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DEAD LAST IN HOCKEY EAST IN GOALS ALLOWED PER GAME 10.9 POWER-PLAY PERCENTAGE AFTER JAN. 11

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014 THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY YEAR XLIV. VOLUME LXXXVII. ISSUE VI.

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ONE ROAD VICTORY

BU MEN'S HOCKEY SAYS

NEVER AGAIN

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2014 BEANPOT

2014-15 HOCKEY PREVIEW LEF T TO RIGHT: F CA SON HOHMANN , F E VAN RODRIGUES , HE AD COACH DAVID QUINN , D MAT T GRZELCY K , F DANN Y O ’ REGAN PHOTO BY MAYA DE VERE AUX/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

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PHOTOS BY MICHELLE JAY/DFP FILE PHOTO

Junior forward Danny O’Regan (left) and sophomore forward Robbie Baillargeon (right), two of BU’s top three scorers last year, return for the 2014-15 season.

Terriers set sights on bounce-back 2014-15 campaign

BY SARAH KIRKPATRICK DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

At the conclusion of a 10-win season and a first-round exit from the Hockey East Tournament, the 2013-14 Boston University men’s hockey team was displeased.

Words like “demoralized,” “crushed,” “frustrating,” “disappointing” and “deflated” were thrown around by coaching staff and players as the season faded out. To put it succinctly: Very little went right for the Terriers last year.

“Obviously, anytime you go through the year we had last year, nobody wants to go through that again,” said BU head coach David Quinn. “But especially at a place like BU, when our standards are so high, and with expectation levels so high. One of the things the captains did is when the season ended, they came up to me, and we talked about, you know, maybe more slogans and a purpose.”

Thus, the offseason mantra “Never Again” was born.

“They certainly have shown that they mean business,” Quinn said of his team.

“They’re not just saying it. It’s not just some silly slogan. The way they’ve approached the off-ice conditioning, the way they’ve approached their skates in the few times we’ve been able to be on the ice with them, just their approach to everything related to hockey and to what is going to allow us to become better, is a great example of what we’re talking about.

“Their work ethic, their enthusiasm throughout the summer, leading up to this... certainly you get the sense that they understand what it’s gonna take to never have to

have something like [last season] happen again.”

Headed into a 2014-15 schedule that features prime matchups against national contenders and always-competitive Hockey East opponents, No. 20 BU needs all the motivation it can get.

“I could see why people would think it was kind of a negative connotation, but we talked about it with Coach,” said junior captain Matt Grzelcyk. “We just felt that, especially implementing during the summer, when you’re going out to a workout and you see ‘Never Again,’ it gives you a little extra motivation to push forward. It was obviously a tough feeling last year, so you never want to feel that feeling again. It just kind of left a sour taste in our mouth, and hopefully we use it as motivation towards getting some wins this year.”

At times last season, marred by injuries to key players, the Terriers played shorthanded, which Quinn said he believes was most detrimental to the team.

“We just didn’t have enough bodies.

Depth wasn’t what we needed it to be. Certain games we played 17 skaters,” he said. “All the stars aligned to have the type of season we had last year.”

But depth should not be an issue this year. With Quinn now in his second season as head coach, BU returns 10 of its top 11 scorers from last season, including sophomore forward Robbie Baillargeon. Baillargeon had 27 points last season, which earned him a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team. Junior forward Danny O’Regan will also return. He showed promise his freshman season, tallying a team-best of 38 points, but played the latter half of the 2013-

14 year with an undisclosed injury from the World Junior Championships, holding his sophomore point total to 22.

Senior assistant captains Evan Rodrigues and Cason Hohmann will look to bounce back after down seasons. From their sophomore to junior seasons, Rodrigues had a 20-point drop while Hohmann saw a 15-point decline.

On defense, BU brings back a healthy Grzelcyk, who dislocated his shoulder during a practice in early January. Junior Ahti Oksanen has played all of his regular-season games at BU as a defenseman, but will likely see most of his playing time at forward this year. In a preseason matchup against St. Thomas on Saturday, playing left wing, Oksanen netted four goals for the Terriers in their 12-1 thrashing of the Tommies.

After platooning with Sean Maguire for his first two seasons, junior goaltender Matt O’Connor will likely fully control the net this year. Maguire is not on the roster this season due to medical reasons, leaving O’Connor as the only player with extended collegiate experience in net. Graduate student Anthony Moccia and freshman Connor LaCouvee will back up O’Connor, who finished last season with a 2.89 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 22 appearances.

But the focus leading into this year, primarily, has been on BU’s highly touted freshman class. Projected top-two NHL draft pick, forward Jack Eichel, stands in the spotlight, with other solid recruits including forward A.J. Greer, forward J.J. Piccinich, defenseman John MacLeod, defenseman Brandon Fortunato and forward Chase

Phelps, who are also expected to be major contributors.

It’s a class that has received plenty of media attention — particularly Eichel, who has been featured in SBNation, The New York Times and USA Today, among others. College Hockey News and Over The Boards deem the 10-man freshman class the best recruit group in all of college hockey this season — quite a bit of pressure for a young group, especially considering two of them, Eichel and Greer, have yet to turn 18.

But their coach is not too worried about pressure.

“It’s BU. Having a great class is nothing new to us,” Quinn said. “The timing of it after the season we had last year, maybe puts a little more of a spotlight on the class, but we’ve always had great classes here. This is nothing new to BU hockey.”

Associate head coach Steve Greeley also noted the Terriers have a great sense of poise despite their youth.

“I like our maturity,” Greeley said. “For a young team, we’ve been mature so far. Our freshmen have done a good job of kind of adapting pretty quickly. When we get into Hockey East play, it’s a whole ‘nother animal, but I think our upperclassmen have done a good job of making our freshmen feel like they’re important players right away, and they are.

“I think, as a team, you hit 2014-15, it’s a new season and we forget about last year pretty quick. [Saturday] night, we played 10 freshmen, and they weren’t here for [last season]. It’s on, we’re looking up, and I think that’s kind of how we feel about the program right now.”

Hockey East Preseason Power Rankings

BY ANDREW BATTIFARANO DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

1. Providence College A year after they made it to the East Regionals of the NCAA Tournament, the Friars appear primed for an even better 2014-15. For any team to be successful, it needs a stout goaltender, which Providence has in junior Jon Gillies. The 2014 Hockey East Preseason All-Conference Team selection for goalie holds the Friars’ all-time record in shutouts with eight and was also third in the conference last year with a .931 save percentage. Forward Ross Mauermann, another Hockey East Preseason All-Hockey East pick, will look to use his great two-way ability to be a force on both sides of the ice this season. With a deep roster and a strong presence between the pipes, the Friars are a well-rounded bunch that should be celebrating a conference title at TD Garden in March.

2. Boston College Sophomore forward Ryan Fitzgerald tallied 29 points as a freshman last year and should make the leap in the 2014 season to help replace a trio of departing forwards in Johnny Gaudreau, Kevin Hayes and Bill Arnold. Freshman and USA Hockey National Team Development Program product Alex Tuch should be an immediate impact on the offensive end. However, if you talk about BC, you cannot forget the defense and goaltending. 2014 Second Team All-American recipient Michael Matheson will anchor a defense that returns six players. The one newcomer, Noah Hanifin, is projected to be a top-five pick in the 2015 NHL draft. With goaltender Thatcher Demko in net (9-1-1 record, 1.35 goals against average in Hockey East play last season), BC will be a force to reckon with.

3. Northeastern University Northeastern shocked many last season when coach Jim Madigan’s squad finished with 19 wins and nearly made a push to the

NCAA Tournament. This year, the Huskies are poised to jump in the standings again due to solid goaltending and a high-powered offense. A big part of the Huskies’ success a year ago was the play of 2014 Hobey Baker Award candidate Kevin Roy. The 5-foot-10-inch forward led the Huskies in points for the second consecutive year and was 12th in the nation in points per game (1.24). Coupled with Mike Szmatula, the offensive unit will be a dangerous scoring threat again. Clay Witt and his .932 save percentage from a season ago returns in net to back stop the Huskies defense.

4. Boston University After a disappointing 2013-14 season, the Terriers are poised to make a jump up in the standings due to a solid returning core team and an impressive class of freshmen.

