Eagles, Huskies Set to Scrap

Paul McDougall and Bob O'Connor haven't forgotten the last time they met in the Beanpot.

It was February 11, 1980, and Boston College was less than four minutes from their first 'Pot in four years. The Eagles were nursing a one-goal lead, and goalie O'Connor was holding the fort against intense Northeastern pressure--until McDougall took the puck in the slot and punched it past the Eagle netminder, setting the stage for Husky Wayne Turner's memorable overtime score and Northeastern's first Beanpot ever.

When B.C. (11-4 ECAC, 15-5 overall) and the Huntington Avenue Hounds (7-4-1 ECAC, 11-5-1 overall) face off once more at Boston Garden tonight, the confrontation between McDougall, one of the ECAC's most talented forwards, and O'Connor, perhaps the East's top netminder, will be worth watching. The game may well depend on whether the Eagles's terrific goaltending and strong defense can stop Northeastern's better-than-seven-goals-a-game offense.

McDougall has led that potent offense in the last two seasons as the center on the Huskies' top line. Last year, coach Fern Flaman was blessed with the nation's most productive trio in McDougall (39 points), right wing Gerry Cowie (47 pts.) and left wing Sandy Beadle (59 pts.). Beadle is gone now having skipped his senior year to turn pro. but he's been replaced by an able sophomore. Brian Fahringer, and the big line is cruising at about last year's pace (with 36 goals in 17 games).

Talented as the Huskies are, don't look for lots of fancy skating or nifty passing from them. They thrive on rough shootouts. McDougall's big goal two years ago typifies Northeastern's attack: taking control of the area in front of the net, and pestering the goalie with shots from the slot. Strong Husky for-forwards, like Ken Manchurek. Scott McKenney and the members of the McDougall line, have turned on quite a few red lights that way. And when a defenseman like captain Jeff Hiltz or Paul Filipe takes a slapshot, the odds are very high that it will be deflected by some other Husky's stick en route to the net.

The other noticeable aspect of the Huskies' style is the amount of penalties it gets them. Muscling your way into the slot can't always be done legally, after all. Trips to the sin bin hurt Northeastern, in its 9-6 loss to B.C. (with its 29.7 per-cent-effective power play) last December 10. But, insists coach Flaman (21st on the NHL's career penalty-minutes list). "Six men a side, we're capable of beating them."

The man Northeastern will have to work hardest to beat will be the B.C. netminder. The Eagles may have college hockey's finest goaltending trio in O'Connor, Billy Switaj and Doug Ellis. All three have played this year, but lately coach Len Ceglarski has been going with O'Connor, and it looks like the two-tournament veteran will get the nod on Monday. O'Connor, a true clutch goalie, sports a spectacular flopping style which has brought him a 90.49 save average.

If O'Connor isn't making life hard enough for the Huskies, he can count on help from his blueliners, a stingy bunch led by George Boudreau, Jim Chisolm and one of B.C.'s leading scorers. Tom Wright. It'll be up to them to win the important battles in the slot.

At the other end of the ice. Flaman has recently relied on Mark Davidner in net, over George Demetroulakis, who must have nightmares about the Garden after last year's disastrous performance. Davidner often exhibits O'Connor's style but not always his talent, as he tends to drop to the ice too soon. He has managed to maintain a .88 save average but had two rough outings in losses to Cornell and B.U. last week, and there is still a chance Demetroulakas or freshman Tim Marshall may see action instead.

The Eagle offense the Huskies will face is strong but not explosive. The scoring has been spread out among four lines, with wingers Lee Blossom and Jeff, Cowles, and centermen Billy O'Dwyer. Gary Sampson and Ed Rauseo leading the way.

A strong offense versus a strong defense it looks to be a close battle. The Eagles Huskies are also close in the ECRS standings with B. C. currently on front in the race for first in the Eastern Region. And though the Beanpot doesn't count in ECAC statistics. Northeastern knows what a difference it can make anyway. The 1980 Beanpot changed the Huskies from the doormat of the East to the hottest team in the country. In the first half of last season they mowed down their first 13 opponents. They then faltered in consecutive 5-3 losses to Cornell and B.C., were destroyed by Harvard and B.U. in the Beanpot, and ended up barely making the playoffs. They've recovered from that calamity, and they're a more mature team than last year's freshman-heavy squad, but the Huskies know that their play in Boston Garden this week could affect their chances for returning there in March for the playoffs.

B.C., on the other hand, has had consistently good records in recent years but very little success in the Beanpot. Their last losing season was seven years ago, and they were 20-8-3 last season. But after taking eight of the first 13 'Pots back to Chestnut Hill under Snooks Kelley's coaching, the Eagles have won only once in the last 16 years--in 1976. They've been the losers in the last three finals, and in the past two years strong seasons have been cut short by upset losses in the playoffs. As much as it annoys the Eagles, many have labelled them a "choke" team.

Both teams know the most important thing about the Beanpot is the pressure. Ultimately it won't be the season stets that count. Whether the Huskies or the Eagles go to the final will depend on who turns it on at the right time. As Fisman put it. "The Beanpot is a different thing altogether. It all depends on who's hot."