Tag Archives: Boston College

Why AJ Dillon is the Best College Football Player Right Now

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I know it is early in the college football season, but AJ Dillon has continued to impress since he stepped foot on the field last year. He is so valuable in making Boston College a legit football team for the first time since the Matt Ryan days. Dillon grew up in Massachusetts, and went to Lawrence Academy for high school. He had many offers from around the country like Michigan, Notre Dame, and Florida State, but decided to stay home and make Boston College football great. AJ is a very big running back, standing at 6’0″ tall and 245 pounds. His physical attributes brought one scout to say:

“If our league had a one-and-done like the NBA, AJ Dillon would be the perfect guy”

AJ Dillon burst onto the scene in 2017, and has only piled onto his resume ever since.

2017 Season:

The Eagles last year started the season 2-4 in their first six games. They averaged only 16 points per game in that span. The teams they beat were Central Michigan and Northern Illinois, while they lost to were Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Clemson, and Notre Dame. The season started with everyone thinking Boston College is the same team as the past few years. However, this was not true.

After that 2-4 start, Eagles’ head coach Steve Addazio made AJ Dillon the starting running back against Louisville. This proved to be one of the smartest coaching decisions of the year in all of college football. In AJ Dillon’s first start in his college football career he put up 272 rush yards, and four TDs as the Eagles beat Louisville 45-42 for their first conference win in two years. Dillon disrespected the Cardinals defense many times, but a 75 yard touchdown really opened a lot of eyes.

Dillon would not stop there, though. Over the span of three weeks against all conference opponents (Virginia, Florida ST, NC ST) Dillon racked up 434 yards and two TDs. The Eagles were 2-1 in those three games. His 2017 campaign concluded in a bowl loss to Iowa, where he had 157 rush yards and one TD. Dillon finished the year with 1,589 rush yards and 14 rushing TD in only six starts. When the Eagles started Dillon last year they were 5-2 with an average of 33.7 points per game. AJ Dillon won ACC Freshman of the Year for his 2017 performance, and was the first Eagles player to win that award.

2018 Season:

AJ Dillon has kept the hype train alive through three games this season. In his first game of the year against UMass, Dillon only played in the first half where he had 98 yards. Against Holy Cross, Dillon only had six carries. However, in those rushes Dillon racked up 149 yards and three TDs, which is absolutely insane production. His first real test of the year came against Wake Forest. Before this game against the Eagles, Wake Forest was 2-0. The Demon Deacons wanted to crush Dillon’s Heisman hopes, but they could not. Dillon had 185 yards and one TD en route to a 41-34 inter-conference win. So far in the 2018 campaign, Dillon has 432 rushing yards and four TDs.

Dillon is a very powerful and exciting running back. Even though he was not ranked to win the Heisman before the season started according to bookmakers, he is now at 40/1 odds to win the award. If he can keep this up, Boston College will be very competitive at the top, and he might win the Heisman.

2018 College Football Season Preview and Predictions

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The college football season is getting closer by the minute. With the first games coming on August 25th, a lot of things have changed. Teams like Alabama, Notre Dame, and Clemson will have to decide who will play QB while teams like Wisconsin and others return many of their key players from last year. We will also get to see how Oklahoma, Penn ST, and USC will fare without their best players from last season.

In this article I preview every single conference in the FBS. I will also make my final top 25 predictions and new year’s six bowl game predictions while predicting every single conference winner.

American Athletic Conference:

The American Athletic Conference is most likely the best group-of-five conference in the FBS. They were home to the only undefeated team in the FBS last year with UCF going 13-0 overall. However, UCF will look a lot different without head coach Scott Frost, and defensive leader Shaquem Griffin. Houston will look to improve this year to what they were in 2015 when they beat Florida ST in the Peach Bowl. They will be bringing back defensive tackle, Ed Oliver, who is likely the best player in college football. Navy is always a team to look out for with their option run game being the best in college football. Teams like Memphis, USF, and Temple have slim chances to win the conference this upcoming year. UConn, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Tulsa, SMU, and Tulane will fight for a bowl game.

Standings:

East

  1. UCF*
  2. Temple
  3. USF
  4. UConn
  5. Cincinnati
  6. East Carolina

West

  1. Houston*
  2. Navy
  3. Memphis
  4. Tulsa
  5. SMU
  6. Tulane

Conference Title Game: UCF VS Houston

I believe that the American Athletic Conference title game will feature defending champs, UCF, and 2015 champs, Houston. UCF brings a high-powered offense into the game led by quarterback, Mckenzie Milton. Milton had over 4,000 passing yards for the knights last year while throwing 37 touchdowns and 9 INT. Houston enters with the best player in college football, Ed Oliver. It is unlikely that defensive tackle leads a team to the title game, but Oliver is just that good. I believe Houston will win this game 23-20 mostly because of Houston’s defense and the loss of Scott Frost for UCF.

