Eagles Land Second Mattila Brother

Julius Mattila, brother of recent Eagle commit Jesper Mattila, has committed to Boston College for this fall. The former Western Michigan recruit and forward for the Ilves U20 squad recorded 56 points in 46 regular season games before notching 8 points in 7 postseason contests. Julius was ranked 115th by NHL Central Scouting for European skaters. His brother finished the season as the team's top defenseman, posting 37 points in 47 games and was pegged at 83rd by Central Scouting.

I have not seen these guys play but from what I have been able to gather, it seems as if BC picked up two pretty good players that have a chance to come in and play right away. Assuming McCoshen signs, Jesper will likely be competing with fellow freshmen Luke McInnis, Mike Campoli, and Connor Moore for playing time. Julius certainly has a shot to garner top twelve minutes, especially with the speed and skill he brings to the table. Finnish scout Marco Bombino described Julius as a "skilled forward who is tenacious and competes hard- he is certainly a nice get for BC." We will get deeper into potential lineup scenarios as the summer goes on but as of right now, I think both brothers will get a chance to play on opening night, assuming they continue to get stronger during the offseason.

Julius' commitment gives BC a whopping eleven members in the incoming class and I would not be surprised if the staff went out and added one more forward. The blue line, while extremely young and inexperienced, is fine in terms of numbers and if McCoshen does shock the world and come back, then BC will be looking at nine defensemen vying for six spots. If I had to guess, I'd say four of the five incoming forwards will get a look on opening night but of course, that number could change between now and October.

Connecticut Forward Commits to BC

A hectic 24 hours continued on Saturday afternoon as the staff secured a commitment from Salisbury School forward Jacques Bouquot, a 2000 birthdate out of South Windsor, Connecticut. The 6'0 forward recorded 15 points in 26 games for a very deep Salisbury team this season and is generally regarded as one of the top 2000's in New England. He was taken 57th overall (fourth round) in the USHL Draft this past week by Sioux City.

Bouquot is another solid add for the staff, giving them their second commit in under a day's time and fourth in the class of 2018 along with TJ Walsh, Pat Giles, and Adam Samuelsson. With Salisbury losing a good chunk of its top players from last season, I'm sure Bouquot will see an increase in playing time and should develop into a top end player sometime in the future.

Go Eagles

White Staying and Staff Picks Up Top Goaltender

After a month of constant departures, BC got some terrific news yesterday as freshman forward Colin White will return for another year, per TSN's Darren Dreger.  The Hanover native recorded 43 points on the season, second to Ryan Fitzgerald for the team lead. There is no doubt the Eagles lose a lot of talent, especially up front, but they return their top four skaters and there are increasing signs that Ian McCoshen, the best defenseman in the country as far as I'm concerned, may come back for one more run at a national championship- a final decision has yet to be made. With some open scholarship money, I expect the staff to bring in at least one more forward because for the first time in a couple years, they may have a bit of a logjam on the blue line, if McCoshen stays. As of now, they have four defensemen coming in (McInnis, Campoli, Moore, Matilla), but only Santini is gone from last season.

 Late last night, the staff picked up a commitment from top 1998 goaltender Ryan Edquist, a former Minnesota recruit, giving BC two of the best incoming goaltenders in the country to replace Thatcher Demko. Edquist is not a giant at 6'0, but led Lakeville (MN) to a perfect 31-0 record plus a state championship in 2015 before turning in a solid season with the Madison Capitols of the USHL in 2016. BC is in a bit of a tricky situation with four talented goalies on the roster but Chris Birdsall was riddled with concussions for the entire season and there is no word on his health status. Ian Milosz was brought in on an emergency basis but from what I'm hearing, there is a good chance he returns next season. The staff will only have a handful of practices to decide on a starter for the Icebreaker and honestly, I would be surprised if it wasn't Woll. In saying that, Edquist and likely Milosz will certainly get more than their share of looks throughout the campaign. 

Have a nice weekend. 

Go Eagles! 

Sources- Demko To Sign With Vancouver

According to multiple sources, junior goaltender Thatcher Demko is set to ink an entry level deal with the Vancouver Canucks, the team that drafted him in 2014. The San Diego native will leave Chestnut Hill as one of the most decorated goaltenders in program history, leading his teams to two Frozen Fours, two Beanpot titles, two Hockey East regular season championships, and a 6-1-1 record against archrival Boston University, among other accolades. Of course, Demko was also a finalist for the Hobey Baker award and took home the Mike Richter trophy just a few weeks ago.

It may be a couple of days until Demko actually puts the pen to paper but he will become the twelfth Eagle to leave school early over the past five years, which is the most in college hockey (Minnesota and Michigan have each had eleven).

For my money, Demko is the best goalie in BC history and I think he will go on to have a long NHL career- he possesses a rare combination of size and athleticism not typically found in netminders. I wish him and his family nothing but the best.

On the bright side, Demko's replacement, Joseph Woll, recorded a shutout at the U18 World Championships tonight, as the United States defeated Switzerland 4-0. Woll has allowed just one goal in two tournament games thus far. Fellow incoming freshman Graham McPhee notched a goal for the Americans.

As for the remaining question marks, I expect Ian McCoshen to leave for Florida at some point in the near future. Out of every player on last year's team, I thought he was the most NHL ready and honestly figured the Panthers would give him a chance to participate in the playoffs. We will see what happens.

Go Eagles

Banquet Notes; McCoshen and Calnan Named Captains

The Pikes Peak Club hosted their 67th annual end of the year banquet yesterday at the Westin Hotel in Waltham. Unfortunately, Blogger could not go but from what I heard, it was another fantastic event with a good sized crowd. Those involved in that club deserve a ton of a credit for what they do behind the scenes. Here are the awards handed out by the organization-

Norman F. Dailey MVP Award- Ryan Fitzgerald and Thatcher Demko

Snooks Kelley Award for individuals who best typify Boston College Hockey- Teddy Doherty and Travis Jeke

William J. Flynn Coaches Award- Peter McMullen

James E. Tiernan Most Improved Player Award- Austin Cangelosi

Bernie Burke Most Outstanding Freshman- Colin White

Academic Excellence Award- Peter McMullen

Academic Achievement Award- Teddy Doherty

Congrats to all those guys on their well deserved recognition. 

The staff announced four captains for next season- Ian McCoshen and Chris Calnan will serve as the main ones while Austin Cangelosi and Ryan Fitzgerald will be alternates. After reading that, one would think McCoshen is coming back for his senior season but from what I have heard, he has yet to make a decision. The fact that he was voted captain can only help BC's cause. Coach York asked all four of the captains to stand up and challenged them to push the team as hard as possible in order to get back to the Frozen Four next season. Despite all the early departures, if no one else bolts, the Eagles will return 60% of their scoring from last season and with a solid recruiting class coming in, they should be in the hunt once again. 

Go Eagles 

Alex Tuch Signs With Minnesota

Sophomore forward Alex Tuch signed with the Minnesota Wild this evening, making him the fourth Eagle to leave early in the past week. Before getting into the meat of my post, I want to congratulate Alex on his first professional contract- from what I understand, he is a terrific kid who works extremely hard.

