Monday Thoughts: One Good, One Bad

Player of the Week
Evan Rodrigues 
Rodrigues netted two goals
over the weekend on two
perfectly placed wrist shots.
In addition, the sophomore
forward seemed to be involved
in some really important plays.
(Photo by Matt Dresens) 

Friday night was one of the best hockey games I have been to at Agganis. Saturday was one of the most frustrating game I have ever been too.

Lets starts with Friday. BU has proven all season that they could hang with top level teams, but (excluding the North Dakota win) have not been able to beat them. The Terriers finally got over the hump Friday with a thrilling 4-2 win over Boston College. The second period highlighted the night. BC and BU combined for three goals, all of which were highlight reel worthy. Garrett Noonan's baseball style goal put the Terrier up 1-0 and Minutes later, Even Rodrigues torched Parker Milner with a wrist shot.

The Terriers seemed to be playing on motivation and desperation, two deadly weapons, as BC soon found out. Matt Grzelcyk's wrap a round goal was a microcosm of the entire game for both teams. For the Terriers its was scoring with determination, for the Eagles it was frustration. It would have been a relatively easy save for Milner if it did not take him a half hour to get off the far post. Grzelcyk celebration matched the energy in the building.

One night later, BU played a solid period and a half before the roof collapsed. The teams traded power play goals in the first, before BC went up 2-1 early in the second. BU had a ton of chances to tie the game at two, non better than Evan Rodrigues' break a way. Rodrigues seemed to have beat Milner to the short side, but sent the puck wide of the net. That also proved to be the last chance to tie things up, as minutes later BC erupted for two quick power play goals. How/why BC went on the power play was rather questionable.

From the top of the stadium, it looked as BC's Steve Whitney really embellished a tripping call, far worse than whatever Sean Escobedo did to earn just a diving call. Anyway, BC had a chuck of 5 on 3 which they eventually scored on to make it 3-1. That essentially killed BU's moral and goals 4 and 5 only shoved the dagger further into the already wounded Terriers. 

BU did score two power play goals of their own in the game, Cason Hohmann had the first, while Even Rodrigues had the other in the third. Prior to Hohmann's goal, BU's power play was on an 0 for 20 streak. 

Matt O'Connor may have played his best hockey as a Terrier over the weekend, coming up with some very impressive saves. If not for him in saturday night's game the score could have been 10-2. 

At The Polls

BU moved up two slots in the USCHO rankings from 9th to 7th. UNH was the Nation's new number one, as BC slipped to number 2.  Miami, Minnesota and Noter Dame rounded out the top five in that order.

Over in the pairwise, BU moved up from 7th two fifth after this weekend's games. BC is still one with New Hampshire, Dartmouth, Yale and BU (in that order) close behind. 

Around Hockey East

Friday: Northeastern blanked UMass 1-0 at the Mullins center... Providence defeated Merrimack 3-2 in overtime at Lawler Rink... New Hampshire made quick work of Lowell, winning 5-2... Vermont beat Maine 2-1 at Alfond... BU snapped BC's ten game win streak, upending the Eagles 4-2 at home. 

Saturday: Merrimack topped Providence 2-1 at Schneider Rink... UMass rolled past Northeastern 6-3 at Matthews... UNH capped off the sweep of Lowell with a 5-2 road win... Maine and vermont tied 2-2 in Orono... Boston College picked up a 5-2 victory at home against BU.

Honored

Evan Rodrigues was named Hockey East Player of the Week.