of eligibility. If Mike leaves, we are in big trouble. Really big trouble. All along, the strength of next years team was going to be the defense because we would have arguably the three best returning Dmen in the league along with a freshman stud and two gradually improving offensive guys (Doherty and Savage). But if Mike leaves, that all falls apart. And to be honest, I'm furious about what some of the fans have said about Mike. They make it seem like he had the worst season any defenseman has ever had. Did he make some mistakes ? Sure, but are you gona seriously tell me we would be better without him than with him? Look at the amount of minutes he played vs Lowell, Denver, the Beanpot, etc. We need this kid.

I'm really worried about this team if Mike does not come back. Really worried. I was under the impression all along that he was coming back but because of some recent events, that mindset has drastically changed. Sure, Hanifin is going to come in and make a huge impact but he's 17 years old. He'll be playing against guys six and seven years older than he is (8 years older in Lowell's case). By the end of the year, he will be one of the top offensive defensemen in the country but imagine how good a power play unit of Wood-Fitz-Milano along with Hanifin-Matheson could look. Are we going to be an NCAA team even if Miles and Mike don't come next year? Probably. Are we a National Title contender without them? I don't think so.

Go Eagles

Updates

Now onto my least favorite topic of the year. Early departures. As you already know, Johnny G has forgone his senior year and will play for the Flames this Sunday vs Vancouver. Billy Arnold also signed with Calgary and is expected to play Sunday. Here's what else you should know. 

Patrick Brown has signed with Carolina. Congrats ! 

Kevin Hayes will NOT sign with the Chicago Blackhawks because of issues steaming from the departure of his brother Jimmy. Imagine if he signs with Calgary and the big line is back together. 

Michael Matheson has not made a decision and will not make one for some time, according to a source. 

I'll get more into this later but expect Miles Wood to be accelerated due to the fact that Johnny is not coming back. He, like G, is a left wing. 

Go Eagles. 

He's Gone

Hobey Baker #3 for the program. Passes BU !

I'll never forget walking into the Fessenden School rink in early September of 2011 for the first practice of the year and hunting down one of the coaches asking what number this kid Gaudreau was. Coach Cav signaled "13" from the ice and I just kind of chuckled. The kid was smaller than I was and he looked like a toothpick out there. No chance he can compete at this level. Yes, I was a doubter. I didn't actually believe Johnny Gaudreau could make a living playing the game of hockey, and I didn't even comprehend that he would enter the ranks of Gionta, Gerbe, Emma, Janney, etc. I sit here tonight and tell you, I was wrong. Dead wrong.

In his three seasons at BC, there hasn't been anyone that's rooted harder for Johnny than me. For some reason, I thought he was a once and a lifetime colligate hockey talent. He does stuff with the puck that I couldn't do in a video game. Obviously, I'm not on the team and I'm certainly not tight with any of the players but just from being a bit on the outside, I could tell Johnny's teammates had an enormous amount of respect for him, and he felt the same way back. He treated everyone the same way, whether it was the blogger or the team manager or his roommate, he always seemed to take a few seconds out of his day to make sure you felt better. In his press conferences, he never once sounded above anyone else, I mean, if I had that type of talent, I don't know how I would act but I can assure you it wouldn't be as humble as Johnny was. In reality, that's what this program is all about. Sure, we want to win championships but the main goal is to produce young men that will go on and represent Boston College to the highest degree. I go to bed tonight knowing that Johnny Gaudreau will represent this school and this program to the very highest levels.

To Johnny, I think I can say on the behalf of everyone within the BC Hockey program, thank you for the lasting memories on the ice. Your sweet dangles, impressive snipes, and swift feet are second to none in this game. I wish you nothing but the absolute best in Calgary. Yes, there will be tons of people that will question your size and your strength but no one will call into question your skill and more importantly, your character. This university, this program, and this blogger will always be here to support you, no matter what happens out west. Thank you for everything.

And yes, he is the greatest Eagle there has ever been. Ever.

Go Eagles.

