Three third-period goals downed the Boston University men’s hockey team in a 4-1 defeat at No. 5 Massachusetts on Saturday night.
We kind of ran out of gas,” said BU head coach Albie O’Connell.
UMass junior forward Mitchell Chaffee opened the scoring in the first period, cashing in at the right post on the extended five-on-three opportunity.
The 1-0 lead stand until 8:42 into the second when junior defenseman Cam Crotty drew BU level with his first goal of the season.
With passes from senior forward Patrick Harper and junior defenseman David Farrance, Crotty ripped one which sophomore goaltender Filip Lindberg couldn’t keep out.
“I just joined the play late,” said the BU assistant captain. “It found a way in,”
A goal in his second game back in scarlet and white was just what Crotty had in mind after a lower-body injury kept him sidelined for two weeks prior to Friday’s contest.
“It was nice to come back and bring some energy and bring my game.”
BU survived a five-minute major and game misconduct assessed to freshman forward Jamie Armstrong minutes after Crotty’s tally to get into the second intermission tied.
“I thought we killed the major well,” said O’Connell, who then added, “you can’t kill penalties all game.”
The third period was when UMass pulled away. Chaffee struck again on second-effort shot from the slot halfway through before Matthew Kessel finished off a flurry of chances at 15:24 and Colin Felix added an empty-netter inside the last two minutes.
“That’s two games in a row we let them score three goals in the third period,” said Crotty. “That’s just not going to cut it in any league.”
With a decisive final frame, the Minutemen would seal the 4-1 win and earn a split of the series with the Terriers. “We got the first win, which was really nice. Obviously would’ve liked to have the second,” said Crotty.
Not to be lost in the defeat was another strong outing from graduate goaltender Sam Tucker, whose 36 stops finished off an 85-save weekend. “Sam was great,” O’Connell said of his keeper.
BU will now look to turn the page to a two-game set next weekend at Agganis Arena against the University of Vermont.
