10-6-2016

2016-17 HOCKEY PREVIEW

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016 THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY YEAR XLV. VOLUME XCI. ISSUE V.

Primed, Polished & Ready to Perform.

After last season’s bitter ending,

BU’S SWAGGER IS BACK.

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Bellows, Fabbro, Keller look to leave lasting Terrier legacy NHL future on wait, NCAA title in crosshairs for freshman class

BY JONATHAN SIGAL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

They’re the can’t-miss kids of Commonwealth Avenue, the young guns with one part talent, one part confidence and one part swagger. They’re some of hockey’s best and brightest, all born in the summer of 1998. They were first-round picks in last summer’s NHL Draft, and who knows how long they’ll call Agganis Arena home.

The fact of the matter, though, is Kieffer Bellows, Dante Fabbro and Clayton Keller at long last are part of the Boston University men’s hockey team. Their junior hockey careers have morphed into highlight reels and memories, as they’re finally playing for David Quinn and living among the Beantown buzz.

Hockey East rivals are astir, too, wondering just how much damage they can do. And while gossip about the future follows them at every turn, they’re basking in Quinn’s fastpaced, skilled system, watching the next step of their lifelong dream unfold.

“Playing college hockey is something so many people want to do, and to play here at BU is really special for me,” Keller said. “Sometimes when you’re bored or relaxing, you sit back and think about how far we’ve come, but we still have so much to prove. The draft doesn’t mean too much; they’re just giving you an opportunity and you still have to prove yourself. That goes with here, too.”

Although humble, Keller, a 5-foot-10 center, and his two close friends have earned their esteem, all at the ripe age of 18. They quickly became some of the nation’s most-prized recruits and assembled resumes that leave mouths agape.

With the U.S. National Team Development Program, Keller scored a program-best 189 points, while Bellows scored a team-high 50 goals for the U.S. U18 team last year. Not to be outdone, Fabbro was named the Best Defenseman in the British Columbia Hockey League in 2015-16.

When the 2016 NHL Draft rolled around this past June in Buffalo, New York, it was as though BU’s freshmen sensations got the red carpet treatment — Keller’s name was called seventh overall by the Arizona Coyotes, Fabbro’s 17th overall by the Nashville Predators and Bellows’ 19th overall by the New York Islanders.

Their accolades form a mouthful, but Fabbro stressed it’s all about living in the moment.

“We try not to look too far ahead of things or too far back,” the 6-foot-1 defenseman from British Columbia said. “We’re all pretty even keel, so we’re focused on the team aspect of things now. The individual stuff is great, but we’re more looking to win championships for BU.” As Fabbro alluded to, hopes are high over what the trio can accomplish, so far as it’s easy to lose sight of the fact they’re still teens. And every once in awhile that means tuning out the outside noise.

“Coming to the rink every day, hanging out with the guys, it takes your mind away from all the distractions,” Bellows, a 6-foot-1 winger said. “Yeah, it’s hard to stay away from it with all the social media stuff now, but with the draft over and this past summer over, it’s easier to tune it out. Hanging out with these guys really just lightens the mood and brings you to a different world.”

That different world exists outside the confines of Agganis, too, with Bellows rattling

PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Hype around Keller, Fabbro and Bellows has reached a fever pitch, and now they’re on the verge of backing it up.

Cover Photo: With a stacked freshman class and experienced core, BU has lofty goals.

off moments that show how close the new teammates are. There were summer visits to Fenway Park to watch the Boston Red Sox and a trip to TD Garden to watch Matt Grzelcyk, the recently-graduated BU captain, play a preseason game for the Boston Bruins against the Detroit Red Wings.

A small group even attended Drake and Future’s concert at the Garden in August, while another memory drew a chorus of laughs all around. Bellows recalled when all nine freshmen were stuffed in Chad Krys’ car, piled on top of their bags. Sticks were poking everywhere, they were joking the whole 10-minute ride and, perhaps most telling of the group’s bond, Fabbro couldn’t help but snicker when looking back on it.

“Oh god, I forgot about that,” Fabbro said. “That was brutal.”

Their camaraderie surfaces in other walks of life, ones that remind people these future NHLers are still first-year college students.

Bellows said the Chipotle on BU’s campus is a team favorite, while Fabbro insisted Yamato on Boylston Street is the better spot with allyou-can-eat sushi. And, with Keller pushing the point, they all agreed that Johnny McDermott is the jokester of the freshmen class.

“Just the way Johnny says stuff is ridiculous, and he’s an enjoyable, fun kid to be around,” Bellows said. “A complete goofball.”

Lighthearted moments aside, Quinn said Fabbro, Keller and Bellows will be thrust into vital roles right from day one. The latter two should play on the same line, much like their NTDP days, while Fabbro is a shoe-in for considerable ice time in what’s a packed blue-line corps.

When those moments come around, Quinn said, it’s entirely possible a 24-year-old from the University of Massachusetts Lowell or Merrimack College will be gunning for them. In other words, they’ll be skating all season with a target on their backs. The trio will

PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Freshman forward Clayton Keller scored a hat trick in his first BU game, setting the tone for his Terrier career.

PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

have one charge before them: stay focused and let their talent take care of the rest.

“The biggest challenge is, these kids have to mature mentally in a hurry, and that’s going to take some time,” Quinn said. “People have to be patient, and we have to be patient with them.”

Quinn recognizes, however, that fans of BU and their future NHL teams expect big things from Fabbro, Keller and Bellows. In response, the fourth-year head coach said when each player is ready to play in the NHL, he should go, as that’s the reality of the type of player who puts on a Terrier jersey.

Before that inevitable day rolls around, Fabbro, Keller and Bellows agreed they’re looking to leave a legacy at BU. They’re one third of what’s been widely dubbed a special incoming class, and they have the potential, alongside a bevy of experienced players, to capture silverware.

“I think we can win a national championship this year; there’s no doubt about it,” Keller said. “We have the skill and the leadership to do that, so it’s just a matter of staying focused and not listening to the outside noise.

We’ll have a good chance.”

That levelheaded approach is something Quinn reiterated, saying it’s important that Fabbro, Keller and Bellows are wary of not letting the talk get to their heads. But early signs, Quinn said, show that won’t be the case, with each working hard in the weight room, sticking around for extra reps after practice and soaking in every coaching tip.

Above all, though, Bellows stressed how fortunate he and his teammates are to play for BU. And with that chance, Keller and Fabbro agreed, success won’t ever be a given.

But if all goes to plan, the trio’s impact at Agganis will long be remembered.

“We all want to leave an exciting legacy,” Fabbro said. “There’s a reason why we came to BU, and it’s for the hockey and schooling, but we all want to be NHL players some day. We can put ourselves in an atmosphere to succeed with coach Quinn and the players around us, so we want to keep our head on even. The rest will come.”

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PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Olsson, Somerby and Forsbacka Karlsson have one end goal in mind: bringing a trophy back to BU.

Terriers welcome talented incoming class, look to bounce back

BY NICK FRAZIER DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

It was supposed to end differently for the Boston University men’s hockey team last year.

After a historic season where they were one clean save away from a National Championship against Providence College in 2015, the Terriers entered the 2015-16 season as heavy favorites to win it all, ranking third in the USCHO preseason poll with six first-place votes.

Unfortunately, last season didn’t have the ending that BU head coach David Quinn and his team were looking for. The Terriers barely squeaked by the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the first round of the Hockey East Tournament before being swept by the University of Massachusetts Lowell in the second round. BU was then knocked out of the first round of the NCAA tournament by a score of 7-2.

According to senior defenseman Doyle Somerby, the captain of this year’s squad, last year’s Terriers never reached their peak.

