{"id":21076,"date":"2019-12-13T11:59:23","date_gmt":"2019-12-13T16:59:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/?p=21076"},"modified":"2020-01-08T20:46:57","modified_gmt":"2020-01-09T01:46:57","slug":"fueled-by-family-jesse-compher-leads-surging-terriers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/2019\/12\/13\/fueled-by-family-jesse-compher-leads-surging-terriers\/","title":{"rendered":"Fueled by family, Jesse Compher leads surging Terriers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"JesseJTCompher\"
LEFT: Jesse Compher skates in a game against New Hampshire last season. Photo by Gabi Turi. RIGHT: J.T. Compher celebrates a goal against the San Jose Sharks during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Photo by Michael Martin \/ NHLI<\/span>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By: Patrick Donnelly<\/i><\/p>\n

When two siblings rise up to become premier athletes in their sport, they usually have a strong pedigree of success in said sport within the family. However, before Jesse and J.T., hockey was uncharted territory for the Compher family.<\/span><\/p>\n

“[Hockey] was a foreign language to us growing up,” said Jesse. <\/span><\/p>\n

J.T., the oldest of the three Compher children, was the first in the family to ever lace up skates. The love of the game transferred to his younger sisters, Morgan and Jesse, and Jesse and J.T. chose to stick with it.<\/span><\/p>\n

“[Growing up with the game] has been fun,” J.T. said. “Neither of our parents, or anyone in the family for that matter, played hockey, so it\u2019s been great to see.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“It\u2019s been so much fun going down the road with them and enjoying all the fun we\u2019ve had with them,” said Bob Compher, Jesse and J.T.’s father. “It\u2019s been a great family adventure.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think hockey has really brought the family together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

J.T., has established himself among the sport\u2019s elite. He is in the midst of his third full season with the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). A former standout at the University of Michigan, the 24-year-old is on pace for his most productive season as a professional yet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Jesse has cemented herself as one of the country’s premier college hockey players. A 2019 top 10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, annually given to the nation’s top women\u2019s collegiate player, and a second team All-American, Boston University\u2019s star center has come into her own as one of the team\u2019s most dynamic attackers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJesse plays very, very hard. She sets the bar, along with captains Sammy [Davis] and Natasza [Tarnowski], in a great way for our program,\u201d BU head coach Brian Durocher said of his first line center. <\/span><\/p>\n

During her freshman season, Jesse notched 26 points (9g, 17a), ranking third on the team and earning a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team. Last season as a sophomore, she finished with 17 goals and 44 assists for 61 points, the most in Hockey East and third-most in the nation, as she was unanimously selected as a Hockey East First Team All-Star. Her 44 assists were the highest total of any skater in Division I. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"image_6483441
Sammy Davis (16) and Jesse Compher (7) celebrate Davis’s overtime game-winner against Harvard during the 2019 Beanpot Final at the Bright-Landry Center. Photo by Gabi Turi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During the 2019 Beanpot, BU took the tournament for the first time since 1981 and for the first time as a varsity program. The Northbrook, Ill., native notched a goal and an assist in the Terriers\u2019 shootout win over Northeastern in the semifinals before assisting on Sammy Davis\u2019s overtime game-winner over Harvard in the championship.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJesse\u2019s a great player, and I really enjoy playing with her,\u201d said Davis, now a redshirt senior in her second year as a captain and as Jesse’s left-winger. \u201cWe have a great connection, playing on the same line together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond Davis, Jesse\u2019s progression has not gone unnoticed by her peers or her brother. One attribute that is easily identifiable is the addition of more and more poise in her game.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI find that Jesse has gotten a lot more confident in the way she plays,\u201d said junior goaltender Corinne Schroeder. \u201cShe\u2019s always been a great player and now it seems like she has more confidence and is really working harder, looking to make the right plays that we need at the right times.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s never been a selfish player, but now she knows when to dump the puck in and go for a change where maybe you don\u2019t have that as a freshman. She\u2019s developed a lot as a player, overall.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s playing more confident than she did as a freshman, and it shows when she has the puck,\u201d J.T. noted. \u201cShe\u2019s very confident and makes strong plays. She\u2019s faster, bigger and stronger than the last time I\u2019ve seen her play. She\u2019s been playing really well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

