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| Senior defenseman Sean Escobedo scored the game-winning goal with less than two minutes left in the Boston University men’s hockey team’s 3-2 win over the University of Massachusetts on Saturday. MICHAEL CUMMO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF |
AMHERST — The No. 13 Boston University men’s hockey team battled back from an early 2–0 deficit Saturday night to top the University of Massachusetts Amherst for the second night in a row, this time by a score of 3–2.
Senior defenseman Sean Escobedo — who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Saturday — gave the Terriers (3–1, 3–1 Hockey East) the win with a goal at 18:38 into the third period.
With time winding down and the game seemingly headed for overtime, freshman forward Danny O’Regan threw a shot on goal. A number of Terriers crashed the net but it was Escobedo who got his stick on the puck to stun a loud UMass crowd at the Mullins Center.
“Our top six [forwards] found a way to gut it out and get us on the board and obviously pull to 2–2, then to find the same way to do it, to go 3–2,” said acting head coach Mike Bavis, who ran the Terrier bench this weekend with head coach Jack Parker out due to back problems. “Hopefully that’s a strong statement about who we can be as a team going forward.
Neither team performed particularly well in the first period, though both goalies — freshman Matt O’Connor for the Terriers and sophomore Kevin Boyle for the Minutemen — made a number of nice saves.
UMass (1–3, 0–3 Hockey East) took a 1–0 lead 16:49 into the first when the Terriers turned the puck over behind their net during a Minuteman power play. UMass first-line right wing Shane Walsh took advantage, beating O’Connor stick side for the first goal of his collegiate career.
Congratulations to the Terriers on the sweep. They’re a young squad, but they appear to have skill and heart, a nice combination.
One question for the Boston Hockery Blog staff: Since Coach Parker was unable to make the trip to Amherst, will Saturday’s victory be counted as Coach Bavis’ first career coaching win? Can you explain how that will be handled? Thanks!
Even though Parker wasn’t actually present, the win still counts for him and not Coach Bavis, since Parker is still the team’s head coach and Bavis is just the “acting” coach for now.