It's Over

This one feels a little different. I don't know why. This one stings. A lot. Something about this club, I really felt they had it but I, like you, can take solace in the fact that the better hockey team won tonight. Congratulations to Union and head coach Rick Bennett. No matter what you think about the man after his fight vs RPI head coach Seth Appert, he is one heck of a hockey coach. Man, that is a good hockey team. If they don't win the National Title on Saturday night I would be shocked. What a wagon. Sure, BC had their moments but for the majority of the game, the guys in maroon vastly outplayed the guys in gold and when the guys in gold made mistakes, the Dutchmen pounced. You can't make many, if any, mistakes in the Frozen Four because you know your opponent is a powerhouse, no matter what the name is on the front of the jersey.

At the end of the day, I'm very proud of this team. They played their hearts out tonight. Did some guys make some costly mistakes ? Unfortunately, yea, they did but you know what ? Each and every player on this team should be proud of the way they played this season and in this game. The young guys, especially Steve Santini, Ryan Fitzgerald, Adam Gilmour, and Chris Calnan made tremendous strides over the final month and a half of the season. To be honest, I was worried with Fitzgerald's play halfway through the season. Sure, he had the penalty that led to the big Union goal but I thought he had the puck on his stick the whole night, looking to make a play. He's going to be a tremendous player here someday.

I think that at some point, we all have to take a step back and look at what this senior class has accomplished in their four years here. Of course they have the National Title in 2012 but the Beanpots, two Hockey East championships, three Hockey East regular season championships, and numerous other accolades will long be remembered. Like I said after the Beanpot, if you want your kid to have a role model, have him study Pat Brown. He isn't the most talented guy in the room, he's not the biggest, fastest, strongest, etc, but he's the hardest working. He will do anything for his team. I'm not one to say whether or not he has a career playing hockey but anyone that can surround themselves with the work ethic that this kid has, will truly benefit. Billy Arnold, when people ask me what's the most pumped up I've ever been in my life, my answer has always been your goal in the 2012 Beanpot. That tournament/beating that team means a lot to me. Thank you for that lasting memory. Kevin Hayes, the way you have resurrected your career through all the criticism you received is something I greatly admire. I believe you will have a long pro career, wherever it may be. Isaac Macleod, you to have done a fantastic job going from a once and while player to an every game type of guy. Good luck to all of you guys. Thank you for the sacrifices you made to this program.

If you follow this blog, if you know me as a person, or if you see my tweets, you would know that Johnny Gaudreau is my favorite hockey player of all time. When he was a freshman in 2012, I emailed Tim Clark and asked if there was anyway I could meet him and talk for a few minutes and I don't know if I'll ever forget when Johnny came up to me after one practice and talked with me for five or six minutes. I played hockey when I was a little kid (stunk), I have a pair of siblings that play, I've been going all over the country watching this program play, I've been up and down New England watching high school prospects, and I watch a fair share of NHL games. I've never seen anything quiet like Johnny Gaudreau. I usually go to practice one or twice a week to get the update on the lines/injuries/etc, but sometimes if I had nothing to do after school, I would hop in the car and drive over to the rink just to see what moves Johnny had in store for the day. Johnny, thanks for all the amazing things you did on the ice for this program but most of all, thanks for taking time that afternoon to make my day. No matter what you decide to do, you won't find a bigger fan of yours (outside of your family) than this guy.

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone for following along this year. I've got a few people I'd like to specifically point out. First of all, my mom and dad for the gas money, support, and love. Doing this thing isn't always easy but they helped me in so many ways. To my friends for coming to the games with me and dealing with my insane obsession with BC hockey. To Tim Clark, Dick Kelley (RIP), and Mark Majewski for supplying me with media passes for essentially every game this year. Lastly, thanks to you, the reader for following along. There is nothing in this entire world I love more than this program. It means everything to me. To be the "blogger" is something that I take an enormous amount of pride in. Thank you for following along.

No updates on any early departures yet. Will have more when it becomes available.

GO EAGLES !

