The star-studded prospects just keep on coming for BU head coach David Quinn and the Boston University men’s hockey team.
After receiving a commitment from Dylan Peterson yesterday, USHL center and top 2017 NHL draft prospect Shane Bowers tweeted out his commitment to BU today. Bowers, 17, is one of seven Terrier commits eligible to play next season.
Excited to play college hockey at Boston University. Looking forward to being a part of the BU tradition! Can't wait to be a Terrier! 🐾
The Canadian-born Bowers is currently in the midst of his second year with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL. He has five goals and four assists through nine games played. The 6-foot, 170 pound center also played for the Canada Under-18 squad in the Hlinka Memorial Cup this year, scoring once in four games.
Bowers is known for his limitless potential and playmaking on the offensive end. With the current Terriers’ squad stacked on offense, it looks like Bowers should have no problem fitting right in on Commonwealth Avenue next season. Here are some more reactions on Bowers’ decision.
The 2016-17 Boston University men’s hockey season is in full swing, but that doesn’t mean head coach David Quinn has dialed back his recruiting efforts.
As announced via Twitter on Wednesday morning, Dylan Peterson, a forward projected for the Class of 2020, has committed to the Terriers. The 14-year-old hails from Russell, Ontario, and currently skates for the Canadian International Hockey Academy. An assistant captain for their Bantam AAA team, Peterson has 15 points in nine games.
Prior to playing for the Ontario-based school, Peterson put up 53 points in 33 games for two different OEMBHL teams – the Ottawa Jr. 67s and the Eastern Ontario Wild. A scouting reports also suggests that Peterson will high-end skill to Agganis Arena.
Dylan Peterson (02) commits to Boston University. CIH Academy in Ontario, CAN. Reports: Dynamic, speedy forward w/ high-end tools. #WhosNext
When Peterson arrives on campus, he’ll join a trend of Quinn recruiting Canadian-based forwards. The 2014-15 class featured A.J. Greer, then the youngest player in the NCAA. This year’s Terriers also features Gabriel Chabot, a 20-year-old winger from Quebec City.
Freshman goaltender Jake Oettinger. PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAWK/DAILY FREE PRESS
Slated against two schools from The Constitution State, the BU men’s hockey team drew plaudits aplenty this past weekend.
It down Sacred Heart, 7-0, on Friday night, only to then blank Quinnipiac, a top-5 team, 3-0, on Saturday night. This two-game stretch marked the first time since the 2012-13 season that BU shutout back-to-back teams, while sophomore forward Jordan Greenway enjoyed a coming out party of sorts.
With all that established, let’s break down some greater nuances from this past weekend’s tilts:
1.) Top D Pairing Shines: I’ve written about it plenty before, but I’ll say it again: BU can dress six NHL draft picks along the blueline on any given night. That’s a mind-boggling amount of talent.
From that group, junior Brandon Hickey and freshman Dante Fabbro have emerged as head coach Quinn’s starting duo. Their showings against Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac make it easy to see why.
Hickey and Fabbro – a Calgary Flames and a Nashville Predators prospect, respectively – shut down each opponent’s top forwards. On Friday, it was Justin Danforth (96 career points) and Evan Jasper (68 career points) of the Pioneers kept under wraps, while on Saturday it was Tim Clifton (75 career points) and Landon Smith (72 career points) silenced.
Sure, the duo only earned a combined +1 rating across the two games, but they were remarkably efficient.
“They played really well. I thought McAvoy, Somerby, Krys, MacLeod, I thought they all did a great job.” – Quinn
2.) JFK does the little things: It’s not too often in collegiate athletics that a sophomore gets named a captain, even if it’s as an assistant. From the first five games of 2016-17, it’s easy to see why Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson earned that honor for the Terriers.
His seven points (two goals, five assists) is second best on the team, but his true importance lies beyond the numbers. It was a common sight against Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac to see Forsbacka Karlsson killing penalties, quarterbacking the power play and making a high hockey-IQ play.
Those elements explain why the Boston Bruins drafted the center in the 2015 NHL Draft’s second round – it’s as simple as that.
“He’s great. He does really well starting in the defensive zone, you can always rely on him to be in the middle of the ice for support. Even going into the offensive zone, he gave me a great pass tonight. All I had to do really was put it on net, so he’s made me look good. I definitely like playing with him.” – Greenway
3.) Keller proves he’s no one-trick pony: Clayton Keller is an offensive powerhouse who set a U.S. NTDP scoring record with 189 points (71 goals and 118 assists). That figuring is startling, and the Terriers will need the 18-year-old center to contribute offensively to achieve the success they dream of in 2016-17.
But Keller illustrated against Quinnipiac that he doesn’t need to score to make a tangible impact, and Quinn noticed this in his post-game remarks. The Arizona Coyotes draft pick was immense in killing some of the Bobcats’ 12 power plays. He also won 15 of his 26 draws.
“I know he didn’t get a point [against Quinnipiac], but I thought Keller was outstanding. He was all over the place. He’s such a gritty player for a kid with that type of vision and skill. Those guys don’t fall out of trees, and he’s a heck of a player. He’s a dominant player even when he doesn’t score. I know he wants to score and we want to him to score, too, and that will take care of itself.” – Quinn
Highlights
BU vs. Sacred Heart:
BU vs. Quinnipiac:
Tweets of the weekend
Everyone actually bought tickets to see first round ref draft pick Kevin Shea. Silly me for wanting to see 5 on 5 hockey
The Terriers secured a statement win over Quinnipiac on Saturday night. The final score was 3-0, with Jordan Greenway, Bobo Carpenter and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson all scoring. Freshman goalie Jake Oettinger also posted his second straight shutout.
Without further ado, here’s what coaches and players had to say in the game’s aftermath.
The Terriers managed a complete turnaround after dropping a pair of games to No. 6 Denver University last weekend. They topped No. 4 Quinnipiac 3-0 on Saturday, thanks to goals from Jordan Greenway, Bobo Carpenter and Jakob Forsbacka – Karlsson.
Check out our articles on the game below:
Jon’s recap, focusing on the sophomore forwards and the penalty kill
Nick’s sider on Jordan Greenway’s impressive weekend.
It’s gonna be a good one, folks. The Terriers will look to get their first win against a ranked opponent when they take on No. 4 Quinnipiac University. Be sure to keep up with our live blog:
BU didn’t kick into final gear until the third period against Sacred Heart, but the final scoreline was decisive nonetheless.
On Friday night, the Terriers knocked off the Pioneers, 7-0, at Agganis Arena. Jake Oettinger posted his first collegiate shutout and seven different BU skaters lit the lamp.
We have full coverage on The Daily Free Press, so check out our articles below.
The Terriers dropped their second game against Denver, 3-1, this past weekend. Jonathan wrote up a quick recap of the game over on The Daily Free Press, so check it out when you get a chance.
BU now returns home with a 1-2 record, and Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac come to Agganis Arena on Friday and Saturday night, respectively.
This early-season stretch could be a big swing for coach Quinn’s team, as they’ll look to shake off a disappointing time in Colorado. ICYMI, here’s Nick’s recap of the Friday night loss, in which BU lost 4-3.