“I don’t think we really got as good as we could have over the year, and that’s something we really need to do this year,” Somerby said. “With the players that we’ve brought in combined with the players we have coming back, we’re going to have a lot of skill, we’re going to be decent. I think it’s something that will push us to get better every day.”

This go-around, the Terriers are again projected to be one of the top teams in the nation, ranking fourth in the USCHO preseason poll. However, there’s plenty more to look forward to this year, thanks to a crop of promising freshmen.

Quinn and his staff successfully pulled in one of the best recruiting classes in all of college hockey. Clayton Keller and Kieffer Bellows, two first-round NHL draft picks this year, will contribute immediately at the forward position. Fellow first-rounder Dante Fabbro figures to earn some valuable time on the blue line, and 17-year-old goaltender Jake Oettinger will get his chance to lock up the starting job in net.

Junior forward and assistant captain Nikolas Olsson said he is looking forward to playing with the nine freshmen, which also include defenseman Chad Krys and forwards Patrick Harper, Johnny McDermott, Gabriel Chabot and Patrick Curry.

“I’m excited, because it’s a lot of new talent and they’re all really hungry, really eager to get the season started,” Olsson said. “You can just feel their excitement just to get on the ice and get going.”

There’s no denying that the star-studded freshman group will play an important role with the team this season, but Quinn said it’s important for the freshmen to stay grounded and focused on improving their

game. He said he believes the team’s three seniors will help in that regard.

“Our seniors have seen a little bit of everything,” Quinn said. “From our first year where we won 10 games, to losing in the National Championship game our second year, and then last year having a solid year, but not a great year. I think all of those experiences will help them in keeping our freshmen single-minded and focused and understanding that no matter what people are saying outside of these walls, you’ve got to go out and play hockey.”

On the offensive end, assistant captains Olsson and Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson will anchor a stacked forward group, consisting of sophomores Jordan Greenway and Bobo Carpenter, Keller and Bellows.

The Terriers averaged 3.18 goals per game last season, fourth-best in Hockey East. That ranking will likely improve, especially with the sophomore Forsbacka-Karlsson likely returning to the top lines. “[He] obviously is a guy who was on the All-Rookie Team last year and is a high-profile guy who’s mature beyond his years,”

Left Wing: Harper Bellows Olsson Cloonan McDermott

Quinn said. “We’re really anticipating him making the next step as an all-around player. I think we’ll be a little bit deeper this year, which will allow him maybe to free up a little bit. Certainly, we’re going to lean on him heavily.”

Not only is BU deep at the forward positions, but the defense is stacked as well. Somerby and Hockey East preseason First-Team selection Charlie McAvoy are expected to start on the blue line, with junior returnees Brandon Hickey, Brien Diffley and John MacLeod ready to battle with newcomers Fabbro and Krys for ice time.

There’s always the possibility of sophomore Shane Switzer enjoying a more expansive role, a possibility one can never rule out.

Tough decisions have to be made by Quinn and the coaching staff, but the fourth-year head coach is looking forward to the competition in practice.

“I think the inner competition pushes each guy individually,” Quinn said. “They understand the depth that we have on the blue line. It’s a luxury that we have as coaches, but I also think it’s a luxury for the player because each guy wants to be the

Center: Forsbacka Karlsson Keller Curry Kelley Chabot

Left Defense: McAvoy Hickey Somerby MacLeod

Right Wing: Carpenter Greenway Roberto Andrén Phelps

Right Defense: Krys Fabbro Diffley Switzer

Goaltender: Oettinger LaCouvee Prawdzik

These lines are an estimated prediction based on past lines, chemistry between players and BU’s preseason scrimmages.

GRAPHIC BY RACHEL CHMIELINSKI/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

best player they can be.

“What I think that will just do is elevate our practices and elevate each guys’ play individually. It’s going to be fun watching these guys continue to work hard and get better daily, and it will be interesting to see who emerges.”

That same inner competition is also expected at the goaltender position. Junior netminder Connor LaCouvee returns after posting an 8-4-4 record in 19 appearances last year. Yet his 2.92 goals-against average ranked just 10th in the conference. That leaves the door open for Oettinger, who posted a 2.38 GAA and .908 save percentage in 37 games with the Under-18 Team in 2015-16.

While it may remain unclear who will be termed the “starter,” Somerby stressed the importance of having both goalies available throughout the grueling season.

“It’s a long year, we’re going to need both of them at certain points,” Somerby said. “It’s just confidence with them, and that function depends on forwards blocking shots and playing physical, and we definitely need to better in the D-zone this year to help them out. It’s just talking and communicating with them and letting them know that we’re there for them whenever they need, picking up the guys if one of them’s not playing well and one is. It’s just doing what’s best for the team.”

There may be a few questions at some positions, but one thing is certain: this is the most talented team Quinn has had at his disposal. Eleven NHL Draft picks are on the roster, and the professional pipeline shows few signs of slowing down in the future Quinn and his staff can’t help but constantly hear about how good their team is supposed to be with the new additions, but now he’s ready to go out there and prove it.

“The first thing I said to [the freshman] at our first team meeting, I said, ‘You know who people are sick of? You, and I know that because I’m sick and tired of hearing how good we’re going to be,’” Quinn said. “We all had a laugh at it, but they also know there’s some truth to it, and I really like the way we’ve approached the first two weeks of the season.”

The talent is undeniable, but Quinn and the more experienced players know far more goes into a winning season. Last year is the perfect example of a team that fell short of expectations despite having the playmaking to make a deep tourney run.

Forsbacka-Karlsson knows it, and is looking forward to starting this season fresh.

“You never want to feel the feeling that you have after you get knocked out like we did last year,” Forsbacka-Karlsson said. “I think it puts a little bit of fuel to the fire, but other than that, it’s another year, another chance.”

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Somerby looks to guide young team to title in final season

BY NICK FRAZIER DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Doyle Somerby didn’t have to wait very long for his first true test as a captain.

In the Boston University men’s hockey team’s 10-2 exhibition win against the University of Prince Edward Island on Saturday, the Terriers found themselves in a contest marred by penalties. The two teams combined for 39 total penalties, and there were some instances where BU players let their emotions get the best of them.

Most noticeably, sophomore forward Jordan Greenway was ejected at the end of the second half for fighting. The over-aggressive nature of the game gave Somerby, the senior defenseman who took over for the now-graduated Matt Grzelcyk as captain, a challenge — keeping his team level-headed while continuing its high level of play.

After the Greenway ejection, BU did exactly that, as they were called for just three penalties in the third period while winning the frame 2-0. Somerby, who picked up two assists in the win, said postgame that the second period scrum helped put an end to the chippiness on the Terriers’ end.

“We have some big games coming up, and I knows that guys don’t want to get into it and lose games in the season for scrums in an exhibition game,” Somerby said. “That kind of helped out a little bit, but just throughout, [I was] just reminding them that it’s an exhibition game and we’re trying to make statements here and improve each period. [We] just kind of have to stay to our own and just keep working.”

If there’s one person on this year’s stacked Terriers team who knows how to just keep working, it’s Somerby. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound blue-liner has been through it all during his college career, from a losing season his freshman year to a National Championship appearance in his sophomore campaign.

Now the on-ice leader of a young, promising squad, the experienced Somerby will look to guide the Terriers back to the Frozen Four in his final season. One of three seniors on the roster, Somerby has the unique task of serving as captain for a star-studded group of freshmen.

BU head coach David Quinn said he has been impressed by the leadership of the senior class so far. Much of that can be credited to Somerby who, along with classmates Nick Roberto and Tommy Kelley, have done a nice job leading by example, according to their head coach.

“I know it’s only a short sampling, but I certainly love the feel of our team right now,” Quinn said. “And I don’t mean talent wise, just the feel of it. There seems to be a work ethic that you’re going to need, and we’re going to need it if we’re going to have success, and so far so good.

