Men's Hockey vs. #20 Massachusetts

by Sopan Deb

The #20 University of Massachusetts Minutemen (4-2-2 Overall, 2-1-2 Hockey East) beat the Boston University Terriers (2-5-1 Overall, 2-2-0 HE) 5-3 Friday night, for the first time ever at Agganis Arena, and for the first time in Boston since a 2-1 victory on January 7^th, 2004.

BU senior forward Pete MacArthur had a breakout game with two goals and an assist. MacArthur, last season’s point leader for the Terriers, had been relatively quiet at the start of the season with only one goal and one assist for two points through seven games. Senior forward Bryan Ewing netted his third goal of the season on a second period power-play.

The first period started off with a bang as MacArthur scored his second goal of the season 33 seconds in to the contest to give BU its only lead at 1-0. On the first shift, a deflection of a Minuteman defender’s stick trickled to MacArthur at the top of the left circle and no UMass defensemen picked him up. He was easily able to shoot it through freshman goalie Paul Dainton’s legs.

Penalties once again disrupted any offensive flow that the Terriers tried to maintain. BU sophomore forward Zach Cohen was called for slashing less than two minutes after MacArthur’s goal. UMass senior defenseman Michael Kostka capitalized on the power play opportunity with a slap shot from the blue line just over outstretched BU sophomore goalie Brett Bennett to tie the game.

UMass dominated the first period using their speed and stick handling to counter BU’s physical style.

After BU freshman forward Colin Wilson was called for an interference penalty with 4:52 remaining the first, UMass was whistled for too many men on the ice 1:12 later. The teams were matched four on four when junior Topher Bevis gave UMass the lead, with a top shelf slap shot from the left point.

The second period started off sloppy with both teams making passes going far and wide.

However, BU was able to slow down the pace of the game, and into their favor. After Kostka was called for his second penalty of the period, a holding call with 12:35 left in the second, senior forward Brian Ewing tied the game for BU at 2 on the power play. The goal was a slap shot from the blue line which deflected off of a UMass defenseman and in to the net.

As the game got more physical, tempers started flaring. There was one incident in the second where UMass sophomore forward Will Ortiz was checked by freshman defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk after a whistle and had to be separated by referees.

The second period was dominated by BU as they put excellent pressure on the UMass defense and on Dainton by slowing down the puck and working it around the blue line. The Terriers were able to get numerous second chances off of rebounds.

UMass tried to counter by trapping the puck along the boards by sending double teams to the left and right points.

The third period was more of a fast paced affair dominated by the Minutemen. UMass was on a three-on-one break led by freshman forward Shawn Saunders. Saunders’ slap shot from Bennett’s right was saved and the subsequent rebound opportunities from freshman forward Brian Keane and sophomore Will Ortiz were also stopped by Bennett before he covered the puck up.

Unfortunately, UMass kept attacking. BU sophomore defenseman Eric Gryba was whistled for hooking on the three-on-one opportunity. Freshman forward Chase Langeraap scored his first goal of the season to give UMass another lead on a chip in.

“I thought they played much better than we did in the third period,” BU head coach Jack Parker said in the post game. “I was very disappointed in how unprepared we were to play the game from the start.”

The Terriers answered right back less than two minutes later. Ewing fed a cutting MacArthur to Dainton’s right and MacArther used some fancy stick handling to stuff the puck into the net. It was MacArthur’s second of the game and third of the season.

However, that would be all for the Terriers offense as UMass began to take over.

Ortiz gave UMass the lead for good with 6:46 left. He received a feed from sophomore defenseman Justin Braun and streaked up the rink for a point blank chip in from Bennett’s right side.

“I thought we learned our lesson already,” BU senior captain Brian McGuirk said afterwards. “(Our team) already gave a couple games away early in the season. We had a pretty good answer last weekend but we were looking to build on that, keep getting better. Tonight was a step back.”

Bennett was pulled with 1:10 left in the contest for the extra forward

After UMass defended their zone well for BU’s final gasp, senior left winger P.J. Fenton scored on BU’s empty net with 31 seconds left. BU was outscored three to one in the final frame.

“You can’t play in this league against anyone if you’re going to give an effort like that,” MacArthur said. “Maybe we outworked them for about 14, 15 minutes; but if we don’t show up to play and realize you’ve got to bring it every night, we’re going to have an early end to the season.”

WTBU's next men's hockey broadcast will be on November 20, when the Terriers host the Harvard Crimson. Game time is at 7:30, with pre-game coverage starting at 7:10.