BU Downs Vermont 3-1

Tonight BU bounced back from a disappointing tie last night with a 3-1.

BU had no goals in the first, despite vastly outplaying the Catamounts.

Captain Chris Connolly put BU up 1-0 on a power play goal in the second frame. Later in the stanza Adam Clendening made a great pass from deep in the Terrier zone to spring Alex Chiasson on a break-a-way. Chiasson fired a shot over the shoulder of Vermont netminder Rod Madore.

BU would grab a second power play goal in the third. A Vermont defender was looking to make play from in front of the crease. Matt Nieto took a wack at his stick and the puck found it's way under Madore's pads and in.

The Catamounts picked up a goal with four seconds left to break up the shut out.

With the win BU clinched home ice in the opening round of the Hockey East playoffs.

More in-depth recap to follow tomorrow .

BU, Millan, Shut Out Providence

Finally, Kienan Millan has his first shut-out in an otherwise absolutely outstanding season. Tonight BU blanked Providence 1-0 at Shcnider Arena.

Millan braces for a shot in the first. (Photo By Matt Dresens)

It was Joe Pereira's second period power play goal that was the difference. It happened on a scrum just out side the crease of the PC net. Alex Beaudry stopped a couple of Terrier shots but one of the rebounds found the stick of Pereira who popped it in. The goal was originally credited to Corey Trivino, but latter in the game it was announced over the PA system that the goal was given to Pereira.

Millan came up big on numerous occasions, keeping BU in the game. Fortunately the one goal held up and BU netted it's 16th win on the year.

After the win, BU moved into a tie with with Dartmouth for 16th in the Pare Wise ranking.

Terriers Drop Providence

Though not getting any recognition
as one of  the games'  "three stars," 
AdamClendening had a very solid
 game at the Terrier blue line. It was
definitely one of his better games
 this season.

(Photo By Matt Dresens)

Tonight, BU did what they needed to, keeping pace with Merrimack in the conference standings by defeating Providence 2-1 at Agganis Arena.

BU played far stronger than PC, despite being out shot 37-35. There were extended portions of the first period where all the play was deep in the Providence zone eventually leading to BU's first goal. Alex Chiasson jumped on a lose puck that was kept in at the point by Max Nicastro and then tosed into the corner. After Chiasson gathered the puck, he found Matt Nieto wide open in the top of the slot. Nieto ripped it past PC netminder Alex Beaudry, five hole.

Minutes after the goal, BU thretened to make it 2-0. Wade Megan hit the post and and a large scrum ensued after the play with many opportunites to put one home, but no Terrier could get a clear shot.

In the second BU did increase thier lead on the power play. After making a play to keep the puck in the attacking end, Adam Clendening tossed on net a wrister that found it's way over the shoulder of Beaudry and into the top corner. It was the freshman's 4th of the year from Nieto and Trivuino at 4:37.

BU carried the play in the third, as they did for most of the night, but it was Providence who scored the lone goal of the period. Ian O'Connor talied his 8th goal of the year with less then two minutes remaining, again ruining Kieran Millan's shutout chance. Following the center faceoff, Charlie Coyle displayed superb skill and effort in singlehandedly keeping the puck tied up below the PC goal line and eventually drawing a tripping call to effectively ice the game.

The two teams will meet again tommorow night at PC's Schneider Arena.

Weekend With Providence

BU and Providence go into this series looking for points in the Hockey East standings. Currently, BU sits in 4th behind Merrimack by just two points. The Friars on the other hand, are in 9th, one slot below the "yellow line" aka out of the playoffs. PC is also just two points behind the team in front of them and that is Vermont. PC has 12 points, while the Catamounts have 14.

BU will be look to rebound off, arguably, their worst game of the season. The Terriers did rebound nicely after they lost to BC in the Beanpot semis and will look to do the same, coming off a 5-4 lost to Harvard.

Dont expect the BU power play to get any better this weekend because Providence has successfully killed off 72 of 79 penalties in the last 13 games played.

Providence Stat Leaders 
- Kyle MacKinnon, Providence Forward. MacKinnon leads the team in both points with 19 and goals with 13. 


