In the sports world, consistent results can be elusive. Even worthy performances sometimes go unrewarded. There are only so many factors a team can control – the most obvious of which is effort.
Boston University hockey coach Jack Parker called out his Terriers (4-7-2, 3-3-1 Hockey East) after a lethargic 2-1 overtime loss to No. 15 Harvard University last Tuesday, questioning whether BU can truly be considered a threat to win any game, given its sluggish approach toward the not-so-big games.
Effort wasn’t an issue in the Terriers’ stirring 6-3 win over Cornell University last Saturday at Madison Square Garden, and it’s not likely to be a factor in this weekend’s home-and-home series against No. 19 Boston College (3-4-5, 2-3-4 HE). Instead, Parker hopes the showdowns force his team to a higher level as it inches toward winter break.
‘I think it’s great that we’re playing BC right now,’ Parker said. ‘It’s great that we have to get ready for a big game and a big weekend. But the real test will be how we perform after this weekend. We’ll be ready this weekend. If we’re not, there’s a real problem.
‘This will be a test for us against a real big opponent in big games. League-wise, all those things are important, but the biggest thing is that it’s BC. It’ll be a full house in both buildings, so they’ll be intense games.’
BU will oppose a much different BC team than the one that thrashed the Terriers in the semifinal round of last spring’s Hockey East Tournament. Leading scorer Brian Boyle (AHL’s Manchester Monarchs) and stalwart goaltender Cory Schneider (AHL’s Manitoba Moose) have moved on to the professional ranks, leaving two significant voids for coach Jerry York, whose squad has advanced to the NCAA national championship game each of the last two seasons.
But the departures of Boyle and Schneider haven’t changed Parker’s outlook on BU’s longtime rival.
‘[BC] is very similar to the way they usually play,’ Parker said. ‘They’re a good forechecking team and they’ve done a good job killing penalties. They’ve got the second best power play in the league right now. From a special teams point of view, they’re good again.’
Past success hasn’t carried over for the Eagles in 2007-08, as the Hockey East preseason favorites have not graced the win column since a 4-2 victory over Merrimack College Oct. 28.
‘They’re not scoring as many goals five-on-five as they have in the past, so they’ve struggled there,’ Parker said. ‘It remains to be seen who performs well on special teams this weekend and which team can get after it five-on-five.’
Rookie forward Joe Whitney (12 assists) paces four double-digit BC scorers with 15 points, followed by sophomore Ben Smith (13), junior Benn Ferriero (10) and senior Dan Bertram (10).
While both clubs hold a slight edge in scoring differential, BU’s 3.69 goals-per-game average trumps that of the Eagles (2.75), who have received superb goaltending from freshman John Muse (2.32 GAA, .914 save percentage).
Even with Schneider’s absence, Parker doesn’t consider BC’s goaltending situation an obvious weakness.
‘I don’t think we had more confidence or less confidence playing BC because of Schneider,’ he said. ‘I also don’t think we’re going to get more or less [confidence] because he’s out of there. Muse has played well for them, and we’ve got a pretty good goalie we’re missing as well [graduated standout John Curry].
‘When you take both of the All-American goalies out of the picture, you have new people who have to perform. So it’s a different level [of play], but we shouldn’t think BC will be easy because they don’t have Schneider.’
News & notes: Sophomore goaltender Brett Bennett (3.03 GAA, .871 save percentage) will start tonight’s game at Conte Forum. Parker is undecided on his starter for Saturday’s tilt at Agganis Arena. … Parker said freshman forward Joe Pereira will join sophomores Zach Cohen and Luke Popko tonight on the team’s third line. … Senior Dan McGoff will return to the lineup after missing last Saturday’s win with a knee injury.
