What To Watch For Tonight

by Chris Aliano

1.  How does David Warsofsky perform on the first line?  Not like we should be surprised to see him here considering Connolly's injury status this weekend.  Warsofsky is more than a capable replacement, and has all the tools necessary to be a effective forward on this team.  He brings the same speed to the first line that Connolly brought, so they shouldn't lose a step.  It'll take some time to adjust, but fans can take pride in their blueliner's offensive capabilities tonight.

2.  How does Kieran Millan rebound after being pulled for just the second time in his career last Friday?  Millan returns to his home between the pipes tonight, and to say that the early goings for Millan this season have been rough is a vast understatement.  Still, he's done exactly what he did last year during most of the games he's played in this year, and that's keep the Terriers in the game.  Fans expecting him to match the numbers he posted last season can keep dreaming.


3.  What can we expect Chiasson in his return to the lineup?  Not much was made of Chiasson's injury last week, when he was decked by senior defenseman Eric Gryba during a practice and needed stitches in his chin, keeping him out of last weekend's home-and-home against Merrimack.  He leads the team in goals (4) and has been a dynamic presence on the ice.  When coupled with Bonino, the two add so much more to the Terriers' game than when without.  The question is will Chiasson be able to get right back into the thick of things tonight, or if he'll need some time to adjust.

4.  How will UNH respond in the rematch of last year's Northeast Regional Final?  Let's not forget that the last time these two teams took the ice was last March in Manchester, when the Terriers (and Jason Lawrence) edged the Wildcats 2-1 in the Northeast Regional championship, propelling them to their first Frozen Four in 12 seasons while UNH was left home to wonder what could have been.  The Wildcats are a perennial power both within the conference and in the country, and last season could have been just as good of an opportunity as ever for them to finally get the monkey off their back and compete for a title.  Don't think they've forgotten that.

5.  Can the Terriers put a complete effort on the ice for a full 60 minutes?  During practice this week, head coach Jack Parker stressed that what worries him most about this BU team is their attitude.  That could be blamed for their performances last weekend, especially when they allowed Merrimack back into the game after going up 4-0 after the first.  Everyone knows the Terriers have the toughest task on their plate as defending national champions, but they can't expect teams to roll over and defer to them just because of what they did last season.  On the contrary, they need to display more mental fortitude than anyone else, and they haven't done that so far.  UNH knows that as well.  Considering how much both teams have struggled early on, this weekend could come down to which team makes less mental mistakes.