Junior Derek Arnold scored the game’s only goal 11:09 into the third period. Lowell’s Connor Hellebuyck and BU freshman goalie Sean Maguire maintained a 0-0 game for over 50 minutes, and Hellebuyck wound up with 37 saves, Maguire 29.
On the Lowell goal, senior forward Wade Megan lost the puck near the Lowell blue line. That sprung the River Hawks on a 3-on-2, and while BU stopped them on their initial chances, Arnold came around the net and flipped the puck over Maguire while he was down to make it 1-0.
The Terriers opened the game with energy, outshooting UML 8-6 in the first period and establishing possession in the offensive zone much better than they did the last two times they saw Lowell.
BU made a few defensive miscues in the second that almost hurt them, including one where freshman defenseman Ahti Oksanen sent the puck softly into open ice in the defensive zone and UML’s Ryan McGrath picked it up. McGrath drew Maguire to the right side of the net and tried for the wraparound, but O’Regan stopped him at the goal line.
Through two periods, BU led in shots, 26-21, but neither Hellebuyck nor Maguire had yielded a goal.
The Terriers opened the third on the power play but never really threatened Hellebuyck. When the player in the box, Colin Wright, got out, he picked up the puck in the neutral zone and took off on a breakaway. He fired into the crossbar, and the puck came back out onto the ice through Maguire’s legs. Lowell’s goal came about eight minutes later, and after it was 1-0, the River Hawks clamped down, limiting BU’s chances in the game’s final minutes.
Congrats to the Terriers for making a nice run at the end. This team was really in trouble in January and February, yet with a thin bench and counting on a number of no name guys, they came ever so close to winning a Hockey East championship. While it is a shame the players and Coach Parker won’t get a chance to participate in the NCAAs, the sweep of Merrimack and the dismantling of BC should send the coach off into retirement with a good feeling. In the end, the lack of depth at forward is quite likely what did in BU on Saturday night. While the Terriers could get away with counting primarily on three lines against BC, they just couldn’t do it two nights in a row. After playing a terrific first period against Lowell, you could see the Terrier forwards were running on empty. If Nieto and Noonan return, given the development of the underclassmen, this could be a deep and strong team next year. If they don’t, well, then it may well once again be a team with questionable depth. Typically, teams that win big have good senior classes. Here’s hoping the new coaching administration will be able to keep the majority of players around for four years, which should help develop a sense of continuity that has been lacking in recent years.
Above is so right when he says that we need Noonan and Nieto to come back. Parker’s problem is that not only did the top quality players not come after Quinn left he lacked depth of quality for the past few years. Also the next coach must get the new players on the idea that going to a top school like BU is an honor and to try to show them that they need an alternate career choice as hockey will last only so long and most do not make the millions the top stars contracts carry. We should have many good players to round out the roster if BU is sold the way it should. I was upset when I found out some of the players were going to school at night and not at all during the day. This has led, I believe, to too much free time and the resulting problems. Players should be full time students. I know that many outstanding players can not follow high level programs but when I was in school I had several players in my classes who were not the smartest but did the work and passed. This will take a great recruiter and I hope the new coach gets one and is one himself. Good luck Jack and thaks for the memories.