Highly touted forwards Jack Eichel and A.J. Greer look to be breakout players out of the gate for the Terriers, while one of the conference’s worst offenses should improve with the return of junior Danny O’Regan and

sophomore Robbie Baillargeon. A defensive unit that was beleaguered with injuries a season ago will have the benefit of a healthy Matt Grzelcyk and the additions of freshmen John MacLeod and Brandon Fortunato.

For BU to stay at the top of Hockey East, netminder Matt O’Connor must step up as BU’s primary goalie.

5. University of Maine Coach Red Gendron led a rebuilding Black Bears team to 16 wins during his first year on the bench in Orono, Maine. Forward Devin Shore tallied 43 points last season and earned an All-Hockey East preseason nod this year. Defenseman Ben Hutton, last year’s top goal-scoring defenseman in the country, will be back at the blue line. However, goaltender Martin Ouellette was lost to graduation, leaving a question mark in net for Maine.

Read more online at dfpr.es/ PWRANK

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Matt GRZELCYK Defenseman Boston Bruins draft pick Psychology Charlestown, MA PHOTO BY MAYA DEVEREAUX/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Charlestown native Matt Grzelcyk will serve as the next captain of the BU men’s hockey team.

BY CONOR RYAN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

For almost as long as he can remember, the hockey rink has served as a second home for Matt Grzelcyk. Growing up less than two miles from TD Garden, the Charlestown native frequently visited the arena with his father, John, to watch Boston Bruins practices.

From the moment that he first skated on the ice at 2 years old, up through his sophomore season in front of the Agganis Arena crowds, Grzelcyk has found solace and relief within the confines of the rink.

But this same feeling of familiarity and contentment is hard to come by during the final months of the 2013-14 season for the junior defenseman. Dressed in street clothes and donning a sling over his left arm, the 20-year-old can only sit back and watch his teammates practice out on the Aggan is ice.

Grzelcyk’s season is over, and for the first time in his life, the hockey rink only conveys feelings of dissatisfaction and pain.

However, not the type of pain that most would expect as the result of major shoulder surgery.

“I think the toughest part was not the shoulder pain. It was just coming to the rink everyday and not being able to contribute, and obviously we had a tough few games toward the end of the season,” Grzelcyk said.

“Just not being able to help my teammates is definitely the biggest downer for me.”

The loss of Grzelcyk — who dislocated his left shoulder during a team practice on Jan. 9 — had an immediate effect on the Terriers, especially on the power play. With Grzelcyk quarterbacking the man advantage over the first 19 games of the 2013-14 campaign, the Terriers posted the best power-play percentage in Hockey East at 23.1 percent.

In the 16 games following Grzelcyk’s injury, BU was only able to muster a power-play percentage of 10.9 percent. While the correlation between the Terriers’ success on special teams and the absence of Grzelcyk on the ice might have served as a shock to some, it came as little surprise to Harvard University forward and Grzelcyk’s childhood friend, Jimmy Vesey.

After all, orchestrating the power play has always been something that Grzelcyk has taken pride in, even dating back to his days on youth hockey squads.

“Anytime that he’s on the ice, he’s probably the smartest guy on the ice,” Vesey said. “His hockey IQ is probably one of the best in college hockey, and that translates to him being an unbelievable power play guy as well. He’s been running the power play since he was 7 years old on our youth hockey team.”

“

A

nytime that he’s on the ice, he’s probably the smartest guy on the ice.

His hockey IQ is probably one of the best in college hockey.”

—Jimmy Vesey

Hockey has always been a part of Grzelcyk’s life. His love of the sport was spurred on by his father, who has served as a member of the TD Garden “bull gang” — the group tasked with configuring the arena after games.

“I think I started skating when I was 2 years old,” Grzelcyk said. “It definitely came from my father, working at the Garden, seeing the Bruins play all the time, and he tried to get me over to the Garden as much as he could when the Bruins were practicing.”

Grzelcyk’s father, growing up in the era of Bruins great Bobby Orr, gave his son tapes of the legendary defenseman, sparking the young hockey player’s interest in offensive-minded blueliners.

Grzelcyk soon made his mark with the Middlesex Islanders youth hockey team, where he played alongside Vesey and former BU forward Brendan Collier all the way up until high school.

After playing high school hockey with Vesey at Belmont Hill School in Belmont, Grzelcyk, just 16 years old at the time, made the move out to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to join the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, which was established in 1996 as a way to cultivate and train some of the country’s most skilled youth hockey players.

While making the trek out to Michigan was in the best interest of Grzelcyk’s budding hockey career, he acknowledged that leaving behind his friends and family back home was a tough transition.

“For the first two months, I was really homesick,” Grzelcyk said. “I wasn’t one of the first guys who really made the team, so I kind of had to fight my way to get some playing time and things like that, so it was definitely nerve wracking for the first few months. I think it definitely matured me, living away from home for two years, so I’m grateful for that for sure.”

Grzelcyk may not have arrived in Ann Arbor with much fanfare, but the talented defenseman immediately made his mark with the USNTDP, accumulating 41 points in 115 games with both the U-17 and U-18 teams during his team seasons with the program.

Entering the 2012 NHL Draft, Grzelcyk was ranked 177th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting — a statement that served as more of a reflection on his size (5-foot-10-inches) than his skill on the ice.

With that in mind, Grzelcyk attended the draft with very low expectations for a high selection.

“Surprisingly, it wasn’t really nerve-wracking at all for me, just because I went in with no expectations,” Grzelcyk said. “I actually didn’t really want to go to the draft to be honest, because I didn’t want to be disappointed. But my parents insisted. They didn’t want to be sitting at home just in case it happened.”

Ultimately, the decision to attend the draft paid off for the Boston native, as he was taken in the third round, 85th overall, by his hometown team — the Bruins.

“I honestly don’t even remember it to this day, really,” Grzelcyk said when asked to recall what it was like to be selected by the Bruins. “I was actually not really paying attention, just because I didn’t think it was really possible. As soon as I heard my name called, I didn’t really hear anything.

I kind of blacked out for the moment.

Even in the interviews after, I don’t even remember what I was saying, but I was just so happy.”

While getting a chance to suit up in the black and gold was a dream come true for the young defenseman, Grzelcyk had little time to reflect on the news. His freshman season at BU was quickly approaching.

Grzelcyk, just as he did during his tenure with the USNTDP program, immediately turned heads from the moment he started skating with the Terriers. In 38 games with BU during the 2012-13 season, Grzelcyk recorded 23 points, pacing the team’s blueliners in scoring en route to a spot on the 2013 Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

Even greater things were expected from him during his sophomore campaign, and after an impressive performance at the 2014 World Juniors that saw him score six points in five games, Grzelcyk was looking forward to helping the Terriers navigate through an up-and-down season.

Unfortunately, Grzelcyk’s season would be cut short due to his injury, leaving the Terriers with little hope to claw back up the Hockey East standings for the remainder of the season.

“It was tough timing,” Grzelcyk said.

“Coming off of World Juniors, it went pretty well for me personally, so I was hoping to bounce back after a tough first

half. I was able to do that over the first two games. Even though we didn’t win, it seemed like the team had a little bit of bounce in its step.”

While taking the ice without a player with the skill of Grzelcyk was a big blow for the Terriers in terms of talent, BU coach David Quinn acknowledged that losing their top defenseman had an even greater impact on his team mentally.

“Once we lost Matt, it was more of a psychological blow for so many reasons,” he said.

“We were thin anyway, and then when we lose arguably our best player, it was more of a mental blow than anything, and we just lost our mojo and our confidence on the power play.”

The Terriers ultimately folded without Grzelcyk, compiling just three wins over their final 21 games to finish the 2013-14 season with a disheartening 10-21-4 record.

It was a year that both Grzelcyk and the Terriers immediately made a point to forget.

The melancholy vibe that plagued Grzelcyk during the end of the 2013-14 season has since been lifted, with the junior now back to full strength and contributing back on the ice during the practice.

The sling that limited him during the first few months of the year has long been removed, but the veteran now has another new addition to his wardrobe: a “C” on his hockey sweater.

Grzelcyk, who was named the newest captain of the Terriers over the offseason, is not the most vocal player on the ice, instead opting to let his play and poise do the talking.

“He’s always been a quiet kid,” Vesey said. “But there’s no denying that he works really hard off the ice to have gotten where he is today, and I think he is someone that sets a good example in terms of what he does on the ice. I think he’s going to be a great captain at BU.” For the first time in months, Agganis Arena feels like home again for Grzelcyk.