As for BC, well, this has been a brutal week. I expected Gilmour and Tuch to sign, Santini was 50/50, and Wood was a complete shock. Unfortunately, Tuch may not be the last guy to sign early given that Colin White, Ian McCoshen, and Thatcher Demko have yet to make their decisions. While I think White might stay, I'd be shell-shocked if either McCoshen or Demko comes back.

Tuch's departure sent off a firestorm around BC Hockey world (at least on Twitter) as many fans were quick to criticize every name in the book. Trust me, I understand the frustration, especially considering this never used to happen around here. Look at the 2008, 2010, and 2012 National Championship teams- they all consisted of guys who could have signed NHL contracts the previous year, but came back to help lead BC to the promised land. In my mind, the landscape of the sport, and the type of player that comes to a program like BC, is vastly different than it was even four years ago. It's easy to sit there and say the staff should have known when players were going to leave but what were they supposed to do? Ask them to make a decision in January? They believed most of the attrition would take place after next season because more often that not, anyone not drafted in the first or second round has stayed at BC for four years.

I think the hardest part of Coach York's job is trying to figure out the correct balance between superstar players that actually WANT to be at BC and four year guys that can play top six minutes junior and senior years. Look at the 2012 squad for a second- Barry Almeida, Paul Carey, and Tommy Cross all had varying production levels throughout their first three years but once that last campaign came around, they became some of the most reliable players on the roster. On top of that experienced core, BC had some insanely talented players that bled maroon and gold through and through- Chris Kreider, Brian Dumoulin, and Johnny Gaudreau come to mind. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure Tuch, Gilmour, Santini, and Wood enjoyed their time at BC but this did not take place a few years back. Why the sudden change in heart among BC players? I think it has less to do with the mindset of the players than it does the mindset of NHL teams. After Kevin Hayes burned Chicago in 2014, and Mike Reilly/Jimmy Vesey did the same with Columbus and Nashville, respectively, teams are trying harder than ever to get kids signed before they enter the last year of their "contracts". So, when you're a top end program like BC, who obviously tries to recruit the best players available, you run the risk of losing all those guys after one or two seasons. Look at the past five national champions (not counting BC)- North Dakota, Providence, Union, Yale, and Duluth- they were led by seniors and juniors who drastically improved from year one to year three or four. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have a club like Wisconsin that landed nearly every top recruit from 2010-2013, before being burned by early departures and the CHL. Mike Eaves, a coach that recruited the likes of Ryan McDonough, Kyle Turris, Nick Kerdiles, Christian Dvorak, Justin Schultz, Brendan Smith, and Jake McCabe was out of job less than five years after making the National Championship because either guys left after their sophomore seasons or didn't show up at all. Some (me) would counter this argument by asking what would you rather the staff do, not go after the best players? I believe there should be a middle ground reached in each class they bring in from here on out- try to get one or two, maybe three, high end players that run the risk of leaving early, but put an emphasis on finding skaters that want to be at Boston College more than anything in the world. I had a long conversation with my government teacher today (an avid college fan, but not BC) and he made a great point in saying that for players like Bill Arnold, Danny O'Regan (BU), Tommy Cross, and Matt Grzelyck (BU), nothing meant more to them than donning those famed uniforms and trying to bring home titles. I am not sure the same can be said about the players some of these top end programs are bringing in now.

So, how can BC fix this? Right now, the staff has thirteen forwards on the depth chart for next season- defense, even if McCoshen bolts, is not a problem, at least in terms of sheer numbers. Most of those recruits committed two or three years ago, in fact, Michael Booth is the only incoming forward who they snatched this winter, because they were convinced that everyone outside of Tuch would come back for another year. I heard from a couple of good sources that there was a good chance of Colin White coming back for another year but after Tuch's departure, I think he might have a change of heart. The only good news that comes out of these departures is that the staff might have some extra scholarship money to spend on potential freshmen for next season, but that begs the question of who will they go after?  I'm not going to speculate but with all the holes up front, there is no way they don't bring in at least two more forwards.  While this may not be want you want to hear at the moment, I think the next two recruiting classes, particularly the incoming one, consist of over nearly a dozen players that are skilled and likely to stick around (knock on wood). Outside of maybe Jacob Tortora, a 2017 recruit, there doesn't appear to be any flight risks to the CHL, which is a major change from the past two offseasons. While they may have some trouble at times next year, they will bring back a boatload of young talent that will mesh with a highly touted 2017 class. Guys like David Cotton, Connor Moore, Graham McPhee, and Luke McInnis, while not first round draft picks, are the type of players BC needs more of in order to have sustained success because they are likely to stick around for at least three seasons, if not four.

Trust me, I know it has been a tough week, but Coach York, Coach Brown, and Coach Ayers are three of the hardest workers you will find and I'm sure they will get it figured out.

Go Eagles

Adam Gilmour Signs With Minnesota

Junior forward Adam Gilmour signed with the Minnesota Wild this afternoon and will forgo his senior season at BC, per Bob McKenzie. The Hanover native recorded 12 goals and 14 assists for the maroon and gold this season.

I am not surprised by this move as it was expected, from what I was able to gather over the past couple of days. As I said in the Wood post, teams do not want to lose valuable draft picks once their eligibility runs out, which is why you will rarely see drafted juniors come back for their senior seasons. I wish Adam nothing but the best in Minnesota.

As for the remaining players, the big question marks are Colin White, Alex Tuch, Thatcher Demko, Ian McCoshen, Chris Calnan, and, to a lesser extent, Ryan Fitzgerald and Zach Sanford. I am somewhat confident in saying that Sanford and Fitzgerald will be back but I have no idea about the other five guys. Thatcher Demko met with Canucks GM Jim Benning on Saturday and from I can tell, he is a having a tough time deciding his next move- I would say it's 50/50. I am shocked McCoshen has not signed as I figured Florida would offer him a spot on their playoff roster but that appears not to be the case- I'd say 60/40 in favor of leaving. Honestly, I have no clue on White, Tuch, and Calnan. I think White will sign, although Ottawa hired a new GM yesterday, so not sure how that changes things. Tuch, like Demko, is close to a 50/50 deal but he is likely gone as well. I'd be surprised if Calnan comes back given that Chicago has been burned in the past by players exploring free agency after their senior season (Kevin Hayes).

If some of those guys come back, they would have a heck of a team next year but if not, at least they will have a good amount of scholarship money to go out and build for the future.

Go Eagles

Miles Wood Signs With New Jersey

Oh boy.

Freshman Miles Wood signed an entry level contract with the New Jersey Devils this evening, making him the second Eagle to do so in under two hours. According to numerous reports, Wood will report to New Jersey tomorrow and may play in their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It's easy to sit here, as a BC fan, and criticize the decision but I've always said that any fan who knocks a kid for turning down a million dollars is out of their mind. Miles grew as a player over these past seven months and he certainly has the skill set to be a big time player for that organization. Am I surprised? Very. Do I think he is ready? Yes. Let's be honest here, he was a man amongst boys and I think his style of play will suit the NHL.

