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From the FreeP: No. 9/11 BU visits UMass looking for season sweep

By Tim Healey/DFP Staff

Senior assistant captain Ryan Ruikka has acomplished a lot in his time at BU.

He was on the 2009 national championship team, and although he did not dress for any games that season, he has been named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team four times and he has even scored four goals.

But at 7 p.m. Friday, when the No. 9/11 Boston University men’s hockey team (13–9–1, 10–6–1 Hockey East) drops the puck against the University of Massachusetts at the Mullins Center, Ruikka will do something he has never done as a Terrier — dress as a forward.

BU coach Jack Parker made the decision as a way to get both the fifth-year senior and junior defenseman Patrick MacGregor, a pair of players who have been battling for the last defensive spot, into the lineup.

“Ruikka is a real good offensive guy. He can skate, he moves the puck well,” Parker said. “I was thinking of playing seven defensemen dressed and dress 11 forwards … then I realized I can do the best of both worlds. I can dress Ruikka as a right wing and play him in some spots as a right wing, but also play him on defense.”

For more, including details on Ruikka’s move to forward and BU’s lines, visit dailyfreepress.com.

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