Billett Shines In His Third Win In Three Collegiate Starts

Replacing a legend might possibly be one of the hardest gigs in sports. Add to that equation the fact that the position the legend has vacated just happens to be the most crucial one for a perennial national-contending program, playing for the second-winningest head coach in the history of the game, and in front of a rabid fan base demanding championships, and you get one unbelievably large pair of skates to fill.

Tuesday evening against Providence, head coach Jerry York's team may have taken a sizable step towards answering their biggest question mark: who can do the best impression of John Muse? Muse's story on the Heights is well-known, as the recent graduate started every game as a freshman, captured two national titles, won a handful of awards, and rewrote nearly the entire Eagles record book in goal.

At Kelley Rink facing the Friars, Boston College fans were treated to an evening of solid, if not spectacular at times, goaltending that conjured memories of Superfans' favorite guttural roar: "Muuuuuuuuse." However, the masked man repelling the Providence attack was a bit of an unknown to Eagles fans, as Brian Billett was making his first-ever start for the maroon and gold at home.

"I thought [Billett] put together another excellent game," York said of Billett's play on Tuesday. "He's slowly building a good streak of games played, with Yale, BU, and Providence. He's earned a lot of respect in our locker room."

From a man who has coached the likes of Muse and current NHL netminders Scott Clemmensen and Cory Schneider, this praise should not be taken lightly.

To date, Billett has earned every bit of acclaim that has come his way during his true freshman campaign on the Heights. In the win against Providence, the Brunswick, Maine native posted 16 saves on 17 shots, many of which came from below the circles and right in front of net. He showed a maturity that belied his years, stonewalling a Providence offense that repeatedly drove to the net and created traffic in front of the crease. However, Billett still has a long way to go before he secures the starting job.

Going into the season, junior Parker Milner, Muse's understudy for the past two seasons, was presumed to receive every chance at becoming the full-time starter, leaving Billett as not much more than an afterthought for BC fans.

"Early in the season in training camp, [Billett] wasn't really fighting for a No. 1 job with us," York said. "We had four goaltenders and he certainly wasn't in the top half of those goaltenders at the time."

Milner cruised to an 8-1 record to open the season, allowing three goals or more only three times. The Eagles' incredibly tough schedule soon got the best of the junior, as he went 1-3 in his next four starts, allowing four goals to UMass, five to BU, and three to Notre Dame in losing efforts.

York turned to Billett, and in what represented his collegiate debut, the freshman turned aside 31 Yale shots as he earned the win in a 3-2 BC victory. His stellar play in his inaugural start earned Billett accolades as the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week.

After Milner started in a 5-3 home loss to Comm. Ave. rival BU, York once again called on Billett.

In that game last Saturday, at a hostile Agganis Arena, the freshman was nothing short of brilliant. Billett registered a rock-solid 40 saves on 41 Terrier shots, as he was clearly unfazed by an offense that had potted 10 goals in its two previous games  against the Eagles.

Additionally, Billett—the player currently sporting Muse's old No. 1 jersey—was the first BC goalie since Muse in 2008 to post a 40-save performance.

"Billett's confidence is just rolling," York added. "He really came on during the middle of October, and we got him some chances to play. He's very calm and very poised and we think he gives us some great depth in our goaltending this year."

Following the Providence game, Billett's third consecutive win to start his career, a goalie controversy may be developing. While York appears willing to give Milner the necessary starts to ride out his current three-game losing streak, Billett has proven himself more than capable of shutting down some of the nation's best offenses.

It is obviously too early to make any predictions on the future of York's starter between the pipes. But Superfans would do well to remember that the last time a freshman wearing No. 1 was the Eagles' starting goalie, the season ended in the program's third national championship.