As the Terriers wrap up afternoon practice Tuesday, just three days before their season opener against the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Grzelcyk, in usual fashion, is one of the last players off the ice — a testament to his dedication to the game he’s loved his entire life.

While the Terriers’ recent 12-1 exhibition victory over St. Thomas University on Saturday has been downplayed to some due to the level of competition that BU played, don’t tell that Grzelcyk.

“It doesn’t matter who you play, anytime you put up 12 points, it’s kind of an eye-opener for anyone,” he said. “Everyone is definitely excited, and you hear people say that it wasn’t too much of a completion and stuff, so I think that gives us even more motivation going into Friday. We want to prove that we are a much better team this year.”

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Anthony MOCCIA Backup Goaltender 6 regular season minutes Public Health Medford, MA PHOTO BY MAYA DEVEREAUX/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Anthony Moccia is in his final season with the BU men’s hockey team.

BY SARAH KIRKPATRICK DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

“How many of you have ever had a goal and not achieved it?”

It’s a straightforward question. A relatable one, for most. It’s a question posed by Anthony Moccia, the backup goaltender for Boston University men’s hockey team. He’s headed into his fi nal season as a graduate student and has played a total of six regular-season minutes in his collegiate career.

On a Sunday evening in late September, Moccia addresses an auditorium fi lled with his friends, family, teammates and some complete strangers. “I Agree With Anthony,” the event is named. The fl iers have been all around BU’s campus for weeks — red and black text, asking, very simply: Do you agree with Anthony?

About what, exactly, are these people agreeing with Anthony? His faith in God. Prior to sharing the story of his faith and how it came to be, Moccia engages the audience with questions, asking each audience member to wave his or her hands if they agree with his statements. He gives a few sample questions to loosen up. Who likes sports? Who likes “The Lion King”? Who ate in the dining hall today?

But then it’s time to get serious. Who here thinks that they’re perfect? Anthony doesn’t. He rattles off a laundry list of faults: He’s stubborn, impulsive, impatient and sometimes arrogant.

Who grew up in a religious household?

I

wish I could have Moccia here from now until the day I retire.”

- David Quinn Anthony did. Who has thought, at any point in their life, that they didn’t need Jesus? Anthony did.

And who has had a goal that they did not achieve? Anthony did.

Moccia was born in Medford, six miles away from BU. He was raised in an Italian Catholic family, went to church every Sunday and went to Catholic school. His family was always supportive of his hockey career; they’ve never missed a single game, Moccia says. They disregarded birthdays, Christmastime, Easter, summer vacations, family time, all to send Anthony to tournaments, games, practices, all to help him achieve his dream.

His dream was to play Division I hockey.

“I had a very understanding family who made those sacrifices because they knew it was important to me,” Moccia says. “I was a hockey player. My identity was a hockey player. And that’s all I ever really wanted to be.”

For a while, his path to college hockey seemed smooth. In school at Cambridge’s Buckingham Browne & Nichols, he was talking to a bunch of Division I schools, he was playing well, he was ready to get committed. He was on the fast track to achieve his dream.

Until his junior year of high school, when he sprained his left knee. He was benched for a few months. Schools began to stop watching him. Moccia hurt his knee again his senior year. His college commitment went out the window, he says. His dream, right with it.

“That was tough,” Anthony says. “That was tough when my whole identity was in hockey. And at that point, it wasn’t there. It was gone.”

One Monday afternoon, after practice and before heading off to an evening class, Moccia stops briefly to recall his younger years. His Italian father had Moccia playing soccer at a young age. He played soccer until one of his good friends from his soccer team, David Geer, started playing hockey. If David was playing hockey, Moccia says, then Anthony was playing hockey.

Geer passed away a few years ago, and Moccia now has the initials D.G. written on the back of his helmet. He might not be playing hockey if it weren’t for David. His identity as a hockey player might never have existed without David.

“When I was younger, I thought I was just playing hockey because I was just playing hockey,” Moccia recalls. “But asking my parents, and going back, it was our family’s decision, but also because David’s family had playing hockey too.

“When he passed away, it just kind of shook me up a little bit, how life works in mysterious ways.”

At Jacob Sleeper Auditorium in the College of General Studies that Sunday night, Moccia peruses over a set of crinkled, folded-up papers. He sets them down.

“Next question,” he says. “Who here has ever had a goal and reached it?”

Moccia mentions the parable of the mustard seed. If you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, Matthew 17:20 states, you can tell a mountain to move, and it will move. Nothing is impossible.

For Moccia, entering his freshman year at BU, his faith was smaller than a mustard seed. “But I prayed,” he says. “And I prayed hard. And you know what? Something miraculous happened.”

When he started out as a student at BU, Moccia got a call from then-head coach Jack Parker, who asked Moccia to try out for the team. Moccia played on the practice squad his freshman year, and he played hard all year. He was called into Parker’s office at the end of the year. “‘I like my team,’” Moccia recalls Parker saying. “‘I like my team with you on it.’”

Moccia remembers leaving Parker’s office, in tears, in disbelief, calling his parents.

Jan. 25, 2014 BU vs. Vermont Moccia made his collegiate regular season debut.

Feb. 10, 2014 BU vs. Harvard Moccia played the final 2:14 of the Beanpot consolation game.

GRAPHIC BY MIKE DESOCIO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

PHOTO BY CLINTON NGUYEN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Anthony Moccia speaks at his “I Agree with Anthony” event on Sept. 28.

He had achieved his dream; he was fi lled with pure elation.

But there was a catch.

“The next couple of days go by, this is the best time of my life, I’m so excited,” Moccia says. “But it’s funny how when you have a long-term goal, a lifetime goal, no one tells you that life’s long.

“I woke up [one] day, and I thought to myself, ‘Oh crap. What now?’”

What unfolded over the next few years was a spot for Moccia as a leader, a place as a role model on the team. Moccia’s a fantastic student — he’s working toward a Master’s degree in public health, and he has been on the Hockey East All-Academic Team three years straight. He’s “a guy that does everything right,” his coach says. Moccia’s respectful, sincere, genuine. He’s one of the

good guys.

He’s helped out in the community, deepened his faith. He relaxes through Bible study and is an active member of Athletes in Action, an organization dedicated to strengthening and sharing the faith of athletes. Moccia realizes that hockey is temporary, that it goes away with age. He needed something bigger than just hockey in his life, he says, and he found a relationship with God. Playing-wise, Moccia’s never been in the spotlight at BU. His fi rst career regular-season appearance came last season, his third year of dressing for the Terriers, against the University of Vermont on Jan. 25. He played for just less than four minutes, and saved the one shot he faced.

His second and only other career appearance was in BU’s Beanpot consolation CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

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Matt O’CONNOR Goaltender 1,217 total career saves Business Adminstration Toronto, Ontario PHOTO BY MAYA DEVEREAUX/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Matt O’Connor will serve as the team’s No. 1 goaltender this season.

BY ANDREW BATTIFARANO DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

It was March 23, 2013. The Boston University men’s hockey team was fighting for its postseason life in the Hockey East Championship game at TD Garden. The Terriers would have clinched a berth to the NCAA Tournament with a win over the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. A loss would mean the end of a legendary 40-year career for BU coach Jack Parker. It was undoubtedly the biggest game of the year.

Unfortunately for then-freshman goaltender Matt O’Connor, he could only watch the game from afar.

He suffered from a punctured lung earlier that month, which forced him out of the lineup. His season was done. And while fellow goaltender and classmate Sean Maguire stepped up for the Terriers in both the semifi nal game against Boston College and in the championship against Lowell, BU’s year was over as well, denying Parker a chance at a fourth national title.

“It was really sad to not be a part of the team,” O’Connor said. “But unbelievable performance by Maguire. And I think that speaks to having two great goaltenders. The way he led the team freshman year was incredible down the stretch, beating BC in the semifi nals.”

Two goaltenders started that year competing for the starter’s spot. One got hurt.

You could not fault the Terriers if they had a feeling of déjà-vu.

During the 2008-09 season, BU boasted two freshman netminders: Kieran Millan and Grant Rollheiser. The two talented goalies vied for equal playing time early on in their respective careers.

