The Hockey East playoff picture became increasingly muddled over the weekend. With Maine heading to Conte Forum, most, including myself, expected at least one team, Maine, to end the weekend more or less eliminated from playoff content. The Black Bears unexpected sweep of BC changed all of that.

Last week, I wrote a piece discussing the term “upset” and it’s validity for regular-season games in Hockey East. Now, it was certainly strange to see Maine take two wins from BC, and this result satisfies every criteria for an “upset.” But the real point is that a 27-game schedule is going to produce some unlikely results that, while interesting, don’t change too much. Personally, I like to save the term and the general idea of meaningful wins from lesser teams for the postseason. Any championship team is going to lose games. No team has ever made it through a Hockey East schedule undefeated, and I’d have no problem suggesting it will never happen; especially given the general improvement of the bottom half of the league in the last decade.

Maine’s wins were important for the club in its battle for a playoff spot. They weren’t, however, as damaging for BC as they were important for Maine. The Eagles are still in first place in the league. Even if they lose out on the top spot by the end of the regular season, there’s little difference between being a first seed and a fourth seed once the quarterfinals end. Last weekend’s losses to Maine hurt BC most in the Eagles’ race for a favorable seed in the NCAA tournament, but they still have time to fix that as well.

BC has a litany of problems to correct in these next few weeks. History suggests they’ll figure out in time to amaze us all in the postseason. Maine, however, needed some wins to save its season. The Black Bears got them, and the next few weeks will be even better because of it.

Review whatever coaches want reviewed

Saturday night, Boston University and Providence played to a 3-3 tie at Agganis Arena. The draw gave BU three of four points from its weekend series with the Friars and five out of six total from the clubs’ three games this season. The third goal BU scored in the game was initially waved off due to a player in the crease. Now, officials reviewed the play and awarded BU a goal because the player was held in the crease by a Providence player. It was the right call, and PC coach Nate Leaman agreed with the decision after the game. However, Leaman was rightfully upset about a play in the first period. Read the rest of this entry »

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Well, there’s really only one place to start this week. In what has to be the most surprising result of the season, BC got swept by Maine at Conte Forum. The Eagles are now just 1-4-0 in their last five and 2-5-1 in their last eight. Some people have been quick to point out that the Eagles always have a tough stretch at some point in the season before turning it on down the stretch and steamrolling everyone in their path. In fact, just last year the Eagles were swept by Maine right around this same time. Then they didn’t lose another game the rest of the season.

It wouldn’t totally surprise me if the Eagles right the ship, go on one of their patented runs, and win a couple trophies. Considering they still have Jerry York at the helm, it would be foolish to rule that out. But I think they have a lot more question marks this year than they did last year or in any of their other national title seasons. Their top five forwards are as good as anyone’s, but the other seven can’t be counted on for any sort of consistent scoring. Most of BC’s national title teams have had three reliable scoring lines. This team has two, or more accurately, one and two-thirds.

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With just a little over a month left of the regular season, the Atlantic Hockey standings are as tight as ever. Only six points separate second place and tenth place, which means every weekend there’s a chance for teams to make drastic jumps in the standings. Niagara still leads the pack, nine points clear of second place, and barring any sudden slump, look set to claim their first Atlantic Hockey regular season title. The Purple Eagles have lost just one Atlantic Hockey game all season and are the only team with double digit Atlantic Hockey wins, right now. Read the rest of this entry »

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BOSTON— The Harvard Crimson, now losers of six straight, cannot catch a break. In a 3-3 tie they couldn’t convert on a two-minute, five-on-three man advantage with 2:48 remaining in regulation, and then lost in overtime on a George Hughes blast from the point as St. Lawrence (11-10-3 overall, 4-5-3 ECAC) defeated Harvard (5-13-1 overall, 3-11-0, ECAC) 4-3 in overtime Saturday night.

St. Lawrence was led by forward Jeremy Wick, who tallied a goal and an assist while being all over the ice all game long, logging a game-high 10 shots. Harvard got a good effort from freshman forward Jimmy Vesey who scored two goals — one late in the first and the other early in the second to tie the game at two at the time. Both goaltenders were impressive, especially Harvard’s Raphael Girard who finished with 39 saves, while St. Lawrence’s Matt Weninger had 27.

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BOSTON — The puck came to Matt Nieto with a shade fewer than 3 seconds left in overtime. The gifted winger quickly fired on Providence goaltender Jon Gillies as the final moments of overtime disappeared. The puck did the same, sailing into Gillies’ pads just as the buzzer sound. Boston University 3, Providence 3. After the game, Nieto expressed frustration with his inability to steal an extra point for his team. In the end, BU coach Jack Parker was pleased with the result. PC skipper Nate Leaman, similarly, seemed happy with the point.

The Terriers found themselves down, 3-2, early in the third period. Shane Luke scored 39 seconds into the final regulation period to give PC the lead. Danny O’Regan tied the game at 13:21 of the third period on a controversial goal that officials initially waived off. BU winger Ryan Santana was in the crease, however, a replay determined a Providence defender prevented Santana from exiting the crease when the puck first left. O’Regan picked up the puck to Gillies’ left and wrapped it around the net and into the goal. Santana and the PC defender prevented Gillies from making the save, which initially warranted the call on the ice.

