Saturday, November 01, 2025

No Halloween treats for BU: Men fall in OT; Women lose on late power-play goal

 

Hockey players in red and blue jerseys engage in play on ice rink with referee in black uniform nearby player in red jersey number 27 controls puck using stick while player in blue jersey number 12 in navy pants and white top with scarlet accents defends scoreboard displays BU 4 Final OT 5 Maine with team logos Boston University terrier silhouette and Maine black bear skyline graphic of city buildings in background text reads Boston University Mens Ice Hockey  

Despite holding one-goal leads four times, #5 Terriers lost to #12 Maine, 5-4 in overtime, at a packed Alfond Arena.

"It wasn't great," said Coach Jay Pandolfo. "Every time we took a lead we gave it right back. Our details aren't where we need them to be...We've got to do a better job of picking up guys around our net."  

While pleased with his team's penalty kill--a perfect five-for five--Pandolfo felt his team didn't play enough of a simple, north-south skating game and didn't match Maine's physical play. 

“We had too many passengers tonight from that standpoint,” he said. “I don’t think we’re stiff enough as a team.” 

After being out shot 5-1 in early going, BU opened the scoring at 3:15 on Cole Hutson's third goal. Mick Frechette broke up a play in the neutral zone and John McNelis carried the puck across the Maine blue line. He dished the puck to Hutson, racing through the left circle, for a quick finish past Albin Boija

On the ensuing face off, Maine fired a long shot that Mikhail Yegorov was able to block but sent it into the high slot. The Black Bears' top scorer Justin Poirer snapped a shot that beat Yegorov high to the blocker side. A Maine skater appeared to make contact with the goalie on the play, but after a review, the goal stood. 

Terriers then scored the game's only power-play goal, taking just nine seconds to connect. The puck came back to Hutson then went to Owen McLaughlin who passed to Ryder Ritchie with his back to the goalie. The freshman wing quickly whipped a backhander behind Boija for his third goal of the season. 

With Maine on a power play late in the period, Yegorov stoned Jaden Lipinski who came flying down the weak side, unmarked. But that play, used multiple times by Maine, would come back to haunt the Terriers.

At the seven-minute mark of the second period, after BU killed a penalty, Maine knotted the score. Sully Scholle redirected a long shot between his own legs, and through Charlie Trethewey's and Yegorov's. 

BU took the lead for a third time late in the period. Aiden Celebrini kept the puck in the offensive zone, getting it to Merrill for a shot blocked by a defenseman. Jack Murtagh collected the loose puck and sent it across the goalmouth to Merrill who backhanded it over a fallen Boija for his first collegiate goal.  

The Black Bears responded quickly again. With the home team on the rush, BU failed to cover Owen Fowler on the weak side and he beat Yegorov to make it three apiece.

Terriers took the lead for a fourth--and final--time early in the third period. Sacha Boisvert's shot attempt from the left boards was blocked, but Jack Harvey sent the puck cross ice to Boumedienne for a one-timer from the right circle that knuckled over Boija's shoulder. It was the sophomore's second goal. 4-3. 

Poirer scored his second goal of the game, at the seven-minute mark, when a shot went off the end boards and he beat the defense for it, scoring from along the goal line.

Consecutive penalties to Maine in the final five minutes of the period gave BU 3:18 of power play, including 42 seconds of a two-man advantage. Terriers fired seven shots on Boija and the Swedish netminder stopped each one. 

In overtime, BU had the first possession but failed to put a shot on goal. Maine took possession, sped up ice and again got the puck to an unmarked skater on the weak side, Braden Holt, who slid a backhander through Yegorov's five hole for the game-winner.

Yegorov stopped 30 shots while Boija turned aside 24. 

● GoTerriers.com recap and box score

● Post-game Pandolfo

● Boston Hockey Blog recap

The teams meet again Saturday evening at 7:30. Game Day links are in the GoTerriers.com recap. 

 

Looking ahead

2027 recruit Carter Meyer scored a goal and assisted on two others in the NTDP U17s' 6-4 win over Canada White in a pre-tournament exhibition for the World U17 Challenge in Truro, Nova Scotia. 

 

Women's Team

Terriers dropped a 3-1 decision to Northeastern at Walter Brown Arena. The teams were tied at 1-1 from the midpoint of the second period to the final minute of regulation. The Huskies scored a power-play goal and added an empty-net tally for the victory. 

Clara Yuhn scored for BU in the first period. Goalie Michelle Pasiechnyk stopped 37 shots, keeping the Terriers in the game until the final minute. 

● GoTerriers.com recap and box score

 

Looking back 


                       Photo credit Glenn Staub 

Former BU captain and DHO Doug Friedman now is head coach of the new Division 3 Western Connecticut hockey team. In the team's inaugural game, the Wolves rallied to tie Albertus Magnus in the final minute of regulation before falling in overtime, 5-4. 

Friedman captained the 1993-94 Terriers to the national championship game before  begining a seven-year pro career that included NHL stints with Edmonton and Nashville.

  


 

 

 

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