ESPN

The City of Boston, Hockey East and Fenway Sports Management announced "Frozen Fenway 2014" on Thursday. The two week series of hockey and ice skating events will including two Hockey East men’s doubleheaders.

On Saturday, January 4, 2014, Merrimack College will face Providence, followed by Notre Dame against Boston College.

On Saturday, January 11, UMass Lowell will play Northeastern University, followed by University of Maine against Boston University.

“Last year, more than 90,000 people came to Fenway Park to watch college and high school hockey or to enjoy free, public skating,” said Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “This generated tens of millions of dollars for local business. I’m confident that top-notch outdoor college hockey at Fenway Park will make for another unforgettable experience, drawing fans from across the region and serving as a major platform to showcase the people, culture, and local businesses that make our city special.”

“After the success of the Winter Classic in 2010 and the Frozen Fenway college games in 2012, hockey and skating are fast becoming winter traditions at Fenway Park,” said FSM President and Red Sox EVP/COO Sam Kennedy. “We welcome back Hockey East and, along with the Mayor, look forward to once again having our beloved ballpark be host to college games, high school games, and to welcome various communities throughout New England to Fenway Park this winter.”

Game times and ticket information for the two doubleheaders will be announced in the coming months.

In addition to the two Hockey East doubleheaders, there will also be two, free public skating days for City of Boston residents. The skates will be on Sunday, December 29, New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1. Information about tickets for the skates will be announced in the coming months.

When UMass Lowell coach Norm Bazin sat before the media alongside players Connor Hellebuyck, Chad Ruhwedel and Scott Wilson on Saturday, the second-year bench boss looked almost bewildered.

"It's almost like a surreal experience for us," Bazin said after his River Hawks dispatched the New Hampshire Wildcats, securing Lowell's spot in the Frozen Four for the first time in school history.

Don't believe it. Bazin knows exactly what he's doing, and that's a credit to not only Bazin, but the school administrators who believed this Hockey East also-ran could rise from its old mill city surroundings and be a force in college hockey. Bazin began molding this team to be a winner from the moment he left Hamilton College (where he crafted a 48-31-7 mark in three seasons) and returned to his alma mater two years ago.

"He came in and he believed in us from day one, and he got us to believe in each other as well and he instilled some great work habits for everybody," said junior Josh Holmstrom, who was a freshman on the 2010-11 Lowell squad that went 5-25-4. "Every day that we come to the rink, we're trying to get better. That's been the goal the past two years. We didn't have anything really set in stone [as far as goals]. It was improve every day, and the results will take care of themselves. That's been one of the biggest things that he's taught everybody on the team -- just always work and try to get better every day."

Bazin not only has registered the best two-year win total ever at Lowell (52), but he has done it against a tough backdrop. Some state university trustees openly questioned whether the school should have a Division I hockey team as recently as 2007 (when the River Hawks went 8-21-7). That was before chancellor Marty Meehan -- a Lowell native and former U.S. congressman -- took the reins and empowered athletic director Dana Skinner to bolster the hockey program.

Former coach Blaise MacDonald did a commendable job, compiling winning records in 2008-09 and 2009-10, and recruited a number of the players who are now leading the current Lowell squad, including captain Riley Wetmore. However, the disastrous 2010-11 campaign resulted in MacDonald's ouster, and Bazin was brought home.

"We've got an outstanding school. I am very fortunate to be working at UMass Lowell," said Bazin, who graduated from Lowell in 1994. "We might be the storefront for the program, however there are so many exciting changes happening on campus. The tagline is 'progress in motion,' and that applies to the hockey club also."

Bazin and his River Hawks wasted little time putting Lowell back on the map, earning the program's first NCAA bid since 1996 with a 24-13-1 mark last season. They defeated Miami (Ohio) before falling to Union in the East Regional. This season, riding the momentum of a best-in-the-nation 22-3-1 stretch since Christmas, the River Hawks have taken the next step and are preparing to meet Yale in Pittsburgh on April 11.

(Read full post)

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- One of the refrains repeated by UMass Lowell River Hawks coach Norm Bazin during last week's Hockey East finals was simple but direct: "Why not Lowell?"

After a 6-1 dismantling of Wisconsin on Friday night, and a Saturday date in the finals of the NCAA Northeast Regional, with a chance for the program's first Frozen Four appearance hanging in the balance, the question seems more relevant than ever. "Why not the River Hawks?"

New Hampshire (20-11-7) knocked out the Denver Pioneers in Friday's nightcap with a come-from-behind win, 5-2 win, so Lowell will face the Wildcats in an all-Hockey East final on Saturday night, with the goal of improving a program-best 27-10-2 record.

"I believed in this team since day one," Bazin said Friday.

Lowell, however, started at a glacial pace this season, stumbling out of the gates with a 4-7-1 record. Among those seven losses were three defeats suffered at the hands of the Wildcats, the last on Dec. 8. After that loss, Lowell went on a 23-3-1 tear, the best in the country.

"They're a very gritty team," said UNH forward John Henrion. "They're a really tough team to play against. They're really hard-nosed. They're skilled. They've got some big, strong defensemen. And obviously their goalie [Connor Hellebuyck]. They've been playing their best hockey. It's going to be a tough test for us."

Given their success over the second half of the season, it's not surprising that the River Hawks are drawing comparisons to defending national champs Boston College, the team that Lowell edged to take the Hockey East regular-season crown. Many see Lowell's composure under pressure, and quick-strike capabilities, as a carbon copy of Eagles squads of recent vintage.

"I've got a lot of concerns [with Lowell]. They're a real good hockey team, obviously," said UNH coach Dick Umile, who lost forwards Kevin Goumas and Grayson Downing in Friday's win. "They're a very well-coached team. They've got balance throughout. They've got skilled forwards, they've got defensemen. We'll have our hands full."

Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves said it was Lowell's defensive structure that reminded him most of the BC Eagles, who defeated the Badgers in the 2010 NCAA title game.

"They do a good job of fronting, getting in front of your guys and blocking shots," said Eaves. "The other thing they did well tonight was take advantage of moments when we gave them odd-man rushes. They put the puck away."

Bazin said as long as his squad remains committed to playing team defense, he likes its chances against any opponent. "I think the guys are truly believing that they can help out every single shift, and the forwards drive the bus," said Bazin. "When their back pressure is strong, we're very good defensively. When their back pressure isn't as strong, we're not as good."

