Saturday, February 10, 2024

Five-goal second period powers BU past Merrimack

 

Behind Jack Harvey’s first two career goals—scored 27 seconds apart!—and a solid 60-minute effort, #3 Terriers routed Merrimack, 7-1, to sweep the season series before a crowd of 5,404 at Agganis Arena. They'll now turn their attention to Monday’s Beanpot final against Northeastern.

With goals from each of the top three lines, BU broke open the game with a five-goal second period after Dylan Peterson had given the home team a 1-0 lead late in the opening period. Second period scorers were Macklin Celebrini, Case McCarthy, Jeremy Wilmer and Harvey twice.

Mathieu Caron, solid in goal again saving 15 of 16 shots, got the final eleven minutes of the game off, as freshman Max Lacroix saw his first regular-season action.

The win enabled BU to maintain a one-point lead over BC in the Hockey East race.

“I’m really happy with our group tonight,” BU head coach Jay Pandolfo said. “I thought we were focused right from the start. It took us a little bit to get inside of them. in front of their goalie. We were good in the first period, but we missed the net a lot.”

Commenting on his team producing seven 5-on-5 goals, he explained, “I think we’re doing a better job of getting to the net, getting pucks to the net and recovering pucks. Second chances, third chances. That when we’re really good and that’s where you’re going to score more even-strength goals…We’re doing a better job of sustaining offense.”

Both teams produced seven shots on goal in the opening period, although BU had a decided edge in attempts, 22-13. Celebrini nearly broke the ice midway through the period with strong individual effort, stickhandling through defenders to the net front before hoisting a shot just over the cage.

Terriers finally got on the board with 1:24 remaining. Lane Hutson retrieved a puck below the Warriors’ goal line, drawing a crowd, and dropped it to Peterson in the left circle. The senior wing feinted a move toward the middle to create space and then wired a shot that beat Zach Borgiel high to the glove side. It was his seventh goal.

BU doubled the lead four minutes into the middle period. Devin Kaplan handed off the puck to Lane Hutson skating down the left boards. He cut into the left circle, again attracting several defenders, and set up Celebrini in the high slot for a one-timer that became his 22nd goal.

McCarthy’s goal, his second, was scored at 6:54. The Terrier captain traded passes with Wilmer, then cranked a one-timer from center point that sailed past Borgiel, who was screened by Peterson. Nick Zabaneh had the second assist.

Midway through the period, BU killed off a penalty for slashing on Gavin McCarthy, but three seconds after it expired, Mark Hillier rifled a shot from the left circle the beat Caron to the glove side.

Then, in the final two minutes, BU scored three more to double its total to six and build a five-goal lead. On a three-on-two rush, Jack Hughes skated into the offensive zone and feathered a pass to Harvey who was behind the defense. Freezing Borgiel with a subtle move, he tucked the puck through the five-hole for his first collegiate tally. Hughes retrieved the milestone puck for his linemate. Case McCarthy had the secondary assist.

Just 27 seconds later Harvey struck again. Hughes intercepted a Merrimack clearing attempt at the left point. He slid the puck to Celebrini who one-touched it through a defender, sending Harvey in alone. He calmy wristed it home stick side for a 5-1 lead.

BU wasn’t done, scoring its sixth goal on a 3-on-1 rush. Wilmer dropped the puck back to Ryan Greene, then took a return pass at the left post, which he converted for his fourth of the season.

BU stayed on the attack in the third period, pouring another 19 shots on goal. Meanwhile, they limited the Warriors to just one shot for the first 8:48 of the period, at which point Pandolfo replaced Caron with Lacroix. The former Governor’s Academy standout stopped all six shots he faced including this beauty:

Terriers would put one more on the board late in the period when Ty Gallagher rifled a pass from the circle in the BU zone to the Merrimack blueline, springing Quinn Hutson on a breakaway. He closed to 15 feet and ripped a low shot to the glove side for his 11th of the season and a 7-1 margin.

“I like the way we played in the third. We didn’t give up much,” Pandolfo said. “We could have scored probably six or seven more goals. Their goalie made some really good saves.”

Regarding Harvey, who has two goals and two assists in the past three games, Pandolfo said, “I can’t give him enough credit for how he’s handled himself this year,” Pandolfo said about Harvey. “For really not getting much of an opportunity at all, to just keep working, keep doing the right things, be a really good teammate and now taking advantage of the opportunity, but that’s not always easy.”

                                     Photo credit Gracie Davenport

"He's making it very easy for me to make sure that he's out there playing for us because he's helping us win hockey games," Pandolfo continued. "He’s a good fit with Macklin because he has a lot of composure with the puck. He can make plays. He can play a give-and-go game. He’s good on the wall. He can play either wing position. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Celebrini and Harvey were high-scoring teammates--and frequent line mates--last year for the Chicago Steel.

Pandolfo also offered praise for the third line combination of Zabaneh, Peterson and Wilmer. The unit generated three goals and created scoring opportunities throughout the game.

Celebrini now has points in 11 of his last 12 games beginning with first Merrimack game on Dec. 1, producing 13 goals and six assists. In nine of the 12 games, he's registered two points, including the past four.  

The freshman phenom is second in Hockey East in both goals (22) and points (41). Among first-year skaters, he's the national leader in goals and second in points.

With two assists, Lane Hutson is the national points leader (35) among defensemen and is second in goals with 10. He has points in 10 of his last 12 games, registering two goals and 17 assists over that stretch.

● GoTerriers.com recap and box score

● Highlights and post-game comments from Pandolfo and Harvey

● Boston Hockey Blog Terriers dominate Merrimack behind Jack Harvey’s two goals


Beanpot 2024

Terriers are back in the Beanpot championship game on Monday, facing defending champion Northeastern. BU will look to hoist the silver trophy for the 32nd time. 

In case you missed is earlier in the week, BU alumni and friends are invited to Beanpot Watch Parties in 17 locations throughout the nation. Details and registration information are here.

Looking ahead

At the Five Nations tournament in Plymouth, Michigan, 2024 recruit Cole Eiserman scored twice and fellow recruit Cole Hutson had a goal and an assist to power Team USA to a 6-2 win over Czechia. Eiserman's 37th and 38th goals of the season give him 107 career tallies, second to Cole Caulfield's program record of 126.

With his two points, Hutson has 104 career points. He moves past Cam York and is seven shy of JD Forrest's program record. This season he has 36 points (11G,25A) in 40 games.

Undefeated after three games, the U.S. will meet Sweden Saturday for the tournament championship. 

►At the U17 Five Nations in Czechia, Team USA dropped a 6-3 decision to Sweden. 2025 recruit Jack Murtagh scored his 12th goal and has 29 points tied for third on the team.

2025 recruit Jack Pridham's third period goal brought West Kelowna even with Cranbrook, but the Warriors fell to the Bucks, 2-1 in overtime. With a 15-21-36 scoring line, he's second in points among first-year BCHL skaters.

Women's Team

Terriers dropped a 3-1 decision to Maine at Walter Brown Arena. Trailing 2-0 in the second, BU cut the lead in half on a Luisa Welcke goal. BU outshot Maine in the final period,14-5, but the Black Bears scored the only goal for the 3-1 final score. 

● GoTerriers.com recap and box score

● Highlights

● Post-game comments Coach Tara Watchorn 

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