Terriers Hang On, Take Game One From BC

John MacLoud lays a body on a BC
 forward in the third period. Tonight was
 one of his best games in a
Terrier uniform.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

In one of the more physical BU-BC games in recent memory, BU was able to hang on and cling to a 2-1 win at Agannis against their cross-town rivals. It was the first time since November 2012 that BU defeated BC at home and the first time since Dave Quinn took over as Terrier head coach.

After a scoreless first period that saw BU control most of the play and outshot the Eagles 15-11, the Terriers found pay dirt 3:47 into the second. It was Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson getting a tip on a Dante Fabbro point shot, redirecting it past BC goalie Joe Woll to give the Terriers the lead.

It didn’t last long. Patrick Curry was called for tripping and BC made quick work on their power play. Colin White was set up beautifully back door for a tap-in goal off of passes by Casey Fitzgerald and Matty Gaudreau. It was White’s first goal for the Eagles since the WJC, and it came less than two minutes after JFK’s opening strike.

1:55 after White’s goal, it was his WJC teammate Clayton Keller who found the back of the net for the eventual game winner. Jordan Greenway made a great hustle play to win a footrace to a loose puck behind the net. From there, Greenway used his size to create separation before dishing off a centering pass to Keller out in front. From the edge of the crease, Keller shovled home a shot past Woll for his eighth of the year.

“Greener made a great play down low and found me out front,” said Clayton Keller after the game. “I have to give a lot of credit to him, it was definitely cool to score there.”

Coach Quinn also added, “I don’t think what gets enough attention is what a great playmaker he [Greenway] is. He’s a guy who makes other players around him better. That was a heck of a play.”

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

BU was able to kill off two more penalties and took the one goal lead into the third period.

Boston College dominated the third period. Jake Oettinger stopped all 12 shots he saw, but that's not even the whole story. BC out attempted BU 30-11 in the final period and for good stretches of the play, the ice was completely tilted to the BU defensive zone. It took a strong shift from the fourth line to finally break up the BC attack and BU clung to a one goal lead as the clock finally bled out.

“It was a really good win against a really good team,” said Quinn. “I thought we had a real good first period, the second period I thought was even. I didn’t love our third. They started taking it to us and I thought we were a bit tentative. We sat back and that wasn’t our plan. We gave them too much time and space. When you do that against a really good team, you’re going to spend a lot of time in your own end.”

Oettinger finished with 32 saves, while Woll turned aside 31.

BU and BC will have the weekend off before picking up again Monday night at Conte over in Chestnut Hill.