Somerby, a Marblehead native, has come across many challenges in his career. He originally played the forward position before switching to defense his freshmen year

of high school at St. Mary’s High School in Lynn. On top of that, Somerby transferred to Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire after a year at St. Mary’s.

Despite playing on the blue line for only a few years and changing schools in the midst of his high school career, Somerby excelled and was taken by the New York Islanders in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, just months after committing to BU. Somerby impressed in his first collegiate season, but the team as a whole struggled, managing only a 11-21-4 record. The next year, of course, was a complete reversal as Somerby and the Terriers were a clean third period away from a National Championship. Last season, BU collapsed at the end of the year, losing four of their last six contests and suffering a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament.

Somerby has dealt with the highs and lows of college hockey, and Quinn said he believes that senior experience will prove to be key this year.

“I think our upperclassmen are smart enough to use that wisdom to help us this year,” Quinn said. “Our guys understand what consistency is and how to be mentally tough and how mentally tough we’re going to need to be if we’re going to have success, because at the end of the day, we understand when we go into a rink, we face everybody’s A-game.”

He could have moved on to the NHL after last season, but Somerby decided to stay on Commonwealth Avenue for one more year. The stacked freshman class recruited by the coaching staff is the main reason for remaining a Terrier. Somerby knows this team can make a deep tournament run, and he’s looking forward to it.

“I knew we had nine freshmen coming in,” Somerby said. “It was something that I wanted, to take a younger team and just kind of mold them into what they need to be in the future, so it was exciting.”

Needless to say, the freshmen are some of the best in the nation. Forwards Clayton Keller, Kieffer Bellows and defenseman Dante Fabbro were all drafted in the first round of this year’s NHL Draft. Defenseman Chad Krys and forward Pat Harper were taken in the subsequent rounds, and goaltender Jake Oettinger is projected to be the first netminder selected next year.

As evidenced by nine of the 10 goals in Saturday’s exhibition coming from freshmen, the new guys should be a huge factor in the team’s success. Somerby said he informed the freshmen that expectations will be high, but to make the most of those expectations.

“It’s something that you really have to enjoy, and you can’t put pressure on yourself,” Somerby said. “This year, I was just saying that with the defensive line being crowded, it almost feels like a game mentality, because everybody knows they have to be at their best to be in the lineup. It’s just competing every day and trying to get better throughout the year.”

Since it’s about an hour drive from Marblehead to Agganis Arena, Somerby was able

PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

This year’s captain could have gone pro, but he’s back for his Terrier swan song and emerging into a team leader.

to drive into Boston to spend time with the freshmen and show them the way. He even had the team over his house for a Fourth of July party. That’s gone a long way in building rapport between the new guys and the upperclassmen.

“He’s been a great captain so far. He was here in the summer a little bit, made us feel really comfortable and kind of reached out to us before we were actually on campus and just asked us how things were going,” Keller said.

“It’s little things like that that help build relationships. It’s good to have him as a captain, and I believe in what he’s doing and I believe that he’s a good leader.”

Of course, there’s still plenty to be done if the Terriers are going to come away with their sixth national championship in April.

The frenzy and hype surrounding this team is astounding, and the pressure is as intense as ever. Anything less than an appearance in Chicago will be a disappointment.

For the senior defenseman, this added pressure and scrutiny is just another challenge to overcome.

“I think there’s going to be pressure no matter what,” Somerby said. “You really just have to go in there and not expect much at the beginning, because there’s definitely a learning curve with a lot of the freshman, and you’re going to be judged at the end of the year more than you are at the beginning. It’s just kind of bringing everyone together and being comfortable around each other.”

After appearing in the National Championship his sophomore year and playing in all 39 games during his junior campaign, Somerby looks to carry the Terriers to new heights in his final season.

PHOTOS BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

2013-14 Season

2014-15 Season

2015-16 Season

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20 Questions

Brien Diffley, Brandon Hickey talk rats, Kanye concerts, style

BY JONATHAN SIGAL AND NICK FRAZIER DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Why did you choose to play at BU? Brien Diffley: For me, I grew up in Boston about 10 miles north. Seeing what BU is made up of with the Beanpot, Hockey East playoffs, the Garden, I’ve been watching that my whole life. It’s hard to say no to an opportunity like that.

Brandon Hickey: When I came on my fly down everything was pretty outstanding. Coach Quinn and [former assistant coach] Greeley did a great job of showing me around, and they sold me on the school as soon as I came here. Especially seeing the coaching staff, the facilities and the freshman class we had coming in. I was excited about all that.

Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

BH: I’ve noticed Brien washes his socks on gameday. He does all his laundry and makes sure everything is nice and fresh and clean.

BD: Hicks wears a sweatshirt over his suit to the rink.

BH: The hoodie keeps my head nice and warm.

Who is your favorite musical artist?

BH: This one is hard. Kanye West is up there for sure, same with Nirvana. Then Drake, too. Those three are my top ones.

BD: I’m more of an indie rock guy, but I’ll make an exception and go Kygo. Have to branch out from the indie rock a little bit.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

BH: I know Diff plays a bit of tennis. Kid’s always got the tennis gear around the room.

But for me, I used to play basketball, volleyball, badminton, track and field events.

Basically everything back when I was in elementary school.

BD: I was hockey, tennis and golf.

What’s the best place to study on campus?

BH: 26th floor of [33 Harry Agganis Way]. I like the view, it calms you down and really gets you in the zone. Night time.

BD: I’ll go my room. Nice and quiet, you get a nice view.

Championship] last year for Canada, you go out there for the first game and represent your country, that’s pretty special. Something that comes pretty close was winning the Beanpot. That was probably one of the most special moments of my career.

BD: Winning the Beanpot for sure during our freshman year.

BH: You don’t quite realize how big that tournament is until you win it. All of a sudden everyone’s losing their mind and everyone’s so excited for you. It honestly felt like we were playing for a whole country, just like at World Juniors.

sometimes Keith takes the cake. A little lefty, from Western Canada, great guy.

BD: I’ll go [Predators defenseman] Roman Josi.

Who’s the funniest guy in the locker room?

BH: Connor LaCouvee, hands down. He always says the most outrageous things and is up to some mischief all day.

BD: I’ll give [freshman defenseman] Chad Krys a shoutout. We’ve got the comedy act going on the D-line. We’ve bonded quick.

Have you ever seen a movie that just was absolutely horrible?

BH: Not lately.

BD: What’s that movie that just came out with all the swearing?

BH: “Sausage Party”?

BD: “Sausage Party” was terrible.

BH: I guess I won’t see that one then.

If you could take three celebrities to a party, who would they be?

BH: Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Aniston. I think they’re pretty great decisions.

BD: I’ll go with Leo. BH: You’re stealing my answer.

BD: No, that’s my answer too. Then I’ll go with Kygo and Novak Djokovic.

Favorite place to eat at BU, on or off campus?

BH: You gotta go with Chipotle. Their burritos are unbelievable, and they don’t have that in Canada.

FreeP: What’s your order?

BH: A nice little chicken burrito, double chicken, let’s go black beans, brown rice, salsa, guac, a little bit of cheese and sour cream, lettuce.

BD: I go with Yamato on Boylston Street.

On Sundays I hit it every time, all-you-caneat sushi.

If you could take the place of a professional athlete for a season, who would it be?

BH: Drew Doughty, 100 percent. That guy lives the life. Being in LA, playing for the Kings, as good as he is. Just a great guy.

BD: I’ll take Dustin Johnson, the pro golfer.

What’s your biggest fear?

BH: I hate mice. I can’t stand them. Diff and I had one in our room freshman summer and it was in our bathroom, so we stuck towels underneath the door so it couldn’t get into our rooms.

BD: That was a rat.

BH: That was definitely a mouse.

BD: I’m going to go with snakes for mine.