ACC:

The ACC has claimed that it is the best conference in college football. They are home to powerhouse, Clemson, who will look to avenge their loss to Alabama last year, and win the National championship. Clemson has the second best odds to win the National championship, trailing only Alabama. Quarterback, Kelly Bryant, looks to improve from last year, while the entire front seven, excluding Dorian O’Daniel returns next season. Even though Virginia Tech has lost a lot of starters, they have a favorable schedule. They do not play Clemson, and play Miami very late in the season in Blacksburn. They are a sneaky team to make the ACC title game.

Other teams like Florida ST and Miami are expected to have big years with expectations being ACC title or bust. Boston College is probably the biggest dark horse in the entire FBS. They went on a surge late in the season beating Louisville 45-42, beating Florida ST 35-3, and Virginia 41-10. BC will bring back Heisman hopeful, A.J. Dillon, and most of their team from a year ago.

Standings:

Atlantic

  1. Clemson*
  2. Boston College
  3. Florida ST
  4. Louisville
  5. Wake Forest
  6. North Carolina ST
  7. Syracuse

Coastal

  1. Virginia Tech*
  2. Miami
  3. Georgia Tech
  4. Duke
  5. Virginia
  6. Pittsburgh
  7. North Carolina

Conference Title Game: Clemson VS Virginia Tech

This conference title game will be a rematch of the ACC championship from 2016. Clemson won that game 42-35 en route to a national championship. This Virginia Tech team is a lot worse than the one from 2016 though. With the high-powered offense and stacked front seven for Clemson, this game could get ugly. I believe Clemson will win by a score of 49-13 to advance to the college football playoff.

Big 12:

The Big 12 is a very interesting conference this year. Players like Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph were drafted into the NFL, so it will be fun to see how those teams fare without them. Texas will be looking to live up to high expectations under head coach Tom Herman, and win the conference for the first time since 2009. They were dissapointing last year under Herman, but they have a very solid recruiting class and have a chance of winning this conference. There are other recognizable teams in the Big 12 like West Virginia, Oklahoma, and TCU who will all also battle for a shot in the Big 12 title game. West Virginia has arguably the best QB in the whole country in Will Grier, while Oklahoma has to fill the void of Baker Mayfield.

Standings:

  1. Texas*
  2. West Virginia*
  3. Oklahoma
  4. TCU
  5. Iowa ST
  6. Kansas ST
  7. Oklahoma ST
  8. Texas Tech
  9. Baylor
  10. Kansas

Conference Title Game: West Virginia VS Texas

My prediction for the Big 12 conference title game is Tom Herman’s Longhorns versus Will Grier’s Mountaineers. Texas has a few things to work out on the offensive side of the ball, specifically at QB. However, their defense can compete with anyone in the Big 12, and Tom Herman is a mastermind at head coach. On the other hand, West Virginia will look to have the best offense in the country. I see this game leaning towards West Virginia, as Will Grier puts on a note-worthy performance. West Virginia beats Texas 31-28.

Big Ten:

The Big Ten seems to have the highest amount of quality teams this upcoming college football season. Michigan has disappointed under Jim Harbaugh, but they have always had a top defense, and now bring in Ole Miss transfer, Shea Patterson, at QB. Ohio ST is in a little bit of trouble with head coach Urban Meyer under investigation from the NCAA. They have probably the best team in the Big Ten talent-wise, but they have a dark-cloud hanging above them which could be a distraction. Penn ST loses Saquon Barkley, but brings back most of their team including Heisman candidate, Trace McSorley. Michigan ST brings a top defense to the table, and Rutgers look to finally show that they belong with a strong showing this season.

On the other side of the conference there is Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Purdue. Wisconsin got some love from the AP as they are ranked #4 to start the year which is their highest since 2000. They are bringing back almost their entire team including running back Jonathan Taylor and QB Alex Hornibrook. They also make the case for the best offensive line in the country. Purdue and Nebraska will look to fight it out for the second spot in the division. They both have some of the best head coaches in the nation in Scott Frost and Jeff Brohm.

