Men’s Hockey: Terries tie, fall to Eagles in shootout

By Patrick Donnelly

The game officially goes down as a 3-3 tie, but Trevor Kuntar’s lone shootout goal lifted the Boston College Eagles over the Boston University Terriers in the 285th edition of the Battle of Comm. Ave. at Agganis Arena on Friday.

It was the first game between the two rivals since Feb. 29, 2020, a 4-1 win for BC.

“I thought the atmosphere was outstanding,” BC head coach Jerry York said. “It seems like now it’s back to the old days or a few years ago, when BC and BU played, the place was packed. It brings out the best in both teams. We really missed it for a long time.”

BU head coach Albie O’Connell echoed York’s sentiments.

“It was a pretty entertaining game to say the least,” O’Connell said. “The crowd was terrific. It was kind of a classic game that ended up being back and forth.”

Graduate assistant captain Max Kaufman scored twice for the Terriers (6-9-3, 5-5-3 HE), and freshman defenseman Ty Gallagher had three assists. Junior defenseman Dom Fensore also scored for BU. Sophomore goaltender Drew Commesso made 28 saves.

“It was a great great first taste [of the rivalry], and obviously it didn’t end how we wanted it to,” Gallagher said. [It’s] something to build off of, and the fans were great. … We’ve been playing really good hockey. … It’s something that’s going to bring us momentum for the rest of the season.”

Senior captain Marc McLaughlin, senior assistant captain Patrick Giles and sophomore forward Nikita Nesterenko each had a goal for the Eagles (8-5-3, 5-3-2 HE). Senior defenseman Jack St. Ivany had two assists, and graduate goaltender Eric Dop made 32 saves.

“I thought the game was outstanding,” York said. “Both teams played well.”

Fensore gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead at 10:57 of the first, shooting to the top left corner after the puck broke loose to him in the high slot.

Kaufman doubled BU’s lead at 8:28 second. Gallagher sent a stretch pass to Kaufman, who beat Dop over the blocker on the breakaway. It was Kaufman’s third goal in as many games.

McLaughlin got BC on the board one minute into the third. Kuntar sent a between-the-legs pass to McLaughlin at the left face-0ff dot, and he blasted a one-timer by Commesso.

“That was a turning point,” York said. “It kind of gave us life. … [McLaughlin] works hard and is an exemplary captain.”

Nesterenko tied it 2-2 7:19. Commesso made the initial save, but Nesterenko’s shot trickled into the goal off junior defenseman Case McCarthy’s feet.

Giles continued BC’s surge, finishing a tic-tac-toe passing play with McLaughlin and St. Ivany to make 3-2 at 8:11.

Kaufman scored his second of the game to answer for BU and tie it 3-3 at 11:17. Senior assistant captain Ty Amonte drove wide on the rush and passed to Kaufman in the slot, who redirected it past Dop.

“We ran off three straight goals, but BU answered, which didn’t surprise us at all,” York said. “They got a real good club over there.”

It was Kaufman’s fourth goal of the season, and his fourth in three games.

“He’s been terrific,” O’Connell said. “He’s been good all year, and he just needed to break the ice with a goal. … He was really strong tonight, on top of the goals. … I’m happy for him because there’s not many guys that work as hard in their preparation during the week. He really knows how to get himself ready to play physically and mentally.”

Overtime saw a flurry of chances and back-and-forth action for both sides with Dop coming up with saves on a Fensore one-timer at 2:45 and two breakaways for junior forward Matt Brown.

Neither side could break through in the shootout until Kuntar scored off the post and in, during the fifth round, before Dop saved Brown’s bid to keep the shootout alive.

“In the overtime, I thought [Dop] made some A-plus saves to keep us in it,” York said. “We had some good chances also, but he was our player of the game. Then it goes to a shootout, which is a little gimmicky way to decide a game.”

The Terriers were 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Eagles did not get an opportunity on the man-advantage.

BU will return to action Saturday afternoon as they host the U.S. under-18 team. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Featured Image: Boston University graduate assistant captain Max Kaufman (21) controls the puck against Boston College sophomore forward Nikita Nesterenko (13) during the first period of a 3-3 tie at Agganis Arena on Friday, Dec. 11, 2021. Photo by Patrick Donnelly.