greenie took Frank Mazzocco's BU-UNH predictions and made some comments about
BU and inconsistency.  I unfortunately deleted the original message, but let
me put my two cents in.
 
I'm not sure just how inconsistent they've really been.  Unless you have a
near perfect season like Maine did in 1992-93, you're going to lose some
games now and then.  The season is naturally going to follow an ebb and
flow, with some peaks and valleys.  All teams do this.  Perhaps inconsistency
is just a measure of how radical those peaks and valleys are.
 
I'm not sure BU's have been any more drastic than any other team's.  After
all, you have to go back over four years to find the last time they lost
three straight games.  Perhaps BU just looks more inconsistent because they
tend to win so often.  When they lose, it's magnified.
 
Last year, a disappointing one for sure, they still only lost two games in
a row one time -- UMass-Lowell's weekend sweep.  The way they went out in
the Hockey East and NCAA tournaments pointed to some problems, but their
regular season wasn't exactly inconsistent.
 
The year before, 1994-95, they did lose a couple back-to-back games with
Maine during the regular season but marched on to a Beanpot win, a Hockey
East championship, and a national championship.  That record defends itself.
 
And in 1993-94 they did lose two early-season games but went on to do
everything a BU fan could desire until Lake State smoked them in the
national championship game.
 
I think they've actually been more consistent than given credit for.
 
Their problems this year aren't inconsistency per se.  They just hit a point
where LaCouture's departure and some injuries left them woefully short up
front.  They just haven't had the horses.
 
But with Shawn Bates appearing to start his usual second-half run,
LaCouture returning, plus Tommi Degerman arriving from Finland, they should
eventually be better off in the second half than they've shown the last few
games.
 
But I share Frank's prediction of a UNH sweep.  But come March 1, when the
two teams meet again, BU could make that a much tougher pick.
 
 
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Dave Hendrickson   [log in to unmask]
Hockey East writer for US College Hockey Online
        http://www.uscollegehockey.com
 
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