There is a lot we know about this version of the BC Eagles hockey team. Sunday afternoon's 6-3 win over eleventh-ranked UMass-Lowell showed they can win a high scoring game. Friday night's 1-0 win over that same team showed they can win a tight defensive battle. Their record stands at 4-1 and three of the wins came against nationally ranked teams (Lowell and Northeastern.) Jerry York says that his team is starting to ¡§get into the rhythm of the season.¡¨

With this kind of start, there appears to be nothing that can get in the way of another National Championship for Boston College. Right?

Well, maybe, maybe not. We do know that at Halloween a year ago that version of the Eagles had a record of 7-1. What we didn't know was this team would spend the next three months playing .500 hockey. The starting goalie got benched. Two-game losing streaks outnumbered two-game winning streaks by 3-1. And nobody suggested that this team would then go on to win it all in April, capping a 19 game winning streak that featured the benched goaltender becoming the second coming of Ken Dryden.

So, for what it is worth, this is what we see now:
ƒ{ Scoring can come for anywhere on the first and second lines. Johnny God-reau (Gaudreau) is not the only story on this team. Kevin Hayes was the star on Sunday and the junior winger is finally living up to his reputation (first-round draft choice.) He is a very effective playmaker and he has a good vision of the ice. His centerman, Bill Arnold, never gives up and his tenacity shows up on the scoresheet. He had a goal and two assists Sunday. On the other wing, Destry Straight can poke the puck in on occasion (twice so far this year.) On the first line God-reau is, well, god-like. He has speed, but he also can change pace in an instant. Steven Whitney plays the same way and it is not an insult to say he a notch behind Gaudreau. Center Pat Mullane has the speed to keep up with his linemates.

ƒ{ Defense will not be a problem for BC, despite the presence of four freshmen in the mix. York has paired each freshman with a veteran, Pat Wey, Isaac MacLeod or Patch Alber. None among that trio will be an all-star at this level, but they are mature and effective enough to cover up mistakes as the freshmen develop. Mike Matheson is already a treat to watch. He moves the puck very effectively and we should no longer cry over the loss of Brian Dumoulin to the pros. Teddy Doherty had three assists Sunday (and one goal waved off.) Colin Sullivan is a stay-at-home type adds size to the backline. We are sure to see Travis Jeke one of these days.

ƒ{ Team defense is predictably less effective when an opponent is allowed to set up shop in the zone. BC's strength is how quickly they can move the puck out of the zone. When an opponent gets cycling it opens up Parker Milner to screens and traffic. The next step in improvement for this team defense is better, more physical play when it seems that you can't clear the puck, no matter how hard you try.
ƒ{
ƒ{ Right now don't expect to see any goals from the third and fourth lines. Line three of Danny Linell, Michael Sit and Quinn Smith was the all-freshman fourth line last year. There game has moved up a notch, they play a solid defensive game, and individually you see these guys in penalty killing and power play situations. Linell plays on the power play and Smith even played Sunday as the point man in killing a five-on-three disadvantage. But they don't score goals. The fourth line of Patrick Brown, Nobel Prize candidate Brooks Dyroff and either Cam Spiro or Brendan Silk (these four are interchangeable said Jerry York) will only score a goal by accident. York went with three lines in the final period Sunday. ¡§It's encouraging that we are getting so much scoring from our first two lines,¡¨ Jerry York said. ¡§Someone just told me we lost players who scored 42% of our goals last season.¡¨ The question is, can BC go the whole season without scoring from half of your forwards?

For November, we see Maine, Umass, Notre Dame Merrimack and BU twice. What kind of team will Boston College be?

Elsewhere: The big guns in Hockey East appear to be BC, UNH, Northeastern and Lowell. BU and Merrimack are on the fence. Providence might mature into a home-ice contender by the end of the season. Vermont, who seemed to loose everyone who could tell icing from offsides, has surprised, with ties at Merrimack and Lowell.

Sidelight: Bill Arnold had a three-point night Sunday afternoon, right on the verge of Hurricane Sandy. Arnold's twitter handle is coincidentally @BillDaHurricane. Other Eagles worth following on Twitter are Parker Milner, Kevin Hayes, Patch Alber, Johnny Gaudreau, Brooks Dyroff, Pat Mullane, Brian Billett and Isaac MacLeod. Oldie John Muse, Chris Kreider and Brian Dumoulin chirp in occassionally.


...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now for a FREE Trial