Alex Beaudry, Providence Goaltender. Beaudry has six of the teams seven wins this season, with a .902 save percentage and 3.23 goals against average. Beaudry is one of the better goalies in the league but is stuck on an underachieving team. The PC netminder came to Providence late in the 2009 season from Canada. In a recent interview with Hockey East.com, Beaudry stated that he was debating to go to Juniors in Canada or play college. He clearly pick the college path, but I wonder if he regrets that decision now. He has yet to come remotely close to having a winning record in his three years with the Friars. 

The Last Time They Met...

was back on October 23rd. BU came away with a 2-1 win, despite being out shot 40-20. 

Teams With Ties

The Terriers and Friars have a combined 14 ties this season, with both teams at 7 a piece. Providence has played 10 overtime games in total and BU has played 9.   

BU Falls 5-4 in Consol Game

It's the worst Beanpot for BU since 1980. That was the last year they failed to win a game in the tournament. In the '80 pot, all the teams best players were in Lake Placid beating the Soviets and not NU, Harvard, or BC. This year, the team has no excuse for what happened these past two Mondays. Yes, BU came up on the short end of the stick in a game they should have won against #1 BC, but tonight was just terrible.

After BU grabbed a 1-0 on a power play goal from Alex Chiasson, Harvard preceded to score three goals in 1:13 in the second period. One was shorthanded from Alex Killlorn, the other two were even strength, scored by Ryan Grimshaw and then Killorn again.

Then towards the middle of the frame, BU started their comeback. Garrett Noonan scored his second goal in as many games at the 12:24 mark of the second, a power play goal. Then a little over 30 seconds later, Adam Clendening found the back of the twine to tie the game.

Moving to the third. BU took the lead at the 14:05 on Chiasson's second of the game from Warsofsky and Nieto. About a minute later, Harvard re-tied the game on Danny Biega's goal at 15:57.  With 2:08 remaining, Michael Del Mauro potted the game winner and put the dagger in the heart of the Terriers.

After the loss, BU fell into a tie for 17th in the Pair Wise with Colorado College. As it stands, at the present time, BU would have to win the Hockey East tourney to be granted an "at large bid" into the NCAA playoffs.

In Other News 
BU's womans team clinched the Hockey East regular season crown. It was the team's first ever regular season championship.

Beanpot Prediction, Championship and Consolation Games

Tonight BU will take on Harvard in the Consolation game of the Beanpot. The Terriers lost to BC in a heartbreaker, 3-2 in overtime, last Monday. Harvard on the the other hand, was blanked 4-0 by Northeastern.
PICK:
BU 5, Harvard 1

In the Championship tilt Boston College and Northeastern face off. I think this game will be a lot like the 2009 final. NU hung around until the Terriers broke it open late with two short handed goal by David Warsofsky and Colin Wilson. BU won 5-2.
PICK:
BC 4, Northeastern 1.

Noonan Nips Minutemen In OT

Garrett Noonan's third goal of the season
gave BU a much needed win in Amherst
tonight.
(photo by Matt Dresens)



 Tonight BU picked up two valuable points in the Hockey East standings by defeating UMass 4-3 in overtime. With the win BU moved two 14-8-7 on the season and kept pace with Merrimack in the league standings after the Warriors dropped New Hampshire 4-2 earlier in the evening. Both BU and MC are tied at 27 points in Hockey East.

BU jumped out to a 1-0 just a minute and nine seconds into tonight's contest. Corey Trivino picked up a lose puck in the slot and riffled it past UMass goalie Paul Dainton into the top corner.

The Minutemen responded just 16 seconds later when Branden Gracel potted his fourth goal of the season. The puck was tied up next to the post on Millan's pads and Gracel hacked away at it until it crossed the line and the red light went on.

BU would go back on top with just 5 tics left in the frame. Matt Nieto fed Alex Chiasson at he top of the crease and Chiasson one touched the pass into the back of the net. It looked on replay as if he deflected it in with a skate but there was no "distinct kicking motion" to negate the goal, so it stood.

UMass came out in the second with a ton of energy and took the lead on two quick goals. Conor Sheary tallied the first; and Danny Hobbs scored next completing a well played two on one break.

BU would answer the call when Wade Megan scored his seventh goal of the season. Megan batted in a shot/rebound out of mid air and past Dainton to make it 3-3 at the 11:39 mark of the second

The 3-3 score stood up throughout the third period mainly because of Dainton's play in the UMass net. BU had a string of power plays towards the end of the stanza but could not convert on any of then. The Terriers outshot UMass13-3 with niether team scoring, so the game when to overtime.

