Saturday’s rivalry clash between the Boston University men’s hockey team and Boston College began in bizarre fashion.
BU freshman netminder Mikhail Yegorov — preparing for his first collegiate start — emerged from the Conte Forum locker room for pregame warmups more than a minute too early, resulting in a two-minute bench minor on the Terriers to start the game. BC scored 24 seconds into the man advantage, which was the winning goal in the Eagles’ 2-0 triumph.
In an interview with the Boston Hockey Blog, Hockey East Supervisor of Men’s Officials Brian Murphy and Associate Commissioner Brian Smith offered context on the penalty, which invoked Rule 82.2 in the NCAA’s college hockey rulebook.
“The BU goalkeeper came on the ice before the officials came on the ice and certainly before Boston College came on the ice. And as you’ll see in the timeline, the visiting team comes on last,” said Murphy, who was an NHL referee for 32 years before joining Hockey East in 2020.
Yegorov took the ice, alone, with around 39:30 on the game clock. According to the rulebook, officials must take the ice at 39:00, followed by the home team at 38:00 and the visiting team at 37:50.
Although he took accountability for the penalty, BU head coach Jay Pandolfo voiced frustrations in his postgame press conference, noting Yegorov had been able to skate out early because a Conte Forum staffer opened the door to the ice.
“I have a really hard time with that call,” Pandolfo said. “With the fact that whoever runs the door opened it. The kid’s excited to play his first hockey game, for warmups, and they open the door and then they close it on him and leave him out there.”
Coaches are briefed on the pregame protocol during a preseason meeting with the league, and locker rooms are equipped with game clocks to manage warmup timing, according to Murphy. Smith added that before each game, facility representatives verbally confirm a five-minute warning ahead of warmups.
“Everybody in the locker room knows what the timing is and everything like that,” Murphy said. “It’s up to the operations people and it’s up to the coaches to obviously manage that, or obviously the leadership of the players to manage when they’re going out.”
According to Murphy, the rule exists to “control pregame timing” and avoid “mass chaos” where players are able to decide when to skate out for warmups.
Murphy said he has no reference point for the specific situation that unfolded on Saturday, since he had never seen it before.
“The NHL has a tradition of this rookie lap, which has become like an accepted practice there, but that’s not what goes on in college,” Murphy said. “That’s not an accepted practice in college.”
As for how much discretion referees have to enforce the rule, Murphy added: “It’s a rule that’s in the rulebook that does get enforced occasionally. We’re not the only conference that’s enforced this at certain points in time and over the past few seasons.”
“The coaches are aware of what the rules are and where the guidelines are. They know what to expect and what our standards are.”
Still, Pandolfo said he was frustrated about the officials’ decision to enforce the rule given the circumstances.
“It’s a joke that that’s how the game starts,” Pandolfo said. “That’s not how these games should start. Like, come on. Like, really, this is how we’re going to start a BC-BU game? Here’s a power play?”
Murphy declined to comment when asked about the frustrations over the call being made in a game of such magnitude.
As a long time fan I understand the rule I even saw u mass get called for it a few years back against bu where in between periods some players took a lap to stretch out a penalty I guess but I did not agree with it . In Saturday case and this should have been looked into you have a uniformed Boston College security officer who is manning the door I know at agganis no one man’s the visiting door. This agent of Boston College opens door lets him out then won’t let him off that is just ridiculous. I don’t like the rule but what’s worse then the rule is someone employed by bc to work the door used his power and official position to create a power play for his employer. This was not a mistake if it was he would have let the goalie back off the ice instead he locked him out. The league can justify the call by the rule book and coach can take responsibility but what was he supposed to say. If a security guard tells you to go on the ice don’t listen to him he may be an agent of bc that’s absurd this whole game was absurd. Nothing good ever happens at that dump of a building.
It’s the coaches responsibility…. He is a loser and certainly not Jack Parker.
Ooh look at this tough guy calling a former NHLer a loser. Give us more of your wisdom, coach!
Rules are Rules, play by the Rules and quit crying.
So eloquently put Colin! But in fact, not much good seems to happen @ ur Shiny new palace in ths series either!
& u did have 59:36 to make Right ths Treachery! Ths was no Conspiracy!
Tht would be so Jack Parker!
Stanley we follow the rules at Agganis and we don’t need security guards to trick players to violate the rules. I know it’s a rule it’s also a rule slash /law to stop at a red light but if a cop waives you thru are you going to say no . And if you are ticketed afterwards would you just take it . I think I know the answer. Also at Agganis I think they do a good job with alcohol sales at bc it’s mayhem with fans falling from stands and other fans getting hurt it’s a joke and don’t tell me it does not happen at your school because I saw it and I saw the lack of response. The place is a dump and no one is going to convince me otherwise
I think I should make myself and my views clearer I had interactions with both security and bc police two separate instances and they were great and professional but somehow someone allowed a fan to drink to the point where he literally fell from the rafters and then sold him another one after a fan was hurt. That’s why it’s a dump at agganis fans are treated better than that. A fan should be able to attend a hockey game without fear he’s going to get hurt by a enebreated fan. Maybe the security officer checking id’s was moved to cover the visiting team door . Still a dump
I got one word: “YERGY”
Great weekend series to the B.C.EAGLES & to many more this year. GOOD LUCK IN BEANPOT – ECAC – NCAA TOURNEY .
Does the protocol penalty explain BU’s failure to score any goals on Saturday night?
Two bald headed men fighting over a comb. It was the kids first game.
The rule, official, and penalty. Sounds Like something a wannabe pres. of a homeowners assoc. would do a late lawn mowing.
Does anybody know if Aiden Celebrini and Mick Frechette are injured?
Hey Dan,
Today, Pandolfo said in his weekly media call that Celebrini has been injured and is working his way back. According to Pandolfo, he’s on schedule to be back for the Providence series on Feb. 14 and 15.
Frechette practiced today. If he’s out of the lineup again tomorrow, we’ll plan to ask Pandolfo postgame about whether he’s battling some kind of injury or if it’s a personnel decision.
Hope that helps!