Previewing the Union Dutchmen

We all remember it. We all recall the feelings of utter disappointment, sorrow, and sadness that came with seeing one of the great senior classes in our programs history exiting the ice one final time after being embarrassed 5-1 in the semifinals of the East region last season. It was a Shakespearian tragedy, if you ask me. It's been close to 365 days since that dreadful night but guess what tomorrow brings ?

A chance. A chance to make another National Championship. A chance for a group of freshmen to show their talents on the game's grandest stage. A chance for a once and a lifetime talent to show the world why he is the greatest college hockey player of all time. A chance for this group of young men to end the season of the team that ended the careers of some of the best guys to ever put on the maroon and gold. What do you think Pat Mullane would do to play in this game ? Pat Wey ? Parker Milner ? They'd jump off a bridge to get an opportunity. Tomorrow night, this Boston College Hockey team has a chance to do something special.

Do I sound pumped ? Well, that loss last season was something I won't forget. That along with Colorado College, Michigan State, and 07 Beanpot are the ones that won't ever escape my mind. But, a win tomorrow night would make the memories of last years stunner a distant memory. The problem ? We're facing a heck of a hockey team. Union is really, really good. They're deep, they're big, they're experienced, their extremely well coached, and they've got the top defenseman in the country. In fact, if you told me I could have any player on my team other than the big three, it would be Shayne Gostisbehere. The guy can flat out play. But, like every other team that plays at this time of year, they've got a bunch of other guys that can skate. Basically, they have four lines that can score. Let's take a look at their forward lineup

Daniel Carr (22-26-48)-Mike Vecchioni (12-19-31)-Daniel Ciampini (19-17-36)

Matt Wilkins (6-14-20)-Eli Lichtenwald (8-11-19)-Nick Cruice (6-1-7)

Matt Hatch (13-8-21)-Max Novak (14-15-29)-Kevin Sullivan (8-27-35)

Cole Ikkala- Sam Coatta (5-6-11)- Mike Pontarelli (10-13-23)

So obviously, you can tell these guys are deep. I mean, their fourth line right wing has 23 points this season, outside of Minnesota, I don't think we've played a team that has a fourth liner with those types of numbers. Their first line is as good as advertised, I'd say Carr is one of those guys that is as underrated as anyone in the country. He's certainly a top notch talent that BC's D is going to have to look out for. The bottom line is however, it's not really about what Union does. When BC dictates the tempo of the game, they can outplay/beat anyone. We saw that vs Lowell two weeks ago. That wasn't the best of matchups but the Eagles still found a way to make it happen, playing an excellent third period.

BC's got to be able to forecheck somewhat well. Their defenseman are very good skaters. They move really well and they can get up and down the ice as well as any team in the country, because their D men get the puck to the wing so quickly. I don't expect it to be but both teams have very good penalty kills and power plays, so a penalty-infested game could favor either team. I like the way BC's power play looks but the penalty kill certainly hasn't been what it was in January/early February. If BC takes more than four penalties tomorrow, they probably aren't going to win. This team isn't like the 2012 team where all 12 forwards could kill a penalty. There's a handful on this team but it's not up to that level. I think we can all look forward to an amazing hockey game filled with a lot of ups and downs but hopefully in the end, we'll be playing for a National Title.

Scouting Union- 

Record- 30-6-4...haven't lost since January 31st

Leading scorers- Dan Carr (48 points), Daniel Ciampini (36 points), and Kevin Sullivan (35 points)

Team offense- 3.70 goals per game (2nd)

Team defense- 2.05 goals allowed per game (4th)

Power play- 21 % (9th)

Penalty kill- 83 % (24th)

Penalty minutes- 11.75 minutes per game (39th lowest)

Keys for BC- 

1. Just got to go out there and give it everything. Seriously. Just go get it.

2. Get the puck to #13. Just get it to him.

3. Don't let these guys break it out like their playing my sister's team. Pressure them. Force them to turn the puck over. Cause turnovers and capitalize on them.

4. Get the puck to #13. Can't stress it enough. Just find him. I don't care if someones got to dive. Just get him the puck.

GO EAGLES !!!

