Boston, MA (U-WIRE) -- The list of Hockey East's past seven champions is enough to quiet any Boston University hockey fan: Boston College. Boston College. Maine. Boston College. New Hampshire. New Hampshire. Maine.

"It's about our time to win one of these things I think," said freshman center Pete MacArthur.

As much as the Beanpot has been BU's tournament, Hockey East's little postseason bracket has quietly become just as problematic for the Terriers over the last seven years, which include three quarterfinal exits, three semifinal slip-ups and one excruciating loss in overtime in the title game. They have a mediocre 12-11 record in tournament games over that span, during which rivals BC, Maine and New Hampshire have celebrated on the FleetCenter ice at least twice each.

"We've had good years, we've been in the finals," said 2005 Hockey East Coach of the Year Jack Parker, unable to explain the anomaly. "It's a hard tournament to win. It's a hard tournament to get to. So we're here, let's take advantage of it."

Parker was named Coach of the Year for the fourth time in Hockey East at last night's league banquet, and some other Terriers were honored, too. Senior defenseman Bryan Miller was named to the league's First Team, while forwards Chris Bourque and MacArthur sprinted onto the All-Rookie team. Sophomore walk-on goalie John Curry, perhaps the league's best story this season, made the Second Team, and tied for second behind BC's Patrick Eaves in the voting for Player of the Year.

"I think it's indicative of what type of year we had, and the reason why our staff got recognized is because our team did a real good job," Parker said after Thursday's practice. "They think we overachieved a little I guess, and that's nice."

But if it's not too much to ask, Parker would like a little more overachieving this weekend - though it would be tough to consider it that anymore. In fact, as the No. 2 seed going against No. 3 New Hampshire tonight (8 p.m.) at the FleetCenter, the Terriers (23-12-4) are technically the favorites, though they finished with the same number of points during the regular season as the Wildcats (24-9-5). Regardless of all that, Parker said there might be something different about this year's team anyway.

"I think this team's a little bit more balanced and a little bit more poised than we had the last couple times," Parker said, confirming no lineup changes from last Sunday except for sophomore Tom Morrow replacing freshman Kevin Kielt on the blue line. "We're not relying on any one guy or any one line, and I think we're a little bit more solid defensively than we've been, and that's what usually wins."

That's certainly what has won the last two years. In 2004's tourney, Maine shut out the Terriers 1-0 in the semifinals before getting 63 saves from goalie Jimmy Howard in the three-overtime title game against UMass-Amherst in a 2-1 win. Two years ago, BU remembers all too well that the Wildcats outlasted a tired Terrier team 1-0 in overtime, when a shot by now-senior Tyson Teplitsky deflected off Ryan Whitney's stick and in to give New Hampshire its second straight title.

"We saw how hard it is a couple years ago," Miller said. "Unlucky bounce, and they win."

It could be the same type of game this time, as BU and New Hampshire have played each other three times this year, with each winning, losing and tying once and scoring exactly 10 goals. MacArthur said the Terriers might have a bit more confidence because of taking three of four points from New Hampshire two weeks ago, including a win at the Whittemore Center, but Parker said it doesn't carry much weight.

And while it will likely be tight on the scoreboard, it will be a much more wide-open contest than the Terriers struggled through three times against Providence College last weekend, a tough, slow series that took BU to Sunday night, while the Wildcats closed out Northeastern University on Friday.

Still, just about completely healthy and bouncing around the Agganis Arena tunnel last night dressed in suits for the banquet, the Terriers seem excited to skate with New Hampshire and fire shots at whichever goalie is in net, as both junior Jeff Pietrasiak and freshman Kevin Regan played last weekend against Northeastern. What certainly will be between the boards for the Wildcats is a power play ranked second in the nation and seven skaters with 30 or more points.

"I think the only way to stop their power play is to not give them one, pretty much," MacArthur said of a sharp unit that converts more than 24 percent of the time. "We like the wide-open style that they play. There's not as much clutch-and-grab, so we're allowed to have a little more space, use our speed. It's gonna be an up-and-down game - fun game to watch, fun game to play."

Just as fun should be the 5 p.m. contest between No. 1 BC (23-6-7) and No. 4 Maine (20-11-7), marking just the second time the league's four banner programs have all made the semifinals. While the Eagles will likely be without Player of the Year Eaves this weekend due to a back and shoulder injury, they've fought through a few key injuries this year, and are still among the nation's top five teams. Whether senior Matti Kaltiainen or freshman Cory Schneider will start in goal is a question mark, while the Black Bears will certainly be starting last year's tournament MVP Howard in the cage.

"BC is the favorite," Parker said, including all four teams in his consideration. "They're the only one that has a winning record against everybody else ... I do believe they're the best team in the nation, not just the best team in the league."

He did add, however, that Eaves' absence "makes a big difference."

It certainly makes no difference with regard to the fact that Terrier Nation will be eyeing an ideal No. 1 vs. No. 2 seed, BU-BC Hockey East final for BU's first championship in eight years.

"They've done a good job focusing us on UNH, cause that's what's first," MacArthur stubbornly said. "We can't control the other game."

Then he quietly gave in.

"It'd be nice to play BC."

(C) 2004 The Daily Free Press via U-WIRE