As in, that was just. Small pet peeve is when the officials are late on the blow; that’s how players get unnecessarily injured. Saw it last week, saw it again tonight. It’s a needlessly risky act. I Will Survive from the Harvard musicians again … this band director must’ve really liked “The Birdcage” or something … Read more
The last time BC had a power play, Steve Rolecek and Jimmy Fraser forechecked the heck out of them. Time to see if it’s a repeatable skill. Eagles on the advantage, Chad Morin to the box.
13-10 BC in shots, each team’s converted a 5×3, and the loudest thing in the arena right now is the Zamboni. Some observational notes: I’m noticing an NU kid holding a “B.U. <3 A-Rod” sign … the Eagles’ band loves Coldplay (see my previous note) … and I’m betting top dollar that there will be … Read more
Two songs the Harvard band has played tonight: Larger than Life (Backstreet Boys) and the theme from Brokeback Mountain. That’s all I’m gonna say.
With four minutes to go in the first, we’ve got a live one. Sure, the score is still 1-1, but it’s becoming clear that these teams are feeding off something other than the swirling void encircling the ice. BC frosh Paul Carey somehow found a way to pick up the puck behind Carroll’s net, drop … Read more
At least the stripes aren’t too proud to occupy themselves. Another 5×3, this one swinging BC’s way as Rence Coassin is sent off. The Eagles potted the game-tying goal right away, with Joe Whitney blasting one by Carroll from the point. The literally 14 Superfans I can count in the BC section rejoice.
Now the Eagles get a chance, and boy, must they like their chances: the Crimson are a woeful 77.6 percent on the kill this year. As one of the WHRB (Harvard radio) staffers pointed out, Harvard’s opponents collectively have a top-three power play nationally. The BC power play, by the way, is also around 16 … Read more
BC’s penalty kill this year: just shy of 16 percent. Harvard’s power play: just above 16 percent. That’s convenient. Time running out on the Crimson; 20 seconds left on the Petrecki minor and only a post to show for it. … I stand corrected! A mighty roar erupts from the three dozen currently composing the … Read more
The most populated section appears to be 307. About 26 people, give or take … all wearing Scarlet & White. Appears the BU fans came out early to compensate for leaving early last week. Harvard embarking on a 1:13 5×3 … Petrecki to the box for BC, no surprise there.
Harvard head coach Ted Donato is playing sophomore Ryan Carroll between the pipes — his first start of the year, and his third appearance. Jerry York made no such moves, giving John Muse a chance to finish what he started, literally: Muse was replaced for the first time in his two-year career last week, giving … Read more
Welcome to the ever-popular consolation game. The Harvard Crimson face off against the Boston College Eagles in front of a friends, family & ushers crowd, with a few dozen Boston University and Northeastern fans thrown in just for fun. The anthem receives an A- … Harvard’s a capella quintet, The Callbacks, were appropriately attired for … Read more
That’s that. The final siren served as the formal ending to a bloodbath that had long ago been decided: final score, 6-1 Northeastern. On to the Beanpot finals, where they’ll tangle with an undoubtedly fortunate-feeling Boston University, which escaped Harvard by the skin of its teeth. See you all next Monday!
BC has been credited with 45 shots tonight. Even if NU had 80 under their logo (and they don’t, it’s 26), I’d still be sitting here, railing against shots as the be-all, end-all statistical indicator of game flow. Shots mean squat if you can’t develop screens, can’t create cross-ice opportunities, can’t crash the net and … Read more
I don’t think the Eagles have held the puck in the offensive zone for as many as ten seconds in about four hours. Or so it feels. Northeastern is not only stymying the Maroon & Gold in the neutral zone, but they continue to come hard after the puck in the offensive end as well. … Read more
As the “nine minutes” chant rims around the arena the way the puck rides the dasher, it suddenly dawned upon me that should Notre Dame (currently No. 2 in the polls) lose a game against Ohio State — and they have two “opportunities” to do so — next week’s Beanpot finale could very well pit … Read more
Maybe I have it all wrong. They’re not bored; they’re just enthusiastically counting down the time separating NU from the Beanpot Championship game! 13 minutes … (clap, clap, clap clap clap) The Husky band just played “Hey Baby (Won’t you Be My Girl)”, which is Boston University’s traditional postgame victory tune. Coincidental or deliberate, I … Read more
Northeastern fans are clearly bored with their team’s sheer dominance. They just broke out a “17 minutes” chant as the clock hit, well, 17:00 to play. Looks like the BU fans, and many of the BC fans, have been inadvertantly hospitable to NU by leaving early: the quarter-full arena doesn’t look much different than it … Read more
Already down a four-spot with 20 minutes to play, Bradford ran goalie Brad Thiessen while he was covering a puck amidst a scrum. The intent was clear as day, and it sparked a vicious tangle in the Northeastern net with black and white sweaters swinging and grappling for all they were worth. In the end, … Read more
For the second time tonight, the typically unshakable Muse botched a play behind his own goal line, and it ended up in his net. This time, he strolled out to the right side of his cage to field the rubber at the bottom of the NHL trapezoid. Donovan applied pressure this time, forcing the puck … Read more
First the verbal garbage, now what do we hear out of the Terrier faithful? Nothing. A scant fifth of the BU fans once filling their corner of the Garden remain. That depresses me. You paid for both games; is it really that hard to stomach a No. 3-No. 12 matchup? As I ponder, BC rings … Read more