Archive for the 'Hockey East Live Blogging' Category

Hockey East Championship: BC 4, Vermont 0

Saturday, March 22nd, 2008

9:33 p.m.– All-Tournament Team: forwards Gerbe & Ferriero from BC along with Butler from UNH; defenseman Sneep and Brennan from BC; and goaltender Muse from BC. MVP is Gerbe. Thanks for reading everyone, and tune in again next week from the regionals. Good night from Boston.

9:28 p.m.– And that’s a final, with Gerbe tacking on the empty netter. Vermont had a great run, but BC was sure impressive in the tournament. It’s BC’s eighth title and second straight. BC will go on to the NCAA tournament as one of only two representatives from Hockey East (UNH). This writer’s vote for MVP was Muse, we’ll see if he gets it.

9:12 p.m. — Still 3-0 Eagles, now 6:15 left. If John Muse finishes with the goose egg, it’ll be an incredible 131:20 of shutout time back to UNH’s fourth goal last night. Quite a run here in the league tournament for the rookie goalie, whom many people think was overlooked as the goaltender on the All-Rookie Team. He’s certainly proving himself this weekend.

9:02 p.m. — The Catamounts weren’t able to take advantage on that power play, but they get another crack at it as Gerbe is sent off for checking from behind on an open ice hit with 13:01 left. It’s getting to be close to midnight for Cinderella, however.

8:53 p.m. — Third period underway, and just over two minutes in, BC’s Tim Filangieri is sent off for holding. If Vermont is going to come back in this one, they pretty much need one here.

8:35 p.m. — Another late goal by BC, and this one may have broken the backs of the Catamounts. Orpik does a nice job of drawing a sliding defender to him down low at Fallon’s right, and he slides the puck across the top of the crease to rookie Brian Gibbons (13th) for the easy tap-in at 19:40.8. It’s BC’s fifth PPG in 17 tries in the tournament. 3-0 Eagles after two. Shots in the second: unofficially, 11-4 BC, 22-17 for the game.

8:25 p.m. — Well, both teams have had a chance with the man advantage now, but no additional scoring. The Eagles are still firmly in control of this one, although as we saw last night, Vermont can strike quickly and in bunches at any time. 3:52 left in period number 2. Unofficial shots now favor BC, 20-16.

8:07 p.m. — What a time to score your first of the year. Junior defenseman Tim Kunes picked off a clearing pass high in the slot and quickly wristed it low past Fallon to the stick side to give BC a 2-0 lead 5:01 into the second period. It’s just Kunes’ third goal in 94 career games. BC has carried play this period.

7:54 p.m. — Two minutes till the start of the second. They’ve been running a trivia contest between periods here at the Garden this weekend, and tonight’s contestants were several young ladies decked out in Vermont gear, face paint, the whole shebang. The girls went 1-for-2, guessing correctly that “Friday Night Ice” is on NESN, but incorrectly that BU has had the most All-Academic Team members (Merrimack). They won t-shirts. Did I mention that I hate calling this place the Garden? To me and many people, the real Garden was torn down 13 years ago, God rest its soul (and it sure had soul).

7:41 p.m. — End of the first with BC on top, 1-0. The Eagles scored at 18:32 when Fallon couldn’t control Carl Sneep’s shot from the top of the right circle. The puck rolled behind him after going five-hole, and Ben Smith poked it over the red line for his 21st of the year. Shots were 13-11 Vermont in an evenly played stanza.

7:33 p.m. — 3:34 left, still no score. Last night after losing to Vermont, BU coach Jack Parker talked about how his team could not establish possession of the puck in the offensive zone, that Vermont did a good job of taking it away. Well, the Catamounts seem to be doing that again so far tonight. BC hasn’t had any sustained pressure yet. We’ll see if that continues. Vermont leads in shots, 12-9.

7:27 p.m. — 7:30 left in the first, still scoreless but Vermont just had the best chances of the period with Downing and Vock on a 2-on-1. Muse made two very good saves on the rush. Also of note, Kyle Medvec has really been throwing his weight around for Vermont. He just hit 6-3, 215-pound Andrew Orpik into the boards pretty hard.

7:13 p.m. — 15:36 left in the first and our first TV timeout. Both teams still feeling each other out.

7:04 p.m. — Starting lineups being announced. Loud crowds on both sides, although the rink only seems a little more than half full. Fallon in net for Vermont and Muse for BC.

6:52 p.m. — Tonight’s officials: Tim Benedetto (R), Chris Aughe (AR), Bob Bernard (AR). Game will get underway at 7:05 p.m.

6:40 p.m. — Warmups are just about done, and the 24th Hockey East Championship Game will get underway in about 24 minutes between Boston College and Vermont. Vermont is playing for a bid to the NCAA Tournament — win and they’re in with Hockey East’s automatic bid (and their first ever HEA title), lose and they are done. BC is in, but comes off the triple-OT thriller over UNH last night. The Catamounts, in their first HEA title game, will wear white as the higher seed and have the last change. More to come, so stay tuned.

