It all started last Friday night and it may not yet be over. It began with a disallowed goal in the Boston University – Providence game that escalated into a major controversy when BU coach Jack Parker sent his team to the dressing room in protest. As a result, Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna issued … Read more
Parker, The Player As a kid growing up on the outskirts of Boston, Jack Parker felt no particular attraction to coaching. In fact, he felt no particular attraction to hockey. “I always played basketball,” he says. “That was the sport I played the most and still play to this day. I grew up in Somerville, … Read more
Two years ago, it was unprecedented. Boston University’s Class of 1998 became the first seniors in history to graduate with four Beanpot titles when the Terriers defeated Harvard in overtime, 2-1. Last year, it was unexpected. BU would eventually record its first losing record in the ’90s, but completed the Battle of Boston sweep for … Read more
If you heard that a Boston College Eagle netted a hat trick in the Beanpot, there’d be a few likely possibilities. Brian Gionta, Jeff Farkas or Blake Bellefeuille would be the obvious candidates. Or perhaps Mike Lephart, defenseman-turned-forward Marty Hughes or Jeff Giuliano. Maybe even a member of the highly-skilled BC defensive corps. But rather … Read more
On Nov. 27, 1999, he became only the fourth coach in college hockey history to record 600 wins. In 27 years at Boston University, he’s had only five losing seasons while posting 17 (soon to be 18) 20-win campaigns, 16 NCAA appearances, 10 Hockey East and ECAC titles, and two national championships. He’s a two-time … Read more
Years ago, when someone said the word “rivalry” in Boston, you might immediately have thought of the Bruins and the Canadiens, the Celtics and the Lakers, and most definitely the Red Sox and the Yankees. But as the days of the great sports rivalries in Boston begin to slowly fade thanks to pro sports expansion, … Read more
In an ideal world, the ceremony would have been to commemorate Travis Roy’s All-America plaque joining the pantheon of BU greats at the entrance to Walter Brown Arena. In an ideal world, the extended ovation and chants of “Travis! Travis! Travis!” would have brought only smiles and not a pungent mixture of smiles and salty … Read more
With just under nine minutes left in Boston University’s spirited 4-2 victory over hated arch-rival Boston College, the superfan known as Sasquatch is getting restless. The whistle blows, and he jumps up, gesturing to the BU band across Walter Brown Arena. They miss the cue and break into “Louie, Louie”; Sasquatch whips off his hat … Read more
Boston University defenseman Tom Poti, a first-team All-America pick last season as a sophomore, renounced his final two years of collegiate eligibility Friday to sign with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. An Oiler press release touted Poti as the top defenseman currently outside of the NHL; the 6-foot-3, 205-pound native of Worcester, … Read more
In downtown Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall, in front of an adoring home crowd, Boston University senior center Chris Drury was named the 1998 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner. With 28 goals and 27 assists in his final collegiate year, the native of Trumbull, Conn., is the 18th recipient of the award given annually to college … Read more
Travis Roy, the Boston University player paralyzed on the first shift of his first collegiate game, has officially released his autobiography, Eleven Seconds. “The book is finally my chance to tell my story,” said Roy prior to a reading before a packed house of several hundred students at Boston University’s George Sherman Union. The book … Read more
The following is an excerpt of “A Few Good Men: The Inside Story of a College Hockey Season,” a book by Dave Hendrickson currently under consideration for publication. December, 1996 Final exams were over. Like any other student, Travis Roy felt relief and satisfaction. He’d done well in both of his courses, one in English … Read more
This weekend sees the debut of college hockey’s new season-opening tourney, the Ice Breaker Invitational, at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison, Wis. The tourney, originally announced at the NCAA championships last March, brings together one team each from the CCHA, WCHA, ECAC and Hockey East for a two-day event. This year, the invitees are … Read more
Boston University forward Dan LaCouture has signed a multiyear contract with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. LaCouture would have been a sophomore this fall. The signing came soon after the Oilers acquired LaCouture, 20, in a trade with the New York Islanders, who drafted him 29th overall in 1996. The 6-foot-3-inch, 210-pound LaCouture played in 31 … Read more
The new season-opening Ice Breaker Cup tournament has undergone a change of venue and taken on a new name and corporate sponsor. The tournament is now the Team Cheerios Ice Breaker Invitational, and will be played at Dane County Coliseum in Madison, Wis., home of the host Wisconsin Badgers. Originally, the tournament was to be … Read more
Boston University head coach Jack Parker has turned down the offer from the Boston Bruins to be their next coach according to reports out of Boston. Parker was offered the job Wednesday by Bruins general manager Harry Sinden after meeting with team officials for an hour, and had until Monday to decide. Parker has compiled … Read more
The Ice Breaker Cup, a new season-opening college hockey tournament, debuts at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago next October. The tournament will feature four Division I teams, one from each of the four major conferences,in a single-elimination competition on Oct. 11-12, the first weekend of the NCAA college hockey season. “The Ice Breaker Cup is … Read more
“It’s just too much fun to play hockey.” Christmas trees had just been dragged out to the corner for trash pickup; credit card statements had yet to show the fallout of holiday excess; New Year’s Eve memories were still fresh. Tommi Degerman was having fun. The Boston University Terriers had entered January with little to … Read more
He broke in on the goaltender. Mano a mano. He dipped one shoulder. The goalie reacted in kind. His head and shoulders moved the other way. The goalie fought to recover. The dekes came in layers. The puck danced. The hands moved like a pickpocket’s. Head and shoulders dipped first one way and then the … Read more
WABU-TV68 reported during its broadcast of Tuesday’s Harvard at Boston University game that Terrier rookie forward Dan LaCouture has left school due to “personal and family reasons.” Nothing additional is known at this time. The BU Daily Free Press reported earlier Tuesday that LaCouture suffered an elbow injury in the Merrimack series and was “doubtful” … Read more