10-11-2018

2018-19 HOCKEY PREVIEW

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2018 THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY YEAR XLVI. VOLUME XCIV. ISSUE VI.

Former captain, current head coach — Albie O’Connell leads the way

New coach, same goal:

break 10-year NCAA drought

2 HOCKEY

2018-19 season start of a new era for men’s hockey

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Defenseman Cam Crotty and forward Max Willman celebrate after Willman scored a goal in Saturday’s game against Acadia University.

Cover photo: O’Connell during practice at Agganis Arena. MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

BY MATTHEW MARTIN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Gone are the days of former Boston University and current New York Rangers head coach David Quinn. Climbing up the ranks and taking over as the patriarch of the Terriers is Quinn’s former associate head coach and former BU captain, Albie O’Connell.

O’Connell spent the last four seasons on Quinn’s staff. Prior to joining BU, O’Connell built up a decade of coaching experience, and he is currently continuing the Terrier tradition of having alumni lead the program.

Going into his first year at the head, O’Connell focused on the team’s culture.

“You want to be successful, we want to get better every day, we want want to make sure things are going well in the classroom, in the community [and] our guys are doing the right thing away from the rink,” O’Connell said. “… We can develop each individual every day to get better and then collectively as a group, hopefully playing our best hockey at the end of the year.”

Saving its best hockey for the end of the season would be no new strategy for BU — despite preseason rankings putting the Terriers at No. 2, the team ended the first half of last season with a record of 8-11-1.

Despite the early season struggles, the then-No. 13 BU squad still found itself a game away from the Frozen Four, the same ending as the year prior.

Junior defenseman and co-captain Dante Fabbro saw it all unfold firsthand and spoke to the work ethic necessary for the team to push forward.

“It obviously sucked the last two years [with] the way it ended,” Fabbro said, “but I think if we just keep doing the little things right and come to work everyday and

take care of our school and everything at the rink, I think those things go a long way.”

This freshman class is highlighted by two draft picks in forwards Joel Farabee (14th overall) and Jake Wise (69th overall),

transfer in forward Max Willman.

However, Quinn is not the only notable early departure.

Despite having NCAA eligibility, forwards Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Greenway — two-thirds of BU’s top line a season ago —

like every year. You’re going to lose good players, and other good players are going to have to fill that void and play those minutes and make an impact.”

Starting the season, now-No. 8 BU can look forward to the return

GRAPHIC BY SHAUN ROBINSON/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

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

selected by the Philadelphia Flyers and the Chicago Blackhawks, respectively.

Forwards Jack DeBoer, Mark Cheremeta, Matthew Quercia, and defensemen Hugo Blixt and Dominic Vidoli round out the freshmen class for the Terriers.

The Terriers also added a graduate

both signed entry-level contracts with the Ottawa Senators and the Minnesota Wild, respectively.

“They’re obviously great players, but I don’t think it’s hurtful to get new guys to have opportunity,” O’Connell said. “We’ve got a lot of good freshmen and a lot of great players currently on our team. It’s

of junior forward Patrick Harper, who missed most of the second half of the season due to a respiratory illness.

Harper, despite missing 20 games during the second half of the season, finished seventh in points on the Terriers squad with 21.

The New Canaan, Connecticut

native currently has a point-pergame career with 58 points in 58 career games.

Another top-scoring return from last season is senior forward and co-captain Bobo Carpenter.

Carpenter’s 35 points not only tied Greenway for the lead for the Terriers last season, but also tied Northeastern University’s junior defenseman Jeremy Davies in the highest total points among returning players in Hockey East.

For the third straight season, BU looks toward junior goaltender and assistant captain Jake Oettinger in net.

2017-18 was a tale of two seasons for the Lakeville, Minnesota native.

During the first half of the season, the Dallas Stars prospect sported a .902 save percentage and a 2.91 goals-against average.

Through the second half of the season, Oettinger saw improvement in both categories to a tune of a .924 save percentage and a 2.05 goalsagainst average.

Oettinger saved his best for the Hockey East Tournament, where he recorded a 1.84 goals-against average and .945 save percentage en route to winning MVP honors, while the Terriers won the tournament for the ninth time.

He recorded a 30-shot shutout in the championship against then-No. 9 Providence College, the first in the title game since 2014.

They will all be part of a talented group of returning players for BU, and despite the coaching change, Carpenter noted that the expectations have not changed.

“It’s the same every year,” Carpenter said. “You want to be a national championship team, but we’re going to be a hard-working team that keeps it simple and really pushes the other teams. We want to be that fast team that really get things done.”

HOCKEY 3

No Bach, no Leslie, no problem for women’s hockey

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Sophomore forward Nara Elia in Friday’s game, the first of two games against Northeastern University last weekend. She scored a goal Saturday night as the Terriers tied 3-3.

BY MATTHEW MARTIN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

It’s not every year a team graduates two of its top five career scorers. Although Victoria Bach and Rebecca Leslie no longer call Walter Brown Arena home ice, their impact still lives on within the Boston University women’s hockey program.

BU head coach Br ia n Durocher said that both players are “unbelievably talented individuals” and that Bach and Leslie will be missed both on and off the ice.

But do the Terriers (0-1-1, 0-1-1 Hockey East) feel any different as a team without the two superstars?

“Not really,” said senior defenseman and captain Reagan Rust. “We’re still the same hard-working group we’ve been in previous years and so excited to get out there.”

