BC Women’s Hockey vs. Duluth: Final Thoughts & How To Watch

The way football season has gone, I would guess just about everyone is ready for hockey season to start, no?

You want it, you got it. The puck drops on the regular season for BC Women’s Hockey tonight. Get your popcorn ready.

What: BC Women’s Hockey season opener vs. Minnesota-Duluth

Who: #3/3/3 Boston College Eagles vs. Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

Where: AMSOIL Arena, Duluth MN

When: Friday 9/30 at 8pm EDT, and Saturday 10/1 at 4pm EDT

How To Watch: NCHC.tv

Cost: $7.95 for 24 hours, which should cover you for both games, $24.95 to include both games plus the BC men’s games against the NCHC later this month.

Big Questions: There is really only one big question to start the year: How will BC adjust to losing its all-world senior class to gradution last year? That is the question for both this weekend, and for the season as a whole.

Random, Possibly Incorrect Fact From Duluth’s Wikipedia Page: In addition to UMD men’s hockey’s national championship in 2011 and UMD women’s hockey’s five national titles, the Minnesota-Duluth football team has two Division II national titles, in 2008 and 2010.

Game Day Beverage: Simply Orange with Pineapple. Everyone has been sniffling lately. Everyone. With the weather getting a little nippy all of a sudden, it’s marked an early return to cold season. Not to mention the fact that BC Women’s Hockey just hopped on a flight to southern Canada. If you don’t have a cold yet, you’ll get one just by watching this game.

This stuff is my secret weapon. Feel a cold coming on? Pound like a half gallon of this stuff. I swear, it works. Your cold can’t handle the, like, 800% DV of Vitamin C coming right at it.

Plus, you don’t need an excuse — this is the nectar of the gods right here.

Gametime Song of the Week: The Beatles — Help!

I need somebody, not just anybody, to step up and carry the BC offense. Who’s it going to be?

Prediction:
BC 2, UMD 0 Friday
UMD 2, BC 1 Saturday

Last year, Minnesota-Duluth came into Conte Forum and gave the Eagles two of its toughest games of the season. The Eagles needed an Alex Carpenter hat trick on an empty netter to seal the deal in game 2.

Duluth is a better, more experienced team than they were last season. The Bulldogs had their worst year in program history, well below .500, but are expected to take a big jump forward. They lost very little production to graduation (and as such, have fewer adjustments to make to start the year), and they are now in year two under respected head coach Maura Crowell’s leadership.

Not to mention, the Eagles are on the road this time. The Eagles are one of the best teams all-time at home, and are currently riding a 52 game unbeaten streak and a 46 game winning streak at Conte Forum, both NCAA records. They will have to find a way to bring that mojo with them to Duluth.

All of that spells trouble for BC, and while they are the better team, they might struggle to come away with the sweep. Come away with at least a split, and BC will at least have something to build on.