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BOSTON UNIVERSITY vs Providence College Hockey East Quarterfinals
March 8-10, 2002 * Walter Brown Arena * 7:00 p.m. * Boston, MA
FROM SIXTH TO SECOND: A year ago, the Terriers had their lowest regular-season finish in the 17-yaer history of Hockey East as they wound up sixth. In fact, it was only the third time they did not have home ice for the first round of the league playoffs. They finished fifth in the final 1988-89 standings and traveled to Providence for the first round of the tournament. A decade later, in 1998-99, they finished fifth again and journeyed to Providence College for the quarterfinals. Finally, last year, they again traveled to Providence for the league quarterfinals. All three years, the Friars eliminated them. After last year's disappointing season, the Terriers bounced back this year to finish second for the fourth time in Hockey East history. Below is a recap of how the Terriers have fared in the final league standings.
PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH: In the pre-season poll of the league coaches, the Terriers were picked to finish fifth in the league with one first-place vote and 54 points. Providence was the coaches' choice to win the league this year. Even though the Friars did not have any first-place votes, they led the way with 68 points. Maine was second with four firsts and 67 points, followed by Boston College with three top votes and 61 points. New Hampshire finished fourth with one first and 57 points. Then, came the Terriers, who were followed by UMass/Lowell, 34 points; Northeastern, 33; Merrimack, 18; and UMass/Amherst, 13. 20-12-1 IN QUARTERFINAL ACTION: Overall, the Terriers are 20-11-1 in Hockey East quarterfinal action (.621). They were 2-0-0 in 1985, 1-0-1 in 1986, 0-1-0 in 1987, 0-2-0 in 1988, 0-1-0 in 1989, 2-1-0 in 1990, 1-0-0 in 1991, 0-1-0 in 1992, 2-0-0 in 1993 and 1994, 1-0-0 in 1995, 2-0-0 in both 1996 and 1997, 1-2-0 in 1998 and 1999; 2-0-0 in 2000, and 1-2-0 in 2001. 18-7-1 AT HOME; 2-5-0 ON THE ROAD: The Terriers come into this weekend series with an 18-7-1 (.712) record in Hockey East quarterfinal games at home, while they are 2-5-0 (.286) on the road. THREE-GAME QUARTERFINAL FORMAT: The format for this weekend's quarterfinal series will be the best two-out-three games. This marks the seventh straight year this format is being utilized and the ninth time in the 18-year history of the league. The previous years were 1990, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1990, 2000, and 2001. Other formats have been a two-game mini-game (1985), a two-game/total-goal series (1986 and 1998), two-game/total points (1993), and single elimination (1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, and 1995). TERRIERS 13-7 IN THIS FORMAT; 5-6 IN LAST THREE YEARS: The Terriers met with excellent success in this format during the early years, compiling an 8-1 (.889) record during the first four years of the format. However, in the last two years, they are only 5-6 (.455). Here is how the Terriers have fared in this best-of-three series format.
19-8-0 IN LAST 27 LEAGUE TOURNAMENT GAMES: The Terriers come into this year's playoffs with a record of 19-8-0 (.704 in their last 27 Hockey East tournament games. Beginning in 1994, here is how the Terriers have fared in the league tournament.
33-17-1 OVERALL IN HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT ACTION: The Terriers have an overall Hockey East tournament record of 33-17-1 (.657). The most wins they had in a year were 4 en route to winning the 1994 and 1997 titles. Six times, they won 3 games-in 1985 (3-1-0), 1986 (3-0-1), 1991 (3-0-0), 1993 (3-1-0), 1995 (3-0-0), and 1996 (3-1-0). Twice, they won 2 games-in 1990 (2-2-0) and in 2000 (2-1-0), while they have won one game three times-in 1998 (1-2-0), 1999 (0-1-0), and 2001 (1-2-0). In 1987, they were 0-1-0 as they were eliminated by Northeastern in a single-game quarterfinal matchup. In 1988, they were 0-2-0 as Providence swept them in the two-game, total-goal series. In 1989, they were 0-1-0 when they lost to the Friars in the one-game format. Finally, in 1992, they lost to BC in the one-game quarterfinal matchup. TERRIERS IN THE HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT: Among this year's players, senior Mike Pandolfo (Burlington) has been the Terriers' most productive player in the Hockey East playoffs. The senior has 7-1-8 in 9 games. Most of his production came in last year's quarterfinal series against Providence when he had 50-0-5 in 3 games. Below is a list of this year's team members who have scored at least one point in the league tournament.
