Game Day: #6 Terriers vs. #8/9 Friars

Terriers return to conference play with a home-and-home series against Providence with the first game at the Friars’ Schneider Arena. Puck drop tonight is at 7 p.m.

The Friars, who were the top in the preseason coaches’ poll, will be playing their first regular-season home game. They have a 1-2-1 record, with three of the four games being decided in overtime. Junior Nick Saracino is the top scorer with a 3-1-4 line for the Friars with senior Ross Mauermann and junior Mark Jankowski providing offense. It will be a battle of the tall goalies with PC veteran 6’5” goalie Jon Gillies opposing BU’s 6’6” Matt O’Connor. 

For BU, the OREO line of Jack Eichel (3-3-6), Danny O’Regan (2-3-5, photo) and Ahti Oksanen (2-2-4) has led the offense and scored three of the four goals scored last weekend. BU's line-up for tonight:

Oksanen-Eichel-O'Regan
Rodrigues-Baillargeon-Hohmann 
Olsson-Lane-Roberto
Phelps-Moran-Piccinich

Grzelcyk-MacLeod

Fortunato-Hickey

Somerby-Diffley

O'Connor

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Gametracker, Terrier TV Webcast, Terrier Sports Radio Network Webcast 

● Daily Free Press preview

● Boston Hockey Blog live in-game blog

● Hockey East Online weekend preview

● Cox Sports preview of Providence-BU with link to free live stream video

● USCHO predictions and picks

● College Hockey News’ Tale of the Tape
● Providence Journal feature on Eichel and Coach David Quinn

►Agganis Arena’s Facebook page offers an interview with senior forward Evan Rodrigues about the series with Providence.

Episode 4 of Inside BU Hockey features Bernie Corbett’s interviews with Head Coach David Quinn, junior goalie and Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week Matt O’Connor and former Terrier All-American, U.S. Olympian and current coach of the ECHL Wheeling Nailers Clark Donatelli (photo). A Rhode Island native, Donatelli was the top goal-scorer on BU's 1985-86 Hockey East Championship squad that also featured Quinn, BU Director of Hockey Operations Scott Young, Terrier Sports Radio analyst Tom Ryan, BU's all-time points leader John Cullen and current Providence women's head coach Bob Deraney.

Handful of people asked how many scouts were at Michigan game on Saturday. Just found out that there were over 60. Most we've ever had.
— Brian Kelley (@BKelleyBU) October 30, 2014

Looking ahead

OverTheBoards examines Bob Thornton’s New Jersey Rockets, a growing force in player development in the mid-Atlantic area that has bred such talents as Washington Cap’s d-man John Carlson and future Terriers Charlie McAvoy (2015) and Patrick Harper (2016).  McAvoy joined the Rockets organization in 2012-13 and, according to Thornton:

“Eighty-four games (in one season) between the Met League and Rockets U18 Midget team later, McAvoy went from off the radar to missing the Met League playoffs for NTDP [evaluation] camp, eventually cracking the final U17 squad.” [He also was named MJHL Offensive Defenseman of the Year with 15-39-54].

“Once that second half of the year came, he just took off,” explains Thornton, “[McAvoy] had twenty-plus scholarship offers by the end of the year.”  [McAvoy committed to BU in August 2013]

Looking back

The Vancouver Sun looks at Nick Bonino’s strong start with the Canucks, who acquired him in the off-season for fan favorite Ryan Kesler. The former BU sniper has settled in at center on Vancouver’s second line. Last night, he scored Vancouver's first goal in its 3-2 OT win against Montreal on a slick give-and-go. (Recap and video highlights)

Former Terrier David Van der Gulik (photo) was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings from AHL Manchester and played in LA’s 3-0 loss to  Pittsburgh. A member of BU’s 2006 Hockey East Champions, he has played in 42 NHL games with Calgary and Colorado.

Another recent call-up, David Warsofsky played in the Bruins game against Buffalo. He was one of four defensemen from the 2008-09 national championship team who skated in an NHL game last night, along with Eric Gryba (Ottawa), Kevin Shattenkirk (St. Louis) and Brian Strait (NY Islanders).  Shattenkirk assisted on the game-winner last night as the Blues blanked the Ducks, 2-0.

Alex Chiasson picked up his third assist of the season in Ottawa's 5-4 shootout loss to Chicago.

Last night, Donatelli's Nailers dropped a 3-1 decision to Reading. Wheeling's only goal was the second of the season for former Terrier Sahir Gill. Reading's defense has been bolstered by former BU All-American Colby Cohen, attempting a comeback after two surgeries last season.