Men’s Hockey: Terriers Take Home A Valentine’s Day Win
Featured Image by Jenny Chen
By Ethan Pott
Boston University Men’s Hockey (14-15-2, 10-11-0 HE) defeated the University of New Hampshire Wildcats (12-15-1, 6-11-1 HE) Saturday night at Agganis Arena, salvaging the back half of a home-and-home series.
The final score was 5-3, BU – the first time the Terriers scored five in a regular-season game since Nov. 8 at Merrimack. BU outshot UNH 34-27.
BU junior goaltender Max Lacroix got his first start of the season, a decision BU Head Coach Jay Pandolfo said was to give the usual starter, sophomore Mikhail Yegorov, “a chance to reset.” Lacroix ended the night with 24 saves.
“Really happy for Max Lacroix,” Pandolfo said. “Good for him, gets an opportunity tonight, does a heck of a job for us.”
UNH had most of the pressure in the opening minutes, but the Terriers struck first. Sophomore forward Brandon Svoboda sniped a one-timer from junior defenseman Gavin McCarthy, and Wildcat senior goaltender Kyle Chauvette had no answer. BU led, 1-0.
After a barrage of Terrier shot attempts, a stoppage, and a short period of pressure by UNH, Lacroix gave up his seventh goal of the season to Wildcat sophomore forward Cam MacDonald, knotting the score at 1-1.
“I thought the first period was really good,” Pandolfo said. “They really only had one chance.”
Lacroix came up with several memorable saves in the second, including on a high-danger chance where he saved a UNH short-range shot and rebound and on a breakaway the Terrier defense allowed to Wildcat freshman forward Felix Gagnon later in the period.
Less than three minutes into the second, BU sophomore defenseman Cole Hutson – the Terriers’ Hobey Baker award nominee – made it 2-1, BU, off a quick zone entry for his ninth goal and team-leading 26th point of the season.
Re-energized by solid offensive and defensive play, the Terriers poured it on as freshman forward Jack Murtagh put them up 3-1 with his fifth goal of the season.
“In the second, we got away from it a little bit at times, but our effort was still there,” Pandolfo said.
BU came into the third swinging. After a wide-open look at the UNH net was denied, the Terriers re-entered the zone, and junior forward Jack Harvey charged in to light the lamp, placing the puck perfectly over Chauvette’s left shoulder to make it 4-1, BU. Harvey ranks second on the team in goals, with 10 on the year.
Terrier sophomore center Kamil Bednarik won the ensuing faceoff. Seconds later, sophomore forward Cole Eiserman sniped one past Chauvette, collecting what appeared to be his team-leading 13th goal of the season.
UNH head coach Mike Souza challenged for offside, and after a lengthy review, the officials waved off the goal. The score remained 4-1.
The game’s first penalty came halfway through the third as Gagnon was called for slashing. The Terriers got nothing going save for a lone shot on goal from Hutson, even as Lacroix tapped his stick menacingly on the ice as he watched the action.
The Wildcats fought valiantly in the waning minutes. Sophomore forward Ryan MacPherson got them within two with five minutes to go with his first goal of the season, setting the score at 4-2.
Svoboda took a hooking penalty just past the four-minute mark. UNH did not let go of the puck off the faceoff and junior forward Nick Ring converted almost immediately. Ring, who scored his 20th point of the year, is placed second in that category for the Wildcats.
“In the third, we came out really good,” Pandolfo said. “We go up, we think we’re up 5-1. I think that really hurt our momentum as a group. It just seemed like we weren’t as sharp after that for some reason.”
Souza pulled Chauvette just before the one-minute mark, and UNH surrounded the Terriers’ goal. When it gave up the puck, however, Eiserman grabbed it, outpaced the Wildcats’ defenders, and guided the puck into the empty net to make it 5-3.
Eiserman said it “felt pretty nice to get one back” after having his initial goal waved off, adding he had not scored an empty-netter in “probably eight years.”
Time expired without further action, and the Terriers claimed their first win in three games.
Pandolfo said BU will use the upcoming week-long break ahead of its next matchup against the Boston College Eagles to identify and improve its weaknesses.
“We have a lot of time to do it, so we’ll take advantage of that,” Pandolfo said.
Due to their inconsistency and underwhelming record this season, the Terriers find themselves with their backs against the wall, their only chance at making the NCAA college hockey tournament being a victory in the Hockey East Tournament.
“We could be a really good hockey team,” Pandolfo said. “Can we do that consistently down the stretch here? We have to, if we want a chance to continue playing meaningful hockey.”
BU will march one step closer to the end of Hockey East regular-season play with a home-and-away back-to-back against the archrival Boston College Eagles, set to begin at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27. Streaming will be available on ESPN+ for both games, and on NESN for the following game on Feb. 28.