Solidify the Future and Name Greg Brown Head Coach in Waiting

Whenever I run into other fans at games, around campus, on the golf course or wherever, by far and away the most asked question is always "who will be the next head coach?". It is a topic that everyone has different opinions on and with the success Coach York has had the past fifteen plus years, it is without a doubt the best job in college hockey. I have no clue how long Coach York will be around, I sure as heck hope it is for another 6 of 7 years and his contract does run through the 2019-20 season. I think being a coach at any major D1 school is tough, let alone at BC but if there is any 70 something that has the motor to keep on going, it is Coach York. Ask anyone that plays for him or coaches with him, he is always the most energetic guy on the ice every single day and I am certain that will continue for the next couple years, coinciding  with what should be a fantastic next few seasons for the maroon and gold, especially if they can keep this recruiting momentum going.

We all know that the most important thing in this business is recruiting and with archrival Boston University back from the dead, Providence winning a National Title, and Cav revamping UConn, winning the top end guys is as tough as it has ever been. The way recruiting has evolved in this sport, the staff has to start getting commitments from guys that wouldn't be here for another three, four, or even five years, a time period in which no one really knows where the program will be at. That is why I think AD Brad Bates should name associate head coach Greg Brown the head coach in waiting as soon as possible, because it would give the program an enormous amount of stability going forward. When they bring these extremely young kids in for visits, they can say unequivocally that if Coach York isn't here when you get to campus, Coach Brown and hopefully Coach Ayers will be there to insure that the operation is the same as it was when Coach York was here. Kids are not going to want to commit to a program and then have the whole thing change when a coach from the outside gets brought in because it totally changes everything that led them to the school.

Naysayers will say "Bates should go through the whole process and hire the best candidate" and point to Coach Brown's lack of head coaching experience but I think that whole argument is highly overrated. Does it really make a difference if he is a head coach between now and when Coach York retires? He is still going to recruit the same amount that he already does, he will have to implement a X's and O's strategy for whatever team he were to go to (something he already does at BC), what difference does it make? Mike Cavanaugh had no head coaching experience in college hockey, neither did Dave Hakstol, David Quinn, or Dick Umile and last time I checked, all of those guys are doing okay at their respective locations.

Coach Brown represents everything that is right with Boston College and it's hockey program. We can't afford to lose him and that is why he should be our head coach in waiting.

Go Eagles

Tortora Joins NTDP

 Jacob Tortora (Victor, NY) has joined the National Development Program as he was officially added to the roster this afternoon. Tortora, who is scheduled to arrive in the fall of 2017, is one of the staff's best recruits in the pipeline. He was slated to play in Youngstown (USHL) this upcoming season. As of now, he is the only future Eagle on the U17 team but the U18 squad has Graham McPhee, Joseph Woll, Zach Walker, and Michael Campoli.

Go Eagles. 

Locked And Loaded

Earlier this afternoon Columbus Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Potzline reported that Jeremy Bracco had decommited from Boston College and would sign with the Kitchener Rangers. However, no more than an hour later, Bracco himself refuted the report with this tweet.....

Since this unique turn of events, I have been able to confirm with very reliable sources that Bracco, along with his parents, called Coach York today and informed him that Jeremy would 100% be attending Boston College in the fall. From what I am told, Jeremy and his family are excited to become part of the BC community and all the noise about what he is going to do has just been greatly exaggerated because Kitchener has not stopped trying to get ahold of him over the course of the past several weeks. Everyone out there is talking about Milano and how Bracco could just be following in his steps but Milano didn't call Coach York and reaffirm his commitment, he didn't confirm anything on Twitter which everyone in the world sees these days, and Toronto is totally different organization than Columbus.

Let's take a couple minutes here and talk about this recruiting win for the staff. Like usual, the college hockey media machine made it seem like there was no way he would end up here but Coach York and his crew went out there and landed the most talented freshman in the country. Awesome work by Coach Brown and Coach Ayers. I know he is young and maybe isn't the biggest guy but I think this kid has a chance to win Hockey East player of the year next year and maybe even the Hobey Baker because of how many points he gets on a nightly basis. I think he will love it here at BC because if you ask me, it's the best school in the world and Coach York's track record with younger forwards speaks for itself.

Now let's look at this from a hockey perspective and how it affects BC's lineup. They're going to be very deep and talented at pretty much every position, especially on the wings. I don't know if they're going to keep last years top line together but I think they probably should just to start things out. However, the power play is going to be a huge question mark because they have so many first unit type guys but you can only put 5 out there obviously. I think Tuch and Bracco would be a deadly combination but I also love Sanford and Gilmour on that top line because they're probably better in the defensive end than any of BC's other top 9 forwards with the exception of maybe Cangelosi. Whatever the staff decides to do, they will have three lines that will probably be better than anyone else's first line. Here is just a random guess....

Sanford-Gilmour-Tuch

Fitz-White-Bracco

Wood-Cangelosi-Calnan

Gaudreau-Brown-Dudek/Silk

I think that is probably the third or fourth best forward lineup of the Coach York era with the potential to be the best if everyone pans out. You all know how good I think this team can be so I won't repeat it but they have a chance to do things no college hockey team has ever done, they're that good. 

In other, unrelated news, Thatcher Demko hit the ice today for the first time since his surgery which just goes to show how hard he has worked to get back because he wasn't expected to be ready for the season opener. 

What a day in BC Hockey world, now all we need to close out the summer is a Phil win @ Whistling Straits. 

GO EAGLES !!!!!

Report: Bracco Gone

Well, this stings. I'll have more later. Tough news in BC Hockey world.

Lamoriello New Toronto GM, Could This Help?

In a shocking turn of events this afternoon, longtime New Jersey Devils president and Providence College hockey alumnus Lou Lamoriello was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs to be their next general manager. In his 28 years at the helm, the Devils captured 3 Stanley Cups and made the playoffs 21 times. Immediately after the news broke, I began to think about how this could possibly affect BC and their push to get top recruit Jeremy Bracco to campus. Truth be told, I have no idea if this will have any impact on Bracco's decision but under Lamoriello's leadership, the Devils have drafted as many BC players as any franchise in the NHL, with the exception of maybe Pittsburgh. Stephen Gionta, Peter Harrold, Scott Clemmensen, and Cory Schneider are just a couple of the more recent examples of BC grads to wear the red and black. Recently, New Jersey has zoomed in on future/current Eagles, taking Steve Santini, Miles Wood, and Joey Dudek in the 2013 draft.

You don't need to look far to see that Lamoriello obviously has a huge amount of respect for the program Coach York has built here and the job he has done getting guys ready for the NHL, particularly the ones that maybe aren't the most physically gifted of the pack. I have heard numerous times over the past week that Toronto has been pushing for Bracco to play at BC this fall and maybe it is because they have known for a period of time that Lamoriello would be running the ship. There have been numerous rumors swirling around about what will actually happen and of course, you have a lot of people out there that say he is 100% gone but I'm not sure about that. There will be a final decision in the next couple of days but until then we will just have to sit around and take in the different leads.

Go Eagles

BC vs North Dakota @ MSG, Other Notes

Apologies for the lateness in the updates, I was on vacation this week and have been glued to my TV watching Phil battle for another Claret Jug.

According to Brad Schlossmann of the Grand Forks Harold, Boston College will face rival North Dakota at The Worlds Most Famous Arena on December 2, 2016. These rumors have been swirling for years as there was one last year pertaining to a possible BC vs Qunnipiac game but that obviously never came to fruition. So with this news, the two best programs in college hockey will add another chapter to their history next season but we have a long way to go until then so let's focus on the current stuff.

No news on Jeremy Bracco but of course, the college hockey media machine is making it seem like there is absolutely no chance he ends up at BC. From what I am hearing, Toronto is very aware of BC's history with smaller players and thus could be pushing Bracco to attend college this fall. Obviously the rest of the country wants to see him bolt for the CHL so of course they're saying he is going to leave. My guess at this time yesterday was that he was 100% gone but after what I heard today, I am feeling confident about his arrival. I keep getting these messages about how the staff should stop recruiting "mercenaries" (other peoples words). Let's get two things perfectly clear. Neither Noah Hanifin nor Jeremy Bracco is a "mercenary", they're just trying to do what is best for their hockey careers. Of course I want Jeremy to play at BC but the kid's dream is to play in the NHL and whatever path he feels is best for him is the way he should go but don't count BC out just yet. The other complaint I have gotten is about the staff's recruiting strategy when it comes to these "mercenaries". That is ridiculous, they're working as hard as ever this summer after a somewhat disappointing season last year. I have a ton of confidence they will find a way to get Jeremy to campus but if they don't, it isn't the end of the world.

