Men's Hockey: #7 Boston College tops UNH in overtime

Look who's back !

In a game that had and outstanding pace to it, the Boston College Eagles were able to get two crucial points as they defeated the UNH Wildcats 3-2 in OT tonight in front of 6,501 fans @ the Whittemore Center. Both teams recorded great chances all throughout the game but it was the Eagles who were able to capitalize on a power play chance late in the OT. It's just one of those feel good wins as this team has not won a league road game since December 3rd @ BU and have been somewhat struggling to score at critical junctures in games. One thing that I noticed tonight was that all of the defenseman really started to play more physical and I thought each and every one of them had some strong points in the game tonight. I thought guys like Edwin Shea and Isaac Macelod, both of whom have struggled a tiny bit as of late, had great games today. Shea set up the first goal when he threw a shot towards Barry Almeida, who redirected it past DeSmith to give BC the 1-0 edge early on. I thought UNH also had a very good game tonight as there were a bunch of points in the game, most notably at the end of the second, where UNH was all over BC but Parker Milner was able to make some key stops for the Eagles. I thought the BC penalty kill was once again pretty good tonight as they made a big stop with about nine minutes left to keep the game tied and held the Cats' to 1/6 on the PP. The power play continues to do their job when needed most. Of course there were times where it wasn't great but they got the job done when they were needed. Before I forget, if Barry Almeida is not in the Hobey Baker conversation by years end, there needs to be an FBI investigation. The guy continues to be not just the best player on this team but the best player in the league.

Why BC won 

1. Big goals at critical times. Last weekend, it was Maine who had key goals at key times vs BC. This weekend, it's the Eagles who come up with big goals late in games. 

2. Parker Milner. 31 saves in that environment is pretty tough to do. In two combined games this year @ The Whit, Milner has stopped 70 Wildcat shots. 

3. Barry Almeida. All I am going to say is he better be in the Hobey conversation. 

4. The new lines really seem to be clicking. The lines of Gaudreau-Mullane-Carey, Almeida-Arnold-Whitney and Kreider-Hayes-Sit all had great weekends. I really like the Whitney, Arnold, and Almeida line.

Problems 

1. The second UNH goal was pretty bad. I am not sure what happend but Borisenok was left wide open in front, the other UNH goal was just a good PP goal. 

Next Up- First Monday in February. You know what that means. 

Player of the game- Barry Almeida no questions asked. I thought Arnold and Kreider were also very good 

LATE WHITNEY GOAL GIVES BOSTON COLLEGE 4-3 WIN OVER NEW HAMPSHIRE

Eagles escape with a 4-3 win over New Hampshire

Steve Whitney after his game winner. Photo by  Melissa Wade 

It was another classic Hockey East battle as the Eagles defeated UNH for their fourth straight win over the Wildcats. BC got off to a great start as Kevin Hayes (who had an outstanding game) tallied a goal just 35 seconds in the contest. After controlling the play for the rest of the period but with nothing to show for it, the Eagles then went on to give up a bad goal to the Wildcats just 3 minutes into the middle stanza. John Henrion skated in on Milner who was able to make the initial save but Henrion followed the puck to the corner and fired back in front as it was soon tipped in by Austin Block to tie things up. Right after that, it seemed UNH was really taking it to BC as the Wildcats scored again just 3 minutes later to go up 2-1. Give credit to UNH, they may not be too good this year but they really battled hard and had a lead late in this game. After the Cats' took the lead for the first time, Chris Kreider may have scored the goal of the year as he just completely flew by a UNH defenseman to get the puck and eventually beat DeSmith to tie it up while on the PK.

The third period was a lot like the first in the sense that BC was all over UNH but the Wildcats were ones who took the lead with 5 minutes to go as Scott Pavelski picked up a Trevor van Riemsdyk rebound and put it past Milner. Just seconds after the UNH goal, Austin Block was called for interference to give BC a power play. The power play struggled most of the night but scored when it mattered most as Johnny Gaudreau tied it up after tipping in a Brian Dumoulin shot from the point. With 51 seconds to go, Steve Whitney capped off his game of the year with the game winning goal when he snipped one past DeSmith from the top of the circle (An awesome pass by Pat Mullane to get it to Whitney)

Well, it wasn't pretty but any night we win and The Other School losses it's a great night. BC moved to just one game back of BU as both teams hit the ice once again tomorrow (BC @ UNH, Maine @ BU). I thought a couple of guys were just outstanding tonight. Guys like Chris Kreider, Johnny Gaudreau, and Kevin Hayes really played well tonight. As I said, the star players on this team like Gaudreau, Kreider, and Hayes need to step up and tonight they certainly did. I think Barry Almeida continues to be one of the most underrated players in the league as he played great on both ends. Did a Couple of bounces go our way ? Sure, but I thought those last five minutes were the best since the 60 minutes in the raid on Agganis in December. Great team win tonight but another must win tomorrow to keep pace in pairwise and standings.

Why BC won 

1. Key guys stepped up. When guys like Gaudreau, Kreider, and Hayes are playing at that level, BC is tough to beat.

2. The penalty kill. A great night for a unit that kind of struggled last weekend @ Maine. UNH did not have a ton of great looks tonight.

3. BC really dominated the hockey game. Not only did BC win but they controlled the game. The Eagles outshot the Wildcats by a 34-13 margin.



Problems 

1. Parker Milner struggled tonight. The goaltending issue continues to kill this team as I think we will definitely see another number in net @ The Whit tomorrow night.

2. I think the power play still needs improvement. Yes, the tying goal was big but going 1/5 isn't going to cut it.

Next Up- Saturday night @ UNH 7 o'clock puck drop

Player of the Game- I can't decided on about three guys. Ill go with Steve Whitney because of the game winner.