Q and A With Union Hockey Reporter Ken Schott

How much do you know about Union ? Probably not much. How much do I know about Union ? Not much at all but hopefully you will be a little more familiar with Thursday's opponent thanks to my question and answer session with Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gasette. Ken does a tremendous job of covering both Union and RPI for the town's paper. He has been covering sports for over 30 years. You can follow him @slapschotts on Twitter. 

Q- It's been a year since Union thumped BC in Providence How is this Union team compared to last years squad ? What are their strengths and weaknesses ?

 To me, this year's Union is squad is better than last year. The Dutchmen are more focused this season. They had a big lull midway through last season before snapping out of it in February. This year, after a 5-3 loss to Colgate at Messa Rink dropped the Dutchmen to 3-3-2, an an angry coach Rick Bennett called out several of his players. The next night, they limited Cornell to 11 shots and won, 3-0, Since Bennett's outburst, they are 27-3-2.

The Dutchmen's strength is that they can play any style. You want to play physical? No problem. You want to go up-tempo? They can play that, too. They are excellent in the defensive zone and have quick sticks. The only weakness to me is in faceoffs. They seem to lose more draws than they win.

Q- Is this a team that is heavily dependent on a few top guys or do they have bottom six forwards that can score ? 

2) Union has a couple of lines that can score. The line of freshman center Mike Vecchione (12-19-31), left winger Daniel Carr (22-26-48) and right winger Daniel Ciampini (19-17-36) is the Dutchmen's top line. In the East Regional, the line of junior center Max Novak, left winger Matt Hatch and right winger Kevin Sullivan led the way with six goals and six assists. Novak was named the regional's Most Outstanding Player. 

The Dutchmen have strong offensive defensemen, left by senior Mat Bodie (6-29-35) and junior Shayne Gostisbehere (8-21-29). Freshman D Jeff Taylor (3-12-15) will be player to watch, too.

Q-Shayne Gostisbehere is one of the top players in college hockey, certainly the top defensemen, what makes him so good and what have some teams done to maybe slow him down a bit ? 

3) Gostisbehere's defensive play has improved greatly this season. He has a plus-rating. He doesn't take as many chances as he did in the past. He is also staying away from taking bad penalties. He is very confident in his offensive abilities and always wants the puck. I don't the opposition has figured out a way to stop him. He has skated circles the opposition. Gostisbehere was the ECAC Hockey Co-Player of the Year and won the Co-Defensive Defenseman Award.

Q-The departure of Troy Grosenick last spring seemed like a huge hole to fill this year but Jr Colin Stevens seems to be doing just fine. Has he been the go to guy all year or has their been a lot of flip flopping between goaltenders ? 

4) Stevens became the third Union goalie in four years to win the Ken Dryden Award as the ECACH's top goalie. He got hurt in the first game of the season and missed the rest of the October games. He has gotten stronger as the season progressed. He set a team record with six shutouts. He set a team record for saves in a shutout with 49 in a 2-0 win over Yale Feb. 28. He always seems to be in position. Also has a great glove.

Q-Last year, I was extremely impressed with the skating ability that some of Union's defensemen possessed. Obviously everyone knows about Gostisbehere but outside of him, who posses a threat on the blue line

5) As I mentioned above, Bodie is one of the Dutchmen's top defenseman. He has a great shot. Taylor has been paired with Gostisbehere for most of the season, and has done a good job. Junior Charlie Vasaturo is a solid defensive defenseman. Sophomore Sebastien Gingras has shown flashes of good play. Freshman Noah Henry, who was platooning in the first half of the year, has become a regular and played well.

Q-Score ?

6) Prediction: Union 4, BC 2.

Q-Lastly, you're a Philly native, in terms of food/touring what are places that Eagle fans should be sure to visit. 

7) I can definitely suggest Pat's Steaks and/or Geno's Steaks, which are across the street from one another at South 9th Street and Passyunk Ave. Two other recommendations are Tony Luke’s, which is underneath I-95 at 39 Oregon Ave., and Jim’s Steaks at the corner of 4th and South streets.And don’t forget to get a genuine Philadelphia soft pretzel. And hoagies. And Tastykakes.

Since I left Philly for York College of Pa. in 1981, a lot has changed in downtown Philly. I'm not sure what the best places are. I'm usually hanging out at places where I grew up in Northeast Philadelphia.

Thanks to Ken for taking the time to answer my questions. 

Eagles Pick Up New Commit

Kimball Union forward Chris Shero, son of Penguins GM Ray Shero, has committed to Boston College for the fall of 2015 according to sources. Shero recorded 15 points in 37 games this season for Tim Whitehead's club. He is a 5'10 180 pound forward from Pittsburgh.

Congrats to Chris on his commitment and welcome to BC !

G Named Hobey Finalist

Boston College forward Johnny Gaudreau was named one of three finalist for the Hobey Baker award today. Obviously. The award will be presented next Friday in between the semifinals and National Championship in Philadelphia. Somehow, Kevin Hayes, who is second in the country in points and has 6 multi point games and 3 three point games didn't get nominated. He recorded 21 points in 14 games this season when he wasn't on Johnny's line. It's a disgrace that he isn't one of the top three finalist and a guy from one of the worst teams in the country (Carey, St. Lawrence) made it when he has 6 less points than Kevin does. Really awful stuff.

Anyways, congrats to Johnny and if he doesn't win the award, the FBI will certainly be called in.

Go Eagles.

Next Stop: Philly !

If you look back at this year, think about how many games BC has played in where you walk out of the building and say "that might have just been the best hockey game I have ever watched". I don't know about you but I said it after the first Minnesota game, Northeastern Beanpot game, and once again tonight after walking out of the DCU Center, moments after the Eagles clinched their 11th Frozen Four berth of the Coach York era (since 1994). I've always been a bit critical of Lowell's style of play and the fact that they're full of 23 and 24 year olds but the bottom line is that team is tremendous. Give Norm Bazin a lot of credit because that program is right there with all the big guns in college hockey right now and Lowell isn't exactly Beverly Hills. Hats off on a great season and tremendous effort.

But how bout those Eagles ? They played their hearts out. Each and every guy looked like they were playing for their lives. Even guys like Brendan Silk, Quinn Smith, Scott Savage, Teddy Doherty, guys that idiots like me often criticize, played like champions. Every time he was on the ice it looked like Brendan Silk was just flying towards the puck and hitting the blue shirt that had possession of it. Is he going to fly up the ice and pull a Johnny G ? No, but when your teammates see that type of effort, they can't help but get inspired. Each time I walked into practice this winter and noticed that Teddy Doherty wasn't going to play the ensuing weekend, I'd put my hands over my face and sigh. Yes, he can be shaky in his own zone at times but when he gets the puck with a little bit of room in the opponent's end, he can make a play. Think about having to sit in the stands while watching your classmates win every game, knowing you have what it takes to be out there. A lot more hard work and determination went into that pass on Ian McCoshen's goal than you can imagine.

After Billy Arnold scored a goal with just about three minutes to go in the second period, I turned to my friend and said "no matter what happens, they have to get out of this period with a lead". I'm sure the players and coaches were probably thinking the same thing. If the blogger is walking around the concourse shaking like a rattlesnake shortly after Lowell scored with under two minutes left in a period (yet again), you can only imagine how a player must have felt. No more than 20 seconds into the period, Lowell scored a garbage goal that deflected off Savage's skate, through no fault of his own. My face looked like it had just seen some type of ghost. I glance over to the bench and there's Coach York clapping/giving guys pats on the back like we had just scored the goal. Meanwhile you got me thirty rows up ready to throw my hat onto the ice. Of course, two minutes later Ryan Fitzgerald scored an insane breakaway goal that was soon followed by McCoshen's game winner. Shortly after the game, I texted one of the guys that was in the locker room and asked what Coach York was saying after the second period, he replied "All positive baby".