With Wood and Santini signed, there is a growing sense of nervousness surrounding the program regarding early departures. Demko will likely sign any day now, same with McCoshen, but other than that, we have no idea what's going to happen. The difference between Wood's situation and that of Colin White and Alex Tuch is that Wood's deal, as Devils property, would have run out by next August and as you saw with Jimmy Vesey and the Predators, teams do not want to lose valuable draft picks to free agency. I think there is an outside chance of both Tuch and White staying but I would not count on it. Same goes for Calnan and Gilmour because like Wood, they're free to sign with whomever they want if they stay- odds are Chicago and Minnesota won't fall for that.

Congrats and best of luck to Miles.

Santini Signs With New Jersey

Defenseman Steve Santini has inked a professional contract with the New Jersey Devils, forgoing his final year of eligibility at Boston College. 

This move somewhat surprises me but I think Santini could go on to have a long professional career. I wish him nothing but the best with the Devils. 

Over

Photo from The Boston Globe

As the old adage goes, "all good things must come to an end". Unfortunately, that is what happened to the 2016 edition of the Eagles last night, as they fell to Quinnipiac 3-2 in game one of the Frozen Four.

First of all, hats off to Rand Pecknold and his crew- they took it to BC for the first forty five minutes of that game and then got some outstanding play from Michael Garteig in order to hang on. They might not be a brand name around the college hockey world at the moment but certainly could be come midnight tomorrow. I wish them the best of luck against North Dakota. They had a ferocious forecheck, gave BC nothing through the neutral zone, had the best penalty kill I have seen this year, and boast a couple of awfully dangerous two way forwards. 

I'm not quite sure what happened in the first period, for whatever reason, it took BC a while to adapt to Quinnipiac's speed. One of QU's objectives was to halt BC in their own end by forcing the D to D pass as often as possible- they more than accomplished that. Less than three minutes into the game, Casey Fitzgerald's pass from behind the net squirted out front before Bobcats banged it home, giving them the game's first lead. Again, Quinnipiac was a fast team, no doubt, but I don't think it was heads and shoulders above anything the Eagles had seen from teams like BU, Denver, Northeastern, and perhaps Duluth. We knew QU was going to possess the puck in the BC end for long periods of time but if BC could have kept everything to the outside, then perhaps they would have been able to get away damage free. It didn't happen. Instead, both of QU's first period goals came from inside the slot. I don't care who you have in net, you can't expect anyone to cover for turnovers and breakdowns on such an epic scale. 

The most disappointing aspect of the game, for me anyways, was BC's power play. As the game went on, they certainly generated more quality looks but in the first period, outside of a golden opportunity from Ryan Fitzgerald, they garnered nothing. Don't get me a wrong, a lot of that had to do with Quinnipiac's speed, but I still think the Eagles could have done better than 1 for 5. 

The first three shifts of the second period were probably their best all season. After getting manhandled in the opening twenty, Tuch's line came through with a huge goal just 23 seconds into the frame, cutting the lead in half. The celebration didn't last long however as Quinnipiac capitalized on an Ian McCoshen cross-checking penalty just four minutes after Tuch's strike. The Eagles have not faced many teams that run a 1-3-1 power play, certainly none that run it as well as QU does, but like every other part of BC's game, it got better as time passed. On the third goal, obviously, you want to try and win that face-off in order to prevent them from getting great looks right off the bat but QU made the play by getting the puck to the net. The contest could have gotten out of reach before the end of the second as BC had to kill of a couple more penalties, once again, but unlike the first go around, they did so with relative ease. 

I could not have been more proud of the way this team battled in the third period. As cliche as it may sound, if we're going to go out, that's how I want to go- give me a club that plays like that, no matter the talent level, and I'll take them any day of the week. Whether it was two point blank looks from McCoshen, a terrific short side chance for Scott Savage, or an abbreviated two on one for Cangelosi and Casey Fitzgerald, BC did everything they could to tie it up after Ryan Fitzgerald notched a power play goal with five minutes left. Quinnipiac is so good in their own end, the only way you're going to score on them is by getting pucks to the net and hoping for a rebound or a deflection. Zach Sanford, who I thought was BC's best forward, made a nifty pass to McCoshen, who was robbed by a sprawling Garteig with just under a minute to go. Hockey's a weird game- sometimes you don't generate anything for the first fifty minutes and then pot a few thanks to some fortunate bounces but others, you just can't seem to capitalize on your best chances- that is what happened last night. Again, give Quinnipiac all the credit in the world for their defensive prowess. 

I will have a post either today or later in the week concerning early departures. That being said, I expect Demko to sign with Vancouver as early as this afternoon. McCoshen is ready as well, so I would not be shocked if he is gone by the weekend. Other than those two, your guess is as good as mine. If they can get most of their big guns to stay, they could be awfully good next year. Keep your fingers crossed. 

So there's that. The 2015-16 chapter of Boston College Hockey officially comes to a close after yet another fantastic run. They probably don't read this thing, but I just want to thank Teddy Doherty, Travis Jeke, Peter McMullen, and Brendan Silk for all they have done for this program. When you become a part of BC Hockey, the most important thing you can do is represent yourself, your school, your coaches, and your teammates to the very best of your ability on a daily basis. These guys have been phenomenal ambassadors for Boston College and its hockey program, I wish them nothing but the very best in whatever comes next in life. It was truly a pleasure coming to the rink everyday and seeing them set the bar so high. 

Lastly, I just want to say thanks to you, the reader, for taking time out of your day to check out this blog. I've been running the BCHB for six years and I can honestly say this is the most fun I've ever had, despite the difficult ending. As crazy as it may sound, I will be a freshman at Boston College next fall but I'm hopeful the blog will continue well into the future. 

Why BC lost- 

1. Brutal start. Quinnipiac was ready to go early on, BC was not. Teddy Doherty called the opening ten minutes "unacceptable".  Sums it up pretty well. 

2. Power play struggled for most of the game. Fitzgerald's tally was nice but other than that, they could not get anything going. 

Positives- 

1. The fight they showed at the end of that game was remarkable. Garteig had to make three or four out of this world saves in order to keep BC off the board. Give it another five minutes and I think we'd be talking about playing North Dakota. 

Thanks for an awesome season. 

Go Eagles 

Quinnipiac Preview

When you commit to playing hockey at Boston College, you're putting yourself in a position to compete on some of the biggest stages the sport has to offer. Whether it's regular season games in Hockey East, a conference tournament title, the Beanpot, or the top dog, a National Championship, playing here is all about the "trophy games". Starting tomorrow evening, the Eagles will have a chance to bring back a sixth National Championship as they face-off with the Quinnipiac Bobcats in game one of the Frozen Four. It will be the first ever meeting between the two programs.

