Men’s Hockey: NCAA Regional bracket is set, and the No. 7 Terriers are headed to Toledo, Ohio to face the No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes
Featured image by Holly Gustavsen
By Hannah Connors
The lights are on, and the stage is set. The Terriers are heading to Ohio.
Boston University Men’s Ice Hockey (21-13-2, 14-8-2 HE) are heading to Toledo, Ohio to begin their NCAA title hunt. The Terriers were selected as the seventh seed in the 16-team tournament that will conclude with the NCAA Championship at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO on Apr. 12.
To start the tournament, BU will face the No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes (24-12-2, 14-9-1 B1G) on Thursday, Mar. 27, at 2:00 p.m., and Cornell will face the regional host, No. 2 Michigan State, at 5:30 p.m. The two winners will play for a ticket to the Frozen Four on Saturday, Mar. 29, at 6:30 p.m.
The Buckeyes are coming off an overtime loss against Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship game.
Forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine is a standout player to keep an eye on in this matchup. Fontaine tops the team with 40 points (17 G, 23 A).
Logan Terness is expected to get the start in net, as he currently boasts an impressive .925 save percentage.
Thursday’s matchup marks the first encounter between the Terriers and Buckeyes since 2009, the year BU clinched the national championship—a feat they haven’t repeated since.
“Knowing this group and the way they respond, I expect them to be ready to go,” coach Jay Pandolfo said.
In the last two years, the Terriers have fallen in the semifinals of the Frozen Four. Last year’s team fell to the University of Denver in the national semifinal, so BU will no doubt be looking for a revenge tour.
However, the Terrier’s road to the playoffs has been slightly unconventional compared to last season, where they clinched the two seed.
“I don’t think this team has been as consistent as the teams in the last two years, so I think that is probably the biggest difference,” Pandolfo said. “Are we gonna find a way to play the way we are capable of playing to have success, that is what it comes down to.”
BU’s last game resulted in a sloppy 5-2 loss against the UConn Huskies in the Hockey East Semifinals at TD Garden.
The game was marred by careless passing, poor connections, and a lack of discipline, issues that the Terriers have grappled with intermittently throughout the season.
“It’s definitely important to turn the page,” sophomore co-captain Shane Lachance said. “Obviously, we know as a group that I don’t think anybody knew that they had their best game. It’s unfortunate for us to put that performance on a big stage like that, but we got to know we are out of lessons learned… it’s win or go home from here on out.”
If BU aims to make a strong playoff run, they must recapture the chemistry they showcased sporadically through the season in games like their Beanpot Finals win against Boston College and their senior night sweep over Providence College, both of which resulted in crucial victories for BU.
“We know how to win a championship game, and games that get hard,” freshman Cole Eiserman said. “It’s one of our strengths.”