The Massachusetts hockey team’s third period struggles cost it the game Wednesday night, falling 4-2 to the Boston University Terriers.
The Minutemen (8-7-2, 2-5-2 Hockey East) came into the third period up 2-1 but found themselves battling after allowing three goals in the frame. Cole Hutson was the one to net two of the goals for the Terriers (9-6-1, 5-3-1 HEA) in the final period.
The first goal came at the 11:11 mark on a shot from the point to tie the game 2-2. Shortly after, Larry Keenan went to the box to put BU on a power play. Just over 30 seconds into the power play, Cole Hutson sent a goal through traffic to give the Terriers the lead.
His brother, Quinn Hutson, added onto the BU lead to give more cushion room for the Terriers. Freshman Cole Eiserman passed to Quinn who deked goaltender Michael Hrabal out of net.
Despite pulling Hrabal with over three minutes left in the game, UMass couldn’t find a comeback with the man advantage.
“I don’t think we were getting zones,” sophomore Jack Musa said about the third period. “We didn’t have much time in the offensive zone so that’s obviously going to make it hard to score but we didn’t have many shots in the third [period].”
Musa opened up the scoring for the Minutemen for his seventh goal of the year less than two minutes into the first period. Kenny Connors sent a pass to Musa who was not far on the right from him. The sophomore slapped a shot on Terrier goaltender Mathieu Caron but the goaltender blocked the puck away. With a scuffle in front of the net from the shot, Musa quickly skated behind Caron to retrieve the puck and make it 1-0.
Daniel Jencko also grabbed an assist on the goal, making him a point per game player since coming back from his injury on Nov. 29.
In the first period, shots were skewed in UMass’ favor, but in the second period BU came out strong and looked like the better team. It added 15 shots on goaltender Michael Hrabal in the period, including a goal.
After Keenan was whistled for a hooking penalty, the Terriers were looking for their first power play goal of the game after three chances with a man up. Eiserman added a shot on Hrabal but after he made the save, he landed on his back. With Devin Kaplan near the crease, he quickly shot the puck in for BU’s first goal of the game late in the second period.
The Minutemen gave up two goals on the penalty kill due to UMass’ defense allowing BU too many shots.
“Shoot the puck,” Carvel said about the Terriers success on the power play. “I wish our guys would have shot the puck a little more [on Wednesday].”
The Kaplan goal was after Aydar Suniev brought the Minutemen up by two goals on a Cole O’Hara pass. On a 2-on-1, O’Hara skated quickly with the puck as Suniev skated down the middle of the ice. After the junior passed the puck to Suniev, he put a wrist shot five-hole on Caron.
Despite the goal, Hrabal kept UMass in the game until the third period, especially after a number of defensive breakdowns in the second period. Matt Copponi shot the puck at Hrabal but the goaltender made a leg save. Kaplan grabbed the rebound, but Hrabal went to a full split to make the save.
“[Hrabal] made a huge save in the first, much like he did at BU,” head coach Greg Carvel said. “I think he made a couple big time saves. The ones that went in felt a little unlucky for him, deflections. BU got to the net really well, that makes it hard for any goalie.”
UMass will go on winter break before taking on Simon Fraser in an exhibition game on Saturday, Dec. 28. Puck drop is set at Mullins Center for 6 p.m.
Kayla Gregoire can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @Kaygregoire.
