By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff
We’ve had a few people comment on our live blogs about how bad BU has been this season on 5-on-3’s and 5-minute power plays, and we even had someone in the athletic department say they’d love to see the numbers.
Jake took on this task last season (well, the 5-on-3’s at least), so I figured I’d do it this year. If you take away any 5-on-3’s that were less than 10 seconds, which Jake did last year and I’ve done again, this is what you get.
Last year, BU went 2-for-19 on 5-on-3’s for a 10.5-percent conversion rate. This year hasn’t been quite as atrocious, but it’s still been pretty bad, especially when you consider the Terriers haven’t scored in their last seven 5-on-3’s. It’s worth noting that most in the hockey community expect to convert on somewhere between 30 and 40 percent of 5-on-3’s.
The length of the 5-on-3 is in parentheses. For games with more than one, an asterisk denotes which one the goal was scored on.
5-on-3
10/22 vs. UMass: 0-1 (0:10)
11/6 vs. Maine: 0-1 (1:10)
11/13 @ Merrimack: 0-1 (0:16)
11/19 @ UNH: 1-1 (1:17)
11/27 vs. Brown: 1-2 (1:06, 0:39*)
12/3 vs. BC: 1-3 (0:33, 0:57, 1:44*)
12/11 @ RPI: 0-1 (0:24)
1/28 @ Maine: 0-1 (0:37)
1/29 @ Maine: 0-2 (1:58, 1:09)
2/11 @ UMass: 0-1 (0:39)
2/19 @ Providence: 0-1 (1:33)
2/25 vs. UVM: 0-1 (1:03)
Total: 3-16 (18.8%)
As for 5-minute power plays, the Terriers had been awful up until this weekend. They were 0-for-6 with one shorthanded goal against until converting twice Saturday.
5-minute power play
10/9 vs. Wisconsin: 0-1
10/10 vs. Notre Dame: 0-1
11/27 vs. Brown: 0-1
12/1 vs. Brown: 0-1
1/29 @ Maine: 0-1
2/14 vs. Harvard: 0-1 (w/ a shorty against)
2/26 vs. UVM: 2-2
Total: 2-8 (25.0%)
What this says to me is that our PP stinks and has all season long. I don’t know why the coaches have not made significant changes to the PP units. I would like to see several other guys out there on the PP up front and at the blue line. When does the light bulb in the coaches office go on and they figure this out too?
Past posters on this issue have suggested that ben rosen be used on the point which to me has merit. Also I would stop using ruikka and connelly, that is a waste. This may seem off base but I would put Courtnall in the slot and keep him there as his toughness might buy a few goals in the slot.
If these numbers and the PP doesn’t improve soon, BU is going to find themselves watching the tourney, not playing in it.