Rollheiser suffered injuries in his fi rst and second year. That allowed Millan to take

the role as starter and become BU’s all-time winningest goalie with 81 victories. Rollheiser played just 31 games with the Terriers.

O’Connor very well could have suffered the same fate as Rollheiser.

But a year and a half later, O’Connor is still part of the team, and an integral one at that. He successfully recovered from surgery and has been on the ice ever since. BU’s assistant coach in charge of goaltenders,

0.92

O’Connor’s save percentage, which scored in the middle of the pack for Hockey East goalies.

Mike Geragosian, said the adversity O’Connor had to deal with actually benefited the young netminder.

“He’s a hard-working kid. He’s a good kid,” he said. “I’m proud of his attitude toward my teaching and his attitude as a team-

mate. I think when you get a second chance like Matt, you take advantage of them and be the best you can every day.”

This year especially, O’Connor will get the opportunity to make the most of that second chance. In a twist of fate, Maguire was the one who put an unexpected wrinkle in BU’s goaltending tandem, as the Powell River, British Columbia native will miss this entire season due to medical issues.

In Maguire’s absence, the Terriers added freshman Connor LaCouvee late in the recruiting process. They still have graduate student Anthony Moccia as a third goalie for another season. In essence, there is a backup plan for Maguire.

But if one thing is certain heading into this season, there will not be a strict platoon in place like the two previous years for the Terriers — the job is now O’Connor’s to lose.

Just like when he was asked if he had any doubts about coming back from injury, O’Connor had a simple answer for whether he felt any pressure going into the season as the starter: No. For him, an increased role in the lineup has no bearing on how he approaches the game and what he wants to do on the ice.

“Expectations are the same as they’ve always been — nothing’s changed,” O’Connor said. “I have a lot of goals this year, including shutouts and raising my save percentage. And I think I got a great year to build off of last year. Even though we didn’t have the success as a team, it gave me a lot of work. And I think I kept the team in the game a lot, and that allowed me to grow as a goaltender and a leader.”

Statistically, O’Connor fi nished last year in the middle of the pack among Hockey East goalies in save percentage (.920) and kept BU in position to win many nights. A team fi lled with injuries on defense and inexperienced freshmen did not make things easy. There could be much focus on the negatives of last year’s historically bad 10-win season. Geragosian, however, said O’Connor is using the hard time as fuel for the 2014-15 season.

“He’s experienced having a difficult season, not personally, but playing on a team that maybe wasn’t as skilled as the kids we have this year,” he said. “It was a great experience for Matt if you can get through mo-

ments like that. ‘I play real good and I can’t win. I can’t have a bad night. I can’t give up an easy goal. I don’t have that cushion this year.’ I think that makes you stronger.”

O’Connor was never able to become the team’s primary backstop when Maguire was in the lineup. The two goalies split time down the middle for two seasons. The last time O’Connor was any team’s consistent

#1

O’Connor was named a Hockey East Top Performer after his victory against Wisconsin on Oct. 21, 2013.

No. 1 goalie was with the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League.

That was four years ago.

He was tall and skinny back then. Now, of course, he is still tall, standing at 6 feet 5 inches. But according to his coaches, he is stronger physically, and more importantly, he has even better composure on the ice.

“Well, I think it’s a good timing for Matt. He’s stronger, he’s physically stronger, he’s mentally stronger, and he’s in a good position now to step up and play more games,” Geragosian said. “Certainly in his future, whether it’s the American Hockey League or the NHL, he’s going to have to play a lot of games…Matt came in as kind of a skinny CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 GRAPHICS BY MIKE DESOCIO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Before Boston University

As a Freshman in 2012-13

As a Sophomore in 2013-14

Spent two seasons with Youngstown, helping the Phantoms reach 2012 USHL Eastern Conference semifinals. Finished 2011-12 season with a record of 28-16-5, a 3.04 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage.

Recorded his first collegiate victory in the season opener against Providence with 26 saves. Appeared in 19 games for BU before suffering a season-ending injury in February. Named to Hockey East All-Academic Team.

Made 21 starts. Registered his first win of the season in a 3-2 victory over Holy Cross on Oct. 12, 2013. Named the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week after stopping 92 of 96 shots and recording a 1-0-1 record in a weekend series against North Dakota.

7

Jack EICHEL Forward 5 assists, Oct. 4 Exhibition Game vs. St. Thomas College of General Studies North Chelmsford, MA PHOTO BY MAYA DEVEREAUX/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Jack Eichel is projected to be a top-two pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.

BY CONOR RYAN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

It doesn’t take very long for Jack Eichel to make a good impression.

The 17-year-old freshman forward has yet to play in a regular-season game for the Boston University men’s hockey team, but Eichel’s teammates are already buying into the excitement surrounding him.

“All I can say is that he lives up to the hype,” said BU junior forward Danny O’Regan. “A lot of times, guys are overhyped, but not with Jack. He works hard, on and off the ice.

He’s the most skilled guy I’ve ever seen in my life, and he’s going to do great things. We’re really excited to have him.”

There is not much that hasn’t already been said about Eichel — BU’s most highly touted recruit in years, if not ever.

He’s already projected to be a top-two pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, was labeled “The Next Face of American Hockey” by The New York Times and has been compared to NHL legends such as Mario Lemieux and Mike Modano.

While these heaps of laudatory remarks may seem distracting, if not smothering, to the average person, they stand as little more than blips on the radar for Eichel. For him, the only thing to focus on is continuing to live up to the high

A

lot of times, guys are overhyped, but not with Jack...He’s the most skilled guy I’ve ever seen in my life, and he’s going to do great things.”

- Danny O’Regan standard that he has built for himself over the years.

“I just try to work hard every day,” Eichel said. “If you take your foot off the gas pedal for a minute, somebody is going to pass you, so for me, I just try to work hard every day and get better, and I know that there’s always someone out

there working as hard as you, so you can’t get caught up in the media and people saying good things about you, because I obviously have a long way to go.”

only Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel and Andy Hilbert.

Eichel had made his mark in Ann Arbor. Now it was time to head home.

His father Bob introduced him to hockey and instilled hard work and discipline in him at a young age.

“To be honest, when I was young, my dad kind of gave me the option to play whatever sport I wanted,” Eichel said.

“He put me on ice when I was 3, and I started pushing a crate around. I just loved being on the ice, so since then, I started playing hockey and loved it ever since then.”

The North Chelmsford native quickly excelled at the sport, consistently packing the stat sheets every time he skated onto the ice. At just 13 years old, Eichel earned a spot on the Boston Junior Bruins “B” team of the Empire Junior Hockey League where he usually played against competition that was five or six years older than him.

During his second season with the Junior Bruins, Eichel broke out in a major way, recording an incredible 86 points in just 36 games — a feat that immediately put the young skater into the focus of many scouts and programs.

A star was born.

The sight of Eichel darting across the Agganis Arena ice in scarlet and white likely comes as a relief to many within the BU community and fan base, as rumors swirled throughout the past year that teams in the Canadian Hockey League were making the push to try to pry him away from Commonwealth Avenue.

While such scenarios fueled message boards and social media platforms for months, Eichel bluntly stated that a stint up to the Great White North was not for him. He wanted his shot against Hockey East opponents.

“I grew up watching Hockey East, so that’s what I kind of wanted to do, and I thought that this was just the best

Eichel’s potent production on the ice soon drew the attention of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, which recruits the best U.S. hockey players under the age of 18 to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to hone their training.

Eichel eventually joined the USNTDP U-17 team for the 2012-13 season, where he immediately stood out to former U-17 coach and current USNTDP U-18 coach Danton Cole due to his agility and impressive 6-foot-2-inch frame.

“When you fi rst see Jack out on the ice or even off the ice working out and being around him, he’s a really physically imposing player,” Cole said. “His speed and his power out on the ice, I think, right away, you’re drawn to how he plays that way.”

After posting a line of 19 goals and 15 assists for a total of 34 points in 36 games with the U-17 team, Eichel used the offseason to train even harder for the 2013-14 season. The results immediately began to show.

After a successful fi rst half of the season with the USNTDP U-18 squad, Eichel made the cut as the youngest player on the 2014 U.S. World Junior Team, where he played alongside his future Terrier teammates O’Regan and junior defenseman Matt Grzelcyk in the World Junior Championships in Malmö, Sweden.