Standings:

East

  1. Michigan*
  2. Ohio ST
  3. Penn ST
  4. Michigan ST
  5. Rutgers
  6. Indiana
  7. Maryland

West

  1. Wisconsin*
  2. Purdue
  3. Nebraska
  4. Northwestern
  5. Iowa
  6. Minnesota
  7. Illinois

Conference Title Game: Michigan VS Wisconsin

This title game will be the first for Michigan under the Jim Harbaugh era. They will look to finally overcome Ohio ST in the last game of the season since they have a legit QB in Shea Patterson. Michigan also brings in one of the best defenses with Rashan Gray holding down the d-line while Devin Bush continues to add to his defensive highlight reel. Wisconsin has all the makings of going undefeated in the regular season with most of their starters returning. I see this game being a defensive battle with Wisconsin running back being the deciding factor in a 24-17 win for the Badgers.

C-USA:

The C-USA has one of the most fun teams to watch in college football in FAU. Lane Kiffin has turned FAU into a group-of-five powerhouse, and they only look to get better. Running back Devin Singletary will look to lead the offense while the ball-hawking defense does what they do best. Marshall has a QB problem with the loss of Chase Litton. However, they still have many ways to win on both sides of the ball. The other side of the conference is razor thin with Louisiana Tech, UTSA, North Texas, UAB, and Southern Mississippi. Louisiana Tech brings in the best defense in the West division, but the running game will be a problem they will have to resolve.

Standings:

East

  1. FAU*
  2. Marshall
  3. Middle Tennessee
  4. Western Kentucky
  5. FIU
  6. Charlotte
  7. Old Dominion

West

  1. Louisiana Tech*
  2. UTSA
  3. North Texas
  4. UAB
  5. Southern Mississippi
  6. UTEP
  7. Rice

Conference Title Game: FAU VS Louisiana Tech

The C-USA conference title game will be a matchup between Louisiana Tech and defending champs, FAU. FAU is just so good under Lane Kiffin that it is hard to pick against them. They won last years C-USA championship by a score of 41-17 against North Texas, and will look to do the same here. I believe FAU beats Louisiana Tech 52-16.

Mid-American Conference:

The MAC has been one of the funnest conferences to watch in college football. They have most of their games early in the week which is a fun gimmick to have to get a wider audience than playing on Saturday with no coverage. This year will be very competitive in the MAC. Starting off with Northern Illinois they have the best offensive and defensive lines in the entire conference. However, they do lack in skill positions on offense. Toledo has seemed to be the powerhouse of this conference, but this year they will be without QB Logan Woodside, but they have a great wide receiver group.

Miami (OH), Ohio, Akron, and Buffalo will all battle for a spot in the title game. Ohio brings one of if not the best offenses in the MAC, but their defense is shaky. Miami is coming in with two QBs that can play right away, and James Gardner at wide receiver.

Standings:

East

  1. Miami (OH)*
  2. Ohio
  3. Akron
  4. Buffalo
  5. Kent ST
  6. Bowling Green

West

  1. Northern Illinois*
  2. Toledo
  3. Eastern Michigan
  4. Western Michigan
  5. Central Michigan
  6. Ball ST

Conference Title Game: Miami (OH) VS Northern Illinois

My prediction for the MAC title game is Northern Illinois versus Miami of Ohio. Northern Illinois have a glaring hole on offense, but defense is the reason they are in the title game. Miami is an offensive powerhouse which will be a nice contrast of styles in this game. I see Northern Illinois beating Miami 23-20 to claim their fourth conference title.

Mountain West Conference:

The Mountain West Conference is home to the best group-of-five team since the 2000s. Boise ST is the front-runner for a New Year’s Six Bowl with QB Brett Rypien and RB Alexander Mattison. They also have a great secondary, and a defensive line that is not far behind. Wyoming will have to deal with the loss of Josh Allen, but still bring back a great defense led by safety Andrew Wingard. San Diego ST is Boise ST’s biggest threat in the conference this year. They always produce great running backs, and it will be no different this year with Juwan Washington. The Aztecs also have the best o-line in the conference, and a great defense.

Standings:

Mountain

  1. Boise ST*
  2. Utah ST
  3. Colorado ST
  4. Wyoming
  5. New Mexico
  6. Air Force

West

  1. San Diego ST*
  2. Fresno ST
  3. Nevada
  4. Hawaii
  5. San Jose ST
  6. UNLV

Conference Title Game: Boise ST VS San Diego ST

This conference title game will be one of the best in Mountain West history. Both Boise ST and San Diego ST are group of five powerhouses, and have a legit shot in a New Year’s Six Bowl game. In the end, Boise ST’s defense will be able to stop San Diego ST’s running attack as the Broncos win 27-20.

