Game Preview: #5 BU Terriers vs. #6 New Hampshire Wildcats

Home ice doesn’t mean a whole lot when BU and the University of New Hampshire face off.

The Terriers and Wildcats have a tendency to step up on the road. While BU has been unable to defeat UNH at Agganis Arena in six chances, they have dominated play at the Whittemore Center, posting an 8-5-5 record all time there. Further, since the 2003-2004 season, the road team is 9-1-4 in the series.

However, the Terriers failed to secure a point at The Whit last season, dropping the one contest they played there.

BU will have a chance to get back on a winning track in Durham, as they visit the sixth ranked Wildcats in a late afternoon game on Sunday.

The Terriers are off to their best start since 2001-2002, and have received offensive contribution from all of their lines. They have already defeated two ranked teams and a conference opponent on the young season, and have every reason to feel confident as a team.

However, it won’t be easy for BU in their first road game of the year, as they will have to contend with a Wildcats team that is also yet to drop a point on the season.

Despite the departure of 2007-2008 Hockey East Player of the Year Goalie Kevin Regan, UNH is off and running out of the gate. After winning 8-4 in an exhibition game against St. Francis Xavier, the Wildcats have settled in nicely, defeating the then #14 Wisconsin Badgers a week ago before beating RPI on Friday.

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise for UNH has been Regan’s replacement, Junior Goaltender Brian Foster. The Florida Panthers draft choice has been outstanding in two starts this season, allowing just one goal over two games. Foster has turned away 47 of the 48 shots he has seen this year.

Foster also has a potentially explosive offense in front of him, headlined by last year’s leading scorer James van Riemsdyk. After posting 34 points in his freshman year, van Riemsdyk has recorded three points in the Wildcats’ first two contests. Van Riemsdyk also put his mark on the Terriers’ season last year with a highlight reel goal through two defenders and a goal-keeper to help the Wildcats defeat BU.

The man attempting to stall van Riemsdyk and the rest of UNH will be Freshman Goalie Grant Rollheiser. “Rollie the Goalie” is currently splitting time with fellow freshman Kieran Millan between the pipes for the Terriers. His turn in the rotation is up, and he has a tough act to follow, as Millan made 23 saves on 25 shots in Friday night’s game.

Rollheiser allowed just one goal in his lone start of the year against Michigan State in a pressure-packed 2-1 BU victory. Every start for the young goalies could be crucial in Coach Jack Parker’s eventual decision for full-time starting goalie.

The solid goaltending has been a tremendous change for BU. To start last season, BU allowed two or more goals in 17 of 18 games, often wasting solid offensive efforts with shoddy goaltending. In their three games this year, the Terriers have been nothing short of stingy, holding their opponents to a total of just four goals.

Seniors Matt Gilroy and Chris Higgins have each recorded six points in their careers against UNH, leading current Terriers in scoring against the Wildcats. Sophomore phenom Colin Wilson also grabbed four points in just three games against UNH last year.

BU defeats Merrimack College, 5-2

For about three minutes during the second period of Friday night’s contest between Boston University and Merrimack College, the Terriers were playing on their heels.

For the other 57 minutes of play, the fifth ranked BU squad seemed to be skating downhill, dominating play in a 5-2 victory over the Warriors of Merrimack at Agganis Arena in the teams’ first game of conference play.

Senior wing Brandon Yip scored twice for BU, his first tallies of the young season, to lead the Terriers to their first 3-0 start since the 2001-2002 campaign. Coincidentally, the Terriers earned their third win of that season over Merrimack as well.

Sophomore forward Nick Bonino also continued his strong play, assisting on three of the Terriers goals.

In a game marked by physical play, the Terriers’ special teams shined. The two teams combined for 19 penalties, and the Terriers were exceptional short-handed. BU killed 9 of the 10 penalties they faced, including a lengthy 5 on 3 that delayed the Warriors’ first goal of the game.

