Photo by: Rich Gagnon
BU Readies for Red Hot Rematch Against Cornell
March 18, 2018 | Men's Ice Hockey
By Scott Weighart, Special to GoTerriers.com
BOSTON – Over Thanksgiving weekend, Boston University dropped a 4-3 contest to Cornell in front of a big crowd at Madison Square Garden. It marked the first time that the Terriers had lost to the Big Red in the six-game history in the biannual Red Hot Hockey matchup.
Like several other games during a subpar fall semester of hockey, it also was a game that the Terriers definitely could have won—and maybe even should have won, given that they outshot their long-time rivals by a 38-30 margin.
Watching the NCAA Selection Show in their players' lounge, the BU players and coaches learned that they're destined for a red-hot rematch with Cornell in the NCAA Northeast Regional. BU faces off against Cornell at 1 p.m. this Saturday at the DCU Center in Worcester.
The announcement of the brackets proved to be somewhat of a surprise. More than one prognosticator predicted that BU would face some unfamiliar faces in Ohio State in Worcester this weekend. But when they needed to choose between maximizing bracket integrity with as many matchups as possible following 1-16, 2-15, and so on versus ensuring the best possible attendance at the various regions, they opted for the latter.
Although this meant that the Terriers will face the overall No. 3 seed rather than the No. 4 seed in Ohio State, the team seemed loose, happy and ready to embrace any opponent as they watched the show unfold. And why not? As of two days ago, they knew that they faced "one and done" on the one hand versus "win and get in" on the other. They proceed to pull off a program first by getting into the tournament through a must-win weekend. Better still, the Terriers went into the third periods on both nights in a tie game yet came out on top.
"It actually makes it a little sweeter," BU coach David Quinn said. "That win last night was special in so many ways: The season's on the line, we've got a period to go, and the way we responded says an awful lot about our group."
"It's a great feeling," BU captain Brandon Hickey said. "The last three years have been a different scenario for us—knowing we were going to make the tournament. This year it's been pretty exciting to go in and win a title to clinch it and get in there and ride on a little momentum.To find out where we are, it seems pretty surreal right now."
Getting another shot at Cornell is not only a chance for payback, it's a yardstick to measure how far the team has come after an up-and-down fall. It's a great opportunity, but no one is underestimating the Big Red. "They've had a heck of a season," Quinn said. "It's a team that's big and strong. They've got some skill; they're great in the net. They're a number-one seed for a reason.
"We had a great game with them in New York City in November, but I think we're both completely different teams—as most teams going into the tournament compared to where they were in November. When you're in the national tournament, you're going to play a great team."
"I like it," said Hickey of the rematch. "Obviously any team you play in the tournament is going to be a great team, especially when you're a No. 4 seed. It's going to be an exciting game with a lot of red in the stands."
As opposed to scouting a team from scratch, the BU players have more of a sense of what their game plan will need to be on Saturday afternoon. "They're a big team with a lot of skill," Hickey said. "They're good down low. They can move the puck well; they had a couple of good rush goals against us. We're just going to have to make sure we nullify their offensive attack and just try to take care of the puck as we have the last couple of games."
Sophomore goaltender Jake Oettinger is eager for redemption on Saturday, and he will go into the national tournament as one of the hottest goaltenders in the country. En route to winning Hockey East tournament MVP honors, Oettinger was 4-0 in the league playoffs with a .945 save percentage. He made 14 saves in overtime against Boston College on Friday night before following that up with a whopping 18 saves in the first period alone on Saturday. Oettinger is now riding a 80:59 scoreless streak, so he's understandably feeling good going into the tournament.
"I'm really excited," the 19-year-old netminder said. "When we played them in the fall, me personally and our team didn't play our best game, so I know everyone's really excited to get a chance to play them again."
In some years, there are a few dominant teams in college hockey that look to be safe bets to get to the Frozen Four. More than usual this year, that may not be the case.
"I think it certainly seems that way," agreed Quinn. "There hasn't be a team that's really separated themselves—just a lot of really good teams. Anybody can get beat anybody on a given night: I know that's said a lot in college sports, but that's as true as it's ever been in college hockey this year."
No game going forward will be easy, but this BU team has grown and bonded while playing with its backs against the wall for much of the season. "You learn how to face adversity, and the team's just closer after that," junior forward Bobo Carpenter said. "It's just fun coming to the rink every day. Everyone's glad it's not over yet. You want to keep going as far as you can and hopefully get it all."
Getting it all would include a trip to the Frozen Four in Saint Paul, where Minnesotans Oettinger and Chase Phelps would be playing no more than a half-hour drive from home.
