River Hawks deny Terriers
Barton’s late goal halts BU comeback
No matter how good the scoring opportunities were for Boston University in the first period, it seemed like the Terriers’ offensive struggles would hamper them once again.
While the Terriers offense finally clicked from there on, erasing an early two-goal deficit and snapping a 142minute scoreless streak, the frustration continued with BU’s winless skid stretching to four games last night in the front end of a home-andhome series with Hockey East foe UMass-Lowell.
The River Hawks received tallies from five different players to fend off the Terriers, as Seth Barton’s goal broke a tie midway through the third period to lift UMass-Lowell to a 5-3 win at Agganis Arena.
“We weren’t executing the way we thought we could, but we were opportunistic,” UML coach Norm Bazin said. “We got off to a good start and we weren’t chasing the game. For most of the game we led, and then when it got tied there in the third period, I thought the guys did a nice job of keeping their composure.”
After BU (4-8-2, 4-5-2) came up empty on a bevy of offensive chances in the opening period, the Terriers found their offensive groove in the second period with Ty Amonte finishing off a feed from Joel Farabee (two assists) to jumpstart the offense and cut into the deficit, 2-1.
Anthony Baxter pushed the lead back to two for UML (8-6-1, 4-3-1) just three minutes later on a wrister that beat BU goalie Jake Oettinger (23 saves) glove side, but the Terriers responded with Cam Crotty netting his first goal of the season to go into the final period trailing, 3-2.
BU then capitalized on a power play with Bobo Carpenter jumping on a loose puck in a scrum and tying the score, 3-3, with 15:26 left.
But while BU’s offense finally showed life, the Terriers had one too many lapses defensively. Barton scored off a long-range rebound for the decisive goal with 12:15 remaining and Charlie Levesque sealed the win with an empty-netter with 23.9 seconds left.
“We generated enough offense to win tonight,” firstyear BU coach Albie O’Connell said. “Defensively, there were some lapses, but it’s hockey, there’s going to be lapses at times. You can’t play perfect. … The nice thing is we actually scored tonight. That was positive.”
UML struck first just over six minutes in when Chris Schutz unleashed a perfectly placed shot top shelf. The River Hawks added to their lead late in the first period when Avni Berisha’s shot from the point got deflected and Connor Sodergren buried the loose puck for the 2-0 advantage.
While the Terriers’ offense was ultimately rewarded, they couldn’t rally again late in the third period.
“Whenever you get points in Hockey East, you should be pleased,” Bazin said. Boston College 3, UConn 2 — Oliver Wahlstrom scored the eventual winning goal 3:40 into the third period and the Eagles (6-6-2, 6-1-2 HE) held off the Huskies (5-11-1, 2-9-1) at Kelley Rink. Providence 6, Merrimack 0 — Hayden Hawkey made 20 saves and six different players lit the lamp as the Friars (9-4-3, 6-2-1 HE) routed the Warriors (4-11-1, 2-7-0) in North Andover. Quinnipiac 4, UMass 0 — The Minutemen (12-2-0) fell in their first-ever game as a No. 1-ranked team, as they couldn’t solve Andrew Shortridge,
who made 32 saves to lift the Bobcats (14-2-0) in Hamden, Conn. Robert Morris 2, Holy Cross
0 — The Crusaders (1-11-2, 1-7-1 Atlantic) ran into a stone wall in Francis Marotte, whose 36 saves backboned the Colonials (7-7-1, 6-4-1) in Neville Township, Pa.
Women
Boston College 4, Merri
mack 3 — Megan Keller scored her second goal at 1:58 of overtime and the Eagles (13-6-0, 10-4-0 HE) edged the Warriors (10-6-2, 6-6-1) at Kelley Rink. Providence 5, Holy Cross 1 — Maureen Murphy had two goals and an assist and the host Friars (15-3-0, 9-2-0 HE) had little trouble with the Crusaders (1-16-2, 1-12-0). Boston University 3, RIT 1 — Jesse Compher had a goal and assist and the Terriers (7-4-4) edged the Tigers (5-9-4) in Rochester, N.Y.
Maine 2, Harvard 1 — Keely Moy got the lone goal for the Crimson (4-6-1), but it wasn’t enough as Tereza Vanisova and Vendula Pribylova scored to lead the Black Bears (11-7-1) at Bright Hockey Center.