By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
BOSTON – Here in Boston, we have the Duke vs Carolina rivalry of College Ice Hockey as the Hockey East finals brought No. 2 ranked Boston University and No. 1 ranked Boston College together for the fourth time this season. It’s tagged “The Green Line” rivalry and noted for the six-mile stretch of Commonwealth Avenue that separates the schools.
It’s not the 8-miles from Durham to Chapel Hill but rather a Driver and a couple three woods from Agannis Arena to Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill. BU kids vote for the Mayor of Boston, while the BC kids call the City of Newton home.
Heading into the Saturday night Hockey East finale, BC held a 2-1 edge in the 2023-24 ice hockey season, but the one BU win came in the annual Beanpot Tournament (won by Northeastern University as they’ve gone back-to-back with Beanpot wins twice in the last six years).
This year?
Boston College took the Hockey East title, as BC took a 2-0 lead into the second period. But, BU cut that lead in half with a gorgeous wrist shot goal by defenseman Gavin McCarthy, a freshman from Clarence Center, N.Y. (Population 3,337).
BC extended its lead to 3-1, on a goal by Cutter Gauthier, BC’s third power play goal of the game which came at 18:46 of the 2nd period.
Eagles’ freshman Will Smith scored his third goal of the night to make it 4-1, BC, at the 6:46 mark of the third period. Smith has 22 goals and 44 assists on the season.
BC’s key goal of the game made it 5-1, as Boston College freshman Gabe Perreaultscored on the power play, BC’s fourth power play goal of the night. All three players – Perreault, Gauthier and Smith – player on the USA Developmental team for USA Hockey.
BU tightened the score on a power play to make it 5-2. A BC empty-netter made it 6-2 for the final before the fisticuffs broke out to close out the game.
BC freshman goalkeeper, Jacob Fowler, recorded the win.
The NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship begins next week (March 28-29) and concludes at the Frozen Four, scheduled for April 11-13 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Note: The Bulldog Edition of WWYI was held for 30 minutes to see the final result of the Hockey East championship game from TD Garden in Boston.
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: March Madness did not fail to entertain this week, as noteworthy upsets included No. 13 Yale defeating No. 4 in heavily favored Auburn in the first round, while No. 14 Oakland upended No. 3 Kentucky. In the second round, Oakland lost to streaking N.C. State, 79-73 in OT. N.C. State qualified for the NCAAs by winning the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament (upset over North Carolina) and with the win over Oakland, the Wolfpack move on to the South’s Sweet 16 in Dallas.
TO WIN JUST ONCE? – As the NCAA hoops tournament progresses, this column reflects to what might have been for the St. John’s Red Storm in last week’s BIG EAST Conferencde tournament. The Johnnies defeated a tough Seton Hall team in the No. 4 (Hall) vs. No. 5 (Johnnies) match-up on Thursday (Quarterfinals). As winner of the No. 4 vs No. 5, the reward was a match-up vs No. 1 UConn in the Friday night semis. You know that story.
Everyone left Madison Square Garden assured St. John’s secured a tournament bid and the speculation was whether Seton Hall and/or Providence would be “in” as well. When the Sunday Selection Show played out, all three teams were left out in the cold, as the likes of N.C. State – by winning the ACC – stole a berth, and the BIG EAST was left with only three clubs – UConn, Marquette and Creighton.
Rightfully so.
Seton Hall was closest, but their loss to St. John’s hurt the chances of grabbing a spot. St. John’s while hot during the home stretch (six game winning streak, including a big won over Creighton at MSG), did not have the overall resume as a tournament team. Losses to Michigan, Dayton and Boston College crushed St. John’s early, and two losses to each of the likes of UConn, Marquette and The Hall during the regular season was too much to overcome when the NCAA basketball committee met in Indianapolis to decide between NCAA and NIT bids.
The Johnnies quickly turned down the NIT bid, but Seton Hall (the No. 1 seed) has flourished. Guessing the Johnnies were focused on hitting the transfer portal or the seniors had enough.
Go figure, but has anyone noticed that the “Red Storm” nickname is useless, jinxed, terrible, confusing and not well liked?
It’s rebuilding time for coach Rick Pitino – make that a total renovation.
TID-BITS: In the NCAA’s, there’s plenty of Huskies, Bulldogs and other assorted animal mascots, but here, we have the two maniacs.
NATIONAL PUPPY DAY: How can we let “National Puppy Day” go by without mention of our TWO pups, the nearing “Adult Dog,” Penny (Lane) and the seven month old Max. … Penny joined us on Thanksgiving Weekend, 2020, right smack in the middle of the global pandemic due to the COVID-19 virus. In many ways, she got us through the “dog days” of that terrible year. National Puppy Day was celebrated March 23 and its founding doctrine states, “Established in 2006, National Puppy Day is a paw-some day for all dog enthusiasts to celebrate unconditional love and fawn over the undeniably cute fur balls that bring so much happiness into this world.” … True story. … It’s been a quick three and a half years that we’ve enjoyed having Penny bark and chase and play and only five months since we adopted the seven-month old “Mighty Max.” … Penny (Lane) has the obvious connection to The Beatles while Max was named as a “Silver Hammer” kinda guy, but we met his (human) parents on Springsteen Road in Albany, NY, so there was an immediate bond with “Mighty” MaxWeinberg of the E Street Band. Weinberg, born and bred in New Jersey, learned to play the drums with the influence of The Beatles’ Ringo Starr, like so many who grew up in the British Invasion era. … In the dual-meaning of names, Penny (Lane), played by Kate Hudson in the motion picture “Almost Famous” clocks in as No. 3 of my all-time favorite movies, locked in behind “Casablanca” and “The Sting.” … Happy Puppy Day to all who partake. Penny and Max have enriched all of our lives (four in the family) and they’ve made friends with all of our neighbors. It’s just GREAT.
