Rhett-y, set, go

By 1 a.m. Sunday, it was clear that, according to Boston University students, Boston College and vacuum cleaners are quite similar — they both suck, but at least BU students have a use for vacuum cleaners.

Students, faculty, casual fans and Rhett took part in celebrating the opening of hockey season — and reaming the Eagles — on Saturday and into Sunday at Midnight Mania.

The event, which kicks off the Icedogs’ season, celebrated its 15th year with a new format, a smoke machine and the customary free T-shirt.

Held at Walter Brown Arena, following a pizza party at “The Roof,” it is BU’s answer to New Years’ Eve.

And this year, the team replaced its usual practice with an NHL-style skills competition to boost attendance and interest.

The doors to the pizza party opened at 9:30 on Saturday night, revealing Dog Pound president and College of Communication sophomore Jonathan Goldberg wearing more paint than a Jackson Pollock. Underneath his self-described “peace-looking facepaint,” Goldberg explained his devotion to the Icedogs.

“I grew up in Jersey,” he said. “So I’m a huge Devils fan. When I came to BU, I fell in love with BU hockey. So, me and six other guys [paint faces] every home game and when we play BC, Harvard, and Northeastern away. A lot of people give you a whole lot of crap about how it’s a great way to express yourself. That’s BS. It’s just fun.”

But, he said, do not mistake this face painting to be a glamour shot. He, along with the other students here, bleed red — or scarlet.

“I like to think we’re the Cameron Crazies of college hockey,” Goldberg continued, comparing his fellow Section 8-ers to the devoted fans of Duke University basketball. “And I don’t care what those losers in Cornell do; they think it’s a Broadway show. They’re just there for face time, to get attention. We genuinely love this college, this team, this coach and the traditions that come along with it.”

The Student Union provided the pre-party, with enough pizza to feed, well, even college students. Lined up behind tables, senators sliced and supplied the Sicilian, dished out the drinks and whipped window stickers across the room.

“We’re here to show our BU pride,” said Senate Vice Chairman Rowan Armor. “We’re here to show the community that we’re behind the team. And this can be seen as the start of our year. Whatever’s gone on before this is inconsequential.”

Rhett chased a human dog bone around. The band played the BU fight song, followed by what is simply known as “The Song” — it’s officially known as the “eat ‘em up” chant, but has come to be known as something completely different.

There was cheering, there was booing, there was hip-hop. And there was head coach Jack Parker, in his 31st year of coaching at BU. Parker brought his 680-339-67 record, five Hockey East titles and two National Championships to the pre-party at “The Roof.”

“It’s a great kickoff to the hockey season,” he said after his speech. “It’s real exciting [for the fans] to hear the crowd, hear the band and see the freshmen for the first time. It’s a great tradition we’ve had for a long time, and it’s really worked out well.”

At 10 p.m., the group was led outside. Down the stairwell, adorned with photos of past BU top dogs, through the main hallway of Case Athletic Center, and down Babcock Street, the procession went.

BU Hockey fans, students who heard about the event, their friends and random puckheads made Babcock a sea of red and white. Senators ran untapped pizza boxes up and down the line. By 10:50, the line stretched to Campus Convenience at West Campus and was full of eager fans.

“I am a huge fan of BU hockey,” said College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Matt Couture. “[Midnight Mania] is exciting, because it’s the first thing of the season. And this year, the skills competition is better and more exciting — it’ll be more fun for the crowd to watch. Last year, I noticed people just came to get T-shirts, because nothing was going on.”

“I even brought two of my girls from back home to see this tonight,” said CAS freshman Jennifer Kras. “Now that’s impressive.”

At one hour until ice time, the floodgates to the college hockey Mecca opened, and fans poured in. Up the stairs at Section 8, the pinnacle of college hockey — where differences come to die and college hockey fans come to live, as long as you’re a BU fan. Packed more tightly than the 8 a.m. T, Section 8 is home to only student season ticket holders this year.

Cheers filled the arena as Rhett skated around, and boos rained down when one of the T-shirt throws came up short and landed back on the ice. The lights went out at 11:55 pm. “The Song” reverberated again.

Two minutes left. The crowd breaks into its Spanish chant of “ole, ole, ole, ole.” It’s just like a soccer game, but without the lead pipes. Section 8 breaks into the rendition for every penalty kill. For the entire two minutes.

Forty seconds left. Chants and smoke billowed from the tunnel to the locker room. Strobe lights flash. BC continues to suck, and the fans let each other know it. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.

Midnight. Mania. The players skate onto the ice to the elation of the nearly 2000 strong. The Terriers skated in a circle around the rink, as Parker entered to chants of “Jacky Parker.” He stood in front of Section 8 and parted the Red Sea of Terriers as they skated by, each pair skating around him.

He introduced his players, many of whom changed their numbers from last year. But greatness is easy to spot, as the applause for captain Mark Mullen, assistant captain Frantisek “Fero” Skladany and goalie Sean Fields’ shook the ice.

The skills competition was a hit. Captain Mark Mullen won the inaugural fastest skater competition to kick it off. The hardest shot, accurate shooter and breakaway contests followed. Each success is met with rousing cheers, each failure with boos. It’s Boston.

Finally, right at 1 a.m., the team circled around Mullen, as the cheering became deafening. The players left the ice to sound that would wake up a hearing-impaired house.

As the crowd exited, 1,000 fans received free t-shirts, featuring “the Incredible Rhett” on the front and the schedule on the back.

The action will continue on Oct. 11. as the scarlet and white will face their first test against RPI.

This story has been corrected since it was first posted.