Millan gets the start in goal for the Terriers

Live Blog: BU Against BC From Frozen Fenway

January 8, 2010

Jan. 8, 2010

10:24 p.m. - AND THAT'S THE BALLGAME!! BC pulled its goalie for the final 40 seconds of the game and had a 6-on-5 advantage for the final 14 seconds, but was unable to get a clean look at the net as BU skates away from Fenway with a gutsy 3-2 win. The Terriers have now won two straight Hockey East contests, which matches their longest win streak of the year.

One final point of Terrier Pride here: In the last 24 hours, Boston University men's and women's basketball and men's and women's ice hockey have all captured wins. What a way to start the weekend!!

So long from Fenway Park and GO TERRIERS!!

10:21 p.m. - A very untimely penalty on BC's Brian Gibbons puts the Terriers on the power-play for most of the final two minutes of the contest.

10:19 p.m. - An impressive stick-less save from Kieran Millan preserves the 3-2 lead under heavy fire from the BC front line. Heading into the final media timeout, head coach Jack Parker has opted to stick with his top two lines through the end of the game, keeping the players with big-game experience eon the ice.

10:13 p.m. - The Eagles are upping the pressure through the final six minutes, nearly evening the game shots total after trailing for most of the contest. Millan has stood firm in net for the Terriers with 10 saves in the third period alone.

10:10 p.m. - Both the Terriers and Eagles have former players representing their country in the upcoming Olympic games. Former Terrier and Hobey Baker Award winner Chris Drury and former Eagle blueliner Brooks Orpik will play for Team USA in February. During the media timeout, Sasquatch showed his BU pride in a shirtless jaunt through the Fenway crowd.

10:03 p.m. - We will have 4-on-4 hockey for 58 seconds as Vinny Saponari gets called for tripping at 8:31 during the Terriers power-play. The momentum shift is palpable within the Fenway walls as BU clings to a one-goal lead with 10:55 to go. A scuffle breaks out between Warsofksy and Cross in front of the BU net, sending both players to the box for two minutes.

10:00 p.m. - 12:31 left in the game and the Eagles are back in the box. Brian Dumoulin is called for roughing, but 14 seconds later the Eagles snap back with a shorthanded goal. Cam Atkinson puts home the puck off assists from Brian Gibbons and Philip Samuelsson. It is the first short-handed goal allowed by the Terriers this season.

9:57 p.m. - The Terriers can't seem to stay out of the box as Alex Chiasson gets booked for obstruction-interference. The penalty kill still looks strong, but BC is threatening.

9:52 p.m. - Attendance has just been announced: 38,472. The largest crowd to witness a college hockey hockey game in the eastern United States. Thanks to PA Announcer John Dolan for that fact. In the meantime, BU kills its fifth of six penalties.

9:50 p.m. - 1:20 into the third period, all-time penalty minute leader Eric Gryba continues to add to his resume with a two-minute minor for interference.

9:43 p.m. - On the season, the Terriers are 3-1-1 when leading after two periods of play. They also hold a 5-2-3 record when scoring three or more goals.

9:24 p.m. - Another penalty as Zach Cohen is called for tripping. The Eagles go on their fifth power-play of the game, looking for their first man-up tally of the season against the Terriers. With less than 30 seconds gone in the penalty, Brian Gibbons gets the Eagles on the board with 1:41 remaining in the period. Gibbons now leads the Eagles with 19 points.

Matching minors on Max Nicastro and Barry Almeida follow the goal, causing a 4-on-4 scenario to end the period.

9:21 p.m. - BU gets a couple good shots off, but Muse is able to keep the Terriers at bay, killing off the penalty.

9:18 p.m. - A hooking penalty on Malcolm Lyles at 6:13 of the second period gives BU its third power play of the game.

9:12 p.m. - BU GOAL!!! A mad rush in front of the BC goal results in Wade Megan knocking in a knuckle puck to give BU a 3-0 lead at the 10:50 mark of the second period. Nick Bonino and Sean Escobedo are credited with assists, marking Escobedo's first career point. BU had six players on the ice at the time of the goal as there was a delayed penalty against the Eagles.

9:09 p.m. - The fabled manual scoreboard at Fenway park, usually reserved for showing the Yankees atop the American League East standings, now features the Hockey East standings. BC currently stands in second in Hockey East, two points behind league-leading New Hampshire.

9:03 p.m. - Both teams are wearing specially designed uniforms for tonight's matchup. BU's uniforms feature "Boston" written in Red Sox font and a pair of red sox with skates on them on both shoulders. BU's uniforms can be seen on BU Athletics' twitter page at: http://twitpic.com/x9we9. The Eagles are wearing gold jersey's with maroon piping and maroon shoulders. In place of names, they have a Fenway ballpark logo and a green stripe on the BC jerseys commemorates the famous green monster.

8:58 p.m. - What a penalty kill from BU! Down two skaters for nearly two full minutes, the Terriers hold the Eagles to one shot on net through the 5-on-3 advantage! The BU penalty kill looks as solid as ever and has now gone 10-for-10 in the last two games against BC.

8:55 p.m. - BC responds with a quick charge off the ensuing faceoff and draws a penalty as Andrew Glass is sent to the box for cross checking. Luke Popko joins Glass in the box four seconds later for interference on the faceoff.

8:53 p.m. - BU GOAL!!! Joe Pereira makes a statement in his return to the BU lineup, following up on a Colby Cohen slapshot, banking in the goal off the back of Muse's pad at the 17:34 mark. The goal is Pereira's fourth goal of the season and it is Cohen's fourth helper. BU takes a solid 2-0 lead early in the middle period.

