THE SIN BIN: Grade A Hockey a BU Norm In Beanpot

Giving out grades as a sports journalist is always a risky business. Somehow, Kevin Mannix of the Boston Herald can get away with it per the Patriots. Usually, you’re asking for trouble, and you’re asking people to say things like, “You couldn’t get out there and play hockey and it’s so convenient for you to sit there and criticize and blah, blah, blah.”

So, here I go anyway, with the report card for last night’s BU-BC first-round Beanpot extravaganza:

First period grade: C — BU’s John Sabo had some great hits, including a beauty on Ryan Murphy, who is just back from a bruised kidney, which is probably now re-bruised. Unfortunately, the one guy BU had to stop — Tony Voce — was not stopped, as he put BC ahead, as well as an ulcer in my stomach. Sabo then had a good battle going with BC freshman Andrew Alberts, who runs about 6-foot-4, 220 pounds. After Gregg Johnson was hit hard by Eagles defender Brett Peterson, BU received a four-minute power play, which at times looked so inept, grown men and women were streaming in fright toward the FleetCenter exits. BU would be leading now if freshman Brian McConnell had hit a wide-open net 5:25 into the game instead of a goal post 5:25 into the game.

Second period grade: B+ — One minute and four seconds into the second period, Jack Baker, a Beanpot hero from two years past and Southie legend, put back his own rebound to tie the game at 1. It was unassisted, and it was a relief. Two years ago, he had a hat trick against Harvard, and damn it he’ll do it against BC! However, our friend Alberts came back to bite us hard, scoring 6:46 into the period while the Eagles were shorthanded. Murphy and J.D. Forrest assisted, and Terrier Nation’s heart rate was a-racin’. Another power play came and another chance to tie was blown. BU’s fore-checking has been excellent so far and Fields just made a great save. BUT, Baker then took a bad penalty for cross-checking. However Pandolfo just made me breathe a little easier because he just picked Brett Peterson’s pocket and then shot it on BC goalie Matti Kaltiainen. The Finn stopped the puck, but Sabo put it home! BU 2, BC 2. The Terriers’ penalty killing has been the difference so far in this game.

Third period grade: A+ — This is it. For all the marbles. Just found out Gregg Johnson is out for the game with bruised ribs. Back to the game, the Terriers need to put the puck in the net soon. Lo and behold, WHITNEY!!! Ryan Whitney just scored, albeit an own-goal off the stick of BC’s Peterson, who has played an awful game thus far. So, here we are 6:05 into the third and BU is winning, 3-2. And now … SABO!!! Off a bee-you-tee-ful feed from McConnell, Sabo has put the BU Faithful into a freakin’ frenzy! Somehow, Baker also gets an assist, even though Sabo made the pass to McConnell initially. Beats the hell out of me, but who cares because the Terriers are winning! Wait, they just gave the assist to Pandolfo. Never mind. OK, and here’s Sasquatch with 9:05 left in the game, his mug is on the Jumbotron and BC Superfans are giving him the middle finger. Very uncool, dudes. And they just announced that A) the attendance is 17,565, and B) this is Sabo’s first multi-goal game in college.

Editor’s note: Malinowski just had a heart attack upon seeing the Pep Band come out between Sections 306 and 307 while playing the infamous “Eat ‘Em Up” cheer.

OK, a goal by BC’s J.D. Forrest just woke me up with 4:38 left to play. This game is not over, but BU has played well, so I have no reason to think they won’t hold this 4-3 lead. OK, 39.6 seconds left … BU wins faceoff, puck out of zone and PANDOLFO!!! He scores his 16th goal of the season, and that is all the fat chick is going to sing. Game over, the 50th Beanpot championship will have BU in the final, the 41st time the Terriers have been there.

Overall: A+ — Any time you beat BC in the Beanpot, it’s a momentous time. Sabo, Whitney, McConnell, Dyment, Magowan, Pando and Fieldsie all played spectacular, as they needed to against a “wounded animal” BC squad.

First the Patriots, and now the Terriers of Boston University, your future champions of this golden Beanpot celebration.

The Harvard University pep band is the most pitiful excuse for a musical ensemble I’ve ever seen. They go from Black Sabbath to Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” to Afroman’s “Because I Got High.” You figure it out.

BU coach Jack Parker is quoted in this week’s Northeastern News as saying this in regards to rookie phenom Ryan Whitney: “I don’t think there’s any question it’s already affected him. It’s like he’s trying to hang on to something. [Whitney] hears, ‘If you don’t screw up, you’ll be a top five pick.’ … That’s something he’s got to learn to play through and not worry about.”

On a related note, I found it humorous to read Beanpot stories from two years ago that said there’s no way Rick DiPietro will ever leave BU early. Just goes to show you can’t believe anything those journalists tell you.