Men’s Hockey: BU Routs USA U-18 Team, 8-2

By: Jake Reiser

On Thursday night, the Boston University Terriers men’s hockey team beat the United States Under-18 National Team Development Program, 8-2. Freshman Patrick Harper added another hat trick to his preseason totals, now scoring 8 in the last two games, and sophomore Bobo Carpenter had a five-point night, including two goals and three assists.

Harper got the scoring started less than five minutes into the first period, when he took a feed from Clayton Keller and tucked a backhander through the five-hole of USA starting goaltender Dylan St. Cyr. Fellow freshman Patrick Curry would quickly make it 2-0 when he tipped a Chad Krys shot from the left side of the goal into the net. Carpenter would score his first goal only 1:33 later, taking the rebound from a Dante Fabbro shot and depositing the puck in the net.

Josh Norris scored the U-18 team’s first goal on a shorthanded breakaway with just 9 seconds left in the first period. Just 24 seconds into the second, Harper potted another one, wristing one from the middle of the slot through traffic. Keller then one-timed a feed from Jordan Greenway on a shorthanded 2-on-1 rush, increasing the Terrier lead. Harper would complete his hat trick when he took a drop pass from Bobo Carpenter, touching a forehand-backhand move to open the net up and letting the puck slide in. Coach David Quinn certainly acknowledges the way Harper has been able to capitalize on his chances during this preseason.

Quinn said, “He’s an incredibly clever player. He does a great job buying time, he knows when to turn on his speed, he knows when to slow it down, he plays the game with his head up, he’s got a great, quick release, he’s just a really smart hockey player.”

While the USA U-18 team would add another shorthanded tally, Carpenter would add another goal on an impressive through-the-legs move from Harper.

“I got the puck off the wall from the defense, and I heard [Harper], I didn’t see him, but I heard him, communicating really well. I chipped it to him and I saw the move through the legs and I was just in awe watching that,” Carpenter said. “Coach [Quinn] really harps on us after we move the puck to get our feet moving, so that was my goal. I got to the net, him and his playmaking abilities got the puck in the middle and I just tried to get a quick shot on net for a rebound and it went in.”

Fabbro finished the scoring for BU, ripping a slap shot through traffic to make it 8-2.

Coach Quinn said, “I think we didn’t let the score dictate our effort, there were a lot of good things tonight.”

The Terriers kick off their regular season with a three game road trip, starting this Saturday at Colgate University. Puck drop is at 6p.m. from Hamilton, NY.