8:50 p.m. - Some of the current BC and BU hockey players used to be teammates in their high school and junior hockey days. Nick Bonino played with both Atkinson brothers at Avon Old Farms and Andrew Glass had John Muse as his netminder at Noble and Greenough.

In the USHL, Max Nicastro and Philip Samuelsson were teammates, as were Chris Connolly and Barry Almeida. In International ranks, Vinny Saponari, David Warsofsky and Jimmy Hayes were teammates on the U.S. National Under-18 team.

8:40 p.m. - The BU and BC bands continue to brave the elements and perform through the first intermission. The Terrier pep band is camped out behind the first-base dugout while the BC band is a bit further back on the third base side of the field. Plenty of BC gold, BU red and Hockey East foam-finger yellow as many of the fans have resorted to dancing to keep warm through the period break. Despite the weather nearing 20 degrees, the jumbotron has featured a handful of bare-chested individuals interspersed within the more sensibly attired ear-muffed majority.

8:34 p.m. - A great opportunity for some young hockey players as participants from Pro Ambitions hockey partake in a skills challenge on the Fenway Rink. BC and BU players are just now leaving the ice as they are required to put on skate guards before entering their respective locker rooms. The snow has slowed down a bit, but the accumulation on the ice still seems to be influencing the path of the pucks during play.

The stands have been full and in full throat through the first period of play, giving it the feeling of a Yankees/Red Sox game in middle of July... only with more ski hats and hot coffees.

8:30 p.m. - The first period comes to a close with BU leading 1-0 and BC having six seconds left on the power-play. BU has the edge in shots 9-5 and is 1-of-2 on the power-play while the Eagles are 0-for-2.

8:27 p.m. - Pat Mullane gets called for interference at 1:54 of the opening period. The Terriers will try to make it 2-for-2 on the power play with their new-look man-up strategy.

8:20 p.m. - Two penalties. Two kills. Despite falling to the Eagles 4-1 in the season's first matchup, the Terriers held BC to 0-for-6 on power plays during that contest. The Eagles have come up empty in their first two man-up chances, aided by a pretty save from Millan at the end of the second one.

8:18 p.m. - Sean Escobedo gets called for cross checking 13:22 into the first. The Eagles look organized on their second power-play attempt.

8:14 p.m. - One penalty. One kill. The score remains 1-0 with 7:56 to go in the first as Megan leaves the box.

8:11 p.m. - During the media timeouts, a shovel crew is doing a respectable job at keeping the ice clear of snow, but it is coming down enough so that even their efforts are having little effect. At 10:01 of the first, Wade Megan is booked for boarding, giving the Eagles their first man-up opportunity of the game.

8:05 p.m. - BU GOAL!!! With just 11 seconds to go on the power-play, Warsofsky fires a shot from the blue line that Muse can;t control as the Terriers take an early 1-0 lead, 7:30 into the first period. Zach Cohen gets the assist on Warsofksy's fourth goal of the season.

8:03 p.m. - A couple early shots on goal for both teams, but few promising chances for either squad. Joe Pereira puts a good shot on net and draws a cross checking penalty for the game's first power-play. Pereira is back in the lineup for the first time since BU faced BC on Dec. 5, as he was recovering from a surgical procedure. Also, the humor of Cross getting called for cross-checking is not lost on the Fenway press corps.

7:55 p.m. - The puck drops at Frozen Fenway! While the game is being played at Fenway Park, there is still a surprising amount of eye black on the field.

7:49 p.m. - Singing the national anthem: BC student Ayla Brown.

7:45 p.m. - As the starting lineups are announced, the temperature continues to drop. At the national anthem, the temperature stands at 21 degrees with a slight breeze and a steady snowfall. A truly epic setting for what promises to be an epic event.

7:41 p.m. - An emotional moment for college hockey fans as honorary captains Tony Amonte, Mike Eruzione and Travis Roy make their way onto the vacant ice.

7:38 p.m. - Tonight's matchup marks the 36th outdoor game that Boston University has participated in. The Terriers' record is 20-12-3 in outdoor games. The last outdoor game was contested on Jan. 7, 1956 where the Terriers down Holy Cross 8-4 at MIT Rink.

7:30 p.m. - The teams have finished their pregame routines and the zambonis are preparing the ice for a Hockey East showdown. Here is a look at tonight's lineup for the Terriers:

Connolly-Bonino-Vin. Saponari

Z. Cohen-Megan-Chiasson

Gaudet-Trivino-Pereira

Glass-Popko-Gilroy

Warsofsky-Shattenkirk

Esobedo-Gryba

C. Cohen-Nicastro

Millan in goal

Defenseman Colby Cohen was recently named Hockey East Co-Player of the Week for his two-goals and two assists in a 7-3 win over UMass. Cohen also netted his third game-winning goal of the season which leads Hockey East.

7:20 p.m. - Hello Terrier fans from the warm confines of the Fenway Park pressbox! The Terriers and Eagles are going through their pregame routines and are 27 minutes away from the puck dropping on the first ever Frozen Fenway event. Here is a look at the starting lineups for both teams, starting with the Eagles:

J. Whitney-Hayes-S. Whitney

Kreider-Mullane-C. Atkinson

Carey-Gibbons-Smith

Almeida-Price-Lombardi

Samuelsson-Shea

Cross-Lyles

Dumoulino-Sneep

Muse in goal

Freshman forward Chris Kreider returns to the BC lineup after potting six goals for the gold-medal-winning United States junior hockey team, playing alongside BU defenseman David Warsofsky.

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