PLUS/MINUS: 3 TAKEAWAYS FROM RED HOT HOCKEY

By: Dan Shulman

EMERGENCE OF THIRD LINE

Before Red Hot Hockey, Coach Quinn juggled his lines, dropping Robbie Baillargeon to the fourth unit and promoting Nikolas Olsson, who returned from injury on Saturday, up to the third line. Heading into the game on Saturday, the third line combined for six points this season. At Madison Square Garden, the third unit registered five points. The top two lines for BU had accounted for much of the scoring this season. It was a welcome sign to see the lines more balanced on Saturday.

FALLING BEHIND…AGAIN

Yet again, the Terriers found themselves behind after two periods. And again, BU mounted a third period rally to tie the game late in regulation. The Terriers cannot afford to continue falling behind in games. They have been lucky for the most part this season, but it is no way to go about winning hockey games. BU needs to play better in the first two periods. It sounds like a broken record, but it should go without saying. Playing for sixty minutes will certainly be more effective than playing for twenty.

SNAPPED THE SHUTOUT STREAK

Heading into the matchup with the Terriers, Cornell and goalie Mitch Gillam had shutout opponents for eight periods and change. And for the first two periods Saturday, Gillam continued to keep his opponents off the scoreboard. It was in the third period where the Terriers exploded (again) for three goals. Cornell was fifth in the nation with 1.59 goals against per game. BU scored twice as many goals against the Big Red, and showed they could beat one of the best defenses in the nation.