Hockey East predictions

FRIDAY 
Northeastern @ Vermont. I like the Huskies in the one, they really need it. NU 4-2

Lowell @ UMass. The Minutemen are undefeated @ The Mullins. UMass 5-3 over Lowell

Maine @ The Other School. Maine 5-2.. People will begin to realize this BU team has not proven anything yet. They beat Harvard, NU, Merrimack, and Providence. Really great wins there.

UNH @ BC- UNH is better than their record says but I like BC @ home. Eagles 4-3.



SATURDAY 
Northeastern @ Vermont- I think this will be a victory for UVM. I dont see NU winning two up here. UVM 3-2

UMass @ Lowell- The River Hawks salvage a split with their rival. Lowell 4-1

Maine @ The Other School- I want to say split but I kind of think this will end in a draw.

BC @ UNH- BC gets four huge points on the weekend. BC 3-2 in OT

SUNDAY 

Providence @ Merrimack- The Warriors keep pace with BU, BC, and Maine. MC 5-2

Previewing the UNH Wildcats and the Lines

This weekend the Eagles will finish their season series vs conference rival New Hampshire, BC will host UNH on Friday before traveling to Durham on Saturday. In the first meeting between the teams on 10/15 the Eagles defeated UNH by a score of 5-1 but were outshot by UNH by a 40-25 margin. UNH's leading scorer and one of the best scorers in Hockey East is Senior Steve Moses who leads the team with 17 goals and 11 assist. Some of the other top players for Dick Umile's club are Sophomore Nick Sorkin who has registered 6 goals and 19 assist so far this season. Sorkin also had the only UNH goal in that game vs BC (a power play goal). Also, freshman Trevor Van Riemsdyk leads all defenseman in points for the Cats' with 12 points. One thing that every UNH team has had in the past few years is a first line that could never be stopped but this year it doesn't seem like the Wildcats have killer first line compared to years past. Yes, the Moses-Sorkin-Goumas line is dangerous but compare that to Butler-Thompson-DeSimone from a year ago (they wer almost better than Maine's Abbott-Flynn-Diamond line). The biggest letdown this season for UNH this season has been the play of SR goalie Matt Di Girolamo who went into the season being rated one of the top goalies in the country but currently is on the bench in place of Freshman Casey DeSmith. After this weekend, we should have a very good picture of what the playoffs will look like as The Other School host Maine, Lowell and UMass go at it for two games, NU travels to UVM for two and Providence heads to Merrimack on Sunday.

Keys for the Eagles

1. Goaltending. It looks like Parker Milner will be in net for BC. Parker has 39 stops last time out vs UNH.

2. The penalty kill. Last weekend was a terrible one for a BC power play that just got destroyed by Maine. This UNH power play isn't Maine but it still ranks in the top five in the league.

3. Keep the offense going. Last weekend was the first weekend in a while in which BC started scoring. This needs to continue vs the Wildcats

4. The new lines need to be clicking. I like the new pairings of Almeida-Arnold-Whitney and Gaudreau-Mullane- Carey. We will see how they work out

Players to Watch 

1. Steve Moses. Leads the team with 17 goals and 11 assist. Ranks among the best overall players in the league.

2. Nick Sorkin. 6 goals and 19 assist. One of the best young players in this league.

3. Connor Hardowa. UNH's best defenseman, very dangerous with the puck.

All time Series- UNH leads the all time series  63-62-12 vs BC.

Prediction- BC sweep but both games are decided by one goal. BC needs at least three points.

Note- Looks as if Parker Milner will be in net.

Last time I put out the lines, they were not in positional order. Here they are.

Sit-Hayes-Kreider


Almeida-Arnold-Whitney


Gaudreau-Mullane-Carey


Smith-Straight-Linell

Midweek Column-It's do or die time

BC gets two games vs UNH this weekend 

Usually when you see UNH weekend upcoming, your reaction is "Well this is going to be one tough weekend".  This has obviously been a very tough year for UNH as they sit in unchartered territory at 7th in Hockey East. As much as BC needs four points, the Wildcats are also very desperate because say they get no points over the weekend, they could be in big trouble for just making the Hockey East tournament. As for BC, it's simple, you win two games this weekend, you are back in contention for a #1 seed and right back in the thick of things Hockey East regular season championship wise. In the first meeting of the year between BC and UNH in mid October @ The Whit, BC got outplayed for most of the game but was able to tally a 5-1 victory over the Wildcats. Since then though, both teams have had sub par seasons (for the most part) but have a chance to make up for it in the last couple weeks here. For the Eagles, they need to have one mindset and that is that they must get four points this weekend, no matter what it takes. I think it will be interesting to see how the new line changes work out. I like the new lines of Arnold-Whitney-Almeida and Gaudreau-Carey-Mullane but I am some what worried about the Hayes-Kreider-Sit line simply because Mike Sit really needs to come up big and he has not really had the chance to do so (he is definitely capable of doing it though). Win both games this weekend and were in business, lose two games, well it's beginning of the end for this team. Here are some interesting stats between BC and UNH.

STATS 

1. UNH leads the all time series 63-62-12 vs BC. UNH is just 14-17-6 all time @ Conte Forum. BC is just 7-16-2 all time @ The Whit

2. Steve Moses is tied for the league lead in goals with Maine's Joey Diamond with 17 goals on the year. Moses has tallied a total of 38 points this year.

3. UNH switched starting goalies a couple weeks ago as freshman Casey DeSmith has taken over between the pipes for the Wildcats. DeSmith has a .927 save % and a 3-3 record in games started this year.

4. UNH is 4-4-2 in it's last 10 trips to Conte while BC is 5-3-2 in it's 10 trips to The Whittemore Center

Preview will be up tomorrow

GO EAGLES

We could be seeing these lines on Friday...

Being the wacko that I am, I attend practice today and the lines were once again shaken up. Here's how they looked...

Sit-Hayes-Kreider

Whitney-Almeida-Arnold

Gaudreau-Carey-Mullane

Smith-Straight-Linell.