Go Eagles

Hanifin Signs With Carolina

First off, really happy for Noah and his family. He is a tremendous kid who will without a doubt be a star in the NHL someday. He has all the tools to become one of the best defensemen in the game, he is big, he can fly, he has a shot that is improving, he has a high hockey IQ, and is getting better in his own end day by day. I think he will help lead that franchise to a lot wins over the next 15 years.

As for BC, not really sure what to say, obviously it is a huge loss. I can't speak for everyone but personally, I was always under the impression that he was going to stay two years but how the heck can are you supposed to turn down that kind of money? Our D situation is fine but it is young and probably not as deep as the staff would like. I think McCoshen is the best returning D in the league and we all know what Santini is capable of when healthy. Doherty is going to be his usual, offensive minded/gritty self that the team can rely on in a lot of situations. Savage will hopefully get back to the way he was playing freshman year but we can only wonder about how the two rookies, Casey Fitzgerald and Josh Couturier, will perform.

I suppose that with Noah's scholarship opening up, the staff could use it to try and lure another defenseman (or forward) for this years squad. I am not sure of Chad Krys' or Dante Fabbro's academic situations but if there was any chance that they could gain admissions this late in the cycle and enroll in September, then that would be the best case scenario. Sure, it stings a bit right now but I have total faith that this staff will get things situated before the season begins.

Congrats Noah, Go Eagles!

Development Camp Notes

Here is where the following Eagles are attending NHL development camps over the next two weeks.

New Jersey Devils- Miles Wood, JD Dudek, Casey Fitzgerald*, Matt Gaudreau*, Steve Santini, Josh Couturier

Toronto Maple Leafs- Jeremy Bracco

Ottawa Senators- Colin White

Buffalo Sabres- Chris Brown

New York Islanders- Teddy Doherty*, Austin Cangelosi*

Minnesota Wild- Alex Tuch

Washington Capitals- Zach Sanford

Columbus Blue Jackets- Scott Savage

Chicago Blackhawks- Chris Calnan

Florida Panthers- Ian McCoshen

Boston Bruins- Ryan Fitzgerald

Carolina Hurricanes- Noah Hanifin

Vancouver Canucks- Thatcher Demko (not playing, still recovering from surgery)

That is 18 guys....has to be some sort of record. * means they were not drafted by the club

Adam Gilmour is not at Wild camp, not sure why, believe because of summer classes.

Go Eagles.

Notes

First off, hope you all had a great Fourth with your friends and family. As we get back into the swing of things, this week may be the biggest of the offseason as we should know more about the decisions of Noah Hanifin and Jeremy Bracco. Yesterday, Hanifin told the Carolina media that he has not made a decision on whether or not he will return to BC but he added that he didn't want to hurt BC in any way by telling them late in the summer which is a classy move on his part. As for Bracco, some Toronto reporters have tweeted that they expect to know today what his plans are for next season. Surprisingly, I have heard some positive news concerning BC's top incoming recruit as of late but I guess there is only one person who really knows where Jeremy Bracco is going to play hockey next season.

On Friday, BC and BU alums will face off in the Comm Ave Charity Classic to help benefit victims of ALS. The game will feature Johnny G, Bill Arnold, Brian Gibbons, Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, and Coach Brown among others.

Nothing new on the scheduling front except for the two Vermont games.

On the recruiting side of things, BC will be in the hunt for two guys with former Maine connections. Late last week, Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reported that top 2000 Oliver Wahlstrom, a former Maine commit, is now reopening his commitment and I have since confirmed that BC will be one of the teams in on him. Even though every big name program in the country will be after him, I think BC has a good shot of landing this kid because apparently, he is best friends with TJ Walsh, another top 2000 that BC landed last summer. Walsh had a pretty good year for Shattuck St Mary's last year, recording 136 points in 66 games.

The other recruiting news I've got is that BC is one of the finalist for ex-Black Bear Liam Pecararo who left the university a couple of weeks ago. Truth be told, he had a bit of a tough freshman season under Red Gendron but there is no doubt that the talent is there for him to be a terrific player in this league. Pecararo recorded 61 points in 54 games two years ago in the USHL. The other suitors for Pecararo are North Dakota and Denver, among others.

If anything happens today with Bracco, I'll be sure to have a post on it. Say your prayers.

Go Eagles

Notes

These next two to three weeks can be some of the most stressful for the staff as they will try to get a firm grip on next year's roster but unfortunately, things may be falling out of their hands. Let's take a look at what is going on.

Yesterday, a Carolina Hurricanes PR guy tweeted out Noah's number (#5) which led to rampant speculation that the 18 year old defenseman had signed with them but there has been no official word and from what I have heard, he has not made up his mind. From a pure outsiders prospective, it appears that the staff has been under the thinking that Noah would return for one more season but ever since the draft, numerous videos and quotes have been presented that would point in the other direction. In the end, I think there is a better chance than people think of him coming back but based on everything that was said at that draft, and let me be clear, just based on that, I think he will leave but hopefully Coach York can create some magic and get him to return.

The other issue  is the ongoing debate over what Jeremy Bracco is going to do next year. Multiple college hockey reporters have come out and said they think there is a 0% chance Bracco ends up on campus in October and I think everyone at BC was taken aback by his quote at the draft when he basically said he would let the Leafs decide what his path was, although he was careful to say "the focus is on BC". Of course, we all know what happened last year with Milano and how much that desecrated our club. If Bracco is going to bolt, which I am convinced he will because of all the swirling rumors, then hopefully he tells the staff in the next couple days instead of waiting until late August so they can try and bring in a replacement, which I have been told they will do if worst comes to worst.


No truth to the rumor that the fireworks you may have heard today after Eichel announced he was leaving came from Chestnut Hill but in all seriousness, that kid is the most NHL ready hockey player I have ever seen. I think he is going to be an all star and get that team to the playoffs next season, he is that good. I wish him nothing but the very best although I sure am happy he won't be skating against BC any time soon.

Pat Wey Retires

Per Mike Vogel, a senior writer for the Washington Capitals, current Cap and former Eagle Patrick Wey has retired after suffering back to back concussions and will pursue other educational interest. I've seen a lot of guys come and go through this program and don't get me wrong, a very large majority of them are terrific kids who will go on/have gone on to do fantastic things both in and out of hockey but I can say without any doubts that Pat Wey was one of the best people ever to don the maroon and gold. He treated everybody with respect, he was extremely popular amongst his teammates, and certainly performed admirably on the ice as he helped BC to 4 Beanpots, 3 Hockey East titles, and 2 National Titles. He battled through multiple setbacks including concussions and mono during his time here but always seemed to find a way to take his game to the next level in big moments, particularly in his own end where the staff often had him out against other teams' top lines. Pat Wey was the type of guy that I think Coach York and his crew strive to mold every BC player into, he was a genius in the classroom, a dependable player on the ice, and a gracious person off of it.

I wish Pat all the best in whatever lies ahead, once and Eagle, always an Eagle.

Go Eagles.

Bracco Picked But It Looks Bad

Freshman Jeremy Bracco was selected 61st overall this morning by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL draft. However, it has become more and more likely that he will ditch BC for the Kitchener Rangers (OHL). I am not sure how much the Maple Leafs will influence his decision but I do know that Brendan Shanahan has been at a handful of BC's games in the past so he knows what the program is about.

Obviously, we went through this last year but this time around, I think everyone should be prepared for what is coming. I would say there is a 5% chance he ends up at BC next season. Obviously, it would be a total bummer but maybe the kid will step back and think about all the positives of playing college hockey and at BC in particular. In the end, no matter where he plays, we all want him to achieve his goal of donning that blue and white sweater in the near future.

As for what the staff will do to fill the spot (if and when it opens up), it appears that they have a plan to bring in someone to help out next years squad, should their top rated recruit bolt for Canada.

Go Eagles

Hanifin Goes To Carolina, White to Ottawa, and Finger Crossing Time

Tonight, Noah Hanifin became just the second Eagle ever taken in the top 5 of the NHL draft along with long time NHLer Bill Guerin. About an hour later, freshman Colin White was selected by the Ottawa Senators as the 21st overall pick, becoming the first Eagle to be drafted by the red and black since Patrick Eaves.

