Pregame Notes: BU vs. Merrimack

 

By Chris Aliano


Game # 9
Boston University (2-6-0, 1-5-0 HEA) vs. Merrimack College (6-3-0, 3-1-0 HEA)
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009
7:00 p.m. – Agganis Arena – Boston, Massachusetts

Starting Lineups
BU

Forwards
Chris Connoly – Nick Bonino – Joe Pereira
Zach Cohen – Corey Trivino – Vinny Saponari
Justin Courtnall – Wade Megan – Ryan Santana
Ross Gaudet – Luke Popko – Victor Saponari

Defense
Colby Cohen – Kevin Shattenkirk
Ben Rosen – Eric Gryba
Sean Escobedo – Max Nicastro

Goaltenders
Grant Rollheiser – Kieran Millan – Adam Kraus

Merrimack

Forwards
Chris Barton – Jesse Todd – J.C. Robitaille
Ryan Flanigan – Joe Cucci – Francois Ouimet
Jeff Velleca – Setphane Da Costa – Brandon Brodhag
John Jamieson – Matt Moulakelis – Elliot Sheen

Defense
Fraser Allan – Kyle Bigos
Simon Demers – Pat Bowen
Adam Ross – Brandon Sadlowski

Goaltenders
Andrew Braithwaite - Joe Cannata – Nick Drew

KNOW YOUR ENEMY: THE WARRIORS
• Merrimack has won six of its last seven contests after beginning the season with a pair of hard-fought losses at North Dakota.
• Junior Chris Barton (7g, 4a) and Hockey East October Rookie of the Month Stephane Da Costa (7g, 4a) have each tallied a team-high 11 points thus far.  Half of Da Costa's points came via a five-goal performance against Army on Oct. 17. Senior defenseman Pat Bowen has added nine points on the strength of a team-best eight assists.
• Senior Andrew Braithwaite and sophomore Joe Cannata have split starts in goal this season. Braithwaite holds an edge in both goals-against average (2.52-3.01) and save percentage (.914-.909) and has won three of his four starts.
• The Warriors' offense ranks tied for second in the nation, scoring 4.00 goals per game, behind only Quinnipiac (4.25). 

BU NOTES

• Good news for Terrier fans everywhere: Nick Bonino is back!  The junior center returns to the lineup after suffering a dislocated shoulder injury against Michigan back on Oct. 24.  
  
• Grant Rollheiser makes his season debut tonight after missing the first eight games with a high-ankle sprain.
• Victor Saponari makes season debut as well, joining Luke Popko and Ross Gaudet on the fourth line.
• Joe Pereira jumps up to the first line with Bonino and Chris Connolly.  Wade Megan moves down to center an all-freshmen third line featuring Ryan Santana and Justin Courtnall.
• Andrew Glass and Kevin Gilroy are out of the lineup tonight after starting in yesterday's contest.
  
• BU is looking to avoid its first five-game losing streak in nine years.
• BU and Merrimack go into tonight’s game having played 86 times since first meeting on Dec. 11, 1964, and the Terriers hold a commanding 70-12-4 (.837) advantage.
  
• BU had won the last 15 meetings - sweeping the last five league series - before Merrimack earned its first win over the Terriers since Feb. 12, 2004, last night.
  
• While BU’s longest winning streak was 18 games from 1973-91, Merrimack has never strung together consecutive wins against the Terriers.
•  The Terriers’ 2-6 start is its worst through eight games since the 1998-99 season, when they went 1-6-1 to open the year.
• Last season, the Terriers were 5-0-0 when allow- ing exactly three goals. This season, BU is 0-4-0 when allowing an opponent to score three goals.
• BU has not scored an even-strength goal in its last 214:47 of play.
• The Terriers are undefeated (9-0-1) in their last 10 games in which they have been outshot. This streak dates back to Jan. 26, 2008, as UNH was the last team to top BU while recording more shots.

Game notes courtesy of Brian Kelley and goterriers.com.