Honestly, I like the middle two lines a lot. I really like the Whitney-Almeida-Arnold line as it could become the new "big line" for the Eagles. My second thought is that Mike Sit is really going to have to prove himself. Playing with Kreider and Hayes is a big step up for him so he needs to be ready when the puck comes to him as he will be given the opportunity to start scoring. For those of you that are wondering, I bet this is what the staff will go with for Friday. We will see tomorrow if they change in the coming days.

GO EAGLES

So...What Happend to Eagles in Orono ?

Well the two games this weekend were certainly both heartbreakers as Maine was just able to sneak by the  Eagles by scores of 4-3 in OT and 7-4 (with two empty netters) on Saturday. I thought BC did a lot of good things well such as getting the offense going again and sustaining some pressure on Maine. Going into the weekend however, BC had two things they had to do. Not take penalties and prevent the first line of Diamond-Abbott-Flynn from dominating the game. Well the Eagles failed in these two things as they really just gave both games right to the Black Bears. Both games definitely could have been won by BC but crucial mistakes down the stretch in both games were killers. Steven Whitney (who I thought had a great weekend as a matter of fact) made a big mistake when he got the first penalty late in the third on Friday which was soon followed by Pat Wey's stupid cross checking penalty 10 seconds after Whitney went to the box. Yes, BC made mistakes but give all the credit in the world to Tim Whitehead and the Black Bears as they were able to capitalize on what it seemed every single power play they got. BC learned a very valuable lesson this weekend, when you play great teams like Maine, you cannot make the slightest errors.

Now everyone is saying "Well BC is done" and "This team can't beat the elite's" I got news for you people, it is not easy winning in that barn vs that team. This BC team is not dead yet, as they MUST sweep UNH this weekend to keep pace with BU (the Terriers have a tough weekend vs Maine) this week. I am not worried about this team when they are playing at Conte but on the road, it seems that this team is struggling. The goaltending issue is now at an all season high as neither Chris Venti or Brian Billett had a very solid start this week and Coach York says that Parker Milner is not hurt and it was a coaches decision for him not to start. Will Milner get another chance ? I think so and maybe he will even get a shot on Friday vs UNH. I think it will be a lot easier for any one of these guys to play at home. I mean look at the last couple road games, @ Joe Louis vs Michigan, @ UMass, and @ Maine x2, none of those are easy places to get wins. I hope that one of these guys can step up this weekend and help this team stay in the Hockey East race with 4 points.

Trust me, this BC team is not done. Look, things get a little easier here with games vs UNH, Northeastern (in the grandaddy of them all), and Vermont so yes, this BC team is still alive for the Hockey East regular season championship and a NCAA #1 seed. Do they have work ? Sure they do but trust me if they can get four points vs the Wildcats on Friday and Saturday, this team is right back on track.

Maine completes sweep of Boston College with a 7-4 win

Joey Diamond had two goals for Maine 

First of all, sorry for the lateness of this as I was not able to get back until late last night. BC really battled hard last night up in Orono as they even got up to a 2-0 early on. As I said in my preview, Maine is good because they are best at capitalizing on the mistakes that any teams makes. BC took five penalties and Maine had three power play goal. It's simple, when you take penalties vs a team like that, you are going to lose no matter the situation. When the game was tied late and BC had an odd man rush going into the Maine zone, Steve Whitney (I believe) made a drop pass the Macleod that was intercepted by a Maine player and they had a 3-1 they other way and they scored. People were questioning if pulling the goalie with 2:16 was the right call, of course it is the right  call. You never know if you are going to get an offensive zone faceoff like that again the whole game so yes, it was definitely the right call. Yes, BC battled hard and played well in a tough environment but things are not going well right now for the Eagles in terms of winning. It seems like the offense is coming back after scoring 7 goals this weekend but in reality, this team can't settle for "good efforts", this team needs two points night in and night out. The Eagles get a home and home next weekend vs a hot UNH team.


Why BC lost- 

1. The mistakes. Maine's power play is going to score when you give them the chance so you can't take stupid penalties that give them those chances.

2. Odd man rushes. Too many guys are just darting up when BC has an odd man rush going but say they turn it over, like they did yesterday, no one is back and the other team has a 2/3 on 1.

3. Goaltending. Billett wasn't that bad but he gives up way to many rebounds. The shorthanded and winning goal for Maine were juicy rebounds he let up after the initial stop.

Positives 

1. I thought BC played well again but some guys have to step up on the offensive and defensive ends.

2. When the game was 5-5 BC was a better team. Unfortunately, 4 of the 5 Maine goals were either power play or shorthanded goals.

3. The offense seems to be coming around. Next weekend is a due or die weekend for this team. 3 or more points or else this team is in BIG trouble

4. Barry Almeida is the best forward on this team. Argue all you want but when it comes to offense and defense, there is nobody better.


Next up- A home and home vs UNH. Friday @ Conte.

MANGENE GOAL SENDS MAINE PAST BOSTON COLLEGE IN OVERTIME, 4-3

Eagles fall to Maine in OT

Matt Mangene had the OT winner for Maine

Well, it was truly an amazing experience being in that place for that game tonight and it is something I will never forget for as long as I live. BC really played well for the first 55 minutes of that hockey game tonight as they had leads two time over the host Black Bears. Thanks to stupid penalties and bad neutral zone turnovers, Maine was able to walk away with a big win. Coach York said after game "The gameplan was for us to not give them opportunities on the power play" he later went on to say "We ultimately failed in that mission and it cost us the game". I really liked the way guys like Chirs Kreider, Bill Arnold, Brian Dumoulin and Johnny Gaudreau played but some guys just had an off night tonight. I thought the first Maine goal, a goal in which Edwin Shea turned the puck over behind our net, was just really bad. BC appeared to go up 2-0 early in the second but it was called back due to the puck being redirected in by Chris Kreider's skate. BC's power play was the best it has been all year as they were able to go 2-4 on the man advantage but also created a lot of great chances that forced Maine goalie Dan Sullivan to make some great stops.

