BU is off to its worst start in 30 years.
My figures may be off a somewhat, but I don't think BU has gone 0-4 to
start the season since the late 60's. I do know that the last time they
were off to an 0-3 start was in 1976. That's 22 years, anyway.
Egad.
To top it off, they were swept this weekend by Providence. Heck, the last
time they lost to the Friars in the regular season was in 1995, and the
last loss at Walter Brown to the Friars was in either 1993 or 1994.
Meanwhile, BC is storming the Northeast, maintaining a strong hold on the
#1 ranking in the country and looking to finish the job they started at the
Fleet Center last April.
Kinda feels like those middling years of the mid-80's.
BUT... the quality of the play and the attitude of the players sure isn't.
From all reports I've read (THANK YOU to all you Hockey-L'ers that have
kept me informed!), and what I can gleam from listening to games on the
radio, this is NOT the same rebuilding Terrier team I saw playing from 85-88.
For one thing, they're nothing if not resilient this year. Twice already
this year they've fallen behind quickly in the first, only to come bouncing
back with speed and strong forechecking. While the team hasn't had the
veteran maturity to maintain that throughout the remainder of the game,
it's something that was rare indeed 10 years ago.
10 years ago BU fans were treated to the likes of Mike Kelfer, who as the
team captain in 1987-1988 preferred to spend the entire season camped out
on the offensive blue line. I should know, I had my season tickets right
behind the glass in section 5 that season. I had to stand up to look over
Kelfer's shoulder to see what was happening on the other end of the ice.
Also gone are the Phil von Steffenellis who often seemed to ignore hitting
the puck, opting instead for the back, face, rear end, or any other part of
the body that would send an opponent sprawling. Don't get me wrong, he
wasn't an overly dirty player, just not one that would always focus on what
was best for the team. Perhaps if Brendan Walsh hadn't left the team to
goon it up in Maine we'd still have this kind of player around.
The big similarity I can draw is the lack of a real game-breaker. There
doesn't seem to be anyone on this team right now that can just turn it on
and make things happen, a la Chris Drury or Tony Amonte.
In 1987-88, there really weren't any freshmen (or sophomores, for that
matter) on the team that would have the brilliant night, that you knew
would have a sparkling career. Dave Tomlinson and Sean McEachern were
bright spots in a sea of middling talent and effort; but even they didn't
blossom until the following year with the arrival of Amonte, Ahola,
Lachance, Cashman, and the return of the Terriers to top form.
Someone on Hockey-L mentioned to me that this year would be a big year for
Gillis, Vuori, Heron, Bartlett. Interestingly enough, it was when those 4
all shared the ice on Saturday night against Providence that BU scored it's
goals. All of its goals, mind you.
While it's nice to see that group producing (they accounted for 2 other
goals on Friday), it's disturbing that other production is absent. O'Connel
and Degerman will need to step up their games if this team is to succeed,
but if this team is to become a true winner then it's going to take a whole
team effort.
So far, there hasn't been much faith from people I've been talking to that
this team will turn this season around. Most feel that this will be a rough
year for the Terriers, a rebuilding year where they'll struggle to finish
at .500.
About the only good news is that with all of the talent that departed
Hockey East for the NHL last year, BU's Hockey East season might not be as
tough as it could have been. Just the same, the Eagles are going to be a
tough nut to crack even without Reasoner.
Personally, I'm glad to see the Eagles are doing well again, and in an odd
way glad to see that the Terriers are going to have a rough go at it this
year. Should be a great way to revive the classic rivalry for both campuses.
Whichever, I'm making sure to make it back to the Beanpot this year for
that first-round matchup against the Eagles. After all, it is the BU
Invitational. <smirk>
greenie
S P O O N ! !
(go BU)
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