No. 1 Terriers open second half against defending champion Union

With the second half of its 2014-15 season now in full swing, the No. 1 Boston University men’s hockey team will usher in the new year — as well as some added depth — with a tilt against defending NCAA champion Union College Saturday night at Agganis Arena.

The Dutchmen’s (10-7-1) arrival on Commonwealth Avenue marks just the second time that a nonconference foe will take the ice at Jack Parker Rink as the defending national champion.

Both BU (11-3-2, 7-1-2 Hockey East) and Union boast historic hockey programs that have played in a combined 3,865 games all-time, but Saturday’s match will stand as the first-ever meeting between both teams.

It’s been some time since the Terriers laced up their skates in a non-exhibition game, with a 5-1 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Dec. 13 standing as the last regular-season contest for the scarlet and white.

As a result, BU coach David Quinn made a point to acknowledge that his team might need to shake off some rust coming off such a lengthy break.

“You hope there isn’t, but I think every coach kind of wonders what his team’s going to look like after that long of a break,” Quinn said. “We’ve had a pretty good week of practice, so we’ll see. It’s something that we haven’t experienced so far this year, so I’m anxious to see how we come out and get started on Saturday.”

Despite the long layover, the Terriers still have plenty up for grabs against their ECAC opponent, as a victory would give the team its best 17-game start to a season since the 1997-98 campaign.

Thankfully for the Terriers, some reinforcements will be in tow for 2015.

After missing nine straight games, sophomore forward Robbie Baillargeon and freshman forward Nikolas Olsson are expected to be in the lineup Saturday.

Just a year removed from leading the team in scoring during his freshman year in 2013-14, Baillargeon, who had been bogged down with a case of mononucleosis, managed to accrue just two points in seven games with the Terriers this season.

The return of Olsson will give the Terriers a physical presence with skill, as the Escondido, California native compiled three points in seven games before being sidelined with an upper-body injury.

“Obviously, Olsson gives us an edge — he’s physical, he’s got good skills. I think we missed his physical presence and his swagger,” Quinn said. “Robbie, obviously our returning leading scorer from last year, he brings an awful lot of skill, he’s a first-line center who will help our power play, our penalty kill, our five-on-five plays. He’s an impactful player.

“Again, we’ve got to keep our expectations in check. It’s their first game back since almost two full months for both of them, so we’ve got to be realistic on what the expectations are for both of them.”

While Baillargeon and Olsson are expected back, the Terriers might have to make due without junior forward Ahti Oksanen, who Quinn said is “50-50” for Saturday’s game. Oksanen is tied for second on the team with eight goals on the year.

After starting off the season on a high note with a 5-0 record, the Dutchmen have come back to Earth as of late, posting a mark of 5-7-1 over their last 13 games. Despite its slump, Union has been a tough team to beat away from Schenectady, New York, compiling a 5-2 line in road games on the year.

The Dutchmen possess one of the most potent duos in college hockey in forward Mike Vecchione and senior Daniel Ciampini, who have averaged a combined 2.61 points per game.

Union has also received offensive contributions from the blue line in sophomore Jeff Taylor, who leads all Division I defenseman in points (20). As a whole, Union ranks seventh in the nation in scoring at 3.39 goals per game, just ahead of BU’s mark of 3.38.

While Union presents multiple challenges for the Terriers, Quinn noted that he’s more focused on what his own team will bring to the ice Saturday night.

“We’re more concerned with how we’re playing and what our approach is and are we moving the puck, are we physical around the puck, are we ready to shoot pucks? All those things that we’re going to have to do to have success,” Quinn said. “You can’t control what your opponent does. We’ve got to be ready to do those things.”