Weekend Recap: A "Guttsy" Effort

Player of the Weekend
In his first weekend back from a
broken wrist, Alexx Privitera
notched two points in two games at
Vermont. His overtime goal Saturday
night is the reason why he is my
player of the week.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

Say what you want about how good (or in this case) bad Vermont is. Four points is four points, no matter who you beat. BU's sweep of the Catamounts marks the first time the program has swept Vermont in Gutterson Field House since UVM joined Hockey East in 2006.

Friday night, BU ran circles around Vermont. After a scoreless first period, the Terriers broke the game open, scoring three second period goals. Sean Escobedo potted the first and third Terrier goals, with Cason Hohmann scoring the second. BU added two more before the two minute mark of the third. Wade Megan scored at 1:13 and just 31 seconds later, Justin Courtnall scored on a semi break away. Grant Rollheiser made 18 saves for his third win of the season.

Saturday was a different story.  BU came out really flat and UVM jumped on them, scoring less than four minutes into the game. The goal was a result of bad turnover deep in the Terrier zone. Conner Brickley picked up the loose puck and beat Kieran Millan five hole. Before the period ended, Sebastian Stalberg made it 2-0 Cats. This was an all around awful period of hockey.

For how badly BU played in the first, they certainly got better in the second. They held UVM to just three shots all frame and Sahir Gill scored on a diving play, halfway through the stanza. BU had a goal waved off, so it was Vermont leading 2-1 heading into the third.

With time running out, BU pulled Millan with 1:41 left. Wade Megan tied the game at 2-2, with just 1:25 left in regulation a rebound. It was BU's first six on five goal of the year. Not looking to settle for a tie, the Terrier's Alexx Privitera sent a slap shot sailing low to the ice towards the UVM net in overtime. The puck hit off Vermont forward HT Lenz's stick, past Rob Madore and into the net. The goal gave BU their fourth overtime win of the year. It also clinched home ice in the Hockey East Quarterfinals.

At The Polls
BU is up two slots from 6th to 4th in the USCHO poll. BC has taken over the number one spot with Minnesota Duluth, Ferris State, BU and Minnesota rounding out the top five. BU and Minnesota are actually tied for fourth, after they both received 814 points from the voters.

BU also moved up from 6th to 4th in the PairWise rankings. Duluth currently leads the PWR, BC is second, Michigan third and BU, Lowell and Ferris State are all in a log jam for fourth. Other Hockey East teams in the PWR are: Maine (10) Merrimack (14) Northeastern (27) New Hampshire (29) and UMass (32). Roughly the top 16 make the NCAA tournament.

Around Hockey East
Friday: Northeastern tripped up Maine 4-2 at home... Boston College shutout Providence 3-0 in the capital of Rhode Island... Merrimack beat Lowell 5-2 at Lawler Rink... New Hampshire snuck past UMass 4-3 at home... BU routed Vermont 5-0 at Gutterson Field House.

Saturday: Boston College completed the sweep of Providence with a 7-0 win at home... Merrimack and Lowell skated to a 2-2 tie at Tsongas Center... Maine ran over Northeastern 7-1 at Matthews Arena... UMass upended New Hampshire at the Whittimore Center on the campus of UNH... BU came back to beat Vermont 3-2 in overtime.