Jim ConnellyWhen the Boston College Eagles and Harvard Crimson squared off on Wednesday night at Bright Hockey Center, the story line was goaltending. Much like the outcome, it was a happy story for the Eagles and a sad one for the Crimson  Behind a solid 25-save effort by BC netminder Parker Milner, the Eagles (9-3-2) … Read more
Marcou, Minutemen Putting Best Foot Forward As December has arrived, I think the feel-good story of the year in Hockey East is Massachusetts. Few gave the Minutemen a chance preseason, including yours truly, who picked them to finished eighth in Hockey East. But with the holiday break right around the corner, the Minutemen have shocked … Read more
Boston College goaltender John Muse had a game he might like to forget on Friday afternoon against Clarkson. All except the final 60 seconds. In a game where Muse (13 saves) was less than sharp, he came through when the pressure was on, robbing Clarkson’s Mark Borowiecki, who already had two goals on the afternoon, … Read more
A major storyline of this season in Hockey East has been the solid play of both Merrimack and Mass.-Lowell, so when the two clubs faced off Saturday night at Tsongas Arena, there was a lot of curiosity on which team would prove the better.  By game’s end, there was little doubt: Lowell answered in … Read more
Splitsville We’ve just about reached Thanksgiving, and amazingly every single league series in Hockey East has been split. And I mean split. No team has taken four points in a two-game series. Similarly, no team has taken three points from the same team. Granted, Hockey East plays less two-game series than, say, the WCHA and … Read more
After a disheartening 7-1 loss on Saturday night to Boston College, Vermont head coach Kevin Sneddon knew his team needed to put the opening game of a two-game road series against the Eagles behind them quickly. Easier said than done, most certainly, unless you receive a heroic performance from your goaltender. A night after the … Read more
The Mass.-Lowell River Hawks exploded for four third-period goals that broke a 2-2 tie to knock off the New Hampshire Wildcats, 6-3, Sunday at the Tsongas Arena. Lowell capitalized on three power plays in the game, including two with the game in the balance in the final frame, to break open a game that, for … Read more
The cliché that “it’s amazing what a difference a day can make” was brought to full life Saturday night when Boston College and Northeastern, two teams coming off polar opposite games one night earlier, squared off at Kelley Rink. Boston College entered the game on a massive low, having surrendered three third period goals to … Read more
Any fans who arrived late to Boston College’s Kelley Rink on Friday night might be asking for a refund. After a first period that featured six goals, three by each team, only the hosts could muster any more offense, a Ben Smith goal at 9:18 of the second period that held up as the game-winner … Read more
Two teams that were recently down on their luck, Merrimack and Massachusetts-Lowell, have put together good starts to the 2009-10 season, senior writer Jim Connelly reports.
Terriers Make Much Needed Rebound Could everyone hear that collective sigh of relief coming from Commonwealth Avenue on Saturday evening? That was the Boston University Terrier faithful breathing once again after the defending national champions earned their first win of the season, 3-2, over Michigan. After opening the season with losses at Massachusetts two weekends … Read more
In coach Mark Dennehy’s four years at Merrimack, the one thing that has been certain and consistent for his team has been its improvement. After a six-win season in 2005-06 and a three-win campaign a year later, the Warriors posted 12 wins two seasons ago and another nine last year. The nine may not have … Read more
An aberration. That’s what Maine hockey fans hope that the past two seasons have been. After nine straight 20-plus win campaigns, nine straight trips to the NCAA tournament, six visits to the Frozen Four and, of course, a national championship, the Black Bears have posted two straight 13-win seasons. To say that the natives are … Read more
After Boston College’s national championship in 2001, the Eagles struggled through the 2001-02 campaign and missed the NCAA tournament. Last year, coming off another NCAA title, coach Jerry York’s team followed in the footsteps of the 01-02 club, much to his dismay, and struggle to find consistency, ultimately missing the NCAA tournament. Though York likely … Read more
The ending for the 2008-09 season for the Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks was, to say the least, bittersweet. After advancing to the Hockey East Championship game for the first time since 1994 and only the second time in school history, Blaise MacDonald’s club dropped a heartbreaking — if not controversial — 1-0 decision to the ultimate … Read more
Possibly the biggest question mark in Hockey East this season is the Providence Friars. Last season, to say the team struggled would be an understatement. An early-season injury to top goaltender Ryan Simpson left the club in the lurch early. That translated to a 3-12-1 record at the break and a hill that seemingly could … Read more
It appeared to be one of the best-laid road maps. The solution that seemingly was brokered between all college hockey conferences and the 58 member institutions that would find homes for the four “homeless” members of the CHA looked almost too good to be true. Thanks to the CCHA, looks certainly aren’t meant to be … Read more
One of college hockey’s greatest rivalries will have one of the game’s best-known voices telling its story when Rival Films releases “The Battle of Comm Ave — Boston University vs. Boston College” this fall. Mike “Doc” Emrick, the well-known voice for NBC and Versus broadcasts of NHL action, will provide the narration for this one-of-a-kind … Read more
The Edmonton Oilers made one of the most interesting selections on Saturday when, in the third round, they called the name of Troy Hesketh. Hesketh is committed to attend Wisconsin but won’t do so until September of 2011. He is heading next year to play junior hockey in the U.S. Hockey League. Hesketh was not … Read more
The Minnesota Wild pulled the ultimate fast one during Friday night’s NHL Entry Draft and in doing so were part of college hockey’s most disappointing opening draft round in recent memory. Â After having the 13th overall pick in the first round, positioned perfectly the select Minnesota-born Jordan Schroeder, the Wild traded their top selection … Read more