J.T. saw Jesse\u2019s development as a player firsthand during the offseason when the two practiced and trained together at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4614\"
Jesse Compher of Boston University (7) skates the puck in against Kaitlin Tse (22) of Harvard during the 2019 Beanpot final at the Bright-Landry Center. Photo by Gabi Turi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe trained together last summer and the summer before a little bit,\u201d J.T. said. \u201cThe more she\u2019s home, the more I get to see her and train with her. She works very hard, and she deserves everything she\u2019s getting over here [at BU].”<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesse was quick to note the impact J.T. has had on her development over the years, both directly and indirectly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always looked up to him since we were younger,\u201d she said.\u201d When he went away to the [United States National Team Development Program], that\u2019s when I realized \u2018well, if I watch what he does, watch his hard work, and learn from him, then I can hopefully accomplish things that he does.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been a big help in my success, pushing me off the ice and helping me with the little things. So, it\u2019s pretty cool to have that family dynamic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For Durocher, Jesse\u2019s improved skating ability over her three seasons is what has captured his attention the most.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I\u2019ve been mainly impressed with is her continued development as a skater, in my opinion,\u201d BU\u2019s bench boss said. \u201cI always felt like she was so intense where she seemed to try too hard as a skater.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe seems to have smoothed that out where she lets her legs do the skating and that makes her that much more dynamic, whether it\u2019s shooting, handling the puck or making plays. She\u2019s obviously displayed great vision and sense for the game.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

This past weekend, the Terriers, who rank eighth in the nation, swept rival No. 9 Boston College in another edition of the storied Battle of Comm. Ave. Jesse posted a goal and an assist in Friday\u2019s win, before notching two more helpers on Saturday afternoon.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the Avalanche in Boston to face the Bruins on Saturday night, J.T. and the entire family were able to attend Friday\u2019s contest at BU\u2019s Walter Brown Arena, marking the first time he had seen his sister play for BU in-person. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was pretty neat to have the entire family there in crowd,\u201d Jesse said. \u201c[Morgan] lives in Boston so she gets to come to a lot of games, but that was J.T.\u2019s first game so it was really cool that we were able to get the win in front of everybody.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re so lucky, and it\u2019s exciting,\u201d said Valerie Compher, their mother. \u201cThis is a great weekend for us with BC versus BU, and J.T. in town playing the Bruins tomorrow night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"IMG_1355
Jesse Compher (7) looks for her options against BC at Conte Forum while Sammy Davis (16) anticipates a pass. Photo by Hannah Yoshinaga.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jesse\u2019s two assists on Saturday afternoon marked her 99th and 100th career points as a Terrier, joining Davis (121) in the program record books as well as the likes of Victoria Bach<\/span>, <\/span>who is the program\u2019s all-time points leader with 198, Marie-Philip Poulin (181), Rebecca Leslie (171) and more. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[Getting my 100th point] felt pretty good, but honestly, I was just happy to get the win,\u201d Compher said on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll continue to climb up the ranks, health permitting,\u201d said Durocher. \u201cI hate to ever rank people because you play in different years with different teammates and different linemates, but she\u2019s certainly established herself in my eyes, the fans\u2019 eyes and her teammates\u2019 eyes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think people from past years, they recognize her being a wonderful player. Being an All-American as a sophomore speaks volumes for what she did as a league leader in scoring.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The four-point weekend marked Compher\u2019s 12th point (6g, 6a) over a now five-game point streak, and her 13th total point in eight games. Since returning from offseason surgery, she seems to have found a groove over her last handful of contests.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019m feeling more confident in myself since coming back,\u201d Jesse said after Saturday\u2019s game. \u201cYou\u2019re always a little nervous to get back out there, but I think I got my legs back. I think if I keep playing like this, hopefully good things happen.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited about this team and I think we can build off of these two wins.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen she came back this year it wasn\u2019t just about getting a point producer back, but you also got somebody who, in practice and games, sets the compete level very high,\u201d Durocher noted.<\/span><\/p>\n

