Late power play goal pushes Eagles past BU

In a game where most of the goals came from special teams, a late power play goal by BC’s Ian McCoshen proved to be the game-winner as the Eagles defeated BU, 5-3, at Conte Forum. The first meeting of the season between the Commonwealth Avenue rivals featured five power play goals and a penalty shot.

BU’s best period was the first as it outshot the Eagles 7-5 and scored the only goal on a man advantage. Freshman Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson’s sixth goal on a wrist shot from the high slot followed a pair of “five-foot passes” from captain Matt Grzelcyk and Ahti Oksanen.

Early in the second period, Austin Cangelosi was tripped on a breakaway and the Eagle center converted a penalty shot.  BU retook the lead on the ensuing play as JFK was taken down behind the BC goal line, but on the delayed penalty call he managed to slide the puck to Oksanen at the corner of the net. The Finnish wing buried it for his 11^th goal of the season.

Exactly three minutes later, BC’s Zach Sanford backhanded home a rebound after Sean Maguire had made the initial save on a slapshot. Then, late in the period, BC’s Colin White scored a power play goal to give the home team its first lead, 3-2.

Both teams produced multiple scoring chances in an up-and-down third period before the Terriers scored the equalizer at 15:48 on another power play. Freshman Charlie McAvoy set up assistant captain Matt Lane in the high slot for a one-timer that hit BC goalie Thatcher Demko and bounced into the net.   

Two minutes later, BC went on the final power play of the game and produced the game-winner as McCoshen’s blast from the point sailed past a screened Maguire. An empty-net goal, also from McCoshen, closed the scoring.

Despite the closely played game, Coach David Quinn expressed his dissatisfaction with BU’s performance:

“A frustrating loss. I thought we took a step back. I thought we were slow. I thought we were soft … just way too many odd-man rushes, and just not an awful lot to like about our game tonight.”

► With his goal and assist, Oksanen reached the career 100-point mark. He is the third European player to reach that milestone at BU, joining Tommi Degerman and Petteri Koskiimaki.

► Along with Oksanen, JFK and assistant captain Danny O'Regan had two-point nights.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

● Video highlights

● Post-game comments: Quinn

● Daily Free Press recap and analysis

● Boston Hockey Blog Pluses & Minuses

● USCHO recap

● SB Nation recap

Looking ahead

2016 recruit Chad Krys scored a power play goal to bring the NTDP U18s even with Waterloo, but the Black Hawks won the game in overtime, 4-3. Clayton Keller assisted on Krys’s goal.

2017 recruit David Farrance and 2018 recruit Logan Cockerill registered assists in the NTDP U17s’ 6-4 win against Muskegon.

2016 recruit Dante Fabbro scored his 10^th goal of the season as first-place Penticton defeated Merritt, 6-2, in BCHL action. The right-shot blueliner has a 10-36-46 scoring line in 30 games.

Women’s Team

Terriers are in Burlington, Vt., for a two-game series against the Vermont Catamounts. Both the Saturday and Sunday games start at 2 p.m. ET and will be streamed on CatamounTV.

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats