It appears we all owe freshman defenseman Bryan Miller a debt of gratitude.
In the end, it was his overtime goal on Nov. 9, 2001, that secured the Icedogs’ first-round bye in this weekend’s East Regional in Worcester. We just didn’t know it then.
You see, if you’re native to New England, you may encounter patches of hillbilly whining from your Maine (it may as well be Canada) friends who don’t understand how their cheatin’ Black Bears (see: 1993-94 season) would be skipped over for a first-round bye when they defeated, not dominated, BU on Friday at the FleetCenter in the Hockey East semifinals.
OK, it’s this simple. In the head-to-head comparison, BU gets one point each for November’s win, a better RPI, a better record against common opponents and a better record against Teams Under Consideration (.500 record or higher). They tied in the area for record over the last 16 games, and Maine gets two points for the two regular-season head-to-head wins. BU 4, Maine 2. BU gets the bye, Maine plays Harvard Saturday at noon. Don’t laugh, though, because those smart kids across the river are on a serious tear.
But while the weekend ended on a great note, it didn’t start off so nicely. Rewind to Friday at Mellon Arena, in what is to be known as the Steel City Massacre. BU lost, what, 90-52? Is that even allowed under those Draconian NCAA regulations? They have mercy rules in collegiate softball, but not basketball? Winthrop University is considering assault and battery charges against Duke and those thugs, and Dennis Wolff should consider the same course. You’re telling me Steve Logan isn’t 34? He looks like he’s been hanging out with baseball’s Dominican players.
And if you were in Boston, you didn’t have a prayer of ever getting a chance to enjoy the game. Is CBS trying to make us all Wisconsin fans, because if you blurred your eyes, the color of the uniforms definitely fooled you. But, as it happened, the Cincinnati Bearcat System (CBS) had mercy on Terrier fans everywhere and cut to the St. John’s/Wisconsin game with almost 15 minutes to go.
So, BU suddenly becomes endowed with school spirit not seen since the last millennium, and The Man takes it away from us. At least Fox Sports New England didn’t tease and told us from the outset that it would screw us over. Instead of watching BU/Maine live at 7 p.m. Friday, FSNE had to show the Celtics nearly embarrass themselves against the Memphis Grizz, and then it showed the hockey game tape-delayed at 10:45. It could have sold the contractual rights to someone like AT’T Broadband 3, but the bastards at Fox couldn’t just let us have our hockey.
Saturday was merely a segue between Friday’s drinking and cheering on BU athletics and Sunday’s immense drinking for no reason other than St. Patty’s Day.
But next weekend, it’s all business, all the time. BU will be watching Saturday’s Maine/Harvard game with rabid excitement. I Never thought this phrase would enter my lexicon, but it’s time to root for Harvard this Saturday, because then it’s easy pickin’s to St. Paul, Minn., on April 4.
Well, your favorite student newspaper was at the Mellon Arena Friday night, but if you tuned in to WTBU student radio, you would have been greatly disappointed. Not just by listening to BU hockey lose, but by not getting hear BU basketball’s heroic stand against the Cincy thugs…
It’s been a while, but the kids have been asking for it. Here it is, your Dan Cavanaugh update. When we last left our intrepid NHL-wannabe, he was toiling away with the Houston Aeros of the AHL. As of last count, Dan had accumulated a grand total of 19 points in 60 games played. On the flip side, his current teammate and four-year letterman at Maine, Cory Larose, is second on the team with 50 points. Wonder how long it is before the words “fall back on” enter Danny Boy’s mind…
UNH forward Darren Haydar will break the school Iron Man record this Sunday, eclipsing the mark of 156 games by Wakefield’s own Mike Souza. Here’s hoping Haydar pulls a Ripken and takes a game off April 4 in St. Paul against BU in the Frozen Four…
Think this BU hockey team could have been much better with Rick DiPietro between the pipes? I didn’t think so…
Think the BU men’s basketball team could be a No. 15 seed next season? Yeah, and then Holy Cross will probably get the No. 2…
Apologies to alumnus and sophomore forward Mark Mullen, but BC High got lucky Sunday against Catholic Memorial in the battle for the 1A state championship. Just like Maine got lucky against Sean Fields and the Icedogs Friday.
Next Sunday, we get our revenge.
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