Jim ConnellyThe Providence Friars began the 2002-03 campaign 7-0-0, the best start in the history of the program. When then-No. 1 Boston College came to town on November 12, the Friars had moved to 8-1-0, setting up a much-anticipated matchup. That night, though, the Eagles routed the Friars at Schneider Arena, beginning a five-game winless skid … Read more
Mercyhurst may have found its man between the pipes and bragging rights abound throughout the MAAC. Columnist Jim Connelly outlines the battles in Buffalo, Connecticut, between American service acadamies and Canadian service acadamies in this week’s MAAC report.
Quinnipiac and Mercyhurst re-engage the MAAC’s highest-profile rivalry; a look at a proposal with “multiple” consequences; and Jim Connelly evaluates the playoff race.
One night after completely dominating the Mass.-Lowell River Hawks en route to a 6-3 victory, Boston College withstood an early Lowell onslaught and used a five-goal second period to rout the River Hawks, 7-1, to complete the weekend sweep. The key to the game — special teams. Boston College, despite struggling at times on the … Read more
Last Friday night, worries permeated the Boston College hockey community when it was believed that BC captain Ben Eaves was headed for the shelf with a fractured hip. That would have translated to Eaves joining his brother Patrick on the injured list, taking two of BC’s top four scorers out of the lineup. Some Massachusetts-Lowell … Read more
Putting aside history, Bentley climbs into the MAAC’s first division; also, Jim Connelly revisits the league’s place in the newly-released PairWise Rankings.
Finally, the monkey has gotten off Massachusetts-Lowell’s back. Sporting a 6-5 lead with six seconds left and a faceoff in the Lowell zone, a lost draw made every one of the 1,840 in attendance at Tsongas Arena hold their breath, waiting for the inevitable to happen in Lowell’s Murphy’s Law-like season. But as the puck … Read more
Saying Goodbye to a Friend Death — the reality of losing a loved one — is never easy to cope with. Somehow, though, when a youngster loses his life, it’s even little tougher to swallow. There is always the need to think of what could have been when a person’s life is cut short at … Read more
Eight months after the 2002 NCAA title game, a Jim Connelly visit to the Twin Cities spells doom for another HEA team — or does it?
Home Ice, Of Sorts Playing in Minnesota is a homecoming for a good chunk of Boston College’s lineup. Four Eagles on the ice Friday hail from the Land of 10,000 Lakes — captain Ben Eaves (Faribault, Minn.), John Adams (Wayzata, Minn.), A.J. Walker (Faribault, Minn.) and Andrew Alberts (Eden Prairie, Minn.). Ben Eaves’ brother Patrick, … Read more
(See also: Day One Notebook) MINNEAPOLIS — It was billed as a teacher versus student matchup, as Bowling Green head coach Scott Paluch took on his old mentor in Boston College head coach Jerry York Friday in the opening game of the Dodge Holiday Classic. Paluch served as associate coach under York until this season, … Read more
The MAAC has seen its share of surprises and disappointments in the opening months, and Jim Connelly is here to grade the 12 member schools’ first-half performances.
Glenn Crane, a junior forward for Holy Cross, died on Monday, December 23, after a long bout with Hodgkin’s disease. He was 21. Crane entered Holy Cross in September of 2000 but played in just four games before being diagnosed with the disease. He underwent treatment and was believed to be in remission entering 2001-02 … Read more
BOSTON – Entering the third period of Saturday’s game against Union, it was clear to Northeastern coach Bruce Crowder that something needed to change. The Huskies trailed Union, 1-0, despite having outplayed the Dutchmen for forty minutes. More frustrating, the club had extended its scoreless streak to five straight periods and, according to Crowder, was … Read more
In his last column of 2002, Jim Connelly selects the MAAC’s top news stories of the year gone by.
After playing two Hockey East teams tight, is Quinnipiac a legitimate national threat? That’s just one of the questions Jim Connelly tries to answer.
As the holiday season commences, Jim Connelly offers his traditional look at a MAAC Thanksgiving, as well as the league’s weekly awards and a preview of next week’s coverage.
Quinnipiac put out a solid defensive effort and got spectacular goaltending on Saturday night, but came up just short of pulling off the ultimate upset, falling, 2-1, to Northeastern in front of a hostile crowd of 3,259 at Matthews Arena. The Bobcats hoped to become the first MAAC team to win a nonconference game against … Read more
Behind a two-goal effort by sophomore David Spina and plenty of offensive patience and poise, No. 1 Boston College got back to winning ways Friday, knocking off pesky Northeastern, 4-1, in front of 7,500 at BC’s Conte Forum. The Eagles used four unanswered goals in the final 27 minutes of play to prevent the Huskies … Read more
Rebuilding Iona stuns Mercyhurst; the MAAC streaks toward the holidays; southern Connecticut offers the league some hospitality; and Quinnipiac logs miles and miles on the road. Jim Connelly reports.