After 27 days with no game action and missing three of its top players, the Boston University men’s hockey team closed out 2023 with a bang, running Yale University out of Ingalls Rink, 6-1.
The Friday night, non-conference matchup between the Terriers (12-4-1, 7-1-1 Hockey East) and Bulldogs (4-9-0, 2-5-0 ECAC) featured two-goal performances from senior forward Dylan Peterson and freshman forward Shane Lachance, as well as 23 saves from junior netminder Mathieu Caron.
“Overall, not playing for that long, I thought the effort was there. I was happy with the result obviously, and I think for the most part, our guys played pretty well,” head coach Jay Pandolfo said postgame.
In the absence of Macklin Celebrini, Lane Hutson and Tom Willander – who are all currently competing in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship for their respective countries – Jack Harvey, Mick Frechette and Tristan Amonte drew into the lineup.
“Everyone contributed, guys got an opportunity with those guys being out. A lot of them took advantage of it, so it was good to see,” Pandolfo said.
Sophomore forward Ryan Greene quickly opened scoring for the Terriers at 3:17 of the first period for his seventh goal of the season. Senior forward Luke Tuch picked up a cross-ice pass from sophomore forward Quinn Hutson at the offensive blue line, carried it into the zone and released a wrister from the left circle. Greene crashed the net and knocked in the rebound after Yale netminder Nathan Reid made the initial pad save.
Greene centered the first line with Tuch and Q. Hutson in place of M. Celebrini.
Peterson, who played in his 100th collegiate game, doubled BU’s lead at 5:24 after sophomore forward Jeremy Wilmer dropped him the puck by the right circle to rip home. Per BU Hockey Stats, the goal broke Peterson’s eight-game goal drought and seven-game pointless streak.
“I think just playing with Jeremy Wilmer, he makes everybody better around him,” Peterson said postgame.
After missing the last game of first semester, Dec. 2 against Merrimack, due to nagging injuries, Peterson said he’s back to full health.
“I didn’t skate at all over break, it was more just like a mental reset,” Peterson said. “Obviously I was injured for the last stretch of that first half, so just taking a mental break and just kind of recouping and coming back tonight was pretty big for me.”
Freshman forward Iisai Pesonen then cut Yale’s deficit to 2-1 at 12:27 of the opening frame with a slot shot that beat Caron glove-side.
In the second period, the Terriers got a five-minute power play at 10:01. Sophomore Kalen Szeto collided with freshman defenseman Aiden Celebrini in the corner and was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for contact to the head.
This play is under review for a major penalty on Yale. Aiden Celebrini goes down hard. #BUvsYale pic.twitter.com/eiaeO3f8S1
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) December 30, 2023
BU capitalized on the extended man advantage at 11:48 when junior forward Jack Hughes wired the puck past Reid from the top of the left circle to make it 3-1 on his second tuck as a Terrier.
“I think for a lot of our guys, first game back, that maybe didn’t produce as much as they would’ve liked the first half, for them to get on the board tonight, I think it certainly helps build the confidence,” Pandolfo said.
Hughes skated on the second power play unit with Tuch, Ty Gallagher, Devin Kaplan and Jack Harvey. Without M. Celebrini and L. Hutson, the first unit had a different look composed of Wilmer, Q. Hutson, Greene, Lachance and Gavin McCarthy.
Lachance added some padding to BU’s lead heading into the third period with a net-front, tip-in goal off of Kaplan’s initial shot from between the hash marks. The freshman forward’s sixth of the season put the Terriers up 4-1.
Peterson netted his second goal of the game and fifth of the year at 6:55 of the final stanza with a snipe from a low, right-side angle. Lachance followed it up with his second goal of the game at 9:15, on a give-and-go with Stevens off the rush for the final 6-1 score.
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) December 30, 2023
“I love the way he’s playing. Same with all the freshmen, they’re a huge part of what we’re trying to do this year,” Peterson said of Lachance.
The Terriers will next play Jan. 5 in an exhibition game against Simon Fraser University before a highly-anticipated second semester officially starts. January’s series against Boston College, the Beanpot, Hockey East playoffs and beyond now lies ahead for BU.
“I mean it’s trophy season now. I think every practice, every shift, like everything matters now,” Peterson said. “There’s really no room for error. We know what we’re doing now, so I’m pretty confident we are going to have a really good second half.”
Tremendous physical play by Terriers and dominant on the forecheck and puck possession. Nice to see some new faces out there showing their stuff.
Well worth the ride to see everyone producing – depth is a huge factor! PSD
i thought Frechette and A Celebrini had solid games
I wish Harvey could get untracked