BU Melts UMass at Frozen Fenway

As the sun slowly began to set and reflect off the Prudential Center onto the ice inside Fenway Park, BU had built a comfortable 3-0 lead off two goals from Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and another by Charlie McAvoy. Then, UMass scored the game’s next two goals and all of a sudden it was a one goal game with little over half a period to play in a game BU looked to be cruising in. 

Ryan Cloonan and Jonny Lazarus go hard afer a puck in the
UMass zone in the first period.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

That’s when Chad Krys scored his most important goal to date in a Terrier uniform. From the middle of the slot, Krys beat UMass goalie Ryan Wischow low on a turnaround backhand shot. It was just his second goal of the year. Jordan Greenway and Bobo Carpenter added assists on the play, and it restored BU’s multi-goal lead.

48 seconds later, Gabriel Chabot potted his second of the year off a rebound from a Nick Roberto shot to seal the deal.

“They [UMass] battled,” said coach Quinn. “We go up 3-0 and they battled back to make it 3-2 and our goalie had to make some big saves. It’s a good win for us, a valuable two league points after a hectic week for all of us.”

The game started off slow. There was serious feeling out period and some of that was due to the ice and the atmosphere. Because it was so cold out, the ice was choppy. The puck was bouncing and there were several delays to repair the ice in the opening frame.

Quinn added, “the conditions weren’t bad. You’re playing an outdoor game and the ice can get a little choppy as you’d expect, but a special night when you get a chance to play at Fenway Park. You’re really not sure what you’re gonna be able to do and not do in those conditions. I think both teams figured out it was going to be a game of simplicity. I thought when we kept it simple we had a chance for success.”

BU finally broke the ice late in the first on a power rush by Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson up the near side boards. The Swedish center who had a hat trick against Union on Thursday continued his torrid pace to net his 4th goal of 2017 and first of two on the afternoon. After blowing by a UMass defender at the top of the circle, JFK cut hard to the net and tucked home a stuff attempt on Wischow.

BU celebrates after JFK's second goal of the afternoon.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

Then in the second, Kieffer Bellows made a highlight reel centering pass off his backhand out of the corner to JFK in front. From there, Karlsson caught the puck on his forehand and unloaded a spin-around backhander all in one motion past Wischow down low.

JFK now has five goals in his last two games. After the game, he said “A couple of kids were asking for my stick there, but I think I’m gonna keep it. It’s been working.”

Less than three minutes later, Charlie McAvoy blasted home a power play goal from the bottom of the left circle to make it 3-0 BU. It came off a rebound from a Clayton Keller shot in the slot. Patrick Harper also picked up an assist on the play.

UMass solved Jake Oettinger with less than five minutes to play in the second on a very unconventional goal. Griff Jeszka banked a shot off Oettinger’s backside from what looked to be below the goal line.

The Minutemen then got within one on a shorthanded goal from Ray Pigozzi. Steven Iacobellis broke in and was stopped by Oettinger, but Pigozzi was there to slam home his fourth goal of the year off the rebound.

Iacobellis rounded out the scoring with a tip-in goal with the goalie pulled with less than a minute to play.

BU will get back to a more conventional week and will face Boston College in a weekend series starting on Friday night at Agganis and concluding on Monday (MLK Day) at Conte.