Men’s Hockey: Terriers Top Long Island in Season Opener

By Abigail Stocker

Pucks soared and ice was etched for the first time this season as Boston University Men’s Hockey (1-0-0, 0-0-0 HE) opened the year with a 4–2 victory over Long Island University (1-1-0) Saturday night.

“I like the result,” head coach Jay Pandolfo said. “First game of the year — we just played a very immature game.”

With 15 new names on the roster, the Terriers opened the season facing questions about experience.

The Sharks also featured some new faces in net, with just nine combined appearances between sophomores Daniel Duris and Michael Polston.

Aggression started early for BU. Sophomore forward Cole Eiserman tested the LIU net 43 seconds into the first period.

LIU’s sophomore forward Sixten Jennersjö and junior defenseman Nate Benoit fired back, each taking attempts at the net, but were turned away by BU junior defenseman Aiden Celebrini and sophomore goaltender Mikhail Yegorov.

After several traded penalties, BU broke through on a power play midway through the first. Eiserman buried his first goal on the year, assisted by sophomore defenseman Cole Hutson and senior forward Owen McLaughlin, giving BU a 1–0 lead.

Hutson reflected on the win and the importance of getting new players thrown into the game early.

“Lots of new guys — I think that experience for our team was good to get that early,” Hutson said. “It kind of gives them the right taste of the power and shock.”

Despite several power-play chances for both teams, Yegorov stood strong in net, denying multiple LIU shots to preserve the Terriers’ lead through the first period.

LIU’s senior forward Casey McDonald tied the game early in the second, but BU regained control minutes later with sophomore foward Sacha Boisvert netted his first goal as a Terrier, with assists from McLaughlin and freshman forward Ryder Ritchie, restoring BU’s one-goal edge.

Going into the third period, Yegorov continued to steady the defense, turning aside several key chances in the third. Sophomore defenseman Cole Hutson extended the lead to 3–1 with a shot over LIU’s goaltender just over seven minutes into the final frame.

Jennersjö brought LIU back within one midway through the period, but Eiserman sealed the deal late with his second goal of the night, jamming home a rebound to close out a 4–2 BU victory.

After the game, Pandolfo highlighted the importance of the returning players among the Terriers’.

“All our returning members had good moments and some moments that they have to lead a little bit better in certain ways,” he said. “We’re a young team, so we need the guys that have been here to play the game the right way.”.

The Terriers return to Agganis Arena on Sunday at 5 p.m. to face Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). The game will stream live on ESPN+.