With both Jesse and J.T. excelling on the ice, there\u2019s certainly no shortage of a sibling rivalry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of sibling rivalry, but all in love, of course,\u201d Valerie said when asked if there is some competition within the family. \u201cIt\u2019s really funny seeing the texting wars that go on between the two of them. Whether it\u2019s who\u2019s playing better or who\u2019s got more points. Even Morgan is in the mix chirping a little bit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah,\u201d J.T. agreed, before giving his youngest sister credit, too. \u201cJesse likes to compare, but she\u2019s doing a great job. If she keeps playing the way she\u2019s playing, there\u2019s gonna be a lot of good opportunities for her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I think there\u2019s a rivalry a little bit. We have a little fun and games here and there,\u201d Jesse said, smirking and trying to hold in a laugh before conceding the advantage to J.T. — for now. \u201cHe\u2019s always got the upper hand because he teaches me everything I know. So, I\u2019ll have to give him that one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"BU
Jesse Compher (7) goes to shoot during warmups while Sammy Davis (16) looks on before a game against Harvard this season at Walter Brown Arena. Photo by Mark Donnelly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, the chatter between the two goes beyond just comparing goals and points. There is plenty of instruction exchanged during the course of their respective seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf one\u2019s having a bad time, the other one will say \u2018okay, try this\u2019 or \u2018try that,\u2019\u201d Valerie said. \u201cJesse recommends songs for J.T. to listen to, and J.T. will give Jesse pointers on holding the stick in a better way and stuff like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll send each other some clips here and there \u2013 both good ones and bad ones,\u201d Jesse said. \u201dSo, it\u2019s fun to see each other react to those little things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For their father, Jesse and J.T.\u2019s respective surges up the ranks of the hockey world have shown him a lot about his oldest and youngest children.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs they were getting more mature and as they learned the game a little more, they really started to enjoy it,\u201d Bob said. \u201cTheir attitude towards the game really builds their character up. I think the two of them have a lot in common now, so they\u2019re really close because they get to talk back and forth and stuff.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Durocher said, Jesse is among the leaders in the Terrier locker room, setting the bar for the team on and off the ice, even though she may not wear a letter on her sweater. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re lucky enough to have any number of those types of players, like Jesse, you add another kid who reestablishes and resets the framework for your team\u2019s foundation and work ethic,\u201d said Durocher.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s always striving to make the team better, and she\u2019s not afraid to speak up and say \u2018we\u2019re not doing this or that\u2019 or \u2018we need to be stronger on the puck and have better jump and a better start.\u2019 Then she goes out and does it herself,\u201d Schroeder said. \u201cIn the weight room she\u2019s always working hard, especially with coming back from injuries. She\u2019s making sure that she\u2019s doing the work she needs to do to get better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"QF
Jesse Compher (7), Mackenna Parker (11) and the Terriers celebrate a goal against New Hampshire during the Hockey East Quarterfinals at Walter Brown Arena last season. Photo by Gabi Turi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Away from the busy schedule of a Division I athlete, Jesse\u2019s glowing personality is what prevails in the eyes of her teammates and friends.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s always really, really positive and she\u2019s got that goofy attitude all the time,\u201d said Schroeder. \u201cI was her roommate last year and we\u2019re living together again this year. I really enjoy living with her. She kind of brings everything up a bit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While success at BU has catapulted her into the conversation among other elite college players, Jesse\u2019s success on the international stage with USA Hockey has helped her reach another level.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last spring, Jesse won a gold medal with the United States at the 2019 IIHF Women\u2019s World Championship, earning an assist in five games, and also earned gold with Team USA in 2016 and 2017 at the <\/span>IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championships in 2016 and 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Dec. 13, USA Hockey announced its roster for the first two games of the Rivalry Series versus Canada, which included Jesse after she and Davis skated at the program\u2019s women\u2019s winter training camp, which began on Monday Dec. 9 before wrapping up on Friday Dec. 13. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time you put on that jersey and represent your nation, it\u2019s an unbelievable feeling,\u201d Compher said ahead of camp. \u201cSo, I\u2019m excited to get back out there with those girls.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"BU
Jesse Compher stickhandles in the neutral against Harvard at Walter Brown Arena earlier this season. Photo by Mark Donnelly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There’s certainly plenty left to accomplish at BU \u2013 the Terriers will defend their Beanpot title and host the 202 and the 2020 Frozen Four \u2013 but Durocher knows Jesse has what it takes to continue to excel after college, whether it is with the U.S. national program or elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGoing forward, the pyramid gets smaller and smaller whether its accomplishments at BU or trying to make national teams or even Olympic teams. It\u2019s a challenge,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, she\u2019s gotta find ways to squeeze out a little more success, development and improvement in her game. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere certainly is a great base for future success there with her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Patrick Donnelly When two siblings rise up to become premier athletes in their sport, they usually have a strong pedigree of success in said sport within the family. However, before Jesse and J.T., hockey was uncharted territory for the Compher family. “[Hockey] was a foreign language to us growing up,” said Jesse. J.T., the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16046,"featured_media":20461,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1041],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21076"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16046"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21076"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21076\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21077,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21076\/revisions\/21077"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}