Saturday, January 06, 2024

Terriers tie SFU, win shootout; Gold for Hutson, Silver for Willander

 

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                     Photo credit Matt Woolverton

#2 Terriers skated to a 1-1 overtime tie in an exhibition contest with Simon Fraser University, then won the shootout. Gavin McCarthy scored BU’s goal in regulation and also was the only skater to connect in the shootout.

Playing without 6 line-up regulars (Lane Hutson, Tom Willander and Macklin Celebrini were at the WJCs; Mathieu Caron, Sam Stevens and Aiden Celebrini had the night off), the Terriers domination of possession and shots was hardly reflected in the score. BU had a 3-to-1 edge in shots (47 vs. 15) and hit iron on five shots, including once in the final minutes of the third period. Attempts favored BU, 99 to 32.

Newly rostered goalie Max Lacroix was sharp in goal stopping 14 of 15 shots and displayed strong puck-handling skills, leading Coach Jay Pandolfo to tell the media, “I thought he was really good. He looked calm in the net, reads the play very well. It was great to see him actually in the shootout as well, he did a very good job there.”

Discussing the progress of freshman defenseman McCarthy, he added, "He’s come a long way from day one here, keeps getting better. Seems like he’s getting more confident, more comfortable with the puck. He’s making harder plays…He’s defending better with his stick, he’s transitioning better.” 

SFU goalie Kolby Matthews, who had played four seasons at RIT, was immense for the visitors with numerous robberies on point blank BU shots.

The Red Leafs struck first, scoring at 13:42 of the opening period when an unmarked Walker Erickson beat Lacroix from 10 feet out. Shots were 13-6 BU.

Despite having to kill a pair of penalties in the second period, BU had a 16-7 shot edge. Terriers finally on the board when Jack Hughes pulled a puck off the wall to Dylan Peterson in the right circle. The senior wing slid the puck to the left circle for McCarthy to one-time past Matthews.

Despite four power play opportunities in the third period, BU was unable to bury any of its 15 shots while limiting the Red Leafs to two. With neither team able to connect in overtime, it was on to the shootout.

After Jack Gorton and Thom Jarmen failed on attempts, as did three SFU skaters, McCarthy converted to deliver a win for the Terriers.

Terriers return to Hockey East action on Tuesday when they host Northeastern at Agganis.

● GoTerriers.com recap and box score

● Video highlights, Coach Jay Pandolfo postgame

 

World Junior Championships

Team USA scored three times in the third period to pull away from Sweden for a 6-2 win to claim the gold medal at the 2024 World Journal Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. Lane Hutson, who became the first BU defenseman to win gold since Charley McAvoy in 2017, was +3 and logged yet another team-leading 27:20 TOI. With six points and a +8 rating, he was named to the media’s All-Tournament Team.

Hutson also led the team in penalty minutes in the championship game with 12 as he came to the defense of teammate Jimmy Snuggerud and fought 6’4” Anton Johannson and getting the better of the skirmish.

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight. It’s the size of the fight in the dog.” --Mark Twain. Also Lane Hutson.

 

Following the game, Hutson spoke about the dust-up with Johansson: "People who watch me know that's not really my thing...I had to step up for Jim(my Snuggerud), he was getting a little 2-on-1, so I had to get in there."

For Team USA, it was their sixth gold medal with the most recent one two years ago when the squad included Trevor Zegras.

Tom Willander, Hutson's defense partner on the Terrier blueline, takes home a silver medal. He played 17:34 in the final and finished the tournament with three points (G,2A) and tied for the team lead in plus/minus with +9. Willander is eligible to play in next year’s WJCs

● USA Hockey recap , Video Highlights

● NHL.com recap; 10 Things Learned

●GoTerriers.com recap

● FloHockey.tv analysis

 

Looking ahead

2025 recruit Charlie Trethewey scored the NTDP U17s’ only goal in a 4-1 loss to Tri-City.  It was the 10th goal for the right-shot defenseman from Maryland who now has 29 points in 29 games and is the U17s’ leading scorer.

With an assist in the NTDP U18s’ 5-2 loss to Michigan State, 2024 recruit Cole Eiserman reached the 50-point mark (29G,21A).

2024 recruit Jack Pridham scored the first and last goals in West Kelowna's 5-0 blanking of Merritt. The 6'2" right wing scored his 12th goal just 39 seconds into the game, assisted by 2025 recruit Cal Hughes. Pridham fired home his 13th tally late in the third period. He has a 10-game point streak (6G,9A) for the Warriors.

●  Video highlights

Looking back

How many members of BU’s 2009 national championship team are still playing professional hockey? The answer is six. In addition to the Bruins’ Kevin Shattenkirk and the Rangers’ Nick Bonino:

Brandon Yip is in his fifth season as captain of Kunlun Red Star in the KHL. He also captained China’s Olympic team at the 2022 Games in Beijing

David Warsofsky is in his second season with the DEL’s Augsberger Panther and is serving as team captain. Currently he’s sidelined with an injury.

Vinny Saponari also is playing in the DEL, with Eispiraten Crimmitschau. Last season he was Warsofsky’s teammate with Augsburger

Corey Trivino also plays in Germany with Eisbären Regensburg and is the team’s top scorer with 23 goals

 

 

 

                                                                                        

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