All photos by U-Jin Lee/DFP Staff

By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff

Offense: C
Throughout two and a half periods, the Terriers seemed to have forgotten about offense. UMass-Lowell has struggled on defense this season, giving up an average of five goals per game against Hockey East opponents. BU failed to score Saturday night until 16:17 in the third period. They attempted 71 shots and had 30 on target. Warsofsky was the biggest spark on offense, and he is a defenseman. In the last four minutes of the game, however, when BU really needed to score, they were able to do so.

By Jake Seiner/DFP Staff

Backed by senior co-captain Chris Connolly’s game-winning tally with 27.5 seconds to go in the third, the No. 5/6 Boston University men’s hockey team completed a weekend sweep of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory at Agganis Arena on Saturday night.

Connolly netted the goal on a shot created by junior assistant captain David Warsofsky, who carried the puck into the UML zone, held off a defender with a power move and slid the puck to Connolly center-slot.

Connolly put the puck on net and the disc slid between the legs of UML goalie Doug Carr.

All photos by U-Jin Lee/DFP Staff

By Annie Maroon/DFP Staff

LOWELL, Mass. -- Scoring four goals in one period is generally a remarkable feat, but it’s all the more noteworthy when the tallies come from four different players, with eight different men recording points in a 17-minute span.

Against the University of Massachusetts-Lowell on Friday, the Boston University men’s hockey team coasted to a 5-1 win thanks to an explosive second period and a balanced offensive attack, getting goals from five different members of its top three lines and offensive involvement from its young defensemen. The Terriers beat UML goaltender Marc Boulanger shorthanded and at even strength, with tip-ins and breakaways, and proved that the scoring touch on this team does not belong solely to any one player or even one line.

By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff

LOWELL, Mass. -- The No. 5/6 Boston University men’s hockey team scored four goals in the second period en route to a 5-1 victory over the University of Massachusetts-Lowell on Friday night. The victory was BU’s first of the season that was not decided by one goal.

The Terriers (5-0-1, 3-0-1 Hockey East) scored two shorthanded goals on the night and junior goaltender Kieran Millan carried a shutout deep into the third period for the second consecutive game.

“I thought it was a terrific road game for us,” BU coach Jack Parker said. “I thought it was one of the best games we’ve played up here. Obviously some pretty plays, some pretty goals, but we won that game on effort. We had guys blocking shots with four minutes to go in a 5-0 game, so pretty good effort that way."

By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff

The No. 5/6 Boston University men's hockey team will look to remain undefeated when it takes on the University of Massachusetts-Lowell in a home-and-home series this weekend.

The Terriers are coming off a 2-1 win against Providence College that was anything but pretty. The Friars outshot BU 40-20, including 33-12 over the final two periods. They recorded 14 of those shots on seven power plays.

In addition to penalty trouble, BU coach Jack Parker cited his team's poor performance on faceoffs as a reason for the lopsided shot totals. The Terriers (4-0-1, 2-0-1 Hockey East) won just 20 of the game's 54 draws – a measly 37 percent.

For more, click over to dailyfreepress.com.

By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff

1) No. 2 Boston College (3-1-0, 1-0-0 HE)
The Eagles lost 2-1 at No. 11/13 Notre Dame on Saturday, but they still have to be considered the top team in Hockey East. Two weekends ago, they embarrassed No. 12 Denver on its home ice, outscoring the Pioneers 9-2 in a weekend sweep. BC is allowing just one goal per game this season, putting its defense a full goal ahead of anyone else in the league. Leading the way is senior goalie John Muse, who has the best goals-against average (1.34) and best save percentage (.959) in the conference. BC’s plus-2 average goal differential is also tied for first.

2) No. 6/7 University of Maine (3-1-2, 1-0-0 HE)
The Black Bears had a tough series two weeks ago when they lost and tied at No. 11/14 Michigan State, but they rebounded with an impressive sweep of No. 8 North Dakota last weekend, outscoring the Fighting Sioux 11-5 in the series. As expected, Maine is all about offense. Its 4.67 goals per game are best in the conference and it possesses the league’s top five scorers in junior Spencer Abbott (5-6-11), senior Robby Dee (4-5-9), junior Gustav Nyquist (2-7-9), sophomore Joey Diamond (4-4-8) and senior Tanner House (4-3-7).

By Sam Dykstra/DFP Staff

As it turns out, one-goal wins can still count for something more than just another tick in the wins column.

