By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff
Given the fact that the No. 14 Boston University men’s hockey team lost five players who saw regular time on the power play last year and had two more suspended for Friday’s season opener, there were more than enough reasons to be skeptical of the Terriers’ chances on the man advantage.
If tonight was any indication, though, those concerns might not be valid. The top power-play unit scored each of BU’s first three goals to lead the Terriers to a 4-3 win over the No. 13 University of Wisconsin. The biggest reason for the success? Simplicity.
“I think we’ve got some skill guys out there who are looking to get some movement,” BU coach Jack Parker said. “We’re trying to get the puck to the net more. I think last year we thought we were better than we were. We overhandled the puck and we wouldn’t shoot it. We hung onto it and we stared things down. This year, we’re trying to get a couple passes, then shoot the puck.”
That paid off a little more than 12 minutes into the game when senior forward Joe Pereira cut the Badgers’ lead to 2-1. A nice cycle got the puck to freshman forward Charlie Coyle in the left circle. His shot was saved, but Pereira was able to win the battle for the rebound and bang it home.
Three minutes later, the top power-play group struck again. Junior forward Chris Connolly got the puck to freshman defenseman Adam Clendening, who then slid it over to junior defenseman David Warsofsky. Warsofsky simply wristed the puck through a screen and past a helpless Scott Gudmandson.
“The goal Warsofsky got, he just walked to the middle of the ice and flipped it to the net,” Parker said. “And we had two guys screening the goalie. Joey did a fabulous job screening the goalie, and Coyle was down there, too. You can outnumber people at the crease, and that’s what we want them to do.”
That unit completed its 3-for-6 performance midway through the second. Connolly stormed into the zone and zigzagged his way to the right side of the ice before dropping a pass for Warsofsky. The assistant captain then threaded a pass to Coyle on the left doorstep and the rookie buried it into the empty net.
Whereas last year’s power play had several set plays it would run, Parker has given this year’s group more freedom.
“The scheme is real simple,” Parker said. “It’s get a certain look and then react from there and go play hockey. … We let them play based on what the two defensemen do. Everyone else reads off of them. If the two defensemen stay on their own sides, we play a certain look. If the two defensemen swap to their off sides and we get an umbrella look, they play that accordingly.”
Before anyone gets too carried away, though, it’s worth noting that the Badgers’ penalty kill was very raw — much like BU’s PK that gave up two goals on five chances.
“We have very few guys returning that have penalty killing experience,” said Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves. “So we have a bigger learning curve, a steeper learning curve in that. I think it was exposed tonight.”
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