Pac-12:

The Pac-12 is wide open this year. Washington is the favorites to win it all with no major holes for the Huskies. Their backfield is the best in the conference, and both offensive tackles are NFL-caliber. They also have one of the best defenses in the league even with the loss of Vita Vea, but there is not a lot to complain about. Oregon brings in what could be the first overall pick come 2019 in Justin Herbert, while Stanford brings back Heisman runner-up, Bryce Love. USC will bring a great defense, but will have to fill the Sam Darnold void with an 18 year-old QB. Utah is a team to look for as they have a high-powered offense led by QB Tyler Huntley, and a solid defense.

Standings:

North

  1. Washington*
  2. Oregon
  3. Stanford
  4. Washington ST
  5. California
  6. Oregon ST

South

  1. Utah*
  2. USC
  3. Arizona
  4. UCLA
  5. Arizona ST
  6. Colorado

Conference Title Game: Utah VS Washington

The Pac-12 conference title game looks to feature a great defense versus a great offense. A story as old as time as Washington will take on Utah. Washington at this time will be looking to get into the CFB playoffs with an emphatic win against the Utes. Utah’s up tempo offense is no match for the Huskies top defense as Washington wins 26-7.

SEC:

The SEC has long been the powerhouse conference in football. They even had two teams in the National Championship last year as Alabama beat Georgia in overtime. Georgia will look to repeat as SEC champions as Jake Fromm will enter his second year, and they have a loaded offense. Missouri really came into their own last year under potential top pick, QB Drew Lock. South Carolina has one of the best offenses in the conference, but defense could come back to bite them. The Gators look to rebound after an abysmal season as they bring in head coach Dan Mullen to reinvigorate their offense.

On the other side of the conference their is Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi ST, and LSU. Alabama has run the college football world for years, but they will have a tough decision to make at QB between Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. Their defense will also be great as always. Their secondary is a cause of concern with the losses of Ronnie Harrison and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Auburn looks to beat Alabama again with returning QB, Jarrett Stidham. Their defensive line competes with the best in the country led by Derrick Brown.

Standings:

East

  1. Georgia*
  2. Missouri
  3. South Carolina
  4. Florida
  5. Kentucky
  6. Tennessee
  7. Vanderbilt

West

  1. Alabama*
  2. Auburn
  3. Mississippi ST
  4. LSU
  5. Texas A&M
  6. Arkansas
  7. Ole Miss (Ineligible for Postseason Play)

Conference Title Game: Alabama VS Georgia

The SEC title game looks to be a rematch of the 2017 National Championship between Georgia and Alabama. Alabama will enter this game without missing the playoffs so far since its induction. Meanwhile, Georgia will look to get revenge from the National Championship. In the end, I believe Georgia’s high-powered offense is enough to beat Alabama’s hard-nosed, gritty defense.

Sun Belt Conference:

The Sun Belt conference is probably the worst conference in the FBS in terms of depth. However, Appalachian ST, Arkansas ST, and Troy are no joke in the college football world. Appalachian ST has the best cornerback group in the entire group of five, and an offense led by running back, Jalin Moore. Troy will look to repeat as conference champs as they bring back their great defense from a year ago. Arkansas ST is hands down the best team in the Western division. The offense is one of the most fun in the nation led by QB Caleb Evans, but their defense won’t stop anyone.

Standings:

East

  1. Troy*
  2. Appalachian ST
  3. Georgia Southern
  4. Coastal Carolina
  5. Georgia ST

West

  1. Arkansas ST*
  2. South Alabama
  3. Louisiana
  4. Texas ST
  5. Louisiana-Monroe

Conference Title Game: Troy VS Arkansas ST

The Sun Belt title game will feature defensive-minded, Troy versus offensive minded Arkansas ST. I believe Troy’s defense will be too much for Arkansas ST to handle as they bring home their second consecutive Sun Belt title.

FBS Independents:

The FBS Independents feature nation-wide powerhouse, Notre Dame, and other bowl-worthy teams. Notre Dame will look to finally make the CFB playoff after many years. Their offense is led by Brandon Wimbush, with a great backup QB option in Ian Book. Their defense is some of the best in college football. They are strong at all three levels with Jerry Tillery on the d-line, Te’Von Coney at linebacker, and All-American Julian Love at corner. Another team to look for in the Independents is UMass Amherst. UMass played in 8 games that were decided by 8 points or less last year including almost upsetting Tennessee and Mississippi ST. Their offense is dangerously good led by QB Andrew Young, but they have a bad defense.

