Power Outage

Terriers go 0/8 with man-advantage



by Tristan Hobbes

At the end of the first period Tuesday night, the Boston University Terriers were out-shooting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 10-4 and would have a 29-second five on three to begin the second period. The five and three produced nothing and neither did six other power play chances as the Terriers went 0-8 with the extra man.

“We were inept on the power play,” BU head coach Jack Parker said of his team’s lackluster performance with the man-advantage. “The 5-on-3 was like we never practiced it.”

Pressured all night by the fast charging Irish, BU was never able to set up consistently in the offensive zone. Passes were poor and decisions even poorer according to Parker.

“We had chances to make a pass and the puck kept bouncing off our stick,” said Parker. “Non-poise. We didn’t look confident.”

In eight chances, the Terriers mustered 10 shots on net with most coming from the perimeter. Junior sniper Nick Bonino (’11) was unable to set up in his preferred spot on the top of the right circle all night. The team’s top scoring threat managed just three shots on net.

Even trailing by three in the third, BU had three power plays in the final twelve minutes but could not convert. The Terriers managed five shots on the three chances.

Despite BU’s struggles, give Notre Dame credit. The Irish have now killed 26 of 27 chances on the year.

“It was a lot to do with how hard they play,” said Parker of Notre Dame’s very aggressive PK unit.

“We got a good group of forwards that know how to kill penalties,” said Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson of his team’s success down a man. “It really boils down to your goalie and your defensemen.”

Brad Phillips stopped 34 shots and his defense blocked an additional 17 shots on the night.

BU is now 1-11 on the year with the extra-man and will look to improve on that Saturday night when they host the Michigan Wolverines.