Higgins has increased his goal totals in each
of his three seasons at BU — eight as a
freshman, 13 as a sophomore, and 14 in 2007-08. |
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Key Statistics: Higgins
was one of the Terriers' most productive players down
the stretch in 2007-80. In his team's last 12 games,
Higgins scored six goals and added six assists. BU won
nine of those matches.
What He Does: The better
question might be, what doesn't he do? Arguably the
most versatile player in Hockey East, Higgins has as
many uses as duct tape. He's a clever playmaker and
an offensive threat whenever he has the puck, but may
be more impressive in his own end thanks to his defensive
reliability. An integral part of the Terriers' power
play and penalty kill, Higgins can line up at any of
the three forward positions.
The Bigger Picture: Though
the 32 points he scored in 2007-08 matched his offensive
output as a sophomore, BU coach Jack Parker felt that
Higgins was inconsistent last season and even regressed
during the first half of the year. That might have been
due to surgery Higgins had in the off-season to alleviate
a nagging wrist injury, but Parker also attributes it
to Higgins' mindset. "I think he thought it was
going to be a little easier this time around,"
the coach explained. There will be no such grace period
this season for Higgins, who'll probably end up at either
left or right wing, given the Terriers' abundance of
centers. Parker expects Higgins to be a force in both
Hockey East — 20 or more goals is a realistic
target — and the BU locker room, where the mandate
is for him to be a vocal, assertive team leader.
Boston University head coach Jack
Parker on Higgins: "The average fan notices
how exciting and electrifying Chris is on offense, but
the fans who understand the subtleties of the game recognize
how solid and dependable he is defensively."
— Mike Eidelbes
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