By Tim Healey/DFP Staff
Three up
Boston University’s penalty kill
BU’s man-advantage went 0-for-2 — with just 51 seconds total — which technically extends its scoreless drought to 19 power-play chances. But on the other side of special teams, BU continued to excel.
The Eagles’ strong power-play, which entered the night with a 26.8 success rate, went 1-for-6, the only goal coming when BC had six skaters on the ice to BU’s three late in the third period. Sophomore Johnny Gaudreau netted his 10th goal of the year, but by that point the game was, for all intents and purposes, over.
Combine Friday night with BC’s 0-for-6 performance on Nov. 11, and the nation’s top team is a measly 1-for-12 on the power play against BU.
“It wasn’t like we dominated them on our PK,” said BU head coach Jack Parker. “But their power play wasn’t clicking as well … We played better against them tonight than we did last time. They had even better looks last time.”
The second line
The trio of junior Matt Nieto, freshman Danny O’Regan and sophomore Evan Rodrigues were responsible for both of the Terriers’ first two goals Friday night and each finished with a plus-2 rating.
Rodrigues and Nieto both assisted junior defenseman Garrett Noonan to get the scoring started for the Terriers, then O’Regan and Nieto set up Rodrigues later in the second period.
The second line, which even got the start in an effort to match the unit up with BC’s top line, drew praise from Parker after the game.
Rodrigues was also pleased with the group’s continued production.
“We clicked last weekend against St. Lawrence a lot,” Rodrigues said, “and today we just carried on and got the first two goals, got the team going. I thought things were working out.”
Keeping York away from Mason
No one will admit it, and everyone involved keeps playing it off, but I’d be willing to bet the Terriers found some pleasure in keeping this win away from BC coach Jerry York.
York has 923 wins in his career, one shy of former Bowling Green and Michigan State coach Ron Mason. York will break the record sooner rather than later — and could very well tie it Saturday against BU at Conte Forum — but for at least one night he’s still number two.
In a rivalry as heated as this one has been, particularly tonight, surely the Terriers were happy to rob York of the chance to tie the record on Jack Parker Rink and break it against his longtime friend.
Parker is third on the all-time wins list with 884.
Three Two down
MacGregor and his turnovers
Junior defenseman Patrick MacGregor got into the lineup Friday night for the sixth time in 12 games this season, and wasn’t particularly impressive.
He put a few strong hits on the Eagles, but he committed a number of turnovers, most notably in the first period when he was behind the BU net and sent the puck to BC forward Kevin Hayes in the slot.
Freshman goaltender Matt O’Connor made the save on the ensuing shot, but a BC goal there would have been a huge momentum shift and could have very well changed the outcome of the game.
MacGregor and senior assistant captain Ryan Ruikka have been battling to be the sixth and final defenseman in the lineup, and with a strong game Saturday Ruikka may just lock it up.
Ruikka was impressive against the less formidable St. Lawrence Saints last Saturday, finishing with a plus-1 rating and accruing four blocked shots.
Junior defenseman Garrett Noonan, for his part, was the politician you would expect when it came to the MacGregor-Ruikka debate.
“They’re both great to play with,” said Noonan, who is defensive partners with whichever of the two plays. “I love both of them. Whoever’s in every night it’s a pleasure playing with them.”
Parker said Friday night he’ll look at the tape and decide who will be the sixth defenseman for Saturday night’s game. Ruikka said Thursday he will play Saturday.
Rodrigues’ embellishment
The sophomore second-line right wing got called for embellishment to match BC defenseman Patrick Wey’s interference call late in the first, and Rodrigues’ body language at the time indicated frustration.
After the game, though, he was a bit calmer.
“The ref calls what he calls,” Rodrigues said. “I’m not going to complain. There’s nothing I can do about it. You just have to get up and keep going.”
It’s the third such penalty BU has suffered this month.
On Nov. 3 against the University of North Dakota, Noonan was called for unsportsmanlike diving, and on Nov. 11 against BC officials penalized senior defenseman Sean Escobedo embellishment.
The penalties come in the same month Parker had some strong words on officials’ willingness — or lack thereof — to make those calls.
2 embellishment penalties on Boston in games against B.C. is clearly referee retribution. Hell, B.C. invented diving! Benedetto was suckered so many times by Gionta and Gerbe, he looks like a lollypop.
Can I get an AMEN from the congregation
And you are leaving out some other first class divers at BC but the list would be too long … Suffice it to say every smurf forward that they have ever put on a top or 2nd line