The Rivalry Is Old, But BU Has Edge

When Boston University faces off against Boston College in the first round of the Beanpot Tournament Monday at the Boston Garden, it'll be a battle between two teams that are no strangers to each other.

The sixth-ranked Terriers (16-5-2) and the lowly Eagles (6-14-4) have already met three times this season. Not surprisingly, BU has won all three games by a total of 12 goals and goes into the game with the weight of previous success behind it.

And most of that weight comes from hefty BU Coach Jack Parker whose triumphs and past successes tip the scales in favor of the Terriers in the historical mystique department.

Parker has led BU to a record 10 Beanpot Championships as a coach (including the last three) and three titles as a BU player in the 1960s.

But Parker said the past and, especially the three wins over BC this season, may be more of a curse than a blessing. "BC has been stung by us this year," Parker said. "They'll want revenge and that's what makes this such a dangerous game."

On the other side of the ice (and the win-loss column) sits BC Coach Steve Cedorchuck who took over the Eagles last year, after the retirement of legend Len Ceglarski.

This is Cedorchuck's first debut as a Beanpot head coach, but he doesn't have much reason to be excited.

"I haven't really thought about this as my first Beanpot as head coach," Cedorchuck said. "But we've been talking about winning the Beanpot since the first practice of the season."

The Eagles, who were at their peak just two years ago, are trapped in college hell: they're rebuilding.

But rebuilding doesn't quite seem the right word so far: "recovery" seems more appropriate. Injuries to sophomore defender Ian Moran and netminder Josh Singewald have grounded the Eagles so far this season and threaten the team's flight in the Beanpot as well.

Both players are questionable for the tournament and goalie Mike Sparrow, who is 0-7 on the season, may be left the unseemly task of warding off BU's swarming attack, led by Hobey Baker candidate David Sacco.

"Whoever is in goal has to play the game of his life," Cedorchuck said.

The whole BC team will have its hands full with the quick, high-powered BU offense that has a knack for feeding off the Garden crowd, which is always heavily packed with Terrier fans.

Going into the tournament with a 15-game once-beaten once-tied streak, the Terriers have scored 84 goals for an average of 5.6 tallies a game. "We usually peak at this time of year. These are the games that count. This is the Beanpot."

Led by senior All-American center Sacco (13 goals and 22 assists in 23 games), BU can light up the scoreboard fast.

But the Terriers have had trouble keeping their defenders healthy. Sophomore Kaj Linna injured his knee Wednesday and is questionable for the tourney. "Any injury to our defense this year has been devastating," Parker said. "We just don't have as much depth back there as we do up front, and we need to get our offense going from our defense."

In goal for BU is senior goalie Scott Cashman, who has turned in impressive numbers after being benched earlier in the season. His .924 save percentage is second best in the nation.

It was the Terriers' other top goalie, sophomore Derek Herlofsky, who played in goal against New Hampshire when BU fell to the Wildcats 6-4 Saturday. That loss dropped the Terriers from fourth to sixth in the polls.

But as everyone knows, on the first two Mondays in February, in the tournament of tournaments, rankings, statistics, even previous blowouts don't amount to a hill of beans.