In the OT, Maine did a great job of taking advantage of a BC neutral zone turnover and Will O'Neil made a great drop pass to Matt Mangene who bombed one over Chris Venti to give Maine the two points. I saw a lot of good things from BC tonight, I thought the power play was great tonight and I thought that the offensive chances were there. Even though they did not score, Maine's line of Abbott-Diamond-Flynn just dominated whoever they were out against. If BC wants to get out of here with a win tomorrow afternoon, they must find a way to stay out of the box and limit that line's chances.

Why BC lost- 

1. The penalties on Whitney and Wey. Steve Whitney got the worst penalty I have seen in awhile and Pat Wey followed it up with a cross-check just 15 seconds later that led to Maine tying the game.

2. I thought Chris Venti was good but let some softies in. I think Chris would like to have back the first and last Maine goals.

3. Maine's power play and first line are amazing. I have never seen a better power play, ever, in the time I have been going to BC/Hockey East games. The move it around so well.

Positives 

1. I thought BC played well. The Eagles were able to outshoot the Black Bear's and started getting the offense going again.

2. The power play. Overall, it was the best game of the year for the power play as they seemed to go goal for goal vs the best offensive team in the league in Maine.

3. There's always tomorrow. I really think BC will be ready to go for a big one on NESN here at the Alfond.

Next Up- Tomorrow 4 O'clock on NESN @ Maine

Check the road trip page to see what I thought of Alfond Arena

My Hockey East picks for the weekend

FRIDAY 

Northeastern @ Lowell. Im going to go with the Riverhawks here. Not impressed by NU last weekend. UML by a 3-2 score.

Providence @ BU- At home, BU will be too tough for the Friars, I think BU will win 4-1

Vermont @ UMass= UMass is very underrated, Minutemen big.

UNH @ Merrimack. My upset of the week. I think UNH wins at least one in this series. UNH 4-2

Boston College @ Maine- I think it's a draw on the first night. 2-2

SATURDAY 

Lowell @ Northeastern. I like NU @ home. Huskies by a 3-1 margin

BU @ Providence. Im not buying BU one bit, people think they are great now that they beat MC and NU, wow two great wins. PC 4-2

Merrimack @ UNH- Merrimack picks up a win on the road and avenges Fridays game. MC 3-0

Boston College @ Maine- BC gets three points. Eagles 3-1

Previewing the Maine Black Bears.

It is now that time of year where every single Hockey East point matters and the Eagles need at least three this weekend as they travel up to Alfond Arena for two games vs the Black Bears. BC dominated Maine in their first meeting this year by a score of 5-1 @ Conte Forum, BC's PP was great on that day as they 2/4 and outshot the Black Bears by a 27-21 margin. Over the course of the past few weeks though, Maine has stepped up their game a little as they have nice wins over UMass, UNH, and a tie @ Merrimack. The best player on not just the Black Bears, but in the country is Spencer Abbott who has tallied a whopping 12 goals and 23 assist so far this season. I would definitely say that Maine's first line of Abbott-Flynn-Diamond is the best in the league and maybe in the country. Yes, they may have some superstars on their first line but this Maine team lacks in terms of depth offensively. I think BC could really take advantage of the second and third line matchup's as I look for a big weekend from the Gaudreau-Mullane-Whitney line. Goaltending wise, the Black Bears rank near the bottom in every major statistical category in the league. Maine has yet to find a night in and night out goaltender so far but compared to BC, I would say their situation is much worst. Ever since Ben Bishop left, this team has been killed by their goaltending. I look for two hard fought games with a great flow to it since both these teams play a great up tempo style.

Players To Watch 

1. Spencer Abbott- The best player in the league. 35 points on the year. Very dangerous.

2. Matt Flynn. Second in the league in scoring. 32 points on the year for the Black Bears.

3. Joey Diamond. Third in the league in scoring. Leads the team in goals with 15.

Keys for the Eagles 

1. Need to find a way. Yes, it will be VERY hard to overcome this team @ Alfond  but if BC stays poised and gets the offense going, they will win.

2. Score First. BC is 12-2-1 when they score the first goal. It would be nice to get off to a good start at Alfond

3. Goaltending. I think Chris Venti will be great again. Let's hope he turns is another solid performance that leads to a victory.

4. Limit Abbott and Flynn. You cannot shut them down but at least try to limit their chances.


All Time Series- BC leads 58-40-9 all time vs Maine. Coach York is 31-24-8 vs Maine.

Prediction- BC gets three points on the weekend

News- Chris Venti will be in net. Lines will be...

Carey-Arnold-Kreider

Gaudreau-Mullane-Whitney

Almeida-Hayes-Linell

Smith-Sit-Brown

Note- I am going up to Maine (I am extremely excited) so check in for Twitter updates. @bchockeyblog1

Midweek Column-Time to go Black Bear hunting

Alfond Arena, the most famous college hockey rink in the country. 

After a up and down week vs UMass and Northeastern a week ago, BC looks to play some great hockey vs rival Maine this week up at Alfond Arena. The Alfond is a tough environment for anyone to play in let alone the #3 team in the country that has had their fare share of struggles in this place. Chris Venti, who I believe will get another go after his great game @ Fenway, needs to be ready for the biggest challenge he will face all year. I am not just talking about facing Abbott and Flynn, i'm talking about handling this crowd ! There is no crazier group of knuckleheads in the country that like getting on opposing goalies more than the Black Bear faithful. I know BC beat Maine 5-1 earlier this year but both team have really changed since then and that game was @ Conte, these games are @ Alfond Arena. I have been thinking about it, there is really one big key for BC this week. Penalties. Maine has by far and away the best PP in Hockey East and maybe the country as they are loaded with guys like Spencer Abbott, Matt Flynn, and Joey Diamond. If BC gets penalties, I guarantee they will lose because that's how the Black Bears beat you. Lets take a look at some key stats heading into the weekend

STATS 

1. BC is 58-40-9 all time vs Maine and are 7-1-1 in the last nine vs the Black Bears. Maine was able to win the last meeting @ Alfond Arena by a score of 4-1 on 1/16/11.

