Jim ConnellyThirteen days ago when Providence battled to a 3-3 tie with Boston College, it was a tie that felt much more like a win. On Thursday night in a 4-4 draw with Vermont, this was a tie that felt very much like a loss. The Friars broke open a tied game in the third period … Read more
Few people around Hockey East will deny that this was one pretty crazy first half of the season. We mentioned weeks ago that the league began separating into two parts: a top three and a bottom seven. Truth be told, at some point a middle will almost inevitably be defined. And the leader of that … Read more
Massachusetts-Lowell received scoring from three different defensemen and rookie netminder Connor Hellebuyck posted his second consecutive shutout as the River Hawks skated past Harvard 5-0 in a rare Monday night affair at Harvard’s Bright Hockey Center. While the story for Lowell may have been the play of the defenseman in the lineup, for Harvard it … Read more
Kermit the Frog sang years ago that it’s not easy being green. Well, it’s also not easy being the number one team in the USCHO.com poll. New Hampshire became another Hockey East team to learn that this weekend, and that leads the three things I learned this week. 1. The King is dead, long live … Read more
Kermit the Frog sang years ago that it’s not easy being green. Well, it’s also not easy being the number one team in the USCHO.com poll. New Hampshire became another Hockey East team to learn that this weekend, and that leads the three things I learned this week. 1. The King is dead, long live … Read more
Boston College coach Jerry York was 10.5 seconds away from being college hockey’s all-time wins leader. Now, he and his Eagles will have to wait 22 days before they’ll have another crack. York’s Boston College Eagles (11-2-1, 9-2-1 Hockey East) let a two-goal third period lead slip away and surrendered the game-tying goal to Providence’s … Read more
The Boston College Eagles entered the weekend with the chance to write a Hollywood-like story for head coach Jerry York, who was one win shy of tying and two wins away from passing legendary coach Ron Mason for the most all-time wins and facing heated rival Boston University. After a lackluster effort, though, on Friday … Read more
There were plenty of bright lights and positive vibes coming from Matthews Arena when this season began. Not only had the Northeastern Huskies drawn blue-chip recruit Kevin Roy to Huntington Avenue, they also opened the season with home wins over Merrimack and No. 1 Boston College. For Northeastern fans to believe this could be one … Read more
After blowing a 4-0 lead on Friday night, finishing in a 4-4 tie with Colorado College, it looked like New Hampshire’s trip to Colorado could be a disaster when the Wildcats fell behind, 3-0, to Denver on Saturday. Then something changed. That leads my three takeaways from this weekend. 1. Comeback makes long flight more … Read more
After blowing a 4-0 lead on Friday night, finishing in a 4-4 tie with Colorado College, it looked like New Hampshire’s trip to Colorado could be a disaster when the Wildcats fell behind, 3-0, to Denver on Saturday. Then something changed. That leads my three takeaways from this weekend. 1. Comeback makes long flight more … Read more
Fast starts have always been part of Boston College’s equation for success. On Saturday, quick beginnings to each period earned the Eagles the victory. No. 1 Boston College scored four of its six goals in the opening five minutes of periods and held off a very pesky No. 11 Dartmouth squad, 6-3, in front of … Read more
With nearly half a game in the books on Friday night, things looked pretty grim for the No. 1 Boston College Eagles. Trailing Merrimack, 3-0, at home, the Eagles were getting plenty of offensive chances, but couldn’t solve Merrimack goaltender Sam Marotta (38 saves). Then the Eagles’ top line took over the game, particularly senior … Read more
That which I receive, I giveth back. Very useless week for me. Jim last week: 6-4-0 Dave last week: 8-2-0 Jim’s record-to-date: 29-20-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 33-16-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 16 Merrimack at Boston College Jim’s pick: Let’s keep this simple… I’m not betting against BC right now. BC 4, MC 2 Dave’s pick: Agreed 100 percent. I won’t … Read more
That which I receive, I giveth back. Very useless week for me. Jim last week: 6-4-0 Dave last week: 8-2-0 Jim’s record-to-date: 29-20-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 33-16-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 16 Merrimack at Boston College Jim’s pick: Let’s keep this simple… I’m not betting against BC right now. BC 4, MC 2 Dave’s pick: Agreed 100 percent. I won’t … Read more
Hockey East fans who were at Kelley Rink last Friday night got a glimpse of just how great it may be to have Notre Dame in the league beginning next year. The Fighting Irish, from the opening faceoff, went toe-to-toe with No. 1 Boston College, finally falling 3-1. Fans were treated to some back-and-forth action … Read more
After an election week where every major news network wanted to be the first to call each of the 50 states, I want to make a very early call about Hockey East. Three teams seem definitively head and shoulders above the rest, and that leads my three things that I learned this weekend: 1. Hockey … Read more
After an election week where every major news network wanted to be the first to call each of the 50 states, I want to make a very early call about Hockey East. Three teams seem definitively head and shoulders above the rest, and that leads my three things that I learned this weekend: 1. Hockey … Read more
Starting out win just one win in its first 10 games, you have to believe that some pucks haven’t bounced Maine’s way thus far. So it seems fitting that on the night when Maine breaks out of a seven-game losing skid that one very perfect bounce earned the Black Bears the win. With the score … Read more
Many may think that Saturday’s football game between Boston College and Notre Dame will be the highlight of the weekend on the BC campus. It will have to be one legendary game, though, to top the undercard between the BC and Notre Dame hockey teams. In a hard-hitting, end-to-end battle between these two rivals, the … Read more
There is an unspeakable value for the ability of a team to close out a game to earn a victory. On Sunday afternoon, that ability – and a similar inability – reared its head. For the second time in three weeks, top-ranked Boston College overcame a third-period deficit against Massachusetts, scoring twice in the game’s … Read more