Saturday, March 14, 2026

UPDATED: Game Day: Stayin' Alive--Terriers and Huskies in QF Showdown; All-Hockey East honors for Hutson, McCarthy

      

Game day graphic featuring posed photo of Nick Roukounakis on the ice. BU vs. third-seeded UConn, Hockey East quarterfinal, March 14, 1 PM, at Toscano Family Ice Forum on NESN+ and ESPN+ 

Terriers are in Storrs today to take on the UConn Huskies in the Hockey East quarterfinals. For BU this must-win game is step #2 in the daunting four-game gauntlet they need to run in order to return to the NCAA tournament. Puck drop at the Toscano Family Forum is at 1 p.m. today with NESN+ broadcasting and ESPN+ providing the live stream.

To keep their season alive, the #6 seed Terriers need to claim a road win against #3 seed Connecticut.  The teams met twice in October, splitting the series. The Huskies doubled up BU, 8-4, at Agganis Arena, followed by a 3-1 Terrier road win paced by two goals from Jack Harvey and 25 saves by Mikhail Yegorov.

Mick Frechette skating next to a UConn player   

                     Photo credit Brendan Carpenter 

A year ago, UConn knocked BU out of the Hockey East playoffs with a 5-2 win in the semifinals. 

From BU Hockey Stats: Oddsmakers give BU a 43.69% chance of skating past UConn and heading to TD Garden for the Hockey East semifinals. (Based on 100K simulations using KRACH).

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An 8-2-0 run in December and November had the Huskies in contention for first place in the conference. Since then, they're 3-4-7, including a sweep at the hands of BC and last Saturday's 3-1 loss to #1 seed Providence.  

Familiar names Ryan Tattle (30 points), Jake Richard (26) and All-American Joey Muldowney (25) lead UConn's offense, while goalie Tyler Muszelik brings a 2.17 GAA and a .929 save percentage.  

For BU, Cole Eiserman, with six goals and four assists, and Harvey, with four goals and an assist have driven BU's offense over the past five games, while Tynan Lawrence has three helpers in the last four contests. Cole Hutson and Gavin McCarthy have kicked it up from the blueline while Yegorov has allowed just one goal in three of his last four outings (See Hockey East All-Star news below).   

 

                   TODAY'S TERRIER LINEUP

Sacha Boisvert returns to the lineup centering Jack Murtagh and Ryder Ritchie. 

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● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, BUAll-Access (audio), BU Men's Hockey Twitter

● Live stream ESPN+

● BU Hockey Stats Vermont review and UConn preview

● College Hockey News Hockey East Quarterfinal Preview 

● College Hockey News Tale of the Tape 

● Boston Hockey Blog Cole Eiserman is back and just in time 

● Boston Hockey Blog How Tynan Lawrence helped keep BU’s season alive: ‘He cares so much about winning’

● Boston Hockey Blog Analysis: Despite advancing past Vermont, BU's days are numbered

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Cole Hutson and Gavin McCarthy, the Terriers' top defensive pair, have been named to the All-Hockey East Teams. Hutson repeats as a first-team all-star, while McCarthy is a third-team all-star as well as runner-up for the conference's top defensive defenseman.

Action photo of Cole Hutson next to action photo of Gavin McCarthy  

                Photo credit Eliza Nuestro 

With 32 points, Hutson is tied with fellow first-teamer Maine's Brandon Holt for most points by a conference blueliner, while Hutson leads the pack with 10 goals. Last year's National and Hockey East Rookie of the Year and a first-team All-American, Hutson is tied for the national lead in game-winning goals by defensemen with four. He also leads BU in time on ice, averaging 25:37/game, and is plus 14.

McCarthy, serving as team captain, has set new career marks in goals (4), assists (17) and points (21). Like Hutson, he is plus 14 and averaged 25:02 in TOI. With his two assists in the opening round win against Vermont, McCarthy has nine points (2G,7A) in the last eight games.

● GoTerriers. Hutson, McCarthy named Hockey East All-Stars 

● Hockey East names 2025-26 Men's All-Star Teams 

Looking ahead 

2027 recruit Egor Shilov scored his 31st goal and assisted on three other tallies, but Victoriaville was edged by Drummondville, 6-5. With 82 points in 60 games, he is fifth in the QMJHL in points and first among league rookies. 

2027 recruit Carter Meyer's unassisted shorthanded goal proved to be the game-winner in the NTDP U18s' 5-3 win against Madison. Meyer, who began the season with the U17s, now has a combined 25-29-54 scoring line in 55 games. Fellow recruit Jamie Glance scored his 17th goal. The right wing from New Hampshire has 40 points in 47 games. 

2027 recruit Braidy Wassilyn's 18th goal was the game-winner in London's 4-3 win against Guelph. The 5'11" wing has 44 points in 58 games.