As you probably know, I say some stuff on this blog and on the Twitter waves that probably don't resonate too well with some people, including some of BC's own players but when it comes to Noah Hanifin, I've never had a player treat me with kindness and respect quite like he has. Sure, it's a really small thing but the kid goes out of his way to treat me well and for that, he will always be a top my list of favorite Eagles, along with G of course. I know how hard he has worked to get his named called this evening and no one deserves it more than that kid. He always talks about how he wants to improve his shot before he gets to the show. A lot of people just talk about that stuff but I can't tell you how many times he has stayed after practice working on his one timer with Coach Brown while everyone else heads to the locker room. Carolina is not just getting a special hockey player, they're getting one heck of a kid who represents Boston College unbelievably well. As for what happens now, I was always in the camp of thinking he would return but it doesn't look good (click link), However,  Here is a link of Carolina's GM saying the organization is certainly open to him coming back to BC.

When it comes to Colin White, I thought he was going to end up with Boston or Detroit (my favorite team) but he ended up sliding down to Ottawa, where a lot of pundits had him. Obviously, a terrific night for him and his family but this tweet below got me thinking again. Immediately after it was posted I talked with a person inside the program and he said there was "no way" White would ever bolt. From everyone I have talked to, it seems like he is excited to get here and contribute, even telling a local paper last week that he wanted to be a "point per game player @ BC". It is probably nothing but here it is.......

Tomorrow we will see Jeremy Bracco, Casey Fitzgerald, and David Cotton get drafted. See you then. 

Go Eagles

UPDATE********- As of Saturday morning, that tweeted from Lafortune has been deleted.

Draft Notes, Staff Announces Freshmen Class, and Other Notes

Tomorrow marks one of the most exciting days in the offseason as the NHL draft commences in Sunrise, Florida. Like usual, many Eagles are projected to be picked over the course of the next few days but of course, no one stands out more so than Noah Hanifin who is slated to go #3 overall in tomorrows first round. The question is where will Noah and a handful of other Eagles take the next steps in their hockey careers after leaving Boston College?

I'm not going to sit here and try to make it seem like I know where these guys are going to end up but I think a good idea would be to give you a few different mock drafts so you can try to see for yourself where the BC guys will end up. For the record, I think Hanifin will go #3 but I think it will be to Columbus rather than Phoenix. I was surprised at how low some experts had Colin White because I think he will go #13 to Los Angeles and I also wouldn't be blown away if Jeremy Bracco makes it a trio of Eagles in the first round due to his vision and play making abilities. So, here are the different mock drafts I came across.

USA Today 

SB Nation 

My NHL

Mike Morreale's final mock draft (this guy knows what he is talking about)

Adam Kimelman's final mock draft 

Yahoo Sports

Sports Net 

Blue Jackets Blog "The Cannon"

Here is a good trivia question....who is BC's highest first round draft pick all time and what number was he?

When the draft is all said and done, I expect Hanifin, White, Bracco, David Cotton (3rd round), Casey Fitzgerald (6th or 7th round) to all get drafted. So, if that does indeed take place, BC will have 15 NHL draft picks on it's team next year. Think we're going to be pretty good? Ya, pretty, pretty, pretty, good.

The staff officially finished announcing the incoming class today so here are the freshmen numbers.

Jeremy Bracco- 17
Colin White-18
Miles Wood- 28
Chris Shero-23
Chris Birdsall-1
Casey Fitzgerald-5
Josh Couturier- 22
Chris Brown-10
Joey Dudek-15

Before I go, I want to share a tweet I saw yesterday but because it has become such a controversial topic that I have touched on time and time again, I will avoid comment.

Also, I have updated the schedule with three more games, including the two vs archrival Boston University.

Good luck to all the guys down in Florida, Go Eagles!

Offseason Questions

It's been a little while since we discussed the offseason and what could possibly lie ahead for this team next fall. As you probably know, I'm quite excited about the team BC could possibly have next season but there is a still a couple of questions as to who shows up in September. 

1. Will Noah Hanifin stay? 

Obviously, this is the #1 question in every player, coach, and fan's mind, will BC's top player return for another year on the Heights? First of all, I think it says a lot about Hanifin and Jack Eichel that they're taking their respective commitments to BC and BU so seriously, that is something we don't really see these days. It is clear that these two prospects, perhaps the most highly touted in college hockey since Toews and Kessel, enjoyed their seasons and it's quite amazing that they're even considering coming back. My take on Hanifin is probably the same as anyone else's, I think it's 50-50 as to whether he stays or goes because it depends so much on who drafts him although I do think there is a better chance of him staying than people think. Is BC screwed if he leaves? No, they still have four very solid guys coming back on the blue line with two young but talented freshmen in Couturier and Fitzgerald. If you really want me to say what I think, and I am very biased, yes, I do think he will stay. 

2. Will Jeremy Bracco show? 

Unfortunately, I feel like this one is more up in the air than the Hanifin question. The good news is that its been about a month since the close of the NTDP season and Bracco has yet to sign anywhere, unlike some other guys on his team such as Tkachuk and Max Jones (U17). The bad news is that in speaking with people around the program, it is clear that they are not 100% sure that he will arrive in the fall. We all know what happened with Sonny Milano and that was arguably the worst thing that could have happened to the team last year. Bracco signing with Kitchner wouldn't be as big a blow as Milano but I am one of many who believe he could be the leading scorer on this team next season because he always seems to have a knack for putting points on the board, something BC desperately needs. I would like to think that he will be in the opening night lineup at Army but there is only one person that really knows the answer to whether or not that will come to fruition. 

3. Is the staff done recruiting for the year?

With 7 seniors and Mike Matheson gone, many believe that the staff has some left over scholarship money to spend for next season. Unlike BU, Coach York and his crew are pretty conservative when it comes to throwing around scholarship money. Here is what I think, if Bracco does in fact sign with Kitchner, then BC will certainly bring in another guy, I believe they have a plan in case that happens. But, if he does end up coming to BC, I don't think they will sign anyone else, and unlike others, I don't think they necessarily need to. All those BU clowns keep talking about how we won't be deep next season but when you look closely, BC won't just be deep next year, they will have "role" players who are experienced and most importantly, skilled. Here is just a quick projected forward lineup for next year....not much thought went into this.

Sanford-Gilmour-Tuch

Fitz- White-Bracco 

Wood-Cangelosi-Calnan

Gaudreau-Brown-Silk/Dudek 

That is as deep a lineup as Coach York has ever had, at least skill wise. I think you could certainly switch some guys around like White and Cangelosi, Calnan, Bracco, and Tuch can be arraigned literally anyway they want, and I'm not sure if they're going to keep that first line together again after they struggled in the postseason. Again, just a quick run through, we will do more of these as October gets closer but it sure is fun when you have a lot of options.

4. How is Demko doing? 

From all I have gathered, it seems as if Thatcher Demko is recovering well from his hip surgery earlier this spring. Obviously, we still have a ways to go until October 9th but I think there is a solid chance he is ready to go and if not then, certainly in the first couple weeks of the season. I do not think he will play nearly as much as he did a season ago because I think the staff has some confidence in Birdsall's abilities along with the fact that BC should be the highest scoring team in the nation. For example, will he really need to play @ Army, vs Wisconsin, or RIT? Why not give the freshman some valuable experience early on. It can't hurt in the long run. 

5. I've gotten about 1500 emails about BU's recent recruiting run and how we should be concerned, should we? 

Remember what Aaron Rodgers said after the Packers went 1-2 to start the year? "RELAX". Obviously, the staff is confident that a lot of guys will stay following this season because they have not committed much scholarship money to high end guys that are coming in the fall of 2016. BU on the other hand will lose guys like Oksanen, O'Regan, Grzelyck, Lane, and perhaps Hickey after this season. Tuch is certainly here for just two years, but I wouldn't say it is a forgone conclusion that guys like Santini, Gilmour, and Calnan leave after their junior seasons.....but that is a long ways off. The point is, don't worry, we will be fine. No one will question recruiting this year, trust me, not even this guy. 

6. Is this the most talented team Coach York has ever had, outside of maybe 2011? (If Bracco and Hanifin come/stay) 

......................................................Yes.

Go Eagles!

One week until Chambers Bay, come on Phil!

Support A Terrific Cause

Former Eagle captain Pat Mullane and his classmates joined forces with a couple of counterparts from the down the street to develop the Comm Ave Charity Classic to be played on Friday, July 10th at BU's Walter Brown Arena. The game will pit former Eagles including Brian Leetch, Cam Atkinson, Chris Kreider, Brian Dumoulin, and G vs former Terriers such as Scott Young, Jay Pandolfo, and Charlie Coyle. The proceeds for the game will go straight to research for ALS.

