Boston University men’s hockey coach Jack Parker’s post-game words haven’t had a particularly uplifting slant to them this year. More often than not, his press conferences have served as a public forum for the castigation of his team’s effort and ability to prepare itself.
Maybe that’s why there was an air of anticipation amongst the huddle of reporters inside the Agganis Arena press room after Friday night’s 6-2 win over the University of Massachusetts-Amherst-there was a sense that the night’s events would change the 37-year coach’s tune.
‘You can almost feel attitude,’ he said. ‘Attitude is everything, we tell our team, and it sure was great this week.’
The only physical difference between Saturday night’s Terriers and the team that limped to a 4-1 loss versus Hockey East front-runner University of New Hampshire on Jan. 23 was a single line change. Parker swapped freshman Wade Megan and Nick Bonino at the center position, moving the alternate captain Bonino onto a line with sophomore Ross Gaudet and junior Joe Pereira.
But the real reason for the Terriers’ new look, Parker said, evolved behind-the-scenes during a pair of meetings where accepting responsibility was the central theme.
‘We had a team meeting with the coaches, then the players had a team meeting after that,’ Parker said. ‘Accepting responsibility for being too negative at times on the bench and in their minds-and I think they’re correct-not supporting them enough. After the BC game, they felt like we didn’t have confidence that we could come back and win versus UNH.’
Parker’s revamped approach was apparent in his praise of Bonino, junior defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and senior defenseman Eric Gryba. After making a point to call out his captains’ leadership abilities following the UNH letdown, they were the first three he complemented on Friday.
‘I thought Shattenkirk played extremely well tonight. I thought Bonino played great tonight. I thought Gryba played well tonight,’ he said.
The change in the team’s on-ice demeanor was palpable from the nosebleed section.
The Terriers were twice able to block UMass comebacks with timely goals. Just over a minute after UMass junior forward Brian Keane turned home a big rebound to shrink BU’s lead to 3-1, sophomore forward Vinny Saponari tipped in a Colby Cohen slapper to push the margin back to three.
Then, just when another UMass goal had Terrier fans groaning, ‘here we go, again,’ freshman defenseman Max Nicastro netted an additional insurance goal, a laser from the point that beat UMass goalie Paul Dainton stick side.
But what did the team take away from the week of practice, and how did it rub off on the ice?
‘Basically that we’re in it for each other. We’re playing for 26 guys in the locker room. That we don’t have a lot of time left. We’ve kind of been saying that the whole season, and now it rings more true than ever,’ Bonino said.
This isn’t the first time BU has shown a flash of brilliance. The Jan. 22 BC game is a poignant example of an effort that appeared to be a turning point but ended up as just a mirage.
If sophomore goalie Kieran Millan can stay steady in net like he did Friday (39 saves), BU stands a good chance to create some consistency.
‘I have a feeling this team can go on a run here now,’ Parker said.
