BU men hold off UMass for key victory
The Terriers squandered three-fourths of a 4-goal lead in the third period and hung on for a thrilling 4-3 win thanks to a career-high 49 saves by goalie Sam Tucker.
BU had a chance to cement matters at 17:42 of the third when Trevor Zegras picked the pocket of the UMass defense and fired a shot that Filip Lindberg stopped. UMass lifted Lindberg for an extra skater with 1:08 to go but could not draw the equalizer.
“UMass played a really good game. The difference in the game obviously was Tucker. We defended our net well. We did a really good job of blocking out. Sometimes your goaltender needs to be your best player,” said BU coach Albie O’Connell.
UMass (6-3-0, 2-3-0 HE) outshot BU, 52-22.
“I thought we played well. We got beat by the BU goaltender. We came into the third thinking we could (come back). It was the most dominating as we have been at UMass. We had three before the 10 minute mark and had more chances but couldn’t find a way,” said UMass coach Greg Carvel. “It was a good test of what we’re made of. We just have to do it faster and harder. It’s frustrating.”
BU (3-3-4, 2-2-3 HE) received a big boost with the return of junior defenseman Cam Crotty, who missed the previous three games and four of the most recent five with an undisclosed injury.
Crotty looked like he didn’t miss a beat while being out.
BU needed a change of momentum after an early UMass flurry and received it thanks to some diligent forechecking by its top line of senior captain Patrick Curry, freshman center Zegras, and senior Patrick Harper.
A Curry shot hit traffic in front. Zegras, stationed in the mid-slot let a low shot go that was stopped by Minutemen netminder Matt Murray. The puck rebounded to Quercia, who sent a backhand home for his fourth goal of the season. The BU goal came at the 7:02 mark and gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead.
UMass junior Mitchell Chaffee, the reigning Hockey East scoring champion, made a terrific move to wheel around the BU defense and cut sharply at Tucker 53 seconds into the middle period. Chaffee snapped a wrist shot from in tight that Tucker snared from mid-air.
BU caught some puckluck during a wild scramble around Murray later at 3:31. Curry potted his eighth goal of the season and staked the hosts to a 2-0 lead.
Senior Garbiel Chabot skated out of the left circle and fired a rising wrist shot over the nearside shoulder of Murray for a 3-0 lead at 5:26.
That was enough for Carvel, who lifted Murray and inserted Lindberg.
The Terriers cashed in during the power play on a finish by Farrance at 19:56 to push the gap to 4-0 after two periods.