Of course, the journey is not over and we're going to have to play the best team in the country in order to play for a National Championship but I think we can all sit back and appreciate what this team has accomplished to this point. For me, it's just simply amazing how this coach continues to get his teams so fired up for this tournament. That weekend against Notre Dame was a disaster. Not many teams can get back up after that. Yet he has these guys so dialed in when it comes to this time of year that they simply refuse to lose. 11 Frozen Fours since his arrival. Amazing. BU has 3 since then.

O and guess who was born just 30 minutes outside Philadelphia ?........G

Why BC won- 

1. They just found a way. There really isn't much else to say other than they found a way to come back and win a hockey game. They played hard, they played physical, they played fast, and they just executed one more time than Lowell did.

2. That first line isn't half bad.

Problems- 

Not looking good for golf weather down in Philly. Hopefully that changes.

Player of the game- I thought Bill Arnold was great tonight. Mike Matheson was flying up and down the ice. Those two.

Next up- Union in two weeks. Frozen Four. 5 PM game. Minnesota vs North Dakota in the late game.

Note- This will Boston College's 24th Frozen Four.


Go Eagles

Lowell Preview

What a tremendous opportunity this club has in front of them tonight. A chance to make another Frozen Four while going up against the team that the majority of "experts" have as winning the National Championship. I didn't stick around for the Lowell vs Minnesota State game but from what I heard, it was a an exhilarating game filled with a lot of great scoring chances and tremendous goaltending. In fact, Minnesota State fired 36 shots on Lowell goalie Connor Hellebuyck, only to be stoned each and every time (they scored a garbage time goal). If you remember the last time we played these guys on February 22nd, we had a two goal lead going into the third period only to see Lowell comeback and tie the game. BC probably had 6 or 7 chances to make it a three goal game but nothing came to fruition. They've got to start somewhat like they did yesterday. This team is built to protect leads (8-0-1 when leading after the first period). 

The thing that worries me the most about Lowell is their depth however they will be without defenseman Joe Houk, a guy that logged a lot of minutes for them throughout the regular season.  They didn't have Scott Wilson in last month's series vs BC and he is probably their best forward. It all comes down to how BC's second line matches up vs the Wilson-Gambardella-Arnold line. Obviously, our first line matches up well vs anyone but with Wilson back, I expect their second line to generate more scoring chances. Fitz-Brown-Cangelosi was relatively solid last night but they weren't able to pot a goal. I don't think anyone expects tonight's game to be 3-0 after the first period. They need to show up. 

Honestly, there really isn't much else I've got to say. We know the team we have. We know the team they have. It's just about what team executes better over the course of these 60 minutes. If the first line plays as well as they did yesterday, I think BC's got a great shot. If BC breaks the puck out fluently and avoids the neutral zone turnovers, they should be in Philly. If not, then it's anyones game. It's been eight or nine years since I went to the city of brotherly love and I would love to go back in two weeks. 

Keys for BC- 

1. No stupid penalties. Lowell only beat us last time because of stupid penalties in the third period. They're too good to be given 5 power plays. That can't happen again. 

2. First line needs to do their thing again. Lowell played them very tough, very physical in the last meeting. BC isn't winning anything without these guys. 

3. Early and often. Can they come from behind ? Yes, but unlike the past, this team is built to protect leads. Grabbing a two goal advantage at any point would be crucial. 

Go Eagles. 

One Down

G scores his first goal. Photo from The Heights.

Talk about a bounce back game. Whew. The #2 Boston College Eagles hammered the Denver Pioneers in the first round of the NCAA Northeast regional this afternoon by a score of 6-2. All six of Boston College's goals came from the big three of Johnny G, Kevin Hayes, and Bill Arnold. In fact, G recorded his first career hatrick. BC outshot Denver by a 33-20 margin and didn't allow DU to get a shot on goal until the seven minute mark of the first period. Overall, it was a complete effort from every guy. Obviously the big three provided the offense, scoring three goals in the first ten minutes of the game, the defense blocked everything in sight, and Demko was his normal, solid, self.

