While Jerry York and his Eagles headed home after Sunday’s West Regional, their next foe had yet to be determined. The team had secured a berth in their third consecutive Frozen Four, but it would take a four-overtime thriller to determine that the semi-finals in Providence would not be a Beanpot rematch.
The St. Lawrence University Saints did the Eagles’ dirty work in Minnesota, defeating Boston University, 3-2, and squashing any possibility of the Eagles and Terriers meeting for a no holds-barred grudge match for the right to play for the national championship.
When Robin Carruthers slotted home his own rebound past BU goaltender Ricky DiPietro to end one of the most thrilling games ever, York was forced to go to the tapes and research a team which he had not yet scouted.
“We were prepared to play both teams,” said York. “We’re a little bit [more] unfamiliar with St. Lawrence.”
The coaching staff may claim ignorance, but they have been examining all aspects of the Eagles’ final roadblock to the championship game. But if the Eagles are going to claim victory in Providence on Thursday night, there is a triumvirate of players that York knows must be shut down. Citing Derek Gustafson, Jake Harney and Brandon Dietrich as the “keys to their club,” York is preparing to take on these three obstacles.
Like anyone who caught what York called “that marathon with BU,” the BC coaching staff is extremely quick to praise Saints’ freshman netminder Derek Gustafson. The young goalie reaped 72 saves against BU, a stat impressive enough to gain immediate national attention. For Gustafson, however, the playoff game was just business as usual. The rookie has been strong all season — his record stands at 17-3-2 with a goals against average of 2.05 and a save percentage of .937. He has been gaining praise from every corner of the hockey community. York adds to the chorus by claiming that Gustafson “has given them [St. Lawrence] a real strength in their goaltending.” The BU game marked the 15th straight victory for Gustafson, who also picked up the honor of Eastern Regional MVP in the tournament.
In addition to the stalwart play in net, the Saints boast senior defenseman Justin Harney, a player that has the ability to change the game’s dynamics. Justin, joined by his brother Jake, contributes to a stifling Saint defense that limited opponents to a mere 2.5 goals per game. The Harney pair will look to stop the soaring Eagle offense.
The defense is complemented by a high-powered offense that averages 3.6 goals per game. Brandon Dietrich, a forward whom Eagle defensemen will surely be targeting, has racked up 15 goals and 26 assists, and will lead the charge on Scott Clemmensen. The Saints have four players with 30 points or more, making it difficult for the Eagles to focus on just one of the scoring threats. Aiding Dietrich on the rush will be Alan Fyfe, Mike Gellard and Erik Anderson.
Much like Michigan State, St. Lawrence exhibits a phenomenal special teams unit. The 22 percent rating on the power-play concerns the Eagles and prompts York to claim that the SLU power-play is “probably the best we’ll face all year.” Of course, BC entered the MSU game to face down a team who had previously dominated in penalty killing. The Eagles were well prepared and scored the majority of their goals on the man advantage.
Special teams will be a key to this game — though SLU has an astounding power-play, the Eagles had a record-breaking penalty killing season. Not only can the team defy man advantages, but their ability to score shorthanded is unmatched.
Blake Bellefeuille demonstrated BC’s shorthanded power in the midst of Michigan State’s defensive fiasco, when he picked up a loose puck and tied the game at three, all with a man watching from the penalty box.
Bellefeuille’s name has been appearing in the box scores much more often lately, as the senior forward performed well enough to earn the honor of the West Regional Most Valuable Player. In each of the last 11 games, the underrated and oft-overlooked Bellefeuille has scored at least one point, making him as powerful a force as any player left. His contributions on the face-off have been immense.
Goalie Scott Clemmensen comes into the game blazing hot, after his phenomenal win over Wisconsin in which he recaptured his patented postseason form. The junior made 28 saves against high pressure from a potent Badgers’ offense.
The Eagles will face-off for at least one more time Thursday night at 7:00. For those fans who didn’t get tickets, which have quickly supplanted those of MiddleMarch as the most impossible to get on campus, espn2 will carry the game live. The championship game will be shown on ESPN.
Be the first to comment on this article!