Standings:

  1. Notre Dame
  2. UMass Amherst
  3. New Mexico ST
  4. Army
  5. BYU
  6. Liberty

Top 25

At the end of the year I believe the Top 25 in college football will look like this:

  1. Georgia*
  2. Clemson*
  3. Wisconsin*
  4. Notre Dame*
  5. Alabama
  6. Washington
  7. Michigan
  8. West Virginia
  9. Auburn
  10. Texas
  11. Michigan ST
  12. USC
  13. Oklahoma
  14. Ohio ST
  15. Boston College
  16. Boise ST
  17. Florida ST
  18. Penn ST
  19. TCU
  20. Stanford
  21. Utah
  22. Miami
  23. Houston
  24. Virginia Tech
  25. Oregon

The four playoff teams for the upcoming season are SEC champions Georgia Bulldogs, ACC champions Clemson Tigers, Big Ten champions Wisconsin Badgers, and the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish from the Independents. This would mean that Alabama would not make the playoff for the first time ever. It also means that even though Washington and West Virginia won their conferences, they still do not make the playoffs.

Non-Playoff New Year’s Six Bowls:

Rose Bowl: #6, Washington VS #7, Michigan

The Rose Bowl will look to feature Pac-12 Champion Washington Huskies against Big Ten runner-ups, the Michigan Wolverines. Both of these teams are very balanced on both sides of the ball, but Washington’s defense will be too much to handle for Michigan’s offense as the Huskies win 30-17.

Sugar Bowl: #5, Alabama VS #8, West Virginia

Alabama will be playing in their first non-playoff New Year’s Six Bowl game since the playoffs were introduced. They will take on one of the best offenses in the country led by QB Will Grier. Overall, I believe Alabama will look to make a statement in this game by beating Big 12 champions by a score of 42-20.

Peach Bowl: #9, Auburn VS #10, Texas

The Peach Bowl will feature SEC powerhouse, Auburn versus Big 12 runner-up Texas. Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham is one of the best in the country as he takes on the best defense in the Big 12. I believe Auburn vs Texas will be one of the best bowl games as Auburn wins 43-42.

Fiesta Bowl: #11, Michigan ST VS #16, Boise ST

The Fiesta Bowl will feature Michigan ST vs Boise ST. These teams met once before where Michigan ST won 17-13 in 2012. Now they meet with a lot more on the line. Boise ST will look to place themselves at the top of the group-of-five college football world with a win while Michigan ST’s top defense tries to shut them down. I see this game going a lot like the last time these teams played as Michigan ST wins 21-17.

College Football Playoffs:

Cotton Bowl (CFP Semi-Final): #1, Georgia VS #4, Notre Dame

In the first playoff semi-final game, SEC champ, Georgia takes on FBS Independent Notre Dame. These teams met in a thriller in 2017 with Georgia edging out the win. This year is different as Notre Dame has improved a lot on defense, and Georgia has developed more on offense. I see this game going in Notre Dame’s favor with them winning 34-31, and advancing to the National Championship.

Orange Bowl (CFP Semi-Final): #2, Clemson VS #3, Wisconsin

In the second playoff semi-final game, ACC champ Clemson takes on Big Ten champ Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl. Clemson has made the CFB playoffs the last three years with them winning one under head coach Dabo Sweeney. This is Wisconsin’s first trip to the playoff as they are led by running back Jonathan Taylor. I believe this game will be won by Wisconsin due to their defensive ability, and ability to chew the clock with Jonathan Taylor. Wisconsin beats Clemson 17-16 to advance to the National Championship to play Notre Dame.

National Championship: #3, Wisconsin VS #4, Notre Dame

The 2019 National Championship will feature Wisconsin against Notre Dame. Notre Dame is arguably the biggest brand in college football history, and Wisconsin will look to prove that they are the best in the country for the first time in their long history. This game is between two very evenly matched teams on both sides of the ball. Both QB’s are good, both o-lines are good, both defenses are good, so it will come down to a few key players for each team. I believe Notre Dame’s defense, specifically Te’Von Coney, will lead Notre Dame in stopping Jonathan Taylor en route to their first National Championship win since 1988. Notre Dame beats Wisconsin by a score of 22-19.

This will wrap up my college football season preview and predictions. A lot has changed as Ohio ST, Alabama, Washington, and Oklahoma did not make the playoffs, and Notre Dame finally won. Be sure to watch this upcoming college football season, and see how correct I am in my predictions.

 

 

 

Back in Boston: Brian Gionta

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The Bruins signing of 39 year-old Brian Gionta to a one year, $700k deal means a former Boston College legend will be returning to Boston. The last time Gionta wore a jersey with Boston across the front was in 2001.

Offseason

Brian Gionta’s 1000 NHL games are the reason why he is a household name throughout the National Hockey league.  Gionta last put in time in the NHL last season with the Buffalo Sabres.  Gionta captained Buffalo for three straight seasons after signing a deal in July of 2014.  During his time in upstate New York, Gionta solidified himself as a leader.  The Sabres did not resign him this past offseason.  Buffalo’s AHL team, the Rochester Americans, also the home town of Gionta, inked him to a practice squad contract.  This let Gionta stay in playing shape.