After all the disappointment from two weeks ago (Notre Dame lost tonight which is sweet), I think we all had a feeling BC would come out flying. And that they did. Here's something you probably don't know. Coach York has a couple degrees from BC and might be one of the smartest people I know. He uses a lot of words that I couldn't name the first letter of. So, he figured that the frequent TV timeouts (two minutes each) would give him the opportunity to play the first line more often than normal. As he pointed out in his post game presser, you can't do that in a regular season game because we don't have the luxury of those breaks. So, when Denver put their third line out there with about fifteen minutes left in the period, Coach countered with the big three (on what was basically a double shift after a TV timeout), and of course, Kevin Hayes scored his twenty fifth goal of the season. Shortly after Kevin's first tally, Mike Matheson made a solid breakout pass to the far wing (Johnny G) and he just obliterated the Denver defenseman before wrapping around the net and  eventually scoring. I just can't get over how good the kid is. Take out the fact that he plays for BC and they're in the NCAA's and all that crap. I would go down to Chandler's Pond at 8:30 tomorrow morning to see him play shinny. It's just so fun to watch. Such a special talent/player.

Obviously the scoring was great to see but I thought BC's play in their own end was at least ten times better than it was vs Notre Dame. Every breakout was smooth, there were very few turnovers, and Denver couldn't get any grade A chances on Demko. I honestly can't remember any "great" chances they had in the first forty minutes. Every shot the took was blocked, every pass they made was intercepted and went the other way. The one rough spot was that BC took five penalties even though they killed each one of them off. The fourth line of Silk, Smith, and Sit was sustaining pressure in the offensive zone throughout the whole night, something that didn't happen once vs ND. Much better night for those guys, particularly Smith and Sit.

Look, it was a great effort but this game tomorrow vs Lowell is going to be a war. They're without a doubt one of the top clubs in the country and they proved last month they can play with us for a full 60 minutes. They're the exact opposite of BC. They're big, they're a defensive first team, and they don't have one or two "super stars", o and not to mention they're almost three years older than all our guys are but that's another topic for another day. Tomorrow presents a fantastic opportunity for this club to go out and show the country what they're made of. Heck, 6 of 8 "experts" on one of those college hockey websites predicted Lowell to win this region. Just remember, if you have Johnny G, anything is possible.

Why BC Won- 

1. Johnny G.

2. Bill Arnold.

3. Kevin Hayes.

4. Really solid play in the defensive zone. I thought each defenseman had their share of bright spots tonight.

Problems- 

1. 5 penalties is too much. Were they bad calls ? Yes but still, Lowell scored a power play goal vs us earlier this year. Can't give them that many chances on the man advantage

Player of the game- G

Next up- Lowell tomorrow at 5

Denver Preview

I remember walking out of the Dunkin Donuts Center in the state of shock. My phone was lighting up with all the BC haters I know ready to explode. The Eagles had just been blown out of the water by Union College in the first round of the NCAA tournament and I was ready to take my cell and fire it right to the ground. To this day, kids still love to remind me about that loss and how embarrassing it was. I didn't know what to say, I was like someone who had just seen a ghost. It had been 8 years since that horrifying loss to North Dakota in the Northeast regional final. I couldn't believe it. Yes, the Beanpot and regular season wins make you feel great and all but all the work this team has put in all season is for (hopefully) these next couple of games. As much as I love to glorify the Beanpot and BU rivalry, the trophy that matters to this program more than any other is that NCAA tournament one. If you watched practice for a week in February and then came back and watched practice this week, you would notice two totally different teams. There was no playing around these past five days. There wasn't much laughing and smiling and joking around. These guys remember what happened last year and if they weren't on the team, they've certainly been told about it. This team knows what they've got to do in order to expunge the memories of that game.


The first step towards Philadelphia is trying to get by the red hot Pioneers of Denver University, coached by Maine legend Jim Montgomery.  The Pios won the inaugural National Colligate Hockey Conference championship last weekend by defeating Miami, 4-3. Denver's last loss came March 13th when they lost game one in a best of three playoff series with Nebraska-Omaha. The Pioneers came back and won games two and three in Omaha. I think one thing we've noticed in this tournament over the course of the past few years is that the hot team, not necessarily the better team, plays awfully well. That's certainly the case with Denver tomorrow night. This DU team may not be as talented as some of the clubs George Gwozdecky had (particularly the one that beat us in Oct 2011)  but they are playing some exceptional hockey.

