Men’s Hockey: Terriers’ season comes to an end in St. Paul
Featured image by Jacob Ireland
By Claire Smieszny
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Second-ranked Boston University (28-10-2) ends their season with heartbreak, as they fell 2-1 in overtime to the third-ranked University of Denver Pioneers (31-9-3) in the Frozen Four semifinal.
“There was just a couple of times some little things cost us,” Coach Pandolfo said after the game.
Freshman forward Macklin Celebrini got the game started for the Terriers with the first chance on net of the game 45 seconds in, left all alone in front of Denver netminder Matt Davis. BU controlled the puck in Denver’s end but was unable to get another shot on net. The Pioneers got the puck down the ice several times but were kept to the outside. While unable to set up a system, BU’s offense got close again when senior forward Nick Zabaneh put the puck in front for Peterson who couldn’t connect.
The first penalty of the game came at 5:58 into the game when Zabaneh high-sticked a Denver player on his way up the ice. Their only shot on net came on a shot from Thompson, which would be immediately turned around and sent back up the ice for senior forward Luke Tuch to send a shorthanded goal past junior goaltender Matt Davis. It was 1-0 Terriers with 12:15 left in the period.
Denver came back with some offensive fire to even the score, but the Terrier defense shut them down and kept Caron out of the line of fire. BU got control of the puck and managed more sustained time in their offensive zone as the period went on, forcing Denver to ice the puck. BU pulled away in terms of scoring chances, tallying 10 shots on net to Denver’s 3 by the end of the first period.
The second period started off with BU playing aggressively, coming down the ice and Celebrini nearly netting his own rebound after Davis couldn’t get a hold of the puck. Junior forward Tristan Broz would lead the play back down the ice for the Pioneers, and get their first shot on goal of the period at almost four minutes in. The shot went directly into Caron’s chest as he made the save.
Besides that chance, the Terriers continued to dominate play and keep the Pioneers off the puck. Any offensive chance Denver created was quickly smothered, and the puck was sent back to the neutral zone for the BU player in waiting.
Eventually Denver managed to set up an offensive system late in the second, and got a couple more chances. Caron stood tall in the net when tested, but the Terriers were disorganized and it led to a Pioneers goal. Sophomore forward Tristan Lemyre was the one to net the puck, making it 1-1 with just under five minutes left in the second.
“We didn’t put the puck behind them. Anytime we put the puck behind them tonight we had some success,” Pandolfo said. “A couple of times we didn’t, it gave them a little bit of life, and that’s the difference in games like this.”
The refs let play go as the game went on, with several big hits and questionable plays taking place. Play got more heated as the period rounded out, as both teams had good chances on net and the score remained deadlocked at one.
Caron was the Terriers saving grace, preventing a goal from a 2-on-1 after a poorly timed change and turnover by BU. Sliding across and letting the puck fly into his glove he kept BU from being behind for the first time this game. Even then, the momentum in the building had shifted to the Pioneers’ favor.
The third started with aggressive moves from both teams, and a penalty taken by freshman forward Tom Willander for tripping, which the Terriers killed off. The puck bounced back and forth between both sides of the ice.
Neither team would be able to net the puck, and the game lulled back and forth between both teams before the freshman forward Jack Harvey headed to the box for BU on a tripping call. BU would make it through the penalty unscathed, but it wouldn’t be without Caron standing on his head to keep it that way.
As time winded down, the score stayed even at 1-1. Senior forward Dylan Peterson took a minor penalty for boarding with 1:13 to go. BU managed to stave off the Pioneers and survive to overtime.
While overtime was a back-and-forth battle, Denver would take the game on a goal from Tristan Broz on a 3-on-2.
Fifth year captain Case McCarthy gave compliments to the character of the team after the loss. “It’s special when you have a group like that,” McCarthy said. “It makes coming to the rink everyday a lot of fun. Building those relationships with those guys is something that you’re going to hold on to for the rest of my life.”
While BU’s season is over, the team will remain in town for the awards presentation Friday night where Macklin Celebrini is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.