Rand Pecknold's team is coming off an impressive 4-1 win over UMass-Lowell in the East regional final. In the first round, QU used a big third period to skate by RIT. I've watched Lowell five or six times this season and not once did I see them get outplayed like that. Put it simply, QU dominated the final fifty minutes of the game after Lowell got on the board with an early power play goal. It's one thing to score four goals on a team like Lowell, but it's another to keep the puck away from them like the Bobcats did. As was the case with Minnesota Duluth, Quinnipiac is one of the top possession squads in the country, with a 57% corsi for rating, good for fifth nationally. They're fast, deep, and skilled- I mean, you don't lose three games all season by being a flash in the bottle. Although typically listed as the fourth line, the trio of Sam Anas, Tanner MacMaster (a former BC commit), and Craig Martin will pose a dangerous threat to BC's defense. The difference between this team and almost everyone else BC has faced this season is their depth, both up front and on the back end. Ten Bobcat players have recorded 20 or more points, which is slightly behind BC's eleven. Interestingly enough, despite their tremendous record, Pecknold's club boast just two NHL draft picks- defensemen Connor Clifton and Devin Toews. They aren't a "big" team on the defensive side of the puck, but they have a bunch of guys that love to use their speed in order to get up ice and create plays. Clifton and Toews have notched 26 and 30 points, respectively. I don't care what league you play in, producing at that level as a defensemen is outstanding.

The one aspect of their game that jumped out to me while watching QU two weeks ago was their speed. They will be, without a doubt, the fastest team BC plays all season- they made some of Lowell's defensemen look like traffic cones in the defensive zone. The Eagles put an emphasis on their own end for the majority of practices over the past week because they want to avoid those periods where the Bobcats sustain pressure for a minute and a half or longer. Against Duluth, especially early in the second and late in the third, BC was running around their end for large chunks of time and if it weren't for Demko, things may have gone differently. That being said, I don't expect the Eagles to possess the puck more than Quinnipiac- BC is a team that uses it's speed through the neutral zone to strike at any moment while QU wears you out with their puck control. BC can't let Quinnipiac move it around in the offensive zone before firing at will on Demko. They need to keep the puck to the outside, clear it on the wall (this was a problem at times vs UMD), and create odd man rushes. It will be tough for the staff to get the guys they want out there without last change but I expect McCoshen and Casey Fitzgerald to get the majority of shifts versus QU's top line. Sam Anas was hurt three weeks ago against Harvard but he looked more than fine against Lowell. The two weeks off should only help.

The one lineup note to look out for is whether or not Matthew Gaudreau is in. They will keep the same top three units but expect Gaudreau to be fourth line left wing. As always, things could change between now and 5 o'clock tomorrow.

 Coach York alluded to this today in his presser- you're never going to be able to play a perfect game in these type of situations because the opponent, no matter the name on the front of the jersey, is a formidable foe. I expect this to be a fantastic hockey between two teams that are more than deserving to be the National Champion come Saturday night.

Scouting QU- 

Record- 31-3-7....only losses were to St. Lawrence, Boston University, and Cornell.

Leading scorers- Sam Anas (24-26-50), Travis St. Denis (22-24-46), Tim Clifton (18-22-40)

Team offense- 3.88 goals scored per game (4th)

Team defense- 1.90 goals against per game (5th)

Power play- 28% (4th)

Penalty kill- 89% (3rd)

Shots on goal per game- 34.88 (4th)

Shots on goal against per game- 24.90 (2nd)

Projected starter- Michael Garteig (1.83 GAA, .926 save percentage)

Keys for BC- 

1. Strong play in the defensive zone. Quinnipiac's speed may give the Eagles fits at times but if they're disciplined and able to make plays through the neutral zone, they've got a great chance to win.

2. Get off to a good start. Like every other team in the Frozen Four, Quinnipiac is undefeated (26-0-2) when leading after two periods.

3. Penalties. Both teams are lethal on the man advantage, whomever has the majority of power plays will likely come out on top.

Notes- I expect Gaudreau to be in.

Off to Tampa in the morning. Go Eagles.

Notes

A couple of notes to share before Thursday's big game in Tampa Bay. The team left via charter this afternoon after a short send-off outside of Conte Forum.

BC had three recruits named to the United States' U18 World Championships roster. Zach Walker, Graham McPhee, and Joe Woll will all be representing their country April 14-24 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The red, white, and blue will be seeking their third consecutive title after Colin White scored the game winner in overtime a season ago.

One of their 2000 recruits, TJ Walsh, tendered with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders of the USHL this afternoon. The Cushing Academy forward recently tried out for the National Development Program but it appears as if he did not make the cut. The tender indicates that Walsh will be heading to Iowa next season.

Here are some Frozen Four previews worth reading.  

SB Nation College Hockey's BC capsule 

College Hockey News preview and an excellent piece on Coach York

USCHO's preview 

BC Interruption's look at Quinnipiac

I will have my preview up at some point tomorrow.

Go Eagles

Demko Named Hobey Hatrick Finalist

Boston College goaltender Thatcher Demko was named one of three finalist for the Hobey Baker Award this afternoon along with Michigan's Kyle Connor and Harvard's Jimmy Vesey. The winner will be announced next Friday at the Tampa Theater.

Of course, I am biased towards BC guys but no one in the country is more deserving of this honor than Demko. The junior out of San Diego holds the school's single season shutout record (10), boasts the second best save percentage in the country (.936), as well as the seventh best goals against average (1.85). In fifteen games against teams that qualified for the NCAAs, Demko went 9-4-2 with a .926 save percentage and 2.20 goals against average.

In my opinion, you can only determine the best players based off how they do against top end competition. Vesey and Connor are two of the finest forwards to play college hockey in some time but they simply have not fared well against the big guns. Harvard played twelve games against NCAA teams (only won two) and over the course of those games, Vesey recorded ten points. Of course, he had zero against Boston College. On the other hand, Kyle Connor's Michigan squad faced-off in five games against NCAA tournament teams (including both last week). Connor notched six points in those five games. The Winnipeg draft pick had zero goals in three regular season games against top 15 pairwise clubs. Given how weak Michigan's schedule was, I don't think it's fair to say the best player in the country comes out of the thinest conference in college hockey. Not to mention, the Wolverines had a cupcake non-conference slate that included Niagara, Northern Michigan, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, and Dartmouth.

This is the first year in a long time where I don't think there is a set in stone winner. Many in the media seem to believe it's Connor's to lose but we all know how they feel about BC- just look at the Beanpot MVP.

On another note, Matthew Gaudreau returned to practice this week. It will be interesting to see what the staff does with line combinations.

Go Eagles

Player Development

Tonight, I wanted to talk about an aspect of this team I feel has gone under the radar given BC is in the Frozen Four seemingly every other year and people figure that is only because they recruit as well as anyone. I'm not going to sit here and deny that the staff has brought in some extraordinary talent over the past three years. Boston College is a special institution that will always attract hockey players from around world. However, when you're a program like BC, people don't tend to focus on player development because there is an assumption that everyone is a superstar and there is little the coaches can do to further specific aspects of an individual's game.

