> The Terriers outshot the Eagles 16-4 in that
> period but junior Eagle goalie Andy McLaughlin was
> solid in the nets.
 
Easily the #1 star of the game, regardless of what Bernie and Tom may
have to say.  BC's weakness is in the net, but last night McLaughlin was
the difference.
 
> After the first shot, a weak one from about 25 feet, went
> through his legs I figured this would be a laugher for BU.  Wow was I
> wrong.
 
Perhaps the most important play of the game was BC's tying goal on a 4x4
in the first period.  If they hadn't tied it it would have been a
laugher.  That goal took out the fans when they were sky high.
 
> Maybe it was
> because the top line was drawing the penalties that they started the PPs
> with other players.  But it seemed like by the time the top guys were out
> there, the PP was almost over.  Probably why they were something like 0 for
> 6 before the tying goal.  Give BC credit though, they did a nice job
> killing the penalties.  Actually, I thought they did a good job all night
> (I hate saying that).
 
BU is ranked fifth in the nation in total offense, but don't ask me
why.  Their power play is completely ineffectual, and they have a
terrible time winning faceoffs.  BU's strength is on team defense.
Right now I give BC's forwards the edge. Come playoff time, however,
it's the hot goalie that's the difference.  Last night McLaughlin was
outstanding.  I just don't see him or Clemmensen in conjunction with
their defensemen holding up the Eagles as a team to beat in March.
 
> The overtime continued to see chippy play which
> was present throughout the game ... lots of
> penalties. B.U. got a 5-minute major with close to
> three minutes to play and Parker look fit to be
> tied (he actually just flipped out for a second
> then looked very astounded. The call in question
> was something that should have been called both
> ways if anything ... if looked like both players
> should have got fighting calls ... but the B.U.
> player ended up with a facemask call.
 
I'm not one to get on the officials, but officiating had no effect on
this game until the overtime period.  Tim Bennedetto called everything
during the first period, nothing during the second period, and fairly
evenly in the third period.  For most of the game, his calls were
consistent for both sides.  But that facemask penalty was completely
unjustified.
 
> The referee might have been immediately looking
> for a call against B.C. to even things up, but
> Mike Mottau gift-wrapped one for him a few seconds
> later and the teams would wind up skating 4-on-4
> until late in the overtime period.
 
The best thing I saw last night was Jerry York laughing over the most
obvious make-up call in the history of college hockey.
 
> Did O'Connell get a game DQ also?
 
Albie O'Connell and Toby Hutchins each received double minors and
10-minute misconducts, thus removing them from the overtime period.
They were both escorted off the ice, but they did not receive DQ's.
 
> And for the people who were worried about the BU crowd, on tv at least it
> seemed as rowdy as ever.
 
As one who was there, it was the loudest Walter Brown Arena has been in
some time.  The rivalry is definitely back.
 
--
Edward N. Moller
Controller
Mount Ida College
Newton Centre, MA  02159-3323
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Tel   (617) 928-4515
Fax  (617) 928-4706
 
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