4.) As Barry Melrose said in the last game against UNH, it will not take BU as many chances to score as its going to take UNH. Therefore, BU should not get cute with the puck along the blue lines, be patient and wait for their opportunities to score. At the same token however, there is little reason to play a risky brand of hockey, especially against a fast, under sized transition team like the Catamounts because the risk is not worth the reward. Stick to the basics! They must take advantage of their size in this matchup, it will allow for them to be more patient along the boards, and not make risky or even ill advised passes into lanes that are not there because that plays into UVM's transition game.
5.) The players need to know that the only team that can beat them is themselves. At times this season there effort has not matched that of their opponents and to win at this time of year they have to make sure that does not happen. They have superior ability to any division one hockey program this season; they average scoring nearly goals a game and give up less than 2 (Milans GAA is 1.84). They have defeated the best teams in the country by overwhelming margins (Michigan 7-2, UVM 7-2, North Dakota 5-1, etc.) and they have arguably the best coach in the history of college hockey. They have the second best powerplay (22%) in the country and one of the top 10 penalty killing teams.
6.) Matt Gilroy and Colin Wilson need to play to their potential as they are both coming off quiet performances against UNH. Gilroy is an elite skater, playmaker and offensive defenseman who can jump into the rush at will as well as defend the one on one. For him to be at his best he has to be aggressive, generate speed off the breakout and take what the defense gives him. Most likely once he gets possession behind the net, UVM will drop into a 1-2-2 fore-check where he can skate the puck out of the zone. Colin Wilson in my opinion is the most dominate player college hockey has seen in a long time. He has the physical skills to be an All Star in the NHL with a 6'2'' 215 lbs frame to go with great hands and vision. Every time he has the puck on his stick his head is up, he protects the puck and is looking for the open man. When he shows up to play, which is not every game unfortunately, there is not a defender in college hockey that can stop him. He can dominate opponents in all three facets of the game as he plays sound in the defensive zone with sticks in passing lanes and a take the body mentality. In the neutral zone he protects the puck well, can muscle his way over the red line and has impressive vision for players streaking down the middle of the ice. In the offensive zone, his 52 points and 37 assists do all the talking for him. If he is on his game, UVM will not be able to stop him and that will bode well not only for him but for his two line mates Jason Lawrence and Chris Higgins both 5v5 and on the powerplay.
Overall, they are the team to beat in this tournament and have been since the brackets were released. If the Terriers stick to their game plan, think defense first in the neutral zone, attack the weaker UVM defense, generate offense off the forecheck and out work their opponent than there is no reason that the Terriers should not walk all over UVM. They are a better team than UVM in every statistical category, power play, shorthanded, Goals Against, Goals For, face-off wins, etc.
Jack Parker will have these guys ready to play as UVM ended their season last year in the Hockey East playoffs; a bitter memory that Wilson and Gilroy must respond to.
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