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. 
Matt Ronan, left, and Brendan Collier celebrateafter Ronan scores his first collegiate goal. Photo by Michelle Jay/DFP StaffThe 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.”