BU Heads To Providence For First Road Test

This early-season game is full of firsts for both teams. In fact, it's Providence's first game of the year. For BU, it will be the first road game of the young hockey season.

BU comes into the game with a 1-0-0 record and sits atop the Hockey East Standings tied with Merrimack and Maine with 2 points. Providence has yet to play a game so they have no points.

Last season BU won the season series three games to none. BU won the opener 2-1 in a closely fought game on October 23. The Terriers then swept a weekend home and home series in February with a 2-1 win and a 1-0 shutout. The season series has not always been so one sided. PC actually was one of only five teams to beat BU in the 2009 season. PC also got the better hand on BU in 2010, beating the Terriers two games to one.

I don't think there is any doubt that Kieran Millan will get the start in the BU goal. Millan is coming off a 5-0 shut-out (career number 6) of UNH. If Millan and the Terriers win this game, Millan will become the all time leader in career wins for a Terrier goaltender. Sean Fields and Millan are tied with 62 victories.

Scouting the Friars
PC enters the 2012 season with a new head coach in Nate Leaman. Leaman was the head coach of Union last year, leading the Dutchman to their first NCAA appearance in school history. Union was ousted by eventual National Champion Minnesota Duluth in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Providence's best returning scorer is Tim Schaller, a Junior from Merrimack, New Hampshire. Schaller posted 5 goals 14 assist, for a total of 19 points in 34 games played during his sophomore campaign.

The Friars best player, hands down, is Senior goaltender Alex Beaudry. Despite only winning 7 games last year, Beaudry finished with a .902 save percentage with one shut-out. The Ontario native made 883 saves last season.

Injury Report
The Boston Hockey Blog reports that Yasin Cisse will be out for this weekend because he needs more time to become acclimated to returning to the ice.

This will most likely be the last weekend Defenseman Ryan Ruikka will miss. He is said to almost be fully recovered from a hairline fracture in his right foot.