What’s your favorite movie?

BH: “The Dark Knight” is pretty good, but I watched “The Big Short” the other day and it’s a pretty great economic movie. “The Dark Knight” takes the cake, though.

BD: I’m stumped right now. I’ll go with any of River Phoenix’s movies. You’ve got to watch his movies.

If you could time travel to one place, where and when would it be?

BH: 1970s Discoland. You have to hang out, those platform shoes, the nice parachute pants, hit up some clubs.

BD: I’ll go to the Northern Lights.

BH: Time travel, Diff, time travel.

BD: Oh, time. Let’s see. The future, I’ll go forward.

What is your dream job outside of being a hockey player?

BD: I’d be a beach painter. Chill out on the beach, paint some landscapes.

BH: That’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard. For me, I think being a baseball player would be pretty chill. You hang out, swing the bat once in awhile, toss in a few sunflower seeds, catch a couple fly balls.

How do you tune out all the noise and hype surrounding this team?

BH: Just don’t read anything, don’t listen to anything, just play hockey and block out the outside world. When you’re in that room it’s just the team, and that’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter what some columnist says or what another team said about you.

BD: That about sums it up.

PHOTOS BY RACHEL LEINER/ DAILY FREE PRESS CONTRIBUTOR

What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?

BD: I’ll go Coldplay.

BH: Kanye West this summer. I went with [junior goaltender] Connor [LaCouvee] and [sophomore goaltender] Max [Prawdzik], and we had an absolute blast.

BD: Coldplay at the Garden, you can’t beat that.

So far, what’s your favorite moment in your hockey career?

BH: I’ve got two. Playing in World [Junior

Who has the worst style on the team?

BD: Everyone dresses decently well. This one’s hard.

BH: I think maybe [senior forward Tommy Kelley]. He wears those dad jeans once in awhile. It could be [freshman forwards] Johnny McDermott and Patrick Curry though, put them down.

Who is your favorite NHL player?

BH: I love [Blackhawks blue-liner] Duncan Keith. Him and [Kings defenseman] Drew Doughty are my top two, but I think

You’ve both played in a national title game. What’s the mentality to reach that height again?

BD: The biggest thing for us is the camaraderie. Once you have that, everyone wants to work for the guy next to them. Then everything else takes over; the skill takes over. It goes from there.

BH: I agree with Diff, but I’d add we have to come to the rink wanting to get better every day. You can’t come to the rink and dog it. That’s one of the biggest keys to having the success we’re capable of having this season.

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2016-17 BU MEN’S HOCKEY TEAM 1 | Max Prawdzik Sophomore | Goaltender

10 | Gabriel Chabot Freshman | Forward

Last season: Did not appear in any contests.

Before BU: Totaled 50 points (19 goals) in 44 games with the Rochester Jr. Americans of the USPHL.

Andover, Massachusetts 6 ‘ 3” | 170 lbs

2 | Shane Switzer Sophomore | Defenseman

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 6’2” | 200 lbs

Last season: 6 games played, 1 assist.

4 | Brandon Hickey Junior | Defenseman Leduc, Alberta 6’2” | 210

Drafted by Calgary Flames in 2014 (third round, 64th overall) Last season: 36 games played, 5 goals, 3 assists.

5 | Chad Krys Freshman | Defensman Ridgefield, Connecticut 6’0” | 185

Drafted by Chicago Blackhawks in 2016 (second round, 45th overall) Before BU: Spent last season with both the U.S. NTDP U18 and U17 teams, recording 42 total points in 71 combined games.

7 | Charlie McAvoy Sophomore | Defenseman

Long Beach, New York 6’1” | 206

Drafted by Boston Bruins in 2016 (first round, 14th overall) Last season: 37 games, 3 goals, 22 assists.

Quebec City, Quebec 5’8” | 180

11 | Patrick Curry Freshman | Forward

Schaumburg, Illinois 5’11” | 185

Before BU: Spent two years with the Bloomington Thunder of the USHL, recording 26 goals and 27 assists in 115 games.

12 | Chase Phelps Junior | Forward

Edina, Minnesota 6’1” | 201

Last season: 37 games played, 3 goals, 2 assists.

13 | Nikolas Olsson (A) Junior | Forward

Escondido, California 6’0” | 205

Last season: 14 games, 4 assists.

14 | Bobo Carpenter

Sophomore | Forward North Reading, Massachusetts 5’11” | 185 Last season: 39 games, 12 goals, 4 assists.

8 | Ryan Cloonan Sophomore | Forward

15 | Nick Roberto Senior | Forward

Last season: 39 games, 4 goals, 10 assists.

Last season: Did not play.

East Longmeadow, Massachusetts 5’10” | 180

9 | Kieffer Bellows Freshman | Forward Edina, Minnesota 6’1” | 200

Drafted by New York Islanders in 2016 (first round, 19th overall) Before BU: Became the fourth different player to score 50 goals in a season with the USNTDP as a member of the Under-18 team.

Wakefield, Massachusetts 5’10” | 187

16 | John Macleod Junior | Defenseman

Dracut, Massachusetts 6’2” | 200

Drafted by Tampa Bay Lightning in 2014 (second round, 57th overall) Last season: 26 games, 1 goal, 1 assist.

PHOTOS COURTSEY OF BU ATHLETICS

7

17 | Dante Fabbro Freshman | Defenseman

21 | Patrick Harper Freshman | Forward

Drafted by Nashville Predators in 2016 (first round, 17th overall) Before BU: Named the Best Defenseman in the BCHL last season and scoring 14 goals and tallying 53 assists.

Drafted by Nashville Predators in 2016 (fifth round, 138th overall) Before BU: Totaled 20 goals and 39 assists for Avon Old Farms of the NEPSAC, leading the team to the league semifinals last season.

New Westminster, B.C. 6’1” | 192

18 | Jordan Greenway Sophomore | Forward

Canton, New York 6’5” | 230

Drafted by Minnesota Wild in 2015 (second round, 50th overall) Last season: 39 games, 5 goals, 21 assists.

19 | Clayton Keller Freshman | Forward Swansea, Illinois 5’10” | 175

Drafted by Arizona Coyotes in 2016 (first round, seventh overall) Before BU: Shattered the U.S. NTDP record for career points with 189 (71 goals) through two seasons.

20 | Brien Diffley Junior | Defenseman

Burlington, Massachusetts 6’2” | 192

Last season: 28 games, 5 assists.

"CUT IT OUT!"

New Canaan, Connecticut 5’9” | 160

22 | Tommy Kelley Senior | Forward

Natick, Massachusetts 5’10” | 187

Last season: 24 games, 1 goal, 2 assists.

23 | Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson (A) Sophomore | Forward

Stockholm, Sweden 6’1” | 192

Drafted by Boston Bruins in 2015 (second round, 45th overall) Last season: 39 games, 10 goals, 20 assists.

26 | Oskar Andrén Sophomore | Forward

Stockholm, Sweden 6’2” | 185

Last season: 21 games, 2 goals, 3 assists.

27 | Doyle Somerby (C) Senior | Defenseman

Marblehead, Massachusetts 6’5” | 225

Drafted by New York Islanders in 2012 (fifth round, 125th overall) Last season: 39 games, 5 goals, 8 assists.

BUY ONE GAME OF BOWLING, GET ONE GAME FREE. Offer only valid Sunday-Thursday before 8 PM Present this coupon to cashier to redeem offer

28 | Johnny McDermott Freshman | Forward Darien, Connecticut 6’2” | 194

Before BU: Led the Westminster School in assists (25) and ranked third on the team in goals (11) in 25 games last season.

29 | Jake Oettinger Freshman | Goaltender Lakeville, Minnesota 6’4” | 205

Before BU: Posted a .908 save percentage in 37 games with the Under-18 U.S. NTDP team in 2015-16.

