Men's Hockey Starts Season at Lowell on NESN

Oct. 9, 2014

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2014-15 Men's Hockey Media Guide

ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LOWELL

Head coach Norm Bazin is three-for-three in leading UMass Lowell to the NCAA Tournament as the River Hawks enter their fourth season under his jurisdiction. Yet, this year’s UMass Lowell club is almost a total makeover from years past. The River Hawks, back-to-back Hockey East Tournament champions, will have 16 new skaters grace their roster in 2014-15 after three River Hawks left early after inking NHL contracts. Junior Adam Chapie returns as UMass Lowell’s leading scorer from last season, tallying 12 goals and 11 assists. In 2013-14, the River Hawks were college hockey’s premiere defense, allowing the game’s lowest goals against average (1.88 gpg). The defenses biggest linchpin, Connor Hellebuyck, who led the NCAA in both goals against average (1.79) and save percentage (.941), turned pro after his sophomore season. In UML’s exhibition bout against St. Thomas University, the River Hawks skated away with a 7-3 triumph thanks to a 4-for-7 display on the power play.

BIRD BATTLE

Friday’s Hockey East opener has several story lines, but none more important than UMass Lowell’s revenge factor against Boston College. On March 30, 2014, Boston College clipped Lowell, 4-3, in the NCAA quarterfinal round at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass., ending UML’s tournament run. Prior to that meeting, the River Hawks curbed BC’s 12-game winning streak in 2013-14 by tying the Eagles, 2-2, on Feb. 22 in front of a capacity crowd in Lowell. On Friday, UMass Lowell intends to break a crowd record with a “Blue Out” of Tsongas Center. The season opener marks the 107th installment of the UML – BC series as the Eagles possess a 63-35-8 mark. Since Bazin’s arrival at Lowell, Boston College is 6-2-1.

 
RECAPPING THE EXHBITION

Thirteen different Eagles registered a point, including rookie Alex Tuch’s two goals and sophomore Adam Gilmour’s three assists, in Boston College’s 6-4 triumph over the University of New Brunswick in Saturday’s exhibition bout at Kelley Rink. In addition to Tuch’s tallies, Michael Sit, Danny Linell, Scott Savage and Chris Calnan all found the back of the net as well. All three Eagle netminders took a turn in net with Thatcher Demko stopping six-of-seven shots with the start. Brad Barone looked impressive, blocking 10-of-11 Varsity Red attempts while Brian Billet stopped four shots in the third. The power-play unit went 1-for-2 while the penalty-killing squad stopped 4-of-6 opposing opportunities.

HISTORY (STILL) IN THE MAKING

The Schiller Family Head Hockey Coach of Boston College, Jerry York, enters his 43rd season of coaching college hockey. Not only is York the winningest coach in the game’s history, having amassed 963 victories and a win loss total of 963-577-102 (.618), York is approaching another historic benchmark at his alma mater. Now in his 21st season as BC bench boss, York is just four victories away from earning his 500th victory as Eagles head coach. York is 496-242-68 (.658) in 20 seasons.

SHUSHING SHUTOUTS

Boston College has not been shutout in 99 games. That is the longest active streak in the country. Denver is in second, having scored a goal in 68-consecutive games while Union is in third at 66.

BABY BIRD(S)

Highly-touted rookie defenseman Noah Hanifin is not just the second-youngest player in all of college hockey, he is the second-youngest player EVER to don the maroon and gold. The Norwood, Mass., native will not turn 18 years old until Jan. 25, 2015. University of Michigan’s Zach Werenski (DOB: July 19, 1997) is college hockey’s youngest player. Boston College, as a whole, is the second-youngest club in college hockey (Boston University). Last season, BC goaltender Thatcher Demko owned the distinction of being college hockey’s youngest player.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Following yet another 25-win year, fourth in the last five seasons, for Boston College, the Eagles leapfrogged Boston University in all-time win percentage in Hockey East play. In 30 seasons, the Eagles have compiled a 443-247-73 record for a league-best 62.8 win percentage in 30 seasons as a found member of Hockey East. 

BC: THE NHL’s FIRST CHOICE

Not only did Boston College lead all of college hockey in 2013-14 by dispersing 26 Eagles across the National Hockey League, BC has placed 18 skaters on opening night rosters for the 2014-15 NHL season. That mark is tops in Hockey East. In regards to college hockey, seven first-round picks are among the nearly 200 NHL draft picks on college rosters, including at least one on 40 teams. Boston College is the only team in the country with two first-round draft picks, including junior captain Michael Matheson (Florida – 23rd) and Alex Tuch (Minnesota – 18th).

EAGLES TABBED SECOND IN HOCKEY EAST PRESEASON POLL

Boston College has been chosen to finish second in the 2014-15 Hockey East Preseason Poll, voted on by the league coaches and announced at the conference’s annual media day at TD Garden on Sept. 29. The Eagles received three-of-12 first-place votes. This marks the first time in seven seasons and just the third in the last 16 years that Boston College has not been selected as the favorite or co-favorite to win the league title.

YORK OPENERS

Since Jerry York took over the BC program in 1994, the Eagles have amassed a 12-7-1 mark in season opening games of the season.

SEASON 26 AT KELLEY RINK

Boston College celebrates its 26th season of playing hockey on Kelley Rink at Conte Forum. Starting in 1988, the BC’s overall record at Kelley Rink is 288-111-35 (.704). The Eagles played at McHugh Forum prior from 1958-86 when Boston College posted an overall mark of 282-95-10 (.748).