Following a weekend in which it swept a pair of back-to-back conference games, the previously eighth-ranked Boston University men's hockey team jumped three spots to fifth in the nation in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and two spots to sixth in the USCHO.com poll released Wednesday.

The Terriers (4-0-1, 2-0-1 Hockey East) actually received a couple of first-place votes – two in the USCHO poll and one in USA Today's – as well.

For more, click over to dailyfreepress.com.

By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff

At the beginning of the college hockey season, there are often many players, mostly freshmen, who register their first collegiate career points.

But when Boston University sophomore defenseman Ryan Ruikka scored his first career goal and then added his first career assist in Saturday night's 2-1 win over Providence College, it was a bigger celebration than normal for those particular milestones.

Ruikka is in his third year at BU and because of a couple of devastating injuries, this is the first season in which he has been able to play.

For more, click over to dailyfreepress.com.

By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff

One phrase comes to mind to describe the No. 8 Boston University men's hockey team's performance Saturday night - bend but don't break. Providence College doubled up the Terriers in shots, 40-20, and won 34 of 54 faceoffs, but BU escaped with a 2-1 win to remain undefeated.

Over the final two periods, the Friars (1-4-0, 1-2-0 Hockey East) outshot the Terriers (4-0-1, 2-0-1 HE), 33-12. They tallied an astounding 87 shots attempted – compared to just 38 for BU – and registered 14 shots on seven power-play attempts.

For more, click over to dailyfreepress.com.

All photos by U-Jin Lee/DFP Staff

By Sam Dykstra/DFP Staff

Offense- C
BU’s second line provided the bulk of the offense as sophomore Alex Chiasson (one goal, one assist), junior Corey Trivino (one assist) and freshman Matt Nieto (one assist) combined for four points. The three were also the only Terrier forwards to register a positive plus-minus rating as they each finished with a plus-1. Sophomore defenseman had his own coming-out party as he registered the first goal, assist and multi-point game of his collegiate career. However, the positives end there. BU put only 20 shots on target against a Providence defense that has twice as many underclassmen (three freshmen, one sophomore) as upperclassmen (one senior, one junior). The Terriers’ two goals tie the team’s record for least in a game this season.

By Sam Dykstra/DFP Staff

Following last Saturday’s disappointing 2-2 tie with the University of Massachusetts at home, Boston University men’s hockey coach Jack Parker decided it was time for a change heading into Friday’s rematch with the Minutemen. But this change did not start at the top of the forwards depth chart – the top two lines had in fact accounted for both goals and all four assists in the tie – but instead was a wholesale alteration of the team’s bottom two lines.

Parker moved sophomore Ryan Santana from his position as the center of the fourth line to the right wing of the third line. He then replaced Santana on the bottom line with sophomore Ross Gaudet, who moved back to his normall position after playing at left wing the game prior. Sophomore Andrew Glass and freshman Sahir Gill – left-handed shots both – moved back to their natural positions on the fourth and third lines respectively. Finally, sophomore Justin Courtnall was removed entirely from the lines sheet as junior Kevin Gilroy took his spot and moved over to the fourth-line right wing spot.

By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff

After a “bizarre” tie against the University of Massachusetts last Saturday, the No. 8 Boston University men’s ice hockey team rebounded on the road Friday night and beat the Minutemen 4-3. The Terriers (3-0-1) are off to their best start to a season since 2001-02.

Freshman forward Charlie Coyle, junior forward Andrew Glass, senior captain Joe Pereira and freshman forward Sahir Gill scored for the Terriers. Junior goaltender Kieran Millan stopped 23 of 26 shots.

By Jake Seiner/DFP Staff

In his postgame comments, Boston University men’s hockey coach Jack Parker referred to his team’s play in last Saturday’s 2-2 tie with the University of Massachusetts-Amherst as “selfish,” “unthorough,” and even “bizarre.”

The No. 8 Terriers (2-0-1, 0-0-1 Hockey East) will get a second chance to put away the Minutemen, though, as the team’s square off in Amherst Friday night.

The game will be the first of two for BU this weekend –- the team will play host to Providence College Saturday night. Both games start at 7 p.m.

By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff

Even though they were off to a strong 3-1-0 start, the Bruins had plenty of areas to improve entering Thursday night’s home opener against the Washington Capitals. They appeared to fix at least one of those areas in an impressive 4-1 win -- the power play.

The B’s came into the game just 1-for-15 on the man advantage, but they went 3-for-4 on Thursday against a Caps penalty kill that was a perfect 25-for-25 coming in.