145 Ipswich Street Boston, MA 02215 (617) 437-0300 www.jilliansboston.com

30 | Connor LaCouvee Senior | Goaltender Qualicum Beach, B.C. 6/1” | 200

Last season: 19 games, 8-4-4 record, .897 save percentage.

8

After shoulder surgery, Nik Olsson cherishes leading role

BY JONATHAN SIGAL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

For Boston University hockey fans, it’s easy to pigeonhole Nikolas Olsson into one label. And nobody could mistake him, as he’ll be that winger in 2016-17 with an “A” emblazoned on his jersey playing full-tilt, full-time.

His head coach, David Quinn, and close friend and senior captain, Doyle Somerby, understand why that conclusion is reached so quickly, too. After all, Olsson’s best known for his physical style of play — his bone-crushing hits that swing momentum in BU’s favor. But they also insist that there’s something more complicated in the cards, that Olsson is no one-trick pony.

The extra layer is that Olsson, as Quinn put it, has a quick shot and soft hands, while Somerby said it’s easy to forget just how skilled the 22-year-old truly is. For some, that dose of sophistication is deep enough, but with Olsson there’s far more — a rollercoaster tale of coming back from season-ending surgery during his sophomore year.

“I actually went a few times to go see the sports psychologist here at BU, and when I realized my season was ending in January or February, it took a toll on me,” the soft-spoken San Diego native said. “It was really hard for me to stay positive and I went through a pretty dark time around then. I made it a point to put it in my head that I’d be good to go in four months and be better than I’ve ever been. Just that I’d be completely 100 percent for the first time in years.”

His 2015-16 season was over before it truly began.

He appeared in only 14 of the Terriers’ 39 games, halted by a nagging right shoulder injury that has plagued him since surgery at age 15. Almost nonchalantly, Olsson explained his socket was loose, causing his shoulder to pop in and out. So he’d play a few games, be sidelined for a few more, come back and then rinse and repeat. He even skated with a brace that kept his right arm stiff and rigid.

Eventually the cycle became too much, causing Olsson to call it quits and have Thomas Francis Holovacs, a Boston-area surgeon

PHOTO BY SARAH SILBIGER/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Olsson at long last has his health, and is ready to make the most of his penultimate season in a BU jersey.

and team physician for the Boston Red Sox, clean up the problem for good. Now Olsson is at 100 percent health, but the road back wasn’t smooth sailing.

Because his home state of California is so far away, Olsson didn’t always have someone to lean on, Somerby said. So the defenseman would go out of his way to ensure his buddy was in good spirits, and in the rare occasion Olsson’s family was around — like when they swung through to the University of Notre Dame away trip in February — he still faced many tough times.

“We were all leaving the next morning and going and grabbing a meal, and Nik’s having to sit back while he’s in a room fresh off surgery, trying to play Xbox, can’t move his arm. That was hard,” Somerby recalled. “We’re going to the playoffs and all happy and excited.

Then watching him know what we were going into and that he couldn’t be a part of it was definitely tough to watch.”

The emotional toll, understandably, was something Olsson struggled with at times.

When the injuries would come and go, he used to wonder, “How long will it be this time? Here it goes again.” But last year, he caught himself pondering questions far more personal: Would he put on weight? Would he stop being an athlete? Would the pain really go away?

“A week and a half out of surgery I was still in my sling and I was riding the bike, I was doing the stairmaster and what have you, just trying to do whatever I could to stay a little bit in shape,” Olsson said. “I didn’t just didn’t want to be left out of everything.”

But Olsson was missing out, helplessly watching games from afar. And such circumstances left Somerby reflecting on how much Olsson was missed, especially as BU’s 2015-16 season ended on a sour note when the University of Massachusetts Lowell bounced them from the Hockey East Tournament, and the University of Denver did the same in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Olsson, however, never imagined his presence would be so sorely missed.

CONTINUED ONLINE AT http://bit.ly/2dNl25B

The Blue Line: How good is coach Quinn’s hyped team?

BY MIKE BENEDYKCIUK COLUMNIST

Boston University hockey fans got their first taste of Terrier action this past Saturday night at Agganis Arena, as BU kicked off the 2016-17 season with an exhibition game against the University of Prince Edward Island. The Terriers won the farcical game — which included 39 penalties, 122 penalty minutes and four game misconducts — by a score of 10-2.

In addition to displaying an overwhelming lack of discipline, BU showcased its offensive prowess as it went 5-of-10 on the power play. Freshman Patrick Harper recorded a whopping seven points on the evening (five goals, two assists), while fellow newcomer Clayton Keller netted a hat trick.

BU probably won’t get 10 power plays again this season. They probably won’t score

10 goals again either, and Harper may not score five goals in his next five games combined. Still, expectations for the Terriers this year are as high as ever — largely due to its deeply talented freshman class.

This past June, BU became just the second program in NCAA history to have four of its players selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft. Three of the four — center Keller, winger Kieffer Bellows and defenseman Dante Fabbro — are freshman.

Keller, selected seventh overall by the Arizona Coyotes, was the first Terrier off the board. Sophomore defenseman Charlie McAvoy was taken 14th overall by the Boston Bruins. Dante Fabbro was chosen by the Nashville Predators at No. 17, and the natural-scoring Bellows followed soon after, going 19th overall to the New York Islanders.

While the Terriers’ nine-man freshman class class has rightfully received plenty of hype, it does have enormous shoes to fill. The Terriers graduated six key players last year, including all three members of their leadership trio — form captain Matt Grzelcyk and assistant captains Matt Lane and Danny O’Regan — as well as forwards Ahti Oksanen and Mike Moran and starting goaltender Sean Maguire. Other key departures include defenseman Brandon Fortunato and forward Robbie Baillargeon, who transferred to Arizona State University, which is entering its first Division I hockey

season.

A new era of BU hockey is dawning, and it has the potential to be the best we’ve ever seen. Still, there are a few important question marks that will determine just how far these Terriers make it.

Firstly, with such a young team (17 members of the 26-man team are freshman or sophomores), coaching will play a huge role in the development of both the individual players and the team. BU head coach David Quinn has been strong for the Terriers since taking over for the legendary Jack Parker in 2013. This year, though, he has the potential to become either great or disappointing. At the 2016 NHL Draft, Quinn was heard discussing the Terriers’ 2016-17 season, saying, “only one person who can screw it up and you’re talking to him.”

The Terriers will need good, consistent goaltending in order to advance to the national title game. Junior goaltender Connor LaCouvee played in just 19 games last year, and frankly, was mediocre at best. His .897 save percentage and 2.92 goals against average numbers make it very easy to miss Matt O’Connor (.927 SV% and 2.18 GAA during his junior year) and Sean Maguire (.920 SV%, 2.41 GAA as a senior last year).

Freshman Jake Oettinger played 37 games for the Under-18 U.S. National Team last year, during which he recorded a solid .908 SV% and 2.38 GAA. BU will need ei-

ther Oettinger or LaCouvee to step up if they want to compete against schools like the University of North Dakota, University of Minnesota, University of Denver and St. Cloud State University.

Ultimately, the question is this: what should we expect from the 2016-17 Terriers?

Is it safe to call them a sure-fire contender?

Or will all the hype fizzle out by early November?

Last year, BU was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament in the first round, as the University of Denver Musketeers trounced the Terriers 7-2. The year before that, the Terriers, led by freshman Hobey Baker-winner Jack Eichel, lost a heartbreaker to Providence College in the National Championship Game, plagued by a devastating mistake from goaltender O’Connor.

The 2016-17 season could be a story of redemption for coach Quinn’s Terriers, who have come close in recent years, but have failed to deliver when they needed to.

