Terriers blank Vermont, 3-0

Goalie Sam Tucker stopped all 26 shots---including 10 during a five-minute major penalty—to lead BU past Vermont, 3-0, to open a home-and-home series at Agganis Arena. For the graduate transfer netminder, who also picked up an assist, it was his second shutout this season. Terriers received goals from Domenick Fensore, Patrick Harper and Patrick Curry.

When the puck hits the twine like a big pizza pie, that's Fen-sor-eeeee! pic.twitter.com/vdER4EzMMp

— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) November 23, 2019

Following an evenly played, but scoreless opening period, BU converted on a power play early in the second. David Farrance raced out of the BU end and sent Ethan Phillips flying down the right boards. The freshman forward got a step on his defender and centered a pass to the crease that Fensore finished for his first collegiate goal.

Here's the Harper goal, which also included Farrance's second helper of the night and Tuck's first collegiate point! #GoBU pic.twitter.com/NR4v8KO3w3

— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) November 23, 2019

Midway through the period, Harper took a pass from Farrance near the right point, circled to the left face-off dot and wristed a dart past Stefanos Lekkas, just under the bar, glove side. Tucker had the secondary assist. 

In the final seconds of the period, freshman Trevor Zegras drew a five-minute major and a game misconduct for contact with an opponent’s head. So, the Terriers began the final period short-handed for nearly five minutes and without their first-line center and a top penalty-killer. 

Tucker faced a barrage of Vermont shots, stopping all 10 and aided by Matt Quercia’s five blocked shots. After killing the major penalty, BU limited the Catamounts to just two shots during the final 15 minutes.  With Lekkas pulled in the final minute, Robert Mastrosimone trapped a puck at the BU blueline. Sam Stevens, who returned to the line-up, headmanned a pass to Patrick Curry for an empty-net goal to seal the win. Curry’s ninth goal ties Farrance for the team lead. 

With Head Coach Albie O’Connell sitting out a one-game suspension. Associate Head Coach Paul Pearl took the reins for the contest. Commenting on Farrance’s sixth multi-point game this season, Pearl said “David’s just so good with the puck. It’s not just the points either. He was really good on the penalty kill tonight.” 

He added, ““I thought tonight we did a really good job with the simple plays.”  

With 18 points, Farrance is tied for fourth in Division 1 scoring and first among blueliners. Harper is 10^th with 16 points. 

BU blocked 27 Catamount shots.  

The teams complete the two-game series today with puck drop at Agganis Arena at 4 p.m. The game airs on NESN and NESNgo and a live stream is available outside of New England on CBS All-Access. 

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score 

● Video highlights and post-game comments 

● Boston Hockey Blog Recap, Three TakeAways, 5 Moments

Looking ahead

2021 recruit Jeremy Wilmer scored his fifth goal in the NTDP U17s’4-3 overtime win against Sioux City. Tyler Boucher assisted on Wilmer’s tally and Roman Schmidt assisted on the overtime game-winner.
● USA Hockey recap 

2020 recruit Braden Doyle assisted on the game-winner in Dubuque’s 7-1 win against Waterloo. The defenseman from Lynnfield, Mass., has eight points (1G,7A). 

Looking back 
Adam Clendening scored his fourth goal in AHL Cleveland’s 5-3 win against Chicago. 

Women’s Team 
#11 Terriers head North to Vermont for a pair of games at Gutterson Field House. Today’s game begins at 4 p.m. and Sunday’s contest starts at 2 p.m.

For BU, which has won three of its last four starts, Sammy Davis and Nara Elia are the top point-getters with 13 each, while freshman Julia Nearis has seven goals. Sophomore defensemen Sini Karjalainen (15 points) and Maude Poulin-Labelle (14) lead the Catamount offense.
● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, @TerrierWHockey 
● CollegeSportsLive.com Live Stream