I'm certainly impressed with the work Pat has put in to help bring this game to fruition as I know he was very close with Dick Kelly during his time at Boston College. Of course, the news of Pete Frates' diagnosis a couple of years back and the subsequent "Ice Bucket Challenge" last summer provided even more initiative for Pat and his crew to get this thing together. I know we like to give them a hard time when it comes to the hockey and recruiting but hats off to the former Terriers for playing a big role in what will certainly be a terrific event next month.

Here is the website if you want more information. Hopefully we can see the good guys take home another victory over the scarlet and white.

Go Eagles!

Updates

As we learned the hard way last August, no news can usually be perceived as good news and that is exactly what has taken place so far this summer in BC Hockey world. I don't have much to report on but here are some quick points.

It appears Thatcher Demko's recovery from hip surgery is going quite well. By all accounts, there is a solid chance he is good to go for Army on October 9th but I would expect that he sits 7-9 times this year. He simply ran out of gas last season but the good news is he should have a high powered offense to support him.

Forward Brendan Silk is still recovering from a concussion and was cleared to begin working out just a couple of weeks ago. Still not a sure thing he will be ready to go for the season opener.

As far as recruiting goes, nothing much to report. Over the course of the past three weeks, we have seen numerous CHL teams announce signing of American prospects but thankfully, none of those have been Jeremy Bracco who still seems set on attending BC in September.

In the schedule page, we've got pretty much all of the non-conference games set in stone with the exception of RIT. No conference games have been announced but we host Notre Dame and travel to Vermont.

Other than that, enjoy the summer and get ready for Phil at Chambers Bay!

Go Eagles

Recruiting Updates

Brad Schlossman, the beat reporter for North Dakota (busy couple days for him), reported this afternoon that top prospects Dante Fabbro and Tyson Jost, both of Pentiction (BCHL) are looking to accelerate their studies in hopes of playing college hockey this upcoming fall. BC has particular interest in Fabbro, the 6'1 defenseman from the same area that they got recruits such as Isaac Macleod, Destry Straight, and Evan Richardson. I think it'll be interesting to see what takes place over the next couple of weeks because BC has the room to try and bring in these guys but then theres the obvious question if the admissions department would let someone in so late in the process but I am not too worried about that. As of now, BC pretty much has their starting 6 D set in stone (and yes, I think 7 comes back) but there is always the possibility of Hanifin being drafted by a team that wants him right away and if that happens, they might want to try and bring in one more because after their top 6, they won't have much and you want to avoid the injury problem.

Tkachuk Signs With London

Matthew Tkachuk, son of Terrier legend Keith and NTDP standout, ended all the speculation yesterday when he signed with the London Knights (OHL). Some people seem a bit shocked by the news given who his father is but I don't find it the least bit shocking because once he decommitted from Notre Dame in the winter, you could tell there was a lot of interest in the O. 

No reason to be upset over not getting him, it was a long shot in the beginning with the Knights and the Terriers involved but I guess the good news is we won't have to play against him next season. 

On another note, a giant in Massachusetts high school hockey was asked not to return next year as Bill Hanson, head coach at Catholic Memorial for 38 years, will not be behind the bench next season. Interestingly enough, it appears that his replacement will be former Eagle and Belmont Hill forward Ian Moran but that isn't set in stone, yet. 

Go Eagles  

Positive Sign

This afternoon, the Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) tendered future Eagle Jacob Tortora, a 1999 birthdate out of Victor, New York and the Don Millis Flyers. If you read my tweet you could see this is a big step in the right direction for the staff but there have been a lot of questions as to why it's so important that he was tendered. Basically, there is a good chance that Tortora signs in the OHL (he was picked 19th) but by going to the USHL, it seems that he is committed to the college route. Currently slated to arrive at BC in the fall of 2017, Tortora is perhaps the staff's biggest recruit in the pipeline.

Go Eagles.

Banquet Notes

It was certainly nice to be back in a hockey setting after getting absolutely smoked on the course this weekend at my home club. My record there used to be like 300-0 but I seemingly can't hit a tee ball right now and it's killing me.

The Pikes Peak Club honored the 2014-15 Eagles this afternoon at the 66th annual hockey banquet. I know the players took a couple minutes to thank all of the members of the club but I want to say thanks to the board, particularly Mr. Fred Kinsman who invited me to the festivities this afternoon. I can't say enough about how much they do for the BC Hockey program, it's certainly an asset that no other program in the country has. 

The awards and all that were fantastic but the real highlight for me was Mike Sit's speech in which he thanked the club, the staff, and his parents. About halfway through, he got pretty emotional and I wouldn't be lying if I didn't sit back and think about what he was saying for a second. Here's a kid who has been somewhat criticized by me and other fans for his performance on the ice but when it comes to the things off the ice, the things that really matter, he is the best of the best. Not only did he have a 4.0 GPA, he (and other members of the team) helped deliver toys to sick kids at Children's Hospital and held numerous events to benefit the kids at St Columbkille School in Brighton. I know, I wasn't always jumping up and down about how things were going on the ice for Mike but today I realized a couple things about our alternate captain. I've always known he was one of the hardest workers on the ice, he kills penalties, blocks shots, finishes checks, does all the things a third or fourth line grinder should do but the biggest takeaway for me was that this kid absolutely loved playing hockey at Boston College and in the mind of this fanatic blogger, that matters more than anything. Did he score a ton of big time goals like a Johnny G or a Kevin Hayes? No but he took more pride in playing hockey at Boston College than anything in his life and for that, I want to thank him and the rest of the senior class.  I wish them nothing but the absolute best in whatever challenges lie ahead and as a lot of people talked about today, the BC Hockey community is always here for you. 

I thought the coolest part of the presentation was when a couple members from the 1965 team came up to the podium to speak to the guys for a second and said something along the lines of there is nothing in his life that makes them more proud than to be an alumnus of Boston College, in particular, it's hockey program. Everyone wants to talk about Michigan grads and Stanford grads and Harvard grads, but all I will say is this, there is no group of people in this entire world that oozes with pride more so than graduates of Boston College do and that could not have been more evident today. I don't care who the heck puts that jersey on next year, if they're beaming with affection and love for Boston College such as people like Mike Sit, Quinn Smith, Mike Matheson, Coach Brown, and Coach York did in today's banquet, I know we will be in a good spot. 

Let Operation Tampa begin. 

Go Eagles. 

Updates

It feels like it's been a year since I last posted on this thing since golf season has finally commenced after a brutal winter. I'm starting to get better day by day but once every four or five holes I seem to block a drive way right and it is  driving me absolutely bananas.

Anyways, the US U18 team is out in Switzerland competing for a world championship. They are currently 3-1 (lost to Russia). BC recruits Colin White (4 points), Jeremy Bracco (7 points), and Casey Fitzgerald (3 points) are all taking part in the tournament. The United States will play the Czech Republic on Thursday.

Many have asked about the schedule for next year and while I don't have it, I do know that we will be playing Wisconsin, Michigan State, Denver, Army (road), RPI (road), and Colorado College (road). The Eagles will also be in the Florida Christmas tournament, I don't know who else is in it.

As for recruiting updates, I don't have much. Do not expect Auston Matthews or Matthew Tkachuck to end up at BC or any other college, they will both end up in the CHL. I would keep an eye on Canadian prospect Dante Fabbro. It appears that BC is right in the hunt for his services along with Wisconsin, who appears to be the main competition.

I do not, unlike some fans, expect the staff to bring in another forward for the upcoming season although they almost certainly have the money to do so. The biggest recruit they can land between now and October is Jeremy Bracco. In talking to some people who know much more about the situation than I do, I think there is a solid chance that he ends up at BC but unfortunately, it is not a forgone conclusion.

As for Noah Hanifin, I would say that the odds are 60-40 in favor of him staying but it really depends on whether or not Phoenix selects him with that #3 pick. I've talked to him a couple of times over the course of the year and he had nothing good to things to say about the school, the program, and the staff. Obviously I want him to stay but I will never knock a kid for pursuing his dream.

Anyways, hit em straight and get ready to see Phil make a big run at Chambers Bay!!

Time To Strike Back

Before I start, I want to congratulate Providence on their National Title last night, their first in program history. I've got a good friend who loves PC and and I've always been able to give him crap about BC beating PC every single year and how the Friars were always irrelevant but the tables have turned, at least for now. Nate Leaman's coaching performance is one of the greatest I have ever seen. Yes, he had Jon Gilles but he didn't have a Johnny Gaudreau or a Jack Eichel to turn things around in a split second. He did it through a lot of hard work on the recruiting trail and for that, I give him and his staff all the credit in the world. They're no longer just a poodle fighting against the two Bulldogs anymore, they're one of the top programs in college hockey.