With what might be the best freshman class in NCAA history, as well as key returning players including the future Bruin McAvoy, captain Doyle Somerby, and forward Jordan Greenway (selected 50th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2015 NHL Draft), BU has everything it needs to make another run at a national championship this year.

9

The prospect of NHL play lingers for McAvoy and Greenway; before then, they’re taking care of business at Agganis Arena.

PHOTO BY BETSEY GOLDWASSER/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Greenway and McAvoy enter sophomore season with maturity

BY NICK NEVILLE DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Above all else, Jordan Greenway and Charlie McAvoy are winners.

The Boston University men’s hockey sophomores already have decorated careers on the ice, but they’re hungry for more. They arrived on Commonwealth Avenue following a stint as teammates on the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 squad, where they found great success.

Skating against some of the world’s best young talent, they won gold together at the 2015 U18 World Championship. At the World Junior Championship earlier this year in Finland, McAvoy took home a bronze medal. This season, the gifted pair looks to bring hardware of a different kind to Agganis Arena.

It won’t be an easy task, though, and they realize that. College hockey is a grueling marathon that tests even the most seasoned competitors. Their freshman year was supposed to be a year of redemption — of attaining the prize that the 2014-15 Terriers could not reach. But it wasn’t.

BU head coach David Quinn and his team, despite the arrivals of McAvoy, Greenway and seven others, were unable to get past the University of Denver in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

They went through an adjustment period as well, getting comfortable with the speed and intensity of college hockey while trying to balance being students.

“Personally I thought playing for the national team, you get a little bit of college experience, so you think that you have it all figured out,” McAvoy said. “Once you really get your first taste of actual Hockey East play, of college hockey, it’s a big step up from the USHL so I wasn’t really as prepared as I thought I was.”

McAvoy figured it all out, and was eventually named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team. Greenway went through a similar adjustment, but noted that due to his time at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, a boarding school in Faribault, Minnesota, it wasn’t the

college atmosphere that took time to figure out; rather, it was on the ice where he had some difficulty.

After growing up in Potsdam, New York, Greenway moved to Minnesota in eighth grade and has been away from home for six years now. His senior year with the SSM Sabres, one of the premier hockey programs in the world, was one to remember. In that season, he put up 62 points in 46 games before transitioning to the U.S. NTDP the following year.

The transition to BU for the prolific scorer wasn’t exactly seamless, and Greenway acknowledged that. It took him until Nov. 28 to net his first collegiate goal, but after that, it was smooth sailing. The 6-foot5 winger went on a seven-game point streak following that game, and he finished the year with five goals and 21 assists, leading the freshman class.

Greenway credited his teammates and the Terriers’ coaching staff for his maturation, and said that despite the hype surrounding his and McAvoy’s arrival, he just played hockey.

“I don’t think there was a ton of pressure,” Greenway said. “[Coach Quinn] and the guys emphasized that I should just play my game, do what you usually do, get a feel for it in the exhibition games or whatever the case is. Eventually they expected me to play a big role on the team, so like I said, there was no pressure for me.”

As big a role as the two played a year ago, their roles will be heightened this season. With nine incoming freshmen on its roster once again, three of which were first round picks in this year’s NHL Draft, McAvoy and Greenway will be expected to help them along.

Freshman forward Kieffer Bellows, who was the fourth and final Terrier to go in the first round of the draft this year, had nothing but good things to say about McAvoy and Greenway as teammates and friends. Bellows discussed how valuable their leadership is, not just in their playing style, but also how they carry themselves off the ice.

Fellow freshman forward Clayton Keller, the seventh overall pick in the 2016

NHL draft, echoed Bellows’ sentiments.

The Swansea, Illinois product, who set a new U.S. NTDP record with 189 career points, has played with both Greenway and McAvoy before, and thinks that they’re handling this leadership role with great poise.

“They’re becoming more mature,” Quinn said. “You grow up and you realize it’s getting to the next step and one day going to have to stand on your own two feet. Come pro hockey, you don’t get the support you get in college hockey. They want to win, too, and know in order for us to win we’re going to need these nine freshmen to have an impact.”

Quinn said he has been impressed by the leadership the sophomore pairing has shown thus far, especially in guiding the freshmen.

With players like these two, whose dreams are to one day play professional hockey, it’s no surprise that their competitive drive has helped mold them into strong leaders.

Greenway and McAvoy got one step closer to achieving those dreams when their names were called in the NHL Draft. Greenway went 50th overall to the Minnesota Wild in 2015, while McAvoy was taken with 14th overall by the Boston Bruins at the 2016 NHL Draft. But before this talented duo makes the next step, they both acknowledged that there is plenty of business to take care of at BU first.

“Even though we both want to play in the NHL, we have things we want to do here first,” Greenway said. “We have a lot of goals that we’ve set individually and for the team.

We want to win a national championship, we want trophies. I want to do a lot of things in college. You only get to experience college once. It’s always there, I’m always thinking about it, but I have to do everything I can here first before anything else falls into place.”

College can be hard enough for a kid, especially with the added stress of staying healthy, contributing on the ice, getting good grades and trying to impress future coaches. The pairing has done remarkably well at eliminating distractions and just playing their game, but sometimes it is important to look at things from a broader perspective.

Donning the scarlet and white is one

of the most prestigious honors that can be bestowed upon a college hockey player. Anyone who has ever listened to the TD Garden roar during a Bruins playoff game or admired Alex Ovechkin’s slapshot pictures their name being announced at the NHL Draft.

These are things that many can only accomplish in videogames, but McAvoy and Greenway are living it.

“I guess it’s sort of a thing where you take a step back and look at where you came from. It’s almost hard to believe how fast everything is moving,” McAvoy said. “You almost blink and now it’s five years later and we’re sophomores here and it’s kind of crazy.

At least for me personally, I don’t think I would have changed anything for the world.

I really like the spot I’m in right now.”

Time stops for no one, and the pairing has entered sophomore year with great expectations and an attitude fitting for success. The talent is there, and in conversations, Quinn talked about how important Greenway and McAvoy are to the program.

He spoke of McAvoy’s physical, imposing presence on the ice and about a sense of confidence that doesn’t breach cockiness. Greenway is working harder, getting better by the day and is nearly impossible to defend, according to the fourth-year head coach.

“If he was a football player, he’d be a five-star tight end at Alabama,” Quinn said of Greenway.

There’s no denying that McAvoy and Greenway’s presence this season will be crucial toward carrying the Terriers toward their ultimate goal — the chance to partake in this year’s Frozen Four in Chicago and compete for BU’s sixth national championship.

Their winning pedigree speaks for itself. Now it’s time for them to go out and do what they do best: play hockey.

“It’s very, very exciting for sure,” McAvoy said. “The kind of group we have, hopefully we can be playing very late into this year and obviously in a personal way, do whatever I can to help the team win. It’s just trying to play the best hockey I can and be the best teammate I can.”

10

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

J.D. Capelouto, Editor-in-Chief Christy Osler, Managing Editor

46th year | Volume 91 | Issue V

Weihua Li, Campus Editor

Paige Smith, Editorial Page Editor

Shivani Patel, Layout Editor

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 © 2016 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Lexi Peery, City Editor

Kaitlyn Locke, Features Editor

Candice Lim, Blog Editor

Nick Neville, Sports Editor

Maddie Malhotra, Photo Editor

Shakti Rovner, Office Manager

With new identity, women’s hockey focusing on defense WOMEN’S HOCKEY, FROM PAGE 12

PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Junior forward Rebecca Leslie and the Terriers are looking to get back on track after missing out on the NCAA Tournament.

team in transition. Long gone are the big names that BU built its reputation on, and in steps the likes of Bach, Leslie and Crossley to leave their own legacy.

Issues on defense need solving and leadership falls on new shoulders, but this is still the same BU program Durocher has earned such respect for. And with that comes a certain expectation, a certain belief that hardware is always within reach. After all, according to Crossley, that’s the dream.