While the U.S. team was bounced in the quarterfi nals of the tournament, Eichel acknowledged that the opportunity to represent the United States against international opponents was something he will never forget.

“I roomed with [O’Regan] in Sweden and in Minnesota at the pre-tournament camp, so I got to know him and obviously hanging out with Grizz [Grzelcyk] a lot,” Eichel said.

“It was just a great experience. Obviously, we didn’t do as well as we wanted, but I was able to learn a lot of things from the older guys like those two. “ After his brief stint in World Juniors play, Eichel returned to Ann Arbor and continued to produce at a blistering pace, fi nishing the year with 87 points in 53 games — tied for fourth-highest point total in USNTDP history trailing

Eichel was named “The Next face of American Hockey” by The New York Times.

Eichel made the cut as the youngest player on the 2014 U.S. World

Junior Team.

GRAPHIC BY MIKE DESOCIO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

route for me,” Eichel said. “I wanted to play against older, bigger, stronger guys. I made a commitment, and I wanted to honor it, and this is an amazing place, so I’m really happy that I’m able to go here.”

The sample size might be small, but Eichel has already endeared himself to the BU faithful in a big way after just one game with the Terriers. Facing off against St. Thomas University in an exhibition match on Saturday, Eichel put on a show, showcasing his playmaking ability to the tune of five assists en route to a 12-1 thrashing of STU. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

8

Scott Young After lengthy NHL career, Scott Young is going back to his roots on Commonwealth Avenue.

PHOTO BY CLINTON NGUYEN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

After serving as head coach at St. Mark’s School for four seasons, Scott Young was appointed as Director of Hockey Operations in late April.

BY CONOR RYAN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

For 17 seasons, Scott Young terrorized opposing teams in the NHL, utilizing his quick skating ability and a dangerously accurate shot to score over 20 goals in eight campaigns.

Looking back, it would seem hard to believe that perhaps the biggest obstacle in Young’s noteworthy hockey career was not an injury or the glove of a rival goaltender.

Rather, it was himself.

“Actually, I wanted to quit the first week that I was on skates,” Young said. “I wasn’t very good. My parents convinced me to stay on the ice for the rest of the week that they had paid for, and each day, I liked it a little bit more.”

Young would stick with hockey, ultimately forging a career that saw the Clinton native accrue 342 goals and 414 assists with seven NHL franchises. While his accolades and numbers speak for themselves, that chapter in Young’s career has been closed.

The 47 year old is now going back to his roots. Young was appointed as director of hockey operations for the Boston University men’s hockey team in late April.

“I’m really loving this situation,” Young said. “Working with these high-end athletes here at BU and being back at BU. Obviously, a lot has changed as far as Agganis Arena and the facilities, but the same pride and the same character is there that’s expected of every BU hockey player, and I’m really excited. It’s really been awesome to be back.”

The new position has served as a homecoming of sorts for Young, who suited up in scarlet and white for two seasons in the mid1980s. Prior to his arrival on Commonwealth Avenue, Young was one of the most highly regarded prospects in the country after a successful high school career at St. Mark’s School in Southborough. He later joined future NHL stars Brian Leetch and Mike Richter on the U.S. Men’s National Junior Team

for the 1985 World Junior Championship in Finland.

While Young had multiple options and avenues open to him for the next step of his hockey career, the right winger ultimately opted for the Terriers, thanks to a sit-down meeting he had with former BU coach Jack Parker.

“Really, it was sitting down with Coach Parker in his office and listening to the way he coached and his passion for the game, and I just felt very comfortable with him, and I felt like he was the coach that I wanted to play for,” Young said. “I wanted to be in Boston for sure, but that made my decision very easy.”

Young made his presence felt from the moment he skated onto the ice at Walter Brown Arena, winning the 1986 Hockey East Rookie of the Year Award while playing alongside defenseman and current-coach David Quinn.

Young would ultimately play two seasons for the Terriers, notching 65 points in 71 games before joining the U.S. national team in order to participate in the 1988 Olympics.

When asked to reflect on his time with BU, Young said he was thankful for the discipline and focus that both Parker and the program instilled in him.

“I think the attention to detail that Coach Parker had, and I see the same in Coach Quinn, the attention to the little things that can make you a good NHL player,” he said. “Neither coach is a coach that’s just going to open the door and let the players play. Even if you’re a high-end draft pick or top player, Jack Parker and Coach Quinn, they’re going to teach you, they’re going to work with you.”

Upon his return from international play, Young signed a contract with the Hartford Whalers — the team that selected him 11th overall in the 1986 NHL Draft.

Young played on many talented teams during his career, hoisting the Stanley Cup both with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 — be-

coming the only former Terrier to win a championship with two different teams. The skilled forward also forged an impressive career for himself with USA Hockey by participating in three Olympics — 1988, 1992 and earning a silver medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

T

he same character is there that’s expected of every BU hockey player, and I’m really excited. It’s really been awesome to be back.”

—Scott Young After retiring in 2006, the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame member served as head coach at St. Mark’s from 2010 to 2014, helping the Winged Lions post consecutive winning seasons for the fi rst time in 12 years.

As he has done throughout his lengthy hockey career, Young is once again ready to take the next step by rejoining the Terriers after a lengthy absence. Although he may not be able to directly coach the players as director of hockey operations, Young still has a large say in the overall direction of the program — a facet of the job that was important for the former BU standout.

“You deal with a lot of things behind the scenes,” Young said. “A lot of the scheduling issues, a lot of working on schedules for years down the road. I am a

part of a lot of the decision-making with the assistant coaches and Coach Quinn, so that’s something that’s important to me, to have some input in those meetings, getting practice ready and things like that.

“A lot of the little things — the travel arrangements, meals, a lot of little things that you want to take care of and take some things off of Coach Quinn’s plate. He’s got enough on his plate, so I want to relieve some of his duties, and that’s something that I’m learning at this point in trying to take off as much as I can.”

Since taking up his post inside the hockey offices of Agganis Arena, it has been a seamless transition for Young in terms of working with a coaching staff comprised of a former teammate in Quinn and two new faces — at least from Young’s perspective — in Associate Head Coach Steve Greeley and Assistant Coach Albie O’Connell.

“It’s been great. We’re all in it together.

We’re a team, and we know that sometimes we all agree on things, sometimes we have different opinions, but we get along very well,” Young said. “I didn’t know Albie and Steve before, and getting to know them very quickly and respect them as intelligent hockey minds. We all learn from each other. It’s been great.”

There is much that the 2014-15 Terriers have to prove on the ice, with upperclassmen making up a little over one-third of the entire roster. Despite their youth, BU has reasons to be confident for the upcoming season.

Young, out of anyone, stands testament to that. He knows hockey talent when he sees it.

“The skill level is high,” Young said.

“With a lot of young players in our lineup, consistency is going to be something that we strive for and we’ll see. It’s tough when you come in and you’re a freshman, but there’s a lot of good returning players, and I think there’s going to be a big jump from last year, and we’re going to take it day by day.”

9

Moccia leads teammates through hard work, positivity MOCCIA, FROM PAGE 5

game against Harvard University on Feb. 10. In a total of 2:14 in playing time, Moccia was faced with two shots. He saved one of those shots and allowed a goal on the other.

“As an athlete, as a competitor, you always wanna play,” Moccia said after practice one day. “But for me, the most important thing is that we win…it’s just my job to embrace that role, to be the best leader I can on and off the ice.”

A leader.

“Whether I help [my team-

mates] grow on the ice or off the ice, just help them with everyday life, how they handle themselves in situations where they’re in the classroom or on Commonwealth Avenue, I just hope that they’ve learned respect,” Moccia says. “It goes a long way in this world. I just hope that I can have a positive impact on them.”

A positive impact indeed. His teammates’ respect for him is evident — nearly the whole team is present that night as Moccia expresses his faith. And they have nothing but nice things to say about the veteran.

“He’s a great guy and keeps us really focused on stuff off the ice,” said Matt O’Connor, BU’s starting goaltender. “Having a leader like that, and a guy that’s so dynamic and is a really bright kid, he really keeps our heads high and allows us the extra kick.”

Says BU head coach David Quinn: “I wish I could have Moccia here from now until the day I retire.”

Anthony Moccia faces the audience of teammates, friends, family and complete strangers.

He adjusts papers and talks about perfection. It’s an impossible goal to reach, he reminds us. He and O’Connor want to stop every puck.

