Saturday, March 12, 2011

There Will Be More Hockey!


BU stays alive after 3 goal first period

After allowing a 5 on 3 goal just minutes into the game BU out played and out worked Northeastern for the rest of the game. On that 5 on three power play, Wade MacLeod set up Brodie Reid for a one-timer, which Reid drilled past Millan (30 saves) blocker side.

BU would respond just three minutes later. Taking a pass from Corey Trivino, Alex Chiasson put a shot on net that was stopped by NU goalie Chris Rawlings (3 saves). The rebound kicked out to the point where Ryan Ruikka spotted the open top left corner to tie the game. BU's response was a good indication as to how well they would perform the rest of the evening.
Captain Joe Pereira had two goals and made sure that last
night's game was not his last in a BU uniform. Joey had a
ton of energy all nigh a was wizzing around the rink.
(Photo By Matt Dresens)
Three minutes later Matt Nieto would notch a rare power play goal to put the Terriers up for the first time in the series. Nieto received a pass from Chris Connolly in the slot and the freshman wasted no time with his shot as he burried it over Rawlings' glove into the back of the net.

The fourth line played well all night, especially Justin Courtanall, and the line was rewarded with a goal at the 13:00 minute mark of the first period. Courtnall was able to free up the puck behind the Husky net where NU killer, Kevin Gilroy, picked it up. Gilroy made a big loop before cutting back to the middle and firing a wrister by Rawlings' glove again to make it 3-1 Terriers. It would be the game winning goal, the second game winner for Gilroy vs the Huskies. Last year he ended the NU season with a game winner in the final regular season contest. That loss demoted the Huskies to 9th place and out of the 2009-'10 playoffs. Given the obvious poor performance by netminder Rawlings, NU coach Cronin oppted to change in favor of freshman Clay Witt.

NU picked up the only goal of the second period with just 26 seconds left. Jamie Oleksiak was able to get just enough wood on a bouncing puck at the blue line. The puck surpised Millan, knuckling off the cross bar before winding up in the back of the Terrier net.

BU dominated the third period. Long stretches of play were controled by the Terriers in the NU zone. Eventually, BU upped the lead to 4-2 as Joe Pereira was able to jam a lose puck following a rap-around attempt  stop by Clay Witt (29 saves) .

After the goal, BU played lock-down defense, limiting NU to little offence and very few chances. Pereira would add an empty-netter to seal the game for the Terriers forcing game three, Sunday night.
BU is undefeated in Hockey East Quarter final game three's at Agganis. Every year but 2006 there has been a third and final game.

Go Figure
Kevin Gilroy was pictured on the ticket and scored the game winning goal for the Terriers.

Pipe Luck
Northeastern hit two posts last night, one in the third and one in the first periods.

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