Rust is joined by redshirt junior forward Sammy Davis and junior forward Natasza Tarnowski as captains of this squad.

Tarnowski recorded 14 points last season, doubling her point production from freshman year in a campaign that earned her the title as the team’s most improved, and is the first true junior to wear the “C” on her sweater since Olympian Marie-Philip Poulin earned the honor in the 2012-13 season.

Rust matched a career high in points with 18 in her first season with BU after transfering from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Although she ser ved as an assistant captain last season, Davis sat out of play with an injury.

“Sammy’s one of the accomplished people who was just under 20 goals as a freshman, so we know she can produce out

here,” Durocher said. “… She’s back healthy. The back half of her sophomore year, she was a little [more] injured than anyone knew.”

Despite not having a returning player who reached the 10-goal mark last season, BU’s squad returns three players that put up at least 20 points in sophomore forward Jesse Compher, redshirt junior defensema n Abbey Stanley and junior defenseman Abby Cook.

Among returners from last season, Compher and Cook tied for the most with 26 points and Compher lead the pack in goals with nine.

Durocher mentioned that the Terriers will have to rely on Davis and Compher as they are the

“two most accomplished offensive players.” Durocher added Stanley, Rust and Cook as other players BU will need to rely on in the offensive game.

Through two games this season, six different Terriers found themselves with points, with Compher and Davis leading the team, each with two points. All three of the team’s goals have been scored by a different player.

“If you get a bunch of players getting eight, 10 [or] 12 goals, you can make up for the loss of two great players,” Durocher said.

Along with her offensive production, Cook will be backing BU’s blueline.

While Durocher has previously stated he would not describe Cook as the “f lashiest”

player on the ice, she also pulled off maneuvers that caused him to draw a comparison to Boston Bruins-great Bobby Orr. Cook — who has never missed a game in her two years as a Terrier — holds a plus 25 record over her career at BU, going plus 18 in her freshman year alone.

Last season, the Kelowna, British Columbia, native was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star and a New England Division I All-Star.

Cook shared the New England recognition with Bach and Leslie, whom she spoke highly of.

“I learned a lot from Rebecca and Victoria,” Cook said. “They were really good leaders … The way they played, they really slowed it down which helped to

SOFIA KOYAMA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

From left to right: redshirt junior Sammy Davis, senior Reagan Rust and junior Natasza Tarnowski. The trio will lead Boston University’s women’s hockey team this season as co-captains.

not rush out there. Even in the locker room, they both were very vocal, so that helped a lot, too.”

Bach’s senior season ranks among the best all time in Terrier history and cultivated in being named to the All-American, New England DI All-Star and Hockey East All-Star first teams and finished as a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, which is presented to the best player in Division I women’s hockey.

Her success was not just limited to her senior campaign, as she became the first player in Terrier hockey history to record at least 20 goals in all four seasons.

Although BU did not beat Northeastern University last season, Bach reached a milestone no Terrier had before Jan. 16 when, with 3.3 seconds left in the game, she lit the lamp for the 93rd time in her career, placing her first on the all-time record for the Terriers.

Less than a month later, Bach recorder her 100th career goal in the Beanpot Championship against Boston College.

Leslie joined her linemate on the New England Division I AllStar first team and was also named to the Hockey East All-Star second team. She also helped rewrite the record books for the Terriers as she became the first player in BU history to record 20 goals and 30 assists in the same season.

She is also the all-time assist leader in Terrier history.

Although the Terriers are without two of its all-time great players, Durocher is still hoping that his squad will create “swagger.”

“You’ve got to create your ow n swa g ger ever y yea r,” Durocher said. “… Each year you find a new team, and I’m hoping we have enough solid pieces and solid leadership that we can create some swagger.”

4 HOCKEY

Albie O’Connell: the new face of BU men’s hockey

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Former player and new men’s hockey coach Albie O’Connell illustrates a drill to junior forward Patrick Harper during a practice.

BY EDWARD MORAN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

For the Boston University men’s hockey team, this summer has been as eventful as any in recent memory.

Since the Terriers’ season ended in March in the Northeast Regional Finals of the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament, BU has seen an Olympian, a former Hockey East All-Rookie selection and most notably, its five-season head coach leave for the NHL. After David Quinn left BU to coach the New York Rangers, an associate-turned-head coach Albie O’Connell was given the opportu-

nity to become the face of his alma mater’s famed hockey program.

“After you work at a lot of different programs, learn the business, learn what each levels represent, learn how to manage different things along the way, at some point you’d like to run a program,” O’Connell said regarding the university’s coaching search.

“I was just fortunate in my first [head-coaching opportunity] to get to do it at my alma mater.”

At BU, O’Connell said the goal for every hockey season is to compete for national championships, not postseason appearances.

Although Quinn’s tenure never

saw a national championship, his team’s record still featured in a national championship game while claiming two Hockey East titles and a Beanpot trophy.

While Quinn was at the helm for six NHL first-round draft picks, O’Connell said he is aware that the Terriers’ expectations have not changed, regardless of who is coaching.

Quinn was noted for his fiery, vocal coaching style, a stark contrast to O’Connell’s softer demeanor.

However different their personalities are, they were still both students of BU’s all-time winningest

coach, Jack Parker, and know what best embodies the hockey program.

“I think [Quinn and I] got the same values,” O’Connell said. “…

And I think that’s been the values of BU hockey from Jack Parker, a hard-nosed, hard-working team that plays at a high pace, that plays in your face, and you’re going to have to beat us to win.”

