No stats are kept on the subject, but it is pretty safe to suspect that for the first time in Boston University hockey history, the Terriers’ Hockey East win total through 16 league contests equals the number of opposing conference goalies who have reveled in the dingy Walter Brown Arena press room after the game.

Providence College’s Bobby Goepfert joined Michael Ayers, Chris Davidson and Gabe Winer in those ranks Friday night. But as the Terriers – now firmly eighth in the conference – continue trying to figure out why that trend exists, it was clear that Goepfert was the only reason the Terriers did not win consecutive games for the first time this year.

“Tonight, he stole us a game on the road,” said Providence coach Paul Pooley.

BU (8-11-6, 4-10-2 Hockey East) displayed its fourth-consecutive solid effort, dominating play for virtually the entire game. But Jack Parker’s team watched zero of its 36 shots cross the red line in a 2-0 loss – its fifth conference loss in six games. It was the 14th game this season that the Terriers have managed two goals or less – games in which they are 1-10-3.

“It seems we’ve stood and talked like this before,” Parker sang (yes, he sang). “Not quite though, because we played as well as we could play, I think.”

Right from the opening faceoff that Brad Zancanaro took from his twin brother Tony, the Terriers had the Friars (12-9-6, 4-8-5) on their heels, holding the puck in the Providence zone for most of the first two periods.

But as much as they peppered Bobby Goepfert with shots, the sophomore was up to the task, always appearing in position and rarely giving up rebounds – while Terriers were often tied up in front of the net by Friar defensemen.

The two first-period near misses came on a Steve Greeley (that’s the rejuvenated Steve Greeley) wrister that made it past Goepfert but was swept away by a defender, and a Mark Mullen breakaway chance that Goepfert smothered.

“Want to hear something weird?” Goepfert asked. “At the beginning of the game, I saw Mullen out there, and I remember he scored on me in a previous game. I remember he scored [to my right], and for some funny reason I was like, ‘I wonder what he’s gonna do if he comes in on a breakaway? Well, I think he’s gonna shoot it to that side.’ It was either that or his backhand, and I guessed right.”

The Icedogs were almost as dominant in the second, only allowing five shots next to the 10 they amassed. But the stat sheet was still clear heading into the third, with no goals and no penalties.

“After the second,” Pooley said, “I got them all in one room and said, ‘You know what, we’re on the road, it’s 0-0, I don’t care about the first two periods, it’s what you do in the third period that counts.'”

While Pooley was addressing his team, Rhett was out on the ice, apparently looking past the third to Monday’s Beanpot final against Boston College. BU’s mascot was dressed like a decrepit Eagle, tearing off the wings and beak and stomping on them.

But neither event affected an inspired Terrier team. The ‘Dogs still came out firing, with four of their best chances of the game coming in the first four minutes of the third.

First, Brad Zancanaro was tied up when he had half the net in which to bury a rebound, and then Matt Radoslovich couldn’t bury an excellent pass from Kenny Roche. The continually solid line of Dave Van der Gulik, Bryan Miller and Brian McConnell fired the last two – a Van der Gulik chance from Miller and a McConnell waltz-in, but Goepfert was game each time.

Then came the demoralizing dagger. After setting up shop in the Friar zone, the lone Providence escape turned into the game-winner, as Cody Loughlean slid home a rebound just under five minutes into the third.

“We were in control of the game all the time, except on the scoreboard,” Parker said. “And then when they finally got one in the third, we still kept after them until we gave up the second one.

“First goal was offside by a mile,” Parker added. “No question it was offside by a mile.”

The Terriers kept battling, but it would be futile. They got the only power play of the game with about 10 minutes to go, but couldn’t do anything more than they had been doing all game.

And when Providence scored again with four minutes to play after a chaotic scramble, the frustration had officially turned into another brutal Hockey East defeat. BU – now only two points ahead of Northeastern University for the last spot in the Hockey East playoffs – has eight conference games left, meaning that time is officially running out. But what more can they do?

“It’s amazing that we played as well as we did tonight and we don’t get a ‘W’,” Parker said. “It would have been nice for us to get two wins in a row – we haven’t done it all year long, which is amazing to me.”

It was also amazing that there was only one penalty between two teams that are known to play physically and don’t exactly love each other. There were, however, many suspect non-calls on both sides that referee John Gravallese consistently let go, according to Parker.

“There was a lot of penalties tonight,” Parker said. “There was only one penalty called, but there was a lot of penalties tonight.

“I thought Gravo let us play,” Pooley argued, “and at this time of year with two teams fighting for spots, that’s a nice way to be refereed quite honestly, because he didn’t determine the game.”

But despite his complaints, Parker was quick to credit the Friar netminder for the win, not the officials.

“Bobby Goepfert won that game, not the referees.”

Ah, Bobby Goepfert – the goalie whom the Terriers chased from Schneider Arena just a few months ago in an eventual 6-4 win. Backup David Cacciola bailed out Goepfert in that game, but a different goalie showed up to Walter Brown Friday. In fact, the Friars didn’t even bring Cacciola to the building.

Goepfert faced a constant barrage from the Scarlet and White, but with the help of a couple posts and his defense, he withstood it all – a performance he called the best of his collegiate career.

“That’s why I play the position, is the pressure,” Goepfert said. “I like being the guy, I like being on center stage. It always helps when you’re successful.”

In fact, things were going so well that with Sean Fields on the bench, a two-goal lead and just seconds to play, Goepfert flung a shot the length of the ice at the BU net, going for his first career goal – but it slid wide.

“I probably would’ve died,” he said. “A shutout and a goal, that’s what a goalie dreams about. I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

“He didn’t even play great, he played spectacular I thought,” Parker said. “He made some unbelievable saves.”

Whatever the reason, the fact that every goalie seems to have a career night at Walter Brown has made this the season on the brink. Terrier Nation has constantly denied that it would be this way, but at this point, the home-and-home series with Northeastern University on Feb. 27-28 could very well be a battle to see if the Icedogs will miss the conference playoffs for the first time since Hockey East was created.

Then, they’ll just be hoping Keni Gibson doesn’t end up in the press room.