The United States Olympic committee named Brian Gionta the Captain of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey team.  Not being in the NHL allowed the Olympic Committee to put his name on the roster.  Being a captain of an Olympic hockey team is an incredible achievement, not to mention it gave Gionta the chance to play with many young, talented hockey players.  This includes possible future teammate, Ryan Donato.

Boston College

Brian Gionta’s path to Olympic leader began as a leader for the Boston College Men’s ice Hockey team.  Gionta flew with the Eagles from 1997 to 2001.  Jerry York, current coach of BC, guided Gionta into the legend he is today.  Gionta acquired the skills and traits of a leader by playing on a team filled with leaders and future stars.  Marty Reasoner, a native of the city Rochester like Gionta, mentored Gionta during his freshman season.  With the guidance of Reasoner, Gionta put 30 goals in the back of the net and put up 62 total points.  The University of Michigan Wolverines put an end to Gionta’s incredible season, defeating Boston College in the National Championship game in Boston.

Gionta continued to put up numbers at Boston College, scoring 33 goals with 56 points as a sophomore.  The playoff woes still plagued the Eagles as the University of Maine Blackbears eliminated BC in the semi-finals of the Frozen Four.  The phrase “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” is continuing to reign true for Gionta at this point in his BC career.  Junior year for Gionta was more of the same.  Continues to put the puck in the net and put up points with 33 goals and 56 points.  However, once again, BC was not able to get it done in the playoffs with a loss to the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux in the national championship game.

Senior year for Gionta, the season all the pieces were falling into place.  Gionta’s point total took a hit, but remained strong at five points.  Not to mention he led the country in goals with 33.  Amongst an Eagle roster crawling with talent, Gionta stood out as the leader.  Vengeance for the loss in the National Championship game was even sweeter for Gionta and the Eagles.  The won in overtime with a score of 3-2, in Albany New York no less.  Not quite Rochester, but it is something.

Gionta continues to prove himself despite his age.  His mentoring and leadership skills are extremely valuable to the Bruins and some of their emerging young talent.

 

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter:  @MickGurn

 

Cover image courtesy of The Boston Globe.

Northeastern Huskies Beanpot Champions

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“For the first time in 30 years, the Northeastern Huskies are college hockey’s Beanpot champions. Can you believe it?” – Joe Castigilione, probably.

David Versus Goliath

For as often as this biblical phrase is part of sentences, it truly fits the Huskies and Terriers rivalry. From a historical standpoint alone, Boston University is the favorite to win the Beanpot every season. After all, thirty Beanpot Championship trophies and banners in their trophy case back that up. Not to mention their incredibly hot goalie, Jake Oettinger, and their nine game unbeaten streak coming into the game, Boston University is in familiar waters. On the other hand, 2018 is a different season.

As I stated in the previous Beanpot article, Northeastern is the favorite this year. The number 12 ranked Northeastern Huskies came into the Garden, the favorites to win it all. At the present time, Matthews’ Arena is home to one of, if not the, best lines in all of College Hockey. Right wing Dylan Sikura, center Adam Gaudette, and left wing Nolan Stevens are making what is most likely their last season together a memorable one. To say nothing of Cayden Primeau, who carriers a 1.97 GAA, and a .925 SV%. Northeastern’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are keeping the Dog House rocking all season long. Stevens, Gaudette, and Sikura put 61 goals in the net this season. This is no cakewalk for the Terriers.0 BU is also hurt by the absence of Jordan Greenway who looks to become an American hero in the Olympics this year.

The Game

“I am sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Terriers have. Screw ‘em! This is our time.  Let’s go out there and take it!” – Jim Madigan’s pregame speech, probably.

In what was one of the most entertaining open periods in college hockey history, the 2018 Beanpot did not disappoint. BU immediately took the lead. While the first Terrier goal did not count due to goaltender interference, Boston University quickly scored again. Cayden Primeau wass kicking himself after sending the puck into his own net. Logan Cockerill was credited with the goal.  As a result, Northeastern jacked it up a notch, as Nolan Stevens took advantage of a BU penalty. Throughout the game Primeau stood tall, making 38 saves in the contest. Adam Gaudette will live forever in Beanpot legend as his hat-trick was the difference maker in this one. Gaudette also continued to write Northeastern history as he became the all-time school leader in power play goals.

