After coming up empty-handed with last year’s uber-talented roster, the Boston University men’s hockey team put a specific emphasis on winning trophies ahead of this season.
This season’s squad doesn’t have the same firepower that Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson provided last year, but so far, the Terriers have made good on their goal. BU captured hardware in its first two tournaments of the season: the Friendship Four in Northern Ireland and the Beanpot.
On Thursday and Friday at TD Garden, the Terriers will look to make it three.
After taking down UMass in the Hockey East quarterfinals, BU will play UConn Thursday at 4 p.m. in the semifinals, with the winner battling either Maine or Northeastern Friday night in the final Friday night.
Here’s what you need to know.
BU has the edge in big-game experience
The elevated atmosphere at TD Garden will be an adjustment for UConn, which hasn’t played at the venue since losing to UMass in the 2022 Hockey East final.
BU, on the other hand, is very familiar. The Terriers play at the Garden in the Beanpot annually, and the program has now reached the Hockey East semifinals for three consecutive seasons.
As a result, third-year players like Ryan Greene, Quinn Hutson and Devin Kaplan will be playing in their 11th career games with BU at TD Garden on Thursday. Head coach Jay Pandolfo said that familiarity “helps our group,” but that the gap in big-game experience “dissipates” once the puck is dropped.
“It certainly can’t hurt you, that’s for sure,” Pandolfo said. “But I think once the game gets going, I don’t know how much it matters after that.”
Junior captain Ryan Greene said that by now, everyone on the team knows what to expect from the TD Garden atmosphere — freshmen included.
“We played both those Beanpot games already,” Greene said. “So I think these guys have a feel for what that environment is like.”
Brehdan Engum and Doug Grimes out for the season, but rest of the roster is healthy
The Terriers lost a steady veteran presence on the blue line in Engum, who saw consistent ice time throughout the season before suffering a season-ending injury.
“Tough loss for us,” Pandolfo said after Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win over UMass. “Really feel for him. His last opportunity in college to play in the playoffs and go to the NCAA tournament. He’s a terrific kid…he’s been a big part of our team this year.”
A graduate transfer from UMass Lowell, Engum was a physical, defensive-oriented player with a knack for blocking shots. He was also a versatile piece on the back end, with the unique ability to play on his primary side, the left, or on his off side, the right, where Pandolfo often positioned him.
Engum’s absence should increase the role of sophomore Mick Frechette, and further solidify sophomore Jack Page’s spot in the lineup.
Grimes hadn’t been seeing consistent ice time this season, but his absence makes the Terriers’ depth thinner heading into the postseason. When the sophomore has been in the lineup this year, he’s been on the fourth line or the extra skater.
Scouting the Huskies
Picked eighth in the Hockey East preseason poll, UConn is the surprise of the league after rolling to a 21-10-4 record and fourth seed.
The Huskies haven’t lost since a 5-4 defeat to UMass on Feb. 4, although BU did take the extra Hockey East point in a 2-2 tie and shootout on Feb. 25.
Sophomore Joey Muldowney leads UConn with 24 goals and 42 points, and grad student captain Hudson Schandor follows with 10 goals and 40 points.
BU is 1-0-1 against the Huskies this season, including the tie and shootout win in February and a 4-2 win at Agganis Arena on Oct. 18, although UConn started third-string goalie Thomas Heaney in that game.
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