Looking back

Drew Commesso turned aside 29 shots--including three by former Terrier teammate Domenic Fensore--to lead Rockford to a 4-1 win over Chicago.  

 

 

 

 

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Thursday, March 12, 2026

UPDATED: Cole-fired power play sends BU past Vermont; Playoff odds posted

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In a win-or-go-home opening-round playoff game, BU's power play came out of hibernation and led the Terriers to a 4-1 win over a determined Vermont team at Agganis Arena. It was usual suspects--Cole Eiserman and Cole Hutson--delivering on the power play with Eiserman also adding a second goal and Jack Harvey capping the scoring with an empty-netter.

With the win, the #6 seed Terriers move on to the conference quarterfinals and a Saturday meeting with #3 seed UConn in Storrs. Game time will be 1 p.m. BU will make its 16th consecutive appearance in the Hockey East quarterfinals.

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                    Graphic provided by BU Hockey Stats 

BU scored three times in the final period after a lackluster middle period that featured several neutral ice turnovers and failed clearing attempts as well as UVM's only tally. 

Extended highlights 

"At the end of the day," said Coach Jay Pandolfo. "it's a huge win. We had to win tonight and we did. Credit to the guys. I thought Big Mike was excellent tonight, especially in the second [period] when they had a few more chances."

Mikhail Yegorov turned aside 25 shots including a dozen in the middle period. 

With birthday boy Jack Parker and Macklin Celebrini looking on, the Terriers dominated the first period in both shots (10-4) and possession, however they weren't rewarded until a Catamount penalty put BU on the man-advantage. Gavin McCarthy passed to Hutson crossing the blueline and he closed to the top of the left circle, drawing a pack of Catamounts before finding Eiserman in his office for a one-timer.It was his 17th of the season and marked five consecutive games with a goal for the Islanders' draft pick. 

The Catamounts knotted the score early in the second period. Yegorov made a save moving to his right and when he had some difficulty regaining his position, Jens Richards attempted a wrap-around. His shot went off Hutson's skate and into the Terrier goal. 

Midway through the period, McCarthy took a pass from Hutson and skated to the crease. His shot ended up in the net; however a challenge by the visitors and a review showed that Owen McLaughlin had directed the puck in with his skate and the goal was disallowed.

Minutes later Hutson had a grade A chance that ended up in goalie Aiden Wright's glove. 

The third period began with Vermont having the better chances, but that changed seven minutes in. Tynan Lawrence blocked a Vermont clearing attempt, muscled past a defender and controlled the puck. His centering pass found Eiserman all alone just outside the crease and he easily snapped the puck past Wright for the eventual game-winner.  

Of Eiserman's 43 goals over two seasons, 31 have been scored at Agganis Arena. (H/T to our friend BU Hockey Stats). 

It was still a one-goal game when BU went back on the power play at 12:24. They needed just 12 seconds to cash in. Hutson took a pass from McCarthy, closed to the top of the left circle and wired a shot past Wright, thanks in part to Kamil Bednarik's screen.  It was his 10th goal, the most of any Hockey East defenseman.

A penalty to Eiserman with less than five minutes remaining offered a chance for UVM to cut into the lead, but BU killed off the 6-on-4 power play with Wright pulled for an extra skater. Just as the penalty ended,  Harvey scored from the red line, assisted by Bednarik. It was his fourth goal in the last five games and his 13th of the season. 

BU has the most wins all-time in the Hockey East Tournament with an 83-45-1 record.  

Sophomore Sacha Boisvert, who has indicated he will turn pro with Chicago after the season, was not in the lineup last night. Pandolfo told the media: "I wouldn't necessarily say he was a healthy scratch. He just wasn't available tonight. I'm going to leave it at that."    

● GoTerriers.com recap and box score 

● Highlights and Postgame Pandolfo/Eiserman/Lawrence 

● Boston Hockey Blog BU tops Vermont 4-1 to advance to Hockey East quarterfinals: Takeaways 

● Boston Hockey Blog How Tynan Lawrence helped keep BU’s season alive: ‘He cares so much about winning’

 

● Boston Hockey Blog Terrier Hockey Talk post-game podcast 

● BU Hockey Stats Advanced analytics 

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►►Following the season's final home game, Agganis Arena PA announcer Nick Bove revealed he is leaving for a new career opportunity. He had been the HAA announcer for the past eight seasons.  

 

Looking ahead

2026 recruit Caleb Malhotra is among the top scorers in the OHL and is considered a potential top five pick for the NHL Draft in June. He was interviewed on The Prospect Don podcast. 

 

Looking back 

Trevor Zegras scored his 22nd goal in the Flyers' 4-1 win against Washington. 

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