Boston College Athletics
Hockey Prepares For Two-Game Series In Denver
October 19, 2000 | Men's Hockey
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
BOSTON COLLEGE (2-0-0) AT DENVER (0-0-0)
Magness Arena, Denver, Colorado
October 20-21, 2000
Tonight's Game
Boston College travels to Denver, Colorado for two games against the University of Denver Pioneers of the WCHA. The Eagles last played in the Centennial State in December 1998. In the Denver Cup, which was played in McNichols Sports Arena, BC defeated Colorado College, 5-3, in the opening round, before dropping a 4-3 overtime decision to Denver in the title game.
Last Time Out
Senior goaltender Scott Clemmensen stopped 36 Nebraska-Omaha shots and senior forward Mike Lephart added two goals as the Eagles beat the Mavericks 5-1 to take the championship of the inaugural Maverick Stampede in Omaha, Neb. on Oct. 14. Krys Kolanos scored one goal and assisted on two others, and senior captain Brian Gionta notched one goal and one assist. Both senior forward Marty Hughes and senior defenseman Bobby Allen had two assists. Clemmensen (MVP), Kolanos, Lephart and Allen all earned All-Tournament honors.
The Coach
Jerry York is in his seventh season as the Eagles' head coach. He heads into this weekend's games as the sixth-winningest coach in NCAA history. His career record stands at 595-436-53 (.577). His record at Boston College is 128-91-19 (.585) ... York has a 0-2 record against Denver during his BC tenure. Both losses were 4-3 overtime defeats (Nov. 26, 1994 in Chestnut Hill, Mass., Dec. 28, 1998 in Denver).
National Rankings
The Eagles are ranked third in each of the most recent (Oct. 16) national polls. BC moved up one spot into third place in the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine poll, behind North Dakota and Wisconsin. BC also ranks third in this week's USCHO.com Division I poll, behind the same two teams.
A Recap of Last Season
Boston College returns 18 players from last year's team that finished with a 29-12-1 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's championship game. It was the Eagles' third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament's Frozen Four. BC lost to North Dakota, 4-2, in the title contest. The Eagles' 29 wins marked the third season in a row that the program had won 27 or more games.
BC Hockey in the HOCKEY EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll
Boston College was selected as the pre-season favorite in the 2000-01 HOCKEY EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Eagles gained three of a possible nine first-place votes to finish with 72 points. Boston University, which received two first-place votes, finished second in the poll with 69 points. Maine was picked third (68 points/three first-place votes), while New Hampshire was selected fourth (60 points/one first-place vote).
Injuries
OUT - Freshman defenseman Joe Schuman will miss both games against Denver after undergoing successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.
2000-01 Eagle Captain
Senior forward Brian Gionta will serve as team captain for the 2000-01 season. Gionta, the nation's top returning goal scorer, wrapped up last season as the team's second-leading scorer, finishing with 56 points -- 33 goals and 23 assists. A three-time All-America selection and two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist, Gionta enters his senior season within reach of BC's career scoring record.
Assistant Captains
Seniors Bobby Allen and Mike Lephart will serve as assistant captains this season. Allen earned All-HOCKEY EAST second team honors in his junior season and is the highest-scoring defenseman returning from last year's squad. Lephart, who is the Eagles' second-leading returning scorer behind Gionta, had 14 goals and 19 assists last season.
BC wins its Third Regular-Season Tournament in Three Years
Boston College's victory over Nebraska-Omaha in the championship game of the inaugural Maverick Stampede in Omaha, Neb. on Oct. 14 gave the Eagles their third regular-season tournament title in the last three seasons. BC also won the IceBreaker Cup in Minneapolis, Minn. in October 1998 (defeating Ohio State and St. Lawrence), and the Sheraton/Howard Bank Hockey Classic in Burlington, Vt. (defeating Dartmouth and Vermont).
Eagles Return Majority of Point Production
The Eagles return 59 percent of its overall scoring from last year's team (257 points return from last year's squad that recorded 435 total points). Overall BC returns 61 percent of its goal-scorers and 57 percent of its total assists. Last season the forwards scored 332 points (152 goals and 180 assists), 197 of those points (59 percent) will be on the ice for the Eagles this season. Defensively, BC returns four of the five blueliners who saw regular ice team last winter.
Boston College vs. the WCHA
Boston College is 57-54-3 all-time against the WCHA. The Eagles last played a WCHA team in last season's NCAA championship game, falling to North Dakota 4-2. In addition to Denver, BC will host Wisconsin on Friday, Oct. 27. BC and Wisconsin have split 12 games in their series. Michigan Tech is a possible opponent of the Eagles in the Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 30.
The Series
Boston College has a 5-11 all-time record against Denver. The Pioneers have won each of the last three meetings. The Eagles' last victory was a 6-2 triumph in Denver on Nov. 14, 1988 ... Boston College and Denver have met in two-game (back-to-back) weekend series on four different occasions. Denver swept the first two-game series (December 26-27, 1969). Since then, the two teams have split each of their weekend meetings (December 27-28, 1974, November 9-10, 1984, December 1 & 3, 1985).
Clemmensen a Leader as a Goalie
Senior goaltender Scott Clemmensen has a 2-0-0 record and a 1.00 goals against average through two games this season. He entered the 2000-01 campaign as Boston College's career leader in goals against average (2.66), shutouts (10) and wins (69).
Clemmensen Named HOCKEY EAST Defensive Player of the Week for Week Ending Oct. 15
Senior goaltender Scott Clemmensen was named the HOCKEY EAST Defensive Player of the Week this week for his MVP performance in the Maverick Stampede in Omaha, Neb. last weekend. Clemmensen stopped 61 shots in two games as the Eagles captured the tournament championship. The Urbandale, Iowa nativa allowed only two goals in wins over Notre Dame and Nebraska-Omaha.
Clemmensen/Kelleher a Tough Combo in Net in HOCKEY EAST Play
Last season Clemmensen and sophomore Tim Kelleher finished 1-2 in goals against average in HOCKEY EAST play. Clemmensen allowed just 1.98 goals per game while notching a 9-4 record. He captured HOCKEY EAST's 1999-2000 Heaton Goaltending Award for the lowest goals against average in league play. Kelleher was close behind with a 2.13 average and a 6-4-1 record.
BC Class of 2001
This season's senior class has experienced more success over the span of its first three seasons than any other Boston College class entering their final year with the exception of the BC class of 1988, which amassed a win total of 85 games (.702 win percentage) through its first three seasons. The class of 2001 has won 84 games (.705 win percentage) and appeared in the Frozen Four each year, playing for the national title twice. The only other BC class to appear in three consecutive Frozen Fours was the 1948-50 Eagles. The 1948-49 team won BC's sole national championship.
Eagle Newcomers
The Eagles roster features eight newcomers: five forwards (Justin Dziama, Ben Eaves, Ty Hennes, Chuck Kobasew and Tony Voce) and three defensemen (J. D. Forrest, Brett Peterson and Joe Schuman). The freshman class has accounted for one goal and four assists in the first two games of the season.
For More Information on the Eagles
Boston College hockey information will be available this season on the school's official athletic web site: www.bceagles.com. Among the materials available on the site include: team roster, schedule, results, players' bios, audio clips, press releases and game recaps.
On Radio
Boston College hockey games can be heard on 96.9 FM Talk (WTKK Radio). Jon Rish will call the action on the 50,000-watt station ... Games can also be heard on the Boston College Athletic Department's official web site at www.bceagles.com.
Next Game
The Eagles open their home schedule on Friday, Oct. 27 against Wisconsin. Game time is 7 p.m.
