Oct. 12, 2012

Inside BU Hockey - Episode 1 | Download

Game Notes vs. Providence

On the eve of the 2012-13 season, the second year of Inside BU Hockey kicks off with host Bernie Corbett, who talks with head coach Jack Parker as he begins his 40th season behind the BU bench.

Assistant coach Buddy Powers, who was a player here at BU when Coach Parker took over the helm, and senior defenseman Sean Escobedo are also guests on this week's show.

The Terriers officially open their 2012-13 campaign on Saturday (Oct. 13) when they play host to Providence. Game time at Agganis Arena is set for 7 p.m.

2012-13 Season Outlook

The Boston University men's ice hockey team enters the 2012-13 season with high hopes one year removed from a return to the NCAA tournament. Head coach Jack Parker, now in his 40th season behind the BU bench, has assembled a strong squad with seasoned veterans and highly talented newcomers who have the potential to take the Terriers back to the NCAAs and vie for hardware on both the conference and national stage.

The Terriers boast a nine-member freshman class that ranks among the nation's best and returns a number of upperclassmen who established themselves as top players in Hockey East.

"Obviously when you have nine freshmen who are vying for positions and are probably going to be important players, there will be some growing pains to start the season," said Parker. "We're confident in them and we're confident that we have a lot of good, if not very good, returning players. Guys like [Sahir] Gill, [Matt] Nieto, [Garrett] Noonan and [Wade] Megan all come into the year with hopes of earning all-league and maybe All-America honors."

BU overcame a slow start last season and wound up with a 23-15-1 overall record while finishing in a tie for second in the Hockey East standings. Despite having three players leave during the offseason to start professional careers, there is hope that last year's freshmen will all step up to help the rest of the returners shoulder the load.

"From an overall skill and experience point of view, we're going to be a very good team. We're optimistic that we're going to have a very good team. The problem is we're in a very good league, so there's not a lot of room for error." said Parker. "This year's team has more depth than the team we had at the end of last season and I'm looking forward to seeing how we perform against other teams and see how we match up. We're excited about the talent we have here, that's for sure."

Arguably the biggest question is how the Terriers will fill the void in goal left by the graduation of Kieran Millan, who finished as the program's career leader in wins, saves and games played by a goaltender.

"The two freshman goaltenders we recruited to be real good for us and we think they'll going to be real good for us, but you don't know for sure until you get 6,000 people in the building - or sometimes 18,000 people - and see how they perform," said Parker. "They're both very talented and we're sure we'll have them go every other game for a while to let them get their feet wet."

FORWARDS
9 returning, 7 lost, 5 new

Terrier fans will see plenty of new skaters in the Scarlet and White this season, as five newcomers enter the fray to try and replace seven forwards from last year's team. BU will also benefit from the return of nine players who have the potential to be top point producers and provide leadership and stability up front.

Senior Wade Megan will wear the `C' on his sweater this season and fortunately for the Terriers is also the team's leading goal-scorer from last year. He tallied 20 goals in 2011-12 as BU led Hockey East in scoring with 3.74 goals per game in league play.

"Megan made the biggest jump of anybody on the team last year," said Parker. "He's been a great captain so far and he's became much more responsible to his talent and much more responsible to his team. He'll be one of the best forwards in the league, no question."

Junior Matt Nieto, a 2012 Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Star, was second on the team last season with 42 points (16g, 26a) and led all forwards with a plus-18 rating in 37 games. Nieto's classmate, Sahir Gill, had a strong sophomore campaign last year as well with 31 points (12g, 19a).

"I think Nieto will be one of the outstanding players in college hockey this year. He's our leading returning scorer and he's been making a name for himself from the second half of his freshman year on," said Parker. "I think Gill is going to be a star in this league this season. He's showed the promise of that in his first two years. He'll play with a lot more confidence and he should make a big jump."

Cason Hohmann and Evan Rodrigues are two sophomores who can only get better after having a full collegiate season. Both players provided energy and points last year and each has the potential for a breakout year.

"We're definitely looking at Rodrigues as a guy we're looking for to get more goals and be more productive for us. He and Hohmann didn't get quite as much ice time as they would like as rookies, but they will this year. Hohmann certainly has great offensive skills and will be given every chance to play on our top two lines. Both are much better off with a year of college hockey under their belts."

