CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — With just over 39 minutes before puck drop, Mikhail Yegorov left the tunnel by himself.
The 6-foot-5 goaltender hulked his way around the Conte Forum ice ensnared in a chorus of jeers from the impatient Boston College student section.
While seemingly harmless, the debuting freshman’s lap around the rink was the difference in the 297th Battle of Comm. Ave.
“This kid’s excited to play his first hockey game, for warm-ups,” BU head coach Jay Pandolfo said postgame. “They open the door and then they close it on him, and they leave him out there. The guy can’t tell him, you can’t go and get him back off the ice.”
The Terriers were assessed a two-minute minor for delaying the game, breaking warmup regulations as Yegorov took the ice too early. Boston College began the game on a power play that Quinn Hutson served, and 24 seconds later, the Eagles netted the game-winning goal.
Pandolfo froze, deciding how to carefully word his response when asked about the call.
“It’s a joke that that’s how the game starts,” Pandolfo said through gritted teeth. “That’s not how these games should start. Come on, really, this is how we’re going to start a BU-BC game? Here’s a power play. Again, it’s in the rule book, so it’s my fault. I’ll take responsibility.”
Yegorov didn’t allow a goal in the rest of his debut, dominating with 23 saves on several high-leverage and unabated chances by BC. But the Terriers’ offense just couldn’t crack goaltender Jacob Fowler, and one pregame skate cost BU (13-9-1, 9-5-1 Hockey East) in a 2-0 loss to its cross-town rivals.
With the weekend sweep, the No. 1 Eagles (18-4-1, 11-3-1) take firm control of Hockey East’s top spot.
Yegorov, who enrolled at Boston University four days ago, still donned his Omaha Lancers helmet and creamsicle pads that clashed with the scarlet on the Terriers’ retro sweaters.
The 18-year-old posted a .912 save percentage in the USHL this season and was now tasked with one of college hockey’s most hostile environments in one of the most important games of the season.
“The kid battled, man. He played really well,” Pandolfo said. “In this environment, he’s never seen it, so I figured it’s actually less nervous not knowing about it. He’s a confident kid. He was excited about it. I’m just really happy with the way he played tonight.”
Pandolfo did not comment on the state of BU’s goaltender room moving forward.
After the initial power-play goal by Teddy Stiga, the Terriers were undaunted.
BU’s top-five power play had an early chance to respond when BC took a too-many-men call at 2:12, but nothing came of it.
The Terriers started to settle in on offense and their best look of the period went to Greene, who clanged the puck off the right pipe during a power play. The Terriers had multiple opportunities on the rush, but Fowler remained a code too difficult to crack.
“We couldn’t find a way on the power play to score, which we needed. We couldn’t find a way to score 5-on-5 two games in a row, so just got to bear down a little bit more. We missed the net a lot on some quality chances,” Pandolfo said.
The Terriers made a huge confidence-building penalty kill at 16:12 when Gavin McCarthy took his second penalty of the night — his 42nd and 43rd penalty minutes on the season.
While the score held 1-0 in favor of the Eagles, BU put on one of its strongest periods of the season.
BU started the second period with energy, especially on defense. Cole Hutson anchored the defense all evening, disrupting pucks and making the Eagles’ offense uncomfortable.
BU’s Cole Eiserman, Quinn Hutson and Jack Hughes broke free for a 3-on-1 early in the period, but no passes and a block by BC’s Eamon Powell ended the opportunity.
Yegorov put on a hallmark performance later in the period when Leonard was all alone with the goaltender. He shifted to his backhand, but Yegorov kicked his right leg out to save it. The rebound found forward Oskar Jellvik and the freshman made a second save before saving a one-timer from Andre Gasseau on the other side.
The most energetic sequence of the night followed when Gabe Perreault and Stiga had a 2-on-0, but Yegorov staved it off. BU then flipped to a 2-on-0 of its own, but Fowler made the save.
The score was 1-0 BC at the end of the second, and with 20 minutes remaining, two top-10 offensive production teams were entrenched in a goaltender war.
“He’s a good goalie. I think he’s proved that,” Pandolfo said. “He makes the saves. That’s what he was doing. He’s solid. There’s no surprise.”
BC nearly took a two-goal lead early in the third when Greene turned the puck over in the defensive zone, leaving Yegorov all alone. It proved no problem for the freshman.