But first things first: BU was seeing red after November's loss to Cornell. Now they'll look to come out on top in front of another sea of red.
BOSTON – Over Thanksgiving weekend, Boston University dropped a 4-3 contest to Cornell in front of a big crowd at Madison Square Garden. It marked the first time that the Terriers had lost to the Big Red in the six-game history in the biannual Red Hot Hockey matchup.
Like several other games during a subpar fall semester of hockey, it also was a game that the Terriers definitely could have won—and maybe even should have won, given that they outshot their long-time rivals by a 38-30 margin.
Watching the NCAA Selection Show in their players' lounge, the BU players and coaches learned that they're destined for a red-hot rematch with Cornell in the NCAA Northeast Regional. BU faces off against Cornell at 1 p.m. this Saturday at the DCU Center in Worcester.
The announcement of the brackets proved to be somewhat of a surprise. More than one prognosticator predicted that BU would face some unfamiliar faces in Ohio State in Worcester this weekend. But when they needed to choose between maximizing bracket integrity with as many matchups as possible following 1-16, 2-15, and so on versus ensuring the best possible attendance at the various regions, they opted for the latter.
Although this meant that the Terriers will face the overall No. 3 seed rather than the No. 4 seed in Ohio State, the team seemed loose, happy and ready to embrace any opponent as they watched the show unfold. And why not? As of two days ago, they knew that they faced "one and done" on the one hand versus "win and get in" on the other. They proceed to pull off a program first by getting into the tournament through a must-win weekend. Better still, the Terriers went into the third periods on both nights in a tie game yet came out on top.
"It actually makes it a little sweeter," BU coach David Quinn said. "That win last night was special in so many ways: The season's on the line, we've got a period to go, and the way we responded says an awful lot about our group."
"It's a great feeling," BU captain Brandon Hickey said. "The last three years have been a different scenario for us—knowing we were going to make the tournament. This year it's been pretty exciting to go in and win a title to clinch it and get in there and ride on a little momentum.To find out where we are, it seems pretty surreal right now."
Getting another shot at Cornell is not only a chance for payback, it's a yardstick to measure how far the team has come after an up-and-down fall. It's a great opportunity, but no one is underestimating the Big Red. "They've had a heck of a season," Quinn said. "It's a team that's big and strong. They've got some skill; they're great in the net. They're a number-one seed for a reason.
"We had a great game with them in New York City in November, but I think we're both completely different teams—as most teams going into the tournament compared to where they were in November. When you're in the national tournament, you're going to play a great team."
"I like it," said Hickey of the rematch. "Obviously any team you play in the tournament is going to be a great team, especially when you're a No. 4 seed. It's going to be an exciting game with a lot of red in the stands."
As opposed to scouting a team from scratch, the BU players have more of a sense of what their game plan will need to be on Saturday afternoon. "They're a big team with a lot of skill," Hickey said. "They're good down low. They can move the puck well; they had a couple of good rush goals against us. We're just going to have to make sure we nullify their offensive attack and just try to take care of the puck as we have the last couple of games."
Sophomore goaltender Jake Oettinger is eager for redemption on Saturday, and he will go into the national tournament as one of the hottest goaltenders in the country. En route to winning Hockey East tournament MVP honors, Oettinger was 4-0 in the league playoffs with a .945 save percentage. He made 14 saves in overtime against Boston College on Friday night before following that up with a whopping 18 saves in the first period alone on Saturday. Oettinger is now riding a 80:59 scoreless streak, so he's understandably feeling good going into the tournament.
"I'm really excited," the 19-year-old netminder said. "When we played them in the fall, me personally and our team didn't play our best game, so I know everyone's really excited to get a chance to play them again."
In some years, there are a few dominant teams in college hockey that look to be safe bets to get to the Frozen Four. More than usual this year, that may not be the case.
"I think it certainly seems that way," agreed Quinn. "There hasn't be a team that's really separated themselves—just a lot of really good teams. Anybody can get beat anybody on a given night: I know that's said a lot in college sports, but that's as true as it's ever been in college hockey this year."
No game going forward will be easy, but this BU team has grown and bonded while playing with its backs against the wall for much of the season. "You learn how to face adversity, and the team's just closer after that," junior forward Bobo Carpenter said. "It's just fun coming to the rink every day. Everyone's glad it's not over yet. You want to keep going as far as you can and hopefully get it all."
Getting it all would include a trip to the Frozen Four in Saint Paul, where Minnesotans Oettinger and Chase Phelps would be playing no more than a half-hour drive from home.
But first things first: BU was seeing red after November's loss to Cornell. Now they'll look to come out on top in front of another sea of red.
Players Mentioned
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