“Our ultimate goal is to make it to the Hockey East Tournament, win the Hockey East Tournament and hopefully hitch a ride to the national championship,” Crossley said.

“I think every year that’s our ultimate goal, and we’re coming in hard this year at the beginning with that in mind. But we’ve got to take it one game at a time and focus on the process.”

And much of the same held true for Durocher, with the caveat that results will come if BU does the little things right. The rest will fall into place later, he said.

“You’re going to have injuries, you’re going to have things happen and people are going to have to step up to win that game,” Durocher said. “Some people might have to step up on another given day. It’s important for us to be very thorough and very consistent day after day.”

Coomey, Lachapelle maintain bond as coaches, friends COOMEY, FROM PAGE 12

2015. Ask those closest to BU hockey, though, and they’ll insist the little memories stick out the most.

For Holly Lorms, a former Terrier captain and player from 2007-2011, the back-and-forth practical jokes come to mind. On a trip up to the University of Maine, Lorms and her teammates tied together the laces on Coomey and Lachapelle’s skates, only for the coaches to rebut and tape massive knobs on the players’ sticks.

But in a program as successful as BU’s, more serious memories surface, as was the case with Dakota Woodworth, a forward from 2012-2016.

She remembered how the duo would go over film, stick around after practice for extra passes and constantly serve as a support group, especially for the underclassmen.

So when prompted with her favorite memory, it’s no surprise Coomey returns to where everything got started: the program-defining overtime win in the 2010 Hockey East Tournament final over the University of Connecticut.

“We were just here for our second year, so for us it was huge,” Coomey said. “We had seen a little bit of the growing pains, but not as much as [Durocher] had. I can easily still remember when we scored in overtime and Katie and I looking at each other.”

It’s not just Coomey who views that as a special moment, though, as Durocher also singled it out.

“That win brought the staff together,” Durocher said. “When the puck went in off the hip of a UConn defenseman and went into the top corner, jubilation rang through the BU program. To have us all be there together and hug each other and say, ‘Wow, that happened quicker than we thought,’ is something that’ll always be in my mind.”

While Coomey and Lachapelle are now synonymous with Terrier hockey, each has expe-

rienced a winding trip through NCAA hockey before landing on BU’s doorstep.

For Coomey, she coached at Connecticut College, the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and eventually became an assistant at Niagara University, her alma mater. But she wanted a change, and Boston offered just that.

Coomey had often golfed with Durocher at the American Hockey Coaches Association Convention in Naples, Florida, “so the rest just sort of fell into place.”

With Lachapelle, she grew up in Maine, never imagining she’d live in a city. But her hock-

“For me, to have such young ladies who are such good coaches, I’m lucky.” ey career unfolded as such: a playing career at Providence College, a first gig at Union College, another at Niagara and then a four-year stop at Ohio State University. She eventually got the itch to return to New England, so when the BU job opened up, the opportunity to coach at a true hockey school was too tempting to pass up.

These days, Coomey deals with BU’s penalty kill and offense, and Lachapelle the power play and defense, but their roles have become far more holistic. In particular, Lorms reflected on how the duo

joined the program during her sophomore year, only to become some of her closest friends.

“They shaped not only the player I became at BU, but the person I am.” Lorms said. “It wasn’t just the on-ice stuff, and there were plenty of games where I knew Coomey or Katie wanted to yell at me for something I did. But they were always patient and ... I don’t think we ever really saw them as our assistant coaches. They worked with us every day all day no matter what it took.”

Humble as ever, Coomey and Lachapelle said impressions such as those aren’t their own doing, but a byproduct of the culture Durocher has created. And as part of that culture, Lachapelle joked that it’d be a good idea to give the graduating class a journal, chronicling their journey throughout BU. More often than not, though, Lachapelle said the players find their footing early on, and the closeness of each group helps with that. She added there aren’t really cliques among the Terriers, and that culture was something Coomey agreed with.

“The biggest thing and reason we see our kids grow so much is they see how much we care about them as people and not just someone who is going to produce points for us or stop the puck for us,” Coomey said. “Knowing that coaches care about you makes you want to be that much better.”

Almost on cue, Lachapelle echoed those sentiments.

“Everyone is going to have a bad day or a good day, so when someone comes into the rink, we’re not all over them,” Lachapelle said. “You don’t know what’s happening outside the rink, so it’s thinking, ‘What’s going on with them,’ and not, ‘What the heck are they doing at practice.’

We don’t think automatically to the hockey part of it. We think to the, ‘OK, something’s going on and they’re college students and life can be hard sometimes.’”

In their broader understanding of the chal-

lenges before their student-athletes, one can’t help but wonder if a head coaching job is a realistic possibility for Coomey and Lachapelle. After all, nine years is a long tenure as an assistant coach in the broader world of collegiate athletics, and Durocher said both have been involved with interview processes in the past.

For Lachapelle, she said becoming a head coach is likely her next path, but assured the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Coomey agreed, explaining that few schools are invested in their hockey programs like BU is, so sometimes it’s best to stay put.

“BU is unique in a lot of ways, where we’ve experienced there’s not always that tight-knit community that there is here,” Coomey said. “That’s another hard thing to look beyond when you’re looking for other jobs. I don’t think we’ll ever truly find the fit you find here, and just the relationships you have with everyone from the custodial staff to the athletic director. It’s a really unique situation that’s hard to find anywhere else.”

Whatever the future has in store, one thing is clear: Coomey and Lachapelle have been indispensable in growing BU hockey’s reputation.

Sure, Durocher may be the face of the program, but the duo are widely respected in the college hockey world and will always have their special bond.

They’ll have their memories, too, just like when BU defeated Mercyhurst in their first-ever NCAA Tournament game that was held at Walter Brown Arena.

“Remember when we won here against Mercyhurst and we threw all the seniors out for the last shift and [Lauren] Cherewyk is bawling?”

Lachapelle asked Coomey. “I’m like, ‘Are you OK?’ She just was so excited, and you sometimes forget how they’re here for four years.”

And what followed? Laughter and a big smile from Coomey.

11

5 HOCKEY EAST PLAYERS TO WATCH Colin White | F

Jake Walman | D

Boston College

The 2015-16 conference Rookie of the Year, White was often overshadowed by teammate Ryan Fitzgerald last season despite totaling 43 points. Expect White to stand out more this winter and carry the Eagles deep into the postseason yet again.

Maxim Letunov | F

Providence College

Walman’s 28 points last season were good for fourth most on the Friars, largely because his season was derailed by an undisclosed injury.

A 2015-16 First Team Hockey East All-Star, the junior also had four game-winning goals.

University of Connecticut Letunov tallied 40 points as a freshman, earning him Hockey East Second Team honors. He will be the one leading an up-and-coming Huskies squad this year.

Cal Petersen | G

C.J. Smith | F

University of Notre Dame

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Petersen ranked fourth in Hockey East last year in save percentage (.927) and fifth in goals against average (2.20). Earning a Hockey East Honorable Mention, he’s poised for a breakout junior season.

Smith led Lowell with 39 points last season and helped carry the River Hawks to the Hockey East Championship. Look for him to make more of a name for himself during his junior campaign.

JAKE WALMAN PHOTO BY DAVID SILVERMAN, CAL PETERSON FROM FIGHTING IRISH MEDIA, COLIN WHITE FROM BC ATHLETICS, C.J. SMITH FROM UMASS LOWELL ATHLETICS, MAXIM LETUNOV FROM UCONN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

THE DAILY FREE PRESS’ HOCKEY EAST POWER RANKINGS

1 2 3 4 5 6

Boston University Notre Dame Providence College Boston College UMass Lowell University of Connecticut

7 8 9 10 11 12

Northeastern University Merrimack College University of Vermont UMass Amherst University of Maine University of New Hampshire

TOP 5 BU GAMES TO WATCH

vs.