Then, Eiserman did something no Terrier had done all night — beat Fowler with his initial move on a rush — but his backhand surged wide left.
Yegorov was pulled at 18:36 of the third, and Leonard broke away to close the game 2-0 and sweep the series for the Eagles.
“We played well enough tonight to get some points out of this one, but just couldn’t find a way,” Pandolfo said. “We can build off this. If we play that way, we’re going to be in every game, we’re going to win a lot of games down the stretch here, so that’s what we can take out of this.
Coach summed it up perfectly. We were the better team but had no puck luck . Keep working hard terriers
Great game by 40!!!
This is the issue. In games against teams currently in the top 16 are record is
2-6-1 with 23 gf and 34 ga. If 40 can play like last night consistently that might be the thing that is a game changer. We know the D has not changed
Great game by 40 last night!!!
This is the issue. In games against teams currently in the top 16 are record is
2-6-1 with 23 gf and 34 ga. If 40 can play consistently like he did last night that will a game changer. We know it’s a safe bet that the D play will not change
We played very well in large chunks this weekend and that was very encouraging.
But we also got bailed out by 40 on multiple breakaways, another 2 on zero, and more defensive breakdowns. So we still give the opposition too many high probability chances.
We deserved at least a point but Fowler was a little bit better.
As far as the penalty goes, that is like being any head coach not named Belichick during the Patriots heyday. Know the rules. Explain the rules to the kid. Jay didn’t do that. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the end of the story. Jay didn’t do his job. In the NHL, they sometimes prank a rookie to do a solo lap. Maybe that happened and the prankster
teammates didn’t know the rules in college. Maybe the BC door guy knew the rules and cleverly got his team a PP. Main point is, control what you can control. Know and communicate the rules and that doesn’t happen. And you know, you could always kill the PP.
Powerplays were 3-3. Can’t complain about officials. If anything, the officials were favoring BU all weekend. Penalty minutes 25 BC 16 BU including a major in our favor.
The old saying is “never let them see you sweat.” Jay has been sweating on the bench and in press conferences as he goes through his coaching growing pains since Macklin and Lane aren’t here to cover up the real underlying problems we’ve had for 3 seasons (defensive structure). He’s tried everything to fix it but nothing is working (personally, I don’t think it can be fixed without a new assistant coach and new experienced players – 5 and 44 can stay and get better. The rest need replacing).
BC is an excellent defensive team. They are great 5×5. Their PK is outstanding. If 40 can play like that every night, the difference between BU and BC is Leonard and BC’s ability to play defense.
We’re not fixing our issues during this season so we need to take our chances and have 40 stand on his head. Just have to avoid a hot goalie.
I’m glad we played better for long stretches against one of the best teams on the country. Hopefully that play continues.
We’ve got to beat UNH Providence and UConn. To pull away from the Pairwise bubble.
Mike
Mike i respectfully disagree i think coach takes his time when a reporter asks him a loaded question. The league frowns on coaches being critical of penalties being discussed especially when it can be said the coach is trying to show up the ref . In my opinion he answered the question perfectly he showed his displeasure at the call and the bc security officer working the door then took the blame it was perfect response. We can beat this team . In my opinion we have 3 good goalies people forget max has gotten the job done when has gotten the chance so im going to let the coaches figure that out.
I have a problem with the fact we don’t get traffic in front of Fowler if I was still playing and he pulled that bs of flapping his wings like a bird I would have told him the first shot will be up near your head . He was in our head we need to get in his that only happens if you get to the net and take his eyes away . I hope this series opened our eyes we have no friends on that team from October to April . On a side note I unfortunately had two interactions with security and bc police they were professional and very nice . But there was definitely some over serving and bc fan that smashed up my car was not drinking and it was just an unfortunate hit I was not present and he waited so not a good night for me .
We ride Yergy and he wins the next 3 and we face BC after getting swept. In some weird way I like our chances
Caron should be second string as long as 40 stands tall. No sentimentality; this is a business.
Only one game but can’t help but think our assertive play was the result of knowing the goalie was rock solid. I like the way he Square to puck. Nice glove too not a flopper.
Yegorov looked great. If he stops the puck like that, I say let him play with the orange equipment.
Okay, BC won the game with a free goal on home ice.
We have at least two more opportunities to revenge them in the Beanpot and Hockey East championship games.
GO BU!