Hockey East Semis UNH 4 vs. BC 5 Final

Friday, March 21st, 2008

We are blogging live from the TD Banknorth Garden for the Hockey East Semi-Finals. Play just underway.

First Period Notes: Shots were even at 13, but it was the Wildcats dominating play as Bobby Butler and Jamie Fritsch each netted a goal to make it 2-0. The lone power play went to UNH, which resulted in Butler’s goal. Crowd pretty quiet, but after all it is the early game. Second Period coming up, will the Eagles come alive?

Keys to the Second Period

UNH: Continue to pressure Nathan Gerbe as they have done so all year. If that continues, UNH should come away with a victory.

BC: The Eagles need to continue to get more quality shots. Player of the Year Kevin Regan is on his game. With sustained pressure, maybe one will get by.

First 5:00 Second Period: BC is starting to get going. Ben Smith netted his 20th of the season on a 4-on-3 power play with Hobey Finalist Nathan Gerbe and Anthony Aiello getting the assist. The Wildcats’ had a power play, however, not much happened on that. Crowd about two thirds full, about 10,000 or 11,000 here at the moment.

Halfway through the second: Butler gets his second of the game. BC keeping sustained pressure on Regan, but like a player of the year normally does, he comes up big in the clutch.

5:00 left in the second: UNH scores a shorthanded goal to make it 4-1, however, that same power play, Joe Whitney of the Eagles makes it 4-2. BC playing with desperation, while UNH has gotten the best of John Muse. If the Eagles want to win, sustained pressure is still a must on Kevin Regan.

2nd Period Notes: The Eagles outshot the Wildcats 23-6 and through two, the advantage is 36-19. Nathan Gerbe missed an opportunity to tie the game at 4-4 when he shot the puck wide on an open net. BC carried the play late in the second and once again are giving the Wildcats a run for their money in the Hockey East Tournament. The last time UNH defeated BC in a Hockey East touranment was 1994. 

Keys to the Third Period 

UNH: Lock down defensively on the the top two lines. Nathan Gerbe has three assists in this game and nearly netted the tying goal. The Wildcats need to create opportunities on the other end as well and even things out.

BC: Get more contributions. Brian Gibbons scored a goal, Benn Ferriero had some good moments. The Eagles can not let down defensively or the Wildcats will come out at will.

First 5:00 Third Period: Matt Price puts one on net and Dan Bertram gets the deflection. We are back at square one and it is anybody’s game to win.

We are getting down to the last 7:00 of the game. BC has another power play and the overall advantage with three unanswered goals. A must penalty kill situation for UNH.

The Wildcats killed that important penalty. We are now in the last few minutes of regulation with the score still tied.

7:49 p.m.: Regulation ends, we are headed to overtime. Shot advantage through three periods, BC 45-33. This is the third 5:00 game in the last four years that has headed to overtime. 2005 Boston College defeated Maine 2-1 in double overtime, and of course last year, UNH defeated Massachusetts 3-2 which also went into double overtime. Will history repeat itself?

Overtime Info: UNH 11-14 in Hockey East Tournament OT games; BC 16-12. Last overtime game between the two was 1999 with BC coming out victorious 5-4 in the final.

Halfway through overtime: Kevin Regan has 48 saves, the most in a Hockey East semi-final game. Bob Bell of Providence had 47 saves in 1995. 

5:00 left in overtime: Regan breaks his career best in saves with 53. Regan made 52 saves against Providence on February 15th.

8:34 p.m.: What would’ve been a game winning goal for BC was disallowed. Kevin Regan’s helmet came off before the goal, which in the NCAA as a rule is a dead whistle.

Overtime Notes: With a combined total of 95 shots, another record has been broken. The previous record for combined shots in a semi-final game was 86 in 2003 between Boston College and Boston University.

5:00 into 2OT: Fatigue starting to kick in as the teams start to get desperate to score that game winner.

9:14 p.m.: This game is now the longest game in Hockey East semi-final history.

9:28 p.m.: Attendence announced: 12,522

9:30 p.m.: Tonight’s game is now the 14th longest game in NCAA history.

Another period ends and the result remains the same. BC has a power play for :55 seconds to begin the third overtime. Shots favor BC 66-49. This is now the 12th longest game in NCAA history, surpasing Harvard and Clarkson in the ECAC tournament on March 10, 2001.

Double OT Notes: This game is now the second longest Hockey East game in history. Maine and UMass-Amherst is the longest game. That game ended at 109:27 on March 20, 2004 with Maine winning and capturing the Hockey East title.

9:51 p.m.: BC’s Benn Ferriero wrists one past Kevin Regan :43 seconds into the third overtime. It is Ferriero’s 16th of the year and probably the biggest of his career.

Final Notes: A great game to watch. BC’s history of success with UNH continues in the Hockey East tournament. Right now it looks like BC is most likely a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. With that, the second longest game in Hockey East history has come to a close.