The BU power play also showed good puck movement, controlling the flow of the game and shifting the momentum to their end during the man advantage. The Terriers scored on 2 of their 9 man advantages, and created quality scoring chances on most of their power plays.

Yip was especially effective on special teams, scoring both a power play goal and a short handed goal during the game.

Freshman goalie Kieran Millan played strong as well, earning his second collegiate victory in as many starts. Millan saved 23 of the 25 Warriors shots. Merrimack goaltender Andrew Braithwaite saved 23 of 28 BU shots in the game.

BU didn’t wait long to jump on the visiting Warriors, as Freshman Vinny Saponari pounded home a rebound for his first collegiate goal just 1:22 into the contest. Fellow first-year Terrier Corey Trivino also earned his first career point on the play, earning an assist.

The Terriers increased their lead to two when Yip scored on the power play at 7:07 of the first. Yip showed off some speed, skating from the corner to the top of the left faceoff circle and into the slot, putting him in position to flick a wrist shot over Braithwaite’s shoulder.

Yip would score the next Terriers’ goal as well. With the Terriers on the penalty kill, Nick Bonino took a pass from Colby Cohen at his own blue line, and carried it into the offensive zone on an odd-man rush. Bonino drew Braithwaite off his line and found Yip in front of a wide-open net. Yip buried a one-timer to put the Terriers up 3-0.

However, Merrimack would fight back, albeit briefly.

After BU killed off a long Merrimack two man advantage, Warriors’ Sophomore Chris Barton scored twice in a span of just over two minutes.

BU stumbled into the third period with a one-goal lead, but re-gained their footing thanks largely to the strong play of their young goalie. Millan made a habit of smothering rebounds and snagging pucks out of the air to keep the Terriers on top.

Luke Popko and Co-Captain Matt Gilroy added goals to seal the victory for BU in the third period.

Despite the short lapse during the second period, the Terriers played solid hockey from end-to-end against the Warriors on Friday night. Yip stepped up and showed that he can assume a position of leadership as an upperclassman on a young team when he’s needed to, and Nick Bonino continued to show that he is among the upper-echelon of players in all of college hockey.

Also making his presence felt was Freshman forward Chris Connolly. Connolly demonstrated an ability to apply controlled pressure on the fore check during one of BU’s many penalty kills. Showing speed and poise, Connolly earned more than a couple of “wow’s” from the packed house Friday night.

It is also starting to become evident that Jack Parker has a wonderful problem – he seems to have two young goaltenders that can stand up to the pressure of Hockey East competition and beyond.

Parker is sticking with his goalie rotation for now, as Grant Rollheiser will start between the pipes on Sunday afternoon against the sixth ranked University of New Hampshire. The game will be at 5 pm in Durham. UNH is also perfect on the young season, after they shutout RPI on Friday, 1-0.

BU will look to move to 4-0 on the year, and 2-0 in Hockey East play when they visit the Wildcats.

--Phil DiMartino

Game Preview: #5 BU Terriers (2-0-0) vs. Merrimack Warriors (1-0-0)

The Boston University Terriers are coming off of one of the most impressive opening weekends in recent memory, having defeated the #5 North Dakota Sioux 5-1 and the #11 Michigan State Spartans by a count of 2-1. They did it with strong goaltending, fundamentally sound defense, and a flashy offense.

This Friday night, at Agganis Arena, BU faces an opponent that should be a walk in the park compared to their nationally ranked foes from last weekend. However, far too often good teams make the mistake of looking past a team that they are “supposed to beat.”

Call it a trap game. Call it a hangover game. Call it a potential let down.

Just don’t call it automatic.

The Merrimack Warriors (1-0-0) visit the Terriers Friday, on the first weekend of conference play in Hockey East for the 2008 campaign. They are coming off a 3-1 win over Robert Morris in their season opener.

Conventional logic would call the Terriers the vast favorites in this game. BU went 3-0 against the Warriors last season, putting up a monstrous 15 goals and yielding just 7 over the three contests.

