Feb. 21, 2014
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Inside BU Hockey - Episode 18
In the first-ever Hockey East series between the two schools, the Boston University men's ice hockey team (8-18-4, 3-10-3 Hockey East) visits No. 15 Notre Dame (17-12-2, 6-9-2 HE) this weekend. Friday's opener will be broadcast live on NBCSN at 7 p.m.
This is the Terriers' second visit to the Compton Family Ice Arena, as the Irish earned a 5-2 home win over BU on New Year's Eve two seasons ago in the teams' most recent meeting. Notre Dame officially became the 11th member of the Hockey East Association this past summer.
BU enters the weekend still looking for its first road win of the season, as it is 0-9-1 in opposing rinks. However, five of the Terriers' eight wins this season have come against teams currently ranked in the top 16 of the USCHO.com Poll.
BU is 3-2-1 all-time against Notre Dame with all three wins coming in the championship game of in-season tournaments.
The teams first met in the title game of the Boston Arena Christmas Tournament on Dec. 29, 1970, with the Terriers earning a 7-3 victory. BU went on to capture its first national championship that season.
They faced off in the Bank One Badger Showdown on Dec. 29, 1995, with the Terriers earning another 7-3 win in that tournament's championship game.
BU lost to the Irish, 3-0, in its 2009-10 home opener in the teams' lone meeting at Agganis.
During the 2010-11 season, the Terriers defeated Notre Dame, 5-4, in the championship game of the Ice Breaker before the teams skated to a 3-3 draw later in the year in the consolation game of the Shillelagh Tournament.
Notre Dame is 2-0-1 in its past three games after suffering a three-game losing streak. The Irish are coming off a three-point road weekend at Providence.
Senior T.J. Tynan leads the team in points (31) and assists (15) while sophomore Mario Lucia - son of Minnesota head coach Don - has a squad-best 15 goals. Lucia and freshman Vince Hinostroza (6g, 21a) each have 27 points.
Notre Dame's scoring defense is tied for fifth in the country, allowing just 2.16 goals per game, and its penalty kill ranks ninth, operating at an 86.5-percent success rate.
Senior goaltender Steven Summerhays boasts a 2.04 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. His six shutouts lead the nation.
BU freshman Dalton MacAfee is no stranger to Notre Dame's campus. His father, Ken MacAfee, Jr., was a standout tight end at Notre Dame, earning All-America honors three times before playing in the NFL with San Francisco.
In 1977, he was named the winner of the Walter Camp Award and was a Heisman Trophy finalist while helping the Irish claim the national championship.
BU is looking to rebound from a home-and-home sweep at the hands of New Hampshire last weekend. Junior Evan Rodrigues, one of only five current Terriers who have faced the Irish, has four points (2g, 2a) in the past three games.
