The final scores did not give justice to the way the Boston University men’s hockey team played last weekend.
The Terriers (13-9-1, 9-5-1 Hockey East) lost both games of the Battle of Comm. Ave. to Boston College, 6-2 on Friday and 2-0 on Saturday. They only gave BC four power plays throughout the weekend, including a controversial bench minor to start the second game, which was a departure from the usual inability to stay out of the penalty box.
The lack of scoring, particularly 5-on-5, was the biggest let down for BU, but there were positives to take away from the games, too.
“We competed a lot harder. We had our chances. We just couldn’t find a way to beat [BC goalie Jacob] Fowler,” said BU head coach Jay Pandolfo in his weekly media call Thursday. “He’s a good goalie, but I learned we can play with anyone if we play with anyone if we play a certain way.”
The Terriers will have to continue playing that certain way as they play another game against a USCHO-ranked Hockey East opponent: No. 18 New Hampshire.
No. 10 BU last played the Wildcats two weekends ago in a home-and-home set and took both games.
The Terriers will face UNH(11-9-3, 3-8-2 HEA) for a third time Friday night at 7 p.m. at Agganis in their final game before the Beanpot semifinals on Feb. 3.
Here’s what you need to know.
5-on-5 production will be key
The Terriers have not scored an even-strength goal in regulation since the first game in the previous UNH series. The lone regulation goal scored in the second game was on the power play before Terrier captain Ryan Greene scored in 3-on-3 overtime. Both goals in the first BC game were on the same five-minute major assessed to the Eagles, and then BU was shutout in the last game.
Pandolfo said he will be mixing up the lines for this upcoming game to try and manufacture a jumpstart for the offense. There is an advantage in stability and comfort in keeping lines fixed, but they’ve become stagnant.
Something has to change 5-on-5.
It will be Mikhail Yegorov’s net
The brand-new BU goalie was the biggest story of the Terriers’ last game. BC scored one goal on the power play after Yegorov stepped onto the ice too early, leading to a bench minor call to begin the game. That was the only goal the No. 1 team in the country was able to score on the rookie.
Yegorov looked composed and athletic in his start, stopping 23 of the 24 shots he faced. Pandolfo was taking a risk by asking him to play in the Conte Forum with a chorus of rabid Eagles fans before he could even switch out his orange pads from his USHL tenure, but it worked. Going in blind may have been an advantage, too.
His performance earned him another start against the Wildcats.
The shaky goaltending situation has plagued the team for the entire season. Neither Mathieu Caron nor Max Lacroix inspired complete confidence.
If Yegorov can prove himself to not only be reliable, but even impressive, too, he will be a massive asset to the Terriers going forward.
Scouting the Wildcats
BU has seen plenty of UNH already this season without much time between the games.
The Wildcats hit a bumpy stretch in their last few games. They dropped five games in a row, including the sweep by BU, before they won their last game over Vermont 5-2.
In the last series, the Catamounts had 13 chances on the power play. They only scored once on the UNH penalty kill, but the Catamounts rank 10th in Hockey East on the man advantage, only above a very weak Northeastern.
The starting goalie, junior Jared Whale, gave up a season-high six goals to BU in the last series. His save percentage has dropped below .900, but he’s coming off a decent performance having only given up two goals in his last game.
Senior forward Robert Cronin is on a tear right now with seven points in his last six games, including five goals.
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