After the 2015 season, some in the college hockey world (even BC fans) questioned whether or not players were improving at an expected rate. Some BU people went out of their way to say that if you come to BC, you will actually get worse as a player- considering there are more Eagles in the NHL than Terriers, that seems like an erroneous argument to make. Here is an article from my good friends down the street where they rip BC while also predicting that the Eagles would not have any success in March- how did BU do on Saturday? 

Anyway, I am not trying to make this a BC-BU thing- I want to discuss how well the staff has developed nearly every player on this roster. There are certainly reasons for this other than their development model- BC had a softer schedule (particularly early in the year) compared to 2015 and the infusion of players like Miles Wood, Colin White, and Casey Fitzgerald helped raise the bar all around the lineup.

Warning- If you read this blog, you know that I want absolutely nothing to do with math- I'm awful at it. However, we should dive deeper into these statistics and you have any problems, don't be afraid to shoot me an email. 

After calculating these numbers, I discovered that BC's average points per game among players on last year's squad (not counting those who left) was 0.48. I then did the same for this season and found it was 0.69 (again, only guys that were on the 2015 and 2016 squads). I'm not saying one year makes all the difference- this club is much better than last year's. My point is that calling out the staff for their "inability to develop players" after one down season is downright ridiculous. No school sends more kids to the NHL than BC does and if you think it's only because of recruiting, tell that to Ben Smith, Nathan Gerbe, Peter Harrold, Stephen Gionta, Cam Atkinson, or Brian Gibbons. All of these guys were either undrafted or picked up in the later rounds. They would not be in the NHL if it weren't for Coaches York, Brown, Ayers, and Cavanaugh. 

Enough math. Onto the Frozen Four. 

Florida Bound

For a 25th time, the most amongst any college hockey program, the Boston College Eagles are headed to the Frozen Four thanks to a heart stopping 3-2 win over the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on Saturday night. The Eagles will return to Tampa Bay, where they await either Lowell or Quinnipiac for a chance to play in the National Championship game.

I could not be more proud of this team for the way they battled all weekend. As I said after the Harvard game, a lot of people (myself included) felt apprehensive about this weekend based on what happened against Vermont and Northeastern. BC is probably the most talented team in the country along with North Dakota, so it was certainly surprising to see them struggle against conference foes they usually have no problem taking care of. No matter how good or bad they are playing at any point, you cannot underestimate Coach York's ability to turn things up in time for the NCAAs. Their practices this week were fast and focused as there was clearly a centralized goal amongst each member of the program- they wanted to get back to Tampa Bay.

In terms of the game, it was interesting in that Duluth outplayed them for large chunks but when you have the best player in college hockey, it makes things a heck of a lot easier. I know Kyle Connor is a tremendous hockey player, he will go on to do great things at the next level, but I honestly cannot see the argument for anyone else other than Thatcher Demko winning the Hobey Baker. There were five or six saves over the course of this weekend where all you could do was sit there and stare in awe. Demko's performance in this regional ranks right up there with some of the best I have ever seen.

On the defensive end, there were a few times when Duluth had the puck in the BC end for a minute and half without any resistance, but I thought the Eagles did a pretty good job of limiting the grade A chances. Duluth is one of the best possession teams in the country (3rd in corsi for), but BC, to my surprise, outshot them 34-30. Once again, Casey Fitzgerald was their best blue liner, going +2 for the contest, while not one other defensemen broke even. Against teams like Duluth, who tend to forecheck hard and force turnovers deep in the offensive zone, Fitzgerald is able to use his speed in order to get out difficult situations. I thought the Bulldogs did a nice job of pinching down on the walls, which led to a handful of turnovers by BC's wingers, but unlike the Hockey East semifinals, they didn't make any killer passes that resulted in 2 on 1's or 3 on 2's. The game was not as open ended as Friday night was and I think BC had more odd man rushes than Duluth, although they would probably like to generate a few more. The Eagles have faced a bunch of high end lines this season- Vesey's, Poturalski's, and Heinen's to name a few- but Tony Cameranesi and company played as much as I have ever seen three guys play in a college hockey game. Whether it was power play, penalty kill, or late in the game, it seemed as if he, Austin Farley, and Karson Kuhlman were on the ice every other shift. As they did against Harvard, the staff mixed up the matchups throughout the game. They started out with Tuch's line against Duluth's top guns but as the game went on, they wanted Wood, Cangelosi, and Calnan out there because they feel that is BC's top defensive unit, along with McCoshen and Fitzgerald on the back end.

I think you would have a tough time finding a player that epitomizes all that is right with Boston College like Teddy Doherty does. Upon arrival, he was not a highly touted recruit, many believed he was too small to play on a consistent basis, and on top of that, they asked him to switch positions halfway through his career (before moving back). It's one thing to convert while playing for the Boston Jr Eagles when you're playing the 2001 South Shore Kings but it's another when you have to do that in Hockey East while going up against some of the best players in the country. His first goal came with six minutes left in the period thanks to a sensational pass from Adam Gilmour. The Minnesota Wild draft pick skated back against the grain before sneaking a behind the back, through the legs pass to Doherty, who's shot trickled past UMD netminder Kasimir Kaskisuo. After struggling early, I thought BC started to find their legs as the period went on and getting out to a start like that was huge for the cause. They had a chance to add to that goal when Duluth took a penalty with two minutes to play and even though it was their best power play of the night, they could not convert. Unlike the other four man advantages, where they had a tough time setting up, the Eagles moved the puck around like a work of art, only to see Kaskisuo swallow up everything they put on net.

As expected, Duluth came out firing in the middle stanza. Outside of the final ten minutes, their biggest push came in the early parts of the second as the Cameranesi line had one shift where they circled the zone for a solid two minutes before BC could get a change. Just when it seemed as if the score would be tied within seconds, Doherty recorded his second of the night after Chris Calnan did the dirty work in the corner to get the puck out front. For the past couple of weeks, I've felt that a healthy Calnan gives BC a real boost up front because he is so good at doing the little things- winning puck battles, blocking shots, and despite his size, he can get up and down the ice faster than almost anyone. Just as the Duluth defenseman was turning to go up ice, Calnan picked his pocket along the boards, and rifled a pass out front to Zach Sanford, who tipped it to Doherty. In my mind, that was the most important moment of the game because Duluth had been outplaying them from the end of the first to the beginning of the second and for BC to go up two must have been a killer for Scott Sandelin's team.

Although there were no goals scored, the end of the second period was vital because each team missed out on a couple power play chances. The Eagles had back to back opportunities as Andy Welinski and Dominic Toninato went to the box. Unfortunately, BC could not come through, but they did get a huge kill of their own when Santini went to the box for interference. Despite giving up a late goal, BC's penalty kill, led by Demko, was one of the main reasons they were able to survive this regional. Look at past BC National Championship teams, what is one thing they all had in common? A dangerous penalty kill. When Austin Cangelosi and Miles Wood are on the ice together, they put so much pressure on the points and if an opposing defenseman makes a mistake, the Eagles are going the other direction with a full head of speed.