Jim Madigan obviously understands the importance of the Beanpot. He is a Huskie through and through, from a player to a coach. After the game, Coach Madigan’s quote embodies this, “The first thing I thought about was ‘Hey we’re finally over the hump’’’. For now, Northeastern is the best college hockey program in Boston. While that itself is impressive, they know the season is not over, and they want to continue to make history.

http://northeasternhockeyblog.com/game-day/beanpot-round-harvard-northeastern-preview-boston-college-boston-university-1988-drought/

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter:  @MickGurn

 

Cover image courtesy of The Boston Globe.

Huskies and Terriers Set For A Dogfight

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How many dog puns can I make? With just three days removed from the Super bowl and Opening Day still 50 days away, we turn to college hockey and the Beanpot to help put us in a better mood. The Semi-finals fell on Monday, just as our Super Bowl hangovers were starting to go away. The Northeastern Huskies took on the Boston College Eagles, not Philadelphia. The Boston University Terriers battled the Harvard Crimson. Both were some of the best college hockey games put on television this season. Not to mention, cured some of our Super Bowl depression.

Grzelcyk

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Huskies vs. Eagles

For one of the first times in Beanpot history, Northeastern University came in as one of the favorites to win the whole thing. If they could do that, it would be their first Beanpot title since 1988, and just their fifth in history. Northeastern has not be able to fight off the other Boston-based teams. Boston University has been champions an astounding 30 times. Boston college is right behind them with 20 championships. Harvard scoots in with 11.

The past is in the past and Northeastern is in it for the long haul. They are currently ranked 15th, in the NCAA. The Huskies also play one of the best goalies in college hockey, Cayden Primeau.  In what was a thrilling game, Northeastern defeated the Eagles 3-0. Regardless of BC’s high powered offense, Primeau was able to stop all 37 shots. The big 3 kept doing what they have been doing all season for the Huskies: putting points on the board. Adam Gaudette, Dylan Sikura, and Nolan Stevens each scored.

Watch the highlights here.

 

Crimson vs. Terriers

It took two overtime periods, but Boston University was finally able to wash the Crimson away.Ty Amonte’s double-overtime goal ended the game 3-2. Terrier goalie Jake Oettinger kept Boston University in the entire game despite constant threats from Harvard. Harvard defenseman John Marino’s penalty allowed Logan Cockerill to get the points going putting BU ahead. At the end of the second period, Ty Pelton-Byce tied the game with a beautiful assist from Ryan Donato.

Thirty-two seconds into the third period, BU Captain Brandon Hickey put the Terriers ahead once again. Nonetheless, Harvard immediately answered back less than two minutes later. Jack Badini is a bad man and tied the game up. The rest of the game saw highlight saves from both Jake Oettinger, and Harvard net minder Merrick Madsen. Following a series of chance after the chance, the two teams found themselves with tired legs in the second overtime period. Three minutes in, Ty Amonte took the puck across the country and slammed the door closed for the Terrier victory.

Wednesday Night

Boston University will be looking to mimic 2015 magic when the Terriers barked down Harvard in the semifinals and chased Northeastern out of their yard to win the whole thing. The number 30 carries special meaning for both these teams. It has been 30 years since Northeaster’s last Beanpot championship in 1988. Could the Terriers add another to their already 30 Beanpot Championships? If this game were a history test, BU would pass with flying colors. In their last 20 Beanpot matchups, Boston University has taken a bite out of the Huskies 18 times. However, this is 2018, not 2015. This season Northeastern broke their leash and defeated the Huskies twice. Boston University will not have much time to recover and rest following the slobbering game versus Harvard. This will be a truly excellent game to watch.

 

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn  @TA_CawHawkey

Hockey East Biggest Games 1/20/18

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Hockey East competition is storming into 2018 and teams are beginning to separate themselves. Northeastern officially claimed first place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Rankings with twenty-three points. Likewise, Boston College, although struggling lately is still right there with twenty-two. The Friars’ recent loss put an end to a golden opportunity to gain ground on Northeastern and Boston College. As a result, Providence has twenty-two points and now stands next to Boston University.

Providence College and UConn

The Friars took an early bus ride down to the XL Center on Thursday night for a home and away series against the Huskies. The Friars were led by “Silky Wilky” Josh Wilkins’s two goals on their way to a 3-1 victory. All three of Providence’s goals came in the first period. Vimal Sukumaran’s goal at the end of the period put the game away. Hayden Hawkey’s twenty-three saves continued his hot streak. Following Thursday’s game the Friars ran their unbeaten streak to seven in a row (6-0-1). Huskie goaltender Tanner Creel got just his 3rd start of the season. Creel, a senior, is filling in for the injured Adam Huska and has proved himself worthy. Creel made twenty-seven saves and did not allow any goals after the first period. UConn’s power play struggles cost them as they dropped their fifth straight.

