Harvard

Finally, we are back on to what makes all of this fun: writing about actual hockey and not ridiculous  rumors and player departures. Tonight, BU faces Harvard at the Bright Center in Cambridge for their first game of 2016.

From The Vault
BU walks off with a crazy 6-5 come-from-behind overtime win
at the Bright Center in November of 2009. Chris Connolly scored
the OT winner, 2:42 into the extra session.
(Photo by Matt Dresens) 

Harvard is currently the number two ranked team in the PairWise.This means in back to back games, BU will have played the 1 and 2 ranked teams in the PWR. In case you forgot, BU knocked off previously unbeaten Quinnipiac in their barn, prior to winter break. Tonight's game will be enormous come tournament time, to say the least.

Harvard is 8-1-3 on the year and their only loss was to Qinnipiac back on November 13 in Hamden. Last week, Harvard rolled Ferris State, 7-3 in the opening game of the Marucci Classic in Minnesota. The following night, Kyle Criscuolo scored with the goalie pulled to tie the championship game vs Minnesota and then won the game and tournament in overtime, giving Harvard a 4-3 win.

Common Opponents:
Yale
Yale 2, @ Harvard 2 (November 6)
 BU 2, @ Yale 3 (December 11)

Quinnipiac
Harvard 1, @ Qunnipiac 4 (November 13)
BU 4, @ Quinnipiac 1 (December 12)

Union
BU 3, @ Union 5 (October 10)
Harvard 4 @ Union 4 (November 28)

Scouting Harvard
The Crimson are (unsurprisingly) led by senior and 2015 Hobey Baker finalist, Jimmy Vesey. Vesey,  was also a member on the USA World Junior Team in 2013 that won gold in Ufa, Russia. He has 9 goals and 11 assists on the year. Kyle Criscuolo leads the team in goals with 10 and has also added five assists.

Other players to watch include Alex Kerfoot, who gave BU all they could handle in the Beanpot last year. Ryan Donato, who is fresh off his return from playing for Team USA at the world Juniors in Helsinki.

In goal, Merrick Madsen is 7-0-2 with a .956 save percentage, four shutouts and a 1.32 goals against average. Madsen has only given up 12 goals on the year.

BU Notes
- From the fallout of the AJ Greer departure and a slew of injures that have plagued BU all year, the Terriers added two new players: Erik Udahl and Oskar Andren. Udahl is a 5-7, 155lb forward from Walpole, Mass. He played with the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL last season. Prior to playing junior, Udhal played at The Rivers School. Andren, a 6-1, 185lb forward from Stockholm, played with the Lone Star Brahmans of the North American Hockey League. It is unknown if either will play tonight.

- Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Fortunato, and Brandon Hickey are all expected to play tonight despite playing in the WJC for the past two weeks.

- In an in-depth article on USCHO, coach Quinn was optimistic about the injury status of Matt Grzelcyk, Ahti Oksanen and Nic Olsson.  

"Asked about Oksanen, Grzelcyk and Olsson, Quinn said all three might play against Harvard on Thursday.

“We’re inching toward getting healthier,” he said. “We’re not sure yet, but we’ll know more by Wednesday.”

- Sean Maguire will get the start tonight in goal.