Although O’Connell is not a new face at the helm of Terrier hockey — he was hired in 2014 as Quinn’s associate head coach — players have shown excitement for what can be achieved under their new leader.

Junior defenseman and co-captain Dante Fabbro stated that

despite O’Connell’s title change, some aspects remain familiar.

“I feel like you train for a season just like any other season,” Fabbro said. “Obviously, the guys returning have an [idea] as to what Albie’s like, and you know, so far so good right now. He’s done an unbelievable job of managing time, getting us on the ice and utilizing our ice time as much as possible.”

Starting positions are never a guarantee, and this offseason especially, players have noted an increase in urgency.

Coupled with veterans such as junior goaltender Jake Oettinger and senior co-captain Bobo Carpenter to compete against, players have acknowledged that a minute amount of extra effort can make an impression on the new boss in town.

Junior defenseman and assistant captain Chad Krys spoke to the energy in the room going into the season. “… I think more than anything, guys are going to have a little more jump to their step to be sure that they’re playing well to get themselves in the lineup to make sure they get [important] roles,” Krys said.

For the Terriers, the road to the national championship starts off in the Midwest.

Come Friday, No. 8 BU will fly to take on No. 11 Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Just days from coaching his first game on the road against a national powerhouse, O’Connell will be there to kick-start a new era of BU hockey, one which he said he cannot wait to experience.

“BU’s a great place,” O’Connell said. “I’ve had a lot of great memories as a coach and as a student-athlete, and hopefully we’ll have a lot of great moments to share.”

Matthew Martin contributed to the reporting of this article.

Behind the Glass: BU Alumni in the NHL this season

BY LAURA GUERRIERO COLUMNIST

Boston University is known to be a breeding ground for future NHL stars. Dozens of Terriers have gone on to play in the NHL and make successful careers for themselves. In recent years, many BU players drafted into the NHL have immediately hit the ice and made important contributions to their respective teams. Here are some key BU alumni to keep an eye on this hockey season.

Although we’re only a little more than a week into the hockey season, there are already plenty of eyes on left wing Brady Tkachuk, who received a lot of buzz prior to his NHL debut. Selected fourth overall by the Ottawa Senators, Tkachuk notched 31 points for the Terriers in the 2017-2018 season.

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk stated prior to this season that the team is focused on rebuilding by adding young talent to the roster. The team has already made

some questionable decisions that may negatively impact their play during this rebuild, so it will be interesting to see how Tkachuk plays and if he does bring that young talent they’re looking for to the ice.

Another former Terrier to watch this season is left wing Jordan Greenway. The 6-foot6-inch, 227-pound Greenway provided a dominant physical presence for the Terriers in his three years at BU, tying the lead for points in 2018 with 35. He also represented Team USA in the 2018 Olympics, and after returning to the United States and finishing the season with the Terriers, he began playing with the Minnesota Wild, where he tallied one assist in six games. Now that he has an entire season of professional play ahead of him, expect to see that dominant style of play make an impact on the Wild’s offense.

Clayton Keller has already proven his scoring ability after spending a full season on the Arizona Coyotes last year.

Selected seventh overall in the 2016 draft, Keller left BU to play for Arizona the day after the Terriers were booted from the NCAA tournament by the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Last season, he led the Coyotes in points, playing all 82 of the team’s games and earning a total of 65 points with 23 goals and 42 assists.

In the team’s first two contests of this season, Keller did not score any points for Arizona, however, that should be expected to change quickly, and it would not be surprising if he surpasses the 30-goal mark this season.

Defenseman Charlie McAvoy is another former Terrier who already has a full NHL season under his belt. McAvoy already has a head start in the scoring category for this season, notching three assists in the Bruins’ Monday game against Ottawa.

Averaging about 22 minutes on ice, McAvoy played in 63 games for the Bruins last season. He suffered a knee injury two months after undergoing surgery for an abnor-

mal heart rhythm. If McAvoy can stay healthy, he should be able to provide Boston with that consistent play he exhibited last season, but there is never a guarantee that he — or any player for that matter — will be able to avoid injury for an entire season.

There can’t be a discussion of recent BU alumni in the NHL without mentioning Jack Eichel, the second overall draft pick by the Buffalo Sabres who is entering his fourth season in the NHL. Eichel has averaged 59 points in his first three seasons, but the Sabres have continued to struggle, placing last in the league in two of their last four seasons. It’s no secret that Buffalo needs help pulling itself out of this streak, but the fact that after the Sabres’ first three games of the season they have a winning record for the first time since 2013 could be a good sign that things are turning around.

In this year’s offseason, Buffalo acquired Tage Thompson, Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka and two draft picks from the St. Louis

Blues for center Ryan O’Reilly, a haul that could provide the Sabres with some much-needed talent this season.

Finally, one of the more interesting offseason additions to the NHL is former BU coach David Quinn. In May, the New York Rangers announced that the team was hiring Quinn as the team’s new head coach. After a shaky 2017-2018 season in which the Rangers finished 12th in the Eastern Conference, they were looking to rebuild and rise to the top of the Metropolitan Division once again.

So far, that’s not looking too promising. The Rangers have lost their first three games of the season, giving a less-than-stellar first impression of Quinn. Although his experience coaching college hockey can help him develop young talent, the team needs to expedite this adjustment period that seems to be taking place if they want to avoid digging themselves further into the loss category.

