Looking to build on a Friday night victory over the Sun Devils, the Boston University men’s hockey team was upended by #17/15 Arizona State 3-0 on Saturday night to split the weekend series.
“We have had a lot of benchmark wins this year. This one is going to rank at the top though,” stated ASU head coach Greg Powers.
Freshman Vinnie Purpura made his first start in goal for the Terriers (10-10-3, 8-5-2 HE), giving junior Jake Oettinger a well-deserved rest after appearing in every one of BU’s 22 games thus far. Coming from the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL, Purpura was added to the Terrier roster during the winter break, and has already made a positive impression in his first few weeks with the squad.
“He looks good,” said BU head coach Albie O’Connell. “He’s calm at practice, and he was really calm before the game.”
There was little to separate the two teams in the first period, and neither side could break the deadlock through 20 minutes. Purpura started the game flawlessly in the BU crease, turning away all ten Sun Devil efforts, while BU were kept off the board on their nine shots on goal by ASU junior netminder Joey Daccord.
In the second period, it was the Sun Devils (17-10-1) who tilted the ice and took control. Sophomore forward Filips Buncis drew first blood for ASU three minutes into the period, lofting a shot over Purpura in four-on-four play after a pass from senior forward Anthony Croston. It was the second time in as many nights that the duo linked up for a goal.
After an ASU onslaught that saw the Terriers pinned deep in their own zone for much of the period, sophomore forward Johnny Walker made the Sun Devil lead two at 18:46 with his nation-leading 20th goal of the season. Among a crowd in front of Purpura, Walker got a stick on a drive from freshman defenseman Josh Maniscalco, with the second assist credited to senior forward Dylan Hollman.
“It’s just what he does,” reacted Coach Powers regarding Walker.
Arizona State may have doubled BU in shots on goal 18-9 in the second stanza, but O’Connell knows his team left opportunities on the table in the middle period.
“We had a ton of chances,” said the first-year manager. “We could have had 50 shots tonight if we were willing to shoot the puck.”
With the Sun Devils holding a two-goal lead going into the final 20 minutes, it was Walker again who provided the Sun Devils with their third goal to all but seal the victory for Arizona State. Nearing the halfway point in the period, the standout attacker tossed home a rebound opportunity, with the assists by junior Brett Gruber and sophomore Jacob Wilson.
With his star forward kept quiet the night prior by the Terriers, Powers knew that Walker was poised for a big night the second time around.
“Johnny’s always confident, trust me” laughed the 11-year veteran.
The game got scrappy in the end, but Arizona State would finish the 3-0 victors. It was the first win over BU in program history for the Sun Devils.
“The team that wants it more usually wins,” remarked Coach O’Connell. “Arizona State wanted the game more.”
As for the hosts, it was the first game in nine that the Terriers were held goalless through sixty minutes – a streak dating back to December 1st when BU drew with Boston College 0-0.
“Our goalie was our best player,” said O’Connell of Purpura, who made 36 saves in the loss. “It was a really good effort by him.”
The Terriers will face a tough test next Friday, as they host UMass to conclude their 5-game homestand.
TK1180 • Jan 28, 2019 at 12:07 pm
To quote Katie Perry: You’re hot then you’re cold. Sums up this years team. Inconsistency will haunt them. Senior leadership not strong enough to overcome it. They have talent but not enough high end players. Lots of JAG’s on this team. TK out.
Vito diGregorio • Jan 27, 2019 at 11:31 pm
No need to panic at this point. The team is generally playing a lot better than earlier in the season although that old bug a boo, the inability to score hit us again tonite. Some big games are coming up and there is everything to play for vs UMASS and then the Beanpot which we certainly can win. Home ice is certainly a possibility for the playoffs as it seems both the beagles and the Friars are fading and we are playing better than most teams in hockeyeast at the moment. Its good that we have two good goalies now and coach now has the option of choosing either one and it will help to keep Jake fresher for the big games coming up
vinnie • Jan 27, 2019 at 12:57 pm
well like Bill Parcells once said – you are what your record says you are. we are a 500 team at 10-10-3. i can kinda accept the “young” rationale for the first half of the season, but not now after 23 games. next year will be the same. we will lose 3 seniors and who knows how many underclassmen. potentially, fabbro, ottenger, farrance (will he continue to pay his way), bowers, maybe krys. so we start young again and again and….
since it is looking highly unlikely that this team will make the NCAA tournament, i would like to play purpura more. he looked good last night. but he needs experience for next year so i say give him 1/3 of the rest of the games and see what he can do. i am NOT knocking Jake; just trying to protect our future interests as a program.
please note, i was not critical of one player or coach in this post
sonofcaesarcarlaci • Jan 27, 2019 at 9:50 am
Our boys just did not want to play Saturday. That is all one can say. My opinion is out for now as to our new goalie.
Section9RowA-I-Miss-WBA • Jan 27, 2019 at 1:21 am
Vinny P had a solid first start but the team didn’t match his effort and focus in the final two periods.
Here are the season +/- for our forward lines.
Bowers -3
Cockerill +3
Farabee -1
Harper +1
Amonte +3
Curry +1
Cloonan 0
DeBoer +1
Willman -2
Cheremeta -4
Quercia -1
Chabot -3
A four line total of -5 (most of the damage being done by the 4th line) but the top line players really need to produce more.
For comparison, ASU’s top line is +27 on the season. Ours is -1.
We’re just young and inconsistent and our most talented guys leave early so we’re always young and inconsistent. (e.g., Keller, Greenway, Tkachuk, McAvoy could all still be on the team but we recruit not expecting them to stay longer than 1 or 2 years. Meanwhile older players on other teams (Jonny Walker is a 22 year old sophomore!) take advantage of our youth. Need to adjust our recruiting philosophy and get older & talented 3-4 year players better mixed in with the elite 1 or 2-and-dones.