Boston College Athletics
Season Looks Bright For Men's Ice Hockey
September 19, 2003 | Men's Hockey
Sept. 19, 2003
As college hockey prognosticators set their sights on the 2003-04 season, they take a peek at last year's standings. They take note of which teams are returning their All-America and All-Conference selections from last season. They also consider the prospective contributions of clubs' newcomers.
Once they've accomplished these tasks, they begin to assemble a list of teams that could be in contention for conference titles in March and a national title in April. Once again this year, Boston College will likely appear on many of the resulting lists.
As BC head coach Jerry York prepares for the coming season, he also performs similar analyses. Yet, he also knows all the variables that come into play during a season that can extend from October to April. Intangibles, too, can never be fully and accurately measured.
Instead, the veteran coach approaches each season the old-fashioned way. While bearing in mind many of the assembled facts, he sets out with an open mind and the same set of expectations that he's always had. He demands hard work. He preaches teamwork. He encourages attention to every detail.
York sets lofty, yet realistic, goals -- goals that are eminently attainable by the program he's established during his first nine years on the Heights.
"We're excited by the fact that the core of our team returns with much more experience than they had last year," he said. "They've gone through rugged HOCKEY EAST play and they've had some NCAA experiences. These all combine to harden your club and make the team better.
"Our goals still remain the same. We want to win all the tournaments we play in during the course of the season," the coach explained. "We want to go after the league championship and compete for a national title. Those have been our goals from the beginning."
The 2003-04 Eagles feature 17 returning lettermen, including six seniors who have won 75 games in their first three seasons. The team's three captains - captain Ben Eaves and alternate captains J.D. Forrest and Ty Hennes - will lead the charge.
Eaves returns for his final season after earning AHCA All-America first-team accolades in 2002-03. Eaves has tallied 135 points in 99 collegiate contests and is currently tied for 27th on the school's career scoring list.
Forrest gained All-America second-team honors last winter and will serve as the Eagles' defensive anchor again this year. Solid in his own end, Forrest also contributes to the team's offensive attack and power-play unit. He's recorded 80 points in 107 games.
Hennes is coming off a 2002-03 campaign in which he registered 21 points, nearly double the total of his first two collegiate seasons.
The three captains will have lots of support. All totaled, the team's returning players accounted for 95.9 percent of last year's offense - 97.3 percent of the goals and 95.1 percent of the assists.
ON OFFENSE
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 11/2
Newcomers: 3
"Our core is back. We're more experienced. We'll be more savvy to the rigors of a championship race. We've got NCAA experience. Our depth is the best it's been since our national championship team. The competition level is very high."
Any coach would be happy to have 11 returning lettermen on the forward lines. Tell him that six of those players scored at least 20 points last season and his smile would grow a little larger.
Then mention that 2003 Hobey Baker finalist Ben Eaves and fellow 100-point club member Tony Voce are among the group and ...
While BC's York surely takes comfort in having these luxuries, he also recognizes the challenges that await his club -- challenges he and his forwards relish.
"We've tried to instill upon all our forwards intense two-way play -- the tenacious defense and an aggressive offensive nature," York said. "As a group, we can pursue the puck very well. We'll put a lot of pressure on opposing teams when we have the puck.
"We're creative as a group and we can make plays. I think we'll be very good in all loose-puck situations."
Certainly Ben Eaves will lead the charge. The Faribault, Minn. product enters his final year with 135 career points in 99 games, including 57 points - 18 goals and 39 assists - in 36 games last winter. The skilled senior is equally adept at creating for his teammates and putting the puck in the net himself.
"Ben is one of a long line of outstanding players who have come through BC. He has special talents on the ice and leadership off the ice," York said. "He's one of the premier players who has put on a maroon and gold jersey because of the way he prepares, competes and represents himself every day."
Classmate Voce is prepared to enjoy the finest year of his collegiate career. Having topped the 20-goal mark in each of the past two seasons, that'll be quite a feat. The Lawrence (Mass.) Academy graduate tallied 23 goals - and 23 assists - in 37 games in 2002-03. Since then, he's dedicated himself to an off-ice program designed to help him raise his game even further.
"Tony's conditioning is the best it's ever been at BC. Everything points toward Tony really raising his level of play this year," York said. "He's been a very, very good player for us. Now he has a chance to be an outstanding player for us."
The depth that York mentioned comes from the two remaining seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen.
Assistant captain Ty Hennes and forward Justin Dziama round out the senior class. Hennes earned the program's 2002-03 Most Improved Player Award. After tallying 12 points in his first two seasons, Hennes nearly doubled his output in 39 games last winter, finishing with 21 points - nine goals and 12 assists. York doesn't hesitate to throw praise in Hennes' direction.
"Ty might have the best work ethic on our team. We have a lot of players that possess those attributes, but he really works at becoming a better player," the coach said. "He's a true walk-on who's now on full scholarship. Whether he was going to play here or not was in question four years ago. Now, he's an assistant captain. He's certainly going to be a key player for us."
Dziama is often overlooked. Less of a scorer, having tallied nine points last season, the 6-foot-3-inch forward brings a different dynamic to the BC attack. He possesses good size and strength and provides solid leadership to the club.