Further, the Terriers have dominated the Warriors for the past four seasons, winning each of their last 12 contests. To find the last time BU dropped a game to Mack, you have to look all the way back to February 12, 2004.

In addition to the past, BU has the present on their side. Right now, the Terriers are on top of the world. Their two best players, Colin Wilson and Matt Gilroy, put the NHL on hold for another year in scarlet and white, and that decision seems pretty good right now.

Add to that one of the best classes of freshmen in the nation, and the fact that the Terriers returned 5 out of 6 of last year’s starting defensemen, and there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot for Coach Jack Parker to worry about.

Might as well start worrying about the big match-up in Durham, New Hampshire on Sunday afternoon, right?

Wrong.

A loss to Merrimack in the first conference game of the year would deflate not only the team, but the cautiously optimistic fan base that is still licking their wounds from last year’s disappointing finish.

And the Warriors will certainly bring their A Game to Agganis on Friday. Despite last year’s 12-18-4 finish, Goaltender Andrew Braithwaite played well behind an offensively challenged team.
In 25 games Braithwaite posted a .922 save percentage and an above average 2.38 goals against average. However, his teammates managed just 2.1 goals per games throughout the campaign.

If the Warriors want to upset the Terriers, players like sophomore forward Francois Ouimet will have to continue to step up. Ouimet scored two goals in Merrimack’s win over Robert Morris. Braithwaite was also solid between the pipes, recording 23 saves on 24 shots.

Without a doubt, Merrimack is not North Dakota, Michigan State or New Hampshire. But by no means does that mean that the Terriers can take this team for granted. If BU wants to make it thirteen in a row over Mack, they have to maintain the focus that got them to 2-0.

Any team playing in Hockey East can steal one on any given day, especially when they catch an opponent napping.

If the Terriers look past Merrimack Friday, they could very well become the latest in a long line of good teams who play down to their opponents.

However, if they play as well as they are capable of, BU could turn this contest into the type of confidence booster they need to carry them into an even bigger game on Sunday afternoon, and beyond. It could even be the type of runaway win a team draws on all season as a positive. It could end up being a trademark of the entire Terriers season.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.


--Phil DiMartino

The Most Frustrating Story in Sports

“Throw him out of the league,” pleaded Chris “Mad Dog” Russo during one of his patented rants. “He’s got a rap sheet as long as Al Capone!”

Mad Dog was referring to NFL resident bad boy Adam “Pacman” Jones after the rising defensive star was involved in a scrap with the law in February of 2007.

At the time, Russo’s remarks seemed extreme. Kick a player out of the league for poor behavior off the field? Russo’s sentiments were easy to write off; after all, this is a man who once promised the baseball gods his first born child in exchange for a San Francisco Giants championship run.

But now, a year and a half later, it seems that Russo may have been right on target.

Jones has officially given a bad name to second, third and fourth chances, and has effectively reinforced the concept that stupid people never get smart.

On February 19, 2007 Jones was carousing at a Las Vegas strip club with an entourage. According to reports, several rappers were throwing hundreds of dollars on the stage. In order to prove his own wealth, Jones joined in the fun, helping to make it rain by dropping thousands of his own dollars as well. However, when the strippers tried to collect the money, Jones decided he wanted it back.

As usually happens when people throw tens of thousands of dollars around in public, a fight broke out. One of Jones’ friends left and came back to the club with a gun, several people were shot, and one ended up paralyzed. As a side note, Jones wasn’t too worried about an additional 15 grand he spread around Vegas as hush money to keep his name out of the fray.

Unfortunately for him, his name got out, and Jones was suspended from the league for one year.

At first glance, a full year off came across as excessive. Players are only suspended for four games when they test positive for steroids for the first time, and this took place off the field.

However, upon further review, Jones has been involved in 12 legal incidents dating back his being drafter in 2005. While his rap sheet may not quite rival legendary gangsters as Russo suggests, it is quite impressive. Jones’ indiscretions include, but are in no way limited to: Involvement in an additional nightclub shooting in Atlanta, a confiscated Cadillac involved in drug trafficking, and arrests for assault, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and felony vandalism.

