Same old, same old.
While a new era began for Boston University with coach David Quinn taking over the reins following Jack Parker’s 40-year tenure, the Terriers produced the same old result, defeating Massachusetts, 3-1. BU now holds a 53-11-5 record in the all-time matchup.
Following a scoreless first period, the Terriers erupted for three goals in six and a half minutes to seize control of the game. Garrett Noonan scored from the slot at 1:02 with freshman Robbie Baillargeon creating traffic in front.
Freshman Tommy Kelly scored his first collegiate goal on the power play at 5:07. Kelly, part of an all-rookie line with Nick Roberto and Brendan Collier, took a nice feed in the slot from Cason Hohmann and ripped the shot home.
At 7:32, Evan Rodrigues walked into the right faceoff circle and sniped top shelf to complete the outburst.
The three goals allowed the Terriers to secure the win despite getting outplayed in the first period and parts of the third. UMass outshot BU, 40-24, but Sean Maguire stopped 39 of those shots.
“This wasn’t a beautiful oil painting tonight, but we got two points and that’s all that really matters,” Quinn said. “The sign of good hockey teams is finding ways to win when you don’t play great. I don’t think we played great tonight. Our effort was there physically, but we need to be more purposeful when we have the puck and understand situational hockey.”
With seven BU freshmen in the lineup — five forwards and two defensemen — mistakes were to be expected.
“You’ve got to look big picture here,” Quinn said. “We’re going to be a completely different team in the next two months. If we can win hockey games in the process, which I think we can and will, then we’re going to be in a great situation.”
Arguably, BU’s biggest disappointment was the power play. The Terriers got their first man advantage just 55 seconds into the game and then a five-minute major power play three minutes later, but barely managed a shot. Late in the second period, they went on a 1:05 five-on-three that soon was extended by another UMass penalty, but BU could not convert. The Terriers finished with only four shots from their man advantage.
“We had a chance to make it 4-0 and really make it difficult and demoralize [UMass], but we didn’t do it,” Quinn said.
For UMass, the defensive failings in the second period — allowing the first two goals from the slot and the third when Rodrigues was allowed to walk into grade A territory — ruined what was otherwise a strong performance.
“It was a good start for us,” UMass coach John Micheletto said. “We just came up a little short in the details. Those opportunities wound up in the back of our net.
“We jumped out with a lot of energy early. It would have been nice to bang something home in the first period, but we weren’t able to. I liked our fight, our pace, and our ability to create offense. I certainly hope to finish better tomorrow.”
UMass snapped Maguire’s shutout bid with a third-period, power-play goal by freshman Steven Iacobellis that made it 3-1, but could not close the gap even when two more BU penalties opened the door for the Minuteman man advantage.
