LOWELL, Mass. — It was over practically before it started.
Boston University scored just 38 seconds into its contest at Massachusetts-Lowell, and barely more than eight minutes in held a 3-0 lead. After the Terriers expanded the lead to 4-0 heading into the third period, Lowell rallied with two goals, but they proved too little, too late as BU finished off a 5-2 win.
“We did think we were ready to play, but you never envision getting out to a lead that early and then building on it,” BU coach David Quinn said. “It changed the complexion of the game. The crowd wasn’t able to get into the game the way they probably would have liked.”
Evan Rodrigues recorded a natural hat trick that followed Ahti Oksanen’s opening-minute strike. Rodrigues then added an assist for his one-hundredth career point.
“He’s an incredibly smart player,” Quinn said. “Works hard, competes, has a great skill set and can skate.”
Quinn then quipped, “Other than that, he can’t really do too much.”
Linemate Jack Eichel collected three assists.
With the win and a sweep of the season’s series with Lowell, Boston University solidified its position atop Hockey East. Entering the game with a four-point lead and a game in hand over Boston College and the River Hawks, the Terriers held serve with the Eagles, who defeated Merrimack, while almost certainly relegating the River Hawks to second place, at best.
The importance of the game and the stature of their opponent made it easy for the Terriers to remain focused on the contest even with a Beanpot championship game on tap for Monday.
“When you’re playing the defending two-time champion, and the team that is four points behind you in second place and you’re in first, that pretty much takes care of overlooking your opponent,” Quinn said. “Our guys did a great job of staying focused.”
Now, of course, Terrier eyes can turn to the Beanpot.
“None of us have won a Beanpot and that’s one of the reasons you come to BU,” Rodrigues said. “We’re all hungry for it.”
For Lowell, the loss marked its fifth in the last six games and sixth in the last eight. Prior to that point, it had enjoyed going the longest without a conference loss of any team in the country.
Last weekend, the River Hawks appeared to have turned the corner in their two-game set with Merrimack. Although they lost on Friday night, they dominated territorial play, outshooting the Warriors, 52-17, and carried that over to a 4-1 win the next day.
But the strong play and momentum proved short-lived against the third-ranked Terriers.
“It was a good game for Boston University; it was a good half-game for Lowell,” UML coach Norm Bazin said. “When you give anyone a lead in Hockey East, it’s very, very difficult to come back.
“I’m not disappointed with the effort. You can call it lethargic, but it was missed assignments. We made it too easy for them. We spotted them too many goals to start the game.
“The good thing about this team is that we’re very good when we all contribute and work hard, and we’re very bad when there are several players missing assignments. It’s almost [like] the dragon with two heads.”
BU forced Lowell into bad-dragon mode just 28 seconds into the game. Cason Hohmann’s strong forechecking led to him finding Oksanen for his 18th goal of the season.
Eichel then set up Rodrigues’s first goal, buying time along the offensive blue line to allow his trailing linemate to get to the far right post where he could tap in the back-door pass.
The two collaborated again on a two-on-one with the freshman dishing right-to-left and Rodrigues roofing it.
BU moved to a 4-0 lead late in the second period when Danny O’Regan made a strong play to keep the puck in the zone, and Rodriguez beat Kevin Boyle glove side high.
Two foolish BU penalties almost at the end of the period gave Lowell a 1:55 five-on-three advantage to start the third, and the River Hawk power play capitalized. From the left, Adam Chapie moved the puck across the slot to top-scoring freshman C.J. Smith, who put it in the open net.
At 5:41, the River Hawks started to make a game of it. A.J. White cut in along the left goal line and though Matt O’Connor made the save, Evan Campbell put the rebound in on the short side.
The Terriers put down that brief uprising, however, getting a Matt Lane tally on the power play at 8:15. Eichel put the puck on net and Lane whacked in the rebound.
Olli Kalkaja replaced Boyle in net following the goal.
BU closed out the win, keeping Lowell’s chances to the perimeter.