HOCKEY 5

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

From left to right: senior forward Bobo Carpenter, junior defenseman Chad Krys, junior goaltender Jake Oettinger and junior defenseman Dante Fabbro. Carpenter and Fabbro will lead the team during the 2018–19 season.

Men’s hockey utilizes leadership throughout team

BY MATTHEW MARTIN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Although four players will wear letters on their sweaters this season, leadership is present throughout the No. 8 Boston University men’s hockey team.

At least, that’s according to junior defenseman and co-captain Dante Fabbro.

“It’s such a great group of guys here that everyone is a leader [and] has a part to this,” Fabbro said. “I wouldn’t say it’s just the four guys here with the letter on their chest — it’s a team.”

Along with Fabbro, senior forward Bobo Carpenter will hold the title of captain, with junior defenseman Chad Kr ys and junior goaltender Jake Oettinger wearing the “A.” Fabbro did face the opportunity to turn pro and sign an entr y-level contract with the Nashville Predators — the team that selected him with the 17th overall pick in 2016.

However, he decided to return to Agganis Arena for his junior season, making him the last remaining BU player of four who were drafted in the 2016 first round.

“I think just with obviously a new coaching staff and the guys that were here and the guys that are coming in, it’s a good opportunity for me to come back and

be able to be a leader and hopefully win some more championships,” Fabbro said. “I’m excited with the group we have.”

This will not be the first time Fabbro has worn a letter.

Most recently, Fabbro donned the “A” for Team Canada during last year’s International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship where the team earned a gold medal.

Fabbro did not have the Terriers too far from his heart, however, and slipped BU victory song “Hey! Baby” in as Canada’s goal song.

For BU, the return of Fabbro goes a long way, not just on the ice, but also in the locker room.

Last season, Fabbro earned a spot on the Hockey East Second Team and was named a New England All Star after leading Hockey East defensemen in goals with nine and finished second in points with 29.

BU head coach A lbie O’Connell said he is enthusiastic about Fabbro’s return, describing him as “arguably one of the best defensemen in the country.”

“It’s huge,” O’Connell said.

“Dante is a big presence in the locker room and he’s a big presence on the ice. He’s really competitive — carries himself well, he’s got a lot of poise. I think he’s going to be able to bring a lot of the younger guys along. He’s got a

lot of respect [as a player].”

O’Connell also had high praise for co-captain Carpenter, who was a part of the leadership group last season as an assistant captain. O’Connell said he is a “hard working, hard-nose player.”

The Terriers will feature two captains for the first time since the 2013–14 season when senior

Carpenter comes from a hockey family: his sister, Alex Carpenter, captained Boston College to a national championship attempt during her senior campaign and has won multiple medals while representing the United States internationally, including an Olympic silver medal in 2014, while his father, Bobby Carpenter, enjoyed an

“I wouldn’t say it’s just four guys here with the letter on their chest — it’s a team.”

- Dante Fabbro defensemen Garrett Noonan and Patrick MacGregor shared the honors.

Last season, Carpenter tied for the Terriers’ lead with 35 points and joined Fabbro with a selection to both the Hockey East Second Team and as a New England All Star.

19-season run in the NHL. “There’s definitely not a difference,” Carpenter said. “You want to be the team player that you are and help any way that you can and be a role model for the younger guys who come in and help get the wins any way possible.”

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Ca r penter added t h at although he does not view himself as a vocal leader, he described Fabbro as one who “is more of a vocal guy on game days.”

The assistant captains have impressive credentials of their own.

Last season, Kr ys ranked third in points among blueliners in the Hockey East with 27 — one spot behind Fabbro.

Oettinger led the Terriers into the NCA A Tournament while boasting a 2.45 goalsagainst average and a .915 save percentage, and his five shutouts finished tied for both first in the conference and fifth in the nation.

“I think me and Jake both are definitely more of the guys who keep it light in the locker room,” Krys said. “Bobo is pretty serious, and that works work for him … Dante is similar in his approach.”

Although four players will have letters on their chest, Krys and O’Connell said the duty of leadership expands further than just these individuals.

“Each guy brings his own f lavor to the leadership, but collectively, as a group, they’ve been great,” O’Connell said. “It’s been really good for the program to get a lot of our good players who are going to be key contributes on the roster to lead.”

6 HOCKEY

MEET BOSTON UNIVERSITY’S

3 | TY AMONTE

1 | NICO LYNCH

2 | SHANE SWITZER

4 | DAVID FARRANCE

5 | CAMERON CROTTY

8 | RYAN CLOONAN

9 | LOGAN COCKERILL

10 | GABRIEL CHABOT

11 | PATRICK CURRY

12 | JAKE WISE

13 | MARK CHEREMETA

Junior Goaltender Barnstable, Massachusetts 5’11” | 165 lbs

Sophomore Defenseman Victor, New York 6’0” | 190 lbs

Senior Forward East Longmeadow, Massachusetts 5’10” | 185 lbs

Junior Forward Schaumburg, Illinois 6’0” | 185 lbs

14 | BOBO CARPENTER (C) Senior Forward North Reading, Massachusetts 5’11” | 200 lbs

Redshirt Junior Defenseman Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 6’2” | 190 lbs