2. Maine's PP has a PP goal in each of the last 13 games and rank second in the nation with a 28% conversion rate.

3. In the last 20 games between BC and Maine @ The Alfond, BC is just 8-9-3 vs the Black Bears.

4. Spencer Abbott leads all Black Bears 35 points on the year while Joey Diamond leads the team with 15 goals.

5. Maine has tallied 69 goals on the year which is second most in the league behind BC (73)

6. Dan Sullivan ranks 7th in the league was 2.93 GAA and eight in the league in save percentage with a .895 average.


Well there is a quick look at the Black Bears. We will have a full preview on the blog tomorrow

Looking back on the weekend that was

Eagles salute their fans. Photo by Melissa Wade 

It was a tale of two very different games for the Eagles as they played by far their worst game of the year on Friday @ UMass but were able to come back with a very strong win vs Northeastern. As for UMass, the team was simply not ready to play. Yhea, they had their chances but overall, they just looked dead on all cylinders. At first, I thought it was strange that Venti was geting the start on Saturday but he definitely proved me and lots of other dead wrong. He, along with everyone else on that team gave a full, complete effort to beat a very talented Northeastern team at Fenway Park. I thought guys like Chris Kreider, Steve Whitney, and Pat Mullane really stepped up and played well on the big stage. One thing that was not their on Saturday was the line of Straight-Sit-Smith. The group really does seem to create much offense and spends much of their time on the defensive end, many times resulting in a goal for the opposition. One thing that I really liked about the end of that game was how the team held up in the final minutes. After a collapse vs Merrimack last week in the final seconds, the guys did a great job of holding up and preventing great looks for the Huskies.

You, as are my, are probably wondering what the goalie situation is. In his press conference last night, Coach York said that he will stay with the hot goalie. I think that is a good hint that Chris Venti will get another go on Friday up in Maine (a place that is tough for any goaltender).  My theory on why they didn't start Milner is that because he has not been consistent one bit. The goals he has been giving up are just really bad and I believe the staff doesn't have the confidence in him to keep him in there night in and night out. One thing that I will say is that the defense is really improving. In the last five games, BC has only given up around 2 and a half goals a game but the Eagles haven't had too many goals either. I think Brian Dumoulin and Tommy Cross are really having outstanding years. I think Dumoulin would get the MVP of this team if the season ended today and Tommy Cross may be the best captain, leadership wise, BC has had in a long time.

One thing I noticed yesterday, is that BC really controlled the game vs NU. They definitely has more chances and definitely outplayed the Huskies which is something I don't think BC has done in a long time. If it wasn't for Rawlings, the score could have been more along the lines of 4 or 5 goals to 1. Another observation is that this is shaping up to be the best Beanpot in a long time. I mean Harvard was up the whole game on BU before blowing it and NU and BC have had some great games this year. This team though, must focus on the task at hand in facing a very talented Maine team up in Orono. There is no tougher place in the country to come out with a W but I believe if this team sticks to what it did on Saturday, they can get a W or two up there.

Notes- 

1. BC will wear those Fenway jerseys as third uniforms for the remainder of the year.

2. Coach York is now just 6 games from 900 wins.

3. Pat Mullane's goal was his first since October 8th at North Dakota.

Eagles get big win @ Fenway vs Huskies

Chris Venti was special in his first carrer start. 

Thanks to an absolutely outstanding performance from one of the hardest workers on this team (Chris Venti), BC was able to get a big win vs a Northeastern team that also really needed a win. I think the most credit for this win though should go to Coach York. Having the guts to go with Venti in for one of the biggest games of the year took a lot of toughness. I have to admit I thought that going with Chris could have been a little bit of a stretch but man did he prove me and many others wrong. The kid has really earned his way by keeping a good work ethic and showing the staff that he can go when needed. BC really came out flying in the first as they outshot the Huskies by a 13-3 margin. Chris Rawlings made a terrible play behind his own net that lead to a BC goal from Pat Mullane to put the Eagles up 1-0. NU came back really hard as they were able to take advantage of a fourth line that struggled most of the night to tie it up. I thought Chris Kreider really had a great game as he gave BC a 2-1 with 15 minutes to go. One thing that BC did tonight that they have struggled with is they held up very as the game went on. NU had their chances but BC really limited the "grade A" chances as the game went down to the last seconds. Awesome win for the team but a big weekend up in Orono next week for two against the Black Bears

Why BC Won

1. The PK. A shorthanded goal and holding the Huskies to 0/3 on the PP is very good.

2. Chris Venti. An amazing story, awesome for this kid to do this on this stage. Hopefully a sign of things to come.

3. I thought Chris Kreider really played well tonight. Hopefully this is the start of a big second half for him.

4. Good solid team defense. Limiting the NU chances late were huge

Problems

The fourth line needs to step up, staring to struggle

Player of the game- Come on. Chris Venti

Next Up- @ Maine for a weekend series on Friday and Saturday

More coming tomorrow

Previewing the Northeastern Huskies

Well I would first of all like to tell you that I am writing this from the press box at Fenway. This place is pretty cool. The Eagles looks to get back into first place tonight with a big time matchup vs the Northeastern Huskies here at Fenway Park. In the two meetings thus far this year, BC has beaten NU both times but both were either won in an extra session or a last second goal. NU is coming off a disappointing loss vs BU last night in a game in which they were up by a score of 2-0. One thing that NU is missing this time around that they had the first two games vs BC are forwards Cody Ferriero and Brandon Pimm. These two are out due to a violations of team rules. Pimm is third on the team in overall scoring while Ferriero ranks seventh on the team. I look for a hard fought game tonight since both team are coming of utterly bad losses. NU goalie Chris Rawlings ranks near the top in all major categories so look for a big game from him. I will report who is in BC's net when I can.. For now, GO EAGLES

Players to watch

1. Steve Qualier. 7 G, 12 A on the season. Leads all Huskies in overall points

2. Ludwig Karlsson. Probably the best freshman in the league as he is second on the team in points. Very skilled player

3. Chris Rawlings. One of the best goalies in the who league. Had 34 stops last time vs BC.

Keys for the Eagles.

