Weekend With the Eagles

It's BC week and this might sound hard to believe, but this year will be the first time I will go to all BU-BC games. As for this weekend's games, there is no doubt in my mind that the two games will give a whole new meaning to the "Battle of Comm Ave" slogan. People have said last year the two teams were as about as even as they ever have been.

A scrum from earlier this year. Yeah, this should be a fun
weekend.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

Boston College is the best team in the country (there, I said it), for one reason and one reason only. They are never out of a game and they always find a way to come back on teams late. It's as if they are playing the Patriots defense every week. BC has four comeback wins (two against UMass) and throughout the year has proven to be able to score in rapid succession. They did it to us earlier this year.

Scouting the Eagles
BC has won ten straight coming into this weekend, with their only loss coming in the first game of the year at Northeastern. Notable wins include a 4-1 over Notre Dame, 4-2 win at BU (their one good road win) and a 6-3 victory at home against Dartmouth.

Over the course of BC's stretch of dominance -winners of 29 of 30 games- two teams have troubled BC. UMass and BU. The Terriers gave BC all they could handle in the Beanpot Finals last year and UMass has almost twice taken out the Eagles this year.

Johnny Gaudreau leads the team in points, goals, and assists. I guess he is ok. Gaudreau has a line of 9-10-19 in 11 games played. Behind him with 15 points is Senior Pat Mullane. Mullane has 6 goals and 9 assists. On defense, BC is led by Senior Patrick Wey and Freshman Michael Matheson.

In goal, Parker Milner (and this is incredibly difficult for me to say) is actually doing well. In 11 games, the Senior netminder has a .926 save percentage and a 2.08 goals against.

---> For BU, I think Matt O'Connor will start Friday night and the goalie will be announced later for Saturday.

---> The legendary Mike "Doc" Emrick will be calling both games on the NBC Sports Network.

---> The key to this weekend for the Terriers is special teams. They have to shutdown BC's power play and take advantage of their opportunities on the man advantage. In the game played earlier this year, BU held the Eagle's power play scoreless, while their own pp struggled. Fix the latter half and we are alright.

---> Dating back to 2007 the road team in this series has a 13-3-2 record.

---> Either way I look at it, this weekend is a split.