Going Gardening

Tonight BU over came deficits of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2, to win 5-3 and sweep their first quarterfinal series since 2006. Sean Maguire looked as confident as ever in goal, stopping 39 shots in his 12th win of the season.

Ben Rosen cuts behind the net in the first period. He would
later score the game winning goal in the third.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

After a slow start that saw pretty even play, Merrimack took their first lead against BU in five game this season. With 1:00 even remaining in the first period, Shawn Bates scored on a power play. The lone assist went to Jordan Heywood.

2:30 of game time later, Matt Nieto leveled the game in the second. Danny O'Regan made strong play to open a passing lane from the right side. He slipped a pass over to Netio in the slot and he beat Sam Morrota far side. It was Nieto's 18th goal of the year and it was also his 100th career point as a Terrier. He is the first Terrier since Nick Bonino to reach the 100pt plateau as a junior.

Four minutes later, MC went back up a goal and took a 2-1 lead on a Mike Collins power play goal. The shot came from the far side and beat Maguire blocker side.

That set the stage for a crazy ending to the period. Cason Hohmann tied the game on the power play. He scored after following up his own shot and riffling the rebound past Morotta upstairs. The assists went to Sahir Gill and Matt Grzeclyk.

A little over two minutes later, Merrimack again took a one goal lead. A Patrick MacGreger turnover behind the net allowed Jon Gustavsson to take and uncontested shot in which he beat Maguire five hole. It was just Gustavsson's third goal of the season.

With 7.8 seconds left in the frame, BU tied the game again on the power play. Wade Megan shoveled a shot on goal that was stopped, but no one picked up Sam Kurker, who was added to the power play just before the weekend. Kurker slammed home his third of the season and most likely the most important goal in his life just before the period ended.

BU picked up where Kurker left off and really controlled the pace in the third.

Sean maguire stops Brian Christie on a break a way in the
third period.

They finally grabbed the lead at the 5:11 marker. A scrum in front of the Merrimack net resulted in the puck going in the net. The goal was originally was given to Kurker, but was later given to Ben Rosen. It was Rosen's fifth from Matt Lane. I did not really get a good look at the goal so I'll share what I saw.

Maguire played his best down the stretch, shutting down MC's limited grade A chances.


Sahir Gill added an empty net goal with 4 seconds left to cement BU's place in the Hockey East Semis, where there will face Boston College next weekend at the Garden.