1. Just come out flying. I look for BC to come out flying after a rough go last night.

2. Start putting the puck in the net. BC really needs to start scoring. Tonight would be a nice to do so.

3. Backcheck. To many times, players are getting caught up in getting to deep in the offensive zone.

All Time Series- BC is 156-43-14 vs the Huskies. Coach York is 43-16-5 vs NU

Check back later for updates

UMass smokes BC 4-0. Time to press the panic button.

What an embarrassing performance by the players on that hockey team tonight. UMass dominated BC in every stage of the game from start to finish to upend BC 4-0. The Minutemen had some great goaltending from goalie Steve Mastelarz who stopped all 35 BC shots. For the first time in my life I walked out of a BC game feeling embarrassed about how the team played. Some of the players need to realize when you put on that jersey you are expected to try your hardest and meet the high expectations the ones before you set. Some of the players on this team just simply don't do it, instead they loaf around on the ice thinking they play at BC so they must be great. Guys are not realizing who they are playing for and what the stakes are. This is not about a personel thing, this is about an effort thing. Too many players are not giving there absolute 100% percent effort and it is killing this team. This team has skill, it has talent, it has the experience, and it has the chance to be great. For some reason, they decided they don't want to give it their all and it is unacceptable. If you don't want to try hard and be committed to becoming a great team player well you should go somewhere else. This is terrible and it needs/must be fixed in less then 24 hours as BC gets a very good Northeastern team.

Why BC lost. 

1. All of UMass' goals were 2-1 breaks that were created due to players nto getting back. Very similar to the Michigan game.

2. Goaltending. It is a becoming a problem. Billett has some nice stops but let up two very sloppy goals.

3. UMass was better and wanted it more. I have never seen a BC team so not hungry for two points in the league

Positives

Nothing at all. Not one player played well tonight. Not one

Next Up- Northeastern @ Fenway on Saturday 4 O'Clock.

Notes- First time EVER UMass has shutout the Eagles. Pathetic

Previewing the UMass Minutemen

Well this is one big weekend for the Eagles. It all starts tomorrow with a huge road game at the Mullins Center vs UMass. The Minutemen are undefeated at home and beat the Eagles last time out 4-2 at The Zoo but BC's last lost before that to the Minutemen was way back in 2008. Personally, I think UMass is one of the more underrated teams in Hockey East. I think they have some great forwards in TJ Syner and Connor Sheary. Syner leads all Minutemen in goals, assist, and points and also potted the game clinching goal versus the Eagles in early November. Now it is pretty hard to remember a game from that far back but one thing I remember very clearly was how bad the refs were. They called some of the worst penalties I have ever seen that night and were a good part of the reason UMass won the game. UMass has been very good at home on that big ice surface which is something I think BC struggles on from time to time. This is really a huge game for BC. Losing a season series to UMass would really hurt the pairwise but a win on the road vs a team that has the potential to be good could really help. I look for a great up and down flow with lots of scoring chances created on both ends. One thing that UMass has struggled with as of late is finding a goalie. Kevin Boyle ranks near last in all major categories in terms of goaltending but SO Jeff Teglia got the start vs UVM on Saturday. I expect a hard fought game but I really think BC is going to be ready to go for this one. One thing they cannot do and certainly will not do is overlook this UMass team. NU and Fenway can wait, this team needs to critical points for some confidence.


Players to watch

1. TJ Syner. One of fastest players in the league and has great skill. Leads team in all major scoring categories.

2. Connor Sheary- Another fast player that can really make things happen.

3. Danny Hoobs. In my opinion, the second best player on this team. Like Syner, has great speed.

Keys for the Eagles 

1. Do not overlook this game. All the pomp and circumstance of Fenway can wait. This team needs to win this game, it is a must win

2. Just put the puck in the net. The most surprising thing about this team is their inability to put pucks in the net. Need to start scoring.

3. Guys like Gaudreau, Krieder, and Arnold need to step up. These guys need to start stepping up and making plays. Not enough production the last couple of weeks

4. Play good team defense. There were a lot of turnovers last time out vs these guys and if it happend again BC will lose.

Series Info- BC is 50-11-3 all time vs UMass and 47-10-3 under Coach York.

Prediction- Eagles in a close one. 4-3 BC

Note- Check in for twitter updates @bchockeyblog1. Will let you know who is in goal as soon as I know. I would expect Billett again

Make sure to tune into our live chat @ 8:30 on the blog !

Just scroll down two post until you see the chat room.

GO EAGLES

Hockey East Picks for the weekend

I have decided that I will quit with the Inside College Hockey picks thing and just do Hockey East picks. Here are this weeks picks.

WEDNESDAY 

UNH @ PC- UNH needs a win more than PC and they get it by a 4-2 score. 

FRIDAY

Lowell @ UVM- Lowell is very hot right now, Riverhawks 6-2 

BU @ NU- Along with Lowell, NU is very hot and I still think BU is going down the drain even though they beat Merrimack. NU 4-3 OT

Maine @ Merrimack. I think the two will split the series. Maine wins game one 5-3. 

BC @ UMass- An extremely close game but I think BC wins 2-1 with a late goal.