BIG TEN BRUSH-UP

Fourteen of the country’s most storied college hockey programs will compete this fall in the second Big Ten/Hockey East Challenge. Nine of 12 Hockey East institutions will join five of the six Big Ten schools in 20 designated games to be played between October 10 and November 29, with 10 games scheduled in Hockey East arenas and 10 in Big Ten venues. Big Ten/Hockey East Challenge Cup will be presented to the conference that records the most points from the 20 contests. Teams will earn two points for a win, one point for a tie and a bonus point will be awarded for a road win.

#TEAMDREWBROWN

Hockey East is all about competition and brotherhood. Providence College’s Drew Brown will miss this season as he battles Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. For those that would like to help donate to Brown’s cause, the fundraising campaign is called “Dropping Mitts Against Cancer”. More information is located here: gofundme.com/93da50

NEXT NUMBER UP

The Boston College offense will look to its young talent to replace the Eagles’ “Big Three” line ofJohnny Gaudreau, Kevin Hayes and Bill Arnold that constituted 43 percent of BC’s production last season. Gaudreau, the program’s first Hobey Baker winner since 2000 and the most prolific output in all of college hockey since the 2002-03 season, left after his junior season while Hayes, Arnold and former captain Patrick Brown all graduated. Those four combined for 92 goals, 136 assists and 228 points, just a shade under half the offensive product from the 2013-14 club.

HEAVY LIES THE CROWN

Boston College lit the lamp the most times in college hockey in 2013-14. The Eagles tallied an NCAA-best 164 goals. BC was the only team in the country to average over four goals per game (4.10 gpg). Not only could BC boast the highest scoring clip, but the Eagles also recorded the top scoring margin in the country, beating opposing teams by a margin of 1.75 goals per game.

 

POWER PLAY PUNCH

The Eagles can credit a good portion of their success to their power play unit from 2013-14. The Eagles converted 34-of-140 chances with the man advantage, having finished with nation’s fifth-best mark of 24.3 percent.

MEN ON A MISSION

Sophomore Ryan Fitzgerald returns as Boston College’s leading forward, notching 13 goals and 16 assists as the top scoring rookie in 2013-14. The North Reading, Mass., native was a two-time Hockey East Rookie of the Week and December’s Rookie of the Month. Classmate Austin Cangelosi is the second-leading returning scorer after posting 10 goals and 16 helpers in his rookie debut.

STRAIGHT UP

Senior Destry Straight is Boston College’s current leading goal scorer for a career. In 101 games, the West Vancouver, British Columbia, native has accounted for 15 goals. Ryan Fitzgerald, after just one season in the maroon and gold, is second with 13-career tallies while Michael Matheson and Quinn Smith are tied for third with 11 apiect

SQUARING OFF WITH SIT

Senior assistant captain Michael Sit looks to maintain his place as one of college hockey’s top face-off men. Last season, Sit posted the 21st-best faceoff percentage in college hockey, winning 57.6 percent of his draws.

DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW

Boston College finished as the 12th-ranked defense in the country last season, surrendering 2.35 goals per game. That mark was also good for fifth in Hockey East. This season, the Eagles return all three goaltenders and all but one rearguard, as Isaac MacLeod has graduated. From the blue line combined, BC’s defense generated 90 points last year, including 18 goals and 72 assists. Perhaps the defense’s biggest contribution offensively was Ian McCoshen’s game-winning tally against UMass Lowell in the NCAA quarterfinals.

LAST LINE OF DEFENSE

After getting drafted by Vancouver, 36th overall, in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft, Thatcher Demko returns as the mainstay in net for the Eagles. As a freshman, the San Diego, Calif., native turned in in college hockey’s sixth-best winning percentage (.729 – 16-5-3) with a 2.24 goals against average and a .919 save percentage. Not only did the 6-foot-4 goaltender go 9-1-1 in Hockey East last season, his 1.35 goals against average in conference action  was also the lowest goals against average mark since Jimmy Howard’s (Maine) record of 1.15 in 2003-04. A member of the Hockey East All-Rookie Team, Demko captured the 2014 Eberly Award (goaltender with the best save percentage in the Beanpot) with a save rate of .966, marking the second-best save percentage in Beanpot Tournament history.

COLD-BLOODED (PENALTY) KILLERS

In 2013-14, the Eagles’ penalty-killing unit eked out Quinnipiac by one-tenth of a percentage point for college hockey’s top penalty-killing corps. The Eagles denied opposing teams at a rate of 89.9 percent (152-for-169).

MARQUEE MATHESON

Captain Michael Matheson returned for his junior season and voted team captain. His captaincy was voted upon following several honors, including earning second-team All-America, All-Hockey East first team and a New England Division I All-Star. The Pointe-Claire, Quebec, native is Boston College’s leading career scorer from the blue line, having tallied 25 and 21 points, respectively, in two seasons on The Heights.

SHERIFF SANTINI

Sophomore Steve Santini captured a share of the program’s Bernie Burke Outstanding Freshman Award after becoming a mainstay on the blue line. The Mahopac, N.Y., native led all defensemen with a +26 plus/minus rating and was also the club’s leader with 68 blocked shots. Santini logged 11 points (3-8-11), including a timely goal in the national semifinal game against Union.

AGE IS NOTHING BUT A NUMBER

Freshman defenseman Noah Hanifin, the second-youngest player in college hockey, is currently projected as the third-overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Boston College Athletics

Men's Hockey Starts Season at Lowell on NESN

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