Merciless Matthews

Despite the atmosphere, Terriers have fared well at Northeastern
By Chris Aliano

Hockey East can proudly boast being one of the most prestigious collegiate hockey conferences across the country year in and year out.  It can also take pride in housing the past two national champions in Boston College and Boston University.

It can also revel in the venues of the teams that comprise the conference, and just how unique each of them are and the traditions they bring.

It can be seen at the Whittemore Center in Durham, home of UNH.  Time and time again, the Wildcat Faithful can be seen tossing fish onto the ice after their home team scores a critical goal.  Who knows why?  The sheer humor in seeing a dead fish flailing through midair, plopping on the ice and slowly sliding toward the opposing team's goalkeeper is a sight within itself.  Just another tradition at a Hockey East venue.

Tonight, the Terriers make the short trip down Huntington Ave and into the confines of the newly renovated Matthews Arena for a date with Northeastern.  Last season, the recently established rivalry reached a hitherto unseen crescendo: the hatred felt between these two programs and their fan bases had been at an all-time high.  Factor in NU's hot start and first place standings in the conference through nearly the entirety of the season (until BU wrestled it away on the last day of the regular season) and one can understand just why the rivalry between these two schools has never been hotter.


In the lone game at Matthews Arena last season, both teams kept each other scoreless before Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Gilroy put BU on the board in the third.  That lead was short-lived, and the Terriers ultimately settled with a draw.  BU took the season series with a 1-0-2 mark, but the biggest game between these two was played downtown at the TD Garden in the Beanpot championship game.  Northeastern hadn't won anything noteworthy since 1988--the last time they won the Beanpot--and they were determined to assert themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the country.  The only way to do that was through BU, but the Terriers took care of business by capturing their 27th Beanpot in a 5-2 victory that was closer than the score indicated.

So back to Matthews, and more importantly, the Northeastern fan base.  This is a team that has, in general, not had much to celebrate in its history.  By no means have they had much success against the Terriers (BU holds an astounding 144-50-8 record overall against NU), but none of this phases the Doghouse (their version of the Dog Pound).  In fact, quite the opposite is true.  Fans of the Huskies are perhaps the most passionate in Hockey East, and just as intimidating as, say, an unruly crowd at the Mullins Center in Amherst.

"Their crowed [the one game at Matthews last season] was electric," senior alternate captain Eric Gryba said to USCHO.com's Scott Weighart, author of Burn the Boats.  "You couldn't hear yourself think out there."

They are merciless, and now they have a brand spanking new(-ly renovated) home rink to rock night in and night out.  But one may forget that they certainly are beatable at home.  The Terriers are 31-14-5 at Matthews, and have not lost at Northeastern since dropping a 4-2 decision on Feb. 28, 2007.  So much for the intimidation factor.  In retrospect, the Terriers probably get a kick out of playing in such hostile territory.

As of now, both teams are shells of what they were last season.  This could especially be said of Northeastern, who has struggled out of the gate and is desperately trying to replace Hobey Baker finalist Brad Thiessen, who opted out of his senior season at Northeastern to join the Pittsburgh Penguins' organization.  Still, despite their records coming into the contest, it would be wise to throw out the stats before both teams take the ice on Friday.

After all, it's Matthews Arena, and nothing makes the Huskies howl louder than a marquee matchup with Boston University.