A Tale of Three (Or More) Seasons

They Can't Decide Between Pawprints and Clownshoes 


An excerpt from my "Final Countdown" series previewing the BU-NU match-up


It's been a tale of three seasons for the Terriers in 2009-10. They started out the year with expectations far too high for a team ravaged by NHL departures as the pre-season #2 seed. However, they quickly slipped out of the top five, ten and eventually off of the national radar entirely. From October to December, BU looked awful. They couldn't score, and they certainly couldn't stop anyone else from scoring.

However, the new year brought a new Terriers team to the ice, as Parker's boys showed up with a vengeance in 2010. They started the second half with a 9-3 mark, including a rousing win over Boston College at Fenway Park, another exciting win on the road over the Eagles in overtime, an excellent performance to beat Northeastern in the first round of the Beanpot, and a near miss in the final against BC. The new look team also saw often-heckled defenseman Colby Cohen come into his own as a star offensive player.

After a sweep of Maine, BU even moved all the way back up to #18 in the national polls. With a push up the PairWise rankings as well, it seemed as if BU just may make a run at an at-large bid.

However, the good quickly became bad, as a third split of this season arrived two weeks ago at Providence. The Terriers, victims to 12 penalties, were knocked off balance by awkward officiating that helped nudge them to a loss to the lowly Friars. They squeaked out a win the next night at home, but there was no denying that this was not the same team that had gone on a tear back into the top 20.

Last weekend, BU went up to Vermont for a pivotal two game series. They were thumped by the Cats 7-3 in one of their most lifeless efforts all year long before blowing a lead in the second game last sunday to fall 3-2. The chances of an at-large bid had evaporated, and the Terriers no longer controlled their own destiny to earn a home playoff series.

That being said, they can still salvage the season. Winning the weekend and getting a little bit of help from the likes of UML would allow the Terriers to sneak back into the #4 seed, setting up more hockey at Agganis next weekend. 

It's nut up or shut up time for the Terriers.