Redshirt sophomore Yasin Cisse is another player who is primed for a breakout year with his size and stickhandling abilities.

"It goes without saying that this is a huge year for Cisse," said Parker. "He looks pretty sharp right now. Last year was his first year back after missing two years, so it was understandable why he was in and out performance-wise and confidence-wise. However, his performance and confidence look top notch right now and we're expecting big things out of him."

Senior Ben Rosen had seven points (1g, 6a) last year and will once again be an important part of the Terrier forwards. After missing the first semester of his junior year due to injury, senior Ryan Santana rebounded well and will be a key veteran this winter.

"Rosen had to play on pretty much all of our lines last year after we lost our top two centers midway through the season, and he did a nice job for us." said Parker. "He's been able to add some scoring to his game and helps us defensively thanks to the fact he was a defensemen his first couple years here. Despite his injury last year, Santana came right back and didn't skip a beat. He's an important veteran for us and sets a good example for the younger guys with his effort, both in practices and in games."

Senior Jake Moscatel joined the Terriers during the semester break last season and will be looking to earn some ice time and provide some depth.

"Jake is fighting to get some ice time," said Parker. "He was a welcome addition in the middle of last season and is a great kid who always works hard. He may get in the lineup and help us out."

There is plenty of excitement in regards to the five freshmen who will see their first collegiate action this season, including three selections in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Sam Kurker, a second-round pick of the St. Louis Blues, had 60 points (32g, 28a) in 24 games as a senior at St. John's Prep last year.

"Kurker was a high draft pick because he can shoot the puck and he's a big, strong kid," said Parker. "He'll be in the lineup and we hope he can evolve into a goal-scorer for us, but he'll be a physical presence right from the start."

Followers of the Terriers will be happy to see another O'Regan in a BU uniform as former captain Tom O'Regan's son, Danny, comes to BU after a standout career at St. Sebastian's and a gold medal with the Under-18 Team at the 2012 U18 World Championship. He was drafted by San Jose this summer.

"Danny was supposed to come here next year - after a year of juniors - but once we lost Charlie Coyle midway through last season, we needed a center, and he'll fill that role nicely. He had a fabulous year at St. Sebastian's and was one of the best players on the Ann Arbor team."

Matt Lane totaled 30 points (13g, 17a) in 59 games with the U.S. Under-18 Team last year, while Wesley Myron - a Vancouver draft pick - and Mike Moran and played on the same line last year with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL.

"Lane is also a physical type of player who can really get around the rink," said Parker. "We hope he becomes the type of player who is a pain in the neck to play against, but he has offensive skills and can put the puck in the net.

"Myron was highly recruited and he'll either play center or left wing on our top lines and will eventually be on our power play. He creates offense and it remains to be seen how fast he can adjust to the speed of Division I hockey. Moran is a strong, physical player and is a good skater. He'll definitely get ice time and develop into a contributor for us."

DEFENSEMEN
6 returning, 2 lost, 2 new

A bulk of the BU blue line returns as six players who combined for a plus-29 rating are back to stabilize the defense.

"Our strongest suit is probably on defense, as we've got a lot of returning guys and we've got two very, very talented freshmen coming in who can play right off the bat and be very important to us," said Parker.

Junior Garrett Noonan led that group on the stat sheet in 2011-12, as he scored 16 goals (tied for first nationally amongst defensemen) and added 11 assists while registering a team-best plus-19 rating. He also led all BU defensemen with eight power play goals and earned a spot on the Hockey East All-Star Second Team.

"Noonan burst onto the scene as a freshman and underscored that last year by getting 16 goals - a lot of them on the power play," said Parker. "He's a terrific offensive defenseman and has made big strides in his defensive game. He'll be an all-Hockey East and All-America candidate, no question."

Senior Sean Escobedo emerged as the Terriers' top shut-down defenseman last season and will reprise that role again this year. While he was great in his own zone, he also chipped in 13 points (3g, 10a).

"Escobedo is going to log an awful lot of ice time for us this year and is one the guys who can set the tone physically. He's our go-to guy defensively and we're certainly counting on him to have a great senior season for us."