“We moved the puck, we moved our feet, we retrieved pucks and we outworked the PK, which is always important,” said forward and assistant captain Mark Recchi. “We had some great puck movement. The guys were jumping in holes and we were moving our feet, and when you do that, it creates space and openings. The guys did a good job of it.”

By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff

In the locker room following the Boston University men's ice hockey team's season-ending loss to the University of Maine, then-senior forward Luke Popko and then-junior forward Joe Pereira sat next to each other without much to say. Popko was not moving. He seemed reluctant to take off his jersey because once he did, it would mean his four years of hockey at BU were actually over.

That scene stuck with Pereira, who now serves as a captain for the Terriers. Pereira and the only other senior on the team, goaltender Adam Kraus, are the last two remnants of an originally seven-member class.

Both are 23 years old, neither were drafted and this season, both are attempting to get the 2010-11 version of the Terriers back to playing BU hockey following an underwhelming effort from the team last season.

If there is anybody on the team that is right for that job, it is Kraus and Pereira. Their personalities balance each other well. Pereira is an energetic player with a quick wit but also an awareness of when to be serious. Kraus is well spoken and calm, and, despite only playing in four career games, still maintains a positive attitude.

For more, click over to dailyfreepress.com.

By Sam Dykstra/DFP Staff

As the overtime clock struck 15 seconds, Boston University sophomore forward Alex Chiasson collected a bouncing puck along the right boards for one last potential rush into the University of Massachusetts zone. Chiasson looked up ice to see a streaking Matt Nieto flying through the neutral zone. The sophomore veteran, playing in his first game of the season following the conclusion of a three-game suspension, threaded a perfect pass to the freshman right at the Minutemen's blue line, and it was off to the races.

With nothing in front of him but shaved ice and UMass goaltender Jeff Teglia, Nieto began to cut toward the net in an attempt to break the game's 2-2 draw with a line of Minutemen speeding to catch him.

But just as Nieto entered the slot, UMass defenseman Conor Allen took a whack from behind him as if he were a lumberjack cutting down a redwood. The penalty arm went up, but Nieto continued anyway, firing just wide left of the target. Soon after the shot wildly struck the back boards, the cries of dismay by the 5,920 in attendance at Agganis Arena soon turned into calls for a penalty shot.

For more, click over to dailyfreepress.com.

By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff

For the first 27 or so minutes of its home and conference opener, it appeared that the No. 10 Boston University men's hockey team was going to ride the wave of momentum created by its Ice Breaker title to an easy win over the University of Massachusetts.

But then the wave crested and the Terriers (2-0-1, 0-0-1 Hockey East) got sucked under. The Minutemen (0-2-1, 0-0-1 HE) dominated the rest of the game, erased BU's two-goal lead and forced a 2-2 tie.

"You've gotta give UMass a lot of credit for just hanging in there and playing hard throughout," said BU coach Jack Parker. "We did not. We turned the puck over and played on the offensive side of the puck, thinking we were pretty good after 2-0. But then UMass got their bus legs away from them and they started skating.

"All of a sudden, we lost our poise and gave the puck away I don't know how many times. The amount of turnovers we made was bizarre to me. I've seen it happen a lot. The team thinks they're better than they are. You get up 2-0 and, ‘Whoa, we're pretty good.' And then we started playing very, very unthorough. And UMass started playing very, very thorough."

All photos by U-Jin Lee/DFP Staff

Offense: B-

By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff

Fresh off an Ice Breaker title, the No. 10 Boston University men's hockey team returns to Agganis Arena for its home and conference opener against the University of Massachusetts at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Terriers (2-0-0, 0-0-0 Hockey East) knocked off No. 15 University of Wisconsin, 4-3, in their season opener Friday. Senior forward Joe Pereira tallied two goals, while junior defenseman David Warsofsky notched a goal and two assists and freshman forward Charlie Coyle chipped in a goal and an assist. BU's first three goals all came courtesy of the top power-play unit.

The scarlet-and-white won the tournament Sunday with a 5-4 triumph over the No. 19 University of Notre Dame. Freshman forward Sahir Gill led the way with a goal and three assists and Warsofsky added another goal and assist.

For more, click over to dailyfreepress.com.

By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff

ST. LOUIS -- The No. 10 Boston University men's hockey team had a few highly touted freshmen entering this season, but it was the less-heralded Sahir Gill who was biggest star for the Terriers Sunday night.

