Before the season, Boston University sophomore left wing Matthew Quercia probably wasn’t on too many people’s radar when it came to producing offensively.
The Andover, Mass., native had just one goal and one assist during his freshman season. However, Quercia went to work over the summer to improve his game and earn more minutes.
“Matt is being rewarded for hard work,” said BU head coach Albie O’Connell. “He had a good summer. He’s in good shape. He’s a big, strong guy. He’s playing higher in the lineup this year and getting more ice time.”
Quercia, who measures in at 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, didn’t necessarily need to work on his strength like some players do over the offseason. Instead, he went to work to improve his skill.
“Over the summer, I focused on shooting it more and working on my shot,” Quercia explained. “I wanted to find different ways to put the puck in the net. I’ve always had the size and physicality, but I definitely want to start scoring more.”
That’s translated into scoring four goals and adding four assists through the team’s first 11 games. Although Quercia set out to improve his skill, his ability to get to the greasy areas and use his size and strength to his advantage is the reason for the increased production.
“All of his goals have been right at the net,” O’Connell said. “He’s going to the dirty areas and putting them home. He’s a big body at the net. He has pretty good hands around the net. He’s better around the net than he is off the rush. He has a good shot. He’s strong and hard to deal with around the cage. He’s done a good job.”
Not every big guy is willing to sacrifice his body and get into position to fight for those loose pucks around the goalmouth. Quercia, who played junior hockey for the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede, explained what it takes.
“You just got to have the tenacity to stay up and stay on your feet. The puck will find you. It’s about being there all the time. I just stand there and look for loose pucks or rebounds,” he said.
Quercia is an undrafted free agent playing among 12 NHL draft picks on the Terriers. He's not intimidated. Instead, he relishes the opportunity to play with so many talented players who are expecting to move on to the next level.
“It’s fun,” Quercia said. “You don’t see it at every school. Our whole lineup is skilled in different ways. They can make plays. I’m just happy to be out there with them and try to complement them with my style of play.”
Despite all the talent, the young season has seen plenty of ups and downs for the Terriers. BU hasn’t won back-to-back games all season and is 3-4-4 after the weekend split with UMass.
“We just have to keep playing the way we’ve been playing,” said Quercia. “We bend sometimes. It’s a learning process. We have a lot of young talent, but guys are going to learn and mature through that. If we keep playing that offensive style and buckle down defensively, we’ll be fine.”
Quercia is one of six Massachusetts natives on the 2019-20 Terriers. Putting on the scarlet and white has been a longtime goal for Quercia, who grew up with his family having season tickets and going to Beanpot tournaments.
“It’s a special thing,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to come here since I was five years old. Not a lot of people know it, but it’s been my dream school ever since I was a little kid. To be able to play here and put on that sweater every night is a real honor.”
Tucker’s busy weekend
Boston University graduate student Sam Tucker entered the weekend series against UMass with a .891 save percentage. The goaltending position was an area of serious concern for O’Connell’s coaching staff.
Tucker, who played the previous three seasons at Yale before transferring to BU, faced a ton of rubber against UMass and had his best weekend of the young season.
The Wilton, Conn., native made 49 saves on 52 shots in BU’s 4-3 win at Agganis Arena on Friday night. A night later on the road, Tucker did all he could to keep the Minutemen at bay. He stopped 36 of 39 in a losing effort. The weekend’s results were enough to boost his save percentage to .903.
Farrance exceeding expectations
BU junior defenseman David Farrance has nine goals and seven assists after recording one of each over the weekend. His goal total is already two more than he scored in his first two seasons as a Terrier.
The Victor, N.Y., native leads the team in scoring and has been a pleasant surprise for O’Connell’s squad. The USA Hockey NTDP alum and Nashville Predators prospect has six goals and two assists in his last four games.
He’ll look to continue his five-game point streak next weekend when Vermont comes to Agganis Arena for a pair of Hockey East matchups.