However, Jones got a year off, and he pledged to do better. He routinely appealed his suspension, and even complained that he was not given a fair shake in the proceedings. He went on air with Bryant Gumbel and pleaded his innocence for all the world to see.

And low and behold, it worked. The NFL gave Pacman another chance.

And low and behold, he blew it.

Over this past weekend, Pacman got drunk and started a fight with the bodyguard assigned to him by the NFL to keep him out of trouble.

Jones has been suspended again, this time for “a minimum of four games,” according to commissioner Roger Goddell.

Perhaps it is finally time to heed Russo’s ranting. It is time to stop giving Pacman Jones chances to redeem himself.

He is a mediocre cornerback at best, and proved it in what may have been his final game with Dallas as he was routinely burned by All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

But more important than his lack of skill at his position is his incredible lack of judgment and apparent lack of intelligence.

Why should a man with such blatant disregard not only for the law, but also for human life be allowed to continue to represent the NFL? In case the world has forgotten, playing football for a living is not a god-given right, but a privilege. There is no place in such a great game for such a bad person.

Pacman has lost his right to play football for a living. He does not deserve another chance. Even if another team is inexplicably stupid enough to waste their money on another Pacman experiment, it is indeed time for Goddell to throw him out of the league.

Simply put, it should finally, and mercifully, be game over for Pacman Jones.



--Phil DiMartino

It Ain't Over Till It's Over...Or At Least Until It Starts

Baseball is a wonderful game.

With Exhibit A, I give you the 2008 ALCS. Who in their right minds would have ever predicted the series would go as it has to this point? Who could have imagined that Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield would all get tagged by a team that has never even tasted the postseason before a week ago? Who would ever think that the defending champion Red Sox could look so unbeatable against, The LA Angels of Anaheim, a team they were supposed to lose to, and so flat against the Tampa Bay Rays, a team they should beat?

No one could have predicted any of these chips could have fallen the way they have. Fans and analysts spend countless hours crunching numbers from spring training all the way through game 162, but at the end of the day, the whole house of cards can crumble for any team in a span of four short, cold October nights.

And that is why baseball is so great. The old saying reminds us that momentum is only as good as tomorrow’s starting pitcher. Each day, one man has the golden opportunity and the heart-stopping pressure of putting an entire team and organization on his back. If he does well, his team’s success should follow. Should he fail, his team will not stand a chance.

This type of responsibility cannot be matched by any other player in any other sport. The quarterback in football and the goaltender in hockey are close, but they can always be picked up by their teammates. In the great game of baseball, this isn’t always the case.

The loneliest place on earth oftentimes is a small mound of dirt in the middle of a field a mere 60 feet and 6 inches from the adversary. Ironically, this Fortress of Solitude is located in a stadium filled with 50,000 screaming fans, ready to pounce.

For Beckett, Lester and Wakefield, the game that has been so good to them in the past has suddenly turned. Instead of bringing the momentum for their own club, their play has turned the tide and given all the positive energy to their opponent.

In their three consecutive starts, the Sox pitchers have combined to give up a whopping 18 runs on 23 hits in just 12 2/3 innings pitched. For those of you scoring at home, those numbers do not exactly set the defending champions up to make another run at the World Series.

But momentum is only as good as tomorrow’s starting pitcher. The Sox next best hope is Daisuke Matsuzaka, who has been a stud for them all year long to the tune of a 2.90 regular season ERA. He also tossed a brilliant seven scoreless innings against these same, explosive Rays in Game 1.

When Matsuzaka takes the lonely walk to the mound at Fenway Park in Game 5, his job will be to fend off elimination and send the series back to Tampa Bay.

The beautiful thing about baseball is that when he takes the hill, anything can happen.

But the best part about baseball is that you just can’t predict these things.


-Phil DiMartino