March 20, 2008

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BOSTON - Making its seventh straight appearance in the Hockey East semifinals, the No. 13 Boston University men's ice hockey team (19-16-4) will take on No. 18 Vermont (16-14-7) on Friday (March 21) at TD Banknorth Garden. The game, which will follow the New Hampshire-Boston College semifinal, is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will be broadcast live on NESN.

The second-seeded Terriers and the third-seeded Catamounts were an even 1-1-1 in their season series. When they last met on Jan. 5, the Terriers were seventh in the league standings and the Catamounts were tied for eighth, but both teams rallied late to earn home ice and each squad emerged victorious in three games at last weekend's quarterfinals.

The seven straight trips to the Garden matches New Hampshire for the longest active streak. BU is 11-2-0 since losing at the Garden to Boston College in the first round of the Beanpot. A win would give the Terriers their fourth straight 20-win season and their sixth in the last seven years.

The Terriers and Catamounts head into Friday's game having played each other 53 times since first meeting in the 1971-72 season, and BU holds a 32-15-6 (.660) advantage. In the Hockey East playoffs, the Terriers are 2-1 against the Catamounts with all games coming in last year's quarterfinal series.

BU and Vermont have met on Causeway Street once before -- in the semifinals of the 1975 ECAC Championship at the Boston Garden during Jack Parker's first full season at the helm of the BU program. The Catamounts were in their first season at the Division I level after 10 years in Division II and quickly moved up the league ranks. The Terriers went on to post a 7-3 victory in that game, which took place on March 7, and then beat Harvard the following night by the same score to win their second of four straight ECAC titles.

BU's current players have a combined 131 games of experience in the TD Banknorth Garden, while Vermont, which is in its third year in Hockey East, will be making its first appearance in the building.

Led by Hockey East Coach of the Year Kevin Sneddon, Vermont is 8-3 in its last 11 games and advanced to the semifinals with a 2-games-to-1 victory over Northeastern in the quarterfinals last weekend. UVM allowed only three goals in the three games and clinched the series with a 4-1 win on Sunday.

Junior Dean Strong and sophomore Colin Vock each have eight goals and 18 assists on the year to share the team lead in points at 26. Sophomores Viktor Stålberg and Brayden Irwin each have a team-high 10 goals. Senior goaltender Joe Fallon has come on strong late in the year and has a .914 save percentage and a 2.40 goals against average. Fallon's 20 career shutouts ranks second all-time in Division I.

The Terriers advanced to the semifinals by winning their quarterfinal series with seventh-seeded UMass Lowell in three games. BU earned a 5-3 win in game one on Friday before the River Hawks came back with a 4-1 victory on Saturday. In the third and decisive game, the Terriers allowed two early goals before reeling off four straight and earning a 4-2 win.

Playing in the final home games of his career, senior Pete MacArthur had five points on the weekend, scoring two goals in both of BU's wins. Junior Chris Higgins had three goals and an assist in the series, while senior Bryan Ewing added four assists.

Despite putting 17 shots on goal in a opportunity-filled third period, BU settled for a 2-2 tie against Vermont on Jan. 5 at Agganis Arena. The Terriers held leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but the Catamounts responded each time with the latter coming midway through the second period.

The teams split a weekend series at Vermont on Nov. 16-17, as BU posted a dominating 9-1 victory before coming up short in a 5-4 decision the next night. In the opener, Ewing (1g, 3a) and MacArthur (4a) set career highs with four points apiece. Higgins and freshman Colin Wilson each added two goals and an assist.

MacArthur has played 13 games against Vermont, scoring 15 points (4g, 11a), while Ewing has 14 points (2g, 12a).

This marks the 17th time that the Terriers have advanced to the semifinals, with the record in the previous 16 semifinal appearances being an even 8-8.