O’Regan finished the night with a goal and an assist on Nieto’s second period goal. Read the rest of this entry »

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LOWELL, Mass. — For the second night in a row, Massachusetts-Lowell staged a third-period comeback to extend its unbeaten streak to 11 games. The River Hawks erased a 4-1 Northeastern lead and tied the game with 55.3 seconds remaining. Then with 1:53 left in overtime, Christian Folin blasted a one-timer into the top corner to send the largest crowd in Tsongas Center history into a frenzy.

Joseph Pendenza cut the lead to 4-2 with 11:07 left in the game when he raced down the left wing and beat Bryan Mountain (33 saves) glove-side. Five minutes later, Derek Arnold made it 4-3 with a power-play goal that came less than a minute after he had a goal waved off. The score remained that way until the final minute. With the extra attacker on, Riley Wetmore pulled the puck out of a scramble in front and fired it past Mountain.

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ALBANY, N.Y. — Extending their dominance of the Union-RPI rivalry to eight consecutive wins, the Dutchmen defeated the Engineers, 3-2, at the Times Union Center Saturday night in front of 5,959 fans. Matt Wilkins scored a power-play goal on an odd-man rush with 36 seconds remaining in the game. Freshman goaltender Jason Kasdorf offered a strong performance in net with 34 saves for RPI, but it was not enough to stymie the Dutchman power play which converted twice.

Given the non-conference nature of the game, Union earned the rights to the first annual Mayors’ Cup instead of the customary two ECAC points. The event was an opportunity for the fan bases of both schools to see their favorite teams compete in the region’s top venue.

What I Saw                                                                                         

For the third time in the game to begin the final frame, one of the Capital Region rivals scored within the first four minutes of the period. Senior defenseman Greg Colburn shot the puck from the point straight into the back of the net. Kasdorf seemed to have a clear view of the puck, but could not reach the powerful slap shot while sliding to his left. But the Engineers eventually answered — this time near the end of the period. C.J. Lee put the puck on net during an odd-man rush, which Union goalie Troy Grosenick saved with his right pad. But the forceful rebound lay in perfect position for Mark McGowan to level the score. To break the 2-2 tie, Wilkins scored after receiving a perfect pass on an odd-man rush opportunity from Josh Jooris, who was skating quickly along the right side-boards.

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Manchester, NH- New Hampshire got an early five on three power-play seven minutes into the first period and they would capitalize as Austin Block through a puck toward the front of the net that hit a couple bodies and went into the net. The 1-0 lead would last until the intermission, despite Merrimack dominating the latter portions of the first period. The second period would see Merrimack control play and score an early tying goal off the stick of Ben Bahe, but UNH would score three goals in the final seven minutes, and 37 seconds to take a commanding 4-1 lead into the second intermission.

The teams would trade third period goals with UNH scoring an extra, as they cruised to a 6-2 win over Merrimack. UNH improves to 15-6-2 on the season and 10-5-1 in Hockey East, while Merrimack falls to 10-10-5 and 8-6-2. The win moves UNH within two points of Boston College for first in Hockey East and into a second place tie with Boston University. Read the rest of this entry »

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MINNEAPOLIS- Minnesota State only led for a grand total of 44 seconds Friday night at Mariucci Arena, but that didn’t really matter. They were last 44 seconds.

Mavericks freshman Brett Knowles buried the rebound from a Zach Palmquist shot past Minnesota goaltender Adam Wilcox to give the visiting Minnesota State (16-8-3, 10-8-1 WCHA) a 2-1 win to snap a ten-game unbeaten streak. The goal was just Knowles’ second of the season and rewarded Mavericks goalie Stephon Williams for his 37 save performance against the Gophers.

Minnesota (17-4-4, 9-4-4 WCHA) got off to a slow start, being out-shot 12-8 in the first period, yet got on the board first. Following a scoreless first, defenseman Nate Schmidt pinched in towards the net. He then simultaneously settled down a Nate Condon pass and shot the puck over Williams for a 1-0 Gopher lead 7:48 into the second period.

That held up for almost 9 minutes when the Mavericks tied the game up on the power play. Sophomore Matt Leitner caught the opposing defense napping in front of the net and set up junior Johnny McInnis for his 11th goal of the season. Although Minnesota more than doubled their shots on goal from the first 40 minutes in the third period, out-shooting Minnesota State 20-8, both teams had chances to win before Knowles’ game winner. Read the rest of this entry »

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CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Maine defeated Boston College, 4-1, Friday night in the first game of a weekend pair with the Eagles at Conte Forum. First-period goals from Joey Diamond and Ryan Lomberg put the Black Bears on top, 2-0, after one. Will Merchant added a third late in the second period, before Kyle’s Beattie’s empty-net goal put the game away for Maine. Steven Whitney’s goal at 13 minutes, 6 seconds of the third period gave the Eagles hope, but the Black Bears withstood the pressure to preserve the win.

Junior goaltender Martin Ouellette made 34 saves in the win.

What I Saw

• Maine was one of the few teams to take time and space from BC’s dominant first line of Whitney, Pat Mullane and Johnny Gaudreau. There was a bit of luck involved; Gaudreau hit a post and a few other bounces fell Maine’s way. Still, the Black Bears’ kept the quick-strike Eagles off balance for most of the night. Closing passing lanes with quality positioning and blocking shots prevented some quality scoring chances from becoming goals. Read the rest of this entry »

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