Gill, a 5-10, 180 lb. freshman out of Terrace, British Columbia, scored one goal and notched three assists for BU in its 5-4 victory over No. 19 University of Notre Dame.

"Sahir Gill had a coming-out party for himself," said BU head coach Jack Parker. "He was playing on the fourth line where he didn't get a lot of ice time ,and he gets one goal and three assists. It was to the point where we had him playing on the power play a couple of times, and he did a good job. We're real proud of him."

Gill started his night early by scoring the first goal of the game 7:20 into the first period. Junior assistant captain David Warsofsky jumped up on the rush and charged in with Gill on a two-on-one. Warsofsky's initial shot bounced off Notre Dame goalie Steve Summerhays' pads and right to Gill's stick. Gill easily punched the puck right past Summerhays for the score.

Read more at dailyfreepress.com.

All photos by Isabel Slepoy/DFP Staff


Ice Breaker - BU vs Notre Dame - Images by Isabel Slepoy

By Sam Dykstra/DFP Staff ST. LOUIS - The No. 10 Boston University men's hockey are Ice Breaker Tournament champions for the second time in three years, after defeating No. 19 University of Notre Dame 5-4 Sunday at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis in spectacular fashion.

Sophomore defenseman Sean Escobedo netted the game-winner with just 67 seconds left on the clock in the third period. Escobedo looked for a deflection in front of Notre Dame goalie Steven Summerhays, but instead found the top left of the net to give the Terriers (2-0) their second win of the season. The goal immediately followed a faceoff win by freshman center Sahir Gill, who fed Escobedo for his third assist and fourth point in just the second game of his collegiate career.

"Obviously a game that goes down to the wire like that, it could go either way," said BU coach Jack Parker. "I thought we made a big play when we had to in winning a faceoff. . . It was a great play by Gill."

Escobedo's netter provided the only noise in a third period that was much quieter than the game's other two. The Terriers and Fighting Irish (1-1) combined for eight goals in the championship's first 40 minutes.

Read more at dailyfreepress.com.

Consolation - Wisconsin vs. Holy Cross, 1 p.m. ET Sunday
Championship - BU vs. Notre Dame, 4 p.m. ET Sunday

All photos by Isabel Slepoy/DFP Staff


Ice Breaker - BU vs Wisconsin - Images by Isabel Slepoy

By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff

Given the fact that the No. 14 Boston University men’s hockey team lost five players who saw regular time on the power play last year and had two more suspended for Friday’s season opener, there were more than enough reasons to be skeptical of the Terriers’ chances on the man advantage.

If tonight was any indication, though, those concerns might not be valid. The top power-play unit scored each of BU’s first three goals to lead the Terriers to a 4-3 win over the No. 13 University of Wisconsin. The biggest reason for the success? Simplicity.

By Sam Dykstra/DFP Staff

Freshman forward Yasin Cisse will be out a couple weeks with an ankle injury, according to BU coach Jack Parker.

Parker said that Cisse underwent an X-ray, and that test showed that the ankle was not broken. He categorized the injury only as an ankle that the forward "twisted pretty badly."

"He'll be out a couple weeks," Parker said. "Maybe three tops, but he should be back in a couple [weeks]. Obviously, he won't play this weekend."

Cisse made an early exit from Friday's 4-3 win over the No. 14 University of Wisconsin and did not return for the remainder of the contest.

He had suffered a season ending ankle injury a year ago. While playing for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL, Cisse had a tendon in his ankle cut by an opponent, an injury that prematurely ended his season. Parker said that the newest injury was on the same ankle but was not the same type of injury.

By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff

If senior Joe Pereira wants to lead by example as a captain for the 2010-2011 edition of the Boston University men’s hockey team, he can’t do much better than he did Friday night.

Pereira scored twice as he and the No. 14 Terriers triumphed over the No. 13 University of Wisconsin 4-3 in the first round of the Ice Breaker tournament in St. Louis.

“It’s not quite the way we’d like to see the game played, but it was quite interesting to watch,” said BU coach Jack Parker.

The Terriers (1-0) were down early in Friday night’s game. Less than a minute after Wisconsin (0-1) killed off a five-minute major, the Badgers scored two goals only nine seconds apart to take a 2-0 lead.

Notre Dame vs. Holy Cross, 6:30 p.m. ET
BU vs. Wisconsin, 9:30 p.m. ET

One of the biggest changes for the Terriers this year from a strategic perspective will be a switch from a man-to-man defensive scheme to a hybrid zone scheme. Parker discussed the move during a recent sit-down with The Daily Free Press.