"It's a team effort," he said. "We don't go very far when we're not aggressive. But when we're aggressive on the puck, we're a good hockey club."

After a dominating finish to Friday's win over Wisconsin, the No. 1 seed River Hawks appear to be sitting in the driver's seat. "They play hard, they play as a team, and they know what it takes to win," said Wisconsin senior defenseman John Ramage. "Obviously, look at their record. They are a hot team, too. They know how to win, and they showed it in this game."

In New Hampshire, the River Hawks face an opponent with good team speed, very good special teams, a solid netminder in sophomore Casey DeSmith, but an occasional penchant for turnovers. Just the recipe for an opportunistic squad like Lowell. Still, judging from his comments after the Wisconsin rout, Bazin is focusing on his own team, not the Wildcats.

"We concentrate on our own game, and we feel if we concentrate on our own game, we have a chance against anybody. That's been the M.O. for us," said the second-year Lowell bench boss. "For us, it's about executing our team systems. And we're focused on that."

Lowell's run may have the River Hawks feeling like world-beaters, but one of Friday's stars said the team won't get ahead of itself.

"We do have a lot of confidence right now," said Lowell sophomore forward Scott Wilson. "The coaches and captains kept us pretty level-headed throughout the whole run here. Even tonight, a great win for us but [Riley] Wetmore, our captain, just pulled us aside and said tonight, 'Enjoy it for five minutes, but tomorrow we have to do business again.' It's just been a process all year, that we focus on the next one."

The next one is a big one, with a trip to the Frozen Four in Pittsburgh -- the first Frozen Four appearance in Lowell's history -- on the line. Conversely, the Wildcats have been to seven Frozen Fours, the last in 2003, so it appears that history might be on New Hampshire's side.

To which Lowell's Bazin would probably reply, "Why not Lowell?"

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- UMass-Lowell (27-10-2) served notice on Friday: not only do they deserve the Northeast Regional's No. 1 seed, but they are gunning for a spot in the Frozen Four after dismantling a white-hot Wisconsin Badgers squad, 6-1.

Norm Bazin's troops didn't have a huge edge in shots on goal (30 to 28), but they were ruthlessly efficient. Joe Pendenza got the River Hawks on the board just 7:11 into the opening period, firing a dart from the left wing that squeezed under the glove of Wisconsin's Joel Rumpel. The River Hawks doubled up shortly after intermission, when Scott Wilson feathered a deft pass to defender Christian Folin, who immediately snapped a shot that beat Rumpel low on the glove side for a 2-0 lead at 3:12. Lowell's Shayne Thompson delivered the backbreaker at 14:08 of the middle stanza, completing a sensational rush by shoveling a forehand shot past Rumpel an instant before Wisconsin defender Joe Faust sent him crashing into Rumpel, giving Lowell a 3-0 lead. In the third period, Derek Arnold's tap-in of a super Ryan McGrath feed at 13:56, finishing off another Lowell odd-man rush, gave the River Hawks an insurmountable 4-1 lead. Lowell's Adam Chapie added an empty-netter at 19:12, and Ryan McGrath buried a breakaway chance with less than four seconds remaining to finish off the Badgers.

CLUTCH PERFORMANCE: Lowell freshman goaltender Connor Hellebuyck showed the same impressive form that won him MVP honors in the Hockey East playoffs last weekend. While the River Hawks were opportunistic on offense, Hellebuyck repeatedly shut the door on the Badgers with several huge stops to protect Lowell's leads early in the game.

UNSUNG HEROES: Though not flashy, the rugged River Hawks defensive corps, led by Chad Ruhwedel, Joe Houk, Greg Amlong, Zack Kamrass, Jake Suter and Folin, constantly put a body on Wisconsin's forwards, making them pay for any play, and making crisp, clean outlet passes that kept the Badgers on their heels.

TURNING POINTS: Hellebuyck not only made the big saves, but also made timely saves. The first came 17 seconds after Lowell took a 1-0 lead, when Hellebuyck stuffed Badger Joseph Labate's cross-crease bid with his right pad. He stopped Wisconsin's Jefferson Dahl on a penalty shot to preserve that one-goal lead, and then robbed Tyler Barnes on a wraparound bid shortly after Lowell took a 2-0 lead in the second period. Even after Wisconsin finally scored a power-play goal at 8:19 of the third, trimming Lowell's lead to 3-1, Hellebuyck's calm, confident play between the pipes had to demoralize the Badgers.

Boston College may have lost its first Hockey East playoff game in four years this past weekend, but the Eagles still have an ace up their sleeve as they get their head coach back just in time for the opening round of NCAA tournament play on Saturday

In the East Regional, held in Providence, R.I., the second-seeded Eagles (22-11-4) will begin defense of their 2012 national championship against the Union Dutchmen (21-12-5) late Saturday night. Like Wisconsin, Rick Bennett's Dutchmen punched their ticket into the NCAAs by catapulting from a regular-season 4th-place finish to capture the ECAC Hockey crown last weekend in Atlantic, City, N.J.

"We're concerned about any team you play in the national tournament because you know they're a good club – they've all qualified," said BC coach Jerry York, who will return to the bench after another surgical procedure on his right eye. "Union certainly is one of those teams with a legitimate chance to win a national title. We watched them play last year and they're gritty. They're very well schooled in fundamentals. Rick has them playing from the goal out -- really good defense. They move pucks through -- excellent special teams, so they concern me."

York also said the Eagles will take steps this week to limit the stretch passes that Boston University used so effectively to create multiple scoring opportunities -- and five straight goals -- while knocking BC out of the Hockey east semifinals, 6-3, last Friday.

"You learn from every game, from wins and losses," said York. "You look at them and say, ‘How can we get better here?' We're certainly not a finished product by any means. This week we'll try to really make sure we balance our practice sessions with offense and defense. Defensively, to win at this level we'll need strong play from our defense and strong play from our goaltender.

"We are going to have to score when we have great chances," he said. "We had some terrific chances against the Terriers but could not score. We can say, ‘Hey, that goalie played well,' but from our perspective we have to really make sure to bury some pucks. BU was able to get some breakaways on us, and we've looked at that and talked about pucks that are flipped up in the neutral zone. There are different areas that we have to tighten up on."