Sophomore Defenseman Greely, Ontario 6’2” | 190 lbs

Sophomore Forward Brighton, Michigan 5’9” | 175 lbs

Freshman Forward Reading, Massachusetts 5’11” | 190 lbs

15 | SHANE BOWERS Sophomore Forward Halifax, Nova Scotia 6’2” | 188 lbs

Sophomore Forward Norwell, Massachusetts 5’11” |175 lbs

7 | CHAD KRYS (A) Junior Defenseman Ridgefield, Connecticut 6’0” | 185 lbs

Junior Forward Quebec City, Quebec 5’8” |180 lbs

Freshman Forward Parkland, Florida 5’11” | 175 lbs

16 | MAX WILLMAN Graduate Forward Barnstable, Massachusetts 6’0” | 190 lbs

HOCKEY 7

2018–19 MEN’S HOCKEY TEAM

17 | DANTE FABBRO (C) Junior Defenseman New Westminster, British Columbia 6’1” | 193 lbs

21 | PATRICK HARPER Junior Forward New Canaan, Connecticut 5’9” |160 lbs

26 | KASPER KOTKANSALO Sophomore Defenseman Espoo, Finland 6’3” | 205 lbs

19 | JACK DEBOER Freshman Forward Madison, New Jersey 6’3” | 188 lbs

23 | DOMINIC VIDOLI

28 | JOEL FARABEE

30 | JAKE OETTINGER

Sophomore Forward Melrose, Massachusetts 5’10” | 178 lbs

Freshman Forward Cicero, New York 6’1” | 170 lbs

Redshirt Junior Goaltender Andover, Massachusetts 6’3” 180 lbs

Head Coach 4th coaching season at BU Former Terrier captain (CAS ‘99)

Freshman Forward Andover, Massachusetts 6’3” | 202 lbs

22 | JAKE WITKOWSKI

31 | MAX PRAWDZIK

ALBIE O’CONNELL

20 | MATTHEW QUERCIA

Freshman Defenseman Strongsville, Ohio 6’0” | 195 lbs

Junior Goaltender Lakeville, Minnesota 6’5” | 205 lbs

33 | HUGO BLIXT

PAUL PEARL

Associate Head Coach 1st career season at BU 28-year coaching veteran

Freshman Defenseman Västerås, Sweden 6’4” | 195 lbs

LEN QUESNELLE Assistant Coach 2nd career season at BU 26-year coaching veteran

8 HOCKEY

Harper’s return breathes fresh power into Terrier offense

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Junior forward Patrick Harper during a practice.

BY LIAM O’BRIEN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The phrase “What if ?” can apply to almost any situation as we look back on past events.

“What if?” is exactly the question Boston University men’s hockey fans pose when they think of last year’s NCAA Tournament run.

What if the Terriers that went all the way to the Northeast Regional final had junior forward Patrick Harper on the ice with them?

Before going down 20 games into the season last winter due to a respiratory illness, Harper was leading the team in points with 21 after amassing eight goals and 13 assists.

“It sucked,” Harper said of missing out on his team’s Hockey East title and subsequent NCAA Tournament. “There was nothing I could really do about it, just cheer for the team and help my teammates out, do whatever I could for those guys.”

A fifth-round pick of the Nashville Predators in 2016, Harper has compiled a laundry list of achievements over his budding career on the ice, but was unable to compete in the Terrier line-up during their push for the Frozen Four services last spring.

Harper is back for another season with the Terriers, playing the role of an upperclassmen on a top forward line that includes sophomore Shane Bowers and freshman Joel Farabee.

BU head coach A lbie O’Connell expressed excitement for the forward’s return.

“It’s like getting a blue-chip recruit,” O’Connell said. “He’s got a good energy about him and the guys are pretty confident in his ability, so he gives the whole team confidence.”

According to Harper’s teammates, his return should add to the team’s production this season.

“It’s going to be unbelievable for us,” junior goaltender Jake Oettinger said. “We had a heck of a run last year without one of our best players. To get him back is huge for the guys and for the morale.”

Last season, he received two Hockey East Player of the Week honors Oct. 9 after recording two goals and an assist against Quinnipiac and another recognition Dec. 4 after compiling four assists in a game against Boston College.

His production as a freshman was just as good — the undersized 5-foot-9-inch, 160-pounder was second on the squad with 37 points and tied for first with 24 assists.

He started his career off with a bang, piling up 10 points in his first 12 games and winning Hockey East Player of the Week in the first week of his college tenure.

The native of New Canaan, Connecticut, has experience competing on a national level as well.

Harper represented Team USA in the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2017 and 2018, winning gold and bronze medals, respectively.

Now, Harper said he had high expectations for himself to return to his previous level of production

and help the team make an even deeper postseason run.

“I have a lot of expectations,” Harper said. “I just want to win a National Championship here.

That’s the main focus, and anything short of that is a disappointment. I think everyone in the room has the same mentality.

We are here to play.”

It’s been a long road for Harper to get back to playing competitive hockey — he says he recovered from the illness around the time of the NCAA Tournament,

but his conditioning had been set back too far for him to return to play.

“March, I was fine by then,” Harper said. “But had to take some steps. Took a little bit of time, so I had to sacrifice the second half of the season.”

The summer offseason allowed Harper a chance to rebuild his strength completely and get ready for play once again.

He returned to the Terriers line chart Saturday night for the exhibition opener against

Acadia University, a member of the Canadian U Sports governing body, and managed to score a goal in the third period.