FIELDS, TAPP IN HOCKEY EAST TOURNEY ACTION: Both Sean Fields (Edmonton, ALTA) and Jason Tapp (Kelowna, BC) have experience in the Hockey East Tournament. Fields is 1-2-0 with a 2.32 GAA, while Tapp is 0-0-0 in two outings. He has a 13.27 GAA and a .583…All their action has been against Providence. Fields was the goalie of record in all 3 games against the Friars last year, as he played in all but 9:35 of the series. Tapp appeared in one game in the 1999 quarterfinals and played in 13:01 as he came off the bench to take over for Michel Larocque. Then, he played in the first 9:35 of last year's series opener at Providence.
THIRD QUARTERFINAL MEETING IN LAST FOUR YEARS: This marks the third time in the last four years that the Terriers and Friars will be meeting in quarterfinals, and Providence has won the last two series. They eliminated the Terriers, 2 games to 1, in 1999 and 2001. FIFTH TIME IN THE QUARTERFINALS: This will mark the fifth time B.U. and Providence have met in the quarterfinals, and the Friars have defeated the Terriers in each of the four previous meetings. In 1988, Providence defeated the Terriers, 9-6, in the two-game, total-goal series. The Friars won 3-2, in the first game and 6-4 in the second game. The following year, in a single-game format, PC edged the B.U., 3-2. Then, as noted above, they defeated the Terriers, 2 games to 1, in the 1999 and 2001 quarterfinals…Thus, Providence is 7-2-0 in 9 quarterfinal games vs. the Terriers. FRIARS LONE TEAM WITH WINNING RECORD IN LEAGUE TOURNAMENT: Providence is the only team to have a winning record vs. the Terriers in the Hockey East Tournament. Coming into this weekend's series, these two teams have met 14 times, and the Friars hold a 9-5-0 lead. By comparison, B.U. is 3-1-0 vs. Boston College, 5-3-0 vs. Maine, 5-0-0 vs. UMass/Lowell, 3-2-0 vs. Merrimack, 3-0-1 vs New Hampshire, and 4-0-0 vs. UMass/Amherst.
ONLY SECOND HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT ACTION AT BROWN ARENA: This marks the 10th year the Terriers and Friars are meeting in the Hockey East but only the second time they are meeting at Brown Arena. The only previous year was in 1988 when the Friars eliminated the Terriers in the quarterfinals, 3-2 and 6-4…At other venues, B.U. is 2-5-0 at Schneider Arena, 1-1-0 at the Providence Civic Center, 2-0-0 at the Boston Garden, and 0-1-0 at the FleetCenter. OVERALL AT BROWN ARENA: Including the Terriers' 5-2 win over Providence late last month, the Terriers are 26-10-4 (.700) against the Friars are Brown Arena…Dating back to March 5, 1994, the Terriers are 10-1-1 against the Friars in their last 12 games at Brown Arena….During this stretch, Providence's only win against the Terriers came in a 6-4 victory on October 31, 1998, while the tie was a 5-5 overtime decision on February 17, 2001. 11-10-0 IN TOURNAMENT ACTION: Overall, the Terriers are 11-10-0 (.524) vs. the Friars in tournament action. They were 4-0-0 in the Boston Arena Christmas Tournament during the 1955-56, 1957-68, 1958-59, and 1970-71 seasons. They were 1-1-0 in the ECAC Tournament as they won in 1965 and lost in 1978. They were 1-0-0 in the 1978 NCAA Tournament, and, finally, 5-9-0 in the Hockey East Tournament. OVERALL SERIES RECORD: Including this year's 2-0-1 record against Providence, the Terriers have an overall record of 78-41-10 for a .643 winning percentage. RECAPPING THIS YEAR'S GAMES: Below is the statistical recap of this year's earlier matchups.
PANDOLFO TOPS VS. THE FRIARS: Mike Pandolfo has had outstanding success during his career against the Friars. In 16 previous games, he has 11 goals, five of which have come on the power play. He also has 3 assists for 14 points. The next closest players are seniors Pat Aufiero (Winchester), who has 3-6-9 in 11 games and Chris Dyment (Reading), who has 1-8-9. Junior Brian Collins (Shrewsbury) and senior Jack Baker (South Boston) are tied for second on the team in goals with 4 each. Overall, Collins has 4-4-8, while Baker has 4-2-6. GOALIES VS. THE FRIARS: Sophomore Sean Fields comes into this weekend's series with a 3-3-1 record vs. Providence. He has a 3.13 GAA and an .897 save percentage to go along with the record. In the meantime, senior Jason Tapp is 1-0-2 with a 3.75 GAA and an .855 save percentage. TOP DOGS VS. FRIARS IN HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT: In 6 Hockey East tournament games,Pandolfo again leads the way against Providence with 7-1-8. Aufiero is next with 1-3-4 in 4 games…Fields is 1-2-0 with a 2.32 GAA and a .925 save percentage against Providence in Hockey East tournament action, while Tapp is 0-0-0. He has played in 22:36 minutes vs. the Friars in 2 previous appearances against them in the Hockey East tournament and has a 13.27 GAA and a .583 save percentage.