Bennett's squad was dominating in the ECAC playoffs, strafing Dartmouth twice in the quarters, 4-1 and 5-2, before knocking out Yale in the semifinals, 5-0, and Brown, 3-1, in the championship game. Though his Eagles have never faced Union, York knows his defense will need to step up its game.

"We're going to look to our two seniors in Pat Wey and Patch Alber to really settle us down. We've seen continued improvement this year from Isaac MacLeod, Mike Matheson, and Teddy Doherty is going to give us some good minutes also," said York. "They have to play better as a unit … and that helps our goaltender, that helps our offense with their breakouts. They are the keys to whether we can get passed Union. "

If Saturday's Hockey East final in Boston proved anything, it was that everyone loves a winner. UMass Lowell, just two years past missing the league playoffs altogether, had its fair share of the 13,738 fans at TD Garden, matching the Boston University faithful chant-for-chant during the River Hawks' gripping 1-0 championship-clinching victory over the Terriers.

On Friday, the River Hawks will take to the ice at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H. against Wisconsin, a short 32 miles north of the UMass Lowell campus. At stake is the a birth in the regional finals, and the possibility of the River Hawks first-ever trip to the Frozen Four. Lowell's second-year coach Norman Bazin said he expects a home-crowd atmosphere.

"We're ecstatic that we're able to allow our fans to become part of the experience," he said. "It allows the River Hawk Nation to be part of our run, and it can't do anything but help us.

"[Manchester] could be one of the great sites in the NCAA Tournament," said Bazin, who led the River Hawks to the East Regional in Bridgewater, Mass., last season. "Our fans have been great all year long. Both the students and community really bring it to life. We're ecstatic they get to share in this opportunity with us and give us a lift."

The River Hawks (26-10-2), the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Northeast Regional, won't mind any edge they can find, as they face one of the hottest teams in college hockey, the Wisconsin Badgers (22-12-7). Mike Eaves' Badgers roared through the WCHA playoffs, vaulting from fourth place to claim the league's Final Five playoff championship.

That run helped erase any memories of Wisconsin's dismal 1-7-2 start to the season. The Badgers are 21-5-2 since Dec. 13, and have many hockey observers considering them one of the most dangerous teams in the tournament. Not to be outdone, the UML River Hawks have gone 22-3-1 since Dec. 8.

"Wisconsin is going to be a great opponent. We feel our bracket is chock full of great teams," said Bazin. "We feel Hockey East has been such a great league this year that it has prepared us well. They're the WHCA Champions. They're going to give all we can handle, we're sure of that."

Though Lowell hasn't lined up against the Badgers since 1989, when the River Hawks were called the Chiefs, Bazin said he knows Wisconsin's culture.

"Having been at Colorado College for eight years, I'm familiar with what they do. Team defense is their pillar," said Bazin. "They have strong goalkeeping and great team defense."

Like the River Hawks and their outstanding freshman goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck (18-2-0, with a 1.39 goals against average and .949 save percentage), who took MVP honors in the Hockey East tournament, the Badgers are solid between the pipes. Wisconsin's sophomore goaltender Joel Rumpel is 16-8-4 with a 1.85 GAA and a .933 save percentage.

Bazin said he's been impressed with his young squad's composure, especially in two one-goal victories in the Hockey East semifinals and finals.

"I think it's been very strong the whole second half [of the season]. Our goaltending has been stellar, no question," he said. "Our defense, with some added size, has kept some shots outside and when you do that you have a chance. They're pretty poised under pressure. They're playing beyond their years right now. Chad [Ruhwedel] has certainly led the way and has been a calming influence for the kids."

While Bazin said the play of his young squad has been encouraging, he knows that the key to the River Hawks offense still runs through guys who were with him in Bridgewater last year, notably forwards Riley Whetmore, Joseph Pendenza, Scott Wilson, and Derek Arnold (Wilson got the game-winner against Providence in the Hockey East semis, while Arnold's lone goal was the difference in the finals).

If the River Hawks get past the Badgers, it sets up the possibility of an all-Hockey East regional final, with the host UNH Wildcats (19-11-7) taking on the Denver Pioneers (20-13-5) in the other semifinal. The Wildcats have already faced the Pioneers this season, in Denver, pinning a 6-4 loss of George Gwozdecky's squad.

"We know a little bit about Denver from playing out there on Thanksgiving," said UNH coach Dick Umile. "We were able to get a win after falling behind 3-0. That was probably a very important time for our team. Playing Colorado College and Denver really brought the team together.

"George plays a more defensive style with good transition opportunities off good defense," he said. "We need to make sure we can control odd-man rushes and face-off plays, areas where you can hurt yourself and beat yourself. They've got it all. They've got balance throughout their team, experience, tradition, so it should be a heck of a game."

However, Umile has been concerned with his squad's inconsistency over the second half of the season, and said he hopes the Wildcats can take advantage of the extra practice after getting eliminated from the Hockey east playoffs by Providence.

"Overall we know what we are capable of doing; that we need to put together 60-minute games and not have lapses," he said. "Sometimes it's the way the puck bounces, but I don't think that's taken away from our confidence."

New Hampshire's senior class, including captain Connor Hardowa, Brett Kostolansky, and forwards Austin Block, John Henrion, and Scott Pavelski could play a crucial role.

"They've been a strong class, and they were determined after not making it to the NCAAs as juniors last year to get us back in there," said Umile. "They are a big reason why we've made it back to the NCAA tournament."

Boston University introduced David Quinn as the school’s new men’s hockey coach Tuesday, replacing Jack Parker, who is retiring after 40 season behind the Terriers’ bench.

Quinn, who played at BU from 1984-87 and was an assistant coach at the school from 2004-2009, was most recently an assistant coach for the Colorado Avalanche

The 46-year-old Quinn was selected from a short list of candidates that reportedly included former Terrier Mike Sullivan and current associate head coach Mike Bavis.

"David Quinn is the ideal candidate for this job," said athletic director Mike Lynch. "His resume is filled with great experiences at every level and he is a proven head coach and a consummate professional. He is also a BU man, an important consideration as we deliberated. Jack Parker is in many ways irreplaceable, but I'm absolutely convinced that the future of BU hockey is in great hands."

