Editor's note: NESN.com will preview each Hockey East school this week.
A shocking upset to city rival Northeastern in last season's Hockey East quarterfinal only makes the Terriers more eager for this season. With an extra year of maturity from his goal scorers, longtime head coach Jack Parker will look to lead the Terriers back to the top of Hockey East in 2011-12.
Record/finish in 2010-11
15-6-6 (36 points)
Third in Hockey East
Lost in Hockey East quarterfinal (Northeastern)
Key 2010-11 stat
Going on the power play wasn’t much of an advantage for Terrier opponents last season as BU boasted the league’s best penalty kill at 89.6 percent. The squad got plenty of practice on the PK as Boston University was the third-most penalized team in Hockey East.
Player to watch in 2011-12
Already with a National Championship under his belt, senior netminder Kieran Millan will be counted on to perform like he did last season when he was named a second team Hockey East All-Star. The Edmonton, Alberta native stopped 1,085 shots last season, the most in program history.
Coach's quote
"We got off to such a great start and got an inflated opinion of ourselves. I think we learned a lot from last year, and the best thing that could have happened to us did happen to us, we got a year older. All our freshmen are sophomores, all our sophomores are juniors. All that helps us out and will make us a better team."
–Jack Parker.
Outlook
BU returns 86 percent of its scoring from last season’s team, which posted 76 goals. Junior Alex Chiasson (10-19-29), sophomore Charlie Coyle (6-15-21), senior Corey Trivino (7-12-19), sophomore Matt Nieto (7-11-18), sophomore Sahir Gill (5-13-18), and senior Chris Connolly (7-10-17) should all see improved scoring totals with another year of experience. The Terriers will once again battle their Comm. Ave. rivals from BC for Hockey East supremacy.
