Guest Post about Red Hot Hockey from Powerplay with CJ

Editor's Note: We would like to thank CJ for writing this piece for us. It is better than anything we could have written about Red Hot Hockey for sure.

What’s up everyone, it’s CJ from the world renowned Power Play with CJ guest blogging at one of the finest hockey media outlets in the world this week! After a solid 3 point weekend against the Fighting Sioux  University of North Dakota, the Terriers are taking their talents to the “World’ Most Famous Arena” (Haven’t New Yorkers ever heard of the Roman Coliseum?) to faceoff against former ECAC rival Cornell (Yes, the “Big Red”, not the big “Big Head”, that’s BC fans in a nutshell). As someone who has attended two of the first three installations of “Red Hot Hockey” and will be there Saturday I will say this it is worth travelling to as the combination of high end, high octane hockey and the NYC/MSG vibe makes it a one of a kind experience. Not to toot my own horn, but at the 07 and 09 BU/Cornell showdowns I saw current NHLers Colin Wilson, Ben Scrivens, Kevin Shattenkirk, Nick Bonino Colin Greening, and Erik  Gryba to name a few. To lay it out bluntly if you like future NHL players, large metropolitan areas and the color red MSG the Saturday after Thanksgiving every odd numbered year, is the place to be. 

This year the big matchup will be between Terriers' captain, defenseman and all around great American Garrett Noonan and Cornell winger/ Bruins prospect Brian Ferlin in what can most aptly be described the “Power Play with CJ Faceoff”. Both players are lifelong Power Play fans and will be trying to one up the other with myself in attendance, it’s only human nature. On a (slightly) more serious note both players have been playing amazing hockey and having the best two years of the respective  collegiate careers, if Quinny’s crew wants to shutdown the Jacksonville, FL native (6-6-12 in 10 games) it’ll behoove them to ensure he sees plenty of the former CM Knight Noonan(3-8-11 in 13 games) shift in and shift out.

Cornell-BU- Red Hot Hockey Round 3 Preview

This Saturday, the 3rd bi-annual Red Hot Hockey will take place at Madison Square Garden. #17 Cornell Big Red (6-2-0) take on our #15 Boston University Terriers(6-4-1). BU is 1-0-1 in the biannual event winning it 2007 and tying 3-3 in the last meeting in 2009. Cornell comes in on top of the EZAC and off a win last night against Niagra. Cornell goalie Andy Iles has pitched 3 straight shutouts, granted they were against Quinnipiac, Niagra and Princeton but it is still an impressive streak that has improved his numbers to .918 and 2.00 GAA. This team should provide a stiff test for BU who has won 3 in a row with starting goalie Kieran Millan only allowing 1 goal in his last two starts against BC and UNH. Rumor also has it that the Stanley Cup will be in the building and there are still cheap tickets available. Stay tuned for some good stuff in the next week and a half leading up to BC next weekend. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there.

My prediction: BU 5 Cornell 3

BU moves up to 15 in new polls

The BU mens' ice hockey team has moved up to #15 in the new USCHO.com poll released today while remaining the first team out in the USA Today poll. They also moved up to #18 in INCH power rankings which mean even less the meaningless polls besides national perception of the team. Here is the top 10 of the USCHO.com and my expert opinion on each along with some other notables.

1. Merrihack 8-0-1- they should have been first place last week so it is where they belong. It is weird that they get there by not playing a game this past weekend.

2. Notre Dame 9-2-2 - I was a fan of this team for one night and they came through with that 3-2 OT win over BC on Friday night. Now back to rooting against you for every game.

3. Minnesota 11-3-0 They have lost the last two Friday nights before rebounding to win their Saturday night games

4. Colorado College- 7-2-0

5. Boston College 9-4-0-

6. Minnesota-Duluth 9-3-2 - The defending national champs look strong after getting swept by Minnesota earlier in the year

7. Ferris State 10-3-1

8. Yale 5-1-1

9. Ohio State 10-3-1 - Went into Michigan this weekend and swept the Wolverines which is an impressive feat that puts them atop the CCHA standings

10. Denver 5-3-3

11. Michigan

15.BU -Gotta keep riding this 3 game winning steak into RHH this weekend at MSG

17. Cornell- Take on BU this weekend in Red Hot Hockey in NYC

Also receiving votes were UMass-Lowell, UNH , and Providence.

-Also, in the Hockey East press release, goalie Kieran " XBox is more fun than class" Millan earned himself the HE defensive player of the week for stopping 33/34 shots against UNH Saturday night. Terrier forwards, Wade Megan, Corey Trivino and Matt Nieto also found themselves in the Top Performers Categories. The press release also mentions sophomores Garrett Noonan(for already matching his goal total from last season with 4) and forward Charlie Coyle for leading the league with a +10 rating.