COLLEGE HOCKEY UPDATE:  The kickoff game of the NCAA Tournament took place in Toledo, OH., on Thursday, and for the first several minutes saw Boston University flying down the ice, cycling for some time in the Ohio State zone, but not developing any offense on the net.  Ohio State was able to turn this into short stays in their zone, and to allow them to set up their more patient offense, focusing on tight play near the net which led to a Joe Dunlap goal off of a rebound nine minutes into the first to give Ohio State the 1-0 lead which stood to the first break.  Ohio State seemed to always have a player at the net offensively for rebounds and defensively to assist their goalie; their disciplined offensive efforts led to them out-shooting BU 15-2 in the first.

In the second BU was able to keep the puck in the Ohio State zone, more focused on play at the net, and played tighter and stingier near their own goal.  Eight minutes into the second off a faceoff at the right circle, Cole Eiserman made a rapid turn-around shot that found the net and tied it at one apiece.  From this point in both teams seemed to play in their stride.  Joe Dunlap scored again five minutes later for Ohio State, and in another five minutes it broke loose, when three goals were scored in forty-two seconds — first by BU, then Ohio State, and then BU again to make it 3-3 at the break.

In the third BU was in high gear and it seemed to confound Ohio State and take them out of their game, as BU scored at the two, five, eight, and fourteen minute points.  A lot of the speed was back from the opening minutes of the game, but not as frenetic or reckless.  With two minutes left, and down two men in the ice BU finished it off on a fast break, double-short handed empty-netter, to make the final 8-3, BU, and advance to play the winner of the Michigan State/Cornell game on Saturday, March 29th at 1:00PM Pacific Time.

[This game is currently early in the third period as this is being written, and BU has a 2-1 lead on an early third period power play goal, but Cornell has largely stifled BU so far in this one.]

The outcome of the BU/Ohio State game would not be an upset in  our pool, as thirty-one of thirty-nine entrants picked BU to win, vs only eight who picked Ohio State to win it.

That’s all for now.  Stay tuned, and go Terriers !

— Tom