I'll be honest with you, I thought the game was over when Ryan Fitzgerald roofed a snap shot on the power play with 13 minutes to go. Although it was as even a game as you could possibly get, there was no chance, in my mind at least, BC could blow a three goal lead in the biggest game of the year, in a building where they have had an endless amount of success. To Duluth's credit, they came back hard and notched a power play goal of their own with just over seven minutes to play. Austin Farley sniped one past Demko but I thought BC could have done a better job of preventing the puck from getting high to low with one simple pass. Even if Farley decided to pass that puck, it would have been an easy goal because it was a 2 on 1 down low with no one outside of Casey Fitzgerald, within sight. That being said, the last thing BC needs to work on is its penalty kill. However, just two minutes after Farley's tally, the Bulldogs made it a one goal game by winning a 50/50 battle in front of the net before sneaking the puck past Demko.

 In situations like the final minute of last night's game, you need your best players to make big plays and that is what BC got. Duluth had a prime chance to tie it up with four seconds to go but Austin Cangelosi came swooping in from the slot and got his stick in between the goal line and puck. I'm not a huge believer in "teams of destiny" but the fact that BC has had two goal line stops in the past three weeks is pretty incredible. In real time, it looked as if the interference call on Wood was reasonable but after seeing the replay, the Duluth forward clearly held his shoulder before going to the ice, making it seem as if Wood prevented him from getting to the puck. Some fans were wondering why Wood was on the ice, given his tendency to take penalties but imagine if Duluth scored there and he wasn't on the ice? We'd be scratching our heads wondering why one of the best two way players in the league was sitting on the bench. If they had to play that situation 100 times over, the staff would have him out every single time and rightfully so.

At the end of the day, it doesn't get much better than that. Duluth, for my money, was the best team BC has faced all season and if it wasn't for a few fortunate bounces, they could very well be in Tampa Bay. That program has come a long way over the past ten years and with the players they have coming in, I don't expect that to change any time soon. I think we can all agree that although the win is great, BC can certainly play much better. I thought they brought their B, maybe B+ game for most of the night. They won't be able to beat Lowell or Quinnipiac playing that way. The good news is that the best player in the country happens to be wearing maroon and gold, which is why Blogger is going to able to play some golf down in Florida. I thought Tuch's line, him in particular, was very good. As they get more reps in practice, they will only become better everyday. Obviously, Doherty came up big but Sanford and Gilmour played well, which is something they needed in order to advance. Sanford had a couple of bad turnovers early in the game but once the third period came around, he made some plays that helped preserve the win.

BC is onto their 12th Frozen Four in 20 years. For comparisons sake, BU has 4 in that same span. Anyone know how they did last night? Was it close?

Why BC won- 

1. Thatcher Demko. If I see one more article about how Kyle Connor should run away with the Hobey Baker, I don't know what I am going to do with myself. The best player in the country is #30 for the Boston College Eagles.

2. They were opportunistic. It might not have been BC's best game but they came through in the big moments. Tuch, Cangelosi, the Fitzgerald brothers, and Teddy Doherty were all great.

3. Coaching. I was at the rink everyday this week and I could tell each player was ready to run through a wall. Has a BC team ever blocked more shots over the span of two games?

Problems- 

1. It wasn't their very best. I am not trying to be picky, but they can be better.

2. Blogger's golf game needs some serious work for Florida- almost hit the clubhouse on the first hole Friday afternoon.

Player of the game- Thatcher Demko. Doherty close second.

Next- Either Lowell or Quinnipiac. 5 PM game on April 7th.

Go Eagles

Duluth Preview

Tonight marks a tremendous opportunity for this BC Hockey club as they face-off against the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs for a spot in the Frozen Four. Scott Sandelin's squad edged defending national champion Providence in the first game on Friday, before the Eagles dispatched Harvard in the nightcap.

UMD is one of the hottest teams in the country as they have won eight of their past nine games, with the only setback coming in the NCHC championship against St. Could State. Despite the hot streak, Duluth was squarely on the NCAA bubble for much of the second half and needed at least one win last weekend in order to sneak into the field. Not only did they get a victory, it came against one of the best teams in the country- North Dakota in the NCHC semifinals. Unlike Harvard, a club that had only defeated two NCAA tournament teams entering Friday's game, Duluth has victories against five tournament competitors, including Providence, who they obviously took down last evening. With wins against giants such as North Dakota, Minnesota, St. Cloud State, and Miami, you may be wondering why they had to work so hard just to earn a bid. Despite all those quality wins, the Bulldogs have some eye opening losses, such as Bemidji State (x2), Omaha (x2), and Northern Michigan. BC and Duluth have a couple of common opponents outside of the Friars- UMD split with Lowell, lost three times to Denver, and won all four games against lowly Colorado College. It goes without saying, Duluth is not your typical four seed, in fact, they're probably one of the best teams in this tournament. They are a bit different from BC in that they don't like to get into a track meet but they aren't without some highly skilled forwards that can make things happen. Leading the way will be the senior duo of Austin Farley and Tony Cameranesi, who anchor UMD's top line along with sophomore Karson Kuhlman. I haven't watched much of Duluth this season, outside of the two overtimes last night and a regular season game at North Dakota, but that line generates the majority of scoring chances as Cameranesi and Farley rank first and second, respectively, in scoring. The interesting thing about this game is that one team will be led almost entirely by upperclassmen while the other is headlined by a few teenaged studs. Duluth's top five scorers are all either juniors or seniors while BC has four freshmen or sophomores on the top of their scoring chart. I think Duluth will try to win this game by frustrating BC via being physical, not giving them much room to operate through the neutral zone, and getting excellent goaltending, as they have all season. Sophomore Kasimir Kaskisuo will get the start after stopping 36 of 37 Providence shots on Friday. The Finland native is one of the best goaltenders in college hockey, with a .922 save percentage and 1.93 goals against average.

I'd be shocked if this anything but a fantastic hockey game. We all know what happened in 2012 but these are two totally different teams, as not a single player from that game will skate tonight. Duluth is going to play a heavy game that might cause BC problems if they can't get the puck out of the zone in order to start the transition game. The Bulldogs are one of the top defensive teams in the country, allowing just 2.03 goals per game, which is good for 8th in the country. Unfortunately, when BC plays defensive-oriented teams such as Lowell, Vermont, or Merrimack, they tend to take more penalties because they can't seem to get in a rhythem at any point in the game. That is probably Duluth's game plan tonight- get in BC's head, force the Eagles into making bad mistakes, and capitalize on their chances. If BC is able to get off to another good start, it may cause Duluth to open up their style of play, which means the pace of the play should favor the Eagles. If the BC team we saw last night shows up, it will be awfully tough for anyone to beat them, but if the BC squad of last weekend appears, Duluth might have a shot of getting to their second Frozen Four in five years.