But they can’t.

“It’s funny. Hockey’s a lot like life. And playing goalie is a lot like life, too. Because God doesn’t want us to be perfect. Again, life would be boring. The game of hockey would be boring. God doesn’t want me to stop every single shot. Because Matt would be mad, then I’d be playing all the games,” he says with a laugh.

“But it’s not about being perfect. It’s about what happens when

you let in that goal. That’s what God cares about. God cares about what type of person are you gonna be after you let in that goal. Are you gonna stand up? Are you gonna stop that next one? Are you going to crawl into a ball and say ‘no, I can’t do this, this is too hard’?

That’s what God cares about.”

He sits up a little taller.

“It’s not about stopping all the pucks. It’s not about making all the right decisions,” he says. “It’s about bouncing back from the bad decisions that you make and about bouncing back to stop that next one.”

O’Connor ready for opportunity as starting goaltender O’CONNOR, FROM PAGE 6

kid and didn’t have the leg strength and complete endurance to maybe go every night. Him being three years older, and his physical frame, he’s only going to get bigger and stronger.”

Getting mentally tougher is arguably just as important to O’Connor’s game as his on-ice ability. Through his fi rst two years donning the scarlet and white, the Toronto, Ontario native has at times stood on his head. Other times, he’s gotten in his own way.

He won two games in one

week’s time against two No. 1-ranked schools during his freshman year. His sophomore year saw him stop 55 shots against the University of North Dakota, then defeat Cornell University almost singlehandedly when the Terriers were outshot 39-11. But there have also been the down games. Twice last season, he gave up four goals in blowout losses to the University of Maine.

“He’s kind of had a tale of two seasons within each season that he’s been here,” said BU head coach David Quinn. “I know that he’s looking forward to kind of

making the next jump as an elite goalie. I think he’s shown flashes of being an elite goalie at our level and his challenge is to do it night in and night out.”

Competing against goalies like Thatcher Demko from Boston College and Jon Gillies of Providence College, steady play will place O’Connor among the upper echelon of goaltenders in the league. With improvements to his game, Quinn said O’Connor will get there.

“I think it’s the key to every player at this level. It’s the mental side of it,” he said. “It’s the big-

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gest difference between the guys who play pro hockey and guys that don’t is being able to do it night in and night out, consistency. He’s obviously a mature kid in so many ways, but his maturity level on the ice, you can see it getting better and better.

“I feel very confident that he’s going to make the next step.”

And Quinn is far from the only one jumping on the O’Connor bandwagon. Let’s Play Hockey and the Herb Brooks Foundation named the goalie as one of the top 20 to watch for the Mike Richter Award, an accolade in its second

year that honors college hockey’s most outstanding goaltender each season.

Geragosian said, like Richter — who was one of O’Connor’s role models growing up — O’Connor has a “focused demeanor.” O’Connor said himself that he is indeed focused. The individual accolades are nice, though they are not what O’Connor is looking toward this season. His goals are more team-oriented.

“It goes without regard that we want to win a national championship,” O’Connor said. “I think it’s about time.”

Eichel expected to make major impact for Terriers EICHEL, FROM PAGE 7

Despite Eichel’s stellar debut with the Terriers, BU associate head coach Steve Greeley acknowledged that it is important for people to temper their expectations for the young forward going into the 2014-15 season.

“He’s had an unbelievable career, but a 17-year-old kid, I don’t care whether you’re a hockey player or you’ve started a company, there’s going to be some ups and downs to his year,” Greeley said.

“He’s going to face challenges, but we think he’s going to meet those challenges, and it’s just little bumps on the road that every single player’s going to have.”

There’s no doubt that a 17-year-old player like Eichel will likely go through a few bumps, while charting in a highly competitive conference like Hockey East.

However, based on Eichel’s prior track record, Cole said Eichel has both the skill and the “intangibles” to make a seamless transition into his collegiate career.

“There were very few D-I [Division-I] games that we played last year that he probably wasn’t, if not the top-five best players on the ice every game, maybe the best player on the ice,” Cole said. “His physicality, his strength and his size and his speed will help him with that.”

Eichel is quick to dismiss the notion that he feels any pressure from outside sources. All the stress placed on him is from the pressure he puts on himself, and he wouldn’t

have it any other way.

“I think I obviously put pressure on myself, but I think that brings out the best in me,” Eichel said. “I expect myself to get in here and try to be a difference maker every time I get put on the ice by Coach [David] Quinn and whatever situation that he asks of me.”

There is a method to the madness for Eichel.

All of the hours in the gym, all of the summers spent skating in a rink and all of the sacrifices made by both Eichel and his family have all revolved around one goal: a shot at stardom in the NHL. The chance to go fi rst or second overall in the NHL draft is a tough scenario to ignore, even for a focused player like Eichel. However, he is not ready to talk about the draft. He is sticking to the formula that got him where he is today.

“Obviously, the draft is in the back of your mind. It’s something that you’ve been dreaming about your whole life,” Eichel said. “With that being said, the draft is in June, and we’re in October. I’m just trying to get better everyday and focus on UMass [University of Massachusetts-Amherst Friday night].

“I have high expectations for our team, and I think we do as well. I don’t think people on the outside have as good a feel for this team as we do, and I think we have a belief in ourselves, and I think we can do a lot of good things with this group.”

10

Kyle Plantz, Editor-in-Chief Felicia Gans, Managing Editor

T H E I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R A T B O S T O N U N I V E R S I T Y

44th year | Volume 87 | Issue 6 The Free Press (ISSN 1094-7337) is published Thursdays during the academic year except during vacation and exam periods by Back Bay Publishing Co.,Inc., a nonprofit corporation operated by Boston University students. No content can be reproduced without the permission of Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright © 2014 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinton Nguyen, Multimedia Editor

Conor Ryan, Sports Editor

Hannah Landers, Features Editor

Emily Overholt, News Editor

Taryn Ottaunick, Opinion Editor

Emily Zaboski, Photo Editor

Shakti Rovner, Office Manager

20 Questions: BU men’s hockey assistant captains Cason Hohmann and Evan Rodrigues

BY SARAH KIRKPATRICK DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.

1. What was your biggest focus during the offseason?

ER: Just like any offseason, it’s getting stronger, really pounding down on things. It’s the last kick at the can for us, and I [made] sure I got stronger, worked on puck skills and worked on my shot, everything to get better.

CH: For me, just my shooting ability. I worked on shooting a lot during the offseason. I worked on getting stronger. I also worked on becoming more of a leader. I sat down and thought about how I wanted to become more of a leader for the team this year. It’s my last go-around, so I want it to be the best possible.

2. What are your personal goals this season?

ER: Winning a national championship, that’s a team thing, but I think for me, that’s the biggest thing I want to get done. That’s why we came to BU. That’s why I decided to come here, and I think that’s the one thing that’s kind of in my mind this year.

CH: Yeah, winning a national championship for me as well. Also, it’s our last chance this year to win the Beanpot. We’re 0-for-3. This is our last chance to get it done. Also, Hockey East as well is a big goal of mine, so just all three of those are really important to me.

3. Funniest teammate?

CH: I would say the funniest would be Danny O’Regan. He’s kind of a crazy person off the ice, but we all love him. He’s awesome to hang out with.

ER: I’d have to go with [Connor] LaCouvee, a freshman goalie. He takes weird goalies to a whole new level. He’s one of a kind.

4. Most stylish teammate?

CH: I would go with Kevin Duane. Just his style is remarkable, and every time I see him, he just looks so good.

ER: I would go with Matt Grzelcyk. It’s subtle, but I think he’s got some good fashion sense.

5. Favorite NHL player?

CH: My favorite NHL player is Claude Giroux on the Flyers. Everything he does is what I want to do in my game. He’s a great passer, great leader all around, so I look up to someone like that.

ER: I’m gonna go with Pavel Datsyuk [from the Detroit Red Wings]. The things he does on the ice are like no one else, and he’s got hands like no one’s ever seen.

6. What sports do you follow besides hockey?

CH: I follow football a lot. Sometimes basketball during playoffs, but mostly football. I like the Dallas Cowboys. I’m from Texas, so that means a lot to me.

ER: I don’t really follow anything but hockey unless it’s a Toronto team. I’ll follow the Blue Jays, the Raptors when they’re in season.

