Weekend in Review

Three guys that have had a BIG impact on this team. 

Not to long ago when I was driving back from Orono with my uncle,  I was thinking to myself "Is this BC team going to make the NCAA's ?" and "Is this the end ? " Well ladies and gentlemen, a lot has changed over the course of the last 30 days as the Eagles are now Beanpot champs and the hottest team in college hockey. Why has this BC team suddenly become so good ? Two words. Parker Milner. Yes, the scoring and play of the defenseman has drastically improved but the play of Parker Milner has just been amazing over the course of the last three weeks. Hockey is a game of confidence and momentum and right now, not only does this team have confidence and momentum, it's goaltender does. Saturday may have been the second best game Parker has ever played in a BC uniform (Beating BU was #1) as he seemed to stop every Merrimack chance down the stretch including a huge stop on Ryan Flanigan with 5 seconds left. Now back in first place not just in the league but in the pairwise, it doesn't appear anyone or anything is stopping this Boston College hockey team anytime soon.

I thought Friday was a pretty good overall game for the team as they clearly outplayed the Warriors for the better part of that hockey game. There were however, a couple of times in which Merrimack caught BC falling asleep in their own zone. I thought the special teams were very good on Friday as the PK didn't allow Merrimack anything all night and Barry Almeida added a big power play goal to pretty much put the game on ice. With regards to the record, it was pretty cool to see in person. Tommy Cross summed it up pretty good after the game by saying "That's a lot of wins", yes it is a lot of wins and it couldn't have happend to a better human being.

Saturday was a very different game from Friday to say the least. I thought the Warriors really came out hard and let their physical presence be known with some early hits. I thought the team did a good job of letting Merrimack take the bad penalties all night. If you watched the game and then looked at the stat sheet and saw that BC only gave MC one power play, you would be pretty shocked. All I can say is that I am very happy we don't have to play up there in the playoffs. It is really hard for a team like BC to get their offense going on such a small sheet of ice because there is really no room to make a play ! It certainly ranks up there in terms of the tougher places to play in Hockey East.

Compared to the 2010 and even last years teams, this Eagle squad is not as good but let's get one thing very clear, this BC team is very good. People will say BU, Lowell, and Maine are better but let's be totally honest, this is the best team in Hockey East and in my opinion, the country. When Parker Milner is playing like the way he is and guys like Kreider, Almeida, and Johnny G are at the top of their games, sorry, no one is better. IF and that is a pretty big If, this BC team goes all the way, this would definitely be considered one of the great coaching jobs in the history of sports. Disagree ? Look at the guys we lost last year and compare that to what a team like BU had returning. In a season where I say there are four "Big" trophies, this BC team has already captured one of them. Next up, winning a Hockey East regular season title.

Until next time,

GO EAGLES

Player of the Week(end)- Parker Milner. Put an end to the "Age of the Terriers" on Monday and continued his great play on Friday and Saturday

Notes- Be sure to check in tomorrow as I will post the Regular Season awards (Well So far this season)