HUGE games this weekend. Huge. Every game from here on out is a must win… it must be March baby!
The Hockey East regular season title comes down to the final weekend again this season, but the teams are much closer than they were last year. This time last year, UNH only needed a tie, which they got in game one of the weekend series. With both teams separated by one point, both games become critical here. BC needs 3 points to take the championship. UNH needs two. That’s the bottom line, children. Playoff hockey one week early… oh yeah!
Since the last time these two foes met on the Conte ice, things have been a bit different. In their first meeting, November 5th, UNH pulled out a 2-1 victory over a BC team struggling to score. That is no longer the case, as BC is the top scoring team in the conference, averaging 3.7 goals per game. They have started to get significant contributions from their second and third lines, evidenced by the offensive emergence of Jimmy Hayes and Bill Arnold. Solid goaltending (except against Northeastern, for some reason) has also helped the Eagles soar to the top of the rankings and threaten for their first Hockey East regular season trophy since 2004-2005. They have shown their mental toughness in back to back barn-burners, battling Northeastern goal for goal, refusing to lose. This team is a definite tough out, and is poised to make another run in the early spring.
UNH is also a tough out. They are #2 in HE in goals, averaging 3.48 per game. They are lead by seniors Paul Thompson, Mike Sislo, and Phil DeSimone, who have the lion’s share of the team’s goals on the year. Matt DiGirolamo has been solid in nets as well, helping UNH to the best GAA in Hockey East. These guys can flat out score, and keep other teams from scoring. They have struggled of late, having played the easier portion of their schedule early in the year. This allowed BC right back into the HE race after it looked like the Wildcats would take advantage of two games in hand and run away with the regular season. But they have played well enough to be right where they wanted to be, playing meaningful hockey games in March. BC will need to shut down the Thompson line to get anything done in this series, as that just may be the key to beating the Wildcats.
Predictions? Great hockey both nights. I think BC can take the 3 points they need here, but I think they get the tie at home Friday night. UNH always plays well in Conte. In contrast, the Whitt’s huge ice surface plays well to BC’s strengths, and they perform well up there. I think BC can win on the road, capturing the trophy Saturday night.
The Hockey East regular season title comes down to the final weekend again this season, but the teams are much closer than they were last year. This time last year, UNH only needed a tie, which they got in game one of the weekend series. With both teams separated by one point, both games become critical here. BC needs 3 points to take the championship. UNH needs two. That’s the bottom line, children. Playoff hockey one week early… oh yeah!
Since the last time these two foes met on the Conte ice, things have been a bit different. In their first meeting, November 5th, UNH pulled out a 2-1 victory over a BC team struggling to score. That is no longer the case, as BC is the top scoring team in the conference, averaging 3.7 goals per game. They have started to get significant contributions from their second and third lines, evidenced by the offensive emergence of Jimmy Hayes and Bill Arnold. Solid goaltending (except against Northeastern, for some reason) has also helped the Eagles soar to the top of the rankings and threaten for their first Hockey East regular season trophy since 2004-2005. They have shown their mental toughness in back to back barn-burners, battling Northeastern goal for goal, refusing to lose. This team is a definite tough out, and is poised to make another run in the early spring.
UNH is also a tough out. They are #2 in HE in goals, averaging 3.48 per game. They are lead by seniors Paul Thompson, Mike Sislo, and Phil DeSimone, who have the lion’s share of the team’s goals on the year. Matt DiGirolamo has been solid in nets as well, helping UNH to the best GAA in Hockey East. These guys can flat out score, and keep other teams from scoring. They have struggled of late, having played the easier portion of their schedule early in the year. This allowed BC right back into the HE race after it looked like the Wildcats would take advantage of two games in hand and run away with the regular season. But they have played well enough to be right where they wanted to be, playing meaningful hockey games in March. BC will need to shut down the Thompson line to get anything done in this series, as that just may be the key to beating the Wildcats.
Predictions? Great hockey both nights. I think BC can take the 3 points they need here, but I think they get the tie at home Friday night. UNH always plays well in Conte. In contrast, the Whitt’s huge ice surface plays well to BC’s strengths, and they perform well up there. I think BC can win on the road, capturing the trophy Saturday night.
No comments:
Post a Comment