O'Regan, Hohmann Both Post Two In Win

Cason Hohmann gets tripped
up on a drive to the net in the
third period.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

Tonight, BU won because they played as a team. That was a crucial element laking in the UNH game. Passes were not crisp and guys were just not on the same page. Tonight's game started off a little similar to last Saturday', with UMass taking the play to BU early, but picked their game up in the later stages of the game.

After a sluggish scoreless first period that saw the Minutemen out shoot BU 8-6, Wade Megan potted the game's first marker 51 seconds into the second period. Cason Hohmann set Megan up with a drop pass in the far circle. From there, Megan carried the puck through the bottom of the slot before sliding it past UMass goalie Steve Mastalerz's (20 saves) outstretched left leg. 

Less than four minutes later, Danny O'regan would berry his first goal as a Terrier on a bang bang play. Fellow Freshman, Matt Grzelcyk fed O'regan the puck, who was crashing the far side of the net. O'Regan was able to one touch a shot top shelf for his first colligate goal.

BU really carried the play in the second period and looked like a completely different team compared to the first, but all it took for UMass to get back in the game was small lapse. A turnover at the BU blue line allowed Branden Gracel to walk in and unload a wrist shot. He used Alexx Privitera, the lone Terrier defender still in the zone as a screen. Matt O'Conner (28 saves) never saw the shot as it whistled past him into the net. 

Midway through the second stanza, Evan Rodrigues put on display some rather nifty moves in one single rush up ice. It all started deep in the BU zone where he undressed a UMass forechecker with a spin-o-rama. Once he reached his own blue line, he inside-outed another UMass skater before rendering yet another Minuteman defender jockless at the UMass blue line. The gross display of skill almost resulted in a goal, but Rodrigues' centering pass to Cason Hohmann was just a bit off and did not connect. 

UMass continued into the third period with the momentum though, as they had a cary over power play to start the frame. BU killed off the UMass man advantage and less than five minutes into the the period, Danny O'Regan notched his second tally of the game on a 5 on 3 power play. Grzelcyk, who was stationed at the right point, found O'Regan all alone at the far post. Danny easily found twine, roofing a quick shot over a sprawling Mastalerz.

O'Regan scores his second goal on a  5 on 3 power play
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

With about 9:30 to play, UMass cut the BU lead to 3-2 on a power play of their own. Joel Hanley beat O'Conner low glove side on a shot that O'Conner was visibly mad that he did not stop. The anger did not last long though, as Cason Hohmann put BU back up by two just 30 seconds later. A defensive breakdown allowed Hohmann and Megan two skate in two on one into the UMass zone. Hohmann froze Mastalerz by looking over at Megan before ripping a shot short side. Mastalerz got a piece of it, but it was not enough to keep Hohmann from recording his first of two third period goals.

Hohmann finally iced a penalty filled third period with an empty net goal with 50 seconds to play. 

The two teams will meet again tomorrow night at The Mullins Center on the campus of UMass Amherst.