Game Day: BU vs. BC in Hockey East Semifinals

#18 Terriers take on #14/15 BC in the first game of the Hockey East tournament semifinals tonight with the loser likely facing the end of its season. Puck drop at TD Garden is set for 5 p.m. for the contest that will air on NESN-Plus and will be live streamed on ESPN3.  Northeastern and Providence meet in the other semifinal.

The game will be the 22^nd post-season meeting between the Terriers and Eagles, with BU holding a 14-7 edge, and it comes just a month after the 100^th anniversary of the first ever game between the Commonwealth Avenue rivals in 1918.  Overall, BU leads the series 134-124-18 and has won nine of 13 Hockey East playoff games between the teams.

The teams split their two regular-season games: a 7-4 BU win, followed by a 4-1 BC victory. A year ago, BC defeated BU in the Hockey East semifinals, 3-2.

Four forwards, freshman Logan Hutsko (12 G, 19A)  sophomores Julius Mattila (12G, 14A), Graham McPhee (12G, 10A) and David Cotton (9G,18A) pace the BC offense, while Michael Kim and Casey Fitzgerald are the top defenders. Goalie Joe Woll has a 2.45 GAA and a .915 save percentage.

For the Terriers, the top scorers are Bobo Carpenter (19G, 12A), Shane Bowers (16G, 14A), Jordan Greenway (12G, 18A), Dante Fabbro (9G, 20A) and Brady Tkachuk (8G, 20A). Following a strong second half, Jake Oettinger has fashioned a 2.49 GAA and a .914 save percentage.

TONIGHT’S TERRIER LINE-UP  (11 forwards and seven defensemen tonight)

Tkachuk-Greenway-Melanson

Cockerill-Bowers-Carpenter

Crone-Amonte-Curry

Phelps-Chabot

Hickey-Fabbro

Krys-Diffley

Kotkansalo-Crotty

Farrance

Oettinger

● GoTerriers.com Preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, Terrier Sports Radio Network, BU GameDay

● ESPN3 Live Stream

● Hockey East Game Notes and Tournament Records

● Boston Hockey Blog Live In-Game Blog
● BU Today: Showdown Tonight

● Daily Free Press preview

● WTBU Sports preview

● Boston Globe: Stakes are high for BU & BC;  Greenway blazed a trail

● USCHO Hockey East Semifinal preview; Picks & Predictions

● HockeyEas Online Weekend Preview

● College Hockey News: Hockey East Semifinal Preview; Tale of the Tape

This week’s episode of Inside BU Hockey features Bernie Corbett’s interviews with Coach David Quinn, senior captain Brandon Hickey and BC radio color analyst Andy Powers. Hickey, whose NHL draft rights were traded by Calgary to Arizona, has been a mainstay of the Terrier defense for four seasons and recently was an honorable mention to the Hockey East all-star teams. The 6’2” native of Leduc, Alberta has 13 points this season and a career total of 53.  Powers spent four seasons on the Eagles’ blueline (1995-99) and went on to play in the minors for six years.

Looking ahead

2018 recruit Joel Farabee had a four-point night to lead the NTDP U18s' 10-3 rout of the Madison Capitols. He scored a shorthanded goal in the first period and added an even strength goal in the second, along with two assists. Fellow recruit Jake Wise assisted on a pair of Team USA goals and Tyler Weiss tallied a third-period goal. 2019 recruit Alex Vlassic was called up from the U17s to skate on the U18 blueline.  Farabee is second on the U18s in scoring with 58 points (25G, 33A) in 50 games.                                      

● USA Hockey recap and box score

● Video higlights

.@FarabeeJoel with the shorthanded goal! #USAvsMAD pic.twitter.com/604VDTHZya

— USA Hockey NTDP (@USAHockeyNTDP) March 15, 2018

Joel Farabee out here playing soccer for the assist. ⚽️#USAvsMAD pic.twitter.com/aWccSllUAu

— USA Hockey NTDP (@USAHockeyNTDP) March 16, 2018

Looking back

Evan Rodrigues assisted on both Buffalo goals, but the Sabres fell to the Maple Leafs, 5-2. 

● NHL.com recap and box score

Women’s Team

Congrats to Victoria Bach on being named a First Team All-American! pic.twitter.com/P0t8EzRBa3

— BU Women's Hockey (@TerrierWHockey) March 16, 2018

● GoTerriers.com report