Outside of BC winning the whole thing, there really is nothing better than seeing BU lose a game, especially in that fashion but I want to say that what Dave Quinn and his staff have done over there in such a short amount of time is really something that we will have to reckon with for a long time. They're back, whether you want to admit it or not, we aren't going to steamroll these guys on a year to year basis anymore, like we have done all so often in the past (except for maybe this upcoming year we will). Despite my utmost respect for Coach Quinn and his team, I still love seeing them lose more than anything in the world because if they had won last night, it would have been the start of the longest offseason in the history of BC Hockey but fortunately, we were able to dodge a huge bullet.

While BU losing is great and all, it has got to be a wake up call for the Eagles. We spent all season in the rearview mirror because the college hockey media decided to chalk #9 up like he was the second coming of the Messiah. Well, all I'm saying is Johnny Gaudreau played his best game of his career in his only National Title appearance, Jack Eichel played very mediocre. It's time for BC to step up and make sure BU takes a back seat in the Boston colligate hockey scene but give them credit, they were able to attract a world class talent that will undoubtedly help their recruiting down the road but it's up to BC to make sure it's just a one hit wonder. I'm not saying BU isn't going to be a factor at all for the next couple years, like they have been all too often as of late, but BC has an opportunity this upcoming season to really take what they gave us this season and shove it right back in their faces. If and when Eichel leaves, we should be able to go in there and beat them by 5 or 6 goals next season with the type of talent we have returning and coming in. I remember the Terriers did this campaign last season where they printed out shirts that had "Never Again" scripted on the back. If I was the staff, I would take a copy of the all the articles I could find that were written about BU and post them on the wall as bulletin board material to ensure that the players coming in next season know that while we obviously want to win a National Title, the most important goal is making sure we don't have another season in which we are a step behind BU and if all goes according to plan, we should be able to take that mantle back quite easily next season.

Once again, congrats to the Friars on their title and to BU on a terrific season but let's take what happened last night in stride and come out firing on all cylinders next season.

The big three era commences

Go Eagles !

Matheson Signs With Florida

Photo from BC Athletics/John Quackenbos 

In the least shocking news of the week, junior defenseman Michael Matheson has signed a deal with the Florida Panthers, who used their first selection on him in the 2012 draft. He will report to San Antonio for an amateur tryout. 

I think it's awesome to see Mike getting closer and closer to achieving his life long dream of playing NHL hockey. He is a terrific kid that has represented Boston College with nothing but class throughout his three years here. I wish him nothing but the best in Florida, where he has a chance to be a really special player. 

Thanks for all your hard work and dedication, Mike. 

Go Eagles !

Staff Picks Up Commitment From 1998 Forward

The staff picked up a commitment from New Jersey Avalanche forward Christopher Grando who had a great week at Nationals, recording 3 goals and 5 assists in 8 games playing for runner-up New Jersey Avalanche. Grando, a 1998 birthdate from Islip, New York, recorded 52 points in 26 games played for the Long Island Gulls in the 2013-14 season but I can't seem to find his stats from this past season. He is a pretty decently sized forward at 5'8 150 pounds. As of now, it seems like he is slated to come to BC in the fall of 2016 after playing a year in the USHL where he is drafted by the Green Bay Gamblers.

Nice job by the staff. They're quietly putting together a nice little recruiting stretch in these past few weeks with Woll and now Grando who was recruited by 7-8 other schools.

Go Eagles.

Doherty Named Captain

Teddy Doherty has been named captain of the absolutely stacked 2015-16  Eagles this afternoon after being voted to the position by his peers. Jr's Steve Santini, Ian McCoshen, and Chris Calnan were named alternate captains.

Couple of reactions. Number one, couldn't have asked for a better captain. Teddy Dots brings his all every single day and is clearly a leader both on and off the ice. Sometimes I think the whole leaderships thing gets a little blown out of proportion but next year, with such a young group, #4 is going to have to lead the way and I have no reason to think he won't follow in the footsteps of the guys that came before him. 

Also, it appears that Michael Matheson will sign with Florida since he was not reelected to the post he held this season but that is not official.....yet. 

Huge news for the staff as it looks like McCoshen and Santini will be returning. 

Most talented team of Coach York era with #3 and #6 back. Now we just have to wait.........a long time. 

Go Eagles. 

Reflections On a Difficult Season

For the third consecutive year, the longest drought since 2001-2008, Boston College will go without a national championship in men's ice hockey thanks to a disappointing 5-2 loss to Denver in the East regional semifinals. Give credit where it's due as the Pios were absolutely tremendous all night long. I thought they were fast, aggressive, physical, and skilled, all the ingredients you need to win in this tournament. Lots of credit to Jim Montgomery and his staff for getting those guys to play at such a high level in what was a de-facto road game in the national tournament for them. I would not be the least bit shocked to see them in Boston next weekend for the Frozen Four because they're that good, although Providence seems like they're also playing some good hockey as of late.

As for BC, it's almost a fitting ending for what was one of, if not the toughest, season in a long time. We knew going into the year that goal scoring was going to be a huge problem and it turned out to be our unescapable kryptonite. Whether it was last night vs Denver, the Beanpot vs NU, or the series against Vermont, we just could not score big goals in big situations, which is something we always saw during the Johnny Gaudreau, Chris Kreider, and Nathan Gerbe years. The bottom line is that you  can't rely on sophomores and freshmen to come in and produce like those guys mentioned before, as underclassmen. I thought the fresheman class was a huge plus all season long, except for maybe the last two or three games. Alex Tuch, Zach Sanford, and Noah Hanifin came in here and displayed exceptional talent which I believe will carry each one of them a long ways in their hockey careers.

Going forward, I think the biggest question in everyone's mind is with regards to the sophomore class which was one of the largest and most heralded of the Coach York era. Interestingly enough, their production dropped significantly from last year to this year even though they were given more playing time but I think that might be the root of the problems right there. If Gilmour, Fitzgerald, Cangelosi, and Calnan aren't your "go to" guys but the guys that can create an enormous amount of depth and skill on the top three lines, such as they did a season ago, then you've got a heck of a team but they were just worn out when they had to go against guys like Eichel, Roy, Rau, Fasching, Moore, and Heinen week in and week out. The thing is, there was such a drop off in production from the freshmen and sophomore classes to our junior and senior classes that if Gilmour, Tuch, Fitz, Cango, etc had off nights, then we were in huge trouble. Amazingly, there were games in the 2014 season when G and Hayes were off but those guys picked up the slack because at the end of the day, they're still very, very good hockey players. They just don't match up well against the highest of the high end guys like they had to so often this year. Of course, as juniors they will be asked to be the forefront of the team because of such a small senior class but only next year they will have a lot of weapons surrounding them, something they did not have this season.

It put a big smile on my face to see Mike Matheson play one of, if not his best, games of the season in what will probably be his last time ever wearing the maroon and gold. I would say that there has never been a player, at least in my memory, that has been scrutinized as much as #5 has but at the end of the day, he is one heck of a hockey player and despite what a ton of other fans say, he made our team a lot better than it would have been without him. I don't think he will come back but I hope he at least considers it because as I said, he's a great player and was a terrific captain this season. Obviously, I don't want to see next year's senior class be the first in Coach York's tenure to never play in a Frozen Four so I look for them to really step up and take control of what will be a young but extremely talented squad next season.

I want to take this paragraph to thank Michael Sit, Destry Straight, Quinn Smith, Danny Linell, Brad Barone, Brian Billet, and Cam Spiro for all they have done for BC Hockey. Yes, many critics will talk about the lack of production and all that stuff but the bottom line is that you represent Boston College with class and dignity both on the ice and off and I believe this class did that. They worked harder than any group of seniors I have ever seen at BC but it just wasn't meant to be for them. I wish them all the best of luck in whatever lies ahead and hopefully they will continue to be terrific representatives of Boston College and it's hockey program.