On the switch
"We all kind of sat around all summer deciding what we wanted to do to change our d-zone coverage -- what's the best approach and which one should we choose given the personnel we've got. We kind of looked at NHL teams, teams in our own league, teams in the Olympic competition. We saw a lot of different looks in that, and we've come up with a kind of hybrid type of zone coverage. We used to play straight man-for-man. Some schools play straight zone. We're gonna play a little bit of both. It's definitely gonna be different. It's gonna be more focused on protecting the grade-A area and not worrying about people out in the corners."

Former Boston University men's hockey player Vinny Saponari said Thursday that he will be taking his talents to Boston College for the 2011-12 season.

"I love the city of Boston, and Boston College always has a good team," Saponari said of the decision." I played against them for two years. I know how the program is –– the professionalism that comes with being there and playing there."

Saponari was dismissed from BU by coach Jack Parker last spring –- the end of his sophomore season -- after reportedly failing to attend a team bike ride designed as punishment for breaking the team's drinking policy.

Four articles to get you ready for the season:

2010-11 BU hockey season preview by DFP Staff

Connolly's amazing journey by Scott McLaughlin

Sophomore surge: Nicastro goes from young, inexperienced blueliner to veteran leader in one year's time by Sam Dykstra

Boyle a strength for Terriers despite never playing hockey by Jake Seiner

By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff

Terrier coach Jack Parker has received medical clearance and is planning to be on the bench for this weekend's season-opening Warrior Ice Breaker Tournament in St. Louis, according to a team source.

Parker underwent heart bypass surgery over the summer and had yet to get the OK to coach again until this week. He hasn't skated since the operation and he watched Saturday's 9-3 exhibition win over the University of Toronto from the coaches box rather than the bench. At last Wednesday's Hockey East Media Day, Parker said he felt 100 percent and was hoping to be back this weekend.

Associate head coach Mike Bavis served as acting head coach in Parker's absence, while Pertti Hasanen jumped on board as an assistant coach. With Parker's return, Hasanen will now become the Director of Men's Hockey Operations.

No. 14 BU drops the puck on the regular season against the No. 13 University of Wisconsin on Friday at 9:30 ET. The Terriers will then face either the No. 16 University of Notre Dame or the College of the Holy Cross on Sunday.

By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff

It would've been easy for freshman forward Charlie Coyle to fall short of expectations in his first game as a Terrier. After all, being a local kid, a first-round NHL pick and the cousin of Boston University legend and NHL All-Star Tony Amonte induces quite a bit of pressure.

But Coyle didn't just meet the bar set for him in BU's 9-3 win over the University of Toronto on Saturday, he vaulted over it with ease. The Weymouth native prompted a shower of hats with three goals and an assist in his debut, netting tallies at even strength, on the power play and shorthanded.

"He'd make any coach look good, that's for sure," said BU acting head coach Mike Bavis. "You don't see a guy come along very often with that kind of a package. You're looking at a rare commodity in terms of being such a big, strong, well-balanced athlete with the type of skills that make you a great hockey player, which are hands and hockey sense. He's certainly giving us a dimension that is gonna be hard to handle."

Read more at dailyfreepress.com.

Photos by U-Jin Lee/DFP Staff

By Sam Dykstra/DFP Staff

Offense: A+
This may be the easiest grade given in the history of report cards. The Terriers totaled nine goals, their highest total in any game – exhibition, regular season and postseason included – since they scored the same amount against the University of Vermont back on Nov. 16, 2007. The biggest chunk came from the team’s first line of senior Joe Pereira, junior Chris Connolly and freshman Charlie Coyle. As a unit, they came together for five goals, seven assists and a plus-10, but they weren’t the only ones lighting the lamp. Sophomores Ryan Santana and Ben Rosen both tallied one more goal than either of them had in their rookie campaigns. The scariest thing of all is that all of this came without junior Corey Trivino and sophomore Alex Chiasson, both of whom are serving three-game suspensions but are expected to be leaders on the offensive end upon their return.

By Jake Seiner, DFP Staff

It took the 2009-10 Boston University men's hockey team half a season to find its stride offensively. By comparison, the 2010-11 version seems to be well ahead of that curve.

The Terriers topped their highest goal output from a year ago - seven goals - in a 9-3 win over the University of Toronto in exhibition action Saturday night.

"We were certainly geared up to go," said associate head coach Mike Bavis. "That's always a positive sign and quite honestly we've seen that in practice. It's been a fun team to coach."