ESPN

Nate Ewell

  (1:29 PM)

Happy Thursday, everyone, and welcome to Inside College Hockey's weekly visit to The Show.

Nate Ewell

  (1:31 PM)

We'll talk all sorts of college pucks in the next half hour, but we'll start with the Beanpot. We're thrilled to be joined by Bernie Corbett, BU's radio voice, author of The Beanpot book, and one of college hockey's all-around good guys.

Bernie Corbett

  (1:33 PM)

I'm happy to be here and ready for your questions.

Rick-New Jersey

Hi Bernie. I loved the Beanpot book. Great stories and photos.BU's remarkable record of Beanpot success certainly has taken on a life of its own. No matter whether BU is up or down, they either win or make it incredibly close, like last year's final. Do you see BU's Beanpot legacy changing from a source of inspiration to a burden for the players?

Bernie Corbett

  (1:36 PM)

I don't think so. I see it continuing to be a source of inspiration largely because of the guy at the top. The one thing coach Parker manages to do year in and year out is to convey the significance of the tournament to each team, and the fact that it is a unique accomplishment for year team. There is the awareness of a legacy and almost a birthright for BU teams to succeed in the Beanpot, but he does a masterful job of letting each year's guys, and each senior class, enjoy their Beanpot. That success is something he's able to draw on, but at the same time there is a unique aspect to it.

Bernie Corbett

  (1:37 PM)

As long as Jack is in place, that will continue, and hopefully whoever takes his place will also be able to draw on that from their own experience.

Edwin

What is John Curry's status for tomorrow night against PC, and for the Beanpot final? Also, what is your biggest surprise on the team so far?

Bernie Corbett

  (1:39 PM)

More than likely he will not play tomorrow night. He's made terrific progress in his recovery -- originally they said 2-3 weeks, and right now we're at two weeks. I think there is a possibility that he can play Monday, best I know right now.

Bernie Corbett

  (1:42 PM)

Biggest surprise is probably John Curry. Hollywood throws out stories like the John Curry Story. On the surface it's an even more amazing story than maybe the reality of it -- John Curry's credentials coming to BU last year, even though he came as a third-string walk-on, his credentials were well above guys who often fall into that category. Often your third goalie is a nice-to-be-here job, guys who just love the game. They know what their role is, and their role is as a target in practice. With John Curry, he came in and had outstanding credentials coming out of Minnesota high schools, and he had a real solid year at Taft as a PG. With his arrival at BU, he wasn't of the mind of it's nice to be here. Right from the beginning his mindset was that he was going to challenge to be the starting goalie beyond his freshman year. Lo and behold opportunity can knock. It's a fabulous story.

Jim (Minneapolis)

What do you say to those of us who think the Beanpot is overrated?

Bernie Corbett

  (1:43 PM)

I think it's the classic example of an event which is truly unique and very much parochial. I can fully understand how people don't understand it from other parts of the world of college hockey. You can be in Durham, NH, let alone Minneaoplis, and think "What's the big deal?" The family, fraternal, parochial aspect of it is what makes it great, and if you're not on the inside of that I can see why you might dismiss it.

Bernie Corbett

  (1:46 PM)

I have to defer to Dave Silk in reference to winning the gold medal in 1980. I paraphrase, but he said there was something special about winning the Beanpot, even above and beyond 1980. The liklihood of seeing Kharlamov or Tretiak hanging around on the Cape over the summer was slim, but the chances of seeing a high school kid from BC on the Cape or at Fenway Park, that could happen. If you were the reigning champion of the Beanpot, that gave you something to start discussion. It does become a bragging right, it does become a focal point, and it happens in offices all around Boston, all around New England, and really all around the country.

Bernie Corbett

  (1:46 PM)

I've also had people come in from other parts of the country and say, "Wow."

Tom/Boston/MA

What are the most significant changes in The Beanpot over the last 20-30 years? Would you say the move to the Fleet Center has changed the tournament?