"I'd like to thank President Brown and Mike Lynch for giving me this incredible opportunity and entrusting me with the BU hockey program," said Quinn. "I surely wouldn't be in this position if it were not for Jack Parkerand I'm very lucky to be able to call him my coach, mentor and friend. One of the things that makes this job so unique is that beyond all the success here, the former players have such a loyalty towards the program. I look forward to continuing that and the legacy that Coach Parker leaves behind."

Quinn, a native of Cranston, R.I., was a first-round draft pick of the Minnesota North Stars (No. 13 overall) in the 1984 draft. After his junior year, he tried out for the 1988 Olympic team but was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, temporarily forcing his retirement from the game.
Four years later, with his disease under control, Quinn tried out for the 1992 Olympic team. Although he failed to make the national squad, Quinn caught the eye of New York Rangers scouts, and played 19 games for New York's American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Rangers, in 1991-92.

The next season, he played 60 games with the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League. He retired permanently after that season moved into coaching, getting a job as an assistant coach for Northeastern.

For more, check out BU's website.

Brion O’Connor, who is a contributor to ESPNBoston.com, contributed to this report

Boston University didn't waste much time in choosing a successor to legendary hockey coach Jack Parker. And the Terriers kept it in the family.

On Tuesday morning, just three days after Parker's career ended with a loss in the Hockey East championship game, the school will introduce David Quinn, a former Terrier player and assistant coach and current Colorado Avalanche assistant, as the first new head coach of the BU hockey team in 40 years, according to multiple sources.

The 46-year-old Quinn was selected from a short list of candidates that reportedly included former Terrier Mike Sullivan and current associate head coach Mike Bavis.

Quinn, a native of Cranston, R.I., was a first-round draft pick of the Minnesota North Stars (No. 13 overall), and played for Parker from three seasons, from 1984-85 to 1986-87. After his junior year, he tried out for the 1988 Olympic team, but was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, temporarily forcing his retirement from the game.

Four years later, with his disease under control, Quinn tried out for the 1992 Olympic team. Although he failed to make the national squad, Quinn caught the eye of New York Ranger scouts, and played 19 games for New York's American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Rangers, in 1991-92. The next season, he played 60 games with the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League, notching 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists. He retired permanently after that season and went to work as an assistant coach for the Northeastern Huskies.

After Northeastern, Quinn joined the staff of Mike Kemp's fledgling Nebraska-Omaha program, earning a reputation as a solid recruiter before leaving to take a development coaching post with USA Hockey, eventually becoming the head coach of the U.S. National Under-17 team. In 2004, Quinn joined Parker's staff at BU, along with current associate head coach Bavis, playing a key role in bringing in the players that won Parker's third and final national championship in 2009.

After that championship season, Quinn left BU to take the head coaching job with Lake Erie in the American Hockey League, where he went 115-94-27 in three seasons, before being promoted last year to his current post as an assistant coach for the Avalanche under fellow BU alum Joe Sacco.

After Parker's retirement announcement on March 11, BU athletic director Mike Lynch said, "We're looking for the best possible guy for the job."

"We're going to look for a guy who has a great deal of experience, not only handling the public pressures of this job, which is a lot different from the job [Parker] took in the 1970s," Lynch said. "There's a lot more expectations, there's a lot more hype around BU hockey now than there ever has been. Jack's handled it well for 40 years, but the next guy coming in is replacing a legend. That's going to be a very challenging opportunity for someone, but we think it's a great opportunity for someone too."

For former Terrier David Quinn, that opportunity starts on Tuesday.

Hockey East champion UMass-Lowell landed the No. 1 seed in the Northeast (Manchester, N.H.) region, while defending national champ Boston College is the No. 2 seed in the East (Providence) in the NCAA hockey tournament pairings announced Sunday night.

BC, hoping to become the first repeat champion since Denver in 2004-05, opens play against No. 3 Union on Saturday (9 p.m.). The Eagles are in the same region as Quinnipiac, the No. 1 overall seed.

UMass-Lowell will face No. 4 Wisconsin on Friday (4:30 p.m.). The other first-round game in Manchester pits No. 2 New Hampshire against No. 3 Denver.

CLICK HERE for more on the tournament. CLICK HERE to see the tourney bracket.

BOSTON -- Adieu, Coach Parker.

There would be no storybook ending in the storied career of the best hockey coach in Boston University history. Faced with a must-win scenario, and his Terriers unable to duplicate Friday's stunning comeback victory against Boston College, BU coach Jack Parker saw his 40-year career come to an end during the Hockey East finals on Friday at the hands of a determined Lowell River Hawks squad in a 1-0 thriller.

"From the opening faceoff, I thought both teams played extremely well. It was a great college hockey game," said Parker, employing one of his favorite assessments. "It was unbelievable that it was a 1-0 game, with all the chances going on. I was very, very pleased with our effort. I thought it was one of the best games we played all year. A real 60-minute effort.

"I was really happy with my team. I was really happy with everything that happened, except we couldn't put it by their goaltender, and they got one by ours. Both teams played extremely well. We got 36 shots. We had our chances. I guess it wasn't to be."

Instead, an unmistakable sense of "a changing of the guard" permeated the TD Garden after the final whistle. It was a fairytale run for Lowell (26-10-2), led by second-year coach Norm Bazin, as the top-seeded River Hawks captured their first Hockey East title. It was the exact opposite result of the 2009 title game, when Lowell needed to beat BU to advance to the NCAAs, only to lose 1-0. It was also particularly sweet for Bazin, who was a senior on the 1994 Lowell team that lost to BU in the 1994 Hockey East finals, 3-2.

"I congratulate UMass Lowell for a terrific season. I thought they were a terrific team all year long," said Parker. "I thought we gave them one heck of a game tonight, but they had a heck of a year. Winning the league, and then winning the playoffs, is quite an accomplishment for them, and for Norman. He's had a great year as a coach and deserves that Coach of the Year award."

Parker admitted that, when the game ended and he watched the Hockey East banner lowered so Lowell could be added, he thought of how the competition in the league had gotten progressively tougher over his tenure.

"When I first started coaching, and a good friend of mine [and former BU teammate], Billy Riley, was the coach at Lowell Tech," said Parker. "BU hockey was something special when I got the job here. Lowell Tech, now UMass Lowell, has come a long way, to the point where they're now the dominating team in Hockey East."

While the sentimental vote may have been in Parker's corner, the see-saw game turned in Lowell's favor with one dramatic play halfway through the third period, after the River Hawks had withstood a dogged BU attack.