The goal had Harper chasing down a rebound after a stuffed breakaway chance from Farabee and lifting a backhander off a defenseman and into the net.

O’Connell said he sees a lot of talent in Harper.

“He’s an elite player,” O’Connell said. “He’s an elite scorer. He’s small, but he plays big. He’s got a big heart.”

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Harper returns to the ice this season after missing 20 games at the end of last season due to a respiratory illness.

HOCKEY 9

9 draft picks make example of BU-NHL pipeline

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Sophomore forward Shane Bowers, who was drafted in 2017 by the Ottawa Senators 28th overall before being traded to the Colorado Avalanche.

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Freshman Joel Farabee, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers 14th overall in the 2018 NHL Draft.

BY LIAM O’BRIEN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Junior goaltender Jake Oettinger, who was drafted in 2017 by the Dallas Stars 26th overall.

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Junior defenseman Dante Fabbro, who was drafted 17th overall in 2016 by the Nashville Predators.

Alabama football. Kentucky basketball. Boston University hockey.

In each of their respective sports, these are the places you go if you want to end up being a firstround pick.

As the NHL regular season began play Oct. 3, 15 former Terriers were donning sweaters.

Many of these players, including recent stars Jack Eichel and Clayton Keller, were drafted in the first round.

BU head coach A lbie O’Connell has seen many of these players come through the program and he said it meant good things about the it.

“I think we have had more [f i r st - rou nd er s] re cent l y,” O’Connell said. “It’s great. It’s a big decision for those guys in where they choose [to play]. It’s important for us to continue to develop them and make sure we push them.”

BU has seen nine players drafted in the first round over the last four draft years, with Eichel leading the charge when he became the second player drafted in 2015.

The following season, four players — Keller, Charlie McAvoy, Dante Fabbro and Kieffer Bellows — went among the first 30.

In 2017, current Terrier goalkeeper Jake Oettinger and forward Shane Bowers were selected in the first round, and current Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk and BU forward Joel Farabee went in the first round of

this summer’s event.

BU’s reputation as a hockey factory has made it a hot spot for recruits who want to see their names up in lights at the NHL Draft one day, and, according to Farabee, the recruiting pitch basically makes itself.

“If you look at the guys that have been here as far as the hockey program, it’s a pretty good stat sheet,” Farabee said. “That and the great staff and facilities here made it a real easy choice for me to come here.”

This reign over the NHL draft is unparalleled: the only other school that comes close to rivaling this output is the University of Michigan, which has moved four first-rounders through its system over the last four drafts.

Meanwhile, Boston College, the University of North Dakota and the University of Wisconsin have sent three players to the first round since 2015.

Farabee joins the Terriers after being selected with the 14th overall pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in June. Despite his wiry 6-foot-1-inch, 170-pound frame, the Cicero, New York, native has a history of production.

Playing for the U.S. National Under-18 Team last season, Farabee piled up 33 goals and 43 assists in 62 games.

Although his production ensured his stature as a firstrounder, Farabee still had some butterf lies on draft night in Dallas.

“It was a pretty nerve-wracking night,” Farabee said. “Wasn’t really sure where I was going to go. I kind of had an idea, but I

really just left it to chance.”

While Farabee was selected in the first half of the first round, Oettinger had to wait a little bit longer to see his name go off the draft board in 2017.

The Dallas Stars traded up to the 26th pick to Oettinger, and general manager Jim Nill said having the goaltender in the Stars’ organization had the potential to help the team in the long run, due to how long it takes to develop goalies.

Looking forward, Farabee will have the opportunity to advance his game in a similar fashion over his collegiate career to ready him for the Metropolitan Division ranks.

For Oettinger, hearing his name called at the draft was something he’d been looking forward to his entire life.

“I had a lot of family and friends there, so it was really special,” Oettinger said. “It was definitely a dream come true.

Obviously, you always want to go in the first round, but you never really know if you will or not, so to finally have that dream come true was a huge honor.”

Oettinger’s experience on ice with the Terriers over the last two seasons has been critical to his development as a future starting goaltender in the NHL. He said that getting drafted was a dream he had since he started to play hockey.

“To have it be coming closer and closer every year is really cool,” Oettinger said. “Obviously, it’s what I want to do as a living for the rest of my life, so I definitely want to make it there one day for sure.”

10 HOCKEY

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20 QUESTIONS with Shane Bowers

BY EDWARD MORAN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

After a freshman campaign that saw him finish with 32 points and 17 goals, which earned him a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team, sophomore forward Shane Bowers said he was excited to build off of last season’s individual and team successes. The Daily Free Press caught up with Bowers to talk about pregame rituals, what it’s like winning the Hockey East Championship and what makes playing at Boston University special going into year two.

1. First question is — why BU?

6. What’s your favorite pregame hype song?

For me, it’s just when I was recruited, the coaching staff, and once I got here, I’ve seen the facilities and the program and the history that they have here, and it made [coming to BU] an easy decision.

Not one song in particular.

Usually, I listen to a lot of raps before the game — mostly Drake, but no one song.

2. What’s your favorite memory from last season?

Probably winning the Hockey East [Championship]. We all needed to win that game to make the [NCAA Tournament,] and there was a lot behind it, so to win that was pretty special, and the celebration and stuff with the team was really fun.

3. What was your initial feeling of finding out that former BU head coach David Quinn was going to the New York Rangers?

We were excited for him but also disappointed, but, obviously we’re happy now that Albie’s [O’Connell, BU’s new head coach] here, and we’re coming back more excited to have him as a coach this year.