In the extra time Garrett Noonan made an exceptional play. First, he was able to keep the puck in the UMass zone on a daring play at the blue line when he pinched in to stop a UMass breakout thus forcing a 3 on 1 in favor of BU, and finally potting the game winner on heads-up pass from Corey Trivino.

BU will take on Harvard Monday in the Beanpot Consolation game.

Terriers Take On Umass, Look To Take Season Series

Tomorrow night BU will travel out to Amherst to play the Minutemen of the University of Massachusetts. UMass currently sits in 7th place in Hockey East with 14 points. BU, on the other hand, tied with Merrimack, who waxed UMass 11-2 last weekend, sits in the third slot with 25 points. Even if the Terriers win this game, they can still get passed by Merrimack simply because MC has two games this weekend and BU only has one because of the Beanpot Tournament on Monday. Merrimack plays sixth ranked UNH who is currently the Hockey East leader. Realistically, BU and the Warriors will likely be tied, after all is said and done this weekend. The MC-UNH series has split written all over it and BU will likely beat UMass if they play the same way they did against BC in the Beanpot.

What To Watch For 
- Daniel Hobbs, UMass Forward. Leads the team in overall points with 20 (7g, 13a) Hobbs has done this in only playing in 21 of the teams 25 games played this season.
- Michael Pereira, UMass Forward. Second on the team in overall points at 19 and leads the team in goals with 9. He is the younger brother of Terrier Captain Joe Pereira. I don't really know how Parker missed this kid or he just didn't want to play with his brother. 


The Last Time They Met...
was an elongated home and home series, starting on the 16th of October when UMass came from two down in the third to tie the then undefeated Terriers. BU came back a week later on the 22nd and beat the MinuteMen in their place 4-3.

Megan Stands Out

Wade Megan
(Photo By Matt Dresens) 

Wade Megan's goal was the highlight of Monday's Beanpot loss to Boston College for the Terriers. It came less than a minute after BC had scored their first goal. The response was key to BU having a chance in the game.

Garret Noonan made one of the best behind-the-back passes I have ever seen, right on the tape of Megan's stick. After receiving the puck, Megan ripped a perfectly placed wrist shot under goalie John Muse's  blocker side arm. It was Megan's 6th goal of the season from Noonan and Clendening.

The goal was not the only highlight for the Florida Panthers draft pick. He was all over the ice and looked very confident playing on the third line with Ross Guadet and Corey Trivino, who also had a good night. Trivino scored the other Terrier goal on a rebound in the second period and also won some big faceoffs for BU.

In Other News
After the loss, BU slipped from 14th into a three way tie for 15th position in the Pair Wise Rankings. BU is tied with Dartmouth and Miami (OH).

BU has the easiest schedule remaining in Hockey East play out of all ten teams in the league. The Terriers play 7th place UMass Friday night, followed by two game series with 9th place Providence, 8th place Vermont and 6th place Northeastern to close out the year.

BU Gets Crossed Up

Last night, BU lost one of the better games they played all season and proved they could play with the nation's best. The Terriers came up one goal short in overtime of the Beanpot semifinal against Boston College. Once again, Kieran Millan played out of his mind. All three goals, including the one in OT were deflected off of BU defenseman in the slot.

BC grabbed the lead in the first. Philip Samuelsson's shot from the top of the dot, changed direction on Millan and found it's way into the top of the Boston Garden net.

Before BC fans had a chance to sit down, BU's Wade Megan scored to tie the game. Garett Noonan skated it all the way into the BC end and looked like he was going to just dump it but, but dished a beautiful behind the back pass to Megan. Megan ripped it pass BC goalie John Muse, right under his blocker side arm.

BC controlled the play in the second, generating most of the chances, but it was the Terriers who snagged the lone goal in the stanza. Ryan Ruikka tossed a shot on net that never actually got to Muse but kicked around in the slot. Corey Trivino corralled the puck and and beat Muse five hole to give the Terriers their first lead in the Beanpot since last year's Championship game.

Jimmy Hayes's goal at the 4:56 mark of the third was the game tying goal. The play was almost exactly like the first BC goal. Hayes's shot was deflected off a BU defender and up under the cross bar into the same top corner as the Samuelsson goal.

BU had a great chance to win the game late in the frame. They had four minutes of continuous power play. Muse stopped all the BU shots including a great set up that saw Joe Pereira with half the net to shoot at. Muse slid over to make the save.

