Vital Rubber Match On Tap in Lowell
Well folks, if you can't get to Lowell to see the game in person, you can't see it because BC-UMass gets the NESN game this week. And this sucks, because not only should this be an excellent match-up, but it is an incredibly important game for the Terriers.
The Beanpot sandwich game is infinitely more important than the game for the trophy on Monday night. Yes, it's great to be the champions of February. But it's much better to be the champions of April. And last time I checked, it's possible to get both.
So tonight the Terriers will be contending not only with a very good, very talented, very well coached hockey team, they will be dealing with an issue that has plagued them all season long: focus.
If there is a Hockey East team that is comprable to the Terriers offensively, it's the Riverhawks. Both teams have struggled to find an explosive offensive identity, and neither has one guy who is going to go out there and score a goal every night.
Let's look at a few key stats.
Goals Per Game -- UML: 3.15 BU: 3.12
Power Play -- UML: 26/124 (21.0 %) BU: 31/147 (21.1%)
Goals By Period --UML: 1st: 22 2nd: 33 3rd: 26 BU: 1st: 20 2nd: 27 3rd: 25
The Riverhawks' leading goal scorer is senior forward Kory Falite, who has 14 scores on the season. Falite also leads the team in points with 25. UML has just one other double digit goal scorer, fellow senior forward Paul Worthington, who has 11 goals.
Compare this to the equally inept Terriers, who are led in goal scoring by none other than Colby Cohen with 10, and have exactly zero other double digit goal scorers through 24 games.
Long story short, the Lowell offense doesn't exactly knock your socks off. It could be a good opportunity for Kieran Millan to put together a tidy little three game streak of nice games.
Where Lowell separates itself from BU, as well as from the rest of Hockey East, is on the defensive end of the ice. The Riverhawks are best in Hockey East in scoring defense, allowing a measly 2.38 goals per game. Nobody else in the conference is even close, as BC comes in second with 2.62 goals allowed.
And it's sad to say this, but a big reason why is The King of the Clowns Carter Hutton.
And it's sad to say this, but a big reason why is The King of the Clowns Carter Hutton.
I don't like Carter Hutton. In fact, I hate him just about as much as it is possible to hate somebody you have never met. He is up there with Nathan Gerbe and Corey Schneider. I think the main reason for all the venom is his pompous sounding name. Or his pompous looking face. Whatever the reason why, I despise him.
But my hatred for him has not prevented him from keeping opponents off the board this year. Hutton has played in 15 of UML's 26 games, splitting time with fellow senior Nevin Hamilton. In those games, Hutton is a hard luck 8-7-0 despite surrendering just 2.07 goals per game and turning away 93% of opponent's shots.
His counterpart has played his way into consideration, going 6-3-2 in 11 games with a 2.70 GAA and .911 save percentage.
Despite Hutton's superior numbers, the Terriers were able to solve Carter back in October scoring 5 goals on just 28 shots en route to a Colby Cohen OT win. The next night however, Nevin Hamilton got the best of the Terriers, earning the #2 star of the game in a 3-2 victory at Agganis.
When the team's met for a home and home back in October, the Riverhawks spread out their goal scoring across their entire lineup. Six different Riverhawks scored the seven UML goals over the two night span, with the only repeat offender being winger Michael Scheu. Ironically, Scheu has just 5 goals on the season.
UML has been about as average as a team can possibily be since the new decade has begun, going 4-4-1 in the new year. They've had some excellent efforts (a 2-2 tie with conference leading UNH and a 3-1 victory over second place BC) and some stinkers (a 2-1 loss to Northeastern, another 2-1 loss to Northeastern, and two straight losses to Amherst).
But as inconsistent as the Riverhawks have been over the years against anybody else, they have been able to play the Terriers close, hard and fast. That could be because Head Coach Blaise MacDonald fell of the Jack Parker coaching tree.
Get Out of My Head, You Gypsy!
Blaise was the recruiting coordinator and associate head coach for Jackie from 1990-1996. He always seems to have the right match-up to play Jack's teams tough. Always.
One more thing to watch out for.
In all seriousness, does this big-toothed mother fucker only take pictures with small children?
WHY ARE YOU SO CREEPY RIVERHAWK????
WHY?????
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