Jim Connelly

In sports, they say the ability to counterpunch — in other words answer your opponent when they score — is almost more important than the punch itself. Boston University proved that true on Friday, consistently answering any offense mustered by No. 12 Maine with swifter and more powerful scoring punches. The end product was an … Read more

The tournament is nicknamed “The BU Invitational.” Terriers dominance is part of expectations in the annual Beanpot, with the always-favored Terriers simply expected to win the championship, regardless of the situation.   So if you wondered why anyone associated with Boston College might have been nervous, even with a 4-1 lead late in Monday’s championship … Read more

Desperate times certainly call for desperate measures, and the approach Providence coach Tim Army took in Saturday night’s game against No. 17 Vermont proved that things are reaching a dire state for the Friars.   After a lackluster effort in a 5-1 loss to the Catamounts on Friday, the third straight blowout loss for Providence, … Read more

When the final buzzer sounded at the TD Garden to end the nightcap at the 58th annual Beanpot, there were still 66 minutes before Groundhog Day began. Unless, of course, you’re with the Northeastern Huskies. Beanpot king Boston University used an Alex Chiasson goal with 5:47 remaining in regulation to break a 1-1 tie as … Read more

If anyone worried that the No. 14 Boston College Eagles might be looking past a last place Providence team in anticipation of Monday’s Beanpot matchup with cross-town rival Harvard, nerves were calmed early. The Eagles used an explosive, five goal opening period and dominated the Friars territorially to skate to a 5-2 victory in front … Read more

Saturday night was ‘Star Wars’ night at the Tsongas Arena, which seemed appropriate, given the fact that the game between No. 11 Boston College and No. 19 Massachusetts-Lowell seemed like it was played in a galaxy far, far away.   In the end, the talk was more about non-goals than goals along with non-icings, bouncing … Read more

Hockey is a game where Murphy’s Law seems to make a sneak appearance at the strangest time. Friday night’s game between No. 11 Boston College and Boston University was yet another occurrence. On a night where picture-perfect hockey was king at Kelley Rink — a game filled with highlight reel goals and back-and-forth, edge-of-your-seat action … Read more

Boston College’s trio of Brian Gibbons, Joe Whitney and Cam Atkinson have done everything they can over the last four days to make head coach Jerry York look brilliant. After the Eagles hit their first major bump in the road, losing three straight games upon returning from the holiday break, York broke up his line … Read more

Facing a three-game losing streak entering Tuesday night’s game against the Providence Friars, Boston College knew the best solution to its problem would be a quick start.   Getting just that, the Eagles dominated the Friars in the opening frame and withstood a near comeback, skating to a 4-1 victory in front of 3,162 at … Read more

It wasn’t pretty, but in the end for the Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks, Saturday’s victory over the Northeastern Huskies was simply a much-needed win.   After surrendering a three-goal lead in the final 13:10 of regulation, Lowell’s Michael Scheu scored his second goal of the game with 25.9 seconds remaining in overtime as the River Hawks … Read more

When 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

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