By: Alex Faust, News Staff
Since Greg Cronin took the helm of the Northeastern men’s hockey program in 2005, his squads have mustered just two wins over Boston University in 22 tries. The reasons are all explicable. The trophy cases and championship banners speak to BU’s potential recruits. So it’s no wonder that we’ve developed an inferiority complex over the years.
Last night’s game was a perfect example of how Northeastern has made so many strides as a team but still can’t finish off top opponents. The Huskies scored the first two goals in a game for only the second time this year, then sat back on their heels for the next 20 minutes, missing coverages on defense and slacking off in the goaltending department. The flood gates opened.
BU authoritatively sent four unanswered scores past sophomore goalie Chris Rawlings. For all of the praise Rawlings has garnered this year, a performance like this just makes you scratch your head. Sure, it’s only a game, and you probably know by now that I’m not Chris’ biggest fan. But the numbers are clear: four goals on nine shots. Unacceptable, regardless of how his defense hung him out to dry on multiple occasions early in the game.
Enter first-year goaltender Clay Witt. I’ve been hoping Cronin sees the same thing I see when Witt plays: athleticism, energy, passion. Sure, Witt is a freshman, but he passes the test. And yet, we’re likely to never see a goalie rotation, or even a handful of starts for the kid.
Nonetheless, with Witt playing well and the team out of its rut, a comeback emerged. Late in the third, Northeastern scored two goals with open chances on the doorstep. At this point, the positive thoughts start to bounce around in your head. Can they scratch a point out of this? Maybe a win?
At exactly 14:41 into the third period, it became clear to me why Northeastern has so much trouble playing in any big game. At that moment, senior forward and captain Tyler McNeely, the Huskies’ captain, unnecessarily tripped a backchecking Terrier forward while the Huskies had the puck in the offensive zone.
Regardless of how poor BU’s power play has been this year (11 for 87, with 3 shorthanded goals allowed), you knew at the very instant the penalty was called that the game was all but over. Why? BU always scores that clutch goal, that clinching play. Somehow, no matter how poorly they’ve played, it happens. And it did. Again.
For whatever reason, Northeastern is unable to capitalize on a big opportunity in a big game. And it’s not just Cronin’s teams. Bruce Crowder, Ben Smith, Don McKenney – every coach who’s patrolled the bench for Northeastern has had the same fate befall them in some significant game.
Maybe the Huskies had no business being tied 4-4 with five minutes remaining in regulation against a clearly superior opponent. That may be true, but when the opportunity presents itself to steal a win or get a big result, something happens. A bad bounce, a late power play, a fluke goal.
Sure, last night was just one missed opportunity, but when added up over the course of the last five-plus years, the result is clear: two for 22. It’s getting very tiresome.
