Posted by Mike Petraglia

Make sure to keep your June open, and not just for the world champion Boston Celtics. The Boston Bruins may be forcing the Green to share the spotlight come late spring. There’s a long, long way to go in the NHL season but the way they handled the defending Stanley Cup champs Saturday night at the Garden made believers of everyone, including the defending champs. The Bruins are right now legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. Our own Joe Haggerty has much more. Here was the reaction from the locker rooms on Saturday.

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara said they hit their stride when they stopped taking penalities.

Marc Savard said the B’s outworked the Red Wings in the third.

Blake Wheeler said this was a measuring stick game.

Dennis Wideman said the Bruins kept the Red Wings out of the middle of the ice.

Chris Osgood said he’s impressed with the Bruins.

Posted by Mike Petraglia

Forgive Boston College football head coach Jeff Jagodzinski for feeling his oats a little bit on Saturday night after his team dispatched the Maryland Terrapins and wound up in their second straight ACC title match against Virginia Tech next Saturday in Tampa. For any of the 42,767 will always remember BC’s third touchdown of the day. Lining up for a 27-yard field goal, Billy Flutie, Doug’s nephew and holder for Steve Aponovicius decided to call an audible check at the line and rolled out on a naked bootleg. He found Jordon McMichael open in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown that emotionally sealed the win in the third quarter.

Afterward, Jags’ boss, BC athletic director Gene DeFilippo, made his pitch for his football coach.

“I know I don’t get a vote but Jeff Jagodzinski is (ACC) coach of the year in my book,” said DeFilippo.

Following the game, Flutie Magic was the talk of the town.

Jeff Jagodzinski on the fake field goal.

Jagodzinski explained why there’s so much pride in this win.

Billy Flutie said he was happy to carry on the name.

Flutie on taking advantage of the fake FG.

LB Mark Herzlich said he always believed in BC this season.

Herzlich said there’s a lot of pride in the defense.

Herzlich on facing Virginia Tech again in the ACC title game next Saturday.

Posted by Mike Petraglia

For Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, the numbers are impressive.The highlights even better.

And he’s got the best mask this side of the Lone Ranger.

Herzlich has given BC fans lots to shout about.

Entering Saturday, he was, by far, the leader in total tackles on the BC defense with 92 and unassisted tackles (69). As of halftime of BC’s game with Maryland, he had an UNREAL six interceptions this season, including a spectacular grab of a Chris Turner pass in the flat that set up BC’s go-ahead TD strike from Dominique Davis to Rich Gunnell on the next play.

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Granted, this is a tough argument to make given the incredibly talented crop of linebackers across major college football. But, here it goes… Jr. Mark Herzlich is the BEST linebacker in college football and deserves the Butkus Award.

Agree? Disagree? Let me have it… Or at least read it at Email Trags

Posted by Mike Petraglia

Score this one Jeff Jagodzinski 17, Notre Dame 0.

The coach of the Boston College Eagles came up with his own Knute Rockne speech early in the week, several days before his team went out and wiped the wet Alumni Stadium turf with the Irish by the tune of 17-0 in a game that wasn’t that close.

Here’s how he did it.

“At our first team meeting,” coach Jags explained afterward, “I asked how many guys were recruited and visited and offered (scholarships) by Notre Dame. There were no hands that went up. I told those guys they may not be good enough to be recruited by Notre Dame but they’re sure damn good enough to play at Boston College. And I’m really proud of these kids, I really am. They just fought. They do everything you ask them to do and they do it the right way.”

In the interest of full disclosure, BC quarterback Chris Crane and Saturday’s defensive star Paul Anderson both clarified moments later at the press table.

“I was recruited by them but they didn’t offer a scholarship. Actually, junior year (high school) I went to their camp and I guess they weren’t interested,” Anderson said.

As for Crane, he found inspiration in Jags’ words.

“Only two guys raised their hands. We had a team meeting,” Crane said. “He said how many guys were offered a scholarship by Notre Dame, and two guys raised their hand. He was kind of saying how Notre Dame doesn’t recruit the same type of guys we do and we’re happy to get the guys we have and show them that we can win with the guys we have.”

It’ll be fascinating to see what Jags cooks up for this week as the team travels to Tallahassee for a crucial ACC tilt with Florida State.

As for Irish coach Charlie Weis, the four interceptions of his QB Jimmy Clausen made his return to New England less-than-desirable.