4. What’s the preseason been like with Albie?

It’s been really good so far. I mean, obviously, it sucks being around for a long time before we can play, but it’s here now, and the preseason looks good.

5. What’s your favorite place to eat around Boston?

I’m not sure. There’s a lot of good places. I couldn’t really pick one since this is such a big city, there’s so many spots. I don’t think I could pinpoint one.

7. Do you have any pre-game rituals?

Yeah. I get newer ones each year, but definitely tape my stick every game. I don’t want people to touch it before the game, and usually, I get the same coffee and put all the clothes on the same way. Right foot first, then left, so just weird stuff. I kind of pick up more as the year goes on.

8. Who on this team can rile anybody up before a game?

I don’t know. … I’d say maybe [junior defenseman Dante] Fabbro, though. Fabs usually before the game gets the boys going.

9. In practice after you score on a goalie, do you celebrate? Do you guys joke around with the goalie after?

Yeah. Definitely, if it’s Oettinger, I’d probably celebrate quite a bit.

Guys like to poke fun at each other, and now everyone’s always out there pushing each other, so it’s a lot of fun.

10. Where do you think the team focused on improving this year?

I think, obviously, every year we want to win. Anything short of a national championship, I think, at BU is failure, and that’s where we’re going to hold the standard. We want to win every year and be the best team. That’s the goal every year.

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Sophomore forward Shane Bowers. Bowers has a few pregame superstitions which develop throughout each season.

11. What did you work on in this off-season?

I know it was pretty cliche, but I think after I got home, I wanted to get bigger and stronger, and I was able to accomplish that and also work on my game and getting better every day.

12. What do the freshmen bring this year?

They’ve been great so far. They bring a lot of steam, a lot of skill. I think they’re going to be a great addition for us.

13. How was the transition coming from Canada to the United States?

Well, I’ve been living here since high school, so I moved here three years ago — not sure I would have loved it. When I first moved here, I moved to the Midwest and there was no water. Where I’m from, Halifax, I’m on the ocean, but now I’m back to the East Coast, so it’s pretty similar.

14. How did you get involved in hockey?

Probably just growing up in Canada helped. My dad and my uncles played, and I’m sure they probably pushed me towards it. I guess I never looked back since.

15. Name your biggest influence on your hockey career so far?

18. What do you think BU needs to do to get deep again to the Double A tournament this year?

I’d probably say my parents.

They’ve been there pushing me and supporting me through it the whole way. They’re always in my corner, so I think definitely my parents.

I think that we have all the right ingredients, per se, to do that, and I think it’s just going to come down within the locker room, within the boys — everyone buying in and doing the right thing, day in and day out. The rest of it should take care of itself.

16. If you have any career outside of hockey, what would you pick?

I don’t know. Jeez. I haven’t really pictured anything else, but I don’t know. When I was younger, I always wanted to be a police officer, so maybe that.

17. How do you not get lost in the media hype shadowing you?

I figure you just want to stay focused within the team — in your own self — and not really pay attention to it or buy into it too much. Like you said, nowadays media’s a pretty big factor, but I think you just got to stay focused on yourself and on the team and make sure that you’re keeping your head down when it comes to that stuff.

19. Where’s one place you’d love to travel?

Somewhere in Europe. I think Europe’s a pretty cool spot, so maybe Italy.

20. Lastly, what makes BU so exciting to play for?

I think, like I said earlier, just the rich history that the school has as a hockey program and obviously our fans and everything. Putting on the jersey. Everything that’s so special and I think that every time I put on the jersey, I’m excited, and I think that a lot of the guys can testify to that, too.

Matthew Martin contributed to the reporting of this article.

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HOCKEY 11

TOP 5 HOCKEY EAST SERIES TO WATCH 10/26

7:30 p.m.

Who better for the Terriers to host in their home-opener Friday, Oct. 26 than Providence College? After finishing 1-1-1 in league play last season, BU got the better of the Friars when it mattered most: in the Hockey East Final. The 2-0 victory led the Terriers to their ninth Hockey East title. BU will likely turn to Oettinger, who, in six starts against Providence, has a .956 save percentage and has allowed no more than two goals in a match to go with two shutouts.

One week after its high-profile matchup against Providence College, BU faces off in a two-game series against Northeastern University. Playing at the Huskies on Thursday, Nov. 1 before hosting them at Agganis Arena on Saturday, Nov. 3, the Terriers will look to avenge their 5-2 Beanpot-final loss at the hands of the Huskies. With Hobey Baker winner Adam Gaudette now with the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League, Northeastern will need someone to replace his goal-scoring skills. The Terriers, meanwhile, are set on not letting the Huskies’ sweep of them last season not carry into this campaign.

11/16 7:30 p.m.

11/17

7:00 p.m.

11/1 7:30 p.m.

11/3

7:00 p.m.

In the first of two home-and-home series this season, the Terriers will host the University of Maine on Nov. 16 and 17 at Agganis Arena. This means that BU won’t have to travel to the Bears, who defeated the Terriers 5-2 last season at Alfond Arena. The Terriers also get Maine in Boston, where they have only dropped two matches against the Black Bears since February 2014.

