BU up for ‘Red Hot Rematch’ in NCAAs
Boston University is revved up for a “Red Hot Rematch.”
That was the refrain that resonated through the BU players lounge just after noontime yesterday when the NCAA Division 1 men’s hockey bracket was revealed.
The Terriers were rewarded for running the table in the Hockey East tournament with a berth in the Northeast Regional in Worcester. BU (21-13-4) drew the No. 4 seed and will face ECAC powerhouse and top-seeded Cornell in the regional semifinal round on Saturday.
Cornell beat BU, 4-3, in the regular season at the Red Hot Hockey game at Madison Square Garden in New York on Nov. 25. The Terriers are motivated to reverse that result.
“(Cornell has) had a heck of a season and it’s a team that is big and strong with some skill, and they are great around the net,” BU coach David Quinn said. “They are a No. 1 seed for a reason. We had a great game with them in New York City in November. But we are two completely different teams now, as are most teams in the tournament. When you are in the national tournament you are playing a great team.”
Second-seeded Michigan and No. 3 Northeastern will match up in the second semifinal. The winning teams will faceoff on Sunday in the regional final, with the victor advancing to the Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn., on April 5-7.
“I like the rematch, but any team you play in the tournament is going to be a great team, especially when you are a four seed,” Terriers senior defenseman and captain Brandon Hickey said. “I am excited for the rematch and they have a great team. It is going to be an outstanding game and there is going to be a lot of red in the stands, and I’m really excited to play these guys.”
BU swept UConn in a pair of one-goal games in the best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinals. The Terriers advanced to the Garden for the semifinal round and beat archrival Boston College in overtime Friday, before capturing a ninth Hockey East crown by shutting out Providence College in Saturday’s championship game. The Friars are headed to the East Regional in Bridgeport, Conn., as the No. 2 seed and will play No. 3 Clarkson on Friday.
Quinn believes the Terriers ability to adapt to the contrasting styles they faced in the Hockey East tournament will serve as dress rehearsal for Cornell.
“They were totally different teams,” Quinn said. “You have a BC team that plays with a lot of speed and a little bit younger and then you go and play Providence which is a much heavier team, a harder team and older team and it was a completely different game. From our end, it was nice to be able to play a somewhat of a track meet on Friday and a little bit of a halfcourt game on Saturday night. To be able to do both certainly bodes well moving forward.”
BU traveled the path of most resistance to arrive in Worcester. The Terriers played great down the stretch but still needed to win out to qualify for the tournament.
“It is nice getting (Worcester) because the last few years we’ve been out west,” Quinn said. “It will be great for us to have some fan support and hopefully we’ll get a big crowd.”