MARASCO: Heartbreak Hotel

The roller coaster that was Boston University’s 2011-12 hockey campaign made its final loopty-loop and completed its circuit on Saturday night. It was a season marred by off-ice scandal and erratic play.

Those fickle Terriers played with your heart all season.

They began the year ranked sixth in the nation and clobbered New Hampshire in the opener.

“This team could be a keeper,” you thought.

But BU seemed to mail one in on the road in its next game at Providence.

So you were confused. You were wary of the game against the then-No. 3 Denver squad. “Maybe we’re ranked too high,” you thought – your head already in knots after just two games.

Then, those handsome Terriers gave you one of the most exciting victories you’d ever seen, and you swooned.

It was early, but you were riding high. That win against Denver brought you back to 2009. You don’t like getting hung up on those days, but you couldn’t help it.

So quickly they had built you up . . . but then they tore you down.

A 4-1 lead against Holy Cross blown at home the very next weekend. Shortly thereafter, BU suffered its worst loss since the 90s: a 7-1 drubbing at UMass-Lowell.

You lost it. “What the heck is a River Hawk, and how could this happen?!” you thought, “I knew we were overrated.”

You told the Terriers that they were sleeping on the couch that night, and you needed to reevaluate things.

But you just couldn’t stay mad at them. They rolled into Chestnut Hill and lambasted Boston College.

Any win against BC would’ve been good enough for you, but the Eagles were No. 2 in the nation.

Just like that, the Terriers had won you back.

They beat Cornell in exciting fashion at Madison Square Garden – how romantic – and then beat BC again at Conte Forum. They lost the next game against the Eagles, but they won two-out-of-three vs. BC and you were OK with that. “No one’s perfect,” you thought.

A couple more Hockey East clashes went BU’s way and you were all set to go home for break with butterflies in your stomach.

“There’s this great team here at school, and things are going so well,” you excitedly told mom and dad over the phone. “I really think this one is special.”

Then, out of nowhere, they dropped an anvil on your head. Corey Trivino, Charlie Coyle . . . gone . . . and in such abrupt and shocking fashion.  ”How could you?!” you thought. “I need some space over break,” you declared.

You cried all the way home.

You missed the Terriers. You wanted it to work.

You saw them on New Year’s Eve, but it didn’t go well at all – they looked awful against Notre Dame. You just wanted to forget all about them and enjoy the rest of the night with your friends. . . . Your fragile heart couldn’t take any more.

“It’s just not our year,” you thought. You were over it.

Then BU won five straight games. It outscored Providence 14-1 in a weekend sweep, and rose to second in the national polls, first in the PairWise.

“I had you all wrong,” you told them. “I just thought since Corey and Charlie were gone . . . I . . . I think I was too hasty about us. I need you back.”

But after that, things just didn’t have the spark you had hoped for. Max Nicastro left this time, and the Terriers were just 8-8 in the next 16 games.

They tried just hard enough to keep you around, but you felt like they could’ve been doing more.

They beat Harvard in the Beanpot Semifinal, but lost to BC in the final. It was a close game on the scoreboard . . . and exciting . . . but deep down you knew they had been badly outplayed at times.

The Hockey East Tournament was their big chance . . . their big chance to let you know how much they cared.

Sure, the Terriers beat New Hampshire in the quarterfinals, but you felt like they were supposed to. You needed more – you needed them to beat Maine. After all, they’d dropped the last two against Maine at home.

It was a great opportunity. “If we win the Hockey East tournament, we could have an outside shot at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament!” you thought.

But they let you down again. Dumb penalties, bad team defense. . . . You didn’t want to be too judgmental, but you felt like they didn’t care.

“We’ll see what happens against Minnesota,” you thought after you saw the NCAA tournament bracket.  “They’ve done this all season. They always realize when they let me down, and they always have a way of making it up to me.”

This time was different. You felt it as soon as the puck dropped in St. Paul.

Undisciplined play and conduct – quite frankly embarrassing at times. The season ended on a rather sour note.

You’d taken all the heartache you possibly could. You couldn’t bear it when your hotheaded friends starting saying that Jack Parker’s job should be in question.

“How did it all come to this?” you thought.

But after a couple days to let it all sink in, you realize what a fun ride it’s been. Sure, they let you down a few times, but they were going through a rough patch themselves.

When it’s all said and done, the Terriers did give you some great moments this season.

It’s hard for you to say it right now, but deep down you know you’ll give them another chance next year.