With just over nine minutes left in the game, UML's Derek Arnold broke the heart of Terrier Nation. The junior from Foxboro, Mass., finishing a rare 3-on-2 break, spun around the back of the net and flicked a backhander that caromed off BU netminder Sean Maguire and into the net. It was the last goal that Parker would see scored from his viewpoint behind the BU bench.

Arnold, in the handshake line after the game, even managed to draw a laugh out of the outgoing BU coach.

"He said he wished he played for me. And I told him, I wished he did, too," said Parker with a wry smile. "He's a really good kid and a really good player."

The loss means Parker's Terriers (21-16-2) won't get an invitation to the NCAA tournament, which starts next weekend. Parker finishes his four-decade run with 897 wins, third all-time (behind BC's Jerry York, 935, and Ron Mason, 924) and the most by any coach at a single institution. He already has a record 24 NCAA appearances, but while disappointed the Terriers couldn't get a 25th, he said he left the TD Garden without regrets.

"I couldn't ask for more of my team," said Parker. "I couldn't ask for a better weekend for us. We played really well. We played really hard."

The Terriers kept the game close with a gritty, relentless style that Parker loves to preach. It was the same style he played with when he suited up for BU for three years, 1966-68.

"He was a very good skater. The best part of his game was his faceoffs and his forechecking," said longtime rival and friend, BC's York. "He was tenacious forechecking. So you could see some of the fire that he's had in his coaching career as a player."

For his players, the loss was compounded by the fact they weren't able to send their coach out on top.

"Obviously, we wanted to extend the season for Coach Parker for as long as we possibly could," said BU captain Wade Megan, a member of the senior class that will be the first in 40 years to leave the program at the same time as its coach. "At the end of the day, we played as hard as we possibly could, and we left it all on the ice. It's tough to have regrets when you play like we did tonight. We just couldn't solve their goaltender. That was the bottom line. It would have meant a lot to extend the season, especially for Coach Parker, but it wasn't meant to be."

Ryan Ruikka, an assistant captain, echoed Megan's sentiments. "This is my fifth year with Coach," said the Michigan native. "It's been a great time. He's an unbelievable coach, unbelievable person.

"We wanted to make the run as long as we could for him. We pushed hard at the end. We didn't get what we wanted, but he had a great 40 years here," said Ruikka, prompting a chuckle from his coach. "Some kids say he's the face of BU hockey, and I just thank him for all he's done for me and this organization."

(Read full post)

BOSTON -- Jack Parker's farewell tour picked up steam Friday night, as his Boston University Terriers fought back from a 2-0 deficit to beat archrival Boston College 6-3 in the Hockey East semifinals at TD Garden.

The third-seeded Terriers (21-15-2) turned the tables on the second-seeded Eagles (22-11-4) with five straight goals, including three critical goals in the second period that gave BU a 3-2 lead going into the final stanza. After BU sophomore Evan Rodrigues finally sealed Parker's 897th win with an empty-net tally at 17:31 of the third period, the Terriers locked up their date in the finals against UMass Lowell on Saturday.

"We came back from the dead, I thought," said Parker, who is retiring after the season. "The game could have been a lot worse in the first half. We hung in there and hung in there, got a little life and took advantage of it.

"I was very proud of these guys," he said.

Saturday's final will mark BU's 10th time in the Hockey East championship game, where the Terriers have a 7-2 record. Perhaps more importantly, it gives Parker's players a chance to win the league crown, and the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament that comes with it, in their coach's swan song.

"Now we have a chance to not only win a championship, but if we do, we'll have a chance to go to another tournament, which is what we would like to do. And we'll have all we can handle with Lowell tomorrow night," said Parker. "I was real pleased with my team. I was real pleased with my special teams. We got a very, very competitive effort tonight."

It didn't look that way early on. The Terriers took three first-period penalties, and the Eagles' power play looked impressive, moving the puck crisply and patiently. But BU's bend-but-don't-break defense, and some timely saves by freshman goaltender Sean Maguire (44 saves), kept BC off the board.

"The game was so out of hand the first half," said Parker. "I thought my guys were uptight, I thought we were struggling to move the puck, I thought we were outskated. I thought our goaltender really stood tall. Forget the fact that we were outshot badly. We were tentative."

At 17:50, BC's Johnny Gaudreau, the league's leading scorer and player of the year, had Maguire down and out, with the puck on his backhand, but he snapped it over the crossbar. Eventually, though, playing a man down caught up with the Terriers.

With BU's Sean Escobedo serving two minutes for tripping, the Eagles broke the scoreless tie at 18:33. Eagles forward Bill Arnold, driving down the right wing, threw the puck in front. It never got there. Instead, the puck deflected off BU defender Garrett Noonan and ramped over Maguire's left shoulder for a 1-0 BC lead.

"Kind of a bad hop," said the junior defender, who just returned from injury.

Quinn Smith nearly doubled the BC lead at the 5-minute mark, on another power play, but the sophomore forward's bid from the low slot rang iron. At 8:25, Whitney, streaking down the left wing, rifled a shot that narrowly missed the cage while being pressured by Matt Grzelcyk.

Twenty seconds later, though, the Eagles were attacking again. Smith didn't miss on his next bid, taking a picture-perfect feed from BC captain Pat Mullane and redirecting it over Maguire's glove at 8:46 for an even-strength tally.

BU showed some life at 12:17, halving the Eagles' lead. BU's Rodrigues executed a nifty toe drag that tripped up Smith, and then fired a wrister that broke through Parker Milner (21 saves). The goal gave the BU offense some spark, and the Terriers started strafing the BC net.

"I think it was almost two completely different games," said BC associate head coach Greg Brown, who along with Mike Cavanaugh was handling bench duties for a recuperating Jerry York. "I thought the first half, we were controlling a lot of the play, dictating the tempo. And then basically, right from their first goal by Rodrigues, their bench got a huge lift, and it seemed like they were asserting themselves more than we were after that."

The Terriers clawed all the way back at the 14:21 mark. When BC's Danny Linell, a converted forward playing defense, bobbled the puck at the BU blue line, Terrier Matt Lane seized the opportunity. Jumping past Linell, Lane raced in on Milner, switched to his backhand and tucked the puck between the legs of the BC netminder.

