From slow starts to a volatile young defensive core to a lack of sustained on-ice chemistry, there are plenty of questions left to be answered regarding the Boston University men’s hockey team.
In this edition of a Boston Hockey Blog mailbag, I do my best to answer your burning questions.
Is there any sustained on-ice chemistry that Pandolfo has found in juggling the lines this season? If so, which pairings or combinations have caught your eye? – @612Finn
Only one forward group has sustained on-ice chemistry over stretches this season. That’s Ryan Greene centering Shane Lachance and Quinn Hutson. I went back and looked at all 15 line charts, excluding the Harvard exhibition, and counted that the trio has been posted on the line chart together on eight different occasions — no other group comes close to that number. Their head coach has also gone to them when in need of a goal. Down 3-1 to Notre Dame in the Friendship Four final on Nov. 30, Pandolfo returned to Greene, Lachance and Quinn late in the third period, winning BU the game. Besides that, no line has been able to stick together over a few games. Something to note: Matt Copponi has centered Cole Eiserman on six occasions thus far this season, but not since Nov. 15 against Maine. So it seems Pandolfo has gone away from the idea. Copponi appears to be an easy player to play alongside. He hasn’t moved from second-line center all season, and his wingers have played well around him in individual games but haven’t been able to sustain success.
Everyone looks forward to the BC series and the Beanpot. What key areas does BU have to improve upon moving forward? – @dancekatrina13
BU has to string together longer stretches of good performances. It starts at puck drop. Slow starts have been an issue thus far. In both games of the Friendship Four, the Terriers played strong in the opening sequences, but against UMass on Dec. 7, BU went down, 1-0, in the first period. Discipline remains a problem, too. At 17.8 minutes per game, no team in the country spends more time in the penalty box than BU. That’s 30 percent of the game. Penalties have been untimely — the series against Michigan in the first weekend of November comes to mind, when the Terriers surrendered costly power-play goals in the third period of both games. And in last Saturday’s game against the Minutemen, Cole Hutson and Brandon Svoboda were both ejected for five-minute majors. While BU killed off Hutson’s, UMass scored twice on Svoboda’s, putting the game out of reach. It’s simple: BU needs to do a better job staying out of the box. Also, the Terriers tend to be too cute, leading to bad turnovers. The younger players are the main culprits, so the hope is that as they get more comfortable, they cut down on the turnovers.
Which player would have a greater impact on this year’s team: Lane Hutson or Macklin Celebrini? – @brian_foisy
Macklin Celebrini. That’s not to say this version of BU wouldn’t benefit greatly from Lane Hutson. But the Terriers don’t have a player that resembles Celebrini, while there are glimpses of Lane in his younger brother, Cole (more on this later). BU lacks players who can create offense for themselves. On several occasions last season, Celebrini created a goal out of thin air. His first tally against Notre Dame on Oct. 21 last season is a perfect example. On many nights this season, BU has needed a goal and hasn’t gotten one. It lacks a player who can play some hero ball effectively, but that’s not to say the Terriers wouldn’t benefit from an experienced defenseman in Lane.
Cole Eiserman seems to be a completely different player at home versus on the road, and it doesn’t seem like he’s found real chemistry with his linemates. How does this get fixed? Who should he be playing with? – @2468jms
I had to look at the numbers after reading this one because frankly, I didn’t believe it at first. Of Cole Eiserman’s 13 points (nine goals, four assists), 10 of them (eight goals, two assists) have come at Agganis Arena. When it comes to why, I have no idea, and Eiserman himself probably doesn’t know either. My take on the matter: It’s a non-issue. It’s not uncommon for players to produce more on home ice. However, I do agree that he hasn’t found consistent chemistry with linemates — but not many forwards on this team have. I’ve liked Eiserman with Matt Copponi, but Pandolfo has moved away from the two playing together, as I mentioned above. The easy answer, at least you’d assume, would be Kamil Bednarik. He and Eiserman are very familiar with each other’s game having played with each other at the National Team Development Program. With Bednarik playing well of late, I’d like to see more of them on the same line. Lastly, Eiserman’s gone three straight games without a point. I’ve noticed that he can sometimes seem disengaged from the play, specifically defensively, when he’s not heavily involved in the offense. So the biggest thing for him is finding that balance and intensity when the puck isn’t bouncing in his favor. I’m confident that as he grows and plays more collegiate games he’ll be a main reason for BU’s success for as long as he’s here.
