Hockey East Standings and Pre-BU Boston College Scenarios

Apr 10, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston College Eagles goalie Thatcher Demko (30) makes a save against the Union Dutchmen during the second period in the semifinals of the Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

A lot is riding on tonight’s Boston College hockey game with the #2 Boston University Terriers, nationally and inside Hockey East.

The national issue would be the polls: Boston College is only number 17 in Division I, easily the lowest they have been at this point in the season in years, and they are still on the outside looking in with regards to the PairWise Rankings. Boston College needs to assemble some impressive victories just to reposition themselves for an at-large bid.

Yet, there is another path into the 2015 NCAA Tournament, and that is winning Hockey East. That’s four wins, maybe five, basically all in a row, which is tougher than it sounds. Still, it is an option, and the Eagles are not as far away from getting to the top of the conference as they were.

We as a college hockey people will get much closer to answering the question of whether or not they get there following this BU game tonight. This contest might only be for the regular season, but if they are going to fight their way through the tournament, they have to make the path as favorable for themselves as possible by getting the best possible seed.

Of course, they were the top seed last season and went nowhere in the Hockey East Tournament. In spite of that, Boston College was going to go to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 whether they won the Lamoriello Trophy or not. This Eagles team has very little margin for error and plowing their way to the top of Hockey East can only help their case, even if they do not ultimately win the conference.

But it is trophy season, and we do want that trophy.

The current Hockey East standings are as follows:

[table id=12 /]

Next: Yeah but what does it all mean?