Parker disappointed despite 2-1 win

By Jake Seiner/DFP Staff

A fifth win in six conference games –– sounds like a pretty good streak, no?

Don’t try telling that to Boston University men’s hockey coach Jack Parker.

The No. 13 Terriers advanced to 5-0-1 in their last six Hockey East games with a 2-1 win over Providence College Friday.

But in his postgame presser, the BU (15-9-7, 12-5-5 HE) coach was none too thrilled, despite the win.

“First period, we were terrific with the puck, moving the puck,” Parker said. “And then we just kind of drifted away from what we’re supposed to do.”

Parker dug into his team in his postgame speech, calling out the players for falling asleep at the wheel after taking a 2-0 lead midway through the second period.

“I think the moral of the speech was just to be smarter,” freshman Adam Clendening said. “I think the message was a full 60 [minutes] and a smart 60.”

“We’ve played [PC] twice now and they’ve outshot us both times in our building,” Parker said. “This game should’ve never gone that way.”

Providence (7-15-7, 3-13-6) coach Tim Army said he was impressed with BU’s play out of the gate. The Terriers stormed the PC slot and generated nine grade-A chances in the first, pummeling Friar netminder Alex Beaudry (32 saves) with 18 shots.

The strong play paid dividends quickly, as freshman winger Matt Nieto put the Terriers on the board less than five minutes in with his seventh goal of the year.

Sophomore Alex Chiasson picked up the primary assist on the play, centering the pass to Nieto. The point was Chiasson’s 30th of the season, making him the first Terrier to surpass the plateau this year.

Nieto –– along with linemate Corey Trivino –– picked up assists midway through the second on Clendening’s fourth goal of the season. The rookie netted the tally on a point shot through Chiasson’s screen in front.

From there, play progressively moved in Providence’s favor. The Friars outshot the Terriers 15-8 in the third period, including seven shots from the grade-A scoring area.

Fireworks flew late in the frame, as a scrum between Chiasson and PC sophomore Chris Rooney erupted into a full-blown fight. Rooney got the upper hand in the bout, tackling Chiasson to the ice before officials broke up the melee.

Fourteen minutes worth of penalties were dished out in the aftermath. Rooney and Chiasson each received two minute roughing and two minute hitting after the whistle minors, while PC’s Jordan Kremyr took a roughing minor and BU sophomore Wade Megan took minors both for instigating and roughing.

The Terriers killed the Megan minor, but couldn’t keep Providence off the board after Clendening took another penalty late into the Megan kill.

Ian O’Connor scored the power-play tally with two seconds left on the man-up and with 1:26 left to play. The senior drove along the right wing and to the net, where his five-hole attempt slid through the pads of BU netminder Kieran Millan (36 saves).

The Terriers’ poise-less presence in the game’s final minutes drew Parker’s ire postgame.

“We took some stupid penalties at the end –– undisciplined,” Parker said. “We gave them a chance to get back in the game, just like we did in the last game we played. If it wasn’t for Kieran Millan, once again, we would’ve lost that game.

“They better be focused for tomorrow. I’m not sure who’s going to dress tomorrow because of what happened tonight.”