Men's Hockey vs. #19 Boston College (12/1/07)

by Sopan Deb

Boston University head coach Jack Parker sent a message to his struggling Terriers Saturday night with massive line changes, including benching senior captain Brian McGuirk, senior forward Ryan Weston and sophomore defenseman Eric Gryba. While BU responded with a much better performance than Friday’s 6-2 drubbing at Conte Forum against #19 Boston College, the result was the same, as the Eagles beat the Terriers again, 4-3.

“In general, I was very pleased with my team’s effort tonight,” Parker said in the postgame. “It was a total turnaround from last night. We played hard and we played smart. We weren’t winners on the scoreboard but I was pleased with my team.”

When asked about the lineup shake up, Parker responded, “When you play as bad as we did last night, you have to change some people around. I could have picked five [or] ten other guys. I’m not happy with my team after last night so I made some changes.” He also said that McGuirk’s status as team captain had nothing to do with his decision for the benching.

For the second night in a row, junior Nathan Gerbe and sophomore Ben Smith terrorized BU. Smith had his first collegiate hat trick in the game and Gerbe scored another shorthanded goal, along with three assists, for four points.

The start of the first period looked to be a continuation of the previous night’s dominance. Sophomore BC defenseman Carl Sneep was called for a delay of game penalty 16 seconds into the game for knocking the BC goalpost off of its hinges. On the ensuing Terriers power play, BC freshman forward Brian Gibbons streaked up the rink and fed a cutting Gerbe for a shorthanded goal, giving the Eagles an early lead. It was Gerbe’s fourth goal and third shorthanded in two games.

“(Gerbe) is certainly a dynamic hockey player,” BC head coach Jerry York said. “You’re up in your seat when he has the puck because you know he’s going to do something.”

It would take nearly eight minutes for BU to strike back. After BC junior forward Andrew Orpik was sent to the box for boarding with 10:13 remaining in the first, BU freshman defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk knocked in his second goal of the year with a straightaway blue line slapshot. All five of the Terrier’s goals in the weekend series against the Eagles were power play goals.

The end of the first period was filled with excitement. When it appeared BU would once again shoot themselves in the skate with penalties, sophomore goalie Brett Bennett put on a show. BU senior defenseman Dan McGoff was called for hooking with 7:18 remaining and 48 seconds later, junior forward John McCarthy was whistled for tripping, creating a five-on-three opportunity for BC. They sent a flurry of shots at Bennett and Bennett repelled them all, including some flashy diving saves and turning away the ensuing rebounds.

BC finally appeared to breakthrough after senior forward Dan Bertram chipped in a rebound with 4:44 remaining in the first. The officials, making use of the newly implemented video replay, determined that the puck did not cross the red goal line all the way and waved off the goal. The power play would be killed off 15 seconds later.

Brandon Yip gave BU the lead on a power play with 2:03 remaining in the first. The power play, on a BC contact to the head penalty called against junior forward Kyle Kucharski, mostly consisted of the team trying to shove it inside to Yip with slapshots from the point. BU broke through when freshman forward Colin Wilson took a shot from 20 feet out and Yip streaked in for the rebound to shove it back in, his fifth of the season.

Of course, with the fast pace of the game, it was not surprising to anyone when BC tied it soon after with 1:23 remaining in the period. This time, Gerbe, on a fast break, fooled Bennett and crossed the puck to Ben Smith who pushed it past an out-of-position Bennett to tie the game at 2.

The second period was filled with controversy as numerous BC goals were reviewed and called back. On one possession with 13:19 left in the second, there was a beautiful pass that thread the needle between two Terriers defenders in transition to reach Bertram for an easy chip in. Bennett made a diving save and once again, the puck did not completely cross the red line.

“I think we have to have it, especially with our team,” York said on the use of instant replay. “We just want to get it right. Things happen so quickly. Even if five of the ten teams in the league can have it, let’s have five have it.”

Even when the Eagles actually scored, it had to be reviewed. Smith scored his second goal of the game to give BC the lead at 3-2 with 7:28 remaining in the second. Gerbe took a slapshot from the top of the left circle and the puck bounced high off of Bennett out to Smith. He creatively took a baseball swing and knocked the puck past Bennett for a goal. Officials reviewed the play to see if Smith’s stick was above the cross bar when he hit the puck, but the goal was counted.

“You bat right handed Ben?” York jokingly asked Smith after the game.

The Eagles tacked on another goal in the third thanks once again to the duo of Gerbe and Smith. Junior forward Brandon Yip was whistled for high sticking with 15:54 left in the game. Gerbe took a one-timer slapshot that bounced off Bennett and right to Smith again who jammed home the rebound to complete his hat trick.

BU would not give up, even while being down 4-2. Junior defenseman Matt Gilroy knocked in his third goal of the year, on a BU power play. It was a blue line slapshot with 9:39 left, which cut the lead to one.

“Coach Parker wanted to send a message and he sent a message alright,” Gilroy said. “I’m almost positive now that no one is going to take the night off when he’s willing to sit the captain and of one our leaders [Ryan Weston].”

With the crowd behind the team once again, the offense sped up and became more aggressive. As the game winded down, the Terriers constantly pressured BC freshman goalie John Muse, who played exceptionally well down the stretch with 16 saves in the third and 41 on the game. Unfortunately, BU could not capitalize on any of their volley of shots or rebounds in the final minutes and the game ended on a desperation slap shot which Muse, as he had all game, turned away easily to seal the victory.

“We really weathered the storm late in the third period,” York said, in perhaps the understatement of the year.

The Terriers return to action on Friday, December 7, at Lowell to take on the River Hawks. Game time is set for 7 o'clock, and can be heard on WTBU, with the pre-game show, Terriers Tonight, starting things off at 6:40.