7. Favorite Hockey East rink besides Agganis?

CH: I’d probably go [with] Maine. It’s really fun to go up there and play a game in Maine.

The fans are crazy out there. They cheer all sorts of things at you that you really don’t want to hear, but it’s fun to go out there and play a game.

ER: I think BC just because the atmosphere there in a rivalry game is always a big one. Being able to silence that kind of crowd and come out with a win is something I like to do.

8. Typical pregame meal?

CH: Well, we all have the same pregame meal.

ER: Yeah, it’s kind of sad.

CH: Grilled chicken, rice, all the same thing.

Hopefully it changes this year.

9. Most embarrassing song on your iPod?

CH: “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton.

But it’s not really embarrassing. It’s my favorite song, so I wouldn’t be embarrassed by anybody listening to it.

ER: I think I’m gonna go with “I’m So Excited” by the Pointer Sisters. It’s just a great song when you’re happy and you’re getting excited.

It’s a good song.

10. Favorite class you’ve taken at BU?

CH: As weird as it sounds, my favorite class was Intro to Law. ER: I’m going to go with, right now, I’m in an Advanced Business Law class...You learn a lot in the class. You just enjoy being in the classroom.

11. Favorite Mighty Ducks character?

ER: Wu Wu Kenny Wu! Absolutely! No doubt about it.

CH: I would still go with Charlie Conway.

12. What do you miss most about home while you’re in Boston?

ER: My mom’s cooking. I’ve got to give a shout-out to her. I miss her cooking.

PHOTO BY MAYA DEVEREAUX/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Senior forwards Cason Hohmann and Evan Rodrigues set their minds on national title.

CH: I’m from Texas, so I like the Mexican food, all of the barbecue down there. And the weather down there is awesome too.

13. Do you have any superstitions?

ER: I don’t even want to go through mine. I have so many, to be honest. There’s so many, it’s not even worth it.

CH: One of my main ones is I don’t tape my stick if I get a point in the game before, so I just leave it all messy.

14. Favorite junk food?

ER: Salt and vinegar chips.

CH: Reese’s. Reese’s candy.

15. If you were granted three wishes, what would they be?

ER: One, win a national championship. Two, have a better roommate my senior year. And three, one day play in the NHL. CH: National championship, play in the NHL and one day become friends, actual friends, with Mike Moran. Bill Moran, we call him Bill. Our friendship is on the rocks all the time.

CH: I’d probably say the last Harry Potter book.

ER: Oh! You know those I Spy books? You used to have to find stuff.

CH: I actually read the last Harry Potter book.

ER: Captain Underpants. Sticking with that.

18. Biggest fear?

CH: I hate sharks. I hate swimming in the water, ocean.

ER: Getting eaten by a snake. An anaconda or something. I hate snakes.

19. Most influential person in your life?

ER: My older brother Paul. I’ve always followed in his footsteps hockey-wise.

CH: I would probably say my father just because he’s been there all this time for me, sacrificed a lot for me to be here.

That’s really important to me.

20. Best advice you’ve ever gotten related to hockey?

16. Dream vacation spot?

CH: I’d say probably Cancún. A lot of good things in Cancún.

ER: I’ve only ever been on vacation once because of hockey, and that’s to Saint Thomas...

It was incredible. So I’d say Saint Thomas. It’s an amazing place. Caribbean waters.

17. Favorite book?

ER: I can’t even remember the last book I read. Oh! Captain Underpants. I used to love that when I was younger.

CH: Just be a team guy, put your ego aside, do whatever it takes for the team to win. We all used to be superstars coming in here, and for us to be a good team, we have to put ego aside and be a team player.

ER: I think just always knowing there’s room for improvement. For example, coming off our sophomore year, we had a really good end to the year, so just making sure that you don’t settle in the offseason, and just make sure to get better day in, day out.

There’s more online! visit dailyfreepress.com for videos, slideshows and extra content!

11

1. Senior defenseman Shannon Stoneburgh will serve as an assistant captain during the 2014-15 season.

2. Junior forward Kayla Tutino will look to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2013-14 season.

3. Sophomore forward Maddie Elia finished second among Hockey East freshmen in scoring with 28 points last season.

4. Junior forward Sarah Lefort led the NCAA with 32 goals during the 2013-14 campaign.

2

1

4

3

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE JAY/DFP FILE PHOTOS

Olympic hero Poulin remains humble despite numerous accolades POULIN, FROM PAGE 12

Poulin’s own hockey tenure started there when she was 4 years old. She had been figure skating and did not like it all that much. Instead, she decided to follow in the footsteps of her older brother and one of her mentors, Pier-Alexandre, and give hockey a try.

“I wanted to do the same as him,” she said. “The first time I wore those black skates, I knew it was my passion.”

Poulin’s parents, Robert and Danye, were very supportive of their children’s burgeoning hockey careers, driving the two of them to and from practice every day, making food for them and working two jobs to pick up extra money for hockey wherever they could.

“My mom would drive with me, my dad would go with my brother, they always worked two jobs,” Poulin said. “Every time I see them, I for sure thank them for everything they’ve done for me and my brother.”

And that is something Poulin does often. She is quick to acknowledge everything people have done for her and how they have helped get her to where she is today. When she received her gold medal, all the left-shooting center could think about were the people who helped get her to that moment. She thought of

her family and her coaches and how they gave her the push she needed to succeed through the years.

One of those people was actually an idol of hers growing up in Caroline Ouellette, whom she has played with at multiple levels.

At 16, Poulin left home for the first time and went to play for the Montreal Stars of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League.

Ouellette joined the team a year later, after Poulin had earned CWHL Outstanding Rookie honors. Poulin would play with Ouellette in the two Olympics she competed in, as well as four IIHF World Women’s Championships and one Four Nations Cup. “The first time I met her, I was really nervous because she was my idol when I was young,” Poulin said. “She was a big mentor of mine. She helped me throughout all those years, and she took me under her wing and really showed me the way.”

With already a large number of accolades to her name, Poulin put on a different scarlet and white jersey and joined BU in fall 2010. In her freshman season, she was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and

came in second for Player of the Year with 47 points in 28 games.

Save for an 18-game stretch where she was benched due to injury during her sophomore season, Poulin’s past two years with BU have been just as notable as her first. Now captain of the Terriers, the 5-foot-6-inch senior is happy to be in Boston with the team again after a year away.

“Being back here at BU, looking back on my three years, I think being part of the BU family is quite special,” Poulin said. “When you come here, you feel you’re part of the BU family. You’re part of the sports team here, and it’s pretty awesome.”

BU coach Brian Durocher said he is more than glad to have Poulin back for not only her play, but also her attitude on and off the ice.

“She’s a fantastic teammate,” Durocher said. “[She’s] somebody who cares about the most important kid or high-profile kid on the team as well as she cares about whoever the third string goalie or the odd person out in a game is as well. She really is a genuine teammate.”

Both Durocher and Poulin recognize the forward is more of a quiet leader than anything else. Durocher stresses that she does not speak often, but when she does, her teammates listen.

She does not talk to hear the sound of her own voice, Durocher said, but does speak when she feels something needs to be addressed.

Poulin admits she has been trying to be more vocal this year, also hoping her teammates notice her work ethic and just how much effort she puts in, as well as the fact that she just wants to be there for them.

“The girls are awesome,” Poulin said.

“They’re quite something. They make me feel young at heart for sure. They bring a lot of energy on and off the ice, and I know I’m pretty lucky to be a part of this team.”

Poulin is majoring in psychology at BU, and while she does not know exactly what she wants to do with her degree yet, after some more playing, coaching is something she is drawn to and would like to pursue in the future.

With all of the experiences she’s had, it’s clear that the Olympian possesses a wealth of knowledge that she can pass on to hockey hopefuls.

“I would love to coach one day,” Poulin said.

“I think being able to give back to the little kids, the little girls, little boys, I think I would love that … to work with them and maybe just teach them what people taught me when I was a kid.”

Now fully healthy, Doyle preps for final shot at national championship DOYLE, FROM PAGE 12 Following her diagnosis, Doyle evaluated her options. She would not recover in time to play during the 2013-14 season, but she still yearned to play for the Terriers and avenge the title-game loss. With a year of academic eligibility remaining, Doyle opted to return to BU and ensure that she would get the chance to compete once again in the 2014-15 season.

