Men’s Hockey: Terriers falter in 9-2 loss to No. 6 Michigan

By Stevie Potter

The No. 9 Boston University men’s ice hockey team (1-1-0) got off to a disappointing start in the first game of its weekend road trip against the No. 6 University of Michigan (3-0-0), falling to the Wolverines 9-2.

The Terriers welcomed back senior forward Wilmer Skoog, who was playing in his first game of the season following an injury, and he made an immediate impact with two shots on net within the first 11 seconds. Michigan’s junior goaltender Erik Portillo made the saves and stopped 26 of 28 shots for the win.

Many of the Terriers’ woes from this game came from a lack of discipline and too many penalties, problems that BU Head Coach Jay Pandolfo took responsibility for.

“We had to stay out of the penalty box and for whatever reason we didn’t get the message across, so we have to do a better job as coaches to get the message across,” said Pandolfo “We need to be more disciplined.”

Senior defender Case McCarthy took a penalty for interference after a late hit out at center ice less than four minutes into the game. Despite the Wolverines not capitalizing on the man advantage, they did so just two seconds later with a goal from freshman center Gavin Brindley to make the game 1-0.  

The game completely changed within minutes of the first goal, as junior forward Luke Tuch and senior forward Jay O’Brien were both sent to the box for five-minute major head contact penalties just 56 seconds apart. 

With a little over four minutes of 5-on-3 play for Michigan, the Wolverines took advantage and put up three goals. Sophomore right wing Mackie Samoskevich, freshman center T.J. Hughes, and freshman defender Seamus Casey scored on the extended power play to give Michigan a 4-0 lead in the first period. 

At the end of the first, the Wolverines had outshot the Terriers 16-2. 

After Michigan sophomore defender Luke Hughes and BU senior forward Sam Stevens were sent off for roughing at the beginning of the second period, Michigan scored two quick goals to put the lead at 6-0. Sophomore left wing Dylan Duke scored the fifth goal after the puck ricocheted off the boards and bounced into the slot where Duke was easily able to punch it home, and Casey scored his second of the night immediately after.

After the sixth Michigan goal, BU pulled junior goaltender Drew Commesso and replaced him with junior goaltender Vinny Duplessis for the remainder of the game.  

Once 5-on-5 play resumed, BU capitalized on a 2-on-1 and made it 6-1 on a goal from Tuch. 

Michigan responded by restoring the six-goal lead just over halfway into the period. Michigan freshman center Adam Fantilli had a breakaway and took away an initial shot that was stopped by Duplessis, but the rebound was picked up and cashed in by Samoskevich for his second of the game.

Michigan increased its lead to 9-1 with a second goal from L. Hughes and a tally from freshman rightwinger Rutger McGroarty.

With under four minutes left, Michigan’s junior right winger Philippe Lapointe was sent to the penalty box for the remainder of the game after a five-minute major headbutting penalty. Senior left winger Ethan Phillips scored on a one-timer from the slot to make it 9-2.

The Terriers and Wolverines will play one more time this Sunday at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 5 p.m.