At the end of the day, it goes without saying that this was as tough a season to be a BC Hockey fan as it gets. Not only was it a tough year for the maroon and gold, the only thing worse than BC losing is seeing BU win and unfortunately, it seems like it's their year. I've always said this and I think a lot of fans are starting to realize it now. If we don't have a good year and we're the 58th best team in college hockey but BU is 59th, then everything is okay but when they're winning Beanpots and making Frozen Fours, I don't think that is something that anyone at BC will accept. Sure, all the losing this year stunk but I can't help but think that it will motivate the players and coaches to come back next year and light the world on fire. We will see where all the dominos fall as the summer goes by but right now, there is a chance for next year's squad to be the most talented team Coach York has ever had. I have 100% confidence that the staff will go out and build teams in the future that will consist of speed, toughness, determination, and most importantly, talent. They have done a terrific job of bringing in some high powered reinforcements for the 15-16 season but it's about what the players do from now until October 9th that will determine just how many games this team can win next season because if you ask me, there is no reason why they can't run the table.

Let a brand new era in BC Hockey commence.

Go Eagles.

Denver Preview

For the third time this season, Boston College will face off against Denver only this time around, everything is on the line. The Eagles come in as heavy underdogs versus a DU squad that many are predicting to win the National Title thanks to their stellar depth and defensive core. While Denver has complied a terrific record of 23-13-2, they are just 6-7-2 on the road and while this is certainly not a true home game for the Eagles, it might as well be due to BC's proximity to the Dunk. Anyways, from what I can tell, Denver has a style of play that can translate very well on the road in big games. They are structured, very good in both ends, and have a couple of studs that can possibly carry them a long way in this tournament. Of course, the Eagles and Pios met in the first round a season ago when the maroon and gold ran away thanks to some guy named G. I am fairly confident that Denver will come out of the gates with as much energy and excitement as it gets so we need to be ready to weather the storm early on.

As I have said twice already, the key for BC will be trying to contain Denver's terrific defense and first line. They are led by Joey LaLeggia, perhaps the best offensive defenseman in the entire country outside of Noah Hanifin. Supporting LaLeggia on the back end will be World Jr Championship standout Will Butcher who has 3 goals and 13 helpers this season. Obviously, no one knows exactly what Jim Montgomery will do with his lines but there is a good chance that his top top line will consist of his top three scorers, Danton Heinen, Trevor Moore, and Daniel Doremus, a trio that combined for 119 points this season. Since we don't have last change, it will be pivotal for the staff to try and get Hanifin and McCoshen out there every time those guys hit the ice but I am not sure which line they will try and matchup vs Doremus and company. I think they will start with Sit, Smith, and Straight but that could obviously change as the night goes on. BC has to be aware of Denver's defense taking the puck and moving it up the ice with their feet. Guys such as Butcher, LaLeggia, and Zajac love to take the puck and go while also jumping in from the offensive blue line.

The most interesting question going into tomorrow's game is who will start in net for the garnet and gold? If I was a betting man, I would go with freshman Tanner Jaillet but it was the sophomore Evan Cowley who played (very well) in both games against BC in November. No matter who starts, it has to be all about getting pucks and bodies to the net. We aren't going to skate circles around these guys for 60 minutes so if there is nothing in the offensive zone, just put the puck on net and hope for a rebound. We have a huge height advantage against this team so let's use it to our advantage. The more traffic we create in front, the more scoring chances we will have. Of course, we all know what the biggest key for this BC team is that they have to find a way to score the first goal tomorrow. As a coach, it must stink putting such an emphasis on that first tally but tomorrow, it will be paramount, especially considering the style of play the two teams both play. Amazingly, BC's record when leading after the first period is 13-0-2 while their record the other way around is 2-6-2. They have to find a way to get a lead after the first period tomorrow night.

Doesn't get much better than fighting for a chance to play in the Frozen Four in your home city and that is exactly what these guys have a chance to accomplish this weekend. This Denver club is the best we will see all season but I know we can find a way to win if we do the things we do best. We have to be sound in our own end, we need great goaltending, and most importantly, we MUST score the first goal.

He will get em going. Let's go baby.

Scouting Denver- 

Record- 23-13-2, recently defeated North Dakota in NCHC consolation game. Fell to Miami in semifinals.

Leading scorers- Danton Heinen (16-29-45), Trevor Moore (21-21-42), Joey LaLeggia (13-25-38)

Team offense- 3.29 goals scored per game (9th)

Team defense- 2.45 goals allowed per game (29th)

Power play- 21% (7th). Very good.

Penalty kill- 84% (25th)

Shots on goal margin per game- + 3 (21st)

Keys- 

You know the keys. Just win baby.

Notes- Doherty at forward. Silk out.

GO EAGLES !!

Let's Go

Before we dive into what lies ahead this week, let's take a step back and talk about what this team accomplished this season. Trust me, I know, the expectation at BC will always be to win the National Title but this year presented some challenges unlike any other in recent memory. The losses to Harvard, UConn, Denver, and arch-nemesis Boston University, all within a one week span, had a lot of fans (one in particular) up in arms over the direction of this team but like he does every single year, Coach York got the guys ready for some of it's biggest games of the season and they were able to secure a tournament berth. I know, it's been  very difficult to watch Boston University skate around the Garden with those trophies but don't worry, we will win all of those next year by a combined total of 100-0. I don't want to say the Beanpot and Hockey East tournaments don't matter but in Coach York's world, there is really only one trophy that counts. I think each and every fan should be very proud of what this team and this coaching staff have accomplished over the course of these past three months, especially considering what had taken place earlier in the year.

With all that being said, we're not in this tournament for participation medals. We are in it to win and I'm telling you right now, any time you have that guy behind the bench, you've got a shot. Every single media outlet whether it's the Globe, certain college hockey reporters, ESPN, etc has decided to crown Jack Eichel like he is the second coming of Jesus. That's just the way Coach York wants it. Usually, the local media will swarm Conte Forum during the week of the NCAA's for practice, in fact, I've seen a whole section filled with cameras once. That won't happen this year (it will next year). They'll all be down the street talking about how BU is going to make the world right by winning the National Title in Boston thanks to the greatest thing to ever hit the Earth. Good. That is just the way he wants it. No one is giving us a chance to win this region, I mean, you would think we've never played in this thing before. Everything these guys have been through this year- the hype surrounding their arch rivals, the over the top celebrations from Northeastern and Vermont, the seemingly insurmountable struggle in November, injuries, angry bloggers, you name it, all they wanted was a chance to play for a National Title and they earned that this afternoon. I must have had ten people say to me today that making the Frozen Four would just be icing on the cake because of how "bad" this BC team is. Just do me a favor and keep doubting him.

Obviously, Denver is going to be without a doubt the toughest game of the season. We'll get into it more as the week progresses but they have the best D core in the country outside of Chestnut Hill, led by senior stud Joey LaLeggia. They boast a talented group of forwards and are in my opinion, the best coached team in the country sans BC. We played a heck of a series vs them in late October as both games were absolute nail bitters and I expect Saturday to be the same, except we have a little bit of a home ice advantage this time around.

Let's see what the greatest coach in the history of colligate athletics has in store for the rest of the college hockey world this time around. Only this time, no one will notice.

And that is just the way he wants it.

GO EAGLES !

Denver

Rematch. Saturday at 3 in Providence.

Where Will We Be?

Boston College is in the NCAA's but now the question is who will they be facing and where? There seems to be a split amongst the "bracketologist" about where BC will be placed but here are the two possibilities.

Northeast regional (Manchester) vs Minnesota Duluth......BU would be #1 seed.

East regional (Providence) vs Denver.

We will find out for sure tomorrow @ 12 on ESPN.

Go Eagles

We're In

Thanks to wins from Michigan Tech and St Cloud State, Boston College has clinched a spot in the NCAA tournament for a 6th consecutive season.

More later.

Don't Doubt Him

I'm done talking about last weekend so let's not discuss it anymore. Good luck to the four teams participating at the Garden this weekend. Despite my original thinking, BC's season is far from over as they are pretty much assured an at large spot in the NCAA tournament. According to College Hockey News' Adam Wodon, of the 50,000 simulations the website ran, there wasn't one with BC out of the tournament but apparently, there is one that has us missing the dance. Here it is.

Obviously, I will never ever ever ever ever ever ever root for Boston University but if they beat UNH tomorrow, BC's chances of making the tournament go up even higher than they already are. If Ferris State, Colgate (over QU), St Cloud, Michigan State, Robert Morris, and BU all win their conference tournaments, then the Eagles still sneak into the field as the last #3 seed. Here is a picture of that scenario which is basically all the underdogs except BU winning their tournaments. 

So, in the end, we need to root for Minnesota (big time), Minnesota State/Michigan Tech, North Dakota, Robert Morris (doesn't matter who wins AHA for BC's case), and.................................................................. let's go to the next paragraph.