At 16:55, Milner came up with a big blocker stop on BU's Rodrigues, who got off a quality backhand bit while being tripped by Mike Matheson. The Terriers capitalized on the ensuing power play, with Noonan taking a super-cross-ice feed from Grzelcyk and threading the needle between Milner and the short side post from a bad angle. Noonan's sixth goal of the season gave BU a 3-2 lead at 17:59.

"I think we just finally figured it out," said BU's superb freshman Danny O'Regan. "Coach [was] telling us to play wings out of the zone. Our D's made some great looks up the ice. Nieto and Rodrigues are tough to keep track of. They slipped behind them a couple of times. A couple of skill guys, tough to contain sometimes. So I think it was us adjusting to them."

Milner made amends with 34 seconds left, denying Nieto with a great blocker stop on another breakaway bid. But the second-period collapse was an ominous sign, as BU had a 15-1-0 record this season while leading after two periods and the Eagles were 1-9-0 when trailing after the middle stanza.

BU went right back on the power play to start the third when BC's Gaudreau was whistled for cross-checking Escobedo behind the BU net, resulting in a five-minute major. And again, the Terriers made BC pay.

The Terriers were patient, sending the puck around the perimeter before it was sent to an unmarked O'Regan in prime scoring position. With Ryan Santana setting a monster screen in front of Milner, O'Regan calmly snapped a shot low glove side for a 4-2 Terriers advantage at 1:42.

The Terriers kept firing away, slowly wearing down the Eagles. Arnold and Whitney got off a pair of short-handed shots, but they were long-range efforts that Maguire handled easily. O'Regan then put the game out of reach with another power-play strike.

With BC's Whitney serving two minutes for high-sticking, BU's Nieto launched a bomb from the right point that Milner blocked but couldn't control. O'Regan, cruising in the low slot, found the puck on his stick and immediately deposited it into the BC net, stretching BU's lead to 5-2.

BC showed some life when BU's Patrick MacGregor was sent off for cross-checking at 9:16, but the Eagles couldn't get the puck past Maguire.

"Maggie's been unbelievable this whole stretch, the last eight games or so," said O'Regan. "We'll rely on him tomorrow. He's the most competitive kid I know, so I know he's going to bring it tomorrow as well."

Whitney got one back for BC when he took a carom off the backboard and chipped a bad angle shot that rolled over Maguire's left shoulder at 13:43, cutting the BU margin to 5-3.

At 17:31, with Milner pulled in favor of the extra BC attacker, Rodrigues buried the Eagles with a short-handed, empty-net goal. But the Terriers were keenly aware that their season could easily end Saturday if they don't bring the same effort against Lowell.

"The job's not done yet," said Noonan afterward. "We have to win tomorrow. But it was a good win tonight."

Saturday's Hockey East championship will be a rematch of the 2009 title game won by BU 1-0. Both Lowell and BC have already punched their tickets to the NCAA tournament by virtue of their lofty national and PairWise rankings. BU, however, doesn't have the same luxury. The Terriers need to win to keep playing and extend Parker's legendary career for at least another game.

"Especially after the first period, we kind of realized he's such a great coach," said O'Regan. "We weren't going to let him lose to BC at the Garden as his last game, and we were willing to do whatever we had to."

"Much appreciated, Danny," quipped Parker. "Thank you."

In Lowell, BU faces a squad that swept three straight games with the Terriers this season. "They've had everybody's number," said Parker of the River Hawks.

"We have our backs to the wall," he said. "We have to win to continue our season. More importantly, we have to win for our seniors, not for me. We have to win for these guys who would like to win a championship."

BOSTON -- Providence College's bid to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2001 was derailed on Friday, as the top-seeded Lowell River Hawks upended the Friars, 2-1, in the opening Hockey East semifinal tilt at the TD Garden.

The win was sweet revenge for Norm Bazin's River Hawks, who were unceremoniously dumped from the Hockey East playoffs last year in the quarterfinal by the Friars despite having home ice. This year, it was Lowell (25-10-2) that came out on top, going toe-to-toe with the fourth-seeded Friars (17-14-7) before getting two third-period goals to secure the win.

The Lowell victory ends the Friars' season, and sends the River Hawks into the Hockey East finals for the third time in their history, and the first time since 2009.

The game featured a great goaltending duel between freshmen Jon Gillies of Providence (31 saves), the night after he was named the league's Rookie of the Year, and Lowell's Connor Hellebuyck (34 saves). When the smoke cleared, it was Hellebuyck who won the battle, shutting down the Friars over the last 51 minutes, and allowing Lowell to post its come-from-behind win.

And for the second year in a row, Nate Leaman's young Friars saw their season end at TD Garden in the league semifinals. However, it looked promising early on for the Friars, who struck first.

Providence freshman Kevin Rooney, slashing across the low slot, picked up the rebound of Noel Acciari's wrister, and tucked it past the outstretched right leg of Lowell's Hellebuyck. It was Rooney's first career goal, giving the Friars a 1-0 lead at 8:59.

Lowell nearly knotted the game late in the first stanza, with Friar Myles Harvey in the box for interference. But Christian Folin's power-play bid from the right point, which beat Gillies, glanced off the left post and stayed out with 40 seconds left.

The River Hawks turned up the heat in the second frame, but Gillies was immense, turning aside 15 Lowell shots, including two point-blank bids by Riley Whetmore and Joseph Pendenza. Lowell had another last-minute bid when Whetmore corkscrewed Harvey into the ice on the right half-wall, but his shot sailed wide right.

Lowell finally broke through at the 34-second mark of the third period, knotting the game at 1-1. Pendenza, driving down the left side, ripped a shot that Gillies blocked. The puck popped into the air, and as Friars captain Kyle Murphy spilled into Gillies, Lowell's A.J. White potted the puck for his second of the year.

Hellebuyck kept the game deadlocked, stuffing Friar Chris Rooney at the doorstep at 6:27. The River Hawks rewarded their goalie, grabbing their first lead at 12:30.

Whetmore feathered a terrific saucer pass from the left wing that found Scott Wilson streaking into the slot. Despite Friars defenseman John Gilmore's suffocating presence, Wilson was able to corral the puck and in a single motion rip it past Gillies' glove for a 2-1 Lowell lead. Wilson's 15th goal of the season proved to be the winner, with Hellebuyck and the Lowell defense shutting down the Friars the rest of the way.