INJURY UPDATE: Pat Aufiero and freshman Bryan Miller (Wayne, NJ) continued to be sidelined by injuries. Aufiero suffered a suffered a complete laceration of the left anterior tibialis tendon just above his ankle in the second period of the Merrimack game on February 1st. In addition, he sustained a chip of his left tibia. Terrier team physician Dr. Anthony Schepsis performed surgery on the ankle that Saturday (2/2). Aufiero missed the last 9 regular-season games…Miller sustained a dislocated left shoulder in last Friday nights (March 1st) game against Maine, and it is not certain when he will be able to return to action. IN THE POLLS: As a result of their loss and tie against the University of Maine last weekend, the Terriers dropped two spots in both the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine and U.S. College Hockey Online polls. In the USA Today ranking, they are seventh with 178 points, just 3 points behind Michigan and 15 points behind Michigan State. Last week, they were fifth. In the USCHOL.com poll, they are eight with 344 points, 10 points behind Maine. Last week, they were sixth. 7-6-2 VS TOP-RANKED TEAMS: The Terriers have played 15 games this year against teams that are ranked in this week's Top-15 poll. They are 0-2-1 vs. top-ranked New Hampshire, 1-1-0 vs. eighth-ranked Cornell, 1-1-1 vs. ninth-ranked Maine, 2-1-0 vs. 13th-ranked UMass/Lowell, and 3-1-0 vs. 15th-ranked Northeastern. 
Jack Baker TOPS VS. THE TOPS: Senior Jack Baker (South Boston) and freshman Justin Maiser (Edina, MN) are the Terriers' top scorers against the top-ranked teams. Baker has 7-5-12, while Maiser has 5-7-12. Three other players have hit double figures in point totals against the Top-15 teams. Bryan Miller has 4-7-11, Mike Pandolfo has 8-2-10, and sophomore Gregg Johnson (Windsor, CT) has 0-10-10…In goal, Sean Fields is 6-4-2 with a 3.19 GAA and an .887 save percentage, while Jason Tapp is 1-2-0 with a 3.75 GAA and an .859 save percentage. RECORD AT HOME: The Terriers are 9-4-2 at home this year…Senior Chris Dyment (Reading) is the team's offensive leader as he has averaged a point a game with 5-10-15 in the 15 games. While Dyment leads the team in scoring at home, sophomore Frantisek Skladany (Martin, Slovakia) led the way in goals with 9. He also had an assist to give him a total of 10 points in 14 games. Others in double figures included Jack Baker (8-6-14), Mike Pandolfo (6-6-12), and Gregg Johnson (1-10-11)…In the net, Sean Fields was 7-2-2 with a 2.69 GAA and a .905 save percentage, while Jason Tapp was 2-2-0 with a 3.33 GAA and an .871 save percentage…As a team, the Terriers outscored their visitors, 55-45, with their most success coming in the third period. In the final 20 minutes, the Terriers scored 23 goals while opponents scored just 17 goals…In special teams' play, the Terriers were 16-of-92 (.174) on the power play, while the opponents were 12-of-72 (.167). WIN-LOSS RECORD AT HOME: Including this year's 9-4-2 record, the Terriers have an all-time record of 336-116-33 (.727)…That includes a 304-103-32 (.729) regular-season record and a 32-13-1 (.707) mark in tournament play. 510 GAMES SINCE 1989-90: Tonight's game marks the 511th game for the Terriers since the 1989-90 season. That means that over the past 12-and-a-half years, the Terriers are averaging over 39 games a year. During this time, they have amassed an impressive 329-141-40 mark for a .684 winning percentage. They have played in the NCAA Tournament in 10 of the 11 years and advanced to the Frozen Four in seven of those years. They won the Division 1 championship game in 1995, while they played in the title game in 1991, 1994, and 1997. They have also won 10 Beanpots, four Hockey East tournament championships, and six Hockey East regular-season titles. Below is how the Terriers have done during the past 12-plus years.
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