Saturday night the two teams met again as no love was lost in a physical contest. The hits were coming like Pablo Sandoval to a buffet. Several skirmishes broke out and hard checks were occurring up and down the ice. Huskies took advantage of a strong opening period to take the lead 1-0. UConn later extended their lead to 2-0 following a sloppy hit after the whistle penalty from Friar Alternate Captain Vincent Desharnais. The Friars came back strong and Captain Brian Pinho put Providence College on the board. Tanner Creel and the Huskies’ defense stood tall, like a proud oak tree, and added an empty netter to secure the win. Important to realize, this snapped the Friars’ streak of seven straight games without a loss. Watch the highlights here.

UMass Amherst and Northeastern

The stride the Northeastern Huskies are on hit a road block. The number eight ranked Huskies could not put a tally on the board against freshman goalie Matt Murray and the UMass Minutemen. While unranked and in eighth place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Rankings, the Minutemen are securing big wins this season. Coach Greg Carvel credits this win and the win over the Friars as his highlight of the season. This win for the Minutemen was no cakewalk. Northeastern is number eight and in first place in Hockey East for a reason. Northeastern led with shots on goal but the game had no goals until UMass started hitting its groove.

 

 

Additionally, the freshmen got it done for UMass this game. Rookie Mitchell Chaffee put a redirector into the net past Cayden Primeau. Likewise, Chaffee added to his impressive game by sending home a power play goal. Not to mention, another freshman, Mario Ferraro got a drive going that junior, Austin Plevy, put in the bag and took it to check out. UMass outshot the Huskies 32-29.  Northeastern could not get it done on the power play as they squandered their two man advantages. Matt Murray’s fifty-seven saves over the weekend earned him the Pro-Ambitions Rookie of the Week. Watch the highlights here. Northeastern cannot let off the gas again as they go up against the Providence College Friars next weekend.

 

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn

Cover photo courtesy of www.insidehockey.com

Boston College Men’s Basketball off to Hot Start

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The Boston College men’s basketball team seems to have a knack for upsets. They recently took down #1 ranked Duke and handed them their first loss of the season on Saturday, winning 89-84. If one can remember, they did the EXACT same thing to Syracuse in 2014, but this time away from home. At 7-3, this is the best start the Eagles have had in a while — and one fans hope to see continue through the rest of the season.

New Season, Fresh Start

Boston College had a rough time winning games and finished with a 9-23 record last season. I asked coach Jim Christian what his message was to his guys at the beginning of this season in regards to last year’s performance. His response:

“…Clean slate… you add new players and each season is a different challenge… once the final buzzer is off… have to put that season in the rear view mirror and just move forward.”

According to last year’s team statistics, BC was either close to or better than the league average in many categories. Unfortunately, it didn’t translate into many wins. Some adjustments that were made coming into this season:

“We’ve become a better offensive rebounding team…defensive team. We knew those were the areas that really hurt us… Personnel was a big part of it too— adding some guys that can really help you.”

Well coach, your adjustments seem to be paying off.

Boston College Soars Past Duke

The Eagles entered their match up against Duke with seven days of rest. Make no mistake — it was a battle, with Duke getting 15 points off turnovers in the first half. But the Eagles went on a 13-5 run to end the half, going up 48-41. BC came out in the second half and knocked off #1 by:

  • Keeping Duke to 46% FG shooting and 26% shooting from three. Their season averages: 50.9% FG shooting and 35% from three
  • Shutting down Bagley, who only had 15 points. That’s less than his season average of 21 points
  • Shutting down the perimeter. Allen, who is shooting 43% from three this season, was only 1-9 in that area

Meanwhile, BC had their best shooting game to date: 50.8% from the floor and 57.7% from three. The team also made a season high 15 3-pointers. Here are some highlights:

  • Robinson made all five of his 3 point attempts. He had 24 points
  • Chatman hit five 3’s, putting up 22 points and 6 rebounds
  • Bowman shot 50%, putting up 30 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists

And just because Deontae Hawkins is out with an injury, that doesn’t mean he can’t contribute. Being a grad student with four years of NCAA play already under his belt, he is able to bring a sort of “calmness” says Christian. His maturity and how he was able to communicate with the guys during the game really helped to keep them grounded. In addition, the leadership of Bowman and Robinson continues to drive this team down the path to greatness.

Knowing What You Want

What can we attribute this early season success to? Coach Cristian spoke about setting goals and sticking to them. This past summer, they got the guys to open up about the goals they had for themselves coming into this year.”I think it’s important that they know… then we just follow through on them.” Setting goals is the first step to achieving the success you want for yourself. Smart man, even better coach.

Good luck to the Eagles on the rest of their season!

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