With the win, Bazin's River Hawks -- already assured an NCAA bid based on their No. 5 national ranking and sixth place in the national PairWise rankings -- will have a chance to compete for their first-ever Hockey East championship on Saturday night.

It was a scene that bordered on the bizarre. Moments after his team swept Merrimack in the Hockey East quarterfinals, just before he left the ice, Boston University coach Jack Parker was hugging the on-ice officials. Most notably, he embraced Tim Bennedetto, the long-time Hockey East referee who -- like many referees -- had sparred with Parker over the years, sometimes heatedly.

"They all know that I'm nuts on the bench sometimes. It's nothing personal," said Parker, who announced his retirement on March 11. "When the game is over, the game is over. I think these guys give their best effort. They're trying to do as good a job as they can for the teams on the ice, and for the most part they do. And if they don't, I might comment on it.

"I've known Timmy since he was a rookie in the league, and he's been a terrific referee for all these years. I've always respected his work," he said. "I might be yelling at him this weekend, who knows? But I think he's a sincere guy who goes out there every night trying to give you his best effort."

That moment speaks volumes about the tight-knit college hockey community, and the mutual respect between programs that personifies Hockey East. However, fans shouldn't anticipate any pleasantries once the puck drops for the league semifinals this Friday at Boston's TD Garden. What they can expect is every team's best effort, given that the top four seeds in the tightest league race in memory -- with only two points separating first place from fifth -- are playing.

The two semifinals present a number of interesting contrasts, almost as noteworthy as the sight of Jack Parker bear-hugging a referee. The marquee match, signified by the late start, has longtime rivals second-seed Boston College (22-10-4) and third-seed Boston University (20-15-2) squaring off.

"It's a little unusual that we haven't seen [BC] in so long. It seems like a long time ago when we last faced them in a home-and-home in early December," said Parker, the result of BU getting ousted from February's Beanpot Tournament by Northeastern. "In general, I think that both teams are playing pretty well and both teams usually bring out the best in each other. I know that the two games we played in December were both pretty good hockey games."

Parker is on borrowed time, as his Terriers are a classic bubble team in terms of the NCAA field of 16. While the Terriers still might squeak into the NCCAs even if they lose on Friday, Parker doesn't want to take any chances.

"Our situation is, win and continue, lose and go home," he said. "BC's situation is not quite the same. If they lose, they wait to see where they go in the national tournament. We have to win this game to get in the national tournament, and maybe even win the tournament to get in the national tournament. So we have a little more at stake."

The Eagles, meanwhile, are looking for their fourth straight Hockey East championship, and sixth in the last eight years. Their fourth straight trip to the NCAAs is a lock, due to their No. 4 national ranking. But they'll have to play Friday's semifinal without their own legendary coach, Jerry York, behind the bench. York suffered a second detached retina of his right eye last weekend, and underwent surgery on Monday.

However, associate head coaches Mike Cavanaugh and Greg Brown said this week that they expect the Eagles to adapt, particularly since York lost time earlier this winter with the same condition. York also missed BC's 4-1 quarterfinal-clinching win over Vermont last Saturday.

"If we had not gone through it earlier in the year, it probably would have been a lot more to handle," said Cavanaugh. "But since we had experienced it with the UNH weekend and with UMass and Northeastern, we had a pretty good idea of how it was going to work and how we handled things. I thought for the most part, it was as seamless as it could be on Saturday."

Brown agreed. "Especially for the kids, since they had all done that before, they didn't miss a beat," he said. "The seniors picked right up and told the other guys that we'll be fine, and they had a great attitude going into the game. There wasn't a lot of confusion at all because it had happened once before."

The Eagles also have a goaltender who has been there before. Unlike the other semifinalists, which are all starting freshman goaltenders, the Eagles are countering with senior Parker Milner (2.52 goals against average, .915 save percentage), the reigning MVP of the NCAA tournament.

"It certainly helps him that he's played in that building before, and he's played well in that building," said Cavanaugh of Milner. "But when it comes down to Friday, it's going to be what goaltender executes best, and what team plays the most solid in front of him. That's going to be the biggest determining factor."

The Terriers will counter with Sean Maguire (2.59 GAA, .924 save percentage), a freshman from British Columbia who has looked like the second coming of Kieran Millan -- the freshman goaltender who led BU to a national championship in 2009 -- since assuming full-time duties in net. In the quarterfinals against Merrimack, Maguire raised his game to another level, with a .958 save percentage and 1.50 GAA, including a 30-save shutout in the opening-game victory.

He will have to stay hot, given BC's firepower. Up front, Boston College is again loaded, boasting three 40-plus point scorers and the nation's second-ranked offense, tallying 3.44 goals a game. By comparison, BU has produced 3.08 goals a game, good for 17th nationally, and led by freshman Danny O'Regan (14 goal, 22 assists, 36 points) and rejuvenated junior Matt Nieto (18-17-35).

"He played pretty well most of the first half but he wasn't putting the puck in the net," said Parker of Nieto. "He was squeezing his stick too hard and was looking for goals. He really wasn't playing the type of game that he's got to play to be effective for us. Now, all of a sudden, he's one of the top goal-scorers in the league and he's one of the top pointmen. His line is as good of a line as there is in college hockey with O'Regan and [Evan] Rodrigues. I think a big reason for that has been the re-emergence of Matt Nieto as a star in this league."

The Eagles will be led by sophomore Johnny Gaudreau (20-29-49), the MVP of last year's Hockey East tournament and the league's leading scorer this past season, as well as Steven Whitney (25-18-43) and captain Pat Mullane (16-25-41). But both squads have gotten production throughout their respective line-ups through the second half of the season, which makes handicapping the 262nd meeting between the teams a difficult task.

"Our third line is playing much better right now and I noticed the same thing holds true for BC's third line," said Parker. "The [Patrick] Brown line has been chipping in with goals and playing really well. I think it's probably for the same reason; they're playing much more now. They're getting more ice time, they've earned that ice time and they're more comfortable in the swing of things."

Though BC took the season series, two games to one, none of the three coaches expect past results to have any bearing on Friday's outcome.