I have no idea where we will play but I would bet a lot of money that will be against either Minnesota-Duluth or Nebraska-Omaha. In pretty much every bracket prediction that has come out thus far, BC was pitted against either the Mavericks or the Bulldogs. To be totally honest with you, I don't care whether we play on the moon or in Manchester, I just want one more chance at Eichel and BU because after all that has happened this year in the media and how they treat him like he is a God, I just want one more chance to ruin their season. They can take their Hockey East titles and their Beanpots anytime they want. Who cares. All I know is that there is one man who would run in front of a machine gun to get one more chance at them.

Never doubt him.

Go Eagles !

Really Upsetting

For the second consecutive season (stunning, absolutely stunning) Boston College will not be part of the Hockey East final four as the Vermont Catamounts came into Conte Forum and defeated BC tonight 1-0 to take the best of three series. I'm at a loss for words as for what happened tonight because I thought once again, the effort was there but you just can't the horse race when you don't have the horses, I guess. It's easy for me to sit here and say that BC doesn't have enough good players to score more than 2 or 3 goals a game but look at it this way, are there not 40+ teams in the country that would not take our forward core over theirs? There is something missing here because even when you have a weakened forward group of "just" three or four potential NHL players, you should still be able to score more than one goal over the course of seven periods of hockey. Not to mention, they've got some of the best offensive defensemen anyone can ask for yet they still can't put the puck in the net! Why? Who knows.

Here are a couple of thoughts on the game.

First off, give Vermont and their staff all the credit in the world. They played so hard throughout the whole weekend and in my opinion, they deserved the series win. I don't know if they played harder than we did because I thought we played very hard but they executed when they needed to, we didn't. I thought their penalty killing was exceptional. They kept us to outside for the entire game and as they say, you need your best killer to be your goaltender and Hoffmann certainly was tonight for the Catamounts. It's amazing how many times we have run into a hot goaltender this season.

As for our lines, the top three guys were better but you could tell that UVM's size and strength was wearing on them, particularly Sanford. He had such a good game on Friday that they really zoomed in on him and got it to a point where he wasn't nearly as much of a factor as he needs to be. Tuch, after two tough games, was much better as he seemed to have the puck on his stick almost the entire game but in the end, no points for him on the weekend. I thought the line that struggled the most was the all senior line of Straight, Smith, and Sit which is unfortunate because that is the last time they will ever play in Chestnut Hill. Vermont's first line outplayed them for a large majority of time on the weekend. On defense, I thought Hanifin was solid as usual as were McCoshen and Savage but other than that, it just wasn't where it needed to be. Too many turnovers, too many careless plays at the offensive blue line, I mean, how do you allow a breakaway like that at that time in the game? Very frustrating to say the least. Everybody knows how upset I get when they lose and sometimes I go on these unwarranted rants but tonight there is nothing else to do but to tip your cap to Vermont. They just played better than we did and we didn't play half bad. Other years, our 70% game will beat pretty much every team in this league. This year, our 70% game won't beat many, if any, of the teams in this conference. Of course, that will all change next October.

Everyone has been texting me or emailing me about BC's NCAA chances. Put it this way- I would be absolutely shell shocked beyond belief if we are not in the tournament. There is a 99% chance we get in so I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. Yes, it is going to feel VERY awkward walking into an NCAA game as a giant underdog but I can promise you this, not one team in the country wants to see the maroon and gold in the NCAA tournament. I have learned a lot in my time watching BC Hockey but one thing that stands out more than any other is that never doubt Coach York. Are they going to win the thing? Probably not, but are they going to be more prepared and more fired up that any other team in the tournament? Yes. There is a formula which we can use to win a couple games in this thing but it is going to take an enormous amount of work, effort, and luck. Let's see what he's got up his sleeve this time around.

Go Eagles.

We're Going Three

Thanks to a pair of power play goals and an assist from Brady Shaw, the Vermont Catamounts picked up their second win of the season at Kelley Rink, defeating BC 3-1 and forcing a decisive game three tonight. First of all, tip your cap to the green and gold, I thought they came out and did a great job of weathering the storm before capitalizing on the two big chances they had. Truth be told, BC should have been up a goal or two after the first ten minutes but unfortunately, they just couldn't get anything by Hoffman. Amazingly enough, Vermont's two goals were basically living images of each other. Each time Shaw came off the half-wall, cut towards the net and fired one by Demko who seemed a tad off tonight after a solid outing on Friday. I'm not sure how those shots got by him but I also know that someone should have at least tried to block a shot. Every time we had a power play, their guys sacrificed the body to block a shot yet when we went on the kill, no one felt the need to prevent a shot from getting to the net.

The second period was another one of those in which BC outplayed an opponent for nearly the entire twenty minutes but once again, they couldn't get much by an opponent's goaltender. BC was able to convert on a 4 on 3 power play thanks to a great play by Ryan Fitzgerald, someone who played one of his better games in a long time last night. BC's second line generated a ton of quality chances, the third line had the puck in the zone every shift, the fourth line had some shots, but the first line had one of their worst games of the season. Actually, I thought Gilmour played pretty well but for whatever reason, the other two guys weren't playing nearly as well as BC needs them to be. I thought Vermont did a very good of being physical with Sanford all night long as it seemed he was worn out by the end of the game. Someone tweeted out that Tuch has just one shot in the two games so far which is surprising because he had been playing so well coming into this weekend. Hopefully he can find his groove tonight.

The third period was basically the same movie we had watched in the second, except there was absolutely nothing to show for it this time around. We had the puck in their zone the entire time which included a power play with 6 minutes to go but we just couldn't get anything by Hoffman. I thought the effort and chances were there but in reality, this team has got to start scoring more goals. We can't be outplaying teams so badly and not having any goals to show for it on the scoreboard.

In the end, this is do or die tonight. Everyone keeps saying that we're in the NCAA tournament no matter what but I am not buying it one bit. If we lose, we drop to 13th and there will almost certainly be an upset or two in the conference tournament finals next weekend. If we win, we move up to 8th and have a chance at potentially being a #2 seed in Providence or Manchester. Let's forget about the pairwise for a second though. Let's think about the Hockey East tournament. This is Boston College. We don't not make the final four of our own conference tournament, let alone for two straight seasons. I refuse to believe that Coach York will let them lose this game tonight. He knows this team has the capabilities to beat anyone in the country but he also is aware that a lose tonight could signal the end of another season and BC's NCAA tournament hopes. He's going to go in there and get them fired up to play but it's not his fault that the top guys are not putting the puck in the net. These are the types of games where your best players are truly your best players. We need that tonight. Let's see what they got.

No notes. Game 3 @ 6.

Go Eagles

Eagles Take Game One

Photo from The Heights

I am going to keep this one short because I've got to get up bright and early tomorrow but BC recorded it's third straight solid game en route to a 4-2 win over Vermont in game one of their Hockey East quarterfinal series. Of course, the two guys that immediately stood out were freshmen Zach Sanford and Noah Hanifin, both of whom were absolutely terrific all night long. BC came out with the same type of speed and intensity they brought to South Bend only this time they were rewarded when Hanifin went end to end before roofing one top shelf past UVM goaltender Mike Santaguida 10 minutes into the game. Of course, the goal will probably be on Sports Center tomorrow morning but anyone can talk about the kid's skating ability and skill. If you ask me, it's his decision making that has improved so much from opening night to this point. He knows when to take it and go, he knows when to get it deep, he knows when to pinch at the offensive blue line, and he knows where to go with the puck on a breakout. After Hanifin's goal, BC spent what seemed like the final ten minutes of the period buzzing around Vermont net but unfortunately they had nothing to show for, until the second began.

The Eagles opened the middle stanza with a complete assault on the UVM net and were rewarded with three goals in the first four minutes, two of which were from Zach Sanford and the other from Ryan Fitzgerald (on the power play). Hanifin and Alex Tuch were rightfully two of the most talked about freshmen in the country outside of Eichel but no one said anything about Zach Sanford. To be honest, I didn't even think he would crack the lineup in July before Milano decommited. He has proven just about everybody wrong. Unlike 99% of BC's recruits, Sanford wasn't someone who was coveted by the big guns such as BU, Michigan, or Harvard. He had a couple of minimal offers from UNH and Lowell but outside of that, not much. What a steal he turned out to be. He makes so many smart plays with the puck, they can put him in any type of situation, and he is starting to develop into a prolific producer for this club. Imagine what will happen next year. On the downside, BC let Vermont back in the game after a shot from outside the blue line somehow sneaked by Demko followed by bang-bang goal less than five minutes later. Credit Vermont, they battled hard after Fitzgerald made it 4-0 but I also loved the way BC's goaltender got in his groove after UVM's second tally. They had a couple of large scrums in front of our net and two power plays to end the period but Demko was there to make all the stops in order to lead his squad to victory. He won't get any consideration for the big awards but if BC does some damage in the NCAA's (and they could do a lot more than damage), then this kid deserves all the accolades you can possibly give out. He has been so good all year long.