SATURDAY 

Maine @ Merrimack. Mack gets two points back with a strong outing vs the Black Bears. 4-2 MC 

BU @ Harvard- I think BU wins this one but it will be a barn burner and a good preview of what is to come on the first Monday in February. BU 5-4 

Dartmouth @ UNH- Another win for the Wildcats. 5-3 UNH @ home. 

NU vs BC- The biggest regular season ame left in the schedule and no one wins more big games than Coach York's team. BC 3-1

SUNDAY

PC @ UVM- I think the Friars get a win here. PC 4-1 

Weekly Chat for 1/11 on the Blog

Midweek Column- Time to make a move, now.

This team needs a big half from guys like Kevin Hayes

With the exception of Other School week, this may very well be the biggest weekend of the year for this Boston College team. I know I say this a lot but this team is really struggling right now in many different areas even though the results haven't really showed it. Yes, Hockey East is a competitive league, I mean just look at Northeastern who is 8th in the league but they are 17th in the pairwise and are said to be favored vs BC this week. Over the course of the last four games, BC has averaged just two goals and are seemingly not creating many chances. I think the issue with this team is it's confidence. I think they were about to peak after the magical win at that dump of a campus on the other side of The Ave but the break killed them and then they didn't have Arnold for the GLI which created a lot of offensive problems. Now that this team has it's full opening day roster it is time to fly and the time is now.

As we look at the weekend ahead, UMass might just be the biggest road game this team has played in a while. The Minutemen are undefeated @ The Mullins and seem to be playing some very good hockey. UMass is similar to BC in that they have speed. TJ Syner is one of the more underrated players in the league so the BC defensive attack must be ready. Not only does BC need a win, they need to win BIG. Scoring 2-3 goals a game is not going to cut it vs teams like Maine, Merrimack, and The Other School. Some guys really need to start putting the puck in the net in order for this team to get back on track.

When I look at this team I think "wow they have some really good skill and speed" with these traits, you need to be able to put the puck in the net. Guys like Kreider, Gaudreau, Arnold, and Carey did a very good job of that in the first half but their production has dropped and it is clear on the ice. Those are the guys that have overall, have done their jobs and played pretty well. The guys I really want to see come up big are Whitney, Hayes, and Mullane. Of the returning players, Pat Mullane was second on the team in scoring from a year ago and Steven Whitney has more speed and skill than anyone on this team. They must step up on the offensive end for this team to succeed.

This team is good and they work hard. The talent is there for this team to really start to go on a run and go deep into the national tournament. My theory is that over the last 10 years here at BC, we have had some great scorers. Brian Gionta and Nathan Gerbe were two guys that could really light the lamp when their team needed it. This BC team does not have that. Somebody, whether it be Kreider, Gaudreau, Arnold, or Carey needs to step up and take control. If the scoring goes up, this team will win a lot of games. If it doesn't well this team is not going places this year.

Merrimack battles back to tie Boston College 2-2

Brian Billett had 22 saves for BC

It was a game that had a lot of pairwise and Hockey East implications on the line but no blood was drawn as BC and Merrimack settled for a 2-2 tie in their first matchup this year. No one was able to pot any goals in the first as it was a period in which both goalies made some great stops. BC finally struck in the second on a great individual effort by Paul Carey. BC added another just five minutes later when Steve Whitney put home a great pass from Barry Almeida on the penalty kill, to put BC up 2-0. In the last half of the game, Merrimack out worked BC, as they were able to create chances, keep BC at bay and eventually make it a one goal game going into the third. BC held off MC the whole third until Connor Toomey recorded his second goal of the game on a tip in to tie the game up for Merirmack. In the overtime, Merrimack appeared to have scored the winning goal with just 12 seconds left but it was called back due to a high stick. A couple of observations I made were that Brian Billett continued to play pretty solid as he stopped 22 Warrior shots. I think Billett is turning into the every night goalie for BC. My second observation is that this team is really struggling offensively. 24 shots in the game and just one single shot in the third period is terrible. I didn't think the line of Kreider, Arnold, and Carey created as much offense as they should have but I liked they way Whitney-Mullane-Gaudreau played for the Eagles. I thought the way Merrimack was able to battle back and tie that game was just stunning. They kept battling all night long and were rewarded for it with that tie.


Why the Game ended in a Tie

1. Both goalies were pretty sharp. I though Billett and Cannata were both very good tonight.

2. Merrimack outworked BC in the third period. The 6-1 advantage in shots tells the story as Merrimack dominated the third.

3. Both teams played pretty solid in their own zones. I like the way the BC defenseman played except the last goal was terrible.

Problems 

1. The offense. Never really say this about BC but they are not creating enough chances on 5-5 or on the power play.

2. The penalties. Yes, MC did not have any PP goals but BC took 6 penalties and 3 in the third.

Next Up- Huge road game @ UMass on Friday

Brand New Lines for Sunday.

Here are the new lines for Sunday's contest vs Merrimack.

Arnold-Carey-Kreider

Gaudreau-Mullane-Whitney

Hayes-Almeida-Linell

Smith-Straight-Sit

It hasn't been determined who will be in net but I have a pretty good feeling it will be Billett. See you Sunday

GO EAGLES

Previewing the Merrimack Warriors.

Well it is a big weekend in Hockey East, even though there are not many league games. BC, MC and The Other School are all competing for first place in the conference but it should be known that BC has been in first since I believe week two or three (thats amazing). As for Merrimack, no one has bigger weekend than them. They go to that ugly place down Comm Ave tomorrow and then come over to the beautiful side of the Ave on Sunday for a date with the Eagles. Right now, MC is just three points out of first place and the Other School is just one point of first. I don't expect them to be there for to long though. Merrimack was the number one and lone undefeated team in the country for a while until they got swept  by the Providence Friars a couple weeks ago. In terms of their resume, this team has just a  few really quality wins that include BU (when they were good), Northeastern x2, and @ Maine. Im not going to say this team is not "tested" but they certainly are not as tested as a team like BC or Northeastern based on the schedules they have played so far this season.