"They always seem to be playing well when they're playing us, so that's not really a concern of ours," said BC's Cavanaugh. "I know that they've won four in a row. They are rolling along here, and playing well as a team. But when they play Boston College, they could have lost four in a row, and we're still going to get their best game. The old adage is -- and it's a cliché -- 'You can throw the records out the window when these two teams play.' I think it is evident from our past games, and I think it will hold true this weekend. You're going to see the best from both teams on Friday night."

The Hockey East semifinals are Friday, with the opening match (5 p.m. ET) pitting two of the best young minds in Hockey East. Lowell's Norm Bazin and Providence's Nate Leaman each arrived at their respective campuses two years ago in the hopes of turning things around. And they did, in a hurry.

Both squads made the league playoffs last year, with Providence edging the River Hawks in a three-game series. The two squads were at it again this year, with Lowell taking the season series, 2-1, but splitting the final home-and-home series of the season, with each team winning on the road.

"I'm not sure this time of year we need too many reminders, but it never hurts to remind them of some of the failures of the past," said Bazin, when asked about last year's early exit from the Hockey East tournament. "Our focus is on playing well in the next hockey game. This time of year, all you have is the next game and we're focused on making this our best possible game."

With their quarterfinal win over Lowell last season, the Friars got to TD Garden and the Hockey East semifinals only to run into a BC buzzsaw, losing 4-2.

"As far as experience goes, it's something we are going to talk about today in the locker room," said Leaman earlier this week. "There is no doubt that our team, last year against BC [in the semifinal], was not focused in the first five minutes of the game. I think we gave up a break away and a 2-on-0 and they scored a goal in the first five minutes. It's something we are obviously going to talk about. Nothing helps that more than experience."

Coincidentally, the two squads also have two of the best young goaltender's in the league -- a pair of freshmen -- with Lowell's Connor Hellebuyck (1.49 GAA, .944 save percentage) and the Friars' John Gillies (2.08 GAA, .931 save percentage) between the pipes.

"Jon consistently gives you a chance to win every game. I think that's the biggest thing," said Leaman. "There's no doubt he has been our best player over the course of the year."

Hellebuyck, meanwhile, has simply been the league's best netminder, statistically speaking, since establishing himself as the team's No. 1 netminder. Bazin said his team's turnaround after a rocky start can be directly attributed to the goaltending of Hellebuyck and Doug Carr, and a renewed commitment to defensive on every player's part.

"We weren't that pleased with our special teams" against Maine in the quarterfinals, said Bazin. "The nice thing about hockey is that when you're full of yourself, you watch the videotape and then you're humbled. It's definitely important for us to keep improving, and special teams is one of those areas in which we're looking to improve."

The River Hawks are hoping to make the Hockey East finals for the first time since 2009, when they were edged by Boston University, 1-0. The Terriers went on to win the national championship, while the River Hawks went home. This year, the River Hawks, ranked fifth nationally, will return to the NCAA tournament. Providence, however, must win its next two games and capture the Hockey East flag to get the league's automatic bid.

"We have been a better road team in the second half than I feel we have been a home team," said Leaman. "We had success against Lowell and Boston College in their own rinks. If anything, I like the fact we are on the road and in a different building with a young team. I think it helps us focus better."

BOSTON -- On Friday, the Hockey East championships move to TD Garden with a pair of semifinals that couldn't be more different in terms of familiarity.

The first pits league regular-season champion UMass-Lowell against fourth-seeded Providence in a rematch of last year's quarterfinal matchup, won by the Friars. But this marks the first time in 12 years that both the River Hawks and Friars are in the Hockey East semifinals.

The second match is a classic confrontation, with second-seeded Boston College, currently ranked fifth in the country, taking on third-seeded Boston University in what could be coach Jack Parker's final game after 40 years at the helm of the Terriers program.

"The only team that wins the last game of the year is the national champion," Parker said. "Everybody else loses their last game of the year. And when it happens, it's like somebody shot you in the head because you're going so hard. It's 24/7 from September to that last game. And when that last game is over, there's no practice tomorrow."

Providence punched its ticket to the Garden with a hard-fought 3-2 win over fifth-seeded New Hampshire on Sunday, taking the quarterfinal series two games to one. The result forces the Wildcats to wait and hope that an NCAA invite comes their way after they dropped to a tie for seventh in the national PairWise rankings.

The game turned on two Providence power-play goals, scored by Tim Schaller and Nick Saracino, over a 44-second span in the second period, enabling the Friars to reverse a one-goal deficit and take a 3-2 lead. The freshman Saracino, who notched the game-winner, has proven to be a Wildcat killer this season, scoring seven of his 11 goals against UNH. Friars freshman goaltender John Gillies (30 saves) made the lead stand, knocking out 11 shots in the final frame.

UNH, the nation's leading penalty-killing unit (91 percent), couldn't solve the Providence power play. In six games against UNH, the Friars' power-play unit scored six of the 13 power-play goals that the Wildcats surrendered over the season.

Meanwhile, UMass-Lowell, currently ranked No. 6 in the country, dispatched Maine in a two-game quarterfinal sweep. The River Hawks took the regular-season series against the Friars, 2-1, highlighted by a 4-1 win in the season finale.

In Friday's nightcap, BC will take on the Terriers for the 262nd time in their storied rivalry. The teams first met in the 1917-18 season, and since that game, BU has forged a slight edge, going 128-116-17. However, in the games that Jerry York has been behind the Eagles bench since 1994, the squads are absolutely deadlocked, 37-37-7. While BC is assured a spot in the NCAA field of 16, the Terriers need to win the Hockey East championship to guarantee their spot.

"I think it's nice that we get to play them, " Parker said after his squad swept Merrimack on Saturday. "BC has always brought out the best in us, and vice versa. So it should be a real great college hockey game. We can't end their season, but I'd like to extend ours by getting to the final, that's for sure."

The Eagles, the defending national champions, are looking for their fourth straight Hockey East tournament crown. York's participation in Friday's semifinal, however, depends on the outcome of his eye surgery on Monday, and how quick his recovery is. York suffered a second detached retina of his right eye since January. Still, he left little doubt about the respect he has for his longtime adversary and friend.

"Jack and I have enjoyed a relationship that has stood the test of time," York said upon hearing of Parker's retirement announcement. "It goes back to our high school days and dates back 50 years. We've competed against one another and we've coached against one another for a long, long time. There have been so many unbelievable games that have provided countless memories for the both of us."

Expect another memorable match on Friday.