The Pioneers are undoubtedly led by start goaltender Sam Brittan who is fourth in the country in save percentage, first in saves, eleventh in GAA, and sixth in shutouts. Up front, Denver is carried by freshman Trevor Moore who has recorded a team high 31 points. Helping Moore are sophomore Quinn Shore (25 points) and standout defenseman Joey LaLeggia (23 points) and David Makowski (24 points). Don't look at that #4 seed next to Denver's name. They've got an excellent club, are extremely well coached, and are playing as good as anyone in the country right now. Compared to Denver teams in the past, this one might not have one "super star" but they're probably one of the deepest clubs in this tournament. They have 11 guys with 16 or more points with four of those being defensemen. He may not have as many points as he did a season ago (mainly because of injury) but watch out for LaLeggia. The guy is without a doubt one of the top offensive defensemen in the country. He is an excellent skater, has great vision, and can make plays, a combination quiet uncanny for a defenseman these days.

Look, we learned our lesson last year. You can't just show up to these games and coast to victory. We know Denver is going to be fired up to play one of the top teams in the country after barely sneaking into the tournament. Two things need to happen in order for BC to move on to Sunday. First of all, the second line has got to score a goal. When that line is average, BC is just a three man show. Pat Brown, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Austin Cangelosi have to find a way to score one or two tomorrow night. They were so good in the Beanpot, vs Lowell, and other games but they didn't create much offense in three of the four games vs Notre Dame. The other thing BC has got to do is stay out of the box and somehow get to the power play four or five times (ideally). I hate to say it but I don't see BC winning this thing without a fair amount of power plays. I don't care what the stats say. We've got the best #1 power play unit in the country. They just have to get some time. On the other hand, Denver's power play ranks 15th in the country (20%) while their penalty kill is 5th (86.5%)

This has the makings to be a fantastic hockey game. We saw what penalties, turnovers, and the inability to convert on power play chances can do to you in this tournament a season ago. Those are the three things the 2012 team did so well. They had a tremendous PK, they rarely turned the puck over, and had an automatic power play. To me, those are the three key ingredients. I'm not worried one bit about Thatcher Demko. Sure, he struggled at times vs ND but if theres one thing that I'm confident about going into this game, it's that he is going to be tremendous between the pipes.

I don't think much of all the "Worcester luck" and "BC is unbeatable in Worcester"  talk because you never know what can happen. I mean, in 2006 there wasn't a chance BU didn't win that game. And then they got blown out of the water. Anything can happen in this tournament and in this venue. Heck, when they asked Coach York about it today he replied with "They have a Dunkin Donuts around here and that makes me feel a lot better". It's all about the coffee.


Scouting Denver- 

Record- 20-15-6, NCHC champions. Winners of four in a row.

Leading scorers- Trevor Moore (13 goals, 28 assists), Ty Loney (11 goals, 14 assists), Quinn Shore (8 goals, 17 assists)

Best player- goalie Sam Brittan

Notable wins- They won their conference championship. That's good enough.

Notable losses- Canisius...but that was a long time ago.

Quick note- These guys have traveled a lot. Their last home game was on March 8th and since then they've had to travel to Minnesota, Nebraska, and obviously Massachusetts. Fatigue could play a factor.

Keys for BC- 

1. Scoring from the second line. They have to play well tomorrow in order for BC to win. Heck, they've got to play well from here on out for BC to keep advancing.

2. Staff has to be careful playing the fourth line too much. We saw what happened vs Notre Dame. Sure, they made some corrections but that line shouldn't play much in the second half of a close game, especially with the season on the line. I expect G jr- Gilmour-Calnan to be pretty strong.

3. Must get on the power play. Obviously, this is a bit out of their control but the more time spent in the offensive zone, they more power plays BC should get.

GO EAGLES !