Home ice still a possibility for hopeful Icedogs

The final chapter of the 2000-01 Boston University hockey season is about to commence, and if you think the Terriers aren’t playing for anything, then you haven’t been paying attention to BU’s roller-coaster season.

Since Boston College already wrapped up its first regular season title in 10 years and No. 1 playoff seed with a 6-3 win last night against Northeastern University, the Eagles have pride and one possible record on the line come Sunday’s season-finale showdown at Walter Brown Arena.

If the Eagles shut out the Terriers Sunday night, they will surpass the 1998-99 Wildcats for the fewest goals allowed over the regular season by a Hockey East team.

Going into tonight’s weekend action, only Providence and Boston College have wrapped up home ice advantage, so hope for BU and home ice in the playoffs is still there.

Basically, the formula is simple this weekend should the Terriers expect to get home ice in the Hockey East quarterfinal round: BU must win both games, and either the University of Maine or the University of New Hampshire must lose both of their games.

Since Maine hosts Providence for two and New Hampshire has a home-and-home with last place University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the prospect of either the Black Bears or Wildcats being completely shut out of points seems unlikely.

Maine hasn’t lost at home to Providence since 1989, and New Hampshire’s only home conference loss in the last three years was to BU this past Jan. 27.

If Merrimack, led by sophomore forward Anthony Aquino and his 17 goals and 24 assists, defeats BU tonight in its final game of the season, the Warriors will almost assuredly capture the final position in the Hockey East playoffs, having opened up a three-game lead on UMass-Amherst.

One thing going for the Terriers tonight is the horrible road record of the Warriors, which stands at 3-9-1 on the year.

Another source of motivation could be equaling the win total (14) of two years ago, the last time BU struggled through a disappointing season.

The Terriers were coming off a dominant 1997-98 Hockey East season led by Chris Drury, but BU went 14-20-3 in 1998-99 after he graduated.

Last season BU went 25-10-7 thanks in part to the solid goaltending of Rick DiPietro.

Similarly, with DiPietro now in the NHL, like Drury, BU has had difficulty putting W’s on the scoresheet.

So with a win tonight, BU could then be in position to surpass its win total from two season’s past if it can defeat Boston College, which is ranked No. 3 in the latest national polls.

In addition, the Terriers are in a strong position to end the season with the top power play in Hockey East (23.8 percent).

Boston College captain Brian Gionta scored two goals last night against the Huskies and currently leads Hockey East scorers in all games with 29 goals and 48 points.

As for BU, seniors Carl Corazzini, Nick Gillis, Scott Perry, Keith Emery and Colin Sheen could possibly be playing their final home game when they take the ice against the hated Eagles.

For his career, Corazzini has 116 points in 147 games, while Gillis is next closest in terms of career production with 77 in 139 games.

Perry has been consistently one of BU’s more scrappy players over his four years, having played over 130 games in that time.

As for the two defensemen, Emery and Sheen have split time on the third line recently but have been durable in their four years at BU. Sheen played his 100th career game last Saturday, while Emery played on the first line in nearly every game of last season’s successful run through the NCAAs.

By Sunday night, all of BU could know whether or not it will be the last Babcock Street appearance for the five seniors. And you can be sure that whatever portion of Terrier Nation that hasn’t left for Spring Break will be on hand to show their appreciation — and to hope BU kicks some Eagle rear end in the season finale.