Cristina Romano
In tight games, victory and defeat are separated by inches.
On a 2-on-1 in overtime, sophomore assistant captain Cole Eiserman rifled a shot that squeaked past sophomore goaltender Trey Augustine. As the puck trickled toward the goal line, sophomore Michigan State forward Shane Vansaghi swiped it away just before it fully crossed. Eiserman thought he’d scored the winning goal.
Spartan freshman forward Ryker Lee corralled a loose puck entering the Michigan State offensive zone. On a 2-on-1 rush the other way, he fed senior defenseman Matt Basgall, who blasted one home, lifting the Spartans over Boston University men’s hockey, 4-3.
“It just didn’t quite get over,” head coach Jay Pandolfo said of Eiserman’s shot. “It’s disappointing, but it’s the way it goes.”
Despite the result, the No. 1 Terriers (2-2-1) responded well after an uninspiring performance on Friday, according to Pandolfo.
“Being down 3-1 in the third period and to be able to come back and at least get it to overtime,” Pandolfo said. “It’s no question a positive after last night.”
The first period of Saturday’s game looked much like yesterday’s 4-2 loss. BU was outhustled, beaten to pucks and outbattled. It resulted in Lee’s first collegiate goal.
He surged into the offensive zone, received a pass from freshman forward Anthony Pomani, deked out freshman defenseman Carter Amico and beat sophomore goaltender Mikahil Yegorov at 8:46 of the first period.
The second period was a step up for the Terriers, who outshot the No. 3 Spartans (3-1-0) 12–7. BU began getting pucks deep and testing Augustine with more shots.
“I thought the second was pretty damn good,” Pandolfo said. “We just couldn’t find a way to score a goal.”
With just 1:01 remaining in the second period, MSU doubled its lead. Freshman forward Porter Martone tucked home a loose puck netfront for his first NCAA goal. Pandolfo said it’s tough giving up a goal so late in a frame where the Terriers “controlled most of it.”
“I think I was just a good presence in front of the net,” Martone said postgame.
BU was without sophomore forward Sacha Boisvert on Saturday, who’s been battling an injury since the Oct. 5 exhibition against RPI. After playing on Friday, Pandolfo said Boisvert “didn’t feel great” when he woke up. He emphasized health as most important this early in the season.
Down two goals, BU opened the third period with urgency, finally taking the game to the Spartans. The Terriers got on the board just 2:13 into the frame.
Junior captain Gavin McCarthy scored his first goal of the season. From behind the goal line, freshman forward Ben Merrill fed a pass to McCarthy in the right circle, and he one-timed it past Augustine to cut the Spartan lead to 2-1.
Just as it seemed as if the Terriers had all of the momentum, junior forward Tommi Männistö silenced the Agganis Arena crowd with his second goal of the season, just 39 seconds after McCarthy scored. A lazy breakout pass from freshman forward Jack Murtagh in BU’s defensive zone was intercepted by Martone.
“I still think we’re still making first-year mistakes,” Pandolfo said. “I think a couple tonight hurt us a little.”
Sophomore assistant captain Cole Huston took an interference penalty at 11:43. On the penalty kill, sophomore forward Kamil Bednarik shifted the momentum back in BU’s favor while reviving the Terrier faithful.
Bednarik poked the puck away from junior forward Gavin O’Connell and beat Augustine high on the blocker side on a breakaway at 13:09, cutting the lead to 3-2.
“I have a lot of trust in Kamil, the way he plays the game,” Pandolfo said. “He’s always very good positionally, very good defensively, has a great stick. He’s very smart, he’s got more offensive skill than maybe people realize.”
With the crowd behind them, BU, energized and hungry, tied the game at 15:03. Freshman forward Conrad Fondrk tipped home a shot from sophomore blueliner Sascha Boumedienne for his first goal as a Terrier, and the crowd erupted.
“I thought the last five minutes was as loud as the building was the whole weekend,” MSU head coach Adam Nightingale said postgame.
With the game tied late in the third period, the teams traded blows, but neither team could find the winner. The first half of the 3-on-3, five-minute overtime period was a continuation of the end of regulation.
Even though BU leaves the weekend losing twice, Pandolfo feels as if the Terriers are in a good spot, now five games into the season.
“If you asked me after last night, I’d probably have a different answer. But after tonight, I do like where we’re at.”