Macklin Celebrini has finally found his linemates.
After skating with a handful of different line combinations all season long, Macklin’s all-freshmen top line with Shane Lachance and Jack Harvey put on a show Thursday night en route to the Terriers 4-2 win over the Friars.
All three first-years got on the scoresheet, and Macklin was on the ice for all four of his team’s goals, as the No. 2 Boston University men’s hockey team (23-8-2, 17-4-2 Hockey East) battled to the victory against the No. 11/10 Providence College Friars (18-12-3, 11-9-3 HE) during its return to Schneider Arena.
“I loved our first period,” BU head coach Jay Pandolfo said postgame. “I thought our second period was terrible, so it’s something we have to figure out…credit to our guys, they got the message in between the second [period] and had a great third and found a way to win.”
The all-freshmen top line stepped up big with three upperclassmen sidelined on Thursday due to injury. Captain Case McCarthy and assistant captain Luke Tuch missed their first games of the season, and forward Dylan Peterson remained out after suffering a lower-body injury at UConn on Feb. 23.
Pandolfo confirmed postgame that Tuch’s injury, which happened in practice, was minor. Tristan Amonte filled in for him on the fourth line for his first game action since Jan. 30. On the back end, junior Ty Gallagher drew back into the lineup after suffering a lower-body injury, and freshman Mick Frechette slated in as the extra defender.
Pandolfo felt his team got off to a “slow” start the last time BU made the trip to Schneider Arena on Feb. 16. when Providence’s sound structure limited the Terriers’ potent offense all night long.
This time around, seeing its first game action in 12 days, BU looked ready from puck drop. Peppering Friar goaltender Philip Svedebäck early and often, the Terriers recorded the first 10-straight shots on net.
“Not playing a game for a while, we knew we were going to come out hot,” Lachance said postgame. “Might not have been too clean, but we had a lot of energy.”
Midway through the first period — on one of the Friars’ first offensive-zone possessions of the night — Macklin Celebrini showed off his 200-foot game. The freshman forward stripped Providence of the puck in the left corner and earned the odd-man rush the other way.
Falling to the ice, Celebrini received the pass from Lane Hutson and beat Svedebäck to put his team up 1-0 at 8:47. Scoring his 27th goal of the season, Celebrini passed Jack Eichel’s freshman scoring total of 26 goals.
The Friars’ best chance of the period came on a 3-on-1 rush at 17:40 of the first. Graduate forward Craig Needham’s laser beat junior goaltender Mathieu Caron but drew iron. Because Needham’s shot does not count in the stat book, the Terriers outshot the Friars 12-0 in the first period.
“That was one of the best 20 minutes we played, especially against that team,” Macklin Celebrini said postgame. “They put a lot of pucks on net, so we did a good job.”
Providence, a top-10 team all season long that is vying for the third spot in the Hockey East standings, was not going to sit back after an uncharacteristic period of play. The Friars pressed hard in the middle frame, drawing three power plays and taking the game’s 2-1 lead.
With star defenseman Lane Hutson in the box, the Friar’s quick passing outpaced the Terriers, and captain Chase Yoder tied the game at 11:37 on an out-of-position Caron.
Things got even uglier for the Terriers in the final minutes of the second period as Tom Willander’s untimely stick break at the offensive blue line sent the Friars on the rush. With the puck loose at center ice, Providence’s freshman forward Hudson Malinoski took charge and wrapped the puck behind BU’s net and past Caron for the 2-1 lead at 15:08.
Less than one minute after taking the lead, freshman defenseman Gavin McCarthy was dealt a 5-minute major and game misconduct for headbutting at 15:49 of the second — BU’s fifth infraction of the second period.
“We took a lot of penalties in the second,” Macklin Celebrini said. “That’s not how you want to spend any second period.”
After not recording a shot on net in the first period, the Friars outshot the Terriers 14-7 over the next 20 minutes.
BU needed to regroup — and the Terriers did just that — tying the game at 2-2 to start the third period at 2:42. Macklin Celebrini drew a tripping call behind his own net and converted on the ensuing man advantage for his second goal of the night..
“He’s a competitor with a heck of a lot of talent,” Pandolfo said of Macklin’s three-point night. “He wants to win so bad.”
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) March 8, 2024
Lane Hutson had a strong defensive showing on Thursday, and his relentlessness on puck battles allowed the Terriers to take the 3-2 lead at 9:26 of the third period. Lane’s work along the boards earned BU possession before he eventually took a long shot from the point. Svedebäck made the initial save, but Lachance picked up the rebound for his 12th goal of the season.
“It’s hard to get inside against those guys,” Lachance said. “Lane made a great play to get that shot through, and I just got loose and put it in the middle of the net. Felt good for sure.”
To finish off the night, Jack Harvey tacked on another goal for BU shortly after. Macklin Celebrini started up the far wall and found Harvey open in the slot for his fourth of the season at 11:17 of the third.
“Feels like he always puts a bar down,” Macklin Celebrini said of Harvey. “It’s impressive. He always puts himself in the right position.”
After surrendering the lead earlier in the night, the Terriers locked it down in the game’s final 10 minutes to earn the victory — something Pandolfo has been reiterating all season long.
“I thought we got the lead and played very well,” Pandolfo said. “This building’s tough because they get [the puck] and chuck everything to the net.”
The top line finished the night with a combined seven points, and BU’s defense locked it down on the other end. Graduate defenseman Cade Webber recorded seven of BU’s 15 blocks.
The assistant captain and his senior class will be honored on Saturday as the Terriers finish out their regular season at home for senior night.
“They’ve been amazing to us. I have nothing but great things to say about them,” Macklin Celebrini said of the seniors. “The way they’ve led this group…it’s pretty special.”
BU will wrap up its regular season at home on Saturday, taking on the Vermont Catamounts for a 4 p.m. puck drop at Agganis Arena. The Boston Hockey Blog will have full, on-the-ground coverage of the season finale, so be sure to follow along on Twitter (X) @BOShockeyblog and Instagram @boston.hockey.blog.
that was a helluva third period, outscoring them 3-0.
hate watching games at the rink. they show no replays and the site lines suck
Very good road win vs tough team and shit barn… No replays etc your right vinnie place sucks.. Great 3rd period to close that game out… On to Saturday… I was there also I prob walked by u next time introduce yourself 😆.. Go BU 🐾..
I would love to do that as long as you as long as you don’t hit me 🙂
my mother will be pissed if she sees a black eye; she x=could kick me out of the basement