Ty Gallagher leads Colorado College in points with 11 (three goals, eight assists). What happened? He’s exactly what this defense is missing. Why did the coaches give up on him? He was solid in his first season at BU and was great in his second. He struggled last year, but the talent was there. – @TurnpikeVillan
I get it — a four-year defenseman would be a luxury for the current core of young blueliners. But hindsight is 20/20. Gallagher’s departure is similar to that of Jeremy Wilmer. A fresh start was needed. Wilmer was great in his time at BU, but he was scratched in last year’s Frozen Four. Gallagher had a promising first two seasons on Comm. Ave but struggled last season. It’s fair to assume they both wanted a clean slate, and they both got one. Both are playing well in their new homes: Colorado College for Gallagher and Quinnipiac for Wilmer. Back to Gallagher, I’d hope the coaching staff wanted him to stay but was also aware of the freshman talent they were getting. After seeing 15 games, a player like Gallagher would be a valuable one, but again, hindsight is 20/20.
The defensive core is very young. How have each of them improved individually and as a unit throughout the semester? – @GregThinkCrit
They’ve been better of late. The Terriers wouldn’t have won the Friendship Four without Gavin McCarthy. Aiden Celebrini, too. Both scored their first goals of the season in Belfast, and after talking to them postgame, confidence is growing, which is key for any player. For Cole Hutson, the vision is there. He looked spectacular in Belfast, showing flashes of his brother Lane — carrying the puck up the ice, through defenders and setting up goals. But last time out against UMass, he ran himself out of the game mere minutes later. Turnovers have also been a concern, but I believe that’s just part of his game. His last name does him no favors. Lane Huston was an anomaly, and because Cole Huston hasn’t produced like Lane from day one, his start has felt underwhelming. But, much like with Eiserman, as he plays more games, I truly believe Cole Hutson will become a force. Sascha Boumedienne has had his struggles. He’s the youngest player in college hockey, so it’s not entirely surprising. I’ve seen him take some weird angles to the puck, leading to high-danger chances for the opposition, but he, like the rest, has room to grow. What would’ve been his first collegiate goal was called off last Saturday. The biggest thing for this young core of blueliners is patience, but it’s hard to have it when the expectation is to win now.
Thoughts on why BC seems to be winning recruiting battles over the last few years? I think Pandolfo is the better coach, and Agganis is a better arena. I am interested to get your take on why players are choosing BC over BU. – @CoffBreakSports
This is an interesting one. I’ll preface with this: When I spoke to associate head coach Joe Pereira in August, he said: “Most kids know if they want to be a part of BU or BC,” adding that the two are “totally different,” insinuating that he isn’t really recruiting against the Eagles. But I’d still disagree with the notion that, generally, players are choosing BC over BU. The 2006-born class is an example. The Terriers brought in three highly regarded recruits: Cole Eiserman, Cole Hutson and Kamil Bednarik. BU’s 2007-born class includes Sascha Boumedienne, Charlie Trethewey, Conrad Fondrk, Jack Murtagh and Carter Amico — all expected to be selected in next summer’s draft. All eight names I just listed, excluding Amico, are rated five-star recruits by PuckPreps. Even looking forward to the 2008-born class, BU picked up three commitments from highly-touted recruits — Tynan Lawrence, Caleb Malhotra and Luke Schairer. BU and BC will always be reeling in premier players, but it’s unfair to say that one is out-recruiting the other. Plus as long as Pereira is at BU, the program won’t have a shortage of top talent. Lastly, BU has already been linked to a major CHL prospect in Michael Misa, and at the time of writing this, BC hasn’t.
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