 Compared to last season's magical run to the Garden and the NCAA's, MC lacks that superstar they had in DeCosta. They have some good players like Flanigan, Todd, and Collins, but I don't know if those guys are as skilled as some of the elite players in the league. One thing that Merrimack does have that no one else does is goaltending. Joe Cannata is in my opinion, the best goalie in the league mainly because of his size which allows him to stop a lot of shots. Merrimack also has some solid defenseman in Stollery, Ellis, and Heywood. Along with these very good puck moving defenseman, Merrimack has a guy named Kyle Bigos. Bigos is as close as it gets to over taking former Other School goon Eric Gryba for Hockey East's all time goon.

Players to watch

1. Ryan  Flanigan (6 G, 8 A)

2. Jesse Todd (6 G, 7 A)

3. Joe Cannata. Ranks in the top three in the league in Save %, GAA, and Winning %.



Keys for the Eagles.

1. Get as many shots as you can on Cannata. He is a great goalie so the more shots, the more chances for rebounds.

2. There will be chancs on the PP so take advantage. Merrimack is third in the league in penalties (guess whose first)

3. Play 60 minutes. A fantastice 20 minutes vs Michigan was not enough, and a good 50 vs Michigan Tech was almost not enough. Play solid from start to finish.


Last time out- BC captured a third Hockey East title in four years as they defeated MC 5-3 at the Garden.

Series History- BC leads 55-20-4. MC has not won at BC since 1997. Wow


Notes- Not sure about goalie yet. My gut feeling is Billett again but I am not really sure. Will hopefully know int he next couple days.


Prediction-BC finally plays a complete game and MC is worn down. 4-2 BC.

Hockey East Power Rankings

I would say that this is the time of year where you separate the "contenders" from the "pretenders" because this is when most teams begin to really go hard and try to get home ice. Here are the Power Rankings.

1. Boston College. Yes, the UM lost was bad and the team needs to get the scoring up, quickly. Even though the club is just 6-6 in it's last 12 games, they have played a harder schedule than anyone out there and are the team to beat in Hockey East.

2. Northeastern. By far the hottest team in Hockey East and also the biggest threat to the Eagles. When you have wins @ Michigan, @ Notre Dame, @ Minnesota, and a nice conference win vs Lowell, you are pretty darn good.

3. Lowell. I know it should be Merrimack but I like this Lowell team. They have one of the premier scorers in the league in David Vallorani and a great goaltender in Doug Carr. Look for a big second half from Norm Bazin's team.

4. Merrimack. Im not quite sure about Merrimack. The have the best goalie and maybe the best defensive core in the league but, I don't think they have that go to guy like DeCosta that really led them last year. They have a chance to redeem themselves though, as they play two huge game vs The Other School and BC this weekend.

5. The Other School. They have to figure something out fast or else they are going down the drain. The looked horrible in that game vs Notre Dame. But hey, I got no problems with it.

6. Maine. I know BC beat them 5-1 a couple months ago, but this team is getting hot. They have lost one game since the week before Thanksgiving. Maine also has the best PP in not just the league but maybe the country.

7. Providence. I guess im one of those guys that thinks this team is going to have a bad second half. I don't think they have the talent to keep up with the big guns like BC, NU, and MC.

8. New Hampshire. This is one of, if not the worst season they have had in a long time. I don't see them changing at all. They will be in a fight just to make the playoffs. Think about that.

9. UMass. They should some spurts of good games vs Yale and Cornell but came back to earth vs Maine. Big game for them vs the Eagles next Friday in Amherst.

10. Vermont. It's just been a tough year for the Cats.

Great Lakes Recap

Well it was kind of fitting to end 2011 with a win, after all it was a great year for BC hockey as they won the Beanpot, Hockey East tournament and regular season titles and had a winning record vs The Other School. I thought the team looked a little rusty this week up in Detroit, especially in the first game vs Michigan. I think that adjusting to the new lines without Billy Arnold was very hard for the bottom two lines. One thing that I noticed this week that is really bad is the odd man rushes that BC is giving up, and it needs to stop. To many times, especially vs UM, the other team had a 2-1 or a 3-2 that led to goals or golden opportunities.  Most of the turnovers were a result of poor handling of the puck at the blue line and the forwards not back checking. Scoring just two goals in each game is also not too great. I thought the lack of offensive production was noticeable but keep in mind that the Eagles were missing one of their biggest offensive guns in Billy Arnold. I thought every defenseman had a pretty solid weekend. I really liked the way guys like Tommy Cross and Brian Dumoulin are getting involved with the offense. I thought Patch Alber had a great weekend especially in his own end as he is quickly turning into the best defensive defenseman on this team. On the offensive end,  I thought guys like Paul Carey and Barry Almeida had outstanding weekends. I think the line of Almeida-Carey-Hayes could be taking over the top line in place of Gaudreau-Arnold-Kreider. One line that I thought struggled in the first game but came back in the second game was the line of Straight-Whitney-Sit. This is the line that probably sufferd the most thanks to the loss of Arnold but it still needs to find ways to put the puck in the net.


I am really interested to see what goalie will play on Sunday vs Merrimack. I thought both had pretty good weekends but like I said earlier, I was really impressed with Parker Milner as he seems to have improved his game over break. I think we should have a clear picture of who will be starting by Thursday or at the latest Friday but it should be interesting to watch. As for the upcoming schedule, the next three games are the BIGGEST games of the year. I am really interested to see how the team plays vs a struggling Merrimack team but the Warriors do have a very solid goalie in Joe Cannata so it should be an interesting matchup. The team then travels to UMass next Friday and the Minutemen are undefeated at the Mullins. Next Saturday is the biggest game of the year. Northeastern is the hottest team in Hockey East right now and are coming off win vs Michigan, Notre Dame, and Minnesota. Unfortunately, BC was going to have that game at home but instead it is at Fenway Park. Until next time,

GO EAGLES