These are the types of games the Boston University men’s hockey team simply can’t afford to lose.
Not anymore. Not with BU sitting at 20th in the NPI — six spots off the projected cutline for the NCAA tournament — over half of the way through its season.
And for 30 minutes at Agganis Arena on Friday night, the Terriers at last looked like they would take care of business, leading 2-0 and controlling a fraught UMass Lowell team. Then somehow, by the end of the second, BU trailed the River Hawks 3-2.
Jack Harvey (who scored on the power play and the penalty kill) tied it at 3 in the third with a shorthanded tally. But BU couldn’t win it in regulation, and after star sophomore Cole Hutson took a hooking penalty right after overtime began, the Terriers were lacking their most dangerous player for two minutes in the extra frame.
UML freshman Nate Misskey took advantage with a wraparound goal to win it. With the loss, BU only fell to 23rd in the NPI as of moments after the game. Between Friday and an earlier home loss to Vermont, the Terriers have lost crucial ground against Hockey East’s two worst teams.
It started with a shorthanded goal from UML junior defenseman Sean Kilcullen, who blasted a slapshot past Mikhail Yegorov for his second career goal in his 56th game. Fair enough. That didn’t feel like cause for alarm. Then BU freshman defenseman Charlie Trethewey lost the battle for a loose puck in the neutral zone, and UML senior Connor Eddy walked into a breakaway chance, which he slotted past Yegorov to tie the game. With 16 seconds left in the frame, BU junior Aiden Celebrini took a cross-checking penalty, River Hawks’ assistant captain Jack Vaarwerk scored on the ensuing power play, and the Terriers limped into the second intermission staring at an unimaginable loss.
Those three goals were scored in six minutes of game time, from a UML group (8-13-0, 4-7-0 HE) averaging 2.5 goals per whole game. Yegorov (18 saves), whose performances were finally improving, was pulled for junior Max Lacroix to begin the third.
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
A putrid loss that BU couldn’t have.
While the Terriers appeared close to the NCAA tournament cutline after vaulting seven spots in the NPI with Monday’s win at Harvard, they were always another bad loss from falling out of striking distance again.
Well. UMass Lowell at home certainly qualifies.
BU is still above .500 and has beaten quality opponents this year. But Jay Pandolfo’s team has also failed to take care of business all season against poor opposition. Even when the Terriers have won, they haven’t put together the dominant performances Pandolfo grew so used to over his first three seasons.
With a gauntlet of a remaining schedule in Hockey East (including arch-rival Boston College three times), the Terriers needed to sweep the ninth-place River Hawks. After the series-opening loss, BU has forced itself to go on a late run — in a league famous for not allowing those — if it wants an at-large bid to the tournament.
Before Friday, the December home loss to Vermont looked like a blunder BU might come to seriously regret. After Friday, the Terriers have another. — Sam Robb O’Hagan
The power play needs to step up.
BU generated its first powerplay goal since they skated at Madison Square Garden against Cornell on Nov. 29. For a short stint of time tonight, the powerplay seemed to be a bright spot for the Terriers whose conversion rate on the powerplay sat at .162 heading into this weekend series, sitting at 45th in the country.
But just minutes later the Terriers reminded everyone why the powerplay has struggled. On BU’s second powerplay opportunity UMass Lowell kept BU to the outside, permitting them from putting up quality chances on net. As freshman defender Charlie Tretheway attempted to keep a pass inside the BU offensive zone, senior forward Connor Eddy caused a turnover at the blue line and on a breakaway opportunity buried the puck past Yegerov.
When UMass Lowell was called for holding at 12:33 in the third, the Terriers could not generate a single quality chance on the man advantage, and the River Hawks went on numerous out-man rushes.
With 3:25 remaining in regulation, the River Hawks were dealt a bench penalty for too-many-men on the ice. The Terriers powerplay struggles culminated in a breakaway opportunity by sophomore defensemen Cole Hutson. Hutson attempted to connect back with Bednarik, going for a grade A drop pass, but Bednarik completely missed the pass and caused a turnover.
For a team that had a 28.1 percent conversion rate on the power play last season — good for fourth in the country — the Terriers have a long way to go to winning the special teams battle. — Hannah Connors
BU’s new fourth line impressed.
When Ryder Ritchie left Medicine Hat (WHL) for BU, he hardly expected to find himself on the Terriers’ fourth line. But the freshman (4-8-11) simply hadn’t played very well this season when Pandolfo sent him down to join Morello and sophomore Nick Roukounakis on Monday at Harvard.
But give credit to Ritchie. He looked more engaged in the win over the Crimson and continued that momentum Friday, supplying an impressive secondary assist for Morello’s opening goal (it was Ritchie’s first point since Nov. 21). The Terriers had lacked cohesion and rhythm for most of the first. That changed when Ritchie, defenseman Sascha Boumedienne and Morello combined for a tic-tac-toe play (Boumedienne couldn’t get a shot off from the slot, but the puck fell back to Morello, who blasted it home from below the circle). Ritchie also had the primary assist on Harvey’s power-play goal (more on that below).
When Tynan Lawrence arrived, there was an odd man out in BU’s top six. That — for now — turned out to be Ritchie. But in his new role? He’s looked much more like the player the Terriers thought they were getting. — Robb O’Hagan