Juniors Ryan Shannon and Dave Spina are often mentioned in the same breath. Shannon scored 38 points in 36 games last year. Spina tallied 37 points in 37 games. Both players have 63 points through two seasons of collegiate competition. Shannon has played in 74 games, just one more than Spina.
"Both Ryan and Dave have been very strong offensive players for us, but they also kill penalties and play good defense," York said.
Junior Ryan Murphy has posted less impressive numbers - slightly more than half the points of his aforementioned classmates. Rather, Murphy's efforts have been focused on the defensive portion of his game. York insists, however, that Murphy's offensive contributions could rise this season.
Ned Havern and Taylor Leahy are the final two juniors. An Arlington, Mass., product, Havern contributed 12 points in 36 games last year, while Leahy tallied one goal in 11 games in 2002-03. Leahy's action was limited by a knee injury.
Three sophomores - Chris Collins, Patrick Eaves and Stephen Gionta - all established themselves in their first collegiate campaigns. Collins captured HOCKEY EAST All-Rookie Team accolades after recording 23 points, including 16 points - eight goals and eight assists - in 24 league contests.
Eaves notched 18 points, including 10 goals, in just 14 games. His season was shortened by a serious neck injury sustained against Maine in early December. The sophomore has fully recovered from his injury as evidenced by his tournament-high five-goal effort in four games in the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp this past August. The tournament featured Sweden, Finland and two U.S. teams.
Gionta contributed 15 points in 33 games last winter and promises to build upon that success this season.
Three freshmen - Brian Boyle, Adam Pineault and Joe Rooney - will further bolster the BC forward lines.
"We think it's a very good freshman group," York said of the trio. "They'll battle and provide great competition."
York notes Boyle brings an added dimension to the team. The 6-foot-7-inch freshman from St. Sebastian's (Mass.) was taken by the Los Angles Kings in the first round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He is a dominating physical presence on the ice who is also very good with the puck. The 6-foot-3-inch Pineault, the youngest player on the BC roster, will also bring a physical dimension to the team, while the 5-foot-10-inch Rooney is more of a quick, dynamic player.
ON DEFENSE
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 5/2
Newcomers: 2
"Our defense will be a very solid unit in our zone. I like our strength and I like our hockey I.Q. This year, we'll impress upon our defensemen to join the offense and become the late fourth guy attacking. We skate well and we're capable of putting points on the board."
The Eagles return a talented and experienced group on defense, yet York readily throws the leadership role to senior assistant captain J.D. Forrest.
"I certainly think J.D. is our leader back on the blue line," the coach said. "He's a four-year veteran, a second-team All-American and a captain of our team."
Forrest was the team's top-scoring defenseman last winter, tallying 31 points - six goals and 25 assists. He has 80 points through three seasons and will soon join an elite group of defensemen on the school's 100-point list. Forrest consistently logs 30 minutes of ice time each game, including key stints on the team's power-play unit.
Fellow senior Brett Peterson has become a solid force on defense. He's showed steady improvement through his first three years, which covers 117 games.
Juniors John Adams and Andrew Alberts have proven - and improved - themselves. Adams has played in 59 games in two seasons. York notes the Wayzata, Minn., resident has gained a lot of strength in the offseason and is poised for a breakout year.
Alberts, who hails from Eden Prairie, Minn., has played in 77 collegiate games. Last winter, his offensive talents yielded 22 points. He's a very physical player who has significantly improved his puck handling. He's also worked on his blistering shot from the point, which has become more accurate and more forceful.
Sophomores Peter Harrold and Ryan Foster complete the list of defensemen returning. Harrold, a Kirtland Hills, Ohio, product, contributed 12 points in 39 games last winter. He was one of only five BC players to appear in every game. Harrold played in critical situations in his first collegiate season and displayed increased poise and success after the midway point of the season. Foster saw action in just one game last winter.
Two newcomers - junior Greg Lauze and freshman Justin Greene - also figure in the defensive mix. Lauze, who transferred to BC (from Merrimack) one year ago and practiced with the Eagles last winter, has played in 67 collegiate games and will now look to establish himself at the Heights. Greene, who played in the highly-successful Boston College High School program, brings tenacity and a fierce competitive nature and will make a strong bid to crack the Eagles' line-up.
IN GOAL
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 1/1
Newcomers: 1
"We think we're very solid in goal. Matti (Kaltiainen) has two years under his belt. He's improved each year and we think he has a very, very bright future ahead of him. We do need depth at this position and we'll look to establish that."
York praises the development of junior Matti Kaltiainen. The Espoo, Finland, product was the 2002-03 HOCKEY EAST ITech Goaltending champion. He finished the league slate with a 2.20 goals against average.
"Matti's earned the No. 1 job. He's gained respect for his improvement," York said. "He'll benefit from being more familiar with HOCKEY EAST and with the requirements we have here."
The coach believes Kaltiainen now has his style more in control; plays the angles better handles; and handles pucks more adeptly. All these attributes will allow the junior to add to his two-year, 26-victory total.
Junior Robbie Miller and freshman Joe Pearce will serve as the back-ups for Kaltiainen. Miller saw his first collegiate action last winter, playing just more than 11 minutes in the Eagles' home victory over Massachusetts last January.
Pearce, who was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fifth round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, comes to BC after playing the 2002-03 season with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He recorded 18 victories.