Scouting Duluth- 

Record- 19-15-5

Leading scorers- Tony Cameranesi (10-26-36), Austin Farley (14-15-29), Alex Iafallo (8-14-22)

Team offense- 2.69 goals scored per game (27th)

Team defense- 2.03 goals allowed per game (8th)

Power play- 14.6% (45th)

Penalty kill- 87% (5th)

Shots on goal per game- 34.64 shots on goal per game (6th)

Keys for BC- 

1. Can't get entangled in Duluth's style of play. This will be a chess match of sorts between a team that likes to play as fast as possible and a team that is known for the defensive prowess. When BC has a hard time breaking through the neutral zone, they usually vent that anger by taking penalties. Can't happen tonight.

2. Bring the same effort as last night. It may not have been a "complete" game against the Crimson but it was the next closest thing. If they play like that again, I can't see them losing.

Notes- Should be same lines. Gaudreau out again.

Go Eagles

One Down

Photo from BC Interruption 

After last weekend's debacle against eventual Hockey East champion Northeastern, which was preceded by an ugly series with Vermont, the feeling surrounding this club was not particularly positive. Some figured they would be one and done and given the expectations and talent on this squad, that would have been a huge disappointment. In fact, the Hockey East semifinals signaled the first time in over a decade where BC had been playing their worst hockey at the end of the year- that never happens. Everything looked like it was going downhill fast.

So much for that.

Thanks to two goals each from Alex Tuch and Austin Cangelosi, Boston College is one game away from heading back to Tampa Bay after defeating rival Harvard, 4-1. Last week, we talked about how BC had not played a "great" game in over a month, perhaps since the Beanpot final in early February. Although Harvard had their moments, the Eagles turned in one of their best performances of the year, en route to yet another victory in Worcester. BC was fast, they transitioned well, they stayed out of the box, and most importantly, they looked like a team that is zoned in on getting to a Frozen Four. Throughout the season, there have been a few instances where I did not think they were doing a good enough job of blocking shots, which sometimes led to goals for the opposition. I can't track down the exact number but I thought BC went out there and blocked everything they could- there was one instance in the second period where Harvard had a grade A chance from the slot before Cangelosi came out of nowhere to get in front of it. Those are the type of plays that win you championships.

Cangelosi was terrific but BC's three best players were Thatcher Demko, Alex Tuch, and Miles Wood. I try to get to practice three times a week and once in a while, I arrive before the team actually hits the ice. Ten minutes before the rest of the guys come out, Tuch, who already has the best shot on the team, is out there with Coach Brown working on a way to improve his snapshot. The fact that he puts in a little bit of extra work and then plays the best game of his career on a stage like that is what being a part of this program is all about. On Monday, the staff experimented with new lines, which included a revamped top unit of Tuch, Colin White, and Ryan Fitzgerald- turned out pretty well, I'd say. In the first period, BC matched those three up against Vesey's line and the former totally dominated the play as they forced Harvard's big three to play in their own end more than they would have liked.

Coming into the game, the staff's main objective was to get McCoshen and Casey Fitzgerald out there against Vesey as much as possible. Not only did they keep the best player in the country off the board, that pairing played ten times better than they did last Friday night. They were physical on the boards, avoided costly turnovers in the defensive zone, and made smart passes at the offensive blue line. I was surprised they rolled six defensemen for the majority of the game but Couturier and Savage played very well. After coming within inches of a costly turnover, Savage rebounded and made an unreal cross ice pass to Tuch who roofed one home early in the second to give BC a three goal advantage. I figured Couturier would be nervous and out of sorts in his first NCAA tournament appearance but he looked calm and made a couple of beautiful outlet passes that led to odd man rushes for the Eagles.

The biggest advantage BC had coming into last night's game was on the blue line. Harvard's defensemen had a difficult time getting the puck out of the zone when the maroon and gold turned up the heat. Against NU and Vermont, I didn't think BC forced nearly enough turnovers, mostly because they were too passive on the forecheck. On Friday, they were swarming the net and if it weren't for a couple of beautiful saves from Merrick Madsen, the Eagles could have had two or three more goals.

How about Miles Wood? Outside of perhaps Chris Kreider, I've never seen a player of that size skate so well. There must have been seven or eight times last night where he got the puck in the neutral zone, beat a Harvard defenseman wide, and made a play in the net-front area. Some scouts knock Wood for his "lack of skill" (ridiculous) but he made a sweet pass to Austin Cangelosi on BC's second goal. It is clear that BC believes Wood and Cangelosi are their two best defensive players because as the game went on, that line started getting the majority of shifts vs Vesey and company. Chris Calnan was the right wing for most of the contest but when they went against the Esposito line, Chris Brown took over for Calnan. The fourth line got one shift the entire game but Travis Jeke subbed in for Ryan Fitzgerald and Wood midway through the second period, likely because the staff wanted to give those guys some extra rest. Duluth is going to roll four lines for the entire game so it will be interesting to see what BC decides to do. I'm a fan of going with just your three top units for most of the game but in order to stay fresh, I think they might have to give Brown's line four to six shifts.

Last but least, I can't say enough about Thatcher Demko. I was on the other end of the ice so I did not get a great look but the two saves he made in the crease at the end of the first period may have been the difference in the game. I am not sure how Harvard was unable to get either of those past the goal line. Obviously, he made some spectacular saves that we could talk about for two or three more paragraphs but some of the little things he did made all the difference in the world. There were four or five times last night, especially late in the first and third stanzas, where BC needed a whistle and Demko stepped up to the plate.

Tonight will be a different beast. I will have a preview later in the day but Duluth will be their toughest game of the season.

Why BC won- 

1. Tuch and Wood were superstars. Incredible games from those two. Cangelosi also had his best game in three weeks.

2. Demko was a stone wall. If he plays like that for the rest of the tournament, this team will be a tough out.

3. Great penalty kill at the end of the game. Harvard decided to pull the goalie with 4 minutes to go while on the power play. Calnan and Cangelosi blocked a couple of shots before #26 recorded an empty netter.

Negatives- 

1. I try not to say anything about the officials but that call on Ryan Fitzgerald was one of the worst I have ever seen. You can't call that with five minutes to go in an NCAA tournament game. There was a clear hold on Harvard just a few minutes before and they flat out missed it. Other than that though, I thought it was a clean game.

Player of the game- Demko, but Tuch and Wood close seconds.

Next- Duluth tonight at 9.

Harvard Preview

Tonight, for the first time ever, Boston College will face-off against crosstown rival Harvard in the NCAA tournament. The contest will mark the second game of the season between the Crimson and Eagles, as the good guys took home round one in the first game of the Beanpot. Harvard continued to slip after that crushing loss, losing three of their next four games, but Ted Donato and his crew righted the ship in March and made it all the way to ECAC championship, where they fell to top seed Quinnipiac. To date, the Crimson are 19-10-4 with just two of those wins coming against NCAA tournament teams (Ferris State and Notre Dame). Unlike BC, a team that has made a habit of getting to the Frozen Four via Worcester, Harvard has not played at the DCU Center since 2003, when they fell to Boston University in the opening round.

Of course, the Crimson will be led by perhaps the best player in college hockey- senior forward Jimmy Vesey. The North Reading native is in the midst of another outstanding season, notching a team high 46 points in 32 games played. Many pundits expect Vesey to be a finalist for the Hobey Baker award. The senior alternate captain is not without any help though, as linemates Kyle Criscuolo and Alexander Kerfoot rank amongst the top point getters in the ECAC. As we said the first time around, the key to beating Harvard is keeping this line at bay. BC has last change so I expect Wood, Cangelosi, and Brown to be out there against that line unless they struggle early on. BC has to find a way to limit Vesey's space and not allow Harvard to get on the man advantage. Even though the Crimson have had a tough time finding the net over the past couple of games, they carry one of the most dangerous power plays in the country and if BC spends most of the evening on the man down, it won't be pretty. Although that first line gets all the attention, Harvard has some other forwards that can do some damage. The second line of Luke Esposito, Mike Floodstrand, and Colin Blackwell, despite not playing well against BC the first time around, possesses a lot of speed that can easily burn you on the outside. Freshman Ryan Donato, their third line center, has had an impressive rookie season, recording 13 goals and 8 assists, good for fourth on the team.

The one area where I think BC has a distinct advantage is the blue line. Defense is Harvard's weakness and it won't help that one of their top guys, Willy Sherman, is not expected to play due to injury (per the Harvard student paper). They don't have a go to pairing that can shut down BC's top line (a new trio) but I would expect St. Sebastian's product Des Bergin and Clay Anderson to eat up a good amount of minutes. Anderson leads all Crimson defenders in points with 14, while Bergin is tops in plus minus (+15). In order to exploit this aspect of Harvard's game, BC needs to get sustained zone time off the cycle, something they have been unable to do in the past three games. Not only are the Eagles a fast team with skill, they have a lot of big bodies that can fend off defenders up against the boards- they need to play to their strengths. It's similar to football when a team gets the ball and goes three and out. BC's offense as of late has been one shot before the other team comes down with an odd man rush thanks to the Eagles' inability to get pucks below the goal line before working it low to high. In the Beanpot, the Eagles did a tremendous job of wearing Harvard down, which is why the Crimson were unable to generate any chances of their own late in the game. It sounds cliche but the more time BC spends in the offensive zone outworking the opposition, the better chance they have of winning this game.

I've read a lot of predictions and analysis over the past week and I can't recall coming across a single piece that had BC winning this regional. Given the way they played against Vermont and Northeastern, I don't think you can blame some of the experts for picking against the maroon and gold. However, anyone who knows this team is aware they have a level to their game no other club in the country can attain. When they're playing fast, getting out in space, and avoiding costly turnovers, they're the best team in college hockey. Everyone in the program had high aspirations for this year's team and anything outside a Frozen Four berth would be a devastating blow but I know Coach York will have them ready to go. When it's NCAA tournament week, there is a totally different feeling surrounding Kelley Rink. In my mind, they had an outstanding week of practice- it was uptempo and had an all business feel to it. Unlike 2015, the talent is there. I often say on the blog that you can't win a horse race without a big time horse but that is not an issue with this squad- they have all the horses you can ask for. I know they can have success in this tournament if they get back to playing Eagle Hockey.


Scouting Harvard- 

Record- 19-10-3

Leading scorers- Jimmy Vesey (24-22-46), Alex Kerfoot (4-30-34), Kyle Criscuolo (19-13-32)

Team offense- 3.48 goals scored per game (9th)

Team defense- 2.33 goals allowed per game (16th)

Power play- 28% (4th) *******

Penalty kill- 83.5% (23rd)

Shots on goal per game- 32.45 shots per game (15th)

Keys for the Eagles- 

1. Have to stay out of the box. This has been BC's kryptonite all year and if it continues, it may be the sole reason for their inability to win a title. They cannot give Harvard power play after power play.

2. Guys like Sanford, Cangelosi, and Gilmour must step up. Expect some different line combinations but that won't change anything unless certain players take their games to another level. BC is the deeper team- hopefully they use that to their advantage.

3. McCoshen needs to be a beast out there. I think Ian would be the first to tell you that Friday was not his best game. In order for BC to make a run, they need him playing well against other teams' top lines. I don't like signaling out one player but BC's defense lives and dies off of #3.

Notes- Expect lineup changes. It won't be the same look as last weekend.

Go Eagles

Notre Dame Set to Leave Hockey East

According to Mike McMahon of College Hockey News, Notre Dame informed Hockey East that they will be joining the Big Ten in 2017. According to CHN's report, ND sighted "travel" as the main reason for switching conferences.

With Notre Dame on the way out, the league will have to look for a replacement in order to get an even twelve members. The obvious choice is Quinnipiac, a program that has become a model of consistency as of late. I am all for inviting the Bobcats into the league, they're a top team, they have arguably the best rink in the East, and are within driving distance for every team in the conference. However, I am not sure QU will leave the ECAC, even if given the chance. Look at this from their perspective- why leave? They're already the best team in that conference, they have had success on a national level, and they have developed some terrific rivalries, especially with Yale. A few years ago, there was no comparison between Hockey East and the ECAC but that is not the case anymore with Yale and Union winning back to back National Championships.

Assuming QU stays in the ECAC, my #1 choice for a replacement would be Holy Cross. In order for the Crusaders to participate in such a high powered league, they would need to update their facilities (or build new ones) but for the time being, they could play at the DCU Center, which is right down the road from campus. In fact, I believe BC is scheduled to play there next season. From what I can tell, Holy Cross has taken their level of play up a few notches under new head coach David Berard- at one point this season they were a top twenty team.

From a BC point of view, the addition of Holy Cross could help reignite a rivalry that has crumbled over the past twenty or so years (outside of the 2014 loss). There are a ton of BC fans that are passionate with regards to the Holy Cross rivalry and two league games every year would only add to that.

Go Eagles

Staff Lands ISL MVP

The staff received a commitment from the top forward in prep hockey this afternoon as Thayer Academy's Casey Carreau announced his intentions to play at Boston College. The junior out of Acushnet, Massachusetts recorded 34 goals and 37 assists this season, which propelled him to becoming ISL MVP.

I think this is a huge get for BC. I'll be the first to admit that the quality of play in prep hockey has dropped over the past five years but Carreau is going to be a terrific player for the maroon and gold. I've seen him play a bunch- he's fast, skilled, and rarely loses battles. I was at one game a few weeks ago when he recorded an overtime goal, capping of a two point performance, to lead Thayer past Cushing and fellow BC recruit TJ Walsh. The line of Carreau, Ty Amonte (BU), and Aiden McDonough was the most potent trio in New England as they almost single handedly led the Tigers to a large school championship. 

Carreau's commitment now gives BC seven recruits, all forwards, in the class of 2017. I think that by that point in time, Colin White, Zach Sanford, Miles Wood, and Alex Tuch will have all signed professional contracts, whether that comes this summer or next. That being said, I like what the staff has done because they seem to have found a good mix of size, speed, and skill for the next five or so years down the road. 

Go Eagles