BU Gets Badly Out Shot, But Still Wins

BU defeats BC 5-3 despite being out shot 45-15

Tonight, was a strange game to say the least. BC, a team that usually dominant on the power play, went 2 for 11, and one goal came in the final minutes on a six on four man advantage when BC pulled goalie Parker Milner for the extra attacker.

Towards the end of the game there was some good old nastiness
between the long time rivals. Here, Bu's Charlie Coyle and BC's
Tommy Cross have to be separated by the refs.
(Photo BY Matt Dresens)

 Usually when a team generates only 8 shots on goal in a period, they tend not to score very often. Well that was not the case here as BU scored twice in the first. BU got on the board with first of two power plays goals. Charlie Coyle picked the top corner on Milner from about ten feet out in the slot. The shot was a classic goal scorer’s goal, a shot that just nips the red goal post and banks into the net. It was Coyle's third goal of the year from Matt Nieto and Max Nicastro at 10:15 of the first.

In the closing minutes of the period, BU doubled their lead. Alexx Privitera sprang Yasin Cisse in on a break a way. The red shirt freshman sniped on Milner high glove side, beating the goaltender clean. Tonight, Cisse was playing on the second line with Nieto and Coyle and also got some hefty power play time. I don't know if that was all because Chris Connolly was out of the line up, but I really like the way that line played tonight, and I think it much better suites Cisse. That goal was Cisse's first career goal as a Terrier and it was also Privitera's first point in a BU uniform.

The second period was dominated by failed BC power plays, but the Eagles carried the play and dominated the time of possession. But, it was BU’s lone shot of the Period that put the Terriers up 3-0. Garrett Noonan picked up a bouncing puck and the point and teed up a drive. The puck knuckle-balled into the net behind Milner, who looked to have gotten crossed up on the play. The goal went in the books as and unassisted mark at 13:21.

Finally, with three minutes to go in the second, BC converted on the power play and finally solved Kieran Millan who played arguably his best game of the year tonight. Bill Arnold put one past Millan in a scrum in front. Originally, I though Chris Kreider had scored, but the goal was awarded to Arnold, instead. Literally seconds later, BC nearly made it a one goal game, but BU was again fortunate for getting quick whistle before the puck crossed the line.

Cason Hohmann (23) celebrates after
his goal that would prove to be the
eventual game winner.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

BC once again controled the time of position and shots in the third, but like in the second, it was BU picking up the period's first strike. Cason Hohmann grabbed the game-winning goal on the power play exactly 8:00 into the stanza. Hohmann took a slap-pass from Sean Escobedo that was wide of the net and corralled it before sliding it into the goal behind Milner oh his back hand. This was Hohmann's first collegiate goal. 

Now we get to the garbage goals. The game's ending seemed to be more dragged out then the final minutes of an NBA basketball game. Penalty after Terrier penalty prevented the clock from running down and BC made things (at least for me) very tense in the closing minutes. Kreider made an excellent tip on Edwin Shea's shot from the point and re-directed the puck past Millan, cutting he BU lead to 4-2 with about five minutes to play. 

Corey Trivino eased most of the tension I, and the other hundreds of BU fans that made the trip over, when he converted on an empty net short handed goal from about 130 feat out, making it 5-2 with there minutes to play. All was clam for 16 seconds, that is when Barry Almedia scored on the power play at the 17:16 mark of the third for BC. BU hung on though, despite being way out shot and taking way, way to many penalties down the stretch. The 5-3 victory was BU's 5th win in a row and it clinched the Hockey East season series against Boston College for the Terriers. 

Parker had this to say about the game and some of the actions that both team’s players were taking: “They were diving all over the place. It’s pathetic that stuff that’s going on out there".

The two teams go at it again tomorrow night at Agganis Arena starting at seven. 

**PairWise update: with that win, BU jumped all the way from 16th to 11th in the PWR**