First Period Reactions -- BU 1 -- ME 0

I'm home watching the game on NESN, so this is a great opportunity for a rare mid-game post.  Here are some quick reactions to the first period of play at Agganis, where the Terriers lead over the Maine Black Bears 1-0 after one period of play.

-- Millan is getting down to the ice to save low shots infinitely better than he was earlier this season.  He seems to be reading the opposing offenses much better, and he seems to have re-gained the comfort and cool confidence that helped make him such a successful goaltender for the Terriers last season.  He is making some incredibly quick kick saves and he is closing up the 5 hole very nicely on wristers.

--Colby Cohen doesn't seem to be himself.  The injury seems to be hampering his ability to skate effectively, and his passes look like they're crawling through mud to get to their destinations.

--On the flip side, Joe Pereira is flying all over the ice like a man possessed.  Besides being in the middle of the first goal of the night by setting up Gaudet, he is involved in every single play when he is on the ice.  Joey P is making his presence felt big time on the forecheck, and he is showing more speed than I knew he had.  He was probably the best penalty killer on the ice during the lone Maine power play.

--On the BU goal, Ross Gaudet was the beneficiary of some extremely good work by his teammates.  Sean Escobedo telegraphed a pass from his own zone that found its way through three different Maine skaters directly to the blade of Pereira's stick.  Joey P didn't hesitate, setting up Gaudet perfectly.  All the work was done for Ross, who buried an easy one-timer.

--BU is not intimated by the Maine power play.  In fact, when they were on their only penalty kill of this first period they were even more aggressive than they have been in 5 on 5 play.  They really pushed the puck up ice and put pressure on Maine skaters in the neutral zone and right at the moment Black Bear skaters received the puck.  They didn't allow Maine to get into any sort of rhythm whatsoever on the man advantage.

--Gustav Nyquist is as good as advertised.  The few shots he has had have simply exploded off of his stick.  He will make his presence felt before the night is through.

--The Terriers are showing good discipline to stay out of the box.  The one penalty on Eric Gryba was purely a reputation call, and it was a hook plenty of players would have gotten away with.  Nonetheless, Parker should be excited aout his team's understanding that penalties = Maine goals tonight.

--Nick Bonino did an excellent job getting to the net late in the period to draw a penalty on a semi-breakway.  He showed strong legs and tough skating to shield the puck and force the Maine skater to take a penalty.

--Not a ton of physical play early on in the first game of the two game set.  Zach Cohen has thrown his weight around a bit, as is to be expected, but other than that it has been a relatively calm, back and forth game.  We'll see if the tension picks up a notch, as there are 5 periods of hockey left to play for these two teams over the next 24 hours.

Second Period to come!