BU Blows Lead, Settles for Draw Against UNH

Paul Thompson nets two for UNH; Grant Rollheiser stands tall in net for the Terriers

by Chris Aliano

The Boston University men's ice hockey team was forced to settle with a 3-3 tie Saturday night against the visiting Wildcats of UNH, rallying from a one-goal deficit after coughing up a 2-1 lead in the third period.

For the Terriers (3-7-1, 2-6-1 HEA), sophomore forward Corey Trivino notched his second goal of the season at 11:52 of the third period to pull even with the Wildcats (4-6-3, 4-2-2 HEA).  With the Terriers on the power play, Trivino took a pass from junior defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and buried it over the outreached glove of UNH netminder Brian Foster (34 saves).  The score would not change the rest of the way, including the five-minute overtime, and the Terriers rallied to pick up one point out of a possible four on the weekend.


UNH junior forward and first star of the game Paul Thompson started the scoring at 5:22 of the first period, taking a pass from senior captain Bobby Butler and burying a shot from just above the slot that sophomore goalkeeper Grant Rollheiser (27 saves) was screened on.

"The first one was kind of a fluke," Thompson said afterward.  "I threw it on net, I was trying to get it to [UNH forward] Bob [Butler] who was going back door, but I think it hit went of their games and it deflected over his blocker."

The Terriers netted the equalizer nearly ten minutes later.  Sophomore defenseman David Warsofsky, who lined up as a forward for the second straight night filling in for injured starter Chris Connolly, deposited a shot from the slot after receiving a pass from freshman forward Alex Chiasson.  Junior forward Nick Bonino also picked up an assist on the play, and in doing so extended the remarkable undefeated streak by the Terriers when Bonino tallies a point (33-0-4 in their last 37 games when Bonino gets on the score sheet).

"I thought we were playing well," Warsofsky said afteward.  "I passed it up to Nick, who made a nice pass to Alex, and he saw me in the slot and luckily it went through."

Sophomore forward Vinny Saponari put the Terriers on top at 16:56 in the second frame in one of the finest goals scored by the Terriers this season.  Senior forward Zach Cohen won a puck from the far corner and found Saponari skating across the goal line.  The Power Springs, Georgia-native maneuvered his way toward the front of the net, spun around to protect the puck, and fired a shot that eluded Foster.

"Zach made a nice pass across and I was just trying to spin to protect the puck and get a shot," Saponari said afterward.  "I think it bounced off a UNH player.  A bit of luck but I'll take it."

The second period was dominated by the Terriers, who peppered Foster with nine shots--six from the Grade-A area--and limited the Wildcats to six, all from outside the crease.  But they were unable to maintain that high level of play to start the third period--a recurring theme among this year's squad.  A term that Parker has used on a number of occasions to describe the Terriers' efforts has been "non-poised", and they certainly matched the description in the opening moments of the period.

"I think that you get what you deserve," head coach Jack Parker said afterward.  "Our record is indicative of who we are at this point.  There were many nights where guys just didn't play hard enough.

"We've played two, sixty-minute, competitive games this year."

UNH junior forward Phil DeSimone drew the Wildcats even just twenty seconds into the third period, taking advantage of an early defensive breakdown that stunned the home team.  Forty seconds later, freshman defenseman Sean Escobedo took a careless penalty for hitting from behind, and Chiasson was sent to the box at 5:08, allowing UNH an opportunity to pull away.  Thompson lit the lamp again at 6:05, convering UNH's lone power-play goal of the night.

"[UNH defenseman Matt] Campanale from the point made a great shot to mys tick, and I got a little lucky with the tip, and beat him," Thompson said.

The two teams went back and forth for the ensuing five minutes before BU was handed an extra-man advantage at 11:14, when UNH defenseman was sent off.  It took 38 seconds before Trivno notted the game at 3-3.  After a late surge by the Wildcats in their attempt to sweep the series, the game went to overtime.  Both teams had their chances, but the end result was just as it was after three periods.

"Both teams had a chance to win it in regulation," UNH head coach Dick Umile said afterward.  "We'll take three points from the weekend and move on."

The three points keeps UNH tied with Boston College for first place in the conference.  BU still sits at ninth with five total points.

"I think we needed the win more than they did, so they're probably happy to get three points on the weekend," Parker said afterward.  "We only get one, and that really hurts us."  

"We had a chance for the sweep which would've been huge, but you can't be too disappointed when you take three out of the four [points] from BU," Thompson said.

The Terriers will return to the ice Tuesday, Nov. 24, when they make the trip across the Charles River to visit Harvard in the return of the traditional Tuesday-before-Thanksgiving-BU-Harvard contest.  Game time is set for 7 p.m. 

Notes and Notables
Warsofsky started the game as a forward, but was moved back to defense later in the contest after struggling with the forecheck... The Terriers only drew two penalties, opposed to the six they were called for...Kevin Gilroy and Andrew Glass replaced Ryan Santana and Justin Courtnall in the lineup... Connolly is expected to be back in the lineup against Harvard...