Oct. 6, 2008

BOSTON - The Boston University men's ice hockey team will kick off its 2008-09 campaign ranked ninth in the country in both the preseason USCHO.com/CBS College Sports XXL poll and the current USA Today/USA Hockey rankings, which were both released on Monday. The Terriers will open their regular season on Friday (Oct. 10) when they play host to No. 5 North Dakota in the 12th annual Ice Breaker Invitational.

BU, which was ranked 15th in the final USCHO.com/CSTV poll last year, posted a 19-17-4 record during the 2007-08 season. The Terriers were 10th in last month's USA Today/USA Hockey preseason poll before moving up one spot following their 4-1 exhibition win over New Brunswick on Sunday.

Of the 20 teams in the initial USCHO.com/CSTV poll, at least seven will face off against the Terriers this season, including No. 2 Michigan, No. 5 North Dakota, No. 11 Michigan State and No. 19 Harvard. BU was joined by three other Hockey East teams in the rankings (No. 1 Boston College, No. 7 New Hampshire, No. 20 Vermont). The Terriers may also face No. 6 Denver on the second day of the Wells Fargo Denver Cup.

The Terriers welcome back eight of their top 10 scorers from a year ago and five of the six regulars on defense return.

BU was picked second in the Hockey East Preseason Coaches' Poll, garnering three first-place votes, and will open up their conference schedule at home on Friday, Oct. 17, against Merrimack.

To purchase men's ice hockey tickets, please visit AgganisArena.com, call 617-353-GOBU (4628), or visit the Agganis Arena Ticket Office, located in Boston at 925 Commonwealth Avenue and open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.