Last season, the then-No. 1 Boston University men’s hockey team got swept by Merrimack College. However, Friday night, the Terriers (10-11-2, 8-7-2 Hockey East) managed to extend their unbeaten streak to three and picked up their first win at Lawler Rink under current BU head coach David Quinn.
“A good two points on the road in a place we haven’t won in a long time,” Quinn said.
Merrimack (7-12-4, 4-8-2 Hockey East) opened the scoring just under five minutes into the first period. Senior forward Brett Seney connected on a pass from senior forward Jace Hennig and junior goaltender Craig Pantano, and shot the puck past sophomore goaltender Jake Oettinger.
Seney has now notched five career goals against the Terriers and Pantano picked up his first collegiate point on the assist.
BU found itself on its first power play 17 minutes into the first period as senior forward Alfred Larsson found himself in the box for charging.
Sophomore defenseman Dante Fabbro took a pass from junior forward and assistant captain Jordan Greenway and shot the puck from the left circle to beat Pantano.
Forty-seven seconds later, the Terriers lit the lamp again.
Freshman forward Shane Bowers scored on a shot off a rebound from graduate transfer forward Drew Melanson to give BU a 2-1 lead.
However, the Terriers did not stop there and scored once more in the period. Fabbro picked up another goal in the 70 second fury as he sent the puck into the back of the net from the point.
“We didn’t do it the easy way that’s for sure,” Quinn said. “I really thought we were sluggish in the first period yet we come out with a 3-1 lead. Then I thought we were much better in the second period and we lose the period 1-0.”
In the second period, Merrimack appeared to have a goal when junior forward Derek Petti came from behind BU’s net and beat Oettinger. However, Petti discharged the net and the officials ruled it a no goal.
Although, the Warriors reduced the Terriers’ lead to one goal late in the second.
Freshman defenseman Cam Crotty was sent to the box for interference at 17:20, which set up a goal for Merrimack just 20 seconds into the power play. Senior defenseman and assistant captain Marc Biega tallied his fourth goal of the season.
Sophomore forward Cole McBride and sophomore defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic were credited with the helpers on the goal.
Quinn said that he felt his team missed chances in the second after outshooting the Warriors 14-8 over the frame.
“We had some unbelievable chances in the second period,” Quinn said. “I thought we could have got a 4-1 lead and make life a little bit easier on ourselves, but we weren’t able to capitalize on it.”
Merrimack took advantage of Greenway being sent to the box in the final period and knotted the game at three. Seney found the back of the net on the power play with a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle at 4:48.
While BU only drew four penalties during the game, its penalty kill unit was only able to kill off two successfully.
“The penalty kill obviously really hurt us tonight,” Quinn said. “They get two power-play goals that were way too easy.”
With the game winding down, Fabbro pushed the Terriers ahead with a goal at 15:33. Fabbro received a pass from freshman forward Logan Cockerill and took a shot from the slot to collect his first collegiate hat-trick.
“Logan Cockerill and Shane Bowers make a great play to win a puck battle and get it deep. Fabbro closes and makes a great shot,” Quinn said. “[It’s] a great two points. Oettinger makes a great save after we go up 4-3 to secure the two points.”
Fabbro added that his last hat-trick was when he played in the BC Hockey Major Midget League.
“I think my last hat-trick was four years ago… three [to] four years ago.” Fabbro said. “… I have no idea who it was against.”
The two teams will meet Saturday night at Agganis Arena for the second half of the home-and-home series with BU looking for a sweep and to continue its hot streak.
“The first half obviously is nothing you want,” Fabbro said “I think if we pick it up on the right foot in the second half, we can definitely put ourselves in a better position to move forward.”
