David H. HendricksonMaine climbs over BC and UNH en route to No. 1 in the polls; Merrimack and UMass-Lowell get help between the pipes; last week’s trivia question — in detail; and Dave Hendrickson hasn’t quite recovered from the Red Sox’s catastrophic breakdown.
Next time Boston College needs a big win, coach Jerry York may want to give Ray Bourque a call. It sure worked for Notre Dame coach Dave Poulin, who played four years with the Boston Bruins legend, and arranged to have him join the Irish for breakfast. The result was a 1-0 upset of the … Read more
Michael Ayers breaks a record; Massachusetts takes over atop the (really limited) Hockey East standings; Matt Radoslovich continues his rise; and resurgent Jim Howard and his Maine Black Bears pull off the win of the week, leaving Dave Hendrickson a mailbag full of irate Black Bear fans.
It was a power play that decided both first and last place in Hockey East. With 4:10 remaining in a 2-2 game, UMass-Lowell went on the man advantage. Instead, however, the Massachusetts Minutemen capitalized. Peter Trovato scored the shorthanded game-winner on a rebound after James Salon jumped on a center-ice turnover, broke into the offensive … Read more
Most of Hockey East starts NCAA play this weekend — but BC has already started strong, and UMass is preparing for rivalry games already. Amid the anticipation, Dave Hendrickson examines the value of exhibitions, and salutes a certain other New England sports team.
After losing 11 players a year ago, Massachusetts-Lowell said good-bye to another 10 heading into this season. With a roster of only three juniors and just one senior, the wild cards of freshmen and sophomores will dictate whether the River Hawks sink or swim. “Reality TV seems to be the big fad,” coach Blaise MacDonald … Read more
Beginning in 1996-97, Providence has earned home ice every other season. Flip the calendar and if the playoffs are in an odd-numbered year, then we’ll see you at Schneider Arena in March. Unfortunately for Friar fans, however, this is the 2003-04 season. Which means, for the non-math majors in the crowd, that PC is due … Read more
In recent years Boston University hasn’t possessed the dominating offense of its early- and mid-nineties predecessors. There’s been no updated version of a Chris Drury on the fourth line as a freshman nor a trio as imposing as Tony Amonte, Shawn MacEachern and Keith Tkachuk. The Terriers have instead won with stellar defense and goaltending. … Read more
It won’t be a shock if the Black Bears finish second in the league. It also won’t be a shock if they fall out of home ice. At the same time that there are major strengths there are also significant questions. The strength begins in goal where Jimmy Howard and Frank Doyle rank as the … Read more
New Hampshire lost some big-time players from the squad that advanced to the national championship game last year — All-Americans Lanny Gare and Colin Hemingway are Exhibits A and B — but still returns plenty of talent for another serious run at it. The motherlode crouches between the pipes. Michael Ayers recorded seven shutouts last … Read more
Last year Merrimack was picked in the preseason coaches’ poll to finish in the cellar for the umpteenth time, but defied those expectations with a seventh-place performance that fell only two points short of sixth. The lion’s share of the credit, however, went to All-Hockey East goaltender Joe Exter, whose graduation leaves a significant hole … Read more
“BC is clearly the team to beat in our league.” — New Hampshire coach Dick Umile “BC, on paper, is far and above everyone else in the league.” — Boston University coach Jack Parker “BC is BC. They have everything coming back.” — Merrimack coach Chris Serino “There’s no question BC is the number one … Read more
There’s a temptation to look at this loaded Boston College roster and start thinking ahead to the Frozen Four in Boston. Are all the pieces in place to make it two national championships in four years? Will the clanged crossbars and extra-skater goals go the Eagles’ way this time? Will they even need those breaks … Read more
After just missing playoff home ice the previous year, Northeastern fell to the Hockey East cellar last season. Coach Bruce Crowder minces no words in pointing to the solution. “What we really need is great years out of our juniors and seniors,” he says. “Our junior class as freshmen had okay years and I think … Read more
There’s a reason coach Don “Toot” Cahoon earned Hockey East Coach of the Year honors last season. The Minutemen roster included only five juniors and seniors combined, yet he led the team to a midseason national ranking, its highest finish in the league standings, a Hockey East quarterfinal sweep of Maine at Alfond Arena, and … Read more
After a second straight Hockey East championship for UNH, the national title proved elusive again.
Grab your pencils — it’s a 50-question quiz with a bad attitude.
David LeNeveu compiled eye-popping stats, but Mike Ayers plays for an NCAA title.
For UNH, Josh Prudden does the little things that win games.
Matti Kaltiainen has a postseason to build on.