If there’s any indication that the No. 14 Boston University men’s ice hockey team is ready for its season opener against UMass-Lowell Saturday, it was written across Pete MacArthur’s face.
Asked to describe the feelings of anticipation for his first shift in the first game of the Terriers’ first full season at Agganis Arena, the BU sophomore forward shifted his weight from foot to foot – an attempt maybe to bottle the energy that the sheer idea of skating in front of a home crowd ignites – and let a huge smile rip across his face.
“I’m …,” he said before pausing, searching for a word that could accurately describe it. “Ecstatic.
“I was pretty upset with how the season ended last year, so I’m ready to get out there,” MacArthur added before letting another grin open up like an empty net. “I’m ready to hit somebody on the first shift.”
How “the season ended last year” certainly wasn’t as happy an image. Playing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Terriers were bruised and battered by a big University of North Dakota team in a 4-0 loss. Seniors Bryan Miller, Brian McConnell and Matt Radoslovich each skated for the final time, and as it would happen, so did freshman Chris Bourque, who jetted to the AHL’s Portland Pirates a few weeks later.
After a highly successful regular season where the Terriers finished second in Hockey East and took home their 26th Beanpot title, the team sputtered in the playoffs. They sent Section 118 into the offseason, yearning for the team to return to the ice and make good on MacArthur’s prediction that, yes, BU will bring home a title before he’s done here.
That journey begins tomorrow.
Armed with one of the deepest (if not the most experienced) teams he’s had in years, BU coach Jack Parker will begin his 33rd year at the helm against an equally deep (and more experienced) River Hawk team that ranks just behind BU at No. 18 in the latest USCHO poll.
With 11 seniors and last season’s Hockey East Rookie of the Year Peter Vetri in net, Lowell (1-1-0) boasts a balanced lineup, an efficient power play and former BU assistant Blaise MacDonald behind the bench for his fifth year. What they don’t have, however, may mean even more in the long run: Ben Walter.
The third-leading scorer in the nation last year, Walter netted 26 goals and added a scary dimension to an already solid lineup. But only weeks before his senior season, Walter signed with the Boston Bruins – the organization that drafted him in 2004 – and left the River Hawks, who were picked to finish third in the league by Hockey East coaches, without a star. Parker believes, however, they may not need one.
“They were a terrific power play team last year and the main reason was Ben Walter – he got half his goals on the power play,” Parker said astutely (13 of Walter’s scores came on the man advantage). “But they have an unbelievable amount of seniors, and a lot of them are good players. There’s not a Ben Walter there, but [Elias] Gudoy is a real good player, [Mark] Pandolfo’s a real good player, [Andrew] Martin’s a real good player. They’ve got guys who can play on any team and score points.”
Missing top-line guys is something BU certainly knows about. With co-captain David Van der Gulik out until probably January with a pelvic injury, BU has been bracing itself to play without its leading scorer from a year ago.
But now with John Laliberte sitting for Saturday’s game after receiving a game disqualification in BU’s exhibition last weekend, Parker has called upon freshman Chris Higgins to take Laliberte’s spot on the first line, joining fellow freshman Jason Lawrence and senior co-captain Brad Zancanaro.
Parker said “it looks pretty good” that senior Jekabs Redlihs will return from injury against Lowell – adding to BU’s deep backline – but nonetheless, the loss of Laliberte leaves the Terriers short on left-handed shots and without another huge presence on the ice. “You can’t really replace Vandy or Libs, but I think the one thing we got going for us is playing in our home rink,” said BU senior defenseman Dan Spang. “It’s opening night so there will be a lot of excitement. There will be a lot of fans here behind us. [Lowell] has already played two regular-season games, so hopefully we’ll be a little bit more fired up than them.”
Excitement is something BU’s certainly not short on heading into a season packed with expectations, from fans, from coaches, from players. Just ask MacArthur.