Senior Ryan Ruikka will be the lone assistant captain this year and returns for his fifth year with the program. He tallied five assists last year and was partnered with sophomore Alexx Privitera towards the end of the season. Privitera who compiled 14 points (4g, 10a) as a freshman and made the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

"We're thrilled to have Ruikka back for a fifth year. He's a great person for our younger guys to look up to and is a steady presence for us on defense. You can tell that he wants to help lead this team to a great season and he'll be a great assistant captain for us.

"Privitera made great strides last year even though he got hurt in the second half. Once he came back, he became an important player for us. He's very effective on the power play and he plays the initial rush much better than when he arrived. We think he'll develop into an All-Hockey East candidate."

Junior Patrick MacGregor will also return after finishing last season with three assists and a plus-9 rating. Classmate Matt Ronan moved from forward to the defense last season and provides some depth.

"MacGregor will be fighting to be a regular for us. He's a solid defensive defenseman and when he's playing with confidence, he plays well," said Parker. "He'll be in the lineup to start the year and hopefully he proves that he can be a full-time player. Ronan moved to the defense last season and gives us some versatility with our depth. He's a good skater and great teammate."

Adam Clendening departed after his sophomore year to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks this summer. However, freshman Matt Grzelcyk is a good candidate to fill that void. A product of the U.S. Under-18 Team and a third-round draft choice of the Boston Bruins in 2012, he tallied 23 points (3g, 20a) in 60 games with the Under-18 squad and was a gold medalist at the 2012 U18 World Championship.

"Grzelcyk should step right in and be a noticeable player even though he's a freshman," said Parker. "It's not easy for a rookie defenseman to make a big impact, but it wouldn't surprise me if he did."

Finland's Ahti Oksanen is the other newcomer on defense, having played last year with the Espoo Blues. He ranked second in points (41), third in assists (27) and first in plus-minus (+42) amongst league defenseman in 2011-12.

"We've had our eye on Oksanen for a year or so," said Parker. "He's a very talented offensive defenseman with good size. It will take a while for him to get used to the smaller rink and the North American game, but he's got great skills."

GOALTENDERS
1 returning, 2 lost, 2 new

The Terriers' biggest losses were arguably between the pipes, as Millan and Grant Rollheiser each graduated. Millan established himself as one of the greatest goaltenders in program history, with Rollheiser serving as the other half of one of the top goaltending tandems in the nation. Their departure, however, brings new life, two newcomers and perhaps a repeat of what they accomplished as freshmen in 2009 in winning a national title.

"Sometimes experience isn't as big a deal as far as goalies are concerned," said Parker. "Freshman goalies have won three national championships over the last decade and in each of our last two national title, we had a freshman in goal for the championship game. I'm not saying we're a national-championship caliber team quite yet, but freshman goalies can get the job done for you, and we're certain either one or both of these guys can do the job."

Sean Maguire comes to BU by way of the Powell River Kings of the BCHL. He posted a record of 27-15-1 with a 2.39 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage in 52 games. The Powell River, B.C., native guided the team to the BCHL finals this past season and was a Second Team All-Star in 2012. The Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the fourth round in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Matt O'Connor will be the other rookie goalie this year as he joins the Terriers after spending the last two seasons with the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. He helped the Phantoms reach the 2012 Eastern Conference semifinals and finished last season with a record of 28-16-5, a 3.04 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. The Toronto native was tied for second in the league in wins and was second in saves (1,350).

"Maguire was a high draft pick, which is pretty unusual for a goalie out of the BCHL, and we're pretty sure he'll be a solid Division I goaltender," said Parker. "Matt has simply gotten better and better ever since we started recruiting him and is coming off a great year in the USHL. Both are very talented and they'll feel their way around here for a little while and that will be easier if they're pushing each other and rooting for each other while playing every other game for a while."

Junior Anthony Moccia will be the lone returnee in net for the Terriers after his first full season with the squad last year.

"Moccia will be important for us as he helps the new guys get adjusted while also trying to get some playing time despite getting hurt towards the end of preseason." said Parker. "He's become a great part of our team ever since walking on."

SCHEDULE

Highlighted by 18 home contests, including two meetings with Boston College, and road trips to North Dakota and Denver, this year's schedule will once again be a strong test from October to March.

The Terriers' home slate at Agganis Arena will include 14 Hockey East contests and three non-conference games against ECACHL rivals after kicking off the year with an exhibition.