GRAPHICS BY SHIVANI PATEL/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Oct. 14

The Pioneers ranked fourth in the country last season and earned a berth in the Frozen Four. BU travels to Colorado for a pair of games against a formidable opponent in Denver, who bumped the Terriers from the NCAA Tournament last season.

Oct. 22

Quinnipiac, a team that lost in the championship game to North Dakota in the spring, will come to town early in the season. They will be looking for revenge, as BU handed the then-No.2 Bobcats their first loss on their home ice last year.

Nov. 22

BU will host their crosstown rivals in a rematch of last year’s battle, when the Terriers notched four goals in the third period to complete a come-from-behind 6-5 victory.

Jan. 28

It was the River Hawks who bounced BU from the Hockey East tournament last season; this will be the Terriers’ first meeting with Lowell since then. BU will also travel to Lowell to face the River Hawks on Feb. 10.

Feb. 6

The Terriers will take on the Eagles in the first round of the Beanpot Tournament. Last time these two teams faced off in the Beanpot, BC edged out BU with a 1-0 overtime win to clinch the 64th Beanpot.

Bouncing Back Thursday, October 6, 2016

Coomey, Lachapelle shape BU women’s hockey culture

BY JONATHAN SIGAL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Upon first meeting Allison Coomey and Katie Lachapelle, it seems as though they’ve known each other their whole life. Both provide jokes and laughter, with life’s travels the subject and hockey the central theme.

They reminisce on recruiting trips, nights in hotels their families call sketchy, hanging out in hole-in-the-wall restaurants and striking up conversations with locals. They’ve lost count of how many snowstorms they’ve driven through, because, well, there’s always a hockey game to catch.

And then there’s the time torrential downpours caused them to post up in a random motel, or when they were on a trip to Montreal and didn’t have anything to do until nighttime, so they, of all things, went candlepin bowling.

Coomey and Lachapelle’s bond is close, and not just because they share an office at Walter Brown Arena. Rather, they’ve spent the last nine years together as assistant coaches for the Boston University women’s hockey team, helping head coach Brian Durocher build the program into one of the nation’s most competitive, consistent programs.

“For me, to have such young ladies who are such good coaches, I’m lucky,” Durocher said. “I really do consider myself to be lucky. I haven’t had to search for other assistants, there’s not new faces that people have to get to know. Sometimes change is good, but having continuity, having experience with people who know Boston University is extremely helpful.”

That experience has proved vital, too, as Coomey and Lachapelle were there every step of the way for the Terriers’ four straight Hockey East Tournament titles and six straight NCAA Tournament appearances, spanning from 2010 to CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

PHOTO BY JESS RICHARDSON/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Coomey and Lachapelle are often behind the scenes, but their impact has profoundly shaped BU hockey.

Brian Durocher, women’s hockey getting back to basics

BY JONATHAN SIGAL DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

In the budding days of his 12th year marshalling the Boston University women’s hockey team, head coach Brian Durocher didn’t shy away from what needs to improve this go-around.

The Terriers’ defense, often the backbone of their run to six straight NCAA Tournaments and four straight Hockey East Tournament titles, lost its brawn in 2015-16. They leaked 3.05 goals a game, narrow contests turned into losses and March brought about the unfamiliar feeling of watching playoff hockey from home.

The details — forechecking as a unit, keeping sticks extended, etc. — became all that more troublesome, making a 23-14-2 season seem bittersweet. Now, with a packed non-conference and Hockey East slate underway, BU has a simple message on its mind.

“I’m not worried about us breaking out of the zone, I’m not worried about us producing things offensively; we have talent there,” Durocher said. “We just have to be better, and it’s everybody. It’s not just the blueliners.

It’s the wingers, it’s the centers, it’s everybody being disciplined and it’s real easy to swing in any part of the ice. If you do that consistently, you may look fast, you may look offensively good, but you just can’t give up the numbers of goals we gave up last year.”

Naturally, eyes turn to personnel who could remedy the problem at hand. The main netminders — junior Erin O’Neil and se-

nior Victoria Hanson — should duke it out for playing time, with Durocher challenging both to earn the starting spot.

There’s slightly less clarity on the blueline, though, as four freshmen defensemen have come in as part of a six-member recruiting class. Senior co-captain Alexis Crossley, senior Sarah Steele and junior Savannah Newton could all be shoe-ins, but Durocher stressed experience won’t guarantee ice time.

And as senior forward and co-captain Natalie Flynn put it, righting the ship could be as much a mental battle as a test of skill.

“From day one, coach has already made defense a top priority,” Flynn said. “If we reiterate that every practice and just focus on battling in the corners, battling in front of the net, staying in position, our defense will happen. It’s definitely something we need to focus on because we can score goals, but if we can’t keep them out of the net it’s going to be tough to win. We just have to keep that focus.”

While concern gravitates toward BU’s own zone, attacking pieces are in place to make goals flow. Yes, the ever-talented quartet of Sarah Lefort, Kayla Tutino, Rebecca Russo and Dakota Woodworth have all graduated, but there’s a healthy blend of newcomers and returners to light the lamp at Walter Brown Arena and beyond.

The headliners are juniors Victoria Bach and Rebecca Leslie, a duo that both earned Second Team Hockey East nods last year and have scored a combined 162 points across their careers.

Other cast members include sophomore

Sammy Davis, last year’s runner-up for Hockey East Rookie of the Year, and senior Maddie Elia, the producer of 76 points through 113 career games.

Then there are the under-the-radar contributions of senior Samantha Sutherland, an energetic winger Durocher said was snakebitten in 2015-16.

And if they’re firing on all cylinders, Durocher said, his team will start grinding out more games of the 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 variety.

“My biggest goal every season is for us to play well in the highest number of games possible,” Durocher said. “If there’s 33 or 34 in a schedule, we should be ready and play well in 30 or 31 games.

There’s going to be a night or two maybe where you just don’t have it or you’re tired coming up to exams, whatever it may be, but there shouldn’t be very many of them.”

Chances to grant Durocher’s wish will arise early and often for the Terriers, especially through a vaunted non-conference schedule.

BU will visit the up-and-coming Pennsylvania State University program in October and host a perennial national contender in the University of Minnesota in December.

Wins won’t come easily, and the long haul of a college hockey season is even further complicated by what could be a wide open Hockey East conference. Several stars — namely Boston College’s forward duo of Alex Carpenter and Haley Skarupa and Northeastern University’s Kendall Coyne — have graduated, making the league less top heavy than in years past.

Such circumstances have led BU to finish second in the preseason poll, and Flynn argued surprises could be in store.

“I’ve thought about this a lot,” Flynn said. “Most teams lost a lot of big players so it keeps that level of mystery alive. You don’t know who the new kids are and how good the other teams are going to be, so we just have to focus within ourselves and know we’re a great team.”

Crossley, who transferred to BU from the University of New Hampshire, expressed similar sentiments and wagered Hockey East will be injected with plenty of new flavor.

“There are a lot of teams in Hockey East that have lost a lot of top players, but I think while they were some of the best players in the country, we can’t forget about all the players who are up and coming,” Crossley said. “I think that a lot of the talk is always about those players who are so good that graduate, but we can’t forget about the ones who are going to show up this year and replace those people.”

Replacing old cogs is something that’s certainly been on Durocher’s mind all offseason, as his freshman class is supplemented by two transfers. Mary Parker, a graduate student forward and four-year player at Harvard University, is primed for a big role, as is junior forward Nina Rodgers, who comes to Commonwealth Avenue after two years, and two national titles, in Minnesota.

Whichever way you splice it, though, there’s no denying this year’s Terriers are a CONTINUED ON PAGE 10