Bernie Corbett

  (1:49 PM)

That's absolutely the most significant. You have to begin with the venue. By the admission of one and all, the Beanpot did lose a little something once it gave way to progress and moved from the Garden. The proximity of the fans, the size of the ice surface -- things had a tendency to happen real quickly at the Garden -- couple that with the noise level and the whole atmosphere ... it's something that, unfortunately, that's progress. When you threw those four bands in the balcony of the Garden the place would just rock. Not to say there's not still a sense of excitement, but I think that's the one thing that has really changed the tournament.

Howard (Fort Worth,TX)

What are the chances for Northeastern to win this years Beanpot? Also, can you talk a little bit about the play of Jason Guierriero?

Bernie Corbett

  (1:51 PM)

I think their chances are very good -- absolutely. It's a Northeastern team if you dwell on their overall record you may think that they don't rate much of a chance, but I've seen them on a number of occasions this year, including the first game of the year against Michigan. They're impressive with their skill and particularly with Jason Guerriero, who I think is one of the most nifty, clever, flat-out skill players in college hockey who a lot of people don't know about. People in Hockey East certainly know about him.

Bernie Corbett

  (1:52 PM)

They should be highly motivated. It's been a long time since being, as Joe Concannon called them, the Beanpot team of the '80s. It's pretty much a toss-up type of game on Monday.

John, Winchester

Bernie, what was the most exciting BU game you witnessed at Walter Brown Arena? Mine? The 1977 ECAC Quarterfinal vs. BC. BU won 8 - 7 thanks to Rick Meagher.

Bernie Corbett

  (1:54 PM)

I would say you have to give serious consideration to that game. It's tough to describe that game to somebody who doesn't have a historical perspective on college hockey -- to say once upon a time they played playoff games that were 8-7. That game was off the charts. The only thing in sports that you could relate that to was the Celtics playoff game with Atlanta when Bird and Dominique went back and forth, which I was lucky enough to be at. What Rick Meagher and Joe Mullen did in that playoff game was the hockey equivalent.

Bernie Corbett

  (1:57 PM)

You can make a great case for that game. A game I always come back to as particularly memorable was the third game of the NCAA quarterfinals in 1990 against North Dakota. To see the entire range of emotions in that series, to really being humbled in the first game, then come back and win the second game and force the third game. The team seemed like they were three feet off the ice to play in that third game. It was an unbelievable emotional game in game three, a 5-0 game, and I remember the end of that game and the fans refusing to leave the arena. It had the feeling of just seeing the Rolling Stones. Finally Mike Sullivan, now coach of the Bruins, led the team in various stages of undress back on the ice for a curtain call. The place was bananas, just crazy.

Nate Ewell

  (1:57 PM)

We've got time for one more for Bernie...

Jackson (Marblehead, MA)

Who do you think is the toughest challenger out there in Hockey East right now?

Bernie Corbett

  (2:00 PM)

I think Lowell is a team to be reckoned with at this point. BC is obvious, the fact that they've been the No. 1 team and the No. 1 team in Hockey East for a month. That's an obvious one, with the talent and the experience on that team. But I think that Lowell's performance since mid-November is not to be denied -- they are absolutely for real. The long college hockey season, a great deal of it has to do with how well you're playing down the stretch. I think after seeing them up close last Friday, there's no question that they are for real. You may call them a darkhorse because they're in fifth place, but come playoff time I think they could be a major threat to come away with postseason honors. They seem to have the ingredients necessary with skill, real solid goaltending, and a power play which has been among the nation's leaders.

Bernie Corbett

  (2:01 PM)

Thanks for the questions, and I'll see everybody around the rinks!

Nate Ewell

  (2:02 PM)

Thanks to everybody for your questions ... I'll hit on a few that we didn't get to on INCH Overtime at insidecollegehockey.com. Take care, enjoy Monday night and we'll see you next week.