Random thoughts after catching most of last night's game on the tube ...
* As talented as BU very clearly is, I worry about their focus and their ability to hold up defensively in the postseason. Reminded me of any number of UNH teams during the program's glory days about a decade or so ago. Outscoring your opponents in the regular season does not translate well into postseason success, when you come up against better, more defensively organized opponents. BU will get high seeds in their postseason tourneys, but I'll be surprised if they bring home any postseason hardware;
* Having said that ... UNH was fortunate not to have given up double-digits in goals to BU last night. Including shots off the iron, and gaping open goal misses alone, that would have gotten you close right there. UNH's defensemen were sitting in Tirone's lap way too often, and Tirone himself was scrambling wildly around and outside the crease a little too much for my liking. The fact that UNH was tied 3-3 until the PPG late in the second period was a minor miracle, and shows just how poorly BU played in their own end;
* Tom Caron (NESN announcer) remains the quintessential pro-Boston ballwasher in the college hockey media. Whether it's been BC in the past, or currently BU, our boy with the prodigious forehead sure does fawn over the best and brightest of the talent on Comm Ave., while showing some poor game prep when stumbling over really basic things like pronouncing UNH players' names correctly (McNicholas became "McNichols", and Poturalski was "Potularski" until ol' TC read the graphics when Pots went to the sin bin). Throw in the chronic fascination with numbers and his audible excitement with some "amazing stats", and it honestly makes one yearn for the good old days when Sean "The Shill" Grande was doing the same things on HE broadcasts, except he at least got all of the names right;
* This was my first extended chance to watch Jack Eichel in action. I can't believe I'm going to actually put this in writing, but there is one player that Eichel reminds me of, and it's totally spooky. Gordie Howe. Yes, the old man. And it's WAY more than the similarity of the BU uniform color scheme to the classic DRW look (and the #9) ... the physical mannerisms and skating style, quiet lower body and total control of the puck, gliding past defenders, always finding the open space in the attacking zone, all remarkably similar. The goal he scored in the second period was (at least in my mind) classic Howe, with the economy of movement, immediately seeing the opening on the give and go, and the simple textbook finish. I didn't see the elbows and the huge Neely-like physical presence that was Howe in his prime, but I'm completely bullish on this kid's future. And I'll admit my reaction is visceral rather than logical. But I'm sold.
* I'll be shocked if UNH can get anything out of this afternoon's game. And assuming that's the case, the chance of home ice in the play-in round is pretty much gone, short of running the table over the last two weekends of the RS (and there's nothing I've seen to say that's in the cards). I'm guessing they might move up to 10th in the end, but there's still the scary possibility of 12th too.
I'm really hoping they give Clark a chance to play today. Hoping for the best, but expecting another decisive "L". Prove me wrong, 'Cats.
. Libby's eh? Maybe my daughter and I will change our plans we were heading to the 'thristy moose' in Dover as they are giving 10%off if you are in UNH gear! Hope to see you either way!