In the end, I thought BC did a nice job of getting to the locker room up a pair of goals after two and then going back to their style of play in the third. It was more structured, less shots, less grade A chances, and less penalties. They're doing a better job, with a couple exceptions, of getting the puck out of their zone and creating odd man rushes through the neutral zone. However, while the win is nice, there is still work left to be done in order to clinch a spot at the Garden next weekend and more importantly, a spot in the big dance in two weeks. With Providence's loss to UNH, the Eagles jumped from 10th to 9th in the pairwise. Being above PC when it is all said and done could have major implications as to which team goes West and which stays home.

Why BC won- 

1. Hanifin and Sanford were by far and away the best players on the ice.

2. Penalty kill looks absolutely phenomenal. No room at the points anymore. It's attack, attack, attack.

3. I thought Demko came up huge at the end of the second and early in the third.

Negatives- 

Bad crowd. Hopefully they can get some more students to the game tomorrow.

Players of the game- Hanifin and Sanford

Next- Vermont tomorrow @ 7.

Vermont Preview

I drove home from school today and a thought blossomed into my head. We were not at the Garden for the Hockey East Tournament finals last season after winning the tournament four years in a row and making the "final four" every year since 2004. Honestly, the domination we used to have in this tournament is quiet amazing but a year ago we ran into one heck of a goaltender who ended our quest for five straight Lamoriello Cups in three quick games. History aside, the Eagles will begin their quest for a 12th Hockey East title and 6th consecutive NCAA tournament berth tomorrow night when the Vermont Catamounts come to town for a three game series. Of course, BC and UVM split the regular season series which took place at BC in early February. Vermont scored an OT winner just minutes after we tied it up with less than ten seconds left on Friday while we barely hung on to win 6-5 on Saturday. Kevin Sneddon's club comes into this weekend with a ton on the line as a series victory likely gives them not only an NCAA berth but also a chance for a first ever Hockey East title. Of course, the green and gold defeated Maine last weekend in a terrific series thanks to an OT winner from forward Jonathan Turk in game three.

I really don't need to say much about what is at stake for BC this weekend but we all know what happens if we win and what happens if we lose. Everyone wants a chance at Eichel and the Terriers in the finals but that isn't possible unless we find a way to get by a Vermont club that thoroughly outplayed us in four of the six periods we played exactly one month ago. We know the way UVM is going to come in and play. They're one of the top defensive teams in the country but like they showed in the third period of game two in the regular season, they can also put the puck in the net if given the opportunities. Of course, the big gun to watch out for is defenseman Mike Paliotta who leads the team in points with 35. Joining forces with Paliotta on the blue line is former Terrier Alexx Privitera who has five points in his last four games. Up front, the Catamounts lost their best forward from a season ago (McCarthy) but have three steady lines that can all do some damage. Their top forward is sophomore Brady Shaw, who had two goals in BC's 6-5 win in February. Expect UVM's top trio to be Shaw, Brendan Bradley, and senior Jake Fallon. Two things to watch out for tomorrow. First of all, while UVM is usually known as a team that likes to play a somewhat passive, defensive style of hockey, they forechecked very aggressively against us when we played earlier in the year. In fact, their heavy forecheck led to the overtime goal but in reality, it wasn't just that one instance, they outplayed us for a long time on both nights. Also, I am interested to see what the staff does with regards to the Paliotta-Privitera pairing. Will BC try and match up their top unit against those guys or will they rely on the Straight, Sit, and Smith line to try and take them out of the equation?  Like BC, Vermont gets a lot of production from it's blue line, particularly those two blue chippers.

As for the Eagles, they just have to find a way to play like they did vs Notre Dame. It seems like the Catamounts have settled on Mike Santaguida as their #1 goaltender but I would bet a lot of money that he won't be able to come in here and stop 55 shots in game one of a playoff series if BC can somehow get back to that total. We have to get pucks on net such as we did vs ND but unlike that series, we have to find a way to actually put the thing in the nylon. At the end of the day, it comes down to execution, especially in the playoffs. Let's see what these guys have in store tomorrow.

Scouting UVM- 

Record- 20-13-4 (19th in PWR)

Leading scorers- Mike Paliotta (9-26-35), Brady Shaw (16-11-27), Colin Markison (9-16-25)

Team offense- 2.78 goals scored per game (28th)

Team defense- 2.22 goals allowed per game (12th)

Power play- 20% (16th)

Penalty kill- 88.5% (7th)

Shots on goal margin per game- + 4.75 (15th)

Keys for BC- 

1. Score the first goal. I think it will be a big crowd tomorrow night so get them involved early. If BC could ever get out to a multi goal advantage, it would become a David vs Goliath type matchup.

2. Power play. During the month of January, the PP was firing on all cylinders but right now, they are doing everything right but scoring. Hopefully they can get back on the board tomorrow.

3. What will the staff do with the first line? I am interested to see if they matchup Tuch's line with UVM's big guns or they decide to go with the second or third line. Last change should help.

Notes- Straight to third line, Calnan to second, Doherty still up front, I think Linell will dress but not sure if he will actually play.

Go Eagles !

Injury Updates

Boston College will face Vermont in a best of three series this weekend @ Kelley Rink. Two victories will seal BC's spot in a 6th consecutive NCAA tournament. Here is the injury report.

Danny Linell has returned to practice. I would expect him to be placed on the fourth line with Gaudreau and Spiro in order for Doherty to go back to the blue line.

Destry Straight was hit in the head by an Ian McCoshen bomb in the finals seconds of BC's loss @ Notre Dame and he took a couple days off last week but has sinced returned to practice.

Brendan Silk remains out of practice with concussion issues.

Huge Get

One of the most asked questions amongst fans over the past few weeks has been what the staff will do after Thatcher Demko leaves, which will be likely after the 2016 season. Well, today, they got their answer as the staff (in particular Coach Ayers) got a commitment from top USNTDP goalie Joseph Woll. The 6'2, 1998 goaltender hails from Dardenne Prairie, Missouri and the St Louis Blues midget minor program. The other finalist for Woll were Michigan and arch rival Boston University. 

Obviously, huge, huge, huge, get for the staff. Not only is it big from a momentum standpoint but now they pretty much have the goaltending situation figured out for the next 3 or 4 years. They still have Chris Birdsall slated to come in next fall but he will likely be a backup for Demko and then probably Woll, assuming all goes according to plan. Great get for the Eagles! 

We find out our Hockey East playoff opponent tonight once UVM-Maine and ND-UMass are done. 

Go Eagles !

Updates

Before diving into the Prep school championships, let's recap what happened last night in the first round of the Hockey East playoffs. Merrimack fired home a short handed goal to defeat Northeastern in overtime, UVM scored with 2 minutes left to beat Maine, UNH rolled by UConn, and most notably, UMass topped Notre Dame in the longest game in college hockey history (5 overtimes). If those four teams win again tonight, Boston College will host UNH next weekend in a best of three series. 

As for the New England prep school championships, here is how some of BC's recruits performed.

Dexter 1 @ Cushing 0- Luke McInnis' Dexter squad ended the season for David Cotton's Cushing team. Dexter plays Gunnery today @ 2 while Cotton's terrific season comes to end. 

Gunnery 6 Nobles 1- In perhaps the most shocking result of the day, The Gunnery scored three straight goals in the second period and added a pair of empty netters and a garbage time goal to end the prep hockey career of BC recruit Miles Wood who recorded Nobles' only goal.

Thayer 5 @ Brunswick 4- Tony's Tigers, the #8 seed in the large school division, pulled off the upset of #1 Brunswick on Wednesday afternoon. Monte Graham recorded one assist. Thayer will face Belmont Hill today. 

Brooks 2 St Sebs 1 OT- In one of the best high school hockey games I have watched in a long time, Connor Moore's Brooks squad upended St Sebastian's in overtime. Of all BC's recruits, I don't think anyone, with perhaps the exception of Cotton, has improved as much as Moore has this year. He looked absolutely tremendous. Brooks plays @ Choate today.