After overcoming an 2-0 deficit, #5 Terriers gave up a tying goal in the third period and a buzz-beater in overtime as Merrimack defeated BU, 4-3 at Agganis Arena to sweep the home-and-home series. The loss, along with Northeastern’s win against Vermont, drops BU to second place in the Hockey East race, a point behind the Huskies.
Prior to tonight’s defeat, BU was 16-0-0 when leading after two periods. And it marked the first four-game losing streak for the Terriers since October and November of 2021.
An evenly played opening period turned Merrimack’s way when the Warriors scored two even-strength goals in a four-minute span. At 13:31 Matt Copponi redirected an Alex Jeffries shot past Drew Commesso. Then, at 17:41, Mick Messner, who had scored twice in Friday’s game, through a puck from the right boards that sneaked through Commesso for a 2-0 lead.
Looking to shift the momentum, Coach Jay Pandolfo replaced Commesso with Vinny Duplessis to begin the second period.
“Just a spark more than anything else,” Pandolfo explained. “Just one of those things where you try to get a spark for our team.”
The move paid dividends early in the period when Matt Brown intercepted a pass just inside the Warriors’ blueline. The senior wing deked around a defenseman and beat goalie Hugo Ollas high to the glove side for his 14th tally of the season.
BU pulled even on a power play midway through the period. Lane Hutson passed to Jeremy Wilmer in the right circle. He quickly found Ryan Greene for a one-timer from the high slot that flew past Ollas.
At 15:06 several matching penalties and a five-major on the Warriors gave BU an extended man-advantage and they needed every second to take the lead. As time ran down in the period, Jeremy Wilmer lugged the puck from the BU end deep into the Merrimack zone. He pulled up and dished the puck back to Lane Hutson, who skated to the right circle and wristed a shot that beat Ollas with less than a second left in the period. Duplessis picked up an assist on the goal, which was Hutson’s tenth, a new record for a BU freshman defenseman.
A Sam Stevens penalty gave Merrimack a power play just 11 seconds into the third period and the visitors would tie the scored on the rush. Duplessis stopped the initial shot by Ottovile Leppanen, but the rebound trickled into the crease and Ben Brar flipped it home.
BU would enjoy a 13-6 shot advantage in the third period, thanks in part to two more power plays, but was unable to take the lead.
“I know we scored two power play goals but at the end of the day,” Pandolfo explained. “I don’t think the power play was good enough. Having two late in the third, we just have to capitalize.”
In overtime BU had four shots on goal, including a Jay O’Brien breakaway foiled by Ollas. Merrimack would score on its only shot on goal. A delayed penalty gave the Warriors an extra attacker in the final seconds. After Lane Hutson had blocked one attempt, a pass bounced off Jeffries and Brar banged it home from the slot with just .01 left on the clock.
Assessing his team’s performance, Pandolfo said “I thought we started finding our game, there’s no question,” I thought tonight we definitely played a more desperate game so I was happy with that, obviously not happy with the result.”
● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Video highlights and Pandolfo Post-game comments
● Boston Hockey Blog recap
Looking ahead
tw-align-centerThe goal that made Steel history 🤩
— Chicago Steel (@ChicagoSteel) February 19, 2023
Macklin Celebrini is the first Steel player to score five goals in a game🔥#FeelSteel https://t.co/ikrL6iXNFV pic.twitter.com/zDEUmK0Jsf
2023 recruit Macklin Celebrini continues to tear up the USHL, scoring five goals on seven shots as Chicago defeated the NTDP U17s, 8-5. With 11 goals and three assists in his last four games, he leads the league in goals and points with a 35-26-61 line in 36 games. 2023 recruit Jack Harvey recorded his 23rd assists for the Steel. 2024 recruit Kamil Bednarik scored his 15th goal for the U17s, while classmate Cole Hutson assisted on a pair of goals, bringing his points total to 42.
● ChicagoSteel report
● All 5 Celebrini goal videos
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