BC almost won it when Samuelsson was released from the penalty box and was sent on a clear cut break-a-way. Millan shut down the chance with a flash of the right leg pad.

In overtime, it was BC's potent power play that sent them to the championship game. BU's Ryan Ruikka was called for a cross check after he pitch forked BC's captain Joe Whitney. After a good set up Tommy Cross ripped a shot that was yet again deflected pass Millan. BC will take on Northeastern in the Championship game. BU will play Harvard in the consolation game.

Beanpot Preview

Harvard, NU open, BC- BU showdown second 


In the opening round of the 2011 Beanpot, the 59th annual, Harvard and Northeastern will take the ice at the TD Garden, start time 5:00. Northeastern has been playing well as of late, but did fall in their last contest against Merrimack. Harvard on the other hand has had a terrible year.  Last week they almost knocked off Yale, the second ranked team in the nation, but fell 1-0.
Pick:
Northeastern 4, Harvard 2


In the nightcap BU will square off with BC. BU and BC have both been playing well lately. BU took 3 out of a possible 4 points at Maine and are currently riding a 4 game unbeaten streak. Kieran Millan is playing out of his mind in the Terrier net and will have to keep that up to give BU a chance tonight. A good goalie can win you this tournament, just ask John Curry. BC is currently ranked number one in the nation. Can they really be playing any better? Their last loss came on January 16 at Maine (4-1).
Pick
Boston University, 4 Boston College 3 (ot) (Millan saves the day, no pun intended) 


The last three Beanpot champions have gone on to win the National Championship. So if BU wins the Beanpot, are they your National Championship favorites? 

BU Avoids Trap game, Beats Lowell 3-1

The game started very slow. Literally, because it started a half hour late because Lowell's bus was stuck in a terrible traffic jam (so was I). The actual game play was slow as well. Both teams had a few good chances to score but the goalies made quick work of any scoring opportunities.

Kieran Millan stops Lowell's Al Butler on a break-away,
one of 30 saves the Junior netminder made last night. He
was also named the number one "Star of the Game" for his
efforts.
(Photo By Matt Dresens)

BU grabbed the lead in the second on a tic tack toe passing play. Joe Pereira fed Chis Connolly who then found a pinching defenseman, Max Nicastro right in the high slot. Nicastro got a stick on it to deflect it past UML goalie Marc Boulanger.

Four minutes later, BU went up 2-0 on the power play on another nifty passing play. Adam Clendening tossed a back handed pass over to Corey Trivino who one timed the pass to another pinching defenseman in Garrett Noonan. Noonan tapped the pass into the net for his second goal of the year.

The Terriers would make it 3-0 in the third again on the power play. Clendening's blast from the point deflected off of Joe Pereira and past Boulanger. The play went to review to see if Pereira had kicked it in but the goal stood.

It looked for a while like Kieran Millan would get his first shutout of the year but it was not to be. Towards the end of the game BU took a lot of stupid penalties, which gave Lowell a five on three and then a six on three when they pulled Boulanger. They made quick work on the power play and David Vallorani beat Millan low glove side.

BU will take on BC in the Beanpot opener Monday night.

Game Photos:



Video Highlights 

BU Battles Lowell

Lowell is really the lowest this year,
ranking 54th out of 58th in all of D1
College hockey in the Ratings % Index
(RPI)

Tomorrow night BU will take on the Lowell RiverHawks in their last game before the Beanpot showdown with Boston College. Last weekend, BU took three out of a possible four points at the University of Maine. Lowell, on the other hand, has a 4-20-2 record on the season, not great by any stretch of the imagination, but the RiverHawks have accomplished something neither BU nor BC have and that is win a game at Lawler, Merrimack's Barn. Lowell has played .500 hockey the last four games.

Players to watch 

• Rilley Wetmore, Lowell Forward. Wetmore is the leading scorer for Lowell. He has 11 goals, 12 assist in 26 games played. 
• 
  
• Maury Edwards, Lowell Defenseman. Edwards is really having a down year, but since Lowell really has no other talent he makes the list. He ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 12 points. 

The last time they met...

was a weekend series on Halloween weekend. BU swept the two games 5-1 and 2-1. 

In Other News 

Here's a little video I made. Its from the Maine game in which Kieran Millan made 41 saves.