This will be the final year of 27-game schedules in Hockey East play, as teams will play each other just twice beginning with the 2013-14 season, when Notre Dame becomes the conference's 11th member.

Visits from familiar foes dot the home non-conference schedule, beginning with a contest against St. Lawrence on Nov. 24. Rensselaer (Jan. 4) and Harvard (Jan. 9) will each make the trip to Jack Parker Rink for BU's first two contests in 2013.

For the first time in 16 years, BU will make the trek to North Dakota, as two of the nation's top programs will meet for a two-game series on Nov. 2-3 in Grand Forks. It will be the Terriers' first visit to the new Ralph Engelstad Arena, as the old rink by the same name was the venue when the Terriers made their last visit during the 1996-97 campaign.

The Terriers will head out west once more when they take on Denver in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game on Dec. 29 at Magness Arena. In its last trip to Denver, BU captured the Denver Cup title in 2009 with a victory over the host Pioneers in the championship game. This will be BU's second appearance in the Hall of Fame Game, as it posted a 4-3 win over Minnesota at the Target Center in 1996 when the contest was a preseason exhibition.

North Dakota defeated Denver in last season's WCHA championship game before joining BU at the NCAA West Regional. The Pioneers earned an at-large bid to the NCAAs and competed in the Midwest Regional.

"This year's schedule features numerous games against traditional rivals, both home and away, and is certainly quite challenging," said Parker, who will enter his 40th season at the helm of the Terrier program. "This will be the last traditional Hockey East schedule before we add several other non-conference contests next season. Each game will obviously be important as we attempt to get back to the NCAAs."

For the 61st time, the four Division I hockey schools in Boston will meet for the Beanpot Tournament on Feb. 4 & 11. The Terriers will meet Northeastern in the first round before taking on either Boston College or Harvard in the second round.

Five league opponents will play two games at Jack Parker Rink. In addition to the season opener, Providence will visit the Terriers on Jan. 26. BU will host archrival Boston College twice in November, beginning with a Sunday tilt on Nov. 11 before the teams kick off their annual home-and-home series on Nov. 30 at Agganis.

AROUND THE COUNTRY
Coach Parker makes his yearly predictions for the nation's top conferences

Hockey East
"Believe it or not, I think our league will be even more competitive this season. I think New Hampshire and Northeastern will be the two teams who make the biggest jump this season. It took everything we had to overcome UNH in last year's quarterfinals and they return almost everyone. Northeastern proved they could play with anyone in the country last year and they had to have to been the best team ever to finish ninth-place in their league. The more I think about it, the more I like Lowell. BC is certainly deserving as the preseason favorite, but Lowell was a win away from the Frozen Four last year and has so much back, including fabulous goaltending. Providence will continue to improve and Vermont should rebound. All in all, it will be another tough and highly competitive year in Hockey East."

WCHA
"It's hard to argue against picking Minnesota and North Dakota to be favorites not only in the WCHA but all of college hockey. That Minnesota team we faced in the NCAAs last season was pretty impressive and they have almost everyone back. We're really looking forward to our trip to North Dakota to see how we match up with them. Denver will be at the top of the league as well and Wisconsin should rebound nicely from last season. If I were to pick a WCHA darkhorse, it would probably be St. Cloud State."

CCHA "It's hard to believe that this will be the final year for the CCHA. It's been a great conference for a over 40 years and I'm sure a lot of those teams are looking to close it out with a title. Michigan and Miami are probably the top teams going into the year. Of course, Notre Dame and Western Michigan are right with them. Western surprised a lot of teams last year, but I think they can keep it going this year. Michigan State should be right in the mix as well. I think Ohio State will be the darkhorse in that league this year. It's tough to call them a darkhorse, especially after they had as good a first half as anyone last year, but they got a bit unlucky down the stretch and should be very good this season."

ECACHL
"Union certainly made a name for itself last season and it will be interesting to see if they can keep that going. I know Cornell is primed for a big year and a lot of people are picking them to get back to the top of the ECAC. I think when it's all said and done, though, that Harvard will be the team to beat. They can play with anyone and have a great group of freshmen coming in. Yale will be strong and I know that RPI and St. Lawrence will be tough opponents for us this season and could be potential darkhorses in that league."