By Tim Healey/DFP Staff
Just play better. Going into Friday night’s matchup with No. 7 University of Massachusetts-Lowell, that’s all coach David Quinn was asking of his Boston University men’s hockey team. A win is always nice, of course, but Quinn was looking specifically for clear signs of progress over the last time the teams faced off.
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| Matt Ronan, left, and Brendan Collier celebrate after Ronan scores his first collegiate goal. Photo by Michelle Jay/DFP Staff |
The Terriers didn’t come away with a win, but mission accomplished nonetheless. BU (8-15-4, 3-8-3 Hockey East) put forth an effort considerably better than the one they did Jan. 18 — when the Terriers mustered only a dozen shots on net in a two-goal loss — in a 2-2 tie at Agganis Arena.
“It’s always nice to get a point, especially against a team that manhandled you the last time you played them,” Quinn said. “All in all, I like the direction we’re going. We just played two of the top teams in the league and the country [UML and Boston College] and were tooth-and-nail with both of them. I sense a change in our mentality, I sense a change in our purpose.”
The highlight was BU’s second goal, which came at 2:31 in the second. Freshman wing Brendan Collier fought for the puck along the boards, then from behind the net sent a pass to senior wing Matt Ronan low in the slot. Ronan roofed a one-timer by UML sophomore Connor Hellebuyck for a tie game and the first goal of his collegiate career.
It was a watershed moment for Ronan, who hardly saw the ice his two and a half years on Commonwealth Avenue, but has been a regular in this season’s lineup due at least in part to BU’s personnel shortage. He had one career point before Friday.
“I didn’t think I was ever going to score at BU to be completely honest,” a beaming Ronan said. “So it’s a bit of a treat for me.”
Ronan’s goal was also an indication that things were indeed going well for the Terriers — and how remarkably even the teams were. In the first period alone, the Terriers matched their shots-on-goal total from that Jan. 18 loss with 12, finishing with 35 on the night. They also matched up well physicality-wise with a much deeper River Hawk team (18-7-3, 8-4-2 Hockey East).
Both goalies — Hellebuyck and BU sophomore Matt O’Connor — made 33 saves. Faceoffs were 39-37 in favor of the River Hawks, who also scored during a 5-on-3 power play. BU went 0-for-3 on the man advantage, stretching their power-play drought to 22 consecutive failed conversions.
The last of those came halfway through the third when Lowell captain Josh Holmstrom was called for high-sticking.
“I’m kicking myself for not calling a timeout when we got he power play in the third period,” Quinn said. “Our top unit was tired, and I just thought I should’ve called a timeout. We were a little bit discombobulated, and looking back it dawned on me halfway through, which is a little too late.”
It wasn’t enough for what would have been BU’s first win over Lowell in almost two years.
BU trailed, 2-1, after the first, with UML goals from seniors Derek Arnold and Holmstrom bookending Cason Hohmann’s at 15:50. The junior center took the puck down the left wing and from the circle sniped the top-right corner to beat Hellebuyck glove-side.
Arnold’s goal came at 11:00 in the first during 4-on-4 play. He one-timed a centering pass from sophomore Michael Fallon into a wide-open net. Then at 15:50, Holmstrom picked up a rebound during the 5-on-3 power play to beat O’Connor.
The teams went to overtime after a scoreless third that very nearly wasn’t. At the buzzer, senior captain Garrett Noonan got a cross-crease pass on his stick at the back door, but he didn’t have time to get a shot off.
O’Connor made the save with about two minutes to go in overtime. With sophomore Christian Folin moving quickly behind the BU net, O’Connor closed the gap between the pipe and his skate to stuff the wraparound attempt.
Moments later, BU settled for its second tie in eight days.
“Just a hard-fought game,” Quinn said, far more happy with this tie than last week’s against the University of Massachusetts. “Both teams deserved a point.”
Our program is falling rapidly to rock bottom if we’re happy with a tie.
Oh don’t be so dramatic. The “program” has been on a steady decline since 2009. For this team to tie last night, yes thrilled.
All will be back to normal, or even better, after this year.
Calm down Francis. Look, you may be still a student, in which case the BU program is only a few years, but here are some numbers from the not so distant past-
2003-04 12-17-9
2000-01 14-20-3
1998-99 14-20-3
The boys played well Friday. It was a great game to watch, since both sides played well. The opponent is a top 10 team that was in the Frozen Four last year.
The 4 senior skaters, 2 of which have only started playing regularly this season, will graduate. The 2 juniors will be co-captains, and the underclass will hopefully grow a year. Quinn talks about the 9 freshmen, ignoring the 5 sophomore skaters. They’re young and thin in numbers. Sure, I wanted them to win- I want Quinn to get to 11 wins, with 12 being the 10 year Parker low, but anyone who watched that game Friday knows they the Terriers can hold their heads high.
Now, if a similar result occurs Monday, they might want to don disguises on campus come Tuesday.
Good for Ronan. After four years of hard work he has his goal. Great. Now if Quinn will give Moccia a start Monday, but, we know that Maguire will start. Maguire should tell the coach that he would like Moccia to start. It would mean a lifetime achievement for him.
DQ starting Maguire means that he’s feeling the heat of failing with a team that made it to the HE championship game lat year that returned many of the top performers (at least they were top performers last year).
shows how much you know, AGAIN, trolling trolling trolling. I love that you continue to point out how ignorant you are about hockey!
hmm, since you post this same thing over and over and over and over again, could you please name these so called “top” performers from last year? we’re all curious to hear your response….ready, set, GO!!
The Troll will have nothing negative to say the next few years,mark my words.The program is on its way back to glory,patience…just a little buddy.That is my name,Patience!!!!