Saturday, February 15, 2025

UPDATED: Saturday Game Day; Friars stymie Terriers; Women edge New Hampshire



 

 

 Devin Kaplan playing hockey

Call it a Beanpot hangover or just being outworked and outhustled. Either way, the step forward taken at TD Garden Monday was followed by a step backward at Schneider Arena as #9/8 BU was doubled up by #7 Providence Friday Night.

Terriers missed an opportunity to gain ground on the two team they’re trailing in the Hockey East standings. BC dropped a 3-2 decision to UMass, while Maine tied New Hampshire 1-1. 

“I liked the first five or six minutes of the game,” Coach Jay Pandolfo said, “and then we got away from it. They ended up getting that goal, Connelly scored that goal, and seemed like we just got away from playing a more direct game.”

The loss did not feature the slow start that has plagued BU in recent games. They were moving the puck well and limiting good scoring chances over the first six or seven minutes. Then, Trevor Connolly raced past Kamil Bednarik and Brehdan Engum before whipping a wrist shot past Mikhail Yegorov on the blocker side. 

At that point, the Friars switched from passive defense to an aggressive forecheck which quickly threw the Terriers off their game. Then at 11:30 after some sustained pressure in the BU zone, Chase Yoder stripped Ryan Greene behind the Terrier cage and his wrap-around shot went through Yegorov’s five-hole before he could get his goal stick down.

A early second period power play provided a chance for the Terriers to cut into the Providence lead—which they did, needing just nine seconds. Tom Willander set up Greene’s one-time blast from the left circle. It was his 12th tally of the season. Quinn Hutson had the second assist. 

But just 20 seconds later, Providence answered. Yegorov made an initial save but as he attempted to cover the puck, it was tapped into the crease where a lunging Hudson Malinowski slid the puck home for a 3-1 lead.

Late in the period Alex Bales made it 4-1 when his sharp angle shot from the left board beat Yegorov. At that point, Pandolfo replaced the freshman with senior Mathieu Caron. 

He later explained, “Yegorov was off his game. That happens. He was just a little bit off, and I thought it was a good time to get him out and get Caron in there.”

Seven minutes into the third period John Mustard’s blast from the top of the right circle made it 5-1.

A mini-comeback for BU began with another power-play goal. This time it took just eight seconds to convert as Devin Kaplan re-routed Quinn Hutson’s centering pass. Kaplan’s eighth goal cut the deficit to 5-2. Willander recorded his second assist.

Two minutes later with BU on the penalty-kill, Kaplan took a pass from Gavin McCarthy, skated into the Friars’ zone, deked a defender and beat Philip Svedeback high to the glove side. The junior wing’s ninth goal pulled BU within two with 4:27 remaining. 

They’d get no closer. With Caron pulled for an extra attacker, Taige Harding fired a shot through traffic into the empty net. 

Both teams finished with 33 shots, but quality chances decidedly favored Providence.

● GoTerriers.com recap and box score

● Coach Pandolfo post-game

● Boston Hockey Blog Recap and Takeaways

Looking ahead
2025 recruit Conrad Fondrk, who returned to the NTDP U18 line-up after missing a month with an injury, scored a pair of goals, his 8th and 9th, as Team USA defeated Bowling Green, 6-4. Jack Murtagh’s 15th goal proved to be the game-winner. Charlie Trethewey recorded his 10th assist.

Neutral Zone offers this evaluation of 2026 recruit Luke Schairer. A 6’2", 186 lb., defenseman, he has 23 points (3G,20A) with the NTDP U17s. He also made two starts with the U18s.

Comments: This lanky right shot defenseman has great size and length. He was physically imposing, especially in front of his net and along the walls where he won the majority of his puck battles. He is mobile for a big defenseman and supremely confident with the puck. His combination of size, mobility, and offensive skills gave him the opportunity to play in all key offensive situations for the US team this week. His heavy shot gets through and he picked his spots well to join the rush and create chances as a secondary option. Schairer played the first unit powerplay with poise and showed offensive awareness in his game managing the blue line. He held pucks and let the play develop in transition and found his teammates moving with pace in transition. He projects as a confident, offensive-minded defenseman with a high ceiling. He seemed a bit over confident at times and this led to a handful of instances where he over-handled, even when he was last man back. A few turnovers turned into quality scoring chances going the wrong way. If he can clean up this area of his game he has the package to develop into a quality two way defender in the future. Reducing turnovers and improving his defensive awareness will be crucial for his development.


Women’s Team
#13/12 Terriers defeated New Hampshire, 2-1, at the Whittemore Center. They maintain their hold on first place in Hockey East and extended their margin over UConn to six points, after the Huskies lost to Providence.

BU received goals from Christina Vote in the opening period and Maggie Hanzel in the second period. The Wildcats cut the lead in half on a third-period power play.

Callie Shanahan stopped 21 shots to earn the win.

● GoTerriers.com recap and box score
● Post Game Coach Tara Watchorn /Hanzell
● Boston Hockey Blog recap

 

 

 

 

 

 

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