No. 3 Terriers Open Postseason Friday vs. Merrimack
March 12, 2015 | Men's Ice Hockey
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Inside BU Hockey - Episode 22
BOSTON - The top-seeded Boston University men's ice hockey team kicks off its quest for the Hockey East title on Friday (March 13) when it opens up a best-of-three quarterfinal series with 11th-seeded Merrimack at Agganis Arena. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Game two of the series will take place on Saturday (March 14) at 4 p.m. and will be broadcast live by NESN and TSN2.
After suffering 21 losses last season, BU enters the 2015 postseason with 21 wins. The Terriers and Warriors are meeting at Agganis for the league quarterfinals for the second time in three years and the third time in six years.
The Terriers claimed two trophies in the final six days of the regular season, winning their 30th Beanpot on Feb. 23 before sealing their ninth Hockey East regular-season crown on Feb. 28.
BU is 7-3-0 all-time against Merrimack in the Hockey East playoffs with all 10 meetings occurring in the quarterfinal round. In its most recent quarterfinal appearance in 2013, BU swept the Warriors by scores of 3-0 and 5-3 in Jack Parker's final home games as head coach of the Terriers.
The teams met in the 2010 quarterfinals with the Terriers advancing in three games. BU won the opener, 3-2, before the visitors forced a third game with a 3-2 overtime victory. The Terriers earned a 3-0 shutout in the deciding game.
In a 1998 quarterfinal series, Merrimack stunned the top-seeded Terriers in three games. BU won single-game quarterfinal contests against the Warriors in 1991 and 1995.
Friday marks the 107th meeting between the schools with the Terriers hold a commanding 82-16-8 (.811) advantage, including a 16-2-2 (.850 record in the 20 meetings at Agganis Arena.
In league play this season, BU took three of four points from the Warriors in a weekend home-and-home series on Dec. 5-6. After a 1-1 draw in North Andover, junior Danny O'Regan recorded his first collegiate hat trick and freshman Jack Eichel assisted on every Terrier goal, as BU recorded a 4-2 victory at Agganis.
After ending the regular season on a nine-game winless streak (0-8-1), Merrimack earned a sweep at sixth-seeded Northeastern in the first round of the Hockey East tournament last weekend by scores of 2-1 (ot) and 3-2 (2ot).
Merrimack boasts the nation's third-best penalty kill with a success rate of 89 percent (146-of-164).
Freshman Brett Seney, who has missed the past three games due to injury, continues to lead the team in points (26) and assists (15). Sophomore Hampus Gustafsson is right behind with 25 points on 11 goals and 14 assists while junior Brian Christie has added 23 (10g, 13a). Freshman Jace Hennig has recorded 19 points on the strength of a team-best 12 goals.
Senior Rasmus Tirronen has reclaimed his position as the Warriors' primary netminder after splitting time with freshman Collin Delia. The two have combined for a 2.21 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.
O'Regan has averaged a point per game in his career against Merrimack with 9 (3g, 6a) in nine contests. Seniors Cason Hohmann (3g, 5a) and Evan Rodrigues (3g, 3a) have registered eight and six points, respectively, versus the Warriors.
Junior goaltender Matt O'Connor has enjoyed a good amount of success against Merrimack, posting a 1.63 goals-against average, a .949 save percentage and a 3-1-2 record in six starts.
BU captured the Hockey East regular-season title for the ninth time in program history. It's the first time since 2009 that the Terriers came out on top and the third time in their 10 full seasons at Agganis Arena. After winning five straight titles from 1994-98, they also won the crown in 2000, 2006 and 2009.
The Terriers have an overall Hockey East tournament record of 62-36-1 (.631). BU is 0-1-0 in the first round, 43-21-1 (.669) in the quarterfinals, 10-11 (.476) in the semifinals, 2-0 in the consolation and 7-3 (.700) in the championship. In quarterfinal action, BU is 37-15-1 (.708) at home (17-8-0 at Agganis, 20-7-1 at Walter Brown).
Fourteen current Terriers have now played at least one contest in the Hockey East tournament. Rodrigues (3g, 4a) leads the way with eight points (4g, 4a) in nine contests.
Eichel leads the nation with 55 points this season, matching the most points by a Terrier in the past 17 years (Colin Wilson had 55 in 2008-09). With one more point, Eichel will have the most by a BU player since Chris Drury put up 57 as a senior in 1997-98. Rodrigues has 49 points, which is the most by a BU senior since Drury.
Eichel tallied 44 points (14g, 30a) in 22 league games, becoming the first player since New Hampshire's Jason Krog to average two points per game in Hockey East play.