With surgery set for Sept. 18, 2013, Doyle played the waiting game. After a successful procedure, it took a few more weeks before she was cleared to begin light workouts.

“It was a really slow, long process,” Doyle said. “I wasn’t allowed to walk for two weeks because I was on crutches, and so it was a while before I moved up to biking and even longer until I could use the treadmill. I had to do everything in a pool first too, so that I wouldn’t overtax my body.”

Unable to contribute on the ice, Doyle used her injury as an opportunity to develop as a leader. She continued to attend every practice and game in support of her teammates and coaches. According to BU coach Brian

Durocher, Doyle serves as “a coach on the ice,” and while she remained sidelined, she embraced this coach label more than ever.

“That’s something that’s remained consistent with the program,” Durocher said.

“When people are injured, they still spend a lot of time around the team. She was still a presence in the locker room, in the gym, around the practice and I’m sure in and around the dorms and campus as well. She definitely chipped in as much as she could.”

In this leadership role, Doyle dedicated herself to bringing her team together as a cohesive unit.

“While I was out [due to injury] and on campus, I definitely focused on helping my teammates and learning more about them,” Doyle said. “It was really different going to practices, games and lifts and not participating. But at the same time, it gave me the chance to learn so much more about my teammates, how they interact with each other, what’s important for them and what makes them tick.

“You learn a lot about your teammates during those times when you’re not focusing on yourself.”

As she polished her intangibles within the context of the team, Doyle also undertook her rehab assignment. While she had restored her hip physically through prescribed workouts, it was yet to be determined how it would perform when she returned to the ice.

“I did a lot of conditioning because I really focused on getting physically back into shape,” Doyle said. “I didn’t start skating again till about March because of all the conditioning I had to do to strengthen my hip first.”

Finally, just one test remained for Doyle — getting back into game shape. For debilitating injuries, not only does this entail a full physical recovery, it also requires some mental tuning after being away from the game for a long period of time.

But Doyle’s competitiveness never left.

“I really didn’t get back into game shape until the end of the summer because I just didn’t have the chance to play,” Doyle said.

“But early on in the fall, I played for two camps run through Hockey Canada, and I basically played 12 games between them. That really helped me to get my game legs back and prepare me for the season.”

With the season upon her, Doyle will look to bring it all together. Over a year of running, rehab, learning and preparation will all coalesce as she looks to regain her all-conference form for her final season as a Terrier.

Doyle’s aspirations for the 2014-15 campaign stretch well beyond her personal goals.

Her ambitions for the team take precedence, as she looks to make the trip back to the NCAA Tournament, and this time, return with a title.

“We want to show up every game and play to our ability because we know we’re talented,” Doyle said. “We are a veteran team, but we have a freshman goalie and younger goalies around her. So as leaders, we’re just trying to support the underclassmen as much as possible. We’re definitely a talented bunch, and we have high expectations for ourselves.”

As Doyle took the ice against St. Cloud State University for the season opener Friday, she was no longer consumed with nostalgia.

Instead, as she took her place on the Terrier blue line in preparation for the opening faceoff, she only had one concern — making her last chance last.

Women’s Ice Hockey THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014

MARIEPHILIP POULIN

SHANNON DOYLE Defense English Ed. Baldwin, Ont. #6

Forward Psychology Beauceville, Que. # 29

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE JAY/DFP FILE PHOTOS

In Beauceville, according to Poulin, everyone knows each other. It is a small city in the southeastern part of the province, home to a little over 6,000 people. The Chaudière River cuts through it, the predominant language spoken is French and like most of Canada, its residents are big into hockey.

When she goes home, people stop her in the grocery store to chat.

They ask how she’s doing, how things are going in Boston.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

BY ANDREW BATTIFARANO DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

One look at the jersey. That’s all it took. Staring at the scarlet and white mesh in the road locker room floods Shannon Doyle with memories: her first goal as a Terrier, collecting a seven-game point-streak, winning the Hockey East title for the first time and playing in the 201213 National Championship game.

But most of all, missing her senior season.

This is a new year though, and Doyle knows it. She has worked too long and too hard to squander this chance. Her last chance.

Finally, she pulls the jersey over her head.

“You ready?” asks teammate Sarah Lefort.

Doyle responds with a nod as she grabs her stick and rises to her feet.

“Welcome back, buddy,” Lefort says before she joins her teammates leaving the locker room.

Doyle remains one more moment to take a deep breath before

she too exits the locker room to the cheering Ridder Arena crowd.

It’s game time.

When the Boston University senior defenseman last took the ice in a BU uniform, it was for a chance at the 2013 NCAA title against the University of Minnesota. Of course, the game did not go as planned for Doyle and the Terriers. They lost 6-3 to U.S. Olympian Amanda Kessel and the Golden Gophers.

However, at the end of the season, Doyle was ready to bounce back. BU still had a wealth of talent and looked poised to make a deep NCAA Tournament run once again for her senior year.

But for Doyle, those dreams of hockey glory alongside her former classmates would never come to fruition.

Not long after the title game, Doyle was diagnosed with a torn labrum in her hip, an injury that requires surgery and a long road to recovery.

“My injury wasn‘t one where you can say it happened at one particular moment,” Doyle said. “It was just the wear and tear that I had accumulated playing over time. My junior year I had the labrum tear, and I played all year with a lot of pain.”

Doyle’s junior season remains one of the best by a BU defenseman in program history, despite her nagging injury. The Colgate University transfer posted a conference-leading 89 blocked shots for a team which allowed a mere 2.40 goals per game. Not only did she pace the Terriers on defense, she also notched career-highs in points (24), goals (six) and assists (18).

Perhaps her biggest contribution to the team, however, came in the Hockey East Tournament, where she had a point in all three games and blocked 11 shots. For her efforts, Doyle was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star.

READ MORE ON PAGE 11 CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Class: Senior

Class: Senior

Height: 5’6”

Height: 5’4”

Last team: Canadian National Team 2013-14: scored game-winning goal for Canada at 2014 Olympics 2012-13: Career high of 55 points scored

Last team: Colgate 2014-15: Played in both games of the season 2012-13: Made 89 blocked shots

Shannon Doyle

It happens quickly on a 4-on-3 power play in overtime with a series of passes and a swift wrist shot.

Until just four-and-a-half minutes prior to the end of regulation, the Canadian National women’s hockey team had been in a 2-0 hole to the United States in Sochi, Russia during the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Goals from Brianne Jenner and Boston University’s own Marie-Philip Poulin cut into and eliminated the lead by the time the clock displayed about 54.6 seconds left to play.

Eight minutes into overtime, Poulin did it again.

The puck sails past U.S. goaltender Jessie Vetter, beating her stick side, finding its way to the back of the net: a golden goal.

A flurry of gloves and sticks fill the air. Poulin celebrates in a subdued way, her shoulders, head and hands dropping, her stick hitting the ice. No running man, no windmill, no pumping her arms deliriously.

She looks up, beaming from ear-toear at the bench full of her teammates, who are now all leaping over the boards to celebrate their country’s fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in women’s ice hockey.

They had completed the comeback.

“I actually didn’t believe that it actually went in,” Poulin said. “That we actually went back into the game and won. It was quite the feeling.

“It was really stressful. It was a stressful moment. It was a great play by Laura Fortino, who passed the puck around, and she really she made the play. She froze the D, the goalie and she passed it to me, and I was at the right place in the right

moment. And I guess I was lucky enough that I would be there.”

But Poulin is no stranger to scoring impact goals. She did so four years prior in her first Olympics, the 2010 Vancouver games. It was not in as dramatic a fashion as 2014, but the Beauceville, Quebec native netted both tallies in a 2-0 shutout of the United States that year. Both feats are impressive, but Poulin said she favors this year’s result over her first.

“In Vancouver, it was so amazing to be there, and I didn’t know what to expect,” Poulin said. “And to be honest, I don’t know how it happened, those two goals, but [I was] at the right place at the right moment, and I thought it was a fairytale.

“But looking back at Sochi, I think it was even better. I don’t know it just, the way it happened, the team, the teamwork that happened during that last game was unbelievable, and I still can’t believe it happened. And when I look back, it’s just two of my dreams that came true that sometimes I need to pinch myself to realize that it’s actually real.

Marie-Philip Poulin

BY JUDY COHEN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

GRAPHICS BY SAMANTHA GROSS/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF