Not The Beasts of the East

Terriers Weak in Conference Play

Last season, the Terriers were perfect outside of Hockey East.  They were 8-0 against teams outside of Hockey East, including powerhouses like Michigan, Michigan State and North Dakota.  They were also outstanding against their familiar foes of Hockey East.

This season has been a different story for last year's national champs, who have been unable to solve anybody at all in Hockey East. 

Bonino, Shatty and Gryba Can't Get Terriers Rolling

Photo From The Daily Free Press

Through 11 conference match-ups, the Terriers have met 8 of 9 possible Hockey East opponents in 2009.  They have lost a game to Boston College, Maine, Amherst, Lowell, Merrimack, New Hampshire and Northeastern.  They skated to a tie in their only game with Vermont.

Only twice have the Terriers solved an opponent, splitting their series to this point with Merrimack and Lowell.  They are perfect against nobody, with their first game against Providence scheduled for January 15.

Through these 11 games, BU has been outscored by 9 goals, surrendering 38 and scoring just 29.  This means they're averaged just 2.64 goals per game in conference play.  In conference play overall, these opponents give up an average of 2.98 goals per game.  BU scores .34 fewer goals per game against their Hockey East opponents than they normally allow. 

As a frame of reference, they averaged 3.81 goals per game in their regular season Hockey East matchups last season.  As to whether or not they have been able to bounce back from losing seven starters to graduation and the pros, the answer on offense is an unequivocal no.

The defense in conference play has been ugly as well.  They have given up a rough 3.45 goals per game in conference, making average offensive teams look like world beaters.  The teams they've played so far have scored 3.20 goals per game in Hockey East overall.  In short, BU allowed .25 goals more per game to Hockey East teams than they normally score.

Last season, the Ice Dogs gave up a measly 2.00 goals to Hockey East opponents. 

BU has been outscored by an average of .81 goals per game in conference play so far this year.  Last year, they won Hockey East contests by an average margin of 1.81 goals.

Most people expected a significant drop off from last season for the Terriers.  It only makes sense, as we have documented time and again here at TMA, that when a team loses so much talent they will not be as good as they were.  That's simple logic.  However, there are very few people who believed it would be quite this bad for the Terriers.  In fact, they were projected to win Hockey East by the confrence's coaches.

Let's go to the next level, taking at look at some situational statistics to try to understand how BU has fallen to where they are.

Because of a few furious comebacks, there is the perception of BU as a gutty, gritty team.  However, the Terriers have had a glass jaw in conference games.  When they get hit, they have trouble recovering.  In conference games when their opponent has scored first, the Terriers are winless, sitting at 0-5-2.  Similarly, when trailing at the end of the first period, BU is 0-4-1. They've also been awful in one goal games in HE, going 1-4 to this point.

BU has been outscored in every period of play by their conference opponents.  In first periods, BU has been outscored 10-8, in the second 13-11, and in the third 15-9.

Can the Terriers possibly bounce back from this atrocious start?  The Boston Globe asked Coach Parker that very question after their loss to BC.

“Can we catch B.C.? Probably not. Can we catch U.N.H.? Probably not.  In order for us to get back in this, we have to win five league games in a row to start looking like we’re a hockey team again. That can be done, maybe. But there’s no reason to think it’s going to be automatic.”

Parker said it best right there: start looking like we're a hockey team.  BU hasn't just been bad, they've looked like a D-III team against these guys at times. 

There Are Plenty Of Reasons Jack Looks So Mad

Why have they been so god awful against everyone else in Hockey East?  Youth certainly is a factor, there's no doubt about that.  BU is asking a ton out of their freshman, and even more out of their sophomores.  Including their goalies, the Terriers have dressed a total of 16 underclassmen this year, but have dressed just 9 upperclassmen.  Included in that number are Juniors Victor Saponari and Adam Krauss, who have combined to play in just 3 games.

Nonetheless, that can not be the only reason the Terriers are struggling.  Three of their top five scorers are sophomores, and five underclassmen have at least seven points this year.  Additionally, Max Nicastro has been a great addition to the defensive corps, bringing a physical force and a presence beyond his years, and Ross Gaudet has surprised everyone by knocking home four goals in 12 games.

Millan Has Fallen Off Dramatically

One certainty is that the goaltending has been surprisingly shoddy.  After earning the D-I Rookie of the Year last season, Kieran Millan has looked lazy and un-focused at times.  Coach Jack Parker benched him for three straight games, giving fellow sophomore Grant Rollheiser a shot in goal. In the early stages of the BC game, he seemed to have received the message, looking a bit more like his old self.  But that all changed with one soft goal, and it was all downhill from there.

 BU has to limp through one more home game, a non-conference match-up against RPI, before they get an extended break through the holidays.  Unless Jack can stir up some Christmas magic, it is going to be a long, cold winter for this under-achieving bunch.