Previewing Boston College Men’s Hockey v. Notre Dame

Don’t look now but BC is No. 7 in the Pairwise.

That’s right, the Eagles are red hot on a seven game winning streak going into the last weekend before the break. Now the Eagles need to prove that they are not pretenders but contenders against the team right behind the Eagles in the Pairwise, Notre Dame.

What to Watch For

1. Controlling Mike O’Leary: O’Leary has become one of the most dangerous offensive players in the country, and is a legitimate threat to score whenever he touches the ice. How the Eagles handle him defensively is going to dictate the game.
2. Putting pressure on net: On the goaltending front, the Irish have been surprisingly mediocre with Cale Morris clocking in just above .900 at .905. If the Eagles get some pucks on net, they have a higher probability of success than normal, so testing Morris will be key. (backup Ryan Bischel isn’t a whole lot better)
3. Be ready for shot selection: Notre Dame has a marked improvement between Corsi and Fenwick, indicating the Irish don’t take a lot of bad shots that get blocked. The Eagles need to be aware that the Irish shot selection is typically solid.

Random, Possibly Incorrect Fact Absent From Notre Dame’s Wikipedia Page

No mention of Lennay Kekua anywhere. How quickly we forget.

Barley and Hops Based Alcoholic Beverage of the Game

Cape May Great Wit Shark

I think that this is out of season at this point, but when it comes back you have to try it. It goes down really smooth, and has a great taste to it.

Prediction

I think it is exceptionally hard to beat teams that are playing really good hockey, and that is why I think the Irish aren’t going to beat the Eagles. Give me a 3-2 Eagle victory on Friday and a 2-2 tie on Sunday.