Saturday, January 03, 2026

UPDATED Game Day Exhibition vs. Simon Fraser; U.S. falls in QFs; Olympic Team rosters; Women edge Quinnipiac in Belfast

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 #19 Terriers kick off second semester with an exhibition game against Canada's Simon Fraser University, who is making its second visit to Agganis Arena. Puck drop is at 5 p.m. ET with ESPN+ providing the live stream.

Game preview from our friend, BU Hockey Stats:

The Terriers enter 2026 after a thrilling win to close out Boston (Matthews) Arena on December 13th (4-3). Brandon Svoboda had two goals in the game, including the game winner. After a rough start to the season, BU has won 4 of its last 5. BU will most likely be without the Coles—Eiserman and Hutson, Kamil Bednarik, and Sascha Boumedienne as all four are playing for their countries at the World Juniors.

Simon Fraser has played 8 games vs. NCAA teams this season, losing 7 and recording a shootout win vs. Alaska on November 8th. The Red Leafs are led by forward Walker Erickson, who leads the team with 7 goals and 9 points. Defenseman Tanner Dawkins leads the team in assists with 5.

The last time the teams faced off was January 5th, 2024. Gavin McCarthy scored the only Terriers goal in the 1-1 shootout win for BU. 

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● GoTerriers.com preview, Live Stats, BU All-Access (audio); BU Men's Hockey Twitter  

● Live Stream ESPN+  

World Junior Championship

Team USA's quest for a gold-medal three-peat ended with a 4-3 overtime loss to Finland, reversing the outcome of last year's WJC title game. The U.S. had taken a 2-1 lead on goals by Cole Huston, who returned to action after missing the past two games with an injury, and Cole Eiserman. The Finns stormed back to take a 3-2 lead in the third period before the U.S. tied the game with two minutes left in regulation.

Hutson opened the scoring just 35 seconds into the second period. Kamil Bednarik rushed the puck into the offensive zone and set up Hutson for a rip from the top of the left circle that went in off the post, beating Petteri Rimpimen to the blocker side.   

Finland knotted the score minutes later.  Then, with the U.S. on a power play, Eiserman notched his second tally of the tournament. Hutson skated the puck in from the point, attracting the attention for all four penalty-killers before sending a cross-ice pass to Eiserman in his right-circle office. His one-timer flew over Rimipinen's shoulder on the glove side for a 2-1 lead. 

With his goal and assist, Hutson set new Team USA career records for most WJC points by a defenseman with 15 and most assists by a defenseman with 11. 

A deeply disappointed Hutson, who had led the U.S. in scoring a year ago, addressed the media after the game.    

“I don’t want to really comment too much on what [the injury] was but it wasn’t good, I can tell you that," Hutson said. "I rushed myself back but didn’t do enough to help the team win. I don’t have a gold medal around my neck.

“I could have scored a goal in overtime. Could have done plenty of things better."

● USA Hockey Finland Skates to 4-3 Overtime Victory Against U.S. in World Juniors Quarterfinals

● NHL.com  WJC roundup: U.S. falls to Finland in OT 

● FloHockey.tv recap and analysis 

 

Sweden won its quarterfinal game, doubling up Latvia, 6-3. Sascha Boumedienne gave the Tre Kroner a 3-1 lead early in the middle period with a booming slapshot from just above the right circle.      

Sweden will take on Finland in one semifinal on Sunday while Canada faces Czechia in the other semi. Schedule.

● IIHF.com  Sweden eliminates Latvia

Women's Team

At the Friendship Series in Belfast, Terriers rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie #8 Quinnipiac and then claim victory in the shootout. With the win, BU will face Harvard, a 3-2 overtime winner over #5 Minnesota-Duluth, in today's Belpot championship game. The game, which begins at 2 p.m. ET, can be seen on the Belfast Giants' YouTube Channel.

Sydney Healy, who leads BU in points, scored both goals in regulation and Lilli Welcke provided the shootout winner.

Midway through the second period, Healy fired home the rebound of Kaleigh Quigg's initial shot with Clara Yuhn also assisting.   

BU knotted the score at 11:37 of the third period on a 3-on-2 rush. Healy took a pass from Tessa Demain and fired a shot from the left circle that sailed past the Bobcat netminder's glove. Yuhn recorded the second assist.

Following a scoreless overtime, Welcke scored the only goal in the shootout, while Terrier goalie Mari Pietersen stopped all three Quinnipiac attempts. She finished the game with 36 saves, stopping the last 22 shots she faced. 

● GoTerriers recap and box score 

● Post-game: Coach Tara Watchorn  

● Boston Hockey Blog BU women’s hockey rallies from behind against Quinnipiac, earns a crack at Belpot trophy  

 

Looking back

The United States Olympic Hockey Team was revealed Friday with five Terriers on the 25-man roster. Jack Eichel, Charlie McAvoy and Brady Tkachuk had been named to the squad in June and they're now joined by Clayton Keller and Jake Oettinger.

BU also figures prominently in the team's coaching staff and management. Head coach Mike Sullivan will be assisted by John Hynes and David Quinn, while Chris Drury and Chris Kelleher are part of the management team. 

With Macklin Celebrini named to Team Canada's roster earlier in the week, BU will have six Olympians, the second most in program history behind the seven Terriers selected to Team USA in 1992. 

● GoTerriers.com Five Terriers Named to U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team

● NHL.com United States roster for 2026 Winter Olympics includes, Keller, Jones 

● ESPN.com Grading the 2026 Olympic rosters, plus snubs and surprises 

● The Athletic Team USA announces men’s hockey roster for 2026 Olympics: Snubs, surprises and expectations   


►On the heels of being named AHL Rookie of the Month, Quinn Hutson has been recalled to Edmonton.  With 32 points, he leads all AHL rookies and is tied for sixth overall in scoring. Hutson had scored his first NHL goal in an earlier call-up by the Oilers. 

Hutson has three goals and an assist since returning from his first call-up, including a pair of goals in a New Year's Eve Condors' win over Coachella Valley. 

Looking ahead

2026 recruit Tynan Lawrence scored his 10th goal and then tallied the shootout game-winner as Muskegon edged Cedar Rapids, 3-2.  Lawrence has 16 points in 12 games. A top prospect for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, he will participate in the Chipotle All-American Game on January 15.  

2027 recruit Carter Meyer scored his 13th goal in the NTDP U17s' 7-4 loss to Sioux City. He leads the U17s in scoring with 32 points in 31 games.

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