https:\/\/wtbusportstrial.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/01\/2016-beanpot-preview-podcast.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\nPREVIEW<\/p>\n
The Boston University Terriers will look to repeat as Beanpot champions as they take on Northeastern in the semifinals; a rematch of last season\u2019s thrilling final.<\/p>\n
The Huskies have featured in the last three Beanpot finals, falling late in both games.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you learn from every Beanpot experience,\u201d said Northeastern Head Coach Jim Madigan. \u201cIt creates a little more incentive and drive to want to get over the top. It motivates our kids a little more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Northeastern won only two games in the first two months of the season, both coming against Colgate. Following a close loss to BC on December 6, the Huskies have gone unbeaten, posting a 7-0-1 record.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnytime you can be playing well coming into the Beanpot, it helps you,\u201d said Madigan. \u201cWe have to take things one game at a time and in the Beanpot that will help us. It will help us remain balanced and neutral.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boston University has also enjoyed relative success in the second half. Following a 2-4-0 start to the season, the Terriers have gone 12-3-4, including wins over Denver, Harvard, and previously unbeaten Quinnipiac.<\/p>\n
The Terriers are the defending champions, but Head Coach David Quinn feels that the target on BU\u2019s back isn\u2019t too big.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think people think too much about the defending champions,\u201d said Quinn. \u201cIt\u2019s a new season. All four teams are different than they were last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The teams last met in November for a home-and-home series in Hockey East. BU won both games, 5-4 at home and 4-1 at Northeastern. Terrier captain Matt Grzelcyk made his season debut during that series, registering four points.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll prepare for them like we did the first two games and like we do with every team,\u201d said Madigan. \u201cWe\u2019ll get ourselves straightened out. They\u2019ve got a lot of skill and a tough team to play against.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re a good team with a lot of great forwards,\u201d said Quinn. \u201cTheir goalie is playing well. They\u2019re playing as well as any team in the country right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
This season, Northeastern is led by Zach Aston-Reese. The junior forward has amassed 23 points this year, including 16 assists. He is also a team-high +6 on the season.<\/p>\n
Defensively, Garrett Cockerill has been a solid two-way player for the Huskies. With four goals and six assists, the sophomore is a +5 and has been a talented playmaker for Northeastern during his entire career.<\/p>\n
Between the pipes for the Huskies will likely be Ryan Ruck. The freshman has assumed the full-time starting role, posting a 2.47 GAA and a .906 SV%.<\/p>\n
On the other side, Boston University has featured a more balanced offensive attack this year. The second line has been the top offensive producing unit, with Ahti Oksanen, Jordan Greenway, and Matt Lane combining for 65 points (30G, 37A).<\/p>\n
Defensively, Charlie McAvoy has emerged as of late. Despite not having found the net since opening night in October, the freshman has collected 12 assists and is becoming an established physical presence.<\/p>\n
In net for BU should be Sean Maguire. The senior didn\u2019t play from October 30 to November 24. Since then, he has played almost every minute in goal for the Terriers. Boasting a 2.33 GAA and a .921 SV%, Maguire has been on the rise and is playing the best hockey of his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnytime you can win a tournament in the middle of the season, it gives you a little experience to draw from,\u201d said Quinn. \u201cHopefully we can have some success this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Puck drop is scheduled for approximately 8:00 p.m. on Monday night following semifinal number one between Boston College and Harvard. The game can be seen on NESN and can be heard live on WTBU Radio.<\/p>\n
PREDICTION<\/p>\n
Boston University has beaten Northeastern twice this season. Beating a team three times in one year is always difficult. The Huskies are also a completely different team and haven\u2019t lost since the beginning of December. If BU gets the game\u2019s first goal, the Huskies will have trouble playing from behind.<\/p>\n
BU\u2019s THREE KEYS TO THE GAME<\/p>\n
\n- Penalty Kill<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
BU and Northeastern have struggled to kill penalties all season. In a game that promises to be a physical affair with a lot of penalties, the teams that stays disciplined could have an edge.<\/p>\n
\n- First Period<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Both teams\u2019 worst period is the first. The Terriers are -1 and the Huskies are -14 in the first twenty minutes. The game could likely be dictated by the first period.<\/p>\n
\n- Goaltending<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Each squad started the season indecisive about starting goaltenders. Both Ruck and Maguire struggled early but have found their rhythm and are playing top-notch hockey. It\u2019s likely that a goaltending dual may occur in this semifinal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By: Dan Shulman Northeastern vs. Boston University (Beanpot) February 1, 2016 ABOUT THE OPPONENTS \u2013 All-Time Series: BU leads 160-58-8 NORTHEASTERN: Location \u2013 Boston, MA; Mascot \u2013 Huskies; This Year\u2019s Record \u2013 9-12-4 (4-8-3 HEA), 1-1-0 on neutral ice; Fun Fact \u2013 Northeastern is 8-32 vs. BU in the Beanpot BOSTON UNIVERSITY: Location \u2013 Boston, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17194,"featured_media":6960,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1028],"tags":[1114,1248],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6973"}],"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\/17194"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6973"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20569,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6973\/revisions\/20569"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6960"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}