It was a very frustrating night for BU fans who forgot what it was like to watch a team that isn't a few steps above the rest of the competition. The playing field certainly has been leveled since the end of last season, and that was very evident Tuesday at Aggannis.
First thing's first, with full game recaps from GoTerriers, USCHO, The FreeP, WTBU Sports, and Kevin Edelson over at Inside Hockey and a full box score. If you dare, watch the highlights.
Shut Down, Shutout
Remember when we were all wondering how the Terriers would replace the vast number of points they lost when the likes of Wilson, Yip, Lawrence and Higgins gone? Well we got a definitive answer Tuesday night. They simply won't. BU was held without a goal for the first time in 100 long contests. The last time they were shutout, John Curry also recorded a shutout as the Terriers skated to a 0-0 tie with Lowell all the way back in February 2007.
Offensive Offense
While the situation for BU is probably not quite as dire as it looked on Tuesday night, the fact remains that there seems to be a lack of natural goal scorers on this team. At the very least, right now, there doesn't seem to be anybody willing to crash the net and get a little bit dirty in front of the goaltender. We all know Nick Bonino is a very talented player, but Bonino isn't going to be able to do this all on his own.
Shots are not Equal to Goals
We've been talking here since exhibition game #1 about BU's high shot counts yielding little success. The trend continued on Tuesday as BU fired 34 unsuccessful shots on goal. The Terriers seem reluctant to move the puck around the offensive zone, instead opting to rush shots on net often before most of the offensive rush even gains the zone. There were plenty of shots from the blue line and the face off circle with no purpose whatsoever, and no Scarlet jersey to help deflect it home in front of the net.
Missed Chances
Despite a relatively lackluster performance, there were a laundry list of of golden opportunities that went by the wayside for BU. The best chance of the night most likely belonged to Vinny Saponari, who was on the receiving end of a pass on a 2 on 1 with Nick Bonino. Vinny hesitated for a moment, settling the puck, before firing high and wide over Brad Phillips' glove side. The two other chances of not came on botched breakaways from Corey Trivino and Chris Connolly.
Back Breaker
Connolly's mistake became Notre Dame's icing on the cake. Connolly failed to even put a shot on net on his breakaway attempt, leaving The Irish with an odd man rush the other way. Calle Ridderwall (seriously, that's his name) shot one off Millan's glove and into the net. The quick turn-around essentially ended BU's shot.
Mr. Softie
I have infinite faith in Kieran Millan, but he certainly tested that faith Tuesday night. Goal number one for the Irish was a textbook, cross-ice, one-timer opportunity that Billy Maday absolutely ripped top shelf. Millan never had a prayer at that one. However, that goal seemed to rattle Kieran and the rest of the Terriers, as they skated uphill for the next 12 seconds before allowing Ben Ryan to walk in front of Kieran. Millan still had a shot to stop the puck, but was slow getting across the crease, and Ryan pounded it past Millan's left leg. The third goal, Ridderwall's odd-man rush on the power-play, seemed destined for Millan's palm. But there would be no such luck for the sophomore goalie, as the puck bounced straight down off the glove and trickled into the net. With the way the offense is shaking up, Millan will need to do much, much better than 13 saves on 16 shots.
He's Blind, He's Deaf, He Wants to Be A Ref
To be fair, old Timmy Benedetto and Scott Hansen called an even game Tuesday night, but my god do they love the sound of a whistle. Over the last year, Hockey East officials have been calling a lot more penalties, and they certainly did not swallow their whistles in this one. They called 15 penalties in the game, including a 10-minute misconduct on David Warsofsky. Skaters beware....
You're Gonna Be a Star, Kid
If you want to be the first star of a Hockey Game, come play against BU. They are quickly getting into the habit of making every goalie they face look like Dominick Freakin' Hasek. Junior Brad Phillips is going to be a very solid goaltender for Notre Dame, and he may eventually play in the pros. But he is coming off of a devestating, season long knee injury. This was only his third game back, and his eighth game EVER in division one. In his second game back he surrendered three goals to the offensive juggernaut that is Providence College. But BU got him healthy, and got him his first victory of the season.
A Spark and A Sputter
BU showed some serious fight near the end of the game, when they went on a furious offensive push after gaining a man advantage and pulling Millan with over 3 minutes to play (sound familiar?) to get a lengthy 6 on 4. They knocked on the door, they huffed and they puffed, but they could not blow the house down.
Overrated?
BU certainly had the benefit of last year's dream season in determining their very high pre-season ranks. They will certainly drop from the number three spot after this loss. But what about Notre Dame? They came into this game ranked 9th (or 10th depending on the poll) despite having split with both Alabama-Huntsville and Providence College.
On Deck
The Wolverines are coming to town. Last team these two met in Boston....
Right. Don't expect a repeat of that.
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