Grzelcyk hat trick powers Terriers past UMass

Senior captain Matt Grzelcyk broke a 2-2 tie on a wrist shot from the left point and then added two more goals to power the #11 Terriers past UMass, 7-2, at Agganis Arena. The natural hat trick doubled the goal-scoring output for the All-American defenseman who has been limited to eight starts due to injuries.  Twelve Terriers had at least one point as BU improved its record to 11-6-3, with its third consecutive win.

 
As in the two previous wins, BU yielded the first goal when an unmarked Shane Walsh snapped a rebound past Sean Maguire, just 2:50 into the game. Freshman Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson tied the score late in the period when he corralled a puck behind the Minuteman goal line and banked it off netminder Alex Wakaluk. Midway through the second period, freshman Bobo Carpenter backhanded home the rebound of a Nikolas Olsson shot, completing a play that began with Carpenter rushing the puck down the left side and cutting to the net.

The visitors struck back exactly one minute later with Steven Iacobellis converted a centering pass at the top of the crease to even the score at two apiece. Just 20 seconds later, Grzelcyk bought himself space at the blueline and wristed a shot past Wakaluk— who was screened by junior Robbie Baillargeon—to put BU on top for good.  Still in the second period, Grzelcyk one-timed a Brandon Fortunato pass from the right point for a power play goal.

Just 18 seconds into the third period, Grzelcyk took a pass from assistant captain Danny O’Regan and blasted a 40-footer past Wakaluk, high to the glove side, to complete the hat trick. At 13:07, freshman Charlie McAvoy found Baillargeon at the bottom of the right circle for a wrist shot that upped the lead to 6-2.  Freshman Jordan Greenway closed out the scoring on a short-handed breakaway that he finished by beating Wakaluk to the stick side.

A very pleased Head Coach David Quinn said:  

“We were a little sluggish in the first five minutes. I thought we really started knuckling down and doing a much better job of managing the puck, playing the puck, and doing the job in our end. … Seven goals is great, but the thing I really like is we gave up five shots in the third period.”

Grzelcyk’s hat trick was the first by a BU defenseman since Ryan Whitney and Kevin Schaeffer achieved it in the same game against Yale on Nov. 30, 2003.
 
Game stars went to 1. Grzelcyk, 2., McAvoy, and 3. Baillargeon
 
Maguire, who earned his third consecutive win and fifth of the season, stopped 25 UMass shots.
 
BU’s penalty-killers, who limited UMass to just two shots on four power plays, have killed 16 of their opponents last 18 power plays.
 
Terriers dominated in the faceoff circle winning 38 of 61 draws, led by Forsbacka Karlsson who won 19 of 29.
 
Among the ex-Terriers at the game was 2009 national championship game Most Outstanding Player Colby Cohen. 

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Post-game comments: Quinn, Grzelcyk
● Daily Free Press recap and Grzelcyk feature
● Boston Hockey Blog Pluses & Minuses
● USCHO recap● SB Nation recap

Looking ahead

2018 recruit Jack DeBoer scored a goal for Salisbury in its 4-1 win against Deerfield.

2019 recruit Joel Farabee (photo) has a 29-44-73 scoring line in 42 games for Selects Academy at South Kent School.

Looking back

Nick Bonino shook off the effects of a disorienting hit and set up the game-winning goal as Pittsburgh defeated Montreal, 3-1.

● NHL.com recap and video.
● Pittsburgh Tribune recap

►Congratulations to Nick and his wife Lauren (former BU women's team standout Lauren Cherewyk) on the birth of their daughter Maisie!

Matt Nieto scored his fifth goal of the season—a shorthander—as San Jose thumped Toronto, 7-0.

● NHL.com recap and video

Charlie Coyle assisted on the game-winning goal in Minnesota’s 2-1 win against Dallas

● NHL.com recap and video

Women's Team

Terriers dropped a tough 4-3 decision to Boston College at Walter Brown Arena Saturday afternoon. First period goals by captain Kayla Tutino and Dakota Woodworth gave BU a 2-2 tie after the first 20 minutes and the Terriers took a 3-2 lead just a minute into the second on a short-handed goal by Rebecca Russo (photo). But BC’s Haley Skarupa, who accounted for all of her team’s goals, scored twice more in the second period to put the visitors in front for good.  Erin O’Neil stopped 26 shots for BU.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Daily Free Press recap