Sometimes regarded as one of the greatest rivalries in all of college hockey, the Commonwealth Avenue Rivalry between Boston University and Boston College — separated by only four miles — tops BU fans’ lists of must-see matches, and rightfully so. The Terriers lead the series 134-124-18, with their latest triumph over the Eagles coming in last season’s Hockey East semifinals. Following his team’s future Friendship Four appearance in Belfast, Northern Ireland during Thanksgiving Break, new BU head coach Albie O’Connell will get his first crack against BC in a home-and-away series Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1.

12/7 7:30 p.m.

12/8

7:00 p.m.

11/30 7:30 p.m.

12/1

7:00 p.m.

The month of December will be a busy one for the Terriers. Three of their four December contests will be in Hockey East, two of which will come in a home-and-away series against Lowell Friday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 8. BU and the River Hawks split their regular-season series 1-1 last winter, with the Terriers blowing out Lowell 9-3 at home. BU will hope to continue its recent success at home against the River Hawks into 20182019.

Where does BU rank in the men’s hockey top 10?

1

Ohio State Univ.

6

U. of Minnesota Twin Cities

2

Notre Dame Univ.

7

Cornell Univ.

3

U. of Minnesota Duluth

8

Boston Univ.

4

Providence College

9

Univ. of Michigan

5

St. Cloud State Univ.

10

Univ. of Denver According to USCHO.com’s preseason Division I Men’s Hockey poll.

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@BOShockeyblog

HOCKEY 12

Freshman forwards Brady Tkachuk and Ty Amonte hope to leave their own legacies at BU, the alma mater of their NHL fathers.

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Sophomore goaltender Corinne Schroeder exits the locker room before a game at Walter Brown Arena Friday.

Women’s hockey to “count on” Compher, Schroeder

BY LIAM O’BRIEN DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

In the 2017-18 season, current sophomore classmates forward Jesse Compher and goaltender Corinne Schroeder each enjoyed successful freshman seasons last winter on the Boston University women’s hockey team, capped off by nods to the Hockey East AllRookie Team.

BU head coach Brian Durocher said that despite their underclassmen status, Compher and Schroeder will be players he looks to.

“They’re kids we are going to count on,” Durocher said. “We have to be a goaltender-out type of team.”

Both have spent time representing their countries in international play, as Compher sported the red, white and blue for the U.S. Under-18 team in the 2017 IIHF Women’s World U18 Championship while Schroeder was on the other end playing for Canada.

Compher tied for third on the Terriers with 26 points on nine goals and 17 assists last season, which ranked fifth among Hockey East freshmen in PPG. The Northbrook, Illinois, native’s freshman campaign included the game-winner in BU’s Beanpot semifinal win over Har vard University, a shorthanded goal in the team’s Hockey East playoff win against the University of Maine and a twogoal performance in the Nov. 28 win over Brown University.

“I played with a bunch of good teammates last year, so that had a lot to do with my success,”

Compher said. “Just [have to] play how I play, do what I have to, and it will be fine.”

Over the summer, Compher was invited to the USA Hockey Women’s National Festival in Lake Placid, an event used to determine rosters for a series of games against Team Canada.

USA Hockey’s streak of success against Canada in international play following its 2018 Olympic gold medal.

“It’s truly an honor,” Compher said. “It’s every kid’s dream to be able to wear that USA jersey, and having the chance to do it, you just have to be grateful and appre-

and represented the United States in six IIHF events.

He spent three seasons at the University of Michigan and served as a co-captain during the Wolverines’ 2015-16 season, where they played for a 25-8-5 record, clinched the program’s first Big Ten conference title and made a

MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Sophomore forward Jesse Compher. Compher and Schroeder begin this season on the heels of a successful rookie outing which landed them in the Hockey East All-Rookie Team last summer.

At the conclusion of the National Festival, Compher was one of 22 players chosen to play for the U.S. Under-22 Select Team against Canada.

She was part of a three-game sweep in Alberta, continuing

ciate the entire experience.”

Jesse isn’t the only Compher to put on the USA Hockey sweater — her brother, J.T. Compher, played with the United States National Development Team for two seasons before playing NCAA hockey

NCAA Tournament push to the Midwest Regional final.

J.T. now plays for the Colorado Avalanche and earned a point in two of his first three games this season.

“It’s a cool experience for me

because I can learn from him,” Compher said on training with her brother. “He’s pretty supportive of me and our entire team. It’s really cool to watch him.”

Backing Compher and the rest of the Terriers in net will be Schroeder, who held a .913 save percentage through last season.

The Elm Creek, Manitoba, native comes into the season after honing her skills in Hockey Canada’s Women’s Development Team Selection Camp in August.

Over three days at the selection camp, Schroeder saved 45 of the 50 shots that came her way for a .900 save percentage.

“Surreal,” Schroeder said of the experience. “It’s always an honor to represent your country and to even be in their selection program, it’s just great … It’s a great group of hockey players that are all so motivated. They really put a lot of effort into making us into the best hockey players we can be, so we can bring talent and skill back to our own teams. It’s the best of the best.”

Schroeder has started both games so far for BU, including 35-save performance in a 3-3 tie against Northeastern University.

Compher produced two points during the game off a goal and an assist during the game and is second on the team in shots.

Despite the two sophomores’ success so far in their careers, Schroeder said that talent and productive power are spread throughout the roster.

“I don’t think we’re in a bad spot this year at all,” Schroeder said. “We have a bunch of good lines that are all putting points on the boards, and that’s key for us. It’s not just one or two players scoring for us, it’s the whole team.”